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There are three basic steps towards breath retraining:
✦ Step One
Become very aware of your breathing. Feel, watch and listen to your breathing as much as you can during the day, paying particular attention to what causes you to take big breaths.
Ask yourself some questions. Is your breathing a still, silent activity or does it involve large inhalations and body movements? Are you going about your daily activities with your mouth open? Do you take a big breath as you stand up from your chair or before talking? Do you heave big sighs, yawn or sniff regularly? Do you wake in the night or early morning with a dry mouth? Is your nose blocked when you wake or do you wake feeling that you have not had a good night’s sleep?
Only when you have become aware of your bad breathing can you take steps to correct it. During our clinics, we outline people’s breathing traits. More often than not they are totally unaware of these and while some people find them alarming, more often most find them quite amusing.
Awareness of our own incorrect breathing can also be increased by observing other people who are perhaps breathing with their mouths open, panting when shopping, or at bus stops; it is also possible to notice a person’s breathing characteristics over the telephone. Even though all of these people may seem to enjoy good health, many of those who have bad breathing actions may already have or are likely to develop health problems in the future.
✦ Step Two
Learn to breathe through your nose. Breathing through your nose at all times is the correct and only way to breathe.
Some people seem to spend most of their lives with a blocked nose and many have tried, without success, every nasal spray and therapy on the market. In this book those very people will be taught an effective exercise for unblocking the nose in a matter of minutes. This will be the first step on the road to permanent and comfortable nasal breathing.
✦ Step Three
It has already been explained how the respiratory centre can accept a low level of carbon dioxide as the norm, despite the stress it may place on various organs. All the breathing exercises featured that we use involve breathing less air than the body has become accustomed to. Over time this helps reset the respiratory system to accept the higher levels of carbon dioxide that it really should have. Remember, when the volume of air breathed in is reduced the carbon dioxide in the lungs accumulates and this in turn will readjust the carbon dioxide threshold.
When asked for a simple definition of his theory, Professor Buteyko said it is this: the reduction of the depth of breathing by the relaxation of the respiratory muscles to create a little air shortage. Two words he directed at his patients were ‘breathe less’. This is the very essence of Buteyko breathing.
Throughout this blog each exercise and how it should be practised will be examined. However, it is important to always be aware of what is being achieved and why. Remember that overbreathing will trigger asthma and the intention is to learn to breathe a more correct volume by relaxation. Breathing can primarily be reduced by relaxing all the muscles involved in respiration. It is very important to relax the muscles because increased tension leads to overbreathing, reduces blood flow and therefore oxygenation.
A quote from sixth century BC philosopher Lao Tzu states: ‘The perfect man breathes as if he does not breathe.’ Through the Buteyko Method the individual learns to breathe in a calm, silent and still manner. | <urn:uuid:45b42e88-c556-48b2-868e-fca3285a60cb> | {
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A team of international health experts issues a bold call to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. They appeal to fund the salaries of health workers or else risk a situation in which medicines for these three diseases are made available in poor countries but there are no health professionals to deliver them.
"Recent comments from the inside of the Global Fund," say Gorik Ooms (Medecins Sans Frontières, Belgium) and colleagues, "suggest an intention to focus more on the three diseases, and to leave the strengthening of health systems and the support to the health workforce to others. This might create "Medicines Without Doctors" situations: situations in which the medicines to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria are available, but not the doctors or the nurses to prescribe those medicines adequately."
It would be a strategic mistake, say the authors, for the Global Fund to create such a "Medicines Without Doctors" situation.
"The Global Fund has an advantage that makes it a key actor in the field of supporting health workforces," they say. "Most other donors are forced to aim for sustainability in the conventional sense, implying that beneficiary countries should gradually replace international funding with domestic resources, whereas the Global Fund has been promised sustained funding by the international community, allowing it to make sustained commitments to beneficiary countries. This is what some of the countries most affected by AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria need to increase their health workforce. Their health workforce challenges are too big to consider a gradual replacement of international funding with domestic resources."
Ooms and colleagues use the examples of two countries -- Mozambique and Malawi -- trying to fight against a full-blown AIDS epidemic with a fragile health system to underline the crucial role of Global Fund support to the health workforce. Mozambique, for example, estimates that in order to roll out HIV drug therapy across the country, it would need 8 health workers per 1000 patients receiving treatment. And yet currently, per 1000 people there are only 0.36 full-time equivalents of health workers. Mozambique simply does not have the domestic resources needed to pay for additional health workers, and Ooms and colleagues urge the Global Fund to step in and fund such a workforce. | <urn:uuid:3621a167-cb49-49a8-861c-802c2c93cca1> | {
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Xi'an Stele forest Museum:(because the Xi'an stele forest is situated in the famous old city Xi'an three study streets Qing Dynasty's Chang An studies, government office study, Xianning to study is located in here, but this). It (in 1078) to preserve in the Northern Song Dynasty two years "Becomes enlightened Confucian classics carved on stone" establishes. 900 for many years, an experience generation of collection, the expanded collection, the careful protection, has entered the Tibet tablet stone nearly 3000 sides. Had six tablet porches, seven tablet rooms, eight tablet pavilions, the exhibition has displayed altogether 1087 Fang Beishi. In the famous tablet gathers together in the exhibition room, has demonstrated the Saint Confucian, philosopher's vast Confucian classics carved on stone; The Qin and Han Dynasty writer's plain customs handed down from the past; Wei Jin Northern Dynasty inscription beauty; Datang famous experts certainly generation of calligraphy as well as Song Yuan famous litterateur's natural words. Great calligrapher Wang Xizhi, the picture Saint Wu line calligraphy and painting same splendor's pen ink marks as well as the poem picture outstanding in both fields's Wang Wei's bamboo shade cool breeze more stele forest does credit overflows the color. The Xi'an stele forest the characteristic which is in sole possession of by it becomes in the Chinese nation historical relics treasure house a important component, in 1962 is announced for China first batch of key Cultural relic preservation organ.
Xi'an, ancient said that “Chang An”, is world famous world one of four big civilized ancient capitals, comes first in of Chinese ancient capital, is in the Chinese history the founding a capital time is longest, the founding a capital dynasty to be most, the influence biggest capital city, is Chinese nation's cradle, the Chinese civilization birthplace, Chinese culture representative. Xi'an, unique ancient and modern fusion perfect city. Now Xi'an is the People's Republic of China Shanxi Province's provincial capital, Chinese one of seven wide range key cities, Asian knowledge technological innovation center, new Europe and Asia continental bridge China section with Huanghe River valley biggest key city, Chinese big airplane's manufacture base, Chinese mid-west area most greatly most important scientific research, higher education, defense-related science and technology industry and high technology and new technology Industrial base. | <urn:uuid:b49d34bb-0477-4210-8916-e4b77d93f168> | {
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How will my family react to the news that I have cancer?
Every person has a different way of handling news that a loved one has cancer. Many people react with shock, disbelief and even anger when they're first given the news. Keep in mind that there is no "right way" for you and your family to feel about your diagnosis. One of the best ways for families to deal with their feelings is to share them with each other.
Should I tell my children that I have cancer?
Many parents don't want to burden their child or children with worries and fears about their illness. They keep the truth from their child or children in hopes of sparing them some pain. But even the youngest children can sense when something is wrong. If they don't know the truth, they may imagine that things are even worse than they are. Children (especially very young children) tend to see themselves as the center of the world, and they may think that they have done something that is causing problems in the family.
Some parents choose not to tell their child or children about their cancer diagnosis. Others choose to tell only what they feel their child needs to know. How much you tell depends upon your child's age and maturity, and how much you feel he or she can handle.
How do I tell my children that I have cancer?
Before telling your child or children that you have cancer, you may want to talk with your doctor, a counselor or another expert about the best way to deliver this news. If you decide to join a support group, other members may be able to offer advice and suggestions as well.
Prepare to offer your child or children a lot of reassurance. Children's questions and concerns will probably center on how their lives might change. They will want to know who is going to take care of them and what is going to happen. Assure them that someone will be looking after them, whether it's you, a relative or friend of the family.
Try to stay positive, but also be realistic and honest with your child or children. It's okay to tell your child that you don't know exactly what's going to happen and promise to keep him or her informed if anything changes.
How can I help my children cope with their feelings?
If your child fears that he or she has somehow caused your illness, you might ask your doctor to talk with your child and give a short, simple explanation of your diagnosis.
You may also want to enroll your child or children in a support group for children who have a family member who has cancer. These groups offer children an opportunity to talk with their peers about their fears and questions. An adult support group leader – often a nurse, guidance counselor or social worker – is also there to answer questions and help children find useful ways to cope with a parent's illness. Your doctor can suggest ways to find a support group, or you may contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society. The National Cancer Institute also offers support group information. (See “Other Organizations”.)
Try to keep your child's routine as normal as possible. Your child needs your attention now more than ever, so continue to spend time together as a family. Set boundaries and enforce rules just as you always have. Ask your child how he or she is handling your illness. If you feel that your child is not coping well, seek help from your doctor or a counselor.
How can my family members help me?
Asking your family members for help during this time benefits both you and them. Members of your family want to give you their support, but aren't always sure how. Assign specific tasks to each individual. If one person in your family is particularly organized, ask him or her to help you handle insurance and legal issues, for example. Have a family member collect and write down any questions that you and your family have for your doctor. Take this person with you when you visit your doctor. Your family member can make sure all of the questions are asked and record the answers. You might ask several people to provide different kinds of emotional support so you'll always have someone to call on. Give your children age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities so they feel they're offering some help, too.
If a friend or family member says, "Tell me how I can help," have an answer ready. Don't hesitate to ask for help with everyday tasks like cooking, cleaning, yard work and driving the children to their activities.
Your cancer treatment may keep you at home or in the hospital for an extended period of time. Not being able to do your normal activities (such as going to work or participating in a favorite hobby) may make you feel useless or "stir crazy." Ask friends and family members to set up a schedule of visitors who can help you pass the time.
Remember, by accepting the help of others, you'll have more time to focus on getting better.
A growing number of social media resources provide services for people who have cancer to more easily get help and support from others. Online tools and phone apps are available to help cancer patients manage information about their care, give status updates, and organize help from volunteers such as family, friends and others in the community.
What legal issues do I need to discuss with my family?
When you've been diagnosed with cancer, you first want to concentrate on getting better and coping with your treatment. But it's a good idea to make some important decisions with your family and with your doctor while you're still feeling well. You may want to talk with your family, your doctor, a social worker from a local hospital and/or a legal advisor about the kind of care you'd like to receive if you get very sick or become terminally ill. (Being terminally ill usually means that you have only a few weeks or months to live.)
An advance directive is a legal document that describes the kind of treatment you would want depending on how sick you are. Advance directives usually tell your doctor that you don't want certain types of life-saving treatment. However, they can also say that you do want a certain treatment no matter how ill you are.
A durable power of attorney (DPA) for health care is one kind of advance directive. A DPA names a trusted individual who will make health care decisions for you. A DPA becomes active any time you are unconscious or unable to make medical decisions for yourself.
A do not resuscitate (DNR) order is another kind of advance directive. A DNR is a request not to be given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops or if you stop breathing. (Unless they are given other instructions, hospital staff will try to help all patients whose heart has stopped or who have stopped breathing.) Most people who die in a hospital have had a DNR order written for them.
Advance directives do not have to be complicated legal documents. Your doctor may be able to provide a simple form for you to fill out. There are also some computer software packages that offer legal forms. Remember, anything you write by yourself or using a software package should follow the laws in your state. Have the documents notarized, if possible, and give copies to your family and your doctor.
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The best way to think of succulents is as "fat plants." Parts of them, usually their leaves, swell up with water, and this stops them from drying out in arid conditions.
Cacti are the most obvious examples of the plant, but sedums and sempervivums are also common varieties. They all share that fleshy, tender look and often have gray-green leaves, though there are plenty of others with leaves in colors that range from black and red to yellow. Because they come from hot, dry places, they tend to not be too hardy. If they're left outdoors during the winter, they'll likely be killed off by frost.
Growing Succulents Indoors
Succulents make fantastic houseplants. They like dry air — so they're perfect for our centrally heated homes — and don't need to be watered very often. They require lots of light, however, so you'll want to place them near or on a windowsill and make sure their roots are very well drained.
To create a lovely display, try gathering different-colored but similar-sized sempervivums together in a shallow white bowl. A good place to start is with echeverias, maybe mixing the red-pink Echeveria agavoides "Lipstick" with the gray and purple Echeveria agavoides "Vachon."
If you have a little bit more space, you might want to try rubber plants. They also need light, so make sure they're somewhere near a window and, if you can, have more than one in a room. Two would look nice on either side of a window, or a line of three or more could make architectural shapes along a wall.
You can move these houseplants outside in warmer weather so they can get some fresh air. In winter, the biggest danger to succulents is too much water, so make sure the containers are really well drained to avoid leaving the roots sitting in water.
If you do run into a sad succulent situation and the plant starts to look as though it's dead, don't write it off straightaway. Succulents have the capacity to rise again, so give the plant some tender, loving care and wait at least four weeks to see if it revives.
Growing Succulents Outdoors
Hardy sempervivums and sedums, many of which can survive unprotected in frosts, are the most common succulents for planting outdoors — but before you move them outside, be sure check their labels.
Similar to indoor succulents, the best sempervivums are made up of interesting tight rosettes. Sempervivum calcareum has gray-green rosettes with contrasting red tips, and Sempervivum "Moerkerk's Merit" is a silvery green color with a soft velvet sheen.
Sedums are small- to medium-sized evergreen perennials, which look amazing when planted en masse across a whole bed. Look out for the pretty gray-purple combinations you get with Sedum "Ruby Glow" or the tiny ground-cover stonecrop Sedum cauticola.
The best part is these outdoor plants really look after themselves. In the spring, simply cut any dead or damaged stems or leaves right down to the base. Otherwise, they're very low-maintenance.
The Tender Types
If you don't mind spending some time looking after them, tender succulents can also look amazing outdoors.
Look out for the plant that every garden designer loves: Aeonium "Zwartkop," which grows black rosettes of leaves on the ends of strong stalks. This purple-black mixes beautifully with so many other colors, too, including the lime green leaves and flowers of euphorbia or grasses or the pink flowers of Lychnis coronaria, to create a dramatic, exciting look.
Another amazing succulent is the agave. Exotic and impressive, they grow spears of fleshy leaves from a central point. Gardeners often opt for the smaller gray-leaved varieties, such as the Agave parrasana or Agave parryi, which look great individually planted in terra cotta pots or displayed in a regimented line. Alternatively, if you have space, try the Agave americana, which has huge gray-green spears that form the perfect centerpiece in a jungle-style garden.
Caring for Tender Succulents Outdoors
The main thing about tender plants is that they need protection during winter. If they're kept in pots they should be brought inside into a greenhouse or a sunny place in the house. If the pots can't be moved or the plants are in the ground, it's best to wrap their tops with bubblewrap to keep the frost off and to create an umbrella that shields the base of the plants and the roots from the worst of the rain. | <urn:uuid:4285e162-c924-4ea8-bf04-67597b1009a2> | {
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The Kingdom of the Netherlands was founded in 1813. It was part of France from 1795 until 1813, before 1795 the greater part of the current territory was governed by a confederation of sovereign provinces.
'Central government is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. Since 1814 there has been a hereditary monarchy occupied in turn by Kings William I, William II and William III, followed by the Princess Regent Emma and Queens Wilhelmina, Juliana and Beatrix'. 'The King is immune, ministers are politically responsible and subject to criminal law. In practice only the political responsibility of ministers has any real meaning. Legally speaking the King forms part of the government but actually it is the responsible ministers who make policy'.
Some former colonies are still part of the Kingdom: the Caribbean islands Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba. They form a federation with the parts of the Kingdom in Europe. The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands forms its constitution, which has a meaning superior to the written Dutch Constitution. The territory in Europe could be characterized as a decentralised unitary State. Legislative and administrative powers are exercised by central, regional (12 provincies) as well as local bodies (more than 500 gemeenten). There are also other bodies and agencies that have legislative and administrative powers. Examples are the openbare lichamen voor bedrijf en beroep, the zelfstandige bestuursorganen (agencies) and waterschappen (water boards).
Types of Legislation
The most important form of legislation is the legislation made by the central government in cooperation with the Staten-Generaal (Parliament, consisting of two chambres): wetgeving in formele zin (legislation in a formal sense). Lower forms of legislation are rules made by other agencies that belong to central government, such as Algemene maatregel van bestuur and Ministerie regeling, by the representative organs of provincies (these rules are called Verordeningen), waterschappen (these rules are called Keuren) and gemeenten (these rules are called Verordeningen), by zelfstandige bestuursorganen (agencies) or other openbare lichamen (public bodies).
The Court System
The Dutch judicial system can roughly be divided into two subsystems: the general system and the administrative law system. The supreme court in the general system is the Hoge Raad (Supreme Council), it deals with matters of criminal law, tax law as well as private law. The lower courts are the kantongerechten (courts for petty offences and matters of relatively small importance), the rechtbanken (general courts of first instance) and the gerechtshoven (general courts of second instance). The administrative law system has a few supreme courts: the Afdeling bestuursrechtspraak part of the Raad van State (mainly dealing with planning law as well as environmental law), the Centrale Raad van Beroep (mainly dealing with social security and civil servants matters) and the College van beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (dealing with matters of trade and economic administrative law). The Hoge Raad has administrative law tasks as well (the chamber on criminal matters deals with punitive administrative law matters, tax law is considered a form of administrative law). The courts of first instance in administrative law are the rechtbanken. In tax matters the gerechtshoven are courts of first instance, in some matters of economic administrative law only the Rotterdam rechtbank is court of first instance.
The Effect of International and European Law
In the famous Costa-Enel case (6/64) the Court of Justice of the European Community has ruled that European law is an integral part of the national legal system of the EC member countries and takes precedence over national law. Therefore one cannot fully ascertain the applicable law without researching the relevant European law.... | <urn:uuid:15195034-050f-4611-aba7-84c67fc53a5e> | {
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- Place your cursor where you want the first bullet to appear.
- From the Tools menu, choose Insert Symbol.
- From the Insert Symbol dialog box, select the font and character you want as a bullet and choose OK.
- Select the bullet and choose Character from the Format menu.
- In the Character dialog box, select the color you want the bullet to be, and choose OK.
- Use spaces or tabs to separate the text from the bullet.
Article ID: 124130 - Last Review: Aug 16, 2005 - Revision: 1 | <urn:uuid:b2b524b4-8838-4f14-a130-1493804b6907> | {
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Although optical touch screens are available in a wide variety of designs they do share a common principle in that the touch of a finger will either cast a shadow or reflect light. In basic versions an array of infrared emitters (IREDs) and detectors create a grid of vertical and horizontal beams. The components are housed in a low-profile frame, known as the bezel, measuring a half to one millimeter in depth around the screen.
Osram’s new ChipLED SFH 4053 measures just 0.5 x
In addition to size, the high light output of these components plays an important role, particularly for camera-based touch screens. Such a display setup requires considerably fewer IR emitters than the basic version but the emitters must have a very high output because they flood the display with infrared light from two corners. Next to the IR emitters are camera chips that detect a change in the signal when a pen or finger touches the display.
The thin-film chip technology applies makes SFH
The new ChipLED is part of a broad range of components that are being used in more and more applications – from narrow-angle emitters for light grids to low-profile components for optimum injection into light guides. LEDs are available in 0603 sizes with lens types from +- 40° to +-10° and different chip technologies (thin film, nanostack).
The wavelength of the ChipLED is ideal for the requirements of these applications. At 850 nm the light from the IRED is barely discernible to the human eye but receiver components exhibit very high sensitivity to this wavelength. | <urn:uuid:d7c791fd-e746-4b8b-8ab4-ac7ae6b74e89> | {
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Beavers (Castor fiber) are large semi-aquatic rodents that were once common in rivers and wetlands throughout Britain. However, they died out more than 200 years ago, largely because of over-hunting. Within the last 15 to 20 years there has been a great deal of activity from many interest groups and organisations about reintroducing beavers back into Britain. In Scotland, this culminated with the release of three families of beavers into Knapdale Forest in Mid-Argyll, Scotland in May 2009. More-or-less at the same time, feasibility studies on releasing beavers into England and into Wales were being prepared and have subsequently been published.
There are many complex issues involved in reintroducing animals back into their former range, not only with respect to the animals, but also to the environment and human society. To help provide independent advice and information, and to act as a focal point for discussion about the reintroduction of beavers into England, the Beaver Advisory Committee for England (BACE) was established in July 2010. | <urn:uuid:431d9f72-a96f-4001-a9e9-7e4bf8c3d408> | {
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There is growing recognition that loneliness is a serious problem, with far reaching implications, not just for individuals, but also for wider communities, which merits the attention of local authorities. Whilst in the past, loneliness was sometimes viewed as a trivial matter, it is increasingly understood to be a serious condition which can affect a person’s mental and physical health very detrimentally. Acute loneliness has been consistently estimated to affect around 10-13 per cent of older people. Indeed, recent estimates place the number of people aged over 65 who are often or always lonely at over one million.
Combating loneliness: a guide for local authorities, published by the Local Government Association (23rd December 2016) warns that the impact of older people's loneliness and isolation on health and social care means that it must be recognised as a major public health issue. The report outlines a framework for tackling loneliness in local communities and provides examples of innovative practice from local authorities around the country. A recent study featured in the BMJ found that loneliness and isolation are associated with a 30 per cent higher risk of having a stroke or developing heart disease. The health impact of loneliness is also said to be the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. More and more councils, which have responsibility for public health, are launching new initiatives to tackle loneliness, as it becomes an increasing priority.
No one should have no one: working to end loneliness amongst older people, a report published by Age UK (6th January 2017) warns that loneliness leads to an increased demand on health services, partly because isolated people are more likely to develop health conditions, such as heart problems, depression and dementia. The launch of the report follows Age UK’s no one should have no one campaign which last month urged people to pledge their support for lonely older people by donating or volunteering.The report also outlines the early findings of a pilot programme, entitled ‘Testing Promising Approaches to Reducing Loneliness’, that takes a community-based approach to tackling loneliness, exploring new ways to tackle the isolation plaguing so many people. | <urn:uuid:ae0f802a-c3c6-4037-949c-0d8d1b8df4e8> | {
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[ per-uh-reyt ]
/ ˈpɛr əˌreɪt /
verb (used without object), per·o·rat·ed, per·o·rat·ing.
to speak at length; make a long, usually grandiloquent speech.
to bring a speech to a close with a formal conclusion.
Words nearby perorate
OTHER WORDS FROM perorateper·o·ra·tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for perorate
Men of letters who were men of sense would have smiled and let Perrault perorate.Popular Tales|Charles Perrault
British Dictionary definitions for perorate
/ (ˈpɛrəˌreɪt) /
to speak at length, esp in a formal manner
to conclude a speech or sum up, esp with a formal recapitulation
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 | <urn:uuid:1b1fc01b-9a7d-45cf-a194-385efa8d0df4> | {
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Hey! Nancy here again, EI’s science product developer, and I’m here with some fun ways to slip science into your summer.
Summer is a great time to explore science with your child because nature’s all around you and its easy to get outside. So one thing we recommend that you to do is to go on a texture walk! You can walk around and find leaves and bark and explore the texture, and then you can get some crayons and some paper and do a rubbing. Another thing you can do is go on a nature treasure hunt, so you can make a list with your child of things you might find, and if they can write, actually this is great writing practice they can list the things they’re going to find on the treasure hunt and go out and try to find them. When you do, use a magnifying glass to observe them up close.
Summer is great time to observe longer-term science processes such as growth and decomposition since kids are home all summer anyway. If you have a clear container, you can grow plants in it. If you use water instead of soil, it’s a great way to get an up-close view of the roots that are growing. You can also break down things in the clear container. You can put an apple core for example or a banana peel in the clear container with some soil and watch it decompose within several weeks.For those of you who prefer a ready made kit, our compost bin and our hydroponics lab make growing and decomposing plants very simple and there’s no smell.
Taking a trip to the shore or to the beach? You can take a glass mason jar with you, kids can take a scoop and the water in the glass will naturally magnify what they see. Kids can take a closer look and see if they caught any plankton or fish.Another thing you can use is our plankton net. You can use this in the water. It has a jar at the bottom and it will collect plankton. The jar can be sealed and it has magnifying lenses on it. It comes with a chart so you can actually identify the plankton that you’ve caught.
The sea scope is another cool object to take with you to any body of water. You can stay dry while observing underwater life, and it actually as a flashlight on it so you can illuminate the view.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these summer science ideas and that you get out and start exploring! | <urn:uuid:4684f08e-df03-4bf9-9e00-5a88bef29197> | {
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European earwigs in homes and gardens
Originally from Europe, the European earwig, Forficula auricularia, was introduced into the U.S. in the early 1900's and is now common throughout much of the country. It first became noticeable in Wisconsin in the early 1980's and Minnesota in the early 1990's and has since been present in varying numbers. They get their name from the old belief that earwigs climb into people's ear while they are sleeping. Fortunately, this is not true (there are a few rare cases of earwigs inadvertently being found in ears but is accidental).
Earwigs are about 5/8 inch long, with a flat, reddish brown body and very short wings. They have medium length antennae and chewing mouthparts. They are distinctive because they possess a pair of strong pinchers (cerci) on the tip of their abdomen. Males have stout, strongly curved cerci that are widely separated at the base while females possess slender, straight pinchers that are close together. Earwigs use these cerci to protect themselves and to grab and hold prey.
Nymphs are similar to adults except they are smaller. Immature earwigs have female-like, slender straight cerci. Young earwigs are generally lighter in color than adults.
Earwigs are most active at night and hide during the day in dark, confined, damp areas and are found under potted plants, leaves, welcome mats, and other objects, as well as in cracks between pavers, bricks, and similar places. You can also find them on plants in buds and folded leaves. Earwigs are scavengers feeding on damaged and decaying plant matter as well as weakened or dead insects and other small organisms. Earwigs can also feed on healthy plant material.
Earwigs mate in the fall and males and females usually spend the winter together in specially constructed nests. In early spring, females force the males out and then lay eggs. Female earwigs are very maternal, an unusual trait for insects. They guard and protect their eggs and newly hatched young. Eggs hatch within about a week. Earwig nymphs emerge from nests sometime from late May to early June, maturing into adults in late June or early July; adults are active through fall.
Earwigs can be problems in one of two ways. First they can enter homes and other buildings during summer, sometimes in large numbers. Fortunately, they do not damage property or eat our food and they don't reproduce indoors but they are nuisances by their presence. Some people worry that earwigs will use their cerci to attack them. While they can grab onto objects with their pincers, they cannot squeeze very hard and are harmless to people. Earwigs can also give off a disagreeable odor as they can secrete a foul-smelling liquid from their abdomen. An individual earwig does not live long indoors, but they can continue to migrate into buildings throughout the summer.
Earwigs can also cause problems in gardens as they feed on flowers, like marigolds, dahlias, butterfly bush, and hostas, chewing irregular holes in leaves and flower blossoms. They are also reported to attack corn silk and seedlings. Larger plants will tolerate this feeding but seedlings and flowering plants can be severely damaged or killed by dense populations. Some of this damage can be confused with slug feeding. However, slugs leave a slime trail while earwigs do not. Earwig damage can also be confused with cutworm and even rabbit feeding. If you are not sure what is causing the damage you are finding, go outside at night with a flashlight check under plants for earwigs and other pests.
The following steps will help to reduce earwig numbers in your home and garden. However, when numbers are high, even taking these steps does not guarantee that you will not have some problems with earwigs. Fortunately, they are a problem only during summer.
To reduce the number of earwigs around your home and garden, clean up debris that earwigs can hide under, such as leaves, plant debris, bricks, piles of lumber, and similar things. It can also be useful to thin out or remove mulch.
You can set out rolled up newspapers or similar objects to trap earwigs. You can also place old tuna fish cans baited with fish oil or vegetable oil. Set them out during evening in areas where you are seeing earwigs in your garden. In morning, shake the traps above a pail of soapy water to remove and kill the insects.
Minimize excess moisture in the landscape. Be sure that the landscape has good drainage and that irrigation systems are working properly. A good strategy when watering, is to irrigate more thoroughly and deeply but less often so the surface of the soil remains drier.
To help keep earwigs out of your home, caulk and repair any obvious spaces, cracks, or gaps around the outside of your home at ground level, especially around doors and windows and the juncture of the siding and the foundation. Also, watch around water faucets and vents. However, if earwigs are determined, some will still get inside your home. For any earwigs you find inside, just remove them with a vacuum or a broom and dust pan.
You can supplement the above non-chemical steps with an insecticide treatment. To help keep earwigs from entering your home, use a residual insecticide, e.g. permethrin or cyfluthrin, around the foundation of the building. Be sure to read the label of the product you wish to use very carefully to ensure that it is registered for use around the exterior of buildings. However, once earwigs are indoors, insecticides are not effective or useful.
You can also protect plants with an insecticide application. An effective method is to treat the surrounding mulch where the earwigs are hiding. Use a drench, e.g. lambda cyhalothrin, for this. You may need to attach the product to a hose to get sufficient volume. Another option is to use a bait, e.g. carbaryl, scattered on the ground around the plants you are protecting. You may also be able to protect individual plants by applying a spray, e.g. permethrin, deltamethrin, acetamiprid, or carbaryl, or a dust, e.g. permethrin or deltamethrin, to plants when damage is first noticed. Be sure to read labels very carefully to verify that the plants you intend to treat are listed. Also be sure to follow all label directions to help protect bees and other beneficial insects. | <urn:uuid:a7efab55-64ca-4f3d-bcf0-01f4f5232646> | {
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Testicle pain has a number of possible causes. The testicles are very sensitive, and even a minor injury can cause testicle pain or discomfort. Testicle pain may arise from within the testicle itself or from the coiled tube and supporting tissue behind the testicle (epididymis).
Sometimes, what seems to be testicle pain is caused by a problem that starts in the groin, abdomen or somewhere else — for example, kidney stones and some hernias may cause testicle pain. The cause of testicle pain can't always be identified.
Causes of testicle pain or pain in the testicle area can include:
- Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes)
- Epididymitis (testicle inflammation)
- Gangrene (specifically, a type of gangrene called Fournier's gangrene)
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura (blood vessel inflammation)
- Hydrocele (fluid buildup that causes swelling of the scrotum)
- Idiopathic testicular pain (unknown cause)
- Inguinal hernia
- Kidney stones
- Orchitis (inflamed testicle)
- Retractile testicle (a testicle that pulls up inside the groin — this condition occurs in young boys)
- Scrotal masses
- Spermatocele (fluid buildup in the testicle)
- Testicle injury or blow to the testicles
- Testicular cancer
- Testicular torsion (twisted testicle)
- Undescended testicle (also called cryptorchidism)
- Urinary tract infection
- Varicocele (enlarged veins in the scrotum)
April 10, 2014
Causes shown here are commonly associated with this symptom. Work with your doctor or other health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.
- Wampler SM, et al. Common scrotal and testicular problems. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2010;37:613.
- Eyre RC. Evaluation of the acute scrotum in adult men. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Aug. 19, 2013.
- Keoghane SR, et al. Investigating and managing chronic scrotal pain. BMJ. 2010;341:c6716.
- Brenner JS, et al. Causes of scrotal pain in children and adolescents. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Aug. 19, 2013.
- AskMayoExpert. Testicular or scrotal pain in boys. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2012.
- Scrotal pain. The Merck Manuals: Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/kidney_and_urinary_tract_disorders/symptoms_of_kidney_and_urinary_tract_disorders/scrotal_pain.html?qt=groin pain&alt=sh. Accessed Aug. 16, 2013.
- Cooper CS, et al. Undescended testes (cryptorchidism) in children: Clinical features and evaluation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Aug. 19, 2013. | <urn:uuid:f199706f-d2f7-425f-971b-3ec7efdb357d> | {
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Five Conversations You and Your Student Should Have as You Begin the College Admission Process
Your high school student is about to embark on the college admission journey. And of course, as your student embarks on this journey, you will be along for the ride. Congratulations!
You will inevitably hit some bumps along the way, but the journey can be a meaningful one as well. If you’re hoping to minimize the bumps and maximize the rewarding parts, it’s important that you and your student have some discussions before you set out. As with any journey, having an itinerary and a map helps the trip go smoothly, but so does being open to some detours and side trips along the way.
As you and your student get ready to begin the admission process, we’d like to suggest five conversations that will help you both prepare. Don’t try to fit everything in at once, give yourselves time to talk and think, but addressing these topics early in the process with help prepare everyone for what might lie ahead.
- Ask your student why she wants to go to college and what her goals and worries are about both the college search and the college experience. Many students and their parents assume that college is the logical next step after high school. For many students in this country, it is. Because we so often see college as a natural next step, many of us don’t bother to ask, and students don’t bother to think about, why they want to go to college. Help your student think through what college involves. Talk about her goals (and this is not necessarily a major or a job). Ask what she hopes her experiences will be like. Ask what she worries about. You’ll get to know your student better – and she’ll do some important thinking.
- Ask your student how she sees the college search process unfolding. Does she expect you to be involved or to stand back and let her do this on her own? Does she have confidence in her high school guidance counselor? Does she feel she would like to work with an independent counselor? Is that an option? How will she create her list of colleges? What is she looking for? How will she narrow her list? There are many questions you can ask and a range of answers you might get. How do these answers fit with your vision of how the process will unfold? Find out now whether you and your student are on the same page or whether you’ll need to negotiate. Coming to an agreement now will avoid problems later.
- Have an early conversation about the realities of college financing. Let your student know if there is an absolute limit to what you can afford. Talk about scholarships and loans. Talk about whether your student should consider schools that seem out of reach (and remember that “sticker price” may not be what students ultimately pay). Talk about any expectations you have about how much your student will contribute or loans that will be in your student’s name. Don’t wait until too late in the process to have this important conversation about the reality of the cost of college.
- Talk about some of the important skills that your student may need in college and how he can work on strengthening these skills as he goes through the college search process. You and your student can talk about changes that you both can make to help him build important skills such as time management, organization, self-advocacy, financial management, etc. Of course, as your student works to build these skills you may need to work at letting him do more on his own (and occasionally fail). Talk specifically with your student about what changes might look like. Will you continue to wake him up in the morning for school or work? Will he be responsible for keeping track of all college deadlines? Is it important for him to make any calls to admission offices rather than you? Letting your student work on increasing independence and responsibility is often difficult, but using the final years of high school as a practice time will give him a great head start in college.
- Finally, make a plan with your student for the logistics of getting this process done. Get a good planner and file system. Get organized. Find a way to keep track of dates and deadlines. Mark college fairs on the calendar. Look for dates of college open houses. Agree about who will do what, but remember that this is your student’s search. Attend information sessions at the school or in your community. Begin to think about gathering the financial information you will need for scholarship applications. Resolve to let your student take the lead and step back and watch go along for the ride.
The college search and admission process can be a stressful time for both students and parents, but a bit of early planning and conversation about how to be proactive and agreeing on a shared understanding will make the journey more rewarding for everyone. | <urn:uuid:324f5cf1-9e93-414e-927c-4d04649a18cb> | {
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Learning disabilities tend to run in families. Very often one parent has a history of specific learning problems (like dyslexia) or problems in certain areas of academic functioning. They can have specific problems with auditive information, written information or arithemics. But it is rather unlikely that specific learning disorders are directly inherited. Biologists think that a couple of different genes may influence the later development of learning disabilities. More genes with symptomatic changes might cause more severe disabilities. Possibly, what is inherited is a subtle brain dysfunction that can in turn lead to a learning disability.
New research tries to identify biological causes of learning disabilities like dyslexia. New methods of functional neuroantomomy with PET or SPECT-Scans show differences in structure and functioning of the brain. For example, new research indicates that there may be variations in the brain structure called the planum temporale, a language-related area found in both sides of the brain. In people with dyslexia, the two structures were found to be equal in size. In people who are not dyslexic, however, the left planum temporale was noticeably larger. Some scientists believe reading problems may be related to such differences.
More research is going on in this area of psychiatry. The future results may help to understand the function of these brain areas and help to optimize treatment approaches for these children. | <urn:uuid:9978dd75-c705-4f74-989a-ff67e969b5c9> | {
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Victoria Cross, awarded to Sgt. E. J. Mott, 1917
Obverse, a lion standing over a crown with the inscription on a banner below, on a Maltese cross
Reverse, inscription in a double ring on a Maltese cross
Victoria Cross, 1917 (Great War)
The Victoria Cross is the highest award for gallantry that can be made by the United Kingdom. Instituted in 1856 to recognise deeds done in the Crimean War, reportedly at the suggestion of Prince Albert, the new medal was to be given "for valour". Even today this simple statement justifies the medal's award. The first medals were legendarily struck from bronze from the captured Russian guns of Sebastopol, although it is now believed that the metal came from older Chinese cannon that were found in the Arsenal in 1857. (These weapons may however have been captured from the Russians during the Crimean campaign.) The design was entrusted to the London jewellers' firm of C. F. Hancock & Sons, Holborn, and it is there that the Victoria Cross is still made when it is awarded today.
The fighting on the Somme during the Great War of 1914-1918 is still regarded with horror as one of the greatest bloodbaths ever permitted during modern combat. British casualties at Ypres and on the Somme from 1915 to 1918 outnumbered the entire British casualty list for the whole of the Second World War. Despite the questionable strategy of the Battle, however, this was obviously a place and time where opportunities for deeds of heroism were rife, and thus many medals were awarded during this campaign. This is one of them.
On 27 January 1917 the 1st Battalion of the Border Regiment, in company with the 1st Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers had orders to attack a section of the enemy position south of Le Transloy, known as Landwehr Trench. An artillery barrage of 96 eighteen-pounder guns, with support from 30 Australian howitzers, preceded the attack which began at 5:30 a.m. along a 750-yard front. By 7:00 a.m 117 prisoners had been taken and the first and second objectives had been captured with light casualties. Consolidation on the flank however proved difficult because of the frozen ground, enemy shelling and pernicious sniping. It was here that Sergeant Edward J. Mott became the Border Regiment's first VC of the War. The citation from the London Gazette for 9 March 1917 records his actions as follows: `No. 9887 Sergeant Edward Mott, 1st Bn Border Regiment. For most conspicuous gallantry and initiative when in attack, the company to which he belonged was held up at a strong point by machine gun fire. Although wounded in the eye Sergeant Mott made a rush for the gun and after a fierce struggle seized the gunner and took him prisoner, capturing the gun. It was due to the dash of the non-commissioned officer that the left flank succeeded.'
This medal forms part of what Lester Watson's catalogue lists as Group 2, and its provenance is discussed in the page for that group. | <urn:uuid:140bcfae-57b1-4110-98e4-7707cdb0ea55> | {
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PreK Add & Subtract
Food Math: Subtraction Fun allows preschoolers to practice simple subtraction by providing picture diagrams of each problem.
Have your preschooler practice simple subtraction by crossing out the butterflies and counting how many are left.
Preschool Math: Take Away the Bugs makes learning subtraction easy and fun by using picture diagrams to introduce subtraction to preschoolers.
Preschool Math: Take Away the Bees introduces subtraction to preschoolers using a fun and simple approach!
Preschool Subtraction: Take Away the Sweets will have preschoolers craving to solve subtraction problems through its fun and easy approach!
Get your little space explorer ready for launch into kindergarten! Give him a head start in math with this stellar subtraction worksheet.
Preschool Math: Take Away the Sea Creatures offers preschoolers an easy introduction to subtraction that will have them wanting to dive right in!
Is your preschooler ready to subtract numbers up to five? This beginning subtraction worksheet will have him counting and crossing out objects for answers.
Whether your child's getting comfortable with counting or he's ready for a new challenge this sports themed worksheet will engage his math and number learning.
Counting and number writing practice are all-in as your child works on her additions skills with this domino dots page! | <urn:uuid:1c9185bc-1fd2-4279-b14b-dc9a091d5431> | {
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Martial Art of Kerala – KALARI
‘Kalari’ or ‘Kalaripayyat’ is the exclusive martial arts legacy of Kerala. An old combat martial art originating in Southern India, Kalari is used as a defensive system. It’s believed that Kalaripayyat may have been the inspiration for the many Asian martial arts we know today.
Kalaripayattu is indigenous to the South Indian state of Kerala and derives its name from the Malayalam word ‘Kalari’ which literally means ‘battlefield’. In respect to this martial art, Kalari refers to the arena where training goes on and demonstrations are performed.
Originally, the Kalari was a place of learning for subjects such as ayurvedic medicine, yoga, philosophy, astrology, architecture and geometry in addition to combat arts. Physical well being is a fundamental element to this martial art with massage techniques and medical treatments being part of the over-all system.
What is Kalari payyat
Place of Kalari practice
The villages of medieval Kerala had a kalari, a temple, and a public tank for bathing, – a rare combination of religion, hygiene, public health and defence. Although the Kalari system was an offshoot from the Hindu way of life, it was shared by all people, irrespective of caste and religion, as a common legacy.
‘Ankathattu’ is a four to six feet high platform constructed temporarily for the purpose of fighting duels. ‘Ankam’ means war in the Malayalam language. This platform is constructed as per tradition and is in the center of the ground from where people can watch the fight. This place altogether is called AnkaKalari.
Every Kalari has a Poothara (meaning “platform where flowers are kept” in the Malayalam language). It’s a seven-tier platform placed in the south-west corner of every Kalari, housing the guardian deity of the Kalari. The seven tiers symbolise the seven abilities that each person must possess – Vignesva (strength), Channiga (patience), Vishnu (power to command), Vadugashcha (the posture), Tadaguru (training), Kali (the expression) and Vakasta – purushu (sound).
Gurrukal – The Teacher
Each Kalari is run by a ‘gurukkal’ (teacher) who teaches the students the esoteric physical and spiritual disciplines needed to master Kalaripayattu. A Kalari teacher was very much respected by the society. He was given the title ‘Panikkar’ derived from the term ‘Parinayaka’. According to Buddhist literature, he is a teacher of weaponary or Ayudha Vidya Guru.
The Styles of Kalari
The styles of Kalari are based on the region of training like North Kerala, Central Kerala and Southern Kerala.
Vadakkan (Northern) Style
This style is characterized with the typical leaping and jumping movements which is unique to the system. The training starts at an early age- as early as 5 yrs. The place of Kalari has very strict dimensions.
Another unique practice of the Vadakkan style is the applying of oil on the practitioner’s body before training. Herbal oils are applied and Chavutti Thirummal or foot massage is performed before undertaking training. This helps in developing flexibility and preventing injury.
After the Meyppayttu (solo forms) the student progresses to Kettukari (long staff), Muchchan (short stick), Katara (dagger), Valum parichayum (sword and shield) and Urumi (flexible sword) and then to the Ottakkol (curved stick).
Though in the ancient days the place was ruled and controlled by local chieftains, they had only a minimal role as far as law enforcement was concerned. Disputes between persons or the chieftains were settled by duels in a specially constructed arena in the town square called ankathattu. This led to the development of the skills needed for one on one fighting with sword and shield and other weapons like Churika and Urumi made of metal. Each family of the warriors were said to have developed secret fighting formula.
Thekkan (Southern) Style
The stances are comparatively higher than in the Northern or Vadakkan style and relatively less emphasis is placed on the weapons like sword and shield and Churika (double edged sword dagger about one cubit in length).
More emphasis is placed on the empty hand techniques and knife, long staff and short stick plus the extremely effective and lethal weapon called Kottukampu. This could be due the presence of a well-established law enforcing system present in the southern part of Kerala right from ancient days. Use of weapons like swords by civilians was a crime whether in self-defense or otherwise and the ancient masters cunningly developed very effective empty hand sets.
Then the science of striking the vital points or Marma developed as a great system of medical tradition and as a sinister art of killing a person without any visible mark of violence, this completely changed the nature of the southern style Kalarippayattu.
The central style (practiced mainly in Trissur, Malappuram, Palghat and certain parts of Ernakulam districts is ‘a composite’ from both the northern and southern styles that includes northern meippayattu preliminary exercises, southern emphasis on empty-hand techniques, and its own distinctive techniques, which are performed within floor drawings known as kalam.
Kalari Training Centres
1. Kerala Kalarippayattu Academy
The Kerala Kalarippayattu Academy was founded in 1976 in Cannannore by a dedicated group of individuals concerned with the future of Indian martial arts, especially Kalarippayattu of kerala and adi murai of Trivandrum and kanyakumari Districts. The Academy aims to become an international center of learning and exchange of techniques,knowledge, ideas,and research on the martial and related healing and meditation arts.
Kerala Kalaripayattu Academy
Pillayar Kovil Road,
PH: + 91- 497- 2768 178,+ 91- 497- 2702 369
2. Sudarsana Kalari Sanghom
Sudarsana Kalari Sanghom has full term 2 year courses as well as short term courses. ‘Kalari Kaipporu’ is an offshoot of Thekkan Kalarippayattu developed by Sudarsana Kalari Sanghom. This system is developed mainly for learning survival in a fight against one or several opponents, armed or unarmed. The main difference between the classic Thekkan Kalari and Kalari Kaipporu is that while the classic system takes a few years to learn, the later takes much shorter time- often as short as six months.
Sudarsana Kalari Sanghom,
Mundayil, Varkala (P.O),
Kerala, INDIA – 695141
Kerala, INDIA – 695141
email@ – [email protected]
2. Kalari Kovilakom
Kalari Kovilakom is the Palace for Ayurveda, perhaps the first and only one of its kind. The palace (or ‘kovilakom’) that Dhatri built came to be known as ‘Kalari’, because it was built on a site that contained a ritual space for ‘Kalari Payattu’.
Kerala 678506 INDIA
Ph: +91 4923 263737
Fax: +91 4923 263929 | <urn:uuid:70f9bd49-0141-4132-bf5c-3a70ec14063e> | {
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Imagine seeing a penguin that’s five feet tall and has a very long, straight beak. Imagine a penguin so large it weighs twice as much as a the Emperor penguin, the largest species on Earth. That is, the largest species on Earth currently. If you were alive thirty-six million years ago you might have seen this giant penguin, called the Water King.
Scientists in Peru have recently uncovered the fossils of a Water King, which includes well-preserved feathers and scales. One of the interesting facts discovered is that this species had brown and gray feathers, unlike the black and white we associate with modern penguins.
The scientists have also concluded that based on the flipper structure Water Kings were powerful swimmers and their size could indicate that they were able to dive deeply.
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The United Kingdom (consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is situated on British Isles. England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland are politically united under a parliament, consisting of the King, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The first people, who lived on of the British Isles, were the Neolithic people. We know very little about their culture, but they probably built Stonehenge.
In about 1200 B. C. the Celts arrived from Spain and France.
The first Romans who landed on the British Isles in 55 BC were led by Julius Caesar. The Romans called the country Albion at first (according to the cliffs on the south coast).
In 43 A. D. the Romans invaded Britain. They had to fight with the Iceni tribe but the Iceni were brutally suppressed. Emperor Hadrian built the wall near the northern border against barbarian tribes. The Romans also built straight roads, defensive walls such as Hadrian Wall and the towns London, York, Cardiff.
When the Romans left Britain, Germanic tribes moved into the area - for example the Angles, Jutes and the Saxos.
In the 9th century the Vikings invaded and occupied the east and south of England.
In 1066 William the Conqueror defeated Harold II at the Battle of Hastings and became the King of Britain.
The next important King was Henry VIII. He built the biggest and the most powerful navy and he established his own church. During his reign, Wales was brought into a legal union with England. He had six wives but only one outlived him.
His daughters Elizabeth I became one of the greatest monarchs of England. She took the Throne in 1558. Her enemies tried to kill her several times but they always failed.
During Elizabeth’s reign the seas were dominated by British ships. Her corsairs stole most of the gold from Spanish ships. Then they defeated Spanish Armada which included 130 ships, and it was in the Sea Battle in the English Channel.
In 1694 King William established the Bank of England, and therefore England was the first country experiencing the Industrial revolution.
From 1837 the Queen Victoria reigned. Her husband the Prince Albert was a big fan supporter of the Science and the Arts.
The English established a colony in the North America. They used black people from Africa and they used them as slaves, that is why the English, who had lived in America, became very rich. But later the Americans defeated them in the War of Independence.
But the United Kingdom had more colonies all over the world - e.g. in India, Australia and Africa.
After World War II Britain lost most its colonies and its importance decreased dramatically.
Yet the United Kingdom is a very important and powerful country even today, it has an excellent and properly functioning education system, not so advanced health care, many cultural diversities, lot of multicultural nationalities, and still it is one of the last monarchy that exists. | <urn:uuid:98791585-87be-42cc-87a9-cf2828fffe52> | {
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General Linear Groups are Lie Groups
One of the most important examples of a Lie group we’ve already seen: the general linear group of a finite dimensional vector space . Of course for the vector space this is the same as — or at least isomorphic to — the group of all invertible real matrices, so that’s a Lie group we can really get our hands on. And if has dimension , then , and thus .
So, how do we know that it’s a Lie group? Well, obviously it’s a group, but what about the topology? The matrix group sits inside the algebra of all matrices, which is an -dimensional vector space. Even better, it’s an open subset, which we can see by considering the (continuous) map . Since is the preimage of — which is an open subset of — is an open subset of .
So we can conclude that is an open submanifold of , which comes equipped with the standard differentiable structure on . Matrix multiplication is clearly smooth, since we can write each component of a product matrix as a (quadratic) polynomial in the entries of and . As for inversion, Cramer’s rule expresses the entries of the inverse matrix as the quotient of a (degree ) polynomial in the entries of and the determinant of . So long as is invertible these are two nonzero smooth functions, and thus their quotient is smooth at . | <urn:uuid:b4fb04c3-77ca-43f5-a0a6-5396c029c772> | {
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Biosolids are a renewable resource that we produce from wastewater sludge.
Biosolids are the wastewater sludge that has undergone further treatment to produce a stabilised product suitable for beneficial use.
How are biosolids produced?
We treat 80% of WA’s wastewater at our 3 largest wastewater treatment plants – Woodman Point, Beenyup and Subiaco.
The liquid and solids are separated during the wastewater treatment process. After treatment, the liquid is released via ocean outfalls, allowed to infiltrate back into the ground, or recycled for industrial or other uses.
The sludge undergoes extensive stabilisation by liming or anaerobic digestion. This process stabilises the organic matter while reducing the quantity of solids and the level of pathogens.
In this process, a large amount of organic matter is biologically converted into methane gas that can be used by the treatment facility to generate power or heat for the process.
The stabilised solids resulting from the digestion process are called biosolids.
Finally, a polymer is added to assist in the mechanical dewatering of the biosolids. This results in a black, soft-textured substance with an earthy odour and easy handling properties.
Types of biosolids we produce
We produce 2 types of biosolids suitable for direct land application. They are:
- Biosolids cake – produced at both the Beenyup and Woodman Point wastewater treatment plants. Raw sludge is stabilised by anaerobic digestion, producing biosolids. The liquid biosolids are dewatered, resulting in biosolids cake. The cake has an average of 80% water, with the balance being solids.
- Lime-amended biosolids – produced at the Subiaco Wastewater Treatment Plant. The raw sludge is first dewatered followed by stabilisation with the addition of lime.
Another more processed form of biosolids is produced by blending biosolids with green waste and other organic materials. This form of biosolids is suitable for use in domestic gardens, as well as public parks and gardens. Several private companies undertake this activity using biosolids we produce.
What are the benefits of biosolids?
Biosolids are rich in nutrients and organic matter so they are a good natural fertiliser and soil improver.
Among their benefits, biosolids can:
- improve crop production
- enrich tree plantations
- reduce landfill
- improve economic returns
- provide topsoil for land used for recreational uses.
How are biosolids used?
Farmers and gardeners have been beneficially using biosolids for years because they help promote crop and plant growth. Unlike mineral fertilisers that have the potential for excess nutrients to leach into waterways, biosolids bind quickly to soil particles with nutrients slowly mineralising for plant growth over a longer period of time.
In WA biosolids can only be:
- applied directly to land at the rate at which plants can up take the nutrients - most of the biosolids produced in Western Australia are used in this way
- composted at a licensed facility where the end-product is suitable for use on home gardens or municipal parks and gardens - about 20% of the overall biosolids cake production from the metropolitan wastewater treatment plants is used in this way
- disposed at a suitable landfill site.
Only biosolids that meet specific quality criteria are suitable for land application. In WA, biosolids are used to grow broadacre crops such as wheat, oat, canola and lupins, as well as forestry applications. | <urn:uuid:d915eedc-73c0-4077-a57c-84cb2882481e> | {
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On March 29, 2011, at 5:20 am EDT, MESSENGER captured a historic image of Mercury. The image is the first ever obtained from a spacecraft in orbit about the Solar System's innermost planet. Over the subsequent six hours, MESSENGER acquired an additional 363 images before downlinking some of the data to Earth. The MESSENGER team is currently looking over the newly returned data, which are still continuing to come down.
The dominant rayed crater in the upper portion of the image is Debussy. The smaller crater Matabei with its unusual dark rays is visible to the west of Debussy. The bottom portion of the image is near Mercury's south pole and includes a region of Mercury's surface not previously seen by spacecraft.
Over the next three days, MESSENGER will acquire 1185 additional images in support of MDIS commissioning-phase activities. The year-long primary science phase of the mission will begin on April 4, and the orbital observation plan calls for MDIS to acquire more than 75,000 images in support of MESSENGER's science goals.
On March 17, 2011 (March 18, 2011, UTC), MESSENGER became the first spacecraft to orbit the planet Mercury. The mission is currently in its commissioning phase, during which spacecraft and instrument performance are verified through a series of specially designed checkout activities. In the course of the one-year primary mission, the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation will unravel the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet.
The above story is based on materials provided by MESSENGER Web Site/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
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When coal ash is disposed of in dry, lined impoundments it is said to be safe. But it's often dumped into wet ponds - there are nearly 500 of them across the country - and in those cases the ash could pose health risks to the nearby communities.
Jim Roewer, one of the top lobbyists for the power industry, told 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl that nearly half of the electricity in the United States is generated by coal.
"Coal's gonna be around for a long time," he said.
"We really can't get rid of coal," Stahl remarked.
"We shouldn't get rid of coal," Roewer said.
"Well, should or shouldn't, we can't. And coal makes waste. Would you say that the industry has done a good job of disposing of the coal ash waste?" Stahl asked.
"We can do better," Roewer said.
Asked if that means no, Roewer told Stahl, "Well, we had a Kingston spill."
That's Kingston, Tenn., where last December a giant retention pool of coal ash buckled under the weight of five decades of waste.
A billion gallons of muck shot into the Emory River like a black tsunami, engulfing homes, uprooting trees, and throwing fish out of the water.
Residents woke up to an apocalyptic moonscape of "ashbergs" everywhere. The spill was 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez and it was all coal ash.
Stahl had never heard of coal ash before the Kingston incident.
"Wasn't a problem," Roewer remarked.
"Well, it was a problem, we just didn't know," Stahl replied.
The problem is: where do you put all that stuff? The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) dumped up to 1,000 tons of coal ash every day into a wet pond near the plant, slowly amassing a waste-cake 60 feet high. Some of the ingredients, according to the EPA, were arsenic, lead, mercury, selenium, cadmium and other toxic metals.
"You know, some people say that this is a poisoned meadow," Stahl said to Leo Francendese, an environmental "Mr. Fix It," sent by the EPA to clean up this mess.
"In the wrong circumstances coal ash is dangerous. Breathing it, that's dangerous," Francendese replied.
The summer heat can bake the ash into a fine talc-like powder that can wreak havoc on your lungs.
So while the government has never formally labeled coal ash a hazardous waste, it's being treated as such at the Kingston site.
As the 60 Minutes team left the site, they were scrubbed clean, as was their car.
Francendese explained that every vehicle that exits the site must go through the cleaning process.
Gary Topmiller lives right on the river. He had a front row seat when the spill covered his dock.
"Now what the doctors did tell me was, 'Get out of there.' And I said, 'I don't have any place to go,'" Topmiller told Stahl. | <urn:uuid:e40bcd14-3735-46a2-93fa-5f145c04ce51> | {
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Human Vision, the Camera, and Exposure
What You See
The human eye is a truly astounding piece of biological engineering. It is able to pick up images in near-darkness and in blazing sunlight. Overall, the human eye can perceive light in a light to darkness range of almost a billion to one. Unfortunately, when shooting video or film, the critical visual receptor is not your eye, it is the camera, and the camera perceives light differently from your eye and in a much more restricted range. The differences in this perception are critical to your understanding of how to light and expose video or film because the camera simply can’t see the extended range of light the way the human eye can.
Bear with me for a moment while I take a look ... | <urn:uuid:3bee9053-6361-4e9e-8394-0f1a7abb16aa> | {
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Italian Republic, 1946
The Italian Republic (Repubblica italiana) was established after a referendum in 1946 when the monarchy was abolished. The arms of the House of Savoy was removed the same year. The Italian flag was modelled on that of revolutionary France at the end of the 18th Century, with green substituted for blue. It is possible the colours came from the colours of the uniforms of the Civic militia of Milan: green and white; red parts were added in 1796 when it became the National Guard. | <urn:uuid:00fdf901-1f13-424b-9877-473967b59314> | {
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Why those 'heart healthy' vegetable oils should be left off your grocery list
The consumption of ‘heart healthy’ vegetable and seed oil has increased drastically over the past few decades. People have shunned natural fat sources such as butter and lard in favour of these oils that are produced in something that looks more like a meth lab than your grandmas kitchen. So why is everyone telling us that these oils are good for us if they aren’t? They are cheap as dirt to produce.
Lets take canola oil for example. What even is ‘canola’? Canola FYI isn’t even a seed but the oil is actually derived from the rapeseed (which apparently isn’t so good for marketing...). Rapeseeds are great for business, but terrible for you. These oils are manufactured using an extraction process that involves bleaching, deodorizing and the highly toxic solvent hexane. Then because they are cheap, you’ll find them in ‘healthy’ salad dressings, mayonnaises and butter replicates.
Why are they so bad?
The biggest problem with industrial seed oils is that they are way to high in omega-6 fatty acids. Overconsumption of these processed omega-6s creates an inappropriate inflammatory response in the body, which has been linked to obesity, arthritis and cardiovascular disease.
Humans evolved on a diet with a ratio of Omega-6 to omega-3 of approximately 1
At this ratio omega-6 fatty acids are health promoting in the diet. However nowadays with the increase in industrial oils and processed food in the diet, it is estimated that we are consuming a ratio of around 16 to 1.
Another problem with these oils is that they are easily oxidized. Polyunsaturated fats (such as your omega-6s) contain two or more double bonds. This means that oxygen can easily react with the fatty acids, in turn damaging them. Oxidized oils can then form harmful free radicals in the body which has been linked to a whole variety of diseases. Highly oxidative oils can also promote weight gain and insulin resistance. It is also interesting to note that whilst many people report that saturated fat increases your risk of heart disease, the attention is now turning to trans fats and seed and vegetable oils. Many studies have suggested that an increased intake of seed oils increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
So what should you be avoiding?
Vegetable and seed oils that you should avoid due to a high level of Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids include:
· Canola oil
· Rice bran oil
· Soybean oil
· Peanut oil
· Safflower oil
· Sunflower oil
· All margarines with no exception! Even the ‘heart healthy olive oil’ spreads are usually just a blend of mostly canola oil with a bit of olive oil mixed in so that they can claim it is good for you.
It is crucially important to read the labels of all the products that you buy as many things you think wouldn’t contain these harmful oils in fact do.
For high heat cooking saturated fats are best. This is because they are stable and very heat resistant. These include butter, coconut oil and ghee.
Extra virgin olive oil is also good for cooking at lower temperatures and is also good for salad dressings along with macadamia, avocado or flaxseed oils.
In saying that, this information is not meant to create paranoia. In small amounts or consumed infrequently, it’s quite likely that the effects will be minimal. As with everything, the dose makes the poison!
The takeaway message? Real food- natural plants and animals that we have been consuming for thousands of generations is always the safer choice. | <urn:uuid:11b0b7e7-f03d-4b0f-a0ab-ed1872e05866> | {
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Southampton Optoelectronics Research Centre’s research into distributed optical fibre sensing has had a significant economic and environmental impact within the oil and gas industries.
Conventional electronic-based reservoir monitoring has limitations as it requires complex wiring, is prone to failure and only allows the integration of a limited number of sensors. As oil becomes harder to find today’s reservoirs are being situated further offshore and at greater depths, leading to an increased need for more reliable ways of transmitting sensor signals over longer distances and in deeper seas.
Optical fibre sensing technology is widely used to monitor and protect underground infrastructure such as pipes and cables and is applied to a wide range of industries including defence, security and civil engineering. Its most significant application is in the oil and gas industries. The US Energy Information Administration estimates that worldwide oil demand will increase from 83m barrels per day to 118m by 2030, however, the International Energy Agency estimates that permanent reservoir monitoring can enhance oil recovery.
Research at Southampton's ORC has made a significant and commercially viable contribution to this field through the development of a variety of optical fibre sensors that allow accurate measurement of acoustic fields: temperature and strain distributions along fibres more than 100km long.
Our team has developed new techniques for accurately locating disturbances along installed fibres, using various forms of fibre-based interferometry. Our findings proved that optical fibres could be remotely located and probed with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity, which has led to the formation of start-up company Sensoptics.
In collaboration with Stingray Geophysical, a leader in the use of fibre-optic sensing technology for seismic permanent reservoir monitoring applications, the team demonstrated that multiple interferometric acoustic sensors could be interrogated with high sensitivity over distances of more than 500km.
Further collaboration with Sensa Schlumberger, a world leader in fibre optic temperature sensing, led to techniques that could accurately determine temperature and strain distribution over distances of up to 150km, greatly extending the range of technological applications in pipeline monitoring.
The impact and benefits of our research in this field lie across a wide range of areas including civil engineering, manufacturing, security and defence. However, the greatest beneficiary is the energy industry where greater extraction efficiency and improved monitoring and reservoir management are bringing vast financial and environmental benefits.
The creation of the start-up company Sensoptics generated commercial interest. The company was sold to international defence and security technology company QinetiQ for £2.6m and rebranded as OptaSense. In 2011 OptaSense signed a £26.5m deal with Shell to monitor the hydraulic fracturing process (fracking) and forecasts a turnover of £100m by the middle of the decade. It currently exports to more than 35 countries.
Our collaboration with Stingray Geophysical will enable oil companies to extract more hydrocarbons from known reservoirs more quickly, more safely and more cost-effectively. A two to three per cent increase in recovered hydrocarbon is worth in excess of £1bn on a typical reservoir.
Working with Sensa Schlumberger, we have developed a robust demonstrator suitable for field trials for both power cable monitoring with National Grid Transco and oil and gas pipelines for BP Explorations. Sensa Schlumberger has also found applications for the system in long-distance subsea energy cable monitoring, installing six high-value projects to date. | <urn:uuid:744a25f8-a93c-4ad3-a786-1bdacae33c8b> | {
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Statement of Significance (as of designation - December 17, 1982):
An elaborate Moorish-style building of stuccoed masonry, this complex structure contains the two-story mud and stone building presented to the U.S. in 1821 by Sultan Moulay Suliman. The first property acquired abroad by the U.S. Government, it housed the U.S. Legation and Consulate for 140 years, the longest period any building abroad has been occupied as a U.S. diplomatic post. It is symbolic of the 1786 Morocco-U.S. treaty of friendship, which is still in force today. During World War II it served as headquarters for U.S. intelligence agents. | <urn:uuid:e612fe58-c819-4aea-b635-ce95ec348720> | {
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Research on attribution theory shows that people tend to attribute their own behavior more to the specific situation, while they more often attribute the behavior of others to personality traits. What implications does this fact have for how society functions?
When certain characteristics are attributed to specific groups in ways that are negative and demeaning, the attributional theory can be misapplied in error, or biased. For example, minorities are often characterized based upon dispositional traits and attributes that are generated through negative biases. Research suggests that within views based on the attribution theory that implications exist for prejudice and discrimination. As Hegarty and Golden (2008) note, the Attribution theory argues that causal attributions leads to prejudice that is developed within beliefs of stigmata. They define stigmata "as deeply discrediting traits that can reduce a "whole and usual person to a tainted discredited one" (Goffman, 1963 as cited in Hegarty & Golden, 2008, p. 1021).
According to Hegarty and Golden (2008), relative to ...
This solution describes how based on the Attribution theory, individuals appply their own characterisitics and/or behavior to situaitons and others. | <urn:uuid:2c7146b6-9fcf-49ea-a195-eb624504c476> | {
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Dora Cohen describes the discrimination Jews were faced with in Vienna at the end of the 1930s.
Source: Montreal Holocaust Museum, 2015; editing: Montreal Holocaust Museum, 2017
Dora Cohen was born as an only child in 1924 in Vienna, Austria. Her parents were Polish Jews who moved to Vienna after World War I.
Dora’s father worked in a shoe shop and her mother was a business woman. The family lived in a working class district and Dora went to the neighbourhood school until Jews were no longer allowed to attend.
After the Anschluss in March 1938, the situation of the Jews in Austria rapidly deteriorated. Jews had their businesses taken away or lost their jobs. Many were beaten up and publicly humiliated. The Germans raided Jewish apartments and stole their valuables.
My grandfather, who had a beard, was taken outside and told to scrub
In March 1939, Dora left for London with the Kindertransport. When she arrived in London, she lived with her uncle’s family. Through his connections with the British consul in Czechoslovakia, Dora’s uncle managed to get visas for her parents too. They left Vienna a few months before the outbreak of the war.
During the war, Dora took a three-year secretarial course, studied accounting and later worked for her uncle.
Dora married in 1947 and had three sons. The family lived in England until 1976 when Dora’s husband, Montagu Cohen was offered a position at McGill and they moved to Montreal. | <urn:uuid:6c94f0cb-8df3-4b6c-9e63-6c73bf982ce8> | {
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Who were the Druids?
by Ben Johnson
Druids occur in many mystical tales. In one, a Druid, Figol, threatened to bring fire to rage on his enemies and prevent the men and their steeds from going to the toilet! Their bodies would fill with urine! Of course, from our knowledge of the world today we know that this is impossible, but so many accounts of druids are riddled with mysticism, magic and possible exaggeration.
The origin of the word ‘Druid’’ is unclear, but the most popular view is that it comes from ‘doire’, an Irish-Gaelic word for oak tree (often a symbol of knowledge), also meaning ‘wisdom’. Druids were concerned with the natural world and its powers, and considered trees sacred, particularly the oak.
Druidism can be described as a shamanic religion, as it relied on a combination of contact with the spirit world and holistic medicines to treat (and sometimes cause) illnesses. They were said to have induced insanity in people and been accurate fortune tellers. Some of their knowledge of the earth and space may have come from megalithic times.
There is a lot of mystery shrouding the actual history of the Druids, as our knowledge is based on limited records. Druidism is thought to have been a part of Celtic and Gaulish culture in Europe, with the first classical reference to them in the 2nd century BC.
Their practices were similar to those of priests today, connecting the people with the gods, but their role was also varied and wide-ranging, acting as teachers, scientists, judges and philosophers. They were incredibly powerful and respected, able to banish people from society for breaking the sacred laws, and even able to come between two opposing armies and prevent warfare! They did not have to pay taxes or serve in battle. Druid women were also considered equal to men in many respects, unusual for an ancient community. They could take part in wars and even divorce their husbands!
One of the earliest accounts of Druids was written by Julius Caesar in 59-51 B.C. He wrote it in Gaul, where prestigious men were divided into Druids or nobles. It was from the Roman writers that historians have gained most of their knowledge of the Druids. Druids were polytheistic and had female gods and sacred figures, rather like the Greeks and Romans, but their nomadic, less civilised Druidic society gave the others a sense of superiority. This renders some of their accounts historically uncertain, as they may be tainted with exaggerated examples of Druidic practices. Druidic human sacrifice was recorded but there is no definitive evidence to support this.
Within the Druid class, it is believed that there were subsections, all with colour-coded robes. The eldest Druid, or one deemed to be the most wise, was the Arch-druid, and would wear gold robes. The ordinary Druids would wear white and act as priests. The Sacrificers would fight and wear red. The blue Bards were artistic, and the new recruits to Druidism completed lesser tasks and were held in lesser esteem, wearing brown or black.
All aspects of Druidism were well structured and ordered; from the hierarchy of the Druid class, to their pattern of life that followed nature’s cycles. They observed lunar, solar and seasonal cycles and worshipped according to these on 8 main holy days.
They would celebrate New Year on Samhain, the day that we refer to as Halloween (31st October). This was when the last harvest would take place and it was a day full of mysticism and spirituality because the living and the deceased were the closest to being revealed to each other than on any other day.
Yule was the winter solstice, a time when Druids would sit on mounds of earth, for example at New Grange in Ireland, throughout the night, waiting for sunrise, when they would be reborn!
Imbolc (2nd February) involved using sheep’s milk by way of celebrating motherhood. Ostara was the spring equinox, and Beltane took place on 30th April as a festival of fertility. Litha was the summer solstice, a time when they believed that the ‘holly king’ took over from the ‘oak king’ of Yule. Lughnasa was the first harvest on 2nd August and Mabon was the autumnal equinox. Then the cycle of holy days would repeat itself again, reflecting the cycles of nature, planets and indeed life itself, as the Druids believed in reincarnation. They also believed that sins committed in a previous life could be made up for in the next.
Their places of worship (‘Temples of the Druids’) were quiet, secluded areas, like clearings in woods and forests, and stone circles. Probably the most famous stone circle in Britain is Stonehenge, an ancient megalithic monument dating back to about 2400 B.C. Most people’s first thoughts about the Druids might be of them congregating around Stonehenge and casting magical incantations. There is indeed thought that this was a place of worship for them, as it still is today for pagans and other neo-druids. There is disagreement though, about whether the Druids built Stonehenge or not. It is not clear exactly when the Druids came to Britain, but it is likely that they actually arrived after Stonehenge was built.
The Isle of Ynys Mon, Anglesey, and Wistman’s Wood in Dartmoor are both believed to be Druidic sites. Indeed, Anglesey was supposedly a place where Druids were taught. It took about 20 years to learn the lore, as it was complex and had to be learnt off by heart as they rarely used a written language. This is one reason why we know so little about them. The Gaul’s had a limited written language, involving Greek characters, and then with Caesar’s rule this became Latin and old records were lost. Some legends must also be treated with caution as they may have even been altered by subsequent Christian influence or exaggeration.
In the 1st century AD, Druids were facing oppression from the Romans. Indeed, Tiberius banned Druidism because of the supposed human sacrifices. After this, in 2nd century, Druidism appeared to end. There are a couple of theories to try and explain this. The first is that, as with many ancient societies, disease, famine or warfare could have wiped them out. The second implicates the arrival of Christianity in the decline. Might they have been converted? In the 1700s though, a Druid revival occurred in England and Wales. The famous William Blake (an Arch-druid) even took part in this.
Some religions today, like Christianity and Wicca have been influenced by Druidry. The number three was considered greatly significant in Druid lore, and also by these religions. For example, the Triscale was a symbol involving 3 lines coming together to form a circle. Circles were key to many Druid beliefs; the circle of life, the seasons, light and darkness.
It would surprise many to learn that Winston Churchill was supposed to be a Druid! | <urn:uuid:22c86739-44bd-4b5b-b30a-d3ddcbb8660b> | {
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Is it done yet? Are you food safe?
The City of Melville is encouraging the community to get involved and complete a Food Safety quiz as part of the 2017 Australian Food Safety Week on 11 to 18 November.
The theme ‘Is it done yet?’ urges people to cook meat and other risky foods safely by using a food thermometer, with Food Safety Week providing a great opportunity to ensure the community have access to information on how to reduce the risk food poisoning at home.
The Food Safety Information Council works to inform and educate the community to decrease the alarming number of food poisoning cases in Australia each year.
Throughout Food Safety Week the City will be holding its’ very own online quiz to test the general public’s food safety knowledge, with all participants in with a chance to win prizes worth over $1000, including meat temperature probes, gift vouchers donated by local five star food safe businesses and other great prizes.
City of Melville Mayor Russell Aubrey said the 2017 Food Safety campaign would have a valuable impact by empowering the community to adopt safe food practices into their everyday routines.
“Food poisoning can be particularly fatal for the young, elderly and those with low immune systems, so it is important to participate in safe food practices to protect your family from the 4.1 million estimated cases of food poisoning recorded in Australia each year,” Mayor Russell Aubrey said.
“With the holiday season right around the corner and summer heating up, don’t ruin the celebrations by giving your family and guests a gift they don’t want. Remember the four basic tips to good food safety practice are cleaning, cooking, chilling and separating. Food thermometers should also be used to determine whether or not meat is cooked to the correct temperature.”
“A third of all food poisoning cases occur in the home with an average of over 31,000 hospitalisations, one million visits to the doctor and 86 deaths occurring each year. Food poisoning cannot be ignored and steps need to be taken to prevent it.
The City of Melville implemented the Scores on the Doors food safety scheme in 2014 to inform customers about the food safety standards and practices of local businesses, and provide the public with an opportunity to make safe, healthy choices when eating out. Sixty-five percent of City of Melville businesses are currently eligible to receive the top ratings of four or five stars.
To complete the Food Safety quiz and be in the running to win prizes worth over $1000 visit, www.melvillecity.com.au/foodsafety .
For more information on Food Safety Week and tips to avoid food poisoning, visit www.foodsafety.asn.au. | <urn:uuid:7666f6d2-6dce-40be-a225-d533b4e86913> | {
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The project began when researchers developed a tracking system to monitor dogs’ activity. Using special sensors, the team can remotely monitor a dog’s entire day, from how often he sleeps, to when he sits, barks, eats, digs, plays, and more with a special waterproof collar with a built-in accelerometer designed to monitor 17 distinct dog behaviors.
According to an article in the Science Blog,
By mapping the normal behavior of a healthy, happy dog, Dr Cas Ladha, PhD student Nils Hammerla and undergraduate Emma Hughes were able to set a benchmark against which the animals could be remotely monitored. This allowed for any changes in behavior which might be an indication of illness or boredom to be quickly spotted.
The next step in their research, project lead Ladha, says, is using the dog’s behavior and activity as an indicator, or early warning system, of an elderly owner’s health and well-being.
The team is dedicated to researching and developing systems for helping the elderly live longer, healthier lives. They believe this new method of monitoring their dogs would allow family and caregivers to “discretely support people without the need for cameras,” and without invading their privacy.
The team believes that eventually the elderly will be able to outfit their dogs with the special collar, allowing their behavior to be monitored, to quickly identify changes in either the dog’s health, or the owner’s.
Does your dog behave different when you’re not feeling well, stressed, or down in the dumps? Weigh in with a comment below!
About the project, Hammerla added, “A dog’s physical and emotional dependence on their owner means that their wellbeing is likely reflect that of their owner and any changes such as the dog being walked less often, perhaps not being fed regularly, or simply demonstrating ‘unhappy’ behaviour could be an early indicator for families that an older relative needs help.” | <urn:uuid:73773192-04d8-41f3-b0dd-e4447a65ce21> | {
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Drought and lower acreage are key factors
Production of hay, including alfalfa, across the top 18 hay-producing states has been declining rapidly, according to USDA’s Annual Crop Production Summary. Supply of all hay is at the lowest level recorded since 1957.
Lower stocks means lower production due to lower acreage and the drought, says Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin - Madison agronomist. "If prices stay high, it will encourage people to stay in hay, but if prices fall, they’ll transition acres to corn."
Last year, hay growers harvested 79.6 million tons of hay, down 11% from 2011’s 89.5 million tons and off 21% from 2010’s 100.2 million tons. Acreage declines occurred across most of the Corn Belt, including Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan and Missouri.
All alfalfa production, which includes baled alfalfa, green chop and haylage, also fell in 2012. Area harvested in the top 18 alfalfa-producing states slipped 5% from 13.8 million acres in 2011 to 13.1 million last year. And 2012’s harvested acreage was nearly 10% lower than 2010’s 14.5 million acres. Total alfalfa production fell 19% from 52.7 million tons in 2011 to 42.5 million tons last year. Last year’s production is a 24% decline from 2010’s 56 million tons.
Yield per acre of all alfalfa has also been dropping, from 3.85 tons in 2010 to 3.81 tons in 2011 to 3.24 tons last year. Thus, during the past two years, yield has plunged more than 15%.
"This winter will be a reasonably mild one," says Undersander. A mild winter will help keep a ceiling on demand and limit the drawdown in stocks.
With stocks as low as they’ve been in decades and drought continuing through much of the Midwest and high plains, livestock producers and hay growers will need to produce as much hay and haylage as they possibly can early in the season, Undersander notes.
Make Hay Early. Undersander recommends that grazers put 30 lb. to 40 lb. of nitrogen on each acre of pastureland this spring. That, he says, will yield the equivalent of an extra ton or two of forage per acre that animals can graze.
"Hay prices will likely stay high for the coming year," Undersander adds. He advises dairy producers to return to the historical practice of having six months worth of baled hay in the barn in addition to a full-year’s worth of need. "It’s a good practice and dairies should return to that practice," he says. | <urn:uuid:eacd8e27-c922-497e-a4fb-611e7fb48330> | {
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What is kitesurfing, kiteskiing, kiteboarding or flysurfing?
Kitesurfing, kiteboarding or flysurfing (if you speak French), is a new exciting water sport for the new millennium. Kitesurfing is a very, very young sport. In spring 1999, there are probably only a few hundreds kitesurfers in the world. The population of kitesurfers is growing rapidly. The idea behind kitesurfing is very simple. A kitesurfer stands on a board with foot straps or bindings and use the power of a large controllable kite to propel him and the board across the water. This simplicity also makes kitesurfing challenging. Your body is the only connection between the kite and the board and you have to control them both at the same time: piloting the kite on the sky and steering the board on the water.
How does it work and how did it all start?
Kites originated in China thousands of years ago (two kite masters Kungshu P'an and Mo Zi flew kites as early as 478 BC) and have managed to remain unchanged until the modern time, when multiple line controllable kites were introduced by George Pocock in 1826. For the first time in history, instead of letting the wind fly the kite, a multiple line controllable kite flyer can actually pilot the kite on the sky. Click HERE for a chronological table of kite history and HERE for a bibliography related to history of kites.
When flying across the sky, a kite generates lift like an airplane wing. Since lift is proportional to the size of a kite, some kite flyers realized that if you make a kite big enough it would generate enough power to propel a vehicle on land, snow, ice or water. This type of kite is called traction kite. Certain forms of traction kite has been used by many pioneers such as George Pocock in the past, but it only became popular in the early 1990's and its popularity has made traction kite flying more a sport than just a recreational activity. While a windsurfing sail is dependent on the wind to generate power, a kite is only dependent on the wind to fly. When a kite is flying across the sky, it creates its own wind (apparent wind) which is faster and therefore produces much more power than the actual wind can provide. Since lift is proportional to the square of the wind velocity, if the apparent wind of the kite is twice that of the actual wind you will get four times as much power from the kite. This simple fact is not easy to appreciate until you actually fly a traction kite. Numerous first-time traction kite flyers have been injured in the past for misjudging such power.
As soon as traction kite was introduced, a number of kite flyers started thinking of using kites to replace conventional sails in water sports such as windsurfing. To make this popular, you need a kite that can be launched directly from the water. After years of research, a number of water relauncheable kites were introduced: Wipika inflatable kite (introduced by the Legaignoux brothers in the 80's), Kite Ski frame kite (introduced by Bill & Cory Roeseler in the 80's) and in late 1990's FOne foil kite (Raphael Salles), Concept Air foil kite (Michel Montmigny and Benoit Tremblay), Arc (Peter Lynn) and Naish inflatable kites (Robby Naish & Don Montague). While the fundamental technologies are different and the degrees of relauncheability vary, these kites share the same characteristic that allows a kite flyer to launch them from the water after a fall. There are also a number of other pioneer kitesurfers with their passion and devotion has helped to make the sport feasible in the early days: Laird Hamilton, Manu Bertin, Laurent Ness, Flash (Marcus) Austin and more. Thanks to all those pioneers, a new sport named kitesurfing was christened and destined to be the most exciting sport for the new millenium.
Is kitesurfing safe?
Kitesurfing is not as dangerous as some other sports such as hang gliding; however, kitesurfing is more dangerous compared to other "safer" sports such as windsurfing. In kitesurfing or any other forms of power kiting, safety has to be taken seriously. Make sure you follow the safety guidelines at http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/safety.htm and always use a dead-man safety release system.
Can a kitesurfer go upwind?
Yes. With proper equipment and skill, a kitesurfer can easily go upwind. However, all beginners are likely to go downwind. Check a beginner's log at http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/kitesurfinglog.htm to see how long it would take for a beginner to learn to go upwind.
How does a kitesurfer go upwind?
To go upwind on a free sail system such as a windsurfer, the sailor move the sail backward to move the center of force behind the center of resistance of the board, fins and keel.
On a kitesurfing system, a kitesurfer holds the kite in his hands and his feet transfer the pull of the kite to the board; therefore the center of force is normally between his two feet. The kitesurfer can move this center of force slightly by transferring his weight to his front foot or his back foot. To go upwind on a kitesurfing system the kitesurfer has to move both the center of force and the center of resistance:
Move the center of force backward by transferring his weight more to the back foot. For a bidirectional kiteboard, this action is mandatory and for a directional kiteboard, it is optional.
Move the center of resistance forward by pressing the windward edge to put the board from 15 to 45 degrees to the water.
So the current way to go upwind on a kitesurf board is to "ride" on its windward edge. However, in theory, if the center of resistance of the board is between the kitesurfer's feet, he can ride the board flat and transfer the weight to his front foot to go downwind or back foot to go upwind.
Can I kitesurf in very light wind?
Yes. You can kitesurf in wind as low as 5 knots with the equipment currently available on the market (large kite and/or board). Since the sport is still very young, future equipment is likely to be improved such that one may be able to kitesurf in lighter wind.
Can I kitesurf in very strong wind?
Yes. You can kitesurf in very strong wind over 40 knots with equipment currently available on the market. At the kitesurfing competition in Leucate, France, 1999, a number of kitesurfers could maintain control in 50 knot gusts.
Can I relaunch the kite from the water?
Yes. You can relaunch the kite from the water after a fall. The degree of relauncheability may vary depending on the type of kite you are using.
What equipment do I need to kitesurf?
To kitesurf you need:
A kitesurf kite (with a certain degree of water relauncheability),
A kitesurf board,
A kite control device,
Accessories (board leash, safety release system, harness, life jacket, wet suit, helmet, water shoe, etc.).
What types of kite can I use?
If you are an experienced kite pilot, you can use any traction kite to kitesurf; however, as a beginner, you are much better off with a kitesurf kite that can be relaunched from the water after a fall.
There are a number of kites on the market for kitesurfing. All of them has a certain degrees of water relauncheability. There are mainly three types of kitesurfing kites:
Framed single skin kites
Ram air foil kites
Inflatable kites normally have an inflatable leading edge and 5 or more inflatable battens to give it a permanent "crescent moon" shape (this type of kite is also call an inflatable sled or LEI). They are very dependable to relaunch except for certain conditions such as in very light wind (less than 6-7 knots) or when the bridle is inverted (more difficult but still relauncheable). The original founders of Wipika are the inventor of the inflatable kites and has licensed the technology to Naish and many other manufacturers such as Cabrinha, Neilfryde, Liquid Force, Sling Shot, North etc. All inflatable manufacturers continue to develop and market their own version of the kite. Due to the permanent "intrusive" shape of the kite (to facilitate water relaunching), the kite is always "powered up" even on the water. One needs a good working safety release system when using this kite.
There are generally two types of inflatable kite, the low AR 2 line and higher AR 4 line inflatables. The advantages of 2 line inflatable kites are ease of use and stability. The advantage of 4 line inflatable kites are higher performance and better power control (by changing the Angle Of Attack or AOA of the kite).
Due to many good characteristics, excellent wind range and wide range of choices, inflatable kites have more or less dominated the kitesurfing market and majority of kitesurfers are using inflatables.
Framed Single Skin Kites
Frame single skin kites normally have a leading edge made of fiber glass or graphite, one main batten in the center and a number of thin battens along the chord to give the kites the permanent shape. Similarly to windsurfing, it will take quite a bit of practice to learn how to water launch a 2 line framed single skin kite (with the help of a 2 line reel bar). Once one gets the hang of it, these kites are probably the most dependable kites for water relaunching. The only time one may not be able to relaunch these kites is when the wind is light (less than 8-10 knots). KiteSki is the inventor of the relauncheable 2 line framed single skin kite system. KiteSki used to have Banshee manufactured the kites. Both KiteSki and Banshee developed and market their own version of the kites (which could be very different).
After a fall, a framed single skin kite stays flat on the water; therefore, a safety release system may not be needed. However, it is wise to have a safety release system to easily retrieve the kite and the control bar (the kite and the control bar may fly a fairly long distance down wind before landing on the water).
For some reason, framed single kites are becoming less and less popular among the kitesurfers and rarely one see any kitesurfer using framed single skin kites for kitesurfing anymore.
Ram Air Foil Kites
Ram air foil kites have no rigid structure. The shape of the kite is formed while flying. These kites have shapes that are very close to airplane wings and therefore, probably are the most aerodynamic kites. Ram air foil kites have been on the market for a long time and have been used by many buggiers. In the early days of kitesurfing, Concept Air and F-One released the first water relauncheable ram air foil kites, the Concept Air EX's Wave and the FOne ATK kites. These kites normally have a limited number of air intakes and a valve system to prevent the air to escape after a fall. Due to this characteristics, these types of kite are also called closed cell foil kites. According to a number of kitesurfers, once one knows how to water launch these kites, they should be very dependable (especially in moderate to strong wind). As closed cell foil kites retain their shape after a fall, one should have a safety release system when using these kites.
After Concept Air and F-One, a number of companies started to introduce their new ram air foil kites. Quadrifoil, Windtools, Peter Lynn, Jojo, Boom Vector and Flysurfer have introduced water-relauncheable foil. The new Quadrifoil water-relauncheable kite is called Kitesurfer, the Windtools kite is called Mosquito Pro KS and the Peter Lynn kite is called Waterfoil.
In spring 2000, Concept Air introduced the New Wave, the first foil that incorporate a system allowing the kitesurfer to control the power of the kite by pulling on the third line to change the shape of the kite (therefore changing the camber/projected surface of the kite). The Flysurfer apparently uses similar technique. The Jojo neutralize the center portion of the foil to control its power. The Boom Vector is the only current foil that use AOA to control the power of the kite.
Peter Lynn has also introduced a new type of foil kite called the Arc. The Arc is mainly a closed cell ram air foil kite with the shape of an inflatable. Similar to a 4 line Wipika, an Arc kite can also be depowered by pulling on its front lines to change the angle of attack of the kite.
Since 2001, the inflatable sled kites have more or less dominated the kitesurfing market due to their "legendary" wind range and reasonable high performance. Most of the foil vendors has also introduced the low-end beginner foils attempting to attract the beginner market. One notable exception is the introduction of the Jojo Rage from Jojo to attract kitesurfers who are a bit more adventurous and want to try something slightly different than the comfortable zone of the inflatables. Also, other foil vendors such as Flysurfer and Boom Vector have introduced new foils trying to regain market share from the inflatable kites.
Currently inflatable sleds are more or less dominating the kitesurfing market while foils (both traditional and closed cell) are dominating the kiteskiing, kitesnowboarding, kitelandboarding and buggying markets.
What types of kite control device can I use?
You can use a 2-line (or 4-line) control bar or a pair of 4-line handles to control the kite.
What types of board can I use?
You can use a surfboard-like kiteboard (with foot straps) or a wakeboard-like kiteboard (with foot straps or bindings), a pair of water-ski-like skis (with bindings) or anything in between to kitesurf.
Generally, kiteboards are classified in to two groups: directional and bidirectional boards.
Directional boards have a distinct "head" (bow) and "tail" (stern). A directional board always travel "head first". To change direction on a directional board you have to jibe (to turn the "head" of the board in the reverse direction)
Bidirectional boards have no distinct "head" nor "tail". Both "tips" of the boards are identical. A bidirectional board is sometimes called twintip (longer and narrower bidirectional board) or a wakeboard (shorter and wider bidirectional board, similar shape as a wakeboard). A bidirectional board can travel in both direction. To change direction on a bidirectional board, you simply go reverse.
Can I use the kite to pull me on snow or ice?
Yes. You can use your kite in the winter with your skis on snow or on ice. Check http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/kiteskiing.htm for more information on kiteskiing on snow and ice.
If you have any questions, ask them on the snowkite forum.
You can also use a snowboard with your kite. Kitesnowboarding is very similar to kitesurfing with a bidirectional board (especial in more than 1' of powder snow). Check http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/kitesnowboarding.htm for more information on kitesnowboarding on snow.
All the "boards" you can use with your kite:
Short skis for use in pure ice
Medium skis for all conditions
Long racing skis for speed
A bidirectional board (a wakeboard)
A small directional board for all conditions
A larger directional board for light wind
Can I use the kite to pull me on land?
Yes. You can use your kite with a buggy (normally 3 wheels) on land. Also, click here and here for pictures of Dave Folkard's 2 wheel buggies.
Buggies are traditional kite vehicles on land; however, the newer generation of land kiters start to use skateboard-like board for land kiting for more challenges. On parking lot pavement, they use standard skate board and on grass or hardpack sand, they use bigger boards with larger wheels, called an ATB (All Terrain Board).
If you have any questions, ask them on the landkite forum.
Can I use the kite with a boat?
Yes. You can use your kite to pull a boat. Peter Lynn has released a small boat for use with a kite. Check http://www.peterlynnkites.co.nz for a picture of the boat.
Many has successfully sailed on a 2 or 3 people canoe or kayak with the front person controlling the kite and the rear person steer the canoe or kayak.
Do I need an assistance to launch or land the kite?
You normally do not need any assistance to launch or land your kite unless you are in a crowded and busy beach with considerable shore break. Different kites have different launching, landing and water relaunching techniques. Your vendor should be able to provide you with the appropriate instructions (if they cannot provide you with such information then for your safety and the safety of the others, do not purchase any kite from them).
Click HERE to find out more.
Who is selling kitesurfing equipment?
You can find a list of most kitesurfing companies in our directory.
How much does it cost?
A kitesurf board normally costs between $500 to $900 and a kitesurf kite normally costs between $500 to $1200 including control device. A larger kite may cost more and smaller kite may cost less
I don't have $1500! How can I get into this sport?
You can buy used kitesurfing equipment. You can also make your own kite and convert your old surfboard in to a kiteboard. You can also build a kiteboard out of wood. Check http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/board.htm and the boardbuilding group at http://groups.yahoo.com/boardbuilding for information on how to build your wood board.
Where can I buy used kitesurfing equipment?
You can buy used kitesurfing equipment on this site in the "Marketplace" section.
How hard is it to learn how to kitesurf?
Learning how to kitesurf is actually easier and takes less time than learning how to windsurf. However, the learning curve is much steeper. For example, one of the first kitesurfing moves you need to learn is water starting, which is a rather advanced technique in windsurfing.
How can I learn to kitesurf?
You should learn kitesurfing from a reputable local kitesurfing school. Go to the "Directory" of this site to see a list of kitesurfing schools in the world. If you have to learn kitesurfing all by yourself, at least see some instructional video and/or take a look at the Info forum of this site and ask your questions HERE.
What is the wind window?
The wind window is the area where the kite can fly. For all its practical purposes, the wind window is basically the area you can see with your eyes (85 degrees to the left, 85 degrees to the right, 85 degrees upward) when you are facing straight down wind.
What are the differences between a 2-line and a 4-line kite?
A 2-line kite has 2 control lines: left and right line. You pull on the left line to turn the kite to the left and pull on the right line to turn the kite to the right. That's all you can do with a 2-line kite. If both lines are in a neutral position, the kite will continue on its current flight path and fly to the edge of the wind window (left, right, upward or downward edges).
A 4-line foil kite has 4 lines: 2 front lines or main lines and 2 back lines or brake lines. The 4 lines offer much more control of the kite. With the use of a pair of 4 line handles, some 4 line kites - especially soft foil kites - also allows you to turn the kite to the left by pulling on the left handle and turn the kite to the right by pulling on the right handle (similar to a 2 line kite). This is actually the prefer way to turn the kite while kitesurfing as the turn is smoother and the kite can generate continuous power while turning. You can turn the kite faster by pulling on a brake line (the 2 front lines are called main lines; the 2 back lines are called brake lines). You can turn the kite to the left by pulling on the left brake line and turn the kite to the right by pulling on the right brake line. Some 4-line kites can spin on the same spot if you pull on one of the brake line while shortly after pulling on the other main line. If both the handles are in a neutral position, the kite will continue on its flight path and fly to the edge of the wind window (depending on the bridle set up, some kites may not move forward and just hovers at the same spot. To move it forward, just pull slightly on both of the main lines). You can slow the kite down by pulling slightly on both of the brake lines; stop the kite by pulling harder on both of the brakes lines; or make the kite moving backward by pulling very hard on both of the brake lines. You can depower the kite by pulling on both of the brake lines to slow it down.
Some 4 line kites such as the 4 line inflatable sled (e.g. Wipika/Naish kites) allows you to depower the kite by changing the angle of attack (AOA) by pulling on the front lines. A 4 line inflatable sled kite is not similar to a normal 4 line foil kite such that you cannot fly the kite backward by pulling on the back lines. The other difference is that the back lines of a 4 line Wipika/Naish kite can take full load so make sure you use 500 lbs. lines for both the front and the back lines.
Some 3 line foil kite such as the Concept Air New Wave allows you to change the shape of the kite (therefore changing the projected surface) by pulling or releasing the back line.
Some newer foils such as the Boom Vector, one can change the AOA of the foil similar to a 4 line inflatable sled.
Should I use a 2 line or a 4 line kite?
If you have already known how to fly a 2 line or 4 line kite, you can select either a 2 line or a 4 line kite. If you have never flown a kite before, use a 2 line kite. Once you become more efficient controlling your 2 line kite, you definitely want to have at least one 4 line kite in your kite bag.
Following are the advantages of 2 line and 4 line kites:
2 line kites:
Can be used with a 2 line reel bar to facilitate launching in a crowded place
Easier to control
Easier to change line length
Less expensive line set
4 line kites:
Easier to water relaunch (not applicable to 4-line inflatable kites)
Can depower the kite (this means larger wind range)
Can launch or land the kite almost anywhere in the wind window (not applicable to 4-line inflatable kites).
Can spin the kite easier to untwist the line (in the case of foil)
Can use a spin leash system to easily spin the bar to untwist the line (in the case of 4 line inflatables)
Can turn the kite faster (very good for keeping it out of the water)
Easier to recover from lulls
So the advantage of a 2-line system is its simplicity but it provides less control of the kite. The advantage of a 4-line system is that it provides more control of the kite (turn faster, go backward, depower, stall, etc.) and makes relaunching the kite easier but more complexity (line tangle, drag, etc.).
How do I depower a 2-line kite?
You cannot depower a 2-line kite; however, you can simulate the "depowering" of a 2-line kite by letting it fly to the edge of the forward wind window. So when you are overpowered, fight hard to turn your board way upwind to slow it down. The kite will fly fast to the edge of the forward wind window. Once it is there, the pull of the kite will become more manageable.
You can also simulate the "depowering" of a 2-line kite by flying it higher in the wind window; however, the kite tends to lift you up and make it harder for you to control the board.
What is the typical wind range of a kite?
Different kites have different wind ranges. Normally, the range between the lowest wind and the highest wind of a kite is about double the wind speed (the highest wind is twice as much as the lowest wind). Some kite may have a wider wind range (especially the 4 line inflatable kites) and some may have a narrower wind range.
Can a kitesurf kite reef automatically like a windsurfing sail?
None of the current kitesurf kite has an automatic reefing system except for the KiteSki kite (claimed by its vendor).
How does a kitesurfer control the power of a kite?
A kitesurfer can control the power of the kite using the projected surface control or the speed control method as described at http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/howto.htm#2. Kite Power Controlling.
How many kites do I need?
The number of kites you need is dependent on the conditions at your local beach. In general you should have 3 kites: a light wind kite (5 to 11 knots), a moderate wind kite (9 to 18 knots), a high wind kite (16 to 30 knots).
What line length should I use?
The right line length to use is dependent on the kite size and the condition. Given the same kite size, use longer lines for less wind and shorter lines for more wind.
The standard line length is around 23 m.
In high wind, you should use shorter line length for more control of the kite; however, don't go shorter than 15-20 m as you will loose much of the jumpability of the kite and the ability to handle gusty wind.
What line strength should I use?
For 2 line or 4 line inflatable kites, you should use line strength at least 2.5 times your weight. For example, if you weight 200 lb., use at least 500 lb. lines.
If you use a 4 line foil kite, the main lines should be around 2.5 times your weight and the brake lines could be around your weight. For example, if you are 200 lb., the main lines should be at least 500 lb. and the brake lines should be at least 200 lb.
Should I choose a control bar or handles?
If you use a 2-line kite, choose a control bar. If you use a 4-line inflatable kite, choose a 4-line control bar. If you use a 4-line ram air kite, choose handles or a 3 or 4-line control bar such as the Advance-IO 4-line control bar.
Normally, kitesurfers choose control bars over handles for ease of operation while jumping.
How do I change direction on a 2-strap kiteboard?
Kitesurfers do not change feet when they change direction on a 2-strap (or 2 bindings) kiteboard. They simply go from a heel-down to toe-down position when jibing (for both directional or bidirectional boards) or simply reverse the direction (for bidirectional boards only).
How do I change direction on a 3-strap kiteboard?
Kitesurfers change feet similar to windsurfing when they change direction (jibe) on a 3-strap directional board.
Is it easier to jibe or to go from heel-down to toe-down position?
If you are a water skier, wakeboarder or snowboarder, to go from heel-down to toe-down is easier. If you are a windsurfer, to jibe is easier.
In any case, one should learn how to do both. To change direction by jibing or by going from heel-down to toe-down should be the fundamental kitesurfing techniques that one should master.
Should I choose a 2-footstrap/binding or a 3-footstrap kiteboard?
If you are a water skier choose a 2-strap/binding directional board. If you are wakeboarder or snowboarder, choose a 2-strap/binding bidirectional board. Choose a 3-strap directional board if you are a windsurfer. Toss a coin if you are neither.
Should I choose bindings or footstraps?
Choose bindings if you are a water skier, wakeboarder, snowboarder or you live in a high wind area. Otherwise, choose footstraps.
Bindings attach your feet firmly to the board, therefore provide more precise control and "feel" of the board. However, they could be clumsy and very hard to get in or out when you are on the water.
Modern kitesurfers prefer foot straps for ease of entry/exit and also for certain advanced tricks where to take 1 or both of your feet off your board while in the air (it looks very cool!)
How many kiteboards do I need?
Normally you need only one kiteboard (1' shorter than your height for bidirectional board and the same length as your height for directional board). If you live in a light wind area (5 to 15 knots) with some super high wind days (20 to 30+ knots), you may want to consider having 2 board: a larger one for regular days and a smaller one for super high wind days.
How big a kiteboard should I choose?
If you live in a high wind area (15+ knot most of the time) you should choose a smaller kiteboard around your height for directional or 1' shorter than your height for bidirectional board. If you live in a light wind area (5 to 15 knots most of the time), you should choose a larger kiteboard 1' longer than your height for directional or the same length as your height for bidirectional board.
Why does a kiteboard has to be smaller than 8'?
There are two main reasons why a kiteboard has to be smaller than 8':
The kiteboard has to be small enough for a kitesurfer to be able to effectively dig the windward rail under the water to go upwind
The kiteboard has to be small enough to let the kitesurfer to move and align the board properly with only one hand (the other hand has to hold the control bar) while water starting.
How big a kite should I choose?
Different kite types have different aerodynamics and therefore there is almost no correlation between the sizes among them.
Same kite types are somewhat similar aerodynamically and their powers are proportional to their sizes (a 10 m2 kite deliver twice as much as power as a 5 m2 kite of the same type). Furthermore, kite size and rider weight are proportional (you should use a kite 1/2 the size of the same type of kite someone twice your weight in the same wind).
As there are a number of controversial formulas used in the past to indicate kite size, the best measurement factor to non-biasly compare kites is the flat area of the kite. Kite size as indicated by the manufacturers may use some controversial formulas so ask for the flat size of the kite when purchase any kite either used or new.
From experiences, for foil to inflatable comparison, use the approximated 7/12 factor (i.e., a 7 m2 flat area foil is somewhat equivalent to a 12 m2 flat area inflatable).
What is a dead-man safety release system?
A dead-man safety release system is a system that allows the kitesurfer to disable the kite anytime, even if the kitesurfer becomes unconscious.
How does a dead-man safety release system work?
You must not know how to activate a dead-man safety release system. It must activate itself automatically when you "stop" doing something (e.g. stop holding the control bar or handles).
For inflatable, the safety release system makes one line (either one of the front line or back line for a 4 line inflatable) about 1 kite span longer than the other lines (applicable to both 2 line or 4 line inflatable) to disable the kite when you stop holding the control bar. For foil, the safety release system pull on the brake lines to collapse the kite and have it gently landing backward. Both of the systems have a safety leash attaching to your left wrist (or harness) to allow you to retrieve the control bar.
Note that all dead-man safety release systems do not work properly when you are hooked in to your harness. You cannot disable your kite while hooking in.
Modern 4 line inflatable kiters frequently use a "spin leash" system allowing one to easily spin the bar to untwist the line after a spin. Please note that this system is a manual safety system which requires one to pull on a snap shackle to release oneself from the kite. Only shackled in while you are in deep, uncrowded water
Click http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/safety.htm for other safety release systems.
Why do I need a dead-man safety release system?
You need a dead-man safety release system because:
If you drop the control bar, your kite may continue flying and injure someone or damage something downwind.
You may loose your kite
You may have a long way to swim to shore and may become shark bait.
You may become a paraglider by hanging on to your kite in very strong wind.
You may not have time to activate your manual safety system while the kite is pulling you into a hard obstacle.
You may be unconscious while the kite is pulling you into a hard obstacle.
Can I build my own kiteboard or convert an old surf or windsurf board to a kiteboard?
Yes. You can build your own directional kiteboard or convert an old surf or windsurf board to a kite board. Your directional kiteboard should be as long as or 1' longer than your height. As a general rule-of-thumb, the front foot straps should be placed just behind the center of the board. The back foot strap should be your-shoulder-width (or slightly larger) behind your front straps.
The quickest way to install footstraps on a surfboard is to use the X-Strap system manufactured by Hyperform at http://www.xtrak.com/index.htm.
Many has built their boards (especially bidirectional boards) from wood very inexpensively. Check the Board Builders forum for more information.
How many fins should I have on my board?
Kiteboard can have from 1, 2, 3, 4 or even 5 fins. The fins are mainly used for directional control. While the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th fin may help to go upwind some what, it is the upwind rail of the board that act as the main fin for going upwind (I have no problem staying upwind on all of my finless kiteboards). More fins will definitely slow the board down. Most kiteboard has 2 or 3 fins.
If you use a bidirectional board, you may want to ride it finless once you are used to edging. Check http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/finless.htm for information on riding finless.
Can I build my own kite?
Yes. You can build your own kite. Check the FoilDesign group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/foildesign for more information how how to build kites.
I am a windsurfer, why should I learn kitesurfing?
Kitesurfing is complementary to windsurfing and you should learn kitesurfing especially if you are already a windsurfer. Furthermore, if you live in colder climate, you may want to get in to kitesnowboarding or kiteskiing in the winter to complement you windsurfing in the summer.
While windsurfing in less-than-15 knots is generally "windsuffering", kitesurfing in less-than-15 knots generates a lot of fun (some kitesurfers can go out in wind starting from 5 knots and some kitesurfers can even jump in wind starting from 10-12 knots). While windsurfers normally need 6' wave and 20 knots of wind to gain any decent altitude, some kitesurfers can gain higher altitude in 10 knots in flat water.
On the other hand, in 25+ knots, currently, windsurfers can go faster (especially on a beam reach or an up-wind run) while kitesurfing in high wind can be much more dangerous than windsurfing. Besides, being able to both windsurf and kitesurf offer you more perspectives of the conditions at your local beach.
I am a windsurfer, is it hard to convert?
As a windsurfer, you already know how to have good balance on a board and know the "way of the wind". It should be easier for a windsurfer to learn kitesurfing than for an ordinary person. However, the learning curve is still pretty steep as you need more balancing act in kitesurfing not to mention doing that while controlling a nervous kite which tends to pull you out of your board. Once you get pass the beginner stage, you can progress faster in kitesurfing than in windsurfing.
How fast is a kiteboard compared to a sailboard?
Given the same condition and top-of-the-line equipment, a kiteboard is faster than a sailboard on a downwind run and slower than a sailboard on an upwind run. A kiteboard is ridden fairly flat almost as flat as a sailboard on a downwind run and its smaller size makes it goes faster. A kiteboard is normally ridden 30 to 45 degrees edging to the water on an upwind run and this edging make it less efficient and slower than a sailboard.
Furthermore, in light to moderate wind, a kitesurfer can fly the kite to generate more power during lulls. Thus a kitesurfer can go faster than a windsurfer in light and moderate wind conditions. In stronger wind (more than 15 knots), the dynamic "feature" of the kite makes it less efficient than a windsurfing sail. Thus a windsurfer can go faster than a kitesurfer in stronger wind.
Can I use my wakeboarding, snowboarding or water-ski skills?
Yes. Controlling a kiteboard is very much like controlling a wakeboard, a snowboard or a mono-water-ski.
Can I kitesurf where people are windsurfing, water-skiing, jetskiing, or whatever?
Yes. You can kitesurf on fairly crowded water by using long lines (40 m) and trying to keep the kite higher than 30 degrees vertically. A reel bar can also help. However, it is much safer to kitesurf in un-crowded places especially if you are a beginner.
How many kitesurfers can kitesurf in a space that can normally accommodate 100 windsurfers?
A kitesurfer can use lines up to 50 m in length and normally flies the kite in the forward half portion of the wind window. This means a kitesurfer would need a space up to 50 m in width and 50 m in length. As the normal "clearing" distance between two windsurfers is around 5 - 6 m. This would allow only 10 kitesurfers to kitesurf in a space that can normally accommodate 100 windsurfers.
If all the kitesurfers follow the same rule and try to fly the kites at the same diagonal angle (with 15 degree margin for flying error as proposed in http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/rules.htm) then the minimum clearing distance required is only 15 m. This would allow up to 40 kitesurfers to share the space that normally can accommodate 100 windsurfers.
I'm a kite buggier, is kitesurfing much different?
Yes. Your kite skills will give you a big advantage in keeping the kite out of the water and controlling the kite power, but riding a board is a whole new thing. It requires a lot more practice than buggying. Don't expect to be able to go upwind on your first try as you did in buggying. Give it at least 10 hours of practice time to be able to ride upwind, and more than that to be able to stay upwind. More if you have never done any kind of board sports before (snowboarding, water-skiing, wakeboarding, etc). You also need a lot more wind to kitesurf than to buggy (about twice as much wind).
How fast is a kiteboard compared to a buggy?
It's certainly a lot easier to go fast in a buggy, and buggying top speeds are currently higher than kitesurfing top speeds. The biggest difference is in light winds when you may not be able to consistently plane the board. Don't sell your buggy if you live where the winds are usually 8 knots or less. However, kitesurfing is more challenging and exciting: the greater power from a bigger kite, the undulating, enchanting surface of the water, the leaning of your body way back over the water, the jumps, etc.
Do I have to be the athletic type?
Not really, at least not to kitesurf casually. Since you should normally use a harness, your body weight is more of a factor in how much kite power you can handle than your strength. You should be strong enough to unhook the kite from your harness when you need to, though (do a lot of pull up). Kitesurfing is not very aerobic - you don't quickly run out of breath like you do when running. The kite does most of the work. Muscle fatigue can wear you out, but as your skills improve it becomes less strenuous.
I am convinced now so how do I start?
Kitesurfing is a dangerous sport. It is wise to take lesson at a local reputable school. Check http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/schools.htm for a list of kitesurfing schools near you. It is also wise to review the HowTo and the Tips section of the Kitesurfing School web site at http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/howto.htm and http://www.KitesurfingSchool.org/tips.htm.
The owners, webmasters, authors and contributors of this FAQ make no representation nor warranty regarding errors, missing of and correctness of the information contained in this FAQ. Use the information contained herein at your own risk. The owners, webmasters, authors and contributors are not responsible for any loss or accident to you or to other third parties including loss of business, loss of sale, equipment or property damage, injury or death resulting from you or other third parties using the information contained herein.
thx to Hung from http://www.kitesurfingschool.org !!! | <urn:uuid:8a0e6ef1-46c9-47b3-952e-abd80e99e476> | {
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The Economist: The Federal Reserve System turns 100 this year
By By Ray Perryman
Aug. 31, 2013 at 3:31 a.m.
One of the most powerful entities in the world, the U.S. Federal Reserve System (the Fed), turns 100 this year. When the Fed was founded, financial panics were a severe problem, causing bank failures, business bankruptcies and other mayhem.
Without the safety net of a guaranteed source of funds for banks running low on cash, real or rumored shortages of funds at a financial institution could cause massive withdrawals of deposits.
As an unfortunate result, all too often rumor did become reality with banks running out of money and a panic ensuing.
These severe economic disruptions, particularly the Panics of 1893 and 1907, led Congress (after heated debate) to pass the Federal Reserve Act "to provide for the establishment of Federal reserve banks, to furnish an elastic currency, to afford means of rediscounting commercial paper, to establish a more effective supervision of banking in the United States and for other purposes."
The act was signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on Dec. 23, 1913, marking the first time the country had a central bank since Andrew Jackson's closing of the Second Bank of the United States in 1836.
The Federal Reserve System is independent in that its decisions are not subject to control by the president, though Congress does have oversight authority. Its seven governors are appointed to 14-year terms to avoid political pressures and assure that appointments span administrations.
In addition to its duties of regulating banks and maintaining the stability of the financial system, the system also provides financial services to depository institutions, the U.S. government and foreign official institutions and is integral to the US payments system. The other important role of the Fed is implementing monetary policy.
Most of us take for granted most of what the Fed does. We expect that when we write or deposit a check or visit an ATM, for example, the right bank accounts will end up with the right amounts of money. However, the monetary policy piece is both more in the news and less well understood.
The stated goal of the Federal Reserve System's monetary policy is to maximize employment, while simultaneously keeping prices stable and long-term interest rates under control. Over time, these two subgoals are aligned in that if inflation or interest rates are high, economic performance (and, thus, the employment level) suffers.
In the short term, however, there can be conflicts. For instance, sometimes (like during the recent recession), policy action to stimulate the economy and boost employment has the potential to contribute to inflation down the road.
The first challenge is to decide which priority takes precedence. Historically, price stability has dominated, with full employment left more to fiscal policy. Given the severity of the recent crisis and the inability of Congress to act quickly and boldly, the Fed has stepped into the breach.
Even when a policy direction is set, implementing is extremely difficult for a number of reasons. First, it's hard to get reliable data in a reasonable amount of time. Second, even given a good estimate of current conditions, it is then essential to project future directions.
As a person who has been forecasting the economy for decades, I can tell you that there is absolutely no way to do so with complete accuracy. Even the best models cannot incorporate or predict things like natural disasters, military uprisings or technological breakthroughs - not to mention the sheer randomness of the things we do know more about.
To further compound the issue, the Fed's policy tools, while powerful, are not exactly direct. (More about how these policy tools work in a future column.) There is also no way to know exactly how the economy will respond to the Fed's actions, though there is every effort to devise econometric models to predict these reactions. To make matters worse, analysts, pundits and others hang on every word of meeting minutes and comments, which could indicate future Fed actions, reacting to every nuance of potential meaning.
In today's information-driven society, even the hint of a change in direction is enough to move markets. One of the most famous examples occurred in 1996, when then-Chairman Alan Greenspan uttered the phrase "irrational exuberance" in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C.
He was referring to the stock market and posed the question "But how do we know when irrational exuberance has unduly escalated asset values, which then become subject to unexpected and prolonged contractions?" This occurred before the Internet was a major phenomenon and well before modern social media, but Asian markets began reacting within seconds.
As we go to press, markets are anxiously awaiting the release of minutes from the Fed's July meeting, which may indicate when the current stance on quantitative easing will change. In June, current Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said that the central bank expects to taper its monthly $85 billion bond buying program this year if certain conditions are met, and, despite the wisdom of this stance, financial markets went apoplectic.
Stock markets around the world are a very visible sign of just how important the timing of policy shifts is, with shares in many countries near six-week lows and emerging market currencies weakening. As I've discussed before, much of this reaction is likely, in fact, overreaction. Nonetheless, a sharp swing in market indices would not be surprising from the slightest nuance.
The Federal Reserve System is an integral component of the world's financial infrastructure. The monetary policy aspect is subject to controversy and impossible to perfect, but it is nonetheless a driving force in the U.S. (and, in fact, the global) economy. There is also some argument that regulations (or a lack thereof) contribute to certain problems such as the recent housing bubble and subsequent crash. However, many important functions are so well-managed that we are hardly aware of them, and a key early mission, eliminating panics and runs on banks, has clearly been accomplished.
Dr. M. Ray Perryman is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Perryman Group (perrymangroup.com). He also serves as Institute Distinguished Professor of Economic Theory and Method at the International Institute for Advanced Studies. | <urn:uuid:9b78df14-af98-41a1-9965-b40c2de9bc2e> | {
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These spelling tests are perfect for assessing whether or not your students know their spelling words. In my classroom, they only need to study five at a time, and their words are super individualized. There is a page for five words, and a page for ten words. They are on half sheets so as to save paper. Enjoy! | <urn:uuid:03ec6e4e-c1f4-4d3a-9fe5-36a219bf2d8d> | {
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Apparently the size of the fish you fish matters if you're fishing on a large scale. You may not have thought about this, but it makes sense given broad overfishing concerns plus our knowledge of selective breeding. As MinuteEarth explains, there are laws that establish a minimum size for catching fish so young fish have a better chance of growing up and reproducing. Which sounds like it makes sense. But an unintended consequence of these laws has been fisherpeople catching the largest fish they can, thus creating a situation where small fish reproduce disproportionately with other small fish. And the issue there is that small fish don't produce as many eggs and don't equip their eggs with as much built-in food for the development process. Add that to genetic predisposition to be small and you've got small fish producing less total offspring but more . . . small fish. You know what, it's a whole big fish small fish thing, just watch the video. | <urn:uuid:126c50bf-5f3e-4604-8f0f-9223e93faac3> | {
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However, when her pre-school son watched the exchange of plastic for food and cash, a siren sounded. "Mommy," he shouted. "You won a prize." Alarmed, Yael decided it was time to teach him more about money.
Nationwide, other parents are finding gaps in their children's financial education. For instance, according to a recent T. Rowe Price survey, nearly 60 percent of parents feel as if they should be doing more to school their children about finances. Here are a few lesson plans:
Child labor and allowances: My school-age children get a boost when they earn money from household chores, baby-sitting or lemonade stands, and it's not just about the cash. Earning and managing a few dollars improves their common sense and self-esteem. Such lessons can begin with toddlers, with small chores and rewards.
Shopping trips: Going to the grocery store with children typically leads to higher food bills. But the short-term detour around sugar cereals and other treats can create long-lasting "teachable moments" about unit-pricing, marketing gimmicks and nutrition.
New age tools: The Internet has a wealth of finance games for kids. My daughter, for example, has spent hours at http://www.webkinz.com/ and http://www.neopets.com/, which offer imaginary financial systems in which children earn salaries, build homes and make virtual purchases. The money is not real, but the lessons are valuable. Other sites include: http://www.thegreatpiggybankadventure.com/ and www.ustreas.gov/kids/ (from the Treasury Department).
Old school tools: A game of Monopoly can last for hours with lessons about saving, spending and investing. Over that board game, my kids have become savvy about the value of budgets and delayed gratification. It's not just about paper money or color-coded blocks of real estate. | <urn:uuid:cb6757d7-4057-41bf-8e7e-3b51cc7466fb> | {
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Liszt collected his Beethoven Goethe settings from two different sets of songs and from the incidental music to Egmont
, opus 84. These are imaginative transcriptions which depart from Beethoven’s text only to avoid fussiness or to supply variety with repeated verses—to excellent effect in the ‘Song of the Flea’. Mignon’s Song (from Wilhelm Meister
) has been set too often to require much introduction: ‘Do you know the land where the lemons blossom …’. ‘With a Painted Ribbon’ exploits the conceit of a ribbon of flowers and leaves in the wind contrasted against the bond of love. ‘Joyful and Sorrowful’ (—a text which, like ‘Mignon’s Song’, Liszt also set—is the second of Clara’s songs from Egmont
, telling that happiness can only come from love. ‘Once upon a time there was a King’—Mephistopheles’ ‘Song of the Flea’ from Faust
Part I—deserves to be as well known in Beethoven’s setting as it is in Musorgsky’s. ‘Bliss of Sadness’ extols the tears of eternal love, and ‘Strike the Drum’—Clara’s first song from Egmont
sings of her wish to be a man so that she could join her beloved in battle.
from notes by Leslie Howard © 1991 | <urn:uuid:eeb9e413-dfeb-4aec-b12b-0756457da824> | {
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Arduino in Actionby Martin Evans
Synopses & Reviews
Arduino in Action is a hands-on guide to prototyping and building electronics using the Arduino platform. Suitable for both beginners and advanced users, this easy-to-follow book begins with the basics and then systematically guides you through projects ranging from your first blinking LED through connecting Arduino to devices like game controllers or your iPhone.
About the Technology
Arduino is an open source do-it-yourself electronics platform that supports a mind-boggling collection of sensors and actuators you can use to build anything you can imagine. Even if you've never attempted a hardware project, this easy-to-follow book will guide you from your first blinking LED through connecting Arduino to your iPhone.
About this Book
Arduino in Action is a hands-on guide to prototyping and building DIY electronics. You'll start with the basics—unpacking your board and using a simple program to make something happen. Then, you'l attempt progressively more complex projects as you connect Arduino to motors, LCD displays, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. You'll explore input/output sensors, including ultrasound, infrared, and light, and then use them for tasks like robotic obstacle avoidance.
Arduino programs look a lot like C or C++, so some programming skill is helpful.
Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Authors
Martin Evans is a professional developer, a lifelong electronics enthusiast, and the creator of an Arduino-based underwater ROV. Joshua Noble is an author and creative technologist who works with smart spaces. Jordan Hochenbaum uses Arduino to explore musical expression and creative interaction.
Table of Contents
Part 1 Getting started
Part 2 Putting Arduino to work
Whether you want to build an autonomous robot, automate your home electronics, or just automatically tweet when the bread is ready, you can do it with Arduino. Arduino is an inexpensive, easy-to-use, open source hardware and software platform. It supports a mind-boggling array of sensors and components that you can use to build nearly anything you can imagine.
Arduino in Action is a hands-on guide to prototyping and building electronics using the Arduino platform. Suitable for beginners and advanced users, this easy to follow book begins with the basics and systematically guides you through projects ranging from your first blinking LED through connecting Arduino to devices like game controllers or your iPhone.
Purchase of the print book comes with an offer of a free PDF, ePub, and Kindle eBook from Manning. Also available is all code from the book.
About the Author
Martin Evans is a professional developer and a lifelong electronics enthusiast. He presented an autonomous obstacle avoidance robot at the 2010 Edinburgh Ruby conference and is currently building Arduino based underwater ROV.
Joshua Noble is a creative technologist based in the Pacific Northwest who works with smart spaces and tools for creativity. His internet presence can be found at thefactoryfactory.com or on twitter at @factoryfactory.
What Our Readers Are Saying
Computers and Internet » Computer Architecture » RISC Microprocessor | <urn:uuid:92d50b33-1839-435e-8691-fad09c3fff59> | {
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Modern dentistry now views dental implants as the standard of care for replacing multiple teeth, particularly when they are in a row. Implants play a crucial role in preventing bone loss and preserving facial structure. Former treatments, such as dentures, not only failed to address these concerns, but in fact led to complications.
Dental Implants vs. Traditional Dental Bridge
A partial bridge is the most common solution for replacing multiple lost teeth; however, it is no longer considered the best treatment. The structural components of a bridge inflict permanent damage on the remaining teeth acting as anchors to support the bridge. Studies have shown that bridges often lead to additional tooth loss caused by wear and tear on what would otherwise have been healthy teeth.
Dental bridges allow the jaw bone to deteriorate because they do not stimulate the bone, whereas the roots of dental implants provide stimulation, protecting the jaw bone and supporting existing facial structure and shape. Because the titanium is compatible with the body, it is able to integrate into the jaw bone for a stronger replacement, increasing the permanency and longevity of the implant. Additionally, because the implant cannot be removed without of surgery, complications such as looseness or slipping are eliminated, allowing for normal eating and speaking.
Restoring Your Smile
Many factors contribute to the placement of implants in multiple teeth replacements. The first approach your doctor will consider is to place an implant at the site of each lost tooth. Such implants would be permanent replacements and act as your natural teeth. Not all patients qualify for implants at all sites of tooth loss. If too much bone loss has occurred, bone grafting may be necessary to create sufficient bone mass to hold the dental implant.
Another option is to use implants to create an implant supported bridge. Similar to traditional bridges, a prosthetic attaches to two abutment teeth; however, with dental implants, the anchor teeth are implants rather than remaining natural teeth. This reduces the risks of damage or loss of your remaining teeth.
During the procedure, two or more implants are placed with a temporary replacement, called a “flipper,” suspended between them for the duration of the healing period, which takes 4-6 months. Once the implants have fused with the jaw bone, the procedure is completed by attaching the permanent prosthetic between the implanted anchor teeth. | <urn:uuid:4e5b8204-7921-4c8e-b948-857f17d857f2> | {
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Information about the English Coonhound
The American English Coonhound, also referred to as the English Coonhound or the Redtick Coonhound, is a breed of dog. It is a type of coonhound that is typically bred in the Southern United States. It has origins from hunting hounds brought to America by settlers during the 17th and 18th centuries, resulting in the dogs known as the “Virginia Hounds”. The breeds first recognition came from the United Kennel Club in 1905 as the English Fox and Coonhound. Further recognition has been granted in recent years by the American Kennel Club, first in the Foundation Stock Service and in 2011 as a fully recognized member of the hound group.
The breed is of medium height and proportionate weight, and their coats come predominantly in three types, redtick, bluetick and a tricolor tick pattern. They have a high prey drive and are used in various roles in hunting, including treeing. Health issues that the breed suffers from include overheating whilst out on summer hunting expeditions.
The breed traces its ancestry from Foxhounds brought to the United States by European settlers during the 17th and 18th centuries. It shares a common ancestry with all other coonhounds with the exception of the Plott Hound. The breed developed from the “Virginia Hounds”, which were developed over time from dogs imported to the United States by Robert Brooke, Thomas Walker and first President of the United States, George Washington. The dogs had to adapt to more rigorous terrain, with the breed being specifically bred over time to suit these new conditions. They were used to hunt racoons by night and the American Red Fox by day. It was recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1905 as the English Fox and Coonhound.
The Treeing Walker Coonhound was recognized separately by the UKC in 1945, splitting it off from the English Fox and Coonhound breed. The following year the Bluetick Coonhound.
The breed was accepted into the American Kennel Club’s Foundation Stock Service as the American English Coonhound in 1995. It was moved up to the Miscellaneous Class on 1 January 2010. Following the acceptance of the breed by the AKC in the hound group on 30 June 2011 as the 171st breed, the American English Coonhound became eligible to compete in the National Dog Show in 2011 and both the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship for the first time in 2012.
Male American English Coonhounds measure between 22-27 inches (56-69 cm) at the withers, with females being slightly smaller at 21-25 inches (53-63 cm). The weight of a Coonhound should be in proportion to the dog’s height. Their coats come in three distinct colors and patterns. The most common is the “redtick” pattern, while others include tricolor markings with ticks, and a “bluetick” pattern. Members of the breed in the bluetick pattern can be confused with Bluetick Coonhounds. The coat itself is short to medium in length and hard to the touch.
Unlike the other classifications of coonhounds, a variety of colorations is acceptable to meet English coonhound breed standards. Coloration can be redtick, bluetick, tricolored and tricolored with ticking. However, red markings are predominant and “Redtick” is a common euphemism for English Coonhounds. Some people believe this lack of emphasis on specific coloration has allowed breeders to focus breeding programs on traits such as intelligence and hunting ability rather than superficial concerns like coat standards. Color variations are common even amongst pups from the same litter of English coonhounds, indicating high levels of DNA diversity in the breed.
American English Coonhounds tend to be quiet in the house, but require high levels of exercise. They have a high prey drive, and will go after small animals. Because of this, they are not recommended for households with small pets, but generally they are good with children. As puppies, they can be quite inquisitive and destructive.
Like all coonhounds, English are generally good natured and very sociable dogs. Skittishness or aggression is considered a defect according to UKC breed standards. They are strong willed, if not stubborn, and require more patience in training than other breeds. Young dogs are usually extremely active and playful and desirous of human attention in addition to requiring plenty of exercise. English Coonhounds are incessant nesters and should be avoided by people who do not wish to have dogs on couches and beds. They make excellent family pets as they have been bred for hunting purposes to coexist amiably within a pack. English Coonhounds also make adequate watch dogs as they possess extremely loud hound mouths characterized by melodious, drawn out bawls and short, explosive chops.
The breed has proven popular with night hunters, and have a powerful nose which enables them to track of both small and large game including, racoons, cougars and bears. One of the types of hunting that the breed is used for treeing, where the dogs are used to force animals that naturally climb up into trees, where they can be shot by hunters.
While known for their ability in this type of hunting, they can lose their ability to pace themselves and on occasion can stand their ground when they believe that they have chased their prey up a tree, even if they haven’t. They can have a one track mind while hunting, and tune everything else out. Against cougars and bears they can keep the larger game in position while the hunters arrive. They have become the favored breed in coon hunting.They are usually bark a lot when you have them caged up. | <urn:uuid:76f16994-55ec-4807-9b0f-3198520a62f6> | {
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Calculating Zip Code Distances Table
I use MySQL to store my zipcode information in. The raw data is taken from a commercial package sold at http://www.zip-codes.com/, or you can usually find a very old and outdated list of US Zip Codes on the web from the 1990's. At the bottom of this page, there is a quick "How To" for loading zip-codes.com Business package, but the main documentation assumes you have a table in MySQL already that contains the fields zipcode, latitude and longitude. My database structure contains the following three field definitions, which are all that are needed for this to work:
zipcode char(5), latitude decimal(12, 8), longitude decimal(12, 8)
Note that latitude and longitude are the decimal degrees. If your information is in degrees, minutes and seconds, you will have to convert it with the formula
latitude = degrees + (minutes + (seconds/60)) / 60
Limitations: These calculations are not high precision. They calculate the distance between two zip codes from the latitude and longitude of the geographical center of the zip code, not the border. Thus, it is theoretically possible that a single city block could separate addresses on the border of two zip codes, but these calculations would show them to be many miles apart.
Calculating the Distances
drop table if exists zip_codes_temp; create table zip_codes_temp ( zip_code char(5) not null unique, latitude double precision, longitude double precision, sinlat double precision, coslat double precision, primary key (zip_code) ) comment="List of all zip codes in US. Lat & Long are in radians"; ALTER TABLE zip_codes_temp DISABLE KEYS; insert into zip_codes_temp select zipcode, latitude/57.29577951, longitude/57.29577951, null, null from zip_codes where primaryrecord = 'P' update zip_codes_temp set sinlat = sin( latitude ); update zip_codes_temp set coslat = cos( latitude ); ALTER TABLE zip_codes_temp ENABLE KEYS; drop table if exists zip_code_distances; create table zip_code_distances ( zip_code_1 char(5) not null, zip_code_2 char(5) not null, distance int not null, key ( zip_code_1 ), key ( zip_code_2 ) ) comment="contains distance between various zip codes"; ALTER TABLE zip_code_distances DISABLE KEYS; insert into zip_code_distances select a.zip_code, b.zip_code,3963.1*acos( a.sinlat*b.sinlat+a.coslat*b.coslat*cos(a.longitude-b.longitude) ) from zip_codes_temp a, zip_codes_temp b where a.zip_code < b.zip_code and 3963.1*acos( a.sinlat*b.sinlat+a.coslat*b.coslat*cos(a.longitude-b.longitude) ) <= 50; ALTER TABLE zip_code_distances ENABLE KEYS; drop table zip_codes_temp;
Discussion of Script
This script create a table named zip_code_distances that stores the distances between any two zip codes in one row. The fields zip_code_1 and zip_code_2 are arbitrary; the target and source may be in either, but no pair will be duplicated. Thus, for the distance between US Zip Codes 75214 and 75201, either 75214 will show up in zip_code_1 or zip_code_2, and 75201 will be in the other one. I made the decision to do this to save space at the minor expense of complexity and processing time when running queries. Instead of being able to give the simple query:
select distance from zip_code_distances where zip_code_1 = '75214' and zip_code_2 = '75201' Wrong: Will not work
You must use the query:
select distance from zip_code_distances where zip_code_1 in ('75214','75201) and zip_code_2 in ('75214','75201') Correct
The reason behind this is that we would require twice the disk space to store every possible permutation of zip codes. By only storing every combination, we are halving our storage size (which is still significant). Note: I could be wrong about this, as I find the index file associated with this table is half again as large as the actual data file
Additional Note: I used the disable keys/enable keys but saw no significant speed difference when I ran a test without them. Not sure how much that helps, though the MySQL manual states it is supposed to help a lot, so I left it in.
Now, about the script. The table zip_codes_temp is created simply to hold some intermediary values. Since we are using spherical geometry, the formulae are fairly resource intensive, and we will be calculating information over and over using the same values. We will use new values of latitude and longitude, storing the values as radians (dividing by 57.29577951 in the insert statement right after the table creation), then calculating the sine of both latitude and longitude prior to doing the distance calculation (the update statements).
The next step is to create a table to hold the actual distances. For this, I have two zip code fields (zip_code_1 and zip_code_2) and the distance between them (distance). Since we are searching on both zip_code_1 and zip_code_2, In index both (it would be faster to add the indexes after the table was populated, I'm sure, but I'm lazy and the the computer isn't doing anything right now anyway).
Now, the calculation. The distance, in miles, between two points each having a latitude and longitude measured in radians is:
3963.1*acos( a.sinlat*b.sinlat+a.coslat*b.coslat*cos(a.longitude-b.longitude) ) miles
if sinlat and coslat are sine(latitude) and cos(latitude) respectively. To calculate in kilometers, simply multiply 3963.1 by 1.60934 (the number of kilometers in a mile) and change your formula to be:
6377.991*acos( a.sinlat*b.sinlat+a.coslat*b.coslat*cos(a.longitude-b.longitude) ) kilometers
The above script is designed to only store zip codes that are 50 miles or less distance from each other (the constant 50 at the end of the statement), though it still has to calculate each point in the database and the time difference in increasing this number is rather trivial, consisting only the time taken to store the result and its index.
By the way, I'm not going into the actual formulae for calculating this: it is all over the web (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great-circle_distance for an interesting discussion).
Calculate distance between to zip codes select distance from zip_code_distances where zip_code_1 in ('75214','75201) and zip_code_2 in ('75214','75201')
Find all zipcodes within a 25 mile radius of the US zip code 75214 select zip_code_1 from zip_code_distances where zip_code_2 = '75214' and distance <= 25 union select zip_code_2 from zip_code_distances where zip_code_1 = '75214' and distance <= 25
Run Time for Script
As far as time to run the script, I originally created this script back in the late 90's using a file I found on the 'net, apparently one of the last published for free by the USPS. I vaguely remember it taking five or six hours. One of my "cohorts in crime" thought it took longer than that. We were using what I seem to remember was a 500Mhz AMD processor with probably around 256M of RAM, but it could have been faster or slower, with more or less memory.
When I ran the run that led to this article in May of 2008, it was on a Debian Etch virtual running under Xen on an AMD Athlon 64 3800+. I allocated a gig of ram to the virtual, and the other virtuals were quiescent during the run. I expected it to be faster, but it only took 5 minutes. Called the cohort mentioned above and his first question was "Are you sure it worked?" I had the same question and had already run a few tests, but ran more with him on the phone and, so far, it looks like it worked.
So, I ran some tests at various radii, and recorded the results in the following table.
|Radius||Calc Time||Resulting Rows||Data Size||Index Size|
Note: The index size above is only the keys on zipcode_1 and zipcode_2. To get any reasonable response time, you should create an index on distance:
alter table zip_code_distances add index (distance);
In tests run, on the unbounded data set, the SQL statement select count(*) from zip_code_distances where distance <= 500; returned in 90.52 seconds without the additional index. With the index, the query took only 9 seconds, or 10.1% of the time, which is critical in real time applications. However, the index file size increased to xxxxxxxxxx bytes (x gigabyte size increase).
Loading CSV Zip Code Data
Deluxe Business CSV from http://www.zip-codes.com/
This is way overkill if all you want to do is calculate distances. They have a much cheaper package that includes the zip, latitude and longitude. I got this as my clients like to look at the stats on each area. So, the following script is will need to be cut down quite a bit.
- First, open the file containing the Zip Code data; zip-codes-database-DELUXE-BUSINESS.csv on my download. Delete the header line and save it somewhere with a different (easier) name, like zips.csv.
- Open the file containing the multi county data, if you want it loaded also. Again, on my download it was zip-codes-database-MULTI-COUNTY.csv. Again, strip the top line (which contains the field names) and save it at the same location as zips.csv, only I named mine counties.csv.
- Create a database. I called mine zipcode, since I am very imaginative and want people to have trouble figuring out what databases are for.
- Create a file named create_zip_code.sql and paste the following script into it. Edit the bottom two lines of the script to reflect the fully qualified path and file name to the two files above; the one I called zips.csv and counties.csv.
drop table if exists zip_codes; create table zip_codes ( zipcode char(5) not null, primaryrecord char(1), population integer, householdsperzipcode integer, whitepopulation integer, blackpopulation integer, hispanicpopulation integer, asianpopulation integer, hawaiianpopulation integer, indianpopulation integer, otherpopulation integer, malepopulation integer, femalepopulation integer, personsperhousehold decimal(4, 2), averagehousevalue integer, incomeperhousehold integer, medianage decimal(3, 1), medianagemale decimal(3, 1), medianagefemale decimal(3, 1), latitude decimal(12, 8), longitude decimal(12, 8), elevation integer, state char(2), statefullname varchar(35), citytype char(1), cityaliasabbreviation varchar(13), areacode varchar(55), city varchar(35), cityaliasname varchar(35), countyname varchar(45), countyfips char(5), statefips char(2), timezone char(2), daylightsaving char(1), msa varchar(35), pmsa char(4), csa char(3), cbsa char(5), cbsa_div char(5), cbsa_type char(5), cbsa_name varchar(150), msa_name varchar(150), pmsa_name varchar(150), region varchar(10), division varchar(20), mailingname char(1), establishments2003 integer, employment2003 integer, firstquarterpayroll2003 integer, annualpayroll2003 integer, emplymentflag2003 char(1), growthrank integer, growthhousingunits2003 integer, growthhousingunits2004 integer, growthincreasenumber integer, growthincreasepercentage decimal(3, 1), cbsapop2003 integer, cbsadivpop2003 integer, congressionaldistrict varchar(150), congressionallandarea varchar(150), deliveryresidential integer, deliverybusiness integer, deliverytotal integer, preferredlastlinekey varchar(10), classificationcode char(1), multicounty char(1), csaname varchar(255), cbsa_div_name varchar(255), citystatekey char(6), populationestimate integer, landarea decimal(12,6), waterarea decimal(12,6) ); drop table if exists zip_code_multi_county; create table zip_code_multi_county ( zipcode char(5), statefips char(2), state char(2), countyfips char(3), county varchar(255) ); load data infile 'FullPathTo/zips.csv' into table zip_codes FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' ENCLOSED BY '"' load data infile 'FullPathTo/county.csv' into table zip_code_multi_county FIELDS TERMINATED BY ',' ENCLOSED BY '"'
- From the directory containing create_zip_code.sql, execute the following command
mysql zipcode < create_zip_code.sql
You now have the entire zip code table, with all the demographic and multi-county information loaded. Note: This is not even close to being normalized. At the very least, the state and county names could be removed and accessed via the FIPS. See the documentation for this product for greater information on what the various columns mean.
Using the old USPS Data File
I won't go into much detail here. This file was available on the 'net around the turn of the millennium. It is also available from http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/zip1999.html last time I checked. It contains an old dBase file, and a Word document that describes it. I no longer have the scripts I used to convert it and load it into mySQL, but if I can find an old mySQL dump, I'll post it here also. I make no guarantees of anything on this as I no longer maintain it, and I did not clean anything up in the dump; simply did a mysqldump. However, it is free. | <urn:uuid:736560c5-b2f1-4a41-a518-1edc69c5b35e> | {
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The Birth Of Islamism In Iran History Essay
The world had only known Khomeini for the first time in late 1978, when he was exiled in France due to his opposition to the Pahlavi monarchical regime in Iran. From Neuphele le Chateau, one of Paris suburbs, this battle that Khomeini launched against shah and his pungent speeches against America, gained large and unprecedented media coverage that introduced Khomeini as one of the most revolutionary figures of the 20th century.
In the 20th century, especially as the media took up form and developed from newspapers to radio and then to television, news of revolutionaries such as Nasser of Egypt, Castro and Guevara in Cuba travelled with immense speed, but, Khomeini was viewed differently. He led the only successful Islamic revolution in the 20th century that was destined to accomplish victory. What was different about Khomeini and his Islamic revolution was that he was not communist, capitalist or pan-Arab nationalist. He was an Islamic leader and secondly a leader to the Iranian people. His slogan was "Not Easterly, Nor Westerly, One Islamic Republic".
But a question is put forward and discussed by authors such as Asef Bayat (ref) in that "Why did Iran of the late 1970s with a thriving economy, wealthy middle class, repressive political system, massive military might, and powerful international allies go through an Islamic revolution?"
To many scholars of political islam, the Iranian revolution was a fruit of an ideological process and the result of an Islamic movement that spanned through decades from the early 20th century until complete bloom in 1979 (Asef Bayat Ref). It has been suggested that through the deeply religious Iranian society, the Islamists invested their efforts to slowly mobilize and prepare for an Islamic theocracy. This was achieved through institutions such as the "hawzeh" (seminary) and its sermons, public preaching especially Friday prayer speeches and publications that they were able to recruit, train and mobilize and conjure the opportunity to take power and through the emergence of Islamic discourse culminate an Islamic revolution (Hamid Dabashi Ref, Mansoor Moaddel Ref).
In addition to Islamic discourse put out by Moaddel and Dabashi who also focus on internal factors, others such as Anthony Parsons and Nikkie Keddie regard the Islamic Revival through the Hawza and the people as a struggle against Western Identity and the assertion of the Islamic identity that people seek. It is in this argument that Parson believes that the Iranian revolution came about due to the fact that the "bulk of the Shia population of Iran knew both what they did not want (the continuation of Pahlavi rule) and what they did want (a government controlled by religious leadership, the historical guardians of the Islamic Iranian tradition)." On the other hand, as Keddie argues and Bayat mentions in his essay: "two additional factors played a role: a growing association between secularism and western control and a government associated with the western powers".4
Furthermore, the revolution has also been viewed from a social dimension i.e. the breakdown of traditional social order (Said Amir Arjomand Ref). To elaborate, scholars have viewed that this breakdown is as a result of socioeconomic changes that the regimes in power initiated from the Qajar to Pahlavi. These regimes, through their socioeconomic changes as Arjomand argues, have not been able to integrate the disarrayed strata of society into its own socioeconomic model or structure. This therefore resulted in the regimes pushing the "deprived ones" (mustaz'afeen) to the arms of the clergy in the Hawza thus ready to mobilize them as they grew in number since the 1960s.
Finally, a third dimension to the Islamic revolution in Iran is discussed through Structural Factors and class interests. Scholars such as Halliday and Milani argue that the contradiction between socioeconomic development and political autocracy gave rise to the conflict and the social classes became the major tools in the revolution. This can be further explained by the role of the regime where the high degree of state intervention in capital accumulation through oil and military sales eroded the mediating role of the market (bazaar) thus making the state a target for conflict and opposition by the bazaaris (ref Parsa Misaq, Halliday, Milani).
To look at the factors that can best help explain the birth of Islamism in Iran, it would be necessary to look at the three dimensions outlined above through a historical sketch of history from the Qajar era to the Pahlavi regime's actions. Although this subject is deep, and many articles and books have discussed this topic, this essay will only touch up on Islamic groups, their ethos, mobilization and revolutionary maneuvers in the Iran. This essay will give background to Islamic mobilization from the early 20th century and its possible effects on the Khomeini Islamic revolution. Also, the essay will further discuss the factors leading to an Islamic revolution through an Iranian Shia outlook and perspective; from the Qajar dynasty to the demise of the last monarchical Pahlavi regime in Iran in 1979.
Qajar Dynasty and the Revolutionary movement:
Although Iran was under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, it was seen as being subordinate to Russian and British influences. The Soviet had the influence and control over the North (oil fields) of Iran, whereas the British controlled the South via oil trade and rights (ref). These were known as "regions of influence" that gave rise to a large burden of debt on Iran. The year 1905/6 saw a major turning point in Iran with the introduction of the Constitutional Revolution. This revolution led mainly by the Bazaaris, and it led to the Birth of the Parliament and the "mashruteh" constitution, a secular Belgian constitution, with 156 members of whom mostly were form the merchant class of Tehran (ref).
The constitutional movement in Iran had its first signs with a role in the Tobacco movement in Iran in 1892; this was first nationalist-religious movement against foreign intervention and influence led by Ayatollah Shirazi (ref). This movement gave the clerics their first attempt at political legitimacy. To reach a future Islamic constitution, the clerics had to safeguard their strength and position as a group. The clerics led by Fadhlullah Nouri turned into a force against the 1906 constitution, deeming it too constitutional without a hint of Islamic law. They (the clerics) therefore rallied towards a "mashru'a", or an Islamic constitution which was signed in 1906. Although the Islamic constitution failed at the end, due to Russian and British occupation (ref) and the execution of Nouri, the clerics would yet find another route to combine nationalism and the clergy into an anti-government political opposition. These gave rise to future movements throughout Iran since the end of the First World War, ranging from preachers such as Mirza Kouchik Khan in Rasht to secular activists such as Khalu Qurban and Ehsanallh Khan (ref).
Pahlavi Monarchy and the Secularization of Iran
After Britain's victory in the First World War, they appointed a new government in Iran headed by Wuthoq Al-Dawla who signed a treaty putting the management of the military and financial affairs of Iran under British Control. Hassan Modarres a cleric and Member of Parliament opposed the law and exerted pressure on Ahmed Shah Qajar to reject the law. This led to discord and tension mounting giving rise to major revolutions in the northern and southern parts of Iran. Sheikh Mohammed Khiyabani Tabrizi and MP led the military movement in Azerbaijan and Mirza Kojik did the same in Gilan both claiming Jihad against the Qajar government leading to the resignation of Wuthooq Dawla as Prime Minister and the appointment of a journalist Dia-eldeen Tabtabaei by the British as a new Prime Minister. The appointment of the new Prime Minister and his subsequent meetings with an army officer named Reza Khan that paved the way to a new monarchy to rule Iran. Reza Khan overthrew Ahmad Shah Qajar and established an authoritarian government that valued nationalism, military might and above all secularism (Michael P. Zirinsky; "Imperial Power and Dictatorship: Britain and the Rise of Reza Shah, 1921-1926)
After overthrowing the Qajar, Reza Shah claimed ownership to agricultural lands in Iran and officially registered them in his name. On the other hand, he had a deep interest in building a secular modern state, one that would lean on the examples of Turkey under Ataturk. In 1934, Reza Shay made a visit to benefit from the secularization experience. They both shared a common view and opinion on Islam and the state, to paralyze the role of Islam in society and banning the veil among other things. In addition Reza Shah went further to touching and trespassing on the corner stone of the Shia faith, the consolation of Imam Hussein during Muharam.
Reza Shah came to power as king amid conditions of political instability and years of civil war, foreign occupation. Many of the measures he undertook undermined the Islamic institutions and the clergy. The Shah banned the clerics from wearing the turbans and forced them to wear western attire. He replaced the judicial system with western educated lawyers. Furthermore, the Hijri Islamic calendar was abolished, whilst the veil was finally banned and so were Friday prayer sermons and religious education in schools. Reza Shah attempted to fully secularize Iran, and his clash with the clergy became harsher after he violated the sanctity of the Shrine of Masumeh Qom after his wife entered the shrine without the veil, this prompted the caretaker (a cleric) of the shrine to ask her to wear appropriate clothes. As an effect, the caretaker was punished by a brutal beating.
By the mid to late 1930s, the friction between the Hawza clergy and the Shah was even more intense. In 1935, a demonstration in Mashhad Shrine of Imam Reza erupted as clerics denounced the Shah calling him the new "Yezid" (Umayyad Caliph that ordered the Dead of Imam Hussein). This was all as Reza shah was seen enforcing heretical innovations, and the end result of the four day standoff was the army breaking into the "divine" shrine of the 8th Shia Imam killing dozens and as hundreds more lay injured (refs). The future would prove that the clerics would not yield easily, but like Khomeini would analyse and note down these happenings in their writings: "The Faydiyeh School comprised hundreds of students, they used to flee to the fields in the morning and come back in the evening. Why? Because they feared being caught by policemen and guards, who would insult them, harm and beat them. Even the clerics of Tehran were beaten, humiliated and their clothes ripped apart so they would not leave the police station" (Unveiling of Secrets, Khomeini 1944)
If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have the essay published on the UK Essays website then please click on the link below to request removal: | <urn:uuid:af83185d-0922-4780-b002-aafbd9e33126> | {
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WHO: Fear hinders efforts to contain Ebola outbreak in West Africa
The outbreak has led to the deaths of more than 1,000 in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have only recently, according to the WHO, returned to stability after years of conflict. Ongoing civil war left the health systems in the countries largely disabled or destroyed.
The WHO said a surge in the number of Ebola cases has left many facilities unable to provide proper care for patients. Supplies are dwindling, patients are being turned away in some places and the outbreak outpaces diagnostic capabilities, making it difficult for officials to confirm or exclude cases and pinpoint the person's point of contact.
In some areas, the desire to maintain tradition has helped to exacerbate the outbreak. In Guinea, approximately 60 percent of Ebola cases were linked to traditional burial practices. Ebola is transmitted through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
"In some areas, the inclusion of social anthropologists on outbreak teams is helping to reduce fear and change behaviors," the WHO said. "The fact that no effective medical treatment exists has enforced the desire of families to care for patients in their homes or turn to traditional healers. Many communities now understand the importance of managing symptoms through supportive care. Evidence that early detection and supportive care greatly improve prospects for survival is a powerful incentive to seek medical care."
According to the WHO, however, fear is the most difficult challenge to overcome.
"Fear causes contacts of cases to escape from the surveillance system, families to hide symptomatic loved ones or take them to traditional healers and patients to flee treatment centers," the WHO said. "Fear, and the hostility it can feed, have threatened the security of national and international response teams. Health-care staff fear for their lives...Outbreak control is further compromised when fear causes airlines to refuse to transport personal protective equipment and courier services to refuse to transport properly and securely packaged patient samples to a WHO-approved laboratory."
While fear has helped exacerbate the challenges associated with containing the outbreak, the WHO said, fear has also made the fight more visible to the public.
"Such a high level of alert further increases the likelihood that any imported case will be quickly detected and properly managed, limiting onward transmission," the WHO said. | <urn:uuid:0663ff34-8f9e-4a50-82fc-9668a97d439b> | {
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West Nile Virus Surveillance
Health District sanitarians operate a comprehensive mosquito surveillance program to monitor the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) and other mosquito-borne illnesses in Hamilton County. Hamilton County Public Health works with specialists at the Ohio Department of Health on surveillance activities, including mosquito trapping and testing.
On This Page:
West Nile virus
WNV is a viral disease that can be carried by birds and is spread when a mosquito bites an infected bird. If a carrier mosquito bites a human or animal, they could become infected. The virus is not spread from person-to-person or animal-to-animal. Most people infected with WNV will show no symptoms at all and will never know that they are sick.
WNV was first isolated in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937. It has been commonly found in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The first case of WNV was not discovered in the Western Hemisphere until 1999, when the virus was reported in New York City. Since then, WNV has spread across the U.S.
WNV is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system that can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is important to note that most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito will never become sick. However, we should all be aware of the symptoms of WNV. Symptoms may develop 3 to 14 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito.
- No Symptoms in Most People. Approximately 80 percent of people (about 4 out of 5) who are infected with WNV will not show any symptoms at all.
- Milder Symptoms in Some People. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will display symptoms which can include fever, headache, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days, though even healthy people have been sick for several weeks.
- Serious Symptoms in a Few People. About one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop severe illness. The severe symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.
The more time you're outdoors, the greater your risk of being bitten by an infected mosquito. Additionally, people over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious symptoms of WNV if they do get sick and should take special care to avoid mosquito bites. Anyone experiencing any of these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for evaluation.
Residents should take precautions to prevent mosquito breeding sites on private and commercial properties, as well as follow safety measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Hamilton County Public Health suggests three simple steps you can take to help eliminate mosquito breeding sites around your home and avoid mosquito bites: Drain, Dunk, Protect.
- Remove any standing water from your property. Clean up litter and check tires, buckets, flower pots, wading pools and similar items that could hold water and become mosquito breeding sites. An upturned bottle cap can become a breeding site for thousands of mosquito larvae.
- Frequently change water in bird baths and pet bowls.
- Drain small puddles after heavy rainstorms.
- Apply mosquito larvicide, sometimes called mosquito "dunks," to areas of standing water that cannot be drained. The "dunks" are environmentally safe and won't harm pets.
Larvicides are chemicals or natural bacteria that can be used to kill mosquito larvae. They are the most effective form of mosquito control because they kill mosquitoes before they become adults and disperse by flying.
- Larvae are one of the beginning stages in a mosquito’s life cycle.
- Adult mosquitoes lay eggs on surfaces of standing or slow-moving water.
- Mosquito eggs usually hatch into larvae within 48 hours.
- Mosquito larvae can be found in all types of stagnant water, such as old tires, neglected swimming pools, clogged gutters, buckets, or even something as small as a bottle cap.
- Larvae can develop and hatch into mosquitoes in seven to 10 days, depending on the environment.
Larvicides can be applied to standing water as a liquid, granules, or briquettes. The larvicide method commonly used by Health District sanitarians involves briquettes. They are small and round and are commonly referred to as mosquito “dunks.” Mosquito dunks:
- are environmentally safe and can be applied by hand, by dropping it in standing water.
- slowly release a long-term larvicide at the water’s surface can kill mosquito larvae for 30 days or longer.
- are especially effective for areas where it is difficult to drain standing water, such as puddles, ditches, ponds, or tree stumps.
- should not be applied to drinking water reservoirs or drinking water receptacles.
- can be purchased at many hardware and home supply stores.
- Keep grass cut short and shrubbery trimmed.
- Make sure screens in windows and doors are tight-fitting and free from defect.
- Wear long sleeves and pants during peak mosquito hours – dawn and dusk.
- Use insect repellent containing an EPA-approved ingredient such as DEET or Picaridin (KBR 3023). Follow the directions on the package. Click here for more information about recommended insect repellants and safe use tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most mosquito bites simply itch and leave a red bump. However, some mosquitoes can transmit disease through bites.
Why They Bite
Mosquitoes are attracted to an individual based on a complex interaction of the many chemicals you exhale, perspire or wear. Only female mosquitoes have piercing and bloodsucking organs. Hosts include humans and domestic animals and vary with the species.
What to Do When Bitten
- Refrain from scratching. Scratching can break skin and introduce infection at the site of the bite
- Use an ice cube or over-the-counter anti-itch cream to relieve itch
- In small children, keep fingernails short and clean
- Encourage frequent hand washing
How to Avoid Mosquito Bites
- Stay indoors during peak biting hours: before dawn; before and after dusk
- Equip/repair all doors and windows using 16 mesh screen
- Avoid infested areas: shaded, humid areas with little/no breeze; tall grasses/weeds
- Wear appropriate light colored, loose fit clothing: long-sleeved shirts; long pants; jackets; tuck pant legs into boots/socks
- Use insect repellents: available in aerosol/pump sprays, sticks, soaps, lotions, creams and towelettes; use an EPA-registered insect repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus
- Use outdoor area repellents: apply fogs/mists to areas larger than the area of activity; aerosol bombs, smoke pots and citronella candles are short-term, small-area remedies; sonic repellents and bug zappers are ineffective mosquito repellents
Has Hamilton County had any human cases of West Nile virus?
Yes, the first positive human cases of WNV in Hamilton County, including the first death attributed to WNV in the county, occurred in 2002. The Health District collaborates with area hospitals and physicians to monitor for suspect cases of WNV. A reported case is considered probable until the test samples have been reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Does Hamilton County have any mosquitoes or birds infected with West Nile virus?
Yes, pools of mosquitoes trapped in Hamilton County have tested positive for the past several years. A pool is a group of one to 50 mosquitoes that have been collected from mosquito traps placed in specific areas by public health officials.
HCPH and ODH no longer collect birds for testing, but continue to track WNV through mosquito trapping in Hamilton County.
What is Hamilton County Public Health doing to prevent the spread of West Nile virus?
Hamilton County Public Health District addresses mosquito-borne public health concerns. We collaborate on mosquito surveillance activities and educate the public about ways to reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases, with the goal of reducing the incidence of human cases involving vector-borne diseases.
The Homeowner's Guide to Mosquito Control brochure (link) provides more information.
How should I protect my pets?
Household animals should be protected from exposure to mosquitoes. To decrease the risk, animals should not remain outside for long periods of time. If you think your pet may have contracted WNV, contact your veterinarian. An animal does not have to be euthanized if it contracts WNV; talk to your veterinarian about specific concerns.
Who should I call for more information?
Residents who live within the jurisdiction of the Hamilton County General Health District (link to who we serve) should contact the Environmental Health Division at (513) 946-7800. Information on WNV is also available through the Ohio Department of Health at 1-866-634-2968. | <urn:uuid:8a9382fc-5b1f-4725-9feb-3902c52f0876> | {
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MIT researchers have found that a flake of graphene, when brought in close proximity with two superconducting materials, can "borrow" some of those materials' superconducting qualities. When graphene is sandwiched between superconductors, its electronic state changes dramatically, even at its center.
The researchers showed that graphene's electrons, formerly behaving as individual particles, instead pair up in "Andreev states"—a fundamental electronic configuration that allows a conventional, non-superconducting material to carry a "supercurrent," an electric current that flows without dissipating energy.
The researchers' graphene platform may, in the future, be used to explore exotic particles, such as Majorana fermions, which are thought to arise from Andreev states and may be key particles for building powerful, error-proof quantum computers.
In 1962, the British physicist Brian David Josephson predicted that two superconductors sandwiching a nonsuperconducting layer between them could sustain a supercurrent of electron pairs, without any external voltage. As a whole, the supercurrent associated with the Josephson effect has been measured in numerous experiments. But Andreev states—considered the microscopic building blocks of a supercurrent—have been observed only in a handful of systems, such as silver wires, and never in a 2D material.
The MIT team tackled this issue by using graphene, as an extremely "clean" system, exhibiting very little scattering of electrons. Graphene's extended, atomic configuration also enables scientists to measure graphene's electronic Andreev states as the material comes in contact with superconductors. Scientists can also control the density of electrons in graphene and investigate how it affects the superconducting proximity effect.
The researchers exfoliated a very thin flake of graphene, just a few hundred nanometers wide, from a piece of graphite, and placed the flake on a small substrate made from a crystal of boron nitride overlaying a sheet of graphite. On either end of the graphene flake, they placed an electrode made from aluminum, which behaves as a superconductor at low temperatures. They then placed the entire structure in a dilution refrigerator and lowered the temperature to 20 millikelvin—well within aluminum's superconducting range.
In their experiments, the researchers varied the magnitude of the supercurrent flowing between the superconductors by applying a changing magnetic field to the entire structure. They also applied an external voltage directly to graphene, to vary the number of electrons in the material.
Under these changing conditions, the team measured the graphene's density of electronic states while the flake was in contact with both aluminum superconductors. Using tunneling spectroscopy, the researchers were able to probe the graphene's central region to see whether the superconductors had any effect, even in areas where they weren't physically touching the graphene.
The measurements indicated that graphene's electrons, which normally act as individual particles, were pairing up, though in "frustrated" configurations, with energies dependent on magnetic field. "Pairs in the central graphene are frustrated... These frustrated pairs are what physicists know as Andreev states; they are carrying the supercurrent."
The team found Andreev states vary their energy in response to a changing magnetic field. Andreev states are more pronounced when graphene has a higher density of electrons and there is a stronger supercurrent running between electrodes.
"[The superconductors] are actually giving graphene some superconducting qualities," the researchers said. "We found these electrons can be dramatically affected by superconductors."
While the researchers carried out their experiments under low magnetic fields, they say their platform may be a starting point for exploring the more exotic Majorana fermions that should appear under high magnetic fields. | <urn:uuid:680cf528-9f41-4619-ba57-ff4fc18934e6> | {
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Newer Contact Lenses Don't Cut Infections
Daily Disposables, Newer Materials Have Not Reduced Infection; Overnight Wear Increases Risk Most, Studies Show
Oct. 3, 2008 -- Neither the newer contact lenses that allow more oxygen into
the eye nor daily disposable lenses have reduced the risk of a dangerous eye
infection as hoped, according to two new studies.
Whatever the type of lens, sleeping with them in is the biggest risk factor
for a painful infection of the cornea called microbial keratitis, the
researchers also find.
"If you wear any of these lenses overnight, you have five times the risk
of infection," says John Dart, DM, a consultant ophthalmologist at
Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. He is the lead author of one study and
co-author of the other.
"These are the first well-designed studies to look at daily disposables
and the newer silicone hydrogel lenses," Dart tells WebMD. The silicone
hydrogel lenses were introduced in 1999 in the hope that by improving oxygen
transmission to the cornea, which has no blood supply of its own, it would
decrease infection risk, he says. Daily disposables, introduced in 1999, were
also thought to be protective against infection because they're not exposed to
lens cases, which can be contaminated.
But neither of the studies, published in the October issue of
Ophthalmology, found that to be true, Dart says.
However, Dart says, it's important to put the risk in perspective. "The
risk of getting microbial keratitis is actually overall not large," he
says. It affects about 1 in 2,000 contact lens wearers. But it can cause vision
loss, sometimes permanently.
Contact Lenses & Infection Risk: The U.K. Study
In the study led by Dart, the researchers evaluated 367 contact lens wearers
with microbial keratitis, 1,069 hospital patients who wore contact lenses but
had no contact lens-related disorders, and 639 contact lens wearers in the
The hospital patients answered a questionnaire and the control patients in
the general population were interviewed by telephone from late 2003 to
Daily disposable wearers had 1.5 times higher risk of microbial keratitis
than those who wore soft lenses that were replaced every one to four
weeks, and those who wore rigid gas-permeable lenses had the least risk of
''Gas-permeable lenses are safer than any other type of lenses,'' Dart says,
although he adds that they are not a popular choice among contact lens wearers,
who tend to find them uncomfortable.
Even though the daily disposable wearers had more risk of infection than
those who wore reusable soft lenses, vision loss from the infection was less
likely to occur in the daily disposable lens wearers. None of the daily
disposable lens wearers lost vision beyond 20/40, he says.
"It's safer to use a daily disposable [than a reusable]," Dart says,
"because the type of bugs you get are less nasty." Reusable lenses must
be disinfected and stored, and "lens cases harbor nasty bacteria in some
patients," he says.
Some brands were associated with more infections than others, Dart found,
but he says most of the contact lenses he studied have probably been redesigned
since the study was done. | <urn:uuid:a6cd6353-8cb9-4bd2-8aed-08642b7a45c2> | {
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Definition of euchromatin in English:
noun[mass noun] Genetics
Chromosome material which does not stain strongly except during cell division. It represents the major genes and is involved in transcription. Compare with heterochromatin.
- This can be expected, since different chromosomes in a genome can have different organizations of genes, euchromatin, and heterochromatin.
- The wavy line represents euchromatin of chromosome 2.
- Position-effect variegation results from the juxtaposition of euchromatin and heterochromatin by chromosome rearrangement or transposon insertion.
- Example sentences
- This is due, in part, to the presence of large, complex blocks of duplicated genomic sequence at the boundary between centromeric satellite and unique euchromatic DNA.
- In Drosophila, relocation of a euchromatic gene near centromeric or telomeric heterochromatin often leads to its mosaic silencing.
- Numerous genes act to remodel and repress chromatin in heterochromatin and around euchromatic genes during development.
Definition of euchromatin in:
- US English dictionary
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
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Good bug, bad bug: How can you tell the difference?
Contrary to common belief, most bugs are harmless. Here's how to tell the good guys from the bad guys and organic control solutions if you decide you have a problem.
Thu, Jun 28, 2012 at 05:38 PM
If you’re the squeamish type, take a deep breath and think of the things that creep, crawl, slither, slide and flit among the plants in your garden as your friends.
“I have read that most insects are helpful or benign, as much as 90 percent of them,” Colleen Golden, senior horticulturist at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, said recently. “It may seem that many more than 10 percent of the insects out there are pests, but I think that is because we’re looking for them and also attracting them by growing plants they enjoy eating. Also, many of them are small and inconspicuous, so an untrained eye would have a hard time noticing them.”
As a result, she suspects that most people who see any bug in the garden automatically assume that it is “bad” or harming their plants.
To help you tell the difference between the good guys and bad guys, here’s a selection of six pairs of good bug-bad bug look-a-likes. We’ve included information about each, including how to identify them, reasons they are good for the garden or not and suggestions for ways to organically control the bad guys and keep them from bugging you, your plants or the vegetables you are planning to harvest.
Good bug-bad bug look-a-likes
Photos: Rove beetle (left) by John A. McLean, Jan Klimaszewski, Agnes Li, Karine Savard; Earwig by Mick E. Talbot
Good bug: Rove beetle (left)
Characteristics: Rove beetles are slender, less than an inch long. This is a large family of insects with many variations, but most rove beetles are gray or brown. The majority of their abdomen is visible because they have short wing covers. They scurry about, often flying or running. When they run, they often raise the tip of their abdomen in a way that resembles a scorpion, though rove beetles are harmless.
What attracts them to the garden: These insects look for moist environments such as decaying organic matter including leaf litter and fruits or vegetables that have fallen to the ground, compost piles, loose bark from fallen trees, dung and dead animals.
What makes them good: They feed on other insects, such as mites, flies, aphids, mosquitoes, fleas and fly maggots that infest carrion.
Controls: If you find these insects annoying, clean up the garden by removing decaying matter, and these beetles will disappear on their own.
Bad bug: Earwig
Characteristics: Earwigs are elongate, flattened insects less than an inch in length with colors ranging from light red-brown to black. A tell-tale difference between an earwig and a rove beetle is that earwigs have forcep-like pincers on the end of their abdomen. Immature earwigs resemble adults but do not have wings and are white to olive-green. They are nocturnal, feed on living or dead plant material and some insects and seek shelter during the day.
What attracts them to the garden: Like rove beetles, earwigs seek out moist, dark areas such as mulch, organic debris, cracks and crevices and spaces under flower pots.
What makes them bad: If they are in the garden in sufficient numbers, they can feed on and damage lettuce, strawberries, dahlias, marigolds, zinnias and roses. They also can become unwanted visitors to homes, often entering basements or crawl spaces through cracks and crevices and then making their way into living areas. They are not poisonous and, as a rule, don’t bite or sting humans. They can, though, pinch the skin with their forceps. If the mention of earwigs conjures up fables — that they enter the ears of sleeping people and eat their brains — or memories of "Star Trek II" — when Khan implants mind-controlling eels into the ears of two officers — rest assured, the fable is as fictious as the movie.
Controls: As with rove beetles, you can discourage earwigs from taking up residence in the garden by keeping the garden clean and free of hiding places such as leaf litter, stones and various debris. Keep them out of the house by moving mulches away from foundations, keeping shrubs trimmed, caulking and repairing cracks and crevices and making sure there is a tight fit around doors, windows and screens.
Good bug: Lady beetle (lady bird, lady bug)
Characteristics: Lady beetles, often called lady bugs, are not considered true bugs or insects. They include more than 5,000 species worldwide, with more than 450 native to North America. They are about a quarter of an inch long, are oval or dome-shaped and are usually yellow, orange, or scarlet with small black spots on their wing covers. Their legs, head and antennae are black. They are one of the most recognized “bugs” in the garden, perhaps because so many gardeners learned about them as children in the popular nursery rhyme, "Ladybird, Ladybird":
Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home
Your house is on fire and your children are gone
All except one, and that's Little Anne
For she has crept under the warming pan.
Your house is on fire and your children are gone
All except one, and that's Little Anne
For she has crept under the warming pan.
A myth about lady bugs is that the spots on their backs indicate their age. Actually, the size and shape of the spots indicate the species of the beetle.
What attracts them to the garden: They are drawn to home vegetable gardens in search of food, primarily soft-bodied insects such as aphids and scale, which find these voracious eaters anything but ladylike. Planting angelica or scented geraniums might also help attract them to your garden.
What makes them good: Aphids and scale are harmful to ornamental and vegetable crops, and lady bugs are a natural way of controlling these pests. In fact, the lady bug most frequently seen in American gardens is the multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis, which was introduced by USDA Agricultural Research scientists in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a biological control agent for soft-bodied insects. Lady bugs are available for purchase for home garden use.
Controls: The only need to control lady bugs is when they enter your house, where the walls mimic the vertical cliffs where they overwinter in their home countries. The best way to keep them outdoors is to seal cracks and crevices and to make sure that doors, windows and screens have a tight seal.
Bad bug: Mexican bean beetle
Species, genus: Epilachna varivestis
Characteristics: The Mexican bean is regarded as a notorious garden pest and is one of the few harmful members of the lady beetle family. It is about a quarter of an inch long, copper in color and has eight black spots on each wing. Young bugs are yellow and covered with large spines. Adults lay yellow eggs in groups of 40-60 on the surface of lower leaves.
What attracts them to the garden: As their name suggests, these beetles are drawn to legume crops such as a variety of garden beans and cowpeas. Snap beans, especially wax beans, are a favorite host. Lima beans are also desirable targets. The Mexican bean beetle may overwinter in leaf litter that is not raked up in the fall.
What makes them bad: The adults and larvae feed on the undersides of leaves. A serious infestation can result in leaves that have a lace-like appearance. The beetles also feed on and destroy plant stems and pods. In sufficient numbers, the damage to the plants may so seriously affect the plant’s ability to make food through photosynthesis that the plants will weaken and die.
Controls: Selecting legume varieties that can be planted early and mature quickly will allow harvesting before the beetles have a chance to get established and do too much damage. Bush beans also seem to suffer less damage than pole beans. Turn crops under immediately after harvest to kill late-developing beetles and reduce the availability of sites where they can over winter.
Good bug: Spined soldier bugs
Species, genus: Podisus maculiventris
Characteristics: The spined soldier bug is the most common predatory stink bug in North America. Stink bugs have gotten this name because of the strong odor they emit when disturbed. Adults are about 1/2-inch long, shield shaped, vary in color from yellowish to pale brown, are covered with small black specks and have a conspicuous spine. They sometimes are confused with the common plant-feeding stink bug (Euchistus species). One way to tell the difference is the predatory spined soldier bug has more readily recognizable spines.
What attracts them to the garden: This is a generalist predator drawn to gardens by the availability of food sources, which are believed to include more than 100 insect species. Its favorite hunting grounds are on plants of potatoes, tomatoes, sweet corn, cole crops, beans, eggplant, asparagus, apples and onions. A perennial bed might also help attract them because it will provide shelter in all seasons.
What makes them good: These bugs prey on garden pests such as grubs, gypsy moth caterpillars, the larvae of beetles such as the Colorado potato beetle and the Mexican bean beetle, hornworms, imported cabbage looper, imported cabbage worm (also known as "broccoli worms"), webworms and armyworms. They kill their victims by harpooning them, injecting a paralyzing substance into them and sucking out bodily fluids through the harpoon.
Controls: None are necessary for this beneficial insect.
Bad bug: Squash bugs
Species, genus: Anasa tristis
Characteristics: Adult squash bugs are large insects, 5/8 inch long 1/3 inch wide. They are flattened, usually dark gray to brown in color and often have orangish and brown stripes. Eggs are yellowish to bronze and the nymphs go through five stages (called instars) on their way to becoming adults, going from light green to gray to brownish gray as they mature. Legs and antennae are black.
What attracts them to the garden: Squash bugs come to the garden to feed on squash pumpkins, melons, gourds and cucumbers.
What makes them bad: They pierce the leaves with their mouth parts and suck the sap out of the leaves. The feeding disrupts the plant’s ability to circulate water and nutrients. Excessive feeding can weaken a plant so severely that it dies.
Control: Young plants and those in flower are particularly susceptible to attack and gardeners should be vigilant for squash bug activity during these stages. The bugs are not harmful to humans and can be picked off the plants and squished between your fingers, those this may not be for the faint of heart! Other effective control methods are to knock them off the plant into a pail of soapy water where they will drown. You’ll have to be quick, as the bugs will scurry to hiding places if they can get away. Daron Joffe of Farmer D Organics in Atlanta likes to set a board or newspapers out in the garden because the bugs will congregate on these overnight. He catches them there huddled together early in the morning, and they can be quickly disposed of in soapy water. Eggs, which are usually laid in clusters of 20 between the veins on the undersides of leaves, should be crushed with the fingers or put in a sealed plastic bag and placed in the trash. Squash bugs can also be killed with organic sprays and soaps.
Good bug: Mealybug destroyer larvae
Genus, species: Cryptolaemus montrouzieri
Characteristics: The mealybug destroyer is a member of the lady bug beetle family and was imported to the United States from Australia in 1891 to control mealybug infestations in California citrus groves. They are effective predators in both their larval and adult stages. In its larval stage, the mealybug destroyer has a cigar-shaped body with wooly appendages and looks as if it has been rolled in flour. Adults are dark brown with a tan-to-orange head and posterior. Mealybug destroyer larvae look very much like the larval and adult stages of the citrus mealybug with one important difference: Mealybug destroyer larvae are at least twice as large as adult mealybugs. As an adult, an mealybug destroyer measures less than 1/8 inch long.
What attracts them to the garden: Food sources, primarily mealy bugs, aphids and soft scale.
What makes them good: Mealybug destroyers attack their prey at different stages of development, devouring mealybug eggs as soon as they hatch. The eggs are the favorite food of young mealybug destroyer larvae and the adult mealybug destroyer. Older larvae will consume mealybugs at all stages. They will also eat scale at some stages and aphids.
Control: There is no need to control this beneficial pest. If anything, gardeners should be acutely aware of the difference between mealybug destroyers and mealybugs so they don’t kill this helpful insect.
Bad bug: Mealybugs
Species, genus: Primarily Pseudococcus longispinus; also, citrus mealy bugs, Planococcus citri
Characteristics: Mealybugs are a common pest whose infestations can be identified by a characteristic fuzzy, white mess they secrete onto the stems and leaf nodes of plants. The individual bugs are tiny (about a tenth of an inch long), white, soft-bodied insects with fringes around their bodies and, depending on the species, twin tails. When they move about on the plant, they resemble a tiny white cottonball scurrying along. The bugs seen on plants are the females. Males are about the size of gnats, have wings and are rarely visible. Mealybugs can invade both inside and outside plants. Signs of mealy bug damage include anemic-looking plants with unhealthy foliage and ants, which are attracted to the honey dew.
What attracts them to the garden: Over watering and over fertilizing.
What makes them bad: Mealy bugs damage plants, including houseplants, by sucking liquids out of them. They particularly like to attack tender new growth. Their damage causes leaves to turn yellow fall off. They can also attack fruits, vegetables and flower buds, causing them to prematurely drop off. While eating, mealy bugs excrete a sticky wax substance (called “honeydew”). A sooty mold fungus can develop from their excretions, colonize and spread. The mold keeps parts of the plant from photosynthesizing and results in aesthetic damage.
Control: If you just see a few mealybugs, they can be killed by dipping a cotton tip in isopropyl alcohol and daubing the insect with it. Commercially available insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils are usually effective in controlling mealybugs. If the mealybugs keep coming back, it’s a good idea to quarantine the plant as you continue to treat it. If they continue coming back in quarantine, you may have to destroy the plant to keep the infestation from spreading. Mealybugs cam live in the soil on the roots, so treatment should include soil drenchs as well as foliar sprays. When bringing houseplants that have been spent the summer outdoors inside for the winter, check them carefully for hitchhiking mealybugs.
Good bug: Bigeyed bug (left)
Characteristics: Insects in the genus Geocoris are beneficial predators in both their nymph and adult stages. Adults are often confused with the true chinch bug, which is a true pest. Adult big-eyed bugs are small (1/8 to 1/4 inch long) black, gray, or tan and and have broad heads with large, curbed, backward-projecting eyes, from which they get their name. Females deposit eggs singly or in clusters on leaves near potential prey.
What attracts them to the garden: These are very common insects found all across the United States in many different types of turf and gardens.
What makes them good: They feed on mites, insect eggs and whiteflies. Nymphs and adults are general predators and feed on small caterpillars and caterpillar eggs, small insects such as pink bollworm and cabbage loopers, fleahoppers, Photo: Hover fly (left) by Christine Majul, Yellow jacket by Audreyjm529
Good bug: Hover flies
Family: Numerous species in the Syrphidae
Characteristics: Many hoverflies mimic various bees and wasps with color patterns that are often black and yellow color and in the way that they will push the tip of their abdomen into your fingers or hand if they are caught and held. Hoverflies, however, are harmless and do not have the ability to sting as a yellow jacket would. They are speedy fliers and get their name from their ability to hover over flowers while nectaring. They are sometimes called flower flies.
What attracts them to the garden: The nectar and pollen of flowers and honeydew produced by aphids. Feverfew, coreopsis and Italian parsley that is allowed to flower are just a few of the plants that will attract hover flies.
What makes them good: Adult hoverflies feed on honeydew produced by aphids. The slug-like larvae of hover flies are often found among aphids, a favorite food of the larvae. Research is continuing, but it is believed that hover flies contribute to pollination of some vegetables and various fruit trees.
Control: None is necessary for these beneficial insects.
Bad bug: Yellow jackets
Characteristics: Many people think of yellow jackets as a bee, but they actually belong to the wasp family. They are among the most recognized visitors to the garden and, possibly, the least liked. That’s because yellow jackets are aggressive, especially if their nest is disturbed, and their stings are painful and lingering. For those who are allergic to their venom, the stings can be fatal. Most yellow jackets are black and yellow, are about the size of a honey bee, nest in colonies and fly in a rapid, side-to-side motion before landing. They often build their nests underground in places such as an old rodent burrow, beneath landscape timbers, in rock walls or the walls of a building.
What attracts them to the garden: They are drawn to the garden by flowers rich in sugars and carbohydrates, such as fruits, flower nectar and tree sap. The larvae feed on proteins, such as insects, meats, and fish. Open sugary drinks and food brought outside will also attract them, as will potential nesting sites.
What makes them bad: Painful stings make this bug the poster child bad boy of the insect world.
Control: Killing the nest is the best way to eliminate yellow jackets. This should be handled with great care and may best be left to professionals.
Golden, the Atlanta Botanical Garden senior horticulturist, says there are other beneficial insects that gardeners should be aware of including lacewings, assassin bugs, praying mantids and minute pirate bugs. An important thing to know about all of these insects is that they go through different life stages in which they can look completely different than in the adult stage, she says. Some of the insects go through the egg, larva, pupa, adult life cycle, and others go through an egg, nymph, adult life cycle. Regardless of which life cycle an insect has, it can still look markedly different from one stage to the next. This is important, Golden says, because being able to recognize these different stages and allowing the good guys to stay in your garden can help you beat a pest problem.
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From the barter system to the advent of the bitcoin technology, Currency has seen itself manifest in quite a few different forms all over the world.
Bitcoin is the latest accepted digital cryptocurrency doing its round on the internet. Owing to the gain in popularity due to the ease of creation and an absence of a central authority to govern the transactions, bitcoins are being widely used to make payments worldwide.
But what exactly are bitcoins? What are the key factors that come into play in this new form of payment? How do bitcoins differ from traditional monetary methods?
Putting an end to these queries, this is the first article of 5 part series aimed at decrypting the first ever decentralised currency, Bitcoins 101.
The birth of bitcoins!
Satoshi Nakamoto is believed to have brought about the concept of Bitcoins, back in 2009. The proof published basically revolved around a medium of exchange independent of a governing body, relying on cryptography, to create and process transactions. Soon other developers began contributing towards the development of the project.
Today, the bitcoin software is open to the public, enabling programmers to gain a better understanding of how bitcoins work.
Taking into consideration the fast-paced digital economy which is on the rise, the decentralized peer to peer system allows for an efficient, reliable medium for monetary transactions. These transactions are then validated using a verification system in place.
How bitcoins work
Contradictory to traditional payment methods in use, bitcoins have no real face value. They cannot be printed as opposed to standard forms of currency.People produce bitcoins with the help of computer systems that generate bitcoins while solving complex mathematical formulas.
The more the number of bitcoins created, the harder the problem gets.
This is where the mining process comes into play. Bitcoins need to be mined while ensuring the stability and safety of the bitcoin system.
Bitcoins 101: Key Players involved
Bitcoin mining constitutes of adding transaction records to a blockchain, a public ledger which contains a list of every bitcoin ever transacted. Bitcoins nodes check the validity of new transactions using the information stored in the blockchain to distinguish and approve legit payment proceedings.
In a step by step breakdown, a bitcoin transaction goes through the following stages:
First, the validity of the transaction to be undertaken is verified. The transactions are then bundled together into a block.
The next step involves solving the Proof of Work problem.
The Proof of Work problem is the modus operandi on which the complexity and sophistication of the block formation process is measured.
Use of time-consuming, higher energy computing and processing power techniques ensure that the solution was difficult to be generated. Bitcoins mostly use the Hashcash proof of work method.
As the solution to the problem is found, a new block is added to the already existing local blockchain and is then propagated to the network.
The bitcoin miner is then rewarded for his/her efforts, in bitcoins.
It’s all about the numbers!
Bitcoin generation has reached its peak with about 16 million bitcoins already having been generated.
Nonetheless, further transactions using bitcoins would mean the usage of fractional denominations.
During the early period of its inception from 2009 to 2012, for every computation solved the bitcoin miners would receive a sum of 50 bitcoins. Over the years, this value has come down and the number of coins being mined has fallen to 12.5 bitcoins imposing a strict restriction on the number of bitcoins in circulation.
Bitcoin is a digital cryptocurrency that is still in its stages of adolescence. As more businesses learn to adapt to the changing trends, the growth of bitcoins in the years to come will definitely set the pace for cryptocurrency and its future in the ecosystem. | <urn:uuid:09753e03-553f-4d4b-b2a3-b3754eb19266> | {
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North Berwick High School's Health Web.
The pages on
this site contain a range of interesting tasks designed
to help pupils increase their understanding of health and wellbeing.
are used by a variety of subjects across the school to enhance work in the classroom and at home.
our Bodyzone for a wide range of tasks to help you learn how
your body works.
You will also discover what you should and should not do
to take proper care of your body.
After all, it's
the only one you've got!
Our school Health Web includes
a number of Health Challenges on A4 worksheets.
They cover important matters of health and wellbeing and
capture the interest of pupils by the use of quiz-based
exercises in a variety of styles. Click
below to try some out:
above to open the file. If your browser is Google Chrome
you may need to right
click and use 'Save link as' to download
Health care is very important in Britain.
But how much do you know about health care and the
National Health Service?
Your teacher may display the Health Alphabet above on a
Alternatively, you can click on the image to open up the
sheet on this computer. The answers are listed at
Are you easily
you touch a wasp? Even a dead one?
The feeling of disgust plays an important role in
keeping us healthy. Find out how by completing an
online BBC experiment. Click the picture and
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A new paper in the journal Biodiversity Conservation suggests that anthropomorphism -- the attribution of human characteristics to anything other than a human being -- could become a powerful tool in promoting public support for animal conservation. Specifically, the researchers see potential for helping less popular species.
At present, anthropomorphism in conservation is limited to social, intelligent animals, such as chimpanzees, polar bears and dolphins. According to the research, this would imply that other species are not worthy of conservation because they are not like humans in the 'right' ways.However, by making conservationists more aware of how people construct anthropomorphic meanings around species and how they engage with species and attribute value to their characteristics – e.g. people may attribute personhood or emotions to species that they play with, such as pets or even livestock – they can create conservation programmes which speak to people through their cultural expectations and emotional connections.
Writing about a viral video of a crow sledding on a jar lid, Lepisto explained the benefits of anthropomorphism:
Anthropomorphizing brings us out of our selfish prioritization of human needs. It helps us connect to the world of species around us. Human compassion for dolphins or pandas makes these animals the poster children of the environmental movement. To a great extent, our love for, and joy in, the animals around us fuels our efforts to protect them.
However, there are negative consequences to anthropomorphism, as well, as DeFranza notes is the case with the adorably cute Slow Loris:
The videos, one showing young slow loris being tickled and another featuring a loris clutching a cocktail umbrella, have received millions of views on YouTube and have become viral sensations but, animal-rights activists say, they hide a grisly truth: International trade in the endangered species that inevitably leads to their death.
In 2009, Mother Jones also noted the challenges facing the Slow Loris:
The Slow Loris is a case of an animal being too cute for its own good. Besides having a babyish set of huge eyes, the Loris is furry, small, quiet, and apparently enjoys being tickled. The animal is prized as a pet, and shipments (often to Japan) of hundreds of Lorises have been intercepted. The fact that the Loris's instinct, upon stress, is to curl up into a ball makes it easy to transport, though often poachers will remove the Loris's teeth as a precaution. When not sold as pets, Lorises are hunted for use in traditional Asian medicines and like many other arboreal species, are threatened with habitat loss due to agriculture and logging.
The problem is seen to be so serious by some conservationists, that they asked Google to remove the Slow Loris videos:
Dr Nekaris is now calling on YouTube to take down the loris clips, which conservationists believe promote an illegal trade. Mr Shepherd said: "Lorises are still traded openly in Indonesian markets and the YouTube clips only increase the demand. Tackling this trade should be an urgent priority for wildlife-enforcement agencies. The penalty should be greater than simply confiscation of the animal.
Michael Graham Richard also wrote on TreeHugger about the human bias towards cute animals and how this is a problem for conservation.
Our human biases make us prefer certain animals over others, which is fine for pets, but not a good idea when it comes to conservation and the protection of endangered species:
It almost seems like we should make an effort to specifically target ugly species for conservation to try to compensate for our bias, but that can be hard as raising money from donations is a lot harder if all you can put on your press materials are pictures of ugly (or even just very bland-looking) animals.
It would be an interesting project to see how photographers, designers or activists could create campaigns, memes or videos to support some of the many "ugly" or "boring" species that are threatened or endangered. | <urn:uuid:e133f4b1-3477-471e-86fd-0408da34381d> | {
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Cybercrime has advanced along with technology. It doesn’t matter if you have one or 100 computers connected to the Internet – understanding the threats posed by cybercrime and training staff to spot them is a must for doing business in the 21st Century.
Cybercrime covers many illegal and unscrupulous activities on the Internet. These include identity theft, fraud, and spreading computer viruses or malicious software known as ‘malware.’
Cybercriminals are increasingly focusing on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, and on social networks like Twitter and Facebook.
Two-thirds of adults have already been victims of cybercrime in their lifetime. You probably think it won’t happen to you but small businesses often have less sophisticated IT security measures than larger organizations, making you an easy target.
Understanding the threats and developing an Internet policy for employees are both essential to defending your business against cyber attacks.
Common threats include malware and data theft – below we outline what cybercriminals are aiming to achieve in these instances.
The aim of cybercriminals here is to:
"Two-thirds of adults have already been victims of cybercrime in their lifetime."
Espionage and malware
Industrial espionage and attempts to steal your intellectual property (IP) are also on the rise. These crimes are often achieved through malware, or malicious software, usually downloaded without the user’s knowledge as an attachment to programs and even bogus antivirus software.
Most malware bugs transmit data over the Internet, including your browsing habits and other personal information. More dangerous forms of malware include key logging software that records what you type on other websites, such as online banking and email passwords.
Reduce your exposure to these risks by:
Protect your business’s weak points
Cybercriminals will always attack the weak points in your Internet security first.
To combat this:
Two thirds of people don’t have any security solution on their portable devices, so apply all of these practices to mobile work devices with Internet access, such as smartphones and tablets.
It’s hard to control employees using the Internet at work to access personal emails or their social media accounts. But it’s important to develop some rules around the use of work computers. You need to control both wasted working time and staff infecting business computers through careless behavior.
Being aware of viruses
Many viruses are spread as email attachments that appear to be harmless. An email will often encourage the reader to open an attachment by pretending to be a joke, video clip, photograph, or some breaking news.
Train staff to avoid:
Impress upon staff that Internet security is also critical to maintaining the confidence of customers. Compromising customer details or sensitive communications could cost the business both credibility and customers.
When working remotely
Internet security doesn’t end with work computers. Working from home or using mobile broadband or Wi-Fi hotspots also exposes your business to potential threats. Make sure every device connected to the Internet has the latest software updates and antivirus protection.
Training your staff to avoid the pitfalls of inappropriate Internet use can be as simple as developing a company Internet policy with guidelines for safe practice. The benefits of this type of training include a reduction in the risk of security issues arising and improved IT, and online skills in your staff.
Deploying a policy
Your policy should clearly state who’s responsible for implementing the plan and carrying out ongoing monitoring.
If your business has more than a few employees or uses a departmental structure, include a timetable for security implementation so everyone stays on the same page – communication is the key.
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On the third of Tammuz of the year 2488 from creation (1273 BCE), Joshua
was leading the Jewish people in one of the battles to conquer the Land of Israel. Victory was imminent, but darkness was about to fall. "Sun," proclaimed Joshua, "be still at Giv'on; moon, at the Ayalon valley" (Joshua 10:12). The heavenly bodies acquiesced, halting their progress through the sky until Israel's armies brought the battle to its successful conclusion.
A great fire destroyed much of the town of Lubavitch, including the home of the third Chabad Rebbe,
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch (the "Tzemach Tzeddek", 1789-1866) and many invaluable manuscripts of Chassidic teaching.
The sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), who was arrested on
Sivan 15 of 1927 by agents of the GPU (soviet secret police) and the Yevsektzia ("Jewish section" of the Communist Party) for his work to preserve
and disseminate Jewish learning and observance throughout the Soviet Empire. Held in the notorious Spalerno prison in Leningrad, he was repeatedly interrogated and beaten. Initially sentenced to death, international pressure compelled the Soviet regime to first commute the sentence to ten years hard labor in Siberia, and then to a three-year term of exile in Kostrama, a town in the interior of Russia.
On the 3rd of Tammuz, 18 days after his arrest, he was released from prison and allowed six hours at home before reporting to the Leningrad train station to embark on his exile. Many gathered at the station to see him off. Though he knew that there were GPU agents present, he spoke to the assembled crowd,
encouraging all to persist in the very activities for which he had been arrested. "This," he proclaimed "all the nations of the world must know: Only our bodies were sent into exile and subjugated to alien rule; our souls were not given over into
captivity and foreign rule. We must proclaim openly and before all that any matter affecting the Jewish religion, Torah, and its mitzvot and customs is not subject to
the coercion of others. No one can impose his belief upon us, nor coerce us to conduct ourselves contrary to our beliefs!"
(On the 12th of Tammuz, after serving only nine days of his three year term,
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak was informed that he was free to return home. Shortly thereafter, he was allowed to leave the Soviet Union and resettled in Riga, Latvia.)
Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidim observe the customs of the yahrtzeit (anniversary of the passing) in accordance with the customs instituted by the Rebbe for the yahrtzeit of his father-in-law and predecessor, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880-1950), following his passing on the 10th of Shevat in 1950. | <urn:uuid:f0948431-ba62-4ab1-ba22-65ed15f44454> | {
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Teacher Training Manual: Lesson 12 - The Murli
From BrahmaKumaris.Info Encyclopedia
Lesson 12: SPIRITUAL EDUCATION AND THE MURLI
The Purpose of Spiritual Education
1. To gain insights into the self, God, others and life
2. To understand the laws of life and their application
3. To give meaning to life
4. To change oneself through conscious choice
The subjects of a spiritual study
1. Knowledge 2. Yoga 3. Dharna or inculcation of Virtues 4. Service
- The Spiritual Student
- The Spiritual Teacher & His teaching method
- The Lessons: Sakar Murli and Avyakt Murli
At the end of the sessions (two session-hours), the participants will be able to:
- Recognize the importance of spiritual study
- Identify the subjects in a spiritual study
- Recognize and appreciate the difference between Sakar Murli and Avyakt Murli.
- Meditation Experience for at least 15 minutes at the start and end of murli reading
- Spiritual Education is based on universal spiritual laws. Such laws apply to every human being regardless of his or her place of birth, culture and religious or political background_ The goal of a spiritual education is to develop the original qualities of the soul. This has nothing to do with a person's intellectual capacity. Anyone, with or without previous knowledge or training, can enhance the quality of his or her life through spiritual wisdom. Spiritual study teaches you to make optimal use of your mind, so the concentration, clarity and the ability to make positive choices, increase.
Look around you and you will probably have the feeling that many of the universal laws of life have been forgotten. After all if, we truly understood these spiritual laws, wouldn't we also have the wisdom to apply them? However, this does not seem to be the case.
Clarification of spiritual concepts
Love is only one of them. For example: · What exactly is renunciation? · What does a virtue like serenity really mean? · Who is God? · What is the meaning of life? · Where do we come from? Where are we going? · What is the influence of religion on the soul? · What is the difference between religion and spirituality?
Even if we know all of these things, are we also integrating these understanding into our everyday life? For most part, no. On the contrary, it's as though we have lost the meaning and value of the soul and its relationship to the body and nature. It's as though we have forgotten what life is all about.
A spiritual education is aimed exactly at this - at rediscovering the value of life in a practical way. This is why a good spiritual education needs to include a thorough explanation of these vital, spiritual laws and concepts, in addition to creating a good meditation practice. As mentioned previously, the deeper you go into such understanding, the deeper will be your meditation experience. A good spiritual education teaches you how to live life as an art - happily and with fulfillment.
The Purpose of a spiritual study
Gaining Insight into the Self, God, Others and Life - insight to these aspects create answers to four main questions that humanity has been asking throughout the ages: Who am I? Who is God? What is the purpose of life and How should I interact with others?
Why haven't we been able to find satisfying answers to these questions up to now? The most obvious reason is that we are too involved in the problem itself, too much a part of the questions and there is too much at stake. Therefore, we do not have sufficient `distance' to see reality as it is. However, there is one Being who retains total objectivity, One who never comes into the cycle of birth and death, and so alone maintains the `distance' needed to be an impartial observer. Such is the part of the Supreme Soul. He alone sees the complete cycle of time, knows the past, present and future. He alone has the reliable overview. Also, He is without any selfish motives. For all the above reasons, the Supreme is ideally positioned to teach us great insights about ourselves and the state of the world.
For Raja Yogis, a relationship with the Supreme is not so much a goal in itself, as much as it is a means to get to the self, and realize the full potential of the self. God is sometimes called the Seed of the human world because it is as though He holds the `blueprint' of human life. To know Him means to know the self, others and life itself. The aim of the Supreme Soul is to liberate all souls from the bonds of body-conscious thinking (learned, acquired, limited) thinking.
Understanding the laws of life and their application
Insights into the laws are useful only if we are able to apply them to our daily life. Otherwise it is armchair knowledge. Such impractical knowledge can result in mental tension - we know a lot but aren't necessarily able to live up to it. Knowledge of this sort just make us unhappy. It is only when we thoroughly understand the spiritual laws (such the laws of karma, entropy, love, etc.) that we can then start applying them in our life.
In short, the study of Raja Yoga is based on a practice, which is oriented towards the situations of everyday life. It is not knowledge for the sake of having large discussions or philosophical debates. Rather, it is knowledge for studying, inculcating and applying in our own lives.
Giving meaning to life
Many of us might have had the feeling that (our) life is not very fulfilling or meaningful. We might have wondered at the use of getting up every morning at the same time, to go to the same job, etc. Or we might have wondered at the meaning of so much suffering on earth. What is the purpose of the increasing violence everywhere? And what can I, just an insignificant, single human being in a big world', possibly do to make this world a little better?
Thinking about life in this way can lead to feelings of frustration, hopelessness, apathy, aggression or boredom. However, the more we begin to understand and see the spiritual reality behind the visible reality, the more interesting life becomes. It is as though a new dimension opens up to us. We begin to understand that behind each action, each gesture and each outer appearance, there is a world of significance. Nothing happens in a vacuum, everything has purpose, meaning and consequence. Looking at life in this way makes life exciting; it makes it a challenge.
When we begin to understand the way events are interconnected, we see that our `one small insignificant life' can be very important indeed for the whole life in this planet One person's personal growth and spiritual development has an effect on everything and everyone, even on people who live far away from us. We are all interconnected. When we begin to realize this, life becomes more meaningful; it becomes more valuable. This is when we begin to live!
Changing the self through conscious choice
If there is one thing certain in life, it is that everything is constantly changing. And whether we like it or not we will also have to change. If we do not consciously choose to change, we might end up feeling forced to, later by circumstances. This usually creates a general feeling of resistance to change - the feeling of being pressured, like swimming against the stream. This attitude is a source of tension.
Knowledge and understanding of the current time and the condition of the human soul gives us the insights and power to consciously choose to make changes in our life_ Through such action it is as though we change ahead of time, before time forces us to change. We no longer simply react to change, but actively take part in the process of creation.
The Subjects of Spiritual Study
There are four subjects taught by the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University.
- Knowledge; The first subject In each BK center there are early morning lessons. These lessons begin with half hour meditation followed by 45 to 60 minutes of class. These classes - called the Murlis- take up in greater detail subjects we already discussed during the basic and intermediate courses. The interesting thing about this study is that people who have been studying here for over twenty years listen to the same Murlis as do people who have only been studying here for a few months. God's teachings are so deep and yet so clear that each and everyone can extract from them whatever he/she is looking for.
- Yoga; Apart from the study of knowledge, yoga is also important. Yoga means linking the mind to the Supreme Soul, and it is this which gives us power and enables us to have the realization and experience of everything we learn. (This the importance for the 30 minutes meditation before the Murli class and at least 10 minutes meditation after listening to the Murli). Knowledge without yoga is impractical and burdensome. Yoga without knowledge will not have any power - it will be an experience, but there will be no understanding thus we will not be able to recreate that experience at will or integrate it into our personality. It is only when both knowledge and yoga come together that there can be deep insight - wisdom.
- Dharna; A Hindi word hat is not very easy to translate. It is precisely for this reason that we have chosen to retain the Hindi word. (The Hindi language is rich in subtle connotations and words that have more than one meaning). As we progress further in this study we will come across many such words that deliberately have not been translated into English for this reason. Dharna means the inculcation of divine virtues and powers. Dharna is the result of taking up this knowledge through a combination of study and yoga. When the experience of the union with God (yoga) and insight (knowledge) come together, thoughts, feelings, words and actions all become the same. There is no longer a difference in what we think, feel, do or say. This is dharna - when we start to embody the teachings.
- Service - When dharna increases, we automatically begin to share our treasures with others - treasures like peace, love, patience, respect and happiness. The experience of our own spiritual efforts and transformation is what enables us, in a very natural way, to explain to others and also to sustain them in different ways. This is called service. The most powerful and subtle service is to sustain other souls through pure, positive (elevated) thoughts. We might find it difficult sometimes to explain to others in words about who they really are or how a connection with the Supi enue would be of so much benefit to them. But we can always support others in a subtle way, simply by having pure, elevated thoughts, by showing respect for who they (really) are, even though they may sometimes act in a negative or hostile way. Through this we give others hope and confidence in their own spiritual personality. We are often not aware enough of the effect of our thoughts on others, nor of the fact that we souls are all interconnected.
The Spiritual Student
The more motivated we are, the better will be our results. In this study, motivation increases as we gain deeper insight into the Supreme, time and ourselves. Our appreciation for the unlimited advantages of this spiritual study will grow.
A clear mind is an important ingredient of this study as the clarity of our consciousness determines the degree to which we will be able to take this knowledge in. It is good to be reminded that alcohol, drugs and other mind altering substances (and also watching television for long stretches of time) have a negative effect on our clarity and should be avoided as much as possible. In any case be sober when you come to the Raja Yoga centers. Only then will you experience maximum benefit from the lessons and the experiences you will have during meditation.
Responsibility and regularity
The interesting part of this education is that everything done here is done for the self. There are no examinations (other than those in our daily life) and we do not get any kind of certification or diploma. Regular meditation and study is our own responsibility. This gives us the opportunity to build a certain discipline and regularity into our own life. It is an enormous challenge to really do something for one's own benefit, out of self-respect and not for our friends, our parents, our teacher, but for ourselves alone.
Results of a Spiritual Education
The results of this spiritual education be divided into short term and long term. You have undoubtedly already experienced some of the short term results.
The Spiritual Teacher
An important aspect of the spiritual study offered by the Brahma Kumaris is the realization who exactly is teaching it? You have already met different teachers in the last couple of weeks from this institution, and you will meet more. But all of what you have been taught, has been taught to them by the Supreme Soul. All the teachers here are, at one and the same time, students. Brahma Baba also saw himself as a student of God. He stressed this point to prevent people from seeing him as a guru. Brahma and the more senior students of this institution (whom we call brothers and sisters) are models, not gurus. It is important to be aware of this, otherwise we might be tempted to start praising or even defaming others. If we become attached to a certain teacher or fellow student, we will miss the point of these teachings. So, the best way to proceed is to remember that all of us here are students, and that it is God who is the Teacher.
How God Teaches
It was in 1936 when Brahma, at age 60, had a series of visionary experiences. Brahma first saw visions of the soul as a point of light, followed by visions of the Supreme Soul with the same form. He also saw images of a new world in which people lived together in harmony. In another vision he saw this old world going through a delicate and turbulent phase. Brahma Baba understood that a time of intense transformation lay just ahead of us and that he was to play an important role in this transformation process. What that role would be he did not yet know. After these intense experience Brahma Baba decided to quit his worldly business (he was a wealthy diamond merchant) in order to devote the rest of his life to Godly service.
From that day onward, Brahma Baba became the "instrument" of the Supreme to communicate His teachings. The Supreme spoke daily through the mouth of Brahma Baba. The wisdom that God shared was just as new to Brahma Baba as it was to the many who came to listen to this new knowledge. A group of people formed around Brahma Baba, most of whom were women. This group ultimately became the foundation of this worldwide spiritual university. From the very beginning, Brahma Baba put the women in front and made them the administrative heads of the university. And even today the Brahma Kumaris is still run by women.
One might ask why the Supreme Soul chose this method to communicate with His children. Why didn't He just give visions, or why didn't He just transform the world Himself? Why teach and explain? The problem with visions is that they have to be interpreted. As we know from the scriptures all religious founders had clear insights, but they were always interpreted later on in many different ways, causing a lot of confusion. Aside from this, it is we human souls, who have made this world into what it is today. It is not God's world, it is our world. It is out of love and mercy for his children that the Supreme Father gives us the power (yoga) and the insight (knowledge) to put right what we ourselves have done wrong. God gives us the tools to take responsibility for our own world. He puts every soul in the position of settling his own karmic accounts and thus regaining self-respect and happiness.
From 1936 to 1969 the Supreme communicated His teachings through the mouth of Brahma Baba. In the same way that we human souls use our physical organs to speak, listen and see the Supreme used Brahma Baba's organs. By the way, this phenomenon occurred with the complete approval and permission of Brahma Baba. He was not possessed and did not go into trance. He was always completely conscious of what was going on and was able to hear the lessons himself, too. He used to make jokes about this: "My ears hear these things first". The lessons were recorded and typed out later. In this way, by talking to us directly, the possibility of misinterpretation was eliminated.
Sakar Murli & Avyakt Murli. The lessons Baba taught and still teaches are called 'Murlis'. The word 'Murli' literally means flute of knowledge. The flute is a symbol of communication (of knowledge). In India the deity Krishna, for example, is shown playing a flute.
There are two types of Murlis. The first is called Sakar Murli. `Sakar' means corporeal. The sakar murlis were spoken from the beginning until 1969, when Brahma Baba passed away. The word Sakar refers to the fact that Brahma Baba was still in a physical body in this period. The Murlis spoken after 1969 are called Ayvakt Murlis. 'Avyakt' means subtle, non-physical and refers to the fact that Brahma Baba now plays a subtle, non-physical role from the Subtle Regions. We will come back to these matters later on in the lessons.
All the knowledge that has been revealed is found in the Sakar Murlis. God takes up many, many different subjects of human life. The Sakar Murlis are the foundation of all knowledge. The things you have been hearing about in the basic and intermediate courses, like the Cycle of Time, the role of the Supreme, the original powers and qualities of the soul, etc. were all revealed in the Sakar Murlis.
The Ayvakt Murlis usually go deeper into specific subject. The tone is also slightly different. In these Murlis Baba takes up very specific powers and qualities of the soul and gives directions that are relevant for the time we are living in now. At the end of this lesson we will read a part of each kind of Murli. (Prepare samples of both types of Murlis. Read excerpts from them. Read the Murli straight and then clarify or explain concepts or words students do not understand.)
The Murli goes into a huge variety of subjects. Through the Murli, Baba teaches us how life used to be, compared to what we have made it now. His objective view is very enlightening. Listening to the Murli we will hear new points every day points that are important to our personal transformation. Some points are repeated almost every day in different forms. This is because it takes a while before the real meaning of a certain aspect becomes clear to us.
The Murli talks of sanskars of many births, In this way we become aware of our subconscious conditionings, ideas and experiences. Sometimes a sensitive spot is hit, sometimes something falls into place, and sometimes a mental or emotional block is removed. The Murli always clarifies and gives solutions. It is interesting to hear how God looks at our world and us. His perspective is also different He looks at everything from a different reality. It's the reality of spirituality.
The reality that is visible to us is, in fact, only a limited vision of reality. There is another reality, which is invisible to our eyes, because it is incorporeal. Baba explains to us the relationship between the invisible (the soul, the Supreme Soul, the soul world) and the visible (matter and the material world). In fact, the whole creation is about the relationship between these three things: the soul, matter and God. The human soul and matter are constantly changing. Through an increasing body consciousness an imbalance has developed in the relationship between soul and matter. The soul forgets its spiritual identity (soul consciousness) and gradually becomes a slave to matter. The only constant factor in this `game' is the Supreme Soul, who is forever pure. It is for this reason that only He can give us insights into the relationship between the corporeal and the incorporeal.
Teaching Methods of the Supreme Teacher
The Supreme Soul explains in different ways. First of all He shows us contrasts. For example, the contrast between Heaven (Golden Age) and Hell (the Iron Age), between love and hate. Baba not only explains what love and happiness mean, but He also explains what hate and sorrow really mean, as most of us no longer understand these things anymore. We have been in this uncomprehending state of mind for such a long time that we have become used to it. We are not able to clearly see our present condition until the contrast with happiness is made clear.
Baba compares things to the world we know in order to clarify certain concepts. For example, sometimes He compares all human beings to children of one big family who have forgotten their parents - the result of this is we keep fighting amongst each other. Sometimes Baba compares us to the thorns in a jungle. Baba is the Master of the Garden who has come to change us thorns into flowers. Baba also uses images so that not only the left side of the brain (mental, rational energy), but also the sight side (intuitive, creative energy) is addressed. For example, Baba uses the image of the lotus flower to explain to us what detachment really means. The lotus flower grows with its roots in the mud, but the flower is above the surface of the water and reaches out to the sun. In the same way we must stand with our two feet firmly on this earth, but our thoughts are turned to the Spiritual Sun, to God.
Baba also gives new facts to think about For instance: "You are a soul". Many people think: "I am a body and I have a soul". Baba says: "You are a soul and you have a body". When the meaning of this fact touches us our world view changes completely. Facts are also given about the identity of God. These are of great importance, because religious arguments are among the major causes of war among people everywhere. Every religion claims God for itself and claims to act in the name of God. But only God Himself can reveal His true identity and true motives.
God sometimes calls Himself a surgeon. He makes diagnoses and makes very clear statements: "You souls have become sick. You have become unhappy and are trapped of body consciousness". These are rather bold statements, but the Supreme has such authority that He can make them. He looks at the world and us from such a pure, true and unbiased perspective.
Give the student a copy of a sakar murli for him or her study according to the 4 subjects. Note down some points about the 4 subjects. Note down an inspiration he/she is taking from the Murli. Note down also points from murli he/she wants to clarify.
(End the class with meditation) | <urn:uuid:936c45ed-054c-4677-8ba7-1a1189185e9b> | {
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Suited up: CEO Christopher Norris holds a gallium arsenide wafer used in making Alta’s solar cells. Behind him is a custom-designed reactor used to grow thin layers of the semiconductor.
Alta Devices is a small but well-funded startup located in the same nondescript Silicon Valley office building that once served as the headquarters for Solyndra, the infamous solar company that went bankrupt last year after burning through hundreds of millions of dollars in public and venture investments. Whether the location has bad karma is still not clear, jokes Alta’s CEO, Christopher Norris. But Norris, a former semiconductor-industry executive and venture capitalist, does know that the fate of his company will hinge on its ability to navigate the risky and expensive process of scaling up its novel technology, which he believes could produce power at a price competitive with fossil-fuel plants and far more cheaply than today’s solar modules.
On a table in Alta’s conference room, Norris lays out samples of the company’s solar cells, flexible black patches encapsulated in clear plastic. They look unremarkable, but that’s because the key ingredient is all but invisible: microscopically thin sheets of gallium arsenide. The semiconductor is so good at absorbing sunlight and turning it into electricity that one of Alta’s devices, containing an active layer of gallium arsenide only a couple of micrometers thick, recently set a record for photovoltaic efficiency. But gallium arsenide is also extremely expensive to use in solar cells, and thin films of it tend to be fragile and difficult to fabricate. In fact, Alta’s innovations lie not in choosing the material—the semiconductor has been used in solar cells on satellites and spacecraft for decades—but in figuring out how to turn it into solar modules cheap enough to be practical for most applications.
The company, which was founded in 2007, is based on the work of two of the world’s leading academic researchers in photonic materials. One of them, Eli Yablonovitch, now a professor of electrical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, developed and patented a technique for creating ultrathin films of gallium arsenide in the 1980s, when he worked at Bell Communications Research. The other, Harry Atwater, a professor of applied physics and materials science at Caltech, is a pioneer in the use of microstructures and nanostructures to improve materials’ ability to trap light and convert it into electricity. Andy Rappaport, a venture capitalist at August Capital, teamed up with the two scientists to found Alta, recruiting fellow Silicon Valley veteran Bill Joy as an investor and, with the other cofounders, building a management team that included Norris. The goal: to make highly efficient solar cells, and to make them more cheaply than those based on existing silicon technology.
It is at this point that many solar startups have gone wrong, rushing to scale up an innovative technology before understanding its economics and engineering challenges. Instead, Alta spent its first several years in stealth mode, quietly attempting to figure out, as Norris puts it, whether its process for making gallium arsenide solar cells was more than a “science experiment” and could serve as a viable basis for manufacturing.
Flexible power: Alta’s solar cells can be made into bendable sheets. In this sample, a series of solar cells are encapsulated in a roofing material.
Remnants of the science experiment are still visible in the modest lab at the back of Alta’s offices. Small ceramic pots sit on electric hot plates—relics of the company’s early efforts to optimize Yablonovitch’s technique of “epitaxial liftoff,” which uses acids to precisely separate thin films of gallium arsenide from the wafers on which they are grown. Elsewhere in the lab the equipment gets progressively larger and more sophisticated, reflecting the scaling up of the process. Near a viewing window that allows potential investors to peer into the lab without donning clean-room coverings is one of the jewels of the company’s development efforts: a long piece of equipment in which batches of samples are processed to create the thin-film solar cells. It’s convincing evidence that the early work with pots and hot plates can be transformed into an automated process capable of the yields necessary for real-world manufacturing.
When Bill Joy, a cofounder of Sun Microsystems and now a leading Silicon Valley venture capitalist, first saw the business plan for what became Alta Devices, he and his colleagues at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers were already looking for high-efficiency thin-film solar technology. Joy keeps a running list—currently about 12 to 15 items long—of desirable technologies that he believes he has “a reasonable chance of finding.” Solar cells that are highly efficient in converting sunlight and that can be made cheaply in flexible sheets could provide ways to dramatically lower the overall costs of solar power. Gallium arsenide technology was a natural choice for efficiency, but Alta’s economics were what really interested the investors. “Their core competency was how to make it manufacturable,” says Joy, who joined Rappaport as an investor within a few months.
Gallium arsenide is a nearly ideal solar material, for a number of reasons. Not only does it absorb far more sunlight than silicon—thin films of it capture as many photons as silicon 100 times thicker—but it’s less sensitive to heat than silicon solar cells, whose performance dramatically declines above 25 °C. And gallium arsenide is better than silicon in retaining its electricity-producing abilities in conditions of relatively low light, such as early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Key to reducing its manufacturing costs is the technique that Yablonovitch helped figure out decades ago. The semiconductor can be grown epitaxially: when thin layers are chemically deposited on a substrate of single-crystal gallium arsenide, each adopts the same single-crystal structure. Yablonovitch found that if a layer of aluminum arsenide is sandwiched between the layers, this can be selectively eaten away with an acid, and the gallium arsenide above can be peeled off. It was an elegant and simple way to create thin films of the material. But the process was also problematic: the single-crystal films easily crack and become worthless. In adapting Yablonovitch’s fabrication method, Alta researchers have found ways to create rugged films that aren’t prone to cracking. And not only do the thin films use little of the semiconductor material, but the valuable gallium arsenide substrate can be reused multiple times, helping to make the process affordable.
Research by Alta’s founding scientists has also led to techniques for increasing the performance of the solar cells. Photovoltaics work because the photons they absorb boost the energy levels of electrons in the semiconductor, freeing them up to flow to metal contacts and create a current. But the roaming electrons can be wasted in various ways, such as in heat. In gallium arsenide, however, the freed electrons frequently recombine with positively charged “holes” to re-create photons and start the process over again. Work done by Yablonovitch and Atwater to explain this process has helped Alta design cells to take advantage of this “photon recycling,” providing many chances to recapture photons and turn them into electricity.
Thus Alta’s efficiency record: its cells have converted 28.3 percent of sunlight into electricity, whereas the highest efficiency for a silicon solar cell is 25 percent, and commonly used thin-film solar materials don’t exceed 20 percent. Yablonovitch suggests that Alta has a good chance of eventually breaking 30 percent efficiency and nearing the theoretical limit of 33.4 percent for cells of its type.
The high efficiency, combined with gallium arsenide’s ability to perform at relatively high temperatures and in low light, means that the cells can produce two or three times more energy over a year than conventional silicon ones, says Norris. And that, of course, translates directly into lower prices for solar power. Norris says a “not unreasonable expectation” is that the gallium arsenide technology could yield a “levelized cost of energy” (a commonly used industry metric that includes the lifetime costs of building and operating a power plant) of seven cents per kilowatt-hour. At such a price, says Norris, solar would be competitive with fossil fuels, including natural gas; new gas plants generate electricity for around 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. And it would trounce today’s solar power, which Norris says costs around 20 cents per kilowatt-hour to generate.
Such numbers are tantalizing. But Norris is quick to bring up another: it costs roughly $1 billion to build a manufacturing facility capable of producing enough solar modules to generate a gigawatt of power, which is roughly the output of several medium-sized power plants. “I don’t see any scenario where we would do this on our own,” he says.
GHOST OF SOLYNDRA
Silicon Valley has been infatuated with clean tech since the mid-2000s, but it has yet to figure out something crucial: who will supply all the money necessary to scale up energy technologies and build factories to manufacture them? Venture investors might be skilled at picking technologies, but few of them have the deep pockets or the patience required to compete in a capital-intensive business such as the manufacturing of solar modules. The collapse of Solyndra, which built a $733 million factory in Fremont, California, is just the most recent reminder of what can go wrong.
Alta’s lead investor Andy Rappaport says he usually stays away from investments in clean tech, including photovoltaics. Many investors in solar, he suggests, have bet that a startup could lower the marginal costs of manufacturing and thus “capture some market share.” That’s “a recipe for failure,” he says, because “you need to spend hundreds of millions to build a factory before you know if you have anything of value.” The strategy is especially risky now, because photovoltaics are becoming an increasingly competitive commodity business and prices continue to plummet, creating a moving target for new production. But rather than trying to create value by building manufacturing capacity, Rappaport says, Alta can profit from its intellectual property: “We have said simply and consistently that we can scale capacity faster and build a much stronger company by leveraging partnerships rather than raising and spending our own capital to build factories.”
Current investors in Alta include GE, Sumitomo, and Dow Chemical, which recently introduced roofing shingles that incorporate thin-film photovoltaics (see “Can We Build Tomorrow’s Breakthroughs?” January/February 2012). Though these companies have invested in several rounds of funding—Alta has so far raised $120 million—eventually Norris would like to see deals, such as licensing agreements or joint ventures, in which manufacturers build capacity to produce Alta’s solar cells or use the solar technology in their products. To do that, he says, Alta first needs to “retire the risk” of the production technology, demonstrating to prospective partners that the gallium arsenide solar modules can in fact be produced in an economically competitive way.
Less than a mile from its headquarters, Alta is gutting and renovating a building where Netflix used to warehouse DVDs, turning it into a $40 million pilot facility to test its equipment. Though the facility is far smaller than a commercial solar factory, it is still no small or inexpensive undertaking. Norris warily eyes the new columns required to reinforce the roof, which will need to hold heavy ventilation and emission-control equipment. But the Alta CEO becomes more buoyant as he approaches the nearly completed back section of the facility. There, in several white rooms, are the large custom-designed versions of the lab apparatus used to make the solar cells.
Whether Alta succeeds will depend chiefly on how well these manufacturing inventions perform. The cost of the pilot facility might pale next to the price tag for a commercial-scale solar factory, but it is still a critical investment for the startup. And even as Alta is busily trying to get the facility up and running by the end of the year, Norris says, it is taking a deliberate, methodical approach to the process of scaling up. That contrasts sharply with earlier solar startups that spent hundreds of millions in venture investments to build factories as fast as possible. But Alta’s cautious approach should not be confused with a lack of ambition. The goal, says Norris, is to make this a “foundational, transformative technology.”
David Rotman is Technology Review’s editor. | <urn:uuid:430e17d2-78db-4479-94cb-feb080f60b12> | {
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Everyone knows that salty foods make you thirsty. But according to new research, when people increase their sodium intake long-term, they actually drink less water. And that’s not the study’s only surprising finding: High sodium levels also increase feelings of hunger, the authors say, which may suggest that high-salt diets contribute to weight gain.
Experts say this counterintuitive discovery—that dietary salt boosts appetite but decreases thirst—upends more than 100 years of conventional scientific wisdom. The findings are published this week as a set of two papers in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
In the first paper, German and American researchers report on 10 Russian cosmonauts who participated in flight simulation programs from 2009 to 2011. The men were living in a tightly controlled environment for months at a time, so they were ideal for nutritional and metabolic research.
The authors wanted to see what would happen when they gradually decreased the cosmonauts’ dietary salt intake from 12 grams a day (similar to an average Russian diet) to 6 grams a day (the recommendation of most national health experts). Prevailing science suggested that the men would be less thirsty, and drink less water, as their sodium levels decreased.
But that’s not what happened. Instead, the men drank less water when they were on the high-salt diet—suggesting that their bodies were either conserving or producing more water, not flushing it out with the salt, as previously suspected.
Senior author Jens Titze, MD, associate professor of medicine and of molecular physiology and biophysics at Vanderbilt University, says the findings were unexpected, but not entirely surprising.
“It makes sense that on a high-salt diet, the body wants to prevent water loss,” he says. “So the kidneys have to find a way to increase water content—and if you have more water content in your body, you’re going to be less thirsty.”
The men also reported feeling hungrier when their salt levels were higher, even though they were getting the same amount of calories and nutrients. This may be because it takes extra energy for the body to conserve water, explains Dr. Titze. “I do think that if we’d offered the cosmonauts more food, they would have overeaten and gained weight,” he says.
RELATED: 13 Foods That Are Saltier Than You Realize
In the second paper, the researchers replicated their findings in mice. In these experiments, they did find that mice on high-salt diets ate more food than those on low-salt diets. They also found that high-salt diets were associated with a breakdown of muscle protein. The protein was converted into urea, a chemical that enables the kidneys to reabsorb fluid and prevent water loss while salt is excreted.
What’s more, the breakdown process was fueled by an increase in glucocorticoids—compounds that, in humans, have been linked to the development of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis. That’s significant, says Dr. Titze, because scientists to-date have mainly focused on how sodium contributes to high blood pressure.
“Our findings suggest that there is much more to know,” he says. If a high-salt diet triggers an increase in glucocorticoids, he says, it could predispose people to other chronic health problems—even in the absence of blood pressure changes. And it could potentially raise the risk of metabolic syndrome, a combination of three or more risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
RELATED: 24 Tasty, Low-Sodium Recipes for Every Meal
Dr. Titze says that, when it comes to the short-term effects of salty foods, “bartender’s wisdom” still holds true. “If you put salted peanuts down in front of your customers, they’re absolutely going to consume more drinks,” he says. “But our research showed that, over several months and even over 24 hours, they’re going to conserve more water and actually consume less.”
In an accompanying commentary article, Mark Zeidel, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, wrote that the new studies challenge common beliefs about how sodium and fluid levels are balanced in the body. They also demonstrate that an adjustment in dietary salt “changes protein and fat metabolism, and alters eating and drinking habits,” among other physiological changes in the body.
Learning more about these changes may help scientists develop new treatments for conditions like high blood pressure and congestive heart failure, Dr. Zeidel wrote. Dr. Titze says it may also help doctors better understand the connection between salt and weight gain.
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Of course, most sodium in the typical American diet doesn’t come from table salt; it comes from restaurant meals and processed foods that also tend to be high in sugar, saturated fats, and simple carbs—so there’s already plenty of reason to limit these in your diet. These new studies may suggest one more.
Dr. Titze says that if his team’s theories hold up, reductions in sodium content across the packaged food and restaurant industries could potentially prevent some of these harmful effects on metabolism and appetite. Until then, he takes a simple approach to reducing sodium and managing his weight: “If you eat less of everything, you will automatically eat less sodium,” he says. “So my take is to exercise a bit more and eat less in general.” | <urn:uuid:c002860a-1201-4b01-8e2d-2a29b53fa8a2> | {
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What is lower back pain?
While lower back pain is incredibly common among adults, exact symptoms and causes vary widely from patient to patient. Some patients may experience dull, aching pain that develops and worsens gradually over time, while others may experience sharp and sudden pain. Low back pain is usually a result of muscle strain, which can occur when a patient lifts heavy items, bends or twists into awkward positions, or sits or stands for too long, although there are a number of other potential causes.
Lower back pain can also be caused by nerve compression, age-related conditions, or trauma. A herniated disc, spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, and spinal tumors can all result in lower back pain. Many patients find that their lower back pain can be resolved with at-home treatments such as icing and rest, but if the pain is severe and persistent or interferes with day-to-day activities, it’s recommended that patients seek medical attention.
Source: Spine Universe
What causes lower back pain?
Lower back pain is often the result of muscle strain or injury; one of the most common causes is improper form while lifting heavy objects. It can also be a symptom of other conditions, including spinal cancer, sciatica, arthritis, or a spinal infection.
Patients between the ages of 30 and 50 are at greater risk of experiencing lower back pain. This pre-retirement patient demographic may work physically demanding jobs or play contact sports in their free time, but their bones and muscles are no longer as strong as they were in their teens and 20s. This combination of factors makes them especially susceptible to injury or strain.
The most common causes of lower back pain include:
- Muscle strain
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated disc
- Abnormal spine curvature
Source: Medline Plus
Luna’s physical therapists treat lower back pain
across the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Orange County
Luna employs physical therapists with years of experience treating patients with lower back pain. Our licensed, certified physical therapists combine proven techniques with tailored routines to produce physical therapy programs that address each patient’s unique condition.
Best of all, with Luna, patients can receive physical therapy in the comfort of their homes. Our physical therapists come to you — it’s physical therapy, delivered. | <urn:uuid:b0ddc647-7a3f-43b8-a405-2d3621a10384> | {
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I would like to have a matlab script which yields a plot similar to the graph in the picture.
The code needs to read the .csv file and plot the radial distributions of a certain variable at a specific height (X/D =7, 15, 28 and 35); different set of measurements are provided for different heights. Each .csv file corresponds to a certain altitude.
In the same graph, for each height, i want to include a scatter plot which shows the experimental data for which a comparison with the radial profile contained in the .csv is necessary. It is easy to make single plots but i would like to have all the comparisons gathered in one plot, as in the picture. The main axis, which in the picture ranges between 100 and 400 mm has to range between 0 and 0.8 m whereas the horizontal axis will range between 0 and 0.075 m. The vertical axis measures the temperature which is in the found in the .csv file at the 10th column. The radial positions of each temperature value can be found in the same file at under the column Points0. As double check it can be seen that the first point corresponds to 0 m and the last one to 0.075 m. There are 101 points in the array which are used to obtain the continuous line. As can be seen the dots of the scatter plot refer to fewer points.
The measurements are included in the xlsx file of the same name. There is a page called Radial Conditional Temperature, for each height (indicated by X_D) Tmean has to be plotted againts the value of the corresponding .csv file. The position of each measurements is given in the r column (the values need to be divided by a factor 1000 since we use meter as unit). D is equal to 4,4 mm. For the scatter plot also the measurements uncertainty needs to be included. In matlab it can be done with the command errorbar, for Tmean the uncertainty is +- 180 kelvin.
Clearly, compared to the figure on the vertical axis i need T(k) instead of W. The code needs to be done in such a way that i can easily change the array considered when the .csv and .xlsx file are read so i don't have to waste time when instead of T i want to do the same plot for another variable. The graph would also look better if, for the axes line, instead of the continuous lines dotted lines are used.
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sir i can help u with this project i have done masters in computer engg with specilization in image processing and pattern recognition hopping for your kind consideration
Professional engineer with 39 years of scientific and engineering data analysis, Mechanical engineering design and simulation using MATLAB, C++............
Wonderful Project! We are pro in Matlab... As we are masters of mathematics and control engineering, we will give a successful result in time. Plz keep in touch with me! Thanks.. | <urn:uuid:9d247523-3fe4-422f-8e53-71b5772f8238> | {
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Earth Day is April 22. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, then Senator of Wisconsin. The year before there had been a terrible oil spill in California, and Senator Nelson wanted to encourage people to work together to protect the environment all across America. Now people all over America come together on Earth Day to clean up parks and waterways, plant trees, and clear invasive plants off of public lands.
This year the focus of Earth Day is planting trees. The goal is to plant 7.8 billion trees by the time Earth Day turns 50. Why trees? Trees are great at producing clean air for us to breathe. They also provide homes for animals and insects. Trees can live a long time--the oldest tree in the world is in Sweden and is 10,000 years old!
At the library on April 23, we have our annual Garden Day. You can talk to a master gardener, learn about Fairy Gardens, or participate in some hands-on activities (registration required). You can also check out a whole bunch of awesome books on gardening, trees, and insects. | <urn:uuid:095d0d03-01b6-4992-b54e-b51c26b8d693> | {
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ALBERNI, PEDRO DE, army officer; b. 1747 in Tortosa, Spain; d. 11 March 1802 in Monterey (Calif.).
Pedro de Alberni joined the Volunteer Regiment of Catalonia as a cadet in 1762 and saw some active service against Portugal. In 1768 his company was detached from the regiment and transferred to New Spain as the 1st Free Company of Volunteers of Catalonia. There Alberni participated in numerous engagements against the Indians of the northern frontier (the Mexican-American border country), and, recognized as an intelligent and valuable officer, he was promoted captain and commanding officer of his company on 24 March 1783. At some time before 1789 Alberni was for seven years military commander of the province of Nayarit.
Following the temporary occupation of Nootka Sound (B.C.) in 1789 by Esteban José Martinez*, Viceroy Revilla Gigedo of New Spain decided to establish a more permanent presence there with a fortified post capable of defence against the British, Russians, or Americans [see James Colnett; Joseph Billings; Robert Gray]. The viceroy assigned naval lieutenant Francisco de Eliza* y Reventa to command the expedition of three ships, and Alberni with his company was to fortify and garrison the post. Alberni received orders to prepare for northern duty in September 1789, while stationed at Guadalajara (Mexico). He was short about 15 men, and described another 23 as unfit for the rigours of northern service. Wishing to have the greatest possible number of Europeans at Nootka, the authorities of New Spain allowed him to recruit among Catalonians originally sent from Spain to serve elsewhere in the empire. Alberni requested new arms to replace warn-out equipment and demanded clothing suited to the northern climate. The consequent delays led Revilla Gigedo to charge him with insubordination and with hindering movement to San Blas (state of Nayarit), the port of embarkation. On 3 Feb. 1790 Alberni sailed with charges still pending and was held in confinement for the duration of the voyage north. These circumstances may explain his long posting to Nootka and the special efforts made by his fellow officers to commend his zeal to the viceroy.
When Eliza’s expedition landed at Friendly Cove on 5 April, Alberni and his 76 soldiers began to fortify the harbour. Although their instructions called for them to mount 20 cannon, only 14 were placed. Hard labour, a poor diet, and the wet climate weakened the soldiers, who suffered from scurvy, dysentery, and colds. Alberni sent many to California missions to recuperate; by August 1790 only 31 soldiers remained.
Despite the hardships, Alberni threw himself into preparations for the coming winter. Contemporaries praised his vigour in erecting buildings with boards obtained from the Indians and in excavating wells and operating an efficient bakery. He also undertook to raise poultry and, aware of the importance of fresh vegetables, made himself one of the first gardeners on the northwest coast. In spite of Alberni’s prophylactic efforts five soldiers perished during the winter, and in March 1791, 32 seamen and soldiers were dispatched to California because of illness. Throughout this period Eliza found Alberni to be a major source of strength to the garrison, maintaining military discipline and promoting harmony between officers and men by his good example.
In 1791 Alberni expanded his horticultural efforts and was able to place the settlement on a better footing for the next winter. He was instrumental in improving relations with the local Nootkas, who were distressed by a number of confrontations with the enlisted men, and by the Spaniards’ occupation of the site of Yuquot, their summer village. When he learned that the Indians used flattery and songs in their own diplomacy, Alberni successfully emulated them with a simple verse for the soldiers to sing in Nootkan, praising chief Muquinna* and set to a popular Spanish melody. Alberni is credited with a large contribution to the compilation of a Nootkan-Spanish vocabulary, but he did not write any major account of the Spanish presence in Nootka Sound. Even so, he was there long enough to become an important source of information for others. Among the Spanish explorers on the northwest coast, naval officers Alejandro Malaspina and Juan Francisco de la Bodega* y Quadra, and naturalist José Mariano Moziño praised his ability and intelligence. Supported by fellow officers’ reports of his conduct, Alberni was successful in having the charge of insubordination dropped.
Bodega having arrived on 29 April 1792 to assume command at Nootka Sound, Alberni left there on 1 July; after a delay in Monterey he reached San Blas late in November. On 1 July he had been promoted lieutenant-colonel, and some time after his return he served for eight months as commander of the great castle of San Juan de Ulúa at Veracruz (Mexico) and king’s lieutenant of the port. When in 1796 the colonial régime once again feared foreign encroachment on the thinly settled California coast, Alberni with his company was sent to garrison San Francisco. Probably at the same time he was named military commander of the four major California presidios. Later transferred to Monterey, he died there on 11 March 1802.
Archivo General de Indias (Seville, Spain), Audiencia de México, legajo 1515, legajo 2424. Archivo General de la Nación (Mexico City), Sección de Historia, vol.69. Archivo General de Simancas (Simancas, Spain), Sección de Guerra y Marina, Guerra Moderna, legajo 7277. Museo Naval (Madrid), ms nos.271, 330–31. Provincial Arch. of B.C. (Victoria), “Original manuscript letters of Pedro Alberni, Commander Quadra, Gigedo and other Spanish officials concerning Spanish occupation on the northwest coast of America, 1789–93” (photocopies). J. M. Moziño [Losada] Suárez de Figueroa, Noticias de Nutka: an account of Nootka Sound in 1792, trans. and ed. I. H. Wilson [Engstrand] (Seattle, Wash., 1970). Viaje politico-científico alrededor del mundo por las corbetas Descubierta y Atrevida al mando de los capitanes de navío D. Alejandro Malaspina y Don José de Bustamante y Guerra desde 1789 á 1794, ed. Pedro de Novo y Colson (Madrid, 1885). F. X. de Viana, Diario del viaje explorador de las corbetas españolas “Descubierta” y “Atrevida” en los años de 1789 á 1794 . . . (Cerrito de la Victoria, Uruguay, 1849); repub. as Diario de viaje (2v., Montevideo, 1958). Cook, Flood tide of empire. C. I. Archer, “The transient presence: a re-appraisal of Spanish attitudes toward the northwest coast in the eighteenth century,” BC Studies (Vancouver), no.18 (summer 1973): 3–32. | <urn:uuid:5e501949-0af4-4424-a909-1a7cdfcf3cad> | {
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Tammy Kennon explores the rather unsettling changes happening in our brains, minds and emotions with the constant exposure to the internet and electronic gadgets. Published on February 28, 2017, in ‘The Week’, USA, and SOTT.
It’s hard to remember what life was like before we had the internet at our fingertips, smartphones in our pockets, and a laptop on every desk. Today, our brains are racing to adapt to the digital age. Cognitive neuroscientists say all that time we now spend in front of screens has changed the way we read and comprehend. Internet browsing has shortened both our attention spans and our patience. And it’s doing a number on our memories.
In one recent study, researchers asked people a series of trivia questions. Half the group was allowed to use Google, the other half was not. Then, in the second half of the study, all participants were given a new round of easier questions and told they could choose whether or not to use Google to answer them. Sounds pretty standard, right? But those who used the internet in the first round really struggled to answer any questions in the second round while relying solely on their own knowledge and memories. One-third of them didn’t even try, reaching for Google immediately.
“Whereas before we might have tried to recall something on our own, now we don’t bother,” says lead author Dr. Benjamin Storm. “As more information becomes available via smartphones and other devices, we become progressively more reliant on it in our daily lives.”
Of course, the internet has done a lot of good for the world. But considering these revelations, it’s worth highlighting a few of the more recent disorders that experts blame on our digital obsession:
Some people are afraid of spiders. Others, heights. Or maybe you’re unreasonably fearful of clowns. The list of phobias is long, and researchers recently added one more: In 2012, the world learned of “No-Mobile Phobia” or “nomophobia” — the feeling of panic one has upon being separated from one’s phone or tablet. In one U.K. survey, 73 percent of respondents felt panic when they misplaced their phone. And for another 14 percent, that panic spiraled into pure desperation.
But the research into this new fear is so new, it’s hard to say conclusively whether nomophobia is good or bad for our long-term health. “Maybe the nomophobic have higher quality relationships,” Piercarlo Valdesolo speculates at Scientific American. “Maybe the nomophobic have greater life satisfaction. Maybe they have more successful professional lives. Or maybe I should admit this is wishful thinking and try to detach from my device for a while.”
Our digital obsession might be doing more than just making us feel a bit panicky. It could also be dragging down our relationships. In one 2014 study, more than half of the 143 participants said that tech devices interrupt their leisure time, conversations, and meals with their significant other. The researchers gave these interruptions a name: “technoference.” Not surprisingly, higher technoference correlated directly with lower relationship and life satisfaction. “We would still hypothesize that when partners experience what they perceive to be an interruption due to technology, their views of the relationship are likely to suffer, especially if these interruptions are frequent,” says Brandon T. McDaniel, one of the study’s authors.
But it gets worse. Another study found that smartphones are getting in the way of our sex lives. A stunning 40 percent of participants said they’d postponed sex because of smartphone use. Some admitted to hurrying through sex just to answer a phone call or read a mobile notification. “I’ll be on Facebook and he’ll be on a sporting app while we are both in bed,” one participant admitted, “then we realize that we are literally sitting in bed together, but living in different worlds.”
3. The phantom ring
Fauxcellarm, phantom ringing, and ringxiety are new to our lexicon, thanks to the universal presence of our buzzing, pinging smartphones. These terms refer to the perception that one’s mobile device is ringing (or, more precisely, vibrating) when, in fact, it is not. David Laramie, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, studied this phenomenon for his dissertation. Among the 320 adult mobile phone users he polled, two-thirds of them reported experiencing phantom ringing. That is, they “heard” their phone ringing when it actually wasn’t. “Phantom vibrations are this unusual curiosity that speaks to our connection with our phones,” Laramie told Wired.
What causes this weird phenomenon? “What happens, I think, is that because your clothes are rubbing against your skin, you cause activity in the same receptors, and that activity is just similar enough to the activity caused by a vibrating phone that it triggers the learned association and the perception of a vibrating phone,” Sliman Bensmaia, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, explains.
Hypochondria is not a new disorder, but the internet has taken it to the next level. In the broadest definition, cyberchondria refers to people who research and diagnose their own illnesses online. Sure, we’ve probably all done that — in fact, one in three American adults say they have used the internet to self-diagnose. But for some people who might already be prone to hypochondria, this can be detrimental. They get neurotic, and go down a Google wormhole, frantically reading about every dreaded disease that matches their symptoms. A search for abdominal pain brings up diagnoses that include everything from food poisoning to stomach cancer, and soon, the Googler is convinced they’re dying.
This is a huge problem considering that online symptom checkers are wrought with inconsistencies and inaccuracies. More than half the time, the top diagnoses matching a symptom search will be wrong, one study found.
“For a number of reasons, most medical professionals aren’t too happy about the self-diagnosis trend,” writes psychologist Mary Aiken at Quartz. “It isn’t simply a matter of loss of control or an undermining of their authority through online medical searches — it can mess with the diagnostic process, because the results can suggest rare or morbid conditions to patients, which in turn can prompt the appearance of new ‘symptoms.'”
5. Truman Show Delusion
Do you ever have that spooky feeling that someone’s watching you? In the 1998 film The Truman Show, Truman Burbank had that feeling too, only his turned out to be true. Although the film was intended as a sort of dark comedy, it is not funny to those suffering from the Truman Show Delusion, the false perception that their lives are being broadcast. Joel Gold, a professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, first identified the syndrome in 2003.
Gold is co-author of Suspicious Minds: How Culture Shapes Madness, along with his brother Ian Gold, professor of philosophy and psychiatry at McGill University. They claim the disorder is not a new diagnosis but a fresh twist on persecutory and grandiose illusions. And while it isn’t directly caused by our digital devices, Truman Show Delusion is a product of our overly connected, reality-TV obsessed, social media – driven lifestyles that nurture our most narcissistic qualities.
“Shifts in technology have caused the content of delusions to change over the years,” writes Colin Lecher at Popular Science. “In the 1940s, the Japanese controlled American minds with radio waves; in the ’50s, the Soviets accomplished this with satellites; in the ’70s, the CIA implanted computer chips into people’s brains. And today’s delusion fuel? Take your pick of the Kardashian sisters, then compound it with a dose of the latest NSA revelations. The resulting delusions aren’t real, but they certainly aren’t random: They’re a half-skip past reality, a snippet of the world taken and blown out of proportion.” | <urn:uuid:4c2801fd-9c86-4f6b-954b-f402c963ad71> | {
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A Song of Southern Writers
Henry Lawson, 1892
Southern men of letters, vainly seeking recognition here
Southern men of letters, driven to the Northern Hemisphere!
It is time your wrongs were known; it is time you claimed redress
Time that you were independent of the mighty Northern press.
Sing a song of Southern writers, sing a song of Southern fame,
Of the dawn of art and letters and your native country's shame.
Talent goes for little here. To be aided, to be known,
You must fly to Northern critics who are juster than our own.
Oh! the critics of your country will be very proud of you,
When you're recognised in London by an editor or two.
You may write above the standard, but your work is seldom seen
Till it's noticed and reprinted in an English magazine.
In the land where sport is sacred, where the lab'rer is a god,
You must pander to the people, make a hero of a clod!
What avail the sacrifices of the battle you begin
For the literary honour of the land we're living in?
Print a masterpiece in Melbourne, and it will be lost, I ween,
But your weakest stuff is clever in a London magazine.
Write a story of the South, write it true and make it clear,
Put your soul in ever sentence, have the volume published here,
And 'twill only be accepted by our critics in the mist
As a "worthy imitation" of a Northern novelist.
For the volume needs the mighty Paternister Row machine,
With a patronising notice in an English magazine.
What of literary merit, while the Southern reader glories
In "American exchanges", with their childish nigger-stories;
In the jokes that ancient Romans chuckled over after lunch;
In the dull and starchy humour of the dreary London Punch?
Here they'll laugh at Southern humour laugh till they are out of breath
When it's stolen from the papers that Australia starves to death!
Do we ask why native talent art and music cannot stay?
Why Australian men of letters emigrate and keep away?
Do we ask why genius often vanishes beyond recall?
From the wrecks of honest journals comes the answer to it all.
Over Southern journalism let the epitaph be seen:
"STARVED BY CHEAP IMPORTED RUBBISH! AN AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE!"
Southern men of letters, seeking kinder fields across the waves,
Tell a shameful tale entitled "Deniehy's Forgotten Grave".
Ask the South of Charles Harpur! Seek the bitter truth, and tell
Of the life of Henry Kendall, in the land he loved so well!
Sing the songs he wrote in vain! Touch the South with bitter things;
Take the harp he touched so gently; show the blood upon the strings!
It was kind of Southern critics; it was very brave to mouth
At the volume of his boyhood, that was published in the South.
Kendall knew it all he knew it; and the tears were very near
When he spoke about the sorrows of "the man of letters here".
(And his wail of "O, My Brother!" came again to one who went
To his grave before "his brothers" mocked him with a monument.)
Banish envy, Southern writer! Strike with no uncertain hand,
For the sound of Gordon's rifle still is ringing through the land!
Ah! the niggard recognition! Ah! the "fame" that came in vain
To the poor dead poet lying with a bullet though his brain!
"Gone, my friends!" (he thought it better to be gone away from here),
Gone, my friends, with "last year's dead leaves ... at the falling of the year".
Pleasant land for one who proses, pleasant land for one who rhymes
With the terrible advantage of a knowledge of hard times:
To be patronised, "encouraged", praised for his contempt of "pelf",
To be told of greater writers who were paupers, like himself;
To be buried as a pauper; to be shoved beneath the sod
While the brainless man of muscle has the burial of a god.
We have learned the rights of labour. Let the Southern writers start
Agitating, too, for letters and for music and for art,
Till Australian scenes on canvas shall repay the artist's hand,
And the songs of Southern poets shall be ringing thro' the land,
Till the galleries of Europe have a place for Southern scenes,
And our journals crawl no longer to the Northern magazines.
First published in The Bulletin, 28 May 1892 | <urn:uuid:cbd90fd3-9d6f-4a35-a69f-fd2f7d50fae8> | {
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The Moon has fascinated researchers and poets alike since ancient times, but while the latter all agree on its beauty, scientists are still debating how the satellite was formed; recently, a new isotopic analysis seems to shed some new light on the matter, making things even more interesting than they were before.
Most believe that the Moon was formed when a hypothetical planet about as big as Mars, name Theia crashed into the Earth early in its existence, and the dramatic collision created a disc of magma which started to orbit our planet and later formed the Moon. This is called the giant impact hypothesis, and computer models indicate that at least 40 percent of the magma would have come from Theia, and one way to test this is to analyze isotopes of particular elements in rocks returned from the moon. Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element, with the same number of protons, but different number of neutrons.
Oxygen, for example has three isotopes: 16O, 17O and 18O, indicating differences in the number of neutrons each nucleus contains. Compare any two samples of oxygen found on Earth and you’ll find the proportions of 16O, 17O and 18O isotopes are almost identical in the two samples. The problem here was that previous isotopic analysis revealed that the Moon’s composition was very similar to that of the Earth – which doesn’t quite fit with the idea that 40 percent of the magma came from Theia, because it had a significantly different composition. However, a theory claimed that it’s possible that Earth may have exchanged oxygen gas with the magma disk that later formed the Moon shortly after the collision, explaining why the results are the same.
However, this new research showed that the proportion of 50Ti to 47Ti, which is another good indicator of whether a certain sample came from Earth, is also effectively the same on our planet and on the Moon. So what’s the difference between Titanium and Oxygen? Well, while an oxygen exchange between our planet and its satellite is perfectly possible, such a Titanium exchange would be practically impossible, because of the element’s very high boiling point.
“The oxygen isotopic composition would be very easily homogenized because oxygen is much more volatile, but we would expect homogenizing titanium to be very difficult.”
So if a giant collision didn’t do it, then what formed the Moon? A possibility is that of a glancing blow from a passing body left Earth spinning so rapidly that it threw some of itself off into space like a shot put, forming the disk that coalesced into the moon, which would perfectly explain why the Moon is so similar to Earth in terms of geochemistry. But there are some serious issues with this model as well, especially in explaining where all the extra angular momentum went after the moon formed.
Enjoyed this article? Join 40,000+ subscribers to the ZME Science newsletter. Subscribe now! | <urn:uuid:2b9bd49e-6918-4d6c-ba25-c0cb6b3fd945> | {
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Guest Post: Nathan Hodson
In a recent article in the Journal of Medical Ethics, Neil Levy has developed a concept of “nudges to reason,” offering a new tool for those trying to reconcile medical ethics with the application of behavioural psychological research – a practice known as nudging. Very roughly, nudging means adjusting the way choices are presented to the public in order to promote certain decisions.
As Levy notes, some people are concerned that nudges present a threat to autonomy. Attempts at reconciling nudges with ethics, then, are important because nudging in healthcare is here to stay but we need to ensure it is used in ways that respect autonomy (and other moral principles).
The term “nudge” is perhaps a misnomer. To fill out the concept a bit, it commonly denotes the use of behavioural economics and behavioural psychology to the construction of choice architecture through carefully designed trials. But every choice we face, in any context, already comes with a choice architecture: there are endless contextual factors that impact the decisions we make.
When we ask whether nudging is acceptable we are asking whether an arbitrary or random choice architecture is more acceptable than a deliberate choice architecture, or whether an uninformed choice architecture is better than one informed by research.
In fact the permissibility of a nudge derives from whether it is being used in an ethically acceptable way, something that can only be explored on an individual basis. Thaler and Sunstein locate ethical acceptability in promoting the health of the person being nudged (and call this Libertarian Paternalism — i.e.
The views, opinions and positions expressed by these authors and blogs are theirs and do not necessarily represent that of the Bioethics Research Library and Kennedy Institute of Ethics or Georgetown University. | <urn:uuid:71730520-9158-4287-bb4a-63ca4cfce84b> | {
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Prove that you can derive V-elimination rule from the the other rules by giviung a formal proof
I also have a question. In forming a negative statement, is the negative particle located before or after a verb? The answer is, it depends on the language. In English, "not" comes before a verb, e.g., "I do not want Brussels sprouts." In French, "ne" is located before a verb and "pas" is located after, e.g., "Je ne veux pas de chou de Bruxelles." (Arguably, "pas" is more important of the two.)
I am saying that unless you say what formal language (axioms and inference rules) you are using, there is no way to answer your question.
I presume that by "formal language", Mike12 was referring to the concept from mathematica logic, not a language in the sense of English or French. However, I have to admit that I have no idea what "V elimination" means!
Aha! I googled "Formal Language" and "v-elimination" and find that this is what I would call "modus tollens ponens" or "if 'p v q' (p or q) and 'not q' then p". Apparently the "v" being eliminated is the "or" symbol! I believe it can be derived from other, more basic, rules of logic but you must specify exactly which rules you are taking as "postulates". | <urn:uuid:d4e25d34-c692-4478-98ec-a92845657f2f> | {
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A family of mitochondrial enzymes (acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenases) that catalyse the first dehydrogenation step in the beta-oxidation of fatty acyl-CoA derivatives. There are different ACADs for short-, medium-, long- and very long-chain fatty acids. The product of the ACAD8 gene, also known as isobutyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99, 415 aa), converts isobutyryl-CoA into succinyl-CoA. At least four mutations in the ACAD8 gene have been identified and lead to isobutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency in which there may be dilated cardiomyopathy, anaemia, and carnitine deficiency.
Subjects: Medicine and Health. | <urn:uuid:22009c43-661f-4de1-8fe6-671c826f7c15> | {
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Individual differences |
Professional items |
World psychology |
Decision making ·
In learning theory and discrimination learning a discriminitive response is a response an organism makes of stimuli that it has to distinguish between in order to obtain a reward.
An example would be a pigeon in a Skinner box who has to choose between pecking at a square or a round stimulus in order to receive food, which would only be delivered after it hit the square target.
- Colman, A. M. (2006). Oxford Dictionary of Psychology. OUP:Oxford. | <urn:uuid:fa5ad4de-6335-4f36-8584-b02fe3cdd79f> | {
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- Web site:
- Contact: Nikki Pynn, <[email protected]>
- Short Description: geometry awareness in art and life
2nd grade students are learning about the artist Wayne Theibaud. Theibaud's artwork of the 60's displaying the geometric shapes and pattern of pastries lined up. We discuss the shapes as they appear in various paintings. Cylinders, triangular prisms, cylinder fractured making triangular prism, spheres within spheres on cylinders. A depiction of a cupcake, a cylinder, is the project that follows in our half hour class time. 3rd grade classes pick up where 2nd grade was introduced to art and geometry. 3rd graders draw cylinders and turn them into cakes. They draw the gumball machines using a directed method to show the shadowing that takes a circle to a cylinder. And, 3rd graders create a slice of pie using a template to create a pie shaped box that is colored and constructed. All of these activities are done in 5 half hour class times. | <urn:uuid:f075c168-f0c9-4b85-8d2c-fceed905dd01> | {
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13 Ways of Looking at a Poem
Stretch your imagination with this creative writing activity. In Wallace Stevens' poem, "13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", he tackled the challenge of coming up with 13 different ways to describe one object. Exercise your thinking skills as you and your child write a poem that uses that same idea!
This imaginative project offers your child the chance to observe the world around her, strengthen her creative writing skills, and discover how looking at an object from different perspectives can enhance her understanding of it. | <urn:uuid:50eca5c8-2ccc-492e-9779-05b7fe41d7d0> | {
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Isaac Jaggard, born 1600 (printer) and Edward Blount (printer), The First Folio, Museum Ref: L.1392-1882 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
April 2014 marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare, probably the most well-known playwright the world has produced. Such is his all-pervasive influence on our culture that even a cursory glance at the V&A’s online ‘Search the Collections’ reveals over 1,000 references to objects ranging from sculpture to ceramics, prints, drawings and jewellery.
As part of the Museum’s ‘Shakespeare Festival’ which will be held at the V&A throughout April, we will be working with a number of schools on a performance project called ‘Shakespeare in a Suitcase.’ Inspired by a higher-education event of the same name, devised and hosted at the V&A in 2012, the aims of the project are: to introduce schools to Shakespeare-related objects to inspire them to produce performances and re-interpretations of his plays and to give them the opportunity to perform at the Museum to the general public and other schools. The practical limitation is that anything the students need to produce their work must fit in a standard, family-sized suitcase.
A number of schools were approached in November last year to gauge their interest and expand on the project and six were chosen to take part. January and February saw the groups visit the V&A to have an introductory session which included a drama workshop, looking at ways of incorporating objects in performance and tours of the Theatre and Performance and other galleries.
Skull of Yorick used by Jonathan Pryce as Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Royal Court Theatre 1980, Museum Ref: S.151-2007 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The workshop encouraged the group to relate to an object within the V&A that might help to symbolise a play – a dagger for Macbeth, for example or a handkerchief for Othello…
In the first exercise, the group were invited to form a standing circle and were introduced to the object (in this example, a glass, mirrored jewellery box) by being told that ‘this object is owned, or in the possession of, a Shakespearean character you know very well…’ The group were free to choose any character they knew. In the event that they didn’t know a Shakespeare character, any fictional character would actually work. The purpose was to ‘hook’ the group to the object and begin the process of dramatic invention.
The object was placed in the middle of the circle where it remained for the length of the session.
The group were asked to perform a series of imaginative tasks together such as saying the name of their character out loud to the object. To create varying mood and atmosphere, the names were whispered or shouted or echoed; individuals were given a number between one and five. All the ones spoke together first, then twos etc…They were asked to give their spoken word an intention in relation to the audience: Did they want to scare the audience, intrigue them or something different ? An underlying theme of the workshop structure was to play physically and vocally with ‘contrast’ – fast / slow, up / down, loud / quiet…
Siegmund Hildesheimer & Co, ‘King Richard III Act III Scene 1″, 1890s, Museum Ref: S.63-2008 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
All were invited to think of three adjectives that their character would use about the object and to say these aloud, with intentions too. Movement was added by asking small groups to imagine how the object would move if it could. The group were not asked to ‘be’ the box but to find a way of suggesting the essence of its possible movement e.g. a gliding, smooth motion that referenced the shiny, mirror-like quality of the box.
Finally, each student was asked to take up a physical still-image that represented the summing-up of their thoughts, as the character, about the object – some ended up almost on top of the box, holding it tight; others put themselves at the furthest point away from the object, against the walls of the playing space. The result was an intriguing final image with the group frozen at varying levels and distances between themselves and the jewellery box.
The above could form the basis of an effective opening to their piece. There is now the scope to explore characters’ stories in more depth and to explain to an audience what significance the object has for them.
In the time available, the group could only begin this process. The objects in the Museum have a wealth of background material in terms of label information and object stories that can also be used to add depth to the students’ work – this will form the focus of the next stage where they will choose a play and begin preparation for their performances.
At the end of this section, students were asked to fill out, on paper, responses to four simple statements:
‘Shakespeare. When I see this name I think…
Shakespeare’s plays are…
Museums. When I see this word I think…
I think performing in a museum will be…’
These will be revisited at the end of the project to see if each of the schools’ appreciation has changed, hopefully in a positive way.
To see a list of workshops, talks and performances running during the Shakespeare Festival take a look at http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/s/shakespeare/
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February 13, 2012
Teen Dating Violence Often Occurs Alongside Other Abuse
Psychologist raises awareness of high-risk teens
Reporters/editors/producers note: The following feature was produced by the American Psychological Association. Feel free to use in its entirety or in part; we only request that you credit APA as the source.
In February, romance is typically associated with Valentine’s Day. But for some teens, a dating partner can prove to be abusive rather than affectionate. Some teens become violent or abusive to exert power and control over a dating partner. February is national Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, an opportunity to provide teens, their parents, educators and friends information and resources to recognize and prevent teen dating violence.
Psychologist and APA member Sherry L. Hamby, PhD, is a research associate professor at Sewanee, the University of the South, and a research associate with the University of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center. She is editor of the APA journal Psychology of Violence, which this month is releasing a special issue about the interconnections among different types of violence. For the special issue, she is lead author of the article, “Teen Dating Violence: Co-Occurrence with Other Victimizations in the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV).”
APA recently asked Dr. Hamby the following questions:
APA: Why do some teens become violent toward their dates? Are there signs a teen should look for in a prospective date before deciding to go out?
Dr. Hamby: Teen dating violence doesn’t just spring from nowhere. Both teens who use violence and those who are vulnerable to being victimized have typically experienced previous victimizations, harsh parenting and other adversities. Some of the most dangerous youth are those who expect their dates to meet all of their emotional and social needs. Jealousy—especially jealousy that is way out of proportion to how long a couple has been dating or how serious their relationship is—is a big warning sign. So are controlling and monitoring behaviors. If you have to send your boyfriend a picture from your phone to prove that you are really at your grandmother’s house, that’s a problem.
Youth who turn to violence to solve other problems are also at increased risk of perpetrating teen dating violence.
APA: Has teen dating violence increased in recent years, and if so, why? Are there usually more incidents near or on Valentine’s Day?
Dr. Hamby: Our data show the rate of teen dating violence is holding fairly steady, unlike some forms of violence which are dropping. Dating violence affects approximately one in 13 youth. Also, there is the problem not only of the persistence of physical teen dating violence but the emergence of new forms of abuse, such as cyberbullying and cyberstalking.
Valentine’s Day and other holidays or special occasions present increased risk largely due to increased consumption of alcohol. Data show that physical violence is more than three times as likely on days that alcohol is consumed compared to days with no drinking. This pattern also holds for psychological aggression, especially for males, who are more than seven times as likely to be psychologically aggressive on days when they drink, while females are about one-and-a-half times more likely. Valentine’s Day can also increase vulnerability because research has shown that for some teens it can be a day associated with intercourse, including first sexual intercourse.
APA: Does the research show any links between teen dating violence and today’s increased use of social media?
Dr. Hamby: Yes, our new study coming out in Psychology of Violence provides the first nationally representative data showing a strong association between teen dating violence and cyberbullying. Victims of teen dating violence are three to four times more likely to be cyberbullied as other teens. These aren’t all boyfriends and girlfriends abusing each other online and in person. It reflects a pervasive vulnerability for all teens that is probably due to parents, teachers and other adults failing to prioritize the safety of teens in their lives.
APA: What are some of the behavioral signs of a teen who is a victim of teen dating violence?
Dr. Hamby: Parents and other concerned adults can watch for a dramatic decline in contact with other friends. It is natural that a boyfriend and girlfriend will want to spend time together, and this will often take up some of their free time that previously might have been spent with other peers. Still, it is important to maintain nondating friendships and it is worrisome if time with friends falls to near zero or they seem anxious about making plans that don’t include their partner. Of course, classic signs of psychological distress, such as symptoms of anxiety or depression, are associated with teen dating violence and numerous other problems and should be investigated.
APA: What should parents do if they suspect their child is a victim of dating violence? What can teens do if they are a victim or if they know someone who is a victim?
Dr. Hamby: There are many steps that parents and other bystanders can take, starting with simply expressing concern and offering to be a safe, nonblaming person to talk to about relationships. Parents are important role models for teens (whether it seems like it or not) and also need to make sure their own relationships are respectful and egalitarian. Speaking up when you see someone being treated badly is also a way to help create community norms that promote healthy relationships. Finally, all parents should know about resources in their area and online. No matter where you live in the United States, teens, parents or anyone else can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or loveisrespect at 1-866-331-9474, text “loveis” to 77054.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 154,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
Contact: Dr. Sherry Hamby can be reached at (931) 598-1476 or by email. A photo of Dr. Hamby is available upon request.
Article: “Teen Dating Violence: Co-Occurrence With other Victimizations in the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) (PDF, 68KB),” Sherry Hamby, PhD, Sewanee, University of the South; David Finkelhor, PhD, and Heather Turner, PhD, University of New Hampshire; Psychology of Violence, Vol. 2, No. 2.
Additional website resources
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Good news: British anthropologists take part in public debates. The ASA (Association of Social Anthropologists) issued a statement where they "condemn the use of terms like 'stone age' and 'primitive' to describe tribal and indigenous peoples alive today".
We anthropology bloggers have often criticized the use of these terms.
The official condemnation comes in the wake of controversial comments made on the BBC (not online!) by Baroness Jenny Tonge, the Liberal Democrat peer, who called the Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert 'stone age' and 'primitive.'
The ASA statement reads:
'All anthropologists would agree that the negative use of the terms 'primitive' and 'Stone Age' to describe [tribal peoples] has serious implications for their welfare. Governments and other social groups. . . have long used these ideas as a pretext for depriving such peoples of land and other resources.'
The ASA has become the latest supporter of Survival International's campaign against racism in the media which challenges the use of terms like 'stone age', 'primitive' and 'savage' to describe tribal and indigenous peoples.
Survival International writes:
Terms like 'stone age' and 'primitive' have been used to describe tribal people since the colonial era, reinforcing the idea that they have not changed over time and that they are backward. This idea is both incorrect and very dangerous. It is incorrect because all societies adapt and change, and it is dangerous because it is often used to justify the persecution or forced 'development' of tribal peoples. The results are almost always catastrophic: poverty, alcoholism, prostitution, disease and death.
But why do they still use the term tribe in their campaign? Why not use society or community? Doesn't the term tribe imply something similar as "primitive"?
As I've mentioned earlier, several African scholars argue that the idea of tribe promotes misleading stereotypes and that "anyone concerned with truth and accuracy should avoid the term "tribe" in characterizing African ethnic groups or cultures".
In their paper Talking about "Tribe" Moving from Stereotypes to Analysis, they argue that:
Black Britain sheds more light on the use of this term. Several scholars, among others sociologist and cultural historian Lez Henry say that Survival and the ASA should also examine their use of the terms ‘tribe’ and ‘tribal.’ Henry says, people in Africa who live simple agrarian lifestyles are often seen as ‘primitive.’ Such notions served as justification for the colonisation of countries designated as ‘third world’. For Ekwe Ekwe, the term ‘tribe’ conjures up images of being unsophisticated and away from technological advancement.
According to Survival, they are guided by the United Nations in their definition of the term ‘tribe.’:
“Survival uses the term ‘tribal’ peoples, partly because we need a way to describe the type of people that we are working with. The term ‘indigenous’ can be used as well and often is.”
Following publication of the Black Britain article, the ASA contacted Black Britain to clarify its position and said:
"The ASA does not support the use of the term 'tribal' to describe people...We share your concerns about the use of the word in perjorative ways in the same vein as primitive, etc.
"However, we do support the overall aim of the campaign which is to change perceptions and work against racism and outdated ideas of social evolution. Hence we wish to support Survival International's aims even if the wording is difficult."
This whole ‘tribe’ thing is something of a specialty of mine. Two classic sources people might be interested in reading are “The Concept of Tribe” by Morton Fried and “The Illusion of Tribe” by Aidan Southall.
A tribe is a type of community. It does not imply them to be primitive unless you are ignorant of what the term really means. We assume too much of words. Tribe is really eh same as saying “suburb or rural area.
I’d rather say we assume too little of words and reflect too little about it. If you use “tribe” the way you described, that’s fine, but as shown here, it’s mostly used in a different way. | <urn:uuid:ac4dc1f9-a437-4e19-87bb-39e037041239> | {
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The Weird and Wonderful World of Whiptails (Full Article)Author: Neale Monks, PhD
Whiptails are probably the most underrated catfishes in the hobby. They combine bizarre looks with hardiness, adaptability, and utterly peaceful temperaments. While generally they are carnivores rather than algae-eaters, their predatory instincts are directed toward worms and insect larvae, and whiptails won’t harm even the smallest tankmates, such as livebearer fry.
In short, they are excellent community tank catfish, among the best in fact, and I have to confess to having a very soft spot for them. Watching them move about is quite a sight; the smaller Rineloricaria species, for example, walk along using their mouth and pelvic fins like stilts!
One of the best things about whiptails is the range of species available. True, there aren’t as many whiptails as there are Corydoras catfish, but there’s a good range nonetheless. At the small end are dwarfs such as Rineloricaria parva, which are only 3 to 4 inches long, while the biggest species, like Pseudohemiodon laticeps, get to about a foot in length. So no matter how big your community aquarium, there’s a whiptail species for you!
Ichthyologists divide the whiptails into two tribes, the Loricariini and the Harttiini. This division is actually quite informative and can be helpful when trying to decide on the best conditions for a given whiptail. The Loricariini live in rivers, where they favor sandy substrates and leaf litter. The Harttiini live on solid substrates, either wood or rocks, and are often found in fast-flowing habitats such as rapids and upland streams.
There are also differences between the two tribes in terms of diet. While the Loricariini are carnivorous and feed extensively on insect larvae and worms, the Harttiini instead consume green algae and what biologists callaufwuchs, the tiny organisms that live within the algal turf. Broadly speaking, the Loricariini are easy to maintain and adapt well to captivity while the Harttiini tend to be much more challenging.
There are more than 30 whiptail genera, many of which are never seen in aquarium shops. Among the Loricariini, most of the small whiptails seen in the trade come from the genus Rineloricaria (or Hemiloricaria, according to some authorities). These include such favorites as the common whiptail R. parva and the red dragon whiptail R. sp. L010A. Quite a few other genera from the Loricariini are seen from time to time, though, including species of Loricaria, Planiloricaria, and Pseudohemiodon.
The Harttiini are primarily represented in the trade by various Farlowella species, usually called “twig catfish” without any attempt to tell the different species apart. A second genus, Sturisoma, is also quite commonly seen. It is very rare to see any of the other Harttiini in aquarium shops, though species of Lamontichthys and Sturisomatichthys are imported once in a while.
Keeping the open-water Loricariini isn’t difficult. Good water quality is important, of course, and while they prefer soft, slightly acidic water, they also do well in moderately hard, slightly basic water. Aim for a hardness of 3° to 15°, and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. As for water temperature, they prefer conditions on the cool to middling side like many South American fish; 72° to 79°F is about right for most species. In other words, they like the same sorts of living conditions as neon tetras, black phantom tetras, Corydoras catfish, sheepshead acara, and keyhole cichlids. On the other hand, cardinal tetras, common rams, discus, and wild-caught angels prefer somewhat warmer conditions, and these wouldn’t be the best companions for whiptails.
Substrate is an issue, though, given that these whiptails forage in open water rather than among rocks or plants. What they really enjoy is a sandy substrate, such as the kinds of smooth silica sand (sometimes called silver sand) sold in garden centers for use in horticulture. This inexpensive, lime-free sand won’t affect water chemistry and is so smooth it won’t damage burrowing fish, something that can’t always be said about substrates like colored and black sands.
While you could use Indian almond Terminalia catappa leaves to create authentic-looking leaf litter, low-lying plants such as Cryptocoryne and dwarf lilies are just as useful and last much longer. Your whiptails won’t care, provided there are lots of open areas between individual clumps of plants.
Feeding open-water whiptails like Rineloricaria is easy. Catfish pellets and algae wafers are readily consumed and make nutritious staples. Such fare can be supplemented with fresh and frozen foods, such as bloodworms and chopped seafood. Whiptails are not strong competitors, however, and some care should be taken to make sure they get enough to eat. A few Corydoras shouldn’t cause any serious problems in a community tank large enough for everyone to find something to eat, but bigger, pushier bottom-feeders such as loaches and common plecos are not good companions for whiptails.
Farlowella spp. and the other Harttiini are much more demanding. While some come from slow-moving pockets of water in shallow streams, others are rheophilic, meaning that they come from habitats dominated by strong water currents. Either way, the Harttiini all seem to be very sensitive to the stagnant, oxygen-poor conditions commonly found in overstocked or poorly maintained aquaria.
Most whiptail catfish require highly oxygenated water and prefer a hefty current. Fortunately, it is easy to provide a suitable environment for them, in large part thanks to the demand for wave makers for reef tanks. In addition to regular powerheads, which have been available for a long time, there are today many water pumps designed specifically to move water in powerful currents.
These work much like fans used to circulate air. They do not produce the pressure that powerheads do and cannot be used to lift water against head pressure, but they can move a large quantity of water very quickly—they create currents. By operating such pumps alternately, aimed in opposite directions, a reef aquarist can produce water movement that mimics wave action, which is beneficial for many reef animals.
The same equipment set up to move water constantly in one direction will create enough current to please any rheophilic species. Using a long, low aquarium will enhance the effect and provide plenty of water movement both at the bottom, where whiptails tend to be, and at the surface, where gas exchange—oxygenation—occurs.
Besides good water quality and robust filtration, feeding is the other key problem with the Harttiini. These whiptails really do need green algae in their diet, and that means they are best kept in a mature, spacious, and brightly lit aquarium that allows them to forage naturally. Algae wafers, Spirulina flake, sliced zucchini, and cooked spinach are also good foods, but these whiptails really should be provided with at least some live green algae in their diet as well.
By and large whiptails are gregarious catfish that work well in groups. Mature males of those species that defend a nest can sometimes be territorial, but any aggression is limited to scaring off threats or rivals. Indeed, the mildly territorial antics of the smaller whiptail species only add to their charm.
As far as tankmates go, the main things to remember are that whiptails are slow feeders and easy targets for nippy or aggressive fish. The best companions are docile, midwater fish like tetras, rasboras, danios, and so on. Within reason, a small school of Corydoras catfish or kuhli loaches shouldn’t cause any harm either, so long as there’s enough food to go around. Whiptails can make good companions for gouramis and the more peaceful dwarf cichlids, but they’re easily damaged if such fish become aggressive.
Nippy tankmates like tiger barbs, serpae tetras, and pufferfish should not be mixed with whiptails at all. Their instinctive reaction to trouble—sitting still and hoping not to be noticed—makes them easy targets for those types of fish.
Rineloricaria species in particular are regularly bred in captivity. Like bristlenose catfish Ancistrus spp., these small whiptails will breed without any intervention on the part of the aquarist. Obviously you’ll need a pair—males generally have more bristles on their cheeks than the females. If you start with a group of six whiptails, males should claim their own territories around the tank, and the females will mate with them as they see fit.
Essentially they’re spawned in exactly the same way as bristlenose catfish, and if you’ve bred them, then breeding Rineloricaria whiptails won’t present any surprises. Spawning takes place in hollow tubes, and then the male guards the eggs after driving the female away. Brood sizes are small, typically fewer than 100 eggs. The fry hatch after about a week but won’t exhaust their yolk sac for a day or so afterward. Once that happens the fry eat algae, liquid fry food, and very finely powdered flake food.
Farlowella and Sturisoma spp. are bred in aquaria less frequently, probably because they’re more difficult to maintain properly. These whiptails spawn on flat surfaces, often vertical ones like the glass walls of the tank.
Again brood sizes are small, and again the male looks after his offspring until they are free-swimming. Once the fry have used up their yolk sacs, they’re quite easy to rear on algae, infusoria, and finely powdered flake food. One thing that does seem to hold true for the Harttiini generally is that brisk water currents and ample oxygen levels are both essential to success, not just for ensuring the eggs and fry stay healthy, but also for getting the adults to spawn in the first place.
Not all the whiptails breed in such a conventional manner. Some of the larger open-water Loricariini have found a novel solution to guarding their fry in habitats lacking suitable caves: They carry their spawn around on their lips! Among the genera known to include lip-brooding species are Loricaria and Pseudohemiodon.
After spawning, the males gather up the small clutches of eggs—typically just a few dozen—and keep them together using their lips. Unsurprisingly, males have larger lips than the females, a useful tip when trying to sex these sorts of whiptails. Lip-brooding whiptails aren’t commonly bred in captivity, but it does happen from time to time, and apart from the way the males guard their eggs, rearing the fry once they’ve hatched isn’t much different to that of other whiptails.
The most commonly seen whiptails are species of Rineloricaria. Telling many of these small whiptails apart is not easy, and while names such as R. fallax, R. lanceolata, R. lima, and R. parva are often bandied about, the chances are that a whole range of species have been sold under these names fairly indiscriminately. That said, Rineloricaria parva is probably the most commonly traded species at the moment.
Fortunately, basic care seems to be consistent across the genus. All Rineloricaria are small with the biggest species, like R. lanceolata, getting to about 6 inches long, while the smaller species such as R. parva are only half that size. So far as stocking goes, allow 3 to 4 gallons per specimen. They can be kept singly, but Rineloricaria are more fun in groups.
There are two reddish-brown whiptails in the trade: R. lanceolata “red” and the red dragon whiptail Rineloricaria sp. L010A. They may or may not be the same thing. In fact, it isn’t known if they’re a naturally occurring morph, an artificial form produced on fish farms, or a hybrid of some sort. In any case, it’s the females that tend to be redder in color, the males being more rusty brown.
The larger whiptails including Loricaria, Planiloricaria, and Pseudohemiodon species can be kept in broadly the same way, provided due allowance is made for their larger size. P. apithanos is perhaps the most remarkable of the larger whiptails, being one of the very few catfish able to change its color at will.
It is normally light gray with an inverted-T-shaped reddish-brown to black marking on its dorsal surface, the stalk of the T running from the snout as far back as the dorsal fin, and then the transverse bar of the T across the back from side to side. There’s another band spanning the tail a bit farther back, and the tail fin is dark as well. When disturbed it turns jet black. Its maximum length is about 8 inches. P. apithanos isn’t difficult to keep, but given its size will require larger sandy areas than the smaller Rineloricaria whiptails, and it’s also considerably more adept at uprooting plants while foraging.
The Tricky Twig Catfish
As mentioned several times already, the Harttiini can be quite difficult to keep. The genus Farlowella includes around 30 species, at least three of which are routinely traded: F. acus, F. gracilis, and F. vittata. Telling them apart is difficult, and, as with Rineloricaria whiptails, misidentifications probably happen all the time.
Fortunately for the aquarist, basic care seems to be similar for all species. Soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic to slightly basic water at middling temperatures suits them best. Aim for a hardness of 3° to 10°, a pH of 6.0 to 7.5, and a temperature of 75° to 79°F. Good water circulation is critical, as all Farlowella suffer if kept in poorly oxygenated, overstocked living conditions.
When I was a teenager during the 1980s, the giant twig catfish of the genus Sturisoma were among the most highly prized catfish in the trade. These impressive catfish proved to be easier to keep than Farlowella, they breed in captivity quite readily, and the farmed specimens in particular are not hard to maintain.
That said, Sturisoma are fussier than Rineloricaria whiptails. They need a spacious tank, good water quality, and plenty of oxygen to do well. Like other twig catfish, they’re largely herbivorous. The two most common species are Sturisoma aureum and S. barbatum, both of which get to a maximum length of around 12 inches. S. panamense is sometimes seen as well, and it only gets to about 8 inches. None of them tolerate very warm water; keep them at 70° to 75°F.
Many of the whiptails have extra-long fin rays projecting from their tail fins, but Lamontichthys filamentosus has long extensions to its pectoral and dorsal fins as well. It’s a beautiful catfish that only gets to about 6 inches in length, but alas, it does poorly in captivity, even compared to Farlowella. It is definitely a species for the experienced hobbyist with a mature tank having enough green algae to tide the fish over until it gets used to algae wafers and other prepared foods. To be on the safe side, don’t combine this catfish with anything likely to compete for food, even other whiptails.
Usually when articles are written about oddball fish, they raise expectations with photos of funky-looking fish but then shatter those hopes by listing a litany of problems associated with said oddballs—need for brackish water or live food, psychotic social behavior, immense size, and so on. But the whiptails are different. At their best, as with the Loricariini, these are oddball catfish eminently suitable for community tanks. Not rough-and-tumble communities to be sure, but whiptails will do just fine with danios, tetras, and Corydoras catfish.The Harttiini are less accommodating, but not impossibly so, and with a bit of care even these can be kept in mixed species setups. What’s not to like about the weird and wonderful world of whiptails?
See the full article on TFH Digital http://www.tfhdigital.com/tfh/201103#pg81 | <urn:uuid:131df74b-93f6-4357-abab-d2524b8a589f> | {
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By Anjum Altaf in Himal Magazine
Thomas Babington Macaulay, commonly known as Lord Macaulay, is widely recognised yet inadequately understood in Southasia. While the legacy of his ‘decisions’ is correctly criticised, that criticism is often for the wrong reasons. Macaulay served on the Supreme Council of India from 1834 until 1838, during which time he sided with Governor-General William Bentinck in the adoption of English as the medium of instruction from the sixth standard onwards.
Macaulay’s legacy was that Indian governance, by the time of Independence, was completely unrepresentative, with a class in power largely alienated from its cultural roots and the majority of its fellow citizens because of its education. It is hardly surprising, then, that 1947 brought little change in the parameters of colonial education, with the elite persisting in the belief that an English education, now abetted with technical skills, remained the path to modernisation. And while the churn of democracy is gradually changing the balance of power, the hold of the ancien regime still remains sufficient to stifle meaningful change. Today, the outcome is that almost half the Subcontinent’s population remains illiterate; the majority of the rest is poorly educated at best and indoctrinated at worst. Education is still subservient to the imperatives of governance (the need for a pliant population), ideology (the need to promote various nationalisms), utilitarianism (the need to serve the job market), and economics (the need to minimise expenditures). As a result, there exists a huge intellectual gulf and a lack of shared social values between the haves and the have-nots.
Of course, Pakistan and India have diverged in significant ways since 1947. In Pakistan, the ideological imperatives of the two-nation theory (and the subsequent attempt to transplant its cultural roots to Arabia) succeeded in destroying even elite education, while also radicalising a significant proportion of the country’s population. India has suffered largely from the benign neglect of mass education. Thus, while Pakistan has spiralled into a ‘failing’ state with an empty mind and lethal limbs, India has been described as a ‘flailing’ state, in which its very capable head remains poorly connected with woefully weak arms and legs. In both countries, Macaulay’s children continue to deny the place of education as a basic human right, the primary purpose of which is to enable all citizens to think independently for themselves. And Macaulay’s stepchildren have not yet found the strength to seize that right for themselves.
This is an excerpt from the article that appeared in Himal Magazine’s January 2010 special issue on education in South Asia. The complete article can be accessed here.
Sources for most of the quotations in this article can be found in Stephen Evans, ‘Macaulay’s Minute Revisited: Colonial Language Policy in Nineteenth-century India,’ Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, Vol. 23, No. 4, 2002. Himal Magazine left out this citation from the published version of the article. | <urn:uuid:973122ba-53a8-4acf-a656-7ebececc9b35> | {
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Transcript of Narrative Explained
In Media Studies, it is important to tell the difference between narrative and story
Story = a sequence of events
Narrative = the way those events are put together to be presented to an audience.
Analysing a narrative will involve the following:
This refers to all the aspects of narrative construction that involve technical decision making. Therefore anything to do with
camera angles and movement, lighting, sound, props. shot framing and composition, design and layout and editing.
What do each of the choices made tell you about what is going on - for instance, is a character shot from a high or low angle and how does that make you, the audience, feel about them? How are sound effects used to help you make sense of what is going on?
The use of language - written and spoken - and signs contained in graphics. We learn a lot about a narrative from what we are told in this way, but the best narratives show rather than tell, leaving the audience to draw their own conclusions.
These are the signs contained in the narrative that we decode as being significant and having meaning - for example a ragged coat worn by a character may mean that they are poor and possibly hungry. Think of them as clues that have to be followed, and different viewers/readers will follow clues in different ways.
Russian theorist, Tzvetan Todorov, suggests that all narratives follow a three part structure. They begin with equilibrium, where everything is balanced, progress as something comes along to disrupt that equilibrium, and finally reach a resolution, when equilibrium is restored.
This simple formula can be applied to virtually all narratives - it is a more formal way of thinking about the beginning, middle and end, and it takes into account Aristotle's theory that all drama is conflict ie there is a disequilibrium at the heart of every narrative.
Todorov came up with his theories after making a study of Russian folk tales. So too did Vladimir Propp, who came up with the theory that there are only a certain number of characters, who crop up in most narratives. It is easy to spot the hero and villain in most cases, but here are some others:
Character Type Role within narrative
Protagonist (or Hero) Leads the narrative, is usually looking for something (a quest) or trying to
solve something (a mystery). Does not have to be male :)
Antagonist (or Villain) Gets in the protagonist's way
Heroine Is usually some sort of prize or reward for the hero. NB if your hero is
female, your heroine can be male :)
Father An authority figure who offers a reward to the hero for completing their
quest. That reward might be a prince or a princess or a cool new job
Helper Helps the hero - often acts as a sidekick
Donor Gives the hero something - a clue, a talisman, a special power - which
helps them complete their quest
Mentor Teaches and guides the hero
These characters and the typical things that they do can be seen across a wide range of narratives. We expect them to be there, and to behave in a certain way. Try identifying them in
and then think about how they are used in
As well as Aristotle deciding that 'all drama is conflict' in the 4th century BC, 20th century theorist Claude Levi-Strauss suggested that
all narratives had to be driven forward by conflict
that was cause by a series of
. He called this the theory of Binary Opposition, and it is used to describe how each main force in a narrative has its equal and opposite. Analysing a narrative means identifying these opposing forces
light/dark good/evil noise/silence youth/age
right/wrong poverty/wealth strength/weakness inside/outside
and understanding how the conflict between them will drive the narrative on until, finally, some sort of balance or resolution is achieved.
Narrative - Every Picture Tells A Story
Find a dramatic photograph which contains a narrative that you can deconstruct.
ie - the photograph has to contain or suggest
equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium
and you must be able to list some of the technical codes and symbolic codes.
You can try looking in
and the following websites:
Yahoo Top Stories - Photos
Time - Photos
American Museum of Photography
good examples of non-linear narrative is Nolan's Memento (2000)
and the japanese film
in a film is not just what happens. The plot is the series of
conflicts or obstacles
that the screenplay author and director introduce into
the life of the characters
onscreen. The theme or message is the main point or points that the viewer draws from the way the characters respond to the obstacles or resolve the conflict in the film.
Narrative - plot -story
Exposition - rising action - Climax - falling action- denouement or resolution (comic, tragic, linear)
• Classic Hollywood linear / three Act (Wizard of Oz)
• Exposition, rising action, climax, resolution
• Cliff-hanger, red herring (Psycho), MacGuffin, twists
• Conflict, sub plots, binary opposition, catalyst
• Multiple, parallel and/or intersecting storylines (e.g. Titanic, Singing in the Rain); flashbacks/flashforwards (Atonement); montage
tripartite structure (Run Lola Run)
The following sentence outlines a story: The king dies and then the queen dies. A plot requires the notion of causality: The king dies, and then the queen dies of grief. the Narration of the story might be: The queen is grieving heavily. she remembers the King's recent death. One week later she dies too.
deconstructs a character, complicates an event, situation, or a combination of these elements by reordering the time sequence and creating a new arrangement of time for dramatic, and thematic, purposes. This rearrangement makes the telling of a story more compelling than if we left the scene progression in chronological order.
This unconventional structure doesn't mean audiences can't understand the film/medium. Viewers understand by making cause-and-effect connections between the scenes. Each beat of information must relate to what comes before and after, even if a scene transcends the chronological order of time. In nonlinear films, relationships created between the various time segments form a specific meaning when taken all together.
it's like connecting the dots
Think of narrative as storytelling: that is, as a way of ordering events and thoughts in a coherent sequence that makes them interesting to listen to. It therefore has a strong oral heritage. It's a story unfolding involving a plot (complex or simple).The sequence doesn’t have to be strictly chronological, though it can be; it can include digressions and flashbacks and foreshadowings, just as a story recounted around a campfire can.
other examples of non-linear narrative films:
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
- Batman Begins (2005)
- Sin City (2005)
-Flags of our Fathers (2006)
- The Prestige (2006)
- Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
- Watchmen (2009)
- Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
- Kill Bill (2003)
Do you know which types of ending the following films have?
- Children of Men
- American Psycho
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Shutter Island
- The Graduate
- The Village
- King Kong
- Black Swan
- The Holiday
- The Last of the Mohican
- Planet of the Apes
- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
- Total Recall
- High School Musical
- Silence of the lambs
2001 A Space Odyssey
Pulp Fiction (1994) Timeline
Summary of Narrative
study of narrative
different ways that media texts can tell a story.
Narrative is strongly linked to the
audience and purpose
of the text.
Therefore, when analysing a narrative we analyse the
construction of the story
ie the way it has been put together, not the story itself. You also need to consider what the story is about in its most basic terms, ie the theme (eg Love, war, winning).
All media texts have a narrative, whether they are a six hour TV miniseries or a one paragraph newspaper story or a glossy magazine photograph.
conflict comes primarily in two forms –
and external. Internal conflict involves the internal decisions, challenges or problems a character must overcome within their own psyche in order to advance in the story. These types of conflict are important because they develop the character throughout the story, making them more relatable to the audience.
l conflict can be physical, verbal or ideological – whatever it is, it is generally between more than one person and this sparks a great deal of action and/or drama in the narrative.
hopeful - sometimes tinged with sadness (one of the main characters may die) but we get a sense of hope for other characters/the world, things will be better (Road to Perdition, Titanic etc.)
Explicit (often happy) ending: everything is explained and ending is satisfactory
implicit: we often have to interpret the ending but directors ususally leave clues throughout the film that helps with the interpretation (e.g. American Psycho)
tragic (sad ending): leaves a sense of doom/gloom/hopelessness (e.g. the last of the Mohicans) with sometimes only a flicker of hope (e.g. children of Men)
twist: unexpected ending that we didn't unticiapte because of Red Herrings or simply a new revelation that can leave the audience feel 'cheated' if done poorly
tie-back: film starts with showing a character's fate and ends with having explained why
Unresolved endings (often cliffhangers): main conflict left unanswered and nothing is resolved, it feels like the story could go on (Halloween, Batman begins)
long-view ending: tells us what happens to characters in the future (e.g. last Harry Potter film)
ambiguous: we re not sure what to make of it, often feels like it's not as happy or positive as we expected (Inception)
Types of Endings:
2001: A Space Odyssey - http://whatculture.com/film/10-ambiguous-movie-endings-that-had-ridiculously-simple-solutions.php/2 | <urn:uuid:b55358de-e2e8-42fb-bafc-a41454a9790c> | {
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Although he frequently and vehemently denied it, Patrick Kavanagh was a distinctively Irish poet. He had already formed his own voice by the time he discovered—or was discovered by—the Celtic Revival and became a leading figure in the second generation. Kavanagh was not a Celtic mythologizer such as William Butler Yeats, a conscious dialectician such as J. M. Synge, a folklorist such as Lady Gregory, an etymologist such as James Joyce, or a Gaelic revivalist such as Douglas Hyde. He felt and wrote with less historical or political consciousness than his progenitors. His gifts and temperament made him an outsider in Inniskeen, his lack of formal education and social grooming excluded him from Dublin’s middle-class literary coteries, and his moral sensibility excluded him from Bohemia.
Yet in retrospect, Kavanagh emerges as the dominant Irish literary personality between 1940 and 1960. Although he admired each of the Revival’s pioneers for particular qualities, he regarded the Irish Literary Revival in the main as an English-inspired hoax. The romanticized peasant, for example, he considered the product of Protestant condescension, and he felt that too many writers of little talent had misunderstood the nature of Yeats’s and Joyce’s genius and achievements, so that the quality of Irishness replaced sincerity.
Against a pastiche of literary fashions that misrepresented the peasant, attempted the revival of the Irish language, and promoted nationalism in letters and in politics, Kavanagh posited his own belief in himself, in his powers of observation, and his intimate knowledge of the actual lives of country people. Kavanagh’s subsequent popular success in Ireland and his influence on the third generation are attributable to several distinct characteristics: his parochialism, which he defined as “confidence in the social and artistic validity of his own parish”; his directness, the apparent offhandedness of his work, and his freedom from literary posing; his deep Catholicism, which went beyond sentimentality and dogma; his imaginative sympathy for the ordinary experiences of country people; his comedy; his repose; his contemplative appreciation of the world as revelation; and his sincerity, his approval of feelings arising only from a depth of spirit. Although he has often been admired for one or more of these virtues, and although his manner often masked these qualities, they must be taken as a whole in accounting for his character as a poet. He disdained the epithet Irish poet, yet shares with each of the pioneers of the Revival one or more signally Irish characteristics.
Kavanagh’s creative development followed three stages: first, the works of intimacy with and disengagement from the “stony grey soil” of parochial Monaghan; second, the works that show his involvements with Dublin or national cultural issues; and third, his “rebirth” in the post-1955 reconciliation of public and private selves, when rural parish and national capital find mutual repose.
Kavanagh’s two most successful fictional works, The Green Fool and Tarry Flynn, provide a rich lode of documentation of their author’s country background and the growth of his sensibility. Some of his finest lyrics come from this period, along with his magnum opus, The Great Hunger. All these works are set in the same few townlands, and the theme is the revelation of grace in ordinary things and tasks. Through these poems, and from The Green Fool to Tarry Flynn, the poet’s confidence in his own visionary gifts progressively deepens, even though the expression is often uncertain. In a handful of lyrics, however, such as “Ploughman,” “Inniskeen Road: July Evening,” “A Christmas Childhood,” “Spraying the Potatoes,” “Shancoduff,” and “Epic,” Kavanagh’s technique realizes his intentions. In each of these, the chance appearances belie the deft design, and the natural voice of the countryman is heard for the first time since Carleton in Irish literature.
“Shancoduff” (In The Complete Poems of Patrick Kavanagh) is one of Kavanagh’s most successful expressions of his parochial voice and is a representative early poem. The small farmer’s pride in his bare holding is seemingly disquieted by a casual comment from passing strangers: “By heavens he must be poor.” Until this uninvited, materialistic contrast with other places intrudes, this little world, although uncomfortable, has been endurable. Now it may not be so.
Before the cattle drovers assess the farm, the readers have seen it through the eyes of its owner, and they do not need to be told that he is a poet. With him they have first observed these hills’ exemplary, incomparable introspection (lines 1-7). Even as his readers are being invited to contemplate the hills’...
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It's been sold as the ultimate no-brainer climate investment: Make a building that's more energy efficient, and you'll pocket the savings while avoiding harmful emissions.
With buildings accounting for 40 percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, the "green" building has also gotten a look from Obama administration policymakers hoping to shrink the nation's carbon footprint.
Now a group of builders has issued a report arguing that the green-building vision may be more of a myth. You can make a building more energy efficient, the group says, but it won't come cheap, and it could take decades to pay off.
The report, released this week by the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, found that a 50 percent energy improvement beyond federal standards is technically impossible. A 30 percent target is achievable, but only by adding a million-dollar solar system that could take up to 100 years to pay for itself.
Experts say it is one of the first efforts they have seen to question whether the green building's economic foundation is as solid as advocates claim.
The association, which represents developers of office buildings and other commercial properties, goes by its former acronym, NAIOP. John Bryant, a lobbyist for the group, said he wants the report to wake up policymakers who are considering a big hike for building energy codes.
"Some of the language that's been used in mandate proposals might not be as achievable as people have said," he said. "We don't want to stop the debate -- we want it to move forward; we just want to add some economic data to it."
Prompt paybacks in Chicago, but not in Baltimore
The report used a Department of Energy computer model to simulate how an imaginary, four-story commercial building would fare in three different U.S. climates: Chicago, Baltimore, and Newport Beach, Calif. In each case, the building was given features like insulation, low-leak windows and high-end heating and cooling equipment.
The goal was to make each building 30 to 50 percent more efficient than the current federal standard covering most buildings, ASHRAE 90.1-2004. NAIOP said this is a target commonly backed by efficiency advocates. ASHRAE, an association of building engineers, has sought a 30 percent improvement for commercial buildings by 2010.
Then the efficiency fixes were added up for cost, and that was compared against electricity prices to figure out how long it would take to pay off the "green" features of the building.
The study's finding: too long.
The best-performing building flourished in wind-frozen Chicago, where energy use was shaved 23 percent, for a payback time of nine years. The other two buildings, however, couldn't save more than 22 percent of their energy, and payback took more than 11 years -- too long to interest developers, NAIOP said.
The numbers can be even more skewed than that, said Ken Sagan, a building codes analyst for the National Association of Home Builders. Sagan, who used to own a heating and air-conditioning company, said that when he considered adding a wind turbine to his zero-energy home, he realized that its cost -- $175,000 -- would take 25 years to pay off in utility savings.
Similarly, he said, many technologies that make greener homes can take multiple decades to break even. "Is it practical? Common sense tells you no," he said.
Sagan applauded the NAIOP report, calling its payback estimates "realistic" and labeling it "probably the best report I've seen that is factual and truthful."
The study's results make a marked contrast with the claims of efficiency enthusiasts, some of whom have claimed that new buildings can halve their energy use by next year -- and use zero net energy within a few decades.
Assumptions comparable to those of 'climate deniers'?
Jeffrey Harris, a vice president at the pro-efficiency group Alliance to Save Energy, said these claims have a sturdy foundation in the laboratories and in the real world. He pointed to the Energy Department's data on high-performance buildings, as well as other databases containing information on existing buildings. Engineers and green-building leaders, he said, "are not breaking a huge amount of sweat in getting beyond 30 percent in code."
He also had major question marks about the NAIOP study. He called the 10-year payback target "an undershot," since the savings of a green building continue as long as it's still standing. He also questioned the report's assumptions about electricity prices and the cost of certain "green" features.
"There's a lot of evidence on the other side," he said. "At the end of the day, you have a single study that has, like any, some shortcomings, and a large body on the other side. ... I kind of compare it to the climate deniers."
Bryant, the NAIOP lobbyist, disagreed. He said commercial building developers routinely make decisions based on a five-to-10-year payback period, and if green buildings broke even that quickly, builders would have erected more.
"We're looking at it from a developer point of view, when maybe some of the other groups aren't," he said.
Congress, meanwhile, has set out in search of the zero-energy commercial building through its 2007 energy bill. The goal is to develop a building by 2030 that uses 80 percent less energy than today's buildings -- and to get the remaining 20 percent of power from renewables like wind or solar.
But builders say these changes are drastic and too rapid, and that code changes need to be more gradual.
The real problem, NAHB says, is the hundred-million-strong body of existing buildings that are as leaky and drafty as ever. Many were built to old codes. Sagan said that is why NAHB was supportive of the White House's recent efforts to weatherize and retrofit homes through the stimulus package. | <urn:uuid:82455ed2-6105-4941-80c1-0e510771aaf9> | {
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The mining of resources contained in asteroids, for use as propellant, building materials or in life-support systems, has the potential to revolutionize exploration of our Solar System. To make this concept a reality, we need to increase our knowledge of the very diverse population of accessible Near Earth Asteroids (NEA).
Last year, dozens of the world’s leading asteroid scientists and asteroid mining entrepreneurs came together in Luxembourg to discuss key questions and identify scientific knowledge gaps. A White Paper outlining the results of that discussion, “Answers to Questions from the Asteroid Miners” was presented at the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2017 in Riga on Tuesday, September 19, by Dr. JL Galache and Dr. Amara Graps.
“Asteroid mining is this incredible intersection of science, engineering, entrepreneurship and imagination,” said Galache of Aten Engineering. “The problem is, it’s also a classic example of a relatively young scientific field in that the more we find out about asteroids through missions like Hayabusa and Rosetta, the more we realise that we don’t know.”
The aim of the Asteroid Science Intersections with In-Space Mine Engineering (ASIME) 2016 conference on September 21-22, 2016 in Luxembourg City was to provide an environment for the detailed discussion of the specific properties of asteroids, with the engineering needs of space missions that utilise asteroids. Outcomes of ASIME 2016 Conference produced a layered record of discussions from the asteroid scientists and the asteroid miners to understand each other’s key concerns.
The White Paper covers questions surrounding the need for asteroid surveys in preparing for mining missions, the asteroid’s surface and interior, implications for astrobiology and planetary protection and other questions relating to policy and strategy for developing a roadmap for advancing asteroid in-space resource utilization.
A number of knowledge gaps were identified: the asteroid miners need access to a map of known NEAs with an orbit similar to the Earth so that they can fine-tune their selection of potential targets. Many objects are – as yet – undiscovered, or very little is known about them, so there is also a need to develop a dedicated NEA discovery and follow-up program.
“NEAs are usually discovered when they are at their brightest, so our best chance of studying them is by immediately following up detections with further observations to characterize their shape and spectral properties. That needs good quality, relatively large, dedicated telescopes that are available at short notice,” Galache said. “We don’t have reliable access to these facilities right now.”
Further studies are needed to understand the link between meteorites and asteroids, and to share data more widely about the composition of meteorites so that more accurate simulant asteroid soils, or “regolith”, can be created. This is important for understanding which asteroids hold which resources, and for preparing for the practical side of a mining mission, such as landing and extraction of material.
“Aside from samples returned from a handful of missions, the only way we can study the composition of asteroids is by analyzing light reflected from their surfaces, or by examining fragments that have landed on Earth in the form of meteorites,” said Graps of the University of Latvia and the Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, Arizona. “Both these techniques have limitations. Spectral observations come from the ‘top veneer’ of the asteroid, which has been space weathered and subjected to other kinds of processing. Meteorites are crucial, but they also lack part of the story: fragile constituents of primitive material contained within asteroids may be lost during atmospheric entry. At the moment, our mapping of types of meteorites back to the different classes of parent asteroid is not that robust.”
Three quarters of known asteroids are classed as Carbonaceous or “C-type”, dark, carbon-rich objects. However, most NEAs are from the Silicaceous “S-type” class of asteroids, which are reddish-coloured stony bodies that dominate the inner Asteroid Belt. For asteroid miners looking for water to use in rocket fuel or life support systems, being able to identify the class of asteroid is vital. Carbonaceous chondrite meteorites have been found to contain clay minerals that appear to have been altered by water on their parent body. While these meteorites are thought to be derived from sub-classes of C-type asteroids, there is not an exact match with any single spectral class.
A short-cut to understanding an NEA’s composition could be to identify where in the Solar System they formed and look at the characteristics of their “orbital family”. Thus, another knowledge gap is the link is between the dynamical predictions of where an NEA originates and its actual physical characterisations.
Information is also sparse on the size of grains at the surface of the asteroid. The asteroids Eros and Itokawa have similar spectral signatures and reflectiveness, but rendezvous missions show that they have very different regolith properties. NEAR Shoemaker showed that Eros is covered in fine dust, while Hayabusa revealed that the surface of Itokawa has chunky blocks tens of centimetres in diameter. Comprehensive knowledge of regolith properties at asteroids’ surface and subsurface will be vital for developing strategies for landing and extracting materials. However, as yet, no mission has explored how asteroid regolith might vary with depth.
“Results from ESA’s Rosetta mission showed that the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko is much denser than its interior. It may be that we’ll find the same thing if we dig down into the regolith of NEAs. But at the moment, we just don’t know,” said Graps.
More work also needs to be done to understand the dynamics of granular material in low-gravity. Studies suggest that granular material can behave as a solid, a liquid or a gas in this environment. This behaviour will be particularly important for asteroids that are rubble-piles, as spacecraft trying to land or drill into these could easily destabilize regolith causing granular flow or avalanches.
“Asteroid mining techniques will need to adapt to the low-gravity environment. Possible solutions include cancelling out action-reaction forces by digging in opposite directions at the same time, or by producing a reaction force, such as by strapping a net around the asteroid for robots to grab onto while they dig,” said Galache. “It’s a challenge! But answering the questions posed in this White Paper will be an important first step.” | <urn:uuid:c3b129fa-6ecd-497c-bc9f-41bb9c592874> | {
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from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A pitlike scar left on the skin by smallpox or another eruptive disease.
- n. A small pit on a surface: The gophers left the lawn covered with pockmarks.
- transitive v. To cover with pockmarks; pit.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- n. A mark or scar in the skin caused by a pock.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- n. A mark or pit made by smallpox.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A mark or scar made by the smallpox; a pock.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- n. a scar or pit on the skin that is left by a pustule of smallpox or acne or other eruptive disease
- v. mark with or as if with pockmarks
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Affordable Care Act," today's decision was either the first well-deserved "pockmark" on the legislation or a wing-nut outlier, penned by a two dozen health care challenges still pending.
His store plans to vacate in January, leaving another pockmark in the skin of the nascent mall.
It demonstrates that there's hope for the multitudes of isolating and impenetrable small buildings that pockmark the suburban landscape as a reminder of ill-conceived growth.
Despite nearly £10bn of donations and aid pledges raised for Haiti, today thousands of people still live in the displacement camps and "tent cities" that pockmark the landscape.
The collapse of Solyndra is a pockmark for a government loan-guarantee program that was created in 2005 and received billions of dollars in funding under the 2009 economic-stimulus law.
Oblique lighting caresses every marble muscle and lunar pockmark in the gargoyles that, from atop Notre Dame, contemplate flâneurs below on sinful Earth.
She has a pockmark on her forehead and deep lines from the edges of her nostrils down to the sides of her mouth but her skin radiates good health.
All these years after that awful day our leaders are still trying to figure out how to stop the terror at its source - those Al-Qaeda sponsored training centers which pockmark the landscape in faraway places like Afghanistan and Pakistan.
When you are on the streets of Gettysburg and see the bullet holes that pockmark numerous homes in the area, then you think about what it would have been like to be a Gettysburg family hiding in the basement of the home, fearing for your life and wondering how it happened that your small town became the center of this massive battle.
As for the crises that pockmark the landscape from Israel through the Gulf to South Asia, they obviously can't be ignored. | <urn:uuid:e4c2384d-577a-4df9-ad53-cb4fb6133abd> | {
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Saving Babies' Lives Starts With Aquarium Pumps And Ingenuity
January 3, 2014
Good ideas don't only come from experts. An innovative engineering program in Texas has been proving that college undergraduates can tackle — and solve — vexing health challenges in developing countries.
Two engineers at Rice University in Houston are tapping the potential of bright young minds to change the world.
Big Problems, Simple Solutions
Rural hospitals in the developing world have lots of problems. Some are huge: lack of electricity, lack of staff, lack of supplies. But some problems are much smaller, and can be overcome with a bit of ingenuity.
"We want to teach our students that they can solve these problems," says Rice engineering professor Maria Oden.
Oden runs a program called Rice 360, designed to get students to first learn about the problems of rural hospitals and then find solutions. Oden's partner in this project, Rebecca Richards-Kortum, is the chairwoman of bioengineering at Rice.
"These are not going to be MRI machines or CT machines," she says. "These are going to be simple technologies that you could develop in the course of a semester or in the course of a year."
Maybe a simple system to measure drug dosage, or a way to deliver the right amount of IV fluids. The students have to build a prototype, but Oden says some of these students will take their invention even further.
"Go into the field, test it, get feedback, return to Rice, redesign," she says. "Most of the time the first design doesn't work very well, and so they redesign it until they get to a point where it's a product that can be deployed. That's the ultimate goal, for sure."
Oden says once a team of undergraduates sinks its teeth into a project, it's hard to let go.
"We have teams who may have been in a class four semesters ago, and they are still working on this project — not because they are getting credit, not because they are in a course, but because they want to solve this problem," she says.
A Shoebox And An Aquarium Pump
One of the most successful projects has been something called a bubble CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). It helps premature infants breathe by pushing a steam of air into their lungs.
Richards-Kortum says a team of Rice students found some clever ways to make a bubble CPAP that was affordable.
"One of the wonderful things about working with 18-year-olds is that they're so creative," she says. "They don't have fixed ideas about what might not work. And so you get really crazy ideas. Like inside our bubble CPAP machine, there's aquarium pumps."
Well, why not? They're cheap, and they worked. The prototype for the CPAP device was made with a plastic shoe box from Target and two fish tank pumps to get enough flow.
Oden says they've tested their bubble CPAP in rural hospitals in Malawi, and now they're starting to deploy them at hospitals around that country. The device has been snazzied-up to look more professional, but it's basically the same as the original design, aquarium pumps and all.
Richards-Kortum says it's a long slog to go from design to product to actually seeing something work, but it's worth it.
"It's sort of magic when you see it come together. It's the best part of our job," she says.
Richards-Kortum and Oden went to Malawi a while back with one of the students who had worked on the bubble CPAP design project. They visited one of the rural hospitals where they'd tested the device. A nurse told them they had used the CPAP on her own baby, and it saved his life.
"She was able to go get her baby, so that we could meet the baby, and the student was able to look and see a life that she had affected," Richards-Kortum says. "It sent chills all the way down my entire spine, because I realized that while we're teaching students, and we want them to leave here believing they can make a difference, this was the picture of a true difference being made."
Oden and Richards-Kortum are hoping that once students learn how wonderful it feels to make a difference in the world, they'll be hooked — and at least some of those students will devote their professional lives to doing that.
Listen to this story | <urn:uuid:cd206291-4f1c-408a-8a89-aad0341f557b> | {
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A team of international researchers is working to tackle the global problem of plant viral diseases that are spread by insects, thanks to close to $1 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The team, headed by Stewart Gray, a U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) research plant pathologist and Cornell professor of plant pathology, and Michelle Cilia, a USDA-ARS research molecular biologist, received a three-year, Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD) grant of $868,896 to develop protein biomarkers that distinguish insect populations capable of transmitting disease from those that do not.
"One problem with managing viral diseases is there is no cure," said Gray, of the plant diseases that cause an estimated $60 billion in damages worldwide each year. "To control them, you have to develop a resistant crop, or you have to prevent the vector from feeding on and infecting the plant."
Another challenge is that within insect species, such as aphids and whiteflies, that spread these viruses, researchers find populations vary widely in how efficiently they spread a virus. That's because mutations or changes in genes alter specific proteins that viruses use to move through an insect. Slight changes in a gene can drastically alter the way a protein functions, Cilia said.
The researchers have identified protein biomarkers that allow them to determine whether an aphid will efficiently transmit disease or not.
"Finding these biomarkers for virus transmission is an exciting major breakthrough," said Cilia. In medicine, for example, biomarkers for breast cancer and prostate cancer are rare success stories, Cilia added. The researchers are now trying to validate the aphid biomarkers in a range of vector insects.
If successful, the researchers hope to develop a test kit that can be used in the field to identify if an insect population is likely to be a virus vector. Once identified, growers can then target particular insects with pesticides at a certain time in their lifecycle. Currently, growers must spray crops indiscriminately to prevent disease outbreaks.
"Prophylactic spraying of crops to eliminate all potential vectors is not efficient from an economical or environmental standpoint," said Gray.
Common disease-causing viruses include the barley yellow dwarf viruses spread by aphids and Geminiviruses transmitted by white flies. In Africa, viruses commonly destroy entire fields of such staple crops as bananas, cassava, maize and sweet potatoes. In the United States, barley yellow dwarf viruses reduce annual wheat yields by about 5 percent. Last year in Kansas, a severe outbreak of barley yellow dwarf virus caused the highest economic loss from any wheat disease.
The international team also includes researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle, the USDA-ARS U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, S.C., and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria and Cameroon.
BREAD seeks to partner advanced research expertise with the developing world and is jointly funded by the NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. | <urn:uuid:29750cf0-b017-49d0-9e2a-cdf864a43ee2> | {
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On April 1, 1918, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed with the union of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), along with a female branch of the service, the Women’s Royal Air Force. The RAF joined the British navy and army as a third branch of the military service with its own ministry. The strength of the RAF seven months later in November 1918, was nearly 300,000 officers and airmen, and more than 22,000 aircraft.
Records give details of Service Number, Full Name and Military Date, which may fall before 1918 if the individual was enlisted in the organisations listed above, that were in existence prior to 1918.
The original documents can be found in AIR 1/819/204/4/1316 and also AIR 10/232-237.
Note:This collection contains an index to records transcribed from the muster roll. To view images of the lists on Fold3.com, you will need an Ancestry All Access subscription. | <urn:uuid:55c39434-062d-475d-97f1-60ae3756e475> | {
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Last month the British Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) publicly posted a WWII code found with the remains of a dead messenger pigeon. They believed that the code was uncrackable without further information, and hoped that by making the code public someone could provide the missing piece of the puzzle. That’s exactly what happened. A Canadian man says he was able to crack the code in 17 minutes with an inherited codebook. He even believes he knows who sent the message.
Gord Young from Peterborough, Ontario believes he has solved the code, which he says reveals German troop positions in Normandy, using the Royal Flying Corp aerial observers’ book he inherited from a great uncle. The GCHQ has said they would be happy to look at Young’s findings, but a representative said it would be “impossible to verify any proposed solutions, but those put forward without reference to the original cryptographic material are unlikely to be correct.”
Young even went so far as to say he identified the sender of the message as Sgt. William Stott, a Lancashire Fusilier that was sent into Normandy to send out pigeons with the location of German troops. Young says he identified Stott by the unique ID numbers he decoded in the message. Each of the approximately 250,000 pigeons used in WWII was giving an ID number, and the message Young decoded had two of them, which he says could be traced back to Stott.
The reason for the two numbers? Stott likely sent two pigeons with the same information to make sure the message was received. Considering that one of those messages was found with pigeon remains in a chimney decades after the war was over, that was probably a smart move on his part.
- This is when GCHQ posted the coded message
- The pigeon could have been eaten by these catfish
- Pigeons understand numbers as well as primates | <urn:uuid:f4e19a8a-ff14-4b8c-9e29-d7ad0fab052c> | {
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You’re in an Advanced Placement U.S. History class that analyzes different approaches to history. As we have learned, history’s interpretation can change – use the formation of the Constitution’s interpretation as an example (Blog #93). History can also be used as a weapon to support or discredit opponents like the way Richard Nixon / Watergate, Frederick Douglass, and Japanese internment camps are being used to discredit President Trump. In the same way that history can be weaponized, the history of the Civil War has been discussed and fought over ever since General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. Using the article, “The Way We Weren’t,” author David Von Drehle dissects the way Americans have viewed the bloodiest conflict in our history.
People in 2011 were polled in the 11 states of the Confederacy, and they answered that the primary cause of the Civil War was states rights, or in this case, the primacy of the states over the federal government, despite what the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause said. However, as we have seen with the recent history we’ve studied, states rights was not just a Southern thing. Northern states and cities resisted the new Fugitive Slave Law (and the federal government) and tried to foil sending slaves to their original owners. Eminent Civil War historians like James McPherson and David Blight state that almost everything in the events leading up to the Civil War dovetail w/ slavery.
Confederate soldiers and citizens, the losers in the conflict, had to mentally hold onto their “due pride” after fighting so hard, so they invented the states rights cause. Many historians, novelists, and filmmakers were willing to go along with this denial and write narratives that supported the states rights cause. Confederate generals wrote their memoirs in the post-war world which distanced their sacrifice from slavery and attached it firmly to something more noble (in their minds) like states rights. Insidious inside the states rights cause was the Lost Cause, the belief that slavery was a benign institution and that Black people had it better under slavery than freedom. Freedom, as defined by the profit-hungry, industrial North, included working for tiny wages and ruthless competition. In Jefferson Davis’s book about the war, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, he portrays the South as hopelessly outgunned and outmanned (which it was) and compares the North to the serpent infiltrating the Garden of Eden (the South) where slave owners lived with their slaves in paradise.
However, this is not to blame the Civil War on just the South. Yes, they were treasonous. Yes, they killed hundreds of thousands of Northern soldiers, but EVERYONE was complicit in slavery. As mentioned in the article, many Northern states, including Wall Street, benefitted dramatically from it. Check out the New York Historical Society’s online exhibit, Slavery in New York. There should be little doubt that the war was a long time coming, exacted a horrific toll on the nation, and still leaves us with a legacy that we are dealing with as a nation.
Questions to answer:
- Why was the Lost Cause or denial of slavery as the central cause so attractive to Americans in the aftermath of the war (even up until the 20th Century Civil Rights Movement)?
- On page 40 (1) of the article, it mentions several different causes of the Civil War:
- Northern aggressors invading an independent Southern nation;
- High tariffs like the Tariff of Abominations;
- Blundering statesmen like Stephen Douglas, Roger Taney, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan;
- Clash of industrial vs. agrarian cultures;
- Caused by fanatics like John Brown and Southern “fire eaters”;
- Representive of a Marxist class struggle – Southern aristocracy vs. Northern factory workers.
Which of these is most persuasive as a cause and which is the least persuasive cause? Why?
3. The article focuses a lot on Bleeding Kansas as the pivotal point in which the Civil War seemed inevitable. Would you agree with this assertion? Why or why not?
4. What are some major arguments that poke holes in the Lost Cause? Think of movies like Birth of a Nation and Gone With the Wind and their portrayal of the South.
5. When and why did America finally start to break away from the Lost Cause mythology (a.k.a. The Dunning School of Post War America)? | <urn:uuid:4a07e386-da96-491a-842b-984b5dfa6f8b> | {
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Figure 14.3-1. Elliott See (left) and Charles Bassett (right).
Charles Bassett II was a USAF captain, test pilot and member of the third group of astronauts chosen by NASA in October 1963; Elliot See was a US Navy engineer and test pilot and member of the second group of astronauts, selected in September 1962, in addition to being in charge of supervising the design and development of guidance and navigation systems for US spacecraft.
Bassett and See were assigned to the Gemini 8 mission, but on February 28, 1966 they died in the crash of their T-38 training jet as they attempted an instrument landing in low visibility conditions. Bassett was 34 years old; See was 38.
NEXT: 14.4 Valentin Bondarenko | <urn:uuid:713bbcf2-b81d-4619-810f-f5c25a976eee> | {
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Listen to the text about laws.
Read the sentences. Fill in the gaps.
1. OK, maybe the _____Earth might not end, but life as we know it would end.
2. ____ is very important.
3. It’s very difficult to ____ laws up to date with new developments. | <urn:uuid:e4f8eb45-eb7b-4f59-aee1-1b9fc96327ca> | {
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Announcing June Holiday Programme! It’s school break and children get extra time to explore, learn and develop reading and writing skills. Scholar Base will be organizing short reading and writing programme at all 3 chapters that includes excursions for the different age groups. More details can be found here. Places are filling fast, call to enquire!
What better than to learn reading than during holidays? With no school lessons and homework to get in the way and no examinations to prepare for, June is a perfect time for children to learn, to immerse in the adventure and joy of reading without the threat of being judged for their learning efforts.
While children as young as 4 are using electronic devices with ease to watch videos clips on line or flip through digital magazines, they are not as eager to read story books or literature. It is disappointing that the advance of technology and the many portable digital devices has not produced a generation of avid readers or writers.
Ironically, today with the advance of technology, we have more aliterates than ever; children who are able to read are too uninterested to do so. Students of all ages are drawn to being passively entertained, watching online videos or movies and playing digital games instead of engaging their psychic faculties to actively read, imagine, feel, create and to produce writing that expresses the inner thoughts.
Seeing this unhealthy drift, Scholar Base launches reading and writing programme in our curriculum to reverse the trend. We’ve put together a special June reading and writing programme encouraging students to employ their faculties (eyes, ears, heart and mouth) to actively think, imagine and immerse in the adventures of the stories, to feel the plot, to identify with the characters and to act out the characters onstage with costumes and stage settings.
Human resources and recruiters report that it is getting increasing difficult to find critical thinkers as educational system continues to emphasize passive memorizing and lazy repeated route learning. These do not challenge the creative thinking mind. We have found that our graduates who have been guided to love reading develop healthy thinking habits and are problem solvers who can adapt in today’s changing world.
If you too want to save your children from “readicide“, the ‘systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools’, a term coined by Kelly Gallagher, then expose your children to active reading and writing. | <urn:uuid:2f75222d-4369-4465-b9d5-ce0fdceec573> | {
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Bwamba fever is caused by microscopic bacteria. Bwamba fever virus is from the genus Orthobunyavirus and belongs to the order bunyaviridae. It has a negative sense single stranded rna genome, and so is classified as a class v virus. The disease is mainly spread by mosquitoes or by humans. Although bwamba fever is about as deadly as the common cold people should still be aware of it and the symptoms. Most of the time, Bwamba fever is mistaken for malaria, which is a deadly disease if left untreated.
bwamba virus (BWA) is a member of the Bunyamwera serogroup, bwamba virus antigenic group, in the genus bunyavirus, family bunyaviridae.1-3 bwamba virus is an arthropod borne virus transmitted by mosquitoes,
The structure of a Bwamba fever virus is segmented RNA’s are surrounded by nucleocapsid proteins that form a complex ribonucleoprotein, which associates with rna dependent rna polymerase. The complex is surrounded by a lipid layer, into which the nuclear complex interacts. Finally the particle is membrane bound, spherical, and in total is approximately 100nm in diameter. Once inside a host cell cytoplasm, the genomic RNA’s are transcribed into mrna by the associated rna polymerase. From these transcripts, the host machinery is used for translation into viral proteins. The s segment is slightly different from the rest as it is ambisense, meaning genes run in both the positive and negative directions. To enable correct translation of the proteins, a second round of transcription has to occur. To replicate the genome, transcription occurs to produce a replicative intermediate, which is then itself transcribed into new rna genomes, with the aid of the rna polymerases produced from the gene Expression.
Bwamba fever virus is transmitted from vertebrate to vertebrate through a mosquito vector, Anopheles funestus, and causes Bwamba fever. The fever is often mistaken for malaria, and was only identified in the later 1990’s and is believed to be endemic in east Africa, especially kenya, tanzania and Uganda, where the virus was first identified by the Uganda virus research institute. there is no specific treatment for the virus, as it causes only a mild fever. | <urn:uuid:17631600-5783-4337-9f22-8663cbf98a7b> | {
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Keywords: cage, frame, framework
Any box-like object which is covered with stripes or made up of long and thin things, such as wires, bars, or beams, or any thing or any action directly or indirectly associated with this, especially a frame or a cage.
As a Noun
An arrangement of bars that gives an object its shape and strength. English = frame, framework.
A structure of wire or metal bars in which birds or animals are kept. English = cage. | <urn:uuid:d0041e8e-1f2d-4300-817a-dd3f50df7034> | {
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In May of 2019, Elon Musk began delivering on his promise to create a constellation of satellites (named Starlink) that would offer broadband internet access. It all started with the launch of the first sixty Starlink satellites and was followed by Musk sending the inaugural tweet using the service this past October. Earlier today, another batch of Starlink satellites was sent into space as part of a live-streamed launch event.
The mission, known as Starlink-1, saw the launch of another 60 satellites from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, atop a Falcon 9rocket. Unlike previous launches, this mission involved the latest version of Starlink (Starlink 1.0), which feature a number of upgrades and refinements over the previous version (Starlink 0.9) and made this mission the heaviest Starlink launch to date.
In what Elon Musk is calling their “most difficult” mission so far, SpaceX launched the Falcon Heavy rocket for the third time. The launch took place at 2:30 am ET Tuesday from a launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission was called STP-2, and Universe Today sent a photographer to capture all the action.
The Planetary Society is going to launch their LightSail 2 CubeSat next month. LightSail 2 is a test mission designed to study the feasibility of using sunlight for propulsion. The small satellite will use the pressure of sunlight on its solar sails to propel its way to a higher orbit.
SpaceX has made some amazing accomplishments in the past few years, all of which have been in keeping with Elon Musk’s promise to cut the costs of space exploration. And with all the excitement surrounding the Starship Hopper and its first hop tests, there was one very important accomplishment that seems to have faded into the background a little.
Luckily, SpaceX reminded everyone about it this week, as the company conducted the second successful launch of their Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. But what was especially impressive this time around is the fact that they managed to retrieve all three of the Falcon Heavy’s rocket boosters, as well as the payload fairings.
In September of 2016, Elon Musk announced the latest addition to the SpaceX rocket family. Known then as the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) – now know as the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) – this massive launch vehicle is central to Musk’s vision of sending astronauts and colonists to Mars someday. Since that time, the space community has eagerly waited for any news on how the preparations for this rocket are going.
Musk further inflamed people’s anticipation by recently announcing that the BFR would be ready to conduct orbital flights by as early as 2020. While admittedly an optimistic deadline, Musk indicated that his company was building the presently building the ship. And according to a recent post on Musk’s Instagram account, a key component (the main body tool) for making the BFR interplanetary spaceship has just been completed.
It is important to note, however, that what is being shown here is not actually a part of the rocket. As Ryan Whitwam of Extreme Tech noted, what we are seeing in the post is a tool “that SpaceX will use to fabricate the rocket from carbon fiber composite materials that are lighter than traditional materials. Flexible resin sheets of carbon fiber will be layered on the tool and then heated to cure them. After heating, you’re left with a solid section of rocket fuselage. It’s essentially a carbon fiber jig.”
Nevertheless, from the size of the tool itself, one gets a pretty clear idea of how large the final rocket will be. SpaceX chose to illustrate the scale of the tool by placing a Tesla next to it for scale. For some additional perspective, consider the cherry Tesla Roadster (driven by Starman) SpaceX launched with the Falcon Heavy‘s maiden flight.
Whereas the payload capsule was barely large enough to house it, this car looks like it could fit inside any rocket turned out by this tool easily, and with plenty of room to spare. And while cars are not exactly the BFR’s intended payload, it is good to know that it will be no slouch in that department!
When completed, the BFR will be the largest and most powerful rocket in the SpaceX rocket family. According to the company’s own specifications, it will measure 106 meters (348 ft) in height and 9 meters (30 ft) in diameter and will be able to deliver a payload of 150,000 kg (330,000 lb) to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) – almost two and a half times the payload of the Falcon Heavy (63,800 kg; 140,660 lb).
And as Musk indicated during an interview with Jonathon Nolan at the 2018 South by Southwest Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, it will even outpace the rockets that won the Space Race for the US:
“This a very big booster and ship. The liftoff thrust of this would be about twice that of a Saturn V (the rockets that sent the Apollo astronauts to the Moon). So it’s capable of doing 150 metric tons to orbit and be fully reusable. So the expendable payload is about double that number.”
Once completed, Musk hopes to see the BFR performing service missions to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), the International Space Station, to the Moon, and – of course – to Mars. In addition to sending colonists there as early as the next decade, Musk has also expressed interest in using the BFR to conduct space tourism – flying passengers in luxury accommodations to the Red Planet and back.
In the end, it is clear that Musk and the company he founded for the purpose of reigniting space exploration are determined to make all of this happen. In the coming years, it will be interesting to see how far and how fast they progress.
The launch of the Falcon Heavy , which took place on Feb. 6th, 2018, was an historic event. After years of preparation, SpaceX successfully launched the heaviest vehicle in its arsenal, which has a lift capacity that is over twice as much as the next heaviest rocket (the United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy). The launch also demonstrated SpaceX’s commitment to reusability, where two of the three cores were recovered afterwards.
In addition, the launch was a media frenzy as the heavy rocket deployed some very unusual cargo – a Tesla Roadster with Starman (an empty spacesuit) in the driver’s seat. In honor of this event, the company has released a video that showcases the highlights of the launch. Consistent with the theme of the launch, the video was set to David Bowie’s 1971 hit “Life on Mars”, and is quite emotional to watch!
The video begins by showing the crowds assembled outside of SpaceX’s launch site at Space Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral, Florida. We then see Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster and Starman being loaded aboard the Falcon Heavy payload capsule. What follows is the rollout of the Falcon Heavy at Cape Canaveral, its deployment on the launch pad, and the rocket blasting off.
This is where things get emotional as Bowie’s song hits a crescendo and people on the ground and in the launch complex celebrate the successful launch. We are also treated to some footage of Starman and the Roadster being deployed once they reach orbit. As Starman floats in full view of Earth, we also see the successful recovery of two of the Falcon 9 cores, and the crashing at sea of the third.
While the video manages to cover all the major aspects of the launch, the real focus is definitely on the people who witnessed the event. As the video plays, you can see the anticipation and hope as the rocket is preparing for launch and the sense of elation that came from its success. This is in keeping with Elon Musk’s vision for SpaceX, which he founded in 2002 to inspire public interest in renewed space exploration.
Why Falcon Heavy & Starman?
Life cannot just be about solving one sad problem after another. There need to be things that inspire you, that make you glad to wake up in the morning and be part of humanity. That is why we did it. We did for you. https://t.co/5STO7q4wro
“Life cannot just be about solving one sad problem after another. There need to be things that inspire you, that make you glad to wake up in the morning and be part of humanity. That is why we did it. We did for you.”
Of course, one can’t forget how the launch also signaled that SpaceX is one step closer to achieving Musk’s other dream – which is to reduce the cost associated with space launches by making rockets fully reusable and restoring domestic launch capability to the United States. Now that SpaceX is capable of lifting 64 metric tons (141,000 lbs), NASA won’t have to depend on Roscosmos to send crews and heavy payloads into orbit much longer.
A great celebratory eruption accompanied the successful launch of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket in early February. That launch was a big moment for people who are thoughtful about the long arc of humanity’s future. But the Tesla Roadster that was sent on a long voyage in space aboard that rocket is likely carrying some bacterial hitch-hikers.
A report from Purdue University suggests that, though unlikely, the Roadster may be carrying an unwelcome cargo of Earthly bacteria to any destination it reaches. But we’re talking science here, and science doesn’t necessarily shy away from the unlikely.
“The load of bacteria on the Tesla could be considered a biothreat, or a backup copy of life on Earth.” – Alina Alexeenko, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University.
NASA takes spacecraft microbial contamination very seriously. The Office of Planetary Protection monitors and enforces spacecraft sterilization. Spreading Terran bacteria to other worlds is a no-no, for obvious reasons, so spacecraft are routinely sterilized to prevent any bacterial hitch-hikers. NASA uses the term “biological burden” to quantify how rigorously a spacecraft needs to be sterilized. Depending on a spacecraft’s mission and destination, the craft is subjected to increasingly stringent sterilization procedures.
If a craft is not likely to ever contact another body, then sterilization isn’t as strict. If the target is a place like Mars, where the presence of Martian life is undetermined, then the craft is prepared differently. When required, spacecraft and spacecraft components are treated in clean rooms like the one at Goddard Space Flight Center.
The clean rooms are strictly controlled environments, where staff wear protective suits, boots, hoodies, and surgical gloves. The air is filtered and the spacecraft are exposed to various types of sterilization. After sterilization, the spacecraft is handled carefully before launch to ensure it remains sterile. But the Tesla Roadster never visited such a place, since it’s destination is not another body.
The Tesla Roadster in space was certainly manufactured in a clean place, but there’s a big difference between clean and sterile. To use NASA’s terminology, the bacterial load of the Roadster is probably very high. But would those bacteria survive?
The atmosphere in space is most definitely hostile to life. The temperature extremes, the low pressure, and the radiation are all hazardous. But, some bacteria could survive by going dormant, and there are nooks and crannies in the Tesla where life could cling.
The Tesla is not predicted to come into contact with any other body, and certainly not Mars, which is definitely a destination in our Solar System that we want to protect from contamination. In fact, a more likely eventual destination for the Roadster is Earth, albeit millions of years from now. And in that case, according to Alina Alexeenko, a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, any bacteria on the red Roadster is more like a back-up for life on Earth, in case we do something stupid before the car returns. “The load of bacteria on the Tesla could be considered a biothreat, or a backup copy of life on Earth,” she said.
But even if some bacteria survived for a while in some hidden recess somewhere on the Tesla Roadster, could it realistically survive for millions of years in space?
As far as NASA is concerned, length of time in space is one component of sterilization. Some missions are designed with the craft placed in a long-term orbit at the end of its mission, so that the space environment can eventually destroy any lingering bacterial life secreted away somewhere. Surely, if the Roadster does ever collide with Earth, and if it takes millions of years for that to happen, and if it’s not destroyed on re-entry, the car would be sterilized by its long-duration journey?
That seems to be the far more likely outcome. You never know for sure, but the space-faring Roadster is probably not a hazardous bio-threat, nor a back-up for life on Earth; those are pretty fanciful ideas.
Musk’s pretty red car is likely just a harmless, attention-grabbing bauble.
When visionary entrepreneur Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002, he did so with the intention of rekindling human space exploration and sending humans to Mars. Intrinsic to this vision was the reduction of costs associated with individual launches, which has so far been focused on the development of reusable first-stage rockets. However, the company recently announced that they are looking to make their rocket’s payload fairings reusable as well.
The payload fairing is basically the disposable shell at the top of the rocket that protects the cargo during launch. Once the rocket reaches orbit, the fairings falls away to release the payload to space and are lost. But if they could be retrieved, it would reduce launch cost by additional millions. Known as “Mr. Steven”, this new retrieval system consists of a platform ship, extended arms, and a net strung between them.
Mr. Steven is not unlike SpaceX’s Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ships (ASDS), which are used to retrieve first stage rocket boosters at sea. SpaceX has two operational drone ships, including Just Read the Instructions – which is stationed in the Pacific to retrieve launches from Vandenberg – and Of Course I Still Love You, which isstationed in the Atlantic to retrieve launches from Canaveral.
Recently, Teslarati’s Pauline Acalin captured some photographs of Mr. Steven while it was docked on the California coast near Vandenberg Air Force Base, where it preparing to head out to sea in support of the latest Falcon 9 launch. Known as the PAZ Mission, this launch will place a series of Spanish imaging satellites in orbit, as well as test satellites that will be part of SpaceX’s plan to provide broadband internet service.
Originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 21st, the launch was scrubbed due to strong upper level winds. It is currently scheduled to take place at 6:17 a.m. PST (14:17 UTC) on Thursday, February 22nd, from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenburg Air Force Base. After the cargo is deployed to orbit, the fairings will fall back slowly to Earth thanks to a set of geotagged parachutes.
These chutes will guide the fairings down to the Pacific Ocean, where Mr. Steven will sail to meet them. The fairings, if all goes as planned, will touch down gently into the net and be recovered for later use. In March of 2017, SpaceX successfully recovered a fairing for the first time, which allowed them to recoup an estimated $6 million dollars from that launch.
At present, SpaceX indicates that the cost of an individual Falcon 9 launch is an estimated $62 million. If the payload fairings can be recovered regularly, that means that the company stands to recoup an additional 10% of every individual Falcon 9 launch.
This news comes on the heels of SpaceX having successfully launched their Falcon Heavy rocket, which carried a Tesla Roadster with “Spaceman” into orbit. The launch was made all the more impressive due to the fact that two of the three rocket boosters used were successfully recovered. The core booster unfortunately crashed while attempted to land on one of the ASDS at sea.
At this rate, SpaceX may even start trying to recover their rocket’s second stages in the not-too-distant future. If indeed all components of a rocket are reusable, the only costs associated with individual launches will be the one-time manufacturing cost of the rocket, the cost of fuel, plus any additional maintenance post-launch.
For fans of space exploration and commercial aerospace, this is certainly exciting news! With every cost-cutting measure, the possibilities for scientific research and crewed missions increase exponentially. Imagine a future where it costs roughly the same to deploy space habitats to orbit as it does to deploy commercial satellites, and sending space-based solar arrays to orbit (and maybe even building a space elevator) is financially feasible!
It might sound a bit fantastic, but when the costs are no longer prohibitive, a lot of things become possible.
To celebrate the launch of the Falcon Heavy, we figured it was time for an all new series, this time on the rockets that carry us to space. Today we’re going to talk about why single stage to orbit rockets are so difficult to carry out. | <urn:uuid:83ab7e6f-2b34-42a9-b1e9-5a97fadfcc10> | {
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Daily Disinfection Of Isolation Rooms Reduces Worker Contamination
New research demonstrates that daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces in isolation rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) significantly reduces the rate of the pathogens on the hands of healthcare personnel. The findings underscore the importance of environmental cleaning for reducing the spread of difficult to treat infections. The study is published in the October issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).
Researchers from the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center conducted a prospective, randomized trial comparing regular cleaning protocols of housekeeping staff with daily disinfection of high-touch surfaces performed by researchers (i.e., bed rail and bedside tables, call button and phone, and toilet seat, and bathroom hand rail) in 34 C. difficile and 36 MRSA isolation rooms. The study assessed hand contamination of physicians, nurses, and research staff six to eight hours after disinfection procedures. In rooms with daily disinfection, there were significant reductions in the amount and frequency of pathogens on the hands of investigators and healthcare personnel caring for the patients (6.4 percent with daily disinfection versus 30 percent with standard cleaning).
"These findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting environmental cleaning and disinfection as an important infection control strategy," said Sirisha Kundrapu, MD, a lead author of the study. "The intervention was simple, inexpensive, and well-accepted by patients and staff."
Regular cleaning protocols of housekeeping staff include disinfection of patient rooms with sodium hypochlorite after discharge, daily cleaning of bathrooms and floors, and cleaning of high-touch surfaces only if visibly soiled. During the study period, less than 10 percent of high-touch surfaces in C. difficile or MRSA rooms were cleaned daily using regular protocols. Rooms randomized to daily disinfection were cleaned each morning for seven days, or until discharge. The daily disinfection took about 20 minutes per room.
The study highlights the impact small changes in environmental cleaning can have on preventing transmission and patient exposure to harmful pathogens, but has several limitations. Limitations of the study include daily disinfection performed by research staff rather than by housekeeping staff of the medical center, researchers did not measure adherence to hand hygiene and contact precautions for the healthcare workers whose hands were cultured and did not attempt to assess whether healthcare worker hand contamination was due to non-compliance with glove use or lack of proper technique when removing gloves. Molecular typing was not performed to determine whether hand isolates matched environmental isolates. | <urn:uuid:518c19e0-a3b1-40e7-bcae-adb2f8975abe> | {
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Image from the publication
Fluorescent proteins (XFPs) are a useful tool for studying cell signaling when fused to signal transduction proteins. However, cell signaling proteins are often present in cells in low numbers and XFPs are relatively weak fluorophores, so the amount of light that can be observed in such studies is small. In addition to the light emitted by an XFP, its fluorescence lifetime provides information regarding its immediate surroundings. To take advantage of this fact, biologist Bryan Sands and staff scientist/physicist Dr. William Peria in the laboratory of Dr. Roger Brent (Basic Sciences Division) and collaborators at New Mexico State University engineered pairs of XFPs with identical fluorescent emission spectra (isospectral) but different fluorescent lifetimes (allothoric) and expressed them in budding yeast. They modified microscopic and flow cytometric equipment and also developed digital hardware allowing the measurement of fluorescence lifetimes in living cells. This approach was highly successful, leading to sorting of cells expressing teal fluorescent protein (TFP) and its short-lifetime variant into populations >90% pure from a mixed population.
The collaboration that led to this work is notable for being the result of a longstanding minority outreach program between the laboratories of Dr. Brent at Fred Hutch and the flow cytometry lab of Dr. Jessica Perea Houston of New Mexico State University, coordinated by Dr. Beti Thomson (Public Health Sciences Division). With Jessica, what we are doing is, as biologists and physicists, doing our part to help her cytometry lab be a center of excellence and a place that attracts smart students from the vicinity of NMSU-Rio Grande Valley-border region and gets them into the system, said Dr. Brent. Our tiny part of this with Jessica is to try to do something big by dragging the best and the brightest up a couple steps.
To begin the work, the researchers engineered two isospectral XFPs with different fluorescence lifetimes. To do so, they fused TFP and Citrine to a variant of Citrine termed dark citrine or dCit and expressed each fusion protein in yeast cells. Next, the researchers used two microscopic methods to measure the fluorescence lifetimes of cells expressing each XFP. Images of cells were captured in rapid succession and image data were processed mathematically to yield lifetimes. This analysis showed that the average fluorescence lifetime of both dCit-TFP and dCit-Cit was 43-44% shorter than TFP or Citrine alone.
The New Mexico authors next modified a commercial flow cytometer to allow detection of TFP and dCit-TFP. They also developed dedicated FPGA digital hardware and code to allow the calculation of a complex number termed a "pseudophasor," a measure of a protein’s fluorescence lifetime, quickly enough to make a sorting decision. By this means, the researchers achieved average purities of 97.1% for TFP-expressing cells and 93.7% for dCit-TFP-expressing cells.
This work demonstrated that XFPs with different fluorescence lifetimes can be used to sort cell populations. While this proof of concept was performed in yeast, its applications may extend more widely: "[This] work might, in the long term, have clinical impact," said Dr. Brent. "For example, it’s possible that these methods might impact cancer immunotherapy. In order for such therapies to become routine, critical issues now include finding the most effective means to immunize cells from a patient’s bone marrow ex vivo and to identify and expand those populations of T and NK cells that can engage tumors effectively. In the future, it's possible that multiparametric lifetime-based cytometric methods might help define optimal immunization procedures and expansion protocols specific for each patient's tumor."
Sands B, Jenkins P, Peria WJ, Naivar M, Houston JP, Brent R. 2014. Measuring and sorting cell populations expressing isospectral fluorescent proteins with different fluorescence lifetimes. PLOS ONE 9(10):e109940. | <urn:uuid:52b27d72-4426-4192-9c9b-cefb421c3780> | {
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IN SEPTEMBER 1909, Sigmund Freud visited Coney Island. Little is known about what the father of psychoanalysis made of New York City’s pleasure ground, though he seemed unimpressed with the United States in general and, after his first visit, never returned
Zoe Beloff: A History of Dreams Remains to be Written
* * *
Serge Charchoune: The Exhibition is Open
* * * *
Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh
But artist Zoe Beloff excavates a deep seam of connection between the ideas of Freud and Coney Island’s array of amusement parks, circuses and freak shows, its tawdry, semi-illicit expressions of dreams and desires. Beloff grew up in Scotland, trained at Edinburgh College of Art and moved to New York in 1980 to do an MFA in film at Columbia University.
She has lived in the city ever since, developing an art practice which includes film, historical investigation, drawing and performance. Her Coney Island work – made in 2009, the centenary of Freud’s visit – occupies the entire lower floor of Talbot Rice. Coney Island was in its heyday at the time of Freud’s visit, with three of the world’s first amusement parks. Her photographs, panels, films and artefacts celebrate it, from its early fairground rides to its tawdry waxwork museum.
Her unique take on its history is the Coney Island Amateur Psychoanalytic Society, whom she claims to have discovered while browsing through early home movies in a New York fleamarket. Whether real or fictional, they seem plausible enough, a group of enthusiastic amateurs, drawn together by their passion for the ideas of Freud, using early home-movie technology to create films of their dreams, which were then discussed, analysed, and entered in an annual competition. For them, drawn from a mixture of backgrounds, Freud represented a kind of radical freedom – as Coney Island itself did – from the restrictions of early 20th century society.
Their founder, Albert Grass, discovered the ideas of Freud when he was posted to Europe during the First World War, where he also worked as a cameraman. His 1920s home-movie camera is part of the exhibition, as are “restored and presented” films made by members of the society. When Coney Island’s appropriately named Dreamland amusement park burned down in 1911, Grass proposed a new park on the site, “the first amusement park ever devoted to the elucidation of dreams in accordance with the discoveries of Dr Sigmund Freud”. Attractions included the Dome of the Unconscious and the Train of Thought, but centred around Libido, a building shaped like the giant idealised form of a naked child. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he failed to find backers for his plans, but they remain framed in a kind of idealistic innocence, a determination to bring Freudian ideas to the masses packaged as popular entertainment.
Beloff has clearly gone to a lot of trouble – and probably had a lot of fun – “finding” or creating of archives of the Society’s correspondence, Grass’s sketches and scale models for his theme park, and his prototype for a Freud-themed comic book. What is less clear is what she is drawing out from all this. Perhaps she is holding up a mirror to our own fascination – because this is fascinating. Perhaps like Coney Island, its best just to dive in and enjoy. Upstairs, she engages with a more serious chapter of history, the Paris Commune – the three-month period in 1871 when the citizens took over the city, before being brutally, violently crushed. Beloff restaged Brecht’s play, The Days of the Commune, last spring in New York with a cast of academics, activists and performers associated with the Occupy Wall Street movement. A film of the performance – which was made over three months, following the story of the Commune in real-time – forms the centre of the exhibition, surrounded by Beloff’s costumes, props and documentation. Again, it is a substantial body of work, suggesting parallels between past and present, not just the obvious ones, a movement of ordinary people challenging the powerful, but also the more nuanced: the ongoing debate, for example, among revolutionaries about the ethics of protest, violent or nonviolent.
One can guess at the poignancy and energy the project had in New York last year, but this seems to have dissipated somewhat over time and distance. Watching it feels like watching a historical re-enactment rather than a politically relevant statement. A series of sketches done by Beloff during the Occupy protest in the Round Room have more immediacy. Here, the First Aid Tent, the food stop, the people’s library are documented, with the energy of history unfolding as we watch.
Meanwhile, the Georgian Gallery hosts a rare show of work by Russian artist Serge Charchoune, a man who should be a headliner in a discussion of Modernism, but seems to have moved through its history leaving almost no trace. Charchoune was a fully-fledged Dadaist who flirted with Cubism and embraced Purism; mixed Picabia, Ernst, Man Ray and Duchamp; might have been the first to drip paint – 30 years before Jackson Pollock; and conceived monochrome abstracts decades before Ryman and Reinhardt.
Yet he refused to fly the flag for any movement. This body of work stretching from the 1920s to the 60s, curated by the Glasgow-based artist Merlin James, shows a constantly shifting style, abstracts sitting side by side with strange, muted landscapes, symbolist figures rubbing shoulders with geometrics in bright colours. So effective was Charchoune at resisting being pinned down, he also made his work hard for galleries to package, which partially accounts for his obscurity today. “I lie low, and have a lot of freedom”, he once said. He seems to have valued that freedom, but acknowledged it came at a cost.
There is a deftness of line in his work which suggests a confidence in visual experimentation, yet his wilful diversity seems to indicate continual questioning of genres and styles. He may have even revelled in this. Certainly, he seems to have held ideas with a light touch, not confining his expression to painting but working in poetry and music too.
Even after this moderately sized show, we are left in no doubt that James is excavating a fascinating figure from the shadows. Charchoune’s life seems as varied as his art, continually travelling, as reluctant to be rooted physically as he was artistically. In his eighties he was to be found in the Galapagos islands painting the landscape and wildlife. I hope that he and his story will further emerge into a realm of rediscovery.
• Both until 16 February | <urn:uuid:14e4d631-0274-4b6e-a594-eb1df3182ce1> | {
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Parents, teachers and friends must be alert to the risk factors that warn of possible gang involvement.
Pre-gang behavior usually begins at the elementary school age. Although there are no sure ways to predict who will join a gang and who won't, some risk factors include poor progress or achievement in school, truancy, lack of hobbies or something to do with leisure time, frequent or negative contact with police, drawing gang insignias, problems at home, tattoos, resides in a neighborhood where gangs are, has friends who are gang members or are "dressing down" in gang attire, wants to dress in traditional gang clothes (i.e., baggy pants, "khakis," oversized T-shirts, bandannas, dark sunglasses), wants too much privacy, starts to use drugs and hand signs, acts unusual, withdraws from family members, wears an excessive amount of gold jewelry, and wears sagging pants on hips or waist.
There are gangs in Lawrence.
Your child may already be aware of the signs of gang activity in the community. In recognition of this presence, Project Phoenix, the local gang task force, has been battling the emergence of gang activity since 1991. Recent criminal activities have proved that these efforts are not enough -- all members of the community must increase their understanding of gangs and talk with their children about the factors that cause gangs, if we are to eradicate their presence from our schools, neighborhoods and our city.
Gangs can be described as a group of individuals who form an allegiance for a common purpose and engage in violent, unlawful or criminal activity. They are not limited to any particular race, culture, economic wellbeing or colors.
There are a variety of reasons why youths join gangs. Some of these include the excitement of gang activity, peer pressure, attention, financial gain, family tradition and a lack of realization of the hazards involved. Often, kids aren't discouraged from gang activity by their parents because the parents don't realize their children are involved. Kids also are looking for acceptance, friendship and love. They are seeking a sense of self-worth and something to give them a purpose and direction in life. These youths want control over others, but conversely, want protection from their "homies."
Many times, these juveniles come from dysfunctional families or situations of abuse and neglect. They may be bored and lack other positive things to do, or at least that is what they claim. However, it is important to realize that gangs do not differentiate between poor, middle or upper class youths. All are vulnerable to the temptations and perceived status of gang membership.
Continual communication between parents and youth is one way to prevent gang membership. It is not enough for parents to "just say no" to this behavior. They must get involved with their kids, give them responsibilities and recognition, model appropriate behavior, communicate often and honestly, take a clear position on gangs and drugs, recognize the factors that place children at risk, make needed changes in the home, know their child's friends, teach them how to have fun and pay attention to the child's grades and attitudes about school.
The community must be more proactive in dealing with gang activity, especially graffiti. Graffiti is used to mark one sect's territory, to tell of its existence, to brag about superiority, to claim credit for a crime, or target the rival gang or gang member as a potential victim of a shooting or other violence. Graffiti must be removed as soon as possible. If assistance is needed, contact Community Corrections at 842-8414. Community service workers will paint over the graffiti at no charge.
Again, through Project Phoenix, which represents various community organizations and agencies, extensive documentation has been compiled to prove that gang members do live in Lawrence. Additionally, because of easy access to Interstate 70, Kansas Highway 10 and U.S. Highway 59, gang members from Topeka, Kansas City, Wichita and other areas come to Lawrence to recreate, socialize and commit crimes. It is evident by recent shootings that we need to be more proactive in our dealings with gang crime and mobilize as a community to take back what we are quickly losing -- our children.
The issue of gangs is not a police, court, school or family issue -- it is a community problem that is best dealt with by increasing one's own awareness and reporting gang activity to the appropriate entity immediately.
-- Elaine Hicks is director of Douglas County Community Corrections. | <urn:uuid:149dd7e5-6e57-44d0-8da6-cc887ab3655e> | {
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by Page Forrest
When one thinks of political tools in war, several options will immediately come to mind: nuclear bombs, drones, propaganda, espionage. Rarely, however, does one think of beauty pageant contestants as a form of political one-upmanship. Dr. Holly Grout plans to change that.
Grout is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Alabama. Her primary areas of interest are the history of modern France, history of women and gender, cultural and intellectual history of modern Europe, history of the body, history of consumption and consumer culture, and history of beauty and fashion. She spoke at Sewanee on October 30 in Gailor Hall, presenting on “The Politics of Pulchritude: Miss Universe 1928.” The lecture was based on Grout’s upcoming book The Force of Beauty: Transforming French Ideas of Femininity in the Third Republic, which will be published in the spring of 2015. The book studies femininity in late nineteenth and early twentieth century France through examination of beauty norms at the time. Grout explained how along with developments in the science of beauty, “Beauty came to be envisioned as a form of woman’s work. Since beauty was positioned as work rather than something natural, femininity itself was a social performance.”
The height of feminine social performance came in the 1920s, when a Texan entrepreneur organized the Miss Universe Pageant in Galveston. The pageant was the culmination of the system building up both in America and France, with America’s first pageants taking place on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Grout’s focus was on the third annual Miss Universe Pageant, which took place in 1928. 42 women participated, with 32 from the United States, and 10 foreign contestants from various European countries. Contestants were required to meet standards of beauty, weight, height, personality, and race before entering. That year, 16 year old Raymonde Allain from France came in second, and 22 year old Ella van Hueson from Chicago was crowned Miss Universe. However, as Grout explained, the contestants were “more than pretty girls vying for a title, but soldiers in a transnational war.”
The pageant was seen as a determining factor of what constitutes real beauty. With France and the United States competing head to head as cultural torchbearers on issues such as the World’s Fairs, it made sense that those two countries would also vie for setting the global standard for beauty. Was beauty the demure, chic, soft-spirited French woman? Or was it the bold, athletic, charming American? Each contestant in the finale embodied the ideal of her country. Van Hueson and Allain served both as national symbols and international icons after the pageant. Grout demonstrated the politicization of the pageant as she explained how in early rounds, the emphasis was on contestants’ personality and history. However, once a victor was announced, all focus was given to the title. “It became about the brand, not the person,” Grout went on to say. The pageant was not only international cultural wars, but also intranational conflicts. “These girls were seen as safe, publicized alternatives to the flapper, and her French equivalent, the garçonne, who many saw as cultural deviants.”
Grout herself was never a pageant girl. However, she was always interested in the ways beauty and feminist ideals interacted. In an interview after the lecture, she wondered “Are there ways we can see beauty as an empowering idea rather than something that limit us? We see beauty as more pluralistic now, the definition is widening. And because of this, it’s more productive to be able to think of it as not just a label.” Even though standards of beauty are shifting, pageants still hold a powerful political impact. Antiquated cultural norms are being broken down every year, especially in racial-based ideas of beauty. Just this year, Nina Davuluri was the first Indian Americanto be crowned Miss America. Femininity is still a powerful tool, but it doesn’t have to be limited to vying for global superiority in beauty standards. Instead, it can be used to help change measures of attractiveness and create a less exclusive ideal of what it means to be pretty. | <urn:uuid:aa246a11-19f8-459d-968a-09aa67fc6a50> | {
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