text
stringlengths 277
230k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| metadata
dict |
|---|---|---|
©Copyright 2018 GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
11060 Campus Street • Loma Linda, California 92350 • 909-558-4548
THE GRAND STAIRCASE: A CASE STUDY IN SCIENTIFIC THINKING FROM A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
Professor of Biology and Paleontology
Loma Linda University
In Utah and northern Arizona is a unique geological landscape feature, called the Grand Staircase. Imagine a staircase with each step a thousand feet or more high, and many miles wide. That is the Grand Staircase. Each step is a cliff composed of one or more geological formations. The group of formations forming each step begins in Utah and continues to the south until it ends in a cliff. The oldest rocks in this sequence, the Paleozoic rocks seen in the walls of the Grand Canyon, form the lowest step. Each higher step has younger rocks, and its cliff is farther north. The youngest rocks, those forming the highest cliff, don’t extend farther south than the northern part of Utah. How was this staircase formed? A river erodes the land into a valley. The river valley may be deep and narrow, or it may form a wide flood plain, but a river always has a riverbank on each side. The Grand Staircase is like a valley with a riverbank (the series of cliffs) on only one side. There is much evidence that the Grand Staircase must have been carved out of the landscape, not be rivers, but by a massive, catastrophic flow of water across southwestern United States.
Previous publications have discussed the concept that a biblical worldview can be applied in ways that suggest scientifically testable hypotheses, and thus lead to productive research. The source of these ideas may come from outside of conventional science, but the ideas and hypotheses can be fully testable by standard scientific research procedures, as exemplified by a number of research projects cited in these references. The following is an example – a case study of what it means to apply that method in geological research.
One of the first principles to recognize is that science does not often prove things, and this applies with double force in study of ancient history. Bible believers are often tempted to want proof of creation or the flood. Science does not offer that proof (or disproof). Valid application of science involves defining hypotheses, and then seeking to test them; to see if these ideas are useful in interpreting the evidence. Of the hypotheses that have been proposed, we want to know which seems to best explain the available evidence.
In southern Utah and northern Arizona is a magnificent landscape feature called the Grand Staircase (Fig. 1) and we will discuss hypotheses in regard to how this feature was formed. The staircase is a series of giant steps, actually cliffs, dropping down across southern Utah, all the way to the Grand Canyon. At each step a portion of the rock layers forming the geological column ends in a generally southward-facing cliff. The question we will address is what geological processes formed this series of steps? Why do each of these groups of rock formations suddenly end in a cliff?
For those who are not geologists we will review several geological processes pertinent to study of the Grand Staircase. Readers who already know the basic geology may wish to skip down to the heading “Methods of Study of the Grand Staircase.”
Each rock formation was formed when sediment, such as sand, mud, or pebbles was carried, usually by water, and deposited in a sedimentary layer, or calcium carbonate was precipitated to form limestone. A “formation” is a discrete unit of rock with identifiable characteristics that can be traced and mapped over a recognizable geographic region. Some formations are uniform in composition, e.g., sandstone (all or primarily sand), or mudstone (fine sediment like silt or clay), but more often they are a combination of more than one type of sediment. These are deposited one formation above the other, with each formation accumulating through some unit of time. The entire set of formations forms the layer cake structure called the geological column (labeled at right side of Fig. 1). A representative sample of the geological column can be seen in Utah and Arizona.
The Grand Canyon was carved through Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks. Those Paleozoic formations extend to the north, under the several formations in southern Utah forming the Triassic portion of the regional sequence of layers (Moenkopi, Chinle, including its basal member the Shinarump Conglomerate, and the Moenave are prominent Triassic formations). These Paleozoic and Triassic formations, or equivalent formations, extend to the north under the Jurassic and Cretaceous formations. Together, the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous form what is known as the Mesozoic part of the sequence of layers. Farther north there are Cenozoic formations on top of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic rock formations. This entire series of formations composes a time-sequence, like a history book; the lower layers are the oldest, and the upper layers are sequentially younger. This chronological sequence is real, whether one believes it formed in a few thousand years, or in hundreds of millions of years.
After these formations were deposited, they were at some time eroded to form the landscape we now see. The features of our landscape always have a geological reason for their characteristics. For example, sandstones and limestones are quite resistant to erosion, and typically erode into cliffs, while softer rocks like mudstone or shale erode into softer hills, slopes and valleys. This landscape-shaping erosion occurs largely through the energy of flowing water, such as streams, rivers, ocean waves, or ocean currents.
Ocean waves cut their way through the rock along the shore, moving the shoreline back, and sometimes taking our prime shorefront real estate with them. Rivers carve channels, with a river bank on each side of the channel.
Notice that a river leaves a bank, or cliff, on each side of the river channel. We seldom see truly catastrophic water erosion, but experiments and a few geological features indicate the unimaginable power of water moving rapidly on a large scale. As water erodes the landscape it may carve cliffs, with a more erosion-resistant layer forming the cliff, or at least the top of the cliff.
In conventional geological theory the major share of erosion through geological history occurred by processes we can observe on the earth today, whereas a biblical worldview implies that some significant portion of erosion events included erosion on a catastrophic scale far beyond our experience. Conventional scientists use their naturalistic paradigm as a basis for developing hypotheses, and a biblical worldview can be used the same way (Fig. 2). With these concepts in mind, let us return to the Grand Staircase.
METHODS OF STUDY OF THE GRAND STAIRCASE
The first step in this project was to find what is known of the geology of the Grand Staircase. Geological maps provided basic information on the rock formations involved, and the nature of their exposure across the Staircase. Other literature on these formations was studied and much travel through Arizona and Utah over several decades provided personal acquaintance with the geology of the region. With this background in mind, the next step was to photograph the geological maps of Utah and Arizona and enter these photographs into Adobe Illustrator. Then color overlays were made, forming bands of color corresponding to the distribution of specific rock formation outcrops across the landscape. Each color band shows the distribution of the set of rock formations composing one of the steps in the Grand Staircase (Fig. 3).
THE GRAND STAIRCASE
The lowest step includes primarily the Paleozoic in the walls of the Grand Canyon, with the Kaibab Limestone forming the top of the cliff.
The next step is called the Chocolate Cliffs (or Shinarump Cliffs). The top of this cliff is formed by the erosion-resistant Shinarump Conglomerate. Above that, several red Triassic formations make up the Vermillion Cliffs. The next cliff, the White Cliffs is formed by the Triassic/Jurassic Navajo Sandstone (as in the walls of Zion Canyon). The Navajo Sandstone in this cliff is primarily white, but in other places it is red, forming part of what is locally called the red-rock country in Utah. The Grey Cliffs are Cretaceous grey shales and other relatively soft rocks. Consequently the Grey Cliffs are not as sharply defined as the other cliffs. Above the Cretaceous Grey Cliffs comes the Cenozoic Claron Formation in the Pink Cliffs.
The sequence of cliffs shown in Figure 1 is a very real series of giant steps, with a broad, flat plateau at the top of each step. These are shown in the photographs in Figure 4. The question we are pursuing is how did this staircase form? What type of water action would be expected to carve such a series of steps?
HOW DID THE STAIRCASE FORM?
Our first question is whether the steps are primarily the result of erosion of formerly widespread deposits as usually interpreted, or whether these rock formations were originally deposited only where they now appear, with each set of formations only deposited part way south through Utah. If the latter was the case it could explain why the formations did not go farther south, but ended at different places along the way. If they were deposited that way we would expect the formations to get thinner toward the south, until they pinch out, as in Figure 5.
But they are not like that. Some formations get a little thinner, but others get thicker toward the south. The overall effect is not a thinning toward the south, as would be expected if they were not deposited farther south. Each group of formations just continues until they end in a cliff as in Figures 1 and 4. South of each cliff face they were eroded away. The evidence indicates they must have continued much farther south before they were eroded back to where the cliff now is. The dotted lines in Figure 1 indicate how these formations are believed to have been continuous toward the south, and then were eroded far back to where the cliffs now are, as portrayed in Figure 6. How does that type of erosion happen?
We will come back to that question, but first consider what is the size of this staircase feature. Figure 7 shows how the staircase is often shown, with its southern margin at the Grand Canyon or at the northern edge of the Kaibab uplift (approximately the Arizona border).
Much of this territory is included in Grand Staircase National Monument. However, the Grand Canyon is just a giant gash across an uplifted part of the landscape, and the same Paleozoic formations continue south (and get thicker) until they end at the lowest step in the staircase – the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona. Figure 8 shows the size of the Grand Staircase when this area south of the Grand Canyon is included.
In reality there is even more to the Grand Staircase. If we follow the upper cliffs indicated by the colored bands, they go north and then to the east through northern Utah. Above them are two more levels of rock formations, the Uinta and Green River Formations (Fig. 9). The Grand Staircase actually is a series of cliffs, one above the other, beginning in northern Utah and dropping down, one step at a time, all the way to the Mogollon Rim across central Arizona, and this staircase also extends into part of western Colorado (not covered in our illustrations). This area includes most of what is called the Colorado Plateau.
This northern part of the picture does not appear to be quite as clear, because of irregular features in central Utah that complicate the nature of the steps. These include the San Rafael Swell, the Circle Cliffs, and the Teasdale Uplift. But these are not as disruptive to the staircase pattern as they may appear at first. These features are just uplifted areas, like bubbles, that pushed the rock formations up, accompanied by erosion that removed the central areas of each bubble. If we could just flatten these out – iron out the wrinkles in the landscape – the picture would be clearer. Fortunately we can do that with the help of Adobe Illustrator, as in Figure 10.
Without these wrinkles the steps go consistently up as we proceed north, to the upper step in northern Utah, with the middle Mesozoic red rock country extending through the central area of Utah. There are also several mesas composed of remnants of Cretaceous rocks that were not removed by erosion.
PROPOSING AND TESTING HYPOTHESES
Conventional thought among geologists generally follows the philosophy of Methodological Naturalism, and uses that as a basis for developing hypotheses to explain the phenomena they are studying. Can we use our biblical worldview in the same way, as a basis for developing hypotheses to explain, e.g., the erosion of Utah and Arizona to form the Grand Staircase? Our logic can be clarified if we follow Chamberlain’s recommendation of multiple working hypotheses, and define two or more hypotheses for the shaping of the Grand Staircase, basing some on the concepts of conventional geology and others on a biblical view of earth history. Then our research can seek to open-mindedly compare the hypotheses, and search for data with the potential to test between them. That is a valid and constructive approach to a scientific question. There is another side to that. As Thomas Kuhn suggests, a new idea, no matter how good it is, may never have a fair chance to succeed unless a few persons believe in it enough to diligently seek to develop and apply it in their research. So let us do what he suggests, and proceed with these hypotheses.
1. Landscape formation, including the Grand Staircase, in one catastrophe, at end of a global flood.
2. Series of such catastrophic erosion events, at end of the flood.
3. One catastrophe later, possibly in association with glaciation.
4. A series of such catastrophic erosion events, perhaps in association with glaciation rather than at the end of the global flood.
5. Erosion by fluvial processes (rivers) and rain, as occurs today, over ~ 5 million years.
6. Erosion by fluvial processes, somewhat more extreme than normal, but still over millions of years.
For our purposes we can simplify these into two working hypotheses:
Working hypothesis one (based on initial hypotheses 5 or 6): the erosion of the Grand Staircase occurred by processes similar to those we observe today, over millions of years. Since this erosion occurred sometime after the Green River Formation was deposited, there was no ocean in Utah at that time. There was the enormous Lake Bonneville, which drained catastrophically, but that is to the west of our study area. So the erosion of the Grand Staircase would have to be the result of fluvial (river-related) processes. But there is a significant problem with that explanation. A river cuts a channel or a wider flood plain with a bank on each side (Fig. 11), and does not carve a series of steps as in the Grand Staircase.
Thus river erosion does not seem to be a likely process for carving the steps. This conclusion is supported if we add the primary river drainages to the map (Fig. 12). The rivers do not follow the steps in any way that seems likely to have cut the steps. In fact in a number of cases the river drainages cut right across the large landscape features.
However, we must consider this possibility carefully. It could be suggested that river erosion formed the staircase pattern as the Colorado Plateau region was gradually uplifted. The first proposed step in this process would occur after a partial uplift of the region. Rivers then meandered widely across the landscape, according to this explanation, eroding much of the region down to a stable base level. Then several hundred feet of further uplift resulted in a somewhat smaller region again being eroded down to a new stable base level. If this happened several times, it could be proposed, this could result in the staircase as we see it now. If this occurred, it would involve meandering rivers fairly uniformly eroding several thousand square miles at each step in the process, followed by an episode of uplift and then a repeat of the erosion process. Is this repetitive uplift and erosion process likely? Can we find evidence of these meandering river systems in the plateaus of the Grand Staircase? There is a paper describing one Miocene river in northern Arizona that is no longer a river. Is there evidence for the multitude of such paleodrainages that would be required to form the Staircase?
There is another significant challenge for this scenario. The process would have to erode away any evidence of the southern “bank” of the river valley or flood plain where this occurred, leaving only the south-facing cliffs that would have formed the northern bank of the system. Is there any evidence, or a likely hypothesis for the disappearance of the southern flank of such an ancient river system? This scenario must be considered, but I suggest that the evidence presented here suggests that a different process is required to explain the Grand Staircase.
Figure 13 is an attempt to think what we might expect the Utah/ Arizona landscape to look like if it was eroded by fluvial (river) processes. If the Grand Staircase had been carved by river systems there should be an evident relationship between the rivers and the shape of the landscape, but the actual cliffs do not show such a relationship to the existing river systems. The evidence we have looked at does not seem consistent with working hypothesis one – forming the cliffs by river erosion, as it occurs in the modern world.
Figure 12 shows Black Mesa, in northeastern Arizona, a remnant of Cretaceous formations, that were mostly removed by erosion. The drainage on top of the mesa is toward the south (Fig. 14).
There are wide valleys there with dendritic drainage patterns within each of these valleys. They don’t drain over the northern edge of the mesa, but drain to the south. If we look at the mesa wall from the northeast (Fig. 15) these valleys appear as hanging valleys (or beheaded valleys).
It appears as if the valleys were formed before the rock formations forming the mesa were eroded away from the area north of the mesa. Then the drainages on top of the mesa continued to drain to the south. This also is consistent with the other evidence discussed above, that questions whether river-related processes provide adequate explanations for the origin of these landscape features.
Now consider working hypothesis two (based on initial hypotheses 1-4): The rock formations covered Utah and northern Arizona as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. Then catastrophic water flow (one or more events) on a massive geographic scale flowed over the Colorado Plateau with the energy and erosive processes to rapidly erode back the formations, moving the cliffs or scarps back to the north, one after the other (Fig. 6). If the water flowed from the north, headward erosion began cutting at the south, proceeding back to the north, with the southern area eroded more deeply to form the lowest of the steps. Or the erosion could have followed a different pattern, but whatever the specific pattern, the Grand Staircase was cut into the landscape by one or more of these catastrophic events. If this occurred, careful research may possibly find evidence for the direction and pattern of water flow that produced the existing landscape.
The hypothesis that best fits the evidence is large-scale water flow that shapes the landscape features, often cutting channels across these features, and rivers only cut the final touches into the landscape (working hypothesis two), as in Figure 16. In this hypothesis the southward drainage system on Black Mesa was established when the mesa still extended farther to the north. I propose that the catastrophic erosion removed the former northern extension of the mesa, leaving the hanging valleys as remnants of the original drainage pattern.
The southern edge of the series of cliffs in the Grand Staircase is very irregular. Is this contrary to the explanation I am suggesting? Was the erosion of the steps controlled by structural features like faults and folds? There is a series of faults and folds that are a prominent feature of southern Utah geology. However, these features are all north-south trending geological structural features, as shown in cross-section in Figure 17.
In the western part of the staircase are three major north-south faults, and in each case the sediments are raised up on the east side of the fault. Then farther east from these are three prominent monoclines, which in each case are folded up toward the west. These dramatic features are shown in Figure 18. Since they are oriented north-south, they could not be the cause of the staircase, but actually cut across the steps in the staircase. The faults and folds are irrelevant to the origin of the staircase pattern. The staircase cliffs have only been shifted in north-south directions by these structural features, but not formed by them.
On the east side of the Cockscomb monocline the Triassic and Jurassic formations that make the cliffs to the west have gone underground, but the cliff topography continues to the east as two prominent cliffs in the Cretaceous formations. The lower of these cliffs is continuous with, and contains the same rock formations as the Straight Cliffs on the east side of that area (Fig. 19). It can be suggested that the same large-scale water flow that formed the Grand Staircase also carried the cliff pattern across these Cretaceous formations.
AN ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION
Another explanation for the cliffs of the Grand Staircase is presented by Schmidt.6 Using geological observations in the Colorado Plateau he concludes that each of the steps has eroded back (scarp retreat) at rates of 1 to 9 kilometers per million years. He bases this on careful logic and observations, so it cannot be just brushed off. However, his conclusion is based on, and dependent on two assumptions that are not directly stated in the paper, but are clear from his presentation of data and interpretations. One assumption is that the scarp retreat process occurred through processes consistent with what is generally active today (he does not discuss the exact nature of the process in this erosion). But the evidence I have presented above raises doubts about the adequacy of these modern fluvial processes to explain the origin of the enormous staircase-like series of cliffs, which drop down consistently in one direction.
The other assumption is his acceptance of the radiometric time scale, which is the basis for his time calculations. That time scale is not consistent with a Bible-based worldview, but there is nothing in my analysis of the staircase phenomenon that can address the time issue. If we leave aside for now the question of time, the physical evidence described above still strongly suggests that his model is not adequate to explain the evidence, no matter what the time scale.
How could Schmidt and his colleagues be so wrong? Are they practicing careless science? I see no evidence of that. The existence of two such radically different models for formation of the Grand Staircase can only be understood if we consider the dominant role of worldviews in our approach to such scientific questions. If a geologist is fully convinced that the conventional, naturalistic explanation of earth history is correct and the only viable scientific approach (most of them are so convinced), that philosophy rules their scientific thinking on the big questions of history. To consider the possibility that biblical catastrophism could suggest explanations worth a second thought is not generally going to happen. Only someone with personal confidence that the God of the Bible knows more about geology than we do will take seriously a geological model that is initiated or encouraged by a biblical worldview. Even if such a model is absolutely correct, it will not succeed unless there are logically thinking, properly educated persons with the determination to develop the model and apply it in research.
Have I proved my conclusions about the origin of the Grand Staircase? No, certainly not, but I predict that working hypothesis two will be found to be going in the right direction, and clearly is most consistent with the data. Even though our discussion of the origin of the Grand Staircase arose from a religious perspective, it resulted in these testable hypotheses – testable by careful study of the geomorphological evidence. I suggest that this project illustrates how a biblical worldview can be an effective platform for scientific thinking and hypothesis development and testing. An alternate worldview, applied consciously and deliberately as we have done in this project, can lead to constructive, even better hypotheses. I propose that there are many geological or biological questions to which this worldview, applied consciously and deliberately, can lead to better understanding, or at least to deeper testing of the concepts being studied. The hypotheses that we propose may be supported by such research, or the research may lead to better hypotheses that can also be tested. Either way will result in improved scientific understanding, as our alternate hypotheses provide the incentive and some suggestions for further research. W. M. Davis, a prominent geologist encouraged the pursuit of what he called “outrageous hypotheses,” since most really new ideas in geology will seem outrageous at first. He may not have been willing to accept my hypothesis on the Grand Staircase as a legitimate outrageous hypothesis, but I propose that his concept can be appropriately expanded as I am doing.
Some individuals may be reticent to approach research in this way, because they have seen some biblically-oriented scientific research that was done in a shallow way. Actually there has been shallow research done on all sides of the philosophical spectrum, so that is not an adequate reason for avoiding a novel approach. Quality research has also been done in all of those quarters. Careful work, testing multiple hypotheses, is essential and will lead us in the right direction.
This paper presents a preliminary analysis and suggests hypotheses for testing. This is not a finished conclusion, but proposes an idea that can lead to extensive field geology research, and also experimental modeling, on the question of scarp retreat and the erosional history of the Grand Staircase – an opportunity for productive research that would probably not occur if our biblical worldview did not lead us to think it provides constructive insights. I will not be the person to pursue this research, considering what stage of my career I am in. I hope someone does take up the awesome opportunity for research presented by the Grand Staircase, and seeks better explanations for its origin.
(a) Brand L, Chadwick A. 2016. Faith, Reason, and Earth History: A Paradigm of Earth and Biological Origins by Intelligent Design. 3rd ed. Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press; (b) Brand L. 2015. Worldviews and predictions in the scientific study of origins. Origins 64:6-20; (c) Brand L. 2015. Naturalism: its role in science. Origins 64:21-37.
Tarbuck EJ, Lutgens EK. 2017. Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology. 12th ed. New York: Pearson Education, p. 216.
(a) Hintze LF. 1980. Geological Map of Utah. Utah Geological and Mineral Survey; (b) Wilson ED, Moore TR, Cooper JR. 1969. Geologic Map of Arizona. Arizona Bureau of Mines and the U S Geological Survey.
Mallory WW (ed.). 1972. Geological Atlas of the Rocky Mountain Region. Denver, CO: Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists.
Doelling HH, Blackett RE, Hamblin AH, Powell JD, Pollock GL. 2000. Geology of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah. Geology of Utah’s Parks and Monuments, Utah Geological Association Publication 28.
Schmidt K. 1989. The significance of scarp retreat for Cenozoic landform evolution on the Colorado Plateau, U.S.A. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 14:93-105.
Chamberlin TC. 1965. The method of multiple working hypotheses. Science 148:754–759 (republication of the original article from Science, 7 February 1890).
Kuhn TS. 1970. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lucchitta I, Holm RF, Lucchitta BK. 2011. A Miocene river in northern Arizona and its
implications for the Colorado River and Grand Canyon. GSA Today 21(10):4-10.
A monocline is a fold in the geological formations, folding up in one direction and then
leveling off, as in the inset in Figure 17, Waterpocket Fold.
Davis WM. 1926. The value of outrageous hypotheses. Science 63:463–468. | <urn:uuid:591ef2f6-c023-4f14-8af3-508750f7aa82> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-04",
"url": "https://www.grisda.org/origins-65007",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703499999.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20210116014637-20210116044637-00440.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9525233507156372,
"token_count": 5974,
"score": 3.75,
"int_score": 4
} |
by Jayson Hawkins
Certain human rights are inalienable, even for incarcerated individuals. When Joshua Davis received a shot of insulin in 2018 that was tainted with other prisoners’ blood, the resulting lawsuit against the institution that risked exposing him to a host of deadly diseases should have been a slam dunk. Yet an unusual issue prevented the suit.
According to Rhode Island law, Davis was already dead.
An archaic state statute defines anyone sentenced to life as “civilly dead,” which renders their civil rights null and void. Not only do they lack the ability to sue, they cannot be lawfully married or divorced, nor can they hold title to any property. This holds true even if they eventually regain freedom.
The idea of civil death traces its roots to the Classical Greeks and Romans. Criminals facing execution were barred from military service, voting, and other civic privileges.
The Germanic tribes utilized “outlawry,” a similar concept wherein those guilty of certain crimes lost all rights and protections within the community. Much later, the English incorporated civil death into the common laws, and it made its way to America with the colonists. An 1871 court ruling in Virginia declared convicted felons had no rights and existed solely as “slave-[s] of the state.”
English common law only applied civil death to felony convictions, but almost all felonies used to be capital crimes. Lengthy prison terms began to be substituted for the death penalty over the years for many crimes, but rather than also eliminating civil death, many U.S. states opted to widen its definition to include life sentences. Problems inevitably arose when some lifers were paroled yet still found themselves legal non-persons.
A New York man declared civilly dead while serving a life term discovered after his release he was still legally wed even though his wife had remarried during his incarceration. A judge refused to annul the original union simply because of his temporary “death,” thus leaving his (ex) wife married to both men.
A Missouri court ruled the legal paradoxes of civil death unconstitutional in 1976, agreeing that it was “an outdated and inscrutable common law precept.” Civil death nonetheless remains on the books of New York and Rhode Island, though only the latter enforces it. Other states that long ago overturned their own statutes have found ways to retain several effects of civil death. Rights such as having certain occupations, voting, and running for office remain forbidden for many felons even after serving their time.
Sonja Deyoe, an attorney representing Joshua Davis and another Rhode Island lifer burned by a steam pipe at the same facility, has brought suit against the state on their behalf. The Civil Death Act, she claims, has denied her clients “basic civil, statutory, and common law rights and access to the courts, [and] imposes an excessive and outmoded punishment contrary to evolving standards of decency.” Her argument echoes rulings of other states’ courts and alleged numerous Constitutional violations. “The state could choose not to feed these individuals, deny them medical care, torture them, or do anything short of execute them,” she said.
A number of Rhode Island’s current population of over 200 civilly dead prisoners will have parole opportunities, but courts have not determined if freedom will include legal resurrection. The few lifers who have already been paroled have been hesitant to question their status. The state’s General Assembly agreed on legislation to overturn civil death in 2007 only to have it vetoed by the governor at that time. Multiple bills that would achieve the same end have since been proposed, but not one has passed.
As a digital subscriber to Criminal Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login | <urn:uuid:1370828f-8692-490e-9a38-c93dc93ee14a> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-10",
"url": "https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2019/nov/18/civil-death-laws-when-life-death/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875142603.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20200217145609-20200217175609-00536.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9722945094108582,
"token_count": 786,
"score": 2.65625,
"int_score": 3
} |
In this article, you’ll learn Isometric Drawing, Isometric Projection – Its Types, Methods, etc. in details.
So, Let’s Get Started.
Table of Contents
In an isometric projection, the plane is placed in such a way that all the, three visible sides of the object make same angle with one another.
In this way, all the three sides meet at a point making an angle of 120° with one another.
These lines are called Isometric Axes.
In the figure, the lines which are parallel to these lines are called isometric lines, and those lines which are not parallel to these lines are called Non-isometric Lines.
Two isometric axes make an angle of 30° with the horizontal line. While the third axis makes an angle of 90°.
Since, in isometric projection, the isometric line makes an angle of 30° with the horizontal lines, therefore, their length is not equal to the actual length, but it is only 82% of the actual length.
The isometric scale is prepared to form an isometric projection. With the help of this scale, the actual dimensions are transformed into isometric dimensions.
Method of Drawing Isometric Scale:
Following method is used for drawing isometric scale:
After drawing a horizontal line, draw two lines at 45° and 30° angle with it.
Put marks on the 45° line according to the actual scale.
Now draw perpendicular offsets from 45° line up to 30° line which will represent the isometric scale.
Difference between Isometric Drawing and Isometric Projection.
The method of drawing Isometric Drawing and Isometric Projection is the same.
All the dimensions in the isometric drawing are actual while in the Isometric projection, the isometric scale is to be used.
As a result, the dimensions are less than the actual ones.
To get isometric dimension from the actual dimension, it is to be multiplied with 82/ 100.
Isometric lines, circles, and curves;
The lines which are drawn parallel to the isometric axes in forming isometric projection are called isometric lines.
The represented length is not equal to the actual length, but it is 82% of it.
In the same way, isometric circles are also not the actual circles, but they are elliptic ones:
For drawing such circles, first of all, the isometric square is constructed. Then the four centers of an ellipse are shown.
These are in fact, the points of intersection of the corner of the bigger angle of the isometric square and the bisector of the sides confronting it.
The circle is completed by drawing arcs from these points. If some other arc is to be constructed, then the same method is to be adopted.
Methods OF Drawing Isometric Drawing.
Following are the two methods of drawing isometric drawing:
1. Box Method.
2. Off-set Method.
1. Box Method:
This method of drawing isometric drawing is easy and intelligible. However, it takes much time for the drawing.
In this method, the maximum length, breadth, and height of an object are noted.
A box is constructed in accordance with these dimensions.
These dimensions of the box are represented according to isometric projection.
These make angles of degrees 30, 30 and 90 with the horizontal line.
After this other parts of the object are shown.
For this purpose, isometric lines are drawn parallel to the isometric axis. After this, non-isometric lines, circles, and other curves are drawn.
Moreover, lastly, extra lines are erased.
2. Off-set Method:
In this method, for preparing isometric view, by selecting the side, the length, and breadth of the object are drawn parallel to the isometric axis.
After this, the other isometric and non-isometric lines are drawn according to the dimensions.
Lastly, circles and curves are drawn, and the drawing is completed by erasing extra lines. | <urn:uuid:35f5895f-caac-4836-9e03-913b5f9c85ee> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2022-21",
"url": "https://civilseek.com/isometric-drawing-projection/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662625600.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20220526193923-20220526223923-00120.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9180395603179932,
"token_count": 855,
"score": 4.40625,
"int_score": 4
} |
This article was originally published by Sara Tipton at Tess Pennington’s Ready Nutrition.
It’s been 100 years since the Spanish Flu caused a global pandemic. While you can rest easy right now knowing a global pandemic is not currently a threat, it is just a matter of time before the next one arrives. And when the next one does arrive, “scientists say an outbreak of a flu-like illness could sweep across the planet in 36 hours and kill tens of millions due to our constantly-traveling population.”
According to the Daily Mail, “The report, named A World At Risk, said current efforts to prepare for outbreaks in the wake of crises such as Ebola are ‘grossly insufficient’”. It was headed by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former Norwegian prime minister and director-general of the WHO (World Health Organization). He said in the report: “The threat of a pandemic spreading around the globe is a real one. ‘A quick-moving pathogen has the potential to kill tens of millions of people, disrupt economies and destabilize national security.’”
No country is fully prepared for the mayhem a pandemic flu can cause
Out of the entire world, a mere 13 countries had resources and health care systems to put up a fight against a global pandemic. Among the countries ranked in the top tier were Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and Holland.
Scientists say that the size of a city and its structure can impact an influenza epidemic, meaning where you live could affect the spread of the virus. Regardless of whether flu cases rise to a wintertime peak or plateau from fall to spring, new research suggests that the size of a city itself is what influences the contours of its flu season according to Science News. Larger cities with higher levels of crowding were associated with a steady accumulation of influenza cases throughout the flu season. Smaller cities with less crowding tended to have a flu season with a more intense surge in winter, researchers report in the October 5 publication.
When a highly lethal flu pandemic comes, it will affect everyone alive today. In a related article, “Pandemic flu is apolitical and does not discriminate between rich and poor. Geographical boundaries are meaningless, and it can circle the globe within hours.” Dr. Gupta goes on to explain that when most people hear “flu”, they think of seasonal flu, but pandemic flu is “a different animal, and you should understand the difference.”
Preparations start at home
So just how do we prepare for a possible pandemic? A big concern with pandemics is that supplies would be quickly exhausted leaving many unprepared to handle the ordeal. This will only fuel a more chaotic situation. These concerns are not new to most governments and steps have been taken to ensure communities are prepared and are able to contain most epidemics.
Which such a large-scale emergency, it is difficult to know where to start and the best answer this author can give you is to start at home. We can’t control if or when governments decide to prepare, but we can control when and what we, as individuals need to protect our families.
This a suggested list of supplies to help you combat a pandemic is based on Tess Pennington’s best-selling book, The Prepper’s Blueprint. The preparedness manual offers real-world advice for preppers of all levels and stages to help gear up for a pandemic.
The following is a list of pandemic supplies for your home:
- One month supply of emergency foods that require no refrigeration.
- Store 1 gallon of water per person per day, in clean plastic containers. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.
- Plastic sheeting
- 2-3 small wastebaskets or a bucket lined with a plastic garbage bag (to dispose of clothing, soiled supplies, etc.)
- Gallon-sized zip-loc bags
- A portable toilet with disposable liners
- Supply of nonprescription drugs and pain relievers
- Cold medicines and decongestants
- Stomach remedies
- Anti-diarrheal medication
- Essential oils
- Vitamins that have immune-boosting enhancers
- Fluids with electrolytes
- Bleach or disinfectant
- Garbage bags to collect soiled clothing and bedding before they are washed.
- A thermometer
- Protective eye gear and/or face shield
- Disposable nitrile gloves (2-3 boxes)
- Tyvek protective suit and shoe covers
- Disposable cleaning gloves (in quantity)
- Hand wipes
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizers or homemade hand sanitizer supplies
- Protective clothing
- Disposable aprons or smocks (at least 2 cases)
- Duct tape for sealing off doorways and vents
- N95 masks or N100 respirator masks for use when the sick person is coughing or sneezing (can be purchased at hardware stores and some drugstores)
In the event of a pandemic, because of anticipated shortages of supplies, health care professionals and widespread implementation of social distancing techniques, it is expected that the large majority of individuals infected with the pandemic illness will be cared for in the home by family members, friends, and other members of the community – not by trained health care professionals. Bear in mind that persons who are more prone to contracting illnesses include people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.
In addition to having some necessary supplies on hand, you’ll also want to do the following:
- Store a one month supply of water and food. During a pandemic, if you cannot get to a store, or if stores are out of supplies, it will be important for you to have extra supplies on hand.
- Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home.
Have any nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough, and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins.
- Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home.
- Prepare a sick room for the home to limit family member’s exposure to the virus.
Brainstorming in advance is a great way to determine where you’d quarantine a family member or create your sick room. Individual preparation is critical if you would like to beat any pandemic and that all starts with brainstorming and coming up with the best ideas to keep yourself and loved ones healthy. | <urn:uuid:6f30ff5a-cba6-4757-b6ba-72dbe84b48f2> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-25",
"url": "https://intelwars.com/category/kill-people/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487626465.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20210617011001-20210617041001-00087.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9440373778343201,
"token_count": 1425,
"score": 3.546875,
"int_score": 4
} |
Semiconductor Diode in Reverse Direction
Task number: 1778
A semiconductor germanium diode is connected into an electric circuit in the reverse direction. A voltage of 10 V is measured across the diode. The figure shows current-voltage characteristics of the diode in the reverse direction for different temperatures of the diode.
- Asses what current flows through the diode at temperatures of 10, 20, 30 and 50 °C.
- What voltage do we measure across the resistor with a resistance of 5 Ω when the temperature of the diode is 20 °C?
Neglect the current flowing through the voltmeter and the resistance of the ammeter.
Hint for Part a.
We read the values of the current flowing through the diode at a given temperature for a given voltage from the I-V plot of the diode.
Solution of Part a.
Solution of Part b.
The current flowing through the diode at a voltage of 10 V at 20 °C is (see solution of Part a.):I = 10 µA = 10·10-6 A.
The resistance of the resistor is R = 5 Ω.
The current flowing through the resistor is the same as the current flowing through the diode because they are connected in series.
We calculate the voltage across the resistor from Ohm’s law:U = RI = 5·10·10-6 V = 5·10-5 V = 50 μV
Currents flowing through the diode at 10 V at different temperatures are:
Temperature Current 10 °C 7 µA 20 °C 10 µA 30 °C 20 µA 50 °C 47 µA
The voltage across the resistor is 50 μV when the diode is at a temperature of 20 °C.
Link to a similar task
A similar task with a semiconductor diode is Semiconductor Diode in Forward Direction. | <urn:uuid:7608ca5c-7f35-4634-a046-27fc77ed0141> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2023-50",
"url": "http://physicstasks.eu/1778/semiconductor-diode-in-reverse-direction",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679102612.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20231210155147-20231210185147-00469.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.882908821105957,
"token_count": 400,
"score": 3.765625,
"int_score": 4
} |
Monitoring network installation at Pagan Volcano
Pagan Volcano is the largest and one of the most active volcanoes in the Northern Mariana Islands. Prior to 2013, the volcano was not monitored with any ground-based instruments, so activity was observed only by satellite or by the few island inhabitants. Although geographically remote, eruptions from Pagan can threaten international air traffic. A collaborative effort by the USGS, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and Southern Methodist University installed seismic network, infrasound equipment and webcams to monitor activity and provide the necessary warnings. | <urn:uuid:ee8497bc-1880-4d95-ad72-090c10f1ff7a> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2023-50",
"url": "https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/monitoring-network-installation-pagan-volcano",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100674.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20231207121942-20231207151942-00131.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9300262331962585,
"token_count": 113,
"score": 2.6875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Lupus Is A Serious Disease We Know Little About
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart and lungs. As the symptoms are shared with other conditions, it can be hard to diagnose.
Around 50,000 people are thought to have lupus in the UK and about 90% of these are women.
The causes of lupus are still poorly understood but it is thought to be due to a combination of factors from both inside and outside the body including hormones, genetic and environmental factors.
What are the main types of lupus?
- Systemic lupus erythematosus – This condition is what most people mean when they refer to lupus. SLE can affect body tissues in any organ or part of the body. It can affect a person’s quality of life through pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression.
- Discoid lupus erythematosus – DLE is usually a milder type of lupus and normally affects only the skin. Symptoms include red, circular, scaly marks on the skin, hair loss and bald patches. A person with this condition may have to avoid direct sunlight.
- Drug induced lupus – More than 100 medications are known to cause lupus symptoms in some people. These usually stop if the medication is stopped or changed after seeking medical advice.
What are the symptoms of lupus?
The symptoms differ from one person to another and depend on the type of lupus but some of the more common ones include:
- Joint pain (arthralgia)
- Swollen joints (arthritis)
- Unexplained fever of more than 38C or 100.4F
- Skin rash
- Prolonged or extreme fatigue
- Swollen lymph glands
- A butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose
- Ankle swelling and accumulation of fluid
- Depression and anxiety
- Hair loss
- Pale or painful fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud’s disease)
- Headaches or migraine
- Memory loss
- Mouth or nose ulcers
- Shortness of breath
It is important to note that lupus is not a contagious disease. Symptoms can flare up making the patient feel ill, before a period of remission or symptom improvement occurs.
People with SLE are more likely to have another autoimmune condition and complications can lead to kidney failure, heart disease and stroke. SLE can also be a concern in pregnancy as it may increase the risk of miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, stillbirth and premature birth.
How is lupus diagnosed?
The diagnosis is made when a person has several symptoms of the disease. Blood tests may also be carried out to confirm the diagnosis. These could include an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test or an anti-DNA antibody test.
It can be a difficult disease to live with as it can make a person feel tired and weak, causing them to withdraw from social activities. The disease is often “invisible” making it hard for others to understand what you are going through. Treating and managing lupus symptoms, therefore, becomes vitally important for your quality of life.
There is currently no cure for the condition but it can be treated effectively and most people with the disease can lead active, healthy lives.
How is lupus treated?
There is no cure at present but there are a number of treatments that may help manage the condition. Such treatments aim to prevent flare-ups, alleviate symptoms and reduce organ damage and other complications.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on several factors including the person’s age, overall health, medical history and location and severity of the disease.
Medication used to treat lupus symptoms include:
- NSAIDs are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which reduce pain and inflammation in the body.
- Corticosteroids may be recommended to reduce inflammation and help symptoms.
- Hydroxychloroquine may help with rashes, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue.
- Immunosuppressants may help to stop the body’s immune system attacking healthy cells.
- Biologicals such as rituximab or belimumab which work by inhibiting the process whereby the immune system attacks the body.
In addition to your medication, there are also steps you can take to improve your sense of wellbeing and your quality of life. These include:
- Exercise – Low-impact activities such as walking, cycling and swimming can help prevent muscle wasting and lower your risk of developing osteoporosis. Exercise can also have a positive impact on your mood.
- Eat well – As with most health conditions, you should eat a balanced nutritious diet.
- Avoid alcohol – Alcohol can interact with your medication and can lead to stomach problems such as ulcers.
- Avoid stressful situations – Try to resolve stress, depression or anger.
- Don’t smoke – Smoking can impair circulation and worsen symptoms leading to problems with your heart, lungs and stomach.
- Have enough rest – Pace yourself by alternating periods of activity with periods of rest.
- Take care in the sun – Sufferers may develop rashes or disease flare-ups when exposed to the sun. Wear sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen when you go out in the sun. Also try to avoid too much exposure to fluorescent lights.
- Treat fevers – A fever may indicate an infection or flare-up so seek treatment promptly.
- Get to know your disease – Keep a record of your symptoms and any activities or situations which seem to trigger them.
- Get to know your doctor – Build an honest and open relationship with your doctor as it often takes time to find the best medication and dosage for your individual symptoms. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and try to be patient.
- Be open with your friends and family – Explain about the ups and downs of your condition and encourage their support and understanding.
- Get to know others with lupus – Consider joining a support group or contact a charity such as Lupus UK. You can find out more about their work by clicking on the link below.
Most people with lupus can expect to have a normal life span especially if they follow their doctor’s recommendations and their treatment plans. Medicine has made great advances over the last few years. Thanks to modern drugs, sufferers now have a normal life expectancy and can have a better quality of life.
If you would like to find out more about the condition, please click on this link to Lupus UK.
Share this article with family or friends who may benefit from it. | <urn:uuid:c0b7b4a9-73eb-43d1-b5d9-718e8c856b4e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-31",
"url": "https://www.thebestofhealth.co.uk/health-conditions/arthritis/lupus-serious-disease/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154126.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20210731203400-20210731233400-00587.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9473183751106262,
"token_count": 1422,
"score": 3.421875,
"int_score": 3
} |
NASA Cassini Spacecraft To Finally Reach Saturn's Rings
NASA's Cassini spacecraft has never been readier to come to the closest distance it can get to Saturn's rings. Before the spacecraft bids its goodbye, it will brave itself to take one last orbit to the said planet--this time between Saturn and its rings.
The Cassini has been roaming through space for 20 years already. And after about 12 years of its journey around Saturn, this will be the first time it gets near the planet's rings. The spacecraft's orbit will bring it nearer to the main ring system that is approximately 5,000 miles to the planet's F ring, The Verge details.
This will be Cassini's last hurrah before it plunges deeper into Saturn's atmosphere, which will automatically cause its death. The death plunge is expected to take place on September 2017 and the duration before it happens is solely directed to what NASA calls the "Ring-Grazing Orbits."
The scientists behind this space mission express mixed emotions on the impending space event. Starting today, November 30 until April 22 of the coming year, Cassini will go about 20 times through the outer edge of the planet's rings.
According to Linda Spilker, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Cassini project scientist, there will be two instruments used to sample the particles and gasses as the spacecraft crosses the ring plane. Spilker added that Cassini will be "grazing on the rings," reports Space.com.
Since the Cassini will be closer than ever to Saturn, the scientists involved in the study will be able to obtain the measurements and other calculations that they have been trying to acquire for more than a decade already. So even if this would be the last activity that the Cassini spacecraft would be doing, its purpose was made.
However, this is just the start since the spacecraft will get even much closer to the rings with just about 1,012 miles. This will happen after the revolutions are done. Before its final plunge, the Cassini has performed a total of 294 orbits for the whole course of its existence. And thus, will finally be a part of Saturn's atmosphere after all. | <urn:uuid:904835b8-f1b4-44c7-bb54-b8b6f4066d20> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-17",
"url": "http://www.newseveryday.com/articles/56285/20161130/nasa-cassini-spacecraft-finally-reach-saturns-rings.htm",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917119080.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031159-00006-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.954167902469635,
"token_count": 445,
"score": 3.3125,
"int_score": 3
} |
How can I build soil organic matter?
Last week I shared with you the importance of soil organic matter and the many benefits it can give to your crop and soil. Organic matter is one of the hardest places to see improvements. The amount of time it takes to grow organic matter just half a percent can take many years. Today I will share with you a few strategies to start the process of building organic matter.
Grow your Organic Matter
The first way to build soil organic matter is to grow it. If you can grow a cash crop that is healthy and productive, you can grow more plant residue. Also managing the crop rotation can build soil organic matter. Rotating to a crop with a tremendous root system like cereal grains and even hay can build organic matter. A crop with huge amounts of plant residue above ground like corn can be a great way to build organic matter as well. Soybeans serve as a very valuable part of a crop rotation here in the Midwest and other parts of the country, but have very little crop residue. So if soybeans are in your rotation, you may be limiting your ability to build soil organic matter. Another great tool for building organic matter is to grow a crop in between your cash crop. Cover crops have become a viable way to improve the soil and keep vegetation growing on your field all year long. The more root you have below the soil surface and the more residue you can grow above, building soil organic matter will move upward.
Apply your Organic Matter
The next way to build soil organic matter is to apply organic matter. Livestock and poultry manure can both be used. Manure adds nutrients to the soil, improve biological activity and improving organic matter. The more bedding such as wood shavings and rice hauls the manure has in it, the more time it will take to break down this manure. This could prevent valuable nitrogen from being utilized by the cash crop. Be cautious about how much manure you apply over a long period of time. Even though it can be a good tool to improve the soil, you can create soil chemistry imbalances when you apply too much. Sewage sludge and other processing waste can be just as effective if you have a source that is available. The same cautions that apply to manure also apply to sewage sludge and processing waste as well. I don’t think it is wise to use manure as your only way to build organic matter, but it can use used with any number of the tools in this article.
The final way I will share with you to build soil organic matter is to reduce tillage. In the days of using the moldboard plow, soil would be turned over. This increases the amount of oxygen in the soil and increases degradation of the plant residues. This also allows carbon to easily escape verses allowing it to accumulate over time. Reduced tillage and in many cases no-till have been used to build soil organic matter. One positive effect of reduced tillage is also limiting the amount of erosion on your field. This loss of soil and organic matter is costly and unproductive.
I hope this helps give you some ideas on ways to improve soil organic matter. Just remember, the farmer renting your land should have a plan in order to improve organic matter. This plan should include ways to help make your land more productive. Good communication between you and them is very important. If not, it may be time for a change. If it is, Bird Dog can help. | <urn:uuid:ce92dd68-d182-40f4-95f7-f83f60912cb0> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-47",
"url": "https://fetchbirddog.com/2018/02/12/build-soil-organic-matter/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-47/segments/1573496671239.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20191122042047-20191122070047-00437.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9504303336143494,
"token_count": 707,
"score": 2.546875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Science fiction author Larry Niven once said, "The dinosaurs went extinct because they didn't have a space program. And if we become extinct because we don't have a space station, it'll serve us right." It's true that animal represents the fragility of life on Earth as powerfully as dinosaurs do. As space colonization advocates have long known, humanity's only chance at long term survival is getting the heck off this planet. If we were to successfully settle other worlds, it would be a kind of insurance policy against total extinction. So let's get star-trekking already! | <urn:uuid:0e7b3ad3-523b-4368-add8-29931d92a127> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2016-44",
"url": "http://www.sparknotes.com/mindhut/2013/08/20/12-life-lessons-we-learned-from-dinosaurs/slide/11",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988722653.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183842-00481-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9641187787055969,
"token_count": 118,
"score": 2.578125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Impacts / Effects of Parking Management
Providing a generous parking supply is costly, ranging from about $250 to $2,250 per space (direct, annualized cost calculated by Litman 2006). These costs, however, do not include the indirect costs that municipalities face, such as: "increased sprawl, impervious surface and associated stormwater management costs, reduced design flexibility, reduced efficiency of alternative modes (walking, ridesharing and public transit use), and increased traffic problems" (Ibid). In this section, we will examine how parking management can affect these different areas.
Our development patterns have created a landscape that is often dominated by the car. Since a car spends 95% of its life parked (Shoup 2005), much of the landscape has been turned into parking lots. In many cases, residents of auto-oriented communities would like to have more transportation options, but the low-density associated with a generous parking supply makes this unfeasible. Also, residents who are opposed to new developments with increased density often cite fears of increased traffic and parking difficulties. Unfortunately, the reality is that low-density development patterns preclude transit options and force more people to drive.
Todd Litman's "Cycle of Automobile Dependency" shows how auto-centric land use planning and excessive parking supply have created this situation. Parking management strategies can be used to break this cycle, by changing development patterns and improving travel options (2006).
The impacts of parking management strategies will vary depending on a number of factors, and they will be higher when travelers have alternative transportation options. But even in the absence of transit, it is still possible to use parking strategies to affect land use, congestion, and environmental degradation.
If the provision of parking spaces were left entirely up to the market, we would live in a very different society today. The market would only supply parking where it is profitable, and there would be fewer spaces and people would probably live closer together, walk more, and drive less. A large under-priced supply of parking does not necessarily create traffic, but it does reduce the cost of travel by automobile. Parking management strategies, particularly pricing, will have the effect of forcing users to "economize" when it comes to parking. Many drivers will shift to different modes, different times of day, or combine trips. These actions will help to reduce traffic congestion, roadway costs, pollution, and more. At the low end, Shoup estimates congestion costs to be about $73 per month per parking space (2005), which would equal almost $3 billion in annual costs for the Chicago region.
Todd Littman has found that offering cash-out programs (such as $50 / month for not using a parking spot) typically reduces automobile commuting by 20% (2006). In another study, Litman found that shifting from free parking to cost-recovery parking (prices that reflect the full cost of providing parking facilities) typically reduces automobile commuting by 10-30% (2008). Wilson and Shoup found that, when employees are charged to park, 20% fewer drive solo (1990). At suburban locations with limited transit, it is still possible to reduce the number of single-occupant drivers by incentivizing carpooling, although the impacts will be less. Factors that affect the success of parking cash-out programs include: proportion of employees that are candidates for cash-out, availability of transit, and the presence of uncontrolled parking supplies (Vaca and Kuzmyak, 2005). Downtown San Francisco has developed a "Transit First" policy to encourage transit ridership that has no requirements for parking provision, but instead has implemented maximum parking ratios. In ten years, there has been no major increase in peak traffic despite "considerable office growth" (Kuzmyak, et al, 2003). Other studies have found a decrease in parking demand ranging from about 15% in areas with low transit to 38% in areas with some transit (Transportation Authority of Marin).
A combination of parking management strategies, tailored to specific neighborhoods could price on-street spaces so that they maintain 85% occupancy. Drivers who are willing to pay the cost of on-street parking will no longer find themselves "cruising" for a spot. This will significantly reduce traffic in CBDs. Programs that encourage alternative modes, while charging for parking, will also have the effect of reducing single-occupant drivers.
There are very few land uses that generate less revenue than surface parking lots; in fact, they are more likely to reduce the economic success of a downtown than to improve it (Robertson, 2001). From a regional perspective, limiting the parking supply would be a boon to the economy. Local municipalities, however, see the situation differently, because of the importance of retail tax revenue. If one municipality offers free parking at a shopping destination and the next one does not, customers will probably pick the former. But as municipalities compete, it becomes a zero-sum game at the regional level because increasing the parking supply everywhere does not increase the total regional sales volume, although there may be marginal changes near the region's boundaries.
An integrated parking management strategy, optimally organized by local PMAs, can be used to increase the attractiveness of a retail center by reinvesting the parking revenue into street improvements. The city of Pasadena used parking management to revitalize their downtown. With agreement from local merchants, they added parking meters and used the revenue to purchase new "street furniture and trees, more police patrols, better lighting, more street and sidewalk cleaning, pedestrian improvements, and marketing (including maps to show local attractions and parking facilities)" (Litman 2009). Local merchants actually saw an increase in business as the location became a more attractive place for customers to shop and spend time in "Old Pasadena." A city might have more than one PMA (separated by neighborhoods) but it is unlikely that a PMA would cover more than one town.
The two biggest environmental impacts of parking are a result of vehicle miles traveled and increased impervious surfaces. As established in this paper, an over-supply of under-priced parking encourages driving and congests our roadways. Shoup estimates the cost of emissions alone to be about $44 per month per parking space (2005). Compact development with a mix of uses can reduce driving and the need for parking; design can be used to minimize the impacts of parking on impervious surfaces. Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council recommends the following design improvements to reduce environmental impacts of parking (2007):
- Reduce the dimensions of parking stalls and encourage inclusion of compact car spaces
- Use pervious surfaces for low-volume parking areas to allow infiltration of stormwater
- Require landscaping to provide shade and improve air quality
- Use bio-retention basins or rain gardens to treat and infiltrate stormwater
- Build parking garages with green roofs to capture stormwater and mitigate heat island effects
Construction of parking often involves paving over land that once served as a filtration mechanism for rainwater. The paved area increases flood risks and degrades water quality, as oil and other pollutants are washed into the water system. Dark pavement absorbs heat from the sun and results in the "urban heat island" effect with increased air temperatures. Parking management strategies to encourage better utilization of existing facilities and pricing parking to match its cost will have the effect of reducing stormwater management costs, reducing the urban heat island effect, reducing land consumption as well as creating a possible cash infusion from parking revenue. Many principles of conservation design can be used in the development of parking facilities. Conservation design is a design system that takes into account the natural landscape and ecology of a development site and facilitates development while maintaining the most valuable natural features and functions of the site. Conservation design includes a collection of site design principles and practices that can be combined to create environmentally sound development. The conservation design strategy paper has more information.
There are many costs associated with parking spaces. There are costs to developers to construct the spaces, costs to drivers who occupy them, ‘opportunity costs' of the land used for parking, and external costs (which are covered in Traffic and Environmental sections). Most parking in the US is provided free, is highly subsidized, or automatically included with building purchases and rents. This forces consumers to pay for parking whether or not they use it, as businesses will often pass on the cost of parking lots to consumers in the prices of goods they sell (Litman 2006).
In his book, The High Cost of Free Parking, Donald Shoup calculates the direct and indirect cost of providing off-street parking spaces (2005), using 15 projects on UCLA's campus from the past 40 years. He estimates the average cost in 2002 dollars to be at least $22,500 per space, or about $127 a month per space for 40 years. He also cites other cities who quote monthly costs per space at $200, $138, and $160 for Seattle, Bellevue (WA), and Ann Arbor, respectively.
Prices per space vary significantly between the type of structure (surface lot, above-ground, or underground) and the efficiency with which it is built (See Appendix: Factors Affecting Cost of Parking Structure). The associate vice president for facilities management at Northwestern University estimates per-space parking construction costs to average $4,000 for surface parking lots, $20,000 for above-grade garages, and $30,000 to $40,000 for below-grade garages (Northwestern University Newsletter, 2006). An efficient structure with 300 square feet per space could cost $15,000 per space, while a less efficient structure with 400 square feet per space could cost about $20,000 per space (Shoup 2005). Superior quality and design will add to those costs.
Calculating on-street costs of parking is slightly more complex, as it is generally wrapped into the cost of road construction. Consider the example of a 36-foot wide residential street with two 10-foot wide travel lanes and two 8-foot wide parking lanes: curb parking takes up 44% of the road space (Shoup 2005). Since a car usually parks for free, and roads are a significant portion of public infrastructure costs, on-street parking is a major subsidy provided to drivers.
Using Mark Delucchi's research at estimating the high and low values of annual capital and operating costs of off-street parking, Shoup estimates the total subsidy in 2002 for off-street parking in the U.S. to be between $127 billion and $374 billion (2005). Shoup also calculates the following:
- Free parking is worth 22 cents per mile driven to work
- Free parking is worth more than $4 per gallon of gasoline
- Free parking reduces the cost of automobile commuting by 71 percent
- Total US parking supply is worth more than twice the value of the total vehicle stock
Reducing the requirements for parking spaces will equal a significant reduction in public expenditures; charging for the cost of parking would help reduce parking congestion and demand while improving municipal budgets. Reduced parking requirements will also encourage infill development since developers will typically encounter reduced development costs. Employers will have a reduced burden of subsidizing parking. Also, some revenue from parking management strategies can be put toward the cost of providing parking facilities or transportation improvements (Litman 2006). | <urn:uuid:1a6e334c-6f89-4964-890f-785e130a9175> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2013-20",
"url": "http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/strategy-papers/parking/impacts-of-parking-strategies",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-20/segments/1368697681504/warc/CC-MAIN-20130516094801-00012-ip-10-60-113-184.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9458997845649719,
"token_count": 2302,
"score": 3.1875,
"int_score": 3
} |
2.7 Improving Verbal Communication
- List and explain the use of six strategies for improving verbal communication.
- Demonstrate the appropriate use of definitions in an oral or written presentation.
- Understand how to assess the audience, choose an appropriate tone, and check for understanding and results in an oral or written presentation.
Throughout the chapter we have visited examples and stories that highlight the importance of verbal communication. To end the chapter, we need to consider how language can be used to enlighten or deceive, encourage or discourage, empower or destroy. By defining the terms we use and choosing precise words, we will maximize our audience’s understanding of our message. In addition, it is important to consider the audience, control your tone, check for understanding, and focus on results. Recognizing the power of verbal communication is the first step to understanding its role and impact on the communication process.
Define Your Terms
Even when you are careful to craft your message clearly and concisely, not everyone will understand every word you say or write. As an effective business communicator, you know it is your responsibility to give your audience every advantage in understanding your meaning. Yet your presentation would fall flat if you tried to define each and every term—you would end up sounding like a dictionary.
The solution is to be aware of any words you are using that may be unfamiliar to your audience. When you identify an unfamiliar word, your first decision is whether to use it or to substitute a more common, easily understood word. If you choose to use the unfamiliar word, then you need to decide how to convey its meaning to those in your audience who are not familiar with it. You may do this in a variety of ways. The most obvious, of course, is to state the meaning directly or to rephrase the term in different words. But you may also convey the meaning in the process of making and supporting your points. Another way is to give examples to illustrate each concept, or use parallels from everyday life.
Overall, keep your audience in mind and imagine yourself in their place. This will help you to adjust your writing level and style to their needs, maximizing the likelihood that your message will be understood.
Choose Precise Words
To increase understanding, choose precise wordsWords that paint as vivid and accurate a mental picture as possible for your audience. that paint as vivid and accurate a mental picture as possible for your audience. If you use language that is vague or abstract, your meaning may be lost or misinterpreted. Your document or presentation will also be less dynamic and interesting than it could be.
Table 2.2 lists some examples of phrases that are imprecise and precise. Which one evokes a more dynamic image in your imagination?
Table 2.2 Precisely What Are You Saying?
|The famous writer William Safire died in 2009; he was over seventy.||The former Nixon speech writer, language authority, and New York Times columnist William Safire died of pancreatic cancer in 2009; he was seventy-nine.|
|Clumber spaniels are large dogs.||The Clumber Spaniel Club of America describes the breed as a “long, low, substantial dog,” standing 17 to 20 inches high and weighing 55 to 80 pounds.|
|It is important to eat a healthy diet during pregnancy.||Eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products can improve your health during pregnancy and boost your chances of having a healthy baby.|
|We are making good progress on the project.||In the two weeks since inception, our four-member team has achieved three of the six objectives we identified for project completion; we are on track to complete the project in another three to four weeks.|
|For the same amount spent, we expected more value added.||We have examined several proposals in the $10,000 range, and they all offer more features than what we see in the $12,500 system ABC Corp. is offering.|
|Officers were called to the scene.||Responding to a 911 call, State Police Officers Arellano and Chavez sped to the intersection of County Route 53 and State Highway 21.|
|The victim went down the street.||The victim ran screaming to the home of a neighbor, Mary Lee of 31 Orchard Street.|
|Several different colorways are available.||The silk jacquard fabric is available in ivory, moss, cinnamon, and topaz colorways.|
|This smartphone has more applications than customers can imagine.||At last count, the BlackBerry Tempest has more than 500 applications, many costing 99 cents or less; users can get real-time sports scores, upload videos to TwitVid, browse commuter train schedules, edit e-mails before forwarding, and find recipes—but so far, it doesn’t do the cooking for you.|
|A woman was heckled when she spoke at a health care event.||On August 25, 2009, Rep. Frank Pallone (Democrat of New Jersey’s 6th congressional district) hosted a “town hall” meeting on health care reform where many audience members heckled and booed a woman in a wheelchair as she spoke about the need for affordable health insurance and her fears that she might lose her home.|
Consider Your Audience
In addition to precise words and clear definitions, contextual clues are important to guide your audience as they read. If you are speaking to a general audience and choose to use a word in professional jargon that may be understood by many—but not all—of the people in your audience, follow it by a common reference that clearly relates its essential meaning. With this positive strategy you will be able to forge relationships with audience members from diverse backgrounds. Internal summaries tell us what we’ve heard and forecast what is to come. It’s not just the words, but also how people hear them that counts.
If you say the magic words “in conclusion,” you set in motion a set of expectations that you are about to wrap it up. If, however, you introduce a new point and continue to speak, the audience will perceive an expectancy violation and hold you accountable. You said the magic words but didn’t honor them. One of the best ways to display respect for your audience is to not exceed the expected time in a presentation or length in a document. Your careful attention to contextual clues will demonstrate that you are clearly considering your audience.
Take Control of Your Tone
Does your writing or speech sound pleasant and agreeable? Simple or sophisticated? Or does it come across as stuffy, formal, bloated, ironic, sarcastic, flowery, rude, or inconsiderate? Recognizing our own tone is not always easy, as we tend to read or listen from our own viewpoint and make allowances accordingly.
Once we have characterized our tone, we need to decide whether and how it can be improved. Getting a handle on how to influence tone and to make your voice match your intentions takes time and skill.
One useful tip is to read your document out loud before you deliver it, just as you would practice a speech before you present it to an audience. Sometimes hearing your own words can reveal their tone, helping you decide whether it is correct or appropriate for the situation.
Another way is to listen or watch others’ presentations that have been described with terms associated with tone. Martin Luther King Jr. had one style while President Barack Obama has another. The writing in The Atlantic is far more sophisticated than the simpler writing in USA Today, yet both are very successful with their respective audiences. What kind of tone is best for your intended audience?
Finally, seek out and be receptive to feedback from teachers, classmates, and coworkers. Don’t just take the word of one critic, but if several critics point to a speech as an example of pompous eloquence, and you don’t want to come across in your presentation as pompous, you may learn from that example speech what to avoid.
Check for Understanding
When we talk to each other face-to-face, seeing if someone understood you isn’t all that difficult. Even if they really didn’t get it, you can see, ask questions, and clarify right away. That gives oral communication, particularly live interaction, a distinct advantage. Use this immediacy for feedback to your advantage. Make time for feedback and plan for it. Ask clarifying questions. Share your presentation with more than one person, and choose people that have similar characteristics to your anticipated audience.
If you were going to present to a group that you knew in advance was of a certain age, sex, or professional background, it would only make sense to connect with someone from that group prior to your actual performance to check and see if what you have created and what they expect are similar. In oral communication, feedback is core component of the communication model and we can often see it, hear it, and it takes less effort to assess it.
Be Results Oriented
At the end of the day, the assignment has to be complete. It can be a challenge to balance the need for attention to detail with the need to arrive at the end product—and its due date. Stephen CoveyCovey, S. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. suggests beginning with the end in mind as one strategy for success. If you have done your preparation, know your assignment goals, desired results, have learned about your audience and tailored the message to their expectations, then you are well on your way to completing the task. No document or presentation is perfect, but the goal itself is worthy of your continued effort for improvement.
Here the key is to know when further revision will not benefit the presentation and to shift the focus to test marketing, asking for feedback, or simply sharing it with a mentor or coworker for a quick review. Finding balance while engaging in an activity that requires a high level of attention to detail can be challenge for any business communicator, but it is helpful to keep the end in mind.
To improve communication, define your terms, choose precise words, consider your audience, control your tone, check for understanding, and aim for results.
- Choose a piece of writing from a profession you are unfamiliar with. For example, if you are studying biology, choose an excerpt from a book on fashion design. Identify several terms you are unfamiliar with, terms that may be considered jargon. How does the writer help you understand the meaning of these terms? Could the writer make them easier to understand? Share your findings with your class.
- In your chosen career field or your college major, identify ten jargon words, define them, and share them with the class.
- Describe a simple process, from brushing your teeth to opening the top of a bottle, in as precise terms as possible. Present to the class. | <urn:uuid:1a7bc752-9331-43cf-ba09-dc04b7e76435> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-34",
"url": "https://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/15?e=mclean-ch02_s06",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221211316.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20180816230727-20180817010727-00020.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.948060154914856,
"token_count": 2261,
"score": 3.828125,
"int_score": 4
} |
Best Cleveland Clinic For Bipolar Disorder Treatment
If you have bipolar disorder, there is no shame in seeking treatment: bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that can not be “cured”, and goes through unpredictable periods of both ups and downs. If your bipolar disorder is left without treatment, these periods can be devastating and can make it difficult to live a stable life. Early diagnosis and early treatment both can help alleviate the symptoms of bipolar disorder and help you find relief. Treatment of bipolar disorder relies on a number of factors — usually, medication alone will not be enough treatment. To get the most out of your treatment, you must educate yourself about the illness and trust the treatment plan your doctor, therapist, or healthcare provider has set out for you. A person can not simply be cured of bipolar disorder overnight. Just as the mood swings of this order go up and down, so too does treatment. It takes time to find treatments that work for you, and setbacks may occur along the way. But if you take the right steps to manage your symptoms and commit to your treatment, you can help maintain your symptoms and live the best life possible.
What can I do at home for treatment of my bipolar disorder?Understand the distinction between your symptoms and yourself — Doctors, therapists, or your healthcare provider can help you learn to separate your true identity from the way your symptoms may cause you to behave. You can set realistic goals about the behaviors you want to change and find treatment that works for you. Get your family involved in treatment — Your family (or close friends and other loved ones) can be educated to help spot symptoms, gain perspective on bipolar disorder, and manage symptoms. They can be important sources of feedback and support during your treatment. Make healthy lifestyle choices — This includes staying physically active, getting enough sleep, eating a balanced and healthy diet, and avoiding risky behavior like alcohol or drug abuse. How do I get diagnosed with bipolar disorder? The first step towards treatment is an accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, bipolar disorder shares common symptoms with other disorders such as clinical depression, ADHD, or borderline personality disorder. Because of this overlap in symptoms, it can be difficult to diagnose bipolar disorder and may take numerous doctor visits for some.
What are the types of bipolar disorder?Bipolar disorder can be divided into a few different types, each identified by a pattern of episodes of both mania and depression. Treatment and symptoms may differ based on which version of bipolar disorder you suffer from.
Bipolar I Disorder — Mania or DepressionThe most typical form of bipolar disorder, Bipolar I disorder is also the most severe. Characterized by at least one manic episode, but the majority of people with this type of bipolar disorder also have had at least one major depressive episode.
Bipolar II Disorder — Hypomania or DepressionWith bipolar II disorder, you will experience recurring episodes of major depression and hypomania, which is a milder form of mania. In order to get a bipolar II disorder diagnosis, you must have had at least one hypomanic and one major depressive episode each throughout your life. If you go on to have a manic episode, you can then be diagnosed with bipolar I disorder.
Cyclothymia – Hypomania and Mild DepressionA milder form of bipolar disorder that also consists of cyclical mood swings. The difference here is that the highs and lows of these mood swings are not severe enough to be classified as either mania or major depression. To be officially diagnosed with cyclothymia, you must have numerous periods of hypomania and mild depression over a time period of at least two years. People with cyclothymia have an increased risk of developing full-blown bipolar disorder.
What are mania and hypomania?Mania is more severe than hypomania, but they feature mostly the same symptoms. They both can create problems in your everyday life, at work or in school, or in personal relationships. In the most severe cases, mania can trigger a break from reality – known as psychosis – and may require hospitalization. Manic and hypomanic episodes include three or more of the following symptoms:
- Being abnormally upbeat or wired
- Increased energy or agitation
- Euphoria (a sense of exaggerated sense of well-being or self-confidence)
- Change in sleep patterns
- Unusual talkativeness
- Being easily distracted
- Poor decision-making
What is a major depressive episode?An episode of major depression features symptoms severe enough to create difficulty in your everyday life. You may have trouble maintaining everyday responsibilities. A major depressive episode has five or more of the following symptoms:
- Feelings of sadness or emptiness
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Lack of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Changes in appetite (either weight loss or weight gain)
- Changes in sleep patterns (either sleeping too little or too much)
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Trouble concentrating
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
Do I have bipolar disorder or depression?Unfortunately, bipolar disorder can often be misdiagnosed as depression. Most people suffering from bipolar disorder only reach out and seek help during a depressive episode – during a manic episode, they likely will not recognize the problem. To make matters more complicated, people with bipolar disorder tend to be depressed much more of the time than they are manic or hypomanic. It is important to have the right condition diagnosed: treatments of bipolar depression and regular depression vary greatly. Antidepressant medication can actually make bipolar disorder even worse.
How to tell if your depression is bipolar disorder
- If you have had repeated major depressive episodes
- If your first major depressive episode was before the age of 25
- If you have blood relatives with bipolar disorder
- If you have high mood or energy levels when you are not depressed
- If you oversleep or overeat when you are depressed
- If your depressive episodes are short
- If you have lost contact with reality during a depressive episode
- If you developed mania or hypomania when taking antidepressants
What bipolar disorder treatment options are available?Bipolar disorder can not be “cured”, but a comprehensive treatment plan including some or all of the following can help relieve symptoms and restore your ability to function:
Ketamine Infusions for Bipolar DisorderOne of the innovative new treatment options available for bipolar disorder, Ketamine is an FDA-approved anesthetic that research shows can bring relief in up to 80% of patients.
Therapy for Bipolar DisorderTherapy is an important step in dealing with your bipolar disorder and finding a Bipolar Disorder treatment in Cleveland that works for you. A therapist can help you find coping methods for difficult feelings, repair relationships strained by your condition, and regulate your mood.
Lifestyle Changes to help Bipolar DisorderYou may find success through regulating your lifestyle. Try maintaining a regular sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol and drug abuse, eating a well-balanced diet, staying physically active, and getting outside for sunlight exposure. If you or someone you know is showing signs of Bipolar Disorder, contact Cleveland Medical Institute to schedule your consultation and find out if Ketamine Treatment for Bipolar Disorder is right for you.
Request A Consultation
Are You Ready To Start Your New Journey In Life?
Give Us A Call | <urn:uuid:a65fb688-1640-4c66-b4b3-71b64613e3cb> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2023-50",
"url": "https://clevelandmedicalinstitute.com/bipolar-disorder-treatment-cleveland-oh/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100047.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20231129010302-20231129040302-00405.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9385262131690979,
"token_count": 1495,
"score": 2.65625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Is there an evolutionary relationship to land-based lichens?
Researchers from China and the United States have found evidence of lichen-like symbiosis in 600-million-year-old fossils from South China. The previous earliest evidence of lichen was 400 million years old, discovered in Scotland. The discovery also adds to the scarce fossil record of fungi and raises new questions about lichen evolution.
Xunlai Yuan, a paleontologist with the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology; Shuhai Xiao, assistant professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech; and Thomas N. Taylor, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kansas, report their finding in the May 13 issue of Science ("Lichen-Like Symbiosis 600 Million Years Ago").
Susan Trulove | EurekAlert!
22.02.2018 | Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg im Breisgau
Separate brain systems cooperate during learning, study finds
22.02.2018 | Brown University
Quantum computers may one day solve algorithmic problems which even the biggest supercomputers today can’t manage. But how do you test a quantum computer to...
For the first time, a team of researchers at the Max-Planck Institute (MPI) for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany, has succeeded in making an integrated circuit (IC) from just a monolayer of a semiconducting polymer via a bottom-up, self-assembly approach.
In the self-assembly process, the semiconducting polymer arranges itself into an ordered monolayer in a transistor. The transistors are binary switches used...
Breakthrough provides a new concept of the design of molecular motors, sensors and electricity generators at nanoscale
Researchers from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS (IOCB Prague), Institute of Physics of the CAS (IP CAS) and Palacký University...
For photographers and scientists, lenses are lifesavers. They reflect and refract light, making possible the imaging systems that drive discovery through the microscope and preserve history through cameras.
But today's glass-based lenses are bulky and resist miniaturization. Next-generation technologies, such as ultrathin cameras or tiny microscopes, require...
Scientists from the University of Zurich have succeeded for the first time in tracking individual stem cells and their neuronal progeny over months within the intact adult brain. This study sheds light on how new neurons are produced throughout life.
The generation of new nerve cells was once thought to taper off at the end of embryonic development. However, recent research has shown that the adult brain...
15.02.2018 | Event News
13.02.2018 | Event News
12.02.2018 | Event News
22.02.2018 | Life Sciences
22.02.2018 | Physics and Astronomy
22.02.2018 | Earth Sciences | <urn:uuid:91604555-1db0-4ee5-9c01-1d66af3c5564> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-09",
"url": "http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life-sciences/report-44330.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891814493.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20180223055326-20180223075326-00096.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.8620303273200989,
"token_count": 612,
"score": 3.203125,
"int_score": 3
} |
‘Pop-Up’ Virtual Meeting Draws Participants from 32 Countries with No Air Travel
A five-hour “pop-up” conference in November set out to get the benefits of a face-to-face meeting without the dramatic climate impact of an international gathering, and hired a psychologist to assess how well they did.
The November meeting of the European Biological Rhythms Society (EBRS) “was an experiment to test the feasibility of making scientific meetings virtual, in a bid to cut the heavy carbon footprints created by attendees’ air travel,” Nature reports. While “organizers of academic and other international meetings have begun experimenting with ways to offset or cut down on carbon emissions,” this session was “one of the first to take a systematic approach to retaining a key benefit of traditional meetings: networking and face-to-face contact,” the prestigious journal adds in its news report.
Like this story? Subscribe to The Energy Mix and never miss an edition of our free e-digest.
“We are now busy analysing the outcome, but at first glance it seems to have been more successful than I had dared hope,” said organizer Martha Merrow, a circadian biologist at Munich’s Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU).
Nature says the organizing team “invited psychologists to evaluate whether technology and organizational techniques can help to aid interaction and networking, for example by enabling seamless discussion across different locations, and encouraging participants at all sites to hold social events.” But participants from 32 countries have already identified advantages that go “beyond simply cutting carbon—for instance, parents who might find it difficult to arrange travel could attend.”
The experiment unfolded when scientists across many disciplines are beginning to “think hard about the carbon footprints of their globetrotting activities,” Nature adds.
“Our work tends to be dominated by international meetings and flights,” said climate scientist Corinne Le Queré of the UK’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. “We need to have a plan to reduce emissions by carrying out our work differently.”
While Nature lists similar attempts at past conferences, reporter Alison Abbott says the inclusion of the psychologists made the EBRS meeting a “more advanced experiments”.
To test the approach, Abbott says Merrow chose a hot topic for participants—the influence of circadian rhythm on metabolism. She mobilized a collection of presenters who were based in and around Munich and recruited a keynote speaker, University of California, Irvine circadian biologist Paolo Sassone-Corsi, who happened to be in Europe while the conference was going on.
“Six short talks were repeated before and after his speech to ensure that participants in all the time zones could listen to them, whether in the morning or late evening,” Nature writes. “Three of the speakers travelled to Munich by train or car, and Merrow bought carbon offsets to compensate for the drive.”
Sessions were broadcast via high-quality, two-way video to virtual hubs in Tel Aviv, Zurich, Boston, Tokyo, and Porto Alegre, Brazil. Then another 69 smaller hubs enabled groups of researchers to watch one-way video broadcasts and send back their questions or comments via Twitter. The event ended up with 450 participants, 10% more than the EBRS’ main annual conference in August, with nearly 60% signing on through the Twitter interactive hubs.
Merrow and LMU psychologist Anne Frenzel are still evaluating the virtual format, but some conclusions are taking shape. “Aside from cutting emissions, participants mentioned advantages of the virtual meeting, including not losing time and energy to travel, and students being able to attend for free,” Naure writes. “Scientists in Brazil and Israel mentioned that it released them from the bureaucracy involved in booking flights to attend overseas conferences.”
“This is not only about carbon footprints,” Merrow said. “It also offers a huge opportunity to think innovatively about how scientific discussions take place.” | <urn:uuid:c261dc46-7bef-4b98-8ec8-048a3c67e1ee> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-50",
"url": "https://theenergymix.com/2020/01/10/pop-up-virtual-meeting-draws-participants-from-32-countries-with-no-air-travel/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141195929.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20201128214643-20201129004643-00376.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9473428130149841,
"token_count": 847,
"score": 2.78125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Olive Tablet (Heart tonic)
In southern Europe, Olive leaves are used as a native remedy for Hypertension and Heart tonic. Oleuropein is a phenolic compound extracted from Olive leaves and has significant antioxidant effects. Reduction of blood pressure by active components of the Olive leaf extract is associated with inhibition of Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), vascular dilatation, and calcium channel block. In a clinical trial, the effects of reducing blood pressure and blood lipids of Olive Leaf Extract in comparison with Captopril in patients with stage 1 blood pressure were investigated. After 8 weeks of treatment, both groups showed a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure than basal values, and the mean reduction in systolic blood pressure during the treatment period was 8.5±11.5 mm in Olive leaf extract and in the Captopril group was 7.6 ± 13.7 mm. Also, the mean reduction in diastolic blood pressure during the treatment period was 5.5 ± 4.8 mm in the Olive leaf extract and -5.2 ± 6.4 in the Captopril group. However, a significant reduction in triglyceride levels, total cholesterol, and LDL was observed only in the Olive leaf extract group. Olivin heart tablets for the mentioned reasons can be used as a great Heart tonic. It contains Olive Leaf Extract.
Heart tonic products; failure prevention
Heart failure means the failure of the heart to pump blood. It does not mean heart -stop or heart attack (though people with heart failure have often had a record of a heart attack in the past). Blood vessel disease and blood vessel disorders should be treated by heart medications, surgery or lifestyle change. But the priority is to prevent from heart disorders. Using Herat tonic foods and supplements can be a good choice. Foods containing omega 3 or foods containing anti-cholesterol substances are such examples. Olive leaf extract is a herbal ingredient that can act as a heart medicine.
What is Heart failure?
Heart failure is also called congestive heart failure. The congestion is meant to accumulate liquids in the body due to a decrease in the ability to pump blood from the heart. Symptoms of heart failure are generated during weeks and months following the weaker heart and less ability to pump blood on the basis of the body ‘s needs. Heart failure often results in the enlargement of the heart (left ventricle).
This failure may occur due to the disorder on the right or left side, or both sides of the heart. Heart failure occurs generally on the left side of the heart. The left side of the heart is more powerful and pumps blood throughout the body. The left atrium of the heart delivers the blood from the lungs and sends it to the left ventricle, where blood enters the circulation of the blood of the body. If the left ventricle is weak and unable to pump the received blood in the front, blood travels back and forth into the lungs.
Olive leaf extract in heart tablets as a Heart Tonic
Studies have shown that, as Olive leaf extract controls the underlying factors of blood pressure. Such as obesity, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, it can reduce blood pressure. The people of the Mediterranean region are less prone to cardiovascular disease than in other parts of the world. One of the reasons is the consumption of different Olive products.
Also, other studies have shown that Olive leave extract has a good effect on the treatment and prevention of Arterial arthritis. It means preventing the narrowing of the blood vessels. Arterial arthritis which causes an increase in bad cholesterol or LDL is the major cause of cardiovascular disease.
The use of Olive extract regulates the contraction and expansion of the vessels. Also reducing the blood pressure to a large extent. SO it is a Heart tonic agent also you can use olivin heart tablets which contains olive leaf extract. The 2017 research showed that Olive extract was very effective in reducing blood pressure and low blood pressure, lower risk of a heart attack and brain attack.
* Cardiovascular tonic
* Adjuvant treatment for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia
* Prevention of Atherosclerosis
200 Tablets – 250 mg
Olive leaves (Olea europaea) extract
Flavonoids, Oleuropein and Luteolin
Take 3-5 tablets with some liquids a day (divided in 2-3 sets)
Cardiovascular diseases are still a major cause of debilitation and mortality in industrial countries and hypertension is one of the main risk factors. In southern Europe, olive leaves have been traditionally used to treat hypertension. Oleuropein is a phenolic compound extracted from olive leaves and has manifested considerable antioxidant activity in vitro and in vivo. Also, it has been demonstrated that the polyphenols in olive have good bioavailability, which is compatible with their antioxidant effects.
In rats, administration of triterpenoids isolated from olive leaves with a dose of 60 mg/kg for 6 weeks, prevented the progress of hypertension and severe atherosclerosis and improved insulin resistance. Furthermore, the triterpenoids isolated from olive leaves called oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, uvaol and methyl maslinate manifested little toxicity in brine shrimp test and have manifested considerable dose-dependent vasodepressor and sinus bradychardial effects; these effects being more prominent in the cases of oleanolic acid and methyl maslinate. These compounds act as beta-adrenergic antagonists and block the effect of adrenaline and isoprenaline. The demonstrated positive inotropic and dromotropic effects have also been more distinctive in the case of oleanolic acid and methyl maslinate. Oleanolic acid and ursolic acid have shown anti-dysrhythmic effects on chemical arrhythmias caused by CaCl2 and adrenaline and ischemia-reperfusion arrhythmias, which is comparable to the effects of propranolol and is indicative of beta-adrenergic antagonistic effects.
In a survey of the effects of various extracts of 9 vasoactive medicinal plants on contractions of aortic strips caused by K+ depolarization, olive extract has shown obvious effects and a comparison between contractions caused by K+ and norepinephrine showed that olive leaf is an antagonist of Ca++.
Based on research, olive leaf extract causes vasodilatation, bradycardia and negative inotropic effect and probably retardation of atrioventricular conduction in isolated rabbit heart. Also, olive leaf extract causes a reduction in contraction-related systolic pressure in the left ventricle. Researchers have come to the conclusion that olive leaf extract directly and reversibly suppresses L-type calcium channels.
In rats, olive leaf extract (EFLA®943) has had anti-hypertensive effects. In an open study, monozygotic twins with border-line hypertension were randomly divided into various treatment groups. Each group consisted of 10 patients. It was recommended to the participants to either take 500 or 100 mg of this extract daily as a dietary supplement for 8 weeks, or adhere to a healthy lifestyle. Every 2 weeks, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and lipids were measured. After 8 weeks, in the control group and in the group taking the lower dose of the extract, mean blood pressure remained unchanged in comparison to the beginning of the study, but there existed considerable reduction in blood pressure in the group taking the higher dose of the extract. The considerable reduction was observed in relation to the prescribed dosage. In comparison with the control group, in the group taking 500 mg of the extract, the difference between mean systolic pressure was less or equal to 6 mm Hg. This difference was less or equal to 13 mm Hg in the group taking 1000 mg of the extract. The difference in the diastolic pressure was reported as less or equal to 5 mm Hg. In both treatment groups, cholesterol level showed considerable decline. In case of LDL, the difference between twins in the two treatment groups was dependent on dose and was statistically significant. This study proved the efficacy of olive leaf extract in reduction of blood pressure and cholesterol.
In a survey of the effects of various doses of lyophilized aqueous extract of olive leaf on rat thyroid function, this extract has shown to have stimulant effects on the thyroid, independent from the pituitary gland. This effect might explain the hypolipidemic effect of olive leaf, because with an increase in the thyroid hormones in the circulation, the level of serum lipids including cholesterol decreases. Also, the fact that an increase in thyroid function results in reduction of blood sugar is indicative of hypoglycemic effects of olive leaf.
In an study on healthy rats and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, oral administration of olive leaf extract with doses of 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 g/kg body weight of the animal for 14 days, considerably decreased blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, uric acid, creatinine, AST and ALT, but increased serum insulin only in diabetic rats (p<0.05). Also, in comparison with glibenclamide (600 μg/kg), the antidiabetic effect of olive leaf extract was more efficient than glibenclamide.
* There is no known contraindication. Nonetheless, individuals with known allergic reaction to the plants in the Oleaceae family should avoid use.
* The safety of the use of olive leaf extract during pregnancy and lactation has not been studied.
Some individuals might be allergic to the product.
No interaction has been reported. Nonetheless, based on its pharmacological effects, concurrent use of Olivin Tablet with drugs reducing blood pressure and blood sugar might increase the efficacy of these drugs; if taken under the supervision of a physician this interaction can be beneficial.
* The safety of the extracts of olive leaves during pregnancy and lactation has not been studied.
* Store at room temperature (15-30ºC).
* Protect from direct light and heat.
* Keep out of the reach of children. | <urn:uuid:a9b80953-4ce7-4294-86c3-09759124ce0d> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-40",
"url": "https://herbeday.com/product/natural-heart-tonic-olivin-tablet-heart-strengthen/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600401578485.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20200927183616-20200927213616-00194.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9303605556488037,
"token_count": 2089,
"score": 2.671875,
"int_score": 3
} |
This report from the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) sets out to build on what it sees as the “cherished tradition of fostering an inclusive ethos” in British schools by offering information and guidance as a “useful reference point for schools, governors and teachers.”
It is clear from Aiming High (DfES 2003) and the RAISE Report Achievement of British Pakistani Learners (Insted 2004) that pupils achieve better where their cultural and religious identity is recognised and affirmed. The problem for many teachers and student teachers/trainees has been the absence of reliable information and guidance. The MCB addresses this with a highly professional report that draws on a broad spectrum of Muslim opinion and the expertise of head teachers and advisors.
Following an opening section on the high priority Islam affords to knowledge and education, the report turns to the worrying underachievement of many of the 400,000, mainly British born, Muslim pupils. Its response, in line with Aiming High and the RAISE Report, is to argue for an education that honours the multiple identities of Muslim pupils – their faith, their culture and their Britishness – and to provide information on topics relevant to school life.
Five key areas are examined – Dress, Diet, Prayer, Fasting and Festivals. These are related to underlying principles of Islamic thought, and followed by practical guidance on a range of topics: from school uniforms and swimwear, to halal meals and parents evenings during Ramadan. Each section closes with a useful checklist to assist good practice (acknowledged as already in place in some schools).
Specific curriculum areas are also covered:
- PE including, Swimming and Dance
- RE and Collective Worship
- Sex and Relationship Education (SRE)
- Expressive Arts including Music, Drama and Graphic Art
The most extensive comment are reserved for PE, SRE and the Expressive Arts. It is in these subjects that different assumptions in ‘Western’ and ‘Islamic’ societies about sexual modesty and gender relations are most likely to give rise to discomfort and offence. Discussion based on all these subject guides will be important in raising student teacher/trainee understanding and subsequent effectiveness with their Muslim pupils.
Finally, there is further useful comment on school libraries and educational visits, and appendices offering INSET, teaching resources and a list of recommended Islamic websites.
The Muslim Council of Britain knows that it does not speak for all British Muslims. There are notes in the text referring to differing views. However, its authority and commitment to “mutual respect and to understanding the beliefs and values of others” (p.15) makes the report something of a common benchmark which schools can use with confidence to meet better the needs of their Muslim pupils. | <urn:uuid:7f044f25-4715-4008-8d2f-c9d40b339e03> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-06",
"url": "http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101021152907/http:/www.Multiverse.ac.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?anchorId=131&selectedId=152&menu=17877&expanded=False&ContentId=13256",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422122238694.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124175718-00066-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.963480532169342,
"token_count": 567,
"score": 2.875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Clare Island Lectures
Clare Island Abbey and its paintings
Conleth Manning speaks about Clare Island Abbey and its magnificent wall paintings - a very rare, intriguing and charming example of an Irish medieval painted church interior.
Download presentation here
Clare Island: Ice ages and climate change
Peter Coxon brilliantly outlines the effects of ice ages and climate change on Clare Island and describes how these have shaped its remarkably diverse landscape.
Assembling the home team: from A.G. More to R.I.I. Praeger
Declan Doogue unravels the influences and players in Irish natural history field studies from A.G. More to the present day.
Talks from the Heron-Allen Society
Edward Heron-Allen gives a lively first-hand account of his time working on the Clare Island Survey in his journals. John Whittaker of the Heron-Allen Society discusses the journals and the memorabilia that Heron-Allen collected during his work on the Survey.
Clare Island - the record of a 600-million year assembly line
Clare Island's dramatic and diverse landscape shows the evidence of 6000 million years of climate change. John Graham tells this fascinating story.
Robert Lloyd Praeger and the Darwinian revolution
Ulster naturalists long sought to gain an insight into the nature of God through the study of nature. Greta Jones looks at how Darwin's theories affected Praeger and influenced his work.
Participants, papers and progress 1909-11: Participants, papers and progress
Timothy Collins discusses the workers on the first survey of Clare Island, the wonderful mix of professionals and amateurs from Ireland and overseas that Praeger brought together and managed so brilliantly.
Conleth Manning studied Archaeology and Early Irish History at UCD, where he also did an MA in Archaeology. He is a senior archaeologist in the National Monuments Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. He has studied and directed excavations at many national monuments in Ireland, including Cashel, Clonmacnoise, Dublin Castle, Roscrea Castle and Glanworth Castle and has written and lectured on many aspects of Ireland's archaeological heritage. Conleth Manning is co-editor of two volumes in the New Survey of Clare Island Series: New Survey of Clare Island Volume 4: The Abbey and New Survey of Clare Island Volume 5: Archaeology. He is a past president of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. Mr Manning is Secretary of the New Survey of Clare Island Committee.
Peter Coxon is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography. a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy. He is currently the Secretary-General of the International Union of Quaternary Research (INQUA - http://www.inqua.tcd.ie/ ) and the Chairperson of the Irish Quaternary Association (IQUA - http://www.tcd.ie/Geography/IQUA/ ). After completing a PhD on 'Pleistocene environmental history in East Anglia' at the Sub-Department of Quaternary Research at the University of Cambridge, he took up a lectureship at TCD in 1979. His interests in the Irish landscape were strongly influenced by a close working relationship with the late Frank Mitchell. His current research includes analysing Irish landscape evolution during the Tertiary and Quaternary, Tertiary and Quaternary biostratigraphy, vegetational history and biogeography of Ireland, glacial and periglacial geomorphology and the analysis of flood events and mass movements in Ireland. In addition to an active interest in the geomorphology and vegetational history of western Ireland, his recent research has included mapping large-scale Pleistocene flood events and glacial limits in the Himalayas of Himachal Pradesh and in Ladakh, northern India. He has published on a range of Quaternary topics and has reviewed much of his Irish work in Charles Holland and Ian Sanders' 2nd edition of The Geology of Ireland (2009). Peter Coxon was author of the chapter "The Quaternary history of Clare Island" in New Survey of Clare Island Volume 2: Geology and is co-author of a chapter on the Holocene vegetation of the island in the forthcoming volume in the series New Survey of Clare Island Volume 7: Vegetation.
Declan Doogue is the Honorary Vice-President of the Dublin Natuiralists' Field Club and has served as its President for three separate periods. He is also an Honorary Life Member of the Botanical Society of the British Isles and a Fellow of the Linnean Society and has recently been appointed an Honorary Research Fellow of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. His main botanical interests include the Flora of Kildare project, where he is BSBI recorder ,and he is currently working, with others, on the revision of H. C. Hart's 1887 work, The Flora of Howth. More recently he has commenced research on several critical genera particularly Rosa, Rubus and Taraxacum. His PhD thesis was concerned with the botanical composition of Leinster hedgerows. He has been deeply involved with the promotion of distribution studies on the Irish flora and fauna and the subsequent interpretation of these distributions patterns in historical and geographical contexts. To this end he has organised a number of botanical recording projects on behalf of the DNFC and also coordinated the Republic of Ireland section of the recent BSBI survey of the New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. He has an on-going involvement with training and encouraging many of the expert bona-fide naturalists who generate these major data sets. More recently he worked to advance the skills of the biological recording community to the point where its accumulated knowledge and experience can find recognition and relevance in modern Ireland in areas such as habitat conservation and species protection. To this end he is fronting a project to foster identification and fieldwork skills in the study of Bryophytes and continues to be associated with a number of the biological distribution recording schemes initiated by the original Irish Biological Records Centre of An Foras Forbartha. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy's Praeger Committee.
John Whittaker, former head of micropalaeontology at the Natural History Museum, is a member of the The Heron-Allen Society Committee. He is an honorary member of the Micropalaeontological Society (awarded to members who have made an outstanding contribution to The Society) and is one of the world's leading micropalaeontologists.
John R. Graham is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Geology at Trinity College, Dublin. He was educated at the University of Manchester and the University of Exeter and lectured for five years at Plymouth Polytechnic (now the University of Plymouth before joining TCD in 1978. He was elected Fellow of the college in 1985 and currently lectures in sedimentology, stratigraphy and aspects of Irish geology. He has worked on sedimentological aspects of rocks varying from Ordovician to Carboniferous age in many parts of western Ireland from West Cork to Donegal. Professor Graham is the editor of New Survey of Clare Island Volume 2: Geology.
Greta Jones has taught at the University of Ulster since 1976; having previously been a research associate at the University of Leicester. Her doctoral research was published as 'Social Darwinism and English Thought' (Harvester, 1980) and was the key to the award of a Mellon Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania 1982-3. During this fellowship she completed Social Hygiene in Twentieth Century Britain (Croom Helm, 1986). Greta also held the Morris Ginsberg Fellowship at the London School of Economics in 1986 when she finished another book, Science, Politics and the Cold War (Routledge, 1988). She was visiting fellow at Corpus Christi College Cambridge in 1990. Her research has been recognized with the award of major grants from external sources, including the Wellcome Trust for the History of Medicine and the Nuffield Foundation. Greta was formerly Member of the editorial board of Social History of Medicine. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society Greta's primary research interests are two principal areas: nineteenth- and twentieth-century cultural and intellectual history, particularly Darwinism; and the history of science and medicine in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In 2006, in conjunction with University College Dublin, she was awarded a major grant from the Wellcome Trust in 2006 to set up the Centre for the History of Medicine in Ireland, based at the Jordanstown campus. This involves a five-year programme of appointments and research activities to promote the subject. Her most recent work in the history of medicine in Ireland is a study of medical migration to and from Ireland 1860-1960.
Timothy Collins is a chartered librarian in the James Hardiman Library, National University of Ireland, Galway. A graduate in the marine sciences, he has kept up his interest in the subject by researching, lecturing and publishing a significant number of books and papers on the history and bibliography of Irish science, particularly natural history. His researches led to his election as a Fellow of the Library Association in 1981, only the fifth Irish person to be so honoured by the Association in its 140 year history. Since 1992 Tim has devoted much of his spare time working as Director of the Centre for Landscape Studies in NUI, Galway. Tim's first book Floreat Hibernia: a bio-bibliography of Robert Lloyd Praeger 1865 - 1953, was published by the Royal Dublin Society in 1985 and is still accepted as the standard work of reference on Praeger. Recently published work includes Transatlantic triumph and heroic failure, a study of the shortlived Galway Steamship Line (Cork: Collins Press, 2002); and an edited collection of papers entitled Decoding the landscape: contributions towards a synthesis of thinking in Irish studies on the landscape (Galway: Centre for Landscape Studies, 2002), now in its third edition owing to its continuing popularity as a primer in Irish Studies as well as Landscape Studies. He is currently researching a maritime history of the west of Ireland, and a biography of Dick Dowling, Tuam-born hero of Confederate Texas. | <urn:uuid:af727a6d-57fb-4025-89d4-5226904ad377> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-11",
"url": "https://www.ria.ie/research/nsci/clare-island-lectures.aspx",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-11/segments/1424936462555.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20150226074102-00036-ip-10-28-5-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9490891695022583,
"token_count": 2118,
"score": 2.640625,
"int_score": 3
} |
A Language Friendly School is a school where all languages spoken by the pupils are welcomed and valued.
A Language Friendly School is a bottom up whole school approach. There is no blue print of what schools must do. Rather it starts with what schools need and what they can realistically accomplish. Also, it expressly targets all the stakeholders: school managers, teachers but also parents and especially children.
At the very minimum, schools commit not to punish children speaking their mother tongue. For some schools this is already a significant step. By connecting with other Language Friendly Schools they can share good practices and teachers can be inspired to take a next step forward.
Our Roadmap provides ideas for activities as a school and in the classroom.
Why should your school become a Language Friendly School?
There are many benefits associated with an education that takes into account children’s mother tongues or home languages:
- Children learn better and faster in a language they can understand
- They enjoy school more, they feel more at home
- Children tend to show increased self-esteem
- Parents participation is increased
- Studies have reported that when children take advantage of their multilingualism they also enjoy higher socioeconomic status, including higher earnings
- On average, the schools perform better, reporting less repetition
- Finally, schools report children stay in school longer.
By joining the network of Language Friendly Schools you become part of a global community of teachers, parents and community leaders who value the cultural and linguistic diversity of our children. You will have access to innovative ways of supporting multilingual children and providing them with the best opportunities to achieve their educational goals.
With the Language Friendly School, we envision a world in which no child is punished for speaking his or her mother tongues in school by 2030, the deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Language Friendly School is an initiative of the Rutu Foundation for Intercultural Multilingual Education, a non-profit organization based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Language Friendly School is endorsed by Prof. Dr. Jim Cummins. | <urn:uuid:cc090f1b-8cc3-4c59-8e1f-5cefe6bb1fff> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2022-49",
"url": "https://hundred.org/en/innovations/language-friendly-school",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446711114.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20221206192947-20221206222947-00061.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9645465016365051,
"token_count": 412,
"score": 2.75,
"int_score": 3
} |
The Westcountry Rivers Trust is creating new salmon spawning habitats by adding gravel to rivers in Devon and West Somerset. Funded by South West Water, as part of the National Environment Programme, the project aims to increase the number of salmon and trout by creating gravel beds, which these fish need to build nests for their eggs.
Hundreds of tonnes of granite gravel have now been added to sections of the River Avon and River Teign on Dartmoor and the Haddeo on Exmoor in Somerset. Along with researchers from Plymouth University, the Westcountry Rivers Trust will monitor the movement of the gravel along the river as well as comparing the numbers of salmon and trout with previous years.
Many rivers have lost their natural gravel beds because of obstructions, such as dams or weirs. These barriers prevent rocks and stones from travelling down the river, which has led to a shortage of spawning sites for salmon and trout. The team has now added 400 tonnes of gravel to a 2.5mile section of the River Avon, near Shipley Bridge. Similarly, gravels have been added to over half a mile of the River Teign, below the South Teign as well as to a stretch of the Haddeo on Exmoor.
The team was on a tight deadline to get the new gravel into the river in plenty of time for the spawning season. Adult salmon lay their spawn in freshwater gravel beds, known as ‘redds’, in the autumn and the eggs hatch in the winter.
Matt Healey, Land and Fisheries Officer for the Westcountry Rivers Trust said: “Gravel beds are essential for salmon and trout to spawn. They seek out these habitats to cut redds because when water travels through the gravel it carries oxygen to the eggs, which they need to survive. If there isn’t enough gravel, then there is limited spawning opportunity, and if there is too much silt in the gravels the eggs become smothered and don’t survive. These gaps between the stones also help create environments for invertebrates, providing food for the fish.
“We introduced some new gravel to these sites last summer and are already seeing how it is settling into the river bed, creating natural habitats in the river. By carrying out the work on a bigger scale this year, we are hopeful that we will see an increase in fish numbers in the coming years.”
By adding stones of different sizes, the Westcountry Rivers Trust aims to make the new habitats as natural as possible. Plymouth University researchers are electronically tagging some of the stones, so they can monitor how the gravel moves over time. This research will help scientists understand how far the stones move, and where they settle, to assess how successful the project has been in creating spawning habitats.
David Gilvear, Professor of River Science at the University of Plymouth, said: “The effect of dams on reducing fish spawning habitats due to them trapping gravel has long been known, but there have been few examples of trying to address this. This project is therefore to be applauded. It is important as well to learn from the project, in order to maximise the success of future gravel augmentation projects. We feel privileged to be providing the scientific expertise to be able to monitor the movement of the introduced gravels and the creation of gravel habitats for fish. The findings of our work will be of interest not only locally but nationally and internationally.”
Dr David Smith, Environment Manager at South West Water, said: “We all rely on dams to ensure we always have sufficient supplies of safe tap water to drink but we are always mindful of the impact the could have on a river’s natural ecology. We are happy to support this project which we hope will increase numbers of fish and invertebrates in these rivers.” | <urn:uuid:f0a7a3f2-b3c7-46c4-bcb1-76a2a44f363a> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-26",
"url": "http://wrt.org.uk/south-west-salmon-get-new-spawning-grounds/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267861456.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20180618222556-20180619002556-00283.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9565967321395874,
"token_count": 781,
"score": 3.015625,
"int_score": 3
} |
By Claire Asher, on 7 July 2014
Synthetic biology, a hybrid between Engineering and Biology, is an emerging field of research promising to change the way we think about manufacturing, medicine, food production, and even conservation and sustainability.
A review paper released this month in Oryx, authored by Dr Kent Redford, Professor William Adams, Dr Rob Carlson, Bertina Ceccarelli and CBER’s Professor Georgina Mace, discusses the possibilities and consequences of synthetic biology for biodiversity conservation. Synthetic biology aims to engineer the natural world to generate novel parts and systems that can be used to tackle real world problems such as genetic disease, food security, invasive species and climate change. It’s implications are far reaching, and although research in synthetic biology began decades ago, conservation biologists have only recently begun to take notice and appreciate it’s relevance to the conservation of biological diversity. A conference organised by the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2013 discussed the relationship between synthetic biology and conservation, and included speakers from both fields.
Finding Common Ground
It might be surprising to find that, despite a similar background in biological research, the shared knowledge and language of conservationists and synthetic biologists is relatively limited. Further, many synthetic biologists come from an engineering background, with little training in ecology. This can make communication between scientists in these fields more difficult, and may have slowed the pace at which synthetic biology has interfaced with conservation science. The two disciplines also employ different methods and think about nature in different ways. Synthetic biology is largely conducted within large, highly controlled laboratory conditions, whilst ecologists work on complex, interrelated natural systems with a major social and political component. Conservationists, working in a high-stakes field and learning from past mistakes, tend to be quite risk-averse in their practice of conservation, whilst synthetic biologists, working in a new science with much to gain from experimentation, tend to be more in favour of taking large risks. They may also have different outlooks on the future of biodiversity – conservations tend to be more pessimistic about the future, mourning past biodiversity loss, whilst synthetic biologists have an upbeat attitude, envisaging the applications of exciting research. Despite these (extremely generalised) differences, the conference revealed interest and excitement on both sides about the possibility of collaborating, and a mutual appreciation that the major challenges of the Anthropocene are human influences on climate, biodiversity and ecosystems. Finding practical, long-lasting and safe solutions to the plethora of challenges currently facing humanity, is of mutual interest.
Mitigating Risks and Maximising Benefits
The possible applications of synthetic biology to conservation are many. Synthetic biology might enable us to develop more efficient methods of energy production, freeing up habitat to recover. It could mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions by releasing carbon-consuming algae. It could revive extinct species such as mammoths and dodos in a process known as ‘de-extinction’. It could engineer coral that is tolerant to increases in ocean temperature and acidity, conditions which are predicted to worsen under climate change. It could help to control or eradicate invasive species. It could restore degraded land and water for agriculture, sparing the need to destroy more natural habitat. It could even create pesticide- and parasite-resistant bees that can continue to pollinate our crops generations into the future.
However, he potential risks of synthetic biology to conservation are as many as the potential benefits. The effects of synthetic biology on conservation could be direct, (e.g. engineering resistant species), or they could be indirect (e.g. changes in land use). These effects could be negative, for example, if they lead to land use change of primary habitat as has been associated with GMOs and biofuels. They could also be positive, for example if they reduce the impact of human activities, allowing habitat to recover to its natural state. Synthetic biology might lead to unexpected impacts on ecosystem dynamics and risks the unintended escape of novel organisms into open ecosystems. Releasing synthetically engineered organisms into wild environments could alter ecosystems, reduce natural genetic variability or lead to hybridisation events that might display native flora and fauna, and generate new invasive species. Synthetic biology might also distract attention and funds from more traditional conservation efforts, whilst attracting protest from human rights and environmental organisations. Both conservationists and synthetic biologists are conscious of these potential risks, and are committed to careful consideration on a case-by-case basis. Not all synthetic biology is the same; some could be of huge potential benefit to conservation and sustainability whilst carrying minimal risks, and it is these that we should pursue. | <urn:uuid:1f93ecea-ef25-40db-8523-36995a49eb58> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-41",
"url": "http://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/gee-research/2014/07/07/synthetic-biology-and-conservation/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1410657132025.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20140914011212-00244-ip-10-196-40-205.us-west-1.compute.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9494678974151611,
"token_count": 932,
"score": 3.109375,
"int_score": 3
} |
By Dr. Sandeep Kalirah, BSc, DC
Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain or pain at the bottom of the foot. It is estimated that 11-15% of foot complaints seen by a medical professional, may be attributed to plantar fasciitis.
Characterized by tight, aching or burning pain at the arch and/or heel of the foot, Plantar Fasciitis is a debilitating condition that alters the way people walk. This is due to inflammation and tightening of the tissue at the bottom of the foot, known as the Plantar Fascia. Sufferers usually report that the first few steps in the morning are often the most painful, whereas moderate activity helps to alleviate pain. However, if a patient goes for a long walk or is constantly standing, pain is aggravated and/or unrelenting.
Plantar Fascitis often contributes to other conditions such as knee pain, hip pain and low back pain. It is considered a self-limiting condition, meaning that in 80-90% of cases, it resolves on its own within 10 to 12 months. In the meantime, treatments such as custom insoles, physical therapies and self-management exercises, may help to alleviate the pain and suffering that goes along with this condition.
How To Manage Plantar Fasciitis
I often recommend 8 strategies for the treatment of Plantar Fasciitis.
Ice Bottle Technique
Take a plastic bottle and fill it up half way. Freeze it. With a thin towel or sheet placed on top, roll the bottle of ice back and forth with the foot, reaching all the way from the heel of the foot, to the toes. Keep rolling the bottle for approximately 10-15 minutes. Repeat this activity as often as possible, or at least, three (3) times per day.
Tennis Ball Technique
Similar to the ice-bottle, use a tennis ball to roll under the foot. Roll the ball from the heel, all the way to the toes. Perform this exercise for 10 minutes, three (3) times daily.
Have a seat on a chair and scatter napkins across the floor, all within foots reach. While seated, attempt to pick-up and pass-aside, each napkin, using the toes.
A-B-C’s and 1-2-3’s
Similar to the napkin technique, this exercise is performed seated. Attempt to draw out the alphabet with your foot. Draw letters A-B-C, all the way to Z. When done, attempt to draw numbers 1 through 10.
Resistance Band Stretch
With a resistance band (or towel if you do not have access), hold both ends as you wrap around the ball of the foot, with the knee straight. Pull on the band to bring the foot upwards and towards your body. You should feel a stretch at the bottom of the foot. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, repeat 5 times.
If you are experiencing Plantar Fascitis, it is always a good idea to talk to a licensed health professional, such as a Chiropodist, Chiropractor or Physiotherapist. These licensed professionals will assess the curves of your foot and footwear and make appropriate recommendations. These professionals may also fit you for orthotics, which may help cushion, and subsequently eliminate painful areas of the foot.
Due to the forces of gravity, when we lie on our backs or stomachs, our feet naturally point downwards. Wearing a device that keeps the ankle neutral during sleep, may help prevent contractures (tightening) of the plantar fascia and the surrounding calf muscles.
Chiropodists, Chiropractors, and/or Physiotherapists utilize various techniques and instruments that help loosen up and heal the plantar fascia. They may apply pressures and stretches to these areas or use tools to loosen them up. Electro-modalities such as Laser or Shockwave Therapy also have promising research evidence as treatment approaches. To help manage your pain, consultation a licensed health care professional to see what is right for you. | <urn:uuid:62f4cab8-ecae-40c7-9dc6-3b800d3e834b> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-43",
"url": "https://www.pacificwellness.ca/news/what-is-plantar-fasciitis/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986692126.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20191019063516-20191019091016-00457.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9334054589271545,
"token_count": 850,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Definition - What does F1 Hybrid mean?
An F1 hybrid is the first-generation offspring from two dissimilar parent plants. The majority of vegetable seeds sold on the market today are F1 hybrids, although heirloom varieties are becoming more popular.
Hybrid plants are developed for a number of reasons, including to enhance yields, shorten time to harvest, to better resist drought conditions, and more.
MaximumYield explains F1 Hybrid
The first generation of a successful pairing of two different plants is called an F1 hybrid, or filial 1 hybrid.
Hybrid plants can grow very well, and are often specially adapted for specific purposes. For instance, crossing two different types of tomatoes can yield a plant that fruits with characteristics of both parent plants. The possible benefits include larger fruit, more meat in each tomato, and so on. It’s also true that hybrid plants generally require less fertilizer than non-hybrid plants, and are more resistant to pests.
However, F1 hybrid plants cannot be replanted from saved seeds. For instance, if an F1 hybrid tomato plant was grown and harvested, the seeds could be saved and planted again the next year. However, the plants that grow from those seeds would be one of the two parent plants, rather than the F1 hybrid that was grown the preceding year. Some hybrid plants are actually sterile, and will not produce seeds at all.
Note that hybrids differ significantly from open-pollinated and non-hybrid varieties. Open-pollinated and non-hybrid plants will breed true in successive generations, whereas hybrids will not. It is also important to note that, while rare, F1 hybrids can develop naturally in the wild. For example, peppermint was the natural F1 hybrid of two other mint varieties. | <urn:uuid:f6c72004-8e86-4c03-acbc-20705cd50d22> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-21",
"url": "https://www.maximumyield.com/definition/488/f1-hybrid",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-21/segments/1620243988753.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20210506083716-20210506113716-00239.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9528018832206726,
"token_count": 366,
"score": 3.328125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Most marine creatures are not hostile, it’s mainly humans who provoke them leading to stings and bites. The most poisonous fish on our list is found around Australian waters and other parts of the Pacific and Indian oceans. The venomous Belcher’s Sea snake doesn’t make our list because although it dwells in the sea, it’s not classified as fish. Had that not been the case then it would make number 3 on the list.
Top Ten Most Poisonous Fishes in the world
If you feel a particular species of poisonous fish was left out, please feel free to add or better yet create your own list.
10. Crown of Thorns Fish
Among starfishes in the world, the Crown of Thorns is the only starfish that is poisonous. Its entire body barring the underside is covered with spines which are venomous. Whenever the Crown of Thorns stings a person using these spines, it releases venom that causes intense pain, redness and swelling.
9. The Surgeonfish
Surgeon Fish essentially is a reef fish related to Cihclids. They attack with their tail which has spines at its base. These spines remain dormant within the tail until the fish that there is no danger. Whenever aggravated the surgeon fish stick out their spines that are like small knives. These highly poisonous spines can even cause death by hypovolemia. The other symptoms are hypertension and extreme pain.
8. The Pufferfish
Although the puffer fish is highly poisonous, it is unable to inject its poison on other creatures. Actually the danger lies in the eating of the fish. Tetrodotoxin, a potent toxin is found in the liver, intestines, skin and ovaries, of the fish, leaving only the muscle tissue that is somewhat safe to eat. In spite of its inherent poison, the pufferfish is a delicacy in countries like Japan and only certified and highly experienced chefs are permitted to set up this scary fish for human consumption.
7. The Scorpionfish
Scorpion fish belongs to the family of Scorpaenidae that includes stonefish and lionfish. This prickly fish carries it poison in its fins. A sting of the scorpion fish results in extreme pain as also swelling, which can spread to a whole leg or arm within a matter of minutes. Scorpion is found mainly in tropical seas, that included the warm shores of coastal United States. They are found worldwide as a highly popular aquarium fish.
6. The Boxfish
The Box Fish resembles the puffer fish closely. If threatened by larger fishes or divers, it injects a fatal toxin that poisons the whole of its vicinity. Thus other target victim and other nearby creatures are also caught up in the torment. The poison destroys both the red blood cells as also the respiratory function.
5. The Stingray
Stingray is an aggressive fish that whips out its venomous tail in an elegant arc, the same way a scorpion stings. The forward half of its tail can have a maximum of seven spines that this potent fish uses to impose an excruciating, and venomous sting to an aggressor. The spine if breaks off during an attack might get lodged in the body of the victim resulting in extreme bleeding as also infection. The stingray venom causes unbearable pain, muscle cramps, swelling, heart failure and eventual death.
4. The Viperfish
The 4th of the top ten most poisonous fishes in the world, the Viperfish is a toothy creature this is one of the most poisonous inhabitants of the deep. It’s curving fangs reaches up to its mouth as well as eyes. It possesses an organ named the light producing organ which he utilizes to lure its prey. It stays motionless when a victim approaches and with its rather long body surrounds the bigger victims. Fortunately, the Viper Fish isn’t interested in human beings.
3. The Lionfish
The Lionfish is considered a highly toxic fish. The venom is present in the dorsal spines and these are used only a defensive measure. Actually, it’s a timid and non-aggressive fish, and envenomation happens just because some creature comes in contact with its spine. The poison gives rise to severe pain, headache, vomiting, hard of breathing, paralysis of every muscle in the body that includes the cardiac muscle, resulting in cardiac arrest and death.
2. The Stonefish
The stonefish is by far a storehouse of venom. It has virulent potent venom stored in its glands, at the bottom of its 13 needle-shaped dorsal fin spines. Most victims injure themselves as they touch or step on it accidentally. The pain is so unbearable that some victims of its potent sting demands that the affected limb should be amputated. The venom can also cause shock, temporary paralysis, and death within a few hours.
1. Vandellia Cirrhosa
Here is the Biggie! We have VANDELLIA CIRRHOSA as the most poisonous fishes in the world. Don’t go with its appearance, It can harm you very badly. This Fish is from South America and normally found in water streams. It’s a fish all covered with sharp little thorns. The main quality it is having is the power of being attracted to blood and urine. It can easily locate the host from the blood and then expands the spines on its target and start sucking the blood from the victim. There is a huge fear among people that the Vandellia can swim into vagina, even penis or even deeper sometimes! Then it does the same thing, expands its spines and start sucking blood. Then it’s roughly unattainable to remove it from your body.
Be Careful Guys n Gals! Have a good day! | <urn:uuid:a7858955-7967-4e3d-9d6f-c99ed7a2e42f> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-25",
"url": "https://www.alltoptens.com/top-ten-most-poisonous-fishes/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487611089.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20210613222907-20210614012907-00138.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9526768326759338,
"token_count": 1198,
"score": 2.96875,
"int_score": 3
} |
< Back to front page Text size – +
Posted by Dr. Claire McCarthy September 24, 2012 12:01 PM
Please, don't give your child sugar-sweetened beverages.
I'm not saying never--I'm okay with the occasional soda at a restaurant or cup of fruit punch at the party when nothing else is served. But please, don't buy it to pack in snacks or lunches or to have around the house when your kids get thirsty. Give them water, or unsweetened milk, instead.
The reason I'm pleading is that as a pediatrician, I am getting increasingly panicked about childhood obesity. I'm seeing it every day at work--and what makes me panicked is that I can't seem to get anywhere with it. At this point, I'm really happy if patients of mine don't get heavier; an incredibly small number of them actually get slimmer.
We've known for a while that sugar-sweetened beverages are part of the problem, and this week the New England Journal of Medicine came out with three studies that show exactly that:
- A study out of Boston Children's Hospital showed that when a group of overweight and obese adolescents cut back on their sugar-sweetened beverages they gained less than a control group that didn't.
- Researchers in the Netherlands found that when they gave normal-weight kids one can a day of a sugar-sweetened beverage a day, they gained more weight after 18 months than those who got a sugar-free beverage.
- Data from a big study of nurses shows that when people who have a high genetic risk of obesity drink even just one sugar sweetened beverage a day, they gain even more weight.
Now, getting rid of sugar-sweetened beverages isn't the silver bullet for ending obesity. In all of the studies, everyone gained weight. Those who drank the sugar-sweetened beverages gained more--although,if you read the fine print, not always much more. And the study out of Boston Children's underlined the fact that habits are hard to break: a year after the intervention to cut down on sugar-sweetened beverages (which included not just phone calls and visits but actually shipping sugar-free beverages to their houses), the teens who got the intervention weighed the same as those who didn't.
But getting rid of sugar-sweetened beverages is important. As my colleague Dr. David Ludwig says, we were meant to eat our calories, not drink them. Our bodies just don't seem to register the calories when they come in as liquid--if we ate something with the same amount of calories as that big cup of soda, we'd feel full. But after the big soda, we're reaching for fries. Whether or not your child is overweight (to find out, check out the BMI calculator on the website of the Centers for Disease Control), it's not good to take in more calories than we need.
It's also simple. Compared to getting your kid to exercise an hour a day or shut off the TV, talking them into drinking water (or flavored water or unsweetened milk) instead of soda or fruit punch isn't all that hard. Please, as someone who is watching the childhood obesity epidemic play out day after day, I'm begging you: don't give your child sugar-sweetened beverages.
The author is solely responsible for the content. | <urn:uuid:030ecd60-e994-45ff-9078-998874fe062c> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-35",
"url": "http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/09/please_dont_give_your_child_sugar-sweetened_beverages.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1408500834883.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20140820021354-00407-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9665974974632263,
"token_count": 687,
"score": 2.75,
"int_score": 3
} |
Oklahoma Slave Narrative
Alice DouglassI always been a deep Christian and depend on God and know his unseen Son, the King of Glory. I learned about Him when I was a little boy. Old Master was a good man, but on some of the plantations the masters wasn't good men and the niggers didn't get the Word. I never did get no reading and writing 'cause I never did go to the schools. I thought I was too big, but they had schools and the young ones went. But I could figger, and I was a good farmer, and now I bless the Lord for all his good works. Everybody don't know it I reckon, but we all needed each other. The blacks needed the whites, and still do. There's a difference in the color of the skin, but the souls is all white, or all black, 'pending on the man's life and not on his skin. The old fashioned meetings is busted up into a thousand different kinds of churches and only one God to look after them. All is confusion, but I ain't going to worry my old head about 'em. I was born December 22, 1880 in Summer County. Tennessee. My mother, I mean mammy, 'cause what did we know 'bout mother and mama. Master and Mistress made dey chillun call all nigger women. "Black Harmy." Jest as I was saying my mammy was named Millie Elkins and my pappy was named Isaac Garrett. My sisters and brothers was Frank, Susie and Mollie. They is all in Nashville, Tennessee right now. They lived in log houses. I 'member my grandpappy and when he died. I allus slept in the Big House in a cradle wid white babies. We all the time wore cotton dresses and we weaved our own cloth. The boys jest wore shirts. Some wore shoes, and I sho' did. I kin see 'em now as they measured my feets to git my shoes. We had doctors to wait on us iffen we got sick and ailing. We wore asafedida to keep all diseases offen us. When a nigger man got ready to marry, he go and tell his master that they was a woman on sech and sech a farm that he'd lak to have. Iffen master give his resent, then he go and ask her master and iffen he say yes, well, they jest jump the broomstick. Hens could jest see their wives on Sadday nite. They laid peoples 'cross barrels and whupped 'em wid bull whups till the blood come. They'd half feed 'em and niggers'd steal food and cook all night. The things we was forced to do then the whites is doing of their own free will now. You gotta reap jest what you sow 'cause the Good Book says it. They used to bid niggers off and then load 'em on wagons and take 'em to cotton farms to work. I never seen no cotton till I come heah. Peoples make big miration 'bout girls having babies at 11 years old. And you better have them whitefolks some babies iffen you didn't wanta be sold. Though a funny thing to me is, iffen a nigger woman had a baby on the boat on the way to the cotton farms, they throwed it in the river. Taking 'em to them cotton farms is jest the reason niggers is so plentiful in the South today. I ain't got no education a'tall. In dem days you better not be caught with a newspaper, else you got a beating and your back almost cut off. When niggers got free, whitefolks killed 'em by the carload, 'cause they said it was a nigger uprising. I used to lay on the flo' with the whitefolks and hear 'em pass. Them patrollers roved trying to ketch niggers without passes to whup 'em. They was sometimes called bush whackers. We went to white folks' church. I was a great big girl before we went to cullud church. We'd stay out and play while they worshipped. We jest played marbles - girls, white chillun and all. The Yankees come thoo' and took all the meat and everything they could find. They took horses, food and all. Mammy cooked their vittles. One come in our cabin and took a sack of dried fruit with my mammy's shoes on the top. I tried to make 'em leave mammy's shoes too but he didn't. I stayed in the house with the whitefolks till I was 19. They lak to kept me in there too long. That's why I'm selfish as I am. Within three weeks after I was out of the house, I married William Douglass. Whitefolks now don't want you to tech 'em, and I slept with white chillun till I was 19. You kin cook for 'em and put your hands in they vittles and they don't say nothing, but jest you tech one! We stayed on, on the place, three or four years and it was right then mammy give us our pappy's name. We moved from the place to one three or four miles from our master's place, and mammy cooked there a long time. Abraham Lincoln gits too much praise. I say, shucks, give God the praise. Lincoln come thoo' Gallitan, Tennessee and stopped at Hotel Tavern with his wife. They was dressed jest lak tramps and nobody knowed it was him and his wife till he got to the White House and writ back and told 'em to look 'twixt the leaves in the table where he had set and they sho' muff found out it was him. I never mentions Jeff Davis. He ain't wuff it. Booker T. Washington was all right in his place. He come here and told these whitefolks jest what he thought. Course he wouldn't have done that way down South. I declare to God he sho' told 'em enough. They toted him 'round on their hands. No Jin Crow here then. I jined the church 'cause I had religion round 60 years ago. People oughta be religious sho'; what for they wanta live in sin and die and go to the Bad Men. To git to Heaven, you sho' ought to work some. I want a resting place somewhar, 'cause I ain't got none here. I an a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, and I help build the first church in Oklahoma City. I got three boys and three girls. I don't know nope's age. I give 'em the best education I could. | <urn:uuid:22ca4fa0-a1fb-4117-84e0-8c21238f7b2e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-25",
"url": "https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~ewyatt/genealogy/_borders/Oklahoma%20Slave%20Narratives/Douglass,%20Alice.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623488249738.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20210620144819-20210620174819-00028.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.98311448097229,
"token_count": 1410,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Those are “bullying” words that an educator in a school is trained to listen for and respond to in most states by law. In my State of Connecticut the law is specific and:
“Requires that school personnel report, in a timely and responsive manner, incidents of bullying they witness or are aware of to a designated official” (see Public Act No. 11-232).
As a result, I am hyper-sensitive to listening for bullying words or bullying attitudes. This hyper-sensitivity is making the 2016 Presidential Election Season hard on my educator’s sense of hearing. I am hearing lots of bullying.
The word bully did not always have a negative meaning, in fact, it’s origin (1530) is in the word “sweetheart”coming from the Dutch boel “lover; brother.”
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the meaning of the word bully deteriorated during the 17th Century from “fine fellow” and “blusterer” to “harasser of the weak”. The word did regain a more positive meaning in the 1860s in the United States when the expression “bully!” meant “worthy, jolly, admirable.”
It was with that positive sense that the term Bully Pulpit was used to mean a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue. This was how President Theodore Roosevelt used the term his quote:
“I suppose my critics will call that preaching, but I have got such a bully pulpit!”
His use of the word bully was as an adjective meaning “first- rate,” or in 21st Century speak, “awesome.” The term “bully pulpit” is still used today to describe a position of power to influence the public, and is one of the key terms that students can learn about in studying the presidential election.
How to Teach this Presidential Election?
In this year’s presidential election season, the bully pulpit is getting a twice the workout…..it covers both the negative (harasser of the weak) and positive (awesome!) meanings.
But what does an educator do when the language of bullies is finding its way into the language of the presidential election campaign?
In 2016, social media, (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube) increases opportunities for students to follow the candidates on the campaign trail….and the language they are hearing the candidates use is language that would land them in detention. Take for example these adjectives:
Social bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships including
Leaving someone out on purpose
Telling other children not to be friends with someone
Spreading rumors about someone
Embarrassing someone in public
Another website, Nobullying.com, notes that “Words and tone of voice are the first weapons in a bully’s arsenal.” They offer suggestions for students to Deal with the Bully, including one suggestion that recommends removing attention:
Bullies love an audience only when the audience is made up of their admirers, who are usually even weaker than the bully. Without that admiring audience, the bully loses a great deal of power.
That particular piece of advice, however, may not be possible if the bullying language used by candidates on the campaign is proving successful as an opportunity to gain more public attention.
Not the First Campaign Insults
Many historians are quick to point out that the use of negative language has always been part of the American political process. In the election of 1800, the much venerated Thomas Jefferson accused the equally venerated John Adams of having,
“a hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman”(PBS American Experience).
In response, representatives from Adams’ camp claimed that Jefferson was,
“a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father”(PBS American Experience).
While both quotes would certainly qualify as inappropriate, and a bit startling for those who may idolize our Founding Fathers, their language is not the language of today’s playground bully.
Difficult Election Season
Ironically, one of the suggestions offered on the Stop Bullying website is that adults should act as models for students,
Kids learn from adults’ actions. By treating others with kindness and respect, adults show the kids in their lives that there is no place for bullying. Even if it seems like they are not paying attention, kids are watching how adults manage stress and conflict, as well as how they treat their friends, colleagues, and families.
Unfortunately, many of the adult candidates engaged in the 2016 Election Season are proving to be poor role models. While they are seeking public office or a position of authority, the candidates occupy a multi-media platform of opportunity to speak out on any issue. Unlike the campaigns in 1800s, the contemporary insults (“wet pants”) and attitudes (“shut-up”) associated with bullying reach a larger audience. That includes today’s impressionable students who will listen and learn from their behavior.
This election year, educators like me will have the difficult task trying to teaching students the differences between the bullies on the playground and the bullies on the pulpit. | <urn:uuid:221a142d-cdc5-4588-8440-3b345a91e0c1> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-13",
"url": "https://usedbooksinclass.com/tag/dummy-loser-jerk/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912203093.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20190323221914-20190324003914-00315.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9611351490020752,
"token_count": 1147,
"score": 3.5,
"int_score": 4
} |
PWP Landscape Architecture, Berkeley, California
Client: National September 11 Memorial and Museum
The Memorial commemorates the victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the Pentagon, and the World Trade Center attack of February 26, 1993. Two fountain-lined voids, on the locations of the destroyed twin towers, and a surrounding forest of oak trees form the core of the rebuilt World Trade Center in New York City and provide a place for contemplation and remembrance within this revitalized urban center.
—2012 Professional Awards Jury
Located in Lower Manhattan, this 8-acre site resides in one of the most densely populated urban neighborhoods and business centers in the world. On many levels, the project was intensely complex, with multiple constituents influencing the design from local and state politicians, family members of the victims, a multi-headed client framework, outside design critics, and the general public. Perhaps no other project in our generation has played out under such scrutiny or with such stratospheric expectations.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the Memorial is a massive green roof — a fully constructed ecology — that operates on top of multiple structures including the PATH station and tracks, the Memorial Museum, a central chiller plant, parking, and additional infrastructure. For more than 7 years, the landscape architect coordinated with these multiple agencies and stakeholders and navigated the design through the challenging process to establish a consistent visitor experience that extends over multiple structures and through several jurisdictions.
Design and Execution
The design features two gigantic voids, centered on the locations of the destroyed twin towers. The scale of the voids recalls the terrible losses of September 11, 2001, and names displayed at the perimeter of both voids commemorate the victims of both the 1993 and 2001 attacks. The plaza surrounding the voids is designed to accomplish four main objectives:
- First, to deepen and enlarge the visitor’s perception of the level plane into which the voids are cut
- Second, to participate in the procession, both physical and spiritual, that is essential to the visitor’s experience of the memorial;
- Third, to separate the reverential mood of the Memorial from the busy life of the surrounding city streets; and
- Fourth, to provide a quiet, beautiful, and human-scaled public open space for Lower Manhattan.
The broad scope of the trauma of 9/11 requires that the Memorial use a symbolic language understood by a diverse audience; this language is an integral part of “Reflecting Absence”. Visitors will leave the everyday life of the city and enter into a sacred zone defined by a dense forest of 416 oak trees. Above, the high canopy of leaves provides welcome shade in the heat of the summer and seasonal color in the fall. In the winter the sun will cast shadows through a light tracery of bare branches, and in spring, the trees will express the renewal of nature. Using a language similar to Michael Heizer's North, East, South, West, the voids render absence visible. In this way, the overwhelming losses of September 11th are given permanent presence. The one-acre voids of the fountains, cut 30 feet into the site, are lined with waterfalls. Using full-scale mock-ups to study the performance of the water, the design team developed a tapered, rounded weir that is both water-and-energy efficient as well as highly visible and beautiful. With the addition of lighting, the waterfalls are also visible at night.
Within the protected space of the forest, visitors will arrive at the two great voids with their thundering waterfalls. After viewing the victims’ names on the bronze parapets of the voids, visitors will move back to the city through the trees and take comfort from the soothing, life-affirming forest. Through the trunks of the trees the flat plane of the park is visible in its entirety. The density of the trunks extends the apparent depth and size of the plane and at the same time softens the view of the buildings beyond. The horizontal surfaces of the plaza — stone, ground-cover, lawn, and steel grating — are patterned to assert and reinforce the flatness of the constructed plane.
The Memorial grove will resemble a “natural” forest of over 400 swamp oaks, until visitors discover that the trees align to form arching corridors in one orientation. The form recalls the arches that World Trade Center architect Minoru Yamasaki placed at the bottom of the original towers. In this way, the grove expresses the shared patterns of nature and humanity. A grassy clearing within the grove is a quiet space away from the bustle of the plaza. Designed to accommodate ceremonies — specifically, the reading of victims' names annually on September 11th — the space also provides soft green park space on typical days. Within the Memorial grove, the varying distances between trees, the placement of benches, and the rhythm of ground-cover beds will create spaces with distinct scale, character, and qualities of light.
The plaza is built of relatively few elements and materials. A single pole, for instance, incorporates lighting and security. One type of granite is used for cobblestones, pavers, and benches. Planted ground coverings are limited to evergreen English ivies and turf grass. A single tree species is repeated throughout the Memorial grove. The limited palette is critical to the notable quietness of the plaza. The landscape architect conducted wide searches and brought great care to the selection of each material.
Environmental Sustainability and Design Value
Throughout the design and construction process, sustainability of the plaza was considered in terms of both material endurance and landscape performance. The plaza surface-and-drainage infrastructure is designed to function as a large self-sustaining cistern. Water from rainfall and snow melt is channeled into large holding tanks and re-used to support the Memorial forest via a specialized drip-and-spray irrigation system. The Memorial grove is a dense planting of trees—a forest at the heart of the redeveloped World Trade Center. As they grow the trees will provide shaded space to increase comfort for visitors and reduce heat absorption on the plaza. The transpiration of the many leaves will cool the air throughout the district. The plaza is designed with a network of maintenance tunnels that provide access to site systems — irrigation, electrical, and drainage. These tunnels will extend the life of the plaza by allowing maintenance crews to access, test, adjust, and repair systems with ease. Substantial soil volumes, adequately irrigated, aerated, and drained, are the most critical element in the long-term success of the Memorial grove. An enormous volume of soil — 40,000 tons in total — lies buried beneath the plaza to ensure that the oaks will grow and thrive to maturity. The stone paving is set in place using sand instead of a rigid mortar. When repairs are required, the stone can be removed undamaged and re-set in sand again. There will be no need for quarrying additional stone in the future.
Lead Designer: Peter Walker, FASLA
Design Team: Matthew Donham; David Walker; and Conard Lindgren
Michael Arad of Handel Architects
Davis Brody Bond
Bio stimulant for soil
Custom Light Pole
Dan Euser Waterarchitecture, Inc. (DEW)
Irrigation Controller and Moisture Sensors
Metal Trench Drain Covers
PolymericJoint Sand For Sand Set Pavers
C.R. Dixon & Associates
Long Island Compost | <urn:uuid:10d33eba-6cc1-4389-ad1f-11e5e9e62d58> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-42",
"url": "http://www.asla.org/2012awards/512.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1414637904722.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20141030025824-00067-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9173501133918762,
"token_count": 1560,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Seen here are fluid lava flows on the Moon, in the young crater of Pytheas.
The brighter, more fluid lava flowed above the darker material, in an interior slope of Pytheas crater. Pytheas crater is one of the brightest spots in Mare Imbrium, indicating a young age, and thus also a recent lava outpouring.
The local topography shapes each flow and you see them finally spread into cone shapes downslope. Called Talus cones, these shapes are observed on Earth as well, at large scales!
Look closely at the featured image and you see that there isn’t one but several lava flow layers stacked on top of each other. This is indicative of multiple periods of volcanic eruptions in the Moon’s past. While the fine-grained materials represent physical characteristic changes across these flows, or within a single large flow itself.
A rover exploring and imaging such distinct layers of lava flows allow an opportunity to reconstruct the nature of volcanic events in the Moon’s past and how the lunar interior might be like. | <urn:uuid:b4db277a-11fd-433d-8e89-04d90eafed13> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-25",
"url": "https://lunasights.jatan.space/2019/09/02/cone-shaped-lava-flows/?shared=email&msg=fail",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623488249738.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20210620144819-20210620174819-00381.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9330880641937256,
"token_count": 220,
"score": 3.703125,
"int_score": 4
} |
WebRef Update: Featured Article: Intro to PHP
Intro to PHP
In this article we'll introduce you to one of the Internet's hottest and fastest growing server side programming languages, PHP. PHP (or Personal HomePage Tools) was created by Rasmus Lerdorf over three years ago to track visitors to his homepage. PHP has since evolved into a powerful server-side markup language with syntax that resembles a mix between Perl and C.
Why Use PHP
Most Web developers know that Web pages are more than pretty pictures and text; these days, even the most amateur of sites strive to have some sort of animation or interactivity. Most of the higher end sites have features such as discussion forums, search engines and/or shopping carts. PHP enables you to add features quickly.
The old fashioned approach to adding interactivity was to use CGI scripts in Perl. The problem is that CGI is not very scalable; each new request to a CGI script requires the server to start a new process in the kernel, which uses both CPU time and memory, making CGI scripts much slower which in turn make multiple concurrent CGI scripts run very slowly. PHP solves this problem by becoming a part of the Web server itself, saving the end user a considerable amount of load time.
Another reason to use PHP is because it's free. That's right, PHP is an open source project, meaning that any user can download both the source code and executables for PHP and install them on their computer for free. Because PHP is open source, it is solid and is constantly being improved by many experienced programmers. It is currently available for all major platforms.
Finally, PHP is easy. If you know C or Perl, learning PHP is a cinch. The language is a mix between the two, taking the best features from both. Plus PHP adds features to solve common problems that programmers often encounter when programming for the Web. For example, you can embed PHP code directly into an HTML file, whereas in Perl and C you would have to use additional print statements to output HTML. Another advantage to PHP is its native database support for 12 databases (including mSQL and mySQL), which allows access to the databases directly through SQL statements. And if you don't know either of these programming languages, then PHP is an excellent gateway into the world of programming.
Next: More About PHP
Revised: May 16, 2000 | <urn:uuid:36507404-ef4a-4b76-8c06-a14ee69c0f0e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-49",
"url": "http://www.webreference.com/new/php.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-49/segments/1416931010631.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20141125155650-00049-ip-10-235-23-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9483529329299927,
"token_count": 485,
"score": 3.171875,
"int_score": 3
} |
THE 'LOSEY FIND' REVISITED
Members of the Losey family came to the MSU Museum recently to revisit some spectacular mammoth bones that were discovered at their family farm in Jackson County in 1955, and subsequently donated to the Museum. Shown here (left to right) are Lois (Reynolds) Hoyt, her daughter, Pam Kammel, Laura Abraczinskas, MSU Museum vertebrate collections manager.
The unusual find caused a stir in the 1950s. See a feature from the Jackson Citizen Patriot that describes the "Losey find."
Part of the mammoth's lower jaw is on exhibit in the MSU Museum's Hall of Evolution, while other bones -- including a tusk, ribs, shoulder blade, leg bone fragments -- are kept in the museum's research and collections facilities. (Learn more about mammoths in the Encyclopedia of Life and Paleontology Portal.
"The Losey mammoth demonstrates how museums and the public can work together to preserve and interpret history and evolution," says Gary Morgan, director of the MSU Museum. "Much of the MSU Museum's collection has been donated by members of the public. These collections then live on through research and educational programs for audiences of all ages. Parts of the Losey mammoth have been seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Museum, really making a distant Michigan past come alive."
The MSU Museum is the natural science and culture museum at Michigan State University and has collections numbering nearly 1 million in four buildings across campus used for research, teaching, exhibitions and education.
Photo by Pearl Yee Wong. | <urn:uuid:e9ed286b-150a-4872-8040-906ed4ea45bf> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-48",
"url": "http://museum.msu.edu/index.php?q=node/603",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-48/segments/1448398471441.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20151124205431-00303-ip-10-71-132-137.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9545813798904419,
"token_count": 331,
"score": 2.65625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Did you know there was a Japanese gentleman on board the RMS Titanic?
Born in Niigata-ken in 1870, Masabumi Hosono graduated from Tokyo Higher Commercial School and, in 1897 started work at Japan's Ministry of Communications. In 1906, he graduated from the Russian department of the Tokyo School of Foreign Languages and, in 1910, was sent to Russia to research their railway system.
Hosono was on his way home from this trip when he boarded the Titanic.
On April 14, at 11:40 p.m., just four days into its maiden voyage, the ‘unsinkable’ ship struck an iceberg while traveling at near top speed and began taking on water. At first, few people knew there was a problem, indeed Hosono slept through the entire thing in his second-class cabin. At midnight, a crewman woke him and told him to put on his life vest because the ship might be sinking.
Commonsense dictates that when a boat is sinking, it's a good idea to get off. When Hosono tried to do so, guards twice told him to go back to the lower levels of the ship. Naturally, it was women and children first, but only if you had a first or second-class ticket, and had white skin! On his third attempt, Hosono slipped past a crewman guarding the way to the lifeboats.
Standing near Lifeboat No. 10, he watched it being loaded. There weren't enough women and children from first or second-class believing that the Titanic was going to sink, or perhaps they didn’t want to leave their husbands and fathers.
"I tried to prepare myself for the last moment with no agitation, making up my mind not to leave anything disgraceful as a Japanese," he explained in a letter to his wife, "but still I found myself looking for and waiting for any possible chance to survive."
As there were no more women or children left near lifeboat No.10, an officer shouted, "Room for two more!" Hosono watched as an Armenian man quickly jumped in.
"I myself was deep in desolate thought that I would no more be able to see my beloved wife and children, since there was no alternative for me than to share the same destiny as the Titanic," he wrote. "But the example of the first man making a jump led me to take this last chance."
So, Hosono jumped into the Lifeboat. “Fortunately the men in charge were taken up with something else and did not pay much attention. Besides, it was dark, and so they would not have seen who was a man and who a woman.”
While the officers weren't paying much attention to the color of his skin, the others on the boat did, later describing him as a ‘Japanese stowaway’.
At 1:20AM, Hosonso and 34 other passengers were lowered into the Atlantic Ocean in the Lifeboat (capacity 65). He began to row with the only other male on board, and watched as the Titanic finally slipped beneath the waves at 2:20AM.
Aboard the Carpathia rescue ship, he was not just a survivor - he was a yellow-skinned Asian and the crew teased him. In New York, the lack of interest in Hosono the survivor continued. He made his way to the office of the Mitsui trading company where old school friends lent him the money to travel home.
While waiting for a ship to leave San Francisco, he told the Japanese community there his story. Back in Tokyo, he gave an interview to the Yomiuri Newspaper, which also carried a photograph of him with his family, and to a few other newspapers and magazines, then picked up his life as best he could.
But apparently it’s not easy to survive a disaster!
Hosono lost his job with the Ministry in May 1913, but the government could not afford to drop such a highly trained expert, who had just returned from a government-sponsored study trip abroad. He was rehired the following month on a contract-basis, which continued until his death in 1939.
But that’s not the whole story.
People began to wonder how some 162 women and children were counted as dead after the Titanic went down, and yet 338 men had managed to find their way onto lifeboats. Did they displace those women and children to save themselves?
Guess who got the worst criticism?
While the Western media were critical of the surviving men, Hosono was more or less ingnored. The strongest condemnation came from his home country. This was 1912, remember, and the samurai had only been dissolved for around 40 years! Hosono had broken two taboos:
1. He had chosen life over an honorable death.
2. He had chosen life over death in public.
To the Japanese, Hosono had made Japan look bad in the eyes of the world and was branded a coward, which was the reason he was fired from his government job. Yes, he was rehired a month later, but the damage was done – Hosono was never to recover his reputation.
Japanese university professors called him immoral. An ethics textbook for girls in the 1910s condemned Hosono’s behavior stating that it ‘disgraced Japan and the Japanese people’. Some suggested that he should commit ritualistic suicide (hara-kiri) to reinstate to himself, his family and Japan.
His family was concerned about his so-called cowardice, but Hosono wisely pointed out, “I am alive here and now, what is wrong with that?”
Aside from the early days, Hosono refused to talk about his experience aboard the Titanic, and died a broken and forgettable man in 1939, which was okay by Japan as it didn't want to talk about his cowardice and hoped the world would forget the country’s dishonor.
It's interesting to note that no country other than Japan cared about Hosono's so-called dishonorable act, and despite early newspaper accounts describing in detail the events presented here, Hosono was largely a forgotten footnote in the history of the Titanic.
Now, a little over a 100 years since the disaster, it's sad to recall the tragic loss of life, but it’s heart wrenching to think of the hell one poor man was forced to endure for being a Titanic survivor!
The notes and letters Hosono wrote about the event remained hidden at the bottom of a drawer until 1997 when his granddaughter Yuriko made them public. Fascinatingly, they are written on letter-headed stationary he took with him from the Titanic, and are believed to be the only pieces of stationary to have survived the disaster.
Following the discovery of the letters, and the success of the Titanic movie, Japan finally embraced Hosono - not as a coward and a stain on the image of Japan - but as a survivor of the Titanic disaster. | <urn:uuid:8a3bd1db-d620-4c6a-a13c-1764a7665b4b> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-47",
"url": "http://blog.alex-x.com/2012/05/100th-anniversary-of-titanics-loss.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039745761.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20181119105556-20181119131556-00277.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9905208945274353,
"token_count": 1438,
"score": 2.78125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Posted by Mike on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 3:56pm.
They threw me in this class & I know nothing about sewing..im a guy lol. please help me?
Ms. Troy would like you to make a copy of an outfit that she owns and really likes—a sleeveless dress with a short-sleeve jacket. She has selected a lilac linen fabric that comes in 36-in. width. You make a pattern for the dress and record the following measurements:
Jacket back length 15 in.
Front skirt length 20 in.
Full back length 41 in.
1. What length of material do you need to purchase for the dress portion of the outfit?
A. 82 in.
B. 41 in.
C. 70 in.
D. 91 in.
2. What length of material do you need for the jacket sleeves?
A. 21 in.
B. 36 in.
C. 27 in.
D. 54 in.
3. The fabric label doesn't say if the linen was preshrunk. You test the fabric for shrinkage and determine it needs to be shrunk. How do you do this?
A. Wash the material in cold water and dry on high in dryer.
B. Immerse the material in hot water and drip dry.
C. Wash the material in hot water and dry on high in dryer.
D. Immerse the material in warm water and drip dry.
4. Which shaping technique will add shape to a bodice?
5. A client tries on a skirt. You check the side seams. They curve towards the back. What does this indicate?
A. The skirt front is too tight.
B. The skirt front is too loose.
C. The skirt back is too tight.
D. The skirt back is too loose.
6. You plan to attach a flat 1/2-in. button to a garment. The size of the buttonhole should be
A. 1/2 in.
B. 5/8 in.
C. 1 in.
D. 3/8 in.
7. You're sewing a child's nylon jacket. You notice the fabric frays easily. Which would be your best buttonhole option?
A. Bound buttonhole
B. Jetted and piped buttonhole
C. Machine-stitched worked buttonhole
D. Handworked buttonhole with iron-on tape
8. When attaching a button on a man's overcoat, you can best reduce heavy strain on the button by reinforcing the button with
A. a smaller button on the inside.
B. silk thread.
C. extra stitches sewn through button.
D. a wooden button.
9. As many alterations as possible should be made
A. after sewing a garment.
B. on the pattern pieces.
C. immediately after cutting.
D. following the markings on the pattern piece.
10. A client would like you to make a skirt with pleats. Which of these fabrics would have difficulty pleating well?
- Dressmaking - Ms. Sue, Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 4:22pm
I'm sorry you're in a class against your will -- but we will not help you cheat.
- Dressmaking - Mike, Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 12:53am
But like where am I supposed to find this stuff out? They just gave me online exams and no information whatsoever about these things.
- Dressmaking - Ms. Sue, Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 4:35pm
I can't believe that your course doesn't have a text or at least recommended reading materials. If it doesn't provide you with information, get out of that school FAST!
Answer this Question
- Dressmaking - Ms. Troy would like a copy of an outfit she owns and really likes
- dressmaking and design - Could you help explain please ?Troy would like you to ...
- sewing - Base the answers to Questions 1–3 on the following information: Ms. ...
- Math - 1)Ms.Troy would like you to make a copy of an outfit that she owns and ...
- Dressmaking - I was hoping someone could help me check my answers? This is my ...
- designer - i need someone to check my answers. i know that i got alot wrong but ...
- catering - Ms. Troy would like you to make a copy of an outfit that she owns and...
- sewing2 - please help me i need help on these qestions ive tried doing them even...
- geometry - Bret and Troy have a blueprint of a design that they want to ...
- Basic Dressmaking Processes - What length of material do you need to purchase ... | <urn:uuid:19fcf2d6-59a9-45c1-9245-539eb332a03e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-18",
"url": "http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1294865798",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-18/segments/1429246657868.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20150417045737-00303-ip-10-235-10-82.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9367409944534302,
"token_count": 1003,
"score": 2.84375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Minute 118-120 We now move on to what I can only describe as a laughable contention from the film. This is where they suggest that a 10mph electric Lunar Rover should somehow produce huge "rooster tails" on Earth, because the footage we see on Apollo shows them and according to the film maker they aren't high enough!
The whole concept ignores the fundamental reason behind them being made in the first place, 1/6th gravity. On the Moon an object will have 1/6th the weight but the same mass. Now the Lunar Rover still needs to accelerate that mass to overcome inertia, but it has 1/6th the traction as on Earth. The actual mechanism involved to eject material from behind a vehicle also relies on the wheel spin speed. Whilst the wheel is in contact with the ground, there is less chance of the wheel obtaining enough speed to eject surface material, as there is when it rises (free of friction to accelerate). This is why most of the arcs are produced when it comes down after a bump in the terrain. The 1/6th gravity contributes quite significantly to the bouncing effect of the rover.
I have made a video debunking this section of the film:-
Minute 120-122 Percy starts the most famous clip from this film by making an incorrect statement. He says "astronauts moving in slow motion is another hallmark of the Apollo footage". This gives the viewer the idea that something has been slowed down.
Gravitational acceleration on the Moon will cause all objects to rise higher and for longer when even the slightest vertical movement is made. Together with less traction to move the 350lbs of mass, a restrictive suit has less traction to stop or change direction.
A short extract from a study explains this:-
"We investigated the effect of reduced gravity on the human walk-run gait transition speed and interpreted the results using an inverted-pendulum mechanical model.
We simulated reduced gravity using an apparatus that applied a nearly constant upward force at the center of mass, and the subjects walked and ran on a motorized treadmill. In the inverted pendulum model for walking, gravity provides the centripetal force needed to keep the pendulum in contact with the ground. The ratio of the centripetal and gravitational forces (mv2/L)/(mg) reduces to the dimensionless Froude number (v2/gL). Applying this model to a walking human, m is body mass, v is forward velocity, L is leg length and g is gravity. In normal gravity, humans and other bipeds with different leg lengths all choose to switch from a walk to a run at different absolute speeds but at approximately the same Froude number (0.5). We found that, at lower levels of gravity, the walk-run transition occurred at progressively slower absolute speeds but at approximately the same Froude number. This supports the hypothesis that the walk-run transition is triggered by the dynamics of an inverted-pendulum system."
We are told that astronauts never jump as high as they should do in 1/6th gravity, and later we are told they are on wires! Go figure that one out.
We are then treated to one of the worst examples of modern "special effects" by showing a man falling through some sort of wormhole suspended on wires. Bunkum.
I have already addressed some of this section:-
Here is a video I made showing the sheer deception used by David Percy. The video shows how Percy has taken a small clip, deliberately avoided the sections either side of it, and made erroneous claims as to the motion sped up by 200% reflects Earth gravity.
Now, the obvious lens flare from Apollo 14 that is alleged to be a wire, and the "ping" on Apollo 17! The Apollo 14 clip is a very over exposed piece of footage. Everything about the shot shows this clearly. The "ping" occurs exactly where the radio antenna sits, and the secondary reflection is not vertical. It is the most obvious case of a lens flare you could get. Quite why they would need to use wires on Apollo 14 in the first place makes no sense. There is not an awful lot of activity from what I can recall.
The Apollo 17 clip is an internal reflection probably made during the copying process. It has no such anomaly on the original footage. The "ping" is in the shape of the reflection seen a split second before, from the radio antenna.
The section where he deals with the astronaut unable to jump high on the Moon, is a complete strawman argument. Here it is explained:-
Percy continues by suggesting a "floaty effect" and a "dangly effect" of the John Young jump, then asks us to compare it with the Apollo gravity testing rig. I cannot fathom how somebody could suggest that a purpose built rig with sideways, vertical and forward stabilizers very clearly visible, could be compares to the mechanical motion from using thin wires. It is a ludicrous suggestion. Forwards and lateral mechanical motion would dimply be jerky and unresponsive due to the wire taking 5/6th (or whatever figure is claimed by hoax believers!) weight off of the astronauts.
Percy shows a small clip from Apollo 16, where one astronaut helps the other astronaut up by pushing his hand. Since the astronaut weighs 60lbs, the idea that somebody could not do this is absurd. This is a fairly simple thing to do on Earth, where people are far heavier. Bunkum.
A collection of videos - Wires and jumping debunked:-
A video showing the Apollo 17 astronauts trying to jump up high and falling over (obscured a bit by the Lunar rover):-
Minute 122-124 Percy pads the film out here by waffling about how the film could have been altered to vary the speed. Since his theory about double speed is shot to pieces by watching any number of clips at double speed, this is just a means to reaffirm in the casual viewer, that his "analysis" was correct. He shows the John Young clip at double speed and tells us it looks like it was on Earth. No, it does not. His fall to the surface is still too slow for Earth gravity.
Here it is at correct Earth freefall speed, with absurd motion:-
Minute 124-127 We are now shown the hammer and feather experiment on the Moon, where the idea is suggested that it is very easy to fake. Then David Percy gives us firstly his "ahaa!" moment by showing the clip of "From the Earth to the Moon" where there is an edit! Followed by a doctored experiment of his own on Earth.
Here is a video showing more deception by him:-
1. The Apollo experiment corresponds to Lunar gravity.
2. The Earth experiment does not correspond to Earth gravity!
3. The Earth hammer hits the fround first.
4. The feather on the Earth experiment is weighted and bounces!
5. The hand holding the feather on Earth is lower.
6. The Earth feather drops predominantly vertically.
7. The slowed down Earth footage does not correspond to Lunar gravity.
8. Footage of "From the Earth to the Moon" has an edit in their depiction.
9. The speeded up Apollo footage, at 200% and 150% does not equate to Earth gravity.
10. The speeded up clip looks bizarre and does not show normal motion. | <urn:uuid:ba55e048-accc-4db0-bc62-a1d7dd5e1868> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-51",
"url": "http://debunking-a-moron.blogspot.com/2011/08/what-happened-on-moon-debunked-part-7.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948585297.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20171216065121-20171216091121-00214.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9288971424102783,
"token_count": 1525,
"score": 3.5,
"int_score": 4
} |
In pursuance of the recommendations of the Scientific Manpower Committee, the Apprenticeship Training Scheme for Engineering Graduates and Diploma Holders in Engineering was introduced during post-independence era by the then Ministry of Education, Government of India, under a scheme which was known as Practical Training Stipendiary Scheme (PTS Scheme). In this Scheme, a limited number of Graduates and Diploma holders in Engineering / Technology were trained in the Industries for Practical Training on a monthly Stipend. The PTS Scheme was purely on voluntary basis and the stipend paid to the Apprentices were fully borne by the Government of India and the scheme was administered directly by the then Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Enactment of Apprentices Act 1961
The importance of industrialization was emphasised by the Government of India in order to provide job opportunities for the vast majority of the people and to achieve economic growth. The various skills needed for the industries were identified. In order to meet the requirements of the industries the Government of India decided to utilise the facilities available in the industries for training technicians and thus the Apprenticeship Training was envisaged and the Apprentices Act, 1961 was enacted in the Parliament during December 1961, to provide Practical Training to Pass-outs of Industrial Training Institutes to enhance their technical competency. Central Apprenticeship Council was created to advise the Government to formulate Policies and Procedures
Amendments of Apprentices Act
In order to develop competent supervisors and engineers, the Apprentices Act was amended during the year 1973, accordingly, the Engineering Graduates and Diploma holders in Engineering / Technology were brought under the purview of the scheme and they were called as Graduate and Technician Apprentices. Further, in the year 1986, the Apprentices Act was once again amended to bring Higher Secondary (10+2) Vocational Certificate Holders under the purview of the Scheme. The new category of Apprentices are known as Technician (Vocational) Apprentices.
During 2014, non engineering degree (or) diploma holders are included in Graduate and Technician Apprenticeship Training Scheme.
Implementation of Graduate & Technician Apprenticeship Training Scheme, for engineering students was entrusted to Regional Boards of Apprenticeship / Practical Training under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
Under Graduate & Technician Apprenticeship Scheme 164 Subject fields / branch of engineering have been notified with apart from Optional Trade. | <urn:uuid:1c469d20-379e-47a2-95ff-e671141dd210> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-34",
"url": "http://boat-srp.com/apprenticeship-training-scheme/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221213737.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20180818193409-20180818213409-00368.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9640659689903259,
"token_count": 491,
"score": 3.140625,
"int_score": 3
} |
A mark-resight survey method to estimate the roaming dog population in three cities in Rajasthan, India
© Hiby et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011
Received: 2 February 2011
Accepted: 11 August 2011
Published: 11 August 2011
Dog population management is required in many locations to minimise the risks dog populations may pose to human health and to alleviate animal welfare problems. In many cities in India, Animal Birth Control (ABC) projects have been adopted to provide population management. Measuring the impact of such projects requires assessment of dog population size among other relevant indicators.
This paper describes a simple mark-resight survey methodology that can be used with little investment of resources to monitor the number of roaming dogs in areas that are currently subject to ABC, provided the numbers, dates and locations of the dogs released following the intervention are reliably recorded. We illustrate the method by estimating roaming dog numbers in three cities in Rajasthan, India: Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. In each city the dog populations were either currently subject to ABC or had been very recently subject to such an intervention and hence a known number of dogs had been permanently marked with an ear-notch to identify them as having been operated. We conducted street surveys to record the current percentage of dogs in each city that are ear-notched and used an estimate for the annual survival of ear-notched dogs to calculate the current size of each marked population.
Dividing the size of the marked population by the fraction of the dogs that are ear-notched we estimated the number of roaming dogs to be 36,580 in Jaipur, 24,853 in Jodhpur and 2,962 in Jaisalmer.
The mark-resight survey methodology described here is a simple way of providing population estimates for cities with current or recent ABC programmes that include visible marking of dogs. Repeating such surveys on a regular basis will further allow for evaluation of ABC programme impact on population size and reproduction in the remaining unsterilised dog population.
With the spread of urbanisation throughout the developing world the population of roaming dogs (i.e. dogs that are neither confined nor restricted, sometimes known as "street", "stray" or "free-ranging" dogs) in urban areas has the potential to increase. Such dogs can suffer from welfare problems and can present a human health risk, most notably rabies, with 99% of human rabies deaths due to rabies transmission from infected dogs .
Human mortality from endemic canine rabies has been estimated to be 55,000 deaths per year globally with 19,713 occurring in India . Animal Birth Control (ABC) has been adopted in many Indian cities through sterilisation and vaccination of captured roaming dogs and their release back into their original territories in order to reduce the risk of rabies transmission, stabilise the free roaming dog population and potentially reduce its size. This approach is also outlined in Indian legislation under the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001.
Opinions are divided as to the effectiveness of such programmes in controlling the number of roaming dogs (e.g. and ) yet the data needed to assess and optimise their effectiveness are largely lacking. Population surveys may provide information relating to population size and demography that, alongside data relating to rabies incidence, can support evaluation of ABC programme impact.
Methods for estimating numbers of roaming dogs include questionnaire surveys ( and ), mark-resight using paint sprays , distance methods and exhaustive counts of randomly selected city blocks . Each of these methods has the potential to make an initial estimate of the size of the roaming dog population as required for planning of an intervention. However as a way of monitoring its effects over a large area these methods may need too great an investment of time and resources. We suggest that reliable population monitoring can be achieved with limited resources by exploiting the existence of the large number of marked individuals accumulating as a result of the intervention itself. For example, a previous study was able to estimate the dog population of N'Djamena in Chad using household and street surveys to record the percentage of dogs with collars that had been applied during a mass vaccination campaign a few days before. In this paper we extend this idea to dogs ear-notched during an ABC programme over much longer periods by allowing for an estimated rate of mortality in these dogs.
We use model Mt to derive the estimator. Thus in common with many other mark-resight surveys we assume that, although sighting probabilities may vary over time, they are equal for marked and unmarked roaming dogs, the marks are not lost, and the population is closed with respect to immigration and emigration. In contrast to other mark-resight methods we do not need to assume equal rates of mortality for marked and unmarked dogs because our estimate of the mortality of marked dogs is used explicitly to estimate the size of the surviving marked population.
The estimates given are based on the observed percentages of ear-notched dogs whereas the survival estimate of 0.70 is for spayed females . However, recalculating the estimates based on observed percentages of ear-notched females makes little difference; the latest estimates are within 1% of each other.
Up until November 2009, the ABC programme in Jodhpur had marked and released 48,760 dogs.
Of the 477 dogs observed during the surveys 78% were ear-notched, almost identical to the 77% observed by the catching team supervisors during the catching operations. Using the estimate of 0.7 for annual survival the number of marked dogs estimated to be alive in the city was 19,137 representing 77% of the total number of roaming dogs, giving a point estimate of 24,853 roaming dogs. The CV for the percentage ear-notched was 0.029 (based on the variance of that percentage over the different areas of the city). In combination with the CV of 0.13 for annual survival, 95% confidence limits for the total roaming dog population of Jodhpur in November 2009 are 18,364 to 31,341.
Lactating and pregnant females
During the November 2009 surveys, the percentage of non-spayed females that were visibly lactating was also calculated. Because of the similarity in breeding season we were able to compare those percentages. In Jodhpur the percentage of unspayed females that were lactating was, at 11.4%, significantly lower (P < 0.005) than the 26.1% in Jaipur and 32.5% in Jaisalmer.
If, as is usually the case, the dogs released during an ABC programme are permanently marked those marks can be exploited to estimate and monitor the number of roaming dogs in the area covered by the programme. In comparison to marking dogs temporarily for a sight-resight experiment the obvious disadvantage of the marks applied during the ABC program is the need to estimate the number surviving till the time of the survey. The advantage is in the size of the marked sample and particularly its geographical extent. Previous surveys conducted in Cairo in 2005 and Colombo in 2007 (WSPA unpublished data) indicate extreme geographical variation in numbers of roaming dogs, the reasons for which are as yet not fully understood. Sight-resight experiments in limited areas are also vulnerable to unknown levels of mixing across the boundaries of the area that can bias the results. Furthermore, as compared to the other methods of estimating roaming dog populations (questionnaires, paint marking, distance methods and exhaustive counts) the use of the sample of dogs marked as part of the intervention is resource efficient. However, to exploit the existence of that marked sample it is essential that the numbers, dates and locations of all dogs released are reliably recorded from the start of the intervention.
Concerning the assumptions required for the method, ear-notches provide a permanent marking so the assumption of zero mark loss is justified. The marked dogs and the surveys designed to estimate their percentage in the population extend across the entire city so that immigration and emigration to and from the surveyed population are unlikely to be significant and the assumption of a closed population is also justified. However, the assumption that marked and unmarked dogs are equally likely to be caught or re-sighted may be violated. Dogs vary, by virtue of their behaviour and location, in the probability that they will be collected and may also vary in the probability that they will be observed later. For example, certain dogs maybe more likely to be both caught and resighted later than others. It may be possible to mitigate any such effect, for example by deliberately including in the surveys areas where dog catching is impractical but we have no data to assess the degree to which this assumption is violated. As a result, the estimate of roaming dog population size may be biased, however, unless the dog collection and survey methods are changed, any bias is likely to remain consistent and is therefore unlikely to preclude reliable monitoring.
Ear-notch marks are permanent but do not indicate when the mark was applied. HIS routinely tattoo the ear in addition ear-notching and those tattoo marks allowed annual survival of the released dogs to be estimated . The tattoos are individually distinct and thus allow other parameters such as those related to movement to be estimated. It can however be difficult to read the detailed markings required and to estimate survival a mark giving the year of release would be sufficient. Given the importance of the survival parameter we suggest that tattoo marks giving at least the year of release should be applied routinely using a strict protocol to ensure longevity of the tattoo as part of any ABC programme. If finances allow the use of microchips would be ideal.
It is relevant to note, even when percentage ear-notched is estimated using specifically planned surveys rather than counts obtained opportunistically by the catching teams, that the survey efficiency is greatly enhanced if the survey includes at least one person normally employed as part of a catching team. The ability to distinguish most ear-notched from entire dogs quickly and reliably from a distance is an essential part of their normal work.
It is also important to note that seasonality in breeding, as reflected by the percentage of pregnant females at the time of spaying in Jodhpur and Jaipur (see Figure 6), will lead to seasonal differences in age structure. The percentage of pups in the population will vary seasonally and therefore so will the percentage of dogs ear-notched. Thus surveys used to monitor population size over time via the percentage of dogs ear-notched should be conducted at the same time in each year.
The data from the Pink City area of Jaipur (see Figure 4) suggest that the counts along the standard route detect about a third of the number of roaming dogs in the area. The counts and estimates both suggest a similar overall decline in numbers since 1998 (see ). The estimates suggest less change over the last five years, however estimates of reduction in the population based on percentage notched may be conservative for two potential reasons. As an ABC programme progresses the proportion of young dogs in the unsterilized population increases and hence the average age of the dogs sterilised is likely to decrease. Young dogs, particularly those below one year old, are likely to have a lower survival than dogs over one year old and hence the estimate for the number of surviving marked dogs may be overestimated. Also, if the percentage of notched dogs is estimated by catching teams as part of their normal catching routine the percentage may be biased downwards as these teams may focus on areas where fewer dogs have already been sterilised.
The main objective of this paper is to describe a resource efficient method of monitoring the number of roaming dogs; however the following observations may be of general interest.
The percentage of non-spayed females that were visibly lactating was found to be significantly lower in Jodhpur as compared to the other two cities. In Jodhpur, all male dogs collected are castrated as well as vaccinated and the percentage of castrated males seen during the November 2009 surveys was very high at 78.5%. In Jaisalmer the percentage castrated was 28.9%, in Jaipur 70% of males were ear-notched but according to the clinic records less than a third of ear-notched males are castrated. Although the fecund female population is normally assumed to be the limiting factor in population growth, these results suggest that a very high level of adult male castration may contribute to a reduced reproductive rate. We suggest this is a possibility worth further investigation.
We have no independent estimate of juvenile survival but it is likely to have increased with reduction in population size. Thus an adjustment to the ABC procedure to increase the percentage of females spayed may be required if the population is to be reduced further. Locating unspayed adult females during the breeding season (peak whelping was estimated to be November 23rd in ) can be difficult if they are nursing a litter of puppies. However in Jaipur, prior to breeding the catching teams routinely collect females in heat by following groups of male dogs as they congregate around females. Another possibility may be to use local information to locate litters and collect the female and surviving pups before they disperse. Regular observations of 17 different litters over two breeding seasons in Jaipur have shown that the female and last surviving pups do not disperse from the whelping/rearing area till about 90 days after the whelping date.
The World Health Organisation recognises that data on the ecology of street dogs are limited and that data collection needs to be extended to areas for which none exist . The mark-resight survey methodology described here is a simple way of providing population estimates for cities with current or recent ABC programmes that include visible marking of dogs; repeating such surveys on a regular basis will further allow for evaluation of ABC programme impact on population size and reproduction in the remaining unsterilised dog population.
The method used to estimate the number of roaming dogs was devised to be extremely simple in order to encourage impact assessment by those organisations and authorities responsible for implementing or evaluating ABC programmes. If the total number of roaming dogs is denoted by R and the number of surviving ear-notched dogs is denoted by r, then the expected percentage, p, of ear-notched dogs in a random sample of roaming dogs observed during a survey equals 100r/R. Hence at any given time, a moment estimator for R will equal 100r/p. The following sections consider estimation of r and p.
The current size of the marked population, r
All dogs subject to sterilisation and/or vaccination are ear-notched using a clamp and cauterizer whilst under anaesthetic (see Figure 1). Given records of the number of ear-notched releases and an estimate of their annual survival it is straightforward to calculate the number of surviving ear-notched dogs. If n i ear-notched dogs are released in the i th year after the start of the intervention the number surviving at the y th year is where S is the annual survival of ear-notched dogs. If release numbers are available by month a more accurate calculation of the number surviving at m months after the start of the intervention is
Very few estimates of survival are available for roaming dogs. Questionnaire surveys of dog owners in Dar es Salaam in 2006 and Colombo in 2007 provided annual survival estimates of 0.63 and 0.865 respectively for owned dogs that may be free to roam at certain times of day (WSPA unpublished data). However to estimate survival of all dogs caught and released back on to the streets, irrespective of whether or not they are owned, requires that a number are marked to give at least the year of their release and that a sample of such dogs is then available for inspection. Individually distinct tattoos applied by HIS to dogs released in Jaipur provided suitable data and yielded an estimate of 0.70 for annual survival of female dogs released there with 95% confidence limits from 0.62 to 0.78 , corresponding to a CV of 0.057.
Any error in the estimate of S will of course result in error in the estimated number of surviving ear-notched dogs. After a single year the estimated number of surviving ear-notched dogs is simply n1S and has therefore the same CV as the estimate of S but the CV increases later as higher powers of S are included. It does not, however, increase indefinitely. Using E(S) and V(S) to denote the expectation and variance of the survival estimate, the CV of the estimated number of surviving ear-notched dogs approaches an asymptotic value of as the summation tends to n/(1-S).
Substituting the expectation and variance of the Jaipur survival estimate for E(S) and V(S) gives a CV of at most 0.13 for any estimate of the number of surviving ear-notched dogs based on the Jaipur survival value.
Surveys to estimate the percentage of ear-notched dogs, p
The current percentage of ear-notched dogs can be estimated using data collected during the dog catching work or by street surveys. Direct observation without the need to handle dogs is sufficient to establish the mark status (ear-notched or not), age, sex and reproductive status (pup, adult lactating female, adult non-lactating female or adult male) of each dog seen. Pups are defined as those below approximately 4 months of age. Lactating females are those with visibly swollen mammary glands, i.e. not only large teats, as can occur in females that have had previous litters, but those visibly carrying milk and therefore assumed to be currently feeding a litter of pups.
The street survey designs attempted to avoid over or underestimating the percentage of ear-notched dogs over the whole city. In survey of wildlife populations such biases can be avoided by randomising the location of the survey effort, using for example a randomly positioned grid of survey lines, to give each animal an equal probability of inclusion in the sample. That ideal can not be achieved in an urban environment where many locations can not be accessed and the best possible alternative was to cover as much ground as possible and as evenly as possible. A standard procedure was adopted with respect to distance searched to either side of the street and time taken to search areas of open ground.
We assigned each dog counted to one of the city zones used to record the monthly releases of sterilised and vaccinated dogs. This provided the potential to estimate roaming dog numbers by city zone and hence avoided geographical variation in percentage ear-notched biasing the estimate for the city as a whole.
In Jaipur the vehicles used by the catching teams are fitted with event counters to record the number of ear-notched and entire male and female dogs seen while the teams are in transit to the catching area or searching for dogs. In addition HIS have for many years conducted street counts of roaming dogs in the Pink City area. Two counts are completed each year by walking a standard route. Thus it was possible to calculate a sequence of population estimates for the Pink City area based on percentage ear-notched seen in that area during the street counts and compare them to the counts themselves.
In Jodhpur the number of ear-notched and entire male and female dogs seen while the teams are in transit to the catching area or searching for dogs is recorded by the supervisor accompanying each catching team. During November 2009, additional street surveys were conducted using bicycles and motorcycles to cover central areas of the city known to have received the most intensive intervention and peripheral areas where intervention effort had been less intensive. Those counts provided an estimate of the percentage of ear-notched dogs over the whole city, which was compared to the estimate based on data collected by the supervisors.
In the same month, street surveys were conducted in Jaisalmer, only 5 months after the completion of the 1000 operations carried out in that city by TOLFA. As detailed street maps were unobtainable, a GPS receiver was used in combination with an aerial map downloaded from the Google Earth website (http://earth.google.co.uk/) to a hand-held microcomputer running the GPSGO mapping program under Windows 6 (Craporola Software Inc). A track was marked on the map as the survey team walked or cycled along the streets so a roughly even coverage of the urban area could be achieved (Figure 5).
Calculating the CV of the roaming dog population estimates
The HIS Jaipur ABC programme is currently supported by Animaux Secours, France and the Animal Welfare Board of India. JR is supported by grants from the Humane Society International, Washington, USA. The sterilisation and vaccination programme in Jaisalmer implemented by TOLFA was funded with the help of the Jaisalmer Municipal Council. The MAPT Jodhpur ABC programme was started with funding from the Spinola foundation and is currently supported by the World Society of Protection of Animals, Animal Welfare Board of India and Humane Society International. Additional assistance for MAPT in rabies diagnosis and personnel training is gratefully received from Drs Alexander and Ursula Wandeler. EH is supported by the World Society for Protection of Animals, this same organisation funded the analysis of data by LH. We thank these supporters for their continued help and encouragement with this ongoing work.
- Anon: WHO expert consultation on rabies: first technical report. Technical Report Series 931 Geneva, WHO; 2004.Google Scholar
- Knobel DL, Cleaveland S, Coleman PG, Fèvre EM, Meltzer MI, Miranda MEG, Shaw A, Zinsstag J, Meslin FX: Re-evaluating the burden of rabies in Africa and Asia. Bulletin of the World Health Organisation. 2005, 83 (5):
- Reece JF, Chawla SK: Control of rabies in Jaipur, India, by the sterilisation and vaccination of neighbourhood dogs. The Veterinary Record. 2006, 159: 379-383. 10.1136/vr.159.12.379.PubMedView ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Sudarshan MK, Nagaraj S, Savitha B, Veena SG: An epidemiological study of rabies in Bangalore city. Journal of Indian Medical Association. 1995, 93 (1): 14-6. 7Google Scholar
- Totton SC, Wandeler AI, Zinsstag J, Bauch CT, Ribble CS, Rosatte RC, McEwen SA: Stray dog population demographics in Jodhpur, India following a population control rabies vaccination program. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2010Google Scholar
- Kitala P, McDermott J, Kyule M, Gathuma J, Perry B, Wandeler A: Dog ecology and demography information to support the planning of rabies control in Machakos District, Kenya. Acta Trop. 2001, 78 (3): 217-230. 10.1016/S0001-706X(01)00082-1.PubMedView ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Childs JE, Robinson LE, Sadek R, Madden A, Miranda ME, Miranda NL: Density estimates of rural dog populations and an assessment of marking methods during a rabies vaccination campaign in the Philippines. Prev Vet Med. 1998, 33: 207-218. 10.1016/S0167-5877(97)00039-1.PubMedView ArticleGoogle Scholar
- WSPA: Surveying roaming dog populations: guidelines on methodology. [http://www.icam-coalition.org]
- Kayali U, Mindekem R, Yémadji N, Vounatsou P, Kaninga Y, Ndoutamia AG, Zinsstag J: Coverage of pilot parenteral vaccination campaign against canine rabies in N'Djaména, Chad. Bull World Health Organ. 2003, 81: 739-744.PubMed CentralPubMedGoogle Scholar
- Otis DL, Burnham KP, White GC, Anderson DR: Statistical inference from captured dates on closed animal populations. Wildlife Monographs; 1978,62.Google Scholar
- Reece JF, Chawla SK, Hiby EF, Hiby LR: Fecundity and longevity of roaming dogs in Jaipur, India. BMC Veterinary Research. 2008, 4: 6-10.1186/1746-6148-4-6.PubMed CentralPubMedView ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Chawla SK, Reece JF: Timing of oestrus and reproductive behaviour in Indian street dogs. Veterinary Record. 2002, 150: 450-451. 10.1136/vr.150.14.450.PubMedView ArticleGoogle Scholar
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. | <urn:uuid:35f7e0d8-230d-4c80-ae54-4e0134aea66b> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-17",
"url": "http://bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-6148-7-46",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917126538.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031206-00284-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9467250108718872,
"token_count": 5152,
"score": 2.515625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Fusion technology: from ANU to the world
Technology pioneered at ANU that could see the future of power generation become clean and green has come a step closer today with the announcement of an international development to harness fusion technology.
Australian scientist Sir Mark Oliphant is regarded as the discoverer of the process of fusion in 1932. He founded fusion plasma research at ANU in the early 1950s, which continues today.
Fusion uses plasma physics — the process which powers the sun — to generate power with minimal greenhouse gas emissions. Fusion occurs when the hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium are placed under great pressure.
A major project to begin large-scale investigation into the potential of fusion technology was announced overnight, with the $10 billion International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) to be built in Cadarache, in southern France.
ITER will be owned and funded by the United States, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea and the European Union.
Dr Matthew Hole from the ANU Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering says it is a major move towards truly ‘green’ power.
“Unlike traditional fossil fuel and nuclear power plants, fusion reactors produce minimal greenhouse gas emissions with short-lived radioactive waste, by comparison to fission. They’re also inherently safe, with no possibility of the reaction itself running out of control.
“What’s exciting about it is that it has near-zero greenhouse gas emissions and there’s a virtually limitless quantity of fuel. It’s green energy that will hopefully power civilization in the future.”
Today, the H1 Major National Research Facility at ANU is considered to be at the forefront of fundamental fusion research in Australia.
The H1 experiment, which confines the hot plasma in flexible magnetic fields, is designed to provide a test bed for fundamental plasma research.
Dr Hole says it will be at least another 30 years before the commercial development of fusion energy becomes a possibility, but in the meantime ANU researchers are continuing their work to better understand the fusion process.
Dr Hole leads an Australian group of scientists and engineers from universities around the country, the Australian ITER Forum, which aims to advance fusion science in Australia and promote an Australian role in the ITER project in France.
Source: Australian National University | <urn:uuid:bdee55e0-af4f-4001-a40a-4f33ead22351> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-34",
"url": "https://phys.org/news/2005-06-fusion-technology-anu-world.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439735882.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20200804191142-20200804221142-00182.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9272350072860718,
"token_count": 481,
"score": 3.453125,
"int_score": 3
} |
”Resilience is not about overcoming,
– Sherri Mandel
Resilience (noun) re-sil–ience
”… the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress – such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace or financial stressors.”
– American Psychological Association
2020 has definitely been a year filled with adversity, threats and significant sources of stress. For many of us our sense of control swiftly disappeared, and we found ourselves solely relying on our inner strength. Taking it day by day. And some days, hour by hour.
In a Ted Talk, Shauna Shapiro talks about mindfulness as one of the most effective vehicles for how to help people transform. ”What you practice grows stronger”, says Shapiro. According to research we can sculpt and strengthen our synaptic connections based on repeated practice. However, paying attention in the present moment is not enough, says Shapiro – it is how we pay attention. She talks about paying attention with kindness. The beneficial effects of kind attention are that it decreases stress, strengthens our immune functioning and helps us sleep better, among other things. (Shapiro, 2017).
But can mindfulness strengthen our mental health or resilience? According to Goleman and Davidson high level of meditation practice can help us better control our emotions; hence not let them pull us into their melodrama. According to the authors Mindfulness-Based-Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has been an effective way to lower the relapse rate in severe depression. Studies have shown that in cases where people suffer from depression so severe that no medication helped them, MBCT did. However, when it comes to meditation it is all about consistency. In order for you to enjoy the benefits you need to make it into a repeated practice. (Goleman & Davidson, 2017).
A principle within cognitive therapy is that of decentering – in other words, to observe thoughts and feelings without being overly identified with them – and meditation can be used as an effective tool to help us with that. (Goleman & Davidson, 2017).
Resilience – skill or a trait?
According to a study by Leys et al. (2018) it is currently impossible to determine with certainty the nature of resilience – whether it is a skill or a trait. The arguments for resilience as a skill explores that resilience could be seen as a dynamic process, which can be strengthened through therapeutic intervention.
Contrastingly, the arguments for resilience as a personality trait argue that resilience is associated with personality traits, seeing it as more stable over time. For example a study indicates that resilience was positively related to openness to experience, conscientiousness, and extraversion, and negatively related to neuroticism. (Leys, Arnal, Wollast, Rolin, Kotsou & Fossion, 2018).
Man’s Search For Meaning
I think it’s impossible to write about resilience without mentioning Victor E. Frankl. In his book Man’s Search For Meaning Frankl discusses his own personal experiences and observations of life in a concentration camp. He writes that it seemed that sensitive people who were used to a rich intellectual life might have suffered much pain, but the damage to their inner selves was less – as they were able to retreat to a life of inner resources and spiritual freedom. Frankl writes that this is one way to explain ”the apparent paradox that some prisoners of a less hardy makeup often seemed to survive camp life better than did those of a robust nature.” (Frankl, 2004, s. 47).
Whether resilience is seen as a skill or a trait, I do believe we humans can enhance our resilience through consistent practise. Some of the characteristics of resilience are for example a sense of meaningfulness (to find meaning in the seemingly meaninglessness), faith, humor, patience, tolerance and optimism. Moreover, having strong self-esteem and self-efficiency, as well as an adaptability to change and an action-oriented approach, are also some attributes associated with a person’s amount of resilience.
It’s okay if today the only thing you did was to breathe. But giving up is not an option; every tiny action is still an action. An action forward, working towards a solution, rather than focusing on the negatives. Don’t let your thoughts control the way you feel. You’re more than capable of controlling your mind – its’ all about trusting yourself. Trust your ability to take care of yourself. Hold space for all aspects of life – everything is here to teach us something, if we let it.
Frankl, V. E. (2004) Man’s Search For Meaning. Great Britain: Rider.
Goleman, D., & Davidson, R. (2017) The Science of Meditation – How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body. United Kingdom: Penguin Life.
Leys, C., Arnal, C., Wollast, R., Rolin, H., Kotsou, I., & Fossion, P. (2018) Perspectives on resilience: Personality Trait or Skill? European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 4, 1-6.
Shapiro, S. Tedx Washington Square. (2017, 10 march). The Power of Mindfulness – What You Practice Grows Stronger. Accessed from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeblJdB2-Vo | <urn:uuid:c0767a7e-89c5-431a-801d-93afab28160f> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-04",
"url": "https://lindamariavestman.com/2020/12/14/mindfulness-resilience/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703506832.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20210116165621-20210116195621-00140.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9384831190109253,
"token_count": 1139,
"score": 3.09375,
"int_score": 3
} |
3. We desire war because today in the Adriatic, the Balkan Peninsula, the Mediterranean, and Asia Italy should have all the advantages it is possible for her to have and without which her political, economic, and moral power would diminish in proportion as that of others augmented. To this has the Hon. Salandra borne witness. If we should avoid war we desire less than his words most sacredly proclaimed to the nation in Parliament. If we would be a great power we must accept certain obligations; one of them is war in order to keep us a great power. If we do not want to be a great power any longer, we deliberately and vilely betray ourselves.
The foregoing are the three reasons for entering the war—reasons which are tangible, material, and comprehensive.
From the Giornale d’Italia, May 12.
Italy is determined to realize her national aspirations, cost what it may. For this reason the Government has hastened its preparations for war which, when completed, caused Austria to offer compensations, thus tacitly acknowledging the claims of Italy.
When the Austro-Italian negotiations were begun Signor Giolitti most unfortunately obstructed their successful issue by his inopportune letter declaring that war was unnecessary. Nevertheless, owing to the firmness of the Government and the determination to resort to war, the conversations were resumed. However, Austria, aside from offering insufficient concessions, assumed a waiting policy and sought secretly to conclude a secret peace with Russia. Thereupon the Italian Government opened negotiations with the Allies, which had the effect of increasing the offers of Austria.
During the ultimate, delicate phase of the conversations, when those who advocate neutrality are causing great injury to the interests of the country and also helping its enemies, the Government, reposing in the support of the people, is determined to expose the intrigues and conspiracies intended to favor the Austrians and Germans.
Hence the Government will, if necessary, make an appeal to Parliament. Meanwhile, it will conserve its power and righteously defend the interests of the country.
By Ernst Lissauer.
Ernst Lissauer, the author of the famous “Song of Hate Against England” has written a second poem entitled “Bread,” and directed against the British policy of cutting off Germany’s food supply. The poem was published in the Bonner Zeitung and reprinted in the Frankfurter Zeitung of March 26, 1915. Following is a translation:
With arms they cannot overpower
With hunger they would fain devour us;
Foe beside foe in an iron ring.
Has want crossed our borders, or hunger, or dearth?
Listen: I chant the tidings of Spring:
Our soil is our ally in this great thing;
Already new bread is growing in the earth. | <urn:uuid:fb2c254c-4398-49f3-b45b-fc23db44b318> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-06",
"url": "http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/15480/122.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422115857200.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124161057-00237-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9566535949707031,
"token_count": 587,
"score": 2.875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Answered By: Claire Mazer Last Updated: 17 Mar, 2015 Views: 112
The key points to note are that sources need to be in categories, with primary sources (cases, legislation) listed first, followed by secondary sources (books, journals, websites) all in alphabetical and then chronological order.
Note that authors names are inverted. Surname appears first followed by the initial of the first name.
Electronic versions of cases and journal articles:
Many cases and journal articles can be found in legal databases such as Westlaw, Lexis Library etc. However, it is not necessary to cite databases as the source. Almost all law reports and journals are available in printed form. The citation itself is sufficient since it includes the law report or journal in which the case was reported or journal article was published. There are a few journals where only an electronic version is available, usually the clue is in the title: The Internet Journal of Criminology. For these titles it is necessary to add the URL in triangular brackets and the date it was accessed.
Here is a sample bibliography:
Pepper v Hart AC 593 (HL)
R v Brockway (Andrew Robert) (2008) 2 Cr App R (S) 4
R v Edwards (John) (1991) 93 Cr App R 48
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Clarkson CMV, Criminal Law: Text and Materials (7th edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2010)
Norrie N, Crime, Reason and History (2nd edn, Cambridge University Press 2001)
Ashworth A, ‘Social Control and “Anti-Social Behaviour”: the Subversion of Human Rights’ (2004) 120 LQR 263
Behan C and O'Donnell I, 'Prisoners, Politics and the Polls: Enfranchisement and the Burden of Responsibility' (2008) 48(3) Brit J Criminol, 31
Gowin J, ‘Can We Predict Crime Using Brain Scans?’ (You, Illuminated. Psychology Today) <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201304/can-we-predict-crime-using-brain-scans> accessed 20 October 2013
Metropolitan Police Service, ‘Hate crime’ (Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime 2015) <http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Hate-Crime/1400004907593/1400004907593> accessed 26 February 2015
- How would I reference this website legislation in my bibliography? :
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/38/section/70 (Adoption and Children Act, 2002) Thank you
- Hi there
I see you emailing from a Bangor university address. I would first advise you to check which referencing system is used for your subject area, i.e. Harvard, OSCOLA.
You do not need to refer to the website merely the piece of legislation if you are using OSCOLA. Harvard, however does require the website address. There are differences in how universities apply referencing systems so please check with Bangor first before applying any rules. | <urn:uuid:2b906c3c-8d68-423f-8c7e-453877cefac2> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-51",
"url": "http://libanswers.brunel.ac.uk/faq/48870",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948567042.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20171215060102-20171215080102-00790.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.880027711391449,
"token_count": 690,
"score": 2.515625,
"int_score": 3
} |
In the latest Talking Robots podcast interview José Halloy, ecologist at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, describes the first experiments with a mixed animal-robot society. His team's work, published in a special issue "Robotics" of Science magazine (see here for the intro), marks an important step: First, because it involved cracking at least part of an animal communication system (in this case, chemical communication between cockroaches). Considering that we know next to nothing about how most animals communicate, let alone what they say, this is an amazing feat in itself. Second, because it shows that animal-robot communication and interaction can actually work. By changing collective decision making in a social group, these experiments are, as an unrelated scientist put it, "a true example of automated leadership". And third, as also pointed out in a Science commentary, because this work opens the door to a host of new scientific possibilities and practical applications. Think understanding cooperation, group hierarchies or interspecies interactions from the inside out, and robo-surrogate-chicken-moms, robots replacing cowboys or MAVs directing swarms of birds. The LEURRE project (also see an earlier post) is now over, but a follow-up seems to already be in the works - after manipulating cockroaches Halloy and his team now intend to study chicken - checkin it out and listen in! | <urn:uuid:6f442c1b-553a-4407-bb55-e7d3d5f42a3d> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2016-07",
"url": "http://www.robots.net/article/2428.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701999715.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205195319-00003-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9235777258872986,
"token_count": 290,
"score": 2.5625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Hahn's Macaws as Pets (Personality, Behavior and Care Requirements)
The Hahn's Macaws or Red-shouldered Macaws (Diopsittaca nobilis nobils) are the smallest macaws available in the pet trade and quite popular due to their compact size (only slightly larger than a cockatiel) and excellent speech mimicry.
These mini macaws are commonly kept as pets, but their numbers have been dropping in the wild due to habitat destruction and capturing of these popular birds for the pet market.
They are not yet considered to be an endangered species, but they are listed in Appendix Two of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species. This status greatly limits the ability to capture or sell wild birds.
They can live up to 25 years.
Distribution / Habitat
These South American endemics are found in the Guianas, Venezuela, Brazil - North of the Amazon.
There are three recognized subspecies of the Mini-Macaw:
The two sub-species look like this nominate form, except they are slightly larger and their upper beak is horn-colored rather than blackish.
- Hahn's Macaw Ara nobilis nobilis or Diopsittaca nobilis nobils (Linné 1758) (nominate race)
- Noble / Noble Mini / Lichtenstein's Noble Macaws - Ara Ara nobilis cumanensis or Diopsittaca nobilis cumanensis (Lichtenstein 1823)
- Found in Brazil south of the Amazon. It's rare in the pet trade.
- ID: Looks similar to the nominate form; except its larger in size - averaging 13 inches (33 cm) in length; and it has a horn-colored upper beak.
- Neumann's Long-winged or Long-winged Macaw Ara nobilis longipennis or Diopsittaca nobilis longipennis (Neumann 1931)
- Found in Brazil, Goias, Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Espririto Santo, Central Bolivia
- ID: This is the largest species, averaging 13.75 inches (35 cm) in length and has a horn-colored upper beak - like the Noble Macaw.
Hahns range from 12 to 14 inches in length (~ 30 - 31 cm) - a little larger than a cockatiel. They average 5.8 ounces or 165 grams in weight.
It has a long narrow tail and a large head. It has bright green feathers on the body, with dark or slate blue feathers on the head just above the beak. The wings and tail have feathers that are bright green above and olive-green below. The leading edges of the wings, especially on the underside, are red. (These red feathers appear at puberty.) Their eyes are orange, and the skin around the eyes is white without feathers, just as in the larger macaws. This bare patch of facial skin is smaller in proportion to the head than the one seen in larger macaws.
Their sex is undeterminable by appearance. DNA sexing is recommended if identification of correct gender is important (for example, for breeding stock).
Diet / Feeding
They usually feed on various seeds, fruits, nuts and plant matter, as well as the occasional insect or small reptile.
Breeding / Nesting
The breeding season commences in February or March and may go on until June / July. In the wild, they breed mostly in hollows in palm tree trunks. Occasionally, they have used arboreal (above-ground) termite mounds.
A clutch consists of 4 to 6 eggs that are incubated for about 23 days. The young fledge when they are about 2 months old and are independent about one week after leaving the nesting box.
Calls / Vocalizations / Sounds
Alternate (Global) Names
Czech: Ara cervenoramenný, ara červenoramenný ... Danish: Blåpandet Dværgara ... Dutch: Roodschouderara ... Estonian: väikeaara ... Finnish: Pikkuara ... French: Ara noble ... German: Zwergara ... Italian: Ara spallerosse ... Japanese: komidorikongouinko ... Norwegian: Blåhodet dvergara, Dvergara ... Polish: ara epoletowa ... Portuguese: Arara-nanica, maracanã, maracanã-nobre, Maracanã-pequena ... Russian: Синелобый малый ара ... Slovak: ara modrocelá ... Spanish: Cotorra Serrana Occidental, Guacamayo Noble, Maracaná Menor ... Swedish: Rödskuldrad ara
Species Research by Sibylle Johnson
For updates please follow BeautyOfBirds on Google+ (google.com/+Avianweb)
Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you.
BeautyOfBirds strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail. THANK YOU! | <urn:uuid:2febb5b0-428a-42d6-8c64-d97c8cebc735> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-09",
"url": "https://www.beautyofbirds.com/hahnsmacaw.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501170609.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104610-00148-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.8680417537689209,
"token_count": 1146,
"score": 2.6875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Energy puts the sparkle in fireworks and the oomph in the everyday. So Get Moving! Energize, investigate, and innovate. Get all the energy in your life flowing in the wisest ways.
- Girl Scout Juniors build their skills as leaders who Energize, Investigate, and Innovate.
- They earn these three prestigious new leadership awards as they explore their own energy, the energy in their places and spaces (buildings), and the energy of getting from here to there (transportation).
- Girl Scout Juniors have a new comic story, "Vamos Ya!" to inspire their action (walking school bus anyone?).
- Dez, the fashionista spider, is also back to add some wit to the journey as she tries to figure out life "off the grid." "How does this carbon footprint thing work?" she asks. "Do I get eight?"
- From their own paper-making experiment to making beads from newspapers and magazines to forming a "perpetual human motion machine," Girl Scout Juniors will find that GET MOVING! is crammed full of energizing stuff to make and do!
This journey offers Girl Scout Juniors a chance to earn three Girl Scout leadership awards -- Energize, Investigate, and Innovate. The girls can choose to earn one, two, or all three. If they earn all three, they'll see how the awards join together to create an energizing effect on their vest or sash.
To earn, girls:
- Make an Energy Pledge to reduce their energy use in one or more ways
- Try at least two other Energize activities suggested along the journey
- Check out how other people are tackling energy issues
To earn, girls connect with their Girl Scout crew to:
- Learn about energy use in their buildings
- Work with their families to make an energy improvement at home
- Investigate energy use in a community building and suggest ways to make it more energy-efficient
To earn, girls:
- Identify an energy issue in the community, research it, create a plan, and carry it out, all the while reaching out to others to join in, too
- Share the news, reflect on what they accomplished, and celebrate it | <urn:uuid:f2338f51-b29c-4e7d-b080-5bb77de4a4a6> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-22",
"url": "http://www.girlscouts-swtx.org/get-moving-girl-scout-junior.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-22/segments/1432207924799.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20150521113204-00030-ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9454503655433655,
"token_count": 465,
"score": 2.796875,
"int_score": 3
} |
White Buffalo Ventures, LLC v. University of Texas at Austin, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19152, 2004 WL 1854168 (W.D. Tex. Mar. 22, 2004), aff'd, 420 F.3d 366 (5th Cir. Aug. 2, 2005), cert. denied, 126 S.Ct. 1039 (Jan. 9, 2006)
A person\92s identity can be 'borrowed' for the purpose of creating fictional credit cards or a person\92s entire identity can be usurped to the point where they can have difficulty proving that they really are who they claim to be.
Up to 18% of identity theft victims take as long as four years to realize that their identity has been stolen.
There are many ways to protect your personal identity and many steps you can take to prevent your identity from being stolen:
*Never give out unnecessary personal information
*Never provide bank details or social security numbers over the Internet
*Always remain aware of who is standing behind you when you type in your personal credit codes at ATM machines and at supermarket checkout swipe machines. | <urn:uuid:e2abc2e1-ec16-41a0-b125-517d184b2cf4> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-04",
"url": "http://spamlaws.com/cases/whitebuffalo2.shtml",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279176.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00537-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9212633371353149,
"token_count": 234,
"score": 2.515625,
"int_score": 3
} |
by Staff Writers
Madrid, Spain (SPX) Mar 31, 2014
Quintessence and phantom fields, two hypotheses formulated using data from satellites, such as Planck and WMAP, are among the many theories that try to explain the nature of dark energy. Now researchers from Barcelona and Athens suggest that both possibilities are only a mirage in the observations and it is the quantum vacuum which could be behind this energy that moves our universe.
Cosmologists believe that some three quarters of the universe are made up of a mysterious dark energy which would explain its accelerated expansion. The truth is that they do not know what it could be, therefore they put forward possible solutions.
One is the existence of quintessence, an invisible gravitating agent that instead of attracting, repels and accelerates the expansion of the cosmos. From the Classical World until the Middle Ages, this term has referred to the ether or fifth element of nature, together with earth, fire, water and air.
Another possibility is the presence of an energy or phantom field whose density increases with time, causing an exponential cosmic acceleration. This would reach such speed that it could break the nuclear forces in the atoms and end the universe in some 20,000 million years, in what is called the Big Rip.
The experimental data that underlie these two hypotheses comes from satellites such as Planck of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) of NASA. Observations from the two probes are essential for solving the so-called equation of the state of dark energy, a characterising mathematical formula, the same as that possessed by solid, liquid and gaseous states.
Now researchers from the University of Barcelona (Spain) and the Academy of Athens (Greece) have used the same satellite data to demonstrate that the behaviour of dark energy does not need to resort to either quintessence or phantom energy in order to be explained. The details have been published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal.
"Our theoretical study demonstrates that the equation of the state of dark energy can simulate a quintessence field, or even a phantom field, without being one in reality, thus when we see these effects in the observations from WMAP, Planck and other instruments, what we are seeing is an mirage," told SINC Joan Sola, one of the authors from University of Barcelona.
Nothing fuller than the quantum vacuum
These scientists propose that dark energy is a type of dynamical quantum vacuum energy that acts in the accelerated expansion of our universe. This is in contrast to the traditional static vacuum energy or cosmological constant.
The drawback with this strange vacuum is that it is the source of problems such as the cosmological constant, a discrepancy between the theoretical data and the predictions of the quantum theory that drives physicists mad.
"However, quintessence and phantom fields are still more problematic, therefore the explanation based on the dynamic quantum vacuum could be the more simple and natural one," concluded Sola.
Spyros Basilakos, Joan Sola. "Effective equation of state for running vacuum: "mirage" quintessence and phantom dark energy". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 437(4), February 2014. DOI:10.1093/mnras/stt2135.
FECYT - Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
Stellar Chemistry, The Universe And All Within It
|The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.| | <urn:uuid:70a7e42b-6d64-4f3f-8ef2-c300d373c9eb> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-32",
"url": "http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Dark_energy_hides_behind_phantom_fields_999.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-32/segments/1438042981969.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20150728002301-00341-ip-10-236-191-2.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9155463576316833,
"token_count": 937,
"score": 2.90625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Give “The London Evolution Animation” seven minutes, and it will show you the historical development of London over the course of 2,000 years. The animation moves from the Roman port city of Londinium (circa 50 AD) through the Anglo-Saxon, Tudor, Stuart, Early Georgian, Late Georgian, Early Victorian and Late Victorian periods. It then brings you through the Early 20th Century and into Postwar London. Developed by The Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, the animation was made with historical data about London’s road networks and buildings. The video recently appeared at the “Almost Lost” Exhibition in London, an exhibition that contemplated how digital maps can help us rethink the past, present and future of great cities.
If you find it difficult to read the text in the animation, you can view the video in a larger format here.
And in case you’re wondering, the enlarging yellow dots show “the position and number of statutorily protected buildings and structures built during each period.” More information on the animation can be found here. | <urn:uuid:e07250d9-443b-4cad-a770-2b056325fad9> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-35",
"url": "http://www.openculture.com/2014/05/2000-years-of-londons-historical-development.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-35/segments/1408500825010.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20140820021345-00165-ip-10-180-136-8.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9273669123649597,
"token_count": 230,
"score": 3.671875,
"int_score": 4
} |
Q: When is the best time to submit seed for germination testing?
A: A seed germination test is a critical first step in determining the viability of seed for planting a new crop. It helps determine if the seed should be planted, and helps establish a seeding rate that achieves target plant populations in the field.
Germination is defined as the seed that can emerge and form essential plant structures from the seed embryo (roots/hypocotyl/cotyledon, etc.). The germ test identifies normal and abnormal seedlings, and is expressed as a percentage. For example, No. 1 certified wheat is required to have 85 per cent germination. Normal seedlings, under favourable field conditions, will develop into productive, mature plants. Knowing your germination percentage in comparison to pedigree seed allows you to make informed decisions.
If you wish, you can sample during harvest, but ensure it is a dry sample. If you have excellent germination, you can move the seed to the next steps which include proper storage, disease testing and cleaning. If the seed is borderline, you may want to see how the total seed market is fairing, prior to utilizing your seed. If the germination is sub-par, start to look for alternative sources. Beyond the straight germination test farmers may want to include a vigour (cool seed test) and disease test (ie. avoiding fusarium in wheat), as this will help determine if the seed should be kept and planted.
A second test is recommended in February or early March to ensure your seed lot has maintained its germination. Storage challenges or disease can negatively impact seed quality.
Finally, when collecting a sample to submit to the lab, ensure it is a representative sample. This is easily accomplished in the fall. Collect samples as you empty trucks into the bin. The winter sample is more difficult to gather as you need to obtain a representative sample from the grain bin.
Ernie Nycholat, P. Ag, CCA, is a manager of agronomic services with Nutrien Ag Solutions in north central Alberta. | <urn:uuid:cb888d76-b9b7-4789-bf4c-92f29f19bd3a> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-47",
"url": "https://www.grainews.ca/2018/10/09/submitting-%E2%80%A8seed-for-germination-testing/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039746639.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20181120191321-20181120213321-00539.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9295769333839417,
"token_count": 427,
"score": 2.90625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Alien civilizations rose, fell, and rose again before humans ever dreamed of visiting the stars.
The Leviathans are the oldest known intelligence. They evolved in water. Leviathans were enormous in size and reminiscent of Earth’s squid in overall design. Multiple eyes, tentacles, and a rigid armored plate system made them physically formidable, while an unexplained mental power let them dominate lesser organisms.
Like many races to come, the Leviathans fell victim to their own creations, the synthetic Reapers, over a billion years before humanity attained space-flight. Originally mandated to preserve life at all costs, the Reapers entered an eternal cycle: allow new civilizations to evolve, grow, and spread, then harvest them to create new Reapers. The Reapers established the Mass Relay network, and the Citadel, as tools for their continual processing of organic life throughout the galaxy.
The Leviathans were not wholly destroyed. Pockets of survivors erased all signs of their presence from the galaxy using their technology and mental influence. They created thralls from the lesser races of the time, a “Supervision Army”, that would protect their most secret hiding places. They retreated to the deepest caverns of the oceans of forgotten worlds, and brooded. They would be remembered only in myths and fables told by successor races, known by names such as “the Protodeviln”.
Since the fall of the Leviathans, other races have fought back against the Reapers and their cyclic purges of organic life. Some were successful, others were not.
Nearly 500,000 years before human space-flight, a race of beings known as the “protoculture” dominated the galaxy. They were the first humanoids to evolve in the galaxy, and seeded it with life modeled on their own. In time, the Reapers came for them, and they created the Zentradi army, a race of organic warriors, to defend themselves. Though the protoculture was eventually destroyed as a society, the Zentradi were too numerous and too powerful to wipe out as well. These clone warriors left the galaxy, searching for their enemy.
Surviving members of the protoculture’s species branched out and mutated, and their seeded descendants lived and flourished. By 150,000 BCE, a human-like race of such survivors called the “Forerunners” ruled an empire of a million worlds thanks to their dominance of the Citadel and the Mass Relay network. They in turn had wrested the galaxy from their elder race, the “Precursors”, an older and different survival of the protoculture’s humanoid species.
When the Reapers came for them, the Forerunners faced a complication: the Flood, a malignant and perverted viral form of the Precursors themselves. The Flood would assimilate any and all biomass, eventually forming vast networked intelligences and mutating whatever life it came in contact with, as a sort of biological reflection of the Reapers themselves. This, the ultimate Precursor weapon against the Reapers of their time, threatened to destroy the Forerunners in a final act of vengeance.
The Forerunners armed and fired their own answer to the problem: the Halo Array. This devastating weapon brought an end to much sentient life across the galaxy. The Reapers attacking their civilization were wiped out, but the protoculture and its children no longer reigned.
By 68,000 BCE, a race called the Protheans emerged. Seeded by the protoculture, they had taken a different evolutionary turn. They had multiple eyes and nostrils, a thick carapace, and a unique genetic structure. They had a mental power like the Leviathans, but one for communicating and transmitting thought rather than dominating it.
Twenty thousand years later, the Reapers came again. The Protheans had learned of the Halo Array and used its advanced design in the construction of a new weapon, called the Crucible. They were unable to construct it in time, due to the vast resources it would require. Instead, they entrusted the schematics to the future, storing them in a repository on the planet Mars, just prior to their own fall.
The Flood was more subtle with the Protheans than with the Forerunners. The Graveminds, the guiding intelligences of the Flood, kept Flood infestations to a minimum. Undetectable infection, rather than waves of created drones, spread across the stars on Prothean starships. When the last Protheans came to Mars to bury their secrets, some samples of the infection came with them. And when a chunk of Mars was ejected toward Earth in 35,000 BCE, the Flood’s spores went too, in the form of a "black oil".
Circa 20,000 BCE, the Supervision Army of the Leviathans was alive and well. A genetically engineered race drawn from Leviathan DNA and possessing their mental dominance power, called the “Ur-Quan”, were steadily building an invasion force they called the Hierarchy by capturing and brainwashing aliens.
Circa 3,000 BCE, a race of “Gems”, silicon-based lifeforms who project humanoid bodies with advanced psychokinesis, come to Earth with the intent of creating more of their kind and transforming Earth into a colony world. They are thwarted by an insurgent faction more interested in preserving Earth life. The insurgents manage to drive the invasion force back home, cutting off their access to the planet, then remain for the next several millennia.
Earth’s interaction with alien life during this time is dominated by three factions: the Reticulians, the Mor-Taxans, and the Hierarchy.
The Reticulians are a race of large-eyed, gray-skinned aliens. Their biochemistry is not based on carbon. They are cautious, cunning, and manipulative. They have been partially taken over by the Flood, and their mission is to colonize and hybridize other life-forms in preparation for the Flood’s resurgence.
The Mor-Tax are aliens with a strongly trilateral symmetry: three arms, each with three fingers, and a three-lobed eye on a neckless head. Physically they are closer to jellyfish than mammals. They are emotionless, dispassionate, and organized in a caste structure. Their goal on Earth to secure the secrets of the Protheans.
The Hierarchy is the cluster of races held in thrall by the Ur-Quan "masters". Each race has different strengths and weaknesses, but all work together to facilitate invasions of other planets.
The Reticulians and the Mor-Tax were both aware of the Prothean presence in the Solar System millennia ago, and were convinced that the Protheans may have hidden something on Earth.
The Reticulians begin to scout the Earth. In 1947, a fault causes one of their stealth ships to fail and crash over Roswell, New Mexico. The United State’s armed forces immediately seize control of the wreckage and begin to analyze it. What they discover alarms the American government.
Several secret programs are initiated to deal with this new alien threat. These include Black Mesa, Project 9, and Majestic 12. Black Mesa’s charter is the study of the exotic physics and anomalous materials used to construct the Reticulians’ craft. Project 9 studies the aliens’ biology. Majestic 12 is assigned to creating cover stories, falsify or distort news reports, and otherwise manage the public relations concerning aliens.
In 1952, a group later called “the Syndicate” is organized within the State Department. The Syndicate’s initial responsibility is to coordinate the activities of the secret programs, and to collate their results. Over the next two decades, what they learn, and their relative lack of oversight, will increasingly isolate them from the national interest.
The government’s preparations pay off in 1953, when the Mor-Taxans land in Grover’s Mill, New Jersey and begin their invasion of America using giant mechanical tripods. The Syndicate launches a biological counter-attack using a substance called the “black oil”, discovered in the Reticulian wreckage. The Mor-Taxans are captured and sealed away in steel barrels filled with the oil. Unfortunately, their unique biology began to adapt to it, even gaining some of the Flood’s ability to infect other life-forms.
By 1956, these adaptations are complete. A handful of Mor-Taxans stored on an Army base near Santa Mira, California escape their containers. They begin infiltrating human hosts, intent on conquering humanity from within. This attempt is thwarted by a few brave citizens such as Dr. Miles Bennett, who reveals his findings to the FBI. This prompts the Bureau to open a set of files on incidents which could be due to alien action, dubbed the “X-Files”.
Elsewhere in the world, other governments are secretly preparing for the alien threat, which they became aware of through spies in the American government. A secret group called the Global Alliance is put together to keep the existence of aliens secret, and to hunt aliens who interfered with humanity. It is joined by luminaries such as Professor Bernard Quatermass, whose British Rocket Group analyzes an alien device in 1958, found buried under London, and finds evidence of prehistoric tampering with human beings in an attempt to give them psychic powers.
The Reticulians, meanwhile, send a second expedition back to Earth. They manage to learn about the Syndicate’s existence and open a dialogue with key members. The Syndicate is shown enough of the gray aliens’ capabilities to become convinced that Earth could not survive a concerted alien invasion. By 1973, the Syndicate is operating independently of the State Department’s oversight, forming a shadow government that prepared to facilitate, rather than oppose, the invasion.
Colonel Ed Straker’s car is driven off the road by alien attack to prevent him from bringing evidence of alien activity to the authorities. He survives the attack and manages to convince world governments that existing response teams are insufficient to deal with the threat. Aliens capable of shapeshifting, mind control, or body possession make current security screening processes inadequate. In addition, some governments privately distrust the presence of aliens operating within Global Alliance. As a result, a new organization, SHADO, is created and funded. It will be a “backup” or “shadow” alien-hunting organization.
In 1982, a Norwegian Antarctic base sends out personnel who get too close to a Reticulian secret base buried under the ice. It is destroyed by a shapeshifting creature, possibly a sample of the Flood, who then almost completely destroys a nearby American outpost.
By 1984, SHADO’s organization is fully operational, with submarines, satellites, and a secret moon base tracking alien activity. Commander Straker’s private life is a mess due to the oppressive security requirements of keeping SHADO from being infiltrated, but his organization is efficient and secure.
In 1987, American commandos on a mission to rescue a VIP from a jungle prison encounter an unknown alien life form, which apparently takes pleasure in stalking them.
In 1988, a terrorist action on an Army base manages to unseal several Mor-Taxans. They promptly take over the terrorists’ bodies and resumed their invasion plans. A small group consisting of Harrison Blackwood, Colonel Paul Ironhorse, computer expert Norton Drake, Dr. Suzanne McCullough, and her daughter Debi, worked to uncover, understand, and oppose the Mor-Taxans’ actions.
Thanks to the work of the Blackwood Project, a pair of specially treated sunglasses is produced that will reveal human beings occupied or controlled by Mor-Taxans to the wearer. The team distributes these to every location where they’ve charted the aliens’ activity. One of the recipients of these sunglasses, an itinerant blue-collar worker, is shocked by what he sees. He goes on the run as the aliens discover he can see them, eventually taking a hostage and being betrayed. He manages to destroy a crucial transmitter used by the Mor-Taxans to transmit their hypnotic influence throughout Los Angeles.
A city-wide panic is barely averted by Majestic 12, working with the Reticulians, but the revelation of the Mor-Taxans allows Majestic and the Syndicate to complete Blackwood’s mission and wipe the aliens out completely.
FBI special agent Dana Scully is assigned to long-time X-Files researcher Fox Mulder in 1994. Together, the pair spend the next several years researching mysterious cases, including the prior alien incursions. Some of their information comes from abductee claims made by individuals such as Travis Walton, who reported being taken to an alien spacecraft and having horrific experiments performed on him.
In 1995, Mulder and Scully investigate an effort by the Syndicate to create human-Reticulian hybrids, who will help facilitate the aliens’ takeover of Earth. One of these, created by Project 9, is dubbed “Sil”. She escapes her holding facility and is driven by instinct to attempt to mate with human beings and reproduce. She is eventually killed by the team assigned to track her, including Dr. Stephen Arden, Dr. Laura Baker, Dan Smithson, and Preston Lennox.
The Global Alliance has managed to deal with isolated alien disturbances - the result of other species’ interest in the Reticulian and Mor-Taxan presence on Earth - but are unable to infiltrate or interfere with these races’ activities.
As of 1997, UFO sightings have been increasing steadily, and the Global Alliance’s best intelligence shows “something big” coming soon, thanks to an analysis of signals by astronomer Zane Zaminski. In 1998, they invite members of the Blackwood Project, the Project 9 tracking team, selected FBI special agents, and other individuals to join a new organization. Their charter remains the same: investigate, contain, or eliminate alien threats. This new organization is known as X-COM and will work semi-openly with the government.
The Hierarchy begins its invasion of Earth with the first of three waves. This wave, led by the Gua species, arrives in 1997. The Gua don’t physically exist on Earth; instead, they clone “husks” from human DNA, implanting them with alien tech, and transfer their consciousness into the husks. They begin experimenting with humans to determine their vulnerabilities, but also to probe for Prothean secrets or evidence of Flood contamination.
Reformed thief Cade Foster, one of the Gua test subjects, escapes confinement. He is framed for the murder of his wife - really a Gua husk - and goes on the run. Elsewhere, Gua experiments on high school populations are disrupted by unlikely alliances between different cliques of students.
Cade Foster manages to get in contact with X-COM and inform them of the existence of the Gua. Mulder and Scully finally learn the truth after pursuing the Foster case themselves. Following further leads, the two agents independently uncover a Reticulian spacecraft in Antarctica. The Reticulians, now knowing the Hierarchy is coming, launch their spacecraft, taking with it numerous hybrid experiments and aliens, and abandon the Earth.
The Gua abandon their efforts at infiltration once they have been discovered, and send out a call to the Hierarchy. In 1999, the Second Wave arrives. The Hierarchy’s fleet of massive starships - the largest on par with Earth’s moon - enters Earth’s orbit. The ships attack major population centers in a devastating bombardment.
The Syndicate, abandoned by their Reticulian allies, takes a gamble and hands over the alien data it has been collecting since 1947. Based on this data, the President authorizes a nuclear strike, but it is ineffective due to the Hierarchy ships’ force fields.
With the help of Guan traitors sympathetic to the human cause, the X-COM team at Area 51 is able to supply access codes that will unlock the shields of the motherships. David Levinson and Captain Steven Hiller are instrumental in delivering a nuclear device to the fleet mothership in one of the Hierarchy’s own fighter craft, using these access codes to bypass the shields. The destruction of the mothership, and other ships in the fleet, ends the immediate threat of Earth’s destruction.
Several of the Hierarchy’s other alien races have already landed. X-COM is mobilized to deal with these forces. One minor species, for whom water is acidic, is apparently sent to Earth as a joke by the Ur-Quan masters, who also used their psychic powers to compel human beings to create crop circles as signals for them to follow.
One of the damaged Hierarchy ships soft-lands on South Ataria island.Scientists begin an immediate program to salvage and repair it, dubbing it the “Super Dimension Fortress”, or SDF.
In 2003, a member of the Syndicate known as the “G-Man” obtains a sample of the SDF’s space-fold engine. This sample, known alternately as fold quartz or Xen crystal, allows faster-than-light travel through an interstitial space.
The G-Man brings the sample to Black Mesa for analysis by the Anomalous Materials laboratory. This results in a resonance cascade which opens dimensional portals from Earth to another place and critically damaging much of Black Mesa’s infrastructure. Many personnel are killed or trapped. Only one scientist, Dr. Gordon Freeman, is able to escape the chaos.
As a result of the resonance cascade, an extradimensional faction of aliens known as the Nihilanth send their foot soldiers - headcrabs, vortigaunts, and other creatures - through dimensional portals opened by the cascade.
X-COM’s HECU (Hazardous Environment Combat Unit) is dispatched to Black Mesa to contain the situation and deal with the alien presence. Thanks to the G-Man, they are erroneously informed that the scientists at Black Mesa were deliberately attempting to create a dimensional breach and facilitate an invasion of Earth. The HECU is unprepared for the outpouring of creatures from the portals, and only Corporal Adrian Shephard is the only survivor of his unit. He witnesses Dr. Freeman crossing the dimensional barrier in the Lambda Complex of Black Mesa.
Dr. Freeman enters the “border world” of Xen, fighting the Nihilanth’s forces using military weaponry supplied by the Lambda team. He is able to kill the master Nihilanth whose energies were maintaining the portal storm, closing the portals and preventing an immediate invasion of Earth.
Black Mesa itself is destroyed by a nuclear bomb set by the G-Man. Both Dr. Freeman and Corporal Shephard are abducted by the G-Man, and no trace of them can be found.
X-COM speculates that the Syndicate was attempting to negotiate with the Nihilanth through the G-Man, hoping to use them as a counter to the Hierarchy’s invasion. The resonance cascade was a way to allow the extradimensional aliens’ forces to enter Earth, but when the Syndicate found that the Nihilanth had no intention of cooperating, they destroyed the facility.
By 2009, the world is actively preparing for another attack. However, X-COM was built for counter-insurgency and special operations, rather than all-out warfare. Their technologies, data, and training are now integrated into a larger, international standing army. The result is UN Spacy - the United Nations Aerospace navy and marine force.
Survivors of the earlier waves of invasion are debriefed using hypnosis, and their stories are studied and correlated by government psychologists in the hope that useful intelligence will emerge. Many of their stories include mention of certain animals or distinct odors.
The SDF is ready to launch after a decade of work. On launch day, the alien ship’s sensors register a space-fold. According to the databanks of the SDF’s computers, the newcomers are known as the Zentradi - the ancient cloned warriors of the protoculture - and have come in search of their enemies, the Hierarchy. Despite its rebuild by humans, the SDF is still considered an enemy.
To lead these hostile newcomers away from Earth, the SDF tries to execute its own space-fold to the far side of the moon. Instead, the ship and a complement of 70,000 civilians - the town that had sprung up on South Ataria island to work on the rebuild effort - travel instantly through space to the planet Pluto. Fortunately, the Zentradi followed.
For the next two years, the SDF, dubbed “Macross” by its inhabitants, successfully fended off Zentradi attacks. To combat the 60-foot Zentradi clone soldiers, they use alien “overtechnology” to create advanced aerospace fighter jets that can transform into humanoid robots. Initially they are forbidden from returning to Earth and bringing the Zentradi threat back to humanity’s homeworld.
In 2011, the Third Wave of the Hierarchy comes to Earth. Aliens in biomechanical suits attack major cities like Los Angeles, and encounter opposition from UN Spacy’s marine forces. Elsewhere, other aliens use hypnotic blue beams to hypnotize and teleport humans away for forced conversion into biomechanical components of the alien war machine. Mysterious energy-eating aliens land in Moscow and begin disintegrating the populace, with a few survivors managing to evacuate via submarine. Navies engage the aliens in the open ocean, notably the USS John Paul Jones which manages to destroy an alien flagship. A few unintelligent but vicious alien parasites land in places like Brixton, to be fended off by local street gangs.
The most powerful aliens in the Third Wave are called the “mimics”, monstrous and polymorphous aliens with an uncanny ability to anticipate human battle strategy. By this time, the “mecha” technology used by the SDF has been miniaturized to such an extent that rank-and-file soldiers can be equipped with armed exoskeletons, or “Jackets”. Using these Jackets, and a mysterious property of the mimic blood that allows the affected person to mentally travel backwards in time, soldiers William Cage and Rita Vrataski are able to locate the master “Omega” mimic and destroy it. With the source of their time-winding powers destroyed, the tide is turned against the mimics.
If the Zentradi are the enemies of the invading army, commanders reason, maybe they will aid humans in fighting off the invasion. The SDF is finally permitted to return to a war-torn Earth in 2012, and the Zentradi follow.
On December 21st, the Zentradi devastate the Earth’s surface in a massive attack, which wipes out the majority of the Third Wave’s remaining forces but also does considerable damage to human infrastructure and takes many human lives.
The Macross crew have discovered something about their Zentradi enemies: they have no culture of their own, and they revere the protoculture. Using common human emotions and emotional gestures - music, kissing, and expressions of love - they cause many Zentradi soldiers to become sympathetic to their cause. A few friendly commanders realize that humanity is itself descended from the protoculture and switch sides. Together, they create a plan to stop the larger Zentradi armada from completely eradicating Earth. Using this plan, the Macross and the allied Zentradi manage to wipe out the rest of the armada.
Despite the peace, humanity is unwilling to fully forgive or accept the Zentradi for their genocidal actions, despite the good intentions of the turncoat giants. The Zentradi ask for human volunteers to come with them and teach them culture, and with these volunteers, they fold out of the solar system.
Many of the Hierarchy’s ships have crash-landed on Earth but are somewhat intact. In 2013, the forces of the Nihilanth on the border world of Xen use one of these ship’s fold engines to open a dimensional breach in the Pacific Ocean. They send gigantic biologically engineered monsters, called “kaiju” by the humans, through this breach to attack a war-ravaged and exhausted humanity. The first emerge of a kaiju is later known as “K-Day”, and is documented by citizen journalists such as Hudson Platt.
By 2015, conventional military forces have proven thoroughly ineffective against kaiju incursions. This “Small War” causes military planners to rethink their approach. They turn to the SDF and the alien overtechnology, taking their robotic creations as a model. They build gigantic non-transformable robots, called “Jaegers”, operated by two or more pilots operating in a neural handshake with each other. The defense contractor Aperture Science provides its expertise with artificial intelligence to control the Jaegers, and its study of the space-fold engine and related “portal” technology is vital in understanding how to close the breach.
The Jaegers prove effective, temporarily. However, the rate of kaiju incursions steadily increases, to the point that they are destroying Jaegers faster than they can be built. In 2025, only a handful of Jaegers are left, under the command of Marshal Stacker Pentecost. He assembles a team of pilots for a last-ditch effort to close the breach. Pilots Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori are able to penetrate the breach and detonate the Jaeger “Gipsy Danger”'s nuclear engine in the middle of Xen. The two pilots return through the breach to safety, but Marshal Pentecost and his co-pilot Chuck Hansen are lost operating “Striker Eureka” to cover their run.
The SDF’s misaimed fold, plus the potential of another invasion force from alternate dimensions, leads governments to seal away use of the space-fold engine.
In 2041, it is discovered that the Nihilanth sent through numerous smaller forces in addition to the kaiju, and that these have been building up military bases under the ocean. UN Spacy comes under attack, but defeats them within a few years.
2045 marks the centennial of the second World War and the end of alien hostilities on Earth. Mankind, shattered, exhausted, but alive, makes a collective decision: It’s time to take the fight to the stars.
The next seven decades see humanity spreading throughout the solar system and preparing itself to meet the next visiting race.
By 2050, colonization of the solar system proceeds in earnest. Lunar bases and orbiting factories are set up as launch pads for the other planets. Research begins on faster-than-light technology that doesn’t depend on the space-fold drive.
The American STARCOM (Star Command) program is formed in 2055 as a military-scientific organization, separate from UN Spacy, and operating in space and using combined arms and advanced technology. They experiment with a limited version of the space-fold engine, called "transtar". Their biggest enemy is not an alien force, but a mad scientist who calls himself “Emperor Dark”, and makes use of alien technology provided by an unidentified species.
In 2059, a mysterious constellation of fold portals opens over Earth, and an insect-like alien species emerges for a few minutes. They disappear as quickly as they came.
Armstrong Outpost becomes UN Spacy’s biggest military base on the Moon, centered on the Shackleton Crater. It is inaugurated in 2069, a century after man first went to the Moon, and becomes the capital of Luna shortly thereafter.
In 2070, billionaire Victor Manswell, CEO of the Union Aerospace Corporation, becomes frustrated with the pace of human exploration. He begins preparing his own expedition. UAC contracts with UN Spacy to research space-fold technology on an isolated research station on the Martian moon of Phobos.
Teleportation experiments between Phobos and Deimos initially appear promising. A disastrous accident overtakes the Phobos base in 2072, and forces brought through the space fold kill or mutate almost everyone in the facility. The only survivor is an anonymous UN Spacy marine, who fights his way through the hordes of altered creatures to shut down the experiment.
Despite this setback, the Manswell Expedition departs in 2075, bound for the Alpha Centauri system. They will not be not heard from for over a century. Speculation at the time that the space fold drives malfunctioned or went off course renews determination not to use the technology until it is better understood.
In 2080, the United Nations institutes organizational changes to UN Spacy. The Manswell Expedition exposed a weakness in how the military interacted with private corporations. The new organization, modeled on STARCOM’s success and given the similar-sounding name “Star Control”, will not only defend the Earth, but the solar colonies, and will be more self-contained and less dependent on private contractors.
Decades prior, scientist Hsien Ho led a project to create "androsynths", a synthetic humanoid that would aid mankind in rebuilding a shattered planet. In 2085, an androsynth rebellion is put down, but numerous androsynths are unaccounted for, and it is widely believed that they folded out of the solar system.
In 2093, the Weyland Corporation follows Manswell’s example, and secretly sends the science ship “Prometheus” to distant world LV-223. Aboard is corporate founder Peter Weyland, the androsynth “David 8”, and a complement of scientists including Dr. Ellie M. Shaw. Their goal is to discover the source of the “black oil” and perhaps trace the origins of life on Earth. LV-223 is one of three moons located in Zeta Reticuli, the home constellation of the Reticulians that dealt with the Syndicate. The expedition is also never heard from again.
In 2103, the European Space Agency’s Lowell City becomes the first permanent human settlement on Mars. Located in Eos Chasma, the site seems ideal at first. However, satellites and local observations in the area give unusual readings, and strange phenomena earn the area a reputation for being “haunted”.
Inspired by the old stories of the Global Alliance and their “Roswell conspiracies”, the son of Lowell City’s Mayor Jones assembles a few friends, and a caniform androsynth companion, to investigate haunting rumors in the hope of discovering new forms of alien life.
In 2112, Ceres Base is constructed by Star Control. This marks the largest space-borne military outpost, and the current extent of humanity’s colonization.
During this era, humanity becomes an active participant in galactic politics. Distrustful of aliens due to the repeated invasions of Earth and the rest of the solar system, most of man’s interactions with other races proceed from a martial posture.
In 2115, the Chenjesu arrive in the solar system. They are a race of silicon, crystalline beings, with advanced technology and high intelligence. They are aware of the Hierarchy’s invasion of Earth in 1999, and offer humanity a place in the “Alliance of Free Stars”, which intends to combat the Hierarchy and their Ur-Quan masters.
After a few weeks of deliberation, and system-wide voting, humans join the Alliance. They join the Chenjesu, the Mmrnmhrm (mechanical beings from the Virginis constellation), the Yehat (a pterodactyl-like race), the Shofixti (marsupials uplifted by the Yehat), and the Syreen (a blue-skinned race of psychic humans).
The Nostromo, a cargo spaceship carrying raw materials for the war effort, disappears after investigating a signal on planet LV-426. Hierarchy interference is thought to be responsible.
By 2126 the Alliance is ready for war. Humans contribute material and labor, while the other races provide technological assistance. The next eight years is a melee of between the Alliance and the Hierarchy. Many battles are won, and many are lost. Ultimately, the Hierarchy is driven out of the spiral arm. The cost is high: the Alliance has disintegrated. Each race has lost too much, and lacks the political will to continue participating. Humanity is left to fend for itself.
The construction of Gagarin Station begins in 2143. This facility, located beyond Pluto’s orbit, is the next attempt to master space-fold technology and solve the mysterious repeat disappearances of fold drives and sometimes the ships carrying them… After five years, the researchers pinpoint the cause of the interference: emanations from Mars, and Charon, Pluto’s largest moon - in reality a gigantic apparatus called a “mass relay”, a gateway to the stars.
Researchers uncover the Prothean cache on the Red Planet, and begin to unravel the secrets of element zero, or “eezo”. A year later, the Charon Mass Relay is activated for the first time. Extrasolar colonization is now in man’s hands.
That year, 2149, marks the signing of the Systems Alliance charter. While the United Nations represents all nations on Earth, the Systems Alliance will represent all of Earth’s colonies throughout the galaxies.
The mass relays open the door to human colonization of nearby systems. The Delta Pavonis Foundation begins settlement of the first extra-solar colony, the planet Demeter. Later that year, other colonies are founded on Eden Prime and Terra Nova.
Humanity meets a new aggressor in 2157 in the form of the Turians, who attack them for activating a dormant mass relay. The Citadel Council, of which the Turians are members but which the humans know nothing about, has ruled such actions illegal. The conflict is relatively bloodless - only a few hundred lives are lost on both sides. The Council quickly negotiates a cease-fire once they learn about the situation.
In 2160, the Systems Alliance Parliament is created to give a voice to the new colonies. Three years later, the United Nations Space Command replaces Star Control as the premier military-scientific organization responsible for protecting Earth. The UNSC will report to the Systems Alliance, rather than the United Nations. Privately, it is widely believed that structure and leadership of Star Control were to blame for humanity’s warlike response to the Turians, and that it is time for new blood.
In 2165, humanity is granted an embassy on the Citadel - a massive, high-tech space station that acts as the hub of civilization in the galactic region. Though mankind has a reputation for aggression and fractiousness, the leading voices on the Citadel Council - the Asari, the Salarians, and the Turians - recognize that Earth’s history of hostile alien contact is responsible for this attitude.
In 2176, a group of police assigned to escort a dangerous prisoner find out that the inhabitants of a mining town on Mars have been killed or have disappeared. The cause is a series of psychic emanations from the Prothean cache, reacting to the imminent approach of the Reapers, causing local humans to become “possessed”, ritually scarify themselves, and attack anyone not also possessed.
In 2179, Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley of the Nostromo is recovered in an escape pod, and briefed by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. The colonization of planet LV-426 ran into a problem and the company wants her assistance. UNSC marines are dispatched to investigate, with Ripley acting as a special advisor. Together they discover an infestation of Flood xenomorphs. The survivors destroy the colony, and the infestation, using the colony’s nuclear reactor by causing it to go critical. Only Ripley, Corporal Dwayne Hicks, and a surviving colonist named Newt survive the incident.
The most momentous events of this era begins in 2183 with the Eden Prime War. The Geth, a synthetic race created by the Quarians, have secretly allied with the Reaper Sovereign, in preparation for the Reapers’ repeated conquest and destruction of organic life in the galaxy. One member of the Systems Alliance, Commander Shepard, is instrumental in relaying information about the Reapers to the Citadel Council.
In 2185, Shepard is revived by a human-supremacist terrorist organization called Cerberus. The Commander investigates disappearances on human colonies, uncovering the actions of a race called the Collectors. In reality, these are indoctrinated remnants of the long-lost Protheans, created by the Reapers as tools.
The Reaper action in the galaxy comes to a head in 2186, when they invade the galaxy en masse. Shepard discovers the plans for the long-lost Prothean super-weapon, the Crucible, and is responsible for driving a galaxy-wide war effort to build up the resources needed to construct and fire it.
As the Reapers approach and besiege Earth, Shepard activates the Crucible. It fires, destroying the Reapers, but also crippling or damaging the mass relay network throughout the galaxy.
With the mass relay network shut down, Earth is cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Now free of mass-effect interference, space fold technology works without complication.
In 2199, an alien race called the Gamilas begin unleashing radioactive bombs, delivered via meteorite, across the Earth’s surface. Humans retreat into underground shelters for protection, but most have been affected by the radioactivity and have limited lifespans. The Gamilas follow up their bombardment with a powerful space fleet, which does considerable damage to the war-ravaged Systems Alliance navy.
Earth receives a message from the planet Iscandar, in the direction of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Their leader, Queen Starsha, offers humanitarian aid, including a technology that will repair DNA damage done by the Gamilas. Cut off from the surface by the radiation and meteoric bombardment, human engineers build a new ship, the Yamato, using the only materials they have easy access to - the underwater wrecks of battleships and starships. They manage to equip it with a reaction weapon called a “wave motion gun”, similar to the SDF’s main gun, and a modified version of the space-fold engine.
The Yamato completes its one-year journey to Iscandar, eventually defeating the Gamilas invasion forces and learning their secret: their own planet is dying, and they had hoped to use Earth as a new world.
Expeditions to Epsilon Eridani uncover several alien races in the region. In 2245, the commander of the Earth vessel Prometheus initiates hostilities with one such advanced race, the Minbari. The Minbari efficiently exterminate the human military forces they encounter. To everyone’s surprise, the Minbari surrender immediately on the verge of conquering Earth, at the Battle of the Line in 2247. The Minbari secretly identify the humans as members of the “protoculture”, from which they also descend, and find both a biological and psychic affinity between the two races. Their religious law forbids conflict with their own kin.
Between 2252 and 2262, a succession of five space stations are established in Epsilon Eridani space by the Earth forces. Recognizing the value the Citadel provided as a place for diplomacy and commerce, mankind inaugurates their own version of the concept, the "Babylon" station. Babylon 5 welcomes ambassadors from the rival Centauri and Narn races, as well as many other aliens.
In 2259, Earth is attacked by meteorites again, this time sent by a race of genetically modified insects dubbed the “Bugs”. The UNSC speculates that the Bugs were created from the rachni and have been observing the Earth-Gamilas conflict to learn about Terran weaknesses. The armed forces mobilize to strike back against the Bugs, tracking them to their home base on the planet Klendathu.
By 2261, Earth - thanks to the attacks from the Bugs - has become increasingly militarized and fascistic. The leadership limits voting and many other civil rights to those who will serve in the armed forces, institutes rationing, and cracks down on dissent. In response, several human colonies, and Babylon 5 itself, secede from the Systems Alliance and eventually invade Earth to liberate it from the despotic regime of President Clark.
By 2291, advances in space-fold technology lead to the "slipspace" drive. Similar to frequency-hopping radios used by the military, ships could “slip” through fold waves, effectively disguising their point of origin and bypassing many of the dangers of folding space.
More and more, strategic planners agreed that aliens knowing the location of Earth was itself a risk. Increasingly stringent methods of protecting Earth’s location were instituted, culminating in the “Cole protocol” of 2540 that meant a ship’s captain would blow his ship up and suicide rather than let aliens seize control of the ship’s navigational computers.
In 2321, the ORION program is green-lit. Compared to many alien races, humans are physically lacking. Since many alien races have been found to be genetically compatible, work gets underway to engineer a trans-human soldier, using the best of mankind’s genes and the most useful alien genes available.
In 2362, the planet Reach in the Epsilon Eridani system is colonized. It becomes the new center for the UNSC’s military and is fortified against any conventional attack. The rationale is that if Earth falls, humanity’s military might shouldn’t be compromised as well. Reach becomes the home of the SPARTAN-II program, the successor of ORION, using genetic material from human heroes such as Commander Shepard as the template for a batch of super-soldiers.
Military technology has gradually learned from the ancient Zentradi warriors’ doctrine: simple, rugged, and predictable often beats high-tech. Soldiers can’t be mass-produced, but equipment can. Slug-throwers and mass-driven weapons continue to be used despite an understanding of high-energy and exotic physics.
In 2525, humanity is first attacked by a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant. Led by a pact between the San 'Shyuum and Sangheili, the Covenant worshipped the Forerunners and other ancient aliens as gods, and the destruction of the mass relay network by humanity is effectively heresy.
The next twenty-eight years sees a continual state of war between the UNSC and the Covenant. In 2552, the Covenant come to Reach and eventually prevail over the human military forces protecting it.
At the same time, a human ship called the Pillar of Autumn comes across one Halo, now infected by the Flood and under the control of the Covenant. They prevent the firing of the Halo (an event which would wipe out much of the organic life in the galaxy, as had happened once before).
The next six years is a whirlwind of warfare. The UNSC struggles to protect humankind against the Covenant, while dealing with the resurgence of the Flood, the activation of Forerunner artifacts, and an eventual invasion of Earth. The Battle of Installation 00 marked the effective end of the Covenant, as it was torn apart by internal schisms, the assassination of key leaders, and the stresses of war.
In 2629, humans encounter a race of hostile feline aliens called the Kilrathi. From then until 2671, sporadic fighting between the two species keeps humanity on a war footing.
In 2633, alien allies of the Kilrathi, dubbed the “Red Falcon”, manage to land on Earth and set up a base. Engineered super-soldiers Bill Rizer and Lance Bean are dispatched to deal with the infiltration, and manage to destroy the base.
Centuries of fighting off extraterrestrial invaders, of leading and following, has matured humanity. In the decades following the war with the Kilrathi, human starships spread throughout the stars. From Epsilon Eridani to Council space, Earth’s war vessels come with seasoned warriors, simple but powerful weapons, and a message:
“We are not your leaders, nor your slaves. We are your Shepherds.”
Humans have in effect become the new Zentradi, protecting the children of the protoculture and their allies. Any race that needs assistance can petition them for protection. Unlike the Zentradi, humanity also has its own culture and emotional fulfillment. They will want for nothing.
There may always be war in the galaxy, but peace has never been closer. | <urn:uuid:a11ec59e-ddfb-4f81-8ad1-ebb59ff4c770> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-47",
"url": "http://astralfrontier.org/2016/05/21/attack-from-the-stars/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934805114.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20171118225302-20171119005302-00314.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9413787722587585,
"token_count": 9499,
"score": 2.84375,
"int_score": 3
} |
|Name||Cr||Method of study||Time||Location||Organiser|
|Inverse Problems 1: convolution and deconvolution||5 Cr||Lecture Course||3.9.2019 - 16.10.2019|
|Inverse Problems 1: convolution and deconvolution||5 Cr||Lecture Course||4.9.2018 - 17.10.2018|
Master's Programme in Mathematics and Statistics is responsible for the course.
The course belongs to the Mathematics and Applied mathematics module.
The course is available to students from other degree programmes.
Preliminaries: basic linear algebra and matrix calculus. Familiarity with Matlab programming and Fast Fourier transform FFT is useful but not mandatory. For example, the course “Applications of matrix computations” is a suitable prerequisite.
The goals of the course:
(1) understand convolution as a matrix model,
(2) learn least-squares solution technique and see that it is not enough to solve deconvolution,
(3) show how to use SVD to detect ill-posedness in a matrix-based inverse problem,
(4) understand why deconvolution needs special regularised methods,
(5) write robust Matlab programs for signal deconvolution and image deblurring,
(6) learn how to extend the solution methods to large-scale deconvolution problems.
Recommended time/stage of studies for completion: 1. or 2. year
Term/teaching period when the course will be offered: varying
Inverse problems is the scientific art of going from effect to cause.
For example, the “cause” can be a clear digital recording of a spoken message. The “effect” is a mumbled, noisy, incomprehensible sound signal coming through a bad communications line. Recovering the clean signal from the noisy measurement is an inverse problem.
Convolution is a linear operation widely used in signal and image processing, where it is often called “filtering.” It is a kind of a moving average weighted by a “convolution kernel.” In a discrete setting, convolution acts on one-dimensional data (vectors) or images (matrices). It is a model for imperfect measurements; for example a poorly focused photograph is a convolved version of a sharp photo, and in spectroscopy, crisp spectral lines are blurred by a device function. Convolution is also very popular in machine learning in the form of convolutional neural networks (CNN). The so-called Deep Learning is based on CNN’s and fast convolution operations implemented using graphics processing units (GPU).
Convolution is a useful tool in pure mathematics as well, especially in harmonic analysis and the study of partial differential equations.
The inverse problem related to convolution is called deconvolution. The observed data is interpreted as clean signal convolved with a kernel and corrupted with random noise. The goal of deconvolution is to reconstruct the clean signal from the noisy data. This is an ill-posed inverse problem, meaning that the solution is highly sensitive to modelling errors and measurement noise. Robust solution of deconvolution problems is based on regularization.
The course starts by introducing convolution for discrete signals and images. Naive deconvolution is attempted computationally using matrix inversion, only to find out that the ill-posedness of the inverse problem spells trouble for this simple approach. The source of the difficulties is identified using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD), which will be introduced and discussed in detail in the course.
The difficulties can be overcome by a technique called “regularization.” Two regularized reconstruction methods are discussed both theoretically and computationally: truncated SVD and Tikhonov regularization.
Recommended optional studies
The course has lectures, weekly exercises and an exam. It is possible to continue from this course to Inverse Problems Project Work course (5 credit units). | <urn:uuid:6e7a6527-1868-4cc8-bbb4-ea30f6242879> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-05",
"url": "https://courses.helsinki.fi/en/mast31401",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579251776516.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20200128060946-20200128090946-00391.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.887201726436615,
"token_count": 827,
"score": 2.75,
"int_score": 3
} |
Mac OS Seeing More Malware
Malware on the Macintosh platform is nothing new, although it remains a far less common occurrence than attacks on Windows -- a fact that Apple and its fans have long been quick to point out.Although Macs continue to face far fewer security problems than Windows, the trend line is going in the wrong direction.
But the danger of Mac malware continues growing with new attacks now surfacing. Researchers at security vendor Sophos warned about two new threats this week: the e-mail worm OSX/Tored-Fam and OSX/Jahlav-C, an attack that forces malicious code on visitors to a faked adult Web site.
"Although there is only a tiny amount of Mac malware compared to Windows viruses, that's going to be little consolation if your gorgeous new MacBook gets infected," Sophos security blogger Graham Cluley said in a blog post. "And sadly we know that many Mac users still believe they are somehow magically immune from attacks.
"As we've demonstrated before, and as we'll no doubt explain again, the Mac malware threat is real," he added. "Hackers are deliberately planting malicious code on websites, and using social engineering tricks to fool you into installing it onto your computer."
According to David Perry, global director of education at Trend Micro, the threats are each more than several weeks old. Still, Apple Mac users need to be aware that such risks exist.
Vendors are also increasingly pushing products to help defend against the threat. Trend Micro released its Smart Surfing product for Mac OS X in late April, although there are only a few threats to Macs, Perry told InternetNews.com.
"We're fighting five or six things on the Macintosh versus about 30 million on the PC. We get one thing every two seconds for the PC, about 50,000 each day," he said, although he added that the threat had proven sizeable enough that Trend Micro developed new protections for the platform.
"Automated crime is a horrible thing," he added. "We found it necessary to produce a scanner for the Mac."
Part of the danger, Perry warned, is Mac users will not know they're infected.
"There's the intent to plant a botnet on your system," he said. "Don't expect to every see anything that leaves a visual symptom."
"You will not get a system slowdown and it won't delete files," he added. "They just want your credit card number."
Perry said the botnet economy makes it possible to attack the Mac OS, but more profitable to attack Microsoft Windows.
"If I'm the Russian mafia and it costs me $150,000 to make an attack, should I attack the 97 percent of the market that is Windows or the 3 percent that is shared between Linux and Macintosh?"
Perry added that phishing attacks, which simply require a user to enter valuable personal information into a Web browser, are possible against any platform.
He also noted that the applications that run on a Macintosh can be susceptible to hackers. "A vulnerability means that there is a door left open in a program that permits people to attack it. There are gazillions of vulnerabilities on a Mac."
Article courtesy of eSecurity Planet | <urn:uuid:7f2bae9d-75ac-4265-9dc3-9bebc1058701> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2016-26",
"url": "http://www.serverwatch.com/news/article.php/3825131",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00014-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.955620527267456,
"token_count": 665,
"score": 2.515625,
"int_score": 3
} |
SIX CRITICAL PRINCIPLES OF PARENTING
Developed by Dr. Sylvia Rimm, author of See Jane Win
1) Teach healthy competition. This refers to the title, See Jane Win, and how the women in the book mentioned most frequently, as a positive experience, winning in competition to contributing to their high self-esteem. "What we have to teach girls is the excitement, exhilaration, motivation of winning, but the resilience of dealing with failing experiences. You can't win all the time. We have to let them lose and recover from losses."
2) Teach girls how to be smart. Smart doesn't necessarily mean girls have to get all A's. There are all kinds of smarts: common sense, humorous, creative. If we can help kids realize that there are many ways they can feel smart, that frees them up. Reading is also so important. "It opens up the whole world. Even growing up, I knew there was another world beyond my circumstances," admitted Oprah.
3) Encourage math. Dr. Rimm deeply believes, math is an important threshold subject. It opens up opportunities in business, science, medicine, computers and engineering. Math is the opener. Any mom, even if she's not comfortable with math herself, can encourage their daughter to be comfortable with math.
4) De-emphasize appearance and popularity. This is about perspective. If appearance is everything, we forget about the whole child. As Dr. Rimm asserts, "The whole child is smart, is strong." A girl who believes her self-esteem depends on being admired makes her dependent, and we need them to be independent. Being popular means to conform with whatever the popular norm is. In some schools that's okay, but in some schools that means the worst drinking and drug parties.
5) Be a coach, not a judge. Don't punish. Problem solve; even though it can seem so time consuming, as Oprah said. Dr. Rimm suggests that parents not ground their children. Parents don't have to take away social privileges. Instead, set limits. The belief that you'll do the right thing is what will make the difference. Kids will have this inner sense that parents are coaches, that they're on their side in an alliance, which permits them to have that inner motivation that gives them that extra boost. Also, referential speaking helps. In other words, if you can say to someone else that your daughter is doing well, that really builds her confidence.
6) Fulfill your own
dreams. If you haven't fulfilled your own dreams, how can you expect your daughter to | <urn:uuid:b01d9302-3b58-4a0e-82fa-7516eba64b6f> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-26",
"url": "http://www.extremekids.com/parents/six_principles.htm",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128323864.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20170629033356-20170629053356-00152.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9713571667671204,
"token_count": 546,
"score": 3.25,
"int_score": 3
} |
Scientists have discovered how the performance of a quantum computer can be affected by its surrounding environment. The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Science, will help engineers to better understand how to integrate quantum components into a standard office computer - moving us one step closer to a future of quantum computing.
The collaborative team from the London Centre for Nanotechnology, University College London (UCL), the Paul Scherrer Institute/ETH in Switzerland and the Universities of Chicago and Copenhagen, have shown how its environment can radically alter the behaviour of a quantum computer, an effect which is not present for conventional computers of the type that exist now on our desktops.
Professor Gabriel Aeppli of UCL's Dept of Physics and the Director of the London Centre for Nanotechnology says: "One of the most important questions in natural sciences is whether quantum mechanics is relevant to everyday experience. The famous puzzle of whether Schroedinger's cat is dead or alive is the most graphic representation of this question, traditionally considered an academic point of no real practical import.
"However, the recent demand for secure communications and ultra-high speed computation has made the answer highly relevant to future technology where quantum 'qubits' replace the classical binary bits 0 and 1 on which current digital electronics and communications rely.
"To engineer quantum computers it is necessary for the qubits to be stable in realistic settings, such as the integrated circuit packages in a typical office computer. Physicists refer to such settings as the 'environment', or more picturesquely, the 'bath', and the challenge is to control and minimize the interactions of the qubits with the bath.
"Quantum engineering will require careful attention to the 'baths' in which the new devices will be immersed, in the same way that we worry about turbulent air conditions when we design aircraft." Baths by their very nature can be difficult to define and therefore the systematic study of interactions between qubits and baths is in its infancy. The new work shows how a well-specified bath affects the qubits in a crystal which behaves as a very primitive quantum computer. For example, the bath will change how the qubits will move in response to stimuli such as radio waves. The work also suggests that the effect can be controlled by radio waves themselves and by the temperature of the bath.
Source: University College London
Explore further: Atom-width graphene sensors could provide unprecedented insights into brain structure and function | <urn:uuid:f3415e75-9167-430b-95c4-072d99b98265> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-42",
"url": "http://phys.org/news3726.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1413507445886.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20141017005725-00308-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9272186160087585,
"token_count": 492,
"score": 3.671875,
"int_score": 4
} |
Bottling a Winning Clean-in-Place Solution
Vast amounts of water are used in the beverage bottling process, especially in Latin America which hosts some of the world's largest facilities.
Vast amounts of water are used in the beverage bottling process, especially in Latin America which hosts some of the world's largest facilities. Beth Boeh and Juan Carlos Christy discuss the use of electro-chemically activated clean-in-place methods to help reduce the use of caustic and toxic chemicals.
The beverages we drink every day – many from familiar giants like the Coca Cola Company, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group – typically arrive in our hand through the bottlers, independent companies or franchisees who buy the syrups and concentrates from the big names, then mix, bottle, package and distribute the finished products.
Beverage bottling is particularly big business in the high-growth Latin American market. Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest independent bottler in the world serving the Latin American market, accounts for one in ten Coca Cola products sold globally, delivering more than two billion unit cases each year. With one plant producing a staggering 14 million bottles each day – almost 10,000 bottles per minute - every second on the production floor counts.
In the carbonated beverage bottling process, scrupulously high standards for sanitation is a must. The brands we grew up with have depended on the perfection of their product for generations. A clean-in-place (CIP) process is used in many beverage bottling and canning plants to clean preparation tanks and lines that are used for sugars, syrup and water during the beverage mixing process. Stringent cleaning prevents flavor carryover, controls microbial contamination and eliminates organic residues like precipitated proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals that potentially harbor bacteria.
Beyond contamination of the product, bacteria can lead to microbial induced corrosion (MIC) if biofilms are allowed to form in the production system. MIC can be particularly damaging to beverage production equipment.
The CIP cleaning process is, like it sounds, largely done in-situ, where the vast majority of piping, tanks, pumps and other components are left in place, not disassembled during interior cleaning. CIP cycles of a single beverage line can occur multiple times per day, depending on the production process used for a given line. Compared to dismantling systems in traditional cleaning, the CIP cleaning method offers a rapid, labor saving cleaning method that is more reliable and reproducible as compared to traditional cleaning approaches.
While the CIP process is a relatively short-cycle process, it can still be one of the more time-consuming aspects of bottling plant operation and maintenance. Traditional CIP cycles can take 90 minutes or more to complete, resulting in substantial down time for a production line if multiple CIP cycles are required on a daily basis. Time lost during line cleaning – even CIP - can translate into three to eight non-productive hours per plant per day. Many traditional CIP methods require that all or some of the steps of the CIP cycle be heated, incurring additional production loss through extended downtime as well as significant energy costs.
Finally, vast amounts of water is used during CIP, and this water usage is problematic as beverage manufacturers attempt to decrease the overall environmental footprint of their production facilities. As a result, many beverage producers are constantly seeking to reduce their CIP cycle times without sacrificing sterility, safety, or adding additional cost.
In Latin America, some beverage bottling plants are using an electro-chemically activated (ECA) clean-in-place method to save time and money. On-site, on-demand generation of a sanitizing oxidant – disinfectant - is ideal for CIP beverage processing, reducing costs by increasing efficiency and therefore, valuable beverage production time. The ECA cleaning solution is a single-component solution that replaces traditional four and five step CIP processes with a rapid three step cold-CIP process: rinse, treatment, and final rinse. Using a non-thermal technology reduces energy consumption, the rapid cleaning cycle significantly improves beverage facility production rates, and the water used to accomplish CIP is substantially reduced.
Based on decades-old scientific principles, on-site ECA generators apply electricity to a solution of salt and water, which produces chlorine and other oxidant species. ECA generators have been used to treat municipal water to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water standards for over 30 years and have a number of industrial applications - including providing regulatory approved disinfectants in the beverage process, power plants, and aquatics applications.
ECA generators produce chlorine when a solution of sodium chloride is passed through an electrolytic cell and electricity is added. Incoming water passes through an ion exchange water softener to remove calcium- a necessary step to prevent carbonate scale build up on the electrodes. Softened water feeds the electrolytic cell while a soft water sidestream fills a brine tank, which generates a concentrated salt solution. The near-saturated brine is then injected into the softened water stream entering the electrolytic cell.
With the dilute salt solution inside the electrochemical cell, current passes through the cell, producing a strong oxidant solution. After exiting the electrolytic cell, the oxidant solution is stored in an oxidant tank. The electrolytic cell is the heart of the ECA generator, consisting of two electrodes, the anode and cathode, designed so that both make contact with the mixed water and brine solution. A voltage is applied to the cell so that current flows through the cell, causing chemical reactions to take place at the surfaces of both electrodes, producing the disinfectants. Oxidation reactions are carried out at the anode where two chloride ions (Cl-) are stripped of one electron each to produce chlorine which is dissolved in the solution.
The geometric, hydraulic and power configuration of the cell makes it possible to produce oxidants other than chlorine – the mixed oxidant solution - that can provide enhanced removal of microbiological contaminants. Chlorine production is balanced by the reduction reactions that occur at the cathode where water (H2O) is converted into hydroxide ions (OH-) and hydrogen gas (H2).
Hydrogen gas in the form of bubbles is produced during electrolysis at the cathode. Passive and active ventilation systems remove the gas from the generator and piping before it can enter the oxidant storage tanks, providing maximum system safety.
Why ECA Clean-in-Place for Beverage Processing?
Increased beverage production time using a three step ECA clean-in-place process can result in significant margin improvement and chemical cost savings, while the non-thermal cleaning method reduces energy consumption. Additionally, a three-step cold ECA CIP process can dramatically reduce the consumption of water. Because the only consumables are salt and electricity used to generate the chemical and regularly purchasing and shipping expensive chlorine chemicals is eliminated, ECA generators typically produce chlorine at a much lower cost than traditional delivery methods.
And since many beverage bottling plants will already have high-quality food-grade salt available, procurement of the only "chemical" required for the generator is simplified. Decreased costs associated with transportation and safety regulations can lower insurance premiums and provide additional savings.
Produced on-site, on demand, the ECA-generated mixed oxidant solution is an inherently safer disinfectant for the beverage industry, using non-toxic consumables - salt, water, and power - to generate the disinfectant. The produced solution has a relatively low concentration with moderate pH. Without hazardous chemicals transported, generated or stored, ECA offers superior safety for beverage plant personnel and the surrounding community.
Since the ECA-generated mixed oxidant solution is highly effective at eliminating algae and biofilm, bacterial contamination is reduced or eliminated and disinfectant requirements are reduced. Taste and odor carry-over are eliminated when switching lines from one flavored beverage to the next, plus the solution is easily rinsed from the system, eliminating residual "chlorine" taste and odor quickly.
Moreover, effective removal of microbiological contamination of process lines will prevent the occurrence of microbial induced corrosion resulting from biofilm formation. Compatibility of the solution with existing materials of construction (304 and 316 stainless steel, etc) are excellent and below industry standards for corrosion when the solutions are used at the appropriate strength.
Many bottling companies are taking a proactive approach to corporate environmental responsibility in partnership with the big-name beverage companies. In addition to the reduction in use and potential accidental release of hazardous chemicals, transportation of chemicals from factories to the beverage processing plant is dramatically reduced. Many purchased sanitizers are diluted in water to make handling safer, but the dilution water requires transportation, often significantly more weight and volume than the salt needed for ECA processes. This reduces a beverage processing plant's carbon footprint since less fossil fuel is needed to supply the plant with disinfectant. Additionally, the reduced CIP cycle time translates directly into a decrease in the overall use of water, resulting in a further reduction in the overall environmental footprint of the production facility.
Demand for bottled beverages is high with Mexico holding the soda-drinking record: an average consumption of 462 8-oz bottles per year per capita. Bottlers using on-site ECA clean in place technology to clean their lines are reducing costs, improving performance, and employing a safer, more environmentally sustainable method. By generating the sanitizer on site with common consumables - salt and water - caustic and toxic chemicals are eliminated, improving plant safety and environmental sustainability. The rapid treatment cycle saves time and money by increasing plant production. And when bottles are being filled at over 160 per second in one plant, well….every second counts.
Author's note:Beth Boeh, MIOX Corporation and Juan Carlos Christy, Quimiproductos. For more information, please email: [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:091c4b9f-f553-4286-9892-16726b8cdca4> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-43",
"url": "https://www.waterworld.com/municipal/environmental/article/16209573/bottling-a-winning-cleaninplace-solution",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570987823061.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20191022182744-20191022210244-00285.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9172541499137878,
"token_count": 2039,
"score": 2.859375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Early Friday, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its third look at economic growth in the first quarter. The results were disappointing: BEA now estimates that Q1 growth was only 2.7%, down from the prior estimate of 3.0%. A key reason: consumer spending was weaker than previously thought.
As I noted in May, the monthly release of GDP data is inevitably followed by commentators claiming that “consumer spending makes up 70% of the U.S. economy” (see, for example, here). Unfortunately, that isn’t right. Consumer spending appears to be about 70% of the economy based on a seemingly obvious calculation (consumer spending divided by GDP), but that ignores the way that macroeconomic accounting handles imports. For reasons detailed in my earlier post, careful analysis suggests that the actual ratio is about 60%.
One reason the 70% error is so common is that doing the correct calculation requires a great deal of work; for example, you need to estimate the fraction of consumer purchases that come from imports. If we want commentators to start using the right figure, we need an easier way to get the idea across using the information reported in the headline GDP release.
Here’s one idea: Compare consumer spending to a measure of overall demand. To do so, we start with the usual macroeconomic identity:
GDP = C + I + G + X – M,
which says that GDP equals Consumer spending, Investment, Government spending, and eXports minus iMports (which are subtracted to avoid double-counting). Looking at this identity, you see that C, I, G, and X can be viewed as measures of demand from consumers, businesses, governments, and overseas markets, while M is a measure of supply from overseas producers.
To get a more reasonable measure of the importance of consumer spending, we can calculate what share of “overall demand” (C + I + G + X) comes from consumers. As shown in the chart, that measure (in red) has been roughly 60% for decades. The usual, misleading measure of consumer spending’s importance (in blue), however, has been up around 70% over the past decade, but used to be lower back when imports were smaller.
The C / (C + I + G + X) measure of consumer spending’s importance is hardly exact. For example, it doesn’t consider how much consumer spending actually comes from imports. However, it’s the simplest measure I could think of that comes close to the right answer. But maybe readers have an even better idea?
P.S. Thanks to Cornelia Strawser for helpful discussion of this measurement challenge. | <urn:uuid:41b3226c-06ba-4f87-8a78-023e51f105e5> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-43",
"url": "https://dmarron.com/2010/06/25/consumer-spending-is-60-of-the-economy-not-70/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585507.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20211022114748-20211022144748-00557.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9568443298339844,
"token_count": 557,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Ligatures Part 1 - Standard
by Ilene Strizver
A ligature is a special character that combines two (or sometimes three) characters into a single character. A standard ligature is functional in nature, and is created to solve the problem of characters that crash when set next to each other.
The most common standard ligatures are the “f”-ligatures: “fi,” “fl” and sometimes “ff,” “ffi,” “ffl,” and occasionally more. These are created to prevent the unattractive collision that occurs in some typefaces between the hook and/or crossbar of the “f” and the dot or serif of the “i,” or the ascender of the “l” or second “f.”
Although the “fi” and “fl” ligatures are standard in Type 1 and TrueType® fonts, a broader range of standard ligatures are found in many of the new OpenType fonts. They can be accessed in either of two ways:
- Individually, by clicking them in the Glyph palette. It’s easier if you access all the standard ligatures from the drop-down menu in the Glyph palette.
- Turning them on and off globally. This can be done in Adobe® InDesign®, by accessing the drop-down panel in the Character palette, or in QuarkXPress®, by choosing Style > Character > OpenType. You can also access them with style sheets. Note that standard ligatures are turned on by default in most design programs.
Ligatures should be used with extreme care (or avoided entirely) if you plan to adjust the overall letterspacing of the text containing these combinations. Since a ligature is a single character, its internal spacing won’t change when you tighten or open up the letterspacing. In fact, when using extreme tracking, most design apps will replace ligatures at a certain tracking threshold with the original single characters to maintain consistent spacing.
Continue to part 2 of this article, on Discretionary Ligatures.
- Editor’s Note:Ilene Strizver, founder of The Type Studio, is a typographic consultant, designer and writer specializing in all aspects of typographic communication. She conducts Gourmet Typography workshops internationally. Read more about typography in her latest literary effort, Type Rules! The designer's guide to professional typography, 4th edition, published by Wiley & Sons, Inc. This article was commissioned and approved by Monotype Imaging Inc. | <urn:uuid:c186564b-cda6-4322-b0ea-03e43caa4b78> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2024-10",
"url": "https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-3/signs-and-symbols/ligatures-1",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-10/segments/1707947474690.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20240228012542-20240228042542-00192.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9169566035270691,
"token_count": 547,
"score": 3.703125,
"int_score": 4
} |
Where did this field of “transgenic” science begin? The term transgenic, which denotes an organism containing genetic material that was artificially transferred from another species, was first used in the early eighties by J.W. Gordon and F.H. Ruddle, now considered the pioneers of mammalian gene transfer research. While previous work completed by Rudolf Jaenisch and Beatrice Mintz in 1974 had shown that mouse embryos infected with the SV40 virus could integrate this viral DNA into the germ line, Gordon and Ruddle were the first to create a truly “transgenic” mouse where foreign genes were successfully inserted into the genome, and furthermore, these genes were transmitted to their offspring (check out the seminal papers published in PNAS (1980) and Science (1981) for more information). In an interview with The New York Times in 1988, Ruddle describes one of the many reasons this discovery was considered so ground-breaking: “One of the wonderful things about transgenesis is that we can do all at once what evolution has taken millions of years to do.”
Colony management and ethical animal testing
So why introduce the origins of transgenics? The experimental successes that followed the first transgenic mouse has led to the widespread use of transgenics throughout research facilities across the world. Which has increased the number of animals used in research. And as a consequence, this has in turn necessitated the creation of tracking methods, or data management systems to increase efficiency and productivity in the management of mouselines, breeding schemes, and mouse related experiments.
While there are countless breakthroughs that would not have been possible without the discovery by Gordon and Ruddle, the scientific community must also remain vigilant about the ethical use of research animals. Guiding principles for the ethical use of animals in testing were first described in 1959 by Russell and Burch (the three Rs): replacement, reduction, and refinement. While these principles cover a broad range of topics related to animal testing, I bring them up to highlight the principle of reduction: effective data management is critical for ensuring that only the necessary animals are used for each study, and none are wasted.
Despite this paramount importance of data management, however, many are still tracking using handwritten notebooks or “simple” spreadsheets to track mouse colonies, and complicated (or even simple) breeding schemes! In other words, we are left with researchers using current, cutting edge scientific techniques with an ancient, ‘ad hoc’ approach to data management (at least with respect to colony management). (these spreadsheets are also inherently error-prone, but that is a topic for another day ...).
A brief history of BreedingServices.com. Who are we?
So why do I bring up the management of mouse colonies? And perhaps more importantly, who are we? In this introductory post of this blog, I’d like to briefly introduce you to BreedingServices.com, a cloud-based breeding and colony management program designed for academic researchers, animal technicians, breeding cores and other laboratories to increase efficiency and productivity in the management of mouse and rat lines. Ultimately, the goal is to replace these error-prone spreadsheets with an easy-to-use database that allows for more streamlined data, and perhaps most importantly, better cost management.
In a similar way to how these “simple” spreadsheets have been forced to evolve over the years (perhaps unsuccessfully, leaving users unsatisfied but without an alternative option?), BreedingServices.com's advanced cloud services have been evolving since their inception to keep up to date with current information technology, scientific trends, laboratory and breeding core requirements. BreedingServices.com PREMIUM and INDIVIDUAL Clouds services are continually upgraded based on user’s feedback and requirements.
Why have we decided to write Research Matters articles?
Simply put: because we love science. And science is not merely the act of performing experiments, and pushing along research, but conveying that information to the scientific community at large, and furthermore, to the general population. I firmly believe that educating the world about research is equally as important as actually doing the science. And in a perfect world, all scientific research would progress flawlessly, with no time lost due to human error, repetitive tasks, or lost reagents (or worse, lost mice!). As a recent PhD graduate, I will readily admit that I am science-obsessed, and always will be. I am also fully aware that we do not live in a perfect world, and scientific research never (and I repeat, never) progresses flawlessly. And as contributor to this blog, my goal is to convey my enthusiasm, as well as the enthusiasm of the creators of SoftMouse, for exciting scientific research, particularly with respect to mice and transgenic research, to those interested in furthering their knowledge. Finally, we hope to convey how important efficient colony management is, and how to improve your data tracking (and limit your despair over preventable errors).
Read more Research Matters articles.
Something you’ve always wondered about, but never had a chance to look into? Let us know! We’d love to hear from you please Contact us. We also invite you to learn more about BreedingServices.com. If you’d like to learn more about BreedingServices.com PREMIUM and INDIVIDUAL Clouds please visit this page. | <urn:uuid:36ffbe0a-0923-41df-a0b2-ddc71211845e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-09",
"url": "https://breedingservices.com/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501171620.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104611-00304-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9485428929328918,
"token_count": 1106,
"score": 3.3125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Comedian Robin Williams once argued, "If women ran the world, we wouldn't have wars…just intense negotiations every 28 days." Apparently that's no longer true since Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made the decision that women should be allowed to participate in war in the same way as men. Women had previously been denied combat positions, but not anymore.
It is indeed a different day. Nevertheless, while the PC crowd is jubilant about this change, Americans, especially men should be outraged.
Is gallantry now completely dead? When General Douglas MacArthur delivered his powerful speech, "Duty, Honor, Country" at West Point, he told cadets: "Your mission remains fixed, determined, inviolable: it is to win our wars. Everything else in your professional career is but corollary to this vital dedication. All other public purposes, all other public projects, all other public needs, great or small, will find others for their accomplishment. But you are the ones who are trained to fight. Yours is the profession of arms, the will to win, the sure knowledge that in war there is no substitute for victory; that if you lose, the nation will be destroyed." MacArthur also noted the soldiers experience is "the filth of murky foxholes, the stench of ghostly trenches, the slime of dripping dugouts; those boiling suns of relentless heat, those torrential rains of devastating storms; the loneliness and utter desolation of jungle trails… the deadly pestilence of tropical disease." Have men become so spineless they're not angered that their government wants to put their girlfriends, their wives, and their daughters in the middle of such hell?
Let the radical feminists opine and rail, but the fact is nature's God made women different than men. In her 1992 testimony before the Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Services, Phyllis Schafly rightly argued, "We hear the constant refrain that 'times have changed,' but there is no change whatsoever in obvious facts of human nature, such as that men and women differ in so many important ways, that healthy young women are apt to get pregnant, and that there is a profound difference between male-to-male bonding and male-to-female bonding – a factor that can make the difference between life and death on the battlefield. No matter what social changes are alleged to have taken place, the policies of our U.S. Armed Forces should respect the dignity and value of marriage and motherhood." Granted, women are equal in human dignity as men, but to make them equal in every role is the highest of follies.
Bryan Fischer in an op-ed piece titled, "Women in Combat a Really, Really Bad Idea," references researcher and writer Brian Mitchell who reports the average female Army recruit, "is 4.8 inches shorter, 31.7 pounds lighter, and has 37.4 fewer pounds of muscle than her male counterpart. She has 55% of the upper body strength of the average male recruit, and only 72% of his lower body strength. On the bench press, men demonstrate 270% more power and perform 473% more work than women." Fischer adds, "Female soldiers are twice as likely to suffer leg injuries and nearly five times as likely to suffer fractures as males. The Army gives women an extra three minutes to complete a two mile run, which, of course, should be no problem. I'm sure the enemy will simply wait for them to catch up."
Furthermore, what does lifting the ban on women in combat mean for the draft? The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Rostker v. Goldberg (1981) that women could constitutionally be exempted from the draft because draft registration, conscription, and military combat are all one continuum. But is that going to be the end of the matter? Not likely when one considers that during the presidential campaign of 2004, former Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, all contended that draft registration was needed to set the nation on the right path toward true equality for all women. Look out ladies, it appears liberals and social experimenters may not have pulled the trigger, but they have their high-powered sights on drafting you – young single women, young women planning for college and a career, young women planning for marriage and a family, young married women and even young mothers. One might contend that it's no greater loss for a man when he's drafted. But please, it's nothing less than barbarism that would coerce a woman to fight like a man or to fight for a man.
But even dismissing the prospect of the draft, what women are most likely to end up in combat? "Make no mistake," says Lee Siegel, "It won't be the elite female pundits, as well-intentioned as their joy over the Pentagon's decision no doubt is, who bear the anguish of death and maiming in war. It will be women from society's lower strata who, like their male counterparts, will find themselves on the battlefield, especially single mothers and especially from states where entitlement programs are in shreds."
No, this is wrong on every level. The late great Presbyterian minister Peter Marshall once wrote, "No nation has ever made any progress in a downward direction. No people ever became great by lowering their standards…It is not progress when womanhood has lost its fragrance. Whatever else it is, it is not progress!"
Yes, it appears a new level of equality has now been achieved for women. The sweetness, the tenderness unique to their gender, their unmatched beauty that is the crown of creation, their ability to give life, their motherly skills, can just like men now all be shot to pieces or blown to smithereens. | <urn:uuid:557b3e42-ea97-4938-8bc4-850eab17218e> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-04",
"url": "https://www.christianpost.com/news/the-so-called-equality-of-women-in-combat-89517/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703527850.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20210121194330-20210121224330-00421.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9675659537315369,
"token_count": 1191,
"score": 2.546875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Join the Conversation
To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs
Students should be able to make own food choices
Ask teenagers about their feelings on food, and they probably will tell you they love it. If you do anything that affects how they eat, or what they eat, they generally won't be happy.
Recently at CMR, there have been some changes in the food that can be sold at our DECA store, a place where many students eat lunch and get snacks throughout the day.
The store normally sells stuff like diet soda, juice, baked chips, Cheez-Its and many more snacks. Because of national changes going into place Jan. 1 that are trying to make students eat more healthy food, many of those items can't be sold there anymore.
Now that may not seem like a big deal because food changes all the time. But for us at CMR, it's not necessarily the changes in the food that are making waves around the school — it's the fact that the decision of what we should eat and should not eat is being made for us.
We have an open campus, which means we can go off campus and get anything we want within the half hour we have for lunch. So we can, in reality, just leave and get soda, chips, candy and any other type of food we want.
For students who don't have a car, it's hard to go to lunch off campus, especially when the weather is bad. Even those with cars who can leave campus and go get food normally do not because gas is expensive, and food off campus costs more.
Teaching good eating habits is a good thing, and it will help get us ready for life when we are not living under our parents' roof and they're no longer buying food for us. But if we are told what we should and should not eat then we will not learn how to eat healthy.
Eating habits are something that can be taught, but if we don't try to eat healthier without being told then we will never learn to do it on our own.
Personally, I believe food restrictions are not needed because kids can bring any food they want to eat from home or go to the store and get whatever they want. So why enforce food regulations when they can just backfire?
If selling healthier food is something that seems to be necessary then it should happen, but that food should be sold alongside food that perhaps is not as healthy so students can make their own decisions.
April Hummel is a senior at CMR and a member of the Tribune's Teen Panel. | <urn:uuid:7c2c2e3e-aa2c-4c6b-9c83-f095fbfb48c4> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-39",
"url": "https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/life/2014/11/21/students-able-make-food-choices/19369469/?from=new-cookie",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-39/segments/1537267158691.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20180922201637-20180922222037-00001.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9803373217582703,
"token_count": 535,
"score": 2.90625,
"int_score": 3
} |
The annual budget of India is often an expression of not only the economic direction of the country over the coming year, but also the political intentions of the ruling party. The 2016 budget, which was presented in the Indian parliament on Monday, however, contains more political substance than economic heft. It reveals the political thinking of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The emphasis on rural India and social welfare clearly establishes the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is focused on appeasing political constituencies rather than introducing long-promised reforms.
Before coming to power, Modi promised a new generation of economic and structural reforms. He used to castigate the social policies and subsidy regimes of the previous Congress government. It is this promise that galvanized the middle-class and corporate India in favor of his candidacy. Therefore, for many, the BJP’s dithering on reforms, as exhibited by the latest budget, is baffling.
“It is the politician’s budget. It is not a finance minister’s budget,” says Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political commentator. “The budget is driven by the necessity of politics, which is to recover the lost political ground of 2015 and to ensure that in 2016, the ground recovers so that 2017 onwards, Modi can begin an upward climb toward the next parliamentary elections in 2019. This is a serious attempt at course correction,” adds Mukhopadhyay, who is the author of a biography of the Indian prime minister.
The $290 billion budget is predominantly tilted toward India’s farm sector, which has been in great distress for the last two years. A whopping $5.20 billion has gone into agriculture and farmer welfare, including huge spending on irrigation facilities to reduce monsoon dependency. About $300 million is earmarked for providing cooking gas connections to rural households.
Meanwhile, over $5.5 billion dollars has been given to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), which provides a guaranteed 100 days a year of employment to Indians in rural areas. This was one of the flagship programs of the previous Congress government, which brought the party electoral success in 2009. When Modi came to power in May 2014, he diluted the funding for this rural job scheme and termed it as a “living monument” to the Congress government’s failures.
“The government is keen on an image makeover,” explains Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, an editor designate of the Economic and
Political Weekly. “The government has been conscious of the fact that it is being branded as a regime disposed favorably towards corporations and rich people. Modi wants to shake off that image by emphasizing farmers and the poor,” says Thakurta, a long-time observer of politics and economics in India.
The same sentiment is echoed by Rajiv Kumar, a senior fellow and economist the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), a New Delhi-based policy think tank. “Yes, there is a politics in the budget,” asserts Kumar, who was among the ardent critics of the previous government’s social schemes.
Commenting on Modi’s pro-farmer tilt, he says that “the Indian prime minister wants to give the impression that his government not only caters to the corporate sector, but also works for the poor. This is a good budget I feel. The government’s efforts to shrink the fiscal deficit are commendable. Instead of going in for an ideal budget, Modi has
presented a realistic budget that takes care of almost all sections of Indian society.”
One section which is feeling left out from this year’s budgetary exercise is the middle class, which has been the backbone of the Modi government. No tax rebates were doled out for the middle class; indeed, additional tax burdens have been imposed with the new budget.
“The message is that the middle class is quite well off and it is the poorer section that Modi wants to help through the budget,” says Kumar, who was secretary-general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
“The budget potentially alienates the middle class. My argument is that Modi would like to offset this erosion in support among the middle class by giving them a more majoritarian platform, which has already started with the controversy gripping Jawaharlal Nehru University. Basically the right-wing groups are moving into widening the majoritarian plank by making it more ultra nationalistic. Ultra nationalism combined with economic
populism is a deadly combine,” says Mukhopadhyay.
With the 2016 budget, the ruling BJP has pivoted politically and is making a huge political gamble. Its success will depend on delivery, which is not easy considering the experiences of past governments. The fact, however, remains that Modi’s economic policy is largely turning out to be a continuation of what the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government put in place during its decade in power.
For many in India, Modi still has to deliver the change he promised in May 2014, and the 2016 budget does not fulfill that promise.
Sanjay Kumar has worked as a reporter and producer with a leading TV news agency, ANI, for five years where he
covered conflict in India’s northeast. | <urn:uuid:fa689638-7e04-4962-9a72-06c749c8e5a9> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2022-33",
"url": "https://gulftime.ae/indias-2016-budget-politics-meets-economics/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572870.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817062258-20220817092258-00785.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9645779728889465,
"token_count": 1115,
"score": 2.59375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Guide to the European Union
How has EU membership changed the British Constitution and sovereignty?
Britain does not have a written constitution and so it is not always a simple matter to work out what has changed but there has certainly been an effect on one of the key constitutional principles, Parliamentary Sovereignty. This principle has meant that:-
- Parliament’s laws cannot be overruled by any other body. The British courts, including the Supreme Court, will interpret how legislation passed by Parliament applies in a particular case and will not declare a law unconstitutional.
- Laws passed by one Parliament can be changed by the next Parliament, which is formed after a general election. Parliament is not bound by its predecessors.
In 1972, Parliament passed the European Communities Act which allowed us to join the EU. This meant that EU regulations immediately apply in Britain without Parliament’s approval and that directives have to be implemented either by an Act of Parliament or, more normally, by the Government issuing a piece of secondary legislation, which is called a statutory instrument. Parliament is able to reject, but not amend, these statutory instruments. Although Parliament, theoretically, could repeal the European Communities Act at any time and so stop EU legislation, this would effectively take Britain out of the EU as we would no longer be following EU rules.
There is also the question as to whether a British Act of Parliament is superior to European legislation when the two conflict. In 1988, the British Parliament passed legislation which had the effect of limiting the rights of fishing vessels from other EU countries. The Spanish firm, Factortame, took the British Government to court claiming that this was contrary to the Treaty of Rome. The British courts would not make the British law null and void despite the conflict but were effectively overruled by the European Court of Justice. The compromise was that the British courts would interpret the British Act of 1988 in the light of the European Communities Act, 1972 so that the latter would always be superior to any other British legislation.
The conclusion is that the British Parliament has lost a degree of sovereignty as a result of EU membership. Sovereignty has not been given to the European Commission, however, because it does not pass legislation. Sovereignty is now pooled by the British Government in the Council of Ministers so that it takes decisions together with other Governments. There was originally a national veto over legislation in the Council but this has gradually changed to majority voting in most areas. Sovereignty is also pooled by British voters in the European Parliament so that British Members of the European Parliament vote on legislation but only with those from other countries.
Considerable sovereignty remains with the British Parliament, however, because:-
- The EU only passes legislation in some areas such as competition policy and environmental protection. Most regulations have related to creating a Single Market with the same rules on products in each country. Most areas, such as health, education and taxation, remain with the British Parliament although Eurosceptics claim that the objective in the Treaty of Rome of an ‘ever closer union’ means that what EU powers are bound to increase.
- It is accepted that the British Parliament has to agree proposed EU Treaties which make major changes to the way that the EU works.
- Parliament is able to look at all proposed EU legislation and the European Scrutiny Committee in the House of Commons and the European Union Select Committee in the House of Lords were setup to do this. However, there is so much draft legislation that Parliament is only able to look at a small proportion of it and it does not have a veto.
- The Lisbon Treaty, which came into effect in 2009, introduced a new process which allows national parliaments to object to proposed EU legislation. If enough Parliaments object, on the principle of subsidiarity, that legislation can be better dealt with at the national than the EU level, then it is pretty certain that the proposal will be withdrawn. | <urn:uuid:9a85ef8d-f835-46ec-9e2c-ed90e9b88109> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-47",
"url": "https://www.britpolitics.co.uk/a-level-guide-eu-constitution-sovereignty-british-politics",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039746800.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20181120211528-20181120233528-00462.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9711504578590393,
"token_count": 789,
"score": 4.03125,
"int_score": 4
} |
Today people are more into internet and they prefer to operate smart phones and tablets more than PCs and laptops. This is because phones and tablets are portable and easily to carry and can be used anywhere. To make internet surfing more comfortable in phone and tablets there some techniques that web designers are applying to give us the best result. These techniques are called as Responsive Web Design. The smartphones and tablets are rapidly adopting the web browsing capacity of mobile friendly websites. The interaction with websites on desktop and laptop is not same as in the phones and tablets.
What is responsive web designing?
Responsive Web Design (RWD) is an approach of creating and coding a website such a way that it provides a perfect visual experience that is easily reading, navigating, panning and scrolling in different range of device and still experiencing the same comfort like in wide view.
Responsive web designing techniques or strategy for 2016;
- Liquid or Fluid Layout
Assuming all the web containers width in terms of percentages of the viewport, so that they contract and expand with the change of the browser window size.
- Media queries
Imploring various style sheets based on the display capacity of a webpage that is used such as resolution of the page, size of the page, aspect ratio of the page and color depth.
- Fluid image
With the change of the web browsing devices the image will also adjust its size accordingly.
The important benefits of using responsive web designing:
- Being Super Flexible
Responsive web designing sites are super fluid that mean these sites can adopt the change of web browsing navigators. All these sites flow freely across all size and resolution of screens.
- The Users Experience An Excellent View
RWD is all about servicing an excellent facility of viewing a site irrespective of the resolution of the device screen, whether it is a desktop or a smartphone.
- This Service is for all
Responsive web design is for a busy professional worker who works in the day and again this service is that flexible that it services the purpose of a student who is wide awake at night for accessing the tutorial sites.
So it is understood that using responsive web design in 2016 can help a lot to fix the problem of adopting mobile friendly sites from a desktop to a smartphone. It is to be mentioned that responsive web design is also cost effective and easy to be managed. | <urn:uuid:9e31f90d-88d8-4eea-8daa-f5b8cb4e6eab> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-47",
"url": "https://www.notiontechnologies.com/blog/responsive-web-design-strategy-for-2016-and-its-benefits/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934806586.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20171122122605-20171122142605-00216.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9267851710319519,
"token_count": 481,
"score": 2.78125,
"int_score": 3
} |
From Environmental Protection:
Laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Rachel’s Network have detected bisphenol A (BPA) for the first time in the umbilical cord blood of U.S. Newborns. The tests identified the plastics chemical in 9 of 10 cord blood samples from babies of African American, Asian and Hispanic descent. The findings provide evidence that U.S. infants are contaminated with BPA beginning in the womb.
Additional tests conducted by five laboratories in the United States, Canada and Europe found up to 232 toxic chemicals in the 10 cord blood samples. Besides BPA, substances detected for the first time in U.S. newborns included a toxic flame retardant chemical called tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) that permeates computer circuit boards, synthetic fragrances (Galaxolide and Tonalide) used in common cosmetics and detergents, and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA, or C4), a member of the notorious Teflon chemical family used to make non-stick and grease-, stain- and water-resistant coatings for cookware, textiles, food packaging and other consumer products.
The Environmental Working Group says that the failed Toxic Substances Control Act is primarily to blame for the widespread contamination in umbilical cord blood. The 1976 act does not require manufacturers to prove through scientific tests that chemicals are safe for humans and the environment before going on the market. There are currently more than 80,000 chemicals in consumer goods, with little or no safety information about their impact on human health.
Click on the links for more information. | <urn:uuid:54bb4ce0-90bc-4708-a201-7603e0639241> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2022-49",
"url": "https://www.nexreg.com/dec-10-us-ewg-lab-tests-find-bpa-perchlorate-in-newborn-umbilical-cords",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446711150.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20221207053157-20221207083157-00434.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9170289039611816,
"token_count": 344,
"score": 2.734375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Ever since the late 19th century, the automotive industry has held a just reputation as a hotbed of technological innovation. Some of the greatest inventors of the past century have turned their attention to the humble automobile, bringing us bold and brilliant new features that make driving faster, safer and greener.
It’s often said that today’s cars pack more computing power than the machines that guided NASA’s astronauts to the moon during the historic Apollo 11 mission. It’s not an exaggeration – almost any 21st century vehicle comes with dozens of computers to control components like anti-lock brakes, airbags and electronic cruise control. And that’s saying nothing of the advanced infotainment systems starting to appear in the latest new car deals.
But amid this 100-year cavalcade of life-changing technologies, what about the car innovations that didn’t make it? In this article, we’ll be looking at some of the most fascinating vehicular inventions that never made it to the mainstream. Some were ahead of their time, while others were irredeemably silly and a few were downright dangerous. Read on to find out more.
The Horsey Horseless
Back in 1899, a Battle Creek, Michigan native by the name of Uriah Smith was troubled by the prospect that local horses might be disturbed by the presence of motor cars on the Mid West’s sleepy highways. He subsequently struck upon a truly great idea – why not stick a wooden horse-head on the front of the vehicle to rest the nerves of skittish equines?
It’s not known if Mr Smith’s so-called Horsey Horseless was ever built, but we can only dream that a modern car maker is someday brave enough to recreate his timeless vision.
The Dog Sack
We all know that it’s dangerous to keep a dog in a hot car, but few of us could have conceived of a solution as strange as the Dog Sack. Documented in a 1935 edition of Popular Mechanics magazine, the invention consists of a large canvas bag that can be slung from the side of a moving automobile, providing a comfortable place for a canine companion to sit on the vehicle’s exterior. “When you take your dog along for a ride, but prefer not having it inside the car, it can ride safely and comfortably in this sack,” the original article claims.
Again, it’s a mystery that this innovation never caught on. Surely our dogs would have thanked us?
Few car makers have had a comparable impact on the industry as a whole – and indeed, the world – as Ford, which played a fundamental role in bringing the automobile to the everyman. That’s not to say it hasn’t been responsible for a few gaffes of its own, however.
In the 1960s, the company came up with an experimental replacement to the steering wheel called the ‘wrist-twist’ system. This comprised two small handheld wheels connected by a brace, making it possible to turn the car with just a flick of the wrist. Apparently it made parallel parking much easier, but today all that exists of the innovation is some frankly sexist promotional footage.
The thought of holding a conversation with a car has proved an intoxicating dream for motorists for decades, hence shows like Knight Rider. However, efforts to incorporate this technology into real-world automobiles have to date proved somewhat fruitless. Back in 1982, the Datsun 810 Maxima became the first car capable of talking to its driver, albeit with a vocabulary of just six phrases. A couple of other vehicles followed suit, but the feature never penetrated the mainstream.
That said, it’s possible the talking car is about to make a comeback. Thanks to in-car smartphone integration, it’s already possible to use voice-activated personal assistants such as Apple’s Siri behind the wheel – surely a 21st century KITT is just around the corner? | <urn:uuid:bf82a833-77fe-49e8-a0a3-8f8b86920215> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-13",
"url": "http://technosyncratic.com/travelstories/4-car-innovations-didnt-quite-make/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257647519.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20180320170119-20180320190119-00411.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9612812399864197,
"token_count": 825,
"score": 2.96875,
"int_score": 3
} |
WASHINGTON — QUESTION:
Should you get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve already had the virus?
Experts say it will likely be recommended as it is unclear how long any antibodies remain in your system, and whether they provide any immunity to reinfection.
Dr. Linda Nabha- Infectious Diseases Specialist
Dr. Stuart Ray- Professor of Medicine- Johns Hopkins Medicine
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- "Busting Myths and Misconceptions about COVID-19 Vaccination"
Recent news about COVID-19 vaccine candidates touting promising efficacy rates, has lots of people searching for information online.
There's been a lot of confusion and discussion about whether getting the virus means you are immune from getting it again, especially as a vaccine becomes a reality.
So we're verifying:
Should you get a vaccine if you've already tested positive for COVID-19?
Our sources are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Linda Nabha, an infectious diseases specialist and Dr. Stuart Ray, professor of medicine at John's Hopkins Medicine.
“Based on what we know, right now, it's likely that a vaccine would be recommended for a person who's had COVID, because we don't think that prior infection is likely to generate lasting immunity," Ray said.
He explained that getting vaccinated is an extra layer of protection.
"There's lots of ways people might think that they are immune, and given the stakes, it seems a good idea to be really sure," Ray said. "And so if the vaccine is found to be safe and effective, and we wouldn't offer it otherwise, then it seems likely that we would recommend it."
Nabha says even if a patient does acquire some antibodies, we still don’t know how long those antibodies last and whether they provide immunity.
“I've had patients in my office who had documented cases of COVID, documented right through the nasal swabs and... have been positive for a few months, and I've tested their antibody tests, you know, a few months later, and they're negative, shocking. But it does happen," Nabha said.
"There'll be no harm in getting the vaccine, if someone's been infected before, it just means that their immune responses will get stronger," Ray said. "So we don't have reason to think that, for instance, getting vaccinated after having had the infection would make you sicker."
On their website the CDC says “people may be advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before.”
So we can Verify, if you’re one of the millions of Americans who has already contracted the virus, our experts say it’s probably gonna be recommended that you get vaccinated. | <urn:uuid:ac5af83e-ae4d-4fe3-9741-3c9cf55bd523> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-25",
"url": "https://www.wtol.com/article/news/verify/why-should-you-get-the-covid-19-vaccine-if-youve-already-had-covid-who-needs-the-vaccine/65-210aca92-1112-4794-8644-d81c61574748",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-25/segments/1623487610196.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20210613161945-20210613191945-00616.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9706941246986389,
"token_count": 585,
"score": 2.890625,
"int_score": 3
} |
U.S. researchers released disterbing data concerning cleanliness in shower rooms. They discovered that many showerheads are dirty and may be covering people in a daily dose of bacteria that could make them sick.
An analysis of 50 showerheads from nine U.S. cities found that about 30 percent harbored high levels of Mycobacterium avium -- a group of bacteria that can cause lung infections when inhaled or swallowed. Researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder found the levels of Mycobacterium avium were 100 times higher than those found in typical household water.
"If you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on, that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium, which may not be too healthy," said researcher Norman Pace in a statement.
Mycobacterium avium is linked to pulmonary disease, causing symptoms such as a persistent drug cough, breathlessness and fatigue, and most often infects people with compromised immune system but can occasionally infect healthy people.
Pace said research at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver found that increases in pulmonary infections in the United States in recent decades from so-called "non-tuberculosis" mycobacteria species like Mycobacterium avium may be linked to people taking more showers and fewer baths.
He said water spurting from showerheads can distribute pathogen-filled droplets that suspend themselves in the air and can easily be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lungs.
The problem with showerheads is that the insides provide a moist, warm, dark haven where bacteria can form sticky "biofilms" that allow them to gain a foothold and eventually set up residence in the device.
The researchers, however, said it was still probably safe for most people to get into the shower and recommended people with compromised immune systems due to HIV or immune-suppressing drugs, use metal showerheads and change them regularly, according to Reuters' report.
The General Staff noted that the document appeared at a time when Russia was trying to deter the arms race unleashed by the United States | <urn:uuid:b53fe819-fc18-40e0-bf69-588f1b0a9808> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-34",
"url": "https://www.pravdareport.com/news/science/109274-showerheads_as_germs_brooding_c/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439737319.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20200808080642-20200808110642-00359.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.958791971206665,
"token_count": 440,
"score": 3.359375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Giovanni Battista Venturi
|Giovanni Battista Venturi|
15 March 1746|
|Died||24 April 1822
Giovanni Battista Venturi (15 March 1746 - 24 April 1822) was an Italian physicist, savant, man of letters, diplomat and historian of science. He was the discoverer of Venturi effect, which was described in 1797 in his Recherches Experimentales sur le Principe de la Communication Laterale du Mouvement dans les Fluides applique a l'Explication de Differens Phenomenes Hydrauliques, translated into English in 1837 by Thomas Tredgold as "Experimental Inquiries Concerning the Principle of the Lateral Communication of a Motion in Fluids," in Tracts on Hyraulics. Because of this discovery, he is the eponym for the Venturi tube, the Venturi flow meter and the Venturi pump.
Born in Bibbiano, Italy, in the Province of Reggio Emilia Giovanni was a contemporary of Lagrange and Laplace, and a pupil of Lazzaro Spallanzani. He was ordained as a priest in 1769, at the age of 23, and in the same year was appointed as teacher of logic at the seminary of Reggio Emilia, where he had earlier received an education. In 1774 he became a professor of geometry and philosophy at the University of Modena. He later held the posts of ducal mathematician, state engineer, and auditor under the Duke of Modena. As state engineer he was responsible for bridge construction, rectification of water courses, draining of marsh land, and the establishment of State regulations for dam construction. In 1786 he was given the post of professor of experimental physics at the University of Modena, where he organized a laboratory, equipping it with state-of-the-art equipment. During this time he was also able to complete the town of Modena's historical memoirs, which had been left incomplete following the death of Girolamo Tiraboschi, the appointed historian.
Venturi moved to Paris as Secretary of a delegation sent by the Duke of Modena to undertake negotiations with the Supreme Executive Council. Following unsuccessful negotiations, he remained in there for a year and a half to improve his knowledge of physics and chemistry. While in Paris, he came into contact with some of the most learned scholars of the age, such as Georges Cuvier, René Just Haüy, Jean-Baptiste Biot, Jérôme Lalande, Gaspard Monge, Pierre-Simon Laplace, and many more. He also published several treatises, including the famous "Venturi effect" treatise of 1797. However, Venturi's design was not applied to a practical apparatus until 1888, when Clemens Herschel was awarded a patent first commercial model of the Venturi tube. This was followed in 1926 by Cecil Aggeler's bachelor's thesis, "Design of a Venturi Type Current Meter."
Another of Venturi's treatises demonstrated his abilities as a historian of science. He was the first to call attention to the importance of Leonardo da Vinci as a scientist, rather than simply as an artist, in the 1797 booklet, Essai sur les ouvrages physico-mathématiques de Léonard de Vinci.
Jérôme Lalande, Director of the Paris Observatory, commended Venturi to General Napoleon Bonaparte as "one of the men most competent to bring renown to Italy and to build there useful waterworks and do good work in mathematics and physics" and praised his ability in the art of civil engineering and military architecture. The Abbé Venturi used Napoleon's influence and protection to frustrate the intrigues of those in his country who tried to oust him from his position at the University. Bonaparte made him a member of the Corps législatif, professor at the Military School of Modena, and Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Adverse political influences subjected Venturi to many vicissitudes, even leading to imprisonment. But after the conquest of Italy, the First Consul Napoleon gave him a professorship at the University of Pavia, and he was assigned several diplomatic missions. Venturi also continued to apply his engineering expertise in mine work and hydraulic construction.
Later, he was made Diplomatic Agent of the Helvetic Confederation and spent twelve years in Switzerland. He retired in 1813, due to failing health, and was granted a pension on the maximum scale by the Emperor Napoleon. On his return to Reggio he set about the publication of a number of scientific and literary works. In 1814 Venturi wrote Commentarj sopra la storia e le teorie dell' ottica (Commentaries about the history and theory of optics), which included Hero of Alexandria's treatise on the dioptra and from 1818 to 1821 he compiled, edited and published many of Galileo's manuscripts and letters in Memorie e lettere inedite finora o disperse di Galileo Galilei, ordinate e illustrate con annotazioni. He died at Reggio Emilia in April 1822, at the age of seventy-six.
- Frazier, Arthur H. "Water Current Meters" (PDF). Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
- Walter G. Kent (1912) "An Appreciation of Two Great Workers in Hydraulics, Giovanni Battista Venturi, Born 1746, Clemens Herschel, Born 1842."
- Florian Cajori, A History of Mathematics, 1893
- Joseph Warren Dauben, Christoph J. Scriba. Writing the History of Mathematics: Its Historical Development | <urn:uuid:7f938e45-8358-4ee3-a969-b5dd28438a48> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-27",
"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Battista_Venturi",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-27/segments/1435375095373.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20150627031815-00130-ip-10-179-60-89.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9532777070999146,
"token_count": 1201,
"score": 2.859375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Need a lesson immediately? Check out our Language Arts Mini-Pieces including Units, Strategies, Analogies, Worksheets, and Rubrics here! (Download them immediately after purchase — You can even sort by the standard you need to teach!)
This 36 page, full color children’s story book by Liz Fayer and Joanna Jones (Illustrated by Fayer) is about Sage, a young Lakota girl. Sage learns about nature through the wisdom of her relatives. In the story, Lakota Cultural information is presented on illustrated bison skins. Five Lakota Women Elders are honored in this book to remind us of all the strong Lakota Women throughout history.
Be an Amazing Writing Teacher will provide a spark and a renewed confidence for teachers as they learn to creatively develop lessons when they teach writing. Teachers will come away with many ideas and a framework for planning writing for their whole school year.
The activities in this book will invite readers to use the elements of nonfiction as multiple points of view for understanding not only the texts, but how they think about them during various stages of the reading process. The activities in this book will also encourage readers to use the structural dynamics of nonfiction as a basis for connotative understanding and interpretation. This book helps readers learn how to connect the elements of nonfiction into a unified narrative. These activities will help students come to a fuller understanding of the constructive nature of reading. As students engage in the activities in this book, they will learn to move beyond the “limits of their literacy” so that they can discover how to develop more sophisticated understandings of nonfiction writings.
40 activities are included to help build vocabulary development. Activities include: Thinking Through Words and Things; A Writing Pattern; Phonemic Awareness; A Word a Day; Word Sort; Vocabulary Graphic Organizer; Abstract Words; What Makes a Hero; Words in Words, and five patterns of Sentence Building. | <urn:uuid:65118720-1599-4b5e-b773-e9f5c5507a4d> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2023-50",
"url": "https://piecesoflearning.com/product-category/products/language-arts/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100276.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20231201053039-20231201083039-00240.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9405246376991272,
"token_count": 397,
"score": 3.640625,
"int_score": 4
} |
On Friday, 19 August 2016, the first World Rohingya Day demonstrations took place around the world. Rallies and demonstrations took place in London, UK; Washington DC, Toronto, Canada, New York, Chicago; Stockholm, Sweden; Boston; Los Angeles; and many other places. The speakers demanded end to the ongoing genocide of Rohingya people who are indigenous people of Myanmar (formerly Burma) living in their ancestral lands.
The Rohingyas of Myanmar are a stateless people who are the most persecuted people in our time. They have been facing genocidal campaigns, especially since 2012, which saw a series of ethnic cleansing drives by the Rakhine Buddhists of Arakan – planned and aided by the local and central government and organized and mobilized by racist politicians and bigoted monks. It was a national project put into practice for the elimination of the Rohingya, who differ in ethnicity and religion from the majority Buddhists in this country of 55 million people. As a result, probably thousands were lynched to death, a quarter million lost their homes, tens of thousands were forced to choose exodus from this Buddhist den of intolerance and hatred, and an estimated 140,000 Rohingya internally displaced persons were caged in concentration camps in and around Sittwe (formerly Akyab).
So evil was this proto-Nazi criminal eliminationist policy that anytime a fact-finding international aid agency or an NGO tried to voice its concern on deplorable inhuman condition of the Rohingya people, it was not only silenced by hateful Buddhist mobs that quickly rallied with hateful banners and posters, but was also barred from visiting the place next time. In this series of government sponsored pogroms, Ma Ba Tha – the terrorist organization of Buddhist monks, led by Wirathu – naturally played the role of Thein Sein’s hound dogs, and made the life of Muslims, living both inside and outside the Arakan state, unlivable. In essence, the world saw Buddhist Nazism in practice in much of Myanmar, especially in the western state of Arakan (Rakhine), bordering Bangladesh, where the Rohingyas have been living for centuries.
Even the Nobel Laureate for peace, the much hyped democracy icon, Suu Kyi, chose to ignore the serious existential plight of this unfortunate people. An official census taken last year purposefully excluded the Rohingya denying them the voting right in country’s general election. All the political organizations that once represented the Rohingya people were disallowed from contesting in the election, and so were the former elected Rohingya MPs. It was all part of a very sinister plan to eliminate the Rohingya politically, socially and economically.
The fate of the Rohingya refugees did not fare well in the next-door Bangladesh either; not only were they unwelcome there but aid organizations that provide a modicum of relief to Rohingya continue to be doggedly harassed by government agencies.
With the election win of Suu Kyi’s NLD in the general election last year, a flicker of hope emerged within the international community who expected that she would self-correct her inexcusable role and do the needful towards improving the lot of the persecuted Rohingya. She had her own problems, too. Constitutional roadblocks were put on her way by Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government that denied her the right to become the president of the country. But she was able to outmaneuver USDP’s intent smartly by creating a new post with more power.
However, as days turned into months, nothing positive happened even as Suu Kyi took the reign of the government in Myanmar earlier this year. More problematically, she came under widespread international criticism for refusing to even mention the name “Rohingya” and rebuked an American diplomatic who did. Equally disturbingly, she revealed her own prejudice when after a heated interview with BBC’s veteran journalist, Mishal Husain, she was reportedly heard to say angrily, “No one told me I was going to be interviewed by a Muslim.” The case of the Rohingya looked utterly hopeless!
Then like a lightning bolt came the latest news: Suu Kyi has solicited the aid of Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the UN, to lead an “Advisory Commission on the Rakhine State.” The Annan-led commission includes both national and international officials who will recommend “lasting solutions to complex and delicate issues” in Rakhine state.
What brought this change of heart? Is it because Suu Kyi’s government has realized that for Myanmar to move forward it must loosen its ties with her problematic past that had earned only bad reputation from the international community? Is it because of the realization that the ongoing abuse and discrimination of the Rohingya is also threatening to undermine Myanmar’s historic opening and democratic transition, let alone delaying the needed economic prosperity?
Whatever may be the true intent of Suu Kyi’s government, there is little doubt that this decision was a timely one, and it was a bold one, too. Many Buddhists inside Myanmar, esp. in the Rakhine state, are die-hard racists and bigots. They resent this decision. They would rather see Rohingya and other religious minorities eliminated altogether from their country one way or another. Decades of falsification of historical truths and hateful propaganda that were propagated by the military government and hate provocateurs like (late) Aye Kyaw and Aye Chan have turned them into killers, justifying and allowing them to do savage crimes against the Rohingya and other Muslims. Forgotten in that lacunar worldview was the hard fact that the forefathers of today’s Rohingya people had settled in Arakan before those of the Rakhine people.
Myanmar needs the necessary foreign investment to move up economically, and cannot allow a delay of that process until investors’ perception of human rights of the country improves significantly. The international community has been dissatisfied with Suu Kyi’s slow response to ensuring protection, fairness, and justice for all of its people, esp. the Rohingya people whose plight is simply inhumane and unacceptable. Human rights groups have long been demanding donors to leverage their aid, and for the broader international community to pressure the Suu Kyi government to end the repression. They have been demanding that Myanmar respect international law, end its complicity in violating Rohingya rights and punish those promoting and carrying out ethnic cleansing whatever their motivation.
Suu Kyi, thus, had to find someone like Mr. Annan with a prudent track record that would provide the necessary positive publicity for her government, let alone infusion of the needed foreign money.
After leaving the UN, Mr. Annan has undertaken a few of these missions. In 2007, a disputed election in Kenya lead to widespread communal violence and threatened to unravel and otherwise thriving country. He mediated between the two parties and helped establish a commission of inquiry that investigated post-election violence, turning its findings over the International Criminal Court. He mediated a power sharing agreement that ended the prospect of further violence. It was no accident that groups like the Amnesty International have welcomed the decision.
“Today’s announcement is a sign that Myanmar’s authorities are taking the situation in Rakhine state seriously. But it will only have been a worthwhile exercise if it paves the way for the realization of human rights for all people in the state,” said Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for South East Asia and the Pacific said in a statement released earlier.
The formation of the advisory commission should be a matter of celebration. However, as hinted above, many Buddhists, esp. Rakhines (e.g., Arakan National Party – a racist group) are opposed to the Annan commission. They don’t want to solve the Rohingya problem. [The ANP has lately objected to the granting of citizenship of 29 white-card holding Muslims in Buthidaung in the Rakhine state. Prior to the 2015 election, the ANP had thrown its weight behind a successful push to disenfranchise white-card holders. It is worth noting here that according to government figures supplied, there were nearly 800,000 white-card holders in Myanmar at the time they were revoked last year, with over 660,000 in Rakhine State. White cards were first issued as a stop-gap measure in the early 1990s, with many of the state’s Muslims being assured it would pave the way to full citizenship.]
For years, the official Burmese mantra has been that “no foreigner can possibly understand Rakhine’s problems”. Thus, for the first time, the Burmese government is seeking international expertise to try and solve one of the country’s most complex problems. It is a big shift for the government in Myanmar.
Many human rights are also concerned because of the inclusion of Daw Khin Saw Tint – a known racist and bigot – in the commission. She is a Rakhine Buddhist who chairs the Rakhine Literature and Culture Association (Yangon), responsible for promoting intolerance against the Rohingya people. As Burmese human rights activist, Dr. Maung Zarni has shown in his blog, Ms. Khin Saw Tint remains a very hostile, anti-Rohingya zealot who falsely considers that Rohingyas have no history prior to the Burma’s independence from Great Britain. I wish Suu Kyi had been more careful in selection of the members of the Advisory Commission.
After being named in the commission, Khin Saw Tint said she believes working together with independent and highly respected international figures will present a clear image of what is happening in Rakhine State to the international community. “The problem can only be solved with a bilateral approach,” she said. I pray that she is not speaking with a forked tongue and does not torpedo the needed task of the commission, which does not include a single Rohingya.
The Annan commission is expected to start work in September and will release a full report, including a set of recommendations on “conflict prevention, prevention, humanitarian assistance, rights and reconciliation, institution building and promotion of development of Rakhine state” by the second half of 2017. However, as we all know too well, the litmus test going forward is whether or not the government will accept and implement those recommendations. | <urn:uuid:973cc3f3-1f4d-4c5b-8b16-b1eda144a4e1> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-22",
"url": "http://www.thestateless.com/2016/08/28/the-annan-commission-needs-to-be-successful/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463608877.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170527075209-20170527095209-00281.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9697562456130981,
"token_count": 2150,
"score": 2.796875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Subscribe To our E-Newsletter
Lung-Cancer Study: Processed Meats Alert
New research in an animal model suggests that a diet high in inorganic phosphates -- found in a variety of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery products -- might speed the growth of lung-cancer tumors and may even contribute to the development of those tumors in individuals predisposed to the disease.
The study also suggests that dietary regulation of inorganic phosphates may play an important role in lung-cancer treatment. The research, using a mouse model, was conducted by Myung-Haing Cho, D.V.M., Ph.D., and his colleagues at Seoul National University, appears in a recent issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical-Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society.
"Our study indicates that increased intake of inorganic phosphates strongly stimulates lung-cancer development in mice, and suggests that dietary regulation of inorganic phosphates may be critical for lung-cancer treatment as well as prevention," said Cho.
Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in the world, and is also the most frequently diagnosed solid tumor. Non-small-cell lung cancer constitutes more than 75 percent of lung cancers, and has an average overall 35-year survival rate of 14 percent.
Earlier studies have indicated that approximately 90 percent of NSCLC cases were associated with activation of certain signaling pathways in lung tissue. This study revealed that high levels of inorganic phosphates can stimulate those same pathways.
"Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell proliferation in lung tissue, and disruption of signaling pathways in those tissues can confer a normal cell with malignant properties," explained Cho.
"Deregulation of only a small set of pathways can confer a normal cell with malignant properties, and these pathways are regulated in response to nutrient availability and, consequently, cell proliferation and growth.
"Phosphate is an essential nutrient to living organisms, and can activate some signals," added Cho. "This study demonstrates that high intake of inorganic phosphates may strongly stimulate lung-cancer development by altering those [signaling] pathways."
In the study, lung-cancer model mice were observed for four weeks and randomly assigned to receive a diet of either .5 percent or 1 percent phosphate, a range roughly equivalent to modern human diets. At the end of the four-week period, the lung tissue was analyzed to determine the effects of the inorganic phosphates on tumors.
"Our results clearly demonstrated that the diet higher in inorganic phosphates caused an increase in the size of the tumors and stimulated growth of the tumors," said Cho.
He noted that while a moderate level of phosphate plays an essential role in living organisms, the rapidly increasing use of phosphates as a food additive has resulted in significantly higher levels in average daily diets. Phosphates are added to many food products to increase water retention and improve food texture.
Explained Cho: "In the 1990s, phosphorous-containing food additives contributed an estimated 470 mg per day to the average daily adult diet. However, phosphates are currently being added much more frequently to a large number of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery products.
"As a result, depending on individual food choices, phosphorous intake could be increased by as much as 1,000 mg per day."
Cho ended by saying that future studies will help refine what constitutes a "safe" level of dietary inorganic phosphate, with recommendations that will be easily achievable in the average population. | <urn:uuid:60e8092a-ca3e-4ac3-a182-5e8ccad0bff7> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-23",
"url": "http://www.jewishexponent.com/lung-cancer-s%E2%80%8Btudy-processed-meats-alert",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-23/segments/1404776430044.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20140707234030-00011-ip-10-180-212-248.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.960477352142334,
"token_count": 736,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Systems Neurobiology Laboratory
Audrey Geisel Chair in Biomedical Science
The billions of cells that make up the brain are a diverse bunch—some neurons are responsible for decision-making and others for memory, while some process information from the eye and others interpret smells. To understand how the brain organizes all these tasks and information, and what causes diseases like schizophrenia and autism, scientists need to map the connections between neurons. But it isn’t easy, as the brain is more like a tangled bowl of spaghetti than a neat matrix of city streets. And techniques to look at the brain have mostly only allowed researchers to get a big-picture view of structure rather than to zoom in on individual cells.
Edward Callaway’s lab pioneered a new way to map the connections between single neurons and specific cell types in the brain. The approach lets a modified virus hop from one brain cell only to the cells directly connected to the first cell. Then, the virus is stranded. By detecting where the virus ends up, Callaway’s team can figure out all the connections from the starting cells. And by identifying the connections of the various cell types in the brain and adding that to information about the functional properties of the cells, they can then make and test theories about how the circuits work.
The methods developed in Callaway’s lab are used by labs all around the world to map connections related to numerous nervous system functions and diseases such as schizophrenia, autism and Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Work in the Callaway lab primarily focuses on circuits in the cerebral cortex and how they process visual information. Because the visual cortex uses the same basic cell types and circuits that are used elsewhere in the cortex, this work could also help us understand how the brain enables other abilities, such as decision-making, hearing and movement.
Callaway’s lab developed a tool that uses a modified rabies virus to trace single connections between neurons, a technique now used across the world.
During the last year the lab used its novel circuit-tracing methods to obtain a detailed map of connections to specific cell types in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain linked to both movement and decision-making and implicated in Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. These studies provide insight into how different cell types in the basal ganglia structure contribute to motor control and decision-making.
Callaway mapped the connections between cells in the retina of the eye and the brain and discovered that there’s a unique highway of connections that has the sole purpose of letting the eye and brain work together to sense up-and-down or side-to-side movement.
BS, Biology, Stanford University
PhD, California Institute of Technology
Postdoctoral Fellow, Rockefeller University | <urn:uuid:4b291a19-c8bc-4197-afbf-418e81015378> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-04",
"url": "http://www.salk.edu/scientist/edward-callaway/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281069.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00394-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9156757593154907,
"token_count": 569,
"score": 3.734375,
"int_score": 4
} |
Runcorn facts for kids
Runcorn's Silver Jubilee Bridge
|Runcorn shown within Cheshire|
|OS grid reference|
|• London||167 mi (269 km) SE|
|Sovereign state||United Kingdom|
|EU Parliament||North West England|
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port in Cheshire, England, located within the Borough of Halton. In 2010, Runcorn's population was estimated to be 61,000. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey, where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north across the River Mersey is the town of Widnes. Upstream and 8 miles (12.9 km) to the northeast is the town of Warrington, and downstream 16 miles (26 km) to the west is the city of Liverpool.
Runcorn railway station is on a branch of the West Coast Main Line and provides frequent services to the Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, and London Euston stations. The A533 road passes through the town from the south, crossing the Runcorn Gap over the Silver Jubilee Bridge, the lowest bridge crossing of the River Mersey. The Manchester Ship Canal runs alongside the Runcorn bank of the River Mersey; the Bridgewater Canal terminates in the canal basin in the town centre, as the staircase of locks leading down to the ship canal was filled in many decades ago.
Runcorn was a small, isolated village until the Industrial Revolution. It was a health resort in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Towards the end of the 18th century, a port began to develop on the south bank of the River Mersey. During the 19th century, industries developed the manufacture of soap and alkali, quarrying, shipbuilding, engineering, and tanning. In the early 20th century, the prime industries were chemicals and tanning. The original village has grown to include what were outlying villages.
Except for chemicals, all of the old industries have disappeared and there has been diversification, in particular because of the close links to the motorway system and the development of warehousing and distribution centres. A new town was built to the east of the existing town in the 1960s and 1970s, and areas of private housing have been established farther to the east; this has resulted in the population more than doubling from around 26,000 to its present level of 70,000.
The earliest written reference to the town is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is spelled "Rumcofan", literally meaning "a wide cove or bay". This word is derived from the Old English words "rúm" ("wide" or "broad") and "cofa" ("cave" or "cove"). Other historical spellings of Runcorn include "Rumcoven", "Ronchestorn", "Runckhorne", and "Runcorne".
Little is known about the early history of the settlement but isolated findings of objects from the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages have been made and there is evidence of a Roman presence in the area. The earliest recorded event in its history is the building by Ethelfleda of a fortification at Runcorn to protect the northern frontier of her kingdom of Mercia against the Vikings in 915. The fort was built on Castle Rock overlooking the River Mersey at Runcorn Gap.
Following the Norman conquest, Runcorn was not mentioned in the 1086 Domesday survey, although surrounding settlements were. William the Conqueror granted the earldom of Chester to Hugh d'Avranches who granted the barony of Halton to Nigel. It is likely that Nigel erected a motte and bailey castle on Halton Hill in the 1070s. In 1115, Nigel's son, William Fitznigel, founded an Augustinian Priory at Runcorn. In 1134 the priory was moved to Norton, about 3.5 miles (6 km) away. In 1391 the priory was raised to the higher status of abbey. In 1536 the monastery was dissolved, and around nine years later the buildings and some of the monastic lands were sold to Sir Richard Brooke who converted the habitable part of the abbey into a house.
During the Civil War Halton Castle was held for the Royalists by John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers, the Steward of Halton. It fell twice to Parliamentarian Roundheads. The first siege was led by Sir William Brereton in 1643; the second was during the following year. Following this, a "Council of War" was held in Warrington in 1646 at which it was decided that the castle should be slighted. In 1656, Runcorn was described as being "nothing but a fair parish church, a parsonage and a few scattered tenements". And so it remained for over a century, an isolated and poor hamlet. The only through traffic used the ferry which crossed from Runcorn to the north bank of the River Mersey. Towards the end of the 18th century and in the early years of the 19th century the town was a health resort.
During the 18th century water transport had been improved in the area by the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, the Bridgewater Canal and the Trent and Mersey Canal. This gave Runcorn waterway connections with most of the interior of England through the canal system and with the sea along the River Mersey, thus forming the basis for the development of the Port of Runcorn. Later came the Runcorn to Latchford Canal linking with the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, and the Weston Canal which gave better access to the Weaver Navigation system. Industries began to develop within and around the town, in particular quarrying for Runcorn sandstone, shipbuilding, engineering, the manufacture of soap and chemicals and tanning. Runcorn was becoming an industrialised and highly polluted town. During the later 19th century the town became increasingly dominated by the chemical and tanning industries.
In 1868 the Runcorn Railway Bridge was opened across the Mersey, giving Runcorn direct rail links with Liverpool and the rest of the country. In the 1880s a pipeline was opened between Northwich and Weston Point, supplying brine to the salt and chemical works. In 1894 the Manchester Ship Canal was opened throughout its length. This allowed ocean-going ships to travel inland as far as Salford, some of them calling at the port of Runcorn. The rise in population between 1881 and 1891 and the drop by 1901 is explained by the number of people involved in constructing the ship canal. In 1905 the Widnes-Runcorn Transporter Bridge opened, giving a direct link for vehicular traffic for the first time between the two towns.
During the first half of the 20th century the industry of the town continued to be dominated by chemicals and tanning. This growth was largely due to government fixed-priced cost contracts for tanned hides. In 1926 four chemical companies merged to form Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). As the century progressed there was diversification of industry. In 1961 the Transporter Bridge was replaced by Runcorn Road Bridge (since named the Silver Jubilee Bridge) which allowed a more efficient means of road traffic across Runcorn Gap. The designation of Runcorn as a new town in 1964 brought major changes and more than doubled the population. Much of the architecture of the new town was innovative, especially the Southgate development designed by Sir James Stirling and built between 1970 and 1977. Stirling's housing development was beset with problems and it was demolished in the early 1990s. During the second half of the 20th century the tanneries closed (the last to close was the Highfield Tannery in the late 1960s) and the chemical industry declined. At the same time, light industry developed together with warehouses and distribution centres.
Runcorn is situated on a spur projecting into the River Mersey, which flows to the north and then to the west of the town. On the north bank of the river is another spur forming the West Bank area of Widnes; together these form Runcorn Gap, a narrowing of the River Mersey. Runcorn Gap is crossed by the Runcorn Railway Bridge, which carries the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line, and the Silver Jubilee Bridge, which carries the A533. To the south of the town is the River Weaver and the Weston Canal. Both open into the ship canal. To the southeast of the town run the M56 motorway, the Chester–Manchester railway line, and the main branch of the West Coast Main Line. The town has a system of "expressways", roads designed to divert traffic away from the residential areas. The Central Expressway runs through the centre of the town in a north-south direction. To the west of it lie most of the former settlements which formed the older part of the town, namely Runcorn, Higher Runcorn, Weston, Weston Point and Clifton (formerly Rocksavage), and the new town areas of Halton Brook and Halton Lodge. To the east are the village of Halton, the old settlements of Norton and Stockham, and the new town areas of Castlefields, Palacefields, Windmill Hill, Murdishaw, Brookvale and Hallwood Park.
The density of housing is generally high, but there are open green areas, in particular heathland on Runcorn Hill and the extensive Town Park created as part of the new town. The older industries, particularly the remaining chemical factories, are concentrated mainly to the southwest of the town bordering the Mersey, while newer industries, including warehousing, are to the northeast and southeast.
The Runcorn area drains into the River Mersey to the north and the River Weaver to the south. The bedrock of the western and northeastern parts of the town is made up of rock from the Sherwood sandstone group; in the other areas the bedrock is from the Mercia mudstone group. In places there are prominent outcrops of sandstone, particularly at Runcorn Hill and Halton Hill. Elsewhere the bedrock is covered by drift. At the northwestern periphery of the town the drift consists of recently blown sand. Farther to the east and bordering the River Mersey is recent alluvium. Elsewhere the drift consists of till.
Being close to the west coast and the Irish Sea, the climate is generally temperate. The mean average temperature in the years 1971 to 2000 was 9.4 to 9.7 °C, which was slightly above the average for the United Kingdom as was the average amount of annual sunshine at 1,391 to 1,470 hours. The average annual rainfall was 741 to 870 mm, which was slightly below the average for the UK. The average number of days in the year when snow is on the ground is 0 to 6, which is low for the United Kingdom. The average number of days of air frost is 2 to 39, which is also low.
Since the borough of Halton became a unitary authority in 1998, demographic statistics have been collated for the authority as a whole, rather than separately for the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. While the two towns have different histories and come from different historic counties, their demographic features are similar.
The population of Halton in 2011 was 125,700. The change in population during the 20th and 21st centuries is shown in the following table.
Landmarks and places of interest
The major landmark in the town is Halton Castle on the top of Halton Hill near the geographical centre of the town. Only ruins of the castle exist, but there are widespread views from the top of the hill. The castle grounds are open at advertised times. Incorporated in the castle walls is the Castle Hotel building, which used to include a courthouse on the first floor. Another landmark is Norton water tower, built of Runcorn sandstone, 112 feet (34 m) high, which holds 672,000 imperial gallons (3 million litres) of water and supplies it to Liverpool.
An important historical site and the major visitor centre in the town is Norton Priory, now a museum. The site contains the remains of a priory with adjacent gardens, formerly of a country house. Nearby are a walled garden, including a national collection of tree quinces, and an ice house.
Much of the architecture of the town is undistinguished, but there are listed buildings of some importance. The listed churches are All Saints Parish Church and Holy Trinity Church in the centre of the older part of the town, St Mary's in Halton village, St John's in Weston, and Christ Church in Weston Point. All Saints' Church, a Grade II* listed building, dates from 1849 and was built by Anthony Salvin in red sandstone. The oldest existing houses are the Seneschal's House in Halton village (1598), Weston Old Hall (1607), Brookfield Farmhouse (1691) and Halton Old Hall (1693). Other outstanding houses include Runcorn Town Hall (formerly Halton Grange), Camden House and Cottage in High Street and Bridgewater House near the ship canal.
A war memorial to those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars, as well as those killed in later conflicts, is located at the end of Moughland Lane. There is a memorial in Castle Road, Halton village, commemorating residents of the village who served in the Boer War.
Theatre and cinema
The Brindley is a theatre and arts centre which opened in 2004. It is situated in the old town centre and named after James Brindley, engineer of the adjacent Bridgewater Canal. It contains a proscenium theatre seating 420 and a multi-purpose theatre seating 108, The Studio, which doubles as a cinema. There is an exhibition space for art installations, a small café and multi-purpose rooms. The centre is owned and administered by Halton Borough Council which runs community events in the building. In 2007, it won the title of "Best Arts Project in the UK" at the National Lottery Awards. A multiplex cinema run by Cineworld is in Trident Park.
Runcorn has been used for the shooting of films and television programmes. Some of the sequences in the first two series of the BBC police drama Merseybeat were filmed in and around the town. The BBC situation comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps was set in Runcorn. External shots of the Waterloo Hotel in the area of High Street known as Top Locks (which is known in the show as The Archer) appear as well. The opening credits show the Silver Jubilee Bridge and Halton Castle. Drop Dead Gorgeous, a drama on BBC Three, was set in Runcorn. Norton Priory has been used as a location in films and television programmes. Areas of Runcorn old town have featured in The Five TV crime drama series on Sky1.
Runcorn is served by two weekly papers, the Runcorn Weekly News and the Runcorn World. The town is also home to Halton Community Radio, which broadcasts over the Runcorn and Widnes area on the frequency 92.3FM. This is a non-commercial radio station which is run by volunteers. HCR was launched on 8 August 2008, and currently has a five-year licence to broadcast.
The Runcorn Ferry
Before the building of Runcorn Railway Bridge and its attached footbridge, the only way to cross the Mersey at or near Runcorn Gap, other than by the dangerous method of fording, was by ferry. The ferry has a history going back to the 12th century. The ferry was celebrated in the monologue entitled The Runcorn Ferry, written by Marriott Edgar and popularised by Stanley Holloway. It includes the lines:
|“||Per tuppence per person per trip ...
Per trip or per part of per trip.
The main library is at Halton Lea with a branch library in the old town centre. Runcorn has two locations offering One-Stop-Shop facilities; one is Halton Direct Link in Halton Lea, and the other is in the old town library. Runcorn Direct Link also includes a Tourist Information Centre.
Runcorn Hill Local Nature Reserve has been developed on the site of a quarry and consists of heathland. Adjacent to it is a park which includes a bandstand, a model boating lake and sports facilities. Wigg Island is a nature reserve on a former industrial site. The reserve is on an island between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey and consists of open spaces and woodland with bird hides and pathways. Other nature reserves in the town are Murdishaw Valley, Oxmoor Woods and Ponds, and Dorchester Park. Further public open areas are Rock Park, Town Hall Park and Phoenix Park. Open areas in Runcorn form part of Mersey Forest, one of Britain's community forests.
Runcorn's hospital is Halton General Hospital, which is administered by the Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Originally planned as a District General Hospital, it was never large enough to provide a full range of services. Acute medical services have been transferred to Warrington Hospital and Halton General has become a centre for non-emergency surgery and rehabilitation. Although it never had its own accident and emergency department the hospital has a minor injuries unit for basic emergency care. On the same site is the Cheshire and Merseyside NHS Treatment Centre, a purpose-built hospital for orthopaedic surgery. Halton Haven Hospice is in the Murdishaw area of the town. The body responsible for planning health services in Runcorn, including primary care, is the Halton Clinical Commissioning Group.
When plans for Runcorn New Town were drawn up, they included three distinct types of road: local roads, expressways and the Busway. The expressways are intended to keep all through traffic off the local roads. This system links to the north by the A533 over the Silver Jubilee Bridge to Widnes and Merseyside, to the northeast to Warrington by the A56, to the east to Northwich and north Cheshire by the A533, and to the southeast by the A557 to the M56 and to Frodsham. The M56 links to the M6 and, to the north of Widnes, the A557 links to the M62. The Busway is a system of roads for use by buses only, and bears no resemblance to guided busways or bus lanes in use elsewhere, as it is a totally separate road system, not running alongside (or down the middle of) existing roads. In addition, there is a network of dedicated cycleways in the town.
There are two railway stations. Runcorn Mainline Station, located in the old town, is on the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line, and is managed by Virgin Trains, who provide services between Liverpool Lime Street and London Euston. London Midland run a service between Liverpool and Birmingham New Street that calls at the station. Runcorn East station, located in the Murdishaw district of the new town, is managed by Arriva Trains Wales, and provides services to Warrington, Manchester and Chester. Bus services are provided by Halton Transport and Arriva. National Express coaches call at Runcorn, and other coach services are provided by Selwyns Travel, and Anthony's Travel, who are both based in the town.
The Silver Jubilee Bridge was widened in the mid-1970s by bolting a new pedestrian way to the side of the original structure and widening the roadways over the old footpaths. It is a bottleneck and becomes congested at peak travel times, and in the event of a breakdown or accident on the bridge, traffic in the area comes to a standstill. To resolve this problem, a second crossing of the Mersey is planned, to be known as the Mersey Gateway.
Runcorn is 8 miles (13 km) from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and 22 miles (35 km) from Manchester Airport.
The 2001 census showed, that of the people living in the borough of Halton, 83.8% declared themselves to be Christian, 8.7% stated that they had "no religion," and 7.0% made no religious claims at all. Those stating their religions as Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Islam or Sikh amounted to 0.5%.
The Anglican churches are part of the Diocese of Chester and the deanery of Frodsham. In Runcorn, the parish church is All Saints in the old town centre. Ten other Anglican churches are in the town. Five Roman Catholic churches can be found in Runcorn and are administered by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. There are three Methodist chapels and one Welsh Presbyterian chapel. Wicksten Drive Christian Centre is shared between the Church of England and the Methodists. Hallwood Ecumenical Parish in Beechwood and Palace Fields consists of 3 churches all recognised by the Church of England, the Methodists and the United Reformed Church. Norton Ecumenical Parish, covering Windmill Hill, Norton and Murdishaw, is served by an Ecumenical Partnership between St Berteline's Church (Anglican) and Murdishaw Ecumenical Church (Methodist run).
There is an Independent Baptist chapel, three independent Christian churches, and a LDS Church. The Jehovah's Witnesses have two Kingdom Halls with three congregations, and there is a Spiritualist church. In 2013 the former Waterloo Hotel was converted into a Buddhist temple by Wat Phra Singh UK. As of May 2014[update], there are five resident monks.
Images for kids
Runcorn Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia. | <urn:uuid:54c99fc4-4c93-4b34-85e2-d8c67a269a38> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-43",
"url": "https://kids.kiddle.co/Runcorn",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986673538.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20191017095726-20191017123226-00214.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9675359725952148,
"token_count": 4488,
"score": 3.1875,
"int_score": 3
} |
Noah Berlatsky / December 20, 2018
If you’re possessed by the devil, you’ve been corrupted—and if you’ve been corrupted, that means you were innocent to start with. Demonic possession isn’t so much about the evil that enters you as it is about asserting that the evil comes from outside. The devil exists to tell us we’re pure. That’s why, as James Baldwin explains, “At the end of The Exorcist (1973) the demon-racked little girl murderess kisses the Holy Father, and she remembers nothing.”
That quote comes from the end of Baldwin’s remarkable The Devil Finds Work (1976), a memoir of the author’s life with, and near, film. One of the book’s central themes is the self-deception, and the grimly hoarded ignorance, of white America. What he says of In the Heat of the Night could also be said of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, or Birth of a Nation, or any of the dozen other films he discusses: “It is not that the creators of the film were inspired by base motives, but that they could not understand their motives, nor be responsible for the effect of their exceedingly complex motives in action.”
The film adaptation of Lady Sings the Blues (1972), for example, loosely based on Billie Holiday’s 1956 autobiography of the same name, erases her own testimony that she sang the song “Strange Fruit” to commemorate her father. A jazz musician, he died on the road in Dallas, Texas, when he could not get treatment at a hospital for pneumonia because he was black. In the movie, Holiday is on tour in the South when she comes upon the aftermath of a lynching; she is traumatized, and her white bandmates have to save her from a mob. Racism becomes a gothic aberration from which white saviors rescue black people, rather than a banal day-to-day brutality, which white people indifferently inflict. “Blacks perceive danger far more swiftly, and, however odd this may sound, then attempt to protect their white comrade from his white brothers: they know their white comrade’s brothers far better than the comrade does,” Baldwin writes. The point of Lady Sings the Blues is, in Baldwin’s view, not to capture Holiday’s testimony and voice, but rather to make sure that white people can continue not to know what their white brothers are capable of. You watch so as not to see what those hands are doing with that rope.
The Exorcist, released three years before the book was written, is the last movie discussed in The Devil Finds Work. Baldwin reads the film as a supernatural distillation of white American dishonesty. The plot centers on Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), a successful actress shooting a film in Georgetown when her pre-adolescent daughter Regan (Linda Blair) is possessed by the devil. This possession causes Regan to vomit great gouts of green bile, spin her head around like an owl, masturbate with a crucifix, and (offscreen) murder her mom’s friend, director Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran). After consulting doctors and psychiatrists to no avail, Chris decides that her daughter needs an exorcism. This is provided by handsome, young, modern psychiatrist/priest Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and old warhorse Lankester Merrin (Max Von Sydow). Both priests die in the attempt, but the girl is saved, and the devil is banished evermore, or at least till the sequel.
What is terrifying about the film, in Baldwin’s view, is not the vomiting or the head-turning or the crucifix-masturbating. Rather, what frightens him is “the mindless and hysterical banality of the evil presented” in it—the conceit that evil manifests via gothic fluids and superhuman strength. “The Americans,” Baldwin writes, “should certainly know more about evil than that; if they profess otherwise, they are lying, and any black man, and not only blacks—many, many others, including white children—can call them on this lie; he who has been treated as the devil recognizes the devil when they meet.”
Of course, the reason that “white children” might recognize the devil, in the context of 1973, is that white children—as well as disproportionate numbers of black children—were being sent off to Vietnam to die for reasons not much better explained than the devil’s motives in inhabiting Regan. In fact, The Exorcist is often read as a response to anxieties about Vietnam protest and youth culture. The movie within a movie that Chris is shooting involves some vaguely defined protest movement, and she refers to the plot with some scorn as “kind of like the Walt Disney version of the Ho Chi Minh story.”
The Exorcist, too, presents youth rebellion Hollywoodized. Regan becomes a kind of parody of delinquency: foul-mouthed, hypersexual, possibly an addict. (One psychiatrist asks Chris with diffident condescension whether she keeps any drugs in the house.) Even the spirit that Regan contacts through the Ouija board, “Captain Howdy,” sounds like a nickname for a hippie dealer. As Stephen King writes in his Danse Macabre (1981), an exploration of the horror genre, Regan under the influence of the devil “would have responded enthusiastically to the Fish Cheer at Woodstock.” The infirm, pious exorcist Merrin, tremblingly clutching his heart pills, is a symbol of the sclerotic status quo, about to be replaced by the rebellious, scruffy, prematurely corrupt youth.
The film, then, can be seen as a panicked demand that young people refrain from corrupting—which is to say, educating—their elders. But that panic is also a kind of pleasure. The selling point of the film, after all, is all those gross effects; watching Regan transform from an aggressively cheerful, spunky teen into a bloated, oozing monstrosity is what you’re there to see. Like The Blackboard Jungle (1955) and other youth exploitation films, the overt moral condemnation is a thin veneer over voyeuristic pleasure. You tut-tut at evil in order to stare at evil. “Lick me!” Satanic Regan bellows at her mother, and at the film audience too, the latter of which is surely supposed to react, not just with horror, but with prurience. When Karras demands that the devil abandon the little girl and enter him, he’s not so much sacrificing his life as he is speaking the buried, disavowed wish of the movie. He takes evil into himself—and then immediately throws himself from a window to his death, demonstrating his innocence and purity. He chose evil, but only to preserve the good.
Karras is an adult, but it’s important that, within the film, he is insistently placed in the role of a child. His most important relationship is with his aging mother, who he is unable to attend to as he wishes because of his lack of money and his duties as a priest/psychiatrist. The devil plays on these regrets (“Your mother sucks cocks in hell!” may be the film’s most vivid dialogue) as part of his diabolical master plan to leap from one dutiful child to the other. Satan corrupts innocent children—or, alternately, children provide the innocence whereby Satan is de-corrupted and his sins forgiven, or at least blamed on somebody else. The devil “does not levitate beds or fool around with little girls: we do,” Baldwin says. But in The Exorcist, we don’t, because we are those sweet kids Regan and Karras, who wouldn’t hurt a fly, or napalm a country. It must be someone else’s fault (probably the commies’.)
For Baldwin, The Exorcist is a bad film because the devil inside is a lie. He never, to my knowledge, wrote about Angel Heart (1987), which was released a few months before his death. I think, possibly, he would have seen it as a more honest portrait of possession, and of innocence.
* * *
Angel Heart, despite a couple of significant changes, is a faithful adaptation of William Hjortsberg’s 1978 novel Falling Angel. The movie is set in 1955, and centers on Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke), a shabbily charismatic private detective. Angel is hired by a mysterious, rich, long-nailed Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro, radiating ego). Harry’s task is to find a missing singer named Johnny Favorite, whose career ended following a disastrous stint in the army, which resulted in the reconstruction of his face. Favorite has supposedly been in a sanitarium since, but it turns out he left there and disappeared. Everyone Angel interviews to try to track him down ends up murdered—and Angel is increasingly worried that those deaths will be pinned on him. The twist ending is that Angel is Favorite. The singer made a deal with the devil, aka Cyphre, for power and success. He then tried to avoid paying with his soul by using a black magic ritual to switch lives with another man—a returning soldier named Harry Angel. Favorite tore out Angel’s heart and ate it, transforming himself into the other man. So the Angel we follow through the film is really, unbeknownst to him and us, Angel’s murderer.
It’s significant that the murder is of a veteran of the Greatest Generation, returning home. World War II was, and remains, a central symbol of American virtue; it’s the period of US history implicitly summoned by the phrase “Make America Great Again.” In murdering Angel and cutting out his heart, Favorite is defiling and corrupting the American dream. In Angel Heart, though, that corruption is an illusion, insofar as innocence is always already torn from itself, in great gouts of blood. There is no pure Harry Angel; the man on our screen, making jokes about his fear of chickens, or self-deprecatingly pooh-poohing magic with the repeated line, “I’m from Brooklyn,” isn’t actually from Brooklyn. He’s a sorcerer cosplaying as the schlub whose heart he ate.
We never see that schlub. Instead, in a repeated quasi-dream image, we see the back of the head of a man who is presumably Harry Angel, turning towards us. But the shot is always cut before we can make out any features. We can never see what innocence looks like. Harry (who isn’t Harry) experiences the vision of the turning face of Harry as a terror. Innocence frightens him—as well it should. In fact, you could say that Harry is possessed by innocence. This possession is an innovation in the movie. There are hints in the novel that Harry is a dangerous man who is hiding secrets from himself: “Cruelty comes easily to you, yet you find it inconceivable that you are so gifted at hurting others,” a fortune teller informs him. He wakes up in bed to find himself choking Epiphany Proudfoot, a young black woman with whom he falls in love. But the true source of violence in the novel is the devil himself, Mr. Cyphre, who dogs Harry’s footsteps, murdering the fortune teller, and Epiphany, and everyone else Harry talks to as well. Harry leaves a wake of destruction behind him, but the violence is Cyphre’s doing, not his own.
The film, though, is more ruthless. Harry does not know who he is; logically, therefore, he can be anyone, which is to say he is capable of anything. In a chillingly effective scene at the end of the movie, we see a flashback sequence of what Harry has forgotten—a montage of him committing a series of violent, terrible murders. In one he licks a knife after castrating a black man, an atrocity that intentionally recalls lynchings and racist violence. In another he cuts out the heart of that fortune teller (Charlotte Rampling). Cyphre supposedly possessed Harry in these moments, leading him to murder and then forget. The flashbacks have such an impact not because they are discontinuous with what we know of Harry, but because they aren’t. Like many a noir detective and/or action hero, Harry’s shabby charm is draped over casual brutality. He gets Favorite’s old doctor, a morphine addict, to talk to him by threatening to take away his drugs. The coercion is almost loving; he puts his face against the doctor’s and croons threats—a lullaby of sadism. For Harry to then shoot the doctor in the eye (as we learn at the end that he did) is a logical consummation, just as it makes sense that the bullying sexual suggestions to the fortune teller should culminate in a bloody end. We forgive Harry’s cruelty over the course of the film because he’s the white male designated protagonist, pursuing good ends. The genre conventions tell us he’d never cross those lines. But we, like Harry himself, should have known better.
Harry’s last victim is Epiphany (Lisa Bonet), the 17-year-old leader of a voodoo circle in Louisiana, where Harry’s search leads him. Harry hides in the swamp and watches her lead a religious ritual with sacrificing of chickens and group sex. Epiphany is arresting and sexual, and the blood of the chickens recalls the earlier murders, not to mention racist Hollywood tropes linking voodoo to violence and black magic, from 1943’s I Walked With a Zombie to 1973’s Live and Let Die. As Baldwin says of the scenes of The Exorcist in Iraq, the sequence evokes “the uneasiness one cannot but feel when touched by the energy of distant gods, unknown.” The white hero watches the chaotic thrashing of non-white peoples. He will draw forth their secrets, plumb their mysteries, and restore order.
Those secrets, however, are his secrets, and the only ugly, supernatural thing he finds in the swamp is himself. The girl is, it turns out, Johnny Favorite’s daughter—which means, unbeknownst to Harry, that she is his daughter. He sleeps with her and then murders her by shoving his gun into her and pulling the trigger. Her son, his grandson, is left behind. The movie’s last striking image is of the boy gesturing at him, his eyes lighting up with the unearthly glow we first saw in the gaze of Mr. Cyphre. It’s a scene that seems expressly designed to illustrate the closing passage of The Devil Finds Work:
The grapes of wrath are stored in the cotton field and migrant shacks and ghettoes of this nation, and in the schools and prisons, and in the eyes and hearts and perceptions of the wretched everywhere, and in the ruined earth of Vietnam, and in the orphans and the widows, and in the old men, seeing visions, and in the young men, dreaming dreams: these have already kissed the bloody cross and will not bow down before it again: and have forgotten nothing.
The people white men harm may not forget, but Angel does. “I know who I am” he says, over and over, almost weeping. But he doesn’t know. Angel is possessed—not by the devil, and not even by his own doppelganger, but by his refusal to know himself. The devil does not corrupt the innocent; the devil is innocence, which is a kind of corruption. Not knowing can be both deliberate and a sin. Harry has forgotten he isn’t an Angel, and so he wades in blood up to his elbows; it is because Johnny believes he is a Favorite that he is justified in consuming a beating heart. The devil is as white as the egg Cyphre eats with such slow relish, and as without stain. If there is blood on his hands, he forgets it so completely he does not even need to wipe it off.
Noah Berlatsky is the author of Wonder Woman: Bondage and Feminism in the Marston/Peter Comics. | <urn:uuid:dec59b20-b0e0-4c9c-abb2-50770a2ef7cc> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2022-21",
"url": "https://wearethemutants.com/2018/12/20/the-devil-you-dont-know-possession-race-and-innocence-in-the-exorcist-and-angel-heart/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662517485.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20220517130706-20220517160706-00310.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9597026705741882,
"token_count": 3502,
"score": 2.84375,
"int_score": 3
} |
(Last Updated on : 27/11/2014)
Squirrels belong to the family Sciuridae, a well-defined group within the order Rodentia. Over fifty genera have been included in this family. All the family are characterised by grinding teeth which are low-crowned and cuspidate, and by a peculiar attachment of the masseter (main chewing) muscle which is inserted in the skull ahead of the zygomatic arch. Besides the familiar tree-dwelling and busty-tailed squirrels, it is not generally realized that Marmots, Ground Hogs and the Ground Squirrels of the great natural prairie regions also belong to this family. Prairie Dogs and Susliks are Sciurids and are burrowing short-tailed rodents quite dissimilar in habits from tree squirrels. Twenty of the Indian species are, however, largely arboreal, and are exceedingly active, feeding on buds, fruits, nuts and other vegetable substances.
Squirrels have lived in captivity for over ten years and have a potential longevity of fifteen to twenty years. The females reach maturity between six to eight months. Mating is promiscuous and the female when in season often mates with several males. Their love life lasts for a day. The gestation period varies from as short as twenty eight days in Ratufa, up to forty two days in Funambulus. During lactation the female spurns all attention from the male and often aggressively drives him away. She makes a nest in which the naked and helpless young are born and jealously guards and rears her offsprings, unaided by the male. Palm Squirrels average three litters a year with an average of three young per litter, and Flying Squirrels in northern latitudes produce only one or two litters per year. Squirrels make large untidy nests of leaves, twigs and vegetable fibre in trees for rearing their young. The nest, known as a drey, is usually placed among the slender, upper branches hidden among the foliage of a tree or in the hollow of the tree-trunk. It may also be used for sleeping during the non-breeding season.
Not surprisingly because of the advantages offered by tall-tree evergreen forest, eleven out of the twenty tree squirrel species occur in Eastern India, in Assam
and in the north-eastern Himalaya. One species of Flying Squirrel, one species of Giant Squirrel and two species of Palm or Striped Squirrels are widespread in the peninsula.
Flying Squirrels are distinguished from other squirrels by the presence of an elastic membrane of skin between front and hind legs which act as a parachute and permit the animal to glide from tree to tree, often over considerable distances on hill slopes. The method of 'flying' is to jump from a tree at a height to another at some distance and below. At the end of the glide the squirrel banks steeply and lands with all four feet on the tree-trunk. All Flying Squirrels are nocturnal and spend the day in tree hollows. Their presence in a forested area is often known only by their mewing call, which is distinctive.
The Common Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis) is found in forested areas throughout the peninsula. In the Himalaya Mountains
three more species of Giant Squirrels and three smaller flying squirrels occur. Some of them, like Hodgson's Flying Squirrel (Petaurista magnificus), are splendidly coloured, with a bright yellow line down the middle of their back. The Wooly Flying Squirrel (Eupetaurus cinereus) of Kashmir is peculiar in that it only occurs in cold dry areas where tree growth is limited and where it is said to be capable of gliding from rock to rock. It is now an uncommon and rare species known only from a few localities. The Small Travancore Flying Squirrel is peculiar to the forests of Kerala
, and is a rare and little-known species.
Giant Squirrels of the genus Ratufa are the known tree Squirrels in the world, and exhibit a simple polymorphism in coat colour and pattern. Races of the Indian Giant Squirrel (Ratufa indica) are not uncommon in the forests of the peninsula. They vary in colour from the pale cream race (R.i.dealbata) of the Dangs in Gujarat
through the Rufous Squirrels to the almost Black Squirrels of Kerala. A widespread race is the Central Indian Gian Squirrel (R.i.centralis) of Madhya Pradesh
, South Bihar
and Eastern Ghats. Giant Squirrels make their presence known by their loud alarm-calls. They are partial to particular patches of forest and build large dreys for breeding and for roosting at night. The Grizzled Giant Squirrel (R.macroura dandolena) is rare and restricted to a small area of deciduous forest on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu
. Other races of this species occur in Sri Lanka. The Malayan Giant Squirrel (R.bicolor) replaces the Indian Giant Squirrel in the Eastern Himalaya and the states of eastern India.
Striped or Palm Squirrels comprise of five species. The Five-striped (Funambulus pennanti) in the north and Three-striped (Funambulus palmarum) in the south, are both commensal with man in the peninsula. Thriving in all but the most densely populated areas of Indian cities, the Palm Squirrels are the commonest and best-known of Indian squirrels. They are most often seen hanging head down from a tree-trunk, and scolding shrilly at whatever has, at that moment, frightened them. They live largely on the vegetable food found in human vicinity, and occasionally raid birds' nests for eggs. Two to three young are reared at a time, in a nest of vegetable fibre built on trees or in the eaves of houses.
In the jungles of the southern peninsula three more species of Striped Squirrels occur: Layard's Striped Squirrel (Funambulus layardi), and the Dusky Striped Squirrel (F.sublineatus), both of which live in the forests of Kerala
, and the Jungle Striped Squirrel (F.sublineatus) occurring throughout the Western Ghat forests. In the eastern Himalayas the Himalayan Striped Squirrel (Callosciurus macclellandi) replaces the Palm Squirrels. The eastern Himalayas are also the home of several very loud-voiced species of medium-sized squirrels like the Orange-bellied Himalayan Squirrel (Dremomys lokriah), the Red-cheeked Squirrel (Dremomys rufigenis) with its sharply pointed nose, and Perny's Squirrel (D.pernyi). Two species of Callosciurus, a genus which is well represented by species in Burma, also occurs in eastern India. Very little is known of the squirrels of Eastern India. | <urn:uuid:c893a48f-3b4c-48e6-a75c-da451ae97cb6> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-50",
"url": "https://www.indianetzone.com/44/squirrels.htm",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141197593.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20201129093434-20201129123434-00545.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9506494402885437,
"token_count": 1460,
"score": 3.40625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Oat is a cereal crop that is used for food, feed and forage. It has a variety of distinct agronomic strengths including low input requirements, high biotic/abiotic stress tolerance (including take-all resistance), distinctive starch granule properties and healthy grain quality. A better understanding of the genes underpinning important traits in oat is expected to have wide potential for crop improvement. Common cultivated oat (Avena sativa) has a hexaploid genome of ~11,300 Mb that has not yet been sequenced. We recently sequenced the genome of diploid oat (Avena strigosa; genome size 3.92 Gb). Here we will build on this exciting and very significant foundation by: 1) annotating the oat genome sequence; 2) carrying out comparative genomics to investigate why oat is so different from other cereals; 3) mining the oat genome for pathways for the synthesis of specialized metabolites; 4) establishing and validating a prototype reverse genetics platform to enable functional analysis in oat. | <urn:uuid:5cc9d9b8-a189-4458-965f-405aa645b9bf> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-22",
"url": "http://www.cepams.com/research/researchprojects/cropproductivity/201606/t20160602_337604.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-22/segments/1495463608686.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20170526222659-20170527002659-00156.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.8991398811340332,
"token_count": 218,
"score": 3.296875,
"int_score": 3
} |
HIV/AIDS and Violence Against Women
Panel on Women and Health
March 3, 1999
IntroductionMadam Chair, Ladies and Gentlemen . . . I very much welcome the opportunity to speak here today . . .
As the head of UNAIDS, I am normally used to emphasizing the relentless rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in many parts of the world. Not just in Africa where its continued expansion is of deep concern, but also in Asia and increasingly Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. I also tend to explore what we -- the world community -- can do about it.
Today, however, I would like to focus on a particularly insidious aspect of the AIDS epidemic. It is also one which is only now beginning to receive the international recognition it deserves. I am referring to violence against women and its impact on the merciless spread of this global disease.
Most countries have completely failed to deal with this issue. Gender-based violence is still a taboo subject. In many places it is considered a private matter, not to be discussed publicly. This, ladies and gentlemen, is an unacceptable situation.
Domestic violence, rape and other forms of sexual abuse are gross violations of human rights. They are also closely linked to some of today's most intractable health issues, including the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. But before I describe their health consequences, let me say a few words about the sheer scale of violence against girls and women.
The Scale of Violence Against Girls and WomenAccording to the World Health Organization, violence against girls and women throughout the world causes more death and disability among women in the 15 to 44 age group than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and even war. Most recent studies from around the world suggest that between 16% and 52% of women have been physically assaulted by an intimate partner at least once in their lives. This kind of assault is often associated with sexual violence, including rape.
In the United States, for example, a woman is assaulted -- usually by her husband -- every fifteen seconds. In India, one study suggested that between 18% and 45% of married men acknowledge abusing their wives.
Marital abuse, however, is not the only threat. Many women and girls are victims of sexual coercion by male relatives, classmates or neighbours. School girls in Africa, for example, often resort to sex with older "sugar daddies" to help pay education fees. The fact that many of these men may have multiple partners or practise unsafe sex does not seem to prove a deterrent.
Coercion can take the form of wanton rape. In South Africa, for example, roving gangs of young men, many infected with HIV, engage in what they call "catch and rape". Professional women who are considered to have "risen above themselves" are particularly vulnerable. Similar situations have arisen in the West Indies, where gangs have been assaulting women and girls as part of initiation ceremonies. In Papua New Guinea, 40 percent of rape victims are girls under the age of fifteen.
Rape has also become a deliberate weapon of war in many conflicts such as Central Africa and the Balkans. This cruelly imposes on women and girls -- some of them less than ten years old -- not just pain and humiliation but the threat of sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS.
The trafficking of girls and women is yet another tragic context for sexual violence. Every year, hundreds of thousands of women and girls throughout the world are bought and sold into marriage, prostitution, and slavery. Young girls in Africa, the Middle East and Asia are regularly forced to take much older husbands, who already have other sex partners, thus aggravating the risk of HIV. The United Nations estimates that four million people are trafficked every year. Overall, however, as many as 200 million may be enduring a form of contemporary slavery today.
Most of the sex trade in women and children takes place in Asia. Nevertheless, Latin American, Caribbean and Eastern European women are becoming increasingly susceptible, especially in impoverished countries of the former Soviet bloc where HIV/AIDS is rising. In Western Europe alone, up to half a million women are being trafficked. Many come from Eastern Europe but also Africa and Asia, with traffickers now making as much from the human trade as from drug smuggling. Once in the hands of these traffickers, women and girls often have little chance of escape. Many are forced to engage in unsafe sex with their customers, severely exacerbating their risk of HIV.
HIV/AIDS and Other Health Consequences of Violence
So the scale of violence is frightening. So is the scale of HIV and AIDS, especially women. Increasingly, female vulnerabilty to HIV is showing up in the statistics. Today, of the estimated 33 million people are living with HIV or AIDS, 43% are girls or women.
Why are women so vulnerable to HIV? Biologically, females are far more likely to contract a sexually transmitted disease through intercourse than males. This makes the consequences of unprotected sex far more serious and life-threatening to women.
But women's vulnerability has social roots, not just biological ones. For millions of women and girls, their subordinate position in numerous societies can make it difficult if not impossible for them to protect themselves from HIV. They often cannot insist on fidelity, demand condom use, or refuse sex to their partner, even when they suspect or know he is already infected himself. And they often lack the economic power to remove themselves from relationships that carry major risks of HIV infection.
Violence is part and parcel of these dilemmas.
I have already outlined the settings in which physical and sexual violence can occur, from the bedroom to the refugee camp, and how it can result directly in HIV infection. But let us not forget. Even the threat of violence can lead to AIDS. It may not kill immediately, like a bullet, but it can kill slowly, by killing dialogue about sex and life. And by undermining women's ability to protect themselves.
Women, fearful of getting beaten or thrown out, are unlikely to ask their boyfriends to wear a condom, or question them about fidelity.
Their fears are justified. In Zimbabwe, for example, studies indicate a high level of abuse by men whose wives dare ask them to wear a condom during sex.
Let me say a few words about those at highest risk -- adolescents, particularly girls. Today, over half of all new HIV infections worldwide occur in those under 25 years old. Studies in Kenya show that nearly one girl in four between the ages of 15 and 19 is living with HIV. In many countries, girls are becoming infected much earlier than boys.
Many of these infections result from violence. In Santiago, Chile, three percent of young women report that rape was their first sexual experience. Even young children may contract HIV from forced sex, often with close acquaintances, such as family members or 'trusted' friends. Mothers often know that their children are being abused, yet are afraid to speak out.
But I want to stress that the health consequences of abuse are not limited to the obvious risk -- getting infected with HIV by the abuser. Children who are abused are wounded in their self-esteem; they feel dirty, ashamed, they lose faith in others. Later in life this may lead to many kinds of AIDS risk behaviour such as drug use, prostitution and unprotected sex. A recent US survey showed that young women who were sexually abused as children are twice as likely to place themselves at risk through unprotected sex with multiple partners.
For boys too, physical abuse as a social norm is carried over from generation to generation. Boys who watch their fathers abuse their mothers are more likely to become abusers themselves, thus perpetuating the cycle.
Which brings me to a point that often gets lost when we talk about violence and AIDS. Yes, girls and women are subordinate, and this is an enormous problem. But let us not lose sight of the other side of the coin -- what society sees as acceptable male behaviour. The international community may look on male violence against women as legally intolerable, but it is still considered an acceptable part of life in many societies, including by its victims.
Sexual violence as a social norm may even be strengthened by national courts. A recent rape case decision by an Italian court threatens to drag back women's rights twenty years by claiming that a woman wearing jeans must have taken them off willingly to have sex -- she cannot have been raped by the man she was accusing.
Fortunately there is also some good news on this front. In China, a woman successfully sued her husband for abuse. Although he claimed that whatever happens at home is a private matter, the court chose to recognize the woman's complaint. A Kenyan woman achieved a similar feat in a country where most abuse cases never get beyond the local police station because of family and social pressures.
Violence Arising from HIV
I would not want to conclude this brief look at the links between violence and HIV without mentioning one final point. Violence against women is not just a cause of the AIDS epidemic. It can also be a consequence of it. Nearly 14 million women today are infected with the virus that causes AIDS. Of those whose infection status became known to others, many suffered direct violence at the hands of their husband, family or community. As I am sure many of you will recall, a South African woman -- Gugu Dlamini -- was ruthlessly murdered by neighbours soon after she revealed her HIV status as part of her country's commemoration of World AIDS Day.
These so-called 'shame' killings are reported from around the world. Women known or thought to be infected may also face eviction from their homes, abandonment by their families, and dismissal from their jobs. Gender-based violence is not only physical, it is also psychological violence.
Ladies and gentlemen, gender violence clearly remains a subject of passionate debate in many parts of the world. Yet many governments are reluctant to fully support the kinds of measures needed to remedy this deplorable situation, especially in this new world of AIDS risk.
Strengthening the legal framework, both at the international and national level, is obviously crucial. In order to survive in a world with AIDS, we need to protect the sexual and reproductive rights of women. These include the right to decide when, with whom and under what circumstances to engage in sex.
While the International Criminal Court now recognizes rape and other forms of violence against women as a crime against humanity in time of war, governments urgently need to enforce national laws that criminalize gender violence and abuse. Only recently has rape in marriage been made a criminal offence in some Western countries.
Yet the best of laws will have little effect if there is not the will to enforce them. Nor will they have any impact if we do not seek to change attitudes, particularly among men and in local communities. This is where the real change will come from.
While such challenges may seem formidable, I believe that we at UNAIDS have been able to help make significant progress in the right direction.
On the AIDS front, we have already considerably expanded global capacity for monitoring the epidemic. For the first time ever, we have country-specific estimates and data which are key for local planning and action if we are to counter the growing spread of HIV especially among girls and young women.
On a political level, national and local leaders are beginning to speak out in a growing number of countries. The media, too, are taking up the issue in a far more aggressive fashion, particularly in countries such as Brazil, Zimbabwe and South Africa where HIV is dramatically on the rise. In India, one media project has been using video as a means of publicly 'outing' abusive husbands, resulting in a dramatic drop of violence.
With regard to prevention, we are noticing distinct achievements. The female condom, a woman-controlled prevention tool, is now much more widely available to women in developing countries. Millions are being sold -- and used -- at reasonable prices.
To give women even more of a choice, women's groups all over the world, with support from UNAIDS, have launched the Global Campaign for Women-Controlled Prevention Alternatives. This includes an international petition calling upon the US Government, the European Union and other national governments to accelerate research into vaginal microbicides and expand access to the female condom.
In a number of places, the HIV infection rates finally appear to be slowing down. Not only in industrialised countries but also in the developing world. In many places, the lower rates are being seen in young people who are much more aware of the need for protection, and appear increasingly to be taking appropriate precautions.
For millions of girls and women worldwide it is clear that violence, AIDS and human rights abuses are experienced as three strands of the same traumatic reality. At UNAIDS, we firmly believe that respect and concern for human rights, including the rights of the child as well as equality between men and women, must be at the core of a collective response to this disease. We therefore support ethical, legal and human rights networks at all levels and help governments to draw up supportive legislation.
We work to transform social values relating to male behaviour and attitudes toward the girl-child, as both are crucial for preventing violence against women and the spread of HIV. Here UNAIDS has been active in helping develop education and information programmes on human sexuality and reproductive health for the media, but also in schools and in the workplace in countries such as Uganda and Tanzania. These education programmes need to break down the belief that aggression is inherent in male sexuality and that violence against women is a demonstration of power.
Many UNAIDS activities are geared to women's reproductive health rights as well as their economic and social rights. We aim to help women state their needs more positively. It is vital that women be made less fearful about speaking out.
The Steps We Need to Take
Ladies and gentlemen, it would be a mistake for any of us to underestimate the magnitude of the effort required to bring this epidemic under control. But I believe that it would be an even greater mistake to believe that we can do nothing.
If we are to help reduce the impact of violence on AIDS, we need a more effective global response.
First, and above all, we need more political commitment at the highest level to help bring about the social and legal changes needed to better support women and girls.
Second, only a dedicated, more inclusive approach involving broad partnerships with governments, local communities, and the media can help bring about such changes.
Third, we need to break the silence. How can we ever win this battle without openness about sexuality and about AIDS? How can we win without singling out violence as a force driving the epidemic?
Fourth, current resources for HIV prevention are grossly inadequate. An assessment by UNAIDS showed that in 1997 only $160 million were spent on AIDS prevention in sub-Saharan Africa. This is completely inadequate to halt the epidemic, let alone help change attitudes among men with regard to prevention, non-violence and women's rights.
Fifth, we must use our resources for approaches and interventions that work. Concerning violence toward women, for example, we need to encourage more effective, and imaginative approaches, for their protection, and above all develop policies and programmes that will make a difference. This is a challenge both for governments and communities.
In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, as part of our UN campaign to end violence against women, we must help make the voices of millions of vulnerable women heard. If we are to empower women and enhance their protection, we must especially make those heard who are living in the shadow of violence and AIDS.
And we, men, must shoulder our own responsibility. Allow me to speak personally as a male. We men need to explore more honestly what our responsibilities should be with regard to curbing male violence toward women. And we need to act on them. Because let there be no mistake. Studies show that at least one in five men from all layers of society perpetrate some form of physical violence or sexual abuse against a partner during his lifetime. These acts are unacceptable. And it is up to all of us to say so.
This article was provided by United Nations. It is a part of the publication Commission on the Status of Women, Forty-third Session. | <urn:uuid:e6ef549a-dcfc-40f8-9f05-056260a27aea> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-11",
"url": "http://www.thebody.com/content/art690.html?ic=4003",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-11/segments/1424936462720.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20150226074102-00267-ip-10-28-5-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9689676761627197,
"token_count": 3315,
"score": 2.75,
"int_score": 3
} |
Recently in Canada and Scotland, there has been renewed debates about the presence of statues and plaques commemorating figures of history. The statue of Cornwallis in Halifax, Macdonald in Victoria, Duncan Campbell Scott’s memorial plaque in Ottawa, and the Henry Dundas statue in Edinburgh, Scotland. The debate is not whether the person being commemorated is historically important. The debate is about whether the historical importance of the figure whitewashes the negative.
Dundas was a powerful political leader in Scotland, and also campaigned to end slavery in Britain “gradually”, which now can be viewed as extending slavery longer than it might have been necessary. It seems that he also benefited financially for prolonging slavery.
Duncan Campbell Scott was known as a famous Canadian poet, and also started the Department of Indian Affairs’ generations-long campaign to “civilize” Indians through the use of forced residential schools. Scott knew Indigenous children were dying in these schools, and infamously said this “does not justify a change in the policy of this Department which is geared towards a final solution of our Indian problem” ().
Macdonald was Canada’s first prime minister, and also was an active supporter of the American confederates and slavery. Macdonald also supported Scott’s residential school policy.
And Cornwallis. His legacy in the British military is spotty at best. Accused of poor leadership and massacre, he was given the post of the first governor of Nova Scotia perhaps to get him out of the country. And this is where he implemented the scalping bounty on Mi’kmaq. Seriously, how can this glaring horrible fact be ignored?
Some have argued that no human is perfect, but the good of these historical figures outweighs the bad. This argument is beyond tone-deaf, this is the basis of whitewashing. Let’s try this out on the legacy of Duncan Campbell Scott, for example….”his poetry far outweighs the experience of over a hundred thousand children who suffered abuse thanks to his residential schools policy”….nope, doesn’t pass the smell test. This argument demands that the history and experience of Indigenous peoples continues to be ignored, as if their lived experience is not valued in this country. Please don’t say that this is truly the intent, the commemorative intent.
The good news is that the Scott memorial plaque has been revised to ensure a balanced and full history.
Some have argued that taking down statues is like erasing history. It’s a simplistic argument and sounds defensive, “don’t touch my history I like it like this”. The field and research of history should not bow to whitewashing, sharing only the stuff that makes us feel good and ignoring the lived experience of others who suffered (cue the name Beyak here). Because tweaking the facts of history, erasing parts of history to look good, to maintain prestige and power – this is also the definition of propaganda. Take a deep breath, Canada, and let’s talk about some statues being reflective of a time and values that we really don’t want to maintain.
Regarding the discussion in Edinburgh about the Dundas statue, Joel McKim is a professor at Birkbeck University, he said “Because this is public space for everyone, and it needs to reflect the sentiments, the political views, the values of the community in which it exists. And those change over time. And as a result, monuments also have to change.”
As a country we get to choose what we commemorate, our commemorative intent. In our era of reconciliation, we will review how the history of Canada has been told, and as we learn more, the history will be told with more depth and balance, more reflective of different perspectives. In this time we will look at the things built to commemorate figures of history. I hope we will value people’s experiences and stories including Indigenous peoples, more than the statues and things. If we don’t get this right, we might as well admit failure on the reconciliation front.
Reconciliation is more than just a nice word. It’s action. It’s learning more to do better, especially in history and how we tell our collective stories as a country.
How we’re teaching Indigenous history to our kids, by Selena Mills on CBC Parents
The Legacy of Duncan Campbell Scott, by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada
Sir John A. Macdonald: 5 frightening facts about our first prime minister, by Huffington Post
The truth about Cornwallis, by the Halifax Magazine
Henry Dundas: lofty hero or lowlife crook, by the History Company | <urn:uuid:7da9c760-00cc-4c16-a5b2-45c4436be15b> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-47",
"url": "https://www.reconciliationgroup.ca/statues/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039741192.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20181113020909-20181113042909-00200.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9552678465843201,
"token_count": 983,
"score": 3.03125,
"int_score": 3
} |
A new set of attacks have made their way on the scene, causing a new set of problems for Mac users who once though they were safe from viruses. As most of you know, most Mac users currently don’t have an antivirus program installed, which causes problems if their Mac becomes over taken with a virus. Historically, Windows has been plagued with viruses, and OS X has been thought to be virtually safe, but today, a security expert warns Mac users of new viruses.
Security expert Graham Cluley of Sophos, in a report from Macworld, warns users of new found viruses over the past few weeks and encourages them to get an anti-virus program to help protect their data.The most recent virus found was one that affects Word for Mac, which allows the infiltrator to gain access to the user’s files. The virus only affects the 2004 and 2008 versions of Word for Mac, not the 2011. There’s also other viruses that take advantage of vulnerabilities in Java. Cluely talks about the precautions Mac users need to take:
“As we have seen on the Windows platform, the majority of the attacks do not exploit any weakness in the operating system but instead take advantage of the bug in people’s brains. Mac users can be just as easily duped as their Windows cousins into making poor choices, and could end up infected as a result.”
Besides installing an antivirus software, experts are also warning users to keep software updated. The Word for Mac virus is a prime example of why software needs to be updated, including the operating system. If users affected were on the 2011 version, they wouldn’t have problems.
You should be fine from viruses if you’re careful about what you install, but if you want to feel a bit safer when roaming the badlands (aka the Internet), we encourage you to install an antivirus program. Sophos, ClamXav (which asks for a donation (thanks, Sonal)), and iAntivirus ($30 a month) are among the best out there.
Which antivirus are you using on your Mac?
[image via Lifehacker] | <urn:uuid:84ae57e0-beeb-4e28-89ef-ce4583d6ad76> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-42",
"url": "http://www.cultofmac.com/158609/security-experts-warn-of-new-mac-virueses/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1414637902725.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20141030025822-00028-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9536124467849731,
"token_count": 447,
"score": 2.65625,
"int_score": 3
} |
2-4 years old
Play and learn the numbers from one to six with Betty Sheep!
Download the document and print it out, preferably on white card.
It's recommended that you play Memory with black and white playing cards for the first few days.
Cut out the playing cards. Spread out the objects playing cards face up on the table. Place the numbers playing cards face down in a pile. The child takes one of the numbers and calls it out (you can help them if necessary). For example, “It’s number six”. Then, encourage them to find the playing card with six objects. You can do this by asking the child, “How many + name of object + are there?” while showing the different playing cards until they find the right one. You can also help them by saying, “Find six footprints”, and getting the child to say, “Here!” when they find the right playing card.
Now you can start playing!
Six playing cards with the numbers from one to six.
Six playing cards with numbers of objects.
To learn the numbers from one to six and to consolidate vocabulary from the story. For example, “It’s number...”, “Number + object”.
Vocabulary: umbrellas, wellies, snails, ducks, toadstool, footprints. | <urn:uuid:f54b35d1-3077-426c-bead-2533098705dc> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-09",
"url": "https://www.kidsandus.es/en/universe/learn-at-home/betty-sheep-numbers-how-many.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891813088.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20180220185145-20180220205145-00730.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9504871368408203,
"token_count": 293,
"score": 3.90625,
"int_score": 4
} |
General Core Curriculum (11 hours)
Introduces the fundamental concepts, terminology, and operations necessary to use computers. Emphasis is placed on basic functions and familiarity with computer use. Topics include an introduction to computer terminology, the Windows environment, Internet and email, word processing software, spreadsheet software, database software, and presentation software.
Emphasizes human relations and professional development in today*s rapidly changing world that prepares students for living and working in a complex society. Topics include human relations skills, job acquisition skills and communication, job retention skills, job advancement skills, and professional image skills.
Emphasizes the development and improvement of written and oral communication abilities. Topics include analysis of writing, applied grammar and writing skills, editing and proofreading skills, research skills, and oral communication skills.
Emphasizes concepts and operations which are applied to the study of algebra. Topics include basic mathematical concepts, basic algebraic concepts, and intermediate algebraic concepts.
Occupational Curriculum (84 hours)
Aviation Mathematics provides students with the knowledge necessary to use and apply mathematical procedures and processes that are applicable to aviation maintenance functions. Topics include: perform algebraic operations; extract roots and raise numbers to a given power; determine area and volume of geometrical shapes; and solve ratio, proportion, and percentage problems.
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to select and use FAA and manufacturers* specifications, data sheets, manuals, related regulations, and technical data; to write descriptions of aircraft conditions, record work performed, and complete maintenance forms and inspection reports; and to interpret federal regulations regarding mechanic privileges and limitations. Topics include: maintenance publications, maintenance forms and records, and mechanic privileges and limitations.
Provides students with the fundamentals of aircraft materials and processes, ground operations and servicing, and aircraft cleaning and corrosion control.
Provides students with the fundamentals of aircraft drawings, weight and balance, and fluid lines and fittings.
Basic Electricity and Electronics provides a study of the relationships of voltage, current, and resistance in aircraft electrical systems, and the use of meters. Alternators; generators; starters; motors; charging systems; basic AC and DC systems; and semiconductor, solid state, and integrated circuit fundamentals are introduced. Topics include: basic electricity; determine the relationship of voltage, current, and resistance in electrical circuits; read and interpret electrical circuit diagrams; measure voltage, current, resistance, and continuity; calculate and measure electrical power; calculate and measure capacitance and inductance; inspect and service batteries; and solid state devices applications.
Provides students with an introduction to the theory and application of physics to aerospace vehicles and their subsystems. Topics include: temperature and heat; pressure, temperature, and volume of air mass; basic aerodynamics and theory of flight; physical factors affecting engine output; relationship of pressure, area, and force; origin of sound; principles of simple machines; and centrifugal and centripetal force.
This course presents a survey of aircraft airframe structures used in aircraft. Topics include: wood structures, aircraft covering, and aircraft finishes.
Provides a study of metal and non-metallic tube and riveted sheet monocoque or semi-monocoque. Topics include: sheet metal structures introduction; install conventional rivets; install special rivets and fasteners; sheet metal form, lay out, and bend; inspect and repair sheet metal structures; identify non-metallic structures; inspect bonded structures; fiberglass structures; plastic structures; composite and honeycomb structures; inspect, check, service, and repair windows, doors, and interior furnishings; and laminated structures.
Provides a study of airframe non-metallic structures and allied maintenance procedures. Topics include: welding principles; soldering, brazing, gas-welding, and arc-welding steel; welding aluminum and stainless steel; fabricating tubular structures; soldering stainless steel; and welding titanium and magnesium.
This course provides a study of aircraft assembly and rigging configurations. Topics include: use assembly and rigging hand tools and equipment; rig fixed wing aircraft; rig rotary wing aircraft; check alignment of structures; assemble aircraft components, including flight control surfaces; balance, rig, and inspect movable primary and secondary control surfaces; and jack aircraft.
This course provides instruction for performing airframe inspections with emphasis on developing the skills related to conformity and air worthiness evaluations. Topics include: perform airframe conformity inspection, and perform airframe air worthiness inspection.
This course provides a study of the principles of generation, distribution, and management of hydraulic and pneumatic power throughout the aircraft. Topics include: identify hydraulic fluids; repair hydraulic and pneumatic power system components; inspect, check, service, troubleshoot, and repair hydraulic and pneumatic power systems; hydraulic and pneumatic position and warning systems; and inspect, check, troubleshoot, service, and repair aircraft position and warning systems.
This course provides a study of aircraft landing gear systems with emphasis on inspection and maintenance procedures of hydraulic and pneumatic power throughout the aircraft structure. Topics include: inspect, check, service, and repair landing gear retraction systems and shock struts; inspect, check, service, and repair brakes, wheels, and tires; and inspect, check, service, and repair steering systems.
This course provides a study of aircraft environmental control systems. Topics include: inspect, check, troubleshoot, service, and repair cabin atmosphere control systems; inspect, check, troubleshoot, service, and repair ice and rain control systems; and inspect, check, troubleshoot, service, and repair fire protection systems.
This course provides a study of airframe fuel and instrument systems. Topics include: inspect, check, troubleshoot, service and repair aircraft fuel systems; and inspect, check troublshoot, service and repair aircraft instrument systems.
This course provides a study of aircraft electrical systems. Topics include: install, check, and service airframe electrical wiring, controls, switches, indicators, and protective devices; inspect, check, troubleshoot, service, and repair alternating and direct current electrical systems; repair and inspect aircraft electrical system components, crimp and splice wiring to manufacturer*s specifications, and repair pins and sockets of aircraft connectors; and inspect, check, and troubleshoot constant speed and integrated speed drive generators.
This course provices a study of aircraft commnication and navigation systems. Topics include: inspect, check, and troubleshoot autopilot servos and approach coupling systems; inspect check, and service aircraft electronic communication and navigation systems including VHF passenger address interphones and static discharge devices, aircraft VOR, ILS LORAN, radar beacon transponders, flight managment computers, and GPWS; and inspect and repair antenna and electronic equpiment installations.
Provides a review of the basic theory and application of electronics with a primary focus on use in avionic systems. Topics include: atomic theory, DC circuits, AC circuits, alternating current, inductance and transformers, capacitance, resonance and filters, vacuum tubes, and solid state devices.
Provides practical experience in maintaining avionics systems. Topics include: solder/solderless connecting, use of test instruments, component installation/removal techniques, repair procedures, and troubleshooting techniques.
Introduces the theory and application of radio frequency transmission and reception. Topics include: power supplies, oscillators, amplifiers, transmitters, amplitude modulation, AM receivers, frequency modulation, and antenna systems.
Introduces the theory and application of digital electronics with a primary focus on their use in avionic systems. Topics include: numbering system, logic gates, Boolean algebra, flip-flops, and registers and counters.
Focuses on microprocessor based computers used in avionics systems. Topics include: memory, mass storage, computer systems, data bases, and logic systems repair procedures.
Continues the study of avionics maintenance practices with emphasis on aircraft communication systems. Topics include: component operation, component location, integration, analysis, maintenance, and ACARS.
Continues the study of avionics maintenance practices with emphasis on aircraft navigational systems. Topics include: bridges and monitors, synchros, gyros, and navigation systems.
Continues the study of avionics maintenance practices with emphasis on flight director and autopilot systems. Topics include: flight director systems, autopilot systems, and avionics line maintenance test equipment. | <urn:uuid:857f81e0-edd6-46b2-a498-68f241343ce2> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-06",
"url": "http://www.gntc.edu/academics/program.php?id=316",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-06/segments/1422122152935.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20150124175552-00232-ip-10-180-212-252.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.8909135460853577,
"token_count": 1734,
"score": 3.265625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Source: (2006) In, Barry Goldson and John Muncie, eds, Youth Crima and Justice. London: Sage Publications. PP. 110-124.Despite the enthusiasm with which restorative justice has been embraced by many, and despite the increasingly widespread introduction of restorative approaches into youth justice systems in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, there remains a lack of clarity and some strong debate about the exact definition and nature of restorative justice. There are issues concerning the processes of restorative justice, who it is intended to serve, what makes the process restorative, and how they are supposed to work. Even though there is evidence that some restorative approaches are being applied in practice effectively and there is support by agencies and practitioners for restorative practices, the extent to which these approaches are truly restorative or properly take into account the child is questioned. Restorative justice has been described as a process whereby all the parties with a stake in a particular offense come together to resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offense and its implications. Despite the proliferation of restorative justice measures in recent years, there remains relatively little evaluative research in the United Kingdom and many more questions than answers to be found. In this chapter, the authors examine the meaning of restorative justice and the application of restorative approaches within youth justice practice in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. (Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov). | <urn:uuid:60dab0d6-c518-4485-a458-e8481965d455> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-13",
"url": "http://restorativejustice.org/rj-library/restorative-approaches-young-people-and-youth-justice/7426/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257647660.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20180321141313-20180321161313-00683.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9533220529556274,
"token_count": 297,
"score": 3.25,
"int_score": 3
} |
The technical way to explain this odd-looking fowl is that it’s “gynandromorphous.” But if you just want to call it “one seriously confused chicken,” that works, too.
For a new study in Nature, Michael Clinton and colleagues investigated a few of these half-male, half-female chickens they obtained from chicken farms. Gynandropmorphs show up now and then not just in chickens, but also in parrots, pigeons, and some other kinds of animals. But scientists weren’t sure how the mix-up happens, since the standard idea for sex differentiation is that the sex hormones released by the gonads either masculinize or feminize the embryo. Clinton’s team discovered that bird cells don’t need to be programmed by hormones. Instead they are inherently male or female, and remain so even if they end up mixed together in the same chicken [BBC News].
The researchers had first assumed that the half-and-half chickens followed the hormone pattern, and that they were females with some sort of chromosomal problem on the male side (the lighter half of the bird in the image, which also sports a large wattle, sturdy breast musculature, and a leg spur on its male side). Instead, they found the chickens to be almost perfectly split between male and female. The hen half was, for the most part, made up of normal female cells with female chromosomes, whereas the cockerel side contained mostly normal male cells with male chromosomes [Nature News].
Since both sides experienced the same hormone exposure, that couldn’t explain what was happening. In addition, once the team believed that cell identity was at work here, and not hormones, further experiments seemed to confirm this idea. When the researchers transplanted tissues from genetically female embryos into what would become the gonads of genetically male ones and vice versa, the transplanted cells didn’t start expressing opposite-sex characteristics [Science News].
Clinton’s study is buttressed by others that suggest the standard explanation for sex determination doesn’t apply as widely as previously thought, or at least needs some tweaking. Besides the other birds mentioned previously, some marsupials and invertebrates stray from the pattern. “These funky chickens, oddities of nature that they are, will provide new perspectives on questions of sexual identity long thought to have been resolved,” wrote Duke University cell biologists Lindsey Barske and Blanche Capel in a Nature commentary accompanying the findings [Wired.com].
80beats: Rumors of Y Death Are Greatly Exaggerated; Male Chromosome Evolving Like Crazy
80beats: How All-Female Lizards Keep Their Genes Fresh Without Sex
80beats: Finch Mothers Can Subconsciously Control the Gender of Their Little Ones
Discoblog: Sex Hormones in the Brain: Wimps Rejoice
Image: The Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh | <urn:uuid:fa2324e1-b036-4e06-a74e-42bda6dd6091> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2015-40",
"url": "http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/03/11/for-sexually-confused-chickens-the-answer-is-in-their-cells/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-40/segments/1443736672923.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20151001215752-00246-ip-10-137-6-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9447112083435059,
"token_count": 617,
"score": 2.71875,
"int_score": 3
} |
General Motors Corp. researchers are working on a windshield that combines lasers, infrared sensors and a camera to take what's happening on the road and enhance it, so aging drivers with vision problems are able to see a little more clearly.
Though it's only in the research stage now, the technology soon will be more useful than ever. The 65 and older population in the U.S. will nearly double in about 20 years, meaning more people will be struggling to see the road like they used to.
GM's new windshield won't improve their vision, but it will make objects stand out that could otherwise go unnoticed by an aged eye.
At the same time, the developers say the technology won't cause drivers to plow into trees. It is enhancing just a few objects that are already in a driver's view, not splashing distracting information onto the glass.
For example, during a foggy drive, a laser projects a blue line onto the windshield that follows the edge of the road. Or if infrared sensors detect a person or animal in the driver's path during a night drive, its outline is projected on the windshield to highlight its location.
It's possible because of a transparent coating on the windshield that lights up when struck by ultraviolet light.
Of course, much more goes into it than that. Sensors have to determine the position of the car in relation to the road, while other devices track the driver's head and eye movement to make sure the image on the windshield isn't skewed. The technological issues mean it probably will be a while before the view through the windshield of a Buick looks anything like a pilot's head-up display in an F-16.
"You can see the difficulty of implementing technology like this," GM researcher Thomas Seder said in a recent interview.
It's also been a bit of a struggle to get skeptics to see how helpful the windshield could be, he said.
"They say, `That would be very frustrating or confusing, to have things on my windshield. I need to see the world,"' Seder said. "I'm enhancing the world. I'll take a feature that should be important to you, like the edge of the road, and paint a line over the real edge."
The windshield is designed specifically for older drivers, who have vision problems at a much higher rate than other age groups. Currently, 12.4 percent of the population is 65 or older, but by 2030, that percentage is projected to jump to 20 percent, or 71.5 million people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
"They're not only the fastest growing group of drivers on the road in the U.S., but they are driving more miles per year than previous generations," said Cynthia Owsley, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. "This has enormous implications for road safety in our country," said Owsley, who has worked with Seder on the high-tech windshield's design.
Chrysler LLC spokesman Nick Cappa said the company is also working on such windshield technologies, but he declined to provide details. Ford Motor Co. spokesman Alan Hall said that automaker didn't have any similar plans.
Some cars already feature head-down displays, small screens in the dashboard that show an enhanced view of what is in front of the car.
Head-up displays, so called because a driver doesn't have to look down to see the information, also are available. But the technology is limited - the head-up display in a Cadillac STS features information such as the speed or radio station projected onto a small area of the windshield.
Seder's system seeks to solve at least one problem with a normal head-up display - it can only be seen if the driver's head is in a certain position.
"What's novel here is it's the entire windshield - no little headbox I have to have my head in. Here, you can see the image from any position," he said.
Head-down displays can be helpful, but a common vision problem in older drivers is a difficulty adjusting to different visual planes - looking down at something close and then back up and out to the road ahead.
"If I can keep their eyes out of the vehicle, so they're not looking down as much, that's a really good assistive technology," Seder said.
Some features would be helpful to drivers of all ages. If a driver is speeding, a pink box frames an approaching speed limit sign to draw the driver's attention.
Another feature solves what Seder calls the problem of the last 50 yards in Global Positioning System navigation.
"The GPS got me on some road. What building is it? Point, there it is," Seder said.
But the windshield mainly is geared to assist older drivers.
Seder said he wants to provide technology that helps them, but at the same time isn't distracting or overwhelming.
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) spokeswoman Nancy Thompson said she believes drivers heading toward old age will embrace the technology.
"The boomer population has grown up with technology and is comfortable with technology," Thompson said. "Our research shows a willingness to adopt technology to make life easier. It seems like a logical extension of the boomer lifestyle to include technology that makes them safer on the road."
Owsley, who has researched vision in drivers for 15 years, is running focus groups to interview aging drivers about the issues they face, but said there's a common theme among the drivers.
"Older adults are like adults of all ages," she said. "They want to drive." | <urn:uuid:8e74fd4c-2764-4da4-9eeb-6e1b12288085> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-26",
"url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-windshield-an-improved-set-of-eyes/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999946.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20190625192953-20190625214953-00242.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9679002165794373,
"token_count": 1160,
"score": 2.734375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Harvard Study Finds Bisphenol A in Dental Fillings and Sealants, Media Spin Begins
After a new study out of Harvard Medical School revealed that dental fillings and sealants contain dangerously high levels of the deadly chemical bisphenol A (BPA), some dentists are now claiming that these fillings and sealants are still perfectly safe for use in children.
BPA is an endocrine disrupter that mimics the hormone estrogen. Consequently, has been linked to reduced fertility in men, and even receipts containing BPA can be harmful to male hormone levels when handled. BPA is found in plastics, soft drink cans, soup cans, and thousands of other packaging containers.
A recent California bill would have banned BPA in children-related items such as baby bottles and children’s toys, but was shot down on September 2nd. Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Washington already have such laws.
Why then, would it be safe to have fillings and sealants in your mouth that contain this chemical? The research shows that it’s really not. Research shows that BPA levels in saliva skyrocket by around 88 times higher than normal (and what constitutes a “normal” level of a toxic substance?) right after a dental sealing. Experts agree there is no “safe” level of exposure to BPA.
This chemical is one that you should not be exposed to at any level, said von Saal, Curators professor of biology at the University of Missouri at Columbia.
This is why it is shocking that multiple media outlets have started claiming that BPA is actually not a danger to health, despite routine research proving that this gender-bending chemical is nothing to play around with.
Anthony is a natural health and human empowerment writer, speaker, and entrepreneur whose writings have appeared in #1 USA Today and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling books and top 100 websites. After overcoming Lyme Disease and nerve-related facial paralysis, Anthony's work now reaches several million readers per month through his highly prolific group of social media pages and websites. Focused on self-development techniques and living a healthy lifestyle, Anthony currently sits on the Advisory Board to Natural Society in addition to managing and directing several other companies dedicated to enhancing social good. Anthony's work routinely appears on both alternative and established websites and television programs alike, including Drudge Report, Thom Hartmann, Simple Reminders, RT, Infowars, Michael Savage, Gaiam TV, and many others. | <urn:uuid:0f944dcd-ca77-49b7-9c16-ba2e3d9f2dc2> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-13",
"url": "http://naturalsociety.com/harvard-study-finds-bisphenol-a-in-dental-fillings-and-sealants-media-spin-begins/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-13/segments/1552912204790.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20190326034712-20190326060712-00036.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9438557028770447,
"token_count": 518,
"score": 2.9375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Wednesday, July 4, 2007 - Friday, July 6, 2007
NY State Capitol
|The pursuit of freedom, a profoundly American story, is richly illustrated in treasures belonging to the people of New York State. Our founding fathers-including George Washington, whose personal belongings and writings are represented here-established a sovereign, independent nation in the years following the Revolutionary War.
Several of the documents and artifacts reflect New York's role in the struggle for independence. Major General Benedict Arnold's papers, detailing fortifications and troop strength at West Point, were given to British Major John Andre in 1780. These papers, once secured in Andre's boot and headed for the British lines, now bring to life one of the most significant and dramatic events of the Revolutionary War.
Other documents and artifacts speak to the founding of the United States as a democracy and the early years of the nation. New York's copy of the proposed U.S. Constitution, approved at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and the first draft of President Washington's 1796 farewell address to the nation are two of the state's most important documents. This copy of the U.S. Constitution was signed by Governor George Clinton, uncle of Governor Dewitt Clinton, whose writing desk is also displayed.
These treasures, held in trust for all New Yorkers by the New York State Archives, Library, and Museum, capture the distinctive history and enduring spirit of New York. | <urn:uuid:b56ff366-1cf8-46fc-bd82-87caff6f0b47> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-10",
"url": "http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/exhibits/special/2007/pursuitoffreedom.cfm",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-10/segments/1394010638293/warc/CC-MAIN-20140305091038-00045-ip-10-183-142-35.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9463091492652893,
"token_count": 289,
"score": 2.984375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Overview of the Marshall-Lerner Condition
The Marshall-Lerner Condition, named after two economists, Alfred Marshall and Abba Lerner, is an economic concept used to determine the success of a currency devaluation. This condition states that the sum of the elasticities of exports and imports relative to changes in the exchange rate must be greater than one for the devaluation to be successful. It is often used in international trade to assess and predict the effects of a devaluation on a country’s current account.
What is Devaluation
Devaluation is the intentional reduction of the value of a currency in relation to other currencies. This is done in order to make a country’s exports more competitive in the international market, leading to increased foreign currency flows and reduced current account deficits.
Elasticity of Demand
The Marshall-Lerner Condition relies on the concept of elasticity of demand. This is the measure of how much the quantity of a good or service demanded changes in response to a certain percentage change in price. If the elasticity is greater than one, then a decrease in price will lead to an increase in demand, and vice versa.
The Marshall-Lerner Condition
The Marshall-Lerner Condition states that for a devaluation to be successful, the sum of the elasticities of exports and imports must be greater than one. This means that a decrease in the exchange rate must lead to an increase in the quantity of exports and a decrease in the quantity of imports. If this condition is not satisfied, then the devaluation will not lead to an improvement in the current account balance.
- What is the Marshall-Lerner Condition?
- How does devaluation affect a country’s current account balance?
- What is the elasticity of demand?
- What factors determine the success of a devaluation?
- What is the difference between devaluation and depreciation?
- What is the J-Curve effect?
- What are the effects of currency devaluation?
- What is the impact of devaluation on international trade?
- What strategies can countries use to improve their current account balance?
- What is the difference between the Marshall-Lerner Condition and the Mundell-Fleming Model? | <urn:uuid:5a51c07e-f0f5-434e-a45f-26730147dd82> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2023-50",
"url": "https://aleck.ai/discuss-the-marshall-lemer-condition-for-the-success-of-devaluation/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100551.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20231205105136-20231205135136-00398.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9062869548797607,
"token_count": 466,
"score": 2.984375,
"int_score": 3
} |
Syria's Kurds Poised for Vote to Cement Federal Push
Syria's Kurds are poised to hold their first local elections, a move that has annoyed Damascus and Ankara and comes days before a controversial independence referendum by Iraq's Kurds.
Kurds made up around 15 percent of Syria's pre-war population and were long oppressed by the central government.
But they largely stayed out of the uprising that erupted in March 2011, instead quietly building local control in Kurdish-majority areas after the withdrawal of most government troops.
They have become the key ground force in Syria partnering with the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group.
In March 2016, the Kurds declared three semi-autonomous regions in the areas under their control, part of their push towards the federal system they have advocated in Syria.
Now they are preparing to hold their first elections in the regions, a vote that has angered Turkey and which Damascus has dismissed as "a joke."
The unprecedented election will take place in three stages, beginning Friday with a vote for representatives at the neighbourhood or "commune" level.
Elections for executive councils for towns and regions are planned for November 3.
Then, on January 19, a final phase will elect legislative councils for each of the three regions, as well as a single joint legislative assembly.
- Federalism, not secession -Syrian Kurdish officials insist their goal is not to divide the country, which has been ravaged by a conflict that has killed over 330,000 people.
"These elections are the first step to consolidating the federal system and federal democracy," said Saleh Muslim, head of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, Syria's most important Kurdish political party.
He distanced Syria's Kurds from the broader ambitions of Kurds in neighbouring Iraq, who have scheduled a September 25 vote on independence over the objections of allies and the central government in Baghdad.
"We are part of Syria," he said. "Our demand in Syria is not separation, our demand is federalism."
Iraq's Kurdish region has been autonomous since 1991, but authorities have long floated the possibility of full independence.
"In Syria, it's the first step, in Iraq it may appear to be the last step. In both cases it's a question of obtaining local and international legitimacy," said Fabrice Balanche, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute think tank.
Kurdish authorities insist the vote will be inclusive, and banners promoting it in Arabic, Kurdish and Syriac have been hung in cities including Qamishli and Amuda.
But Kurdish opposition parties are not expected to participate in the vote, with competition largely between parts of the current administration.
"These elections will be a simulation of democracy, because there is not a multi-party system and freedom," said Balanche, noting that all the parties taking part are "members of a coalition led by the PYD."
"The United States can't but approve of the elections and close its eyes to their non-democratic nature" because of its close alliance with the Kurds in the fight against IS, he added.
For many Syrian Kurds however, the vote is the realisation of an impossible dream after decades of marginalisation.
"It's the first time that we've seen Kurdish elections," said 50-year-old Omar Abdi.
"I never believed I would see this day."
- 'Illegitimate' -Banners across the Kurdish-majority parts of the country known to Kurds as "Rojava" urge citizens to vote.
"The future of Rojava is in your hands," reads one.
"These elections provide an opportunity for Kurds to start building their institutions for the future," said Kurdish affairs expert Mutlu Civiroglu.
"It is also important for them to show to (the) regime that in northern Syria things are different now and they run the business, not the regime in Damascus."
Damascus has remained relatively quiet on the vote.
"The elections are illegitimate," said Wadah Abed Rabbo, editor-in-chief of Syria's Al-Watan newspaper, which is close to the government.
"Any change to the system in Syria can only be done by changing the constitution, which requires a referendum for all Syrians," he told AFP.
Neighbouring Turkey considers the PYD and its military wing the YPG to be affiliates of the Kurdistan Worker's Party, which Ankara designates a "terrorist" group.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fiercely opposes Iraqi Kurdistan's independence, and has said his country would never allow the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Syria.
For now, Civiroglu said, that is not the plan.
"Kurds in Syria are not secessionists and they want to remain in a unified, pluralistic, decentralised Syria," he said.
But "they may consider other alternatives if their demands are not met." | <urn:uuid:2f7d85ff-678c-4cbc-ac79-615a718b0d42> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-10",
"url": "http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/235695-syria-s-kurds-poised-for-vote-to-cement-federal-push",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178367790.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20210303200206-20210303230206-00218.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9742846488952637,
"token_count": 1000,
"score": 2.578125,
"int_score": 3
} |
The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes dates back thousands of years with the earliest known descriptions appearing in the ancient writings and folklore of India and China. (Abel EL).
All mammals – including humans — produce cannabinoids (the active molecules in cannabis) internally. Both these naturally produced internal canabinoids (endo canabinoids) and plant-based cannabinoids bind to known cannabis receptors CB1 and CB2, activating intercellular signal pathways, with the potential for therapeutically beneficial effects.
There are strong indications that medical cannabis has a unique role to play treating a wide variety of conditions including chronic pain, inflammatory diseases, symptoms associated with cancer, mood disorders, PTSD, epilepsy, intractable seizures, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and many others. In many patients, cannabis-based treatments promise reduced side effects, and benefits such as improved mood and appetite.
Currently, scientist are working to confirm the existence of other cannabinoid receptors. Researchers continue to study the therapeutic potential of over 80 medically significant cannabis compounds. This work is expected to yield a wide variety of new treatments in the future, targeting diverse health challenges from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to obesity. | <urn:uuid:67e28ef8-eded-4907-bdfc-78caf9dc8baf> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-50",
"url": "https://www.altmed.co/doctors/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141191692.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20201127103102-20201127133102-00106.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.935944139957428,
"token_count": 240,
"score": 3.203125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work!
Bacteriophage, also called phage or bacterial virus, any of a group of viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages were discovered independently by Frederick W. Twort in Great Britain (1915) and Félix d’Hérelle in France (1917). D’Hérelle coined the term bacteriophage, meaning “bacteria eater,” to describe the agent’s bacteriocidal ability. Bacteriophages also infect the single-celled prokaryotic organisms known as archaea.
Characteristics of bacteriophages
Thousands of varieties of phages exist, each of which may infect only one type or a few types of bacteria or archaea. Phages are classified in a number of virus families; some examples include Inoviridae, Microviridae, Rudiviridae, and Tectiviridae. Like all viruses, phages are simple organisms that consist of a core of genetic material (nucleic acid) surrounded by a protein capsid. The nucleic acid may be either DNA or RNA and may be double-stranded or single-stranded. There are three basic structural forms of phage: an icosahedral (20-sided) head with a tail, an icosahedral head without a tail, and a filamentous form.
Life cycles of bacteriophages
During infection a phage attaches to a bacterium and inserts its genetic material into the cell. After that a phage usually follows one of two life cycles, lytic (virulent) or lysogenic (temperate). Lytic phages take over the machinery of the cell to make phage components. They then destroy, or lyse, the cell, releasing new phage particles. Lysogenic phages incorporate their nucleic acid into the chromosome of the host cell and replicate with it as a unit without destroying the cell. Under certain conditions lysogenic phages can be induced to follow a lytic cycle.
Other life cycles, including pseudolysogeny and chronic infection, also exist. In pseudolysogeny a bacteriophage enters a cell but neither co-opts cell-replication machinery nor integrates stably into the host genome. Pseudolysogeny occurs when a host cell encounters unfavourable growth conditions and appears to play an important role in phage survival by enabling the preservation of the phage genome until host growth conditions have become advantageous again. In chronic infection new phage particles are produced continuously over long periods of time but without apparent cell killing.
Role in laboratory research
Phages have played an important role in laboratory research. The first phages studied were those designated type 1 (T1) to type 7 (T7). The T-even phages, T2, T4, and T6, were used as model systems for the study of virus multiplication. In 1952 Alfred Day Hershey and Martha Chase used the T2 bacteriophage in a famous experiment in which they demonstrated that only the nucleic acids of phage molecules were required for their replication within bacteria. The results of the experiment supported the theory that DNA is the genetic material. For his work with bacteriophages, Hershey was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1969. He shared the award with biologists Salvador Luria and Max Delbrück, whose experiments with the T1 phage in 1943 (the fluctuation test) showed that phage resistance in bacteria was the product of spontaneous mutation and not a direct response to environmental factors. Certain phages, such as lambda, Mu, and M13, are used in recombinant DNA technology. The phage ϕX174 was the first organism to have its entire nucleotide sequence determined, a feat that was accomplished by Frederick Sanger and colleagues in 1977.
In the 1980s American biochemist George P. Smith developed a technology known as phage display, which allowed for the generation of engineered proteins. Such proteins were produced by fusing foreign or engineered DNA fragments into phage gene III. Gene III encodes a protein expressed on the phage virion surface. Thus, gene III fusion proteins taken up by phages were displayed on the surfaces of virion particles. Researchers could then use antibodies developed to recognize the foreign protein fragment to purify fusion phage cultures, thereby effectively amplifying the foreign gene sequence for further study. British biochemist Gregory P. Winter subsequently refined phage display technology for the development of human antibody proteins. Such proteins could be used to treat diseases in humans with less risk of inducing potentially dangerous immune reactions compared with previous therapeutic antibodies derived from animals. Adalimumab (Humira), used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, was the first fully human antibody made via phage display to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (approved in 2002). For their discoveries relating to phage display, Smith and Winter were awarded a share of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Soon after making their discovery, Twort and d’Hérelle began to use phages in treating human bacterial diseases such as bubonic plague and cholera. Phage therapy was not successful, and after the discovery of antibiotics in the 1940s, it was virtually abandoned. With the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, however, the therapeutic potential of phages has received renewed attention.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
heredity: DNA as the agent of heredity…reached from the study of bacteriophages, viruses that attack and kill bacterial cells. From a host cell infected by one bacteriophage, hundreds of bacteriophage progeny are produced. In 1952 American biologists Alfred D. Hershey and Martha Chase prepared two populations of bacteriophage particles. In one population, the outer protein coat…
bacteria: Exchange of genetic information…a bacteria-infecting virus called a bacteriophage. Transduction is an efficient means of transferring DNA between bacteria because DNA enclosed in the bacteriophage is protected from physical decay and from attack by enzymes in the environment and is injected directly into cells by the bacteriophage. However, widespread gene transfer by means…
virus…attributed to an agent called bacteriophage (“eater of bacteria”), now known to be viruses that specifically infect bacteria.… | <urn:uuid:c300e059-cf01-4ea7-ad4c-fd04b1bfb527> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2019-35",
"url": "https://www.britannica.com/science/bacteriophage",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-35/segments/1566027319082.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20190823214536-20190824000536-00037.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9474390745162964,
"token_count": 1365,
"score": 4.03125,
"int_score": 4
} |
prejudice agianst foreign born people
policy of pulling away from involvement in world affairs
1 party control, political and economic system where government controls everything
Did a communist party form in the US?
What was the red scare?
panic in th US
Why was it called the red scare?
scared of communism and the communist flag is red
believe in no government
What were the palmer raids?
hunted down suspected communists, anarchists and socialists
What was the results of the palmer raids?
government deported 100s of radicals, civil rights of many were violated
What was the significance of Sacco and Vanzetti?
caused o fear of foreigners in the US
Who were Sacco and Vanzetti?
itailian immigrants who were executed for murder and robber
Who were the KKK's targets?
african americans, republicans, jewish and catholic immigrants
What was the KkK devoted to
What was the Emergency Quota Act of 1921?
system establishedthe maximum number of people who could enter the US from each country
During the Qquota what nationality was forbidden to enter the US?
What happened after WWI to all of the workers?
they went on strike
Who did employers attempt to link the strikers with?
anarchists and communists
Why did the labor movemnet lose appeal?
immigrants were willing ot work in poor conditions, most unions excluded african americans, union couldnt organize immigrants because of language barrier, farmers relyed on themselves already
What did Warren Harding mean by normalcy?
wanted america to return to the peaceful time before WWI and the srtikes and violence
What was the Kellogg - Briand Pact
outlawed war...60 nations signed
How did the Fordney - McCumber Tariff prevent the selling of goods?
tariff on imported goods raised by 60%
What was the Dawes plan?
US loans money to Germany to pay to france and GB so they could pay back the US.
What happened in Hardings cabinet?
Hardings corrupt friends use their offices to steal and become wealthy
first cabinet member to go to jail
Wwho took over for Harding?
What happend to Harding?
he had a heart attack
What was Hardings and Coolidges goal with the policies?
allow private enterprise to flurish
What changed about the American Landscape after cars?
Route 66 constructed, garages and driveways, rapid construction of gas stations, shopping centers, and motels
What were the changes for people after cars?
urban sprawl, live further from work (suburbs), more independence for young.
1st person to fly solo across the atlantic
famous woman aviator - tried to fly around the world, she went missing
What company used planes for business?
the post office
What was the significance of the new household appliances?
gave people more free time
put some money down and then a little more own every month until paid off
What was superficial prosperity?
on the surface the economy looked strong but it was actually having problems
What was different about living in the city?
more immigrants lived there, there were movie theaters, vaudeville shows, more toleration for sinful behavior
What was considered sinful behavior?
casual dating, drinking, gambling
What was the 18th amendment?
prohibition - making, selling or transporting alcohol
What did reformers think that prohibition would get rid of?
crime, health issues and money problems
Why was it so difficult to enforce prohibition?
not enough officers to enforce the law
When was alcohol legal to use during prohibition?
medicine, religious ceremonies
What were bootleggers?
they were people who smuggled liquor in their boots (aka rumrunners)
ruled chicago, aka scar face
believe whole bible
popular fundamentalist preacher
What major scientific theory did fundamentalism reject?
the theory of evolution
What law was passed in Tennessee because of fundamentalism?
it was illegal to teach evolution and had to teach creationism.
John T Scopes
was arrested for teaching Darwin's theory on purpose.
What was Scopes trial famous for?
the cross examination of bryan (the prosecutor)
What was a flapper?
an emancipated young lady who embraced new fashions
What changed about marriage?
more of a partnership
What was the double standard toward dating>?
men can go on lots of dates but girls cant
Why did women have new roles in the workplace?
booming industrial economy and time saving appliances.
What was the significance of birth control?
decrease in birth rate
why was it a problem that children had more time for leisure?
they were afraid the kids would get into trouble with all the free time
What were problems schools faced?
rising cost of education, teaching immigrant children
Why was there an increase in education?
schools were no longer catered to those who were college bound.
What was a powerful communications medium that started?
Where did Lindbergh leave from and land?
new york to paris
What was the first major movie with sound?
the jazz singer
famous jazz composer
artist. paintings of skylines
F. Scott Fitzgerald
wrote the great gatsby
wrote a farewell to arms
1st american to win nobel prize for literature
What was the great migration?
movement of african americans to urban areas
What was the NAACP?
civil rights organization. | <urn:uuid:b1ae03e2-3f47-4b8c-8b47-36bd530f16db> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2013-48",
"url": "http://quizlet.com/1492325/greenberg-unit-4-the-roaring-twenties-flash-cards/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1386163037851/warc/CC-MAIN-20131204131717-00030-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9706684947013855,
"token_count": 1167,
"score": 2.578125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Newly Diagnosed with Throat Cancer? Start your Cancer education here.
Vital to helping you understand your condition and manage your care is keeping track of important phone numbers, treatment history, side effects, and laboratory results, such as your complete blood count (CBC). Use these tools to help organize this information so you can be an active participant in your cancer care. Keep them handy for use at home and bring them along to your doctor visits and other medical appointments.
- Important Contacts
- Health and treatment history
- Copies of reports – Blood tests, Pathology reports, etc
What is Throat Cancer?
Throat cancer refers to cancerous tumors that develop in your throat (pharynx), voice box (larynx) or tonsils.
Your throat is a muscular tube that begins behind your nose and ends in your neck. Your voice box sits just below your throat and is also susceptible to throat cancer. The voice box is made of cartilage and contains the vocal cords that vibrate to make sound when you talk. Throat cancer can also affect the piece of cartilage (epiglottis) that acts as a lid for your windpipe. Tonsil cancer, another form of throat cancer, affects the tonsils, which are located on the back of the throat.
You can reduce your risk of throat cancer by not smoking, not chewing tobacco and limiting alcohol use.
Throat Cancer Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of throat cancer may include:
- A cough
- Changes in your voice, such as hoarseness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Ear pain
- A lump or sore that doesn’t heal
- A sore throat
- Weight loss
When to see a doctor: Make an appointment with your doctor if you notice any new signs and symptoms that are persistent. Most throat cancer symptoms aren’t specific to cancer, so your doctor will likely investigate other more common causes first. For more information on the cause of throat cancer, check out the Mayo Clinic.
What is Throat or Esophageal Cancer*
- Esophageal cancer affects the esophagus–the hollow, muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the throat to the stomach. It is the most rapidly increasing type of cancer in the United States.
- There are two main types of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinomas arise in the flat, scale-like cells that line the esophagus and usually occur in the upper and middle part of the esophagus. Adenocarcinomas usually develop in glandular tissue in the lower part of the esophagus. Treatment is similar for both types.
- By far, tobacco and alcohol use are the strongest risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, accounting for more than 90 percent of such cases. The causes of esophageal adenocarcinoma are more diverse, but are led by overweight and gastroesophageal reflux, a problem in which stomach contents frequently back up into the esophagus.
- People with a precancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus face a far greater than average risk of developing esophageal cancer, although not all people with Barrett’s go on to develop cancer. Barrett’s esophagus occurs when tissues at the bottom of the esophagus become irritated as a result of reflux. Over time, cells in the irritated part of the esophagus may change and begin to resemble the cells that line the stomach.
Esophageal Cancer: Some Key Research From Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Through the Seattle Barrett’s Esophagus Research Program, which is based at the Hutchinson Center, our researchers collaborate with colleagues at the University of Washington and other institutions on studies aimed at improving the lives of people living with the condition. The program includes an experienced clinical team that cares for patients with Barrett’s esophagus; a laboratory team that investigates the genetic and cell-cycle abnormalities that lead to cancer in Barrett’s esophagus; and epidemiologists who explore genetic and environmental risk factors that may cause Barrett’s esophagus and cancer.
Our investigators are also active members of the Barrett’s and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Consortium (BEACON), an international group of investigators who pool data and resources to investigate possible causes of the conditions and ways to prevent it.
Among its accomplishments, the Hutchinson Center team of investigators has shown that a systematic, multidisciplinary approach to early cancer detection can boost the five-year survival rate for esophageal cancer from about 10 percent to more than 80 percent.
Other promising research findings from the Seattle team, all of which require additional research, suggest that reducing obesity and quitting smoking also may prevent progression of Barrett’s.
To read more about the Seattle Barrett’s Esophagus Research Program. »
Determining esophageal-cancer risk
- In the first and longest observational study of its kind, Dr. Thomas Vaughan and colleagues found that aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may significantly reduce the risk of esophageal cancer among people with Barrett’s esophagus. The eight-year study found that current users of NSAIDs faced one-third the risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma as compared to patients who never used the drugs. Learn more. »
- People with the most aggressive form of Barrett’s esophagus may benefit the most from preventive therapy with aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, according to research led by Drs. Patricia Galipeau, Xiaohong Li, and Brian Reid. The researchers also identified a cluster of four known cancer biomarkers, or genetic abnormalities, in people with Barrett’s that significantly increases their risk of developing esophageal cancer. The researchers found that those with three or more of those cancer biomarkers upon enrollment in the study who also used aspirin or other NSAIDs had a 30 percent risk of esophageal cancer after 10 years. By contrast, those with the same biomarkers who did not use NSAIDs had a 79 percent risk of developing cancer within a decade of joining the study. Learn more. »
- Abdominal obesity is a strong risk factor for Barrett’s esophagus, according to a study led by Dr. Thomas Vaughan and colleagues. Aside from chronic reflux, there is scant knowledge about the cause of Barrett’s, and Vaughan’s study was one of the first to look at the association between the condition and multiple measures of obesity. The observations suggest weight loss might be a fruitful approach to preventing Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer. Learn more. »
*Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center – www.fhcrc.org | <urn:uuid:5eaa2e10-6070-40cc-b763-5784421e1191> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2018-39",
"url": "https://www.americancancerfund.org/cancer-types/throat-cancer/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-39/segments/1537267156613.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20180920195131-20180920215531-00444.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9236481785774231,
"token_count": 1452,
"score": 3.125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Volvo Car Corporation is taking the next step in active safety by developing a system that alerts and automatically brakes for animals on the road. The new system will be launched on the market in a few years' time.
The project to develop a safety system that reduces the risk of collisions with wild animals is part of Volvo Car Corporation's vision for 2020 - that nobody should suffer serious injury in a new Volvo. The new system is based on technologies from the Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake, introduced in 2010.
"The system consists of two parts - a radar sensor and an infra-red camera that can register the traffic situation," relates Andreas Eidehall, technical expert in the field of active safety systems at Volvo Car Corporation.
It is essential for the system to also function in the dark since most collisions with wild animals take place at dawn and dusk and during the dark winter months. The camera monitors the road ahead and if an animal is within range the system alerts the driver with an audible signal. If the driver does not react, the brakes are automatically applied.
"The goal is for the system to function at the normal rural highway speeds. In cases in which it cannot help the driver entirely avoid the collision, the system will slow down the car sufficiently to help reduce the force of impact and thus of serious injuries," continues Eidehall. | <urn:uuid:e02ae248-1b69-4bfe-bb60-92b012f64df1> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-17",
"url": "http://www.autoindustriya.com/auto-industry-news/got-cow.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917122996.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031202-00120-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9468442797660828,
"token_count": 276,
"score": 2.65625,
"int_score": 3
} |
George Walker's position paper entitled East is East and West is West outlines 4 major area where Western and Eastern values may differ:
- The group and the individual: here the IB Learner Profile is very concerned with individual attributes that promote active participation in learning (inquiry, communication and risk-taking) and personal responsibility (thinkers, knowledgeable, balanced, reflective, principled, open-minded). Only the attribute of caring really involves other people. Certainly there is a different balance between independence (Western) and interdependence (Eastern) in the Learner Profile.
- Respect for authority: having lived and worked in Europe, North America and Asia there is clearly a difference in relationships with and respect for teachers. The IB Learner Profile refers to all in the school community being learners, teachers, administrators and students. This might not sit so comfortably with Eastern views of teachers.
- A holistic view: Eastern cultures are more likely to see the whole picture and to view issues in shades of grey instead of the black and white approach of the West. One Learner Profile attribute that alludes to this holistic view is balanced.
- Taking risks - this is probably the one attribute where there is the greatest difference between Eastern and Western values. While we can see risk-taking as being something positive, many cultures would view it as negative and irresponsible.
At the end of all this, I'm not at all sure which word would be a better one to substitute for risk-takers, however I do agree that the IB promotes more Western values and attitudes than Eastern and that if the IB is really to promote international mindedness these issues will need to be addressed.
Photo Credit: Weather Vane by Leo Reynolds | <urn:uuid:37be8581-000e-4d5e-b498-45c36d16a450> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-51",
"url": "http://www.maggiehosmcgrane.com/2010/10/ib-learner-profile-risk-taking-v.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948575124.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20171215153355-20171215175355-00651.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9480347037315369,
"token_count": 346,
"score": 3.453125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Animal hoarding occurs when an individual has a large number of animals but fails to meet the animals’ basic care needs (for example, failing to providing food and water, clean environment, and/or veterinary care). Animals in hoarding situations often live in poor environments, and suffer from malnutrition, severe overcrowding, and/or extremely unsanitary conditions. People who hoard animals often do not recognize the harm they are causing the animals. They may continue to acquire additional animals and/or strive to maintain their current number of animals despite the animals’ deteriorating health.
Animal hoarding may have similar symptoms to HD with regard to difficulty discarding and clutter in the home, and squalor conditions may be present in homes where animals are allowed to roam freely. However, it seems likely that animal hoarding results from different processes and responds to different kinds of treatment. Because different disorders require different treatments, it is important to make sure you receive the right diagnosis.
For more information and resources about animal hoarding, please click here.
In some cases, a person may appear to have HD when really they have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This can occur when the apparent hoarding behaviors are the result of OCD symptoms. For example, contamination obsessions may prevent someone from touching things that have fallen to the floor, creating clutter in the home. A person who feels they must check and recheck documents may ignore piles of papers to avoid their checking rituals.
Here are some other differences between saving and clutter due to OCD and Hoarding Disorder:
- In OCD, the individual does not get any pleasure from saving things and the resulting clutter, which they find to be unwanted and highly distressing.
- Individuals with OCD are much less interested in the items they save. They have few sentimental attachments or beliefs about the value/worth of the items themselves.
- Excessive acquisition of items is rare among those with OCD-based saving and clutter.
Saving and clutter due to OCD is treated using the same treatment methods used for other types of OCD — exposure with response prevention (ERP) and/or medication. Click here to learn more about obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and to find treatment. | <urn:uuid:040f88c4-b408-4fa1-80ea-9a543cd1d8e5> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-45",
"url": "https://hoarding.iocdf.org/about-hoarding/subtypes-of-hoarding-disorder/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-45/segments/1603107880014.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20201022170349-20201022200349-00145.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9473069906234741,
"token_count": 452,
"score": 3.671875,
"int_score": 4
} |
Today’s featured entry from the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science
“Misplaced Obsessions: Understanding Why Christmas Is On December 25th” (click here for it)
Fr. James Kurzynski writes on the subject of the date of Jesus’s birth in this post on The Catholic Astronomer blog [click here to continue].
The Faith and Science pages (F&S) are a unique resource on the web. The material in F&S is stuff that you will find nowhere else (or at least not without a lot of digging). Featured areas on F&S include “History of Church and Science”; “Church and Science Today”; “Science and Scripture”; “Science, Religion & Society”; “Life in the Universe”; “Cosmology”; and more. The level of the F&S material ranges from being accessible to all audiences, with even some material oriented toward young readers, up to material for university specialists.
The F&S pages, like this blog, are made possible by the Vatican Observatory Foundation (the Vatican Observatory’s US operation that operates the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, in Arizona). Click here to support the F&S pages, this blog, and the operation of the VATT. | <urn:uuid:27318ad0-ef65-47df-ab6f-dd318dcb38d2> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2020-29",
"url": "https://www.vofoundation.org/blog/from-the-v-o-faith-and-science-pages-misplaced-obsessions-understanding-why-christmas-is-on-december-25th/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593655898347.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20200709034306-20200709064306-00528.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.8802434802055359,
"token_count": 274,
"score": 2.953125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Making a cast fossil - Thursday 17th November 2016
We had a great afternoon making our own fossils. We made impressions of shells into some plasticene. Then Mrs Iliff poured some Plaster of Paris into the moulds. The next day we uncovered our fossils. Amazing!!!!
The children had a great using their senses to write about the properties of rocks. They had to describe the properties of slate, marble, granite, sandstone and flint. | <urn:uuid:17c487a7-21a9-414b-9326-4208b470454d> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-47",
"url": "http://www.staloysius.co.uk/science-2/",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934805242.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20171119004302-20171119024302-00697.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9608816504478455,
"token_count": 92,
"score": 2.625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Pumped storage generation is having a moment. A number of utilities are considering the resource in their integrated resource plans and several projects have been proposed for development in the region. At its December meeting, power committee members were briefed on how the resource will be analyzed in the Council's regional power plan.
Pumped storage generates hydroelectricity for peak periods of demand by pumping water from a lower reservoir to a higher reservoir during low-demand periods and then releasing it during peak periods when electricity prices are higher.
The Council analyzes different resources as potential options for ensuring an adequate and affordable power supply. Gillian Charles, energy policy analyst, presented information on how staff will assess pumped storage generation by modeling its performance under different scenarios. The characteristics of pumped storage--expected costs, operating and performance specifications, and developmental potential--are inputs into modeling and comparing resources.
Noting that renewable development, combined with announced coal unit retirements and future compliance with clean energy standards, is driving the interest in pumped storage, Charles said that one of its key benefits is that, like hydropower dams, operators can adjust its generation to the grid's load variations, so it can complement renewable generation's ups and downs. This flexible capacity is a critical need as more renewable generation is added to the power grid.
The downside to pumped storage is that it is extremely expensive to build. A typical project costs about $2 billion and can take 10 years to license and build. It's a significant financial and regulatory risk should circumstances change down the road. One thing that could upend the calculation for pumped storage is the improving technology of batteries, which can also be paired with renewable resources, potentially making them a more cost-effective combination.
Still, developers have proposed nine projects in the region and two have Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permits: Swan Lake in Klamath County, Oregon and Gordon Butte in Meagher County, Montana. The only pumped storage project currently operating in the region is the 314 megawatt John W. Keyes III plant at Grand Coulee Dam.
"It's so capital-intensive; developers like to have their power purchase agreements signed before moving forward," observed Charles. "It will be interesting to see if we get one built in the next 10 years." | <urn:uuid:7322992c-23e8-4d20-84be-13de3e28bd93> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-43",
"url": "https://www.nwcouncil.org/news/assessing-pumped-storage-generation",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585561.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20211023033857-20211023063857-00589.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9554752707481384,
"token_count": 457,
"score": 3.03125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Efficacy of Synergized Cognitive-Physical Training for Children with Inattention
Objectives: To use a custom-designed, motion-capture, video game-based intervention (pediatric body-brain trainer (pediBBT)) adapted for school-aged children and deployed at a local elementary school to evidence potential improvements in cognitive control. Our first aim was to determine whether pediBBT is feasible in a school based setting. Aim 2 was to determine if this platform improves cognitive control abilities in children with and without clinically significant inattention as measured behaviorally and neurally via electroencephalography (EEG).
Methods: Eight children (7 boys), aged 7-12 years, underwent 24 pediBBT sessions across eight weeks. 7 out of 8 completed all pre and post assessments. PediBBT consists of three modules aimed at training attention, working memory, and goal management in which subjects respond to stimuli by reaching, squatting, or running. ADHD symptoms and cognitive abilities, specifically sustained attention, response inhibition, and working memory, were assessed prior to and following intervention using parent report (Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Parent Rating Scale) and direct assessment (Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA), Attend-Ignore Distractor (AID)). Additionally, we assessed for changes in midline frontal theta, an EEG marker associated with focused attention processing, using a custom designed perceptual discrimination task.
Results: Regarding Aim 1 (feasibility), 100% of children completed all 24 sessions. In response to the question: “Overall, how would you rate you/your child's experience with pediBBT?” on a scale of 1-100, the mean score was 87, with a range of 70-100. On parent report measures of inattention, 3 out of 8 participants scored in the clinically significant range for ADHD at baseline -- 1 Inattentive, 1 Hyperactive, and 1 Combined type. Out of the 3 participants with parent-report based ADHD, 2 participants no longer meet criteria after pediBBT intervention. Direct assessment using TOVA showed statistically significant improvement in response time in 6 out of 7 children (p=.027) and response time variability (p=.01) in all 7 children. On our test of working memory, all 3 of the children with issues of inattention showed improvement. Our neural analyses using EEG event related spectral analysis showed an increase of midline frontal theta across the cohort.
Conclusions: These findings provide initial evidence that an eight week, in-school, synergistic cognitive-physical training is feasible in children 7-12 years of age. Furthermore, it may improve cognitive abilities in children with attention challenges. We continue to enroll participants and analyze data and will be able to present outcomes of a larger sample in May of 2019. We also plan to recruit control groups with cognitive only and physical only training to determine the most effective outcome. | <urn:uuid:a2943d04-0bbc-4350-b471-c76acb36a43c> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-49",
"url": "https://insar.confex.com/insar/2019/webprogram/Paper30694.html",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964361253.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20211202084644-20211202114644-00325.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9330294728279114,
"token_count": 605,
"score": 2.921875,
"int_score": 3
} |
CRS in Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) boasts a large population of 77 million people, vast lands and rivers, and abundant mineral resources. Yet after decades of mismanagement, conflict, and resulting humanitarian disasters, the DRC sits second to last (186 of 187 countries) on the UN’s 2014 Human Development Index. Life expectancy is 50 years, mean years of schooling is 3, and gross national income is $444 per person per year. In the DRC’s east, nearly 3 million people remain displaced from their homes due to political and ethnic conflict.
According to the CIA 2013 World Factbook, substandard socio-economic conditions affect about 71% percent of the population living below the poverty line. Conflicts, corruption and diseases attacking staple crops such as cassava, have affected agricultural outputs, which have also been on the decline for decades.
Health indicators for the under-5 population are similarly bleak. Tuberculosis is one of the five major causes of death among children in the country in addition to malaria, diarrheal diseases, malnutrition and neonatal complications.
CRS DRC continues to address humanitarian issues in collaboration with church partners, government agencies and other humanitarian actors.
Country News and Stories
August 10, 2016
First-Ever Refugee Team Joins Summer Olympics
This small team competes on behalf of the world’s 65 million refugees.
March 16, 2016
CRS Works with Congolese Coffee Farmers Now Selling to Starbucks
More than 4,000 coffee farmers have sold specialty-grade coffee to Starbucks and others.
August 12, 2015
Coffee Cooperatives Strengthen Farm Families
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, coffee isn't just that drink that wakes you up in the morning—it's a way of life that goes back generations. "It's been here since our grandparents. It's a heritage," explains...
August 4, 2015
Healthy Babies and Mothers in the DRC
When Gisele Biringanine discovered she was pregnant, she panicked. It was her third pregnancy—but her first two ended in miscarriage. Gisele's home country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, has one of the highest...
CRS' History in Democratic Republic of Congo
CRS began operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1961 at the invitation of the country's Catholic Episcopal Conference. Since 1993, the agency has maintained a continuous presence due to permanence of the conflicts, in order to provide timely assistance to populations at risk.
With an initial focus on emergency response programming, CRS expanded to development operations to respond to the growing needs of the population. CRS since introduced innovative humanitarian approaches such as the voucher fair. We continue to use more efficient solutions with technology such as ICT4D for faster emergency response and more efficient monitoring and evaluation systems that provide evidenced-based data for improved programming. Many of the partners that benefited from capacity building from CRS these past 20 years are currently independently run entities.
Today, the DRC is among CRS’s top 12 priority countries, with a FY15 budget of nearly $25 million. CRS DRC currently has over 170 national and 25 international staff operating out of a national office in Kinshasa; four sub-offices in Goma (North Kivu), Bukavu (South Kivu), Kananga (Kasai Occidental), and Lubumbashi (Katanga); and several satellite offices. We count nearly 20 local partner organizations. | <urn:uuid:5e45fb98-c98f-4205-8c78-40805abdaa0a> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2017-09",
"url": "http://www.crs.org/our-work-overseas/where-we-work/democratic-republic-congo",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501173761.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104613-00625-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9309348464012146,
"token_count": 726,
"score": 2.890625,
"int_score": 3
} |
Role-playing simulations are great for retention, comprehension, literacy, and group
decision-making. Here we'll discuss what they are and why they work.
What is a role-playing simulation?
Role-playing simulations place the student in the position of a person in a particular time and place. Most of the simulations involve group problem-solving and conflict resolution. In my experience, invariably students rate these experiential learning activities among their favorite activities of the year.
How are the simulations used?
The best way to use these simulations is at the beginning of a unit when students have little prior knowledge of the historical outcome of a particular conflict. This allows a clean slate for actions instead of a predictable imitation of history just because “That's the way it had to be.”
When the teacher does begin the regular instructional part of the unit, the students will automatically make comments like, “Wow! That is just like what happened in the game” or “Now I understand why they did what they did.” We all know from hands on learning that students remember better what they did than what they heard or read about, so these simulations allow for an unforgettable interactive learning experience that will bring history alive for them.
Other simulations are best used as culminating activities. Check the lesson plan for recommendations for each simulation. There are so many great reasons to start using role-playing simulations, which we'll get into below.
1. Students are involved in creating their charactersThe students are often given a character sheet which describes the group's needs and desires, a brief description of the historical problem, and a copy of the rules of the game. The individual assumes the role they chose and makes decisions as the character would during that particular time period. No pre-set limits are placed on a particular person’s choices as long as they are within the realm of what was historically possible.
2. Unpredictable outcomes lead to interesting discussions
Because of the freedom to choose in these games, the outcomes are very unpredictable. No two classes finish the simulation in the exact same way, which leads to some very interesting classroom discussions about why things turned out the way they did, what could have happened differently, and how the simulation compares to what actually occurred in history.
After the simulation is completed the teacher can lead a very interesting discussion of why things happened the way they did and how they might have turned out differently in the game or actually did turn out differently in other countries. This debriefing period is the most valuable portion of the activity. Students will be eager to participate because they were active stakeholders in the decisions made instead of passive listeners hearing about other people's problems from long ago. The activities build historical understanding, empathy for the viewpoints of others, and group decision-making skills.
3. Quick and easy play that can fit any class schedule
Choose simulations or games that can usually be played in one or two class periods. Their open-ended nature allows for playing up to one week if time permits, but after a couple of days you will find that most of the possibilities have been exhausted and continued play will have only limited instructional value.
4. Opportunity for valuable follow-up activities
Critical thinking skills are developed with thought-provoking debriefing questions. Follow-up activities might include an essay comparing the game to what actually occurred in history or a visit to an internet newsgroup on alternative history where the students' questions can be bounced off a group of history professors, students, and aficionados across the world. This can be a very valuable form of feedback. The simulations can also be used at the end of a unit as a form of alternative assessment to see how well students can apply the skills they have learned to an actual historical problem.
5. The cost is low
Another key advantage to this is the cost. Everything you need to play simulations can usually be reproduced from the book. There is minimal setup and cleanup time required, allowing for maximum role-playing time.
6. Keep it simple
With the best role-playing simulations, as much as possible, pieces have been kept to a minimum to make cleanup and storage easier and to keep costs down for teachers on a budget. The emphasis is on role-playing so that the student can get as much as possible out of their personal learning experience and not get tied up in the mechanics of a complicated rules system.
7. Students love them
Returning students have stated that these activities are the things they best remember about the class years later. Under-motivated students will often flourish in these activities because they have found a place where their abilities can shine. Gifted students enjoy the challenge of adding as much realism and detail to the activity as possible and often enjoy taking a leadership role in the bargaining.
Many students have commented to me “This is the first time I have ever been interested in a history class” or “This makes me feel like I was really there because it was so exciting.” Often discussion over what has occurred will spill over into other classes, lunchtime, or after school. Students will compare what happened in their friends' classes and eagerly return the next day to see if the outcome is as they expected.
Explore simulations and so much more!
Get a free trial of Active Classroom, a complete digital curriculum
Richard Di Giacomo has taught social studies and history for over 25 years in both public and private schools. His experience ranges from working with at-risk and limited English students to teaching honors and college preparatory courses. He graduated from San José State University with a BA in Ancient and Medieval History, a BA in Social Science, and an MA in American History. Richard is the author of 16 books including subjects on historical simulations, history activities for ELL students, geography, California history, humor, and historical fiction. | <urn:uuid:58096557-7f6c-4ce3-9e7b-4b925202feee> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2021-43",
"url": "https://blog.socialstudies.com/7-reasons-social-studies-teachers-should-use-role-playing-simulations",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323585215.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20211018221501-20211019011501-00462.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9635611176490784,
"token_count": 1198,
"score": 4.125,
"int_score": 4
} |
(An excerpt from The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce: a 25 Year Landmark Study By Judith S. Wallerstein, Julia M. Lewis, & Sandra Blakeslee (2000). Hyperion Publishers.
Joint custody presumes that babies are able to attach to two primary caregivers and will learn to do so over and over, sometimes every few days. This frequent transitioning and continual disruption of contact may indeed be possible for some or even many babies to achieve, but there's a great deal about the psychological impact of these arrangements we don't know. Infants need consistent sensitive parenting in order to thrive during the critical first years. When a baby doesn't see her primary caregiver for several days, the child suffers a lot because she is likely to assume that the caregiver has disappeared and that she's been abandoned. But our knowledge about how much absence the infant can tolerate without severe suffering is still insufficient to build regular disappearances of a parent into the child's schedule. Courts have ordered infants into several weeklong stays away from the primary parent.
Over the first year of life the baby needs access to the primary caregiver, whether the mother or father, as often as possible, especially at times of stress, which is often during the night when she wakes with a tummy-ache, or because she is hungry, or because of the many complicated parts of the child's environment too which the baby needs to adjust. The role of the primary caregiver is to provide a steady base of security by consistently and predictably responding to the baby's needs. During the second year, a toddler relying on this solid base of security is ready to venture out and explore the world. It's okay to try the playground slide because the safest lap you know is waiting at the bottom to catch you. The child's interest in the world, her capacity for learning, and her cognitive, emotional, and social development rest on her sense of a solid base.
Very few studies have looked at infant and toddlers who visit overnight in the other parent's home. One very important study carried out by Dr. Judith Solomon shows that these very young children are exquisitely sensitive to the relationship between their divorced parents. If the Parents are angry or unable to cooperate well with each other, the children show disorganized attachment to both, meaning that they don't trust either mommy or daddy as protective figures. They feel insecure everywhere. If the parents are able to cooperate, talk about the child's care together and to exchange the baby peaceably, the baby may thrive. But even though some parents may try to ease the young child into feeling comfortable in two homes, let's face a hard truth. When a marriage fails in the last trimester of pregnancy or a few months after the birth of a child, the man and woman are likely to be hurt and angry.When a court orders overnight visits in these situations, I doubt very much that many parents are able to cooperate about the details of the child's feeding or sleeping or what to do about colic. They are very distressed, sometimes distraught people.
When I'm consulted on what to do about custody of babies I advocate creating a post divorce environment that's as close as possible to life in a good intact home. The baby should have a chance to form his earliest relationships with in a stable environment, to have a sense of a solid routine and predictable care. If the parents can work this out, they can surely consider overnights in the two houses and carefully observe the child's response. Parents often need help in overcoming their fear that the baby will not be safe in the care of the other parent. Babies vary greatly in their capacity to deal with change. As the child grows older, parents can increase the time he spends in each home. The child who is happily attached to one parent is able to deal more happily and easily with the other parent and with other caregivers. Putting the child's best interests forward and honoring what is best for the child is extremely hard to do in many post divorce families. It requires parents to stand apart from their raw, hurt, jealous, competitive feelings and take an objective, compassionate look at what life will be like for their child. Not every parent can do that, but surely the job of the court is to give priority to the helpless child over the demands of the parent.
Click for a printer-friendly PDF version of this article | <urn:uuid:69991a4e-6dd7-4284-9f5a-638a94445a0f> | {
"dump": "CC-MAIN-2014-41",
"url": "http://www.attachmentparenting.org/support/articles/infantjoint",
"file_path": "s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-41/segments/1412037663060.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20140930004103-00258-ip-10-234-18-248.ec2.internal.warc.gz",
"language": "en",
"language_score": 0.9665484428405762,
"token_count": 890,
"score": 2.53125,
"int_score": 3
} |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.