July 11, 2013
Prisoners Doing Yoga May See Psychological Benefits
Yoga can improve mood and mental well being among prisoners, an Oxford University study suggests, and may also have an effect on impulsive behavior.
The researchers found that prisoners after a ten-week yoga course reported improved mood, reduced stress and were better at a task related to behavior control than those who continued in their normal prison routine.
Dr Bilderbeck adds: 'This was only a preliminary study, but nothing has been done like this before. Offering yoga sessions in prisons is cheap, much cheaper than other mental health interventions. If yoga has any effect on addressing mental health problems in prisons, it could save significant amounts of public money.'
The researchers were supported in the running of the trial by the Prison Phoenix Trust, an Oxford-based charity that offers yoga classes in prisons. They approached the Oxford University psychologists about conducting such a study to assess the benefits, though the study was designed, analyzed and published independently of the Trust.
The Oxford University researchers, along with colleagues from King's College London, the University of Surrey and Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, report their findings in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.
Prisons see rates of mental health problems that are many times higher than the general population, and high levels are often recorded of personal distress, aggression, antisocial behavior and drug and alcohol abuse among prisoners.
Yoga and meditation have been shown be beneficial in reducing anxiety, depression and improving mood in other areas and settings, so the Oxford researchers carried out an initial exploratory study to look at a range of possible benefits of yoga among prisoners.
Inmates of a range of ages were recruited from five category B and C prisons, a women's prison and a young offender institution, all in the West Midlands, and were randomly assigned to either a course of ten weekly yoga sessions of 90 minutes run by the Prison Phoenix Trust, or to a control group.
In sessions with the researchers before and after the yoga course, all the prisoners completed standard psychology questionnaires measuring mood, stress, impulsivity and mental well being. A computer test to measure attention and the participant's ability to control his or her responses to an on-screen cue was also used after the yoga course.
If yoga is associated with improving behavior control, as suggested by the results of the computer test, there may be implications for managing aggression, antisocial or problem behavior in prisons and on return to society, the researchers note â though this is not measured in this initial study.
Dr Bilderbeck, who practices yoga herself, cautions: 'We're not saying that organizing a weekly yoga session in a prison is going to suddenly turn prisons into calm and serene places, stop all aggression and reduce reoffending rates. We're not saying that yoga will replace standard treatment of mental health conditions in prison. But what we do see are indications that this relatively cheap, simple option might have multiple benefits for prisoners' well being and possibly aid in managing the burden of mental health problems in prisons.'
Sam Settle, director of the Prison Phoenix Trust, says: 'Almost half of adult prisoners return to prison within a year, having created more victims of crime, so finding ways to offset the damaging effects of prison life is essential for us as a society. This research confirms what prisoners have been consistently telling the Prison Phoenix Trust for 25 years: yoga and meditation help them feel better, make better decisions and develop the capacity to think before acting â all essential in leading positive, crime-free lives once back in the community.'
On the Net:


Help Children Cope With Life With ADHD
Is it tough for your child or teen with ADHD to see the big picture — what their particular challenges are and how to live, and thrive, with them? Here’s how parents and teachers can help.
It was early on a Saturday morning in December 1991. I crawled out of bed knowing that I had to brave the cold to get to my weekend basketball practice. I was tired and late, so instead of waiting for the car to warm up and for the windows to defrost, I scraped a small hole in the front windshield — just big enough for me to see the road directly ahead. We lived in the middle of nowhere and I was fully confident that I wouldn’t encounter any traffic on the four miles of back roads that would take me into town. By the time I reached Main Street, the ice on my windows would have melted.
About a half mile from my house, there was a four-way stop intersection. I could not remember a single instance when I ever saw a car driving on that narrow gravel road. The land was flat and you could see in every direction for miles. Usually when I got near this intersection I would look both ways and gun it right through the stop sign. Stopping seemed like a big waste of time for a busy guy like me. Well, guess what? That day, my car windows covered with ice, I gunned it … right into the side of some poor guy’s Toyota Corolla. No one was seriously hurt, although my knees still bear scars from where I slammed them into the dashboard. On the upside, I am a much safer driver now!
Occasionally, when I think about my ADHD brain, I am reminded of that car wreck all those years ago. Having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) is a lot like driving with a dirty or iced over windshield. You get glimpses of what’s going on around you, but the picture is never clear. There are lots of blind spots, and then decisions are made based on inaccurate or partial information, which often times leads to accidents, both small and great. Learning to live and thrive with ADHD has a lot to do with figuring out how to clean those windows. With that in mind, here are three suggestions on how you can help your students and children avoid getting into wrecks:
1. Drum it into your child’s head that the time to prepare for the day — any day — is the night before. It seems like such an obvious, simple thing, but it is an especially important routine to try and ingrain in your child. People with ADHD are often running late because our stuff has a tendency to disappear at the worst possible time, and we never think to get everything ready in advance. To keep track of everything in advance, make a checklist:
Notebooks and pencil case? Check.
Gym clothes? Check.
Is this tedious? Sure, but see if you can do this with your child for 30 days. I believe that you will notice a big difference in how the day starts not just for them but for you too. Teachers should also be giving their more distracted and disorganized students a checklist to take home — something that lists homework, any upcoming events that require action from the student, and anything else that can help students more easily navigate their school experience.
2. Make sure that your child has a nutritious breakfast. (With your first strategy in place, this second one will be a snap.) The effect of diet on ADHD is well documented, and you do not want your child running out the door with a Pop-Tart in their hand and nothing else. Poor food choices only make it harder for someone with ADHD to function at their best. Now that your student is ready to go to school from the night before, you can spend the time that was previously wasted on running around the house trying to find the other shoe on making and eating a breakfast that’s high in protein and good carbs. If it is a Pop-Tart kind of morning, at least buy a healthier snack.
3. Make sure that the student has frequent attitude tune-ups. These can be biweekly or maybe monthly, depending on how well your child or student copes with school and life. Living with ADHD as a school kid or a teenager can be challenging. Too young to be able to see the big picture and to imagine that there is more to life than school, students with ADHD need to have a chance to vent and to be encouraged. As an adult, make yourself available! Don’t be afraid to start up potentially uncomfortable conversations and don’t give up if you get the silent treatment and the eye roll.
More importantly, even if the child does not want to talk, you shouldn’t be afraid to. Share your own experiences — good and bad. Give encouragement. Keep it light. It might seem like they aren’t listening, but I assure you, they can hear every single word you’re saying. Those words, if they are kind and constructive, will make a world of difference.
Updated on July 8, 2019


Exercise is the core of quality of life. Daily practice is a healthy habit. This is the golden key to help avoid obesity, cardiovascular disorders and above all good for brain health, improving cognitive function.
Here are 8 great benefits of practicing. And with these great benefits, let’s wish our players a sublimation match and your best.
1. Practicing sports improves memory
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain so that the brain gets enough oxygen. The result is increased concentration, which improves memory and learning.
2. Exercising sports slows down the appearance of neurodegeneration
While exercise will increase blood flow to the brain, in the long term this helps improve the ability to turn on and off some genes. Daily exercise can prevent age-related degeneration or brain bleeding.
3. Reduce anxiety and stress
Muscle stimulation exercises – this is a great therapy for people who often suffer from anxiety. During exercise, the body releases serotonin and dopamine, which help relieve stress and anxiety.
Physical activity increases neurotransmission. This explains why physicists recommend physical activity during the treatment of depression by increasing the happy hormones endorphins and sérotonine.
5. Exercise sports reduce fatigue while working
Fatigue at work often occurs when the amount of blood to the brain is not enough, the exercises, light exercise helps increase blood and oxygen to the brain.
6. Exercising sports increases libido
Practicing yoga, cardiovascular exercises brought about significant improvements in women with reduced libido for men helps improve erections.
7. Increase confidence
Regular physical activity, which enhances and stimulates an area of the brain called the “forehead-striae” pathway, when this area is stimulated, increases self-confidence. In addition, playing sports helps you become more integrated with the community. Improving confidence is one of the great benefits of physical activity.
8. Eliminate forms of stress
In life with work pressure, you can relieve stress by doing sports for about 30 minutes a day. These physical activities help the body cope with stress through an increase in norépinéphrin in the brain. There is also a decrease in the level of cortisol, a hormone responsible for this problem. Exercising can also help you temporarily forget the troubles in life.


Waco in McLennan County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Jacob de Cordova
(June 6, 1808 - January 26, 1868)
When Galveston’s John S. Sydnor (1812-1869) acquired a large tract of land here on the Brazos River’s west bank in 1847, De Cordova was retained to survey and sell the property. He in turn hired George Bernard Erath (1813-1891) to conduct the survey. By 1848 De Cordova obtained control of the tract and journeyed here with Erath to lay out the town of Waco. About 1849 De Cordova also was retained to sell a vast tract near here on the east bank of the Brazos River.
De Cordova donated several lots to the new town, including this Waco Spring site, the common square, and sites for numerous schools and churches. He died while formulating a scheme to industrialize the Brazos River Valley and was buried at Kimball in Bosque County (about 45 mi. NW). In 1935 De Cordova’s remains were moved to the state cemetery in Austin.
Erected 1986 by
Location. 31° 33.646′ N, 97° 7.692′ W. Marker is in Waco, Texas, in McLennan County. Marker can be reached from University Parks Drive east of Washington Avenue, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is located west of the Waco Suspension Bridge in Indian Spring Park. Marker is in this post office area: Waco TX 76701, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Waco Suspension Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Waco Spring (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named The Waco Suspension Bridge (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Going Up The Chisholm Trail (about 800 feet away); Gerald-Harris Shooting (approx. ¼ mile away); Brann-Davis Shootings (approx. 0.3 miles away); Doris Miller (approx. 0.9 miles away); Elite Cafe (approx. 2½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waco.
Also see . . . Jacob Raphael De Cordova. From the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas Online”. (Submitted on May 17, 2016.)
Categories. • Notable Persons •
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on May 17, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 308 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 17, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.


“Ben Franklin was the most famous American in the entire world during colonial times,” explains children’s book author and illustrator Roz Schanzer in this enchanting book about one of the nation’s most inventive Founding Fathers.
“No wonder!” she adds in this book for kids ages 6-12. “After all, the man could do just about anything. Why, he was an author and an athlete and a patriot and a scientist and an inventor to boot. He even found a way to steal the lightning right out of the sky. Is such a thing possible? It is!”
Be sure to take a look at this insightful book where you’ll find Ben busy at work on every spread. Then find out how he used his discovery about lightning to make people’s lives safer.
In an inventive way, Rosalyn Schanzer brings us a brilliant and ever-curious American original.
What people are saying about “How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning:”
Publisher’s Weekly: “As with her How We Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark, Schanzer’s lively writing and drawing style again makes history come alive. Here she gives appropriate spark to a picture-book overview of Benjamin Franklin’s various inventions and scientific experiments, zeroing in on his discovery of lightning’s electric power. The statement “It’s true!” begins the exhilarating ride. From there the author summarizes, in a succinct and zippy style, many of Franklin’s achievements as inventor, statesman, author, entrepreneur, activist, community leader and musician-a Renaissance man of boundless energy (“Didn’t the man ever stop to rest?” she wonders). The artwork, a combination of vibrantly colored dyes and ink line, depicts an ebullient Franklin smiling, with his hair flying, as he flits from one role to the next. But the author devotes a significant portion of the book to Franklin’s curiosity about electricity (which he believed to be found in lightning) and its potential to cause devastating fires, including the story behind Franklin’s famous experiment of flying a kite with a key on its string during a thunderstorm. The compositions, which include period detail and accessible illustrated renditions of Franklin’s documented projects and inventions, match the chipper tone of the text. An extensive author’s note provides further information on Franklin’s life and works, and spiffy endpapers reproduce diagrams and notes from Franklin’s papers in Philadelphia’s American Philosophical Society. This fitting tribute to a memorable leader emphasizes the playfulness that accompanies a curious mind and the boundless energy required for great accomplishments.”
School Library Journal: “Even in childhood, Franklin was inventing better ways to do things. “He lay on his back, held on to a kite string, and let his kite pull him lickety-split across a big pond.” This spirited account of the most prodigious inventor echoes the tall-tale humor Schanzer employed in Davy Crockett Saves the World (HarperCollins, 2001). Her subject comes across as larger than life, even though the lively, color cartoon sketches often depict him in miniature. The book begins with Franklin’s accomplishments but quickly moves on to his many inventions and his growing interest in electricity, culminating in his capture of lightning in the legendary kite experiment. The author does a nice job of explaining the historical context and the ultimate value of the lightning rod in saving lives. The deftly drawn comic scenes and the folksy tone lend folklore flavor, but this brisk account is not fictionalized. The concluding author’s note adds information on Franklin’s work as inventor, and the endpapers superimpose a small, cheerful depiction of him on a pleasant layout of his own sketches. Well conceived and crafted, this fresh view is particularly welcome as few of the fine picture-book accounts of the popular patriot remain in print. Enjoyable reading fare, this volume will pair neatly with Lisa Jo Rudy’s The Ben Franklin Book of Easy and Incredible Experiments (Wiley, 1995). — Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
About the Author: Author/Illustrator Rosalyn Schanzer‘s book “Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem” (National Geographic) is the winner of the Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators for Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2011 and has also received a 2012 Robert F. Sibert Honor Award as one of the year’s five most distinguished informational books for children.
Schanzer has written and illustrated 16 award-winning books for young people. A world traveler, nationally ranked Masters swimmer, avid photographer, and chocolate connoisseur, she lives in Fairfax Station, VA, with her husband in a house surrounded by birds. You can visit her website at rosalynschanzer.com.


Eighth Graders at McGinnis Woods Country Day School learn in a departmentalized structure which challenges them through different teaching styles, organizational demands, and challenging course specific labs and opportunities.
The curriculum is a challenging standards based course of study that builds on the strong foundation of knowledge and skills attained throughout the elementary program and middle grades. The students are prepared for the challenges that they will face in high school and beyond.
Students are exposed to many genre styles and are taught strategies to help them understand the heavy load of course specific reading that they encounter on a daily basis. They write across the curriculum and continue to learn specific grammar and conventions of writing. They are encouraged to use technology as a writing tool and prepare many pieces of specific writing genres. They are immersed in real world mathematics that, including significant amounts of algebra and geometry. Instruction includes the appropriate use of manipulatives and technology. Students are encouraged to articulate their mathematical understandings both verbally and in writing.
Eighth graders study physical science. They work conceptually on the laws of physical science: Conservation of matter, conservation of energy, motion and forces, and energy transformation. In Social Studies students will study Georgia geography, history, government, and economics. U. S. historical events are included to ensure that students understand Georgia’s role in the history of the United States. Students participate in field trips that enrich the learning environment and guest speakers and primary sources are incorporated throughout.
All core subjects are taught including Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Specials including Media/Technology, Foreign Language, Health, Physical Education, Fine Arts, and Counseling. Community Service and Character Education opportunities are also provided.


One of the central activities of the Hough Ear Institute team is to pioneer new research that targets distinct patient groups with different types of hearing loss and inner ear disorders. In doing this, we generate ideas and conduct initial proof-of-concept studies to test the validity of new technologies or approaches. If these studies are successful, they can provide evidence that our treatment strategy or medication may be clinically useful for one or more patient populations experiencing auditory dysfunction.
An emerging and very common problem is something called “hidden hearing loss.” Patients with “hidden hearing loss” have a great difficulty understanding words or speech, particularly with background noise like in a loud restaurant or with background music playing. These individuals can often have difficulty hearing or making out words on the television.
This loss of hearing clarity is called “hidden hearing loss” because the types of auditory tests performed in the clinic often do not recognize this kind of hearing loss, leading to “normal-looking” test results for hearing function.
This type of hearing loss can result from noise exposures, aging, or toxins. The toxins can damage the tiny nerve endings that transmit the signals from the inner ear hair cells to the brain. Very interestingly and surprisingly, our pill technology appears to be able to successfully regrow these lost nerve endings and restore hearing in initial animal modeling studies. As a further proof-of-concept for this, we want to determine if the pill technology can restore these important nerve connections in animals with long-standing “hidden hearing loss.” If successful, the results from these studies would be very exciting, because many people with this condition could be treated with our proprietary pill technology and possibly avoid the need for hearing aids.
A key component to staying relevant in today’s research environment is to continue to adapt our ideas and therapies to emerging issues in the sphere of hearing loss. The commitment of HEI remains to restore hearing worldwide, and this includes exploring the newest problems encountered by patients and hearing loss professionals. We believe that through continued research and support we can further improve the lives of those suffering from hearing loss and the effects thereof.


From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
- This article is about the life-form. For the virtual security(ish) thingie, see Cart. For the British variant, see Trolley.
The term shopping carts refers to a variety of wheeled organisms belonging to the genus cartilaginous which are characterized by the presence of large gridded exoskeleton. The most common of these are cartilaginous grocerius, cartilaginous walmartius, cartilaginous hobousesus, cartilaginous pisspoorus and cartilaginous backleftwheelnoworkii. Though shopping carts are now common in all parts of the industrialized world, wild shopping carts have become nearly extinct, replaced instead by domesticated varieties. Even those carts found roaming free are nearly always domesticated shopping carts gone feral. Sometimes the term is also used to describe a trolley, a similar, related, species.
The social structure of shopping carts is hive-based, with a colony typically consisting of many dozens of "worker" carts and one "queen", whose only purpose is to breed new carts. The only visible sign of difference is that a Queen has an undercarriage that is greatly valued by big game hunters. In the wild, an established colony would also contain several males whose sole purpose is to mate with the queen. In the absence of a male, however, the queen can reproduce clonally through parthenogenesis. This process is only capable of producing workers and these workers lack significant genetic diversity. In order to control the breeding process, most domesticated colonies do not have a male; furthermore most domesticated colonies are formed by simply moving a large number of workers to a new location. In such a situation, one of the workers will become a new queen and a new colony is established. The new colony, however, will be genetically identical to the mother colony.
This overwhelming lack of genetic diversity has been frustrating in recent times, and has lead to numerous missions to seek out and capture wild shopping carts in order to access a greater variety of genetic traits. For instance, when the Target corporation wanted to produce a subspecies of shopping carts with the company's distinctive shade of red, it needed to send out a team of entomologists and adventurers to capture several male carts from the wild.
Overall, domestic carts have grown to be quite different from their wild counterparts in many ways. The wild carts are usually smaller and sleeker, since there is no evolutionary pressure to select for large basket space, and are always much more muscular. Some are also very dangerous! Because of their symbiotic relationship with humans, who wheel them through areas containing food, domestic shopping carts always have little to no muscle mass.
Domestic shopping carts are usually approximately 1.5m long, and 1.3m high, but pygmy variants have been seen. Other variations can be spotted in the form of the wheels and the color and design of the dorsal fin.
The use of biological organisms by humans for the purpose of conveying products while shopping has not been without its critics, who argue that the natural place of such creatures is in the wild, not penned-up in urban areas. This argument is somewhat frustrated by the fact that most domestic shopping carts would be unable to survive if released into the wild, since most now lack even basic ambulatory ability, and would easily be killed by their natural predators, like Pamela Anderson, people that suck at driving and often hit shopping carts, Oscar Wilde, and of course dopplegangers. These criticisms usually come from two movements: animal rights organizations and child safety groups. The abandonment of said carts has become an hot topic among many organismic rights groups as well. It may be noted that some Jane Goodall-type poseurs have in certain cases tried to implement themselves into the habitats of said carts and have indeed commandeered said carts for their own uses and exploitation.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (who have now formed a new branch, People for the Ethical Treatment of Shopping Carts) has been among the most vociferous critics of the practice of keeping shopping carts for human purposes. Most controversially, they have compared the practice to that of human slavery, juxtaposing images of shopping carts huddled together in their parking lot racks with images of slaves chained together in the holds of a slave ship. Unsurprisingly this tactic has been remarkable effective, eliciting great sympathy for the shopping carts and creating solidarity with the black community.
PETA was also active in the Bum-Hobo conflict, a war waged by two groups of destitute and victimized people forced to live on a small piece of crappy land. As the conflict escalated, the Bums began to use shopping carts as weapons by hiding explosives in them underneath their possessions and going to the enemy camp, where they would blow themselves up. Concerned for the shopping carts, PETA issued a statement urging the Bums not to harm any innocent shopping carts when they blew up themselves and others.
Another group which opposes the use of domesticated shopping carts are those concerned for child welfare, who fear that the carts may harm young children. Characterizing the carts as "vicious untamable animals" one group asks, "Why would you put your child into the jaws of such a creature?" Indeed the child seats found on most carts evolved from the same genetic roots as insectoid mandibles, but domestic shopping carts actually take in nourishment by absorbing protein from broken eggs and minerals from trace amounts of automobile paint.
Nevertheless, due to carelessness, neglect, and the simple distance that a child who climbs out from a cart will fall, there were nearly 22,000,000 children injured in shopping cart-related accidents last year. (This figure includes only seat-related injuries; it does not include other cart-related mishaps such as pinchings, scrapings, bumpings, snaggings, foot flattenings, rollovers, and grocer's ear.)
Other Uses For the Shopping Cart
Early on in the history of the domestication of the shopping cart, it was discovered that the cart could be used to convey, not only groceries, but people as well. In the olden days, jealous non-horse owners were known to take "joyrides" on carts, wherein they would run up to an unsuspecting cart, leap onto it from behind, standing on the bar just above the back wheels and holding tight onto the handle, and use their momentum to let the cart carry them across the plains, whooping and hollering. The cart, of course, would do its best to buck the rider, and usually succeeded in the end, by flipping backwards and dumping the joyrider on his head. This has developed into the sport of Shopping Cart racing
The modern shopping cart is often more amenable to being ridden, although ardent cart-rights activists such as PETA insist that this is not a natural and right thing for the cart, whether the cart knows it or not. Unfortunately, the great plains have since been replaced by supermarkets; however, shopping cart-riding enthusiasts point out that the straight, flat aisles of the supermarket make perfect riding strips. They advise placing some weight in the front of the cart's basket to offset the imbalance as one rides. They also advise ignoring other shoppers' strange looks, as this sport often goes unappreciated by non-participants.
The anatomy of a Shopping cart is composed of the following major organs:
- Containa Majora — Large part that stuff goes in
- Containa Minora — Smaller part that stuff goes in
- Reditoris — Red flappy plastic area for inserting children’s legs
- Gravitron — Three working wheels
- Communitron — One noise-making-not-working wheel for conversing within the species
- Cartagina — Reproductive giganto flap
- Handlius — Thing you hold onto to push it
Nomenclature DifferencesAs with most everyday items, Rhode Islanders have a completely different and arbitrary word for shopping carts. Called "carriages" in the Ocean State, shopping carts have a long history as aids to navigation. The Rhode Island genus of shopping carts (henceforth referred to as carriages) are an aquatic breed, able to withstand the salty brine that is Narragansett Bay. Carriages are trained from birth to help fishermen, lighthouse keepers, coastguard officials and body surfers. The most famous carriage, Stop and Shop was a hero of World War II, destroying no less than 254 of the 321 German U-Boats that patrolled the shores off of Rhode Island. Many people in Rhode Island, however, feel that the carriage Shaw's, whose blood cures Agent Orange poisoning and nearly singlehandedly ended American involvement in the Vietnam War, deserves the greater recognition of valor. So be it.
A few films have been made about the shopping cart but none more in depth than "The Wild and Domestic Shopping Cart" from 1982. It is available on Youtube as the original has been long lost.


This post shows students and new user steps to view their active power plan in Windows 11. A power plan is also known as a power scheme. It is a collection of hardware and system settings that manages how computers use and conserve power.
Users can view and create custom power plans that are optimized for specific computers. Laptop and desktop computers will have different power plans that are suitable in their environments.
Optimizing Windows power plans can help improve battery life for laptops, reduce power consumptions and many other benefits.
This post shows students and new users steps to install LibreOffice in Ubuntu Linux. LibreOffice is a free and open source office productivity software typically installed on Linux systems.
LibreOffice is a successor to OpenOffice.org (commonly known as OpenOffice) on most Linux distributions. In fact, LibreOffice was forked from OpenOffice over a decade ago. It is now the supreme open source office productivity tool available for Windows, MacOS and Linux systems.
LibreOffice comes with several applications including, Writer (word processing), Calc (spreadsheets), Impress (presentations), Draw (vector graphics and flowcharts), Base (databases), and Math (formula editing).
By default, if you install the full desktop version of Ubuntu, LibreOffice will come along. You don’t need to do anything to get it. However, if you don’t have LibreOffice installed and you want it in Ubuntu, the steps below will show you how to do that.
This post shows students and new users steps to hide or unhide the Search box on the Taskbar in Windows 11. Windows lets you choose whether the search box shows on your taskbar or not.
If you don’t see a search box on your taskbar, it’s hidden and you can make it visible again.
Windows Search is a built-in feature that allows you to search for documents, apps settings from a particular folder or the entire PC. Windows Search service indexes content for faster results when searching for files and other content from defined locations.
This post shows students and new users steps to open a folder in its own window in Windows 11. By default, when you open a folder in File Explorer, the folder will open in the same File Explorer window currently open.
If you keep traversing File Explorer folders, you will continue to move to the next folder within the same window. If you need to access content in the previous folder, you’ll need to traverse back to it.
If you need multiple folders open at the same time, you’ll need to right-click on the folder and select Open in new window from the context menu.
However, Windows has a feature where you can configure File Explorer to open any new folder within its own window. You’ll always have a separate window for folders you open.
This can come in handy especially if you need to work with content in multiple windows.
This post shows students and new users steps to delete Let’s Encrypt certificates created using Certbot. Certbot is a command-line tool that simplifies the process for obtaining and renewing Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates.
With Certbot, one can create, renew, revoke and delete Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates easily using the command line.
By default, Let’s Encrypt will store all the client certificates in the following folders:
When a new certificate is issued, it is store in the /etc/letsencrypt/live directory. The archive folder stores copies of the live certificates.
If you no longer need a certificate or if the certificate has been compromise, you revoke and issue a new request.
This post shows students and new users steps to automatically disable a laptop’s touchpad when a mouse is connected in Windows 11. Most laptop computers come with integrated touchpad that’s used as an alternative to an external mouse.
By default, when you connect a mouse to your laptop, the touchpad will also be available and active. This allows you to use either the external mouse or touchpad to perform certain actions on your computer.
However, in some cases, when you have both an external mouse and touchpad active, you may run into situations where you inadvertently move the mouse pointer simply by resting your palm on the touchpad of your device.
This might not be something you’ll want happen frequently since it can be annoying.
Windows allows you to automatically disable the touchpad when you connect an external mouse, and the steps below will show you how to do that.
This post shows students and new users steps to change or adjust a touchpad sensitivity when using Windows 11. The sensitivity on a touchpad determines how much pressure is applied for it to respond or perform certain actions.
If your device’s touchpad sensitivity is not very responsive, you may have to adjust it in Windows to suit your needs. For example, if you must tap harder to open files, folder and apps or actions to be performed, then changing the touchpad’s sensitivity might help.
If the pointer is also moving erratically on the screen when using the touchpad, you may have to adjust its sensitivity as well.
This post shows students and new users steps to install GlassFish JAVA application server on Ubuntu Linux. GlassFish is a free, open-source server for deploying JAVA based applications.
GlassFish allows developers to build and publish JAVA applications at scale with ease. It also includes a complete administration console, clustering support, and other developer and production focused tools and features.
GlassFish project which was developed by Sun Microsystem is now supported and owned by Oracle corporation. Oracle has its own licensing terms that you may want to read carefully before using GlassFish at your business or enterprise.
Below we will show you how to install and configure GlassFish on Ubuntu Linux.
This post shows students and new users steps to enable or disable desktop stickers in Windows 11. Desktop Stickers is a new feature in Windows 11 that isn’t generally available to all users just yet.
With desktop stickers, users will be able to place stickers on their desktop and remain there even if the desktop wallpaper is switched or replaced. Once stickers are added, users will be able to resize and move the stickers to other parts of their desktop.
As of now, the new stickers feature is only available to computers enrolled in Microsoft Insider Preview program, and specifically machines that have installed Windows 11 build 25162 or later.
Even with those builds, the new Stickers feature is still hidden. You’ll have to enable it via Windows registry in order to use it. Below, we’ll show you how to do that.
This post shows students and new users steps to install Apache Solr on Ubuntu Linux. Apache Solr is a fast, open-source search platform built on Apache Lucene and Java.
Solr uses with a REST-like API which allows storing document (indexing) via JSON, XML, CSV or binary over HTTP. You query data via HTTP GET and receive JSON, XML, CSV or binary results.
Solr also provides advanced full-text search capabilities, scalable, and responsive admin interface. When looking for an enterprise search platform that enables phrases, wildcards, joins, grouping at large scale, you might want to take a look at Solr.
Below we’ll show you how to download and install the latest version on Ubuntu and run your own enterprise search platform on your own Linux server.
Until recently, there wasn’t an official app for playing Plex content on Linux desktop. One can still install Plex server on Linux machines and stream to other platforms like Windows and MacOS.
Plex developers have finally released a Linux desktop app via Snap that users can use to play content from Plex server. Not only can users install Plex server on Linux, but Linux users can also now stream their content via Linux desktop.
Below is how to install Plex Desktop app on Ubuntu Linux.
This post shows students and new users steps to turn On or Off Microsoft Defender Application Guard in Windows 11. Application Guard uses unique hardware isolation approach to help prevent old and newly emerging attacks to help keep your system protected.
Application Guard opens untrusted files in an isolated Hyper-V-enabled container. The isolated Hyper-V container is separate from the host operating system. During this helps to contain attacks in isolated environments.
Microsoft Defender Application Guard also works with Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Office app and browser to help isolate untrusted sites and prevents untrusted Word, PowerPoint and Excel files from accessing trusted resources.


Progress on tackling pneumonia and diarrhoea in Malawi
Malawi takes an integrated approach in tackling pneumonia and diarrhoea.
Over the past decade, Malawi has made significant progress reducing deaths in children under five. Still, pneumonia is the single biggest killer, taking the lives of an estimated 1000 babies and young children in 2010. Diarrhoea is another major threat, causing the deaths of 600 Malawian children per year.
The good news is, these diseases are both preventable and treatable, and Malawi is making good progress tackling them.
Many factors contribute to pneumonia and diarrhoea, so no single intervention can effectively prevent, treat or control either condition. But, recognising that a number of common strategies can help tackle both diseases, Malawi is beginning to reduce infections and deaths from these two previously stubborn killers.
Vaccines against pneumococcal bacteria (which can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and other diseases) and rotavirus (the most common cause of severe diarrhoeal disease) are two of the newest tools. Malawi introduced pneumococcal vaccine as part of its regular “routine” childhood vaccination schedule in November 2011, and added rotavirus in October 2012. Only three other countries in the African Region provide both of these vaccines: Ghana, the Republic of South Africa, and Rwanda.
“Support from WHO, UNICEF and the GAVI Alliance, has ensured we can offer Malawian children protection from two of the biggest killers: pneumonia and diarrhoea.”
Dr Storn Kabuluzi, Director of Preventive Health Services in Malawi’s Ministry of Health
“Support from WHO, UNICEF and the GAVI Alliance, has ensured we can offer Malawian children protection from two of the biggest killers: pneumonia and diarrhoea,” says Dr Storn Kabuluzi, Director of Preventive Health Services in Malawi’s Ministry of Health.
An integrated approach
While the vaccines are a vital part of prevention for pneumonia and diarrhoea they need to be combined with breastfeeding and nutritious food, and a clean environment. Ensuring that families have access to health services and the right medicines are also essential.
Malawi is pioneering this approach. For example, when mothers-to-be go for antenatal check-ups, they are also given hygiene kits. This simple measure has resulted in a nearly 30-fold increase in good household water treatment practices in just three years. It also resulted in a 15% increase in the number of mothers who deliver in health centres and go for postnatal check-ups.
“WHO is working with the Government of Malawi to show other countries in the region that it is both possible and advantageous to integrate the delivery of interventions that will cut child deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea,” says Dr Felicitas Zawaira, WHO’s Representative in Malawi. “Over the past 10 years, overall child mortality has been cut in half, and Malawi is one of the few African countries on track to achieve the fourth Millennium Development Goal of reducing the under-five mortality rate by two thirds between 1990 and 2015.”
Reaching children in communities
Since 2008, Malawi has deployed close to 4000 “health surveillance assistants” (HSAs) to identify and care for sick children in hard-to-reach communities and refer them to hospital when necessary. In addition to reducing pneumonia and diarrhoea deaths, there are additional benefits for health. HSAs are trained and equipped with a kit of essential medicines to treat fever, diarrhoea, pneumonia and other common illnesses. They give antibiotics to children with pneumonia, and life-saving oral rehydration salts and zinc in cases of diarrhoea.
New Global Action Plan
On 12 April 2013, WHO and UNICEF launched a Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea. The plan calls for closer integration of efforts to prevent and treat the two diseases and sets ambitious targets to reduce mortality and improve access to life-saving interventions such as vaccines, breastfeeding, improved sanitation and safe drinking water, and treatment: antibiotics for pneumonia and oral rehydration salts and zinc for diarrhoea.
“Too often, strategies to tackle pneumonia and diarrhoea run in parallel,” says Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health at WHO. “But as countries like Malawi are showing, it makes good health sense and good economic sense to integrate those strategies more closely.”


Thank you for the music: the role that singing can play in supporting someone with dementia
By Diana Kerr, consultant on dementia care, author and singing group leader
Featured article – 24 August 2015
"Music offers people a chance to express themselves in different ways, less reliant on words."
I’m quoting from SCIE’s Dementia Gateway. It comes from the section about keeping people with dementia active and occupied. Music can be profoundly important in all our lives. This is no less the case for people with dementia.
Using music appropriately can lead to an improvement in reality orientation, memory recall and social behaviour. As other experiences become confusing and communication becomes difficult, the role and experience of music becomes even more important.
Music stays with us long after speech and other skills have gone. People with dementia, who have perhaps lost the ability to speak coherently or even at all, can sometimes sing an entire song perfectly.
One of the important aspects of supporting people with dementia is to minimise the impact of their losses and to play to their strengths. If people can sing then we should be encouraging this, helping them to maintain the skill and the sense of achievement and joy that goes with that.
Case study – Kate
As a young woman, Kate sang in a band and continued to sing throughout her life. Her dementia was at a stage that conversation was limited and she did not sing at all. Kate had been coming to our singing group for a few weeks. She rarely sang, but did smile a great deal. One day the singing leader brought hats in; these resembled the hats worn by the Andrews Sisters (This was the era when Kate was singing in the Band.) The leader offered the hats out to anyone who might want to wear them whilst we sang "Don't sit under the Apple tree."
Kate took a hat and started to sing and slowly parade around the hall. She started to ‘perform’. It seemed that the song and the hats triggered memories. She even took a bow at the end of her 'performance'.
Slowly does it
It would be foolish to pretend that music always leads to such dramatic events. My own experience is, however, that many such events occur, some not as dramatic as in Kate’s case, but they can still be very important to the person involved. Even if the person with dementia forgets that they were singing soon after the event, this does not negate its worth. They will still probably feel good even if they cannot remember why.
In recognition of the obstacles and to encourage the development of singing groups I’ve written a book which looks at issues such as which songs to choose, how to structure sessions and finding funding for your group. I also print out some sample sessions, to get you going.
I think that every home and community should have a singing group because they really can benefit people with dementia. Singing in groups, such as the one I run, can help our sense of belonging, and can enable us to do something that is joyful. It can awaken our connection to the world and our history and this is just as true for people with dementia.
For Diana’s book, please search "Singing Groups for People with Dementia: A Guide to Setting Up and Running Groups in Community and Residential Settings."


| Part of the series on|
Logic and rhetoric
A logical fallacy is an error in the logic of an argument  that prevents it from being logically valid but does not prevent it from swaying people's minds. Nor does it necessarily mean the conclusion is false, only that the invalid argument does not support it.
Logical fallacies come from human intuition. A logical fallacy is not necessarily a Bayesian fallacy , so given a particular circumstance, jumping to the conclusion will be more likely than not, and get baked into human thinking as a heuristic . When the heuristic is applied outside its reasonable bounds, it becomes a cognitive bias.
The problem is that this can lead to you being grievously wrong about reality . So you may form an opinion by a heuristic (System 1 thinking), but you need to show your working to make sure you haven't just said something silly (System 2 thinking).
This particularly applies to thinking about science, because scientific thinking is unintuitive for most people unless trained into it; and to arguing your points in general, because heuristics are full of glaring exceptions.
Must be used in argument
One common error when first learning about logical fallacies is to fail to realise that a fallacy can only be present if it is used as part of an argument . For example, "So-and-so is a socialist" is not an ad hominem fallacy (see below) because it is simply a statement. So-and-so may be a socialist. "So-and-so is a socialist, therefore s/he is wrong" is an ad hominem because a conclusion is being drawn, and the conclusion has nothing to do with the premise. It attacks the opponent; not the opponent's argument. This can be more complicated than it sounds, however, because the conclusion that s/he is wrong is often implied.
Likewise, "You are an idiot" is merely an assertion. Further, "you are saying idiotic things, therefore you are an idiot" may be a valid argument regardless of whether the premise (the opponent is saying idiotic things) is true. However, it is only a sound argument in the event the premise is true, and if "saying idiotic things" makes one an idiot. (Even geniuses have said idiotic things. Just ask their spouses.)
Validity versus truth
Just because an argument is valid does not mean the conclusion is true. A valid argument simply means that if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true as well. A sound argument is a valid argument with the additional requirement that the premises (and thus the conclusion) are true . For instance, consider the following argument.
- P1: All humans are cows.
- P2: All cows are plants.
- C1: All humans are plants.
Although the conclusion is false and the premises are false, this is still a valid argument because if the premises were true, the conclusion must be true as well. Since at least one premise is false, the argument is valid but not sound .
“”What we have here is a blatant example of argument by assertion. It's therefore clear your mother was a whore, and you flunked out of elementary school. </every_pretentious_redditor_ever>
It is not acceptable to merely state that one's opponent is using a fallacy (as above). One must explain how the opponent's argument is fallacious (eg, they claim that you are a shill), why it is wrong (there's no evidence that you are a paid government disinformation agent), and what that means for their argument (if you're not a shill, then your arguments can't be hand waved away) .
This need not be a drawn-out paragraph. Even "your ad hominem is irrelevant to my argument, so my argument stands" is sufficient.
Otherwise, one runs into the risk of fallacy dropping -- claiming someone's argument is wrong without bothering to explain why -- which comes dangerously close to ad hominem. (It's equivalent to shouting "your logic is bad!" and claiming victory.)
There are several methods of grouping fallacies. RationalWiki categorizes fallacies into four groups:
- Formal fallacy: An argument in which the conclusion would not necessarily be true whether or not its premises are correct, because it does not follow valid logical structure.
- Informal fallacy: An argument in which the conclusion would be true if the premises were true, but those premises are almost always incorrect.
- Conditional fallacy: An argument which may or may not be fallacious, conditional on whether or not one of its premises is true. For example, an argument from authority can be fallacious when the authority isn't authoritative, but can be valid when there's reason to trust the source.
- Fallacious argument style: An argument in which one speaker uses unfair, manipulative, or disruptive tactics to prevent actual discussion of the issue.
All formal fallacies are specific types of non-sequitur.
- Affirmative conclusion from a negative premise: Asserting some positive fact from negative premises.
- Affirming a disjunct: A or B, A, therefore not-B.
- Affirming the consequent: If A implies B, and B, therefore A. The inverse of the valid affirming the antecedent: from A -> B and A to infer B.
- Chewbacca Defense: A logically invalid Gish Gallop intended to confuse.
- Confusion of the inverse: Confusing the probability of a set of data given a hypothesis, and the probability of a hypothesis given a set of data.
- Denying the antecedent: If A implies B, and not-A, therefore not-B.
- Enthymeme: When an unstated premise is necessary for logical validity.
- Existential assumption: When the conclusion of a syllogism requires that a class has at least one member, but one or more of the premises do not.
- Fallacy fallacy: The meta-fallacious argument that your opponent (or someone arguing for a similar point) has used logical fallacies, therefore the argument is wrong.
- False dilemma: When two opposing views are presented as the only options, but are not.
- Four-term fallacy: Any syllogism in which four terms are present, instead of the mandatory three.
- Illicit process: Incorrectly concluding for all of a set when the premises apply to only some of a set. Specificially, the illicit major and illicit minor.
- Negative conclusion from affirmative premises: Asserting some negative fact from positive premises.
- Negative proof: Arguing that something must exist because there is no evidence it does not exist.
- Not even wrong: An answer that is utterly unrelated to the question.
- Self-refuting idea: A claim that on closer inspection disagrees with itself.
- Substituting explanation for premise: Asserting that, because a given explanation for why something occurs is bad, the thing does not occur.
- Syllogistic fallacy: Any instance in which a syllogism with incorrect structure is used.
- Appeal to ancient wisdom: It's right because the Maya/Chinese/Hebrews said it thousands of years ago!
- Appeal to tradition: Because it's always been that way, it's absolutely the right way!
- Balance fallacy — Giving equal weighting to both sides of an argument, even if one really doesn't deserve the time.
- My enemy's enemy — Supporting someone because you've a mutual enemy with them.
- Reductio ad absurdum — Following a chain of thought to its absurd or contradictory conclusion. Sometimes worthwhile, but oftentimes fallacious.
- Appeal to novelty — Arguing that a claim is valid because it is novel.
- Appeal to nature — Arguing that something is good because it is "natural" (see also Moralistic fallacy).
- Ad hoc: When some idea is asserted purely to shore up some other idea.
- Argumentum ex culo: When some fact is cited to defend something, but is entirely fictional.
- Escape hatch: When some rhetorical technique is used to evade the burden of proof.
- Handwave: When some fact that defeats an argument is ignored.
- Moving the goalposts: When truth is redefined on the spot.
- Nirvana fallacy: Claiming that a realistic solution is useless because it is not as good as an idealized perfect solution.
- No True Scotsman: When groups are redefined on the spot.
- Slothful induction: Ignoring the strongest conclusion of an inductive argument to focus on a weaker one.
- Special pleading: When universal rules no longer apply in this specific instance.
- Ad hominem: When an arguer is attacked, rather than their idea.
- Ad iram: When an arguer's supposed anger is used to disprove their ideas.
- Appeal to bias: When an arguer's supposed mental bias is used to disprove their ideas.
- Shill gambit: Asserting an arguer is working for someone and spreading disinformation.
- Argumentum ad cellarium: Accusing the arguer of still being in "mom's basement".
- Association fallacy: When someone's associations are used as evidence against their ideas.
- Blaming the victim: When a victim's actions are used as proof that some offense against them was justified.
- Damning with faint praise: When someone is attacked through praise of an achievement that isn't praiseworthy or isn't significantly praiseworthy, suggesting that no achievements worthy of praise exist.
- Demonization: When one's opponent is depicted as unequivocally terrible.
- Fallacy of opposition: When someone's opposition to your opinion is taken as proof of their incorrectness.
- Genetic fallacy: When the source of an argument is attacked, rather than its merits.
- Nutpicking: When a few extremists from a group are taken as representative of the group.
- Tu quoque: Where a criticism is falsely dismissed because its author is also guilty of the charge.
- Whataboutism: Tu quoque, USSR style!
- Scapegoat: Using someone to take the blame.
- Argument from ignorance: When it is claimed that the truth of a premise is based on the fact that it has not been proven false or proven true.
- Argument from incredulity: Literally "that's unbelievable = that's obviously not real". This kind of thinking would quickly put an end to virtually all quantum physics.
- Argument from silence: The lack of response to my point makes my point correct!
- Argument by censorship: I have created silence; this shows that my point cannot be responded to!
- Science doesn't know everything: And therefore it knows nothing.
- Science was wrong before: And therefore it can never be right.
- Toupee fallacy: I only see evidence for my hypothesis, because evidence against it is inherently hidden from me
- Willful ignorance: *fingers in ears* nah-nah-nah-nah-nah, can't heeeeaaaarrrr youuuu!
- Causalation: When something is not truly the cause of an effect.
- Confusing correlation for causation — The number of pirates on the seas has gone down, this correlates with global temperatures rising. So, do pirates cause global cooling?
- Gambler's fallacy: I lost the last twenty dice rolls -- I'm due for a win, so I better double down!
- Post hoc, ergo propter hoc: Because event A happened before B, A must have caused B.
- Wrong direction: When a cause is mistakenly considered an effect.
- Emotional appeal: Evaluating an argument based on its emotional consequences rather than logical ones.
- Appeal to confidence: Trust me, I know what I'm doing.
- Argument from consequences: Arguing against a point's truth based on expected negative outcome.
- Argumentum ad baculum: A subset of arguing from adverse consequences, the negative outcomes are being actualised by the one making the argument.
- Appeal to fear: We're surrounded by logical fallacies! RUN!!
- Appeal to flattery: What a lovely fallacy you have there! You must be a smart person, someone who'd find quantum healing quite fascinating.
- Appeal to gravity: I'm the only one up here who takes this seriously. Disregard these jokers -- I have the truth.
- Appeal to money: I'm telling the truth. How else could I have gotten all this money?
- Appeal to shame: Would you say that in front of your mother?
- Argumentum ad fastidium: Ugh, that's so gross -- it must be false.
- Deepity: something something children of the stars, something something love is more than just chemicals
- Tone argument: If you can't keep it civil, you clearly can't make truthful statements!
- Circular reasoning: Ironclad and impermeable self-supporting logic.
- Argumentum ad dictionarium: If the dictionary says what I think something means,the dictionary is right. If not, find a new dictionary.
- Argument by assertion: If you say something enough times, it eventually becomes true and therefore you win the argument.
- Appeal to faith
- Self-refuting idea: If I need to explain why my theory is wrong, I'll just introduce a new theory that entirely cancels out my old theory.
- Fallacy of ambiguity: Purposefully making something unclear, to allow its misuse.
- Etymology: Confusing the original meaning of a word and its current meaning.
- Equivocation: Deliberately substituting the meaning of a given word in one context for another context that is inappropriate in order to make your argument.
- Fallacy of accent: When the meaning of a text is changed by what word or words are stressed, and stress is unclear.
- Fallacy of amphiboly: When a sentence, because of its grammar, structure, or punctuation, can be interpreted in multiple ways.
- Loaded language — Asking a question, which has an assumption built into it, so that it can't be answered without appearing to agree to the assumption, or else appearing evasive by questioning the assumption. To be distinguished from a Leading question, which is not a fallacy, but is a way of suggesting the desired answer by how the question is phrased. "Are you still beating your wife?" is a loaded question, for it assumes that at one time you did beat your wife; while "You weren't beating your wife, were you?" is a leading question, for it suggests the simple answer no.
- Masked man fallacy: When Leibniz's law is used improperly.
- Moral equivalence: Arguing that two things are morally equal, even though they are different things.
- Not as bad as: A moral equivalence fallacy that says because B is worse than A, A is justified. Also known as the 'not as bad as' fallacy.
- Phantom distinction: When someone spends time arguing for the superiority of one term over another (rather than the intended debate), yet there is no effective difference.
- Quote mining: Misquoting someone to gain the appearance of authority.
- Scope fallacy: When the scope of a logical operator (eg, "not", "some", or "all") is vague allows misinterpretation and incorrect conclusions.
- Style over substance fallacy: Using language or rhetoric (ethos or pathos) to enhance the appeal of an argument, but not its validity, or arguing the method of presentation affects the truth of a claim.
- Suppressed correlative: Attempting to redefine two mutually exclusive options so that one encompasses the other.
- Wronger than wrong: The fallacy of assuming that different degrees of "wrong" are the same.
- Appeal to authority: incorrectly asserts that some authority's assertion proves a point. It has several subfallacies:
- Anonymous authority: When a source is quoted (or supposedly quoted), but no name is given.
- Appeal to celebrity: When a source is supposedly authoritative because of the respect people give them.
- Appeal to confidence: When a source is supposedly authoritative because of their confidence.
- Argumentum ad populum: When a source is supposedly authoritative because of their popularity.
- Silent Majority: When a source is supposedly authoritative because of the popularity of their views, yet there is no evidence of the popularity of their views.
- Invincible authority: When a source is the entirety of an argument.
- Ipse dixit: When a source is the person making the argument.
- Linking to authority: When a source is "cited" in-text yet the reference doesn't exist / is irrelevant / says something else.
- Ultracrepidarianism: When a source is quoted outside their expertise, as if expertise in one field extended to another.
- Professor of nothing: When a source is introduced as "Prof." or "Dr.", yet they aren't.
- Quote-mined authority: When an authority is selectively quoted to distort their views.
- Slippery slope: But if we legalize rabbit hunting, then pretty soon we may legalize human hunting!
- Continuum fallacy: Asserting that a continuum of possibilities between two distinct states renders the states identical.
- Special pleading: Your evidence might disprove my example, but my example is special.
- What's the harm: It's just some water (and your payment of $50); what harm can it do?
- Imprecision fallacy: When data is specific to something that doesn't apply to what is claimed.
- Anecdotal evidence: Using anecdotal evidence to make a general point.
- Generalization from fictional evidence: Using a fake story to make a general point.
- Apex fallacy: Using the best/worst group to generalize to the whole group.
- Argument from analogy: Using an ill-fitting analogy to generalize a group.
- Extended analogy - Arguing an opponent's analogy that A is like B in one particular way is a claim that A and B are directly comparable to one another.
- Category mistake: Confusing what is true of a part with what is true of the whole.
- Cherry picking: Using examples that support your viewpoint.
- Nutpicking: Using examples that are batshit insane to represent a group.
- Overgeneralization: Taking a few specifics and making a general rule out of them, without the few specifics adequately representing the entire group.
- Overprecision: Assuming a prediction is exactly correct for any given point.
- Pragmatic fallacy: It worked for me -- it'll work for everyone!
- Selection bias: Bias inherent in selecting data.
- Spotlight fallacy: Assuming aspects of a group from aspects from a smaller observed part of the group.
- Texas sharpshooter fallacy: A data mining fallacy and pattern recognition error where the arguer makes an ad hoc conclusion from a set of unrelated data without looking for corroborating data.
- Anecdotal evidence: Using anecdotal evidence to make a general point.
- Galileo gambit — If someone is going against the tide of popular thinking, they must be right because the likes of Galileo were right, while in reality, Galileo was right because he had evidence (see also Argumentum ad martyrdom).
- Intuition pump — Deliberately abusing a thought experiment to prove a fallacious point.
- One single proof — Dismissing all circumstantial evidence in favor of a single "smoking gun" that may not (and may not need to) exist.
- Red herring — A group of fallacies which bring up a fact which is irrelevant to the issue, in an attempt to distract the opponent and/or audience.
- Straw man — Distorting an opponent's position for greater rhetorical flexibility.
- Argumentum ad Hitlerum — Saying something is bad because Hitler (allegedly) did it. Sometimes called "Hitler Ate Sugar."
- Motte and bailey - A combination of bait and switch and equivocation: Pretending a defensible but not very useful argument is the same as a more useful, but much less defensible one.
There are lots of fallacy collections in the Web. Some of them promote a particular agenda, but most fallacies listed in them are real and present in arguments everyday. Unfortunately, many are deprecated.
Here is a list of websites, ordered roughly by usefulness:
- Fallacy Files( )
- Taxonomy of Logical Fallacies( )
- Glossary( )
- What is a logical fallacy?( )
- Your Logical Fallacy Is( )
- International Encyclopedia of Philosophy( )
- Secular Web( )
- Nizkor Project( )
- Skeptic's Dictionary( )
- About.com: Agnosticism/Atheism( )
- Arthur Schopenhauer( )
- Stephen's Guide to the Logical Fallacies( )
- Dr. Michael LaBossiere( )
- Free Dictionary( )
- Bruce Thompson( )
- Don Lindsay( )
- Art of Debate( )
- George Boeree( )
- Philosophy in Action( )
- Daniel Kies( )
- L. Van Warren( )
- Agent Orange( )
- Humanist Discussion Group( )
Deprecated ones, listed ad hoc:
- Sinclair Community College( )
- Global Tester( )
- Anti-Mormon Illogic( )
- Objectivism( )
- Evolution_V_Creation forums( )
- Peter A. Angeles( )
- Sine Wave( )
- Carleton University( )
- P5( )
- Mathenomicon( )
- Vanessa Hall( )
- J. P. Craig( )
- Informal Fallacies( )
- Autonomist( )
- Gordon, Hanks, & Zhu( )
- Freemasonry( )
- Taking Sides( )
- Jeff Richardson( )
- Chisnell.com( )
- 5 Ways Common Sense Lies to You Every Day
- The Art of Being Right: 38 Ways to Win An Argument, Arthur Schopenhauer demonstrates how to use logical fallacies to beat your rhetorical opponent.
- Top 25 Creationist Fallacies - A well made 25 minute video.
- How to misuse fallacies
- /r/fallacy on Reddit


Low self-esteem can have damaging effects on all aspects of your career, relationships and personal life.
It can easily lead to depression which can further affect your overall health, mentally and physically.
According to respected psychotherapist Dr Nathaniel Branden, self-esteem can be defined as:
“the disposition to experience oneself as being competent enough to be able to keep up with the challenges in one’s life.”
With high self-esteem you will have a positive outlook on life and feel a sense of confidence which will be reflected in your work performance, personal relationships, and everything else you do.
Here are 10 useful tips on how you can boost low self-esteem.
1) Learn to accept yourself
It’s important to remember that we are all special, unique, and talented in our own ways. Of course, other people will be better than you at certain things, or have characteristics that you desire, but you shouldn’t try to measure up to them.
The things you are good at, or certain aspects of your personality, could be the things that others are envious of. By accepting yourself for who you are, the good and the bad, but making sure you really appreciate what is good about you, your self-esteem will improve.
2) Don’t compare yourself to others
Your environment can be a major contributing factor to low self-esteem. We are surrounded by many different people and it can be easy to compare yourself to others in an attempt to understand yourself.
But you can build a general sense of self worth by refraining from comparing yourself to others. Instead, focus on your own goals and the things that matter to you, without making comparisons to others – just let them do their thing and be yourself!
3) Stop Putting Yourself Down
Nobody is perfect and mistakes are not a bad thing. Everyone, makes them, all the time! People with low self-esteem tend to put themselves down whenever they make mistakes – this in itself is a big mistake.
Mistakes are simply part of the learning process. By learning from them and moving on from them with the knowledge you have gained you will be better at whatever it is you are trying to achieve.
Go easy on yourself.
4) Befriend Positive People
The people we surround ourselves with have a huge impact on how we think and how we feel. If you can spend time with people who have a positive outlook on life and who are great at dealing with life’s challenges, it will rub off on you. You will be inspired to be more like them and you will learn from them.
5) Engage in Fun Activities
We need to make time to have fun once in while, so whatever it is that you really enjoy doing, make time to do it. It will help to relieve stress and clear the negative thoughts out of your head.
When all else fails, seek professional help from a psychologist.
There’s nothing wrong with talking to a professional. It’s more common than you think. If you’re really struggling with low self-esteem then why not try a session with someone who can help you out with the right tools.
It all boils down to doing what is best for you. Loving yourself leads to a healthier and better “you”.


The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE, Italian for “heart”) is one of several next generation 0νββ experiments. CUORE will study the possible 0νββ decay of 130Te with a sensitivity to a half life of 2.1×1026 yr (68% C.L.), which corresponds to an effective neutrino mass of less than 24 − 81 meV. The primary physics goal of CUORE is to determine whether 0νββ occurs and, if so, to determine the half-life of the process, the Majorana/Dirac nature of the neutrino, the neutrino mass scale, and mass hierarchy.
Infrastructure for CUORE is currently under construction in Hall A at LNGS and components for CUORE are being manufactured around the world. The CUORE detector will be a tightly packed array of 988 TeO2 bolometer modules, each 5×5×5 cm3 and 750 g, for a total mass of 741 kg of TeO2. Since the tellurium is unenriched, 204 kg of the total mass is the isotope of interest, 130Te. The bolometer modules will be arranged in 19 towers of 13 floors each, with 4 crystals per floor (see the figure above). The CUORE detector will be housed in a specially built cryostat and cooled to about 10 mK by a pulse-tube-assisted dilution refrigerator.
CUORE is funded by the INFN of Italy, the United States Department of Energy, and National Science Foundation of the United States.


Coping with a Person with Alzheimer's that Constantly Repeats Oneself
Aug 28, 2017
It’s hard to practice patience when you are a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia.
Why does a person with dementia ask the same question repeatedly? The answer is actually pretty straightforward. The hallmark symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is short-term forgetfulness and most of the other dementias also impact memory.
The underlying cause of your loved one's behaviour most likely is anxiety. Although it is very tempting, it usually doesn’t help to repeatedly explain the facts to this person, correct him or her, or become impatient. In fact, losing your own cool may simply add fuel to the fire and cause other behaviours that are challenging such as agitation or anger.
Here are some ideas for addressing your loved one's anxiety and coping with the repetition:
- The first time the question comes up take a few moments to answer the question fully and provide reassurance that all is well. People with dementia are just like the rest of us. They want to feel that family members are listening and being present for concerns.
- If this doesn’t work, it may help to use the magic phrase, “Tell me more about that.” Getting these “off his or her chest” may help redirect the person from the repetition. It may also allow you to discover a real concern. This allows you to address the concern and underlying anxiety directly and may break the pattern of repetition!
- Change the subject! Think about something from this person’s life story that brings him happiness or is of interest. Serve a favourite beverage or snack. Sometimes a good cup of tea prepared the way he or she likes it or serving a favourite scone will relax this person and move him or her away from this anxiety. Other examples of distraction include involving your loved one in a simple chore like sweeping, dusting, brushing the dog, playing some favourite music, or going outside on a nice day.
These techniques may save the day at times, but they don’t always work. Sometimes you simply have to hold your loved one’s hand, give a big hug, assure them that all is well and then take a deep breath if the questions continue. Trying to keep your sense of humour is important along with recognising that the behaviour is caused by the person’s medical condition - Alzheimer's and dementia are a handful for everyone.
If you truly find yourself losing patience and getting angry and upset, this may be a sign that it is time to get some help. Home Instead Senior Care offers FREE Dementia CARE education workshops for family carers. The workshops teach practical techniques to manage difficult behaviours, keep your loved one's mind engaged and at the same time look after yourself. REGISTER for a FREE place TODAY.


MARK TWAIN was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in the village of Florida, Missouri, in 1835. He worked four years on a Mississippi steamboat, frequently traveled overseas, and wrote about all of his voyages. In between these pursuits, he invented the American novel with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He died in Redding, Connecticut, in 1910. ERIC PAUL ROORDA is professor of history at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, and co-director of The Munson Institute, a graduate maritime studies program at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. He is the author of The Dictator Next Door, which won two national book awards, and Cuba, America, and the Sea. He is the co-editor of The Dominican Republic Reader: History, Politics, Culture and the editor of The Ocean Reader: History, Politics, Culture.


I know that pronunciation is very regional but I often wonder how some words can be so mutilated. So, make a call with the examples below.
First of all, define “pronunciation“.
What is the pronunciation of the following: “film“, “a” and “coupon“?
The word for today is “acuity“.
Define “acuity” and use it in a sentence.


Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means of making goods. The individual artisanship of the items is a paramount criterion, such items often have cultural and/or religious significance. Items made by mass production or machines are not handicraft goods.
Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the frequently used category arts and crafts is a matter of intent: handicraft items are intended to be used, worn, etc., having a purpose beyond simple decoration. Handicraft goods are generally considered more traditional work, in traditional non-industrial and transitional societies created as a somewhat more necessary part of daily life (in comparison to industrial societies), while arts and crafts implies more of a hobby pursuit and a demonstration/perfection of a creative technique. In Britain in the late nineteenth century, however, the Arts and Crafts Movement was not a matter of hobbies, but of creating useful as well as creative work for people, using natural materials and traditional techniques. In practical terms, the categories have a great deal of overlap.


By: American Pain Foundation PAIN CARE BILL OF RIGHTS As a person with pain, you have: • The right to have your report of pain taken seriously and to be treated with dignity and respect by doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. • The right to have your pain thoroughly assessed and promptly treated. • The right to be informed by your doctor about what may be causing your pain, possible treatments, and the benefits, risks and costs of each. • The right to participate actively in decisions about how to manage your pain. • The right to have your pain reassessed regularly and your treatment adjusted if your pain has not been eased. • The right to be referred to a pain specialist if your pain persists. • The right to get clear and prompt answers to your questions, take time to make decisions, and refuse a particular type of treatment if you choose. Although not always required by law, these are the rights you should expect, and if necessary demand, for your pain care. ---------------------------------------- How serious is the pain problem? More than 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, and each year another 25 million experience acute pain from injuries or surgery. Although most pain can be greatly eased with proper pain management, much of it goes untreated, under treated, or improperly treated. No one should have to suffer needlessly when the knowledge and ability to manage most pain is available. Once your pain is under control, you'll be able to sleep better, focus on work, enjoy relationships with family and friends, and take part in social activities. Also, if your pain has been caused by an injury or surgery, your recovery may be faster once your pain is managed. Finding good pain care and taking control of your pain can be hard work. Learn all you can about pain and possible treatments. Be persistent, insist on your rights, and don’t give up. New Pain Standards for Healthcare Facilities Most hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities are now required to assess and treat pain, as well as inform patients about their rights to effective pain care under new pain management standards set by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) that went into effect on January 1, 2001. Know the facts • Pain is not something you “just have to live with.” Treatments are available to lessen most pain. If untreated, pain can worsen other health problems, slow recovery, and interfere with healing. Get help right away. Don't let anyone say your pain is “in your head.” • Not all doctors know how to treat pain. If your doctor is unable to treat your pain effectively ask him or her to consult with a specialist, or consider switching doctors. • Pain medications rarely cause addiction. Morphine and similar pain medications, called opioids, can be highly effective for certain conditions. Unless you have a history of substance abuse, there is little risk of addiction when these medications are properly prescribed by a doctor and taken as directed. Physical dependence–which is not addiction–may occur as a result of taking these medications suddenly. This usually is not a problem if you go off your medications gradually. • Most side effects from opioid pain medications can be managed. Nausea, drowsiness, itching, and other side effects caused by morphine and similar opioid medications usually last only a few days. Constipation, the most difficult to manage side effect, can usually be relieved with laxatives, adequate fluid intake, and attention to diet. • If you act quickly when pain starts, you can often prevent it from getting worse. Take your medications when you first begin to experience pain. If your pain does get worse, talk with your doctor. Your doctor may safely prescribe higher doses or change the prescription. Non-drug therapies such as relaxation training and others can also help give you relief. How do I talk with my doctor, nurse, or social worker about pain? 1. Speak up! Tell your doctor, nurse, or social worker that you’re in pain. It's not a sign of weakness to talk about your pain. 2. Tell your doctor, nurse, or social worker where it hurts. Do you have pain in one place or several places? Does the pain seem to move around? 3. Describe how much your pain hurts. Use a scale from 0 to 10, where zero means no pain at all and 10 means the worst pain you can imagine. Explain when your pain is the highest, lowest, and how it is right now. 4. Describe what makes your pain better or worse. Is the pain always there? Does it go away? Does it get worse when you move in certain ways? Do other things make it better or worse? 5. Describe what your pain feels like. Use specific words like sharp, stabbing, dull, aching, burning, shock-like, tingling, throbbing, deep, pressing, etc. 6. Explain how the pain affects your daily life. Can you sleep? Work? Exercise? Participate in social activities? Concentrate? How does it affect your mood? 7. Tell your doctor, nurse, or social worker about past treatments for pain. Have you taken prescription medication or had surgery? Tried massage? Applied heat or cold? Exercised? Taken over-the-counter medications? Vitamin supplements? Tip: Write down your questions for the doctor or nurse before an appointment. Take notes at your visit. If possible, bring along a family member or friend for support. ----------------------------------------- How can I get the best results possible? • Take control. Tell your doctor you’re in pain and take part in planning your treatment. Follow your pain management plan, ask questions, and speak up if treatment isn’t working. If necessary, seek other help. Be persistent. • Set goals. With your doctor, nurse, or social worker set realistic goals for the things you most want to do such as sleeping, working, exercising, enjoying sexual relations, etc. Begin with the easiest goals first. • Work with your doctor, nurse, or social worker to develop a pain management plan. This might include a list of medications, when to take them, and possible side effects. It may include therapies other than medication, such as meditation. Make sure you understand the plan and carry it out fully. If you don’t, you are less likely to get relief. • Keep a pain diary. Write about your level of pain at different times, how you're feeling, and what activities you can and cannot do. Keep a record of medications you're taking or any non-drug treatments. Bring the diary to your doctor visits. • Ask your doctor, nurse, or social worker about non-drug, non-surgical treatments. These could include relaxation therapy, exercise, massage, acupuncture, application of cold or heat, behavioral therapy, and other techniques. • Ask your doctor, nurse, or social worker about ways to relax and cope with pain. Your pain may feel worse if you are stressed, depressed, or anxious. • If you have questions or concerns, speak up. If you’re worried about medications or other treatments, ask your doctor or nurse. If your treatment is not working, insist that your pain be reassessed and new treatments offered. Be polite, but be firm. • If you're having surgery, ask your doctor for a complete pain management plan beforehand. Don't wait until after the operation to ask about your pain care. • If you’re a patient in a hospital or other facility and you’re in pain, speak up. Ask a doctor or nurse for help. If you don't get help right away, ask again. If you still don't get help, speak to a social worker or patient advocate. As of January 1, 2001, most hospitals and healthcare facilities are required to assess and treat your pain. • Pace yourself. Once you experience some degree of control over your pain, don’t overdo it. Your body may be out of condition. Take time to gradually build up to normal activity. • If you’re not satisfied with your pain care, don't give up. Does your doctor listen to you? Is he or she able to assess and treat your pain? If after a reasonable time the answer is "no," ask for a referral to a pain specialist, or find another doctor. Where can I find help? • Start with the website: www.painfoundation.org. If you don't have access to a computer, call our toll-free number, 1-888-615-PAIN (7246). • To find a local support group for chronic pain, contact The American Chronic Pain Association at www.theacpa.org or call 1 916-632-0922. • For cancer pain, contact Cancer Care at www.cancercare.org or call 1-800-813-HOPE, or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345. • If you wish to become active in your state’s Pain Initiative Movement, visit the American Alliance of Cancer Pain Initiatives website at www.aacpi.org or call 1-608-265-4013. If you want to find a pain specialist: • Ask your doctor for a referral to a good pain specialist or pain clinic. • Ask family, friends and co-workers who have had pain for a recommendation. • Ask the largest local hospital or medical school in your area if they have a pain team or can suggest a good local pain specialist or pain clinic. • If you are under a managed care program, call your representative and ask for their list of approved pain specialists. • Call a local hospice, even if you don’t need hospice care, because they can often suggest doctors who are good at pain management. Tip: Ask if the doctor belongs to any pain-related medical societies or has had special training or certification in pain medicine. Check our website at www.painfoundation.org or call us for information about professional organizations and certifying programs.


There are some steroids that be extremely dangerous for the users who take them. On the other hand, there are some steroids that are used to cure people who experience different inflammatory conditions such as chronic bronchitis. These steroids are different from the anabolic steroids which are very harmful.
Anabolic steroids are basically the artificial version of the male hormone called testosterone. Sometimes anabolic steroids are also referred as juice or roids. Anabolic steroids can be legally used in order to encourage puberty in teenagers and treat the patients who suffer from diseases like AIDs or cancer.
Anabolic steroids are not only used to treat patients suffering from different disease but it is also very extensively used by individuals who are willing to increase the physical health and enhance their performance. Some regular users of anabolic steroids are bodybuilders, athletes and individuals who are looking to recover from an injury.
There are some side effects associated with the use of anabolic steroids. These side effects are short term and can be gone if taken care of properly. These side effects include:
Decreased sperm count.
Mostly anabolic steroids are in injectable forms, so the site of injection can also experience some side effects such as skin injection or swelling. If the individual wishes to use steroid cream than a noticeable smell can be present.


As Nietzsche so elegantly put it, “God is dead.” The lack of belief in any form of God opens up the door to the entire existentialist canon of thought because it opens the door to nothingness in all forms. Many commentators define existentialism through a belief in Sartre’s “existence precedes essence,” but looking through atheistic eyes is vital to understand the general philosophy. Existentialism is hard to define and understand in a sense, but if you’re guided through the “awakening” process – the moment of realisation (like K’s arrest in Kafka’s “The Trial”) – the movement snaps into focus.
“I am always impressed by the frisson in my class when students realize that there’s a sense in which Sartre is right: they could, right now, get up, leave the classroom, drop out of school, and go live as beach bums in a perpetually warm climate.”
Gary Gutting – Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame
Living without a god
Regardless of your reason for learning about existentialism, you have to consider the implications of a lack of a divine deity of any description. Gods give life some form of meaning. They fill the nothingness of the universe with a kindly paternal figure that is responsible for our existence. Without this pacifying father, troublesome questions sound out of the abyss. What is the purpose of existence? What should I do with my life? Without a god, consciousness isn’t eternal. Life becomes finite, a snapshot of brightness in the infinite darkness of the universe. The prospect of death becomes synonymous with confronting nothingness head on.
Existentialists generally refer to this feeling as “abandonment.” Kierkegaard is widely considered the father of existentialism, but he did claim to believe in God. However, it could be argued that his work reflects someone struggling to come to terms with his own scepticism in the deeply religious early 19th century. Steven Earnshaw, lecturer and author of “Existentialism: A Guide for the Perplexed,” describes much of Kierkegaard’s work as “a critique and running commentary on his Christian faith and his relationship with Christianity,” and describes him as having “wrestled” with his faith.
The majority of existentialists have a deeply atheist perspective, which drives their contemplation of their existence. Nietzsche is the most ardent, believing that Christianity diminishes man by bestowing him with a “slave morality,” and by proclaiming God’s death he intended to signify the end of this decadent and thoughtless following. More recent existentialists merely accept that God doesn’t exist as a given, but the key point is that the nothingness of death renders life completely pointless. All human endeavours have no deeper significance or meaning whatsoever.
The question of morals
Religious texts lose their moral weight. In fact, the entire idea of morals starts to present an issue. How, in a godless universe, could you denounce one act as morally reprehensible and venerate another? With no barometer against which to measure right or wrong, the existentialist sees morals and all laws as created out of nothingness. The fact that society imposes them is of little consequence; they must by definition be meaningless. Which authority could possible decree that something was wrong? Humans have created our own rules, so one individual’s version is no more inherently “correct” than anybody else’s. We essentially become our own Gods. In Nietzsche’s words, “Now there danceth a God in me.”
This lack of firm morals manifests itself in many ways throughout existentialist literature. The most notable example is murder. In Camus’ “The Outsider,” Meursault murders an Arab without emotion on a beach, and in Dostoyevsky’s “Crime and Punishment,” Raskolnikov kills an old money-lender. This isn’t to say murder is acceptable, it is merely to acknowledge that there is no concrete way to declare it isn’t acceptable.
Dealing with freedom
Existentialists face a pointless life with no clearly defined morals except for ones forcibly imposed on you by people without absolute authority. Spending your life in a drab, monotone office closes off an entire world of possibilities, and with the finitude of existence staring you in the face, every decision counts. All you have to base your decision on is nothingness. We make consistent leaps into the darkness, and are expected to do this every single day. No course of action is more valid, intrinsically, than any other, so why not switch off your computer, sell all of your possessions and live out your dream, no matter how absurd?
You haven’t done that because it’s never feels that simple in practice. Existentialism could lead you to explore the world of possibilities, but we’re so constrained by society’s “obligations” that it doesn’t seem possible. Also, whatever your dream life is, it’s also intrinsically meaningless and fraught with uncertainty. Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus” shows the dilemma of modern existence perfectly. Sisyphus is sentenced to eternity rolling a large boulder up a hill only to have it roll back down again. Camus casts him as an “absurd hero” because he acknowledges the pointlessness of his task and still continues. As Karin Fry, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin puts it, “the absurd hero acknowledges that life has no inherent meaning, but nonetheless continues to live.”
Existentialists such as Heidegger and Sartre devote considerable time to understanding “being.” What defines who you are? Society pushes you to behave a certain way, so how can you possibly be sure you are acting as your “authentic” self? Sartre’s concepts of “being-in-itself” and “being-for-itself” help illustrate the human condition.
The being-in-itself is the ideal state. A dog, for example, likes attention, eating, sleeping and chasing things because it is a dog. It never wonders why it wants to chase, it just “does.” The being-for-itself struggles because it tries to identify its intrinsic properties (the things that define who you are), but by being able to consider itself in that way is aware that it can change those properties at any time.
The quest for “authenticity” is a desire to achieve “being-in-itself-for-itself,” a synergy of these two states which removes the abyss separating them. This abyss is created because by being able to change the properties which identify the self, we know that our identity is based on nothingness. Being-in-itself-for-itself can never be achieved, but if you don’t try you’ll become “inauthentic” and experience the accompanying anxiety. Being an existentialist is being in a perpetual state of “becoming.”


Definition of condemnation
2 : the act of judicially condemning
3 : the state of being condemned < … in the hopeless hour of condemnation … — Washington Irving>
4 : a reason for condemning <His conduct was sufficient condemnation.>
Examples of condemnation in a sentence
The plan has drawn condemnation from both sides.
The government's statement was a condemnation of all acts of terrorism.
Origin and Etymology of condemnation
First Known Use: 14th century
CONDEMNATION Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of condemnation for English Language Learners
: a statement or expression of very strong and definite criticism or disapproval
CONDEMNATION Defined for Kids
Definition of condemnation for Students
Learn More about condemnation
See words that rhyme with condemnation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for condemnation Spanish Central: Translation of condemnation Nglish: Translation of condemnation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of condemnation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about condemnation
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up condemnation? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


A fresh, whole-foods diet is the optimal way to obtain nutrients. However, environmental conditions and farming practices have depleted the soil of key nutrients we would typically obtain from food, making it impossible to get everything we need from food alone. Nutritional supplements provide a way to support the body’s needs. There are two broad categories of supplements to choose from – whole food-based and synthetic (lab-created). Is one better than the other?
There aren’t many studies comparing whole-food supplements to synthetic varieties. Whole-food supplement manufacturers claim their products are superior, but there is no specific criteria to define “whole food” in the supplement market. Many different practices can be used to claim a supplement is whole-food. Some brands do add concentrated fruits and vegetables to their product. Others simply add yeast and use a fermentation process. Does this make a supplement more available to the body for absorption? Not necessarily.
From the research available, we know that the bioavailability of a nutrient depends on many factors including:
- a person’s state of health
- the proper production of stomach acid necessary for vitamin absorption
- whether or not the supplement is digested in the stomach; pills that pass through the stomach are less bioavailable
- the supplement manufacturing process
The only way to measure bioavailability for comparison purposes is to do blood tests and there simply is not enough valid and reliable research that makes such comparisons.
Of course, better digestibility and assimilation by the body are important factors for anyone considering nutritional supplements. The bottom line is that either type of supplement may be better than the other depending on the reason it’s being taken (for general health or a specific medical need) along with the factors mentioned above. In some cases a truly food-based supplement could be the better choice; but not always. The best way to ascertain your need for supplements is to consult with a natural medicine physician who understands the manufacturing practices for nutritional supplements, as well the physiology of how different types of nutrients work in the body.