Congratulations to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which celebrated its 80th anniversary on August 26.
Berkeley Lab was founded in 1931 by Ernest Orlando Lawrence, a University of California Berkeley physicist who won the 1939 Nobel Prize in physics for his invention of the cyclotron, a circular particle accelerator that opened the door to high-energy physics. It was Lawrence’s belief that scientific research is best done through teams of individuals with different fields of expertise working together.
His teamwork concept is a Berkeley Lab legacy that continues today.
In 2011, the lab is an incubator for ideas, innovations, and products that help society and explain how the universe works. Its research includes renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, material science, climate change research, environmental science, computer science, biological science, and the chemistry and physics of matter and force in the universe.
Berkeley Lab is highly respected for bringing science solutions to the world and lab employees have been recognized as leaders in their fields:
- Berkeley Lab scientists have received Nobel Prizes;
- Fifty-seven lab scientists are members of the National Academy of Sciences;
- Thirteen scientists have won the National Medal of Science;
- Eighteen of the laboratory’s engineers were elected to the National Academy of Engineering;
- Three of the lab’s scientists were elected into the Institute of Medicine; And
- Berkeley Lab has trained thousands of university science and engineering students who are advancing technological innovations across the nation and around the world.
You can find more about Berkeley Lab's scientific achievements and prize-winning scientists by using the Science Accelerator site. Berkeley Lab is a member of the national laboratory system supported by the Energy Department through its Office of Science.
Happy Anniversary, Berkeley Lab!


Below, an animation showing the route against a backdrop of the Arctic region.
Note: this is a 3.4 MB animation that may take some time to fully load.
The image below shows the current sea ice's thickness, i.e. for February 2012. The animation illustrates that much of the sea ice is moving along with the sea current, flowing out of the Arctic Ocean along the edges of Greenland into the Atlantic Ocean.
Click on image or go to U.S. Naval Research Lab for updated animation
The animation below shows daily satellite pictures of methane descending down the Arctic, from the North Pole into North America over a period of 13 days (November 26, 2011, to December 8, 2011). Distances traveled daily appear to match average wind speeds for the respective area at this time of the year.
The area of the Kara Sea, Franz Josef Land and Svalbard shows temperature anomalies of over 20 degrees Celsius. How can such anomalies be explained?
Above animation is a 4.7MB file. It may take some time for the animation to fully load. It covers the period December 7, 2011, to February 11, 2012.


The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates hundreds of multi-purpose reservoirs nationwide, many of which provide water for municipal and industrial purposes. Demands for water from Corps reservoirs are sure to grow, and Congress has ordered the Corps to report on whether water supply should become a primary mission of the agency. The Corps has experienced controversy over water supply decisions, including disputes involving its Missouri River reservoirs and Lake Lanier in Georgia. When the Corps proposed a national Water Supply Rule in 2016, it drew significant opposition, forcing the agency to withdraw the rule and reassess its policies. This article summarizes the Corps' existing authorities and practices on water supply, reviews the issues raised by the proposed rule, and analyzes a legal dispute over control of water within Corps reservoirs. It then examines key policy issues the Corps must address in carrying out its water supply mission, ensuring that state and tribal interests, environmental concerns, public input, and the impacts of climate change are adequately considered.
Reed D. Benson, A Contentious Mission: Water Supply and Corps of Engineers Reservoirs, 32 Duke Environmental Law & Policy Forum 247-294 (2022)
Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/delpf/vol32/iss2/2


In San Francisco, where marriage equality began, nearly a decade ago, LGBT San Franciscans were joined by many straight allies for a lively street party on Castro Street, the city's self-described "gayborhood."
In 2004, then San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom opened the marriage equality floodgates when he took the law into his own hands and began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. This led to the California State legislature legalizing gay marriage a few years later, until Proposition 8, a voter approved ban on same sex marriage became law in 2008. Prop 8 has since been ruled unconstitutional by a federal district court and then an appeals court.
On June 26, the Supreme Court declined to rule on the constitutionality of Prop 8, meaning that the lower court ruling stands. Same sex marriages will resume in California sometime in July. SCOTUS further declared DOMA--the Defense of Marriage Act--to be unconstitutional.
The mood at the Castro Street celebration was jubilant. As music blared, gay men and lesbians danced together and embraced one another. LGBT seniors, many of whom didn't think they would live to see this day, wept openly. LGBT parents partied with their children.
Victor H. Floyd, Pastor of San Francisco's Metropolitan Community Church, informed SFGN that MCC has been performing same sex weddings for forty-five years. "Today same sex marriages have come one step closer to normal," Rev. Floyd told SFGN. "And to paraphrase Harvey Milk, 'if gay people can make it, anyone can make it.’"
In 1978, Milk, then a member of San Francisco's Board of Supervisors, was murdered at City Hall. He was the first openly gay man in U.S. history to hold a major elective office. Stuart Milk, the late Supervisor's openly gay nephew, was present at the San Francisco party. The younger Milk, who has a home in South Florida, had a message for equality advocates in Florida.
"Right now people in Florida are celebrating even though this ruling does not impact them," Milk said. "But this is hope. You can feel it and taste it. Florida now has that hope."
In a famous speech made during the 1970s, Harvey Milk stated "You gotta give them hope."
For other attendees, the joy was tempered with a reflective sorrow. Patrick Santana, a gay man, carried a sign, which proclaimed "For all my fallen brothers who didn't live to see this historic day, I remember you tonight with love." The other side of Santana's sign listed the names of his late lovers and friends, many of whom were lost to AIDS.
Dancing in the street was the primary order of the day. As gay anthems from iconic artists such as Sylvester and Donna Summer blasted out of loudspeakers, thousands of people partied as they hadn't partied in years.
There were a few speakers. Openly gay Scott Wiener, who currently occupies Harvey Milk's old Board of Supervisor's seat, referred to the "Queer caucus" at San Francisco City Hall. Wiener is one of several openly gay elected officials in the city. Cleve Jones, a personal friend of Harvey Milk, called upon revelers to pay tribute to South African President Nelson Mandela, who's in the hospital fighting for his life.
"South Africa is currently the only nation on earth that recognizes LGBT people in its constitution," Jones stated, as the crowd erupted into applause.
But the fight isn't over, some were quick to point out. Many states still have constitutional bans on same sex marriage, which need to be overturned.
"We have much work to do," said Rabbi Camille Angel, lesbian spiritual leader at San Francisco's Congregation Shaare Zahav, an LGBT temple. "I'm very proud to be part of the Jewish people. 80 percent of Jewish voters voted for marriage equality."David-Elijah Nahmod


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Christine Lind is a foil to Nora. Because Nora is the main character, and it is her development that the play is about, Christine is brought in to demonstrate the obvious differences. It is when Kristina comes to see her old school friend that it really becomes clear to the audience what is meant by the play's title; that Nora is living in a “doll’s house," a specially created, protected environment far from the real world. This is emphasized by what we learn of Christine's life; hard-working, adult and responsible. By contrast Nora is not even able to look after her own children, let alone earn her living. Her journey from independence to marriage is a foil to Nora's journey in the opposite direction.
“Mrs. Linde. How kind you are, Nora, to be so anxious to help me! It is doubly kind in you, for you know so little of the burdens and troubles of life.
Nora. I--? I know so little of them?
Mrs. Linde [smiling]. My dear! Small household cares and that sort of thing!--You are a child, Nora.
Nora [tosses her head and crosses the stage]. You ought not to be so superior. "
The characters of Krogstad and Torvald are also in the roles of FOIL's for each other. One is married and the marriage is ending while Torvald is not married yet. The links below can supply specifics. Don't have enough room here.
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Are You Hot-Headed? How One Angry Outburst Raises Your Risk for Heart Attack
Did you rage in traffic this morning? Lose it on a coworker who just didn't do what he was supposed to? Or maybe have a moment of gaaaah that a cat peed on the sweater you left on the floor—which was your own dang fault, so why are you so upset? (This last one might be me. Today.)
According to a new study, people who have severe outbursts of anger are more at risk for heart attacks and stroke for two hours after the experiences than those who remain calm.
Says Dr. Murray A. Mittleman, an author of the study and associate professor at Harvard Medical School: "If we look at somebody at higher risk for having cardiovascular events, and they get angry multiple times a day, this can lead to 650 extra heart attacks per year out of 10,000 a year. When we look at a person who is relatively low risk, but if they do have these episodes of anger fairly frequently, we estimate there would be about 150 extra heart attacks out of 10,000 a year."
Why? Expressing anger may cause your heart rate to increase while also elevating the levels of stress hormones. That can all lead to your heart and brain not getting the blood and oxygen they need—which could possibly up the chances for a stroke or heart attack.
If you do have occasional outbursts, study author Dr. Elizabeth Mostofsky says not to worry too much: "Although the risk of experiencing an acute cardiovascular event with any single outburst of anger is relatively low, the risk can accumulate for people with frequent episodes of anger."
The upshot: Taking a deep breath (from your gut, not from your chest), visualizing an experience or image that relaxes you, repeating calming words, and slow stretches can all help you keep anger at bay. And—who knows?—maybe lower the risk of harming your cardiovascular system too.
How do you—ahem—keep calm and carry on?


Vitamin D plays an important role in the development of your baby, as well as being vital for maintaining your bones, teeth and muscles.
Despite this, around 1 in 5 people the UK are said to have low levels of the so-called ‘sunshine vitamin.’1 As we’re spending more time in our homes, a daily dose of Vitamin D has never been more important to help you and your family stay well, and ensure the healthy development of your baby, pre and post-birth.
Vitamin D and bone development
If you don’t have enough Vitamin D in pregnancy or when breastfeeding, then it’s possible that your baby may not have enough calcium and phosphate in their system, which can lead to their bones and teeth being weak. In some instance, it’s possible for them to develop Rickets.2
Rickets is a condition that specifically affects bone development in children. It causes bone pain, poor growth and soft, weak bones that can lead to bone deformities. The adult form of Rickets is called Osteomalacia or soft bones.3
As well as potentially leading to bone development and strength issues, being low in Vitamin D during pregnancy may also mean there’s more chance of having a baby with a low birth weight.4
Sources of Vitamin D for pregnant women
Although it can be found in some foods, rich dietary sources of Vitamin D are rare.
The foods with the highest levels of Vitamin D are herring, mackerel, sardines and eggs. It can also be found in fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and soy milk products.5
You may be surprised to hear this, but even the healthiest of diets are unlikely to have enough Vitamin D6 in their systems because most of our Vitamin D comes from the sunshine. However, in northern Europe, low Vitamin D levels are extremely common, especially in winter due to the lack of sunny days.
There are also some groups of people who are at most risk of being low in Vitamin D. They are people:7
- With darker, pigmented skin
- Who are very overweight (with a BMI higher than 30)8
- Who are over the age of 65
In the case of overweight and older people, they’re less likely to be out and about spending lots of time in the sun. Meanwhile, people who have naturally dark skin are at greater risk of being Vitamin D deficient because the pigment in their skin doesn’t absorb as much UV radiation.9
Why is Vitamin D so important when you’re pregnant?
You’ll know that calcium is important for the development of bones, muscles and teeth, and that calcium is especially important for pregnant women.
However, if you don’t have enough Vitamin D, then your body can’t absorb calcium and phosphate properly. In the second half of your pregnancy, Vitamin D is especially important, as this is when most of your baby’s bone growth occurs.
A growing baby gets all of its Vitamin D from its mother’s stores, so pregnant women should be careful that they don’t have a lack of Vitamin D. The research on the role of Vitamin D in pregnancy has increased in recent years, as scientists have focused on the effects Vitamin D deficiency can have on babies.
The impact of Vitamin D on mums and babies
Lack of Vitamin D and birth weight
As we mentioned further up, lack of Vitamin D has been associated with lower birth weight in infants across several studies.10 One Chinese study from 2017 found that maternal Vitamin D insufficiency is common during pregnancy and is associated with low birth weight and high risk of small gestational weight in infants.11
Lack of Vitamin D and breathing/respiratory issues
Meanwhile, another study showed a marked reduction in the risk of infant wheeze from birth until the age of three when the mother has sufficient levels of Vitamin D.12
What’s more, separate trials have also found that children whose mothers took Vitamin D during pregnancy were less likely to become allergic to dust mites or other common air allergens and had a lower risk of asthma.13
Lack of Vitamin D and pre-term birth, diabetes and preeclampsia
Wider research has also linked a lack of Vitamin D during pregnancy with an increased risk of pre-term birth, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (very high blood pressure during pregnancy) and bacterial vaginosis.14
Several clinical trials have found that supplemental Vitamin D lowers the risk of preeclampsia, especially when combined with supplemental calcium. One trial in particular found that for women who had preeclampsia in a prior pregnancy, high dose supplemental Vitamin D cut their risk of developing it again by half.15
Pregnant or planning on getting pregnant?
Don’t panic, because it’s unlikely that you have a true deficiency in Vitamin D.
However, it’s likely your levels are low, mainly because rich dietary sources of Vitamin D are so scarce, and you may not necessarily be getting enough skin exposure every day to keep your Vitamin D levels topped up.
Ideally, you should aim to get between 10 and 30 minutes of midday sunlight several times a week. However, it’s important to note here that the amount of skin exposure will depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight.16 And if you’re hoping to catch the sun’s rays by sitting in front of a window, it won’t have the same effect – skin that’s exposed to sunshine through windows does not produce Vitamin D.17
According to the official health guidelines from Public Health England people, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should take 10mcg of Vitamin D supplements daily in the autumn and winter. And if you’re one of those people who are at risk of having low Vitamin D levels, you should ideally take supplements all-year round.18
Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before changing your diet.
Last updated: 7 July 2020


Free «Principles of Management» Essay Sample
Table of Contents
Business environment has different variations and distinctive features in every country. Some countries have similar economic, political and cultural background which is a prerequisite for having similar regulations and conditions of the macro- and microenvironment in the internal economic market. However, there are some countries that have unique economies based on rules that were set up by ancient cultural and religious traditions. One of such countries is United Arab Emirates. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to carry out an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the business environment in Abu Dhabi, the financial center of UAE.
Short Overview of the Business Environment in the Country
Abu Dhabi is the capital of UEA which is well known for being one of the largest oil producers, tourism center, and a financial center of not only the country, but also the whole region. The success of its economic operations can be confirmed by a big number of financial institutions located in it. Amongst these institutions there are Central Bank of UEA, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, and the headquarters of many transnational corporations (Smeets & Bayar, 2011).
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The economic system of Abu Dhabi is very different to the ones in the rest of the world. The main distinctive features of the economy are Islamic finance, strong religious bias, and cultural differentials (Department of planning and economy of Abu Dhabi, 2008).
One of the ruling powers in the country is Shariah; it is the code of law which states no separation between the church and state. It plays a crucial part in the development of Abu Dhabi economy by financing a big amount of business projects (Collins & Hills, 2010).
Advantages of the Business Environment in Abu Dhabi
The business environment of Abu Dhabi has a large number of advantages. First of all, during favorable economic times Islamic finance tranches have a dominant role in financing infrastructure projects of the large scale (Collins & Hills, 2010). Moreover, Islamic banks are not allowed to charge interests on the loan, which makes the process of taking loans easier for the business owners (Foster, 2009).
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Another important positive aspect of the business environment of Abu Dhabi is working on the basis of fairness and responsibility. Koran does not allow unfair business practices that damage or harm the society (Foster, 2009).
Disadvantages of the Business Environment in Abu Dhabi
Despite having many positive aspects of using Islamic finance system, there are some obstacles which cause certain difficulties in the financial sphere of Abu Dhabi. For instance, Islamic banks quite often have a lack of interest in financing long-term projects. Another disadvantage for Islamic finance tranches is the possibility of delays, additional complexity and increased cost of transactions. Furthermore, the Islamic finance market in Abu Dhabi is not very deep because the number of participants is quite limited (Collins & Hills, 2010).
Abu Dhabi economy is strongly based on religion. One of the times when religion influences UEA economy, is during Ramadan. People fast, limit their travelling including business travelling, work schedules are changed and turned upside down so people can rest during day hours. Thus, during Ramadan national businesses slow down or almost shut down which leads to the downturn in economy (Kennedy, 2010). Furthermore, some critics argue that Islamic finance is driven by cultural traditions rather than by practical economic approach (Foster, 2009).
Therefore, economy of Abu Dhabi has proved itself as a self sustainable and strong system. There are numerous advantages and strengths of the economy and the business environment in the country. However, there are some weaknesses of the economy which can be potential obstacles for companies to develop their business in the country.


The Republic of Sudan has been governed by President Omar Al Bashir, the head of the National Congress Party, since he seized power on 30 June 1989.
Since its independence on 1 January 1956, Sudan has experienced a series of civil wars, including a protracted conflict with then southern Sudan. Following a referendum, South Sudan became an independent country on 9 July 2011. Since losing three-quarters of its oil production to the South, Sudan has sought to diversify its sources of export income by developing its mining and agricultural sectors. It has recently focused on gold production, and established a gold refinery in Khartoum.
Conflict persists in Sudan, particularly in the areas of Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Armed rebel groups, government forces and local tribal militia remain engaged in violent struggle. The humanitarian situation in these three areas is dire, with millions in need of humanitarian aid and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes by the violence.
The African Union/United Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) was established in July 2007. The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) was established in June 2011 to monitor and demilitarise the disputed border region of Abyei, between Sudan and South Sudan, as well as to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Sudan belongs to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD – an East African bloc); the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.
Australia's diplomatic representation to Sudan is from the Embassy in neighbouring Egypt.
Economic and trade information
Heads of Government
Embassies and consulates


Blossoming in California avocado groves occurs from late winter through early summer, but most harvested fruit develop from flowers that are pollinated during two months in spring. If you are placing bees in your grove it’s best to do so early in spring.
It’s important to walk your avocado groves, make observations and record the specific details about the state of your avocado trees year-round. This allows you to track changes over time and review your cultural management decisions. What should you look for and record in spring?


Environmental scientists have been criticised for exaggerating the size of an “island” of plastic waste said to be swirling around in the Pacific Ocean after a study finds that it is 200 times smaller than claimed.
One popular claim is that the size of the patch is twice that of the state of Texas – half a million square miles or the equivalent of 20 times the size of England
Claims that the “Great Garbage Patch” between California and Japan is twice the size of Texas is “grossly exaggerated” said the research which reckons it is more like one per cent the size.
Further reports that the oceans are filled with more plastic than plankton, and that the patch has been growing tenfold each decade since the 1950s are equally misleading, the new research claimed.
In reality it often cannot even be seen from the deck of a passing boat, said the latest analysts from the Oregon State University professor of oceanography Angelicque White.
The scientist took part in a recent marine expedition to examine the mass of plastic that is floating in the ocean and found there was a problem.
But genuine scientific concerns are undermined by scare tactics from those proclaiming the trash patch is so big that there is more plastic than plankton in the Pacific.
Prof White said: “There is no doubt that the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans is troubling, but this kind of exaggeration undermines the credibility of scientists.
“We have data that allow us to make reasonable estimates. We don’t need the hyperbole.
“Given the observed concentration of plastic in the North Pacific, it is simply inaccurate to state that plastic outweighs plankton, or that we have observed an exponential increase in plastic.”
One popular claim is that the size of the patch is twice that of the state of Texas – half a million square miles or the equivalent of 20 times the size of England.
But while the plastic stretches across the surface, its mass compared to the amount of water means it only takes up a tiny fraction of its proclaimed area, said Prof White.
“The amount of plastic out there isn’t trivial,” she said.
“But the patch … is a small fraction of the state of Texas, not twice the size.”
Prof White said plastic can be toxic to some marine life forms but it can absorb other toxins – there is evidence that some organisms are breeding on tiny plastic debris.
However, it is also a danger to seabirds and fish and she said: “Plastic clearly does not belong in the ocean.”
Getting rid of it is too expensive and could damage the fragile ecology under the ocean, she said. Preventing more from entering the water should now be the main focus instead.
She added: “If there is a takeaway message, it’s that we should consider it good news that the ‘garbage patch’ doesn’t seem to be as bad as advertised.
“Since it would be prohibitively costly to remove the plastic, we need to focus our efforts on preventing more trash from fouling our oceans in the first place.”
Recent research by scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found that the amount of plastic, at least in the Atlantic Ocean, hasn’t increased since the mid-1980s – despite greater production and consumption of materials made from plastic, she pointed out.
Article Source: Telegraph.co.uk


Happiness is often considered one of life’s ultimate goals, but understanding what makes you happy isn’t always easy.
Happiness can mean many things. It can come in the form of experiences such as eating ice cream on the beach, or it can have broader implications such as finding satisfaction in a relationship.
There are many things in life that are known to bring joy — birth, marriage, reunion. But what makes you happy is something only you can define.
Happiness is a psychological state, part of what’s known as positive affect in psychology. Similar to other emotions, its inner workings are complex — a place where theory and neuroscience converge.
At its core, happiness is an emotional state brought on by chemicals and hormones interacting with targeted cells in specific regions of the brain.
But understanding happiness often means more than grasping the physiological aspects.
Since the time of ancient Greek philosophers, the psychological theory around happiness has been composed of two aspects, according to a 2001 review of research.
These two things are:
- eudaimonia: your sense of well-being based on functionality and purpose
- hedonia: the act of pursuing pleasure over pain
In Sigmund Freud’s book “Civilization and Its Discontents,” he summarized those two concepts of happiness by defining the emotion as having two sides: A positive and a negative goal. While one wants “the absence of pain and unpleasure,” the other wants “the experience of strong feelings of pleasure.”
Hedonia vs. hedonism
Hedonia — in the concept of what makes you happy — is considered an overtone when used in relation to happiness theory. It’s a tendency to pursue things that bring you joy and avoid things that cause pain.
Hedonism belief exists in several forms and is considered a way of life, according to a 2016 study. One of the most popular is the practice of pursuing pleasure because you believe pleasure is the only thing that gives meaning to life.
Is happiness the same as well-being?
Well-being is another broad concept, often linked to what makes you happy.
Happiness is a part of well-being, but well-being — sometimes formally known as
For example, life can be great and your well-being good, but that doesn’t mean you consider yourself always in a happy state.
Subjective well-being is how you rate and evaluate your life based on different things, including happiness, achievement, life purpose, and general feelings of hope and optimism.
From a physiological standpoint, chemicals in your brain are what cause you to feel the sensations of happiness.
There are many chemicals, primarily neurotransmitters, and hormones and each plays an important role on the happiness scale, according to a
Dopamine, for example, is known as the feel-good hormone because it plays a role in encouraging you to repeat behaviors that result in pleasure.
But pleasure is only one facet of happiness.
Oxytocin is another chemical associated with happiness. It’s commonly called the love hormone because it promotes feelings such as affection and empathy.
Cortisol, though it’s viewed negatively as a stress hormone, is there to help manage anxiety when your body faces stress.
All these things can factor into what makes you feel happy. For you, happiness might be that feeling of comfort from a loved one, or it may be the feeling of relaxation that comes from an absence of anxiety.
Happiness suggests that you’re, well, feeling happy.
A 2021 study suggests that happiness is a protective factor in otherwise overwhelming circumstances, such as social isolation, that helps keep negative emotions at bay.
When you’re happy, other areas of your mental health may flourish, as well. You may find your social relationships improve in both quality and quantity, according to a 2017 book.
Happiness may even translate into how likely you are to experience success.
Research from 2005 suggests that yes, success does make people happy, but that’s not what makes them more successful. Instead, the relationship appears to go both ways — being happy may position you toward behaviors that lead to success.
In adolescents, happiness has been linked to lower reports of psychopathological symptoms, according to a 2015 study. Symptoms included:
The study also linked happiness to fewer behavioral challenges such as antisocial tendencies, impulsiveness, or withdrawal.
While mental health is one area where the effects of happiness seem evident, your physical health may benefit, too.
Among other physical benefits, a 2019 research article suggests happiness may be predictive of longer life expectancy in older adults. Happiness might also decrease mortality among the population in general.
Happiness is individual. It can stem from a number of positive emotions, thoughts, and experiences, all contributing to your overall positive affect.
Since what makes you happy may be different from what makes someone else happy, increasing happiness might be best achieved by looking at ways to increase positive affect.
What is positive affect?
Positive affect in psychology is the phrase given to the spectrum of positive emotions (such as joy, optimism, and enthusiasm) and thought expressions that contribute to how you interact with the world around you.
Creating and seeking altruistic environments
Altruism is defined as selflessness and concern for others. A
A 2021 study found that altruistic environments may contribute to high levels of life satisfaction and increased positive emotions.
This doesn’t mean you need to be in an environment that caters to you in order to be happy, but it does suggest that support and care from those around you are important to your happiness levels.
For example, working for an understanding manager who helps shoulder some of your work burdens may make you happier than if you had a manager that has no consideration for your time and overschedules you.
Finding your calling
Finding that thing in life that brings you fulfillment is considered your calling or purpose.
In a 27-year research study on aging, researchers found that this sense of purpose was the single most important thing associated with life and work happiness and longevity.
Finding your calling isn’t always easy. You may need to sit down, journal, and evaluate the things in life that are most important to you to develop a plan to reach them.
Redefining your decision making
Decisions can be stressful, even more so when you’re fixated on picking the best option.
In a 2002 study on decision making, researchers evaluated people looking for the best option (maximizers) versus those who were content with the first decision that met their basic criteria (satisficers).
Overall, the satisficer decision-making process resulted in higher happiness levels because perfection wasn’t always the goal.
To make decisions satisficer-style, you can start by writing a list of criteria your choice must hit and commit to accepting any choice that meets the criteria without over-evaluating.
Doing something nice for your pet
Loyalty from a pet can be unparalleled. They love you no matter what, and that type of bond can be a great comfort throughout life.
It can bring great joy to do something for them when they do so much for you.
In a 2021 study on pet ownership, people who spent $5 on their pet experienced greater happiness than if they spent that money on themselves or another person.
You don’t have to spend money to do something nice for your pet, though. A walk, a game, or extra attention during the day can mean the world to them.
Happiness is a part of positive affect and is often a key component of subjective well-being.
While the physiological pathways of happiness have to do with chemicals and brain function, what makes you happy can have much deeper psychological roots.
Altruism, life purpose, and how you approach decisions can all affect your state of happiness.
It’s OK not to feel happy all the time. You can still enjoy overall improved well-being without living in a constant state of happiness.


While government student loans may be an option, they are not available to everyone. Many financial institutions have developed a loan program especially for students, charging a preferential interest rate.
Student Lines of Credit
Most institutions also have a credit line, which allows more flexibility, setting a maximum amount of money that you can borrow. You arrange the overall amount you need and withdraw what you need when you need it. The benefit of a credit line is that you pay interest only on the funds that you use, not on the total amount of the credit line as you would a regular loan. And you are expected to pay back the interest only on a monthly basis while you remain in school. After you've completed your studies, you're entitled to a grace period of about six months during which you continue to pay the interest only. After that, you'll meet with your financial institution to make arrangement to repay the credit line over a period of up to 10 years or more.
Note that many students are permitted to borrow about $5,000 to $6,000 per annum for college and university programs and in the $10,000 range per annum for graduate programs. You'll probably also require a co-signer such as a parent or guardian to support your applications.


If you knew what major role hormones play in the way your body functions, you’d be more concerned with ensuring they’re balanced. After all, a healthy body produces hormones throughout a woman’s life.
When these hormones become out of kilter, hormonal disorders settle in. The endocrine system is made up of several major glands throughout the body such as the adrenals, thyroid, pancreas, hypothalamus, ovaries, testes and others.
Because these all affect different body processes which include growth, sexual function, reproduction, regulation of fluids, mood, responses to stress and metabolism, you want them to be functioning in tip-top condition.
A Common Hormone Disorder
One of the most common hormone yet most complex disorders for women is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
This can result in the growth of ovarian cysts which can affect a women’s menstrual cycle, cardiac function as well as her fertility. PCOS affects about 20% of Australian women, but there are many cases which go undiagnosed.
You’re Not Looking or Feeling Great
PCOS can manifest with a number of distressing symptoms that can affect a woman’s health and overall body confidence. Weight gain, skin discolouration, scant, irregular or absent menstruation, abnormal body hair growth or alopecia and facial acne.
The exact cause of polycystic ovarian syndrome isn’t 100% known, but there are certain factors which can contribute to this disorder.
- excess insulin – Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is used in the treatment and control of diabetes.. When a person is diagnosed as a diabetic, they secrete little or no insulin and the body doesn’t respond appropriately to insulin – it can’t transfer glucose from the bloodstream into cells and maintain blood glucose balance. For women trying to have a baby, excess insulin can increase androgen production which creates difficulty with ovulation.
- inflammation – this is a way the body defends itself. Research reveals that women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome often exhibit signs of low-grade inflammation. This encourages polycystic ovaries to produce androgens which in turn exacerbates symptoms.
The standard medical approach…
To make a diagnosis for PCOS, with conventional treatments, a doctor will perform tests to rule out certain conditions. They may perform a physical and pelvic examination, do blood-, glucose- and thyroid function tests as well as a vaginal ultrasound test.
Standard medical treatments usually involve a prescription for the oral contraceptive pill to regulate a woman’s cycle, insulin regulating medications to control blood sugar, clomid to help encourage ovulation and enhance fertility and statins to control cholesterol.
Whilst these treatments can be useful, they are not truly addressing the underlying causes of PCOS.
Helping Your Body Help Itself
Naturopathic treatments can be very useful for managing PCOS.
A naturopath will initially assess your unique profile and case history using physical examination and blood work, then recommend a tailored program which may include….
- Detoxification and weight management protocols. Diet is imperative for treating PCOS. A loss even as little as 5% of your body weight will reduce insulin resistance and improve PCOS symptoms.
- Dietary modifications including lowering your intake of refined carbohydrates and sugar.
- Consuming the appropriate combination of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.
- Taking hormone regulating herbal medicines.
Exercise and lifestyle management.
You’ll be amazed how well you can feel!
Nature Empowers your Body to Heal Itself
With naturopathy, the body is provided with the appropriate elements needed to heal and re-balance. Treatment isn’t given to merely mask or alleviate symptoms but to support the body’s natural healing ability and establish optimal hormone balance.


I was raised in a household that taught about God and what is right and wrong. And nothing to do with the way I was raised, but I struggle helping our kids sometimes to learn more about the Bible. The inability to understand anything but concrete concepts really confuses me.
So this program was a wonderful addition to look at for our children. It really breaks down the Bible into a wonderful question and answer program. I really think that it encourages how to do your own personal study program as they get older.
Each section is broken down into a story time, memory verses and of course the scriptures from your own personal copy of the Bible.
From Classical Academic Press:
In God’s Great Covenant, New Testament 1: A Bible Course for Children, students will follow the story of Jesus, the Messiah and King, as He is born and fulfills all God’s promises. But Jesus does not arrive as people expected. The people were looking for a mighty warrior to deliver them from the oppressive Roman government. Instead, He came as the suffering Savior, who would die as the sacrifice for sin and death. He was building a kingdom that was not of this world—it was the kingdom of God. He is the Son of Man, God’s Servant, the Messiah, and the Son of God. Each of the four units in this text emphasizes one of these names of Jesus. God’s Great Covenant, New Testament 1 teaches the Gospels to students in fourth grade and up, using stories, worksheets, memory verses, devotional guides, quizzes, and a little boy named Simon. In the introductions to the text, students will also learn about the historical, cultural, and geographical setting of the New Testament. This book is a most comprehensive and heartfelt study of the Gospels, and many parents and teachers will find themselves learning along with their students.
At the end of the section there are review worksheets that include all types of questions including essay style, fill in the blank, true/false, and multiple choices.
You can view Samples.
This series features:
- 36 weekly chapters, divided into 4 themed units
- Each chapter contains:
- A memory page that includes a weekly memory verse, key facts chart, fulfillment of prophecy section
- A thought-provoking “Think About It” question that encourages children to consider how to relate to God in their own lives
- A worksheet and quiz
- Unit reviews that contain a memory verse worksheet, devotional guide, and a fun short story of life in Simon’s world
The Teacher's Edition features a full student copy along with extra notes and information to expand out the lesson for your children. It also includes the answer key.
And plenty of room for you to make extra notes.
I thought the layout of this course was well done. I like the scriptural accuracy. Joey enjoyed the discussions and by seeing the information on a page, it turned an abstract concept more concrete for him. Now I am not saying that will happen with all children on the autism spectrum, but it seemed to help him.
If you are interested in purchasing God's Great Covenant, visit Classical Academic Press.
Student Edition: $26.95
Teacher Edition: $29.95
Or you can purchase the set for $56.95 and it includes the audio file of the textbook.
Other editions are also available. You can purchase God's Great Covenant 2 that cover the Old Testament.
There is also a Timeline and Map available for purchase.
Check Classical Academic Press out on Facebook.
See what other Crew Mates thought of this product.
*****Disclaimer......I received God's Great Covenant New Testament I from Classical Academic Press free of charge for the sole purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The views I have expressed are my own and are real experiences with my family. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>:"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."


1. a numerical symbol, especially an Arabic numeral.
2. an amount or value expressed in numbers.
3. figures, the use of numbers in calculating; arithmetic: to be poor at figures.
4. a written symbol other than a letter.
5. form or shape, as determined by outlines or exterior surfaces: to be round, square, or cubical in figure.
6. the bodily form or frame: a slender or graceful figure.
7. an individual bodily form or a person with reference to form or appearance: A tall figur
"contributions can be figuring."
This list can help you learn new vocabulary more quickly and be able explore other words more easily.


The short sightedness is also called myopia which is found to be very common these days. It is the cause of impaired vision mainly in kids. This usually occurs for people who are below the age of 40. But the prevalence of the problem is somehow growing at an alarming rate. If the person is suffering from myopia, then he must have difficulty to read the road signs and even see the distant objects clearly.
Signs and symptoms of myopia include squinting or eye strain and headache. The person or the child feels fatigued when they drive or play a sport. But the shortsightedness correction can be done by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Causes of Myopia
The problem of vision occurs mainly when the size of the eyeball is too long comparatively to the power of the cornea. Hence the focus of the light rays is at a point in front of the retina. It does not focus directly on the surface.
The other cause also includes the curve of the cornea or the lens of the eye. It is seen to be more curved as per the length of the eyeball. Sometimes the shortsightedness also occurs due to the combination of these factors.
Treatment For Short Sightedness
The short sightedness correction can be effectively done with the help of different treatments.
The people may also benefit from implantable lenses. This is known as phakic IOLs. These are very tiny lenses that work almost like contact lenses. They are implanted surgically within the eye and directly behind the pupil. This is the permanent way of short sightedness correction. The short sightedness or myopia has now become a very common eye condition and it’s found to affect at least 1 in 3 people in the UK. It rangesfrom mild to severe and at times the vision is significantly affected.


Among the most used techniques used to measure laughter, there are: audio processing, respirometry, pneumogra- phy, electromyography (EMG), mechanomyography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencefalography, magne- toencephalography.
Which chemical is released when you laugh?
Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Activate and relieve your stress response.
Why do they say laughter is the best medicine?
It’s true: laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress.
Does serotonin make you laugh?
Laughter accelerates circulation and helps muscles relax, which can reduce the physical symptoms of stress. Increase serotonin. Laughing activates the release of serotonin, which affects your entire body.
Does the Bible say laughter is good for the soul?
It’s not a jovial response of happiness, but nevertheless it’s laughter.) “He that is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” — Proverbs 15:15. “I commend mirth.” — Ecclesiastes 8:15. “I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow.” — Jeremiah 31:13.
Whats the chemical that makes you happy?
When it comes to happiness, in particular, the primary signaling chemicals include: Serotonin. Dopamine. Endorphins.
Who said laughter is the best medicine?
The saying “laughter is the best medicine” is believed to have originated — albeit now in a snappier form —from Proverbs 17.22 of the King James Bible.
Where in the Bible does it talk about laughter?
Ecclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, wine makes life merry, and money is the answer for everything. Job 39:22 It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. Genesis 21:6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”
Does laughing make your heart stronger?
When you laugh, your heart rate increases, and you take many deep breaths. This mean that more oxygenated blood is circulated through your body – improving your vascular function. Prevents heart disease. Improved vascular function and circulation can also help reduce your risk of a heart disease diagnosis.
Can laughing cure depression?
Furthermore, endorphins secreted by laughter can help when people are uncomfortable or in a depressed mood. Laughter therapy is a noninvasive and non-pharmacological alternative treatment for stress and depression, representative cases that have a negative influence on mental health.
Does fake smiling make you happy?
According to a recent study published in the journal Experimental Psychology, researchers found smiling — even a fake smile — can have a positive impact on mood. Essentially, triggering certain facial muscles by smiling can “trick” your brain into thinking you’re happy.
What causes you to laugh?
It is a response to certain external or internal stimuli. Laughter can rise from such activities as being tickled, or from humorous stories or thoughts. Most commonly, it is considered an auditory expression of a number of positive emotional states, such as joy, mirth, happiness, or relief.
Can laughing increase blood flow?
Laughter may encourage your endothelium, the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels, to expand and increase blood flow. Having a healthy endothelium can help prevent atherosclerosis (a hardening of the blood vessels) and cardiovascular disease.
Who in the Bible laughed?
Sarah laughed in unbelief, Abraham laughed in wonder, and now they both laugh in joy! Sarah’s faith was not perfect, but in Hebrews 11 it tells us that “Sara herself received strength” from her faith. The power that 90-year-old Sarah experienced to have a child was not her own, it came through faith.
What does the Bible say about having fun in life?
In Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NLT), the Bible also tells us to have fun and enjoy the life God has given us. “So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life.
What is the sad hormone called?
In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect: the production of the hormone melatonin.
What causes slap happiness?
Once melatonin, which Lathrop described as “that good, sleepy hormone,” starts to produce and you don’t go to bed, or put your baby down for bed, adrenaline starts to produce inside the body. That’s when people (of any age) go in the opposite direction: even getting irritable or slap-happy.
What is the love hormone?
As oxytocin is associated with trust, sexual arousal and relationship building, it’s sometimes referred to as the “love hormone” or “cuddle chemical.” Oxytocin levels also increase when you’re hugging someone and when you’re experiencing an orgasm.
Is laughing for 15 minutes 2 hours sleep?
Laughter fact: 15 minutes of laughter equals the benefit of 2 hours sleep. So 45 min of laughing a day and I’ll never have to worry about sleep again! As LaughFest friend Betty White said to us when asked if she was tired from everything she was doing while on her visit at LaughFest.
How many times is the word laugh in the Bible?
Depending on the translation, the Bible mentions laughter somewhere between 20-40 times. There are so many verses (listed below) that talk about laughter, being joyous, and being happy. God wants us to be happy and laughter is surely a sign of that, right?
What is the meaning of Gelotology?
gelotology (uncountable) The study of humor and laughter, and its effects on the body.
Who said death is not the greatest loss in life?
The greatest loss is what dies inside while still alive. Never surrender.” ~ Tupac Shakur.
What does a laughter therapist do?
Laughter therapy is a specific type of therapy in which a trained person uses laugh techniques to relieve both psychological and physical pain. Ideally, to become a laughter therapist, you should be a licensed therapist, as this gives you a greater understanding of the benefits and cons of the therapy.
How did Dr Cousins pain lessen?
Answer. Answer: Told that he had one chance in 500 of recovery, Cousins developed his own recovery program. He took massive intravenous doses of Vitamin C and had self-induced bouts of laughter brought on by films of the television show Candid Camera, and by various comic films.
What is joy and laughter?
1 the action of or noise produced by laughing. 2 the experience or manifestation of mirth, amusement, scorn, or joy.


|Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute||Home|
The truth is that the different labels used to refer to the diverse Spanish-speaking communities and their respective traditions in the United States baffle even adults.
This is a reflection of how little people know about the fastest growing minority group in the United States. Most Americans are not aware of the fact that there are different cultures and races among the more than 20 million Spanish-speaking people in the U.S.
Afraid of generalizing, stereotyping or leaving somebody or something out, people prefer not to have this type of discourse. We need to take time to research about these matters. As teachers, we need to better prepare our students to understand the different cultures and ethnic groups that are the fabric of this country. The dialogue on multiculturalism is becoming very crucial as we are moving toward a more global society. We need to talk about race and culture to understand the changes in our communities, in politics and in today’s popular culture.
This unit explores identity issues among the Spanish-speaking communities in the United States by studying some of their history, cultures and races.
I would begin this discussion with students by finding out how much they know about the terms Hispanic and Latino. I would proceed by discussing the latest immigration trends from Spanish-speaking countries into the United States. As I hold this discussion, I will point these countries on a map of Latin America.
This incident illustrates the sensitive nature of this matter and how important it is for everybody to become educated about the Spanish-speaking community. It is also important to make the overall society aware of these labels in an effort to promote cultural understanding.
The debate over how to refer to Spanish-speaking people in the U.S. is one that has contributed to the confusion of identifying members of this group. In the 1970s, U.S. government came up with “Hispanic” to resolve the problem. The term is still used today as an umbrella name that includes all Spanish-speaking people living in the United States. But some members of the Spanish-speaking community have continued to opt for an identity which is connected with other aspects of their lives such as their countries of origin, their culture and the race with which they affiliate.
This is highlighted in an article published by Martha E. Gimenez of the Department of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is an Argentine-born woman who was classified as a minority and Hispanic by administrators at her institution. In the article, she expresses her discontent with this label and reviews its negative connotations along with other labels currently used in society. She writes the following about her being labeled a minority:
____“This was indeed a surreal and upsetting experience first because of the racism entailed in the denial of my identity and the imposition of a spurious “hispanicity” loaded with negative connotations, and also because of the administrative uses to which I was subject by becoming part of the statistics used to show compliance with the law.”
Her work and that of others used for the lessons in this unit, make it clear that national origin, social class, ethnicity, race, and length of stay in the U.S, make it exceedingly difficult to find a common term to define an already diverse Spanish-speaking community.
The existing terms only serve to perpetuate stereotypes further and oversimplify people’s experiences in this country. Consider the fact that both labels, Hispanic and Latino were created in this country to refer to minority groups that are considered historically oppressed, socially rejected, economically excluded and lacking of political power, according to Gimenez. If Latino is a label that as some claim, embraces the historical and political commonalties of Latin American countries, how come it is often employed to refer to the social/economic status of a group of people as they are compared to the larger society?
What happens to second-generation Latinos in the United States? Do they share the historical and political experiences attributed to their counterparts in Latin America? If so, should they be considered a minority because of it? These thoughts raise questions about the validity of the following terms currently used to refer to members of the Spanish-speaking community.
The information that follows was collected from Oboler’s Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives, and the articles “Latinos/Hispanics…What next?” and “Taxonomy: More on the Label Trap.” The articles can be found on the Internet by searching under the keyword Latin American Studies and Labels:
Spanish-speaking: Used to refer indiscriminately to any person who speaks Spanish. Some believe it is imprecise and inappropriate because it clusters together people from two dozen countries, spanning the entire American continent, the Caribbean and Spain.
Hispanics: This term is used to refer collectively to all Spanish-speakers in the U.S. Officially, it identifies people of Latin American and Spanish descent living in the U.S. It specifically connotes a lineage or cultural heritage related to Spain. It was created by state agencies after 1970.
Problems: As stated in Oboler’s book, some feel that this term ignores the diverse experiences of descendants of U.S. conquest, such as the Chicanos and those of the Puerto Rican populations. It homogenizes the varied social and political experiences of more than 23 million people of different races, classes languages, national origins, gender and religions. The term may be cause for offense as to the millions of people who Speak Spanish but are not of true Spanish descent (Native Americans).
Advantages: Some feel it ensures the community access to resources from the ethnically based political structure of the government.
Latinos: This term describes a geographically derived national origin group. It refers to people originating from or having a heritage related to Latin America. “Latin” refers to the romance languages (Spanish, Portuguese and French) spoken by the majority of Latin Americans.
Origins: The term began to emerge among grassroots sectors of the population, created as an alternative to what was perceived to be an imposed label: Hispanic. It is preferred by health practitioners and policymakers for describing populations of Latin American descent.
Problems: Very much as the other terms, it undermines generalizations about the entire group. The term is not considered appropriate for the millions of native Americans who inhabit the Latin American region. The adoption of the new term would merely add to the confusion and ultimately hinder Hispanics’ competition with blacks and other groups for government resources.
Hispano: Preferred by a group of people located in the U.S. Southwest, who identify with the Spanish settlers of the area and not with the Mexican settlers. They seem to be descendants of persecuted Jews who fled Spain during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. When the term was coined, it was used to make the distinction between mestizo (half-breed) Mexicans from racially pure Europeans.
Chicano: Its first use usage seems to have been discriminatory. The source of the word is traced to the 1930s and 40s period, when poor, rural Mexicans, often Native Americans, were imported to the U.S. to provide cheap field labor under an agreement of the government of both countries. The term originated from the inability of Native American speakers to pronounce the word Mexicanos and instead said “Mesheecanos.” . Mexican-American activists who took part in the Brown power movement of the 60s and 70s later appropriated the term. Among more assimilated Mexican-Americans, the term still retains an unsavory connotation, particularly because it is preferred by political activists and by those who seek to create a new fresh identity for their culture rather than to subsume it blandly under the guise of any mainstream culture.
Mexicans, for example, were residents of a section of Mexico that became part of the United States following the Mexican American War. They soon supplied a demand for workers in the country’s mining and agricultural resources. Their entering differed significantly from Puerto Ricans, whose island and population was colonized 50 years later by the United States. The exploitation of Puerto Rico’s human and material resources led to the massive migration of unemployed Puerto Ricans whom were attracted by the postwar demand for labor in the east coast of the U.S.
Just as it is wrong to assume that Spanish-speaking Americans share the same culture and history, it would be erroneous to compare the more recent Latin American immigrants with earlier European arrivals. New immigrants face a declining demand for unskilled workers and entry-level jobs and they cannot follow the kinds of labor market insertion open to earlier groups. The particular historical and economic situation when Latin American populations arrived in the country has shaped each national group’s experiences.
One aspect in the history of many Latin American countries that sets them part from Europeans, is the repeated U.S. military interventions in their native land. There have been U.S. interventions in Guatemala, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Panama. There was an overthrow of democratically elected leaders as in Chile and the constant policing of Latin American governments. Our own history reveals our government’s intention with Monroe Doctrine, which basically gave the United States an excuse to intervene in Latin America affairs. Monroe was vying the Caribbean with plans of turning it into an “American Lake.”
Expansion to Latin America was a reality. The U.S took over Puerto Rico in 1898 with intentions of making it a naval base. Despite pleas to end the military regime, Puerto Rico remained colonized by Americans and the military governors soon began the process of “Americanization” of Puerto Rico by implanting U.S. institutions, influencing education, culture and economy. One of the tools of Americanization was the teaching of English as the primary language in the public schools.
From the time of their inception into the mainland --dating back to the 1960s-- Puerto Ricans have experienced adjustment issues in the new society. They continue to face ethnic, racial and religious prejudice in the American society. A new Puerto Rican has emerged in the mainland, especially in New York City, where there has a large concentration of people of Puerto Rican descent.
A pressing matter for Puerto Ricans in the United States is that of their identity. With what they identify in terms of culture and ancestry has been a major source of debate among Puerto Ricans.
When they arrived in the mainland, Puerto Ricans interactions with Black people in the United States have been the prominent and much of the ethnic literature that emerged from New York reveals the group’s affinity with African Americans. This kinship was strengthened by the groups’ socioeconomic positions and struggles, and a similarity in racial background among some of the first Puerto Ricans who emigrated to the mainland. A rich racial mixture of mulattos, whites and blacks characterizes Puerto Rico.
Roberto Santiago’s essay, “Black and Latino,” encapsulates much of the inner conflict that some Puerto Ricans in the U.S. experience in regard to their skin color, and their African and Latino cultural heritage. It tells the story of how a young boy came to understand this country’s attitudes toward people of color, and how that boy, now an adult (the author) finds no harm in identifying himself as both Black and Puerto Rican.
In most of the literature accompanying this unit, the reader will find an underlying theme surrounding the issue of Puerto Rican identity: Are Puerto Ricans black or white because of their skin? Do Puerto Ricans have an American culture? These are only some of the questions that the literature poses.
Puerto Ricans of all colors and ancestry would say that they are just Puerto Ricans. The most telling fact about Puerto Rican culture in the U.S. is its emphasis on difference, and most notably, on the distinction between cultures of colonial peoples and that of imperialist society.
Some of the American Puerto Rican literature reflects the influence of North American culture in a special mixture with the elements of the Latin American and Caribbean cultures.
Students will see that for Puerto Ricans, cultural identification supersedes everything else. The poem “Ending Poem” by Rosario Morales and Auroa Levins Morales contains a special blend that characterize Puerto Rican identity in the U.S. The poem reveals an inner struggle to find a concrete classification in terms of cultural and historical identity. The Morales (mother and daughter) reject any preconceived category and search for their own definition of who they are. Other writers that will be studied under this unit, refer to a lack of identity among Puerto Ricans, an idea furbished by the establish cannons of the dominant society.
“Ending Poem” encapsulates the complexities of being Puerto Rican: it can mean island-born and of a Hispanic tradition, but it can also mean North American, Jewish, inner city, country or poor. The poem also reveals elements of African, Amerindian and European roots, without necessarily wanting to be exclusive of any of them.
Race as a form of identity is a recent concept in human history according to Audry Smedley of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Virginia Commonwealth University. The author goes on to say that race in American society has become equivalent and the dominant source of human identity, in many cases superseding all other aspects of identity. The problem Smedley sees with that is that no social ingredient in our understanding of race has allowed for mixed-racesexpressions of which are recognized by many Spanish-speaking cultures as in the Puerto Ricans trigeños and morenos.
This problem is highlighted by the misunderstood attempts in the American census to establish a mixed-race category. The result is that a large group of people is left feeling an absence of identity because they do not exist formally. These sentiments are echoed in many works of Puerto Ricans in the U.S., some of which will be utilized in the lessons of this unit.
The following lessons will allow teachers to incorporate elements of this narrative with the students’ activities included. Participants of the unit will be involved in reading, researching and writing reflection pieces that would demonstrate their understanding of the topic.
@Text: As students review these matters, they will find that other groups face similar struggles. This will allow students to make comparisons with African Americans and Mexican Americans, some ethnic groups to which they may belong. This unit involves terminology which can sometimes be subject to several interpretations. That is why when we refer to groups of people as an ethnic group and we discuss their race and culture, students should have an understanding about these terms also. To accomplish that, students will explore different perspectives on the concept of culture from a historical, anthropological and sociological standpoint. They will also be exposed to some of the elements that constitute ethnicity.
- -to promote understanding of the diverse Spanish-speaking cultures in the United States
- -to identify Spanish-speaking countries on a map
I will begin with a brief discussion about Spanish-speaking Americans in the United States. Provide students with the following facts about the Spanish-speaking world:
- a) More than 360 million people around the world speak Spanish.
- b) Spanish is the third most widely spoken language after Chinese and English
- c) Spanish is the most commonly spoken language in the United States, where more than 22 million people speak it
Pose the following questions to the class:
Teachers will have students answer these questions as part of a whole-class activity. Chances are that their responses will touch upon the various aspects of this unit. As their answers are acknowledged, I will make connections with one of the upcoming lessons, which is a look at the different labels used to refer Spanish Americans.
- 1. What do you know about Spanish-speaking people? Do you know where they come from and why they are here?
- 2. Where is Spanish spoken in the world?
- 3. What are some of the ways of referring to Spanish-speaking peoples in the U.S.?
- 4. Have you had any interactions with Hispanics or Latinos? Elaborate.
Students study the globe and identify on an activity sheet with a blank map of the world, the 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Europe and Africa (Equatorial Guinea).
- -to understand the term ethnicity and how it applies to different groups in the U.S.
Before talking about ethnic labels with students, I will study the term ethnicity with them. I begin by posing the following questions:
To get into what ethnicity is, I will introduce the following elements of ethnicity:
- 1) Do you come from an ethnic or racial group?
- 2) How did you come to be part of that group?
- 3) Can people identify you in a different way?
- 1. Generally, the members of such a group think of themselves as being somehow different from other groups and in turn are so regarded.
- 2. An ethnic group is often usually a numerically smaller group, that is smaller than the “majority,” whom we tend not to consider as an ethnic group. At least this is the situation in the United States, although not necessarily worldwide.
- 3. The group has either migrated, voluntarily or involuntarily, to an area away from its homeland or has been overrun in its own land.
Make a list of ethnic groups known in the United States. Research two of them as homework assignment.
|Objective:||-to understand the meaning of ethnic labels used in the U.S.|
Teachers begin this section by discussing the volatile nature of ethnic labels when used to refer to people indiscriminately (as described in the narrative of this unit)
Students read the article, “The Label Trap” which appeared on the Albuquerque Journal (bibliography is included in teachers and students’ readings).
Discuss the controversy: which names do people prefer? Why? Students comment on whether these labels affect the lives of the people involved, based on what it is expressed in the article. I will keep the discussion oral until students begin to study each term individually.
Provide students with a list of terms used to refer to members of the Spanish-speaking community in the United States.
Pre-writing: After discussing the terms with the class, I will solicit students’ comments. Questions will include:
Proceed by explaining that Puerto Ricans arguably fall under many of the terms described in this section, but that as members of other groups do ñsuch as Cubans and Mexicans--they identify themselves with their country of origin.
- 1) How do you feel about the different terminology?
- 2) In your opinion, which labels are more appropriate?
- 3) Should people have the right to choose, or should the government impose a term?
- 4) Are Puerto Ricans Hispanic or Latinos?
I will have students research information about the terminology used to refer to other ethnic groups in the United States such as Blacks and Native Americans. Students will write about the diversity of cultures within these groups and compares their predicament to that Spanish-speaking groups in the U.S. in terms of how they are perceived. Students’ essays will contain their personal opinions about the matter.
Objective: -tounderstand the complexity of Puerto Rican identity
To set the tone for this lesson, I will have two students read out loud the poem “Ending Poem” as found in Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the USA..
I will divide the class into groups of about four and have them answer the following questions:
- What geographical regions can be identified in this poem?
- Describe the message within the following verses:
- “History made me” and “I was born at the crossroads.”
- Define Caribeña and Taíno.
- How would you characterize the speaker’s racial and ethnic background?
Homework activity: Prior to this lesson, students will be asked to research the history of Puerto Rico. Recommend the following Website to students: LANIC (Latin American Network Information Center) at HYPERLINK http://lanic.utexas.edu/las.html http://lanic.utexas.edu/las.html.
- At this point I will emphasize the history of Puerto Rico as it is found inPuerto Rico: Island Between Two Worlds.
I will use “Ending Poem” to introduce some of the issues that characterize the Puerto Rican identity, making the following points about Puerto Ricans in the U.S.
Students then analyze the following poems by Sandra Maria Esteves: “My Name is Maria Cristina,” “For Lolita Lebrón,” “From Fanon” and “Here,” the last three of which can be found in Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the USA. “My Name is Maria Cristina” can be found in Herejes y Mitificadores.
- a) Puerto Ricans consider themselves a cultural group
- b) They struggle to find a place (in terms of social class) within the dominant culture in the United States.
- c) Puerto Rican literature in the U.S. reveals a mixture of North American and Puerto Rican cultures, all of which at times comes to a clash.
- d) Some struggle to preserve aspects of the Puerto Rican culture while trying to accept their new roles in the United States at the same time
Divide the class in four groups and assign a poem to each and provide the following questions:
“My Name is Maria Cristina”:
I will allow students to discuss the remaining three poems in their respective groups and have a reporter from each share their interpretation of the poem with the rest of the class. The following are some guiding questions for some of these poems.
- 1. What do you understand by the following sentence: “I am a Puerto Rican Woman born in el barrio”?
- 2. What is el barrio? Why is there a change in language?
- 3. There are some verses that reflect the writer’s attachment to some elements of Hispanic culture. Provide some examples.
- 4. What is the meaning of the word negra (black woman) in this poem? Explain that negra should be read not in racial terms, but in its context of love and affection as it is used in the Caribbean.
For “Lolita Lebron”
- 1. What do you think the speaker of this poem is asking for?
- 1. Describe the historical events that the speaker is talking about in the fourth and fifth stanzas.
- 2. Whom is she referring to in the last stanza?
- 3. What does the speaker mean in the last line of the first stanza?
- 4. What is this speaker’s mood?
What two parts is the speaker referring to?
Objective: -to understand how Puerto Ricans view race
Discuss Roberto Santiago’s Essay “Latino and Black” found in Boricuas by talking the discrimination he experienced. Ask students if they have been in a similar situation or whether they know somebody who has.
They proceed by writing brief reactions to the reading based on the previous discussion.
Ask students to define the terms mulatto, mestizo and trigeño.
Objective: -to study the life of Puerto Rican-born Arturo Alfonso Schomburg and his contributions to the black community in the U.S.
Here’s a brief summary of his life:
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was a black Puerto Rican who conducted extensive research on the black community of New York City.
While still living in Puerto Rico, Schomburg was told by one of his teachers that blacks had accomplished nothing in the past and probably would not accomplish anything in the future. Schomburg reacted by researching and collecting significant works by black Puerto Ricans. When he relocated to the U.S., he continued his work in highlighting the black and African American communities in New York City. The black community regards him as a strong activist against discrimination. He was subject to more racism when he moved to the United States. On a trip to the Deep South, he was denied accommodations. He sued and won.
One activity that teachers might want to consider for this unit is a trip to the Schomburg Center for Research in New York City. This can be done by raising funds or applying for a grant to pay for the costs of the trip.
This museum contains more than 75,000 volumes on black culture as well as magnificent pictures of the black community in New York City. There is a rendering of the way African slaves were transported through the Middle Passage, and portraits of prominent personalities in American history.
Students reflect on the documents and renderings. Choose one that made an impact.
Objective: -to further explore Puerto Ricans connections to their African roots.
Students analyze the following poems. “Ay Ay Ay for the Kinky Black Woman,” by Julia de Burgos, which can be found in Boricuas; “African Things,” by Victor Hernandez Cruz, found in Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the USA.
Here are some possible questions students can answer when analyzing the poem:
- 1. What elements of the Puerto Rican ancestry does this poem reveal? Give examples from the poem.
- 2. Can you see any similarities to your own history?
- 3. Do you come from racially mixed parents, or do you live in a multicultural neighborhood?
Objectives: -to study how culture and race affect people’s identity
Solicit students’ understanding of the term culture. Based on their responses, ask them how that definition affects the way they describe themselves to others.
Provide the following definition to the class: according to the Encarta Encyclopedia (which is available through the Internet), culture, in anthropology, includes the patterns of behavior and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create and share. Culture distinguishes groups from each other.
Based on this definition students answer the following questions:
- 1) Is it possible to have no culture? Why?
- 2) Are we solely defined by the culture we live in?
- 3) Why do you think Puerto Ricans are so attached to their culture?
- 4) Describe the Puerto Rican culture and give an example of a North American tradition.
- 5) How is Puerto Rican culture different from the North American culture?
Objective: -to understand the role of race in people’s identity.
Applied to an individual, race refers to membership in a group, and not to aspects of the person’s appearance, such as skin color, according to the Encarta Online Deluxe encyclopedia. In anthropology, the term was created to identify biological properties of human populations by regions. Thus, we have race categories known as Caucasians, Mongoloids, Negroes, etc.
But in the U.S. race is now used by people and some ethnic groups to identify themselves. In the case of Puerto Ricans, people like Roberto Santiago align themselves to the “black” race in this country based on his ancestry and physical appearance. This aspect of his life has served as point of reference for him to formulate his identity.
Questions for the class:
- 1) Is race an important aspect of one’s identity? Why?
- 2) Can you be a member of more than one race?
- 3) Are Puerto Ricans members of the black or white races as recognized in the United States? Would it depend on their physical or biological traits?
- 4) What role, if any, does our ancestry play in our race?
- 5) How important is it to be recognized as a member of a race?
Gimenez, Martha. “Latinos/Hispanics… What Next! Some reflections on the politics of identity in the U.S.” Department of Sociology University of Colorado, Boulder. The author explains why she does not want to be considered “Hispanic” and provides a little bit of the history of that term and others used in the Unites States.
Jaffe, A.J., Cullen and Thomas d. Boswell. The Changing Demographic of Spanish Americans. Academic Press, New York, 1980.
Keesing, Roger M., “Theories of Culture Revisited,” Canberra Anthropology, v. 13(2), 19990, 46-60. The author argues for a concept of culture that combines modern ways of life and those of small-scale communities.
Luis, William Dance Between Two Cultures: Latino Caribbean Literature written in the United States, Vanderbilt University Press, 1997. It provides a critical analysis of literature written by Latino writers from the Caribbean including Puerto Ricans living in the United States.
Oboler, Suzane, Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives University of Minnesota 1997. This book explores the history and current use the labels “Hispanic” and Latino and how they affect some people’s struggles for social participation in the U.S.
Perl Lila, Puerto Rico: Island Between two Worlds, William Morrow and Company, New York, 1979. This book summarizes Puerto Rican history, economy and social problems following the United States occupation in 1898.
Roberto Rogdriguez and Patrisia Gonzales, “The Label Trap,” Albuquerque Journal, August 4, 1994; and Taxonomy: More on the Label Trap. These essays discuss the different labels used to refer to people from Spanish-speaking countries. It also touches upon the uses of Mexicans versus Mexican Americans and Chicano terms in the Unites States.
Santiago, Roberto (Ed.) Boricuas Influential Puerto Rican Writings: An Anthology, New York: One World 1995. Includes essays, poetry and chapters from some famous works that deal with the Puerto Rican issues.
Smedley, Audrey. “Race and the Construction of Human Identity,” American Anthropologist, vol. 100(3), 1998. This paper briefly explores how race became part of our culture and argues that we must disconnect cultural features of identity from biological traits.
Turner, Faythe, Ed., (1991). Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the USA. An anthology, One Hand Publishing, Seattle, Washington
@SH:Annotated Student Readings “Ay Ay Ay for the Kinky Black Woman” by Julia de Burgos. (Boricuas Influential Puerto Rican Writings: An Anthology). This poem is about a woman’s Puerto Rican’s African roots.
. “Black and Latino,” by Roberto Santiago. (Boricuas Influential Puerto Rican Writings: An Anthology). An essay on how a dark-skin Puerto Rican came to understand race in this country and how an incident helped him find an identity.
“My name is Maria Cristina” (Herejes y Mificaciones, Dance Between Two Cultures). “For Lolita Lebron,” “From Fanon” and “Here” by Sandra Maria Esteves. (Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the USA. An Anthology). These poems reflect the ambivalence some Puerto Ricans experience when confronting their American/Puerto Rican cultures.
“Child of the Americas” by Aurora Levins Morales and Rosario Morales (Puerto Rican Writers at Home in the U.S. An Anthology). This poem is abut about a woman being “born at the crossroads,” one with roots from three ethnic groups.
“African Things,” by Victor Hernandez (Boricuas). This poem reveals information about Puerto Rico’s African history.
“Arturo Alfonso Schomburg: Our Forgotten Scholar,” Castillo Jr., and Valerie Sandoval Mwalilino, EPIC/NECCA. This article describes the accomplishments of Arturo Schomburg and his efforts to afford blacks respect.
Gimenez, Martha. (1998) “Latinos/Hispanic. What’s next! Some reflections on the politics of identity in the U.S.” Department of Sociology, University of Colorado at Boulder
Oboler, Suzane (195) Ethnic Labels, Latino Lives. Identity and the Politics of (Re)Presentation in the United States University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, pg. 25
I am using this term interchangeably with Spanish-speaking peoples as a writing style only.
Oboler, Ethnic Labels
Oboler, Ethnic Labels, pg. 9
Perl, Lila, (1979) Puerto Rico: Island Between Two Worlds, William Morrow and Company, New York
Pearl, ibd. Pg. 145.
Santiago, Roberto ed. (1995)Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings An Anthology, Ballantine Books, New York
Flores, “The Insular Vision: Pedreira and the Puerto Rican Misere,” Divided Borders.
Turner, Faythe, ed., (1991). Puerto Rican Writers at home in the USA. An anthology, One Hand Publishing, Seattle, Washington
Luis, William (1997). Dance Between Two Cultures: Latino Caribbean Literature Written in the United States. Vanderbilt University Press
Smedley, Audrey (1998). “Race and the Construction of Human Identity,” American Anthropologist. Vol 100 no. 3
Jaffe, A.J., Cullen and Thomas D. Boswell (1980) The Changing Demographic of Spanish Americans Academic Press, New York
Luis, Dance Between Two Cultures.
Contents of 2000 Volume I | Directory of Volumes | Index | Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute


What are Other Gymnosperms? There are some seed-bearing plants whose relationships to other gymnosperms remain unclear, partly because very little is known about them. The fossils in this group have narrow geographic and stratigraphic ranges, and few specimens have been collected and studied. They differ from each other as well as Ginkgoes, Gnetophytes, “Seed Ferns,” Cycads, Conifers, and their relatives in various developmental, anatomical, and reproductive characteristics. Members of this group have different originations and extinctions, but all together, their fossil record extends from the Permian to the Cretaceous.
First known fossil occurrence: Permian.
Last known fossil occurrence: Cretaceous.
Cool Other Gymnosperms links:
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See Other Gymnosperms from the:


Teachers mend the lives of millions of students every day, their immense hard-work and dedication move us beyond words every day. In today’s scenario to we are moved by the teacher’s dedication towards taking online lessons, teaching students with wholehearted dedication. In these challenging times too, we should truly recognize their efforts.
Teacher Appreciation Week – Date, History, Importance & Celebration
While we should appreciate our teachers daily, during Teachers’ appreciation week, we should shower them with love and effort. We should encourage them for their hard work and capabilities to manage everything.
Teacher Appreciation Week is a week-long celebration of recognizing teacher’s efforts and hard-work for contributing knowledge, education, and skills. This week provides an opportunity for the students, parents, principals to appreciate their teachers. Teachers receive gifts, cards, and video messages from their students.
Teachers play a vital role in framing and shaping children’s minds. They’re kind, patient, understanding, and dedicated. This week is the time to say to them “Thank You” for their immense love, care, support, and believing in us.
In India, we celebrate teacher’s day September 5 every year marking the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvapalli Ramakrishnan who was a teacher himself. Teacher’s day is considered to be a nation-wide celebration in the whole of South Asia to celebrate, honor, and appreciate the teachers for their hard work and efforts.
Teachers appreciation day is celebrated nation-wide in all schools and colleges. Schools and colleges organize different events to honor and felicitate the teachers. They conduct competitions such as essay writing competition, post making competitions, they conduct seminars, skits, and dramatics to appreciate and entertain the teachers. Students prepare cultural and modern dances and songs, skits, dramas, comic skits, and presentations to make teachers happy.
Many college and school authorities treat their teachers in the form of conducting special lunches or evening snacks for them. And after that conducting night or evening parties for Teachers’ entertainment.
Teachers are felicitated by the authorities as they are honored with awards and recognition for their commendable work and efforts. They are awarded in their field of expertise. Different awards of expertise are distributed such as expertise in science, art, literature, craft, politics, life, counseling, mathematics, etc.
Students prepare cards and handmade gifts for their teachers. Teachers would always love their student’s efforts in these cards and gifts.
Teachers are considered equivalent to God therefore they should be honored, loved, and respected for whole year and life and not just for one day or one week. We celebrate Teachers’ appreciation week to shower them with love and make them feel extra special this week.


Media have a great role in development of the country to play. As a watchdog, media should not only focus on political and security issues but also social issues. Both print and electronic media shall not turn a blind eye to social issues such as violence against women, social injustice, street harassment, child labor, begging, robbery, kidnappings, illiteracy, road accidents, human trafficking, and drugs smuggling. In countries where democracy is newborn media outlets have to play greater role in strengthening the democracy while guiding the government in right direction through healthy criticism and balanced reporting. That’s why media is considered fourth pillar of the state in democratic countries.
As democracy in the country is immature such is media especially the electronic media which saw a boom after fall of the Taliban regime. Therefore, journalists in the country made many mistakes. It is also true that journalists in the country had paid heavy price to defend their rights and democratic values. But there is no denying that social issues have received little space and time than political news. Without challenging the obsolete social norms, we cannot dream of a developed and stable Afghanistan. Society is the foundation of any state. If the foundation is rusted, the country cannot accelerate the growth speed but would remain caught in different crisis.
Therefore, media has to fight the social evils as well. The deputy minister of information and culture, Sayeda Mojgan Mustafavi, also asked media to fulfill its legal and national obligations by paying due attention to public health and social safety. The deputy minister is right that media should abide by the law and fulfill its responsibilities. However, it is also true that the government is not serious about freedom of speech and protection of journalists’ rights. The high-ups criticize media on different pretexts when newspapers and news channels point out to gray areas and failures of the government.
As a matter of fact the relevant authorities know that many media organizations are facing financial and security challenges but yet they do not take interest in resolving these problems. Scores of journalists were killed, injured, tortured, harassed and threatened in the past few years. Spokesman at government institutions did not provide information to journalists. Sometimes they do not comment when approached by news reporters, and mostly they do not answer phone calls.
In such situation it becomes extremely difficult for media-persons to perform their duties and serve public. Creating challenges for media will harm the national interests and the government. For positive change in the society, the relevant authorities should support print and electronic media at every level.


Cape Howe in Western Australia was named by Captain George Vancouver on 28 September 1791, also in honour of Admiral Howe. Vancouver had previously been a midshipman on Cook's second and third Pacific voyages. This Cape Howe was renamed West Cape Howe by Matthew Flinders on 8 December 1801, to distinguish it from Cook's Cape Howe.
^Vancouver, George (1798). A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World1. London: G. G. & J. Robinson, and J. Edwards. p. 32.
^Hayes, Derek (1999). "George Vancouver - Midshipman". Historical atlas of the Pacific Northwest : maps of exploration and discovery : British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Yukon. Seattle: Sasquatch Books. p. 50. ISBN1-570-612-153.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There are many reasons to install a Comet Windmill. The most basic one being to access water that is otherwise hard to reach from bores or rivers. The other factor to be considered today is for the environment. Renewable energy is the future need of communities across the world. A product that has free energy from the wind and lasts longer than any machine, whitegoods or electrical appliances today is known as the Comet Windmill. Proven for over 130 years.
Are you Windmills pollution free?
Windmills convert wind into mechanical energy with zero net CO2 emissions therefore lowering your impact on the environment. Installing a Comet Windmill will help reduce your carbon footprint. Wind is a powerful energy resource that is freely available and will never run out. Australia is rated as one of the best wind resource sites in the world. The technology to harvest energy from wind has been used for hundreds of years and is being widely used around the world today. Windmills are a very effective method used as a non-polluting and efficient source of energy to pump and transfer water for many applications. In fact we can help meet Australia’s targets while minimising harmful greenhouse gas emissions by using a windmill for your water needs. The Comet Windmill also operates without emitting any noise or damage to the environment or wildlife. It is interesting to note that most PV solar panels are made from silicon and include potentially toxic metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium. Comet windmills are 100% recyclable after a known life span of over 50 years.
Are your windmills safe?
Contrary to what you might be told windmills are not unsafe, when you look at recorded accidents on farms there are more accidents on four wheel quad bikes and with stock such as horses then there are with windmills. In fact Workplace Health and Safety will tell you that windmills represent less than 1% of accidents on rural properties. The Australian Windmill Contractors Association has developed a Code of Practice for safe conduct when working on a windmill to protect workers and owners. All Comet towers are designed with a high safety factor. The modern 4-post design and heavy steel construction provides greater stability to stand firm in strong winds. Four posts will always be stronger and safer than three. Unlike other windmill designs Comet Windmills have a unique galvanised steel platform with anti-slip grate floor, perimeter toe plate and heavy duty support angles. The large platform area provides a safe environment to carry out maintenance. For further information please refer to the Windmill Hazard Checklist or check out the associations website: www.awca.asn.au
How long do they last?
The Comet Windmill has been proven in the harsh Australian desert for over 130 years backing up claims of long life and sustainability. A maintained windmill can last many years with a little oil and checking bolts every six months to keep the windmill performing at its’ best. From our experience the Comet Windmill outlasts many other water pumps time after time. Most solar panels only last up to 20 years. They also have some amount of power loss due to dirt, debris, bird droppings, or plant materials present on the panels. Not only does this represent a financial loss for the owner but shines a spotlight on the importance of maintaining clean solar panels. Even fleeting clouds can have an impact. The upfront cost of purchasing and installing solar panels may also be prohibitive for some people.
No other renewable energy product made today can back up over 130 years of proven performance and quality.
Are there any fuel or power costs?
Unlike fossil fuels, wind is a virtually untapped and abundant source of free, clean and perennial energy. It does not rise in price like oil and is not governed by market forces.This has to be the main draw card for the Comet Windmill. The initial outlay for the windmill is quickly offset by the reduction in your fuel or power bill. All you need is a breeze, and the windmill will start pumping. Many electric and diesel pumps are expensive and costly to run and require technical experts to fix any problems. If there is no power supply at the site this can be costly as well. Windmills can be placed anywhere to access water. There are no limitations on site conditions for a windmill to work efficiently. The many sizes we have to offer can be used to design a system to suit your specific needs.
What ongoing maintenance do they require?
As wind is an energy resource that is free and infinite, wind energy has no fuel cost, no fuel supply risk and low operation and maintenance costs. The Comet Windmill has been designed to be self sufficient requiring very little attention during the normal remote operation of a windmill. All steel work is hot dip galvanised, and the principal parts are cast from heavy duty materials giving longer life. In today’s throwaway society we feel it is important to provide a product that has long life and is low maintenance to cater for busy lifestyles.
How do they cope with remote locations and bad weather?
The Comet Windmill operates under all climatic extremes from snow fields and arid deserts, to tropical cyclones where they run without supervision for long periods of time. There is no need for skilled technicians or tradesmen to erect, maintain or troubleshoot. Our experienced staff are only too happy to help. The Comet Windmill is ideal for developing countries or remote areas as they eliminate the need for fuel or access to power lines. Because the Comet Windmill is powerful enough to push water for many miles it eliminates the need for women and children to cart water many miles to their villages. The simple design of our windmills also means that anyone who likes to tinker can erect and maintain the windmill. The long life is also desirable as this means less maintenance costs over its life then any other water pump available today and no worries with breakdown as they are easy to fix.
How far can the water be pumped?
The powerful action of the Comet Windmill can push the water (depending on the size of the windmill head, and the pump diameter) up to 1,000ft. Apart from this, distance is not much of an issue.
Do I have to use genuine Comet spare parts?
Comet does not endorse the use of non genuine parts as it causes more damage to your windmill over its life. Companies claiming to make parts suitable for Comet Windmills and stating that these parts are stronger or better, have no grounds or proven experience to guarantee or make these claims. Genuine Comet parts have been made for over 130 years of unfailing quality from certified engineer drawings and are guaranteed under the Company’s Terms and Conditions.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any question or concern. We are here to help and are glad to resolve any of your issue. Please feel free to reach us anytime. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.