by Erling Hoh and Victor H. Mair
From the publisher: World-renowned sinologist Victor H. Mair teams up with journalist Erling Hoh to tell the story of this remarkable beverage and its uses, from ancient times to the present, from East to West.
For the first time in a popular history of tea, the Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, and Mongolian annals have been thoroughly consulted and carefully sifted. The resulting narrative takes the reader from the jungles of Southeast Asia to the splendor of the Tang and Song Dynasties, from the tea ceremony politics of medieval Japan to the fabled tea and horse trade of Central Asia and the arrival of the first European vessels in Far Eastern waters.
Through the centuries, tea has inspired artists, enhanced religious experience, played a pivotal role in the emergence of world trade, and triggered cataclysmic events that altered the course of humankind. How did green tea become the national beverage of Morocco? And who was the beautiful Emma Hart, immortalized by George Romney in his painting The Tea-maker of Edgware Road? No other drink has touched the daily lives of so many people in so many different ways.
The True History of Tea brings these disparate aspects together in an entertaining tale that combines solid scholarship with an eye for the quirky, offbeat paths that tea has strayed upon during its long voyage. It celebrates the common heritage of a beverage we have all come to love, and plays a crucial part in the work of dismantling that obsolete dictum: East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.
Erling Hoh has been a correspondent for Archaeology and written on Chinese history and culture for Natural History and others.
Victor H. Mair
Victor H. Mair is Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of many books including The True History of Tea and The Tarim Mummies.
Thames & Hudson, 2009


Stem cells are the least mature cells in the body. Because these cells are so immature, they can be treated with a defined cocktail of factors and, depending on which factors are used and in what sequence, those factors can cause maturation of cells along discrete cell types. With a new tool called induced pluripotent stem cells, it now is possible to take skin cells from adults and return them to this immature state. By redirecting skin cells from Alzheimer’s patients and turning them into nerve cells, we are able to study adult Alzheimer’s neurons (nerve cells) in the lab. These Alzheimer’s neurons can be studied either in a dish or by transplanting them into the brains of host mice.
Together the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Stem Cell Consortium team—Drs. Scott Noggle, Kevin Eggan, Sam Gandy, Doo Kim, Rudy Tanzi, Tamir Ben-Hur and Marc Tessier-Lavigne—will develop, study and maintain Alzheimer’s neurons that will be used to screen for new drugs. This “Stem Cell Bank” can be used by these and other researchers around the world to advance drug screening much more rapidly. The first targets for such screening will be drugs that already have been proven safe in humans. Other targets will include compounds developed specifically for interruption of Alzheimer’s pathology. Most excitingly, new drugs will be based on new clues that will arise only from the study of these human Alzheimer’s neurons.
A. Specific Aims
Genetic approaches have provided major insights into the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, only about 3 percent of all AD is due to genetic mutations in either amyloid precursor protein (APP), or presenilin 1 or 2 (PSEN1, PSEN2). About 25 to 33 percent of all AD is associated with a polymorphism in the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene, yet there is little consensus surrounding the molecular pathway(s) leading from APOEε4 alleles to an enhanced risk for AD. A particular promise for the recent success in differentiating skin fibroblasts into phenotypes of brain neurons provides an unprecedented and unequaled cell system for exploring AD pathogenesis in both familial and sporadic AD. We propose to generate a human in vitro model using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, in which the genetic and developmental aspects of familial and sporadic AD can be studied more accurately and therapeutic targets can be identified for subsequent drug discovery. The cell-type-specificity of key AD risk molecules (e.g., APOE and astrocytes) dictates that the complete modeling of the AD brain in culture will require the generation of neurons and glia and the study of these cells in mixed cultures. Ultimately, we will transplant these neurons into mouse brain in order to study their molecular and physiological properties in vivo.
Specific Aim 1: Drs. Noggle and Eggan will generate iPS cells and neurons from skin fibroblasts from subjects with familial and sporadic AD. We already have succeeded in generating differentiated neurons from fibroblasts from subjects with PSEN1 mutations. We have demonstrated that differentiation of these neurons leads to their acquisition of an obvious standard molecular phenotype; i.e., a shift in the Aβ42/40 ratio). The initial essential standardization of these neurons will include, for each PSEN1 mutation, the exploration of intra-individual and inter-individual variability in the Aβ42/40 phenotype within patients, affected and unaffected family members, and across different families that carry either the identical mutation or across different PSEN1 mutations. Inasmuch as possible, priority will be given to the naturally occurring prevalence of PSEN1 mutations, although practical issues in acquiring skin fibroblasts also will be a factor. Once we have completed this survey of intra-individual vs. intra-mutation/inter-individual, and inter-mutation variability, we will expand our array of iPS cell lines to include patients with pathologically proven sporadic AD with segregation of analyses according to homozygosity or heterozygosity for APOEε3 or APOEε4 alleles. A longer-term goal will be the generation of glia and mixed cell cultures.
Specific Aim 2: Dr. Gandy will perform molecular, biochemical and functional characterization of AD iPS cell lines. We have defined a culture system for AD iPS cell-derived neurons that includes the essential Aβ42/40 phenotype. We now will proceed to establish the content of AD-related molecules in these iPS cells while seeking to establish the cell biological basis for the Aβ42/40 phenotype. This will include an assessment of the autophagic pathway. We will use this model system to define survival kinetics and molecular responses of AD iPS cells to apoptotic stresses, including neurotrophic factor withdrawal and addition of NGF or pro-NGF.
Specific Aim 3: Drs. Noggle, Eggan and Gandy will identify transcriptional and proteomic profiles of familial and sporadic AD iPS cells. Our primary goal in this aim is to establish a baseline molecular characterization of forebrain neural cells derived from the panel of iPS cell lines specified above. Informatic analysis of these profiles will be performed in order to identify possible AD-related networks, as recently defined by Geschwind and colleagues. We will examine how in vitro cellular and molecular phenotypes in telencephalic neural cells derived from patient iPS cells vary and are similar across individuals and mutations related to either familial or sporadic AD.
Specific Aim 4: Dr. Kim will generate human neural progenitor (NP) cells overexpressing AD genes with familial mutations. We will establish AD cell models based on human NP cell lines established from fetal brains, embryonic stem (ES) and iPS cells. These NP cells will be transfected with the constructs designed to overexpress human APP with KM670/671NL (Swedish) and V717I (London) mutations (APPSweLon) and/or presenilin 1 with Delta E9 (PS1dE9) familial AD mutation. To enhance the AD pathology, we also will co-express APP and PSEN1 constructs with multiple familial AD mutations. Plasmids and lentiviral expression vectors will be used for the transient and/or stable expression of the select AD genes. The NP cells will be differentiated into neurons in vitro and the expression of neuron/astrocyte/oligodendrocyte markers will be measured. AD pathological markers will be analyzed by ELISA, immunohistochemistry and Western blot as summarized in Diagram 1. In these cells, we will also test the effects of γ-secretase inhibitors/modulators on AD pathology, including Aβ accumulation.
Specific Aim 5: Drs. Tanzi and Kim will analyze pathological changes of AD NP cells in vivo. In this aim, we will establish a method to analyze AD pathology of AD NP cell models in adult mouse brains. Using AD NP cell models that are developed in Aims 1, 3 and 4, we will test whether these
cells can differentiate and develop AD pathology in vivo. AD NP and the control cells will be engrafted into hippocampal/cortical regions of mouse brains. In addition to young and aged wild-type mice, young Tg2576 mice that would show high concentration of soluble brain Aβ species will be used. These models would enhance AD pathology of the engrafted AD NP cells. We will analyze pathogenic AD markers, including Aβ42/40 levels, amyloid plaque load, synaptic dysfunction and neurodegenerative changes in one to six months after the NP cell injections (Diagram 1).
Specific Aim 6: Dr. Ben-Hur will identify pathologic functional properties of human AD cells that affect their bilateral interactions with brain environment. Neural precursors in the neurogenic niches of the adult brain have neurotrophic properties that are important for maintaining the physiologic homeostasis in the normal adult brain. We will test the hypothesis that AD pathogenesis is related in part to either abnormal trophic homeostatic support by neurogenic niches, and/or that AD neurons are deficient in their response to environmental support. To that end, we will use in vitro co-culture systems and transplantation experiments into adult mouse brains to examine how AD NP cells affect neurogenesis and neuronal fate in normal and pathological conditions. Reciprocally, we will compare how AD neurons (vs. normal neurons) survive and connect in the brain environment.
Specific Aim 7: Dr. Tessier-Lavigne will derive PSEN1-mutant neurons in two distinct ways, i.e., from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) or directly from fibroblasts by trans-differentiation. His lab then will characterize the epigenetic signatures of these neurons and determine whether the two reprogramming techniques yield phenotypically similar neurons or if one set more closely resembles adult, aged neurons from diseased patients.
Stem cell funding $600,000
Please note: The $600,000 'funding to date' includes $100,000 given independently to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute for this project plus $100,000 given in 2012 to the Rockefeller University for related research.


These days, flexible printed circuit boards are used in all areas of electronics. They are usually bent, twisted or folded to fit into the product housing. Flexible PCBs are primarily used in place of wiring and plug connections or to create connections and configurations that would not be feasible with a rigid PCB.
AT&S manufactures flexible printed circuit boards mainly for the medical technology sector, where they are used in devices such as hearing aids and implants. The flexible installation options and high level of miniaturisation allow new functions to be added to such devices without increasing the size. For example, a modern hearing aid can now be connected to a doorbell, the TV or the wearer’s smartphone, thanks to the technology embedded in the compact design of a flexible PCB.


THE FIRST DAY OF THE SACRED MONTH DURING THE GOSPEL AGE
There are many references to ancient Israel's observance of the first day of each sacred month; moreover, references in both the Old and New Testaments show that the New Moon is a day to worship God. However, the manner in which the elect of God during the Gospel age should observe this day is not totally clear because we have no record of how the early church observed this day. In order to determine how to observe the New Moon, it is necessary to answer a few questions about what God expects of his people today.
IS THE DAY OF THE NEW MOON HOLY TIME?
One of the first questions to answer concerning the day of the New Moon is whether or not it is permissible to work and carry on one's normal work or business during the first day of each sacred month.
Although the historical and scriptural evidence does not indicate that a person must abstain from their daily routine on this day as is commanded for the Sabbath and the annual festival days, there are two references that seem to say that the day is holy time. Therefore, these references should be reviewed and explained before reaching a conclusion about the sanctity of the first day of each sacred month.
Nehemiah 10:28-29; 31 KJV
During the days of Nehemiah, certain people made an oath to be loyal to their fellow tribesmen and to be faithful in keeping their agreement with God:
"And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims [temple Servants], and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands . . . They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;" (vs.28-29).
"And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt" (v31).
It is important to note that the observance of the first day of the month is not mentioned in their vow to honor the Sabbath and the annual festivals by obeying God's instructions concerning work or selling and buying during these observances. This omission seems to indicate that the first day of the month was not considered holy time.
Amos 8:4-5 KJV
In the Book of Amos, there is one scripture, which seems to indicate that, at one time in history, the first day of a sacred month might have been honored in the same way as the Sabbath:
"Hear this, O you that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?" (vs.4-5 KJV).
The intent of this scripture is clearly an admonition against an improper attitude and the violation of the law concerning the performance of work on the New Moon and the Sabbath. However, does this scripture constitute an instruction or command not to do work on the New Moon?
There are no clear instructions or commands in the Bible that prohibit work or business on the first day of the month. This is unlike the Sabbath and the annual festivals for which there are many clear biblical references to such a prohibition. Therefore, the new moon spoken of in Amos 8:4-5 must be the new moon that occurs on the Feast of Trumpets, which is a holy convocation and a day on which no normal work or business may be performed.
There is a clear distinction between the annual observances and the first day of the month. The Sabbath is a distinct and separate day that was created for humanity (Mk.2:27). It is holy time (Ex.16:23) that can be profaned (Ezk.22:26; 23:38; Matt.12:5-8). The Passover and annual festivals are holy convocations; therefore, they are holy time (Lev.23). The New Moons are neither holy time nor holy convocations; however, they are commanded to be observed with a worshipful attitude of respect and reverence toward God.
The New Moon and the Colossians
There is only one reference in the New Testament about the observance of the first day of the month. This reference puts the New Moon observance in the context of normal worship of God by his children:
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days; Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col.2:16-17 KJV).
Notice that the annual festivals, the New Moon, and the Sabbaths are all mentioned together as having the same importance. Therefore, if it is necessary to observe one of them, it is necessary to observe all of them.
Although it is not stated, it is implied that the Colossian church was treating the first day of a new month as a festive occasion and a worshipful observance before God in much the same manner as they were treating the annual festivals and the Sabbath.
Under the agreement with ancient Israel, there were clearly two distinct and separate ways in which the Israelite's observed the first day of the new month. Not only was there the temple offering and sacrificial observance but also the people's observance outside of the temple:
1. During the temple offering and sacrificial observance, the offerings and sacrifices were performed by the priesthood upon the altar of God.
2. During the individual and/or collective observance by the people, a commemorative meal and a meeting were observed. An example of the meal can be seen in the account of King Saul and David (1.Sam.20:1-27). An example of a meeting can be found in the account of Elisha and the Shunammite woman (2.Kgs.4:18-23).
The Teaching of Paul
Paul's letter to the Colossians is assumed to have been written about 10 years before the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Therefore, the Jews of that time would have been observing the first day of the month as taught by the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jerusalem.
Paul does not tell us how the Colossians were observing the first day of each sacred month. However, because Paul had been a Pharisee who was well versed in the law, he would have taught them the current custom concerning its observance as well as its meaning under the new agreement with the elect of God.
Written For Today
It is important to remember that the Bible was primarily written for those whom God has called to salvation. Through studying the Bible, we can learn from the experience and teaching of others and gain valuable knowledge, understanding, and inspiration to help us in our daily walk with God:
"Every scripture is from God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness; so that the man of God may be perfect, fully finished for every good work" (2.Tim.3:16-17 Para.). See also Eph.6:10-17; Heb.4:12.
"Now all these things happened to them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1.Cor.10:11 KJV). See also Psa.19:7; Pro.1:1-7; Dan.12:9-12.
Know The Will of God
"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be you not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is" (Eph.5:15-17 KJV). See Col.1:7-10.
From the facts listed below, it should be obvious that the observance of the first day of a sacred month (the New Moon) is clearly the will of God for those he has called to salvation during this age.
1. The scriptures show that it was the will of God that the Israelites observe the first day of the month with a formal worship service at the tabernacle, and later at the temple. See Num.10:10; 2.Chron.2:4.
2. The Prophecies show that formal worship services on the first day of each sacred month will again be required after the return of Christ (Isa.66:23; Ezk.46:3).
3. There is a record of commemorative meals being eaten on the New Moon during the time of King Saul and David. There is also a record of fellowship on the New Moon as shown by Elisha and the Shunammite woman meeting together on the New Moon.
4. It was the practice of the Colossian church to observe the New Moon along with the Sabbath and the annual festivals as a part of their normal worship of God (Col.2:16).
The Temple Service
For those under the first agreement with national Israel, there was a requirement to offer sacrifices and to participate in the temple service on the New Moon.
We know that Peace (Fellowship) Offerings could be offered on the first day of the sacred month by the general population of Israel to show gratitude to God for his bounteous blessings and mercies.
The Peace Offering was also symbolic of God, man, and the high priest eating and fellow-shipping together as a family and it pictured a family or communal feast in which friends and neighbors together with God to have fellowship (Lev.3:1-17).
However, this cannot be done today because the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.. Without the temple and the priesthood, neither converted Jew nor Gentile can legally observe any law that requires the temple and the priesthood for its practice. Even if there were a temple, only those who lived close to it could participate in its worship system, if the priesthood would even allow their participation.
The Commemorative Meal
There are several things that were done in ancient Israel on the first day of each sacred month that give us a clue as to its importance and how we should observe it.
God's agreement with ancient Israel required the Israelites to offer two bulls, seven lambs, one ram, and one goat on the first day of each new sacred month. Of these offerings, ten were fellowship offerings (See Num.28:11-15). Because these were Fellowship Offerings, the priesthood was to eat portions of these offerings; thereby, they would literally eat from the Lord's table.
From what is recorded, it seems that it was a custom for people to gather together and eat a communal meal on this day. God instructed the Israelites to rejoice on the first day of the month, the Sabbath, and the annual festivals (Num.10:10). Therefore, it seems appropriate to view the New Moon as a happy occasion and eat a fine meal and enjoy the company of other Christians on this day.
Although there is no mention of a commemorative meal being eaten on the New Moon in the New Testament, there is an allusion to this event in a statement Paul makes as he speaks of eating things sacrificed to idols:
1.Corinthians 10:18-21 KJV
"Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils" (vs.18-20).
Paul is speaking of the priesthood who ate of the sacrifices; however, he is also assigning this same eating of the sacrifices to the nation of Israel as an extension of the eating done by the priesthood. Although this is not absolute proof that he is speaking of the customary meal that was eaten by the Israelites on the first day of each sacred month, what he says next does seem to indicate that this is what he means:
"You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils" (v21).
Partaking of the Lord's table is associated with the commemorative meal eaten by God, the priesthood, and the people on the New Moon. In this case, Paul refers to a commemorative meal which the Corinthians were partaking of as spiritual Israel.
Worship on The New Moon
Because there are a number of ways that a person can fulfill one's responsibility to worship on the first day of a sacred month and enhance one's relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ, the benefit derived from worship is directly proportional to the amount of effort expended and the attitude with which one performs this observance.
Each of the observances that are to be practiced by the elect of God is an opportunity to fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ and enhance one's relationship with them. Therefore, the obvious question is how to perform this observance on the first day of each month?
Because of the circumstances of this age of the church and the worship relationship between God and those called to be his children, the first day of each sacred month can be observed individually or collectively.
One way to make this day special is to make one's meals more festive on this day than on other days of the month. This was done on a regular basis during the days of King Saul and David.
Another way is to set aside some extra time to commune with God through prayer, meditation, or Bible study. The first day of each sacred month would be an excellent time to reflect upon the greatness of God's creation, his love, his mercy, his compassion, and his plan of salvation for humanity.
A good way to observe the first day of each sacred month is to get together with other Christians for a meal, teaching service, Bible study, or fellowship.
Although a formal assembly for the purpose of observing the New Moon is highly desirable and can be very beneficial, it is obviously neither possible nor convenient for everyone to do in this age of the church. However, anything people can do in a large group can normally be done in a small group. And a small group has the advantage of being less stressful to organize and participate in.
When it comes to making decisions about the observance of the first day of each sacred month, there are four major facts to consider:
1. Under the agreement with ancient Israel, God required the first day of each sacred month to be observed with special sacrifices and rejoicing.
2. The day of the New Moon cannot be observed in this age exactly as it was in ancient Israel.
3. After the return of Christ, the first day of each sacred month will be observed with the worship of God and sacrifices under the new temple system.
4. The early New Testament Church did observe the first day of each sacred month as noted by the apostle Paul.
However one decides to observe the first day of each sacred month (e.g., alone or in a small or large group) one should keep in mind the reasons that this day is important to the Father, Jesus Christ, and humanity.
By B. L. Cocherell, file b5w15


Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado
The Pueblo Chieftain Online
FDR ordered Medal for MacArthur
The author is writing in reference to James Humes’ June 3 commentary
“Ike, unlike MacArthur, eschewed Medal of Honor.”
From its inception in 1862 the Medal of Honor was always intended as an award for the common soldier. The Navy/Marine Corps award was created for award only to enlisted sailors and Marines, and remained unavailable for award to officers until the revisions of 1917. The Army medal was established for award only to enlisted personnel, but was extended to officers within two years of its creation.
In the Medal’s 139-year history, it has been awarded to fewer than two dozen general officers and admirals, less than one-half of 1 percent of the total Medals of Honor awarded. Throughout the Medal’s distinguished history, it has remained the common soldier’s award.
No general officers received the award during the Vietnam War, and only Gen. William Dean received it during the Korean War. During World War II, Douglas MacArthur was one of seven general officers (it was also awarded to three Navy admirals) to receive the award. Numbered with MacArthur was Gen. Jonathan Wainwright, the “last of the fighting generals,” and Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who made the D-Day landing despite a fibrillating heart. Also numbered with these WWII generals who received Medals of Honor was the intrepid leader of Marines in the Pacific, Gen. Alexander Vandegrift. Each of these 10 World War II generals and admirals were cited for heroism in actions that involved direct conflict with the armed enemies of the United States. Six of the 10 received their awards posthumously.
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was, in fact, nominated for the Medal of Honor for his leadership of the Allied Forces during World War II. His nomination was rejected by the War Department Decorations Board in a memo to the ASF Military Personnel Division on July 23, 1945. Both Gens. Eisenhower and John J. Pershing had been nominated for their leadership in two consecutive world wars. The 1945 rejection of the award to the two general officers by the Office of Secretary of War included the first written representation to Congress that cases of outstanding leadership should be recognized by specially authorized gold medals authorized by Congress (similar to the award to Billy Mitchell), and that the award of the Medal of Honor should be reserved for awarding only for gallantry in action.
Douglas MacArthur certainly had a different perspective toward the Medal of Honor than did Ike. MacArthur’s father was himself a recipient of the award. And, while there is no disputing the fact that the junior MacArthur’s award was political in nature, the case can also quickly be made that the reason the younger MacArthur had not previously received the award was also political in nature.
A much younger Douglas MacArthur was nominated for the Medal of Honor for a daring and bloody action during the Vera Cruz campaign of 1914. MacArthur’s tendency to ignore rules and follow his own instincts had already angered some commanders, and the young Army captain had performed his daring but vital mission without the knowledge of Gen. Frederick Funston. MacArthur’s first nomination for the Medal of Honor was rejected because the Army Decorations Board believed such an award would encourage other officers to perform heroic actions without the knowledge or consent of their superior officers.
Douglas MacArthur led combat troops during World War I, becoming one of the most decorated heroes of that war after earning the Distinguished Service Medal and six Silver Stars.
The flamboyant MacArthur was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership during the opening months of the World War II invasion of the Philippine Islands. Two weeks after Pearl Harbor, during which time the Philippine Islands had also been subject of both aerial and land assault, MacArthur implemented War Plan Orange No. 3 (WPO-3), a plan that had been drafted in 1928 for the defense of the Philippine Islands in the event of attack. The plan called for allforces to pull back to the peninsula of Bataan to wage a delaying action for up to six months, while reinforcements from the United States were marshaled to repel any invading force.
On Feb. 22, 1942, Gen. MacArthur placed his family’s personal effects in the submarine Swordfish with instructions for them to be held until claimed by the MacArthurs’ legal heirs. As the American general who loved the Philippine Islands evacuated President Manuel Quezon to the safety of Australia, he had resigned himself to a fate of remaining with his troops which, by then, appeared doomed to defeat. As President Quezon boarded the Swordfish, he placed his signet ring on MacArthur’s finger with the statement, “When they find your body, I want them to know that you fought for my country.”
The day after the Swordfish left Manila, President Roosevelt ordered Gen. MacArthur to escape the Philippines to nearby Mindanao, then on to Australia. The U.S. president was cognizant of the devastating impact on American morale that the death or capture of the 62-year-old American hero would be. MacArthur seriously considered resigning his commission, then enlisting as a volunteer in the Philippine defensive force at Bataan. It was only with the insightful pleading of MacArthur’s chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Richard K. Sutherland, that MacArthur was eventually convinced to follow the president’s order and depart the Philippines. Sutherland’s effective argument was based upon his assumption that the reason Gen. MacArthur was being ordered to Australia was to build and train the invading force that would return to liberate the Philippine Islands. MacArthur came to believe this supposition true, and departed the Philippine Islands on March 15 in a PT boat under the command of Lt. John Duncan Bulkeley. Lt. Bulkeley was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for this and other actions during the period. So intense was the Japanese pressure on the islands during MacArthur’s escape, most junior officers back in the Malinta Tunnel on Corregidor believed the general’s chances of successful escape were less than one in five.
After arriving safely in Australia, MacArthur quickly became the subject of scorn in enemy propaganda. In Germany, Italy and Japan, newspapers and radio broadcasts portrayed the man who had so reluctantly left the island under the president’s insistence and repeated orders as the “fleeing general.” It was to counter this propaganda that Gen. George C. Marshall recommended the award of the Medal of Honor, and President Roosevelt concurred. It would certainly have been inappropriate, under these circumstances, for MacArthur to turn down the award.
While historians and veterans have long debated the role of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in World War II . . . “with the help of God and a few Marines, MacArthur took the Philippines” . . . his courage and valor throughout a lifetime of military service can not be negated by his flamboyant nature or disregard for authority or superior officers. The annals of Medal of Honor history were written by soldiers who performed heroic deeds voluntarily (without orders) - and even against orders.
Douglas MacArthur was one of these, a human being with his own weaknesses and imperfections in character that annoyed and often embittered others. But, repeatedly throughout his distinguished career, he rose above the limits of human ability to achieve and accomplish brave and noble deeds. His Medal of Honor was awarded for both leadership, and for incredible valor in the face of armed enemies of the United States. His Medal of Honor was, in this historian’s view, well deserved.
©1996-2000 The pueblo Chieftain Online
HomeOfHeroes.com now has more than 25,000 pages of US History for you to view.


The word cricket has multiple meanings such as:
Insect like a grasshopper with long antennae that is nocturnal and chirps.
A game played with wooden bat, ball and wickets that is popular in England.
A dart game.
A small low stool.
A structure used in roofing aka saddle.
A cell phone company Cricket Wireless.


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- 23 January 2015
See also Academic indexes searchable on mobile devices | iPad | IPhone5 for physicians | Information technology topics | mHealth | Web 2.0
Mobile computing refers to the use of mobile technologies including wearable computers, personal digital assistants, smartphones, "carputers" and recent additions such as the iPhone and iPad. The general consensus of mobile computing is that it involves portable technologies that enable use of computers on the move. Cuddy (2009) defines mobile computing as "using a computing device while mobile". PC Magazine states that "mobile computing implies wireless transmission, but wireless transmission does not necessarily imply mobile computing." In other words, devices can be used to browse websites through wireless Internet connections in the same way that mobile phones are used to make phonecalls if they can receive signals. The term mobile computing includes handheld devices such as mobiles, cellular phones, the iPad and smartphones. In summary, mobile computing refers to technologies that allow the transmission of data, voice and video via any wireless-enabled device and involves: mobile communication, mobile hardware, mobile software.
Mobile computers afford users the ability to:
- Access the Internet, communicate, develop research networks
- Have portability and real-time communication with members of their network
- Learn on-the-go, anytime, anywhere
- limitations of mobiles have a negative impact on services according to Siau and Shen’ statement (2006, p. 95-97)
- mobile networks suffer some limitations such as a lower bandwidth, longer delays, and poorer connection stability
- network incompatibility impedes the development of user-friendly interfaces and graphical applications for mobile devices
- mobile handsets are limited in power, memory and disk capacity, battery life, and surf-ability
- infrastructure constraints, security concerns, and user distrust
Examples of mobile computing in library and information studies
Academic libraries such as the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) post QR codes (a specialized bar code) at key areas of the library (e.g., next to various pieces of technology like self-serve checkout stations). Library users can take a photo of the QR code with their Web-enabled mobile device and use it to access information such as fact sheets, instructional videos to support their use of library services. Progress is being made in the health information sector as librarians and other information professionals strive to provide timely services to patients, physicians, insurers and suppliers at the point of need. For example, the National Library of Medicine is involved in numerous projects for mobile devices, including Mobile Medline Plus and Pub Med for Hand Held Devices. Other examples of mobile computing applications include:
- Citation software such as RefMobile from RefWorks
- Chat reference via Skype Mobile
- Library catalogue and library account information
This is a good opportunity for libraries to consider how to extend access to library resources and services to users of mobile devices. For example, reference services and information literacy instruction can be provided using mobiles instead of being tethered to information desks.
App evaluation & web pathfinders
- Not published yet Grabowsky A et al. Connecting with health science students and faculty to facilitate the design of a mobile library website. MRSQ. 2013;32(2).
- Ackerman MJ, Filart R, Burgess LP, Lee I. Developing next-generation telehealth tools and technologies: patients, systems, and data perspectives. Telemed J E Health. 2010;16(1):93–5.
- Aungst TD. Medical applications for pharmacists using mobile devices. Ann Pharmacother. 2013 Jul;47(7-8):1088-95.
- Bridges L. Rempel HG, Griggs K. Making the case for a fully mobile library web site: from floor maps to the catalog. Ref Serv Rev. 2010;38:309–20.
- Busis N. Mobile phones to improve the practice of neurology. Neurol Clin. 2010;28(2):395–410.
- Butcher R, Gadd K. Library services and internal medicine: Collaborative evaluation of evidence-based point-of-care medical applications for mobile devices. CHLA / ABSC, 2012.
- Cain J, Bird ER, Jones M. Mobile computing initiatives within pharmacy education. Am J Pharm Educ. 2008 Aug 15;72(4):76.
- Clauson KA, Elrod S, Fox BI, Hajar Z, Dzenowagis JH. Opportunities for pharmacists in mobile health. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2013;70(15):1348-1352.
- Cuddy C. The iPhone in medical libraries. J Electron Resour Med Libr. 2008;5/3:287.
- Cuddy C. Mobile computing. J Elec Res Med Libr. 2009;6(1):64–68.
- Glassman NR, Sorensen K. Citation management. J Elec Res Med Libr. 2012;9(3):223–231.
- Godlee F. The iPad cometh. BMJ. 2010;340:c2835.
- Lippi G, Plebani M. Laboratory applications for smartphones: risk or opportunity? Clin Biochem. 2011 Mar;44(4):273–4.
- Lombardo NT, Morrow A, Le Ber J. Rethinking mobile delivery: using Quick Response codes to access information at the point of need. Med Ref Serv Q. 2012;31(1):14–24.
- Price M. Searching PubMed on an iPhone or iPod Touch. J Electron Resour Med Libr. 2010;7/1:42.
- Siau K, Shen Z. Mobile healthcare informatics. Medical Informatics & the Internet in Medicine. 2006;31(2):89–99.


Phylogenetic Methods and the Prehistory of Languages
Evolutionary ('phylogenetic') trees were first used to infer lost histories nearly two centuries ago by manuscript scholars reconstructing original texts. Today, computer methods are enabling phylogenetic trees to transform genetics, historical linguistics and even the archaeological study of artefact shapes and styles. But which phylogenetic methods are best suited to retracing the evolution of languages? And which types of language data are most informative about deep prehistory? In this book, leading specialists engage with these key questions. Essential reading for linguists, geneticists and archaeologists, these studies demonstrate how phylogenetic tools are illuminating previously intractable questions about language prehistory. This innovative volume arose from a conference of linguists, geneticists and archaeologists held at Cambridge in 2004.
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Africa Albanian algorithm Anatolian archaeological assumptions Bantu languages Bantu trees Bastin Bayesian binary Biology borrowing branch lengths clade cladistics classification coded cognate cognate class cognate sets computational correspondences data set data-cognate dating dialects distribution divergence Dyen East Bantu edge English estimates evidence evolutionary example Figure genetic Germanic glottochronology Gray & Atkinson Greek guages Historical Linguistics Hittite Holden homoplasy Indo-European languages Indo-Iranian inference innovations islands language evolution language family lexical characters lexical evolution lexical replacement lexical type lexicostatistics likelihood Malagasy manuscripts maximum parsimony McDonald Institute McMahon MCMC meaning Molecular morphological Mycenaean nodes non-homoplastic Pagel parameters phonological phonological characters phylogenetic analysis phylogenetic methods phylogenetic trees phylogeny possible posterior probability probability problem rates of lexical reconstruction relationships Renfrew root sample similar split splits graph statistical subgroup Swadesh Swadesh list telic tion Tocharian vocabulary Warnow West Bantu languages word lists zone


In 2014 only 36% of the American public could name the three branches of government. In 2017, only 24% could. Surveys have found that fewer than half of 12th graders are able to describe the meaning of federalism and that only 35% of teenagers can correctly identify “We the People” as the first three words of the Constitution. In a survey by the Carnegie Foundation, just over a third of Americans thought that, while the Founding Fathers gave each branch of government significant power, they gave the president “the final say,” and just under half (47%) knew that a 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court carries the same legal weight as a 9-0 ruling. Almost a third mistakenly believed that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling could be appealed, and one in four believed that when the Supreme Court divides 5-4, the decision is referred to Congress for resolution. (Sixteen percent thought it needed to be sent back to the lower courts.) The Center for Civic Literacy at IUPUI has amassed an enormous amount of research confirming the nature and extent of Americans’ civic deficit.
We can attribute many contemporary problems of American governance to the fact that large numbers of citizens know little or nothing about the country’s legal and political structures or the values those structures were intended to advance. This is increasingly problematic.
- As a purely practical matter, individuals who don’t know what officeholders do, who don’t understand the division of responsibility between federal, state and local government units, who don’t know who has authority to solve their problems with zoning or trash removal or missing social security payments or the myriad other issues that arise at the intersection of public services and individual needs, lack personal efficacy.
- Voters who have only the haziest notion of the tasks for which their elected officials are responsible have no way of evaluating the performance of those officials for purposes of casting informed votes. People who have never encountered, and thus don’t understand, the basic philosophy of the U.S. Constitution can neither form an allegiance to its principles nor articulate reasons for rejecting such an allegiance. Civic ignorance has consequences. Rather than seeing themselves as part of the American mosaic, rather than seeing diversity through the lens of e pluribus unum, the loyalties of the uninformed tend to default to their tribal affiliations.
In Diversity and Distrust, Stephen Macedo addressed the importance of civic education and the civic mission of public schools. As he wrote, the project of creating citizens is one that every liberal democratic state must undertake. It’s a project requiring what he called “a degree of moral convergence” in order to sustain a constitutional order. The most pluralist, diverse and tolerant polities still require substantial agreement on basic political values. Such agreement (or disagreement, for that matter) requires knowing what those values are.
Various educational reforms being advocated—whether those require an increased emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, increased standardized testing, new instructional methodologies, or school “choice”—have thus far had one thing in common: they have ignored the civic mission of the schools. The resulting, widespread lack of basic civic literacy is a prominent reason for the alarming decline of America’s democratic norms and institutions.
The contrast between students in the majority of states that have largely abandoned the teaching of civics with students from those few that have continued to offer and fund effective civic education is striking. In the aftermath of the horrific shooting at Marjorie Stoneham Douglas school in Parkland, Florida, the activism and eloquence of the students who survived frequently raised the question “why are these kids so articulate and effective?”
As the Christian Science Monitor explained,
Thanks to state law, they have benefited from a civic education that many Americans have gone without – one that has taught them how to politically mobilize, articulate their opinions, and understand complex legislative processes. Now they are using their education to lead their peers across the country.
“Parkland really shows the potential of public civic education,” says Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University in Medford, Mass.
Any education reform that neglects the civic mission of the schools is inadequate by definition.


Leaf cutter ants inspire new anti-cancer drugs
Scientists at the Univ. of East Anglia (UEA) are developing a new class of anti-cancer drugs that are not only powerful but also circumvent a primary cause of resistance to chemotherapy. The work is inspired by nature’s fungus farmer, the leaf cutter ant.
Matt Hutchings, lead researcher, and his team have been studying a type of antibiotic that is produced by bacteria that live in symbiosis with leaf cutter ants. They have identified the genetic pathway involved in producing the antibiotic, opening the possibility to use this natural product as the basis for new drugs, including anti-cancer treatments.
The Streptomyces bacteria live on the outer surface of the ants, providing antibiotic protection against disease-causing infection. Among the antibiotics they produce are compounds called antimycins which have powerful activity against drug resistant cancer cells. Over 40 members of the antimycin family of antibiotics are known but the pathway was only recently identified by the UEA research team.
Hutchings, from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said: “We’re using genetics to understand how the drugs are made in the bacteria so we can tweak the characteristics in favor of anti-cancer action, whilst protecting healthy cells. We want to make Streptomyces into a factory to produce a new type of chemotherapy drug on a large scale.
“What’s particularly exciting is that the way the drugs work actually tackles one of the main causes of resistance to chemotherapy. In fact, the harder the cancer cell tries to overcome the chemotherapy, the more effective the drug is!”
Resistance to chemotherapy often arises because cancer cells produce proteins that prevent apoptosis, or ‘cell suicide’, that would otherwise be triggered by the treatment. But antimycins actually inhibit the action of these proteins, allowing apoptosis to continue unhindered.
Hutchings said: “Although scientists have known about these antibiotics for more than 60 years, we’ve only recently identified two genetic pathways that are involved in making these molecules and we’re looking for still more.”
Work by organic chemists has shown that antimycins can be altered to inhibit their harmful characteristics and promote the useful ones. Specifically, they can be very toxic to all cells because they interfere with fundamental metabolic processes, but it’s possible to dramatically reduce this effect by altering their chemistry.
Hutchings’ team aims to make these changes through genetics so that the drugs can be made cheaply and on a large scale using bacteria in fermentation tanks.
Source: Univ. of East Anglia


As previously discussed, the development of major depressive disorder will resemble that of an anxiety disorder, in that there will be self-talk that will reinforce negative core beliefs and assumptions, there will be a behavioral component that will also reinforce depression, and a biological component that also plays a significant role (Beck, 1976; Bourne, 2005; Burns, 1999; Leahy & Holland, 2000; Sadock & Sadock, 2007).
Core beliefs generate the typical patterns of self-talk (The victim) and underlying assumptions associated to depression (Bourne, 2005; Leahy & Holland, 2000). The victim: promotes depression by making you feel helpless or hopeless; tells you that you’re not progressing; believes there is something defective about you; perceives insurmountable obstacles to your success; believes nothing will ever change (Bourne, 2005). Behaviourally, depressed individuals may start victimizing through complaints which at first rewards them with reassurance from others, though eventually, others may begin to reject them due to continued complaints. This may result in the depressed individuals isolating themselves thus further reinforcing their negative core beliefs and ultimately their depression (Leahy & Holland, 2000).
Some cognitive symptoms associated to depression are: feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, guilt, anger and worthlessness, also common to PTSD (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Some affective symptoms associated to depression are: depressed mood, anhedonia, and low motivation (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Some vegetative symptoms which are characteristic of depression are: low energy, fatigue, and psychomotor agitation or retardation (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Diminished interest in usual activities, sleeping difficulty (vegetative symptoms), restricted affect, irritable mood (affective symptoms), memory impairment and Difficulty concentrating (cognitive symptoms), are depressive symptoms that are also common to PTSD (Hansen et al., 2010). Some of the key behavioral factors associated to depression are: social isolation, inactivity, and lack of self-reward (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Some key behavioral deficits typical of depression are: lack of social skills, lack of assertiveness, and lack of rewards form others (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Some key behavioral excesses of depression are: complaining, negative or punitive behavior towards others, and self-criticism (Leahy & Holland, 2000). Also, suicidal ideation or thoughts about death are key features of depression and must always be assessed for (Leahy & Holland, 2000).
Stay tuned for Part 5 !


We know that your manufacturing establishment has unique requirements and faces specific challenges. The lack of fundamental understanding of the latest industrial technologies can misguide you from opportunities of deploying appropriate technologies to overcome your unique organisational battles. Keep your understanding of newly fangled industrial technologies up-to-date with this article and explore which technologies can you use to stay ahead of the curve in the manufacturing world.
What are You Missing By Not Being Updated on Modern Manufacturing Technologies?
Forward-thinking Manufacturers are Ready to Face Disruption
Not Being Part of The Digital Revolution is A Risk You Cannot Afford to Take.
The digital revolution started with IoT (Internet of Things) systems where data threads are amalgamated from disparate data sources like sensors, machines, production lines, data warehouses, ERP, MES, EAM, databases, data lakes, applications and more. It offers unprecedented strengths and opportunities that boost the effectiveness and efficiency of manufacturing operations. Missing out on the fact-based, success-guaranteed insights derived by this new data puts the neo manufacturers at a great disadvantage. On the other hand, manufacturers that manoeuvre intelligent factories use technologies to overcome operational, managerial and administrative inefficiencies plus risks and threats.
New-age Technologies are Indispensable
Guide for Manufacturers in Understanding The Latest Industrial Technologies Comprehensively
Disruptions Prone by Additive Manufacturing
This technology is a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software linked to 3D Object scanners and hardware that deposits materials layer by layer to create objects. This technology overlooks all the challenging steps of manufacturing objects in the traditional way, including milling, carving, shaping or any other means of creating an object.
One of the most famous industrial examples that explain this technology’s benefits is the Metal AM Printer. Metal additive manufacturing allows quality control and integrated calibration to build a model via in-situ metrology sensors to offer image manufacturing capabilities. This technology offers precise and optimised throughput that leads to an unlimited number of innovative designs despite the intricate manufacturing demands of any industrial player.
This technology offers a cutting-edge trifecta of simplified fabrications, enhanced performance and the ability to craft complex geometries. The manufacturing industry is therefore at a great advantage if they use this technology to manufacture objects because it saves time, mitigates material wastage and labour costs and offers precise end-products that rapidly drops the damaged goods rates. The future shows a broad consensus for additive manufacturing trends because this technology brings the automation, collaboration and sustainability of manufacturing processes to a whole new level.
FUN FACT: The latest trend of Additive Manufacturing is ‘4D Printing’. This technology uses 3D printing to print an object that can change its properties when it is exposed to certain environments (like changing the light, water, temperature, or passing an electric current). It is the same as 3D printing, but it has an energy source and time dimension- which allows the object to be created using precise geometric codes.
Digital Twins for End-to-end Manufacturing Vicinity
Having constant access to a near-real-time virtual representation of a process or a physical component is a great advantage for manufacturing specialists to make success-guaranteed decisions, and that is exactly the advantage offered by a digital twin. The new-age manufacturer’s success in implementing smart manufacturing depends on how updated and predictive they are of the operations and other business processes of their manufacturing facilities. This is why the digital twin technology is used by many around the world- especially manufacturing conglomerates to monitor, predict and optimise fixed assets, products and systems to make smarter decisions.
There are many advantages of using this technology of the modern manufacturer, like:
- A gateway to understand and update necessary security and risk detection protocols
- Amazing training tools for better visibility of employees to understand their responsibilities with hands-on virtual inspection opportunities
- Minimised production time due to predictive advantages
- Predictive maintenance technologies that represent life cycle models of assets
- Remote monitoring tools via interactive digital models
- Superfast manufacturing process risk assessment
- Unlock the surest financial decision-making processes based on fact-based predictions and visibilities
When empowered by simulation, AI and advanced analytical technologies, digital twins soothsayer of the manufacturing team. Data collected from various data points can be fed to well-trained AI-driven predictive and prescriptive technologies to understand what is going to happen and what needs to be done to dodge negative futures. The insights extracted by these advanced analytical technologies can then be fed to simulated digital twins to showcase the future of manufacturing objects, processes and systems. Therefore, digital twins not only represent the real-time statuses, performance metrics and resources allocation and usage of your manufacturing centres, but it will also say how they will behave in future. Thus, digital twins are advanced in the digital era to be ‘even more cognitive’.
New-age digital twins are advanced with cognitive technologies that possess executable knowledge to guide manufacturers by guiding them with data-driven intelligence by correlating manufacturing events to the external environment for more realistic insights. This technology bridges the human intuition and machines and prescribes executable knowledge that would take days or months for analytical experts to suggest. Thus, the adoption of digital twins seems to be one of the most important monitoring and analytical windows for manufacturers to make data-guided decisions to meet their objectives faster than ever.
In a manufacturing context, VR, AR and MR can be majorly used in improving the visibility of manufacturing floors. When advanced with computer vision (CV) technologies, AI and data tools, data technologies can facilitate a range of manufacturing activities. Here are some of the manufacturing activities that can be enhanced with immersive technologies.
- 3D content authoring to automate UV unwrapping, unity shading and texturing, modelling, rendering, baking and lighting and more
- AI and CV technologies for conversational interaction and precise detection of objects, models edges and even faces
- Allowing manufacturing managers to have VR tours on the shop floor to get near-real-time updates of the shop floor
- AR-based user manuals
- AR technology for capturing and advanced processing of camera scenes of the shop floor to detect risks and augment maintenance protocols
- AR to track positions and orientation activities and display rendering effects
- For enabling Augmented marking advertisement using sharp AR-based selling tactics
- Simulated training environment powered by blended immersive technologies
- Using MR for tailoring hyper-personalised products demanded by unique customer requirements
Integrated Manufacturing Solutions that Maneuver Robot Fleets
The advanced technologies of industry 4.0-defined technologies -Predictive Analytics, Prescriptive Analytics, Robot Automation, AI, IIoT- led to the integration of all software suites, smart machines, stakeholders, cloud platforms and other elements of complex IT infrastructure of manufacturing organisations. These advances have led to the adoption of robot fleets easier and ameliorated the past few years.
The technological integrations offer universal viability for manufacturers to extract data at every data centre and take control of AGVs, IGVs, RGVs, AMRs, UAVs, NFCs and other robotic fleets. Such technological power can be adopted by any type of manufacturing practitioner to overcome limitations in manufacturing processes, warehouse, supply and logistics and other functions. Advanced software suites and precise robotic automation is mainly used by manufacturers who make textiles, food and beverages, metal, gadgets, computers, plastics, chemicals and more.
Cerexio Offers Advanced Manufacturing Technologies That Makes You Resilient to The Future of The Manufacturing Realm
Cerexio offers a range of technologies and services that optimises manufacturing efforts, decisions and business models with industry 4.0-defined tools and technologies. We are a team of manufacturing specialists, technology experts and innovation enthusiasts ready to help you create a road map and navigate through it to meet the next best level of your manufacturing centre. We were recognised as the best MES provider in Asia in 2020 by professional research associations for executing solutions that are empowered with technologies that meet industry 4.0 demands.
Cerexio offers end-to-end technologies that are defined by the latest technology world’s front-page news. Starting from digital twin, AR, VR, simulation tools, predictive and prescriptive analytics, self-reliant analytics, smart robotic employment, IIoT, AI and ML algorithms deployment and engineering tools and more. We also offer services like PLC and Instrumentation for Smart Factory and Smart Warehouse Installation and professional manufacturing training and consultancy services. Visit Cerexio to learn more about our exclusive manufacturing technology products and platforms that can boost your factory yield by 10% after initial deployment and how your asset reliability rates can skyrocket starting from the first day.
Are You Ready To Meet The Futurity of Modern Manufacturing
This is why your organisation must make future-oriented decisions in relaying the potential and performability rate that you can reach by adopting better, more innovative and smarter technologies. Smart technology deployment can help you focus on participating global value chains, improve all the departments of your manufacturing centres through seamless collaborators and make organisation-specific decisions to meet your goals in a timely and profitable manner.


Wollstonecraft argues the case for women’s rights entirely in libertarian terms of equal and natural rights.
Mary Wollstonecraft was an outspoken advocate for equal rights for men and women and individualism.
Smith interrupts his usual series with a 30-question trivia quiz.
Knight explores twin themes in libertarian history: Revolution and Romanticism.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an important organizer and writer in the American women’s rights movement.
Agitator and pamphleteer par excellence, Thomas Paine was involved in both the American and French Revolutions.
“Paine spoke for the governed against the government and for the living rather than the dead. At best he saw government as only a small part of society.”
Daniel O’Connell was a lawyer, a peerless orator, and Ireland’s prominent political leader in the first half of the 19th century.
One of the most highly-regarded historians of 19th-century America gives his contribution to the Literature of Liberty.
In this excerpt from Libertarianism: A Primer, Boaz tells the history of the movement for liberty, from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu through the 20th century.
“Joseph Priestley here, too, speaks for his age, for his religious brethren, and for his class.”
Tom G. Palmer provides a comprehensive overview of the vast literature on libertarianism, free market economics, and the philosophy of liberty.


Dr. Sansar Chandra, was born on 28th August, 1917 in Mirpur, a prosperous town in Jammu and Kashmir. His father was a Conservator of Forest during the Pre-independence era and as such Dr. Sansar chandra lacked no material comfort during his childhood.
A tutor was employed to teach him at home and on the day of his initiation into education his father Shri Karam Chand Mohotra presented him with a silver plate to write on with a nib made of gold. Till the age of 10 he studied at home and during this period he acquired proficiency in Sanskrit and Hindi.
Later, he received his post-graduation degree with distinction in Sanskrit from S.D. College, Lahore in the year 1945 and thereafter was appointed as lecturer in sanskrit at the same college.
In 1947 during partition, the mass migration of Hindus from Pakistan caused havoc in the lives of people and left an indelible mark on their psyches.
On 25th November, 1947, Dr. Sansar Chandra was in his hometown Mirpur, when it was besieged and Hindus were ruthlessly butchered. He like other residents of the town had to flee leaving their homes and belongings behind. He together with his wife and two years old son walked for four days covering a distance of 32 miles through jungles and over hillocks without food and water. He was one of the few lucky people who survived the onslaught and torture of ruthless raiders from Pakistan and finally managed to reach Jammu. At the end of this ordeal when he happened to look at a mirror and he was shocked to see that his face had withered and his hair had grown white at the age of 30. This moment was so shocking for him that the words of famous poet Lord Byron flashed into his memory:
“My Hair are gray
Not with Years,
It grew white
In a single night”
The most tragic and shocking news was loss of his parents in Alibeg prison (POK) due to atrocities they suffered at the hands of Pak rangers. Despite this tragedy Dr. Sansar Chandra remain composed & made vigorous efforts in saving & liberating 1600 Hindus &Sikhs prisoners from Mirpur (POK) with the help of Red Cross. A book entitled “Forgotten Atrocities: Memoirs of a Survivor of the 1947 Partition of India” by Bal k. Gupta narrates these events in detail.
Then began the arduous task of beginning life a fresh. However, he was fortunate that the same institution where he had been teaching in Lahore before partition had shifted to Ambala and he was immediately appointed Head of Sanskrit Deptt. The college had to be re-established after putting in great efforts and was renamed S.D. College (Lahore). While teaching in college side by side he continued his studies as well and completed his Masters in Hindi Literature from Panjab University in year 1952. He has the rared distinction of introducing Post Graduate Hindi teaching in S.D. College in Ambala Cant Even before Panjab University start it. Undoubtedly, this is an excellent achievement in the field of education. Now he was made to shoulder the responsibility of managing two departments i.e. Hindi & Sanskrit. He pursued his research and was conferred Ph.D. degree in 1958 by Panjab University on his unique work entitled “Hindi Kavya Mein Anyokti”. In his research study he explored the psychological use of ornamentation of the literary works and mental aptitude of the writers to use a particular metaphor or similie. After serving in S.D college Ambala for 15 years he joined Deptt. of Hindi as Professor at Panjab University where he also became a Senator and a member of the Syndicate. He was also Dean of Arts Faculty.
Later he became Professor and Head of Hindi department at University of Jammu where he also served as a member of Syndicate and Dean of Oriental learning. He became a member of Executive Council at Kurukshetra University and has the distinction of serving on the academic bodies of various Universities.
All his lifetime he was continuously writing and contributing articles on cultural, social, educational and literary aspects in English, Urdu, Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Dogri languages in leading dailies, weeklies, monthlies like: The Tribune, Daiinik Tribune, Hindustan, Navbharat Times, Kadambri, Saptahik Hindustan Shiraza, Jansahitya, Jagriti and so on. Thus he became a regular columnist for The Tribune and his writings were well read with great interest, enthusiasm and appreciation.
All throughout his career he was actively associated with various academic, educational and literary bodies. He was also a member of various State and Central Govt. committees engaged in the promotion of Literature and Education.
His passion for research continued and later he was awarded a D.litt. degree for his research work. “ ALANKARON KA MANOVAIGYANIK ADDHYAN ”
In recognition to the meritorious services rendered by him as a laureate in the field of education, the UGC raised the tenure of his services as University Professor upto his attaining the age of of 65 years. Even after his retirement from the University in the year 1982, he did not stop and continued his literary pursuits. His writings are known for their wit, satire and humor while at the same time they bring out his imaginative and reflective qualities.
As an author of distinction he has written and published about 45 books in Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, English and Dogri on different aspects of literature such as : Grammar, Poetic, Prosody, Biography, Humor and Critical Analysis. He also had a deep knowledge of Astrology due to his study of Sanskrit classics and was a columnist of the weekly forecast in The Sunday Tribune newspaper by the name of his grandson, ABHIJAT. His predictions would reveal the futuristic movements of planets and their effectual consequent happenings on humanity as a whole with stress on an individual’s fate. He used to make an annual predictions on the onset of Vikram Samvat Sara the hindu calendar predicting the general happenings and events likely to effect the country and its people which were published in The Tribune annually. This became a popular feature and people look forward to reading it enthusiastically as most of his predictions were close to reality.
Important books with titles in different languages:-
Meghduta of Kalidas, Nagannandam of Shri Harsha, Swapnavasavadatta of Bhasa, Malvikagnimitram of Kalidas, Pratigya Yougandharayan of Bhasa, Madhyam Vyayog of Bhasa, Sanskrit Kavya Lahiri (a text book), Sanskrit Hitopadesh (a text book) Sanskrit Sahitya Prabha (a text book), Sankrit Path Pravash, Sanskrit Vyakaran Praboth, Manohar Sanskrit Vyakaran etc.
Bhratiya Sameeksha:Parampara aur Pravritti, Aakalan our Sameeksha, Sahitya: Anubhuti Aur Vivechan, Sahitya Paricharcha Aur Samadhan.
Prosody & Poetics:-
Grammar (Hindi) :-
Manohar Hindi Vyakaran Thatha Rachna
Essays (Hindi) :-
Humorous Writings (Hindi)
Satak Sitaram, Sone Ke Daant, Apni Dalli Ke Kante, Baaten Ye Jhoothi Hain, Ganga Jab Ulti Bahe, Vidushak Ki Yad Mein, Dr. Sansar Chandra Ke Hasya Vyangatamak Nibandh, Dr. Sansar Chandra Ke Shresth Hasya Vyang, Hindi Hasya Vyang Nibandh: Roop Yatra
Bharat Ke Anukaraniya Mahapurush, Bahadur Shah Zafar, Sankshipt Bihari, Ram Chandrika Saar Sangrah.
Boore De Laddoo, Teellen De Ghat
Tillian De Ghaat, Chakkar Lakeeran Daa, Booran De Laddo
Some Prominent Muslim Hindi Poets, Unforgettable Faces.
Some prominent research papers :-
- The Chinese Aggression and its influence on Indian Literature
- Hasya Vyanga: Vikas Evam Uplabdhi- Moolyankan
- Alankar Aur Samaj Manovigyan
- Bhartiya Sanskriti Aur Ram
- Punjab Ka Reeti Sahitya Parampara- Parivesh Tatha Parichay.
- On 400th centenary of Poet Tusli Das writer of “Ram Charit Manas” his research article was published in the journal of Central Govt
Writing in such a large volume and that too with rare excellence and command in different languages is a matter of great knowledge which deserves appreciation in writing world. Dr. Sansar Chandra, with his zeal and sincerity also guided research scholars for the degrees of Ph.D and D.Litt. consistently. It is worth noting that research Scholars under his able and active supervision had qualified for D.Litt. (13 Nos.), Ph.D (86 Nos), M.Phil. (32 .Nos).
Some of the books written by him can be relied upon as sociological documents of the era. Recognizing the significant contribution made by him in the field of creative writing, particularly satirical – humorous essays / stories as well as analytical literature including innumerable insightful and thought provoking writings, he stands decorated with the following awards:-
- “Chakallas” award from “Rangayana” a Maharashtra Academy to promote satirical writings in India.
- “Sourabh Samman” of Uttar Pradesh Government for his book on National Integration entitled ” Some Prominent Muslim Hindi Poests”.
- Punjab Government’s “Shiromani Sahityakar” award twice, first in Hindi and a few years later in Sanskrit.
- Vidyavachaspati Upadhi from Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Allahbad.
- Maharishi Valmiki Award from Haryana Sanskrit Academy.
- Maharishi Ved Vyas Award by Haryana Sahitya Academy.
- The-Akhil Bhartiya Sanskrit Pracharak Mandal Delhi- conferred the title of Vidya-Vachaspati for the year 2011 Bikrami.
- Haryana Govt. decorated him for his lifetime literary achievements, deep thinking, excellent writing and service to education by instituting a special award to honor him with the title “Haryana Sahitya Ratan Samman” for the year 2007-08.
As a token of recognition of his works, he has received eight distinctive awards, seven of them bestowed by State Governments and one by the Union Ministry of Education on the following books :-
- Hindi Kavya Mein Anyokti (Punjab Govt)
- Aakalan aur Sameeksha (Central Govt.)
- Hindi Kavya Mein Anyokti (U.P. Govt.)
- Sankshipt Bihari (U.T. Chandigarh)
- Apni Dalli Ke Kante (Haryana Govt.)
- Batein Ye Jhoothi Hain (J & K Govt.)
- Aakalan aur Sameeksha (U.P. Govt.)
- Maha Murkh Mandal (Haryana Govt.)
One Wish that Dr. Sansar Chandra always expressed was that he wanted to die with a pen in hand. Well, he was the lucky one who had this desire fulfilled. Except for a few days spent in Hospital at Chandigarh before he breathed his last on 5th February he was always active virtually.
The words of the great legend of ‘Hasya Vyang’ were that……
“I Can laugh on Myself”
For him this art was best to remain happy and make others happy. His mammoth contribution towards skillful writing will always inspire one and all.
His Writings, Teachings and astrological predictions made him most loved and respected amongst his students, followers and admirers.
The outpouring of grief on his death was tremendous and this couplet conveys the same:-
“Bichhra Kuchh is tarah se
ke rutt hi badal gaye….
Ikk shaks saare shahar ko,
veeran kar gaya”
The essence of this couplet befittingly expressed the agony, grief and pain of those who bid their last adieu to the most acclaimed litterateur.
FAMILY TREE OF DR. SANSAR CHANDRA


1 Looking up at the Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge - This bridge will take you from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island. You can also get there from Manhattan using the Roosevelt Island Tramway.
2 Officially titled the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, it is a double-decked cantilever bridge over the East River that was completed in 1909.
3 After years of decay and corrosion, an extensive renovation of the bridge was begun in 1987 and is still in progress.
4 There is talk about turning the Roosevelt Island power plant into a museum.
5 This is the roadway around Roosevelt Island looking across the East River towards Queens.
6 The Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park is an enduring tribute to the life and work of President Roosevelt.
7 This island had been called Welfare Island until the 1960s, when the New York Times championed renaming it for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and constructing a memorial to him.
8 In 1973, Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Mayor Lindsay announced the project and appointed Louis Kahn as its architect.
9 Louis Kahn finished his plans and died unexpectedly. Other major obstacles blocked construction until March of 2010 when, after 38 years after its announcement, work on the park finally began.
10 The park, located at the southernmost point of Roosevelt Island, is flanked by two beautiful small-leafed linden allees, leading to Roosevelt's monument at the very tip.
11 Looking down river towards the other major East River crossings - Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge
12 This boat was anchored and its occupants were enjoying an early evening of fishing.
13 Across the river is Gantry Plaza State Park, whose northern portion was the location of the former Pepsi-Cola bottling plant. This famous neon sign that was perched on the rooftop of the plant was preserved and moved into a permanent location within the park.
14 It was a great evening for a gala.
15 The focal point of Louis Kahn's design for Four Freedoms Park is a bronze head of President Franklin D. Roosevelt made by the great American portrait sculptor, Jo Davidson.
16 Posing with my friend, Kathy Sloane, who was very involved in raising money for this park. Davidson Modeled this bronze in 1933 during Roosevelt's first term in office.
17 Two guests enjoying the bronze - This monument reflects the vitality, intelligence, and determination of the man who over twelve years would devise the country's path out of the Great Depression and through the worst of World War II toward peace and prosperity.
18 This is a view from the park looking across the East River towards Manhattan.
19 On January 6, 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a speech that shaped this nation, now known as the Four Freedoms speech. He looked forward to a world founded on four human freedoms: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.
20 This is my driver, Rock, who is also a US Marine.
21 Another view of Manhattan
22 The walkways are granite paving stones.
23 This is John Danzer - Exterior Decorator and Garden Furniture Designer and a friend.
24 The granite for the park was obtained from the great Mount Airy quarry in North Carolina, which has been designated as the world's largest open faced quarry.
25 Posing with Kathy - Behind my head is the famous United Nations building.
26 Larry Rockefeller and his wife, Wendy - They are major benefactors for the parks of New York State.
27 This staircase is in honor of Ambassador William J. Vanden Heuvel who, determined to assure Franklin D. Roosevelt’s legacy for future generation, led the extraordinary effort to build this memorial.
28 Entertainment was provided by Peter Duchin, the pianist and bandleader, who played a lively rendition of "Happy Days Are Here Again." Interestingly, Duchin's father played at Roosevelt's first inaugural ball.
29 Ambassador William vanden Heuvel, Chairman of Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park, gave a poignant speech.
30 A photo with an old friend, Judith Scheide - Co-President of The Scheide Fund – Judith attended one of my cooking seminars many years ago.
31 Ambassador William vanden Heuvel and Judith Scheide
32 Jim Hamilton and Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky - Chair of the New York State Council of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
33 Head of Human Resources at MSLO - Rochelle DiRe, husband John, and sons Atticus, and Hudson
34 This gothic structure is the Smallpox Hospital. It was designed by James Renwick, Jr. (and is commonly known today as the Renwick Ruin). The Smallpox Hospital opened in 1856 and was abandoned in the 1950s. Architect James Renwick, Jr. also designed Grace Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
35 Roosevelt Island is home to many Canada geese and this proud mama was walking with her young hatchlings.
36 And off they went!


BER Analysis Using Matlab®/OptiSystem Automation
This example demonstrates the use of Matlab® software to call OptiSystem and calculate the bit error rate after the OptiSystem simulation.
The Matlab file “MatlabOptiSysBER.m” executes the following functions:
- Generates the data (sequences of bits) that are transmitted through OptiSystem;
- Opens OptiSystem;
- Load file OpticalLinkProject.osd that has the optical link designed;
- Setup the global parameters and transfer the binary data to OptiSystem;
- Run the simulation;
- Transfer the received data from OptiSystem to Matlab;
- Calculates the bit error rate (BER).
Figure 1: System layout
To run this example, the user has to check if the path provided for the OpticalLinkProject.osd file is correct.


Physical Therapy Methods
Skill Acquisiton And Back To Life Therapy Service
• Atiye AYRAL, MD
• Atilla AYRAL, MD
While ergonomics was the arrangement for the adaptation of the person to the job in the past, now it is defined as the adaptation of the person to the job and adaptation of the job to the person. Therefore, following ergonomics rules is more significant than ever. As the work done can’t be reduced mostly, we need to adapt our body to the job as it will be damaged least and follow the ergonomics rule to prevent soft tissue damage.
How should an ergonomic working environment be?
Seat, monitor, location of place, looking position in the working place, location of foot and arm is very significant for an ergonomic work environment. While working, we spend the longest time by sitting. Sitting is one of the positions that inter-waist pressure is the highest. While sitting, neutral form of the waist should be maintained and seat to support the waist should be used. A proper seat should support waist, back, legs and arms. Back support should permit 100-110° angling and height of seating part should be adjusted and it should be of concave surface for less contact in legs. Seat and table should be in adequate height for the body structure and height of the person and fit for the job. The table should be in the level of elbow height.
Sitting position should be frequently changed. Sitting at the same position for a long time may lead to anatomic problems, deformity and orthopedic disorders. You shouldn’t sit in the same position more than 40 minutes.
Wrong point of view to the computer, distance, sitting disorder and standing in the same position for a long time will result in head, back, neck, lumbar and shoulder pain, inhibition of movement and early fatigue and cramp.
There should be right angle among back, legs and knees. In this way, musculoskeletal system disorders can be prevented.
Head should be in backward. Otherwise, fatigue and arthritis of neck muscles can occur.
You should tilt your back straightly and look towards the monitor. If you look downward or upward, seat should be in the same plane as the screen. In this way, posture will get better.
Wrists should be lower than elbows. Carpal tunnel syndrome may be prevented in this way.
Keyboard use or working at wrong position at the desk may lead to kyphosis. You need to be careful about standing upright while sitting down.


The United States government has published drawings and schematics of a flying saucer it attempted to build in the 1950s.
The documents show that the US Air Force worked with a Candaian company, Avro Aircraft Limited, to build a craft which resembles the 'alien spacecraft' popular in movies and science fiction for more than a century.
Known as Project 1794, the aim was to create a supersonic craft shaped like a disc.
Declassified documents show that the prototype entered development in the mid-1950s, and was intended to have a top speed "between Mach 3 and Mach 4".
The craft would have flown at 100,000 feet, and had a range of about 1,000 miles.
The saucer would have also been able to take off and land vertically, use propulsion jets to stabilise itself and revolutionised air travel.
One document - a memo from 1956 - concludes "that the stablisation and control of the aircraft in the manner proposed... is feasible".
"Supersonic tests show that the calculated thrust potential with the present design will provide a much superior performance to that estimated," it adds.
The document concludes that additional tests would be needed - and that the total estimate of continuing the research would be $3,168,000 (or about $25 million accounting for inflation).
Unfortunately the project was eventually dropped. The saucers which were built under the program proved hard to fly at high altitudes and work eventually stopped in 1960.
As far as we know...
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With the increase of CCS awareness as a potential solution for mitigating carbon emissions, we can review a few new technologies helping the economics. Here are three examples.
Modularization and scalability
Modular, containerized, and standardized components will help to reduce the costs for CCS. It will allow smaller emitters to decarbonise cheaper and easily than now. Modular solution is fast and scalable, and could be pre-fabricated off-site, and then deliver for installation on-site. The effect of scale on capture cost can see significant capture plant cost savings (per tonne of CO2 captured) when moving from small scale to full scale installations capturing millions of tonnes of CO2 per year.
New solvents for absorption
Traditional amine-based solvents have two main disadvantages, namely solvent degradation with time and high energy consumption for CO2 release. Solvents with better characteristics have been developed to address those issues. As a traditional amine-based solvents could be corrosive for industrial plants, another way for improving technology is to create a water-free solvent.
The polymeric materials encompass ether oxygen-rich polymers, polynorbornenes, ionic liquid membranes, and facilitated transport membranes. Membrane separation is low-energy consumption process. Multi-stage processes are needed, because a single-stage process can’t achieve a high degree of purity.
Thanks to Kristina Sevastianova of our Stellae Energy Ltd. team for another informative post.


Et in Arcadia ego or is it Et in Acadia ego?
by Carolyn Shield
Many researchers have placed different interpretations of the mysterious Poussin so let me add some thoughts. Nicolas Poussin is said to have placed a mystery in his artwork.
The Shugborough relief, adapted from an engraving of Poussin's second version resides in Shugborough Estate in England home to the Anson family. The park was constructed by James Stuart. He was a very talented and was elected in theFellow of the Royal Society. He was from a poor Scottish family. He traveled all through Europe and Greece. James became a talented painter.
The Stuart/Stewart family play an interesting part in the mystery. Mary Stuart Queen of Scots whose son James I became King of England and Scotland after Queen Elizabeth's death. Queen Mary of Scots use to sign her letters with Marie R. She had learnt to spell her name with French as a little girl in France and continued with it all her life. The R may have a interesting importance concerning Nova Scotia history. He took an interest in the colonization of Acadia which is known today as Nova Scotia.
The name "Arcadia " was used in 1524 by the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano. He had landed in what is known today as Washington DC, Maryland, and Delaware. The land was green,fertile, and filled with wildlife. He named the area "Arcadia" after the Ancient Greek paradise filled with shepherds and shepherdess tending their flocks in peace.
The "r" was later dropped in the later century and that is how Acadia became the name. The Acadians were the people who settled the lands of what is known as Nova Scotia. The original residents were the MicMac Indians who lived peacefully with the settlers. In 1621 King James I changed the name from Acadia to Nova Scotia ( New Scotland). He granted the territory to William Alexander. The French still called the land Acadia but the Scots called it Nova Scotia.
Under Scots Law, baronets had to "take sasine" by symbolically receiving the earth and stone of the land of which they were baronet. To make this possible, since Nova Scotia was far distant, the King declared that sasine could be taken either in Nova Scotia or, alternatively, "at the castle of Edinburgh as the most eminent and principal place of Scotland."(1)
The Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, in Scotland, legally is part of Nova Scotia in Canada. Charles I declared it to be Nova Scotia territory so that Nova Scotian baronets might receive their lands there. The decree has never been revoked. (2)
The Acadians are the people who refused to swear allegiance to the King of England and were expelled from their land. Many escaped to Quebec, Maine, France, Magdalena Islands, Maryland, and New Orleans.
What is interesting about Poussin's painting is that the one shepherd on his knees is pointing to the "R" in the word Arcadia. A shadow is cast over it so the viewer far away can not see the letter. It is as if Poussin is trying to cover it up in shadow. If the R disappears then the saying on the tomb would be Et in Acadia Ego. He painted it in the 1630's. French colonists had settled in the land of Arcadia (Acadia) in 1604.
Cardinal Richelieu was a patron of Poussin and promoted the French colonization of the New France.
The Poussin painting and Shurborough Monument share the pointing out of the "R" in Arcadia. On the tomb is carved the Latin text Et in arcadia ego ("I am also in Arcadia" or "I am, even in Arcadia") I believe the possible message maybe that I am also in "Acadia" or I am ,even in Acadia" Nova Scotia was a fertile land where the Acadians tended their flocks of sheep and cattle. The Acadian ancestors traveled throughout the New World some became Canadians and others became the Cajuns les Acadiens.
The Stuart family lost the title of King of England and for many years the Jacobites tried to reclaim the title they lost. The Scottish Stone which is the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle is legally part of Nova Scotia. What a coincidence? Poussin's message "I am also in Acadia/Arcadia or I'm even in Arcadia/Acadia is true when looking at the "Esplanade of Scotland at Edinburgh Castle" a stone of Nova Scotia resides there. The stone that the shepherd points may symbolize the "sasine" of the Scots. It emphasizes the Scots love for the earth and why the Stone of Scone is so important to them. Jacob Stone and the Lia Fail are the coronation stones of the Kings of Tara.
Princess Diana of Wales was a Stewart and who knows her son Prince William may be the Stuarts return to the lost title of King of England.
What do you think?


Africa is commonly known as the ‘black continent’. With 54 independent States and a population of over 900 million inhabitants, Africa is a paradox. From the desert in the North passing through the rich mineral belts of the coastal lines to the dense equatorial forests, Africa’s old song is the same: a continent plagued by hunger, diseases, wars, human suffering, and a general degree of underdevelopment. But is Africa really that poor? How can a continent which is gifted, blessed, and endowed with the world’s most treasured, needed, and envied natural resources be said to be the poorest on earth?
Africa has been a hotbed of imperialist manoeuvres from time immemorial. In search of natural resources and raw materials for their industrial exploits, and a market for finished goods, the Western world split Africa into bits and pieces called ‘colonies’. These were vertical relationships of the master-servant format. The most annoying was the 1884 Berlin Conference wherein the French, Spanish, German, British, and Portuguese put the final nail, partitioned Africa, and imposed their various imperialist models of governance in their respective colonies. Since then, no African State has emerged as a force to reckon with in the international arena.
Wars and other conflicts
At the moment, Africa counts over 20 internal, intra, and inter-country conflicts and full scale wars. There are over five million refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons on the continent. These wars are supported by super powers who are in search of raw material – especially oil – to fuel their industries. For instance, in the Sudan, unchallenged reports by the international human rights group, Amnesty International, states that Canadian, Chinese, Russian and American companies are supporting various factions because of oil. They wish to have easy and unfettered access to huge oil reserves at no cost. They supply arms to various factions to fight and cause chaos. All this does not help the average African. And it is well known in life that where there is no peace, development is a total stranger. Other hot conflict areas include DR Congo, Mali, Angola, the Central African Republic, and the list goes on. The basic reason for these ‘useless wars’ is oil, oil, oil.
Corruption and Bad Governance
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), corruption is the main factor that impedes development in the world particularly in third world countries, including Africa. Most African countries are governed by heartless dictators who consider their countries ‘private estates’. Most African countries do not have any development plans or working manuals of operations, let alone periodic road maps. Power does not alternate as the army is at the mercy of the ruling class. Parliament is a rubber stamp institution and the judiciary is hardly independent. Under these circumstances, the voices of the citizens, the marginalized and down trodden are never taken into consideration in the formulation of development programmes. Most leaders have huge fortunes in foreign bank accounts. Lack of infrastructure, empty hospitals, and schools created on paper, uncompleted projects, high death rates, and a total lack of a common development paradigm are the hallmark of such countries.
End of the Tunnel?
World Bank statistics indicate that in Africa oil revenue alone fetches above $20 billion a year. Will African leaders use these resources to generate a prosperous and self-sustaining future for her citizens? Will African leaders use the collective revenue from timber, gas, oil, and other minerals to create industries that add value to their economic and industrial development? And what amount of refining, processing, and manufacturing will exist in Africa in the future? These are the burning questions. However, it is worth noting that Africa’s growth rate within the past decade has been estimated at slightly above 5%. But this growth is not bringing any meaningful development. Generally, development is synonymous to industrialization. If economies in Africa do not move out of dead-end activities that only provide diminishing returns over time like primary agriculture, logging, and fishing, and turn to activities that provide increasing returns over time like manufacturing and services, then development will continue to remain an illusion, and political rhetoric. The Way Forward? To me, any meaningful attempts to reverse the current trend must start with moral re-armaments. We need leaders with foresight. We need strong institutions, not strong leaders. We need patriots and innovators. We need to reduce high level corruption to minimal levels. And above all, we need to embrace the challenges of globalization and industrialization. Failing which, we are bound to fail, and we shall remain the ‘dark continent’.
Mukete Tahle Itoe, Secretary General of the Global Network for Good Governance (Cameroon)


A new study has claimed to have found a link between women who give oral sex to their male partner and a reduced rate of recurrent miscarriages. If you’re feeling skeptical, we don’t blame you. This might sound like a poorly constructed ploy based on an old wive’s tale, but bear with us, there’s some pretty interesting science behind the argument.
Scientists at Leiden University Medical Centre, a respected college hospital in the Netherlands, gathered a relatively small sample of 97 women under age 36 with at least three unexplained consecutive miscarriages before 20 weeks of gestation with the same partner. They also had a matched control group of 137 women who had not experienced any complications with their pregnancy. All of the women were asked to fill out a questionnaire looking into their demographics, sexual behavior, health, and lifestyle.
Reporting in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology, they found that 41 out of 72 women (56.9 percent) who experience recurrent miscarriage reported having oral sex with the partner, compared to 70 out of 96 (72.9 percent) of the matched controls. In other words, those who experienced recurrent miscarriage were less likely to have oral sex.
So, what explains this trend? The research did not look for an underlying mechanism or causal link to explain their results, so it’s important to remember the golden rule: correlation does not imply causation. The link does not automatically mean that one factor is the sole and direct cause of change in the result. It's possible that a number of intertwined factors, such as age or social background, could also be toying with the results in a complex and fiddly way.
Nevertheless, the team delved into other scientific studies and found evidence to suggest that the link here could be to do with the immune system of the mother. Previous studies have linked the role of the immune system during pregnancy and recurrent miscarriage, with some even suggesting an immune response to the fetus could explain a significant number of unexplained miscarriages. The researchers put forward the idea that oral sex exposes the mother to paternal antigens in the partner’s semen. This helps them to build a tolerance to the antigens, such as human leukocyte antigens (HLA), making a strong immune response to the fetus less likely.
“This study suggests a possible protective role of oral sex in the occurrence of recurrent miscarriage in a proportion of the cases,” the study authors write.
“This is in line with the hypothesis that the gut has the most adequate absorption in the absence of an inflammatory environment, and seminal fluid contains soluble HLA antigens which can already induce maternal immune tolerance towards inherited paternal antigens of the fetus before implantation."
The researchers acknowledge that their sample group is small, and did not provide evidence that swallowing semen actually leads to a lower miscarriage rate. And, of course, they are not suggesting whether or not you and your partner should partake in oral sex, either. But they think their results are strong enough to link the two and warrants further study.