Strategic Management Accounting: Definition and Techniques!
Definition of Strategic Management Accounting:
What is strategic management accounting, what are its scope? have not yet been answered precisely by the accounting researchers, teachers and others. There is no comprehensive framework available on strategic management accounting. Some attempts have been made to define strategic management accounting.
Simmonds views strategic management accounting as the provision and analysis of management accounting data about a business and its competitors which is of use in the development and monitoring of the strategy of that business. Cooper and Kaplan state that strategic accounting techniques are designed to support the overall competitive strategy of the organisation, principally by the power of using information technology to develop more refined product and service costs.
Bromwich has given the following definition of strategic management accounting: “provision and analysis of financial information on the firm’s product markets and competitors’ costs and cost structures and the monitoring of the enterprise’s strategies and those of its competitors in these markets over a number of periods.”
Innes defines strategic management accounting as the provision of information to support the strategic decisions in the organisations. Strategic decisions usually involve the longer term, have a significant effect on the organisation and, although they may have an internal element, they also have an external element.
Lord has identified the following components of strategic management accounting:
(i) Extension of traditional management accounting’s internal focus to include external information about competitors.
(ii) Relationship between the strategic position chosen by a firm and the expected emphasis on management accounting (i.e. accounting in relation to strategic positioning).
(iii) Gaining competitive advantage by analysing ways to decrease costs and/or enhance the differentiation of a firm’s products, through exploiting linkages in the value chain and optimising cost drivers.
Techniques of Strategic Management Accounting:
There are many things which fall within the jurisdiction of strategic management accounting. Strategic management accounting uses different approaches/techniques to achieve strategy execution, to develop integrated approaches to performance measurement.
Some of the strategic tools for performance measurement are :
1. Target Costing
2. Kaizen Costing
3. Life Cycle Costing
4. Theory of constraints (TOC)
5. Bench Marking
6. Activity-Based Management (ABM)
7. Just-In-Time Method (JIT)


Check out this great animation showing what happens in the Bayeux Tapestry:
While we watch it a second time, cut and paste the 12 captions and 12 images of the Bayeux Tapestry into your exercise book.
The second task for today is to prepare for a test on Thursday. Read over your exercise books, with a focus on the following areas:
-The Fall of Rome (exercise book note taking)
-Vikings (Exercise book notes and Text book p20 – 28, p35 – 40)
-Medieval Society (Exercise book notes and Text book p92 – 98)
-England 1066: The Battle of Hastings and the Bayeux Tapestry (Exercise book notes)


Almost a year after the Feb. 27, 2010 earthquake in Chile that killed more than 520 people, left 220,000 homeless and caused $30 billion in damages, residents in the South American nation have been forced to use self-survival skills again as another series of quakes struck this past week.
According to The Epoch Times, the Chilean region of Biobio has been hit with more than 100 earthquakes and aftershocks since Feb. 11, 2011. In the central region of Maule, four quakes measuring over 6 on the Richter scale have occurred since last week. As a result, many residents have been forced out of their homes, some train services have been suspended and power outages have been reported.
The deadly natural disaster that hit Chile last year was an 8.8-magnitude quake, and was the fifth-strongest in a century.
While California has been the State most susceptible to earthquakes in recent decades, geologists and seismologists have predicted that a major quake is likely to strike central United States between now and 2035, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency suggested that Americans should plan and practice an emergency procedure in the event of an earthquake.
The CDC states that individuals should get under a sturdy table or desk if they start to feel a significant rumbling or tremor under their feet. If people are not near a desk or table, they should find a strongly supported doorway or corner of the house that could protect them from falling debris.


A large number of people die every day waiting for a liver transplant. But thanks to the 3D printing, things may change sooner than expected. San Diego-based biotech firm Organovo plans to use its bio-printing technology to create the world’s first 3D printed liver by the end of 2014.
Like any other form of 3D printing, Organovo’s organic 3D printer lays down layers of live cells to form a human tissue. But the major issue in creating human tissue is that the living cells literally die before the tissue gets off the printer table. Now, Organovo’s researchers have been able to overcome this obstacle by expanding the life span of its bio-printed liver tissue from five days to 40 days in a fully-functional state.
Although this liver won’t be suitable for transplants in human beings, it could be very helpful in scientific research in laboratories for medical studies and drug testing. This could be a more humane alternative to cruel animal testing. Organovo hopes its 3D printing technology will also help reduce the exorbitant costs of drug testing.


Think of these five keys as ways to come into better balance with your eating habits and your relationship to food. Nutrition and metabolism are intimately regulated by natural rhythms. Living a rhythmic life can bring us back into balance physically and emotionally.
By bringing the power of rhythm into our relationship with food, the body finds its rightful place. Rhythm grounds the soul in the world.
The five keys:
1. Alignment with the rhythms of life brings our metabolism into its fullest force.
2. Digestive and calorie-burning metabolism are strongest when the sun is highest in the sky (lunchtime) and weakest in the late evening hours.
3. Skipping breakfast and lunch or not eating enough at these meals slows down metabolism and inhibits weight loss.
4. Eating at irregular and unpredictable times each day causes our digestive and calorie-burning metabolism to fall out of sync.
5. Excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates out of rhythm with the seasons makes the brain think it’s summer and signals the body to store more fat.


A TRIAL of the UK’s first driverless pods is getting underway in Milton Keynes, but will British drivers leave their cars behind for a pod?
An important trial of driverless vehicles has scooped the prestigious Automotive Award for Innovation from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The trophy was in recognition of technology involved to bring three driverless pods to the streets of Milton Keynes to assess their viability and the response of the public.
Working in partnership with academics to develop the LUTZ Pathfinder (Low-carbon urban transport zone), the company behind the project is Transport Systems Catapult (TSC). It wants to show driverless pods can help drastically reduce road deaths and serious injuries by removing the human element from driving.
TSC’s Steve Yianni said: “Ninety percent of collisions on the UK’s roads are due to human error in one way or another, so by allowing the vehicle to make decisions based on a broad array of information provided could help reduce this figure enormously.”
There is no dispute that most collisions are due to one or more driver making an error of judgement. Also, there are plenty of studies and statistics to prove that a driverless car future could make road deaths and serious injuries very rare and almost completely avoidable.
This is an admirable future to work towards. However, there are questions to be asked about the LUTZ Pathfinder project. For starters, the electrically powered pods will be driving in pedestrianised areas as well as on roads, yet they have a limited top speed of 15mph. This begs the question of how safe will they be mixing among other vehicles that may well be driving at considerably higher speeds?
To counter this to some extent, TSC says each of the three pods will be piloted by a trained driver to make sure there are no risks to passengers or pedestrians. This then raises another query about how useful is a driverless pod when it needs a driver present and can carry only a single passenger at a time, even if that passenger can be driven from door to door?
The plan is for the LUTZ Pathfinder pods to run until 2017, allowing plenty of time to collect and collate data from the trial. It’s certainly a sound way to reduce urban pollution and perhaps encourage some drivers to leave their car at home or at an out of town car park rather than drive into the town centre.
A problem arises, though, on another level. The pods use a 3D map of Milton Keynes coupled to on-board sensors to know where they are. While this means the pods are perfectly capable of conducting themselves safely, they will be in amongst other vehicles they cannot communicate with and that means they cannot predict or plan for their actions.
This is not a unique failing of the LUTZ Pathfinder, but a drawback of all driverless vehicles. Unless every vehicle on the road around them is using the same systems, there is a serious risk of one or more vehicles being unaware of the presence of other vehicles. The dangers here are obvious and just as potentially harmful as any vehicle driven by a human being.
The LUTX Pathfinder project should be applauded and it’s surely a step in the direction of driverless vehicles, but the reality of that future is a lot further away than the projects’ operators might hope.


In my last post for Fun Learning Ideas, we talked about teaching the proper pencil grasp for handwriting with preschoolers. However many times your older preschooler may have already started using a grip that isn’t exactly proper or efficient. So today I am sharing some fine motor activity ideas that will help to correct or at least encourage your child to use a good pencil grip.
5 Fine Motor Activities to Help Encourage Your Child’s Pencil Grip
1. Focus on Pincer Grasp activities
What is the pincer grasp? It is basically using your thumb and index fingers to grab or pinch an object. In my pencil grasp development post over on GRB you can see some pictures of what this grasp looks like.
A few ideas for this could be:
- Using a pipe cleaner to thread cheerios, hard candies, beads or other smaller round objects that need to be pinched.
2. Practicing “Go” and “stop” fingers
“Go fingers” are the thumb, index and possibly middle finger (depending on if your child is using a tripod or quadruped grasp) which are placed on the pencil. The “stop fingers” are the last two fingers that are placed inside the palm. Practice using “Go” and “stop” fingers on a pencil, fine motor tweezers, crayons, bubble tongs, or any other type of fine motor tool.
3. Playing with play dough or clay
Molding, manipulating, squeezing, or pinching clay with fingers, fine motor tweezers or tongs is another great way to strengthen the finger muscles needed for a good pencil grasp.
4. Don’t forget visual motor skills
Part of handwriting is not only the fine motor aspect but the visual motor aspect as well. Mazes, puzzles, lacing cards, pre-writing line practice sheets, playing with blocks, etc, all include using this skill. And you don’t have to use just a pencil to complete these tasks. Have your child paint through a maze or practice sheets.
Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set – 100 Blocks in 4 Colors and 9 ShapesMelissa & Doug Classic Wooden Peg Puzzles (Set of 3) – Numbers, Alphabet, and ColorsMelissa & Doug Alphabet Wooden Lacing Cards With Double-Sided Panels and Matching Laces
5. Finger warm up activities
Get the fingers ready for writing with some simple finger warm up activities. Twirling the pencil like a baton, moving their fingers up and down the pencil with one hand, pushing fingers together with both hands like finger push-ups will help wake up the small muscles of the hand and help prepare them for handwriting.
**Please note: These activities and advice are for educational purposes only. If you feel your child has delays in fine motor skills or handwriting, please seek the advice of a local, licensed Occupational Therapist who can assess your child and make specific recommendations based on their professional evaluation. These tips do not replace therapy services for your child. All activities are meant to be completed with adult supervision.
Other Pencil Grasp Resources to Check Out
Heather Greutman is the therapy blogger behind Growing Hands-On Kids, where she encourages independence, one activity at a time. She uses her experience as an Occupational Therapy Assistant to provide resources, education, and activities for those working with or raising children of all abilities and ages. Her site focuses on child development, Occupational Therapy tips, hands-on activity ideas, sensory processing and behavior, and special needs. Heather is also a wife to David and mom to two kiddos, ages 5 and 2. You can find her at www.growinghandsonkids.com.


The large golden flowers of Marsh-marigold certainly look like the cups of kings and the Latin name Caltha is derived from the Greek for 'goblet'. Hence, Marsh-marigold is also commonly known as 'Kingcup'. It is a widespread plant of ponds, marshes, damp meadows, ditches and wet woodland and, before the draining of the landscape for agriculture began, was a conspicuous spring flower.
How to identify
Marsh-marigold is a large buttercup-like flower that grows in wet places. It has very large, rounded, scalloped leaves.
Where to find it
Found throughout the country.
When to find it
How can people help
Human activity, including the drainage of land for agriculture, the loss of ponds through development and the removal of wet woods, has resulted in the disappearance of many of the UK's wetlands. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with planners, developers and farmers to ensure our wetlands are protected. You can help too: plant Marsh-marigolds and other natives around a wildlife-friendly pond and provide shelter for frogs and early nectar for insects. In partnership with the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts' Wild About Gardens initiative can help you plan your wildlife garden.


Jay Spitulnik, associate teaching professor and director of Northeastern’s MS in Health Informatics, shares his expertise on emerging industry trends and how students can prepare.
Health Informatics (HI) is a relatively new, interdisciplinary field. HI (also called Health Information Systems) uses information technology to organize and analyze health records to improve healthcare outcomes. Health informatics deals with the resources, devices, and methods to utilize acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and medicine. Tools include medical terminology, information and communication systems, and computer technology. Healthcare informatics provides electronic access to medical records for patients, doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, insurance companies and health information technicians. The health informatics field is rapidly growing in all areas of healthcare and healthcare management.
Learn more about earning an MS in Health Informatics
Prepare to successfully address the combined clinical, technical, and business needs of health-related professions.
Health Informatics at Northeastern
At Northeastern, the HI program accepted its first students in 2007, making it one of the oldest HI graduate programs in the country. The program belongs to both Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Khoury College of Computer Sciences. Since the program’s inception, the curriculum has required that students develop proficiency in health science, management science, and information science.
In 2009, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was created to promote and expand the adoption of health information technology, specifically, the use of electronic health records (EHRs) by healthcare providers. The financial incentives available to providers as a result of HITECH created a job market for HI professionals which is still growing today, 11 years later. Before the introduction of the HITECH Act, only 10 percent of hospitals had adopted EHRs. In order to advance healthcare, improve efficiency and care coordination, and make it easier for health information to be shared between different covered entities, electronic health records needed to be adopted. As a result, almost 100 percent of our graduates are placed within three months after they graduate.
The Future of Health Informatics
The Northeastern University Health Informatics program is a fully interdisciplinary program that addresses the combined clinical, technical, and business needs of health-related professionals. As the world of healthcare changes, we are now expanding the way we address the needs of patients and healthcare vendors in addition to the health-related professionals. Students gain knowledge of how technology, people, health, and the healthcare system interrelate. In addition, they develop the ability to use technology and information management to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. Finally, our students are able to develop the skills to communicate effectively among healthcare practitioners, administrators, and information technology professionals. In addition to addressing the more traditional elements of health informatics, there are evolving industry trends that help define what we need to teach. Here are three of them.
Health Informatics Trend #1: Interoperability
Currently, the numerous systems applications of EHRs are not effective at communicating with each other. Interoperability is the ability of different information systems, devices, and applications (“systems”) to access, exchange, integrate and cooperatively use data in a coordinated manner, within and across organizational, regional and national boundaries. This supports the provision of timely and seamless portability of information and optimizes the health of individuals and populations globally. Health data exchange architectures, application interfaces, and standards enable data to be accessed and shared appropriately and securely across the complete spectrum of care, within all applicable settings and with relevant stakeholders, including by the individual.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed an Interoperability and Patient Access Rule which introduces new policies that will expand access to health information and improve the seamless exchange of data in healthcare. This will enable better care coordination, better patient outcomes, and reduced costs. The proposals will help to break down existing barriers to interoperability and empower patients by giving them access to their health information. The policies in this proposed rule touch on all aspects of healthcare, from patients to providers to payers and researchers. The technology and standards will spark new opportunities for industry and researchers while improving healthcare quality for all Americans.
The Northeastern MS in Health Informatics program addresses interoperability in two ways. First, many of our courses that cover the management of health information address interoperability at some level. Second, we have a course that is specifically about how to build and maintain systems that are interoperable. Our instructor for Key Standards in Health Informatics is a member of HL7, the group that is responsible for international interoperability standards. As is the case with the faculty for many of our courses, this provides real-world knowledge that supports students in their networking and job searches.
Health Informatics Trend #2: Consumerization
Younger generations were raised in an online world—from streaming their favorite TV shows to submitting college applications to even grocery shopping. But today, many of them still can’t go online to make an appointment with their primary care physician (PCP) for a physical or a sick visit or see the average wait time for the ER. When today’s consumer-centric options, such as a local pharmacy or urgent care center, do allow for this level of visibility and ease, people who grew up digitally will question the value of maintaining a relationship with a PCP who does not provide this level of visibility.
With this in mind, our curriculum addresses the ways that providers and others use the existing and developing technologies to support open, proactive, two-way communication between all segments of the healthcare world. This includes hospitals, clinicians, patients, vendors, and anyone else who plays a role in the community.
Northeastern’s Health Informatics graduate program is taking a lead in this work through an emerging partnership with the Society for Participatory Medicine (SPM). We are working with the leadership of SPM to develop a course on participatory healthcare and its enabling technologies. Based on this course, our MSHI students will understand the role of each of the essential stakeholders—patient, healthcare provider, payer, pharmaceutical manufacturer, medical device company, pharmacy, and all others in the healthcare environment. This will include their professional obligations and what enabling technology gaps must be overcome for participatory medicine to reach its full potential.
Health Informatics Trend #3: Health Data Analytics
The digitization of healthcare systems in clinical settings, in combination with the explosion of personal data collection devices, provides the opportunity of using data for revolutionizing approaches to care at all levels with an emphasis on precision medicine and person-centered care. The ability to take advantage of this Big Data opportunity requires expertise at the intersection of health informatics, data science, and computational modeling. To address this, we have added a course on Introduction to Health Data Analytics. In addition, other courses have been added or are being proposed to enhance the way we address this issue, including Patient Engagement Informatics and Analytics and Claims Data Analysis.
Graduates and faculty of Northeastern’s MS in Health Informatics program are at the center of how healthcare is improving its use of technology to continuously improve outcomes for patients. To learn more about the program, explore our program page or get in touch with an enrollment coach to get your questions answered.


Lifepac Science 1110
Polishing your child's knowledge of chemistry has never been easier with the LIFEPAC Chemistry Unit 10 Worktext from Alpha Omega Publications! Last in a series of ten worktexts, this homeschool science curriculum contains an easy-to-follow, comprehensive review of material covered in Units 1-9 of the LIFEPAC Chemistry course. Engaging, student-directed lessons and challenging practice problems reinforce and solidify chemistry concepts such as elements, compounds, mixtures, gases, moles, atomic structure, chemical reactions, equilibrium systems, hydrocarbons, and more! Without a doubt, this final worktext will prepare your child to demonstrate his knowledge on any college entrance chemistry test.
Here are a few more reasons why the LIFEPAC Chemistry Unit 10 Worktext is so popular with homeschool students. Unlike a traditional textbook, this consumable LIFEPAC worktext is compact and easy to study with and write in. Plus the ultra-slim size and portability of this Alpha Omega curriculum make it ideal for studying on the go. The student-directed, self-paced lessons make it a perfect choice for the independent learner. Why not give your child this valuable tool for reviewing chemistry facts? Order the LIFEPAC Chemistry Unit 10 Worktext today!


One of the greatest challenges facing Albertans who want to invest in a renewable energy project, or energy efficiency measures for their home, is finding a way to pay for it. Both renewable energy and energy efficiency projects can be significant financial investments, which often do not fit easily within household budgets.
To help make funding these projects more feasible for the average Albertan, the Province of Alberta has recently passed new legislation (Bill 10) with the goal of enabling clean energy improvements in the province. The legislation allows municipalities to offer affordable financing programs to residential, commercial and agricultural property owners who want to make emissions reducing building improvements and/or increase their use and production of clean energy. Called Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, it is aimed at reducing the financial barrier to making energy improvements to buildings, allowing Albertans to live cleaner and greener, all while helping to create green jobs in the Province.
PACE is not a rebate or subsidy program, but a financing tool that can be accessed for energy efficiency, water conservation or on-site renewable energy generation projects. The legislation, once completed, will provide a guiding regulation and framework (developed in conjunction with Energy Efficiency Alberta) for municipalities to voluntarily develop their own unique PACE programs, offering financing to property owners within their jurisdiction. Municipalities that develop and implement PACE programs will be required to offer no-money-down financing, with pay back occurring through the property’s tax bill, typically over a long term of 20-25 years. The outstanding balance of the loan will be able to be paid back at any time and the repayments will remain attached to the property, so if the property is sold the new owners assume the repayment plan.
The PACE model is not a new concept. In fact, it has already been adopted by nearly all regions in the US and by Ontario, Nova Scotia and Québec, in Canada. PACE has a proven track record of creating jobs and encouraging economic growth, all while protecting the environment, and promoting real action on combating climate change without the need for increased taxes or an increase in government funding. And from a property owner’s perspective, in typical PACE programs, the annual energy cost savings are greater than the loan payments. This helps to make the benefits of improving energy efficiency and installing renewable energy generating systems very clear: increased property values, lower utility bills and the social capital and bragging rights that come with being the greenest on your block.
A number of municipalities are already working on developing their own PACE programs, to be ready for when the legislation is expected to come in to force, in early 2019. Be sure to ask your local municipal leaders about what they are doing to make PACE available in your region. Combined with rebate programs available from the province, municipalities and electrical utilities (see SESA’s solar incentive list here), PACE financing is a great way to turn your dreams of producing renewable energy into a reality!
For more information about the provincial legislation visit: https://www.alberta.ca/PACE.aspx
~ Stephanie Ripley, Project & Operations Assistant


A thin, flying cloud; a rack.
- Destruction or ruin.
- A remnant or vestige of something destroyed.
- Wreckage, especially of a ship cast ashore.
- Chiefly British Violent destruction of a building or vehicle.
- Dried seaweed.
- Marine vegetation, especially kelp.
- To cause the ruin of; wreck.
- To be wrecked.


These days when we’re looking to add more floor space to our homes, we look towards conservatories and orangeries. They’re gorgeous ways to expand the space in our homes without bumping up against planning guidelines.
Orangeries, in particular, are becoming a popular addition to our homes once again. With a brick construction, large windows and a solid roof (often with a dome or cupola), they offer far superior thermal insulation than a conservatory and blend seamlessly into the architectural design of many homes.
Their recent surge in popularity belies the fact that orangeries are an invention which can be traced back to the 16th century. But what is the history of the orangery? Join us as we take a look.
Noble Beginnings The first true orangery was constructed in Padua, Veneto in Italy in 1545 by a local nobleman. Its purpose? To aid in the growth of oranges (and other fruit) throughout the year, regardless of external weather conditions. It’s no secret where orangeries got their name from, then.
Taking advantage of then-recent technological innovations in glassmaking and construction to create a glass-heavy growing room, much of the early orangery design was intended to improve growing conditions, with a stove for heat and water features for visual style and humidity.
A spate of orangeries followed as word spread and rich individuals sought to exhibit the bounties of the new world like citrus fruits, pineapples, bananas and other tender fruits and ornamental plants. Harsh winters made up the ‘little ice age’, ensuring it was impossible to cultivate these then-exotic plants in Northern Europe at the time, further driving their popularity.
Post-War PopularityAlthough a smattering of orangeries appeared throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, the true catalyst for the explosion in orangery popularity was the end of the 80 Years War.Phillip II, the Hapsburg King of Spain and (through marriage) the sovereign of the Hapsburg Netherlands, had for a number of years levied taxes on and restricted trade between his Dutch subjects and the Americas.
Following the end of the 80 Years War and the independence of the Dutch Republic came a lifting of the trade embargoes which had held back the Dutch economy. The result was a new age of prosperity, with exotic fruits and plants from the Americas making their way over to the Netherlands where they were cultivated in… Orangeries!
This new boom in orangery construction wasn’t just limited to the Low Countries either, but across Europe and beyond, with a number being constructed in Britain, France, Germany and in the Roman Empire too, largely built by gentry and newly emancipated merchant classes.
The 17th to the 19th century can be regarded as the true boom period for orangeries, but they continued to be constructed for the centuries following. As fruits and plants became less scarce, their purpose became less specialised.
These days, you’re more likely to find a comfortable sofa, a coffee table and a few houseplants in an orangery than a variety of rare fruits, but orangeries remain a tremendous way to expand the floor space of your home.
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Sediment samples show how deep-sea trenches can act as "plastic traps"
We know that tons of plastic waste washes into the ocean each year, but what we don’t know all that much about is what happens to it once it gets there. A new study as shone a light on the role deep-sea trenches can play in the movement of plastic pollution, revealing how they can act as traps, accumulating large amounts of microplastic particles and holding them there.
The reason plastic pollution is so hard to trace through the marine environment is because the forces of the ocean degrade and tear apart the pieces until they become what are known as microplastics, tiny fragments measuring less than 5 mm in size. While these are inherently difficult to monitor as they move through the ocean, recent studies have shown how underwater avalanches can drive microplastics into the deep, and how hotspots can develop on the seafloor.
For this latest study, scientists from Germany’s Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt, the Alfred-Wegener-Institut and the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institut took to the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Here, the researchers collected eight sediment samples from a range of depths across a 2016 expedition.
These were taking from four stations at depths of 5,143 m (16,900 ft), 6,065 m (19,900 ft), 7,138 m (23,400 ft), and 8,255 m (27,000 ft), with the contents studied through a form of spectrometry. The team found 15 different types of plastics in these sediment samples, including ones commonly used in packaging, such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
“The proportion of microplastics in our samples varied between 14 and 209 particles per 1,000 g (35 oz) of dry sediment,” says study author Serena Abel. “The most frequent occurrence of microplastics was recorded at one of the deepest sampling stations in the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench. Apparently, a significantly higher amount of microplastics accumulates in the deeper regions. This is likely due to the fact that the particles can easily be transported to these areas but subsequently are “caught” there. These trenches thus act as veritable ‘plastic traps.’”
All of the microplastics the team spotted were under 375 micrometes in size, and most were smaller than 125 micrometers, or around an eighth of a millimeter. While small, the team says these fragments could represent a missing piece of the puzzle in terms of our best estimates of ocean plastics.
"Global estimates of the incidence of microplastics in our oceans indicate that there must be a portion that exists outside the water column and is missing from these estimates,” says study author Dr. Angelika Brandt. “The accumulation of microplastics in these areas could represent this ‘missing’ share. Microplastics in the deep sea also mean that the basis of the food chain is affected, since many invertebrates feed on sediments, including the microplastic particles. Therefore, future generations unfortunately will have to deal with the consequences of today’s environmental pollution for a long time to come.”
The research was published in the journal Environmental Pollution.


John Lennon Biography POSITIVE THINGS
Biography John Lennon
John Lennon was a British singer-songwriter and a key member of the Beatles – a musical and cultural phenomenon. After the Beatles, Lennon went on to have a distinguished solo career. Lennon was also an icon of the 1960s counter-culture revolution and was an anti-war activist.
“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliché that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.”
– John Lennon
Short Biography of John Lennon
John Lennon was born, October 1940, during a German air raid in Oxford Street Maternity hospital, Liverpool. During his childhood, he saw little of his father Freddie, who went AWOL whilst serving in the navy. For several years, John was brought up by his mother’s sister Mimi.
In his early years, John was a mischievous student, who would be quick to take the mickey out of teachers and other students. His school reports were often scathing. “Certainly on the road to failure … hopeless … rather a clown in class … wasting other pupils’ time.”
Whilst in his early teens he got his first guitar and would spend many hours playing. His aunt Mimi used to regularly say:
“The guitar’s all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.”
After the Beatles were famous, John presented Mimi with a silver platter with this quote written on. He failed all his O-Levels but was still accepted to the Liverpool College of Art. However, he was expelled from College before his final year because of his disruptive behaviour.
In the late 1950s, John formed a rock group called the “Quarry Men Skiffle Band”, which was a precursor to the Beatles. In 1957, he met and formed a successful musical partnership with Paul McCartney. They complemented each other very well. Lennon focused on the more satirical aspects and McCartney veered towards the more optimistic cheerful qualities. Lennon was considered the leader of the Beatles, due to his superior age and also his musical abilities. It was, however, McCartney who persuaded Lennon to allow George Harrison to enter the band as lead guitarist.
The first concert of the Beatles was at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on 21st March 1961. After being rejected by many music labels, they eventually signed an agreement with Parlophone in 1962. George Martin who was responsible for signing the Beatles, later said he was not particularly impressed by their demo tapes, but liked their wit and humour – of which Lennon was usually at the forefront.
During the great success of the Beatles during the 1960s, John Lennon would often be seen as the figurehead for the group, although they maintained that the decisions of the group were democratic.
Paul, George and John Lennon
In 1961, the Beatles travelled to Germany, where they played many concerts in Hamburg. After two successful years, they returned to England and concentrated on recording singles. In 1963, the group’s profile took off with hit singles, such as “Please Please Me” and “She Loves You.” The popularity and enthusiasm for the Beatles were such that it led to the term “Beatlemania” being used. Lennon and the Beatles began a hectic schedule of recording, live performances and media appearances.
Despite his natural rebelliousness, Lennon agreed to the suggestion of manager Brian Epstein to dress smartly and have a similar haircut. In the early years of the Beatles, the smart-suited Beatles were part of their cultivated image.
In 1964, they released the single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – it entered the US charts in early 1964 and soon sold over two million copies. Beatlemania was now a global phenomenon. It marked a shift in musical attitudes, especially in the US. The Beatles success of 1964, was known as the start of the “British Invasion”. In 1964, they toured the US for the first time, and in February appeared on the Ed Sullivan tv show.
The Beatles in 1964, JFK airport US.
John Lennon was no stranger to controversy. In 1966, he made an off the cuff remark in an interview with the Evening Standard.
“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink … We’re more popular than Jesus now—I don’t know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity.”
He claimed this was a mere observation, which was probably true in England. Nevertheless, it led to a boycott in the US, especially in the deep south. There was also a wave of record burnings – although Lennon wryly remarked that to burn them they had to buy them first.
During the 1960s, John Lennon began to frequently take LSD and by 1967 was a heavy user. This also coincided with a period of uncertainty, and he considered leaving the Beatles. The death of Brian Epstein, their manager in 1967 also hit Lennon and the Beatles hard. However, this was also a period of musical inventiveness, with new styles of music helping to create some classic recordings, such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
John Lennon and Meditation
In 1967, John Lennon and the Beatles became more interested in meditation and Eastern religions. They spent several weeks in the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Although John later broke ties with the organisation, he continued to advocate meditation.
“I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.”
– John Lennon
“I’m not a god or the God, but we’re all God and we’re all potentially divine — and potentially evil. We all have everything within us and the Kingdom of Heaven is nigh and within us, and if you look hard enough you’ll see it.”
– John Lennon, The Beatles Anthology (2000)
In India, they composed music for their albums The Beatles and Abbey Road. The visit also saw more Eastern musical influences begin to percolate into their music.
John Lennon Solo Career
John Lennon by Roy Kerwood
In 1969, the Beatles started to split up; Lennon was keen to branch out musically and develop his own solo career. There were also frictions over the presence of his wife, Yoko Ono in the Beatles recording sessions. After the break-up of the Beatles, Lennon pursued a very successful solo career. His first album was released in 1970 with John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970).
“It was just a gradual development over the years. Last year was “All You Need Is Love.” This year it’s “Give Peace a Chance.” Remember love. The only hope for any of us is peace…. Get out there and get peace. Think peace, live peace, and breathe peace and you’ll get it as soon as you like.” (Statement to the press, July 1969)
In the early 1970s, John Lennon also became a figurehead for those opposed to the Vietnam War. His song “Give Peace a Chance” became an anthem for the anti-war movement. Due to his anti-war stance, the Nixon administration tried to have him deported, but after a long struggle, he was able to gain a green card in 1976. His song “Imagine” has also become a tremendously influential song; it has been voted ‘the most popular song’ by the British public.
In 1975, he retreated from the music world, preferring to spend time looking after his new son, Sean.
John Lennon married Cynthia Powell in 1963, though the marriage was kept secret. They had one son, Julian. The marriage broke down in 1967. Lennon married Yoko Ono in March 1969.
In October of 1980, Lennon made a return to music recording. But, just two months later on 8 December 1980, John Lennon was shot dead in Dakota, New York. He was shot by David Chapman – an obsessed fan. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was imprisoned for life.
By 2012, John Lennon has sold 14 million solo albums, whilst the Beatles have become the best-selling group of all time – with an estimated 600 million recording sales worldwide.


The wild turkey the early Europeans and colonists
encountered was not the bird that dominates 20th-century hunters'
talk. In anecdote after anecdote from the 17th through the 19th
centuries, the wild turkey was characterized as showing an almost
Disneylike friendliness towards people. Wild turkeys, as the
first settlers found them, walked right up to them. Sadly, the
birds were likely to be met with a bang for their bravery. Here
are some examples of early encounters between Man and the Bird as
told by the settlers.
"Wild turkeys drinking at the river were so undisturbed by a
nearby hunter that he took away their broods of chicks without
difficulty." "They came so close to people they could be shot
with a pistol." "They hovered close to our fire so we killed them
all." "Wild turkeys would come to our house and roost in the
trees with the chickens. They often sat with their young on my
fences so trustingly that I found it difficult to bring myself to
While these wild turkeys were alert, wary, savvy, and fully
capable of living successfully in a natural environment, they had
not yet learned to live in terror of humans. The terrified turkey
was created, not born.
Indeed, the wild turkey of today is in many ways an
invention that raises questions about the notion of "wild."
Restoration of decimated turkey populations in North America has
involved extensive manipulations of both the bird and its
habitat: supplemental winter feeding including a variety of
special types of feeders and shelters, burning of forests and
planting of grain crops, wing-clipping, artificial incubation,
culling of captive-raised birds to conform to shifting standards
of "purity" and "wildness," transfer of pen-raised young and
wild-captured adults from one place to another using traps, nets,
airplane drops and immobilizing drugs, and release of thousands
of game-farm hybrid turkeys prior to hunting season.
In the history of human and turkey relations, a combination
of direct human interventions, random matings, and turkey escapes
and vanishings has resulted in wildness "tainted with domestic
blood" and introduction of diseases to wild turkey populations.
Today, at the start of a new century, despite a tremendous
effort to create a "wild" turkey distinct from its domestic
cousins, this noble nomad keeps returning to the human scene,
walking around in suburbia, metropolitan Atlanta, the Bronx.
This is delightful, unless it becomes an excuse for more
hunting, as in the past it was a reason why the friendly and
inquisitive turkey became a byword for an easy target, "someone
who could be easily duped or caught," in the first place.
However, things are starting to change.
Slowly but surely, the sentiment of sentience is winning out
in our society over contempt for animals, of which the turkey has
been a powerful if ambiguous symbol in America. Because of the
bird's mythic role in American history, the turkey comes loaded
with an ambivalence that is starting to work to the bird's
advantage, as well as to ours. Just as the wild bird and the
domestic bird amalgamate in the popular image and the DNA of the
Thanksgiving Turkey, so left-handedly honored, so the turkey,
which has functioned primarily as a sport and a sacrifice, is
increasingly being given a new role, being "adopted" by people
and treated as a guest at the Thanksgiving table, showing there
may be better ways of honoring kinship and exorcising our guilt--
if guilt is involved--than by saying, over and over, "I'm sorry."
More and more Americans are throwing taboo to the winds and
speaking up for turkeys, loving them, maybe, for who they are as
much as for what they might stand for.
Increasingly, unanimous deprecation and consumption of the
turkey can no longer be counted on to pull America together at
Thanksgiving. A new consciousness of human-animal kinship is
arising and new culinary opportunities are emerging. The news
about eating animal products is not good in any case. Because of
how they are raised, turkeys and other poultry go to slaughter
infested with disease organisms including salmonella and
campylobacter bacteria. According to the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, "Foods most likely to carry pathogens [disease
microbes] are high-protein, nonacid foods, such as meat, poultry,
seafood, dairy products, and eggs" (USDA FoodReview, May-August
1995). Significantly, the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows
turkey slaughter to be down 4 percent in 1999 over the previous
year, reflecting declining consumer purchases (USDA Agricultural
Celebration can include evolution. Just as western culture
long ago substituted bread and wine for animal (and human)
sacrifice in traditional religious celebrations, as in the
Christian Eucharist, literally a "thanksgiving," so the tofu
turkey and thousands of other nonanimal food choices are
replacing the traditional corpse at the festive meal. If bread is
not literally muscle tissue and wine is not blood, few people are
clamoring for a return to the "good old days" of bloody altars
and struggling victims. In this same tradition of progress, the
New American Pioneers are carving out fresh places for humans and
turkeys to come together in a spirit of friendship. This, after
all, is the true gift that the turkey brought to the table in the
first place. Let us rejoice with our feathered friends.
Copyright UPC. This article appeared in newspapers around the country in
November 1999 through the Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Service, to whom
we are very grateful. Individuals, organizations, & news media have full
permission to copy & reprint and are encouraged to do so.
Click on any image for a bigger version.


Principles of Philosophy
Unreliability of the Senses
Everyone depends on senses for information and awareness. When we want to know what the world is like, we look around us, listen, taste, smell, touch. Even scientific experiments depend on the senses. We mix two chemicals and observe what results, or we let some ball bearings drop and observe how they behave. Descartes would like this heavy reliance on sensory observation to stop. He admits that for some knowledge the senses are required. For example, I could not know what books were on my desk if I did not use my eyes to check. However, he does not believe that we need sensory input when doing science. In fact, he is convinced that the senses only mislead us in scientific endeavors. Science, he feels, should proceed strictly by tracing logical connections between ideas of the intellect, not by observation. The senses do not even initially provide us with the ideas that we use in this reasoning. We are born with them already in our intellect.
Descartes, therefore, begins the Principles with two skeptical worries meant to undermine our faith in the senses. He points out, first, that our senses systematically mislead us. For example, when we view a straight stick through water, it looks bent; when we view things from a distance we tend to see them as much smaller than they are, or even as a different shape. Not only are the senses periodically unreliable, however, they are also constantly and stubbornly unbelievable. When we sleep we often have sensations indistinguishable from those that we have when we are awake. We admit that those dreaming sensations do not correspond to reality, so why are we any more certain of our waking sensations? How do we know that any particular sensation we have is not a dream? We cannot. Therefore, Descartes concludes, better not to rely on the sensations at all, at least not when you are after certain knowledge (such as in science).
Clear and Distinct Perceptions
In our quest for knowledge, Descartes' suggests that we rely on pure intellectual ideas. By taking stock of these ideas and then deducing their logical results, we can arrive at all possible human knowledge. However, we must be careful not to start the process of reasoning from any old ideas we find in the intellect. Judgments can only be certain when the ideas concerned are clear and distinct. Only when a perception is clear and distinct can we proceed from that perception to knowledge. Clear and distinct perceptions, therefore, are the single most important tool in Descartes' toolkit.
A clear and distinct perception is just a perception to which one cannot fail to assent. So long as you are entertaining the notion, you cannot doubt it without landing yourself in a logical incoherence. So, for example, the perception that two plus two equals four would count as a clear and distinct perception. So long as you are aware of the meaning of the terms involved, you cannot coherently doubt the truth of this claim. Descartes believes that the same phenomena holds true of propositions such as "nothing can exist and not exist at the same time," and the ever-popular "I think, therefore I am."
Though you cannot doubt clear and distinct perceptions as long as they are before your mind, once they fall out of your awareness, doubt can creep back in. If you have stopped entertaining the proposition that two plus two equals four, but only remember the conclusion you reached, then you might begin to doubt the legitimacy of the conclusion. You might wonder whether your reasoning was really as airtight as you had thought while it was taking place, perhaps whether some evil scientist was responsible for putting that thought in your mind. Obviously, as long as doubt can keep creeping back in whenever a clear and distinct perception falls out of awareness, clear and distinct perceptions are not going to be much help in the search for knowledge.
Descartes, therefore, appeals to God in order to guarantee the truth of clear and distinct perceptions, so that we can believe in them even after we have stopped entertaining them. God, he claims, created us and, thus, also our faculty of reason. He is, therefore, responsible for our clear and distinct perceptions. In addition to being our creator, God is also infinitely perfect. If our clear and distinct perceptions were not trustworthy, though, God would be far from perfect. He would be a deceiver, mean and malicious. An infinitely perfect God would never give us a faculty that presented perceptions as indubitably true when really they were false. Therefore, we can trust our clear and distinct perceptions. So long as we remember that a conclusion was reached through a perception that was clear and distinct (i.e. indubitable) while it was going on, we can be absolutely certain that the conclusion is true.
Body As Extended Substance
Perhaps the most important clear and distinct perception of all is the perception that extension is the essence of body. It is this perception that enables all of Descartes' physics.
To say that the essence of body is extension is not just to say that extension is the most important property of body. Rather, it is to say that body simply is extension. What it is to be a body, is to be an extended thing. So long as there is extension, there is body, and so long as there is body there is extension.
Extension is just dimension. Bodies have extension in three directions—length, breadth, and depth. To be a body, then, is simply to have length, breadth, and depth. Bodies obviously have more properties than just length, breadth, and depth, though. For instance, they have a certain shape. These other properties, however, are simply determinate ways of being extended (also called modes of extension). A body can be extended as a square, as a circle, as a dodecahedron, or as any other conceivable shape. Size, too, is just a determinate way of being extended. A body can be extended five feet by twelve feet by two inches, or thirty centimeters by thirty centimeters by thirty centimeters, etc.
It is clear enough to see how size and shape are just determinate ways of being extended, but bodies also seem to have some other sorts of properties, such as color, sound, taste, smell, heat, and cold. How can these be determinate modes of extension? The answer is that they are not, and for this reason they are also not really properties of bodies. All properties of bodies must be deducible from extension, and these properties have nothing to do with extension. These properties, therefore, do not actually belong to bodies, at least not in the way that we perceive them. (They might be said to exist in bodies insofar as they are only arrangements of the size, shape, and motion of particles with the power to create the sensation of these qualities in us. Alternatively, these qualities might just be said to exist in our own minds.)
By ridding body of all things but extension and its deducible properties, Descartes turns the study of physics into the study of geometry (the mathematics of extended bodies). The certainty of mathematics, therefore, can now be imported into the study of the natural world.
Space As Insensible Body
Since to be body is just to be extended, Descartes believes that there is no such thing as empty space. What we typically think of as empty space between objects—for instance, the foot of air between the bed and the floor—is actually just insensible body. That space between the bed and the floor has extension. It is one foot by five feet by six feet. Therefore, it is body.
The only difference between space and the objects we think of as body, is that space has no sensible qualities. We cannot see space, or smell it, or feel it. Other than that, though, it is no different from a car or a bug or a planet.
Since the entire world is filled with body (there is not empty space between bodies) Descartes calls the entire universe a plenum, meaning that it is filled. The idea that space is a plenum leads to many interesting conclusions, such as the vortex theory of planetary motion, the globular theory of light, and the important proof that terrestrial and celestial matter are exactly the same.
Motion As Mode of Extension
Motion is a crucial concept in the study of physics, and so it is important for Descartes to prove that motion is a mode of extension. If motion were not a way of being extended, then the entire study of physics could not really be deduced from the principles of geometry.
Descartes, therefore, denies the common understanding of motion as an action by which bodies transfer place. Motion, Descartes objects, is not anything outside of bodies themselves. Motion is just a function of the relative position of bodies. To be in motion, according to Descartes, is to transfer from one group of (contiguous) bodies (considered at rest) to another group of bodies.
The "contiguous" is important because it keeps motion from being entirely relative. Obviously, every body is transferring its position with regard to some things, and not with regard to other things, at every moment. If you are sitting still in your chair right now, you are not in motion relative to your chair or to the objects in your room, but you are in motion relative to other planets, since the earth itself in spinning. In order to allow us to say absolutely that something is at rest or in motion, Descartes adds in the "contiguous." The motion of a body, strictly speaking, is determined only in relation to those bodies with which it shares a common surface. When you are sitting still in your chair, then, you are not in motion, because you only share a common surface with the chair, not with heavenly bodies.
The "considered at rest" is important for a similar reason. Really, since motion is just the transfer of position relative to contiguous bodies, A cannot move away from B without B also moving away from A. They are both changing position relative to each other. This would all be well and good, if it were not for the fact that the Church did not want anyone claiming that the earth moved. Certainly, many contiguous bodies move relative to the earth (e.g. atmospheric particles). If a B must move in order for any A to move, the earth itself must move. Therefore, Descartes added in the "considered at rest." Though in reality B must move if A moves, when inquiring into the motion of A we consider B as not moving.
Theory of Sensation
Given that the senses are supposed to be almost entirely left out of our search for knowledge, for what good then does Descartes thinks they are intended? Actually, Descartes thinks that they are very, very good at what they are meant to do, which is to provide us with information that enables us to get around in the world. The senses do not belong to the mind (responsible for our intellectual ideas) and they are not supposed to act as the handmaiden to the intellect, providing it with fodder for scientific reasoning. They also do not belong to the body (joined to the mind in some mysterious way to form a human being). Instead they belong to the composite of mind and body (the whole person), and they tell us what is beneficial and harmful to this composite.
Sensation works through a series of nerve channels, connecting various organs to the brain (the bodily seat of the mind). Our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin are affected by tiny bodies in the air, in water, in other objects, and they send nerve signals to the brain, which result in sensations. Obviously the most mysterious part of this picture is how the stimulation of nerves in the bodily brain can possibly result in the production of sensations in the unbodily mind. Descartes is not able to give an adequate response to this puzzle of mind-body interaction.
Readers' Notes allow users to add their own analysis and insights to our SparkNotes—and to discuss those ideas with one another. Have a novel take or think we left something out? Add a Readers' Note!


Considering the value it had in the past, has continued to the present and will continue to have, perhaps to an even greater extent in the future concealing information during transmission or transport, leads automatically to attempt to discover the importance and the value of the means, methods and techniques used to implement the concealment. Cryptography is a branch of computer science attracts the attention with its great utility that has nowadays. Given therefore deemed necessary to standardize, analyze and present the encryption algorithms to learning and training on the operation with as efficiently and easily as possible. Having in mind that the theory must be accompanied by practice and examples that help to consolidate the syllabi material, we felt that the analytical presentation of an educational tool on learning algorithms of cryptography is a way of learning while embedding. The learning tool cryptool 2 is an implementation of all the above, and through this we will try to show, those essential functions, which help the user with visual and practical way, to see in detail all the properties and functional details of the algorithms contained, will present representative examples of functioning algorithms, we proceed to create digital signatures and will implement the cryptanalysis algorithms. The above is an object of study and teaching in the professional area of land, in the field of communications and transmissions-service systems. Knowing, however, that historically since the antiquity, first we Greeks, we use encryption in a simple form, for military purposes, but later down through the years and fighting wars around the world, the art encryption and decryption evolved and became object of all armies and weapons. This created great interest, mobilizing science and development of complex thinking that eventually evolved into an autonomous discipline.


Make a Blue Marble Match
How can Earth help scientists better understand what happens on other planets in the solar system? Scientists use information about Earth's geologic processes to draw conclusions about the surfaces of other planets.
Blue Marble Matches is a classroom activity for students in grades 3-12. It helps students understand how they can compare planets using Earth as a standard.
By the end of the activity, students will be able to identify common geologic features, discuss how those features form, and use observations to form conclusions about what processes helped shape the surface of other planetary bodies.
The lesson is broken into five parts:
- Students observe and describe a collection of images representing four different geologic processes.
- Students create a list of criteria to identify features on Earth.
- Students reinforce and review their identification criteria by explaining and supporting their identification of features in new images of Earth.
- Students extend and apply their knowledge to compare planets by looking at images of the surface of Earth’s neighboring planets. Students then use the identification criteria they created to support identification of features and associated geologic processes.
- Students synthesize what they have learned to draw more general conclusions about geologic processes on planets.
Blue Marble Matches includes a teacher guide, student guide, Explore Cards, BMM Feature Charts for Earth, Earth Feature Review Images, Feature Image Charts for Planetary Bodies, optional Quick Reference Sheet, and optional Planetary Resource Information.
The teacher guide includes ways the activity can be adapted for younger students as well as suggestions for extension of materials, including measurement, scale and deeper comparison of planetary systems.
For online materials, visit http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/eeab/BMM.cfm →
Blue Marble Matches was funded by NASA and developed as part of the Expedition Earth and Beyond Program created by Jacobs Technology Engineering Science Contract Group at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Brandi Bernoskie/Institute for Global Environmental Strategies


Remarkably readable and accessible, this classic exposition presents a bar-by-bar, theme-by-theme analysis of all 16 quartets and the Grosse Fuge.
Joseph de Marliave eschews technical terms, focusing on mood and general effects and illustrating his remarks with 321 musical examples. In addition to musicological information, de Marliave provides a complete background, encompassing dates of composition, contemporary reactions, influences, and Beethoven’s transcendence of established forms. Clear analyses and a wealth of documentary material make this one of the most authoritative studies of Beethoven’s quartets, as well as one of the most enjoyable. Preface by Gabriel Fauré. Introduction, notes by Jean Escarra. Translated by Hilda Andrews.
Unabridged reprint of the English translation first published in 1928.
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Beginning with Santa Claus as a cognitive exercise, a child is encouraged to share the same idea of reality as his peers. Even if that reality is patently invented and ludicrous, belief is encouraged with gifts that support and promote the common cultural lies. The Greatest consensus in modern society is our traffic system. The Way a flood of strangers can interact, sharing a path, almost all of them traveling without incident. It only takes one dissenting driver to create anarchy. Perpetuating Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny breaks ground for further socialization, including conformance to traffic laws which all the maximum number of drivers to commingle on our roadways. In addition, insisting that the journey is always a means to some greater end, and the excitement and danger of the journey should be minimized. Perpetuating the fallacy that a journey itself is of little value.


Lesson #2: Ethics of Persuasive Technology
Persuasion comes in a variety of forms and the intent may be innocent or may have more nefarious purposes. Throughout this lesson, we’ll be examining the ethics of persuasive technology.  Note that Captology is the study of persuasive technology. Take a moment to examine the graphic below:
To explore ethical issues in persuasive technology in a compelling way, educator Daniel Berdichevsky and researcher Erik Neunschwander solicit “dark side” designs from students, that is, applications of persuasive technology with troubling ethical implications. Consider the following example:
Persuasion is viewed by some as an intentional effort to change attitudes or behavior and technology as the directed application of abstract ideas. Passive technological media, such as megaphones and billboards, facilitate persuasion without altering their pattern of interaction in response to the characteristics or actions of the persuaded party. Active persuasive technologies, however, are to some degree under the control of or at least responsive to the persuaded party. Or should be. The appearance of control may suffice for creating a persuasive experience, but if this appearance is not backed up by reality, the designer runs afoul of our accuracy principle.
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Persuasive Technology
Analyzing the ethics of any specific persuasive act requires a systematic approach, beginning with a breakdown of standard persuasion and eventually encompassing persuasive technologies as needed. To support this approach, we propose a framework for analyzing acts of persuasion according to their motivations, methods, and outcomes—intended and unintended. Our development framework begins with the basic relationship of a persuader and a person being persuaded (see Figure 3).
In these instances, while a persuader may still use technologies like megaphones and billboards to convey the persuasive message, we ultimately look only at the two parties when distributing responsibility. However, our focus is on technologies created with the intention to persuade—sometimes called “endogenously” persuasive technologies. They differ from technological media in that they are actively persuasive intermediaries between the persuader and the persuaded person. Unlike billboards, they interact dynamically with the objects of their persuasion (see Figure 3).
The framework of motivations, methods, and outcomes can be applied in evaluating the ethics of a persuasive act in either case, but the introduction of an actively persuasive technology requires the separate attribution of motivations to the designer and of the persuasive intent to the technology. Oddly, but meaningfully, the technology is both a method and the direct executor of persuasive methods. We must also consider whether technology alters or even shares in the distribution of responsibility for the intent, methods, and end result of a persuasive act. To date, computers have demonstrated neither the capacity to form their own intentions nor the ability to make their own choices. By any sensible standard, therefore, they are not free moral agents —so when computers make serious mistakes, their programmers are often the first people blamed, users second, and Mother Nature third. The computer itself gets off easy.2 Similarly, we cannot realistically attribute responsibility for the persuasive act to the persuasive technology. The major difference between persuasion through active technology and through traditional person-to-person relationships and interactions is not motivation, since the persuader still intends to persuade, presumably for the same reason or outcome, and since the persuaded person still undertakes or experiences that outcome. Our ethical scrutiny of persuasive technology has to center on the methods employed in the persuasion itself.
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Motivations vs. Intent
The motivations underlying a persuasive act and the intent of that persuasive act are not the same. To figure out the motivation of a persuader, ask yourself, Why is this person persuading me or someone else to do something? The methods employed by persuasive technology are similar to those employed by persuasive people. For example, humans can persuade through flattery. Recent research has shown that computers can flatter too . Humans can also persuade through conditioning, by rewarding and punishing desirable and undesirable behaviors. So can computers. However, technologies embed these methods in a new and compelling context. For instance, while humans can persuade through basic role playing, computers permit simulations to achieve unprecedented complexity, realism, and persuasive potential (see Khaslavsky et al.’s “Understanding the Seductive Experience” in this issue). Such differences are why we need to reconsider the implications for the ethics of traditional persuasive methods when these methods are undertaken by technologies instead of by humans. We must also evaluate the ultimate outcome of the persuasive act—the ethics of what the persuaded person is persuaded to do or think. If something is unethical for you to do of your own volition, it is equally unethical to do when someone persuades you to do it. We assert that designers of persuasive technologies should be held responsible only for reasonably predictable outcomes (see Figure 5).
How sensitive should designers and programmers be to the ethics of the persuasive technology they design? Given this framework of motivations, methods, and outcomes, we can establish the first three of our principles for future persuasive-software design:
- The intended outcome of any persuasive technology should never be one that would be deemed unethical if the persuasion were undertaken without the technology or if the outcome occurred independent of persuasion.
- The motivations behind the creation of a persuasive technology should never be such that they would be deemed unethical if they led to more traditional persuasion.
- The creators of a persuasive technology must consider, contend with, and assume responsibility for all reasonably predictable outcomes of its use.
We propose two principles for the design of persuasive technologies with regard to the collection and manipulation of information about users. The first is: The creators of a persuasive technology must ensure it regards the privacy of users with at least as much respect as they regard their own privacy.3 To complement this principle, we should consider whether personal information is shared with a third party or used exclusively by a particular technology. Our intent here is to persuade you to think critically about ethical issues at the convergence of technology and persuasion. However, remember that to analyze the motivation behind a persuasive act, it is important to put aside for a moment the intended outcome and ask, Why intend that outcome in the first place? But why should we want to persuade you? Because in the near future, persuasive technologies will be commonplace, affecting many people in many ways. By initiating this dialog in the professional community and by proposing a first set of principles for persuasive design efforts, we hope to steer the field in a positive direction from the outset.
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The portability of tablet computers makes them attractive to many consumers, but the tablet’s versatility and small footprint is especially appealing to the 2.2 million Americans in wheelchairs. All too often, though, a tablet is out of reach, both literally and metaphorically.
The tablet may be tucked away in a backpack, a side compartment, or another hard-to-access storage space in a wheelchair. Even when the tablet is close at hand, it may be impossible or impractical to use. For example, when a wheelchair user is on the move, it doesn’t make sense for them to rest an open tablet on their lap. The risk of it sliding off is too great. Placing the tablet on a table may be equally unfeasible, as wheelchairs often can’t get near enough to a table for the user to reach the tablet. In addition, some people with spinal cord injuries aren’t able to use their hands, or have limited hand movement, making it physically impossible to hold a tablet.
That’s where a tablet holder for wheelchairs comes in handy. Using an unobtrusive mounting system, a tablet holder for wheelchairs ensures that the tablet is readily accessible. Moreover, a tablet holder for wheelchairs can be easy to mount and adjust. It can also utilize a lock and key system, which helps prevent dropping, theft, or loss.
Once a tablet holder for wheelchairs is installed, there are any number of ways tablets can be adapted to meet the needs of physically disabled people. For example, touchscreen gloves or gloves to which a film has been applied can prevent inadvertent taps. Acrylic overlays called keyguards provide similar functionality, and styluses in holders are helpful for users who require greater accuracy. These assistive devices help wheelchair users move through the world – providing they’re able to access the tablet in the first place.
A tablet holder for wheelchairs is but one example of the innovations that allow disabled people to embrace the world with independence. Eye-controlled wheelchairs are in development, promising greater mobility to quadriplegics with severe spinal cord injuries. Toyota and Segway creator Dean Kamen are working on a next-generation iBOT, which will enable those in wheelchairs to navigate stairs and uneven terrain. Sensors and a companion app will help prevent pressure sores by reminding chair users to change positions. Virtual reality devices may deliver experiences that those in wheelchairs wouldn’t otherwise be able to access. And automakers promise that self-driving cars will be on the road in less than a decade, creating greater opportunity for those with severe disabilities.
With an iPad or similar device mounted using a tablet holder for wheelchairs, those on the roll can obtain real-time visual and audio information about accessible routes and destinations. When the chair is stationary, a tablet holder for wheelchairs puts the device within reach so users can read, research, watch entertainment, play games, and interact on social media. The Talon Table Mount is a unique tablet holder for wheelchairs. Easy to install and adjust, the Talon delivers easy tablet access to those on wheels.


Q&A: Thailand-Cambodia temple dispute
A row over territory around the 11th Century border temple of Preah Vihear continues to strain ties between Thailand and Cambodia. The BBC looks at the background to the dispute.
Who owns the temple?
The Hindu temple was awarded to Cambodia by a 1962 ruling at the International Court of Justice, which both countries accepted at the time. Thailand does not officially claim ownership of the temple - the dispute is over the area surrounding it. Thailand says the ICJ ruling did not rule on the border, only on the temple itself.
The geography of the area makes sovereignty a particularly complicated issue. The temple is perched on top of a cliff, hundreds of feet above the Cambodian jungle. It has direct transport links to Thai towns and cities, and tourists can visit the temple from Thailand without the need for visas.
In fact, until 2003 access from Cambodian territory was possible only via a gruelling hike through jungle and mountains. In 2003 a road opened connecting a Cambodian town to the temple.
How long has the dispute been running?
The temple has been at the centre of a border dispute for more than a century. Maps drawn by Cambodia's French colonial rulers and Thailand (or Siam, as it was then known) early in the 20th Century showed the temple as belonging to Cambodia, but in later decades Thailand said the maps were not official and were therefore invalid.
The ICJ granted the temple to Cambodia in 1962, but the decision rankled Thailand. The dispute was largely moribund for decades as Cambodia plunged into a civil conflict that lingered until the 1990s.
The issue escalated again when Cambodia applied for it be listed as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2008. Thailand wanted it to be a joint Thai-Cambodia listing, but eventually withdrew its objection. The decision enraged Thai nationalists and both sides began a build-up of troops in the area.
In April 2009, soldiers exchanged fire across the disputed border. More serious trouble flared in February 2011, when at least eight people were killed in several days of fighting. The violence moved westwards to another set of temples in April, before shifting back to Preah Vihear, as widespread clashes forced tens of thousands to flee.
Is anyone trying to sort out the dispute?
In February 2011 Cambodia took the case to the UN Security Council, which then referred it to regional bloc Asean. Indonesia, as then-president of Asean, led mediation efforts. Both sides said they would allow access to Asean monitors.
However, Asean could do nothing to prevent further fighting flaring up again in April and talks between the leaders of the two countries failed to break the deadlock.
In April, Cambodia returned to the ICJ and requested it clarify its 1962 ruling. In July, the ICJ designated a demilitarised zone around the temple and ordered troops from both countries to leave the area.
Hearings at the ICJ began in April 2013. The court is set to rule on 11 November 2013.
Why is the temple so important?
The Hindu temple was built mainly in the 11th and 12th centuries, by the same Khmer civilisation that built Angkor Wat. The Khmers dominated the region for five centuries. As Cambodia has a tragic recent history of genocide and civil war, politicians often look to the glorious distant past to inspire nationalist sentiment.
And Cambodian nationalists often use Thailand as a bogeyman to stoke nationalist fervour - charting a litany of wrongs such as the successive Thai invasions that helped destroy the once mighty Khmer empires and rendered the country defenceless against French colonial conquest in the 19th Century.
Thailand also took advantage of the chaos during World War II to occupy large chunks of western Cambodia, including the temples at Angkor Wat. It was forced to hand them back when the war ended.
The Thai military often treated Cambodian refugees who fled the civil wars of the 1970s and 80s harshly - and Thailand backed the remnants of the Khmer Rouge in their struggle against the Vietnamese occupation, so helping prolong the civil war.
On the Thai side, the Khmer civilisation profoundly influenced Thai culture, and there are many famous Khmer-style temples in Thailand. In recent years, a powerful nationalist lobby allied to the military has helped drive a more muscular foreign policy agenda in Thailand.
The temple is also only one of several areas where the two countries disagree on where the border is. The maritime border is the subject of a dispute - and one which affects the development of oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Thailand. The two sides had reached agreement on joint development, but the deal was then scrapped by the administration of former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.


Krisha McCoy, MS
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
is used to treat couples who cannot become pregnant on their own and who have not had success with conventional medical infertility therapies or surgery.
is a condition that impairs a couple’s ability to become pregnant. The condition affects about 6.1 million couples in the US, which is about 10% of the reproductive-age population. Infertility affects both men and women. Fortunately, 85% to 95% of cases of infertility can be treated with conventional medical therapies, such as fertility medicines or surgeries to repair reproductive organs.
Natural reproduction requires a complicated chain of events:
If one piece of that chain is not functioning properly, infertility can result. You should schedule a visit with your doctor to discuss your fertility if you:
A fertility consultation generally includes a physical examination of both partners. The exam will include questions about sexual habits to determine whether intercourse is taking place properly for conception. If no cause of infertility is determined, more specific tests are ordered, including:
A number of factors contribute to infertility, including
pelvic inflammatory disease,
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure (POF), luteal phase defect (LPD), smoking, alcohol use, extreme underweight or overweight, strenuous exercise,
eating disorders, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs),
prostate surgery, and testicle injuries or problems.
In addition, advancing age is associated with declining fertility, especially in women. Fertility especially declines in women after age 35. Men, on the other hand, often remain fertile into their 60s and 70s, although advancing age can be associated with problems with the shape and movement of sperm.
Assisted reproductive technology: home. The Centers for Disease Control website. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/ART/index.htm. Updated August 1, 2012. Accessed October 23, 2012.
In vitro fertilization: IVF. American Pregnancy Association website. Available at:
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/infertility/ivf.html. Updated May 2007. Accessed October 23, 2012.
Infertility. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us. Updated August 23, 2012. Accessed October 23, 2012.
IVF/ART. National Infertility Association website. Available at:
http://www.resolve.org/family-building-options/ivf-art.html. Accessed October 23, 2012.
Last reviewed December 2013 by Andrea Chisholm, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


Blood alcohol content is a measure of how much alcohol is in your body; it is also referred to as a BAC. Each state in the country applies various charges related to driving while intoxicated based on how high your BAC limit is if law enforcement tests it. In most states, including New York, charges are possible beginning at a .08 percent BAC.
Blood alcohol content is measured in three ways: a breath test, blood test or urine test. Because it can be performed easily in the field, the breath test is one of the most common methods of detection used by law enforcement. The test is conducted with a machine known as a Breathalyzer, which is lightweight and easy to carry in a patrol car. A person blows into the Breathalyzer and the amount of alcohol expelled in from the lungs and into the air is measured. While Breathalyzers are considered legally accurate enough to result in charges, averaging and application of breath tests to all individuals can result in inaccurate readings for some.
Blood sampling is the most accurate way to measure BAC levels, though it usually requires a person agree to the sampling and be transported to a place where the sampling can be done. Field officers are not usually equipped or trained for such purposes. One thing worth noting is that refusal of these tests can result in charges too, often with bigger fines or consequences than a first-time DWI charge.
Urine testing is the least accurate way to measure BAC, so it is only used when access to the other types of tests is not available. Urine tests are heavily impacted by time in relation to a person’s last drink, and validation testing might be required for any sample.
No type of BAC test is 100 percent accurate all of the time, which means defenses against test results do exist. Understanding how to defend against BAC results is a critical component of DWI criminal defense.
Source: BAC Track, “Three Types of BAC Testing,” accessed Dec. 18, 2015


I'm 70 years old and was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. At my age, what are the best ways to manage my disease?
While the treatment of any disease should be tailored to a patient's specific medicals needs, the management goals for everyone who has diabetes are the same, regardless of their age--enhancing quality of life and reducing complications.
Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone required to convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy needed for daily life. People with diabetes have too much glucose, a form of sugar, in their blood. As a result, they may suffer from a number of symptoms, such as extreme hunger or thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, or vision difficulties, and are at increased risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and other serious complications.
More than half of the 16 million Americans living with diabetes are over the age of 60. Of those over 65, almost 20 percent have diabetes, mostly Type 2, a form of diabetes most common in people over 40 that is linked to obesity, physical inactivity, and family history of the disease. According to government statistics, older adults with diabetes are two to three times more likely to be hospitalized. Diabetes also increases seniors' risk for age-associated diseases and can decrease life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.
"Because they have few or no symptoms, many people with Type 2 diabetes, however, do not even know they have the disease, so serious complications can be compounded by the lack of treatment for the underlying diabetes," says Robert Schreiber, M.D., physician-in-chief at Hebrew SeniorLife.
A number of factors can make managing diabetes particularly difficult for older adults. Modifying lifestyle factors that can lead to Type 2 diabetes, including obesity, poor diet, and lack of exercise, may be more difficult for seniors. Diabetes can exacerbate medical conditions common to older adults, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Complications can develop more quickly in older adults, who may have more--and more severe--complications than younger patients. Cognitive impairments and decreased physical ability may also make it more difficult to follow a treatment plan.
A number of components go into a successful diabetes self-management program. says Dr. Schreiber, including:
- Monitoring blood glucose levels regularly - This helps patients know how much food to eat, how much exercise to get, and how much medication, including insulin, to take, as well as helping them feel more in control of their disease.
- Following a well-balanced meal plan - Different foods affect blood glucose levels, so planning meals is important. A dietitian can help create personalized meal plans designed to help control blood glucose levels.
- Exercising regularly - 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week can improve blood glucose levels of older adults.
- Taking medications as prescribed - Medications, both oral and injectable, are key to controlling diabetes, and they should be taken exactly as they are prescribed by a physician.
- Losing weight - Nearly 90 percent of diabetics are overweight; studies have shown that weight loss is an essential element in controlling blood glucose levels.
- Checking feet daily - Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage) can cause cuts, sores and blisters to go unnoticed. Because they heal more slowly in people with diabetes, the risk of infection is greater.
- Visiting your health-care team regularly - Regular visits to a primary care physician and an endocrinologist (a diabetes specialist) can help monitor disease progression and modify disease treatment and management plans. In addition, people with diabetes should see an eye doctor annually and a dentist every six months.
While diabetes is a serious disease if left untreated, people with diabetes can effectively manage their condition by controlling their blood glucose level. In fact, the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases between 1993 and 2003, showed that blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible can slow the onset and progression of eye, kidney and nerve diseases. The study was conducted only with Type 1 diabetics, but the lesson applies to all diabetics: control your blood sugar.
Back to Senior Health Tips


Breathing can cause heart attacks, scientists have warned, after increasing air pollution was linked to health problems.
Experts say evidence is mounting that a rise in pollution from traffic and industry could be linked to a increase in deaths from heart attacks. Heart disease is usually associated with genetic factors and lifestyles like smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise. However, research has begun in the new field of environmental cardiology which is examining the link between air pollution and heart disease.
Research in six US cities found that people died earlier - often from heart disease - when they lived in areas with high pollution levels. Another study of 250 metropolitan areas round the world found an increase in air pollution led to a sudden rise in heart attacks. And research in Salt Lake City in the US found that when a nearby steel mill shut down for months there was a drop in death rates of up to six per cent. Mortality rose to previous levels when the steel mill re-opened.
People who seem to be most susceptible to environmental pollutants are those who are already vulnerable, including the elderly and people with coronary artery disease. There is also some evidence that diabetics, women and people who are obese may be at greater risk. Researchers are now trying to find out which pollutants are harmful and how they damage the cardiovascular system. The study has dentified the worst air pollutants as ozone, nitrates, sulfates and metals.
It has found the risk of a heart attack particularly increases when people spend a lot of time in heavy traffic. Researcher Dr Aruni Bhatnagar, from Louisville University, found that pollution from smoke, including that from cigarettes or car exhausts, increased blood cholesterol levels and activated enzymes that cause plaque in blood vessels to rupture.


Kids are Smart!
We believe kids can retain a great depth of knowledge about topics that interest them. Think about how much a six or seven-year old can tell you about topics like planets, dinosaurs or Pokemon. Iggy and The Inhalers aims to give kids very serious and complex information, but packaged in a fun easy-to-follow format.
The comic books, activity pages, asthma action plan, trading cards, videos, stickers, and posters all work together to engage kids and encourage an deeper understanding of asthma.
By anthropomorphizing medications into characters with personalities and physical traits directly related to their mechanism of action, understanding can be much more intuitive. For example, Broncho The Bronchodilator is a rescue medication that talks and acts fast, using his lasso to loosen up the muscle bands around the airways. Coltron The Controller is a slow talking robot with a water-canon arm that slowly decreases inflammation over several days. The characters and their actions cannot be confused because they speak, look, act, and attack asthma pathophysiology differently.
Broncho the Bronchodilator
Coltron the Controller
Sequential art (a fancy name for comics) at it's core is a series of related images. But sequential images, there can be a great deal of information conveyed to the viewer. Comics allow readers to compare visual and narrative elements across space and time. Panels communicate non-verbal cues about pacing and action.
Story-driven Patient Education
Kids (and adults!) like stories. Narrative structures help us remember ideas and details. Also, social learning theory shows how modeling behavior through narrative is a useful tool in health education.
Good vs. Evil
From ancient myths to comic books, the battle of good vs. evil is a basic storytelling device. In our stories, the medications are always the good guys, and the triggers are the bad guys.
Many studies have show that well-designed combinations of images and text help patients understand health information better than text alone. Many newer studies also support the idea that narrative delivery can be better than information presented without a narrative.