Accordions are some of the more rare instruments that individuals may learn to play. This can lead many potential accordion players to have a poorly developed or completely inaccurate understanding of the process of buying and learning to play this instrument.
Myth: Only Young Children Can Learn To Play The Accordion
Many adults may wish to learn to play a musical instrument, but they may assume that this is only a skill that small children will be able to learn. While young children may be better able to quickly learn the basics of playing the accordion, it is still possible for adults to effectively learn to play this instrument. Due to the uniqueness of this instrument, previous experience with other instruments may not be as important of an advantage as people may assume. Luckily, there are accordion instructors that are able to teach students to play these instruments regardless of their previous musical knowledge or experience.
Myth: An Accordion Will Be An Extremely Large Instrument
The amount of space that a musical instrument will require can be another factor that people will need to consider as they are making a choice. People will often assume that an accordion will be a bulky instrument to store. However, it can actually be among the more compact musical instruments that a person will be able to learn to play. For example, an accordion in a storage case will typically be much smaller than keyboards, guitars, violins and other popular instruments that people may want to learn. This can allow for the accordion to easily be stored in a closet or even under the bed so that it will take up as little space as possible in the home.
Myth: Used Accordions Are Always Extremely Unreliable
When you are making a decision about the type of musical instrument to buy, you will have to assess whether you want to invest in a new or used instrument. While a used musical instrument can allow you to substantially reduce the cost of this purchase, it is important to follow some best practices to avoid buying a used accordion that has problems. One way to do this is to only purchase used instruments from a professional retailer. These services will thoroughly inspect their used instruments to make sure that they are in good enough condition to sell to a customer. Additionally, these providers are more likely to offer warranties or quality guarantees that can protect you if a problem with the accordion is only found after you have purchased it.
If you are interested in accordions, look at the accordions for sale in your area, including an Alacran accordion AL3112.Share


Nothing surprising. This is a variant on many of the manual glassworking technologies, except more automated and less varied. (But also pretty flexible.)
The glass object has to be kept above its annealing temperature, to avoid buildup of stresses and eventual cracking. At this temperature the glass is still pretty hard solid but the structure is still flexible enough to move around a tiny bit. Annealing kilns are common for glassworking; finished objects are put there so the stresses within the material can relax.
The feed has to be preheated, to be kept at the right viscosity for transport to the head, if supplied as liquid. (It could also be supplied as a glass rod, or a glass fiber. In both cases an extruder similar to the low-temperature (in comparison) plastic ones could be used. The rod could be actually made “online” - feed liquid glass through a nozzle, make a rod of a desired diameter, let it cool down to solidify enough to be pushed, and push it into the nozzle to extrude it.
Then there’s the nozzle. A refractory metal of suitable kind (common tech in extruded glass industry) is used, with appropriate heating. The extruded glass filament is then laid to the preheeated glass printout, and joins with the base material.
As the feed of molten glass to the moving head may be difficult, a design with stationary head and moving print bed (or head moving just along the z-axis) is the likely choice.
Not that difficult, in principle. I’d say the worst will be the fine-tuning of the parameters and finding a way to avoid bubbles.
A multihead extruder, working with several kinds of glass (different colors, or different refractory index or other optical properties, or maybe different chemical properties - think biocompatible surface for example, or leaching certain ions, or etchable…), could bring the ability to make objects impossible to be made in other ways.
Amorphous materials are pretty similar in behavior. So polymers are pretty similar to glass. If you play with hot glue sticks and flame (pretty useful for encapsulation of parts or gluing together things, can work way better than glue gun in certain scenarios), you have a good practice for lampworking glass.
Edit: And you can put all the actuators out of the furnace/kiln. All you need are sliders from refractory materials. All the tech is already mainstreamed by glassworking industry, decades old. The only thing new here is assembling it into a 3d printer (a look-and-see idea, rather obvious) and tuning it up (the real legwork is here, and major kudos for it).
A major improvement would be bringing the accuracy/precision to a fraction of wavelength of light, so optical components could be directly printed. As of now, however, the closest approximation is a near-net printout for subsequent grinding. It would save material and time, but a full-precision printing would allow combining multiple materials into photonic and even metamaterial structures.
Thought. Could this be achieved by a sol-gel method? An inkjet-like head printing different “colors” of gel precursors, layer by layer. Then cure the gel, dry it, it will isotropically shrink (so the printing can be done at lower precision as we’re working with a bigger structure). Optionally heat-treat but some gels can cure to amorphous oxide even without. You could use water (or other chemical) soluble material as support, so the lens (or laser rod or photonic crystal or microchannel plate…) is then liberated from the cured block by immersion in the “developer”. All sorts of physicochemical shenanigans are then possible; e.g. some parts could be made of oxides that can be easily reduced in e.g. hydrogen atmosphere, for precision positioned metal coating for e.g. said microchannel plates…
I’d agree on the ‘fundamental novelty’ point; but (given the number of fun ways to screw up even polymer extruder systems with a plastic chosen for playing nice); I suspect that ‘optical quality glass’ is a 3d printer design where a great many Devils lurk in more details than you expected, even if you went in with the assumption of unknown unknowns.
Now that they have this working, though, I’d love to see if they can get controlled combinations and internal boundaries of chemically distinct glasses or glass dopants. It isn’t uncommon for a nice lens to be a combination of multiple(sometimes a dozen or more) distinct elements made of different glasses to attempt to control chromatic aberration, get better uniformity across all relevant wavelengths, etc.
Being able to do that in a single chunk, without fabricating and assembling numerous elements would be pretty damn cool.
I think “optical quality” is a misnomer here. At least I understand “optical quality” as “put the model in, get an eyeglass or telescope or microoptics lens out”. Lighthouse-grade non-imaging Fresnel lens does not quite count.
Otherwise I agree, and that’s exactly what I meant by the kudos for tuning it up.
Exactly what I was suggesting, too!
But this won’t be much likely to be achievable with molten filament deposition, at least not with macroscopic diameters. Rough blanks, maybe, but they won’t have the internal interfaces defined well enough so multimaterial printing of imaging lenses as we know them is out.
So far it looks like a good beginning for design and architectural and artsy fartsy and some technical applications.
Or for printing blocks for optical fibers; make a macroscopic block with roughly defined internal structures, then draw it thin.
Can we put the printed object over a pot of boiling HF in order to smooth out the surface?
Yes but you’ll likely get just a frosty appearance.
A mixture of sulfuric and hydrofluoric (NOT hydroflouric!) acid is used for chemical polishing. Not sure it could eat enough material for major smoothing, though.
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How can I best teach my toddler to floss? It's important, right?
Teaching your child how to take good care of his teeth is an important part of keeping him healthy. Tooth brushing can start as soon as first teeth begin to appear. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that flossing begin when any of your child's teeth are touching or have grown in next to each other. They also recommend that by the time your child is about 2 to 2 1/2 that flossing should be done at a minimum of twice a week, or daily if you prefer. How to Floss
You can use a floss holder, which may make it easier for your child to start trying herself. If you are flossing her teeth for her instead, wrap the floss around yostour fingers and gently clean between her teeth—up and down and side to side. If you are doing it for her, be careful not to force the floss between teeth if they are very close together and tightly spaced. If the floss is forced and then hurts her gums, it may cause bleeding, which will hurt and make her less likely to sit still for it. After flossing it is a good idea to rinse with cold water.
As with many activities, making this one fun will go a long way in gaining your child's cooperation. Also, by showing her that flossing is something you do routinely, you're helping to reinforce its importance. Brush your teeth together and make it fun.
Your dentist is a great resource for tips and advice with regards to your family's oral health. Also, check out these articles and pointers.


I want to add something on Nietzsche’s pain theory.
There is a premise of Nietzsche’s pain theory, men are subjected to pain. Pain modifies men’s behaviors.
My premise is that men are inclined to pleasure.
Because men are inclined to pleasure, so they avoid pain. By avoiding pain, pleasing themselves becomes the subconscious motive behind most of their actions.
This also allures selfishness, which is how genuinely people work.
If we impose pain on somebody, he suffers from pain, either mentally, or physically. Later, he would try his best to avoid the pain.
We can impose some rule on the pain, to make the person remember, if breaking the rule, you will suffer the exact same pain you previously suffered before.
This helps shape people’s values and morals.
So a little bit of vice versa.
If we give somebody the pleasure he enjoys, he would want that same type of pleasure again.
On some degree, we are mere animated objects of our neurological systems.
If the pleasure comes with a certain rule, the person would obey it in order to receive the same type of pleasure he enjoyed previously.
We are limited by our senses. This theory stems from we are inhibited by our senses.
However, if one exerts himself, he is able to go beyond his senses. That is when these rules start to not apply.


August 23, 2017 | Written by: Paul Austin
Categorized: Inclusive Workforce
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There is a wealth of technical talent available in the population of high-functioning autistic individuals, but it often goes untapped for the want of proper accommodations that could make any workplace – with or without people on the autism spectrum – a better place to work.
Currently in the United States, only 14 percent of those with autism are employed, mainly in a non-professional manner.
I have a nephew and friends with autism or other disabilities who, if given a chance, would make a happy and useful employee if we could just focus on their abilities. We have come far as a society in recognizing that people with disabilities can contribute as much as the rest of us. If we concentrate on what people can do, and it matches what we need, it makes great teams greater, and good managers better.
Autism is a spectrum of disorders that affects one in 68 children with differing degrees. To some degree, each child could exhibit:
- Social and communication problems
- Repetitive behaviors
- Limited interests or activities
- Intense concentration or fixation
In spite of, or because of these disabilities, a corresponding ability is revealed, such as:
- Taking things literally to excel at following instructions
- Repetitive work does not bore some people, and they love structure; while some can excel at pattern matching
- Being focused on one subject matter makes some astounding experts in an area
- Some are able to concentrate on tasks that easily wear down others
These talents often find great use areas such as software development, especially in testing. However, because many on the autism spectrum find it hard to look a person in the eye, control their repetitive or comforting behaviors, or hold a “normal” casual conversation, they often don’t fare well in interviews, are ostracized, or languish in low-paying jobs. Their talent and academic achievement is wasted, and companies miss out on talented individuals.
With targeted recruiting, a change in interviewing skills, and some reasonable workplace accommodations – largely through educating “neurotypical” staff and management to be more precise, careful and literal in their instruction – these differences can be cast aside to the benefit of both the autistic individual in getting a productive and meaningful job, the workforce in morale, and the company in productivity.
When hearing about the accommodations needed, most neurotypicals often comment, “why can’t we just do that anyway? That would make life so much easier!”.
I’m also excited by technological advances in artificial intelligence, such as the IBM AbilityLab Content Clarifier that simplifies, summarizes and augments content to increase comprehension for people with cognitive disabilities.
Organizations are already focusing on efforts to attract talented individuals with differing abilities to help drive innovation, foster a culture of diversity, and transform the business. Combined with new technology, we can help change the perspective and pre-conceived perceptions on the autistic community, while helping everyone be more empathetic and respectful.
For more information:


Timothy H. O'Sullivan, born in 1840, is considered to be a pioneer photographer. In his relatively short career, he is credited as the first, or amongst the first to accomplish several feats in the field of photography.
After an apprenticeship under photographer Mathew Brady in New York, O'Sullivan went with the photographers of Brady's studio to photograph the Civil War. Brady did not give credit to his individual photographers, so several photographers, including O'Sullivan left Brady to join the studio of Alexander Gardner.
Prior to the time of the Civil War, photography was largely limited to portraits in studios. The Civil War was the first war to be photographed extensively. In the early days of photography, this task was very difficult. By the time of the war, photography had progressed beyond the era of the daguerreotype which required exposure times of several minutes. The collodion wet plate process used by O'Sullivan was an improvement, with exposure times of less than a minute in bright sunlight. But the process required a lot of equipment and a dark room both soon before and after the exposure, so field photographers often used a wagon on their photographic treks.
With such long exposure times, action shots of the war were not possible. The long set-up time and the dangers of war also limited what could be photographed. Before battle, portraits of officers and groups of soldiers were often done. During battle few pictures were taken, but O'Sullivan tried, with his camera being hit in battle more than once. After the battle, the dead would be a frequent subject of photographs, since they tend not to move.
From the photographs taken by O'Sullivan and others, Alexander Gardner produced a book,
Gardner's Photographic Sketch Book of the War
The photographs gave the general public a first look at the grim realities of war,
versus the glorified paintings and drawings made of previous wars.
While these pictures were considered true documentation of the war,
research has shown that in some cases bodies were moved for pictures,
and different views of the same dead bodies were identified as Union soldiers in one case,
and Confederates in the other.
After the war, Timothy O'Sullivan's reputation as a photographer gained him a position with a government survey of the American West. The first expedition was headed by Clarence King and explored the area of the fortieth Parallel, starting in California, in 1867. In Virginia City, Nevada, O'Sullivan was the first to take photographs underground in mines in America. He also took notable pictures of Pyramid Lake and of his photography wagon in the sand dune in Nevada.
After a short expedition to Panama, O'Sullivan returned to the West to be the photographer on an expedition up the Colorado River. The expedition had three boats, with one boat named "The Picture" carrying O'Sullivan's darkroom and photographic equipment. After the Colorado River trip, O'Sullivan continued to explore Arizona and New Mexico, becoming the first to photograph many scenes that were to be captured countless times after him. The cliff dwellings in Cañon de Chelle (Canyon de Chelly) in Arizona and the Pueblos in New Mexico were most notably first photographed by O'Sullivan. The difficulties O'Sullivan encountered during the Civil War helped him survive the harsh conditions he met on the expeditions to the American West.
Documenting the West with photographs was supposed to be an objective view of how it was out there, but in actuality, there was subtle bias. Clarence King wanted to gather evidence for his geological theories, so the pictures that O'Sullivan took or didn't take had to support King's theories. Other early photographers had other agenda on their mind when they took pictures, such as encouraging people to settle in these new lands. On the whole, O'Sullivan was probably more objective than many of the early photojournalists. O'Sullivan is perhaps less well known today than later Western photographers, but O'Sullivan was there first, and those later photographers learned from his ordeals.


I want to believe I can change. Show me how.
The “arc of change” is famous in fiction, and it’s much the same in memoir–but there’s a change and shift in non-fiction too. Change is what pulls the reader from the beginning to the end of every narrative book. Without the promise of change, your reader feels like they’re going nowhere, and they won’t come along for your ride.
In fiction and memoir, the change comes to the protagonist (and offers the reader the promise that they, too, are capable of change. In non-fiction, change may come to the narrator, to a real-life figure, or be offered to the reader, but it has to be there. It isn’t enough that the advice is sound or that a story is true. We still need to feel that journey from one way of being to another.
This is the fifth episode in the 10-part Blueprint for a Book Series. Start with Step 1, do the work (we’ll give you an assignment every week), and in 10 weeks, you’ll have a solid foundation for a first draft or revision of your project that will help you push through to “the end”. Find details on the challenge HERE.
Write out the answers to the following questions:
Fiction and narrative memoir:
Answer the following questions:
Who is your protagonist? (If you’re writing memoir, it’s you.) What do they want at the start of the story?
What is their arc of change – their transformation journey? What do they know or believe or understand at the end of the story that they didn’t at the start? How are they different?
What stands in the way of the protagonist getting what they want, externally and internally?
Are they telling the tale?
Will there be other POV characters?
Nonfiction and Self-Help/Memoir:
Define the arc of change – the transformation journey – for your reader.
What do they know or believe or understand when they pick up your book? Be specific.
What do they know or believe or understand when they finish your book that they didn’t at the start? Be specific.
(Note: We suggest you download a Blueprint answer workbook to keep track of your 10 assignments. That will make it easier to revise, review and come back to your work. Click to grab yours for fiction or nonfiction. If you are writing narrative memoir (a story), use the fiction workbook and assignments. If you are writing self-help/memoir, use the nonfiction workbook and assignments. Prefer paper? Tape the assignment into your journal and make a nice big heading so you know: This is Step 5: CHANGE.)
Story Genius, Lisa Cron
The terrible cat/rich dude movie: Nine Lives
Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman
How to Stop Time, Matt Haig
Boyfriend, Sarina Bowen
The Premonition, Michael Lewis
Blueprint for a Book (Fiction and Memoir)
Savannah Gilbo is a certified developmental editor and book coach who helps fiction authors write, edit, and publish stories that work. She loves working on commercial fiction for all age ranges, but her favorite genres include fantasy, science fiction, and romance. Savannah became a certified Author Accelerator in 2019 and has been helping writers (full time) ever since! Find more at savannahgilbo.com.
For more from KJ, subscribe to her newsletter: Read. Eat. Listen. Or grab one of her novels, In Her Boots and The Chicken Sisters, wherever books are sold. Wondering about KJ as a book coach? Her current offerings are HERE.
For more from Jennie, subscribe to her weekly newsletter. Or grab one of her Blueprint books, wherever books are sold. You can learn about getting matched with an Author Accelerator book coach or becoming a book coach at authoraccelerator.com.
This summer is all about starting a project, but if you already have a novel or memoir manuscript and you’re ready to go ALL IN, you’re going to want to do Author Accelerator’s Manuscript Incubator. Registration is open for the intensive, 7-month coaching opportunity that offers one-on-one support and guidance for novelists and memoirists planning to have a submission-ready project by early 2023—and includes the opportunity to have that project reviewed by a group of agents and editors when it’s ready. For more information, head to authoraccelerator.com/manuscript-incubator.


This chapter will describe our experience of using photography to teach community development for first year university students. The students were required to take photographs as part of an assignment to compile a community profile in which they assessed the needs and assets of a community. Each student was asked to take two photographs, one positive or something they liked or valued and one negative or something they did not like, of their community. The guidance given to the students was not to take photographs of people without their permission or get involved in any dangerous or illegal activities that put them at any risk.
|Title of host publication||The Pedagogy of the Social Sciences Curriculum|
|Editors||Jamie P. Halsall, Michael Snowden|
|Publisher||Springer International Publishing AG|
|Number of pages||8|
|ISBN (Electronic)||9783319338682 |
|Publication status||Published - 2017|
|Name||International Perspectives on Social Policy, Administration, and Practice|


Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge for kids
In recent years, there has been a big push for kids to get interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The thinking is that if kids get interested in these subjects early on, they will be more likely to pursue careers in these fields when they grow up.
What is STEM?
STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Schools are focused on teaching and learning in these disciplines in order to provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century. It is generally thought that in order for students to be college and career ready, it is important that they have a strong foundation in STEM.
Why is STEM education important for kids?
There is a lot of discussion these days about the importance of STEM education for kids. And for good reason – the world is changing quickly, and those who have strong STEM skills are likely to have the best opportunities in life. But what does that mean for kids? Why is STEM education so important?
One reason is that future jobs are likely to require strong STEM skills. In fact, according to one study, 65% of today’s kindergarten students will eventually have jobs that don’t exist yet. So it’s important for kids to start learning about these subjects early on, so they can be prepared for whatever comes their way.
How to get kids interested in STEM?
There are many ways to get kids interested in STEM. One way is to make sure that they have opportunities to do hands-on activities. For example, let them experiment with cooking or building things. Another way is to provide them with good role models. Scientists, engineers, and mathematicians can be great role models for kids. Finally, it is important to keep STEM education fun and engaging. Kids will be more likely to stick with it if they enjoy it.
How can parents help support their children’s STEM education?
There is no question that STEM education is important for children’s future careers and opportunities. However, many parents feel unsure about how they can best support their children in these areas. Here are a few tips for helping your child succeed in STEM courses and activities:
- Make sure your child is enrolled in a course or activity that emphasizes STEM skills. There are many great programs available, both in schools and after-school settings.
- Help your child develop a strong work ethic when it comes to STEM subjects. This means being patient while working through challenging problems and never giving up.
- Encourage your child to get involved in extracurricular activities related to STEM. This could include robotics clubs, science fairs, or math competitions.
- Be a role model for your child when it comes to embracing STEM subjects.
In conclusion, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is important for kids. STEM knowledge helps children think critically and creatively, and it prepares them for future careers. Parents can help their children develop STEM skills by providing opportunities for hands-on learning and promoting curiosity and exploration.
- Strengthening Communication Skills in Kids
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- Respecting boundaries crucial to child’s safety | Parenting with Pete


stimulate vs activate - (Nov/12/2012 )
Which one should I use in term of recepter and ligand.
Ligand activate recepter
Licand stimulate recepter
I'd say: "A ligand activates a receptor." (As they function as activator then.)
What if the ligand/receptor is an inhibitory signal?
I would probably say either:
The ligand binds the receptor... or
The ligand complexes with the receptor
But obviously, if the ligand/receptor interaction you are talking about is in fact an activatory one, then I think using either activate or stimulate is probably fine (I'd use activate though, as we do tend to talk about activation or inhibition, rather than stimulation).
I agree with hobglobin; even if an inihibitory pathway is triggered receptor-dependently, the ligand has activated the receptor;
I would rather use the term "stimulation" in the context of a cell reaction or physiological process


The town of Cheshire is located in New Haven County in the Central Naugatuck Valley. Once part of Wallingford and known as North Farms, Cheshire separated from Wallingford in 1780 and incorporated as a town. Predominately a farming community, Cheshire saw a rise in industry and suburbanization in the post-World War II period but managed to retain many of its rural characteristics and agrarian roots. Today, Cheshire’s lively agricultural industry has led the town to be called the “Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut.” It is also home to two state prison facilities, the Cheshire Correctional Institution which opened in 1910 and the Manson Youth Institute, opened in 1982.
John Frederick Kensett was a landscape painter who is now... …[more]
“Farmington Canal State Park Trail.” Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, 2012. Link.
“The Cheshire Historical Society,” 2012. Link.
“The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail.” Farmington Valley Trails Council, 2016. Link.
“Cheshire - WPA Architectural Survey.” Connecticut State Library, 2009. Link.
“Map - North Part of New Haven Co., Connecticut from Town and City Atlas of the State of Connecticut.” Boston, MA: D.H. Hurd & Company, 1893. University of Connecticut Libraries, Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC. Link.
“Photograph - Man and Machine, Capewell Horse Nail Company, Cheshire,” ca 1880. Connecticut History Online, Connecticut Historical Society. Link.
“View of Cheshire, Connecticut 1882.” Bird’s-eye. Boston, MA: Bailey & Company, 1882. University of Connecticut Libraries, Map and Geographic Information Center - MAGIC. Link.
Gagliardi, Ron. Cheshire. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2001.
Beach, Joseph. History of Cheshire, Connecticut, from 1694-1840 Including Prospect, Which, as Columbia Parish, Was a Part of Cheshire Until 1829. Cheshire, CT: Lady Fenwick Chapter, D.A.R., 1912. Link.
Rockey, J. History of New Haven County, Connecticut. Vol. 1. New York: W. W. Preston, 1892. Link.
Davis, Charles. History of Wallingford, Conn. from Its Settlement in 1670 to the Present Time, Including Meriden, Which Was One of Its Parishes Until 1806, and Cheshire, Which Was Incorporated in 1780. Meriden, CT: C.H.S. Davis, 1870. Link.
Brown, Edwin. Old Historic Homes of Cheshire, Connecticut, with an Account of the Early Settlement of the Town, Description of Its Churches, Academy and Old Town Cemetery, Places of Interest--Roaring Brook, Scott’s Rock, Barytes and Copper Mines, Ancient Trees, Etc. New Haven, CT: C.H. Ryder, 1895.
Cheshire Historical Society, and Raimon Beard. Reflections on the Canal in Cheshire: A Scrap-Book Account. Cheshire, CT: Cheshire Historical Society, 1976.


Related to our exciting discussion about young earth creationism a couple of weeks ago is this article about a congressman from Georgia who gave a speech claiming, “there are a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth.” He found out that scientific data as a scientist, so there.
He also said that “All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang Theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell.” Maybe someone told him that Sheldon isn’t the funniest character on the show, which really would be a lie straight from the pit of hell.
A few years ago the same guy said that Obama was going to start a Marxist dictatorship just like Hitler did.
It’s the kind of stuff that makes politics so entertaining in America, and shows the problem with some beliefs isn’t their truth or falseness, but the company you have to keep while believing them.
Based on the comments on the previous posts, young earth creationism has something inherently to do with homeschooling, but since I could never figure out the connection let’s talk about libraries instead.
Let’s talk about a different kind of book challenge than usual. I propose a hypothetical challenge to how a book might be classified.
What about a book teaching young earth creationism as science rather than as a belief based on an interpretation of the holy book of one of the world’s religions? Where should it go? Religion or Science?
The problem isn’t that young earth creationism might be wrong. The problem is that it isn’t scientific. Our scientific congressman may have found some evidence as a scientist, but if you already have a belief, only look for evidence to confirm it, and ignore any evidence that refutes it, you can find evidence to support any belief.
That’s what most of us do for beliefs all the time. We start with something we believe and then select the evidence that supports the belief. It’s very human, but it’s not very scientific.
Nobody looking at the evidence who didn’t start with that particular religious belief would think the earth was 6,000 years old. Have Hindus or Buddhists evaluate the evidence and see how persuaded they are. Even the young earth creationists themselves admit they start from the creation account in Genesis and then go from there.
Apparently one of the most influential books on young earth creationism is The Genesis Flood: the Biblical Record and Its Scientific Implications. This book has sold 200,000 copies and a lot of people believe it has something to do with science. Where do libraries stand? According to the WorldCat record, libraries that have this book shelve it either in the BS or the 220, which are both call numbers for religion in LC and Dewey.
Another book I saw listed in the Conservapedia entry on Young Earth Creationism is Evolution: the Fossils Still Say No!, which you can tell from the exclamation point in the title is a really scientific book. Where do libraries keep the book? Either in the BL or 213, both still religion rather than science. By the way, the entry partly plagiarizes the Wikipedia entry. How desperate do you have to be to plagiarize from Wikipedia?
The partly plagiarized Conservapedia entry also lists two “peer-reviewed journals” that the Wikipedia somehow failed to find: the Creation Research Society Quarterly and the Journal of Creation, both classified in both LC and Dewey as religion journals.
So far, so good. Some people have a religious belief about the age of the earth and libraries buy books and journals created by and for these believers and shelve them in the religion section of the library. Everybody gets some representation in the collection.
Other books on the origins of the universe and the earth might be shelved elsewhere. For example, Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution is at QB or 523, both call numbers for science books. I’m assuming this is a popular book on the topic given the 1800 or so libraries that own it. Or another book, Richard Leakey’s Origins: What New Discoveries Reveal about the Emergence of Our Species and its Possible Future, an even more popular book shelved at GN or 573.
But what if a patron wandered into a library that had both Origins plus Evolution: the Fossils Still Say No! and demanded that Evolution…! be shelved in the Gs or the Qs or the 500s near the other books. They’re all scientific books about the origin of the universe and human life, right?
Better yet, since both of the Origins books are evidently false from the perspective of the young earth creationist, why aren’t they in the fiction section instead of the science section?
How should librarians respond to this challenge? There’s the bureaucratic response that LC or Dewey just place the books there. Local librarians don’t make up the classification scheme.
Of course, some librarian somewhere decided to classify Leakey’s Origins in GN and 573 and another chose to classify Evolution…! in religion. Could they have been wrong?
Then there’s the argument that any books talking about creationism are religious, so they go into religion. Maybe, but most creationists aren’t young earth creationists, and many of them find the scientific account of cosmology and geology and evolution compatible with their religious beliefs.
However, they don’t necessarily write books on creationism as science, but most of the creationist books, no matter how gussied up with scientific terms, are probably going to talk about Genesis at some point. Basing a belief in book of the Bible is religious.
That obviously wouldn’t satisfy the young earth creationist, though. Would librarians then have to go into a broader defense of their classification schemes and the ways librarians interpret them? It’s not like anyone would say classification schemes are perfect, and they’ve been criticized from all corners.
Classification schemes impose order on reality. In a way, we decide what reality is. Librarians may follow the general consensus of educated people, but it’s still them making the call on whether something is science or religion, and the decision is clear: creationism isn’t science, even though some people might claim otherwise.
Librarians are supposedly ready to defend books against challenges, but are they ready to defend the order they’ve imposed on reality?
Some of the people who voted for that congressman are probably able to read, and some of the readers probably use libraries. Why shouldn’t they challenge why Origins is in the science section rather than the fiction section and Evolution…! is in the religion section instead of the science section?
If given this challenge in your library, what would you do?


Here you can read about different types of hernias and their respective treatment options. You will find more detailed information in our links.
An inguinal hernia (lat. hernia inguinalis) is an abdominal hernia in the area of the inguinal canal. Muscles, tendons and connective tissue form the fixed outer wall of the abdominal cavity. A weaknesses there may lead to localized holes, so-called hernias. Inguinal hernia is the most frequent type of hernia and occurs in all age groups. Men are 9x more affected than women.
Umbilical hernia (lat. hernia umbilicalis) is an abdominal hernia at the site of passage of the umbilical cord through the abdominal wall. Umbilical hernia is a common form of hernia and occurs in all age groups and both sexes.
Incisional hernia is an abdominal hernia in the area of a scar on the abdomen resulting from previous abdominal surgery (gall bladder, intestine, liver, etc.). It occurs as a result of an incompletely healed surgical wound.
A diaphragmatic hernia arises in a weak point of the passage of the esophagus through the diaphragm between the chest and abdominal cavities. This can be congenital but also acquired and may cause the upper portion of the stomach or even the whole stomach prolapse itself through this flared opening in the chest cavity or into the latter and again leveled out. The symptoms are often acid regurgitation and a burning sensation in the stomach, as well as nausea and trouble picking up various dishes. The definitive diagnosis can usually be made by a gastroscopy, in which also any changes in the interior are especially checked at the lower share of the esophagus, as these can be damaged by stomach acid and changed over time.
The diastasis recti - an often underestimated problem associated with umbilical and epigastric fractures and often in conjunction with existing back pain!
The diastasis recti is the diverging of the rectus abdominis muscles around the center line, the linea alba. They are available as congenital anomaly, but acquired much more frequently, especially after pregnancy. A diastasis recti about two centimeters is considered pathological findings. this abdominal wall weakness / abdominal wall instability is complicated often by the appearance of umbilical or Oberbauchhernien (hernia repair), and very often it is accompanied by back pain, the cause is often the physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon opens not like that.
A new surgical technique may (ELAR) is again performed through a small incision around the navel and using an HD camera, the muscles at the proper place, closed the hernia and abdominal wall stability are restored. With additional use of a classic plastic network or a completely resolution (absorbable) network this reconstruction will be held on time and the biomechanics of the abdominal and back muscles is again in the balance, so that often belong also passed back pain the past and Sport is again possible. About Stretched sagging skin, for example, just after pregnancy tightens after such an operation by itself, and plastic surgery (tummy tuck etc.) are usually unnecessary.
The operation is scheduled for individual examination incl. Ultrasound and then conducted by us at a partner hospital under Vollnachkose. After about 4-5 days a dismissal in the outpatient care is available and for 6 weeks a waist belt worn and lifting loads than 5 kg should be avoided. Then there are no more restrictions and also any kind of sport is allowed and possible.
Other types of hernia
In addition to the previously mentioned types of hernia, there are also, for example, femoral or diaphragmatic hernias. It doesn't matter where hernias occur, it is always necessary to assess them individually in order to ensure optimal treatment.
With increasing symptoms and size, hernias surgery is indicated. A hernia should always be treated in good time, since there is, among other things, a risk of strangulation and incarceration of parts of the intestine, which would inevitably lead to a life-threatening situation.


Answered By: Linda Kern Last Updated: Dec 12, 2016 Views: 78
I’ve found some information which will probably be helpful to you. Link to the Advanced Education Research LibGuide at http://libguides.brenau.edu/grad-ed. We have just recently developed this guide. Once there, click on the Early Childhood tab. Of the databases listed, I searched ERIC (because it’s huge), Wilson OmniFile (because I clicked the Find IT button under an ERIC article that I wanted and was linked to OmniFile for the full text) and Education Journals (ProQuest) (to check out what a different vendor offered. To do a thorough search, I would also check the remainder of the databases listed.
ERIC: I searched (creativity or "creative thinking") AND Montessori. Don’t forget the parentheses and quotation marks; they are important to the search. I limited the search to peer reviewed articles from 2001-2011. The first article seems to be very valuable: Besancon, M., & Lubart, T. (2008). Differences in the development of creative competencies in children schooled in diverse learning environments. Learning and Individual Differences, 18(4), 381-389. Studies on the development of creativity have highlighted the impact of learning environments. In particular, pedagogical approaches are hypothesized to differ concerning their emphasis on individual initiative, and action-based learning. A semi-longitudinal study was conducted during two consecutive years with 210 children in elementary schools with traditional and alternative pedagogical approaches. Our results highlight (1) an influence of pedagogy on children's creative performance; (2) a positive influence of alternative pedagogy on creative development from year 1 to year 2 mainly for Montessori school. Children's creative performance was influenced not only by the type of task but also by the type of school. It’s not available full text; if you don’t already have it, you can request it using the Request Information Delivery button on the database.
Another of the articles is in Young Children (peer reviewed), which the library has in print. The remainder are from Montessori Life (peer reviewed). By clicking the Find IT button, I discovered that we have several years of full text coverage of Montessori Life in the Wilson OmniFile database. You can link to it from ERIC, or from the Early Childhood tab in the LibGuide.
Wilson OmniFile: If you link to OmniFile directly from ERIC, you will automatically be searching just Montessori Life. Using the search box on the right, you can search within the results for (creativity or "creative thinking"). If you link from the LibGuide, search "Montessori Life" AND (creativity or "creative thinking"). Limit the date as before. This yields 6 results, including Luther, D. M. (2004). lnspiring a culture of creativity, One school's journey. Montessori Life, 16(3), 28-31. This is not a study, but may have value.
Education Journals (ProQuest): Searching Montessori AND (creativity or "creative thinking") and limiting to peer reviewed articles from 2001-2011 yielded 147 results. Many are from Montessori Life, but there are others, such as Geist, E., & Hohn, J. (2009). Encouraging creativity in the face of administrative convenience: How our schools discourage divergent thinking. Education, 130(1), 141-150. Because ProQuest searches the full text of its articles (rather than just the abstract), the results are much less focused. You can focus using the right tool bar on the results page. Under SUBJECT, you will see creativity. Clicking INCLUDE will bring out the four articles specifically on creativity. It might be beneficial, though, to wade through most of the articles to see what they say about creativity. The annotation under the article title on the results page will show you the context in which your search terms appear in the article.
These strategies should get you started!


If you remember NASA's Galileo mission to Jupiter in the early 1990's, you may recall that the spacecraft's high gain antenna failed to deploy upon reaching the faraway planet. Without the telemetry data, scientists would lose many of the benefits of this groundbreaking enterprise. That's where a scientist from Cal Tech's Jet Propulsion Lab and his team stepped in.
Dr. Ramin Sadr and a group of researchers were tasked with the challenge of recovering the faint signals emanating from the Galileo space probe, sitting over a billion miles away from home. Using deep space communication techniques developed on the spot, Dr. Sadr rescued the valuable data and laid the foundation for a company that would develop highly specialized radio frequency identification techniques less than twenty years later.
Now the CEO of Los Angeles-based Mojix, Dr. Sadr oversees a technology company that has taken digital radio design principles originally developed for deep space communications and adapted them for commercial wireless communication. The company's latest invention allows the deployment of radio frequency identification across huge areas while maintaining high levels of accuracy and reliability, making passive RFID tags readable from as far away as a thousand feet.
Designed to provide the capabilities of active RFID for the price of a passive system, the Mojix STAR (Space Time Array Reader) 3000 System offers solutions for many different industries. From real-time tracking of retail goods at the item level, to keeping tabs on tools used in the assembly process in the aerospace industry, radio frequency identification means better inventory without a lot more effort.
And variably priced RFID tags matched to the asset class can be used, rather than "a one tag fits all system," said Mark Irvine, Senior Vice President of Global Sales.
Here are some examples of how this technology meets the needs of different industries.
Retail: As companies in the retail industry grapple with whether or not to pursue item-level RFID, the system from Mojix presents a compelling case, promising to enhance inventory visibility for customers and reduce product shrinkage for owners.
Oil and gas: Used to track assets both leaving from and returning to oil rigs, promising improved safety and regulatory compliance.
Manufacturing: Offers real-time track and trace, along with optimized workflow processes.
Perishable goods: As the food industry moves toward complete traceability from "farm to fork," RFID helps cut costs and maintain prices throughout the supply chain.
Mojix's contribution of a scalable radio frequency identification system promises significant advantages for both large and small companies across the globe.
See related articles:
RFID Software Debuts Using a Simple Drag and Drop Interface
How Chip-based Serialization Benefits Item Level RFID
RFID Chips Get Smaller and More Versatile
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30 Days Wild Day 10: Supporting speech and language skills through nature play
Thank you Amal, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist @playcubs
With the weather warming up and lockdown restrictions easing, it’s the perfect time to go outside with your children and explore.
Children learn best through multi-sensory activities and experiences which is why The Wildlife Trust’s ‘30 Days Wild’ challenge is a fun way to learn about nature.
You can help your child expand their speech and language skills as they explore new green areas, hunt for insects and mini beasts and learn about the changing weather and seasons.
At playcubs, we’re all about planning simple activities to help support your child’s speech and language development. Here’s our top 5 nature-based activities:
Go for a nature walk and talk about what you see, touch, smell and hear around you e.g Can you hear a plane? Can you describe what the leaves feel like? What does a flower smell like?
1. Point to the things you see and label them ‘flower’.
2. Expand what your child says to help develop their expressive (spoken) language skills e.g if your child says ‘bird’, you say ‘yes, the bird is flying’.
Play a game of I-Spy but rather than saying the first letter of the thing you see, try saying the first sound e.g I spy with my little eye something beginning with a ‘buh’ (b) e.g a bee, bird or butterfly. For this activity, we made some binoculars by taping two toilet roll tubes, together and a piece of string.
1. Play a guessing game where you have to describe what you see e.g I spy with my little eye something tall and green (e.g a tree).
2. Practise working on answering wh-questions (who, what, where) and location words e.g Can you describe where the bird is? The bird is on the tree.
Go on a scavenger hunt. Before you leave home, make a list of things you want to find on your walk e.g a stick, rocks, leaves etc.
1. Practise following directions e.g ‘Find a leaf and a rock’.
2. Teach your child about categories by asking them to find a group of things e.g Can you find 3 minibeasts? Can you find 2 things which fly?
Make a sensory tray using the things you find on your nature walk. Grab a tray, add your treasures e.g flowers, leaves, twigs and some water. Have fun exploring the tray. You could also freeze flowers or leaves with water in an ice cube tray for a different sensory experience. Use tools such a water spray bottle, a pippete or toy hammer to melt or break the ice.
1. Practise asking for ‘more’ before putting another item into the tray. Your child may look at you, reach, make a sound/word/sign to show that they want more.
2. Make predictions e.g What will happen if we drop the ice in warm water?
Make a sensory bottle or bag with the things you find on your nature walk. This is a great activity for younger children who may be mouthing things around them. Simply grab an empty bottle or empty ziplock bag and fill with your natural materials and some water.
1. Create opportunities to develop your child’s language skills by giving your child a choice of what to put in the bottle/bag e.g ‘flowers or leaves?’ while holding up the items.
2. Play Simon Says to help your child to learn different action words e.g ‘Simon says SHAKE the bottle’. ‘Simon says PAT the bag.’


The Tiny House movement has introduced the idea of space as a resource to the forefront of the sustainability debate. The movement focuses on reducing the size of living spaces in order to reduce carbon footprint.
Designed to be fully independent and operate off the grid, the Tiny House will have everything a person needs to live comfortably in 128 sq ft : a living room, kitchen, bathroom, sleeping loft, storage area, an awning for shade and even a fireplace. The very tiny, zero net-energy house — with a toilet in the shower — will produce its own electricity using solar panels and also collect all of its water.
“I think the most interesting aspect of our house really is our systems, both electrical and plumbing. The rainwater system is the most interesting to me because it is not used as often as photovoltaics (solar panels), but is just as easy to implement. Especially our “water pillow” because it can be designed to fit any space needed. Since our home is so small, it was designed to fit underneath the trailer but still will be able to hold the amount of water we need. It can hold up to 400 gallons” says Kaycee Overcash, a recent graduate of Northwestern University who is the co-project manager of the project.
|Positioning Pillow under Trailer||Pre-Filter|
A four-stage filtration process cleans the rain water. The system includes a sediment pre-filter, granular activated carbon pre-filter, carbon block pre-filter, and a UV light disinfection chamber. The pillow and all accessories are placed in an insulated box to prevent freezing and damage to pumps and pipes. During travel, the pillow is drained and taken out of an insulated compartment. The pillow is disconnected from the pipes and folds up for travel.


In recent years, women have been selected as leaders of African judiciaries. This article identifies where and when women have become chief justices and presidents of constitutional courts from 1990 to 2014. We profile women from three civil-law and three common-law countries and find that the women selected meet or exceed the requirements for holding the highest position in the judiciary. We then explore why some African countries, but not others, have had female judicial leaders. We initially find that the selection method may be less important than the type of legal system, the commitment of gatekeepers, the end of major armed conflict, and regional diffusion in explaining why some countries have seen women rise to leadership positions in the judiciary.


Get the Map:
- Locate the appropriate topographic map from the United States Geological
Survey (USGS) site, http://www.usgs.gov/.
- Go to Maps, Imagery, and Publications, and then, under Maps,
- Click on Download Digital Scans of Topo Maps. Then go to Map
Locator. In the search box on right, type Washington, DC.
- Click on the square named Washington West.
- Then click on the bubble you created. Download: Washington West 7.5X7.5.
Find the U.S. Naval Observatory Location:
Navigate using the + and buttons on the PDF map and the hand tool.
- Zooming in using the + and buttons on the map itself gives very high resolution. Do not use the control key and mouse scroll button to zoom in. This map covers parts of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Put a Dot on the Observatory and Label “Observatory”:
- Zoom in on the area that includes the observatory so that the vertical dimension on your map is about one to two kilometers. Each square on the map is one square kilometer. Using the annotation feature on the map, mark where the observatory is with a dot. Make sure your dot is a contrasting color so that a viewer can see it.
- Again using the map’s annotation features, create a text box next to the dot that says “U.S. Observatory.” Use an appropriate size font and color.
Prepare a Word Document with the Following:
- A screen shot of your map showing the U.S. Naval Observatory. The shot should include a vertical distance of one to two kilometers.
- The approximate elevation of the observatory.
- A paragraph describing the topography near the observatory. Include a large enough
area to make your description interesting.
- Go to Google Earth and take a screen shot of the same area as covered by the
screen shot of your topographic map. Put this on your Word document.
(Hint: take a little larger screen shot than your topographic map. Then resize and crop in Word to make it the same area as your topographic map screen shot.)
Compare and contrast the view and information available from the two maps/images, and answer the following questions:
1. What is the elevation of the U.S. Naval Observatory?
2. What does it mean when the contour lines are close together? What does it mean when the lines are far apart?
3. Generally describe topography of Rock Creek Park on the map. Describe how you know from the map what the topography is.
4. What is the lowest land elevation on the map? Why is that an easy question?
5. Using the map, what is the distance in kilometers (to the nearest tenth of a
kilometer) between the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress?
(Hint: Use the scale at the bottom of the map. Use a ruler gently against the monitor. You cannot zoom in and out once you measure.)


In this course we will focus on wireless communication abilities of “things“. We will develop various use cases and corresponding prototypes where “things“ are directly connected wirelessly to other “things“.
For example: A plant pot that measures temperature and water level is considered as a “thing“. The measured information can be shared wirelessly with other “things“, like a computer, smartphone, display, loudspeaker, online service, etc. This flowerpot could twitter the latest results or writes you a personal SMS if water is low. Here, the communication possibilities are many and varied.
In this context, it is essential to understand a micro controller unit, sensors and actors in relationship with distinct wireless technologies. Furthermore, it is important to evaluate the pros and cons of these technologies, their field of applications, limitations and advantages in order to create an application that suits your interests best.
The following technologies and programming/markup languages will be encountered within the course:
Alternatively, these boards can be used as well: Raspberry Pi’s and Beagle Bone Boards
Basic knowledge regarding microcontrollers and electronics components is helpful, but technical pre-requisites are not required. Concurrent enrollment in other IFD[[IFD:Start|Interface-Design]] courses offering is strongly encouraged.
Please register at the faculty's module registration on Tuesday, April 4th. Students who are not able to take part in the faculty module registration, please register until April 3rd by email with the Subject Wireless Communication of Things to: johannes.deich (at) uni-weimar.de. Your email should contain the following information:
Active participation; developing a functional prototype/application within the context of wireless communication, documentation.
Graduates enrolled in the Faculties of Media, Art and Design, and in the MediaArchitecture program.
Open to students of other departments, please ask the staff at your department wether the credit points can be taken into account.
To be annonced


“There’s no time for inquiry. I’ve got content to cover.”
“Look at this topic list. Where will we find the time to inquire?”
“These kids don’t know how to inquire.”
“There’s an exam at the end of this year.”
There are a lot of different reasons why many classrooms do not make time for student inquiry, and these statements are just a few of the most common.
If we take a look at the four statements above, we find that perhaps the most common excuse for not approaching learning through student inquiry is a lack of time, which seems to be occupied with topic lists and coverage in preparation for an exam. The other one is that students don’t know how to inquire.
What are the bases for these misconceptions about inquiry?
- Is becoming curious something that cannot be facilitated?
- Is covering content entirely separate from processes of asking questions and finding out, sorting information, evaluating it, thinking about its relevance, drawing conclusions?
- If students become personally motivated to find answers to questions they ask about content and concepts, what might happen?
- Do curiosity, processes of learning, and motivation take up so much time that they cannot be engaged in when content is being covered?
- Are exam questions not able to be answered using process, skills, knowledge and understanding that might result from well-designed and facilitated inquiry?
It seems that we might want learners who are:
- Curious and motivated to find things out
- Able to construct good questions
- Able to learn processes and use these deliberately to find answers which are not readily apparent
Covering content is teacher’s work.
When the summative assessment is upon the learner, he or she must do some work.
If the teacher does all the work, what will the student do when the time comes for him or her to perform it?


For many Jews in many Jewish communities around the world access to Jewish education is limited. Zehud is changing that.
One of the most fascinating debates within the Talmud concerns whether Torah teaching should be available everywhere; and Torah study available to everyone. Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi believed that Torah should not be taught in the marketplace and only in the communal house of study, while Rabbi Hiyya disagreed and argued that wisdom should be available everywhere.
Rabban Gamliel famously insisted that only the choicest of students should be allowed to study in the house of study, while Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah firmly disagreed, overturned this edict and clearly demonstrated that education is the most powerful way to empower people and effect positive change in society.
Today, most people agree in theory that every Jewish child should have access to Jewish education. However, for many Jews in many Jewish communities around the world, this has been a near impossibility. For example, those who live in smaller Jewish communities are not blessed to have access to Jewish schools; and even many of those who live in larger Jewish communities are suffering from what has been labelled the “tuition crisis” and cannot afford to send their children to Jewish schools.
Even those children who do attend Jewish schools often find they do not receive the education they are looking for and, therefore, parents of these children often supplement their children’s studies with private tutors.
As technology has developed, the opportunities for online Jewish learning —where students can be taught by professional teachers who do not live nearby but who can easily interact with them on a digital platform — has developed into a compelling solution for many of these challenges.
The few that do exist are mainly for middle and high school aged students, however, and many of these still charge significant prices which makes it hard to bear — especially for those with lower incomes. Education should be a right and not a privilege.
Zehud, which is an online Jewish school primarily for Jewish children in Europe, was founded by Tal Bassali out of a personal need for her children who were not receiving the desired level of Ivrit and Judaic studies education in Italy. Believing that the technology tools that she used in her day job as a successful marketer could be harnessed to the educational needs of her children, Tal founded Zehud and since then, it has since grown to attract a wide range of Jewish children, aged 6-12, from across Europe, with the next age group opening up each year.
The name Zehud originates from Judeo-Italian and blends three concepts and words which were central to Tal’s vision: the zechut, merit, to learn about our Jewish tradition and about our Hebrew language; the zehut, identity, of our Jewish youth which is strengthened by them learning Hebrew and Jewish laws and values; and ye’ud, destiny, because education is how we change the Jewish world and the choices that we make in our Jewish lives.
Zehud is unlike any other online Jewish school or even many other physical Jewish schools around the world. Committed to the centrality of Hebrew as a living Jewish language and that of the Torah, Zehud’s exceptional teaching staff also use the Tal-Am curriculum, which teaches Ivrit and Judaic studies in Ivrit, and the visual learning offered by using iTal-Am. Learning with digital devices makes it both engaging and stimulating.
Zehud is committed to sourcing the very best programs available to teach children the skills to ensure a lifetime of learning. Beyond this, Zehud is driven by an absolute commitment to maintain small class sizes. Finally, Zehud is a not-for-profit, with classes costing 60 euros (£48) a month per course, including all the course books.
Rather than talking about the democratisation of Jewish education and then providing services that only a small minority of the Jewish people can access, Zehud is founded on the simple premise that Jewish education can — and should — be something that every Jewish child can experience.
Rabbi Solomon teaches at seminaries in Israel and is a consultant to Zehud. He is a former head of Jewish studies at Immanuel College in London and graduate of the Montefiore Semicha Programme.


Missing Amongst the Dead18
FINDING THE FALLEN ON WWII BATTLEFIELD: BUKIT BROWN
Jon Cooper reports on a recent extraordinary find – yielding clues on the possible fate of British soldiers who fought in Singapore, with Bukit Brown as the theatre of war.
On the evening of 14th February 1942, the rolling hills of the Bukit Brown Cemetery were suddenly engulfed in a barrage of flame and fire. It appeared like scene from Dante’s ‘Inferno’. Artillery from the Yamashita’s advancing XXV Army opened up their most intensive bombardment of the Singaporean campaign to date plastering the grave covered hills with high explosives rounds that made the earth tremble and sent the headstones spinning through the air. Onlookers recalled being deluged with dust, debris and human remains.
The gunners’ targets were the men of the 4th Suffolks, a fresh-faced territorial battalion of the 18th Division who had only landed in Singapore two weeks earlier. The Suffolks, raised from the country towns and farming communities of East Anglia, had already seen combat up at Bukit Tinggi and had been forced to retreat back towards the Lornie Road by the relentless drive of the IJA’s elite 5th Division. The Suffolk’s hasty withdrawal and the stubborn defence of Adam Park by the 1st Battalion Cambridgeshires had allowed the men to establish new positions overlooking the eastern end of the SICC golf course and southern tributaries of the MacRitchie Reservoir. They were all that stood between Yamashita’s army and the all important water pumping stations at Thompson Village and Woodleigh. That evening Yamashita’s exhausted and battle weary troops were to launch one final effort to break through to the east. The leading units of the 11th Regiment of the 5th Division were by now running short of ammunition and artillery shells and the bombardment and attack was to be their final assault. It was to be a ‘make or break’ attack on the hills of Bukit Brown.
At dusk the 3rd Battalion, 11thRegiment led by Colonel Ichikawa surged up the Sime Road and charged across the Lornie Road. Colonel Shimada’s tank company parked up on the fairways of the golf course provided covering fire and his men witnessed the arms and legs of the defending Suffolks fly up into the air with every explosion. He watched as the screaming infantry disappeared into the murk and smoke along the tree line on Hill 130 then to his relief saw the torch lights and flares signal the successful capture of the temple complex. The attack had been a total success; those Suffolks that had not fled or been blown to bits by the barrage had been bayoneted in their trenches. The way was open to Thomson Village; surely Singapore would now surrender.
The following are maps from both sides of the action.
(This annotated Japanese sketch map provided shows the approximate course of the battle described in Shimada’s account. The Colonel’s tank attack up Lornie Road and onto Caldecott is shown by the thick black arrows. The infantry attack led by 3rd Battalion of the 11thRegiment up Sime Road, across to the temple and onto Hill 160 is marked in a dotted arrow. )
Almost 70 years on, a team of researchers in the National Archives in Kew Gardens, London unearthed an incredible find. Deep in the vaults was a consignment of papers that had miraculously survived the war but had then been ‘lost’ in the archival process. These faded parchments were the work of the Bureau of Records and Enquiry (the BRE) set up by Captain David Nelson at Changi prison camp in 1942. Nelson and his colleagues undertook the mammoth task to track and record the movements and fate of the 80,000 British and Commonwealth prisoners that at some time passed through or stayed at the camp.
Amongst the archival material are detailed rolls listing the name, rank and fate of individuals from each regiment serving in Malaya and Singapore. The 4th Suffolks’ list makes interesting reading. Out of the 117 men noted as not being with the unit after the fall of Singapore, 62 men were listed as lost on the 14th or 15th of February during the action around Bukit Brown and Hill 95. However when this list is compared to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Roll of Honour it would appear not all the bodies were recovered to the Kranji Cemetery after the war. Twenty five of the 4th Suffolks who died or went missing during the fighting on these days appear on the Singapore Memorial inferring their bodies have never been properly accounted for.
Remarkably the BRE records have been annotated with handwritten comments added by the bureau staff as their interviews and enquiries went on in 1942. Records for 15 of the 25 ‘missing’ Suffolk men have been annotated with map references identifying their last known location or their burial site. This is not to say however that if one were to plot the coordinates then a body would be unearthed. There are many ways an individual could ‘go missing’. Bodies may be recovered without any form of identification and buried at Kranji under the epitaph ‘Known Unto God’. Wounded soldiers may simply crawl into the forestation and die; their bones being covered in undergrowth or scattered by scavenging animals. Men were also known to basically disintegrate when struck by a high explosive shell leaving nothing for the burial teams to bury. However there may be a possibility that those men are to be found at rest amongst the ancestors of the people they were sent to defend.
The task of finding these graves by archaeological survey alone is monumental; it is like looking for a needle in a pile of needles. The undergrowth and cemetery architecture makes meaningful geophysical survey impossible. Metal detecting may not penetrate the surface deep enough to identify buried bodies. Even fieldwalking looking for unmarked grave cuts is impaired by the thick undergrowth and numerous treefalls, unrecorded civilian graves and undulating terrain. However it is feasible that the remains, should they be unearthed say during construction, can be identified as military as they will be most likely lying amidst a scatter of tell tale buttons, badges and buckles. It is not unknown for leather work and fabric material to survive 70 years under the ground facilitating the identification of a military man through his ID Discs, uniform or personal possessions. There is always a chance that a costly DNA survey would reveal a living link to the identity. If found there is a distinct possibility that the ‘missing’ may not remain known only unto God.
There is of course undoubtedly a less poignant but as important material record of the fighting scattered across the Bukit Brown site still to be found today. Surveys carried along at Adam Park suggest that shrapnel, shell fragments, live and used ordnance, buttons, buckles and bombs will have been left relatively undisturbed amidst the headstones across the site. There are even local stories of wells and water courses being used as handy dumping grounds for broken and lost equipment, not to mention the bodies of the fallen. The recovery of such items in meaningful amounts would be a massive undertaking but it would give us a fascinating insight into the battle that raged that night. There is no better way to inspire our grandchildren into understanding and respecting the incredible adventures of their grandparents than showing them the actual objects that they used. It’s all about touching history and at Bukit Brown, it’s all around you.
Postscript: In a corner of a foreign field Amidst in the undergrowth within the corner of woodland alongside the entrance of the MacRitchie Nature trail and away from the clutter of headstones and grave mounds of the cemetery, are a number of peculiar holes, or ‘features’ as the archaeologists like to call them. These ‘holes’ of varying sizes are set out along the forward slope of the slight rise overlooking the golf course fairway and tactically speaking they provide an excellent field of fire for any men defending the Lornie / Sime Road crossroads. They are potentially the remains of British slit trenches dug by the Cambridgeshire and Suffolk men on 12th and 13th February 1942. What makes the site even more provocative the site is also cited in the BRE records as the resting place of four missing Suffolk lads. It’s time to dig a little deeper into Singapore’s wartime heritage.


Much of what happens in the universe is not easily observable.
The observable universe, also known as the Hubble volume, is the region of space that we can theoretically observe, small enough that light from more distant regions has had enough time to reach Earth since the Big Bang. This region of space has a diameter of approximately 92.94 billion light years, centered on planet Earth. Each different portion of space has its own visible universe, some overlapping, some not.
The part of space that humans are able to see is known as the observable universe.
There are several misconceptions about the concept of an observable universe. The first is that its size is equal to its age in years times the speed that light travels in a year, about 15 billion light-years. This figure would be true if it were flat, but thanks to Einstein, we know that the universe is highly curved at cosmological distances by virtue of its expansion.
Space-based telescopes can be used to determine the age of the universe.
The other misconception is that what is observable is all there is. This too is false; indicates only the region of space that we can theoretically observe. The real universe could be much bigger – or even smaller. There’s a chance that the distant galaxies we see are actually light from closer galaxies, which have circumnavigated the universe more than once. As the light would have radically different ages, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to say that they were from the same galaxy. But, in all likelihood, the universe itself is much larger than what can be observed.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is believed to have up to 400 billion stars.
The terms “universe” and “observable universe” are sometimes used interchangeably by cosmologists because, by definition, regions outside of what we can see are causally disconnected from us. We cannot observe, much less influence, these regions, and the reverse also applies. In addition to being spatially gigantic, our entire universe is likely just one in a larger set of parallel universes known as the multiverse.


Many of you have sent me photos of you drawing and colouring so I am posting this blog to help you hold your pencil properly and show you how to make marks.
I call these ‘bunny ears’. You use these fingers to hold a pencil correctly.
Practice opening an closing your ‘bunny ears’ by moving your fingers down to touch your thumb like this:
Hold the pencil between the thumb and index finger ( you know this finger as ‘Peter Pointer’) and rest it on your middle finger (Toby Tall) underneath like this.
Now you are ready to make some marks!
It is important when you start drawing (or writing) that you start at the correct spot and move from left to right when drawing a line or anticlockwise when drawing a circle.
Have a go at drawing some lines and circles. Happy drawing!


Who Is Willing to Host a World’s Fair on The Information Age?
"BUILDING THE WORLD OF TOMORROW"
“The New York World’s Fair dramatically and appropriately celebrates the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the new American Nation under the Federal Constitution…In his inaugural address he exhorted his distinguished audience to concentrate their attentions and activities upon ‘the discernment and pursuit of the public good.’ It is thus that the Fair, in keeping with the events that it commemorates, in a variety of ways glorifies and exalts democracy, her freedoms and opportunities.
“The New York World’s Fair is planned to be ‘Everyman’s Fair’ – showing the way towards improvement of all the factors contributing to human welfare. From this arose the theme of the entire Exposition: ‘Building the World of Tomorrow,’ presenting a new layout for a richer life, predicting and even indicating the shape of things to come, at the same time showing the vital necessity of enlightened co-operation among all nations, peoples and classes.
“Here is the work of many minds and many hands. ‘The World of Tomorrow’ is on view today.”
– From the Guidebook to the 1939 New York World's Fair
Planning for the New York World's Fair of 1939-1940 was begun in 1935 in the midst of America's Great Depression by retired policemen, who conceived of a World's Fair as the means to provide the missing quality in human life – HOPE.
And it did provide hope, and a vision of what human beings could achieve – and did.
Oddly enough, loss of hope is also the great issue of our time. And how can that be? For the first time in history, human beings are watching the birth of a true new age, and know precisely how it originated and the economic/technological/social forces driving it forward. “So why,” one might ask, “are we letting the forces driving that new age run us down instead of planning our way into what could be a Renaissance for this entire planet?”
Why are we not hosting conferences and world’s fairs and applying other mechanisms to study and enlarge our understanding of this enormous global technological tool that was created by the force of an idea in the first place?
If political and business leadership will unite and take on the challenge of planning our way into the Information Age, humanity across the world will provide ourselves renewed faith in the future, and the economic activity involved with creating and presenting “The World of the Information Age” will benefit the many involved and bring to the surface positive new ideas that will impact every sphere of human life.
Can we do this – can we stand to this challenge?
Yes, of course we can.
If one person could conceive something as powerful as The Theory of the Information Age in the first place, then we, through the use of our collective brainpower, can work as a team – and as individuals – to decipher what the Information Age really means, what the new ethics and morality should be in using such a tool, what the principles are that are driving an entirely new economy that’s already engulfed the world. And we can learn how we can create and use never-before-seen applications that will enrich the world, rather than diminishing it.
It’s up to us to figure out how to take the high road to a better world. Do we need challenge prizes to spur the great new applications of the future? Do we need the equivalent of Nobel Prizes for the best and brightest people in their application of the Information Age platform that’s been created, or in their thinking regarding Information Age economics, ethics, and other topics that will yield meaning?
The growing dislocations occurring in the world as a result of the coming of a true new age suggest that we really need to start taking action to control our own future – and that we need to take that action soon. What nation, what great city has the courage and the will to raise the gauntlet and to start the process of showcasing what the Information Age might truly become through a great world’s fair to light the way? Where are the leaders?
If not you, who?
"The World of the Information Age"
"We have to dream or nothing happens." – Oscar Niemeyer, Architect
- Video - "Defining the Information Age"
- Questions to Ask Your Nation's Leaders
- Are You an Economist?
- Are You a Philosopher?
- Are You an Historian?
- Are You a Sociologist?
- Are You a Teacher?
- Are You a Politician?
- Are You a Political Scientist?
- Some Resources - Books & Video


Titanic Wreckage Being Consumed by Massive Super-Organism
The Titanic has loomed large in the public imagination since her sinking in 1912, bolstered by her rediscovery in 1985, and a certain late-90s film. However, the boat will not be large for much longer, as it is being consumed by metal-munching bacteria. The stalactite-like structures that the bacteria leave behind, called “rusticles,” have been observed since the wreck’s first exploration in 1986.
However, these bacteria aren’t working alone. Instead, they have formed a massive colony that functions like a single organism. From The Daily Galaxy:
These live mats and rusticles form a communicating super-organism funneling iron-rich fluids, sulfur, and electrical charges through the collective of archea, fungi, and bacteria that thrives in the icy dark, low oxygen waters. Using DNA technology, researchers discovered that the rusticles were formed by a combination of 27 different strains of bacteria.
The methodology behind the organism’s communication ability is still not fully understood, but scientists think that it is through a process called “quorum sensing.” This allows the disperate individuals to “sense” each other and operate more effectively. It’s been observed in bacteria before, and is thought to be behind some of the behaviors of social insects like bees and ants.
This super-organism’s effect on the wreck has been striking. Observations of the ships degradation have found that the twisted, fragmented aft section is deteriorating much faster than the relatively intact bow section. The rear of the ship is thought to be 40 years ahead of the bow in terms of deterioration. In 2010 Dr. Henrietta Mann, one of the scientists that identified the metal-consuming bacteria on the ship, said, “In 1995, I was predicting that Titanic had another 30 years . . . But I think it’s deteriorating much faster than that now. Eventually there will be nothing left but a rust stain.”
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In the case of Commonwealth v. Aaron J. Hernandez the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in an opinion written by Judge Elspeth B. Cypher wrote that the : “doctrine of abatement ab initio is outdated and no longer consonant with the circumstances of contemporary life, if, in fact, it ever was.” That doctrine is that if a defendant convicted of murder (or any other crime) dies before his conviction is heard on appeal then the conviction is vacated and it is to be assumed it never happened.
How does a longstanding doctrine that has been in existence in Massachusetts since its inception as a state suddenly become outdated? What does it mean that it was never consonant with the circumstances of contemporary life? When did that contemporary life begin that destroyed traditional jurisprudence?
Under Common Law if a person convicted died before his appeal was heard the conviction would be set aside as if it had never happened. The Common Law was brought into our jurisprudence from England where we accepted such doctrines as a contract needed two or more parties; or if two people agree to a contract one cannot come in later and say he didn’t agree but remained silent (silence is considered assent); or if one person stands by and lets another person build a shed on his land he cannot later come in and force him to remove it. (He is estopped from doing it because of his failure to act when he should have acted.)
In the opinion replete with citations to other courts the judge tells us what other courts have said about the doctrine. One noted, “Despite the common acknowledgement that abatement ab initio is well-established and oft-followed . . . , few courts have plainly articulated the rationale behind the doctrine.” Another said the: “rule that an action abates with the death of a party is one of antiquity” and “[t]he reason for the rule has been lost in antiquity”
The bottom line is that in Massachusetts that doctrine was so well understood that no one contested it. In Norfolk County John Kivlan tried a case involving the murder of two individuals at clinics in Brookline that performed abortions. After much work and a well contested trial he secured the conviction of John Salvi who would shortly after being sentenced to prison take his own life. Despite Kivlan’s objections the doctrine of ab initio was applied. Salvi’s convictions were vacated. Kivlan wanted to appeal the judge’s decision. Everyone told him that it would be a waste of time. The long traditional approach would not be changed.
That was how it was done. The Salvi case ended as did thousands of cases before it because tradition was respected (stare decisis). None were appealed. Now here comes a little bit of judicial trickery. Cypher wrote: “The first reported
appellate case acknowledging the doctrine in Massachusetts, however, was issued in 1975. See Commonwealth v. Eisen, 368 Mass. 813, 813-814 (1975). It strains credulity then to suggest that the doctrine has been a long-standing or historic staple of Massachusetts common law.
This shows how respect for traditional law can be turned against those who respect it. Cypher writes as she did not know of the traditional practice. Maybe she didn’t and if that is the case she shouldn’t be where she is.
She wrote as if the first time the issue arose in the Massachusetts courts was in 1975. Why didn’t she know that the doctrine never was in the appellate courts before because it was so well established and well accepted that no one bothered to appeal it. To pretend otherwise and suggest it has not been “a long standing or historic staple of Massachusetts common law” shows either an abysmal lack of understanding of the law or it is an attempt to fool those who lack that understanding.
I would expect better from the SJC.
As a side note I would suggest to the SJC that it is not consonant with contemporary life to have a judge who “worked in the Bristol district attorney’s office, as an assistant district attorney, and later as Chief of its appellate division” write an opinion on an appeal by the District Attorney for Bristol County.


The place of education in modern world
The traditional duty of education has actually been to move practice from one era to the following. Stereotypical study developed from the demand to train competent workers in an Industrial Age civilization. Nowadays, as we proceed through the Info Age and into the Knowledge Age of societal growth, we encounter the requirement to develop workforce that could work successfully in a culture rooted in technology as well as data processing.
Minimally, to come to be wise individuals, trainees must learn to reason and also think critically concerning the world where they live. Ideally, we must teach our children to end up being independent learners that can discover, evaluate, process, generate, and synthesise details operating a broad selection of sources and also evaluation methods.
The Ideas about how people learn
students learn in individual means and at specific progressions. There are several views about the method people learn which I global and which have helped to create my instructional methods.
Children grasp best by "doing": Experiencing a cube is a lot more potent compared to an instructor informing a student that a hexagon is a six-sided object having squares on each face. Children require a great amount of clear examples and manipulations in order to help make suggestions and also relationships revive.
How connection with past helps students learn
students make bonds with prior events: Cognitive psycho therapists tell that knowledge is composed of large bonds made in between portions of material held in long-term memory. Discovering is the procedure of creating connections in between unfamiliar and current (stored) info. Therefore, students understand better when the latest material is directly associated with facts and things which have typically formerly been dealt with.
Trainees comprehend better if the information matters and interesting: Studying is an active procedure. A scholar has to provide full attention to efficiently involve in the material. The very best way to mesmerise trainee focus is by making tasks and conversation intriguing, relevant, and (preferably) fun.
Becoming a life-long learnerThe Ways Teachers Must Instruct
Tutors must do their best to urge all trainees to make the most of their learning by ending up being life-long learners. Educators should focus on critical thinking and also problem-solving abilities by challenging students to question, reason, search, and assume. students must relish in the adventure of learning as well as exposure.
The core of my teaching style
My approach to mentor is to make maths simple, relevant, as well as pleasant. I point out to the students that maths is not merely a set of theories, formulas, as well as calculation abilities, yet rather, a logical and logical method of assuming regarding daily life. I put a really great priority on critical thinking as well as analytic skills.
Learn by doing: I feel that maths is not passively found out, and I, hence, attempt to create lessons that proactively involve my students in enjoyable and interesting methods. I likewise require that students invest much time doing research jobs and projects.
Cooperative studying: I am a firm devotee in Collaborative studying with individual accountability. Group work stimulates scholars to share and explain their opinions and approaches with each other. Mathematics is better mastered by teaching other people - personal mastery of material is confirmed when the student can explain it to others.
Mathematics must be enjoyable and exciting: I do my best welcome each and every discovery or discovery with interest and wonder. I constantly encourage trainees who are ready to make an educated hunch at a tough concern. I do my best at designing tasks that I consider enjoyable, and which might grab the students' interest.
Great expectations: I have very high assumptions for all my students. I anticipate that each and every student will certainly come ready to proactively participate and to do their very best work. I feel that my assumptions usually transfer to greater assumptions of the trainees. Obviously, it is essential to support those students who have difficulty with this concept.
The more I find out regarding education, the more I see I don't know. I assume that every tutor is able to make renovations in his/her teaching. Education is an art - a symphonic merging of material, delivery, as well as evaluation. Different trainees need various blends of this collection.


A group of Israeli scientists from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, the Weizmann Institute of Science and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries have recently identified genes responsible for the positive response of many multiple sclerosis patients to the drug Copaxone®. These findings may contribute to the development of personalized medicine for multiple sclerosis sufferers.
Copaxone® was the first original Israeli drug to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and is today marketed in over 40 countries worldwide, including the U.S.A., Europe, Australia, Latin America and Israel.
The drug molecule was the fruit of research by Prof. Michael Sela, Prof. Ruth Arnon and Dr. Dvora Teitelbaum of the Weizmann Institutes Immunology Department. It was developed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) by Teva, which produces and markets Copaxone® today.
'Until now, medical treatments for all kinds of diseases have relied on trial and error methods to determine dosage and treatment protocols,' says Prof. Ariel Miller of the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, and Head of the Multiple Sclerosis and Brain Research Center, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa. 'But the process of fixing the correct dosage affects the efficacy of the treatment and can lead to complications in some cases.' In the past few years, it has been shown that many drugs are not equally effective for every patient, and this variability is due, at least in part, to genetic differences. Finding medications and doses to suit the genetic make-up of each individual patient is likely to be more successful and to cause fewer side effects.
The new research, which deals with the genetic components of the response to Copaxone®, was recently published in the journal Pharmacogenetics and Genomics. It represents a significant step toward realizing this medical vision. In the collaborative study, Teva supplied DNA samples from drug-treated patients, and the genetic tests were performed at the Crown Human Genome Center of the Weizmann Institute, headed by Prof. Doron Lancet of the Institutes Department of Molecular Genetics. The scientists used state-of-the-art equipment the first of its kind in Israel which allows for the rapid and accurate scanning of variations in the human genome. The scientists then examined the links between the genetic markers they found and the response of MS patients to Copaxone®. They identified several genes that are tied to a positive response to the drug. 'We analyzed the DNA sequences in 27 candidate genes from each patient participating in the trial,' said Lancet, 'and we identified two genes with a high potential for determining the response to Copaxone®. In the future, it may be possible to use this method to scan the genome of MS sufferers, to predict the response levels in advance, and to optimize the dosage and treatment protocol to suit each patient personally.'
|Contact: Yivsam Azgad|
Weizmann Institute of Science