3.1. Optical design
In the simplest configuration, as in Fig. 1
, there is no lens between the object and sensor. In this case, the resolution limits of the system are dominated by the sensor pixel size and traditional diffraction limitations. The pixel size presents an object-space resolution limit because the finest spatial frequency which can be sampled on the sensor has period 2p
, where p
is the pixel separation. In the lensless case, such a fringe pattern on the sensor is generated by a grating of the same period at the object.
The other major limit on optical resolution is the traditional diffraction limit. It may not be obvious at first that such limitations apply for the holographic case, but the limitations can be understood simply by considering a localized grating of period Δ on the object, as illustrated in Fig. 4
. Such a grating will scatter incident light at angles θ
/Δ). If we insist that at least two scattering orders (including m
=0) fall on the sensor regardless of the position of the localized grating, then we require Np
/Δ, where N
is the linear number of pixels and d
is the distance between the object and sensor. The diffraction-limited object resolution is then
This result is extremely similar to Rayleigh’s criterion, which provides rR
Fig. 3. Two reconstructions at different depths from a single holographic data set. (a) shows a reconstruction at z=107 mm. The top target is “in focus” and the bottom target is not. (b) Using the same data but reconstructing at z=244 mm, the reverse is true.
Fig. 4. An illustration of how diffraction limits resolution for holographic reconstruction. So that the localized grating can be reconstructed, at least two diffraction orders (including m=0) must be recorded by the sensor. This limits the minimum grating size that can be resolved.
A reasonable system design approach is to equate these two resolution limits, suggesting d
/λ. For example, given the camera used to acquire the data presented in Figs. 2
, the ideal working distance is d
)=0.065 m, yielding an achievable diffraction-limited resolution of rd
m, the pixel size. A larger distance (0.107 m) was used above due to mechanical constraints, resulting in a predicted resolution of rd
m. The observed resolution is approximately 17µ
m in the vertical direction and 25µ
m in the horizontal direction, suggesting that the horizontal motion led to a reduction in resolution by approximately one pixel, as described in Subsection 3.5.
Fig. 5. Portion of experimental setup when using a relay lens. The holographic sensor observes the image, allowing control of the object resolution by adjusting the magnification.
Using the design approach described above, the object resolution is completely controlled by the sensor pixel size. In order to change the object resolution, one can use relay optics to magnify the object as shown in Fig. 5
. The holographic sensor then observes the optical image rather than the object itself. Because Fresnel-Kirchoff propagation can go either backward or forward, the image may fall beyond the sensor. Also, the image can be either real or virtual. In these terms, the image magnification is Mi
and the resolution becomes
Of course, the lens must support this resolution. Specifically, its diameter Dl
must satisfy Dl
. Also, the plane reference field must either be mixed with the scattered object light after the lens (as shown in Fig. 5
) or the reference field must be prepared such that it has planar wavefronts as it strikes the sensor.
3.2. Noise and dynamic range
In any imaging system, noise and dynamic range are concerns. Due to the post-processing of the raw image data, the noise properties of this holographic system are not obvious. Here, we describe the effects of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) from the sensor, quantization noise, and shot noise.
For AWGN with the same distribution in each raw frame, it can be shown that the noise variance on the reconstructed field f̂ at the sensor is given by
is the noise variance of measurement Ij
is the Frobenius norm of P
. The real and imaginary noise will in general be correlated, but Eq. (13)
holds because the noise adds as nf
and so |nf
, where nf
is the actual noise on the field, and n′f
are the real and imaginary parts, respectively. From Eq. (15)
, it is clear that to minimize the noise in f̂
, one must minimize ‖P
. Note that the third column in R
only serves to force the row-sums of P
to be zero, and the actual value in that column is unimportant. In the limit that it goes to infinity, the values in the third row of
approach zero and ‖
. Therefore, because the Moore-Penrose pseudo-inverse is minimum-norm, choosing P
provides the minimum-norm solution of PR
and the minimum-AWGNlinear solution for the field f
The effects of quantization error are very similar to those of AWGN. For typical signals, the quantization noise takes the form of additive uniformly distributed noise. The quantization noise variance at the sensor can be written as
max is the maximum measurable intensity, b is the number of bits, and the quantity 2√3 comes from the assumption of a uniform intensity distribution. This assumption need only be valid on the scale of a quantization level I
. Calculating the quantization noise variance on f̂ is very similar to the AWGN case, leading to
The shot noise calculation is less simple than either of the cases presented above, largely because shot noise is not additive. The shot noise variance observed on a raw pixel is proportional to the intensity of the light falling on that pixel, with a proportionality constant α which depends on the wavelength and sensor properties. The resulting noise variance is given by
which simplifies considerably in many common cases. Consider the specific case of
in which the combined AWGN, quantization, and shot noise contributions take the form
The corresponding signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is given by
may be slightly misleading because they assume that the energy devoted to each frame remains constant as the number of frames increases. If the energy from the object Ef
and from the reference ER
is held fixed, then the noise variance becomes
and the SNR becomes
Fig. 6. Simulated SNR
as a function of sensor SNR for linear (solid) and nonlinear (dotted) reconstruction. The upper (high SNR
) lines are for M=3 and the lower (low SNR
) lines are for M=6. The region to the left is dominated by AWGN and the region to the right by shot noise.
As expected, the SNR
contribution from shot noise does not depend on M, whereas the contribution from detector AWGN and quantization noise decreases with increasing M. Therefore, the best noise performance is achieved with small M.
shows a plot of simulated SNR
vs. sensor SNR=I
for two values of M
using both the linear inversion technique described above and also a nonlinear technique. The nonlinear approach chooses f
to minimize the magnitude of (2R
at each pixel. The simulation includes both AWGN and shot noise. In the high-sensor-noise region on the left, the performance is dominated by sensor noise. In that limit, the linear dependence of SNR
on the sensor SNR dominates and the 1/√M
dependence is clearly visible. Also, we see that there is a slight improvement (less than 1 dB) in SNR
achieved by using nonlinear reconstruction. At high sensor SNR, performance is dominated by shot noise. In that regime, nonlinear reconstruction continues to provide improved SNR
, but the 1/√M
dependence is lost.
clearly show that it is always advantageous to use large field strengths for both the reference and objects fields. As illustrated in Fig. 7
, best performance is achieved by maximizing the dynamic range, given by 4f
, where f
are the maximum amplitudes of the object and reference fields, respectively. However, the sensor places a practical upper limit on the field strengths because the total intensity may not exceed I
. Therefore, one must impose the constraint
. As an example, given an object field with fixed strength
, one should choose
yielding a dynamic range of 3I
/4. If both object and reference field strengths can be adjusted, then one should choose
All of the preceding noise analysis is for the field on a single pixel of the sensor. The final field calculation also includes the Fresnel-Kirchoff back-propagation. The primary effect of this back-propagation is to “color” the AWGN according to the magnitude of the amplitude transfer function (ATF) |H
)]|. This filtering process can also be thought of as introducing spatial correlations. Fig. 8
shows plots of the ATF as a function of kx
for a 500×500 sensor with 9µ
m pixels for several reconstruction distances z
. In all cases, the high frequencies are attenuated, but for larger z
the coloring effect is more extreme. The vertical lines mark the spatial frequencies kx
), where rd
is the resolution derived in Eq. (11)
. Figure 9
shows several simulated images corresponding to the same conditions. For larger z
, the noise is less grainy, suggesting weaker high-frequency components. Obviously, the object field also experiences the same low-pass filtering, leading to worse resolution and a blurry image.
Fig. 7. An illustration of the intensities that may fall on the sensor given an object field of maximum amplitude f
max and maximum reference field amplitude R
max. The central region between the dashed lines of height 4f
max represents the part of the sensor’s full dynamic range that is actually used.
Fig. 8. Amplitude transfer function (ATF) as a function of spatial frequency kx
for several values of z. In each case, the image is 500×500 9µm pixels. The vertical lines show the spatial frequency kx
) corresponding to the predicted resolution at that value of z.
The shot noise will likely already have spatial structure because it depends on the object field intensity |f(x,y)|2). Therefore, calculating its final spatial correlations is difficult, although like the AWGN, it will be (additionally) colored by the ATF.
Several simulated images corresponding to the ATF plots in Fig. 8
. The top row of images shows the entire 500×500 for each value of z
, whereas the lower images are 120×120 pixels, showing the central region. Both the noise and the object field are smoothed at increasing z
3.3. Errors in Rj
The previous section discussed the result of errors in the measurements D
due to noise. It is also likely that the actual values of the reference fields will differ from the desired values. The impact of such error is easily seen by considering an estimated reference matrix R̂
, the corresponding inversion matrix P̂
, and the resulting estimated field f̂
. Equation (5)
can be solved using the same measurements D
with either the ideal or estimated versions of R
, and f
. By equating both versions, one finds
where E is a 2×2 error matrix. This matrix is constant for all pixels. In general, it is difficult to predict the value of this matrix given arbitrary R and arbitrary error. However, we present a few common cases here.
If the measured reference fields relate to the true fields as R̂=(1+ε)R, then E=-ε
I/(1+ε) and the resulting field is also scaled in amplitude. If all reference fields have a constant phase error R̂j
, then the resulting field measurement is f̂=e-
If the reference fields take the form of Eq. (19)
with small Gaussian-distributed εj
, then the RMS of the error matrix is given approximately by
where is the variance of εj
. We see that the variance of the error in f depends only on the variance of the error in Rj
. Also, amplitude error in Rj
tends to create amplitude error in f, and phase error creates phase error. However, these hold only in the limit that σε≪1; for larger σε, phase and amplitude errors begin to mix.
Fig. 10. Illustration of how the resolving power with a defocus of Δz is the same for holographic reconstruction and traditional imaging with a lens of focal length F=z/2 and diameter D=Np
3.4. Depth of field and reconstruction
Because this technique measures the electric field f (x,y) at the sensor and then reconstructs the field g(x,y) at any position z, it is useful to define two quantities: the depth of field (DOF) and depth of reconstruction (DOR). The DOF has a similar meaning to its use in traditional imaging; it is the range over which an object remains (approximately) in focus for a single reconstruction. In contrast, the DOR is the range of z over which a given f(x,y) can be used to reconstruct g(x,y) with good resolution.
The DOR has largely been calculated in Subsection 3.1, where we found that the diffraction-limited resolution varies approximately as λz
) for the lensless case. Therefore, a factor of two loss in resolution occurs at z
/λ. There is no loss of resolution at z
/λ; the resolution is limited by the pixel size in that domain. However, one must use an appropriate diffraction calculation [2
J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics , 3rd ed. (Roberts & Company, Greenwood Village, 2004).
] and it may be necessary to upsample the image to avoid aliasing in the diffraction kernel.
The depth of field is less obvious. The resolving power of this system for an object placed at z
, where z
is the reconstruction depth, is identical to a traditional lens with focal length F
/2 and diameter D
, as illustrated in Fig. 10
. This is because the lens and propagation through distance z
introduce the same quadratic phase term as back-propagation by a distance -z0 [2
J. W. Goodman, Introduction to Fourier Optics , 3rd ed. (Roberts & Company, Greenwood Village, 2004).
]. Therefore, the DOF is roughly given by twice the Rayleigh range of the equivalent lens system,
Over this range, the resolution remains less than approximately √2rd
. For the experimental results presented in Fig. 2
, we find DOF=0.56 mm.
3.5. Motion-related error
While the technique presented in Subsection 2.2 compensates for constant-velocity linear lateral motion, deviation from that assumption has several effects on the resulting image. The most obvious is the traditional blur that results from an object moving a distance t
long compared to the pixel size p, where te
is the exposure time and vo
is the object velocity. However, this form of blur affects each frame identically and results in final-image blur that is very similar to the blur in a conventional image. However, in a traditional image, the intensity I(x,y) is blurred, whereas in this case, the field f̂(x,y) (and ĝ(x,y)) is blurred. That is, a traditional images is blurred according to Ī(x,y)=I(x,y)∗B(x,y), where B(x,y) is a blur function. Because the blur is applied to each Ij
(x,y) identically, the result is
Fig. 11. MSE of a sample image as a function of defocus (solid) and axial shifts (dashed). The shifts were performed for M=3,6,9, with increasing error for larger M because the overall shift is larger. For defocus, the object was placed at z=z
0+Δz. For the shifted images, each frame was acquired with the object at zj
. In all cases, z
0=65 mm and the image size 500×500 9µm pixels.
More pervasive are errors in the velocity estimation or deviation from constant-velocity linear motion. Either of these will result in motion-compensation errors such that the individual frames are not properly re-aligned, leading to blur-like errors on the length scale of the frame misalignment. Frame misalignment on the order of the pixel size are inevitable in the simplest approach, where one simply uses the location of the largest value of the cross-correlation to calculate the shift, and then shifts each frame by the nearest integer number of pixels. One can, estimate sub-pixel shifts to reduce this error further [6
R. C. Hardie, K. J. Barnard, J. G. Bognar, E. E. Armstrong, and E. A. Watson, “High-resolution image reconstruction from a sequence of rotated and translated frames and its application to an infrared imaging system,” Opt. Eng.
37, 247–260 (1998). [CrossRef]
Another important consideration for velocity estimation is that the first and last frames should be, as much as possible, shifted versions of each other. Specifically, a fixed background in addition to the moving object, or large parts of the object falling out of the field of view (or entering it) between frames will confuse the cross-correlation and lead to errors in the velocity estimation. The algorithm is quite robust, but when it fails, it often fails catastrophically, leaping to a peak far from the correct one. For example, a fixed background and moving object will result in two strong peaks which may be far apart, and the algorithm will tend to “hop” between them.
As mentioned above, the process described here does not estimate or compensate for axial motion. However, axial translation introduces errors similar to that produced by simple defocus. Figure 11
shows the simulated mean square error (MSE) of a sample image as a function of defocus (solid) and axial shifts (dashed). Several values of M
are shown and because total shift increases with M
, the MSE is also larger for larger M
. This figure demonstrates that in order to avoid losing resolution as a result of axial motion, one must keep the axial translation small compared to the DOF.


258,337 words | ISBN-10: 8121505933
The English translation of the Mahabharata: one of the two major Sanskrit epics of India. Besides its epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes, the Mahabharata contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life". NOTE: this is a Summary Study (...
Dhritarastra inquired: After the death of Abhimanyu, what did the Pandavas do to avenge his death? Knowing the prowess of Savyasachin (Arjuna), how could the Kauravas remain fearless on the front line of battle? Beholding the ape bannered son of Kunti in the forefront of the army, how did my sons react to his presence. A dark cloud of gloom has overcome the Kaurava camp, for no longer are heard the sounds of music and singing. The soldiers no longer talk of their day's achievements or listen to the Vedic hymns. I think today a great calamity will overcome Duryodhana and his followers. O Sanjaya, please relate to me all that happened on that fourteenth day of the great battle.
Sanjaya said: O King, I will tell you everything for I can see the Kurukshetra field with divine vision. Listen calmly, for these calamities are your fault. If you had formerly restrained Yudhisthira and your sons from playing at dice, this tragedy would have never come. Again, before the battle, when the peace proposals were being considered, if you had restrained both sides, then this great slaughter of kinsmen would have never happened. If you had encouraged the Kurus to bind and slay the sinful Duryodhana, then this disaster to your dynasty would have never taken place. If you had done any one of these, then world peace would have been in your grip. Formerly Lord Krishna showed more respect toward you than to Yudhisthira. However, since you have fallen from the duties of a Godly king, the divine son of Devaki no longer looks toward you as a king capable of upholding religious principles. There is no need to indulge in various lamentations this late in the war. The reaction to your indifference will be the loss of your kinsmen. Listen as I describe in detail the slaughter of the Kauravas on the fourteenth day of the great war.
After the night had passed away and the dawn had arrived, Dronacharya arrayed the massive divisions in three formations. The first formation was in the form of a cart known as Sakata. The second array was the formation known as Chakravyuha. Within the Chakravyuha was the formation known as Suchimukha or the needle point formation, in which Jayadratha was protected by many soldiers and maharathis. The front line of the battlefield measured a full forty eight miles tapering off to a twenty mile width at the rear of the formations. From the front line of the battle to the point where Jayadratha was stationed was a full twelve miles.
After arranging the troops according to his desire, Drona went to Jayadratha and spoke encouraging words, "O ruler of the Sindhus, there should be no fear within your heart. I have arranged our great divisions in such a way that even the demigods will not be able to penetrate them. Bhurishrava, Karna, Ashvatthama, Salya, Vrishasena and Kripa will be near to give you protection. In front of you, in the form of a needle, will be a hundred thousand horsemen, sixty thousand chariot fighters, forty thousand elephants, and one hundred and twenty thousand foot soldiers. From the front line of the battle to your point of protection will be a distance of twelve miles. There is no need to fear Arjuna. If the heavenly gods headed by Indra cannot pierce this formation what will the mortal Pandavas do?"
Comforting Jayadratha in this way, Drona then took up his position at the opening to the Chakravyuha. Within the Chakravyuha was the Suchimukha (needle) formation. At the point of that needle array was Kritavarman and next to him was the ruler of the Kambhojas and Jalasandha. Next to those stood Duryodhana and Karna. At the very front line of the battle stood Durmarshana, and behind him stood Duhshasana and Vikarna. Seeing this powerful formation arrayed by the preceptor Dronacharya, the heavenly denizens and rishis were filled with wonder.
Sanjaya continued: O King, your troops rejoiced at the thought that Arjuna would have to enter fire at the end of the day. They beat on drums and sounded their conches giving joy to the whole army. Standing in the forefront of the Pandava divisions was Dhananjaya, who desired to slay Jayadratha. He also blew his conch, the Devadatta, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead blew upon His, the Panchajanya. The son of the wind god, Hanuman, who was riding on the banner, also roared loudly. His loud voice, mixing with the conch sounds of Nara and Narayana, caused fear to enter the minds of the Kaurava troops. Their hearts trembled, and their hair stood on end. The elephants and horses passed stool and urine simultaneously, and the infantry troops were terrified. Some lost their strength, and some lost their senses.
Then Arjuna, the carrier of the Gandiva bow, requested Hrishikesha in these words, "O Krishna, urge the horses toward Durmashana's division. I will penetrate this Sakata formation at that point and make my way to Jayadratha."
Thus ordered by Arjuna, Lord Keshava drove the horses to the spot where Duryodhana's brother was releasing his mighty weapons. Unleashing arrows like a downpour of water, Arjuna began a great slaughter of the Kaurava army. He began to sever the heads of many esteemed chariot fighters. The sound of the severed heads falling to the ground sounded like the falling of ripened fruits from a tree shaken by an elephant. Very soon the battlefield became a nightmare of headless trunks, dead horses and elephants. Angered by his son's death, Arjuna was killing soldiers in tens of thousands. Using his celestial weapons, Arjuna was making a path of destruction. No one could stand before him, and no one could come near him. He was carving a path through the enemy ranks hundreds of yards wide. Cutting through the elephant army, Arjuna caused ten thousand of those huge beasts to lie on the ground deprived of life. Routing the the division of Durmashana, Arjuna continued making his way through the Sakata formation. Cut up by Arjuna's arrows, the soldiers that supported Durmashana broke and fled for their lives. Huge elephants, full of fear, retreated into the divisions of foot soldiers crushing thousands of men as they went.
Dhritarastra inquired: O Sanjaya, when the van of my army was broken by the son of Kunti, who were the heroes that came to oppose him? How did the preceptor Drona manage to stop the forward progress of that mighty hero?
Sanjaya replied: The next division to attack Arjuna was Duhshasana. Your son was followed by thousands upon thousands of angry elephants. They speedily came upon Arjuna, and seemed capable of devouring the whole earth. Quickly rushing towards them, Arjuna began to slay that elephant army with his powerful shafts. Heads began to fall from the warriors who were riding those elephants. Sometimes Arjuna would pierce, with a single arrow, as many as two or three men riding on the same elephant, and they would fall to the ground hooked together by that arrow. Elephants were roaming the battlefield with armless and headless trunks hanging off their sides. Blood and flesh, flowing from the elephants and decapitated soldiers, created a ghastly scene that few could witness. Duhshasana was not able to ward of Arjuna's forceful weapons. Within a very short time thousands upon thousands of elephants littered the battlefield like huge barriers in a maze. Some of them had been pierced with one arrow and others with thousands. Some had their heads cut off, and others had their skulls spit open, gushing forth flesh and blood. Some of the huge beasts were completely cut in two and lay on the ground deprived of life. Some were only partially killed and lay on the ground shrieking in agony. Some of the elephants, upon falling to the ground, crushed foot soldiers and horsemen that were protecting them. The whole battlefield became a nightmare as Phalguna completely routed the huge division of elephants. Fleeing the battlefield, the remnants of that army sought Drona as its protector.
Sanjaya continued: O Monarch, completely routing your son's army, the mighty chariot fighter, Dhananjaya, proceeded against the division of Drona. Coming upon his preceptor, Arjuna solicited him, "Give me your blessings, O brahmana. Through your grace, I will penetrate this formation and fulfill the vows I have taken. You are to be worshiped by me even as I worship Yudhisthira or Krishna. Truly I tell you that even as you protect Ashvatthama you should also protect me. O foremost brahmana, stand aside for I desire to slay the ruler of the Sindhus. I request that you assist me in accomplishing my vow."
Thus requested by Arjuna, the preceptor smilingly replied to him, "O Vibhatsu, without defeating me, you will not be able to kill Jayadratha." Saying this much, Drona covered Arjuna with a thick shower of arrows. As Arjuna rushed forward, he struck his martial guru with nine arrows. Drona then drew the string of his bow to his ear and released many arrows resembling fire and poison. Those arrows pierced Krishna and Arjuna inflicting extreme pain. Drona then cut the string of Arjuna's bow. Stringing his bow again, the son of Kunti released six hundred arrows as if he had released only one. He then released seven hundred, then a thousand, then ten thousand. All these arrows killed the troops that were protecting Drona. Not tolerating Arjuna's victory, Drona released a long shafted arrow that struck Arjuna forcefully. Trembling from that arrow, Arjuna sat down on his chariot. Pulling out the arrow and rising once again, Phalguna pierced his preceptor with many winged shafts.
Not wanting to waste time in this duel, Lord Krishna advised Arjuna, "O Partha, we should not waste time. We must proceed avoiding Drona. It will not be long before the sun sets, and there is still a great distance to cover." Responding to the wisdom of Lord Krishna, Arjuna ordered that the horses be taken to the right of Drona. When Drona saw that Arjuna was avoiding him, the preceptor spoke angrily, "Where are you going, O son of Pandu? You should not continue on till you have defeated your enemy."
"You are not my enemy," Arjuna replied, "but my beloved preceptor. I am your disciple, and therefore, like a son. Besides, I do not see a warrior in the whole world who can subdue you in battle."
Sanjaya continued speaking to Dhritarastra: Saying these words, the mighty-armed son of Kunti proceeded on penetrating deep into the Chakravyuha formation. He was followed by Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas who protected his chariot wheels. The army in front of Arjuna was a thick mass of chariots, infantry, calvary and elephants. Carving a path hundreds of yards on both sides of his chariot, that great hero cut open the Kaurava army and caused it to bleed profusely. Arjuna's chariot rose above the ground, because of the mass of dead men, horses and broken weapons. It was a scene of devastation as Arjuna mowed down the Kaurava ranks with his celestial weapons. Chariots, without fighter or charioteer, were running wild all over the battlefield. Horses were running here and there with the decapitated trunks of their riders caught in the stirrups. There was a stream of hot blood flowing from the trunks of these dead warriors. The blood of the elephants mixed with the blood of the horses and soldiers caused a river to flow on the field of battle. Men were struggling ankle deep in bloody mud. Wild elephants with no rider bolted and were trampling their own soldiers to death.
Arjuna was being quickly pursued by the preceptor Drona. Catching up to his disciple, Drona struck Arjuna with twenty five arrows. When Drona released his most formidable weapon, Arjuna invoked the Brahma weapon and baffled the shower of arrows released by his teacher. Drona managed to pierce Krishna with seventy arrows and Arjuna with twenty five. Not wanting to waste his time battling with the invincible Drona, Arjuna penetrated the army between the divisions of Kritavarman and Sudakshina, the ruler of the Kambhojas. When Kritavarman saw Arjuna coming, he released ten arrows at him. Countering those arrows, Arjuna pierced him with a hundred arrows. Arjuna then shattered his bow and struck him in the chest with nine arrows.
Lord Krishna, not wanting to waste time in duels, told Arjuna, "Do not show any mercy to Kritavarman because he is My relative. Immediately crush and slay him!" Then Arjuna released a long shafted arrow that hit Kritavarman in the chest, causing him to fall to the floor of his chariot. By the time Kritavarman had regained consciousness, Arjuna had penetrated deep into the Kaurava army. Kritavarman then began to fight with Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas. Yudhamanyu quickly shattered Kritavarman's bow and pierced him with five arrows. Kritavarman countered and cut the bows of both Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas. Taking up stronger bows, they fought on trying to follow Arjuna's path. However, Kritavarman would not allow them to proceed further.
Beholding the lotus-eyed Arjuna coming toward him, King Srutayudha pierced him with three arrows and Krishna with seventy. Not tolerating the impudence of Srutayudha, Arjuna quickly killed his horses and his charioteer. Abandoning his chariot, Srutayudha ran at Arjuna with an upraised mace. The heroic Srutayudha was the son of Varuna and his mother was the river Parnasa. To protect her son, she begged Varuna, "Let my son be immortal on earth."
"No man is immortal in this world," Varuna replied. "However, I will bestow upon him a celestial weapon by which no earthly person may kill him. Therefore, you will have no fear for your son's life." Varuna then gave Srutayudha an invincible mace, and instructed him, "This mace should not be hurled at one who is not engaged in warfare. If hurled at such a person, it will come back and kill you." As Srutayudha came toward Lord Krishna and Arjuna, he released that powerful mace at Lord Krishna. Disobeying his father's instructions, he brought death upon his head. The mace bounced of Krishna and came back to Srutayudha causing his own death. When Srutayudha fell on the field of battle, all the troops that were supporting him broke and fled.
Next came Sudakshina, the ruler of the Kambhojas. He had brought with him an akshauhini division of troops for the sake of Duryodhana. He was a powerful maharathi and was undefeated in battle. Sudakshina pierced Arjuna with seven shafts and Lord Krishna with three. Phalguna then countered and released seven arrows that passed through Sudakshina's body and entered into the earth. Becoming enraged, the Kambhoja King released ten arrows that pierced Arjuna in the chest. Greatly angered, Arjuna cut his enemy's bow and standard. Sudakshina then picked up an iron dart that was covered with jewels and gold. Aiming it carefully, he released it with all his might. That dart, blazing through the sky, pierced Arjuna's armor and entered into the earth. Arjuna then fell into a swoon and sat down on his chariot. Licking his lips and flaming up in rage, Arjuna decided to put an end to this King's life. Releasing hundreds of Arrows, Partha shattered the King's chariot and killed his horses. Arjuna then released a single golden shafted arrow that struck the Kambhoja King in the chest. Piercing his armor, it deprived him of his life, and he then fell from his chariot to the earth. With the death of this maharathi, all the warriors that were supporting him fled in great fear.
The next great warriors to approach Arjuna were Shrutayus and Achutayus. Rushing toward the son of Kunti, Shrutayus released a javelin that pierced Arjuna's armor, causing him to fall into a deadly swoon. At the same time Achyutayus forcibly struck Partha with a javelin also. Deeply pierced by both javelins, Arjuna supported himself by seizing his flag staff. All the troops that supported those two warriors roared in triumph thinking that Arjuna had been slain. Then those foremost chariot fighters poured upon Lord Krishna and Arjuna a shower of arrows. Coming to his senses and drawing out both javelins, Arjuna saw thousands of arrows coming toward him. He quickly invoked a weapon named Sakra and from one arrow came tens of thousands. Piercing those two warriors as well as their troops, he deprived them of their legs, arms, heads and their very lives. All the supporting warriors of those two generals were also slain leaving a ghastly scene of devastation.
Ripping open the ranks of the Kauravas, Arjuna continued to make his way toward Jayadratha. There was a solid mass of soldiers in front of him, but the son of Kunti blew them all away with his Vayavaya weapon. Picking them up like the wind picks up leaves, that weapon blew elephants, chariots, horses and infantry into the air landing them a great distance away.
While thus proceeding, Srutayus, the king of the Amvashthas, resisted him. Arjuna, quickly, killed the horses that were drawing his chariot. He then shattered his bow and killed his charioteer. Srutayus picked up a mace and descended from his chariot. With his weapon upraised, he ran at Krishna and Arjuna, stopping the progress of their chariot. He struck Lord Krishna on the head, but the divine son of Devaki did not budge an inch nor was He affected. Arjuna immediately cut the mace in two with his arrows. Quickly, Srutayus picked up another mace from the ground and hit Arjuna with all his strength. Before Srutayus could strike him again, Arjuna cut off his arms with a couple of broad headed arrows. Then with another arrow, he severed his head that was decorated with a crown and glittering earrings. With the death of this great warrior, the supporting troops in his division fled out of fear.
Thus Ends the Fifth Chapter of the Drona Parva, Entitled, The Fourteenth Day at Kurukshetra; Arjuna Makes His Way Toward Jayadratha.


16 July 2012
Life as a student
In 1903, Niels Bohr began to study at the University of Copenhagen. In his first year, he registered for mathematics with the astronomer Professor T. N. Thiele and philosophy with Professor Høffding, who was his father’s close friend. Along with his brother Harald Bohr, he participated in a small group of students who met several times a month to discuss philosophical and scientific questions.
When Niels Bohr was not philosophizing or playing football, he was often in the laboratory. One year, when he was taking a course in inorganic chemistry, he set a record in breaking glass. One day when the laboratory shook with a series of small explosions, the teacher Niels Bjerrum said – without investigating the source – “it’s Bohr”. He was right.
Niels Bohr’s studies gradually became more and more theoretically oriented. His main interest was of course physics, which he studied under the physicist Professor Christian Christiansen. Niels Bohr would take a master and doctorate in physics and since there were few courses for advanced students in Copenhagen, he could pretty much do what he wanted.
A few years before Niels Bohr began to study physics, the physicist J. J. Thomson had discovered the existence of electrons and Niels Bohr immersed himself with great interest in his articles. He decided that his thesis for his master’s degree would deal with the different physical properties of metals.
In the summer of 1909 Niels Bohr received his master’s degree. He took a few days holiday with some good friends before he began work on his doctorate. One weekend his visited Harald Bohr’s close friend Niels Erik Nørlund and he met Nørlund’s sister Margrethe, a beautiful young student with blond curly hair and the same gentle nature as his mother. From that moment there were no other girls for Niels Bohr. And when Margrethe saw "those lovely eyes and heard him speak and saw how modest and friendly he was” she became as captivated by Niels Bohr as he was by her.
But Niels Bohr had to return to his studies. The electron theory of metals had proved to contain many possibilities so he decided that his doctoral thesis would address this issue. He and Harald Bohr, who was also working on his doctoral thesis, often studied together.
Niels Bohr defended his doctoral thesis at the start of 1911. This was followed by lovely summer with Harald Bohr and Margrethe Nørlund, who he became engaged to the same year. They sailed, they went for walks in the countryside, and they laughed and enjoyed themselves in Tivoli. All the while, Niels Bohr was making plans for the fall, when he would be travelling abroad to continue his studies.


“It’s an amazing property, in the springtime there’s a large natural floral display that attracts a beautiful diversity of butterflies, it gives me a lot of joy to know that it is protected” - Moralea Milne, Landowner
Just as a diversification of professions allows for innovative progress in technology, science, and many other disciplines, maintaining the natural biodiversity of wildlife is necessary to guarantee each organism fulfills their task, and as a result a properly functioning ecosystem is retained. In the case of the Sharp-tailed Snake (sharpies), a key species at-risk in Canada, one of its central purposes is a very specialized task of controlling terrestrial mollusk populations. Specialist species often have the hardest time adapting to urbanized or introduced environments, and with a lack of awareness landowners can find themselves with substantial costs due to decreased ecosystem services, because of the absence of specified species, which creates an ongoing domino effect of negative consequences.
Camas Hill Covenant
Situated in perfect sharpie habitat in Metchosin, with a south facing slope of associated Garry Oak ecosystem species, is the Camas Hill covenanted land. As a landowner connected with the ecosystem that resides on her property, Moralea Milne is acutely aware of the significance of the present habitat. As a knowledgeable steward of the land she “recognizes it as a special, uncommon ecosystem with rare wildlife species. The fact that it still retains the full complement of original species and is situated close to other large natural areas makes its protection even more important since it connects the wildlife to a large range of habitat”.
Protecting pieces of land that are connected to larger natural areas is vital in maintaining species populations, since it ensures accessibility to changing habitat based on season, which is necessary to wildlife survival and reproduction. Little is known about Sharp-tailed Snakes in our region so covenant landowners like Moralea have been central in learning more about this endangered critter.
Not only does Camas Hill provide vital habitat to sharpies, it is home to many rare butterfly species such as Common Branded Skipper, and Moss’ Elfin, and its native spring wildflowers offer a pollination hotspot. Olive-sided Flycatchers and swallows are also frequent visitors which prefer open areas, with snags or dead trees as habitat. Both have experienced population decreases in the last decade and are bird species that are at risk of becoming threatened in the absence of conservation action.
What You Can Do
Covenants – if you have a natural property with sensitive ecosystems or rare species of ecological value the best thing you can do is to take the first step and come by the office to chat with our Covenants and Acquisitions Coordinator Barb or give her a call at 250-995-2428.
Conservation covenants aren’t suitable for every property but don’t worry there is still lots you can do!
Become a Habitat Steward – we wish we could come visit everyone’s property, but in the meantime if your property isn’t in our focus area you can still become a habitat steward! Here’s a list of things you can do:
- Use of efficient irrigation and naturescaping with native plants -Gardening with Native Plants
- Eliminate use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers
- Remove invasive plants like broom and daphne - Grow Me Instead
- Keep oil and other toxics out of storm drains – wash your car on your lawn! Photo by TJ Watt
- Maintain soil by mulching leaves
- Plant and protect buffers along water edges - Riparian Areas & Watersheds
- Provide habitat by keeping fallen and dead trees, unless they are a safety hazard - Urban Forests
To support these programs and land conservation make a gift to nature today: hat.bc.ca/donate


Signs of life: Alien ‘scorpions’ found on Venus?
Are we still alone in the universe? Well, if a Russian scientist is right, a Soviet probe already solved one of humanity’s greatest riddles by discovering alien life on a neighboring planet - three decades ago.
While generations of stargazers dreamed of little green men on Mars, a recently published article in the Russian Solar System Research (Astronomicheskii Vestnik) magazine says a Soviet probe may have actually captured images of alien life on Earth’s scorching sister Venus back in 1982.The article, penned by Leonid Ksanfomaliti of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presents a detailed analysis of a 126-minute panoramic video recording made by the Venus-13 landing probe.“Without going into the present conception that life would be impossible on Venus given its conditions, we can take a long shot and say that the given morphological characteristics allow us to assume that certain objects [registered on the planet’s surface] have qualities of living beings,” the researcher claims.The article mentions three distinct objects: “a shape shifting disk,” “a black patch” and something resembling a “scorpion” which all exhibited signs of life.Professor Ksanfomaliti said the objects, which measured between 0.1-0.5 meters, were constantly moving over time, making it difficult to explain them away as mere technical glitches. Most interesting was the appearance of the ‘scorpion,’ whose movements were recorded a full 26 minutes before disappearing.Ksanfomaliti also says the probe’s noisy touchdown on Venus' surface probably scared off other otherworldly critters, which explains why nothing similar was captured in subsequent recordings.The scientist had an inkling the video showed something potentially spectacular back in the 1980s, but opted to remain silent at the time. But based on a new wave of research dedicated to Earth-sized planets outside of our solar system, Ksanfomaliti decided to mull over the old data.He plans on publishing further results of his findings in upcoming articles.However, Aleksandr Bazilevsky the laboratory chief from the Russian Academy of Science’s Geochemistry Institute, says that while Ksanfomaliti is “a true, serious scientist,” his theory is “flawed.” “The life forms we are familiar with are protein-based and they would never survive on Venus,” Bazilevsky says.“We know life forms capable of surviving at pressure of 100 bars on the seabed, and creatures living at the maximum temperature of +150 C in underwater volcanoes. But the temperature on Venus exceeds +500 C.”


"One should have a balanced diet and it is important to have a combination of all the essential nutrients required by our body," says Dr Manish Tiwari (DM, Gastroenterology). But pairing them right is equally important. Here we bring the most common food combinations that may be doing more harm than good to your body.
1) Cold Drinks With Cheesy Foods
Sounds tempting but definitely not healthy! Foods loaded with cheese are not good for your health. But still, if you are a cheese lover then avoid soft drinks along with it. These carbonated beverages store surplus sugar, fats and calories in the body, which doesn’t get easily digested and results in increased problem of obesity.
2) Two Acid Forming Foods
Over acidity is a dangerous condition that weakens all body systems, and it's very common. It gives rise to an internal environment conducive to disease, as opposed to a pH-balanced environment which allows normal body function necessary for the body to resist disease. Check out our Acid-Alkaline Food Chart to create food pairings that are neutral and not overly acidic. Coupling an acid forming food with a base forming food is the best way to neutralize acid.
3) Yogurt with Fruit
Ayurveda and food combining theory, don’t advise mixing any sour fruits with dairy as it can diminish digestive fire, change the intestinal flora, produce toxins and cause sinus congestion, cold, cough and allergies. Ayurveda suggests avoiding congestive and digestive fire dampening foods like cold yogurt mixed with fruits. However, if you can’t resist the temptation of a yogurt parfait, there are ways to make it more digestion friendly. First of all, go for a room temperature natural unflavored yogurt. Secondly, mix a little bit of honey, cinnamon, and raisins instead of sour berries.
4) Fruits After A Meal
The ideal way to consume fruits is one hour before the meal as they work as an appetiser. If fruits are consumed immediately after a meal, all the nutrients don't get absorbed properly. Try to give at least a gap of thirty minutes between meal and a fruit snack. According to Dr Manish Tiwari, "A person should definitely have one seasonal fruit each day and if you feel hungry at night then instead of junk or unhealthy food, eat fruits."
5) Water With Meals
Dr Manish Tiwari recommends avoiding water in between or immediately after a meal as it causes discomfort and may interfere with your digestion. Keep a gap of at least 30 minutes between your meal and water intake. This will help in proper absorption of required nutrients by the body.
6) Tea After Meal
Tea contains tannins, which hampers absorption of nutrients from the meal. Immediately after a meal, tannic acid that caffeinated beverages contain can bind food iron and protein and prevent absorption of these important nutrients.
7) Banana and Milk
This combination is considered as one of the heaviest for the stomach. Banana turns sour in the stomach and causes milk to curdle, resulting in heaviness. This is the reason people with bad digestive systems should avoid this combination. Another reason is that dairy products are heavy and adding fruits like banana to them will make you feel bloated.


Much has been said about the gun control laws in the US. The ease in which an individual can acquire the deadly weapon in the US is objectionable.
The gun culture in the US has developed for decades leading to a great margin of loss and damage to life and there have been no fundamental changes made in these laws. Mass shootings and gun violence is one of the most common catastrophic event that occurs in the United states. Late history gives little motivation to be hopeful about gun laws. The gun campaign has prevailing regards to showing mass gun possession as a foundational component of American life, due to the protection of the second amendment of the US constitution. The elucidation of the privilege to remain battle ready as an issue of individual and not aggregate resistance made progress simply following a long-time frame of campaigning and came as firms discovered new custom by advancing guns as basic for individual security. Thus, gun control continues to a problematic concern for the citizens of the United states.
The following are a few shocking facts about gun control in the US: –
- Massive shootings occur 9 out of 10 days in the US. Few sociologists suggest that on an average there is a mass shooting in the United states nine out of ten days and these shootings result in four or people being shot on an average.
- Most Americans claim to own an expected 265m guns, more than one weapon for each American adult citizen, as indicated by the most conclusive representation of US firearm possession in two decades. Yet, the new overview evaluates that 133m of these guns are gathered in the hands of only 3% of Americans – a gathering of super-owners as they call it who have amassed an average of 17 guns each.
- Around 7 American school children or teenagers are shot dead or end up with an injury due to gun violence on a daily basis. On an average around 1,50,000 school children have experienced a shooting within campus.
- In 2016 more youths were killed in gun fire than any other previous millennium. Around 1,640 people belonging to the young generation of the country passed away due to gun fire in 2016
- More than 2/3rd suicides in the US are firearm deaths. The number of times a gun has been used in a suicide is less than the number it has been used for a homicide.
- Every third person in the US has met someone who has either experienced a mass shooting or has lost someone to a mass shooting.


Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, , at sacred-texts.com
Mat 17:1-9. See also Mar 9:2-10; Luk 9:28-36.
And after six days - That is, six days from the conversation recorded in the last chapter.
Luke Luk 9:28 says, about an eight days after. Matthew mentions the six days that intervened between the day of the conversation and the transfiguration. Luke includes both those days, and thus reckons eight. Besides, Luke does not pretend to fix the precise time. He says, "about an eight days after."
Taketh Peter, and James, and John - These three disciples were with him, also, in the garden of Gethsemane, Mar 14:33. He designed to prepare them in an eminent degree for the work of the gospel ministry by the previous manifestations of his glory, and of his patience in suffering.
Into a high mountain apart - That is, apart from the other disciples. It is commonly supposed that this was Mount Tabor, a high mountain in Galilee. The name of the mountain is not, however, mentioned in the New Testament. Luke adds Luk 9:28 that he went up there to pray. Our Saviour prayed much. When he did it he chose to be alone. For this purpose he often ascended mountains or went into the deserts. There is something in the solitude and deep and awful stillness of a lofty mountain favorable to devotion.
And was transfigured before them - The word "transfigure" means to change the appearance or form. It does not denote the change of the substance of a thing, but simply of its appearance. It puts on a new aspect. What this change was we are expressly told.
1. His face shone as the sun; that is, with a special brightness. A similar appearance is described respecting Moses when he came down from the mount, Exo 34:29-30. See also Heb 1:3, where Christ is called the brightness of the glory of God: in the original, the splendor or shining, like the brightness of the sun.
2. The second change was that of his garments. They were white as the light. Mark says, "exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth could white them." The word "fuller" means, commonly, one who dresses cloth or fulls it, so as to make it more thick and strong. Here it means one who bleaches cloth or makes it white; one who cleanses garments when by wearing they become soiled. Among the Greeks that was a distinct trade. Luke says, "white and glistering," that is, resplendent, shining, or a very bright white. There is no evidence here that what is commonly said of him is true, that his body was so changed as to show what his glorified body is. His body, so far as the sacred writers inform us, underwent no change. All this splendor and glory was a change in appearance only. The Scriptures should be taken just as they are, without any attempt to affix a meaning to them which the sacred writers did not intend.
Raiment - Clothing. John may refer to this transfiguration in Joh 1:14, as Peter does in Pe2 1:16-17.
And behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias - Moses, a distinguished servant of God, by whom the law was given, and whose institutions typified the Messiah. It was particularly proper that he should appear, when his prophecies and types were about to be fulfilled, and the rites which he had instituted were about to be done away. Elias, or Elijah, a distinguished prophet, taken to heaven without seeing death. See Kg2 2:11. Elijah had been honored eminently by being thus translated, and still more by being made the model of the forerunner of the Messiah, Mal 4:5; Luk 1:17; Mat 11:14. They appeared "in glory" Luk 9:31; i. e., as they are in heaven with the glory which the redeemed have there.
Talking with him - Luke Luk 9:31 informs us that they conversed about "his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem." To redeemed spirits that death was an object of intense interest. By faith in that death they had been saved; and now that the Redeemer of mankind was about to die, it is no wonder that this was the burden of his and their thoughts.
Luke adds Luk 9:32 that "Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep." It is not improbable that this was in the night; that Jesus was engaged in prayer; and that he had permitted his weary followers to compose themselves to rest. It was after they were awaked that they saw this vision. Probably the sudden splendor, the bright shining aroused them from sleep.
Let us make here three tabernacles - A tabernacle is a tent. It was made, commonly, by fixing posts into the ground, and stretching on them cloth fastened by cords. See the notes at Isa 33:20. In some instances they were made of branches of trees a temporary shelter from the sun and rain, not a permanent dwelling. Peter was rejoiced at the vision and desirous of continuing it. He proposed, therefore, that they should prolong this interview and dwell there. Mark adds, "For he wist not (that is, knew not) what to say, for they were sore afraid." They were frightened, amazed, and rejoiced; and, in the ecstasy of the moment, Peter proposed to remain there.
A bright cloud overshadowed them - The word "overshadow" here means, rather, to "be diffused" or "spread" over them. It does not mean that it made a shade. A cloud was the symbol of the divine presence. Thus, God went before the Israelites in a cloudy pillar - dark by day and bright by night Exo 14:19-20; he appeared on Mount Sinai in a cloud bright by fire Exo 24:15-17; and a cloud, the symbol of the divine presence - called the Shechinah - dwelt continually in the most holy place in the temple, Kg1 8:10-11; Eze 1:4; Eze 10:4. When, therefore, the disciples saw this cloud, they were prepared to hear the word of the Lord.
This is my beloved Son - This was the voice of God. This was the second time that, in a remarkable manner, God had declared this. See Mat 3:17. This was spoken to confirm the disciples; to make known to them that it was their duty to hear Christ rather than any other, and to honor him more than Moses and Elijah; and to strengthen their faith in him when they should go forth to preach the gospel after he was shamefully put to death. After this, it was impossible for them to doubt that he was truly the Son of God. See Pe2 1:17-18.
They fell on their face - They entered into the cloud, or the cloud enveloped them, Luk 9:34. "They were therefore afraid." They were awed at the presence of God, and prostrated themselves in solemn adoration on the ground, and their fears were removed only by the voice of their beloved Master. No man can see God and live; and it is only the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Christ (see Co2 4:6), that mortals can bear.
Tell the vision to no man - This vision was designed particularly to confirm them in the truth that he was the Messiah. While he was with them it was unnecessary that they should relate what they had seen. When he was crucified they would need this evidence that he was the Christ. Then they were to use it. There were three witnesses of it as many as the law required Deu 17:6; Heb 10:28, and the proof that he was the Messiah was clear. Besides, if they had told it then, it would have provoked the Jews and endangered his life. His time was not yet come.
Vision - Sight; appearance. What they had seen on the mount.
Charged them - Gave them a commandment.
The sole design of this transfiguration was to convince them that he was the Christ; that he was greater than the greatest of the prophets; that he was the Son of God.
Mark adds Mar 9:10, "they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean." The Pharisees believed that the dead would rise, and there is no doubt that the disciples believed it; but their views were not clear, and, in particular, they did not understand what he meant by his rising from the dead. They do not appear to have understood, though he had told them Mar 12:40 that he would rise after three days.
See also Mar 9:11-13.
Why then say the scribes ... - The disciples appear to have been satisfied now that he was the Messiah. The transfiguration had taken away all their doubts, but they recollected that it was a common doctrine among the Jews that Elijah would appear before the Messiah came, and they did not then recollect that he had appeared. To this difficulty the word then refers. "We are satisfied that thou art the Christ, but Elijah has not yet come, as was expected; what, then, is the meaning of the common opinions of our learned men, the scribes? Were they right or wrong in their expectation of Elijah?" See the notes at Mat 11:14.
Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things - He did not mean by this that Elijah was yet to come, for he tells them immediately Mat 17:12 that he had come; but he meant to affirm that it was a true doctrine which the scribes taught, that Elijah would appear before the coming of the Messiah. To "restore" means to put into the former situation. See Mat 12:13. Hence, it means to heal, to correct, to put in proper order. Here it means that Elijah would put things in a proper state; he would be the instrument of reforming the people, or of restoring them, in some measure, to proper notions about the Messiah and preparing them for his coming. Before the coming of John their views were erroneous, their expectations were worldly, and their conduct were exceedingly depraved. He corrected many of their notions about the Messiah (see Matt. 3), and he was the instrument of an extensive reformation, and thus restored them, in some degree, to correct views of their own system and of the Messiah, and to a preparation for his advent.
Elias is come already - That is, John the Baptist has come, in the spirit and power of Elias. See Luk 1:17.
They have done unto him whatsoever they listed - The word "list" is an old English word, signifying to choose, to desire, to be inclined. See Jdg 3:8. It means, here, that they had done to John as they pleased; that is, they had put him to death, Mat 14:10.
Mark adds Mar 9:12 that Jesus told them that it was "written of the Son of man that he must suffer many things, and be set at naught." This was written of him particularly in Isa 53:1-12. To be set at naught is to be esteemed as worthless or as nothing; to be cast out and despised. No prophecy was ever more strikingly fulfilled. See Luk 23:11, Luk 23:14-21. This narrative, with some additions, is found in Mark 9:14-29, and Luk 9:37-43.
And when they were come to the multitude - This took place on the day following the transfiguration, Luk 9:37. This multitude was probably composed of persons who had attended on his ministry, many of whom were his real disciples. With them, as Mark Mar 9:15 informs us, were "scribes questioning with them." That is, they were probably professedly making inquiries about the Saviour, but really attempting to introduce their own sentiments, and to draw them off from him. They probably artfully asked them many questions about his birth, his family, his appearance, his manner of life, and his instructions, all which were contrary to the general expectation respecting the Messiah, and they intended, therefore, to insinuate that such a person could not be the Christ. The people were persuaded that he was the Messiah. and it would not have done to have attacked their opinions openly, but they attempted to gain the same point by sly insinuations. Error is always subtle, and often puts on the appearance of calm and honest inquiry. Well had he compared them to leavens, Mat 16:11-12. The multitude, seeing Jesus coming down, left the scribes, and ran to meet him (Mark). They were amazed, probably because they had not expected to see him there. In their joy at meeting him in this unexpected manner, they "saluted" him (Mark); that is, probably they prostrated themselves before him after the manner of salutation in Eastern countries. See the notes at Luk 10:4. Jesus, seeing the scribes and their artful design, reproved them by asking them why they questioned thus with his disciples, Mar 9:16. Conscious of their guilt and their base purpose, they returned no answer.
A certain man kneeling down to him - That is, saluting him, or showing high regard for him. See the notes at Luk 10:4. It did not imply religious homage, but merely high respect and earnest entreaty.
Lord, have mercy - The word "Lord" here means "Sir," a title of civility, not implying divinity.
My son - This was an only son (Luke). He was possessed with a devil. This calamity was attended with the following symptoms: he was lunatic (see the notes at Mat 4:24); he was sore vexed; that is, he suffered greatly, or was greatly afflicted; he fell often suddenly, in the manner of persons having epileptic fits; he was dumb - that is, he was mute except when the seizure was coming upon him, for Luke says that when the spirit took him he cried suddenly out; he foamed and gnashed with his teeth, and wasted away, or became poor and emaciated. Luke Luk 9:39 adds of the evil spirit, "it teareth him that he foameth again, and, bruising him, hardly departeth from him;" that is, scarcely departed from him, or he had only short intervals of reason, for so the passage in Luke, "bruising him, hardly departeth from him," should be translated.
And I brought him to thy disciples ... - That is, not to the apostles, for they had power over unclean spirits Mat 10:8, but to others of his followers who attempted to work miracles. It is probable that many of his disciples attempted this who were not personal attendants on his ministry, Mar 9:38.
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation! - Perverse means that which is twisted or turned from the proper direction; and is often used of the eyes, when one or both are turned from their natural position. Applied to a generation or race of people, it means that they hold opinions turned or perverted from the truth, and that they were wicked in their conduct. Jesus applied this, probably, to the Jews, and not to his real disciples.
How long shall I suffer you? - That is, how long shall I bear with you? How long is it necessary to show such patience and forbearance with your unbelief and perversity? This was not so much an expression of impatience or complaint as a reproof for their being so slow to believe that he was the Messiah, notwithstanding his miracles.
Mark adds Mar 9:20-22 that when he that was possessed was brought, the spirit, by a last desperate struggle, threw him down and tore him, and left him apparently dead. He adds further, that the case had existed during the whole life of his son, from a child. This was a case of uncommon obstinacy. The affliction was fixed and lasting. The disciples, seeing the obstinacy of the case - seeing that he was a deaf-mute, wasted away, torn, and foaming - despaired of being able to cure him. They lacked the faith which was necessary; doubted whether they could cure him, and therefore could not.
The father of the child said Mar 9:22, "If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us and help us;" an expression implying a weak faith, a lingering doubt whether he could restore him. Jesus replied to this, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" Mar 9:23; implying that the difficulty in the case was not that he could not heal him, but that he had not the proper kind and degree of faith with which to come to him. That is, this cure shall be effected if you have faith. Not that his faith would give Jesus the power to heal him, but it would render it proper that he should exert that power in his favor. In this way, and in this only, are all things possible to believers.
The man had faith, Mar 9:24. The father came, as a father should do, weeping, and praying that his faith might be increased, so as to make it proper that Jesus should interpose in his behalf, and save his child.
Help my unbelief, Mar 9:24. This was an expression of humility. If my faith is defective, supply what is lacking. Help me to overcome my unbelief. Let not the defect of my faith be in the way of this blessing.
And Jesus rebuked the devil - The word "rebuke" has the combined force of reproving and commanding. He reproved him for having afflicted the child, and he commanded him to come out of him. Mark Mar 9:25 has recorded the words which he used words implying reproof and command: "Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee come out of him, and enter no more into him." And the spirit cried, and with a mighty convulsion came out, leaving the child apparently dead. Jesus lifted him up by the hand (Mark), and gave him to his father (Luke).
Then came the disciples ... - This inquiry was made in some house to which they retired near the place where the miracle was performed (Mark). Jesus told them, in reply, that it was because of their unbelief that they had not been able to cast him out. They were appalled by the difficulty of the case and the obstinacy of the disease. Their faith would not have made it more easy for God to work this miracle, but such was his will - such the way in which he worked miracles, that he required faith in those who were the instruments.
As a grain of mustard-seed - See the notes at Mat 13:31-32. The mustard-seed was the smallest of all seeds. It has been supposed by some, therefore, that he meant to say, If you have the smallest or feeblest faith that is genuine, you can do all things. The mustard-seed produced the largest of all herbs. It has been supposed by others, therefore, to mean, If you have increasing, expanding, enlarged faith, growing and strengthening from small beginnings, you can perform the most difficult undertaking. There is a principle of vitality in the grain of seed stretching forward to great results, which illustrates the nature of faith. Your faith should be like that. This is probably the true meaning.
Ye shall say unto this mountain ... - Probably he pointed to a mountain near, to assure them that if they had such faith they might accomplish the most difficult undertakings - things that at first would appear impossible.
Howbeit, this kind ... - This kind means this kind of devils - this species of possession. Where they have had long possession where they produce such painful, fixed, and alarming effects, they can be expelled only in connection with prayer and fasting.
Goeth not out but by prayer and fasting - That is, in order to work miracles of this kind to cast out devils in cases so obstinate and dreadful as this, faith of the highest kind is necessary. That faith is produced and kept vigorous only by much prayer, and by such abstinence from food as fits the mind for the highest exercises of religion, and leaves it free to hold communion with God.
See also Mar 9:30-33; Luk 9:43-45.
And while they abode in Galilee - Galilee, the northern part of Palestine. See the notes at Mat 2:22.
The Son of man shall be betrayed ... - To betray means to deliver up in a treacherous manner. This was done by Judas Iscariot, called for that act the traitor, Mat 26:14-16, Mat 26:47-50. A traitor, or betrayer, is one who makes use of confidence reposed in him for the purpose of delivering him up who puts that confidence in him to the hands of enemies.
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again - See Mat 12:40. Mark and Luke add that they understood not that saying, and it was hid from them, and they were afraid to ask him. The reasons of this may have been,
1. They were strongly attached to him, and were exceedingly sorry (Matthew) at any intimation that he was soon to leave them. They learned with great slowness and reluctance, therefore, that he was to be treated in this manner.
2. They were not willing to believe it. They knew that he was the Messiah, but they supposed that he was to be a distinguished prince, and was to restore the kingdom to Israel, Act 1:6. But to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and be put to death, appeared to them to be frustrating all these expectations.
3. Though what he said was plain enough, yet they did not understand it; they could not see how he could be the Messiah, and yet be put to death in this manner; nor did they understand it fully until after the resurrection.
And when they were come to Capernaum - See the notes at Mat 4:13.
They that received tribute - In the original this is, they who received the didrachma, or double drachma. The drachma was a Grecian coin worth about fifteen cents (7 1/2 d.) of British money. The didrachma, or double drachma, was a silver coin equal to the Attic drachma, and, in the time of Josephus, equal to the Jewish half shekel, that is, about 30 cents (circa 1880's). This tribute, consisting of the didrachma or double drachma, was not paid to the Roman government, but to the Jewish collectors for the use of the temple service. It was permitted in the law of Moses (see Exo 30:11-16) that in numbering the people half a shekel should be received of each man for the services of religion. This was in addition to the tithes paid by the whole nation, and seems to have been considered as a voluntary offering. It was devoted to the purchase of animals for the daily sacrifice, wood, flour, salt, incense, etc., for the use of the temple.
Doth not your master pay tribute? - This tribute was voluntary, and they therefore asked him whether he was in the habit of paying taxes for the support of the temple. Peter replied that it was his custom to pay all the usual taxes of the nation.
Jesus prevented him - That is, Jesus commenced speaking before Peter, or spoke before Peter had told him what he had said. This implies that, though not present with Peter when he gave the answer, yet Jesus was acquainted with what he had said.
Prevent - To go before, or precede. It did not mean, as it now does with us, to hinder or obstruct. See the same use of the word in Psa 59:10; Psa 79:8; Psa 88:13; Th1 4:15; Psa 119:148.
Of whom do the kings of the earth ... - That is, earthly kings.
Their own children - Their sons; the members of their own family.
Or of strangers? - The word "strangers" does not mean foreigners, but those that were not their own sons or members of their family. Peter replied that tribute was collected of those out of their own family. Jesus answered, Then are the children, or sons of the kings, free; that is, taxes are not required of them. The meaning of this may be thus expressed: "Kings do not tax their own sons. This tribute-money is taken up for the temple service; that is, the service of my Father. I, therefore, being the Son of God, for whom this is taken up, cannot be lawfully required to pay this tribute." This argument is based on the supposition that this was a religious, and not a civil tax. If it had been the latter, the illustration would not have been pertinent.
Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them - That is, lest they should think that we despise the temple and its service, and thus provoke needless opposition; though we are not under obligation to pay it, yet it is best to pay it to them.
Go to the sea - This was at Capernaum, on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias.
Thou shalt find a piece of money - In the original, thou shalt find a stater, a Roman silver coin of the value of four drachmas, or one shekel, and of course sufficient to pay the tribute for two - himself and Peter.
In whatever way this is regarded, it is proof that Jesus was possessed of divine attributes. If he knew that the first fish that came up would have such a coin in his mouth, it was proof of omniscience. If he created the coin for the occasion and placed it there, then it was proof of divine power. The former is the most probable supposition. It is by no means absurd that a fish should have swallowed a silver coin. Many of them bite eagerly at anything bright, and would not hesitate, therefore, at swallowing a piece of money.
Remarks On Matthew 17
1. It is proper to withdraw from those around us that we may engage in secret prayer; and it is desirable for every one to have a place where he may be alone with God, Mat 17:1. Christ often went into deserts and on mountains that he might be by himself. This should be done:
(1) to avoid the appearance of ostentation.
(2) pride is easily excited when we know that others hear us pray.
Everyone should have some place - some closet - to which he may retire at any time, with the assurance that none sees him but God. See the notes at Mat 6:6.
2. In such seasons we shall meet God, Mat 17:2. It was in such a season that the divine favor was uniquely shown to Christ. Then the transfiguration took place - the brightest manifestation of his glory that ever occurred on earth. So the clearest and most precious manifestations of the love and glory of God will be made to us in prayer.
3. We see the great glory of Christ, Mat 17:2. No such favor had been granted to any prophet before him. We see the regard in which he was held by Moses and Elias among the greatest of the prophets. We see the honor which God put on him, exalting him far above them both, Mat 17:5. The glory of heaven encompasses the Lord Jesus, and all its redeemed pay him reverence. In him the divine nature shines illustriously; and of him and to him the divinity speaks in glory as the only begotten Son of God.
4. It is right to have particular affection for some Christians more than others, at the same time that we should love them all. Christ loved all his disciples, but he admitted some to special friendship and favors, Mat 17:1. Some Christians may be more congenial to us in feeling, age, and education than others; and it is proper, and may be greatly to our advantage, to admit them among our special friends.
5. The death of Jesus is an object of great interest to the redeemed. Moses and Elias talked of it, Luk 9:31. Angels also desire to look into this great subject, Pe1 1:12. By that death all the redeemed are saved, and in that death the angels see the most signal display of the justice and love of God.
6. Christians should delight to be where God has manifested his glory. The feeling of Peter was natural, Mat 17:4. His love of the glorious presence of Christ and the redeemed was right. He erred only in the manner of manifesting that love. We should always love the house of prayer - the sanctuary the place where Christ has manifested himself as especially glorious and precious to our souls, or unique as our Friend and Deliverer.
7. We need not be afraid of the most awful displays of deity if Christ be with us, Mat 17:7. Were we alone we should fear. None could see God and live, for he is a consuming fire, Heb 12:29. But with Jesus for our friend we may go confidently down to death; we may meet him at his awful bar; we may dwell in the full splendors of his presence to all eternity.
8. Saints at death are taken to happiness and live now in glory, Mat 17:3. Moses and Elias were not created anew, but went to heaven as they were. They came from heaven and returned thither. The spirits of all people live, therefore, in happiness or woe after the body is dead.
9. It is not unreasonable to suppose that saints may have some knowledge of what is done here on earth. Moses and Elias appear to have been acquainted with the fact that Jesus was about to die at Jerusalem.
10. The Scriptures will be fulfilled. The fulfillment may take place when we little know it, or in events that we should not suppose were intended for a fulfillment, Mat 17:12.
11. Erroneous teachers will endeavor to draw us away from the truth, Mar 9:14. They will do it by art, and caution, and the appearance of calm inquiry. We should always be on our guard against any teachers appearing to call in question what Christ has plainly taught us.
12. Christ, in his word and by his Spirit, is a safe teacher, Mar 9:15. When people are suggesting plausible doubts about doctrine, or attempting to unsettle our minds by cavils and inquiry, we should leave them, and apply by prayer, and by searching the Bible, to Christ, the great Prophet, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
13. Parents should be earnest for the welfare of their children, Mat 17:15. It is right for them to pray to God, in times of sickness, that he would heal them. Miracles are not to be expected, but God only can bless the means which parents use for their sick and afflicted children.
14. Parents may do much by faith and prayer for their children. Here the faith of the parent was the means of saving the life of the child, Mat 17:14-18. So the faith of parents - a faith producing diligent instruction, a holy example, and much prayer, may be the means of saving their souls. God will not, indeed, save them on account of the faith of the parent, but the holy life of a father and mother may be the means of training up their children for heaven.
15. It is proper to pray to Jesus to increase our faith, Mar 9:24. We may be sensible of our unbelief may feel that we deserve condemnation, and that we deserve no favor that is usually bestowed on faith; but we may come to him and implore of him an increase of faith, and thus obtain the object of our desires.
16. Our unbelief hinders our doing much that we might do, Mat 17:20. We shrink from great difficulties, we fail in great duties, because we do not put confidence in God, who is able to help us. The proper way to live a life of religion and peace is to do just what God requires of us, depending on his grace to aid us.
17. We see the proper way of increasing our faith, Mat 17:21. It is by much prayer, self-denial, and fasting. Faith is a plant that never grows in an uncultivated soil, and is never luxuriant unless it is often exposed to the beams of the Sun of Righteousness.
18. It is right to weep and mourn over the death of Jesus, Mat 17:23. It was a cruel death, and we should mourn that our best Friend passed through such sufferings. Yet we should rather mourn that our sins were the cause of such bitter sorrows; and that, but for our sins, and the sins of the rest of mankind, he might have been always happy.
"'Twas you, my sins, my cruel sins,
His chief tormentors were;
Each of my crimes became a nail,
And unbelief the spear.
"'Twas you that pulled the vengeance down
Upon his guiltless head.
Break, break, my heart! O burst, mine eyes!
And let my sorrows bleed."
19. At the same time, we should rejoice that God made his death the source of the richest blessings that ever descended on mankind. He rose and brought life and immortality to light, Mat 17:23.
20. We should comply with all the requirements of the laws of the land, if not contrary to the law of God. It is important that governments should be supported, Mat 17:25. See also Rom 13:1-7.
21. We should also be willing to contribute our just proportion to the support of the institutions of religion. The tribute which Jesus paid here by a miracle was for the support of religion in the temple, Mat 17:24-27. He understood of how much value are the institutions of religion to the welfare of man. He worked a miracle, therefore, to make a voluntary offering to support it. Religion promotes the purity, peace, intelligence, and order of the community, and every man is therefore under obligation to do his part toward its support. If any man doubts this, he has only to go to the places where there is no religion among scoffers, and thieves, and adulterers, and prostitutes, and pick-pockets, and drunkards. No money is ever lost that goes in any way to suppress these vices and to make people better.


Those whose names begin with common letter such as A, S, and M are more likely to receive spam that those who start with uncommon ones such as Z and Q, according to research.
Cambridge University security expert Richard Clayton analyzed e-mail traffic logs from Demon Internet and discovered that those with names beginning with more common characters are more likely to receive spam than those with less common ones. (Read the entire report.)
For example, his statistics show that 35 percent of the e-mail received by someone called Alison will be spam, compared to the 20 percent received by someone called Zadie, even though both may have the same e-mail provider.
This contradicts previous theories that it's the section of an e-mail address after the @ symbol that is important to spammers.
"Marmosets and pelicans get around 42 percent spam (M and P being popular letters for people's names) and quaggas 21 percent (there are very few Quentins, just as there are very few Zacks)," Clayton wrote in a follow-up blog post correcting the notion (incorrectly reported here) that alphabetical order was involved in an increase in spam attacks.
Clayton claims that spammers rely on 'Rumplestiltskin' attacks, where they trawl through the dictionary, guessing at names to send spam e-mails too, with a high percentage turning out to be real names.
And Clayton's advice to those fed up with spam - pick your username more carefully.
Jason Snell of Macworld US contributed to this report


Begonia flower is a versatile plant that can thrive well almost anywhere. It remains attractive whenever you put it, whether in the garden flowerbed or inside containers and hanging baskets. The plant itself comes in thousands of varieties, so you have plenty of option to grow one.
Let’s find all you need to know about begonia—including its meaning and growing requirements—by reading the rest of this article.
Native to Central and South America, begonia (Begonia boliviensis) is included on the list of flowers for indoor and outdoor growing. Although most varieties of begonia are popular houseplants, this flower stays wonderful in the outdoor flowerbed.
Begonia is one of a few flowery plants that are valued for both the blooms and the leaves. Its glossy foliages and colorful flowers complement each other perfectly. The flowers of begonia vary in terms of structure and shade. The petals can be single or layered. Additionally, some flower varieties have solid colors, while some others have different shades around the edges.
Types and Varieties of Begonia
Begonia is classified into three main types: tuberous, fibrous, and rhizomatous. Begonia types are further categorized into thousands of varieties—some even say that there are more than 1,800 species and cultivars around the world. Let’s take a look at some popular varieties and their main characteristics.
Also known as Semperflorens, wax begonia is one of the varieties which belong to the fibrous types. It is an annual plant which thrives well in bright-shading location. This cultivar has shiny leaves and red begonia blooms.
This cultivar is another species of begonia that works well as a houseplant. Its bright pink flowers usually bloom in winter and early spring. Reiger begonia can be planted in containers or hanging baskets.
Rex begonia is one of the most popular houseplants which like to thrive under bright, indirect light. This cultivar earns the title of “the showboat of the begonia world” from The American Begonia Society due to its slightly large colorful petals.
Orange Rubra begonia
Orange Rubra is a hybrid variety which belongs to the classification of cane-stem begonia. Similar to common varieties in this group, Orange Rubra has segmented stems, attractive foliage, as well as colorful flowers that usually bloom in spring and summer.
Begonia Meaning and Symbolism
Begonia symbolizes many things, but it specifically represents harmony and good connection between people. You can present a bouquet of begonia to friends or family members as a symbol of gratitude. In addition, the bouquet can be used to offer peace or an apology.
Moreover, begonia meaning may differ depending on the color of its petals. Red and pink begonia is usually used to represent love and romance. Yellow and gold are associated with wealth and happiness. Some rarer colors such as blue and purple begonia are known for being a symbol of passion and creativity.
Growing Requirements for Begonia
To grow and bloom better, begonia flower should be placed under certain conditions. Here are some requirements that you need to fulfill when growing begonia.
Well-draining soil is the primary need of begonia. Acidic soil with plenty of organic matters adds more benefits for the plant’s health. A good planting medium for indoor growing should consist of 2/3 peat moss and 1/3 potting mixture. As for outdoor growing, you can add coffee ground to the planting area to increase its acidic state.
As a houseplant, begonia prefers bright, indirect light. An east-facing window is the perfect location for the plant as it can receive early ray of sun in the morning. The plant still needs indirect light when it is grown outdoor. For this reason, you need to place it in a location with a partial shade.
Begonia needs to live in a location with high humidity. Humidifier plays an important role of keeping the plant happy indoor. If you don’t have one, an alternative way to maintain the humidity around the plant is by putting its pot or container on a tray filled with water and pebbles. Growing begonia in a terrarium is also a great option.
How to Care for Begonia
The basic rules in begonia care include watering and fertilizing. When it comes to caring for begonia, there are some important notes you need to know regarding the procedure.
Begonia doesn’t need regular watering. In fact, as suggested by many experts, you should only water the plant when it shows some signs of dryness, i.e. drooping leaves or arid soil. That way, you can avoid overwatering that may damage the entire plant.
When the time comes to water the plant, make sure you water it below the leaves. Such procedure is necessary since it can prevent the plant from having fungal disease.
Fertilizing begonia can feed the leaves and the flowers at the same time. Once a month, a balanced dose of liquid fertilizer is enough to care for indoor begonia.
Propagating begonias is usually done in spring. To propagate the plant, you need to remove any flowers and slice along the stem. Then, dip the tips of the stems in rooting powder before you place them in a new planting medium.
Some Problems with Begonia
Naturally, begonia is resistant to pests. However, you still need to be aware of some diseases caused by fungi and bacteria, especially powdery mildew. Fungal diseases among begonia can be prevented by maintaining the humidity, airflow, and drainage around the planting area.
Indoor begonia is particularly susceptible to mealy bugs. When they leave white traces on the foliages, you can clean them with a little amount of rubbing alcohol. Meanwhile, to protect outdoor-grown begonia from snails or slugs, you can put egg shells around the plant base.
That concludes some basic information about begonia flower as well as a few tips to grow and care for it. As mentioned earlier, one of the best qualities of begonia is its versatility. Once you’ve succeeded in growing this flower, you will be rewarded with showy, attractive blooms that brighten up your garden or interior.


Indigenous mothers are almost twice as likely to give birth to premature babies than non-Indigenous mothers in Australia, and this gap is widening. But new research reveals a model of maternal and infant healthcare is successfully addressing this disparity.
Birthing on country involves Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, families and communities in its design, leadership and implementation. It aims to bring cultural birthing traditions and community support to mainstream maternity services and, in some cases, make birthing in the community easier, sparing Indigenous women hundreds of kilometres of travel away from their support systems.
In 2013, the Birthing in Our Community Service was established in Brisbane by two Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and a tertiary maternity hospital. A study published last week in peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet found the service achieved a “significant’’ reduction in preterm birth compared to hospital-based tertiary maternity services.
Professor Sue Kildea of the University of Queensland, an author of the study, says it shows the high preterm birth rate for Indigenous families is “definitely preventable”.
“For women who were accessing services from the Birthing In Community project, the risk of having a preterm birth was almost halved,” Kildea told BuzzFeed News. “That is pretty stunning.”
The research stresses that preterm birth can contribute to childhood disability and mortality and “marks the genesis of preventable chronic diseases” in adult life including diabetes, and cardiovascular and renal disease, which are overrepresented in the Indigenous population and are a major contributor to premature death.
Kilidea said preterm birth is a global concern.
“The longer you can prolong gestation of a baby, the healthier those babies are going to be and so any innovative model of care that can do something about the rate of preterm birth is important,” Kildea said. “In Australia preterm birth rates for Indigenous babies are around double the non-Indigenous rates and we know some of that is definitely preventable.”
Dr Yvette Roe is an honorary senior research fellow at the University of Queensland and another of the study’s authors. She said the key to the program’s success was its Indigenous governance, Indigenous midwives and Indigenous family support workers.
“When people talk about maternity programs the big thing that is often overlooked is how do we strengthen family capacity?” Roe told BuzzFeed News. “There’s this lifelong joy and challenge of being a parent and we need to make sure we are supporting women and their families, including fathers, so this family can be the most resilient and flourishing unit.”
While there has been a global push led by Indigenous people to return birthing services to Indigenous communities over the past few decades, Kildea and Roe sad Australia has been lagging.
They noted the success of established midwifery services in remote Inuit communities in Canada and New Zealand’s small midwifery-run birthing units, which enable Maori women to birth closer to home and practice cultural traditions, supported by family.
In that same period, instead of returning birthing services to communities, Australia’s maternity services closed and centralised, resulting in women travelling hundreds of kilometres from family and community for birth, which disproportionately affects Indigenous women in rural and remote communities.
“For the past 30 to 40 years Indigenous women globally have been pushing to have control over their bodies and their birthing in community, and there’s decades of research to support this practice in improving health outcomes for mum and baby,” Roe said.
Kildea said: “For a very long time Indigenous women have said ‘We want to be born on our country with our family around us and we believe this can be done safely’.”
Arrernte woman and midwife Cherisse Buzzacott has worked in remote communities in Alice Springs and says birthing on country and in community is “not just about the physical outcomes” but about taking “sociocultural aspects” into account.
“There are spiritual risks when you are removing women from their country and language to take them thousands of kilometres away to birth,” Buzzacott told BuzzFeed News. “That is detrimental to spiritual health as Aboriginal people have a strong connection to land and we grow up knowing our whole life we are supposed to be caretakers to a certain land.”
Indigenous midwives were key to the model, she said.
“I’ve had experiences when a woman has just been so over the moon about the fact that I’m Aboriginal because there is already that deep trust and we can just get on with what we need to do,” she said. “It removes that fear and mistrust in this system that is predominantly white, and has policies put in place to assist white people, where you’re already an outsider.”
For two years Buzzacott has worked in Canberra running the Birthing on Country Project for the Australian College of Midwives. The model that has been trialled in Brisbane is now being established in Nowra on the south coast of New South Wales.
“We began with what we called yarning circles, which were consultations with Aboriginal women, with elders, with mothers, non-Indigenous health professionals working in maternity services, and other stakeholders in Nowra,” Buzzacott told BuzzFeed News.
“A lot of the women aren’t birthing in their local communities, they’re birthing in Canberra and Sydney and travelling a long way because the [local] hospitals are so culturally unsafe and they’ve suffered racism there.
“There were grandmothers who spoke about how they were treated really badly, and these women said ‘this is healing for me even just talking about the possibility of an Aboriginal birth centre’.”
The model needs further funding to establish a birthing centre and community hub in Nowra. Securing a meeting with the NSW health ministry took months, she said.
“We have spoken to federal politicians and they are so impressed about it, but they just said there’s no money because it is all going into end of life chronic illnesses,” she said.
“We have a site and a design but getting the birthing centre up and running now that the funding is drying up at the end of this project is the problem.”
A NSW health spokesperson said a formal funding request for the establishment and ongoing operation of the model has “not been received by the department”, and that the department funds the Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service, “a culturally safe and woman-centred maternity service” in 80 locations around the state.
“Aboriginal babies and mothers are a priority for NSW Health,” the spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “NSW Health supports in principle a Birthing on Country model being established in Nowra.”
Gina Rushton is a reporter for BuzzFeed News and is based in Sydney.
Contact Gina Rushton at [email protected]
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Macbeth is a very important character in the literature to discuss and analyze. Students can easily relate to the character because they see such cases in everyday life.
In the beginning of the story, he is presented as an evil character and this is where the reader will form an opinion for the rest of the story. The introduction is supposed to introduce and present all the characters, scenarios, and roles in a story. This is where the reader will develop an image for the character that will stay with him for the rest of the story.
It is important to notice the order of events and the circumstances described by the writer. They contribute a lot in analyzing a character. You cannot consider a character without the plot of the story he or she exists in. You need to have that plot, circumstances, and other factors in your mind when you state a character as evil or good.
The king talks about Macbeth and uses the words like “valour’s minion” and brave for him. This at first means, Macbeth might be a good character because he is brave. He is also known as the Bridegroom of the Greek goddess of war. This might as well sound like a compliment. However, if you read the sentences carefully you will find an element of violence and no mercy in Macbeth. Here we understand that Macbeth is cruel and warlike and does not have much mercy in his heart.
We need to consider the Macbeth we knew before meeting the witches and in their early conversations. He liked to be the future king however; he was not ready to betray his king. The attitude changed when the witches talked him into it and he became greedy.
We also need to consider the influence of his wife on Macbeth. He did not change merely because he was greedy for power, but also, the role of his wife. Macbeth was not ready to kill Duncan and listen to the witches at first. However when Lady Macbeth heard of the plan, she said it was the spirits that wanted them to gain power and she pushed him to it.
You need to be very careful when you write the character analysis and keep everything in mind while writing the essay. Do not jump to a conclusion before hand and proceed you essay gradually.