HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is a single-transaction text-based data transfer protocol using the request-and-respond method. Following with the client-server model of peer communications, a client constitutes software that makes requests, an example of which is a typical web browser. Servers accept connections and requests from clients and return the results to the client, often with intermediate processing that determines the content to return, or modifies content to return. Software such as MediaWiki used by Conservapedia runs on the server and performs this intermediate processing. Software on the server may also act as a client in the case of a reverse proxy for load balancing, or to obtain content from other servers, as is commonly done in the fight against internet spam.
Clients make requests by sending a series of headers after connecting to a server. These headers specify the nature of the request in great detail and allow the client to specify exactly what it needs from the server. The first line of the request always includes the type of request, the location on the server, and the HTTP version requested. Servers are free to downgrade to HTTP/1.0 when 1.1 is requested, or upgrade to HTTP/1.1 if 1.0 is requested. All other headers may appear in any order. Requests and responses are comprised of two parts: the header and the body.
- First Line - Special header in that it states the nature of the request (GET, POST, PUT, and HEAD are the most common), a resource on the server, and the HTTP version. All other headers must appear after this first line.
- Host - If the server provides content for multiple domain names, this header specifies which domain name the request is to be made against. Since clients never know if this is needed, they always send this header.
- Accept - List of content types the client is willing to accept.
- User-Agent - A simple string that identifies the client, usually used by web browsers to provide a scary amount of information that is only sometimes useful.
- Referrer - If the client software is a web browser, this header contains the complete URL from the previous page. Only provided if the user clicked a link.
- Cookie - Cookies are small bits of text that are meant to carry information across requests. The most common uses of this data include authentication information (when you log into a website) and tracking information (such as a unique client ID used by advertisers for demographics collection).
- First Line - Similar to the first line in the request header, this one provides the HTTP version used by the server, the status code and the status text.
- Cache-Control - Instructions on how the response body may be stored for later use to reduce the number of requests made against the server in question.
- Content-Encoding - Only used when the content has been encoded, such as when the response body has been compressed.
- Content-Type - Specifies the type of data encapsulated in the response body. This may be text/html for web pages, or image/png for Portable Network Graphics images.
- Content-Language - When the content requested is available in multiple languages, this header may be used to specify the language the content is written in. Note that this only applies to text/ content types, and refers to human language, not a programming or scripting language.
- Date - Tells the client what the server's clock thinks the current date and time are. Only required if time-sensitive transfers are used, such as in secure connections.
- Expires - This is used by the server to set a specific expiration date for the content provided. This may be set sometime in the past to prevent caching, or sometime in the future to encourage caching.
- Last-Modified - Used to inform the client when the content was last updated, according to the server's clock.
- Server - Tells clients about the server software in question. Additionally, a header named X-Powered-By tells the client what technology was used in processing the request. These are sometimes disabled by administrators for security purposes.
Example Request and Response
GET /Conservapedia HTTP/1.1 Host: www.conservapedia.com Accept: application/xml,application/xhtml+xml,text/html;q=0.9,text/plain;q=0.8,image/png,*/*;q=0.5 Referer: http://www.conservapedia.com/Main_Page User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Mac OS X 10_6_4; en-US) AppleWebKit/533.4 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/5.0.375.125 Safari/533.4
Here we can see a request for www.conservapedia.com/Conservapedia and the user clicked on a link to this resource from the front page of Conservapedia. We can also see the user is using an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.4, the browser is a WebKit-based browser called Chrome and is willing to accept any type of content.
HTTP/1.1 200 OK Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate, max-age=0 Connection: close Content-Encoding: gzip Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-language: en Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:38:27 GMT Expires: Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 GMT Last-Modified: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:10:52 GMT Server: Apache/1.3.41 (Unix) Transfer-Encoding: chunked Vary: Accept-Encoding,Cookie X-Powered-By: PHP/5.2.5 X-Vary-Options: Accept-Encoding;list-contains=gzip,Cookie;string-contains=cpwiki_mediaToken;string-contains=cpwiki_mediaLoggedOut;string-contains=cpwiki_media_session
The server accepted the request and says everything is good-to-go. We can clearly see the server doesn't like public caches, and doesn't even want local caches to be used. It wants to close the connection after the content is sent, and the content is compressed. The content expired a long time ago, to further discourage clients from caching the content, but was recently modified. This server also tells us it is Apache, with a request processor called PHP.
Response Status Codes
- 100 Continue - For requests with long request bodies, this is used by the server to inform the client that it should continue sending the request body.
- 101 Switching Protocols - Used by the server to inform the client that it is switching protocols. This may be done to change the HTTP version used for the request, or to switch to an extension of HTTP, such as WebDAV.
- 200 OK - Possibly the most commonly used, tells the client the server has processed the request as desired.
- 201 Created - Tells the client the specific resource has been created, but may or may not provide content.
- 202 Accepted - Request has been accepted as in 200 OK, but the request will be processed later.
- 203 Non-Authoritative Information - The response may come from a server other than the current server.
- 204 No Content - Just like 200 OK, but there is no content to be returned.
- 205 Reset Content - The request has been fulfilled, but changes to the displayed document should be reverted by the client. There should not be any response body with this status code.
- 206 Partial Content - If the client sent a Content-Range header, then the response body is the requested segment of the requested content.
- 300 Multiple Choices - Based on the request given, there are multiple resources that may be provided. The server should provide a listing of these other resources.
- 301 Moved Permanently - The requested resource has been moved somewhere else. A Location response header should provide the new location of the resource.
- 302 Found - The requested resource has been temporarily moved to a new location. There should be a Location header as in 301.
- 303 See Other - The response is at a different location. This may be used by form processing scripts.
- 304 Not Modified - The client has requested a resource which has not been modified since the conditions set by the client have not changed.
- 305 Use Proxy - Used to tell clients that it should use a specific proxy. A Location header should give the location of the proxy.
- 306 - Unused in RFC-2616
- 307 Temporary Redirect - Used almost exactly like 302, but the client should not automatically use the new location.
- 400 Bad Request - Server was unable to understand the request.
- 401 Unauthorized - Request requires authentication, but none is given.
- 402 Payment Required - Reserved.
- 403 Forbidden - Server refuses to fulfill the request, even with authentication.
- 404 Not Found - There are no resources matching the specified location.
- 405 Method Not Allowed - The request line contains a method that isn't permissible with the location given.
- 406 Not Acceptable - The client made a request with content parameters the server cannot fullfil.
- 407 Proxy Authentication Required - Similar to 401, but the client must first authenticate itself with the proxy server.
- 408 Request Timeout - The client was unable to send the request body in its entirety within the time allowed by the server.
- 409 Conflict - The resource has an internal conflict and a response body could not be provided.
- 410 Gone - The resource has moved, but the server does not know where it went.
- 411 Length Required - Server does not accept longer request bodies without knowing the length of the content.
- 412 Precondition Failed - Some condition failed and the server was unable to process the request.
- 413 Request Entity Too Large - The request body is just too big for the server to accept.
- 414 Request-URI Too Long - The server is unwilling to process the request location due to excessive length. This may be used by web developers to help secure a service.
- 415 Unsupported Media Type - Refusal by server because the resource is in a format not supported by the client.
- 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable - The value of the Content-Range header extends beyond the length of the resource.
- 417 Expectation Failed - Client's expectations could not be satisfied.
- 500 Internal Server Error - An unexpected error within the server prevented the request from being fulfilled.
- 501 Not Implemented - Client requests functionality not present in the server.
- 502 Bad Gateway - If the server is a gateway or proxy to another server, the upstream server provided an invalid response.
- 503 Service Unavailable - Request could not be processed because the server may be overloaded, or an administrator has placed it in maintenance mode.
- 504 Gateway Timeout - The upstream server did not respond in a timely manner.
- 505 HTTP Version Not Supported - Server does not support the client's HTTP version.
HTTP was developed by Tim Berners-Lee in 1990. At the time it was known as HTTP/0.9 and was updated and extended many times by many people, yet was not a standard until it was published in RFC-1945 as HTTP/1.0. HTTP was designed to supplement and transfer HTML, also developed by Tim Berners-Lee. Modern servers and clients typically use HTTP/1.1 which was defined as an update to HTTP/1.0 in RFC-2616.


Walnut a Miracle Nut- Walnuts are grown on trees that are jammed packed with brain, heart and lung powering -nutrients,it has rich source of energy and contain health benefiting minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health.
Walnuts as Brain Food
Walnuts have potential health benefits in the area of memory, rich mega-3 fats boost your brain cell activity thus improve brainpower.
Keep heart attack away
Eating a handful of walnuts could provide near-instant protection from heart disease,Scientists found significant improvement in cholesterol levels and blood vessel flexibility. Walnuts helps to increase HDL [good cholesterol] and decrease LDL [bad cholesterol].
Keep your skin youthful
Walnuts are a rich source of copper, which helps erase wrinkles. Copper is known to improve skin elasticity and its natural stretch by improving the growth of elastin [a protein present in skin that helps to maintain its shape].
Have healthy bones
Omega-3 fats in walnuts improve bone health by decreasing breakdown of bones.
Both whole walnuts and walnut oil appear to slow down prostate cancer and to reduce levels of a hormone linked to both prostate and breast cancer in studies with mice.
Walnuts for Kids
Research shows that walnuts boost your brain cell activity, thus improving brainpower adding some to your daily diet helps boost memory in kids and even older people.
You can eat walnuts anytime a day, you can also mix it with other foods and eat.
You can add them with fresh or dried fruit.
Add them to salads, yogurt, breakfast cereals, or oatmeal.
Add walnuts into side dishes such as white rice or pastas.


Route 66 – Mother of American Roads.
" ...and they come into 66 from the tributary side roads, from the wagon tracks and the rutted country roads, 66 is the mother road, the road of flight."
John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath
Why is this road so important ?
Whatever the reason, the Mother Road is an experience, a feeling, a perception, a taste of sight and sound, and a mystery that can only be resolved by driving the Route.
The “super-highway,” as it was thought of in 1926, represented unprecedented freedom to travel across the American West. Route 66 is a famous American highway that once stretched from Chicago in the east to Los Angeles in the west. It has had many names in the past and is most often called the Main Street of America or Mother Road. Route 66 originally ran through 8 states and covered almost 4,000 kilometers. The idea of creating an east to west highway came up in the 1920s. A plan was drawn up to connect a series of state roads to one big national highway.
Spawned by the rapidly changing demands of America, entrepreneurs, Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma and John Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri conceived of the grand idea of linking Chicago to Los Angeles and began lobbying efforts to promote the new highway. While other East/West highways existed at the time, most followed a linear course, leaving out the rural communities, dependent upon transportation for farm products and other goods.No doubt a daunting task for the pair, the federal government finally pledged to link small town U.S.A. with metropolitan capitals in the summer of 1926 and designated the road as 66. However, shortly after work began on the Mother Road came the depression, halting work on the new “Super-Highway. But, in 1933, thousands of unemployed men were put back to work and road gangs paved the final stretches of the road. By 1938 the 2,300 mile highway was continuously paved from Chicago to Los Angeles.John Steinbeck, in 1939, proclaimed Route 66 as the “Mother Road” in his classic novel The Grapes of Wrath. When the movie was made just a year later, it immortalized Route 66 in the American consciousness. Shortly thereafter, more than 200,000 people migrated to California to escape the Dust Bowl of the Midwest, symbolizing the highway as the “road to opportunity.”
When World War II broke out, Route 66 proved to be invaluable in transporting troops, equipment and products across the vast West to California where the government established multiple industries and armed force bases. When the war was finally over in 1945, the Mother Road served to transport thousands of troops home.Perhaps more than any other American highway, Route 66 symbolized the new optimism that pervaded the nation’s post-war economic recovery. For thousands of returning servicemen and their families, Route 66 was more than just a highway. "It became," according to one admirer, "an icon of free-spirited independence linking the United States across the Rocky Mountain divide to the Pacific Ocean."
Almost immediately, the tourist industry began to grow, giving rise to countless tourist courts, motels, service stations, garages and diners. However, the excessive truck travel during World War II and the ever expanding automobile industry had left the Highway in appalling conditions, with narrow pavements and poor road conditions. In the mid 1950s public lobby was demanding a federal sponsorship for a system of divided highways and in 1956, the Federal Aid Highway Act was passed for a national interstate highway program. With the passing of the Interstate Highway Act, Route 66 would soon be doomed.
Doomed or not, by the 1960s, many points of interest were familiar landmarks to a new generation of travellers and the television series, “Route 66” was aired “driving” the Mother Road into homes all over America. Though the series created great interest in the American public, it was to be short-lived, as by 1970, nearly all segments of original Route 66 were bypassed by a modern four-lane highways. By 1984, all of the poorly maintained vestiges of Route 66 had been completely succumbed when the final section of the original road was bypassed by Interstate 40 at Williams, Arizona.
As Route 66 was decommissioned, its signs were removed and the Mother Road was almost lost. Even to this day, the Mother Road appears on very few current maps. Most states have installed Historic Route 66 along portions of the road, but, unfortunately, they rarely give exit directions where the road so very often veers off from the interstate highways.Obviously, the route today is not what it was in the past. The sights and sounds of the Mother Road change daily with emergence of new businesses and development along the old highway. You will want to take a lot of pictures, because what is there today might be very well gone tomorrow. However, much is preserved and the Route 66 Historical Associations and private groups have done much to preserve these vintage treasures. As you travel along, you will often see a sign or marquee of the vintage road in front of a new video store.
Route 66 has had its fixed position in American culture. It played a major part in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”. In the 1940s Nat King Cole recorded a song about America’s prime highway which became a major hit and has been sung by many bands later on.
Today groups have been formed to bring Route 66 back to life again. In the past ten years the government in Washington has provided millions of dollars to revive America’s mother of roads.
Travelling the road, you will experience everything from the frustration of finding the route in a metro city to being pleasantly surprised by the next small town that you venture into. The landscape quickly changes from the hustle and bustle of the cities, to quiet meandering roads, to tall grass prairies, where you feel as if you might be the only person left on earth. While it’s a good idea to plan your trip, because the road can be confusing, the whole idea is to experience the Mother Road.
My advice is to get a couple of Route 66 books and some good maps before you begin your adventure. Here and there, some places will give you a road sign when the road veers off the interstate, but mostly not. Even with some good maps, you will, no doubt take a wrong turn here and there. Take the Business Loops off the interstates when possible because they will often lead you to great photo opportunities and scenes of the past.


With all of the controversy surrounding this year’s election, I think it’s time to put aside all of the politics, scandals and heated opinions to look at voting from a purely scientific perspective.
In this article I’m going to answer questions like:
- Why do we vote?
- What influences who wins elections?
- And why do we believe what we do?
When I did the research for this article, I was shocked by the answers to these questions. Science has uncovered fascinating findings that completely reshape the way we look at voting.
Let’s dig in to the science of voting.
Why People Vote:
Why do people vote? The obvious answer: to elect government officials. But, I think that there is more to it than that and researchers have discovered that there are three key factors that determine whether or not people vote.
Wait, what? Political efficacy is just a fancy way of saying you believe that you have the power to influence politics.
The importance of political efficacy was discovered when researchers in Britain wanted to know why young people in their country vote much less than older adults. They found that it wasn’t because the young people are lazy or don’t care about politics. Quite the opposite actually. The problem is that they feel marginalized by the government. After all, why vote if the government isn’t going to listen anyways?
The opposite is also true. If you’re a strong believer in the political process and have seen how the people and initiatives you’ve voted on have made a difference, then you’re going to make the effort to participate in every election.
A study published by the American Economic Association found that, while some people vote because they believe they should take advantage of their right to do so, a lot of us vote because of peer pressure.
It’s like high school. If all your friends are interested in politics and frequently talk about who they’re going to vote for, you’re going to pay attention to politics and show up at voting booths just so you’re not left out.
The same principle applies to how often you participate in politics. Whether you only care about the presidential elections or you attend every city hall meeting, either you’re pressuring your friends or your friends are pressuring you to participate at the same level. It doesn’t have to be intentional, but our natural drive to be similar to those around us plays a role in determining who votes and who doesn’t.
Ease of Voting
This where laziness and people’s busy lives come into play. The University of Houston discovered the simplest, yet one of the most accurate predictors of whether or not people vote: whether or not they’re registered. As a whole, only 53.6% of adult Americans vote but that percentage rises to 84.3% among registered voters.
In countries like America where citizens have to register to vote, far fewer people vote because they never bother to fill out the paperwork.
Surprising Ways Appearance Affects Voting
We like to think that who we vote for is based on our personal and political beliefs but, in reality, that’s not the way voting works. Your brain tricks you into liking candidates who look like the best leaders regardless of whether or not they actually are.
Researchers were curious how big of a role facial appearances play in voting behavior so they showed hundreds of people pictures of competing candidates from old congressional elections and asked them who they thought won. Just by looking at the pictures and knowing nothing about the candidates, people correctly guessed the winner 68.8% of the time.
Even more shocking: young children who saw pictures of candidates and thought they were choosing a ship captain they would like to go on a journey with, were just as accurate at choosing the winners of elections as the adults. The results were the same when they tested children from different countries while showing them pictures of candidates from countries that were not their own. Crazy, right?!
What this tells us is that our brains are predisposed to think certain facial features make people look like competent leaders and our first impressions are so strong that we often don’t change our minds about candidates after seeing them.
So what are the magical traits that convince us to vote for candidates?
For men, our brains look for symmetrical features, high foreheads, prominent brow ridges and a jutting jaw. These traits convey the strength and dominance that we look for in leaders.
For women, less is known, though research has shown that healthiness, rather than dominance, makes them look more electable.
Both sexes are also subject to the same common phenomenon that people who are more attractive are more well-liked. So, next time you catch yourself liking a candidate before you’ve heard much of what they have to say, think about these studies and think again about why you like them.
Body Language Analysis
Along with physical traits, there are many different techniques candidates use to get an “upper hand” on their political opponent. For example, there’s the arm hold that occurs often during handshakes that signals dominance and power over the other candidate:
Some candidates even invade the other person’s side, taking up a large amount of space and asserting their power:
I analyzed presidential debates from the past 20 years and compiled a guide which you can find here:
Your Personality Changes Your Vote
Your personality shapes your political opinions more than we realize. Specifically two traits:
Openness: How much we like new ideas, imagination and trying new things.
Conscientiousness: How organized we are, how much we like details and plans.
Researchers looked at these two traits to see if they change HOW we vote. What do you think:
Who is higher in openness?
- a) Liberals
- b) Conservatives
Who is higher in conscientiousness?
- a) Liberals
- b) Conservatives
According to a study in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. Here is the answer:
Liberals are more open.
Conservatives are more conscientious.
Liberals are more likely to be:
• High open
• Low conscientious
Conservatives are more likely to be:
• High conscientious
• Low open
This tells us a lot. It tells us why:
Make America Great Again
Resonates with conservatives and not liberals. If you are low open you do not want change, you want to bring back the good old times.
This tells us why:
Change We Believe In
Resonated with liberals. They are high open and crave change.
The Science Behind Your Political Beliefs
While you might think your political beliefs form purely from your morals and those of the people around you, researchers have discovered surprising correlations that explain why people are liberals or conservatives.
There are three key questions that predict people’s political stances. See how well your opinions fit into their findings.
#1 How Easily Disgusted Are You?
Psychologist David Pizarro discovered that there is a direct correlation between how easily disgusted you are and whether or not you lean conservative or liberal. In a series of experiments where he he showed people disgusting images like open wounds, vomit and feces, the people who had the strongest physical reactions to the images were the most conservative while the most liberal people weren’t bothered.
Here’s what disgust looks like:
What makes disgust a powerful emotion is that it doesn’t just show up when people see disgusting things. People have the same disgust reactions toward people and ideas they don’t like. Pizarro’s findings help explain why conservatives prefer traditional viewpoints while liberals embrace radical change; their natural thresholds for what they consider to be unpleasant varies.
I think this study is so interesting because it shows that there is a physiological component to why people believe what they do. It’s not just what you learned growing up or the types of people you spend time with; your natural reactions shape your thoughts.
Watch David Pizarro’s TED talk to learn more about the strange politics of disgust:
#2 Do you prefer things to be simple or complex?
A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology studied statements made by 45 US senators over the course of a year. They found that the senators who consistently voted in favor of conservative measures, used much simpler language and reasoning than their liberal counterparts.
For most conservatives, what they vote on comes down to what is right versus wrong based on their moral values. They keep their decisions simple.
Liberals on the other hand were shown to consider a wide variety of factors when deciding what to vote on. To them, issues are complex and should be treated as such.
Now ask yourself: how do you decide what you vote on?
#3 Are you open to exploration?
In a super fun study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers had participants play a computer game where they had to make their way through the game while running into positive and negative stimuli.
Conservative players took an avoidance strategy where, once they were struck by a negative thing, they learned to go in different directions and proceed cautiously. Liberal players meanwhile were less phased by the negative stimuli and completed the game by openly exploring all the different possibilities.
Psychologists used this study to support the theory that people who learn via punishments are more likely to be conservative while those with risk-taking personalities are more likely to be liberal.
How to be a more rational voter:
Now that you’ve learned all the fascinating – and somewhat startling – ways your unconscious mind influences the way you vote, I want to teach you how to be a more rational voter.
If you got anything out of this article I hope it’s that you shouldn’t trust your first impression when deciding who to vote for; it’s not based on facts and tells you nothing about how capable a candidate actually is.
Stop letting your brain trick you by reading speeches and voting records of candidates to decide if you like them. This way instead of being impressed by the politicians who are the best on stage, you can vote for the ones who support the same issues you do.
If you do watch speeches and interviews, observe their facial expressions and body language to look for signs of dishonesty. This is big topic that I’m not going to go in-depth on right now so, if you want to learn more, check out these articles:


Social anxiety can be extremely difficult to endure 365 days of the year, yet there is something about summer that seems to aggravate the pains of social anxiety for so many people. The endless list of social gatherings during the season can make the thought of facing the world unbearable — and make the thought of staying home in the comfort of your sweats, and near the comfort of your couch, all too overpowering.
The temptation to run and hide from social situations can be strong, but this summer, you can learn to take your life back from the grasp of social anxiety. In order to better treat your condition, it helps to first more fully understand the problem:
What exactly is social anxiety?
Social anxiety is a specific type of anxiety disorder that causes individuals to be excessively afraid of, or stressed out by, social situations. Socially-anxious individuals experience an extreme fear of being judged, ridiculed, or thought of poorly by other people at social situations. Many individuals who suffer from social anxiety experience “anticipatory anxiety” for hours, days, or even weeks leading up to an event. The fear is often strong enough to prevent them from attending altogether.
Social anxiety is physically manifested in a variety of ways including: sweating, pounding heart, nausea or upset stomach, shaking, redness or blushing, shortness of breath, and, in extreme cases, passing out, vomiting, or developing into a panic attack.
Social anxiety and the summer months
While the warm weather may be a dream for the classic “social butterfly,” a person with social anxiety disorder may repeatedly face anxiety and uneasiness from a variety of summertime situations. With an endless array of pool parties, barbeques, outdoor sports, neighborhood gatherings and weddings, people with social anxiety are often forced to endure week after week of extreme discomfort and fear during the summer.
Fighting back against social anxiety year-round
Whether you have suffered from social anxiety for years, or are just now recognizing the symptoms of the condition in your life, it is possible to fight back and work through your anxiety.
During the busy and fun-filled summer months, you and your therapist can begin using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help you take control of your life. While it will undoubtedly be difficult for you to work through, summertime events are the perfect testing ground for you to practice and perfect your CBT strategies.
As a specific style of therapy, CBT’s main focus is to change thought distortions and challenge negative thinking, making room for more uplifting and realistic ways of looking at the world. In short, thoughts control feelings — and changing your thoughts allows you to change your feelings.
Counseling to improve self-esteem and social skills, as well as relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, may also help a person deal with social anxiety disorder. Medication can also be prescribed, and you should consult with your doctor to discuss possible options.
Social anxiety is a powerful force, and it can be difficult to face your fears during summer’s many large social gatherings. Commit this season to challenge your anxiety, and make changes to improve your life. The process will take time, but don’t give up — and don’t go home!


(Medical Xpress)—Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be coaxed into becoming precursor sperm cells, suggesting that it might be possible one day to restore fertility for sterile males with an easily obtained skin sample, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their findings are available today in the online version of Cell Reports.
Infertility can be a side effect of some cancer treatments because the drugs work by destroying rapidly-dividing cells, which includes sperm precursor cells, explained the study's lead author Charles Easley, Ph.D., formerly a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and now a faculty member at Emory University.
"Sperm can be banked for future artificial insemination procedures, but that does not help some patients, such as pre-pubertal boys," Dr. Easley said. "There are procedures to store testicular tissue prior to cancer therapy, but men who didn't have the opportunity to save tissue are permanently sterile, and so far there are no cures for their sterility."
There is growing research evidence that adult somatic cells, such as those of the skin, can be induced or biologically prodded to return to a more primitive state and then redirected to become different cell types. To see if it was possible to derive sperm cells Dr. Easley and his colleagues cultured lab-grade hiPSCs from commercially available skin samples, as well as hESCs from established cell lines, in conditions typically used to sustain spermatogonial stem cells.
They found that both kinds of stem cells were able to generate key cells, including the spermatogonial stem cells, spermatocytes containing a full complement of chromosomes prior to cell division known as meiosis, then post-meiotic spermatocytes with half the chromosome number, and round spermatids, which are precursors to sperm. Testing of certain chromosome sites showed correct parent-of-origin genomic imprints in these haploid cells as well, the researchers noted.
"No one has been able to make human sperm from pluripotent stem cells in the lab, but this research indicates it might be possible," Dr. Easley said. "This model also gives us a unique opportunity to study the molecular signals that govern the process, allowing us to learn much more about how sperm are made. Perhaps one day this will lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating male infertility."
Explore further: Making sperm from stem cells in a dish


Sunday, June 14, 2009
Vellore, the Head- Quarters of Vellore District situated in 12' 35' N and 79' 9' E , has a very interesting History of its own. A strategically located town, it is well connected by Rail and bus routes to major towns of the neighboring states like A.P. Karnataka and Kerala. The History of the district assumes a great significance and relevance, as we unfold the glorious past. It was under the sway of various dynasties and rulers, the prominent among them being the Pallavas , Cholas of Uraiyur, the Rashtrakutaa dynasty of Malkhed, Sambuvarayar, the rulers of Vijayanagarm, Mamathas, the Nawabs of the carnatic and the British. The Monuments found in the district give a vivid picture of the town through the ages. In the 18 th Century Vellore District was the scene of some of the decisive bettles fought in Ambur (1749) A.D Arcot (1751) A.D and Vandivasi (1760A.D) as a result of the long -drawn struggle between the English and the French for Supremacy. One of the monuments of Vellore is the fort and its exact date of construction could not be established, in the absence of proper records. A very close examination of the stone inscriptions suggests that the fort in all probability might have been built during the rule of Chinna. Bommi Nayak (1526 to 1595A. D) . The fort is one of the most perfect specimens of Military architecture in S.India. The Jalakandeswarar Temple inside the fort is very fine example of Vijayanagar architecture. The Kalyanamantap, on the left of the entrance, with intricate caring and delicacy of exaction, bears testimony to the engineering marble and advanced state of sculpture of the times. Another land mark that has put Vellore on the center stage of Medical world is the Christian Medical College Hospital. Dr . IDA Scudder, the American lady, with a missionary zeal, started her Medical work in 1900 A.D. by setting up a very small Hospital, which in the last hundred years has grown into a premier Medical Institution of international repute. The central prison in Vellore , set up in 1830 A.D. is another Historically important land mark as some eminent personalities and Freedom Fighters like Thiru. Rajaji, Thiru C.N. Annadurai, Thiru. K. Kamaraj , the former presidents of India Thiru. V.V.Giri, Thiru. R.VenkataRaman had served their prison terms here. The other note worthy monuments are the Mausoleums located in Aruganthampoodi area on the Vellore - Arcot road, where the family members of Tippu Sultan were buried and the Muthu mandapam on the banks of river of palar, a memorial raised by the Tamil Nadu Government to honor Vikarama Rja Singha , the last Tamil King who ruled Kandy (Srilanka ) from 1798 to 1815 A.D. He was imprisoned in Vellore fort for 17 years.
THE ROLE OF VELLORE DISTRICT IN THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE
Vellore District had always been on the fore - front in the struggle for freedom. In


The Sirius documentary was finally released and the question as to whether the Atacama humanoid is an extraterrestrial has been resolved, at least according to the scientist who analyzed the DNA, and the results are that he is human. However, the mystery doesn’t end there. Although, it is not an extraterrestrial, their findings show it may have been a 6-inch Chilean human that survived for 6 to 8 years.
These findings may not be the “potentially profound and historical announcement” that many were hoping for. However, no one can argue that a promise the film did make good on was the high level of credibility of the scientists involved with the study.
The lead scientist is Dr. Garry Nolan, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University’s School of Medicine and the director of Stanford’s Proteomics Center. In the film, Nolan says of the DNS results, “The sequence that we got from the mitochondria [energy factories of cells] tells us with extremely high confidence that the mother was an indigenous Indian from the Chilean area.”
The film ended asking the question whether there still could be a chance the Atacama humanoid, nicknamed ‘Ata,’ was extraterrestrial. In an email response to my question if there are any doubts in his mind, Nolan responded, “The DNA says human. If someone wants to suggest a way for a non-terrestrial to have the same DNA sequence (nucleotide for nucleotide) as a human, then I think everyone would be interested in their ideas.”
Given its size, the next question would be if Ata is a human fetus. In an earlier study, Dr. Francisco Etxeberria Gabilondo, a professor of Legal and Forensic Medicine in the Basque Country University, had concluded that Ata was “without any shadow of doubt, a completely normal mummified fetus.”
Dr. Nolan says, “As to it being a fetus, I would trust the examination done by my colleague, a known expert in pediatric bone disorders, who came to the surprising conclusion that it was 6-8 years old.”
Although, this claim is astounding, the colleague Nolan is referring to is someone whose opinion should not be taken lightly. He is Dr. Ralph Lachman, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the International Skeletal Dysplasia Registry at Cedars-Sinai. He is also the author of the textbook, Radiology Of Syndromes, Metabolic Disorders And Skeletal Dysplasias, a book referenced by students and practitioners. Skeletal dysplasia is a condition that can cause abnormal bone development, including variations in size and shape.
In his response to the examination of Ata’s radiographic images, Lachman wrote to Nolan:
I have examined in the course of my career many skeletal and other pediatric bone anomalies and dysmorphias. This specimen does not fall under any known, to me, class of disorders or syndromes… there is no known form of dwarfism that accounts for the anomalies seen in this specimen. Most interestingly, based on knee epiphyseal standards, the specimen appears to be 6-8 years old. While there remains a possibility this latter result is due to some form of unknown progeria (rapid aging syndrome), in my opinion this is a low probability.
Nolan stresses that Lachman’s examination was no cursory examination, and they went over the radiographs for hours. “But while it might be better evidence than size alone,” Nolan continued, “additional evidence would be supportive. In scientific parlance, the evidence is contradictory, so additional ‘tie breaking’ or ‘trumping’ evidence is needed.”
Nolan plans to continue research on Ata’s anomalous features. He says, “Right now I am looking into independent techniques that might be able to cross-verify the age. I have some ideas, but I would have to develop some new techniques to test it.”
Nolan’s last statement in the documentary was that he wanted to say more, but couldn’t. I asked him about this statement, and he clarified, “I simply wanted to avoid speculation. It was not that I had some secret data I wanted to share but could not.”
Although Ata has not turned out to be extraterrestrial, the process of working on the documentary has made Nolan more open to the UFO mystery. He says, “The people I’ve come to meet through this process have convinced me thoroughly the observed phenomena around the planet should not be ignored. That has been an awakening for me.”


Gas Mask Drill, Ambleside, circa 1942
Framed (ref: 8498)
12 x 8 in. (30.5 x 20.3 cm)
Tags: Charles Mahoney charcoal children men trees war women
Provenance: The Artists daughter
Exhibited: WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Morley College London, 28 October -23 November 2016, cat 30.
Literature: Paul Liss, Charles Mahoney, London 1999, p. 54. WW2 - War Pictures by British Artists, Edited by Sacha Llewellyn & Paul Liss, July 2016, cat 30, page 68.
Gas masks were issued to all children as a precaution against attack by gas bombs, and gas-mask drill (‘remove mask from box, put mask on face, check mask fits correctly, breathe normally’) was a daily feature of school life in the SecondWorldWar.
The masks came in cardboard boxes with a strap for carrying them on the shoulder. Children were instructed to keep their masks with them at all times.
In 1940, the Royal College of Art was evacuated to Ambleside in the Lake District, with Mahoney and Percy Horton among the male staff.
A related study is in the collection of the V&A museum.


Minimally Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery
At the University of Chicago, surgeons are operating on the hearts of adults and children through tiny openings in the chest, eliminating the need for sternotomy--a large incision through the breastbone (sternum). Our heart surgeons use robotic devices, sophisticated thin instruments, miniature cameras, and hybrid techniques to perform minimally invasive procedures. These approaches offer many benefits compared to traditional, open-chest procedures.
Minimally invasive and robotic heart surgeries for adults are performed in the Center for Care and Discovery. The surgical suites in the new hospital feature sophisticated diagnostics, leading-edge medical and robotic technologies, and state-of-the-art imaging capabilities. Hybrid operating rooms unite the surgical suite and the cardiac catheterization lab, enabling surgeons and interventional cardiologists to perform multiple procedures in one setting.
Full Spectrum of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Procedures
Some of the minimally invasive procedures regularly performed by University of Chicago heart surgeons include:
- Single and multiple vessel coronary artery bypass surgery, to improve blood flow to the heart and to reduce chest pain.
- Valve repair and replacement, to restore proper valve function
- Surgery to correct atrial fibrillation, a common type of arrhythmia
- Implantation of epicardial pacing wires to boost the pumping action of the heart in heart failure patients
- Procedures to treat congenital heart conditions, such as atrial septal defect
It's not uncommon for our surgeons to correct more than one heart problem during a minimally invasive procedure. For example, a person who needs mitral valve repair and bypass surgery can have both problems treated during the same operation without opening the chest.
At the Forefront of Robotic Cardiac Surgery
We're one of a handful of hospitals in the world that offers a wide range of robotic approaches for heart conditions. Cardiac surgeon Husam H. Balkhy, MD, is an internationally recognized expert in this highly sophisticated technique and has performed hundreds of robotic heart procedures with excellent outcomes.
Minimally invasive and robotic heart surgery techniques offer several advantages compared to open-chest procedures, including:
- Faster return to normal activities. Rather than waiting several weeks to heal, patients can return to work or other activities much more quickly--usually within two to three weeks.
- Shorter hospital stay. Time spent in the hospital can sometimes be reduced by as much at 50 percent, compared to open procedures.
- No splitting of the breastbone. Keeping the breastbone (sternum) intact reduces the chance for post-surgical complications and infection.
- Smaller incisions. Depending upon the case, the operation may be performed through four to five dime-size incisions, or with the addition of a 2-inch incision at the side of the chest. Traditional open-heart procedures require a longer incision down the center of the chest.
- Quicker resolution of pain. Decreased damage to tissue and muscle results in pain that does not last as long as after a sternal incision. Tylenol or aspirin are often enough to manage pain after hospital discharge.
- Elimination of the heart-lung bypass machine, in cases of coronary bypass grafting. Avoiding the bypass machine decreases the risks for neurological complications and stroke.
- Minimal blood loss and less need for transfusion.
- Little scarring. Instead of a long chest scar, only a few tiny scars or a short, 2-inch scar remains.


|Target Participant||Standard 4 to Form 3 (10 – 15 years old)|
|Date||10th June 2018 (Sunday)|
|Duration||3 hours (9am – 12pm))|
|Venue||Plantzania Learning Center, Revongen Corporation Center,
No. 12A, Jalan TP5, Taman Perindustrian UEP, 47600 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
|Workshop Fees||RM 70 per participant|
|Each participant||can bring back Fruit DNA extraction kit and Bacteria growing kit.|
Workshop 1: DNA Extraction – Seeing your DNA!
You’ve probably learned or heard about DNA, but have you ever seen it? With the Fruit DNA experiment, you’ll extract, isolate, and observe the DNA of a fruit in a matter of minutes. It sounds impossible, but thanks to special characteristics of strawberries, it’s actually very possible… and simple. You don’t have to be a geneticist and you don’t need an electron microscope. It’s easy, fun, and all you need are some household materials.
Workshop 2: Grow Bacteria – Zoom in to Microbial World
The world is teaming with microbes. That fact is never so graphically apparent as when someone actually takes the time to culture the bacteria and yeast growing on everything — from pillowcases to toilets to eyeballs. Fortunately, many of these microbes are vital to human health.
See how cleanliness and refrigeration affect bacteria growth.


1970s in video gaming
|1960s . 1970s in video gaming . 1980s|
Consowes of de 1970s
First generation consowes
Their typicaw characteristics were:
- Discrete transistor-based digitaw game wogic.
- Games were native components of consowes rader dan based on externaw or removabwe media.
- Entire game pwayfiewd occupies onwy one screen, uh-hah-hah-hah.
- Pwayers and objects consist of very basic wines, dots or bwocks.
- Cowour graphics are basic (mostwy bwack and white or oder dichromatic combination; water games may dispway dree or more cowours).
- Eider singwe-channew or no audio.
- Lacked features of second generation consowes, such as microprocessor wogic, ROM cartridges, fwip-screen pwayfiewds, sprite-based graphics, and muwti-cowor graphics.
Second generation consowes 1976-1983
The second generation, first on sawe 1976–88, were more advanced. Consowes first avaiwabwe in de wate 1970s incwuded de Fairchiwd Channew F, Atari 2600, Bawwy Astrocade and Magnavox Odyssey². The first handhewd consowe, de Microvision, was reweased in 1979.
Typicaw tech specs:
- Microprocessor-based game wogic.
- AI simuwation of computer-based opponents, awwowing for singwe-pwayer gaming.
- ROM cartridges for storing games, awwowing any number of different games to be pwayed on one consowe.
- Game pwayfiewds abwe to span muwtipwe fwip-screen areas.
- Bwocky and simpwistic-wooking sprites, wif a screen resowution of around 160 × 192 pixews.
- Basic cowor graphics, generawwy between 2-cowor (1-bit) and 16-cowor (4-bit).
- Up to dree channew audio.
- Lacked features of dird-generation consowes, such as scrowwing tiwe-based pwayfiewds.
Gowden age of arcade games
Cwassic arcade games of de 1970s incwude Space Invaders (1978), Space Race (1973), Speed Race (1974), Gun Fight (1975), Fonz (1976), Night Driver (1976), Breakout (1976), Deaf Race (1976), Space Wars (1977), Barrier (1979), Speed Freak (1979), Warrior (1979), Taiw Gunner (1979), Gawaxian (1979), Lunar Lander (1979) and Asteroids (1979).
Notabwe video-game franchises estabwished in de 1970s
Home computers and consowe
- 1Game franchises dat awso accompany major fiwm or tewevision franchises.


The compounds behind the perfumes and colognes you enjoy have been eliciting olfactory excitement since dinosaurs walked the Earth amid the first appearance of flowering plants, new research reveals.
Entomologist George Poinar Jr. and his son Greg, a fragrance collector, found evidence that floral scents originated in primitive flowers as far back as 100 million years ago as pollinator attractants – a role they still play even though today’s flowers also have colorful petals for luring pollinators.
“I bet some of the dinosaurs could have detected the scents of these early flowers,” George Poinar said. “In fact, floral essences from these early flowers could even have attracted these giant reptiles.”
The Poinars examined amber flowers from Burma, including the now extinct glandular laurel flower (Cascolaurus burmensis) and veined star flower (Tropidogyne pentaptera).
The research revealed that the flower-based chemical compounds that are the basis for the perfumes and colognes we use today have been providing olfactory excitement to pollinating insects and other animals since the mid-Cretaceous Period.
Without colorful petals, flowers from that period had to rely solely on scents to attract pollinators.
“You can’t detect scents or analyze the chemical components of fossil flowers, but you can find the tissues responsible for the scents,” said George Poinar, professor emeritus in the Department of Biology.


The 10 Powerful Gods that were Worshiped by the Ancient Romans
The Ancient Romans worshiped many gods during their rule. Many of these deities were the same as those worshiped by the ancient Greeks, but they were renamed by the Romans.
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The citizens of Ancient Rome believed these powerful gods not only founded their homeland, but the gods also shaped their daily lives constantly. Therefore, these gods were routinely honored and consulted to ensure that the activities of the state had received divine approval.
10 Major Gods of Ancient Rome
These deities were seen as the main gods of Ancient Rome. It was only through worshiping and honoring them that the Ancient Romans were allowed to prosper and conquer new lands.
Jupiter was seen as the God of all the other gods. He was considered to be the shining father of the Roman Empire. His power was seen as omnipotent. Throughout all of Italy, he was worshiped on the hill summits.
The 6 Most Deadly Natural Disasters from Ancient Times
Extraordinary human losses when the world population was much lower
Jupiter was believed to be the deity who protected the Roman race and whose worship represented moral conception. As the great protector, he oversaw the implementation of oaths and treaties of the state. It was only in the presence of his priests that the most sacred and ancient forms of holy marriage could take place.
Throughout all of Roman history, Jupiter is believed to protecting all the other deities along with the fateful paths of duty by both state and family.
Juno was both the chief goddess and Jupiter’s female counterpart. Along with Minerva and Jupiter, Juno was part of the Capitoline deity triad originally recognized by the Etruscan kings. She oversaw every aspect of the lives of Roman women — especially their married lives.
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Juno was also the goddess of childbirth and seen a guardian angel for females. As her popularity expanded, her functions become wider and she was seen as the main female divinity for the state. Countless temples devoted to her were constructed throughout the Roman Empire.
Minerva was the Roman goddess of arts, the professions, handicrafts, and of war. She was closely associated with Jupiter and Juno as a member of the Capitoline triad from Etruria. A shrine dedicated to her was located on the Aventine in Rome became a huge meeting location for craftsmen guilds along with actors and poets.
Here are the 8 Most Brilliant Military Commanders in History
Their battlefield prowess was legendary
The Great Roman General Pompey constructed a great temple to her made from the spoils of his amazing conquests in the east. This temple branded her as the divine matron of victory. Her popularity reached its apex under the Roman Emperor Domitian who granted her special protections. It was during this time that she was most honored and worshiped.
The Roman god of Neptune ruled the seas and controlled storms and winds. He was also considered as the equine god that oversaw both horses and horsemanship. This also made him the patron of horse racing which was very popular among the Ancient Romans.
Here are 7 Fascinating Creations by the Ancient Romans
These ancient inventions are still being used today
Unlike his Greek counterpart Poseidon, who was second-in-command to Zeus, Neptune was not a ruling deity. He was not a member of either the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Minerva, and Juno, or the Archaic Triad of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus (who was Romulus in a deified form).
Despite his lack of political power, Neptune still had the respect and fear of those whose livelihood depended on the sea. His influence greatly increased during the second and third centuries as the Roman Empire spread all through the Mediterranean Sea.
Many considered the Roman god Mars as second only to Jupiter in overall importance. He became the god of war and was seen as a protector of Rome’s armies.
5 Powerful Slave Owners Who Happened to be Black
Find out more about these 5 powerful black slave owners. Their stories are interesting, compelling, and very unique.
Rome held festivals in spring and fall to honor Mars. These events marked the beginning and end of both the military and agricultural seasons. The month of March was named after him and as a result, many events were held in this special month to honor him.
The month of October was also surrounded by the god, Mars. These fall festivals featured many horse activities such as chariot races.
Caesar Augustus took the worship of Mars to new levels. He not only saw the war god as his inspiration, he considered Mars as his guardian in the quest to avenge the death of Julius Caesar. Roman legions worshiped him before taking the battlefield.
Venus was the Roman goddess of beauty, love, fertility, prosperity, and victory. She was vital enough to the Roman elite that many of them claimed she was in their bloodline. Mythological tales claim that Aeneas, who was her son, escaped from Troy to Italy. He was then the ancestor of Romulus and Remus, the brothers who founded Rome.
The 7 Most Powerful Revolutions in History
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This story reveals why many Romans considered Venus as the mother of Rome. Her main symbols were myrtle and rose. Myrtle so represented this goddess that everyone wore wreaths of myrtle at her festivals.
The major festival for the goddess Venus was held on April 1. During this event, her statue was carefully washed and draped in flowers. In return, they believed that Venus helps men and women on issues of the heart.
The Roman god Apollo is perhaps the most complicated as well as one of the most important of all Roman gods. This is because he was the god of many things like poetry, music, art, oracles, archery, medicine, plague, sun, and knowledge. Primarily, he was known as the god light.
5 Remarkable Women Who Led Powerful Rebellions
Learn about these 5 incredible women who fearlessly faced danger and led their followers.
Apollo is depicted as an athletic, beardless youth who was the son of Jupiter and was the twin of Diana. It was through his connections with the Oracle from Delphi that he also became the god of divine distance. He could make men aware of their guilt from afar.
Apollo oversaw law, religion, and the constitutions of roman cities. He communicated with common mortals through oracles and prophets. Even the other Roman gods feared his power.
Diana was known as the Roman goddess of the hunt. She was the daughter of Jupiter and the twin to Apollo, the god of light. She is also considered to be the goddess of the moon, the woods, children and childbirth, wild animals, and even fertility. Those who worshipped her believed she could talk with forest animals and control their behavior and movements.
10 of the Greatest Minds in History
Check out 10 of the greatest minds in all of history. See if you can find anyone smarter than these people.
As with all Roman deities, the goddess Diana was fully grown when born and was stunningly beautiful and tall. It is said that she was very youthful — appearing to represent a young lady of 12–19 years old.
The art depicts her as having a quiver of arrows over her shoulder and possessing a bow. She is usually clad in a short tunic with either buckskin covering over her feet — which was the style for a Roman huntress.
Vulcan was considered as the Roman god of fire. It was believed that his power was the motive force behind volcanic eruptions and other destructive conflagrations. His name comes from the identical Latin root from which the word “volcano” was derived. He was also seen to be the god of forges, metalworking, and craftsmanship.
Myths about Vulcan claim that he had a massive forge for metal crafting underneath Mount Etna which is located on the east coast of Sicily. This was where he forges weapons that were only suitable for other gods to use. This mountain has been an active volcano for over 2,700 years. It was believed that the volcanic fires, lava, and smoke are Vulcan’s forge at work.
Roman citizens prayed to Vulcan in the hopes of protecting their homes and fields from fire. As with the other gods, festivals were thrown to honor him.
Mercury was considered to be the Roman god of markets and commerce. He was often seen as being a mediator between mortals and the gods. He had the advantage of speed because of his winged feet which allowed him to circulate quickly among people with messages and goods.
It was believed the Roman god Mercury protected both travelers and merchants — especially those who dealt in grains, which were vital to Rome. Merchants commonly prayed to him for the protection of their wares and prosperity in their dealings.
Mercury was believed to be very cunning and a shrewd negotiator. It was also said that he loved pulling pranks on the god Apollo.


Our vision for writing is that children leave KS1:
- being excellent communicators through writing legible sentences with good vocabulary, spelling and grammar and which are correctly punctuated;
- seeing themselves as good writers, understand what it means to be a good writer and with a knowledge of how they can get even better;
- having positive attitudes towards writing and write for pleasure;
- Being self-reflective and independent checking their writing where possible;
- Writing a range of text for a purpose and an audience that both inform and entertain and can communicate information, ideas, imagery and emotion.


The Girls of Atomic City
The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
In this book the author traces the story of the unsung World War II workers in Oak Ridge, Tennessee through interviews with dozens of surviving women and other Oak Ridge residents. This is the story of the young women of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, who unwittingly played a crucial role in one of the most significant moments in U.S. history. The Tennessee town of Oak Ridge was created from scratch in 1942. One of the Manhattan Project's secret cities, it did not appear on any maps until 1949, and yet at the height of World War II it was using more electricity than New York City and was home to more than 75,000 people, many of them young women recruited from small towns across the South. Their jobs were shrouded in mystery, but they were buoyed by a sense of shared purpose, close friendships, and a surplus of handsome scientists and Army men. But against this wartime backdrop, a darker story was unfolding. The penalty for talking about their work, even the most innocuous details, was job loss and eviction. One woman was recruited to spy on her coworkers. They all knew something big was happening at Oak Ridge, but few could piece together the true nature of their work until the bomb "Little Boy" was dropped over Hiroshima, Japan, and the secret was out. The shocking revelation: the residents of Oak Ridge were enriching uranium for the atomic bomb. Though the young women originally believed they would leave Oak Ridge after the war, many met husbands there, made lifelong friends, and still call the seventy-year-old town home. The reverberations from their work there, work they did not fully understand at the time, are still being felt today.
New York, NY : Simon and Schuster, 2013.
1 online resource


GWATKIN, Sir WILLOUGHBY GARNONS, army officer; b. 11 Aug. 1859 in Twickenham (London), England, son of Frederick Gwatkin, a solicitor, and Louisa Isabella Stapleton; m. 23 June 1888 Edith Campbell Rowley in Hurst, Lancashire, England; d. 2 Feb. 1925 in Twickenham.
Educated at Shrewsbury School, King’s College, Cambridge, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Willoughby Gwatkin was commissioned in the Manchester Regiment in 1882. He served as adjutant of his battalion from 1888 to 1892, was promoted captain in 1890, and passed the Staff College, Camberley, in 1895. In March 1899, after a short period on the staff in Egypt, he went to the War Office, where he served for a time in Colonel Percy Henry Noel Lake*’s celebrated mobilization section. In 1900 he became a major. On 31 Oct. 1903 he returned to regimental service in South Africa, a vital experience for an ambitious officer.
In 1905 Lake, now chief of the general staff (CGS) in Canada, summoned Gwatkin as director of operations and staff duties to develop plans and procedures for a militia that was becoming an army [see Sir Frederick William Borden*]. The following year Gwatkin brought over 250 disbanded veterans from his old regiment as volunteers for Canada’s expanding Permanent Force. He remained Lake’s right-hand man until 20 Oct. 1909. He then went back to England with the rank of colonel to serve as general staff officer, 1st grade, at Eastern Command.
In the summer of 1911 Gwatkin returned to Ottawa as general staff officer, mobilization. Though he believed that war with the United States was “very remote,” he developed a plan that expanded militia strength in the vulnerable Canadian west. A European war was more likely, and Gwatkin prepared a proposal for an infantry division and a mounted brigade to serve in “a civilized country with a temperate climate.” He also pressed discreetly for an interdepartmental committee to coordinate war planning. The committee, headed by Sir Joseph Pope, would barely complete Canada’s War Book by the summer of 1914.
The Conservative victory in the federal election of 1911 gave Gwatkin a new political master, Colonel Samuel Hughes, a militia officer with a pronounced distaste for British officers and regular soldiers. By the summer of 1913 Gwatkin’s superior, Major-General Colin John Mackenzie, had fallen victim to Hughes. When the War Office tried to negotiate better terms for a successor, on 1 Nov. 1913 Hughes simply promoted Gwatkin. For fear of losing any rational influence in the Department of Militia and Defence, Gwatkin determined to get along with Hughes. More peremptory decisions by the minister soon followed. On the outbreak of war in August 1914, Hughes scrapped Gwatkin’s mobilization plan, summoned volunteers to Valcartier, Que., and proceeded to organize his own contingent, choosing officers, organizing units, and making all the decisions himself. Then he left for London to demand the right to command Canadians in the field. In his absence Gwatkin managed to use his plan to organize a second contingent for the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Gwatkin appealed to be allowed to rejoin the British army; the War Office promoted him major-general (26 Feb. 1916) and left him in Ottawa. By working incredible hours Gwatkin kept militia headquarters functioning. His increasingly erratic minister was a bigger strain. Could military schools be reserved for would-be CEF officers? No, declared Hughes, everyone who applied must be trained. Hughes insisted on naming colonels and creating new battalions, a procedure that brought quick results but ultimately wasted men, money, and morale. Though responsible for recruiting and training hundreds of thousands of men, Gwatkin was kept in ignorance of overseas tactics and techniques. His wisest advice was that Canada’s manpower commitments reflect the availability of volunteers – two or three divisions. Hughes insisted that Canadians would fill six or even eight divisions.
By mid 1916 an exhausted Gwatkin was close to the limit of his extraordinary stock of tact and patience. A confidant, Charles Frederick Hamilton*, believed that only the belated dismissal of Hughes prevented his resignation. Gwatkin soldiered on under Sir Albert Edward Kemp and the Unionist ministers of militia, Major-General Sydney Chilton Mewburn and Hugh Guthrie*. Having planned and managed, as best he could, the wartime expansion of the CEF, Gwatkin also had to oversee its repatriation, demobilization, and reorganization as a peacetime force. His plans, submitted in 1917, would have established a permanent army of 20,000, strong coastal garrisons, and universal military service. The British also held him responsible for the imperial operation in Siberia, where two British battalions came under Canadian command at Vladivostok. He retired as CGS in 1920 with a kcmg.
During the war Gwatkin had opposed a separate Canadian air force, but his encyclopedic mind foresaw the problems and possibilities of post-war aviation. Mindful of his ideas and his weariness, and having the CEF’s leaders to employ, the government appointed him air vice-marshal and inspector-general of the Canadian Air Force. Gwatkin saw the impossibility of maintaining a real air force on a part-time “militia” basis, as the government proposed, and understood the potential of aviation as a servant of many branches of government. His prestige won the infant CAF its own ranks and uniforms. He joined Sir Arthur William Currie*, the inspector-general of the militia, Major-General James Howden MacBrien*, his successor as CGS, and Sir Eugène Fiset*, the deputy minister of militia, in successfully urging that all of Canada’s defence services be united in a single department of national defence. At the same time he fought the army to give the CAF the same independence as the post-war Royal Air Force had in Britain. As a final service to Canada, Gwatkin brought his knowledge of heraldry to the committee that designed the new Arms of Canada in 1919–20.
After his retirement in 1922 Gwatkin stayed on in Ottawa, intending to divide his time between Canada and England. He went back to London in the summer of 1924 when he was made colonel of his old regiment, but his friends there knew he was failing and they were not surprised that he died at St John’s Hospital in Twickenham after being admitted for sciatica. His long wartime hours of work, often while he was suffering severe stomach pains, had shortened his life.
Outside Ottawa’s narrow official circles, few knew Gwatkin. Those who recalled him, as did Charles Hamilton, remembered “a man of unusual cultivation and of wide intellectual interests,” whose writing extended to Canadian ornithology, traces of the Basques in Canada, and anonymous contributions of Latin and macaronic verse to scholarly journals. Gwatkin’s judgements, sometimes brutal, often shrewd, were rendered with a rare brevity and precision. In a city of myopic politics, he saw farther than most.
Erindale College, Univ. of Toronto (Mississauga, Ont.), Desmond Morton, Canadian Expeditionary Force research files, Donald MacKinnon papers, MacKinnon to parents, 14 Oct. 1915. Gazette (Montreal), 25 March 1922. Times (London), 27 June 1888, 4 Feb. 1925. Cyclopædia of Canadian biog. (Rose and Charlesworth), vol.3. G.B., War Office, The monthly army list (London), 1900–5. C. F. Hamilton, “Lieut.-General Sir Willoughby Gwatkin: an appreciation,” Canadian Defence Quarterly (Ottawa), 2 (1924–25): 226–30. S. J. Harris, Canadian brass: the making of a professional army, 1860–1939 (Toronto, 1988). R. G. Haycock, Sam Hughes: the public career of a controversial Canadian, 1885–1916 (Waterloo, Ont., 1986). Desmond Morton, A peculiar kind of politics: Canada’s overseas ministry in the First World War (Toronto, 1982); When your number’s up: the Canadian soldier in the First World War (Toronto, 1993). Nicholson, CEF. The official history of the Royal Canadian Air Force (3v. to date, [Toronto and Ottawa], 1980– ), 2 (W. A. B. Douglas, The creation of a national air force, 1986).


The Golden Ratio was named by Greek sculptor and mathematician Phidias (500 BC – 432
BC). The application of the ratio by architects and artists is widespread for it’s considered the most pleasing to the eye. It’s also found throughout nature.
Geometry and the Golden Ratio are very important to the Illuminati and other secret societies. Most incorporate geometric shapes into their method of communicating through symbols and numbers.
Thomas Jefferson, a self-taught award-winning architect, relied on mathematics and geometry in his architectural designs. He was devoted to incorporating beauty and harmony in all of his work, most notably his Academical Village – the University of Virginia – which was named a World Heritage sight for it’s architectural excellence.
Fibonacci, Born 1170 in Pisa, Italy, is said to be “the most talented Western mathematician of the middle ages.”
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What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow (technically known as lateral epicondylitis) is a condition of the extensor muscle and tendon fibers located at the outside (lateral aspect) of the arm at the elbow. If we break down the medical terminology, it makes sense: “lateral” (outside aspect) “epicondyle” (portion of bone to which the tendon adheres) “itis” (inflammation). Tennis players (or other athletes) who use back hand swings commonly suffer from this condition due the repetitive motion and stress placed on the extensor tendons. If you are suffering from tennis elbow, you will notice elbow pain/burning that increases with increased activity. The pain may radiate, and you might also notice that your ability to grasp is decreased.
Swing back at tennis elbow.
How is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?
Tennis elbow is generally diagnosed by detailed history and physical exam. Your chiropractor will ask you questions like what makes it worse, what makes it better, how/when it began, and what it feels like. Next, an exam will be performed; your chiropractor will palpate (examine by touch) the anatomical structures of the elbow. He/she will then assess the elbow’s motion and perform specific orthopedic tests. Occasionally imaging will be ordered to rule out other conditions; however, tennis elbow cannot be seen on an x-ray or MRI.
What Are the Options for Treating Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow is commonly evaluated and successfully treated at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic. In most cases, conservative management is successful and most people who suffer from tennis elbow will not require invasive treatments like surgery. The chiropractors at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic will develop a treatment plan that will work for you. Joint manipulation and manual therapy (such as Active Release Technique), taping, bracing, ice massage, ultrasound, therapeutic strengthening/stretching exercises, and rest are often included in that plan. Swing back at tennis elbow; we get you out of pain and back into the game.
- Manipulation of the wrist for management of lateral epicondylitis: a randomized pilot study. Struijs PA, Damen PJ, Bakker EW, Blankevoort L, Assendelft WJ, van Dijk CN. Phys Ther. 2003 Jul;83(7):608-16..
- A rational management of tennis elbow. Kamien M. Sports Med. 1990 Mar;9(3):173-91. Review.


When I assess the safety of an elderly loved one in their home, I always inquire about recent falls. If a person has had a fall, they are more likely to fall again. Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. Sources state that one-third of people over the age of 65
As we get older, falls happen more often, and they cause more serious injuries. One common serious injury is a broken hip. This often leads to surgery and the complications that go with it.
How Falls Start
There are many reasons that older people fall: they become weaker, have diminishing eyesight, take medications that cause unsteadiness, wear the wrong shoes, have balance problems, and fail to use walkers or canes when needed.
I have noticed that many falls involve trips to the bathroom. Often when I have asked a resident or client how they fell; they say they were trying to get to the bathroom “on time”.
The best way to prevent a fall is to build strength (
Consider the top 5 ways to prevent falls at home:
- Remove anything on the floor that can be tripped over. Throw rugs are the most obvious culprit. Other clutter is hazardous as well and should be removed from the floor. Remove anything from the floor between the bed and the bathroom.
- Buy and wear good shoes with a non-slip surface. Examples of good shoes for seniors
- Invest in good lighting, especially motion sensitive night lights. Night lights with motion sensors
- Work with a physical therapist to learn the proper use of a walker or a cane.
- Hire a personal trainer or attend an exercise class for seniors to improve balance and muscle strength.
Not all people who fall are old, and not all old people fall. I fell down all the basement steps in my home a few years ago. All 15 steps. As I was falling, I was thinking that I was probably going to break my leg or my neck. After the shock wore off, I laid at the bottom of those stairs, and realized I was completely uninjured. I was about 50 years old at the time. I think the outcome would have been tragic if I was 20 or 30 years older. It was good motivation to maintain as much bone and muscle strength as possible! It sure seemed like a wake up call!
People who experience a fall may become fearful of falling again and become less active. This makes another fall more likely because inactivity causes the loss of strength. Try to avoid this unfortunate circle of events by pursuing strength and balance now!
Not all falls happen at home. Even residents of assisted living and nursing homes experience falls. The incidence is usually less than at home because there is more supervision and more assistance available to those residents who have been identified as having a higher risk.
Should you consider a move to assisted living?
The Merck Manual states that people who live with someone else have fewer health problems, and can include fewer falls. The benefits of living with other people.
Your care team in assisted living or senior community can make sure you take your medications correctly and will help you stay active in a safe environment. As you interact with other people at meals and in activities, it is likely to be noticeable if you aren’t feeling well or have a change in your health.
Staying at Home
If you choose to stay at home, make sure you have an alert system to get help in the case of
If you’re concerned about your aging loved one’s safety, please contact me. I can help you determine the best solution for their care and safety.


One of the most commonly consumed drinks in the world, tea provides a delicious and healthy source of hydration. Tea is made my steeping the leaves of the tea plant in water or milk, and allowing the nutrients and chemicals from the tea leaves to seep into the drink. Among these chemicals are vitamins and minerals, nutrients which prove essential to the health of your body.
One vitamin found in tea is vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. Vitamin C serves a number of roles within your body: it helps in the production of collagen, a substance that provides strength to a number of tissues including your bones, blood vessels and tendons. It also aids in tissue repair and wound healing, helping your body recover from injury, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Consuming sources of vitamin C -- such as tea -- may therefore help fight vitamin C deficiencies and help maintain the strength and health of your cells and tissues.
Another vitamin found in tea, specifically green tea, is vitamin K. Though not an essential nutrient -- since bacteria in your digestive tract can synthesize the vitamin -- vitamin K consumption through drinking tea can prove beneficial to your heath. Vitamin K aids in the formation of blood clots following injury or tissue damage, an initial step in wound healing. However, the vitamin K content of green tea may also present some risks -- the University of Maryland Medical Center indicates that vitamin K in tea may interfere with other medications, such as warfarin and aspirin. If you currently take blood-thinning medication, consult with your doctor about the safety of drinking green tea.
Tea also contains the essential nutrient vitamin E. This vitamin acts as an antioxidant -- its role in your body is to protect against damage by free radicals, the harmful chemical byproducts of your body's metabolism. Free radicals damage your cells, causing genetic mutations. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the vitamin E content of tea also proves beneficial in helping your body utilize and absorb other nutrients within the beverage, such as vitamin K.
One mineral found in tea is fluoride. Though fluoride represents a non-essential mineral in your body, fluoride in your diet proves beneficial in maintaining healthy teeth. Specifically, fluorine can increase the hardness and strength of the mineralized, bony tissue within your teeth, helping to prevent tooth decay and cavities. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University notes that higher quality green and black teas both provide a good source of fluoride, while lower quality tea, known as brick tea, contains high levels of the mineral. To increase the fluoride content of your tea, prepare the beverage using fluoridated water, such as tap water.


Southern Highlanders documents the traditions, folk song, work, and environment of the Appalachian mountain people living in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina. An educational video that illuminates all aspects of early Appalachian life, this film also contains great shots of the Smoky Mountains. The history of this poor but hard working people is shown here, with footage of women doing laundry and men farming the land. Some of the best moments come when mountain people are participating in traditional folk music, singing and dancing. Appalachian people created some of the best American folk music. Scenes of housework and farming are made even more interesting by the fact that every backdrop is the beautiful tableau of the Smoky Mountains, rich in color, but it's tinged by the sadness of poverty. Chock full of Appalachian mountain facts, Southern Highlanders is a part of Tennessee and North Carolina history.
Up in Smoke is a comedic skewering of the tobacco industry. “The Boss” is the head of the Humbar tobacco cigarette company who goes ballistic when his profits stop climbing or anyone is able to stop smoking. He sends his marketing team out to blitz the American public with dishonest messages about tobacco in order to encourage more people to take up the deadly habit, not providing honest facts about smoking. In particular, the marketers are told to get everyone to smoke: men, women, and children (this is a very early film to address teen smoking). The greedy executive's son, an athlete and an all-around good guy, comes to the office to see his dad and gets Shanghai’d by the marketing executives who want to make him a selling point. Dad sees the error of his ways and gets a newfound respect for the value of human lives and the harmful effects of smoking with a little help from his goody-two-shoes son. Up in Smoke was made by Brigham Young University to dramatize the evils of smoking, which it does, but unintentionally provides big laughs and entertainment with kooky dialogue and cartoonish characters. The history of cigarette smoking and side effects has never been as enjoyable as in this anti-smoking movie.
This is one of the more well-made industry films that touts big business as the key to American prosperity, freedom, and social development. In the most high-flown rhetoric possible, the narrator explains how the southern textile industry was creating enlightened industrial progress, "The race to compete has led -- as it inevitably must -- to better mills, better methods, better men, and eventually to a better way of life!" There is a montage of factory shots showing how various types of cloth are made, but the interesting part of this movie is afterwards when we see the mill town itself, replete with happy white workers and their families. We see the town surrounding the mill, "The production of this mill does not stop with cloth. Perhaps its most important product is this (we're shown a suburban street with houses), the comfortable American home. A place and an atmosphere a man can earn for his family and for his future." The picnic, the company tennis courts, and the comfortable working environment are all promoted as the “new way” of American industry, a way where the worker was valued and protected instead of abused and exploited. This is a superb vintage film that divulges the landscape of the textile industry in postwar America.
This RCA-produced film tells the short history of television from the perspective held in 1956, which was itself an early point in the TV’s history. After a detailed explanation of how TVs work and what the components look like, the film goes on to talk about how TV design is now moving toward reducing the size and cost of components and improving picture quality. We get to see many “TV firsts,” including footage of the first president on TV, President Roosevelt opening the NY World’s Fair, the King and Queen of England’s visit, and the 1940 Republican Convention in Philadelphia. David Sarnoff narrates the film and appears as an interviewer, asking Vladimir Zworykin about TV technology at RCA. The last third of the film is in color, and it talks about how color television works, then goes to a listing of NBC broadcast shows, including “Ding Dong School.” Given that this is such a collection of precious early television, this film is tough to top when it comes to exploring television history.
Listen closely to the narrator in this 1941 film, and you will learn a load of information about the invention of the television. A great informational video, Magic in the Air will teach you the basics of this cinematic novelty, from its basic functions to different techniques directors use to get the best shot. With the emergence of such a discovery, people all over the country were able to enjoy a football game from the comfort of their favorite armchair! Magic in the Air tells of the birth of television in a way everyone can understand.
Making of a Shooter is a great film that demonstrates how much attitudes about gun safety and culture have changed since the 1940s. Young Jimmy wants a gun, but has to learn the basics of how to hunt, shoot, and safely carry a gun before he can go out hunting. This film discusses basic safety tips like remembering to unload your gun when you break for lunch. Jimmy eventually kills a duck with his 22 rifle and is so thrilled he wants a bigger gun so that he can hunt big game. Several famous riflemen also appear briefly in the film, including Thurman Randle, Dick Shaughnessy, Ned Lilly and Fred Armstrong. The emphasis on safety in this film is offset by the freewheeling lack of parental supervision - making this an interesting piece of firearms history.
Television Tomorrow is a grand historical video that illuminates television broadcasting history and early television history. The film was made to inform the public about the growing television industry and possibility for returning World War 2 veterans finding television jobs as well. While examining the future of the television industry, the video talks about early television development and design, showing all the old equipment used in the NBC studios, including pictures of early televisions, and more. The glimpse of the history of NBC is particularly rare and interesting. The film also makes some prescient observations about the future of television. Television Tomorrow was made to describe the future of TV in America, but now it's an amazing relic that reveals the history of broadcasting in an accurate and fun way.
Today, suburbs are a ubiquitous part of the American landscape - but back in 1954 the idea of a middle class suburb was new and startling. This film advertises the merits of a suburban lifestyle by exploring and describing Doylestown, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are many interesting scenes of landmarks, people going about their daily lives, businesses, and more. The overall themes of urban decay and the birth of suburbia are well represented and fleshed out.
The Challenge of Ideas is an amazing vintage film that features John Wayne, Edward R. Murrow, Helen Hayes, Frank McGee, and Lowell Thomas all making separate speeches defending the American way of life and capitalism or denouncing the Soviet Union. The journalist hero Murrow sits behind his desk, smoking, while images of the military roll by. John Wayne sits in a director’s chair, smoking and talking about how Americans appreciate “beauty” while images of female wrestlers, beauty queens, and women on the beach are shown. All of the narration is aimed at promoting the idea that God was on America's side and the Commies are a bunch of thugs who want to rule the country someday. The film captures various patriotic images throughout each speech, including footage of the Liberty Bell, folks square dancing, factory assembly lines, schools, and the Statue of Liberty. There are also many scenes from the Soviet Union, including Moscow, Joseph Stalin, Khrushchev, and tanks in Red Square. This is a superb 1960's film with unparalleled cultural icons.
This film takes an extensive and absorbing look at the history, growth, production, and distribution of California prunes. Starting with the immigration of Frenchman Louis Pellier, who brought the first cuttings of French prune trees to California, the film tells about how the prune industry was launched, using actors with narration instead of dialogue. Included in the film is an overview of growing and harvesting, processing, and packaging, with shots of Sunsweet workers wearing vintage uniforms while working in the plant. The prune growers then demonstrate how to turn the humble prune into many different dishes. Most interestingly prune cake and prune pie! A fun film that captures the history of prunes and California.