(Reuters) - People who spent a lot of time sitting at a desk or in front of a television were more likely to die than those who were only sedentary a few hours a day, according to an Australian study that looked at death rates during a three-year period.
Researchers, whose results appeared in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the link between too much time sitting and shortened lives stuck even when they accounted for how much moderate or vigorous exercise people got, as well as their weight and other measures of health.
That suggests that shifting some time from sitting to light physical activity, such as slow walking or active chores, might have important long-term benefits, they added.
"When we give people messages about how much physical activity they should be doing, we also need to talk to them about reducing the amount of hours they spend sitting each day," said Hidde van der Ploeg, the new study's lead author from the University of Sydney.
Of more than 200,000 adults age 45 and older, van der Ploeg and her colleagues found that people who reported sitting for at least 11 hours a day were 40 percent more likely to die during the study than those who sat less than four hours daily.
That doesn't, however, prove that sitting itself cuts people's lives short, she noted, adding that there could be other unmeasured differences between people who spend a lot or a little time sitting each day.
The team surveyed about 220,000 people from New South Wales, Australia, between 2006 and 2008, including questions about participants' general health and any medical conditions they had, whether they smoked and how much time they spent both exercising and sitting each day.
Then the research team tracked responders using Australian mortality records for an average of almost three years, during which 5,400 - between two and three percent - died.
They found that the extra risk tied to sitting held up regardless of whether people were normal weight or overweight, how much time they spent working out and whether they were healthy or had pre-existing medical conditions.
Van der Ploeg said too much sitting may affect blood vessels and metabolism by increasing fats in the blood and lowering "good" cholesterol levels.
"When you are standing or walking, your leg muscles are constantly working which helps to clear blood glucose and blood fats from the blood stream," she said. "If you are sitting, this is not happening because the muscles are not active."
The findings are consistent with other recent studies suggesting health consequences from too much sitting, said Mark Tremblay, an obesity and activity researcher at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada.
"Sitting or reclining, especially in front of screens, is bad for you regardless of your age," said Tremblay, who wasn't involved in the study.
He added that even though people tend to think they're okay as long as they work out a certain amount a day, that's not necessarily the case.
"Getting your 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week is not insurance against chronic disease.
Both he and Van der Ploeg said there were ways that even people who have jobs involving a lot of desk work can train themselves to regularly interrupt sedentary behavior, such as standing up while on the phone or holding a stand-up meeting.
"Make sure the fax machine is four steps away from you, not within reaching distance," Tremblay said.
"Drink enough water that you have to pee four times a day. Stand up, stretch, walk around a little bit, say 'hi' to your friend in the cubicle next door." SOURCE: bit.ly/Hi0niK (Reporting from New York by Genevra Pittman at Reuters Health; editing by Elaine Lies)
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
March 26, 2012 -- Don't take this sitting down, but spending too much time in a chair is bad for your health really, really bad.
New research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that people who spend a lot of time sitting may be up to 40% more likely to die from any cause, compared to people who don't sit as long.
The study tracked nearly 222,500 Australian adults for about three years. During that time, people's odds of dying dovetailed with how much time they spent sitting.
Compared to people who spent less than four hours per day sitting, the odds of dying were:
15% higher for people who sat for at least eight hours
40% higher for people who sat for 11 or more hours a day
"Our findings add to the mounting evidence that public health programs should focus not just on increasing population physical activity levels, but also on reducing sitting time, the researchers write.
Alpa V. Patel, PhD, has published studies on the health risks associated with too much sitting. She is an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. "We are continuing to demonstrate time and time again in different populations that there is something real to the association between sitting time and reduced longevity."
Get Up Out of That Chair
What's so bad about sitting for long periods? That's not totally clear. But exercise and movement do have a positive effect on blood fats called triglycerides and other heart risks, and improves blood pressure, Patel says.
Her advice: Sit for five fewer minutes per hour. "Small changes can have a big impact," she says.
Technology may fight that. It's given us fewer reasons to move, says David A. Friedman, MD. He is the chief of heart failure services at North Shore Plainview Hospital in Plainview, N.Y.
Instead of texting or emailing a colleague, "walk down a few cubicles and say, 'Hi, how are you?' This is good face time and it's also good exercise."
Olveen Carrasquillo, MD, MPH, is the chief of the division of general internal medicine at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine. "A sedentary lifestyle is not good for your health," he says. "Today we don't even have to leave the house to go to the bank or mail a letter."
The new study doesn't prove that sitting killed people. It's not clear which came first -- poorer health or spending more time in a chair.
Still, there's no doubt that movement is good for many reasons.
"It is hard to say whether someone is fairly sedentary because they are inactive or if they are inactive because of other things, such as an unhealthy lifestyle that includes smoking," says Scott Kahan, MD, MPH. He is the director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness in Washington, D.C.
Still, there is no doubt that being active is healthy. "The key is to do something you like to do, whether it's sports, going to the gym, walking, or gardening. "If it is terribly unenjoyable, the likelihood of sustaining it is pretty low."
Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting?
What are the risks of sitting too much?
from James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D.
Researchers have linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Too much sitting also seems to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.
One recent study compared adults who spent less than two hours a day in front of the TV or other screen-based entertainment with those who logged more than four hours a day of recreational screen time. Those with greater screen time had:
A nearly 50 percent increased risk of death from any cause About a 125 percent increased risk of events associated with cardiovascular disease, such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack The increased risk was separate from other traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as smoking or high blood pressure.
Sitting in front of the TV isn't the only concern. Any extended sitting such as behind a desk at work or behind the wheel can be harmful. What's more, spending a few hours a week at the gym or otherwise engaged in moderate or vigorous activity doesn't seem to significantly offset the risk.
Rather, the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting whenever you have the chance.
Stand while talking on the phone or eating lunch. If you work at a desk for long periods of time, try a standing desk or improvise with a high table or counter.Better yet, think about ways to walk while you work:
Walk laps with your colleagues rather than gathering in a conference room for meetings.
Position your work surface above a treadmill with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialized treadmill-ready vertical desk so that you can be in motion throughout the day.
The impact of movement even leisurely movement can be profound. For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy.
Even better, the muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action.


Billions of locusts swarmed Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo on Thursday, prompting residents and tourists to share photographs of the sudden insect invasion on Twitter, while experts worried about the effect on the country’s food supply.
In the past five years, swarms of giant locusts have regularly swept in over the island nation off Africa’s southeastern coast, devastating crops and other food supplies within just a few hours.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that the ongoing locust plague in Madagascar threatens the livelihoods of some 13 million people, of which nine million earn their living from agriculture.
Last year, the UN agency launched a three-year emergency program to try and control the locust infestations through aerial campaigns to protect crops. Out of the $44 million (€33 million) in donations the FAO has called for to fund the program, it has so far only received $28.2 million, meaning the funding gap exceeds the $15 million needed to implement two more campaigns in 2014/15 and in 2015/16.
Since the spraying operations started in November 2013, locust populations on 1.2 million hectares of land have been controlled.
In an interview with BBC Focus on Africa last year, FAO locust control expert Annie Monard said: “The last one (plague) was in the 1950’s and it had a duration of 17 years so if nothing is done it can last for five to 10 years, depending on the conditions.”
Here is a selection of photographs that were published Thursday on Twitter:


Some organic mulches add critical nutrients to soil while hindering soil evaporation. Mulch gives plants ample time to absorb moisture before it drains from the site. Certain organic mulches, however, may involve problems with cockroaches because those insects specialize in decomposing materials. If your mulch is close to your home, cockroaches attracted to the mulch may enter the home in search of additional shelter and sustenance.
In general, most cockroach, or roach, species target warm, dark and moist areas for shelter during daytime, and they forage at night to remain hidden to predators. Pine straw mulch often attracts roaches because it is lightweight and they can burrow within it easily. Straw also holds ample moisture for plants, and that moisture is exactly what roaches seek. They need consistent water supplies for prolific breeding. Large roaches, such as smokybrown, which can grow 1 1/2 inches long, prefer deep pine straw mulch where humidity remains high and darkness prevails.
Bark chips and shavings are another mulch favorite for certain roach species, such as wood cockroaches. Those insects naturally live in woodpiles and seek wood shelter for safety and sustenance. Those roaches also are attracted to light from windows and outdoor fixtures, much like Asian roaches. Asian species prefer wood-based mulch as well and inadvertently may enter your home in search of food. Both roach species feed on decaying wood because they use the plant cellulose for energy and rapid reproduction.
If you have a consistent roach problem in and around your home, use a mulch that is not a prime shelter and food source for roaches. For example, spread gravel, stones or recycled rubber tire bits on your soil for a different mulch appearance. Although those mulches do not add nutrients to soil through decay, they don't attract roaches, which can affect human health. Roaches often carry diseases that may harm young children and older adults.
Organic Mulch Use
Wood-based mulches can be used around a home if they are applied properly. Only a 3- to 4-inch layer of bark mulch is required while pine straw needs to be up to 6 inches thick for healthy soil coverage. When the mulches are applied in those depths, water moves quickly through the mulches, which deters moisture-seeking roaches. An excessively thick layer of mulch provides a wet environment with many hiding spots for roaches. Keep mulch about 12 inches from your home's foundation to deter roaches from traveling into the home. When you reduce roach shelter space, they move to other areas for safety and food.
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Cockroaches and Their Management
- SouthBendTribune.com and Purdue University Extension: Wood Roaches Not Likely to Move In
- Clemson University: Understanding Cockroach Control
- University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: Asian Cockroaches
- Colorado State University Extension: Mulches for Home Grounds
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


July 25, 2015
A surge in health care jobs means more opportunities for individuals who work in hospitals, clinics, and physician's offices. So, what's the problem? As a recent report from Brookings Institute pointed out, the vast majority of new health care jobs are low-paying and have gone to nursing aides, dental assistants, and home health aides. Further troubling researchers is the fact that so many of the workers studied live at or slightly above the poverty line.
"Many of these workers are in the working poor category, meaning that they earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level," Brookings fellow Martha Ross told St. Louis Public Radio.
The Brookings study looked at 10 health care occupations and 100 metropolitan areas in order to compile data on wages, employment, and diversity. Using the data collected, researchers hoped to explain how more health care jobs doesn't necessarily translate into a better deal for workers. For example, the number of personal care aides without a bachelor's degree doubled in the St. Louis area over the past decade. Yet, during that same timeframe, local wages for personal care aides dropped 25 percent. That's much worse than just not getting a raise.
Karen Roth, research director at the St. Louis Area Health Coalition, expressed her concern regarding these trends. According to Roth, high health care turnover caused by a wide range of issues is "something that has plagued the medical profession for a long time" and a problem that can drive down health care results.
With health care workers with less than a bachelor's degree making up 61 percent of the industry's workers, it's becoming increasingly important to monitor the situation and look for ways to help. As USA Today noted, the U.S. Labor force has splintered into one with mostly low-wage and high-wage jobs but very few in between. The hope is that, by growing awareness of the issue, the health care sector could help bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by providing some middle-class jobs to replace the many we have lost over the last decade.
"It can provide people with lower levels of education a career ladder and a path toward upward mobility," Ross told USA Today.
In order to provide solutions to the problem, the Brookings study recommended a wide range of initiatives aimed at better utilizing all health care workers, regardless of educational background. Among the suggestions include options for additional job training, educational opportunities, and restructuring.
Further top-down efforts are also suggested by the study, such as developing and strengthening "regional healthcare partnerships of employers and educators to meet regional healthcare workforce needs, with a focus on helping pre-baccalaureate workers increase their skills and advance on the job."
The hope is that, by pulling hospitals and regional health care providers into the discussion, some larger, systemic changes might find their way on the table. According to the authors of the study, something has to give.
"These workers are a huge share of the workforce. They are the hands and ears and eyes of much of health care," Ross told The Tennessean. "They are assets, and they're not being used to their full potential."
Compiled by Holly Johnson
"Health care jobs lift less-educated workers," USA Today, July 24, 2014, Paul Davidson, http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/07/24/health-care-workforce/13041555/
"Low-wage health care jobs grow but without mobility," The Tennessean, July 23, 2014, Shelley DuBois, http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/07/24/low-wage-health-care-jobs-grow-without-mobility/13072501/
"Part of the Solution: Pre-Baccalaureate Healthcare Workers in a Time of Health System Change," Brookings, July 2014, Martha Ross, Nicole Pichrl Svajlenka, and Jane Williams, http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Reports/2014/07/healthworkforce/Healthcare%20Workers%20Embargo.pdf
"The Number Of Health Care Workers With Low Education Levels Is Rising ? But Their Wages Aren't," St. Louis Public Radio, July 23, 2014, Veronique LaCapra, http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/number-health-care-workers-low-education-levels-rising-their-wages-arent


- Title: Jerusalem Old City Jaffa Gate 001
Jaffa Gate is a stone portal in the historic walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is one of eight gates in Jerusalem's Old City walls.
Jaffa Gate is the only one of the Old City gates positioned at a right angle to the wall. This could have been done as a defensive measure to slow down oncoming attackers, or to orient it in the direction of Jaffa Road, from which pilgrims arrived at the end of their journey from the port of Jaffa.
Like the stones used for the rest of the Old City walls, the stones of Jaffa Gate are large, hewn, sand-colored blocks. The entryway stands about 20 feet (6 meters) high, and the wall rises another 20 feet above that.
Immediately next to the old gate, which is used only by pedestrians, is a breach in the wall, through which the roadway passes. According to legend, this was made in 1898 when German Emperor Wilhelm II insisted on entering the city mounted on his white horse. Local legend said that Jerusalem would be ruled by a king who entered the city's gates on a white horse, so to satisfy the emperor's vanity and avoid the fate foretold by legend, a breach was made in the wall rather than allow him to ride through a gate. However, photographs from 1880 show that the city wall was never continuous at that point owing to a moat around the Citadel / Tower of David that interrupted the wall's path. The moat has since been filled in, leaving the gap today.
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Coronary artery bypass
Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is a procedure used to correct severe coronary artery obstruction. Veins and arteries from other parts of the body are grafted onto the diseased coronary artery both above and below the blockage. Saphenous vein grafts from the leg, radial artery grafts from the forearm, left or right internal mammary artery may be used as graftsThe upper segment of the vein graft is sutured into the aorta and the lower segment is sutured beyond the blockage onto the coronary artery itself. When arteries (most commonly from the thoracic cavity) are used, the upper segment remains in its place of origin and the lower end of the artery is sutured beyond the blockage on the obstructed coronary artery. Therefore, blood flow "by-passes" the obstructed area of the coronary artery entirely by being rerouted through the added "graft."Often with severe coronary artery disease, more than one coronary artery is grafted. The terms double bypass, triple bypass and quadruple bypass indicate how many grafts are necessary. These grafts restore blood circulation to the areas of the heart that have been deprived of oxygenated blood flow.


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By David Kowalski
There are passages in the Old Testament regarding God "repenting" that seem contradictory to some observers, but with some diligent digging one finds the passages are actually complementary. With sufficient investigation, we find these passages wonderfully harmonize into truth consistent with the rest of Scripture. The first passage to consider is Genesis 6:6-7 KJV:
"And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth: both man, and the beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.'"
The Hebrew verb nacham is translated by the KJV translators as "repent" twice in this passage, and the word is generally translated this way in the KJV. Other translations of nacham in Genesis 6:6-7 include "grieved," "regretted," and "was sorry." Nacham is an onomatopoetic term that implies a difficulty in breathing which requires extraordinary or noticeably loud efforts to breath, and it came to represent such concepts as sighing and groaning. It eventually referred to any physical display of one's feelings such as sorrow, compassion, or comfort.
Although some scholars doubt the above is an accurate understanding of the etymology of nacham, it does seem to incorporate well the varied meanings nacham has in different contexts. Although nacham is most often translated "repented," "grieved," or "was sorry;" it is also translated seven times in the KJV as "comfort" or "comforted" (Gen 24:67, 38:12; 2 Sam 13:39; Ezek 14:22, 31:16, 32:31; Ps 77:2; Jer 31:15) and once as "ease" (Isa 1:24).
When nacham means "to repent" it is generally used with God as the subject and it does not have the moral connotation the Hebrew word sub does when it refers to man's repentance from sin. Nacham as "repent" means to have an inward change of disposition that results in some tangible change of posture or action. Significantly, the Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) translatesnacham as metamelomai and metanoeo, indicating that nacham was understood to refer to a change of heart or mind.
The only other reference in the Pentateuch to God as the subject of nacham is Exodus 32:12, 14. In this passage, God has announced his intention to destroy the people of Israel for their idolatry until Moses asks God to "repent" of this notion. In answer to Moses' intercession, God "repents" of his plan to destroy Israel. A large number of similar passages in the Old Testament (such as Jer 26:13, Joel 2:13, and Jon 4:2) describe God as "repenting" in some way.
On the surface, such passages seem to contradict the biblical teaching of God's immutability (unchangeable nature). They also seem to contradict the statements in Scripture that God does not repent (1 Sam 15:29) and will not repent (Ps 110:4). Such difficulties are quite easily and convincingly resolved, however.
1 Sam 15:29 teaches that God cannot change who he is. His character and eternal purposes will never be altered. God does, however, change his posture and his actions toward men (as in Genesis 6:6-7), depending on how they position themselves with regard to his immutable character and eternal purposes. He sometimes repents of his actions toward men because he cannot repent of who he is. If a man changes his posture toward God, there must of necessity be a corresponding shift in God's posture toward that man whether that means a favorable or unfavorable shift.
The implication for us is that we cannot change or manipulate God. He is who he is. We must submit to him and obey Him, and we are held responsible for being on the favorable side of his purposes. God will be glorified through us either as an object of his wrath or as a trophy of his grace. The choice is ours. God will also work in the lives of his children during this age to mature them. Whether this is done the hard way or the really hard way is also our choice.
© Copyright 2013, David Kowalski. All rights reserved. Links to this post are encouraged. Do not repost or republish without permission.
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The Children's Rainbow Dragon of Peace
The Children's Rainbow Dragon of Peace Dragon was made from old sails from the Rainbow Warrior
and recycled into a constructive peaceful new symbol of a Culture of Peace.
65 Children from the North Shore Children's Art House,
ages 7-17 representing many cultures, worked to bring the dragon to life on the eve of 2000,
and the year of the Dragon.
The Sails had 'Nuclear Free' words and whales blood on them.
The Peace Dragon has lead many parades heralding the
new Millennium and building cultural bridges celebrating our rich global diversity.
The latest march this special dragon danced in was the start of the
WORLD PEACE MARCH Auckland September 27th 2009 Click here for details
The Children's Rainbow Dragon of Peace travelled to Te Papa with R.T. and 15 young people
on Queens Birthday Weekend 2008. Twenty works of children's art were presented to Te Papa
Staff and the Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro for display in the Children's Pavilion
There is always a beating of a drum when a Dragon walks overhead
- The noise represents the thunders of the Heavens -
the Dragons Footsteps
DRAGONSDragons are symbols of Life made out of elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.
Thet are eternal, (they live forever) they are thought to get born again if they die. If they are slain they come back Bigger and Stronger.
Dragons are very important to all Cultures. Maori call them Taniwha, to Pakeha they are ancient (St George Dragons) and to Chinese they bring Good Luck, they come each New Year.
They have acute vision, the word Dragon means in Greek verb "To see". Every time a new Dragon is made there is a ceremony which involves painting the red on a dragons eyes, tongue and head to bring it into life.
Dragons symbolise Creation and Destruction. Dragons stretch from the vaults of heaven to the depths of hell.
We think of Dragons as being in the clouds. The Chinese people say that you can never see all the legs of a dragon, so when they are painting they hide the legs and only paint about three in the picture so that you can't tell how big the dragon is.
Dragons fill the skies. Dragons are considered guardians, they guard the unformed cosmos. Dragons chase the planets around the skies when they are born.
The planets are like toys to them, that's why they are called Dragon Balls. Every Dragon has a Dragon Ball to chase and play with.
The Rainbow Dragon of Peace began in 1999, The Dolphin Trust gave the New Zealand Children's Art House Foundations children the old sails from the Rainbow and Heaths Condor to make something wonderful as a Peace Symbol for the New Millennium. The Rainbow Warrior was a special sailing boat used to go out as a Protest to save the Whales and Dolphin's from killers, and it was used to try to stop Atoll Nuclear Bombers.
It was only a little boat but it took on the Nation of France and dangerously went right into bombsite to try and stop them from bombing. The French were Mighty Mad. Spies came to Auckland and plotted. At night, they bombed, and killed and sank the Rainbow Warrior Boat.
A Rainbow is a dream symbol. The Pacific has been Dreaming for a Clean Ocean and for unpolluted skies. It was a daunting task to go out to sea and fight giant war ships. The Warrior Boat needed very brave people.
After the bombing, the Rainbow Warrior was laid to rest at sea and today is a marine reserve. When the Sails were given to the New Zealand Children's Art House Foundation they seemed so big. They had NUCLEAR FREE NEW ZEALAND on them and whales blood all over them. What could the Art House Children possibly do with them? How could children use all of this material?
It filled up the studio, 65 children got together, they wanted to make a Year 2000 special Asia/Pacific Dragon. A big one to take out to festivals and carnivals of Peace and celebration in the new millenium.
The children talked a lot about cultural globalisation, about travel now mixing up everyone. The World at 2000 was full of so many different roles and rules.
France thought it could bomb the other side of the world, to test its bombs and that New Zealand was far too small to stop them. But sinking the Rainbow Warrior did stop the bombing and it shocked the world.
The Children planned and worked all summer. They worked hard on the patterns along the tummy, on the cutting of the sailcloth, ribbons on the head, plastering and the colours. They talked about Dragons (Dragons were new to them) "Star Eaters" "Storm Bringers" "Riders of the Clouds"
They consulted Dragon Expert Professor Chan from Hong Kong. They learnt "Dragons have Three Fingers, their dragon had five fingers making it a special and unusual Dragon, the Celestial Guardian of Creativity.
This Dragon brings Inspiration, the New out of the Immeasurable and Deep Blue. It is the Childrens Dragon of colour and energy.


Definitions of Instructional Design
Adapted from "Training and Instructional Design",
Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University
- Instructional Design as a Process:
- Instructional Design is the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs. It includes development of instructional materials and activities; and tryout and evaluation of all instruction and learner activities.
- Instructional Design as a Discipline:
- Instructional Design is that branch of knowledge concerned with research and theory about instructional strategies and the process for developing and implementing those strategies.
- Instructional Design as a Science:
- Instructional design is the science of creating detailed specifications for the development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of situations that facilitate the learning of both large and small units of subject matter at all levels of complexity.
- Instructional Design as Reality:
- Instructional design can start at any point in the design process. Often a glimmer of an idea is developed to give the core of an instruction situation. By the time the entire process is done the designer looks back and she or he checks to see that all parts of the "science" have been taken into account. Then the entire process is written up as if it occurred in a systematic fashion.
- Instructional System:
- An instructional system is an arrangement of resources and procedures to promote learning. Instructional design is the systematic process of developing instructional systems and instructional development is the process of implementing the system or plan.
- Instructional Technology:
- Instructional technology is the systemic and systematic application of strategies and techniques derived from behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist theories to the solution of instructional problems.
- Instructional technology is the systematic application of theory and other organized knowledge to the task of instructional design and development.
- Instructional Technology = Instructional Design + Instructional Development
- Instructional Development:
- The process of implementing the design plans.
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Revised: October 18, 1996
Copyright ©1996 The University of Michigan
Send comments or queries to Carl Berger or Rosalind Kam


May 29, 2012 | 22
A pair of security researchers in the U.K. have released a paper [PDF] documenting what they describe as the “first real world detection of a backdoor” in a microchip—an opening that could allow a malicious actor to monitor or change the information on the chip. The researchers, Sergei Skorobogatov of the University of Cambridge and Christopher Woods of Quo Vadis Labs, concluded that the vulnerability made it possible to reprogram the contents of supposedly secure memory and obtain information regarding the internal logic of the chip. I discussed the possibility of this type of hardware vulnerability in the August 2010 Scientific American article “The Hacker in Your Hardware.”
The security breach is a particular concern because of the type of chip involved. The affected chip, a ProASIC3 A3P250, is a field programmable gate array (FPGA). These chips are used in an enormous variety of applications, including communications and networking systems, the financial markets, industrial control systems, and a long list of military systems. Each customer configures an FPGA to implement a unique—and often highly proprietary—set of logical operations. For example, a customer in the financial markets might configure an FPGA to make high speed trading decisions. A customer in aviation might use an FPGA to help perform flight control. Any mechanism that could allow unauthorized access to the internal configuration of an FPGA creates the risk of intellectual property theft. In addition, the computations and data in the chip could be maliciously altered.
Assuming that the researchers’ claims stand up to scrutiny, there are at least two important questions that immediately get raised. First, how did this vulnerability end up there in the first place? Second, what does it mean?
Regarding the source of the backdoor, some people are hinting that Chinese sources may be to blame. But, as Robert Graham of Errata Security explains in a blog post titled “Bogus story: no Chinese backdoor in military chip,” it’s premature to point fingers:
. . . it’s important to note that while the researchers did indeed discover a backdoor, they offer only speculation, but no evidence, as to the source of the backdoor.
And, as Graham also observed, the term “military chip” can be deceptive as well, as these chips are used in a wide variety of applications, many of them unrelated to the military.
It’s possible that this vulnerability was inserted at the behest of a nation state. But it’s also possible that the backdoor is due to carelessness, not malice. Someone in the design process could have inserted the backdoor to enable testing, without realizing that it would later be discovered, publicized, and potentially exploited.
Regardless of the source of the vulnerability, its presence should serve as a wake-up call to the importance of hardware security. Cybersecurity, of course, is a well-recognized concern. Yet the overwhelming majority of cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified to date have involved software, which is the set of instructions that describe how a task inside a chip or system is performed. Software can be replaced, updated, altered, and downloaded from the Internet. By contrast, a hardware vulnerability is built in to the actual circuitry of a chip. As a result, it can be very difficult to address without replacing the chip itself.
This certainly won’t be the last time that a hardware security vulnerability will be identified. As chips continue to get more complex, hardware security flaws—whether malicious or accidental—will increasingly become a part of the cybersecurity landscape. We should put in place pre-emptive measures to minimize the risks they might pose.
Photo by tjmartens on Flickr
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Glass is usually cut with a glass cutter, which controls the breaking of glass. But sometimes smaller glass can be cut by hand. Cut facets reflect light and create sparkle for special effect.
This method of painting on glass was popularized in 15th century Venice. Powdered glass was fused to a substrate by firing. This powder is hardened to a smooth coating when put on glass.
Metals such as gold, silver, or bronze decoration are added to glass by firing gold onto a glass surface. This method was used by ancient Egyptians and Greeks.
Usually used on clear glass; acidic, caustic, or abrasive substances are applied on the surface of glass after the glass is blown or cast. It is essentially a process of dissolving glass with acid. This type of decoration goes not deep into the surface of the glass. Areas of glass that would not be decorated are protected using grease, wax, varnish, or tar. Then, unprotected areas are decorated with acid such as hydrofluoric acid for a frosted look. The longer the acid is left on the surface, the deeper the etching is. Afterwards, hot water is used to remove the residuals.
Originally, artists had to handle each piece separately, but later a way to mass-produce etched glass was developed. The artist would scribe the design on a steel plate, and the plate could be used over and over again.
This method began around the 16th century. Tools such as diamond or hard metal were used to scratch the surface of the glass. However, at the time the method was limited since the artist could not make deep cuts or wide scratches; only surface decorations could be made. Later, kick-wheel spindle tools were used as a cutting device, in which abrasive liquid cut the glass.
This means “beating” in Italian, and is a style of wheel-cutting. The surface is cut to produce innumerable small irregular markings running in the same direction.
This is shaping glass by allowing it to sag through its own weight into or over a form during heating in a kiln.Immobilienmakler Heidelberg Makler Heidelberg
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Source by Milena MJ Kim


A View from Katherine Bourzac
Capturing "Hot" Electrons to Double Solar Power
Researchers demonstrate that high-energy electrons lost in conventional solar cells can be captured.
There’s a limit on the conversion efficiency of a conventional solar cell. No matter how it’s tweaked, it can only convert 31 percent of the light that hits it into usable electrical current. That’s because there’s a broad spectrum of wavelengths in sunlight, and some of it has more energy than the active material in the solar cell can handle. High-energy light hits the active material in a solar cell and knocks loose electrons that have a similarly high energy–then these electrons rapidly lose that excess energy as heat.
Physicists know that if they could capture “hot electrons”, they could more than double the efficiency of solar cells. The problem is that they lose their energy in a picosecond. Now, researchers have for the first time demonstrated that it’s possible to capture hot electrons while they’re still in their high energy state, before that heat loss happens.
Careful design at the nanoscale is key. Instead of a conventional bulk semiconductor, the researchers used quantum dots, because these nanomaterials can confine electrons over a longer timescale. “Nanomaterials can keep electrons electrons hot for a longer period of time, so that you can get them out,” says Xiaoyang Zhu, professor of chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin.
The confinement is great–until you want to get the hot electrons out. “The electron likes to stay inside the nanomaterial, so you need to make an extremely strong interaction with another material” that will conduct the electrons out of the quantum dot, Zhu says. His group coated the quantum dots with a very thin layer of an electrical conductor, and were meticulous about the quality of the interface between that material and the quantum dots.
So now it’s possible to get hot electrons out, but one major problem remains. Those hot electrons require new device designs that prevent them from simply losing their energy to heat once they enter the metal wire of an electrical circuit. “We hope to inspire people to work on the engineering,” says Zhu.
This research was published this week in the journal Science.


The Telegraph recently reported on our early dose of mild weather and how it is likely to spark an early pollination and allergies. The article revealed that there are 12 million hay fever sufferers in Britain, all of whom will be keeping a keen eye on the weather forecasts and pollen counts as they brace themselves for an itchy, sniffly spring and summer. All winter long we have longed for milder weather and blossoming trees but now hay fever season is nearly upon us, we need to be practical and look at ways to prevent or cure its symptoms so our spring and summer isn't ruined. So if you or someone you know suffers from hay fever, this quick guide to hay fever is for you. Read on to find out what you are dealing with and how to combat it:
Hay Fever: The Basics
What Is Hay Fever?
Simply put, hay fever is an allergy to pollen. Pollen is the fine powder produced by flowers, plants and trees. It is carried from high pollen areas to the faces of hay fever sufferers by the wind, birds and bees. Grass and hay pollens are particularly aggravating to hay fever sufferers but grass pollen is the most common - and often the most severe - allergen. Spring and summer (May through July) are grass pollination season and incidentally, hay fever is at its worst during these seasons. Your immune system reacts to the pollen and causes several (in some cases debilitating) symptoms. Hay fever is the pollen affecting the cells in the lining of your nose and eyes, causing them to release chemicals that inflame the eyes and nose
What Are The Symptoms?
- Common symptoms are:
- A runny, itchy nose
- A blocked nose
- Itchy, watery and red eyes
- An itchy throat
Less common symptoms are:
- Loss of smell
- Facial pain
How Do People Alleviate Hay Fever Symptoms?
Pollen is impossible to avoid completely but trying to limit your exposure can help. Here are some ways to go about limiting your exposure to pollen:
- Check television, newspaper, radio and internet weather forecasts for the pollen count (the number of pollen grains per cubic metre of air) Note: a high count is 50 or more
- Stay indoors as much as possible, keeping doors and windows closed
- Avoid grassy places, camping and mowing/mowed lawns
- After being outdoors (especially in the countryside) shower and wash your hair
- Keep your car windows closed and think about investing in a pollen filter for your air vents
- Use sprays, medication, drops and antihistamines; they can be over the counter or prescribed
Artificial Grass: The New Solution
Artificial grass is actually a great solution to hay fever because it does not contain the same irritant materials as natural grass does. Natural grass houses all sorts of irritant particles like pollen, dust and mould. When disturbed (by mowing etc.) these particles become airborne and affect hay fever sufferers, making your own back garden you worst enemy in summer months. Whilst synthetic grass won't cause your hay fever to disappear altogether, it will reduce the highly irritant grass pollen count in your immediate home vicinity so you can at least sit out and enjoy your own garden.
If you are interested in artificial grass as a way to combat hay fever then please contact the Artificial Lawn Company today - we are happy to help!


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The first edition of his Cyclopaedia; or, An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences appeared in 1728, and its success led to Chambers’ election to the Royal Society. The Encyclopédie of Diderot began as a French translation of Chambers’ work, though it eventually went far beyond the Cyclopaedia. Chambers also wrote for the Literary Magazine (1735–37) and translated the Practice of Perspective from the French of Jean Dubreuil and, with John Martyn, the botanist, the History and Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris (1742).
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
encyclopaedia: Interrelations(1728) of the English encyclopaedist Ephraim Chambers has been outstanding in its influence, for Diderot’s and Rees’s encyclopaedias would have been very different if Chambers had not demonstrated what a modern encyclopaedia could be. In turn, the publication of
Encyclopædia Britannicawas stimulated by the issue of the French Encyclopédie.…
encyclopaedia: The development of the modern encyclopaedia (17th–18th centuries)…completed by the issue of Ephraim Chambers’s
Cyclopaedia(1728). Like Harris, Chambers omitted people in favour of more information on the arts and sciences, and he paid more attention to clear expositions of ancient and modern philosophical systems. His admirably cross-referenced work is universally recognized as the father of the…
Cyclopædia…edited by the English encyclopaedist Ephraim Chambers and first published in 1728. The illustrated work treated the arts and sciences; names of persons or places were not included. Seven editions had been published in London by 1751–52. The materials for seven additional volumes were published in two folio volumes in…


Miami homeowners are increasingly worried their real estate values could drop because of sea-level rise.
Research published last week in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that single-family homes in Miami-Dade County were increasing in value more slowly than similar homes at higher elevations.
"To see them really separate is pretty shocking because you can infer that this is a pricing signal from climate change," said Jesse Keenan, a real estate professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and author of the study.
The concern is twofold.
There will be more frequent storms in the short term.
The properties could be difficult to sell because, in the long run, they could be totally underwater. Another paper, published by the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Pennsylvania State University, found that homes near the coast that could be affected by sea-level rise were priced 7 percent lower compared with similar properties that do not have the same vulnerability.
The study is under peer review.
"As prices decline, that's a signal to developers and investors that maybe you shouldn't be investing a lot of money in an area that will be flooded in 20 years," said Ryan Lewis, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business.
Climate Changed! King tides now pose a threat to Miami residents as floods now occur every other month for some! In Miami, sea-level rise is not a problem for future generations.
It's a present-day reality.
In Miami, sea levels are rising, and residents have noticed.
Navarrete: "The water is here.
It's not that I'm talking about some sci-fi movie here.
No. I live it.
I see it, it's tangible."
That's Valerie Navarrete.
She's lived in South Beach for more than 20 years.
About seven years ago, sea-level rise, a high tide, and rain combined to cause a major flood. Navarrete: "I remember was a Friday afternoon and it was raining for about one hour.
When we came out our garage had over three feet of water - not inches - feet.
So we lost several cars.
It's just unbelievable."
Navarrete's garage now floods about once every other month.
She often has to wear rainboots just to get to her car.
Navarrete: "And sometimes the water would be higher than that.
So I couldn't wear my boots because otherwise, I would get the water inside the boots.
So then we have to go barefoot, which is disgusting."
And when the moon, earth, and sun align, tides are even higher than usual.
They're called king tides and last for about a week.
During king tides, Navarrete's garage floods twice a day.


Human Metabolism Negatively Impacted by High-Fructose Corn Syrup
High-fructose corn syrup is just one food ingredient, among many others, that virtually every health advocate will tell you to avoid. The Corn Refiners Association (CRA), a large organization that represents the corn refining industry, continues to assert that high-fructose corn syrup is completely safe and perfectly ‘natural’, but many health experts and research results couldn’t disagree more. One contribution high-fructose corn syrup is making to our society is a startling increase in obesity rates. Scientists have repeatedly proven that heavily altered (and often genetically modified) form of fructose, used in thousands of food products and soft drinks, can negatively impact human metabolism and is contributing to the growing obesity epidemic.
High-Fructose Corn Syrup Alters Human Metabolism
For quite some time, high-fructose corn syrup was thought to be perfectly healthy by some individuals, and the ingredient rampantly consumed in high amounts internationally. But research shows that high-fructose corn syrup changes human metabolism, and is actually metabolized much differently than other sugars. HFCS is a highly processed product that contains nearly the same amount of fructose and glucose. Sucrose, however, is a larger sugar molecule that is metabolized into glucose and fructose in your intestine. High-fructose corn syrup metabolizes to fat in your body much faster than other sugars, resulting in increased fat gain. Since the fructose is consumed in liquid form, the negative effects on human metabolism are even greater.
“…Over 10 weeks, 16 volunteers on a strictly controlled diet, including high levels of fructose, produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs. They also showed signs of food-processing abnormalities linked to diabetes and heart disease. Another group of volunteers on the same diet, but with glucose sugar replacing fructose, did not have these problems”, reported scientists from UC Davis.
In addition, 100% of fructose that’s consumed is taken up by the liver, while only some of glucose passes through the liver, and is then excreted. This results in increased fat deposition in the abdominal cavity and increased blood levels of triglycerides — both of which are risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.
Further showing how the human metabolism is damaged, one study found:
“To assess the relative effects of these dietary sugars during sustained consumption in humans, overweight and obese subjects consumed glucose- or fructose-sweetened beverages providing 25% of energy requirements for 10 weeks. Although both groups exhibited similar weight gain during the intervention, visceral adipose volume was significantly increased only in subjects consuming fructose…and [fructose-sweetened beverages] decreases insulin sensitivity in overweight humans.”
Some individuals claim that high-fructose corn syrup is safe at low levels, but even if that were remotely true, the ingredient is still found in thousands of mainstream and corporate-owned food and beverage products in high doses. It is in these high doses that it has also been found to contain mercury, an element that is highly damaging to the human body. Sugar itself is highly over-consumed today, causing a multitude of health issues, but turning the natural form of sugar into high-fructose corn syrup causes further damage to human metabolism and the liver.
Mike is the co-founder, editor, and researcher behind Natural Society. Studying the work of top natural health activists, and writing special reports for top 10 alternative health websites, Mike has written hundreds of articles and pages on how to obtain optimum wellness through natural health.


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The Myth of Atlantis
Atlantis was said to have been an island empire the size of 'Libya and Asia put together', founded by the sea-god Poseidon. It possessed a cosmopolitan metropolis, with palaces, royal courts, harbor works and waterways that constantly received sea-going vessels from afar.
For many generations Atlantis ruled the Atlantic Ocean as well as parts of the `opposite continent'. Yet soon the empire set its sights on controlling the lands inside the Mediterranean basin. It was at this point that the fair race of Athens rose up against the Atlantean aggressor and in a decisive naval battle defeated its enemy. Some time afterwards the god Zeus unleashed 'earthquakes and floods' that drowned the Athenian navy and submerged the island of Atlantis in one `terrible day and night'. The date given for this catastrophe is post 8570 BC in Plato's dialogue the Timaeus and 9421 BC in its sequel the Critias.
Rumours of Cataclysm
Following Columbus' celebrated landfall in the Bahamas in 1492, Spanish explorers heard stories from the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean and Bahamas that spoke of a flood which had devastated the archipelagos. It was said to have split apart a much larger landmass, killing the inhabitants and leaving the many thousands and islands and cays that remain today. Some of these stories include clues which hint at a much greater catastrophe. One from Tobago speaks of 'the ole moon breaking', while others from Venezuela and the Yucatan allude to a period of darkness, fire falling from the sky and the presence overhead of a fiery snake. Had some cosmic impact caused a massive cataclysm that devastated the Bahamas and Caribbean?
The Carolina Bays Comet
The presence of around 500,000 elliptical craters, ranging from a few hundred metres to 11 kilometres in size, across the entire eastern seaboard of the United States, from New Jersey down to Miami, is perhaps the greatest clue. Modern theories are that these so-called Carolina Bays (after the states in which they were first noted during aerial surveys in the 1920s) were caused by a comet which entered the earth's atmosphere from the north-west over Alaska and disintegrated into millions of pieces that detonated above the ground, very much in the manner of the small comet which caused the Tunguska event in Siberia in June 1908.
The effects of the catastrophe, some time around the end of the last Ice Age, were extreme. Not only would it have caused a wall of fire and wind, which would have laid flat large areas of Tundra forest and decimated flora and fauna, but the resulting dust clouds would have created a 'nuclear winter' which seems to have resulted in a temporary re-advance of the ice fields that had covered much of North America, Europe and Asia for the previous 40,000 years. Moreover, hundreds and thousands of fragments of the comet falling in the western Atlantic basin would have produced tsunami waves of immense proportions which would have temporarily drowned both the eastern seaboard of the United States and the islands of the Bahamas and Caribbean, wiping out entire populations (a few must have got away to tell the tale, as it told in the creation myths of the indigenous peoples of both Central and North America, and also those of the Caribbean).
Could memories of this cataclysmic event have been preserved across millennia until they were recounted eventually to Spanish explorers that reached in the Bahamas and Caribbean in the wake of 1492? If so, were the same tales told to Phoenician and Carthaginian voyagers who visited these same islands prior to Plato's age? Did Plato come to hear not only of the islands which existed in the outer ocean, but also of the cataclysm which once devastated this self same region? Did it cause the landmass to be inundated by flood waters, splitting it into individual islands - temporarily at first, but then more permanently when eventually the ice fields of North America, Europe and Asia finally began to melt, causing the sea-level to rise by as much as 100 metres? Thus was the sinking of Atlantis a memory of the submergence of both the former Bahaman landmass and the low-lying regions of the Caribbean? Certainly we can say that all this took place around the very same time that Plato tells us Atlantis was destroyed by 'one terrible day and night of earthquakes and floods'. Moreover, if the Caribbean islands did once form part of Atlantis, then it would mean that part of the landmass was still above water today.
Cuba's Great Plain
The description of an island plain surrounded to the east, north and west by 'mountain ranges', matches Cuba's western plain that stretches from Havana westwards to Pinar del Río, and is enclosed on its northern and western extremes by the Cord de Guaniguanico mountain range. We also know that until around 9,000 years ago the plain extended southwards, across what is today the Bay of Batabanó, to the Isle of Youth. Here then is evidence of a vast plain, originally 540 by 160 kilometres in extent, drowned, in part at least, during the time-frame suggested by Plato.
Cuba's Cord de Guaniguanico might also be compared with the 'mountain ranges' that Plato tells us shielded Atlantis' great plain from `cold northerly winds'. Between November and February each year, Cuba is subject to bitterly cold winds, known as los nortes, or 'northers', that blow in blizzards from the eastern United States. Although these cold fronts reach exposed regions of the Cuban landmass, the Cord de Guaniguanico completely shields the western plain from the harsh winds, which would otherwise damage winter crops.
Moreover, Cuba has been identified by leading geographers as a mysterious island paradise known as Antillia, or the island of the Seven Cities, said to have laid in the outer ocean according to Moorish, and later Portuguese medieval tradition (and unquestionably borrowed from much earlier Phoenician and Carthaginian sources). More than this, the name Antillia can be shown to derive from the Semitic word root ATL, 'to elevate', which was also the root behind the name Atlas, from which we derive the name Atlantis, 'daughter of Atlas', the term used for an Atlantic island (Atlantides, 'daughters of Atlas', was the plural used in ancient times to denote Atlantic islands in general). In other words, if Antillia was merely a medieval form of Atlantis, then it further confirms Cuba's association with Plato's Atlantic paradise.
nortes, or 'northers', that blow in blizzards from the eastern United States
Originally posted by Hanslune
Why no sign in the sediments of agriculture or industry?
Maybe it was very thouroughly destroyed
I wonder though... If Atlantis was in the Caribbean, how do one explain that Plato state the sinking of Atlantis barred the way to the ocean due to mud? And I find it quite interesting that Plato, as part of a maritime nation, make no mention of the obvious extreme distance. You dont exactly go to the Americas in a day when you're in a trireme...
If I would entertain the idea of submerged nations over there, I would instantly reject Platos Atlantis. But then again everyone have their Fantasy Atlantis...
Originally posted by Hollywood11
Plate tectonics is nonsense
First you need to know Atlantis was split up into two different groups, those of the Law of One and the Belialians. Or the followers of Light and the followers of Darkness. From the beginning, the darkness was on the rise in Atlantis, and finally the repercussions of this came upon them. How? Transgressions against the Law of One (fixed Universal principles, “Laws” of the way it IS), and against those of the Earth’s nature (which is in harmony with the Law of One), were everywhere. Great harm was done to the Earth by the followers of darkness, natural imbalances were created by them. A pillar of the Law of One is that of “cause and effect”. Thus did these actions bring about the physical fall of Atlantis.
The greatest of these natural imbalances was created by drilling hugh holes in the Earth’s crust, down to the levels of molten Earth. The Belialians used the very gross physical forces of the inner Earth to generate their power. They used concentrated light energy beams (like lasers) to bore great holes in the Earth. Remnants of them can still be seen in many places, notably such as Florida, the Caribbean, and the “Blue Hole” of Belize. Creating their power plants was much like making a series of un-natural volcanoes, and it resulted in great instability and seismic disturbances. Even though they were warned of the consequences, the Belialians persisted in this un-natural activity, until it caused the Earth changes that destroyed Atlantis, and the Belialians of that time.
Before the final destruction of Atlantis, knowing the time, knowing the signs, those of the light, went to many other parts of the Earth, in order to continue their work. During the exodus from Atlantis, many followed Grand Master Thoth (pronounced ‘Toth”) to the land of Khem, now called Egypt. There he built the Great Pyramid, and other temples and places of healing, for purposes of completing their work, initiating the wise, and enlightening the ignorant. When the work was completed in Egypt they left, and went to many lands Om, Oz and remnants of Mu, now called Tibet, Europe and parts of the Americas. There was one community of Atlanteans who didn’t live on Atlantis during the great destruction. Living in total isolation from the outside world until a few decades ago, these people remained of the pure genetic line of Atlantis.
Yes he stated the “Ark of the Covenant” was a component of the Great Pyramid, and he made it. What do we use power for? Numerous things just look around, they also needed power to their buildings, or vehicles, including the airborne terrestrial ships such as Thoth’s. They have other communities in the world today still using this power source. I don’t know the frequency of the Great Pyramid, but I can tell you this if you want to figure it out for yourself.
In one octave of vibration is a Universe! Every octave is a duplicate of another except that it is of a higher or lower frequency. The note “A” is an “A” whether it is played in the highest octave of an instrument range, or the lowest. As the frequency of vibration increases, and goes beyond the range of hearing, it eventually comes within the range of sight. But the same Law that dictates the repeating notes of various octaves holds true. Colors are like the notes in the octave of vision. Each color has a ‘note’ – each color is a note, each note is a color. This principle allows you to find any note, in the “octave” of any vibrational frequency band. For instance, you can take the frequency of 440 for the note “A”, and keep doubling it to find the higher octaves. You can keep doubling it past the frequency band of sound, and on into the frequency band of light. You can then match your figures against the known frequencies for colors of light, and precisely determine the color of each note! Who could have imagined you could do such a scientific thing using the oldest name of God?
If the above interested you and you want to find out more about the most ancient name for God and its most important representation, which is: the means of transition and manifestation of creation infinitely throughout ALL. Then click on this link:


This is the time of year we start talking about flu and respiratory illnesses. How can you tell the difference between a cold and the flu? A cold gives you runny nose, congestion, sore throat and cough. So does the flu though the flu also has headache, muscles aches and pains, fever, chills and sometimes chest pain. I have even heard people say their hair hurts! Both are contagious, both can lead to secondary illnesses, such as sinus, bronchial, pneumonia, ear infections and more.


Easier to grow than you might think, parsnips will reward the patient grower with months of sweet, tender roots in the depths of winter
It’s easy to understand why this crop is back in fashion. Recent decades saw the parsnip’s popularity decline thanks to a long growing period and a variable germination rate. However, it’s still well worth making room for this tasty veg. Catch crops of fast-growing lettuce, radish or baby turnips may be grown in between the establishing plants and, with a bit of know-how, it’s easy to achieve consistently high germination rates. The roots can be lifted when young and tender. The sweetest of any root vegetable, they occupy the ground throughout the winter season for harvesting as needed.
Parsnips are the royalty of root vegetables – roasted with a little honey or chopped into a bubbling stew they are the original winter warmers.
These vegetables were the mainstay of most European dinner tables before the advent of the potato. Thankfully, with a whole raft of modern F1 hybrids to try, parsnips are making something of a comeback – and it’s about time too! Many of these boast smooth, white roots. They also have impressive resistance to canker, a disease which often hampered past efforts.
Today there are both shorter and longer rooted types, suitable for all soil conditions. Those who want to grow for exhibition can sow tapering varieties that are successful in good, deeply cultivated ground.
The earliest sowings can be made under cloches from the end of February, but more reliable results will be had by waiting until mid-March or April.
Mark out your rows by stretching a taut string between two canes and drawing a hoe along the line to create straight drills. Make them about 1cm deep and, if you are sowing more than one row, space each one 30cm apart. Do this on a still day as the papery seeds are easily blown away by sudden gusts of wind.
Place one seed every 2cm along the drill. Alternatively, position three every 15cm – a process known as ‘station sowing’. If the weather is dry, irrigate the rows using a rose-fitted watering can before you start to sow. Cover the drills back over with sieved soil and water for a second time. Mark the ends of each row so you know exactly where the seedlings will appear. This will make it easier to weed around the crop.
You will only need to make one sowing but if space on your plot is at a premium, cultivate radishes or another quick-grower such as cut-and-come-again salad leaves between the rows of parsnips to make maximum use of the ground. These will be long gone before the slow-maturing plants need the extra room.
Parsnips don’t germinate in a hurry, so patience is a virtue here. Expect the first shoots to push through in about two weeks and the final seedlings to make an appearance after another two.
Keep the seedbeds as weed free as possible – remove unwanted plants by hand to avoid disturbing the soil along the rows. Once the seedlings are about 2cm tall you can start thinning the plants to their final spacings. If you have station sown your seeds then take out all but the strongest seedling at each position. Alternatively, if one was sown every 2cm, remove excess plants to leave a seedling every 7cm then, once they have grown on a little, every 15cm or so. Do not be tempted to re-plant your thinnings as they will be unlikely to grow properly.
Early parsnips started off under cloches can have their coverings removed once they have grown a couple of adult leaves. Watering during the early stages encourages even germination and successful establishment of young seedlings. Once they are growing they are a very easy crop to look after.
Keep the young parsnips consistently moist and avoid the roots drying out at all costs or you may attract canker.
You can apply a mulch of grass clippings or similar between the crop to keep the moisture locked in. At all stages keep rows weed free. It’s safest to pull unwanted plants by hand, though light hoeing is also possible as long as you take care not to clip the parsnips’ roots. Damage that creates a wound will leave them vulnerable to canker entry. Any catch crops should be removed as soon as the leaves begin to close over. This will give them enough space as they grow on to maturity.
Although some parsnips can be lifted as early as late summer it is best to harvest after the foliage begins to die down at the beginning of November.
Wait for a few frosts before you begin lifting the roots. This causes the starch to convert to sugar, dramatically improving their flavour. Only lift what you need at any one time, leaving the remainder in the ground.
To unearth a root, insert a fork or spade some distance from the parsnip and rock it back and forth to loosen the soil. They have a firm grip, so you may find you have to literally dig them out to a depth of up to 45cm. Once the first parsnip is out of the ground it is easier to work your way along the row to extract the others.
In very cold parts of the country it’s prudent to lift a few roots early on in the winter and store them under cover in case the ground becomes frozen solid. Trim the tops off the lifted roots then wash and dry them before packing them into wooden boxes of dry sand. Keep these in a cool, dark and wellventilated place such as a garage or shed and eat within a few months.
Order in your parsnip seeds if you haven't already. Pick one of the reliable F1 hybrids or a canker-resistant variety such as 'Avonresister'.
Check the pH of your soil and add lime if necessary to bring the pH up to 6.5. Place cloches over the soil for an early crop of young and tender roots.
If your soil has reached at least 7°C, begin sowing towards the end of the month. Gardeners with cold soils should wait a few more weeks to be on the safe side.
Continue weeding and watering. Lift out any catch crops to give the parsnips enough room to expand.
Continue weeding and watering. Lift out any catch crops to give the parsnips enough room to expand.
The final growing spurt of parsnips. Little attention will be needed as the thick foliage will have covered over any previously open patch of ground.
On the whole, these tasty roots are largely trouble free. The main nuisance you might encounter is parsnip canker, a relatively common disease. Symptoms take the form of lesions and scars, leading to a browning, blackening and cracking of the roots’ tops. Canker can be caused by one of several factors, but precautions can be taken to stop these.
If your soil is very acidic then it may be necessary to apply a little lime to bring it up to a pH of at least 6.5. Never sow parsnip seeds into recently manured ground as the roots may fork if grown in soil with fresh organic matter in it. Once your plants are maturing avoid damaging them at all costs – wounds act as an easy access point for the disease. Always water during dry spells so the roots don’t dry out and practice meticulous crop rotation – never grow parsnips on the same patch of ground two years in a row.
Modern F1 hybrids have done wonders in improving general resistance to canker and many varieties, such as ‘Albion’ and ‘Gladiator’ put up a very good fight against the disease. The one variety that stands out, however, is ‘Avonresister’, which was bred specifically for gardeners in the Bristol area where canker has traditionally been a real problem.
Related Forum Topics
Parsnips: Varieties To Try
Tender and True
This is still the most popular variety, producing different-sized roots with little core and good disease resistance. Pick this if you’re on a budget, as the seed is cheap to buy.
A very hardy parsnip which can stay in the ground right through until April. The roots are smooth and white and have a truly delicious flavour.
The first F1 hybrid, with exceptional vigour and good resistance to canker. The white, smooth roots are early to mature and great for exhibiting.
An older variety that produces medium-sized, thick tapering roots. The creamy flesh has perhaps one of the best flavours of all varieties.
The best for canker resistance, forming shorter roots which may be grown as close as 7cm apart. A great choice for poor quality soils.
These long, gently tapering smooth roots have a simply delicious texture and flavour. ‘Albion’ has a great resistance to canker too.
As the name suggests, this is real gem of a parsnip, producing smooth, white-skinned, wedge-shaped roots with some canker resistance.
Grow this variety to enjoy healthy yields of large, canker-resistant parsnips. The plants are vigorous and less prone to fanging.
If you haven’t got a big plot you’ll love ‘Lancer’. It can be sown at much closer spacings than usual to yield tender, uniform mini roots for early lifting.
A new, smooth-skinned variety producing cream-coloured roots with a sweet taste and tender flavour. It also stores well for use in late winter dishes and has good resistance to canker.
Parsnips aren’t the fastest growing crop, but a few handy tips will see you achieving success every time. To start with, it’s important to realise that seedlings take up to 30 days to appear, so don’t expect to see them any time soon! Unfortunately this length of time in the ground makes the seed liable to rotting, being dug up by cats, or simply being swamped by quicker-growing weeds. Here’s how to overcome these obstacles. Begin each season with a fresh packet, as parsnips are one of the few crops whose seed does not keep from one year to the next.
Don’t sow too early either because cold soil will only cause rotting. Parsnips need a consistent soil temperature of at least 7°C and preferably more. Gardeners are often advised to sow in February but the soil will be far too cold, so wait until the end of March or April before getting the seed in the ground – use a soil thermometer if unsure. There’s no need to hurry anyhow, as you won’t be lifting your roots until autumn.
Draw drills into your well-prepared seedbed and thoroughly water along the drill before sowing. After positioning your seed, cover the drill back over and give the rows another drenching. By doing this you’ll make sure that the area is moist and that the slow germination process can begin. To keep off unwanted excavators, such as cats, cover the area with netting or mesh. Check over the area regularly and keep it well watered.


Foiling Glossary -- Definition of Terms
Double dip: Connecting two or more waves.
Front wing: A wing on the bow side of the vessel, forward of the mast.
Fuselage: A horizontal or nearly horizontal structure connecting the wings and mast.
Mast: A vertical or nearly vertical structure connecting the fuselage to the board.
Rear wing: A wing on the bow side of the vessel, rear of the mast.
SUP foiling: Foiling on a stand up paddle (SUP) board.
Surf foiling: Foiling on a surf board.


Did you know that in the Mediterranean Sea habitually lives 8 species of cetaceans, among dolphins and whales; in addition to other visitor and spontaneous species, such as the killer whale? In this post, a new version of “Cetaceans in the Catalan coast“, the first post published in this blog, I will give more information about the cetaceans that live in this small sea.
Cetaceans originated 50 million years ago in the ancient Tethys Sea, from terrestrial mammals. Approximately, there are 80 living species in the world, but only 8 of them live habitually in the Mediterranean and other species are present only in some seasons or sporadically.
HABITUAL CETACEANS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is a cetacean with a black or bluish grey colouration in the back and white in the ventral part. There is a black line from the eye to the anal region through each side, and another one from the eye to the pectoral fin. Mediterranean striped dolphins are slightly smaller than their neighbours from the Atlantic, and achieve a maximum length of 2.2 m.
They may live in big groups, till hundreds of individuals. Anyway, in the observations that I have done in the Mediterranean, groups included from 5 to 50 animals. They are very acrobatics and they can jump 7 meters above the sea surface.
Striped dolphins are common in both Mediterranean basins, specially in the open sea, being so many abundant in Ligurian Sea, Gulf of Lion, Alboran Sea (between Andalucía, Spain, and Morocco) and the Balearic Sea (between the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands).
This is the most abundant species in the Mediterranean (about 117,000 animals in the western basin), but they are in a vulnerable status of conservation due to the affection by morbillivirus, pollutants such as organochlorine compounds and fishing devices.
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) maybe are the most known for the population because they are the protagonist of some movies and they are the most common cetacean in captivity.
Their robust body is grey, clearer in the sides and white in the abdomen. Bottlenose dolphins are 4 m long.
Their groups, integrated by females and offspring or young males, range from 2 to 10 animals. They live in all the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea.
Their conservation status in the Mediterranean is vulnerable. It is though that their population is about 10,000 animals. Competence with commercial fisheries, bycatch and water pollution are among their threats.
SHORT-BEAKED COMMON DOLPHIN
Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is easily recognisable for the colouration of its body: dorsal region is dark and sides are cream-coloured or yellow, and constitute a V in the half of the body. Like striped dolphins, they are also small animals (2-2.5 m).
They live in numerous groups in open waters, from 10 to 200 animals, but sometimes groups of several thousands have been seen.
They enjoy with boats:
Despite their name, it is difficult to observe them because they are endangered in the Mediterranean. In the last 40 years, their population have been reduced by half. There are several reasons: lack of preys due to competence with fishers, bycatch, habitat degradation, sound pollution and high concentrations of pollutants.
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the biggest whale in the Mediterranean and the second one in the world.
Fin whale’s head is V-shaped, wide and flatten. It is dark grey in the back and white in the abdomen, but asymmetric in the jaws: left side is dark grey and right side is white. Dorsal fin is short and placed in the last third of the body. In the moment of diving, caudal fin is not shown out of the water. Blow may be 8 meters height and narrow. Their maximum length is 24 m.
They are usually seen alone or in small groups (normally mother and calf) in open waters. In the Mediterranean, they are most frequently sighted between Balearic Islands and Ionian Sea, being specially abundant in the Gulf of Lion.
According to IUCN, it is a vulnerable species in the Mediterranean, but it is endangered worldwide. The Mediterranean population includes 5,000 adults. They are victims of strikes with ships, high DDT concentrations, acoustic pollution due to seismic surveys and bycatch.
Have you seen this fin whale rescue from Fuerteventura?
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are the biggest toothed whales and one of the biggest cetaceans in the Mediterranean.
Sperm whales have a rounded or triangular hump instead of a dorsal fin, which is followed by six exaggerated “knuckles”. An important clue for its identification is the blow: it is a bushy blow directed low, left and forwards. Head, which is square, represent 1/3 of the total length of the body. It is dark or grey, with the lower part of the mouth white. To dive, they show the caudal fin out of the water. They may be 20 long.
Their groups are composed by females and their offspring, other groups of young males and adult males are solitary. The number of animals per group ranges from 10 to 15, but smaller groups also exist. They are usually seen in oceanic waters of all the Mediterranean.
It is an endangered species in the Mediterranean due to they are accidentally captured in fishing nets, by strikes with vessels and the annoyance provoked by marine traffic. It is estimated that live some thousands in the Mediterranean.
Have you seen this video of a sperm whales that “adopt” a deformed cetacean?
Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus) is grey when is born, but becomes paler with age for the presence of scars that do not disappear. They might measure 4 m.
Generally, they live in groups of 3-50, despite sometimes groups of some thousands have been spotted. In the Mediterranean, it is widely distributed in open waters, being more abundant in the western basin, where they prefer continental slope and submarine canyons.
Their status of conservation is unknown, but bycatch and acoustic and chemical pollution affect them.
LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALE
Long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) is the biggest dolphin species in the Mediterranean, since it may achieve 6 m. Black in general, this pilot whale has a anchor-shaped ventral patch. Its flippers measure one fifth of the length.
Their groups range from 10 to 60 animals, but also several thousands. Groups include several generations of females with their calves. In the Mediterranean, it is abundant in the western basin, specially in the Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea.
There is deficient data to evaluate its status of conservation. Anyway, it is known that are threatened by bycatch, strikes and acoustic and chemical pollution.
CUVIER’S BEAKED WHALE
Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) are dark grey or brown, paler in the head. Their head is bulky, and the beak is not much marked. They may be 7 m long.
They usually live in groups of 2-7 individuals or alone, in deep oceanic waters.
It is difficult to observe them due to the little activity in surface, reason that can explain why there are not enough information to evaluate their conservation status. It is known that are specially sensible to acoustic pollution, both military activities or seismic surveys. Moreover, the ingestion of plastic and bycatch also affect them.
KILLER WHALES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN?
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are one of the most fascinating cetaceans. They live in polar and tropical waters, from the coast to open sea.
In the Mediterranean, however, they are only considered residents in the Strait of Gibraltar, with a size population of 32 whales. Their presence in the Strait, it is believed that is linked to the presence of bluefin tuna, their food.
Their status of conservation is unknown, but direct death by fishers, reduction of their preys, annoyances and habitat degradation are among the causes of their reduction.
- CRAM: Cetacis
- Day, T (2008). Guía para observar ballenas, delfines y marsopas en su hábitat. Ed. Blume
- Gobierno de Canarias: Curso de Observación de Cetáceos
- IUCN (2012). Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Gland, Switzerland and Malaga, Spain: IUCN
- Kinze, CC (2002). Mamíferos marinos del Atlántico y del Mediterráneo. Ed. Omega
- Lleonart, J (2012). Els mamífers marins i els seus noms. Terminàlia, 5, 7-25
- Notarbartolo di Sciara G. (compilers and editors) (2006). The status and distribution of cetaceans in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Malaga, Spain.
- Cover picture: Scuba Diver Life


Eucalyptus, hundreds of different plant species within the genus of the same name, are large evergreen shrubs or trees prized for their hardiness, fast growth rate and adaptability. Eucalyptus plants produce large quantities of seed that readily germinates, often making propagation by seed the most convenient method, though some species may root easily from cuttings. Grafting and micropropagation are additional options.
Seed Collection and Stratification
Eucalyptus seeds are collected from mature capsules in fall or winter and sown in spring or summer. If the capsules are not yet open, store them in a hot, dry, well-ventilated environment to encourage seed release. A high percentage of the seeds will likely fail to germinate, so collecting and sowing extra seeds helps to ensure you'll end up with the desired number of seedlings. Seeds of some eucalyptus species, especially the more hardy eucalyptus shrubs and trees, benefit from a period of cold stratification, or storage for two months at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Eucalyptus seeds germinate best under certain conditions and are very susceptible to damping off caused by diseases that are especially prevalent in damp conditions when temperatures are cool. The germinating medium must be well-drained. Try a mixture of peat moss, sand and perlite or vermiculite in a germinating flat or container with adequate drain holes. To encourage germination, sow the seeds over the surface of the medium and lightly cover them with more of the mixture. Gently mist the medium regularly so that it and the seeds never dry out, maintaining humid but not wet conditions. Keep the temperature around the seeds at about 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is possible, though difficult with many eucalyptus species, to propagate them vegetatively by rooting cuttings. Rooting success is most likely if the cuttings are taken from healthy, vigorous new shoots at the base of a young eucalyptus in spring. Wound the cutting at the base, remove its lower leaves and dip the end in rooting hormone; insert it into a suitable, well-drained rooting medium. Mist the cuttings and medium regularly so that they never dry out and maintain a temperature around 70 F to encourage root development.
Additional Eucalyptus Propagation Techniques
Certain grafting methods may allow the successful union of a scion from the parent eucalyptus to an established rootstock. A scion from the parent eucalyptus may be grafted onto a healthy, vigorous seedling rootstock using a top-cleft graft -- cutting off the top of the rootstock, creating a split in the cut surface and inserting two scions each with a wedge-shaped base into the split.
Another option for eucalyptus grafting is a side-wedge method that involves cutting the base of the scion at an angle and inserting it into a flap cut into the side of the rootstock. It's critical to thoroughly cover the graft area with grafting wax and maintaining high humidity around the union.
Eucalyptus may also be propagated using micropropagation, or tissue culture. However, this method, which involves placing a very small amount of plant tissue in a sterile, nutrient-rich environment, is very difficult to perform for a casual grower with limited equipment.
Angela Ryczkowski is a professional writer who has served as a greenhouse manager and certified wildland firefighter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in urban and regional studies.