The First Amendment and the freedom of speech and other rights it affords us are rights we, as Americans, cherish as part of our heritage. We believe firmly in our rights and expect our elected representatives to preserve and defend those rights against all efforts to destroy or erode them whether by internal or external threats. Many see Obamacare as an erosion of our freedom of choice and believe it represents government intrusion into the lives of individuals. It is simply inherent in the nature of government to overreach its authority to satisfy the convenience of an issue at hand. Rank and file citizens have little defense against such transgressions no matter how intentional or unintentional they may be. If you add external threats into the mix then fear for the preservation of our rights become twofold. Assaults against our rights from outside may be harder to defend against than internal threats.
We have cause to fear an assault on our freedom of speech from outside our own borders. Our President and Secretary of State are fully aware of what others, myself included, see as a threat to freedom of speech and U.S. sovereignty. The President and Secretary, without any apparent opposition from Congress, are in fact participating in an initiative called The Istanbul Process. The Istanbul Process is an effort by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to somehow restrict or modify free speech that is critical or derogatory toward Muslims and Islam. The OIC’s effort against free speech is mostly aimed at Western Society and the U.S. in particular. President Obama has said that the U.S. will not commit to any restriction against our freedom of speech. The President’s statement is little comfort considering the potential harm to our freedoms and his willingness to engage in discussions about limits on free speech as presented by the OIC. Once OIC has a foothold and influence over American rights and legislative process it will chisel away until freedom of speech and other rights are but a shell empty of meaning and enforcement by U.S. law.
We have too much to lose by not voicing our opposition to this “Istanbul Process” to our elected representatives. Let’s let them know that we still value freedom of speech and other rights too much to let foreign countries and organizations begin to interfere with our rights as Americans.
If you would like more information on The Istanbul Process to curtail American free speech follow the links below.


I think Dale did a good job at pointing out one correct solution to the projectile pig problem. He also points out that the picture seems to call s the distance traveled and uses units of m/s. Why? And here is my first point. This is a very nice drawing, meaning it looks professional. However, it is wrong. Why not take the extra hour to email Dale Basler (or a high school physics student for that matter) and say “hey, we are doing this ad with projectile motion. Would it be ok to do it like this?” But no. They didn’t even think to check this. Physics doesn’t need to make sense, it just needs to look complicated.
More projectile analysis
Rather than just leave this post as a rant, let me see if I can add some value to what Dale started. Question: are the trajectories shown parabolas? Using Tracker Video I can get x-y position data from the image. I will assume that it is to scale and I will put the range of the shortest flung pig at 85 meters.
Is it a parabola? Here is a quadratic fit from Tracker.
So, this first one does not look very parabolic. Maybe they were taking into account air resistance. I mean, if the pig is launched with a speed of 42 m/s I would suspect that is near the terminal velocity of a pig.
Ok, if there is no air resistance should the trajectory (x-y) be a parabola? Yes. This isn’t as simple as it looks. For projectile motion (with no air resistance), there is no acceleration in the x-direction and the acceleration in the y-direction is -g. This gives the following two equations (that have the same time):
Now, I need to remove the time (t). Let me solve the x-equation for t and plug that into the y-equation. This give me:
Just to save time, let me shift the axes so that x0 and y0 are at the origin. This gives:
And there you go – quadratic equation. Why don’t introductory students look at trajectory equations instead of y vs. time equations? Because you don’t get the acceleration so easily. Here the term in front of the x2 is not (1/2)g like it is with the time-equation. Ok, I could find the value for g here, but I won’t. I won’t because the trajectory doesn’t even look close to a parabola.
But what about the other two pig-shots? They look much more quadratic-like. Here is the farthest flung pig:
If this pig was indeed shot at 48 m/s with an incline of 70° (and there is no air resistance) then I can relate the fitting parameter (a = -0.012) to the trajectory equation. The initial x-velocity would be:
Now I can solve for g:
Ok, that is not 9.8 m/s2, but much closer than I thought it would be.
What should this really look like?
Again, ignoring air resistance the trajectories of these three little pigs should look like this:
I will leave the calculations with air resistance as a homework assignment.
Everyone says its a cow and not pig. Cow, pig – they are both spheres to me.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article.


Damsel in Distress : Snow White
Damsel in Distress : Snow White Snow White, the first Disney Princess, was created during the Great Depression in 1937 (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). Being the first Princess, she portrays the traditional social structure of women during the 1930s. Snow White is soft spoken and submissive, sweet natured, temperate, and obedient to the men in her society. Not only is she the ideal women in her personality, but she represents the classical idea of beauty with lips as red as rubies and skin as fair as snow.
The movie begins when the Evil Queen who is seen in some parts as an old, ugly woman dressed in black clothes and is relatively shorter than Snow white is consulting the magic mirror in order to confirm that she is in deed the most beautiful woman in all of the land. Although she is the mother figure in this story, she does not portray nurturing characteristics. The story is giving women mixed messages saying not to obsess about looks but be beautiful. When the mirror reveals that Snow White is more beautiful than she, the Evil Queen is enraged. This portrayal of the Evil Queen confirms the importance of beauty and youthfulness.
As the Evil Queen ages and the normal effects of aging begin to take place the Evil Queen feels as though she is less valued and less powerful. This places an exaggerated emphasis on youthfulness and beauty and sends the message that without beauty you can no longer be powerful. The Evil Queen is consumed by beauty, which is a contradiction of what the expectation is of women. Women are expected to look perfect at all times and be refined and beautiful, but if they obsess about their appearance they are viewed as being vain or perhaps being ugly. This makes it very difficult for women to make sense of what is expected of them.
The idea of beauty is central to the story because the most beautiful is the one who prevails, and the Evil Queen who is not as beautiful is the one who loses in the end. Snow White is the main character in the film. She is a young, white, slim and tall. Snow White is shown in the beginning of the movie cleaning and singing the song “I’m Wishing” which refers to her dream to find a man to take care of her (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). What I found to be interesting was that during the entire time she was cleaning an cooking no one was keeping track of her.
She could have left at any time, but instead she was waiting for a “Prince” to rescue her. This idea reinforces the image that women are helpless and need rescuing. This is the classic ideal of beauty. She lacks ambition and is a dreamer waiting for her prince to come and rescue her from her life troubles. While singing she is oblivious to the fact that Prince Charming has stumbled upon her and is watching her in awe. Because of her extreme beauty he has fallen in love with Snow White. The Prince is seen as strong and hyper-masculine. He has defined facial features, muscular arms and legs and thick black hair.
He also has a weapon that implies he is able to defend himself as well as the woman he loves. The Evil Queen instructs the huntsman, a middle aged, white man, to kill the young Snow White. With extreme despondency the huntsman agrees. However, he was unable to complete the task and took pity on the Princess. He instructed Snow White to run away and never come back. Snow White runs through the forest terrified of everything including her own shadow. The animals come to her rescue and deliver her to the little house in the woods. Again, this portrays Snow White as helpless and unable to do anything on her own.
She must always be “saved”. Upon entering the house Snow White begins doing her womanly duties of cooking and cleaning all the while singing. This is the stereotypical view of the traditional woman who cooks and cleans while wearing the perfect outfit and her makeup being flawlessly done. While this view is centered around the 1950’s the basic ideas of the woman’s role has been the same for hundreds of years. Women are socialized to believe that their position in life is to care for the home and the men who occupy it. The Seven Dwarfs work in a diamond mine, a very masculine role.
They work with dangerous equipment in a dangerous environment and work long hours. Even though they are dwarfs, they are very clearly heterosexual, white men all with very distinct personalities. When they return to their cottage they are distressed to find that someone has disturbed their home. They, however, are pleasantly surprised when they find that it is the princess Snow White. They, like the Prince, are captivated by her beauty. The dwarfs make an agreement with Snow White that they will keep her safe if she does the cooking and cleaning for them. By agreeing to this she is put in a position of servitude.
A woman is supposed to be responsible for everything in the kitchen while the man, the dwarfs serving as the man in the story, is the protector and is the one who will be right in the end. They warn her not to let anyone in, but Snow White disobeys them. In doing so she disobeyed men, which leads to the consequence of being poisoned and death. This creates the idea that women should take a man’s advice on all subjects. When the Queen learns that Snow White is still alive she becomes enraged. She decides to take the matter into her own hands and concocts a potion to poison Snow White. The Queen transforms herself into an old woman.
The irony of this scene is that the Queen knowingly transforms herself into what she is the most afraid of. The Dwarfs leave for work leaving Snow White home alone. When the Queen arrives at the cottage she entices Snow White with a beautiful red apple. Snow White naively accepts the apple and falls to the floor after taking a bite. The dwarfs arrive in time to see the Queen leave and begin to chase her up a mountain and corner her on a cliff. The Queen attempts to crush them with a huge rock, but lightning strikes the cliff, causing her to fall to her doom and crushed by the rock herself.
The dwarfs watch as the two vultures fly down to her body at the bottom of the cliff. The dwarfs could not bury Snow White because of her extreme beauty. They chose to encase her in a glass coffin in the woods so they could look at her whenever they chose. This is just another example of how women are objectified. In the final scene the Prince comes riding up on a horse, kisses Snow White, and she awakes from her sleep. The two of them ride off into the sunset, in love, and are assumed to live happily ever after. The story Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a fairy tale intended to entertain children but serves another purpose.
It assumes the stereotypical roles of women dictated by society. It presents the point that women are expected to be obedient or there will be consequences and that beauty is the predominant feature in a woman. This film affirms the concept of the Role-Learning Theory which states “that sexist and racist images in the media (and the absence thereof) encourage role modeling” (Anderson, Witham 72). The movie Snow White undeniably displays men and women in stereotypical roles and in ideal and stereotypical body forms. All of the characters are white, fair skinned and heterosexual.
Even the dwarfs are attractive in a very fatherly and protective type of way. This could be seen as a very sexist influence on children only starting to form their views of the world. This movie fall in line with the sexual biases that exist in society today. BIBLIOGRAPHY Andersen, Margaret L. , and Dana Hysock. Witham. Thinking about Women: Sociological Perspectives on Sex and Gender. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2009. Print. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Dir. William Cottrell. Perf. Adriana Caslotti and Harry Stockwell. 1937. Web


It is wrong to “teach to the test,” but should we avoid helping students prepare? Of course not! Even though standardized tests are still months away, it’s never too early to help your students begin getting ready. The earlier you prepare, the better your students will perform. Here are 5 things you can do to help your ELLs perform better on state standardized testing:
Teach your students that state testing matters.
Most ELL students don’t hear anything about standardized testing until two weeks before the test. If they don’t know, they don’t care. Share information with your students about what these tests are for, when they will take place, and how it impacts their school and community. Mark the test dates on your school calendar. Only when students know do they care.
Make your students proud of their achievements.
The most common reason students lose interest in school is because they feel like “no one cares about them.” There are many incentive programs designed to motivate student learning. One of them is Californians Together, which is promoting the “Seal of Biliteracy” program to convert ELLs’ weaknesses into strengths. For more information, check out http://www.californianstogether.org/
Focus on Academic English
“Long term ELL students” are becoming a major challenge for many ESL teachers. These students speak English as fluently as native speakers, but perform poorly in school. The problem is their Academic English. Develop a strategy to help your students acquire Academic English and encourage them use academic vocabulary daily in school.
Get content teachers to work with ESL teachers
Many ESL teachers focus on teaching language arts and leave math, science and social studies to the content teachers. But standardized tests doesn’t care who is responsible for teaching ELL students’ math and ELL students need to be prepared. Set up monthly meetings with content teachers and monitor the progress of your ELL students in these subject areas. There are content specific bilingual dictionaries helping ELL students study content.
Use accommodations during CST
California DOE allows ELL students to use a “word to word dictionary” during the CST and CAHSEE. This is the most effective tool to help your ELL students perform during the CST. Using these “word to word dictionaries” in classroom activities helps students learn better in ESL class as well as in their content classrooms.


Women who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac during pregnancy are not at increased risk of miscarriages.
NSAIDs are used by pregnant women in the first trimester to combat pain, fever and inflammation. Previous studies on whether they increase the risk of pregnancy loss have shown inconsistent results.
To determine whether there is an association between the use of NSAIDs in pregnancy and miscarriage (spontaneous abortion), the researchers looked at data on 65,457 women aged 15 to 45 years old who were admitted to Soroka Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel, between January 2003 and December 2009 to give birth (90% of women) or for a miscarriage (10%). Of the total group, 4,495 (6.9%) of women took NSAIDs during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Women who took NSAIDs were older, were more likely to smoke and had more inflammatory diseases.
More pregnant women in the exposed group had undergone in-vitro fertilization (IVF) than in those who did not take NSAIDs.
About 8.2% of women in the group exposed to NSAIDs — general anti-inflammatories — had miscarriages compared with 10% of women in the group that did not take NSAIDs. In the group of women who took COX-2 selective inhibitors, which target specific inflammation, 17% had a miscarriage, although this group was small and the question needs further research.
They found no important associations between exposure to NSAIDs, either by group or for most specific NSAID drugs, and risk of spontaneous abortion. They did find an increased risk of spontaneous abortion following exposure to indomethacin but this may be due to "reverse causation bias" as indomethacin was dispensed at the end of pregnancy, likely to treat preterm labor, an indication different than that for other NSAIDS.
"The fact that the study was based on large proportion of the district population, was adjusted to nearly all known risk factors for miscarriages (tobacco use, obesity, IVF, uterine malformations, hypercoagulable conditions, intrauterine contraceptive device etc.) and used advanced statistical methods strengthens the validity of the results," states the principal investigator, epidemiologist Prof. Levy.


Heel pain under the foot is often associated with the Plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is a thick flat band of connective tissue that originates from the heel bone (calcaneus) and runs along the sole of the foot. It keeps the bones and joints in position and enables us to transfer the muscle forces of the calf to the foot as we push off the ground in everyday activities such as walking, running and jumping.
Plantar fasciopathy affects 10% of the general population and is more common in people aged 40-60 years and people who spend a lot of time on their feet. The causes of this pain can be due to a number of factors including sudden change in activity, standing posture, walking habits, inappropriate footwear and poor training habits. These factors can lead to an overload on the tissues, causing the insertion of the plantar fascia to thicken and swell and become painful and irritated. The fascia is then unable to withstand as much load as normal, further exacerbating the condition.
Typical symptoms are a sharp or bruise type pain on the first few steps after getting out of bed or after prolonged sitting, that tends to ease with activity. In severe cases, pain can be debilitating and persist throughout the day.
Like all conditions, management of plantar fasciopathy is based on a thorough assessment to confirm the diagnosis, rule out other possible conditions and then address the underlying causes. Treatment may include:
- Specific advice and guidelines on activity and training modifications.
- Techniques to decrease pain and inflammation
- Exercises to balance muscle forces around the ankle, foot and leg as a whole.
- Taping - kinesio or traditional.
- Custom or temporary foot orthotics.
- Graded return to sport/activity to ensure the plantar fascia is not overloaded.
So to get you moving pain free again and guide you through the right steps, give us a call and make an appointment.


1840 (undated) 11 x 15 in (27.94 x 38.1 cm)
A fine example of Adam and Charles Black's 1840 comparative mountains and rivers of the world chart. Charts of this time were first introduced in england around 1823 and became a common feature in atlases throughout the 19th century. The present example is admired as one of the more attractive British examples of the style.
The comparative mountains section, occupying the lower right half of this chart, details the principle mountains of the world. Ranges are color coded to show different types of vegetation and numerically reference tables in the lower right quadrant. The elevations of a number of important cities including Riobamba, London, Gibraltar, Toluca, and Quito, among others, are noted. There are also extensive notations on vegetation, volcanic activity, and lichen, much of which is no doubt influenced by Humboldt. The Himalayan peak Dhaulagiri is identified as the world's greatest mountain. even the ballooning feat of Gay-Lussac who attained an altitude of 7000 meters in 1808 is noted. It is interesting to note that while the style is international, Black has tooled this map to appeal to his British client base. Sites of exceptionally interest to the British Islanders, including the 'highest inhabited place in Scotland' and the Convent of St. Gothard, are specifically identified.
The upper left portion of this chart is dominated by the world's greatest rivers. Black attempt not only to express the lengths of the various rivers, but also details regarding their course and sources. Here the Mississippi is identified as the world's greatest river at some 36`0 miles, followed by the Amazon at 3130 miles. The Nile comes up a sad fifth at just 2700 miles, though admittedly its full length had yet to be explored.
This map was engraved by G. Aikman for issue in the 1840 edition of Black's General Atlas.
Charles and Adam Black (fl. 1807 - present) were map and book publishers based in Edinburgh. Charles and his uncle, Adam, both of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded their publishing firm in 1807. They published a series of maps and atlases throughout the 19th century. In addition to an array of atlases, the Black firm is known for their editions of the Encyclopedia Britannica (1817 - 1826) and the first publishing of Sir Walter Scott's novels in 1854. In 1889 the A. & C. Black publishing house moved to London where it remains in operation to this day.
Hall, Sydney, Black's General Atlas: A series of Fifty-Four Maps from teh Latest and Most Authentic Sources, Engraved on Steel, In the First Style of the Art, (Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black) 1840.
Very good condition. Blank on verso.
Rumsey 2305.003 (1854 edition). Philips (atlases) 4334.


Marking up plain text
As Rieger pointed out, it’s not enough to simply use plain text. We need to structure our textual content with HTML. There are several ways to do this, from writing the HTML by hand in a text editor to using a WYSIWYG editor. However, my preference is plain text markup, for which I use Markdown, although many other plain text markup languages exist.1
Plain text markup languages like Markdown let you write text in a very human-readable way (similar to how you would write in a text-based email program) and offer you tools to convert this human-readable format to HTML quickly and easily. Simple conventions denote structure. For example, a hash symbol (#) in Markdown denotes a level 1 heading. A word enclosed in asterisks (*hello*) denotes emphasis, in the same way you might use italics in a word processor.
The best thing about using plain text markup is this: if your client or another party has created the content you’ll use in your design, using a plain text markup syntax means all you have to do is copy the textual content, paste it into a text editor, and make use of the simple markup conventions. This is much simpler than, say, turning the text into HTML by hand.
The book page text in Markdown
The following is some text we’ll use for the book site design. This is the minimum amount of content I’d like to use to communicate with visitors to the page. Save the following text (or your own example text) to your project folder and call it whatever you please. Since it represents the content of a home page, I’m calling it index.markdown.
# Responsive Design Workflow
by Stephen Hay
In our industry, everything changes quickly, usually for the better. We have more and better tools for creating websites and applications that work across multiple platforms. Oddly enough, design workflow hasn't changed much, and what has changed is often for worse. Through the years, increasing focus on bloated client deliverables has hurt both content and design, often reducing these disciplines to fill-in-the-blank and color-by-numbers exercises, respectively. Old-school workflow is simply not effective on our multiplatform web.
Responsive Design Workflow explores:
- A content-based approach to design workflow that's grounded in our multiplatform reality, not fixed-width Photoshop comps and overproduced wireframes.
– How to avoid being surprised by the realities of multiplatform websites when practicing responsive web design.
– How to better manage client expectations and development requirements.
– A practical approach for designing in the browser.
– A method of design documentation that will prove more useful than static Photoshop comps.
## Purchase the book
Responsive Design Workflow is available in paperback or as an e-book. The book is available now and can be ordered through one of the booksellers below.
– [Order from Amazon.com]
– [Order from Peachpit Press]
– [Order from Barnes & Noble]
[Lists of resources per chapter?]
[Lists of errata per chapter?]
Now this is interesting. In previous chapters, we discussed how problems can arise from insufficient thinking about how content will actually work—think back to the example where I “forgot” that we might need some sort of navigation. This may seem an unlikely example, but we’ve all experienced situations where we realize that things have been omitted or not thought through. Working in small steps from the content out can expose issues and avoid these problems. This Markdown document exposes a flaw in my thinking about resources and errata that becomes clear when we start designing the page in text. If I have both resources and errata for some of the same chapters, I’ll get something like this:
* [Chapter 1](http://www.example.com/resources/chapter1)
* [Chapter 2](http://www.example.com/resources/chapter2)
* [Chapter 3](http://www.example.com/resources/chapter3)
* [Chapter 1](http://www.example.com/errata/chapter1)
* [Chapter 2](http://www.example.com/errata/chapter2)
* [Chapter 3](http://www.example.com/errata/chapter3)
Although this won’t get us arrested, it’s redundant. It makes more sense to have a page for each chapter, and having anything relevant to a given chapter on that particular chapter’s page. This means that I’m going to change my mind at this point in the process (clients tend to do that, as you probably know).
Keep in mind that any mind-changing going on at this point is not only not a problem, it’s also a good thing. Better to make content-related and structural changes now.
Instead of Resources and Errata, I want a list of chapters, with each item being a link to that particular chapter’s page, which can contain sections for Resources and Errata. Come to think of it, we’ll need to put up code samples as well, so the chapter pages are a great place to put those.
What changes mean at this point
Changes at this point in the process entail relatively non-labor-intensive edits to one or more of three things: the content inventory, the content reference wireframes, and the structured text design (that is, your Markdown document).
Of course, since our example is currently one page, changing these is simple. Remember that most websites, no matter how big, are a combination of user interfaces for interaction and containers for content that’s poured in from a database. The focus of the first three steps in this workflow is these larger entities: types of pages, types of user interfaces, and types of content. While you’re free to use these steps to design individual pages, you probably won’t want to do that for the individual articles in a site like nytimes.com.
Think in terms of types. Think in terms of components. There are never many page types, so don’t think too much about pages. One of my most challenging conversations with a client involved me explaining that I didn’t have to redesign their site’s 10,000 pages. Rather, we had to spend a lot of time analyzing their content, and then I would design about 10 or 12 pages (plus a battery of small components). I would be designing a system. Not individual pages.
The change I’ve made to the book page means there’s another page type, since the content of that page type dictates that it should be different than the home page. That last point is important. There’s been a lot written about designing the user interface first. I agree in most cases, but not all. The user interface serves a purpose and contains content relevant to that purpose.
Both purpose and content are the foundation of the interface. And that thinking is also part of the whole design process.
Before we make the changes to our example, let’s think about what these changes mean for us while utilizing the responsive workflow:
- We need to create a content inventory for the second page type and change the existing one accordingly. This would have to be done within any workflow that involves content inventories, not just the workflow described in this book.
- We need to create a new wireframe and modify the existing one. In plain English: we need to remove one box from our existing wireframe and create another HTML page with a few boxes on it. Oh, the pain.
- We need to change the last section of the Markdown document and create an additional one. Since we don’t actually have resources or errata yet, we’ll have to define the “shape” of that content by coming up with a real-world example we can test and discuss with the client.
These steps are not difficult. If you’re a graphic or visual designer, you may not find it exciting. In fact, someone else can do these steps. But that person is absolutely part of design, and as I mentioned previously, all parties should be involved. Yes, the client, too—especially the client. You’ll reap the benefits later.
Now, contrast this with the waterfall process. In the traditional workflow, there is no designing in text step. The wireframes are detailed and intricate. The content inventory may or may not exist. So the problems with changes start with wireframes. Sure, we need to change the text in the Markdown document, much as we’d change text in a complex wireframe. But the main difference is that when designing in text, the changes we make are text-based. Detailed wireframes contain text, but this text is still presented in a highly visual form in relation to other elements on the page. There may be no color, but there is typography. There is layout, to a certain extent. By contrast, plain text markup is all the same font and denotes only textual structure. Changes in a Markdown document don’t require typographical changes or changes in layout. New pages don’t require a new layout. We’re not at that point in our process yet, so changes are much easier to make.
Content reference wireframes are also very easy to change. After all, they’re just boxes, aren’t they? They become more important down the line, but for now, we’re compartmentalizing changes. Content changes should be content changes, not content-typography-layout changes.
This approach allows us to “help” the content. In return, content will help us down the line. Because we’ve given it the attention it deserves, it will help us with layout, with determining breakpoints, and with many other aspects of the design. There are always cases where huge changes to a project will come during the final stages of design, and this process is designed to minimize the chance of those changes occurring—and minimizing the impact of those changes if they do occur.
It’s about thinking
Again, the book page is a very simple example, but this could just as easily have been a sign-up page for a product or service (or any other page or component), where designing in text might help you make better decisions. As with content inventory and content reference wireframes, designing in text gives you an opportunity to change things before doing so endangers the schedule or results in high costs.
We’re designing in text here simply by putting text down in a Markdown document. That fact should make it clear that the process of designing in text is not about Markdown; it’s about thinking. It’s (as in the first two steps) about content and its structure.
Personally, this is one of my favorite steps in the workflow. The beauty is not only in its simplicity, but also in the fact that once you convert this document into HTML, you have a mobile-ready mockup of a web page in structured text that you can load into virtually any browser that parses HTML. This is a huge advantage.


The human being, or Homo sapiens1, is an Earth-dwelling, carbon-based mammal and comes in a small variety of shapes and sizes. Its current population is estimated to be six billion (or six milliard under the British numerical system).
How to Spot a Human Being
There are several distinguishing features that make human beings different from other Earth life forms:
Bipedalism - Human beings walk on only two limbs, and are capable of sustaining this for extended periods of time depending on alcohol and caffeine levels.
Hands - Freed from the burden of locomotion, the front limbs include the opposable thumbs which allow humans to pick things up.
Tools - Humans create and use sophisticated tools to manipulate their environment, which has enabled them to construct sophisticated machines and buildings. Other animals have also been known to make and use tools. For example, chimpanzees have been observed removing the leaves from branches, then using those branches to draw termites from termite mounds. However, humans are the only animals so far who create tools and use them to create other tools.
Large brains - Admittedly, this is a bit subjective, but relative to their body mass, humans have more brain cells than many other kinds of animals.
Language - This is the big one. Language allows humans to communicate with each other, not just about the present (which things like mating calls and pheromones can do as well) but also about the past and the future.
How Human Beings Came to Be
There are several theories about how the human being came to be. These include:
Darwinism - In the mid-19th Century, Charles Darwin came up with the Theory of Evolution. This basically says that life originated in simple form and slowly evolved to the life we see today, including the human being. Most scientists follow this theory, as it explains unneeded features on animals such as wings on chickens. However, there are still many 'missing links' to substantiate this theory.
Creationism - Creation was the only popular theory until Darwin and is still believed by many, especially those who consider the human being to be above the rest of creation. It states God(s) created Man2 and then later created Woman out of Man. This theory is simple to explain as it cannot be proven because the only evidence possible to substantiate it is a reference to a couple without belly buttons.
Invadism - A theory drawn up by science fiction writers such as Douglas Adams. This theory can intermix with Darwinism and actually fills in the missing link between Homo erectus and Homo sapiens. According to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, for example, a spaceship containing frozen Homo sapiens lands on Earth and they eventually kill off the Homo erectus. This theory avoids mentioning or ignoring God and also does not put Man above or below other creatures.


Regulatory System Could Crush Hyperloop Dream
Can you imagine going from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes? Elon Musk can. Yesterday, the co-founder of PayPal and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Motors released a proposal for the Hyperloop, a nearly air-less tube that would transport people and cars up and down California. BloombergBusinessweek explains how it would work:
In Musk’s vision, the Hyperloop would transport people via aluminum pods enclosed inside of steel tubes. He describes the design as looking like a shotgun with the tubes running side by side for most of the journey and closing the loop at either end. These tubes would be mounted on columns 50 to 100 yards apart, and the pods inside would travel up to 800 miles per hour.
MIT professor, John Hansman, told Technology Review that while the Hyperloop concept doesn’t violate the laws of physics, there are some engineering challenges to overcome. First, the tube the pods would travel through will have to be well-sealed to maintain the low-pressures needed to reduce friction and travel at high speed. Second, the pods themselves will need enough on-board batteries to make the 382-mile trip between LA and San Francisco. These technological barriers could be hurdled if/when a prototype is built.
Musk’s team has offered the kind of innovative thinking that can bring about a truly 21st Century transportation system. Unfortunately building big infrastructure projects in America has gotten very hard. The Hyperloop could face some regulatory barriers that affect other infrastructure projects in other parts of the country.
Here are three regulatory challenges…
What will it entail to prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), collect and process public comments, and then file a final EIS? To put this into context, the summary of the EIS for the stretch of the California High-Speed Train (HST) from Merced to Fresno is 77 pages. EIS for the entire HST will run to thousands of pages. Expect a sizable report for the Hyperloop.
How many federal agencies would vie to have safety oversight of the Hyperloop infrastructure and the operation of the service? Would a new agency have to be created, or would the Federal Railroad Administration have authority? Since passengers would travel in pods through a low-pressure tube, like airplanes, oxygen would have to be supplied in the case of a pod sprung a leak and depressurized. Also, in case of a pod breaking down, other pods would have to stop without crashing. All those moving parts would have to be tested to meet regulatory muster.
3. Surviving Disasters
Being California, the Hyperloop will have to survive not only massive earthquakes but more minor tectonic shifts. Musk’s plan calls for the tube to built on adjustable dampers, but like the pods, these will have to be well-tested.
I don’t intend to throw cold water on this idea. The Hyperloop is a big, innovative idea that is classic American. It has the potential to change how we think about commuting (you could live in South of Market and work in Hollywood) and make our world smaller. I’m with Business Insider’s Henry Blodget that this project should move ahead. However, with as much creative thinking that went into the Hyperloop’s initial design, much effort should be put into streamlining the regulatory process for infrastructure projects to ensure that bold ideas like this one have a chance to become reality.


The phonetician Edwin Hotchkiss Tuttle (1879-?) was one of the founder members of the Linguistic Society of America, and a frequent contributor to the m.f..
What makes each of these scans particularly interesting as historical documents is Daniel Jones’s handwritten note alonɡside.
In both extracts the headline, əmerəkən iŋɡlɪʃ, uses different symbols for the first and second vowels of English. I seem to remember that Tuttle was from New England, and that may have been a peculiarity of his speech. (You can click on the images to enlarge them.)
The first extract represents the speech of Baltimore, MD. The pronunciation is shown as nonrhotic! DJ comments in the margin
T. spent 9 mʌnθs hiə
At the time the IPA used an acute accent to show a particularly tense vowel, a grave accent to show a particularly lax one. So the ɔ́ə of north, warm must imply greater initial tensity than for the ɔː of stronger, along, while the ií of agreed and the uú of blew imply greater tensity in the second part of the vowel.
Compare Wikipedia’s account of current Baltimore speech.
The other scan is of southern New England. DJ’s marginal comment reads
T livd in sauθ sentrəl Connecticut fə 28 jəːz
The subscript dots in ḍɪspjuútɪŋ, ṭeɪk, fə̣ːst indicate retroflexion (= modern ɖ, ʈ, ɚ). In the first two cases they represent progressive assimilation following ɹ — a phonetic detail I do not remember having seen discussed anywhere.
I have not previously seen any reference to the possible elision of w from wəz was. Do we still have this in AmE?
The note about “ðə fɔ́ɹm ʃoʊn” refers to shone, the past tense of shine (nowadays BrE ʃɒn, AmE ʃoʊn). Evidently the New Englanders of the time, perhaps embarrassed by the BrE/AmE difference, simply avoided the form.


SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft splashed down safely off the coast of Florida on January 13, concluding a month-plus stay at the International Space Station (ISS) to bring back thousands of pounds of scientific research and cargo. With this successful splashdown, SpaceX completed its 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission to the orbiting laboratory for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This also marks the first mission of the upgraded Dragon cargo spacecraft with double the powered locker capacity of previous capsules, allowing for even more research to travel back to Earth for analysis.
More than 30 payloads sponsored by the ISS U.S. National Laboratory were a part of this return mission, leveraging the expanded cargo features allotted by the updated Dragon spacecraft and the expanded crew complement on ISS. Some payloads returning were launched on other spacecraft—as part of the historic SpaceX Crew-1 launch and Northrop Grumman CRS-14—and took advantage of extended time on ISS.
When SpaceX CRS-21 launched to the orbiting laboratory in December, it carried more than 20 ISS National Lab-sponsored payloads, representing dozens of research experiments. Investigations on that mission included a wide variety of research—from biomedical and microbial studies to materials and physical sciences experiments and education investigations to inspire the next generation of researchers and explorers. Below highlights some of the investigations sponsored by the ISS National Lab that returned on SpaceX CRS-21.
Three projects returning on this mission were funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (one of the centers within the National Institutes of Health) through its joint, multiyear Tissue Chips in Space initiative with the ISS National Lab. Tissue chip research on this mission included a heart disease investigation from researchers at Stanford University, a second tissue chip investigation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology focused on post-traumatic osteoarthritis, and a muscle atrophy tissue chip experiment from the University of Florida that builds on a previous tissue engineering investigation that launched in 2018.
Also returning on this mission is an investigation from researchers at the University of California, San Diego who are using a brain organoid model to study neurological diseases. This experiment examined how microgravity affects the survival, metabolism, and cognitive function of human brain cells in an organoid model. Brain organoid models are used in the study of autism and Alzheimer’s disease, which represent a significant health burden on Earth. In microgravity, these disease models may be accelerated.
Another returning payload was launched on the Northrop Grumman CRS-14 mission to demonstrate the manufacture of single-piece turbine blade/disk combinations (blisks) in microgravity for use in the aerospace industry. Made In Space sent its Turbine Ceramic Manufacturing Module to the ISS seeking to validate its latest new commercial facility on the space station. Producing blisks in space could result in parts with lower mass, less residual stress, and higher strength than those manufactured on Earth. The facility is being returned to Earth for further analysis following its successful in-orbit operations.
Two separate payloads looking at the production of ZBLAN optical fibers in microgravity are also part of the SpaceX CRS-21 return mission. Under the sponsorship of the ISS National Lab, FOMS Inc. and Physical Optics Corporation have both sent multiple payloads to the space station in recent years that aimed to produce high-quality ZBLAN fibers in space. ZBLAN fibers are difficult to produce on Earth due to the formation of impurities in the fibers resulting from gravity-driven forces. Early indications from these recent attempts at producing ZBLAN fibers in microgravity have been promising and may lead to new commercial pathways for scalable in-space production and manufacturing that bring value to our nation and drive new market opportunities in low Earth orbit.
When the historic SpaceX Crew-1 mission took flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November 2020, it did so with the first ISS National Lab-sponsored investigation to launch on a Commercial Crew Program mission to the orbiting outpost. The payload, a student experiment from the Genes in Space program, sought to evaluate the cognitive changes reported by some astronauts following spaceflight by examining the expression of circadian genes, which regulate sleep and wakefulness, in space. A better understanding of circadian dysregulation in astronauts could enable the design of effective safeguards for astronauts both on the ISS and on potential future deep space missions.
This splashdown also represents the first Commercial Resupply Services mission to safely return off the coast of Florida, as opposed to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. By splashing down off the coast of Florida, payloads can be transferred back to Kennedy’s Space Station Processing Facility more quickly to be returned to researchers and their Implementation Partners with minimal loss of microgravity’s effects on the research.


Can you hear me now?
For hundreds of schools participating in a cellphone- recycling program, the answer is a resounding yes.
Nearly 6,000 school and community organizations have signed on with EcoPhones, an Addison, Texas-based company founded in 2001. The company, which aims to help ease the burden of technological waste, encourages schools to run fund-raising programs that urge parents and community members to recycle their old cellphones.
The schools gather used working and nonworking cellphones and send them to EcoPhones, which pays all shipping fees and gives the schools up to $100 per phone, although most phones range from $5 to $25. The company then repairs the phones and resells them to low-income users and organizations in Mexico and other developing countries. Any phones that are useless are dismantled and recycled according to federal environmental regulations.
One school in Coppell, Texas, collected more than 3,000 phones and made $10,000.
Most schools use the money to support community programs and philanthropic causes, according to Walter Engelbrecht, the company’s chief executive officer.
EcoPhones also often donates the phones it receives to organizations that help those in need, Mr. Engelbrecht said.
Cellphones contain several toxic substances—including copper, arsenic, and zinc—all of which can leach into the soil of landfills and eventually contaminate the water supply.
The average cellphone user replaces his or her phone every 12 to 16 months, according to Mr. Engelbrecht.
An estimated 100 million cellphones will be retired annually by 2005 in the United States alone, according to a report by INFORM Inc., a New York City-based nonprofit organization that promotes ideas to keep the environment clean.
A version of this article appeared in the November 17, 2004 edition of Education Week


THE CASE FOR INFANT BAPTISM
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1. One people
The people of God in the New Testament era are not a brand new entity; they are like branches grafted onto the 'olive tree' of the people of God before Jesus, most of whom were Jews (see Rom. 11:17). This is why believers in Christ are called the 'children of Abraham' (Gal. 3:7).
2. One Covenant
God's covenant with Abraham (a relationship with them which included wonderful promises) was mainly about spiritual and eternal blessings: In Gen. 17:7 God says that he is establishing an everlasting covenant between himself and Abraham and his descendants after him, to be his God and the God of his descendants after him. So it is about God being his God. This is just like Rev. 21:3 and Heb. 8:10 in the NT. So the 'new covenant' in Hebrews 8 is not brand new, but a sort of NT version of the covenant with Abraham.
3. Children in the Covenant
God included Abraham's children in this covenant. This did not mean that every single one of them would necessarily be saved, but it did mean that quite a number would be, and also that there was something special about being in a godly family. Indeed Paul says that until the NT era there was something special about being a Jew (Rom. 3:1-2).
4. The Covenant Sign
Furthermore, as an outward sign and seal of the blessings of salvation to Abraham and his descendants, the sons of the people of God were to be circumcised at 8 days old, Gen,17:10ff (and Rom. 4:11 shows that circumcision had to do with the righteousness of God, put to our account by faith, in other words to do with justification by faith!
5. Children Still in the Covenant
Now this principle of the children of the people of God being in some real sense included within the covenant people and having a promise that in general God will save them - this principle is not abolished with the coming of Jesus. After all, that would mean that after Jesus' coming things were in one way not as good for believing parents as before! Rather, this principle is added to: there are special promises that God is particularly willing to save the children of sincere Christians, and in addition everybody else from non-Christian backgrounds is invited too! This is what Peter says on the Day of Pentecost: “The promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39)
How else can we explain the incidental comment of Paul in 1 Cor. 7:14 that thge children of Christians, even of only on Christian parent – are 'holy'? (The sanctification of the non-Christian partner in that context no doubt has to do with the marriage being regarded as genuine and acceptable in the sight of God).
6. Baptism replaces Circumcision
Circumcision, like the feast of Passover, is not a Christian ordinance; it has passed away as a shadow (see Col. 2:17). They both involved the shedding of blood, pointing forward to Christ's sacrifice. The Lord's Supper has replaced the Passover - it was instituted at a Passover meal! What has replaced circumcision? Col. 2:11-12 speaks of circumcision and baptism as if they have the same spiritual meaning. And if, as seems likely that at least some of the households who were baptised in the book of Acts included small children or babies, this would also fit in with baptism taking the place of circumcision.
So, just as believing Israelites in OT days circumcised their boys in the faith and hope that God would be their God, so Christian parents today can baptise their children (the NT is better in every way: girls can be baptised as well!) in faith that sooner or later God will save their children, giving them a new heart and forgiving their sins through Jesus' blood. In doing this, God will often use the way the parents bring them up and the teaching they give, and will also be answering their prayers. The baptism is an outward sign of the promise of God to change their hearts, wash their sins away, and unite them to the Lord Jesus.
PS; If you were baptised as a child when your parents were not Christians, don't worry: you believe now, and by faith you can receive the encouragement of the sign that you know was applied to you. (After all, God's grace does in a general way precede faith, for faith itself is his gift). Yes, you should not have been baptised then, but the point is, you were! Baptism is an outward rite, and if it has been performed in a church that holds to the doctrines of the Trinity and of Jesus Christ being the living Saviour of sinners, it is right to assume that in God's sight you are baptised.
Back to Home PageSee also Bringing Up Children for God and The Mode and Meaning of Baptism


Wonder what to get your dad for his birthday or Father’s Day? Choosing the perfect gift doesn’t have to be difficult. Think about your dad’s favorite activities and hobbies.
When you are with someone, and you suddenly see the person yawn, what is your automatic reaction? Do you try to stifle a yawn? A yawn is an act, usually involuntary, caused by excess inhalation and exhalation. Sometimes, yawning is connected to nervous tension, boredom, overwork, and exhaustion. Commonly, a yawn is correlated with fatigue, but scientific studies show that this phenomenon happens when there is a surplus of carbon dioxide or insufficient oxygen-levels in your bloodstream.
Ever wonder why you get an urge to yawn when someone within your proximity yawns? Well, the answer is that scientists do not know, however have come up with theories. The mystery of a yawn being contagious refers to the brain. It may not sound like the biggest mystery of life, yet scientists are left scratching their heads finding answers. This contagious power of yawning is mostly unconscious. We see someone yawning in our vicinity and yearns to replicate this action occurs without knowing it. Sometimes, we are aware of this action, but it sets off in us without conscious control. Before discussing the uncertain reasons for why yawning can be contagious, let us first mull over some factual bits as to why a yawn occurs.
According to expert studies, even a fetus as young as 3-months old also yawns. It supposedly helps in cooling the body and helps even out pressure in your ears. Just like when you are stretching, yawning will help you loosen muscles and joints of your body, increase blood sugar levels and heart rate. When dopamine, nitric oxide, glutamine, and serotonin, among other chemicals, are present in the brain, yawning episodes will be triggered. However, chemicals such as endorphins help out in diminishing yawning episodes.
Up to 60% of people are likely to yawn at the mere sight of yawning. Even while reading an article on yawning, you are likely to experience more frequent yawns than normal. This particular behavior is not entirely understood. However, one logical explanation suggests that it could be the result of an unconscious herding behavior.
So, the next time you see someone yawn, try to suppress the urge to yawn, and you’ll notice that you might not be successful.


A diagnostic essay is a type of write-up that is given to a student at the commencement of an educational course. It is used to analyze a student´s writing skills. Typically, a student is given a question and is required to write about that specific topic provided. This type of essay tends to expose your writing abilities as well as try to give an analysis of the strengths and shortcomings of your writing. This is recommended so that your professor or teacher can plan upcoming work as per your capabilities. Diagnostics essays are also done within a short period of time to provoke your creativity in the given topic.
In this type of essay, there is no study required because the writing commences the moment the topic is given. All attention and concentration are directed to the essay. Use the given time to draw an outline, write your essay, edit and check on spelling and grammar before the time elapses.
In as much as such as papers seem tasking and difficult to compose especially with the short period allocated, there is no aim of avoiding them because they are hardly ever graded, so you are not obligated to perform your best. Such essays are frequently found when doing international English tests and other related tests in order to assess your writing abilities.
Diagnostic essays are written in the normal format: introduction, body with three main paragraphs, and a conclusion. Sometimes, students are required to write on the same topic while other times you are given a number of topics to select from.
It is recommended that you write your paper when you have understood and internalized the given topic. A good idea is to give a summary of what the topic is about. Have the main points that you decide to write about and briefly talk about them. Remember, these points will be explained in the body section of the essay.
After putting down your introduction, begin writing the body by placing each idea in its own paragraph. Each paragraph should have its argument at the start then followed by a clarification of the argument. Do not forget to include any proof in form of statistics or evidence to back up your assertions.
This section includes summarized arguments and ought to convincingly connect to the main idea. Finish off the essay using statements that encourage the student to go and research more about the essay topic.
Most diagnostic essay topics are given without requiring prior research; they are generally common topics, and sometimes personal. Other times, it could be a common issue that you are needed to give your thoughts on. For example, if the theme was about the benefits of going abroad, then the three major highlights could discuss about advantages such as learning a new language, meeting new people, or even visiting a new country. You can argue that taking up a foreign language will make help in appreciating the nation´s culture better and connect with colleague s and friends effectively. Going abroad will also help make new friends and thus broaden your social circles and networks. Visiting a new country is everyone's dream, and it will help appreciate other cultures.
In some situations, your professor will give a precise focus. Sometimes he/she can choose to leave it to the creativity of the students to see what they are skillful in. If this is the case, choose the best topic that brings out your competencies and makes you stand out.
Below are some examples of diagnostic essay topics that you can practice on.
The key impression of an investigative essay is to actually inform your professor of your capabilities in writing a prompt essay topic. It is never about the knowledge or expertise possessed on that given topic. It is about the talents owned.
The “agree or disagree” essays normally give learners a hard time. This is mostly because
As much as you may dislike reasoning with other people's points, you must know how
What are essays of National Honor Society? These are documents meant to allow a student


What do T3 in Minneapolis, Atlanta and Toronto, as well as Trafalgar Place in London, 25 King in Brisbane, and Brock Commons in Vancouver have in common? They are all tall structures, constructed in the last five years, and made from wood hybrid (mass timber) materials instead of traditional concrete and steel. According to ThinkWood.com, they reflect a trend where, over the past few years, a number of tall wood projects have been completed around the world, demonstrating successful applications of new wood and mass timber technologies. With rising demand for new urban buildings, and increased interest in sustainable and efficient construction, the potential for tall wood buildings is expected to grow.
So, what is Mass Timber? Mass Timber is a category of framing styles typically characterized by the use of large solid wood panels for wall, floor, and roof construction. It also includes innovative forms of sculptural buildings, and non-building structures formed from solid wood panel or framing systems of six feet or more in width or depth. Products in the mass timber family include, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), Nail-Laminated Timber (NLT or Nail-Lam), Glue-Laminated Timber (glulam), Dowel-Laminated Timber (DLT), Structural Composite Lumber (SCL) and Wood-Concrete Composites.
One of the benefits of Mass Timber include a lighter carbon footprint, as it allows the use of a renewable and sustainable resource as an alternative to more fossil fuel-intensive materials. It also helps with construction efficiency. Mass Timber construction is fast, and speed correlates to revenue. Mass Timber also weighs less than other materials, which brings smaller foundation requirements and lower forces for seismic resistance. Although made from wood, structurally mass timber offers proven fire protection and seismic resistance, which allows its use in larger buildings.
Building codes across the world, including Canada’s, have progressed to include taller Mass Timber structures. The new 2020 National Building Code of Canada will permit 12 stories of mass timber construction, which should see more new and exciting tall structures built from wood, like “Origine”, a Quebec-based multifamily housing project, which received seven additional stories (for a total of thirteen) courtesy of the Mass Timber’s weight benefits. Although it will take time for the construction industry at large to warm up to the benefits of tall buildings constructed from wood hybrid materials, in the future we might not raise an eyebrow at the thought of wood skyscrapers anymore.


Directions: Move the arrow over or touch each highlighted word or segment and look for a definition or explanation in the box.
The tense of the verb points out the time that is defined in the sentence.
Verb tenses provide information about when things happen.
The simple tenses express the basic present, past, and future.
A simple present tense verb helps make a statement.
us so much that he died on a cross for us.
Use the simple present tense to describe an activity.
God listens to our prayers.
A simple past tense verb simply describes something that happened.
on a cross to save us from sin and death.
A future tense verb is a simple present tense verb used with the helping verbs: will or going to.
Without Jesus in my heart, I will seek to fill the void in my life with what the world offers me.
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father....Matthew 16:27.
In the perfect tenses, there is often a relationship between the past and the present.
These tenses provide more information about the timing and sequence of events.
Perfect tenses are used with helping verbs: has, have, or had.
There are three perfect tenses (present, past, and future).
The present perfect reflects the past, but its reflection on the past connects the past to the present. The present perfect is often used to express a past event that has present consequences. The events described by present perfects are not necessarily completed.
Let's compare it with the simple past which tells only that something happened in the past.
1. Jesus saved many people on Earth.
2. Jesus has saved many people on Earth.
The past tense "saved" is used in both sentences above.
The first sentence simply expresses an action that occurred in the past.
The meaning is changed in the second sentence with the use of "has."
The second sentence tells us about the saving of people in the past including the present time and continuing into the future.
The present perfect tense can express an action which has begun in the past, continues to the present, and may continue into the future.
...God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we
have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:8-9.
The Word of God
has brought many people to a close relationship with Him.
(From the past until the present, the Word of God in the Bible has brought many people closer to God and continues to assist people in developing a close relationship with Jesus.)
You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions (yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc.).
We may also use the present perfect tense to talk about a change or new information:
"I've become a new creature with a renewing of my spirit through Jesus Christ."
(Before knowing Jesus, I wasn't "born again" of the spirit, but now I am.)
The difference between the Simple Past Tense and the Present Perfect Tense:
A Simple Past statement: Jesus rose into heaven.
Using the Present Perfect Tense: Jesus has risen into heaven. (The emphasis here is on the present, resulting from the fact that the person speaking has present evidence that it occurred).
The perfect tenses use the past participle forms of verbs. These forms are listed in complete dictionaries.
Look up the present tense verb "ring" and you will see: rang (past), and rung (the past participle form) used with has/have in the present perfect tense.
Incorrect: I have ringed the bell. Or: I have rang the bell.
Correct: I have rung the bell.
The past perfect tense expresses action in the past before another action in the past, or to express the result of an action in the past because it is important in the present.
If you talk about something in the past and you want to talk about something that is connected to it and happened before it (i.e. it is more in the past than the past you are speaking about), then you can use the past perfect (had with the past participle). The past participle used with the "helping" verb (had) happened before something else in the past.
Jesus sent the Disciples to teach the people of the world what he
had taught them
The past perfect tense ("had taught") indicates the earlier of two actions, and the simple past tense ("sent") indicates the more recent action.
The Israelites and Moses
had wandered in the desert for forty years, before they went into the promised land (They wandered then they went into the land).
"The Israelites and Moses wandered in the desert for forty years."
This sentence simply states a past event without connecting it to the present or another past event.
Again, use the helping verb in the past tense ("had") to create the past perfect tense.
"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Jesus had risen into heaven."
(Jesus rose from the grave. Later, the two women went to His grave, but they did not find Him there. He had risen.)
The past perfect tense explains the sequence of the two past events: Jesus rising (the earlier event) and the women going to the grave.
"Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken...." Matthew 26:75.
Jesus spoke before Peter remembered His words.
"They had gone to the movies before they went home."
The past perfect tense ("had gone") indicates the earlier of two actions. The simple past tense ("went") indicates the more recent action.
Finally, here's some past perfect tenses with helping verbs in sentences expressing condition and result:
If I had gotten up at 8:00, I would have arrived at church on time.
George Washington would have been president for a third term, if he hadn't rejected the offer.
The future perfect tense expresses an action or actions in the future before another action in the future using will + have. The word will expresses the future.
Jesus told Peter,
"Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times." In this example, the denials happen first then the rooster crows.
By Sunday noon, I
will have gone
Here's one more example using the helping verb in the present tense to create the future perfect tense:
The church bells will have rung for ten minutes before the worshippers arrive.
Simple Present: Jesus saves us from sin and death.
When presenting a statement of fact, use the simple present tense.
Simple Past: Jesus saved many people while He was on Earth.
Present Perfect: Jesus has saved many people (Including the present time with the past, Jesus has saved many people).
Past Perfect: Jesus had saved many people, before He ascended into heaven.
(Jesus saved many people then He ascended into heaven.)
Future: Jesus will save many people.
Future Perfect: Jesus will have saved many more people by the time He comes again (After Jesus died he rose into heaven, but through the Word of God many more people will be saved before He comes again).


Chemistry in its element: compounds
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Katherine Holt from University College London escapes from her addiction to coffee
Introducing Chemistry in its element series two: distilling the compounds that count. Each week a leading scientist or author tells the story behind a different compound
Chemistry in its element - caffeine
Distilling the compounds that count, you're listening to Chemistry in its element brought to you by Chemistry World magazine
This week, the compound behind the global household beverage that socially sparks creativity and inspiration. Katherine Holt:
During the 17th and 18th centuries some of the most creative ideas in art, literature and science emerged from the coffee houses of Europe. The finest minds of the time gathered daily to imbibe coffee and discuss the ideas of the day. Runners were employed to spread news between coffee shops so they became an inevitable hub of the community and central to the spread of information and inspiration. Whether such social progress was a consequence of the meeting of minds or the stimulating effect of caffeine can't really be quantified - perhaps it was bit of both.
I used to think of myself as the modern day version of the coffee house intellectual! A good strong cup of coffee was required to blow away the cobwebs and sharpen the mind and the day could not possibly be started without one! But, a few months ago I realised that I was no longer drinking coffee to feel good - I was drinking it to avoid feeling bad. I realised I was addicted to the stuff. Addicted to such an extent that I took a cafetiere and bag of my favourite coffee backpacking with me - because heaven forbid I should be without it even for one day! Enough was enough - I decided to give up this vice entirely.
I sustained myself through the withdrawal symptoms: the headaches, the tiredness, the irritability, the aching muscles and joints; waiting for the promised land, where I would sleep more deeply, be more focused, concentrate better and no longer have to plan my holidays, or indeed my life, around the availability of coffee. I read about the evils of coffee on the internet - how it supposedly causes dehydration, indigestion and most distressingly of all...cellulite! Most of these claims are not, however, backed up by science. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, but studies have shown that it actually has about the same diuretic effect as plain old water, so drinking coffee is unlikely to cause dehydration. Any link between caffeine intake and indigestion also vanishes once other factors, in particular degree of body fat, are taken into account.
Caffeine has some structural similarities to another molecule called adenosine. Adenosine accumulates in the brain as a product of various metabolic processes. After prolonged neuronal activity - for example after thinking or working for a long time, higher concentrations of adenosine build up in the brain. Adenosine is detected by specific receptors and high levels induce a feeling of tiredness or sleepiness. The build up of adenosine is therefore a trigger that we should rest or sleep to allow our brain to recover. So where does caffeine come in? Well, its structural similarity to adenosine means it can bind to adenosine receptors, but without triggering them. This prevents the receptors from detecting adenosine and thus the signal for tiredness is not given. Surely, I thought, giving up caffeine could only be a good thing - it must be better for my brain to regulate itself without intervention.
Caffeine is, however, a safe and socially acceptable drug. Almost every nation on earth has their favourite version of a caffeinated drink - from green tea in China to yerba mate in Argentina. The caffeine containing kola bean has for centuries been used by the people of West Africa to increase energy. The Mayans in South America produced the earliest forms of hot chocolate from the cocoa beans, which were so esteemed that they were used as a form of currency. Coffee was first drunk in Ethiopia where the coffee plant grows wild. Legend has it that a goat herder noticed that his goats became sleepless and excitable after nibbling at the berries on the coffee bush. After trying it himself he experienced the same effects. Whatever the truth of this tale, coffee found its way to North Africa, through Persia and eventually to Europe via Turkey.
But why is caffeine found in so many different plants? Presumably its not there to keep the plant awake! Actually it is a natural pesticide that can paralyse and kill insects that feed upon the plant. The soil around coffee seedlings has also been found to be rich in caffeine. It is believed this may inhibit the germination of other coffee seeds in the vicinity, giving the seedling a better chance of survival.
So, how is my caffeine-free existence? To be honest I have mixed feelings. I enjoy the freedom of being released from my addiction, but I'm definitely aware that something subtle has changed in my brain chemistry. Scientific studies have shown that caffeine increases our capacity for physical work and may improve some aspects of mental performance, for example memory and ability to focus. Sometimes I think that the caffeine-free me is lacking a little edge. I can't say I've noticed much difference in the cellulite either!
So, a natural pesticide that may boost our mental performance. And let's not forget, it tastes oh so nice - I'm certainly craving a cappuccino right now. That was UCL's Katherine Holt with the chemistry of caffeine. Now, next week, you may want to avoid breathing in.
When you breathe it in, it decomposes, giving you a dose of carbon monoxide and depositing some nickel on your lungs. If you survive the first few hours, the nickel causes a form of pneumonia, coughing, breathlessness, extreme fatigue. This lasts for several days, often resulting in cardiovascular or renal failure and death. I was relieved to find that the safety precautions in the lab were extremely rigorous.
And to find out the actual positive attributes of nickel carbonyl, and the insights this brought to many aspects of chemistry, join Bernie Bulkin in next week's Chemistry in its element. Until then, thank you for listening. I'm Meera Senthilingam.
Chemistry in its element comes to you from Chemistry World, the magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is produced by thenakedscientists dot com. There are more compounds that count on our website at chemistryworld dot org slash compounds.


Great Role Plays
for ESL Students
Role plays for ESL students are a great way of getting your class to
English Modal Verbs: check out our new series of illustrated workbooks!
Even the shy ones will be more likely to speak if they have a
role to play and aren't actually giving their own opinions.
some teachers struggle with role plays, and others use them
What is the best way to use role plays for ESL students?
The first piece of advice I have is, don't be scared of using role
plays in class!
Some colleagues told me that they don't use them
because they are worried the students won't want to do it. You're the
teacher! Make them interesting and relevant and the students will want
to do the activity.
Real life situations
Following that, the next piece of advice is, make the role plays
For example, if you are teaching teenagers, give them
situations that they may find themselves in. Suggestions are:
- Ordering a
- Asking directions
- Deciding what to do/where to go
- And so forth.
How to make it interesting
Next, it is important to make the role plays interesting
directions isn't the most exciting activity in the world but try to
think of ways you can make it more interesting.
One teacher I know
suggested that the students had an argument about the directions, and
this apparently worked. Sometimes just using places the students know,
and using real examples helps.
It is important to think about how you group or pair your students when
they do role plays. I often write the different scenarios to be played
in different colors, or on colored paper. The students then have to
find the other person/people with that color.
In most situations I try
and group students of similar ability but there may be times when I
want to pair a stronger with a weaker student. This could be when I
have assigned specific roles and I want the weaker, or shyer, student
to take the dominant role in the situation.
Bring in props to help with the role plays.
For example, some students
find it much easier to talk in a pretend situation if there is
something to help them.
- Set a desk up as a restaurant table
- Bring in
items for them to return to a shop
- Bring in maps for a role play about
- And so forth
There are lots of things you can do to make the
activity more interesting.
Choose the stage
Decide whether you want your students to perform to the rest of the
class or just to practice with each other.
If they perform for the rest
of the class, give them plenty of time to prepare, and encourage
positive feedback from the class as well as peer correction. This will
help involve all the students in every performance. Don't forget to get
feedback from the 'performers' too.
Role plays for ESL students can be a very useful tool in your class,
can build confidence, and improve speaking and listening skills, so
don't neglect them!


However, during the 1950’s, he was accused of being a communist and of engaging in "un-American activities." FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover tried to terminate his U.S. residency.
Around 1952, Chaplin returned home to the England briefly for the premiere of the movie Limelight. Hoover succeeded in revoking Chaplin's citizenship, and Chaplin was not allowed to re-enter the United States. He moved to Switzerland, where he lived until death.
However in 1972, he did return to the United States to receive an honorary Oscar.
For those who do not know, Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977) was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I. Chaplin used mime, slapstick and other visual comedy routines. His most famous role was that of “The Tramp.”


How I Learned to Control My Temper Storybook/Workbook with CD
- This is a storybook and workbook in one!
- Help children learn the value of controlling their tempers
- Includes 24 activities plus CD
- Ages: 6-12
Written by Debbie Pincus.The first half of the book is a story about Michael, who flies into a rage at the slightest provocation. Michael learns a variety of ways to control his temper and finds out how much better he is treated by both adults and other children when he talks things out rather than acting them out. The second half of the book teaches readers the same self-control skills that Michael learned by completing 24 activities aimed at helping kids understand their anger and develop alternative ways to express themselves. These reproducible and fun exercises teach children how to identify when they are angry; how to cope with angry feelings; to be assertive instead of aggressive; and much more! 68-pages, spiral-bound, includes CD.


Extent of sea ice in Arctic sets record low, keeps on melting
The extent of sea ice in the Arctic has already hit a record low this season, the gloomiest, if not doomiest, since satellite records began in the 1970s. The world will likely have to wait a month or so for the final numbers to be released since sea ice typically stops melting by the end of September, but researchers are already worried by the extra 380,000 square miles or so of sea ice that’s melted this year beyond the record set in 2005. “I’m shocked daily, looking at the maps,” said Marika Holland, sea-ice researcher at the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research, earlier this month. “Where it’s going to bottom out, I wouldn’t hazard a guess.” And much of the ice that’s left is roughly half as thick as it was in 2001, according to a recent German study. If that’s not enough, the European Space Agency has said that Arctic melting this year has also entirely opened up the fabled Northwest Passage, a shipping shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that has until now been “historically impassable.” So, um, kayaking anyone?
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Genome Editing of Human Cells for Biomedical Applications
Krishanu Saha, University of Wisconsin-Madison
The latest breakthrough in genome editing, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system, applies an editorial eye to the human genome, searching for typos and other infelicities that mar the basic text. Gene editing shows many signs of being cheaper, faster, more accurate, and more widely applicable than older gene editing techniques because of its ability to cut and alter the DNA at almost any genomic site with ease and precision.
This talk will focus on the application of CRISPR genome editing for targeted therapy within the body, so called somatic gene editing. Current frontiers in this field involve 1) nonviral delivery of the CRISPR components to specific cell types and tissues of the body; 2) reduction of imprecise or undesired “off-target” editing at unintended sequences within the human genome; and 3) increased sequence complexity of gene edits. Frontier work with nonviral delivery exploits novel biomaterials and bioconjugate chemistry, while protein engineering and manipulation of DNA repair pathways have been used to generate CRISPR nucleases with higher fidelity. Bioengineers working with CRISPR are expanding our abilities to manipulate multiple genetic loci at once (i.e., multiplexing) and insert novel genetic circuits and functionality. These emerging CRISPR techniques are being applied outside the body with both autologous and allogenic cell sources from patients, as well as in the body via injectable formulations of CRISPR components. Solutions to the problems of inefficient delivery and imprecise editing are likely to usher in a new generation of advanced therapies in the clinic.


As with the whole of scripture, the Law and the Prophets — even the so-called “minor prophets,” such as Haggai and Zechariah —provide a future picture of the coming King of all kings, Jesus Christ, and an eternal Temple not made with hands.
Around 520 BC, the Lord is speaking to His people through the prophet Haggai. The message is clear: return to the first work of building the Temple of the Lord and glorifying God!
- The Lord exposes their sin of apathy and self-serving lifestyle and explains that this is why the work of their hands are being cursed by Him, rather than blessed. Chastisement for disobedience.
- Haggai warns the people to turn (repent) from first building/serving their own lives and rather to lay down their lives for the sake of rebuilding the Temple of the Lord.
- Upon the people hearing and turning their hearts, the Lord comforts His repentant people with the reassuring words of “I am with you!”
- The physical Temple is rebuilt five years later
- The prophetic fulfillment of Haggai is finally exposed when Jesus inaugurates the eternal foundation of the Living Temple of the Holy Spirit, His Body on earth. (John 15:18-21)
A historical reading of Haggai shows us how the people of the Haggai’s day allowed the cares of this life to choke out the work of serving the Lord. (Matthew 13:22)
Much like today, people were busy with their own lives, their own houses, fulfilling their own needs over the needs of the Lord and others. (Luke 9:57-62, Romans 15:1-3)
But a spiritual reading of Haggai reveals a coming Kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28) and a Temple that will be rebuilt on an eternal foundation of Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself as the Cornerstone.Read More »Haggai and the Kingdom of God


Reptiles of Costa Rica, the long-awaited companion to Amphibians of Costa Rica, is the first ever comprehensive field guide to the crocodilians, turtles, lizards, and snakes of Costa Rica. A popular destination for tourists and biologists because of its biodiversity, the country is particularly rich in reptile fauna, boasting 245 species. The sheer diversity in shapes, sizes, colors, and natural history traits of these animals is beautifully displayed in this book. Lizards range from minuscule dwarf geckos to dinosaur-like iguanids, and everything in between, while the country’s snakes include tiny eyeless wormsnakes, massive boas, as well as twenty-three dangerously venomous species, which include the largest vipers in the world. Author, photographer, and conservation biologist Twan Leenders has been researching and documenting the herpetofauna of Costa Rica for nearly twenty-five years. His explorations have taken him to remote parts of Costa Rica that few people ever visit, journeys that usually find him hauling an array of photographic equipment to document his finds. In addition to including more than 1,000 photographs, detailed black and white scientific illustrations, and range maps, this book also features paintings of anole dewlaps, a key identification feature for that very complex group of lizards. This new field guide will enable the reader to identify all species, while also providing a wealth of information about natural history, predation, breeding strategies, habitat preferences, and conservation of Costa Rica’s reptile fauna.
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The heart has four chambers – two atria (right and left) and two ventricles (right and left). Blood from the rest of the body or the lungs enters the right and left atrium respectively. The atria then pushes the blood into the ventricles.
The more muscular ventricle wall contracts sending the blood into the pulmonary artery or aorta. Blood exits the right ventricle and travels to the lungs (pulmonary artery ~ pulmonary circulation) and out of the left ventricle to the rest of the body (via aorta ~ peripheral circulation).
What are the Heart Valves?
The heart valves are sets of flaps (leaflets or cusps) that prevents the movement of blood against the direction of flow – from an atrium into a ventricle and then out into the artery (pulmonary artery or aorta).
There are two sets of valves :
- Valves between the atria and ventricles known as the atrioventricular (AV) valves
- Valves between the ventricles and blood vessels exiting in (pulmonary artery or aorta) known as the semilunar valves.
There are two atrioventricular valves and two semilunar valves :
- Atrioventricular Valves
- Tricuspid valve between the right atrium and right ventricle
- Mitral valve between the left atrium and left ventricle
- Pulmonary valve (also known as the pulmonic valve) between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery
- Aortic valve between the left ventricle and aorta
Function of the Tricuspid and Mitral Valve
The atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and mitral) prevent backflow of blood from the ventricles into the atria. This is more likely to occur when the ventricles contract (systole). The tight seal created by these atrioventricular valves ensures that the blood in the ventricles are forced out into the pulmonary artery or aorta. The tricuspid valve has three flaps while the mitral (bicuspid) valve has two flaps.
These valves open and close passively. That means it opens when blood is being pushed from the atria into the ventricles by the force of the flowing blood. Similarly it closes when the blood under pressure in the contracting ventricles pushes against it.
The atrioventricular valves have a safety mechanism to ensure that it does not bulge excessively when closed. Papillary muscles attach to the vanes of the valve via chordae tendinae and contract when the ventricles contract. This provides resistance when the vanes of the valve extend into the atria. The papillary muscles and chordae tendinae do not open or close the valves but if it fails to act the then valves can turn inside out and not perform its function.
Function of the Pulmonary and Aortic Valves
The semilunar valves (pulmonic and aortic) perform the same function as the other heart valves – it prevents the backflow of blood but in this case from the arteries into the ventricles when the ventricles relax (diastole). These valves are subjected to greater pressure and have to be stronger than the AV valves.
The mechanism of action for the semilunar valves is different from that of the atrioventricular valves. These valves requires backflow of blood to close shut. Without backflow, these valves will remain open. The semilunar valves lack he chordae tendinae and papillary muscles of the AV valves.


In the Introduction, try to give the reader a general idea of what the cause and effect essay will contain. For an experienced reader, a thesis statement will be an indication that you know what you are writing about. It is also important to emphasize how and why this problem is relevant to modern life.
If you ever need to write about the Caribbean crisis, for instance, state that the effects of the Cold War are still apparent in contemporary global politics. How to write an effective thesis statement? Click on the link to learn! In the Body, provide plenty of details about what causes led to the effects. But, there are some things to which you must pay particular attention. To begin with, try to make each paragraph the same length: Then, try to avoid weak or unconvincing causes. This is a common mistake, and the reader will quickly realize that you are just trying to write enough characters to reach the required word count.
Moreover, you need to make sure that your causes are actually linked to their effects. You need to be able to demonstrate that each cause was actually relevant to the final result. As I mentioned before, writing the Body without preparing a thorough and logical outline is often an omission. The Conclusion must be a summary of the thesis statement that you proposed in the Introduction. An effective Conclusion means that you have a well-developed understanding of the subject.
Writing the Conclusion can be one of the most challenging parts of this kind of project. You typically write the Conclusion once you have finished the Body, but in practice, you will sometimes find that a well-written conclusion will reveal a few mistakes of logic in the Body! Be sure to check the sample essay, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to write your own cause and effect essay. Cause and effect essay sample: Check out Handmadewritings paper writing Guide to learn more about academic writing!
Starting from all kinds of coaching programs, personality trainings, and professional psychotherapy sessions,…. As exciting as the advancement of cybernetics and robotics might look, it also poses a challenge to to the way of life we have got…. One of the most common health problems of modernity is insomnia—or, how it is also often called, sleep deprivation. Its prevalence is caused by the…. Almost any time when you watch a Hollywood action movie, or play an action video game, you will most likely meet a character suffering from….
It is commonplace that technologies are changing the world we live in. Roughly every two decades, Earth becomes almost a brand new place in terms…. Although public morals have become more flexible and indulgent in the 21st century compared to previous epochs, there are still questions and moral problems that….
Living in a big city in the 21st century can be stressful: Everyone has at least once in their lives stayed awake throughout an entire night. Usually, being up all night is a choice of high school…. Among the socio-political movements that managed to change the world we live in, feminism can be fairly called one of the most revolutionary and influential. If you ask someone if they would rather be in a good or in a bad mood, this person will most likely think you are….
Nowadays, many people believe it is the high school…. Among terminal diseases humanity has not yet learned to treat, cancer is probably one of the most feared illnesses. Therefore, if one faces such a problem as insomnia, he or she should do their best to solve it as quickly as possible.
Is English your native language? What is your profession? Student Teacher Writer Other. Academic Assignment Writing an Essay.
Writing a Research Paper. Writing Guides for Students Writing a Memoir 2. Creative Writing Guides Writing a Song 3. Writing a Letter Writing an Evaluation Letter 3. Works Cited Colten, Harvey R. National Library of Medicine, 01 Jan. Ask an expert for FREE. Popular Questions Thesis statement and compare contrast essay asked by Admin What is a good thesis statement against euthanasia asked by Anonymous Gender stereotypes persuasive essay asked by Admin Which of the following would best work as the title of an explanatory essay?
Homepage > Writing Samples > Academic Writing Samples > Essay Samples > Cause and Effect Essay. To demonstrate a cause and its effect is never that easy in written form. Check out our cause and effect essay samples to understand how to write an essay of this type on your own.
Apr 25, · Okay so cause and effect essays are written in different formats, but let me say in my college profession for the essays to be written were to be in APA format, and it is interesting when researching and writing whether it is from information you have researched or if it free hustmontload.cfs:
Free effect papers, essays, and research papers. Cause-Effect Essay: Deforestation - People have been deforesting the Earth for thousands of years, primarily to clear land for crops or livestock. The cause and effect essay outline is going to serve you as a guide for the rest of the paper. It will help you to stay on track and include all the ideas you have initially pinned down. This paper is commonly written in a 5 paragraph style, but it allows a variation. Depending on the topic of analysis and the depth of the content, cause and.
A cause and effect essay is the type of paper that author is using to analyze the causes and effects of a particular action or event. A curriculum usually includes this type of exercise to test your ability to understand the logic of certain events or actions. To write a cause and effect essay, you’ll need to determine a scenario in which one action or event caused certain effects to occur. Then, explain what took place and why! This essay allows us to identify patterns and explain why things turned out the way that they did.


Feeder Placement for Reducing Window Strikes—Placement of feeders within three feet of a window or more than 30 feet away from a window are the safest positions. When feeders are close to a window, a bird leaving the feeder cannot gain enough momentum to do itself harm if it strikes the window. And if feeders are more than 30 feet from a window, the birds are less likely to perceive windows as a pathway to other parts of your yard.Some other possibilities for hanging a feeder include hanging from the eaves at the corner of a house, or fixing it directly to a window. Also, periodically moving feeders to a different location helps to minimize the build up of waste on the ground. And placement near (but not over) a water feature, such as a bird bath, will almost ensure that birds will find your feeder.
Providing Safe Haven Near the Feeder—Birds are more often than not completely out in the open when at a feeder, making them targets for local predators. A brush pile or shrub within about 10 feet of the feeder will provide a place for birds to quickly fly into when a predator is within striking distant.The term “brush pile” describes a mound or heap of woody vegetative material, usually loosely constructed to furnish additional wildlife cover. Brush piles can be tidy or wild, large or small, and mostly made up of wood which can be alive or dead. Discarded Christmas trees (without the tinsel) can be used as a base for a brush pile—then build up from there. Our resident and migrating birds need the kind of cover that brush piles offer.
Three Seeds that Attract Many Birds:
Black Oil Sunflower: A favorite with many species—Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Blue jays, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches and others. Because of raccoons and squirrels, it’s best to put most of your sunflower seeds in hanging feeders. The black sunflower seed, sometimes called oil seed is best rather than the grey-and-white-striped sunflower seed. It’s called black oil because they are higher in oil content and they also have softer shells.
Nyjer: Goldfinches adore Nyjer seed. It is also very popular with Pine Siskins, Common Redpolls and other small-billed seed-eating birds—Nuthatches, Chickadees, Doves, and Downy Woodpeckers—but no one loves it more than Goldfinches! And Nyjer doesn’t look large enough to have a shell, but it does! And because it’s so small, it’s easy to mistake ground debris under a Nyjer feeder for seed that has fallen, but take a closer look at what looks like fallen seed—it’s most likely tiny Nyjer seed shells on the ground. The birds eat the seeds and the shells drop. And, happily for the birds, squirrels typically ignore Nyjer seed (which is good for you as well because it is expensive). Do not mix the Nyjer with other seeds because you will have squirrels and Grackles sweeping through the mixture to get at what they want.
Safflower: Squirrels do not like Safflower, and Grackles may try it once but then generally leave it alone after the first encounter. Its thick shell is difficult for some birds to crack open, but it is loved by many species and high in protein. Put Safflower in tube feeders for House Finches, Chickadees, and Nuthatches. Use elevated feeders for Blue Jays, Cardinals, and other Grosbeaks, and put it in ground feeders for Doves. And, as with the Nyjer, be careful not to mix Safflower in with other seed.
Thank You for Feeding the Birds All Year Long!!