Hurricane Matthew — the strongest storm to hit Haiti in more than 50 years — barreled down on the region in recent days, bringing significant flooding and damage.
The destruction comes to a region already experiencing high rates of instability due to widespread poverty, making the impact of the Category 4 storm especially devastating.
Aid workers in the region report that the impacts of the storm are currently hard to evaluate, with telephone communication in the southern part of the country — which was hardest hit by the storm — entirely cut off.
Hundreds of deaths have been reported in the region so far, with exact tolls expected to rise in the coming days. Exact counts of injuries are difficult to estimate due to communication barriers. According to international aid organization CARE, the damage caused by the storm is expected to equal $1 billion.
To help support the survivors of Hurricane Matthew in this crucial time after the storm, check out these ways you can make an impact — even from many miles away. We will update this list as more options become available in the coming days.
Be conscious of the troublesome history impacting how Haitian citizens view aid work.
Though responsible humanitarian aid is undoubtedly vital in the aftermath of a natural disaster like Hurricane Matthew, a history of harm and distrust between aid organizations and Haitian citizens make tackling Hurricane Matthew's impact especially tricky.
After an immensely destructive earthquake in Haiti in 2010 displaced 1.5 million people and flattened entire communities, international aid workers descended upon the region to assist. But many displaced by the natural disaster are still not in stable housing over 5 years later. Though $13 billion dollars has be donated by countries and individuals around the globe to tackle the crisis, Haitians report not seeing much of that money go to work.
The U.N. said their aid workers played a role in the cholera outbreak in the region, which killed thousands over the past 6 years.
The U.N. — arguably the largest international aid organization in the world — has also taken responsibility for a cholera epidemic in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. In August, the United Nations said their aid workers played a role in the outbreak, which has killed thousands over the past 6 years.
Despite massive funding for aid work and widespread international aid organization presence in Haiti, the region has some of the highest rates of poverty in the world. Many Haitian citizens have been critical of this juxtaposition, saying aid workers are not working effectively in their region to make a tangible impact.
Though it is difficult to navigate these feelings of distrust with the undeniable need for aid, recognizing this history is an initial step to undoing some of the historical harm — and giving responsibly.
1. Donate to organizations making an impact on the ground
Several aid organizations are on the ground in Haiti, tackling the needs of individuals and families in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. You can find out more about their individual efforts and attentions below.
International Federation of the Red Cross
More than 3,000 Red Cross volunteers were dispatched across Haiti to help communities prepare for the storm and remain in place to support the region in recovery. The organization is providing emergency supplies, including health and sanitation services, to impacted communities in Haiti. The Red Cross is also poised to respond to regions in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic as they are hit with the storm.
To donate to the Haitian Red Cross, visit here.
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Oxfam has been focused on providing clean water and hygiene items to impacted communities to help curb the risk of a cholera outbreak in the region. The organization also plans to provide shelter and sanitation services to families, especially focusing on the southern region of Haiti, which was hardest hit. Oxfam has stated it plans to help address hunger in the region in the coming months, which it predicts will become a massive hurdle curing recovery.
To donate to Oxfam's overall emergency relief efforts, visit here.
Global Giving is a donation platform that collects funds to distribute to local nonprofits during emergency situations. Given the widespread distrust of international aid efforts in Haiti, the Haitian nonprofits funded by Global Giving will likely have an easier time effectively working with local communities. These nonprofits have the community connections essential to doing sensitive aid work, especially in a region that has been on the receiving end of harmful aid.
To donate to Global Giving's Hurricane Matthew Relief Fund, visit here.
International aid organization CARE is currently providing hygiene kits, clean water containers, blankets and tarps to more than 50,000 citizens in Haiti. Prior to the storm, the organization worked to provide hundreds of evacuated families with meals at local shelters.
To donate to CARE's efforts in Haiti, visit here.
The Salvation Army, which has maintained a longstanding presence in Haiti for more than 65 years, is providing water and emergency supplies to survivors of Hurricane Matthew in the immediate aftermath of the storm. The organization is also prepared to assist in helping communities cope with potential outbreaks of typhoid, cholera and malaria.
To donate to The Salvation Army's relief efforts, visit here.
Mercy Corps has more than 30 volunteers who work in Haiti year round who are evaluating the short and long term needs of the communities they regularly serve. The organization is providing clean drinking water and shelter to those impacted, especially focusing on rural areas where emergency information and aid is scarce.
To donate to Mercy Corps general humanitarian response fund, visit here.
World Vision staff are on the ground in Haiti, distributing necessities like water and bedding to those impacted by the destruction. The organization initially plans to distribute supplies for about 15,000 families, further assessing damage in the near future for a long-term response.
To donate to World Vision’s efforts in Haiti, visit here.
International Medical Corps
International Medical Corps is responding to all impacted areas of Haiti in the aftermath of the storm, focusing on the need of water, sanitation, and hygiene. The organization will also be looking to support the work of local health facilities, and is planning to help address nutrition needs of impacted communities in the coming weeks.
To donate to International Medical Corps Haiti-specific efforts, visit here.
2. Remember especially vulnerable populations.
In the aftermath of a natural disaster, it is vital to turn attention to communities that are already impacted by inequality. Several organizations are specifically dedicate to the needs of vulnerable communities in crisis, making their work reach those who often have unmet needs.
A few of these at-risk communities, along with organizations working to make an impact, are listed below.
Inequality is a major issue in Haiti, with about 2.5 million Haitians living in extreme poverty. The country is often considered one of the poorest in the world.
Organizations like Concern Worldwide, and faith-based organizations like American Jewish World Services and Catholic Relief Services, are turning their attention on the poorest communities in Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. These organizations are especially working to address hunger, lack of water access and dire health needs of survivors who already struggle with these essential needs daily.
People with disabilities
During humanitarian crisis, people with disabilities often are blocked from accessing essential aid. Around the globe, about 75 percent of people with disabilities impacted by humanitarian crises report they do not have access to adequate resources, mostly due to access issues and lack of focus on their unique needs.
Handicap International looks to address this barrier, focusing their relief work specifically on the needs of people with disabilities. The organization, which has about 100 workers currently dispatched in Haiti, is currently providing mobility devices and basic support to those with physical disabilities. The team also plans to provide long-term rehabilitation to people with storm-related injuries and psychological support to those impacted.
In any natural disaster, children are among some of the most threatened by destruction and instability. Working with local partners and staff, Save the Children is providing children and their families with hygiene kits, baby items, household kits, mosquito nets and jerry cans. The organization also plans to evaluate and support the long-term needs of children in the region, including getting youth back in school as soon as possible.
To donate to Save The Children's efforts in Haiti, visit here.
An unexpectedly vulnerable community in the aftermath of a natural disaster, especially in a region like Haiti, is farmers. Farmers rely on land and livestock for their livelihood — and Heifer International is reporting that lifeline has been torn away from many families by Hurricane Matthew. According to the organization, many regions of Haiti are reporting a tremendous loss of livestock and crops. The organization plans to help farmers in the country rebuild in the coming months, after immediate emergency needs are met.
To donate to Heifer International's general efforts, visit here.
3. Make sure your friends and family are safe.
As with many national and international disasters, Facebook activated its Safety Check feature for those in the impacted area. Facebook users affected by the hurricane can use the feature to confirm their safety and alert friends of their status.
Safety Check also allows Facebook users to monitor their own friends lists to ensure none of their loved ones are in the immediate area. Users can also mark their friends and loved ones as safe if they've been in touch. To use the feature, click here.
It is essential to note, however, that with extreme poverty in the region, tech-based safety features only reach a certain population with the privilege to have access. With electrical access downed in much of the region and the likely destruction of internet-accessible property, the feature may not have as wide-reaching of an impact as in other crisis scenarios.
4. Keep tabs on long-term needs long after initial attention wanes
Even after immediate needs are met, long-term support is crucial to ensure communities in Haiti have all they need to rebuild. Several of the above organizations — including Global Giving, CARE and Handicap International — have all stated they are dedicated to long-term, sensitive support in the region. Bookmark their efforts to keep up-to-date on the latest needs in Haiti in the coming days, weeks and months.
But, as history in the region shows, it is also essential to go beyond listening to aid organizations assert the needs of Haitians after Hurricane Matthew. As a global community, we also have an obligation to listen to those directly impacted as they voice their own needs in aftermath of the storm to provide aid that is truly helpful.
UPDATE: Oct. 7, 2016, 11:13 a.m. EDT Mashable has updated the death toll in Haiti to reflect current estimates, and added additional organizations on the ground doing aid work.


Pansies are compact plants with brightly colored flowers that bloom during the cool temperatures of fall, winter and early spring. Hardy in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) zones 6, 7 and 8, pansies are considered a winter annual. To complement annual pansies blooming in your garden, plant perennials and flowering shrubs that bloom at the same time.
Camellias bloom in shades of pink and white for up to six weeks during the late fall and winter. Camellias are perennial blooming shrubs and bushy plants that are hardy in zones 6b and warmer. The bright whites and pinks of the camellia flowers complement the lavenders, blues, yellows and whites found in pansies. Plant camellias as foundation plants along the back of your pansy flower garden, or as border plants along the walkway. Select partially shaded areas with moist, acidic soil that drains well.
Hardy chrysanthemums are perennial bloomers that thrive in zones 5 through 8. A compact, bushy plant with colorful blooms in the fall, early winter and early spring, chrysanthemums complement pansies in size and color selection. Plant chrysanthemums in a partially shaded area of your garden that has good drainage. Pinch the blossoms back as they begin to grow to make the plants grow bushy.
Cold Weather Roses
Plant cold weather roses in shades to complement the colors of your pansies. Cold weather roses thrive during harsh winters and can bloom late into the fall. Species roses, "Gallica," "Centrifolias," "Knock-Out" and other shrub roses are an example of the cultivars that will bloom alongside your pansies.
Winter honeysuckle is a large shrub with fragrant white flowers during the winter months. Plant winter honeysuckle as a foundation or border plant in the same flower garden as your pansies. The white blooms offer a striking background to the multicolored blossoms of the pansies. Winter honeysuckle can reach heights of 8 feet with a 10-foot spread. This fragrant shrub is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and can thrive in partial shade to full sun.
Draw attention to pansies planted on an embankment or beneath a garden by planting winter jasmine in the area. A small shrub that can bloom in January, depending on the climate, winter jasmine forms a trailing mound that can potentially reach 4 feet in height with a 5- to 7-foot-wide spread. Small yellow flowers bloom over a six to eight week period and will complement the bright shades of the pansies.


truce (noun) LISTEN
A truce is the stopping of hostilities between opposing parties. It can be permanent or temporary.
- The generals of each army negotiated a truce.
- The strike ended when the union leaders and the company managment reached a truce.
- The warring armies declared a truce over the holiday week.
- The divorced couple maintained a truce for the sake of the children.
Did you know?
A truce flag is a white flag that one army waves at the other to show that they want to stop fighting and are ready to negotiate a truce.
In pop culture
The Truce (La Tregua) is a movie about what happened to one Italian Auschwitz prisoner after he is liberated after the truce that ended World War II. Watch the trailer:
And one more..
Listen to twenty one pilots’ inspiriational song “Truce.” Whom do you think is making a truce in this song?


ONLINE CLASSES on Mondays at 11.15am. Open to all. Each class is 1 hour. You need a mat or blanket to lie on. Recordings available. To join, email firstname.lastname@example.org
INDOOR CLASSES on Wednesdays 11.30 at Liskerrett Centre, Liskeard. Please book - phone 07729 907056 or email email@example.com.
What is Somatics?
Somatics is brain work, not exercise. It is about improving your control over your sensory-motor nervous system, which is a feedback loop. You sense as you move. The somatic experience is uniquely yours - only you can experience what you are sensing as you make that movement. The more awareness you bring to this internal experience of sensing, the more control you have over the movement and the more efficient your movement becomes. There is no limit to how much you can improve.
In Somatics you move slowly, which gives your brain time to absorb and integrate the new sensory information. The movements are comfortable and easy - it is a bit like yawning or sighing. All you do is concentrate on the movement. You do not stretch your muscles but instead you lengthen them by slowly releasing the tension that is unconsciously held in them. How do you do this? By doing movements called "pandiculations" (see below). You only need to repeat the movement two or three times for the brain to integrate the new information. This is how you change long term habits. This is how you get relief from long term pain.
Pandiculation comes from a Latin word "pandiculare", meaning to yawn. Pandiculation is the main method we use in Somatics to release unconsciously held tension in muscles. This tension we call "sensory motor amnesia" or SMA (see below). A pandiculation has three parts: a contraction, a slow release, and a pause to integrate. Once you learn how to pandiculate you can release muscular tension anywhere in your body. The saying we have is "do more of what you're already doing". This means you deliberately contract muscles that you want to release, so that you can feel them more clearly. Then you slowly release, and wait for the change to place in the brain.
Sensory-motor amnesia is unconsciously held muscular tension. The muscles have forgotten how to let go fully, so they can't find their full resting length. They are constantly under tension. This is why tension leads to pain - the muscles are tired from continual use.
Thomas Hanna, the inventor of Somatics, identified three main stress reflexes. These are natural survival reflexes, common to all living things, or "somas" (see below). They are instinctive movement patterns, governed by the brainstem, the unconscious part of the brain. They are there to protect you and are innate responses to environmental stress
Over time, if these reflexes are constantly triggered and never fully released (due to SMA), they become habitual and cause chronic muscular tension and pain. All three reflexes can happen suddenly or build up over time. Usually people have a mixture of all three but one will be more dominant than the others The reflexes are:
- the "red light" reflex, also known as the "startle reflex", is a contraction of the front of the body, a curling forward in self-protection. The classic "red light" position has all the elements associated with old age: bent forward, hump back, rounded shoulders, depressed chest, knees drawing together, chin tipping up as the back of the neck disappears into the shoulders.
- the "green light" reflex, also known as the "landau reflex", is a contraction of the back of the body, in preparation for action or escape. The classic "green light" posture is with the back arched forward in a sway back, giving the appearance of a protruding belly with the hips slumped forwards, neck protruding forward and and the weight on the outside of the feet.
- the "trauma" reflex is a one-sidedness, a lean or tilt to one side or a rotation of the shoulders out of line with the hips. It is often the result of injury or a surgical operation but can also come on slowly as the result of long-term one-sided repetitive movement. If you become aware of the daily movements that you do that are distinctly one-sided you will gain insight into your own SMA.
In Somatics you explore the reflex patterns by pandiculating. By bringing these unconscious reflex patterns into your conscious awareness you become able to feel them more clearly. And when you can feel them you can change them.
A soma is a living being, an organism or a living system, dependent on and connected with all other living systems. Thomas Hanna identified four dimensions that apply to all somas. These are: all somas know which way is up (a response to gravity); somas all face forward so they can find what they need; all somas have two sides so they can move. The fourth dimension is time. Somas exist in time. Change takes place over time and movement is co-ordinated in time.
Private Clinical Somatic Education Sessions
These are one-to-one, hands on sessions that help you find and undo your own patterns of habitual movement. At least 4 sessions are recommended to give time to explore the three stress reflexes identified by Thomas Hanna - the red light, green light and trauma reflexes and to make sure you have all the information you need to practise independently and change your ingrained habits. Hands-on feedback or "assisted pandiculations" help you feel more clearly which muscles to contract and which to turn off, and how to improve your control over them as you gently release the contraction.
For more information please have a look at the Clinical Somatics page (click here) and then phone or email for further information and booking
What is a Soma?
"All the movements are comfortable and easy"


You may have decided that despite everything you know about the harmful effects of smoking on your health and quality of life, you still don't want to quit. You may consider your decision to smoke to be a personal one, because you believe that your choice only influences your own health. But think again--your smoking affects the health of everyone around you, including family members, and particularly children.
The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke causes bystanders to experience many of the same detrimental effects that smoking does. A report from the U.S. Surgeon General finds that secondhand smoke contains more than 250 cancer-causing chemicals. If you have kids, they're even more susceptible to tobacco smoke exposure. Due to their dependent status in the home, children have greater exposure to secondhand smoke than adults do on average. The Surgeon General notes that children ages 3-19 are significantly more likely than adults to live in a household with at least one smoker and are especially vulnerable to the toxins in secondhand smoke.
How Your Smoking Hurts Your Kids
Although they may lack the information or maturity to tell you themselves, your kids don't want you to smoke. In addition to anything that your kids may know about how smoking affects your health and longevity as their parent, their own health suffers as well. As their bodies are still developing, children have higher breathing rates than adults, which means they take in a higher volume of toxins with each breath.
These are some of the ways that secondhand smoke hurts your children's health, according to the Surgeon General:
- Increase in respiratory problems, such as coughing, wheezing, and trouble breathing--as well as increased mucus and phlegm
- Greater susceptibility to acute lower respiratory infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia
- Increased risk for serious middle-ear infections
- More frequent and severe asthma attacks in children with asthma
If your child has asthma, it is even more vital that you quit smoking. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that as many as 1 million children with asthma experienced increases in the number and severity of their attacks when exposed to secondhand smoke.
How Smoking Hurts Babies
The younger your child is, the greater is his or her vulnerability to the effects of parental smoking. In fact, mothers who smoke while pregnant put their babies at serious risk for developmental problems.
Studies show that pregnant mothers who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke increase their chance for having weaker, low birth weight babies. Additionally, babies whose mothers smoke while pregnant, as well as babies exposed to secondhand smoke after birth, face the following problems:
- They're more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome than babies who aren't exposed to cigarette smoke.
- They have weaker lungs than other babies, which increases their risk for a variety of health conditions.
- They have more respiratory infections than other babies. The EPA reports that exposure to secondhand smoke is responsible for up to 300,000 lower respiratory infections in children under 18 months of age--resulting in up to 15,000 hospitalizations each year.
How much smoke is too much?
Even if you're not a heavy smoker, your habit puts your kids at risk. The Surgeon General has determined that even brief and infrequent exposure can be harmful; there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Do the right thing for yourself and your family: stop smoking now. Your kids will thank you.


Germany’s president is leading commemorations Thursday marking the 75th anniversary of Dresden’s bombing by allied forces at the end of World War II, an event that has become a test for the way the country handles its Nazi past.
Historians say up to 25,000 people perished during the three-day bombardment from Feb. 13-15, 1945, by American and British planes.
That is comparable to the death toll in other large German cities. But the man-made firestorm, vividly captured by American author Kurt Vonnegut in his book “Slaughterhouse Five,” and the destruction of large parts of the baroque city have become a rallying point for those seeking to portray Germans as victims in the war.
The myth that as many as half a million civilians were killed in the bombing has been promoted by far-right activists for decades. Most recently their case has been taken up by members of the nationalist Alternative for Germany party, which has grown into a significant force in German politics since its founding seven years ago.
The party, which goes by the German acronym AfD, has moved steadily to the right over the years. Bjoern Hoecke, a regional AfD leader who once called for a “180-degree turn” in the way Germany commemorates its past, was once considered a fringe figure but now represents the party’s core.
AfD’s co-chairman, Tino Chrupalla, recently stated that the bombing of Dresden cost “about 100,000 lives.” While such claims are dismissed by experts and condemned as revisionism by centrist parties, they reflect Alternative for Germany’s tactic of gaining attention by breaking taboos.
Last week, the party threw German politics into turmoil by unexpectedly backing a centrist candidate as governor in Thuringia state. The fumbled reaction to the situation by two other parties — including Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democrats — triggered widespread outrage and numerous resignations, including that of Merkel’s heir apparent.
Marco Wanderwitz, a Christian Democratic lawmaker, said it was necessary to strike a balance in the way that Germany’s position in World War II is considered.
“The constant downplaying of Germany’s guilt, that’s a problem. This needs to be pointed out at every opportunity,” he said.
At same time, Germans need to find ways to talk about their citizens’ suffering in WWII, Wanderwitz added.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Duke of Kent, a cousin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, will join thousands of Dresdeners late Thursday to form a human chain in a gesture of reconciliation and to commemorate the victims of Nazi atrocities and mass bombings by all sides during World War II.


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Beginners' guide to photography Part 2 - Part 2 of our beginner's guide to photography Michael Jenkins suggests we look around a little more when pointing the camera at the subject
Making Your Selection by Michael Jenkins
Whenever I collect a film from my processor, I always worry about what I will find. Sometimes, I look through the photos and think, 'Did I take that?' So often, what we saw with our eyes is not reflected in the prints in our hands.
As a young photographer, you will be concerned with getting as many good prints as you can from each film. This keeps your costs down. In lesson one, we looked at achieving this by keeping your camera steady so that your pictures don't suffer from camera shake.
As important as it is, camera stability is only part of the story. When you look at a scene, you pick out the parts that interest you without really seeing everything. That's how your brain works. It selects the point of interest and concentrates on that. We see the buildings and their reflections, but we don't notice the vast expanse of grass, water and sky that take up the majority of the picture. The camera, on the other hand, records everything within the scope of its 'eye', the lens. You have to help it to be selective.
If you have an adjustable camera, you can do a lot to remove distractions by the settings you choose. However, here we want to concentrate on the area of the scene you choose to record and the format in which you record it.
Most cameras record a picture with one side longer than the other. For example, on 35 mm film, the image is recorded on a piece of film 36 mm by 24 mm. Other cameras record an image of 6 cm by 4.5 cm and so on.
This is a very flexible arrangement. Long before cameras were even thought of, artists recognised that it was best to record landscapes with the long side of their canvas horizontal. When they painted portraits they turned the canvas so that the long side was vertical. Today, we still use the terms landscape and portrait to describe the format of our pictures.
It is important to understand that, although it is generally considered a rule that we use the horizontal or landscape format for scenery and the vertical or portrait format for people, there are times when breaking the rules works just as well. Photography is one of the few areas in life where breaking the rules is allowed!
One of the most important rules of photography is the 'rule of thirds.' This suggests that, if you were to split the picture into three both horizontally and vertically, the main 'activity' should take place where these lines cross each other. This 'activity' is not necessarily movement. It may be that important parts of your subject will be at the point of focus, or your subject's eyes will be at this point in a portrait, or at least on one of these lines.
With this information, you can now proceed to make your selection from the scene in front of you. How do you go about it?
It is a good idea to make a viewing frame for yourself. This should be in the same format as that used by your film. For this reason, many people use an empty slide mount. Alternatively, you could cut a frame for yourself out of a piece of card. (If you are a young person, get help from an adult.) Because you will probably be using 35 mm film, cut a hole 36 mm by 24 mm in the card. If you want to make it bigger, keep the same ratio of the long side being one and a half times the short side.
You may want to put marks on each side of the aperture where it splits the frame into thirds. This will give you a reference for positioning important items.
Now, when you look at a scene, look through the viewing frame with one eye. It will save you having to lift the camera to your eye all the time.
As you look through the frame, take note of the location of important features such as trees, fences, buildings, windows, eyes and so on. Move the frame around, turn it sideways to get an idea of what the scene would look like in different formats, move it closer to your eye then farther away. Each view will be unique. Having gone through this process, you will have a better idea of what part of the scene you want to record.
Now that you have selected your image, you may find that, if you do not have a zoom lens, you will need to move your location so as to get closer or farther away from your subject. Before you move, check the area again, just to make sure there isn't a photo hiding there somewhere.
By the way, if you really cannot get to the best place to take your photo, or you already have a potentially good image in your album, you could always scan it into your computer and crop it. If you don't have a computer with image editing software, you could get the photo printed at a size large enough so that you can trim it to suit.
Don't Just Take Pictures, Make Them
Choosing the right area of a scene to record, then recording it in the right way is an important step in your progress as a photographer. I'm not saying that you will start producing masterpieces overnight, but you will go a long way from taking pictures to making them. Remember, cameras don't take pictures; people do.


Immediately after the demise of his father, Imam al-Rida (A.S.) was tried by an acute calamity which deepened the tragedy of losing his father. On one hand, he was suffering from the attempts of the rulers and their supporters at his life and, on the other hand, he was painfully and bitterly witnessing the horrible division which caused dissension among his father's followers. It was caused by the promotion of an invented idea which called for the Imamate to be terminated with Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), claiming that he did not actually die but was still alive, that he was the Qa'im (Mahdi) of the Progeny of Muhammad (S.A.W.), that his absence was similar to the absence of Mousa ibn 'Imran (Moses son of Amram), and that, accordingly, the Imamate should not transfer to his son Imam al-Rida (A.S.).
Pioneers of Waqfism
The first to promote this idea were few men who were among the most distinguished followers of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.) such as Ali ibn Abu Hamza al-Bataini, Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi, and Uthman ibn Isa al-Ruwasi. These three persons are considered the first to invent this "sect," openly claimed to be its adherents, and invited others to promote it.
Objectives of the Waqfis
This new "sectarian" trend did not result from a pure belief and a mere conviction; rather, it was prompted by materialistic and worldly desires which affected the thinking of its inventors and caused them to deviate from the Right Path. Those individuals tried to find excuses for their falling into such "sect" by narrating narratives they had heard from Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) without being actually familiar with their implications, nor did they accurately comprehend their contexts either. This may be deliberate especially since Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), while still alive, had explained to them their actual implications.
For example, Al-Ghaiba quotes al-Hassan ibn al-Hassan saying: "I said to Abul-Hassan Mousa (A.S.): `Can I ask you a question?' He answered, `You must rather ask your own Imam.' I inquired, `What do you mean? I do not know of any Imam other than your own self.' He said: `He is my son Ali to whom I gave my title (of Imam).' I said: `Master! Please help me save myself from Hellfire! Abu Abdullah (A.S.) had said that you yourself are the Qaim, the caretaker of this issue.' He said: `Was I not?' Then he added, `O Hassan! No Imam preaches to a nation except when he is their Qaim; so, when he leaves them (dies), his successor will be the Qaim and the Hujja (Proof) till he too leaves. We (the Imams) are all Qaims; therefore, from now on, redirect all your dealings to my son Ali, for by God I swear twice that I did not do that but God did out of His love for him.'"1
This narrative reveals to us the reality behind the confusion in which those who deviated by Waqfism were swept. It also proves that the theory of Waqfism was not born after the demise of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.) but was alive even during the time of Imam al-Sadiq (A.S.) according to the narration of events which could not be explained even by their narrators. In this narrative, the Imam tries to explain to these individuals their misunderstanding of those implications and their erroneous interpretation thereof in a way upon whose premise the Waqfis establish their claim.
Imam Denounces Waqfism
The Imam did his best to emphasize the error of that concept and its collision with reality by continuously stating that the Imamate after his demise would be the responsibility of his son Ali, and he even made a number of his followers and family testify to that. For example, Haider ibn Ayyub says: "We were in Medina at Qaba where we used to meet Muhammad ibn Zaid ibn Ali. He came to us one day much later than anticipated, so we asked him what caused him to be so late. He said, `Abu Ibrahim invited seventeen men of us, all descendants of Ali and Fatima, God's blessings be upon both of them, and he required us to bear witness to his will and testimony that his son Ali would be his successor and representative during the remainder of his own life and after his demise, and that the issue was in effect since then.' Then Muhammad ibn Zaid said, `By God, O Haider! He has today tied the knot of Imamate for him, and the Shi'as will accept him as the Imam after his father's demise.'"2
Abdullah ibn al-Harith said: "Abu Ibrahim called us to his presence and we responded. He said, `Do you know why I have gathered you all here?' We answered in the negative. He said, `Bear witness that this Ali, my son, is my regent, executor of my will, and my successor after me; whoever entrusted me with something, let him take it back from him, and whoever insisted on seeking audience with me, let him obtain his written approval for that.'"3
Abdul-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj is quoted saying that Abul-Hassan Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.) had nominated his son Ali for the Imamate and wrote a statement to this effect in the presence of sixty witnesses from among the most distinguished dignitaries of Medina.4
In these clear texts, and in others, he is seen emphasizing his nomination of his son as the Imam and, at the same time, he is declaring that his death was imminent, thus in advance falsifying the claim of the Waqfis.
Advocates of Waqfism Reveal Their Own Nature
There are many narratives narrated by some advocates and inventors of Waqfism which clearly prove to us their false claims. For example, Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi narrates the following:
"Once I visited Abu Ibrahim and his son Ali was with him. He said to me, `O Ziyad! His (son's) statements are as good as mine, his speech is like my speech, and his instructions are as binding as mine.'"5
Ahmed ibn Muhammad al-Maithami, a Waqfi, says: "Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn al-Fadl al-Hashimi told me the following: `I visited Abul-Hassan Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.) and he was suffering from an acute illness. I asked him: `If the matter regarding which I pray God that it would not happen (Imam's death) comes to pass, who shall we follow?' He said: `My son Ali; his writing is as though I wrote it, and he is my regent and successor after me.'"6
Ghannam ibn al-Qasim is quoted saying: "Mansour ibn Younus Barzaj told me that he had visited Abul-Hassan, that is, Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), and he said to him, `Have you come to know what new undertaking I have undertaken today?' He answered in the negative, so the Imam said, `I have appointed my son Ali as my regent and successor after me; so, enter his room and congratulate him and tell him that I ordered you to do so.' So he entered his room and congratulated him and informed him that his father had ordered him to do so, yet Mansour reneged after that, and he even confiscated the funds (of Muslims) entrusted to him."7
What is most significant in this narrative is the Imam's initiation of the dialogue with Mansour to tell him about his successor, then his ordering him to enter his son's room to congratulate him and to tell him that he was doing so because his father ordered him to. What the Imam wanted to accomplish by doing all of that was to make a practical point for the record against Mansour by making him recognize the Imamate of his son after him in a way which does not permit him at all to preach Waqfism except if he reneged as actually happened after that.
Imam Mousa Ibn Ja'far (A.S.) Warns the Waqfis
There is another stance for the Imam which is not without an exciting moment involving one of the main advocates of Waqfism. His stance was like a clear warning to those who created the controversy of this "sect" and promoted it; al-Bataini states:
"I said to Abul-Hassan, `Your father had informed us of his successor, and we wish you could inform us of yours.' So he took my hand and shook it, then he recited the verse: `God will not mislead people after He had guided them, in order that He may make clear to them what to fear (and avoid)'."8
The recitation of that verse came almost like a prophecy about the future of what that person and his friends would do and how they would fall into the slippery paths of misguidance; therefore, he shakes his hand and recites a verse which predicted that those folks' deviation would take place after proof had been made manifest against them. The Imam, as a matter of fact, refers clearly to the Waqfi movement after him and even reads the epitaph of the faith of those who advocate Waqfism in a narrative narrated by Muhammad ibn Sanan who says:
"I visited Abul-Hassan one year before he was conveyed to Iraq, and his son was with him. He called upon me to be attentive, and I responded. Then he said, `There will be a movement this year..., but do not let it bother you.' Then he lowered his head contemplating, picking the ground, then he raised his head and recited the verse, `God leads the oppressors astray and does what He pleases.'9 I said, `And what is that, may my life be sacrificed for yours?' He said, `Anyone who denies the right of this son of mine and refuses to recognize his Imamate after me will be equal to one who denied the right of Ali ibn Abu Talib (A.S.) and did not recognize his Imamate after Muhammad (S.A.W.).' So I understood that he was implying that his death was near, and that he was appointing his son as his successor."10
Materialistic Objectives of Waqfis
History tells us that those who invented the dissension of this "sect" were chief officers of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.) and keepers of the funds collected for him from his Shi'a followers. When he died, Ali ibn Abu Hamza al-Bataini had with him as much as thirty thousand dinars; Ziyad ibn Marwan al-Qandi had seventy thousand dinars, and Uthman ibn Isa al-Ruwasi had thirty thousand dinars and six concubines. They did not relish the idea of delivering these funds to his son and executor of his will after him; therefore, they invented the trick of denying the death of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), claiming that he was still alive, and that they would not hand those funds except to him upon his return. Ahmed ibn Hammad said: "One of the officers, Uthman ibn Isa, was staying in Egypt, and he had with him a great deal of wealth and six concubines. So Abul-Hassan al-Rida (A.S.) wrote him demanding the delivery of the concubines and the money, but he wrote him back saying that his father did not die. He (al-Rida) wrote again saying, "He died, and we have distributed his legacy; the news about his death is correct, and there are eye witnesses to that.' Yet he (Uthman) wrote back saying, `If your father is not dead, then you have no right to claim what is his, and if he did die, as you say, then he never ordered me to give anything to you, and I have emancipated the concubines and married them.'"
According to the version of his letter as recorded in Al-Ghayba, he wrote, "Your father did not die; rather, he is still alive and in charge, and anyone who says that he died is on the wrong track."11
Both Ali ibn Abu Hamza al-Bataini and Ziyad al-Qandi tried to resist the Imam's attempt to pursue them and reject his demand that they should deliver the funds by denying that they had had any money that belonged to his father with them, but Younus ibn Abdul-Rahman, whom they both tried to allure with money to join their call for Waqfism, revealed to us their crime of theft and confiscation of his Imam's funds; he said:
"Abu Ibrahim died and each of his chief executive officers had a great deal of money with him, and this is the reason why they claimed Waqfism, that is, their own desire to keep the money for themselves. Ziyad al-Qandi had seventy thousand dinars and Ali ibn Abu Hamza al-Bataini had thirty thousand dinars. Having seen all of that and come to realize the truth behind it and to know what I knew of the dilemma of Abul-Hassan al-Rida (A.S.), I encouraged people to support him, so both men asked me to meet them and asked me: `Why are you doing that? If you want wealth, we can make you wealthy,' and they offered ten thousand dinars for me if I accepted, and they told me to change my mind, but I refused and I said to them, `We all have been narrating one particular hadith from the Truthful Imams that, `When innovations in religion are promoted, let the learned person promote his knowledge disproving them, and if he does not, the light of Iman will be taken away from him;' so, I would not abandon the Jihad in the Way of God at any rate.' For this reason, they opposed me and concealed enmity towards me."12
Imam Reveals the Real Motives of the Waqfis
In one of his letters to al-Bazanti, the Imam (A.S.) reveals the truth behind these individuals' call for Waqfism; he says:
"As regarding Ibn al-Sarraj, the reason why he called upon people to disobey us and not to be loyal to us is that he confiscated funds which my father al-Hassan had entrusted to him before he died, and he argued about it with me and refused to give it back even when all others did so and delivered to me all items entrusted to them. But when my father al-Hassan passed away, he took the opportunity of the disobedience of Ali ibn Abu Hamza and his friends to me and claimed he felt sick. By my life, he was not sick at all, but he wanted an excuse for confiscating the money and running away with it. As regarding Ibn Abu Hamza, he is a man who adopted an interpretation of one hadith which he himself invented, and he did not do a good job at his interpretation for he did not have enough knowledge to digest his own invention, but he passed it on to people anyway and he fell into the trap which he did not know he had set for himself; so, he hated to prove himself a liar while trying to disprove what he himself had claimed through ahadith which he interpreted without knowledge thereof, and he realized that if he did not make sure to represent my forefathers as truthful, he would not be certain whether what he had heard about al-Sufiani and others was true or not. He, therefore, told people that what my forefathers had said did not disprove any of his claims, but his knowledge was short of comprehending the implications of the ahadith my forefathers had narrated and the truth related to them; so, he caused dissension or at least put some doubt in people's minds about what he was narrating, and in the end he fell into a pitfall he thought he was trying to avoid..."13
The fact that the Imam (A.S.) did not mention the money incentive as being the major factor which caused al-Bataini and his friends to profess Waqfism does not prove its absence, for the Imam (A.S.) was dealing with refuting these individuals' claims and proving their arguments wrong. As regarding Ibn al-Sarraj, since the man did not claim an excuse of his own, his own confiscation of the funds during the life-time of the Imam's father was the subject of the Imam's criticism.
A Leading Waqfi Confesses
What leads us to believe that the Waqfis did not establish their claim of Waqfism on a concrete reality, and that Waqfism was invented merely to satisfy the desire for a materialistic gain, is the story of the confession of one of the leaders of Waqfis at the time of his death. He admitted the horror of his sin of confiscating the money and not delivering it to Imam al-Rida (A.S.). Al-Toosi's work Al-Ghayba quotes al-Husayn ibn Fadal saying, "I used to see an old man from Baghdad at the house of my uncle Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Fadal, and he used to tease him quite often. He said to him one day, `There is nobody worse than you, Shi'a folks (or you Rafidis, according to another version of the story).' My uncle said to him, `Why so, may God curse you?!' He said: `I am married to the daughter of Ahmed ibn Abu Bishr al-Sarraj who, before breathing his last, told me that he had with him ten thousand dinars which actually belonged to (Imam) Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), and that he did not deliver it to his son after him and testified that the man had not died yet. Then he pleaded us saying, `For the sake of God, save my skin from the Fire and deliver it to al-Rida! Please do so for the sake of God!' By God, we did not deliver a bit of it to him, and we left the man being burnt in Hellfire!'"14
Waqfism Spreads and Gains Momentum
These individuals fooled a select group from among the followers of the Imam (A.S.) and convinced them to believe, through casting doubts and suspicions, in Waqfism, so they finally fell to it and embraced the innovation. Among them were Abdul-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj, Rifa'a ibn Mousa, Younus ibn Ya'qoob, Jameel ibn Darraj, Hammad ibn Isa, Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Naseer, al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha, and other dignitaries who used to be companions of the Prophet's Progeny. But they came back to their senses, recognized the Imamate of al-Rida (A.S.), and abandoned Waqfism. Others whose adherence to Waqfism was bought with a lot of money did not listen to any argument and preferred to uphold their beliefs and died wronging their own souls such as Hamza ibn Bazee' who was described by Imam al-Rida (A.S.) as the "wretch."
Ibrahim ibn Yahya ibn Abul-Ballad is quoted saying: "Al-Rida once inquired, `What did this wretch Hamza ibn Bazee' do?' I said that he became an old man. He said, `He claims that my father is still alive! Today, they all doubt their own claim, but tomorrow they will die atheists.' Safwan said that he told himself he understood what the Imam (A.S.) meant by saying that they were doubtful, but he did not understand his reference to atheism. After a short while, Safwan continues, one of their men was reported to have said at the time of his death that he disbelieved in the God of his Imam (meaning Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far, A.S.). Safwan said, `This is the interpretation of the (Imam's) hadith.'"15 Imam al-Rida (A.S.), indeed, suffered a great deal while fighting them and refuting their false beliefs, unveiling their real intentions and disclosing their reality before the public so that no weaklings would be duped by them.
Confusion of Some Waqfis
What is interesting is that after the demise of Imam Mousa ibn Ja'far (A.S.), some of those folks called for the Imamate of his son Ahmed; so, when the latter accompanied Abul-Saraya during Ibn Tabataba's uprising against the Abbaside regime, they disproved of his action and reverted to believe in Waqfism rather than submitting to the belief in the Imamate of his son al-Rida (A.S.) as the successor of his father. Muhammad ibn Ahmed ibn Aseed said:
"After the demise of Abul-Hassan, Ibrahim and Isma'il sons of Abul-Asmal suggested to go and visit his son Ahmed, which they did, spending quite some time with him. When Abul-Saraya went out (to fight the Abbasides), Ahmed ibn Abul-Hassan joined him; so, we approached Ibrahim and Isma'il and said to them, `This man has just joined Abul-Saraya; so, what is your view in the matter?' He said that both men found his behaviour unacceptable, and they discontinued supporting him and said, `Abul-Hassan is alive! We remain following the belief of Waqfism,' and I think that this man (meaning Isma'il) died doubtful."16
This dissension continued for a long time during which the disputes and disagreements between them and the ones on the Right Path were at their peak till God caused the false beliefs to disintegrate and become extinct due to the fact that they were not based on firm durable foundations.
* Imam al-Rida A Historical and Biographical Research. By Muhammad Jawad Fadlallah. Translated from the Arabic by:Yasin T. al-Jibouri
1- Al Ghayba by Shaikh al-Toosi, p. 29.
2- 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 28.
3- Ibid., p. 27.
4- Ibid., p. 28.
5- Al Kafi, Vol. 1, p. 381; also al-Mufid's Irthaa, p. 286.
6- 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 20.
7- Al-Kashi's Rijal, p. 398.
8- Al-'Ayyashi's Tafsir, Vol. 2, p. 115 of Surat al Tawba, verse 115.
10- 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 32.
11- 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 113 and also Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 47.
12- 'Uyoon Akhbar al-Rida, Vol. 1, p. 112.
13- Qurb al-Irshad, p. 206.
14- Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 48.
15- Shaikh al-Toosi's Al Ghayba, p. 50.
16- Al-Kashi's Rijal, p. 400.


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Communities interested in supporting students’ learning need a clear picture of where the gaps in resources are, according to a report by the New America Foundation that highlights the use of maps to identify inequities.
With new mapping technologies available, policymakers can now see where opportunity gaps exist in their communities, says Lindsey Tepe, author of Putting Learning on the Map, released today by the nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute based in Washington, D.C.
“Research has shown that low-income families have access to fewer and less-resourced schools, libraries, community centers, and other organizations that make up their network of learning opportunities,” according to the report. “Further, the broadband infrastructure connecting them is likely to be weaker.”
Tepe said efforts to address inequities are fragmented, with federal, state and local governments focusing on their own concerns, rather than working together based on a common understanding. Fragmentation also occurs across learning levels, such as preschool, K-12 school, and higher education, she said. When communities can see a picture, “they take responsibility and fill in the gaps,” she said.
The report highlights how the maps have been used to galvanize communities. For example, a map displaying each high-quality child care center in Philadelphia resulted in the city council and a local foundation spending $1 million to improve facilities in the areas where such centers were lacking.
“Anecdotally, they knew where the deficits in quality early childhood education centers were,” the report notes. “For policymakers, seeing those deficits mapped within the communities they represent conveyed the problem in a new and thought-provoking way.”
The report documents efforts by the California Community Colleges system to map growth in distance learning education enrollment to uncover regional patterns and changes over time. The maps show areas with no distance education, such as eastern Riverside and Imperial counties.
“New technologies provide many new opportunities for higher learning, but without clear planning they may increase inequities as well,” the report notes.


What Really Happened to Amelia Earhart?
That’s a silly question for many people, because they think the answer is rather simple: Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan tried to go around the world in 1937 and crashed into the ocean. But there have been many theories that Earhart and Noonan actually landed their plane in the South Pacific and survived, at least for a while, and either they perished on an island because they were injured and hungry or they were captured by the Japanese and abandoned by the U.S. government. The latter theory got a big boost from a new History Channel special that aired on Sunday.
The evidence that’s getting the most hype is a (supposedly) newly discovered photograph that might show Earhart and Noonan on a dock after their plane landed, and it might even show the plane being towed by a Japanese ship. The special goes through the usual interviews with experts, photo analysis, face and body recognition tests, and interviews with eyewitnesses and officials, but it’s really hard to say if it makes sense or not. While you can watch the special and think that they make a good case, you also have to pay attention to evidence that came to light this week that (might) show that the photo was either taken a couple of years before Earhart and Noonan made their flight or maybe a few years after. And if other experts can’t decide on when the picture was taken, it’s going to remain a mystery for many people.
I’ve gone back and forth on this over the years. I thought I was going to find the History Channel special ridiculous, but a lot of it was convincing. And it wasn’t just that photo. It’s really just another piece of evidence the show presented along with other government documents and eyewitness accounts. But at the same time, the evidence that the photo was taken at a different time is rather compelling too, and no one can really tell who is in the photo anyway.
So, to summarize: Did Earhart and Noonan survive but die of starvation on an island? Yes. And no! Did Earhart and Noonan survive but get captured by the Japanese? Yes. And no! Did they crash into the water and were never found? Possibly!
The nominations for the 69th annual Emmy Awards were announced yesterday morning. You can read a complete list of the nominations here, so let’s talk about what wasn’t nominated.
The biggest snub for me is the same snub that happens every year: The Middle got ignored. I don’t understand how the show and its cast get no love while Modern Family is fawned over every single year (and it got another Outstanding Comedy nom this year). It’s truly one of the great Emmy mysteries of the past 69 years.
Other people and shows not nominated include The Tonight Show (even though The Late Show, The Late Late Show, Full Frontal, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Week Tonight, and Real Time with Bill Maher were all nominated), Richard Dreyfus for playing Bernie Madoff (Robert DeNiro got a nomination for the other Bernie Madoff movie), and no Outstanding Drama nomination for The Leftovers.
I will mention two people who were nominated because we talked about the show they were nominated for just last week. Both Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange were nominated for Feud: Bette and Joan. Even in 2017, Bette and Joan are going to battle each other.
The Emmy Awards will be broadcast September 17 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
Be a Coffee Achiever!
Every week, it seems that something that was shown to be bad for us is now good for us. This week it’s coffee! Coffee has been shown to be bad for us because of all the caffeine but also good for us because certain compounds in coffee may have an effect on everything from Alzheimer’s to cancer. The latest research shows that people who regularly drink coffee live longer, in general, than people who don’t.
This will be good news for people who actually can’t even function without having at least one cup on the morning, though it must be said it’s not a license to suddenly suck down more Venti Mocha Frappuccinos from Starbucks.
Evil Villains, Fun Stamps
The United States Postal Service is releasing 10 stamps tomorrow featuring villains from various Disney animated films, including Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians, the Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Scar from The Lion King, and Captain Hook from Peter Pan.
The Farmer Who Cloned Wimbledon
I thought I was obsessed with tennis because I have been watching every second of the Wimbledon Championships that are currently going on in England. I do this with almost every tennis tournament, but I don’t think I love it so much that I would take the time to re-create a tournament in my backyard.
But that’s what this guy did. He has fond childhood memories of listening to Wimbledon matches via shortwave radio with his grandfather, so he decided to build a Wimbledon replica on his Iowa farm. And as you can see from the video, he’s not the only one who uses it.
RIP Sheila Michaels, Spencer Johnson, Kenneth Silverman, Nelsan Ellis, Randy Schell, Ji-Tu Cumbuka, and Joe Robinson
Although she didn’t invent it — it was being used in steno books for a while — Sheila Michaels was the person responsible for bringing Ms. into our vocabulary. She died June 22 at the age of 78.
Spencer Johnson was an author who wrote the bestselling business books Who Moved My Cheese? and The One-Minute Manager. He died Monday at the age of 78.
Kenneth Silverman was an author as well, having written biographies of Cotton Mather, Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel Morse, Harry Houdini, and composer John Cage. He died last Friday at the age of 81.
Nelsan Ellis was a regular on TV shows like Elementary and True Blood and was in movies such as The Help. He passed away last week at the age of 39.
Randy Schell was an actor whose voice you heard on shows like Blindspot, Life in Pieces, and Fear the Walking Dead (a prequel series to The Walking Dead), and in commercials for McDonald’s, Geico, Coca-Cola, Nike, and many other companies. He died Saturday in a skydiving accident. Schell was 64.
Ji-Tu Cumbuka was an actor who had roles in movies like Harlem Nights and Bachelor Party as well as in TV shows like Roots and A Man Called Sloane (he played Robert Conrad’s friend with the steel hand). He died Tuesday at the age of 77.
Joe Robinson played the bad guy that James Bond beats up in the elevator in Diamonds Are Forever. He also had roles in A Kid for Two Farthings and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, and he also taught fighting to many actors. He died July 3 at the age of 90.
This Week in History
Henry David Thoreau Born (July 12, 1817)
Here’s a great piece by Post Archive Director Jeff Nilsson on the Massachusetts philosopher and poet and how he was an unlikely hero in the fight for personal liberty — plus a funny piece about how Thoreau might have responded to the publishing industry of the 1960s.
Live Aid Concerts Held (July 13, 1985)
I’ve always felt a kinship with musician Phil Collins. On the same day he was doing double duty in the all-star mega-concert for charity, taking the Concorde so he could perform in both the London and Philadelphia venues, I was working a double shift at a pizza restaurant. We watched it on the big-screen TV with the customers.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Billboard Painters” (July 13, 1957)
This cover by Stevan Dohanos could be called the sequel to the February 14, 1948, cover Dohanos did for the Post, which depicted the billboard painters working in the middle of winter, dreaming of an escape to a warmer place.
According to the weather widget on my computer, it’s only 76 degrees as I type this. But with the humidity factored in, things can only be described as … “gross.” I need something cold.
Here’s a drink named after someone I mentioned above. No, not Phil Collins (I’m not aware of a drink named after the singer); it’s The Amelia, named after Amelia Earhart. I actually found two different recipes for cocktails named after her, but this one seems to have more history behind it, and it’s a variation on the classic Aviation.
And since coffee is so good for us, how about a recipe for an easy iced coffee? You know it’s the truth because it’s actually called Easy Iced Coffee. It’s just a little warm water, instant coffee, sugar, and milk.
I don’t know if this coffee drink will actually help you live longer, but you’ll live long enough to hear the inevitable news that coffee is once again bad for us.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
Game of Thrones Season Premiere (July 16)
I don’t watch the show (for the entire first season I thought it was called Game of Thornes), but it sure is popular! The seventh season starts Sunday at 9 p.m. on HBO.
World Emoji Day (July 17)
This is the day the world celebrates emojis (also known as “every day”). If I cared enough about them to actually use them, right here there would be a little picture of a globe, a calendar, and maybe a yellow smiley face.


Rimicaris hybisae was found 5,000m beneath the Caribbean sea
A new species of shrimp has been discovered living deeper than any seen before in the world's most extreme deep sea volcanic vents.
British scientists made the discovery while on an expedition to explore boiling undersea springs - which may be hotter than 450C - on the Caribbean seafloor.
Some 5,000 metres down, in a rift in the seafloor, exists a volcanic spring known as a 'black smoker', which fires a jet of mineral-laden water more than a kilometre into the ocean above
But despite the extreme conditions, the vents are teeming with thousands of a new species of shrimp that has a light-sensing organ on its back.
The pale shrimp congregate in hordes - up to 2,000 shrimp per square metre - around the six-metre tall mineral spires of the vents.
Click source to read FULL report from Gavin Allen


This publications is also available as an ebook. See all ebooks.
Authors: Respectively, L. Neil Burcham and Jason L. Turner, Extension Swine Specialist and Extension Horse Specialist, both of the Department of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources, New Mexico State University.
An accurate set of records on swine performance is one of the best management tools that a producer can have. In order to keep such records, producers must be able to identify pigs from birth.
The successful manager clips the needle teeth and navel cords as soon after birth as possible. This also offers an opportune time for identification. The simplest method and the one recommended by most breed associations is ear notching. The most common notching system is the 1-3-9 system. For piglets of this size, a small (3/16 to 1/4 inch deep) V-notcher is recommended. If this is your first time ear notching pigs, consult your county Extension agent or an experienced swine producer in your area for assistance to help you develop this skill.
Litter Mark: The right ear is used for litter mark, and all pigs in the same litter must have the same ear notches in this ear. The right ear is on the pig's own right. The litter mark ear is divided into five sections, and each section has a numerical value, either 1, 3, 9, 27, or 81 (Figure 1). Each section, except for 81, can have 1 or 2 notches only.
Figure 1. Numerical values for different ear notch sections in the 1-3-9 system.
Individual Pig Marks: The left ear is used for notches to show an individual pig's number in the litter. Each pig will have different notches in the left ear. The left ear is divided into three sections, with values of 1, 3, and 9 (Figure 1).
To develop a number, make notches in different parts of the ear in such a way that their numerical values will add up to the desired number. For proper identification to be made, it is essential that the notches be placed in the appropriate area of the ear so that the mark is clearly a 1 versus a 3, or a 9 versus a 27.
Figure 2 shows the proper technique for using a V-notcher, Figure 3 provides examples of ear notches using the 1-3-9 system, and Figure 4 provides examples to help you practice using ear notches.
Figure 2. Using a V-notcher to notch the ears of small pigs for identification.
Figure 3. Examples of litter (left number) and individual pig (right number) ear notch numbers.
Figure 4. Practice examples: For the illustrations, draw in the marks that represent the numbers indicated below each figure.
To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences on the World Wide Web at aces.nmsu.edu
Contents of publications may be freely reproduced for educational purposes. All other rights reserved. For permission to use publications for other purposes, contact email@example.com or the authors listed on the publication.
New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.
Revised October 2011 Las Cruces, NM


Do you know the importance of sleep? If not, then I would suggest you to go and research about it because there are lots of research papers available for the same, you can even find lots of documentaries available for the same. It is very important to have the right amount of body sleep so you can give your hundred percent. If you ask any doctor, then they would say that sleep is a very important part and it improves your learning, retaining and observing skills.
If you are facing trouble while sleeping then it would be a great idea that you should get a checkup for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition where you stop breathing while sleeping. There are many Symptoms of Sleep Apnea such as snoring, sleepiness, frequent wakeups, insomnia and so on. If you are suffering from a similar kind of problem then you can approach the Sleep Apnea dentist office because there are many health issues associated with sleep apnea which could be hazardous If Left Untreated. Following you will find a few of them-
High Blood Pressure: Sleep plays an important role to relax your body. If you are not having proper sleep then your hormonal system would be affected which in turn leads to problems like high blood pressure. Also, sleep apnea decreases the oxygen level in your body which works like fuel for the fire. Sleep Apnea treatment can solve this problem and it may also decrease the required intake of medicines for maintaining normal blood pressure (do it, especially if the doctor recommends).
Heart Diseases: Sleep apnea has a direct relationship with breathing problems. Low oxygen level has a direct relationship with the problem of heart attack. You can even have a problem like strokes, irregular number of heartbeats, artery diseases, heart failure and much more. If it is too far then you may die so better to get a treatment from Sleep Apnea dentist in Rowlett, TX.
Diabetes: Do you know about both the types of diabetes? This is one of the most severe diseases which can cause a situation of death. When body is not able to get enough insulin then this problem occurs. There is no such direct relationship which has been proven over the period of time between diabetes and sleep apnea but there is an indirect relation. If there is any chance then we can not take risk regarding the same.
Weight Gain: In many situations, it can be noticed that people who gain fat have an increased probability of getting sleep apnea. This happens because when you gain weight some amount of fat also increases in the neck. When you try to sleep then it blocks the breathing at night and you awake multiple time at night so process of breathing continues. On the other hand, sleep apnea releases ghrelin hormone. This hormone increases the craving of carbs and sweets which again leads to gaining weight.
Daytime fatigue: People who are suffering from sleep apnea wake up multiple times in the night (because when they stop breathing their body forces them to gain consciousness and start breathing) and this disturbs your sleep cycle. This leads to day time drowsiness, fatigue, lack of focus and irritation. You feel sleepy while working, driving, watching TV and so on. It makes your life worse because your efficiency level also decreases.
Weak immune system: People often ignore the sleepless nights but it can affect your immune system. If it is not working properly then it increases the chances of affecting your immune system. If you’re not feeling healthy then you would not enjoy any activity. One of the best ways to deal with it is to get a treatment which can help you to get proper sleep.
Sleep apnea is one of the most dangerous diseases which could make your life difficult to enjoy. Sometimes people do not even know. If you are not getting proper sleep then your IQ will decrease, as your attention would get limited. To get a treatment you can contact the Bayside Dental because Dentists Are Leading the Way in Sleep Apnea. They have the right method to deal with this problem and can provide you the right treatment so you would be able to sleep like a child.


- Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Posterior lumbar spinal fusion is one of the most common types of spine fusion surgeries for the lower back. A spinal fusion is when 2 or more bones are permanently joined together to make 1 bone. A posterior spinal fusion is a spine fusion surgery that focuses on the backside of the spinal column. Spinal fusion surgery of the lower spine can help to treat spinal instability, lumbar fractures, or degenerative disc disease. Posterior lumbar fusion is often performed in conjunction with additional spinal surgeries to help alleviate the pressure that may be inflicted on spinal nerves due to other spinal conditions.
What parts of the spine are involved during spinal fusion surgery?
During a posterior spinal fusion, the surgery is performed on the lower back through an incision. The incision will allow Dr. Rozbruch to reach the spinous processes, which are the bony protrusions that extend off the back of the vertebrae. The muscles along the spinal column are gently separated at the beginning of spinal fusion surgery to allow Dr. Rozbruch a view of the spinal bones that he will be working on.
What can lumbar spinal fusion help achieve?
Spinal fusion surgery, also referred to as arthrodesis, aims to reduce or stop the movement of 1 or more vertebrae. By limiting the movement of a problematic vertebra, spinal fusion surgery can help reduce painful symptoms known as mechanical pain. Mechanical pain is a term that is used to refer to any form of back pain that can be attributed to abnormal strains being placed on the spinal column. Mechanical pain often occurs in the lower back and may radiate outward to the lower extremities.
Excess motion of the spine is referred to as spine instability and can also negatively impact the health of your spinal nerves. With excessive spinal movement, the nerves within the spinal canal may begin to rub against the neural foramina, causing inflammation and irritation. The neural foramina is the space where the roots of the nerves leave the spinal cord. This space may narrow when a vertebra moves too far inward, which will apply pressure to the nerves where they extend through the neural foramina.
If a nerve experiences swelling or pinching, a patient may experience neurogenic pain. Neurogenic pain is when pain extends down 1 or both legs below the knee. With spine fusion surgery, spinal degeneration can be slowed down around the segments that are fused and help prevent future complications.
What can I expect before & during spinal fusion surgery?
Prior to a lumbar fusion, you may need to undergo a physical examination with your internist in order to ensure that you are healthy and a proper candidate to undergo spinal fusion surgery. On the night before your spinal fusion surgery, you will not be permitted to drink or eat anything after midnight.
A general anesthesia will be administered prior to your lumbar fusion surgery. A ventilator may be used to help assist and monitor your breathing while you are under the general anesthesia. During lumbar fusion surgery, patients kneel facing down on a specially designed operating table. This operating table supports the abdomen and reduces any tension or pressure. Kneeling face down during lumbar fusion surgery also reduces the amount of blood lost during spine fusion surgery.
Once the incision is made in the middle of the lower back, the tissues and muscles of the skin are gently separated. After the muscles have been carefully moved, the spinal column will then be able to be seen and operated on. An X-ray scan may be taken at this point during your spinal fusion surgery to ensure that Dr. Rozbruch is operating on the correct vertebrae.
Dr. Rozbruch will then alleviate any pressure on nearby spinal nerves. This may be achieved through the partial or complete removal of the lamina bone. Fragments of spinal discs will then be removed, as will any bone spurs. The removal of these materials helps to provide adequate room for the spinal nerves and reduces compression. The roots of your spinal nerves will then be examined to ensure that they have adequate room to move normally. If there are still restrictions on the spinal nerves, Dr. Rozbruch may enlarge the opening of the neural foramina, a procedure known as foraminotomy.
To prepare for spinal fusion, Dr. Rozbruch will shave small layers of bone off the back of the spinal column. A second incision will then be made at the hip where strips of bone will be removed from the top of the pelvis. This harvested bone will be used as a bone graft during your spinal fusion surgery. With a posterior spinal fusion surgery, Dr. Rozbruch will keep the bones together with the use of metal screws, plates, and rods, which is referred to as instrumentation. The instrumentation will hold the vertebrae together and restrict movement. Healing can occur quicker with less motion in between the 2 bones that have been fused together. Instrumentation is used during spinal fusion surgery to ensure the highest probability that the bones will successfully bond and fuse together. A drainage tube may be used to help remove fluid from the wound as it heals. The muscles, tissues, and skin will gently be placed together again. Dr. Rozbruch will apply sutures to successfully close the wound and may also prescribe a rigid back brace to wear while your spine heals.
What can I expect after lumbar fusion surgery?
A rigid back brace may be prescribed to some patients following spinal fusion, but patients who have instrumentation (screws, plated, rods) may not need to wear this back brace. Dr. Rozbruch can help decide if you would benefit from wearing the back brace following lumbar fusion surgery. The drain tube will then be removed 1-2 days after your spine fusion surgery. Patients may need to stay at the hospital for 1 week until their spine has healed enough to return home. A walker may help patients walk more comfortably for the first few days after spinal surgery.
Dr. Rozbruch will be able to determine when you are eligible to return home based on your overall medical condition, level of pain, and rate of healing. It is important to get plenty of rest following a lumbar fusion, as your spine needs time to properly heal. For 6 weeks, patients should refrain from activities that involve moving their spine in any direction, which includes bending, driving, or even sitting up for long periods of time. Physical therapy often is prescribed to begin 6 weeks after your spinal fusion surgery.
What should I expect as I recover from lumbar fusion?
Physical therapy for spinal fusion can be a slow process, as it is important not to put too much strain on your back as it heals. Patients must wait at least 6 weeks before beginning physical therapy, as this time is needed to allow for the newly fused bones to properly bond and heal. Physical therapy after spinal fusion surgery may last for 2-3 months. To fully recover from spine fusion surgery, patients typically need up to 8 months of rest and physical therapy. Healing and physical therapy may progress more quickly if you had a lumbar fusion surgery with instrumentation.
At the start of your physical therapy sessions, your physical therapist will be most concerned with teaching you exercises and tips on how to reduce and control pain or inflammation. Treatments involving ice or electrical therapy may be used to help reduce discomfort. Light activity and exercises will slowly be added to your physical therapy regimen. These exercises will be designed to improve heart and lung function. The first light activity that your physical therapist may suggest is gentle walking. In later physical therapy sessions, swimming may be added as an exercise. It is important to slowly begin to strengthen the muscles of your lower back with gentle physical exercise.
Your physical therapist will also help you learn how to move and partake in activities properly without jeopardizing the health of your back. Body mechanics is a process of physical therapy that aims to reteach you how to move in order to promote the development of healthy habits. Body mechanics can help protect your back from future injury or damage. As you progress, your physical therapist will begin to customize your exercises to best fit your particular needs and help you prepare for returning to your normal routine.
How can I learn more about spinal fusion surgery?
To learn more about a spinal fusion surgery, please request an appointment online or call Dr. Rozbruch’s orthopedic office in NYC at 212-744-9857. Prior to an office visit, please fill out Dr. Rozbruch’s patient forms to expedite your first visit.


Electric current is one of the most basic term in electrical engineering. It is the flow of electric charge in a closed circuit.
In simple, when the valence electrons of a conductor start moving in the same direction the current is said to be flow through that conductor.
Actually electric current define the rate of flow of charge electric charge through a conducting medium with respect to time. Current in amp tell us how many electrons are passing through a specific area of conductor per second.
Concept of electric current
Atom is a material having large number free electrons. These electrons are continuously in motion but the motion is a random therefore there is no flow in a given direction. When electric pressure is apply, all the free electrons start moving in same direction i.e. from negative to positive. This direct flow of electron is called electric current. Hence the emf induced in a closed circuit cause electrical current to flow in the closed circuit.
Now the question is why electrons moves toward the positive terminal?
Electrons are negatively charged particles therefore electrons are attract by positive terminal and repel by the negative terminal. As the direction of flow of conventional current is opposite to the direction of flow of electrons. Which means conventional current flow from positive terminal to negative terminal.
Types of electric current
There are two types of electric current
1. AC (Alternating Current)
2. DC (Direct Current)
- 1.Alternating currentis the current which reverses its direction after every half cycle. It means that in AC flow of electric charge changes its direction continuously after regular interval of time. There are positive and negative sides as shown in figure.
- 2. Direct currentis the current which flow only in one direction. In DC the flow of electric charge of electrons is only in one direction. There is only positive side as shown in figure.
Measurement of electric current
There is a device which is used to measure the electric current and the device name is ammeter. An ammeter is connected in series with load to measure the electric current.
Suppose Q is the charge flow through any specific area of the conductor in a time t second, then
Electric current = charge/time
Hence electric current is measured by the time rate of flow of charge through the conductor.
Unit of Electric Current
The unit of electric current is Ampere.
1 ampere = one column/one second
The current flow through a specific area of a conductor is said to be one ampere when one coulombs of charge flow through it in one second.
1 Coulomb = charge on 6.25 × 10^18 electrons
Therefore, when 6.25 × 10^18 electrons flow through a specific area of conductor in one second, the quantity of current is said to be one ampere.


Hardiness of plants describes their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness. Hardiness of plants is defined by their native extent's geographic location: longitude, latitude and elevation. These attributes are often simplified to a hardiness zone. In temperate latitudes, the term most often describes resistance to cold, or "cold-hardiness", and is generally measured by the lowest temperature a plant can withstand.
Hardiness of a plant is usually divided into two categories: tender, and hardy. (Some sources also use the erroneous terms "Half-hardy" or "Fully hardy".) Tender plants are those killed by freezing temperatures, while hardy plants survive freezing—at least down to certain temperatures, depending on the plant. "Half-hardy" is a term used sometimes in horticulture to describe bedding plants which are sown in heat in winter or early spring, and planted outside after all danger of frost has passed. "Fully hardy" usually refers to plants being classified under the Royal Horticultural Society classifications, and can often cause confusion to those not using this method.
Plants vary greatly in their tolerance of growing conditions, and are capable of adaptation to changes in climate on their own to some extent. The selective breeding of varieties capable of withstanding particular climates forms an important part of agriculture and horticulture. Part of the work of nursery growers of plants consists of cold hardening, or hardening off their plants, to prepare them for likely conditions in later life.


There is a very large segment of the amateur radio community that enjoys chasing lighthouses and lightships. And there are also a group of hardy operators who enjoy going to the sites of the many lighthouses and lightships throughout the world to activate them.
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses. In older times the light was emitted from a fire and used as an aid to navigation and to pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses are used to mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals and reefs, and safe entries to harbors and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational aids. (wikipedia)
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship which acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction. Although there is some record of fire beacons placed on ships in Roman times, the first modern lightvessel was placed off the Nore sandbank at the mouth of the River Thames in England, placed there by its inventor Robert Hamblin in 1732. The type has become largely obsolete; some stations were replaced by lighthouses as the construction techniques for the latter advanced, while others were replaced by large automated buoys. (wikipedia)
The term ‘activation’ is used when amateur radio operators travel to the site of a lighthouse or lightship and establish a portable base of communications. These communications only require the portable operators to be within eyeshot of the lighthouse or lightship. Many times there will be more than one lighthouse at a particular location and the person communications with the portable operations will receive credit or a QSL card for prove of the contact.
Lighthouse activators as they are called are the folks that travel the coastlines of the world setting up portable operations. Sometimes a site like the photo above is used with a screened room or canopy is used to protect them from the elements. A great many lighthouse activations take place from within mobile radio stations where the lighthouse activators simply use their mobile radios and mobile antennas. And then there are others that will use the radios in their vehicles but will put up a more substantial antenna for better performance. The Tilt-N-Raise portable antenna mount was designed for such operations as these. All you need to do is find a good spot within eyeshot of the lighthouse or lightship, tilt the Tilt-N-Raise portable antenna mount over, slip in your antenna and raise the portable antenna mount up. Bingo, you’re in business in less than five minuets and the Tilt-N-Raise portable antenna mount will keep the antenna steady even with the windy conditions encountered at these lighthouse activations.
US or Foreign Lighthouses
One really attractive aspect of chasing lighthouse is that it isn’t just confined to working lighthouses and lightships in the United States. There is a contingent of folks literally around the world that go to great lengths (and expense) to activate lighthouses. These foreign lighthouses bring and added blessing in that they are sometimes at locations that DXers will work for credit for country awards as well as lighthouse awards.
And speaking of the awards, there are a lot of them. Too many in fact to go into on this page. The Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society sponsors a good many of these lighthouse awards. Some of the ARLHS awards are the Worked All States Awards, ARLHS Members awards and more. There are also awards given out for singular or multiple contracts with lighthouses in foreign locations. One such award is sponsored by the Radio Club Venezolano, but there are many others as well.
Obtaining lighthouse awards is as simple as submitting a list or collection of QSL cards to the issuing body to prove your contact with the lighthouses and lightships. QSL cards are printed acknowledgments of contacts between two amateur radio stations, the one below is an example QSL card:
In this QSL you will note that the lighthouse activator was KA1IOR who activated the East Chop Lighthouse. The location of the East Chop Lighthouse is in Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Videos
Page tags: lighthouse weekend, world lighthouse weekend, international lighthouse weekend, international lighthouse day, lightships, lighthouses on the air, lighthouse activations


Antarctic Peninsula: Sudden Ice Loss Affects Earth's Gravity Field
While it's no secret that much of the Antarctic Peninsula is rapidly melting, scientists were disappointed when they recently found that a previously stable region of Antarctica is experiencing rapid ice loss - so much so that it is even affecting Earth's gravity field.
The Southern Antarctic Peninsula was believed to be one of the few areas left that was relatively unaffected by climate change. That is, until 2009 when multiple glaciers along a vast coastal expanse, measuring some 750 km (466 miles) in length, suddenly started to shed ice into the ocean at a nearly constant rate of 60 cubic km - or about 55 trillion liters of water - each year.
That's at least according to a new study published in the journal Science, which says that this sudden onset of ice loss now makes the region the second largest contributor to sea level rise in Antarctica. What's more, the flow rate shows no signs of waning anytime soon.
"To date, the glaciers added roughly 300 cubic km of water to the ocean. That's the equivalent of the volume of nearly 350,000 Empire State Buildings combined," lead researcher Dr. Bert Wouters, a Marie Curie Fellow at the University of Bristol, UK, said in a statement.
The changes were observed using the CryoSat-2 satellite, a mission of the European Space Agency dedicated to remote-sensing of ice. About 5 years worth of data showed that the ice surface of some of the glaciers is currently decreasing by as much as 4 meters (13 feet) per year. This ice loss is so dramatic that it is enough to cause small changes in the gravity field of the Earth, which can be detected by another satellite mission, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE).
"The fact that so many glaciers in such a large region suddenly started to lose ice came as a surprise to us," Wouters said. "It shows a very fast response of the ice sheet: in just a few years the dynamic regime completely shifted."
So what exactly brought on this sudden ice loss?
Data from an Antarctic climate model rules out changes in snowfall or air temperature. Thus, the researchers believe it's actually because of warming oceans (summer 2014 saw the warmest ocean temperatures ever recorded).
Many of the glaciers in the region feed into ice shelves that float on the surface of the ocean. They support ice resting on bedrock inland, slowing down the flow of the glaciers into the ocean. However, climate change and ozone depletion have strengthened the westerly winds that encircle Antarctica. These stronger winds push warm waters from the Southern Ocean towards the Earth's pole, where they eat away at the glaciers and floating ice shelves from below.
Consequently, ice shelves in the region have lost almost one-fifth of their thickness in the last two decades, thereby reducing the resisting force on the glaciers.
Scientists are most concerned with the fact that much of the ice of the Southern Antarctic Peninsula is grounded on bedrock below sea level, which gets deeper inland. This means that even if the glaciers retreat, the warm water will chase them inland and melt them even more.
"It appears that sometime around 2009, the ice shelf thinning and the subsurface melting of the glaciers passed a critical threshold which triggered the sudden ice loss," Wouters added. "However, compared to other regions in Antarctica, the Southern Peninsula is rather understudied, exactly because it did not show any changes in the past, ironically."
"To pinpoint the cause of the changes, more data need to be collected," he said. "A detailed knowledge of the geometry of the local ice shelves, the ocean floor topography, ice sheet thickness and glacier flow speeds are crucial to tell how much longer the thinning will continue."
For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).


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Eminent Victorians (Scotland)
The importance of Queen's Park FC in the development of association football in Scotland has been compared by historian and broadcaster, Bob Crampsey, with that of the Marylebone Cricket Club and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews to the development of cricket and golf respectively. Formed by gentlemen from the Glasgow YMCA in July 1867, the fledgling club controlled the rules of the game in Scotland, organised the first international match in history, instigated the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Challenge Cup. They developed what became known as "The Combination Game" in which team mates cooperated by passing the ball to each other rather than pursuing the kick-and-rush style prevalent in England.
By playing exhibition matches across the country Queen's Park inspired communities to form their own clubs and the game was taken up enthusiastically by the working classes. When the Hibernian club was formed in 1875 to promote temperance, promote religious faith and raise funds for the impoverished Irish Catholic population living in the slums of Cowgate in Edinburgh, it set off an explosion of similar clubs throughout Scotland, all of whom incorporated green in their colours and adopted names that evoked their Irish heritage including, most famously, Celtic.
Over 50 senior clubs were formed by Rifle Volunteer regiments. These were part-time units of citizen soldiers trained and led by professional officers and NCOs who saw association football as a healthy way to develop discipline and encourage physical exercise, an opportunity usually taken up with enthusiam. When the men of the 3rd Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers were asked to choose between playing football and soldiering they overwhelmingly opted for the former, giving birth to Third Lanark.
Sources: Scottish Football Historical Archive by Brian McColl, Charles Alcock's Football Annuals 1868-1891 researched by Robin Horton.