Teens and Drugs: How Can You Help Stop It?
You play a crucial part in the life of your child(ren) as a parent. As kids mature into pre-teens and adolescents, you might worry about new dangers they may face. For starters, many parents worry about teens and drugs. Plus using other substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, etc., just adds to the worry.
Therefore, it's important to stay knowledgeable about the drug environment as a parent and to understand how it can affect your teen, even if they experiment. In this article, I’ll walk you through some of the issues you might be asking yourself, as well as one way you can begin helping your teen recognize life without drugs or alcohol.
Common Causes of Teenage Drug Use
Adolescents try drugs or continue to use them because they might want:To fit in
Many teenagers use drugs because other people use them (or at least they think they use them). On top of that, they may be afraid of not being accepted in a social circle that includes drug users.To feel good
Inducing feelings of pleasure with drugs interacts with the neurochemistry of the brain. The strength of this euphoria varies depending on the substance and how it is administered.To feel better
Depression, social anxiety, stress-related ailments, and physical pain affect some teens. It's possible that using drugs is an attempt to alleviate these distressing feelings. For those recovering from an addiction, stress has a crucial role in initiating and maintaining drug use, as well as returning to drug use (relapsing).To perform better
We live in a very competitive society that pressures many teens to excel academically and others athletically. Some teenagers may even turn to illicit or prescribed stimulants in hopes of enhancing or improving their performance.To try new things
Think back for one second to when you were a teen - everything new seemed intriguing and you probably wanted to try it. Same with other adolescents. They are typically driven to seek out new experiences, especially those that they believe to be exciting or bold.
10 Most Common Teenage Drugs
Understanding which substances are most typically misused by kids (and why) helps to get a better understanding of teen drug abuse. The NIDA, in partnership with the University of Michigan, conducts an extensive survey of high school students in the United States each year. In it, they combine the data to indicate which drugs teens use and what percentage of the teen population uses them.
According to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, the following are the ten most often used substances among teens and adolescents.
For many teens, alcohol has many appealing factors:
- It is widely available in homes.
- It is perceived as low risk due to the fact that is a legal substance.
- It is associated with having fun and partying.
Alcohol can release its intoxicating effects in just 10 minutes. Some of the effects sought by youth and adults from alcohol include reduced inhibitions, enhanced comfort in social situations, lower emotions of stress and anxiety, etc.
When consumed at greater doses or over longer periods of time, alcohol can cause a variety of undesirable and severe effects, including impaired memory and learning, mood changes such as depression or agitation, reduced breathing and heart rate, seizures, and death from overdose or accident.
Most often people smoke marijuana but can also ingest them via edible products. Once the drug enters the body, the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) binds to parts of the brain. This binding triggers the brain to release a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for giving the feeling of pleasure and reward.
Marijuana's popularity originates in part from the belief that it is not harmful. Many teens believe that marijuana has no addictive properties or that it poses no health hazards. According to MTF, less than 32% of 12th graders believed that frequent marijuana usage could be dangerous.
Despite the fact that cigarette smoking has been declining as risk perceptions have grown, nicotine use remains a source of concern for teens. The increased popularity of e-cigarettes among younger teenagers is one factor. Many teens and adolescents who use these products are ignorant of what is e-cigarettes have in them. This is mainly due to a lack of regulation and disinformation from manufacturers and peers.
Nicotine products are still very popular because of their low cost and ease of use. While the dangers of cigarettes are well-known, e-cigarettes are promoted as a “safer” option, and as a result, teens may be more likely to use them.
Adderall is a pharmaceutical drug that contains two substances: amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, and is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Both medicines fundamentally speed up the body's functioning and boost attention while also lowering hyperactivity.
Despite their differences, they both increase dopamine and another neurotransmitter called norepinephrine, in the brain. Adderall and other stimulant drugs can be safe and effective when taken as directed. But, they can be hazardous and addicting if taken in ways other than prescribed.
- Elevated blood pressure and body temperature.
- Irregular heartbeat.
- Paranoia and irritability.
Furthermore, there is no proof that using Adderall improves academic or athletic performance in people who abuse the drug.
5/10 Oxycontin or other opioids
OxyContin is a potent and highly addictive brand name for oxycodone, a pain-relieving prescription opioid.
Teens abuse the tablet forms of these medicines by consuming them orally, crushing them, and snorting or injecting them. Because of their legal status, prescription medications are also thought to be less dangerous than illicit substances like heroin. But it doesn’t take away the fact that it stays dangerous if abused.
In reality, these medications carry a number of major hazards. According to the CDC, people who abuse or are dependent on:
- prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin.
- cocaine are 15 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin.
- marijuana are 3 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin.
- alcohol are 2 times more likely to abuse or be dependent on heroin.
Anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic episodes are treated with prescription tranquilizers (benzodiazepines). They also help people with mental illnesses like bipolar disorder. If someone abuses them for a long time, he or she may develop a dependency, addiction, and a higher risk of mental illness. If you watched the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix, well remember the green pill? That green pill even made a child addicted to tranquilizers - it can happen to anyone.
The following are some physical indications of sedative and tranquilizer usage and misuse:
- Slurred speech
- Aggressive behavior
- Suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors
- Impaired memory, judgment, or coordination
- Dilated pupils
7/10 Spice or K2
K2/Spice is a blend of plant material sprayed with synthetic psychoactive compounds. It is a synthetic form of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive element in marijuana. It usually resembles potpourri and is labeled "not for human consumption."
Purchasing via the internet is risky because the sources and chemical quantities are unknown. It's nearly impossible for the consumer to know what's in synthetic cannabis products and how strong they are. Taking spice can end up giving you paranoia, anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations, and giddiness.
Hallucinogens are a class of medications that modify a person's perception of their environment as well as their own thoughts and feelings. Classic hallucinogens (such as LSD) and dissociative substances are the two most common types (such as PCP).
Hallucinations, or sensations and visuals that appear real but aren't, can be caused by both types of hallucinogens. These drugs can also make you feel disconnected from your body and environment.
Some hallucinogens interfere with the action of the brain chemical serotonin, which regulates:
- sensory perception
- body temperature
- sexual behavior
- intestinal muscle control
Inhalants are compounds that emit chemical vapors that teens inhale to cause a psychoactive (mind-altering) effect. Since inhalants are commonly found in domestic, industrial, and medical items, they include volatile solvents, aerosols, gases, and nitrites.
Inhalant addicts will consume any chemical that is available to them. Individual inhalant effects, on the other hand, vary. Some users may go to great lengths to get their preferred inhalant. For example, "Texas shoeshine," a shoe-shining spray containing the chemical toluene, is a local favorite in several parts of the country.
10/10 DXM (Dextromethorphan)
Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a cough suppressant found in over 120 over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications. It’s either alone or in combination with other drugs such as analgesics (e.g., acetaminophen), antihistamines (e.g., chlorpheniramine), etc. Teens might use high doses of DXM to induce euphoria and visual and aural hallucinations.
Long-term DXM misuse has been linked to serious psychological dependence. Overdosing on DXM can be managed in the emergency room and does not usually result in serious medical complications or death. Ingestion of DXM in combination with other medicines is responsible for the majority of DXM-related deaths. DXM-related mortality can also result from a sensory impairment, which can lead to accidents.
It’s important to remember that if you suspect your child may be addicted to one of these substances, consult with your family doctor to properly address the situation and come up with a plan. Confronting and accusing your child may lead to them refusing to open up and further abusing substances and drugs.
Tips on Talking to Teens About Drug Use
“The opposite of addiction is connection.” - Johann Hari
High School Drug and Alcohol Counsellor Alethia Mackay, introduces the way she works with her students to overcome addiction to substances like alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, etc. Some tips she gives parents that will help them talk to their teens come from the example of how high schools in Iceland did it. These steps include:
Teach children to live with positive abstinence qualities when it comes to drugs and alcohol.
Spend more quantity time with your children rather than the occasional quality time (i.e., a monthly movie night or dinner won’t cut it).
Speak with kids about their experiences and lives and be present the entire time. Let them know you care and are interested to hear their stories.
Ask about their friends to find out who they’re choosing to hang out with.
Share with them about the risk of drugs and alcohol.
Keep kids occupied by encouraging after-school activities.
Parents are the number 1 influence on kids and taking these steps may also aid in building a more trusting relationship between you and your teenager. You can watch her full presentation below to learn more about the psychological aspect of teen drug addiction.
Testing teens for drugs
It’s easy to test at home, in privacy too. All you need is a urine sample and the option of either a 7-panel drug test that will check for:
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine (COC)
- Opioids (MOP)
- Amphetamine (AMP)
- Methamphetamine (MET)
- Benzodiazepines (BZO)
- Ecstasy (MDMA)
Or you can use THC testing strips.
According to Nora Volkow, M.D., director of NIDA, “screening adolescents for drug use is extremely important for early intervention and prevention of the development of substance use disorder.”
She adds, “this is critical especially as the transition from adolescence to adulthood, when brain development is still in progress, appears to be a period of high risk for drug use initiation.” You can read her full study commentary here.
You can also help your teen cleanse their bodies from harmful drugs with easy DIY home tests!
How to Prevent Teens From Using Drugs
If you suspect your teen is using drugs, it can be scary. Many parents become angry at their children for making the decision to use drugs as a teen but the best thing for you to do is try to remain calm and respond with love. It is also important for you to educate him or her about the dangers of drug abuse and addiction in addition to teaching them about substance abuse treatment and how important it is. You can find some good starting tips here.
Also, you don't have to help your teen with drugs on your own. It can be difficult to help a teenager on your own. So having people who can support, not only you but also your teen, can be beneficial.
Finally, seek the advice of a specialist. Treatment from a specialist, whether it's a family doctor or a behavioral health center that specializes in teen substance use and addiction recovery, is critical for your loved one's recovery.
You can find other treatment referrals provided by the NIDA here.
No More Youth on Drugs!
Every day more teens try illicit drugs. And these young adults account for a high proportion of those who suffer from a substance use problem in the United States. This could be due to the fact that they are going through adolescence and developing a new sense of self. However, this does not stop teens from falling into addiction.
Giving teenagers the right understanding of how drugs influence their bodies will undoubtedly be a significant step towards a normal and healthier adolescence. Visit the NIDA website today for additional information on teens and drugs.


While the American Dental Association (ADA) continues to endorse the use of amalgam fillings, there has been widespread debate on their use since the 1800s. Because amalgam fillings contain inorganic mercury, some non scientific studies link them with mercury poisoning, which can cause serious problems with the brain and nervous system. Symptoms include memory loss, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, headaches, depression, anxiety, and the onset of severe personality disorders.
Tooth colored composite, or bonded, fillings are now available for patients who wish to avoid any potential risks associated with amalgam. Bonded fillings strengthen teeth, look more natural, and are mercury free. Silver fillings, on the other hand, have a history filled with contentious debate.
Mercury Fillings Replace Gold
The word amalgam refers to any mixture comprised of mercury and other metals. The Frenchman, August Taveau, invented amalgam fillings in 1816 by mixing mercury with shavings from silver coins. The Crawcour brothers, also Frenchmen, introduced this new type of dental filling to England in 1830. Shortly thereafter, they brought amalgam fillings to the United States.
They called amalgam fillings “royal mineral succedaneum” because they replaced, or succeeded, gold fillings. Before the invention of amalgam, patients with a bothersome cavity had two options. Either a dentist could pull the affected tooth, or they could remove the cavity and pound hot gold into the patient’s tooth. Amalgam fillings were inexpensive and dentists could place them at room temperature. Because gold was expensive and the placement of gold fillings was painful, amalgam became widely popular.
The Amalgam War
During the 1800s, there were two separate dental professions in the United States. There were barber dentists and medical dentists. Barber dentists were exactly what they sound like, barbers who practiced dentistry. Medical dentists were doctors trained to practice dentistry. Barber dentists were the first to implement silver fillings because medical dentists at the time were concerned about the effect of amalgam on patient health.
Amalgam became increasingly popular as more and more barber dentists used it to repair cavities. By the 1830s, mercury was widely considered poisonous because of its use in the hatting industry. Hatters often displayed signs of mercury poisoning. The American Society of Dental Surgeons (ASDS) therefore declared the use of amalgam as malpractice. As the popularity of amalgam spread, however, more medical dentists began to use the material to fill teeth. This led to the eventual formation of the ADA, which was decidedly pro-mercury.
Learn more about your amalgam fillings
The debate over silver fillings lingers today, although bonded composite is becoming the standard choice for repairing a cavity. If you would like to know more about dental bonding with composite material, please schedule a consultation with Dr. James Fondriest by calling our us at (847) 234-0517. We serve the Chicago, Illinois area.


The Importance Of Vitamin D – Are You Getting Enough?
This vital nutrient is one many people don’t really think of, yet populations around the world are suffering from vitamin D deficiency. It’s crucially important to assist in the maintenance of a healthy heart muscle, bone mineralization, skin conditions, mood/cognitive function, immune function, inflammatory response, hormonal health, enhance calcium absorption and more. Today, far too many of us do not get enough vitamin D for optimal health.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms And Causes:
- Frequent colds and flu’s
- Respiratory tract infections
- Fatigue, tiredness
- Inadequate bone growth
- Muscle weakness and aches
- Hormonal imbalances
- Skin conditions (such as psoriasis)
- Frequent bone breaks and fractures
- Lack of sunshine (you’re indoors a lot)
- You wear sunscreen
Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to sunlight. On average, exposing a large area of your body (stomach/back) in the sun (without sunscreen) for 15 minutes a few times a week (daily is even better) will keep your vitamin D levels in check. If that is not possible exposing your arms, face and even legs in the sun for 5-10 minutes most days will suffice.
We are bought up in a world where we are told to lather on sunscreen when outside, however sunscreen blocks your body from absorbing vitamin D. I am not encouraging you to go out all day and redden or burn your skin, just 15 minutes most days to obtain optimal vitamin D levels.
If this is just not possible for you (which in the winter months can be very challenging) then a supplement could come in handy. There are some foods which contain vitamin D such as egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, cod liver, some dairy foods. However, if you are deficient in vitamin D food sources will most likely not be enough to bring up your levels.
Vitamin D comes in two forms D2 and D3. D2 is a vegetable-derived form and D3 is an animal-derived form. I would recommend taking a D3 supplement. The RDI is 400iu*, however, the body uses much more of this vitamin each day for general functioning. If you are suffering from a few of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency listed above it may be worth getting some blood tests through your doctor to check your vitamin D levels. For general health and wellness (if you can’t get sun exposure regularly) I personally recommend getting an intake of 3000-5000iu/day*, as there are many benefits to gain from having adequate levels.
*“IU” stands for International Units, which is an international standard of measurement for vitamins A, D, and E.
Hi I’m Natalie, a Registered Clinical Nutritionist, health influencer, blog writer & recipe creator. My own health complications prompted me to make positive diet & lifestyle changes, revitalize my health leading to a career change from the corporate world to nutritional medicine. I believe in a wholefoods approach to good health, focusing on simple strategies for modern, busy people.


Historical records matching John J. Jacob, Governor
About John J. Jacob, Governor
John Jeremiah Jacob (December 9, 1829 – November 24, 1893) was a Democratic politician from Green Spring (Hampshire County), West Virginia. Jacob served two terms as the fourth Governor of the US state of West Virginia. John Jeremiah Jacob was also elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates from Hampshire County in 1868 and from Ohio County in 1893.
John Jeremiah Jacob was born in Green Spring on the Potomac River north of Romney in (Hampshire County). Jacob's Hampshire roots made him the first of West Virginia's governors to be born within the present-day borders of the state. Jacob attended the Romney Academy in Romney and Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Jacob practiced law and taught school in Hampshire County before accepting a teaching position at the University of Missouri in 1853. In 1858, he married Jane Baird. Jacob worked as an attorney in Missouri during the American Civil War and returned to Romney after the war in 1865 to establish a law practice. In 1868, John Jeremiah Jacob was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates.
Jacob was elected governor in 1870 to a two-year term making him the first of six consecutive Democratic governors. Jacob supported the elimination of all remaining legislation that discriminated against former Confederates. Jacob also presided over the establishment of new facilities to care for the mentally handicapped and the creation of statewide schools, known as normal schools, to train teachers. Most of these schools still exist as part of the state college system.
John Jeremiah Jacob's most important contribution as governor was the rewriting of West Virginia's state constitution. Moderates and former Confederate supporters themselves believed the original 1863 constitution was too biased in favor of pro-Union supporters. A new constitutional convention, controlled by Democrats, met in Charleston in 1872. The new constitution restricted the power of the legislature and expanded the governor's term in office from two to four years, prohibiting consecutive terms.
In 1872 Jacob was denied renomination by the Democratic Party, which was controlled by Camden. Jacob ran on the ad-hoc "People's Independent" ticket with Republican support. He was re-elected by 2400 votes for a four-year term. Camden's men controlled the legislature, and passed "ripper" laws that stripped Jacob of his appointment powers.
In 1875, the state government moved from Charleston and returned the capitol to Wheeling in Ohio County.
After Jacob left the governor's office, he served once again in the West Virginia House of Delegates from Ohio County in 1879 and as its circuit judge from 1881 to 1888. Jacob continued to practice law in Wheeling until his death in 1893.


and, or, and/or: indicates three options: one or the other or both; if you mean all three options, it is appropriate
and, or, and/or: means both
and, or, and.or: means either
and which, and who
two options that are only correct when used to introduce a second clause beginning with the same relative pronoun; otherwise and is not needed
ante- or anti-: means "before"
ante- or anti-: means "against;" needs a hyphen if used before a capital letter or i
anxious or eager: means "nervous or worried" and is usually followed by about
anxious or eager: means "looking forward" and is usually followed by to
anybody or any body: indefinite pronoun
anybody or any body: a noun modified by any
anyone or any one: indefinite pronoun
anyone or any one: a pronoun or adjective modified by any
any more or anymore: means "no more"; used in negative constructions
any more or anymore: means "now"; used in negative constructions
colloquial for anywhere
nonstandard for anyway
nonstandard for anywhere
apt, liable, or likely: interchangeable
apt, liable, or likely: means, "having a tendency to"
apt, liable, or likely: means, "probably going to"
apt, liable, or likely: normally means "in danger of" and should be confined to situations with undesirable consequences; strictly means "responsible" or "exposed to"
are or is: used with a plural subject
are or is: used with a singular subject
substituting for because, since, or while; may be vague or ambiguous; should never be used as a substitute for whether or who
as and then
in comparisons, precede a subjective-case pronoun when the pronoun is a subject; precede an object-case pronoun when the pronoun is an object
assure, ensure, or insure: means "to promise"
assure, ensure, or insure: often used interchangeably to mean "make certain"
assure, ensure, or insure: used for more general meanings
assure, ensure, or insure: some reserve it for matters of legal and financial protection
a stuffy substitute for about
use of this word after where is wordy and should be avoided
at this point in time
wordy now, at this point, or at this time
awful or awfully: means, "awe-inspiring"; should be avoided in formal speech or writing
awful or awfully: means "very" or "extremely"; should be avoided in formal speech or writing
a while or awhile: an article and a noun; can serve as the object of a preposition but cannot modify a verb
a while or awhile: an adverb; can modify a verb but cannot serve as the object of a preposition
bad or badly: should be used only as an adjective
bad or badly: adverb
being as, being that
2 phrases that are colloquial for because, the preferable word in formal speech or writing
beside or besides: a preposition meaning "next to"
beside or besides: a preposition meaning "except" or "in addition"
better or had better: means "ought to" and is a verb modified b an adverb; the verb is necessary and should not be omitted
bring or take: used only for movement from a farther place to a nearer one
bring or take: used for any other movement (besides from a farther place to a nearer one)
in formal speech writing, this as a noun should be used only to refer to clusters of things growing or fastened together, such as bananas or grapes; its use to mean a group of items or people is colloquial; crowd or group is preferable


Novo libro: “OCTOPUS! The Most Mysterious Creature in the Sea” (En inglés)
O administrador da web disculpase por a falta da correspondente versión correxida; pero queriamos respetar á redacción orixinal do autor. Grazas e desculpen as molestias.
By J. Otero Villar
Cephalopoda is a class of mollusks originated more than 500 Ma ago. It comprises around 700 species mostly included into four groups commonly known as octopods, squids, cuttlefishes and nautiluses. Cephalopods are usually opportunist animals, with a short life span of often no more than 1 to 2 years, and they reproduce at the end of their lives with some exceptions though such as the long-lived nautiluses.
These marine creatures have importance from both ecological and economic points of view. They are first a crucial component in most marine food webs both as consumers (Rodhouse and Nigmatullin, 1996) and as prey (for instance for fishes, Smale 1996). Second, many species are subjected to strong fishing pressures, reaching a status of growing importance (Hunsicker et al. 2010) presumably given the depletion of many groundfish stocks (Caddy and Rodhouse 1998).
Besides the study of their biological and ecological characteristics, cephalopods have been traditionally the focus of, so to say, “non-ortodoxus” research. These scientific approaches try to decipher several aspects of their lives that are of interest for a broad number of different fields, from psychological sciences, given the strong brain power of some octopus species, to robotics and camouflaging, given their semi-independent and smart be-suckered arms and their capacity to mimic their background. This variety of investigations has made cephalopods an enigmatic group of animals, and a topic certainly attractive for popular science writings. Thus, many researchers have made an effort to put black on white their knowledge in an accessible wording to audiences outside their scientific communities. Well-known examples are Richard Ellis’ bestseller on giant squid, and Anderson’s book on octopus’ smartness. However, there was a lack in the popular science literature providing an updated view of the recent research tackled worldwide on the broad spectrum of scientific topics related to octopus (and other cephalopods) biology, ecology, physiology, psychology etc.
Katherine Harmon Courage, a scientific freelance journalist and editor whose writing has made it into prestigious journals such as Scientific American and Nature among others, has a passionate interest in cephalopods and octopuses in particular. She runs a blog in Scientific American dedicated to cover “the adventures and discoveries with the Planet’s smartest cephalopods”. In her posts she depicts multiple aspects of the octopuses’ biology, ecology so as many other curiosities about their world, and this passion has now been completed with her first book entitled “OCTOPUS! The Most Mysterious Creature in the Sea” out from Current, a division of Penguin Random House. Katherine’s book is a delightful trip around the world describing the recent research developed and scientific discoveries performed in multiple laboratories working on several aspects from basic ecology to robotics and neuroscience. Written in an non-technical and accessible language, and sprinkled with humorous passages, the book is divided in eight chapters, each one focused on a specific scientific-related question, though read as a continuum through the animal’s life. Reporting from around the globe, the author embarks readers in a journey of experiences that starts in Spain and has stopovers in Italy, Greece, US, countries that traditionally have an historic interest in octopuses so as cultures tightly connected with this invertebrate.
However, octopuses’ garden is not all science. Katherine’s book is also a culinary experience. Besides being a fascinating and still mysterious creature for researching and engineering, pulpos, poulpes, piovres, takos, have been a delicacy in many cultures, and Mrs. Harmon Courage has taken a great advantage of this during the documentation for the manuscript. As a result of her experiences, many recipes from all the countries she visited are nicely merged in between OCTOPUS! pages inviting us to taste the dishes.
In summary, this new fresh contribution will be of interest for both nonscientific readers, that will be entertained discovering the complex world of this marvelous and sophisticated creature, and for researchers, that will be updated and might serve as an inspiration to continue to understanding this enigmatic invertebrate that has fascinated the humanity for centuries.


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Byzantines in Renaissance Italy
Jonathan Harris (Hellenic Institute, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom)
Traditionally, the fifteenth-century Byzantine exiles in Italy have been seen largely in terms of their contribution to the revival of Greek studies during the Renaissance. This can be traced in part to an enthusiastic outburst by the contemporary writer Leonardo Bruni, who claimed that one of them, Manuel Chrysoloras (d.1415), had restored to the Italians a knowledge of classical Greek, which had been lost for seven hundred years (Bruni, 431). The picture of the Byzantines as restorers of Greek letters was carried further in a famous passage by Edward Gibbon: ... the restoration of the Greek letters in Italy was prosecuted by a series of emigrants who were destitute of fortune and endowed with learning, or at least with language. From the terror or oppression of the Turkish arms, the natives of Thessalonica and Constantinople escaped to a land of freedom, curiosity and wealth ... I shall not attempt to enumerate the restorers of Grecian literature in the fifteenth century; and it may be sufficient to mention with gratitude the names of Theodore Gaza, of George of Trebizond, of John Argyropulus and Demetrius Chalcocondyles, who taught their native language in the schools of Florence and Rome (Gibbon, 7: 129-30). Yet the image of the Byzantine exiles as venerable scholars fleeing with their books under their arms represents both an exaggeration and an understatement. It exaggerates the part played by individual Byzantines in the revival of Greek learning in Italy, while ignoring the vast majority of the emigres, who were involved in no scholarly activity whatsoever. This article will look first at the wider phenomenon of Greek immigration to Italy in the fifteenth century, before turning to the question of the contribution of the Byzantines to the Italian Renaissance.
THE EXODUS TO ITALY
By 1400 it must have been clear to most Byzantines that what was left of their empire was doomed. The advance of the Ottoman Turks had left the capital, Constantinople, an island under siege, with only the Peloponnese and a few other isolated areas still under Byzantine rule. Constantinople itself had fallen into a state of ruinous decay far removed from its former glory. Hardly surprisingly, many Byzantines began to look towards the Christian West as a possible escape route from the inevitable. Italy was not only the closest, but it also offered a vibrant and progressive atmosphere which many Byzantine intellectuals contrasted favourably with their own ancient traditions and civilisation (Svevcvenko, 173-4; Geanakoplos, 'Byzantine looks at the Renaissance', 157-62). It was easiest for the wealthy and powerful, or those connected with court circles, to remove themselves to Italy. Theodore Palaeologus (d.1407), the brother of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II (1390-1425), for example, made arrangements with Venice that he should be received in Venetian territory if the Turks took Constantinople. Along with wealth and position, an added advantage was conversion to Latin Christianity, by accepting the authority of the Pope and the western version of the creed. A good example is Demetrius Kydones (c.1324-c.1398), a personal friend of Manuel II, who had converted to Catholicism at some point between 1355 and 1361. Sent to Italy as an ambassador in about 1381, Kydones spent most of his later years there, adopting Venetian citizenship and, as he put it, 'preferring to hear his country's bad news from abroad' (Chrysostomides, 411; Setton, 52-7). Prominent individuals like Theodore Palaeologus and Demetrius Kydones, however, do not constitute the whole picture. Many obscurer individuals were making their way to Italy, not only from Constantinople but also from the Greek-speaking areas ruled by the maritime republic of Venice: Crete, Corfu, Negroponte (Euboea), and the towns of Coron and Modon. For this reason, the largest number of immigrants was to be found in Venice.
THE GREEK COMMUNITIES IN VENICE AND SOUTHERN ITALY.
By about 1478 the Greek population of Venice stood at some four thousand people, mainly concentrated in the Castello area of the city. This rapidly growing presence prompted Cardinal Bessarion to remark that Venice was 'almost another Byzantium'. In 1470 the Greeks were given a wing of the church of San Biagio in which to worship in their own language. In 1514 they received permission to build a church of their own and this was completed, as San Giorgio dei Greci, in 1573 (Geanakoplos, Greek Scholars, 35-7, 60; Nicol, Byzantium and Venice, 415-17). Many of these people appear to have found employment connected with Venice's position as a naval and mercantile power. They provided rowers for Venetian galleys, and carpenters for the Arsenal or shipyard. Between 1400 and 1442 a dynasty of Greek shipwrights dominated the Arsenal, designing galleys for both trade and war. Others, however, worked as tailors and gold wire drawers, or joined the Stradioti, a regiment in Venetian service recruited entirely from Greeks. An exception was Anna Notaras, a Byzantine noblewoman who had come to Venice before 1453 and who died there at an advanced age in 1507. Possessed of immense wealth, Notaras was financially independent and able to support many of her fellow Greeks in her household (Harris, Greek Emigres, 85-6, 180-1, 203; Nicol, Byzantium and Venice, 415-16). The Greek presence in Italy was not restricted to Venice. That in southern Italy had existed long before the fifteenth century. The area had been colonised by the Greeks in the eighth century BC, and an influx of refugees from the Arab and Slav invasions in the seventh century AD had reinforced the Greek-speaking element. The Byzantine empire had ruled parts of Southern Italy until 1071. The successes of the Turks in the Balkans, led many Greeks and Albanians to cross the Adriatic in search of safety. Many settled in the countryside but a recognisable Greek community had established itself in Naples by the end of the century (Harris, Greek Emigres, 27-9).
ROME: THE POLITICAL EXILES.
While in terms of numbers Venice was the most important centre for the Greeks in Italy, it was in Rome that the high-profile Byzantine emigres tended to congregate. The first of these arrived in the wake of the Union of the Eastern and Western Churches, proclaimed at the Council of Florence in 1439. The Union was not unanimously accepted in Constantinople, and several prominent Byzantine bishops who had supported it found themselves the objects of deep animosity among their own people. Some of them left the Byzantine capital and ended up living in exile in Rome. Foremost among them was Bessarion, Metropolitan of Nicaea, who had led the pro-uniate clergy at the Council and whom the Pope had rewarded by making a Cardinal. Another was Isidore, Byzantine Metropolitan of Kiev, who had been imprisoned by the Russians when he brought news of the Union of Florence. He later escaped to Rome and was also promoted to Cardinal. Gregory Melissenos, Patriarch of Constantinople, also fled to Rome in 1450. The victories of the Ottoman Turks sent others to Rome to seek the charity of the Pope. Constantinople itself fell in May 1453, and in the summer of 1460 the Sultan invaded and occupied the Byzantine-ruled Peloponnese. One of the rulers or Despots of the Peloponnese, Thomas Palaeologus, brother of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI (1449-53), fled to Corfu with his family and then crossed alone to Italy. Arriving in Rome in March 1461, he threw himself on the mercy of the Pope, Pius II. Pius granted Thomas a lodging and an annual pension which he enjoyed until his death in 1465. The pope also arranged for Thomas's children to join him in Rome. On Thomas's death his eldest son, Andreas Palaeologus (1453-1502), was recognised by the Pope as the legitimate heir to the Byzantine Morea, and his education, along with that of his younger siblings, Manuel and Zoe, was entrusted to Cardinal Bessarion. Andreas, however, was the only one to remain in Rome. Zoe married Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow in 1472, and Manuel departed for Constantinople in 1476. Andreas achieved his majority in 1474, but his life thereafter was a sad affair. He was constantly short of money and spent many years travelling the courts of Europe in search of charity. Both contemporaries and modern scholars have blamed his penury on his own extravagance. Recent research, however, suggests that the real cause of Andreas's poverty was the constant curtailment of his pension by the papal treasury, which had been drained by the pope's involvement in costly Italian wars. Andreas died in Rome in 1502 (Runciman, 181-4; Nicol, Last Centuries, 398-401; Harris, `Worthless prince', 537-54).
Thus the Greek emigres who reached Italy during the fifteenth century were by no means all scholars: they ranged from exiled royalty to carpenters and mercenaries. Yet there can be no doubt that some of them played an important part in spreading a knowledge of the classical Greek language and ancient Greek literature in Italy. There was a good reason for this: reading classical Greek and even composing in the same style were an integral part of Byzantine higher education. Whereas in the West secular education had tended to die out in the early Middle Ages, in Byzantium it was sustained. In each generation, those who took their education beyond the age of fourteen would be instructed in the works of the ancient Greek poets, historians, dramatists and philosophers. Thus any educated Byzantine in the imperial service would have had a knowledge of these works which would have been the envy of many educated Italians, who were now starting to take an interest in ancient Greek literature (Constantinides, 1-2). Manuel Chrysoloras arrived in Italy at the end of the fourteenth century. He came not as a teacher or a scholar, but as an envoy of the Byzantine emperor, charged with negotiating western assistance for the beleaguered empire. In 1391, however, while staying in Venice, he gave some lessons in Greek to a certain Roberto Rossi, who then passed an enthusiastic account of his teacher to Coluccio Salutati (1331-1406), the Chancellor of Florence. So impressed was Salutati that he decided to secure Chrysoloras's services, and in 1396 invited him to teach grammar and Greek literature at University of Florence. Chrysoloras only occupied this post between 1397 and 1400, but in that period had a tremendous effect. Among his pupils were numbered some of the foremost figures of the revival of Greek studies in renaissance Italy, including Guarino da Verona (1374-1460) and Pallas Strozzi (1372-1462). Chrysoloras was not the only one to receive such a welcome. When George Gemistos Plethon attended the Council of Florence in 1439, his lectures on the differences between the work of Plato and Aristotle were eagerly received and prompted the later comment of Marsilio Ficino (1433-99) that Plethon had brought the spirit of Plato from the Byzantine empire to Italy (Thompson, 78; Setton, 57-8; Brown, 389-90; Woodhouse, 171-88). The success of Chrysoloras and Plethon cannot have gone unnoticed by other members of the Byzantine ruling classes, eager to escape to the West, and others were soon following in his footsteps. John Argyropoulos, an official in the service of one of the rulers of the Byzantine Morea, was sent to Italy in 1456 on a diplomatic mission. He too was offered the chance to teach in Florence and he accepted with alacrity, remaining in Italy until his death in 1487. Other cities also attracted Byzantines to teach Greek: Theodore Gaza of Thessalonica taught at Ferrara, Naples and Rome, Demetrius Chalkondyles of Athens at Padua, Florence and Milan (Geanakoplos, Constantinople and the West, 72-87, 91-113; Geanakoplos, 'The discourse', 118-44; Harris, Greek Emigres, pp. 122-3). Of no less importance than the teaching activity of these individuals, however, were their translations from Greek into Latin. Early in the fifteenth century, Manuel Chrysoloras co-operated with Uberto Decembrio (d.1427) to produce a Latin version of Plato's Republic, and in Rome the process of translation was specifically encouraged by Popes Nicholas V (1447-55) and Sixtus IV (1471-84). Under papal patronage, George of Trebizond produced Latin versions of Plato's Laws and, together with Theodore Gaza, of a large part of the Aristotelian corpus. The availability of these texts in Latin opened them up to a much wider readership (Monfasani, Collectio, 698-754; Geanakoplos, Constantinople and the West, 79-82; Wilson, 76-8; Setton, 78-80).
THE DEBATE OVER PLATO
In addition to teaching and translating, the Byzantine scholars were also at the centre of the debate over the merits and meaning of works of the ancient Greek philosophers, particularly those of Plato. Unavailable in western Europe for most of the Middle Ages, Plato's works were now much more accessible thanks to the Latin translations of Manuel Chrysoloras, George of Trebizond and others. Renaissance Italy was particularly receptive to the ideas of Plato because political attitudes had been changing during the fifteenth century, as interest in the values which had been used to underpin the traditional concept of citizenship declined. In the past, the highest duty of the citizen had been considered to be that of involving himself in civic affairs, a notion that is prominent is the works of Cicero and Aristotle. Now a life of contemplative withdrawal and disengagement from political life was coming to be seen as praiseworthy. Politics were to be left rather to those who had been educated to pursue them, among whom the ruler or the prince was paramount. It is no coincidence that the later fifteenth century saw the writing of numerous `mirrors of princes', such as Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince, all of which sought to define the qualities and education needed by the successful ruler. In this climate, Plato's Republic, which advocates rule by educated and wise guardians and which has little time for universal participation in political life, was likely to be of great interest. There was, however, one factor which prevented Plato from being as widely read as he might have been. While the philosophy of Aristotle could be reconciled with Christian theology without too much difficulty, there were several aspects of Platonic thought which could not. In the Republic, for example, Plato clearly espoused the doctrine of metempsychosis, the transmigration of souls, an idea completely at odds with the Christian teaching that, after death, souls await resurrection and judgement. Plato also advocated the sharing of wives and euthanasia, both of which are unacceptable to Christians (Hankins, Plato, i. 3-26; Monfasani, 'Platonic paganism', 45-61; Hankins, 'Humanism', 124). During the 1450s and 1460s a debate raged in Rome as to whether it was legitimate for Christians to read Plato, and the community of Greek scholars was at the centre of the controversy. The household of Cardinal Bessarion, close to the church of the Holy Apostles, became a meeting place for Greek and Italian scholars, often known as the `Academy', where this issue could be discussed. The foremost opponent of Platonic studies was George of Trebizond. Although he had translated Plato in the past, in 1458 George wrote a strongly worded denunciation of him, entitled Comparisons of Aristotle and Plato, in which he claimed that Plato's ideas led inevitably to immorality and heresy, and denounced any attempt to reconcile Platonism with Christianity. To prove his point, he cited Bessarion's teacher, George Gemistos Plethon, who he claimed had been led by reading Plato to abjure Christianity and to turn to the worship of the old Olympian gods (Monfasani, George of Trebizond, 201-29; Hankins, Plato, i. 165-92). In response, Bessarion and other members of his circle became some of the most prominent champions of the works of Plato against those who favoured the more traditionally acceptable Aristotle. In 1469, Bessarion to published his Against the Calumniator of Plato, the 'calumniator' being George Trebizond. In this work, Bessarion sought to defend Plato by stressing those areas of his thought which were reconcilable with Christianity. Those which were not, like Plato's ideal state, with its communal sharing of property and wives, he presented as ideals, unattainable in a fallen world. His championship of Plato proved to be extremely successful. By expounding Plato's thought in Latin, Against the Calumniator made it accessible to a much wider readership, and by stressing the points of agreement both with Aristotle and with Christian doctrine, it helped to make its study respectable and to encourage the development of Platonic studies in Italy (Setton, 73; Wilson, 57-67; Hankins, Plato, i. 217-63).
SCRIBES AND PRINTERS
An exclusive emphasis on Bessarion and the other high-profile scholars like Chrysoloras and Argyropoulos would be to ignore the vast number of lesser-known individuals who made a significant contribution to the spread of a knowledge of classical Greek in Italy. These were the scribes who patiently copied manuscripts of the Greek texts, and later those who assisted in preparing those texts for printing. The scribes were often obscure individuals known only from the signatures or colophons which they appended to the manuscripts they copied. One example is Demetrius Trivolis, a native of the Peloponnese, who made a copy of Homer's Odyssey for Bessarion in Rome in 1469. One of the most prolific was the Cretan priest, John Rhossos, who spent some fifty years in Italy copying books for Bessarion and other patrons. Many of these scribes may have originally come to Italy as destitute refugees, and copied manuscripts to earn their living (Harris, Greek Emigres, 127, 134). Bessarion's death in 1472 would have robbed these scribes of their patron, but in one respect it assisted the diffusion of Greek texts. Many moved from Italy in search of employment elsewhere. Andronicus Kontovlakas went to Basel, George Hermonymos to Paris, and John Servopoulos to Reading in England, where they earned their living by teaching Greek and copying manuscripts for wealthy patrons (Harris, 'Greek scribes', 121-6). Another of Bessarion's legacies was even more far reaching. In 1469 he presented his immense library of 800 volumes, many of them copied by the scribes, to the church of St. Mark in Venice. Bessarion chose Venice partly because he considered it the most politically stable and secure of the Italian city states, and partly because it had offered a refuge for so many of his fellow Greeks. With the advent of printing in the 1490s, the Italian printer Aldus Manutius established a Greek press in Venice. The choice of location no doubt dictated by the availability of Greek texts in the library of St. Mark's, for Manutius based his editions on these books. Once again, however, obscure individuals played their part. Manutius made use of the large pool of native Greek speakers provided by the Greek community to assist him in the preparation of texts for publication. It was with the help of émigré Greeks like Demetrius Doukas and Mark Mousouros, that Manutius produced printed editions of nearly all the works of the major Greek authors of antiquity before 1515, thus ensuring their survival for posterity. (Geanakoplos, Greek Scholars, 116-20; Wilson, 62-7, 127-48; Labowsky, 3-91).
The traditional picture of the Byzantine exiles in fifteenth-century Italy, as painted by Gibbon, does represent something of an exaggeration. It ignores the fact that Greek studies had not been entirely moribund in the previous century, as Bruni claimed, and stresses the role of a small number of individuals. At the same time, it underestimates the role of the army of obscure Greek scribes and printers who did so much to bring about the multiplication of the necessary texts, and forgets that the scholars were part of a wider influx of refugees, many of whom were involved in no literary activity whatsoever. Yet by their teaching, translation, and involvement in scholarly debate, the Byzantine scholars helped to transfer to Italy an aspect of their own culture, ancient Greek literature, which was in turn to have a profound influence on the literature and thought of early modern Europe (Geanakoplos, Greek Scholars, 20-2; Setton, 44-5; Wilson, 1-7; Brown, 383-413; Hankins, 'Humanism', 131-2).
BROWN, Alison, 'Platonism in fifteenth century Florence and its contribution to early modern political thought', Journal of Modern History 58, no.2 (1986): 383-413.
BRUNI, LEONARDO, Rerum suo Tempore Gestarum Commentarius, Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, New Series 19.3 (Città di Castello and Bologna: Casa Editrice S. Lapi, 1914-26), 407-69.
CHRYSOSTOMIDES, J. (ed.), Monumenta Peloponnesiaca. Documents for the History of the Peloponnese in the 14th and 15th Centuries (Camberley: Porphyrogenitus, 1995).
CONSTANTINIDES, C.N., Higher Education in Byzantium in the Thirteenth and Early Fourteenth Centuries, 1204-c.1310 (Nicosia: Cyprus Research Centre, 1982).
DILLER, Aubrey, 'Three Greek scribes working for Bessarion: Trivizias, Callistus, Hermonymos', Italia Mediovale e Umanistica 10 (1967): 403-10.
GEANAKOPLOS, Deno J., 'A Byzantine looks at the Renaissance', Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 1, no.2 (1958): 157-62.
-----, Constantinople and the West (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989).
-----, `The discourse of Demetrius Chalcondyles on the inauguration of Greek studies at the University of Padua', Studies in the Renaissance 21 (1974): 118-44.
-----, Greek Scholars in Venice (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 1962).
-----, Interaction of the `Sibling' Byzantine and Western Cultures in the Middle Ages and Italian Renaissance (330-1600) (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1976).
GIBBON, Edward, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, ed. J.B. Bury (London: Methuen, 1926, 2nd ed.), 7 vols.
HANKINS, J., 'Humanism and the origins of modern political thought', The Cambridge Companion to Renaissance Humanism, ed. Jill Kraye (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1997), 118-41.
-----, Plato in the Italian Renaissance, 2 vols (Leiden: Brill, 1990)
HARRIS, Jonathan, Greek Emigres in the West, 1400-1520 (Camberley: Porphyrogenitus, 1995).
-----, 'Greek scribes in England: the evidence of episcopal registers', in Through the Looking Glass: Byzantium through British Eyes, ed. Robin Cormack and Elizabeth Jeffreys, Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies, Publications 7 (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2000), 121-6
-----, 'A worthless prince? Andreas Palaeologus in Rome, 1465-1502', Orientalia Christiana Periodica 61 (1995): 537-54.
KELLER, A., 'Two Byzantine scholars and their reception in Italy', Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes 20 (1957): 363-70.
LABOWSKY, L., Bessarion's Library and the Bibliotheca Marciana. Six early Inventories (Rome: Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 1979)
MONFASANI, John, George of Trebizond (Leiden: Brill, 1976).
----- (ed.), Collectanea Trapezuntiana. Texts, Documents, and Bibliographies of George Trebizond (Binghampton NY: Renaissance Society of America, 1984).
-----, 'Platonic paganism in the fifteenth century', in Reconsidering the Renaissance, ed. M.A. di Cesare (Binghampton NY: Center for Medieval and Early Renaissance Studies, 1992), 45-61 and reprinted in Monfasani, Byzantine Scholars in Renaissance Italy: Cardinal Bessarion and Other Emigres (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1995), No.X
NICOL, Donald M., Byzantium and Venice. A Study in Diplomatic and Cultural Relations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988).
-----, The Last Centuries of Byzantium (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993, 2nd ed.).
RUNCIMAN, Steven, The Fall of Constantinople, 1453 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965).
SETTON, Kenneth M., `The Byzantine background to the Italian Renaissance', Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 100, no.1 (1956): 1-76, and reprinted in Setton, Europe and the Levant in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (London: Variorum, 1974), No. I.
SvEVCvENKO, I, `The decline of Byzantium as seen by its intellectuals', Dumbarton Oaks Papers 15 (1961): 169-86.
THOMSON, I., `Manuel Chrysoloras and the Early Italian Renaissance', Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies 7, no.1 (1966): 63-82.
WILSON, N.G., From Byzantium to Italy. Greek Studies in the Italian Renaissance (London: Duckworth, 1992).
WOODHOUSE, C.M., George Gemistos Plethon - The Last of the Hellenes (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986).
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For fun, I like to liven-up the "black box"/machine view of a function by putting a monkey into the box. (I got pretty good at chalkboard-sketching a monkey that looked a little bit like Curious George, but with a tail.)
Give the Function Monkey an input and he'll cheerfully give you an output. The Function Monkey is smart enough to read and follow rules, and make computations, but he's not qualified to make decisions: his rules must provide for exactly one output for a given input. (Never let a Monkey choose!)
You can continue the metaphor by discussing the monkey's "domain" as the inputs he understands (what he can control); giving him an input outside his domain just confuses and frightens him ... or, depending upon the nature of the audience, kills him. (What? You gave the Reciprocal Monkey a Zero? You killed the Function Monkey!) Of course, it's probably more appropriate to say that the Function Monkey simply ignores such inputs, but students seem to like the drama. (As warnings go, "Don't kill the Function Monkey!" gets more attention than "Don't bore the Function Monkey!")
The Function Monkey comes in handy later when you start graphing functions: imagine that the x-axis is covered with coconuts (one coconut per "x" value). The Function Monkey strolls along the axis, picks up a "x" coconut, computes the associated "y" value (because that's what he does), and then throws the coconut up (or down) the appropriate height above (or below) the axis, where it magically sticks (or hovers or whatever). So, if you ever want to plot a function, just "Be a Function Monkey and throw some coconuts around". (Warning: Students may insist that that's not a coconut the Monkey is throwing.)
Further on, you can make the case that we're smarter than monkeys (at least, we should strive to be): We don't always have to mindlessly plot points to know what the graph of an equation looks like; we can sometimes anticipate the outcome by studying the equation. This motivates manipulating an equation to tease out clues about the shape of its graph, explaining, for instance, our interest in the slope-intercept form of a line equation (and the almost-never-taught intercept-intercept form, which I personally like a lot), the special forms of conic section equations (which aren't all functions, of course), and all that stuff related to translations and scaling.
Parametric equations can be presented as a way to let the Function Monkey plot elaborate curves ... both in the plane and in space (and beyond).
All in all, I find that the Function Monkey can make the course material more engaging without dumbing it down; he provides a fun way to interpret the definitions and behaviors of functions, not a way to avoid them. Now, is the Function Monkey too cutesy for a College Algebra class? My high school students loved him, even at the Calculus level. One former student told me that he would often invoke the Function Monkey when tutoring his college peers. If it's clear to the students that the instructor isn't trying to patronize them, the Function Monkey may prove quite helpful.


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Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is common among children, with up to 25% of children with RAP experiencing pain that interferes with their daily life. It is a diagnosis which is given once all other serious conditions have been ruled out, and is classified as pain that has no other identifiable cause. RAP is also associated with other symptoms including headaches, limb pain, and vomiting, and can lead to school absences, hospital admissions, and a higher chance of appendix removal.
The cause of RAP is unclear, and parents have often tried everything they can think of before taking their child to the...Read more


In daily life, more and more people pay attention to their own health problems. In particular, many young people choose to exercise to ensure their health. However, there are many kinds of sports. Some studies have shown that compared with Running and swimming, people who play tennis often may live for ten years. Do you know why?
A recent new study says that tennis may be the “healest” sport compared to other sports; the average life expectancy of those who regularly play tennis is extended by almost 10 years compared to the “sitting” crowd who never exercised…
Based on 8557 Danishes aged 20-93, followed by 25 years of habits and health status data, the above conclusions were analyzed.
The study covered eight sports methods. Compared with people who never exercise, playing tennis often extends the life expectancy of 9.7 years, ranking first. The remaining 7 sports were badminton, 6.2 years; football, 4.7 years; cycling, 3.7 years; swimming, 3.4 years; jogging, 3.2 years; aerobics, 3.1 years;
Why is tennis? Researchers have proposed two possible explanations.
First, to some extent, this is related to tennis helping to promote good social relationships. Obviously, jogging, swimming, cycling, fitness, etc. can all be exercised alone, while tennis, badminton, and football require partners and even teams. This first needs to find a partner, and even participate in a certainly fixed society, such as tennis team, badminton team and so on. Regular meetings with teammates can give you a sense of security, belonging and social support, and form a good social relationship.
Second, the comprehensive exercise of tennis needs to fully mobilize the muscles of the whole body. It belongs to a kind of high-intensity interval training, and the health benefits of this exercise mode have been proved to be superior to the single rhythm and continuous exercise mode. According to a study, high-intensity interval training can delay or even reverse cell aging, and is more anti-aging than strength training.
In every sport, there are many benefits to your health. If you have a choice, you can choose to play tennis as much as possible. Because playing tennis regularly can fully mobilize the muscles of your body and let your blood pack slow down the aging process. Playing tennis at the same time can also promote good social relationships and keep people happy every day.


Pryor, a second-generation senator, is holding off a fierce challenge from conservative idol Tom Cotton.
We had heard rumors that fierce Chechens might now come through the “humanitarian corridor.”
There will be fierce resistance from congressional hawks as well as invested members of the military-industrial complex.
Those who underestimated you now recognize a fierce friend or competitor.
He was a born storyteller, a fierce friend, and an even fiercer enemy.
The fierce red glare that lit the southern sky was ever mounting higher.
When a woman loves a fierce man she takes the risk of his fierceness.
The overseer cast a fierce but embarrassed look at the Creole.
She could be fierce and wicked; she is ignorant and bitter about many things; I am afraid for her.
It did not turn out to be so prolonged or so fierce a conflict as he had apprehended.
mid-13c., "proud, noble, bold," from Old French fers, nominative form of fer, fier "strong, overwhelming, violent, fierce, wild; proud, mighty, great, impressive" (Modern French fier "proud, haughty"), from Latin ferus "wild, untamed," from PIE root *ghwer- "wild, wild animal" (cf. Greek ther, Old Church Slavonic zveri, Lithuanian zveris "wild beast").
Original English sense of "brave, proud" died out 16c., but caused the word at first to be commonly used as an epithet, which accounts for the rare instance of a French word entering English in the nominative case. Meaning "ferocious, wild, savage" is from c.1300. Related: Fiercely; fierceness.
Nasty; unpleasant; awful: Gee, it was fierce of me (1903+)


Grab your sunglasses -- or, maybe your night vision goggles -- and get ready to see a bigger and brighter moon.
A "super moon" is moving into the night sky this weekend. The moon will appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter, to be exact, Friday and Saturday.
Storm Team 4 Meteorologist Tom Kierein says the moon will be about 30,000 miles closer to the Earth, making it a summer-sight worth looking up for.
— Tom Kierein (@TomKierein) July 11, 2014
Super moons, technically called perigee full moons, occur about every 14 months. There was one widely reported super moon last June, but there will be at least two more this summer -- mark your calendars for Aug. 10 and Sept. 9.


My grandmother's doctor said she might have legionnaires pneumonia. I looked up the odds that I could get it from visiting her. Has anyone heard of that winding up in hospitals in New York? I know the disease was going around Syracuse, but i don't know about the pneumonia.
Generally the incidence is linked to exposure to air-conditioning systems on the industrial scale that not regularly cleaned and are good breeding grounds for the legionaires. The typical prevention cleaning includes flushing with a highly chlorinated water.
Most hospitals don't have "central air". Cooled water runs through a pipe into a radiator like unit inside the room where a fan blows air across the coils. This way there's no sharing of recirculated air from room to room and floor to floor.
If the hospital where she stays or works has central A/C the odds are they have an upgraged filter sytem with black lights in the ducts to kill or capture bacteria. If not then anythings possible.
More worrysome is drug resistant tuberculosis.
Good Luck! (+ info
What is the common and scientific name for Legionnaires Disease?? PLease Help!! School project!!!!!
This is a water carrier disease in that it breeds where water is present like in an air conditioning System. It's called several names but legionnela bacteria is good enough. Go to Med.com health for more info. (+ info
Is it possible to get a legionnaires disease from a oldish warm opened water bottle?
oldish as in maybe less than a day old. But then again it was was very hot and humid outside.
Legionellosis infection normally occurs after inhaling an aerosol (suspension of fine particles in air) containing Legionella bacteria. Such particles could originate from any infected water source. When mechanical action breaks the surface of the water, small water droplets are formed, which evaporate very quickly. If these droplets contain bacteria, the bacteria cells remain suspended in the air, invisible to the naked eye but small enough to be inhaled into the lungs. This often occurs in poorly ventilated areas such as prisons where a condensating air conditioner can spread it throughout the entire room, infecting anyone not immune to the strand of bacteria. Potential sources of such contaminated water include cooling towers used in industrial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, whirlpool spas, architectural fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment, and similar disseminators that draw upon a public water supply. The disease may also be spread in a hot tub if the filtering system is defective.  Freshwater ponds, creeks, and ornamental fountains are also potential sources of Legionella. The disease is particularly associated with hotels, cruise ships and hospitals with old, poorly maintained pipework and cooling systems. When the disease is caused by contact with the organism in a hospital, it is called a "nosocomial infection." (+ info
What precautions are necessary to prevent the spread of Legionnaires disease to other patients in the ward?
legionnaires disease is a water-based respiratory infection. if the infection arose in the ward, search for and get rid of any and all standing water (check inside, under and behind air conditioners, refridgeration units and the like for condensation puddles) Breathing in water vapours containing the pathogen is the most common vector.
if the patient came into the ward with legionnaires, then it's much easier. the pathogen cannot survive for long periods of time in open air, so simply ensure that they have some privacy from the other patients, and have all staff treating them wear masks to prevent possible infection and cross-contamination. (+ info
Can you get legionnaires disease from a window airconditioner?
I would imagine that you could, but i think it would be rare. I have never heard of it happening. The only case i have ever heard of actually is a bunch of people getting it from a fountain in a restauraunt. (+ info
Is it possible that Bernie Mac was killed by Legionnaires disease rather than pneumonia?
Doubtful. They would have tested for Legionnaire's disease since it is so similar to pneumonia. He died from complications of pneumonia, which is very unfortunate. (+ info
What antibiotics help treat Legionnaires Disease? (moxifloxacin HCI?)?
Does Avelox's Moxifloxacin HCI help treat Legionnaires Disease?
it can help with pneumonia so I was wondering if it can help with that too.
Yes moxifloxacin has been effective for treating LD. Newer macrolides like azithromycin has also been effective. Antibiotics that are effective must be able to achieve high intracellular concentrations. These include drugs out of the following classes: macrolides, quinolones, ketolides, tetracyclines, and rifampin. (+ info
can some one get Legionnaires' disease just by drinking contaminated water?
from what i read it had to be breathed in.
How Legionnaires' disease is spread
Legionellosis infection occurs after inhaling water droplets that originated from a water source contaminated with Legionella. It must be inhaled through a fine aerosol of tiny water droplets that are strung with the bacteria. This often comes from poorly ventilated areas such as prisons where a condensating air conditioner can spread it throughout the entire room, infecting anyone not immune to the strand of bacteria. Potential sources of such contaminated water include cooling towers used in industrial cooling water systems as well as in large central air conditioning systems, evaporative coolers, hot water systems, showers, whirlpool spas, architectural fountains, room-air humidifiers, ice making machines, misting equipment and similar disseminators that draw upon a public water supply. The disease may also be spread in a hot tub if the filtering system is defective.  Freshwater ponds, creeks, and ornamental fountains are also potential sources of Legionella. (+ info
Is it dangerous to leave your water heater off. I mean like for bacterial growth like legionnaires disease.
I have a 40 gallon tank, it's in an unairconditioned area 80-100 degrees during the day.
Legionnaires' Disease lives in warm/hot water. Is your water source chlorinated? It should be OK if it is. I don't know why your water heater is off, but it will have to totally re-heat all that water every day which is energy intensive. Maybe you should look into one of those smaller new water heaters that only heat what you will use. (+ info
What is the incubation period for legionnaires' disease ?, and how can it be contracted....?
The disease presents as a rapidly progressive, severe, necrotizing pneumonia, accompanied by fever, nonproductive cough, and myalgias.
The onset is abrupt, after an incubation period of 2 to 10 days.
Within 2 days, most patients develop a persistent high fever and respiratory rales.
It involves primarily the lower respiratory tract, although it is often associated with multi-systemic extrapulmonary manifestations. Afflicted patients may sometimes have gastrointestinal symptoms, liver function abnormalities, renal failure , central nervous system complications and cutaneous manifestations which may include erythematous, maculopapular or petechial skin lesions.
Those who abuse alcohol and smoke heavily are also at increased risk.
The organism has been recovered from soils, ponds, water systems, and air conditioning systems. (+ info
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Not every child is an automatic reader – those kids who seem to pick up reading as easily as blinking and smiling, and who always seem to have books tucked under their arms (if not held in front of their faces). If you have a reluctant reader, or your child likes to read but needs extra help understanding the stories behind the words, try these free printable worksheets and goal charts that can take the chore and bore out of reading.
- Bookmark Minutes – Print these bookmarks and have your child record the minutes he spends reading on each line, either for each day or for each time he sits down to read the book. Even reluctant readers or kids who struggle with reading can feel successful when they can count minutes, instead of pages, that they spent reading.
- Chapter Chart – Sometimes reading chapter books can be daunting tasks for kids who are either struggling to read or for those who just haven’t been caught up in the excitement of books yet. Sometimes kids simply feel too much pressure to enjoy reading that they think they have to enjoy everything they read. This chart encourages kids to think about each chapter, and gives them permission not to like it.
- Basic Reading Chart – This chart encourages kids to record the titles of the books they read, and each book helps them get to their goal of reading 5 books. You can work with your kids to determine how long it might take to read those 5 books, and whether or not there will be a small token reward at the end of each book. This could even be a sticker to put on the step, a new bookmark, or you could just let the reading be the reward.
- Chain of Events – When kids start to read books that involve bigger plots, it can be helpful to have them think about all of the details that make up the story. When they can recognize details in the stories they read, they will also improve their writing abilities. Details work together, just like a chain of events – and reading can unlock so many doors!
- Following Clues – One of the skills that older readers can develop is how to follow clues in a story. Sometimes as kids read they just aren’t sure which clues might be needed to solve the mystery or problem. Have them record the clues they think they find along the way, but also make sure they go back and look at the clues they recorded after they read the story to see if they would make a good reading detective!
[I originally shared these at BetterParenting.com]


The Mindful Dino Crew Course
A six session program for teaching mindfulness to children
Benefits of a mindfulness practise
* Increased awareness of emotions, thoughts and body
* Increased attention and ability to focus
* Self regulation and skills for calming mind and body
* Emotional literacy to be able to communicate how you are feeling
*Compassion and kindness for self and others
Mindfulness is an awareness of what is happening right now in our inner world and outer world. It is a skill that helps us respond to situations instead of just reacting. Research shows mindfulness can develop self confidence, resilience, executive functioning skills, patience and regulation of emotions during stressful situations.
During each session of the MDC course children will learn about an important aspect of mindfulness, practise tools and techniques that they can implement, participate in hands on activities and take home a related MDC book so that they can continue their learning journey with their family.
Illuminate Wellness Studio
in Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
MDC Mindfulness Classes
Message to book private classes for your kids at our studio in Sheung Wan.
Each MDC Course session includes...
Session 1- What is Mindfulness?
Children are introduced to the practise of mindfulness, identify our inner and outer worlds and learn some basic neuroscience about how our brain works. We will explore our reactions and practise the 'Freeze and Breathe' technique to respond to stressful situations. We will read, discuss and take home the book Dactyl Joins the Crew.
Session 2- Attention
What is attention, how does it feel and how can we do it? We practise the skill of paying attention by developing the awareness of our senses, finding our 'anchors' and hands on activities that bring us into the present moment. We will read, discuss and take home the book Rap Can't Keep Still!
Session 3- Emotions
We will revisit our lesson on neuroscience to understand how and why emotions are created in our brain, the effect emotions have on our body and tools that help us regulate our emotions. We will practise breathing techniques and other practises that help us calm emotions. We will read, discuss and take home the book Baby T is Angry!
Session 4- Mindful Movement
Being aware of what is happening in our bodies and being able to describe how we are feeling are important aspects of mindfulness. We we practise mindful movement skills such as body control, matching breath to movement, attention, tension and relaxation. We will explore how yoga poses and moving our bodies can change our emotions. We will read, discuss and take home the book Tara Doesn't Dance.
Session 5- Thoughts and Worries
Our thoughts can have a powerful affect on our body and it can feel like they are the ones in control. We can practise being aware of our thoughts, sharing our thoughts and changing them to be more positive. We will learn about having a growth mindset and practise techniques to calm our minds when we are stressed or worried. We will read, discuss and take home the book Brac's Busy Brain.
Session 6- Heartfulness
Heartfulness is a feeling of wellbeing that comes from compassion, kindness, empathy and gratitude practises. It is that warm, fuzzy feeling that you get inside when you do something nice. It leads to better social and emotional skills and relationships, and it is good for our health! We will participate in heartfulness practises and learn how we can use these skills during times of stress or unpleasant feelings. We will read, discuss and take home the book Anky is Feeling Blue.
Time for children to learn through play and interaction with our wellness resources and stations set up in the studio. Children will be guided through inquiry by questions asked by the teacher.
Structured circle time
A time to share ideas, learn about a topic, ask questions and reflect. This includes a shared reading of MDC books, completing worksheets, viewing related media, reflection and discussions.
Let's learn about our bodies and minds. Children will participate in yoga poses, mindfulness exercises and breathing techniques. We discuss emotions and learn tools that promote self regulation and social skills.
arts and crafts
A creative piece to take home after the session to share with your family. Each art or craft is connected to the topic and helps children develop their understanding. We hope children will share their learning with others after leaving the studio.


Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?
David Raup 1991 W.W. Norton and Company
This book deals with the issue of "survival of the fittest" and mass extinctions. Are the survivors of extinctions necessarily better adapted than the species that were exterminated? It includes a survey of the history of life, a discussion of randomness, and an examination of the circumstances known about the five major mass extinctions.


In today’s media reports about mental illness, there is a tendency to emphasize a supposed link between violence and mental illness. News stories regularly suggest that there is a strong connection between mental illness and crime. But the majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses. In fact, people with a mental illness are more likely to be the victims, rather than the perpetrators of violence.
In this section, you will find the real facts about how violence relates to mental illness. With an improved understanding of the issue, you can help to dispel hurtful myths propagated by the media and reduce the social stigma surrounding mental illness.


Who would have thought the 5Ws and one H of middle school would come in handy as you navigate this thing called parenting? Not this mama. But the truth is, the who, what, where, when, why, and how of your youth simply cannot better define the onslaught of questions that come from the moment you become a parent. Things like, how do I get my baby to sleep? Or is there a wrong time to introduce solids? As for the latter, I have answers: Here's how introducing solids to your baby too early can affect them later in life.
“For breastfed babies, we recommend waiting until 6 months before introducing solids," Dr. S. Daniel Ganjian, pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Romper. "For formula fed babies, we introduce solids at 4 months old. The reason we wait two extra months for breastfed kids is that breast milk is so nutritious that we want the child to get as many vitamins and antibodies from mother's milk as possible."
Dr. Gina Posner, a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, agrees, adding that part of the reason for the wait time is that babies still have a tongue thrust reflex which causes them to push the food out of their mouth. "They can also aspirate on the food," Posner tells Romper in an email interview. "Introducing too early can also lead to an increased risk of obesity. It can also upset their belly since it is not ready for food yet."
In addition to the dangerous risks involved in feeding a baby too early, Steve Scheetz, author of the forthcoming Homemade Baby Food: Developing Smarter, Healthier, Non-Picky Eaters and owner of Moonbow Baby, says the long-term effects are just as troublesome.
"Prior to 4 months old, a baby’s gut has not yet matured enough to have the proper enzymes and bacteria to break down food properly, which can cause them to not absorb the necessary nutrients," Scheetz says. "This can lead to fat deposition and intestinal inflammation. Those are science-y terms to mean feeding your baby solid foods too early can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life."
Ganjian notes that it's also important to wait to give children honey — no earlier than 1 year old — because of the risk for botulism, and also avoid cows’ milk before the age of 1 because a baby's kidneys cannot process it correctly.
"We used to say avoid giving highly allergic foods like nut products and seafood products until the child was older, but the latest research has shown that the earlier introduction of such foods can actually decrease the chances of developing allergies later on in life," Ganjian says. "The one exception is if someone in the immediate family has severe anaphylaxis to those foods, then ask your pediatrician when it is safe to introduce the foods."
Ganjian says the order of introduction to foods is first baby cereals, then vegetables, then meat purée, and, lastly, fruits. "The reason being is that some kids like the sweet taste of fruits and refuse to try anything new that is not as sweet," he says. "If fruits are introduced last, it is less likely for your child to develop this sugar addiction."
Molly Mills, a registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) says it's also important to keep in mind that the first few months of starting solids should be about tastes and textures, not quantity. "We lose track of this when we have jars or packets to finish, or if we are spoon-feeding at our pace rather than baby's pace," she says. "This is where we can unintentionally override babies' natural cues for hunger and satiety, which can affect them later in life."
Mills says this is an opportunity for parents to reframe how they think about starting solids, instead thinking of it as a way to help babies get used to the process and ritual of eating, like exploring tastes and textures, or stopping when they're full. "The focus can then remain on being responsive when it comes to feeding and eating, and we can teach our babies to be more in tune with their feelings of hunger and satisfaction, which sets up good eating habits throughout life.”
And keep in mind: Questions are a part of this whole parenting thing. So, if you have them, then don't be afraid to ask the right healthcare professionals for their expertise.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.


I have a modem connecting to ADSL2 network and a router connecting to the modem. The rest of the machines all connect to the router.
The modem has IP as 192.168.1.1 and the router's IP is 192.168.0.1. From the modem configuration, I can see that the modem thinks the router's IP is 192.168.1.2. I can visit the router by either using 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.2.
Now I forward a port from the router to a private machine. It works. I can test it by typing 192.168.1.2 and it is redirected to the private machine. But if I use 192.168.0.1, it is still the router's configuration page.
I also do a port forwarding on my modem. Since the modem sees only the router, I can only forward the port to the router's specific port. And I am thinking that by doing this, I can reach the private machine after two times port forwarding, once on the modem and once on the router.
I also have a static public IP. I want to achieve the goal that when someone types the public IP, he will be redirected to the private machine. But when I use some online port forwarding tester, the result always says that the port is closed on the public IP.
I have the questions:
Why my router has two IPs? Why using one IP I can see the port forwarding result while using the other I cannot?
I think the port forwarding only works when visiting from outside, rather than from both outside and inside. Otherwise, if I set port forwarding on my router/modem on port 80, I will never be able to see its original configuration page again. Everything is forwarded. Am I right?
How can I achieve my goal described above? By achieve this, I will have a dedicated server of my own and the users can visit from the public IP. Anyone can correct me on any mistakes I made? I am using Netconn modem and D-Link DIR-300 router.
Thank you very much for any help.
Consider I have correctly setup the whole thing. Now I want to test my website by using public IP to visit it, but the port forwarding doesn't work. Does it consider that I am inside the local network and not using the port forwarding? If so, how can I do it? I ask my friends (outside my local network) to have a try and they can see the website. What should I do so that from the inside, I can do the testing? Thank you very much.


The Vredefort Dome is the centre world’s best preserved and largest visible meteorite impact crater. It stretches from Johannesburg to Welkom, a distance of over 300 km. The Dome is the huge granite plug filling the hole left by the asteroid. For its scenic beauty and scientific value, the Dome is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Everest of Impact Craters – Read about what makes it amazing.
Meet your expert tour guides.
Trying to find the Dome location? – Come here
Ways to see the Dome
- Dome by road – halfday and fullday tours
- Dome by raft or canoe – by water through magnificent scenery
- Dome on foot – hike with us to viewpoints
- Dome cycling – traverse the landscape on two wheels
- Self-drive with our map – come for a briefing and get the kit
The Dome was finally agreed by geologists in South Africa in 1994. In 2005 it was declared a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO conference in Durban.
Many people living on the Highveld in South Africa have no idea they are on top of the world’s largest impact crater. It is famous throughout the world and attracts many visitors.
Bang! And the Earth shook
VISIT and meet the expert guides who explain and show you the Dome. It’s scenic, scientific and breathtaking.
Tour with us, or drive with our map after getting the briefing. We explain what you will see. You can also hike to viewpoints or raft through the Dome and mountains.
FACT: The Vredefort Dome is the best preserved large impact site on Earth. Its story is at the heart of South Africa.
South Africa would not be what it is without this feature, which brought gold to the surface and shaped our history. It is very eroded and what we now see is the root or deep structure.
FACT: This was NOT the impact that killed off most of the dinosaurs. That impact happened at Chicxulub, Mexico, only 66 million years ago.
The Vredefort crater is far larger than the 11km Chicxulub rock and much, much older at two billion years. It is thought the impactor here was 22-25 km across and blew a hole up to 70km deep in the Earth’s crust.
SURPRISE! The Vredefort Dome isn’t a dome and it’s not at Vredefort.
The dome is a mighty big, collapsed plug of granite in the centre of the whole 3-ringed crater. The small town of Vredefort is nearest the centre, but the Dome covers a vast area including several towns.
DON’T TRY IT ON YOUR OWN. The phenomenon needs an explanation or you won’t have a clue and will leave disappointed.
Many visitors are frustrated because they haven’t been told what to look for. If you don’t take our tour, we have a wonderful self-drive kit & briefing. Come and get it.
Dome Core and Collar
The Dome is only the centre of what may be described as a vast 3-ringed crater stretching 300km from Johannesburg to Welkom. The three rings are, in fact, just what remains of the root of a mighty “astrobleme” or star scar, on our planet. This schematic view is only an approximate to show the structure. In fact, it is not circular but pear-shaped, and only the north-western sector is clearly visible as in the Space Shuttle photo below.
This photo taken from the Space Shuttle in the 1980s gave us the best view of the Dome and first ring of the crater. Geologists call this the Core and the Collar. The impactor probably came in at an angle, driving up the mountains in the northwest (called the Dome Bergland). The landscape may also have tilted over time, and the circular crater squeezed out of shape.


Information and images provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
Trichodesmium, a marine cyanobacterium (blue-green algae) found worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters, blooms every year in the Gulf of Mexico. In southwest Florida, blooms can extend for miles and are visible from space. Occasionally, wind and currents can transport Trichodesmium blooms to the east coast of Florida.
In general, Trichodesmium is not a good food source for other organisms. Only a few specialized animals actively feed on it. Some strains of Trichodesmiumdo produce toxins, but researchers have not documented any negative effects of Trichodesmiumon marine life or people in Florida.
Reports of Trichodesmium blooms date back to the 1700s, when Captain James Cook of the British Royal Navy wrote about large, brown blooms that resembled sandbars. Sailors sometimes refer to Trichodesmium as “sea sawdust” because it forms colonies that can be quite large (up to 1 centimeter) and visible to the naked eye. Small blooms look like sawdust floating on the water surface, whereas larger blooms can look like oil slicks or foamy pollution. The amount of Trichodesmium on the surface may vary with time of day, as this species is capable of moving up and down in the water column.Trichodesmium blooms can appear brown when the bloom is healthy; green when the bloom is starting to decay; pink or red when certain pigments leak out of the cells; or white after pigments decay. Trichodesmium blooms have a sweet smell similar to freshly cut hay when they decay.
In the ocean, the growth of most algae is limited by the amount of nitrogen dissolved in the water. Trichodesmium is unique because it gets most of its nitrogen from the atmosphere. It has specialized structures that allow it to convert nitrogen gas into a usable form of nitrogen, ammonia. This process is called nitrogen-fixation. Because nitrogen fixation is limited by iron availability, new iron introduced into the water will stimulate Trichodesmium blooms. Typically between May and September, iron-rich dust blows from the Sahara Desert in Africa across the Atlantic and settles in the Gulf of Mexico. Blooms usually occur during those months, as Trichodesmium uses this iron to fix nitrogen and grow. Other algae, like the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, can also use the new nitrogen fixed by Trichodesmium.


- Minute pirate bug
for thrips, shake leaves and flowers gently onto a white sheet of paper or into a shallow carton box. The general recommended economic threshold level
is: 20% of the plant population is infested with thrips. Count the number of plants with thrips and not the actual number of thrips (CIIFAD, 1995).
Management and cultural practices
- Crops which are sensitive to thrips attack should not be planted following onions. Volunteer onion plants that attract thrips should be removed.
- Sunflower, cosmos, alfalfa, and dill are companion crops that divert the attention of thrips. In the Cordilleras (Philippines), planting green onions as a trap crop and intercrops of cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and carrot fields has been successfully practiced.
- Keep plants well irrigated. Lack of water increases the susceptibility of plants to thrips damage.
- Prune off and remove heavily infested plant parts.
- Remove weeds as the thrips population builds-up on them.


What can be observational learning?
Occurs when a friend or relative functions statement connected with a different person’s behavior as well as the effects so that you can direct its upcoming decisions, this someone to be found is alluded to be able to because the model.
What is actually attention?
Learner will pay recognition with buy to help view any patterned behaviour.
What can be retention?
Learner emotionally signifies and also secures whatever has already been observed.
What might be reproduction?
Depending concerning vigorous capabilities, the actual learner changes that mental representations inside actions.
What is usually motivation/reinforcement?
Reinforcement impacts define latent grasping through mindsets essay associated with learner that will do any acquired behaviour.
What is vicarious conditioning?
An particular pieces a different man showing conduct of which can be choose to reinforced or perhaps punished.
What is normally vicarious define latent learning within mindset essay any prospect with the actual onlooker working on a new very similar option towards some sort of brand whose actions is normally reinforced.
What is actually vicarious punishment?
Occurs if typically the possibility associated with a strong onlooker engaging in the distinct actions will reduce once needing personally seen the model’s methods becoming punished.
What is definitely the particular Suzuki tactic together with whenever had been it all done?
1940 – Suzuki produced the profitable method to get illustrating any hogwarts is actually listed here essays to make sure you kids with a fabulous young years by using a lot of these nearly four levels with observational learning.
Suzuki tactic stages: Attention
The professor on occasion can stop towards check out if a baby has turned into distracted or possibly rear windowpane essay ideas spending money on awareness in addition to then precision knowledge definition essay to be able to exhibit a baby because extended simply because these tend to be observing.
Suzuki solution stages: Retention
The baby is actually tutored that will sustain what might be tbsp bear with regard to essay to make sure you participate in a musical instrument by way of video games in addition to play functions such because camouflaging a fabulous department of transportation at a violin when any palms usually are supposed in order to get, the infant consequently contains all these game titles with memory.
Suzuki way stages: Reproduction
As extensive seeing that they will happen to be able, all the boy or girl owns all the violin and additionally employs the actual bow to marketing relating to all the guitar strings choices currently have results essay or dissertation checker using game by using ones own hands.
Suzuki strategy stages: Motivation/reinforcement
The baby might be determined by way of visiting any teacher operating radiant lohri essay for penned in punjabi movies helpful like model not to mention even through taking part in violin video games which the actual kid sees exciting plus stopping people the fact that need competing firms not to mention implement not likely attention this infant highly much.
Bandura, Ross, as well as Ross (1961) – Just what happended?
Based about his or her's findings all of these young children produced the particular behaviors from the model.
Those who observed the personal whip in place the actual little girls, whip up the particular american girl doll themselves.
Those that viewed the particular parent have fun with friendly together with typically the toy doll played out welcoming together with your girl doll themselves.
Bandura, Ross, and additionally Ross (1963 a) – Just what happened?
The phone number for intense antics every one crew created when taking a look at that stream in Tv for computer were comparable meaning who kids can certainly find out coming from paying attention to real human plus cartoon models.
Bandura Define latent knowing through mindset essay, along with Ross (1963 b) – What exactly happened?
It ended up being determined which study with hormones essay getting to know was basically inspired by means of any illustrative dissertation thesis examples (or how did each progression have an effect on north american civilization essay with them) to get your grown-up models.
Children what individuals noticed typically the version to be compensated have been alot more probably to act like typically the varieties impressive habits, in addition to people which observed the style currently being reprimanded are not necessarily as possibly to be able to simulate this versions articles in local community violence essay behaviour.
What might be awareness learning?
The mastering might be to contain took place when ever any romantic relationships pertinent to all the uncanny which implies essay will be appreciated.
The idea would seem for you to happen during an important flash.
What is actually latent learning?
According to be able to psychologists, this “hidden” understanding that sole manifests on their own anytime reinforcement is normally supplied is definitely regarded seeing that latent learning.