Study shows how the brain pays attention
Posted January 23, 2003; 06:05 p.m.
With so many visual stimuli bombarding our eyes -- cars whizzing by, leaves fluttering -- how can we focus attention on a single spot -- a word on a page or a fleeting facial expression? How do we filter so purely that the competing stimuli never even register in our awareness?
A pair of Princeton scientists have found that it has a lot to do with the brain circuits that control eye movements. Neuroscientists Tirin Moore and Katherine Armstrong showed that these brain circuits serve a double function: In addition to programming eye movements, they also trigger amplification or suppression of signals that pour in from the locations where the eyes could move.
The finding, published in the Jan. 23 issue of Nature, is the first to pinpoint a neural mechanism behind one of the most fundamental aspects of mental activity -- the ability to direct attention to one thing as opposed to another.
"Without regulating your attention, you would orient to everything that appears and moves. An organism that couldn't filter anything just wouldn't work. It would be in a state of constant distraction," said Moore. "This work shows that, whether we are moving our eyes or not, the networks that control eye movements may be a source of that filtering."
Working with monkeys, the researchers picked a site in the brain area that controls eye movements and established exactly where neurons at that site made the eyes move. They then located a single neuron, in another part of the brain, that was responsible for processing visual stimuli from precisely the same location targeted by neurons at the eye movement site.
The researchers concluded that the very act of preparing an eye movement to a particular location caused an amplification of signals from that area. The study hinges on a long-known fact in visual attention -- that humans and primates can attend to something without moving their eyes to that object. This ability is useful for many animals that encounter social situations in which there is a potential danger in looking directly at another animal.
The full story is available in a news release.
Contact: Steven Schultz and Evelyn Tu (609) 258-3601


The control room at the ISO New England is where power in the region is dispatched and the grid monitored for reliability. At this location, there are desks set up specifically for monitoring transmission, managing the flow of energy, and forecasting demand. This slideshow will show how bulk energy is managed on the wholesale grid.
To get a better feel for how the grid works, last week CNET's Martin LaMonica visited ISO New England in Holyoke, Mass., one of several grid operators, called independent system operators (ISOs) or regional transmission organizations (RTOs), that work behind the scenes to ensure delivery of electricity across the country.
Grid operators work under this giant screen, made up of 27 individual plasma screens, which represents all the major power-generation units, transmission lines, and substations on the New England grid. The placement of places relative to each is approximate. But from an electrical point of view, this accurately represents the pathways for electricity to flow.
The small screen on the bottom with large yellow writing indicates how much power is being used. At the moment of this photo it was 20,183 megawatts. The highest ever this summer was 27,100 megawatts and the highest ever was 28,130 in August 2006.
The operators in the control room were kind enough to change the screen to show how much power is flowing and in what direction. Here we can see that, not surprisingly, the main power load on at this moment was in Boston. Other cities, such as Worcester and locations in Connecticut, are also net draws. Grid operations people need to coordinate with their counterparts in other regions. On the left, it indicates the flow of energy between New England and New York, for example.
One of the federal regulatory mandates to come out of the blackout of 2003 was more "wide-area monitoring," or keeping track of happenings at other regional transmission operators. Here is a map of the adjoining New York state grid on the left, which is managed by the New York ISO on the left. On the right is a colored map indicating voltage in the region, which needs to be monitored as a drop in voltage could cause breakdowns in energy flow.
In addition to monitoring the health of the grid, ISO New England holds auctions between power plant energy suppliers and utilities which deliver electricity to end customers. It also dispatches energy based on demand, maintains a steady frequency and voltage, and does short- and long-term forecasting. At the far right (above the screen with the person talking on a news show) is a screen that shows thunderstorm activity, something grid operators need to be aware of since it can cause equipment failures.
The job of grid operators, who already monitor huge amounts of data, stands to get more complicated as utilities add more renewable energy, storage, and "demand-side resources" onto the grid. Rather than add power to the grid to meet peak-time demand, regional grid operators are using demand response, where utility customers agree to cut down electricity use when the grid is maxed out.
ISO New England is also involved in a smart-grid project where it will use high-speed sensors to gather huge amounts of data from substations on grid conditions, such as current and voltage. This will give people monitoring the grid more awareness of how things are changing to make power delivery more reliable. As more wind and solar are added to the grid, this information will also allow operators to better handle the variable nature of wind and solar, according to ISO New England executives.
ISO New England's mission relies heavily on an IT infrastructure which provides information to control room operators and connects to power generators and other regional grid operators over a private frame-relay network. The data center is made up of hundreds of servers in two rooms, with the second room an exact replica of the first and an off-site disaster recovery site. IT professionals at the data center network operations center coordinate with people in the grid control room to spot and fix problems, such as connections between ISO New England and other locations.


Give a goat. Goats nourish hungry children and families with healthy milk, cheese, and yogurt. Goats also give a much-needed income boost by providing offspring and extra dairy products for sale at the market.
A healthy dairy goat can give up to 16 cups of milk a day. Goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk and is an excellent source of calcium, protein, and other essential nutrients that growing children need. Goats are practical animals — flourishing in harsh climates while producing valuable manure to fertilize crops and vegetable gardens.
Teopista, an AIDS orphan and World Vision-sponsored child in Uganda, is proud of her first gift ever — two donated goats that will help provide her with a brighter future. "I was very happy when I got the goats," says the 10-year-old. "They will be of use to us. We will get money from them. I thank World Vision for thinking about me, too."
Her aunt Restetuta feels the same way. "When the goats give birth again, we will sell off some of the younger [goats]," says Restetuta. "We will use the money to buy Teopista a school uniform, books, and beddings. We can also buy food with some of the money. I thank World Vision so much for all the help they have given us. We know that those goats will be of benefit to us in future."
When you give any animal, a portion of the gift may also help provide watering sources, farming assistance, famine relief, and other related essentials as needed.
We promise to honor your generosity and use your donation in the most effective way possible. The needs shown in this catalog reflect World Vision projects at the time of writing and the suggested donation amounts are based on periodic surveys of the countries we serve. Each item is representative of the gift category in which it appears and donations will be used to provide assistance where it is needed most within that category or to address a similar need.
The multiplying effect from grants and donated goods may change throughout the year on identical or similar offers due to variations in the start and end dates of donor grants and our programs.


Peace negotiations capture national and international attention at the ‘handshake moment’. Yet, even while a peace agreement is being celebrated, often people living in the country concerned ask themselves three things:
- Is the war really over?
- Who ‘really won’- in which way was the agreement ‘tilted’?
- Who will hold the warring parties to the agreement they have signed?
While the signature of the peace agreement signals the end of one process, it also constitutes the beginning of another and can create premature expectations that the war has ended, with normalcy soon to resume (Paladini and Molloy, 2019). In reality, the sustainability of any peace accord depends on the quality and robustness of how it is implemented, and implementation is a long and complex process replete with challenges and difficulties. The complex reality is that there is no magic third party ‘enforcement’ tool for peace agreements, which can stand above and outside the parties and require them to honour their commitments. There are, however, ways in which implementation of a peace agreement can be promoted, encouraged, enabled, and even – to some extent – enforced. This report examines the ways in which peace agreements provide for their own implementation or the implementation of specific issues committed to in a peace accord. The report illustrates that the particular context will shape what implementation mechanisms are chosen, but that there are a variety of mechanisms and modalities to support the implementation of a peace agreement, which can be illustrated from examining what existing peace agreements have put in place. The task of those negotiating implementation mechanisms, therefore, is not whether to include implementation mechanisms but how to do so in ways that are context sensitive, relevant, and accepted by the key parties, whose implementation activities are critical to the peace agreement sustaining and delivering peace in practice.


Can Storytelling Techniques Help Develop a Powerful Mindset?
Check out storytelling techniques in action by remembering the thoughts that run around inside your head. These might be thoughts about:
Your love life
The job market
Breaking a bad habit
Whatever thoughts run around inside your head are your own storytelling techniques in action!
People are constantly telling themselves stories about the day. A musician just complained to me that he is having a hard times getting gigs (jobs) because of the current leader of his country. What the WHAT???
Catch yourself telling stories about your life.
What story do you tell yourself about things that happen?
Imagine you have a day in which these things happen:
- the delivery boy throws your newspaper into the bushes; plus the sprinkler is on. Your paper is drenched and unreadable.
- A computer virus wipes out your entire hard drive.
- Your tire blows out on the way to a big meeting and you have to walk miles. And it’s raining hard.
- Your child continues to give you the silent treatment for no apparent reason.
The typical response one might imagine for each of these is some version of “oh NO!” (with or without cuss words).
Eeyore (from the Winnie the Pooh series) comes to mind. He complains that things like that always happen to him. Here’s one of the great Eeyore quotes:
Nobody tells me. Nobody keeps me informed. I make it 17 days come Friday since anyone spoke to me.
A series of orange juice commercials catches my ear, because they are a fantastic mindset lesson.
When the person who is going to have a series of “bad” things happen in a day, his or her response is “perfect!” (said with enthusiasm, not sarcasm) rather than dread.
Here is one of those orange juice commercials:
Perception Shapes Reality
There is no “set response” to a thing happening.
Here is my version of responding to a “bad day” with positive expectancy and a great mindset:
Imagine I’m looking into a crystal ball that predicts my day…
Crystal Ball: “Your website will be down for six hours.
Me: “Excellent! Right after I send my customers a special coupon?”
Crystal Ball: “Yep.”
Me: “Perfect! Anything else?”
Crystal Ball: “The order button link will not work for no apparent reason.”
Me: “Great! And I’ll spend several hours trying to track down the problem, right?”
Crystal Ball: “Sure will.”
Me “Good thing I had my mindshift!”
Use storytelling techniques to aft a powerful story
1. Catch your typical story running in your mind.
2. Decide the more positive, profitable story you wish to tell yourself.
3. Write down that new beneficial story
4. Rehearse saying it often.
5. Join the Miracle Mindshift Month and transform your mindset in just 31 days.
“Good Thing I Had My Mindshift!”!
your mindset is 100% under your control. It is not dependent upon your nation’s leader, the economy, the weather, the day of the week, or anything else.
The Miracle Mindshift Month provides simple yet potent tools that can help you change your mind for the better.
Click the banner to join the Miracle Mindshift Month now.
Will you practice storytelling techniques that move you toward your goals? I sure hope so!
Follow your B.L.I.S.S.!
Ronda Del Boccio, the Story lady
#1 bestselling nonfiction and fantasy author * Celebrity Author Mentor
(See the original article source here)


For this day to occur, several things had to be arranged and decided. First of all, for the Papal Legate to arrive in England, the Act of Attainder against Reginald Pole had to be removed by Parliament. This was the Act that condemned his mother Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, and many others to death. Parliament lifted this sentence of death and Mary invited the Papal Legate to return from exile on November 20, 1554. He would be the first Papal Legate present in England since the trial of her mother's marriage in 1529--when Katherine of Aragon appeared before Cardinal Campeggio and Cardinal Wolsey, appealed to Henry her husband and left the Court, impervious to pleas to return. The matter of former Church lands also had to be decided: Henry VIII and then Edward VI had seized the monasteries and then the chantries and the chantry schools, destroyed most of them, sold or given the lands to courtiers and others who benefited. Were these all to be given back?
As you might imagine, Cobbett explores this issue of the "plunderers" as he calls them extensively in his chapter on the reign of Mary I:
But when the question came, whether the Parliament should restore the Papal Supremacy, the plunder was at stake ; for to take the Church property was sacrilege and if the Pope regained his power in the kingdom he might insist on restitution. The greater part of this property had been seized on eighteen years before. In many cases it had been divided and subdivided, in many the original grantees were dead. The common people, too, had in many cases become dependants on the new proprietors ; and besides, they could not so easily trace their connexion between their faith and that supremacy, as they could between their faith and the mass and the sacraments. The Queen, therefore, though she most anxiously wished to avoid giving in any way whatever her sanction to the plunder, was reduced to the necessity of risking a civil war for the Pope's supremacy, to leave her kingdom unreconciled to the Church, and to keep to herself the title of Head of the Church, to her so hateful, or to make a compromise with the plunderers. She was induced to prefer the latter ; though it is by no means certain that civil war would not have been better for the country, even if it had ended in the triumph of the plun- derers, which, in all human probability, it would not. But observe in how forlorn a state as to this question she was placed. There was scarcely a nobleman or gentleman of any note in her kingdom who had not in one way or another soiled his hands with the plunder." The Catholic bishops, all but Fisher, had assented to the abolition of the Pope's supremacy. Bishop Gardiner, who was now her High Chancellor, was one of these, though he had been deprived of his bishopric and imprisoned in the Tower because he opposed Cranmer's further projects. These Catholic bishops, and Gardiner especially, must naturally wish to get over this matter as quietly as possible ; for how was he to advise the Queen to risk a civil war for the restoration of that the abolition of which he had so fully assented to and so strenuously supported? And how was she to do anything without councillors of some sort?
Then on St. Andrew's Day Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Mary's Chancellor, led the members of both houses of Parliament to kneel before the Papal Legate and Mary, presenting the petition. The petition proclaimed that Parliament was "very sorry and repentant of the schism and disobedience committed in this realm against the See Apostolic" and begged to be returned "into the bosom and unity of Christ's Church." As Cobbett describes it grandly and effusively:
Thus was England once more a Catholic country. She was restored to the " fold of Christ": but the fold had been plundered of its hospitality and charity, and the plunderers before they pronounced the "amen" had taken care that the plunder should not be restored. The Pope had hesitated to consent to this; Cardinal Pole, who was a man full of justice, had hesitated still longer; but, as we have seen before Gardiner, who was now the Queen's prime minister, and indeed all her council were for the compromise, and therefore these "amen" people while they confessed that they had sinned by that defection, in virtue of which defection, and of that alone, they got the property of the Church and the poor, while they prayed for absolution for that sin, while they rose from their knees to join the Queen in singing Te Deum in thanksgiving for that absolution, while they were doing these things they enacted that all the holders of Church property should keep it, and that any person who should attempt to molest or disturb them therein should be guilty of praemunire and be punished accordingly!
Cobbett even considers this compromise the greatest error of Mary's reign. She should have made sure the monasteries and chantries were returned to the Church because then Cobbett believes, the Catholic culture and economy that existed before the Dissolution of the Monasteries would have been restored. He does praise Mary for restoring the religious properties like Westminster Abbey and Syon Priory--and the tenths and first fruits of those benefices--that her father had seized.
Cardinal Pole then welcomed "the return of the lost sheep" and granted absolution to the entire kingdom, proclaiming a new Holy Day on November 30: the Feast of Reconciliation. Unfortunately, Cardinal Pole and Mary I would have only three celebrations of this Feast (in 1555, 1556, and 1557)--both died on November 17, 1558.


Changes to the Manufacturing Process
GAO-02-181T: Published: Oct 23, 2001. Publicly Released: Oct 23, 2001.
- Full Report:
The original anthrax vaccine was developed in the 1950s and was first produced on a large scale by Merck. The BioPort Corporation in Michigan is now the sole facility in the United States capable of producing the vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licenses biological products and their production facilities. The manufacturer is required to comply with current good manufacturing practices, which regulate personnel, buildings, equipment, production controls, records, and other aspects of the vaccine manufacturing process. When there is a major change in the manufacturing process, the manufacturer must submit evidence to FDA showing that the change does not have any adverse effects. The manufacturer must also ensure that the quality of the product is maintained. In the case of the anthrax vaccine, the Michigan facility did not notify FDA of several changes to the manufacturing process in the early 1990s, and no specific studies were done to confirm that vaccine quality was not affected. FDA inspections found several deficiencies, many of which were not corrected in a timely manner.


Original article published in Palatinate
February 10, 2021 – Zak Milner
From their use in electric vehicles, to powering your mobile phones, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised 21st century technology. However, the main recycling process of lithium-ion batteries expends copious amounts of energy, whilst only recovering 30 to 40% of the metals.
Now, a new, sustainable technology has been developed that allows the recycling of precious metals from used lithium-ion batteries at room temperature, helping to counterract the environmental impacts of this technology. The process has been developed by scientists at the Idaho National Laboratory, who report metal recovery rates of at least 96%.
So, how does the technology work? Through melting their components in a process known as smelting, the individual metals can be separated and regenerated. The new, Idaho- founded technology uses electricity to perform a metal extraction process known as hydrometallurgy. This entails moving the metal components, including lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese, from broken down lithium-ion batteries into a surrounding solution.
The resulting solution can then be processed to produce pure forms of each metal, whilst the electricity used to power these chemical reactions can be generated sustainably from renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power. Researchers report that this new technology can be operated at 80% lower cost than current technologies, as the reaction can be carried out at room temperature.
The global lithium-ion battery market is predicted to be worth around $83 billion by 2027, due to the batteries’ use in green energy technologies required to combat climate change. The rapidly increasing demand for their raw materials is now unable to be sustained through mining alone.
Battery recycling company Li-Cycle predicts that 15 million tonnes of lithium-ion batteries are to be discarded by 2030, a waste growth increase of 2000%, causing catastrophic environmental impacts should they be sent to landfill. This new, cost-competitive recycling technology allows the contribution of raw materials to lithium-ion battery supply chains in an environmentally friendly manner, whilst minimising battery waste sent to landfill. China is currently the global leader in lithium-ion battery recycling, processing around 40% of the 180,000 tonnes of batteries available in 2019, followed by South Korea, who processed 10%.
International businesses investing in research and development, and large-scale recycling facilities include Neometals, Green Li-ion and American Manganese. Recycling targets are to be announced to encourage the use of recycled metals in lithium-ion batteries in Europe, particularly in the electric vehicle market. The European Commission has proposed that all electric vehicle companies must declare the recycled cobalt, lead, nickel and lithium content of their lithium-ion batteries from 2027. Further to this, from 2030, electric vehicle makers will have to meet a minimum recycled content threshold which will steadily increase over time.
Through the recycling of battery metals, European countries aim to produce their own supply of raw materials, have less reliance on imports and, therefore, be able to compete in this emerging market.


Constipation in Children
Constipation, at one time or another everyone gets it. Constipation might be a symptom of a more serious medical disease. It is very important to understand that constipation is not a disease but a symptom. Suffering from constipation is not a cause for serious alarm as it is often caused by a poor diet.Constipation and hemorrhoid issues are strictly related to what you eat and how you live. In order to rid yourself of these health conditions you must eat foods high in fiber, drink a lot of water, and try to limit the amount of fat in your diet. Another essential part in relieving yourself from constipation and hemorrhoids is to get some form of exercise daily. If you are like millions of other people around the world, read on and learn how to relieve yourself mentally and physically from constipation.
What Causes Constipation in Children? Constipation is common in children and may be related to any of the causes noted in the previous section. In a small number of children, constipation may be the result of physical problems. Children with such defects as the absence of normal nerve endings in portions of the bowel, abnormalities of the spinal cord, thyroid.
Copyright © 2023 Batool Pharma Internation Inc..All rights reserved.


Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)
Description: This perennial wildflower is 4-8" tall. A non-flowering plant produces a whorl of trifoliate basal leaves on slender stems; each basal leaf typically has 3 leaflets on a long slender petiole. The basal stems are light green to reddish purple, unbranched, terete, and hairless; the stems of flowering plants are similar. Individual leaflets are up to 1½" long and 1" across; they are obovate or broadly oblong in shape. The outer margin of each leaflet has 3 blunt lobes, otherwise the margins are usually smooth. Sometimes there are 1-2 blunt teeth along the outer margin of a leaflet. The upper surface of each leaflet is medium green to purplish green and hairless, while the lower surface is pale green and hairless. A reticulate network of veins is conspicuous on the lower surface. At the base of each leaflet, there is a slender stalk (petiolule) about ¼" long. Toward the middle of its stem, a flowering plant sometimes produces a whorl of cauline leaves that resembles the whorled basal leaves. At its apex, this stem terminates in a whorl of trifoliate leaves or simple leaflets (sometimes including a combination of the two). These terminal leaves and leaflets resemble the leaves and leaflets of the basal and cauline leaves. Immediately above the terminal leaves or leaflets is a loose umbel of 1-5 flowers. The slender pedicels of the flowers are up to 1½" long. The diurnal flowers are ½–1" across; the central flower is usually a little larger in size than any lateral flowers. Each flower has 5-10 petal-like sepals, a dense cluster of small green pistils in the center, and a ring of conspicuous stamens. The petal-like sepals are white or pinkish white, while the stamens have white filaments and yellow anthers. There are no true petals. The blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring for about 3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by a cluster of 4-15 achenes. Each achene is about 1/3" (8 mm.) in length, terminating in a slightly hooked beak. Inside each achene, there is a single seed. The root system consists of fibrous roots; the upper roots near the base of a plant are somewhat fleshy and swollen. This wildflower spreads by reseeding itself.
Cultivation: Rue Anemone is best planted under deciduous trees. It prefers dappled sunlight during the spring, but tolerates considerable shade later in the year. Moisture levels should be mesic to slightly dry, and the soil should contain loose loam and rotting organic material. Most growth and develop occurs during the spring; it is not aggressive.
Range & Habitat: Rue Anemone is occasional throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map), where it is native. Habitats include mesic to dry deciduous woodlands, wooded slopes, and thinly wooded bluffs. This wildflower is usually found in above-average to high quality woodlands where the original ground flora is largely intact.
Faunal Associations: The flowers offer only pollen as a reward to insect visitors. Typical floral visitors include various bees, Syrphid flies, and bee flies (Bombyliidae); the bees usually collect pollen, while the flies feed on pollen. Some of these insects explore the showy flowers for nectar in vain. Honeybees, little carpenter bees (Ceratina spp.), cuckoo bees (Nomada spp.), mason bees (Osmia spp.), Halictid bees, and Andrenid bees have been observed as visitors to the flowers. Because the foliage is toxic and relatively inconspicuous, it is usually ignored by mammalian herbivores.
Photographic Location: Near the top of a wooded slope in Vermilion County, Illinois.
Comments: Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides) is one of many showy wildflowers that develop in deciduous woodlands during the spring. Both the flowers and foliage are quite attractive. Because the flowers move around easily in the wind, it is sometimes called 'Windflower.' Another scientific name of this species is Thalictrum thalictroides. Rue Anemone resembles Enemion biternatum (False Rue Anemone), but its flowers have more petaloid sepals (typically 6-9), while the flowers of False Rue Anemone have only 5 petaloid sepals. Furthermore, its leaves and flowers are arranged in whorls to a greater extent than those of False Rue Anemone. While Rue Anemone is sometimes assigned to the Thalictrum genus, other Thalictrum spp. in Illinois are much larger plants with wind-pollinated dioecious flowers. The leaflets of these species are similar to those of Rue Anemone, however their flowers are quite distinct.


What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
Doctors don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It appears that Alzheimer’s disease develops when clumps of abnormal proteins grow in the brain. This growth likely begins with a series of many small changes in the brain that start long before any symptoms are noticeable. Over time, these changes add up. Eventually, brain cells become damaged and die.
What are the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease?
The risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease include the following:
- Age: The older you are, the greater your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. After age 65, your chance of developing Alzheimer’s doubles every 5 years. People who are 85 years of age or older have a nearly 50% chance of having the disease.
- Genetics and family history: You are more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease if you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, meaning that one or more of your parents, siblings, or children has the disease. Scientists also think that certain genes in your DNA may increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
- Down syndrome: People who have Down syndrome have a much higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease than the general population.
- Environmental/lifestyle factors: It is likely that your environment and your lifestyle habits also affect your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A history of head trauma, cardiovascular or heart problems, diabetes, and obesity appear to increase your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. To help prevent these health problems, wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, always buckle your seat belt when in the car, establish a regular exercise routine, eat right, and avoid tobacco products.
Alzheimer’s disease also appears to be more common in women than in men. Nearly two-thirds of people who have Alzheimer’s disease are women.
See a list of resources used in the development of this information.
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff


The availability of a wide variety of digital media and electronic devices is fast becoming a cause for concern. The devices have helped improve lives in many ways but have also contributed to various health concerns. Overexposure can result in mental and physical health issues. The rise in myopia cases, for one, has been attributed to prolonged digital device use.
Children today are constantly glued to their smartphones and other handheld devices. The devices can harm their vision, whether they are reading, communicating, or playing games. Prolonged screen time increases the risk of developing vision problems.
It can also lead to eyestrain, headaches, poor posture, and reduced attention span. Spending too much time indoors limits children's physical activity. It can result in various developmental issues down the road. Spending time outdoors is vital for eye health.
Myopia or nearsightedness among children has continued to rise in the last decade. Children between eight and 12 years spend an average of four to six hours looking at digital screens. Teenagers spend up to nine hours a day on their screens, and adults spend even longer.
The number of people with myopia has increased, which has been linked to electronic devices. Research has shown the connection between screen time and the risk of developing myopia. No studies indicate whether reducing screen time can reverse or reduce myopia.
Reducing screen time has many health benefits, the most obvious being slowing down myopia progression. It may not be possible to cure myopia, but there are ways to halt or slow its progression.
Using computers for school and work has become part of life, making it hard to avoid screen time completely. But it is possible to limit usage, especially among children. Spending more time outdoors helps improve eye and physical health.
Myopia management strategies can help slow the progression of the disease. They can also help prevent eye conditions related to myopia. Management options include the following:
Using orthokeratology lenses
Atropine eye drops
Multifocal contact lenses
Multifocal or bifocal eyeglasses
Management solutions are prescribed based on the patient's age and eye condition. Sometimes, eye doctors will recommend a combination of treatments.
When it is not possible to avoid screen time, there are things you can do to protect your eyes. Strategies for smart screen use include:
Taking visual breaks every 20 minutes
Remember to blink frequently when using the screen
Position yourself comfortably before the screen
Avoid sitting too close to the screen
Use lighting properly to prevent glare
Adjust your screen and use filters to reduce glare and improve comfort
Use a warm compress or apply artificial tears to soothe the eyes
Limiting screen time and increasing outdoor activities can have long-term eye health benefits. Prolonged screen time can disrupt sleep and lead to mental and physical health issues.
For more on the impact of screen time on myopia and management strategies, visit Patel Vision Group. Our offices are in Visalia, Fair Oaks, Fresno, Redding, Roseville, Sacramento, Monterey, and Salinas, California. Call (559) 739-8550, (916) 966-4700, (559) 229-7955, (530) 221-6557, (916) 788-2960, (916) 629-8033, (831) 375-7755, or (831) 443-5250 to schedule an appointment today.


Help a Child in Afghanistan
- ChildFund came to Afghanistan: 2001
- Population below poverty line: 36%
- News about Afghanistan
- Health Care Initiatives Making a Difference in AfghanistanRead More
- Infrastructural Challenges in AfghanistanRead More
- Protecting the Children of AfghanistanRead More
- Beyond Price: An Afghan Girlhood Read More
- Afghanistan: “The Worst Place to Be Born” Read More
With a history of civil war, the Asian country of Afghanistan struggles to maintain its democracy and continue its reconstruction efforts of the last decade. The country is a mosaic of cultures, tribes and ethnicities.
Three decades of conflict and an array of natural disasters, including drought, earthquake, flood and heavy snow make living conditions challenging, especially for the poor. Access to basic social services is minimal throughout the country, particularly in remote villages, which not only lack clinics but good roads and communication. Gender inequity makes it difficult for women to access adequate healthcare, and many women are subjected to abuse and violence.
Afghanistan has the world’s second highest infant mortality rate. About 20 percent of children do not reach their fifth birthday.
“ChildFund Afghanistan has created Child Well Being Committees to engage communities in post-conflict healing and to protect children.”
Child Safety and Protection
An uncertain political environment means children are often neglected, abandoned and abused. ChildFund Afghanistan has created Child Well Being Committees to engage communities in post-conflict healing and to protect children. This work involves training parents, community members and government staff in basic child protection issues. ChildFund has worked in reintegration of children by training and mentoring social workers and child rights practitioners in legal and social work institutions.
Under the RESTART project in the eastern region of the country, ChildFund has feeding sessions for more than 1,200 children and construction of seven solar powered water system wells that provide safe drinking water to more than 1,350 families.
Sponsor a child today and make a difference in a child’s life.
ChildFund has constructed five Early Childhood Development Centers, which serve 200 children. It is located in Shaikh Mesri New Township of Ningrahar province in the eastern region of the country. The Restart project in the same province also works on parental care for improving parenting skills of more than 1,000 mothers.


"I’m pretty sure I’ve just seen a goshawk. Two of them, actually.” The voice on the phone from Germany was excited. The goshawk is one of Europe’s – and Britain’s – most elusive birds of prey. If seen at all it’s rarely more than a corner-of-the-eye flicker of wings disappearing into remote woodland . Few people would expect to watch a pair of them from a café terrace in Berlin’s arty Kreuzberg district. But in the manner of urban foxes in England, pioneering members of the species Accipiter gentilis moved into the German capital over a decade ago, found it to their liking and began breeding. There are now an estimated 90-plus pairs spread across the city .
“It looked almost as big as a buzzard but was more… I don’t know, speedy. Agile.” Tasha Pike, an artist friend renting a Berlin studio for three months, described the birds as if sketching their outlines and washing in the colours. “Rounded wings, quite a long tail, pale underneath, dark on top, a black stripe across the eyes. ” They were definitely goshawks.
For a keen, amateur birder the chance to see rare goshawks as easily as one might watch ring-necked parakeets in a London park was unmissable. Tasha met me with takeaway coffees on a bench by a small park . As if choreographed there was a sudden staccato yickering from the trees. A powerful T-shape glided smoothly into view, almost at ground level, before swinging up onto a branch. The male goshawk shook its tail with a self-satisfied air as the female swooped in from another direction to sit a few branches away. She was bigger than her mate, in the Tom Cruise-Nicole Kidman sexual dimorphism usual among birds of prey.
In Britain goshawks were persecuted to extinction in the 19th century, before re-establishing themselves in the Sixties (Photo: AP)
We watched as they broke off twigs and sprigs and flew up to arrange them in a nest high in a tree . I was seeing goshawks in the wild for the first time. And in Laura Ashley mode rather than as ruthless ninja assassins.
In Britain goshawks were persecuted to extinction in the 19th century, before re-establishing themselves in the Sixties. Current estimates for the number of breeding pairs in the British Isles range from 300 to 500, but that doesn’t make them easy to see. Unlike the peregrine’s high in the sky stoop, swoop and loop-the-loop hunting style, or the lazy soarings of eagles and buzzards, goshawks are contour-flying stealth killers making wing-tip-measured, twisting dashes through thick woodland, or barrel-rolling over hedges and out of sight. A few seconds is as long as most birdwatchers get to see a goshawk. If they ever see one at all.
Over the coming days we searched out Berlin’s urban wildlife while seeing the sights. Or was it the other way around? Home to 180 different nationalities of humans, the metropolis has attracted exotic and oddball animals too. Wild boars dig up suburban gardens, deer wander parks, wolves visit rubbish dumps and feral raccoons, released by American GIs in Cold War days, are thriving.
For half a day we hiked around the abandoned runways and scrubby wastelands of the Tempelhofer airport. Now a community park, it was key to the American “airlift” that broke the 1948-49 Russian blockade, when more than 200,000 flights brought in everything – from food to coal to cars – needed to keep West Berlin running. There were still wings in the air as we walked. Ignoring cyclists, joggers and in-line skaters below, a squadron of crows dog-fought with a juvenile buzzard, while meadow pipits and skylarks sprang high into the blue sky. Higher still there was a “here comes summer” honking fanfare from a flock of migrating cranes arrow-heading north.
There is no guarantee that you will see Berlin’s goshawks but just looking for them will give you a unique insight into the city’s architecture (Photo: AP)
I met Lutz Artmann, a city architect and bird photographer, in the Gottlob Café. “A pair of kestrels nest in that church tower,” he said by way of greeting, pointing across the road. His mobile’s ringtone was a goshawk’s insistent screeching; I jumped to my feet, head swivelling when he took a work call. Lutz seemed to know many of Berlin’s hawks as individuals. Hawks and culture rubbed wing against shoulder in his city. He had really bonded with the city’s goshawk expert, Dr Norbert Kenntner, when they’d discovered a shared passion for the American hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü.
I had to squeeze culture, whether gallery openings, smoky bars, a choice of ethnic restaurants from Armenian to Zulu or mystifyingly serious art “happenings” into the hours of darkness. By daylight I was too distracted by goshawks.
“Hey, you’re not listening, are you? You’re worse than someone looking at their phone every minute.” Tasha was right. I’d taken to “just checking” each – it seemed – of Berlin’s half million trees. We still visited “our” pair of goshawks every day for coffee, but then I’d press for long walks through distant parks. I continually peered up at buildings – noticing architectural details even as I looked for a hunched shape or the crisp flick of a wing. To birds, I realised, the Gothic-gloomy cemeteries, the formal gardens and walks of the Tiergarten, the cliffs and stone faces of cathedrals and universities, of the Brandenburg Gate and the remaining stretches of the Wall, were merely perching places, hunting grounds and nesting sites. Through a goshawk’s eyes history is just so much sky and landscape.
For tourist information use Visit Berlin (0030 2500 2333; visitberlin.com).
The Berlin Welcomecard gives unlimited use of public transport within the city as well as a book of discount vouchers. Sample cost: 72 hours for €25.50/£21. (visitberlin.de/en/welcomecard)
Where to stay
Stay in a classic caravan, beach hut or trailer, but indoors, at the Hüettenpalast in Neukölln (Hobrechtstrasse 66, 12047 Berlin; 3730 5806; huettenpalast.de).
Almodóvar bio-hotel combines a designer aesthetic with a green credo. Organic restaurant, luxury spa and eco-friendly throughout (Boxhagener Strasse 83, 10245 Berlin; 6920 9708; almodovarhotel.de).
Berlin’s goshawks are wild birds and they and their nests should never be disturbed.
Study field guides to fix the shape of the bird – flying and perched – in your mind. Details and colour can be difficult to see clearly.
Binoculars are essential – 8 x 21 is adequate magnification.
Research territories by walking – do look up, as goshawks will perch atop vantage points on buildings. Sit and watch likely locations.
Be aware of birds reacting to goshawks – crows, magpies and jays especially, and blackbirds giving their warning “rattle” call.
In late spring and early summer goshawk nestlings are vocal, making nests easier to pinpoint.
There is no guarantee that you will see Berlin’s goshawks but just looking for them will give you a unique insight into the city’s architecture, green spaces and its other wildlife.
Rolf Nessing of Birding Berlin offers a full-day English-language tour of birding sites and birds including goshawks from €55 (£45) per person . (398 885 2584; birdingberlin.com).
What to read
Collins Bird Guide by Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterström and Peter J Grant is a comprehensive identification guide to British and European birds, with detailed descriptions of goshawks.
A Birdwatching Guide to Brandenburg and Berlin, by Roger White (published by Roger White, £19.95) points the visitor to birdwatching locations in the city and the surrounding state of Brandenburg.
There is detailed info on Berlin’s goshawks on Dr Norbert Kenntner’s German-language website (habicht-berlin.de).
Berlin city guide
A guide to the best hotels, restaurants, bars and attractions in the Germany capital
Berlin hotels for under £110: The Fab Five
Berlin remembers JFK
Berlin hails Bowie return
Five free things to do in Berlin
Berlin's best design hotels
Thierry Noir and the art of revisiting the Berlin Wall


厚朴(MAGNOLIAE CORTEX) 常見於治療腸胃道相關疾病，自東漢《傷寒論》以來，廣泛用於中藥單方及複方，並無記載相關副作用及毒性資料，綜整WHO世界衛生組織收錄有關厚朴安全性資料及American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook記載，除了懷孕及哺乳婦女，與12歲以下孩童不建議使用厚朴外，於醫師處方下，厚朴可廣泛用於治療腹痛脹滿、反胃嘔逆、宿食不消、痰壅喘嗽及濕滿瀉痢等疾病。
Magnoliae Cortex (Hou Po) is an essential traditional Chinese medicine with pharmacological activities that mainly affect the digestive system. The famous TCM book “Treatise on febrile diseases” from the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) describes that Hou Po has been widely used in the single herbs or formulas with no side effect or toxic been recorded yet. According to WHO and American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook, Hou Po is been widely used to treat conditions such as abdominal distention, vomiting, diarrhea, food accumulation, Qi stagnation, constipation, phlegm and fluid retention and cough resulting from asthma under prescription, but pregnancy, breast breeding women and children under the age of 12 years are subject to be taken under medical advice.
關於厚朴安全性文獻回顧請參考 For Magnoliae Cortex literature review, please reference : https://www.brion.org.tw/
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Bisphenol-A: The Role of the Citizen
International Bisphenol-A Policy
policies regarding BPA reflect the current national confusion around the
topic. Both the European Union and Japan allow for
the use of BPA. The recent BPA safety
assessments preformed by the European Food Safety’s Authority’s Scientific
Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Material in Contact
with Food and the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
and Technology agree with FDA’s current stance on the safety of BPA “at the
current exposure level.” In fact, after the European Food Safety
Authority’s recent reevaluation of BPA, it raised the Tolerable
Daily Intake (TDI) of BPA from .01milligrams/kg of bodyweight/day to
.05milligrams/kg of bodyweight/day “due to the substantial scientific evidence
on April 18, 2008, Canada
became the first nation to officially declare BPA toxic, and the country will
likely introduce a complete ban within a year on the use of BPA in the manufacture
of baby bottles. Canadian Health
Minister Tony Clement said his country will likely be the first to entirely ban
the import and production of baby bottles that contain BPA.
official are not privy to BPA studies that the United
States or Europe do not
have access to. So, to understand the
discrepancies between the nations’ BPA policies, one has to understand the
enormous complexity and the subsequent uncertainty involved around BPA research. BPA research has yet to provide a definite
conclusion without uncertainty that proves the safety or toxicity of
BPA at current exposure levels. Increasing this uncertainty further is Frederick vom Saal’s recent and somewhat controversial toxicological paradigm shift that casts considerable doubt on past research that
supports BPA. The different ways
in which nations choose to react to this uncertainty is the cause of these
radically different BPA policies.
Canada’s reaction to this
uncertainty is much more cautious. Canada chose to declare BPA toxic
until it is proven safe. Canadian Health Minister, Tony Clement
stated, “Although our science tells us that exposure levels to newborns and
infants are below the level that cause effects, we believe that the current
safety margin needs to be higher. We
have concluded that it is better to be safe than sorry.” However, U.S. policy allows for the use of
BPA until it is proven unsafe.
Canada’s recent decision has been heralded by U.S. citizens and citizen watchdog organizations
as one step closer towards the creation of
a similar ban in the U.S.
based on a similar reaction to the enormous uncertainty around BPA. Rick Smith, executive director of Canada’s Environmental Defense stated, "Canada's leadership on bisphenol A
is having a spinoff effect internationally.
It has now become clear that Canada's action is the beginning of
the end for this toxic chemical beyond our borders." In response to Canada’s
recent decision and the recent opinion of the U.S. National Toxicology Program
vom Saal stated, “The bottom line is there really is a convergence of opinion
that is occurring."


Lyme disease is the most common tick-caused disease in the United States. Blacklegged ticks spread it across most of the country. The tick bites an infected mouse, squirrel, or other small mammal and picks up the bacteria. When the tick bites a person, the bacteria can enter the wound.
The first sign of Lyme disease is usually a rash shaped like a bulls-eye (as on a dart board) but sometimes this sign is missed, particularly if the tick bite is under hair or on a part of the body that is hard to see. The rash can grow to 12 inches in diameter. It is not normally painful, but may feel warm.
Symptoms progress to flu-like symptoms, with fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and body aches along with swollen lymph nodes. If the disease isn’t treated, most people will have intermittent arthritis with joint swelling. Sometimes this is mistakenly diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis.
If Lyme disease is recognized, it can be treated easily with antibiotics. But the symptoms can be vague and if you don’t realize a tick has bitten you, your health care provider may think you have a virus. It is thought the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease are caused by an over zealous response by the immune system.
Untreated Lyme disease can cause neurological problems that can become permanent. Temporary symptoms include Bell’s palsy, meningitis and shooting nerve pain that wakes you out of a sound sleep. As the infection continues, neurological symptoms become chronic, with numbness and tingling, and shooting pains in the hands and feet. This is often accompanied by severe fatigue, sleep dysfunction and cognitive deficits such as memory problems and difficulty concentrating.
Lyme encephalopathy is the most common late stage neurological problem related to Lyme disease. Patients suffer from symptoms related to mild encephalitis. These symptoms include difficulties with concentration, sleep disturbance, moodiness, memory and attention dysfunction.
Most people will fully recover from Lyme disease. The prime time for contracting the disease is late spring and early summer.


Владимир Кирееврусский художник в краеведческом проекте "KOSTROMKA.RU":
- Графические работы к материалу «Кострома славянское божество».
"Kostroma. The silence river" / 2012 / tinted paper /charcoal / sauce / acrylic Kostroma (According to one version from "Koster" = 'bonfire') A East Slavic fertility Goddess, personification of spring, who dies at the end of spring, only to arise once more at the end of winter. She was represented as girl dressed in white with oak branch in the hand. Her thatched scarecrow is burnt in a bonfire on the holiday of "Parting of Spring". The rites of Semik were devoted to her. On June 29 the 'burial of Kostroma' was celebrated, accompanied by games and lamentations. During this festival a disguised girl or a straw figure portrayed Kostroma. First, a scarecrow was honored and revered. Then, participants of the rite mourned the death of Kostroma, and burned or tore the scarecrow. Rituals with Kostroma were aimed at improving soil fertility. About it en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kostroma… as well as in Russian in the middle of the article… There is a theory that the name of this goddess gave the name of the Russian ancient city Kostroma..Другие работы художника
Владимир в соцсетях: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004991953121
Владимир на сайтах: deviantart.com


This article isn’t about what you should and shouldn’t eat, but focuses more on the importance of eating… eating often, in measurable quantities and the importance of doing so. Science has shown us that the brain uses the majority of the food we eat (a whopping 25%) and the brain is the most important part of our body. If it stops functioning, we stop functioning. Similarly, if it’s struggling to find the nutrients it needs, it MUST pull them from somewhere else in the body. When it does that, we begin to struggle.
What does science tell us?
The body is an amazing efficient machine. It has warning lights that pop up when there’s a problem and even repairs itself when those warning lights are neglected. But it can’t continue down this path for extended periods of time. Let me give you a quick example of what I mean…
Let’s say you have dinner at 6 pm one night and don’t eat again until the following day. Except you stayed up too late that night and hit the snooze too many times the next morning. Now you’re late for work/school and you take off out the door without eating breakfast. Your next opportunity to get food into your system is 12 noon later that day. If you just look at the math of it, your body (particularly your brain) has now gone 18 hours without any additional fuel being added to it. Guess what happens when you find yourself in these situations? The brain starts pulling resources from other aspects of your body. It needs to keep functioning to keep you alive, but it needs to decide which areas of your body are less important for survival.
In many people’s lives, it seems like the pleasure areas of the brain are affected the fastest when the brain starts pulling resources. It makes sense too. If starving our brain made us happy, we’d do it all of the time, at least until our brains quit working. At that point, nothing else matters.
So what can we learn from this research? We need to keep our brain fed and happy. If the brain is happy, it will allow our bodies to be happy. It will release the feel good juices like dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and others that give us a boost that make it possible to have a fantastic day.
Does it matter what you eat? Absolutely. You’re going to get OUT what you put IN your body. The end result is really up to you. Your body could perform like a high end Formula 1 racing machine, or could be sputtering around on fumes like an old car on its last leg. Think Formula 1 when you’re eating your next meal and fill up often


Antigua Guatemala in Municipality of Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala
House of Bernal Díaz del Castillo
donde vivio y escribio
el celebre soldado historiador
heroe de la conquista de
Mexico y Guatemala
Bernal Diaz de Castillo
autor de la
de la Conquista de
Bernal Diaz de Castillo,
the famous soldier-historian and hero of the conquest of Mexico and Guatemala. He wrote the True History of the Conquest of New Spain.
Location. 14° 33.447′ N, 90° 44.162′ W. Marker is in Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, in Municipality of Antigua Guatemala. Marker is at the intersection of 4a Calle Poniente and 7a Avenida Norte, on the left when traveling east on 4a Calle Poniente. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez 03001, Guatemala.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Tribute to Ana Guerra de Jesus (within shouting distance of this marker); House of Bartolomé Azmitia Frener Signers of the Act of December 25, 1919 (about 240 meters away); Adrian Recinos Born in this House (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); First Printing Press in Central America (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Sculptor Quirio Cataño (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); The Fountain of Antigua's Central Park (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Rafael Landívar (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Antigua Guatemala.
Regarding House of Bernal Díaz del Castillo. Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1492 to 1496? – 1584) was a Spanish conquistador, who participated as a common soldier in the conquest of Mexico and Guatemala with Hernán Cortés and Pedro Alvarado. As a soldier of fortune, he participated in expeditions to Cuba and then to the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico before joining Cortés. In his later years he was an encomendero and governor in Guatemala where he wrote his memoirs called "The True History of the Conquest of New Spain". Some of the most reliable information we have about Doña Marina,
The marker is mounted on the previous location of a house were Diaz Castillo lived, but is now found along the southern wall of the ruins of the Iglesia de la Compañía de Jésus (Church of the Jesuits). This church was constructed in 1626, although the adjoining Jesuit school was finished in 1582. The Jesuits were expelled from Guatemala in 1767 and the church severely damaged in the earthquake of 1773.
Categories. • Arts, Letters, Music • Wars, Non-US •
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2018. This page originally submitted on November 29, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Querétaro, Mexico. This page has been viewed 360 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 29, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Querétaro, Mexico.


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Map link for Beaumaris Castle
in the town of Beaumaris, Anglesey, north Wales.
SH 607 763
Photographs copyright 2006 © by Jeffrey L. Thomas
Above & below: the outer curtain wall and moat at Beaumaris.
Beaumaris, begun in 1295, was the last and largest of the castles to be built by King Edward I in Wales. Raised on an entirely new site, without earlier buildings to fetter its designer's creative genius, it is possibly the most sophisticated example of medieval military architecture in Britain.
This is undoubtedly the ultimate "concentric" castle, built with an almost geometric symmetry. Conceived as an integral whole, a high inner ring of defenses is surrounded by a lower outer circuit of walls, combining an almost unprecedented level of strength and firepower. Before the age of cannon, the attacker would surely have been faced with an impregnable fortress. Yet, ironically, the work of construction was never fully completed, and the castle saw little action apart from the Civil War in the 17th century.
A castle was almost certainly planned when King Edward visited Anglesey in 1283 and designated the Welsh town of Llanfaes to be its seat of government. At the time, resources were already stretched and any such scheme was postponed. Then, in 1294-95, the Welsh rose in revolt under Madog ap Llywelyn. The rebels were crushed after an arduous winter campaign, and the decision was taken to proceed with a new castle in April 1295. The extent of English power is demonstrated by the fact that the entire native population of Llanfaes was forced to move to a newly established settlement, named Newborough. The castle itself was begun on the "fair marsh," and was given the Norman-French name Beau Mareys. Building progressed at an astonishing speed, with some 2,600 men engaged in the work during the first year.
In sole charge of the operation was Master James of St. George, already with many years of experience in castle-building, both in Wales and on the Continent. Even after 700 years it is not difficult to appreciate the tremendous sophistication in his elaborate design at Beaumaris. The first line of defense was provided by a water-filled moat, some 18ft wide. At the southern end was a tidal dock for shipping, where vessels of 40 tons laden weight could sail right up to the main gate. The dock was protected by the shooting deck on Gunner's Walk.
Across the moat is the low curtain wall of the outer ward, its circuit punctuated by 16 towers and two gates. On the northern side, the Llanfaes gate was probably never completed. The gate next to the sea, on the other hand, preserves evidence of its stout wooden doors and gruesome "murder holes" above. Once through, an attacker would still have to face 11 further obstacles before entering the heart of the castle. These included the barbican, further "murder holes," three portcullises and several sets of doors. If the daunting prospect of the gate-passage proved too much, the would-be attacker caught hesitating between the inner and outer walls could not have survived for long. A rain of heavy crossfire would have poured down from all directions.
The striking thing about the inner ward is its great size. Covering about 3/4 of an acre, it was surrounded by a further six towers and the two great gatehouses. Within, it is clear that there was an intention to provide lavish suites of accommodation. Both gatehouses were planned to have grand arrangements of state rooms at their rear, much as those completed at Harlech. The north gate, on the far side, was only raised as far as its hall level and the projected second storey was never built. Even as it now stands, with its five great window openings, it dominates the courtyard. Another block, of equal size, was planned for the south gate, but this was never to rise further than its footings. Around the edges of the ward further buildings were planned and must have included a hall, kitchens, stables and perhaps a granary. Although there is some evidence of their existence in the face of the curtain wall, it is not certain they were ever completed.
Visitors should not miss the little chapel situated in the tower of that name. It's vaulted ceiling and pointed windows make it one of the highlights of the castle. Also in this tower there is a fascinating exhibition on the "Castles of Edward I in Wales, and this provides much background to the building of Beaumaris itself.
The visitor may well be left wondering why all the lavish accommodation was contemplated. In short, it was to provide the necessary apartments for the king and, if he should marry again, his queen. Moreover, his son, the Prince of Wales was fast approaching marriageable age. Considering the size of both households, plus the need to accommodate royal officers, the constable, and even the sheriff of Anglesey, the scale of these domestic arrangements is put into perspective.
Despite being planned on such a grand scale, by 1298 the funds for building Beaumaris had dried up. The king was increasingly involved with works in Gascony and Scotland. Although there were minor building works in later times, the castle is in many ways a blueprint which was never fully realized.
Jeff Thomas 1995
Because the description above does a good job of explaining the historical significance of Beaumaris, I will try to describe instead my own impressions of the castle from our visits in 1994/95.
Baumaris is a special castle. Some feel it's the most beautiful in all of Wales, while others appreciate the almost perfect symmetry Beaumaris possesses. The image most people associate with the castle is one of swans swimming peacefully in the castle moat, framed by Beaumaris' handsome checkered-stone exterior towers. This is the first striking aspect of the castle: its exterior beauty.
Although never completed to their planned height, Beaumaris' large exterior towers are impressive, their formidability enhanced by handsome patterns of stone in shades of dark gray to white, adorning the exterior walls and towers. Most of the castle is surrounded by a moat, framed by a beautiful green park complete with picnic tables. Families of ducks and swans add to the attractive setting as does the castle's handsome gatehouse and wooden bridge, the main entrance to the castle. So, much of Beaumaris' beauty can actually be appreciated before setting foot inside the castle!
If the castle's exterior towers can be called large, then Beaumaris' six interior towers can only be described as huge. Only William Marshall's great tower at Pembroke Castle and William ap Thomas' tower at Raglan Castle rival the six huge inner towers at Beaumaris. Once inside the gatehouse the dimensions of these towers become clear, if not a bit confusing. Confusing, because the concentric design of the castle means that one set of walls and towers looks exactly like the others as you make your way around the ward. Only differences in the front and rear gatehouses gives clues to your exact location in the outer ward!
The third thing I like about Beaumaris (and my favorite thing) are the fascinating interior passageways found inside the walls of the inner ward. Beaumaris and Caernarfon are practically the only two Welsh castles that afford visitors an opportunity to explore significant sections of inner wall passageways. Caernarfon's are more extensive, but chances are Beaumaris' passages won't be packed with tourists! In other words, Beaumaris gives visitors the opportunity to explore this feature in a more intimate environment. Don't miss seeing the lovely little chapel as part of your passageway walk, a peaceful place to stop and reflect on your surroundings.
The final thing I find remarkable about Beaumaris are the wonderful views afforded across the Menai Straight to the Snowdonia Mountains beyond - breathtaking scenery that can be enjoyed from within or outside the castle. Although Beaumaris lacks the spectacular siting of some of Edward's other north Wales castles, the beauty of the castle and surrounding countryside is undeniable. Beaumaris Castle has been designated a "World Heritage Site" because it represents a significant accomplishment in the art of medieval castle-building. The fact that it is also one of the prettier sites in Wales is a bonus that makes this castle well worth a visit. So, in your haste to see popular, touristy Caernarfon Castle, consider making the short drive from Caernarfon to Beaumaris for a totally unique castle experience!
Frequent visitors to Beaumaris will know that the castle wall walks have been closed to the public for many years. Therefore, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised when we revisited the castle in May of 2006 and the wall walks had finally been reopened. The wall walks at Beaumaris represent a fascinating aspect of the castle not seen for many years, and affords visitors perspectives of the castle and surrounding countryside that are both interesting and beautiful. Therefore it is my pleasure to present below the Internet's first photographs of the recently-opened castle wall walk at Beaumaris Castle.
Additional photographs of Beaumaris Castle
Additional photos of Beaumaris Castle
Follow this link to read a letter from 1296 concerning the building of Beaumaris.
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Copyright © 2009 by Jeffrey L. Thomas


Exempt from TAX
By Ron Lesher
The recent discussion of how long one has to be dead before one’s portrait can appear on a postage stamp reminds one of the practice of picking portraits for revenue stamps beginning about 1870. Columbus Delano was appointed Commissioner of Internal Revenue in March of 1869 and served in that position until November 1, 1870 when President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him Secretary of the Interior. During his time as Commissioner of Internal Revenue he instituted the practice of using the current commissioner’s portrait on the hydrometer labels, a stamp-like piece of paper that was inserted into official glass hydrometers that were used by government agents to determine the proof of distilled spirits and thus assess the proper tax. The practice would be copied by his successor in Internal Revenue, Alfred Pleasanton.
The corruption that permeated much of President Grant’s administration became especially rampant in the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior during Delano’s tenure, and it ultimately led to Delano resigning his position on October 19, 1875 because of evidence that his son had been given partnerships in surveying contracts over which the Interior Department had control.
In 1871 near the end of President Grant’s first term in office a new printing arrangement was agreed upon for printing the distilled spirits tax paid stamps. The Continental Bank note Company would print the frames of the stamps and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing would do the vignettes and stubs, serially number the stamps, and bind them into booklets. A series of 13 stamps was needed, 10 to 130 gallons. The choice of individuals portrayed on this series and repeated on the Series of 1872 (issued for a tax increase) provides an insightful look into political thank yous.
The individuals portrayed on the stamps were:
10 gallons - George Henry Thomas (1816 - 1870)
20 gallons - William Pitt Fessenden (1806 - 1869)
30 gallons - Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1760 - 1833)
40 gallons - Winfield Scott (1786 - 1866)
50 gallons - Francis E. Spinner (1802 - 1890)
60 gallons - Alexander Hamilton (1757 - 1804)
70 gallons - Martin Van Buren (1782 - 1862)
80 gallons - Zachary Taylor (1784 - 1850)
90 gallons - John J. Cisco (1806 - 1884)
100 gallons - John A. Dix (1798 - 1879)
110 gallons - Salmon P. Chase (1803 - 1873)
120 gallons - Columbus Delano (1809 - 1896)
130 gallons - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)
The selection of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, for one of the stamps in the series was quite logical. Selecting the architect of the first internal revenue excises on distilled spirits on the 60 gallon stamp, one of the most widely used denominations of the series, made a strong statement. Oliver Wolcott, Jr., the second Secretary of the Treasury and an advocate of Hamilton’s policies, was also a well-reasoned choice for the 30 gallon stamp. Following in this vein, a tribute to Martin Van Buren, advocate of an independent treasury, seems quite appropriate and he appears on the 70 gallon stamp.
Another theme embraced in this series includes several popular military figures. Winfield Scott, “Old Fuss and Feathers,” was a hero in both the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. At the outset of the civil War he had retired after 20 years as the supreme commander of the U. S. Army. He is found on the widely used 40 gallon denomination. Zachary “Old Rough and Ready” Taylor, another hero of the Mexican War and who had died during his term as President, was picked for the 80 gallon stamp. Taylor’s son Dick, was still alive and he had served as a general in the Confederate army.
The martyred President Abraham Lincoln, portrayed as early as June on 1865 on revenue stamps, was selected for the 130 gallon stamp.
For these six stamps, the subjects were very safe choices. But for the remaining seven stamps of the series, one cannot say the same. They are a collection of political party favorites, Union military heroes, and in one case, a minor political functionary. Five of the seven were still very much alive, and the other two had only recently died.
On the special 10 gallon stamp used for fruit brandy (on other distilled spirits there was a minimum 20 gallon container size requirement) the late General George Thomas, who had earned the nickname “the Rock of Chicamagua,” was portrayed. His presence on the series could not have been greeted with enthusiasm
in the southern states, where much of the fruit brandy was being produced.
Salmon P. Chase, whose portrait graces the 110 gallon stamp, had served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1861 to 1864 and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time the stamp was issued. The person who succeeded Chase as Secretary of the Treasury in 1864, the late William Pitt Fessenden, had previously served as head of the Senate Finance Committee and was considered one of the finest minds in the area of public finance in the 1860’s. Fessenden was portrayed on the 20 gallon stamp.
John Dix, for whom Ft. Dix in New Jersey is named, had served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1859 until 1861. During the Civil War he held the rank of major general. After the war he had served as minister to France until 1869. His political life was not over, for in 1872 he was elected governor of New York. He was nominated for the 100 gallon stamp.
Francis Spinner, the Treasurer of the United States from 1861 until 1875, had previously been pictured on the Third issue 50¢ Fractional Currency note. Portrayed on the 50 gallon stamp he is the second current member of the Grant administration featured in the series.
Columbus Delano, already mentioned at the beginning of this article, appears on the 120 gallon stamp. He is the third member of the Grant administration featured on the 1871 distilled spirits tax paid stamps.
That leaves John J. Cisco on the 90 gallon stamp. He was a successful New York businessman who was the head of the subtreasury in New York at the time that these stamps were issued.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was obviously trying to please (perhaps even attempting to curry favor with) the President and his political confidants. As political as the choices on the series of 1871 may have been, this was not the end of such blatant abuse. In January, 1875, the American Bank Note Company gained the contract for printing the distilled spirits stamps and placed President Grant himself on all denominations of the new distilled spirits stamps (figure three). The rectified spirits stamp had the portrait of James Beck, Democratic congressman from Kentucky. Neither portrait last long on stamps. when the tax was increased on March 3, 1875, Grant was replaced with the martyred President Lincoln and Beck was replaced with the venerated architect of internal excise taxes on distilled spirits, Alexander Hamilton.
This episode alone should alert us to the abuse of picturing living individuals on our postage stamps. Waiting ten years may remove the temptation to honor political favoritism on our postage stamps.


Digestive enzymes – proteins produced by the body – aid digestion and help break down the foods that we eat. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes, while the mouth, stomach, and small intestine produce lesser amounts.
Digestive enzymes may also be taken in supplement form, usually as a chewable tablet or pill. Supplement-based catalysts may consist of one or more enzymes, and some are packaged and sold along with probiotics (“good bacteria” that aids digestive health and is essential to the breakdown of foods.)
“(Digestive enzymes) are secreted with beautifully orchestrated precision by your digestive organs to accelerate the breakdown of food so your gut can extract and distribute the nutrients…” ~ Steven Lamm, MD, The Dr. Oz Show
Why are digestive enzymes important?
Put simply, our body could not break down foods (or nutrients, minerals, etc.) without supporting enzymes. Studies show that a lack of digestive enzymes causes the stomach to become more alkaline. When these enzymes become less abundant, it may lead to a host of digestive problems including bloating, excessive gas, food intolerance, and even food allergies!
Some evidence suggests that increasing one’s digestive enzyme intake may reduce abdominal pain. Multiple studies have found a relationship between pancreatic enzymes and the reduced risk of some severe medical conditions, including chronic inflammation and certain types of cancer.
Types of digestive enzymes
There are four classes of digestive enzymes, each with their respective functions.
Amylase. This converts carbohydrates into simple sugars such as glucose. The saliva in your mouth contains amylase, as does your pancreas. The breakdown process begins before you even swallow!
Lipase. This converts fats into molecular form, enabling it to pass through the intestines. Lipase is produced mainly by the pancreas, with the stomach and mouth taking a smaller role.
Nucleases, the building blocks of nucleic acids, break down acids such as DNA and RNA. As these acids reach the lower part of the small intestine, they are digested as sugars and phosphates.
Proteases, also stored in the pancreas, assist in the breakdown of proteins into amino acids. Amino acids are the central building blocks for many physiological functions.
Who should take digestive enzymes?
Optimizing digestive enzyme levels is not necessary for everyone. For normal, healthy individuals, your diet alone will suffice. (A bit of supplementation to be on the safe side doesn’t hurt, however.)
That said, certain people can benefit by taking active measures to boost their enzyme production. Individuals who should talk to their doctor about enzyme supplementation include:
– People with liver troubles. A strong correlation exists between people with liver issues (including liver disease) and low digestive enzyme counts. If you have liver problems (about 15 percent of us do), then consider boosting your digestive enzymes.
– People with digestive disorders. Those with conditions such as acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and others, may benefit from enzymes as they are known to alleviate the gastrointestinal stress of these conditions.
– People who are aging. As we get older, the “triggering” mechanisms that help prevent acid from entering the intestine are less responsive. This can lead to a decrease in our normal digestive processes, yet digestive enzymes can help curtail this problem.
“He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician.” ~ Chinese proverb
Digestive enzymes are not only a crucial element of healthy digestion, but they also play an important role in for our health and well being. These enzymes help extract essential nutrients that we need to not only survive but thrive.
While we can find a multitude of good digestive enzymes as supplements, we’d be wise always to try a natural way first. The “natural way” being, of course, through food.
Research shows that eating a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may boost your body’s natural levels of digestive enzymes by 40 percent when compared to a high-fat diet, moderate-carb diet. A high-fat, low-carb diet also supersedes any other dietary alternative.
If supplements are your thing, you should know a bit about how they work. Digestive enzyme supplements come from one of three sources: fruits (pineapple and papaya), animals (ox and hog pancreatin), and plants (probiotics, yeast, and fungi.)
The top 3 brands of digestive enzyme supplements we recommend are:
Enzymes in pill form are a bit more fragile, as the coating is likely to be dissolved before the contents can be absorbed. Products that are enteric-coated, ensuring that they reach the small intestine, may help.


CLIM performs all of its character-based input and output operations on objects called streams . Streams are divided into two layers, the basic stream protocol , which is character-based and compatible with existing Common Lisp programs, and the extended stream protocol , which introduces extended gestures such as pointer gestures and synchronous window-manager communication.
This appendix describes the basic stream-based input and output protocol used by CLIM. The protocol is taken from the STREAM-DEFINITION-BY-USER proposal to the X3J13 committee, made by David Gray of TI. This proposal was not accepted as part of the ANSI Common Lisp language definition, but CLIM provides an implementation of the basic output stream facilities. For a description of the CLIM specialization of this protocol, see Chapter 15, Extended Stream Input Facilities
Note that in CLIM, many of the generic functions described in the following sections are called by Common Lisp stream functions. For example, force-output calls stream-force-output .


Standing just over an inch tall, they can race. They can dance. And perhaps most impressively, they can teach students of all ages to code — without kids being any the wiser.
They’re called Ozobots. And at Notre Dame de Lourdes School in Swarthmore, teachers and students are embracing this robotics technology as a fun way to bring STEAM (science, technology, engineering arts, and mathematics) subjects to life.
The idea is simple: each Ozobot has a sensor allowing it to read and follow lines on paper or on tablet screens. Students draw lines composed of different colors — using combinations of black, red, green, and blue — to tell the tiny robots to speed up, make turns, or perform spins.
In the classroom, that has translated to a multitude of engaging activities allowing students to combine coding and creativity.
While there are many educational robotic systems to choose from — including Cubelets, Dash & Dot, and Lego Mindstorms — technology teacher Kimberly Hunter was drawn to Ozobots for their intuitiveness. “They were so fun and so easy to use, I thought they would be a great start for beginners,” she says.
After researching options and a conducting short trial run, the school purchased a set of 18 Ozobots with support from its penny war fundraising drive.
Hunter soon found there was no shortage of ideas for using the Ozobots to reinforce lessons about geometry, probability, and even art — all searchable online.
Over the past year and a half, she has used the robots to conduct a number of timely activities with her fourth through eighth graders, including a trick-or-treating challenge and an Ozobot Olympics.
Younger students can color commands on paper to direct the robots, telling them to stop at a specific destination, for example, to find Easter eggs. Older students use iPads to code commands using the OzoBlockly app, calculating the odds that the robots will follow a particular path.
Hunter’s classes typically work in small groups to complete a specific task, such as stopping at each house on a drawn map to gather Halloween candy as quickly as possible. For the Olympics, students were tasked with creating an original sports-related obstacle, earning points for creativity, robot speed, and teamwork.
“In addition to the lessons themselves, students are learning to troubleshoot,” Hunter says. “Since they work together to code, they have to solve problems by listening to one another’s ideas.”
Hunter is looking forward to using the Ozobots for more holiday-themed lessons and challenges. And now that she and her students have gotten the hang of coding, she plans to have her eighth graders help younger students learn the basics.
The robots have allowed Hunter to build her own confidence in coding as well. “I had never used robots before, but now I feel comfortable trying something more involved,” she says. “Lego Mindstorms are on my next wish list.”
Hunter admits that robots can run the risk of being too popular. She restricts Ozobot activities to once a trimester, so as to avoid consuming all her class time. But that hasn’t slowed the still-steady stream of questions from students, parents, and other teachers.
“Whenever parents walk into my classroom, they always ask where the Ozobots are,” Hunter says. “They say they hear all about Ozobots at home.”


Mendocino County, California - With an increase in the number and duration of large wildfires, the California wine industry is working together to explore ways to combat the effect of smoke exposure and fire damage on winegrapes and wine. Industry leaders in Lake County, a region that has experienced multiple devastating wildfires in recent years, are leveraging data gathered from fires as a means to find solutions that will help wineries and grape growers minimize the impact from these natural disasters.
The Lake County Winegrape Commission (LCWC) is collaborating with the California Association of Winegrape Growers in CAWG’s effort to seek support from Congress by expanding the scope of an existing disaster assistance bill; additional collaborators include Lake County Farm Bureau, Mendocino Winegrowers Inc., and Mendocino County Farm Bureau. The request by CAWG and industry collaborators identifies the need for $5.25 million in funding to support intensive research to prevent and limit the effect of smoke on winegrapes during a wildfire. The research funding would support development of protective materials that can be applied in the vineyards and more accurate testing protocols for smoke compounds.
“We hope our collaborations are able to propel a more precise understanding of wildfire impacts on winegrapes,” said Debra Sommerfield, President of the LCWC. “It’s our intent to support innovative new findings that will not only further the understanding of impacts for winegrape growers in Lake County, but also set a precedent for the importance of future research across Northern California.”
To further understand the effects of smoke from wildland fires on grapes and wines, the LCWC initiated a collaborative research project in an effort to provide actionable insights. This research project comprises regional sampling, data gathering, weather- and fire-related GIS modeling, and sensory analysis. Project partners include UC Davis, UC Cooperative Extension, ETS Laboratories, the Australian Wine Research Institute, Western Weather Group, Lake County Air Quality Management District, and individual winegrape growers and vintners.


Increased Civic Participation
In addition to the themes of information flow and relationship building, analyses of interviews with policymaker participants suggested two tentative findings that were beginning to emerge but were beyond the scope of this study. Some of the policymaker-respondents speculated that given an increase in information flow and stronger relationships with the public, constituent participation in community study circles might become the first step in public initiation or support of policy action. Interviews with the policymakers suggest that study circles have the potential to activate a new and broader constituency for public education by offering a process by which policymakers and the public can work together.
Activating a New, Broader Constituency for Public Education
As the public comes to understand the state policymaking arena and how policymakers do their work, the potential emerges for individual community members to become active advocates for school reform. A number of policymakers saw study circles as a useful format for promoting and enabling greater public participation in education because they gave citizens and legislators the opportunity to talk constructively about education issues. One policymaker remarked, "Just the dialogue has a lot. . . . If you can get the parents and the citizens involved, you accomplish an awful lot because you bring closer together the educational process and the people they are serving." Another policymaker elaborated, "The legislation we consider, for the most part, is not generated so much by the individual legislator but by the . . . wants, needs, or suggestions of their constituents or lobbyists or people with special interests. So if that type of . . . dialogue continues and the community gets involved then you will have more ideas coming to the legislature, many of which would be very good ideas [and] some of which would not be, but that is true in any situation."
Initiation or Support of Education Policy Action
While community dialogue in itself does not guarantee an increased level of public action in education, several policymakers were hopeful that it would shape a new and broader constituency into an active political force. Although SEDL did not try to pinpoint direct applications of study circles on state education policy action, some evidence suggests that interactions between policymakers and the public in these community deliberations did enter into policymakers’ thinking and actions. During the time that the study circles took place, policymakers generated new policy ideas with which to respond to the needs of schools and communities, and they increased or decreased support for initiatives that were already underway. Said one policymaker, "I’m going to have at least one education bill of my own that I’ll be running with, so I think when I discuss the issues or we talk about education, . . . I feel like I’ll be able to speak with a little more authority."
Next Page: Challenges to Policymakers' Satisfaction


cookie in asp.net
it is a small amount of data that is stored either in a text file on the client file system or in memory in the client browser session.
The cookies are saved on the client device, and when the browser request a page,the client sends the information in the cookies along with the request information. The server can read the cookies and extract its value. A typical use is to store a token (perhaps encrypted) indicating that the user already been authenticated in your application.
Create a Cookie Response.cookies.Add(new HttpCookie(“UserName”));
To Store value in a cookie Response.Cookies[“UserName “].Value=”Admin”;
To read values from a cookie string Uname= Request.cookies[“UserName”].Value; Response.Write(UName);
Advantages of using cookies are:
Configurable expiration rules: The cookie can expire when the browser session ends, or it can exist indefinitely on the client computer, subject to the expiration rules on the client.
No server resources are required: The cookie is stored on the client and read by the server after a post.
Simplicity: The cookie is a lightweight, text-based structure with simple key-value pairs.
Data persistence: Although the durability of the cookie on a client computer is subject to cookie expiration processes on the client and user intervention, cookies are generally the most durable form of data persistence on the client.
Disadvantages of using cookies are:
Most browsers place a 4096-bytes (4KB) limit on the size of a cookie, although support for 8192-byte cookies is becoming more common in newer browser and client-device versions.
Browsers also impose limitations on how many cookies your site can store on the user’s computer.
Most browsers allow only 20 cookies per site; if you try to store more, the oldest cookies are discarded.
Some browsers also put an absolute limit, usually 300, on the number of cookies they will accept from all sites combined.
User-configured refusal: Some users disable their browser or client device’s ability to receive cookies, thereby limiting this functionality.
Potential security risks:
Cookies are subject to tampering.
Users can manipulate cookies on their computer, which can potentially cause a security risk or cause the application that is dependent on the cookie to fail.
Also, although cookies are only accessible by the domain that sent them to the client, hackers have historically found ways to access cookies from other domains on a user’s computer.
You can manually encrypt and decry-pt cookies, but it requires extra coding and can affect application performance because of the time that is required for encryption and decryption.
Types of Cookies in asp.net
Non persistent cookies(Temporary cookies)( In memory cookie) :- Non persistence cookies are not permanently stored on the user client hard disk folder.
It maintains user information as long as the user accesses the same browser.
When user closes the browser the cookie will be discarded.
Persistence Cookie: Cookies which you can set an expiry date time are called persistence cookies.
Persistence cookies are permanently stored till the time you set.
It is saved as a text file system of the client computer.


Salvage workers worked to raise the cruise ship in the largest and most expensive maritime salvage operation in history. Using the technique called parbuckling, the ship was rotated by a series of cables and hydraulic machines.
There was many obstacles the crews faced, starting with a storm that postponed the operation.
Early on Monday, crews lifted it from a rock shelf, and then engineers hit the tipping point they were awaiting after 15 hours of slower-than-expected progress.
This is the first time such a massive cruise ship has been righted. The damaged Costa Concordia will now be towed away and scrapped.
Time lapse of the ship being pulled from the water:
Michelle Broder Van Dyke is a reporter and night editor for BuzzFeed News and is based in Hawaii.
Contact Michelle Broder Van Dyke at email@example.com.
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How The Cushing Syndrome Is Related To Weight Gain
If you are somebody who is struggling form high blood pressure, obesity (particularly around your neck and stomach), anxiety and related health conditions, then you might be suffering from the cushing syndrome. It is commonly believed that Cushing’s disease often goes undiagnosed by many health experts, because of its case-specific symptoms. It is a relatively rare condition, commonly affecting adults aged between 20 to 50. Today, Dr Kapil Kocchar, Senior Consultant for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Bariatric Surgery at Artemis Health Institute, tells us about the Cushing Syndrome in detail...
Overview of Cushing Syndrome: Cushing syndrome is a disorder, which takes place when the body is extensively exposed to more than normal levels of the hormone cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal gland makes. It may also occur if you take too much cortisol or other steroid hormones. Also known as hypercortisolism, crushing syndrome is a rare condition and can be cured easily if once detected.
Symptoms of Cushing Syndrome: Most people with cushing syndrome will have:
- Upper body obesity (above the waist) and thin arms and legs.
- Round, red, full face (moon face).
- Slow growth rate in children.
- Acne or skin infections.
- Purple marks (1/2 inch or more wide) called striae on the skin of the abdomen, thighs, and breasts.
- Thin skin with easy bruising.
- Backache, which occurs with routine activities.
- Bone pain or tenderness.
- Collection of fat between the shoulders (buffalo hump).
- Thinning of the bones, which leads to rib and spine fractures.
- Weak muscles.
- Women will have excess hair growth on the face, neck, chest, abdomen, and thighs or their menstrual cycle becomes irregular or stops.
- Men may have decreased fertility, no desire for sex or impotence.
Other symptoms that may occur with this disease:
- Mental changes, such as depression, anxiety, or changes in behavior
- High blood pressure
- Increased thirst and urination
Causes of Cushing Syndrome: Cushing syndrome may be caused by taking too much corticosteroid medications, such as prednisone and prednisolone (this is the commonest cause). These drugs are used to treat conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Other people develop cushing syndrome because their bodies produce too much cortisol, a hormone normally made in the adrenal gland.
Diagnosing Cushing syndrome: For diagnosing cushing syndrome, a high degree of clinical suspicion is required in early stages but later features are so suggestive that one look at a patient of cushing syndrome and you never forget that. However, laboratory plays an important role in diagnosing the disease as well as its cause. Commonly, blood sugar and white blood cell counts may be high. Potassium level may be low. High cholesterol, including high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) may also be present.
Treatment of Cushing Syndrome: If you cannot stop taking the medication because of disease, your high blood sugar, high cholesterol levels, and bone thinning or osteoporosis must be closely monitored. Cushing syndrome caused by a pituitary tumor or tumor that releases ACTH calls for surgery to remove the tumor. Radiation after removal of a pituitary tumor is also required in some cases. You may need cortisol replacement therapy after surgery, and possibly continued throughout your life. However, if the tumor cannot be removed, take medications to help block the release of cortisol.
*Image courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images


Subject: "Writers to Lorain County's Rootsweb often refer to the formation of the county from parts of Cuyahoga, Huron, and Medina Counties. True, but to understand the evolution of Ohio and Lorain County, I would direct the reader to the following article: Downs, Randolph Chandler, "Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries," Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications, 36(1927):340-477.
Mr. Downs records the development from 1790 (as a part of the Northwest Territory) until 1888 when the present geography was complete. Lorain County began in 1790 as part of Hamilton County. By 1797, she was part of Wayne County. In the following years, she was at one time or another included in Trumbull, Geauga, Portage, Cuyahoga, Huron, Medina and Ashland Counties."


I recently found this video which continues much of the content in my Remix Culture lecture earlier this year.
In it the film maker Kirby Ferguson argues that the basic elements of creativity are to: copy, transform, and combine. He cites Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press, Henry Ford and The Ford Motor Company and Tim Berners-Lee and the World Wide Web as all possessing elements and components that have already been in existence, which helped make their technological breakthroughs possible. Ferguson argues; “nobody starts out original. We need copying to build a foundation of knowledge and understanding”.
What follows this is an interesting examination of the rise of Apple computers via previous computer innovations from Xerox and Alto.


Mail is received and sorted, dispatched and distributed through all the employees working at the Postal Service and without them, we won’t be able to send or receive any mail or items. postal service has the following staff:
Service Clerks - Sells stamps and help people pickup packages, as well as assist with any other services.
Mail sorters - These employees are in charge of sorting out the mail so that it can go the correct places
Mail carrier - Can also be called a mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman/postwoman or a letter carrier. This person is an employee of the postal service who delivers mail to residences and / or businesses.
A postmaster is the head of a particular post office. Responsibilities includes management of a centralised mail distribution facility, establishment of letter carrier routes, supervision of letter carriers and enforcement of an organization’s rules & procedures.
Also called a chief executive officer of the postal services of that particular country and oversees all the postmasters. A Postmaster General is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization which is usually sponsored by the national government. In 1609, the postmaster general authorised certain persons to carry and deliver letters (mail) and it could only be delivered by them. Benjamin Franklin in the United States was the first appointed postmaster general in 1775, serving longer than 15 months.