What is Life insurance .
Life insurance in India made its debut well over 100 years ago.In our country, which is one of the most populated in the world, the prominence of insurance is not as widely understood, as it ought to be. What follows is an attempt to acquaint readers with some of the concepts of life insurance, with special reference to LIC.
It should, however, be clearly understood that the following content is by no means an exhaustive description of the terms and conditions of an LIC policy or its benefits or privileges.
For more details, please contact our branch or divisional office. Any LIC Agent will be glad to help you choose the life insurance plan to meet your needs and render policy servicing. What IS Life Insurance?
Life insurance is a contract that pledges payment of an amount to the person assured (or his nominee) on the happening of the event insured against.
The contract is valid for payment of the insured amount during:
The date of maturity, or pecified dates at periodic intervals, or
Unfortunate death, if it occurs earlier.
Among other things, the contract also provides for the payment of premium periodically to the Corporation by the policyholder. Life insurance is universally acknowledged to be an institution, which eliminates 'risk', substituting certainty for uncertainty and comes to the timely aid of the family in the unfortunate event of death of the breadwinner.
By and large, life insurance is civilization’s partial solution to the problems caused by death. Life insurance, in short, is concerned with two hazards that stand across the life-path of every person:
That of dying prematurely leaving a dependent family to fend for itself.
That of living till old age withoutisible means of support.
Life Insurance Vs. Other Savings
Contract Of Insurance:
A contract of insurance is a contract of utmost good faith technically known as uberrima fides. The doctrine of disclosing all material facts is embodied in this important principle, which applies to all forms of insurance.
At the time of taking a policy, policyholder should ensure that all questions in the proposal form are correctly answered. Any misrepresentation, non-disclosure or fraud in any document leading to the acceptance of the risk would render the insurance contract null and void.
Savings through life insurance guarantee full protection against risk of death of the saver. Also, in case of demise, life insurance assures payment of the entire amount assured (with bonuses wherever applicable) whereas in other savings schemes, only the amount saved (with interest) is payable.
Aid To Thrift:
Life insurance encourages 'thrift'. It allows long-term savings since payments can be made effortlessly because of the 'easy installment' facility built into the scheme. (Premium payment for insurance is either monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly). For example: The Salary Saving Scheme popularly known as SSS provides a convenient method of paying premium each month by deduction from one's salary.
In this case the employer directly pays the deducted premium to LIC. The Salary Saving Scheme is ideal for any institution or establishment subject to specified terms and conditions.
In case of insurance, it is easy to acquire loans on the sole security of any policy that has acquired loan value. Besides, a life insurance policy is also generally accepted as security, even for a commercial loan.
Life Insurance is the best way to enjoy tax deductions on income tax and wealth tax. This is available for amounts paid by way of premium for life insurance subject to income tax rates in force.
Assessees can also avail of provisions in the law for tax relief. In such cases the assured in effect pays a lower premium for insurance than otherwise.
Money When You Need It:
A policy that has a suitable insurance plan or a combination of different plans can be effectively used to meet certain monetary needs that may arise from time-to-time.
Children's education, start-in-life or marriage provision or even periodical needs for cash over a stretch of time can be less stressful with the help of these policies.
Alternatively, policy money can be made available at the time of one's retirement from service and used for any specific purpose, such as, purchase of a house or for other investments. Also, loans are granted to policyholders for house building or for purchase of flats (subject to certain conditions).
Who Can Buy A Policy? Any person who has attained majority and is eligible to enter into a valid contract can insure himself/herself and those in whom he/she has insurable interest.
Policies can also be taken, subject to certain conditions, on the life of one's spouse or children. While underwriting proposals, certain factors such as the policyholder’s state of health, the proponent's income and other relevant factors are considered by the Corporation.
Insurance For Women
Prior to nationalization (1956), many private insurance companies would offer insurance to female lives with some extra premium or on restrictive conditions. However, after nationalization of life insurance, the terms under which life insurance is granted to female lives have been reviewed from time-to-time.
At present, women who work and earn an income are treated at par with men. In other cases, a restrictive clause is imposed, only if the age of the female is up to 30 years and if she does not have an income attracting Income Tax.
Medical and Non-Medical Schemes
Life insurance is normally offered after a medical examination of the life to be assured. However, to facilitate greater spread of insurance and also to avoid inconvenience, LIC has been extending insurance cover without any medical examination, subject to certain conditions.
With Profit and Without Profit Plans
An insurance policy can be 'with' or 'without' profit. In the former, bonuses disclosed, if any, after periodical valuations are allotted to the policy and are payable along with the contracted amount.
In 'without' profit plan the contracted amount is paid without any addition. The premium rate charged for a 'with' profit policy is therefore higher than for a 'without' profit policy.
Key man Insurance
Key man insurance is taken by a business firm on the life of key employee(s) to protect the firm against financial losses, which may occur due to the premature demise of the Key man.
History of Insurance
1956, that life insurance in India was nationalized. About 154 Indian insurance companies, 16 non-Indian companies and 75 provident were operating in India at the time of nationalization. Nationalization was accomplished in two stages; initially the management of the companies was taken over by means of an Ordinance, and later, the ownership too by means of a comprehensive bill.
The Parliament of India passed the Life Insurance Corporation Act on the 19th of June 1956, and the Life Insurance Corporation of India was created on 1st September, 1956, with the objective of spreading life insurance much more widely and in particular to the rural areas with a view to reach all insurable persons in the country, providing them adequate financial cover at a reasonable cost.
LIC had 5 zonal offices, 33 divisional offices and 212 branch offices, apart from its corporate office in the year 1956.
Today LIC functions with 2048 fully computerized branch offices, 100 divisional offices, 7 zonal offices and the Corporate office. LIC’s Wide Area Network covers 100 divisional offices and connects all the branches through a Metro Area Network. LIC has tied up with some Banks and Service providers to offer on-line premium collection facility in selected cities. LIC’s ECS and ATM premium payment facility is an addition to customer convenience. Apart from on-line Kiosks and IVRS, Info Centres have been commissioned at Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi, Pune and many other cities. With a vision of providing easy access to its policyholders, LIC has launched its SATELLITE SAMPARK offices. The satellite offices are smaller, leaner and closer to the customer. The digitalized records of the satellite offices will facilitate anywhere servicing and many other conveniences in the future.
LIC continues to be the dominant life insurer even in the liberalized scenario of Indian insurance and is moving fast on a new growth trajectory surpassing its own past records. LIC has issued over one crore policies during the current year. It has crossed the milestone of issuing 1,01,32,955 new policies by 15th Oct, 2005, posting a healthy growth rate of 16.67% over the corresponding period of the previous year.
From then to now, LIC has crossed many milestones and has set unprecedented performance records in various aspects of life insurance business. The same motives which inspired our forefathers to bring insurance into existence in this country inspire us at LIC to take this message of protection to light the lamps of security in as many homes as possible and to help the people in providing security to their families.
the life insurance business in India are:
1956: 245 Indian and foreign insurers and provident societies are taken over by the central government and nationalized. LIC formed by an Act of Parliament, viz. LIC Act, 1956, with a capital contribution of Rs. 5 crore from the Government of India.
General insurance businesses in India are:
1957: General Insurance Council, a wing of the Insurance Association of India, frames a code of conduct for ensuring fair conduct and sound business practices.
1968: The Insurance Act amended to regulate investments and set minimum solvency margins and the Tariff Advisory Committee set up.
1972: The General Insurance Business (Nationalization) Act, 1972 nationalized the
general insurance business in India with effect from 1st January 1973.
107 insurers amalgamated and grouped into four companies viz. the National
Insurance Company Ltd., the New India Assurance Company Ltd., the
Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. and the United India Insurance Company
Ltd. GIC incorporated as a company.
HELP US TO SERVE YOU BETTER
Admission of Age:
Age is the main basis of calculation of premium under life insurance policies. The following are accepted as evidence of age:
Certified extract from Municipal or Local Body’s records made at the time of birth.
Certificate of Baptism or Certified Extract from Family Bible, if it contains age or date of birth.
Certified Extract from School or College records, if age or date of birth is stated therein.
Certified Extract from Service Register in the case of Govt. employees and employees of Quasi-Govt. Institutions or
Passport issued by the Passport Authorities in India.
Payment Of Premium:
By cash, local cheque (subject to realization of cheque), Demand Draft at Branch Office.
The DD and cheques or Money Order may be sent by post.
You can pay your premiums at any of our Branches as 99% of our Branches are networked.
Many Banks do accept standing instructions to remit the premiums. So by providing a standing instruction to your Bank to debit your account for the premium amount and send it vide a banker’s cheque to LIC, on the due dates and months mentioned on your policy bond.
Through Internet : Payment of premiums can be made through Internet through Service Providers viz.HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Times of Money, Bill Junction, UTI Bank, Bank of Punjab, Citibank, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank and BillDesk.
Premium payment can also be made through ATMs of Corporation Bank and UTI Bank.
Premium payment can also be made through Electronic Clearing Service (ECS) which has been launched at Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Kanpur, Bangalore, Vijaywada, Patna, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Pune, Goa and Nagpur, Secunderabad & Visakhapatnam. A policyholder having an account in any Bank which is a Member of the local Clearing House can opt for ECS debit to pay premiums. The policyholders wishing to use this system would have to fill up a Mandate Form available at our Branches/DO and get it certified by the Bank. The certified Mandate Forms are to be submitted to our BO/DO.
Policy can be anywhere in India.
Citibank Kiosks at Industrial Assurance Building, Churchgate, New India Building, Santacruz, Jeevan Shikha Building, Borivili are dedicated for collection of premiums through cheques.
Days Of Grace:
Policyholder should pay the premiums on due dates. However, a grace period of one month but not less than 30 days will be allowed for payment of yearly/half-yearly/quarterly premiums and 15 days for monthly premiums.
When the days of grace expire on a Sunday or a public holiday, the premium may be paid on the following working day to keep the policy in force.
If the premium is not paid before the expiry of the days of grace, the policy lapses.
Revival Of Lapsed Policy:
If the policy has lapsed, it can be revived during the life time of the life assured, within a period of five years from the date of the first unpaid premium but before the date of maturity subject to certain conditions.
The Corporation offers three convenient schemes of revival viz., Ordinary Revival, Special Revival and Installment Revival. Policies can also be revived under Loan-cum-Revival and SB-cum-Revival schemes.
Request for revival may be made to the Branch Office servicing the policy.
Change Of Address And Transfer Of Policy Records:
The policyholder should immediately intimate the change of his/her address to the Branch Office servicing the policy. The correct address facilitates better service and quicker settlement of claims.
Policy records can also be transferred from one Branch Office to another for servicing, as requested by the policyholder.
Loss Of Policy Document:
The Policy Document is an evidence of the contract between the Insurer and the Insured. Hence the policyholder should preserve the Policy Bond till the contracted amount under it is settled.
Loss of the Policy Document should be immediately intimated to the Branch Office where it is serviced.
Loans are granted on policies to the extent of 90% of Surrender Value of the policies which are in force and 85% of the Surrender Value in case of policies which are paid-up, inclusive of the cash value of bonus. The rate of interest charged at present is 9% p.a. payable half-yearly.
Loans are not granted for a period shorter than six months. The Conditions and Privileges printed on the back of the Policy Bond states whether a particular policy is with or without the loan facility.
Relief To Policyholders:
The Corporation generally allows concessions on payment of premiums, settlement of claims, issue of duplicate policies, etc when the policyholder are affected by natural calamities such as droughts, cyclones, floods, earthquakes, etc.
Nomination is a right conferred on the holder of a Policy of Life Assurance on his own life to appoint a person/s to receive policy moneys in the event of the policy becoming a claim by the assured’s death. The Nominee does not get any other benefit except to receive the policy moneys on the death of the Life Assured. A nomination may be changed or cancelled by the life assured whenever he likes without the consent of the Nominee.
Ensure nomination exists in the policy for easy settlement of claims.
Assignment means transfer of rights, title and interest. When an assignment is executed, all rights, title and interest in respect of the property assigned are immediately transferred to the Assignee/s and the Assignee/s become the owner/s of the policy subject to any lawful condition made in the assignment.
Assignment can be either conditional or absolute. On assignment (other than to LIC), Nomination automatically stands cancelled. Hence, when such a policy is reassigned, the policyholder will have to make a fresh nomination to avoid delay in settlement of claim.
Survival Benefit/Maturity Claims:
LIC settles survival benefit/maturity claims on or before the due date.
Policyholders are intimated well in advance by the Branch Office which services the policy regarding the payment, and the necessary Discharge Voucher is also sent for execution by the assured. In case the policyholder does not get any intimation from the Branch Office concerned, he/she should contact them, quoting the Policy Number.
Survival Benefit payment up to Rs.60,000/- are settled without insisting for Policy Bond and Discharge Voucher.
If the life assured dies during the term of the policy, death claim arises. The death of the policyholder should be immediately intimated in writing to the Branch Office where the policy is serviced along with the following particulars:
The No./s of the policy/ies
The name of the policyholder
Death Certificate issued by concerned Authority
The date of death
The cause of death and
Claimant’s relationship with the deceased
On receipt of the intimation of death, necessary claim forms are sent by the Branch Office for completion along with instructions regarding the procedure to be followed by the claimant.
The claims which have arisen after a period of three years are treated as non-early claims and settled within 30 days from the date of receipt of all requirements.
The claims that have arisen within a period of two years from the date of commencement of the policy are treated as early claims and investigation is compulsory in such cases.
The claim is usually payable to the nominee/assignee or the legal heirs, as the case may be. However, if the deceased policyholder has not nominated/assigned the policy or if he/she has not made a suitable provision regarding the policy moneys by way of a Will, the claim is payable to the holder of a Succession Certificate or some such evidence of title from a Court of Law.
The Corporation grants claims concessions under certain Plans whereby payment of full sum assured is made, subject to the deduction of unpaid premiums with interest till the date of death and unpaid premiums falling due before the next anniversary of the policy, in the event of the death of the life assured within a period of six months or one year from the date of the first unpaid premium, provided premiums have been paid for at least three years and five years respectively.
Claim Review Committee:
The Corporation settles a large number of Death Claims every year. Only in case of fraudulent suppression of material information is the liability repudiated. This is to ensure that claims are not paid to fraudulent persons at the cost of honest policyholders. The number of Death Claims repudiated is, however, very small. Even in these cases, an opportunity is given to the claimant to make a representation for consideration by the Review Committees of the Zonal office and the Central Office. As a result of such review, depending on the merits of each case, appropriate decisions are taken. The Claims Review Committees of the Central and Zonal Offices have among their Members, a retired High Court/District Court Judge. This has helped providing transparency and confidence in our operations and has resulted in greater satisfaction among claimants, policyholders and public.
Initiatives in Policy Servicing Areas:
All 2048 Branches of LIC are fully computerized covering all policy servicing aspects to give prompt computerized services from new policy introduction, acceptance of renewal premium, revivals, loans, etc to final claims settlement.
Green Channel facility has been introduced for the speedy completion of proposals.
Payment of premiums can be made through internet through service providers, viz., HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Times of money, Bill Junction, UTI Bank, Bank of Punjab,Citi Bank, Corporation Bank, Federal Bank and Bill desk.
Citizens' Charter was presented to the Nation in November, 1997. In the Charter the bench marks were prescribed for 30 servicing areas.
INFORMATION FOR LIC
LIC has been one of the pioneering organizations in India who introduced the leverage of Information Technology in servicing and in their business. Data pertaining to almost 10 crore policies is being held on computers in LIC. We have gone in for relevant and appropriate technology over the years.
1964 saw the introduction of computers in LIC. Unit Record Machines introduced in late 1950’s were phased out in 1980’s and replaced by Microprocessors based computers in Branch and Divisional Offices for Back Office Computerization. Standardization of Hardware and Software commenced in 1990’s. Standard Computer Packages were developed and implemented for Ordinary and Salary Savings Scheme (SSS) Policies.
FRONT END OPERATIONS
With a view to enhancing customer responsiveness and services, in July 1995, LIC started a drive of On Line Service to Policyholders and Agents through Computer. This on line service enabled policyholders to receive immediate policy status report, prompt acceptance of their premium and get Revival Quotation, Loan Quotation on demand. Incorporating change of address can be done on line. Quicker completion of proposals and dispatch of policy documents have become a reality. All our 2048 branches across the country have been covered under front-end operations. Thus all our 100 divisional offices have achieved the distinction of 100% branch computerization. New payment related Modules pertaining to both ordinary & SSS policies have been added to the Front End Package catering to Loan, Claims and Development Officers’ Appraisal. All these modules help to reduce time-lag and ensure accuracy.
METRO AREA NETWORK
A Metropolitan Area Network, connecting 74 branches in Mumbai was commissioned in November, 1997, enabling policyholders in Mumbai to pay their Premium or get their Status Report, Surrender Value Quotation, Loan Quotation etc. from ANY Branch in the city. The System has been working successfully. More than 10,000 transactions are carried out over this Network on any given working day. Such Networks have been implemented in other cities also.
LIC ON THE INTERNET
Our Internet site is an information bank. We have displayed information about LIC & its offices. Efforts are on to upgrade our web site to make it dynamic and interactive. The addresses/e-mail Ids of ur Zonal Offices, Zonal Training Centers, Management Development Center, Overseas Branches, Divisional Offices and also all Branch Offices with a view to speed up the communication process.
PAYMENT OF PREMIUM AND POLICY STATUS ON INTERNET
(You have to register for these services) LIC has given its policyholders a unique facility to pay premiums through Internet absolutely free and also view their policy details on Internet premium payments. There are 11 service providers with whom L I C has signed the agreement to provide this service.
Apply Best LIC Policy Variety Of Schemes Plans. For Your Future LIC Insurance & Investment Plans Free click to call on Lic agent Chennai business contact details to. Get the best rates from Insurance Consultants Chennai.
1) If you want to Buy New Insurance Policies than call 9940240384 (chennai)
2) Contact us on email: firstname.lastname@example.org


Those of us who live in regions that observe Daylight Saving Time (DST) re-set our clocks twice a year, moving them back in the fall and forward in the spring. This year, we spring forward on Sunday, March 12, meaning we'll give up one hour of Sunday sads for an extra hour of sunlight. While I'm a big fan of DST, many oppose the practice — and they have a solid case against it.
DST doesn't actually conserve much energy, which is why we adopted it in the first place. What's more, clock-fiddling throws off our circadian patterns, at least temporarily. Springing forward, studies suggest, robs us of 40 minutes of sleep for at least one night. So, a lot of people are a little sleep-deprived the next day, aka "Sleepy Monday." Such widespread sleep loss has been linked to undesirable trends including a post-DST uptick in car accidents. And a recent study suggests that Sleepy Monday is also a day for disproportionately harsh legal punishment: On this day of (nearly) national tiredness, judges hand out criminal sentences 5 percent longer than on other Mondays, according to researchers at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
The underlying idea is that sleep-deprived judges punish (the same) transgressive behavior more severely than well-slept arbiters of law. Why? Well, sleep-deprived people often frame situations in a negative light and struggle with objectivity: In some studies, sleep-deprived people have shown a higher-than-normal tendency to interpret ambiguous or neutral cues (e.g., resting faces) as negative, suggesting an overactive threat-detection system. Supporting these findings, the sleep-deprived brain has shown decreased activity between the amgydala (the neural alarm bell) and the prefrontal cortex (the center for rational thought), meaning there's no voice of reason to rein in kneejerk emotions and hasty conclusions.
Also, other research points to factors that sway judicial decisions but are unrelated to the cases themselves. For instance, one study found that judges' rate of approving parole requests dropped from 65 percent at the beginning of the day to nearly zero percent before food breaks, and then jumped back up once their honors' bellies were full.
To determine if and how Sleepy Monday punishment deviates from the norm, researchers looked at the length of imprisonment for criminal sentences handed out between 1992 and 2003 on Sleepy Monday, as well on the previous and subsequent Mondays. In all, they analyzed almost 4,000 cases. They controlled for other factors that might affect sentencing, including criminal history, type of offense and defendant demographics.
They also analyzed sentences handed out on other, non-holiday Mondays in the year, as well as during the rest of the post-DST week. Overall, Sleepy Monday emerged as an outlier in terms of sentencing severity. Researchers also noted a pattern of harsher Friday sentences, which they attributed to the accumulation of sleep loss over the course of the week.
The results "demonstrated that even a small amount of sleep deprivation can disturb judges' decisions on punishments." It's possible, researchers wrote, that the (nearly) nationwide practice of DST "unexpectedly undermines the justice system."
While researchers did take measures to minimize the influence of other factors that might affect sentencing, they still have some work to do to show, with certainty, that Sleepy Monday punishments are harsher because judges are underslept. But, their work jibes with existing research on the role of sleep in criminal justice. Other studies, for instance, have explored the way sleep deprivation breeds false confessions and leaves witnesses vulnerable to false recall. And there's plenty more to explore: Does exhaustion affect how jurors weigh facts, or how forensic scientists match fingerprints (an area that notoriously suffers from unconscious bias)?
Originally published in Feb. 2017


In a recent paper from Cell Reports researchers have highlighted brought to light, new insights into the molecular mechanisms that dictate our body’s natural ability to defend itself against skin cancer (Figure 1). These insights may open the door for improved therapeutics and targets for the treatment of the disease.
Avolio, et al., reported that the protein CSDE1 coordinates a complex chain of events that enable senescence in skin cells, significantly slowing down their function without causing death. The result, cells that acting like a wall to protect one against cancer, further suppressing the formation of tumours.
Through collection of keratinocytes from mice, the most abundant type of skin cell in the epidermis, the researchers were able to investigate their hypothesis. Interestingly, keratinocytes can give rise to various types of skin cancer including basal and squamous cell carcinomas, the most common form of cancers in humans.
Through induction of cell senescence by promoting cancer growth within the cells through manipulation of certain genes, they reported a reduced level of CSDE1. This led to cells becoming immortalised, an essential step in cancer progression.
When CSDE1 was reduced in cells and implanted under the skin of mice, they started forming malignant tumours. Additionally, they discovered that CSDE1 promotes tumour suppression via two different mechanisms (Figure 2). CSDE1 promotes cytokine expression and enzyme production in the cell, forcing a state of growth arrest. It also stops the synthesis of YBX1, a protein known to promote tumour cell proliferation.
What was interesting is that previously CSDE1 was linked to driving the formation of cancers and did not suppressing them. CSDE1 is an RNA-binding protein, a type of protein that regulates RNA synthesis and translation.
This is a relatively novel study, investigating RNA-binding proteins and how they establish cell senescence which offers major insights into our understanding of cancer.
Journal article: Avolio, R., et al., 2022. Coordinated post-transcriptional control of oncogene-induced senescence by UNR/CSDE1. Cell Reports.
Summary by Stefan Botha


Genes Underlie both Academic Underachievement and hyperactivity
JUNE 03, 2007
Professor Robert Plomin and colleagues at the Institute and Boston University have had a new study involving twins looking at the genes that underlie hyperactivity and under achievement at school published in the May/June Issue of the American journal, Child Development.
The link between hyperactivity and poor academic achievement is well documented but little understood. Plomin and fellow researcher Saudino at Boston found a significant overlap between both hyperactive behaviours such as inattention and fidgeting and low academic achievement which remained after the researchers adjusted for a child's intelligence. There are two possible explanations for the findings the researchers report, for one some of the same genes that produce hyperactive behaviour may also influence academic achievement. It is equally possible that hyperactive behaviour makes it more difficult for children to learn in school - and harder for teachers to teach them, the researchers added.
A copy of the paper is available in the May/June issue of the Child Development Journal.


Meaning and definition of financial leverage
Financial leverage can be aptly described as the extent to which a business or investor is using the borrowed money. Business companies with high leverage are considered to be at risk of bankruptcy if, in case, they are not able to repay the debts, it might lead to difficulties in getting new lenders in future. It is not that financial leverage is always bad. However, it can lead to an increased shareholders’ return on investment. Also, very often, there are tax advantages related with borrowing, also known as leverage.
The most well known financial leverage ratio is the debt-to-equity ratio (see also debt ratio, equity ratio). It is calculated as:
Total debt / Shareholders Equity
Calculating financial leverage
Financial leverage indicates the reliability of a business on its debts in order to operate. Knowing about the method and technique of calculating financial leverage can help you determine a business’ financial solvency and its dependency upon its borrowings. The key steps involved in the calculation of Financial Leverage are:
- Compute the total debt owed by the company. This counts both short term as well as long term debt, also including commodities like mortgages and money due for services provided.
- Estimate the total equity held by the shareholders in the company. This requires multiplying the number of outstanding shares by the stock price. The total amount thus obtained represents the shareholder equity.
- Divide the total debt by total equity. The quotient thus obtained represents the financial leverage ratio.
Norms and Limits
If the financial leverage ratio of a company is higher than 2-to-1, it indicates financial weakness. If the company is leveraged highly, it is considered to be near bankruptcy. Also, it might not be able to secure new capital if it is incapable of meeting its current obligations.
- Debt ratios
- Liquidity ratios
- Profitability ratios
- Asset management ratios
- Cash Flow Indicator Ratios
- Market value ratios
- Financial analysis
- Business Terms
- Financial education
- International Financial Reporting Standards (EU)
- IFRS Interpretations (EU)
- Financial software
Most WantedFinancial Terms
- Most Important Financial Ratios
- Debt-to-Equity Ratio
- Financial Leverage
- Current Ratio
- Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR)
- Solvency Ratio
- Break-even Point
- Debt Service Coverage Ratio
- Receivable Turnover Ratio
- Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)
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Languages › French How to Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Dormir' Share Flipboard Email Print Hero Images / Getty Images French Grammar Pronunciation & Conversation Vocabulary Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated February 21, 2020 Dormir ("to sleep") is a very common, irregular -ir verb in French. Below are the simple conjugations of the verb dormir; they do not include the compound tenses, which consist of a form of the auxiliary verb with the past participle. Dormir Basics Within irregular -ir verbs, there are some patterns. Two groups exhibit similar characteristics and conjugation patterns. Then there is a final, large category of extremely irregular -ir verbs that follow no pattern. Dormir lies in the first group of irregular -ir verbs that display a pattern. It includes dormir, mentir, partir, sentir, servir, sortir, and all of their derivatives, such as repartir. All of these verbs share this characteristic: They all drop the last letter of the radical (root) in the singular conjugations. For instance, the first-person singular of dormir is je dors (no "m"), and the first-person plural is nous dormons, which retains the "m" from the root. The more you can recognize these patterns, the easier it will be to remember conjugations. Conjugation Patterns Generally speaking, most French verbs ending in -mir, -tir, or -vir are conjugated this way. Such verbs include: Dormir > to sleepEndormir > to put/send to sleepRedormir > to sleep some moreRendormir > to put back to sleepDépartir > to accordPartir > to leaveRepartir > to restart, set off againConsentir > to consentPressentir > to have a premonitionRessentir > to feel, senseSentir > to feel, to smellmentir > to lieSe repentir > to repentServir > to serve, to be usefulSortir > to go out Simple Conjugations of the Irregular French Verb "Dormir" Use the chart below to learn and memorize the conjugations of dormir in its various tenses and moods. Present Future Imperfect Present Participle je dors dormirai dormais dormant tu dors dormiras dormais il dort dormira dormait Passé Composé nous dormons dormirons dormions Auxiliary verb avoir vous dormez dormirez dormiez Past participle dormi ils dorment dormiront dormaient Subjunctive Conditional Passé Simple Imperfect Subjunctive je dorme dormirais dormis dormisse tu dormes dormirais dormis dormisses il dorme dormirait dormit dormît nous dormions dormirions dormîmes dormissions vous dormiez dormiriez dormîtes dormissiez ils dorment dormiraient dormirent dormissent Imperative tu dors nous dormons vous dormez Conjugating Dormir vs. Sortir vs. Partir As noted, dormir is conjugated similarly to other French verbs ending in-mir, -tir, or -vir. Below is a side-by-side comparison of dormir versus sortir verus partir in the present tense. Dormir (to sleep) Sortir (to go out) Partir (to leave) Je dors sur un matelas dur. I sleep on a hard mattress. Je sors tous les soirs.I go out every night. Je pars à midi.I'm leaving at noon. Dormez-vous d'un sommeilléger ?Do you sleep lightly? Sortez-vous maintenant?Are you going out now? Partez-vous bientôt?Are you leaving soon? je dors sors part tu dors sors pars il dort sort part nous dormons sortons partons vous dormez sortez partons ils dorment sortent partent Examples of Dormir It can be helpful in your studies to see how dormir is used in phrases, as in these examples, which show the French phrase followed by the translation in English : Avoir envie de dormir > to feel sleepy / to feel like sleepingDormir d'un sommeil profond / lourd / de plomb > to be a heavy sleeper / to be fast asleep, to be sound asleep, to be in a deep sleepDormir à poings fermés > to be fast asleep, to be sleeping like a baby Review these conjugations and examples and soon you'll be en train de dormir (sleeping soundly) the night before a French language test or a meeting with a French-speaking friend. All About 'Dormir,' an Irregular French Verb Like 'Partir,' 'Sortir' Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Servir' All About French Irregular '-ir' Verbs French Verb Sortir Conjugation How to Conjugate the Irregular French Verb "Haïr" How to Conjugate the Irregular French '-ir' Verb 'Offir' How to Conjugate the French Verb 'Savoir' ('to Know') How to Conjugate "Endormir" (To Put/Send to Sleep) in French How to Conjugate the French Irregular Verb 'Souffrir' ('to Suffer') How to Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Mourir' ('To Die') Ressentir - to feel, sense French Verb Conjugations for Sentir How to Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Soutenir' ('to Support') Conjugating Regular French '-IR' Verbs How to Conjugate the French Verb 'Peindre' ('to Paint') Simple Conjugations for the French Verb, 'Ouvrir,' Meaning 'to Open'


Posted by William Karl Thomas on September 03, 2001
In Reply to: Handicap posted by Peter Maple on August 09, 2001
: I'm trying to find the Original meaning of the phrase, "cap
in hand" (or possibly hand in cap.
: People in the disability movement think the origin of handicap is " cap in hand" ie begging and therefore derrogatory. Others say its "cap in hand" as in horse racing where originally jockeys had to hold their cap as a early "handicap". The Oxford Dictionary says, possibly "hand in cap" was an early game - pulling tokens or cards out of the hat - in a "sporting lottery"
My research for articles about "people with disabilities" attributes the term "handicap" to the great number of amputee returning soldiers from World War I who begged on street corners with "cap in hand," which became "handicap" in American slang.


The original inhabitants of the Darjeeling region were called the Lepcha, who converted to Buddhism many centuries ago. Lepcha Buddhist monks have for centuries found this area a spiritual haven, conducive to prayer, meditation and heavenly contemplation. In the summer months, little whistling birds the Lepchas called “Chamoo” gather here, monk-like in their quest for tranquillity and harmony.
It is said that there was a pond in the Chamong tea estate. The clear, sweet waters of this pond provided drinking water to the estate’s residents. Sometimes, leaves and twigs fell into the water, making it dirty. The Chamoo birds would help clean the pond by taking away the leaves and twigs for their nests and the estate took its name from these birds.


Vittra is more than a model; it is a design that is being used around Sweden.
Vittra gives every individual the opportunity…
- to find the best approach for them Children play and learn on the basis of their needs, curiosity and inclination in the best ways possible.
- to learn based on experience
Children’s learning is based on their experience which increases motivation and inspires creativity.
- to understand their own learning
Children are equipped with the tools to acquire new knowledge and increase understanding of ‘How I learn’, which enables them to learn more easily and effectively in the future.
- to have faith in themselves and their abilities
Children become more self-aware, aware of their strengths and potential for development which means they dare and like to be challenged.
- to develop their ability to communicate and engage in respectful interaction with others
Children understand and are considerate to the needs and interests of others, they can express and stand for their own views as well as take responsibility for their actions.
- to be equipped for study and work in an international environmentChildren develop effective bilingualism in English and Swedish while experiencing and creating international contacts through networks and exchange programs abroad.
Vittra runs 30 schools in Sweden and wants learning to take place everywhere in its schools, so it threw out the "old-school" thinking of straight desks in a line in a four-walled classroom. They eliminated all of its classrooms in favor of an environment that fosters children’s "curiosity and creativity."
The un-schoolness doesn’t stop with the furniture and layout.
The schools are non-traditional in every sense: there are no letter grades and learners learn in groups at their level, not necessarily by age. Admission to the school is free, as long as the child has a personal number (like a social security number) and one of the child’s parents is a Swedish taxpayer.
Vittra opened Telefonplan School, in Stockholm where Architect Rosan Bosch designed the school so children could work independently in opened-spaces while lounging, or go to "the village" to work on group projects. All of the furniture in the school, which looks like a lot of squiggles, is meant to aid learners in engaging in conversations while working on projects.
Telefonplan has Five Learning Spaces:
- The Cave – a space for private concentration to concentrate and enter an introspective process of communication with yourself.
- The Lab – fun with experimentation and practical work where you can discover and explore colors, shapes and materials at different workshops using lab trolleys that make the labs flexible.
- The Camp Fire – the group process is one of the most important learning situations because learning is a social process. Children need spaces for large as well as small groups. The groups don’t have to be in a closed off area but should be a space where the group can focus.
- The Watering Hole – a place for encounters and impulses as a lively space full of activity where learners can drop in for a while and then move on.
- The Showoff – where learners can show off their progress and discoveries. A stage, a presentation, a drawing on the wall, a film or a blog – all ways of showing off their work.
Vittra schools reach kindergarten through twelfth grades. So why do we say "schools without classrooms?" One thing is clear from Vittra is that opening the walls, moving furniture or changing the furniture and allowing flexible places encourages creativity. It works for all ages.Have some fun visiting Telefonplan! Just watch and you will get a tour in English..


Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements, such as those taken by the LAI-2000 or the LAI-2200/C, can be used to determine treatment effects, crop progression, and seasonal variation, to name a few parameters.
The process of obtaining LAI measurements can be very simple. To generate a value for LAI, take a series of Above and Below canopy readings, repeating as many times as needed to develop statistical robustness. The process of interpreting them, however, can be more complex.
FV2200 has many useful tools that can help you understand and modify your LAI measurements. FV2200 can be used with data collected from the LAI-2000, LAI-2200, and LAI-2220C, and we encourage using FV2200 even with LAI-2000 data because of its expanded software features and updated LAI computation models.
First, you can combine and split files, which may be most useful if you have obtained A and B readings on separate optical sensors, or with separate instruments. To combine or split files, use the Combine or Expand features in FV-2200. You can also Import A or B readings from one file to another.
Second, you can recompute files, which is most often used if the view cap or LAI computation model needs to be changed. Rings can also be masked in the recomputation option. Masking rings should be used sparingly, but may be useful if, for example, ring 5 is outside of the canopy view. This condition could be determined by carefully examining the raw ring values and noting that the values for ring 5 are significantly different from the values for rings 1 through 4. If you are unsure whether a ring should be removed, it is best not to remove it. Removing rings decreases the amount of data used to generate the LAI value.
Third, you can create K records and perform the scattering corrections to determine how LAI is affected by solar scattering. For more information about K records and their use in LAI measurements, please see this description.
FV2200’s software tools, used together, can help ensure that the collected LAI data is correctly processed and interpreted. If you have any questions about using FV2200, download its online guide or contact our support team.


NLM announces web site on Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC)
The National Library of Medicine is pleased to announce a new web resource for its Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) http://disasterinfo.nlm.nih.gov . The aim of the DIMRC web site is to provide access to quality disaster health information to the nation at all stages of preparedness, response, mitigation, and recovery. The initial phase of this web site focuses on NLM and NLM-supported resources and activities. The web site will expand to include other sources of authoritative disaster health information.
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has a long history of providing health information during times of disaster. Recognizing the potential for the use of libraries as major untapped resources in preparing for disasters, and responding to the current increased need for disaster health information, the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC) has been created to aid the nation's disaster management efforts. DIMRC is tasked with the effective collection, organization, and dissemination of health information for natural, accidental, or deliberate disasters. DIMRC is committed to providing this essential information as part of the Federal effort to help prepare, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the adverse health effects of disasters in conjunction with Federal, State, local government, private organizations, and local communities. To accomplish this, DIMRC will focus its efforts on providing disaster health information resources and informatics research that will be directly beneficial for public health officials, healthcare providers, special populations, and the public.


Course DescriptionLearn fundamentals of perspective drawing by focusing on drawing interiors and the objects they contain. Basic one and two-point perspective are covered, as well as techniques for establishing proportion, simplifying and representing various forms, and locating objects in space.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
Explore a keen sense of visual stimulation (drawing what you see and what you imagine)
Develop perspective drawing skills
Sketch in one-point and two-point perspective
Represent real interior spaces in perspective
Apply rendering techniques (line, value and texture)
Students should have some basic knowledge of drawing.
Applies Towards the Following Certificate(s)
- Certificate in Visual Design : Optional Courses
- Certificate in Visual Design specializing in Art Theory and Practice : Optional Courses
- Certificate in Visual Design specializing in Interior Design : Optional Interior Design Courses


How to Create the Perfect Learning Unit For An eLearning Course
The definition of a “perfect learning unit for an eLearning course” is one that can support its own learning objectives without relying upon the content of the other eLearning modules or lessons that come before or after it. While creating the perfect learning unit for an eLearning course may seem like an easy task, it can actually prove to be quite challenging. This is specifically true, if you are new to the world of eLearning and you are dealing with a subject matter that may be more complex or involved. The good news is that below you'll find a number of tips you can use to analyze and assess your learning units to ensure that they support their own learning objectives and goals.
- Choose the specific objectives and goals for each learning unit in advance.
Given that each learning unit should have its own goals and objectives, it's essential to figure out what exactly you are hoping to achieve before you create each learning unit of your eLearning course. Research your audience to determine what they want and need to take away from every learning unit and what they are expecting from the eLearning experience as a whole. This will help you to choose the proper learning activities and tools that will ultimately serve the learning goals and objectives.
- Create an in depth outline to highlight key topics.
Developing a detailed outline for every learning unit will help you to determine which key ideas, concepts, and topics you should include in each one. At the same time, it will ensure that you won’t include duplicate content and that each learning unit can support itself independently of the rest of eLearning course. Be as descriptive as possible when creating your outline and include any learning activities that will be integrated, topics that will be explored, and the real world benefits and applications.
- Avoid cognitive overload by keeping learning units short and sweet.
To create the perfect learning unit for an eLearning course means that it should provide your learners with a comprehensive, but concise, learning experience. Ideally, you'll want to keep it less than 20 minutes, as this will allow your learners to get the information they need, even if they may have busy schedules or they get easily distracted. Keep in mind that this suggested length may be longer if the subject matter is more involved or complex, such as a learning unit that delves into a complicated task or process. However, if the subject is too complex, you may want to consider breaking it down further into several individual learning units that highlight just one key topic or one step in the process.
- Include an introduction and review in each learning unit.
Every learning unit should have its own introduction and recap or review at the end. This helps to ensure that learners are aware of the benefits they can expect to receive by actively participating in the learning unit, and that they actually retain the information they are being given. Try to include an interactive learning activity, such as a branching scenario or an eLearning game, in lieu of a text based recap, so that your learners can see the real world applications first hand. When creating your introduction, make it engaging and memorable. You can even begin by asking a thought provoking question or connecting with them by creating an emotionally-centered story or a real world example. Also, give them a brief overview of the learning unit, so that they can immediately comprehend why it's so important for them to be fully engaged in the learning process at this point.
- Assess your learners every step of the way.
The mistake that some eLearning professionals make is reserving assessments for the very end of the eLearning course. While it's always wise to conclude your eLearning course with an overview exam or quiz to assess learner knowledge, you should also be assessing them along the way. Every learning unit should feature some sort of assessment, whether it be an interactive scenario or a straightforward quiz, so that you can ensure your learners are acquiring and remembering the information they need to achieve their learning goals. When creating your assessments, make sure that they only involve the key topics or ideas discussed in that particular learning unit, rather than topics that have been explored in previous modules or lessons.
- Always provide relevant feedback.
It's essential to offer your learners feedback in every learning unit, so that they can learn from their mistakes or reinforce positive behaviors before they move onto the next eLearning module. If they make an error when they answer an eLearning scenario question or an assessment question, bring it to their attention right away, and let them know how they can improve moving forward. Otherwise, they will continue to reinforce incorrect learning behaviors or retain incorrect knowledge when they progress to the next learning unit.
- Choose learning activities that serve the end goal.
The learning activities you choose for each learning unit should successfully support the learning goals and objectives. For example, if you are dealing with a subject matter that may be more simple and straightforward, opting for bullet point text blocks may be more effective, while more complicated topics may call for drag and drop activities or a video tutorial. Also, you will need to decide whether your learners must progress through the learning unit in a linear way, or if they can jump around to different elements within the unit whenever they like.
Creating the perfect learning unit for an eLearning course isn't a next to impossible feat with these simple and straightforward tips on-hand. The next time you're creating an eLearning course, use these tips to create powerful and memorable stand-alone learning units that offer your learners real value.
Who says that eLearning course creation has to be stressful and time consuming? Read the article 6 Steps To Easily Create eLearning Courses where you will find simple tips and tricks that can take the headache out of eLearning course design, so that you can create powerful and effective eLearning experiences for your audience.


Text Neck (Upper Cross Syndrome)
Technology today is causing an epidemic of poor posture and neck strain, and it's starting at a young age.
Consider the angle of the head while texting, using a laptop or tablet, or playing on a hand-held device.
It hangs low and gets lower as time elapses. The weight equivalent to a bowling ball is straining our necks when we are bent forward as such. The impact on the cervical spine is unhealthy and painful, and can lead to misalignment or injury.
This chronic forward head posture, or flexion, over a prolonged period of time can cause 'text neck,' or a muscle imbalance in the upper body know as Upper Cross Syndrome. In this state, there is a weakening and lengthening of the upper back / neck muscles, offset by a tightening and shortening of the the chest / front neck muscles.
Specially prescribed exercises, extensions and stretches specifically target the muscles in need of strengthening can help with Upper Cross Syndrome. These exercises are designed to balance out the musculature of the upper body and neck and relieve the achy, sore sensations that are caused by 'text neck.'


Children can have fun making these simple VE Day fruit skewers to celebrate Victory in Europe Day, or the day that the Second World War ended in Europe, which was on the 8th May 1945. It can form a part of activities about wartime food, flags, street celebrations or any other red, white and blue celebration (why not American Independence Day on July 4th, for example?)
Using alternating red fruit, blueberries and white marshmallow, they can recreate the colours of the Union Jack flag.
2 medium strawberries (or 3 small ones)
Knife and board for slicing strawberries
Instructions for children
First take the "hulls" out of the strawberries. These are the white bits which sit under the stalks and they can be a bit tough to eat and hard for the skewer to go through. If your strawberries are really small you won't need to do this. If they are medium sized you will probably be able to pinch them out with your finger and thumb. Or use the handle on a teaspoon to scoop them out. If your strawberries are very large, you might need help from a grown up to take the hull out with a knife.
If strawberries are really big you may wish to cut them in half. Ask a grown up to help or watch you to cut the berry safely.
Push a skewer up the middle of a blueberry, going in where the stalk used to be, like you are threading a bead. This is less likely to fall apart, but if it does, don't worry, just get another one and try again. Try to hold the berry gently while you push the skewer. Always push the skewer away from your hand, never towards it. If you're not sure, put the berry down on a cutting board and poke skewer down into the berry, then pick it up and slide it down the skewer.
Then add a marshmallow, threading the same way.
Then add a strawberry.
Carry on being careful not to poke your hand and use the board if needed.
Repeat this pattern two more times.
If you can only find small marshmallows, you can still make this skewer but consider using firm raspberrries instead of strawberries as then all the items will be similar in size. You can also make these smaller ones on large toothpicks!
After your children have enjoyed making the VE Day fruit skewers, why not try other kebabs? Roasted vegetables, meat or halloumi cheese with veggies, and other fruits are all good choices. Here is a cute video of children from Half Pint Cooking making rainbow fruit kebabs:


Moderna’s two-dose Covid-19 vaccine is usually safe and effective for children from 6 months to 17 years old, the FDA said in a separate forum document submitted late Friday.
Background: The documents are the product of months of corporate security reviews and immunogenicity data, which organizational regulators must independently verify. They will form the basis for a review of FDA independent immunization advisors at meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, during which they will vote on whether to recommend the institution to authorize EUAs thousands of years old.
The first meeting will focus on a series of immunizations proposed by Moderna for children aged 6 to 17, and the second day will apply to both national vaccination companies for up to 6 months.
Limited data on efficiency: The FDA evaluated the ability of vaccines to induce low antibody responses in children compared with adolescent adolescents, a concept known as immunobridging. They both met the agency’s success criteria.
Real-world performance against Omicron variants in the 6- to 5-month-old group in the Moderna vaccine ranged from 36 to 51 percent, but the success rates for all age groups were “generally consistent” with the values observed in the study. studies of adults during different wavelengths, the FDA said.
Preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of Pfizer vaccine in children under 5 years of age for 80 percent against the disease, although only 10 cases of Covid were reported among study participants before the data cut-off date in April.
There was still a lot of unspecified effectiveness in both corporate data showing the current status of adult immunizations in the US, including duration and how the vaccine protects against side effects such as long-term Covid, the FDA said. Children will probably need booster doses in the future, given adult information on immune defenses, say reviewers.
Adverse reactions such as headaches and fatigue were more common in adolescents than in young children, possibly because they received larger doses of vaccines, The FDA said. The flu has been reported more frequently among the youngest vaccine recipients.
No new safety signs were found in the company’s clinical trials, although they were not large enough to detect rare side effects, the FDA said.
The FDA review of company details comes months after angry parents felt pressured by statements that Covid-19 vaccines would be available to the country’s young children in early 2022, to see a change in dates. The FDA has scheduled a meeting of the advisory committee in February to consider the first two doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, so that it can be postponed once the data suggests that a third dose may strengthen its effectiveness.
Parents and promoters of children under the age of 5 to be vaccinated emerged in a POLITICO report in April that Biden management relied on approving both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna products simultaneously to make it easier to promote firearms, a particular movement. it is believed that it led to the directors staying in Moderna’s request while Pfizer continued to collect data and complete its submission. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf he later stressed that there would be no catch at Moderna’s request, but the plan of the advisory committee meeting eventually ensured that both policies would be considered as a head-on collision.
Treatment of Myocarditis: No cases of myocarditis or pericarditis – inflammation of the heart tissue or membranes, respectively – have been reported in Moderna pediatric trials. Both of these conditions are a known risk factor for Covid-19 enzyme RNA vaccines, especially for males 12 to 39 years of age.
Data from international immunization safety programs suggested that a higher rate of heart disease occurred after a modern vaccine with a moderator than Pfizer-BioNTech’s, which, along with the availability of the Pfizer youth vaccine, confirmed the FDA last fall. ahead of the EUA then 12- to 17-year-olds, the organization said in a forum document.
But analyzing US data on active and inactive surveillance programs conducted in April and May “does not support differences in the risk of myocarditis / pericarditis [Moderna] as compared [Pfizer-BioNTech] or suggest small differences due to uncertainty, ”says the FDA, which later referred to evidence of risk differences between the two products as“ flawless. ”
The balance of the risk of allowing Moderna vaccine as a youth option during a heart attack is likely to be a major source of debate at Tuesday’s meeting.
No cases were reported in the Pfizer and BioNTech trials for children under 5 years of age, and the risk for that age group is unknown. The risk of myocarditis associated with the goal of that age group may be lower compared to younger adults, given the low prevalence rate in 5- to 11-year-old men and the low rates of adverse reactions among young children, the FDA said.
FDA: Pfizer, Moderna vaccines for children under 6 are safe, effective
#FDA #Pfizer #Moderna #vaccines #children #safe #effective


At the outset, let it be expressly stated and definitively affirmed that every human person is unique, singular, unrepeatable. This means that: First, every human person is someone whose categorical particulars are definite and defining of itself alone such that they are not shared with any other human person. Second, a human person is one and alone in its constitution and consequent being so that there it has no duplicate of any kind or any carbon copy at any given time, in any given place. Third, that a human person consumes its own self-identity in the sense that there can be nothing exactly like it anywhere, in any way. Conclusion: Every human person is thus a unique, singular, and unrepeatable individual. Every human person is wherefore intrinsically invaluable – for its singularity and uniqueness among other major reasons.
Man exists as capable of self-understanding, self-possession and self-determination. This rather complex as well as unique qualifying attributions of man as a human person are such that every man in his constitution as a human person cannot but be treated with profound deference and special concern – by other human persons, by human society as a whole, by the government and the State itself. It is really cruel, sad and lamentable when a human person is instead precisely mistreated and even trampled upon by other human persons, by human society of which the same is a constituent member, by the government, by the State whose nature and finality are precisely meant to serve the former. The reality of the matter is that when a human person is violated by another human person, this violator in effect belittles, undermines, despises itself. Reason: If someone may victimize another, why can't the former be not likewise victimized by everybody else?
In fact, as rightfully said, it is not intellect, consciousness and freedom that define the human person, rather, it is the human person who is the basis of the acts of intellect, consciousness and freedom. But even without a functional intellect, with the loss of consciousness and/or the denial of freedom, the human person remains with his innate personhood, his intrinsic humanity and consequent dignity. This signal reality proclaims and insists on respect for every human person on the part of everybody else plus due deference to the same, particularly by social and political institutions.
Given the who and the what of the human person, considering his intrinsic nature and essential attributions, the following principle of action is well founded and easily understandable: A just society can become a reality only when it is based on the respect of the transcendental dignity of the human person. It may not be otherwise. Reason: The human person represents the ultimate end of society which is precisely ordered for the good and welfare of every person. Woe therefore to anybody, any government, any ideology that trample upon any human person – his human rights, his human dignity.


Coders' Club 101
The website you're now visiting grew out of an urge to get elementary-school kids together in a social and supportive environment where they can learn the very basics of computer programming. There are lots of websites, products, summer camps and so on, and that's great, the more the merrier. In this program, we ...
- Let kids learn by doing. There is not a lot of tutorial material or rhetoric. We just point kids at challenges and let them get coding. Parent support is critical, even though we've tried to make the activities as intuitive as possible.
- Focus on problem-solving. Real-world coding is a great blend of creativity and problem-solving, and of course the creative side of it is highly attractive for kids. But too much emphasis there can make the whole exercise a dead-end. We steer much more toward the challenges of problem-solving: trace a shape, solve a maze, calculate an answer or generate a sequence.
- Make it social. It really is meant to be a club, where everyone gathers at the same time to share their interest and excitement. Coaches help kids, kids help other kids, kids show off and celebrate. It is a beautiful thing.
- Give it structure. There are lots of activities to choose from, and we try to support different modes and styles of learning. But by and large we believe that kids respond well to structure. They follow a curriculum which has some parallel paths but mostly is serialized so that they are learning A before they go off and try B.
- Let the solution be the reward. The activities should be fun, but let's be honest, they can't compete with videogames or robots. On the other hand, the effects of those sorts of big audio-visual reinforcements tend to wear off, don't they? We've found that kids find that solving a problem can be a reward of its own.
Okay, so there's the big manifesto. Practically, what is a Coders' Club? It is a group of kids, parents, and/or teachers meeting to learn about coding by doing coding activities, and this application is built to support that.
Each club has registered coders, and in some cases groups of coders who meet at specific times -- for example the Tuesday-morning group or the Thursday-afternoon group. Each club has registered coaches who help out the coders and who are able to track their progress using the application. Some of teh coaches are administrators and so can sign up coders and other coaches, and generally manage the membership of the club.
You can learn more specifics of how to run a club, be a coach in a club, and generally how to use this application in the following pages:


Happy Together: ANIMALS and Your CHILDREN
Many family pets are great with kids, and most kids love animals, too! Most animals are friendly, but sometimes bites and scratches happen. Whether it is a family pet, a stray animal, or an animal at a “petting zoo,” it is important to teach your kids how to be safe around animals.
Pet or No Pet?
Animals are a lot of work. They require a lot of care and attention. Before bringing a pet into your home, ask yourself: Do I have enough space for a pet? Do I have time to train a pet? Is everyone in the house ready for a pet? Can I afford veterinarian bills and other needs? Consider anyone in your home that may have allergies or asthma. Be sure your home and lifestyle are ready for a pet before you get one.
Remember to take your time. Do some research and pick a pet that works for your family. A family dog with a calm temperament may be best for small children, while a hamster is better for older children who can be more independently responsible.
If you do decide to bring a pet home, here are some things to consider:
- Keep areas that the animal sleeps, eats or lives in tidy. Clean up after your pet regularly.
- Have your pet checked by a veterinarian regularly and keep up to date on all shots.
- Put food, leashes and water bowls away from where small children can reach.
- Teach children not to disturb a pet while it is eating or sleeping.
- Bites tend to happen if an animal is teased, hurt or played with too roughly. Always supervise babies and young children. Teach them from a young age to be gentle, and to never hit or kick animals.
- Wash your hands after touching pets and before eating, and have your children do the same.
Any animal bites or scratches should be washed with soap immediately and seen by a doctor the same day.
Teach your children how to interact with animals they don't know. Never pet an unfamiliar animal and if the owner is present, always ask permission before.
If your child is afraid of an animal, be kind and understanding. Don’t force an interaction and allow them to keep as much distance from the animal as they want.
When friends come to your house, make sure they are comfortable with your pet. If not, keep your pet in a separate room or outside until they leave.
If your child is approached by a dog off-leash, teach them not to run. Instead they should avoid eye contact and slowly back away. If on a bike, the child should get off the bike and place the bike between himself and the dog and stand still. The dog should lose interest and move away.


Join David Yahalom for an in-depth discussion in this video Authorization and permissions, part of Oracle Database 12c: Security.
- [Instructor] In addition to deciding…on how users will authenticate with your database,…such as using user names and passwords,…we also have to understand the concept…of authorization or permissions.…That is, once a user, has authenticated…and confirmed its identity with your Oracle database,…what can that user do in the context of the database?…Which data does this user has access to?…Can this user create new tables?…Can he execute stored procedures?…The general assumption is that your Oracle database…contains many different tables and database objects.…
These tables and objects provide access…to various sets of data.…Some users presumably,…will only be able to access parts of the data,…create tables, while other users will be able…to access only other parts of the data.…This is known as user authorization.…Which user has the authority to perform…which actions in the Oracle database?…You can provide individual database users…with the permissions to view, update,…or delete data in certain tables…as well as perform various database functions…
Learn how to identify the major risks and security threats, and review general best practices for properly protecting and "hardening" any production database. Then, dive into hands-on demos that show how to set up user accounts, the connection between users and schemas, database object and system permissions, and roles in a multitenant environment, as well as encrypt data, audit user actions, and access to sensitive information. Plus, find out how to enable data-at-rest security via the Oracle Transparent Data Encryption and backup encryption options.
- Core concepts of Oracle database security
- Potential threats to Oracle database security
- Authentication and authorization
- Auditing access
- Data encryption
- Users and permissions
- Database roles
Skill Level Intermediate
Oracle 12c Database: Administrationwith David Yahalom3h 58m Beginner
Database Foundations: Core Conceptswith Adam Wilbert2h 14m Beginner
Database Foundations: Administrationwith Adam Wilbert1h 14m Beginner
1. Database Security Fundementals
2. Advanced Database Security Concepts
3. Download and Set Up the Course VM
4. Users and Permissions
5. Database Roles
Roles with ADMIN OPTION3m 24s
6. Auditing Access to Data
7. Data Encryption
What's next?1m 46s
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Air pollution can pose a serious health risk. Respiratory conditions, cancer, heart disease and other ailments are linked to air pollution. The World Health Organization estimates 1.34 million people died in 2008 from breathing in the tiny particles present in polluted outdoor air. In some parts of the world, air pollution is not only many times that of the recommended amount, but is getting worse. In some cities, air pollution is the worst it has ever been. 24/7 Wall St. looked at new data from the WHO to find the most polluted cities in the world.
According to the WHO, cities in Iran, India, Mongolia and Pakistan are among those with the highest levels of air pollution in the world. The sources of air pollution in those cities are fairly consistent. Industrial factories and power plants frequently emit large amounts of particles into the air. Similarly, the growing use of automobiles in many of the cities also adds to pollution. And with the vehicles used often being cheap, second-hand and poorly maintained, they emit greater amounts of toxic emissions than those in the U.S. or Canada, further worsening the air quality. High levels of pollution also result from combustion of wood and municipal waste, and, in some cases, airborne dust is caused by a combination of unpaved roads and dry weather.
There are serious health consequences to air pollution. PM10 particles, or particles of 10 micrometers or less, enter the air and are breathed in by people. These particles eventually enter the bloodstream, where they can cause heart disease, lung cancer, asthma and acute lower respiratory infections. The WHO estimates 1.34 million people died in 2008 from breathing in tiny particles present in polluted outdoor air. This is up from 1.15 million deaths in 2004.
24/7 Wall St. has analyzed the ten international cities with the worst air pollution, according to the WHO data. In each case, the city has at least ten times the amount of air particles recommended by the WHO — 20 µg/m3. In most cases the air quality is even worse.
This is 24/7 Wall St.’s Cities With The Worst Air Pollution In The World.


This collection is the first to bring together scholars to explore the ways in which various people and groups in Italian society reacted to the advent of cinema. Looking at the responses of writers, scholars, clergymen, psychologists, philosophers, members of parliament, and more, the pieces collected here from that period show how Italians developed a common language to describe and discuss this invention that quickly exceeded all expectations and transcended existing categories of thought and artistic forms. The result is a close-up picture of a culture in transition, dealing with a 'scandalous' new technology that appeared poised to thoroughly change everyday life.
Francesco Casetti is Professor of Film and Media at Yale University. He is the author of Inside the Gaze. The Fiction Film and its Spectator, Theories of Cinema, 1945-1995, and Eye of the Century. Film, Experience, Modernity. With Jane Gaines, he is the co-founder of the Permanent Seminar on Histories of Film Theories.
Francesco Casetti (editor and contributor) Thomas Donnelly Professor, Film and Media Studies Yale University Leading scholar of film and media studies, author most recenty of The Lumie?re Galaxy. Seven Key Words for the Cinema to Come, Columbia UP, 2015
Silvio Alovisio is Assistant Professor of Film at University of Torino. He is extensively working on Italian silent cinema and early film theories. He is the author of some ten essays and books, among which The 'Pastrone System': Itala Film from the Origins to World War 1, and L'occhio sensibile (The Responsive Eye) on cinema and psycho/physiology.
Luca Mazzei is Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Film at University of Roma "Tor Vergata". He currently works on early film theories, novels on film, and the role of cinema during the war against the Ottoman Empire (1911). He is the co-editor of Lucio d'Ambra il cinema (co-ed. with A. Aprà) and Microteorie. Cinema Muto Italiano (co-ed. with L. Quaresima).


Walking pneumonia – it may sound a bit strange, but it’s a real illness that affects kids as well as adults. While it’s not as serious as full-blown pneumonia, it’s still something you should be aware of when it comes to the health of your child.
This condition can be mistaken for a cold or flu, as kids get many sniffles and coughs and it can be difficult to sort out the difference. However, here are 12 things to know about walking pneumonia and how you can deal with it…
Defining Walking Pneumonia
KidsHealth.org explains that walking pneumonia – also known as atypical pneumonia or mycoplasma pneumonia – is a lesser form of pneumonia, which is a potentially serious lung infection.
It’s called mycoplasma pneumonia because it’s caused by mycoplasma bacteria, which causes “cold-like symptoms, a low-grade fever, and a hacking cough,” notes the source. However, most often kids with this form of pneumonia aren’t confined to bed, giving it the “walking” nickname.


Teaching Vocabulary So Kids Will Beg For More is now available for the Certified Teachers audience on the LMS.
In this course, Dr. Brenda Overturf, literacy consultant and author, discusses the importance of vocabulary development in elementary and middle school students. She describes a number of effective activities to introduce new words and help students remember them. Dr. Overturf also emphasizes the importance of connecting words not only with their synonyms and antonyms but also with colors and gestures that help make learning vocabulary more meaningful and fun.
This course was taped at the Arkansas Reading Association conference on November 19, 2015.


A great way to build the foundation skills that today's elementary school curriculum requires. These learning games and songs are fun, teach important skills for preschool and elementary school kids and they're free. Want educational games that help build skills? You've come to the right place!
Learning social studies can include a wide range of topics. One of those topics is learning about all the significant people in history. Kids love to learn about famous men and women from history with fun online flash games. Studying social studies has never been easier! Students can learn facts, play games, and do activities about Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, first ladies, and others. Presidential facts and information about famous women is easily learned here. These educational games help students build social studies skills. Elementary school, middle school, and high school students can use fun online games to help with learning about social studies. Learn trivia, work on social studies vocabulary, unscramble, match, and do word searches and jigsaw puzzles all related to historical figures. These games aren’t just for American students–students learning ESL (English as a Second Language) can benefit, too! Students of all ages and abilities love online flash games, whether they’re learning writing, spelling, math, science, social studies, or language arts. Learning can be so much easier when students have interesting, fun ways to do it. Students of all ages can improve their grades and do better in school with some educational practice with an online lesson. Best of all, kids of all ages are having fun while learning!


When a photon interacts with an atom, three things can happen:
elastic scattering, the photon keeps its energy and phase and changes angle
inelastic scattering, the photon gives part of its energy to the atom, and changes angle
absorption, the photon gives all its energy to the atom and the absorbing electron moves to a higher energy level as per QM
In the case of the detector, it is absorption. The photon seizes to exist. It transforms into the kinetic energy of the electron.
In the case of air, the air's atoms scatter the photons elastically. It is Rayleigh scattering, that is why the sky is blue. In this case, the wavelength of the photons is much bigger then the scattering atoms. This is the only way that the energy and phase of the photons is kept, and you can see images of objects through air without bigger distortions. It is a coherent (specular) way of refraction. In optics, we use the expressions coherent and diffuse (decoherent) for reflection and refraction. In the case of refraction, like through air, this (coherent) means that that not only is the energy and phase of the individual photons kept, but the relative phases of the photons' too. This is the only way that the image we see through air keeps coherent.
Now you edited your question to talk about the detector in front of the slits. That is called the which way experiment. In that case, there is a detector in front of one of the slits. That is inelastic scattering, and that will cause that photon not to create an interference pattern.
So basically when the photon is elastically scattered through air, it will still create an interference pattern, because in elastic scattering, the energy and phase is kept.
When there is a detector in front of the slit, that is inelastic scattering, and in that case that photon does not create an interference pattern, because the photon gives part of its energy to the scattering atom, and changes phase.


For over 25 years the Vermont Center for the Book has not only helped change the lives of thousands of young children and their families, but it has empowered librarians, teachers and child-care providers to use picture books, conversation, and standards-based activities to transform the learning lives of thousands of young children all over the country.
How do we do this? In short, with our Mother Goose Programs, we’ve put into practice what children’s librarians have always known: You can use a picture book to talk about—and learn about—virtually anything.
We are partnering with the Vermont Department of Libraries on a new VELI-STEM project, which is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Twenty-five Vermont libraries are participating in this three-year project. The second-year training conference took place on April 24 and 25, 2017. The topic for the second year is Building and Engineering. We are developing a weebly site for the project; the site includes a STEM Clearinghouse of website links and STEM activities for preschool children, families and child-care providers.
Here are the new Red Clover Award Nominees for 2017-2018! What’s the Red Clover Award and how do Vermont students prepare to vote for their favorites? Here’s what they do at Underhill ID School in Chittenden County.
Are you looking for more activities and other Red Clover Award resources? Library media specialists (and Red Clover committee members) Carol Scrimgeour and Carrie Speranza have put together an excellent Red Clover program resource for all educators. Be sure to visit their Red Clover Award website when you have a chance.


Active Video Games Not as Beneficial as Previously Thought
Making News:Scientists and fitness professionals have spent plenty of time looking for ways to encourage improved activity levels among children. To appeal to tech-minded youth, one possible means for improving fitness is active video gaming. However, a study published recently in Pediatrics (March 1, 2012; 129 , 636–42) suggests that this may not be as effective as previously thought.
Member Only Article
|Extreme Interval Training
In this course you'll learn goal-focused intervals and over 50 dynamic exercises and drills to create extensive and intensive training formats.
|Cut to the Core
This is a raw, unedited video filmed live at the 2009 IDEA World Fitness Convention™. Cut to the Core is packed full of core-focused exercises that aim to improve the way you look, feel and live.
|September 2011 IDEA Fitness Journal Quiz 4: Plyometric Training
This continuing education quiz is an in-depth look at plyometric training. Plyometric exercises—jumping, bounding, hopping, arm pushing, and catching and throwing weighted objects such as machine balls—are movements that involve rapid eccentric and concentric muscle actions.


What are leap seconds?
About every one and a half years, one extra second is added to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) and clocks around the world. This leap second accounts for the fact that the Earth’s rotation around its own axis, which determines the length of a day, slows down over time while the atomic clocks we use to measure time tick away at almost the same speed over millions of years.
So, leap seconds are a means to adjust our clocks to the Earth’s slowing rotation.
How many leap seconds have been added so far?
Since 1972, a total of 24 seconds have been added. This means that the Earth has slowed down 24 seconds compared to atomic time since then.
This does not mean that days are 24 seconds longer nowadays. Only the days on which the leap seconds are inserted have 86,401 instead of the usual 86,400 seconds.
When are leap seconds added?
Leap seconds are inserted at the end of the last day in June or December. When that is the case, UTC ticks from 23:59:59 to 23:59:60 before reverting to 00:00:00 (in the 12-hour format, this corresponds to 11:59:59 pm – 11:59:60 pm – 12:00:00 midnight). When that happens the last minute of the month has 61 instead of 60 seconds.
Who decides when leap seconds are added?
The International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service (IERS) observes the Earth’s rotation and compares it to atomic time. When the difference between the two approaches 0.9 seconds, they order a leap second to be added worldwide.
Science behind Leap second
Historically, humans based time on the average rotation of the Earth relative to other celestial bodies, with the second defined by this frame of reference. However, the invention of atomic clocks — accurate to about one second in 200 million years — brought about a definition of a second independent of Earth’s rotation. Instead, they’re based on a consistent signal emitted by electrons changing energy states within an atom.
Earth has been falling behind the atomic time at a rate of about 2 milliseconds per day, currently trailing the atomic time by six-tenths of a second. Every now and then a leap second must be added to atomic clocks (and thus all of our clocks) to keep in sync with Earth’s oddball rotation.


The Relationship Between Learning and Teaching - Ausmed
Teaching through relationships posits that teachers who have and participate in activities that, together, make for engaged learning. We believe, as do many, that learning and teaching are correlated, and . The third teaching style conceptualizes the relationship between the. Recent developments in Education reveal a shift from teaching to learning, . Such a framework is not compatible with a traditional teacher-pupil relationship. It .
It suddenly occurred to me that I have engaged in teaching patients, students, and family members for almost four decades and never had I asked them how they best learn! I wondered if many of my patients were aware of their learning style. Since that time, I have assigned a learner survey to every group of nurses at the start of every seminar that I host.
The Relationship Between Learning and Teaching
It is vitally important that our patients, families and colleagues feel empowered by opportunities for learning, and not defeated. For example, a newly diagnosed type II diabetic who has a kinesthetic learner profile should have a glucometer to hold and practice with during every learning session, in order to assimilate the information.
So I challenge you: What are your strengths and how could a nurse educator capitalise on your strengths as a learner?
- Difference Between Teaching and Learning
I encourage you to bring this issue to your staff meetings and complete your own learner inventory. There are a multitude of tools available online. Try it Yourself… The next step in your learning will be to select, along with your colleagues, a health problem that is common to the patient population that you serve diabetes, asthma, heart disease, or obesity. Divide your staff into four groups: Each group should develop a teaching program on your chosen topic using the learning style that you have selected.
Share, your strategies with each other and then learn and celebrate your success as a team for your innovation and dedication to teaching and learning! Association Press; Follet Pub. For instance, students who get zero in a quiz or test are often perceived to have not learnt anything from the lessons as the new knowledge was not retained after the teaching process. Positive or negative Ideally, an individual should change positively after being taught.
However, it is a well-known fact that negative behaviors are commonly learned. Brought about by experience It should also be noted that learning is not due to passive causes such as illness, maturation, and injury.
The relationships between teaching and learning | SmartPrimaryEd
Differences between Teaching and Learning Goal of Teaching and Learning The primary goal of teaching is to impart knowledge and to monitor change in behavior while learning aims to understand and apply knowledge.
A teacher seeks to share what he knows whereas a learner intends to receive new information. Authority in Teaching and Learning As compared to learners, the teachers possess higher authority. Dependence in Teaching and Learning For the teaching process to be actualized, teachers need to have students as recipients of novel knowledge. On the other hand, learners do not always need teachers to learn something as mere solitary experiences can bring about realizations; hence, learning.
Expertise in Teaching and Learning Teaching is characterized by a higher level of expertise as compared to learning. Feedback in Teaching and Learning Generally, teaching helps others by observing and aptly pointing out which behaviors should be retained and altered while the learning undertaking is marked by being able to understand the feedback as well as apply it to future behavior.
Extent with respect to existence of Teaching and Learning Largely, learning is possible until our last breath. As for teaching, people can still learn from the teachings of someone who has already passed away.
Directive in Teaching and Learning Essentially, learning cannot be mandated. Students are directed to study but the act of learning is more of an internal process.
On the contrary, teaching can be assigned and verified through syllabi, lesson plans, curricula, and the like. Population in Teaching and Learning As compared to learners, the population of teachers is often less. There are usually fewer individuals involved in the teaching process than those at the learning end.
Autonomy in Teaching and Learning The teaching course is more imbued with autonomy as compared to the learning exercises.What is the difference between teaching and learning


Teagasc and the Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee highlight the importance of Wetlands
The value of wetlands and the importance of farming on wetlands was highlighted at the launch of a new leaflet on ‘Farming and Wetlands’ by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys TD and Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle. The launch took place today Wednesday, 23 September at the Teagasc stand at the National Ploughing Championships in county Laois.
Minister Humphreys said: "This leaflet provides very useful information to farmers about how to protect and preserve our wetlands, which are a vital natural resource. Wetlands are very important for plant and animal life and farming can help to protect their rich biodiversity. I would like to commend Teagasc for producing this leaflet, which I hope will be a useful resource for farmers."
Teagasc Director, Professor Gerry Boyle welcomed this multi-agency initiative to highlight the importance of farming on wetlands, through the Irish Ramsar Wetland Committee of which Teagasc is a member along with governmental organisations, local authorities, academic institute personnel and non-governmental organisations.
Wetlands are areas where water has a major influence on the soil, associated plant and animal life, and on the farming system. They include floodplains and wet grasslands as well as lakes, rivers, ponds swamps and bogs. By their nature, wetlands often remain unimproved – never reseeded or heavily fertilised, thus providing a resource now more appreciated and valued.
Farming is important for the management of wetland grasslands, according to Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist. For example grazing of turloughs and cutting callow meadows is essential to maintain their rich biodiversity. Many wetland sites are considered Priority Environmental Assets in GLAS, the agri-environment scheme, giving farmers with these sites priority access into the scheme. Some are designated private NATURA sites and others are identified as GLAS Farmland Bird areas for breeding waders, corncrake, or geese and swans. Farms who fence off rivers and streams identified as Vulnerable Water Areas, which are considered Environmental Assets, have increased chances of access to GLAS. Teagasc advise farmers with wetlands to consider their options under GLAS now, as advisers can identify these Priority Assets on the GLAS online planning system.
View the new Wetlands Brochure at the following link wetlands-leaflet


Industrial chimneys are regularly inspected to ensure their structural integrity. Often this requires a person to physically traverse the interior and exterior of a stack by repelling on ropes. Not only does this operation require a scheduled shutdown to complete, but it also poses a significant safety risk to the crew involved. UAV’s provide an obvious opportunity to improve both the efficiency and safety of this operation, but, until now, only for the exterior of a chimney. Robotically inspecting the interior of a stack presents a much more complex task, and has therefore limited UAV technologies disruptive potential in this particular vertical market.
In collaboration with The Department of Energy, UCORR, and AECOM, VersaTOL (versatol.com) has validated it’s patent-pending drone-based method for inspecting the interior of industrial chimney stacks. The first two chimney flues were inspected at Oak Ridge National Laboratories in 2016 with a third to be inspected there in 2017. “For the second stack at Oak Ridge, we had a strict two-hour window to inspect the entire inside and outside of the chimney before it had to go back on-line.” Said Lawrence Corban, a co-founder of VersaTOL UAS. “An inspection like this would usually require days of shut down; our drone-based solution enabled us to finish in less than an hour and a half.”


10 Toxic Towns You Still Can’t Live In
Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
Located downwind from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Namie was evacuated and declared a no-go zone after a devastating earthquake and tsunami ravaged the surrounding region on 11 March 2011, causing three catastrophic meltdowns at the plant. The town is pictured here in 2010.
Before the disaster, Namie had a population of over 20,000. Located within the 12-mile exclusion zone, the town remained completely out of bounds and eerily silent until April 2012, when the authorities divided it into three zones based on their levels of radioactive contamination.
Former residents were allowed to visit Zone A, located closest to the coast, but weren’t permitted to stay overnight.
They could visit Zone B for very brief periods, but Zone C, the most contaminated of the lot, remained closed off, with access strictly forbidden.
As clean-up operations have progressed, Zones A and B were declared safe in April 2017 and former residents were allowed to return, but many have chosen to stay away. Access to Zone C, on the other hand, is still completely prohibited and is expected to stay that way until at least 2023.