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Adult males range from 40 to 52 feet and can weigh up to 45 tons. Despite their size, humpback whales are graceful acrobats. Keep your eye on the ocean and you might see one breach, propelling up to 40 percent of its body out of the water and landing on its side with a spectacular splash.
Whales have great cultural significance for Native Hawaiians. They play a large role in Hawaiian legend—including one creation story—and appear in ancient petroglyphs on several islands. The return of the kohola (humpback whale) is considered more of a homecoming than a visit. Humpback whales are born in Hawaiian waters, making them kamaaina (native born). Some Native Hawaiians also believe the whales are aumakua (family guardians), so these gentle giants are treated with great respect.
Cultural Significance of Whales in Hawaii
Although humpback whales can be seen from all of the Hawaiian Islands, the shallow Auau Channel between Maui, Molokai and Lanai is one of the best whale-watching destinations in the world.
What's the Best Way to See Whales?
You may also spot kohola from the southern shores of Oahu, especially at Makapuu Lighthouse and along the seaside overlooks near Leahi (Diamond Head).
Kauai offers a range of whale-viewing opportunities, including Poipu Beach on the South Shore, Kilauea Lighthouse on the North Shore and Kapaa Overlook on the island’s Coconut Coast.
On the island of Hawaii, whales are often seen along the shores of the Kohala Coast, as well as Hilo Bay on the east side of the island. The Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site is another great viewing spot, with its sweeping, elevated views near Kawaihae Harbor. In fact, Puukohola literally means “hill of the whale” in Hawaiian.
Boat tours may be your best option for viewing whales up close. Hawaii has dozens of tour operators, including a few that lead kayak excursions—a thrilling way to experience these majestic mammals.
In respect for the kohola and the safety of sightseers, all watercraft must stay a minimum of 100 yards from the whales, but you'll be surprised how close you feel when a 45-ton behemoth lunges out of the sea. If a boat tour is not for you, the whales’ impressive acrobatic displays are often visible from miles away. If you're on land, keep a pair of binoculars handy because you never know when you'll see a humpback’s spout (which can be 10–20 feet tall).
Immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder of Hawaii’s marine life at Maui Ocean Center, The Aquarium of Hawaii. Encounter schooling reef fish, sharks, stingrays, turtles, and experience the world's first virtual encounter with Hawaii's humpback whales in the Humpbacks of Hawaii Exhibit & 3D Sphere.
We focus on the complete surfing experience. Lessons are available for beginning through advanced surfers with a special emphasis on safety and ocean awareness. Group and private surf lessons as well as specialized surf clinics.
Explore Maui Nui’s ocean environment with the experts at Pacific Whale Foundation through PacWhale Eco-Adventures top-rated Whalewatches, as well as award-winning snorkel cruises to Molokini & Turtle Arches, Lanai and Honolua Bay; Dolphin Watch ecotours; Sunset Dinner and Cocktail Cruises.
Hawaiian Paddle Sports offers authentic, sustainable eco-tours that empower guests to discover a deeper appreciation of and connection to Hawaii’s marine environment. Guests can choose from private kayak, outrigger canoe, canoe surfing, whale watch, and snorkel tours, or take SUP or surf lessons.
Since 1994; professionally and patiently teaching surfing, safety and ocean awareness to over 40,000. Learn in 2 hours or free! Groups, private or camps available.
Paradise Bay Resort offers panoramic views of the Ko'olau Mountains laced with magnificent waterfalls after a rain, with awesome views of the Bay, Islands, Ocean and the Ancient Hawaiian Fishpond. The resort is a short drive to the airport or Waikiki usually less than 30 minutes.
Fresh Hawaiian wedding leis, bouquets and flowers, delivered locally in Hawaii, Nationwide, or to Canada. Simply place your order in advance at HawaiiFlowerLei.com, select your desired delivery date, and we'll make sure your order is delivered fresh and beautiful for your special day, guaranteed.
Surf City Images is a boutique portrait photography studio based in historic Kailua Village in Kailua Kona, Hawaii Island. We specialize in beach portraits and destination weddings.
Perfectly situated resort for Hawaii Island exploration and abundant ocean activities, meaningful cultural activities, manta ray viewing and inspired island dining.
Discover an ocean-side paradise bordering a marine preserve that teems with colorful reef fish and protected species such as green sea turtles and spinner dolphins. Explore this untouched island playground, and experience your own private Hawaii.


Even under the best of circumstances, getting solid data on the carriage of HPAI viruses in wild and migratory birds can be difficult. Some birds carry these viruses without symptoms, while others may sicken or die unobserved in the wild.
While there are some surveillance programs in place, often the detection of HPAI in wild birds is more the result of happenstance than design.
It is for that reason that more than a decade after the great diaspora of H5N1 from Southeast Asia to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East there are still heated arguments over the role of migratory birds in the spread of HPAI (see Revisiting The Migratory Bird Debate).
Unlike in 2015, we've seen relatively few reports coming from Europe, Russia, and Asia this year.
Today, however, we have an OIE report from Russia, which lists a number of bird species taken by hunters earlier this month in and around Ubsu-Nur Lake that have tested positive for HPAI H5.
While the HPAI H5 clade is identified (Asian HPAI virus H5 lineage A/Guandong/1/96, clade 184.108.40.206), the full subtype is not provided.
Clade 220.127.116.11 is commonly found in avian H5N1, H5N8, H5N2 and H5N6. Both H5N1 and H5N8 have previously been reported from Russia.
A total of 17 birds tested positive. While H5N1 is the most likely culprit, hopefully there will be additional information forthcoming on the subtype.
The OIE report follows.
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
Contact with wild species
During the active monitoring of the ornithofauna in the surroundings of Ubsu-Nur Lake, a few wild birds were shot. Genome of H5 avian influenza virus was detected in 17 samples from carcasses of birds [black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), common tern (Sterna hirundo), great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus), great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), duck (Anatidae)]. Sequence analysis of the isolates showed that they belonged to the Asian HPAI virus H5 lineage A/Guandong/1/96, clade 18.104.22.168.


A new study by the Northwestern Medical School finds that African American children are twice as likely to have sensitivities to eight foods that commonly lead to allergies. They are particularly susceptible to peanut allergies.
The study looked at 1,104 children from diverse backgrounds and conducted health checkups when the children were 6 months and 1, 2, 4 and 6 years old. They measured how sensitive the children were to egg white, cow's milk, peanut, soy, shrimp, walnut, wheat and cod.
To determine race, researchers used two methods. They asked the parents how they identified the child, but then also looked for genetic markers in the blood. Children with African ancestry were particularly sensitive to food allergies.
The lead researcher stresses that the results do not mean that African American children are more likely to get allergies, but the results indicate that they have higher levels of the antibodies which make them vulnerable to them.
Needless to say, more investigation is required.


|In the Hollow of a Tree|
|by Linda C. Joseph, Columbus (Ohio) Public Schools, Library of Congress|
[Editor's note: URLs mentioned in this article appear in the chart that follows.]
Teachable moments are treasured learning experiences. They can happen anytime, anywhere for teachers as well as students. For me it happened on a warm spring day as I was helping my friend plant her flower garden. Her husband was mowing their five acres of land. The property is situated at the corner of two busy roads in a fast-growing suburban area. Behind their house is a wooded ravine with a creek that feeds into a river.
As her husband made one of his turns near the house, he shut off the engine and said he thought there was a baby raccoon in the yard. He was not sure if it was alive. We dropped everything and went to see. Indeed the baby was alive, and upon further investigation we discovered three more babies in the hollow of a giant maple tree. They were making quite a racket. Although I had grown up on a farm, I had never heard the sounds of a raccoon that range from soft coos to distressing chortles.
We wondered if the mother had left them to get food. We soon realized she was not coming back. Only a few feet away lay a raccoon that had been hit by a car. These baby raccoons were orphans. We pondered what to do since we knew we could not raise raccoons. My friend called the county wildlife agent who told her to bring them into their facility. Since this was Sunday that task would remain for the next day.
In the meantime we had an idea. Why not videotape the little critters and do some sort of educational piece for teachers and students. I dashed home and grabbed my digital movie camera. We spent about an hour capturing their movements and sound on film. My friend even brought out her kitchen scale and a measuring tape. We began with one raccoon on the ground, then two more dropped out. Finally, we had three babies on the ground and one who remained in the tree. We later found that this guy was the smallest of the four and probably was not able or too scared to climb from the safety of the nest. We placed all four babies in a large garbage can for the night to protect them from predators and the possibility that they might wander onto the road. The next morning they were taken to the wildlife facility.
had to decide what to do with the information and how to present it to
the educational community. My friend suggested we re-purpose a Big6 workshop
on raccoons into activities for students, make a movie from the footage,
and create Web pages. The following activities were developed for you to
use with students. The Big6 Information Access Skills serve as a framework
for teaching students how to research the Web.
Using raccoons as the topic, we will go through the six steps of the Big6 Information Access Skills and how to find resources on the Web.
What question(s) are you trying to answer?
What do you want to know about raccoons?
Where do raccoons live?
What do raccoons eat?
What sounds do they make?
Activity:2. Information Seeking
Think of other questions and write them down.
Activity:3. Information Seeking
To find information on the Web, you will need to brainstorm words or phrases to search. Make a list of keywords or phrases you might use to find information about raccoons such as raccoon habitat or raccoon food. Write these down on a piece of paper or in a word-processing program.
A search engine indexes Web sites. You type in words or phases and a list of sites is returned about your topic. Sometimes the list does not give you what you expected. Try different words and phrases until you find information about your topic.
Search engines use different methods for searching and finding Web sites on a subject. You will want to look at the directions and tips at each search site for complete details.
Internet Search Tools Quick Reference Guide
For a quick guide to search engines, try this reference published by the SouthEast Initiatives Regional Technology in Education Consortium (SEIR*TEC). You can quickly look at a grid of search engines and view how to search using quotes, keywords, or other connectors. In addition, the guide suggests specific sites depending on whether you want to browse a broad topic or search a specific database. Best of all, you can print the PDF file and keep the guide next to the computer as a handy reference or send for free copies.
1. Go to Google.
2. Click on Advanced search.
3. Type raccoons in the "with all words" search box.
4. Print the first page of your results.
5. Next type raccoon habitat in the "with the exact phrase" box.
6. Print the first page of your results and compare the two searches.
AltaVista uses the Boolean method for searching. Boolean is a big word, but it means you can use connecting words to help you search. Examples of connecting words are and, or, not, near.
You can also search by phrase or natural language. For example you can ask a question like, 'What do raccoons eat?' When using a natural language search, you may get hits that have nothing to do with raccoons.
Another feature available with AltaVista is the image search.
1. Go to AltaVista.
2. Click on advanced search.
3. Type raccoons and habitat near food. This means you are searching pages that contain both raccoons and habitat, and the word food is near these words.
4. Print the first page of your results.
5. Next click on images at the top of the advanced search screen.
6. Type the word raccoons and click on search.
7. What kind of pictures did you see? Were there any you could use in your raccoon project?
Dogpile and other meta search sites let you ask several search engines at one time and then retrieve the top hits. This can be a time-saver. However, there are occasions where sites are duplicated several times or useful information is not retrieved. Experiment and see how it works for you.
1. Go to Dogpile.
2. Type the word raccoons.
3. Print the first page of your results.
Starting points are places where specific topics have been searched and links created. Many include a description of the Web site.
Go to these sites and look for information about raccoons. What did you find?
The Electronic Zoo
Ask an Expert
If you are a K-12 student, KidsConnect is one place to go to ask a question. It is not a place for help on an assignment due tomorrow. A volunteer school librarian will usually get back to you in 2 school days. You will be given suggestions of good Web sites and other resources that will help with your project.
4. Use of Information
How do you know the information is reliable? Can you use photographs and music in projects without violating copyright? How do you cite resources or give credit to the people who wrote the material, took the photographs, or created the music?
Evaluating the Content
Karen McLachlan, Library Media Specialist at East Knox High School in Ohio, developed this guide to use with teachers and students to evaluate content and graphic design of home pages.
Website Investigator (Elementary)
Decide whether a Web site is engaging, stimulating, useful, credible, organized, easy-to-use, satisfying, and effective with this interactive tool. Sad, neutral, and smiley faces are utilized to evaluate and score Web sites.
Compare the information at the following two sites using either the WWW CyberGuide Ratings for Content Evaluation or Website Investigator.
Why do raccoons have a mask?
Selecting Content to Use in your Report or Project
Look at other Web sites about raccoons. After evaluating the information, you can create a folder of bookmarks of the sites that will be best for your report.
Copyright is the law of the United States that protects the works of authors, artists, composers, and other from being used without permission. It is important to know what you can and cannot use from the Web when you are creating your presentations and projects.
Check your knowledge about copyright. Go to Copyright with CyberBee at http://www.cyberbee.com/cb_copyright.swf. See if you can answer the questions before looking at the answers.
The most practical tool for you to use for citing your references is the Web-based program called Noodletools. You type in the information about your resources and Noodletools creates a bibliography that you can save or print.
Putting together your report or project is the most fun. Be organized. Storyboard your ideas. Inspiration and Kidspiration software programs are great tools for this task. If you want to use technology for your presentation, try a word-processing program, Microsoft Publisher, PowerPoint, HyperStudio, or a Web page.
Create a presentation about raccoons using one of these technology tools.
Did I show what I learned? This is called evaluation.
While you are working on your project you may share your ideas with your classmates for their comments. You may evaluate your own work using a checklist. Your teacher may give you a rubric or criteria to follow.
Use Barbara Jansen's Big6 Assignment Organizer to help organize and evaluate your project. Go to http://dewey.chs.chico.k12.ca.us/b6org.html and print a copy of the handout.
Out of the Hollow and into Your Hands
What makes this a very special article is the fact that a companion Web site was created so that you and your students can see the four baby raccoons in action and hear their various sounds. The movie was created in iMovie on an iMac computer. The camera we used is a Sony Digital 8 with a fire wire cable. The fire wire cable allows the film to be imported into iMovie with great ease. We hope you will share the story, the activities, and the experience with your students.
the Hollow of a Tree
Engage in the Big6 activities outlined in this article, view the movie, and listen to the sounds of baby raccoons.
Links to Raccoon Sites
British Columbia: Raccoon
Gable's Raccoon World
Big6 Assignment Organizer
Copyright with CyberBee
The Electronic Zoo
Internet Search Tools
Quick Reference Guide
Linda Joseph is the author
of Net Curriculum: An Educator’s
Guide to Using the Internet, published by CyberAge Books. The recipient
of numerous awards, in addition to her work in the Columbus Public Schools
and the Library of Congress, Linda is a part-time instructor for Ohio State
University. Communications to the author may be addressed to her at Columbus
Public Schools, 737 East Hudson Street, Columbus, OH 43211; 614/365-5277;
Information Today Home Page
Copyright © 2001, Information
Today Inc. All rights reserved.


The cropping system is very flexible because it is largely determined by the amount of floodwater and rainfall received, which vary from year to year. Crops failures due to shortage of water is very common, thus the farmers have developed a cropping mechanism (a cropping system) to deal with crop failures. At the beginning of a cropping season, a late maturing crop is planted. If this crop fails due to over flooding or shortage of water or insect attack, it is replaced by early maturing variety or by different type of crop (Feterita & Dumburi/Wedi Aker). If crop failure is repeated a number of times, drought tolerant sorghum variety like Durra is planted mainly for the production of animal feed for their livestock but not for crop production.
The most common cropping system followed is to plant sorghum as the first crop, followed by maize and watermelon is planted as a third crop. During that time the farm areas used to get enough rainfall to allow good germination of the newly sown maize. But, gradually it become difficult to plant maize, because of drought, enough rainfall is not received to allow good germination of the crop.
These days, the main crop of sorghum is followed by its first and some times by the second ratoon. Except in areas where maize is planted as the first crop, in the other farms, the growing of maize as a second crop has been stopped. In the southern parts of the eastern lowlands where the evaporation rate is very high and the annual rainfall is very low, only one crop, maize is usually planted per year.
In the last 1525 years, significant changes have been observed in the cropping system. Except in the farms where maize is grown as the only crop, the growing of maize as a second crop decreased significantly. Because of recurrent drought, relatively very small rainfall is received that it becomes difficult for the newly sown maize to germinate. As a result of drought a cropping system ratooning become the common practice.
In the sorghum ratooning system, the first sorghum crop is harvested and its stalks are cut and removed. Then the first ratoon is let to grow and harvested in a similar way as the first crop. Depending on the rainfall or floodwater or the amount of residual moisture on the soil, a second ratoon may grow to maturity and harvested. Usually, the second ratoon doesn’t grow and produce seed, thus it is usually harvested for animal feed.
Watermelon is sown during the hot season, when the soil is dry, thus, one to three watering is required for successful germination of the plant. The growing of watermelon is not popular in many of the spate irrigated farms.
Farmers who have easy access to the market only grow it. Crops like tomato, pepper, okra, etc are not planted as major crops, but in small quantities at open areas or along field boarders.
Crop rotation, inter cropping and planting of leguminous crops to improve soil fertility is unknown in the spate irrigated farm. Crop residue which can be a source of organic manure and which can help to improve the physical structure of the soil are removed from the fields to be used for animal feed or for constructing the local farmhouses.


|“How many Americans are using environmental information to make everyday decisions?”
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) commissioned a groundbreaking national study to measure environmental behavior and attitudes. The results provide NEEF a baseline for its vision that by 2022, 300 million Americans actively use environmental knowledge to ensure the well-being of the earth and its people.
Survey highlights include:
The research surveyed 1,500 individuals between 18 and 74 years of age with demographics in balance with the U.S. Census.
For more information about NEEF and this survey, please visit http://neefusa.org. Stay tuned for more data.
NEEF is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, connecting people to knowledge they use to improve the quality of their lives and the health of the planet. Follow NEEF on Facebook & Twitter @neefusa.


A Study of the Safety and Effectiveness of Risperidone Versus Placebo for the Treatment of Conduct Disorder in Children With Mild, Moderate, or Borderline Mental Retardation
The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness and safety of an oral solution of risperidone (an antipsychotic medication) versus placebo in the treatment of conduct disorder in children with mild, moderate, or borderline mental retardation.
Disruptive Behavior Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
|Study Design:||Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:||The Safety And Efficacy Of Risperidone Versus Placebo In Conduct Disorder and Other Disruptive Behavior Disorders In Mild, Moderate And Borderline Mentally Retarded Children Aged 5 To 12 Years|
- Change in the Conduct Problem subscale of the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (N-CBRF) at end of treatment compared with baseline
- Changes in Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Behavioral Problems Inventory (BPI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) at end of treatment compared with baseline; incidence of adverse events throughout study.
|Study Completion Date:||October 1998|
Conduct and psychiatric disorders are found among a higher proportion of people with mental retardation than among people who are not mentally retarded. Among the many different treatment approaches to conduct disorder are drug therapy, behavioral treatment, psychotherapy, and training for cognitive and social skills. Studies have suggested that neuroleptic drugs, such as risperidone, may be beneficial in treating conduct disorder in mental retardation. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of risperidone (0.02 to 0.06 mg/kg/day) compared with placebo in the treatment of children 5 to 12 years of age with mild, moderate, or borderline mental retardation, and who display destructive behaviors. The study has two phases: a run-in phase of 1 week and a treatment phase of 6 weeks. Patients receive placebo to be taken orally once a day during the first week (run-in). On the basis of scores on the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (N-CBRF) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale after the first week, patients either continue in the double-blind treatment phase or discontinue the study. During the treatment phase patients receive an oral solution of risperidone (increasing gradually to a maximum dose of 0.06 mg/kg) or placebo to be taken once daily for 6 weeks. A parent or caregiver evaluates the child's behavior and symptoms at scheduled office visits during the course of treatment. The primary measure of effectiveness is the change in the Conduct Problem subscale of the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (N-CBRF) at end of treatment compared with baseline. Additional assessments of effectiveness include: the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Behavioral Problems Inventory (BPI), and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI). Safety assessments include the incidence of adverse events throughout the study; weekly measurement of vital signs (pulse, temperature, blood pressure) and evaluation of the presence and severity of extrapyramidal symptoms by the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS); and clinical laboratory tests performed both before study initiation and at the end of treatment. The study hypothesis is that risperidone is well tolerated and effective for the treatment of conduct disorder in children aged 5 to 12 years with mild, moderate, or borderline mental retardation. Risperidone oral solution 1 mg/mL or placebo oral solution, once daily on Days 1 and 2 at dose of 0.01 mg/kg body weight. Dose is 0.02 mg/kg on Day 3, increasing gradually to 0.06 mg/kg (maximum) once daily through 6 weeks. Dosage may be increased or decreased at investigator's discretion.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00266552
|Study Director:||Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. Clinical Trial||Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V.|


Reaction between iron and sulphuric acid?
If I reacted iron powder with sulphuric acid, (where sulphuric acid is in excess), will all the iron react and dissolve in the solution without any solid remaining?
Also, it would only react with sulphuric acid and not the water in the solution?
Would the reaction be slow?
- caroline mLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
this depends upon the concentration of sulfuric acid that is used.
Fe + H2SO4 --> FeSO4 + H2
all Fe would react with H2SO4 in excess and the reaction would occur relatively quickly
- 5 years ago


||This article needs attention from an expert in Peru. (November 2008)|
Killke culture flourished in highland Peru in the Late Intermediate Period around what is now Cuzco. They built the massive fortress, Sacsayhuamán, during the 12th century. Later, the fortress was used by the Inca, following their occupation of the region.
In 2007, excavations uncovered a temple on the edge of the fortress, indicating religious as well as military use of the facility.
New excavations began in June 2007 that will continue to 2012. On March 13, 2008, archaeologists discovered the ruins of another ancient temple, roadway, and irrigation systems at Sacsayhuamán, overlooking the Inca capital of Cuzco. Part of the temple was destroyed by dynamite blasts in the early 20th century, when the site was used as a stone quarry.
Killke ceramics first were described by John H. Rowe, although he incorrectly identified them as "early Inca". These vessels often are globular with vertical strap-handles and having simple linear geometric decorations of black or black-on-red over a white or buff slip.
- Pre-Inca temple uncovered in Peru - CNN.com
- NEWS - Comcast.net
- CNN, Pre-Inca temple uncovered in Peru. March 15, 2008.
- Rowe, John Howland, "An Introduction to the Archaeology of Cusco,Papers of the Peabody Museum of American Archaeology and Ethnology, Harvard University 27 (2); Rowe, John Howland "Inca Culture,"B.A.E. 21:200
- Dwyer, E. B. 1971. The Early Inca Occupation of the Valley of Cuzco, Peru. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of California, Berkeley.
- Ixer, R. A. "The Petrography of Certain Pre-Spanish Pottery from Peru," http://www.goodprovenance.com/incapots.htm. Accessed 15 March 2008.


Shihei was born the second son of Hayashi Gonhyoue Yoshimichi, a hatamoto who served the Tokugawa shogunate. However Yoshimichi was expelled for some reason; some argue it was the result of a conflict with his colleagues (perhaps a duel). After that, Shihei was brought up by his uncle Hayashi Jyugo, a physician. He spent most of his life in his bedroom. He wrote a poem called "Six No's", which reads: "I have no parents, no wife, no son, no block for printing, no money, and I wish for 'no death'."
His elder brother, Hayashi Kazen became one of the Sendai domain's official doctors. Years before Commodore Perry sailed into Japan in 1853, Shihei was pushing for Japan to adopt Western military science and the re-education of the samurai. He complained of the lack of organized drill exercises, and stressed the importance of chōren, or teamwork drill, rather than mere individual martial training. He gave a lot of technical descriptions about shipbuilding, cannons and other military designs. He published these thoughts in his work titled Kaikoku Heidan (i.e. Discussion concerning military matters of a maritime nation), printed without permission of the bakufu in the year 1791. The printing blocks were confiscated soon afterwards. Another famous work is Sangoku Tsūran Zusetsu (Illustrated Description of Three Countries), printed in 1786.


"Oskar Schindler: Stepping Stone to Life" by Robin O'Neil
"Oskar Schindler's exceptional deeds stemmed from just that elementary sense of decency and humanity that our sophisticated age seldom sincerely believes in. A repentant opportunist saw the light and rebelled against the sadism and vile criminality all around him. The inference may be disappointingly simple, especially for all amateur psychoanalysts who would prefer the deeper and more mysterious motive that may, it is true, still lie unprobed and unappreciated."--Robin O'Neil
Oscar Schindler was an ethnic German citizen of Czechoslovakia who joined the separatist Sudeten German Party in 1935.
I have read Thomas Keneally's famous novel Schindler's List, but a former Scotland Yard detective turned scholar named Robin O'Neil [Wikipedia] has written a facinating on-line account of Oskar Schindler's [Wikipedia] transformation from an opportunist and even spy for the German military intelligence, the Abwehr, into a humanitarian hero who saved over 1000 Jews from Hitler's gas chambers.
The head of the Abwehr, Admiral William Canaris, was also initially a supporter of Hitler who had a change of heart when he realized that Hitler's policies would bring ruin to Germany. Canaris was executed for his alleged involvement in the 20 July Plot to kill Hitler. O'Neil's interesting book is titled Oscar Schindler: Stepping Stone to Life. Click the title to see the book on-line.


How does the Transit-Time Ultrasound Method work?
em-tec offers many different flow measurement systems which are based on the transit-time ultrasound principle:
Transducers consist of four piezoceramics housed in a fixed location within the transducer body. The piezoceramics are arranged in an “X” pattern which acoustically illuminates the whole cross section of the flow channel by four sound paths. A high frequency voltage impulse is used to excite the piezoceramics and transmit ultrasound waves from one ceramic to the opposing one, with each one acting alternately as transmitter and receiver. The length of time it takes the signal to travel from one crystal to another (transit time) is measured by the electronics of the flow transmitter. The difference between the upstream transit times (against the flow) and downstream transit times (with the flow) is proportional to the volumetric flow rate.


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Objects Tell Stories of the Fremont People
Posted July 12, 2018
Owl Pendent discovered at Baker Village. Photo © NHMU.
By Westin Porter
Objects are the best storytellers. They can be simple and subtle, yet captivating and cryptic. They embody ideas, significance, and context; as they are found, or created, traded, stolen, borrowed, and broken, they become the currency of culture. It’s why we call them vessels: they transport meaning. When studying people, particularly through hundreds and thousands of years of time and sediment, it is their objects that survive to tell their stories.
In the case of the Fremont, the indigenous people that inhabited much of what is now Utah for over half a millennium, those stories have been preserved at sites like Baker Village, a Fremont settlement near the present-day Utah-Nevada border. The stories are sherds of pots, baskets, moccasins, stones, shells, buildings, and more. And sites like Baker Village have been keeping those stories, waiting for them to be told.
The Fremont lived across the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau from roughly 650 CE to 1350 CE. They were prehistoric horticulturists, who both hunted and gathered as well as farmed. While their Ancestral Puebloan counterparts to the south gathered and lived in relatively larger communities like Keet Seel and Betatakin, the Fremont were less sedentary and tended to live in smaller communities. However, as populations grew and technologies advanced, they became more sedentary. According to BYU anthropologist Rich Talbot, it was around 900 CE that the Fremont began gathering in larger communities.
It was at these sites, villages of several hundred, that the Fremont would gather for ceremonies. People travelled from across the region to gather and celebrate. They gambled, feasted, gave gifts, and traded. Fortunately for anthropologists like Talbot, they left a lot behind.
“People were going there to trade and they wanted to come out ahead, trading what they had for something that they needed, but there’s obviously much more going on,” says Talbot. “It’s a social event. It’s renewing of relationships, it’s establishing ties with people you want to have ties with, including familial ties. It’s a social event that would be anticipated and looked forward to and planned for.”
Talbot has studied the Fremont for much of his career, and from 1991-1994 he worked with his predecessor, Dr. Jim Wilde and the BYU Archaeology Field School, to excavate one of the most revealing and mystifying Fremont sites discovered to date: Baker Village.
Situated on the western edge of Fremont territory, what is now the Utah-Nevada border, Baker Village housed several hundred Fremont from roughly 1000 – 1300 CE.
“In Fremont land you get various sized sites,” explains Talbot. “A good share of the people live just in little farmsteads or hamlets of one, two, or three pithouses, and then you get some of the larger villages that housed as many as 400 or 500 people.”
Baker Village is somewhere in between. It is the largest village discovered to date in the western region of Fremont land, however, with its seven pithouses (think town hall meets mess hall), Baker Village is considered medium sized in relation to those more densely populated villages found in the heartland of Fremont territory. Researchers are unsure of its exact size, however, as much of the village has been plowed over and destroyed as it rests on what is now private land.
“The Fremont congregated in good areas for farming, and that’s exactly the situation where Baker is,” says Talbot. “You’ve got Baker Creek coming down out of the mountains, which would have provided adequate water for a fairly sized population.”
But aside from its significant size and peculiar location, Baker Village reveals key insights into Fremont life that make it unique.
In his extensive excavation and study of the site, Talbot and his team discovered items normally found at Fremont sites such as ceramic ware and granaries, but they also discovered exotic items like sea shells and turquoise. These goods would have been harvested as far as hundreds of miles from their final destination at Baker, and are evidence of complex and broad trade networks that suggest more nuanced political structures than ever before understood.
Trade is an indicator of socio-political contexts as much as it is of sheer economics, and sites like Baker Village—social and political hubs, akin to modern cities—provide the most complete record of who was trading what and why.
“Politics are a tricky one,” says Talbot. “They don’t show up in the archaeological record very easily. But from what we’ve seen, what happens when these villages get larger is that people tend to want to acquire power. Just like today, people are drawn to the big city because there are things happening there. There are people who are seeking prestige and to become better or have more power than their neighbors.”
Exchange of goods is a social performance brimming with social and political motivations. Like any culture, the Fremont were deeply engaged in complicated and nuanced societal construction defined by power. Vestiges of these political structures can also be found in the actual, physical structures found at Baker Village. Talbot and other researchers determined that the buildings at Baker were arranged to mark the winter and summer solstices. Hints of this kind of advanced urban planning around astronomical alignment are present at other Fremont sites, but none as clearly as Baker.
These complexities are socio-political indicators, Talbot says, that tell us that somebody there is calling the shots. Somebody with a deep understanding of the world around them and the people they live with.
“It’s hazy, it’s always hazy, to understand the socio-political,” says Talbot. “But it’s really the heart of Fremont life. It’s what goes on in people’s lives every single day. Besides the economics of what are we going to eat today?, it’s who am I going to talk to today, who am I going to deal with today?”
Westin Porter is a Digital Science Writer for the Natural History Museum of Utah, a part of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Our mission is to illuminate the natural world and the place of humans within it. In addition to housing outstanding exhibits for the public, NHMU is a research museum. Learn more.
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Monday, May 4, 2015
The earliest printed reference to “Happy as Larry” (meaning extremely happy or content) is from New Zealand writer G. L. Meredith, dating from around 1875:
"We would be as happy as Larry if it were not for the rats".
When Australian middleweight boxer, Larry (Laurence) Foley (1847 - 1917) retired unbeaten at 32 (1879) , he collected a purse of £1,000 for his final fight. A newspaper article in New Zealand carried the headline “Happy As Larry,” to describe the father of Australian boxing. The phrase slipped into common lexicon thereafter and a reference can be found in Tom Collins’ (the pen name of the popular Australian writer Joseph Furphy), Barrier Truth, 1903:
"Now that the adventure was drawing to an end, I found a peace of mind that all the old fogies on the river couldn't disturb. I was as happy as Larry."


This essay has been submitted by a student. This is not an example of the work written by our professional essay writers.
Community is the philosophy that imposed a new responsibility on police to devise appropriate ways for engaging the public. This included active outreach, a reallocation of officers from emergency response mode to proactive crime prevention mode, notation of public feedback and collaborative work to solve other, perhaps less apparent, problems plaguing the neighborhood. Lastly, it included a decentralization of police command such that each area's needs were met accordingly and in a timely fashion. (Skolnick& Bayley, 1988).
Community Policing is an approach that reorients policing strategy from a reactive to a proactive one. Proactive crime prevention occurs with an active involvement of the community. With a strong social orientation, community policing promotes police-citizen interactions, improves police-community communication, fosters an effective working relationship between the police and the public, and upgrades the quality of police services (Kennedy and Moore, 1995).
Community policing stresses policing with and for the community rather than policing of the community. It aspires to improve the quality of life in communities. In improving the quality of life it aims to solve community problems alongside the community and as defined by the community. Beyond this it has, however, proven difficult to pin down what specifically is involved in implementing community policing. On that there is broad agreement among scholars and many police officers (Tilley 2008).
Community policing is not a set of specific projects; rather, it involves changing decision-making processes and creating new cultures within police departments. It is an organisational strategy that leaves setting priorities and the means of achieving them largely to residents and the police who serve in their neighbourhoods. Community policing is a process rather than a product. (Skogan 2006).
A police officer is defined as a person whose duty is to keep order, arrest people who break the law, regulate and control matters of public order, safety, health and morals (Nault, 1994).
Community Policing Pillar Structure
Community Policing has become a core aspect of modern policing that characterizes a service-led organization. The MPF has the diligence to undertake active consultations with the public in view to improve the quality of service and concentration of resources where most required leading to a greater degree of participation of the community.
The structure of Community Policing at Divisional Level is as follows:
(Source: National Policing Strategic Framework, 2004)
The Divisional Commander will, through Tactical & Coordinating Group meeting (T & CG) in assistance with the Divisional Planning Unit, will implement community policing by ensuring available resources are aligned with identified priorities of the community.
The Divisional Commander will be responsible for planning, organizing, implementing, monitoring and evaluate policing at Divisional level. The following are his main responsibilities:
Submit regular report of progress to the Commissioner,
Ensure resources are properly monitored,
Develop competence, assign duties and responsibilities and provide adequate support.
The Station Commander has the following roles in connection with Community Policing:
Ensure smooth implementation, monitoring and evaluation at station level,
Ensure that the aims and objectives are communicated to station personnel and the community,
Conduct regular reviews to gauge compliance,
Provide necessary support and engagement.
Community Policing Officer
The Community Policing Officer's main role and responsibilities are as follows:
To be fully involved in the implementation of community policing in his station area,
Monitor release of resources on a daily basis,
Promote an understanding of dedicated community policing in the neighbourhood,
Support Neighbourhood Officers and community representatives
Neighbourhood Officers are police officer of the rank of Police Constable and Corporal who are the main actors in the implementation of Community Policing. Their main role and duties are as follows:
Promote understanding of the community in a defined sub-area,
Engage with local residents and identify neighbourhood priorities,
Inform Community Policing Officer about problems and priorities within the sub-area,
Reassure the community and work closely with local partners.
Why Community Policing?
Community Policing philosophical elements are very important to the implementation of it. Without understanding and commitment to stakeholders, both implementation and benefits will be restricted. The elements are:
The community as a key element for police work (Rosenbaum, 1998),
The community as central to the identification and response to crime and safety concerns (Moore, 1992), and
Broadening the police role (Bennett, 1998).
Cordner defines the strategic dimension of community policing as including the 'key operational concepts that translate philosophy into action', linking the broad ideas and beliefs of community policing to the specific programs and practices that are implemented (1998). Community policing impacts upon the strategic direction and operations of policing organisations through:
Expanding the role and duties of police officers to enable them to think more laterally, to engage in both proactive and follow-up activities and to provide a more personalised service delivery;
Redeveloping police activities and operations for example, through reorienting operations to focus less on patrol and more on local problem solving, crime prevention education, and developing positive relationships with youth (Moore, 1992; Rosenbaum, 1998);
Emphasising prevention, focusing on long-term benefits and reconceptualizing how the impact of police work is measured beyond crime rates and clearance rates (for example focusing on community perception of safety and attitudes towards law enforcement); and
Developing a more localised, community-specific focus for officers to generate a sense of accountability and responsibility for specific areas.
Benefits of Community Policing
Change is uncomfortable and resistance to same is a normal reaction. Communicating the benefits of Community Policing is an important step in reducing this resistance and in gaining commitment from all stakeholders.
Benefits to the Officer:
Community Policing provides the officer with self-satisfaction from solving problems. Instead of being reactive, with a proactive approach, the solution to a problem is easily found.
Community Policing provides an opportunity to be creative and innovative. By empowering the officer, it allows him to seek solutions and encourages the use of innovation and creativity instead of restricting him or her to using just traditional policing strategies.
It gives the officer a chance to make a "real difference." Most police officers chose this profession, at least in part, to help people. By
employing problem-solving techniques the officer can experience the self-
satisfaction which comes from helping others.
It gives the officer the opportunity to become familiar with more people. People get to know the officer as a person and not just as a nameless and
faceless police officer whom they occasionally see drive or walk by. This will result in better communications, better relations with the public and in the delivery of quality service.
Community Policing results in a positive change in how the community views both the individual officer and the department. Once we have established a good reputation with our community, we must always work to keep their respect. By working in partnership with the community we can improve upon both our reputation and how the community views us as an organization and as individuals. It provides for a better place to work. By working to improve the quality of life in the community, we also improve our work environment. Community policing stresses the necessity for establishing a working environment which supports the efforts of the individual employee, provides him/her with the equipment and training necessary to do her job, and rewards her for her efforts.
Benefits To The Community:
It provides the community with a voice in how it will be policed. Traditionally, police have selected the manner and style of policing to be used in any community. Frequently this style of policing may differ from neighborhood to neighborhood. The community has no input in selecting the style of policing which will be used. Under community policing, the community works in partnership with the Police to decide the style of policing which will be used within the community.
It provides the community with a voice in setting law enforcement priorities. To become a more efficient police department, we must evaluate how we prioritize our calls for service. The community should participate in this evaluation. What we as a police organization think should be a low priority call may be a higher priority to the members of the community. We must work together to formulate our enforcement priorities and be adaptable enough to change those priorities as the needs of the community change.
It provides a permanent resolution to recurring problems. Officers should "treat the illness" and not the symptoms. As a result the community will benefit by having recurring problems either permanently eliminated.
It provides a stronger, safer and more friendly community in which to live. If we actively involve the community in resolving neighbourhood problems, the community will develop a sense of unity and partnership with the Police. This will result in a more friendly and safe place in which to live. Our goal as police officers is to improve the quality of life in the community that we serve.
Drawbacks of Community Policing
EfficiencyÂ meansÂ gettingÂ theÂ mostÂ resultsÂ withÂ availableÂ resources.Â ToÂ measureÂ theefficiency ofÂ community policing, the resources ofÂ the police agency,Â local government and private agencies, citizen groups, the business community, and the neighborhood must first be defined. The assessment must then determine whether these resources are being used to their fullest to solve any given problem. Agencies that can successfully enhance and realign their resources by forming community partnerships will be able to make community policing more efficient and cost-effective.
Organisational culture is the personality of the establishment. Culture is comprised of the assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs of organization members and their behaviours. Members of Mauritius Police force soon come to sense the particular culture of an organisation. (Foster in Newburn, 2007: p.108-208).
Carroll Buracker and Associates Ltd (2007) suggest that most officers are not trained in the formation of partnerships; nor do they have experience in organising community involvement or empowering the community. With limited training it is unlikely that police will realise the full potential of community policing. Skogan (2006) suggests training is often 'short-changed' because community policing is labour intensive. Mastrofski (2006) argues that in the United States recruit training has not been substantially revised to promote community policing techniques. Greene (2000) highlights the fact that generally less than one week is devoted for American police officers to learn and function in new police 'thinking roles' and if results can be achieved with limited training then the question of whether success comes from a scheduled programme or is due to the individual officer.
Training and Development
Training and development is a subsystem of an organization that emanate from two independent yet interdependent words training and development. Training is often interpreted as the activity when an expert and learner work together to effectively transfer information from the expert to the learner (to enhance a learner's knowledge, attitudes or skills) so the learner can better perform a current task or job. Training activity is both focused upon, and evaluated against, the job that an individual currently holds (Learner R., 1986). On the other hand development is often viewed as a broad, ongoing multi-faceted set of activities (training activities among them) to bring someone or an organization up to another threshold of performance. This development often includes a wide variety of methods, e.g., orienting about a role, training in a wide variety of areas, ongoing training on the job, coaching, mentoring and forms of self-development. Some view development as a life-long goal and experience. Development focuses upon the activities that the organization employing the individual, or that the individual is part of, may partake in the future, and is almost impossible to evaluate (Nadler Leonard, 1984).
Training and development ensures that randomness is reduced and learning or behavioral change takes place in structured format. In the field of human resource management, training and development is the field concerned with organizational activity aimed at bettering the performance of individuals and groups in organizational settings. It has been known by several names, including employee development, human resource development, and learning and development (Harrison Rosemary, 2005).


15 Famous Black Cats in History and Culture
See files for Cats
Black cats, perhaps more than any other type of cat, evoke such a response in we humans. Culturally, black cats have appeared in folk tales, art, films, internet memes and much more. This is not to say that the image of a black cat means to same to all cultures. Some see black cats as ominous figures, foreshadowing misfortune. Others connect them to good luck or signs of change. Whatever the cultural significance, black cats have found their way into popular culture in various guises. Whether this is a famous cartoon, a newsworthy feline, a literary figure, an anime character or comic book hero, black cats obviously have artistic appeal.
This is why AnimalWised brings you this list of 15 famous black cats in history and culture. In here you will see some which are instantly recognizable and others which may have had more fame in the past. Either way, they might remind you of the most important black cat in your life. and can be a good idea for black cat names.
Felix the Cat
While it is true Felix has a white mouth, he is generally thought of as a black cat and is one of the most famous cartoon cats in history. While younger readers may not find him as immediately recognizable, 2019 is the 100th year of his celebrity. Starting in the silent film era, Felix the Cat helped pioneer animation and furthered the art of film in general. His short movies were relatively simplistic in the beginning, but soon grew to encompass more characters, more complex animation and ever developing plots. He even shared the screen with an animate Charlie Chaplin back in 1923, bring one of the most famous black cats together with the most famous actor at the time. Felix is still one of the most popular names for black cats to this day.
A more contemporary famous black cat, younger readers may be more familiar with the next fictional feline on our list. Ever ones to layer a joke, the Simpson's writers came up with the family cat Snowball II, a black cat with an inappropriate name. This is because the original Snowball was a white cat believed to be run over by the brother of the town's mayor. While not integral to the plots of many Simpsons episodes, Snowball II appears regularly and is a very recognizable famous cartoon black cat.
Oscar the bionic cat
The first real life cat in our list of famous black cats, Oscar is no longer 100% organic. Due to an accident with a combine harvester in 2009, Oscar's back two feet were amputated. Fortunately, the veterinarian who treated Oscar referred him to veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick who wanted to use a pioneering technique. This technique allowed Oscar to receive blades on his back legs, similar to prosthetics used by sportspersons in the Special Olympics. When his ankle became broken, Oscar had to lose the blades, but had replacement 'feet' given to him which kept him mobile.
Behemoth from ‘The Master and Margarita’
This shape shifting enormous black cat is a character from Russian author Mikhail Buglakov's literary masterpiece The Master and Margarita. In the novel, Satan descends upon early 1930's Russia and wreaks havoc on its society. Behemoth is a member of the devil's entourage, but is a comic character who is berated by members of his own gang and seems most interested in drinking vodka and causing havoc. Behemoth can turn into a human, but spends most of the novel as an enormous fat black cat. He is central to some of the satirical elements of the book and is often the cover picture for international editions.
While some cats are famous from literature or cartoons, many cats are now becoming well known due to their popularity on the internet. Whether as part of a meme or having their own Instagram account, they develop their fame due to the popularity of looking at cat pictures online. Cole is one half of Cole & Marmalade, superstar internet cats who have their lives documented by Jessica and Chris, their guardians. Marmalade had cancer and Cole was there to look after him, helping to endear them both for double taps aplenty. Fortunately, Marmalade has since recovered, so they can both go back to their normal cat business.
Matthew Flinders was leader of the first expeditions to circumnavigate the continent of Australia. Trim was his beloved cat who accompanied him along the entire south coast and up round to Sydney. As a kitten, he fell overboard, but managed to return to safety by swimming to a guideline rope and clamber back onto the ship. This made Trim an immediate favorite and token mascot to help ensure their own resilience on their journey.
Luna from ‘Sailor Moon’
With the stylized appearance of the Manga series Sailor Moon, the character of Luna might come across as purple rather than black. However, we can assure you she is intended to be a black cat and her presence in the anime series is one which is beloved by fans. This is one famous black cat in culture which is not seem as ominous or foreshadowing bad luck. Instead she advises the characters in the story and is noted for her wisdom and perception.
Pluto from ‘The Black Cat’
Edgar Allen Poe is well-known for his macabre tales of human wretchedness. This might lead us to believe any story of a black cat will contain a portrayal of an insidious or demonic feline. However, this story has one famous black cat which turns this concept on its head. Pluto, the titular black cat, is abused by his master and it is the latter who is the real cruel and sinister one. We won't give you any spoilers, but the black cat in this story is a mirror to humanity's more depraved tendencies, not the cause of them.
Homer the Blind Wonder Cat
Gwen Cooper, Homer's human guardian, did not think she needed another cat in her life. But Homer found his way into her life and left an indelible mark. He was born without eyes and had been abandoned by his previous owners. The inspirational story of Homer is detailed in a book Cooper published as Homer's Odyssey which became a New York Times bestseller. The story of Homer and Gwen's life together encompasses 9/11 and even results in Homer saving Gwen's life. You'll have to buy the book to find out more, but it's sure that this blind black cat deserves his fame.
This famous black cat come from the phenomenon of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, appearing originally as an orange cat in the comic book series. However, the wider world is perhaps more aware of him from the live action TV series which aired in the late 90s/early 2000s. While he is known as a famous black cat, like some others on this list, a feline is only one of his states of being. Originally a human, Salem had been condemned to live as a black cat for 100 years without the ability to perform magic. While this sounds like a terrible thing to happen, it is mainly played for laughs in the TV series.
Although sometimes known as Willie, India was the official cat of President George W. Bush and his family. While the press tended to give more of their attention to the Bush's Scottish Terrier dogs, India was very beloved by the family. She was an all black American Shorthair and had lots of personality. She was also well-lived as she died at the ripe old age of 18 in 2009.
Another famous black cat with close political ties is Gladstone. This cat is a mouser and has resided in the HM Treasury of the United Kingdom since 2016. Chief Mouser is an official position which had previously been held in 10 Downing Street, where the incumbent Prime Minister lives, and the Foreign Office. Gladstone is the first Chief Mouser to reside in the exchequer. Since the buildings are so old, the cats often prove useful in controlling mouse populations.
Gladstone has his own Instagram account and has thousands of followers to boot. Although he maintains and official position, it is fair to say this black cat plays more of a mascot role and has even been used in public relations for the treasury office, something which might seem a little inappropriate to some.
Mr. Mistoffelees is a black cat who originally appeared in T.S. Eliot's famous book about cats Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. In the book of whimsical poems, Mr. Mistoffelees is good at sleight-of-hand magic, but is not seen as a malevolent force. This book of poems was the source material for the hit West End and Broadway musical Cats, where Mr. Mistoffelees appears.
Blackie the millionaire cat
Perhaps the famous black cat on our list with the least inventive name, Blackie was a cat who was bequeathed $12.5 million dollars in an inheritance when his very wealthy owner died. Said owner was a British antique dealer called Ben Rea who had a falling out with his family and refused to give them anything in his will. The result was Rea leaving his fortune to his cat which was to be distributed to animal charities and ensure the continued good living of the cat.
Another famous black cat who found their fame by being the pet of an even more famous person, Hodge belonged to legendary English writer Samuel Johnson. Known simply as Dr. Johnson, the writer was immortalized in biography written for him by James Bowell. Hodge is known mainly for how much he was loved by the man. Johnson would purchase oysters for his cat and spoke very highly of him. Hodge has since been immortalized in his own bronze statue, currently located in London outside his master's old house.
If you want to read similar articles to 15 Famous Black Cats in History and Culture, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.


When you travel around the world nowadays, it's not uncommon to find that a currency, like the U.S. dollar (USD), has become very engrained in a country's economy. While official dollarization may be well-documented, the murky world of unofficial dollarization is not. Read on to learn more about unofficial dollarization, why it has become so popular and how U.S. dollars move in and out of the United States. (Read a more in-depth explanation of dollarization.)
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the British pound reigned as the world's reserve currency but in the twentieth century, the U.S. dollar laid claim to this title. It has been the dominant reserve currency since the end of World War II.
Dollarization is a generic term that can fall into three categories:
- Official dollarization: The dollar is the only legal tender; there is no local currency. Examples of this can be seen in Panama, El Salvador and Ecuador. For example, since independence in 1903, Panama has only used the U.S. dollar. Surprisingly, the U.S. government does not have to provide approval for another country to use its currency as legal tender.
- Semi-dollarization: A country will use both its own currency and the U.S. dollar interchangeably as legal tender. Lebanon and Cambodia are good examples of this.
- Unofficial dollarization: For many countries in the developing world, the dollar will be widely used and accepted in private transactions, but it is not classified as legal tender by the country's government.
While many people associate dollarization with the U.S. dollar, the association is not exclusive. The euro, South African rand, Russian ruble, New Zealand dollar and Australian dollar are also accepted outside their countries, although in a localized nature. For example, the Russian ruble is accepted in a number of countries from the old Soviet Union.
Why is the U.S. dollar the currency of choice?
Stability is one of the major factors that explains why a number of countries have adopted the U.S. dollar as official currency. The U.S. dollar has never been devalued, and its notes have never been invalidated. For countries all too familiar with bank failures, devaluation and inflation, the stability of the U.S. dollar brings with it a certain amount of peace of mind. Business is easier to conduct when a stable currency is used.
Unofficial dollarization can be so prevalent in some countries that more U.S. currency is in circulation than local currency. Once this happens, it can be difficult to reverse. Ironically, the very stability that dollarization brings can be a curse to local governments, as they lose the power to control inflation and fiscal policy. However, to many, what is a curse to the government is a blessing to others.
In the paper "Currency Substitution – Unofficial Dollarization and Estimates of Foreign Currency Held Abroad," Feige, Faulend, Sonje and Sosic estimate that 40% to 60% of existing U.S. dollars circulate outside of the United States. This estimate is supported by the actions of U.S. federal agencies, which produced posters and pamphlets in 24 languages to highlight the new look and anti-counterfeiting features of updated bills produced between 2003 and 2006.
Money is only valuable if it is acceptable. Therefore, the U.S. dollar is not without its problems. For example, $100 bills have a reputation of being vulnerable to counterfeiting. As a result, they also tend to be the ones that are most rejected or discounted around the world. Long gone are the days when bills denominated in $500, $1,000, $5,000 and even $10,000 circulated because money launderers love large bills. This also represents the final attraction of the U.S. dollar: anonymity. While the U.S. dollar is accepted around the world, it's not necessarily tracked well around the world.
How do all those dollars get overseas?
To get a better handle on how many U.S. dollars are outside of the U.S., the U.S. Customs Service tracks information on cross-border flows through its Currency and Monetary Instrument Reports (CMIR). It's the most important source of information on the movement of U.S. dollars. Large financial institutions specialize in the transportation of large wholesale bulk shipments of U.S. dollars. The shipper must record on the CMIR, the size, origin and destination of the shipment.
The opposite happens when U.S. dollars are sent back through the same intermediary. Cross-border flows also entail retail shipments of amounts greater than $10,000. This area is made up of currency retailers, corporations and individuals physically transporting currency. The final category is individuals (i.e., travelers) that fall below the $10,000 filing threshold, as their shipments do not require a CMIR report. The next time you enter or leave the U.S., check the customs form for this reference.
The Bottom Line
This article should have helped unveil some of the mystery of unofficial dollarization. It's a topic that comes up repeatedly with international travelers and business people. Stability, acceptability and anonymity are all reasons why the U.S. dollar has become the world's currency of choice. Despite its popularity, however, don't become too enamored with the U.S. dollar, as no currency has held onto the title of "currency of choice" forever.


Keep Kids Active This Summer
Shalom Christian Academy’s Athletic Director Murray Roseman shares ways parents can help kids stay active over the summer months.
We all know physical activity improves health and reduces the risk of developing obesity and several diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The good news is physical activity also has immediate and long-term benefits that can give you better quality of life. A sedentary lifestyle and the over-use of technology including television, phones, tablets, and video games are the main roadblocks that prevent children from being active.
Parents should consider scheduling physical activity and other important behaviors and skills into their child’s day. An easy way to accomplish this is through organized sports. Organized sports are beneficial, helping growing children physically but also socially, mentally, and psychologically. The benefits reach far beyond healthy habits to include self-discipline, social skills, teamwork, improved sense of self-worth, and character development.
Here are some simple ways to keep your children active and engaged this summer:
- Give children chores to do around the house. This will teach them responsibility.
- Make time to play with your children every day. This will help build a relationship with them and they will also learn from your example.
- Help children set athletic goals that match their interests. Children love challenges—reward them for their hard work.
- Schedule weekend outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or trips to an amusement park.
- Register your child for camp or a summer enrichment program. This will help them learn new skills.


Discussions driven by the media as well as physicians and other clinicians without extensive scientific or research training have contributed mightily – and often erroneously – to the understanding of stem cells in general and their use in joint pain treatment specifically. The following are five need-to-knows about stem cells and their treatment in joint pain, chronic tendonitis and arthritis.
- Stem cells (progenitor signaling cells) are a type of cell in the body that have the ability to duplicate themselves (clonality) and specialize into other types of cells that are necessary to maintain the health of tissue and the individual. Cells specialize based on environmental cues (chemical signaling) that come from cellular injury.When cartilage cells (chondrocytes) sustain cellular damage from a heart attack, the injured cell membranes become leaky. Proteins usually confined to the intracellular space escape into the extracellular space and become small molecule signals that sound the alert. Stem cells in the synovium (joint lining) around blood vessels (called pericytes) and in distant locations called niches are attracted to the area and naturally turn themselves into new heart cells to attempt to repair the damage. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is transcribed (made) by cellular DNA reading machinery and attracts new blood vessels that are coated with stem cells (pericytes). Wherever the new blood vessels branch, stem cells are dragged in with them that can repair and regenerate normal tissue without scarring.
- The concept of the “stem cell” when described in the context of clinical applications like “stem cell injections” is really oversimplified. There are basically two types of mesenchymal stem cells: Type 1 (MSC1) is pro-inflammatory, and Type 2 (MSC2) is anti-inflammatory. They each play a major role in tissue catabolism (breakdown) and anabolism (build up). It’s more than just the cells that do the work, too. There are MANY other cells in the bone marrow that contribute to tissue repair and regeneration that are NOT found in adipose, or fat tissue stem cells. Cells communicate with one another and with the extracellular matrix through complex signaling cascades. Cell signaling prompts come from environmental cues.The mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) that are used in clinical medicine, unlike embryonic stem cells that can become ANY cell type, can only specialize into cartilage, tendon, bone, ligament, fat, some muscle types and other connective tissues.One of the biggest areas of study now is identifying more exactly the proteins involved in the signaling cascades so that in the future we can “manipulate” cells in vivo (while they are active in the body) to perform the tasks we want them to.
- Bench scientists and orthopedic surgeons practicing regenerative techniques have come to agree that when the patient’s own stem cells are injected into a damaged joint or tissue using a minimally invasive, virtually painless and bloodless, in-office procedure they work via three basic mechanisms. Cells are concentrated and captured using isopycnic centrifugation. The cells engraft upon injection and form connections with other cells and the extracellular matrix through adhesion molecules called cadherins and integrins. Once engrafted, the cells communicate with one another and elaborate growth factors specific for the tissue injury. Groups of cells then work together to effect a healing response.The cellular signals that are elaborated call in “stem” cells and other reparative cells. Cellular signals modulate the immune response and the inflammatory response, eliminating the release of pain causing molecules, or blocking their receptor sites so that the catabolic processes are able to be challenged by anabolic processes. Stem cells produce other stem cells that can specialize into cell types like cartilage (chondrocytes). The ability for these techniques to grow cartilage has been demonstrated clearly in the animal model and in vitro. However, these trophic effects are felt to play a smaller role than initially thought. Patients with more healthy cartilage tissue (cells and scaffold) in the setting of osteoarthritis typically have a better clinical response, although patients with severe disease, including bone-on-bone, have been documented to have five years or more relief from their joint pain.
- The use of stem cells in joint pain treatment is FDA cleared for safety. Our cell based therapy management strategies are effective and clinically-proven to provide lasting relief from joint pain. Recognizing bias, we believe that patients seeking “stem cell treatments” for orthopedic joint pain should only seek the advice of an expert in the field, who is typically someone with a chemistry or biochemistry background who is a fellowship trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in regenerative medicine. Regenerative Medicine Clinic of Wilmington is home to the region’s only orthopedic surgeon specializing in this treatment. We were the first in the country to introduce this technology to orthopedic surgical procedures in the shoulder and knee, and Dr. Yeargan wrote all of the original protocols that are in use all over the country today. This is where it all started.
- Unfortunately, not everyone is a candidate for stem cell treatment for joint pain. Exploring your non-operative joint pain treatment options is imperative, however, before considering joint replacement surgery, an often painful and sometimes uncertain treatment with long-term recovery. Even if you’re not a candidate for cell based therapies, we offer the entire range of biologic treatments that you won’t find under one roof anywhere else in the nation.


Nicotine lethal dose in humans: a common argument by regulatory authorities, based on poor science
By Dr Farsalinos
I am sure everyone has heard the “magic number”: 60mg is the nicotine lethal dose in adults. Τhis is a very low level, which would categorize nicotine as one of the most toxic substances available. It is a very common and strong argument of the regulatory authorities and of several anti-smokers activists who support very strict regulation on e-cigarettes and criticize the high levels of nicotine present mostly in refillable liquid bottles. Special concerns are usually raised for children, because lethal dose is expected to be much lower at this age group.
I always wondered how the lethal dose level was defined, because everyone mentioned that the lethal dose was just theoretical and was never really tested. In animals the lethal dose may be from 3mg/kg in mice to 50mg/kg in rats, while a 60mg dose means a 0.8mg/kg in humans. A brief search of the literature revealed some reports that cigarette ingestion in children has a benign prognosis CDC 1997, Kubo 2008), making it hard to understand how a 60mg lethal dose is realistic and accurate.
Yesterday however, a very important review was published in Archives of Toxicology. Professor Bernd Mayer from the University of Gratz performed an extensive review of available literature in an effort to identify the existing proof for defining the nicotine lethal dose in humans. He has also found several references mentioning that the acute lethal dose in humans has been estimated to be 50-60mg. However, no proof was provided for such figures. He had to go back to the mid of the 19th century to find that the lethal dose came from self experiments of Austrian pharmacologists, who described really peculiar and unrealistic symptoms after ingesting just 1-4mg of nicotine. Therefore, reports based on dubious experiments and results 150 years ago are still reproduced today…
More interestingly, Prof Mayer reports that the lethal level of nicotine as measured in postmortem exams was 2mg/ml of blood, corresponding to 4mg/ml of plasma. Such levels would correspond to ingesting 500-1000mg of nicotine. This is 10-20 times higher levels that those “accepted” today.
There is no doubt that nicotine is toxic and can be lethal. However, the levels currently mentioned in the literature seem to be extremely low and unrealistic. Nicotine solutions should always be handled with care, but there is no reason to produce excessive fear or accept poor science in order to terrorize the public.
It is worth reading the full review by Prof Mayer. It is available online with free access to everyone.
Dr Farsalinos is a researcher at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center in Athens-Greece and at Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospital Gathuisberg in Leuven-Belgium. He is actively involved in research on e-cigarettes’ safety and risk profile.
Disclaimer: all presentations in this site are personal opinions of the authors. By reading and using the information provided, you agree that we are not held responsible for your choices and you are personally responsibility for using or sharing this information. No recommendations are made for using the electronic cigarette. The site provides information on e-cigarette research, not advice on the use of e-cigarettes.


On this day we remember Otis Redding, and the beginning of a five week run as number one on the U.S. charts for his single, “(Sitting On) The Dock of the Bay”. Otis passed away in a plane crash on December 10, 1967, only three days after he had finished the second recording of his single. The song was later released on January 8, 1968, and would then move forward to top the U.K. charts as well.
The song was inspired by Redding’s visit to San Francisco, where he stayed in a boathouse and watched as the boats would come and go on the bay. Otis then collaborated with Steve Cropper, a guitarist who later on went to produce the single and added on certain features after Redding’s death such background sounds of seagulls and waves crashing. The recording also included whistling sounds, as recorded by Redding himself.
Redding was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, recognized as a pioneer for the African American presence in music as well as being a soul, rhythm and blues artist. Redding’s legacy lived on through his influence on other music icons such as George Harrison, Marvin Gaye, and Janis Joplin.


Deep in the water of a Yucatán Peninsula cave, one of the oldest human skeletons found in North America has been discovered.
"Naia" is the the researchers' name for the teenage girl who went underground, presumably to seek water, and fell to her death in a large pit named Hoyo Negro - "black hole" in Spanish.
The girl's skeleton is between 13,000 and 12,000 years old and genetic analysis shows the prehistoric girl and living Native Americans came from the same place during the initial peopling of the Americas. The near-complete human skeleton -- with an intact cranium and preserved DNA -- was discovered lying 130 feet below sea level near a variety of extinct animals, including an elephant-like creature called a gomphothere. These remains helped scientists establish the age of the skeleton.
Divers transport the skull, part of the oldest complete skeleton yet discovered in the Americas, for 3-D scanning. Photograph By Paul Nicklen, National Geographic
Led by Pilar Luna of the Mexican government's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and James Chatters of Applied Paleoscience, 15 experts from a wide range of fields have been focused on telling the story of the young woman and Hoyo Negro since the skeleton's discovery in 2011.
"The preservation of all the bones in this deep water-filled cave is amazing -- the bones are beautifully laid out," said cave-diving scientist Patricia A. Beddows of Northwestern University, who has hovered underwater above the skeleton's site and prospected in the area. "The girl's skeleton is exceptionally complete because of the environment in which she died -- she ended up in the right water and in a quiet place without any soil. Her pristine preservation enabled our team to extract enough DNA to determine her shared genetic code with modern Native Americans."
"Research in flooded caves is much like space exploration, with divers similar to astronauts reporting back to 'mission control' -- a much larger scientific team at the surface," Beddows said. "It all has to be done on SCUBA, which is our life support system. Our science team has been supported by a great number of dedicated non-science cave divers who have committed hundreds of hours at very dangerous depths to complete this exploration."
Part of her remains have been removed from Hoyo Negro for safekeeping, after unauthorized divers entered the chamber to take photographs, moving and damaging some bones in the process. "We tried to keep everything in situ," Mariá del Pilar Luna Erreguerena, head of underwater archaeology for Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History, told National Geographic. But leaving Naia's remains in place was deemed too big a risk. Her watery grave is an attractive target, one Chatters likens to "a mini La Brea Tar Pits, only without the tar and considerably better preservation."


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Love them or hate them, on a burger or in a salad, mushrooms are one of the most sustainable foods people can eat.
With Oregon’s wet, temperate climate, which is ideal for mushrooms, the state plays a key role in the industry. But according to University of Oregon senior environmental studies major Becca Marshall, commercial wild mushroom pickers in Oregon may not be getting the support they need from forest managers to continue growing the industry.
Earlier this year, the Humanities Undergraduate Research Fellowship awarded Marshall a $2,500 grant to conduct her research into how forest management policies in the Willamette National Forest affect wild mushroom pickers.
“I got into this research because I was personally interested in mushrooms,” Marshall said. “The idea that the mushrooms we eat are just the fruit of this potentially huge underground network.” Marshall finds it fascinating that the single largest organism in the world is the parasitic honey fungus in Oregon’s Blue Mountains.
A significant part of her research is gathering data by talking with as many mushroom pickers as she can to understand if they face unnecessary barriers in their work. She says has learned that pickers often face difficulties getting the correct permits and sometimes they are not notified of crucial Forest Service road closures in a timely manner. She says that people in the industry also worry about timber-centric management activities that destroy the best mushroom patches like tree thinning and clear cutting.
Mushroom cultivation doesn’t require high amounts of land or water, and it has a low carbon footprint. According to a study conducted by the research and advocacy group Environmental Working Group and the environmental firm CleanMetrics, farmed salmon and beef emit 5.4 and 12.3 pounds of carbon dioxide respectively for every pound consumed, where as a pound of cultivated mushrooms only emits 0.7 pounds of carbon dioxide. The mushroom industry in the U.S. is also rapidly growing as more people have expanded their palates to include the fungi and demand abroad is increasing, according to a report by Zion Market Research.
Marshall’s project, which is now in it’s second term, is primarily concerned with understanding how well forest managers follow environmental justice guidelines set out in the National Environmental Policy Act to manage for the cultivation of non-timber products such as mushrooms. Under these guidelines, managers must try to recognize the cultural, social and economic impacts any proposed action may have, and they must allow for the public to be included in a dialogue about policy.
Marshall says that many mushroom pickers in Oregon are immigrants from Southeast Asia or Central America or are first generation Americans. She says they bring with them a rich cultural tradition and knowledge of mushrooms.
The mushroom industry is also seasonal, and many pickers are migrant workers. They follow the “mushroom trail,” which starts in British Columbia in the late summer, follows warmer weather in Washington and Oregon in September and October and ends in California in December where many of them spend the winter.
Oregon has a long history of producing timber products, but the seasonal nature of the mushroom industry and language barriers between pickers and managers, inclusive dialogues about policy are often hard to achieve.
But Marshall says the National Forest Service could be trying harder to include the voices of people in this lucrative industry. “Harvesting mushrooms and other non-timber forest products provide an economic alternative to timber, which is something I think the Forest Service should focus on to create greater biodiversity within the forest and to manage it more equitably for everyone. Not just focusing on managing for powerful timber companies” Marshall said.
Marshall says the Forest Service primarily manages for timber and often disregards the economic benefits a thriving mushroom industry can bring.
“I’m not trying to demonize the Forest Service,” Marshall said. “They also face challenges that make supporting the pickers hard.” The Forest Service has a budget that changes annually so they don’t always have the stability necessary to maintain connections the with mushroom picking community.
Marshall says she hopes that her research will illuminate the predicaments many mushroom pickers find themselves in to earn a living in this culturally-significant and economically-beneficial industry. She wants the Forest Service start researching how they can better support the mushroom industry on their own.
“As of now, my long-term plan is to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture research and policy,” Marshall said. After graduating UO, she wants to take the skills she has learned in her research to the Peace Corps community gardens and agroforestry program in West African country The Gambia.
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that mushrooms do not contain any protein. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, white mushrooms contain 0.6 grams of protein for every 18 grams.


- Technology is reshaping the way industries and corporations are training employees to increase productivity, according to EdSurge, and that new focus, designed to engage younger employees, could have impact on higher education academic delivery models.
- Organizations are substituting theory-based models in exchange for scenario-based, practical instruction to help learners be more attuned to instruction. Lessons are delivered through simulations that are light on lectures and heavy on opportunities for learners to engage with online content and cohort members to learn information.
- Adapting teaching modules presents the biggest challenge in workforce development; about 61% of corporate executives say moving employees towards self-directed education is a difficulty in developing an environment of continuous learning.
While many of the industrial opportunities and challenges are synonymous between the corporate world and higher education, big differences lie in how, and for how long, both are addressed in each industry. In corporate America, employees do not have to be judged by performance variables among different races of employees, do not have to consider cuts from funding sources, or be judged by federal government on how well employees are performing or paying back personal debt.
These differences may not change the need for technology in a learning environment, but suggest that between the two industries, not every learning technology may best meet overall student need or budget reality. College leaders can use corporate examples on how to reach student stakeholders, but must couch their expectations within efforts to secure resources that can shape experiences to yield the best outcomes.


Launched on 21 March 2006, Twitter turned 10 years old this week. This post highlights some of the areas in which Twitter has made a lasting impact.
Where would the world be without Twitter? Although Twitter’s subscriber base, at over 320 million as at December 2015 (Source: Twitter), is less than a third that of Facebook, it is still a powerful and influential social network that – more than Facebook – has changed the way how we, globally, communicate. This year, and similar to YouTube, Twitter is celebrating its 10th anniversary; so it is opportune to reflect on how it has changed the world.
1. Succinct communication
To communicate successfully on Twitter, users must master condensing their messages to no more than 140 characters. In other words, brevity is key. Further that environment, specifically the Twitter news feed, has helped readers to develop the art of scanning and distilling copious amounts of information, which has become increasingly useful when the deluge of information that we receive daily is considered.
2. A news channel
As a medium that allows virtually instantaneous receipt of messages to all of a subscriber’s followers, Twitter became the channel through which ordinary citizens shared what might be newsworthy situations and development that were happening around them. The importance of Twitter was clearly evident during demonstration and protests that started in December 2010 in Tunisia, and lasted through to around mid-2012: the Arab Spring.
That approach contrasted with traditional news reporting agencies, which only disseminated stories through their own platforms and usually at specific times of the day. Hence Twitter sped up the flow of information by became the place to get the latest breaking news, thanks to subscriber postings, and not from formal news organisations. As a result, and to remain relevant, the latter have had to embrace Twitter as a critical information dissemination channel, and have tapped into the potential mainstream and newsworthy items that subscribers are also posting.
3. First responders assistance
Following from the previous point,Twitter has become a powerful channel to disseminate the latest developments in emergency and adverse situations. As a result, it has become a critical resource when coordinating first responders, especially when subscribers are in a position to the latest communicate first-hand, on the ground information.
4. Fostering the collective audience
Have you ever watched a popular television programme, such as Scandal, American Idol, The Voice, or the SuperBowl and tracked the activity on Twitter? Twitter has become the virtual watercooler, where as those events unfold, there is running commentary by subscribers, which not only entertains, but creates a collective (and loyal) audience that can complement the television viewing experience. Shows have tapped into those virtual communities by allow them to influence some of the show’s outcomes, such as through voting via tweets.
Many people might not know this, but the use of hashtags (#), was not invented by Twitter. In fact, it originated in chat rooms: but Twitter made it not only mainstream, but essential when to tag or assign topics to posts, be they on Twitter or other popular social networks..
Image credit: SambaClub (flickr)