Technology evangelists are preaching that Virtual Reality will finally come out of its childhood in 2017. How much familiar you are with the word ‘Virtual Reality’? Or VR, whatever you may like to call? How often do you come across this word? May be several times a day chatting with your friends or browsing on the web. Have you ever imagined why all of a sudden the word Virtual Reality has gained so much significance? Virtual Reality is more like a storm rather than a new facet of technology. It’s a destination of technology!
In his facebook post on 25th Mar 2014 Mark Zuckerberg wrote,
” Virtual Reality was once the dream of science fiction. But then Internet was also a dream, and so were computers and Smart phones. The Future is Coming!”
He immersed into VR better than anyone!
Here once more, I would like to intrude one famous quote of Frank Biocca, which better describes the state and activities of Virtual Reality in our Real World!
“VR dangles in front of our eyes a vision of the media’s future, changes in the ways we communicate, and the way we think about communication. The medium that tantalizes us so has gone by a number of names: computer simulation, artificial reality, virtual environments, augmented reality, cyberspace, and so on. More terms are likely to be invented as the technology’s future unfolds. But the enigmatic term virtual reality has dominated the discourse. It has defined the technology’s future by giving it a goal–the creation of virtual reality. Virtual reality is not a technology; it is a destination.”
What is Virtual Reality?
The most compact definition of Virtual Reality that can be given is, “Computer created objects under digital atmosphere which seems to be real but it is not.” Technologists have defined Virtual Reality in several ways. Each one has a different perspective of seeing it. But one thing is common in all, ‘Simulation of User’s senses such as sight and sound under virtual environment to such an extent that the user comes out of his belief and start perceiving virtual environment as real and immerses himself into it.
Technical definition of Virtual Reality describes it as, “the digital atmosphere, crafted with the help of computer technology and software that presents images, sounds, and other sensations to users which appears almost near to real but it is not.”
Commendable and interesting thing about VR is that the simulation of the senses is so strong that the user who is under the VR Environment starts believing that the objects are real! It is created with the help of interactive technologies.The most simplest example of Virtual Reality that can be given is a 3D Image in online Games with which you interact with the help of keys of your keyboard and mouse.
How Virtual Reality Works?
As I wrote earlier Under VR Environment the user experiences a feeling of immersion. With the simulation of the senses the person gets so much involved in the virtual environment that it seems real to him. He feels that he is part of that Virtual World. Once the immersion happens, the user starts interacting with the objects. That makes the situation even more appealing and interesting for him. In the words of a computer scientist the process of immersion and interactivity together is called telepresence. It makes you unconcerned about your real atmosphere. On the contrary, you start perceiving virtual environment as your real one.
Interactivity in Virtual Reality
The most important part in Virtual Reality is the interactivity aspect. Immersion is okay but what when the user doesn’t involves in the environment. Earlier applications in VE systems were offering only passive experiences – such as feeling a gust of wind while watching a pre filmed movie, sitting on a motion chair wearing a Head- Mounted- Display.
In modern day VR Apps, users can build their own objects. An excellent example of it is, Disney’s Quest’s, CyberSpace Mountain Capsule in Orlando Florida. There you can create your own virtual roller coasters. You can also put a simulator into it to drive your dream creation! But it is still very far from the example of a true Virtual Environment. No doubt the immersion aspect of it is very strong and compelling but when it comes on interactivity aspect, VR Systems like that scores few points.
Interactivity in VR depends on three major factors;
- Speed- is the rate at which user’s activities gets absorbed into the computer system and shown to the user in a way he wants to see
- Range– is used to gauge the total number of possible scenarios that can be generated with a single action of the user
- Mapping- is used to refer the capacity of the System to deliver natural outputs as a result of particular user’s action.
Navigation is the first criteria that needs to be fulfilled by the VR Systems so that it can be called truly interactive. If the user can control his actions in VR Environment then it can be called as an interactive experience.
For a VR System to be called truly interactive it should give the user the liberty to modify the environment.
Major components of VR Headset Systems
Most of today’s’ VE Systems are being administered by personal computers. No doubt such PCs are highly sophisticated and advanced enough to craft the desired Virtual Environment. Let’s have on look on the major hardware family of a VR Headset;
- Personal Computers
- Graphics Card
- LCD Monitors
- CRT Monitors
- Input Devices
To display the images and graphics to the users VE Systems take help of HMDs. HMDs are nothing but headset that a user wears on his head. Headset Comprises of 2 monitors-for both the eyes. The VE Systems use Stereoscopy to create or enhance the illusion of depth in the image.
Some advanced VE Systems have also the capacity to display images on walls, roof and floor. Such Environments are called CAVE AUTOMATIC VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS and image displays under such environments are called CAVE DISPLAYS.
Next comes Tracker Technology after Display Technology. It is for analyzing the user’s viewpoint. So that right images are sent to the user on display. Then comes the input devices in VR Systems. As of now the input devices that are in use are;
- Controllers wands with buttons,
- electric gloves,
- Voice Recognition Software
- Tracking balls
- Data suit
The process of Immersion in Virtual Reality
If you will observe minutely then you will find that the entire concept of Virtual Reality revolves around presence and telepresence and some technological hardware. Virtual reality is more like a medium similar to telephone or television. What happens when you talk to someone on your phone? You feel as if that person is sitting in front of you. Exactly the same happens visually when you watch something on your television screen. How do you react with your senses when your favourite Hollywood protagonist comes on the screen? Do you smile or not? In a similar way you react when you come across your dear ones. The effect and power of Virtual Reality is so much intense on the user that, he totally surrenders his physical presence in the front of Virtual Environment.
Now let’s us come out of this example. In the words of Jonathan Steuer, a computer scientist, there are two main driving components of Virtual Reality- Depth of Information, and Breadth of Information.
- Depth of Information- is the quantity and quality of data that the users encounters while interacting with the Virtual Environment.
- Breadth of Information- breadth of information is the total number of sensory dimensions that the user continuously experiences in VR Environment.
Till yet sight and sound are the two main stimulating factors in VR. But of late Scientist and Engineers are also targeting to include touch component in Virtual Reality. Touch interaction phenomena in VR Systems is called Haptic Systems.
Top 6 Best VR Headsets that are truly Interactive
Let’s get into their names;
- Sony PlayStation VR
- HTC Vive
- Oculus Rift
- Samsung Gear VR
- Google Daydream
Over to You All
Many aspects of Virtual Reality are continuously evolving and changing. So it’s always better to go through the updates. Readers, I have sincerely tried to put each and every information in this post to be accurate and latest. Still if there is any shortfall, then please remind me, by commenting.
Was this post helpful for you in arresting the concepts of Virtual Reality? And yes one more request.
Please do share with me if you have any additional information on VR.Which VR Headset you are using? What are your experiences about it? Your review and comments can help others. Further don’t forget to share this post on Virtual Reality with your friends on FB, Linkedin, G+, Pinterest or any social platform where you may like to share!


Knowledge or learning that remains hidden from view is dull and lifeless. Ideas that are regularly tested, examined, and exposed to scrutiny morph into new ideas. Starting in England in the 17th century, the outpouring of creativity that emerged during the Age of the Enlightenment is an example of how a series of ideas and activities, when assembled or re-arranged in a new way, can radically change the world.
One of the many platforms that HPU librarians use to make print and electronic materials discoverable is our Research Guides. Like many other libraries, we use a program developed and maintained by Springshare that provides us with templates to produce guides for course and subject content that are branded and consistent in their look and functionality. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the format, the Research Guides can be found on the right-hand menu on the library website. Each major department has their own subject tab, with further listings by course number. HPU librarians create individual guides to help direct students towards materials that are appropriate for their discipline, instructor, and individual course.
Researching the Age of Enlightenment
Recently I was asked to create a research guide on The Age of the Enlightenment for Dr. Laura Linker, for her ENG 4520 class. Because Dr. Linker’s course covers the span of years from 1660 to 1789, a very exciting and dynamic period in English and European history, I had to read and refresh my knowledge of the history of the era.
During this period, many old and accepted ideas and practices were changed, revised and “enlightened”: Sir Isaac Newton revolutionized the study of physics and proscribed the laws of gravity; Richard Sheridan wrote and produced new plays; Samuel Pepys described his world in his famous diaries; and Captain James Cook circumnavigated the globe, using a clock made by John Harrison that enabled Cook to measure longitude accurately for the first time. During the Age of the Enlightenment, William Wilberforce worked tirelessly on the task of abolishing slavery, fortified by sermons from preachers like John Wesley, and with tea drunk out of cups made by his friend, Josiah Wedgwood. The American Founding Fathers absorbed these influences (and many more) to write the U.S. Constitution and establish a country.
Although it is a labor-intensive exercise to create and maintain these wholly electronic research guides, the process trails some significant benefits for the library and our constituents. Most significant is that instructors and librarians work in concert to evaluate, locate, and present materials that will be significant to students taking a particular course. One of the sidebar benefits to this process is that it encourages both instructors and librarians to inventory current library holdings, frequently resulting in the purchase of new materials for our collections.
The Benefits of Research Guides
The second benefit to using research guides as heavily as we do is that it allows those librarians, who have not been involved directly with the creation of an individual guide, to quickly and efficiently provide sources and materials for an individual course with which they may not be not wholly familiar. Significantly, this helps us to provide a coherent message regarding appropriate materials to our users that is themed and structured according to the specific requirements of an instructor.
The third benefit to investing time and treasure into the creation of research guides is less tangible, and was quickly demonstrated to me when working with Dr. Linker. One of the pages in the ENG 4520 guide is a listing of websites where one can access digital images of artifacts produced during the Age of Enlightenment (one of the assignments for the class). Having published the guide, she asked if I could add a link to a newly released tranche of images from the Wellcome Library, recently made available for use via a very generous Creative Commons license. Upon close inspection, I realized that the site contained images that were directly germane to three students I have been working with on three very different projects.
Sharing information is part of the DNA of most librarians, a double helix composed of equal parts information and a desire to share that knowledge, which both supports and nourishes the work we do in libraries. Research guides at HPU, for me, are part of that process. The collegiate nature of the production of this research guide meant that in doing, I learned, and in learning, I shared.
Evening Reference Librarian


A water salute occurs for ceremonial purposes when a vehicle travels under plumes of water expelled by one or more fire fighting vehicles.
At an airport, an even number of vehicles (usually fire trucks supplied with water cannons) will line up and as the plane goes between them, they’ll spray it with plumes of water that are supposed to look like a wedding arch or the saber arch at a military wedding (thank-you, Wikipedia).
It’s rare to see or experience them in person, but water salutes for planes happen here and there to mark the retirement of a senior pilot or air traffic controller, the first or last flight of an airline to an airport, the first or last flight of a type of aircraft, etc.
The event is sometimes called a “shower of affection” and besides the reasons above, there are some secondary things that water salutes accomplish…
Of course, as with all things, sometimes water salutes go wrong…like in 2014, when a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Tampa International Airport sustained damage when, during a water salute, the right wing hit the water turret of the fire vehicle, which was parked too close to the taxiway (and now you know why they don’t do water salutes at TPA anymore).
Or the time in 2015, when a Virgin Atlantic plane, named “Beauty Queen,” was getting ready for its shower of affection and the fire tenders at Manchester Airport sprayed it with foam instead of water, which clogged up the engine and turbine blades.
Or late last year when they didn’t have good control of one water cannon so the water went flying everywhere, to the point where it caused the emergency side of the plane to deploy.
— مصدر (@MSDAR_NEWS) September 20, 2018
But when they DO go well, they’re a good thing to watch. And how you know why they happen. 🙂
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary


Pyrite, commonly known as “fool’s gold,” is an iron sulfide mineral that has been used and valued by humans for centuries. With its brassy yellow color and metallic luster, pyrite has a superficial resemblance to gold, leading many amateur collectors and miners to mistake it for the precious metal. However, while pyrite may not contain gold itself, the mineral is abundant, easy to identify, and found worldwide, making it both useful and accessible.
Historically, pyrite was used as an important source of the elements iron and sulfur. Before the development of modern mining and metallurgy techniques, pyrite was one of the main sources of iron ore and sulfuric acid production. Even today, pyrite continues to be mined and utilized for industrial chemical production, steel manufacturing, and even for nutritional supplements. Beyond its practical uses, pyrite is also prized for its natural beauty as a popular ornamental stone. The cubic crystals and metallic shine make pyrite a favorite for collectors who facet and polish the mineral into inexpensive jewelry.
Geologically, pyrite is ubiquitous, forming under a wide range of temperature and pressure conditions in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock types. Pyrite is most often found in association with quartz veins, carbonate layers, coal beds, and other sulfide minerals. Notable pyrite deposits occur globally, from North America to Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. The abundance and variety of pyrite around the world illustrates the important role this mineral has played throughout human civilization, from folklore and mystical beliefs, to emerging technologies and trade among ancient cultures. Even today pyrite continues to fascinate geologists and collectors drawn to its golden color and crystal shapes.
Pyrite is an iron disulfide mineral belonging to the sulfides and sulfosalts class. Its chemical composition is FeS2, meaning it contains iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) in a 1:2 ratio.
It commonly forms in cubes, octahedrons, and pyritohedrons that can combine in clusters or radial bursts. The cubic habit is the most recognizable, often showing as perfect cubes or as an aggregate of smaller cubic crystals.
The most distinctive physical property of pyrite is its metallic luster. Freshly fractured pyrite surfaces have a pronounced golden metallic shine. As pyrite oxidizes and tarnishes, the luster dims to a darker, flatter tone.
Pyrite’s classic brassy yellow color can range from a pale, almost silver tone to a deeper gold. This yellow tone distinguishes it from other metallic minerals like gold, magnetite, hematite, and chalcopyrite.
With a Mohs hardness of 6 to 6.5, pyrite is a durable mineral resistant to abrasion. However, its brittle nature makes it prone to breakage under pressure. Pyrite has a specific gravity of 4.8 to 5.0, meaning it is an unusually heavy and dense mineral.
Comparison Table of Pyrite with Other Minerals
|Brassy yellow color, metallic luster, cubic crystals
|Bright golden yellow color, metallic luster, extreme density
|Brassy yellow, iridescence, tetrahedral crystals
|Black streak, strongly magnetic
|Red to brownish red streak, earthy luster
|Lead gray color, cubic cleavage
|Glassy luster, conchoidal fracture
|Effervesces with acid, double refraction
|Fluorescent, octahedral crystals
Origins and Formation
Pyrite can form under a wide range of geological conditions, allowing it to occur in many different rock types and deposit settings globally.
- Hydrothermal Deposits: Pyrite is a common mineral in hydrothermal veins and ore deposits where hot, mineral-rich waters flow through fractures and deposit sulfide minerals. These types of deposits often contain valuable metals like gold, silver, copper, and zinc.
- Sedimentary Rocks: Small pyrite crystals and nodules form in some sedimentary rock strata. Black shale and coal beds frequently contain sedimentary pyrite, sometimes in well-formed crystals.
- Metamorphic Rocks: Regional metamorphism of iron-rich sediments produces schists and gneisses with disseminated pyrite crystals. Contact metamorphism around igneous intrusions also creates skarn deposits rich in pyrite.
- Igneous Rocks: While less common than other geological settings, pyrite can form as a primary accessory mineral in some intermediate and mafic igneous rocks. It also occurs as a late-stage mineral in pegmatites.
- Fossils: Replacement of original organic material by pyrite is common during fossilization, especially for hard-shell organisms like brachiopods and mollusks.
No matter the geological origin, pyrite nearly always forms under reducing conditions where oxygen is limited. This allows the iron and sulfur atoms to combine into FeS2 instead of oxidizing to iron oxides.
Significant pyrite sources exist on every continent except Antarctica. Some notable localities include:
- Rio Tinto, Spain: The mines at Rio Tinto were worked for copper, gold, and silver from 3000 BCE to the Roman Empire to modern times. The iron-rich gossans weathered from pyrite led to the area’s name, which means “red river”.
- Elba, Italy: The island of Elba’s iron deposits fueled industrialization, being mined from Etruscan times into the 20th century. Much of the iron originated from pyrite in the contact metamorphic ore deposits.
- Carlin, Nevada, USA: In the 1960s, microscopic gold was discovered within pyrite at Carlin, Nevada. The Carlin-type deposits went on to produce billions of dollars in gold and rank among the world’s richest gold districts.
- Sudbury, Ontario, Canada: The pyrite-rich nickel ores of the Sudbury Igneous Complex supply most of the world’s nickel. Sulfur dioxide emissions from roasting the pyrite have caused substantial environmental damage.
- Pribram, Czech Republic: Silver mining at Pribram dates to the 10th century CE. Today the region still produces lead, zinc, and silver from hydrothermal veins with sphalerite, galena, and pyrite.
- Queensland, Australia: Sedimentary pyrite nodules and fossils filled with pyrite crystals are abundant in the oil shale deposits in Queensland, Australia. Amateurs collect the unique preservation.
Uses of Pyrite
Historically one of the earliest and most important uses of pyrite was as a source of sulfur and sulfuric acid. Burning pyrite releases sulfur dioxide gas which can then be oxidized into sulfuric acid.
Prior to the 20th century, pyrite was the primary source of sulfuric acid production before being replaced by the Frasch process of mining elemental sulfur. Today most pyrite is still mined for creating sulfuric acid for industrial use.
Other current uses of pyrite include:
- Steel Production: Iron pyrite can serve as raw iron ore for steel manufacturing processes. Pyrite needs to be roasted first to remove the sulfur component of FeS2.
- Sulfur-containing Chemicals: In addition to sulfuric acid, pyrite is used to manufacture sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium hydrosulfite, and other chemicals containing sulfur.
- Catalyst: Powdered pyrite serves as a useful catalyst for certain chemical manufacturing processes, like synthesizing ammonia and methanol.
- Nutritional Supplements: Iron sulfate manufactured from pyrite is added to animal feeds and fertilizers as an iron nutrient. It is also used to make iron pills and powders.
- Lawn Conditioner: Pelletized or powdered pyrite can add sulfur and iron to soil as a fertilizer and lawn conditioner.
- Water Treatment: Pyrite powder can be used for water treatment and purification processes as a coagulant to remove particles and impurities.
- Moss Killer: Iron sulfate derived from pyrite minerals helps kill moss growing in lawns when sprayed or spread onto the moss.
- Abrasives: Some types of pyrite can be crushed and used as scouring powder and an abrasive component in polishes.
- Ornamental Stone: The gold color and metallic luster make pyrite a popular ornamental stone used for jewelry and decoration.
Pyrite is one of the major collector minerals that inspire people to begin building their own mineral collections. Fine pyrite specimens are relatively affordable and easy to obtain. The mix of gold color, metallic shine, and well-formed crystals immediately grabs the eye.
For collectors, some tips for selecting quality pyrite specimens include:
- Seek out cubes, pyritohedrons, octahedrons, and their combinations over massive, shapeless pieces.
- Well-defined faces, sharp edges, and balanced crystal ratios indicate good pyrite.
- Prefer unweathered, untarnished surfaces that still show the original golden metallic luster.
- Minor matrix or attached crystals are acceptable but avoid specimens encrusted with other minerals.
- Remember that size matters. Larger crystals demonstrate better development and are more valued.
- Research the locality or mine source to understand the specimen’s background.
Responsible pyrite collecting follows the principle of minimizing environmental damage. Never dynamite or dig large holes searching for samples. Leave the area as it was found.
Caring for a Pyrite Collection
Pyrite is prone to tarnishing, oxidation, and other damage from improper storage and handling. Collectors should follow these tips to preserve pyrite:
- Avoid touching exposed pyrite surfaces to prevent fingerprints and abrasion.
- Store specimens in closed boxes padded with foam or cotton to prevent rubbing.
- Use museum wax, putty, or acrylic stands to securely mount pyrite crystals.
- Keep pyrite in a cool, dark, dry place to slow oxidation and deterioration.
- Never wash or expose pyrite to water, alcohol, or cleaners which speed oxidation.
- Display pyrite out of direct sunlight which can cause fading and deterioration over time.
With proper care, a pyrite collection can maintain its golden shine to be appreciated and enjoyed for many years.
Metaphysical Properties of Pyrite
In crystal healing, occult practices, and mystical traditions, many believe pyrite has unique metaphysical properties that enhance health, energy, and manifestation:
- Removing Negativity: Pyrite is thought to protect against negative environmental energies and emotional stress. Its sunny essence brings optimism and shields against bad vibes.
- Energizing: Said to stimulate vitality and stamina, pyrite’s focused energy resonates within the lower chakras and solar plexus. It is used to fight fatigue, boost creativity, and inspire action.
- Manifestation: Psychic abilities are enhanced by pyrite to promote manifestation of one’s desires through heightened intuition, visualization, and belief in oneself.
- Wealth and Abundance: Linked to prosperity, fortune, and abundance, pyrite awakens one’s potential to achieve power, influence, success, and prosperity in life.
- Self-Confidence: By reflecting one’s true inner strength and worth, pyrite is believed to counteract self-doubt, timidity, and feelings of inadequacy.
- Protection: In psychic defense, pyrite forms an impermeable shield against negative energy, environmental pollutants, emotional manipulation, and psychic attack.
As with any metaphysical healing, the individual must open themselves to the experience and innately feel whether a resonance exists. There is no scientific evidence supporting these mystical claims about minerals.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pyrite
What causes pyrite’s brassy yellow color?
The color results from the optical properties of pyrite’s crystal lattice structure. Specific wavelengths of light are absorbed while others are reflected back, giving pyrite its distinctive golden yellow hue.
Does pyrite contain actual gold?
While pyrite has a superficial resemblance to gold, it does not contain extractable gold and is not considered a gold ore. However, the presence of pyrite in rock formations can indicate potential gold deposits nearby.
Is pyrite radioactive?
Pure pyrite is not radioactive and does not emit dangerous radiation. Some pyrite specimens contain small amounts of radioactive elements like uranium that may register slightly above background levels.
Can pyrite rust or oxidize?
When exposed to air and moisture, pyrite oxidizes into iron oxides and sulfates. This process tarnishes its surface and dulls pyrite’s metallic shine. Storing pyrite in a dry, oxygen-free environment prevents oxidation.
What causes pyrite cubes and crystals to form?
Pyrite’s atomic structure and chemical bonds promote the formation of cubic crystals and pyritohedrons. Slow crystallization allows the cubic habit to fully develop into well-formed pyrite crystals.
Are large pyrite crystals valuable?
While size is valued among mineral collectors, pyrite is common enough that most specimens are affordable even at larger crystal sizes. Exceptionally large, well-formed pyrite crystals may have moderate monetary value.
Can pyrite scratch glass?
With a hardness of 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, pyrite is hard enough to scratch window glass, which has a hardness around 5.5. Pyrite can scratch softer minerals like calcite and fluorite but cannot scratch harder gems like quartz.
Is pyrite dangerous to handle?
Pure pyrite is not hazardous, but some related sulfide minerals release toxic fumes when exposed to acids. Always wash hands after handling pyrite and never consume pyrite internally.
From ancient civilizations to the modern era, pyrite’s abundance and unique properties have made it valuable to humankind. Once prized as an important ore of sulfur and iron, pyrite continues to facilitate industries and technologies that are the foundation of the modern world.
Beyond its vital practical uses, pyrite’s golden color and metallic shine will no doubt continue to inspire people from all walks of life. Its natural cubic perfection attracts collectors and admirers drawn to its beauty, while metaphysical believers praise its protective and prosperity-enhancing qualities. for centuries more pyrite will undoubtedly maintain its reign as the classic “Fool’s Gold”.


The National Anthem of South Africa It was created in 1994 during the Nelson Mandela government,
His lyrics evoke a desire for freedom and faith, ask God for no conflict and keep the nation together.
The current anthem is a product of the fusion of the old national anthem “Die Stem” and the Bantu song “Nkosi Sikeleli Afrika” created by Enoch Mankanyi Nsotonga in the 19th century.
Its lyrics use words from the most spoken languages of the country such as Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.
Here the translation of the South African anthem in Spanish:
God bless Africa
May your glory rise
listen to us Lord
bless us, Lord to us, your children
Lord, we beg you to protect our nation,
Intervene and cease all conflicts
Protect us, Protect our nation, protect
South Africa, South Africa!
From our blue skies,
From the deepest of our seas,
On our eternal mountains,
where echoes echo through the rocks
Sounds the call to come together,
and united we will remain standing,
Let’s live and fight for freedom
in South Africa, our land
Anthem and flag of South Africa:


Working on Sight Words? This quick and simple activity is what you and your little ones need in your lives! All you need for this activity is some Sight Word Flashcards, Dry Erase Dice and a Dry Erase Maker.
Pick some Sight Word Flashcards
On the Dry Erase Dice write the Flashcard Sight Words on it with the Dry Erase Marker
Have your child roll the Dice
Then have your child match the Dice with the Flashcard
Repeat until they have matched all the Flashcards


What do you do if you’re a young student at a university and the Nazis suddenly invade your country? Do you stick to your studies and hope to avoid the draft? Or do you grab a rifle and head to the front, doing whatever it takes to stop the advance? What about if you were a young woman? Does that change your answer a little bit? Well, if you were Lyudmila Pavlichenko, it definitely didn’t. Pavlichenko was studying history in Kiev when Germany launched their invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. And though she probably didn’t know it, she was about to become the deadliest female sniper in history.
Pavlichenko was one of the first volunteers in Odessa, where she told the recruiting office she wanted to join the infantry. The Soviet military was unusual during WWII in that it did let large numbers of women fight on the front lines. Part of that was the communist idea of equality between the sexes. But a much larger part of it was probably sheer desperation as the Germans rolled back the Soviet Army. But in the early days of the war, the army still didn’t really want women to fight on the front lines. That’s why the recruiter suggested Pavlichenko might want to consider becoming a nurse.
However, Pavlichenko wanted to fight. But when she told the recruiter that, he laughed in her face, asking her if she even knew anything about rifles. As it turns out, she did. Pavlichenko had been a long time member of a Soviet organization that taught young people marksmanship skills. And Pavlichenko immediately presented the recruiter with a certificate showing that she was an exceptional shot. But because she looked like a model and not a soldier, the recruiter was still skeptical. Finally, the military reluctantly agreed to give her an audition to prove her skills.
Pavlichenko was taken to the front and handed a rifle. There, the observer pointed out two Romanian soldiers who were working with the Germans on the other side of the front lines. The observer then told Pavlichenko to kill them, probably thinking that she wouldn’t be willing or able to. So, imagine his surprise when Pavlichenko picked the two off in a few seconds. Obviously, a woman who just killed two people at long range isn’t the type of person you want to say no to. And Pavlichenko began training as a sniper.
The Soviets soon found that women could make good snipers. They tended to have the qualities that a sniper needs, like patience and attention to detail. Pavlichenko was one of about 2,000 women who served as snipers during the war. And their job was to stalk the battlefield looking for German officers and eliminate them with deadly efficiency. It was a job they did so well that the Nazis lived in constant terror of Soviet sniper teams. And as the German army moved into Ukraine, they quickly learned that there was no one on the battlefield they should fear more than Lyudmila Pavlichenko.


Who discovered the Mediterranean Diet?
Who discovered the Mediterranean Diet?
Last modified on 2017-03-27 05:47:43 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Updated on March 12, 2017
March 12, 2017
Dr. Ancel Keys discovered the Mediterranean Diet and its benefits
(Photo: Front Page of Times: Dr. Ancel Keys, father of the Mediterranean Diet)
You may want to go directly to the Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Plan
To FAQ 1. ¿Who invented the Mediterranean Diet?
FAQ 2. Who discovered the Mediterranean Diet?
Dr. Ancel Keys was who discovered the Mediterranean Diet. He worked at the School of Public Health of the University of Minnesota, and published in 1970 the results of an important study developed in seven countries in which he analyzed the role of the diet in the cardiovascular diseases, establishing the bases of what would be later the Mediterranean Diet.
The research was carried out with more than 12,000 men of Finland, Greece, Italy, Japan, Holland, the United States and Yugoslavia. There were high correlations between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet of the people, their cholesterol levels and its percentage of death from cardiovascular diseases. Of these seven nations, the United States and Finland had the highest animal product consumption, the highest saturated fat intake, the highest cholesterol consumption and the highest percentage of death from cardiovascular diseases. On the contrary, the Mediterranean countries and Japan were in the opposite pole.
Dr. Keys, who discovered the Mediterranean Diet, in Madrid.
Before that, in 1952, invited by Dr. Carlos Jiménez Díaz, Dr. Keys had spent some time in Madrid. In that one occasion was lodged in the Residence of Students and, with some important collaborators, among which was Grande Covián, developed a first study relating the diet (still was not known as Mediterranean Diet) and the values of cholesterol in the blood. It carried out an analysis between the inhabitants of Vallecas and Cuatro Caminos (two Madrid districts).
The citizens of these districts almost did not drink milk nor consumed meat or butter, and they had the lowest values of cholesterol in the area, presenting – in addition – very low incidences of coronary cardiopathies. The inhabitants of the district of Salamanca, nevertheless, with a much more rich diet in saturated fat, had much higher values of cholesterol. And among them, the cases of myocardium infarct were much more frequent. In Naples he carried out observations with similar results.
The Seven Countries Study.
Coming back to the famous” The Seven Countries Study”, one of the most important discoveries was that the inhabitants of Crete, which obtained more from 40% of his calories from fat consumption, displayed the lowest cholesterol index and associated diseases. In the Greek island, the percentage of deaths for this reason was 57 times smaller than in Finland. That is what would give later name to the Mediterranean Diet.
Most of the Greek fat intakes proceed from olive oil and olives and, the rest, from cereals, vegetables and generally “blue fish”, with something of meat and derivatives. In addition, they drank wine every day. This is the genuine Mediterranean Diet, almost identical to the diet of many others Mediterranean countries at that time.
Japan was the second country with lower index of deaths from cardiovascular diseases, due to a large extent to a diet with great amounts of fish, Anyway, the negative aspect was that they had a high rate of deaths by cerebral hemorrhage. The same phenomenon presented some ethnic groups, like the Eskimos.
FAQ 3. Who gave name to the Mediterranean Diet?
In 1993, the Oldways organization, the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization introduced the concept of Mediterranean Diet, in a conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts and defined it as “a delicious, pleasurable, and very healthful way to eat” (Oldways).
Olways leaded the project and created as well the famous and wide world know Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Its most important feature is all plant foods are grouped together to highlight the health benefits that they grant.
Later and the in the same decade (about 1950), Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University’s School of Public Health promoted the Mediterranean Diet explaining it in a very understandable way.
Hereafter, the Mediterranean Diet became world-wide known as a heart protector and long life dietary pattern.
Recently has been discovered some other benefits of The Mediterranean Diet in other diseases as cancer, Alzheimer, asthma, hyperglycemia, etc. It is also an excellent source of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory products.


A difference quotient is said to be an expression that represents the difference between two function values, which is divided by the difference between two points. Usually, it is used to calculate the slope of a secant line between two points on the graph for the function. Just for the review, a function is called a line or a curve that has only one y value for every x value. The difference quotient is called a measurement of the average rate of change of the function with respect to an interval. There are times when the calculations become difficult because of the complex figures. For ease, you can use an online difference quotient calculator that calculates the difference quotient for the given function within no time.
The difference quotient is known as a measure of the average rate of change of function f(x) with respect to “x” at an interval. While the given function is said to be the difference that describes the slope of the line passing through the points of the curve. Click this post to more about bill of sale for your business which will be helpful in your business. The calculations for the difference quotient can be done by using the formula, but instead of using the formula, you can consider the difference of quotient solver through which you can easily determine the slope of a curved line in between two different points.
Difference Quotient Formula:
The difference quotient formula is used to determine the difference quotient and the formula looks like this:
f x+h-f (x)h
You can use the online Difference Quotient Calculator that displays the difference quotient for the given function along with the step-by-step procedure. For calculating it manually you need to follow the below steps
- Insert x + h into the function f and evaluate to find f (x + h).
- Now, you have f (x + h) so, find f (x + h) by inserting the values of f (x + h) & f(x)
- Put the result form the step 2 for the numerator and simplify the calculations.
When the limit is taken into account, then the limit h approaches zero gives the derivative of the function f. However, the calculation is still difficult for people who are not good at doing calculations. Simply, they can try the Difference Quotient Calculator to find the derivative of quotients, which is the difference quotient between two points of the curve.
Using of Difference Quotient with Fractions:
You will need to calculate the difference quotient in the same way as you do for any other kind of non-fraction function. The thing that makes the calculations complicated is that when you end up with the little fractions inside of the “big fraction”. The trick to getting rid of those little fractions is to multiply the numerator & denominator of the big fraction by the common denominator of the little fractions. In this way, you will get the fractions to cancel out in a simple and quick step.
Then you can easily multiply & simplify the numerator, and then cancel out “h” from the numerator & denominator. This process will work every time whenever you find the difference quotient for a fraction. Determining the difference quotient can be confusing when your function is a fraction, but using the above-mentioned method is an easy way to handle it. You can also use the difference quotient calculator to find the difference quotient of a given function within a fraction of seconds.
By reading this post, we came to know what exactly the difference quotient is and how to solve the difference quotient with fractions. The standard formula for the difference quotient is also taken into account. If you still face issues at the time of calculating, then you can consider the “find the difference quotient calculator” that shows the stepwise calculations for the function.
For more articles visit this website.


|1. When you use any plural or uncountable noun a/an is not used.|
--We don't usually use any article when we use plural or uncountable noun since a/an has a similar meaning to one.--
Don't walk fast we still have plenty of time.
She doesn't like dogs.
He hated his new pair of trousers.
She had a lot of knowledge about animals.
|2.There are some nouns that you may think that it is countable (some other language) but this are uncountable noun in English.|
|How much bread should I bring?|
I haven't made much progress this week.
We read some news today.
We wanted to travel this month.
|3.You may sometimes use some or any instead of articles.|
|We had some fun, yesterday.|
Did you get any papers?
They had some games during the outing.
We like to have some butter in our bread.
|4.Sometimes if we don't use any articles, we may use "the" when we want to say that both the listener and the speaker know what the speaker mean.|
|Where's the chief cooking?|
Did you know the story in that old house?
How will we feed the Ostrich


The planet is facing a climate crisis, but the sterling work of one UAE-based company, Desert Control Middle East, supported by Expo 2020’s Expo Live
initiative, is aiming to avert a frightening set of figures.
In six years’ time, the United Nations – marking its World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17 June – estimates that 1.8 billion people will experience absolute water scarcity and two thirds of the world will be living under water-stressed conditions. By 2045, some 135 million people may be displaced as a result of desertification.
Desert Control, however, aims to arrest that decline with its innovative liquid nanoclay technology – a clay sprayed on dry, sandy soils to create a water-retaining environment for plants to grow that uses up to 50 per cent less water than conventional agriculture techniques.
This clever solution has a direct impact on eight of the 17 UN Sustainability Goals, and Desert Control has made solid progress since being backed by Expo Live’s Innovation Impact Grant Programme in 2018. As well as building up its production capacity during the past six months and now being ready to go to market, it has been named one of the Top 100 Arab Startups shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution
by the World Economic Forum.
Desert Control now has more than 1 million square metres of possible opportunities in the UAE and GCC for 2019, including a localised test at Expo 2020 Dubai’s on-site Innovation Garden, while the potential for liquid nanoclay technology stretches way beyond the Middle East.
The sustainability and scalability potential of Desert Control makes it a good example of a best practice of the type being sought by Expo’s Global Best Practice Programme
. The Programme highlights projects that already provide real solutions at a community level while having the potential to be scaled globally.
The Programme is seeking submissions by 30 June 2019 and wants to hear ideas from anyone – individuals, businesses, academia, governments and international organisations.
Expo Live and the Global Best Practice Programme are just two of the ways that Expo 2020 Dubai – the first World Expo in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia) region – will realise its theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and work to create a better world for everyone.


Forming a sentence
Cluck cluck! This mother hen has something to say, but what? Your first grader can build reading and writing skills with this sentence writing worksheet.
This zebra-themed writing worksheet challenges your child to write sentences about the pictured animal. Write about the zebra using the given words and picture.
This hurdler is running away from run-on sentences! Build reading and writing skills with this beginner's writing worksheet.
Slither alongside this snake, in a sentence building worksheet. Students will write sentences inspired by the picture and word web in this writing worksheet.
Yee haw! Welcome to the wild west, where they are in dire need of grammar help. Build sentences using cowboy-inspired words.
This smiling sloth is waiting for your child to write some sentences about him. Create a short paragraph using the picture and word web for inspiration.
What do roosters say when they crow? Create sentences using the picture of a rooster and thematic words as inspiration.


|4.65661 X 10-10 m/d0² = 1||(14-1)|
Solving for d0 the gravitational limit. we obtain
|d0 = 2.15792 X 10-5 m½||(14-2)|
To convert this equation from natural to conventional units we divide the coefficient by the number of natural units of distance per light year, 2.0752x 10,23 and by the square root of the number of grams per natural unit of mass, 1.65979x 10.-14 In terms of grams and light years, equation 14-2 then becomes.
|d0 = 8.0714 X 10-17 m½ light years||(14-3)|
The mass of the sun has been calculated as 2 x 1033 grams. Applying the coefficient of equation 14-3, we find that the gravitational limit of the sun is 3.61 light-years. This is consistent with the observed separations. The nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, is 4.3 light years distant, and the average separation of the stars in the vicinity of the sun is estimated to be somewhat less than 2 parsecs, or 6.5 light years. Sirius, the nearest star larger than the sun, has its gravitational limit at 5.3 light years, and the sun, 8.7 light years away, is well outside this limit.
It is evident that such a distribution of a very large number of objects in space, where the minimum separation is two-thirds of the average, requires some kind of a barrier on the low side; it cannot be the result of pure chance. The results of this present investigation show that the reason why the stars of the solar neighborhood do not approach each other closer than about four light years is that they can not do so. This finding automatically invalidates all theories that call for star systems making contact or a close approach (as contemplated in some theories of the formation of planetary systems), and all theories that call for the passage of one aggregate of stars through another (such as the currently accepted theory of elongated rectilinear orbits of the globular clusters).
Furthermore, these results show that the isolation of the individual star system is permanent. These systems will remain separated by the same tremendous distances because each star, or star system, or prestellar cloud continually pulls in the material within its gravitational range, and this prevents the accumulation of enough matter to form another star in this volume of space. The immense region within the gravitational limit of each star is reserved for that star alone.
The interstellar distance calculated from the number of stars per unit volume is less in the interiors of the globular clusters and the central regions of the galaxies. But since the three-dimensional region of space extends only to the gravitational limit, the reduction in volumetric dimensions beyond this limit, due to the gravitational effect of the aggregate as a whole, is in equivalent space rather than in actual space. It therefore does not alter the spatial relation of a star to the gravitational limits of its neighbors.
Galactic masses are usually expressed in terms of a unit equal to the solar mass. Since we have already evaluated the gravitational limit of the sun, we may express equation 14-3, for application to the galaxies, in the convenient form.
|d0 = 3.61 (m/ms)½ light years||(14-4)|
This relation enables us to verify the conclusions reached in Chapter2 with respect to the process of cannibalism by which the giant spheroidal galaxies have reached their present sizes. As noted in that earlier discussion, the development of theory indicates that galaxies as large as the Milky Way are pulling in not only a large amount of diffuse material, but also individual stars, globular clusters, and small galaxies. The Magellanic Clouds were identified as galaxies in the process of being captured. In order for such a capture to take place, the smaller unit must be within the gravitational limit of the larger. Let us see, then, just what distances are involved.
Estimates of the mass of the Galaxy range from 1011 to 5 x 1011 solar masses. If we accept an intermediate value, 3 x 1011 for present purposes, equation 14-4 indicates a gravitational limit of about two million light years. On this basis, the Magellanic Clouds are well on their way to capture by the Galaxy.
It was also brought out in the previous discussion that the irregular structures of the Magellanic Clouds are due to distortion of the original spiral or elliptical structures by differences in the gravitational forces acting on different parts of the Clouds. The diameters of the Clouds are approximately 20,000 and 30,000 light years respectively. These distances are obviously large enough in proportion to the distance from the Galaxy to give rise to significant differences between the forces acting on the near sides of the Clouds and those acting on the far sides.
Both of these findings with respect to the Magellanic Clouds can be generalized. We can say that any galaxies within a distance of about two million light years of a galaxy as large as the Milky Way are in the process of being pulled in toward the galaxy and will eventually be captured. We can also say that any galaxy on the way to capture will experience structural distortion in the last stages of its approach.
The calculations that support the theoretical conclusions as to what is now happening to the globular clusters and small galaxies in the vicinity of larger aggregates can be extended to confirm the further conclusions concerning what is going to happen in the future as the evolutionary development of the galaxies proceeds. In the original discussion of the aggregation process it was pointed out that the possibility of growth by capture depends on the location of the gravitational limit. Consolidation of two star systems cannot take place, because each such system is outside the gravitational limits of all others, and these limits can be extended only at a relatively slow rate, since there is nothing in interstellar space subject to capture other than diffuse matter and a few small objects such as comets. On the other hand, the theoretical consideration of the galactic situation in Chapter2 showed that the globular clusters and early type galaxies are inside the gravitational limits of their immediate neighbors because of the nature of the process by which they were formed. Consolidation of these objects into larger and larger aggregates therefore proceeds until the greater part of the mass in each large region of space is gathered into one giant spheroidal galaxy.
This theoretical finding implies that most of the galaxies included in what is known as the Local Group—our Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, M 33, the newly discovered Maffei galaxies, and a considerable number of smaller aggregates—will eventually combine. For an evaluation of the likelihood of such an outcome, let us look at the gravitational limits. We have found that if we take the mean of present estimates of the size of our galaxy, its gravitational limit is about two million light years. But if we take the highest of the previously quoted values, this limit becomes 2½ million light years. It is generally believed that the Andromeda Galaxy, M 31, about two million light years distant, is somewhat larger than our own. Thus, if the higher estimate of the mass of the Milky Way is correct, we are already within the gravitational limit of M 31.
If the actual masses are smaller than these estimates indicate, this conclusion is premature. But M 31 is growing. Intergalactic space contains a multitude of material aggregates—globular clusters, unconsolidated dust and gas clouds of globular cluster size, dwarf galaxies, and stray stars—all of which are subject to capture by the giant spirals, along with quantities of diffuse matter. If the Milky Way is not yet within the gravitational limit of M 31, it certainly will be within that limit when the capture process is a little farther along. In the meantime, the total mass of the various aggregates and diffuse matter between the major galaxies helps to hold the Local Group together while those galaxies continue their cannibalism. The calculation of the gravitational limits of the local galaxies thus confirms the theoretical conclusion from more general premises that the eventual result of the evolutionary process will be a giant spheroidal galaxy containing most of the mass of the Local Group.
It is even possible that a larger, hitherto unrecognized, member of the group might swallow both M 31 and the Milky Way galaxy. A very large volume of space in our immediate vicinity is hidden from our view by the dense portions of our own galaxy, and we do not know what is behind this barrier. The two Maffei galaxies were just recently discovered on the fringes of this unobservable zone, and there are reports indicating the existence of two more in a heavily obscured region in Cygnus. 18 One is said to be a bright elliptical. If this is correct, the elliptical galaxy could be the dominant member of the Local Group.
The conclusion as to the ultimate consolidation of most of the mass of the Local Group conflicts with current astronomical opinion, as expressed by Gorenstein and Tucker, who assert flatly that the probability of our galaxy's ever colliding with the Andromeda galaxy is close to zero. 167 But that opinion is a relic of the traditional view of the galaxies as objects that originated in essentially their present forms in the early stages of the existence of the universe, and are moving randomly, a view that, although it is still orthodox doctrine, is gradually giving way as more and more evidence of galactic collisions and cannibalism accumulates.
Another critical magnitude in which we are interested is the limiting distance beyond which all galaxies recede at the full speed of light. The importance of this distance lies in the fact that its relation to the speed of light determines the rate of increase in the recession speed relative to the distance, the Hubble constant, as the astronomers call it. This is a place where the theory of the universe of motion arrives at conclusions that are altogether different from those that the astronomers have reached from their consideration of the only piece of observational information that has been available to them, the existence of a galactic recession at a speed that is proportional to the distance. On this slender factual basis, they have erected an elaborate framework of assumption and inference that serves as the orthodox theory of the large-scale action of the universe. The cosmological aspects of this theory will be discussed in the final chapters of this volume. Our concern at present is with the recession speed. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the astronomers have assumed that the Hubble constant is a fixed characteristic of the physical universe, and they further assume that the increase in the recession speed with increasing distance continues indefinitely, approaching the speed of light asymptotically.
While these two assumptions seemed reasonable in the light of the information available to their originators, the development of a theoretical understanding of the recession process now shows that both of them are wrong. The recession is not peculiar to the galaxies. It is a general property of the universe, a relation between the reference system that we utilize and the reference system to which natural phenomena actually conform, and it applies not only to the galaxies, but to all material objects, and also to non-material entities, such as the photons. The outward motion of the photons at the speed of light is the same phenomenon as the recession of the galaxies, differing only in that the galactic recession is slowed by the opposing gravitational forces, whereas the photons are not subject to any significant amount of gravitational retardation, except in the immediate vicinity of very large masses. The Hubble constant is not, as currently assumed, a basic property of the physical universe. Like the gravitational limit, it is a property of each individual mass aggregate. In application to the galactic recession this so-called constant is a function of the total galactic mass, exclusive of the outlying globular clusters and halo stars that are still in free fall.
The assumption that the speed of light is a limiting value, which the recession speed never quite reaches, is also invalidated by the theoretical findings. As we saw earlier in this chapter, the effect of the distribution of the gravitational motion over all of the rotational and translational units involved in the atomic rotation is to require 2.1475 x 109 mass (gravitational) units to counterbalance each unit of the outward motion of the natural reference system. The point at which this is accomplished is the gravitational limit. Here the net speed, relative to the conventional spatial reference system, is zero. Beyond the gravitational limit the reduced gravitational speed is only able to neutralize a part of the outward progression, and there is a net outward motion: the galactic recession.
The net outward speed increases with the distance, but it cannot continue increasing indefinitely. Eventually the attenuation of the gravitational motion by distance brings it down to the point where the remaining motion of each mass unit is sufficient only to cover the distribution over the dimensional units involved in direct one-dimensional contact between motion in space and motion in time. Less than this amount (a natural compound unit) does not exist. Beyond this point, therefore, the gravitational effect is eliminated entirely, and the recession takes place at the full speed of light. The limiting distance with which we are now concerned can thus be obtained by substituting the one-dimensional relation, 128 (1+2/9) = 156.44 (previously identified as the inter-regional ratio), for the rotational ratio in equation 14-1. The new equilibrium force equation is then
|1/156.44 x m/d1= 1||(14-5)|
Again, solving for the distance, which in this case we are calling d1, we have
|d1 = m½/12.55||(14-6)|
which can be expressed in terms of solar masses as
|d1 = 13350 (m/ms)½ light years||(14-7)|
If we again take the intermediate estimate of the mass of the Galaxy that was used earlier, 3 x 1011 solar masses, and apply equation 14-7, we find that the limiting distance, d1, is 7.3x 109 light years. Disregarding the relatively short distance between the Galaxy and its gravitational limit, we may now calculate the distance from our galaxy to any other galaxy of the same or smaller mass by converting the redshift in the spectrum of that galaxy to natural units (traction of the speed of light). and multiplying by 7.3x 109 light years, or 2.24x 109 parsecs. This is equivalent to a value of 134 km/sec per million parsecs for the Hubble constant.
This calculated value for the Hubble constant does not apply to the recession of a galaxy larger than our own, as the effective gravitational force that defines the limiting distance is the force exerted by the larger of the two aggregates. The mass of the smaller aggregate is immaterial from this standpoint. It is true that the controlling mass exerts a greater gravitational force on a large mass than on a smaller one, but the opposing effect of the progression of the natural reference system is subject to the same proportionate increase, and the equilibrium point remains the same. The astronomers estimates of the value of the Hubble constant are based largely on observations of the more massive galaxies, the ones that are most easily observed. The masses of these giant galaxies are quite uncertain, and the estimates vary widely, but as a rough approximation we may take the mass of a galaxy of maximum size to be ten times that of the Milky Way galaxy. Substituting this mass for that used in the previous calculation, we obtain a Hubble constant of 42 km/see per million parsecs.
The value currently accepted by most astronomers is between 50 and 60 km/sec. Before 1952 the accepted value was 540. By the time the first edition of this work was published in 1959 it was down to about 150. Subsequent revisions have brought it down to the present 50 or 60. These latest results are consistent with the theoretically calculated values within the accuracy of the galactic mass determination.
Emission of radiation from the rotating atoms of matter is also subject to a dimensional distribution, but radiation is a much simpler process than the gravitational interaction, and the distribution is correspondingly more limited. As noted in Volume II, where the dimensional distribution effective in gravitation was discussed, the theoretical conclusions with respect to the dimensional distribution of the primary motions are still somewhat tentative, although the satisfactory agreement with observation gives them a significant amount of support. It appears from these findings that the radiation distribution is confined to the basic 128 rotational positions in one dimension.
The application of this distribution with which we are now concerned is its effect on the magnitude of the increase in the wavelength of radiation (the redshift) due to the outward progression of the reference system. Since all physical entities are subject to this progression, it has no effect on ordinary physical phenomena, but it does alter the neutral point, the boundary between motion in space and motion in time. The outward progression in space relative to the location from which we are making our observations shifts the boundary in the direction of longer wavelengths. Observers in the cosmic sector (if there are any) see a similar shift in the direction of the shorter wavelengths.
Inasmuch as the natural unit in vibrational motion is a half cycle, the cycle is a double unit. The wavelength corresponding to unit speed is therefore two natural units of distance, or 9.118x10-6 cm. The distribution over 128 positions increases the effective distance to 1.167 x 10-3 cm (11.67 microns). This, then, is the effective boundary between motion in space and motion in time, as observed in the material sector. On the high frequency (short wavelength) side of the boundary there is first the near infrared, from 1.167 x 10-3 cm to 7x10-5 cm, next the optical region from the infrared boundary to 4 x 10-5 cm, and finally the x-ray and gamma ray regions at the highest frequencies. Because of the reciprocal relation between space and time these high frequency regions are duplicated on the low frequency (long wavelength) side of the neutral level.
Inasmuch as the processes of the region below unit speed involve transfer of fractional units of speed—that is, units of energy—the frequencies of the normal radiation from these processes are on the energy side of the boundary. This is high frequency radiation. At speeds above unity, this situation is reversed. The physical processes at these speeds involve transfer of fractional amounts of energy, and the frequencies of the normal radiation are on the speed side of the unit boundary. In the regions accessible to our observation, these low frequency processes are less common than those in the high frequency range, and the instrumentation that has been developed for dealing with them is much less advanced. Consequently they are not as well known, and only two subdivisions are recognized. The far infrared corresponds to the near infrared and the optical ranges, while the radio range corresponds to the x-ray and gamma ray ranges.
The term normal in the foregoing paragraph refers to radiation in full units of the type appropriate to the speed of the emitting objects. For example, thermal radiation is a product of processes operating at speeds below unity (the speed of light). The full units produced at these speeds constitute frequencies on the upper side of the unit boundary. Fractional units do not exist, but adding or subtracting units of time can produce the equivalent of fractional changes in the amount of space. This enables extension of a portion of the frequency distribution of thermal radiation into the far infrared, below the unit level. In fact, if the radiating object is cool, it may radiate entirely in this lower range. But if this radiating object is hot enough to produce a substantial amount of radiation, the great bulk of this radiation is in the upper frequency ranges. Thus strong thermal radiation comes from matter in the speed range below unity. The same principle applies to radiation produced by any other processes of the low speed range. Conversely, strong radiation of the inverse type—far infrared and radio comes from matter in the upper speed ranges (above unity).
The existence of a sharp line of demarcation between the kind of objects that radiate in the near infrared and the kind that radiate in the far infrared is clearly recognized, even at this rather early stage of infrared astronomy, but the fact that there is an equally sharp distinction in the nature of the radiation from these objects has not yet been recognized by the astronomers. For example, Neugebauer and Becklin suggest that the observed strong radiation from some objects at 100 microns is thermal radiation from dust heated by star light ;168 that is, it is essentially equivalent to the radiation from cool stars, although they also report that the objects which radiate strongly at two microns (in the near infrared) are altogether different from those that radiate at 20 or 100 microns (in the far infarred). The ten brightest sources at two microns, they report. are all stars: three supergiants, three giants. and four long-period variables—the same stars that are bright in the visible region On the other hand, none of the ten brightest sources at 20 microns is an ordinary star. They include the center of the Galaxy. several nebulae, and a number of objects whose nature is, as yet. not clearly understood. As the investigators say, At present we lack the information needed to understand the sources unambiguously."
Our findings show that what is needed is recognition of the existence of the unit boundary at 11.67 microns. Strong radiation in the far infrared, beyond 11.67 microns, comes from matter with speeds in the upper ranges, above the speed of light, not from relatively cool thermal sources like those that radiate weakly in the far infrared. As we will see in the pages that follow, strong infrared emission is one of the conspicuous features of the objects that we will identify as involving motion at upper range speeds: quasars, Seyfert galaxies, the cores of other large galaxies, exploding galaxies such as M 82, etc. The infrared radiation from the quasars is estimated to be 1000 times the radiation in the visible range.167 The association between infrared emission and radiation in the radio range (which we identify with upper range speeds) is another feature of these objects, which, like the infrared emission, is unexplained in current astronomical theory. The significance of the results of the surveys of the infrared sources within the Galaxy, such as the one reported by Neugebauer and Becklin, is that they demonstrate the existence of the line of demarcation between the far infrared of the upper range speeds and the near infrared of the speeds below unity.
In the case of complex objects in which both upper range and normal speeds are strongly represented, the existence of a discontinuity is evident in the spectra. For instance, the IRAS observations show that The spectrum of the Crab nebula 'breaks,' or turns over in the far infrared, leading to the conclusion that something must happen in the infrared region that lies between the near infrared and radio bands. 350
The processes other than thermal that give rise to these various radiation frequencies, and their identification with the speeds of the emitting objects, will be discussed in Chapter18.
As we saw in Chapter 6, the inverse process of adding energy accomplishes the increase in speed in the range below the unit level. Addition of n - 1 units of energy to zero speed (1 - 1/1) results in a speed of 1 - 1/n² Obviously, this is a very inefficient method of increasing the speed, inasmuch as a large increment of energy produces only a very small increase in the speed. Furthermore, the maximum speed that can be attained by this means is limited to one unit (that is, the speed of light). But in spite of these highly unfavorable aspects, this is the way in which additions to the speed are made in the range between zero speed and unit speed, simply because there is no alternative. Fractional units of speed do not exist.
The subsequent pages of this work will be concerned mainly with phenomena that take place at speeds in excess of unity, and one of the arguments that will be advanced against the reality of such speeds by the adherents of orthodox physical thought will be that the amount of energy required to produce speeds of this magnitude is incredibly great. Indeed, such arguments are already being raised against suggestions that call for the ejection of galactic fragments at speeds that merely approach the speed of light. The answer to these objections is that the upper range speeds are not produced by the inefficient inverse process of adding energy; they are produced by the direct addition of units of speed, a much more efficient process.
To illustrate the difference, let us consider the result of adding energy or speed to the initial situation just mentioned, where the energy is unity and the net speed is 1 - 1/1 = 0. (Most speeds in the material sector are differences
( 1 - 1/n²) - ( 1 -1/m²), but it will be convenient to deal with the simpler situation). If we add two units to the energy component the net speed increases to 1 -1/9 = 0.889. On the other hand, if we add two units to the speed component the net speed increases to 3 - 1/1 = 2.000, at the threshold of the ultra high-speed range. The significance of these figures lies in the fact that in the universe of motion a unit of speed and a unit of energy are equivalent. It follows that an event that is capable of increasing the net speed of an object only as far as 0.889 by the process of adding energy is capable of increasing it to 2.000 by the process of adding speed, if speed is available in unit quantities. The conclusion that we reach from the theoretical development is that matter reaches its age and size limits under conditions that result in gigantic explosions in which speed is, in fact, released in unit quantities, and is available for acceleration of the explosion products to the upper range speeds. This means that intermediate and ultra high speeds are well within the capability of known processes.
It is probable that most readers who encounter this idea for the first time will see it as a strange and unprecedented addition to physical thought. But, in fact, the basic principle that is involved is the same one that governs a well known, and quite common, type of physical situation. The only thing new is that this principle has not heretofore been recognized as applying to the phenomenon now being discussed. The truth is that what we are here dealing with is simply a threshold effect, something that we meet frequently in physical theory and practice. The photoelectric effect is a good example. In order to eject electrons from cold metal, the frequency of the impinging radiation must be above a certain level, the threshold frequency. The result cannot be accomplished by increasing the total amount of low frequency energy. Ejection does not take place at all unless the energy is available in units of the required size. When units of this size are applied, even a small total energy is sufficient. The production of speeds in excess of the speed of light is governed by the same kind of a limitation. Speed units of the required magnitude must be available.
A number of other magnitudes that are significant in the quantitative description of the evolution of the contents of the universe are subject to calculation on the theoretical basis that has been provided, including such items as the average duration of the various evolutionary stages, maximum and minimum sizes of the various aggregates, and so on. Lack of time has prevented undertaking any systematic investigation of these subjects, but Some results have been obtained as by-products of studies made for other purposes. These are mostly properties of objects moving at upper range speeds, and they can be discussed more conveniently in connection with the general examination of the phenomena of these upper speed ranges in the subsequent chapters.


Guide students through their study of dinosaurs with these articles, lesson plans, online learning activities, and writing assignments.
Why Did All Dinosaurs Become Extinct?
The last dinosaurs died approximately 65 million years ago. Although the cause of their extinction is still a mystery, climatic change, diseases, changing plant communities, and geologic events could all have played a role.
Lately, dinosaur extinction theories have been the subject of much debate and controversy. A recent explanation, supported by many scientists, suggests that dinosaurs died out soon after a huge meteorite crashed to Earth near the Gulf of Mexico. A giant meteorite, they reason, could have landed with an impact that kicked up enough dust and debris to block out sunlight for a long time — leading to a deadly chain of events. Without the sun, all the plants died; without the plants, all the plant-eaters died; and without the plant-eaters, all the meat-eaters died. Sounds reasonable. But there is one problem with this theory: Paleontologists have not yet been able to find dinosaur skeletons in rocks dating to the period of impact. Some evidence even seems to indicate that all the dinosaurs had died before the meteorite hit.
What is the answer? As paleontologists search for clues to support their theories, they agree to disagree.
Where Did All The Dinos Go? Some Leading Theories
- A big meteorite crashed into Earth, changing the climatic conditions so dramatically that dinosaurs could not survive.
- Ash and gas spewing from volcanoes suffocated many of the dinosaurs.
- Diseases wiped out entire populations of dinosaurs.
- Food chain imbalances lead to the starvation of the dinosaurs.
Adapted from Dinosaurs: The Very Latest Information and Hands-On Activities From the Museum of the Rockies, by Liza Charlesworth and Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer; a Scholastic Professional Book.


Invasive pests and pathogens threaten the health of Northeastern forests. Cary Institute ecologist Gary Lovett has spent his career investigating the impact that species like the hemlock woolly adelgid and beech bark disease have on Catskill Mountain ecosystems.
Now, thanks to new funding from the F.M. Kirby Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Lovett will be leading an initiative to communicate actionable knowledge about forest invaders to policy makers and land managers. The goal: bridging the science and policy divide and protecting Northeastern forests.
Lovett is planning a series of workshops that will bring together forest scientists and economists, to distill current information on the ecological and economic impacts of forest invaders. Policy advisors will shape this analysis into a white paper with policy-oriented objectives. A communication campaign will connect findings broadly to media outlets, forest managers, and decision makers.
The effort is being done in collaboration with the Science Policy Exchange, a regional consortium of research institutions that includes: the Cary Institute, Harvard Forest, the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, the Ecosystems Center of the Woods Hole Marine Biological Lab, Syracuse University, and the University of New Hampshire.


Browse on keywords: crop rotation green manure erosion
Search results on 09/25/18
2406. Hanley, Paul (ed.). 1980. Earthcare: Ecological agriculture in Saskatchewan.. Earthcare Information Centre.
A well-written text covering all aspects of biological farming in the prairie region of Saskatchewan. Practices apply to small and large farms. Includes reports from selected farms. References at the end of chapters.
6684. Stephens, D.E.. 1944. Effect of tillage and cropping practices on runoff, erosion, and crop yields in the wheat growing areas of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.. USDA-SCS. Conservation practices on wheat lands of the Pacific Northwest..
An excellent summary of the dryland experiment station research in WA, ID and OR. Describes research on stubble mulching, tillage implements, crop rotations, fallow, etc. The use of sweetclover or alfalfa-grass were encouraged. T: yield, runoff, soil loss by tillage, rotation, fertilizer.
9952. Zahradnik, F.. 1983. He nets $60,000 a year without buying fertilizer.. The New Farm, March/Apr 1983, p.22-24..
Don Lambert of Cheney, Washington, has not had any synthetic fertilizers used on his 780-acre farm since his family began farming it three generations ago. Yet the farm consistently produces 65 to 70 bushels of winter and spring wheat per acre. His farm also has up to four times less rill erosion than neighboring fields. Lambert's independence from fertilizer and the reduced erosion are due the use of Austrian winter pea as a green manure every third year in his rotation. He plants this cover crop in April and lets it grow until late July or early August. If spring wheat is to follow, he plows just enough to leave a heavy surface residue to protect against winter erosion. A soil test following Austrian winter pea showed enough nitrogen for 84 bushels of wheat per acre. The cover crop builds organic matter content of the soil, helps control weeds, and researchers believe it somehow unlocks phosphorus from the soil, making it more available to following crops.


Journey Through The Scriptures
Places in the Heart
Lesson 4: Jerusalem--Israel's Worship Center
(Scripture to Read: 2 Samuel 6:1–23)
After David had established Jerusalem as the political capital of his kingdom, he knew he also needed to make the city the center of Israel's worship. It was no accident that the king chose Jerusalem as his capital. It was in a neutral area between Israel and Judah, which would serve to unite the nation. Israel's tribes tended to be divided by geography and various disputes even before the official division of the kingdom under Solomon, and David understood that a central place of worship was crucial to a truly united kingdom. This chapter describes a time of great joy in Jerusalem – the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol and focal point of Israel's worship. There were moments of sadness as a man named Uzzah died during the Ark's transport to Jerusalem, and of bitterness as David's wife Michal mistook his joyful exuberance for shameful exhibitionism. But nothing could dim the joyful celebration that erupted when the holy Ark of God arrived in the holy city.
- In what way did the Ark of the Covenant represent the presence of God among His people? (Hint: read Exodus 25:22.)
- The Ark was "called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty" (v. 2). According to Leviticus 24:16, how highly is the name of God to be held in reverence?
- In what way had David prepared a home for the Ark once it arrived in Jerusalem?
- David was not self-conscious about the joy he expressed in worshiping the Lord. How does true worship help us to forget our preoccupation with self?
Something to Think About
David learned the hard way that it matters very much to God how holy things are treated. For us, this certainly includes the way we use God's holy name, and the way we treat people, who are created in His image.
The Bible instructs us: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Is your "love quotient" toward others high today?


I was inspired by 1st Ethical’s commitment to making Islam practical and practised by young Muslims. So in that vain, I added a section in the Arabic studies workbooks where we as a class brainstorm ways in which to use the Surah in our lives to become better believers.
The task is for them to do one activity per surah and present it to the class. It can be a craft activity, reflection, poster, a poem and the list goes on….
Here are the activity sheets I made, selected some students to complete them and present to the class:
More will be added as they are made.
Hope you find these useful insha Allah!


For banks and other traditional lenders, low- and moderate-income people and neighborhoods are considered risky investments.
Banks are reluctant to extend loans for construction, homebuyers, and small businesses. They want a surer bet in terms of value, stability, and repayment.
The Community Reinvestment Act is intended to rebalance investment in low- and moderate-income communities. It mandates FDIC banks of a certain size make investments in the “risky” communities they serve.
In December 2019, two of the three federal agencies that oversee CRA compliance proposed a second major overhaul
since the CRA was enacted in 1977. Its first revision was in 1995.
The proposal isn’t suggesting major cuts. It’s suggesting changes to how funds are spent.
Proponents say it’s a needed modernization that gives banks more flexibility to serve their communities. Opponents say it’s just the newest way for banks to grow profits at the expense of low-income people and communities of color.
Traditional lenders’ long history
of discriminatory lending practices based on race and income created the disinvestment they now used to deny financing.
Opponents argue that while funding amounts wouldn’t necessarily decrease, the revision will eliminate virtually all incentives to invest in the most disinvested communities where there's little to no profit to be made.
Memphis is one of the poorest cities
in the nation. Many of its neighborhoods already struggle with a lack of adequate support and investment.
So what could the proposed changes to the CRA mean for low-income Memphians and communities?
How Banks Bankrupted Black Neighborhoods
According to Amy Schaftlein, executive director of United Housing, Inc., access to safe and affordable loan products and neighborhood investment is the most important factor in neighborhood stability.
But beginning in the early 1940s, realtors, lenders, and government officials and policies worked together to intentionally and systematically deny loans and capital in low- to moderate-income communities of color. Most were black communities.
In a practice known as redlining, those decision makers designated certain neighborhoods as safe for investment and others as high risk. Decisions were made based on a few criteria, but chief among them was race.
Other race-based practices and policies—segregation, white flight, blockbusting, urban renewal, subprime lending—have combined with redlining and larger economic shifts like deindustrialization to devastate the economies of black and brown communities across the country.
As a result, those communities are significantly more likely than white communities to experience severe poverty today.
Congress passed the CRA in 1977.
Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing is a complex of mixed-income apartments that runs along Lauderdale Street on the former site of the Cleaborn Homes housing project. (High Ground News)
The CRA Needs Help But How?
Virtually everyone agrees that the CRA needs revision.
The guidelines on what is and isn’t a CRA-approved investment are unclear. The current proposal would clarify those acceptable investments.
The CRA has no specific quotas or requirements. Banks do receive a CRA rating, but the criteria are complex and largely ineffective. Considering long-term data, most banks pass CRA assessments, but research shows banks have continued denying borrowers of color at disproportionate rates.
Under the new proposal, those standards could become even more lax. Banks could conceivably fail as many as 50% of their assessment areas and still be considered compliant overall. They cannot do so under the current CRA.
“We don’t need to scale back the CRA, we need to modernize it,” said Schaftlein.
“Ultimately, we need more transparency in the form of public hearings and public comments, allowing more time for feedback from the community,” Schaftlein continued. "Closing the digital divide would also help with access for those who don’t have easy access to technology."
The proposed CRA changes came after months of meetings, tours, and discussions between communities, banking professional, and the three federal agencies that oversee the CRA
The Office of the Comptroller of Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Federal Reserve are the three regulatory agencies. The OCO and FDIC issued the CRA revision proposal. The Federal Reserve is investigating its own suggestions for revision.
Supporters say the update will align CRA investments to clients’ online banking practices, which weren’t a consideration during its first revision in 1995. They argue that low-income clients’ banking practices are no longer geographically-based and CRA investment should be able to serve them where they are.
Currently, CRA funds are linked to assessment areas around branch locations.
The changes would also expand the types of investments allowed under the CRA to give banks flexibility to invest in a wider range of projects in wider geographic areas, including rural areas and tribal lands where there are no bank branches.
Opponents argue that expanding area requirements and types of qualifying projects will result in banks choosing the most financially attractive options in the highest-income areas possible. Meanwhile, low- and moderate-income neighborhoods will see further disinvestment.
Opponents say the changes fully separate the CRA from its history and intended purpose as a response to neighborhood-level urban disinvestment.
Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, pictured here, use CRA-related funds and other funding sources for new construction, new loans, education, and other critical components of supporting affordable housing. (High Ground News)
Traditional lenders assess reliability and risk based on the individual borrower and the area where the property is located.
For the area, they look at property values and long-term stability of those values. For the individual, they examine income, wealth and assets, and the borrower's history of regular payment on revolving lines of like credit cards and auto loans.
Roshun Austin is president and CEO of The Works, Inc.
She knows that decades of discriminatory practices have left The Works' target borrowers and communities with little stability, wealth, or credit.
The Works uses some CRA-related funds in combination with other funding sources to support a number of initiatives in South Memphis, Frayser, and other disinvested communities of color. One program offers mortgage products for nontraditional borrowers, which are buyers and neighborhoods considered high risk by large lenders.
With no standard credit history to show reliability, The Works considers alternative measures to assess borrowers. This includes phone, utility, and rental payment histories.
They help borrowers with financial literacy and establishing a realistic household budget with room for savings. They keep in close, regular contact with their borrowers to ensure they can continue to make payments despite changes in circumstances.
As a result, their borrowers rarely default.
Beyond their borrowers, Austin said her organization is also considered risky. The proposed changes to the CRA likely wouldn’t have much impact on The Works’ programs since they already receive comparatively less CRA funding that many other organizations.
Those organizations, Austin noted, have less longevity and experience while The Works has a consistent history of repayment and ample assets and capital for collateral.
The Works' communities are majority-black and include some of the most severely under-resourced neighborhoods in the country.
Austin said the historic discrimination in traditional lending is alive and well today, and it's levied against both her borrowers and her organization, whose staff is majority-black.
“There’s clearly some bias ... mostly because of racial discrimination,” said Austin.
WHO TAKES THE RISK?
Larger lenders often dispersed CRA funds by lending to local community development corporations, CDFIs
, and other community-based lending partners.
Those organizations are typically already working in low-income, low-wealth communities. They use CRA-related funds to target those “high-risk” borrowers and neighborhoods with homebuyer education and support programs, entrepreneurial education or incubators, and low-interest, low-payment loans.
They also spend CRA-related funds on home rehabs, repairs, and new construction of affordable single-family and multifamily homes and commercial properties.
In the Mid-South, those community-based lenders include The Works, United Housing, Frayser CDC, Communities Unlimited, and many others.
“People mostly look to us for help with budgeting, credit and access to home repair,” said Schaftlein. “We are builders and developers and also have homes for sale.”
Austin said the CRA’s structure benefits the large lenders subject to the CRA mandate.
Large lenders can lend directly to low-income borrowers and assume the risk of default or they can lend to their community-based partners. Those loans still count towards CRA compliance, but it's the partner that uses its capital and assets as collateral and assumes the risk.
Banks benefit from compliance. CRA compliance ratings affect applications for new charters, new branches and relocations, consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions.
The Last Big Change
Austin previously worked in the banking industry.
She said the more individualized approach to lending that her current staff takes was more common prior to the 1990s. She saw firsthand the shifts in the industry and the CRA.
“In the 90s, we had a lot more locally owned banks. At that time, families and individuals could qualify for loans much easier,” said Austin.
Smaller banks offered portfolio products which they owned and seasoned prior to selling them into the secondary market. A seasoned loan is one that has been paid on time for a sufficient amount of time to give a lender the reasonable belief that it will continue in a like manner.
Austin said now, traditional lenders regularly pass their loans to companies like Fannie Mae that service millions of loans with no connection to the people or communities they’re serving or understanding of their needs. They’re less likely to approve “risky” loans.
“As banks have grown and been bought out, relationships have changed and so does lending authority. Local officers often don’t have the authority to approve loans,” said Austin.


Black- Eyed Susan vines are not to be confused with the bushy Black-Eyed Susan wildflower (Rudbeckia Hirtathat) that is native to the U.S. The Black-Eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia Alata) is a tropical plant that originally came from parts of Africa, Asia and Madagascar. The only real similarity between the two is that both bear flowers with dark centers surrounded by bright yellow or orange petals.
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This climber is evergreen only in zones 10 and above, where it can grow to be 20 feet; in colder climates it is grown as an annual and reaches about eight feet. The dark green leaves are arrow-shaped and get up to 3” in size, and the vines bloom profusely from the early summer through the fall with five-petaled flowers in the familiar yellow and orange, but are also available in salmon, rose and apricot.
Black-Eyed Susan vines can be started from seed purchased from our store or from seeds you collect and save from growing the vine yourself. Simply collect the dried seed pods from the vine after it has bloomed and store them in a plastic bag. They will remain viable for at least two years if kept dry and not frozen.
- Seeds should be sown directly into garden soil in the spring after all danger of frost has passed, or indoors 7-8 weeks before the last frost. Germination takes approximately 10-15 days with the ground temperature or growing medium at 70-75 degrees.
- Seeds of this plant germinate slowly, so don’t expect to see any sprouts for two to three weeks after planting. Some gardeners believe that soaking the seeds overnight before planting speeds up the germination process by softening the seeds’ hard shells.
- Another method of propagation is to take a stem cutting from your vine and put it in water until it starts to grow its own roots, then plant the cutting directly into the ground or container.
- Layering is another way of propagating the vines that works especially well in warmer climates where the plant is perennial. Take part of the vine that is already low to the ground and bend it so the last six to eight inches can be covered with earth without removing it from the plant. Stake it down and keep it watered, and in a few weeks roots will have formed. You can then cut it off the mother plant and it will become a vine on its own.
- In warm climates Black-Eyed Susan vines often propagate on their own, with new plants growing from seeds the plant dropped on the ground.
Always have the climbing structure (fence, trellis, pole) in place before you plant, since you don’t want to disturb the seedlings by having to dig and construct by them.
Thunbergias require rich, well-drained soil, so if they are sown into the ground directly, add a good amount of compost to the soil at planting time. If you prefer to grow your Susans in planters or hanging baskets, use a high-quality potting soil.
Black-Eyed Susan vines grow best with a combination of sun and light shade, and in the hotter regions they require shade during the afternoon. They will continue to bloom as long as they get several hours of sun daily and the temperature remains above 60 degrees.
Black-Eyed Susans are tropical plants and are not drought-tolerant. A layer of mulch will greatly help the soil retain its moisture. Soil in baskets or containers must not be allowed to dry out completely. Water regularly and thoroughly.
During its blooming season, use a half-strength solution of bloom-enhancing fertilizer every two to three weeks.
Once established, this vine can be trimmed and shaped (lightly) during the growing season, but any heavier pruning should be done in the early spring before the new growth starts.
Black-Eyed Susan vines do not have many problems from disease or insects. They can become infested with white flies or spider mites, but these can generally be treated with an insecticidal soap rather than chemical pesticides.
The Black-Eyed Susan vine is a rapidly growing climber or ground cover that will ramble and twine up trellises and through fences, producing masses of colorful blooms and rich green foliage. They produce bright, cheery garden color spots that will delight the gardener and attract birds, bees and butterflies.


Being a healthy Weight
By eating a healthy, varied diet and taking part in physical activity then your weight should stay healthy.
It can be hard to know what a healthy weight is and people come in all shapes and sizes. To find out if your weight is a healthy range(BMI), visit NHS Choices website (you will need to know your height and weight)BMI Calculator
Overweight and Obesity
Being overweight or obese can affect your self-esteem and increase the risk of a number of health conditions including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If you are overweight, eating a healthy, varied diet and maintaining an active lifestyle can help you to lose weight.
There are a number of fad fad diets that promise quick weight loss. However, there are not often nutritionally balanced, missing out important vitamins and minerals and in some cases food groups. Quick diets which focus on short term results are difficult to maintain, as soon as you start eating normally again, you are likely to put the weight back on.
If you’re trying to lose weight, then accessing support can make it that much easier. Find the support that works for you – whether that’s a friend to buddy up with and work on things together; accessing an online support programme; or going along to a supportive weight management group like Slimming World.
Visit the directory pages for your area to see what support there is locally.