What do 650B & 700C actually mean?
For the vast majority of road cyclists, there has only ever been one size of wheel to consider – referred to as 700C. Certainly since the mid-1980’s, road bike designers have come to consider this as the “standard” wheel size. However, you only have to look across to the world of mountain biking to see that this “one size fits all” approach doesn’t always lead to the best ride characteristics.
Before we delve into the detail, time for a quick history lesson. From the earliest production bicycles, through to the early 1900’s it wouldn’t be uncommon for each individual manufacturer to specify their own bespoke wheel size for their frames. It was the introduction of the pneumatic tyre (by Dunlop) that first drove the need for standardised sizing – wheel manufacturers wanted their riders to be able to fit a tyre from a third party, and the two parts had to fit together. In order to ensure a safe fit, tyres and rims were designed to the same Bead Seat Diameter or inner diameter of the tyre.
Completely counterintuitively, tyres were still labelled by their outer diameter, rather than BSD. The French sizing system was laid out with the nominal outside diameter (in the case of road wheels, 700mm), followed by a letter to denote tyre width (C). Over time, the number of standards used by manufacturers decreased, eventually leaving only 700C as the road “standard”.
Another common size under the French system was a 650 size tyre (650mm outer diameter), which was most popular in a B width, hence 650B.
But what does this mean for me? Put simply, a 650B wheel has a smaller Bead Seat Diameter than a 700C wheel. The 650B has a BSD of 584mm vs. 622mm for the 700C, so the wheel itself is 38mm smaller in diameter.
So what does this mean when choosing a wheel?
At first look, a 700C wheel fitted with a 28mm tyre will have the same total diameter (678mm) as a 650B wheel running a 47mm tyre. But, critically, the wider tyre on the 650B will have a much higher air volume (approximately 2.5 to 3 times as much), massively changing how the wheel will ride. A larger tyre will allow you to run far lower pressures, increasing ride comfort and grip. The tyre will be more able to deform around rough surfaces, providing a smoother and more assured ride.
On the other hand, if you compare the two wheels fitted with identically-sized tyres, the total diameter of the 650B setup will be smaller. This too will also have an impact on the ride, as the smaller wheel reduces the fork trail and wheelbase. Shorter geometry like this makes for more responsive handling.
Another impact to be considered is on gearing – the smaller 650B wheel will make gearing ever so slightly easier as the bike will travel a shorter distance for each wheel rotation.
It’s also sometimes claimed that the larger 700C wheel will “roll over” larger bumps and obstacles more easily. You certainly see this cited as a consideration in mountain biking when choosing between say a 26er and a 29er, however with a 650B vs. 700C choice it’s a bit more nuanced as you’ll see below.
Finally, due to its smaller size, the 650B wheel will likely be lighter than its 700C counterpart. Assuming of course there aren’t any differences in rim design (other than size). Don’t forget that a wider tyre will almost definitely offset any weight saving (and more) though! The smaller wheel will require shorter spokes as well, actually increasing the overall strength of the wheel.
So is it the wheel or the tyre?
As much as the differences in ride performance can be attributed to changing your choice of wheel size, all of this depends on the size of tyre that you fit to the wheel. With the growth in popularity of disc brakes we are seeing more and more frames that can be run with either a 650B or 700C wheel. Shrinking the wheel leaves more space for the tyre, allowing riders to adjust the performance to the terrain they’re riding on. So whilst it might be counterintuitive to say so as a wheel brand, pretty much all of the differences you’ll see between the two wheel sizes can be attributed to tyre choice. Arguably the main reason to choose one wheel size over the other is to allow you to run the tyre size that you prefer, whilst also maintaining handling characteristics suitable for your riding.
Should I run a 650B wheel or a 700C wheel?
- Rougher off-road riding, taking in gravel trails, light singletrack and with a majority of unpaved surfaces
- Looser surfaces where grip is a priority
- Snappy, sharp handling
For lighter off-road riding, including rides which will also include paved roads or tarmac, a 700C wheel will come closer to providing a “best of both worlds” type ride, combining road performance with off-road versatility.
Beyond that, it really does come down to personal preference. Whether you to choose to run a 650B wheel with a 47mm tyre, or a 700C wheel with a 38mm tyre, Parcours has a wheel for you. In either case, we’re sure that you’ll find yourself riding further than before, really opening up your ride horizons!
One final note to help avoid confusion – a 650B wheel is not the same as a 650C wheel that used to be used on some smaller road frames. Thanks to the French sizing system, the Bead Seat Diameter is different, so the two aren’t interchangeable!


What happens at Muzdalifah and why?
Pilgrims spend the second night at Muzdalifah , where they collect small stones to use on the third day when they return to Mina. They throw these stones at three pillars called Jamarat, which represent the Devil . Muslims also make promises to fight the devil themselves and to strive against temptation.
How many stones do Muslims collect at Muzdalifah?
This ritual re-enacts Abraham’s pilgrimage to Mecca and requires pilgrims to collect between 49 and 70 pebbles from the ground at Muzdalifah, and throw them at the three pillars at Mina, which represent the devil.
Why is the valley of Mina important?
Mina is most famous for its role in the Hajj (“Pilgrimage”). The three Jamarat, located in the Mina valley, are the location of the Stoning of the Devil, performed between sunrise and sunset in the final days of the Hajj.
How far is Muzdalifah from Mina?
Approximate driving distance between Mina and Muzdalifah is 4 kms or 2.5 miles or 2.2 nautical miles . Travel time refers to the time taken if the distance is covered by a car….
|Origin||Mina, Mecca, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia|
|Driving Distance||4 kms or 2.5 miles or 2.2 nautical miles|
|Driving Time||4 minutes|
What do we do in Muzdalifah?
After arriving at Muzdalifah, pilgrims pray the Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ prayers jointly, whereas the Isha prayer is shortened to 2 rakats. At Muzdalifah, pilgrims collect pebbles for the Stoning of the Devil (Arabic: رَمِي ٱلْجَمَرَات, romanized: Ramī al-Jamarāt, lit. ‘Stoning of the Place of Pebbles’).
Why is Muzdalifah important?
At Muzdalifah, pilgrims gathered pebbles for a symbolic stoning of the devil ritual which begins on Sunday, which is also the start Eid al-Adha feast of sacrifice marked by the world’s more than 1.5 billion Muslims. The ritual at Arafat is the most day of Hajj and is considered compulsory for a successful pilgrimage.
What do we do at Muzdalifah?
Pilgrimage. After arriving at Muzdalifah, pilgrims pray the Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ prayers jointly, whereas the Isha prayer is shortened to 2 rakats. At Muzdalifah, pilgrims collect pebbles for the Stoning of the Devil (Arabic: رَمِي ٱلْجَمَرَات, romanized: Ramī al-Jamarāt, lit. ‘Stoning of the Place of Pebbles’).
Why do we go to Muzdalifah?
Who built the Kaaba?
Some say that it was built by the angels. Others say the father of humankind, Adam built the Kaba but over many centuries it fell into disrepair and was lost in the mists of time, to be rebuilt by Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. All agree that the Kaba was either built or rebuilt by Prophet Abraham.
How far is Arafat from Muzdalifah?
|Origin||Arafat, Mecca, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia|
|Destination||Muzdalifah, Mecca, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia|
|Driving Distance||13 kms or 8.1 miles or 7 nautical miles|
|Driving Time||15 minutes|
What is Muzdalifah in Hajj?
Muzdalifah (Arabic: مُزْدَلِفَة) is an open and level area near Mecca in the Hejazi region of Saudi Arabia that is associated with the Ḥajj (“Pilgrimage”). It lies just southeast of Mina, on the route between Mina and Arafat.
Why do Muslims stay in Muzdalifah?
The Prophet allowed elderly people, women and people who provide services for the pilgrims to move early. Therefore, anyone who feels it easier to leave early may do so, provided that they stay in Muzdalifah at least until after midnight.


Installation of a permeable reactive barrier in the containment of acid pollution
A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) filled with recycled concrete aggregates was installed in the Shoalhaven Floodplain, about 70 km South of Wollongong City in Australia. The purpose of this PRB was to treat the acidic groundwater generated from acid sulfate soils, which contribute to serious damage to the environment, and productivity. The intention of the current study was to model the performance of the PRB, whereby geochemical reactions were coupled with geo-hydraulics. Precipitated secondary minerals during the treatment process usually accumulate on the pore spaces (clogging) and on the reactive surfaces (armouring) of recycled concrete aggregates. Clogging and armouring reduce the porosity and hydraulic conductivity of the reactive media. Finite different codes available in MODFLOW and RT3D software were utilized for time-dependent modelling. The model predictions were in agreement with the laboratory and field data. Porosity and hydraulic conductivity reductions were maximum at the entrance of the PRB and almost insignificant at the middle and exit zones of the PRB.
Link to publisher version (URL)


Over the past few years, green funerals have been a hot topic in eco-conscious circles. Thanks in part to a particularly memorable (and widely discussed) funeral scene from HBO’s Six Feet Under, conversations about green burials, biodegradable caskets, and natural cemeteries often seem less morbid than they do practical.
The Walrus reports on a new technique that may, it seems, be the greenest of them all. The process, called promession, sounds like a kind of high-tech version of composting (one that avoids all the arduous turning and, uh, odor-releasing of the down-home method). It was developed by Swedish biologist Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, who is planning to open the world’s first promatorium in Jönköping, Sweden, sometime next year. James Glave (for The Walrus) explains:
Think of the operation as a kind of corpse disassembly line. The dearly departed are first supercooled in liquid nitrogen to about minus 196°C, then shattered into very small pieces on a vibration table. “We wanted to make the body unrecognizable without using any kind of an instrument that you would see in a kitchen or garage,” [Wiigh-Mäsak] explains.
Next a vacuum is used to evaporate moisture while a metal separator, traditionally used by the food processing industry to remove stray foreign objects from meat products, shuffles aside fillings, crowns, titanium hips, and so on. (You can put that sandwich down now.) Finally, the vaguely pink crumbs are deposited in a large box made of corn or potato starch.
Surviving family members bury the box in shallow topsoil and plant a tree or shrub on top. With the exception of perhaps a few broken remnants of plastic pacemaker, in a matter of months nothing is left but memories and some lush greenery.
(Congratulations to The Walrus, which won the 2009 Utne Independent Press Award for best writing.)
Source: The Walrus


Classification of natureal resources:
People get different things from the natural environment .Some resources avilable in natural environment can be easily and directly used .For example, solarenergy ,water,fruits from plants ,etc. Some of the natural resources cannot be used sa easily.They need to be processed.For example,oil,iron,water,etc.The chart given below shows the classification of natural resources.
1)perpetual resources:The resources which do not get exhaunsed are called perpetual natural resources.For example solar energy,water tides and wind.There should be the maximum utililization
of such resources because this are never finished.It serve thealternative source of energy and help to minimized theuse of non-renewable resources.
2)Renewable natural resources:The resources which can be replenished and do not change the ecological balance are known as renewable natural resources.Fresh air,fresh water,fertile soil,plants and animalsare its examples.Some resources sush as plants and animals are replaced frome time to time because they an life-cycle and continus harvest is possible.Hence,they are called renewable sreources.Man should the habit of consumind in such a waythet hey can be regnerated.I protect resources frome being perished.If this resources are indiscriminately used,therecan be their extinction.
3) Non-renuwable natural resources: Resources whice once used up will be extausted are non-renewable natural resources.Once they are used in ultimited way they can be easil replace.Mineral,fossil fuels,are its examples.Non-renewable resources are in limited amount .Therefor,they should be appropriate consume of this resources.If not they can befinished and it hard to get back.There should be search of alternative sources of this generation.


These techniques were originally pioneered, by the Stanford Research Institute as part of a government sponsored research project. The result, a technical and scientific formula was developed to train virtually anyone to view information about the future. Today, thousands of people have already learned this skill and you can too. Imagine being able to look ahead and get answers about the future? What would that be worth to you? One way this skill is being utilized is to view lottery numbers. Until recently, only experts with years of experience could accurately view numeric information. Now, thanks to a major breakthrough, numeric information can be easily and accurately collected without having to learn all the previous steps in the remote viewing protocol. This new innovation recently helped two individuals win the Texas state lottery two separate times. Source of $49 instructional DVD is revealed in this reference.
- Reference material refers you to source provider of product described
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While humans must lather-up with protective sunscreen before heading out into the summer sun, a new study has determined why many animals that spend their lifetime outside are seemingly immune to the harmful effects ultraviolet rays may have on their skin.
Researchers at Oregon State University have found that various animal species found in the wild naturally produce their own sunscreen. In the study, published in the journal eLife, scientists observed that fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds produce a compound called gadusol, which helps to provide protection from the sun’s potentially harmful rays.
“Humans and mammals don’t have the ability to make this compound, but we’ve found that many other animal species do,” Taifo Mahmud, lead author and professor at OSU College of Pharmacy, said in a news release.
“The ability to make gadusol, which was first discovered in fish eggs, clearly has some evolutionary value to be found in so many species,” Mahmud said in the release. “We know it provides UV-B protection; it makes a pretty good sunscreen. But there may also be roles it plays as an antioxidant, in stress response, embryonic development and other functions.”
The researchers also found a way to naturally produce gadusol using yeast, which they say may open the door to develop it as an ingredient for different types of sunscreen products, cosmetics or pharmaceutical products.
Study authors also say the gene that allows vertebrate animals to produce gadusol is similar to one found in algea. It was been found in animals ranging from rainbow trout to the American alligator, green sea turtle and farmyard chickens. Researchers say more work is needed to better understand the importance of gadusol in animal physiology and ecology.


Students know that they are supposed to take rigorous courses to prepare them for college, but they don't always know which ones to specifically choose. California has two public four-year college systems--the University of California (UC) system and the California State University (CSU) system. For entrance, both require students to complete with a grade of "C" or better 15 college-prep courses, known as the "a-g" subject requirements. While these requirements are most important for California students, many other state and private colleges recommend a similar--or more intensive--lineup of classes.
Here's the overview of A-G courses:
A. History/Social Science 2 years
B. English 4 years
C. Mathematics 3 years (Both UC and CSU recommend 4 years)
D. Laboratory Science 2 years (UC recommends 3 years)
E. Foreign Language 2 years (UC recommends 3 years)
F. Visual/Performing Arts 1 year
G. College Prep Elective 1 year
Is your student taking the courses necessary to meet the UC and CSU entrance requirements?
Ask your school counselor for help in selecting the courses that meet these requirements. Many schools name their classes differently, so it’s important to check with your counselor to be sure you are on track. If you are part of LAUSD, your official transcript will include a summary of what areas you’ve satisfied and what areas require additional course work.
Please be aware that the requirements to graduate from your high school may not coincide with the A-G requirements. This is why it’s essential to find out where you stand – especially prior to 10th and 11th grade when you will have a chance to make adjustments if necessary.
As mentioned above, this distribution of classes often coincides with what other colleges are looking for, but again, there can be some variations. When selecting private or other state schools, it’s essential to look at what the school’s academic entry requirements are to be sure you are meeting them. This can be especially important if you are planning on a major such as engineering, where the math and science requirements may be more demanding.


Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2013
Publication Date: 1/6/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58248
Citation: Cooper, W.R., Sengoda, V.G., Munyaneza, J.E. 2014. Localization of 'Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum' in Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 107(1):204-210.
Interpretive Summary: Zebra chip is an important disease that infects potato. The bacterium that causes zebra chip disease is spread by the potato psyllid, but the interactions between the pathogen and the insect are poorly understood, preventing the development of ecologically-based methods to control zebra chip disease. Scientists at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, Washington developed and applied a technique to observe the pathogen in dissected organs of potato psyllids. They determined that the pathogen moves from the insect’s gut to colonize the insect’s hemolymph, salivary glands, and bacteriome (specialized organ that harbors beneficial symbiotic bacteria). They also determined that the pathogen is less likely than adults to infect psyllid nymphs than adults, and that nymphs are less likely to transmit the pathogen to new host plants. This new information on the epidemiology of zebra chip disease of potato will be useful to developing new approaches to controlling this disease.
Technical Abstract: ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ is a pathogen of solanaceous crops (Solanales: Solanaceae) that causes zebra chip disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and plant dieback in tomato (S. lycopersicum L.) and pepper (Caspicum spp.). This pathogen is vectored by the potato/tomato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), but little is known about the interactions between B. cockerelli and ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum.’ Fluorescent in situ hybridization was used to assess the incidence of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ in the hemolymph, bacteriomes, alimentary canals, and salivary glands of B. cockerelli. Liberibacter was observed in 66% of alimentary canals, 39% of salivary glands, and 40% of bacteriomes dissected from adult psyllids. Compared with adults, the organs of fifth instars appeared less likely to harbor Liberibacter, which was observed in 52% of alimentary canals, 10% of salivary glands, and 6% of bacteriomes dissected from the nymphs. Results of real-time PCR confirmed that fewer fifth instars were infected with Liberibacter compared with adults, and indicated that fifth instars were less likely to transmit the pathogen to non-infected host plants. These observations of the localization of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum’ in the organs and tissues of B. cockerelli adults and nymphs will aid the study of Liberibacter – psyllid interactions and of the epidemiology of ‘Ca. Liberibacter solanacearum.’


In our last post, we introduced the different types of vitamin K and their dietary sources, and we also noted that vitamin K has some important functions in maintaining our bone health. The question then arises: can taking vitamin K supplements protect us from osteoporosis and fractures?
Our knowledge on whether vitamin K is involved in osteoporosis comes from two types of studies — observational studies and clinical trials.
What do observational studies show?
In observational studies, researchers study the relationships between people’s behaviours and how the behaviour affects certain things. In the case of vitamin K and bone health studies for example, the ‘behaviour’ could be eating a diet that is high or low in vitamin K and seeing if there is a relationship between the diet and bone mineral density (BMD) scores or number of fractures.
To date, the majority of observational studies on vitamin K and bone health have shown that an increased risk of fractures is linked to:
- low levels of vitamin K in the blood
- low vitamin K1 and low vitamin K2 from diet
- high levels of the bone protein osteocalcin in its non-functional form (osteocalcin needs vitamin K to function properly)
It is important to note however that these results may not be fully reliable. Some things to keep in mind when thinking about these results are:
- Many things can affect a person’s diet and their food choices including their age, level of education, income, taste preferences, health consciousness, and so on. These same things can also affect a person’s bone health.
- If a person’s diet is low in vitamin K, it is often the case that their diet is low in fruits, vegetables, cheese, and yogurt (all of which are sources of vitamin K).
- If a person’s vitamin K levels are high, this may be an indication that they are eating an overall healthy diet that is also high in many other nutrients which are good for bone health, such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin C etc. It is also possible that they are more health conscious and do not smoke, do not drink much alcohol, and exercise more, all of which are also good for bone health.
As much as researchers try to think about all of the above scenarios and take them into account when analyzing the data from their research, it is not possible to fully control for everything and isolate only the effects of vitamin K on bone health. It may be a combination of the all of these scenarios and not necessarily the vitamin K alone that is leading to fewer fractures.
What do clinical trials show?
Clinical trials give us stronger evidence to show that one thing affects (or does not affect) another thing. This is because in clinical trials we try to control certain elements before measuring the outcome. In the case of vitamin K trials, the participants are first randomly assigned into groups. Participants in one group get a vitamin K supplement and participants in another group get a placebo pill with no vitamin K in it. Some studies can also have more than just two groups — for example, there can be 3 groups and the participants in each group may get a different dose of vitamin K. These groups usually take their assigned pills for a number of years and at the end of the study, the researchers compare the BMD scores and the number of fractures in the various groups. These types of clinical trials can help us single out the effects of vitamin K.
Because many clinical trials have looked at the effects of the K vitamins on bone health in different populations (women with or without osteoporosis; women taking or not taking osteoporosis medications; women of different ethnic backgrounds etc.) and in different vitamin K supplement doses, they have given conflicting results. To get a better sense of what all the data show, the best option is to do a meta-analysis, which is a type of study which combines the results of several individual studies and provides one overall result.
In the most recent meta-analysis of clinical trials that looked at vitamin K and its effect on BMD, after taking into considerations the differences in the patient populations and differences in the way the studies were conducted, the results showed that taking vitamin K supplements has no beneficial effects on BMD.
In the case of fractures, there are a number of clinical trials that suggest that vitamin K supplements may reduce risk of fractures. However, these studies all have weaknesses, making the results inconclusive. For example, a study with positive results that is often cited by proponents of vitamin K supplementation is ‘The Vitamin K Supplementation in Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia’ trial. This clinical trial was conducted by our research group and we found that although there were no differences in BMD, there were fewer fractures in the group of women who were taking vitamin K1 supplements compared to the women in the placebo group. But because so few study participants had fractures, the difference between the vitamin K1 group and the placebo group could have been simply by chance and not actually due to the vitamin K1 supplement.
What we do not know at this time is if vitamin K supplements can help reduce the risk of fractures. This is a relatively new area of research and finding real answers can take a long time. More research is definitely needed, especially clinical trials that have a large number of participants.
At present, we do NOT recommend taking vitamin K supplements to prevent osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women. We recommend eating a healthy diet that is high in vegetables and fruits, has about 2-3 servings of protein, and 2 servings of dairy per day. Such diets are high in vitamin K as well as many other nutrients that are important for bone health.
Reference: Hamidi MS, Gajic-Veljanoski O, Cheung AM. Vitamin K and Bone Health. J Clin Densitom 2013;16(4):409-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2013.08.017.


Why smokers should make sure they eat their 5-a-day: Those who consume fruit and vegetables have a 40% lower risk of an incurable lung disease
- COPD is a potentially deadly lung disease that is known to be caused by smoking
- But both former and current smokers can prevent it by consuming more produce
- However, those who don't smoke will get no benefit from having a healthier diet
- A study found a link between a lower risk of the disease and eating leafy greens
Smokers should eat make sure they eat more fruit and vegetables to prevent deadly lung disease, scientists warn.
Consuming five-a-day reduces their risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by 40 per cent, a study found.
Each extra portion then slashes the chances by an additional eight per cent, the new research suggests.
Former smokers can also grab the benefits from adopting a healthier diet, although the findings weren't true for those who do not smoke.
Known to contain powerful antioxidants, the Swedish experts believe that fresh produce may help to protect the lungs from smoking damage.
But the results show only a link between apples, leafy greens and peppers. No such benefits came from eating berries, tomatoes or onions.
Consuming five-a-day reduces a smoker's risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 40 per cent, a study found
Study author Dr Joanna Kaluza, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said: 'All smokers and former smokers should eat as much fruits and vegetables as possible.
'Each extra serving of fruit and vegetable decreases significantly risk of COPD development.
'High fruit and vegetable consumption not only reduces the risk of chronic lung disease, but also cardiovascular disease, cancers, helps to keep proper body weight and other benefits.'
COPD is an umbrella term for a number of lung conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Smoking is widely known to increase the risk of the incurable disease, which can be deadly.
Believed to affect about three million Britons, it can make breathing difficult for sufferers, leaving them wheezing and coughing.
Known to contain powerful antioxidants, experts believe that fresh produce may help to protect the lungs from smoking damage
The researchers analysed data of 44,335 middle-aged men over a period of 14 years, starting in 1998.
At the start of the study, the participants completed questionnaires about how often they consumed fruit and vegetables.
FORGET THE 'FIVE-A-DAY' MANTRA
The five-a-day mantra to get us all to eat more healthily has been the official advice for decades.
But last month experts said that the guidelines should be doubled - to 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
This would prevent 7,200 cancer deaths and almost 14,000 from stroke every year, Imperial College London researchers claimed.
They found ten 80g portions of fruit and vegetables may cut the risk of cancer by 13 per cent and heart disease by 24 per cent.
Their smoking history was also monitored and assessed. Some 1,918 went on to develop COPD by the time the study period finished.
Around two thirds of the men were current or former smokers, according to the findings published in the journal Thorax.
The researchers divided the participants into five groups based on how many fruit and vegetables they ate daily.
After separating them by their smoking status, researchers found a significantly lower risk of developing the disease.
Ex-smokers with high consumption of greens were 34 per cent less likely to develop COPD. Each additional serving was linked to a four per cent drop in risk.
The findings could not be replicated in those who had never smoked cigarettes.
Despite the promising findings, Seif Shaheen, a professor of respiratory epidemiology at Queen Mary University in London, stressed that diet is not a cure-all for the effects of smoking.
He said: 'The most important thing you can do to reduce your chances of getting COPD is not to smoke/to stop smoking.'
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Using the internet in education - strengths and effects of the use of the internet on students and teachers are there any side effects to the use of the internet in lesson/course planning and teaching if so, what are the drawbacks. Professors online: the internet's impact on college faculty a study of college students' internet use (jones and madden, 2002) showed that the internet plays a significant and largely positive role in students' academic experience. An essay on negative and positive effects of internet on our lives learn how internet made our lives easier and better but at the same time more complex. An evaluation of the impact of internet browsing on students' academic performance at the tertiary level of education in nigeria o osunade (principal researcher. Essay on impact of internet on students, creative writing describing eyes, proposal writing dissertation.
The usage and impact of internet enabled phones on academic concentration 165 9 information sourced 9 sites visited examine the effect of internet enabled phones on students' academic. Carnegie mellon university research showcase @ cmu dissertations theses and dissertations 8-2012 broadband in schools: effects on student performance and spillovers for household internet. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting the academic performance of fourth year student nurses factors has the highest impact on student nurses' academic comfortable classrooms and fast internet access were all deemed to be of high impact by the student nurses on their. Negative impact of internet in our life related articles positive effects of technology on our lives positive and negative impact of cell phones importance of i am also a student and i'm a one of good student in study till i have no internet data. Full-text (pdf) | a systematic review of literature on effect of internet use on students in india.
Impact of internet usage on academic perfomance of secondary school students chapter one introduction 11 background to the study the internet is a relatively new channel for scholarly resources, and contains vast quantities of information that vary a great deal regarding its contents, aim. Full-text (pdf) | india is the third biggest country in terms of internet users in the world, with a high social and mobile audience social networking sites like facebook, twitter, orkut, etc diverting students from their studies students spend more time on social media than they do do using. Students and their academic issues across the globe, whether in schools, college or universities, a majority of the students have to face lots of academic problems, especially when their teachers and professors assign them assignment writing project in past before the advent of internet. 101 impacts of internet usage on students' academic performance (cgpa) awais, bilal, m usman, m waqas, sehrish lums, lse, nca, pu, uet abstract. Inactivity one of the biggest harms of internet on students is that it makes them inactive being young and energetic, students should indulge in physical activities such as sports, which contributes to their overall health. Use of internet and its effects on our society figure 2: internet impacts: (a) time spent with family and friends, (b) students are using internet for educational and employment purposes, like research, job searching, e.
Effect of internet on the academic performance and social life of university students in pakistan 7 pages this is a universal fact that the use of internet has a great impact on the student's academic achievement and social life. The impact of technology on student achievement a summary of research findings on technology's impact in the classroom teacher connects to the internet and projects a website for an entire class to see. Considerable controversy surrounds the effects technologies such as the internet have on human capital accumulation as with most media, the internet and related services are capable of delivering enriched learning experiences. Edith cowan university research online theses: doctorates and masters theses 2011 internet use and its impact on secondary school students in chiang mai, thailand. The paper examines the effects of internet access at school and/or at home on students' academic performance in urban areas utilizing a brazilian unique dataset. While the pew research explored how technology has affected attention span, it also looked at how the internet has changed student research habits dr dimitri christakis, who studies the impact of technology on the brain and is the director of the center for child health.
In addition to those mentioned, there are many other useful studies which investigate the effects of internet and electronic resources on university students' self-efficacy and performance (crews there are other studies about internet addiction and its effects on students and. For obvious reasons, it should be noted that the impact of internet access on on-campus instruction is still very low for various reasons: the technology is new having access to the amount of information that the internet provide help students complete.


In order to successfully communicate you need to master an art of expression. The way we talk about our own experiences and feelings can determine the course of the relationship in any area of our lives.
4 Types of Expression
We can differentiate four different types of expression:
This type implies simply sharing what you observed through your senses. You do it without speculation or adding judgement. Observation is ideal for communicating facts. For example:
I checked in the weather forecast and the temperature should be 15 degrees tonight.
Yesterday I bought a dress.
He wants to get a car loan.
As you can see from the above examples, observation is a direct description of something that a person has heard, read or experienced.
We get our conclusions from what we heard, read or observed. Then, we are trying to understand what and why something is happening. This type also includes judging or assessing if something is bad or good. Other types of thoughts are our beliefs, opinions and theories. Below are some examples:
She must really love him. She does everything to make him happy. (opinion)
I think the moon is a planet. (theory)
What he has done was unacceptable on so many levels. (value judgement)
Expressing our feelings is probably one of the hardest things to do. Some people do not want to talk about feeling at all. They appear to be bored and upset when this topic begins. Additionally, they are usually filtering the conversation to check is there is any potential threat to their ‘wellbeing’ (check previous blog post for more details). In this scenario, the scariest feeling in the conversation is the anger as it can ‘endanger’ self-esteem of the listener.
It is really up to you who you want to express your feelings to. Please note that the way you show up in this world is mostly though the feelings (which make you unique). Feelings are the basis to build a close and meaningful relationship. When you let someone experience your feelings, what upsets you or make you happy, you give other people the opportunity to understand you better. As a result, they know what you feeling they can provide you with some support.
Here are some examples:
I feel like I have disappointed you.
I am really scared to walk in the darkness.
I miss my daughter since she moved out to another country.
Expressing your feelings has nothing to do with observations, judgements or opinions. However, expression of feelings might have a ‘second layer’ of intention. For example, someone saying: “I felt like you didn’t care about what I was saying” is in a fact ‘codified’ judgement.
You and only you know what your needs are! You are the highest authority and an expert on that. However, for whatever reason, you might be blocked and unable to express them. You are hoping that other people ‘will get’ what is important to you and what you need. They should be mind readers. You might say “If you really loved me, you would have known, what you did wrong”. The issue with avoiding the expression of your needs is that they can turn into negative internal feelings from irritation through regret to anger.
If you want to create a deep connection in any relationship, you need to master the expression of your needs. That helps to build honesty and clarity within people.
Below are some examples of ways to express the needs:
Would you mind to be at home by 6 pm? I would like us to eat dinner together.
I would like to talk to you this weekend. Let me know if that’s possible.
Can you clean up the dishes tonight? I am very tired.
Remember that there is nothing wrong in expressing your needs (I am saying that especially to women!). When you talk about your needs you do not judge or request anything. It is just a way to show another person what could be helpful or make you smile.
This type of communication involves all four types of expression: what we observe, think, feel and need. When you are close in a relationship full communication can determine the quality of your connection. When you don’t share your all experiences, you don’t give an opportunity to your friends, your partner or family to really know you. So if a connection is important to you that requires sharing your observations, expressing your feelings and asking for what you need.
The opposite of full communication is incomplete communication. The situation where you withhold certain information (for example you don’t share how upset you are because others might think you are not a nice person).
Remember that you don’t have to use all four types of expression in every situation or relationship. For example, you don’t need to share your deep feelings with a lady at the cash register. Most often our conversations with close people are more informational purposes. However, when we need to communicate something that is important and complex, dropping certain types of expression is quite dangerous because it limits developing trust, intimacy and connection.
How to prepare for a conversation
Self-consciousness - connect with yourself internally. Check what you observed, what you are thinking and feeling, what do you need? What is the purpose of that conversation? Is there something that you are scared to say?
Be conscious of other people - if what you want to say is important, make sure that you do this in consideration of space and time. Check what is the mental state of the person you are talking to.
Make sure that you start your expression with “I” not we or any other person... It needs to be direct.
Remember the communication types:
Example of a situation:
"I see that you're upset" this was a statement made by a husband who came back home after long hours of work and who noticed that his wife did not say much in the last 30 minutes.
Going back to the communication framework, he could have said:
"You did not say much since I got home. I presume that you are upset and that impacts me too. Can we talk about it?'
Try this as a fun activity with your friend. Come up with a list of situations and how the communication went wrong (it could be real or fictional). Then, use the framework as a template to come up with a different way of communicating.


Northern Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata maculata)
- The northern earless lizard is a sandy-colored lizard with two very distinctive short, dark bars near the arm pits. They have short tails, light-colored lengthwise stripes down their backs and pale speckles all over bodies. The female's body is tinted brightly with an orange color when she is carrying eggs.
- Northern earless lizards inhabit sandy prairies with sparse vegetation cover.
- They are found from South Dakota, throughout the Texas Panhandle and in parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.


In the chronology of the War in the Pacific, Japan's peak in territorial gains came eight months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941. But even before the attack had reached flood tide, the counterattack had begun:
1942 May: U.S. carriers met a Jap task force in the Battle of the Coral Sea, fought it to a draw. Result: Japan's plan to invade Australia was thwarted.
June: At Midway the Jap fleet was defeated in one of the decisive battles of world history.
August: The marines landed on Guadalcanal to retake the Jap's southernmost conquest.
August-November: The Navy fought six desperate...


Circulating Fluid-Bed (CFB) Processes
The characteristics of a circulating fluid bed combine many advantages of the stationary fluid bed and the transport reactor. The high-slip velocities ensure good mixing of gas and solids, and thus promote excellent heat and mass transfer. Small particles are converted in one pass, or are entrained, separated from the gas, and returned via an external recycle. Larger particles are consumed more slowly and are recycled internally inside the bed until they are small enough for external recycling. The CFB operates with a much higher circulation rate than a classical stationary bed, thus creating a specific advantage in the higher heating rate experienced by the incoming feed particles. This reduces significantly the tar formation during the heating up process.
More recently the focus of new designs for fluid-bed gasifiers has shifted from the lower-velocity bubbling beds to higher-velocity circulating or transport-type designs, which feature higher char circulation rates with consequent improvements to the overall carbon conversion. Another advantage of the circulating fluid beds is that the size and shape of the particles is less important. This is one of the reasons why this type of gasifier is eminently suitable for the gasification of biomass and wastes of which the size, shape, and hence the fluidizing characteristics are even more difficult to control than of coal.
There are two companies offering CFB gasification systems, Lurgi and Foster Wheeler. The fundamental technologies supplied by these two companies are similar, although there are naturally a number of differences in detail.
Lurgi’s atmospheric CFB technology (Figure 5-10) was originally developed for alumina calcination and later, during the 1980s, it was adapted for the combustion of coal. It has since been applied to the gasification of biomass.
The CFB system comprises the reactor, an integral recycle cyclone, and a seal pot. The high gas velocities (5-8 m/s) ensure that most of the larger particles are entrained and leave the reactor overhead. The solids separated from the gas in the cyclone are returned to the reactor via the seal pot. The gasifying agent, usually air, is fed as primary air through the nozzle grate and as secondary air at a level above the fuel supply point. For biomass applications the fuel must undergo size reduction to 25-50 mm (Greil etal. 2002).
The Foster Wheeler circulating fluid-bed technology (originally Ahlstrom) was developed in the environment of the Scandinavian forestry industry and is discussed further in Section 5.5.


Money Value Recognition Graph and Book
Easy Reference Graph
6 Money Mats
Booklets that coordinate with Mats
Money Value Recognition Easy Reference Graph -
2 options - one full page and 2 half page sizes
The graph shows the pictures of the coins and a
dollar bill on the bottom. On either side of the graph,
it indicates ‘cent’ amounts and ‘dollar’ amounts.
At the top of the graph, it has the written word for the
coin or bill. The penny bar breaks it down by single cent
with every 5th being marked with a gray bar. The nickel
is numbered through 20 (all bars and amounts lead to the
total of one dollar). The dime is numbered through 10.
The quarter is marked to 4. The half dollar through 2 and
the one dollar with a 1. In the background across the graph
are light blue lines marking the entire graph into fives.
This reference graph could be utilized for other projects.
The 6 money mats accommodate a different answer option
for each. Each mat has 3 different coins that each set amounts
to identical ‘cents’. The mats include totals for the dime,
nickel, quarter and half dollar.
Suggestion for graphing the mats ….. laminate the graphs and
mats. Have the student use a dry erase marker to count off the
coins and to mark the graph - then fill in the recording sheet.
No shifting of the spot markers allow for easy counting and the dry erase will come off with a simple damp wipe.
The recording sheet can be used with all of the mats.
Once the information has be ‘recorded’, the student can transfer
the info to the appropriate booklet. The cover of the booklets are
all identical …. each of the internal set of sheets are different
based on the coin mat that it coordinates with.
The Money Value Recognition Graph and Booklet set is part of
The Money Value Recognition Center Bag Unit located here
Thank you for stopping by the Dollar Store Teacher!
Please Visit the Store here
for more fun and interactive resources.
If just introducing 'money' .... this center bag unit below is perfect -
Money Recognition Themed Center Bag Unit
Please check out these other money based activities -
Coin to Cent Value File Folder Fun Activity
Counting by 5 - Nickel File Folder Fun Activity
Smart Chute Style Cards for Money
Incredibly Large Flash Cards or Small Posters :)
Again - Thank you for stopping by!


Shared and Connected Learning Environments
A Learning Commons is a common, or shared, learning ‘space’ that is both physical and virtual. It is designed to move students beyond mere research, practice, and group work to a greater level of engagement through exploration, experimentation, and collaboration. A Learning Commons is more than a room or a website. A Learning Commons allows users to create their own environments to improve learning. A Learning Commons is about changing school culture, and about transforming the way learning and teaching occur.
~The Virtual Learning Commons: Building a Participatory School Learning Community 2012
"A Learning Commons is a flexible and responsive approach to helping schools focus on learning collaboratively......Within a Learning Commons, new relationships are formed between learners, new technologies are realized and utilized, and both students and educators prepare for the future as they learn new ways to learn." ~Together for Learning (OSLA)


Key Marco carvings, large group of carvings excavated at Key Marco in southern Florida that provide the finest extant examples of North American Indian wood carving through the 15th century. The coastal mud of the area helped preserve hundreds of perishable artifacts, which were unearthed in 1896 during an excavation led by Smithsonian Institution-affiliated ethnographer Frank Hamilton Cushing. Among the artifacts found were painted wooden plaques, animal sculptures, human masks, nets, weights, and numerous tools. On the basis of radiocarbon dating, some of this material can be dated to the Late Woodland period (ad 1000–500), and it is believed to have been the work of the now-extinct Calusa Indians.
Especially notable among the artifacts are the highly realistic and sensitive animal carvings. These figures, presumed to have had a ceremonial use, retain traces of paint that once highlighted their sculptural form. Parts of these carvings, such as the ears of a deer, were originally hinged with leather to allow movement, and shell inlays were used for eyes. A 6-inch- (15-cm-) high wooden feline figurine is the most famous of these objects. The degree of realism achieved in the carvings is unequaled in sculpture from the period produced north of Mexico, and some scholars have speculated—without evidence—that commerce might have gone on between the Indians of the Florida Keys and those of Mexico.


Dr. Matthew W. Veldhuis (1906-1975)
Veldhuis spent thirty-seven years with United States Department of Agriculture, twenty-eight of which spent as director of the Citrus Products and Research Lab in Winter Haven. He directed the USDA team that aided in development of frozen concentrated orange juice. His research helped citrus products grow in popularity.
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Citrus Products and Research Lab
- Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice
- Citrus Concentrates
Wolf Point, Montana, is as far removed from the tropical climate of Florida as anyone can imagine. But the Florida citrus industry owes gratitude for its success to a son of Montana: Dr. Matthew Veldhuis. Born in 1906, Veldhuis earned a degree in Industrial Chemistry from Montana State University and a Ph.D. from Iowa State University. He went on to enjoy a 37-year career with the United States Department of Agriculture.
In 1944 Veldhuis became director of the United States Department of Agriculture Citrus Products & Research lab in Winter Haven, serving in that capacity for 28 years. Under his leadership, over 240 publications and patents were issued on fruit and vegetable research. Veldhuis directed the U.S.D.A. team that helped develop Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice (FCOJ) in collaboration with the Florida Citrus Commission team of scientists. Due to the importance of the research which Veldhuis spearheaded, the U.S. Citrus and Subtropical Products Laboratory was established in 1957 in Winter Haven. Veldhuis also led research that resulted in the development of citrus concentrates. He pioneered methods for estimating soluble solids in dried citrus pulp, combining citrus pulp with molasses for cattle feed (a current major by-product of the citrus processing industry). He also developed methods of freezing purees of citrus fruits as well as developing methods of extraction and testing of oils. Veldius’s scientists also developed a citrus sweetener from a bitter compound in grapefruit, and prepared alcoholic beverages from citrus.
Veldhuis’s contribution to the industry provided for a much more versatile and useful product. His research helped popularize citrus products and aided in the expansion of the industry. He worked tirelessly for the citrus industry until his death in 1975.


Martians Living on Mars?
Mars is not a hospitable place, the low pressure, low temperature and high concentration of CO2 means that humans would quickly suffocate and freeze, worse then the effects of being at the top of Mount Everest. So what makes us think that life can exist on Mars at all?
Life on Mars could be different to the life we see around us every day, but not so different to the types of life we can find in extreme locations around the Earth. These Extreamophiles can survive in areas where most other life can not. By looking at what limits these forms of life can survive on Earth we can start to look at if such life could survive on Mars.
The Search for Life
Based on these extreamophiles scientists can begin to look for the chemical signs that life exists on Mars today. The lifeforms on Earth that can survive in Mars conditions are known as Methanogens. This is because they consume Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen and produce Methane and Water as waste.
As part of the ExoMars mission, the European Space Agency Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is currently looking for life signs in the Mars atmosphere and on its surface.
Its The Fine-Resolution Epithermal Neutron Detector (FREND) is scanning the surface to see if it has traces of Hygrogen in minerals or water, to a depth of one meter below the Mars surface.
Also its The Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery (NOMAD) and The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) instruments are taking the most accurate measurements of the Martian atmosphere, right down to knowing all the particles in a sample of a billion molecules.
Where future ExoMars missions will include a Rover that will autonomously search Martian soil for life.
The ExoMars spacecraft is almost complete. A joint mission between ESA and Roscosmos, it begins with the launch of the ExoMars orbiter in 2016 and carries an aerodynamically designed capsule containing a robotic lander.
Further Materials, Resources & Information
Below you will find more resources and external websites related to this lesson.
- Phys.org/news/2013-01-earth-bacteria-survive-extremely-pressure.html – University of Florida researchers have discovered for the first time that some Earth bacteria can live under the same low pressure conditions found on Mars.
- PBSKids.org/lifeboat – PBS Kids Games, try Lifeboat Mission to Mars
- Windows2universe.org/cool_stuff/alien/make_alien.html – Make your own Alien using this constructor App, build your own E.T.
Full STEAM Ahead – Space Exploration Education Grant
This lesson has been produced as part of the Full STEAM Ahead Project with the UK Space Agency. We are one of eight organisations across the UK to be awarded to deliver and produce exciting new education outreach activities and projects. The UK Space Agency are delighted to be able to support these projects, which represent a diverse selection of cross-curricular activities that meet it’s education objectives in encouraging children to take up STEAM subjects, raise awareness of careers in space-related areas, and raise awareness of the UK’s exploration programme.


IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample 872 - Education is critical element of the prosperity of any nation
- Last Updated: Friday, 28 April 2017 19:06
- Written by IELTS Mentor
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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Education is a critical element of the prosperity of any nation. The more educated the people of the country are, more successful their nation becomes.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
Education is surely one of the most crucial sectors of every nation. The prosperity of a country is directly proportional to the number of educated citizens. I assent to this affirmation to a great extent.
Opponents may opine that the skills are necessary for developments, not the education as many of the famous personalities of the world like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Bill gates were among school and college dropouts. They brought big revolutions in their respective fields without any formal education.
However, I would say that ratio of such people is very low. Therefore, we cannot underestimate the power of formal education. As it has become one of the mandatory conditions for even job applicants. Take an example MNCs engaged in software production, they are more likely to employ candidates who are degree holders rather than those who have the required skill but no evidence of their skills in terms of education. Thus, firms only believe in educated youth to contribute in productive ways to the prosperity of their nation. Education is the basic needs for a skilled person and it is very unlike that without proper education a skilled generation would automatically build. There is a huge difference between an electric engineer who has a Masters degree from a reputed university and an electric technician who works in a shop. The former one is the type of people a nation needs for development while the later one helps people to complete their electric connections and repairing.
Moreover, it has been observed that developed countries have a high literacy rate than the developing and under developed nations. This clearly bears the testimony of the fact that education is the reason behind their progress. So, educated populaces do affect the flourishing capabilities of the country .Therefore, it should be taken care of.
In a compendium, I would say that education and prosperity of a country are closely correlated to each other.
[ Written by - Navdeep Kaur ]


Power is a term used in a technical sense in statistics to refer to the probability that a test will reject a null hypothesis when it should do, i.e. when the hypothesis is false. This equates to requiring that the probability of a Type II error is small, and with the probability of a Type II error being denoted by β, the power of a test is often denoted by 1-β. The desired power of a test (often set at 0.8 or 80%), given the level of Type I error that is acceptable (typically set at 0.05 or 5%, or 0.01 or 1%), can be used to help identify the type of test and size of sample to choose. The Neyman-Pearson Lemma emphasizes the importance of tests based on the likelihood ratio as a means of ensuring that the power of a test is as great as possible. In general, parametric tests are regarded as more powerful (in this sense) than non-parametric tests carried out on datasets of similar size.
Robustness is a term that relates to how sensitive a descriptive statistic or test is to extreme values or underlying assumptions. Some descriptive statistics, such as the median, the inter-quartile range and the trimmed mean, are more robust than others, such as the arithmetic mean and the range. Likewise, a statistical test or procedure (e.g. regression) is described as being robust if it not especially sensitive to small changes in the data or assumptions, and in particular if the effect of outliers not too great.


Water contains a variety of chemicals.
Practically all of the naturally occurring elements of the Earth’s crust could probably be found in natural waters. However, some of these substances would be expected to occur only in minute concentrations. In addition to the gaseous components, chemicals are found in varying quantities in natural waters include carbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates and often nitrates. These anions occur in combination with cations such as calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron to form different ionizable salts.
As a result of availability and high solubility of carbon dioxide in water, carbonates are usually the most abundant salts in fresh waters. Both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the chemical composition of natural waters are influenced to a high degree by the geochemistry of the watershed. And in the case of lakes, influenced by the form and geology of the basin with respect to inflow and outflow. In general, the inorganic composition of the water of an open lake (that is one with effluents) through which water moves is a reflection of the nature of the influent Waters. The inorganic composition of closed lakes (those lacking significant effluents) is greatly modified by precipitation and concentration of salts as determined by evaporation. Also, lakes near the ocean coast may receive substances from sea spray and moist ocean air.
Chemical Water Quality ParametersThe main differences between lake and stream chemical characteristics usually pertain to relative concentrations, composition, and longitudinal distribution of the substances. Seasonal variation in rainfall and surface runoff along with the geochemical nature of the drainage basin strongly influence the composition of waters of small streams. This combination imparts considerable individuality to streams even within a restricted area or region.
Waters from large streams and rivers, on the other hand, typically exhibit general uniformity of composition, so much so that a quantitative expression of average content becomes meaningful. The mean composition, as percentage proportions of major cations of river water has been given as:
Calcium – 63.5%, Magnesium – 17.4%, Sodium – 15.7%, and Potassium – 3.4%.
Note: that the order of prominence here differs only slightly from that of the North American. In fact, the average composition of rivers is quite similar to that of open lakes, as might be expected.
Total Dissolved Solids in Water
Electrical Conductivity of Water
pH of Water
Interrelationships of Acidity and Alkalinity in Water
Primary Anions and Cations in Water
Dissolved Gases in Water
Primary Nutrients and Eutrophication
Toxic Constituents in Water
Pesticides in Water
Oil in Water


Ancient Egypt / Religion / Gods /
Renenutet was a protective and nurturing goddess. In the Old Kingdom she shared the responsibility of protecting the king in the afterlife together with Wadjet. She was also associated with the bandages of the mummy.
Over time she became the harvest goddess, and the wife of Geb. In some versions of the Osiris myth, she is identified with Isis. In the Late Period, she became associated with fate and destiny, being able both to decide the length of a person's life and many of the events.
Renenutet was represented as a fire-breathing cobra, often looking identical with Wadjet. The two goddesses would eventually have their personalities merged. Above her cobra-head, there was a sun disk and horns with two tall feathers.
Occasionally, she was depicted as a woman with a snake's head.
She was especially popular in the city of Dja in Fayoum Oasis (now known as Medinet Madi), where she formed a triad with Sobek and their son, Horus. In this setting she was the goddess of nourishment. She also had a cult centre at Terenuthis in the Nile Delta.
She was also venerated as a grain goddess, then as the mother of Nepri, a variant of Osiris.
She was celebrated with a festival when crops were sown and again when they began to ripen.
Her popularity as a goddess was so strong that not only did she survive well into Greek religion, by then called Thermouthis, but she even became defined as a saint in Christianity.
Confused? Try to find a good place to start learning about Ancient Egypt in
Where to begin?


ملتقى الناطقين باللغة العربية على Toutankharton
أنت لم تسجل دخول.
اقدم لاعضاء المنتدي كتاب المراكب في مصر القديمه باللغه الانجليزية
نبذة عن الكتاب
Drawing on archaeological and literary evidence, Dilwyn Jones examines the importance of the boat in Egyptian ritual and belief as well as in everyday life. The sun god was thought to travel across the sky in a solar boat, and Egyptians believed that the deserving might join the god Osiris in his divine bark after death. Boats played an important part in funerary ritual; models were often placed in tombs to provide the deceased with safe passage through the "winding waterway" in the underworld. Also, boats are frequently depicted in tomb-painting. The Nile River has always been a vital transport artery for Egypt, and boats the principal means of travel. Early papyrus skiffs gradually gave way to wooden craft of increasing size and sophistication, ranging from fishing boats and barges to seagoing warships, splendid ships of state, and enormous obelisk barges used to transport stone to temples and monuments. Dilwyn Jones traces the development of the different types of boat and the techniques of their construction through the Old, Middle, and New Kingdom periods
آخر تعديل بـ kerolos (2008-12-27 12:10:08)
عندي كتاب بالعربية يتحدث عن مراكب مصر القديمة ساقوم بنشره قريبا...مشكور kerolos


This week in the War, 29 May–4 June 1944: Liberation of Rome
Saint Peter’s Square, Rome; two American GIs talk with a British soldier, 1944 [Public domain]
This week in the war, on 4 June 1944, as the German rearguard retreated northwards out of Rome, the first few units General Mark Clark’s US 5th Army entered the southern part of the city. By mid-evening, the US 88th Division had reached the Piazza Venezia in the centre of Rome.
The following day, the Allies staged their triumphant entry and received an ecstatic welcome from the citizens of Rome. The Allied armies would continue to push northwards, in pursuit of the retreating Germans.
As arranged, King Victor Emmanual III departed, leaving his kingdom in the hands of his son, Prince Umberto.


Everywhere you turn in the world of sports, in seemingly every league, in amateur, college and professional ranks, you find athletes carrying the banner of some sort of political protest. But it started with Muhammad Ali.
Today, there’s LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and their teammates wearing gray hoodies in support of Trayvon Martin.
The Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose donning a T-shirt that reads “I CAN’T BREATHE” before another game.
Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe taking a stand in favor of same-sex marriage.
The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team — the reigning World Cup Champions — threatening to skip the Olympics, filing a wage discrimination suit and demanding equal pay and the same kind of support the U.S. Men’s Team receives.
It’s football players at Northwestern University trying to start a union and pressing for pay for college athletes beyond the scholarship that covers the cost of their education.
And there are members of the St. Louis Rams making a bold statement in solidarity with protesters in Ferguson, Mo. They took the field before the game with their hands up in the air, miming the “hands up, don’t shoot” that demonstrators made after the police shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown.
“The prototype is Muhammad Ali” in 1967 when he maintained his right to not be inducted into the U.S. Army on religious grounds, says professor Daniel Grano of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Grano says today it’s almost a matter of routine, “it’s practically generic, that a reference to Ali is going to be made whenever people engage in that kind of activism.”
Ali’s Journey From Superstar To Activist
Muhammad Ali embodied the collision of sports and politics like no athlete before him … or since.
His journey from young superstar to activist is remarkable, even a half century later.
In 1960, he was still Cassius Clay from Louisville — an 18-year-old with remarkable athletic gifts who wore red, white and blue after winning a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He was known for his quick wit, supreme self-confidence and boastful rhymes — but not politics. By 1964, he was the heavyweight champion of the world. That’s also the year he joined the Nation of Islam — led by Malcolm X — and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. That move confused or shocked white Americans who followed his career, but that was nothing compared to the reaction when Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army in 1967 citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. And the core of his protest was his identity as a black man, a black Muslim, in America.
Ali was as determined to stand up for what he believed in as he was to dominate opponents in the boxing ring. But instead of 15 rounds, this went on for 3 1/2 years. And it came at a very steep price, one unimaginable for an athlete today.
He was stripped of his title.
He was banned from boxing.
His source of income was gone.
This was when he was age 25 to 28, most certainly his prime athletic years.
Refusing The Idea Of A ‘Comfortable Level Of Blackness’
Ali’s willingness to publicly take an unpopular political stand sets him apart from groundbreaking African-American athletes that preceded him, says Kevin Blackistone, a journalism professor at the University of Maryland and a Washington Post columnist. Names like Olympian Jesse Owens and baseball’s Jackie Robinson. For Owens and Robinson, their excellence in competition combined with their mere presence was the political statement. And Blackistone notes that both “were asked to swallow their pride in order to participate in their sport at the highest level.” Robinson had to agree to take all manner of racial abuse, to ensure that what was labeled baseball’s “Grand Experiment” would work. UNC’s Grano adds that Robinson was chosen not just for his athletic skills, but “because he represented a comfortable level of blackness for white fans.”
“That changed with Ali,” says Blackistone. “He stood in the face of that and refused any suggestion that he be anything other than himself.”
As for taking on the Vietnam War, Blackistone notes that Ali “was really on an island. Not only as an athlete, but as an American citizen, because most Americans in the mid-1960s support the war effort in Vietnam.”
In subsequent years, Ali’s actions inspired other athletes to step up. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos had finished first and third in the 200-meter race. During the medal ceremony, they donned black gloves, bowed their heads, and each held a fist in the air as the national anthem was played. It was a protest to highlight how far the U.S. civil rights movement had to go to eliminate racial injustice. It remains an iconic moment in Olympic history. The athletes were subsequently suspended from the U.S. Olympic team and banned from the Olympic village.
Other notables that followed include tennis star Arthur Ashe, a powerful voice in highlighting the apartheid system of racial segregation in South Africa. As an African-American, he was repeatedly denied visas to travel to South Africa to compete in tennis matches there. He subsequently lobbied for the U.S. to impose sanctions and was arrested in 1985, during a protest at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington.
Perhaps because Muhammad Ali paved the way, protests by athletes have become more acceptable to the general public.
There are still loud complaints from some that athletes should “just play the game” and “keep their politics out of sports.” But the stakes in general are lower than what Ali faced. Still, an athlete taking a stand does risk alienating fans, sponsors, teammates and sportswriters, potential endorsement deals, and the university that has given a scholarship.
It is perhaps ironic that in his post-athletic career, Ali became a figure embraced by Americans of all races, and indeed by the entire world, as a symbol of courage. Much of that was due to the toll Parkinson’s disease took on his body. He was frail. And while still courageous, Ali was no longer the brash, in-your-face radical whose political stand in the ’60s rattled those who would praise him decades later.


SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s northern tropical rivers are renowned for being crocodile-infested, so the appearance of migrating humpback whales in one waterway has baffled marine scientists, who assume they simply took a wrong turn and got stuck.
Marine ecologist Jason Fowler discovered three whales on a fishing trip with friends two weeks ago. He and five friends were sailing in the East Alligator River, some 26 kms (16 miles) inland in Kakadu National Park in the country’s remote north, when he saw a plume of water from the muddy river.
“I called out to my crewmates, ‘dolphin!’, but at the back of my mind I was thinking, ‘that’s not a dolphin, that’s huge’,” Fowler said.
“I knew they were humpbacks (but) I could not convince myself it was actually a whale so far up a tropical muddy river that was full of crocodiles.”
Humpbacks like to be in open sea at least 30 metres (10 feet) deep, but they appeared stuck in a 15-metre “hole” in a river that was otherwise 5-6 metres, Fowler said, adding it was the first known case of whales in the tropical inland habitat.
In a Facebook post, Parks Australia said it appeared some of the whales had since made their way out of the river and just one was left. It had put an exclusion zone around the area as experts decided whether to intervene.
“The last thing we want is a collision between a boat and whale in waters where crocodiles are prevalent and visibility underwater is zero,” the post said.
Fowler thought it unlikely the whales would be attacked by crocodiles due to their size.
“We would hope they would find their way out to sea again but you don’t really know what’s going to happen in this situation,” he said.
“The big question in my mind is: what happens at night? What happens when they want to rest and take it easy knowing that they’re flanked by these big crocodiles?”
(This story refiles to fix typo in first paragraph)
Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Michael Perry
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