4.Can domestic dogs understand human body cues such as leaning? The experimenter leaned toward one of two objects and recorded
two objects and recorded whether or not the dog being tested correctly chose the object indicated. A four-year-old male beagle named Augie participated in this study. He chose the correct object 42 out of 70 times when the experimenter leaned towards the correct object.
(a) (2 points) Let the parameter of interest, π, represent the probability that the long-run probability that Augie chooses correctly. Researches are interested to see if Augie understands human body cues (better than gussing).
Fill in the blanks for the null and alternative hypotheses.
H0 : Ha :
(b) (6 points) Based on the above context, conduct a test of significance to determine the p-value to investigate if domestic dogs understand human body cues. What conclusion will you draw with significance level of 10%? (If you use an applet, please specify which applet you use, and the inputs.)
(c) (5 points) Based on the above context, conduct a test of significance to determine the p-value to investigate if domestic dogs understand human body cues. What conclusion will you draw with significance level of 5%? (If you use an applet, please specify which applet you use, and the inputs.)
(d) (2 points) Are your conclusions from part (b) and (c) the same? If they are different, please provide an explanation.
(e) (5 points) Shown below is a dotplot from a simulation of 100 sample proportions under the assump- tion that the long-run probability that Augie chooses correct is 0.50. Based on this dotplot, would a 90% confidence interval for π contain the value 0.5? Explain your answer.
(f) (4 points) Compute the standard error of the sample proportion of times that Augie chose the object correctly.
(g) (5 points)
(h) (3 points) question?
(i) (4 points)
(j) (4 points) A.
Construct an approximate 95% confidence interval for π using the 2SD method. What is the margin of error of the confidence interval that you found in the previous
How would you interpret the confidence interval that you found in part (g)?
Which of the following is a correct interpretation of the 95% confidence level?
If Augie repeats this process many times, then about 95% of the intervals produced will capture the true proportion of times of choosing the correct objective.
About 95% times Augie chooses the correct objective.
If Augie repeats this process and constructs 20 intervals from separate independent sam- ples, we can expect about 19 of those intervals to contain the true proportion Augie chooses the correct objective.
(k) (4 points)
object 21 out of 35 times.
Conjecture how, if at all, the center and the width of a 99% confidence interval would change with these data, compared to the original 2SD 95% confidence interval.
The center of the confidence interval would . The width of the confidence interval would .
(l) (4 points) Suppose that we repeated the same study with Augie, and this time he chose the correct object 17 out of 35 times, and we also change the confidence level from 95% to 99%. Conjecture how, if at all, the center and the width of a 99% confidence interval would change with these data, compared to the original 2SD 95% confidence interval.
Suppose that we repeated the same study with Augie, and this time he chose the correct
The center of the confidence interval would The width of the confidence interval would
5.ou are a consultant who works for the Diligent Consulting Group. In this Case, you are engaged on a consulting
consulting basis by Loving Organic Foods. In order to get a better idea of what might have motivated customers’ buying habits you are asked to analyze the ages of the customers who have purchased organic foods over the past 3 months. Past research done by the Diligent Consulting Group has shown that different age groups buy certain products for different reasons. Loving Organic Foods has sent a survey to 200 customers who have previously purchased organic foods, and 124 customers have responded. The survey includes age data of past customers who purchased organic foods in the previous quarter.
Using Excel, create a frequency distribution (histogram) of the age data that was captured from the survey. You should consider the width of the age categories (e.g., 5 years, 10 years, or other). That is, which age category grouping provides the most useful information? Once you have created this histogram, determine the mean, median, and mode.
After you have reviewed the data, write a report to your boss that briefly describes the results that you obtained. Make a recommendation on how this data might be used for marketing purposes. Be sure to conduct adequate research on organic foods industry, organic market analysis, and healthy food industry using IBISWorld database or other databases such as Business Source Complete (EBSCO) and Business Source Complete - Business Searching Interface in our online library. Provide a brief description on the industry background and the consumer changing attitudes and behavior toward healthy lifestyles. Also identify the customer demographics of organic food industry and explain how the customers of Loving Organic Foods are different from this target market.
Data: Download the Excel-based data file with the age data of the 124 customers: Data chart for BUS520 Module 1 Case. Use these data in Excel to create your histogram.
Complete analysis in Excel using the Histogram function. Please watch the following video which covers how to create a histogram in Excel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL91GrVf3EY
If you are not so familiar with Excel, refer to the following link on Excel training videos: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Excel-training-9bc05390-e94c-46af-a5b3-d7c22f6990bb?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
Check the professional market research reports from the IBISWorld database to conduct the industry analysis. IBISWorld can be accessed in the Trident Online Library.
IBISWorld Overview (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.
IBISWorld Forecast (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.
IBISWorld Data and Sources (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.
IBISWorld Navigation Tips (n.d.). IBISWorld, Inc., New York, NY.
Length requirements: 4–5 pages minimum (not including Cover and Reference pages). NOTE: You must submit 4–5 pages of written discussion and analysis. This means that you should avoid use of tables and charts as “space fillers.”
Provide a brief introduction to/background of the problem.
Provide a brief description of organic food industry and target market characteristics such as their demographics, lifestyles and shopping behaviors.
Provide a written analysis that supports your Histogram age groups (bins).
Based on your analysis of the histogram data, provide complete and meaningful recommendations as the data relates to Loving Organic Foods’s marketing strategy.
Write clearly, simply, and logically. Use double-spaced, black Verdana or Times Roman font in 12 pt. type size.
Have an introduction at the beginning to introduce the topics and use keywords as headings to organize the report.
Avoid redundancy and general statements such as "All organizations exist to make a profit." Make every sentence count.
Paraphrase the facts using your own words and ideas, employing quotes sparingly. Quotes, if absolutely necessary, should rarely exceed five words.
Upload both your written report and Excel file to the case 1 Dropbox.
6.In this assignment, you will analyze a problematic relationship you have had or one you have observed. (If you don't
d. (If you don't wish to share a real relationship, you may use one from a book, movie, or television program.) Try to create a pragmatic description of the communication interaction that took place. That is, describe it as if it were a game; perhaps a game that only one of you seems to know the rules.
Please specifically include the following:
1. Name the game
2. Provide a brief description of the problematic relationship.
3. List the ground rules for the game.
4. Identify the "plays" in the game - that is the repeated patterns of "moves" that the individuals act out.
5. Respond to two reflection questions: What insights does seeing this as a game give you? Now that you have identified the game, what suggestions can you make for improving the relationship?


Adolescence can be tough for young people and their families
Many people begin experimenting with substances as teenagers, while half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14. These challenges can have a lifelong impact: one in five adults in Baltimore has a mental health disorder, and one in 10 has a substance use disorder.
BHSB works with schools, communities and organizations across Baltimore and Central Maryland to ensure young people and families get the information they need about preventing substance use and protecting their emotional health.
Substance Use Prevention and Emotional Health and Wellness Tips
Resources for Families and Schools
- K.O.D (Kids Off Drugs) is a high-energy, school-based initiative that helps youth and young adults avoid or reduce substance use. Learn how we can work with your school.
- BHSB works with Baltimore City Schools and providers across the city to ensure all youth and children have access to high-quality behavioral health care. Explore our online directory of early childhood mental health care and school-based behavioral health specialists and learn how to connect with a Family Support Peer Specialist or the Baltimore City Local Care team.
- Overdose Prevention
- Treatment and Other Services
- What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families: This brochure addresses concerns of children and family members of people living with substance use disorders.
- AlcoholFX Mobile App is a free, science-based app that teaches students ages 10 to 12 how alcohol can harm their brains if they drink
- The Trevor Project
- Black Mental Health Alliance


Technological based self-monitoring may be one key successful means to assist young men with weight loss.
Young overweight adults around the globe are a huge risk for the diseases caused by obesity. They will spend much of their lives struggling to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Most will try and fail to lose and keep the weight off. If we can find a means to help them make their goal, we will make a massive impact on the cost of their future medical costs and their quality of life as they age.
Young men often silently struggle with obesity. Obese young men have double the mortality risk compared to young men with a healthy weight. This silence or hiding behavior makes this group a challenge to recruit for weight loss programs and research. Any method that could reach this group would be of huge benefit to them and the rest of the world.
This silent group, young men, might prefer self-guided or seld-monitoring interventions. The problem is that there is limited data are available to back the effectiveness of said interventions. New evidence form 2019 appears to support this hypothesis. In the study, the researchers conducted an analysis of young men’s performance in a technology-driven behavioral weight-loss trial developed specifically for young adults in which they examined young men’s enrollment rates and compare young men’s and women’s weight loss outcomes and self-regulation behaviors.
The data were drawn from an ongoing randomized controlled trial targeting young adults for weight loss. A total of 104 participants were recruited using a multi-method approach and randomized to one of three groups. All groups received a 6-month technology-mediated intervention with content adapted specifically for young adults. Outcomes of interest included weight change at 3 months and engagement with self-regulation behaviors through the use of Bluetooth scales and a self-monitoring application. The researchers also compared the results in men to those of women.
Young men represented only 17% of enrolled participants. At the 3-month mark, young men manifested nearly twice the weight loss when compared to women. Over the course of the 3-months, engagement with self-regulation behaviors was similar for men and women, but no specific reason could be determined for the increased engagement. In fact, men had a near-identical number of days of self-weighing and fewer days tracking their diet when compared to women.
The bottom line: Men who enroll in behavioral weight loss programs that include self-regulation are twice as successful as their female counterparts despite similar or less engagement. Enrollment is sparse but those that do are more successful. I would suggest a self-guided weight loss program to young males. This research is a product of graduate student research. I would like to see more research on this topic for older males and to clarify why it was less successful in women.
- J. M. Reading and J. G. LaRose, “Weight Loss and Self-Monitoring among Young Men in a Technology-Driven Weight Loss Intervention,” VCU Graduate Research Posters, 2019 [Online]. Available: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/23/


(Last Updated on : 04-05-2013)
A sensitive and controversial issue is that of the power of the courts to punish for their contempt. Articles 129 and 215 of the Constitution provide for the Supreme Court and the High Courts being courts of record and having all the powers of such courts including the power to punish for their own contempt. The Contempt of Courts Act, 1971 has codified the law in the matter. Contempt may be defined to mean willful disobedience of the court, in any manner lowering the authority of the court or interfering with or obstructing the administration of justice. It does not inhibit genuine and well-intentioned criticism of courts or their functioning. Also, fair and reasonable criticism of a judicial act in the interest of public good cannot constitute contempt.
However, the law as it has emerged from judicial decisions does not allow even truth to be a valid defense against charge of contempt of court. Also, the courts have sought to make a distinction between criticism made by a former judge and law minister which may be permissible and criticism by other citizens which must be "checked". This is anti-democratic and violative of the freedom of expression, right to equality and non-discrimination clauses. It is necessary that the contempt law and more particularly the exercise of powers under it are reviewed objectively and in an ordinary citizen-friendly perspective.
The Constitution Commission (NCRWC) suggested that it may be laid down by constitutional amendment that "it shall open to the court on satisfaction of the bona fides of the plea and of the requirements of public interest to permit a defence of justification by truth." The Commission had also suggested that no court other than the Supreme Court and the High Courts should be allowed to exercise any power to punish for contempt of itself.
The Contempt of Courts (Amendment) Bill 2004 passed by Lok Sabha
on 22 February 2006 seeks to amend the original 1971 Act to provide that the court may permit, in any proceeding for contempt of court, justification by truth as a valid defense if it is satisfied that it is in public interest and the request for invoking it is bona fide. This is in acceptance of the NCRWC recommendation.


In punctuation, a word divider is a glyph that separates written words. In languages which use the Latin, Cyrillic, and Arabic alphabets, as well as other scripts of Europe and West Asia, the word divider is a blank space, or whitespace, a convention which is spreading, along with other aspects of European punctuation, to Asia and Africa. However, many languages of East Asia are written without word separation .
In Ancient Egyptian, determinatives may have been used as much to demarcate word boundaries as to disambiguate the semantics of words. Rarely in Assyrian cuneiform, but commonly in the later cuneiform Ugaritic alphabet, a vertical stroke 𒑰 was used to separate words. In Old Persian cuneiform, a diagonally sloping wedge was used.
As the alphabet spread throughout the ancient world, words were often run together without division, and this practice remains or remained until recently in much of South and Southeast Asia. However, not infrequently in inscriptions a vertical line, and in manuscripts a single (·), double (:), or triple interpunct (dot) was used to divide words. This practice was found in Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and continues today with Ethiopic, though there whitespace is gaining ground.
The early alphabetic writing systems, such as the Phoenician alphabet, had only signs for consonants (although some signs for consonants could also stand for a vowel, so-called matres lectionis). Without some form of visible word dividers, parsing a text into its separate words would have been a puzzle. With the introduction of letters representing vowels in the Greek alphabet, the need for inter-word separation lessened. The earliest Greek inscriptions used interpuncts, as was common in the writing systems which preceded it, but soon the practice of scriptio continua, continuous writing in which all words ran together without separation became common.
Use of spaces in Medieval Latin
The interpunct died out in Latin only after the Classic period, sometime around the year 200 CE, as the Greek style of scriptio continua became fashionable. In the 7th century, Irish monks started using blank spaces, and introduced their script to France. By the 8th or 9th century, spacing was being used fairly consistently across Europe .
Alphabetic writing without inter-word separation, known as scriptio continua, was used in Ancient Egyptian. It appeared in Post-classical Latin after several centuries of the use of the interpunct.
Today Chinese and Japanese are the main scripts consistently written without punctuation to separate words. In Classical Chinese, a word and a character were almost the same thing, so that word dividers would have been superfluous. Although Modern Mandarin has numerous polysyllabic words, and each syllable is written with a distinct character, the conceptual link between character and word or at least morpheme remains strong, and no need is felt for word separation apart from what characters already provide. This link is also found in the Vietnamese language; however, in the Vietnamese alphabet, virtually all syllables are separated by spaces, whether or not they form word boundaries.
Space is the most common word divider, especially in Latin script.
Ancient inscribed and cuneiform scripts such as Anatolian hieroglyphs frequently used short vertical lines to separate words, as did Linear B. In manuscripts, vertical lines were more commonly used for larger breaks, equivalent to the Latin comma and period. This was the case for Biblical Hebrew (the paseq) and continues with many Indic scripts today.
Interpunct, multiple dots, and hypodiastole
|The Latin interpunct|
As noted above, the single and double interpunct were used in manuscripts (on paper) throughout the ancient world. For example, Ethiopic inscriptions used a vertical line, whereas manuscripts used double dots (፡) resembling a colon. The latter practice continues today, though the space is making inroads. Classical Latin used the interpunct in both paper manuscripts and stone inscriptions . Ancient Greek orthography used between two and five dots as word separators, as well as the hypodiastole.
Different letter forms
The Nastaʿlīq form of Islamic calligraphy uses vertical arrangement to separate words. The beginning of each word is written higher than the end of the preceding word, so that a line of text takes on a sawtooth appearance. Nastaliq spread from Persia and today is used for Persian, Uyghur, Pashto, and Urdu.
- (Saenger 2000)
- "Determinatives are a most significant aid to legibility, being readily identifiable word dividers." (Ritner 1996:77)
- King, Leonard William (1901). Assyrian Cuneiform. New York: AMS Press. p. 42.
- (Knight 1996)
- University of Chicago Press (1911). Manual of Style: A Compilation of Typographical Rules Governing the Publications of The University of Chicago, with Specimens of Types Used at the University Press (Third ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago. p. 101.
- (Wingo 1972:16)
- Daniels, Peter T.; Bright, William, eds. (1996). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press.
- Knight, Stan (1996). "The Roman Alphabet". In Daniels, Peter T.; Bright, William (eds.). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press.
- Ritner, Robert (1996). "Egyptian Writing". In Daniels, Peter T.; Bright, William (eds.). The World's Writing Systems. Oxford University Press.
- Saenger, Paul (2000). Space Between Words: The Origins of Silent Reading. Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-4016-X.
- Wingo, E. Otha (1972). Latin Punctuation in the Classical Age. Mouton. p. 16.


- Word Parts
|part of speech:
||alleged, alleges, alleging
||to say or claim to be true without having proof.
The police alleged that he had robbed the bank.
- accuse, affirm, assert, claim, declare, maintain, proclaim, state
- similar words:
- contend, insist, pretend, profess
||affirm, assert, attest, claim, say, state
The word allege
contains the following part:
that means to, toward
More about this word part:
The prefix al-
occurs in Latin loanwords. It is an assimilated form of ad-
used before roots beginning with the letter "l," such as "loc" and "leg." See ad-


The finite element method (FEM) is a popular method for numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering and mathematical modeling. Typical problem areas of interest include the traditional fields of structural analysis, heat transfer, fluid flow, mass transport, and electromagnetic potential.
The FEM is a general numerical method for solving partial differential equations in two or three space variables (i.e., some boundary value problems). To solve a problem, the FEM subdivides a large system into smaller, simpler parts that are called finite elements. This is achieved by a particular space discretization in the space dimensions, which is implemented by the construction of a mesh of the object: the numerical domain for the solution, which has a finite number of points. The finite element method formulation of a boundary value problem finally results in a system of algebraic equations. The method approximates the unknown function over the domain. The simple equations that model these finite elements are then assembled into a larger system of equations that models the entire problem. The FEM then approximates a solution by minimizing an associated error function via the calculus of variations.


Watch the Video Lesson Here: Basic of Neural Networks, clearly explained.
Concept of Neural Networks is not that difficult to understand by an average person irrespective of your area of specialization. In this lesson, we would explain the concept of Neural Networks(NN) or Artificial Neural Networks and then give a formal definition of it. Then we would look at an application of Neural Networks.
Just as you know, we would try to keep it simple and clear so that you will not find it difficult to understand and appreciate the concept. We would cover the following:
- What is Neural Networks
- Application of Neural Networks
- Neural Network Implementation
- Simple Model of Neural Networks – The Perceptron
- Bias and Sidmoid Function
- Final Notes
- A More Detailed Mathematical Model (Next Lesson)
1. What is a Neural Network
An Neural Network is a computing system that is based on the biological neural network that make up the human brain. Neural networks are not based on any specific computer program written for it, but it can progressively learn and improve its performance over time.
A neural network is made up of a collection of units or nodes called neurons. These neurons are connected one to the other by means of a connection called synapse. By means of the synapse, a neuron can transmit signal or information to another neuron nearby. The receiving neuron can receive the signal, process it and signal the next one. The process continues, until an output signal is produced.
2. Application of Neural Networks
Note that Neural Networks are a branch of Artificial Intelligence.So the application areas has to do with systems that that try to mimic human way of doing things. There are many modern application areas of neural networks which includes:
Computer Vision: Since no program can be written to make the computer recognize all the object in existence, the only way is to use neural networks such that as time goes, computer could on its own recognize new things bases on what it has previously learnt.
Patter Recognition/Matching: This could be applied in searching a repository of images to match say, a face with a known face. Used in Criminal investigation
Natural Language Processing: System that allows the computer to recognize spoken human language by learning and listening progressively with time.
3. Neural Network Implementation
So how can we implement an artificial neural network in a real system? The first step would be to have a network of nodes which would represent the neurons. The we assign a real number to each of the neurons. This real numbers would represent the signal held by that neuron.
The output of each neuron is calculated by non-linear function. This function would take the sum of all the inputs of that neuron.
Now, both neurons and synapses usually have a weight that continually adjusts as the learning progresses. This weight controls the strength of the signal the neuron send out across the synapse to the next neuron. Neurons are normally arranged in layers. Different layers may perform different kind of transformation on its input. Signals move through different layers including hidden layers all the way to the output.
4. Simple Model of Neural Networks – The Perceptron
The perceptron is the simplest model of a neuron that illustrates how a neural network works. The perceptron is a machine learning algorithm developed in 1957 by Frank Rosenblatt and first implemented in IBM 704.
|Figure 1: How the Perceptron Works|
How it Works
How the perceptron works is illustrated in Figure 1. In the example, the perceptron has three inputs x1, x2 and x3 and one output.
The importance of this inputs is determined by the corresponding weights w1, w2 and w3 assigned to this inputs. The output could be a 0 or a 1 depending on the weighted sum of the inputs.
Output is 0 if the sum is below certain threshold or 1 if the output is above certain threshold. This threshold could be a real number and a parameter of the neuron.
This is shown below in Equation 1.
|Equation 1: output of a perceptron|
This operation of the perceptron clearly explains the basics of Neural Networks and would serve as a good introduction to learning neural network.
Now we would examine a more detailed model of a neural network, but that would be in part 2 because I need to keep this lesson as simple as possible.
5. Introducing a Bias and Sigmoid Function
Lets not consider a general example, this time we have not just 3 inputs but n inputs. Just as you know, the formula now becomes:
which is not much different from the one we previously had. But if we use a function like this one, the output could be any number. However, we want the output to be a number between 0 and 1.
So what we would do is to pass this weighted sum into a function that would act on the data to produce values between 0 and 1. What function would that be? Yes, that is the sigmoid function! which is also know as a logistic curve.
For the sigmoid function, very negative inputs gets close to zero and very positive inputs gets close to 1 and it sharply increases at the zero point.
Now, suppose, we want the neuron to activate when the value of this output is greater than some threshold, that is, below this threshold, the neuron does not activate, above the threshold, it activates. Then we call this threshold, bias and include it in the function.
We would then have
The bias is a measure of how high the weighted sum needs to be before the neuron activates.
What we have considered is something like shown above, with just two layers. But Neural networks actually could contain several layers and that is what we are going to consider in subsequent lessons on AI Artificial Intelligence
6. Final Notes
- However complex the Neural Network concept appears, you now have the underlying principle:
- set of inputs combined with weights (plus a bias or error to be discussed in the next lesson) to provide an output.
- Neurons are connected to each other by means of synapses
- Neurons sends signal(output) to the next neuron
- The network undergoes a learning process over time to become more efficient.
In the next lesson, we would look at more details of how the Neural Network works.


Io parlo Italiano Yo hablo Espanol Je parle Francais Ich spreche ein bischen Deustch!
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The balzo is a rotund feminine headpiece that originated in Italy during the early 1400's. It was worn during the first half of the century in conjunction with the giornea and cioppa: women's overdresses that resembled a houppelande at this time, usually pictured with dagged sleeves and a train. The forehead was plucked at the time (as was done France and northern Europe), and when worn with the balzo provided an elongated, but rounded profile of the head. This is comparable to the hennin effect that was to develop in gothic Europe, but was not as severe. Good examples of the original balzo can be seen in Pisanello's costume studies and in Paradiso by Giovanni di Paolo.Later on in the century, around 1470, the balzo seems to have fallen into disuse, and the favored method of headdress is the reta (hairnet) or trinzale (small cap), or dressing the hair via pearls and braiding. This coincides with the more streamlined, though ornate, garments that are worn by women at this time. The gamurra, cioppa, and giornea are less flowing, and lack the voluminous sleeves and train that mark the earlier dress style. The focus is on ornament, rather than oversize, and the detail of this period can be seen well in the paintings of Ghirlandaio, specifically the depiction of Giovanna Tornabouni.But after the turn of the sixteenth century (approximately 1510), styles change once again, and the body profile becomes much more dramatic. The ideal woman is rounder and larger, as is the dress itself. The dress becomes much more rounded and layers are not evident, although probably there. The bodice is higher, the neckline low, with the chemise filling in the gap. Sleeves are huge, and frequently puffy. To counterbalance all this mass, the balzo makes a fashionable comeback, but is rounder and worn more towards the front of the head.It is interesting how one's first perception changes after research is done.My first encounter with the balzo in this period was the portrait of a woman by Parmigianino.  Boucher attaches the description "Turkish Slave Girl", and it seemed to make sense at the time: after all, isn't that some sort of turban on her head? And she did have a striped partlet, which seems vaguely oriental. The next time I saw the balzo it was in Zeffirelli's Taming of the Shrew. Elizabeth Taylor wears a gold wire example very similar to Parmigianino's portrait. We costume critics watching the movie recoiled in horror, and said, "what on earth is that? Now I know it is a balzo and apologize for assuming it to be artistic license!
Although the shape is generally the same, there seem to have been two or three terms used in period, which depended on materials used for construction, or may have been simply regional language differences. Here are my definitions gleaned from the sources I found:
- Balzo is a term found in both 15th and 16th century sources and can be applied somewhat generically to the shape current at the time. In it’s original 15th century form it is large and bulbous, not symmetrical, and back heavy. Height is an important feature as it competes in the fashion world with the hennin (or sella – “saddle” in contemporary Italy). In both centuries it is decorated extensively, ornamented with jewels or enameled pieces, and can also be me of wire (in the 16th century).
- Ghirlanda (garland) takes it name in both periods (15 and 16th century) from its original nature – a garland of flower or natural material simply worn on the head. This type of headpiece seems to be typically gothic, and good early examples can be seen in the Tres Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry. A ghirlanda can be a simple lightweight ornament (as in Botticelli’s Primavera), or enormous and elaborate offerings made of peacock feathers. The ghirlanda seems to mimic nature, and in the 1400s were also flatter than the balzo. Although the term ghirlanda can be found in both centuries, I am not aware of it being used in the 16th century to denote this type of structured headpiece. I assume the term reverted to its more natural and original form.
- Capigliara is mentioned in 16th century texts and seems to be of the ruffled, lacy or fluffy type with an outer covering of silk, and the balzo is a more general term for a headpiece of this nature, or one which has a smooth, though ornamented, covering. Again, I have made this distinction for my own convenience, based upon my own research: others should not take it as fact. Therefore I deem the headpiece that I have created for this project to be a capigliara, modeled after Bernardo Luini's Portrait of a Lady. Capigliare also seem to have been made of false hair and perhaps curled floss or wool.They have certainly given their creators a vent for imaginative efforts, and the balzi can be quite modest in size or absolutely enormous.
"On her head, and Italian woman might wear a ghirlanda (grillanda) or a balzo, both of which appear early in the century... A balzo is a bulbous headdress, consisting of a wire or possibly willow understructure, which was then covered by textile. Both ghirlanda and balzo were often covered with gems, usually pearls, and with velvet or often some more lavishly figured textile.  … Amadeo of Savoy also forbade women to wear tall hairstyles in horns, or rounded into some deformative shape.… As the whole shape of the both male and female costume added more width to its height, so the padded roll of the ghirlanda grew into the bulbous balzo. One of crimson, covered in pearls, was given by Francesco de’ Medici in 1432 to his betrothed, Costanza, and is probably one of the earliest references to this fashion. However, there are more documentary references to ghirlande than to balzi: although an earlier form of headdress, the garland did not go out of fashion."
"A large headdress, rising up in a rounded form from the forehead, completely hiding the female wearer’s hair (the hairline having been plucked back to create an artificially high forehead). The shape of the headdress is founded on an understructure, probably of willow, which is covered by a rich textile and alternatively by false hair of white or yellow silk, or by real hair (capelli morti) (“dead” hair). The balzo then may be decorated further with ribbon or braid. The fashion for balzi is peculiar to Italy, and to the first half of the Quattrocento"
"The delicate stance of the figure of Herodiade, almost completely in profile, dressed according to the purest style (taste) of the first half of the 1400s, permits one to better observe the balzo form that, being rounded, enlarges almost to the point of a reversed cone. The manner of wearing it to the back, leaving completely uncovered the artificially higher and plucked forehead, corresponds to the neckline that sinks below the nape."
"The balzo, the typically Italian hairstyle, with it’s round mass often adorned, like in this example, by jeweled stripes, underlines the bizarre and fantastic character of the gothic style of dress. The beautiful ling trained cotta, with sleeves of the same color as the balzo, harmonizes with the headdress."
"The ghirlanda in the 1400s have assumed a rotund shape that approaches the balzo, although they distinguish themselves because they are flatter. Under this name come, in fact, massive headdresses decorated with flowers and leaves of enameled gold, or also of peacock feathers, interspersed with precious ornaments. The elegant headdress harmonizes with the sumptuousness of the velvet giornea, pavonazzo(peacock style – dagged?), elegantly slit and trimmed with ermine. The other older woman figure has her face framed with a simple veil turned into the style of a hood and tones down the sumptuousness of the blue silk cioppa with pink roses and black mantel."
"The balzo is another gorgeous headdress, but typically Italian, elevated, of a rounded form, and made of precious fabrics wrapped in the style of a turban. In the 1500s Veccelio speaks of it like and ancient (old) fashion: in Italy the women “wear on their heads balzos of varied colors, and worked of cloth of gold and of silk with rose petals and other works.” In (his) engravings we often see clearly drawn this headdress, but the fantastic majesty of the balzo, that by contrast gives a wondrous grace to the face, resulting particularly in the frescoes of the Palazzo Borromeo and of the Casino di Caccia (Hunting Lodge?) of Oreno, as in the vivid painting of the wedding chests (cassoni). The ghirlanda of peacock feathers assume the same rounded and massive form, Matteo Parentis, as we know from the scrupulous notes of his housebook, bought “500 choice peacock feathers, 300 assorted peacock feathers”, besides eleven roses of peacock feathers and enameled flower, golden leaves and pearls for his wife’s (wedding gift), Caterina, daughter of Allessandra Macinghi Strozzi. One clearly imagines this headdress that appears in the note picture (tr.??) of the Adimari wedding: the beauty of the ghirlanda comes out more than of the line (?), although heavy for our taste, from the lustrous green and blue of the feathers, “all eyes and gems”, as says a Latin poet, in contrast to the delicate feminine complexion. Also common are the ghirlanda or crowns of natural flower. The Botticelli figures are often crowned with light garlands, their foreheads characterized by a soft melancholy."
"Of a totally different nature, heavy and pompous, is the capigliara that appears in the portrait by Tiziano in Vienna. Rotund, enormous, this headpiece stands between the wig and the hairdo. Eleanora Rusca, Countess of Coreggio, having seen it "worn by gentlewomen" defines it as "a new longhaired fashion of silk that comes as a notable invention" by the Marquessa (Isabella d'Este), and asks her for one as a gift "that may not be in use...in order to measure/trace it accurately". Evidently Isabella conceded the privilege of wearing the capigliara only to certain preferred ladies.To our eyes this headdress seems a simple refacing of the 15th century balzo, with which in fact the Molmenti (?) confused it. But in comparison to the balzo it is most exaggerated, bundled with ornaments, more crushed and worn further back; in a manner in which the bands of hair in the front remain uncovered; and came quickly into fashion. Of the rest even the balzo, that Vecellio recorded as a fashion totally of the 1300-1400's, had not gone completely into disuse by the beginning of the century. In fact, in 1530 Battista Stabellino, one of the informants of Isabella, giving her the news of a ball held at the court of Ferrara, describes the Queen of Naples daughters "dressed in our fashion with balzo and scoffiato (?).The singular headdress, was therefore of properly Italian character.In a return to the past another headdress also appears, vaguely resembling the hennin for its height, which according to Vecellio was in vogue around 1530: "about 60 years ago the Venetians began to reuse cages of branches, covered with caps made of gold nets, decorated with varij (jewels?), and rich ornaments", and a 'lovely black veil/cloth, of transparent silk, that covers them in front'."
This project began with me trying wall wreaths on my head in the craft shop. It must have looked pretty strange to other customers, but it paid off in the end. This was the first piece of garb or accessory that I had to cook in the creation process, but I believe the method, structure and appearance to be period. Having now made several balzi and taught a few classes in it, this is an updated set of instructions. Do not be deterred by the amount of instructions here – the process is very easy but I wanted to be as explicit as possible. Making the frame can be done in an hour or less.
First, decide on the century and shape of the balzo to be created. You will need to gauge the overall size of the piece you want to create in relation to your own head. Balance and proportion are important, as I found from creating a too-large version. If you are imitating a picture, then measure the face in the picture and measure your own (forehead to chin). Remember that 15th century foreheads were plucked and therefore higher. Create a scale to use to estimate the size of the balzo : for example: the face in my Pisanello picture was 2 cm tall. My face is approximately 10” tall. Therefore, the scale I used to measure the pictured balzo was 1 cm = 2 inches. The 15th century balzo measured approximately the same as the exposed face, so my frame was about 10” tall, or 23” inches over the top. (See measurements below). The height and shape of the 15th century balzo are the most important issues. Width seems to fall into place naturally. Likewise, in the 16th century flatter version, the width is the most important, as the height seems to follow naturally. My 16th century frame measured 20” over the top – I would not go much larger than that, if at all.
Weight is extremely important! Having created a small 15th century monstrosity the first time that weighed in at a hefty 20 oz., I know from experience. The 15th century style in particular will be very uncomfortable at a heavy weight, as it will give you a headache and be hard to keep on. The 16th century model I made is only 4 oz., and feels great. Make sure your frame style is correct and do NOT add padding to change the shape. Instead, correct the frame.
You should definitely consider how you will wear your hair underneath the balzo. In the 15th century, foreheads were artificially high and plucked, but all hair is smoothed back and not visible under the balzo. In the 16th century the hair was parted in the middle, and slicked down, frequently covering the ears. There might be a couple of curls plastered to each side of the forehead. For the 15th century, I would recommend hairtaping a braid around your head with a ribbon, as this provides an ideal base for a balzo, particularly one that is a bit large. I have also worn my hair this way with the 16th century model, but also in a high bun at the back. Either way, it is important to do your hair in a period fashion, at least the hair that shows, so your finished look is not odd! No curls or long hair dangling down, please! (A good website on this can be seen at http://www.mfgraffix.com/hird/faoilt/hairtape.html, the website of my good friend and costuming colleague, Lady Faoiltighearna MacQuarrie (mka Margo Farnsworth)).
Facilities: Just to mention that you will need a kitchen or area where you can boil water in a big pot in order to keep the reed steamed and flexible while constructing the balzo.
Flat basket weaving reed is the best choice – ½” for base around head, about 2 yards, and thinner reed (1/4” or 3/8”) for the rest of the frame -about 6-8 yards If you can only find one thickness, that is fine as you can easily split it or double up for stability. OR a few branch/grapevine wreaths ½ - 1 cm in diameter. The wreaths can easily be found in craft shops, but the flat basket weave takes a little more searching. Note: Reed requires less work and less steaming than the branches, as well as being able to be folded around the frame without breaking. Hence it is the preferred material. The branches create a bumpier frame requiring more work to smooth out with coverings. Thin White florist wire (22 gauge, 18” length covered with white thread) available in craft shops is preferred as it twists easily and cuts with normal scissors OR Thin beading wire OR Twisty ties (wire variety)
Linings and Coverings: Cotton batting (preferred) or Fiberfill
batting if you are doing a smooth covered balzo Padding:
for the frame around your face. This is only a narrow piece of springy
wool or cotton batting, about two inches wide and as long as needed to
make your frame fit snug but comfortably – one length around or two. Overlining:
Natural fabric – approx 24 – 28” circle (depending on frame size) or ¾
-1 yd. Can be open weave wool, cotton or linen. Remember this goes on your
head and should be able to breathe! I used a open weave wool. Lining
next to your head: Natural fabric approx 18-20” diameter circle. Do not
choose a “slidy” fabric for this, as you want it to grip your hair and
not slide off.I used black cotton for one balzo, for the other a dupioni
silk that matched my dress. Covering materials – fabric, false hair,
feathers, fabricated or natural garland, etc. For the ruffled 16th
century capigliara covering, use a 45” circle ofplain smooth silk
, not slubbed, rough, raw or dupioni.
Step One – Making the Base:
Make the base out of the wider reed (if you have it) or thicker branches using about three coils around the head, with enough room for your hand to slide through flat. My head measures 22 ½” and my frame measured about 24”. Secure the base with wire in the front and mark the front with a magic marker!!
Step Two – Making the Vertical Framework
Leaving the thinner reed in the pot to steam, take out a length at a time, and start bending it over the frame back and forth. Originally I cut the reed to be flush with the base, and although this is a little neater, it is not actually correct. The sketch of the 15th century balzo frame shows the material being weaved into a cross hatch pattern, and this requires folding under the frame and coming back up. However, either method will work, so you can cut it if you wish, but be sure that your ties are tightly secured or the upper frame can separate from the base. I recommend cutting the first tow pieces so you can get a more exact height or width, and then wrapping the rest fro security. Once you wrap the reed it breaks down the fibers and weakens it, so you do not want to keep redoing it Secure each cut cross-section to the base with some wire, crossing over the reed on top, and behind/under the reed on the bottom to be secured, then twist together. This should form an “X” pattern that holds it in place
I found that at least twelve vertical strands are necessary for stability. This equates to six pieces going over each side. At this point (or whenever the structure starts to feel brittle), throw the whole thing back in the pot to soften it up. Start your shaping by bending the base into an oval, and start pushing on the back or front to get it molded into the right shape. This will get better as more cross pieces are added and the gaps become smaller, but shaping is necessary. For the 15th century version, push the front backwards and the back of the frame in to create a slight bulge. For the 16th century version, push the crown down with some force, as this should not be totally round, but somewhat flattened.
Step Three – Adding the Horizontal and Bands
Taking a long piece of willow, weave it around the outside of the "cage", filling in the gaps somewhat. Make at least two of these horizontal rows, each about a third from crown and base, with no more than about 2” between each area. Secure all joins with an “X” of wire so that the structure is sound. Throw the whole thing in the pot to soften up and mold it by pressing and tightening joins to get your shape right. Let it sit in the air to dry, but check on it from time to time to keep the shape intact. Your finished frame should retain its desired shape.
Step Four – Covering the Frame
Note: Do NOT add padding or any additional weight unless you really need it. These things can get heavy depending what you cover them with! Cover the outside with a natural material as suggested above. The easiest shape is a rough circle wrapped round the underside of the base and sewn to itself on the inside. Else a rectangular piece can be gathered along one side for a more elongated balzo. Either way you will have to take a few tucks or gathers around the base. The easiest way to do this is with a rather large sewing needle and going in and out of the balzo frame. Note: If you want a smooth balzo with only this as a final covering, put on the base padding and inside lining first (see next steps).Step Five – Decorating: The final covering
Cut a piece of springy fabric for padding the base to fit around your head, pin and whip stitch it to either side of the base, attaching to the outside covering. This can also be done first, I just find it easier to sew it to the outside covering. Cut a smaller (16-18” diameter) circle of cloth for the inside lining. Wrap the edges of the circle around the outside of the frame (over the padding), and pin on, adjusting to fit your hairstyle. This lining will not go all the way into the frame, as you do not want your head floating around in the balzo, but rather supported by the inner lining. You may wish to gather it more at the back than the front, in order to accommodate your hairstyle if a bun. Secure the lining by stitching above the inside band, going in and out of the balzo frame. Also, take a few tacks through the upper part of the balzo so the lining does not sag down on itself when off your head.
You can really use some imagination here, but there are many examples in period of garland, feathers, false hair, gems, wire, etc. I recommend finding an example to follow, but have provided two methods here. In either method, make sure your front is marked, as it does tend to get lost.
To cover the 15th century balzo with false hair and braid with ribbons:
Obtain false hair from a beauty supply store. You may wish to get a couple of hairnets too, in order to control flyaway hair. Note that blonde hair was preferred in Italy during this period. I got a “deluxe braid” of “Kanekalon” synthetic hair and found that it weighs quite a bit (3 oz), so use one package for the covering and one (or less) for making the braids. Starting at the back, spread the hair over the balzo and pin strategically to cover the lining. Don’t lose your pins in the hair! Use transparent nylon thread to baste it on around the base (but slightly above the edge) and at necessary junctures. Stay away from pin cushions and plants! They will get tangled in the hair! You can cover the false hair with a couple of hairnets to control the frizzing. Make a few long braids with the other skein of hair, interweaving ribbon into the braids (I used two colors that matched my dress). See the diagram or Pisanello’s costume sketches for placement of the braids. Secure with transparent nylon thread. You can put an ornament at the front if you wish. Be prepared for many Marge Simpson and Bride of Frankenstein comments!
For the 16th century ruffled capigliara:
Cut a circle of silk 45" in diameter. Sew twelve machine basting lines in concentric circles, about two inches apart. This does not have to be extremely precise, but I marked mine in chalk first. Start gathering the circles from the center working out, using the balzo frame as a reference for size of each circle. When it is looking very strange (tee-pee in shape), and all the circles have been gathered roughly, pin the silk to the balzo starting at the outer edge. (Leave the gather threads loose for now). Remember that the first four or five rows are most visible, and adjust the ruffles as best you can. Each two inch circle should be spaced roughly one inch apart, creating the ruffle. Starting at the (raw) outer edge, fold it under at the outside of the headband, and start tacking it to the band. Work entirely around the row, adjusting ruffles as you go. I used a backstitch for security. For each successive row: tie off the gather threads, matching the balzo edge as closely as possible. Tack over the gather stitching, adjusting the ruffles and pins where needed. Fluff the ruffles when complete, and add some sort of ornament to the center front, as this was the focal point of the head piece.
Finsished Capilgliara - ruffled black silk Example of covering for capigliara and concentric gathering (this is not silk)
Interesting group picture showing the balzo concurrent with other hairstyles: Sella, wired veil, etc.
15th century balzo with false hair and braids, recreated in above article. Legend of Saint George, by Pisanello, 1436-1438, Chiesa d' Anastasia, Verona
Detail: Salome before Herod, by Masolino da Panicale 1435, Battistero, Castello Olono. You cannot see it very weell, but they have actually put a crown (!!) on top of her balzo. I did not see this until I bought the wonderful Italian Frescoes book which shows it in better detail. Once you wear a balzo this size you will realize that a crown would never stay on!
A ghirlanda: Gentile da Fabbriano: Presentation at the Temple, 1423, Louvre, Paris
Perhaps a balzo? Date
unknow but estimate about 1510.
Vecellio's rendition of the balzo (circa 1520)
16th century balzo: Isabella
d'Este by Tiziano, 1534: Kunsthistorisches Muesum, Vienna
Ghirlanda looks like it is made of wool or curled fiber. Woman holding drawing of Lucrezia by Lorenzo Lotto (1480-1556), National Gallery, London guess painting to be circa 1530.
recreated in above article. Portrait of a Woman,
by Bernardo Luini, National Gallery, Washington, D.C.
My 16th Century Favorite - capigliara: Portrait of a Woman by Paolo Cavazzola, 1515: Galleria Accademia Carrara, Bergamo (Lightened this up quite a bit to show balzo).
Lucita Brembati by Lorenzo Lotto, 1518: Galleria Accademia Carrara, Bergamo
Eleonora Gonzaga della Rovere by Titian, 1536 - Uffizi Gallery, Firenze
Laure de Diantis by Titian, 1523, Kister Collection


"Solar electricity is now a commercial business, something we couldn't say five years ago," says Roger G. Little. As a result, he expects his company, Spire Corp. of Bedford, Mass., to grow from its current sales of $4.2 million to $50 million by 1986.
Spire and Little are currently working on almost 30 research projects. But the company's future probably lies in solarcell production technology. Taking a cue from the semiconductor industry, Little has developed a series of semiautomated machines that can connect solar cells at a rate of 12 per minute. The result is solar modules, collections of individual solar cells with the potential to collect far more energy in a far smaller space than current cell technology allows. The upshot: cheaper solar energy, perhaps inexpensive enough to be competitive with traditional means of producing electricity.


Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Siluriformes
(Catfish) > Loricariidae
(Armored catfishes) > Loricariinae
Etymology: Rineloricaria: Greek, rhinos = nose + Latin, lorica, loricare = cuirass of corslet of leather; 1706 (Ref. 45335). More on author: Regan.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Freshwater; demersal; pH range: 5.8 - 7.8; dH range: ? - 20. Tropical; 22°C - 26°C (Ref. 1672)
South America: Laguna dos Patos basin (Ref. 36389). Reported from the Paraná basin in Argentina (Ref. 56308).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75788)
Morphology | Morphometrics
Possesses the characters of the rocky group and can be diagnosed within the species of the rocky group by the following characters: asymmetrical tooth cusps (vs. almost symmetrical cusps in Rineloricaria aequalicuspis); spotted color pattern in all fins (vs. a unique color pattern composed of one dark, wide band covering most of the distal one-half of all fins in Rineloricaria baliola); narrower head, head width 74.7-83.5 (vs. 83.7-93.6% of head length in Rineloricaria jaraguensis); 5-11 teeth in both dentary and premaxilla (vs. 12-16 teeth in each jaw in Rineloricaria latirostris); plated abdomen (vs. naked or almost naked in Rineloricaria malabarbai and Rineloricaria maquinensis); and short dorsal unbranched principal caudal-fin ray (vs. dorsal unbranched principal caudal-fin ray produced in a filament in Rineloricaria pentamaculata) (Ref. 75788).
Occurs in watercourses with slow to fast flow, clear to brown water with rocky, sandy, or muddy bottom (Ref. 75788). Encountered in polluted waters (Ref. 75788).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Assumed to be like Rineloricaria fallax.
Rodriguez, M.S. and R.E. Reis, 2008. Taxonomic review of Rineloricaria (Loricariidae: Loricariinae) from the Laguna dos Patos drainage, Southern Brazil, with the descriptions of two new species and the recognition of two species groups. Copeia 2008(2):333-349. (Ref. 75788)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 120744)
CITES (Ref. 118484)
Threat to humans
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00407 (0.00240 - 0.00691), b=3.14 (3.00 - 3.28), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278
): 2.5 ±0.2 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low vulnerability (14 of 100) .


You may be aware of the dangers of driving and texting, using mobile apps, or talking with a handset. But did you know that just talking--even on a hands-free device, such as a Bluetooth headset--is too distracting for most drivers?
New research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety suggests that talking on a phone, whether you're using a handset or a hands-free device, is just too distracting.
"There is a large body of evidence showing that talking on a phone, whether handheld or hands-free, impairs driving and increases your risk of having a crash," says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, according to the Associated Press.
This is why the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday that all states should ban the use of electronic devices while driving, including hands-free phone kits. This ban was suggested after the NTSB reviewed a recent crash inMissouri that killed two people and injured 38. In the crash, the driver of a truck sent and received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before crashing into a large tractor-trailer rig. The crash caused a multicar pileup, which included a bus.
While the suggested ban (the NTSB cannot enact laws on its own, it can only make suggestions) would include hands-free kits for phones, it would not includeGPSunits and other electronics that "assist in the driving process." You'd also be covered if you used your phone in an emergency situation, such as to report an accident or a drunk driver. However, it would be up to individual law enforcement officers to determine whether a situation was an emergency.
It should be noted that what the research really shows is that there's no evidence that someone using a hands-free device has a lower risk of crashing than someone using a handset. According to the AP, a similar study inSwedenshowed the same thing: "There is no evidence suggesting that hands-free mobile phone use is less risky than handheld use."
However, this doesn't necessarily translate into "cellphones are dangerous." The AP points out that there is no hard evidence that accidents are increasing because of phone use--in fact, last year highway fatalities in the United States hit a record low--the lowest since 1949.
In March 2010, a study from the Universityof Utahshowed that while most people are really bad at multitasking, there are a few "supertaskers" who can drive safely while talking on a hands-free phone. However, the study found that a measly 2.5 percent of the population is supertaskers, while the rest of us are just (really bad) multitaskers.


Stardust memories. Inner space and the science of illumination.Guest blog from Tai Carmen at Parallax. Parallax: Exploring the Architecture of Human Perception
The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.” Ferdinand Foch
From the Greek, noetikos, meaning “mental,” (from noein, “to perceive with the mind,” and nous, “mind, understanding, intellect,”) the noetic sciences apply a scientific lens to the study of human consciousness.
From a purely materialistic standpoint, consciousness arises from physical matter (i.e. brain and body processes,) but from a noetic perspective, the relationship between the physical and nonphysical (or inner) worlds is far more complex. Rather than dismissing moments of profound personal insight as ineffable and subjective, the noetic sciences seek to probe deeper into their implications.
For centuries, philosophers from Plato onward have been using the term noetic to describe experiences beyond human reason. The Institute of Noetic Sciences was co-founded in 1973 by astronaut Edgar Mitchell. The studies focus on typically metaphysical concepts, such as the survival of human consciousness after bodily death, the measurable benefits of meditation, influence of the observer on the observed, alternate healing, extrasensory perception, wisdom capabilities, and so forth.
Before founding the Institute, Edgar Mitchell had an epiphany while looking down on the earth from space, during his three-day journey back from the moon on Apollo 14:
“The presence of divinity became almost palpable, and I knew that life in the universe was not just an accident based on random processes . . . the knowledge came to me directly.”
Mitchell’s exploration of outer space lead him to a profound awareness of the mysteries and potential of inner space. Reality, he felt, was infinimore complex, nuanced and mysterious than conventional science had lead him to believe.
Such an experience is of prime interest to noetics. The qualities of a personal revelation have an interesting universality, notes philosopher-psychologist William James. They are all “states of insight into depths of truth unplumbed by the discursive intellect. They are illuminations, revelations, full of significance and importance, all inarticulate though they remain; and as a rule they carry with them a curious sense of authority.”
A 1995 study showed that individuals who meditate show higher levels of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland. Interestingly, the pineal gland has long been associated with the spiritual “third eye,” considered a key to accessing higher consciousness.
A quick glance at the list of benefits produced by Melatonin is enough to warrant attention: studies have shown melatonin to have both cancer and Alzheimer’s fighting properties, as well as anti-aging and stress-relieving effects. It has been shown to help with weight loss, autism, fertility and mood disorders. A veritable miracle hormone, studies suggest melatonin has radioprotective properties, acting as a defense against nuclear fall-out.
Though the common administration is through synthesized supplements, connections between meditation and enhanced melatonin production suggest more effective and efficient means: why not simply foster activities which increase the production of melatonin in our own bodies? These are the kinds of fascinating questions currently being pursued by the noetic sciences.
“There can be a tendency to label something in order to negate its impact,” says William James. “It is easier to brush off or control what is perceived as solid instead of fluid. As Becker stated man cuts out for himself a manageable world because the real world is too overwhelming […] Freud implied that a healthy mind often suppresses reality to some degree.
“How often do we sacrifice fluid reality in order to balance ourselves with a manageable world? Dualism is a false dichotomy. Beauty is the beast. Labels and language are tools humans use to simplify a complex reality. There are no borders or boundaries it is a singularity not a compartmentalization.
“Knowledge and imagination … must work together to break the frozen sea within us. It is beyond the labeled box of scientific materialism it is embracing life with open eyes. Greater awareness. Raising consciousness. The human imagination and consciousness is not out of nature it is nature!


MP3 Audio Sample
In Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America, historian William Gienapp provides a remarkably concise, up-to-date, and vibrant biography of the most revered figure in United States history.
In Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America, historian William Gienapp provides a remarkably concise, up-to-date, and vibrant biography of the most revered figure in United States history. While the heart of the book focuses on the Civil War, Gienapp begins with a finely etched portrait of Lincoln's early life, from pioneer farm boy to politician and lawyer in Springfield, to his stunning election as sixteenth president of the United States. Students will see how Lincoln grew during his years in office, how he developed a keen aptitude for military strategy and displayed enormous skill in dealing with his generals, and how his war strategy evolved from a desire to preserve the Union to emancipation and total war.
Gienapp shows how Lincoln's early years influenced his skills as commander-in-chief and demonstrates that, throughout the stresses of the war years, Lincoln's basic character shone through: his good will and fundamental decency, his remarkable self-confidence matched with genuine humility, his immunity to the passions and hatreds the war spawned, his extraordinary patience, and his timeless devotion.
A former backwoodsman and country lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose to become one of our greatest presidents. This biography offers a vivid account of Lincoln's dramatic ascension to the pinnacle of American history.
Running time 8 hrs 28 min


“Why do we have to learn this?” Every teacher has heard a student ask this question. It is often followed with, “When will I ever use this?”
Perhaps anyone who was ever a student – i.e. all of us – has either uttered or thought the very same thing. And they are indeed valid questions.
After all, when will the average person need to calculate the square root of an imaginary number? Or determine how many moles of oxide are in a substance? Or explain the difference between Aristotelian and Shakespearean tragedies?
In all honesty, the answer is probably never.


Your oral hygiene is about more than just keeping your teeth healthy. After all, your mouth has a significant connection to the rest of your body, and problems with your teeth and gums can easily translate to health problems elsewhere. If you fail to stave off gum disease, you may even be putting yourself at an increased risk of serious cognitive disorders.
This is according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine and Dentistry. This study demonstrated that age-related brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease may be directly linked to poor dental health. Researchers looked at samples of brain tissue taken from ten healthy brains and ten brains taken from people who had struggled with such diseases; in four of the brains that suffered from dementia, researchers discovered signs of a type of oral bacteria that is known to thrive in mouths afflicted with gum disease.
The specific link between gum disease and brain disorders is not well understood. It could be that poor dental health causes such disorders, or it may only be that it serves to aggravate an existing condition. One way or another, though, it is clear that your dental appointments have an important relationship with your mental health. Contact our Bellevue dentist to schedule an appointment today!


Where did coffee originate?
Can you tell me where coffee first came from?
The first record of coffee as a beverage takes us back to Ethiopia in the 9th century. Legend has it that a shepherd observed how his goats experienced a sudden burst in energy and appeared to dance after eating the cherries of the coffee plant.
(That’s why you’ll occasionally find coffee shops and coffee blends with the words “dancing goat” in their name.)
When people first figured out that coffee was best consumed after the beans were roasted and ground, I really don’t know.
By the 15th century coffee was being enjoyed across the Middle East, from North Africa to Turkey and Persia.
Soon after, the Venetians imported coffee to Venice, from where the practice of drinking coffee slowly spread across Europe during the 17th century.
Coffee was slow to gain in popularity in North America. It wasn’t until the war with Britain in 1812, and the accompanying restrictions on the import of tea, that coffee really became a popular drink.
I hope this goes some of the way to answering your question!


About the Artefact
Sri Lankan Amulets made of different materials
The British Museum houses 6 Sri Lankan amulets, made of different materials and largely dating from a single source and period. Amulets were, and are still worn in Sri Lanka as a charm to keep misfortune at bay. They are worn around one’s waist, neck or arm and are often engraved with a charm or contain a charm written on copper or gold or an ola leaf.
The ones collected in The British Museum are:
1. Amulet made of wild boar ivory tusk. Height: 6.10 centimetres. Weight: 50 grammes. Width: 12.60 centimetres. Depth: 2.20 centimetres. Purchased from Hugh Nevill in 1898. Museum number As1898,0703.1649. Miscellaneous number: As1980Q1.797
2. Bo leaf-shaped amulet made of metal, cloth. Length: 13 centimetres. Width: 9 centimetres. Purchased from Hugh Nevill in 1898. Museum number As1898,0703.1652. CDMS number: As1980Q1.800; EAS99209).
3. Amulet, metal leaf on cloth cotton mount. Length: 300 centimetres. Width: 8 centimetres. Museum number As1980,Q.800.
4. Amulet bead made of a conch shell and engraved. Purchased from Hugh Nevill in 1898. Height: 4.20 centimetres. Weight: 47 grammes. Width: 7 centimetres. Depth: 3.50 centimetres. Museum number As1898,0703.1654. Miscellaneous number: As1980Q1.802.
5. Amulet bead made of a conch shell. Purchased from Hugh Nevill in 1898. Diameter: 2.70 centimetres. Weight: 80 grammes. Width: 8.40 centimetres. Museum number As1898,0703.1653. Miscellaneous number: As1980Q1.801.
6. Amulet made of a wild boar’s ivory tusk. Purchased from Hugh Nevill in 1898. Height: 3.80 centimetres. Weight: 21 grammes. Width: 8.60 centimetres. Depth: 1.50 centimetres. Museum number As1898,0703.1650. Miscellaneous number: As1980Q1.798.


In a culture dominated by fast food and a growing obesity epidemic, it is more important than ever to teach our children healthy eating habits early on — and reinforce them as they grow.
The following is a list of tips to help involve and encourage children when it comes to food…
Teach them to cook:
This is one of the greatest ways to get children interested in food. Instead of shooing them out of the kitchen while you are making dinner, give them an age appropriate task. They can enjoy the pride of helping to create a meal, and learn tools that they will carry into the future.
Be a role model:
Kids learn by observation, and you can’t expect them to have a healthy relationship with food unless you do. Make sure that you take the time to eat well, make healthy choices, and be willing to try new things. Your children will be more likely to do the same.
Don’t make assumptions:
We often hear parents exclaiming that their children don’t like certain foods. Or we may discourage our children from trying an adult food because we think that they won’t enjoy it. Don’t. Try not to label them as picky or difficult eaters. Instead encourage them to try things that interest them and don’t always feel like you can only make “kid friendly” meals. They just may surprise you.
Plant a garden:
If you have the space for it, creating a garden together with your children is a hands-on way to show them where food comes from and how it grows. Even if you don’t have a big yard, you can fill pots with dirt and give them the task taking care of whatever you choose to plant. The excitement of picking their own harvest is unlike anything else, and they can learn how delicious fresh produce can be.
Stock up the good stuff:
Kids love snacking so be sure to introduce them to healthy snacks. For your sake and for theirs, keep your kitchen stocked with healthy and delicious snack options, rather than chips or cookies. Have whole grain crackers and cheese, yogurt, carrot sticks, celery and peanut butter, or other good-for-you treats. Also, keep a bowl of fresh fruit available that they can grab from whenever they want.
Don’t use food as a punishment or reward:
It can be easy to withhold food when your kids are misbehaving or being difficult. It is also easy to try and soothe or reward a fussy child with a sweet treat. Both of these habits can ultimately confuse how they feel about food. Keep food and mealtimes consistent, and find other ways to punish or to treat your children.


Many students find chemistry courses exceptionally challenging because of the depth and breadth of content, the rapid pace of the course and, particularly in the case of organic chemistry, the notion that each successive lesson builds directly on previous lessons over the course of the entire year-long sequence.
In the Mobile Learning Project at GGC, instructors integrate handheld technology and applications into organic chemistry course lectures and labs that engage students with the same tools and techniques they use to engage life in the modern world.
Based on the Thayer Method of Teaching and Learning initially developed in the 19th century by Sylvanus Thayer, the iTouch project helps students prepare before coming to class and lab in order to maximize student-instructor class time.
How We Help Students Prepare Before Class
Students may access smart phone viewable course administrative materials including:
- Detailed syllabus that guides student preparation before class
- Student-friendly text and solutions manual
- MyCourses with all course materials
- Digital flashcards containing basic organic chemistry nomenclature, molecular structures and chemical reactions
- Audio/visual demonstrations of chemical lab techniques they will perform as part of laboratory experimentation
- Video mini-lectures of material for upcoming class periods prepared using the Smart Board Airliner Interactive Tablet
- Cell phone text/voice messaging between faculty and students
How we Help Students in the Classroom
Using this method of instruction, there is no fixed class agenda. The instructor begins each class with a series of questions to gauge student progress, then guides the class' daily lesson based on student discussion, questions and issues with course material. Students perform in-class chemical demonstrations, participate in individual/group problem solving “at the whiteboards” and discuss solutions to the board exercise with classmates. Each class period is 75 minutes long, allowing sufficient time for discussion, exploration of more challenging topics in-depth and student discussion under the guiding and mentoring eye of the instructor. The lab program is directly integrated with the class, using the same sections and instructors.
A Typical Day in the Mobile Learning Project
- Students prepare before class by reviewing flashcards, videos and other podcasts
- Instructor gauges student understanding at beginning of class with targeted questions
- Students drive discussion, questions and answers, focused on daily lesson
- Chemical demonstrations and discussion
- Mini-lectures from instructor on course material as needed
- Students complete individual and group exercises “at the whiteboard” and discuss
- A quiz on the daily lesson


A recent study showed a low-carbohydrate, whole foods diet low in inflammatory foods significantly decreases thyroid antibodies — the marker for autoimmune thyroid disease, or Hashimoto’s. Hashimoto’s occurs when the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid gland; it is the cause of about 90 percent of hypothyroid cases. This study is further evidence you can profoundly influence autoimmune Hashimoto’s through diet and lifestyle interventions.
In the three-week study, almost 200 people with Hashimoto’s were divided into two groups. One group followed the low-carbohydrate study diet while the other followed a standard low-calorie diet.
The results were significant: Levels of several different thyroid antibodies that serve as markers for Hashimoto’s dropped between 40 and almost 60 percent! This group also lost a little weight.
Meanwhile, the group that followed a low-calorie diet saw antibody levels go up between 9 to 30 percent!
What the study group ate to tame Hashimoto’s
The study designers chose a curious route for their research in having their subjects follow both a low-carbohydrate, anti-inflammatory diet as well as a diet low in goitrogens. Goitrogens are compounds that lower thyroid function and are found in raw cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.), soy, and other foods.
Before people understood the mechanisms of autoimmune Hashimoto’s, it used to be the rule of thumb was to avoid goitrogenic foods.
However, through the evolution of functional medicine, we have learned most people with Hashimoto’s can safely eat normal amounts of cruciferous vegetables. In fact, they contain many beneficial nutrients as well as fiber. People with unresolved small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or genetic difficulty metabolizing sulfur may not do well with these vegetables. So we don’t know how subjects would have fared in this study had they included these vegetables.
Soy, on the other hand, has been shown to lower thyroid hormone levels in studies and is best avoided by those with Hashimoto’s.
The study diet that improved Hashimoto’s
Here is the diet the study subjects ate that lowered their thyroid antibodies:
- Low carbohydrate diet that was 12 to 15 percent carbohydrates, 50 to 60 percent protein, and 25 to 30 percent fats. (Most people eat a diet that is about 50 percent carbohydrates.)
- Lots of different vegetables. Research shows a diet high in veggies improves immune health through its impact on beneficial gut bacteria.
- Lean meats and fish.
- No goitrogens: cruciferous vegetables (which, if not eaten to excess, improve beneficial gut bacteria), canola, watercress, arugula, radish, horseradish, spinach, millet, tapioca, nitrates.
- Eggs, legumes, dairy products, bread, pasta, fruit, and rice. In functional medicine we know gluten and dairy exacerbate autoimmune Hashimoto’s for the most part. Eggs, legumes, and grains are inflammatory for many people as well. People with poor blood sugar stability may need to limit their fruit intake.
In functional medicine, we see the best results with a diet very similar to this one called the autoimmune paleo diet (AIP). In fact, a recent study showed the AIP diet significantly improved autoimmune gut disorders.
Ask my office for more advice on managing your Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism or other autoimmune disease.


Music is important as a catalyst for learning; as well, music can support and nurture engagement and self-esteem in children. Since part of the Deep Roots Music Cooperate vision is about making meaningful musical connections, we see a wonderful opportunity here. One of our new projects this year involves sending a musician into the school system. We call it “Musicians in Schools.”
Our pilot project is happening at the Coldbrook School, and involves Deep Roots supporting local musician Scott Hupman in using his natural talents to engage with young musicians. The project will continue to unfold and evolve as feedback happens but a lot of excitement exists about the possibilities. Based on evaluation of outcomes on this pilot, we anticipate continuing to develop and spread the musical connections.
Stay tuned for more information on this exciting venture! In the meantime, if you are interested, check out this link to one music project in the UK fully supporting this concept that music can rock the world of students in all kinds of positive ways: https://www.facebook.com/BBCmusic-in-school-video.


Why Are Cats More Active At Night
In fact most of their activity is during this time period.
Why are cats more active at night. Why your cat runs around at night. Many domestic cats spend their days alone indoors while their people are at work. It is not a hard and.
Cats are nocturnal which means they are more active during nighttime hours than during the day. Why Cats Are Most Active at Night. If you thought it was because cats were nocturnal think again.
Cats are crepuscular meaning that they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk which is the prime hunting time in the wild. While your pet cat most likely has numerous resting places at your house wild cats in the neighborhood must make do with. They like to stalk nocturnal animals like mice and rats even crickets toads and frogs.
Why Does My Cat Get So Active at Night. This cat mystery is even more intriguing at night when they wander neighborhoods and our homes doing whatever it is they do. Night time is the best time after all for small rodents to come out.
For cats that seem to be meowing more than usual at night you should double-check. According to science. Shelly Zacharias DVM VPM and vice president of Medical Affairs at Gallant told POPSUGAR.
Why Is My Cat So Active At Night. Why is My Cat Up at Night. Most active at night due to the fact that night time is when their prey is most active.
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- What Can My Cat Not Eat


The law of neutrality - the corpus of legal rules regulating the relationship between belligerents and States taking no part in hostilities - assumed its modern form in a world in which the waging of war was unconstrained. The neutral State enjoyed territorial inviolability to the extent that it adhered to the obligations attaching to its neutral status and thus the law of neutrality provided spatial parameters for the conduct of hostilities. Yet the basis on which the law of neutrality developed - the extra-legal character of war - no longer exists. Does the law of neutrality continue to survive in the modern era? If so, how has it been modified by the profound changes in the law on the use of force and the law of armed conflict?
This book argues that neutrality endures as a key concept of the law of armed conflict. The interaction between belligerent and nonbelligerent States continues to require legal regulation, as demonstrated by a number of recent conflicts, including the Iraq War of 2003 and the Mavi Marmara incident of 2010. By detailing the rights and duties of neutral states and demonstrating how the rules of neutrality continue to apply in modern day conflicts, this restatement of law of neutrality will be a useful guide to legal academics working on the law of armed conflict, the law on the use of force, and the history of international law, as well as for government and military lawyers seeking comprehensive guidance in this difficult area of the law.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Upcher: Neutrality in Contemporary International Law
Neutrality in Contemporary International Law (Oxford Univ. Press 2020). Here's the abstract:


This workshop discusses the rationale behind and the implementation of common core standards in math. Participants learn how the standards are organized, including both general and grade-specific standards. Participants also gain a better understanding of the way in which the standards are taught and the rationale behind the new teaching practices and techniques. While focusing on three specific math standards, Kelsey Ritzel provides examples to help tutors teach the basic math functions in their sessions
About the presenter:
Kelsey Ritzel is the Associate Director of the High Road School in Norwalk, CT, a nonpublic Special Education school for children with emotional and learning disabilities. Prior to moving to New York, Kelsey worked as an elementary and middle school Special Education teacher in Los Angeles and Baltimore. While living in Los Angeles, Kelsey volunteered as a tutor at the School on Wheels Skid Row Learning Center. She earned her MA in teaching from Notre Dame of Maryland University with a dual certification in Elementary Education and Special Education.
It can be a challenge to work with students with ADHD or other special needs, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. In this workshop, special needs advocate Danielle Wiltchik emphasizes tutoring to address the behavior, not the diagnosis, and she offers helpful tips and techniques to make sessions more productive for both tutor and student. Topics include dealing with homework difficulties, improving attention and lowering stress through mindfulness, and understanding the myths and misconceptions of ADHD.
About the presenter:
Danielle Wiltchik is a special education tutor with master licensure in mild/moderate needs and a master’s degree in Special Education Cognitive Disabilities. She has over 16 years of experience teaching children with differentiated abilities in private and public settings across the grade levels. A parent of two boys, she is also the owner of Special Needs OC, a private consulting and service provider that specializes in supporting individuals and families with Learning Differences, ADHD, Autism, and other disabilities across the lifespan.
Please note: some of the information in this webinar about School on Wheels programs is outdated. The tutoring tips are still very helpful!
This workshop reviews ways to identify your student’s ‘math break,’ while also providing tips and techniques to make math fun for both you and your student. Increasing the ‘fun factor’ during tutoring sessions will keep your student engaged and help eliminate learning gaps.
About the Presenter:
Anita Weir started college as a math major, before eventually earning a degree in Business Administration from University of Phoenix. She recently retired from her third career as an Executive Assistant. In previous careers she worked as an Insurance Claims Examiner and an Employee Benefits Specialist. She has been tutoring School on Wheels students since 2012. She lives with her family in Playa del Rey, CA.
In this workshop, Lauren Kinney presents arts activities — drawing from music, creative writing, and visual arts. Utilizing the arts in tutoring can create a more lighthearted environment that may reach unengaged students and provide them with ways to shine while they learn. The arts activities presented reinforce skills and topics from language arts and math, integrating these subjects in fun and creative ways.
Lauren Kinney is a musician and writer in Los Angeles currently working on her master’s in creative writing with an emphasis in fiction. She has taught K-8th grade general music for 2-1/2 years after being trained in Orff Schulwerk, a music education approach that incorporates movement, drama, and speech in the general music classroom. She is passionate about arts education and is interested in the ways that the arts can be a vehicle for social-emotional learning.
This presentation is the first of many resources that will be available to the School on Wheels staff/tutors to help make the move towards Common Core aligned curriculum. It gives a brief overview and background of what the Common Core Standards are, specifically looking at English Language Arts (ELA) and Math for grades K-12, and what materials are being developed for School on Wheels tutors. This shift in curriculum will be vital in helping our students achieve academic success, becoming college and career ready, and ultimately stopping the cycle of homelessness in their lives.
Amy Ezhaya recently joined the School on Wheels team as the curriculum and outcomes measurement specialist. This position was newly created in order to help School on Wheels better meet the needs of homeless students in their program by providing them with the highest level of educational materials and tracking their progress to ensure success of the program.
Kelsey Ritzel is a Special Education teacher at Frederick Douglass Academy Elementary School. She holds a Masters degree in Education from the University of Notre Dame of Maryland, and has worked in various Special Education settings for the past 5 years. Kelsey has received training in the implementation of Common Core Standards through the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Math fellows program. She has been a dedicated tutor for the School on Wheels Skid Row Learning Center for over a year.
Have you ever asked your student to summarize what he/she just read and been met with a blank stare? Translating reading into comprehension is a difficult skill that requires the use of multiple strategies to succeed. We partnered with Denise Burgher, a former high school English teacher in South LA, to provide this online workshop opportunity for School on Wheels tutors. Denise covers an introduction to effective reading strategies for all ages.


Wills and Codicils
A Will is a legal document that records how your assets are to be distributed after your death. It also appoints the person or persons (the executor/s) you want to be responsible for the administration of your estate and distribution of your assets under your Will.
If you do not have a Will, the Administration Act prescribes how your assets are to be distributed after your death, which may not be as you wish.
A Will can be simple or sophisticated, depending upon the Willmaker’s circumstances and the circumstances of the intended beneficiaries. Whether simple or complex, a Will needs to anticipate the different situations which may exist at the time of your death, such as whether your intended beneficiary (for example, your spouse or partner) dies before you or after you.
A Codicil is a legal document that acts as an addition to a Will and is used to make changes to certain parts of a Will. It can be useful where the required changes are minor and you don’t want to rewrite your entire Will.


Letters to the Editor
Readers write about how the US Navy impacts marine mammals, why some Somalis have turned to piracy, Obama's role in Europe, and the Taliban in Pakistan.
The US Navy works to share the sea with marine mammals
Regarding the April 2 Opinion piece, "Smarten up naval sonar to save the whales": This commentary, by Jean-Michel Cousteau and Joel R. Reynolds, does not accurately portray the United States Navy's continuing commitment to the protection of marine species while training with active sonar, and misleadingly omits important facts that provide context.
The commentary's mention of NOAA Fisheries' authorization of marine mammal "takes" during Navy sonar training is particularly misleading. More than 99 percent of the takes authorized for sonar training in the Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training study area involve only "behavioral" effects, rather than any temporary or permanent physical effect on marine species.
Safeguarding marine mammals during training and operations is an integral part of Navy culture and operations. Sailors serve to defend not only our freedom, but also our values, which includes a healthy and robust natural environment. We employ dozens of protective measures when using active sonar, measures developed using the best available science and in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries, the federal agency responsible for marine mammal protection.
The Navy is a world leader in advancing scientific understanding of marine mammals and the effects of ocean sound. Over the past five years, the Navy has invested more than $100 million to support ongoing research at world-class scientific institutions such as the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of St. Andrews (Scotland), and others. Our increasing knowledge about marine mammals and sound will help ensure the continuing effectiveness of the protective measures employed.
The US Navy will continue to share the sea in a responsible manner with the increasing populations of northern right whales and other marine mammals. To learn more about the Navy's efforts to protect marine mammals, go to www.navy.mil/oceans.
John P. Quinn
Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division
Somali piracy is the result of desperation
In regard to the April 8 article, "Who will stop the pirates?": The Somali pirates are former fishermen, who cannot make a decent living fishing anymore for good reason: Foreign fishing fleets are pillaging Somali fish stocks within their marine economic zone.
Foreigners are also dumping toxic waste, including nuclear waste, in Somali waters, adversely affecting fish stocks and people's health.
Some countries are taking advantage of Somalia's internal troubles to steal their fish and pollute their marine environment. Correct those problems and maybe they'll go back to fishing.
Vancouver, British Columbia
The US should not tell Europe what to do
Regarding the April 6 editorial, "Obama woos Turkey but will it woo back?": The editorial board writes, "Obama, too, can speak with special authority in encouraging the traditionally Christian European Union to move ahead with membership for largely Muslim Turkey." Frankly and respectfully: The authority of the president of the United States does not authorize him to meddle in European affairs.
El Cajon, Calif.
Muslim extremists do not follow the teachings of the Prophet
Regarding the April 5 article, "Outrage over Taliban flogging of Pakistani girl could threaten peace deal": It is unacceptable that atrocities continue to be committed by the Taliban in Pakistan. Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani have to take strong actions against the perpetrators.
The Prophet Muhammad was appointed by God to raise the status of mankind, but extremists like the Taliban refuse to follow in his footsteps.
The Monitor welcomes your letters. All submissions are subject to editing. Letters must include your full name; your city, state, and country; and your telephone number. Any letter accepted may appear on our website, www.CSMonitor.com. E-mail letters to firstname.lastname@example.org. Or mail letters to Readers Write, 210 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.


Chemotherapy is used to treat a lot of cancers. It often is given in combination with other cancer therapies. Chemotherapy is an effective and important part of total cancer care. Each patient is different, so chemotherapy treatment is tailored to the patient’s specific needs.
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy drugs are used to prevent rapid growth and division of cancer cells. Cancer cells generally grow and divide faster than healthy cells, so chemotherapy destroys cancer cells more quickly than it destroys most healthy cells. Chemotherapy drugs travel throughout the body and kill cancer cells wherever they are located, and is a very effective treatment for many types of cancer, such as breast cancer and lymphoma.
Also called IV therapy, intravenous chemo often is through a catheter tube in a vein. Some patients are given an IV infusion device, which stay in longer than an IV catheter.
Given as a shot, usually in a muscle, the fatty part of an arm or leg, or the belly.
Using a thin catheter, chemotherapy directly targets a tumor while sparing healthy tissue.
Chemotherapy is delivered directly into the peritoneum (tissue lining the stomach cavity and surrounding abdominal organs). It targets cancers directly.
Drugs may be taken in pill, capsule or liquid form.
Cream rubbed on the skin.
Chemotherapy may cause these common side effects:
- Stomach pain
- Pain from nerve damage
- Mouth and throat sores
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blood disorders
- Nervous system effects
- Thinking, memory problems
- Sexual and reproductive issues
- Appetite loss
- Hair loss
- Heart or kidney problems
- Infection risks