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Obesity is big news in the media today. Everyone wants to get involved (including the government - check out yesterday's big news regarding a sugary drinks ban here), they want to fix it, to discover what is causing it, and to do this without putting in the actual work required to make the necessary changes in ones life to better manage their weight. In a recently published study, it has been found that technology may also be a culprit to the growing obesity epidemic. “Social Jetlag” is a term used in psychological circles for a mix up between our body’s internal clock and our daily schedules. In easier terms it is simply our growing refusal to listen to our internal biological clock. Think of the body like a machine; it works at optimum when you give it the best fuel, run it every once and a while, and allow it to sleep when not in use. Setting a schedule is key and not overworking a machine keeps it from breaking down. The same applies to the human body; albeit this is a more complicated machine.
This machine (the human body) has a consciousness and can make decisions that impact its health. Its subconscious creates the optimal and appropriate time for rest (to keep it healthy) which is often referred to as the internal clock. When we stop listening to this internal clock we create more problems than just insomnia or lack of sleep. Some of the links have been made to increased smoking, contributing to obesity, increased consumption for both alcohol (depressant) and caffeine. In other words, ignoring our internal clock can be very bad for our health and way of living.
In response to this recent new evidence; Till Roenneberg at the University of Munich has recently started compiling a database on human sleep and awake patterns and behaviors which will be used to produce a world sleep map.
It stands to reason that lack of sleep is becoming a factor of obesity; on average a person burns about 45 calories during one hour of sleep. On an eight hour schedule that equates to 360 calories, if you cut that down to six which is the recommended minimum time for rest it equates to 270 calories. Four hours equals 180 and… well you see the connection.
The problem is, in the case of social jetlag, the person is sacrificing sleep to be online in most cases, this burns very few calories and keeps the brain from shutting down for the much needed rest it requires.
Obesity is on the rise that the government, in their own misguided way, is getting involved in the fight. Thursday the news was on fire discussing the ban proposal New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg regarding ‘supersized’ sodas and sugary drinks (click here for more details), which has caused quite the controversy. With government attention, comes government funding. There are sure to be more studies created in the near future looking for the correlation of obesity to technological advancements.
What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you get enough sleep every night? Do you think lack of sleep has an impact on the rising obesity in the United States? You opinion matters, feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts.
As always, thank you for reading, and have a great day~
Subscribe to this column for free to get email alerts when new articles are posted and please share this article with your friends. | <urn:uuid:1bf51d38-0062-46ff-a9d7-ea55c28f60ca> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.examiner.com/article/new-study-links-social-jetlag-to-obesity-smoking-insomnia-and-drinking?cid=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00059-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951601 | 679 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Physics help from experts.
Famous Filipino physicists have not received the same amount of recognition as their North American or European counterparts. We hope the following provides some balance to this perspective. Some of the individuals listed below were trained in or worked in the United States. Although not all the following were strictly physicists, their contributions are in areas closely related to physics and are included in this list of famous Filipino physicists.
Alcaraz, Arturo: was a leading member of a team that used steam produced from the heat of a volcano to produce electric power in 1967.
Banatao, Diosdado: introduced or developed accelerator chips that improved computer performance, helped make the internet possible by contributing to the development of the Ethernet controller chip, created the local bus concept for personal computers.
Campos, Paulo: wrote many papers in the field of nuclear medicine and was instrumental in building the first radioisotope lab in the Philippines.
Comiso, Josefino: the first person to discover a recurring area of open water in sea ice in the Cosmonaut Sea. Comiso was studying global warming at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Maramba, Felix: developed a profitable biogas system, building a power generator fuelled by coconut oil.
Zara, Gregorio: discovered around 1930 the law of electrical kinetic resistance (“Zara Effect”). In 1955 he patented a two-way videophone. In the 1950’s and 1960’s he developed or improved alternate energy technologies.
For help with physics problems, try Physics Homework Help | <urn:uuid:c591fe17-0e9c-47fe-a355-97c0e5afe27b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.physics247.com/physics-tutorial/famous-filipino-physicists.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393533.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00035-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952996 | 324 | 2.765625 | 3 |
How to Knit Easy steps
If you want to learn how to knit, you came to the right place. Below are easy steps that will help you understand the process as well as have a general idea about the topic. But before starting with the steps, you need to know the basic concepts about knit. Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitting consists of consecutive loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can be passed through them. This process eventually results in a final product, often a garment.
Practice makes perfect, don't hesistate to practice to achieve the desired goal. Try to combine the steps above with the video below in order to obtain the most information about how to knit.
How to Knit Video
Below is also a video to help you learn how to Knit.
We hope the above steps and videoknit have helped you in your quest to learn how to knit. If you like this page you might also want to go to our main page and learn more about our Book of the Worlds. | <urn:uuid:f2d75ae4-73f1-48a1-b041-b53174f40d33> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://learnthis.org/knit.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395621.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00114-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973142 | 246 | 3.75 | 4 |
Whitman left school in 1830, worked as a printer's devil and later as a compositor. In 1838–39 he taught school on Long Island and edited the Long Islander newspaper. By 1841 he had become a full-time journalist, editing successively several papers and writing prose and verse for New York and Brooklyn journals. His active interest in politics during this period led to the editorship of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, a Democratic party paper; he lost this job, however, because of his vehement advocacy of abolition and the "free-soil" movement. After a brief trip to New Orleans in 1848, Whitman returned to Brooklyn, continued as a journalist, and later worked as a carpenter. | <urn:uuid:890de5e8-e6c5-4b89-8d60-e3ffa8858fa9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/people/whitman-walt-early-life.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00020-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.983229 | 145 | 2.828125 | 3 |
This is a fascinating news item. Hold on to your beanie hats with the propellers on them.
Scientists may have actually detected the grain or pixels of the universe. This may mean that our reality, everything we see and do, our entire universe in fact, is like a 3-dimensional holographic image of sorts projected from somewhere else. Talk about a one-two punch.
This story starts at a German-British gravity wave detector called GEO600 in northern Germany. They’ve been trying to find Einstein’s theorized gravity waves for 7 years. It is believed these waves in space-time itself are created by titanic events in the universe like supernovae or collisions of black holes or neutron stars. The detectors work by splitting a beam of light and sending it in two directions perpendicular to each other, bouncing the light off of mirrors, and then recombining it to look for any changes in the interference pattern. If this pattern shifts, if might have been caused by one of the perpendicular pathways being stretched or squeezed by a passing gravity wave. The group that detects these waves first will be the first gravitational wave astronomers.
These researchers ran into a problem though. Their detectors kept getting this background noise that would not go away.
Enter Craig Hogan, physicist at the Fermilab particle physics lab in Batavia, Illinois and recent appointee as director of Fermilab’s Center for Particle Astrophysics
He’d been thinking long and hard about what’s called the Holographic Principle. The idea here is that the total amount of information or entropy a space can contain depends on its surface or the boundary of that space and not its volume as you might suppose. So as an analogy, the amount of plastic used in a beach ball would be directly related to the amount of information that there can be on the inside of the ball.
This sounds counterintuitive but this mathematical principle actually works when calculating the entropy of a black hole. In 1972, Physicist Jacob Bekenstein discovered that a black hole’s entropy or information content, is proportional to the surface area of its event horizon. The progenitor star that exploded and became the black hole then could have all the information about its 3D structure encoded in the 2D event horizon.
In the early 90’s, physicists Leonard Susskind and Gerard ‘t Hooft extrapolated the holographic principle from a black hole’s event horizon to the cosmological horizon which is essentially the boundaries of the observable universe.
This would mean that the universe could essentially be described as a 2-dimensional construct embedded in boundaries of the cosmological horizon (observable universe). Our visible universe could then be seen as a 3-dimensional representation of processes happening on that distant 2-dimensional surface. The analogy with a hologram is not perfect but it does help a bit. A normal hologram on your credit card is a piece of plastic with a 2D pattern etched into it. When light shines on it a 3D pattern emerges.
Ok, back to Hogan. He realized that if this principle could be applied to the universe, then each tiny bit of our horizon would be linked or mapped to our reality somewhere inside. The tiniest bit of anything allowed by quantum theory is called a planck length which is 1.6 x 10 -36 meters. That’s a hundred billion billion times smaller than a proton. This is as small as small can get folks. This is the fundamental unit of length or grain allowed in space-time. Any fraction of it therefore has no meaning. Half of a planck length makes no physical sense. It would be like half of an electron.
Needless to say, this is so unimaginably small that there’s no conceivable way to examine the universe at this scale. We may, though, have a workaround…
Since, in general, surface area is less than its associated volume, each grain in the surface of our horizon must correspond to a bigger grain in our world. Imagine dots on our beach ball. Each dot would map to a much bigger dot inside the ball in order for the 1 to 1 relation to hold. That’s the key concept right there. This is what Hogan realized. He figured, that if we had a measuring instrument detailed enough, we could potentially see the pixels or grain or planck length of space-time because the holographic version of them in the universe would have to be much bigger than they really are on the surface.
Hogan even predicted that GEO600 would be sensitive enough to detect the grain of the universe. He approached the company before he knew they were getting noise. When they sent Hogan a plot of the noise it matched his prediction.
“It looks like GEO600 is being buffeted by the microscopic quantum convulsions of space-time,” says Hogan.
The other bit of intriguing evidence supporting this idea comes from theorist Juan Maldacena. He actually showed that a hypothetical universe of 5 dimensions has physics inside it that match the physics on its 4 dimensional boundary. I don’t know how he did it but the particles that interact on the surface corresponded exactly with the interacting strings on the interior. The trick now of course is to apply this to our non-hypothetical universe.
As compelling as some of this evidence is, keep in mind that no one knows if it is true yet. Most scientists consider this more of an idea or hypothesis than a theory.
If it’s true it’s a double-edged sword. It would mean we may never see gravity waves because the resolution of the universe is too low. Gravity waves have great potential and I’d hate to see them impossible to verify.
The other side of that sword is pretty cool though. What if all this is true?
Hogan has said:
“Forget Quantum of Solace, we would have directly observed the quantum of time…It’s the smallest possible interval of time – the Planck length divided by the speed of light.”
The elusive theory of everything (quantum gravity) could also get quite a boost from this. Certain approaches to string theory tie in nicely to this theory and some don’t. Cutting away some of the non-holographic trash would aid greatly in this endeavor.
Anything that helps us figure out how space-time bubbles out of quantum theory is awesome in my book.
My only question now is should I return my Hi-Def TV if we live in a low-res universe? | <urn:uuid:ef23431d-e47d-46f0-a5fa-aa73f5740a3e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://theness.com/roguesgallery/index.php/general-science/the-universes-pixels-and-holographic-reality/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398628.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00033-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942631 | 1,360 | 3.5 | 4 |
The Cop Column
Sgt. Rick Hord
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office
The Birth of the “Terry Stop”
The 40th anniversary of an incredibly important day for Law Enforcement in America has passed without fanfare.
It was on June 10, 1968 The United States Supreme Court recognized “Stop and Frisk” as constitutionally reasonable under certain circumstances.
“Stop and Frisk” had been used by cops for many years before a Cleveland, Ohio plainclothes officer named Martin J. McFadden, working foot patrol, stopped three suspicious persons and found concealed guns on two of them.
McFadden had seen two men alternately take turns walking down a street, peer into a store, walk farther down the street, turn around and return to their starting point. The men would confer with each other, and sometimes, with a third man, before repeating the ritual. Officer McFadden concluded the men were about to rob the store, identified himself, and found two revolvers when he conducted a “Stop and Frisk” on the afternoon of October 31, 1963.
The would-be robbers, John Terry and Richard Chilton, appealed their convictions. By the time the case reached the US Supreme Court, Terry had served his sentence, and Chilton had died. The legal question, however, remained: When Officer McFadden detained and searched the two men, was he violating the Fourth Amendment?
By 1968, the Law Enforcement community was awaiting Supreme Court decisions with trepidation. Many feared the court was stripping them of the tools they needed.
Two years earlier, the famous Miranda decision tossed out a rape conviction because the police believed the suspect when he said he knew his rights before he confessed to the crime. From then on, cops would also have to teach a mini-civics lesson before initiating interrogations.
In 1963, the Court told the states they’d have to get their taxpayers to hire lawyers for every criminal defendant who could not afford one.
In 1961, the Supreme Court imposed the “Exclusionary Rule” on every court in the land, meaning no matter how guilty the criminal, he goes free if the police hadn’t followed the rules when they found the evidence.
Justice William O. Douglas strongly believed this case was another example of an officer going too far. “There have been powerful hydraulic pressures,” wrote Justice Douglas, “…to water down constitutional guarantees and give the police the upper hand… Yet if the individual is no longer to be sovereign, if the police can… ‘search’ and ‘seize’ him in their discretion, we enter a new regime.”
The other Justices conceded Officer McFadden did not have probable cause for an arrest when he stopped Chilton and Terry, but ruled the temporary detentions reasonable, and therefore constitutional, given the circumstances. Thus was born the concept of “Reasonable Suspicion,” a legal standard for police to temporarily detain individuals to determine if Probable Cause for an arrest is present.
Ironically, temporary detention is now known as a “Terry Stop,” after a convicted criminal who lost his appeal, and not as a “McFadden Stop” in honor of an officer whose excellent work secured that tool for all police officers in the United States. | <urn:uuid:a31868ee-d0d4-44e7-896f-0fc6fc3bb75a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sheriff-okaloosa.org/wp-content/pdfs/newsreleases/2008/cc072008.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00161-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970068 | 696 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Network Working Group
Request For Comments: 826
David C. Plummer
An Ethernet Address Resolution Protocol
-- or --
Converting Network Protocol Addresses
to 48.bit Ethernet Address
for Transmission on
The implementation of protocol P on a sending host S decides,
through protocol P's routing mechanism, that it wants to transmit
to a target host T located some place on a connected piece of
10Mbit Ethernet cable. To actually transmit the Ethernet packet
a 48.bit Ethernet address must be generated. The addresses of
hosts within protocol P are not always compatible with the
corresponding Ethernet address (being different lengths or
values). Presented here is a protocol that allows dynamic
distribution of the information needed to build tables to
translate an address A in protocol P's address space into a
48.bit Ethernet address.
Generalizations have been made which allow the protocol to be
used for non-10Mbit Ethernet hardware. Some packet radio
networks are examples of such hardware.
The protocol proposed here is the result of a great deal of
discussion with several other people, most notably J. Noel
Chiappa, Yogen Dalal, and James E. Kulp, and helpful comments
from David Moon.
[The purpose of this RFC is to present a method of Converting
Protocol Addresses (e.g., IP addresses) to Local Network
Addresses (e.g., Ethernet addresses). This is a issue of general
concern in the ARPA Internet community at this time. The
method proposed here is presented for your consideration and
comment. This is not the specification of a Internet Standard.]
This protocol was originally designed for the DEC/Intel/Xerox
10Mbit Ethernet. It has been generalized to allow it to be used
for other types of networks. Much of the discussion will be
directed toward the 10Mbit Ethernet. Generalizations, where
applicable, will follow the Ethernet-specific discussion.
DOD Internet Protocol will be referred to as Internet.
Numbers here are in the Ethernet standard, which is high byte
first. This is the opposite of the byte addressing of machines
such as PDP-11s and VAXes. Therefore, special care must be taken
with the opcode field (ar$op) described below.
An agreed upon authority is needed to manage hardware name space
values (see below). Until an official authority exists, requests
should be submitted to
David C. Plummer
243 Vassar Street
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139
Alternatively, network mail can be sent to DCP@MIT-MC. | <urn:uuid:4bffe318-2b43-4d51-b6cc-11d7a318ecc3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cotse.com/CIE/RFC/826/index.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.867005 | 556 | 2.71875 | 3 |
How do I start using standards?
What are the challenges I will face?
How do I assess students' progress?
How does technology complement this approach?
How do I introduce standards to the parents and community?
Dr. J. Arthur Jones of the organization Quality Education for Minorities talks about whether standards can succeed.
What are the challenges I will face?
The challenges of standards are a consequence of the fact that standards-based education is a major shift in the way schools do business. There are both external and internal challenges as a result. Which challenges are harder to overcome will depend on your circumstances and your response to them.
External challenges include the following:
. Too many standards? A common confusion -- there are too many standards to be met in too short a time, and it doesn't seem easy to prioritize. Meet the challenge by using your expertise to focus on what you know are the important things for students to know and be able to do. Check with the assessments being used in your state and district and align your standards with their specifications. Also look at sensible discussions like those cited in a recent publication by the The Boston Plan for Excellence
. Too many new terms? Content standards, performance standards, rubrics, benchmarks. Yes, we know the feeling. New ideas need new language. Worse, people use the same words to mean different things. "Benchmarks," for example, can mean the substandards printed under the main standard, or the stages -- usually grades 4, 8, and 12 -- in which standards must be met. What to do to meet this challenge? Read about standards (see the book list in Resources), and talk about them with your colleagues until you reach a working consensus for your school and district. The terms may also be too broad for some teachers. There may need to be discussion about grade-level expectations while meeting standards. For example, if the student has to write a book review, the teacher needs to be able to guide the student to meet grade expectations.
. Students: Many resist (usually only at first) being asked to redo work until it meets the standards. One particular challenge, for example, is high-school math whizzes who are asked for the first time to explain their mathematical reasoning in writing. To meet that challenge, teachers have to insist on using writing to explain mathematics from kindergarten upwards. For current math whizzes who did not benefit from such instruction, explain to them that using writing will help them with college work and their verbal skills, which they will need someday, e.g. for state and city or Advanced Placement tests, etc.
. Parents: Some would like school to feel, look, and seem for their children just the way it did for them. These are often the most affluent parents, used to success for themselves and their children. They want to be assured that their children will get into Harvard or Stanford. These parents want to see the same old report-card categories, with As and Bs, not 4, 3, 2, 1, "advanced," or "proficient."
Other parents who themselves were educated poorly may find it difficult to support their children's rigorous homework, and may even complain that standards-based work is "too hard" for their children.
How can you work with parents on both issues? Talk about standards, explain them, and show parents what they are and why they are important. One school district in Texas has a telephone voice-mail message for each classroom, explaining to parents what standards the children in that class are working on and what they should expect. A word to districts: including parents in every aspect of standards, from setting them to implementing them, is good insurance against parent resistance. Provide weekend retreats, newsletters, or workshops to help educate parents about standards.
. District administrators: Many administrators don't realize that resources must be aligned with standards. Textbooks, for example, must be scrutinized to make sure that the exercises included are rigorous enough. When we were using the SIP process on textbooks recently in a Midwestern school district, one teacher looked at a K-3 book and said: "This makes no sense at all." But the district had just adopted the whole textbook series -- and standards for promotion!
It's the district administrators' responsibility to support teachers with textbooks, materials, and information that makes it possible for them to teach to the standards. That support includes professional development and time to converse and share ideas as well.
. Teachers' unions: Some unions present a challenge when they perceive a threat in the move to standards-based schooling. In fact, standards-based work is teachers' path to true professionalism. They now have measurable goals -- student attainment of standards -- to aim for and can use the full range of their expertise to help the students reach those goals.
Your own belief system is the key internal challenge. When we explain that standards are for all students, we frequently get the response, "My students can't do this." If you look at your present class and see students who can't read, although they are in grades 4, 5, or 6 -- or even grade 9 -- your response is understandable. But in a standards-based system, those students shouldn't get out of your class until they can read. (No, it isn't your responsibility alone, and of course it can't be done in the nine months of the present school year.)
It may be necessary to reexamine assumptions that you brought into the profession not only from your training but even from your own experience in school as a student. The major assumption was often that school was a place for selecting and sorting -- that some students can, and most can't, and it was the school's job to identify the winners. Another assumption was that school really wasn't going to make much difference, since the students' background -- their parents' income, education level, and interest in their children's success -- was the determining factor.
This latter assumption became widespread in education after the famous Coleman Report in 1966, which basically concluded "It's all family" after examining what led to student success. However -- and this is really important -- recent research modifies this view considerably. Data collected in Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina, and Boston show that teachers are the single most important factor in students' success. Of course family background plays a part, but good teaching can often override it. For more information on the research, see the Resources section.
School administrators and teachers talk about how teachers' attitudes are crucial in the adoption of standards.
Some places where disadvantaged children are meeting standards include Mission Independent School District, El Paso Independent School District, and Ysleta School District in Texas, where schools with about 90 percent poverty rates have the same rate of success on the Grade 4 Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) as schools in more affluent suburbs. At Washington Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the scores on the Pennsylvania state test went up 90 points after the teachers worked for one year in SIP workshops. Wrigley Elementary School in poverty-ridden Appalachia was the third-highest performing elementary school in Kentucky on the state test in 1999. The principal of Wrigley says: "For these kids, what goes on between teachers and students is what matters. I tell my teachers unequivocally that if children can get through our doors, we can teach them to read. They may have no running water and no electricity, but I don't believe it has a thing to do with whether they can learn to read and write."
You know best what will help you overcome the internal challenge of your own belief system. Probably the most effective influence will be success. When you see students at their desks rewriting and reworking, trying to meet the standards embodied in the scoring guide on the classroom wall -- that they have worked with you to write -- you will begin to believe in your power to give them a future.
Workshop: Teaching to Academic Standards
Explanation | Demonstration | Exploration | Implementation | Get Credit
Concept to Classroom | About the Series | Resources | Sitemap | Credits
Thirteen | Thirteen Ed Online | thirteencelebration.org
© 2004 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:05b54b50-0083-4f7e-b0dc-a3724a046e17> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/standards/explor_sub1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394937.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00060-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969963 | 1,688 | 3.71875 | 4 |
Image arithmetic and flat-field correction
Operations can include addition and subtraction, as well as logical operations either between images or between an image and a constant value. Image arithmetic is a fundamental building block in many vision systems. In particular, image subtraction is often used to highlight differences bet ween images. The examples show how image subtraction can be used to compare an input image with a known good template.
These are the components being checked. On the left is the good component, and on the right is the defective part. To make the image easier to process, the part is illuminated with a backlight to remove any unwanted image information. The defective part can then be easily recog nised by the software.
Another common implementation of image arithmetic is flat-field correction. This technique compensates for the effect of uneven lighting, or it can be used to remove lens vignetting effects. A number of reference images are captured with a blank background and any subsequent image is adjusted to compensate for the underlying illumination error by applying flat-field correction.
Learn more about: | <urn:uuid:ac108177-6c36-4ae6-957e-2fc623803205> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.commonvisionblox.com/en/knowledge-base/image-arithmetic-and-flat-field-correction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00036-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929132 | 220 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Almost half of India's wildlife funding goes to the Bengal tiger, recent reports have shown.
"Project Tiger", a conservation project to protect India's Bengal tiger, is apparently receiving almost NZD$37 million of the nation's NZD$75 million wildlife budget for 2012-2013, an article in Live Mint reported.
While the Bengal tiger is currently listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List, India is also home to 132 other species considered critically endangered.
The next best earner on the list are elephants, which are allocated NZD$4.7 million.
Yet combating the illegal wildlife trade, considered to be one of the most serious threats to India's endangered species, receives slightly more than NZD$1 million and some species get no funding at all.
"The Great Indian bustard was a priority species for action for which we even developed a species recovery plan (along with the Bengal florican, the lesser florican, Jerdon's courser, the giant clam, the hangul, the Bastar wild buffalo), but funds were not allocated by the government," Asad Rahmani, the director of the Bombay Natural History Society told Live Mint.
There are only 250 of the Great Indian bustard left and the Kashmir stag population has fallen to 160.
In contrast, there are about 3,000 tigers surviving in six distinct subspecies and the Bengal tiger is thought to be the most vigorous of these.
It has been argued that conservation of flagship species like tigers and elephants has a trickle-down effect for lesser known species.
But others believe appealing and popular endangered animals receive a disproportionate amount of funding and attention.
Tigers have been lucky enough to have their case highlighted by high profile tiger lovers like Vladimir Putin and Leonardo DiCaprio, who have lent the animals their status.
In 2010 Putin held an international conference on tiger conservation, at which NZD$610 million dollars was pledged. | <urn:uuid:8f973373-4925-4e1e-adcb-4ae55367f3eb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10865413 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00086-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.937877 | 395 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Southeast Australian rainfall outlook
Issued 27 November 2013
The chances of exceeding the median rainfall during summer are greater than 60% over Tasmania. So, for every ten summer outlooks with similar odds to these, about six or seven of them would result in above-average rainfall over these areas, while about three or four would be below average.
Conversely, the chance of exceeding the median rainfall is less than 40% over northeast NSW.
The chance of receiving a wetter or drier than normal summer period is roughly equal (i.e., close to 50%) over the remaining areas of Southeast Australia.
The tropical Pacific has remained ENSO-neutral since mid-2012. Dynamical models surveyed by the Bureau suggest ENSO-neutral conditions are likely to persist at least for the austral summer. This means the tropical Pacific Ocean is not producing a strong shift in the odds in this outlook.
With major climate influences likely to remain neutral over the coming months, secondary influences, such as the pattern of warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures around the Australian continent are tending to drive climate condition across the country.
How accurate is the outlook?
Outlook accuracy is related to how consistently the oceans and broadscale climate affect Australian rainfall. During summer, historical accuracy shows the outlook to be moderately consistent over Northern and southern parts of NSW and northeast Victoria. Over most of SA, southwest Victoria and most of Tasmania the outlook is only very weakly consistent. | <urn:uuid:8945c64f-0ee0-4de6-8f9c-f882d0481f17> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/archive/rainfall/20131127.rain.seaus.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00148-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.941152 | 299 | 2.75 | 3 |
Is All Screen Time Bad For My Preschooler? Maybe Not.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends two hours or less per day of screen time (television, video and computer games, tablets, smart phones, e-readers, etc.) for kids over age two and no screen time for kids younger than two. The rationale is that too much screen time impedes a child’s development and promotes physical inactivity, childhood overweight and, in many cases, aggressive behavior. Despite the recommendations, the average preschool child spends 4.4 hours per day in front of a screen, often watching content that is not educational or is targeted at older kids and adults.
But what if the content of the programming promotes “prosocial” behaviors like sharing, tolerance and empathy? Is the content as important, or perhaps more important, than the quantity of “screen time”? In a recent study, researchers from Seattle Children’s Hospital conducted a randomized controlled trial where half of the 820 three- to five-year-old participants were randomly assigned to a “media diet” intervention and the other half received a nutrition intervention intended to improve eating habits. As part of the “media diet” intervention, parents received home visits, coaching, resources and phone follow-ups to help them replace violent or age-inappropriate programs with educational or “pro-social” content. No efforts were made to decrease the quantity of screen time. When researchers followed up after 6 and 12 months, they found that the children assigned to the “media diet” intervention watched less aggressive and more prosocial television, scored higher in areas of social and emotional competence and experienced improved sleep; they noted that low-income boys benefited the most from the “media diet.”
This is the first study to demonstrate that intensive efforts to provide more educational and productive media opportunities for young children decreases their aggressive behaviors and increases their social and emotional competence. To date, efforts to decrease screen time have only been marginally successful. Focusing not only on quantity of screen time, but also quality of screen time, will help optimize early childhood development. It is important to enforce screen-time limits (accumulating no more than two hours per day) to help ensure that young children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. While it is ideal if the physical activity can occur in natural environments with other children, ACE also recognizes that there are some health and fitness benefits to “exergaming” and other activity programs that rely on technology.
American Council on Exercise | <urn:uuid:f3db029e-8396-4acb-a84b-ba97354a59f3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitness-fact-article/3640/is-all-screen-time-bad-for-my/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00029-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949822 | 528 | 3.59375 | 4 |
Citation: Clem RJ, Passarelli AL (2013) Baculoviruses: Sophisticated Pathogens of Insects. PLoS Pathog 9(11): e1003729. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003729
Editor: Richard C. Condit, University of Florida, United States of America
Published: November 14, 2013
Copyright: © 2013 Clem, Passarelli. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this study.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
The baculoviruses (family: Baculoviridae) are a group of large DNA viruses that infect insects. These viruses are well known for their utility and versatility as gene expression vectors, biological pesticides, and vectors for transduction of mammalian cells –. However, baculoviruses are much more than just useful laboratory tools. The rich and fascinating biology associated with these viruses provides many interesting examples of virus-host interactions and virus modification of host processes.
While a few known baculoviruses infect larval mosquitoes or sawflies, the large majority of them infect caterpillars, the larval stages of insects from the order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). Baculoviruses typically have narrow host ranges, often limited to just one or a few related insect species, although the most intensely studied member of the family, Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), is able to infect as many as 30 species from several lepidopteran genera. Baculovirus nucleocapsids are rod-shaped and surrounded by an envelope, and they contain circular genomes of double-stranded DNA that range in size from about 80–180 kbp in length. Similar to other large DNA viruses, baculoviruses encode numerous accessory genes with roles in manipulating cellular processes such as the cell cycle and apoptosis , , as well as host physiology and behavior (see below). However, an unusual feature of baculoviruses is that they produce two distinct types of enveloped virions: occlusion-derived virions (ODV), which are embedded in large (5–10 micron) protein crystals called occlusion bodies and are responsible for horizontal transmission between insects, and budded virions (BV), which spread infection from cell to cell (Figure 1). Furthermore, baculoviruses are the only known nuclear-replicating DNA viruses that encode a DNA-directed RNA polymerase, which is used to transcribe the viral late and very late genes, and is also utilized to express foreign genes in the baculovirus expression vector system. Here, we discuss some recent and exciting developments in the baculovirus field; for a comprehensive review of baculoviruses, see .
Nucleocapsids are produced in the nucleus of infected cells, but two forms of enveloped virions are produced. The first, budded virus (BV), is formed when single nucleocapsids exit the nucleus and bud from the cell, acquiring an envelope from the plasma membrane. The BV attachment and fusion protein, either GP64 or F depending on the type of baculovirus, is concentrated at one end of the virion in structures that are visible by electron microscopy, known as peplomers. Later, the second type of virion, called occlusion-derived virus (ODV), is formed when nucleocapsids obtain an envelope from the inner nuclear membrane. ODV become embedded in large proteinaceous crystals that are primarily composed of a single viral protein called polyhedrin, and are known as occlusion bodies. The occlusion bodies remain within the nucleus until they are liberated by cell lysis. The ODV of some baculoviruses, known as multiple nucleopolyhedroviruses (MNPVs), contain multiple nucleocapsids within a single-enveloped virus particle, as is illustrated here. In nature, the baculovirus replication cycle begins when a susceptible insect larva consumes viral occlusion bodies contaminating their food source. The occlusion bodies dissolve in the highly alkaline environment of the larval midgut, releasing ODV, which attach to the microvillar membranes of midgut epithelial cells. Attachment and fusion occurs via the PIF proteins, found in the ODV envelope. Infected midgut epithelial cells produce BV, which bud from the basal side and infect tracheal epithelial cells. Infection of tracheal cells is thought to be one mechanism that allows BV to escape across the midgut basal lamina (BL) and spread infection throughout the insect. The majority of tissues become infected, producing large amounts of ODV and BV. The infected insects liquefy after death, allowing dispersal of occlusion bodies and promoting subsequent infections.
1. Modification of Host Physiology and Behavior
Baculovirus-infected larvae exhibit several interesting examples of pathogen-modified physiology and behavior. One of these involves inhibition of larval development. Normally, lepidopteran larvae pause feeding periodically to go through larval molts. However, baculovirus-infected larvae do not molt, due to the action of a viral enzyme called ecdysteroid UDP-glucosyltransferase (EGT) . EGT prevents larval molting by inactivating ecdysone, the major insect molting hormone. Infected larvae grow larger than normal before succumbing to a dramatic death worthy of a horror film: infected corpses liquefy, due to expression of viral cathepsin-like protease and chitinase enzymes, and liquefaction aids in release of viral occlusion bodies. The amount of progeny virus is impressive, with upwards of 10 million occlusion bodies produced per milligram of larval tissue.
More recently, it was shown that expression of egt by a baculovirus infecting Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) larvae was also responsible for inducing larval climbing behavior . Normally, gypsy moth caterpillars live in the soil and only come out to feed at night, to avoid predation. In contrast, infected larvae climb to the tops of trees and then die, raining occluded virus down on the vegetation below (Figure 2). In yet another example of virus-induced behavior modification, increased larval locomotory activity is induced by expression of a viral protein called protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) , . Infected larvae exhibit increased wandering behavior, which is also presumed to increase virus transmission. The viral PTP is an active phosphatase and a component of the virion. In one report, the active site of the AcMNPV PTP enzyme was required for the stimulation of larval wandering . However, another report on the ptp gene from Bombyx mori NPV found that the active site was not required for stimulating wandering, but that the mutant virus lacking ptp was less able to infect the brain . Phylogenetic analyses indicate that both the egt and ptp genes appear to have a lepidopteran origin, as do many other baculovirus accessory genes, indicating that baculoviruses have acquired many advantageous genes during coevolution with their hosts.
Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae that were infected with wild type L. dispar MNPV (LdMNPV) (A) demonstrated increased climbing behavior compared to a mutant of LdMNPV lacking the egt gene (B) . This evolutionary adaptation is thought to aid in virus dispersal after death of the larvae, resulting in increased dispersal of occluded virus to the rest of the vegetation below.
2. Gut Interactions
Baculoviruses are transmitted orally in nature, and the target of primary infection is the larval midgut epithelium. After being consumed, occlusion bodies dissolve in the midgut lumen, releasing the embedded ODV, which infect midgut epithelial cells. Progeny BV bud from the basal surface of the epithelium, cross the basal lamina (see below), and infect most of the remaining tissues of the larva (Figure 1). The process of ODV attachment and entry depends on several viral proteins found in the ODV envelope, referred to as PIFs (per os infectivity factors). Recent results indicate that some of the PIFs form a complex in the ODV envelope, likely interact with an unknown midgut receptor, and mediate fusion with the plasma membrane . Thus the PIFs constitute a novel virus attachment/fusion protein complex. Interestingly, PIFs appear to be ancient genes that are conserved among three related insect virus families, as pif homologs are also found in the nudiviruses and the polydnaviruses, the latter of which form mutualistic relationships with parasitic wasps , .
Once replication has occurred in midgut cells, most baculoviruses (except for a few that only replicate in midgut cells) must escape across the midgut basal lamina, a layer of extracellular matrix, to allow infection of other larval tissues (Figure 1). All of the midgut-escaping baculoviruses sequenced to date encode homologs of fibroblast growth factor (vFGF). The expression of vFGF induces a protease cascade, resulting in degradation of the basal lamina surrounding tracheal cells that service the midgut. Presumably, this allows the virus to infect these tracheal cells and then spread to the rest of the insect . Some baculoviruses may also be able to directly cross the basal lamina of the midgut in certain cases, since virions have sometimes been observed in the hemocoel of larvae shortly after oral infection.
3. Regulation of Gene Expression
As with other DNA viruses, baculovirus gene expression occurs as a cascade. Baculovirus gene expression is traditionally divided into three stages, each of which is dependent on expression of the earlier stages: early, late, and very late. The early genes are transcribed by host RNA polymerase II, while late and very late genes are transcribed by the viral RNA polymerase. This unique viral polymerase consists of four subunits that have little homology to other known polymerases. Late and very late promoters are also distinctive and simple, consisting mainly of the tetranucleotide sequence TAAG.
Baculovirus genes are randomly distributed around the circular genome in both DNA strands, with very short intergenic sequences, including many overlapping genes. A recent analysis, using a combination of strand-specific RNA-seq and deep sequencing strategies to comprehensively identify transcription start sites and polyadenylation sites, revealed additional complexity in the transcription pattern of AcMNPV genes . More than 200 transcription start sites were identified, many of which were previously unknown. There are numerous genomic regions where transcripts are derived from both strands; these antisense RNAs may form double-stranded RNA structures and could be involved in gene regulation, either by antisense or RNA interference mechanisms. Indeed, hot spots of siRNAs from a baculovirus genome have been reported . By 12 hours post infection, viral transcripts comprised 38% of the total cellular mRNA, and by 48 hours, a single viral transcript, polyhedrin, was 24% of the total mRNA in the cell. This is consistent with previous observations, including estimates that the polyhedrin protein (the major constituent of occlusion bodies) constitutes 25% of the total protein in the infected cell at this time, and explains why the polyhedrin promoter is heavily utilized in the baculovirus expression system. In addition, 12 spliced mRNAs were identified; only one of these had been identified previously.
An emerging theme in regulation of gene expression is regulation by miRNAs, several of which have been found in baculoviruses . One of these inhibits transport of small RNAs from the nucleus, suggesting active suppression of the cellular miRNA pathway .
Another interesting potential mechanism of baculovirus gene regulation involves the presence of specific mixtures of full-length and defective virus genomes in natural virus populations . Optimal infectivity requires a precise molar ratio between different genomes carrying various deletions, and natural selection maintains this ideal ratio. It is thought that this may optimize the expression of certain viral genes that are required for infectivity.
4. Viral Proteins Affecting Nucleocapsid Assembly
Bacmid technology, which allows baculovirus genomes to be manipulated in bacteria, has provided an important tool to study baculovirus gene function. Investigators have used bacmids to delete many baculovirus genes, especially the so-called core genes (those genes, currently numbering 37, that are conserved in all known baculovirus genomes), which are often essential for replication. While these include the pifs and genes involved in viral DNA replication and late gene transcription, a large number of core genes appear to be required for proper nucleocapsid assembly, even though they are not necessarily structural genes (reviewed in , ). It is not clear why so many genes are required for virion assembly, but some of them are likely involved in processing and packaging of the DNA genome. Further characterization of these genes will define their specific functions in virion assembly or a process prior to assembly that manifests as a defect in virion morphology.
5. Future Research
While we have learned a great deal about baculoviruses over the past several decades, there is still much we do not know. It is likely that we have only uncovered the tip of the iceberg in terms of the diversity of baculoviruses in nature, especially those that infect nonlepidopteran insects. Also, even in the AcMNPV genome, roughly half of the genes have no assigned function, meaning that there are probably many more interesting baculovirus accessory genes whose functions are waiting to be discovered. Since BV can bind to and enter many kinds of vertebrate and invertebrate cells, baculovirus host range is more complex than just receptor binding, and the determinants of host range are poorly characterized. Host range manipulation will be important in developing improved biopesticides and gene therapy vectors. Understanding and manipulating baculovirus-host interactions will be facilitated by deriving additional lepidopteran genomic sequences and tools to genetically manipulate these insects. In addition to the PIFs found in ODV, two types of attachment/fusion proteins (F and GP64) are present in BV, and while these have been fairly well studied, host receptor molecules have not been identified for either ODV or BV. The mechanisms of baculovirus DNA replication and capsid assembly are also still largely undefined. Finally, invertebrate antiviral immunity is still a young field, and little is known about immune responses of insects against baculoviruses. Further research will continue to contribute to our general understanding of virus-host interactions, as well as continue to improve the utility of baculoviruses in biotechnology and agriculture.
We thank Mallory Hoover for artistic assistance with the preparation of Figure 2.
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I thought this section of del Boca’s article was really interesting, because I think a lot of countries with histories that are often somewhat shameful fall into this same trap. Italy made a symbolic gesture to “absolve” the sins of colonialism, but still fails to own up to the grave moral wrongs committed.
Honestly, though, I think all countries do this. For instance, almost every other year in elementary school, middle school, and high school, we were required to take American history. However, we always started at the very beginning with the Native Americans and the explorers and the pioneers, and we would never make it past the Civil War. While the way we treated Native Americans was truly awful, it’s hardly talked about. And then all of the more recent horrible stuff is omitted because we don’t get to it. But I have a theory that they do that on purpose, so that we’re never really exposed to things like Japanese internment camps, because the U.S. doesn’t want to own up to that still. It’s still rarely ever discussed, similarly to what del Boca was saying about colonialism in Italy.
Overall, while I agree with del Boca’s point, I honestly think it may be a little too idealistic when you consider the context of how countries strive to preserve national pride and image.
I am always the first to criticize the Italians for their actions in Africa. Even after all the readings we have done, I find it very hard to find any legitimate justifying reason for the Italians being in Africa. (Crispi’s attempt to build a nation is not legitimate) What really bothered me about Del Boca’s article is that he only talked about the bad aspects of Italian colonialism. At one point he does state: “I do not wish to deny that the Italian presence in Africa had some positive aspects,” but he doesn’t discuss any of the positive aspects.
It is also somewhat contradictory to say that no scholars condemn colonialism when Del Boca spends the whole article talking about the horrors of Italian colonialism, and mentions other scholars like him who write the same things. (The most recent source in the back of the article is 1999, the portrayal of colonialism has changed in Italy since then).
Del Boca does discuss the apology on the part of Prime Minister Massimo D’Alema. D’Alema was the first to publicly denounce Italy for her actions in Libya and stated that “The relationship between our two countries has had different moment in its history, including the negative period of colonialism, but today it is possible to build a relationship on a new basis of friendship, collaboration, and reciprocal respect… here (Libya) the national heroes were executed by Italians.”
This is an interesting BBC article about D’Alema’s trip http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/548303.stm
I found both of these articles interesting, though it was a little bit of deja vu from when we talked a little bit about this topic earlier in the course. One point I found controversial was at the end of the del boca article, del boca believes that Italian tourists will be the ones to repair the Italian-Libyan relationship. I really do not agree with this because the other things that we have been reading have been pointing out a lack of knowledge on the part of Italian youth about Italian colonialism and it seems that this would create an awkward situation because Libya obviously has not forgotten and it is something that is remembered amongst Libyan people, old and young. The way I see it, it would probably end up being a situation where Italian tourists were going to Libya for a casual vacation and A: Libya is probably not a good vacation spot now and B: Ignorant Italians are probably not the best ambassadors and are not the best way to say “sorry” when their government has had a lot of trouble being able to say such a simple word.
Gaddafi and Berlusconi. Gaddafi dressing weird and "captain-smiles" behind Berlusconi
What I thought of as the most interesting aspect of this article, was how the government of Italy could get away with doing things in the name of Italians, without Italians ever knowing. It reminds me of the era of secrecy in the United States during the cold war. Furthermore, it amazes me how little is known about this history, yet there are people so dedicated to defending the nation’s actions.
These articles by Labanca and Del Boca presented yet another interesting contradiction in the actions of the Italian government: Although the Italian government was the only of the colonialists to ask for forgiveness for their actions towards Libya (Labanca), they refused to acknowledge their own crimes against humanity and their abuses against the Libyan natives (Del Boca). This lack of acknowledgement of the abuses issued by the Italian government answers the question of whether the past will ever be genuinely reconciled, and it will not be until obligations such as admitting criminal activities are fulfilled.
These articles complement one another.
This article presents the question: will acknowledgement of the past finally help to reconcile the past? As the article begins by states, “the past weighs on the present,” but it seems as though the remembrance of history is the actual cause of tension today. Regardless of the events, the debate of timeliness and impact seem to be one of the biggest contributing factors to today’s inability to synthesis a genuine friendship between the two countries. This article tells the story from the point of view how colonial occupation of Libya transformed Europe.
One of the most interesting points, to me, was, “Libya was more costly to maintain as a colony….[but], ‘Tripoli, beautiful land of love’ overcame every criticism.” Beauty, in this sense, was not limited to physical attractiveness, but also included the appeal of short distance and the economic vulnerability so that Italians may “govern.” True to form, the Italian government “exaggerated” their successes and ability…. This leads me to my greatest question in regards to the historical remembrance of colonial occupancy in Libya: How is it that with thousands of Italian civilians, were the Fascists able to maintain a facade in which they hid the realities of their occupation in Italy in regards to the treatment of natives?
The Italian government even went so far as to lie in government documents, particularly in the records of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This inaccuracy combined with an influenced memory of the Africans themselves makes the true historical past difficult to fully understand, because we, they, nobody can truly know the full events of Italian occupancy in Libya. Ultimately, I appreciate how Labanca concludes the article by placing the responsibility of piecing together the past to historians.
Finally, I found the actions of Berlusconi on his one day trip to Libya to parallel the actions of Mussolini when he visited Libya after Italy entered the country.
Though I found this article to be somewhat repetitive, I appreciated its loyalty to its purpose: the importance of Italy’s moral and material recognition of and reparations for their colonizing efforts in Africa. I agreed with the sentiment of the article that Italy still has not completely made up for the damages they caused. I found it very surprising to learn that Italy had not only offered to build a hospital as a physical and financial gesture of apology, they were, in fact, contractually obligated to complete the project and yet they never did. I find myself wondering how it has gone on for this long without someone stepping in and enforcing the contractual obligations. I liked that the article ended on a positive, and also ironic note, saying that with an increase in tourism from Italy to its old stomping grounds in Africa, modern day tourists may create the vacation destination that was originally intended.
Between DelBoca’s and LaBanca’s articles it seems very clear to me that there is a huge debt to Libya that has yet to be paid. DelBoca focuses on material signs of apology such as the hospital and the few words D’Almea delivered, but he also mentions a moral debt that is owed to Libya and does not mention it ever being paid. I believe that the only form of moral apology that can be given to Libya from Italy is one of acknowledgment. Acknowledgment offers something that material gifts, such as hospital beds, can not. By acknowledging what happened in Libya and teaching it to Italians Italy would be showing signs of recognition towards their actions and would be teaching it in a manner that demonstrated the wrongness and repentance of their historical actions.
Through out countless countries students learn of the horrors of the Holocaust. In Germany it is a legal offense to even deny what happened during the Holocaust and offenders face jail time. These are the types of moral debts that Germany paid all of its victims which Italy needs to show Libya. These are not only matters of respect but also of banishing pride and doing the favorable action.
Labanca mentions travel guides of Italian colonialism as well as other recent guides which are prevalent in Libya. These guides are read by travelers, Italians included. I believe that these guides are a way of Libya attempting to seek the moral debt which Italy owes. The guides are a symbol, not only of Libya’s crying out to be recognized and reconciled, but also Italian traveler’s desire to know what happened and willingness to learn of it. | <urn:uuid:4b4ad1c5-4971-4f49-bb29-ff81265f1818> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.dickinson.edu/italiancolonialism/2012/04/25/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394987.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00117-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973037 | 1,959 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Topic: Can't Operate - Too Close to Blood Vessel??
Several members have posted that they can't have resections because the tumors are too close to blood vessels. In 2006, jules posted that her father had undergone an unsuccessful resection because the tumor was too close to a major artery, the vena cava. Surgeons at Mayo Clinic and Sloan-Kettering would not do a second surgery because they agreed with this decision. However, a Professor Peter A. Lodge, Leeds, UK, agreed to a second surgery and was successful, telling her dad that "the tumor peeled away quite easily from the artery."
So, does a surgeon actually have the cut the tissue around the blood vessel to remove the tumor or can the two be separated just by pulling them apart. Do tumors grow into the blood vessel walls so that the only way to separate them is by cutting? | <urn:uuid:81afc4bd-5b8e-4f36-9c6c-e8ca65c3882e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?pid=69754 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00022-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976862 | 180 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Perhaps it was a mistake for 20th Century Fox to invite a group of scientists to the preview of its new disaster movie. Before it began, the climatologist Mike Hulme asked the audience to consider whether good science and good film making could go together. A few minutes later, it became pretty obvious that the answer was no. The Day After Tomorrow (1) is a great movie and lousy science.
Like all science fiction, it extracts and magnifies a few fragments of scientific truth. The upper northern hemisphere remains habitable partly because of the global circulation of ocean currents, which drags warm water up from the tropics. The currents start in the North Atlantic when the dense, salty surface waters sink to the ocean floor and begin to roll southward. Between Greenland and the Faroe Islands there is an undersea waterfall thirty times the size of the River Amazon.
About 8200 years ago, as the last major glacial period was coming to an end, and the great global thaw had permitted humans to move back into northern Europe, an ice dam in north-eastern Canada burst. Behind it was a vast body of meltwater, which roared through the Hudson Strait and into the North Atlantic. The story of what happened after that is now a matter of dispute, but some researchers suggest that the surface waters of the ocean became so dilute (and therefore so much lighter) that they stopped sinking, and the global circulation pattern shut down. The result, they say, was a 200-year ice age, during which humans once more were driven out of northern Europe. (2) The Day After Tomorrow starts with the premise that it could be about to happen it again.
As the ice surrounding the North Atlantic melts, there's a possibility that part of the circulation system will be disrupted. A paper published in Science last month suggested that the giant vortex around the Labrador Sea in the north-western Atlantic is slowing down. (3) This could be a natural fluctuation, or it could be the result of global warming and the melting of sea ice. If so, it might presage a more general wobbling of the current pattern, which in turn might reduce the temperature in northern Europe and cause more droughts in Africa. (4)
Would it start another ice age? No. It now seems that there simply isn't enough freshwater to shut down the circulation system, and no means, such as the bursting of the great Canadian ice dam, by which it could enter the ocean quickly enough to cause a dramatic effect. (5)
But movies, of course, are all about dramatic effects, and a film about the slow-rolling, complex transformations induced by climate change would be about as gripping as a speech by Geoff Hoon. I suppose we just have to accept that a major movie house would never dream of tackling this subject if it had to stick to the facts.
What we get instead is one of the best disaster movies ever released. Dennis Quaid plays that stock sci-fi figure, the dissident scientist battling against the odds to persuade politicians to take his data seriously. Having researched the last great oceanic shutdown, he warns that the next one could happen within 50-100 years. No one wants to know, and no one wants to know less than the sinister, corporate-friendly US vice-president, whose physical resemblance to Dick Cheney is surely no accident (the president, confusingly, is the spit of Al Gore).
The effects of climate change are already making themselves felt - commuters in Japan are felled by hailstones the size of grapefruit, there is snow in New Delhi and the geese start migrating south in the summer - when the North Atlantic weather buoys begin behaving rather oddly. One by one they start to record a temperature fall of 13 degrees. It's inexplicable - unless Quaid's model is correct.
Soon magnificent tornadoes are ripping Los Angeles to shreds. In the eye of a freak storm in Scotland, the temperature drops to -150 degrees, freezing the fuel lines of helicopters, which crash into the mountains. For no good reason (other than that it provides one of the most awesome sequences ever filmed) a vast tsunami decides to engulf Manhattan. At last the authorities turn to Quaid to find out what on earth is going on.
Within weeks, his model predicts, a gigantic global storm will trigger off the next great ice age. Two men inexplicably stuck in an orbiting weather satellite watch as the face of the earth is blotted out by hurricanes. The storms cut straight through the troposphere, dragging down columns of freezing air from the upper atmosphere. And one of them, inevitably, is heading towards New York.
So Quaid gets his audience with the president, and tells him that the only option is to abandon everyone in the north of the country, and evacuate everyone in the south. The sinister Cheney twin tells him not to meddle with politics. But (and it's hard to believe that Murdoch paid for this), Quaid retorts that if the politicians had listened to the science, the scientists wouldn't have had to get political. When Cheney suggests that Quaid doesn't care about the people in the northern states, he is told that his son is trapped is New York.
And there indeed is the scientist's only child, played rather well by Jake Gyllenhaal, stuck in the Manhattan Public Library with the girl he fancies and the handful of character parts he persuaded not to try to walk south, with nothing but M&Ms to eat, but no end of rare books to burn.
The Quaid character, of course, has promised his son that he will come to the rescue. With his Antarctic survey team he crosses the frozen wastes of Philadelphia, desperate to reach New York before the ice storm strikes. Meanwhile, in the municipal library, the heroine is dying of septicaemia, which the boy can cure only if he can venture out for long enough to find the penicillin she needs. Needless to say a bunch of wolves has escaped from the zoo with the single purpose of complicating his task.
Yes, it's slushy and corny and predictable. Yes, every TV report in the film has Murdoch's logos plastered all over it. Yes, as Mike Hulme pointed out after the show, the plot repeatedly breaks the laws of physics. But none of this stops it from doing everything a disaster movie is supposed to do, and quite a bit more. At times even the climatologists stopped laughing at the story and started laughing with it, especially when American refugees started fleeing across the Rio Grande after the Mexicans closed the border (they reopened it when the US promised to cancel the entire Latin American debt). Though of course the sinister Cheney man comes round in the end, and his government in exile sees the error of its ways, this is a curiously subversive story, whose plot revolves around the climate change which Fox News and the rest of the Murdoch press has tried so hard to deny, and the reluctance of the powerful to respond to the needs of the people.
So will The Day After Tomorrow wake people up to the realities of global warming? The danger is that the movie bears so little relation to the science that it will encourage people either to dismiss the entire climate change story as fantasy, or to keep waiting for the effects they have seen in the film before they accept that climate change is really happening. On the other hand, the film makes the subject much harder to ignore.
I think it is fair to assume that audiences know the difference between a movie and a scientific paper. They don't expect to learn anything useful about reptile physiology from Godzilla, or about life in outer space from Independence Day. People watch films like The Day After Tomorrow because they love to see treasured places smashed to bits while heroes struggle against impossible odds. If The Day After Tomorrow leaves them no wiser about climate change, that scarcely distinguishes it from the rest of the mainstream media. But at least we're now talking about it.
George Monbiot is
Honorary Professor at the Department of Politics in Keele and Visiting
Professor at the Department of Environmental Science at the University of
East London. He writes a weekly column for
The Guardian newspaper of London. His most recent book is
Manifesto for a New World Order (New Perss, 2004). His articles and
contact info can be found at his website:
Other Recent Articles by George Monbiot
with the Virgin Soldiers | <urn:uuid:ef0c908e-5c1f-4a38-9bcf-256c9c28668c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dissidentvoice.org/May2004/Monbiot0518.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397562.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00101-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962938 | 1,729 | 3.171875 | 3 |
What is a real world example of a logarithm?
Last edited by delgeezee; January 9th 2012 at 12:03 PM.
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Originally Posted by delgeezee What is a real world example of a log function? A basic concept in Information Theory is the Entropy os a random variable. Given a random variable X with alphabet , the the Entropy of X is ... (1)
... where ...
Google is your friend. As it turns out, Wikipedia is packed full of valid real-world applications of logarithms. See this link. | <urn:uuid:369f8f35-601f-4bfe-b2c7-aa6cfa8c1821> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mathhelpforum.com/calculus/195072-real-world-example.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00166-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.892288 | 130 | 2.75 | 3 |
The search method described above applies directly to binary search trees. As above, the search begins at the root node of the tree. If the object of the search, x, matches the root r, the search terminates successfully. If it does not, then if x is less than r, the left subtree is searched; otherwise x must be greater than r, in which case the right subtree is searched.
Figure shows two binary search trees. The tree is an example of a particularly bad search tree because it is not really very tree-like at all. In fact, it is topologically isomorphic with a linear, linked list. In the worst case, a tree which contains n items has height O(n). Therefore, in the worst case an unsuccessful search must visit O(n) internal nodes.
Figure: Examples of Search Trees
On the other hand, tree in Figure is an example of a particularly good binary search tree. This tree is an instance of a perfect binary tree .
Definition (Perfect Binary Tree) A perfect binary tree of height is a binary tree with the following properties:
- If h=0, then and .
- Otherwise, h>0, in which case both and are both perfect binary trees of height h-1.
It is fairly easy to show that a perfect binary tree of height h has exactly internal nodes. Conversely, the height of a perfect binary tree with n internal nodes is . If we have a search tree that has the shape of a perfect binary tree, then every unsuccessful search visits exactly h+1 internal nodes, where . Thus, the worst case for unsuccessful search in a perfect tree is . | <urn:uuid:a0614e8c-a629-4a74-9dcf-50face26fa0b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.brpreiss.com/books/opus4/html/page305.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399106.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00201-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.922017 | 339 | 4.03125 | 4 |
If a chemical splashes into your eye, take these steps immediately.
- Flush your eye with water. Use clean, lukewarm tap water for at least 20 minutes. Use whichever of these approaches is quickest:
Wash your hands with soap and water. Thoroughly rinse your hands to be sure no chemical or soap is left on them.
Remove contact lenses. If they don't come out during the flush, then take them out.
- Get into the shower and aim a gentle stream of water on your forehead over your affected eye. Or direct the stream on the bridge of your nose if both eyes are affected. Hold the lids of your affected eye or eyes open.
- Put your head down and turn it to the side. Then hold the lids of your affected eye open under a gently running faucet. If you have access to a work site eye-rinse station, use it.
- Young children may do best if they lie down in the bathtub or lean back over a sink. Pour a gentle stream of water on the forehead over the affected eye or on the bridge of the nose to flush both eyes.
- Don't rub the eye — this may cause further damage.
- Don't put anything except water or contact lens saline rinse in the eye. And don't use eyedrops unless emergency personnel tell you to do so.
After following the above steps, seek emergency care by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) or call 911 or your local emergency number. Take the chemical container or the name of the chemical with you to the emergency provider. If readily available, wear sunglasses to help reduce sensitivity to light.
Jan. 30, 2015
- Eye safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/eye/eyesafe.html. Accessed Oct. 23, 2014.
- Kaushik S, et al. Topical chemical burns. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed Oct. 23, 2014.
- Millman M, et al., eds. Mayo Clinic Guide to Self-Care. 6th ed. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2010.
- Subbarao I, et al., eds. American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid and Emergency Care. New York: Random House; 2009.
- What to do in a medical emergency. American College of Emergency Physicians. http://www.emergencycareforyou.org. Accessed Oct. 23, 2014.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 5, 2014. | <urn:uuid:afb407aa-4516-43a3-8b8a-fc567c33ccf3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-eye-emergency/basics/ART-20056647?p=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00150-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.880352 | 554 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Galvanization, or galvanisation is the process of applying a protective zinc
coating to steel or ... The zinc protects its base metal by corroding before iron, for
better results application of chro...
Hot-dip galvanizing is the process of immersing iron or steel in a bath of molten
zinc ... The process is inherently simple, which is a distinct advantage over other
Aug 17, 2012 ... The Advantages and Disadvantages of Galvanized Steel ... This process allows
the zinc to permanently bond to the metal, not only on the ... it does come with its
disadvantages, so consulting a steel service center before ...
This is due to the metal's non-ferrous properties, which makes it indefinitely ... as
well as being easily recycled with steel scrap in the steel production process.
On smaller manufactured items zinc is used to coat steel and this is an effective
measure against rust. This process is called galvanising. The bolt seen opposite
Hot dip galvanising is the process of coating iron, steel or ferrous materials with a
... the work remains in the bath until its temperature reaches that of the molten
zinc, ... An important advantage of the galvanising process is that visual
Advantages ... Reliability - The process is simple, straightforward and closely
controlled. ... Faster Construction - Hot Dip Galvanized steel is ready for use.
The Process of Galvanizing Steel. Whereas its combination of strength and
formability, as well as the abundance of iron ore, has made steel one of modern ...
10 The mechanical properties of commonly galvanized steels are not significantly
... important advantage of the galvanizing process – a standard minimum ....
thickness of its zinc-iron alloy layers have little or no effect on the protective life of
www.ask.com/youtube?q=What Is The Process Of Galvanizing Steel And Its Advantages&v=c2J07n5hSbs
Apr 7, 2011 ... Hot dip galvanizing is coating of metallic zinc bonded with steel to form a source
of ... in their daily lives, but what actually is it, how does steel become hot dip
galvanized and ... The galvanized coating process - Duration: 7:50. | <urn:uuid:1c4efcd4-e526-4b71-b220-487eabb3489f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=3053&o=102140&oo=102140&l=dir&gc=1&q=What+Is+The+Process+Of+Galvanizing+Steel+And+Its+Advantages | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399106.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00070-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.889349 | 472 | 3.21875 | 3 |
DETROIT -- A Wayne State University researcher has developed technology that opens new possibilities for health care and medical applications of electronic devices.
Yong Xu, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering, has developed a simple technology compatible with silicon-on-insulator (SOI) complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes for making flexible electronics. "A Silicon-On-Insulator Complementary-Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Compatible Flexible Electronics Technology," published recently in Applied Physics Letters, describes the project, which was part of a National Science Foundation effort.
Flexible electronics have attracted a lot of attention for their enormous potential in many important applications, such as wearable health monitoring devices and medical implants. While a number of approaches to making flexible sensors or electronics have been developed over the last two decades, Xu said those technologies cannot take full advantage of mainstream CMOS processes.
Xu's technology has an advantage over existing methods, such as direct fabrication on flexible substrate and transfer printing, in that it is SOI-CMOS compatible. It fabricates high-performance and high-density CMOS circuits onto SOI wafers, and then uses two layers of Parylene C (a polymer), one of which is perforated, to bond them to flexible substrates.
The lamination of the electronics between those parylene layers offers the additional benefit of protection from environmental moisture. Xu said Parylene C, which creates a flexible skin, already has been used in other medical applications and is well tolerated by human tissue.
His process allows more high-performance electronic devices to be attached to the flexible surface by eliminating the transfer printing step, in which electronics are removed from a harder surface and integrated into a softer one. Additionally, the process allows various sensors and microfluidic devices to be integrated into the flexible substrate.
Xu said his technology could result in retinal prostheses that cause less tissue irritation and therefore work better and longer, as well as more comfortable wearable health monitoring devices. Other possible applications include balloon catheters and stents.
"The ultimate goal is to develop flexible and stretchable systems integrated with electronics, sensors, microfluidics, and power sources, which will have a profound impact on personalized medicine, telemedicine and health care delivery," Xu said.
Xu's project was supported by National Science Foundation Grant No. 0747620.
Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www. | <urn:uuid:d3d491ff-f87c-41fc-8af2-3a902c1a0a83> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/wsu--wsn083012.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00046-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945293 | 593 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Birth of the Cherokee Constitutional Crisis
Chronologies, timelines, news stories and press releases about the Cherokee Nation constitutional crisis began with the serving of the search warrant at the tribal complex on Feb. 25, ignoring the action or inaction that led to the search warrant. The crisis actually began when Chief Joe Byrd refused to provide contracts and financial records of tribal business to the council and the Cherokee people.
During council meetings and council committee meetings beginning in the summer of 1996, some councilmembers made repeated requests to Byrd for those documents in compliance with the Cherokee Nation constitution. In brief, Article X. Fiscal requires the Secretary-Treasurer of the tribe to provide the council with “financial statements reflecting the results of operations of all tribal activities and shall prepare a consolidated balance sheet in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles….”
Almost every request for this information, that should have been provided without the necessity of request, was refused or ignored.
Frustrated by Byrd’s failure to comply with the constitution, the councilmembers petitioned the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal for a ruling on the contracts. On August 22, 1996, the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal ruled that the documents were a matter of public record and should be provided to the council. Byrd and his administration still refused to provide the documents.
The ongoing refusal, combined with other information, resulted in the search warrant, a necessary last resort. Until June 20 when the Byrd administration raided the Courthouse, the tribal prosecutor had copies. Those copies were transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Presumably, the FBI has copies. On the basis of those documents, Tribal Prosecutor A. Diane Blalock charged Byrd with misappropriation of funds. The FBI is still investigating. Byrd claims he has done nothing wrong, and it can all be explained by accounting errors, yet the financial records with those accounting errors have not seen the light of public scrutiny. He has pledged accountability again-and-again, yet he remains unaccountable, refusing to make the constitutionally-required information public and firing everyone who has tried to make those documents public in compliance with the constitution.
Following is a real chronology that will be refined further as we progress toward the Byrd’s removal from office, along with Deputy Chief Garland Eagle and the eight council members we will call Byrdettes for lack of a better term.
Feb. 5: Chief Justice Ralph Keen sends a letter to Byrd telling him that members of his administration had made contact with the JAT in an apparent attempt to influence the outcome of a case. Keen writes: “Please remind members of your administration that it is not proper for anyone to attempt to influence the outcome of any case.”
Feb. 24: After Byrd’s repeated refusal to produce financial records in accordance with the Cherokee Nation constitution, Tribal Prosecutor A. Diane Blalock asks Keen to issue a search warrant of Byrd’s office, which he does based upon Ragsdale’s sworn affidavit.
Feb. 25: Cherokee Nation marshals serve the warrant at the Tribal Complex, politely and peacefully gaining access to the financial records and making copies for the investigation rather than seizing the originals. Byrd claims he has done nothing wrong and fires Marshal Service Director Pat Ragsdale and Lt. Sharon Wright. Justice Dwight Birdwell reinstates Ragsdale and Wright and issues orders that anyone interfering with JAT orders and/or the investigation will be charged with contempt of court.
Feb. 26: In an effort to demonstrate employee and public support, Byrd orders all employees to attend a hastily-called press conference, where he says, “There is no need for an investigation because absolutely no money has been misused.”
Feb. 27: Ragsdale calls for assistance in the investigation from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney General’s office.
Feb. 28: In one of many attempts to take credit when none is due, Cherokee Nation Press Secretary Lisa Finley informs the media that Byrd had requested the presence of the FBI.
March 3: Ragsdale calls for a federal civil rights probe into alleged interference with him and the other marshals.
March. 4: Tribal Inspector General Bob Powell, a non-Indian and former agent with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, makes a conference call to the marshals’ office and urges five deputies to “come over” to the Byrd side and keep their jobs. During the call, Powell reveals the existence of a wiretap tape he says appeared on the chief’s desk and which he gave to the FBI claiming it supports evidence of a “conspiracy” to overthrow Byrd’s administration.
March 6: U.S. Attorney John Raley announces a federal investigation by the FBI and the Department of Interior into “recent developments” in the Cherokee Nation involving “allegations of violations of federal laws.”
March 7: Byrd holds another employees-must-attend press conference, where the spin control continues as he tells the media that he invited the FBI to investigate his spending practices. Later, the FBI confirms that Ragsdale had made the first request for the FBI to investigate, and Byrd had asked them to investigate Ragsdale. Evidence surfaces of an illegal wire-tap of the phones of the Cherokee Observer, Councilmember Barbara Starr-Scott, Robin Mayes and former-Councilmember Melvina Shotpouch. The tape is cited by the Byrd as evidence of a “conspiracy” to overthrow him and his administration.
March 8: FBI announces the wiretap was illegal and begins an investigation into the illegal tape, stating the tape shows no evidence of a conspiracy, rather it is a recording of tribal members complaining to one another about the corrupt government of the Cherokee Nation.
March 10: The tribal council approves a budget of more than $100 million, despite a lack of a full accounting of expenditures for the previous year and an incomplete listing of all sources of income for the coming year. Council says they will amend it later. During the meeting, some councilmembers vigorously question the appointment of Powell to a position never approved by the council or provided for in the constitution.
March 14: Blalock files contempt charges against Powell for violating court orders not to interfere with the Marshal Service and trying to coerce fired marshals to join Byrd’s new security force. Powell allegedly tells his staff he doesn’t have to obey Cherokee courts because he is not an Indian.
March 16: FBIEyes Cherokee Wiretaps – [**Note: Tulsa World, article references both the “March 8 FBI investigation” and “March 14 Blalock files contempt charges” items above] By AP Wire Service
March 19: Counsel Pleads Case To Tribal Justices Tulsa World article, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
March 20: At another press conference, Byrd says he intends to defy the orders of the JAT which he considers “illegal” or “unconstitutional.” He issues an executive order disbanding the Marshal Service and claims he has sworn in his own 17-man armed security guard. He then orders all marshals to report to him by 5 p.m. and be sworn-in as members of his security force, or they will face termination. None report. Human Resources Director Ervin Rock, Administrative Assistant Jamie Hummingbird, along with councilmembers Sam Ed Bush, Mary Cooksey, Don Crittenden and Harley Terrell, deliver letters of termination and checks to Ragsdale and Wright.
March 21: Byrd swears in six individuals for a “new tribal marshal service” to join others already sworn-in and armed. His news release says that on Feb. 26, “Byrd said he would honor the tribunal’s order to reinstate Ragsdale and Wright but changed his mind yesterday….” Birdwell says he is “dismayed and distressed” at Byrd’s conduct, but declines to cite him for contempt as he orders the immediate reinstatement of the Marshal Service. Blalock notifies the council that the records taken in the search indicate violations occurred, and federal and tribal charges could be filed. Justice Birdwell orders the tribe’s Secretary-Treasurer, Jennie Battles, and Chief of Staff George Thomas to restore services and funding of the Marshal Service by 4:30 p.m. or face the consequences. Powell sends notice on police teletype that Ragsdale and the other marshals are no longer recognized and “are not to be considered law enforcement officers.” District Attorney Dianne Barker Harrold tells sheriffs in Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah and Wagoner counties that cross-deputization cards issued before the sheriffs took office in 1997 are no longer valid, and the marshal Service no longer has jurisdiction on non-Indian land, a curious ruling that gives Byrd another “reason” to call in the BIA police. Byrd cancels the Cherokee Marshals gasoline credit cards to fuel patrol cars and cuts off cellular phone service.
Former Chief Wilma Mankiller in a Tulsa press conference expresses alarm and concern for the Cherokee Nation and her shock that Byrd would defy the court, comparing him to a dictator from a third world country. Former Chief Ross Swimmer releases a statement in agreement with Mankiller and asks Byrd to “apologize to the court.” Byrd holds another spin-control press conference to counter Mankiller’s, but media focuses on Mankiller conference.
March 24: Chief Justice Keen issues a statement declaring “the Cherokee Nation is in a crisis” and Byrd “has set himself up as being above the law” and promises “aggressive action to restore the constitutional government of the Cherokee Nation.” Justice Birdwell orders Battles and Thomas to appear in court on Mar. 25 on charges of contempt.
March 25: Chief of Staff George Thomas and Secretary-Treasurer Jennie Battles appear before the tribunal to answer charges of contempt. Justice Birdwell reads the previous order, and Justice Keen asks if they intend to obey. After consulting with their attorney, they answer no. They are then held in direct contempt and ordered to jail for 90 days or until they obey the court orders. Less than three hours later, they are released because of document problems.
March 26: Chief Snubs Tribal Truce Offer, Tulsa World article by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
March 27: Tribal Prosecutor Blalock files a complaint accusing Byrd of conspiring to obstruct tribal justice. Tulsa World article.
March 31: Tribal Court Fines Lawyers, Tulsa World article by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 1: Cherokee Chief, Key Aide Plead Innocent Tulsa World article, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
April 3: Cherokee Nation Press Secretary Lisa Finley sends out a release titled “High power weapons spark concerns among Cherokees,” a potentially inflammatory release, inferring that the Marshal Service and their legal and justified armaments may be the cause of violence, beginning a pattern of blaming everyone except those responsible for the volatile situation–the Byrd administration.
April 3: Third Cherokee Official Under Fire Tulsa World article, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer [**Note: References an arrest warrant issued for Bob Powell and the April 3 item concerning Marshal Service weapons.]
April 4: OCU Law Group to Stay Out of Cherokee Problems Tulsa World article, by World’s own Service.
April 10: Chief Puts Officials On Leave, Tulsa World article, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
April 10: Weapons Banned, Tulsa World article, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
April 11: Tribal prosecutor Blalock files a complaint accusing Byrd of diverting $64,984 to pay a Washington, D.C., law firm.
April 12: Inspector General Bob Powell resigns. Tulsa World article.
April 14: Critics Speak Out on Indian Housing Program Tulsa World article, by Wesley Brown World Staff Writer.
April 15: Coburn Offers Assistance in Cherokee Flap, Tulsa World article by, Jim Myers World Washington Bureau
April 15: On one of the darkest days in Cherokee history, Byrd hires a non-Indian attorney to provide one of the most ludicrous interpretations of a document in the history of Indian-white relations. The interpretation will ensure Byrd’s place in history as the most sinister destroyer of Native American sovereignty since Andrew Jackson. The attorney, Thomas Seymour of Tulsa, was reportedly paid from $100,000 to $300,000 for the deed. In the Seymour-Byrd ruling, Seymour offered an interpretation that could not stand up to ethical and legal analysis by the most rudimentary “LA Law” student. Article V. Legislature, Section 4, emphatically states: “No business shall be conducted by the Council unless at least two-thirds (2/3) of members thereof regularly elected and qualified shall be in attendance, which number shall constitute a quorum.” At no place in the document is this superseded, and certainly not in Section 5 of Article V, which immediately follows the ruling requiring a quorum to conduct business and which states: “Special meetings of the Council may be called:…(C) upon written request of fifty-one percent (51%) of the members of the Council….” In a quantum leap of logic that defies most imaginations, Seymour cited that section as the basis for changing the requirements to conduct business as a council or a “Council Court” from a quorum of ten to a simple majority of eight. Eight of 15 council members, in the absence of six members, vote to begin impeachment proceedings against the Judicial Appeals Tribunal. Nine of nine present vote to ask the BIA to take over the tribe’s law for a period of two months. If the federal government and Cherokees accept Seymour-Byrd law, it can be invoked again or permanently, and he and the eight Byrdettes can do virtually anything they want until the next election. But wait. Under Seymour-Byrd law, we many not have an election, if Byrd remains in office and realizes he has no chance to win in a free, democratic election. Later that night, 44 Cherokees including former Chief Mankiller and a number of tribal employees, sign on as plaintiffs in a lawsuit contending the meeting is illegal due to the lack of a quorum. (Two related Articles were found at Tulsa World.)
April 16: A petition effort to recall and/or impeach Byrd, the deputy chief and the eight Byrdettes is begun. Tulsa World article.
April 17: Chief Ordered Not to Interfere in Probe Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
April 18: BIA Law Enforcement To Remain Two Months, Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 21: Turmoil Grows For Cherokees Tulsa World article by, by Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 21: Contempt Charges Dismissed Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 23: BIA Acted in Haste, Court Says Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 24: Tribal Prosecutor Blalock files a complaint accusing Byrd of diverting $23,419.75 in tribal funds to pay an employee assigned to work with the Democratic National Committee. Tribunal rules the April 15 meeting was illegal due to lack of a quorum.
April 25: Cherokees Find No Wiretap Evidence, Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
April 27: Although Byrd has been in office almost two years (20 months), in an interview in the Tulsa World, he continues to blame others for his failures, including former Chief Mankiller. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.)
April 28: The illegal meeting recessed on April 15 is continued. When Cherokee attorney and constitutional scholar Chad Smith emphasizes the illegality of the meeting, Byrd’s armed security guards drag him from the meeting.
May 1: Justices Named in Charges Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 1: Tribal Officers Relinquish U.S. Duties, Tulsa World article by, World’s own Service.
May 2: The tribal council met and announced that they were going to change a statute from the requirement of the presence of a 2/3 majority (10 of 15) of the council to do business to a simple majority (8 of 15).
(Related Article was available at Tulsa World.
May 3: Eight of 15 members of the council conduct a “court of removal” using a plethora of frivolous charges and, in an unprecedented act, “impeach” the three justices. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.)
May 4: Cherokee Justices Say They Won’t Step Down Tulsa World article by, Michael Overall World Staff Writer.
May 6: Changes Sought By Chief Tulsa World article by, Jerry Fink World Senior State Writer.
May 9: Cherokee Court Remains in Session Tulsa World article by, AP Wire Service.
May 12: Group Calls for Chief Byrd’s Resignation Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 14: Chief Cuts Off Impeached Justices’ Pay Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 14: Cherokee Nation Marshals file suit in federal court against the BIA, charging the agency with interfering in tribal affairs. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.)
May 17: Cherokee Saga Continues to Churn Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 20: Tribe Officials Dispute Ousted Cherokee Judge’s Term Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 20: Byrd’s Allies Defend Ouster Of Judge Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 21: Chief Tries to Cut Off Utilities Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 22: Cherokees Seek Unity On March Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 23: Cherokee Marshals Restrained Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
May 27: Tribunal issues arrest warrants for Byrd and Eagle after they fail to appear on contempt charges. Byrd says he will not recognize or comply with actions of an “impeached” court. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.
May 29: Judge Eyes His Role in Tribal Flap, Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
June 15: The Muskogee Phoenix reports that Harlan “Joe” Jones, former secretary-treasurer of the Cherokee Nation and one of Byrd’s boyhood chums, in a sworn deposition, said Byrd “indicated that I should not remember everything that happened” during negotiations to bring a plastics plant to the Cherokee Nation.
June 19: U.S. District Judge Frank Seay of Muskogee dismisses the lawsuit filed by the fired marshals, who alleged the BIA wrongfully intervened in tribal law enforcement. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.
June 20: Byrd’s security guards, apparently aided by the BIA and local law enforcement, take over the Cherokee Courthouse in an early morning raid, citing Seay’s ruling in the Cherokee Marshals’ case as justification. When Chad Smith attempts to cross the police barrier surrounding the Courthouse Square, he is tackled from the rear, taken to the ground, restrained by five officers, handcuffed and arrested. Throughout the confrontation, Smith does not strike any of the officers. Files are turned over to the BIA and FBI. Byrd refuses Ragsdale’s request to be allowed to remove the personal belongings of the justices, including Birdwell’s Silver Stars and a Purple Heart earned for heroism in Vietnam and photos of his tour in Vietnam. “Impeached” justices and “fired” marshals are locked out. Byrd says the justices will be allowed to re-enter the Courthouse and their offices, and conduct business on Monday, June 23.
Detroit News *** Path to RealPlayer Video Of Chad Smith’s Arrest!
June 22: More than 700 people gather at Whitaker Park in Pryor for a hog fry and fund-raiser for the Cherokee Nation Marshals, who have not received a paychecks for nearly four months. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.
June 23: Justice Philip Viles Jr. and Court Clerk Gina Waits go to the Courthouse in order to conduct the business of the Judicial Appeals Tribunal. Clint Vernon, head of Byrd’s security force, stops them from entering the building and informs them that if they don’t leave they will be arrested. (Two Related Articles were available at Tulsa World.)
June 30: Attorney General Drew Edmondson says cross deputization agreements between the Cherokee Nation marshals and state and federal agencies remain in effect, overruling District Attorney Dianne Barker Harrold’s conclusion that they were not, which was one of the reasons Byrd used to bring in the BIA police. Edmondson’s ruling was based on what he called an “obvious principal of law,” citing the Supreme Court of Washington’s decision in Board of Directors Kennewick School District v. Black in 1955, and concluded “There is…no automatic withdrawal from the agreement simply because an individual officeholder of a compacting agency leaves and another individual takes his or her place.”
July 9: Byrd fires Tribal Prosecutor A. Diane Blalock through a one-page notice from Shawn Terry, assistant personnel manager, “because of job abandonment.”
July 11: A BIA public affairs officer informs the media that the BIA has spent $196,525 of taxpayer’s monies during the past ten weeks to provide police services and support for Byrd’s administration. The BIA public affairs officer said $159,363 had gone for the marshals’ hotel bills, meals and communications equipment. The remaining $37,162 in salaries was kept low because, Gonzales said, “We have had, on a rotating basis, essentially just two additional officers.”
July 14: Cherokee Elder Paul Thomas informs the council that Justice Birdwell’s service medals and other personal belongings had been returned to Birdwell by mail, but they were intentionally damaged and defaced while in the hands of Byrd’s security force. A collective moan of disbelief fills the council chambers when Thomas makes the revelation, and, during the discussion, councilmembers Mary Flute Cooksey and Harley Terrell, a veteran, walked out of the meeting.
July 16: News reports announce the Oklahoma Bar Association is investigating allegations that Tulsa attorney Thomas Seymour has had a bar complaint filed against him as a result of his interpretation of the Cherokee constitution on April 15.
July 29: With former Sequoyah County Times writer Lynn Adair waiting in the administrative offices to fill a position in the tribe’s Public Affairs Department, the public affairs staff are informed that all are being “laid-off” except the clerk-typist, effective 5 p.m., Aug. 15. Four of the six are tribal members. Department Director Dan Agent, who has been excluded from all public affairs decisions, is placed on administrative leave beginning at noon, July 30. Adair is brought to the office of public affairs on Aug. 4 and seated in the former director’s office.
Aug. 10: Judicial Appeals Tribunal orders the “fired” marshals to take back the Cherokee Courthouse at noon on August 13, 1997.
Aug. 12: Byrd swears in 10 “new marshals.” U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Department of Interior recognize the Judicial Appeals Tribunal as legal court of the Cherokee Nation, saying only the BIA police have the authority to enforce tribal law until further notice. Yet, the BIA police fail to enforce the tribunal’s orders. When the council deadlocks 7-7 in a meeting, Deputy Chief Eagle casts the deciding vote, denying Councilman Harold “Jiggs” Phillips motion to “reinstate” the justices. Councilman Bill John Baker refers to the justices as “you boys” and “idiots,” prompting former Deputy Chief John Ketcher to call it an all-time low and disgraceful behavior by a council member. Byrd tells a reporter that he should be able to hire and fire at will to ensure that loyal people are working for him. Byrd tells the council that he had fired a lot of people recently and plans to fire more.
Aug. 13: When refused entry to the Courthouse, Ragsdale tries to force his way in. In the resulting melee, six people are injured, including women who are thrown off of the Courthouse back porch, as officers from five counties, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the BIA police help Byrd’s security force maintain control of the Courthouse.
Aug. 14: The day before their lay-off begins, the five members of the public affairs staff still on duty are informed that their lay-off date has been changed to Aug. 29.
Aug. 21: Twenty-five people file two lawsuits in federal court for more than $1 million, alleging civil rights violations and that state and federal officials, including District Attorney Diane Barker-Harrold; the sheriffs and Boards of County Commissioners for Adair, Cherokee and Sequoyah Counties; Perry Proctor; Jim Fields and Ada Deer of the BIA; the Tahlequah City Police; and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, illegally barred tribal members from access to their Courthouse on June 20 and Aug. 13.
Aug. 22: In an attempt to settle the crisis before Congress takes action, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt holds a meeting in Washington, D.C., with Byrd, Attorney General Janet Reno, BIA head Ada Deer, Councilmen Harold DeMoss, Harold “Jiggs” Phillips, Charles Hoskin and Don Crittenden. After the eight hour meeting, Babbitt informs the media that it appeared an agreement had been reached until Byrd refused to recognize the tribunal as the Cherokee Nation court and refused to agree to the return of all marshals to work with back pay.
Aug. 23: Media reports that Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., expressed his ongoing concern, saying Byrd is the cause of the problem and referring to him as a dictator.
Aug. 24: Media reports Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., says he will ask President Bill Clinton to remove Byrd from office. After walking out of the Aug. 22 meeting, Byrd decides to return to Washington, reportedly calling council members while he is en route to the airport in Tulsa. He and some council members arrive in Washington for another meeting with Department of Interior.
Aug. 25: Byrd, the council members and Babbitt sign an agreement that calls for the “reinstatement” of Ragsdale and the other marshals with back pay. Ragsdale is placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the Massad report. The Massad group investigation by three attorneys non-Indian attorneys with no connections to the Cherokee Nation was commissioned by the tribal council. The agreement calls for the opening of the Cherokee courthouse on Aug. 27 and the return of the Justices to their roles as the tribe’s Judicial Appeals Tribunal, pending the opinion of the Massad report as to the legality of the “impeachment” and a temporary moratorium, which may be only a few days, on further legal action. Many tribal members remain angry that a non-Indian panel is being utilized to determine the legality of an “impeachment” that is obviously illegal, as well as the placing of Ragsdale on administrative leave, which for the Byrd administration, is usually the preliminary action to termination. (Related Article was available at Tulsa World.)
Aug. 26: The Massad report is released. It invalidates the “impeachment” of the Judicial Appeals Tribunal, concluding that “Any business conducted by this council with less than two-thirds present is not valid.” In contravention of the Seymour-Byrd ruling and statements by Byrd and his spin nurse, the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal was never impeached. (Related article was available at Tulsa World.)
Aug. 27: Report Backs Marshal Firings “Impeachment of Tribal High Court Justices Termed Improper” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
Aug. 28: Cease Fire, Tulsa World article by, World’s own Service “All Oklahomans have a stake in the peaceful resolution of the internal strife that has wracked the Cherokees’ tribal government.”
Aug. 28: Tribal Treasurer Probed In Alleged Funds Misuse, Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
Aug. 28: Courthouse Reopened – Byrd Won’t Give Traditional Address to Tribe on Tahlequah Square: “The doors were open again Wednesday at the historic Cherokee Nation Courthouse, but Chief Joe Byrd said there would be no state of the nation address Saturday on the square downtown.” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
Aug. 29: Mankiller Calls for Unity “Former Chief Tells Of Facing Similar Problems in Tribe” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale and Michael Smith World Staff Writers
Aug. 30: The Cherokees “THE RECENT TROUBLES of the Cherokee Nation tend to obscure the fact that the tribe has generally run a peaceful and usually productive operation.” Tulsa World article by, World’s own Service
Aug. 30: Panel Critical of Tribal Factions “Cherokee Nation Depends on Cooperation, Report Says” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer
Aug. 31: Cherokees Reunite on Holiday – “Despite armed police atop buildings with binoculars to keep an eye on a peaceful parade, there were signs Saturday that a shaky truce might be developing in the strife-torn Cherokee Nation after six months of turmoil.” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior Writer.
Sept. 7:As of September 7, 1997 Byrd still has not re-instated 7 of our Cherokee Nation Marshals. Byrd has yet to return the judicial branch files. Byrd’s illegal Tina Glory Court is still set up inside the executive branch. Byrd has demanded that requistions for checks and purchases requested by the judicial branch be sent to him by accounting for approval. The BIA are still here in charge of law enforcement. The problems are far from over, and there are many legal actions to be filed and resolved.
Sept. 10: Chief’s Peace Effort Called `Largely a Sham’ – Tribal justices send a letter to keep the heat on Chief Byrd. Tulsa World article by, Michael Smith World Staff Writer
Sept. 18: Cherokee Treasurer, Officials Talk Writer “The treasurer of the Cherokee Nation, a major target in an FBI investigation into allegations of misuse of federal funds, has been talking behind closed doors with federal prosecutors, it was learned this week.” Tulsa World article by, Rob Martindale World Senior
Sept. 21: Point of View: The Illusion Of Sovereignty, “For several months the Oklahoma Cherokees watched Principal Chief Joe Byrd almost single-handedly destroy constitutional tribal government. Although high-level federal intervention recently quashed Byrd’s rampage, the Cherokees are now wondering how to ensure that elected officials henceforth conduct tribal affairs in accordance with the Cherokee Nation Constitution.” [**Note: The Author – A graduate of Columbia, Stanford and Harvard Universities, Robert A. Fairbanks is president of the Native American College Preparatory Center in Norman. He is Leech Lake Ojibwe.] Tulsa World article by, World’s own Service
Sept. 22: Audit of Tribe Cites `Weaknesses’ – in Accounting Procedures “Deloitte & Touche auditors told the Cherokee Nation that the tribe’s weaknesses in internal accounting controls were ‘as serious as it gets.'” Tulsa World article by, AP Wire Service
Sept. 23: Cherokee Accounting Blasted “Audit of Tribe Cites `Weaknesses’ in Accounting Procedures” Tulsa World article by, AP Wire Service
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Reasonable cause is a standard of proof. It is applied to a set of facts or actions to prove whether a reasonable person would have come to the same conclusion or acted in the same way given the totality of the circumstances. The standard is part of the tests applied by U.S. courts to police action in criminal matters but has also been applied in certain civil contexts.
The U.S. Supreme Court is particularly concerned with the preservation of constitutional rights when civilians are confronted with police action. One main concern has been the issue of a police officer’s right to stop an ordinary citizen to determine if he has been involved in a crime. The court has established probable cause and reasonable cause as the two legal standards of proof, or tests, to be applied to the circumstances of a police stop.
Probable cause is the higher standard and applies to actual arrests and warrants. Reasonable cause is the lesser standard that allows a police officer to stop and briefly detain a citizen if he has reasonable cause to suspect that the person has been or is about to be involved in a crime. This definition allows judges and jurors to determine the legality of the stop. Judges and jurors are asked to determine if a reasonable person of ordinary intelligence, when faced with the same set of circumstances as the police officer, would come to the conclusion that the citizen needed to be stopped.
If the court determines that a reasonable person would not have had enough cause to suspect the citizen of anything illegal, the stop will be judged improper. This type of ruling can form the basis of a citizen filing a civil lawsuit against the police department for damages, usually concerning embarrassment and emotional distress. As a result, many jurisdictions require officers to document and substantiate stops with particularity.
Criminal law is not the only context where a reasonable cause standard can be applied. For example, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses this standard when a person asks for relief from civil penalties for late or incorrect filing of tax returns. Administrative officers and judges at the IRS review the totality of the circumstances and determine whether there was reasonable cause for the person to have committed the infraction. Reasonableness is considered based on the actions of the ordinary person, and if the IRS thinks the ordinary person, when faced with the same circumstances, would have submitted the offending tax return, it will rescind the fees and penalties associated with the offense.
When I think of reasonable cause and police officers, I think of controversial situations like the one in Ferguson, Missouri. Would it be reasonable for an officer to suspect a teenager of wrongdoing because that person was walking down the middle of a street instead of on the sidewalk? I've done the same thing myself late at night, when the traffic on my street is very light. But I'm not a policeman, and I'm not looking at it the same way.
I think it's reasonable cause if someone is doing something unusual and won't respond to a verbal command to stop it. If someone is sitting outside a closed store at 2 in the morning, a reasonable person might
want to ask him what he's doing there. I don't know if just standing in front of a building is enough to provide probable cause, however. The officer would have to see something a little more suspicious, I think, like a possible weapon or burglary tools.
I've always heard about probable cause, but I didn't know there was another standard called reasonable cause. That explains why a police officer pulled me over one time because he said I was weaving. I was actually trying to get out my wallet while driving, but I can see where a police officer might suspect I was driving under the influence. I explained my side of it and he just gave me a warning, but I still wondered if he had the right to pull me over. Now I know he did.
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK! | <urn:uuid:36802b91-fbcf-4466-a62b-b0cb4b57c2ef> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-reasonable-cause.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00065-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96988 | 840 | 3.265625 | 3 |
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Plane crashes, emergency landings, even mid-air medical emergencies... they happen rarely, but response crews are always prepared for the worst.
The Federal Aviation Administration requires airports to put on full-scale disaster response exercises once every three years.
But to be sure they're ready, the Grand Junction Regional Airport trains every year.
"Every year we all come together," says interim airport manager, Amy Jordan. "We exercise our airport emergency plan, and make sure we can respond as coordinated as possible."
"It's a multi-agency drill that allows us to better serve the community should we have an emergency," says Grand Junction Fire Department firefighter and EMT, Shaw Montgomery.
The entire drill was live-tweeted on a special twitter handle, it even had it's own hashtag.
Only organizers knew the details of the mock emergency before it happened; none of the people actually participating had any idea what or when it would happen, forcing them to react, instead of plan ahead. | <urn:uuid:dce0b46b-8df5-4659-b74e-0ab6068909af> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/Preparing-for-the-worst-260364411.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00131-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966587 | 212 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Education in any social environment is influenced in many ways by the traditions of these environments. As a consequence the results of such education will naturally differ with different traditions in different environments. Indeed, this is necessary since one of the intentions of education is to support the traditional continuity of structure and function of a special environment.
On the other hand, today we are observing a growing interdependence between environments like regions, states, countries, and different cultural areas of the world. In many respects they have to rely on corresponding or equivalent standards of education, and differences can cause irritations.
In mathematics education also, taking an international and intercultural point of view, we face this split phenomenon of difference and correspondence, linked with the perpetual challenge to improve the quality of mathematics education. A study attempting a comparison between mathematics education in different traditions will be helpful to understand this phenomenon in detail and to exploit it for the sake of mathematics education. From this, paths will be discovered leading to adequate and effective applications of differences, as well as correspondences, in national and international environments.
Due to the size of an ICMI Study, in manpower and in time, this enterprise must be limited to only a selection of cultural traditions. Those based in East Asia and the West seem particularly promising for a comparison, since similar interests in differences and correspondences have existed for a long time and experiences in equivalent research have been gathered.
A rich variety of aspects of mathematics education is to be considered in this comparative study, ranging from the host of social, economic and other contexts, curricula, teachers, students, goals, contents, methodology, media etc. to the nature of mathematics and the future of mathematics as well as mathematics education. Traditions of teaching and learning that are deeply embedded in history and culture will have to be compared, with a consideration of the rich experience growing out of them as well as their resistance to change.
At the same time, this comparative study must consider present developments in society, science and technology as well as ethics. Changing attitudes between generations are influencing the teacher-student relationship, as are the new information and communication technologies. In addition, these technologies define new roles for both the teachers and learners and the reaction is different in different traditions.
What kind of subjects will there be in schools of the future and how much planning is going on? In what ways will mathematics education of the future be comparable to that of today and how will it differ? What forces are competing in this field?
Exchanges of experiences and expectations will be an important part of the study and critical considerations will be inevitable.
Previous ICMI studies normally proceeded in three steps: Discussion Document, Study Seminar and Study Volume. In our case we will insert an Electronic Discussion Forum before and possibly even after the seminar.
First, the IPC offers a Discussion Document to the mathematics education community and people from interested contexts. We will welcome applications for a study seminar by invitation which we expect to take place in Hong Kong in October 2002. Contributions can come from individuals as well as jointly from colleagues who are already engaged in comparative activities about different traditions in mathematics education. This will allow an operationalising of the study by referring to case studies, for example.
Second, the Electronic Discussion Forum will allow statements about the theme of the study in general and corresponding comments and questions from any colleagues interested in the study.
Among other intentions the Forum should especially enable colleagues interested in the same or similar field of comparison to meet and to cooperate in preparing a contribution in general or a case study in particular.
Third, the Study Seminar will consist of presentations identifying and interpreting consequences from different traditions to a variety of aspects of mathematics education. Moreover, a great deal of work has to go into the comparing of observations and findings, for example in focus groups. In this way the seminar will arrive at recommendations for the applications mentioned above, serving to make differences and correspondences fruitful for national and international education.
Fourth, a Study Volume will be published for the mathematics education community and the interested public, containing the results from the communications and comparisons at the seminar.I - What is in this study?
In this study, we confine ourselves to mathematics education of school age children (although we are not confining ourselves to mathematics education in regular schools) and related areas such as teacher education, and will not specifically study issues such as vocational education or education at tertiary level. Problems in mathematics education to be investigated may include issues such as curriculum, assessment, policy, influences of information and communication technology (ICT) and multimedia, community and family background etc. These will be further elaborated in Section IV.I.2 - What do we mean by "cultural tradition" in this study?
"Tradition" is an equivocal word which can refer to many different things. As this study is on mathematics education, we obviously would like to study "traditions" which have a bearing on mathematics education. Two obvious choices are the education tradition and the mathematics tradition in different countries or regions. Indeed it is reported in the literature that mathematics education in a given country or system is very much influenced by the underlying education tradition and mathematics tradition. However, in this study we would argue that both the education tradition and the mathematics tradition are related to a deeper level of tradition, that of the culture. And it is this deeper level of cultural tradition with reference to which we would like to compare the mathematics education in different regions.
Culture is "one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language". It may refer to "the fabric of ideas, ideals, beliefs, skills, tools, aesthetic objects, methods of thinking, customs and tradition", or the "configuration or generalization of the 'spirit' which inform the 'whole way of life' of a distinct people". For this study, culture refers essentially to values and beliefs, especially those values and beliefs which are related to education, mathematics or mathematics education. An example of a value that pertains to education is the importance attached to education in different cultures. An example concerning mathematics is the view of the nature of mathematics (e.g. whether or not it is essentially a pragmatic discipline). An example of a belief that affects mathematics education is the attribution of success and failure in mathematics (e.g. attribution to effort versus innate ability).
Although "culture" is a crucial concept in this study, it is not the intention of this paper to offer a comprehensive definition of the term. Rather, the brief discussion and examples above are meant to indicate the level of depth we are referring to when the term "tradition" is used and to stimulate discussion on what cultural values and beliefs are relevant to a discussion on mathematics education. Indeed, one important purpose of this study is exactly to identify the aspects in our cultural values which have impact, directly or indirectly, on mathematics education.I.3 - What are "East Asia" and "the West"?
This study is on the cultural traditions in East Asia and the West. In using the terms "East Asia" and "the West", we do not merely refer to geographic areas. Our contention is that cultural divisions are much more meaningful than political or geographic divisions in explaining differences of educational practices in mathematics. East Asia and the West in this study are therefore cultural demarcations rather than geographic divisions, roughly identified as the Chinese/Confucian tradition on one side, and the Greek/Latin/Christian tradition on the other. We acknowledge that neither of these "poles" is well defined, as with any label given to any culture. But we use the two terms to point to the scope that we want to confine ourselves to in this study.
In identifying these two "poles", we are not claiming that the two cover all major cultural traditions in the world. Nor are we implying that these two are the most important human traditions. For example, it has been pointed out that there is a distinctive East European tradition in mathematics education which is definitely worth studying. Equally worth studying are traditions in South Asia (in particular that of India) and Africa. However, it would not be possible for a single ICMI study to cover all important traditions worldwide. What we hope to achieve, by choosing these two poles for study, is a balance between using pertinent examples to study the relationship between cultural traditions and mathematics education on the one hand, and choosing two major traditions that have attracted attention in the field of mathematics education on the other. More justifications on the choice of the two traditions will be discussed in section II.I.4 - What do we mean by a comparative study?
To compare means to identify similarities and differences, and to interpret and explain the similarities and differences identified. It may not be as easy as it is conceived. Given two things or concepts, there may exist infinitely many aspects of similarities and differences, and hence in a comparative study, we are always confining the comparison to a particular theme or some particular themes. For our study therefore, we are comparing practices in mathematics education (as defined in I.1 above) along the theme of cultural traditions (as described in I.2 above). Reminding ourselves of this obvious point is important. In studying mathematics education in different countries, we will definitely come across important aspects of mathematics education that are of interest to us. But in deciding which of those aspects should be included in our study, we have to ask ourselves whether or not those aspects are related to this theme of cultural traditions. Some aspects of mathematics education which we deem to be related to different cultural traditions will be discussed in Section IV.
After we have identified similarities and differences within a certain theme, the next question is what to do with them. A simple juxtaposition of similarities and differences does not in itself explain. There is a need for analysis based on certain theoretical frameworks, or in the absence of a suitable theoretical framework, a need for the establishment of one, based on the differences and similarities observed. More about how this comparative study is operationalised will be discussed in Section III.II - The rationale for this study
Pressures and needs from outside mathematics education
Rapidly developing information and communication technologies have an enormous influence on mathematics, science, production, society, politics, education and even lifestyle. Increasing globalisation is encouraging the assumption of universalism in mathematics education. The increase in journals and books about mathematics teaching, the multitude of conferences in every part of the world, the availability of materials via the World Wide Web, and the activities of multinational computer companies all increase the pressure for adopting similar practices in mathematics teaching around the world.
At the same time, however, the globalisation processes are producing reactions from mathematics educators in many countries who are concerned that regional and local differences in educational approach are being eradicated. This is not just a mathematical ecology argument, about being concerned that the rich global environment of mathematical practices is becoming quickly impoverished. It is also an argument about education, which recognises the crucial significance of any society's cultural and religious values, socio-historical background and goals for the future, in determining the character of that society's mathematics education.
Policy makers also recognise the importance of adjusting to the changing world and mathematics education reform movements can be found in many countries at this moment. A number of international studies have also taken place in the last decade to provide policy makers with information on the relative standing and effectiveness of their education systems.
Pressures and needs from within mathematics education
Mathematics educators from all around the world are continuing to make efforts to improve the quality of mathematics education. One way to achieve this is through learning from different countries. For instance, many schools in the US are importing the mathematics textbooks of Singapore, while Asian countries are mimicking the approach taken by US textbooks that have been developed as a result of many specific educational projects. While these exchanges do not yet show clear evidence about which approach is the most appropriate for each country, they stress the need for more awareness of the cultural traditions in which the respective mathematics teaching is embedded. More in-depth studies on the relative merits of the different approaches within different education systems are needed.
A complete comparison of the background, perspectives and practice of mathematics education around the world is far beyond the scope of an ICMI study. Realistically we need to limit the range of a comparative study while still ensuring that clearly different traditions are being examined. Recently, comparative studies such as SIMS and TIMSS have produced data indicating that there may be some systematic reasons for differences in achievement and practice between some regions. East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Singapore and Hong Kong consistently outperform western countries in North America, Europe and Australia in these international tests. These results have brought about a growing interest for policy makers and educators to find out the factors behind Asian students' high performance in mathematics.
Surprisingly, a superficial look at mathematics teaching in Asian countries indicated that teaching methods in these countries are not perceived as advanced as in Western countries. For instance, mathematics education in the East Asian countries mentioned above is typically characterised by the following: They are very often content oriented and examination driven. Large class sizes are the norm and classroom teaching is usually conducted in a whole class setting. Memorization of mathematical facts is stressed and students feel that their mathematics learning is mainly learning by rote. Teachers feel guilty for not teaching enough problem-solving during their classes. Students and teachers are subjected to excessive pressure from highly competitive examinations, and the students do not seem to enjoy their mathematics learning.
This parity between the high mathematics performance in Asian countries and a lack of modern teaching methods is puzzling. It prompts for a call for in-depth studies about mathematics learning that goes beyond classroom teaching. Cultural traditions, for example, could be highly pertinent to students' learning. In particular, there are marked differences in cultural traditions between the East and the West. These cultural differences provide us a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding about students' learning and achievement.
This study presupposes that the impact of cultural tradition is highly relevant to mathematics learning. Cultural traditions encompass a broad range of topics. It includes the perceived values of the individual and the society, as well as social structures such as the relationship between parents and children, or the relationship between teachers and students. There are clear differences in all these areas between Asian and Western traditions. For instance, some scholars have identified features of East Asian mathematics education, together with their underlying values, by contrasting them to the West.
Apart from scientific interests in comparing mathematics achievements in the East and the West, there is also a strong political impetus behind such studies. After World War II, Western countries have dominated world economic development for a long time, but in the last ten years, we saw the emergence of East Asia as strong competing economic powers. The United States government, for example, has given very strong support in international comparative studies of mathematics and science, with particular emphasis in the comparison between the U.S. and Japan. The Australian government, on the other hand, recognising the importance of its geography proximity to Asian countries, has funded special studies aiming to get a better understanding of mathematics learning in Asian countries.
The culmination of all of the above issues has made a study between Asian and Western traditions in mathematics education not only interesting but also important. There is also some urgency for such a study to take place now, because with the current advances of technology and communication, the differences between cultural traditions are diminishing. Before long, we will not have such contrasting traditions to provide us with rich information to carry out such as a study.II.3 - What can be achieved from this study?
The focus of this study is on differences in educational traditions which have cultural and social implications for the environment and practice of mathematics education. This focus does not mean a narrow interest on how to improve scores in international tests. The study is about gaining a deeper understanding of all aspects of mathematics learning and teaching, and about what each tradition can learn from the other.
To develop this point further, the study should not be a 'horse-race-type' of study resulting in a linear ranking list. Instead, in this study we want to start with a mutual understanding of the mathematics education systems and processes in different traditions that lead to more or less satisfactory success in the learning and application of mathematics. Given this degree of 'success', according to some agreed criteria, then we need to identify the conditions that contribute to this success (e.g. learning techniques, external influences, natural abilities of the children, language etc). Only then can any kind of transfer of methods take place, if desired, from one tradition into another. It is not a simple import-export business. As an old Japanese proverb puts it: We cannot easily plant a good seed of another field into our own field.
In summary, we are hopeful that this study can achieve the following:
This study is rather different from the earlier ICMI studies in that it is specifically concerned with comparing practices in different settings and with trying to interpret these different practices in terms of cultural traditions. It is also the intention of the IPC to ensure that the study will result in various products and outcomes including, of course, a book for the ICMI series, but equally important is the process by which the study will proceed. This means that there is a need to create certain kinds of activities for engaging the participants in operationalising the study, and through these activities to develop specific kinds of contributions to the study. The IPC has identified the following as being some of the most important activities and contributions for this study.III.1 - Identification and analysis of previous studies
As has been pointed out in the previous section, there is clearly a need to build on the several previous studies which have been carried out on East/West differences, and we wish to encourage contributors to the conference to be aware of the available background literature. In particular we note that there have been various achievement-based studies such as SIMS and TIMSS, and other studies such as PISA etc.
Contributions and proposals will therefore be useful which give some synopses and critical analyses of these studies. In particular, as well as focusing on the various ideas and results that have come from these studies, we will have an interest in the methodologies used in them. Most of the analyses performed on the data of these international comparison projects have been quantitative in nature, and we are more interested in a qualitative aspect which seems to have been ignored so far. The development of productive cooperative researching is one of the outcomes we seek and awareness of previous cooperations will be very helpful in this development.III.2 - Joint contributions
In the same spirit we wish to encourage joint contributions from colleagues who are already engaged in East/West cooperative or comparative activities, as well as from those who wish to use the study as an opportunity to begin to engage in such activities. Previous international conferences such as PME, HPM, ICME have already provided some contexts for cooperative international activities and it will be important to build on those activities. These conferences have already demonstrated the value of building trust between cooperating colleagues, as well as the importance of taking advantage of the different backgrounds and knowledge of the participants.
The nature of this ICMI comparative study is such that it will be highly dependent on trust and productive cooperation between the participants, and we realise that this kind of cooperation can take time to develop. There is much to learn from each cultural tradition before one can begin to seek meaningful contrasts and to develop productive explanations. In some senses the IPC sees this study as being an opportunity both to take stock of the progress made so far in this area, and also to sow the seeds for future cooperative research and development. Developing joint contributions is one way in which study partipants can begin to engage in the spirit of this ICMI study, and seeking these is one way in which the IPC and ICMI can help to foster future collaborative ventures.III.3 - Case studies
In a sense this ICMI comparative study is one large case study, as has already been mentioned, so the IPC sees the need for there to be several case studies, with a comparative flavour at the heart of the study, which focus on specific aspects of mathematics education (see Section IV). Thus it is important that participants are aware of the nature and value of case-study activity in order to develop the study to its fullest potential. It is only through such case-studies that the richness of educational and cultural interactions can be presented and interpreted.
The case studies hopefully will demonstrate the observation and understanding of a range and variety of typical phenomena in the different traditions, together with their importance in mathematics education. Cases should not only focus on demonstrating and analysing differences but will also explore aspects of similarity between the traditions. The depth of analysis made possible by such case studies will help to challenge the naive policy and practice of attempting to merely copy and transport specific practices from one tradition to another.
As well as welcoming contributions regarding previous case studies and the presentation of current comparative case studies, the IPC sees this study as creating the opportunity for the development of future comparative case study activity. It will welcome proposals for such work.III.4 - Variety of documentation
The IPC is aware of the value and importance of including a variety of documentation in this study. Mathematics education reveals itself through various media and materials. Government publications and documents demonstrate intentions, values and contextual features of a system's policies and practices, but in order to study the influences of the different traditions to the depth desired it is necessary to seek further documentation. The IPC will therefore also welcome contributions which are based on other kinds of documentation.
Textbooks give more information about intended practices as well as about the roles of the teacher and the students but other teaching materials are also revealing. Videotapes of classrooms are increasingly being used as research data in cross-cultural research studies. Aspects of student achievement are well used in comparative studies, but can give misleading and shallow information if not adequately interpreted through deeper cultural and social perspectives. Data on students' and teachers' attitudes, beliefs and values will be particularly interesting for this study as these often reveal more about the significant aspects of difference between cultural traditions.III.5 - Different perspectives on mathematics
Differences in mathematics education intentions and practices are often stimulated by the different influences coming from various groups of professional working in and with the area of mathematics education. In addition different cultural traditions view mathematics itself in different ways, as has already been pointed out in an earlier section.
In this study therefore the IPC wishes to seek contributions from people who work in different parts of the mathematics education community. In a rich comparative study such as this, different perspectives are crucial, and colleagues who work in areas such as mathematical applications, informatics, and the history and philosophy of mathematics are encouraged to participate.III.6 - Different perspectives on the study of mathematics education
In the same sense as in the previous point, there are several different approaches to the study of mathematics education which need to be recognised in this study. Although the IPC sees case studies as being important kinds of contributions, it also does not seek to restrict the methodology of the studies presented. It recognises value for example in psychological, sociological, and anthropological approaches as well as in contributions from other areas of the educational sciences.
The IPC is also aware that as this comparative study develops, particular differences in methodology between cultural traditions may become revealed, for example concerning the position and role of researchers. It is conscious of the dangers of applying certain methodologies from one cultural tradition inappropriately in another cultural tradition. The IPC therefore hopes that one outcome of this study is an increased awareness in the international mathematics education community of the need for cultural sensitivity in carrying out future comparative studies.IV - Aspects of the study
Mathematics education does not take place in a vacuum, but there is always a host of different contexts within which the practice of mathematics education takes place. These contexts may be social, political, economic, philosophical or ethical, but they are of course all related one way or another to the underlying cultural values. What are the elements within these contexts which are relevant to mathematics education? What are the "givens" from which we organize our mathematics education, and what are the constraints within which we carry out the education?IV.2 - Determinants of the curriculum
In the literature on sociology of education, an important characterisation of an education system is to identify the significant figures or interested parties that determine education policy in general and the curriculum in particular. In this study, however, we are interested not in these general sociological issues, but in the determinants of the mathematics curriculum. Who are the major players (e.g. mathematicians, mathematics educators, school teachers, bureaucrats etc.) in determining a particular mathematics curriculum? Are there significant cultural differences in the constellation of determinants of the mathematics curriculum? In addition to the issue of "who", we are also interested in the mechanism through which the mathematics curriculum is determined. Are there cultural differences on how the mathematics curriculum is determined (e.g. centralized versus decentralized)?IV.3 - The role and place of mathematics in the overall curriculum
Mathematics occupies a central place in the curriculum of nearly all countries in the world, yet there may be subtle differences in the importance attached to mathematics as a school subject in different countries or cultures. As far as the education system is concerned, what role is mathematics playing in terms of sifting or filtering students through the education ladder in different countries? Is mathematics a highly aspired subject? What place does mathematics occupy within the overall curriculum (this may be reflected, for example, in the number of hours devoted to mathematics)? Is mathematics viewed as a service or instrumental subject, a subject for mental training, or a subject essential for the development of a cultured citizen? The different perceived roles of mathematics may affect the way mathematics education is conceived and organized in different countries and cultures. These are related to points (6) and (11) below.IV.4 - Teachers, teacher education, values and beliefs
The teacher is one of the most crucial elements in the implementation of the mathematics curriculum, and hence a study of mathematics education in different traditions should definitely focus on the teacher. Are there cultural differences on the image or role of teachers in the education process? Are there differences in the way mathematics teachers are educated or expected to be educated? What are the relative emphases on the subject matter (mathematics), pedagogy, and pedagogical content knowledge in the teacher education curriculum?
The literature shows that there is a high correlation between the attitudes and beliefs of teachers on the one hand, and their instructional practices on the other, and it will be both important and interesting to see whether there are cultural differences in teacher attitudes and beliefs. For example, how do teachers in different cultures perceive the nature of mathematical knowledge? The literature shows that mathematics is viewed by teachers as more or less a subject of absolute truth or as a fallible subject. Are there any cultural differences in these attitudes? Also, are there cultural differences in the patterns of attribution of success and failure in mathematics? Does the strength of the relationship between attitudes and practices differ in different cultures?IV.5 - Students, learning styles, attitudes, role of students in the teaching/learning process
Just as teachers in different cultures differ in their attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning, students in different cultures are reported to differ in their attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics learning. Do these differences in attitudes lead to differences in learning styles? For example, are Asian students more passive in mathematics lessons? Does physical passivity necessarily imply mental passivity? Can we account for the different achievements of students by differences in attitudes and learning styles?
Also, does the pattern of gender differences in attitudes differ in different cultures? Are boys and girls treated differently in different cultures? How are students of different abilities (e.g. gifted children, disadvantaged students) treated in different cultures? Is the role of student in the teaching and learning process perceived differently in different cultures? These differences, if they exist, will definitely affect both the way teachers organize their teaching as well as the way students participate in the teaching and learning activities.IV.6 - Intentions and goals
Studies of different cultural traditions often reveal differences in the goals of education, and it is likely that there are also important differences in the goals and aims for mathematics education. This does not just concern the formal and published goals and aims in, for example, government publications, but concerns also the informal, understood but not stated intentions which people from a cultural tradition take as natural, assumed, and unimportant to discuss. So, are there formally described differences in the goals and aims of mathematics education between different cultural traditions, and what are they?
Intentions however are more general phenomena than goals and aims, and concern personal values as well as societal expectations. In this study it is hoped to reveal more of the informal intentions that the different cultural traditions hold for mathematics education as well as the more formal goals. Is it possible through this study to identify these informal intentions and to explore the systematic differences between them?IV.7 - Content
The differences between the content taught in various countries would appear to be important in this study, particularly in explaining variation in student's performance. School mathematics syllabuses might ostensibly be similar in different societies, but the arrangement of the content and the approach to particular topics could be very different. For example, the content of geometry taught in school might have different emphases on coordinate geometry, vector geometry, Euclidean geometry, transformation geometry or indeed on the integration of these geometries in different countries. Whether algebra is or is not considered as a means for mathematical argument can result in very different approaches to algebra.
So, the question is, how do the different aspects of content chosen and the approaches taken interact with, and how are they influenced by, particular cultural values?
School mathematics is developing. For example, the modeling of situations through programming and computer algorithms has developed a certain appropriate content for school mathematics, such as testing the correctness of algorithms. How do different cultural traditions react to such new content?
Comparison of content can also focus on some specific issues. For example, how are ideas of proving and testing in mathematics introduced and developed? How is discrete mathematics implemented in school? What has been the legacy of the New Math that was exported from the West to many countries in the 50s? Such issues may also have significant cultural roots.IV.8 - Methodology and media
Methodology of teaching and learning is one of the master keys opening up differences in mathematics education, both in theory and practice. Researchers have shown rising interest in comparisons in different countries for the last two decades and they generally agree that differences are both substantial and striking.
Major and coherent questions are:
Section II.3 has already been dealing with question 3) and we will not go into any more details here.
As to question 1) differences have been observed and studied in many aspects like classroom organisation and routines, teaching sequences, instructional expectations from students, teacher-student interactions, representations for mathematical concepts and procedures. Are these the most influential aspects of differences and which others should be considered? For example, what about the process of planning, analysing and evaluating lessons? Or a deeper insight into the changing teacher-student interaction influenced by general changes in the attitudes of different generations towards each other and the growing interaction of students with each other about learning and with informal teaching and learning resources, such as the internet?
There have been attempts by researchers to characterise differences in mathematics lessons in Japan (e.g. as built around a consideration of multiple approaches to carefully chosen practical examples or activities). In lessons in American schools some researchers see teachers presenting information and directing student activities and exercises with a unique feature of the multiplicity and diversity of both topics and activities.
How can these issues be investigated further and understood more deeply?
As to question 2) reasons for differences observed have been found in different theories about teaching and learning. Education in general and teaching methods in particular do rely on very different fundamentals e.g. philosophy-oriented, science-oriented or application-oriented (or dialectical, hermeneutical, empirical-analytical). Schemes for the structuring of a lesson also can follow a dialectically oriented model of the process of education (Bildung), a process of development as in nature or technology, or a model oriented at the problems to be handled.
Theories about learning are often related to psychological considerations, resulting in a behaviourist or action-oriented view, e.g. Which concepts are dominating in different traditions and what are the consequences, good and bad?
In practice, teaching and learning is strongly dependent on the formal organisation of lessons and strings of lessons, following principles like education (Bildung) oriented, subject matter oriented or student oriented for the structuring of lessons. So to answer the question why there are differences we have to find out in detail about a mixture of philosophical, social, psychological, cultural, political, economical and even ecological intentions and principles for teaching and learning.
Strong changes in teachers' and students' activities in class are reported from many countries. Control of teachers on the activities of students is diminishing. Students rely on outside sources or on information from their peers. They become more active in class and they want to have influence on contents and goals. Models like "students teach students" or "learning by teaching" are practised. How do mathematics educators in different traditions judge these activities? How do they try to exploit them for mathematics education purposes or how do they try to avoid them happening?
Some of the observations just mentioned originate from the new role of the didactic component "media". Compared to classical media like blackboard and chalk or the OHP, modern information technology based media like multimedia computers have a stronger touch of educational intelligence. They can furnish students with information as well as with some advice for learning and about correctness of findings. Communication technology can open up the classroom for geographically and - this is more important - culturally distant information, giving rise to activities like "distance learning". These experiences have a very strong impact not only on cognitive but also on emotional intentions in class (motivation, creativity, ambition). Our study will not only have to evaluate the quality of these attempts but also compare reactions to this kind of challenge in different traditions.
Do we see modern media as a new component in the conservative teacher-student structure of the classroom? What chances and what risks do we see in the new media and what are we doing about it? How can we explain the unchanged importance of teachers for the learning process to society, and how the new role? Even if we see the risks of the new media, can we avoid them? Many societies have seen a "metacognitive shift" going on at all levels of information and communication processes. There is less interest in the contents of these processes and growing interest in the medium carrying the contents. How do we uphold the intentions of mathematics education as far as contents and methods are concerned?IV.9 - Assessment of students' achievement
There have been different views and approaches to the assessment of students' achievement in mathematics. For example, in East Asian societies, students, teachers, and parents view written tests and examinations as one of the most important things in a students' school life and as a key to the success of their future life. There are also high-stakes college entrance examinations. This does not seem to be the case in many Western societies. Moreover, there have been great differences in the approaches to assessment of students' achievement in different societies with different traditions. For example, in Western countries (e.g. the United States), standardized tests and multiple choice questions have been used for a long time in the assessment of students' achievement. Recently, alternative assessment methods have been increasingly used in Western schools. Again, this is not the case in Asian countries, though we can see some influence of the standardized test and alternative assessment in some Asian educational systems. The question is, what are the exact differences in assessment of students' achievement in different societies with different traditions? Why are there such differences? Will there eventually be a universal view and approach to the assessment of students' achievement because of the growth of globalization and information technology?IV.10 - Different aspects of achievement
Many available comparative studies, especially large-scale achievement assessments, have shown that East Asian students overall outperform their Western counterparts in mathematics. However, some recent researches have suggested that the superior performance of East Asian students is more evident in certain aspects of mathematics achievement, such as using basic skills of computation and algebraic manipulation, solving routine problems and school mathematics problems by applying algorithms, and it is less so in some other aspects. In some studies, researchers found that Western students performed as well as, or sometimes even better than, their Asian counterparts in aspects such as using visual and graphical representation and solving open-ended problems.
Some people have also argued that East Asian students might be better at abstract thinking in mathematics, but Western students might be better at intuitive thinking. Is this really true? In other words, do Asian students perform better in some aspects of mathematics achievement, and worse in some other aspects than Western students? If so, do the differences in these different aspects of achievement reveal certain differences in cultural traditions?
Furthermore, it has been shown in some international studies that students in East Asia, such as in Japan, do not like mathematics as much as, but they performed academically better than, students in Western countries. The question is, to what extent are students' attitudes towards mathematics and mathematics learning affected by their cultural traditions, by their social environment, or by their school learning experiences?IV.11 - Views on the nature of mathematics
Researchers have documented the fact that different kinds of mathematics have developed through different cultural traditions. For example, there are significant differences between ancient Chinese mathematics and ancient Greek mathematics. The former is more algorithm-oriented and application-oriented, and the latter is more oriented towards deductive reasoning and not towards the application of mathematics.
The question then is, how do different cultural perspectives on the nature of mathematics influence mathematics education in different traditions? Moreover, what is the relationship between the cultural traditions and the societal views on mathematics and mathematics education in different traditions. In other words, how do they influence or interact with each other?IV.12 - Uses, misuses, and abuses of mathematics
There are different views on the relationship between mathematics and society. It has been claimed that mathematics is essential to a modern society, and mathematics can help people become informed citizens and make wise decisions in their individual and social life. This seems particularly true in the modern information age. However, it is not uncommon to see that mathematics, including statistics, is misused or even abused intentionally or unintentionally on different occasions and for different purposes. The question in this connection is, how is mathematics used, misused, and abused in different societies with different traditions? Why is mathematics used, misused, and abused in this way or that way in different societies? What can we do in mathematics education to help students as well as the general public to understand mathematics and its usefulness appropriately so they will not mathematically mislead others or be misled by others with numbers, data, graphs, statistics, or other forms of mathematical information.IV.13 - Non-formal mathematics education
In addition to formal school mathematics education, there are other forms of mathematics education, e.g., Juku schools in Japan, Bu-Xi-Ban in Hong Kong and Taiwan, private tuition in Singapore, mathematics clubs within schools, internet-based and home-based learning, to name a few. In this regard, we are interested in the following questions: what are the other forms of mathematics education existing in different societies with different traditions? Why do they exist in different societies? What role do they play in the whole picture of mathematics education? How do they interact with formal mathematics education?IV.14 - Evolution of mathematics education
Mathematics education has a long history in human civilization. The question of interest is, how has mathematics education been developing and changing in different countries or societies in different traditions? As the world is increasingly globalised and information technology helps people in different places communicate and share their questions, ideas, and information more freely and conveniently, will there be a universal approach to mathematics education? What can we learn about mathematics education from the past in order to ensure a better future for mathematics education?V - Contributions to the study
The ICMI Study Mathematics education in different cultural traditions: A comparative study of East Asia and the West consists of
A discussion web-site is being set up, and members of the mathematics education community are invited to participate in discussion on the major topics and problems identified in this discussion document or related issues. Please refer to the official web-site at the end of this document.
The invited Study Conference, with a size of about 80 to 100 participants and a duration of 5 days, is scheduled for October 2002, in Hong Kong.
The IPC, as well as ICMI, is interested to have approximately equal number of participants from East Asia and the West, like the composition of the IPC. English, however, will be the language of the conference. We are well aware that this may mean a handicap for many individuals whose first language is not English, but we would nevertheless like to encourage such people to participate. We would also like to encourage the native English speakers to take special care of this situation. We will have little chance to succeed in a real comparative study if we do not succeed in managing the language problem in the Study Conference.
It is expected that every participant be active in discussion and other modes of activity during the conference.
Participants should finance their own attendance at the conference, and invitation to attend the conference does not imply that financial support will be provided by the organisers.
Individuals and groups are invited to send in abstracts of their anticipated contributions on specific questions, problems or issues raised in this document to both co-chairs as soon as possible. Submissions should be up to two pages in length and may be e-mailed, faxed or posted as hard copies. Based on the abstracts, some contributors will be asked to produce longer versions of their submissions for the consideration of the International Programme Committee (IPC). Invitees to attend the Study Conference will receive comments on their submissions from the IPC and will be asked to produce camera-ready revised versions of their submissions for publication in the pre-conference proceedings.
The major outcomes of the Study, based on the contributions to, and the outcomes of the Conference, as well as results from the electronic discussion, will be published as part of the ICMI Study series by the end of 2003, and will be presented at ICME-10 in 2004.V.2 - Time-line
The planned time-line for the Study is as follows:From March 2001
The members of the International Programme Committee (IPC) are:
Annie BESSOT (France)
Alan BISHOP (Australia)
Lianghuo FAN (Singapore)
Walther FISCHER (Germany)
Klaus-Dieter GRAF (Germany, Co-chair)
Bernard HODGSON (Canada, ICMI Secretary)
Frederick LEUNG (Hong Kong, Co-chair)
Fou Lai LIN (Taiwan)
Francis LOPEZ-REAL (Hong Kong, Chair of the Local Organising Committee)
Kyungmee PARK (Korea)
Katsuhiko SHIMIZU (Japan)
Jim STIGLER (USA)
Margaret WU (Australia)
Dianzhou ZHANG (China)
Enquiries on all aspects of the Study, as well as suggestions concerning the content of the study conference programme should be sent to both co-chairs:
Prof. Dr. Klaus-D. Graf
Freie Universitaet Berlin
Institut für Informatik
14195 Berlin, Germany
Tel: ++49 30 838 75 145/100
Fax: ++49 30 838 75 109
home-page: http://www. inf.fu-berlin.de/~graf
Dr. Frederick K.S. Leung
Dean, Faculty of Education
The University of Hong Kong
Tel: ++852 2859 2355
Fax: ++852 2517 0075
The official web-site for the Study is: http://www.inf.fu-berlin.de/icmics
Editors of journals, magazines and newsletters are encouraged to publish this Discussion Document. | <urn:uuid:1b773b27-195e-465b-8838-0fb2327d3c21> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mathunion.org/o/Organization/ICMI/bulletin/49/Comparative_East_West_Asia.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00008-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950535 | 9,123 | 2.828125 | 3 |
FLRU 2520 Russia Today
- How did perestroika aid in the expansion of organized crime in Russia?
- Why was the transition from the black market in the Soviet period to organized crime after the disintegration of the USSR successful?
- Describe how growth of organized crime in Russia after 1991 can be attributed to the government’s feeble transition to a market economy
- What role did the judicial system play in the growth of organized crime?
- How did the transition to a market economy contribute to the growth of organized crime
- What part does organized crime play in deterring entrepreneurships?
- How does organized crime deter competition in the economy?
- Describe the Russian organized crime's interaction with international crime syndicates?
- How has Russian organized crime contributed to this very "capital flight"?
Relate the questions above to the plot and characters in the movies "Tycoon" and "The Brother". | <urn:uuid:95681cf8-49af-4d34-9f68-37f863185a1b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.auburn.edu/~mitrege/FLRU2520/study-guides/RussianMob.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397864.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00059-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950483 | 192 | 2.796875 | 3 |
|part of speech:
||not proper or appropriate.
The drunk man was thrown out of the restaurant for using unsuitable language.
- adequate, appropriate, right, suitable
- similar words:
- improper, unbecoming, wrong
||unsuitably (adv.), unsuitability (n.), unsuitableness (n.) | <urn:uuid:e46c6e11-e31f-496c-b594-65e6f0063bf2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wordsmyth.net/?level=2&rid=45118 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00200-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.722637 | 72 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Dakshinamurti Stotra, translated by Alladi Mahadeva Sastri, , at sacred-texts.com
"Whoso hath highest love for God, and for the Guru as for God, to that Mahatman, the truths here taught shine in full." (Svetasvatara-Upanishad, VI., 23). These are the words with which the Upanishad concludes its teaching and with which Suresvaracharya, like many other teachers, closes his exposition of the Vedanta Doctrine. They form the key-note of the whole Vedic Religion as of all other Religious systems based on Revelation. It behoves, therefore, the student of spiritual wisdom,—nay, it behoves every seeker after Truth,—to study and understand the principle enunciated in the passage quoted above. To this end we have first to determine what place Revelation occupies in a religious system and how it helps man to realise truth. The Leda which is composed of different parts embodying teachings suited to different classes of people is, even in the form in which we have it, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Scriptures accepted by large masses of people, revealing truths derived from the most
trustworthy source, from God Himself. It may, therefore, be taken as the type of Revelation intended to help the growth of man towards the attainment of his highest end.
2. What is the highest end of man? As to the ultimate end of man, a consensus of opinion can be obtained by a direct appeal to consciousness, though there may be found divergencies among writers on ethical philosophy as to the immediate end which man should place before himself in his conduct towards himself or in his conduct towards others. All are agreed that the one aim which. man has in all his acts is to secure happiness for himself. The highest as well as the ultimate end of man must, therefore, be to attain to a conscious state of unalloyed happiness, which is to be eternal and unsurpassed. To have a clearer and more definite idea of the highest end of man, it is necessary to compare him with other creatures in the universe and to mark the stage he has already reached in the march of progress towards the attainment of his highest end. The ancient Aryans have traced the evolutionary process in detail, and they fall in with the modern science as to the view that human form has been gradually evolved out of the animal. The evolutionary process which went on through the three lower kingdoms of nature below man,—not to speak of the still earlier stages of evolution referred to in the Upanishads, in the Puranas, and
in the orthodox systems of philosophy,—was concerned mainly with the perfecting of form, of the material vehicle used by Spirit, the Divine Consciousness, in Its evolution towards perfect self-realisation. The main purpose of this evolution is to so perfect the form as to make it a proper medium for the Divine Being dwelling within every creature to fully express Himself in all His aspects as Consciousness, Will, and Bliss. In the mineral kingdom, the physical form, which in the earlier kingdoms was more or less unstable, has attained to the highest degree of development in point of persistency under varying conditions; and in the vegetable kingdom, it becomes pliable to the action of vital force in the form of organic growth, without at the same time losing the persistency it has already gained in the mineral kingdom. The evolution of form in the animal kingdom adds to its persistency and improved capacity for organic growth a well-defined capacity for a life of sensation, all organs of sensation and activity being developed to a marked degree. In man, form is still further developed so as to constitute a fitting instrument for the carrying on of the process of thinking. By the time that the evolution of human form has, after passing through a long transition period, reached that stage at which it no longer admits of any appreciable further development, what we call mind begins to show signs of its
existence by way of perceiving objects, connecting them together, comparing and contrasting them with one another,—processes which constitute the germs of the thinking faculty. To explain: Animals, in common with man, possess a life of sensation, their sense-organs equally receiving and responding to impacts from external objects; but they evidently seem to lack the power of connecting the various impressions together into a single composite whole; i.e., they seem to have no faculty of perception. They receive impressions through the sense organs from without; and these impressions affect in their turn the prana or vital principle wherein they abide. In response to the impressions received through the sense-organs, prana gushes out through one or more organs of activity in the body; and, as a result, the sense-organs are brought in contact with more objects. In the animal, the sensory and motor forms of vital energy thus act and react upon each other, each contributing to the growth of the other. But this reciprocal action and reaction of the sensory and the motor organs on the growth of each other as a result of receiving impacts from the external world can in no way correspond to the purely internal faculty of perception and conception constituting the germs of that faculty of thinking which forms a distinguishing feature of human beings "Thus, man is distinguished from lower
animals by the possession of this faculty of perception and thought. It is in him that we find Atman,—the one Existence and Consciousness present in all kingdoms of nature alike,—manifesting Himself in every act of consciousness as "I," as the Individual Ego, persisting through various sensations, each of which comes into being for a moment and then disappears. It is this self-conscious Individual Ego who, abiding one and the same through all the various sensations, receives them all and connects them together, converting them into notions of substances and attributes, comparing and contrasting them with one another, taking note of their mutual relations, deducing laws, and carrying on the elaborate process of reasoning. Pari passu with this development of thinking faculty goes on the development of will, freedom of will progressing with thought and knowledge. It is, therefore, evident that the ultimate end of every human being should be to develop thought and will, by proper exercise through his form, to the highest stage of perfection; to attain to a full knowledge of the whole universe; to develop the self-consciousness and will of the Ego till he realises his unity with the Universal Ego, with the Divine Being possessed of all-embracing knowledge and love as well as an absolutely free will unswayed by passion, all bending before His adamantine will, the whole
universe subservient to Him as a pliable instrument in His hands;—seeing himself everywhere and none else anywhere, endued with Bliss infinite and unalloyed, transcending all limitations of time and space. Such, briefly, is the end which man has to attain, and which, of course, is worth attaining.
3. Now, if we compare man just emerging from a state of nature and in whom manas just begins to function, with a man who belongs to one of the most civilized races now inhabiting the globe, the difference in mental development will be found strikingly great, so great indeed that, but for the similarity in the structure of the body, they may belong to two different species altogether. The rate of progress in this line of evolution seems to be very slow. The various faculties which go to form the main stock of innate capacities of a civilized man have been developed slowly one after another in successive races. It takes, indeed, a very very long time for a faculty to develop from its germinal stage even to that stage of perfection which it has reached in man at present. In fact we are told that this mental development has gone on concurrently with the racial development for ages and ages. Though each race has a development of its own as a whole, yet any given race is made up of individuals whose progress varies very widely between two extreme points. Considering the little progress made by an individual Ego in a
savage or a half-savage tribe by way of acquiring a new faculty or even a further development, to any appreciable extent, of an already existing faculty,—as distinguished from the matter comprehended by that faculty,—one finds it hard to believe that all the faculties that an Ego, taking birth in a family of the most civilised race, manifests on attaining to a certain age have been developed in a few past incarnations just preceding the present, and much less so in the present birth alone. Moreover, the different stages of progress in mental and moral development reached by different individuals, as well as the different rates of progress made by different individuals placed under the same circumstances, point, beyond all reasonable doubt, to the fact of each individual Ego having an evolution of his own which has been going on through many lives in the past, bringing with him into each birth faculties already developed to a certain stage and ready to pace a few more steps forward in that incarnation. It may even be noted that, in the early years of any particular birth, the individual man rapidly goes through the whole process of past human evolution till that point of progress is reached whence he has to continue the slow process of further development.
4. When the Ego has reached a certain stage of growth, no further advance can be effected
without an external guide. Even the progress that has already been made has not been made without the guide of Higher Intelligent Beings, though, indeed, this aid has been rendered independently of the will and choice of the individuals concerned. On attaining to a certain stage of intellectual development, each individual Ego has to consciously choose and act for himself. He should no longer content himself with the limited scope of his will and knowledge if he would ever rise above the present level where he is a slave to the surrounding circumstances, entirely guided and acted on by them,—a state which is quite contrary to that which he wishes to attain, to the state of unity with the very Divine Being who knows all and guides and shapes the whole universe according to His will, His will being the law according to which the universe has to evolve. Having this grand aim in view, he should develop faculties whereby the sphere of his knowledge and experience may be extended so that he may know the right from the wrong, the good from the evil, and consciously follow the right and the good while consciously avoiding the wrong and the evil. In short, he should be able to know what is absolutely right; and, rising above all human motives of action, his will should be as free to act in the right way as that of the Divine Being. Now is the time for Revelation to teach to man its first lessons. It
is the Guru or His voice as the Sruti (Revelation) that teaches man about the existence of an immortal Ego who is conscious of everything that goes on around him. It shows what man should do if he wishes to secure a happy life after death. To this end various rules of moral conduct are laid down and an elaborate process of ceremonial prescribed, which being duly observed,. man lives a happy life after death in the region of svarga, quite beyond the reach of misery which man here on earth is put to. A knowledge of the immortality of the Ego and of the means of securing bliss in a future world cannot be acquired by the mere unaided intellect of man. The past conscious experience is not enough even to make him suspect the existence of a disembodied Ego; much less can it convince him of his reality and enable him to discover the means whereby to secure unearthly happiness in a world altogether beyond his comprehension.
5. To realise the Vedic teaching on this subject and to act upon it, man must have an unbounded faith in the Veda. To have an unbounded faith in the Veda is to have an unbounded faith in the Guru who gives voice to the teaching which takes the form of the Veda. 'Veda' literally means 'wisdom'; and the sacred word we now call Veda derives its sanctity and authority from the fact that it embodies wisdom taught by the
[paragraph continues] Divine Merciful Teachers for the guidance of man in his onward march of spiritual progress. These wise and disinterested Teachers who hold a Divine commission as spiritual instructors of the growing humanity can give utterance to nothing but truth. A true conception, therefore, of the lofty nature and the high functions of a spiritual Teacher will necessarily end in an utmost reverence and exalted love for Him, without which none can fully realise the truths taught by Him. To perceive a truth as fully as the Guru does, one should look at it from as many standpoints as the Teacher does; that is to say, the disciple's mind must be en rapport with that of the Teacher. A complete resignation on the part of the disciple to the will of the Teacher and an unbounded love for Him, a feeling of Bhakti or devout love to the Teacher, cannot but serve to remove the barrier which arrests the flow of wisdom from the Teacher to the disciple. Once the barrier is removed they come so close together that the truths which are stored up in the Teacher's mind will flow, as it were, in a continuous stream to the mind of the disciple through the conduit of complete sympathy opened by love. It is with such feelings of devotion and love that the disciple should approach the Guru. It may not be that the typical Guru, the Teacher who originally delivered teaching, is always present in the physical
body before the student's eyes. Still, when one wishes to learn anything from the accredited record of His teaching, one must image the true typical Guru and revere Him in the heart. The student should always devoutly turn his heart in an ardent and devout love towards the Great Personage that realised the truth and gave it out for the benefit of those who cared to avail themselves of it. What is generally called Revelation is a record of such teachings. Very often the truth thus taught is not recorded in a tangible form, it being handed down from generation to generation by mere word of mouth. The teachings, rather the traditions, thus handed down become mutilated and corrupt in the course of long ages and stand in need of interpretation by others who, having got an insight into the truth, can supply omissions and sift the genuine teaching from the accumulated accretions of ages. These disinterested visible custodians of the records and their interpreters, who are, as it were, the representatives of the Teacher or Teachers who gave voice to the truths preserved in the form in which they have come to us, should also be revered and loved as teachers in proportion as they approach the typical Guru in point of wisdom and moral excellence. But a thorough realisation of the nature and position of the typical Teacher united with an abiding devotion of love towards Him is necessary if the disciple would avoid the
many pitfalls of errors that beset him all through the line of his spiritual progress.
6. The truths recorded in the Veda are intended as a help to man's onward progress. Knowledge obtained by the mind elaborating upon the materials supplied by the sense-organs of the body coming in contact with external objects can never lead the man of the physical body to look for a world beyond the sphere of the senses, or to think of himself,—his real Self, his true Ego,—as an entity not dying with the body. It is the Veda that tells him that there is a world beyond the visible earth; that man, after the body dies, continues to live in other regions subject to pleasure and pain. Laying down rules of conduct and chalking out the path which one has tread in order to reach happy regions after death, the Veda serves to widen the range of man's experience and knowledge. The happiness thus secured in the life after death is exactly in proportion to the effort made while alive on earth in the direction pointed out by the Veda, just as it is down here on earth where man's pleasures are in proportion to his efforts. After enjoying all the happiness he is entitled to, man returns to earth again to take birth in a body, just as surely as he returns from sleep to the waking state. Thus alternately man, rather his Ego, lives on earth and the world or worlds
beyond, experiencing pleasure and pain, and thus gaining the knowledge which enables the Ego to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil. This power of discrimination manifests itself as conscience sitting in judgment over man's conduct in daily life and warning him against many possible dangers of evil conduct.
7. When the Ego has enjoyed all the pleasures afforded by the earth and the worlds beyond which he has been traversing all through, a sort of satiation is at length produced. Then man no longer feels attracted by the prospects of pleasure enjoyable in this world or in the worlds beyond; nor does he indulge, with the same zest as before, in the pleasures which come to him of their own accord. He then realises the Vedic teaching that all the temporal pleasures, celestial as well as earthly, which, as having been brought into existence by human effort, cannot form the inherent nature of the Ego, are comparatively short-lived. He further sees that through all the varying enjoyments of pleasure interspersed with moments of suffering, he himself—his soul or Ego,—remains ever the same, without undergoing any change. This leads him to more than suspect that the Ego is an entity distinct from the pleasures and pains, distinct from the body, and the organs, as distinct from them as from the
external objects of pleasure. While feeling thus, man finds himself unable to get away from the body and the sense-organs which subject him to suffering: which are a constant source of suffering interspersed no doubt with a few moments of pleasure. In the state of helplessness, man yearns for more help. Then the Teacher, or His voice in the shape of the Veda, comes to man's help. He is now distinctly taught that the soul is quite distinct from the body and the sense-organs, and that it is possible for man to release himself from the thraldom to which he is now subjected. As a first step on the path to this goal, the disciple is enjoined to discharge all the duties allotted to his station in life,—to observe the whole daily routine of life which he feels himself bound to go through as belonging to a particular caste and a particular religious order,—as perfectly and cheerfully as possible, leaving aside all self-interest in the work, with the sole purpose of obeying the command of the Teacher or God whom he adores and loves so much so that His pleasure constitutes, for the time being, the main end in view in all his actions.
8. When some progress has been made in this line of devotion, the disciple's conception of the universe in all its extent and variety is enlarged by the Teacher giving him in outline the constitution of the system of the worlds to which he
belongs, and gradually leading the disciple to have a tolerable view of the whole universe of which that system forms a part. The disciple is then taken through a course of contemplation which develops his power of concentration and makes him realise in some detail the nature of the universe in which he plays his part. All this course is necessary to purify the heart and to strengthen the intellect, so that the disciple may be morally and intellectually prepared to receive instruction in the grand truths as to the essential nature of man's True Ego, or Atman, and the ultimate goal he has to reach.
9. Now, the Teacher, or the Upanishad which is the verbal expression of His teaching to be given at this stage, teaches as follows: Atman, i.e., the true Self of man, is eternal, ever pure in His essential nature, not subject in Himself to birth and death, or to pain and pleasure. His essential nature is Consciousness and Bliss. He is the One Existence whence all creatures come into being; wherein they live, move and have their being; and whither they will all return at the time of dissolution. The Ego in man is one with the Universal Ego; Jiva and Isvara, are one. The ultimate end of man consists in realising this unity of Jiva and Isvara, in realising that Atman is one in all. Man cannot get out of the earthly life of alternate pleasure and pain for good and
attain to a state of eternal conscious bliss, till he intuitively realises that he is not the wretched miserable soul of the world with a limited knowledge and bliss; that, on the other hand, he is one with Isvara, with the Universal Ego, perfect in knowledge and bliss which are in themselves eternal and never obscured.
10. When the disciple is taught this grand truth, there naturally arises a doubt as to how this can be. The Upanishad as well as the Teacher points out the line of argument by which the disciple may form a fair intellectual conception of it. But a mere intellectual assent to the truth of the proposition does not amount to that realisation which consists in the individual Ego feeling and acting as if he is one with the Universal Ego, with Isvara himself. To this end man must intently dwell in thought on the Divine Being, the universal Ego, while regarding himself and Isvara and the spiritual Teacher as the one Atman; loving the atman, the Divine Self, above all, as his own very Self, casting away the limited self as something non-existent, keeping away from the mind all alien thoughts, being completely immersed in Him as both the end and the means in one. Gradually the light of the Divine Sun sheds its lustre upon the ever-expanding and purifying means, by which the soul sees better in the light of the omniscient wisdom of Isvara. The
ever-increasing knowledge of the real truth only heightens his love and devotion to Isvara. By thus constantly dwelling on the Divine Self in loving meditation, the mind is purged of all its dross and becomes perfectly pure. When the Buddhi becomes completely serene, Isvara, the Divine Self, is reflected in it as He is, and then Jiva becomes one with Isvara, the Buddhi being absorbed in His all-illumining and all-absorbing Light. Then he has reached the goal of the path; he has been liberated; he has attained nirvana, the supreme self-conscious Bliss.
11. One cannot reach the summum bonum indicated above without attaining perfection in knowledge and devotion. Both the intellect and the heart must be equally expanded and perfected before a thorough intuitive realisation of one's own True Self can be attained. They must in short combine into unity in the Self. At any particular stage of spiritual progress of man, his intellect and heart may be found to have not reached the same stage of progress. Some are more devotional than intellectual, some more intellectual than devotional. But neither of them can be developed very far without the aid of the other or without stimulating that other to further development. An intense devotion to the Divine Being or to the Teacher however vaguely imaged will not fail to lead the intellect to see more clearly the nature of man in
his relation to the Divine Being and the universe. Again a better and truer conception of the nature and position of the Teacher or of the Divine Being gives a better shape to the idea of the Divinity and makes devotion more and more definite and intense. Thus acting and reacting upon each other, knowledge and devotion attain perfection till they unite into one in Atman,—a unity which is beyond the power of all words to express and beyond the power of all thought to conceive.
12. It has been seen that, as a first step to the ultimate goal man should have a fair intellectual conception of himself and the universe around, as also of his relation to the universe and other beings therein. Evidently man is destined to ascend some day to the level of the Omniscient Lord, since, in every man who has risen above the mere animal life of sensation and reached a certain stage of intellectual development, there is an inherent desire to look at the nature around and try to find the mutual relations of things therein and his own place among them. Curiously enough, at every stage of the enquiry he finds something yet to know and eagerly looks for some guidance, come whence it may. Sometimes the requisite help comes in the form of a suggestion from within, taking the shape of a hypothesis, for which there seems to be no sufficient foundation in the former experience. More rarely, and at long intervals, it comes to him
in the form of a revelation, as the voice of a teacher preaching transcendental truths which are somewhat above his immediate comprehension, and which clearly to understand he has to intensely strain all his intellectual powers. In trying to grasp the truth, he gets a more comprehensive view of the universe. Such is the gradual, slow but sure, growth of intellect stimulated at every step by doubts and failures which are in their turn followed by slight but encouraging glimpses of truth. This gradual progress has been going on for ages, and traces of the long course of enquiry is left in the history of every nation. The Indian literature now extant bears ample testimony to the assiduity with which the intellectual enquiry has been carried on under varying conditions. The systems of philosophy to which the Indian mind has given birth range from the ultra-materialistic system of a Charvaka to the most sublime ultraspiritual system of the Vedanta. It must, however, be borne in mind that all these apparently most divergent systems of thought are necessary steps through which the intellect of man must pass and has passed, marking as they do the various stages of man's intellectual development. The various systems have bee intended as the training ground for the varying intellects of man, one system leading to another, each man honestly taking to that system of thought which appeals to
him most, as best suited to the grain of his mind, as the system which to him appears to embody rules of conduct based on a most rational basis. When the different systems are viewed in this light, when the value of even the most materialistic philosophy of a Charvaka is recognised as perforce gradually in the course of enquiry leading the intellect to a less materialistic and more spiritual system, the intellect finding no rest till it lands upon the most convicting truth, it becomes easy to understand what the author of the Purana means when he speaks of the different systems of faith in the following terms:
"Listen with faith, O sages, to what I say as to the truth of the various paths. Vedas, Dharmasastras, Purana, Bharata, Vedangas and minor Vedas; Kamika and other agamas; Kapala and Lakula in all their variety; the Pasupata, Soma, Bhairava and other agamas with their hundred varieties: Vaishnava and Brahma agamas; the agamas of the Buddhas and the Arhats; Lokayata, and the Tarkasastras in all their vastness; the profound Mimamsa, as also Sankhya and Yoga; all these and many more Sastras, the Omniscient Divine Being has made in brief. It is only by the Grace of Rudra that Devas like Brahma and Vishnu, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Munis and men make the Sastras again, in brief or in extenso. The wise say that each of these sastras is intended for a particular class according to the individual qualification, not all for one. These paths are not to be rudely handled by the learned subjecting them to rigorous unrelenting logic. As all streams ultimately empty themselves into the ocean, so all these
paths ultimately lead to the Mahesvara Himself. Worshipped in what form soever by people as ordained in their respective scriptures. He assumes that form and takes the devotee on to the next higher step, By His Grace man attains to superior paths. The Divine Being worshipped in the form in which He is represented in these paths takes the devotee step by step onward to the path of the Veda. The form which the Divine Being assumes in the path of the Veda is the immediate cause of salvation. Even there the form of the Divine Being as represented by the ritualistic portion of the Veda only stimulates a longing for knowledge; while, worshipped in the form presented in the theosophical portion He leads the devotee to moksha through wisdom.
"As the highest salvation is only of one kind, the knowledge which leads to it must be of one kind and of one kind' only. The Vedanta treats of Sankara as the non-dual Atman. No other path treats of Him directly as the Vedanta does. Therefore knowledge produced by the Veda is alone wisdom. Knowledge obtained by other means is avidya, unwisdom. The other paths cannot themselves lead to moksha; they are serviceable only as leading to it through the intervening steps. Mahadeva, as known by the Vedanta, directly gives moksha; as known and worshipped in the other paths He leads to moksha by gradually taking the soul on to the direct path. Wherefore he who treads the path of the Vedanta should not change it for any other. To those who tread the path of the Veda, nothing is hard to attain. There alone lie the supreme mukti and other enjoyments in plenty.
"Wherefore the different paths are useful to the different individuals for whom they are specially intended. Whenever other paths are opposed to the Vedanta in their theories as to the nature of Isvara, as to the cause of bondage,
as to the cause of the Universe, as to mukti, and as to what constitutes wisdom, and so on, those theories, to be sure, have been furnished in accordance with the prevailing desires of the ignorant whose minds are darkened by the mighty delusion: not because they are absolutely true in themselves, but because they serve, by holding out some legitimate pleasures to ultimately bring them round to the right path when their sins have been washed away in the waters of the more or less pure morality therein inculcated. As man allures an erratic cow by holding out grass, so does Mahesvara first hold out some pleasure and then gives supreme wisdom as the mind becomes perfected.
"Thus these paths, laid out as they are by Siva, are all of them true and serviceable. How can Siva be a deceiver? He is supremely merciful, omniscient, and altogether stainless. Yet of all the paths, the path of the Veda is the best. as conducing to all good." (Skanda-Purana, Suta-Samhita, Yajna-Vaibhava-Khanda, 22nd adhyaya).
This unique attitude of the Purana towards the several antagonistic systems of religion and philosophy only gives expression to the consciousness of the fact that mankind, made up as it is of different individuals who have reached different stages of intellectual and moral progress, cannot all think to order, in one and the same way, in their honest attempt to understand their position in the universe and to find the standard which they should follow in all their acts with a view to attaining the highest goal which they think it worth their while to strive for. Though
as a race the major portion of mankind has reached a certain stage of development, the progress made by different individuals composing the race—or even a nation which forms a component part of the race—varies between very wide limits, so that all the different systems of philosophy and religion find their adherents in a race or a nation at any one particular period of its development. In the Aryan race these systems seem to have prevailed in some form or other ever since the beginning of history, and there are, no doubt, at the present moment, thinkers of no mean order whose intellectual sympathies incline to the ultra-materialistic system of Charvaka or to some other system lying between that and the most spiritual system of Vedanta, so that any attempt at tracing an historical order of the origin and development of the different systems of philosophy may not prove quite so fruitful. In tracing, however, the psychological order of intellectual development as represented by the Indian systems of philosophy which correspond to the several stages thereof, those systems may perhaps range themselves in an order which may roughly correspond to the original historical order of their development.
13. As has been shown above, when there arises a necessity to widen man's experience beyond the limited range of the senses, the necessity
expresses itself as a yearning on the part of man for pleasures more durable and intense than the earth can afford, or than his limited vision can suggest resources for; and then he is furnished, under Divine Dispensation, with a code of ethics and ritual by Teachers who are detailed to the work by the Divine Providence. By duly acting up to it, he attains to unearthly pleasures hereafter. Under the immediate guidance of the Divine Teachers, or the Divine King-sages, the people follow the law with unbounded faith. But when these Divine Guides give up the role of direct Instructors with a view to strengthen human intellect by stimulating in it a spirit of independent enquiry and thought on the materials of thought thus supplied, i.e., when there is no visible Divine Personage in the person of a Mann or an Ikshvaku, to whom an appeal can be made by those whose faith in things invisible is shaken the least by any circumstance whatsoever, all but those few who find some reason to adhere to the received teachings as to the unseen world turn to their ordinary experience for guidance. In course of time a thorough reaction is produced in their minds against that unquestioning faith of the orthodox which culminates in a stupendous system of priestcraft and an almost meaningless ritualism born of ignorance and selfishness gathering themselves round the pure central core of a scientific ritual. This strong reactionary
spirit runs so much against the orthodox system that it accepts nothing as true except what the senses reveal, not even the recorded truths commonly accepted as Revelation and which form the basis of orthodox belief. It places no trust even in matters of inference. Thus the conclusion is inevitable that nothing is left behind after death; that there can be no life after death for which one should prepare while still alive here on earth. The result is an extreme materialistic sensualism or a low form of utilitarianism forming the rule of conduct. This system of thought forms the faith of a Charvaka. Though the system may satisfy the sensualist who wants to shake himself off all restrictions put on his libertine tendencies, its conclusions cannot commend themselves to the enquiring man who, as having already experienced heavenly pleasures, feels a sense of complete dissatisfaction about the mere earthly pleasures, and a secret and inexpressible longing for the celestial pleasures of even a more intense kind than he has already tasted. Though not quite agreeing with the orthodox ritualist who honestly exercises all the powers of his intellect with a view to find a rational basis for the received code of morality and ceremonial, yet the honest heterodox thinker cannot subscribe to all the conclusions to which the materialistic philosophy has led him, undermining all the basis of morality; and he follows
some rules of moral conduct which he formulates for himself in the light of his own conscience which has by this time under the impress of his former experience developed into a faculty.
14. This spirit of enquiry has served to stimulate the intellect of the orthodox as well as the heterodox thinker to that pitch of thought at which it is prepared to take a further step in advance with a little more light on their path. Both alike feel somewhat dissatisfied with all the pleasures the earth and heaven can afford, temporary as they are, lasting short or long in accordance with the intensity of the effort made to secure them, and always mixed with anxiety and care about their duration. While in this state of mind, the Divine Teacher comes once more to their help and throws out slight hints as to the possibility of freeing oneself from the ever-revolving wheel of birth and death and attain to a state of happiness untainted by pain, a state of being in which one will he free from all pain and will never return to the earthly life wherein pleasure and pain alternate with each other. The Teacher sets at rest their uneasy mind by declaring that this life of pain and pleasure is at best temporary and that freedom from pain can be obtained by knowing things as they are in their true relations. The Divine Teacher lays down a brief sketch of the
origin of the world and of the path which man has to tread with a view to obtain liberation. Inspired by this teaching, both the orthodox and the heterodox classes of thinkers set themselves to work. The orthodox thinkers still hold to the Veda as the standard by which the truth of the results of their intellectual speculation should be measured, and in course of time they add to the Veda the fresh block of teachings as part and parcel of it under the name of Upanishads; while the heterodox, carrying on their old reactionary spirit against ritualism into the realm of theosophy, deny all authority to Revelation as such. The orthodox thought assumes in course of time the forms of Vaiseshika, Nyaya, Sankhya, and Yoga systems, while the heterodox thought gives birth in the long run, to something like the Buddhistic and Arhata (Jain) systems of philosophy.
15. The thinkers of orthodox type try to cast all the knowledge they have acquired by Revelation into a systematic form. The chief object of their attempt at systematisation is to overthrow the materialistic system of Charvaka; and for this they have to perfect their logic. They have accordingly developed a complete system of logic by which they seek to establish the truths contained in the scripture independently of all aid from scripture. In their zeal to silence the Charvakas
who recognise no other source of knowledge than pratyaksha or sensuous perception, they have given undue prominence to anumana or empirical inference as the one sufficient instrument by which all things worth knowing can be known and proved. When the scripture is apparently at variance with the findings of logic, it is so interpreted as not to offend the conclusions alleged to have been arrived at by independent reasoning.—I say 'alleged' because it is the Revelation which has made them think of the soul, God, etc., whose existence could never have been suggested by mere empirical reasoning. This method of investigation cannot but vitiate thee system, so far as it relates to the subject which falls within the special province of Revelation. The laws of reasoning are primarily based on relations of agreement and difference among external objects, and as such they may hold good when dealing with things which are experienced as external to the entity that perceives them, and which thus fall within the ken of the sense-organs by which impressions of external objects are received. They are found most potent instruments in finding out the relations of one object to. another in the external world, and all sciences relating to gross material things outside the Self are based on those laws. But when the same laws are rigorously applied to things beyond the ken of sense-organs, especially when they are
extended to the region of the causes which have produced the phenomena we perceive, when they are resorted to in investigating the nature of Atman, the true Self who is quite unlike anything experienced by him for the very reason that He is the experiencer and all other things are experienced by Him,—when those laws which are based on the relations of phenomena to one another are appealed to in determining the relations between the phenomena on the one side and the Atman on the other, the conclusions arrived at cannot, of course, tally with truths exactly as they are declared in the scriptures which are the records of the ultimate verities realised by the Initiates in their Divine Samadhi. If some of the conclusions on transcendental matters arrived at by this method of investigation correspond to the reality, it is because the course of reasoning by which they have been arrived at is primarily, though perhaps unconsciously, inspired by the truths made known by Revelation. Not infrequently, the very line of argument adopted is already found sketched briefly in the scriptures; and, but for hints contained in the scriptures; the particular line of argument in question, as quite unique in itself, could not have occurred to the unaided reasoning. Hence it is that while the systems based on this method of investigation exhibit a tolerable degree of agreement in the analysis of
experience as to matters lying outside Atman who is the subject of all experiences, there is utmost divergence in their conclusions as to the First Cause of the Universe, as to the nature of Isvara and Atman, as to the cause of bondage, as to the nature and means of liberation.
16. The Tarkikas (Vaiseshikas and Naiyayikas) hold that the material universe is created out of the extremely fine atoms of matter acted on by the will of the Omniscient and Omnipotent Isvara. The soul is in itself an insentient entity rendered conscious by its union with manas through which it suffers pleasure and pain. The soul which is eternal identifies itself with the body, etc., on account of ignorance, and feels that it is born and dead with the body and thus suffers a lot of pain. The one means of attaining liberation is to destroy ignorance by knowledge of truth, obtained through the grace of the Divine Being, by meditating on the object of the right knowledge. By this knowledge of truth false notions disappear. When false notions disappear all the evil passions pass away; with them ceases activity; with it ceases birth, and with the cessation of birth, comes the annihilation of pain, which is the final bliss. The final bliss consists in perfect obliviousness to all: being freed from
manas, the soul is unconscious of anything, being in itself quite an insentient entity.
17. According to some of the Sankhyas, the material universe is evolved out of the one all-pervading insentient essence of matter called Pradhana, acting under the influence of a sentient Isvara who enters into it by way of being reflected in it; while there are other Sankhyas who hold that there is no such Being called Isvara, and that the one Pradhana evolves, of itself, into the universe of manifold existence. Creation, they say, is effected by mutually dependent Nature (Prakriti) and Soul, Prakriti not evolving without the conscious Soul, and the Soul not achieving its emancipation without Nature's evolution. All pain is due to the Soul—which is in itself free from pain—falsely identifying itself with the intellect which is evolved out of Nature (Prakriti). By contemplation of truth the Soul is enabled to discriminate between Nature and Soul, and then a final separation takes place. Kaivalya or absolute isolation has been attained: the result is final bliss. In this state of bliss the Soul remains pure consciousness, Nature manifesting itself never more to the vision of the soul.
18. The Nyaya and Sankhya schools have based their intellectual speculation on the teaching of the accepted Revelation, never disputing the matters of fact detailed therein: and they may be
so far considered orthodox. The heterodox thinkers, who find themselves unable to subscribe to the elaborate doctrine of Vedic ritual, lay the axe of speculation at the very root of it by way of denying the persistent existence of the soul, so that there is none who, doing an act at present, will, in a future period, reap the fruits thereof. They attach no value to the time-honored Veda which teaches among other things a long and to them indefensible course of rituals; but they substitute in its place scriptures containing a body of teachings treating mostly of pure morality and purporting to have been delivered by an Omniscient Teacher, a Buddha or an Arhat. Such are the Buddhists and the Arhats. The former hold as follows: There is no Isvara, no one eternally existent God who is the creator of the universe. Everything in the universe including the soul is sui generis, born of itself, and exists only for an instant, not having existed before nor existing after that one instant of its existence. All is pain; and the bondage of the soul consists in looking upon the self and the universe, by ignorance and consequent karma, as something continuously existent. When, by deep meditation of the truth that everything is painful, momentary, sui generis, and non-existent before and after, the soul recognises its own momentariness as well as the momentariness of all else, liberation is attained. Liberation consists in pure detached states of consciousness
following one upon another in a continuous stream without being tainted by external objects of perception; or, according to the Nihilist, it consists in everything, including the soul, being reduced in knowledge to a non-entity, to an absolute void.
19. The followers of the Arhats, on the other hand, reject the Buddhistic doctrine of momentariness of everything and accord to the universe a sort of continued existence. They advocate the continuous existence of the soul which, neither infinitesimally small nor infinitely great, occupies a limited space, doing acts at present and reaping the fruits thereof in future. With the Buddhists, they deny the existence of one eternal God,—of one independent and all-pervading creator of the universe,—while admitting the existence of an omniscient Being who has overcome all faults and shaken off all bonds of existence in the ordinary process of soul-evolution. The universe comes out of atoms by the action of individual karma. Everything is made up of something eternal and of something non-eternal. The bondage consists in the soul assuming, as the result of sin and false intuition, various bodies occupying limited parts of space. Liberation is the absolute release from action by the decay of the causes of bondage and existence. "It is the abiding in the highest regions, the soul being absorbed in bliss, with its knowledge unhindered, and its bliss
untainted by any pain or impression thereof." It is secured by right knowledge obtained through an absolute faith in the teaching of an Arhat, by right conduct, and by abstaining from all actions tending to evil.
20. In its struggle against the materialists of the Charvaka type, the intellect has attained a high stage of development; and, as a result, a complete system of logic has been formulated. But the conclusions based on mere intellectual speculation concerning matters which rise far above the loftiest reaches of the intellect cannot always subserve the cause of truth. It has been seen how much at variance, as regards the ultimate problems, are the few typical systems above referred to, which seek to prove everything by reason. In speculating about the transcendental, each theorist tries to outwit the other by resorting to reasoning, and thus a host of warring systems have come into being. This result soon leads to reaction. When reasoning is exclusively resorted to for guidance in an enquiry as to the matters which do not fall within the scope of the sense-organs, the conclusions are often at variance with truth. The laws of reasoning are based primarily upon relations of objects as perceived by the sense organs; and the sense-organs lend to the objects of perception their own colour and conditions which make them appear different from what
they really are; so that the systems of philosophy based on mere intellectual speculation are vitiated by the inherent defects of the instruments employed in obtaining knowledge. The systems, therefore, that are entirely based on intellectual speculation, discarding all light from the accepted Revelation—simply because the religions based on Revelation have inculcated practices which demand blind faith at first and which afterwards during the long lapse of ages grow into an elaborate and somewhat meaningless ceremonial—are farther removed from the teachings of True Revelation as to the right path of progress than those which are mainly guided by Revelation, though pretending to establish by independent reasoning the truths taught therein.
21. As a corrective to the foregoing methods of investigation which have led to a distortion of revealed truths, it is sought to get at the revealed truths first-hand, by interpreting the scriptures as they stand according to the principles of construction by which ordinary speech uttered by a trustworthy person is construed, For a clear understanding of the teaching of the scriptures thus made out, it should also be reconciled with experience by resorting to logic, clearly distinguishing, however, the facts which can be proved by empirical logic,—the logic based on ordinary experience—and those which cannot be so proved, but whose understanding can be made clearer by pursuing
such a course of logic as will not lead to a conclusion quite opposed to the revealed teaching. In the latter case, no modification is introduced, on the strength of the laws which obtain among objects of sensuous perception, into the body of the teachings as made out by an independent interpretation of the scriptural texts; the Revelation being intended to throw light upon such things only as are quite beyond the limited scope of intellect and sense-organs. Such, in brief, is the method of the Mimamsa school. In their attempt to-find out the import of the Veda interpreted by itself, undistorted by the intervention of human reason, the Mimamsakas have developed a complete system of the general principles of construction, according to which all revealed texts should be interpreted.
22. The system thus constructed out of the contents of the .Veda is called Mimamsa, an enquiry into the meaning of the Veda. It is divided into two great sections: one dealing with rituals,. the other with the soul and the universe; respectively termed Purva-Mimamsa or simply Mimamsa,. and the Uttara-Mimasa; the latter being also. known as Sariraka-Mimamsa, an enquiry into the nature of the embodied soul, but more popularly spoken of as the Brahma-Sutras or even as Vedanta-sutras. Though these two form two sections of one whole system, still in later history,
they have come to hold quite divergent views concerning some of the fundamental questions. Thus while the Vedantins look upon the universe as evolved out of an eternal Omniscient Isvara, the Mimamsakas admit no sort of Omniscient Being and regard the universe as having evolved out of atoms of matter acted on by the karma of individuals. Mimamsakas hold that salvation is attained by the works prescribed in the Veda, whereas the Vedantins maintain that all effects of actions being more, or less transient, eternal salvation can be attained by no other means than knowledge, for which an unselfish performance of the works prescribed in the Veda can but prepare the mind by way of purifying it. It is the Mimamsakas of the post-Buddhistic period that have been led to hold views so opposed to the Vedanta; a position which they have had to assume owing to the exigencies of time. They had to establish the authority of the Veda as a scripture against the Buddhist's anathemas, most of which were directed chiefly against the ritualistic portion of the Vedic teaching. To this end the importance of the Vedic ritual has been so much emphasised—as a piece of rhetoric—that it has come to be held as the main point of the teaching. It is held that nothing else is necessary for salvation, and that it is attained by avoiding all prohibited actions, by doing nothing with a selfish motive and thus generating no new
[paragraph continues] Karma necessitating rebirth, and by a strict observance of the obligatory duties which wash away all sins. The denial of the existence of an Omniscient Being is traceable to the Mimamsaka's zeal to abolish the authority of the Buddhistic and Arhata Scriptures looked upon by their followers as the deliverances of Omniscient Beings,—of those who in the natural course of spiritual progress have shaken off the bonds of flesh and attained perfection in knowledge. As against these the Mimamsaka defends the authority of the Veda on the ground that it is eternal and self-existent,—not the production of a mind, not even of the mind of an Omniscient Eternal Isvara, whose very existence he denies. Those passages in the Upanishads which treat of Isvara are explained away by the Mimamsaka as serving, at best, to furnish an imaginary form or forms—having no real objective existence—upon which the soul should contemplate in order to attain to the highest state of Bliss in Moksha.
23. The Vedantin, on the other hand, looks upon the Mimamsa as an enquiry into the ritualistic portion of the Veda treating of the ceremonial observances which every man has to go through before he is qualified to enter on the path of knowledge. But he deprecates against the Mimamsaka regarding the Upanishads as not pointing to the real objective existence of Brahman, the eternal
[paragraph continues] Omniscient Isvara, from whom the whole universe has come into existence, and in whom it has its being He further contends that by the mere observance of Vedic ritual none can attain everlasting Bliss; that, on the other hand, the highest bliss can be attained by knowledge alone which removes the ignorance that has blinded the vision of the soul to truth and thereby led to all the numerous evils which are collectively named samsara-bandha, the bondage of mundane existence. Interpreting the Upanishads, upon which the Vedanta Doctrine is mainly based, according to the rules of construction formulated in the course of enquiry into the contents of the Karma kanda or the ritualistic portion of the Veda, the Brahmavadin comes to the conclusion that the Upanishads inculcate the existence of Brahman, an all-pervading Principle, the one Existence whence the whole universe has come into being. Brahman as Isvara is not only the Divine Intelligence who controls and guides the evolution of the whole universe; Fie is also present in every thing that we perceive or think of, as its very basis, as its material cause, just as clay exists in the pot as its material cause. While agreeing thus far generally as against the other systems of philosophy, the different schools of Vedanta differ very widely from one another as regards the views they hold as to God, the individual Soul, the universe, and their mutual relations:
all the schools, curiously enough, basing their divergent views on the authority of the one class of writings named Upanishads. The dualists, the followers of Sri Madhvacharya, hold that the three are quite distinct from one another, every individual soul being quite distinct from every other soul, and every material object being quite distinct from every other. The followers of Sri Ramanujacharya try to reduce the whole existence to a unity made up of the three ultimate principles of God, the sentient and the insentient,—all inextricably united into one, God being as it were embodied in the other two, so that these two have no existence quite independent of God's. Like the dualists of Madhvacharya's school, they hold that the external universe is as real as the soul that perceives it, and that the individual souls of whom the sentient existence is composed are really distinct from one another and from God, each having a distinct individual consciousness of his own: the individual souls being absolutely governed by God from within in all their thoughts and actions, finding their utmost Bliss, when liberated from the bonds of samsara, in an inseparable union with God, in the hearty devotion of service rendered to the All-benign and Most Gracious Master, in the loving acknowledgment of the Divine Lord's absolute sovereignty over him through never-ending eternity. There are Vedantins of another school
headed by Srikantha-Sivacharya, who, like those mentioned above, admit the reality of separate existence in the case of individual souls even when liberated, but who differ from them only in so far as they hold that the liberated soul lives for himself enjoying the inherent unutterable bliss of his own nature as well as the loving blissful presence of the Divine Lord all around, not however quite so conscious of his absolute dependence on the Divine Being as the followers of Sri Ramanujacharya would have it. Besides the systems of Vedanta now mentioned, there are several others which, like the three foregoing ones, admit the reality of an external universe, either existing quite apart from Atman, or as having actually emanated from Atman.
24. Distinguished from all these systems and standing apart by itself is that system of Vedanta which maintains- an absolute unity of Atman, the One Reality, whereof all duality is an illusory manifestation. Unlike other systems of philosophy and religion it upholds an absolute identity of God and the individual soul as the One Existence and Light. It teaches that liberation from the bonds of samsara consists in a complete realisation of this oneness of the Self, the liberated soul seeing all in the one true Self and the one Self in all. The whole universe which seems to be so real to an ordinary being does not at all appear to the liberated
and if he ever sees the universe at all, he sees it as a manifestation of his own Self, of the Omniscient Isvara who, by the power of illusion which is always under His control, can bring into manifestation the whole universe by His own free will. Either way the universe has no real existence apart from the Atman by whose light it appears and in whose being it has its existence.
25. Such, in brief, are the main conclusions embodied in the Vedanta Doctrine as Sri Sankaracharya has expounded it. As establishing the absolute non-duality of the One Self, the One Existence and Light, the system is known as the Advaita-Vada by pre-eminence. The Advaita. Doctrine is developed in all its details in the commentaries on the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-gita and Sariraka-mimamsa-sutras, by its eminent Founder and by his equally eminent disciple and literary collaborator, Suresvaracharya, known respectively as the Bhashyakara and the Vartikakara,—the one laying down the foundation and building the superstructure of the system, and the other filling up the gaps, symmetrising and embellishing the whole. Between them, the Advaita Doctrine is completed and established against the other systems of philosophy and religion, orthodox as well as heterodox. The main outlines of the system are delineated in a concise and telling form by the Founder in his Dakshinamurti-Stotra,—an Ode to
the Divinity conceived as the Guru of Gurus,—which serves as the text upon which the devotee may meditate in the calm moments of his daily life. The Vartikakara has explained the meaning of this Ode in his work called Manasollasa, 'brilliant play of thought,' which renders explicit all that lies implicit in the hymn. Both these works have been literally translated into English in the present volume, elucidative notes being added whenever necessary.
26. It may be of some help to the beginner to show briefly the process by which Suresvaracharya has established the non-duality of Atman. Closely following the most fundamental principle of Mimamsa that the Veda teaches nothing which can be otherwise known, the Vedantin of the Advaita school has picked out the four following sentences from the Upanishads,—one from each Veda,—as embodying the one grand truth which the Sruti alone can teach:
"Prajnana (Consciousness) is Brahman." (Aitareyopanishad).
"I am Brahman." (Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad).
"That thou art." (Chhandogya-Upanishad).
"This self is Brahman." (Mandukya-Upanishad).
These four sentences clearly signify the absolute unity of the Self and Brahman. Indeed
this truth cannot be arrived at by the intellect and the senses which, by a long-acquired tendency, always look outwards for light and knowledge; and it is apparently a truth which is opposed to all human experience. At first sight it seems beyond all power of human comprehension to realise that the human Ego whose knowledge and power are so miserably limited is identical with the Omniscient and Omnipotent Brahman. Still, evidently for that very reason,—for the reason that Revelation is intended to enlighten man on truths which cannot be known by unaided intellect,—it should be regarded as the main truth inculcated in the Upanishad, striking the key note as it were of the Vedanta doctrine. The whole system of Advaita is only an attempt to read human experience in the light of this grand revealed truth. All the writings of Sankaracharya and Suresvaracharya have this one great purpose in view, namely to show that the Revealed Truth does not stultify human understanding, when properly investigated and explained.
27. With a view to establish this identity of Isvara and the Self, the Advaita-Vadin tries to show that all that goes to distinguish Jiva and Isvara is due to something which is outside their essential nature, to an upadhi or medium through which they are manifested. When manifested through Maya which is pure in itself, the One Existence and Light is regarded as the Isvara,
who, seeing through the medium of pure sattvic Maya completely under His control, knows the whole universe and exercises unlimited sway over it. When moving in the sphere of impure Maya and seeing through the coloured spectacles of avidya which are made of the glasses of various colours, the One Existence and Light appears as so many Jivas with limited ranges of vision, seeing everything in the colour of the sense-organs,—of the coloured spectacles—by which they perceive it. The external objects, i.e., the particular forms in which the external world, the whole non-ego, is manifested, are all garbs as it were vesturing the One Existence and Light that is both within and without, garbs lent to It by the coloured glasses through which It is seen. It is, in fact, the One Existence and Light, the one Self, that alone really exists and is manifested both within and without, as both the self and the non-self, as the subject and the object. The distinction as subject and object, as the ego and the non-ego, is purely a creation of ignorance; and all that one has to do to realise the truth is to shake off the sleep of ignorance which presents to the Self the dream of the universe as something real, as something which exists outside the Self. Then Atman, the Self, will shine forth in His true nature, realising Himself in the whole universe; seeing no universe outside Himself,
seeing Himself everywhere and none else anywhere, centred in Himself, as to whom there is not a where or a when. Then He is said to have been awakened from the sleep of Maya, all His former experience appearing like a dream.
28. That Jiva is one with Isvara is indicated by the fact that Jiva is possessed of consciousness and activity like Isvara. As possessing unlimited consciousness and activity, Isvara can alone have them inherent in His essential nature. They are the essential attributes of Jivas as well, though apparently of a limited extent. Moreover, all the activities which constitute the world's progress have their origin in the will and intelligence of sentient beings; and these sentient beings cannot, therefore, but be one with the Isvara, who is said to carry on the world-processes by His own will and intelligence. It is, in fact, His will which, reflected in the Jivas, carries on the various processes by which the universe is maintained. All the limitations to which a Jiva's will and intelligence are subject are traceable to the upadhis,—to the vehicles or the media through which the Jiva manifests himself as the Ego perceiving all else. A right understanding, therefore, of the essential nature of Atman will consummate in a conviction as to His absolute unity.
29. All that appear alien to the Self are only forms ensouled by Him,—in whose being they exist, and by whose light they shine. They are
therefore said to be produced out of the Self as their cause, as the Reality underlying all phenomena. They are only illusory forms of the Self who exists ever the same, unaffected by the forms set up in Him by mere avidya, just as a rope remains unaffected as rope all the while that it is mistaken for a serpent. These forms, external objects as they are called, have no real being outside that of the Self. No object ever shines except when associated with the Ego perceiving it and forming the material basis of the object, as clay is the material basis of a pot. The Atoms and the Pradhana, assumed by the Tarkikas and the Sankhyas to be the cause of the universe, are only hypothetical: or, if they be more than hypothetical, they are the illusory forms of Atman, the One Existence and Light. It is because Atman is thus the sole cause of the phenomenal universe that the existence and light which constitute the inherent essential nature of Atman are associated with each individual object in the universe, just as clay is found associated with the objects made of it.
30. The universe is but an external expression of the will, intelligence and activity of the One Existence. As the universe appears for a time and then disappears, even these last—will, intelligence and activity,—do not constitute the inherent nature of Isvara who exists the same for ever. Accordingly, to speak of the universe of
evanescent forms as really existing, or to speak of Isvara as the creator of the universe, is not absolutely true. When external objects are said to exist and shine, it is the Self that exists and shines in the forms spoken of as sense-objects. In fact, no object ever exists or shines except as the object of the consciousness of an Ego, of 'I'; while the Ego, what we feel as 'I,' exists and shines ever the same, seeing the objects and even their absence. These objects come and go, no individual object having really existed before manifestation nor continuing to exist thereafter. The sense-objects, properly speaking, can have no more real existence than the serpent for which a rope is mistaken. One way of realising the universality and unity of the Self is to refer the existence and light, present in all external objects, to the Ego who is associated with every object perceived. The one Atman appears as the Ego,—as perceiver when manifested in the buddhi, and as agent of actions when manifested in prana. Deluded by Maya, by the mighty power of illusion, the One Self appears as Jiva identifying Himself with the manas and prana in all their transformations. The removal, by knowledge, of the illusion which is the cause of samsara is called Moksha or Liberation. When this has been accomplished, all limitations created by Maya having disappeared, the Jiva realises his true nature as the one
[paragraph continues] Omniscient Atman and recognises the identity of Jiva and Isvara.
31. Maya and Vidya, illusion and wisdom, are both the mighty potentialities of the Lord. By the one He partially conceals His true nature and manifests Himself as Jiva; and then by the other which removes the veil of illusion, He realises Himself. Properly speaking, Vidya, the light of wisdom, constitutes His essential nature; but it is spoken of as coming into existence because, when the curtain of Maya is removed, the inherent light of Atman shines in full in the mind of those from whose vision it has hitherto been obscured, just as the sun is said to have his full light restored to him when the shadow that has eclipsed him from our view has been removed.
32. What is this Maya or Avidya, which like a shadow eclipses the Omniscient Self? Does it really exist or not? The Advaitin answers as follows: In common parlance Maya is a name given to a phenomenon which cannot be accounted for by any known laws of nature, and which cannot be said either to exist or not to exist. The phenomenon produced by the magician's will cannot be said to exist, because it soon disappears and the magician himself knows that it is an illusion. Neither can it be said not to exist at all, because we are conscious of the thing, though only for a time; and we are never conscious of a thing which
is altogether non-existent, such as a man's horn. Of a similar character is the phenomenon called the universe which is imagined to be distinct from Atman. It is like the silver for which the mother-of-pearl is mistaken. Here it is Atman who, owing to the illusion obscuring the mind of the perceiver, puts on all the forms which we call external objects. Like all other illusions it disappears by knowledge. Enlightened sages as well as the Sruti bear testimony to the fact that, on the dawn of knowledge of the true Self, Maya disappears altogether. It is in this sense,—in the sense that it disappears in the light of right knowledge—that the external universe is spoken of as unreal, as mithya, as opposed to the self-existent and self-luminous Atman who never ceases to exist and shine.
33. He who practises Yoga, restraining the mind from all external objects and fixing it on the indwelling Atman, the True Divine Self, gradually overcomes the distracting tendencies of manas. When manas dwells constantly on the Atman, it tends to become pure and co-extensive with Him. This process attains consummation when manas, becoming entirely atrophied as to the external universe, resumes its real form as Atman, and there exists no longer that parti-coloured organ by which to perceive the external world in all its variety,—no longer that power of illusion which has given
rise to the innumerable phenomena of the external universe. He who has attained to this condition has become a Jivanmukta, has been liberated from samsara while still alive in the body.
34. The Advaitin holds that the Upanishads and all allied Smritis, Itihasas and Puranas teach this doctrine in one harmonious voice. Even the authors of other systems of philosophy are most of them not averse to this doctrine, though they do not avowedly uphold it in their writings. First as to the inherent nature of Atman: The Saivas and the Sankyas admit that Atman is self-existent and self-conscious. They cannot deny that Atman is essentially blissful, as may be seen from the following story related by Vyasa in his commentary on Patanjali's Yoga-Sutras:
There was a great yogin named Jaigishavya. By yoga he attained to all siddhis and could read back the history of the universe through many a cycle. In time he turned away his attention from the siddhis, and by Divine wisdom he realised the true nature of the Self and became absorbed in entire devotion to it. He was once asked by the teacher what happiness he had derived from the siddhis already-attained. The reply was that no happiness was derived from them. Then the teacher looked surprised that such extremely felicitous siddhis had given him no happiness. The yogin then explained that the felicity conferred by the siddhis was no doubt far superior to the worldly happiness, but that it was misery when compared with the Bliss of Kaivalya or Absolute Freedom.
The foregoing story shows that Atman is happiness itself: though the Sankhyas do not avowedly say so, simply because the word is in common parlance applied to worldly happiness. The Naiyayikas also must admit that Atman is bliss itself in so far as they hold that it is even more desirable to attain Atman than to attain the state of Indra and. Brahma. But they avow that in moksha Atman is quite as unconscious as a stone, merely because the inherent absolute consciousness of Atman, manifesting itself when freed from all connection with the body and the senses, is quite different from the ordinary objective consciousness, of limited scope and duration obtained by means of the senses. It is for this very reason that the Buddhist Nihilists look upon Atman as a nonentity in Nirvana. In his zeal to maintain the universal applicability of the doctrine that everything is momentary, the Vijnanavadin, the Buddhist Idealist, is led to conclude that Atman is not a persistent, eternal entity; that He is, on the other hand, a stream of innumerable ever-varying momentary ideas or states of consciousness. In his view, liberation consists in the destruction of illusory objects by right knowledge and the consequent flow in a continuous stream of pure ideas which are independent of one another. The continuity of Atman experienced in liberation is, he says, somewhat like the continuity of a flame.
[paragraph continues] Though Atman's continuity is admitted to be a fact of experience, it is denied by him for the exigencies of a thesis. With a view to firmly establish the doctrine that all external objects are momentary, he spends much ingenuity in showing that whatever exists,—including Atman—exists only for a moment. In thus denying a fact of experience for the sake of an argument, he does not stand alone. The Mimamsakas,—of the school of Bhatta for instance,—in their zeal to demolish the Idealist's doctrine that external objects have no existence independent of the ideas of objects, i.e., independent of the states of consciousness which, as he maintains, are sue generis,—hold that an idea is not a fact of immediate experience; that it is, on the other hand, always a matter of inference only. As against the Idealist, they hold that the forms of objects presenting themselves to consciousness inhere in the external objects themselves, the existence of corresponding ideas or mental states being inferred from the existence of forms which are directly revealed in experience. To the Idealist, as to all others, the continuity of Atman is a fact of immediate consciousness expressing itself thus: ''I who now touch the object am the same entity who tasted it before." For the sake of argument, however, he persists in maintaining that Atman also is momentary. Again, the Mimamsaka holds that Atman is a doer and
enjoyer in himself, while the Vedantin maintains that Atman can be said to act or enjoy only when identified with an upadhi. As the Mimamsaka's main object is to demolish the materialistic doctrine of the Charvakas, he contents himself with showing that there is an entity independent of the body, who does works here and enjoys their fruits in a world beyond, so that all Vedic injunctions should be duly observed as conducing to the enjoyment of heavenly bliss. It does not serve the purposes of a ritualistic doctrine to prove that Atman is in himself pure and immutable, himself not a doer of an action nor an enjoyer of its effects. On the other hand such a teaching would prove prejudicial to the main purpose. The Mimamsakas having expounded their system with the object of supplying a rational basis to the ritualistic doctrine, they cannot be said to be directly averse to the doctrine that Atman in His essential nature is pure immutable Consciousness, Existence and Bliss.
35. Next as to the unity of Atman and the unreality of all else. No doubt, ail other schools of philosophy, such as the Sankhyas and the Naiyayikas, speak of the universe of matter and material objects as real, and assert that Atmans are infinite in number. They, however, declare that when Spirit is liberated, It dwells alone by Itself in Its own light, nothing else presenting itself to Its vision. Moreover, the Sankhyas and the Tarkikas
teach that liberation is attained .by a knowledge of the true nature of Spirit, and by discriminating Spirit from matter. If, as the result of this knowledge, the whole universe of matter and material objects has altogether vanished away from the vision of Spirit, how can it be said to exist at all, inasmuch as nothing can be said to exist, of which we are not conscious? Thus it follows that the universe has ceased to exist in virtue of the knowledge of the true nature of Spirit. Now, it is only an illusion that can be removed by mere knowledge. For example, it is the illusory notion of serpent which is removed when the rope that is mistaken for a serpent is recognised. It must, therefore, be admitted that the universe which is removed by knowledge is also an illusion. In the Yoga-Sutras, Patanjali says: ''Though removed from the vision of the liberated Spirit, it has not vanished altogether, as it is still perceived by others" (ii. 22). This can only hold good if the Universe is a mere illusion. To one whose eye has some organic defect, the mother-of-pearl appears to be silver, while to another it appears not as silver, but as the mother-of-pearl. That which appears the same to all is alone true. Wherefore the universe also, which presents itself to consciousness so long only as Atman's real nature is not known, and no longer, must be an illusion. Though conscious of this truth, the
philosopher does not expressly state it in order simply that the student's mind may not get perplexed. If at the very outset the system should start with a declaration of the unreality of the universe, the mind would be perplexed with the question, how can it be? It is only with a view to prevent this perplexity that the universe is spoken of as real. Again, according to the Sankhyas and the Tarkikas, neither the existence of manifold Atmans nor a distinction between Jiva and Isvara is ever perceived by the liberated soul; and they are, therefore, as unreal as the universe. They admit plurality of Atman at the outset with the hope of being better able to explain the varied distribution of pleasure and pain, which in fact is due to variety in the upadhis with which the one Atman is associated. Like the Vedantins, the Sankhyas and others maintain that in liberation Atman alone shines. He is, therefore, in reality one without a second. *
36. This short review of the methods and the fundamental tenets of the various systems of Aryan philosophy and religion is a necessary prelude to the short treatise which, while expounding the main principles of the Vedanta doctrine, also enters into a discussion and refutation of some of
the conclusions arrived at by other schools. An attempt has been made to show first wherein chiefly the several schools of philosophy differ and then how finally they all agree. By making allowances for the peculiar standpoints of the several divergent schools, it is possible to construct one harmonious system of Aryan philosophy and religion containing many a strata of thought suited to the various types of intellect.
lxxiv:* Vide Madhavacharya's commentary on Suta-Samhita, Yajna-vaibhava-khanda, 8th adhyaya, verse 24. | <urn:uuid:6d605ddf-3516-45b7-a815-136ccaa264ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://sacred-texts.com/hin/dast/dast04.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00094-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966601 | 16,662 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Lyrics and poems
Synonyms / Related
Definitions of nurse:
- noun: one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (usually under the supervision of a physician)
- noun: a woman who is the custodian of children
- verb: treat carefully
Example: "He nursed his injured back by liyng in bed several hours every afternoon"
- verb: serve as a nurse; care for sick or handicapped people
- verb: try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
Example: "He nursed his cold with Chinese herbs"
- verb: give suck to
Example: "The wetnurse suckled the infant"
- verb: maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
- name: A surname (rare: 1 in 100000 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #8450)
Search for nurse at other dictionaries: OneLook, Oxford, American Heritage, Merriam-Webster, Wikipedia
Descriptive words for nurse (New!)
Copyright © 2016 Datamuse | <urn:uuid:9bb13f65-2bc4-444f-847f-fd5fd592e5f2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rhymezone.com/r/d=nurse | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00022-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.881846 | 229 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Estrogen replacement therapy is the use of commercial estrogen preparations in women who are not producing normal (pre-menopausal) levels of estrogen. Because ERT can have certain undesirable side effects (which will be described in more detail later), Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is more commonly used. The only difference between ERT and HRT is the addition of a synthetic progesterone to counteract these undesirable side effects.
ERT is most commonly prescribed to the following populations:
The reproductive system of the female consists of the ovaries (the organs that house the eggs, or ovum), the uterus, and the vagina, as seen below. (diagram to come)
The ovaries contain follicles, in which the ovum develop. Each month, one ovum is released into the fallopian tubes at ovulation, which occurs at day 14 in a woman's menstrual cycle (pictured below)(diagram to come). If the ovum is fertilized by a sperm in the fallopian tube, it becomes implanted in the lining of the uterus and begins to grow and develop. If the ovum is not fertilized, it is washed away with the uterine lining (the endometrium) during menstruation, which occurs from days 1-5 of the cycle.
There are three phases of the menstrual cycle: the follicular phase, the luteal phase, and menstruation. During the follicular phase, which lasts from days 1 to 13, the hypothalamus secretes Follicle Stimulating Releasing Factor (FSRH) and Leutinizing Hormone Releasing Factor (LRH), which induce the anterior pituitary gland to secrete Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Leutinizing Hormone (LH).
FSH and LH stimulate development of the ovum, and induce the ovaries to release estradiol, a form of estrogen. This presence of estradiol acts on the hypothalamus and pituitary to cause the release of more estradiol. When the ovary begins to release progesterone in the luteal phase, the anterior pituitary halts secretion of LH and FSH. When estrogen and progesterone levels fall on day 28, menstruation begins.
There are three different types of estrogens:
During puberty, estrogens induce the development of the uterus, the fallopian tubes, and the breasts. Estrogens cause the cells of the endometrial surface of the uterus to proliferate rapidly, and a sudden decrease in estrogens (and progesterone) cause the uterus to shed its lining during menstruation. Estrogens also induce deposition of calcium and phosphate in the bones, and therefore help to maintain bone density.
Menopause is normally broken down into three stages:
Perimenopause: This is the period immediately before menopause in which the ovarian function begins to decrease, estrogen secretion is reduced, and menstruation occurs less frequently. It often spans three to five years.
Menopause: This is the permanent cessation of menstruation due to loss of ovarian function; it is marked by the last menstrual period and can only be assessed in retrospect. The average age of menopause is 51 years.
Postmenopause: The period spanning from menopause until death, when many menopausal symptoms may continue.
Although not considered a part of menopause itself, Premenopause is the time between menarche (the first menstrual period) and the onset of perimenopause, when normal ovarian function occurs.
During perimenopause, the number of follicles in the ovaries decreases and less estrogen is synthesized. This disrupts the feedback loop to the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary, and as a result, levels of FSH and LH rise. In premenopausal women, LH is present in greater amounts than FSH; in postmenopausal women, FSH is present in greater amounts than LH.
There are physiological and psychological symptoms associated with perimenopause and postmenopause (and are also associated with hysterectomy). They are an indication of the importance of b-estradiol in many organs and systems of the body.
Considering the undesirable side effects of menopause and decreased estrogen secretion, it is not surprising that much research has been devoted to developing an effective estrogen replacement regimen.
In the 1920's, most clinicians were aware that menopause was associated with a sharp decline in estrogen secretion by the ovaries. The first research to show that estrogen replacement could alleviate some of the symptoms of menopause was performed in the 1940's. In the 1960's and 1970's, it was discovered that estrogen therapy could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
In 1975, it was announced that ERT was associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer. Doctors then began prescribing lower levels of estrogen in conjunction with progestins (synthetic progesterones) because this combination was shown not to increase a woman's risk of endometrial cancer. This combination of estrogen and progestin, which is used almost universally to treat menopausal women, is also known as Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT.
Each year, over 3 million women in the United States alone take some form of ERT or HRT.
Today, most physicians prescribe either continuous (both estrogen and progestin every day) or cyclical (estrogen every day, progestin for 10-12 days each month) HRT. Although cyclical HRT produces withdrawal bleeding for about 5 days each month (similar to a menstrual period), it is prescribed more often because continuous HRT is associated with irregular bleeding which can decrease the likelihood of patient compliance. Estrogens and progestins can be administered transdermally (through a skin patch), subcutaneously (by injection), intravaginally (as a cream), and orally. Oral administration is the most common. Three classes of estrogens are used for estrogen replacement therapy in the Unites States.
Natural estrogens: these are the estrogens as they are found in the human body; they include b-estradiol and estrone (estrone sulfate)
Conjugated estrogens: these are a combination of several different estrogens, including estradiol and estrone
Synthetic estrogens: these are estrogens that are engineered to act more effectively upon estrogen receptors that the naturally occurring estrogens. These include ethinyl estradiol and diethylstilbestrol.
The most commonly used progestins are medroxyprogesterone acetate and megestrol acetate, given cyclically or continuously.
Although ERT is very effective in treating menopausal women, it can have some undesirable and dangerous side effects. For this reason, ERT is not normally prescribed for more than 5 to 7 years.
Advantages of ERT
Disadvantages of ERT
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Brigham and Women's Hospital provides more basic information on all aspects of ERT
The Foundation for Better Health Care
The Foundation for Better Health Care provides resources on various topics of women's health
Information on estradiol
This page provides information on risks involved with ERT and other issues concerning hormone replacement
Ettinger, B. (1998). Overview of estrogen replacement therapy: a historical perspective. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 217(10): 2-5.
Grenant, H.K. (1989). Estrogens in the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 161(6): 1842-1846.
Jones, J.M. (1996) The Pearls and Perils of Perimenopause. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 8(11): 531-535.
McNagy, S.E. (1999) Prescribing hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms. Annals of Internal Medicine, 131: 605-616.
Mishell, D. R. Jr. (1989). Estrogen replacement therapy: an overview. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 161(6): 1825-18-27.
Notelovitz, M. (1989). Estrogen replacement therapy: indications, contraindications and agent selection. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 161(6): 1832-18-41.
Thompson, W. (1995). Estrogen replacement therapy in practice: trends and issues. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 173: 990-993.
Utian, W. H. (1989). Biosynthesis and physiologic effects of estrogen and pathophysiologic effects of estrogen deficiency: a review. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 161(6): 1828-1831. | <urn:uuid:47ef58ad-bff8-4fcf-9061-63486db2f0c2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.macalester.edu/academics/psychology/whathap/UBNRP/Estrogen/ERT.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00011-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908571 | 1,861 | 3.3125 | 3 |
The brain can be a messy place. Thankfully, it has good plumbing: Scientists have just discovered a cleansing river inside the brain, a fluid stream that might be enlisted to flush away the buildup of proteins associated with Alzheimer's, Huntington's and other neurodegenerative disorders.
The researchers, based at the University of Rochester (U.R.), University of Oslo and Stony Brook University, describe this new system in the journal Science Translational Medicine today. The study adds to the evidence that the star-shaped cells called astrocytes play a leading role in keeping the nervous system in good working order.
In most of the body, a network of vessels carry lymph, a fluid that removes excess plasma, dead blood cells, debris and other waste. But the brain is different. Instead of lymph, the brain is bathed in cerebrospinal fluid. For decades, however, neuroscientists have assumed that this fluid simply carries soluble waste by slowly diffusing through tissues, then shipping its cargo out of the nervous system and eventually into the body's bloodstream. Determining what's really going on has been impossible until recently.
In this study, researchers led by U.R. neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard have identified a second, faster brain-cleansing system. Nedergaard an expert in non-neuronal brain cells called glia, has long suspected that these cells might play a role in brain cleansing.
Nedergaard and colleagues studied live mice with holes drilled into their skulls to gain an unobstructed view. To see how waste is carried by cerebrospinal fluid in a living mouse, they injected the mice with radioactive molecules that could be traced using laser-scanning technology.
The molecules' journey began after being injected into the subarachnoid space, a cavity between membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. The researchers observed that, like a river, cerebrospinal fluid carried these molecules rapidly along specific channels. Glial cells along the outside of arteries form these channels, creating a flume for cerebrospinal fluid that follows the brain's blood vessels. In addition, the researchers found that these glial cells mediate the channel's activity, assisting the flow of fluid through the channel.
From channels alongside arteries, the tracer-bearing fluid then passes through brain tissues. At the other end of tissues, it flows into similar channels along veins. The fluid follows these veins then either returns to the subarachnoid space, enters the bloodstream or eventually drains into the body's lymphatic system. The researchers christened the network the "glymphatic" system, a nod to both glial cells and its functional similarity to the lymphatic system.
U.R. neuroscientist and lead author Jeff Iliff notes several surprises in the study: "I didn't think we would see these jets of fluid going through the brain," Iliff says. In addition, he explains that previous conception of cerebrospinal fluid's role in waste removal suggested that the process was one-way, sending particle-carrying fluid from the brain into the body. Instead, they observed a recycling, as much as 40 percent of the fluid returned to the brain.
As a test of their work, the researchers injected proteins called amyloid beta into mice's brains. In Alzheimer's, this protein—present in all healthy brains—can accumulate and clump, developing into cell-damaging plaque. The researchers compared mice with a normal glymphatic system to those with a disabled gene that prevented glial cells from assisting in the fluid flow. They found that in the normal mice, the protein rapidly cleared from the brain along these channels, but amyloid removal diminished in the gene-altered animals.
Iliff hypothesizes that a faulty glymphatic system may bear the blame for the over-accumulation of proteins seen in Alzheimer's, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's and other neurodegenerative disorders—and further study may even reveal a way to dispose of these clumps.
Jaleel Miyan, a neurobiologist at the University of Manchester in England who did not participate in this research, stressed the significance of this finding by characterizing the analogy with the lymphatic system as inadequate: "What they have demonstrated is actually far more extensive and important to CSF [cerebrospinal fluid] biology." The study clarifies discrepancies in past research and may lead to a better understanding of the functioning of the glymphatic system as a possible cleanser of the neural toxins that inevitably accrete and do damage as we age. | <urn:uuid:e7732fce-fd6b-45f4-9f07-d0cf98c4cd3d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/brain-cleaning-discovery/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00120-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945953 | 944 | 3.421875 | 3 |
Number Ten - Wright and More Families - Saybrook Creek
Written by Joshua G. Borthwick and originally published
on July 12, 1879, in the Catskill "Examiner". Copy
provided by the Durham
Center Museum and retyped by Annette Campbell
As we proceed eastward, and southward from Saybrook Hill, we come to
Saybrook creek, which has its rise about two miles northeast of the village of
Rensselaerville. About one and a half miles from its source, there is a
dam thrown across the stream, which forms a beautiful sheet of water about
three-fourths of a mile long, and one-fourth of a mile wide. It was
formerly called the Rensselaerville Pond, but is now "the
Reservoir." Below this dam, the stream falls 350 or 400 feet in a
short distance by a series of rapids and cataracts, as it rushes through the
gorge down past the Woolen Factory and the south part of the village, until it
reaches the valley south of Rensselaerville. From here to Medusa it
flows quietly through a pleasant valley, turning the wheels of Grist Mills,
Saw Mills, and a Paper Mill (formerly), until it reaches the site of Saybrook
saw mill, now owned by Addison Utter. We have records
to show that this mill was built as early as the year 1788, for on the 20th of
April 1789, we find Selah Strong "sledding" 770
feet of boards from this mill for Silas Sears Fordham.
The original mill has long since disappeared, and its site has been occupied
by a Carding Machine and Fulling Mill, then by a Grist Mill, until within a
few years; and now a nice new saw mill and lumber house occupy the ground.
Who built the first mill here is uncertain; perhaps it was James
Utter, Sr., but more likely it was Joseph Wright,
although it was afterward owned by Silas Stannard.
This Joseph Wright was full of tricks. One night there was a
gathering of young people from Wright street at the house of Richard
Benjamin, (who built and occupied the old house near Utter's
saw mill as a public house), for a dance. They must have walked to the
place, for they crossed the mill dam just below the house in a skiff.
While they were engaged in their frolic, "Joe" Wright went and cut a
hole in the bottom of their boat, and fitted a piece of board over it so
nicely that the boat did not leak. To this piece of board he attached a strong
cord about twenty feet long, fastening one end of this cord to a short stake
driven in the ground near the shore. When the party broke up, the young people
got into the boat and launched forth; but they soon got to the "end of
their rope," the water came rushing in, and with screams and wet feet,
they beat a hasty retreat.
Deacon George Wright, one of the first settlers in Wright
street, came from Saybrook, Conn., very early in the history of the town, and
lived on the farm now owned by Silas Wright, his grandson. He
was a soldier in the Revolution---was a musician for his company. He had
a large family; his sons were Ambrose, Wise, Benjamin, Christopher,
George and James. They nearly all had large
families, and their descendants are found in nearly every State of the Union.
Bradford, Anson, and Silas, grandsons of Deacon
George Wright, still live in the neighborhood. Eliakim
Stannard, another early settler of Wright street, was born in
Chillingford, Conn., Aug 31, 1752; and married Bathiah Kelsey,
who was born March 15th, 1758. They had nine children, two of whom, Charles,
aged 88, and Lyman, aged 83, are still living.
They lived on the farm formerly owned by Josiah Stannard, and
now by Clark, his son. He also was a Revolutionary soldier,
and when a company of light Infantry was formed in this town, he was chosen
its Captain. He was a member of the Presbyterian church of Durham, N.Y.,
uniting on the 3rd day of May, 1810, at which time fifty-six persons were
received in one day. Silas, one of his sons, was a
soldier in the war of 1812. His wife was a daughter of Daniel
Benjamin, and they were the parents of Eli and "Grove"
Stannard. Lyman Stannard married Lodema Benjamin,
a daughter of Richard Benjamin. She died in 1873. He
lived for many years on the farm now owned by his son Ransom.
He now lives in a good old age near Ding's mill. His
six children are somewhat scattered in various parts of the country. He has
been honored by his townsmen with the office of Supervisor for two terms.
Among the other early settlers of this part of the town was Philip
More, who lives on the old "More farm",
now owned by Lewis Sherrill, of Greenville. He had four
sons, viz,: William, Jacob, John, and Edward;
John was the father of Lafayette More, and lived and
died near Livingstonville. Edward lived and died a few
years ago on the farm now owned by Madison More, his son. John
Showerman lived on the farm lately owned by Joshua Tanner.
He had four sons, Peter, Andrus, Tunis, and John.
I do not know that any of the names live in the town now. The
country about which this settlement belonged to Cockburn's
Patent. It appears that he was a kind landlord, and fond of children
withal. I am told that when he went about to visit his tenants, he would fill
his pockets with pennies, and when he came to a house where there was a lot of
boys, he would take out a handful of them and throw them on the floor to see
the boys scramble for them, so that although he collected rents of the
fathers, his coming was a delight to the boys. About this time there was
a man by the name of Brown, who carried the mail, via.
Freehold, on horse back, to and from Catskill, and as there was no Post-office
near, he stopped at every house in the settlement, blowing his horn as a
signal of his approach.
All this region was heavily timbered with pine and the hard woods, and after a
good road was built to Catskill and Coxsackie, thousands of feet of lumber and
shingles were marketed. Tanneries sprang up, and at one time the town of
Durham was the leading town in the County, and Greene was the leading county
in the State in that branch of industry. Sheep were raised in large numbers,
and the wool was manufactured at home, giving employment to numerous carding
machines and fulling mills, and to the mothers and sisters in spinning and
weaving and making flannel shirts, woolen dresses and homemade suits, (full
cloth as it was called) for the men and boys.
Table of Contents
Borthwick Papers Home Page
of the Towns Home Page Townships | <urn:uuid:ce0614e3-09fa-4ce7-ab3e-d9b7106f8e71> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nygreen2/borthwick_number_10.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391766.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00187-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986313 | 1,593 | 2.640625 | 3 |
"Literature or fiction is not a knowledge, but it is not only a site where knowledge is produced it is also the location of a range of knowledges. In this sense the text always exceeds the history of its reception." Belsey p 432
I picked this quote because I thought it was interesting. As far as knowledge goes within literature, it only makes sense that it "exceeds the history of its reception." When it comes to history within literature, it cannot be the only aspect of it. In many cases, literature and fiction incorporate historical information and background, but usually there is much more in and behind the story.
For example, James Joyce's Dubliners although fictional, has historical significance because it shows life in Dublin and the landscape surrounding them. I have always appreciated this about literature. Especially upon attending university level lit. classes, I have understood why it is so important to understand the historical significance behind a story. There is so much you can miss if you don't understand what each period of literature is about and how it influences the writing of authors, such as Romanticism, Elizabethan, Modern etc.
Go back to Belsey | <urn:uuid:e6f29f63-7179-4245-81ca-62defb31b921> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.setonhill.edu/BethanyMerryman/2009/04/literature-or-fiction-is-not.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397428.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964682 | 235 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Here’s another one of my “Best of…” lists. This time it’s focused on websites to support writing instruction/reinforcement for grades K-12.
You might also find these other writing-related “The Best…” lists useful:
The Best Posts On Writing Instruction
The Best Places Where Students Can Write Online
The Best Sites For Grammar Practice
Not “The Best,” But “A List” Of Mindmapping, Flow Chart Tools, & Graphic Organizers
The Best Resources For Researching & Writing Biographies
The Best Resources For Learning How To Write Response To Literature Essays
The Best Places Where Students Can Write For An “Authentic Audience”
The Best Places Where Students Can Create Online Learning/Teaching Objects For An “Authentic Audience”
The Best Places To Read & Write “Choose Your Own Adventure” Stories
The Best Sites To Learn About Advertising
The Best Websites For Developing Academic English Skills & Vocabulary
The Best Online Interactive Exercises For Writing That Are Not Related To Literary Analysis (includes Problem/Solution essay resources)
The Best Online Resources To Teach About Plagiarism
The Best Resources For Learning Research & Citation Skills
The Best Sites For Students To Create & Participate In Online Debates
The Best Online Resources For Helping Students Learn To Write Persuasive Essays
The Best Spelling Sites
The Best Sites For Gaining A Basic Understanding Of Adjectives
The “Best” Sites For Helping Students Write Autobiographical Incident Essays
The Best Sites To Learn “Feelings” Words
The Best Sites For ELL’s To Learn About Punctuation
The Best Resources To Help Students Write Research Essays
K-12 is a pretty wide-range, and there are some sites here that are obviously more geared towards either younger or older students. I used my usual criteria though, which is that they all need to be accessible to English Language Learners and to teachers who only know how to email and copy and paste a url address.
I’m feeling a little conflicted about making this list. I think writing is the least one of the four “domains” (speaking, listening, reading, writing) that can be explicitly helped by using the Internet (of course, reading good materials on the Web also is a big help towards developing writing skills).
I believe the best way computers can help students become better writers is by their just using wordprocessing. The immediate spelling and grammar corrections offered by these programs, plus the ability to cut, copy and paste, are great student tools. And you don’t need the Internet in order to use wordprocessing (though there are certainly accessibility benefits to using an online program). Of course, in order to really benefit from a program students also have to know how to type (I’ll leave typing websites for a future list).
Another reason I’m a bit conflicted is because I believe the best writing curriculum out there, by far, is the one offered by the WRITE Institute. It’s focused on English Language Learners, but we’ve certainly used their materials successfully with mainstream students as well. Their curriculum, however, is only available to schools who’s Districts have an official “partnership” with them. Technology is a minimal part of their program, but I’ve found the sites on this list good supplements.
(You can now purchase — for $20 each — the supplemental units the WRITE Institute creates and then reproduce them for a one-time classroom use. These supplemental units are not the full ones that we use (I’m assuming that those are still only available to partners), but they include the most important parts of them. I’m not sure if this is a recent development, or if they’ve always been available and I just didn’t know about it.I’d still encourage your district to become a partner with the Institute because of the additional units and training that comes along with it.However, if you’re not in that situation, I can honestly think of no better way to spend your money (except, perhaps, on buying my book on teaching ELL’s when it’s published in April :))
Here are what I think are The Best Websites For K-12 Writing Instruction/Reinforcement (I know that title is quite a mouthful!):
Number eleven is a new one called Protagonize. This is an unusual pick for me, because I won’t even be using it for a couple of months. Let me explain.
Protagonize is a great Web 2.0 application that allows users to write their own stories, and contribute to the stories of others, as a kind of “Choose Your Own Adventure,” like the Goosebumps books. Writers can easily develop different alternatives that readers then have to choose. You might want to read two posts I’ve recently made about the site.
I’ve ranked a site from the Abu Dhabi Men’s College as number ten on the list. It has great sample essays for a variety of genres, and a lot of additional materials. I don’t really have students go to the site, but I’ve been able to print out and use a lot of the materials.
Number nine is a site that’s made a number of my lists, but is usually not near the top because it costs money — Brainpop. For a few hundred dollars a year, a class can watch excellent animated movies about writing and many other topics, along with additional online activities. Plus, the movies are now closed-captioned, which is great for English Language Learners.
Number eight is Great Source. Their site has a number of very helpful resources for students. I’m particularly impressed with a number of accessible online Tutorials they have about different essays. This one on Persuasive Writing is an example.
Number seven is Scholastic’s Create A Tale. Students can….create a tale using step-by-step instructions including images.
The BBC’s Story Plant is ranked sixth. Here, too, students are guided to create a simple story. I particularly like this site because it offers audio support for the text you see on the screen.
Number five is no longer free, so I’ve removed it from this list.
Number four is Essay Punch. It’s the free online version of a fairly popular program that is also available for purchase. It offers an interactive step-by-step model for writing an essay. At the bottom of its webpage you can also find links to other versions, including Paragraph Punch, Business Letter Punch, etc.
BBC Skillwise has a great Writing site filled with interactive activities and is number three on my list. One of my favorites is The Virtual Traveller. In it, students can choose a place from around the world; listen to someone speaking in simple English about it; type notes when they’re listening; write a short summary; choose pictures; and then print it all out.
Finally, the number one website for writing instruction/reinforcement is…. the BBC Bitesize Revision for Writing. Admittedly, it’s geared towards a younger audience (and perfect for English Language Learners), but their multiple activities are just great and deserve to be in first place.
Kevin Jarrett has written about a new site from the Sesame Workshop called Pinky Dinky Doo. He gives a good overview of what it offers, so I’d encourage you to go directly to his post. I’d like to highlight one area of the site that I’m adding to this list. It’s called Your Story Box, and is basically a simple cloze (gap-fill) activity where users fill-in the blanks with images that are converted into words. Audio support is also provided to the text. It’s a great exercise for Beginning English Language Learners.
ESL Bee is a teacher-designed site to assist Intermediate and Advanced English Language Learners in writing academic essays. There’s a lot of material there. For me, though, the gold mine is in the examples of student essays (for example, these persuasive essays). It’s not easy to find good, short, accessible, and well-written examples of different types of academic essays that can be used with English Language Learners as models, but you’ll find a wealth of them here. The same site also has a number of good English practice quizzes.
I’m adding “Writing Help” from Time For Kids to this list. I particularly like the model essays that each section includes.
Holt has another collection of student essays.
Scholastic has a wide variety of student model essays. Look under Projects By Subject near the bottom right of the page.
Houghton Mifflin has a decent collection of student essays, though I don’t think they’re as good as the other sites I’ve mentioned.
A great source of material — not only for ELL’s but for mainstream students, as well — are free Writing Assessment Handbooks that can be downloaded at The California Writing Project website. It’s a great resources for all sorts of writing resources. I particularly like them for their examples of student writing.
Here’s a new Holt collection of interactive essays.
TIME for Kids has a collection of sample essays.
Here are sources of writing examples specifically aligned with the Common Core Standards:
Achieve The Core Common Core writing samples from classrooms around the country.
Ten Ideas That Get Kids Writing is from The National Writing Project.
“Writing with Purpose: Personal Narratives by Teenagers” is from What Kids Can Do. It offers some good writing models.
Writing bingo is a very creative lesson plan from Sandy Millin.
Skills Practice | Writing Effective Openings is an exceptional lesson plan at The New York Times Learning Network.
The British Council has a good series of interactive writing skills exercises.
— Allison Marchetti (@AllisonMarchett) February 6, 2014
The Online Writing Lab from Excelsior College has some great resources for English Language Learners.
The Moving Writers have created a great collection of mentor texts.
WISE EYES: Prompting for Meaningful Student Writing is from The National Writing Project.
— Jim Bentley (@Curiosity_Films) September 24, 2015
Student Winners From Our 2015 Review Contest is from The New York Times Learning Network. It showcases many winners of a contest where students had to write reviews of “works of culture that were new to them.” It’s a rich source of mentor texts.
Thoughtful Learning has a great collection of model texts in multiple genres and grade levels.
As with all these lists, they’re entirely subjective. I’m certainly open to hearing other feedback.
You can see the other “Best of…” lists here.
You can also subscribe to this blog for free here. | <urn:uuid:fe95fef9-a031-4954-9d28-9f64731fc574> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/01/11/the-best-websites-for-k-12-writing-instructionreinforcment/comment-page-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92782 | 2,345 | 2.9375 | 3 |
Costa Rica comprises only 0.01 percent of the earth's landmass (less than 20,000 square miles), yet it is home to five percent of the planet's animal and plant species. There are more species of plants and animals per acre in Costa Rica than anywhere in the world. Biodiversity is evident everywhere: 10,000 species of plants, 850 species of birds, 800 species of butterflies, 500 species of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
You don't have to travel far within the country to experience a different and unique ecosystem: mountains over 12,000 feet; active volcanoes; cloud and rain forests; waterfalls and tropical jungles; banana, sugar, pineapple, coffee, and papaya plantations; mangrove forest and coastal swamps; and beaches and marine environments that support a variety of water fowl, fish and crustaceans. Approximately 30 percent of Costa Rica is protected as national parks, biological and archeological reserves, and wildlife refuges.
Costa Rica is located in Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Nicaragua borders Costa Rica to the north and Panama borders to the south. The country has a total land area comparable to the size of West Virginia: approximately 51,000 sq. km with 1,290 sq. km of coastline.
However, in such a small area, you can find exotic beaches, national parks, volcanoes, rivers, two oceans, lakes, rain forest, indigenous peoples and a seemingly unlimited variety of flora and fauna.
Costa Rica's year round climate is pleasant with naturally occurring breezes, cooling down most of the coastal areas. Temperatures in the highlands and mountains are not so cold, especially during day, producing an 'eternal spring' feeling. The average annual temperatures range from 31.7°C (89°F) on the coast to 16.7°C (62°F) inland. The rainy or green season lasts from May to December with noticeably drier days during the rest of the year.
Virgin tropical rain forests, beautiful beaches, amazing wildlife, and the friendliest people you will ever find are just a few of the reasons that more and more travelers are turning to Costa Rica as their tropical destination. In addition, Costa Rica is the safest country in Central America, where family values and respect are forthright. The only country in Central America with a stable and long standing democracy, Costa Rica eliminated its army in 1949. The government has renounced aggressive militarism in order to use its resources in education, health care and services for the good of the entire population. Costa Rica therefore boasts a higher literacy and life expectancy rate than that of the United States, and is a peaceful progressive country where democracy and stability are hallmarks. Although it is a country of small farms and businesses, there resides an air of prosperity and a feeling of equality among all of its citizens.
Land Values have increased 32% annually since 1998...65% annually for properties which have a rental dwelling on the site.
Favorable tax system: Currently there are no capital gains taxes on the sale of property. Property taxes are currently at one quarter of one percent on your property value, substantially lower than what we are accustomed to.
Costa Rica law allows for the same property ownership rights for foreigners as for Costa Rican citizens.
Costa Rica, a democracy for more than 115 years, is a model of political stability. It is often referred to as "The Switzerland of the Americas." | <urn:uuid:1848fc0a-f9b9-4466-a176-eb94ff34a418> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://greenleafcostarica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42&Itemid=253 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397795.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00087-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946758 | 713 | 3.296875 | 3 |
Epidural Stimulation Could Combat Paralysis
- Created: Tuesday, 08 April 2014
Exciting news was reported by an international team of life scientists at the University of Louisville, KY; UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; and the Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Saint Petersburg, Russia; who say that epidural electrical stimulation of the spinal cord has allowed four men who’ve been paralyzed for years the ability to move their legs. This study was published in the medical journal, Brain.All four participants were classified with a chronic motor complete spinal cord injury and were unable to move their lower extremities prior to the implantation of an epidural stimulator. The research builds on an initial study, published in 2011, which evaluated the effects of epidural stimulation in one participant who recovered a number of motor functions as a result of the intervention.The key findings in this study show that the three new participants were able to execute voluntary movements immediately following the implantation and activation of the stimulator. The results and recovery time were unexpected, leading researchers to speculate that some pathways may be intact post-injury and therefore able to facilitate voluntary movements.“Two of the four subjects were diagnosed as motor and sensory complete injured with no chance of recovery at all,” Claudia Angeli, PhD, senior researcher, Human Locomotor Research Center at Frazier Rehab Institute, and assistant professor, University of Louisville’s Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center and lead author. “Because of epidural stimulation, they can now voluntarily move their hips, ankles, and toes. This is groundbreaking for the entire field and offers a new outlook that the spinal cord, even after a severe injury, has great potential for functional recovery.”These results were achieved through continual direct epidural electrical stimulation of the participants’ lower spinal cords, mimicking signals the brain normally transmits to initiate movement. Once the signal was triggered, the spinal cord reengaged its neural network to control and direct muscle movements. When coupling the intervention with rehabilitative therapy, the impact of epidural stimulation intensified. Over the course of the study, the researchers noted that the participants were able to activate movements with less stimulation, demonstrating the ability of the spinal network to learn and improve nerve functions.In addition to regaining voluntary movement, the research participants displayed several other improvements in their overall health, including the increase of muscle mass and regulation of their blood pressure, as well as reduced fatigue and transformational changes to their sense of well-being. Additionally, all four men were able to bear weight independently. | <urn:uuid:2a023b80-d68b-44a8-8d6c-0aa02fcafbbe> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/1104-mdb/news/19463-epidural-stimulation-could-combat-paralysis | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00191-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956837 | 520 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Sudden, unexplained reddening of the skin can be extremely embarrassing and worrying. This is referred to as blushing and is usually a normal response if embarrassed, angered or experiencing distress or any other strong emotions. Flushing of the face may be accompanied by redness on the neck, arms and chest. This occurs due to dilation of the blood vessels under the surface of the skin. Redness of the face, sweating, feeling hot, itchy skin and blisters on the face are common facial symptoms that accompany a flushed face. However, there are also some additional symptoms that may occur rarely with flushing. These include anxiety, dizziness, and diarrhea, fatigue and heart palpitations. If the flushing is not experienced only momentarily and if the flushing is accompanied by some or the rarer symptoms mentioned above, it may be a result of an underlying medical condition that require medical treatment.
The Causes of Flushed Face
Flushing in the face is induced by the blood rushing through the blood vessels under the surface of the skin, and can be the result of a wide variety of causes. Below are some of the most probable causes of why you may get a flushed face.
- Emotion – Extreme happiness, excitement, anger, high levels of physical exertion or sexual arousal can cause the face to flush. These emotions raise the heartbeat, thereby increasing the blood pressure to the face. The redness seen in peoples' faces when they experience any form of emotion is caused by blood rushing to the brain that obviously bypasses the face on its way up.
- Temperature – Extreme cold and harsh winds can result in a flushed, rosy face. This occurs when the body tries to regulate the temperature to keep the internal organs warm. Although extreme cold resulting from hypothermia causes the face to become blue, exposure to cold winds will leave your face with a flushed appearance.
- High Blood Pressure – Flushing of the face could be caused by high blood pressure or hypertension. This occurs due to clogged or narrowed arteries that are unable to pump blood. A flushed face occurs because the heart pumps harder and raises the blood pressure.
- Menopause – Facial flushing is extremely common in women going through menopause. This is most often accompanied with hot flashes. This is because the hypothalamus fools the brain into thinking that the body temperature is too high. This causes the brain to increase blood flow resulting in a flushed face and feeling of heat. The changes in body heat are compounded with the drop in estrogen production during menopause.
- Exercise – A flushed face and body is common when doing strenuous exercises. This increases the heart rate and blood pressure. The heart rate and blood pressure increase when the body adjusts the blood flow to carry excess oxygen and blood to the muscles. Flushed face results from the fast circulation of blood to carry out the demands of the body during exercise.
- Alcohol – Excessive alcohol consumption causes redness in the face. Although alcohol is not a stimulant, it causes the dilation of blood vessels, thus resulting in a flushed face.
Tips or Advice
Relief from facial flushing depends on what is causing the flushing. Some causes, such as, menopause and redness of the face when exercising is beyond control. Similarly, any flushing due to emotions will be momentary. However, as mentioned above, if a flushed face is due to the acceleration of the heartbeat and pressure, then, take measures to keep the heart rate down and the blood pressure at normal levels. Avoid exposure to cold windy as well.
Medical advice may be necessary if the cause of the flushed face is unknown. For example, carcinoid syndrome, a rare disease may cause the redness of the face. This occurs due to a tumor in the lungs or digestive tract that causes the dilation of the blood vessels. Common problems with light skin that flushes easily can be managed with a bronzer or a tan. Cooling off with a hand-held fan or iced water may also prevent excessive flushing of the face. | <urn:uuid:1581db4d-c320-49da-a06e-4cd0ebcb289a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.md-health.com/Flushed-Face.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00040-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933731 | 831 | 3.171875 | 3 |
If there’s one place where the Internet of Things makes sense, it’s agriculture. From vast fields of soybeans, corn, and a different variety of corn, to the backyard garden, knowing how much sun, and rain crops get can vastly increase yields. For their Hackaday Prize project, [Adam] and [Shane] are building a board designed explicitly for plants. It’s called the SunLeaf, and it has all the sensors and radios a good remote sensing board needs.
The SunLeaf is built around an ARM Cortex M4 microcontroller with an ESP8266 module for WiFi connectivity. Sensors are important for any remote sensing board, and for this the guys are going with SeeedStudio Grove connectors, providing four UARTs, four I2C, and four analog ports.For remote sensing applications, you generally can’t rely on mains power, so SunLeaf includes a port for a solar panel and a battery charger.
Although this project was originally a redesign of [Adam] and [Shane]’s Hackaday Prize entry from last year, what they’ve come up with is a great device for data logging, autonomous control, and environmental sensing for anything, from farms to weather stations.
The [Dallas Personal Robotics Group] recently put together a set of tutorials for their members, including the build process of a table-top robot, they call the Tiny Wanderer. The bot can be constructed pretty easily, and is meant as an introduction to robot building.
The small servo-driven bot uses simple edge sensors to ensure that it doesn’t fall off a raised surface. The sensors were built using a small IR LED and photo transistor, which is partially isolated from the LED by a piece of shrink tubing. An ATiny micro-controller takes two measurements of the amount of IR light entering the photo transistor – one with the LED on, the other with the LED off. The difference of these measurements is compared to determine if the edge sensors are hanging off the side of the table. The logic used here is pretty simple – the difference will be high if the sensors are hovering over a surface, due to reflected light, and low if the sensors are hanging over open space.
The writeup contains templates for building the bot’s structure, as well as source code and schematics for all of the electronic bits.
Be sure to stick around to see a video of the robot in action.
Continue reading “Simple robot knows its bounds” | <urn:uuid:aac5fe96-36d9-458b-a8bf-f868912579ae> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://hackaday.com/tag/sensing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396875.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00128-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.934836 | 522 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) combined with clinical care has been shown to benefit people with depression, anxiety and emotional distress from illness, according to an evidence-based review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
"In the age of Google, this psychological intervention is empowering, clinically efficient and consistent with the way that, increasingly, patients interact with health care," write Dr. David Gratzer, attending psychiatrist, and Faiza Khalid-Khan, social worker and Director of Mental Health, The Scarborough Hospital, Toronto, Ontario.
The review looks at recent, high quality studies and the growing body of literature on smartphone and tablet applications for mental illness. Some studies showed that patients who used Internet-delivered CBT had better outcomes than placebo controls and equal or better outcomes than those with traditional in-person cognitive behaviour therapy. These outcomes were seen in patients with depression, as well as those with physical illnesses such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.
"There is as much evidence for cognitive behavioural therapy as there is for medications to treat mild and moderate depression, as well as evidence that they have a synergistic effect," says Dr. Gratzer. "In other words, for the hundreds of thousands of Canadians struggling with depression, Internet-assisted cognitive behavioural therapy offers a cost-effective and empowering way of accessing an important treatment."
Patients may participate in online therapy whenever and wherever they like, which provides the anonymity that may help depressed or shy patients who are reluctant to speak to a health care professional.
"[Internet-delivered] CBT has two principal advantages: patient empowerment and increased clinical efficiency," write the authors. "It allows clinicians to treat more patients effectively in less time. Even with intermittent therapist support, it is less time-consuming and requires fewer resources overall than traditional CBT."
However, this therapy is not recommended for people with severe mental illness.
Potential disadvantages to Internet-delivered CBT include the lack of a real human relationship, which prevents direct patient monitoring and the ability to tailor the therapy to the patient's progress; low adherence by patients and lack of home access to the Internet.
"There are compelling data to support the integration of Internet-delivered CBT into clinical psychiatric care. These data indicate that this form of CBT offers numerous benefits to both the patient and the practitioner. It allows treatment of patients with many different psychiatric conditions, at lower cost than traditional CBT," the authors conclude.
They note that more research is needed to determine the ideal demographic for this therapy and that there are challenges in integrating it into clinical practice. | <urn:uuid:a288d278-2584-4b22-b594-e9d390495a78> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/301847.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00165-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952132 | 530 | 2.53125 | 3 |
This Easter: Chocolate Egg Hunt has a special surprise with meaning for children.
Hide hollow chocolate eggs instead of plastic or real eggs. Make sure there are enough eggs for each child to have one, and limit the hunt to one egg each. Gather the children and tell them that before they unwrap or eat their eggs, they need to know that each egg holds a special message just for them.
Count to three and have children each bite or break their egg at the same time. As the children discover that the eggs are hollow, remind them of Christ’s empty tomb. Have children each tell what Jesus’ resurrection means to them. | <urn:uuid:8b7ab042-268d-4239-9716-eb0219c4e249> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://childrensministry.com/articles/chocolate-egg-hunt/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00095-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961214 | 132 | 2.71875 | 3 |
From Middle English upheven, from Old English ūphebban, ūpāhebban (“to lift up, raise up, exalt, rise in the air, fly”), equivalent to up- + heave. Cognate with Dutch opheffen (“to lift, raise”), German aufheben (“to lift, raise, cancel, repeal”).
- (transitive) To heave or lift up; raise up or aloft.
- (transitive) To lift or thrust something upward forcefully, or be similarly lifted or thrust upward.
- (intransitive) To be lifted up; rise. | <urn:uuid:1d6d1773-e374-4f94-9e46-ee9b2c4521fc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/upheave | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00136-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.70635 | 143 | 2.921875 | 3 |
Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Metrical Dindshenchas (Author: [unknown])
- At Inber Cichmaine, though it be narrow, was slain (a mighty onslaught) far-famed Maine, son of Medb and Ailell, exulting in fury of warlike combats.
- Him Fergna, generous son of widowed Findchoem, smote, in his flower, and his grave is in the ground, where the tall stripling murdered him.
- Dreadful the deed unworthy that Findchoem's son committed, the killing of Maine Andoe, lord of steeds, known over every bright blue-watered plain.
- Around the curraghfamous meeting! it was ruin, it was great pity,befell the loss of mighty Maine, that was not witless, whereby the inlet got its name.
- There was he slain (harsh the tidings), Ailill Find's ill-omened son, Cichmaine, stout champion against death, when he leapt into the inlet in the north.
- Or else, this is the true story of the stranger's death by no kindly deed, even the killing of him with the fierce heavy eyes as he hauled the fish out of the inlets. | <urn:uuid:23635c7e-8dd4-4673-80a2-9f1530e880bd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://celt.ucc.ie/published/T106500D/text039.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00041-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932474 | 275 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Definitions for DISS
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word DISS
diss, insult, affront(verb)
treat, mention, or speak to rudely
"He insulted her with his rude remarks"; "the student who had betrayed his classmate was dissed by everyone"
An insult or put-down.
To put (someone) down, or show disrespect by the use of insulting language or dismissive behaviour.
Origin: Originated in Jamaican Vernacular English, perhaps originally short for disrespect or disparage.
Diss is a market town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk, with a population of 7,503. The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers 6 acres. The mere is up to 18 feet deep, although there is another 51 feet of mud. The town takes its name from dic an Anglo-Saxon word meaning either ditch or embankment. Diss has a large number of historic buildings, including the early 14th century parish church. It is also home to a museum. Diss railway station lies on the Great Eastern Main Line route from London to Norwich.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
dis, n. an Algerian reedy grass used for cordage.
The numerical value of DISS in Chaldean Numerology is: 2
The numerical value of DISS in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
Images & Illustrations of DISS
Translations for DISS
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- dissen, DissGerman
- denostar, improperio, insulto, faltar, insultarSpanish
- dissata, parjaus, parjata, epäkunnioitus, dissaus, halveksinta, haukku, haukkuaFinnish
- diffamer, insulterFrench
- diss, dissaIcelandic
- insultare, insultoItalian
- ディス, ディスるJapanese
- dissen, dissDutch
- dissa, dissSwedish
Get even more translations for DISS »
Find a translation for the DISS definition in other languages:
Select another language: | <urn:uuid:07c2468c-a956-47fb-98d9-b29a0d3cf826> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.definitions.net/definition/DISS | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00199-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.833416 | 478 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Study Could Help with Weight-Loss
Have trouble counting calories? Try counting dollars instead. A new study conducted by Carnegie Mellon Professor George Loewenstein, and Kevin Volpp of the University of Pennsylvania, found that dieters lost more weight when cash incentives were part of the plan.
The behavioral economics study, just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, placed adult dieters into three groups. One group entered a daily lottery and received winnings only if they reached their targeted weight levels. A second group invested their own money, but lost it if they didn't meet their goals. The third group was given no monetary incentive at all.
The goal: lose a pound a week over 16 weeks.
The results were striking. The mean weight loss for both incentive groups was more than 13 pounds — with about half the participants reaching the 16-pound goal. But the mean weight loss for the control group was only 4 pounds.
In addition to losing weight, there was also some money earned. The lottery group averaged $272 in earnings and the group that invested their own money averaged $378.
While both incentive groups gained some of their weight back over the next seven months, they did not return to their original weights.
Obesity in this country has reached alarming proportions and falls just behind smoking as a preventable cause of death. The researchers believe that a contributing factor is the increased emphasis people place on immediate gratification, like the enjoyment of eating, rather than on more delayed benefits, such as improved health.
"The key to successful weight loss, whether you use money rewards or not, is to weigh yourself every day and to have daily weight targets that decrease each day by a tiny amount," said Loewenstein. "If you have a larger weekly target, you'll wait to the end of the week to start dieting seriously, and it's awfully difficult to lose a lot of weight in a single day."
Related Links: Social & Decision Sciences | College of Humanities & Social Sciences | Center for Behavioral Decision Research | JAMA | Read the Post-Gazette Article
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September 8th, 2008
An elevator that leads into space might sound farfetched, but scientists have been seriously considering it for years — and work at the University of Connecticut could end up being a key part of it actually happening.
UConn chemistry professor Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos, 43, believes he and his team of researchers have found a way to harness the potential of nanotubes — an extremely strong material made from carbon molecules. Their work was recently published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology. Sang-Yong Ju, a doctoral candidate in polymer science, is the lead author.
If the West Hartford resident is right about the potential of their work, it could lead to practical applications for everything from new drug delivery systems to better tennis rackets.
And, yes, a space elevator. It's an idea that's been around for more than a century, but never seriously considered until recent breakthroughs in nanotube technology.
It's pretty much what it sounds like. The most commonly touted vision of the space elevator involves a paper-thin ribbon made from carbon nanotubes that brings carrier cars thousands of miles into orbit. The ribbon would be tethered to the Earth's surface, while a counterweight at the other end — a space station, perhaps — would float in orbit. The centrifugal force from the Earth's rotation would keep the line taut.
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News and information
Stealth nanocapsules kill Chagas parasites in mouse models June 22nd, 2016
Abalonyx launches Reduced Graphene Oxide Product: Abalonyx has successfully scaled up production of thermally reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in its Tofte, Norway, production facility. This product is now offered to customers in Kg-quantities May 10th, 2016
What makes penguin feathers ice-proof February 24th, 2016
New stretchable, wearable sensor made with chewing gum (video) December 2nd, 2015
Novel capping strategy improves stability of perovskite nanocrystals: Study addresses instability issues with organometal-halide perovskites, a promising class of materials for solar cells, LEDs, and other applications June 13th, 2016
Deep Space Industries and SFL selected to provide satellites for HawkEye 360’s Pathfinder mission: The privately-funded space-based global wireless signal monitoring system will be developed by Deep Space Industries and UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory May 26th, 2016 | <urn:uuid:573e94c7-63fc-4b07-8efd-d5dd0f9a8279> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nanotech-now.com/news.cgi?story_id=30587 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00003-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938646 | 532 | 3.03125 | 3 |
To view items previously featured on the Bulletin Board, click
Storytelling has long been used as a tool for evangelism. After all, Jesus spoke in parables to spread the Gospel. While not a parable, The Story of a Nail offers a message of God's goodness and provision as told through narrative and illustrations. The pamphlet presents the story of what happened to missionary Hubert Mitchell when, in 1937, he tried to witness to the people of Sumatra and found himself in need of a little divine help.
This story was originally told over the radio on by Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of both Samaritan's Purse and World Vision, and was later put into print. The undated pamphlet was distributed along with eight illustrated panels, each depicting a different moment from the narrative. Throughout the text, cues are given to switch to a particular illustration for what the pamphlet calls a "'flash card' method of telling a story." (The accompanying booklet is in error when it states on the first interior page that Sumatra is "300 miles due east of Borneo." Sumatra is west rather than east of Borneo.)
For more information on this item, see Collection SC113 — The Story of a Nail Curriculum Kit. For the plain text, click here. To read the The Story of a Nail and view the illustrations online, click here.
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Learn All Year Long
ReadWriteThink has a variety of resources for out-of-school use. Visit our Parent & Afterschool Resources section to learn more.
Fairy Tales and You
|Grades||3 – 5|
|Activity Time||60–90 minutes|
- Begin by asking the children to share the names of various fairy tales that they know. Remind them to think of books, television programs, and movies with which they are familiar. If they need some ideas, look at this list of fairy tales together.
- Ask the children to describe these fairy tales. What do they have in common? What do they notice in all fairy tales? If desired, refer to the Common Fairy Tale Elements handout or look through fairy-tale books.
- Explain to the children that they will be writing their own fairy tales. They can work alone, with partners, or with an adult. They will choose events from their own lives or lives of someone they know, and create fairy tales based on the situations.
- Begin by brainstorming what their fairy tales could be about. If the children need some ideas, share with them the list of Common Fairy Tale Situations.
- In their fairy tales, children will need to develop characters, the plot (including beginning, middle, and end), and the setting. Children can handwrite their stories or use a word processor.
- Read the fairy tales out loud to make sure they make sense. Does the story flow logically? Is there a beginning, middle, and end? Is anything missing from the story? Make any needed changes.
- After reading, discuss if their new tales sound similar to any fairy tales they have read. How are their tales like other fairy tales? How are they different?
- When the fairy tales are complete, have children illustrate them.
- Take time to share the fairy tale with others!
- Read fairy tale books or look at them online.
- Act out the new fairy tales. See an example here.
- Make puppets or paper dolls to retell the tales.
- Children can also make comics of their tales using this Interactive Comic Creator.
The structure of the action of a story; what happens in the story.
The time and place where the actions of a story happen. | <urn:uuid:0812ae70-746d-4cf2-a313-fa932dbbe4d5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool-resources/activities-projects/fairy-tales-30284.html?main-tab=2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00194-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915234 | 473 | 4.25 | 4 |
tugboat, small, strongly built vessel, used to guide large oceangoing ships into and out of port and to tow barges, dredging and salvage equipment, and disabled vessels. Tugboats range in overall length from 70 to 210 ft (21–64 m), and their engines generate from 750 to 3,000 horsepower. Steam power dominated tugboat design until diesel and diesel-electric drives were developed. Most tugs are built of wood or metal-sheathed wood; the resiliency of a wooden hull prevents damage to both tugboat and vessel in berthing operations.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:f64e76bc-447a-4d71-b792-7537abc8ec91> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/history/tugboat.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397748.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00047-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.944688 | 143 | 3.71875 | 4 |
The latest news about robots, robotics
Posted: Apr 18, 2013
Frog-like robot will help surgeons
(Nanowerk News) Researchers at the University of Leeds are using the feet of tree frogs as a model for a tiny robot designed to crawl inside patients' bodies during keyhole surgery.
The tiny device is one of a growing stable of bio-inspired robots being built in the University's School of Mechanical Engineering.
It is designed to move across the internal abdominal wall of a patient, allowing surgeons to see what they are doing on a real-time video feed.
The tree frog's feet provide a solution to the critical problem of getting the device to hold onto wet, slippery tissue when it is vertical or upside down. Although it is relatively easy to find ways of sticking to or gripping tissue, the patterns on the frog's feet offer a way to hold and release a grip without harming the patient.
Lead researcher Professor Anne Neville, Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies at the University of Leeds, said: "Tree frogs have hexagonal patterned channels on their feet that when in contact with a wet surface build capillary bridges, and hence an adhesion force . It is the same kind of idea as a beer glass sticking to a beer mat, but the patterns build a large number of adhesion points that allow our robot to move around on a very slippery surface when it is upside down."
Professor Neville said: "To work effectively, this robot will have to move to all areas of the abdominal wall, turn and stop under control, and stay stable enough to take good quality images for the surgeons to work with.
"While basic capillary action works to an extent, the adhesion fails as soon as there is movement, so we have looked at the tiny mechanisms used in nature. It is only if you look at the scale of a thousandth of a millimetre, that you can get enough adhesion to give the robust attachment we need."
The frog-inspired robot has four feet -- each capable of holding a maximum of about 15 grams for each square centimetre in contact with a slippery surface. The researchers are aiming for a device that is 20×20×20mm, though they have been working on a prototype that is near double this size.
They are now trying to halve the size of their prototype so that it can fit through the incisions made during keyhole surgery. The prototype's weight is currently of the order of 20g and can be reduced much further.
The main work on the robot was carried out by two PhD researchers working on the adhesive pads – (Dr Greg Taylor and Ms Ashley Bell) - and another PhD researcher working on the design of the robot itself (Mr Alfonso Lopez). The team of academics in the School of Mechanical Engineering includes Drs Rob Richardson, Abbas Dehghani, Tomasz Liskiewicz and Ardian Morina and Professors Phil Gaskell and Martin Levesley. The clinical lead for the project is Professor David Jayne, Professor of Surgery at the University of Leeds and colorectal surgeon at Leeds NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust.
The study was funded by a £450,000 grant from the New and Emerging Applications of Technology (NEAT) fund. | <urn:uuid:da6c8cdd-4038-4719-a787-ed6e3591ed32> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nanowerk.com/news2/robotics/newsid=30074.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00072-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.94591 | 667 | 3.78125 | 4 |
Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives
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A Eucharistic Retreat
The Teaching of the Church on the Real Presence in the Sixteenth Century
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Our present meditation is on the teaching of the Church on the Real Presence in the Sixteenth Century. It seems only reasonable to devote one whole conference on the Churchs Eucharistic teaching in this century. Why is this teaching so important? Because, first of all, during the 1500s, a form of Christianity developed that was consciously not Roman Catholic. This form of Christianity withdrew six whole nations from the Catholic Church and has determined the culture of most of North America, including the United States. Moreover, this form of Christianity, on principle, denies that Christ, at the Last Supper, instituted the priesthood and empowered ordained priests to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass at which bread and wine are changed into the living flesh and blood of Christ. Consequently, it is imperative for us Catholics to know what the Catholic Church taught us as infallible doctrine during this most divisive era of Christian history.
The main source of information is found in the Council of Trent, which met for 18 years from 1545 to 1563. During these sessions, the Council issued three extensive documents on the Holy Eucharist in this order: on the Real Presence (October 11, 1551), on the Holy Communion (July 16, 1562), and on the Sacrifice of the Mass (September 17, 1562).
Since our focus in this meditation is on the Real Presence, we will concentrate on what the Council was called to defend and declare as defined doctrine on the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. There are five Canons specifically defining the Catholic Churchs faith in the Real Presence, and each Canon is worded in the form of an anathema. (Anathema means accursed. Each canon is worded: If anyone says let him be anathema). This means anyone who denies one of these five dogmas is thereby denying a divinely revealed mystery of faith and ceases to be a Catholic.
Looking at each definition in sequence, I will identify each teaching with a title, quote what the Council of Trent defined and briefly explain each definition.
First Definition: The meaning of the Real Presence
The first definition of the Council of Trent is on the Catholic meaning of the Real Presence. The definition reads: If anyone says that the body and blood together with His whole Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore the whole Christ, is truly, really and substantially contained in the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist, but says that Christ is present in the Sacrament only as in a sign or figure or by His power, let him be anathema.
There are four key terms in this solemn definition: the whole Christ, truly, really, and substantially contained. What then are we being taught by these definitions? First, we are being told the Holy Eucharist means the whole Christ. Everything which belongs to Christ everything which makes Christ Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament. This consequently means Christ is present in His divinity as God and in His humanity as man. Christ is present in the Eucharist with His human body and human soul, with His bodily organs and limbs and with His human mind, will and feelings the whole Christ. Latin reads Totus Christus.
Then we are told Christ is present truly and not only symbolically. He is present objectively and only subjectively in the minds of believers. He is contained in the Blessed Sacrament. Consequently, if our minds realize this objectives fact, we possess truth. And there is no more precious truth revealed by Christ than the truth that He is on earth, the whole Christ in the Eucharist.
Thirdly, we are taught Christ is really present and not only figuratively. The Eucharistic presence is not a metaphor or figure of speech. It is reality. Christ exists in the Holy Eucharist. And during the century when this Real Presence was defined by the Council of Trent, St. Robert Bellarmine counted the number of meanings given to Christs words at the Last Supper: this is My body, this is My blood. He found among the Protestant scholars more than 200 interpretations except the one which says Christ is really present in the Eucharist.
Finally, this definition tells us Christ is present substantially and not merely by the exercise of His power. True, Christ is everywhere exercising His power. Thus, we can legitimately say that Christ is present in every person in the state of grace. Christ confers His grace on those who are in His friendship. But being in the state of grace in not necessarily to have the Real Presence of Christ in our bodies and souls.
The Real Presence in the Eucharist is absolutely unique. Christ is not present everywhere with the wholeness of His divinity and humanity only in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, Christ is present in the fullness of His being.
Heres and analogy to help draw the distinction: When I write a book that is published worldwide, am I present to those people in Japan who read what I have written? Is my influence present in their hearts and minds? I hope so! But unless I fly to Tokyo, I am not substantially present to those people.
On the other hand, Christ is present on Earth not only in the sense that He exercises His divine influence on the hearts and minds of human beings. Christ Himself is substantially present on Earth in the Eucharist. Only in the Eucharist is Christ present with the wholeness of His divinity and humanity.
Thats the first defined dogma on the Real Presence: the whole Christ is truly, really and substantially contained in the Eucharist.
Second Definition: Transubstantiation
The second definition of the Council of Trent concentrates on how bread and wine are changed into the whole Christ. And it better be changed, otherwise, theres no Real Presence. If anyone says that the substance of bread and wine remains in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist together with the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and denies that wonderful and extraordinary change of the whole substance of the wine into His blood, while only the species of bread and wine remain, a change which the Catholic Church has most fittingly called transubstantiation, let him be anathema.
As often as weve heard the word transubstantiation, few Catholics know what it means. Transubstantiation means the substance of bread and wine what makes them bread and wine is replaced by the whole Jesus Christ. The breadness and wineness, so to speak, are changed into the living Jesus, true God and true man, whole God and whole man. It does not merely mean that the substance of bread and wine becomes the substance of Christ. Oh no! The Real Presence is not only the substance of Christ, but the whole of Christ His substance plus all the human properties of His humanity.
Finally, transubstantiation describes how the physical qualities of bread and wine their color, texture, taste and whatever else is perceived by the senses remain, but they lose their substance. The qualities of bread and wine remain, but their substance is replaced by the whole Christ. Ive taught too much Eucharistic Theology to too many priests to know how confused they can be by even the fundamental meaning of transubstantiation. If transubstantiation means the Real Presence of Christ, it also means the real absence of bread and wine.
Third Definition: The whole of Christ is present in every portion of the species
This third definition from the Council of Trent brings out the reality of the Real Presence. If anyone denies that in the venerable Sacrament of the Eucharist the whole Christ is contained under each of the species and under every portion of either species when it is divided up, anyone who denies that, let him be anathema.
The key word here is species. The Eucharistic species are the physical properties of what used to be bread and wine before transubstantiation the species of what is sensibly perceptible in the Holy Eucharist. The species are the size, texture, taste and weight of what was formerly bread and wine.
What does the Church tell us about the species? She indelibly teaches that the entire Christ is entirely present in every particle of the consecrated host and in every drop of what looks and tastes like wine. In the whole Host, Christ is there. Broken in half, Christ is in both parts. Even a single particle contains the whole living Christ. (How this needs to be known and believed in our post-Christian United States!)
We are also told that the whole Christ is fully and equally present in either species, so we dont have to receive under both forms. A single drop in the chalice after consecration contains the whole Christ.
Fourth definition: The Real Presence does not depend on Communion
It must seem strange that anyone would come up with the idea that Christ is present only if and when and as long as a person goes to Communion, but once Communion is over, there is no more Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. As strange as it may seem, this is exactly what so many of the so-called reformers held. So many people in the sixteenth century said Christ is present only when and if and as long as you are receiving the Holy Eucharist. But the Council of Trent said: If anyone says that after the consecration, the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ are not present in the marvelous Sacrament of the Eucharist, but are present only in the use of the sacrament while it is being received, and not before or after and that the true body of the Lord does not remain in the consecrated Host or particles that are kept or left over after communion, anyone who denies that, let him be anathema.
If you know what ideas are being circulated today in nominally Catholic quarters, you have no doubt how relevant this cardinal definition is. To deny the doctrine of transubstantiation is only logical for those who have separated from the Catholic Church to either reject the Eucharist entirely (which some did) or to keep the Eucharist in name and verbally talk about Christs Presence only in Communion. But we see what happened (and is happening now again) to the meaning of Christs presence in the Eucharist once the real meaning of transubstantiation was lost. You may call it the Lords Supper. You may call it the Liturgy. You may call it the Eucharist. But people no longer speak of a Real Presence which does not depend on its being received by the faithful.
I have reasoned with too many priests who are caught up in the miasma that is penetrating the Catholic Church today. I tell them: Look Father, Christ is present in the Eucharist not only when you or the people receive Communion. Hes present in the Eucharist. Period.
A young man recently came to visit me at the university. He told me he was sitting in Church during a Mass at which Holy Communion was distributed in the form of leavened bread which is wrong, but nevertheless, it was consecrated. He watched the people coming up to communion and noticed the floor was covered with crumbsnot crumbs of bread, but particles of the Sacred Species. He told me, After everybody left the church, I went over to the front of the church and began putting the particles into a small container. The Pastor saw me from the sacristy and shouted, What are you doing? I told him I was picking up the particles after Holy Communion because I understand each particle is Jesus Christ. The Pastor told me Get out! He saw I wouldnt move, so he pulled me by my collar and dragged me out of the church!
We better know we better understand that the Church defined that the whole Christ is present even under a microscopic particle of the consecrated Host. Once we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, it is only logical than to respect and adore Our Lord, no matter how small the particle or drop from the chalice may be.
Fifth definition: Eucharistic Adoration
This definition comes as no surprise. Once we believe Christ is really present in the Holy Eucharist, it is only logical to conclude that we should worship Him. The last thing we human beings want from another human being is to be ignored. The same is true with Christ present in the Eucharist. So now we look at the definition on the Holy Eucharist as the Adorable Sacrament.
The Council of Trent goes into some detail defining what so desperately needs to be known, publicized and practiced today. If anyone says that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is not to be adore in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist with the worship of Latria, that means the worship only to God, including the external worship and that sacrament, therefore, is not to be honored with extraordinary festive celebrations, nor carried from place to place in processions, according to the praiseworthy universal rite and custom of the Holy Church or that the Sacrament is not to be publicly exposed for peoples veneration and to those who adore the Holy Eucharist are idolaters, let him be anathema. Human language could not be clearer. Nor could the message be more important.
As our meditations go on, we should have ample opportunity to further explain and expound on the solemn teaching of the Church on the Adorableness of Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament. But I will say that Ive been privileged in working for the Holy See for more than 21 years. And I know there is one thing the present Holy Father wants: he pleads and begs the Bishops of the Catholic Church not only to tolerate, but to promote Adoration of the Holy Eucharist. I may be bold to say the future of the Catholic Church will depend in large measure on believing Catholics acting on their belief and adoring Our Lord. However, it is not only the future of the Church which depends on this mystery of faith being believed, understood and lived out. It is indeed the welfare of the whole world. This I know, because thats my assignment from the Vicar of Christ to do everything in my power to promote Eucharistic Adoration, first among members of the hierarchy, then among priests, and then among all the people of God. It is not only the hope of the Holy Father to restore faith in the Real Presence where it has been removed, but also to strengthen the peoples faith in the Blessed Sacrament where it is still reserved. Thus, believing in the Real Presence, Catholics might act on what they believe and thereby obtain from Jesus Christ what only He can give the light and the strength to the blind and paralyzed human beings of today. This comes from the same Christ who walked the streets of Palestine doing good then. He wants to do good now, but I depend on our faith.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the clear, unambiguous teaching of your Church on the Real Presence, but we ask you Dear Lord, to open the mind that we have to penetrate into the meaning of the reality we believe, so believing in you who we do not see with our bodily senses, we may behold unveiled in that eternal Eucharist which is the meaning of the Beatific Vision. Amen.
Copyright © 1998 by Inter Mirifica
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Adorers Society | PEA Manual | Essentials of Faith | Dictionary | Thesaurus | Catalog | Newsletters | <urn:uuid:accfc79a-ebd7-4f0f-a0e5-9862d080a7ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Eucharist/Eucharist_044.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00182-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964765 | 3,266 | 2.765625 | 3 |
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) tracks the price of a market basket of goods and services purchased by U.S. households over time. Both monthly and annual changes are reported in the tables for the CPI in order to facilitate comparison with other series.
|Price Index (1982-1984=100)||Nov-01||Dec-01|
|Public transportation percent change from same month previous year||-0.81||0.53|
|All items percent change from same month previous year||0.00||-0.17|
|All transportation percent change from same month previous year||-1.51||-0.80|
|Private transportation percent change from same month previous year||-1.62||-0.89|
|Price Index (1982-1984=100)||Dec-00||Dec-01|
|Public transportation percent change from previous month||5.86||-2.21|
|All items percent change from previous month||3.44||1.55|
|All transportation percent change from previous month||4.45||-3.87|
|Private transportation percent change from previous month||4.29||-4.05|
NOTE: 1982-1984=100: The consumer price index for a specific item is a weighted average of the prices for the individual components of the item. The weights are determined by the expenditure shares of the individual components based on a survey of consumer expenditure during the base year(s). The base year price is then normalized to 100. For some items, BLS establishes weights using several years of consumer expenditure surveys in order to smooth out the effects of short-term price shocks and of the business cycle. Weights formed using several years will give a more accurate measure of typical consumer expenditure patterns.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, available at: http://www.bls.gov/cpi/. | <urn:uuid:5fd5fb8a-34c5-400f-bb7d-c68182a27875> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/transportation_indicators/january_2002/Economy/html/Prices_of_Transportation_Services_Paid_By_American_Households.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00041-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.808007 | 403 | 3.40625 | 3 |
HSP has launched a digital history project focused on the early years of the Great Depression and the December 1930 failure of a large Philadelphia bank, Bankers Trust Company.
The site includes:
- 320 digitized primary source documents, including documents about the bank's operation, letters from depositors desperate to get access to their funds after the bank's failure, and newspaper clippings about the aftermath of the bank's failure;
- biographies of some of the people and organizations highlighted in the documents;
- contextual essays about the history of Bankers Trust Company, the Great Depression in Philadelphia, and the 1930s banking crisis in Philadelphia; and
- an educators page with ideas about how to use the resource in the classroom.
This project was part of a larger effort funded by the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation to draw attention to HSP's 20th-century collections.
You can learn more about the process of creating the site by reading our posts on HSP's blog, "Fondly, Pennsylvania." | <urn:uuid:0c0e520e-1489-44cb-961b-1169e34793b2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://fcharlton@hsp.org/history-online/digital-history-projects/closed-for-business-the-story-of-bankers-trust-company-during-the-great-depression | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932073 | 208 | 2.71875 | 3 |
NOTE: This blog has moved to www.developeconomies.com
In this journal, I have discussed the relationship between education, poverty alleviation, and economic development. The link is critical and the three are self-reinforcing. Education creates greater opportunities for the youth, who go on to work decent jobs in cities like Bacolod, Manila, and Cebu. The children remit money back to the parents, who spend on home improvements and the tuition fees for the younger siblings. College-educated individuals are much less likely to end up impoverished (about 1 in 44). Trade schools also create opportunities, with only one in 10 people with post-secondary degrees living below the poverty line. Unfortunately, the ratios drop precipitously after that. One in three high school graduates and half of elementary school grads are impoverished. Here are the sobering education statistics:
The long-term outlook for poverty reduction doesn’t look good either, unfortunately. We all know that there is a very strong link between education (or lack of education) and poverty—two-thirds of our poor families have household heads whose highest educational attainment is at most Grade 6. Well, the education statistics (all from the NSCB ) tell a very sad tale: elementary school net participation rates (NPR)—the proportion of the number of enrollees 7-12 years old to population 7-12 years old—have plummeted from 95 percent in school year (SY) 1997-98 to 74 percent in 2005-2006, as have high school NPRs.
Cohort survival rates (CSR) have also dropped: Out of every 100 children who enter Grade 1, only 63 will reach Grade 6, down from 69 children in 1997-1998. In high school, CSR have dropped even more: from 71 to 55. Which means, of course, that school dropout rates have increased. Which is one of the reasons why, in 2005-2006, for the first time in 35 years, total enrollment decreased in both elementary and high school: although private school enrollment increased, public school enrollment went down more.
The correlation is not difficult to see, but fixing the problem presents a challenge for several reasons. According to some observers, the Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS) in the Philippines is one of the most corrupt government entities in the country. It has a budget equal to 12% of spending, but is riddled with graft from procurement (buying textbooks and other supplies), grease money, and bribes for just about any sort of movement within the bureaucracy. The impact on the education system is detrimental:
Embezzlement, nepotism, influence peddling, fraud and other types of corruption also flourish. Corruption has become so institutionalized that payoffs have become the lubricant that makes the education bureaucracy run smoothly. The result: an entire generation of Filipino students robbed of their right to a good education.
This corruption leads to poor allocation of resources. Teachers are underpaid and treated poorly. In 2005, the Philippine government spent just $138 per student, compared to $852 in Thailand, another developing country in Southeast Asia. But graft and corruption are not the only issues. Poverty is a vicious cycle that leads traps generations of families.
About 80% of the Filipino poor live in the rural areas of the country. These are towns located deep in the mountains and the rice fields. The population density in the rural parts of the country is low, and there is a corresponding deficiency in schools and classrooms. Public school is free, but families still cannot afford to send their children for a complicated network of reasons. In this editorial for the Pinoy Press, one author delineates the key issue:
With around 65 million Filipinos or about 80 percent of the population trying to survive on P96 ($2) or less per day, how can a family afford the school uniforms, the transportation to and from school, the expenses for school supplies and projects, the miscellaneous expenses, and the food for the studying sibling? More than this, with the worsening unemployment problem and poverty situation, each member of the family is being expected to contribute to the family income. Most, if not all, out-of-school children are on the streets begging, selling cigarettes, candies, garlands, and assorted foodstuffs or things, or doing odd jobs.
Beyond the selling goods on the street, children in farming families are expected to work in the fields during harvest time. In agriculture-based communities where farming is the primary livelihood, having children around to help with the work means more income for the family. In a recent trip to Valladolid, someone told me that children are paid 15 pesos for a day’s work in the blistering heat. They are pulled from school for two or three months at a time and are irreparably disadvantaged compared with their classmates. So, they may have to repeat the grade, only to be pulled out of school again next year.
Transportation is another big problem. Kids walk 2-3 kilometers or more to and from school every day. They have to cross rivers and climb hills with their bookbags. The ones that can afford it take a tricycle, but that is a luxury. Schools are sometimes too far for the most remote communities to practically access. So the families can’t afford to pay and the children are pulled from school.
It seems like an intractable problem. Corruption in the education bureaucracy and a lack of resources make delivering a high-quality education to all Filipinos a challenge. Microfinance is one way to help. With the assistance of microcredit loans, women can pay for the education of their children – to purchase uniforms, textbooks, lunches, and rides to school. Also, by creating another source of income other than farming, the children do not have to come help the family work the fields. When I talk to NWTF clients about their dreams, they unfailingly say they hope for their children to “finish their studies.” History has shown that it is an achievable goal. But real systemic change needs to come from above. As long as corruption and bureaucracy paralyzes the system, the goal of delivering a decent education to children – which pays dividends to the country in the long run – will remain out of reach.
For the rural poor, non-profits exist to help in the mission of education. While looking up pictures for this post, I came across a Filipino organization called the Gamot Cogon (“Grass Roots”) Institute:
The Gamot Cogon Institute (a non-stock, non-profit organization) is an Iloilo-based cultural institution working to transform society through human development approaches including education and training. GCI also prototypes or demonstrates alternative approaches to education, agriculture, health, and full human development.
Very cool stuff. | <urn:uuid:56c6cf56-bede-40f7-8fe3-cfedecbf6a01> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://joshweinstein.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/the-problem-of-education-in-the-philippines/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399385.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00073-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964105 | 1,406 | 2.625 | 3 |
Night Sky Observed from Paros Island, Greece
April 20, 2013
Photographer: Stavros Hios
Summary Authors: Stavros Hios; Jim Foster
The image above shows a view of an illuminated, old sailing ship and the glow of the Milky Way as observed from the island of Paros, Greece, in the Aegean Sea. Since the Moon was in the new phase and because this area (southernmost point of Paros) is quite isolated, the night sky was nearly pitch black. The camera is facing in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius -- toward the center and densest portion of the Milky Way. Sagittarius has more Messier objects than any other constellation. The brightest of these is the Lagoon Nebula (Messier object M8), visible with the naked eye -- at top. Just above M8 is the Trifid Nebula (M 20). Photo taken on July 15, 2012.
Photo details: NIKON D7000 camera; F/5; 70mm lens; ASTROTRACK | <urn:uuid:db2ad560-d4c8-4fcd-aaa8-6ee1aa3f828c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://epod.usra.edu/blog/2013/04/night-sky-observed-from-paros-island-greece.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913405 | 220 | 2.5625 | 3 |
University Wits are a group of young dramatists who wrote and performed
in London towards the end of the 16th century. They are called University Wits
because they were the witty students of Cambridge or Oxford. They were all more
or less acquainted with each other and most of them led irregular and uncertain
life. Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, Thomas Lodge, Thomas Nash, Robert Greene,
George Peele and John Lyly were the members of this group. There are some
characteristics which are commonly to be found in their plays.
University Wits have a fondness of introducing heroic themes in their dramas.
They often take it from the lives of great figures. They give heroic treatment
to the heroic themes.
There have been some variety, splendid description and
violent incidents in their dramas. Their style is also heroic. Their chief aim
is to achive strong and sounding lines. The best example is Marlowe who is
famous for his use of blank-verse. Again, the themes, used in their dramas, are
usually tragic in nature. There is lack of real homour in their dramas. The only
exception is Lyly. His “The Woman in the Moon” is the first example of romantic
Christopher Marlowe is perhaps the greatest among the University Wits. Even, he
is the only dramatist who is compared with Shakespeare in that time though he
lacks the warm humanity of Shakespearean plays. Marlowe represents the tragic
tendency in literature. He has no interest in comedy. Again, as a dramatist, he
has some serious limitations, specially, in plot constraction. His art of
characterization is simple. His plays are one man show- they centre around one
figure. Though he has some lackings, he is remarkable for being lyrical and
romantic in his dramatic presentation of life. All his plays are poetic and
artistic. “The Jew of Malta” and “Dr. Faustus” are two of his best works. These
two plays clearly show Marlowe’s love for conventional Machiavellian hero.
Thomas Kyd is another important dramatist of the University Wits. He introduces
the tradition of revenge play. We can easily find the influence of Kyd in the
works of Shakespeare. “The Spanish Tragedy” is the best work of Thomas Kyd. This
play has some outstanding features. The plot is horrific. There are murder,
madness and death which give the play a great popularity. However, there have
been much influence of ‘The Spanish Tragedy” in Shakespearean tragedies.
Thomas Lodge is a lawyer by profession but he has given up his legal studied and
has taken literary career. He has written only few dramas. “Rosalynde” is the
most famous of his romantic comedies. It is said that Shakespeare has taken the
plot of his “As You Like It” from Lodge’s “Rosalynde”.
Thomas Nash is a professional journalist. He also takes part in the then
politics. His works have some satiric tone. “Unfortunate Traveller” is his best
work which has much influence as far as the development of English novel is
Robert Greene’s plays have a great contribution in the development of English
drama. Although his art of charachterization is weak and his style is not
outstading, his humour is very much interesting. Again, his method is not very
strict like the other tragedians of that time. He is witty, humourous and
George Peele is another important dramatist of the University Wits. His plays
have romantic, satiric and historical evidence. He has no attraction towards the
poetry. He handles Blank-verse with variety. He also has a sense of humour and
pathos. However, “Edward the 1st” is perhaps his best work.
John lyly is another great dramatist who has a strong interest towards the
romantic comedy. His comedies are marked by elaborate dialogue, jests and
retorts. However, we can find his influence in Shakespearean comedies. “Midas”
is one of the most important work of John Lyly which has shaken the development
of the romantic comedy in English literature.
Thus, we can conclude that University Wits have much influence in the history of
English drama. Their dramas, specially the romantic comedies are of a great
height. However, we can find their influence in later dramas of the Elizabethan
period. Back to Top | <urn:uuid:9f4f75b5-815a-407c-87ce-41d8882ddf5a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bdtips.com/read/?article=influence-of-university-wits-in-english-literature | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397111.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00048-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976263 | 988 | 2.6875 | 3 |
by Joel S. Hirschhorn
(Swans - October 8, 2007) Plagued by intellectual curiosity, I often ask why so many people believe, think, or act in baffling and irresponsible ways. Personal irresponsible behavior harms the individual. Civic irresponsible behavior harms US society and government. The epidemic proportions of the first type, driven by business interests only concerned with making more money, have expanded the second behavior, driven by political interests intent on maintaining their clout (by serving the business interests), even if it means damaging American democracy.
Irresponsible behavior flourishes despite attempts to inform, educate, and persuade people to change it. Such behavior is seen subjectively as acceptable, logical, and reasonable. It is justified and reinforced systematically by myriad social and cultural forces. This explains why experience shows us how difficult it is to erase irresponsible behavior, even when attempts come from parents, spouses, friends, physicians, counselors, and teachers.
Some examples of personal irresponsible behavior: Why do so many people still smoke cigarettes despite all the evidence of their health risk? Why do so many refuse to use seat belts in their cars despite their clear benefit? Why do so many drive when drunk, high on illegal drugs, or distracted by using cell phones? Why do so many eat large quantities of fat and sugar-rich foods (or allowing their children to do so) knowing that they make people overweight and unhealthy?
In this category ignorance of the likely harm does not explain the behavior. And it certainly is a lot more than personal taste. People consciously do what is unsafe, plain stupid, or ornery. Some may not change their behavior because doing so causes psychological pain. Some claim that they are addicted to their "bad" behavior and are helpless to change. Some may even feel pleasure or comfort knowing they are in a rebellious minority (cigarette smokers) or a normal majority (sedentary, overweight, and obese).
What is clear is that commercial interests want segments of the population to maintain their personal irresponsible behavior. They use advertising and marketing, often filled with deceit, distortions, and disinformation, to keep people behaving badly and preventing them from seeing themselves as being victimized, brainwashed, or manipulated. They also use money to ensure that the government does little to limit destructive behavior, even though it causes high societal costs. Where money is to be made, irresponsible behavior is prized and is now a hallmark of American culture. In fact, the parallel goal is to have consumers spend money to address the harmful impacts of their bad behavior rather than stop it. So, we have a billion-dollar market to address the many health impacts of eating large quantities of unhealthy foods, for example.
The many forms of irresponsible personal behavior are integral to making Americans incredibly distracted from fulfilling their role as engaged citizens. A huge fraction of the population is popping antidepressants and sleeping pills because of their stressed-out and unhealthy condition. Together with economic insecurity and working long hours, these circumstances make Americans intellectually lazy. They easily fall prey to distractive consumerism and all forms of entertainment and self-indulgence. It is not that they are unintelligent, but that they do not have the motivation, time, or energy to dig deeply into civic, political, and policy issues.
What little Americans know about politics and government comes from mainstream media, government propaganda, and advertising messages of special interests. Even the Internet with its many alternative news and advocacy groups has not produced many better informed citizens. Just as you can lead a horse to water but not make it drink, you can attract people to Web sites but not make them go further than the home page to spend hours reading detailed, substantive materials.
Therefore, in this category ignorance is the biggest problem, followed by avoidance of pain from truths that conflict with current beliefs. Entrenched beliefs are nurtured over time by countless political, mainstream media, and corporate interests. The beliefs are "owned" and seem inviolate, sane, fact-based, logical, and rational. The result is that the beliefs take on a life of their own in the minds and hearts of the true believers. Attempts to change these beliefs are met with disdain, ridicule, and bewilderment. This is seen among people on the political left and right. Truth tellers face incredible obstacles. It is as if some alien from another universe or some highly suspect, unpatriotic, and untrustworthy enemy is attacking the sacred belief. Yet, objectively, the beliefs are dead wrong! But objectivity and the real truth are handicapped by being contrary to the sacred belief, often wrapped in the American flag.
Thus we have considerable behavior in the civic irresponsible category, including my favorites: Why do most Americans vote for Democrats and Republicans despite decades of evidence that they do not serve the public interest, but are subservient to corporate and other special interests? Why do people have an immediate negative reaction to having a second constitutional convention? And why do most Americans still accept the government's official 9/11 story despite reams of information and analysis that contradict it and many reputable people that boldly demand a new investigation?
Rationalized lesser-evil voting in a system rigged by the two major parties to make third parties uncompetitive causes many voters to keep the two-party duopoly firmly entrenched. The other half of eligible voters don't bother to vote at all, making American democracy with its extremely low voter turnout a disgrace. Despite their hopes of electing effective representatives, Americans mostly become disappointed with those placed in office. Today we have record-low levels of support for Congress and the presidency, yet there is little prospect of third-party victories.
Much of the US population steadfastly fears a second constitutional convention, even though there is a provision in Article V of our Constitution for conventions of state delegates to propose constitutional amendments. An Article V convention could be the path to achieving major government reforms. Yet the entrenched fear-belief is that radical-minded state delegates under the control of evil extreme forces would overturn and change our Constitution for the worse. Many groups for many years have spread the word that there would inevitably be a dangerous runaway convention. Almost all of these groups profess great admiration for the Constitution, but do not want us to have an Article V convention that we have a constitutional right to, because the Framers of the Constitution feared that one dark day citizens would lose trust in the federal government. What hypocrisy.
Thus the fear, knee-jerk reaction of most people makes little sense, because such a convention can only propose amendments that must satisfy the tough ratification requirement of Article V, exactly like proposed amendments made by Congress. Moreover, the nation's first Article V convention would be under incredible media and public scrutiny, placing delegates under the spotlight. Also, there have been hundreds of state constitutional conventions without any ludicrous and devastating actions that have wrecked state constitutions. The simple fact is that powerful and elitist status quo forces that now corrupt and control Congress fear an Article V convention that could propose amendments that would overhaul our political system to make it less corrupted by money and much more responsive to ordinary citizens. Moreover, most of the public cannot accept the fact that Congress has willfully disobeyed Article V by refusing to authorize a convention, even though the only requirement for one has been more than satisfied by over 500 petitions from all 50 state legislatures.
Friends of the Article V Convention is the only nonpartisan national group working to obtain the first Article V convention, but it confronts the intentionally induced fear of a convention, cleverly engineered by many groups on the political left and right. Instead of being seen as patriots attempting to get the Constitution faithfully implemented, Article V convention advocates are often denigrated as just the opposite. People fear a convention more than they fear the political status quo and that is really frightening, especially considering the record-low favorable rating for Congress, at just 11 percent in a recent Zogby poll.
Convincing the public that we need a new, comprehensive investigation of 9/11 events, because a mountain of data, analysis, and information contradicts the government's official story that the mainstream media has dumped on the public, faces incredible obstacles. And despite the fact, as documented on patriotsquestion911.com, that a large number of highly credentialed and educated people with impeccable professional backgrounds in the military, government, politics, engineering, and science have concluded that a new investigation is needed. A huge number of groups have been working diligently to obtain a new investigation by gathering and disseminating relevant information. Yet 9/11 truth seekers are generally portrayed as conspiracy nuts rather than true patriots trying to make the government fully accountable to the public. Behind the scenes are powerful forces in government and corporate America that fear a new investigation because it could prove that the 9/11 basis for Bush's preemptive Iraq war and the whole war on terrorism was a lethal hoax.
The Way Forward
In sum, those seeking US government reforms are hamstrung by irresponsible and dead-wrong beliefs by most of the public -- beliefs that have been carefully nurtured by persons and groups fearful of losing power if the attempts to get a competitive third party, the first Article V convention, and a new 9/11 investigation succeed. All are critically needed to reboot American democracy; otherwise America's delusional democracy will continue sliding downhill and the whole world will suffer from endless military and economic imperialism. It matters not whether a Democrat or Republican becomes the next US president or which party controls Congress. Deep political reforms are the imperative.
There is no easy solution to this problem, but there is reason to hope and not give up. Most major changes in American society have resulted from a relatively small fraction of the population that has used its passion to persevere and influence the remainder of society. Despite being attacked and disparaged, patriotic and responsible Americans with conscience seeking deep political reforms must keep fighting if American democracy is ever to regain its greatness.
Looking forward, major political reforms seem impossible. Only in looking back do we appreciate the feasibility of major change. That must sustain activists. The words of Mahatma Gandhi still ring true: "First, they ignore. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win."
If you find our work useful and appreciate its quality, please consider making aMoney is spent to pay for Internet costs, maintenance and upgrade of our computer network, and development of the site. | <urn:uuid:7aeeb644-bfc8-472c-b8b1-3e7e6dd042dd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.swans.com/library/art13/joelh01.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00086-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957113 | 2,100 | 2.6875 | 3 |
you are here: home > inthenews > taking the sting out of scorpion venom
Scorpion stings hurt and can be life threatening, especially for young children. Neurotoxins and other chemicals in scorpion venom can cause movement problems, visual disturbances, and breathing difficulties. More than 250,000 people are stung by scorpions in North America each year. In Arizona, approximately 200 people have severe reactions to scorpion stings.
Unfortunately, there is no government-approved therapy for scorpion stings. An antivenom was developed in 1965, but it has not been made since 1999 because its effectiveness was not certain. Researchers are working on a new scorpion anti-venom and the results are encouraging.
In this search for a new scorpion anti-venom, researchers studied 15 children who were stung by scorpions and admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit. Of the 15 children, eight received the antivenom and seven received a placebo. The researchers and the children did not know who received the antivenom or who received the placebo until after the study was finished.
Children who received the antivenom recovered faster than children who received the placebo. All eight children were free of symptoms four hours after they received the antivenom; six of the seven children who received the placebo still showed some problems four hours later. Abnormal eye movements and limb thrashing cleared up faster in those children who received the antivenom compared to those who received the placebo. Children who received the antivenom also required less sedation and had less venom in their blood than those children who did not receive the antivenom.
Although this study involved only 15 cases, the data show that scorpion antivenom effectively speeds the recovery of children who have been stung by a scorpion. If emergency rooms had this new medicine, then the danger of severe reactions and long term hospital care may be reduced.
Reference and further information:
Copyright © 1996-2009, Eric H. Chudler, University of Washington | <urn:uuid:45e7f522-0b2e-478e-ad7f-77280a008a0d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/scorv.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399106.96/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00066-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976938 | 417 | 3.171875 | 3 |
Thousands of crashes occur each year because drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Learn the signs so that you know when you are getting drowsy, what puts you at risk for drowsy driving, and what to do to stay alert.
What Are the Signs of Sleepiness?
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety provides some warning sign to help you identify when you are getting too tired to drive. If you begin to experience any of these, it is time to stop driving and get some sleep:
Are You at Risk?
To determine if you are at an increased risk for a sleep-related traffic accident, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety asks the following questions:
What Can You Do?
Here are some things you can do to prevent drowsy driving:
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 05/2016 -
- Update Date: 05/13/2016 - | <urn:uuid:313648a6-a72b-4c69-81e3-7aba8db28c99> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://wesleymc.com/hl/?/23113/Don-t-drowse-and-drive | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00154-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.91138 | 186 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Every year bees pollinate $201 billion worth of U.S. crops. Almonds are solely dependent on bees. Most other foods depend on bees for survival about 90% of the time. But every year U.S. beekeepers report losing about one-third of their colonies. Why? The most likely culprit is a class of pesticides , called neonicotinoids (or neonics), made by giant chemical companies like Bayer and Syngenta, as the key factor in the global bee die-off crisis. Europe has banned bee-killing pesticides, but the U.S. has delayed action until 2018. This is unconscionable.
I find it very hard to imagine a world without apples, asparagus, broccoli, onions, cherries, cucumbers, celergy, plums, watermelon, tangerines, lemons…and the list goes on.
And I find it very hard to imagine a bee-less world.
While in my favorite little bookstore-café the other day a copy of The Shamanic Way of the Bee fell into my hands. It’s by Simon Buxton and tells of the ancient wisdom and healing practices of the Bee Masters and Bee Mistresses. That’s right. There is a worldwide network of shamonic beekeepers who have kept the old Druidic lore and practices alive by passing their information along to their apprentices. In it, I learned that it’s very nearly impossible to find a beekeeper with cancer. Astounding! And the venom from bee stings can actually help to stop the spread of HIV. And it helps with arthritis and other physical challenges. Considering that each Apis Melifera worker bee only produces one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey over the span of its entire month-long lifespan, honey is a gold commodity we should all be investing in.
An old English saying goes like this: Ask the wild bee what the Druids knew.
Bees know how to build community, value sacred geometry, and in their devotion to their queen, they understand how to honor the feminine divine. Bees know ancient wisdom—just ask them. We can’t afford on so many levels to let them disappear.
Through pollen magic, flowers and bees become one. What a planet we’d inherit if we lost the bees and then all the flowers. And then our food. And then... | <urn:uuid:8e7d49e6-0244-480b-a013-70edbb3e3ea0> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sophiaserve.com/hildegard-of-bingen/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00044-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928917 | 492 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Research on tropical achlorophyllous, mycoheterotrophic
('saprophytic') plants with emphasis on morphology, anatomy, mycorrhiza and
ecology. Click here if you miss site navigation!
are puzzling! They are always characterized by remarkale reductions concerning root,
shoot and leaf structure and sometimes even hardly resemble a flowering plant. It is no
wonder that they are often collected by mycologists! Here some basic information:
||Since assimilation of carbohydrates through photosynthesis
without chlorophyll is impossible (as far as we know) and the direct metabolization of
dead organic material has never been detected in flowering plants, achlorophyllous plants
must have another source of carbon. They split up in two distinct groups:
- These plants develop special organs (haustoria) penetrating foreign plant tissue in
order to participate at least to some extend from their host's assimilates (carbon
compounds), water or nutrient uptake (e.g. Dodder, Broomrapes).
- Mycoheterotrophic Plants ('Saprophytes')
- In these plants a fungus (or several?) lives inside their roots ('mycorrhiza')
providing all requirements for plants growth. This is the plant group that I
Voyria truncata just emerged upon the soil surface. The pencil-sharpener
serves as a scale
|More than 400 species, in 87 genera and 11
families, of mycoheterotrophic plants have been described. Of those, only orchids and
members of the Monotropaceae (Indian-Pipe Family) are fairly well investigated.
Information about the other families are scarce. The most recent work on the neglected
genera has been done by Hiltje and Paul Maas and co-workers in
Utrecht/Netherlands. Nevertheless, root structures (morphology, anatomy, mycorrhiza) are
often entirely unknown. Most probably this is due to the remote and hardly accessible
habitat of these plants, the deep shaded tropical rainforest, and the fact that they are
easily overlooked in the field (see the picture to your left!). Hence, they get found by
Lately, I focused on the genus Voyria
of the Gentianaceae (Gentian Family) where 19 species have been distinguished so far, all
except one living in tropical America. Then I looked after Triuridaceae and Burmanniaceae (Triuris, Sciaphila, Burmannia, Dictyostega). Momentarily, I'm working on Burmanniaceae and Polygalaceae (Afrothismia, Epirixanthes). All of these plants share some morphological characters with Voyria but are not at all related to them. I could show that their
mycorrhiza is an arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), a form of fugus-plant-symbiosis which is
very well known for more than hundred years. However, the achlorophyllous species so far
investigated revealed some very unique features, yet unknown despite the long and
intensive research on AM.
There are even more pictures on the page of Hiltje and
The results of my research so far are summarized in abstracts, available from my publicationlist. If you like to see some pictures, please visit the The Myco-Heterotrophs-Gallery.
My approach was led by the following questions. Answers I found so far are indicated
- What kind of morphological/anatomical adaptations have evolved in connection to
its special life form?
- At least one of those adaptations is a 'condensation' of the root system (becoming
short and thick).
- Are mycorrhizas in myco-heterotrophic species different from mycorrhizas in
- Yes, definitely in Voyria tenella, V. obconica, V. aphylla, Triuris hyalina,
and Afrothismia winkleri, less pronounced but still different in Voyira
truncata, Burmannia tenella, and Dictyostega orobanchoides. More strange
mycorrhizal patterns may be anticipated.
- Do the mycorrhizas between various myco-heterotrophic species differ?
- Yes they do, only in Voyria tenella and V. obconica I found the
same 'intraradical fungus garden'.
- What do mycorrhizal structures tell us about taxonomy and systematics?
- The closely related Voyria tenella and V. obconica do have the same
mycorrhiza whereas V. aphylla shows an intermediate pattern, linking to the
mycorrhiza of V. truncata and the autotrophic gentians. The two Burmanniaceae
Burmannia tenella and Dictyostega orobanchoides show at least in the
root cortices the same intracellular hyphal pattern. Afrothismia winkleri, a
Burmanniaceae from Africa, however, has an entirely deviating mycorrhizal pattern
(although it is an AM!).
- How do these plants use their root fungus?
- Very sophisticated!! Please read the abstracts e.g. on Afrothismia winkleri and Voyria
- What is the actual carbon source?
- From the observed direct hyphal bridges between roots of neighboring plants and the
achlorophyllous plants we must infer the carbon (and most probably everything else too)
must come from the neighboring plant.
Last revised on 18th of January 2001 by Stephan Imhof | <urn:uuid:a43d030e-1e81-466e-9f4f-e2af5508d25b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://staff-www.uni-marburg.de/%7Eb_morpho/imhtopic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397795.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00020-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.882536 | 1,201 | 3 | 3 |
There are fundamental risk factors that lead to suicidal ideation, and there are also many risk factors which are not fundamental or across the board. However, in terms of understanding and responding to suicidal behaviour we must remove the taboos, the stigma, the shame, the whole guilt business and we must reduce the silences around suicidal behaviour.
Stigma comes in a number of ways – most destructively as shame; and reduces contact between support people and the vulnerable individual. But another form of stigma is the stigma where for instance suicide is seen as normal – normalised – accepted as matter of fact in some communities as inevitable and inherently as a ‘solution’ to crisis and adversity, or in the very least as circumstantially unavoidable. People need people – foremost we must work to this most obvious premise. Suicide, as common as it is as a leading cause of violent death, can never and should never be allowed to be perceived as an ‘acceptable’ response to crisis and adversity.
In many communities where the descendants of the First Peoples of this continent have been marginalised and isolated in impoverishment and various identity crises, indeed suicide as a response to crisis and adversity is viewed by many as ‘normalised’. In my travels throughout this continent, from community to community, far too many have said, “suicide takes our young” as if it is unavoidable. Whole communities have premature, unnatural deaths and suicides as part of everyday living – “it is our lot in this life”. “We suffer for what was done to us by the oppressor.” This form of stigma has a volatile contagion effect, where a people’s whole identity is infected by layers of implicit self-blame, implicit questions about their worth, explicit views that their identity carries liability.
This is a perniciously endemic problem not resigned to Australia’s First Peoples alone but a catastrophe globally among the descendants of First Peoples in middle to high income nations with colonial oppressor histories. From the shanty towns of the Australian continent, to the Amazonian basin to the Lakota reserves, the descendants of the First Peoples live as minorities discriminated against on a daily basis. This type of stigma has a systematically destructive effect on the descendants of First Peoples. The only way out for far too many of them is to effectively deny their historical identities and ‘assimilate’ singularly with the ‘oppressor’. This often means a disconnection with many of their own immediate relatives who maintain high cultural content levels, who resist assimilation. Not only do we have a clash of two cultural settings in middle and high income nations with colonial oppressor histories but we also have an intra-cultural clash of those who fight “tall and proud” to retain their right to their historical identity with those among them who decide to put it behind them. These divides – the clash of two cultural settings and the intra-cultural divisions are both hurtful experiences, and have direct influence on identity crises – culminating for far too many in depressions, self-harms and suicidal behaviour. It appears to far too many who desire the natural right to unfold their way through the various settings, to determine who they are and how they want to live, to be free of judgments that lead to the cruelties of racism, prejudices, biases against them – that the oppressor is always winning.
National conversations can make the real difference.
Much is suggested about ‘responsible’ media reporting. There is an argument for the media to not ‘sensationalise’, ‘glorify’ suicide and to be careful about the reporting in regards to ‘copycat suicides’. There is pressure on the media to not report by what means suicides occurred – whether by hanging, poisoning, firearm, etc. There is obvious merit in all this but the media is vitally important, and thus far has been underutilised, in suicide prevention. It is more important to reduce the will to suicide than to worry about the means someone facilitates suicide. We need sustained discussions in understanding suicidal behaviour – especially with causality – if we are to reduce the leading cause of violent deaths in our world. Only the social reach of the media can adequately achieve this.
The media needs to publish disaggregated statistics on violent deaths – and realise that suicide is the leading cause of violent deaths. This will surprise the majority. Hence, we can culturally shift pressure on our governments to prioritise suicide prevention. These are the most responsible media practices we can have at this time rather than the current focus to minimise facts about what is occurring.
The media is the most powerful tool capable of raising awareness about mental health, substance abuse disorders and of suicide. We have to move away from the thus far portrayed stigma of suicidal behaviours and of suicide and instead understand causality, more so than obsess with impacts. We need to reduce blame and aspersion. If we do this then we work our way to humaneness, humanity and move away from isolationist attitudes and excessive self-interest responses. Taboos and stigma fork to inhumanity. There is no greater legacy we can have than to help one another. In doing this we bond people with humanity, rather than the inhumanity we endure by isolation, disengagement and various inherent blame – we have to do away with reductionist arguments of self-responsibility. The dumping on troubled and damaged people the self-responsibility mantras work only to isolate people and heighten depression, self-harm and suicide risk factors. It is up to all of us – to associate it, not to dissociate. The ultimately ‘up to them’ attitude is volatilely dangerous. People do not function as individual units but function with and alongside each other. This is social cohesion. Patience and love are above all else.
We need to understand the cause of suicide risk factors, because they do not exist fundamentally across cultures or throughout history. We have to compare and understand why life stresses in one cultural setting can culminate in high rates of depressions, self-harms and suicidal behaviours but in other cultural settings these same life stresses do not lead to any risk factors predisposing depressions, self-harms an suicidal behaviours.
We need to understand why the world’s descendants of First Peoples in nations with colonial oppressor histories are being hit with the world’s highest rates of depressions, self-harms and suicidal behaviour. We have to understand this tragic phenomena in terms of interrelationships with the ‘oppressor’ impost, within the proposition of discrimination, within the understanding that the descendants of many of the world’s First Peoples in nations with colonial oppressor histories have been transformed to minorities – hence enduring ‘voicelessness’, ‘diminution’, ‘mobbing’ and in enduring psychosocial, psychological and emotional beatings and abuse that have made their historical and contemporary identities a liability – racialised. As long as racism is played down then discrimination is fuelled. Whenever this occurs, the abuses increase – emotional stresses and trauma trigger culminations such as depressions and suicidal behaviour.
We have to break the isolation that far too many endure, we have to reconnect people, and though this can be done over time at the coalface – community by community – the media can play the most powerful hand of all.
Lifeline’s 24-hour hotline, 13 11 14
Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Kirstie Parker, Mick Gooda say enough of fine words – close the gap a big fat lie | <urn:uuid:b0885ee9-3c20-4ef4-a854-d582f7f3b802> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://thestringer.com.au/taboo-stigma-and-shame-need-to-get-out-of-the-way-for-suicide-prevention-9758 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398209.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00179-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957872 | 1,575 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 7, 2013 at 8:18pm.
Solve h + p = 3(k-8) for k.
- Algebra 1 - Anonymous, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 8:30pm
Can anyone assist me?
- Please, help me! - Anonymous, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9:18pm
I must complete my schoolwork rather urgently.
- Algebra 1 - Anonymous, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9:19pm
- Algebra 1 - Anonymous, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9:25pm
Is this correct?
- Algebra 1 - answerhalp, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9:37pm
h + p = 3(k-8)
h + p = 3k -24
h + p + 24 = 3k
1/3h + 1/3p + 8 = k
- Algebra 1 - answerhalp, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 9:41pm
to anon at 9:19 PM: yours is wrong because you did not divide ALL of the equation by 3.
- Algebra 1 - Urgent, Monday, October 7, 2013 at 10:52pm
Or is could be h/3+p/3+8=k
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This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4, (MUP), 1972
Alfred Peach Hensman (1834-1902), attorney-general and judge, was born on 12 May 1834, the second son of John Hensman, solicitor, and his wife Mary, née Wilkinson, of Springhill, Northampton, England. He went to India and was commissioned in the 1st Madras Fusiliers, but soon resigned because of ill health. He entered the Middle Temple in 1852 and the University of London (B.A., 1853). Called to the Bar in 1858, he became counsel for the Treasury at the Leicestershire Assizes and later a revising barrister. In December 1882 he was appointed attorney-general for Western Australia.
With his wife Emily, née Rowden, and two children Hensman arrived at Perth in the Ballarat on 11 May 1884. He soon won repute as a dignified and reliable lawyer but socially was reserved and somewhat haughty; only intimate friends appreciated his dry humour and genuine benevolence. He was diametrically opposed in temperament and political philosophy to Governor Sir Frederick Broome, whose inability to distinguish between administrative and legal matters increasingly irritated him. The governor questioned Hensman's right to give legal advice officially to stipendiary magistrates sitting in civil jurisdiction on cases between private litigants. Hensman tried to indicate the different functions of the attorney-general as judicial officer, and the governor as executive officer, but to little avail. He also maintained that Broome should confine his opinions to points of law and not extend them to questions involving the application of law to facts, especially as he seemed to have privately advised one of the litigants. In the Executive Council on 24 March 1886 the governor presented a minute accusing Hensman of 'disloyalty and improper official conduct', of anti-government conspiracies and actions designed to cripple the administration. Hensman was not permitted to answer the charges and immediately resigned, finding it 'impossible for a man of honour, or for one who has any respect for himself to do otherwise'. He expected his resignation to be transmitted to London and was appalled when Broome not only accepted it but also interdicted him, suspended his salary and demanded his resignation from the Legislative Council. Hensman declared his interdiction illegal and refused to resign from the Legislative Council pending advice from the Colonial Office. Lengthy dispatches passed between Broome and the Colonial Office, and the affair was aired in the House of Commons. In January 1887 Edward Stanhope, the secretary of state for colonies, vindicated Hensman and ordered Broome to pay his salary in full. At the same time Hensman was offered the attorney-generalship of the Barbados, which he refused. Not satisfied he side-stepped protocol and solicited the aid of his brother, Arthur, to act as his 'representative' in London. These efforts were thwarted by a statement from the new secretary for state for colonies: 'With regard to your brother's complaints … that in a quarrel reaching the length attained by that between Sir F. N. Broome and Mr. A. P. Hensman, both parties are so carried away by their antagonism as to put themselves more or less in the wrong, whatever may have been the merits of the original dispute'.
Many colonists sympathized with Hensman, and on 6 November 1886 a public meeting in the Town Hall, well attended by his supporters, indicated that he was moving into the political arena. With his liberal background, he was concerned with social and political reforms. He had always been a staunch advocate for responsible government and since his student days supported the move for the emancipation of women: in convocation of the University of London in 1874 he had urged that they be admitted to degree courses and in Western Australia he pressed for female suffrage and opportunities for higher education. He represented Greenough in the Legislative Council in 1887-89 and practised as a barrister until his elevation to the Supreme Court as puisne judge in 1892. He strengthened it with his command of legal principle and his practicality, always treating the rules of court as servants, not masters. In keeping with his liberalism he was a champion of local autonomy, never yielding to English practice or precedent unless bound to do so. He published a handbook on English constitutional law and an address on Western Australia, which he delivered to the Royal Colonial Institute in London in 1889. Aggravated by continuous disparagement in the West Australian, Hensman sued the proprietors, Charles Harper and (Sir) John Hackett, for libel in 1888. The case was decided in favour of the plaintiff who received £800 damages, but it had sordid overtones when the defendants formally objected to its being heard by the chief justice, (Sir) Alexander Onslow, an old friend and supporter of Hensman.
A competent violinist Hensman was active in encouraging musical appreciation in Perth and in recognition for his contribution he was presented with a baton by the Perth Musical Union in October 1889. On a visit to England he died on 5 October 1902, survived by his wife and son, Harold William, a barrister in his father's firm in Perth.
Wendy Birman, 'Hensman, Alfred Peach (1834–1902)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hensman-alfred-peach-3756/text5917, published first in hardcopy 1972, accessed online 30 June 2016.
This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 4, (MUP), 1972 | <urn:uuid:5da5ea25-29ed-45ae-a9e2-abf4a027c1ea> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hensman-alfred-peach-3756 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00144-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981539 | 1,203 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Neutral-to-ground voltage is any voltage measurable between the neutral conductor and the grounding conductor, usually reflecting voltage losses in the neutral conductor due to neutral return current. Neutral-to-ground voltage can affect electronic equipment if the amplitude of the voltage exceeds the withstand capability of the load. Typical symptoms of neutral-to-ground voltage events include parity errors, poor resolution, erratic equipment operation, the need to reset/reboot equipment and, for telecommunications systems, dropped calls. There are numerous causes of neutral-to-ground voltage events. Common causes are large-equipment startup, loose neutral wiring and grounding wires, loose or missing neutral-to-ground bond, excessive ground and neutral current. Solutions to neutral-to-ground voltage problems are straightforward: correct faults to ground, repair wiring problems, add larger neutral wires, or add transformer isolation. | <urn:uuid:3eef8d9e-3876-4bba-aaa4-dfe213166cf3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.experts123.com/q/what-are-the-symptoms-causes-and-solutions-to-neutral-to-ground-voltage-events.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397748.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00009-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.881939 | 172 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Archaeologists & Volunteers Dig Mold Gold Cape Site
Monday, September 23, 2013
FLINTSHIRE, WALES—Fragments of burned bone and pieces of pottery have been unearthed near Mold, at the heavily plowed archaeological site famous for the Bronze Age gold cape discovered there in 1833. The 3,700-year-old cape had been crafted from a single sheet of gold, and was found in fragments with a skeleton. The bone and pottery are older than the cape, however. “What we might have is earlier use of the land,” said Mark Lodwick of the National Museum of Wales.
Pirates of the Caribbean, evidence for the oldest Irishman, Iron Age Swiss cheese, India’s cannabis frescoes, and the Silk Road route to Nepal | <urn:uuid:5fcbabaa-4132-45c8-84b4-bfbfbbf8768f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.archaeology.org/news/1321-130923-england-mold-bone-pottery | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00019-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949457 | 166 | 2.703125 | 3 |
An Introduction to Tech Prep
Tech Prep is a planned sequence of study in a technical field that begins as early as 9th grade and extends through at least two years of postsecondary education or an apprenticeship program. Tech Prep programs culminate in students receiving a postsecondary credential, such as an associate's degree or technical certificate, thus allowing them to continue their postsecondary education or to enter the workforce as a qualified technician.
Tech Prep is a planned sequence of study in a technical field that begins as early as 9th grade and extends through at least two years of postsecondary education or an apprenticeship program. Tech Prep programs culminate in students receiving a postsecondary credential, such as an associate's degree or technical certificate, thus allowing them to continue their postsecondary education or to enter the workforce as a qualified technician. Many of the Tech Prep classes offered during a participant's junior and senior years qualify for dual enrollment credit through articulation agreements. These agreements stipulate that certain technical/Tech Prep courses taken during high school will translate into college credit. This articulated credit is awarded by the postsecondary partner after the student has enrolled at a participating college or university.
The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 7,400 high schools (47%) offer one or more Tech Prep course of study. Nearly every community and technical college is part of a Tech Prep consortium and many four-year universities also participate. Tech Prep is specifically geared toward serving the "middle majority," students who represent the middle 50% of their class, but who often do not qualify for other secondary-post-secondary learning opportunities (SPLOs) like Advanced Placement or state-sponsored dual enrollment.
- an articulation agreement between secondary and postsecondary consortium participants;
- a 2+2 , 3+2, or a 4+21 design with a common core of proficiency in math, science, communication, and technology;
- a specifically developed Tech Prep curriculum;
- joint in-service training of secondary and postsecondary teachers to implement the Tech Prep curriculum effectively;
- training of counselors to recruit students and to ensure program completion and appropriate employment;
- equal access of special populations to the full range of Tech Prep programs;
- preparatory services such as recruitment, career and personal counseling, and occupational assessment.
Tech Prep is a vehicle for integrating academic and vocational content through a "hands-on" program that combines academic and vocational experiences, develops skills for the workplace, provides career direction and focus, and makes a connection between what is taught and the real world.
Although national research findings on the effectiveness of Tech Prep programs are inconclusive, there have been a number of evaluations (including those in this compendium) that have found evidence of improved student GPAs, lowered dropout rates, reduced absences, increased high school completion, and improved postsecondary enrollment. However, these evaluations found limited or no evidence that Tech Prep improved students' scores on standardized academic achievement tests, and findings were mixed on whether Tech Prep improved students' postsecondary achievement or labor market outcomes. The last national evaluation of Tech Prep, conducted in 1997, found that Tech Prep programs were not always implemented as envisioned in the legislation, perhaps lessening their impact on student outcomes (Hershey, A., et al., 1998).
Other Tech Prep research finds positive outcomes, but was limited in terms of student population (only high school students enrolled in Tech Prep) and outcomes (only related to success during high school). For example, research from the State of Texas compares Tech Prep students with two other subgroups: non-Tech Prep career and technical education students and general education students. Researchers found that Tech Prep students had higher attendance rates, lower dropout rates, and higher graduation rates with more Tech Prep students also completing the college preparatory curriculum. In almost all cases, these outcomes held true when the researchers disaggregated the data by subgroups based upon ethnicity and special population categorization, defined by the researchers as "at-risk, economically disadvantaged, bilingual/ESL, special education, and all other students" (Brown, 2000, p. 8). While promising, the research did not consider outcomes at the postsecondary education level, which is a key part of any Tech Prep program.
- Ninety percent of all surveyed secondary faculty and administrators see Tech Prep courses as rigorous enough to prepare students for community college programs, while only half (50%) of postsecondary respondents have confidence in this statement.
- Less than one-fourth (22%) of secondary personnel believe that an unacceptable ("too high") number of students need remediation when they get to college, while almost three-fourths (74%) of postsecondary personnel have this belief.
- Respondents often noted in the free response sections that Tech Prep students can be successful, but they tend to need several remedial and developmental courses, particularly in English and math, before they can begin college level work.
- Secondary and postsecondary faculty agree that secondary students who take articulated courses are more prepared for college than those students who have no prior college-level course experience.
- The respondents believe that more students would benefit from having more college-level courses available in their high schools. Unfortunately, the responses on many of the other statements indicate that very little collaboration to create additional articulated courses has taken place.
- The top reason for a student retaking an articulated course is that there has been insufficient communication with the student to let him/her know credit had been earned. It is evident that students need more information about how to take advantage of articulated credits (CORD, 2004).
Click the "Endnotes" link above to hide these endnotes.
1 This refers to the number of years of secondary and postsecondary education included in the Tech Prep sequence. For example, 2+2 means a student will spend two years in high school (junior and senior year) and two years in postsecondary education or an apprenticeship.
2 Specifically, the syllabi of Tech Prep courses offered in high schools do not reflect the actual coursework of the corresponding community college classes.
Brown Lerner, J. and Brand, B. (2006). The College Ladder: Linking Secondary and Postsecondary Education for Success for All Students. Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum.
Comments and Recommendations | <urn:uuid:b0f6cf4f-b283-445a-b746-9fa9241226b3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.adlit.org/article/31928/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00130-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957784 | 1,283 | 3.28125 | 3 |
The Triton 36,000 is an amazing submarine. Previous generations of the Triton only went to 3,300 feet but the new model uses technology from Rayotek Scientific to make a passenger dome that reacts to increasing pressure from increasing depth by becoming stronger.
The passenger hull's material is called borosilicate glass (soda-lime) and its shape and material allow it to pack into itself and compress in such a way that that gives it more resilience as the surrounding water pressure jacks up. It should—in theory—allow the Triton to reach the deepest part of the sea, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, at a rate of 500 feet per minute, hitting approximately 7 miles down in 75 minutes.
The last time a vehicle did this, claims PhysOrg was 1960, and the Trieste, a bathysphere that carried two, was not in the least maneuverable, and carried a special edition Rolex called the Deep Sea Special (Mark III) to the bottom in a well publicized stunt that made rolex a legend. Functionally, the Rolex was also engineered with a super strong bubble face crystal.
The glass of the passenger compartment only reaches its pressure resistance of 16,000 psi by doing some crazy things. For example, it needs to use fiber optics to relay touch screen control signals through the glass of the 6-foot sphere. And the sphere itself is created to extremely high tolerances of geometric accuracy over 8 months by slowly and carefully heating and cooling the raw materials. These processes are the only thing that let the Triton 36,000—in theory—get as deep as it's rated to.
*The Triton is in a race to the bottom of the trench with at least Sir Richard Branson's Graham Hawkes designed Virgin Oceanic vehicle.
Published from The Scuttlefish, a site about the ocean | <urn:uuid:340b2daa-c3d0-40b6-8602-d9467e8469ea> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://jalopnik.com/5796531/this-submarines-glass-dome-gets-tougher-under-pressure?tag=monster | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00013-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95113 | 389 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Kleist, Annabelle C. , Nelson, Christine L. , Geiger, Jennifer M. O. , Korall, Petra , Ranker, Tom A. , Pryer, Kathleen M. .
Alternate pathways of fern dispersal to the Hawaiian Islands, Part 3: Cibotium.
THE Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated large group of islands on Earth, yet they are home to nearly 200 species of native ferns and lycophytes. Although species endemism is high (80%), there seems to have been little autochthonous speciation, as Hawaiian fern lineages are generally species-poor. Thus, the probable number of successful colonizations of fern species to the islands compared to the number of extant species is relatively high compared to flowering plants, which generally are represented by more species-rich lineages. Because fern spores are most likely dispersed through the air via the wind, weather and climate patterns are undoubtedly important factors determining the geographical origins of the ancestors of Hawaiian ferns. We are conducting molecular biogeographical studies of multiple groups of Hawaiian ferns to ascertain the likely geographical origin of each group and to explore the nature of shared pathways of dispersal across unrelated taxa. The tree fern genus Cibotium (Dicksoniaceae) is represented in the Hawaiian Islands by four endemic species: C. nealiae, C. chamissoi, C. menziesii, and C. glaucum. The genus comprises approximately ten species worldwide. Comparative cpDNA sequence data support the endemic Hawaiian Cibotium species as monophyletic and thus we hypothesize that the diversity of Cibotium in Hawaii is due to speciation following the colonization of the Islands by the ancestor of this clade. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the ancestor of the Hawaiian Cibotium species dispersed from the Neotropics, possibly via the tradewinds or a storm.
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1 - Caroll College, Department of Natural Science, 1601 North Benton Ave., Helena, Montana, 59625, USA
2 - Duke University, Department of Biology, 139 Biological Sciences Building, PO Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA, Department of Phanerogamic Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden,
3 - University of Colorado, University Museum & Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 265 UCB, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
4 - Duke University, Department of Biology, 139 Biological Sciences Building, PO Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina, 27708, USA
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Date: Monday, July 31st, 2006
Time: 2:15 PM | <urn:uuid:b860216f-2868-4686-8105-325f75735df8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.2006.botanyconference.org/engine/search/index.php?func=detail&aid=579 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00093-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.860343 | 592 | 3.234375 | 3 |
|Bicycling Street Smarts|
STEERING OUT OF TROUBLE
A bicycle is a highly maneuverable machine, but it stays upright only by being balanced. You have to take extra care to stay upright and read the road for hazards that can cause a fall.
Beware of any slippery or loose surface: gravel, snow, ice, leaves, oil patches, wet manhole covers and crosswalk markings. Avoid these, or ride over them slowly. Don't turn, brake or accelerate. Be ready to put a foot down for balance.
Be especially careful of diagonal railroad crossings, trolley tracks, a row of raised lane-line dots or a step between the shoulder and the travel lane. Any of them can push your front wheel to the side and sweep your bike out from under you. When you can't avoid them, cross them as nearly as possible at a right angle.
Beware of steel-grid bridge decks, which, especially when wet, will steer your bike parallel to the gridding, making balancing difficult. Test a grid deck at a low speed, and walk or use the bridge sidewalk if necessary.
Drainage grates with slots parallel to the road pose a special hazard. Most often you will be riding to their left, but if not, be sure to avoid going over one. Your front wheel can fall into the grate, causing you to go over the handlebars. It's a good idea to notify the applicable road or public works department of these and other hazards, as they are dangerous to bicyclists, and a liability issue.
Any bump, rock or pothole more than an inch high can squash your bicycle's tires flat against the rims, damaging the wheels. Avoid the bumps if you can, and walk your bike if the going gets too rough.
Try this technique in your parking-lot practice area. At slow speeds at first, yank the handlebars quickly to the left. Your bicycle will lean to the right, and then you can steer right. Practice first at slow speeds, then at faster ones. The faster you go, the less sharply you have to steer.
The quick turn is useful in many situations. If a car coming toward you begins a left turn, turn right into the side street with it. If a car pulls out of a side street from the right, swerve into the side street. It's best to turn to the right, behind the car - but if it's too late for that, turn left with the car. Even if you hit the car, the more nearly you are traveling in the same direction, the lighter the impact.
On a winding downhill, brake before you enter the turns, so you don't lose traction while turning. But sooner or later, you may find yourself going around a downhill curve too fast. If it's too late to slow down, a variation on the quick turn can get you through this situation in one piece.
The usual, panic reaction is to steer straight and brake. But then you're likely to go headfirst off the road before you can stop. Instead, steer with the curve. Don't brake. Straighten the handlebars momentarily, as in the quick turn, to drop your bike into a deeper lean.
Usually, you'll make it around the curve - your tires have more traction than you normally use. If you do skid out, you'll fall on your side and slide to a stop.
If you're about to ride into a wall or over a cliff, you may decide deliberately to skid out. Lean into a turn, then hit the brakes. The fall may hurt - but not as much as the alternative.
There is a pothole straight ahead, and no time for even a rock dodge. You were so busy looking up at the traffic that you didn't see the pothole, and now you're about to trash your wheels. If only you could fly . . .
Unfortunately, you can't fly your bike like the kid in the movie E.T., but you can jump your bike. Holding the pedals horizontal, squat down and pull up on the handlebars. Then jump up and yank your legs up under you. You'll be past the pothole faster than reading "squat-pull-jump-yank." You can't easily get your back wheel over the obstruction unless you use toeclips or clip-in pedals, but getting your front wheel over will usually prevent a crash.
Jumping is the quickest last-resort way to avoid a pothole or other road-surface hazard. Once you get good at it, you can even use it to climb low curbs or to cross diagonal railroad tracks. In your empty parking lot, practice jumping your bike. You must lift first the front wheel, then the rear wheel as it takes its turn with the bump. Your timing depends on how fast you're riding.
Once you know your emergency maneuvers, you'll gain a much expanded sense of security, confidence and style. You'll be able to "ride loose," to use the language of California all-terrain riders. It's a sign of an experienced rider, and it saves you and your bicycle a lot of wear and tear. | <urn:uuid:0f066f76-a211-48cc-9bdd-c2c7a7a5ab6e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/chapter5a.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00016-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953273 | 1,074 | 3.140625 | 3 |
The World's Most Successful Ed Tech...
It's hard to talk about schools today without talking about technology. Enthusiasts celebrate the wonders of tablets, virtual schools, and "blended" learning. Skeptics recall a litany of overhyped, underwhelming past efforts.
News accounts whipsaw between breathless tales of digital learning and horrific accounts of troubled virtual schools. Last year, Forbes ran a cover story, "One Man, One Computer, 10 Million Students: How Khan Academy Is Reinventing Education." But we've been there before, plenty of times. Indeed, in 1922, Thomas Edison proclaimed, "The motion picture is destined to revolutionize our educational system...In a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of textbooks."
Edison's enthusiasm is a familiar phenomenon. In 1931, U.S. Commissioner of Education William Cooper established a radio section in the U.S. Office of Education. By 1932, nine states were broadcasting regular educational programs and Benjamin Darrow, author of Radio: The Assistant Teacher, touted radio as a "vibrant and challenging textbook of the air."
Similar stories can be told about TV, the desktop computer, laptops, and much else. As Bror Saxberg and I write in our new book, Breakthrough Leadership in the Digital Age, we know of only one learning technology that has actually transformed teaching and learning. When first introduced, educators found it disconcerting and dubious. Over time, though, they came to cherish it for its two great strengths. First, it gave students access to experts from around the world; they were no longer dependent solely on their teacher for learning. Second, no longer reliant on teachers to tell them everything, students could learn at home or on their own. This "flipped" the classroom, allowing teachers to spend less time lecturing and more time explaining, mentoring, and facilitating.
What is the wondrous technology that made this all possible? It's your friendly, familiar book.
The book first became available to the masses after the invention of the printing press in the mid-1400s. Previously, teachers and students had relied on painstakingly hand-inscribed parchment. As statistician Nate Silver has observed, "Almost overnight, the cost of producing a book decreased by about three hundred times, so a book that might have cost $20,000 in today's dollars instead cost $70." The number and availability of books skyrocketed.
Educators today have expressed plenty of questions about new technologies; it's useful to recall that educators also didn't exactly welcome the printing press. Schools were predominantly church-run affairs, and religious leaders worried about the lack of moral and interpretive guidance for learners left to their own devices. There were also fears that printed books would be a poor, cheap substitute for the rich experience of reading a scribe-written book. In 1492, abbot Johannes Trithemius fretted about the loss of "devotion to the writing of sacred texts.... Printed books will never equal scribed books, especially because the spelling and ornamentation of some printed books is often neglected."
Despite these concerns, the book's merits won out. The book made it possible to rethink the teacher's role and launched an "information revolution." Before books, a student could learn only as much as their own teacher could convey. The book made high-quality content readily available to anyone, at any time, day or night. This allowed teachers to focus on tasks other than reciting content. Students could master content and concepts outside of school, learning even when a teacher wasn't there to tell them things. (Think of Abraham Lincoln working his way through Shakespeare and the Greeks alone on the Illinois prairie.)
Indeed, today, it's hard to imagine schooling without the book. Observe a typical classroom: today the shape of a teacher's job is wrapped around the book. Teachers ask students to read textbook chapters or novels at home, and build classes around discussing or applying what students have learned. The bottom line is that books didn't change schooling by themselves; books mattered to the extent that educators used them to rethink how they taught and helped students learn.
Books enable students to move at their own pace and to re-read passages as needed, permitting the kind of reinforcement that learners need. Books made it possible for students to learn in the evening, when they're ill, or even when assigned to an inept teacher. In each case, of course, books may well be inferior to a lesson delivered by a phenomenal instructor. But for most students, books are a huge improvement over the alternative, such as lectures delivered by instructors of uneven knowledge and skill.
Now, books are no magical cure-all. There are plenty of classrooms where students sit hunched, doing busy work out of tedious textbooks. There are too many classrooms where instruction consists of teachers parroting the textbook, or having the class take turns reading passages from a textbook aloud. The presence of the book matters less than its quality, and how it's used. And the same can be said for tablets, smartphones, smartboards, and any other eye-catching new technology.
The book provides an invaluable template for how to best think about digital learning. Promising education technologies won't "fix" schools or replace terrific teachers. Instead, they make it possible to reshape the teacher's job, so that teachers and students have more opportunity for personalized, dynamic learning.
How can we capitalize or expand on the book's educational transformation/success? Well, the book has real limitations. Students learn best when eye and ear work in tandem--but books are a silent medium. Books are fixed, providing the same experience to every reader, every time. The material and language will inevitably be too difficult for some readers and too easy for others. Books can't offer a live demonstration or a new explanation to a confused reader.
New technologies make it possible to do things that the book cannot. Online materials can be rapidly updated, customized to a student's interests and reading level, and feature embedded exercises that let student apply new concepts and get immediate feedback. Virtual instruction makes is possible for students to access real, live teachers unavailable at their school; while online instruction turns out to be a haven for some students, especially those reluctant to ask questions in class. Researchers have found that intelligent, computer-assisted tutoring systems are about 90% as effective as in-person tutors, making affordable and available the kind of immediate, customized assistance that a book can't offer.
None of this is a question of buying iPads or mouthing platitudes about "flipped classrooms." Rather, it requires getting three crucial things right. First, new tools need to be used to rethink what teachers, students, and schools do, and how they do it. If teaching remains static, sprinkling millions of hardware into schools won't much matter. Second, technology can't be something that's done to educators. Educators need to be helping to identify the problems to be solved and the ways technology can help, and up to their elbows in making it work. Third, the crucial lesson from those getting digital learning right is that it's not the tools, but what's done with them. The leaders of high-tech charter school systems like Carpe Diem and Rocketship Education, or heralded school districts like Mooresville, North Carolina, brush past the technology in order to focus relentlessly on learning, people, and problem-solving.
All of this is too often missing when tech enthusiasts promise miracles and tech skeptics lament that technology is an "attack on teachers." What to make of such claims? Just remember that the book didn't work miracles or hurt teachers. It did offer allow us to reimagine teaching and learning, even if we're still struggling to capitalize on that opportunity five centuries later. Here's hoping we do better this time.
A version of this article, co-authored with Bror Saxberg, ran previously here at National Review Online. | <urn:uuid:73e281e6-7f39-4092-bbd5-c058cc34360e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/2013/12/the_worlds_most_successfull_ed_tech.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396222.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00110-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.95954 | 1,639 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Father of English Hymnody" Watts wrote over 750 hymns, including "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," "I Sing the Mighty Power of God," "Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed," and "Joy to the World," many hymns of which are still favorites in the Baptist Hymnal. Watts also wrote a book on formal logic which used at Oxford for over a century as its standard text on beginning logic.
Among the many monographs Watts authored was a book entitled The Ruin and Recovery of Mankind (1740). In it Watts explored the subject of Adam's Fall and the consequences upon the entire human race along with the redemptive recovery God gave His fallen creatures through His Son and His work on the cross. Watts employed a question/answer format, with question number 16 stated as follows:
XVI. What will be the State and Condition of that large Part of Mankind who die in Infancy under any of the Dispensations of the Covenant of Grace? (p.292)1
Toward the question of dying infants who belonged to parents of heathen households, Watts answers in part:
"Upon the whole therefore, the State of Non-existence, to which we here suppose them to be reduced after Death, is much more probable, being the least Demerit of imputed Sin, or an everlasting Forfeiture of Life, and a sort of endless Punishment without Pain" (p.299)
"Neither have we any Intimations from Scripture, that all the Bodies of Infants will be raised again at the Great Day, in order to come into Judgment... .
"Mere imputed Sin, without actual Transgression, is the least and lowest sort of Guilt that can be; and therefore it is highly probable, a righteous and merciful God will inflict on them the least and lowest sort of Punishment threatened to Sin, i. e. Death in the mildest sense of it, or an universal and eternal Destruction of Soul and Body, which are forfeited by Sin" (p.300)
Thus, Watts reasoned the infants dying in infancy belonging to non-Christians would be annihilated upon death since no actual sins were committed. Even so, the infants were nonetheless tainted with Adam's sin and therefore faced permanent extinction, what Watts dubbed the "lowest" and "mildest" form of punishment.
So far as the dying infants of covenant believers were concerned, however, Watts offered more hope:
But the Infant-Offspring of those who have repented and accepted of the Covenant of Grace, are, in my Opinion, included in the Blessings of the Covenant of Abraham, which come upon Gentile Believers and their Seed... . And therefore there is much Reason to believe from many places of Scripture, that as they have a Share in this Covenant of Grace and the Blessings thereof through the Faith of their Parents, being incapable to put forth an Act of Faith themselves, so they shall be raised again to an eternal Life of Holiness and Happiness together with their Parents, as the Sons and Daughters of Abraham who have God for their God" (pp.304-305)
According to Issac Watts, the eternal destiny of infants dying in infancy was two-fold. For covenant believers (i.e. the elect and their elect infants), Watts offered firm hope based upon his understanding of Scripture and reason that Christian parents will see their children again in glory.
As for the dying infants of the non-elect, no hope remained. It would be as if they had never been born.
Watts' logic pushed him to conclude that some infants dying in infancy simply were not of the elect. Yet instead of judging reprobate infants to the fires of hell where Scripture speaks of reprobates eternally dwelling, Watts pulls a theological rabbit out of the hat by leaving in the dust of the earth reprobate infants like so many dead pigs, cattle, and horses:
“Upon the whole, the Opinion of the Salvation of all Children, as it has no countenance from the Bible, so it has no foundation in the Reason of Things... . The Scripture brings down the infants of wicked parents to the grave, and leaves them there, and so do I. The Scripture has not provided any resurrection for them, neither can I do it” (p.314).
1I modernized the spelling here and in all quotes below for easier reading | <urn:uuid:2301bdfe-7c18-4ab2-bd6f-4d40e9c1db65> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://peterlumpkins.typepad.com/peter_lumpkins/2013/09/issac-watts-on-state-of-dying-infants-annihilation-on-one-hand-and-resurrection-on-the-other.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395621.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00198-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964409 | 927 | 2.578125 | 3 |
|News > IELTS Writing Task 2 - No. 29
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IELTS Writing Task 2 - No. 29
Some governments say how many children a family can hare in their country. They may control the number of children someone has through taxes. It is sometimes necessary and right for a government to control the population in this way.
Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer.
- You should write at least 250 words.
- Allow yourself 40 minutes for this task.
It is certainly very understandable that some governments should start looking at ways of limiting their populations to a sustainable figure. In the past, populations were partly regulated by frequent war and widespread disease, but in recent years the effects of those factors have been diminished. Countries can be faced with a population that is growing much faster than she nation's food resources or employment opportunities and whose members can be condemned to poverty by the need to feed extra mouths. They identify population control as a'means to raising living standards.
But how should it be achieved? Clearly, this whole area is a very delicate personal and cultural issue. Many people feel that this is not a matter for the state. They feel this is one area of life where they have the right to make decisions for themselves. For that reason, it would seem that the best. approach would be to work by persuasion rather than compulsion This could be done by a process of education that points out the way a smaller family can mean an improved quality of life for the family members, as well as less strain on the country's perhaps very limited, resources.
This is the preferred way. Of course if this docs not succeed within a reasonable time scale, it may be necessary to consider other measures. such as tax incentives or child-benefit payments for small families only. These are midway between persuasion and compulsion.
So. yes. it is sometimes necessary, but governments should try very hard to persuade first. They should also remember that this is a very delicate area indeed, and that social engineering can create as many problems as it solves?
11:51 - 28/02/2011 / Number : 4685 / Show Count : 807 | <urn:uuid:06091ce0-e91b-460a-a904-990c74d6a21a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://en.ielts-house.com/index.aspx?siteid=83&pageid=1085&newsview=4685 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972588 | 449 | 3.015625 | 3 |
|Pope Sixtus IV|
AKA Francesco della Rovere
Birthplace: Savona, Italy
Location of death: Rome, Italy
Cause of death: unspecified
Religion: Roman Catholic
Race or Ethnicity: White
Executive summary: Roman Catholic Pope, 1471-84
Sixtus IV, given name Francesco della Rovere, Roman Catholic Pope from the 9th of August 1471 to the 12th of August 1484, was born of a poor family near Savona in 1414. He entered the Franciscan order at an early age and studied philosophy and theology at the universities of Padua and Bologna. He speedily acquired a great reputation as an eloquent preacher, and, after filling the offices of procurator at Rome and provincial of Liguria, he was chosen general of his order in 1464. Three years later he was, to his own surprise, made cardinal-priest of St. Pietro in Vincoli by Pope Paul II, whom he succeeded as pope. Some writers have maintained that this sudden elevation of the most recent member of the Sacred College was due to bribery in the conclave, whilst the apologists of Sixtus affirm it was due to the friendship of the powerful and upright Cardinal Bessarion, and explain that the pope, having been brought up in a mendicant order, was inexperienced and did not appreciate the liberality of his donations after his election. There is no doubt that the expenditures of his pontificate were prodigal. Sixtus sent Cardinal Caraffa with a fleet against the Turks, but the expedition was unsuccessful. He continued to condemn the Pragmatic Sanction in France, and denounced especially the ordinance of Louis XI which required (8th of January 1475) the royal placet for the publication of all papal decrees. He likewise continued his predecessor's negotiations with the Tsar Ivan III for the reunion of the Russian Church with the Roman see and for support against the Turks, but without result. He was visited in 1474 by King Christian of Denmark and Norway, and in the following year (12th of June) he established the University of Copenhagen. Sixtus soon abandoned his universal policy in order to concentrate attention on Italian politics, and the admirable energy which he had shown at first was clouded by the favors which he now heaped upon unworthy relations. Not content with enriching them by gifts and lucrative offices, he made their aggrandizement the principal object of his policy as a secular prince. Sixtus was cognizant of the conspiracy of the Pazzi, plotted (1478) by his nephew, Cardinal Riario, against Lorenzo de Medici. He entered into a fruitless and inglorious war with Florence, which kept Italy for two years (1478-80) in confusion. He next incited the Venetians to attack Ferrara, and then, after having been delivered by their general, Roberto Malatesta, from a Neapolitan invasion, he turned upon them and eventually assailed them for refusing to desist from the hostilities which he had himself instigated. He relied on the cooperation of Lodovico Sforza, who speedily forsook him; and vexation at having peace forced upon him by the princes and cities of Italy is said to have hastened his death. Several events of his pontificate are noteworthy: he granted many privileges to the mendicant orders, especially to the Franciscans; he endeavored to suppress abuses in the Spanish Inquisition; he took measures against the Waldenses; he approved (1475) the office of the Immaculate Conception for the 8th of December; in 1478 he formally annulled the decrees of the council of Constance; and he canonized St. Bonaventura (14th of April 1482). The most praiseworthy side of his pontificate was his munificence as a founder or restorer of useful institutions, and a patron of letters and art. He established and richly endowed the first foundling hospital, built and repaired numerous churches, constructed the Sistine Chapel and the Sistine Bridge, improved church music and instituted the famous Sistine choir, commissioned paintings on the largest scale, pensioned men of learning, and, above all, immortalized himself as the second founder of the Vatican library. These great works, however, were not accomplished without grievous taxation. Annates were increased and simony flourished. Though himself pious, of blameless morality, hospitable to a fault, and so exempt from avarice, says his secretary Conti, that he could not endure the sight of money, it was Sixtus's misfortune to have had no natural outlet for strong affections except unworthy relatives; and his great vices were nepotism, ambition and extravagance. He died on the 12th of August 1484, and was succeeded by Pope Innocent VIII.
University: University of Padua
University: University of Bologna
Roman Catholic Pope 9-Aug-1471 to 12-Aug-1484
Roman Catholic Cardinal 1467
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Two Australian agricultural researchers working with farmers in Cambodia on ACIAR projects are featured in ‘Changing Lives’, a new TV series being aired on Australia Network and now available on youtube.
Professor Bob Martin and Stephanie Belfield have travelled to Cambodia for the past eight years on collaborative projects testing ways of increasing and improving crop production.
One of the things Bob and Stephanie have been teaching the Cambodian farmers and their children is the difference between good bugs and bad bugs to help improve pest management.
Along the way they have had a lot of fun producing a kids’ book to help get the message across.
‘Changing Lives’ Episode 13 featuring Bob and Stephanie’s work with Cambodians can be viewed on youtube here: http://youtu.be/dewmK3NcCqw
For more information about Changing Lives visit: http://australianetwork.com/guide/00182576.htm | <urn:uuid:ef2b033f-20a3-45b2-812c-c3e5319b8ff4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://aciar.gov.au/print/14284 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00109-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.889095 | 196 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Britomartis (brĭtˈōmärˈtĭs) [key], in ancient religion and mythology, Cretan goddess, sometimes identified with Artemis. To escape the amorous pursuit of Minos, she jumped into the sea, but fishermen caught her in their nets and transported her to Aegina, where she was worshiped as Aphaea. According to another legend, she vanished in a grove sacred to Artemis and was deified as Dictynna.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:b419d620-4e12-43d6-a492-b1eda0485189> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/society/britomartis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00059-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955866 | 124 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Weekly Problem 31 - 2012
When Kate ate a giant date, the average weight of the dates decreased. What was the weight of the date that Kate ate?
Weekly Problem 32 - 2012
How many visitors does a tourist attraction need next week in order to break even?
Weekly Problem 34 - 2012
Grandpa made a super-heavy rock cake. Five people have guessed the weight of the cake. Can you work out the weight of his cake?
This problem offers a fairly informal introduction to the importance of considering spread as well as average when working with data. Students will intuitively make arguments for particular winners, and these intuitive ideas can be honed into more formal statistical statements about why some guesses should be valued more highly than others.
Display the question with the five guesses and give students a short amount of time to rank the five guesses in order.
Collect a few of the students' rankings on the board.
Now give students time to look at the results in more detail and to make a case for their preferred ranking. Explain that they will be expected to justify their ranking to the rest of the group, so they will need to think about the arguments others will make, and how to counteract them.
After students have had time to consider their arguments, give those with differing views a chance to convince the class of the merits of their ranking. (If there is consensus within the class, challenge them to convince you.)
Key ideas that should emerge are:
Finally, challenge students to use these key ideas to produce a fair scoring system that could be published in advance of future "Guess the Weight" competitions. They could test their scoring system to check it agrees with their suggested rankings, modifying it if needs be, or they might reject their initial ranking if they believe their proposed scoring system is fairer.
Perhaps students could also use their system to score a real "Guess the Weight" competition.
Retiring to Paradise provides a different context for considering the importance of spread as well as average when working with data.
Use the analogy of hitting a target in archery to help students to think about how to rank the guesses. "Is it easier to hit a large or a small target?" "Do you score more when you hit the target at the edge, or in the middle?" | <urn:uuid:2a1b81e8-b029-4e7f-9e18-def23c3a0018> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://nrich.maths.org/6957/note | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00197-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965051 | 471 | 3.3125 | 3 |
"All the president is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing, and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway. "
Harry S. Truman: His Life and Times
Here we see Truman in his most public roles; as "senator from Pendergast," successor to FDR, maker of such controversial decisions as the dropping of the atomic bomb and the firing of General Douglas MacArthur. But throughout these events Harry Truman revealed his innermost thoughts to his family in thousands of hand-written memoirs. The ways he approached the decisions he made were widely attributed by Truman and those who knew him to lessons learned in the earlier, less public part of his life.
Harry Truman and Civil Rights: Moral Courage and Political Risks
(Michael R. Gardner, George Mckee Elsey (Foreword), Kweisi Mfume (Foreword))
Given his background, President Truman was an unlikely champion of civil rights. Where he grew up—the border state of Missouri—segregation was accepted and largely unquestioned. Both his maternal and paternal grandparents had owned slaves, and his beloved mother, victimized by Yankee forces, railed against Abraham Lincoln for the remainder of her ninety-four years. When Truman assumed the presidency on April 12, 1945, Michael R. Gardner points out, Washington, DC, in many ways resembled Cape Town, South Africa, under apartheid rule circa 1985. Truman’s background notwithstanding, Gardner shows that it was Harry Truman—not Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, or John F. Kennedy—who energized the modern civil rights movement, a movement that basically had stalled since Abraham Lincoln had freed the slaves. Gardner recounts Truman’s public and private actions regarding black Americans. He analyzes speeches, private conversations with colleagues, the executive orders that shattered federal segregation policies, and the appointments of like-minded civil rights activists to important positions. Among those appointments was the first black federal judge in the continental United States. One of Gardner’s essential and provocative points is that the Frederick Moore Vinson Supreme Court—a court significantly shaped by Truman—provided the legal basis for the nationwide integration that Truman could not get through the Congress. Challenging the myth that the civil rights movement began with Brown vs. Board of Education under Chief Justice Earl Warren, Gardner contends that the life-altering civil rights rulings by the Vinson Court desegregating higher education, housing, and interstate travel provided the necessary legal framework for the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision.
Gardner characterizes Truman’s evolution from a man who grew up in a racist household into a president willing to put his political career at mortal risk by actively supporting the interests of black Americans.
The Autobiography of Harry S. Truman
(Harry S. Truman, Robert H. Ferrell (Editor))
The Autobiography of Harry S. Truman is a compilation of autobiographical writings composed by Truman between 1934 and 1972. Taken directly from his own manuscript material, the volume presents the thoughts and feelings of the man himself. The book touches on details in Truman's life from his days as a boy until graduation from Independence High School in 1901 to the vice presidency of the United States and beyond. There is also a memorandum written by Truman about the Pendergast machine in Kansas City telling how it was possible to work with the machine and not be soiled by it. The Autobiography concludes with some of the retired president's thoughts about politics and the purposes of public life.
This warm biography of Harry Truman is both an historical evaluation of his presidency and a paean to the man's rock-solid American values. Truman was a compromise candidate for vice president, almost an accidental president after Roosevelt's death 12 weeks into his second term. Truman's stunning come-from-behind victory in the 1948 election showed how his personal qualities of integrity and straightforwardness were appreciated by ordinary Americans, perhaps, as McCullough notes, because he was one himself. His presidency was dominated by enormously controversial issues: he dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, established anti-Communism as the bedrock of American foreign policy, and sent U.S. troops into the Korean War. In this winner of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize, McCullough argues that history has validated most of Truman's war-time and Cold War decisions.
Where the Buck Stops: The Personal and Private Writings of Harry S. Truman
Shortly after he left office, President Harry S. Truman began to write down his typically blunt, honest commentaries about FDR and his other colleagues, the job of the presidency, the workings of the government and the Constitution -- and his picks for the nation's best and worst presidents. Since he minced no words, Truman asked that these writings -- sometimes funny, sometimes very serious, always to the point -- be released to the public only after he and Mrs. Truman were gone.
Now, this totally frank book by the thirty-third president, lovingly edited by his daughter, Margaret, has been published at last. In it, Truman speaks clearly in his own inimitable voice, and with the down-home, across-the-back-fence feeling of a born storyteller from Missouri, he tells you exactly what's on his mind about these and other subjects: | <urn:uuid:c6ee740d-3b98-4d81-a7dc-1d90a65a90cb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.humanitiesweb.org/spa/hcl/ID/117 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00120-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96921 | 1,092 | 3.34375 | 3 |
Definitions for pair of scissors
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word pair of scissors
scissors, pair of scissors(noun)
an edge tool having two crossed pivoting blades
The numerical value of pair of scissors in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
The numerical value of pair of scissors in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
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"pair of scissors." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 25 Jun 2016. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/pair of scissors>. | <urn:uuid:6a75de2e-2a6e-4eb8-9530-7da77ec43135> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.definitions.net/definition/pair%20of%20scissors | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00126-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.650429 | 195 | 2.8125 | 3 |
When you type a plant name into Google and the first six websites returned are regional councils, you know you're in trouble.
It's very unlikely you'll be told by these councils that your purchase of 100 broom plants was "inspired and why not plant a whole forest of them?".
No. They'll say: "Broom is an aggressive plant which survives at up to 1500 metres above sea level and grows almost anywhere". Naughty, naughty, naughty.
And once, when back in my neck of the woods where we spoke of broom and gorse in the same breath, I'd have agreed.
Until about a year ago, when I needed something to use as a tall backdrop to a garden of grasses and rocks. I was considering grevillea, but while I was looking for a nice one in the nursery I came across pink broom.
For whatever reason, pink broom isn't as weedy-looking as yellow broom, so I told myself they were native New Zealand brooms and took a heap home. Seeking to reassure myself with a Google search, I quickly discovered that there's more to broom than meets the eye.
Admittedly, the European version is a problem species in the cooler and wetter areas of southern Australia and New Zealand, crowding out native vegetation. But broom in general is one very interesting plant, and I'm pleased that its quirkiness will give me several excuses for growing something other people think should be annihilated.
Not that you could annihilate it even if you wanted to! Many broom types have even evolved to adapt to fire, which kills the above-ground parts of the plant, but creates conditions for regrowth from the roots and also for germination of stored seeds in the soil. It's good to know that if it ever stops raining and should our garden spontaneously combust, the broom will regenerate.
Pretty much all broom likes sunny sites and sandy soils - in fact its dense, dark green stems and very small leaves are evolutional adaptations to dry habitats. It tolerates and often even thrives in poor soils and growing conditions, which is probably why it's popular as a landscape plant for wasteland reclamation and sand dune stabilising. Two more ticks for the much-maligned plant are that it's a food source for the larvae of some butterfly species, and on the Canary Islands is widely grown as sheep fodder. So there.
People used to eat it too: the flower buds and flowers of common broom can be used as a salad ingredient (raw or pickled) and were a popular ingredient for salmagundi ("grand sallet") during the 17th and 18th centuries. However, there are now concerns about the toxicity of broom, with potential effects on the heart and problems during pregnancy. Should you be forced to defend your broom in company, you can mention that the Plantagenet kings used common broom (known as "planta genista" in Latin) as an emblem and took their name from it. Genista tinctoria (dyer's broom) provides a yellow dye and was grown commercially for this purpose in parts of Britain into the early 19th century. It was common to have a bundle of broom at weddings, but be warned by the traditional Sussex rhyme: "Sweep the house with blossomed broom in May/ sweep the head of the household away".
New Zealand broom
If you're in the parts of New Zealand where common (Scotch) broom is considered a problem and a weed, it's possible to still grow New Zealand's own native broom, Carmichaelia australis. I bought some of this on a recent shrub-buying spree without knowing it was a broom, and I'm loving it.
It grows to 3-5m and is hardy and fast growing. It's a slightly dizzy-looking thing with disorganised, willowy spines heading off in all directions, and I think its mad foliage looks great planted at the base of a group of cordylines. It is named for Captain Dugald Carmichael, a Scottish soldier and botanist who studied New Zealand plants. | <urn:uuid:ea87f23f-4f7c-41e0-bb86-089107cd59ec> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hamilton-news/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503360&objectid=11312862 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00116-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978466 | 843 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Auditory Hallucinations Project
Funded 2009-2011 by the National Institute for Health Research
Development and testing of a computer-assisted system to reduce auditory hallucinations
Auditory hallucinations are an enduring problem in the treatment of serious mental illness such as schizophrenia. About 30% of people with this diagnosis continue to experience hallucinations and delusions despite treatment with antipsychotic medication (Kane, 1996). Hearing voices is not only distressing to the sufferers, it also has a serious impact on carers and members of the public. The rare instances of violence against relatives or members of the public are often provoked by 'voices'. Persistent voices also severely limit the patientsí ability to concentrate on tasks and hence hinder attempts at rehabilitation. The direct treatment costs in the United Kingdom are estimated at £2 billion annually, while the indirect costs, including loss of employment for the patients and carers, amount to another £2 billion (Barbato, 1998).
In the past 15 years in Britain there has been a development of cognitive and behavioural approaches to the control of persistent psychotic symptoms. A number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to test the value of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for persistent medication-resistant symptoms of psychosis (Tarrier et al, 1993; Drury et al, 1996; Kuipers et al, 1997; 1998; Sensky et al, 2000). While these have shown some effect in reducing auditory hallucinations, they have been criticised on the grounds that they failed to control for therapist contact time, or controlled for it but with the same therapists delivering both the experimental and control therapies (Durham et al, 2003). Two recent RCTs of CBT with more rigorous designs failed to show any effect on auditory hallucinations (Durham et al, 2003; Turkington et al, 2006).
On the other hand, one recent RCT of CBT, while not affecting the frequency of auditory hallucinations, did succeed in reducing the power of the dominant voice as perceived by the patients, and their distress (Trower et al, 2004). This suggests that CBT could provide some benefit if applied to specific aspects of the hallucinations. In this study we are building on earlier work (Nayani & David, 1996) which showed that clients who spontaneously developed a dialogue with any of their voices felt more in control of them.
University College London - Gower Street - London - WC1E 6BT - +44 (0)20 7679 2000 - Copyright © 1999-2016 UCL | <urn:uuid:adbbb4ff-8d11-4762-b44b-397c69542045> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/project/audhall/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00122-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.919553 | 516 | 2.75 | 3 |
|DNA testing for celiac disease|
Celiac disease affects the digestive system and due to its effects on this part of the body, repercussions, side effects and secondary effects can often be experienced in other parts of the body or even psychologically. Celiac disease is essentially an immune reaction as well as the inability of the digestive system to absorb gluten.
DNA testing for celiac disease?
Genetic testing for heart disease, diabetes and a myriad of other diseases is today possible. These DNA tests will tell you whether or not you carry the gene mutations which are responsible for the disease. A DNA test could help confirm whether a person is a carrier of certain genes known to play a role in the synthesis of proteins as well as helping the human body identify proteins that are foreign to the body vis-à-vis the proteins produced by the body itself. The genes in question are known as HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1.
Genetic testing for celiac disease can be carried using blood samples or oral swab samples and are readily provided by many DNA testing laboratories. If the test is actually an analysis of your genes, then whether you are actually consuming gluten or not will not affect the result (in other words, there is no chance of false positives or false negative). The blood test works differently. When using blood, the labs in question will usually need to indentify whether or not your body produces antibodies as an abnormal response to gluten protein. Clearly, the person tested must be consuming gluten at the time of the test for scientists to establish whether there is an autoimmune response to gluten in the bloodstream.
Gluten & Celiac Disease
Foods that should be avoided by celiac include any foods containing wheat such as pasta, pizza, pastries, cakes and many other foods which may not naturally contain gluten but which are processed in factories which also process gluten-containing food.
Oats, for example, do not naturally contain any gluten but should generally be avoided by celiac sufferers unless labeled as “gluten-free”. Non- gluten free oats contain gluten simply because the factories that produce then also process wheat and thus, the oats get contaminated with gluten. People with celiac disease should carefully read food labels and even medicine labels as often these will contain hidden sources of wheat which one would only know about by carefully reading the ingredients.
People with celiac disease are unable to digest gluten, a type of protein found in wheat. It gives dough its gluey, elastic consistency. People with celiac disease are not to be confused with people suffering from gluten intolerance. Gluten intolerant people exhibit milder side effects from consuming foods containing gluten. Treatment for celiac disease is in fact the total avoidance of gluten-containing foods.
What happens when someone with celiac disease consumes wheat?
When someone with celiac disease consumes wheat, they experience a lot of discomfort. They get abdominal cramps, diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms. The intake of gluten damages the lining of the stomach and digestive tract because celiacs are unable to digest the gluten. The digestive system lining is actually made of tiny finger like projections known as villi which help increase the surface area for absorption of minerals and important vitamins.
The damage to the digestive system will lead to malabsorptionof nutrients which in turn will have negative effects on the liver, brain and general well-being of the person. Once a celiac sufferer eliminates gluten from their diet, it may take several years for the body to heal.
Helen McArthur is a part time free lance writer specializing in pregnancy and prenatal care. Helen worked as a nurse in the prenatal care unit for several years before putting her career on hold to look after her kids. A number of articles by the author can be found in the article repository for www.easydna.ch. | <urn:uuid:109bd560-db57-4d91-9519-faed26f386d2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.healthorum.com/2013/04/genetic-testing-for-celiac-disease.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00071-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952278 | 785 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Tuesday, July 23
Transport equations are important in many different applications such as nuclear design, radiation therapy in medical science, and radiation effects in global weather models. They are also a fundamental part of many algorithms used to model more complicated applications such as shielding of the electronics satellites.
New numerical methods for solving these equations are being designed. This is specially true when considering parallel architectures. Parallel algorithms are important since transport equations involve many variables, such as angle of scaterring, flux and energy and time. Standard approaches to solving transport discretizations have to be modified to get good results on high performance computers. The speakers will discuss several approaches on different computer architectures.
Parallel Methods in Transport Theory
Organizer: Suely B. Oliveira
Texas A&M University
- 8:30 A Time-Optimal Parallel Ray Tracing Algorithm for One-Dimensional Discrete-Ordinate Computations
- Robert D. Jarvis and Paul Nelson, Texas A&M University
- 9:00 Parallel Algorithms for Linear Boltzmann Equation Based on Complete Phase Space Decomposition
- Ali Haghighat, G. Sjoden, and M. Hunter, Pennsylvania State University
- 9:30 3-D Self-Adjoint Unstructured Grid Radiation Transport Methods
- Jim E. Morel and John M. McGhee, Los Alamos National Laboratory
- 10:00 Phase Space Decomposition for a Massively Parallel Neutron Transport Model
- Milo R. Dorr, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory | <urn:uuid:e11f3a02-2975-47b5-8d7e-99f74e38a79c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.siam.org/meetings/archives/an96/ms17.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00114-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.886833 | 316 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Fair changes put humans, animals farther apart
Posted August 9, 2012
Raleigh, N.C. — Visitors to the 2012 North Carolina State Fair will see even more signs reminding them to wash their hands, the result of an investment of more than $200,000 after 25 people contracted E. coli infections last year that could be linked to a livestock building.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler and state epidemiologist Dr. Megan Davies reviewed the changes Thursday morning and reiterated the reminder that soap, water and frequent hand washing are the only ways to prevent the spread of infection when people, animals and food come together.
Hand-washing stations throughout the fairgrounds will get better lighting and larger signs this year in an attempt to encourage even more fair visitors to use the sanitizer, soap and water provided.
Troxler formed a task force to develop recommendations last fall. "From the beginning of this investigation, we have been focused on finding answers about why these illnesses occurred," he said. New barriers keep kids from cows at state fair
Animal exhibits and food vendors will be relocated to put more space between them, and visitors will find new routes through animal buildings that limit the contact that people can have.
"You will walk past the animals. You will see the animals, but you cannot walk into the pens. You cannot walk into the Graham building with the dairy cattle, with the beef cattle. You will have to stand and look from some distance," said David Smith, chief deputy commissioner in the Department of Agriculture. "There will be physical barriers to prevent your interaction."
Only in the petting zoo area will fair visitors be allowed and encouraged to touch the animals. Hand-washing and sanitizing stations outside the petting zoo were added after a 2004 outbreak sickened more than 100.
Davies pointed out that signs at the fairgrounds advise parents not to take strollers through animal buildings, where they can pick up bacteria that children later transfer from hands to mouths.
"Don't roll a stroller through a barn. That's something that's always been suggested," she said.
No matter the precautions, both Troxler and Davies emphasized the inherent risks.
"Animals are not the only point of contact that you can get E. coli," Troxler said.
"While there is no way to completely eliminate the potential for exposure, the measures being implemented will minimize the risk," Davies said. | <urn:uuid:284c2d99-c788-480f-8bf9-848f299ae201> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/11409272/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00085-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958195 | 497 | 2.71875 | 3 |
The Mastery Club is an optional club for students who are interested in going “above and beyond” the normal classroom expectations. To become a member, choose a topic from the list and learn about it on your own. You may go to the library and look up answers or research it on the internet. When you find the answers, write them down in your Mastery Club notebook. (Have your parents initial it if you do it at home) Then, you can turn it in to Mrs. Ward to be checked. Each correct answer earns you a Mastery Club Star. You can become a 1 Star member, or a 100 Star member.
Good luck, and most of all, have fun!
Before you start;
Always get permission from your parents to use the internet! You may also use dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps or other reference materials. Don’t forget to have your parents sign your paper.
I have made every attempt to make sure the links below are safe for children and working properly, but websites may change without warning. Always immediately exit out of any pop-up windows. NEVER click on any advertisements on the web pages, and NEVER register for any special offers. If you find something that you think in inappropriate, or if you find any links that do not work properly, let me k now as soon as possible.
Here are some websites to help you with your research.
List the 7 Continents
List 15 world countries
List the 50 states
Write the names of the 50 States on this map
List the 13 Original colonies
List the state symbols of
List 10 symbols of the
Construct a map of our school that includes a title, compass rose, symbols and legend
Tools that you can use, but you don’t have to! J
List the steps of the scientific inquiry method
What is a mammal? List 10 mammals.
What is a marsupial? List 10 marsupials.
What is an amphibian? List 10.
What is a reptile? List 10 reptiles.
What is a bird? List 10 types of birds.
What is an endangered animal? List 10 endangered animals.
What is an extinct animal? List 10 extinct animals.
List the 3 layers of the earth.
List the 3 types of rocks and how they are formed.
Describe the life cycle of a mealworm beetle.
Describe the life cycle of a grasshopper.
What is a fossil? List 10 prehistoric fossils.
Research your favorite animal and it’s habitat, diet, etc… Choose a creative way to present and share it with the class.
Research a topic of your choice and create a poster. Share it with the class.
List 10 organs in the human body
Draw and label a food chain
What is the difference between common and proper nouns? List 10 common nouns & 10 proper nouns
What is a verb? List 15 verbs and draw or cut out a picture to illustrate your verbs.
What is an adjective? List 10 adjectives.
What is an adverb? List 10 adverbs.
What is a preposition? List 10 prepositions
List 8 famous authors and 1 book that each author wrote.
List the 5 components of a friendly letter. Write a friendly letter and deliver it to someone.
List and describe six types of poems. Try your hand at writing your own type of poem, and share it with your class.
Draw the lines of symmetry for the capital alphabet letters.
List all the different ways to make $1.00 using quarters, dimes, and nickels. (no pennies!!)
Collect data and correctly record it on a graph to share with the class. Write 10 good questions with answers about the data. Present the graph and questions to the class. Select students to answer the questions.
Earn 100% in 1 minute on the addition basic facts test.
Earn 100% in 1 minute on the subtraction basic facts test. | <urn:uuid:5a95bfe3-fa8a-4a65-b41e-205954ee6556> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wasatch.edu/Page/4375 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00149-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.901045 | 827 | 2.921875 | 3 |
1. The House of Representatives elects the Speaker of the House by a majority vote.
2. Nancy Pelosi was the first female Speaker of the House. She was called Madam Speaker.
3. Since 1987, Pelosi has represented California's 8th congressional district. The 8th District covers most of San Francisco.
4. Before she got married in 1963, her maiden name was name was D'Alesandro.
5. She ran for public office after her youngest child became a senior in high school. | <urn:uuid:81237823-ebb4-4b18-b6c5-3e5b53ac9821> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.elcivics.com/nancy-pelosi.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00167-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.986387 | 106 | 3.078125 | 3 |
Please Note: This article is an April Fool's joke from timeanddate.com. The following information is false and the Prime meridian and time will not change on July 1. Thank you for participating in our joke and sharing it with others.Previous April Fool's:
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) will both become obsolete as time standards as the world's prime meridian is to move from its long standing home in Greenwich, London (U.K.) to Paris (France). The change will take place at midnight between June 30 and July 1, 2014, the International Timekeeping Committee (ITC) announced in a press release this morning.
Clocks around the world will have be set back 9 minutes and 21 seconds, the International Timekeeping Committee (ITC) just announced.
Forward 9 minutes 21 seconds
Clocks around the globe will have to be adjusted to reflect mean solar time in Paris, commonly referred to as Paris Mean Time (PMT). It is 9 minutes and 21 seconds ahead of the current local time, which is determined on the basis of UTC/GMT.
“From July, Paris will be the new center of world time”, ITC director Christophe L'Heureux summarized the change. “PMT will be the new GMT.”
According to Mr. L'Heureux, it will be a minor change for most people around the world. “Simply turn your clock from midnight to 12:09:21 a.m. (00:09:21) on July 1.”
He added that the committee works closely with the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), which incidentally is also based in Paris, to make sure that the world's atomic clocks will be adjusted accordingly.
Back to Paris meridian after 100 years
Before the Greenwich meridian was officially declared the world's prime meridian at the International Meridian Conference in Washington D.C. in 1884, Paris was its most potent rival. Even as late as 1914, the Paris meridian was unofficially used by many around the world for timekeeping and navigation purposes.
“2014 is a good choice”, Mr. L'Heureux said. “Paris has waited for exactly 100 years. It is only fair to let us have a go after such a long period of British time rule.”
Sour mood in Greenwich, scolding farmers
Pierre Bontemps, a French ITC delegate, apologized for the inconvenience the time change may cause, but maintained that most people won't mind. “If we inform people about the historical background, I think they will understand. We at the committee don't think that the world will even notice such a minor change.”
However, many have already voiced their disapproval. The online forum at the British Association of Farmers' website abounded with criticism. “What will my animals do?”, one comment read, “Do the French think my cows know what Paris Mean Time is?”
Simon Redcliffe from the Greenwich Royal Observatory couldn't quite hide his dismay. “We wish them luck. I hope the people at the Paris Observatory don't mess it up”, he said in a televised statement.
Current time in
Friday, July 1, 2016
In This Article
- Forward 9 minutes 21 seconds
- Back to Paris meridian after 100 years
- Sour mood in Greenwich, scolding farmers | <urn:uuid:45bd6e2a-60a1-4bc7-baab-4f094c0512b1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/paris-meridian-gmt-obsolete.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00177-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949853 | 722 | 2.65625 | 3 |
IRIS mission logo features a sun, a prism with a rainbow light spectrum coming from it, and on the bottom a list of mission partners: NASA, LMSAL, LMS&ES, ARC, SAO, UiO, MSU, LSJU.
The primary goal of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) explorer is to understand how the solar atmosphere is energized. The IRIS investigation combines advanced numerical modeling with a high resolution UV imaging spectrograph.
IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance Sun-Earth connection studies by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through this foundation of the corona and heliosphere.
IRIS is expected to be launched in early 2013. Credit: LMSAL
Page Last Updated: November 15th, 2013
Page Editor: Holly Zell | <urn:uuid:54e5c280-9fef-4a82-92f6-fbfd5231aac1> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/iris/multimedia/iris_logo2.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399522.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00170-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.894675 | 173 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Luhman 16AB (otherwise known as WISE J104915.57-531906) holds out quite an allure for those of us hoping to see future exploratory missions to nearby interstellar space. As recounted here in December (see Possible Planet in Nearby Brown Dwarf System), the European Southern Observatory’s Henri Boffin has found that this brown dwarf pair is likely home to a previously undetected companion. Bear in mind that we know of no closer brown dwarf; indeed, Luhman 16AB is no more than 6.6 light years out, making it the third closest system to our Sun after Barnard’s Star and, of course, Alpha Centauri.
We know very little about this putative companion other than Boffin’s estimate that its likely mass is between a few Jupiter masses and perhaps as many as 30, but the good news is that the high end of this mass range should offer us an object that can be detected by adaptive optics, given the size of the apparent separation. In any case, radial velocity methods should work nicely here as well, given that as seen from Earth, the brown dwarf pairing appears nearly edge-on.
Now comes further news from the European Southern Observatory, with the announcement that one of the two brown dwarfs, Luhman 16B (WISE J104915.57-531906.1B) shows variations in brightness as it rotates, giving us strong hints of detectable features in its atmosphere. Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, a team of researchers has mapped out the light and dark areas on Luhman 16B, observing the brown dwarf pair with the CRIRES instrument on the VLT (CRIRES is a high-resolution infrared spectrograph). The resulting ‘map’ appears below.
Image: ESO’s Very Large Telescope has been used to create the first ever map of the weather on the surface of the nearest brown dwarf to Earth. An international team has made a chart of the dark and light features on WISE J104915.57-531906.1B, which is informally known as Luhman 16B and is one of two recently discovered brown dwarfs forming a pair only six light-years from the Sun. The figure shows the object at six equally spaced times as it rotates once on its axis. Credit: ESO/I. Crossfield.
Ian Crossfield (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy) is lead author of the paper on this work, which will appear in Nature:
“Previous observations suggested that brown dwarfs might have mottled surfaces, but now we can actually map them. Soon, we will be able to watch cloud patterns form, evolve, and dissipate on this brown dwarf — eventually, exometeorologists may be able to predict whether a visitor to Luhman 16B could expect clear or cloudy skies.”
‘Exometeorologist’ — yet another new job description spawned by this golden age of exoplanetary exploration!
You can see where this is heading. As we learn more about the weather patterns on brown dwarfs, we are moving toward theoretical models which can be tested against future observations. When next-generation telescopes like the European Extremely Large Telescope come online, we can anticipate eventually creating similar maps for young gas giants. In none of these worlds should we expect clement weather: The clouds Crossfield’s team detected show temperatures in the range of 1100 degrees Celsius and are likely carrying droplets of molten iron and various minerals adrift in an atmosphere made up largely of hydrogen.
Crossfield’s map is complemented by a second study led by Beth Biller (University of Edinburgh), which observed brightness variations at different wavelengths in an attempt to understand what happens in various layers of the atmosphere on both Luhman 16A and 16B. This team drew its data from the 2.2 meter telescope at ESO’s La Silla observatory in Chile. Measurements were made in seven different filter bands, where emissions are correlated with the temperature of the emitting gas. Thus the different wavelengths probably represent layers at different depths within the brown dwarf’s atmosphere, constituting a kind of atmosphere probe.
The resulting paper appears in Astrophysical Journal Letters. According to this MPIA news release, this investigation marks the first simultaneous monitoring of a brown dwarf’s brightness variability in more than two wavelength ranges. Says Biller:
“We’ve learned that the weather patterns on these brown dwarfs are quite complex. The cloud structure of the brown dwarf varies quite strongly as a function of atmospheric depth and cannot be explained with a single layer of clouds.”
So we wind up with brown dwarfs with multiple cloud layers and/or temperature variations as we push ahead with the effort to understand weather patterns in distant solar systems. Keep in mind we are dealing with a place that is only slightly farther from the Earth than Barnard’s Star. If the companion object is eventually confirmed as a planet, Luhman 16AB will have the second closest exoplanet to Earth yet detected (assuming Centauri Bb is also confirmed). It will be an exciting period ahead as we try to learn what other objects may circle the nearest stars.
The mapping of Luhman 16B is described in Crossfield et al., “A Global Cloud Map of the Nearest Known Brown Dwarf,” about to appear in Nature (30 January 2014). See this ESO news release for more on that finding. Beth Biller and team’s work is found in Biller et al., “Weather on the Nearest Brown Dwarfs: Resolved Simultaneous Multi-Wavelength Variability Monitoring of WISE J104915.57-531906.1AB” in Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 778, Issue 1, L10. | <urn:uuid:c3bb76cb-9abc-46ea-a33a-2ed0535c96c7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=29882 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396945.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00126-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936949 | 1,224 | 3.4375 | 3 |
The latest flashpoint for the U.S.-China rivalry is something called an Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ. China announced over the weekend that it set up an ADIZ over the East China Sea that overlaps with similar zones maintained by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan–all U.S. allies or partners. It’s an extension into the air of disputes playing out at sea. China’s move riled the region, especially Japan. The U.S. flew B-52 bombers through the zone on Monday. The back-and-forth has thrown a spotlight on a complex set of international agreements and unilateral policies that govern how one country’s military aircraft operate around another’s borders.
What distinguishes an ADIZ from a country’s national airspace or Exclusive Economic Zone? The technical definitions lie in the small print scattered through complex treaties and national laws and regulations. Here’s a rough lexical guide to help make sense of the key terms:
AIRSPACE – Under international law, a country’s sovereign airspace extends to the outer limits of its territorial waters, 12 nautical miles from its coastline. Most countries require all foreign military aircraft to obtain permission to enter their airspace and reserve the right to take military action, including shooting them down, if they do not. China and Japan both claim the disputed East China Sea islands known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China as part of their territory. They also claim sovereign airspace above them and over the waters extending 12 nautical miles around them.
EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ) – According to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, each signatory state can claim an EEZ that gives it special rights to exploit marine resources up to 200 nautical miles from its coastline. When EEZs overlap, signatory states are supposed to negotiate an agreed boundary. Most countries allow freedom of passage for foreign vessels through their EEZ. However, some countries disagree on whether non-aggressive foreign military operations – such as reconnaissance patrols — should be allowed in their EEZ. The U.S. says yes; China says no. China often intercepts and tracks foreign military planes over its EEZ, but usually does not try to repel them or force them to land.
AIR DEFENSE IDENTIFICATION ZONE (ADIZ) – An ADIZ has no basis in international law and is not overseen by any international organization. So definitions and rules vary between different countries. Typically such zones extend well beyond a country’s airspace to give its military time to respond to potentially hostile incoming aircraft. Several countries have declared them unilaterally, including the U.S. and Japan. Many of those countries require foreign military aircraft to identify themselves and their flight plans on entering their ADIZ. They will often intercept and escort foreign military aircraft in their ADIZ but will usually not repel them or force them to land unless they consider them a threat. The U.S. says it only applies ADIZ procedures to foreign aircraft intending to enter its airspace. China’s ADIZ is unusual in that it overlaps with Japan’s, South Korea’s and Taiwan’s and covers disputed territory.
Follow us on Twitter @ChinaRealTime for the latest updates. | <urn:uuid:9d8629b1-4eb5-47df-a36f-16b2b38adc1c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013/11/27/the-a-to-z-on-chinas-air-defense-identification-zone/?mod=relnews | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00049-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946113 | 682 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Carpenter Ant Size
Carpenter ants are one of the largest of all ant species. Carpenter ants have polymorphic workers, meaning that ants within a single colony may vary in size. Adult carpenter ants can measure from 6 to 12 mm in length. Males, or winged swarmers, can measure up to 18 mm, while queens grow to 20 mm in length.
A mature colony usually contains around 3,000 adult ants, but some species have been known to contain up to 100,000 ants. Like other ant species, carpenter ants are social insects, and their colonies are composed of different castes. A typical parent colony contains a queen, the queen’s brood and workers, both minor and major. The size of worker ants determines their responsibilities. Minor workers are the smallest members of the colony, and their tasks are to take care of the young and forage for food. Major workers are larger and serve as soldiers to defend against predators.
In the United States, there are 24 pest species of carpenter ant. While they may have similar physical characteristics, nesting habits, feeding and destructive behaviors, their colonies contain different carpenter ant sizes. Two factors affect the difference in size between species: the availability of food and the number of workers foraging for food. | <urn:uuid:ba3c3be0-95a5-47e2-ab60-9300443076ce> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.orkin.com/ants/carpenter-ant/carpenter-ant-size/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00010-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956136 | 262 | 3.953125 | 4 |
St. Paul, Minn. (January 28, 2008)—Fungi in the Ancient World is a comprehensive review on the impact of fungi in helping to shape ancient civilizations. Mushrooms, mildews, molds, and yeast had an effect on: diet; customs; politics; religion; human, animal, and plant health; art; folklore; and the beginnings of science. This book discusses the current methodologies for investigation of the co-evolution of plants, fungi, and humans from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages.
This book presents reproductions and descriptions of fungal motifs in ancient art, myth, and folklore that enable direct examination of evidence by any reader, professional or layperson. Interdisciplinary in scope, this detailed and illustrated book includes a historical perspective on the co-evolution of fungi with early agriculture that provides documented summaries of contemporary research in this area, from archaeology to molecular-genetics.
Peer reviewed for accuracy and balance, the book provides multiple perspectives from professionals in mycology, plant pathology, ancient history, and folklore. It summarizes a wide range of highly controversial published views on the impact of fungi on customs, folklore, and religion. In doing this, the title presents perspectives on what is probable, plausible, or improbable in this highly debated area that helped form western civilization.
This new title will be of interest to mycologists, plant pathologists, historians, folklorists, plant breeders, anthropologists, ethnobotanists, ethnomycolgists, and others interested in the impacts of fungi on ancient history.
This book may be purchased for $69 (USD) from The American Phytopathological Society. To order this book go to the APS PRESS online store or call toll-free 1.800.328.7560 USA/Canada or +1.651.454.7250 elsewhere.
Fungi in the Ancient World: How Mushrooms, Mildews, Molds, and Yeast Shaped the Early Civilizations of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Near East includes the following chapters: Introduction; Fungi in Baking and Brewing; Edible Fungi; Fungi as “Entheogens”; Fungi Used for Medicinal Purposes and Other Technologies; Plant-Pathogenic Fungi; Fungi as Agents of Rot on Wood and Fabric; Human and Animal Pathogens; Environmental and Ecological Roles of Fungi; Ancient Fungi Preserved in Glacial Ice or Permafrost; Ancient Images of Fungi; Fungi in Ancient European Folklore; Ideas of the Ancients on Fungal Biology; Some Additional Hypotheses Regarding the Impact of Fungi in Ancient Times; Conclusions; Literature Cited; and Index.
© 2008; 6" x 9" softcover; 152 pages; 13 black and white figures; ISBN 978-0-89054-361-0; (2 pounds); Item No. 43610; $69 (USD)
NOTE: Digital artwork of the book’s cover is available by contacting Ashley Armstrong firstname.lastname@example.org. Please specify if the artwork will be used for print or electronic media. | <urn:uuid:68aa86ee-7537-4589-8e79-9b2282844c02> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.apsnet.org/about/newsroom/releases/Pages/08Fungi.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00058-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.859047 | 669 | 2.875 | 3 |
The Dark Days Of Disney: Slavery, Propaganda, Animal Cruelty, And More
When your company has been making films since 1923, it is inevitable that, as sensibilities shift and time insists on remaining linear, you will find your back-catalogue strewn with quite objectionable content.
And although the Disney company has been under fire in recent years for racial stereotyping – a lazy Jamaican crab in 1989’s The Little Mermaid touts the benefits of not needing a job; the introductory song to 1992’s Aladdin sets up “home” as “where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face”; all of Pocahontas is just terrible – back during the heyday of Walt Disney Productions, the inappropriate content really flourished: Propaganda films, a light-hearted look at plantation slavery, actual animal murder for the sake of a documentary, replacing the Bible with Mein Kampf, and the burning of a Catholic Church. You know, classic Disney.
Let’s begin with a charming 1946 short, The Story of Menstruation.
The Story Of Menstruation (1946)
The Story Of Menstruation wasn’t crammed between ‘Chip and Dale’ adventures on Saturday Disney or anything like that; it was an educational film screened in health classes to school-aged students. But a few troubling factors still stand out. Most notably, this film was commissioned by International Cello-Cotton Company, whose stock and trade was the Kotex range of feminine hygiene products (the company are better known now as Kimberly Clark). This commercial coupling is extra evil in that, as the film was screened, students were given a booklet named Very Personally Yours, covering off the Kotex range of products and imploring students not to use tampons – as these were a product of competitors Procter and Gamble, and therefore not a happy purchase.
While these sexual education films are squeamish/horrifying at best, The Story Of Menstruation is filled to the brim with troubling messages, such as the following sage advice for avoiding depression: “No matter how you feel, you have to live with people – and yourself”, and the visual depiction of yucky, red menstrual blood as a pure, snow-white flow.
The film also presses the importance of keeping up appearances, despite the beautiful, natural process tearing through your insides (“It’s smart to keep looking smart!”). It reduces the resulting pain to “a little twinge”, while advising you not to “throw yourself off schedule by getting over-tired, emotionally upset, or catching cold.” There seemed to be a real emphasis on not catching a cold during this magical time, to the point of instructing on shower temperature. (Fun fact: “Not only can you bathe, but you should bathe”!)
Of course, intercourse and reproduction are daintily skipped over (read: not mentioned once during the entire film), although The Story Of Menstruation does mark the first time the word “vagina” was uttered in a motion picture, so there’s that in its favour. I believe Rob Schneider’s The Hot Chick was the second to hit this milestone although, as we all know, this film has dated terribly.
Der Fuehrer’s Face And Education For Death: The Making Of The Nazi (1943)
By 1943, children all around this glorious, spinning globe were enchanted by the Walt Disney Company, and the magical worlds they created. The Silly Symphonies and Mickey Mouse shorts produced throughout the ‘30s were popular and lucrative enough that Walt had been able to step into feature length animation — and by “step into” I mean “invent”. Between 1938 and 1942 the company had pumped out Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi, so naturally the next big brainstorming session concluded with the decision to portray the lovable, easily-flappable Donald as a subservient Nazi.
It wasn’t as crazy a leap from Bambi to Der Fuehrer as it may first seem. By 1942, the studio was in a state of disarray: many animators had been drafted, a lot of previous markets were now cut off to Disney product due to the war, and there was the matter of a pesky little deal Disney made with the US government, to create propaganda films to help with the war effort.
Approximately 500 of Disney’s 550 employees were working exclusively on war-related films, the easy familiarity of Disney’s characters now being used to rally troops and increase support for the cause. During this time, the company created hundreds of shorts, with output ranging from dry educational films for Navy cadets, to Donald Nazi-saluting a photo of Hitler. Donald, for his part, seems to have been the Disney character most caught up in the war effort: a series of five 1942 cartoons see him get drafted (the first of these, Donald Gets Drafted, seems heavily anti-military, despite the Government funding), while more than a few Donald films from this period existed solely to encourage viewers to pay their income tax in order to keep the war effort rolling.
The furthest they went with the Donald character (aside from when he purportedly called WB’s Daffy Duck a “stubborn nigger”) was in Der Fuehrer’s Face, released on New Year’s Day in 1943 because, Happy New Year! Donald is portrayed as a slightly resistant/drone-like Nazi, living in a town where everything — clouds, trees, telegraph poles — is swastika-shaped. Donald is dragged out of bed by, oh, just Himmler, Goebbels and Mussolini, who force him to read Mein Kampf, give him piss-weak war rations, then kick him to a factory, where his job seems to be to make artillery shells and salute pictures of Hitler. This repetitive regime results in a manic episode where Donald begins twisting his body into the shape of a swastika, before flipping out and tripping balls, his world now a spinning rush of singing shells, shrieking snakes, screeching smoke whistles and untold horror. As this is a cartoon, and also 1943, it turns out Heir Duck’s army flirtation was but a dream, with the cartoon ending with a tomato thrown at Hitler’s face – as per film and television laws in the ‘40s.
Oh, and Disney won an Academy Award for the piece.
Two weeks later they followed up with the even more disturbing Education for Death: The Making of the Nazi, which sees a little boy, Hans, gifted to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, who raise the adorable tyke to see that “weakness has no place in a soldier”. Young Hans takes this to heart and embarks on a book-burning spree, swapping out copies of the Bible for Mein Kampf, burning a Catholic Church, and marching throughout his teen and adult years as a “good Nazi”, until he marches right into one of a row of identical graves – marked by nothing but a swastika and his helmet.
No tomato gag this time, just the full-force of the Nazi regime. And you thought Bambi’s mother was brutal. Disney was just setting you up for this.
The Victory March and Seven Wise Dwarfs (1941-1942)
More war-time Disney magic, although this campaign was all about bypassing the adults and hitting the real impressionable minds of the day: the children. This time, war stamps and war bonds are the point of order, first off with a special book for children, which encourages the collection (purchase) of War Savings stamps.
The Victory March book was published in 1942, available for free, and wrapped in a colourful cover depicting some of Disney’s most lovable creations brandishing the Stars and Stripes, marching merrily towards victory. Pinocchio is picketing with a ‘Save Uncle Sam’ sign — a glazed-looking Goofy controlling his strings — while Mickey and Minnie lead the march, their thirst for Nazi blood palpable (Mickey got the taste when he brutally smote the personified broom in Fantasia). The cover reads “this book was prepared at the suggestion of the U.S treasury department”, with sarcastic emphasis no doubt intended on the word ‘suggestion’.
Inside, the book tastefully conveys the Big Bad Wolf of Goldilocks fame, and three meeker-looking wolves as German, Japanese and Italian fascists, who steal Donald’s single savings stamp – indicating that even Donald wasn’t paying attention to the messages in his propaganda films. Basically, this was the Dollarmites scam of the ‘40s.
Feeling the War Savings message really should be served to children across several formats, Walt Disney also reprised the Seven Dwarfs, one of his most celebrated creations at that point. This time, Disney stripped each of them of their one defining trait, instead painting them equally as the Seven Wise Dwarfs.
And what makes the seven dwarfs wise, aside from their ability to brainwash a princess into staying in their pokey cottage for years as a live-in maid? Well, in the four years that had passed since their first cinematic outing, the dwarfs had moved from the dark depths of the mystical forest to the outskirts of Ottawa, working there in an undisclosed mine. After uncovering a mess of gemstones, our diminutive friends do what all miners do, and immediately invest in Canadian War Savings Certificates — an extremely wise and patriotic move.
The short film doesn’t shine any light on whether, four years on, Snow White and Prince Charming had yet had the awkward discussion where she questions his initial reasons for making out with her corpse. That’s more of a three-months-in kind of conversation.
Song Of The South (1946)
Definitely the most controversial film in Disney’s canon – quite a feat when you have a cartoon child systematically torching churches in your catalogue – Song Of The South has never been released in its entirety on home video, and met widespread condemnation upon its 1946 release. Mainly due to Disney taking the Seven Dwarfs’ cheerful “whistle while you work” motif and importing it directly to black plantation slaves.
Set in the South during the Reconstruction-era (i.e. post-abolishment of slavery), it nevertheless paints protagonist Uncle Remus firmly as a slave, albeit the willing, acquiescing type. The easy relationship between master and slave was too much for many to handle, as were the clichéd, racist mannerisms of many of the share-croppers, topped off by Disney-style skirting over any of the major issues the film dabbles in/exploits for commercial gain.
Disney weren’t blind to the controversy the film would arouse upon release; that’s why they chose to set the film in a time of post-abolition – although the delineation was needlessly muddy. Time Magazine warned the film would “enrage all educated Negroes”, and the National Negro Congress picketed screenings, while The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People issued a statement which read in part: “In an effort neither to offend audiences in the North or South, the production helps to perpetuate a dangerously glorified picture of slavery. Making use of the beautiful Uncle Remus folklore, Song of the South unfortunately gives the impression of an idyllic master-slave relationship which is a distortion of the facts.”
Remember, this public outrage was in 1946, so the content has only become more offensive. The film was reissued ten years later, before being sensibly buried in the ‘60s to avoid the studio becoming an easy target during the civil rights turmoil. Disney announced in 1970 that it had “permanently” been retired, although there it was, was back in cinemas, in 1972.
Song Of the South has never enjoyed a home video release in America – it would be a troubled addition to any child’s collection – although numerous cinematic re-releases have occurred, the most recent of which was in 1986, to mark the film’s 40th anniversary. In 2010, Disney CEO Robert Igor dismissed Song Of The South as “fairly offensive” and “antiquated”, suggesting a re-release is unlikely.
But should he ever wish to argue the merits of this frightfully offensive film, he could point out that actor James Baskett, who portrayed Uncle Remus, was the first black man to win an Academy Award – which, we smugly counter, almost makes up for the fact he wasn’t allowed to attend his own film’s premiere: Atlanta was still racially segregated in 1946.
White Wilderness (1958)
Given the previous entry, it would be easy to surmise by its name that this 1958 film was another unfortunate racial mis-step. White Wilderness, however, is simply an Academy Award-winning nature documentary about the curious habits of the adorable lemming. Awww, bless!
Filmed over three years, the documentary is notable for its critical levels of cuteness — until a shocking scene in which a rush of lemmings roll/slide/leap off a cliff-face into the Arctic Ocean. The narrator stresses this is simply a gang of migrating lemmings approaching a body of water and attempting to swim across, but popular culture has since rendered the scene as proof of a mass lemming suicide — an aspect which has become the rodent’s defining feature.
The video game, Lemmings, is entirely about this mindless trait, while the Blink-182 song of the same name deals with Mark Hoppus’ strained relationship with a girl… but also references “lemmings to the sea”, so there’s that. The problem with this misconception is not that this “suicide” scene has been misread, or infused with human motives – it’s that the entire scene was staged, with the hapless lemmings being pushed off the cliff-face by the film-makers.
This wasn’t simply cruel opportunism though; the footage was shot in Canada, not by the Arctic Ocean – with the decidedly non-native lemmings imported by the Disney crew. The film-makers basically treated these adorable rodents as neglected plush-toys, tossing them over cliffs, coercing them down steep, rugged terrain, and placing them on a rotating platform – leading directly to the great blue beyond below.
It took a 1982 report on Canada show The Fifth Estate to uncover the ruse; while researching animal cruelty in Hollywood, journalist Bob McKeown discovered the footage had been pieced together and manipulated to look natural. Regardless, the film is yet to be stripped of its Academy Award, and the lemming still has to deal with the daily occurrence of well-adjusted rodents stressing that “the clouds will lift any day now man, you’ll see”.
Nathan Jolly is the Editor of The Music Network, Australia’s number one music industry magazine/embedder of that video where Bieber raps. | <urn:uuid:f5eade57-eaea-4eeb-a837-3cd90e98952f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://junkee.com/the-dark-days-of-disney-slavery-propaganda-animal-cruelty-and-more/14742 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00108-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960236 | 3,238 | 2.65625 | 3 |
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Mothers whose kids went to high-quality day care were more involved in their children's schools later on than the moms of kids in poorer quality day care or no day care, new research finds.
In conducting the study, appearing Feb. 8 in Child Development, researchers examined information on more than 1,300 children ranging in age from 1 to 4.5 years old. The location and quality of child care was evaluated periodically over 3.5 years.
The study revealed that mothers who placed their children in high-quality child care since birth were more likely to be in close contact with their children's teachers and become more involved in their child's school-related activities later on, such as attending open houses or befriending the parents of their child's classmates.
The researchers pointed out that where the children were cared for was not as important as the quality of their care. High-quality daycare could include either child care centers, or home-based daycare.
"These findings tie into two important components," said study lead author Robert Crosnoe, a professor of sociology in the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, in a journal news release. "First, high-quality child care promotes school readiness, a phenomenon that motivates programs like Head Start and universal pre-kindergarten. And second, children make a smoother transition to school when families and schools are strongly connected, as reflected in the goals of No Child Left Behind."
Making connections between young children's home life, child care setting and school supports early academic progress, Crosnoe concluded.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health provides more information on child care.
-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas
SOURCE: Society for Research in Child Development, news release, Feb. 1, 2012
All rights reserved | <urn:uuid:f418fa01-d008-4d8c-a7c2-8e331ce7da8a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Quality-Day-Care-Predicts-Later-Parental-Involvement-in-School--89081-1/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00073-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968658 | 379 | 2.828125 | 3 |
8 October 10 Caffeine's Effect on Hunger: Suppressant or StimulantIn a recent post on MyNetDiary's Facebook page, Kathy Isacks, MPS, RD, asked if people got more hungry on days they consumed more coffee than usual. Most of the responses suggested that coffee suppressed people's appetites. So what's really behind this? Does caffeine suppress or stimulate the appetite?
As Kathy shared, the coffee is still the most significant source of caffeine, and it has been suggested that roughly 80 percent of the world's population drinks coffee every day. Americans consume about half of the world's supply of coffee - on average, drinking one thousand cups of coffee per person per year!
One cup of coffee contains between 100-250 milligrams of caffeine. Black tea (steeped for four minutes) has between 40-100 milligrams of caffeine, and green tea has about one-third the caffeine of black tea.
Caffeine is a diuretic and an alkaloid, which means it increases urination, is metabolized in the liver and excreted through the kidney. The half life of caffeine in an adult is about three to four hours.
Regardless of how you get your caffeine fix, let's look at its affect on hunger and energy levels. One study from Duke University suggests that caffeine often masks hunger and fatigue because it acts as a stimulant, providing a short-term boost in energy and alertness. However, using caffeine to compensate for poor sleeping and eating habits have long-term negative affects.
So what does this have to do with hunger? Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine (250-700 mg.) during the day can lead to anxiety, hypertension, insomnia and nervousness - all things that may trigger stress-related emotional eating. Why? Because excessive caffeine intake overstimulates the central nervous system, and the body responds by causing the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which tells the body to increase its energy stores by consuming calories.
Additionally, caffeine may also increase hunger cravings because it stimulates insulin secretion, which reduces serum glucose (i.e. blood sugar), thus leading to increased increased hunger.
As always, it is up to you to weigh out your best options. Obviously, using caffeine to mask deficiencies in sleep or poor eating habits can't be productive over the long-term, but a cup of tea or coffee may give you that extra boost you need to get out the door (and perhaps to the gym!). Have questions or comments about this post? Please feel free to comment on MyNetDiary's Community Forum or Facebook page – We would love to hear from you. And consider visiting our new Pinterest page!
This article can be found at http://www.mynetdiary.com/caffeines-effect-on-hunger-suppressant-or.html | <urn:uuid:620243ed-bb82-4860-a8b0-3195c4ab0a01> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mynetdiary.com/caffeines-effect-on-hunger-suppressant-or.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402479.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00100-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932114 | 588 | 2.859375 | 3 |
Apr 4, 2008
Plug-in hybrids could become competitive
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) could help reduce air pollution compared to conventional vehicles and lessen greenhouse gas emissions. Now, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley, US, have calculated that several million PHEVs could be charged during off-peak hours without the need to expand the state’s electricity grid. But to make these vehicles really economically viable, car battery prices need to come down by at least 50% or gasoline prices must continue to climb.
PHEVs are similar to current hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) but have larger batteries that can be charged from the electric grid. More and more consumers are buying HEVs – sales in the US have grown by 80% per year since 2000. The same trend might be expected for PHEVs in the future. What's more, car manufacturing firms such as Toyota and Ford are now offering to convert HEVs into PHEVs and plan to sell retrofit kits to help consumers "upgrade".
By using grid electricity, PHEVs could reduce a driver’s fuel costs by hundreds of dollars per year. However, car battery costs need to decrease by at least 50% from current levels to make PHEVs economical for most consumers, says team member Alex Farrell. At present, near-term costs for PHEVs appear to be too high to justify the savings that come from buying electricity, which is cheaper than gasoline. But economic calculations are only part of the reason consumers buy cars, Farrell adds, so some people would probably buy PHEVs even at current costs.
Another important result from the team’s work is that the time when PHEVs are charged needs to be properly managed. There is sufficient electricity capacity to charge several million PHEVs in California without expanding the electricity grid in the state. But adding even one single PHEV to the grid at peak hours (2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.) will create demand for new electricity infrastructure, explains Farrell.
"These results are important because PHEVs offer consumers a whole new choice, and a way to advance key social goals – including reducing consumption of petroleum and lowering greenhouse gas emissions," he told environmentalresearchweb. Co-author Dan Kammen of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment notes that half of all cars in California drive less than 20 miles per day. Increases in battery capacity thus make PHEVs very attractive for a large number of urban and suburban residents.
The Berkeley team obtained its results by analysing the costs of electricity on a normal weekday and comparing this with petroleum prices during the same period. The researchers calculated the retail electricity prices that would be equivalent to various retail petroleum prices in terms of the PHEV's fuel cost per mile.
"We also took a set of common assumptions about the design of PHEVs and combined these with existing data for the California power system to evaluate what choice consumers would have," said Farrell.
The results provide a clear vision of what is needed to make PHEVs a significant part of the vehicle fleet, said Farrell. This includes research and development for better batteries and for PHEV/grid interconnections to control charging. Also needed are policies to support the early adoption of PHEVs, to lower their costs, and to ensure that PHEV charging occurs when it is most beneficial.
The team is now investigating the energy and greenhouse gas implications of different types of PHEVs, such as compact cars versus sport utility vehicles (SUVs). "This will give us a better understanding of how PHEVs can contribute in the fight against global warming," said Farrell. "In addition, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine are collaborating with Toyota on a project to evaluate how consumers actually use PHEVs in the real world," he revealed.
The researchers reported their work in Environmental Research Letters.
About the author
Belle Dumé is a contributing editor to environmentalresearchweb. | <urn:uuid:75ed539d-a270-4e69-880c-53b10af3a872> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/33666 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00198-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960699 | 810 | 3.234375 | 3 |
ISLAM, ITS HISTORY, VALUES AND TECHNOLOGY
Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, University
of Wisconsin-Green Bay
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The Islamic World is not at all a monolithic entity.
|Sub-Saharan Africa || Many Language Families|
The Nature of Islam
Arabia in Mohammed's time
- Various tribal religions
- Jewish communities
- Christian communities, usually splinter sects
- Born about 570 in Mecca
- About 610, claims to receive visions and messages.
- These written down about 650 as the Koran.
- Flees to Medina, 622 (hegira)
- Return to Mecca, 630
- Unified Arabia by the time of his death in 632
The Pillars of Islam
- 1. Creed
- 2. 5 daily prayers
- 3. Alms
- 4. Fasting during Ramadan
- 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
The title Haji denotes one who has made the Hajj
- Some authorities add a sixth pillar:
6. Jihad or Holy War in defense of Islam.
Means active opposition to evil and injustice, more than literal warfare.
The spread of Islam
- Rights for Women
- High moral teachings
- Military skill
- Good government
- Tax on "People of the Book"
Originally Christians and Jews, later Hindus and certain other groups as well.
- Forced conversion of pagans
- Trade - how Islam came to Indonesia and sub-Saharan Africa
Schism about 700 A.D.
- Succession to Caliphate (successor of Mohammed)
- Incorporation of non-Koranic elements into Islam
- Shiites (mostly Iran) about 10%
Reject incorporation of non-Koranic elements into Islam; hence the term "fundamentalist" is fairly appropriate.
- Sunnites about 90%
Effects of Islam
- Preserve classical learning
- Innovations in astronomy and mathematics
- Link between East and West
- "Arabic" numbers from India
- Trigonometry also from India
- Sanctuary for Judaism
The Islamic World Today | <urn:uuid:45fabd37-417b-433f-9706-486b6b0999aa> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/WestTech/islam.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00145-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.818226 | 466 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Rule #1 in the trends industry - you can't have a trend without a descriptive buzzword and/or acronym. MOOC is both a buzzword and an acronym, standing for massive open online courses.
MOOCs are different from traditional online courses in several ways. They are open to anyone, free, generally credit-less and they try to attract as many students as possible. Their lessons/lectures also tend to be short - usually 8-12 minute videos.
The best known of the MOOCs is the Khan Academy. A non-profit with the mission of "a free world-class education for anyone anywhere," they've produced over 3400 short instructional videos anyone can access. They also provide interactive quizzes, teachers guides and other instructional materials so their courses can be used in schools and traditional educational settings.
According to a Forbes article on Khan:
... their videos have been viewed more than 200 million times. The site is used by 6 million unique students each month (about 45 million total over the last 12 months), who have collectively solved more than 750 million problems (about 2 million a day), and the material, which is provided at no cost, is (formally or informally) part of the curriculum in 20,000 classrooms around the world.
Needless to say, colleges are starting to see MOOCs as both an opportunity and a threat. The New York Times article The Year of the MOOC goes deep on what is going on in the MOOC world.
It features three MOOC firms, edX a non-profit working with Harvard, MIT and other major universities; Coursera, a for-profit who is also working with major universities; and Udacity, another for-profit that's focused on short courses in math, sciences and business. All are trying to deliver university level courses to anyone, anytime for free.
MOOCs are part of a broader the education trend towards just in time learning. This is the trend towards having the ability to learn what you want, when you want it. An interesting article on this topic is Just in Time Education: Learning in the Global Information Age. It's still relevant even though the article is over a decade old (the future often takes a long time to change).
We're very excited about just in time learning. For small businesses and entrepreneurs, it provides a way to access to training in ways that used to only be available to much larger organizations. Just in time learning is yet another example of how the Internet is leveling the playing field. | <urn:uuid:1bd1a1a0-3fc0-4e7b-90a2-0452149533b2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.smallbizlabs.com/2012/11/what-are-moocs-and-just-in-time-learning.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00061-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965728 | 519 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Fifty-three years ago today, United States Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. became the first American to be launched into space. Shepard named his Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7.
Officially designated as Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) by NASA, the mission was America’s first true attempt to put a man into space. MR-3 was a sub-orbital flight. This meant that the spacecraft would travel along an arcing parabolic flight path having a high point of about 115 nautical miles and a total range of roughly 300 nautical miles. Total flight time would be about 15 minutes.
The Mercury spacecraft was designed to accommodate a single crew member. With a length of 9.5 feet and a base diameter of 6.5 feet, the vehicle was less than commodious. The fit was so tight that it would not be inaccurate to say that the astronaut wore the vehicle. Suffice it to say that a claustrophobic would not enjoy a trip into space aboard the spacecraft.
Despite its diminutive size, the 2,500-pound Mercury spacecraft (or capsule as it came to be referred to) was a marvel of aerospace engineering. It had all the systems required of a space-faring craft. Key among these were flight attitude, electrical power, communications, environmental control, reaction control, retro-fire package, and recovery systems.
The Redstone booster was an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) modified for the manned mission. The Redstone’s uprated A-7 rocket engine generated 78,000 pounds of thrust at sea level. Alcohol and liquid oxygen served as propellants. The Mercury-Redstone combination stood 83 feet in length and weighed 66,000 pounds at lift-off.
On Friday, 05 May 1961, MR-3 lifted-off from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 5 at 14:34:13 UTC. Alan Shepard went to work quickly calling out various spacecraft parameters and mission events. The astronaut would experience a maximum acceleration of 6.5 g’s on the ride upstairs.
Nearing apogee, Shepard manually controlled Freedom 7 in all 3 axes. In doing so, he positioned the capsule in the required 34-degree nose-down attitude. Retro-fire occurred ontime and the retro package was jettisoned without incident. Shepard then pitched the spacecraft nose to 14 degrees above the horizon preparatory to reentry.
Reentry forces quickly built-up on the plunge back into the atmosphere with Shepard enduring a maximum deceleration of 11.6 g’s. He had trained for more than 12 g’s prior to flight. At 21,000 feet, a 6-foot droghue chute was deployed followed by the 63-foot main chute at 10,000 feet. Freedom 7 splashed-down in the Atlantic Ocean 15 minutes and 28 seconds after lift-off.
Following splashdown, Shepard egressed Freedom 7 and was retreived from the ocean’s surface by a recovery helicopter. Both he and Freedom 7 were safely onboard the carrier USS Lake Champlain within 11 minutes of landing. During his brief flight, Shepard had reached a maximum speed of 5,180 mph, flown as high as 116.5 nautical miles and traveled 302 nautical miles downrange.
The flight of Freedom 7 had much the same effect on the Nation as did Lindbergh’s solo crossing of the Atlantic in 1927. However, in light of the Cold War fight against the world-wide spread of Soviet communism, Shepard’s flight arguably was more important. Indeed, Alan Shepard became the first of what Tom Wolfe called in his classic book The Right Stuff, the American single combat warrior.
For his heroic MR-3 efforts, Alan Shepard was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by an appreciative nation. In February 1971, Alan Shepard walked on the surface of the Moon as Commander of Apollo 14. He was the lone member of the original Mercury Seven astronauts to do so. Shepard was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Freedom in 1978.
Alan Shepard succumbed to leukemia in July of 1998 at the age of 74. In tribute to this American space hero, naval aviator and US Naval Academy graduate, Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 spacecraft now resides in a place of honor at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. | <urn:uuid:c33b3305-aaa0-402b-a1d4-e5db49028455> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blog.seattlepi.com/americanaerospace/2014/05/05/the-flight-of-freedom-7-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397562.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958588 | 894 | 3.390625 | 3 |
Most image editors will work with Levels and Curves on an image to :-
- Levels – Set the white and black point
- Curves – Decrease the values of black and increase the value of white
Both of these in combination will help create contrast in the image, and ultimalty more interesting to look at.
These operations are typcially performed using an adjustment layer for Levels and independently a curves layer.
Actually Photoshop can perform both of these operations just on the curves adjustment.
Let’s take this image. It’s a bit flat, so by working on both Levels and Curves on a Curves layer, we can make it more interesting, just in a single step.
When working with Levels, it’s beneficial to show the clipping points, this will make it really easy to see where the black / white points start to clip to black or white. The clipping indicators are available on the curves panel, by turning it on in the fly out menu. Once the curves dialog box is open, click on the fly out menu (marked in red), and select ‘Show Clipping for Black/White points’.
Now the clipping points have been turned on, when the left hand slider is moved towards the right (marked in red below), at some point the black points will show (as below) when they clip to pure black. The outcome of this, is that the details in the shadow will evetually be erroded away and detail will be lost (can be used creatively, but this type of precision will help control the black point).
The same can be applied to the highlights area, by moving the right slider to the left (be carefull with the white clipping point, as it will clip to white and can be offputting for the viewer when shown on a backlit screen).
Once the white and black points have been set, then the curve can be applied, in this case an ‘S’ curve.
That’s it. Photoshop levels and curves, just saved me an extra step. This can also help when used on a mask, or a clipping mask , as all operations are on a single layer, which in turn will make the document simpler with less layers to adjust and think about.
Share on Facebook | <urn:uuid:6c1a0a61-df40-4125-ac0e-da620533a308> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.adobe.com/richardcurtis/2016/01/09/creativefriday-levels-in-curves-photoshop/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397795.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00082-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910659 | 473 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Who's Who - Sultan Mehmed VI
Sultan Mehmed VI (1861-1926) served as the last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1918 until his overthrow in 1922.
Born on 14 January 1861 Mehmed - original name Mehmed Vahideddin - was unlike the brother he succeeded as Sultan, Mehmed V, in that he was both intelligent and politically capable of ruling the Ottoman Empire of his own accord without the backing of the Young Turks.
Succeeding his brother on 3 July 1918 Mehmed VI presided over the terminal decline of the Ottoman Empire. Determined to assumed personal control over government and, crucially, to ensure the continued survival of the Ottoman dynasty, Mehmed co-operated with the Allies in suppressing all nationalist groups in the wake of the unconditional surrender and armistice of 30 October 1918.
In this he was fortunately unencumbered by the Young Turk administration with many of its leaders seeking exile on a German ship bound for Germany following Turkey's military defeat. Instead an Allied military administration was formed in Istanbul a month later on 8 December 1918. Parliament was dissolved on 21 December with the Sultan publicly affirming his determination to suppress nationalist ideologies of all colours.
The nationalists nevertheless remained active in Anatolia. After prolonged negotiations they secured the Sultan's agreement to hold elections late in 1919.
The results were predictable in returning a majority of nationalists to the new Parliament. Equally predictably the Allies took fright at the nationalist gains and extended their own military zone in Constantinople, simultaneously arresting and exiling nationalist leaders.
On 11 April 1920 Mehmed dissolved Parliament, causing the nationalists to establish a provisional government in Ankara. However it was the Sultan's signing of the Treaty of Sevres on 10 August 1920 that sparked the ire of the nationalists under the leadership of Kemal Pasha. Under the terms of the treaty the Ottoman Empire was reduced to little more than Turkey itself.
The treaty served only to notably boost the nationalists' popularity. With victory over the Greeks the nationalists held firm sway over Turkey and, on 1 November 1922, the Sultanate was formally abolished by the Grand National Assembly. Mehmed VI consequently fled to Malta aboard a British warship.
His subsequent attempts to re-establish himself as caliph in the Hejaz proved a failure. He died on 16 May 1926 in San Remo at the age of 65.
Click here to read the text of Mehmed VI's proclamation issued on 6 December 1918 in the wake of Turkey's surrender to the Allies.
A "creeping barrage" is an artillery bombardment in which a 'curtain' of artillery fire moves toward the enemy ahead of the advancing troops and at the same speed as the troops.
- Did you know? | <urn:uuid:3bc48560-6e7b-4152-bbf0-660dc3654ef9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://firstworldwar.com/bio/mehmedvi.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396949.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00080-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969302 | 554 | 3.03125 | 3 |
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