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CMH Pub 70-5;
Not Available through GPO sales.
10 full-color 22 1/4" X 17 1/4" color reproductions of paintings depicting the American soldier in important episodes in the nation's fight for independence. This set includes a booklet describing each print in detail. The following 10 prints are available in this print set. Individual prints may not be requested.
* View this publication online.
After the British rout from Lexington, a loosely organized New England army of volunteers and militia laid siege to Boston. The British commander, Sir Thomas Gage, determined to gain more elbowroom by seizing the Charlestown peninsula. Learning of Gage's plans, the Massachusetts Committee of Safety recommended the occupation of Bunker Hill, a commanding height near the neck of the Charlestown peninsula. But a working party of 1,200 Americans, sent out on the night of 16-17 June 1775, instead fortified Breed's Hill, a lower height nearer Boston.
When the British awoke next morning, they saw a fortification with walls six feet high astride Breed's Hill. Determined to take the barrier by assault, a force of 2,200 Redcoats under Sir William Howe landed on the Charlestown shore in early afternoon 17 June, and launched a well-planned three-pronged attack. The Americans, who had been reinforced during the morning, repulsed the British assault with devastating musket fire. Howe had to resort to frontal attacks on the American redoubt to avoid a costly defeat of British arms. After enduring two volleys that tore huge gaps in their lines, the Redcoats converged on the American forces in a final three-column attack. The Patriots, running out of ammunition, used their muskets as clubs against the British bayonets. Colonel William Prescott, seeing the damage wrought by the Regulars, ordered his men to "twitch their guns away." The homespun-clad Americans contested every inch of ground, but finally were forced to retreat from t he peninsula.
Bunker Hill gave its name to the battle fought on Breed's Hill. For the British it was a Pyrrhic victory, their losses amounting to over 40 percent of the forces engaged. A force of New England townsmen and farmers had proven its ability to fight on equal terms with British Regulars when entrenched in a fortified position.
In late June 1775 the Continental Congress, in hopes of adding a fourteenth colony and eliminating a British base for invasion, instructed General Philip Schuyler to take possession of Canada if "practicable" and "not disagreeable to the Canadians." Command of the main wing of the expedition, to march via Ticonderoga to Montreal and down the St. Lawrence, passed to General Richard Montgomery when Schuyler became ill. A second wing led by Colonel Benedict Arnold was to move on Quebec through the wilds of Maine.
Montgomery encountered strong resistance from the British at St. Johns, delaying his assault on Montreal. While undertaking a siege of St. Johns, Montgomery sent Ethan Allen and Major John Brown ahead with separate detachments to recruit Canadian volunteers. Allen and Brown did manage to recruit some Canadians and, meeting together, conceived a risky plan for a converging attack on Montreal by two forces totaling about 300 men. On the night of 24-25 September, Allen with 110 men crossed the St. Lawrence north of the town but was left to fend for himself when Brown failed to meet him. Sir Guy Carleton, British commander, sortied with a force of about 35 Redcoats, 200 volunteers, and a few Indians, and Allen, unable to recross the river, took up a defensive position a few miles from the town.
Most of the Canadian recruits fled when the first shots were fired, but Allen, constantly flanked by the Indians, led his ever-diminishing army on a fighting withdrawal for over a mile. Finally reduced to thirty-one effectives and with a British officer "boldly pressing in the rear," Allen reluctantly surrendered.
On 13 November 1775 Montgomery succeeded in capturing Montreal where Allen's premature attack had failed, but in the end the Canadian expedition was a failure. By June 1776 remnants of the American invasion force, incapable of holding their positions against a reinforced British Army, were back at Ticonderoga.
In June 1776 British Admiral Peter Parker 'a fleet, loaded with troops commanded by General Henry Clinton, made an appearance off Charleston, South Carolina. The city, feverishly preparing for an attack, had partially completed Fort Sullivan, Charleston's key defense position. The 30-gun fort on Sullivan's Island was hastily constructed from the moat abundant materials available, palmetto logs and sand. The garrison, commanded by Colonel William Moultrie, contained over 400 men including 22 artillerists and the 2d South Carolina Provincial Regiment.
Because of a sand bar the British delayed their attack on Charleston until 28 June 1775 while they lightened ship. Clinton's 2,000 British soldiers, landing on adjacent Long Island, were unable to cross an estuary to join in the attack. The fleet began its bombardment at a range of about 400 yards. Low on powder, Moultrie directed his men to fire slowly and accurately in reply.
During the engagement a shell struck the flagpole, and the blue South Carolina banner fell outside the fort. Sergeant William Jasper retrieved it and, oblivious to British fire, secured the flag to a makeshift staff.
The falling shells, absorbed by the soft palmetto loge and sand, caused little damage to the fort and few casualties. Even shells that did enter the fort buried themselves in the swampy parade ground. The wooden frigates on the other hand were riddled with shot. One explosion blew away Sir Peter Parker's breeches.
Finally, after more than ten hours of firing, the British fleet withdrew and several weeks later sailed for New York. For three years following the defeat at Charleston the British were to leave the South unmolested and the Southern Tories, who were undoubtedly numerous, without succor.
The winter of 1776 was the bleakest of what had become a War for Independence, a time that indeed "tried men's souls." The victorious British had driven General George Washington and his army of Continentals and militia from New York. Confident that the ill-clad and ill-fed Americans would fade away when enlistments expired at the year's end, General William Howe withdrew a major portion of his force from New Jersey to the comforts of Manhattan island. Washington realized his army's only chance of survival lay in a victory over the remaining scattered garrisons of the British and their Hessian mercenaries.
On Christmas evening Washington's ragged American army left its encampment and crossed the Delaware River in a driving sleet and snow storm. At dawn, 26 December 1776, the near-frozen Continentals surged into Trenton catching the Hessians, weary from the previous night's celebration, by surprise.
Colonel Johann Rall, the garrison commander, attempted to form a line of defense on King and Queen Streets with two regiments and the Knyphausen battery. Aware of Rall's plans, the Continentals, supported by General Henry Knox's artillery and heartened by the presence of Washington, overwhelmed the guns at a dead run. The loss of the artillery position caused Rall's regiments to withdraw. Their powder damp, deprived of artillery support, their commander mortally wounded, the surviving Hessians surrendered.
Bolstered by this success Washington was able to keep his army together for several more weeks during which time he again crossed the Delaware and won a victory over the British troops at Princeton. These two engagements assured the survival of a small core of Continentals and, in turn, the survival of the American cause of Independence.
In June 1777 General John Burgoyne set forth on an expedition from Canada with the aim of cutting the rebellious colonies in twain by seizing the Hudson River line. With his main force he advanced toward Albany via Ticonderoga while a smaller force under Colonel Barry St. Leger moved down Lake Ontario and through the Mohawk Valley. Burgoyne's plans were not coordinated with those of Sir William Howe, the British Commander in New York, who decided to move against Philadelphia instead of attacking north along the Hudson.
Initially successful, Burgoyne suffered a crippling blow when General John Stark destroyed a detachment from his force at Bennington. Meanwhile St. Leger was forced to abandon the siege of Fort Stanwix, guarding the Mohawk Valley, and retreated to Canada. Then on 19 September Burgoyne himself suffered a repulse with heavy losses when he attempted to advance on the positions manned by the main American Army under General Horatio Gates.
Three weeks later, on 7 October 1777, Burgoyne sent out an advance force and Gates moved up Colonel Daniel Morgan's riflemen and other units to meet it. In the ensuing battle (usually known as Bemis Heights) Morgan's men, well adapted to the wooded terrain, took a fearful toll of British lives with their Kentucky rifles. One of the casualties was the fearless British General Simon Fraser. According to tradition Morgan, spotting the general, ordered one of his men, Tim Murphy, up a tree, saying that although he admired the Englishman, "it is necessary he should die, do your duty." Murphy's third shot inflicted a mortal wound.
Soon after Fraser's fall, Burgoyne withdrew and several days later, on 17 October, surrendered his army near Saratoga. The capitulation was a turning point of the war for it induced the French to sign a military alliance with the infant American Republic in February 1778.
On 18 June 1778, Sir Henry Clinton evacuated Philadelphia and with 10,000 men set out on a march to New York. Washington followed closely, but on 24 June a council of his officers advised him to avoid a major engagement, though a minority favored bolder action. A change in the direction of the British line of march convinced the Continental Commander he should take some kind of offensive action, and he detached a force to attack the British rear as it moved out of Monmouth Court House. General Charles Lee, who had been the most cautious in council, claimed the command from Lafayette, who had been most bold, when he learned the detachment would be composed of almost half the army.
One of the most confused actions of the Revolution ensued when, on the morning of 28 June, Lee's force advanced to attack Clinton's rear over rough ground that had not been reconnoitered. The action had hardly begun when a confused American retreat began over three ravines. Historians still differ over whether the retreat and confusion resulted from Lee's inept handling of the situation and lack of confidence in his troops, or whether the retreat was a logical response to Clinton's quick countermoves and the confusion a product of the difficulties of conducting the retreat across the three ravines.
In any case, Washington, hurrying forward with the rest of his Army to support an attack, met Lee amidst his retreating columns and irately demanded of him an explanation of the confusion. Lee, taken aback, at first only stuttered "Sir, sir." When Washington repeated his question, Lee launched into a lengthy explanation but the Commander-in-Chief was soon too busy halting the retreat to listen very long.
The retreat halted, Washington established defensive positions and the Continental Army beat off four British assaults. During the night the British slipped away. Monmouth was the last major engagement fought in the north. However inconclusive its result, it did show that the Continental line, thanks to the training of Von Steuben, could now fight on equal terms with British regulars in open field battle. It also led to the court martial of Charles Lee and his dismissal from the Continental service.
Warfare between frontiersman and Indian increased in intensity during the Revolution. The British from posts at Niagara and Detroit encouraged Indian attacks that harassed the westernmost settlements. In mid-1778 George Rogers Clark with about 175 to 200 men set out on an expedition sponsored by the Commonwealth of Virginia with the ostensible purpose of defending Kentucky but with secret orders to take the British posts in the Illinois country and if possible, Detroit. In July 1778 by surprise moves and by winning the sympathy of the French settlers he captured Vincennes and Kaskaskia without firing a shot.
In December 1778 Colonel Henry Hamilton, the British commander at Detroit, retaliated, recapturing Vincennes and rebuilding the dilapidated Fort Sackville there. Clark, determined not to have Vincennes remain in British hands, started out on a bold 180-mile mid-winter march from Kaskaskia to retake the fort. Fording and ferrying numerous icy streams and flooded rivers, Clark and his nearly starved men reached Vincennes on 23 February 1779. He warned the inhabitants of his approach and marched his men back and forth with many flags to create the impression of an overwhelming force. The French welcomed the Americans and the Indians fled into the woods.
After a brief fight Hamilton agreed to surrender, and on the 25th marched his garrison from the fort between two companies of frontiersmen. Looking around as he presented his sword to Clark, Hamilton is said to have exclaimed, "Colonel Clark, where is your army?" At the same moment two other American companies entered Fort Sackville and raised the American flag.
Clark was unable to achieve his goal of capturing Detroit and did not completely halt Indian attacks on Kentucky, but his amazing exploits strengthened American claims to the Northwest territory.
General Nathaniel Greene assumed command of the remnants of the Southern Army after Horatio Gates' disastrous defeat at Camden. In his ensuing campaign against Lord Cornwallis he sought to gain strength while harassing British forces and drawing them further from their bases on the coast. His position immensely strengthened by Daniel Morgan's victory at Cowpens (17 January 1781), Greene skillfully retreated before Cornwallis' force and finally, his ranks swollen by militia, gave battle on grounds of his own choosing at Guilford Court House, N.C.
Greene deployed his forces in three lines. The first was composed of North Carolina militia whom he asked to fire several volleys and retire; the second was made up of Virginia militia; the third, posted on a rise of ground, comprised Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Continentals.
When Cornwallis' Regulars launched their attack, the first line of militia fired their rounds and fled the battlefield, the second line offered stiffer resistance but also withdrew. Before the second line gave way, several British units broke through and charged the last line. Greene observed as the veteran First Maryland Continentals threw back a British attack and countered with a bayonet charge. As they reformed their line, William Washington's Light Dragoons raced by to rescue raw troops of the Fifth Maryland who had buckled under a furious assault of British Grenadiers and Guards.
Finally Greene ordered a retreat, since he was determined not to risk the loss of his army. For the British it was another Pyrrhic victory. Cornwallis, his force depleted, withdrew to the coast at Wilmington and then went on to his rendezvous with destiny at Yorktown. Greene, while losing two more such battles, by October 1781 had forced the British to withdraw to their last enclaves in the South ó Charleston and Savannah.
In the summer of 1781, ending a campaign in Virginia, Cornwallis took post at Yorktown with a force of about 8,000 men. Washington, meanwhile, guarding Clinton's main British force in New York, was joined in April by 4,000 French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau. On 14 August he learned that French Admiral De Grasse, with a powerful fleet, was sailing from the West Indies to the Chesapeake Bay. In the hope of surrounding Cornwallis by land and sea, Washington hurried southward with the main portion of the Franco-American Army, leaving only a small force to guard Clinton in New York.
The plan worked remarkably well. De Grasse arrived in the Chesapeake on 30 August, landed additional French troops, and fought an indecisive battle with the British fleet, but at its end remained in firm control of the bay as the Allied armies arrived. On 28 September these armies began siege operations, using the traditional European system of approaches by parallel trenches. In order to complete the second parallel, Washington ordered the seizure of two British redoubts near the York River. The French were assigned the first, Redoubt No. 9, and the American Light Infantry under Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton the second, Redoubt No. 10. On the evening of 14 October, as covering fire of shot and shell arched overhead, the Americans and French moved forward. The Americans, with unloaded muskets and fixed bayonets, did not wait for sappers to clear away the abatis, as the French did, but climbed over and through the obstructions. Within ten minutes the garrison of Redoubt No. 10! was overwhelmed. The French also met with success but suffered heavier losses.
After a vain attempt to escape across the York, Cornwallis surrendered his entire force on 19 October 1781, an event that virtually assured American independence, although the final treaty of peace was not signed until 3 September 1783.
After his victory over the British at Yorktown, Washington established his headquarter at Newburgh where he could keep a watchful eye on the English forces in New York. He hastened to remind his command that peace was not a foregone conclusion and military readiness must be maintained. Washington also continued his efforts to improve the condition of his troops and insure a high state of morale. One of the ways he decided to accomplish the latter was to create, on 7 August 1782, a "Badge of Military Merit" for enlisted men who had performed bravely in combat.
Two men selected by a board of officers to receive this award were Sergeant Elijah Churchill of the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons and Sergeant William Brown, a member of the 5th Connecticut Regiment, Continental Line. Brown, a veteran of 18, had won praise for his bravery in the storming of Stony Point in 1779 and now was cited for gallantry in the trenches before Yorktown. Churchill had distinguished himself during attacks against two forts on Long Island.
On 3 May 1783, these men left the Continental Cantonment at New Windsor and reported to the nearby headquarters of Washington at the Hasbrouck House in Newburgh. There, before a guard mount of the 1st New York, the Commander-in-Chief awarded Sergeant Churchill (pictured on the right) and Sergeant Brown their badges. Surviving records for the period confirm the presentation of only one other Badge of Military Merit, and the decoration was not used at all after the end of the Revolutionary War. It was revived in February 1932 as the Purple Heart out of respect to Washington's memory and to his military achievements.
The ceremony, however, symbolized much more than recognition of two brave men. It represented the climax of the molding of a citizen army of volunteers and militia into a force that had fought on equal terms with one of the world's best armies, and in doing so, had played a vital role securing freedom and independence for themselves and their fellow citizens. | <urn:uuid:d1dc68c4-4e37-4123-95d6-4887a84be67e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://history.army.mil/catalog/pubs/70/posters/70-5/70-5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00195-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970558 | 3,969 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Glass sponges hold internal secrets to structural strength
Scientists often look to biology for inspiration and innovation, emulating the way that nature builds to advance human engineering. Creatures of the ocean's depths are some of the most mysterious and fascinating subjects for study, due to the challenges of collecting them from very deep waters and for their unique adaptations for colonizing the sea floor. One such group is the hexactinellids, a collection of predominantly deep-sea sponges that produce elaborate skeletal systems of glass. Known as glass sponges, over the years their skeletal systems and their constituent elements (called spicules) have served as useful model systems for the design and fabrication of robust and damage tolerant structures.
Many hexactinellid sponges have evolved elaborate networks of hair-like skeletal elements (indicated by arrows) that form the basis of an anchoring system that secures the sponges in soft sediments of the sea floor. Figure adapted from Weaver, et al, 2010, Journal of Adhesion.
These skeletal systems can be remarkably complex, and one particular glass sponge, Venus’ Flower Basket (Euplectella apergillum), synthesizes a diagonally reinforced cage-like skeletal tube that forms a delicate latticework consisting of periodic open and closed spaces. Each of the major load-bearing spicules in this species exhibit a distinctive layered architecture, consisting of concentric cylinders of silica separated by thin organic inter-layers that radiate out from an inner solid core of silica. The concentric cylinders of silica decrease in thickness towards the outer periphery of the spicules.
Venus’ Flower Basket (Euplectella aspergillum) is a deep-sea sediment dwelling sponge with a grid-like skeletal architecture resembling a checkerboard pattern of open and closed latticework reinforced by diagonal bracings. Figure adapted from Weaver, et al, 2007, Journal of Structural Biology.
Much of our understanding of the architecture of Venus’ Flower Baskets has been due to the research of Wyss Institute Core Faculty member Joanna Aizenberg, Ph.D., who is also the Amy Smith Berylson Professor of Materials Science at SEAS and Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, and Wyss Senior Research Scientist James Weaver, Ph.D. Working in collaboration with Daniel Morse from the University of California Santa Barbara and Peter Fratzl from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Aizenberg and Weaver have investigated this sponge for more than a decade, discovering architectural and optical properties that can be leveraged to improve construction, design, and fiber optic technology.
The main load bearing spicules from many hexactinellid sponges exhibit a distinctive laminated architecture (left) with a gradual reduction in silica layer thickness from the spicule core to its periphery (center), a design strategy which is highly effective in slowing crack propagation through these materials (right). Figure adapted from Weaver, et al, 2007, JSB and Weaver, et al, 2010, Journal of Adhesion.
These spicules are further surrounded by a layered silica cement that rigidifies the entire composite. Previously, the group demonstrated that this layered design strategy significantly increases the toughness of each spicule, and as cracks travel though this composite, they do so in a stair step-like fashion, with the thinnest outer layers significantly limiting the depth to which a newly formed crack can travel.
Now, a new paper co-authored by Aizenberg and Weaver in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals more secrets of the glass sponge’s internal structural properties: not only does the design pattern of decreasing concentric silica layers increase fracture resistance, but it also increases the ultimate load-bearing strength of each spicule.
The entire skeletal system of Euplectella aspergillum is surrounded by continuous layered silica cement, shown in both external (left and middle) and cross-sectional (right) views. The color-coded illustration of the sectioned skeleton (right) illustrates the continuity of the individual silica layers that binds the skeletal lattice together. Figure adapted from Weaver, et al, 2007, Journal of Structural Biology.
Working with collaborators at Brown University, including the new paper's corresponding author Haneesh Kesari, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, and its first author, graduate student Michael Monn, the team was able to model the internal architecture of the layered spicules and compare it to layer measurements from more than one hundred sponge spicules to predict their carrying capacity for bearing different loads. The group’s results suggest that the layered spicule structure of decreasing concentric thickness is multifunctional and designed to prevent damage accumulation both before and after any initiation of cracking.
Using the long hair-like anchor spicules from Euplectella aspergillum as a model system (left), it was demonstrated that the gradual progression in reduced silica layer thickness from the spicule core to its outer surface matches extremely well with a layer pattern specifically optimized for maximum strength (right). Figure adapted from Monn, et al, 2015, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The structural principles obtained from this study could be used for the design and fabrication of high-strength beams in load-bearing applications through the modification of their internal architecture, rather than their external geometry, opening up the possibility for new architectural design strategies of materials that are safer and more structurally sound.
Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University
Kat J. McAlpine, firstname.lastname@example.org, +1 617-432-8266 | <urn:uuid:1c376f75-7fef-4051-95b0-cbe40676f6cb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpage/565 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395546.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00015-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911422 | 1,196 | 3.5 | 4 |
Computer systems analysts use computers and related systems to automate functions and integrate them into distributing, manufacturing, sales, and other related functions. These analysts look at what a business unit or organization is attempting to do and then figure out how to use computer technology to streamline and automate those processes to achieve maximum accuracy and efficiency. Computer systems analysts must have a clear idea of what processes he or she is trying to automate. They break down processes into component parts, conduct cost analysis, and then figure out the software and hardware requirements to execute. Additionally, the analyst likely designs applications and tailors hardware for each need per its specific requirements.
Computer systems analysts often examine existing computerized processes. They look for inefficiencies in the systems and areas that can be improved. The analyst is then called upon to create improvements, new iterations, or even completely different solutions that enhance or fix existing systems. Computer systems analysts typically work during regular business hours in an office environment.
The basic educational requirements for employment in this field is a bachelor's degree in computer science or engineering with a programming and design emphasis. Some larger companies seek out candidates who have graduate-level degrees in business and business management as well.
Computer Systems Analyst Tasks
Identify, communicate, and manage risks associated with projects.
Translate requirements into new information technology project specifications.
Create project plans for information technology development and testing.
Identify business or customer requirements and information technology alternatives.
Monitor network and systems for performance, security,and other issues. | <urn:uuid:8e24908f-f1c7-4f5d-a104-2c5f8f02d9b6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Computer_Systems_Analyst/Salary | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00087-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92773 | 305 | 2.578125 | 3 |
A dog is looking for a good place to bury his bone. Can you work
out where he started and ended in each case? What possible routes
could he have taken?
On the graph there are 28 marked points. These points all mark the
vertices (corners) of eight hidden squares. Can you find the eight
If you can copy a network without lifting your pen off the paper and without drawing any line twice, then it is traversable.
Decide which of these diagrams are traversable.
If you have only 40 metres of fencing available, what is the maximum area of land you can fence off?
This 100 square jigsaw is written in code. It starts with 1 and ends with 100. Can you build it up?
Draw some isosceles triangles with an area of $9$cm$^2$ and a vertex at (20,20). If all the vertices must have whole number coordinates, how many is it possible to draw?
Take a rectangle of paper and fold it in half, and half again, to
make four smaller rectangles. How many different ways can you fold
How many different triangles can you make on a circular pegboard that has nine pegs?
A magician took a suit of thirteen cards and held them in his hand
face down. Every card he revealed had the same value as the one he
had just finished spelling. How did this work?
Blue Flibbins are so jealous of their red partners that they will
not leave them on their own with any other bue Flibbin. What is the
quickest way of getting the five pairs of Flibbins safely to. . . .
How many DIFFERENT quadrilaterals can be made by joining the dots
on the 8-point circle?
How many different symmetrical shapes can you make by shading triangles or squares?
On which of these shapes can you trace a path along all of its
edges, without going over any edge twice?
At the time of writing the hour and minute hands of my clock are at
right angles. How long will it be before they are at right angles
What is the best way to shunt these carriages so that each train
can continue its journey?
Can you shunt the trucks so that the Cattle truck and the Sheep
truck change places and the Engine is back on the main line?
How can you arrange these 10 matches in four piles so that when you
move one match from three of the piles into the fourth, you end up
with the same arrangement?
Swap the stars with the moons, using only knights' moves (as on a
chess board). What is the smallest number of moves possible?
10 space travellers are waiting to board their spaceships. There
are two rows of seats in the waiting room. Using the rules, where
are they all sitting? Can you find all the possible ways?
Is it possible to rearrange the numbers 1,2......12 around a clock
face in such a way that every two numbers in adjacent positions
differ by any of 3, 4 or 5 hours?
Given the nets of 4 cubes with the faces coloured in 4 colours, build a tower so that on each vertical wall no colour is repeated, that is all 4 colours appear.
Can you make a 3x3 cube with these shapes made from small cubes?
Here you see the front and back views of a dodecahedron. Each
vertex has been numbered so that the numbers around each pentagonal
face add up to 65. Can you find all the missing numbers?
Euler discussed whether or not it was possible to stroll around Koenigsberg crossing each of its seven bridges exactly once. Experiment with different numbers of islands and bridges.
How many different ways can you find of fitting five hexagons
together? How will you know you have found all the ways?
How many different cuboids can you make when you use four CDs or
DVDs? How about using five, then six?
In how many ways can you fit two of these yellow triangles
together? Can you predict the number of ways two blue triangles can
be fitted together?
Use the animation to help you work out how many lines are needed to draw mystic roses of different sizes.
How could Penny, Tom and Matthew work out how many chocolates there
are in different sized boxes?
Can you work out how many cubes were used to make this open box? What size of open box could you make if you had 112 cubes?
Design an arrangement of display boards in the school hall which fits the requirements of different people.
Building up a simple Celtic knot. Try the interactivity or download
the cards or have a go on squared paper.
A game for 2 people. Take turns joining two dots, until your opponent is unable to move.
Imagine starting with one yellow cube and covering it all over with
a single layer of red cubes, and then covering that cube with a
layer of blue cubes. How many red and blue cubes would you need?
You have 4 red and 5 blue counters. How many ways can they be
placed on a 3 by 3 grid so that all the rows columns and diagonals
have an even number of red counters?
A Hamiltonian circuit is a continuous path in a graph that passes through each of the vertices exactly once and returns to the start.
How many Hamiltonian circuits can you find in these graphs?
Triangle numbers can be represented by a triangular array of squares. What do you notice about the sum of identical triangle numbers?
This article for teachers discusses examples of problems in which
there is no obvious method but in which children can be encouraged
to think deeply about the context and extend their ability to. . . .
Lyndon Baker describes how the Mobius strip and Euler's law can
introduce pupils to the idea of topology.
Can you see why 2 by 2 could be 5? Can you predict what 2 by 10
Billy's class had a robot called Fred who could draw with chalk
held underneath him. What shapes did the pupils make Fred draw?
Investigate the number of paths you can take from one vertex to
another in these 3D shapes. Is it possible to take an odd number
and an even number of paths to the same vertex?
Can you cross each of the seven bridges that join the north and south of the river to the two islands, once and once only, without retracing your steps?
A tetromino is made up of four squares joined edge to edge. Can
this tetromino, together with 15 copies of itself, be used to cover
an eight by eight chessboard?
A toy has a regular tetrahedron, a cube and a base with triangular
and square hollows. If you fit a shape into the correct hollow a
bell rings. How many times does the bell ring in a complete game?
What would be the smallest number of moves needed to move a Knight
from a chess set from one corner to the opposite corner of a 99 by
99 square board?
Cut four triangles from a square as shown in the picture. How many
different shapes can you make by fitting the four triangles back
What is the greatest number of counters you can place on the grid below without four of them lying at the corners of a square?
One face of a regular tetrahedron is painted blue and each of the
remaining faces are painted using one of the colours red, green or
yellow. How many different possibilities are there?
Hover your mouse over the counters to see which ones will be
removed. Click to remover them. The winner is the last one to
remove a counter. How you can make sure you win? | <urn:uuid:d4112d6e-a312-4b5d-9fd7-4a834e41e976> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://nrich.maths.org/public/leg.php?code=-68&cl=2&cldcmpid=222 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00024-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946057 | 1,629 | 3.109375 | 3 |
Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the longest serving consort in British history and could inspire the name of a future Queen Regnant but for centuries the longest serving consort was a Philippa rather than a Philip
Philippa of Hainault
She was queen of England for over forty years, one of the longest consort's reigns in the country's history. She had thirteen children and her descendants ended up turning on one another in the Wars of the Roses. She herself was descended from the kings of France, Castile, Aragon and Hungary. She had a college at one of the world's most presitigious universities founded in her honour. And in the 21st century she was voted the fifth most influential black person in British history. There's a lot more to Queen Philippa than sharing part of her name with a tube station.
Hainault on the Central line - the area of Hainault is now in east London and had been named before the arrival of Edward III's wife in 1328
Philippa has many claims to fame but the most widely talked about is that she was England's first black queen. There is some dispute about her ethnicity but one source at the time, describing the young girl chosen as a possible royal bride for an audience that couldn't rely on twitpics and selfies for updates, talked about her dark hair, dark eyes and dark skin. History records her son as The Black Prince and historians have long claimed this is because of the colour of his armour but other experts point to the nickname some French courtiers gave him before he was old enough to have his own breastplate. He was 'Le Noir' and other English records describe him as either very dark or black when he was young. In 2003 in a poll run by Every Generation the medieval queen was voted as one of the most influential black people in the nation's life. But why was Philippa so important?
Philippa of Hainault was described as black by some of her contemporaries but in this portrayal of her coronation she is shown as white with blonde hair
In part it's due to the influence she had over politics and the way the kingdom was governed. She acted as regent for Edward III on a number of occasions and often accompanied him on his expeditions including his early forays in Europe in what would come to be known as the Hundred Years War. But the other thing that made Philippa such a successful queen was her compassion. She came hard on the heels of Isabella of France, known as the She-Wolf, who had deposed her own husband and ruled for Edward III for three years before he in turn deposed her. Philippa's kindness and generosity were often cited in contrast to the harshness of the later years of Isabella.
Philippa, in the best seat on the boat as befits a queen consort in the 14th century, was a popular and well respected monarch and often compared favourably with the woman who had worn the consort's crown before her, Isabella, She-Wolf of France
Her most famous act as queen came as part of the Hundred Years War. In 1347 the people of Calais were facing starvation after their town was besieged by Edward. They had been holding out for a year and could take no more. Edward offered to feed them if they surrendered and he demanded that six of their leading men bring him the keys of the town with nooses round their necks. The six men approached him but their lives were spared after Philippa begged the king for mercy on their behalf.
A statue of the Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin, displayed in the town
She loved the arts and left some illustrated manuscripts among her possessions. In 1341, The Queen's College, Oxford was founded in her honour by her chaplain, Robert d'Eglesfield.
But the main task for queens at Philippa's time was to secure the succession and while she may have won the battle on this one, in the end she helped make a war that plenty of people lost. When Philippa died in 1369 she left her king with an heir in The Black Prince and plenty of spares, among them John of Gaunt . The Black Prince had two sons, Edward and Richard, and John had one son, Henry. And yet within thirty years the succession was far from secure. The Black Prince never became king, dying the year before his father. His own eldest son, Edward, was already dead and the crown passed to the youngest of his children, Richard. This boy king grew into a nervous man who lost his throne to that other grandson that Philippa knew - Henry became Henry IV. And very soon Philippa's endless supply of children had produced an endless supply of descendants who all had claims to be king.
The fact that they resorted to war to sort it out was hardly Philippa's fault. But her kindness and compassion and common sense seem to have been in short supply among some of her descendants. Queen Philippa, our Belgian queen, made a pretty big mark on England's history.
Philippa of Hainault with her army - her own descendants plunged England into civil war as they fought to claim a crown they all felt belonged to them
Our other Belgian queens
We've had two other queens with links to Belgium. Adeliza of Louvain married Henry I in 1121 when she was 18 and he was 53. She was meant to provide an heir to the throne but unlike Philippa, she never had a baby with her royal husband.
But Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror and first modern queen consort of England, did fill her royal nursery. Ten children, four of them sons, arrived after her marriage to the then Duke of Normandy in 1051. Almost a thousand years after she became queen, another Belgian Matilda will become a European consort.
Matilda of Flanders was queen of England from 1066 - 1083 | <urn:uuid:c4e6baa7-48f3-49b1-a083-bea2853afb16> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://queensconsortofengland.blogspot.com/2013/07/belgian-queens-who-ruled-england.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00042-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.988724 | 1,219 | 3 | 3 |
The geotechnical value of ground stiffness determined using seismic methods
Matthews, M.C., Hope, V.S. and Clayton, C.R.I. (1997) The geotechnical value of ground stiffness determined using seismic methods. Modern Geophysics in Engineering Geology, 12, 113-123. (doi:10.1144/?GSL.ENG.1997.012.01.10).
Full text not available from this repository.
Geotechnical design routinely requires that the in situ strength, stiffness and permeability of the ground be determined. Most satisfactory designs for constructions such as buildings, excavations and tunnels ensure that an adequate margin of safety is maintained, and, under these conditions, measurements of the stiffness of the ground are required so that movements in the ground, both during and after construction, can be calculated.
Over the past two decades the careful back-analysis of the behaviour of the ground around constructions such as tunnels and excavations has repeatedly shown that the in situ stiffness of soils and rocks is much higher than was previously thought, and that stress—strain behaviour of these materials is non-linear in most cases. Numerical analyses, using finite element and finite difference computations and field observations, have demonstrated that when margins of safety are adequate the strain levels in the ground around retaining walls, foundations and tunnels are small, and typically of the order of 0.0-l%–0.1%. Improved measurements in the laboratory have confirmed the non-linear stress-strain behaviour of soil, and shown that stiffness is much higher when measured locally and at small strain levels than when determined using conventional laboratory techniques.
The realization that strain levels around construction are small, and that field stiffnesses are much higher than previously measured in the laboratory, has led us to re-appraise the value of stiffnesses derived from field seismic geophysical methods. Such methods allow stiffnesses to be determined on representative volumes of the ground, and at the in situ stress state, and for this reason may provide valuable data. This paper reviews the importance of stiffness in geotechnical design and how seismic methods are used in ground stiffness investigations.
|Digital Object Identifier (DOI):||doi:10.1144/?GSL.ENG.1997.012.01.10|
|Subjects:||T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Q Science > QC Physics
Q Science > QE Geology
|Divisions:||University Structure - Pre August 2011 > School of Civil Engineering and the Environment
|Date Deposited:||11 Mar 2010|
|Last Modified:||31 Mar 2016 13:08|
|RDF:||RDF+N-Triples, RDF+N3, RDF+XML, Browse.|
Actions (login required) | <urn:uuid:c1576bef-88e6-4df8-ae52-aa3570dbd68f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/74848/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393146.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00034-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.886227 | 591 | 2.625 | 3 |
Ruth Leah Bunzel
Ruth Leah Bunzel began her career as anthropologist Franz Boas’s secretary and became an accomplished anthropologist herself. She broke new ground in her research on the artist and the creative process among the Zuni, her pioneering work on the Mayas in Guatemala, and her comparative study of alcoholism in two villages in Guatemala and Mexico.
Ruth Leah (Bernheim) Bunzel, the youngest of four children, was born in New York in 1898, and lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with her parents, Jonas and Hattie Bernheim, of German and Czech heritage. Her father died when Ruth was ten years old, and she was raised by her mother, who had inherited money from her family’s Cuban tobacco-importing business. Ruth’s mother raised the children in a Jewish household that was largely acculturated to American ways. The family spoke English at home, but Ruth’s mother encouraged Ruth to study German at Barnard College. Ruth, however, changed her major because of the political atmosphere surrounding World War I and received a B.A. in European history from Barnard in 1918.
Talking about the choices that bright young people confronted in the 1920s, Bunzel wrote that some went to Paris seeking freedom, some aligned with radical workers and sold the Daily Worker on street corners, and others turned to anthropology to “find some answers to the ambiguities and contradictions of our age and the general enigma of human life.” She saw anthropology as a means to understand not only others but also ourselves.
Having taken a course with Boas in college, Bunzel succeeded Esther Goldfrank as his secretary and editorial assistant at Columbia University in 1922. In 1924, she accompanied anthropologist Ruth Benedict to western New Mexico and east-central Arizona to study the Zuni people, and followed Boas’s suggestion to give up typing and begin her own research on a topic that interested him, the artist’s relationship to work. Critical of ethnographers who often ignored women as subjects in their fieldwork, Bunzel felt that “society consisted of more than old men with long memories.” She was drawn to the Zuni because women were the potters and had considerable societal power.
Bunzel began graduate study in anthropology at Columbia University. In 1929, she received her Ph.D. with the publication of a landmark book on the artistic process, The Pueblo Potter. Rather than focusing on the objects of art, Bunzel was the first anthropologist to analyze artists’ feelings, their relationship to their work, and the process of creativity. To understand how artists work within the confines of traditional styles, Bunzel apprenticed herself to Zuni potters, and among them she became a respected, skilled potter.
Visiting the Zunis intermittently between 1924 and 1929, Bunzel was a sensitive fieldworker, respecting local factionalism and esoteric ceremonies. Bunzel’s focus on the individual and the degree of aesthetic freedom an individual had in a given culture influenced her writing on Zuni kachina (ancestral spirit) cults and mythology, ceremonialism and religion, and poetry. A prolific scholar, she also contributed an understanding of Zuni cosmology and social organization by producing important work on Zuni values, language, culture, and personality. Deeply influenced by Boas and Ruth Benedict, Bunzel’s work, in turn, provided much of the material for Benedict’s synthesis of Zuni in Patterns of Culture. In addition to the Zuni, Bunzel wrote about the Hopi, Acoma, San Ildefonso, and San Felipe Pueblo Indians of the southwestern United States.
Bunzel was one of the first American anthropologists to work in Guatemala, and she published a monograph on the Chichicastenango community in highland Guatemala in 1952. Reflecting both her interest in culture and personality studies and the neo-Freudian influence of psychoanalyst Karen Horney, she also wrote a comparative study on alcoholism in Chamula in Chiapas, Mexico, and in Chichicastenango. Her research, supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship (1930–1932), looked at psychological factors that led to different patterns of drinking in two communities. She also focused on the role alcohol played in the Indians’ subjugation and how haciendas profited by keeping Indians in debt. Her study on alcoholism was the first anthropological writing on this subject.
Bunzel went to Spain to perfect her Spanish and to gain background information for her southwestern Indian studies and was there when the Spanish Revolution broke out. During World War II, from 1942 to 1945, Bunzel worked for the Office of War Information in New York and London. From 1946 to 1951, Bunzel participated in the Research in Contemporary Cultures Project, directed by Ruth Benedict, which specialized in Chinese cultures. She had participated in seminars led by Abraham Kardiner (1936 and 1937) held at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and Columbia University, which influenced her postwar national character study.
Bunzel taught sporadically at Columbia University throughout the 1930s, but she became an adjunct professor in 1954 until her retirement in 1972. She then spent two years as a visiting professor at Bennington College. Bunzel earned a modest living teaching and felt she had never obtained full-time work because she was a woman. Others have attributed her marginal position, in part, to hostility between Boas and Ralph Linton, who became chair of the anthropology department at Columbia.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she worked with other colleagues against the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Bunzel was a private person with several lifelong relationships, mostly with female colleagues. She lived much of her life on Perry Street in Greenwich Village, never leaving New York and Columbia University for long periods, except to do field research. She died in 1990 of cardiac arrest. Her detailed fieldwork and writing are known for their great sensitivity and quality and remain an enduring legacy of her anthropological accomplishment.
“Art.” In General Anthropology, edited by Franz Boas (1938): 535–588; “Chamula and Chichicastenango: A Reexamination.” In Cross Cultural Approaches to the Study of Alcohol, edited by Michael W. Everett, Jack O. Waddell, and Dwight B. Heath (1976); Chichicastenango, a Guatemalan Village (1952); “The Economic Organization of Primitive Peoples.” In General Anthropology, edited by Franz Boas (1938): 327–408; “Further Notes on San Felipe.” Journal of American Folklore 41 (1928) 592; The Golden Age of American Anthropology, with Margaret Mead (1960); “Introduction to Zuni Ceremonialism.” Bureau of American Ethnology BAE Annual Report 47: (1932) 467–554; “The Nature of Katcinas.” BAE Annual Report 47 (1932): 837–1006. Reprinted in Reader in Comparative Religion, edited by A.W. Lessa and Evon Vogt (1958): 401–404; “Notes on the Katcina Cult in San Felipe.” Journal of American Folklore 41 (1928): 290–292; The Pueblo Potter: A Study of Creative Imagination in Primitive Art (1929); “Psychology of the Pueblo Potter.” In Primitive Heritage, edited by Margaret Mead and Nicolas Calas (1953): 266–275; “The Role of Alcoholism in Two Central American Cultures.” Psychiatry 3 (1940): 361–387; “The Self-effacing Zuni of New Mexico.” In The Americas on the Eve of Discovery, edited by Harold Driver (1964): 80–92; “Zuni.” In Handbook of American Indian Languages. Part 3, edited by Franz Boas (1933): 385–515; Zuni Texts (1933); Zuni Ceremonialism: Three Studies. Edited by Nancy J. Parezo (1992); “Zuni Origin Myths.” BAE Annual Report 47 (1932): 545–609; “Zuni Ritual Poetry.” BAE Annual Report 47 (1932): 611–835. Reprinted as Zuni Ceremonialism: Three Studies (1992).
Babcock, Barbara A., and Nancy J. Parezo. “Ruth Bunzel, 1898—.” Daughters of the Desert: Women Anthropologists and the Native American Southwest, 1880–1980. An Illustrated Catalogue (1988): 38–43; Bunzel, Ruth Leah. File. Wenner-Gren Foundation, New York City; Caffrey, Margaret M. Ruth Benedict: Stranger in this Land (1989); EJ; Fawcett, David M., and Teri McLuhan. “Ruth Leah Bunzel.” In Women Anthropologists: A Biographical Dictionary, edited by Ute Gacs, et al. (1988): 29–36; Hardin, Margaret A. “Zuni Potters and The Pueblo Potter: The Contributions of Ruth Bunzel.” In Hidden Scholars: Women Anthropologists and the Native American Southwest, edited by Nancy J. Parezo (1993): 259–270; Howard, Jane. Margaret Mead: A Life (1984); Murphy, Robert F. “Ruth Leah Bunzel.” Anthropology Newsletter 31, no. 3 (March 1970): 5; Parezo, Nancy J. Introduction to Zuni Ceremonialism: Three Studies, by Ruth L. Bunzel (1992): vii–xxxix; Woodbury, Nathalie F.S. “Bunzel, Ruth Leah.” In International Dictionary of Anthropologists, edited by Christopher Winters (1991).
How to cite this page
Saltzman, Cynthia. "Ruth Leah Bunzel." Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on June 30, 2016) <http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/bunzel-ruth-leah-bernheim>. | <urn:uuid:c7139ffe-feb1-4f88-bfdf-1d40e123a442> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/bunzel-ruth-leah-bernheim | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00068-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945373 | 2,162 | 2.734375 | 3 |
As we finished our last post about the perverse incentives Congress is giving for rural electric cooperatives to build nasty coal-fired power plants, we thought about the wildfires in Georgia and Florida that have disrupted travel and burned more than 385 square miles(!) of forest and swampland.
For those who don't know, the Southeastern U.S. has been experiencing unusually dry weather for a number of years now. Southern Georgia, northern Florida, central Florida, most of Alabama and parts of Mississippi and Tennessee are currently classified as in "extreme drought." All of Georgia is and much of the rest of the Southeast is in a "severe drought" and practically all of the Southeast from North Carolina to Louisiana is "abnormally dry." (See the National Weather Service map, above).
The long-term outlook is for more of the same. (See NWS long-term drought map forecast here.)
Meanwhile, a recent NASA study predicts that summertime temperatures by the end of this century cold average as high as 100-110 degrees in Southeastern cities such as Atlanta (and even Washington). We can easily envision Florida becoming a practically uninhabitable dried out desert, occasionally pummeled by massive hurricanes inducing hellish flash-flooding, while the much of the rest of the region becomes increasingly uncomfortable.
Those fires--which are adding large amounts of carbon to the atmosphere as they burn through some magnificent old-growth forests of the Okeefenokee Swamp--are yet another wake-up call. George Bush reminds us of Pharoah as the Ten Plagues sweep across Egypt, blithely ignoring the warning signs of impending doom. | <urn:uuid:d191586f-013f-462b-af24-6f7e12e92507> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://xcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2007/05/southeastern-drought-fires-just.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00107-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.943077 | 337 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Lufthansa Technik Simulates Aircraft Engine Wear and Tear with Ansys Software
Category: Web Exclusives
Pittsburgh - Lufthansa Technik AG is leveraging simulation software from ANSYS to simulate wear and tear of aircraft components, particularly in jet engines, to prolong service intervals and to create new ways to repair used parts. Part of Lufthansa Group, the German company is one of the world's largest providers of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) support services for aircraft.
As an aviation authority-approved development and production organization, Lufthansa Technik performs its own research to investigate blade damage due to bird strike and gradual erosion resulting from particles in the air, for example. By using simulation solutions from ANSYS, the company can gain a profound understanding of these processes, optimize the timing for parts replacement, and develop new repair methods. Lufthansa Technik uses structural mechanics and fluid dynamics from ANSYS to perform, among other applications, studies on structural and thermal loads on different engine modules for several engine types.
"By researching wear of turbine blades, we are helping our customers to increase engine service life. Using innovative repair methods that we develop, these same customers can possibly avoid purchasing expensive new parts. For an airline, this is money in the bank," says Christian Werner-Spatz at Lufthansa Technik AG. "Multiphysics simulation software from ANSYS allows us to understand the operating environment of jet engine components and draw conclusions from these results with a high degree of confidence."
"Lufthansa Technik AG uses our software not to develop completely new products, but to increase service life for aircraft turbines. Condition-based maintenance and developing a deeper understanding of asset lifecycles are becoming more important as airlines struggle to control costs," explains Rob Harwood, director of aerospace marketing at ANSYS. "Mere experience is not sufficient anymore in today's fast-changing and complex environment. As Lufthansa Technik AG has demonstrated, ANSYS simulation technology is being used at the forefront of this research. Companies that are leaders in their field, like Lufthansa Technik, are increasing their use of simulation technology to gain deep insight into how components behave under loads and, therefore, a better understanding of processes." | <urn:uuid:233b3402-84f5-42ac-af9e-50cf2cf8a773> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.cgw.com/Press-Center/Web-Exclusives/2011/Lufthansa-Technik-Simulates-Aircraft-Engine-Wear.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00122-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911005 | 484 | 2.546875 | 3 |
By the end of the decade and the onset of the Depression those percentages had changed to where five percent of the people had 35 percent of the disposable income. During that same period of time, the top one percent of the people increased their percentage of disposable income from 12 to 20 percent. At the same time they moved to the position of holding 36 percent of the wealth. At the other end of the spectrum more than 60 percent of the people lived below the poverty line (Kirkendall, 1974, p. 5-6).
In retrospect, the Coolidge-Hoover "New Era" prosperity was largely illusionary and a "last convulsion of the industrial revolution" (Manchester, 1973, p. 32). After World War I, the techniques of mass production had combined to increase the efficiency of the man-hour by more than 40 percent. This was an enormous increase in the output of goods, an increase that was unmatched by a corresponding rise in purchasing power. "In the golden year of 1929, Brookings economists calculated that to supply the barest necessities a family would need an income of $2000 a yea----more than 60 percent of American families were earning. In short, the ability to buy did not keep abreast of the volume of goods being turned out" (p. 32).
By the autumn of 1929, the financial pages of America were gloomy reports of 'heaviness' in automobiles and radios, slackening of the building trades, disappointment along the new frontiers of aviation. Much of America's productive effort and income had lately gone into luxuries and durable goods, whose purchases could be postponed without affecting daily needs" (Wechter, 1948, p. 9). When these goods would begin to pile up in warehouses, production would necessarily slow, and the unemployment rate would increase drastically.
Another factor combined with overproduction as a prime cause of the Great Depression--the over expansion of credit. In an era of mass overproduction, the goods had to be sold somehow...
Depression from the Destructions. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 21:56, July 01, 2016, from http://www.collegetermpapers.com/viewpaper/1303892766.html | <urn:uuid:dfa20e63-ab80-4af7-8138-87da8329f629> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.collegetermpapers.com/viewpaper/1303892766.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404405.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00198-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959121 | 465 | 3.5 | 4 |
"RIVER NOTES: A Natural and Human History of the Colorado," by Wade Davis, Island Press, $22.95, 176 pages (nf)
"River Notes: A Natural and Human History of the Colorado" by Wade Davis is full of them.
Not that we shouldn't be warned about what's happened and continues to happen to this majestic and glorious river, but it's hard to know what to do about the situation.
Davis tracks the history of the river from the building of dams to the grab for the river's water by ever-hungry big cities.
He lists the mistakes made and adds up the cost.
He includes the Mormon pioneers and settlers in his cast of thousands who have visited and used the river. (He refers to the founder of the faith as a "conflicted yet inspired visionary" and to the beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as provocative and unsettling. He discusses the Mountain Meadows massacre as well, though it's unclear as to how it relates to the Colorado River.)
He refers to the Prophet Brigham Young as one who "inspired by the angels, elected to settle in the most barren landscape imaginable." That required water and irrigation systems.
He goes on to suggest that the appointment of then-general authority and later LDS Church President Ezra Taft Benson pushed ahead the efforts to harness Western water.
Some huge decisions were made about the river, damming it up and dividing up the available water without taking into account natural evaporation and drought cycles.
Davis lines out the results and consequences with a somewhat chilling dispatch, noting the Hoover Dam was almost immediately beset with problems that set in motion a chain reaction of more construction.
"Today Glen Canyon Dam remains an object of disdain," he claims, held together with hundreds of 75-foot bolts.
He wrings his literary hands over the losses that came about with the creation of Lake Powell.
As he examines the questionable legacy left by man and the beauty of this natural resource, it's hard not to become angry and feel hopeless.
He blames ranchers, farmers, and greedy water-users throughout in his attempt to sound the alarm.
Toward the end he sums up the situation thusly: "Indeed, the entire water crisis in the American West essentially comes down to cows eating alfalfa in a landscape where neither really belongs."
He asks that we as a society "let the river flow."
The question is how, as readers, do we do that?
Sharon Haddock is a professional writer with 35 years experience, 17 at the Deseret News. Her personal blog is at sharonhaddock.blogspot.com.
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Developing new ways to mine the vast amount of information contained in electronic medical charts holds the potential to advance diagnosis and treatment for patients. The quantity of health information, which ranges from physician observations to lab results, is huge – and as Stanford researcher Nigam Shah, MBBS, PhD, commented in a Wall Street Journal story published today, “We should be learning from the record of routine medical practice.”
In his work, Shah has developed methods for extracting data from electronic medical record to glean valuable information about possible drug side effects and off-label uses for medications. The article goes on to highlight another Stanford example of how the practice of data mining has influenced clinical care:
Jennifer Frankovich, a pediatric rheumatologist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., follows pediatric patients who have juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Doctors know that these patients are at higher risk of getting an eye inflammation disease called uveitis. If not detected and treated in time, uveitis can cause serious eye damage, including blindness.
The difficulty for doctors is predicting which patients will get the condition. Sometimes the children experience blurry vision but don’t tell anyone. Other times, there are no obvious signs of a problem until serious damage is done.
As a result, eye exams are done on the patients at random times. When several families mentioned during routine checkups that the uveitis seemed to act up when their children had allergies, Dr. Frankovich wondered if there might be a connection. Stanford researchers used data from electronic health records of unnamed patients from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital from 2000 to 2011, including clinical notes. They concluded that there was an association between allergies and flare-ups of uveitis in patients with juvenile arthritis.
Next week, Shah and others from academia, industry and government will gather for the Big Data in Biomedicine conference at Stanford.
Previously: NIH Director: “Big Data should inspire us”, Chief technology officer of the United States to speak at Big Data in Biomedicine conference, Big Data in Biomedicine technical showcase to feature companies’ innovations related to big data and Euan Ashley discusses harnessing big data to drive innovation for a healthier world
Photo by Oklahoma Army National Guard | <urn:uuid:fd56ad7a-389a-4103-9aa1-e4434ed158b6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2014/05/13/how-efforts-to-mine-electronic-health-records-are-beginning-to-influence-clinical-care/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395621.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00131-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930699 | 472 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Eddie Wrenn – Daily Mail June 18, 2012
If NASA’s hunch is correct, Antarctica might have been a lot warmer 20 million years ago – if a bit wetter.
A new university-led study found that ancient Antarctica was much warmer and wetter than previously suspected.
The team, including researchers from Louisiana State University and the University of Southern California, say the climate was suitable to support substantial vegetation – including stunted trees – along the edges of the frozen continent.
By examining plant leaf wax remnants in sediment core samples taken from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, the research team found summer temperatures along the Antarctic coast 15 to 20 million years ago were up to 11C warmer than today, with temperatures reaching as high as 7C.
Precipitation levels also were found to be several times higher than today.
Sarah Feakins, an assistant professor of Earth sciences at the USC Dornsife College, said: ‘The ultimate goal of the study was to better understand what the future of climate change may look like.
‘Just as history has a lot to teach us about the future, so does past climate. This record shows us how much warmer and wetter it can get around the Antarctic ice sheet as the climate system heats up.
‘This is some of the first evidence of just how much warmer it was.’
Scientists began to suspect that high-latitude temperatures during the middle Miocene epoch were warmer than previously believed when co-author Sophie Warny, assistant professor at LSU, discovered large quantities of pollen and algae in sediment cores taken around Antarctica.
Fossils of plant life in Antarctica are difficult to come by because the movement of the massive ice sheets covering the landmass grinds and scrapes away the evidence.
‘Marine sediment cores are ideal to look for clues of past vegetation, as the fossils deposited are protected from ice sheet advances, but these are technically very difficult to acquire in the Antarctic and require international collaboration,’ said Warny.
Tipped off by the tiny pollen samples, Feakins opted to look at the remnants of leaf wax taken from sediment cores for clues. Leaf wax acts as a record of climate change by documenting the hydrogen isotope ratios of the water the plant took up while it was alive.
‘Ice cores can only go back about one million years,’ Feakins said. ‘Sediment cores allow us to go into “deep time.”‘
Based upon a model originally developed to analyse hydrogen isotope ratios in atmospheric water vapor data from NASA’s Aura spacecraft, co-author and JPL scientist Jung-Eun Lee created experiments to find out just how much warmer and wetter climate may have been.
‘When the planet heats up, the biggest changes are seen toward the poles,’ Lee said. ‘The southward movement of rain bands associated with a warmer climate in the high-latitude southern hemisphere made the margins of Antarctica less like a polar desert, and more like present-day Iceland.’
The peak of this Antarctic greening occurred during the middle Miocene period, between 16.4 and 15.7 million years ago.
This was well after the age of the dinosaurs, which became extinct 64 million years ago. During the Miocene epoch, mostly modern-looking animals roamed Earth, such as three-toed horses, deer, camel and various species of apes.
While none of these ‘proxies’ is as reliable as the bubbles of gas trapped in ice cores, they are the best evidence available this far back in time. | <urn:uuid:dca33b56-84dd-44bb-9cb2-9cca6a0c2987> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=50855 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966611 | 753 | 3.875 | 4 |
The continuing search for MH370, the Malaysia Airlines flight that vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board, hasn’t provided the answers that investigators and grieving families were looking for, but it hasn’t been entirely fruitless, either. In addition to finding a fragment that authorities think came from the missing aircraft, search parties have also made a few unrelated but interesting discoveries; the shocking extent of garbage floating around the sea was one early revelation, and now the remains of two uncharted shipwrecks have been found.
Officials at the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC), an Australian agency established specifically for the MH370 search, announced today (Jan. 13) that they found a 19th-century shipwreck 3.7 kilometers beneath the sea surface.
Last month, one of JACC’s underwater robots captured high-resolution sonar images of the wreck, which officials said they turned over to archaeologists for review: “The Shipwreck Galleries of the Western Australian Museum have conducted a preliminary review of some sonar imagery and advised that the vessel is likely to be a steel/iron vessel dating from the turn of the 19th century.”
Remains of another shipwreck were discovered in May 2015, at which time Peter Foley, the head of the MH370 search, told the press, “It’s a fascinating find, but it’s not what we’re looking for,” and no resources would be wasted on investigating the shipwreck remains.
Foley noted that the find was nonetheless heartening because it demonstrated that the search technology was effective: “This event has really demonstrated that the systems, people and the equipment involved in the search are working well. It’s shown that if there’s a debris field in the search area, we’ll find it.”
The search for MH370 is supposed to span 120,000 square kilometers of the sea floor in total, according to Australia’s JACC. Since the plane disappeared in March 2014, approximately 80,000 square kilometers have been searched. | <urn:uuid:e12bc8ef-eed3-40e7-b609-47d39a4550d7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://qz.com/593380/after-years-of-searching-for-the-missing-malaysia-airlines-plane-weve-found-two-ancient-shipwrecks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398075.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00163-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966416 | 431 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) create more than 80 per cent of new jobs in Canada every year, but they also create 80 per cent of industry’s negative environmental impacts and more than 60 per cent of commercial waste. Clearly, conversations about sustainable business must include SMEs.
To date though, discussion around social and environmental responsibility has focused mostly on large enterprises. This report represents an attempt to bring SMEs into the conversation. These challenges were established by a council of SMEs from Quebec businesses recognized for their leadership in environmental and social responsibility. Representing various sectors of the economy, these leaders gathered for a one-day roundtable facilitated by Dr. Marie-France Turcotte, Director of the French Office of the Network for Business Sustainability.
The following seven questions, in order of importance, define the greatest sustainability challenges facing SMEs in 2012:
- How can we develop in-house expertise in sustainability?
- How can we articulate the business case for sustainability? How can we position it as a competitive advantage?
- What information will make consumers more receptive to environmentally and socially responsible products and services?
- How can we engage internal and external stakeholders so they support the organization on its journey toward sustainability?
- How can we build sustainability into our corporate culture?
- How do we combat “sustainability fatigue” and keep employees engaged?
- How can we integrate sustainability into the company’s long-term strategy? | <urn:uuid:b0c53b1f-1b62-4bbf-84c2-898d0c116120> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://nbs.net/knowledge/sme-sustainability-challenges-2012/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00016-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931896 | 301 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Eating small portions of Fruits and Vegetables daily is very beneficial for health, it not only provides us with the nutrients our body needs but also prevents many diseases.
Fruits and vegetables come in variety of colors and flavors, different colors give your body a range of valuable nutrients. Additionally, fruits and vegetables are packed with Phytonutrients that may help protect you from chronic diseases.
Found in: Red Apple, Tomatoes, Red Bell Peppers, Tart Cherries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Rhubarb, Pomegranates, Beets,
What it means: Lycopene, Phytochemical, Anthocyanin Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin C
What it does: Maintains Memory Function & Heart Health, Fights Cancer, Fights Cold, Allergies, and UV Damage
Found in: Oranges, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Cantaloupes, Pumpkins, Orange Peppers, Nectarines, Peaches, Watermelon
What it means: Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Potassium, Fiber, Quercetin, Folate
What it does: Packed with antioxidants, Protects Eyesight
Found in: Bananas, Yellow Bell Pepper Pineapples, Sweet Potato, Carrots, and Mangoes. Pineapples, Corn
What it means: Manganese, Potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 Fiber, and Magnesium.
What it does: Helps in good Digestion, Helps preventing cramps, Great for Immune Protection.
Found in: White Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Cauliflower, Rutabagas, Parsnips, Mushrooms
What it means: Allicin- sulfur, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, and Fiber.
What it does: Protects against atherosclerosis and heart disease, Lowers cholesterol and Increases HDL, Antibacterial Effect
Found in: Leafy Vegetables, Broccoli, Asparagus, Peas, Avocado, Zucchini, Green Peppers, Cabbage, Cucumbers
What it means: Zeaxanthin, Lutein, Folate, Beta Carotene, Vitamins A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, and Fiber.
What it does: Protects Eyesight, Helps cell reproduction, Prevents neural tube defects in infants
Blue / Purple
Found in: Blueberries, Concord Grapes, Currants, Plums, Eggplant, Purple Cabbage
What it means: Antioxidants, Flavonoids, Anthocyanin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Potassium, and Fiber
What it does: Protects the blood vessels from breakage, Prevents the destruction of collagen, Has Anti-Ageing properties
[quote author=”PixelPinch.com”] These health related articles are also important for designers and desk-workers equally as other people because designers tend to spend lot of time sitting in a place for most of the time with rarely blinking their eyes. Therefore dont forget to go through our health category.[/quote] | <urn:uuid:8269d6e6-5ad6-4af3-958e-dbf9dae6f374> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://pixelpinch.com/2011/07/nutrients-packed-colorful-vegetables-fruits/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00092-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.796043 | 664 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Divorce is on the rise due to the "traditional reasons" as well as the "starter marriage" syndrome.
Why do people get divorced?
Gottman offers research to support two main reasons and times for divorce:
- 5-7 years due to high conflict
- 10-12 years due to loss of intimacy and connection
But why does this happen? Wallerstein offers that divorce is passed down from divorcing parents to their children:
- Among adult children of divorced parents, only 60% marry, with 50% marrying before age 25 and most marrying people they had known only a short-time.
- 40% of them eventually divorce (in other words, only 36% of children of divorce are happily married). Among adult children from intact families, 80% marry, and 9% of them divorce (in other words, 73% of children of intact families are happily married).
- Among the adult children of divorced parents that never marry, half are women. Among the adult children from intact families that never marry, one-third are women.
Amato supports this, and attributes the transmission to personal problems in spouses:
- Personal problems (self-report of being easy to get angry, hurt, or jealous; showing poor money-management skills; having had an affair) were twice as likely in marriages in which both partners' parents had divorced compared to marriages in which neither partners' parents had divorced
- Adding personal problems into the prediction equation took 39% and 55% of the variance away from parental divorce in one and both partners, reducing history of parental divorce to non-significance when seen in one partner
- personal problems predicted divorce 4-12 years in the future, so high ratings of personal problems do not appear to be short-term reactions to a deteriorating marriage.
Further, this seemed more pronounced in shorter marriages:
- in marriages 0-4 years old, chances of divorce increased 87% if wives had a history of parental divorce, 620% if both partners did
- in marriages 5-10 years old, chances of divorce increased 41% if wives had a history of parental divorce, 160% if both partners did
- in marriage 11+ years old, history of parental divorce was not a significant predictor of divorce
So how do we help "Hope" triumph over "Experience"?
"Everybody knows" divorce happens because:
- Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus... Well... If this were so, the divorce rate would be 100% for heterosexual couples.
- No Quid Pro Quo... Well... Quid Pro Quo means basically "You do this for me, and I'll do this for you." Applied to marriage if means that marriage is a behavioral exchange; if your partner does enough good things for you, you will do the same number of good things back. It is true that unhappy couples don't engage in this kind of behavioral exchange... but neither do happy couples either.
- Unrealistic Expectations... Well... Low and high expectation couples are just as likely to be happily as unhappily married, and there's some research to support that married people engage in a good bit of cognitive dissonance ("I'm still married, so I must be at least a little happy").
- Failure to Resolve Key Problems...Well... most big couple issues (69%) don't get solved in happy marriages, they get managed through compromise and negotiation.
- Men Having Affairs... Well...
- 20-25% of married men report infidelity at least once.
- couples therapists report 50% of their caseload is in therapy due to infidelity (AAMFT).
- Pittman and Wagers offer that 90% of first-time divorces have involved infidelity, mostly during the last year of the marriage, and it often was hidden throughout the divorce process.
- 20-25% of mediation groups say an affair was a reason, but the reason given by 80% is deterioration of intimacy.
- in the 1970's, 70% of men and 40% of women had affairs, but modern studies show men and women under 45 were equal. One study at a Boston hospital showed through bloodtyping that 30% of the named fathers of babies born there were not biologically related to the child.
- another 20% of couples have "emotional affairs" or infidelity where there is no sexual contact (so no adultery), but a disruption in the emotional intimacy of the couple (internet affairs go here).
- accidental – these are unplanned, with the consequences given little thought; it's more of a friendship that develops into more because of what's missing in the main relationship
- philandering – these entail steady changes in partners by one spouse, who is likely angry about the marriage, sees the other spouse as controlling, and is likely hostile toward the spouse
- romantic affair – these people "fall in love" to escape marital and life problems; it may signal more of a crisis in the couple's life-cycle than in the marriage itself
Research Supported Reasons for Divorce
From a classical perspective, the rise in divorce means one's own failed relationships, as well as one's parents' failed relationships, are more important in those Bowenian Family Genograms. Similarly, attitudes about why relationships form, how relationships are supposed to work, what their chances are for success, and what signals "bad times" are all more important to explore.
Gottman offers a number of ideas on how to improve communication in couples, the goal of which is to decrease conflict by preventing it. He notes the active listening (e.g., "What I heard you say is…") is absent in the "disasters" of marriage, but also in the "masters" of marriage. Likewise, most couples don't remember that stuff in arguments anyway. Instead, work on:
- softened startups
- bids and turning (1x / 3 mins)
- rituals for connection
- accepting influence
- Conflict Management
Gottman offers few key concepts to managing conflict, the goal of which is to decrease the negative impact of conflict.
- The Emotional Bank Account
- DPA - Diffuse Physiological Arousal
- The Four Horsemen
- Criticism ("What kind of person are you?") -- change this to complaint without criticism. Women may be more prone to this, based on men's affect during the non-conflicted interactions
- Defensiveness ("Well what about what you did?") -- change this to taking responsibility
- Contempt (righteous indignation, superiority claims) -- eliminate and replace with culture of positive appreciation
- Stonewalling (shutting down, associated with high physiological arousal and efforts to self-sooth with thoughts like "I can't believe she's saying this!") -- teach self-soothing and give 20-30 minutes time outs. This may be the key to preventing relapse, and men may be far more at risk to be stonewallers, as conflict stirs more physiological arousal
- Sex and Intimacy
This is often hard for them (and us) to talk about. Gottman offers this will sort of fix itself if you help improve the overall intimacy in the relationship. However, I still find all that Master's and Johnson stuff very useful, especially with anxious couples for whom rejected bids for sexual intimacy become a big hurt. There are the traditional questions like:
- what makes you feel sexually close?
- what frequency and quality of closeness, intimacy, and sex do you want?
- what's romance? What do you have to do to get it?
- have you talked about videos, books, the internet, etc…?
- what's the split up of work in the home? Do you both feel you are "equal partners" in the home?
Keep in mind that a 1998 study (10 years old) by Michael et al found only 22% of men and 18% of women age 18 to 24 had abstained from sex before marriage. Thus, a variety of sexual experiences before marriage are very likely to have an impact on sex during marriage. | <urn:uuid:15c6de13-4218-4f24-b1b5-08012966f3cd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.psychpage.com/family/mod_couples_thx/divorce.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00076-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961306 | 1,668 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Belief is deeply personal and deeply rooted in both how we are raised and our emotions. Our beliefs help us make sense of the world and give us a guideline for how we treat others. Every person is entitled to their beliefs and disrespecting those who don’t share a belief of your own is a moral disservice to them and yourself. However, in some cases, you may believe that a certain belief is harmful for the individual. Engaging in regular theological discussions can help change your friend’s mindset (or even your own). Just know that change is a long process.
Researching Belief Systems
1Educate yourself. Read everything you can about atheism, Christianity and religious history. Learn both sides of the coin, both atheist and Christian beliefs, in addition to other religions and belief systems. Morals and values run parallel through many belief systems, allowing for common grounds for discussion in all religions.
- There are many resources online that can help you learn about religious systems, including podcasts, and audio and visual classes.
2Read and understand their holy book cover to cover. Argument and persuasion cannot be effectively built out of thin air. You must understand where your friend is coming from in order to build a bridge between your two belief systems.
- The Bible is regarded as one of the most influential sources on literature in western culture. It is a great read for narrative merit alone.
3Learn common arguments leveled by theists. Although it is not possible to prepare for every argument you should know some of the more common talking points in Christian apologetics.
- These include arguments like the fine-tuned Universe, which argues that our Universe supports life so well and works in such a precise way that it must have been intelligently designed. This argument directly challenges our science-based understanding of the origins of the Universe.
- Another argument, Pascal’s Wager, is the suggestion that one should live their life under the assumption that God does exist, given that the stakes are skewed. If God does not exist, your life simply ends. However, if God does exist, how you behaved in life determines whether you will be rewarded eternally in Heaven, or punished eternally in Hell. This argument, though steeped in logic, raises questions of honesty, morality, and the extent of God's powers.
4Examine your own myths, urban legends, and superstitions. Learn why people believe stories backed by anecdotal evidence. Understanding something about belief as it pertains to psychology will better prepare you for counter-arguments and why you may feel the way you do about your own beliefs.
- Urban myths such as Bloody Mary for example have no proof or scientific basis and are believed to be untrue. However, the myth is still passed around because the idea that such events could exist is alluring and fun.
- Urban myths and other legends often stem from real life events or people that actually existed, but the truth behind them has become exaggerated or twisted over time. Bloody Mary for example may stem from Mary Worth, a woman hanged for witchcraft, or Queen Mary I of England, who was known for her ruthlessness.
5Study basic physics and biology. Some arguments stem from misinterpretations and misinformation about physics or biology. Understanding the core of these subjects will allow you to challenge unscientific arguments and assumptions.
- Evolution is the most widely known areas of contention between some Christians and atheists. Studying natural selection and how creatures survive and die off is a good place to start your studies.
Engaging in Conversation
1Let them engage. Let them engage the conversation first. This sidesteps any feelings that you may be attacking their belief system with an agenda. Remain calm, firm, and reasonable. A common stereotype of atheists is that they are angry and hostile.
- Explain why you are an atheist and what that means to you. The goal of conversation is to wipe away preconceived notions about one another’s beliefs.
- For example, you could say: “I believe that people have the ability to identify and choose right from wrong by experiencing life on their own.”
- You might also say: “People are wildly complex and interesting – I believe they can make mistakes, but also learn from them, without needing to be policed.”
2Ask questions about their beliefs. Why do they hold a particular belief? Sometimes pointing out a single fallacy every now and then is sufficient. Ask them to explain something about their religion you don't understand to help you to think about deeper meaning.
- You might ask your friend: “How can God allow some in the world to starve and others to eat?”
- You might also ask: “I’m interested in what Christians think of the fact that the Bible was written by several individuals. Is it difficult to trust in so many differing accounts?”
- Suggest your friend start questioning everyday occurrences. Questioning authenticates truth and can become a habit that help change thinking.
3Stay casual. Show that atheism has not impacted your life in a negative way. If they bring up their belief that God had a hand in an event in their life, it is okay to point out other factors that helped them, such as their own actions or a professional's skills.
- For example, getting accepted into college might feel like a divine gift, but it was an individual’s hard work that paved the way. You might tell them: “Congratulations! All of that studying really paid off.”
4Avoid logical fallacies. Both sides of any debate will often create incorrect argumentation and rely on rhetoric without even noticing.
- Common informal fallacies in debate include circular reasoning, which begins and ends an argument with the same idea. For example, “The Bible makes no false claims; whatever the Bible says is true; thus, the Bible contains only truth.” The second and third portions of the argument are the same concept, and thus, not an argument of merit.
5Socialize with them. Spend a day with an eclectic group of friends that come from all walks of life. Exposure to others’ views and philosophies helps all of us expand our thinking.
- Avoid activities that might make your friends of particular faiths uncomfortable, such as wild parties or violent movies.
- Board games, shopping or hiking are excellent activities that everyone can enjoy.
6Give your friend practical advice for their problems. Use personal experience to offer authenticity. If your friend shares some wisdom from the Bible, quote similar wisdom from another belief system or a wise historical individual.
- For example, if your friend is falling behind at school: "I feel you - I had a hard time dealing with all that homework too. Have you looked into study groups? I joined one with my classmates and we ended up finishing the homework in half the time.'
- In times of your friend's lack of confidence, you might offer: "When I feel down, I always think to this great Buddhist quote: 'You can explore the universe looking for somebody who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and you will not find that person anywhere.'"
7Know when to back away. Don't let differences and debate cause the end of a friendship. Know when to drop the conversation.
- Don’t raise your voice. A raised voice often indicates or leads to anger, which can throw the discussion off track. If your friend begins to raise their voice, ease off of the conversation.
- Avoid physicality. A discussion that turns physical is no longer a discussion. If you or your friend start getting pushy, end the conversation and put some space between the two of you for the time being.
- Talking about your feelings behind your thoughts helps create a more peaceful and constructive atmosphere. Show your friend that you are coming from a place of caring, rather than just looking to win an argument
- Keep the argument on track. If the conversation turns to other issues, such as personal attacks or insults, it’s time to drop the conversation.
- If your friend becomes angry or hurt, back away from the conversation and apologize. Even if you feel you are in the right, hurting another’s feelings was not the intent of the conversation and you don’t want to risk your friendship.
8Be open-minded. Listen and understand their point of view. If their faith brings them peace and fulfillment, accept that fact. Don’t damage or take away another’s sense of peace.
- Respect is a two way street. Show respect for the theist if you expect to receive any in return.
- Be prepared for strong resistance.
- Don't push too hard. Change of faith is a highly personal activity that inherently takes a long time. Change is a gradual process. Let the person come to their own understanding. A journey of personal discovery will yield stronger results.
- If you show an openness to understanding your friend's opinions, this should earn openness toward you.
- Listen carefully to the concerns and reservations of the believer. Try to understand their stated reasons for believing, then address each of those concerns directly.
- Citing peer-reviewed scientific publications at every possible opportunity may be a bit overbearing and harm your argument.
- Every person is different, even within the same religion. Don't assume that your friend thinks or believes something merely because he or she is a Christian. Instead, ask him or her about the topic.
- Show the normality of life for an atheist through your own successes and friendships. If your friend sees that being an atheist doesn't mean having a less fulfilling life, it may deal with some of the misconceptions they have about atheism.
- Point out some of the positive and altruistic organizations run by atheists, such as the American Humanist Association.
- Do not bully them into atheism.
- Discuss religion and belief only when invited to do so. Leave religion out of dinner conversions. The last thing you want is to come off as "preachy" or annoying and overbearing.
- Think about your friendship. Are the two of you close? Religious debate can be trying on even the best of friendships and a firm foundation to stand on could make all the difference if the outcome is not positive.
Sources and Citations
- ↑ http://www.openculture.com/religion-free-courses-online
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/books/review/the-book-of-books-what-literature-owes-the-bible.html?_r=0
- ↑ http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199291328.001.0001/acprof-9780199291328
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/mary_i_queen.shtml
- ↑ http://www.edutopia.org/blog/importance-asking-questions-promote-higher-order-competencies-maurice-elias
- ↑ http://www.logicalfallacies.info/presumption/begging-the-question/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-fitness/200908/top-10-tools-avoid-ugly-arguments
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201408/6-ways-win-any-argument
- ↑ http://americanhumanist.org/
In other languages:
Español: convencer a un cristiano para que se vuelva ateo, Italiano: Convincere un Cristiano a Diventare Ateo, Русский: убедить христианина стать атеистом, Português: Persuadir um Cristão a se Tornar Ateu
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 200,746 times. | <urn:uuid:15a73293-392c-45d3-b67e-853956d30837> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.wikihow.com/Persuade-a-Christian-to-Become-Atheist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00154-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938183 | 2,551 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Ericsson, John (ĕrˈĭksən) [key], 1803–89, Swedish-American inventor and marine engineer, b. Värmlands co., Sweden. He moved to London in 1826, and entered the railroad locomotive Novelty in a contest in 1829, only to be defeated by George Stephenson's Rocket. Ericsson's outstanding role in the development of the screw propeller (he patented one in 1836) for ships was responsible for his coming to America in 1839 to build for the U.S. navy. The U.S.S. Princeton, completed by him in 1844, was the first warship with a screw propeller. Unfortunately, one of the ship's guns, which he did not build, exploded and killed several dignitaries, and he was blamed unjustly for the disaster.
Ericsson is chiefly remembered as the designer and builder of the Monitor, a radical departure from previous types; and its fortuitous conflict with the Virginia during the Civil War, less than five months after its keel was laid, caught the imagination of the people and made Ericsson a hero (see Monitor and Merrimack. With his associates he was busy the remainder of the war designing and building other ironclad vessels, and after the war he built monitors for other governments until the type was abandoned. He also constructed gunboats for Spain, and worked on a "destroyer" with successful devices for releasing torpedoes underwater, but he could not interest the U.S. government in it.
Ericsson made many other contributions to engineering, notably in ordnance, in marine engines, and in caloric or heat engines. In his late years he did experimental work in solar physics.
See biography by R. White (1960).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Technology: Biographies | <urn:uuid:097e2394-9a96-4bb4-934b-fe0a1dcfcb63> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/ericsson-john.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403508.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00152-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972189 | 399 | 3.453125 | 3 |
Dromaeosaurs constitute a small clade of theropod dinosaurs which exhibit some highly derived characteristics that they all share, especially modifications of the forelimb allowing for a flexible seizing function (which is thought to have been modified to create the bird "flight stroke"). According to current thinking, birds are hypothesized to have shared a common ancestor with the dromaeosaurs sometime in the Jurassic period; Dromaeosauridae is thus termed the sister group of the clade Aves (which includes all birds). It may even be that the ancestry of birds lies within this group, which would make them dromaeosaurs too, but this is not at all established.
The dromaeosaurs were what are popularly known as (especially in Jurassic Park) the "raptors"; a group of fascinating creatures. "Raptor" is not a technical term favored by scientists to describe these animals; there is already a group of birds called the raptors (it includes the eagles and other hunters). The name of the clade, Dromaeosauridae, is favored over "raptors." The dromaeosaurs were small (wolf-sized) to large (up to 30 feet long!) theropods which had specialized features such as a well-developed slashing talon on their second pedal phalanx (toe) (pictured below), a stiffened tail which possibly functioned as a dynamic stabilizer, and large grasping manus (hands). They were well-equipped with claws, muscular toothy jaws, and agile bodies. These dromaeosaurs have been assumed to have been active, fierce predators since their discovery, and have been influential in the revolution in modern paleontologists' views of dinosaur metabolism and bird origins.
Who were they? What were they like? Let's look at a few interesting specimens:
Deinonychus antirrhopus: Arguably the most important dinosaur fossil ever discovered, Dr. J.H. Ostrom's (of Yale University) 1969 and 1976 descriptions of Deinonychus ("terrible claw") were a major contributor to the re-evaluation of dinosaur activity levels. Ostrom saw the strikingly specialized adaptations present in Deinonychus and proposed that this was no "sluggish lizard," but an active, agile predator that used all four limbs and its jaws to subdue prey. He also saw similarities between it and modern birds, and has today continued to be a leading proponent for the dromaeosaurian kinship with birds. One of his outstanding students, Dr. R.T. Bakker, went on to become the most ardent supporter of Ostrom's ideas, and has been one of the most controversial figures in paleontology; making great strides to revitalize the study of dinosaurs and stimulating conversation among such researchers. Deinonychus also has been found as fossils in small groups which seem to have been killed while attacking Tenontosaurus tilletti, a larger ornithischian dinosaur. This is considered possible evidence of pack-oriented predatory behavior; leading to speculation that these dinosaurs were fairly intelligent, social animals as well.
Deinonychus antirrhopus was about 10 feet (3 m) long and weighed maybe 180 pounds (80 kg); about the size of a jaguar or mountain lion. It has been found in Early Cretaceous deposits in North America.
Velociraptor mongoliensis: Velociraptor ("swift seizer") is known from a few well-preserved remains from Late Cretaceous formations from Mongolia; one of which was fossilized in the act of killing Protoceratops andrewsi, a small ceratopsian dinosaur (pictured at the bottom of the theropod exhibit). It appears that a freak sandstorm in the Mongolian desert buried the two dinosaurs; the Velociraptor had killed the Protoceratops with its slashing talons, but its forelimb was trapped in the latter's beaked jaws, so it could not escape and was suffocated. One of the most amazing and dramatic fossil finds ever discovered.
Contrary to Jurassic Park, Velociraptor was not a large animal; it was about 6 feet (1.8 m) long and weighed maybe 100 pounds (45 kg); about the size of a large dog or wolf.
Utahraptor kirklandi: However, during the filming of the movie Jurassic Park, fragments of a large dromaeosaur skeleton were found in Utah. A study proclaimed that the giant raptor from the movie had been found; this animal seemed to be the perfect size for such a creature. Giant dromaeosaurs have been recently found in Argentina, Japan, and elsewhere in Asia, so we know that there were probably several types of dromaeosaurs about the size of the Jurassic Park villains, and even larger!
The Terrible Claw
The "killing claw" of dromaeosaurs is an incredible structure useful for just that: killing. It was normally held off of the ground during locomotion, but when the muscles of the toe were contracted, the claw swept down quickly. The claw base-to-tip angle maximized the transmission of forces from the leg to the tip of the claw, providing for a powerful slash that may have been able to disembowel prey swiftly. The stiffened tail would have been good to stabilize the body while the grasping arms and jaws held onto the prey for balance. Although there is no conclusive evidence for this, it has been suggested that dromaeosaurs could have performed leaps onto large prey and used all four limbs to rip wounds in them. Truly an example of evolution producing a killing machine. Dromaeosaurs were probably not the fastest of dinosaurs since dromaeosaurs have fairly large femora (thigh bones); ornithomimids probably were fastest (see our dinosaur speeds exhibit for more information), but persuasive evidence in any case is lacking. It has been argued that dromaeosaurs were similar to lions in predatory behavior, preferring ambushes, quick chases using their high maneuverability, and pack tactics. This is speculation of course; we can't really know what dromaeosaurs were like, but we can have loads of fun speculating. New finds of dromaeosaur specimens in the last few years will hopefully tell us more about these strange and exciting dinosaurs.
Let's take a look at birds. | <urn:uuid:a98a9d52-d600-4f30-9f08-8e5a338fe507> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/saurischia/dromaeosauridae.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00190-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970972 | 1,332 | 3.859375 | 4 |
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Statistics of barcoding coverage
Specimens with Sequences:268
Specimens with Barcodes:98
Species With Barcodes:22
Buthus is a genus of scorpion belonging and being eponymous to the family Buthidae. It is distributed widely across northern Africa, including Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, as well as the Middle East, including Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and possibly Saudi-Arabia and southern Turkey. Its European range includes the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Cyprus.
The genus was introduced by W.E. Leach (1815: 391). It was only the second genus of scorpion as all species known to this date were included in the sole genus Scorpio Linné, 1758. Leach found Scorpio occitanus Amoreux, 1789 to differ from the other species of Scorpio known to him by having eight eyes (two median eyes and six lateral eyes) instead of six (two median eyes and four lateral eyes). C.L. Koch (1837) expanded this concept and subdivided the scorpions in four families according to the number of their eyes. He named his second family, the "eight-eyed scorpions", Buthides. The use of the number of eyes in the classification of scorpions has been discarded since, however the name Buthidae is still in use for the most diverse family of scorpions.
The content of this genus may vary, depending on the authority. The best known species, B. occitanus, was once thought to be widespread from southern France, throughout Spain and Morocco, along the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and eastwards as far as Israel. However, recent research has shown that it forms a highly diverse cluster of closely related but separate species. A number of taxa formerly considered as subspecies or "varieties" have been granted full species status, others have been described as entirely new. The Moroccan Atlas region is a hot-spot of diversity with at least 14 species (40% of all known species). This diversity is explained by the topography which led to a high degree of speciation in populations which are separated from others by mountain ranges. Four species are considered to occur in Europe: B. occitanus (southern France, eastern and southern Spain), B. montanus (mountain ranges of southeastern Spain), B. ibericus (western Spain and Portugal), and B. kunti (Cyprus). At least 35 species are known, many of which are quite similar in appearance:
- Buthus albengai Lourenço, 2003
- Buthus amri Lourenço, Yağmur & Duhem, 2010
- Buthus atlantis Pocock, 1889
- Buthus awashensis Kovařík, 2011
- Buthus barcaeus Birula, 1909
- Buthus barbouri Werner, 1932
- Buthus berberensis Pocock, 1900
- Buthus bonito Lourenço & Geniez, 2005
- Buthus boumalenii Touloun & Boumezzough, 2011
- Buthus brignolii Lourenço, 2003
- Buthus chambiensis Kovařík, 2006
- Buthus draa Lourenço & Slimani, 2004
- Buthus dunlopi Kovařík, 2006
- Buthus elhennawyi Lourenço, 2005
- Buthus elizabethae Lourenço, 2005
- Buthus elmoutakoualiki Lourenço & Qi, 2006
- Buthus ibericus Lourenço & Vachon, 2004
- Buthus insolitus Borelli, 1925
- Buthus intumescens (Hemprich in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828)
- Buthus israelis Shulov & Amitai, 1959
- Buthus jianxinae Lourenço, 2005
- Buthus kunti Yağmur, Koç & Lourenço, 2011
- Buthus lienhardi Lourenço, 2003
- Buthus malhommei Vachon, 1949
- Buthus mardochei Simon, 1878
- Buthus mariaefrancae Lourenço, 2003
- Buthus maroccanus Birula, 1903
- Buthus montanus Lourenço & Vachon, 2004
- Buthus occidentalis Lourenço, Sun & Zhou, 2009
- Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789) type species
- Buthus paris (C.L. Koch, 1839)
- Buthus rochati Lourenço, 2003
- Buthus tassili Lourenço, 2002
- Buthus tunetanus (Herbst, 1800)
- Buthus yemenensis Lourenço, 2008
Members of Buthus are generally medium-sized scorpions (40–85 mm total length). Coloration is generally yellow, with different tones of brown to red-brown. Darker patterns may occur on various parts of the body. The pedipalps (pincers) are relatively gracile with slender digits and a globose base. The cephalothorax bears strong ornamentation with small granules arranged to form carinae (ridges). The most prominent carinae form a lyra-shaped pattern behind the median eyes in many species. The mesosoma is also often granulated and commonly bears three ridges on the tergites. The metasoma is slender but not thin with well developed carinae of granules, and some short spines in some species. A large vesicle terminates in a sharp and long aculeus (stinger).
Though generally not considered lethal, the venom of Buthus species is considered of medical importance. They form a considerable part of scorpion envenomation cases, especially in northern Africa. According to a study by Touloun et al. (2001) scorpions of the B. occitanus complex caused 26% of all recorded cases in southwestern Morocco, but none of them resulted in death.
Species of Buthus live in semi-arid to arid climate in various terrains, from mountain valleys to coastal plains mostly with sparse vegetation, even in deserts. As most scorpions they are predominantly nocturnal and hide in shallow burrows, most commonly below stones.
To request an improvement, please leave a comment on the page. Thank you! | <urn:uuid:2488b961-3b0d-4b06-890e-fe92a145e9cc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.eol.org/pages/2917607/details | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00065-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.874587 | 1,428 | 3.25 | 3 |
By Brian Merchant, TreeHugger
Ever since being implemented in the early 1900′s, considerable controversy has surrounded the use of Daylight Saving Time. The practice benefits sports, retail (the extra daylight after the end of working hours means more shopping), and leisure activities reliant on sunlight. But it causes problems for farmers, who must work after morning dew dries, and the entertainment industry, which loses primetime viewers.
Yet Daylight Saving Time has remained seemingly debate-proof, thanks to its most important contribution: it saves energy. But this no longer seems to be the case–and instead, it could be increasing worldwide energy demand and costing billions of dollars every year.
Daylight Saving Time Saves Energy?
The foremost rationale behind DST has always been energy conservation–from sparing coal usage for incandescent lighting in the 1910′s to conserving oil during the embargo in the 1970′s. The underlying logic seems to make sense: more daylight hours, less electricity needed for lighting. Daylight Saving was even extended in 2007 under the pretext that it saved energy–whether people liked it or not.
But a 2008 study from the University of California Energy Institute revealed that there’s actually very little evidence to suggest DST saves any energy at all.
A Natural Experiment in Indiana
The study takes its data from a natural experiment done in Indiana, which provided information on residential energy consumption. From this, the study’s authors were able to “provide the first empirical estimates of DST effects on electricity consumption in the United States since the mid-1970s.”
It’s an in-depth statistical analysis of a vast set of Indiana residents’ electrical bills:
Focusing on residential electricity demand, we conduct the first-ever study that uses micro-data on households to estimate an overall DST effect. The dataset consists of more than 7 million observations on monthly billing data for the vast majority of households in southern Indiana for three years.
The main finding? Daylight Saving Time actually increases electricity demand, instead of lessening it. DST caused electrical demand to rise almost 1 percent each year overall–with a much heavier increase of 2-4 percent in the fall, when residents “fall back” an hour.
The Cause and Cost of DST’s Increased Electrical Demand
The culprit is most likely a tradeoff between the reduced demand for lighting and an increased demand for heating and cooling–and it’s a trade that DST is on the losing end of. (TreeHugger has reported similar findings.) While supposedly conserving electricity for lighting, DST is requiring even more energy for heating and air conditioning–around $9 million more. That’s right, the study estimates DST actually costs Indiana residents $9 million a year. And the kicker? The study projects the effect is even more pronounced in other areas of the US and the world. That could easily amount to billions of dollars a year spent on unnecessary energy consumption.
As the study points out, Daylight Saving is practiced in 76 countries and affects around 1.6 billion people. If indeed it turns out that it’s causing needless energy consumption–eradicating the long held convention could spare countless pounds of greenhouse gas, and save economies around the globe considerable strain. | <urn:uuid:7f61090c-b0bb-4df4-bfa9-7a2cc4f9fdfc> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-daylight-savings-time-costing-us-billions-in-electricity.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397565.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00100-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9335 | 675 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Education and the Common Good: A Moral Philosophy of the Curriculum by Philip H. Phenix
Philip H. Phenix was educated at Princeton University, Union Theological Seminary, and Columbia University. He was formerly Dean of Carleton College, and was professor of Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Published by Harper & Brothers, 1961. This material was prepared for Religion Online by Ted and Winnie Brock.
Chapter 7: Work
Work is a third domain of creative activity. Broadly speaking, work is an art. The worker is an "artisan," a molder and maker of things. Good work requires skill in production, careful design, and excellence of form. It is criteria such as these that link the values of work with those of esthetic excellence and good manners within the general category of creative effort.
The evaluation of work in the economy of life is directly related to the general character of the social system. In particular, the development of democratic forms of social organization has profoundly affected the outlook on work. In the aristocratic society, labor is for slaves, not for free men. The mark of a gentleman is having leisure -- not having to work. Labor is regarded as degrading, as beneath the dignity of a man, as a burden to be borne by those who live under the command of others. However, this aristocratic denigration of work applies chiefly to manual labor, for the intellectual tasks of management, of government, of scholarship, and of artistic creation are regarded as quite appropriate for free men.
Democratic society repudiates the contrast of slave and free and thereby universalizes the responsibility for work. In principle no one is exempt from work, and no fixed classes of persons are assigned to the labor of hand and brain, respectively. Society is not expected to be stratified with respect to labor and leisure, for work is accepted as an intrinsic and universal component of the human situation.
The climax of the democratization of work has come about through machine technology, under which machines are used to perform most of what was formerly done by slaves, and much more besides. Machines have radically altered the nature of work, largely by eliminating man as a source of animal power and by reducing to a minimum the routine and repetitive types of work that men must perform. With the continued development of automatic machines, the proportion of jobs requiring intellectual rather than sheer physical effort is rapidly increasing, with the prospect that before long virtually all labor will be technical, managerial, or creative. Even complex intellectual processes are more and more being performed by machines, thus moving the requirements of labor still further in the direction of imaginative planning and evaluative judgment.
Thus, modern inventions have reinforced the democratization of society by obliterating the duality of manual labor and intellectual labor and by making it possible -- even necessary for the sake of efficiency -- for everyone to engage in the kinds of work reserved in aristocratic societies for gentlemen.
The universalizing of work has been an important factor in the growth of democratic education. Since work is everyone’s responsibility, means must be provided for preparing workers to do their jobs effectively. Furthermore, as the nature of the tasks needing to be done has become increasingly complex and as the intellectual factors in work have become dominant, the required duration and attainment level of education have sharply advanced. Hence, education in modern industrial society is strongly oriented toward occupational preparation. It follows that work and education are closely interrelated in contemporary culture. Prevailing attitudes toward work are reflected in educational programs and objectives, and educational ideals and practices have an influence on vocational life. The nature of democratic vocational values is accordingly of major importance to all who teach.
Contemporary vocational life mainly reflects the concerns of the acquisitive outlook characteristic of the democracy of desire, and education largely follows this pattern. According to this prevailing conception, work is regarded primarily as a means of getting what one wants. A person works in order to achieve, and achievement means reaching the goals one has set for himself, securing the goods and position he craves, fulfilling the ambitions he has entertained, satisfying the demands he has made on life. In short, the goal of work is success. The purpose of labor is to overcome obstacles to progress. One makes progress by "getting ahead" (of other people). According to this view, the harder a person works, the more he is likely to succeed. The more diligently and skillfully he does his job -- and, hence, the better his educational preparation for it -- the more he will be rewarded for his efforts.
Work is thus regarded as a price to be paid for subsequent satisfaction, beyond the work. The laborer "slaves" at his job in order to become "free" for enjoyment when the job is done. The goal is outside of and beyond the task, in the rewards that are due for accomplishment. Under undemocratic autocracies the workers labored by compulsion, without hope of real reward and hence without any opportunity for "success." In the democracy of desire, rewards are proportioned to productive achievement, so that the degree to which a person may satisfy his desires is directly related to his labor output.
The freedom-for-satisfaction which is secured by labor under this system is perfected by the money system. The worker is not rewarded by payment in specified goods and services but in money which can be exchanged for whatever is needed or desired. Money is the guarantee of liberty in the fulfillment of wants. It is the source of independence outside of work, the proof that beyond the job one is truly a free man and not a slave.
Money is the modern symbol of autonomy, of unrestrained self-determination. It is easy to understand, then, why the rewards sought for work are conceived in monetary terms. To labor for money is to secure the right to autonomy. Money is the assurance of having whatever the heart desires. In a democracy of desire, money is the absolute good, from which all blessings flow, precisely because it is neutral in respect to values: it contains no judgments of better or worse, no directions about right or wrong. It is the token of unconditional power, of unrestricted liberty. Money is the measure of success, for the meaning of success in such a society is having the power to command what one wants.
When want-satisfaction is thus dominant, work becomes of first importance, for it is the prime road to success. A person’s whole destiny depends upon getting a job that pays well. The ideal of character is the "productive personality," one who "gets things done," the "go-getter." Such a person need not be overtly aggressive, like the rugged individualists who dominated the American business scene in the late nineteenth century. Instead, he may follow the way of the "organization man," who merges his life into the corporate pattern. In either case the goal is the same -- namely, success in the job. The conditions of success may differ from one type of work to another or from era to era, but the achievement objectives are identical.
In the success-oriented society, education is completely vocationalized. All teaching and learning are justified in the light of their contribution to work. Education is the key to social mobility, via the ladder of occupational achievement. The prime motive for going to school, for doing well in studies, and for staying in school to the highest level possible is to secure a good job. This vocational emphasis affects not only the manifestly practical fields of study, such as the technical and professional disciplines, but even the "pure" liberal arts and sciences, which have commonly been represented as the studies appropriate for the nurture of the free man -- studies whose justification and worth lie solely in themselves and not in any extrinsic purposes. In our acquisitive society it is now the fashion to insist that there is nothing so practical as theory (thus defending the study of "pure" and apparently useless subjects), and that a broad humanistic education is really the best preparation for ambitious young people today because their work as executives will require a deep understanding of human motives and the capacity, gained from a wide cultural perspective, to adapt readily to the new circumstances of a dynamic civilization. Though there is doubtless much truth in these claims, their validity is not the point of present interest, which is rather the further evidence they provide of the pervasiveness of vocational criteria and motives in contemporary education.
Under the desire-dominated philosophy of work the hunger for rewards stimulates a vast outpouring of human energy. Enterprise flourishes. Eager and ambitious men, women, and children vie with one another for pre-eminence in production in order to secure a larger share of the rewards that accrue from these efforts. Meanwhile, work takes on the aspect of an unbearable burden. Dominated as it is by the limitless demands for rewards, after which others too, are grasping, work becomes an oppressive and destructive force in human life. Because of the strain and anxiety occasioned by it, the intrinsic satisfactions in labor are lost and the extrinsic satisfactions, which are supposed to be the reward of effort, are themselves spoiled by the ever-present consciousness of the human price being paid for them.
In order to justify the unpleasant and anxious exertions required in this competitive scheme, the worker searches for more intense kinds of satisfaction which will enable him to forget his burdens for a time and to prove to himself and to others that the struggle is worth while. He engages in acts of conspicuous consumption, of extravagant display, and of debauchery, which put even heavier pressure on him to earn enough to pay for them and at the same time drain him of the energy needed to compete successfully. The result is a vicious circle of alternating determined effort and frenetic grasping for enjoyment, both increasingly destructive of personal well-being.
Thus, man is reduced to the condition of slavery by the very work that is meant to liberate him. The harder he works for the liberty that is supposed to be its fruit, the more tightly the shackles are fastened upon him. This condition is a consequence of the unlimited nature of human wants. As long as the fulfillment of desire is the criterion of human good, mankind follows a path of certain futility, for each craving supplied leads only to a new and larger demand. Attainment of each goal opens up the vista of even more ambitious objectives to be reached. Success is an insatiable overlord. Linking work to want-satisfaction places an unbounded demand on the worker, thus committing him to abject servitude.
This overpowering compulsion to work under the desire philosophy is accompanied by a basic devaluation of labor. Work is regarded as the means to an end different and distinct from itself. One does the job for the sake of what comes after the day’s work. The monetary rewards are what count, and for their sake the burdens of labor are endured. Of course, if desires can be satisfied and rewards can be obtained without work, so much the better. Hence, alongside the emphasis on work appears a pervasive rejection of labor. A person works in order to get out of work. For many people the whole meaning of a job is contained in the promise of vacation with pay. Stenographers will sit for fifty weeks at their typewriters sustained by the prospect of two weeks in Bermuda. Teachers will endure nine months of torture in the classroom and six weeks of drudgery in summer school for the sake of a month in Europe or at a resort. Similarly, many workers are buoyed up during their years of labor by the thought of a happy retirement, while still others are spurred to extraordinary effort or are willing to undertake unusually hazardous or unpleasant assignments so as to make enough money to retire early. Unfortunately the dehumanizing effects of protracted, intense labor without intrinsic meaning generally render the worker incapable of enjoying the retirement freedom which he so eagerly anticipated.
Further evidence of the rejection of work is the multiplication of labor-saving devices in our advanced industrial society. There can be no question about the value of machines that make it unnecessary for men to serve as beasts of burden, greatly increase the efficiency of the craftsman, and release human beings for higher forms of activity. However, a host of modern gadgets, of which electric can openers and push-button automobile window lifts are typical, are not primarily functional but are toys for the amusement of people "who have everything," and are symbols of the repudiation of labor. Again, there is the curious self-contradiction of a society with ingenious and industrious people expending great productive efforts to avoid the necessity of expending efforts.
In still another direction the attitude toward work when the interest philosophy prevails is evident in the phenomena of criminality, particularly in the various forms of larceny. Graft, bribery, misappropriation of funds, forgery, and allied criminal acts are attempted short cuts to satisfaction. They are ways of getting what is desired without working for it. In recent years in the United States there has been a mounting number of thefts by "respectable" white-collar employees and officials as well as by the usual professional criminals. This is not surprising in a society so largely devoted as ours is to pecuniary gain and so ambivalent about work.
Less spectacular but safer are the many legitimate ways of getting something for little or nothing. Sinecures that pay well but make few demands are considered a great prize. Many a corporation or government official draws his salary but renders scarcely any services. Strong labor unions protect many men in positions that technical advances have rendered unnecessary and obsolete. Capping all these ways of winning without working are stock market and real estate speculation. For many people nothing better epitomizes the American Dream than the possibility of making a fortune simply by paper transactions without ever engaging in any real labor.
Phenomena such as those described above seem to require the following view of the relation between interest and effort: When the good is defined by reference to the pursuit of interests, work will be expended only when it is necessary to gain the desired ends. When desires can be attained without effort, no work will be done. Thus arises the attitude that the good life is a life without work, and that the measure of the value of existence is freedom from toil. This view is accompanied by the expectation that the benefits of civilization will continue to accrue, as gifts of nature, without any demand on the energies of men for their creation and maintenance. This is the situation so tellingly treated in Ortegay Gasset’s Revolt of the Masses. Modern man takes the products of civilization for granted, as if they were dropped from trees in a tropical paradise. He rejects the demand placed upon him continually to make and remake culture. He denies the need for unremitting effort by each generation to re-create the forms of life that lift mankind above the beast.
The consequences of this devaluing of work are twofold. First, men are afflicted with an oppressive feeling of boredom. The freshness and vigor of life are replaced by dispirited lassitude. The capacity for keen enjoyment departs, and one is beset by a sense of meaninglessness. One no longer feels needed or wanted. The stimulus of high purposes and exciting goals is gone, and one comes to regard himself as a worthless parasite.
The subjective woes are accompanied by objective ones. In the work-despising society, culture is imperiled. The hard-won institutions of civilization decay and disintegrate. Refinement lapses into grossness, and profundity fades into triviality. Standards deteriorate, and qualitative discriminations disappear. A pall of dull mediocrity hangs over the land.
Homes and schools are necessarily implicated in these conditions. Education cannot escape the ultimate effects of the acquisitive philosophy. With the growth of American industrial society in the nineteenth century, it became apparent that education was an important road to success. If young people were to rise above the level of their parents, they clearly needed the knowledge and skill that education could supply. Schools and colleges were established in great numbers, and more and more young people took advantage of this great new opportunity for upward movement on the ladder of success. It was hard work, but the rewards of educational achievement were great and worthy of the effort.
As education to ever higher levels became a general obligation, it assumed more and more the aspect of a burden rather than an opportunity. Students increasingly occupied themselves with finding ways of avoiding the tasks set for them, and teachers spent more and more energy in the disciplinary role of trying to keep the students on the job.
Partly to meet this unsatisfactory condition, a progressive movement in education was inaugurated. Its proponents sought to re-establish the vital connection between the student and the curriculum and thus to make the effort of learning meaningful, by relating studies to the student’s own actual life situations. This was in some respects an admirable and well-conceived direct attack on the problem of work devaluation. In the hands of skillful teachers the new methods of instruction, appealing to the active or latent concerns of the students, were the basis for outstanding educational achievement. The new philosophy above all provided a foundation for the continual reconstruction of the curriculum by removing it from its traditional position of static detachment and setting it into direct relationship with the changing interests and problems of human life.
Despite its merits, the new education proved to be corruptible. Why? The corruption came from emphasizing the child and forgetting the curriculum. The new theories provided no sufficient foundation for knowledge and values. The focus was on man as an intelligent social organism seeking to solve his problems and satisfy his wants. The true and the good were dislodged from their positions of independence, priority, and permanence and were subordinated to considerations of human interest and satisfaction. Success-oriented education in the long run leads to enslavement by work and to a countermove to reject work. This explains the curious phenomenon of "soft pedagogy" arising out of an educational philosophy aimed at stimulating serious effort by students. The concern for making studies interesting, useful, and relevant degenerated into the attempt to make students comfortable. The rigors of academic discipline were supplanted by painless studies which everyone could enjoy -- but which few were able to respect.
The widespread practice of academic dishonesty is a further reflection of the prevailing view of work. If results can be obtained without labor, no effort will be expended. If the desired grades and certificates can be secured by the short-cut route of cheating on papers and examinations, why undergo the pain of doing the work honestly? Recent surveys indicate that most students do not regard cheating as a serious offense, and that many accept it without difficulty as one of the tools of academic success.
It is instructive to reflect on the fact that the main challenge to the softness and triviality in the modern American curriculum has come as a result of communist successes. We have been frightened into re-examining our educational system by the spectacle of Soviet achievement in science and technology. The frenzy of our reaction is a symptom of our involvement in precisely the same success system that underlies the communists’ zeal. Despite its rejection of private property, communism is the extreme case of a gain-motivated social system. Ambition to succeed, the will to compete, and the pursuit of power are central to communist ideology. The autonomy of man (through collective organization) is the central article of communist faith. Communist will to work will eventually be dissolved in a sea of meaninglessness. Successors to the present generation of revolutionists will enjoy the affluence of the people’s paradise, they, too, will look upon work as something to be avoided, and they will at length also suffer the oppression of boredom in a world without values. Thus, though Americans may indeed need to reconstruct their educational system, it should not be done in the light of the communist model, whose central success principle is already at work undermining our own civilization.
Thus far our analysis of the democracy of desire as it bears upon work has concentrated on the resulting alternation between slavish effort and avoidance of labor. Two further consequences of this philosophy merit consideration: the obliteration of qualitative distinctions between kinds of work, and the atomization of the occupational structure. When the only important concern is the rewards of work, and when labor is regarded simply as a means to monetary gain, the nature of the occupation is of secondary importance. Work is work, and what one does is determined by the rewards offered. The choice of occupation is then governed largely by marketplace considerations. The fundamental questions are not: What will I contribute? What is the value of the service I will render? -- but: What inducements and privileges are provided? What are the salary and fringe benefits? What opportunities for advancement are offered?
When this system prevails, education is commandeered into the service of the work market. Curriculums are arranged in response to occupational demands. Schooling is regarded mainly as job preparation. If the biggest rewards are offered in business, then business schools and prebusiness courses thrive. If the current demand is for scientists and engineers, institutions and studies designed to equip them for this work are created. Consistent with the general pattern, qualitative distinctions and independent evaluations even in education are subordinated to criteria of demand.
The other consequence of the acquisitive philosophy is the atomizing of the occupational structure in modern industrial society. If gain is the criterion of value in work, efficiency --maximum results from minimum effort -- is the major consideration. This efficiency requires a high degree of occupational specialization. Each worker performs one kind of task, which he learns to accomplish with great speed and accuracy. The specialists must be directed and coordinated by managers whose job it is to maintain effective organization of the parts. In this kind of society essential qualities of human nature are sacrificed to productive efficiency (and to the consequent consumptive abundance ) . Human beings lose their full, many-sided humanity when they specialize too narrowly. They become things rather than persons when they are trained only to do a particular limited set of tasks according to a standard formula. They fail to rise to their stature as creative individuals when they are treated as interchangeable and replaceable parts in the social machine. By concentrating on one activity they miss the sense of the whole, which is a major source of the sense of meaning and purpose in work. Moreover, the development of a managerial hierarchy powerful enough to weld the specialist workers into an effective unity presents a threat to democratic freedom and engenders habits of mind that undermine the individual’s sense of civic responsibility.
The dominance of specialism is clearly evident in modern education. Success in scholarly production, like success in other kinds of work, requires high concentration of effort. Furthermore, the various occupational specialties depend upon training programs of a correspondingly narrow and intense character. Specialized scholars stand at the summit of academic prestige, and subject-matter compartmentalization characterizes the curriculum, even to some extent in the elementary schools. Academic generalists are regarded with pity, condescension, or contempt and usually find it possible to survive in the academic scramble only by redeeming their generality through affiliation with one of the specialized disciplines. Broadly humanistic studies suffer, while technical disciplines thrive.
In a democracy of worth, work is not a means to achieve desired benefits, but a response to the call of duty and a channel for devoted service. It is a way of fulfilling responsibilities and of creating and sustaining things of value. The obligation to work is universal, since responsibility for the right belongs to everyone alike. This universality of duty is the ground of the democratic character of work. Responsibility for the right is no respecter of persons, groups, or classes; none are exempt from its claims.
The measure of goodness is neither productivity nor the satisfaction of wants. It is qualitative, not quantitative. Since work measured by such standards is no longer subject to the command of boundless desires, the furious striving of the success-oriented society is absent. Instead, work is regarded as creative activity performed in obedience to the ideal of goodness. It is accepted in proper relation to other activities of life. It is not alternately grasped and rejected, as it is when desire governs. It is regarded in perspective and with a sense of proportion in the total economy of life. With this attitude, work is not a burden, but a creative opportunity. One is not a slave, subject to the tyranny of the drive for success, but a willing servant of the good.
More important still, labor done out of devotion to the good is justified not by extrinsic rewards but by the quality of the work itself. Thus it is a source of meaning. It has intrinsic value. It is accepted and welcomed as a significant and essential feature of life -- as a necessary ingredient of the human situation. When work is valued in itself and is seen as a means of expressing one’s loyalty to the good, it is welcomed rather than avoided. It is an occasion for rejoicing, for enthusiastic endeavor different in spirit from the feverish, anxious striving of the ambitious. There is no thought of resort to dishonest means to escape effort, no subterfuge, and no bypassing aimed at getting something for nothing, since the whole motive for work is not getting but giving, making, serving, creating.
In the democracy of worth a person works because he sees an opportunity to advance a good cause, to meet a real need. Life without work is viewed with aversion, and the right kind of work is embraced with thankfulness as a source of personal and social well-being. Constructive activity is essential to health of mind and body. Human beings are endowed with capacities that need to be employed; if they are not used, they atrophy, and personality deteriorates. The elemental necessity for work and its fundamental standard of rightness stem from this basic human requirement for the active exercise of native capabilities. Besides this personal need for life-giving activity, work is necessary for the preservation and advancement of civilization. Under the philosophy of worth each generation accepts its responsibility for making and remaking the culture. It is understood that the benefits of civilization do not come automatically from the cornucopia of nature but must be continually created and renewed by human effort.
While education in such a society contributes to the preparation of workers, the whole educational effort is not vocationalized. Preparation for an occupation is only one among several major objectives of the schools, and this goal is always pursued with due regard for the basic needs of human nature and of the good society. When the universal obligation to work is an unquestioned assumption, teachers and parents can require and expect serious work by children. Sustained labor is regarded not as an imposition to be avoided but as a normal and just component of human existence. Teachers and pupils do not judge the desirability of various studies and learning activities by the pleasure, comfort, or satisfaction they yield; their sole concern is for the contribution made to the development of right habits of thought and conduct. Young people readily learn to respect parents and teachers who respect them enough to make demands upon them commensurate with their ability and inspired by concern for truth and right. They cannot respect parents and teachers who either exercise arbitrary power over them or are guided primarily by their wants and wishes.
Human beings are made for hard work; they grow and thrive on its challenge and find zest in submitting faithfully to its yoke. Yet young people will not normally discover this without the sustained and patient insistence by adults that they expend effort in significant work. This is the obligation of home and school. The key to effectiveness in such adult leadership is the sincere appreciation by those who teach of the intrinsic worth of the work they ask their students to do. And this appreciation grows out of the teachers’ own loyalty and enthusiasm for the work to which they are called.
When values, instead of interests, are the governing consideration, discrimination among different kinds of work becomes important. People do not choose their jobs simply on the basis of money return; their first concern is the worth of the work, the contribution it makes to a significant life. Furthermore, the distribution of occupations within society is not determined simply by the pressures of the market. Instead, workers are apportioned to various jobs with due regard for both individual competences and the needs of the good society. Ideally the desirable distribution should be achieved through choice by individual workers, with maximum freedom to change from one position to another. To accomplish the ideal, this freedom must be accompanied by adequate information about personal capabilities and the needs of society, together with a widespread sense of individual responsibility for the good of all.
In attaining this goal, education plays an important part. One of the main tasks of the school is competent vocational guidance, which is governed primarily not by the principle of helping the student prepare for and get the position he wants, but by the objective of teaching students to know their own abilities and the nature of their society and persuading and inspiring them to devote their energies to the tasks that most urgently need to be done.
An obviously crucial question is: Which work is good, significant, and right, and which is not? No simple and direct answer to this question is possible. The response can only be an indirect one, to the effect that the goodness of work is measured by its contribution to personal and social excellence, the standards of which cover the whole range of human concerns. Thus, an occupation that makes use of intellectual powers consistently with the canons of true knowledge and dedicated inquiry is in that respect valuable, as compared with one that neglects, degrades, or misuses the gift of intelligence. Employment in the mass media is worthy if it is devoted to the publication of true, significant, and elevating materials; otherwise, it is not. Jobs that promote refined tastes and richness of esthetic life for the community are in that respect good. Similarly, work that conserves the resources of the earth, advances mental and physical health, sustains love and fidelity in family relations, minimizes arbitrary class and race distinctions, subserves the principles of economic and political justice and the cause of international cooperation, and as a true vocation becomes a service of worship: such work is, in these several respects, good.
Hence, proper vocational guidance requires a comprehensive set of value standards. It is not sufficient merely to appraise personal abilities and social demands and to find the best balance between the two. Human beings are capable of both good and evil conduct, and societies make both right and wrong demands. Occupational counseling is both a technical and an ethical enterprise, but the ethical aspect is the more fundamental of the two and the one more neglected in contemporary practice. Probably no other step a young person takes is as crucial for the total significance of his life as the choice of work, including the educational preparation necessary for it. In this decision the primary orientation toward giving or getting comes to the fore, and with it a host of consequences and applications in a great variety of more specific human concerns, as indicated in the preceding paragraph. Vocational advisement, if it is to be of real educational value, should consist not in one or a few interviews on entering or leaving school, but in a continuing dialogue between the student and his parents and teachers in all fields as well as with professional guidance officers. This dialogue should be regarded as the primary opportunity for teaching true democratic values, for in it the issues of what is really worthful and whether one shall live for satisfaction or for service become "existential"--personally decisive -- rather than merely theoretical and speculative. In the continuing discussion of vocation the student must face the questions: Who am I? Who shall I become? What shall I make of my life? A counselor can help a student to answer these questions if he believes there are values worthy of loyalty and if he has reflected long enough and deeply enough to arrive at some conviction as to what some of those values are.
One further consequence of orientation around values instead of around success is the moderation of specialization. Concern shifts from productive efficiency alone to the requirements of the good life. Specialization is regarded as a means for increasing the individual’s qualitative excellence of achievement and for making possible higher forms of cultural life through the organization of differentiated skills. The gains from differentiation are balanced against the need for wholeness and variety in the development of personality. Furthermore, while specialists in organization and management may properly be used, the whole responsibility for the coordination of work does not rest upon them. Every person needs to be conscious of his place within the social complex and aware of the relation between his special contribution and the services performed by others. He must then assume responsibility for the welfare of his organization and of the human commonwealth as a whole. This he can do only if he has both specialized skills and breadth of understanding.
In education this value orientation with respect to work results in emphasis on general studies that is, studies that are devoted to the growth of humane values and not simply to technical competence. General education is concerned with what a person needs to know and to become as a human being, not merely as a cog in the corporate mechanism. Generality does not preclude high concentration. It does preclude the narrow pursuit of knowledge and skill without concern for their relevance to the whole pattern of truth and right. Properly speaking, general education is not superficial, despite the contrary testimony of some efforts bearing that name. True generality is necessarily profound, because it involves a consideration of complex relationships, the discernment of fundamental relevancies, and the exhibition of value premises. Nor is general study, rightly conceived, only elementary and introductory in nature. It is by nature more advanced and reflects a higher level of cultural attainment than specialized disciplines, because it presupposes and goes beyond the particular competences to an analysis of their larger bearings and grounds for justification. Thus, in a democracy of worth the program of education is conceived not solely or mainly as preparation for successful pursuit of an occupation but as the gateway to a worthy life, in which work has its proper place within the larger vocation of being a civilized human being in a humane society.
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Plaque Control, Dental Hygiene, and the
Pioneering Work of Charles C. Bass
Adam Blatner, M.D.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
Most people past the age of 30 begin to have more obvious,
symptomatic gum disease.
Untreated plaque build-up leads to chronic inflammation (as shown
and/or to the right); which leads in turn to a susceptibility to
low-grade infection, breakdown of the tooth enamel leading to
infection and abcess formation, toothache, and tooth extraction.
of alignment that comes with tooth loss irritates the gums and
the other teeth more vulnerable to root decay and infection and
|Arrow points to dental plaque, associated
with swollen and reddened inflamed gums (gingivitis,
People born before around 1920 often began to suffer from
their middle years; they often had the offending teeth pulled and
was common that people sought a partial or full set of dentures
teeth) by the time they were in their 50s or 60s.
Not only was this pattern a source of chronic discomfort, acute
episodes of pain, the financial strain of dental fees, the
discomfort also of ill-fitting dentures, and so forth, but the
teeth or their tenderness led to dietary changes---a loss of
chewier, food---sometimes favorite foods!---, and an increasing
Nor whould we underestimate the subtle loss to the family and
that comes with a person who is in discomfort---grouchiness,
embarrassment at smiling with teeth missing, a tendency not to
bad breath, and so forth. This problem also perpetuated
a subtle stereotype of toothless elderhood as less attractive,
In other words, I used to think most dental problems are due to
cavities, a tooth problem; what's emerging is that most cavities
turn caused by gum problems, even more so in adulthood. There is
mounting evidence that chronic inflammation is associated with low
grade infection, and this in turn may be a factor in the formation
atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and other systemic medical
it is worthwhile to seek ways of understanding and countering gum
Only in the last fifty years have they elucidated the causes of
pervasive condition, and shown that reasonably easy techniques of
regular flossing and brushing can prevent this condition! While
tooth decay is probably inevitable, much of it can be prevented.
Plaque Build-up: The Real Cause of Tooth Decay and Loss in
The picture to the left is an enlarged side view of a tooth with
moderate gum disease. On the far left is a mild
brownish-grey stuff at the tooth edge being calculus, a calcium
build-up from the old secretions of plaque. You don't actually see
plaque in this picture. (It was drawn before scientists
dynamic nature of the bacterial overlay!) The pocket on the left
mild---on the right is moderate---note the depth of the pocket
the gum. Also notice that the top of the gum on the right is
away a bit---part of what they mean by a "receding gum-line."
spongy inflammation under it---why iwhen you begin to floss the
tend to bleed easily. (If you keep flossing and reducing the
irritation, the gums heal and the bleeding subsides---in about two
weeks of regular flossing.)
Also comparing the degeneration on the right as compared to the
you'll notice the bone has shrunken, as chronic inflammation of
will dissolve bone, so there is a tendency to loosenses. You can
that the calculus goes down below the gum-line. The pocket is much
deeper and the peridental membrane is vulnerable to infection and
cavity-producing processes. More, the whole tooth is more
because the gums are swollen. The old joke, "Your teeth are okay
your gums will have to come out" (a line I heard around 1950)
to be kind of true! Not come out, but your gums are what need to
What they discovered about fifty years ago about the nature of
plaque took about twenty
years to get to the dentists and another 20 years to become
with dental hygienists. Even so, it's not explained well: From my
informal research, less than ten per cent of people understand the
actual reasons one should floss! , and most folks today still
know about it.
Here is a cross-section, here’s the chronic inflammation, here’s
infection sets in and side-cavities, leading to deeper abcesses,
need for root canals, crowns, extractions.
It took a good deal of time for the theory which I’ll be
explaining to you
more in a minute or two to get disseminated into the population.
First, the biology of the condition needed to be explored. The
fellow who did this was not a dentist, but rather a physician.
dentist was a pioneer of anesthesia and surgery, so also can a
physician be a pioneer of dentistry.). Interestingly, this
Charles C. Bass, M.D. (1875-1975), is the same fellow who was also
minor pioneer in hookworm research and treatment in the Southern
as noted in that earlier part of this lecture (and on that related
webpage). Bass was on the faculty of the Tulane University Medical
School in New Orleans, where he: (1) isolated the hookworm
and published Hookworm Diseases
in 1909, with Dr. George Dock; (2) first identified beriberi and
pellagra in Louisiana; (3) simplified the method of diagnosing
fever; (4) discovered a method to cultivate the plasmodia
allowing malaria research as never before; (5) developed a
theory for tooth decay based on the idea of plaque control; and
devised a practical nylon-based dental floss and worked out how to
effectively use it. This work was revised and refined further by a
dentist, Dr. Sumter S. Arnim, DDS, and others.
Dr. Bass, shown at left at around age 74 and then closer to his
at 100, continued his professional career for over 70 years, and
the mid-later part of this work, sarting in the 1940s,
he sought to elucidate the causes of tooth decay and came up with
useful approaches. His focus was especiallyinvolved his campaign
treat tooth decay—especially the kind of tooth
decay that was made worse by a lack of plaque control.
Of course, tooth brushing has been around for literally thousands
years. But it doesn’t really do the job where it is needed, which
the gum line. For that you need dental floss: A brief summary
1815 a dentist named Levi Spear Parmly, also from New Orleans,
published a paper recommending flossing, at that time, with silk.
next advance was decades later, in 1892, when the Codman and
Company manufactured human-usable unwaxed silk floss; and not long
thereafter, in 1898, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation
first patent for dental floss.
The next development was in the 1940s when Dr. Bass developed
nylon floss, which was more resilient and stronger than silk.
Around that time, a Dr. D. M. Stephan noted that many types of
combine in dental plaque and their aggregate action excretes
gum-irritating substances---to be described below.
However, it wasn't until the late 1960s that the idea started
effectively disseminated: Plaque control via floss becoming more
prevalent in dentistry. The next challenge is then to sell it to
dental hygeinists and then through them and the dentists, to sell
the public. This is slow-going. Recently, survey shows only about
percent of Americans floss daily, 39 percent floss less than
49 percent do not floss at all.
To re-emphasize the theme of developing underlying technology:
What's needed is a floss that is thin enough to get in
between the teeth, but not so thin that it breaks easily, and
enough to slip and move. Floss wasn’t used much when it was cotton
silk. Technology again breaks through. Nylon not only makes
ladies’ stockings, it makes a stronger and smoother floss!
The Biology of Dental Plaque
As mentioned in the
that there is microscopic life in the scum around the gums is not
and here on the left is a picture drawn around 1600 by Leeuwenhoek
the kinds of germs he was able to vaguely see with his microscope.
67 Let’s look at the nature of dental plaque, to see why flossing
works.First of all, there are more germs in your mouth than there
people on the earth! (Leeuwenhoek made a similar claim, saying
there were more than all the men in the Netherlands! Big
underestimation!) To the right are two picutres that first
the general biofil, and then with a scanning electron microscope,
peculiar "corncob" formation of the way some of these germs
Bass and some others did careful research and discovered that
plaque is not just a layer of germs that can be brushed off. First
all, not just one kind of germ is involved, but over a hundred
different kinds! Here is a cross section (on the left,
electron microscope) of dental plaque against the trooth (again
This is explained more diagrammatically in the picture to the
First the germs lay down a layer of slime against the enamel on
left for stickiness, with these proteins (gold ovals) and other
substances to which they attach. The first layer are different
of dental streptococcus.
This is a very common germ. Hardly any of these are the type that
"strep throat" or rheumatic fever. And more, they alone don't make
much trouble. But they're sticky, and to them attach the other
sometimes other strains or species of streptococcus, forming that
aforementioned "corncob" formation, and often other types. This
process commences anew every time you brush your teeth, building
over twenty-four hours.
See the little strands they put out? They're no longer nice little
round germs minding their own business. You know how when nice
together they sometimes get pretty rowdy? And the lifeguard comes
and yells, "Okay, everybody out of the pool! and they all cool off
quiet down? Well, that's sort of what flossing does. The problem
aggregate, their ecology, because from this aggregate they
waste, just as we heard about with cholera or hookworm, only this
germ poop. It's acidic and it irritates the gums. If it's allowed
stick around, the gums react by becoming more and more inflamed.
The trouble with this aggregate is that the germs near the bottom
that need oxygen can't get enough; they die off; their rotting
are food for the other germ types that don't need oxygen---indeed,
can't stand the stuff!---they're called anerobicc bacteria,
without-air. This physiology is important, because if you can just
air into that pile of sticky germs that is dental plaque, you can
the cycle! That's where flossing comes in.
There are too many germs to get rid of them---you can use all the
mouthwash in the world. The good news, though, is that you don't
to brush and floss after every meal. On the other hand, you do
do it once every 24 hours---doesn't really matter whether it's
or evening. If you delay, that give the build-up of irritating
substances given off by the aggregate time to inflame the gums,
then leads to the other problems of gum and tooth breakdown.
How to Floss Correctly
Run the floss up and down along the gum line, especially
the teeth. The brush should also go up and down. A little
movement is okay, but not really needed, and too much cross-ways
movement then abrades and injures the teeth and gums at that
mainly try to go up and down or gently in a circle. The goal is to
remove some of the plaque, but mainly---this is the key---to break
it up, allow oxygen in the air to penetrate down deep, kill
the anerobes, and interrupt the ecological cycle that
produces gum-irritating acid waste!
(Most people have not had this
explained to them by their dentist or dental hygienist!)
Now if you haven't been flossing regularly, your gums may already
bit (or a lot) chronically inflamed. When you begin to floss, it
will hurt; and the gums will bleed!
Do not use this as an excuse to
Do not think, "Whoa! This must be bad for my gums!" You don't have
floss hard, but do it, break up that plaque, brush, let it bleed a
The irritating source is being removed! The gums will begin to
will take about two to three weeks if you keep at it! Keep at it,
day (or at bedtime. My wife and I read to each other---one read
the other flosses). Gradually the gums will become less tender,
bleeding will lessen, and finally pain and bleeding will stop.
The pockets behind the gums will become shallower. Your dentist or
dental hygienist will be pleased. (Tell them about this webpage!)
in there. Hold on to your teeth!
The healing is not from massaging the gums. And getting food
particles from out between the teeth is not the
therapeutic thing either, though it may help just a tiny bit.
Nor can you fully get rid of the plaque. The
key is to BREAK UP the plaque. If you don’t, the inflammation
continues, the pockets behind the gums
get deeper, there is bone loss, gum death and receding—so your
teeth will end up looking like the picture of later-stage
In the olden days occasionally they diagnosed "gingivitis" (gum
infection), but most folks just thought it was the fault of the
getting rotten. The point of Bass' research, though, is that
sense" is again mistaken. It's the gums that are the problem,
especially right at the gum line—the plaque! So this gave a big
to a new field, "periodontology," the study of the tissues around
(para) the teeth (odont)!
Another reason I particularly enjoy this idea is because it is an
example of how it takes time and patience to break an old habit,
as the habit of not brushing or flossing, and to build a new habit
its stead. Many of you know I'm a psychiatrist interested in
hygiene---prevention---and part of that is to build habits of more
positive and effective types of thinking that then supports the
development of habits of more positive feeling, too.
Acknowledgement: My wife, Allee Blatner, worked in a dental office
in the early 1970s and
taught me about Bass' work and how to floss correctly, stimulated
my reading and got me excited about the way
good dental hygiene can make a big difference in people's lives!)
Christen, A. (April, 1982). Charles C. Bass, M.D.--1875-1975: that
cantankerous genius of preventive dentistry. Bulletin of the History of
Dentistry, 30 (1).
Lott, Wayne (with Steve Brawner). (2004). Dr. Charles Bass
& the Bass Method: One man's crusade to end tooth decay and
gum disease. Lincoln, NE: xLibris. (www.xlibris.com)
O'Hara, J. W. (October, 1991). Prevention revisited: Dr. Bass
meets Dr. Robert F. Barkley. Bulletin
of the History of Dentistry, 39 (2).
Wilson, Michael. (2008). Chapter 8: The indigenous microbiota of
the oral cavity. In: Bacteriology of Humans: An ecological
perspective. Malden, MA (USA) and Oxford, UK:
Interesting photos and diagrams reinforcing points made above. | <urn:uuid:5bddb09c-b14d-48e4-ad88-fddd2b90bbc8> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.blatner.com/adam/consctransf/historyofmedicine/6-hookwormflossing/dentalhyg/6-dentalhygiene.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392099.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929621 | 3,610 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Findings from the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth
Diane August, Senior Research Associate, Center for Applied Linguistics
Presented June 14, 2007
In this interactive presentation, Dr. August reviews recent research on the development of literacy in language minority children. Central to this discussion of current research are the findings from the National Literacy Panel. The role of the panel was to identify, assess, and synthesize literacy research related to language-minority children and youth in six areas: the development of literacy, the relationship between second language oral proficiency and second language literacy, cross-linguistic relationships, sociocultural contexts and literacy development, instructional approaches and professional development, and student assessment.
Available Resources Related to This Webcast
Download the PowerPoint presentation used in the webcast.
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...on Austria's annexation of Bosnia, 1908
1. The Austrians,
taking advantage of a revolution in Turkey, annexed Bosnia.
This was a deliberate blow at the neighbouring state of Serbia
which had been hoping to acquire Bosnia since it contained about
3 million Serbs among its population.
Norman Lowe, Mastering
Modern World History (1982)
A GCSE revision book.
period 1900-1914 was a time of increasing tension between the
great powers, which exacerbated the long-term
'pressures-towards-war', moving towards the final crisis at
Sarajevo which sparked the First World War.
[Note that the AQA
syllabus only requires you to know about the
second Moroccan crises, the
How did international relations deteriorate, 1900-1913?
• Crises of 1905-1914
- Giles Hill on the growing tension
been suggested that imperial rivalries were a long-range cause
of World War I.
also been said that they were a safety valve, drawing off
European energies that might otherwise have erupted in war
France hoped to conquer Morocco in Africa, and
one of the points of the Entente Cordiale (1904) was that
the British would help them. But in 1905, Kaiser Wilhelm
visited Morocco and promised to protect Morocco against anyone
who threatened it.
Description of the Kaiser's landing in Morocco in 1905
Wikipedia on the Moroccan crisis of 1905
Moroccan Crises 1903-14 - very hard
Kaiser Wilhelm gave an interview to the Daily
Telegraph newspaper, in which - although he claimed that he
wanted to be friends with Britain - he said that the English
were 'mad', said that the German people hated them, and demanded
that: 'Germany must have a powerful fleet to protect her
interests in even the most distant seas'.
Daily Telegraph article of 1908 and
a comment on it by 'Trenches on the Web'
You English, are mad, mad, mad as March hares. What has come
over you that you are so completely given over to suspicions quite
unworthy of a great nation? ...
I have said time after time that I am a friend of England ... but you
make things difficult for me....
The prevailing sentiment among large sections of the middle and lower
classes of my own people is not friendly to England...
An interview with Kaiser
Wilhelm II, published in the Daily Telegraph, 28 October
Turkey had been in decline for a long time.
In 1908 there was a revolution in Turkey, and Austria-Hungary
took advantage of this to annex (take over) the Turkish state of
The Bosnian Crisis of 1908-9
Annexation of Bosnia - original documents
...on the annexation of Bosnia
2. Because of the
altered state of affairs in the Ottoman Empire ... I am forced
to announce the annexation of Bosnia.
Letter from Emperor Franz
Josef of Austria-Hungary
Wilhelm, 29 September 1908.
3. In order to raise
Bosnia to a higher level of political life ... The
new order of things will be a guarantee that civilization and
prosperity will find a sure footing in your home.
Proclamation of the Annexation,
6 October, 1908
There was a revolution in Morocco, and the French
sent in an army to put it down, then took over the country.
In the middle of this, Kaiser Wilhelm sent the gunboat
Panther to the Moroccan port of Agadir.
Wikipedia on the Agadir crisis of 1911
Now we know where our enemy stands.
Like a flash of lightening in the night these events have shown the
German people where its enemy is... When the hour of
decision comes we are prepared for sacrifices, both of blood and of
From a speech made in the
Reichstag (the German parliament) by the Kaiser, November
Germany is deliberately preparing to
destroy the British Empire. We are all to be drilled and
schooled and uniformed by German officials. Britain alone
stands in the way of Germany's path to world power and domination.
from an article in the
Daily Mail newspaper, 1909
As Turkey continued to grow
weaker, in 1912 Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria (calling themselves
the Balkan League) attacked Turkey and captured almost all the
remaining Turkish land in Europe. Sir Edward Grey,
the British Foreign Secretary, arranged a peace conference in
London, but in 1913 fighting broke out again.
Britain and Germany got together and used their influence to
bring the war to an end (Treaty of Bucharest, 1913).
relations before 1914
On 28 June 1914 Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb,
shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of
Assassination of Franz Ferdinand – detailed
film footage of
Franz Ferdinand arriving at the Town Hall
Contemporary account (notice that it gets almost EVERY fact
1. For each of these 'crises' 1-6, explain
whether it is an example of:
2. How, and why, do explanations
Source B of why Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia differ from
Norman Lowe's explanation 1 at the top of this page? | <urn:uuid:4b456fc8-cf32-4b0a-8ad7-be978e856c18> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.johndclare.net/causes_WWI3.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398873.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00058-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918494 | 1,117 | 3.25 | 3 |
7 Factors That Make Us Eat More Food
Time of day. Each of us gets into routines that psychologically "tell" our bodies we need food at the same time each day. "Part of the reason you're hungry at noon is because that's the time you've eaten for the last 100 days," said Randy Seeley, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati.
Sight. MRI brain scans show that visual perception of food matters a great deal. The cerebral patterns of people who see photos of foods they like and foods they dislike are "very different," according to Seeley."The body anticipates when food is about to enter the system,"he said. The mouth waters at the prospect of something delicious.
Variety. It's no lie that "variety is the spice of life." We naturally like to have many different stimulations during the course of a meal, which is why many of us "make room" for dessert. However, even a little fruit in a salad can sometimes do the trick to head off a craving for sugar, according to Ann Gaba, a registered dietitian at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Smell. Our sense of smell provokes the secretion of insulin, which arouses hunger. According to Sharron Dalton, a nutrition professor at New York University,"Smell and sight alone activate the appetite cascade."
Alcohol. Drinking seems to stimulate more eating, perhaps because it degrades one’s judgment, though this hasn't been proven by scientific studies. "Most people who are on a diet will say it's a lot harder to push themselves away from the table if they've been drinking," Seeley noted.
Temperature. As it gets colder, people eat more. Knowing this, restaurants keep their establishments cool. "Your metabolism drops when it’s time to eat, and eating warms you up," said David Ludwig, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard. "Heat is a satiety signal."
Refined carbohydrates. When we eat refined carbs, such as white bread, we get hungry again relatively quickly. This is because these foods drive down blood sugar, and when our blood sugar is crashing, we're going to be a lot more interested in food in general, Ludwig said.Disclaimer
600 N. Wolfe Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21287
19 Bradhurst Ave., Ste. 2800
Hawthorne, NY 10532 | <urn:uuid:b6feb6b7-7f0d-4db2-b794-630ccc7ea078> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.empowereddoctor.com/7-factors-that-make-us-eat-more-food | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402699.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00137-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957785 | 490 | 2.515625 | 3 |
You might think it takes a lot of specialized knowledge about technology to use green energy technology. However, you don’t need to become a technology expert to use green energy technology in your home. You just need some basic information about how to use this technology to save energy. Read on for some tips.
While it makes sense to change from traditional light bulbs to energy-saving light bulbs you should wait until your old ones are all burned out. It is not a good idea to throw away perfectly good bulbs in order to make the switch since that would be a way to waste energy as well.
You could easily have solar panels in your house to collect energy from the sun for you to use. But before you do this, there are a few things you must take into account. The number one to think about is the amount of sun your home gets. If you’re in a shady area, or a place that doesn’t have many sunny days, you won’t be able to gain as much power.
Are you the owner of a farm? If you own your farm property, you could allow an energy company to rent a small plot of your land, so they can install an energy-generating wind turbine. You could take advantage of the energy offered and the space requirements are minimal.
When away from home, cover the windows. Your house will stay cool and you won’t use as much energy this way. South facing windows will receive the most sun, and therefore heat. Use coverings on each of your home’s windows, such as roman shades, dark curtains, or roller shades.
Take the time to dry your clothes naturally. The dryer in your home takes up a lot of energy and it is quite simple to just hang your clothes and allow them to air dry. If you do need to use the dryer, then be sure to clean out the lint to help it work more efficiently.
You should never use a small amount of warm water all at once. Doing this will just gradually increase your overall energy usage. Instead, try using all the warm water you plan on using immediately. For example, you should try having all your family members take a quick shower at once.
In order to save energy at home, plug your electronics, including televisions and DVD players, into power strips and when you are not using them, turn off the power strips. Not only will you be preserving energy by doing this, but you will also be saving money on your electricity bill.
Use rechargeable batteries. While they might cost a little bit more initially, they will save you a lot of money in the long run. Rechargeable batteries can be used hundreds of times, and they only need to be replaced about every five years. Another benefit is that you aren’t constantly adding corrosive batteries to the landfill.
Start using batteries that have been recycled or else use rechargeable batteries. Disposable batteries are full of toxins and actually take about half of the energy they put off, in order to produce. If you are using disposable batteries, be sure to recycle them. Rechargeable batteries, however, can be used over and over again.
You do not have to leave your electronics behind to live a green lifestyle. Recharge your electronics with solar chargers and you no longer have to be concerned with your electronics being a drain on the environment. It is a small investment that pays off quickly in electric bills and a guilt-free conscience.
Think about installing natural gas in your home as opposed to other sources of power. Methane is the same fuel produced by cows and in landfills and is one of the cleanest burning gasses available on the market. It is a very green choice when deciding on your energy needs.
Green energy is a sector that is developing quickly. If you find that getting a solar roof or a wind turbine is not an option for you at the moment, stay up to date with new innovations. Chances are that better solutions will be available in the years to come.
Don’t turn the thermostat up higher than needed in your home. When the temperature drops, reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat. Having the heat up high wastes a lot of energy.
Conserving energy and preserving the earth are the best ways to utilize efficient green energy. While the technology is catching up with the consumer demand, we need to realize that conservation is the best alternative to green energy. If we do not use as much energy, there is not as large of a demand, and we will allow the technology the time it needs to catch up.
After reading this article, you can see that green energy technology isn’t so hard to implement. You just need some basic knowledge like this to help you. Use the tips from this article to help you make your home more green, so that you can save energy. | <urn:uuid:8657110e-774a-4764-9f34-c4d15c3f0599> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.globalwarmingcrusade.com/some-helpful-green-energy-technology-tips-anyone-can-use.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00076-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952131 | 1,008 | 2.890625 | 3 |
The process uses a fungus and E coli bacteria to turn the tough plant material into a biofuel that matches gasoline’s properties better than ethanol.
“We’re hoping that biofuels made in such an efficient way can eventually replace current petroleum-based fuels,” said Xiaoxia “Nina” Lin, assistant professor of chemical engineering, and leader of the research at the University
Gallon for gallon, isobutanol gives off 82 per cent of the heat energy gasoline provides when burned, compared to ethanol’s 67 per cent. Ethanol also has a tendency to absorb water, corroding pipelines and damaging engines, but isobutanol doesn’t mix easily with water. While ethanol serves as a mixer in the gasoline infrastructure today, many researchers argue that isobutanol could be a replacement.
While the technology currently uses corn stalks and leaves, it should also be able to process other agricultural byproducts and forestry waste.
The fungus Trichoderma reesei is already very good at breaking down tough plant material into sugars. Escherichia coli, meanwhile, is relatively easy for researchers to genetically modify. The scientists put both microbe species into a bioreactor with corn stalks and leaves. Colleagues at Michigan State University
had pre-treated the roughage to make it easier to digest.
The fungi turned the roughage into sugars that fed both microbe species with enough left over to produce isobutanol. The team managed to get 1.88 grams of isobutanol per litre of fluid in the ecosystem, the highest concentration reported to date for turning tough plant materials into biofuels. They also converted a large proportion of the energy locked in the corn stalks and leaves to isobutanol – 62 per cent of the theoretical maximum.
The harmonious coexistence of the fungi and bacteria, with stable populations, was a key success of the experiment.
The team is now trying to improve the energy conversion rate and increase the tolerance of the T reesei and E coli to isobutanol. The fuel is toxic, but higher concentrations will drive down the cost of isolating the fuel.
By engineering the bacteria differently, they believe their system could produce a variety of petroleum-based chemicals in a sustainable way.
A paper on this research, Design and characterization of synthetic fungal-bacterial consortia for direct production of isobutanol from cellulosic biomass was published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research. The university is seeking commercialisation partners to help bring the technology to market. | <urn:uuid:4dfda32e-f8dc-4e77-924e-c6d287995431> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/34177/new-biofuel-from-corn-stalks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402699.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00155-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.932214 | 566 | 3.65625 | 4 |
Bloodletting was a common medical practice for over two millennia until modern medicine gave us other, far more efficacious, treatments for headaches, back pain and pneumonia. But while there’s no questioning the advances of medical treatment today, just because a procedure or a drug is “the latest thing” does not mean that these are better.
Yet doctors, according to a recent study from Mayo Clinic Proceedings (pdf), continue to carry out some procedures despite a lack of evidence that they actually help a patient. In some cases, some procedures and protocols are still used even though they have been shown to make a patient more ill.
The researchers evaluated every issue from 2001 through 2010 of one of the most well-regarded medical journals in the U.S. if not the world, the New England Journal of Medicine. They found a total of 363 studies that investigated established practices among doctors treating patients. In 146 cases, the drug or procedure in use was “found to be either no better, or even worse, than the one previously used.” In fact, more than 40 percent of established practices were found to be ineffective or harmful while 38 percent were shown to be beneficial; the remaining 22 percent were of unknown effectiveness.
As lead author Dr. Vinay Prasad, a chief fellow in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute, comments, “there’s an inertia, a 10-year period of time when the contradicted procedure continues to be practiced.” He also noted that doctors often continue to follow a procedure in the face of evidence about it being effective because doing so seems “to make sense.”
Some examples of such procedures and protocols that are referenced in the Mayo Clinic study:
1. Doctors have delayed giving women in labor epidurals until their cervix has dilated to a certain point, out of the unsubstantiated belief that this procedure would increase the risks of a woman having a C-section.
2. Vaccines have not been given to those with multiple sclerosis on the theory that these could cause MS symptoms to flare up; studies have “undermined” these concerns.
3. Women with lupus have been denied oral contraceptives out of concern that these would increase the severity of their disease, but such has not been proven and may have led to an increase in elective abortions among women with lupus.
4. Type 2 diabetes patients in intensive care have had a procedure called intensive glucose lowering administered to them, on the theory that it would reduce cardiovascular events. It was found not to do so and, in some cases, increased mortality rates.
5. Administering high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant — an extensive, and expensive, treatment — to treat women with breast cancer has been found to be no better than conventional chemotherapy.
6. Millions of dollars are spent every year on impermeable mattress covers to help alleviate symptoms in those with asthma and allergies, but these have been found to be clinically ineffective in adults with asthma.
7. Pre-implantation genetic screening has been recommended for women of advanced maternal age who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) as pregnancy rates among them are low. But the screening actually “significantly reduced the rates of ongoing pregnancies and live births after IVF.”
Thanks to the Internet, consumers can make their own investigations about about medical procedures, other people’s experiences with doctors and hospitals, drugs and their side effects and now more than ever. Of course, not everything you read about health and medicine on the web is accurate. But it is a good thing that consumers today can inform themselves with medical knowledge prior to a doctor’s visit or before undergoing a surgical procedure.
Further research could show that the medical procedures cited in the study may have benefits. The new Mayo Clinic study is a reminder that, when it comes to our health, “accepted medical practices” (bloodletting was considered such for over 2,500 years!) may not necessarily be the best for our health.
Photo from Thinkstock | <urn:uuid:4adc3623-868e-46d5-9fdf-e62f38ebd652> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.care2.com/causes/7-medical-procedures-that-dont-offer-what-they-promise.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399385.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00112-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966436 | 839 | 2.71875 | 3 |
The 473 000 square kilometres of the Montane Cordillera Ecozone stretch from north-central British Columbia southeast to the southwestern corner of Alberta. The ecosystems range from alpine tundra and dense conifer forests to dry sagebrush and grasslands. Wetlands and small lakes dot the landscape, but there are also large, deep lakes and major river systems, including the Fraser and the Columbia River headwaters.
Much of this ecozone is rugged and mountainous. The major plains are more extensive in the north and extend out as intermontane valleys towards the southern half of the ecozone. Most of these plains and valleys are covered by glacial moraine and to some degree ancient riverbed and lakebed deposits, whereas the mountains consist largely of fallen rock debris and rocky outcrops.
The Columbia and Rocky mountains within this ecozone have a complex geology consisting largely of folded and faulted sedimentary bedrock. The mountain cliff faces disintegrate rapidly to form course, rocky slopes, fans and aprons.
Moist Pacific air carried by westerly winds drops large amounts of rain and snow as it ascends the windward side of the Coast Mountains. The air drops over the eastern slopes into the Montane Cordillera, where it compresses and warms, causing clouds to thin out. The pronounced rainshadow cast by the massive Coast Mountains makes the valley bottoms of the south-central interior the driest climates of B.C. The air releases moisture again, creating an interior rain belt as it ascends the Columbia, Skeena, Ominica, Cassiar, and finally the Rocky mountains, which define the eastern extent of this ecozone.
Annual precipitation in the higher elevations ranges between 1 200 and 2 200 mm. The northern and interior portions of the ecozone receive between 500 and 800 mm annually. The driest rainshadow areas around Merritt and Cache Creek and the southern Okanagan receive well below 500 mm of precipitation.
Much of the ecozone has an interior continental climate dominated by easterly moving air masses that produce cool wet winters and warm dry summers. Periodic inundation by dry, high-pressure, continental air masses results in a few cold winter days and a few hot summer days. Temperatures vary with altitude. In the alpine, no month has an average daily temperature above 10°C. The upper forested slopes have seven to nine months per year of monthly mean temperatures of no more than 0°C. The Ponderosa Pine forests are the driest and, in summer, the warmest forests in B.C., with mean July temperatures averaging 17°C to 22°C. The hot, dry summers result in large moisture deficits during the growing season. The rainshadow grasslands and valley bottoms are characterized by hot, dry summers and moderately cold winters with little snowfall. It is not unusual to have daily high summer temperatures topping 30°C. | <urn:uuid:610a1f5f-e1b4-4fa7-8469-f0864700898d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://ecozones.ca/english/zone/MontaneCordillera/land.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00108-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.929496 | 601 | 3.890625 | 4 |
Hovering… that’s what happens when my little girls want to play a board games with the adults. Young children just want to be like the grown-ups. So, I use that motivation to my advantage and turn the “adult” games into learning games my children can’t get enough of.
Games are universal learning tools! They are effective for all ages, and cultures because they turn learning into entertainment. And there’s no need to spend extra money on learning games for your kids when you probably have a ginormous game closet already! Simply use a little creativity to alter the game and turn math, reading, and writing into an experience your children will never forget.
How to Turn Any Board Game into a Learning Game
Board games can be educational by themselves. But if you want to tailor the game to fit your lesson, just add flash cards.
Here are some of the games we altered and played:
1. Find your man. Pass out 5-7 soldiers (or use small toys) to your children and have them place 1 soldier in a country space. Tell them that their men are lost and they must complete all the missions to save all of them. Have them read a flash card (missions), numbers or letters, to be able to retrieve one man. There can be multiple winners in this game or you can make it a cooperative game and have everyone help save the soldiers.
2. Conquerors. Play the same way as above except, instead of saving the soldiers, you can take another player’s soldiers away.
3. Country Find. Use the risk country cards to play a matching game. Pass out the cards to your children and see how fast they can match their soldiers with their country card.
1. Counting skills. Use the original rules minus the money. Roll the dice, count the dots and move your piece, seeing who can collect the most properties. If you land on the property first you get it!
2. Sight Word Practice. Again, play without using money. Place flashcards on all of the spaces and see who can read the most!
3. Matching Game. Deal some of the property cards to your children and see who can match their cards to the right properties on the board first.
This game isn’t an adult game, but my kids love it! I, on the other hand, would throw it out if I didn’t see a post about using it to practice sight words. The Blogger has some special cards you can buy, and I did! But then I realized that I didn’t need the special cards and could use the flash cards I already have and the color cards that already come in the game. Face palm!
1. Secret Pass Word. Simply tell your children that in order to get a color card and move their piece they have to figure out what the secret pass word is. The beauty of doing it this way is that you can use any kind of flash cards or even just ask them questions to make it a math, history, even a geography game!
2. Memory Game. You can use the color cards to play a simple memory game.
There are so many other possibilities! Have you changed your adult board games to play with your children? How did you do it? I would love to read your comments! | <urn:uuid:5493b72e-b6bd-4e87-828e-4bc90b42f8c9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.trueaimeducation.com/make-learning-board-games-for-kids/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00196-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949225 | 692 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Archive for August, 2012
Eye witness identification is notoriously inaccurate, but some researchers are figuring out ways to make it better. We have brought you information about how you can increase the accuracy of witness recall through the simple act of having a witness close their eyes. And now we learn that you can increase the accuracy of eye witness IDs by simply forcing eye witnesses to respond quickly.
Researchers tested a “radical alternative” to traditional police lineups. Participants were both college students and community members (with an age range of 16 to 60 years across three different experiments). Rather than a lineup with multiple suspects to consider, researchers showed photos of individual suspects in a sequential presentation. According to the researchers, past research shows that strong memories are accessed more rapidly than weak ones and accurate eyewitness IDs are made much more quickly than inaccurate identifications.
Participants viewed a series of 12 lineup photos (although they did not know how many they would view) and were asked to identify a crime perpetrator from a video they had watched either immediately prior to the lineup presentation or a week earlier. (The two conditions were employed to see if the delay in seeing a lineup would affect accuracy in identification.)
The researchers asked participants to do two things:
First, the participants rated their confidence in the correctness of their “match” between the culprit and each lineup member (with a scoring system that ranged from total uncertainty to 100% certainty). Control participants answered a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ about whether the photograph depicted the perpetrator.
Second, the participants in the experimental condition had to perform the matching process with “severe time constraints” (a three second time limit). Control participants viewed the photo and then selected ‘yes’ or ‘no’ without the three second time constraint.
Consistent with past research, the researchers found a higher level of accuracy (66% more accurate by the final experiment) in those participants asked to decide quickly whether the photograph was indeed the perpetrator. The more certain the participant was of the match, the more accurate they were.
This is important research in terms of improving eye witness accuracy. As the researchers point out, it is a radical change from current procedures–and thus more research is needed. Should the increase in accuracy be replicated, this could be a much more accurate way to assess eye witness identification and therefore reduce wrongful convictions.
Brewer, N., Weber, N., & Wootton, D. (2012). Identifying the bad guy in a lineup using deadlined confidence judgments. Psychological Science.
The ABA Blawg 100 is again seeking nominations for inclusion in their Top 100 list of blogs. If you find us interesting, thoughtful, provocative, or useful–please consider filling out their nomination form here. The deadline for nominations is September 7th, 2012 so do it now! Thanks.
You may be sick and tired of people lying, but it seems that your own lies are making you sick and tired as well. None of us like to be lied to and yet, most of us lie routinely [about 11 times a week according to these researchers]. We justify our bad behavior of course. We have reasons for not telling the truth. But when others lie to us–they are simply bad people. And we don’t like it. So here’s the best reason we’ve seen to curb that impulse to shade the truth: if you lie, you could die–or at least suffer a bit.
Researchers tracked the health of 110 adults for 10 weeks. Half the participants were asked to stop lying during the ten weeks (defined as no false statements although they could still omit the truth, keep secrets and dodge questions they did not wish to answer). The other half were not given any instructions on lying. All the participants took lie detector tests weekly, reported the number of fibs they told each week, and completed questionnaires about their physical and mental health and the quality of their relationships.
“Over the course of 10 weeks, the link between less lying and improved health was significantly stronger for participants in the no-lie group, the study found. For example, when participants in the no-lie group told three fewer white lies than they did in other weeks, they experienced on average about four fewer mental-health complaints, such as feeling tense or melancholy, and about three fewer physical complaints, such as sore throats and headaches, the study found. In contrast, when control group members told three fewer white lies, they experienced two fewer mental-health complaints and about one less physical complaint. The pattern was similar for major lies, Kelly said.”
So even though all of us lie, it makes us sick! Mentally and physically and it damages our relationships. That’s a pretty good motivator to work harder to tell the truth. We would point out that the research definition of “lying” is pretty flexible. You can still deflect, omit, dodge and yet, reap the health benefits! The researchers caution that the process of monitoring and reducing lies is certainly not an easy thing. They say most study participants were only able to pare down their lies to once a week. Most of the participants reported they stopped exaggerating their day-to-day accomplishments, dropped untruthful excuses and told partial truths instead.
The easiest way to stop lying is to choose to affiliate with those who encourage you to be truthful rather than telling you it’s okay to lie. It’s a good goal to attempt: living a life without lies. And who knows? It may help you live longer.
APA Conference 2012 presentation: “A Life Without Lies: How Living Honestly Can Affect Health,” Anita E Kelly, Session 3189, 12 to 12:50 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 4, Room W303C, Level III, Orange County Convention Center.
You’ve probably seen those movies where the paranoid killer believes the TV is speaking to him (it’s usually a man) directly. Well, this isn’t like that. This one is true. Researchers in the Netherlands are actually doing research on my tendency to get lost once I leave my cul de sac.
My lack of directional capability is well-known to those around me. GPS changed my life. No longer do I drive gripped with fear that I am horribly lost and will not make it to my destination in a timely fashion. Now, if I make a wrong turn, my GPS calmly (although it does seem sometimes to be a little irritated) says “make a U-turn if possible” and so I do. I was, therefore, only mildly taken aback to discover this new research on the “ability” to lose your car in the parking lot.
For a succinct description of the findings, here is the [edited] abstract:
The present study investigated qualitative aspects of spatial memory for the parking place of one’s car during an incidental visit to a shopping mall. A total of 115 participants (59 men and 56 women, age range: 19–85 years) performed a number of short tests, designed to measure several aspects of applied spatial memory, prior to leaving a shopping mall in order to return to their car.
Gender differences were observed on two aspects of spatial memory. First, women reported more landmarks in their route descriptions than men, whereas men used metric terms more often than women.
Second, men outperformed women with respect to estimating the distance to their car. A main effect of age was observed for map location reconstruction: Older participants had more difficulty in relocating their car on a map.
Apparently, the researchers stopped people from leaving the shopping mall and asked them to participate in the study. And they found that women performed less well. Older people also had more difficulty (this does not auger well for me.) However, most people eventually made it home, with only 14% (yes, mostly women) making substantial detours.
And here’s an interesting comment from the article itself: “50% of the participants reported to have encountered rare to quite frequent lapses in memory for their car’s location.” (This is reassuring to me.) And this technological tool is also new to me: “A strategic tool involved the use of an electronic coding device which stores the coordinates of the parked location and can guide the owner back by a digital compass.”
It’s akin to the recent post here on prospective memory (forgetting to remember). Those of us who have spatial difficulties use a variety of strategies to avoid losing our car in the parking lot:
Fix the parking space in your mind in relation to the door you are about to enter. [In the research study, men tended to focus on distance to the door and women on landmarks to help find the general location of the car.]
Note what is displayed by the door you enter so that you can readily find your way back to the vehicle. [Researchers referred to this strategy as ‘retracing your route’.]
If all else fails, use your key fob to set off the panic alarm on your car and let your car ‘tell’ you, where it is parked. [Oddly, the researchers did not report use of this strategy. Perhaps the participants were self-conscious and did not want to let the researchers know they were truly lost. This would explain the 14% of “substantial detours”.]
It’s all about memory cues and technology. Whether it’s prospective memory or spatial memory–memory cues and technology advances can make our forays out into the world easier and less anxiety provoking. Such a good thing.
Postma, A., Van Oers, M., Back, F., & Plukaard, S. (2012). Losing your car in the parking lot: Spatial memory in the real world. Applied Cognitive Psychology DOI: 10.1002/acp.2844
Got an upcoming trial and a psychopath for a client? First, please accept our sincere condolences. “Then go to Neurolaw in terms of causation and your client gets a lesser sentence (and returns to society faster)”.
Time Magazine has done a thorough writeup on the study and all the various conditions the researchers built in to assess the impact of specific information about psychopathy on 200 trial judges across the country.
Essentially, what the researchers did was to explore whether judges would punish psychopaths less severely if their behavior was blamed on genetic brain differences. And, they also wondered if these judges would instead punish more severely due to the high rate of recidivism we see in psychopaths. The answer to both questions is yes. They punish more severely and they punish less severely. We accept your thanks for clearing this up for you. Ahem…
Researchers presented one of four versions of the hypothetical case to 181 judges in 19 states. In all versions, judges read scientific evidence that the convicted criminal was a psychopath and what that meant, namely that psychopathy is incurable. Half of the judges also received expert testimony on the genetic and neurobiological causes of the criminal behavior, presented either by the defense as a mitigating factor, or by the prosecution, which argued that it should increase the convict’s sentence. The other judges got no mention of the idea that biological differences in the convict’s brain could have caused his behavior. Researchers controlled for the fact that different states have different sentencing laws.
The judges who were given a biological explanation for the convict’s psychopathy issued shorter sentences, but notably, all judges committed the criminal to significantly more prison time than their average nine years for aggravated battery. And while all judges viewed psychopathy as an aggravating factor in sentencing, the judges who heard evidence about the genetic and neurobiological causes of the condition from the defense reported viewing it as less aggravating. Nearly 9 in 10 judges listed at least one aggravating factor in their reasoning for their sentence, but when they heard the expert testimony from the defense, the percentage of judges who also listed mitigating factors rose from 30% to 66%. And judges who received this evidence were 2.5 times more likely than other judges to report actually having weighed aggravating versus mitigating factors in deciding their sentence.
“The judges did not let the defendant off,” said lead author Lisa Aspinwall of the University of Utah in a statement. “They just reduced the sentence and showed major changes in the quality of their reasoning.” The researchers noted that they were surprised the judges reduced their sentencing at all, considering that they were dealing with psychopaths who are in general a highly unsympathetic bunch.”
The results are intriguing. Even though we can be educated about realities of how the psychopath is hardwired differently and feels no empathy for their victim–we still feel a twinge of sympathy when we hear it isn’t something they cannot help. “His brain made him do it.” It is as though we are impressed by neurolaw explanations but don’t really realize how much it impresses us–even when “we” are a judge. We’ve written about real cases where neurolaw explanations for behavior worked to result in acquittals and those where the jurors simply didn’t buy it. It’s a fascinating area of emerging law.
The good news is that the judges in this study all chose to levy a sentence harsher than that demanded by aggravated battery. The disconcerting news is that when you hear mitigating evidence presented by the defense attorney, you are likely to cut the defendant some slack– even when you are a judge. It will be intriguing to watch how neurolaw explanations continue to affect more naive dispensers of justice: the jurors.
Aspinwall LG, Brown TR, & Tabery J (2012). The double-edged sword: does biomechanism increase or decrease judges’ sentencing of psychopaths? Science (New York, N.Y.), 337 (6096), 846-9 PMID: 22904010
This story isn’t actually about money. We’ve written a fair amount about American bias against Asians. And we’re not alone. Friendly and liberal Canada appears to have the same issues with Asian Canadians.
Apparently, the Bank of Canada was using focus groups to “test” their new $100 banknotes prior to release. The image on the banknote was an “Asian-looking woman scientist”. And much like our mock jurors, the focus group participants went down a rabbit trail. This particular rabbit trail was ethnicity-based. Multiculturalism hit a wall.
Here are some of the comments from the focus group participants. The comments are characterized in the report, rather than quoted, and appear to have been “sanitized” for presentation to the Bank of Canada.
“Some believe that it presents a stereotype of Asians excelling in technology and/or the sciences. Others feel that an Asian should not be the only ethnicity represented on the banknotes. Other ethnicities should also be shown.”
A few even said the yellow-brown color of the $100 banknote reinforced the perception that the woman was Asian, and “racialized” the note.
“The person on it appears to be of Asian descent which doesn’t rep(resent) Canada. It is fairly ugly.”
Apparently there were also concerns that the Asian woman was on such a large denomination of banknote ($100) rather than on a smaller and less valuable banknote. Wow. So. The Bank of Canada went back to the drawing board and “neutralized” the woman’s ethnicity. In other words, they made her look Caucasian.
Asian Canadians are insulted and hurt. There are comments that the Bank of Canada’s decision to “neutralize her ethnicity” amounts to an overly sensitive reaction to racist comments and the Bank is being criticized for not standing by the original design. Not surprisingly, the bank isn’t commenting on the controversy.
Ethnocentrism is everywhere. It’s all of us. This real-life tale serves as further evidence that when we see people “different” than us, we unconsciously reject the person by finding excuses to reject them for reasons unrelated to any salient issue before us. It’s a powerful lesson we often learn about (and often in very disturbing detail) in pretrial research.
It doesn’t really matter if the issue is gender, age, ethnicity, religious predilection, sexual orientation, disability status or whatever difference. Differences tend to divide. Our task is to identify how the specific case “divides” and figure out how to refocus attention on similarities despite differences and thereby reduce bias. Ultimately, the “different” person needs to become familiar for us to be comfortable. | <urn:uuid:10c86a8b-28fb-4db6-b2bf-2fa1bf995a80> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://keenetrial.com/blog/2012/08/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404826.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00175-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965201 | 3,491 | 2.78125 | 3 |
San Francisco Schools - Historical Context: white/middle class flight
1968 – 78 -
When SF and other urban districts in the late 1960s began integrating schools through various methods white students and middle class families left the public schools in droves. For example, almost overnight the SF public schools lost more than 8,000 students [mostly white], bringing its total enrollment down from over 90,000 students to 82,757 after the first integration effort aimed at the elementary school level. The district lost 1/3 of its students in a 10 year period shrinking down to 60,000 students in 1978, the year African American communities and others sued to challenge the institutional racism in the district.
the NAACP filed a lawsuit to desegregate the SFUSD which was finally settled in 1983 with a ‘Consent Decree’ or court ordered desegregation plan for SF schools.
the Judge overseeing the Consent Decree allows new Superintendent Bill Rojas to expand the consent decree ‘reconstitution’ requirements to all of SF schools. He begins a process of scapegoating teachers and low income kids by “reconstituting” ‘failing' schools throughout the district [wiping out all staff from top to bottom and replacing them with totally new staff].
a group of disgruntled Chinese parents frustrated over their children’s rejection for admission to SF’s elite Lowell High school sue the district to dismantle the Consent Decree.
a Federal judge in the context of the conservative backlash in the courts rules that SFUSD must stop using race and ethnicity to assign students which leads to ‘rapid resegregation and growing racial isolation in the schools. The Harvard Civil Rights Project's research shows this trend occurring in most urban school districts around the country.
In campaigns against privatization and for racial justice and educational equity teacher activists Eric Mar and Mark Sanchez are elected to the Board of Education
SFUSD begins use of ‘diversity index’ [a race-neutral lottery system which uses 6 equity factors to increase diversity and opportunity in SF schools] – rapid resegregation and growing inequality continues despite new policy initiatives by the new Board of Education members.
Green Party teacher and parent Sarah Lipson is elected to the School Board. She is the first Green to be elected in SF [Sanchez was a democrat and changed his party affiliation to the Green Party with former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez shortly after being elected to the Board]
SF Unified School District now has 57,000 students but is losing students at about 800 a year. To close a $22 million deficit this year the board closes 5 schools, downsizes another and lays off 200 teachers and paraprofessionals.
The Consent Decree is expected to sunset or end at on December 31, 2005. | <urn:uuid:1132ee62-aaae-4012-913c-56a0dcf4f9ba> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://edjustice.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_archive.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00112-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953043 | 561 | 2.78125 | 3 |
displaced persondisplaced person
a person forced from his or her country, esp. as a result of war, and left homeless elsewhere
One who has been driven from one's homeland or place of residence by war, internal upheaval, or natural disaster.
- attributive form of displaced person
- displaced-person mentality | <urn:uuid:dba44e5c-a235-47c3-af3f-12dacd3fb1ac> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.yourdictionary.com/displaced-person | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00122-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.900487 | 67 | 2.5625 | 3 |
04 July,2012 by Jack Vamvas
Latches are synchronization objects for in-memory access to any portion of a log\data file.
Locks in SQL are different to latches . A latch deals with the multithreaded nature of SQL Server – for example, latches are used when a thread reads from disk to create a memory structure. Whereas a lock deals with the multi user aspect i.e isolating user activity as part of transaction management, and is usually maintained as part of any potential rollback situation.
There is a correlation between Locks and latches – and it’s normal for latches to increase as IO increases. At a certain point latches could begin to block as one IO makes a request which hinders the response of another IO. This creates latch waits.
More of this discussion in a future post. Diagnosing latch contention requires some in-depth analysis , these queries are a good starting point
For further reading - SQL Server SLEEPING MODE , locks and transactions
--View latch contention for patches and tress SELECT * FROM sys.dm_db_index_operational_stats (DB_ID('M_DB'), NULL, NULL, NULL) ORDER BY [page_latch_wait_in_ms] DESC, tree_page_latch_wait_in_ms DESC SELECT * FROM sys.dm_os_waiting_tasks WHERE wait_type LIKE 'PAGELATCH%' --view Patch Latch waits SELECT * FROM sys.dm_os_wait_stats WHERE wait_type LIKE 'PAGELATCH%' | <urn:uuid:398c4730-5c89-45d6-aac9-56ce35ec6b69> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sqlserver-dba.com/2012/07/identify-page-latch-contention-.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00022-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.853726 | 338 | 3.125 | 3 |
A report released Friday by the United Nations on global warming contains a warning for many continents.
The new report is urging the world to start acting now, before it's too late.
"It's hotter in the summer, there's a lot more drought," said one Colorado Springs resident.
Everyone seems to have their own theory about the effects global warming is having on Earth.
"I think it's terribly serious," said another resident.
And many scientists agree that a new UN report paints a grim picture of what lies ahead if we don't start making some changes.
"Don't be poor in a hot country. Don't live in hurricane alley. Watch out about being on the coasts or in the arctic," said Steve Schneider, who was one of the authors of the study.
Because according to the report, more heat and more drought is in the forecast. All caused by the diminished mountain snow-pack that global warming is predicted to bring. Combine that with more flooding in low lying areas and a greater risk of forest fires.
The Bush Administration says even though they felt the report accurately represented the scientific data, the White House isn't ready to call for change, and instead it wants more research. But environmental groups like Greenpeace argue that now is the time for action.
"The research is out there. Science and common sense tell us that global warming is happening. The report confirms this. Its what we have been saying for years. And the time to act is now," said Steve Smith from Greenpeace.
And so it appears that what used to be a scientific argument is now in fact a political one.
The new report was agreed to after an all-night negotiation session involving representatives from over 100-governments. | <urn:uuid:8e7ef91e-c992-4672-9767-934fbd851534> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/6915192.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394605.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00176-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972476 | 354 | 3.015625 | 3 |
The writings of Rumi are unique in Persian literature because of their quality and immense richness. His works reflect nearly all earlier works from Koranic commentaries to the Sufi treatises of Sana'i, 'Attar and Ibn 'Arabi, and his writings have found their echo in countless works written from Bengal to present day Turkey.
Rumi's most extensive work is Diwan-i Shams-i Tabrizi, consisting of some thirty-six thousand verses in most ghazals1, in which Rumi uses the name of Shams al-Din at the end instead of his own, as if Shams had written them. This fact displays the special relation that existed between the two men and the role that Shams played in the composition of this vast work. Most of these verses were written in the state of ecstasy and have a musical and rhythmic quality that is unique in Persian literature. The dance and music of the Mawlawi order is in a sense crystallized in these verses of unmatched ecstatic power. The meaning dominates so much over the form that in many instances the ghazals break the laws of traditional prosody and metrics. It is a case of the spirit remolding its material form and breathing into the formal order a new life, thereby creating a new yet totally traditional artistic form.
The Diwan has been celebrated throughout the eastern lands of Islam since its composition, and several lithographed editions were printed in both India and Persia before its critical edition appeared under the care of B. Forouzanfar in ten volumes in Tehran. It is also partially known in the West thanks to the selections translated by Nicholson and Arberry. The Diwan-i Shams along with the Diwan of Hafez, is perhaps the work that lends itself least to translation from the point of view of the orchestration of words and the harmony of sounds and the effect that its very rendition creates in the soul of a Persian speaker.
Rumi's most famous work is without doubt the Mathnawi, dubbed by Jami as the "Koran of the Persian language". It was composed at the request of Husam al-Din Chalabi, who asked the master to write a work on the mysteries of gnosis2 based upon the model of the Hadiqa of Sana'i or the Mantiq al-tayr of 'Attar. The Mathnawi is so celebrated that although the term refers to any poem of rhyming couplets it has come to mean the Mathnawi of Jalal al-Din Rumi. This unmatched masterpiece of Sufism is more didactic3 than the Diwan. It consists of a prelude in Arabic or Persian for each volume, in the first of which the author calls his work the "principles of the principles of the principles of religion", followed by six volumes of poems in Persian. It was begun between 1259 and 1262-3 and its composition continued to nearly the end of Rumi's life. In fact it was never completed. Some have referred to a seventh book of the Mathnawi and have even tried to "complete" the work with a seventh volume. The original work of the master is without doubt in six volumes, which have been published many times in Persia, India and Turkey with the most critical edition to date being that established by Nicholson in his monumental eight volume text, translation and commentary upon the work.
In nearly twenty-six thousand verses of poetry, Rumi unravels in the Mathnawi the vast ocean of the world of the spirit and man's journey to and through that world. Drawing from sacred history, simple tales, earlier Sufi writings, learned discourses of predecessors, lives of saints and many other sources, Rumi discusses nearly every aspect of Islamic metaphysics, cosmology and traditional psychology. Few mystical works in any language combine such mastery of pure metaphysics with insight into the intricate structure of the human soul and the pitfalls which face the man who awakens, through initiation, to his own spiritual possibilities and who begins the journey towards the One.
The Mathnawi is also well known to the Western world thanks to the efforts of Nicholson, who made the whole text available in English and also presented selections of it in a highly readable form. Students of the Mathnawi are also indebted to A. J. Arberry for his masterly translations of the stories within that book in clear prose as well as his other studies of the text.
The Mathnawi has received continuous attention since its composition. Several special musical forms have come into being in Sindh, Persia, Turkey and other regions simply for the chanting of the Mathnawi, and numerous commentaries have been written in Persian, Turkish, Arabic and some of the languages of the Indo-Pakistani sub-continent. Commentaries continue to be written on this work to this day; more recent ones include the Persian works by J. Homa'i, B. Forouzanfar and M. T. Ja'fari.
The third poetical work of Rumi is the Ruba'iyyat. Although it possesses quatrains4 matching the powerful verses of the Diwan and the Mathnawi, altogether the Ruba'iyyat has never gained the fame of Rumi's other two poetical masterpieces. This work has again been made known to the English-speaking world thanks to the translation of a selection by A. J. Arberry.
Of the prose works of Rumi the most important is the Fihi ma fihi, a unique work reflecting Rumi's most intimate discourses on various aspects of the spiritual life assembled from his "table talks" during Sufi gatherings by his son and other disciples. This work, whose critical edition appeared first under the care of B. Forouzanfar and which is now well known in the West thanks to the selective translation of A. J. Arberry, discusses in an intimate and direct manner many of the most subtle aspects of Sufism. It is a precious companion as a practical guide for the "Way", and it reveals an aspect of Rumi's personality not reflected so directly in the poetical works.
Closely related in content to Fihi ma fihi is the Makatib, or "collection of letters" written by Rumi to his close associates such as Salah al-Din Zarkub and his own daughter-in-law. The letters, like the discourses in Fihi ma fihi, reveal the more personal and intimate aspects of the master's life, while at the same time containing doctrinal passages and instruction concerning the practical aspects of the "Way".
Finally the Majalis-i sab'ah, is another prose work, which consists of a number of Rumi's sermons and lectures delivered from the pulpit. The sermons are mostly in the form of advice and counsel and reflect in style the background in which they were delivered.
These works are the written legacy of the "master from Rum". They complement the oral transmission and the particular type of grace or barakah, which issued from the being of Rumi and resulted in the foundation of the Mawlawi order, that vastly extended Sufi order which has survived to this day. Jalal al-Din has remained alive through his works and his order to our own times. His spirit continues to resurrect those who are capable of following the spiritual life. Rumi's message which issues from the world of the Spirit is as pertinent today as when it was first spoken, for his words come from a world which is ancient while being young, and young, while being ancient, a world, which encompasses man in his journey from eternity to eternity.
1) Ghazal: A Lyric Poem
2) Gnosis: esoteric knowledge of spiritual truth held by the ancient Gnostics to be essential to salvation.
3) Didactic: designed or intended to teach; making moral observations.
4) Quatrain: a unit or group of four lines of verse.
(This article has been based on a section from the book "Jalal al Din Rumi, Supreme Persian Poet and Sage", written by Seyyed Hossein Nasr; published by the High Council of Culture and the Arts, Tehran, 1974.)
Copyright shall at all times remain vested in the Author. No part of the work shall be used, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the Author's express written consent.
Copyright © 2000 K. Kianush, Art Arena | <urn:uuid:fadd6b5e-0652-4603-bd53-fab58843ae29> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.art-arena.com/rumi1.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00154-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968082 | 1,775 | 2.75 | 3 |
Moscow — Under a lowering sky, the visage of Joseph Stalin gazes down from the Byelorussian train station near the center of Moscow. The massive portrait -- part of the set for a 1940s-era film -- stirs decidedly mixed emotions from the onlookers below.
``He was a villain,'' says one white-haired man, old enough -- and fortunate enough -- to have survived the Stalin era.
``There's nothing special about it,'' says another older, heavy-set man in a beret. ``It's only a film. And besides, he was the leader of our state.''
The public display of his portrait stands as one of the most vivid examples to date of how the Soviet Union, in 1985, is once again acknowledging Stalin's three-decade rule over this country.
The disparate comments from the Muscovites who see the portrait indicate that the country is still struggling to come to grips with Stalin's mixed legacy of wartime leadership and widespread terror, of admiration and fear.
At one time, such massive outdoor portraits of Stalin were almost as common as street lamps. For 31 years after he came to power in 1922, Stalin ruled by this country as a dictator, altering virtually every aspect of Soviet life.
His excesses -- secret arrests, forced relocations, and summary executions -- held this country in a grip of fear. Yet his iron will also helped engineer not only this country's victory in World War II, but also the rapid industrialization that transformed a backward nation into a front-rank economic power.
In 1956, then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev denounced Stalin's ``violence, mass repression, and terror,'' his violations of ``all existing norms of morality.'' Stalin's embalmed body was later removed -- literally overnight -- from its resting place alongside Vladimir Lenin in a red granite mausoleum in Red Square. Stalin was expunged from most of the official history books, leaving a 30-year gap in the record.
It was perhaps inevitable that Soviet authorities would have to acknowledge Stalin during this year's 40th anniversary observances of the end of World War II.
Yet on May 9, when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev mentioned Stalin's name during a Victory Day speech, he was forced to pause by sustained and enthusiastic applause.
That is testament to Stalin's impact on this society, even after years of attempts to deny it.
It is perhaps ironic that the making of a film named ``Testament'' required his portrait to be hung atop one entrance of the Byelorussian station. A large black-and-white photo of him stands on a sandwich board at another entrance.
An old ZIS truck stands in front of the station. (The initials are an acronym for the Stalin truck factory.) Scores of Red Army troops, dressed in World War II olive drab, mill about. Muscovites throng the site, and their gaze inevitably settles on the arresting image of the man they were supposed to forget.
``He was powerful,'' is the laconic comment of one man.
``He was worthless,'' inserts the white-haired man, the only one of a number of people questioned who is willing to criticize Stalin openly.
He says the real credit for the victory in World War II should have gone to Marshal Georgi Zhukov, deputy commander of Soviet forces. Indeed, Marshal Zhukov's role in the war has garnered far more official attention than Stalin's during this year's anniversary observances.
But clips of Stalin -- or actors impersonating him -- have appeared in a number of films and in various magazines and journals. They have had an undeniable impact, especially on younger generations.
Does 7-year-old Alyosha know the name of the man in the picture over the railway station?
``Stalin,'' he replies with a smile.
How has he learned that?
``From the films, from the books. About the great victory,'' says his father.
A middle-aged woman, upon hearing the white-haired man denounce Stalin, hastily assures his questioner that such excesses are part of the past. ``It's not like that now,'' she stresses.
But a collective memory dies hard. What does Alyosha's father think of Stalin?
Upon hearing the question, heads turn. People within earshot fall silent and fix their gaze upon him, awaiting his response. He stares woodenly at the questioner, uttering not a word.
Then he takes up his child's hand and says quietly, ``It's time to leave.'' With that, he quickly walks away. | <urn:uuid:4c16461b-5d1c-4caa-8b68-03a080e90802> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.csmonitor.com/1985/0528/ostal-f.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00201-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.966598 | 948 | 2.734375 | 3 |
The dusky shrew, Sorex monticolus, is a small to medium sized member of the long-tailed shrew genus Sorex, found within the family Soricidae. In general, shrews are tiny animals that resemble mice with the addition of a long, pointed snout. Sorex monticolus is no exception, weighing about 5.5 to 7 g and measuring between 86 and 142 mm (Smith and Belk, 1996).
Some of the smallest mammals on earth are shrews, with the tiniest member of the soricid family being the dwarf shrew, which only weighs about two grams (Findley, 1987). As a result of their small size and relatively large surface area, shrews rapidly lose body heat and must make up for the loss through frequent eating. Not surprisingly, shrews are very active and voracious predators, foraging for insects and other small invertebrates day and night. Sorex monticolus and other species may even consume more than their own body weight in food in a single twenty-four hour period (Findley, 1987). In order to achieve this gastric feat, the dusky shrew has been known to supplement its invertebrate diet with conifer seeds, fungi, and lichens found among the surface litter that it usually inhabits (Smith and Belk, 1996).
Sorex monticolus is also known as the montane shrew, an appropriate name since it is normally restricted to the mountainous or boreal regions of a corridor stretching from northern Alaska to northern Mexico and extending from the Pacific Ocean east to the Rocky Mountains (Smith and Belk, 1996). The name dusky, though more frequently used, is a less meaningful descriptor that refers to the brownish-gray fur color common to many shrews. Recognition of S. monticolus apart from the more than 16 other Sorex species and sub-species found within its range becomes almost impossible when relying on color, form, and size alone.
Identification of shrew species, especially within the genus Sorex, is no easy task. Most of the time, members can only be distinguished by analyzing the upper rows of teeth. Unique to Sorex, the upper jaw will normally contain five unicuspid teeth between the incisors and premolars (dental formula: 1/5/4) (Smith and Belk, 1996). Most members of the genus, including S. monticolus, also have a pigmented ridge on the inside of the unicuspids. Sorex merriami, S. arizonae, and S. towbridgii, the three species that lack this character, are also set apart by their possession of two foramina (mandibular and postmandibular) on the lower jaw. This differs from the usual Sorex condition as seen in S. monticolus where only the more anterior mandibular foramen is present (Jameson and Peters, 1988). The dusky shrew can be distinguished from the remaining Sorex species through a combination of dental and cranial characteristics including a convex skull, upper incisor pigment that extends above the median tine or lobe, and the possession of a third unicuspid that is smaller than the fourth (Jameson and Peeters, 1998). Many of the Sorex species exhibit one or two of these traits, so all three must be present together for a positive identification of S. monticolus.
Findley, James S. 1987. The Natural History of New Mexican Mammals. The University of New Mexico Press, The New Mexico Natural History Series.164pp.
Jameson, E.W. Jr., and Hans J. Peeters. 1986. California Mammals. University of California Press, Berkeley. California Natural History Guides:52. 403 pp.
Smith, Michael E. and Mark C. Belk. 1996. Sorex monticolus. Mammalian Species. No. 528, pp.1-5.
Information and pictures of shrews on Animal Diversity Web (Univ. of Michigan Museum of Zoology). | <urn:uuid:4e635bb4-8c58-4049-a7ea-e6d08062b2ad> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.digimorph.org/specimens/Sorex_monticolus/head/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00021-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.925987 | 847 | 3.828125 | 4 |
GREAT Britain is the most successful nation in Olympic Sailing history, with more gold medals won than any other nation.
Team GB’s sailors have topped the medal table at the last three Olympic Games.
The first Olympic sailing – or yachting, as it was known up to and including 1996 – events were conducted in Paris in 1900, although some noted historians have questioned the legitimacy of those events as Olympic events.
London 1908 saw sailing commence its unbroken run as an Olympic sport.
Since then, the classes of competing boats and scoring systems have seen many changes.
Dorset’s Rodney Pattisson, pictured left, won gold in the Flying Dutchman class in Mexico 1968, Munich 1972 and took silver in Montreal in 1976, making him Britain’s most successful Olympic sailor until Ben Ainslie came along Women have always been permitted to sail in the Olympic regatta but events exclusively for women sailors were introduced Barcelona 1992.
At the Sydney 2000 Games, Britain’s sailors achieved three gold and two silver medals.
British Sailing Team leader Stephen ‘Sparky’ Park then led the team to the Athens 2004 Games, where Team GB’s sailors achieved two gold, a silver and two bronze medals.
At the Beijing 2008 Games, Britain’s sailors continued the country’s reign with a record four gold medals, one silver and a bronze – including the Yngling team of Sarah Ayton , Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson , pictured above.
The team’s target for the home Games is a conservative four medals but with top contenders in each of the 10 classes, it could be much more. | <urn:uuid:e6de373f-e4c3-4c8c-9713-dc88a73cb67e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9856067.Great_Britain_rules_the_waves/?ref=rss | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397695.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00084-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962817 | 344 | 2.625 | 3 |
By Fareed Zakaria
Some of the criticism of Obama's program has come from people who worry about the government’s track record in early childhood education. They point to Head Start, the long-standing program that provides this education to disadvantaged children. The Department of Health and Human Services released a study of Head Start in 2010, which was updated in 2012, that concludes that the program’s positive effects begin to fade within a few years. This has led many to call it a failure and urge the government not to throw good money after bad.
But critics are jumping to conclusions about a very complicated subject without really understanding the study – or the limitations of social science research. Three scholars from the University of Chicago and University of California, Davis, have painstakingly explained why it is premature to reject Head Start. They note that many factors may have intervened to erode the early gains in scores. For example, there have been sharp rises in single parent families, rises in non-English-speaking households, and rises in severe health problems like childhood obesity and diabetes. Most important, some studies show that though test scores level out, children who have been through early education do better in their professional lives.
Watch the video for the full Take. | <urn:uuid:86c054ad-df9a-4cc4-8b8c-070cdf6cc40c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/24/the-myth-of-americas-social-mobility/?hpt=wo_r1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00162-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967368 | 253 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Feb. 25, 2008 -- Your hair may reveal where in the U.S. you live. Tap water leaves telltale clues about regions, new forensic research shows.
Scientists have developed a test that predicts where in the U.S. a person lives based on traces of hydrogen and oxygen in hair samples.
"Police are already using this to reconstruct the possible origins of unidentified murder victims," University of Utah biologist James Ehleringer, PhD, says in a news release.
Ehleringer's team collected hair samples from barbershops in 65 U.S. cities. They also collected samples of local tap water.
Levels of hydrogen and oxygen in the hair samples were in sync with traces of hydrogen and oxygen in local tap water. "We have found significant variations in hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in hair and water that relate to where a person lives in the United States," says Ehleringer.
The researchers considered the fact that some people may drink bottled water which came from another part of the country, and the fact that people don't just eat locally grown foods. The test still worked.
The test may also prove useful for gathering dietary information, note Ehleringer and colleagues.
Their findings appear in the Feb. 26, 2008 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. | <urn:uuid:928e7795-796a-4487-9d9d-a2ba58ca36d5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20080225/tap-water-leaves-forensic-clue-in-hair?src=rsf_full-3619_pub_none_rltd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394987.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00172-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955412 | 269 | 3.015625 | 3 |
11.21 Other urban water system increases
a. Other urban water system increases
The volume reported in the water accounting statements (237 ML) represents recycled water purchased by South East Water. This augments the recycled water received by South East Water from the Eastern Treatment Plant and is subsequently supplied to users.
b. Recycled water system overview
The recycled water system is one of three sub-components of Melbourne's urban water system. The three sub-components are the:
- Urban water supply system
- Wastewater system
- Recycled water system.
In the Melbourne region, wastewater treatment plants located within the region produce the majority of recycled water (see 'wastewater system overview' for further information). A very small volume of recycled water (237 ML : 11.21) is received from external organisations to supplement Melbourne's recycled water system.
During the 2011–12 year, approximately 70% of the recycled water produced (including the recycled water received from external organisations) was used on-site at wastewater treatment plants throughout the Melbourne region. Of the recycled water used on-site, approximately half that volume (14,876 ML) was recirculated back into the wastewater system (and therefore not reported in the water accounting statements). The remaining recycled water used on-site was for irrigation/outdoor purposes or in-process and reported at line item 19.4.
The remaining recycled water produced in Melbourne was supplied for use; 8,415 ML was supplied to urban water system users [19.4]; and the remaining volume (3,089 ML) was supplied to either the Eastern Irrigation Scheme or Werribee Irrigation District [19.6].
The following figure presents the inflows and outflows associated with the recycled water system. A small misbalance (1.1%) is shown, due to the difference between the volume of recycled water available for supply and the volume of recycled water supplied for use. The misbalance can be attributed to metering inaccuracies, unaccounted losses and inaccuracies in the estimation of the recycled water on-site in process use.
For more detail on a particular flow associated with the recycled water system, refer to the line item notes. Note that volumes annotated with a * indicate flows between urban sub-components and are not reported in the 2012 Account. As such, these flows do not have an associated line item number or note.
Schematic diagram of water inflows and outflows for Melbourne's recycled system during the 2011–12 year. Line item numbers are provided in brackets.
Assumptions, limitations, caveats and approximations
- Assumes meters and readings are accurate.
- The TopAq Eastern Irrigation Scheme meter-reading cycle does not align with the 1 July 2011 – 30 June 2012 reporting year; however, it does cover a 12-month period that is consistently applied each year.
The uncertainty is estimated to be +/– 5% in accordance with the Water Industry Regulatory Audits 2012 independent annual audit report.
In the 2011 Account inflows to the urban water system received via purchased recycled water were not reported.
In the 2012 Account, due an improved understanding of the urban water system balance, this inflow to the urban water system was reported at line item 11.21 'Other urban water system increases'.Consequently, the volume has been restated as 140 ML as shown in the following table.
|Recycled water received from other organisations within the region||2012 Account volume for the 2010–11 year (ML)||2011 Account volume for the 2010–11 year (ML)|
|Recycled water purchased from TopAq Eastern Irrigation Scheme||139||not reported
|Recycled water received from Inkerman Greywater treatment plant||1||not reported | <urn:uuid:f39a86a7-bc69-4699-ae60-8d9785810a13> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.bom.gov.au/water/nwa/2012/melbourne/statement/notes_s11_21.shtml | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947952 | 783 | 2.84375 | 3 |
Germany is a federal, democratic republic comprised of sixteen states (Länder or Laender). Power is distributed between the federal and state governments. (The Law Library does not collect German state law.)
At the federal level, the German constitution divides power between the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judiciary.
Within the executive branch, the most powerful official is the Federal Chancellor, who acts as head of state, controls the federal government, and appoints Federal Ministers. In addition to the Chancellor, the German government elects a Federal President who acts in a mainly ceremonial capacity.
The highest bodies in the legislative branch are the two chambers of parliament, the Bundestag (Federal Assembly) and Bundesrat (Federal Council).
Judicial power in Germany is exercised by the federal courts, courts of the Länder, and the Bundesverfassungsgericht (BverfG). The federal courts are courts of appeal, and are at the head of five legal hierarchies: Bundesgerichtshof (Federal Court of Justice), Bundesverwaltungsgericht (Federal Administrative Court), Bundesarbeitsgericht (Federal Labour Court), Bundessozialgericht (Federal Social Court, and the Bundesfinanzhof (Federal Tax Court). Länder, or State courts, are the trial courts and also preside over appeals in the initial states. The BVerfG is divided into two panels, each consisting of eight judges. The first panel considers cases concerning basic human rights, while the other senate resolves constitutional disputes.
Ask a Librarian | <urn:uuid:317995bf-0b11-4ab3-8675-a7dfd9888966> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://law.wisc.libguides.com/germany | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391766.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00044-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904318 | 325 | 3.921875 | 4 |
Game viewing routes in The Far North
Most of the extreme north-west of Kruger is classified as sandveld, which, as the name suggests, consists of very sandy, well-drained soils supporting a complicated mass of plant communities in which no particular tree or plant is dominant. Unlike other geological formations in the Park, some sandveld sediments are not part of the original landscape, having been deposited in northern Kruger by raging wind storms blowing in from the Kalahari several million years ago.
Far northern Kruger lies on a fault-line known as the Limpopo Mobile Belt, which is the joint between the Kaapvaal Craton - the crust of the earth supporting South Africa - and the Central African Craton to the north. The hot springs in the Pafuri area are evidence of water being heated through cracks from deep below the earth's surface.
Antelope of the North
The riverine forest along the Luvuvhu River is the best place to see nyala in South Africa. They are tropical animals that look like a cross between a kudu and a bushbuck. They are the hairiest African antelope.
The Luvuvhu River valley is also suited to bushbuck, rarely seen in Kruger because they keep to the thicker bush and browse mostly at night. The bushbuck males are known to be pugnacious animals that will turn suddenly on an attacker.
According to former Kruger information officer PF Fourie, bushbuck have been known to kill leopards and even humans trying to hunt them.
The northern sandveld is one of the best places to see eland in Kruger. Small herds are found in the drier areas away from the river.
The eland is the largest African antelope and is one of nature's gentlest animals. It is the most frequently depicted animal in southern African rock art. | <urn:uuid:8a591e83-68b5-426a-9557-48ce0ae3c71e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.krugerpark.co.za/Discovering_Kruger_Park-travel/explore-kruger-park-about-far-north.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00075-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96512 | 391 | 3.015625 | 3 |
Understanding netiquette guidelines when communicating on the World Wide Web with friends, family and business associates can be extremely important. With such a diverse subsection of the population using email applications such as Yahoo mail or Microsoft Outlook, it is important you conduct yourself appropriately when communicating by email. Composing text messages via email is the most common form of communication you can use on the web. Netiquette parameters need to be followed so the intended recipient does not misinterpret your communications sent by email correspondence. Even more important for you to consider is that the person on the receiving end has feelings more or less like you.
Proper netiquette guidelines will ensure you do not offend or infringe on the rights of the recipients of your emails. Most individuals consider themselves to fairly law-abiding citizens, but seem to take more chances when working on the Internet because they feel they are untraceable. However, most people forget to consider there is always someone watching, whether it is the intended recipient of the email, your Internet Service Provider or the government. Another useful suggestion for you to consider when using email is to remember to be ethical in cyberspace. If you are tempted to commit an illegal act while using email, chances are it’s also bad netiquette.
Many organizations today offer online training courses for their employees to teach them acceptable behavior when they correspond using email and other online applications. Online training courses or staff development seminars may involve several lessons or short online presentations to inform their staff of appropriate behavior when using email and online programs. Organizations throughout the world rely on netiquette training and online staff training to ensure their employees have proper etiquette while using online programs.
Several netiquette guidelines are listed below:
- Typing in all caps is considered screaming.
- Example: SUNDAY WILL BE A LONG DAY!
- Various studies have concluded that typing in all caps takes longer and is more difficult to read.
- Recipient may think you are overly excited
Leaving the subject field blank:
- Always fill in the subject with a concise statement describing the email.
- Do not use all caps or put in phrases such as Help or Hi.
- Failure to follow netiquette guidelines when filling in the subject line of an email may result in your correspondence being discarded as spam.
Colored text and background colors:
- Use colors sparingly in your emails – whether it is text or fill colors
- Certain colors can make emails difficult to read.
Forwarding emails or jokes:
- Send out an email to a group using the blind carbon copy field – BCC does not allow your recipients to view who was sent the email. Mainly a privacy issue for other people in your address book.
- Do not forward offensive or racially insensitive jokes or comments.
- Do not forward every email you think is funny or is a chain letter – be selective.
Return receipt request:
- Allows you to track when the recipient opens your email – you should use this email feature sparingly.
- Can be very annoying to the recipient of the email.
Grammar and spelling check:
- Proofread emails for errors
- Capitalize your sentences and use appropriate punctuation
- Refrain from using multiple !!!!!!! or ????????
These netiquette guidelines will help to ensure you are courteous and use proper manners while corresponding with your friends, family and business associates. Remember one point – someone is always watching or tracking your emails, just consult Oliver North if you have doubts (deleted emails were used in the Iran Contra proceedings). | <urn:uuid:7af66a6a-d540-4d75-9584-d5616112626d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.online-distance-learning-education.com/netiquette.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00026-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.906446 | 719 | 2.9375 | 3 |
What's the typical course of multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is recognized as occurring with seven different patterns. With each pattern, a patient experiences a sudden deterioration in normal physical abilities that may range from mild to severe. In most cases multiple sclerosis starts with an acute flare-up of symptoms within hours to days, called a relapse, exacerbation, bout, episode, or attack. Inflammation of an optic nerve (optic neuritis), causing painfulness of eye movement and visual deterioration frequently is
the first symptom. However, not all patients with optic neuritis develop multiple sclerosis. Sensory disturbances such as numbness or tingling sensations are other frequent initial symptoms. In principle, multiple sclerosis can start with any of the symptoms mentioned in the section above.
Especially in early phases of the disease, symptoms frequently decrease or resolve spontaneously within days to months. Therefore, this disease course is called relapsing remitting. New relapses can occur within weeks to many years and can include formerly experienced and/or new symptoms. However, MRI studies have shown that nerve damage can continue in relapsing remitting patients even if symptoms subside. It has long been known that "multiple sclerosis never sleeps". This highlights the importance of preventive treatment if and when it is available. In many cases, the disease course changes after several years and symptoms start to deteriorate slowly with or without superimposed relapses. This course is called secondary chronic-progressive, or just secondary progressive. However, some patients stay in a relapsing remitting course for the rest of their lives.
About 10% of all multiple sclerosis-affected individuals experience chronic progression without relapses from onset of symptoms. This course is called primary progressive and frequently comes along with weakness of the legs, gait and bladder disturbances. Degenerative processes and not inflammation are thought to play the most important role in this clinical disease course. Chronic progression from onset of symptoms with superimposed relapses is referred to as relapsing progressive.
Typically, worsening RRmultiple sclerosis is followed by secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis. During this phase, there are still inflammatory relapses, but in between there is a gradual worsening of symptoms. The onset of SPmultiple sclerosis is when disability really begins to take hold as when people start to slide down the EDSS scale. As a rule of thumb, most people with RRmultiple sclerosis have an EDSS of 3.0 or less whereas most people with SPmultiple sclerosis have an EDSS greater than this. During the whole course of the disease, inflammatory attacks become less and less frequent. Despite this, people with SPmultiple sclerosis continue to deteriorate and eventually move into a secondary progressive phase where there are no more relapses.
More information on multiple sclerosis
What is multiple sclerosis? - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system characterized by the hardening of patches of tissue in the brain and spinal cord.
What causes multiple sclerosis? - Multiple sclerosis is caused by an unknown agent that gradually destroys the myelin covering, or sheath, of nerve fibers, resulting in a temporary interruption.
Is multiple sclerosis inherited? - Multiple sclerosis is a typical complex trait and susceptibility is genetically determined. People with MS inherit certain regions on individual chromosomes more often than people without MS.
What's the typical course of multiple sclerosis? - Multiple sclerosis is recognized as occurring with seven different patterns. Multiple sclerosis starts with an acute flare-up of symptoms within hours to days.
Who is at the risk of multiple sclerosis? - Multiple sclerosis affects women almost twice as frequently as men. Climate, diet, geomagnetism, toxins, sunlight, genetic factors, and infectious diseases are risk factors for multiple sclerosis.
What types of multiple sclerosis are there? - Multiple sclerosis have different patterns including relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis.
What're the signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis? - The first symptoms of multiple sclerosis are often visual changes. Later symptoms may include fatigue, muscle spasticity and stiffness, tremors, paralysis, pain.
How is multiple sclerosis diagnosed? - A definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis requires evidence for dissemination of lesions within the central nervous system both in space and in time.
What's the treatment for multiple sclerosis? - The treatment of multiple sclerosis aims at decreasing the rate and severity of relapse, reducing the number of lesions, delaying the progression of the disease.
What's prognosis of multiple sclerosis? - Most people with multiple sclerosis will be able to continue to walk and function at their work for many years after their diagnosis.
Dietary therapy for multiple sclerosis - The main role of diet in multiple sclerosis is to enable people to manage common problems which include fatigue, incontinence and constipation.
Nutritional supplements for multiple sclerosis - Nutritional therapy is used for alleviating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis or altering the natural course of the disease.
Does multiple sclerosis affect pregnancy? - Multiple sclerosis has no adverse effects on the course of pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Pregnancy doesn't affect the long term course of the disease.
Can vitamin D reduce multiple sclerosis risk? - Vitamin D supplements may positively influence the immune systems of patients with multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D has a beneficial influence on ongoing multiple sclerosis. | <urn:uuid:4932a8be-1d20-468f-9981-96c6347d9c75> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://neurology.health-cares.net/multiple-sclerosis-course.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396887.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00092-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9286 | 1,080 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Will you be one of the five million people who suffer agonising food poisoning this year or maybe even one of the hundreds who die from it? A new report into the risks posed to human health by modern meat production shows that there is greater risk at Christmas than at any other time of year. The report, published by campaign group Viva!, reveals that:
- up to two-thirds of turkeys may be contaminated with campylobacter - a food poisoning bug causing hundreds of deaths a year;
- administering antibiotics to turkeys and chickens has led to the rise of 'superbugs, such as MRSA;
- up to 70 per cent of heavier turkeys are so obese that they suffer constant pain from lameness;
- Boxing Day pork is equally unhealthy, with around a quarter of UK's pigs possibly carrying salmonella;
- more food poisoning occurs in December than any other month.
The fully referenced, 56-page report, Dishing the Dirt: The Secret History of Meat, takes a critical look at the whole process of meat production, from farm to plate. It examines the way that modern farming techniques cause disease in animals and pose a threat to human health. The report examines everything from the state of slaughterhouses to the truth about BSE, conditions in factory farms to the causes of food poisoning and antibiotic resistance. It also reveals that:
- more than five million people suffer from food poisoning each year, most of it caused by animal products. Half of all chickens on sale are contaminated by the food poisoning bug campylobacter;
- use of antibiotics on farms has promoted the spread of antibiotic resistant 'superbugs'. Animals are routinely drugged to attempt to control diseases like pneumonia, parasites, dysentery, meningitis and salmonella;
- the Government body responsible for abattoirs officially failed to meet its target for enforcing meat hygiene rules last year;
- BSE is now found in 24 countries and is suspected to exist in many more;
- a human epidemic of bird flu could kill tens of millions.
The report has been sent to the Government, MPs and health and environmental groups.
Viva! campaigner, Alistair Currie, says: "Turkeys are a classic example of what modern farming does to animals and what it does to us. These creatures have been bred to be so grossly obese that they stagger around suffering from severe lameness and heart failure - they can't even mate naturally. They are crammed into factory farms where filthy conditions and overcrowding lead to the spread of infectious diseases; slaughtered in inadequately regulated abattoirs; processed by producers with an eye on a fast buck and then sold to us as healthy and wholesome.
"Beneath the glossy packaging, meat can be dirty, dangerous stuff and if people knew the truth about farms, slaughterhouses and processing plants, they certainly wouldn't be feeding it to their families. Disease and infection are endemic in farming - things like BSE and foot-and-mouth are just the tip of the iceberg. Of course, farmers and supermarkets cloak the truth with phoney 'quality assurance' schemes which aren't worth the paper they're written on and Government has consistently failed to act. Dishing the Dirt gives consumers the information they've been lacking - information that's vital in helping them to protect their families' health."
The full report can be read here | <urn:uuid:e8fe1421-866c-4ecb-b9a3-4c9398753954> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/media-centre/media-releases/new-report-highlights-risks-dirty-turkey-christmas | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00050-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958426 | 693 | 3.140625 | 3 |
Clockwise: Nicky Barnes,
Dutch Schultz and Madame
first black gangsters of any significance were the policy operators who ran
the numbers rackets in the inner-city neighborhoods throughout this country.
Italian gangster Dutch Schultz began murdering black operators (although
it was rumored he allegedly-had a stunning black mistress). Schultz wanted complete
control of this lucrative racket. Stephanie (Madame) St. Clair stood
in his way, she was the Harlem policy Queen, portrayed by Cicely Tyson
in the film “Hoodlum.” St. Clair ruled the rackets and her syndicate
“The 40 Thieves,” with an iron fist. The “40 Thieves,” became the first
black syndicate in U.S. history. The thieves started out in the 1930's as an
extortion ring, they expanded and operated a string of numbers banks . They
would also launch a cocaine distribution network that catered to NY society.
Schultz took out a contract on Madame St. Clair, a mob assassin was sent
to kill her, she hid in her home; escaping death.
St. Clair was also responsible for bringing the numbers (policy) racket to Harlem
from Cuba. This racket would spread throughout the United States in urban
neighborhoods and legendary gangster Bumpy Johnson was responsible
for downsizing the numbers to "3."
Meanwhile, Schultz was shot several times, as he lay dying in a hospital, he
received a telegram from St. Clair, "as ye sow, so shall you reap."
Blacks gained control after Schultz's death. Italian gangsters decided
to take another approach in dealing with the black operators. They would let
black people act as controllers and numbers runners. These positions made blacks
very wealthy and powerful in their neighborhoods.
"Bumpy" Johnson is referred to as the first black original gangster.
Actor Larry Fishburne portrayed him twice onscreen, in the films "Hoodlum"
and "The Cotton Club.” Bumpy was also the role model for the Harlem
kingpin in the "Shaft" movies and he was like a son to St.
the 1940's to the 1960's, Johnson was the middleman between the Italian underworld
and black criminals. He was known around town as an intellect. He was
also impeccable and erudite. He enjoyed chess and poetry. When
he served a brief prison stint, his fellow inmates nicknamed him "The
Professor." The mob respected him and admired his ability for
settling disputes before they erupted into violence. If you wanted to
do business in Harlem, you paid Bumpy or you died. Everyone had to pay
except the Mom and Pop stores.
was the first black gangster to reach millionaire status, quite a feat for a
black man in the segregated 50's and 60's. Johnson was also one of the
first people, black or white, to have a custom made stretch limo with a driver.
Johnson had a unforgettable presence, when he entered a room in his $1500 tailored
Italian suits, conversation ceased.
He was tall, dark and handsome, he resembled a model. He read Shakespeare,
listened to Beethoven and Henry Mancini. He lived in a penthouse
in Mount Morris Park. Johnson was treated like a celebrity in Harlem.
He was referred to as the ‘Robin Hood of Harlem,’ a ‘king among kings,’
and a ‘killer among killers.’ If you had problems with cops or gangsters,
or loan shark debts, once you were seen in the presence of Bumpy, those problems
disappeared. Johnson was the most powerful black gangster in US history.
So powerful, that he often ate breakfast with mob boss Frank Costello
and accompanied Costello to Cuba to see Lucky Luciano. Newspapers
referred to Bumpy as: “Harlem's Most Famous Underworld Figure.” Three
months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Bumpy was
dining at the ‘Wells Restaurant’ on Lennox Avenue with singer Billy
Daniels, There was always a crowd around Bumpy and he strongly believed
in distributing the wealth among blacks in the community. People gave
him more attention and respect than the celebrities in attendance, all at once;
he started shaking and passed out. He was dead, an autopsy revealed that
he died of natural causes; he was 62. The headlines from the Amsterdam News
read: “BUMPY'S DEATH MARKS END OF ERA.”
had a hard time competing in the drug arena until the emergence of Frank Matthews.
He would become a key supplier in Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore,
Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Baton Rouge and Detroit.
Matthews headed his operation out of an apartment complex nicknamed "The
Ponderosa, the Ponderosa was protected by armed guards as workers
cut and bagged the drugs. This operation would eventually cover the entire
East Coast. At the height of his power, Matthews operated several
drug mills employing more than 100 people. He often strutted around in
mink coats. He owned several apartment buildings and owned a fleet of
luxury cars. In 1971, he assembled the biggest drug dealers in the country
to attend a summit held in Atlanta. The main topic of discussion: how
to break mob control on the importation of heroin so that blacks could implement
their own shipping services.
any of the suggestions were put in place, Matthews was arrested on drug conspiracy
charges. Free on $325,000 bail, Matthews disappeared with $ 20 million
dollars and hasn't been seen since. Meanwhile, Leroy "Nicky" Barnes,
based in Harlem, was quickly obtaining power, often referred to as "Hell
Up In Harlem" at the height of his power. Barnes began his career
as a pusher for an Italian gang in Harlem. He went on his own in 1964.
By 1965, Barnes was selling more heroin than the mob. Since he used the
mob as drug suppliers, no one ever complained. In late 1965, he was arrested
with $500,000 worth of heroin. In prison, he met legendary mob soldier Joseph
(Crazy Joe) Gallo.
had long discussions and agreed to organize all of the city's top black
gangsters into a 'family' to rival the Mafia. Gallo had always been 'black
friendly' and often had blacks in his crew despite the objections of Italian
gangsters. He was often shunned because of his black friendships. Gallo
planned to school the black gangsters on the art of racketeering. First,
they would organize in New York and put together a national syndicate of
black gangsters. When Gallo was released from prison, he immediately
hired a superstar attorney to work on Barnes appeal. Barnes’ 25 year sentence
was thrown out on a technicality. After his release, Barnes called a meeting
of Harlem's top black racketeers to discuss the proposal of a 'black family'
to rival the Mafia. The idea was presented and defeated by a
vote of 7-3. This is the closest the nation has ever come to having a
"Black Underworld." Barnes decided to focus on becoming
the city's leading heroin dealer. He organized a seven-member panel to
carve out drug territories. He began supplying heroin to New York, Canada,
Arizona, Chicago and Pennsylvania. During this time, Barnes became ruthless,
when he suspected an employee of stealing; the man was found dead in a car trunk.
power, fame and wealth reached legendary proportions in Harlem. He was
chauffeured around town in a Mercedes Benz limousine and custom made Ferrari.
He owned 300 tailored suits, 100 pairs of shoes, 50 leather jackets and 25 hats,
all color coordinated. Barnes made millions and invested in nightclubs,
gas stations, travel agencies, car washes and apartment complexes.
People were in awe of Barnes and he was treated like a ‘King in Harlem.’
gave away turkeys on Thanksgiving and gifts on Christmas. He also hosted
an annual ‘Mother's Day’ celebration. He was referred to as the 'Black
Godfather.’ In his heyday, he was the black John Gotti. Federal
authorities caught up with Nicky Barnes in March 1977 after an article appeared,
referring to him as “Mr. Untouchable.” Barnes’ was indicted for selling
40 pounds of heroin a month. He was convicted and sentenced to life in
prison. He could not rely on Gallo to get his sentence reduced or thrown
out because Gallo was killed in a hail of gunfire.
1982, Barnes became a government informant to reduce his prison sentence. He
supplied the authorities with enough information to arrest 44 high-level drug
dealers. During this time frame, other drug informants were released when
their information resulted in arrests, not Nicky Barnes.
his effort, he was never released early or granted a pardon. He served all but
four years of his sentence. In August of 1998, Nicky Barnes was finally released
from prison after serving 21 years.
former associates have put an $8 million dollar contract out on his life. Barnes
was given a new identity and relocated under the ‘Federal Witness Protection
"The Black Mafia" by Francis Ianni, "Easy Money" by Donald
Goddard and "The New Ethnic Mobs" by William Kleinknect and “New York
Magazine, The Return Of Superfly.”
read more about Madame St. Clair & Casper Holstein, click on the link below.
Underworld (The Beginning)
Sources; "The Black Mafia" by Francis Ianni, "Easy
Money" by Donald Goddard and "The New Ethnic Mobs" by William Kleinknect and
New York Magazine (The Return Of Superfly). Photo Credits: AP/Worldwide | <urn:uuid:bb47d1c7-48df-45c7-8ce4-29d77836169c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://panachereport.com/channels/hip%20hop%20gallery/HipHopShortStories/originalgangstas.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00159-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972395 | 2,118 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Today, the “Twilight” film series comes to an end with the release of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2″ and, regardless of whether the film is good or bad, swarms of diehard fans are coming to see it. Transfixed by the immortal love between Edward and Bella, few will reflect upon how decidedly unlike Dracula these modern vampires are. Fewer still will even consider the part that science has played in the evolution of vampires through the ages, but it is a part well worth considering.
Scientific exploration of the natural world is crucial to both the creation and destruction of monsters. When early sailors set out on the high seas to look for new lands and resources, encounters with enormous animals that blasted mist from their heads and slapped the water with their tails most certainly gave birth to the Leviathan and Krakken myths. Centuries later, with mastery of harpoons and improved sailing technology, these monsters transformed from fiends into food. The vampire story, while more complex, is not dissimilar.
The earliest creatures resembling vampires emerged around 1100 AD in Europe. These monsters crawled out of their graves and attacked people who were unlucky enough to encounter them on the road. William of Newburgh, an English historian who reported on events that took place at this time, notes that people were afraid of being “beaten black and blue” and that the monsters were using their foul breath to fill “every house with disease and death.” More intriguingly, he describes the story of two brothers who go to avenge their father’s death by digging up the grave of the monster. They encounter fresh blood in the monster’s mouth when they hack it to pieces and come to the conclusion that it was feeding on the blood of its victims.
Since we know that the dead cannot rise from the grave and beat people black and blue, we are forced to consider the possibility that the appearance of these undead in Newburgh’s records was, like Krakken and Leviathan, a matter of mistaken identity. Fortunately, his records are rich with clues. Newburgh points out that people are afraid of being beaten, but nobody is ever physically assaulted. Indeed, the deaths all come as a result of the monster’s fetid breath spreading from house to house. Since the people of Newburgh’s day had little understanding of disease, it seems likely that the true monster in his tales was a tuberculosis or influenza epidemic that was invisibly spreading through towns.
As for the fresh blood found in the monster’s mouth by the brothers, after death, gas buildup inside the body can cause blood to get pushed up from the lungs, passed through the trachea, and out of the mouth so that it stains the teeth and lips. This creates the illusion that the corpse has recently consumed blood and explains what they were seeing. Even so, relatives were following their loved ones to the grave, nobody understood why, and an explanation was provided in the form of an undead blood-feeding monster.
Yet Newburgh’s monsters are very different from the fiend in Bram Stoker’s 1897 tale. Dracula shares his ancestor’s ability to rise from the grave and feed on blood, but he is also capable of transforming others, like the tragic Lucy, into vampires with a bite. Where did this trait come from?
While it is virtually impossible to leap into the minds of the people who came up with the concept of vampires infecting with a bite, the possibility that rabies was in some way involved is a tantalizing one.
In the days before the development of the rabies vaccine, when people were bitten by rabid animals, they stood a reasonable chance of becoming raging beasts themselves before they died. Perhaps more importantly, if they got into struggles with others during these last days of their lives and managed to break flesh with a bite, they would pass their affliction along. A seemingly vicious monster would die, but in a matter of weeks a new one would be born. Did the initial vampire myth that formed during William of Newburgh’s day have a chance to be shaped by rabies before Dracula came to be? It did.
Tuberculosis was at epidemic levels in Europe throughout much of the 1700’s just as a major rabies epidemic struck the wild dogs and wolves of the region. The situation was bad. In 1739, a rabid wolf in France bit seventy people and in another case, in 1764, forty people were bitten. To what extent these bites led to cases of rabid people biting one another is unknown, but if such a situation did develop at the same time as a town was suffering a tuberculosis epidemic, fears from each disease could have become intertwined.
So this begs the question, if tuberculosis, influenza, rabies and bloated bodies are the human experiences from which Dracula came, how have we now ended up with the kind, honorable and handsome Edward Cullen?
Much as Krakken and Leviathan were unmasked and revealed to be whales, modern epidemiology has unmasked Dracula and revealed him to be nothing more than the fears spawned by diseases and decay. Make no mistake, these fears are still very much alive, but instead of appearing as blood-sucking, fanged fiends they now most often appear as the pathogens that they really are in thrillers like “Outbreak,” “Andromeda Strain,” and “Contagion.”
Yet as eternally young, strong, and willful charmers, vampires have adapted and found a new niche for themselves. In a world where the seemingly most virtuous individuals all too often fall prey to vice, public interest in good souls battling their own bestial natures is higher than ever and vampires provide exploration of this in spades. Edward Cullen, Bill in “True Blood,” Angel in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” Louis in “Interview with the Vampire,” Barnabus Collins in “Dark Shadows,” the list goes on. Vampires are monsters by heritage, but true monsters no more. Indeed, they, like the pathogens that gave birth to them, are rapidly evolving.
Matt Kaplan is the author of “Medusa’s Gaze and Vampire’s Bite: The Science of Monsters.” | <urn:uuid:589d5a3d-b82f-4310-a8c7-6b70fb1761f3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2012/11/16/how-twilight-shows-the-evolution-of-vampires/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_ArtsEnt_Speakeasy | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00091-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973104 | 1,300 | 3.109375 | 3 |
The Light in the Forest/A Country of Strangers
Performance Outcomes and Deliverables
Activities foster students’ development of writing and thinking skills: creating imagery and mood, outlining story details, analysis of symbols and story structures. Students investigate methods of characterization and use of personification, parody, and poetry. They practice editorial writing in response to literature.
Supplementary materials include a test with answer key and optional activities.
- Critical thinking
- Social and cross-cultural skills
This exciting action story is told from the viewpoint of a teenage boy. While the story is filled with action and excitement, underlying themes focus on rejection and alienation. Throughout the world, cultures continue to clash, with ancient differences surfacing, causing strife in situations where philosophies reflect variations in modes of life. The Light in the Forest offers a perspective of history that may evoke some understanding or compassion that the world can live in greater civility and harmony.
A Country of Strangers is a companion and sequel to The Light in the Forest. This novel expands the picture of American Indian tribal life and the treatment of stolen children. | <urn:uuid:938bb5f5-6ab4-4973-8a98-6b7edc60eff2> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.centerforlearning.org/p-394-the-light-in-the-foresta-country-of-strangers.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392527.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00093-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.887552 | 224 | 3.890625 | 4 |
Visit our Re-post guidelines
Documentary Explains Why Artificial Clouds
Affect the Climate More than CO2
A new documentary video produced by an amateur climate researcher has the online world buzzing with a new debate: Do human-made clouds affect the climate more than greenhouse gases like CO2?
The 25-minute presentation explains that humans are dispersing cloud-making chemicals, silver iodide in particular, into the atmosphere globally at high altitudes for the purpose of increasing precipitation.
According to Dave Dahl, the writer and producer, cloud seeding programs have proliferated across the US and around the world since the invention of silver iodide by Dr. Bernard Vonnegut (brother of the famous author Kurt Vonnegut) in the 1960s.
"We started cloud seeding in the 1940s using dry ice," says Dahl. "But in the 1960s we started using silver iodide, and its use has grown exponentially every decade since then. Now the majority of states in the US use silver iodide for weather modification to increase precipitation."
Dahl says he recently became aware of several facts that compelled him to produce the movie.
"I had been studying artificial clouds for over six years before discovering that we spray silver iodide at high altitudes around the entire Earth, and we do that in many states before every single rain or snow storm. Counties in dry states like California believe they can get 10-15% more water cheaply by expanding storm clouds in their area. But what happens when every state is doing it? There's only so much water in the atmosphere, and every state wants it."
Dahl also says that the spraying of silver iodide before storms causes jet aircraft to form icy clouds with their exhaust steam, which explains a lot of the persistent tracks in the sky from jet condensation trails.
Other factors like forest fires can also cause persistent contrails, he notes. But he also reports that when he has seen persistent contrails, or "chemtrails" as they are often called, there happens to be a cloud seeding program nearby in every case, including in other countries. "If you see persistent contrails, chances are there have been cloud-seeding activities near you." He says that fact can easily be verified through local government documentation.
"The combustion of jet fuel produces water," says Dahl, "and the water is emitted as steam that instantly freezes and bonds with the silver iodide particles. We're increasing cloud cover through our precipitation enhancement programs. And our most knowledgeable scientists say that clouds affect the climate more than the expected effects of greenhouse gases like CO2."
According to Dahl, ice clouds formed by aircraft impose a greenhouse effect, or "igloo effect" by preventing heat from escaping. He also reports that cloud-seeding programs across the US and in over 50 countries use incendiary flares to disperse the silver iodide, which Dahl says include strontium, aluminum and magnesium. The complete documentary is posted at artificialclouds.com. | <urn:uuid:8a7c8637-7727-4404-a603-725a94cdab0e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/researcher-offers-alternative-explanation-global-warming1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394937.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00133-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.959482 | 611 | 3.40625 | 3 |
A pharmacist could...
|Make sure a 500-gm premature baby gets a smaller drug dosage than a 5,000-gm baby.||Answer a patient's questions and check that he isn't taking any other drugs that will interact negatively.|
|Assign the correct warnings and instructions to drug packaging so patients take medicines correctly.||Create a specialty version of a medication on-site for a patient who requires a modification due to an allergy.|
Key Facts & Information
|Overview||Pharmacists are the medication experts. They advise doctors, nurses, and patients on the correct drug dosage for a patient's weight, age, health, and gender; on interactions between drugs; on side effects; on drug alternatives; on costs; and on ways to give drugs. They also dispense drugs at pharmacies, according to prescriptions, checking for dangerous drug interactions, and educating patients on how to take drugs, what reactions to watch out for, and how long it should take for drugs to work.|
|Key Requirements||Meticulous, responsible, detail-oriented, logical, with outstanding communication skills, and the ability to explain complex ideas in simple language|
|Minimum Degree||Professional degree (Doctor of Pharmacy, PharmD)|
|Subjects to Study in High School||Biology, chemistry, physics, geometry, algebra II, pre-calculus, calculus, English; if available, computer science, foreign language, biotechnology, statistics|
|Projected Job Growth (2012-2022)||Faster than Average (14% to 20%) In Demand!|
Training, Other Qualifications
A license is required in all states and in the District of Columbia, as well as in Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In order to obtain a license, pharmacists generally must earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree from a college of pharmacy and pass several examinations.
Education and Training
Pharmacists who are trained in the United States must earn a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy. The Pharm.D. degree has replaced the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, which is no longer being awarded. To be admitted to a Pharm.D. program, an applicant must have completed at least 2 years of specific professional study. This requirement generally includes courses in mathematics and natural sciences, such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences. In addition, most applicants have completed three or more years at a college or university before moving on to a Pharm.D. program, although this is not specifically required.
Pharm.D. programs generally take 4 years to complete. The courses offered are designed to teach students about all aspects of drug therapy. In addition, students learn how to communicate with patients and other healthcare providers about drug information and patient care. Students also learn professional ethics, concepts of public health, and business management. In addition to receiving classroom instruction, students in Pharm.D. programs spend time working with licensed pharmacists in a variety of practice settings.
Some Pharm.D. graduates obtain further training through 1- or 2-year residency programs or fellowships. Pharmacy residencies are postgraduate training programs in pharmacy practice and usually require the completion of a research project. The programs are often mandatory for pharmacists who wish to work in a clinical setting. Pharmacy fellowships are highly individualized programs that are designed to prepare participants to work in a specialized area of pharmacy, such clinical practice or research laboratories. Some pharmacists who own their own pharmacy obtain a master's degree in business administration (MBA). Others may obtain a degree in public administration or public health.
Prospective pharmacists should have scientific aptitude, good interpersonal skills, and a desire to help others. They also must be conscientious and pay close attention to detail, because the decisions they make affect human lives.
Nature of the Work
Pharmacists distribute prescription drugs to individuals. They also advise their patients, physicians, and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications, as well as monitor the health and progress of those patients to ensure that they are using their medications safely and effectively. Compounding—the actual mixing of ingredients to form medications—is a small part of a pharmacist's practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in standard dosages and drug-delivery forms. Most pharmacists work in a community setting, such as in a retail drugstore, or in a healthcare facility, such as a hospital.
Pharmacists in community pharmacies dispense medications, counsel patients on the use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, and advise physicians about medication therapy. They also advise patients about general health topics, such as diet, exercise, and stress management, and provide information on products, such as durable medical equipment or home healthcare supplies. In addition, they often complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork. Those who own or manage community pharmacies may sell non-health-related merchandise, hire and supervise personnel, and oversee the general operation of the pharmacy. Some community pharmacists provide specialized services to help patients with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure. Some pharmacists are trained to administer vaccinations.
Pharmacists in healthcare facilities dispense medications and advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs. They may make sterile solutions to be administered intravenously. They also plan, monitor, and evaluate drug programs or regimens. They may counsel hospitalized patients on the use of drugs before the patients are discharged.
Some pharmacists specialize in specific drug therapy areas, such as intravenous nutrition support, oncology (cancer), nuclear pharmacy (used for chemotherapy), geriatric pharmacy, and psychiatric pharmacy (the use of drugs to treat mental disorders).
Most pharmacists keep confidential computerized records of patients' drug therapies to prevent harmful drug interactions. Pharmacists are responsible for the accuracy of every prescription that is filled, but they often rely upon pharmacy technicians to assist them in the dispensing of medications. Thus, the pharmacist may delegate prescription-filling and administrative tasks and supervise their completion. Pharmacists also frequently oversee pharmacy students serving as interns.
Some pharmacists are involved in research for pharmaceutical manufacturers, developing new drugs and testing their effects. Others work in marketing or sales, providing clients with expertise on the use, effectiveness, and possible side effects of drugs. Some pharmacists work for health insurance companies, developing pharmacy benefit packages and carrying out cost-benefit analyses on certain drugs. Other pharmacists work for the government, managed care organizations, public healthcare services, or the armed services. Finally, some pharmacists are employed full-time or part-time as college faculty, teaching classes and performing research in a wide range of areas.
Pharmacists work in clean, well-lit, and well-ventilated areas. Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on their feet. When working with sterile or dangerous pharmaceutical products, pharmacists wear gloves, masks, and other protective equipment.
Most pharmacists work about 40 hours a week, but about 12 percent worked more than 50 hours per week in 2008. In addition, about 19 percent of pharmacists worked part-time. Many community and hospital pharmacies are open for extended hours, so pharmacists may be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays. Consultant pharmacists may travel to healthcare facilities to monitor patients' drug therapies.
On the Job
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage and proper medication storage.
- Assess the identity, strength and purity of medications.
- Maintain records, such as pharmacy files, patient profiles, charge system files, inventories, control records for radioactive nuclei, and registries of poisons, narcotics, and controlled drugs.
- Compound and dispense medications as prescribed by doctors and dentists, by calculating, weighing, measuring, and mixing ingredients, or oversee these activities.
- Plan, implement, and maintain procedures for mixing, packaging, and labeling pharmaceuticals, according to policy and legal requirements, to ensure quality, security, and proper disposal.
- Teach pharmacy students serving as interns in preparation for their graduation or licensure.
- Advise customers on the selection of medication brands, medical equipment and health-care supplies.
- Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, and evaluate the quality and effectiveness of drugs and drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications and characteristics.
Companies That Hire Pharmacists
Explore what you might do on the job with one of these projects...
- Antibiotic Resistance
- Big Pieces or Small Pieces: Which React Faster?
- Blood Clotting to the Rescue: How to Stop Too Much Blood from Flowing
- Caffeine and Heart Rate: A Pharmacological Study Using Daphnia magna
- Calcium Carbonate to the Rescue! How Antacids Relieve Heartburn
- Can You Change the Rate of a Chemical Reaction by Changing the Particle Size of the Reactants?
- Coffee Buzz: How Does Caffeine Affect the Physiology of Animals?
- Drug Solubility
- Hitting the Target: The Importance of Making Sure a Drug's Aim Is True
- How Fast Does an Alka-Seltzer® Tablet Make Gas?
- I Love Ice Cream, But It Doesn't Love Me: Understanding Lactose Intolerance
- Ow, My Tummy Hurts! The Biology and Chemistry of Gas Relief
- Plop, Plop, Fizz Fast: The Effect of Temperature on Reaction Time
- Which Acne Medication Can Really Zap That Zit?
- Why Aren't All Medicines Pills?
- Yeast Busters: Stopping Fungus in its Tracks with Antifungal Medicines
Do you have a specific question about a career as a Pharmacist that isn't answered on this page? Post your question on the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Forum.
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy: www.aacp.org
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists: www.ashp.org
- National Association of Chain Drug Stores: www.nacds.org
- Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy: www.amcp.org
- American Pharmacists Association: www.pharmacist.com
- O*Net Online. (2009). National Center for O*Net Development. Retrieved May 1, 2009, from http://online.onetcenter.org/
- American Journal of Pharmacy Education. (2007, August 15). Pharmacy: No Longer a "Second Choice" Career. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from Ashok Patel
- YouTube; user: expertvillage. (2008, September 27). Pharmacist Career Information : Pharmacist Pros & Cons. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4eS2jw8DA8
- USC. (2008, April 9). A Day in the Life of Bonnie Hui, USC Pharmacy Student. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWgcC-fUDMs&feature=related
- American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. (2009, August 14). UNC Chapel Hill "Is Pharmacy for You?" Retrieved January 22, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEV3fIzCh7Y
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. (2008, February 8). Love Your Job! Careers in Health-System Pharmacy. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SANWMoTXY-k&feature=related
Additional SupportWe'd like to acknowledge the additional support of: | <urn:uuid:f6c866c1-8864-4802-b0f2-4f4266f77f19> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-engineering-careers/health/pharmacist | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404826.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00037-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918518 | 2,503 | 2.9375 | 3 |
- Peter Cooper Hewitt obtained a U. S. patent for mercury vapor lamp in 1901.
- Edwin M. McMillan, born 1907, codiscovered neptunium (Np, 93); in 1940, codiscovered plutonium (Pu, 94); Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1951).
- Alexandre M. Butlerov presented first definition and use of term "chemical structure" before Speyer Congress in 1861.
- James Dewar, born 1842, showed many common substances phosphoresce at liquid air temperature; codeveloped cordite; in 1892, invented vacuum flask (Dewar flask); first person to liquefy hydrogen (1899).
- Louis P. Cailletet, born 1832, researched liquefaction of gases, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and air.
- Michael Faraday, born 1791, discovered electromagnetic induction, specific inductive capacity, Faraday's laws on electrolysis, and rotation of plane-polarized light in magnetic field; liquefied chlorine.
- First liquid chlorine shipped in U.S. by Electro-Bleaching Gas Company, Niagara Falls, NY, in 1909. | <urn:uuid:1c416765-ceb1-436a-9add-4ce34f55b603> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/this-week-in-chemical-history/week-38.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00038-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.821976 | 243 | 2.984375 | 3 |
The arms race
Predator/prey coevolution can
lead to an evolutionary arms race.
Consider a system of plant-eating insects. Any plant that happens
to evolve a chemical that is repellent or harmful to insects will be
favored. But the spread of this gene will
put pressure on the insect population and
any insect that happens to have the ability to overcome this defense
will be favored. This, in turn, puts pressure on the plant population,
and any plant that evolves a stronger chemical defense will be favored.
This, in turn, puts more pressure on the insect population...and so
on. The levels of defense and counter-defense will continue to escalate,
without either side "winning." Hence, it is called an arms
race. This sort of evolutionary arms race is probably relatively
common for many plant/herbivore systems.
Other predator/prey systems have also engaged in arms races. For example, many
molluscs, such as Murex snails, have evolved thick shells and spines to avoid
being eaten by animals such as crabs and fish. These predators have, in turn, evolved
powerful claws and jaws that compensate for the snails' thick shells and spines. | <urn:uuid:959a7f27-f6c7-4941-b0c5-46a85b8a7bce> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/side_O_0/armsrace_01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00046-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.920738 | 262 | 3.421875 | 3 |
Rainforests have tropical climates that receive up to 80 inches of rain per year, which is excellent for the water requirements of fruit trees. The soil quality in rainforests is usually very poor. Fruit trees often provide their own nutrients from rotting fruit that falls from the trees. They also get nutrients from leaves that have fallen and decayed. Most fruit trees are deciduous, which means they lose their leaves once a year.
The mango tree (Mangifera indica L.) is a deciduous evergreen that can grow up to 100 feet tall and 125 feet in width. The flowers bloom in the spring and are small and white. The fruit takes up to six months to ripen and has a tough, thick skin that is orange to red in color. The flesh of the fruit is pale yellow to orange and resembles that of a peach. The tree prefers well-drained soils and full sun.
The banana tree (Musa sapientum) is an herbaceous evergreen perennial that is native to tropical southeast Asia. The tree must have 10 to 15 months of frost-free weather in order to produce a flower stalk for fruit production. The white flowers are tubular and grow in clusters around the flower stalk. It produces a fleshy fruit that grows up to 12 inches in length. They begin dark green in color and turn yellow or red when fully ripe. The main stem of the banana tree can grow up to 25 feet tall with leaves that grow up to 9 feet long and 2 feet wide. Bananas grow best in full sun and rich, well-drained soils.
Papaya (Carica papaya) is also referred to as the paw paw fruit. It is a fast growing perennial herb that can grow up to 20 feet in height. Papaya fruit is native to Mexico but grows in tropical or subtropical climates. The fruit is soft and spherical when it is ripe and grows up to 20 inches in diameter. The plants prefer warm temperatures and cannot tolerate temperatures below 32 degrees F. They need full sun, light well-drained soils and plenty of moisture.
The calabash tree (Crescentia cujete) is a small evergreen tree that grows up to 30 feet tall. It produces a toxic spherical fruit that grows up to 12 inches in diameter. The fruit is not harmful when eaten in small amounts, but larger amounts can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction in people. The flowers bloom in the spring and are yellow-green in color with red and purple veins. The leaves are elongated and pinnate and are up to 6 inches long. The tree prefers full sunlight and well-drained clay or loam soils. | <urn:uuid:f422a338-f541-4f74-8719-a5d22e76aede> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.gardenguides.com/125314-fruit-trees-rainforest.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397744.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00032-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951788 | 549 | 4.03125 | 4 |
This project is meant to be incorporated into a broad unit on the Civil War. The project will work best if it is started in the latter part of the unit. That way, students will have some background knowledge about the events of the war.
Teachers should make themselves familiar with the Civil War collection, including all background information links found on the main page.
Have the requisite materials ready before each activity:
Introduce students to the project using the Student Project Outline. Review objectives, guidelines, and project timelines.
Before class, photocopy Primary Source Analysis Tool form, one for each student. Print out four photographs from Civil War. Also try to use different types of scenes. For example you may choose the following photographs (click on thumbnail image for larger image):
- James River, Va. Sailors on deck of U.S.S. Monitor; cookstove at left
- Gettysburg, Pa. Dead Confederate soldiers in "the devil's den"
- Cumberland Landing, Va. Group of "contrabands" at Foller's house
- Keedysville, Md., vicinity. Confederate wounded at Smith's Barn, with Dr. Anson Hurd, 14th Indiana Volunteers, in attendance
- Distribute a Primary Source Analysis Tool form to each student.
- Discuss the form, perhaps using a present day photo as an example.
- Give each student a copy of one of the four photographs chosen and copied.
- Students analyze the photograph, recording their thoughts on the Primary Source Analysis Tool. Before the students begin, select questions from the teacher's guide Analyzing Photographs and Prints to focus and prompt analysis and discussion.
- Have students get into four groups, based on their photographs.
- Students should share their observations and questions, comparing them to other group members who analyzed the same photograph.
Activity Three - Civil War photograph selection and analysis of specific photo (2 days -- Internet Research Lab)
- Introduce the Library of Congress online collections to students, focusing on Civil War.
- Demonstrate the three methods of searching Civil War Photographs collection, with immediate hands-on follow-up by students.
- Search by Keyword
- Browse by Subject
- Browse by Year (using timeline)
- Students search the collection for a photograph, using search strategies of their choosing. This photograph will be the focus the news article, so encourage students to explore the collection carefully. Have each student print or save a copy of the selected photograph.
- Hand out a blank copy of the Primary Source Analysis Tool form to each student.
- For homework, have students analyze their selected photographs using the same steps used in class.
- Remind students to take care in brainstorming questions they have about their photographs. These questions will form the basis for their research investigations.
Photocopy the Research Guide for each student. Students should bring their photograph and their completed photographic analysis form with them to the library.
- Have students take out their photographs and completed Photographic Analysis forms.
- Draw students' attention to the questions they brainstormed at the bottom of the form and instruct them to start their research based on these questions.
- Conduct mini-lessons, as needed, on Media Center resources and Internet search strategies.
- Pass out copies of the Research Guide. Students should take notes based on their research investigation on this form. Remind the students that they will need to create a "Works Cited" list as part of their project.
Activity Five - Writing (2 days – completed in the English Classroom or in the Social Studies Classroom if teaming arrangement is not available)
This activity should take place after research is completed and does not take place on concurrent days. Students will need their photograph, completed primary source analysis tool, and completed research guide.
Before class, review How to Write a News Article. Photocopy for students, if desired, for use on Day One. Review, and copy if desired, the Peer Editing Guide for students, for use on Day Two. Review Student Products if desired.
- Pass out copies of How to Write a News Article.
- Review the assignment with the students, including guidelines, objectives and drafting timeline. Review Student Products if desired.
- If time permits, students can begin drafting.
- Have students take out the rough drafts of their news articles.
- Pair up students and have them switch papers.
- Pass out a copy of the Peer Editing Guide to each student.
- Have students read and edit each other's articles following the guidelines on the Peer Editing Guide.
- Students should then revise their news articles.
Prior to the lesson, print or direct students to the Self Assessment & Peer Evaluation.
- Pass out the Self Assessment & Peer Evaluation.
- Have students view their project and complete the self assessment portion of the form.
- Have students view the projects completed by their classmates and complete the peer evaluation part of the form.
Students will build on the skills developed during this project by using the photographic analysis techniques applied to other online primary sources throughout the year. For example, students may analyze photographs from other online collections, such as Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives or Detroit Publishing Company.
Teachers may choose to have more advanced students apply their primary souce analysis skills to text sources such as George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799 or American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940. | <urn:uuid:ae5e6f24-746a-45de-bbac-df3400e7ebd6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/brady/procedure.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00045-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904818 | 1,139 | 4.125 | 4 |
American Heart Association Guidelines
In 2000, the American Heart Association (AHA) published the Dietary Guidelines for Healthy American Adults. The title is a bit off base: The AHA created the recommendations for all healthy Americans older than two years old.* Here are the guidelines:
- Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, especially dark green, orange, or yellow—the high-oxidant foods.
- Eat a variety of grain products, especially whole grains.
- Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy products. You can use low-fat cheese and yogurt, fat-free sour cream, fat-free cottage cheese, and reduced- or low-fat milk.
- Make seafood a key part of your diet.
- Include legumes—beans of any sort, from navy and fava to black and green. Beans are rich in protein and soluble fiber—the kind that sweeps away cholesterol before it can clog your arteries.
- Add poultry (skin removed) and lean meats.
- Limit cholesterol-boosters such as saturated fats and trans fatty acids.
Notes: Trans fatty acids are found in vegetable oil that has been mixed with hydrogen, or hydrogenated. The process transforms the unsaturated vegetable oil to a more saturated form, such as solid margarine. Look for foods with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats (for example, olive, canola, and peanut oils) are those that begin to harden when refrigerated. Polyunsaturated fats (for example, safflower, corn, and other oils) always remain completely liquid.
- Limit intake of foods that are high in calories and low in nutrition, including foods with high sugar content such as soft drinks or candy.
- Consume less than a level teaspoon (2,400 milligrams) of salt per day.
Notes: People with high blood pressure should consider adhering to the more stringent Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), an eating program created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
- Women should consume no more than one alcoholic drink per day; men no more than two. (One drink amounts to 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.)
Notes: You may kick up the taste of a few classic recipes by adding a touch of beer, wine, and even bourbon. After all, a little bit of alcohol may be good for you. Not long ago, doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston completed the largest study on alcohol and heart health to date. Their findings: Men who consumed one alcoholic drink three to seven days a week had a much lower risk of heart disease than those who drank less often.
*The AHA's Dietary Guidelines is an eating plan for healthy Americans. For higher-risk individuals—those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or lipid disorders, for example—the AHA advises following the National Cholesterol Education Program's Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet, a form of medical nutrition therapy developed by the National Institutes of Health (www.nhlbi.nih.gov/chd/lifestyles.htm). Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should talk to their healthcare provider, a registered dietitian, or a licensed dietitian or nutritionist about their special dietary needs. | <urn:uuid:db6b2e7f-3b94-47a6-9737-60afa229f818> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.tasteofhome.com/healthy/special-diets/heart-health/american-heart-association-guidelines | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394605.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00048-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.92448 | 698 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Infant Toddler Development Training
Module 1, Lesson 3
Factors that May Lead to Atypical Child Development
Previously we discussed typical child development and the vast differences that can exist. Some newborns have developmental differences caused by unfavorable conditions before, during, or after birth due to genetic and/or environmental influences. Factors that may lead to atypical child development are addressed below.
Sometimes atypical child development can be the result of teratogens' harmful agents in the environment. There are many teratogens in the environment such as the sedative drug thalidomide, which was found to have drastic effects in that it produced gross malformations of the embryo's developing arms and legs. Exposure to Agent Orange and other chemical weapons have resulted in developmental delays for young children. Smoking, alcohol, and/or drug use during pregnancy has also been linked to developmental problems at birth.
Drug abuse during pregnancy will have a significant effect on the developing fetus. Maternal use of cocaine, heroin, and similar drugs during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriages, premature birth, physical malformations, breathing difficulties, and higher risk of death at birth. Babies born addicted to cocaine and heroin suffer through withdrawals at the onset of life. It is also important to mention that paternal risk factors, such as the father's drug use may also damage chromosomes and cause malformations in the fetus. Cocaine ingested by the father adheres to the sperm cell and is present at the time of fertilization and can cause problems for the development of the fetus.
Maternal smoking has also been linked to miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. Research suggests that the effect of smoking can be long-term in that children of smoking mothers during infancy are less responsive, more sluggish, and fussier (Chavkin, 1995; Diaz, 1997) and in later years, less competent readers and exhibit social adjustment problems (Fergusson, Horwood, & Lynskey, 1993).
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to impairments in the newborn's nervous system, mental retardation, hyperactivity, and deficiencies in physical development. Adolescents exposed prenatally to alcohol are more apt to exhibit learning and socialization problems (Colburn, 1996).
Go to the NIDA Survey which reports interesting data. According to Mathias (1995), "more than 5 percent of the 4 million women who gave birth in 1992 used illegal drugs while they were pregnant." Even though this study is somewhat dated, it contains extensive research data on drug use and pregnancy and provides relevant yet startling information. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) sponsored-survey on drug use during pregnancy also found 20.4 percent of pregnant women smoked and 18.8 percent drank alcohol at some point during their pregnancy. Note the table that illustrates pregnant women's usage of various drugs based on race. African-American women ranked highest in use of illicit drugs during pregnancy (11.3%) compared to white women (4.4%) and Hispanic women (4.5%). Use of alcohol and cigarettes were found to be highest by white women (23 % and 24.4 %, respectively) compared to African-American women (15.8 % and 19.8 %, respectively) and Hispanic women (8.7 % and 5.8 % respectively).
Over the counter or prescription drugs can also pose a threat to prenatal development. Such drugs as aspirin, tetracycline, and Valium have been know to cause complications and health problems. The drug diethylstilbestrol (DES), a drug early on prescribed to prevent miscarriage showed onset of difficulties on the offspring at puberty. Daughters were noted to have a higher rate of cervical cancer, vaginal abnormalities and are more likely to miscarry (Nevin, 1988). Male offspring were also found to be more likely to have genital abnormalities (Wilcox, Baird, & Weinberg, 1995).
Additional teratogens from those mentioned above include: exposure to radiation (x-rays), exposure to mercury and lead compounds (via car exhaust, paint, and other industrial materials) , and maternal diseases (e. g., rubella, AIDS, and toxoplasmosis--parasite infection caused by exposure to cat feces or undercooked meat). Children and pregnant women are the most vulnerable to mercury and lead poisoning. Pregnant women and children can incur damage to the nervous system, brain, and reproductive system by inhaling mercury vapors or through consumption of contaminated fish or birds.
Other Maternal Factors
In addition to avoiding the above mentioned teratogens, there are numerous ways in which expectant mothers can promote the development of their unborn child. Prenatal health care is important to seek as soon as pregnancy is suspected. Prevention or detection of possible problems early on is important in enhancing the healthy development of the fetus. Regular prenatal checkups are crucial for prospective mothers. During prenatal visits, prospective mothers are advised about good nutrition, the importance of taking vitamin supplements, and are examined for possible concerns. It is important that prospective mothers engage in good nutrition and maintain regular exercise and tend to their emotional well-being. The mother's age can also have an influence on fetal development. Some teenage mothers may face a higher rate of birth problems due to factors other than age such as lack of prenatal care, and poor nutrition, stress, and health problems correlated with low socio-economic backgrounds. Women who are waiting until their thirties or forties to have children face a greater risk of infertility, miscarriage, and babies born with chromosomal abnormalities.
Rh factor incompatibility can also be a cause of serious problems for a mother's second baby and subsequent babies. When the mother's Rh factor is negative and the father's Rh factor is positive, the baby may inherit the father's Rh factor. Due to the Rh factor incompatibility, the mother forms antibodies against the fetus and reacts to the baby's blood as if there were a foreign substance present and "attacks" the baby's blood. This "attack" destroys the baby's red blood cells affecting the baby's ability to carry oxygen in his/her blood which can result in the death of the fetus. Typically this does not happen with the first baby due to the length of time it takes for antibodies to form. However, with subsequent pregnancies, the mother's antibodies can attack the blood cells of the fetus by way of the placenta. Rh factor or Rh incompatibility can cause congenital anomalies (e.g. hearing loss and/or stillbirth). There are currently two types of treatment for Rh incompatibility. They are the use of the serum, RhoGam for the mother and blood transfusions of the fetus in the uterus if necessary.
According to Beck (1999), child abuse can occur in the following ways:
- Physical abuse - abuse that results in pain, cuts, welts, bruises, burns, broken bones, and other physical injuries
- Sexual abuse - exposure to sexual comments, fondling, intercourse, and other types of exploitation
- Physical neglect - conditions where children's basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, or supervision are not met.
- Psychological abuse - actions that humiliate or terrorize children that results in damaging their emotional, social, or cognitive functioning. (p. 399).
Child abuse can result in diminished self-esteem, social skills and self-regulatory behaviors. According to Cicchetti and Toth (1998), maltreated children show difficulties in peer interaction and encounter learning problems, in addition to exhibiting severe depression and delinquency. Overall, child abuse can impede social/emotional well-being, attachment/bonding, cognitive/psychological development, and adaptive skills.
Genetic disorders inhibit child development. Some of the disorders can be detected prior to birth through amniocentesis (obtaining a sampling of amniotic fluid) and chronic villus biopsy (obtaining a sampling of the outer membrane tissue of the amniotic sac). Some genetic disorders can be identified in newborns with laboratory blood samples. Some developmental problems can be traced to genes and chromosomes, such as Down syndrome, spina bifida, vision impairment, hearing loss, cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and Fragile X syndrome. Some of these hereditary problems can lead to mental retardation, chronic health problems, or physical malformations. Certain heredity factors greatly affect early physical, motor, speech/language, sensory perception, and cognitive development.
Poor nutrition can affect fetal development as well as child development. Prenatally, the fetus depends totally on the mother to receive nutrition through the placenta. If a mother is malnourished it is likely the baby will be born malnourished, or worse, be born prematurely, suffer from low birth weight, or die soon after birth (Susser & Stein, 1994). Upon birth, malnourished infants' immune system development is suppressed resulting in frequent respiratory illnesses (Chandra, 1991). Many are irritable and unresponsive to stimulation around them.
previous | next | <urn:uuid:154d79e0-f6fe-4042-b9c4-87c2311cbb6d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.floridahealth.gov/AlternateSites/CMS-Kids/providers/early_steps/training/itds/module1/lesson3_3.html | 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 | 0.945269 | 1,862 | 3.359375 | 3 |
Key: "S:" = Show Synset (semantic) relations, "W:" = Show Word (lexical) relations
Display options for sense: (gloss) "an example sentence"
- S: (n) preserve (a domain that seems to be specially reserved for someone) "medicine is no longer a male preserve"
- S: (n) preserve (a reservation where animals are protected)
- S: (n) conserve, preserve, conserves, preserves (fruit preserved by cooking with sugar)
- S: (v) continue, uphold, carry on, bear on, preserve (keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last) "preserve the peace in the family"; "continue the family tradition"; "Carry on the old traditions"
- direct troponym / full troponym
- S: (v) resume, restart, re-start (take up or begin anew) "We resumed the negotiations"
- S: (v) persevere, persist, hang in, hang on, hold on (be persistent, refuse to stop) "he persisted to call me every night"; "The child persisted and kept asking questions"
- S: (v) perpetuate (cause to continue or prevail) "perpetuate a myth"
- S: (v) prolong, sustain, keep up (lengthen or extend in duration or space) "We sustained the diplomatic negotiations as long as possible"; "prolong the treatment of the patient"; "keep up the good work"
- S: (v) retain, continue, keep, keep on (allow to remain in a place or position or maintain a property or feature) "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"; "She retained her composure"; "this garment retains its shape even after many washings"
- S: (v) mummify (preserve while making lifeless) "mummified ideas and institutions should be gotten rid of"
- verb group
- direct hypernym / inherited hypernym / sister term
- derivationally related form
- sentence frame
- S: (v) conserve, preserve, maintain, keep up (keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction) "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"
- S: (v) save, preserve (to keep up and reserve for personal or special use) "She saved the old family photographs in a drawer"
- S: (v) preserve, keep (prevent (food) from rotting) "preserved meats"; "keep potatoes fresh"
- S: (v) keep, preserve (maintain in safety from injury, harm, or danger) "May God keep you"
- S: (v) preserve (keep undisturbed for personal or private use for hunting, shooting, or fishing) "preserve the forest and the lakes" | <urn:uuid:ce6d6863-9e0c-4807-9e8c-067aaf44dd8f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?o2=&o0=1&o8=1&o1=1&o7=&o5=&o9=&o6=&o3=&o4=&s=preserve&i=6&h=0101000110130000222130222130222000000000100000 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00087-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.914993 | 683 | 3.109375 | 3 |
When Israel’s light shines, kings will flock to Zion to “serve” (sharat) Israel. The word typically describes priestly ministry. In the Pentateuch “stand to serve” is a thumbnail description of priestly ministry (Numbers 16:9; Deuteronomy 10:8; 17:12; 18:5, 7), and sharat also describes priestly ministry in the post-exilic Chronicles (1 Chronicles 15:2; 16:4, 37; etc.).In other contexts, it refers to a personal attendant - Joshua “serves” Moses (Joshua 1:1).
Isaiah uses the verb to describe the incorporation of Gentiles into the Lord’s service. They are “joined” (lavah) to Yahweh to serve Him (sharat). Lavah is the etymological root of the name Levi (cf. Genesis 31), and so we can speak of Isaiah’s vision for the “Levitification” of the Gentiles.
In Isaiah 60, not only Gentiles but Gentile kings become priestly servants, not to Yahweh directly but to Yahweh’s city and people (v. 10). This is an expression of Yahweh’s compassion for His people: Once He used Gentile kings to discipline Israel; now He uses them to serve and build His people. Israel will know that Yahweh has turned from wrath to compassion when Gentile kings start building their walls (v. 10 again).
Kings from the nations turn to priests of Yahweh, without ceasing to be kings. This is the political hope of Israel:Kings turned into household servants in Yahweh’s courts. | <urn:uuid:3e47b6fe-a2af-47d0-aa6c-b78d0a353332> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/leithart/2014/01/kings-become-priests | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00070-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.911171 | 365 | 2.765625 | 3 |
The sloping area between McGlothlin-Street Hall and the residence halls to the south contains a number of interesting specimens. Closest to the residence halls are several Gingkos (Ginkgo biloba), the only tree species with a fan-shaped leaf. Fossil evidence indicates the Gingko dates back 270 million years, with the modern species surviving in a small area of central China.
Note the pair of Momi Firs (Abies firma), a species native to central and southern Japan. Nearby are an Alaska Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) and China Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata).
The young Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) has completed this species' earliest "grass" stage (lasting 3-7 years), when it sends down a long taproot and presents only a tufted ball of needles low to the ground. Subsequent growth is usually rapid; mature specimens can reach more than 100 feet in 150 years and can survive for 500 years. Before heavy logging in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Longleaf Pine comprised a dense forest of an estimated 90 million acres, stretching from Virginia south to Florida and then west to Texas. Only 3 percent of that stand survives today. Soft and easily worked when fresh-cut, the Longleaf Pine has a very high concentration of resin that hardens over time. It was the timber of choice for building ships (also supplying resin and turpentine), warehouses, and many antebellum houses. The wide plank flooring often referred to as "heart pine" is usually Longleaf Pine.
The west side of McGlothlin-Street Hall features a Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana), a slow-growing tree native to northeastern and central China.
The area adjacent to the south side of McGlothlin-Street Hall features a Lacebark Pine (Pinus bungeana), an Alaska-Cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), and a Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra). Nearby grows a China Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) and a Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba). On the lawn south of McGlothlin-Street Hall are two Momi Firs (Abies firma). | <urn:uuid:ed267fe0-a6ec-4fc9-8df3-f6b8c4c5f135> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.wm.edu/as/biology/planttour/mcglothlinstreet/index.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00078-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.899488 | 479 | 3.234375 | 3 |
In many sports, the harder the hit, the louder the fans yell, but sometimes the outcome of a big blow isn't something to cheer about, like a concussion.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one out of every ten athletes in a contact sport will get a concussion each season.
They also estimate that 3.8 million concussions happen each year in the United States with around 70% of them going undiagnosed.
When many people think of concussions, football automatically comes to mind, but women's soccer is the second leading sport for the brain injury.
When the brain moves around inside your head and hits the walls of your skull, that's when a concussion can happen.
It doesn't always take a big blow to do the trick either. Purdue University researchers found that a series of smaller hits can have the same result.
And most happen without the athlete ever losing consciousness. | <urn:uuid:498c5978-b126-4c95-bca4-adb72594ad39> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://peachcrawford.13wmaz.com/news/health?page=6 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952938 | 187 | 3.203125 | 3 |
Meeting the Unique Educational Needs of Visually Impaired Pupils Through Appropriate Placement
S.A. Curry; P.H. Hatlen
Abstract: A preoccupation with educating visually impaired students in the “least restrictive environment” often overshadows the need to place these students in environments where all their educational needs will be met. Appropriate placement of a visually impaired student is dependent on a thorough assessment of the student in all areas of potential need, a determination of that student's instructional needs, and the preparation of goals and objectives to meet those needs. The amount of specialist intervention necessary to meet the many unique needs of visually impaired students in preparation for adult living is graphically depicted.
One of the major thrusts of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, P.L. 94-142, is the requirement that handicapped students, "to the maximum extent appropriate," be educated with children who are not handicapped. The basis for the inclusion of this principle of the least restrictive alternative was the widespread practice of educating students with developmental and physical disabilities in isolation from their nonhandicapped peers (Knoblock, 1987). In many instances, this isolation was profound; disabled students were provided educational programs in institutions, at separate day schools, or in physically isolated building areas within local schools. For disabled pupils, there was little or no opportunity to interact with nonhandicapped peers. Integration with nonhandicapped students did not occur on the buses, during lunchtime, on the playground, at school assemblies, or in regular classes.
For at least one group of disabled children, this isolation was not as prevalent. Educators of blind and visually impaired children have believed since the turn of the century that there is a place in the public schools for their students. In 1960, 53 percent of all blind children were enrolled in public school programs. By 1972, the percentage of legally blind students in the public schools had risen to 68 percent (Lowenfeld, 1975); today, the figure approaches 72 percent (Kirchner & Stephen, 1986). These students usually have been enrolled in an age-appropriate regular classroom and have received special education services either in a resource room or from an itinerant teacher.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the prevailing theory of education for visually impaired students was that, with certain basic skills and adequate support of the regular teacher in the adaptation of curriculum, blind and visually impaired students could (and would) meet the same academic standards expected of sighted students. The basic skills that required direct intervention by the specialist teacher were braille reading, use of the braillewriter and the slate and stylus, and typing (Hatlen, 1981). To remove visually impaired students from the regular class for other instruction was not considered to be in their best long-term interest.
Based on this belief, highly integrated programs increasingly were favored as superior systems for delivering services to visually impaired students. The reasoning was that students who spent most of the school day in the regular classroom would be better able to live and work as adults within the sighted world, having shared the common academic experience of public school education and the social benefits of integration with seeing peers. With the adoption of P.L. 94-142, highly integrated programs were perceived by many as offering the “least restrictive alternative” for blind and visually impaired students.
Experience, however, has not supported the philosophical basis for highly integrated programs. By the early 1970s, evidence was beginning to accumulate that many blind and visually impaired students from integrated programs were not adequately prepared for adult living (Morrison, 1974; Hatlen, LeDuc, & Canter, 1975). Some professional educators informally observed that large gaps existed in the preparation of these students in many areas, including daily living skills, orientation and mobility, and career/vocational training.
Interestingly, many regular classroom graduates were weak in the two primary areas that integrated programs were intended to remedy: social and emotional functioning and academic skills. It appeared as though a large number of young adults had not benefitted sufficiently from the academic programs of which they had been a part (Martin & Hoben, 1977). Many young adults who went on to higher education or became clients of rehabilitation agencies experienced serious problems in academic subjects such as reading and mathematics, despite a long history of high grades in these subjects from regular classroom teachers. Many “good braille readers” could not put their reading skills to practical use, as in following a recipe or completing a job application.
Some students who were high achievers in advanced mathematics had difficulty with practical math such as making change or balancing a checkbook. Socially, many visually impaired young adults did not have the skills to initiate conversations, dress appropriately for interviews or work, ask for or refuse assistance, etc. For a large number of students, placement in programs with sighted peers did not result in the automatic development of proficiency in these academic and social/emotional areas.
A preoccupation with the environment in which blind and visually impaired students received their educational services had precluded close examination of—and instruction in—the skills they would need to function as blind adults. Although educated in “unrestricted” environments, adult life for many of these individuals was restricted by their lack of skills and competencies.
The dual curriculum
During the last decade, educators of visually impaired pupils (Alonzo, 1986; Curry & Hatlen, 1987) have come to recognize that the educational curriculum for their students has two major components:
- instruction in traditional academic areas; and
- instruction in disability-specific skills.
Visually impaired students deserve the same instruction in reading, mathematics, social studies, science, language arts, etc. that seeing peers receive. In addition, all blind and visually impaired pupils deserve chronological-age and developmentally appropriate instruction in the skill areas required to meet their needs as visually impaired individuals: special academic, communication, social/emotional, sensory/motor, activities of daily living, career/vocational, and orientation and mobility (California State Department of Education, 1987). In order to be prepared for adult living, visually impaired students must participate in an educational program which encompasses this dual curriculum. Stated another way, the “disability specific curriculum” is that course of study which is not shared with nonhandicapped peers.
The first component of the dual curriculum, the regular academic component, is determined by state and local policy. Although some allowance for personal difference is granted, academic requirements are based on their benefit to the community as a whole. Every student enrolled in a local education agency must complete certain required courses and demonstrate minimum competencies before advancing to the next grade level or to graduation. The intensity of the classroom teacher's involvement in educational programs of students never varies; what varies is the subject matter of study.
It is expected that, as students master one area of the academic curriculum, they will either concentrate on a more complex aspect of that subject or study another area. It should be emphasized that, for visually impaired students who are mainstreamed, the responsibility for this component rests primarily with the classroom teacher.
The second component of the dual curriculum is determined by individual student need. Because the disability-specific needs of individuals vary, the intensity of direct instruction by the specialist teacher also varies. However, general trends can be described. Figure 1 represents a theoretical model of the levels of intensity of instructional time associated with each of the seven areas identified as critical in the development of visually impaired youngsters. Although not documented by research, a common-sense and experience-based rationale for the shape of these graphs exists, as described in the following paragraphs.
Traditionally, the degree of specialist teacher involvement with visually impaired students has been based on the philosophy that these students must be educated in the regular classroom. Therefore, the teachers' efforts have concentrated on instruction in special academic and communication skill need, the basic requirements of integration. Special educators of visually impaired children generally agree that special academic and communication skill needs of most students should require diminished efforts on the part of the specialist teacher (Tuttle, 1986). Pupils in regular first grade classrooms may need considerable amounts of intervention services such as intensive instruction in specialized reading and writing methods, concept development, utilization of adaptive equipment, and sound discrimination.
As students progress through school instruction in typing, note-taking, study skills, listening, and specialized computer access might be within the purview of the teacher of visually impaired students. However, a well prepared high school student might require the specialist's assistance only in the acquisition of books and reading materials required by his regular classroom teachers. It is generally accepted that the high school student with a solid foundation of special academic and communication skills should be able to handle an integrated placement with little or no direct specialized support.
Graphs depicting the degree of direct specialized instruction required to meet the specialized needs of visually impaired students in the areas of special academic and communication skills show a declining degree of teacher involvement over time ( Figures 1a and 1b).
Figure 1c is a graphic representation of the intensity of specialized teacher involvement required to address sensory/motor needs. These needs are most intense in the early years, when the focus is on reflexive development, proprioceptive awareness, gross and fine motor development, etc. By adolescence, most of the educational needs of the visually impaired student in the sensory/motor area have been met. Attention is given to the refinement of previously learned skills, hence the rapid drop in intensity of instruction depicted in Figure 1c.
While sensory/motor needs decrease there is a dramatic increase in intensity of specialized teacher involvement to meet the orientation and mobility needs of visually impaired students ( Figure 1d). The development of sensory/motor skills in the early years provides the necessary foundation for the later acquisition of orientation and mobility skills. Because independent travel is not only a function of skill mastery, but also of maturity, autonomy, and the need or desire to go somewhere, many of the advanced, complex skills of orientation and mobility are not taught until adolescence and young adulthood. The intensity of instruction needed to address this skill area, as depicted in Figure 1d, continues to increase until the educational program is complete. In many instances, advanced instruction in orientation and mobility, even for the most adept student, must continue after high school graduation.
Figure 1e depicts the need for a gradual increase in the intensity of instruction in daily living skills for visually impaired students. While independent living skills instruction begins at a relatively high level in early childhood, the need to learn more complex tasks in order to enjoy a satisfying and productive adult life requires the acquisition of an increasing multitude of skills. These skills are casually learned by sighted persons, but often require intensive instruction for visually impaired students. Personal management is one of the most needed areas of specialized instruction, and one of the most difficult to implement in public school programs.
Career education, as illustrated in Figure 1f, begins in early childhood with the development of personal autonomy, independent decision-making and task responsibility, and an appreciation of adult life-styles. Students with visual impairments require specialized instruction during early childhood because the inability to observe people at work affects their knowledge of how adults live in society. The visually impaired youngster will need to leave the school campus and directly observe adults, including some who are visually impaired, at work in a variety of settings. Only in this manner will visually impaired children be able to understand the world of work, the responsibilities of workers, and the employment options available to them.
Visually impaired youth must experience work. Work experience programs must be a part of the curriculum of all visually impaired high school students, for to have experienced employment during this period increases awareness of the rewards and satisfactions of work and enhances opportunities for later employment. Many of the career education needs of visually impaired students are unique to this population and it is essential that the specialist teacher, together with the orientation and mobility instructor, and the parent, be involved in planning and implementing a career education curriculum for every visually impaired student.
The social/emotional needs of visually impaired students remain relatively stable over time, as depicted in Figure 1g. In early childhood, these social/emotional needs are indirectly met, primarily through intervention with parents. Specialized instruction is focused on providing guidance and direction to parents and primary caretakers in order to support their efforts to facilitate the visually impaired child's development of a positive sense of self. Needs of young school-age students and adolescents are equally demanding of the instructional efforts of the specialist teacher, who must constantly be available to students as they address such issues as socializing and recreating in society, dealing with a visually oriented world, accepting their visual impairment, and defining oneself in terms of both the assets of the individual and the liabilities of the visual impairment. The social/emotional needs of visually impaired students are often resolved at one age level only to re-emerge as the student matures. They generally require the ongoing attention of the specialist teacher and/or the orientation and mobility instructor until the completion of high school.
Note that while some of these unique skill areas (sensory/motor, special academic, and communication) can be mastered at an early age, others (career/vocational, orientation and mobility, and daily living) cannot be completely addressed until the student is chronologically and developmentally ready, and they require increasing amounts of intervention. The critical area of social and emotional needs contains elements that constantly require the intervention services of specialists trained in the education of blind and visually impaired children.
The individual graphs within Figure 1 can be combined to reveal the potential degree of intervention required to meet the disability-specific needs of a visually impaired pupil ( Figure 2). Based on this composite, it can be proposed that for many, if not most, visually impaired youngsters, the specialist services required to meet a pupil's unique needs remain somewhat constant throughout the educational program.
Two comments must be made concerning this representation. First, it illustrates the wide range and intensity of needs of preschool-age children with visual impairments, a population that until recently did not receive many services and for which services still are spotty and inadequate. These children are often placed in integrated preschool programs with little specialized support.
Second, it seems clear that the intensity of specialized instruction cannot be reduced significantly for high school students. Throughout their years in the educational system, visually impaired students must be placed in programs in which they can receive the intense instructional services of both areas of the dual curriculum that are necessary to prepare them for adult living.
Theoretically, placement of a student identified as having a visual impairment in an educational program involves a three-step process:
- identification of instructional needs and preparation of goals and objectives; and
- consideration of placement alternatives.
This process is generally conducted by members of a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team. By law, when program options are being considered and two placement alternatives appear to be equally appropriate to meet student needs, the IEP team must select that program which provides the greatest degree of interaction with nonhandicapped peers (Silverstein, 1985), or the environment which is least restrictive.
In practice, “education of handicapped youngsters with nonhandicapped peers has come to be called ‘mainstreaming,’ a term frequently used interchangeably with the term ‘least restrictive environment,’ or LRE” (Edmister & Ekstrand, 1987). Increasingly, in federal and state policy the least restrictive environment as defined above is given priority over all other placement alternatives (California State Department of Education, 1986; Will, 1986). This emphasis on the least restrictive environment is of concern to educators of visually impaired students who have experience in serving students in highly integrated settings, and who have learned the shortcomings of concentrating on an educational environment rather than on the specific unique needs of blind students. IEP teams should attend to the most appropriate placement (MAP) for each student rather than the least restrictive environment in which that student can be educated (see box).
Determination of the MAP for a visually impaired pupil considers the student's needs in each of the unique skill areas as well as the regular academic needs of the youngster. The MAP is the environment in which all the needs of the student are best met, and where the student acquires the greatest benefits from the entire program. The MAP differs from the least restrictive environment primarily in the amount of attention that is directed by the IEP team to the total educational needs of the student.
Placement teams looking for the least restrictive environment often try to fit each student into a program which provides the greatest interaction with non-handicapped peers. In essence, least restrictive environment becomes the primary educational goal of the IEP. Placement teams looking for the MAP try to develop a program that addresses as many of the unique needs of the individual pupil as possible. For all students, one of those needs will be a degree of interaction with nonhandicapped peers. The amount of this interaction, however, is inherently of no greater priority than any other need determined for that student.
Determination of the MAP for any visually impaired student is dependent on the completion of a thorough and comprehensive assessment of the youngster's current functioning level in each area of potential need. Areas of potential need are detailed in the Program Guidelines for Visually Impaired Individuals (California State Department of Education, 1987) and include:
- vision/low vision;
- concept development and unique academic needs;
- social and emotional;
- orientation and mobility;
- daily living skills; and
- career and vocational.
Reviews of the assessment plans of a large number of visually impaired students in California reveal that these plans rarely include assessments in all areas of the dual curriculum. Typically, a student is assessed in reading speed and comprehension, arithmetic concepts, spelling, and typing. Under California state law, every student with some degree of usable vision must be assessed as to functional visual ability. Unfortunately, perhaps tragically, many assessment plans are inadequate.
It is often argued that valid assessment instruments are not available in each of the areas of the dual curriculum. While there are few formal, standardized, norm-referenced tests appropriate for use with visually impaired students, there are other means through which students' abilities and instructional needs can be assessed. Criterion-referenced assessment techniques are quite acceptable if the selection, modification, and interpretation of results are based on a thorough understanding of the effects of vision loss on development and learning.
Equally appropriate is the use of informal assessment practices including checklists, interviews, observations, and curriculum-based procedures (Hall, Scholl, & Swallow, 1986). Crucial to the assessment process are separate and identifiable assessments of each area of potential need. As surely as an academic assessment would not combine reading and mathematics, an assessment of the components of the disability-specific curriculum should not combine living skills and social skills. An excellent source of information on assessment instruments in all areas of the dual curriculum is Chapter 11, “Psychoeducational Assessment,” of Scholl's 1986 text, Foundations of Education for Blind and Visually Handicapped Children and Youth: Theory and Practice.
Identification of instructional needs
Identification of instructional needs is based on assessment results. Ideally, before any placement alternatives are discussed, instructional needs should be itemized and restated as educational goals by the IEP team. It is possible and even likely that a pupil will have several needs within each area of the dual curriculum and that there will be numerous goals incorporated into the IEP. The needs of the student, and the educational goals established to meet those needs, should be determined without consideration of the environment in which those needs will be met. After all, a student is the same person and has the same attributes no matter where instruction occurs.
However, the ideal situation is not typical. It is common for educational goals and objectives to be determined based on considerations of: 1) the placements that are available locally, 2) the amount of time the specialist teacher has available, and/or 3) the specialist teacher's areas of teaching competence. If the local education agency (LEA) does not have an established resource room, placement in this kind of setting is not generally considered. If the specialist teacher has not been trained to address the disability-specific needs of the visually impaired pupil, it is less likely that the goals related to complicated living skills tasks, recreation, and career education will be included on the IEP. If the LEA assigns the specialist teacher to a large caseload or requires that he or she travel long distances between students, it usually becomes necessary to prioritize the students' educational needs.
When prioritizing the educational needs of visually impaired students, emphasis is usually placed on those needs which enhance the immediate integration of the students into the regular school program. When specialist teacher time is limited, it is considered more important to teach a student an academic skill which will maintain grade level proficiency than it is to teach a disability-specific skill that seems easy to postpone.
Most disability-specific goals appear postponable because there seems to be no immediately compelling reason to use those skills. A student must pass social studies to get from second to third grade—it is not required that the same student know how to appropriately contribute to a social conversation, to make a bed, or to order from a menu. The tragic outcome of continually emphasizing academic skills over the entire range of skill areas within the dual curriculum is that many visually impaired students are not fully prepared to function as adults.
When teachers, administrators, and parents involved in IEP development prioritize the needs of visually impaired students, they take on a powerful responsibility. They are deciding for someone else what is important to know right now and what can be delayed for later instruction. Often, instruction in non-academic areas is continually delayed with the unexpressed hope that the individual will later acquire the skill independently. Unfortunately, there are instances in the development of certain skills for which delays cannot be adequately overcome, as when the 18-year-old student is asked to make a knowledgeable vocational decision even though there was never enough time to address vocational awareness in his educational program, or when the 25-year-old woman who never was instructed in the use of contraceptives becomes unintentionally pregnant.
It is imperative that when the needs of students are prioritized the members of the IEP team clearly state their intention and their rationale. For example, consider the student for whom it has been determined that a priority goal is to complete the academic requirements of fourth grade, and completion of this goal is dependent on supplemental instruction in mathematics by the specialist teacher during the one hour per week available to work with this student. Everyone who agrees to this arrangement should recognize that their decision is to devote 100 percent of the specialist teacher's time on one skill area. They should be prepared to defend their decision in terms of the ultimate functioning of that student; when the student has reached adulthood, will such a concentration of limited resources and time have made a significant impact on the quality of the individual's life?
Only after a visually impaired student has been thoroughly assessed, all of the educational needs have been identified, and the instructional goals have been written, should the IEP team begin to address the question of placement. Members of a placement team must ask themselves the question: “Where can all the goals identified for this youngster be met?” If existing programs can meet most, but not all, of the student's needs, then alternative placements or the availability of supplementary services need to be explored.
Consider the student for whom all needs in all areas can be met by placement in an existing resource room program, with two exceptions: house cleaning and the opportunity to meet adult visually impaired role models. In a rural area, it might be possible to locate a capable visually impaired adult who would be willing to teach cleaning techniques (as a volunteer or as a part-time job) to the student once a week after school or on Saturdays. It might be possible for the teacher with flexible work hours to rearrange his or her schedule in order to work with the student on house cleaning before or after school and also help the student establish a pen pal relationship with a visually impaired adult from another locale. In an urban area, a local agency for the blind might be willing to be contracted to instruct the student in the necessary living skills, and would be a good referral for potential adult role models. In either geographic location, if all of this student's needs cannot be met then the available placement is not appropriate and another placement must be considered. Options might include a residential school placement, an intensive summer school program, or a foster-home placement in an area where the LEA can meet all of the student's needs.
An option that is frequently adopted is to assign parents certain teaching responsibilities. The assumption is that parents of sighted youngsters teach their children the skills of daily living, introduce them to recreational activities, and instruct them in socially appropriate behaviors, and the same tasks should be expected of parents of visually impaired youngsters. For various reasons (see Hatlen & Curry, 1987), parents of visually impaired children are not always the most effective teachers of their own children. Assignment of direct teaching responsibilities to parents is often a “cop-out” on the part of LEA.
It is, however, appropriate to expect that parents of visually impaired youngsters, like parents of sighted youngsters, will provide an environment for practicing newly introduced skills and reinforce previously learned skills through high expectations for performance. If it is absolutely necessary to require direct teaching instruction from parents in any area of the dual curriculum, it is imperative that the parents first receive training in teaching the desired skills from a person knowledgeable of the effects of vision loss on learning. As a placement option, however, in most cases this arrangement is less than satisfactory.
Integrated and segregated environments
For all visually impaired students, some degree of interaction with nonhandicapped peers will be an identified need when determining the MAP. It is essential that visually impaired youngsters of all ages learn about their sighted contemporaries and how to work and play with them. However, it does not necessarily follow that because a youngster needs continuing contact with nonhandicapped children the best place to be educated is in an integrated classroom. What is important is that the contact with nonhandicapped peers be meaningful for the visually impaired child.
Integrated activities are of value when the visually impaired youngster can fully and meaningfully participate in the activity. Meaningful participation implies that the student has a foundation of academic and social skills that will provide an opportunity for success. For many visually impaired students, this foundation of academic skills can best be acquired in segregated environments where all instruction concentrates on the specific needs of the visually impaired pupil. A segregated environment provides an emotionally safe arena in which to receive instruction and practice the social skills that sighted children learn through observation.
Planned opportunities for successful integrated experiences can be of more benefit than constant peer contact with limited or no direction. For example, a blind second grade student who has mastered beginning braille writing skills and who has an adequate attention span might be appropriately integrated into a spelling lesson in the regular classroom. While receiving instruction in spelling, this student could also be developing and improving an ability to work with a group of sighted students: waiting one's turn, raising one's hand to ask a question, listening to a directed discussion, requesting other students to take notes, working with the teacher to get accurate assignments, etc.
This same student might have been inappropriately placed in the regular classroom for spelling instruction during the first grade due to an inability to read or write braille with ease or to attend to a group lesson. Similarly, this same second grade student, even though integrated for spelling, might be more appropriately placed in a segregated environment for instruction in another academic area, say arithmetic, and for instruction in other areas of the dual curriculum.
The MAP for any visually impaired student is a placement which allows for flexibility. Students enrolled at schools for the blind need to have the option of attending integrated schools to receive instruction in those areas where there is a reasonable expectation that they will experience academic success and social development. Also, continual opportunities to interact with and recreate in the community must be made available to these children. Similarly, students enrolled in public school programs need to have the option of instruction and training in a segregated environment for those areas of the dual curriculum that sighted children learn visually or which are unique to a person with a visual impairment. Especially important for these children (and often missing from their educational programs) are opportunities to meet with, and learn from other visually impaired children and adults (Martin & Hoben, 1977).
Models of service delivery
Traditional educational placement options are often viewed as hierarchical, with those placements in which students are integrated being more desirable than placements in which students are segregated (Reynolds & Birch, 1982). It is important for educators of visually impaired students, their parents, and school administrators to move away from this thinking and accept that all placement options are equally desirable. The environment in which a student is educated is of less importance than the fact that the student is being thoroughly prepared for adult living. It is educationally and professionally unsound to place values on service delivery systems without considering the student needing the service. Vital to preparation for adult living is instruction in all areas of the dual curriculum. No area should be ignored, for to do so is to inhibit the growth of the visually impaired student. Students must be placed in environments that are appropriate for meeting all of their needs.
The task of thoroughly educating visually impaired students is enormous. These students are expected to master curricula in two areas. As Figure 2 demonstrates so vividly, the amount of intervention by a teacher trained in the instruction of visually impaired students cannot be expected to significantly decrease over time. Yet, models of service delivery developed before the complexity of these students' needs was recognized continue to thrive. Efforts should be directed toward the development of new models, models that emphasize meeting student needs rather than the number of minutes of integration with nonhandicapped peers.
Barriers to change
Changes in the delivery of services that promote MAPs for blind and visually impaired schoolchildren will be difficult to effect. Among the barriers to change are:
- Structural—At local levels, special education programs are generally bound to the traditional school day. Visually impaired students who are in itinerant or resource programs usually do not receive more hours of instruction than do their sighted peers. Such arrangements decrease the likelihood that all components of the dual curriculum will be addressed.
- Contractual—In many LEAs, teachers have negotiated contracts that specify their work hours. These contracts often limit the abilities of the specialist teachers to provide instruction after school, in the evenings, or on Saturdays.
- Philosophical—The current federal emphasis on providing special education services in the regular education classroom is gaining acceptance at state and local levels. Adoption of this philosophy may increase the difficulty parents and teachers have in securing direct specialized instruction in the unique educational needs of visually impaired students.
- Financial—Direct instruction by teachers trained in the effects of visual impairment on learning is extremely expensive to the LEAs. To adequately meet all the needs of visually impaired students may require that itinerant and resource teachers have lower caseloads and smaller class sizes. While it can be argued that well-prepared visually impaired adults provide long-term cost benefits to society, school districts, already spending enormous amounts on special education, are understandably reluctant to develop programs that increase their financial responsibilities.
Attitudinal—Most parents want their visually impaired children to have the opportunity to participate in all the educational and recreational activities that their sighted peers are enjoying. Many parents consider education in the regular classroom as a means by which their child can be assimilated from an early age into the sighted community.
It is often difficult to convince parents that the many unique needs of their children cannot be met entirely in regular education programs and that additional services, provided outside the regular classroom, are often necessary for visually impaired children to develop skills.
- Progammatical—Many teachers of visually impaired students are comfortable with the roles that they have established for themselves in the lives of their students. They excel at providing instruction in the special academic and communication needs of the pupils they serve and at supporting visually impaired students in the regular classroom.
Changing the service delivery model requires that these educators learn new skills in teaching different subject areas, such as career education or living skills. Many established teachers are reluctant to engage in such a learning task, which demands much time, effort, and commitment.
Overcoming the barriers
These barriers to change must be overcome if adequate and quality services to visually impaired students are to be realized.
- Educators and parents of visually impaired pupils must assume leadership roles in promoting the concept that all placement options are of equal value and not on a continuum of desirability.
- Teachers and parents must commit themselves to defending a child's right to a MAP. A most useful tool for this endeavor is the IEP. Listing all the goals for each area of need (identified by an assessment of each potential area of need) will demonstrate the intensity of the effects of vision loss on learning to those not knowledgeable of the unique needs of these students. It would not be unusual, then, to prepare an IEP for a student with 20 or 30 goals for a single school year. Confronted with such a document, the IEP team may be more creative in determining the MAP. Including all the goals in the IEP helps the specialist teacher to defend the need for additional direct-service hours with the student, and subsequently, a reduced caseload. A useful technique which may assure appropriate teacher time with the student is to include in the IEP the frequency and duration of specialist teacher time needed to address every goal.
- Teachers and parents must include as an integral part of each IEP meeting a review and revision of a long-term IEP. This long-term IEP would be developed early in the child's educational program and would include those competencies which can reasonably be expected of the student as an adult. This document would serve as a reminder to the parent, the student, and each specialist teacher of the ultimate goals for the student, and might prevent concentration on the shorter-term goal of getting a student from one grade level to the next.
- Teachers and parents must avoid overlooking the unique needs of students by including in each child's cumulative file a detailed list of what was addressed and what was mastered in each area of unique curriculum during a school term. This form would be invaluable in assisting IEP teams in their determination of the MAP for a student in that it would indicate potential areas of instructional need.
- University programs that prepare teachers of visually impaired students must reevaluate their course offerings. Currently, the majority of preservice teachers' time is directed to developing competencies in the support of visually impaired students in regular classrooms. The programs need to be redesigned to more accurately reflect the needs of the student population. Pre-service programs must include detailed information about instructing visually impaired youngsters in each of the areas of unique need. If it is expected, for example, that specialist teachers will include career education as part of the programs of their students from preschool until graduation, then it is not sufficient to devote only one preservice class period on this subject.
- Additional research on visually impaired students must be completed. Basic to this need is research devoted to exploring the learning processes of visually impaired children. It is vital to know the characteristics and competencies of students leaving existing educational programs. Reliable information on the instructional activities of teachers of visually impaired students is necessary. The role of technology in the education of visually impaired children must be investigated, particularly with regard to how computers may be utilized in unique ways by this population.
- Teaching materials in the areas of the unique curriculum of blind and visually impaired students must be developed and widely disseminated to practicing teachers and university preparation programs.
- Pilot studies must be completed to demonstrate that visually impaired students who are provided with intensive intervention in each of their unique needs as they progress through school develop the confidence and competence necessary for successful integration.
Visually impaired students deserve to be educated in a placement that meets all their educational needs. Educators of blind and visually impaired children must place educational integration in its proper perspective and adopt as the overriding goal the development of skills that enhance integration in adult society. Yearly determination of an MAP by a student's IEP team and the accomplishment of long- and short-term objectives based on the student's assessed needs will increase the probability that that student will be prepared for full participation as an adult in our society.
Alonzo, L. (1986). Reflections on transition. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 80, 979-984.
California State Department of Education. (1986). Policy statement on least restrictive environment. Sacramento, CA: Author.
California State Department of Education. (1987). Program guidelines for visually impaired individuals. Sacramento, CA: Author.
Edmister, P., & Ekstand, R.E. (1987). Preschool programming: Legal and educational issues. Exceptional Children, 54, 130-136.
Hall, A., Scholl, G.T., & Swallow, R. (1986). Psychoeducational assessment. In G.T. Scholl (ed.), Foundations of education for blind and visually handicapped children and youth: Theory and practice. New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
Hatlen, P.H. (1981). Mainstreaming: Origin of a concept. Blindness Annual, 1980-81, 1-9.
Hatlen, P.H., & Curry, S.A. (1987). In support of specialized programs for blind and visually impaired children: The impact of vision loss on learning. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 81, 7-13.
Hatlen, P.H., LeDuc, P., & Canter, P. (1975). The blind adolescent life skills center. The New Outlook for the Blind, 69, 109-115.
Kirchner, C., & Stephen, G. (1986). Statistics on users of services related to blindness and visual impairment. Yearbook of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, 4, 199-201.
Knoblock, P. (1987). Understanding exceptional children and youth. Boston: Little, Brown.
Lowenfeld, B. (1975). The changing status of the blind: From separation to integration. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
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Morrison, M. (1974). The other 128 hours a week: Teaching personal management to blind young adults. The New Outlook for the Blind, 68, 454-459, 469.
Reynolds, M.C., & Birch, J.W. (1982). Teaching exceptional children in all America's schools. Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children.
Scholl, G.T. (ed.) (1986). Foundations of education for blind and visually handicapped children and youth: Theory and practice. New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
Silverstein R. (1985). The legal necessity for residential schools serving deaf, blind, and multiply impaired children. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 79, 145-149.
Tuttle, D.W. (1986). Educational programming. In G.T. Scholl (ed.). Foundations of education for blind and visually handicapped children and youth: Theory and practice. New York: American Foundation for the Blind.
Will, M. (1986). Educating students with learning problems—A shared responsibility: A report to the Secretary. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education.
Sandra Adams Curry, M.A., doctoral student, Special Education Department, University of California at Berkeley and San Francisco State University, #10, 215 East O'Keefe Street, Palo Alto, CA 94303; Philip H. Hatlen, Ed.D., professor, Special Education Department, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132
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Access to the Hudson River Estuary
Encouraging Hudson Valley residents to experience and explore the Hudson River whether by foot, on a boat, catching fish, or getting wet is a primary goal of the Hudson River Estuary Program's River Access Project. The Estuary Program works with state and federal agencies, nonprofits, and municipal partners to create and upgrade shoreline access opportunities in Hudson River communities.
There are often barriers to creating and improving river access. Historically, railroads have impeded access on the eastern shore of the Hudson from New York City to Rensselaer and on the west shore from Haverstraw to the Town of Esopus in Ulster County. Physical impediments such as steep shoreline slopes or shallow inlets limit access in many places and sensitive ecosystems like submerged aquatic vegetation or critical habitat for endangered species restrict public access in other areas. Private land ownership also limits opportunities for public access to the estuary.
In spite of these obstacles, the Estuary Program has spent or committed nearly $10 million on river access since 1996 including funding for fishing, swimming and boating access. Funding for the Estuary Program's access initiatives is available through the annual $1 million Estuary Grants program which provides direct assistance to local not-for-profits and municipalities.
New York State has also introduced two major access initiatives through the Estuary Program. In 1999, the Governor's Task Force on Hudson River Access, established nine potential access sites over Metro-North Railroad tracks in New York City, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties. These sites offer unique opportunities for developing new or improved access on the Hudson. They are located where land on the river side of the railroad tracks is available and access is compatible with environmental conditions. In 2001, the State announced a $1 million grant to the Hudson River Valley Greenway to establish a Hudson River Water Trail stretching from Battery Park in the Village of Waterford, Saratoga County, to Battery Park in Manhattan to highlight access points on the Hudson. The Estuary Program has partnered with the Greenway to highlight these and other Hudson Valley attractions by hosting the Hudson River Valley Ramble and the Great Hudson River Paddle.
The Estuary Program has funded 23 new car top or hand launches for canoes and kayaks (14 in NYC including Inwood Park and Governor's Island, Newburgh, Cold Spring, Cortlandt, Glasco, Piermont, Yonkers, Irvington, Esopus Meadows), 3 new trailered launches (Bethlehem, Schodack State Park, Haverstraw), and 6 upgrades to existing trailered launches (Newburgh, Peekskill, Mills-Norrie State Park, Athens, Rhinebeck and Coxsackie). All have been built. Additional renovated and new trailered launch sites are in the planning or design stage (Catskill, Beacon and Troy).
Three new fishing piers have been constructed and 4 others are in the planning, design or construction phases. Existing public fishing sites have been mapped in DEC regions 1, 2, 3 and 4. More than 90 sites are listed between Westchester/Rockland and Troy. Maps of these site locations and supporting information is now available in the Hudson River Estuary Public Fishing and Boating Access Maps. Please note: The Public Fishing and Boating Access Map Project was completed in 2007. Since that time, site conditions may have changed. The International Symbol of Accessibility indicates the existence of one or more accessible elements but is not an indication of complete site accessibility. Please contact the site manager for accessibility details. Contact phone numbers are listed on the map information pages.
A report titled "Swimming in the Hudson River Estuary, Feasibility Report on Potential Sites" was issued in June, 2005. The study examines the status of existing beaches and identifies places on the river where swimming could potentially take place in the future. In locations where beaches are not physically possible, the study examines opportunities to create alternative swimming facilities. An executive summary and the full report in pdf format are available at: "Swimming in the Hudson River Estuary".
As water quality continues to improve, interest in recreational use of the Hudson River increases. The Estuary Program and its partners continue to evaluate needs and opportunities for boating access in the Hudson and balance them with the needs of the plants and animals of the Hudson River. In addition, community outreach programs and publications promoting environmental awareness and water safety have been designed to accompany this increased public use.
Hudson River Estuary Public Fishing and Boating Access Maps: More than 90 Hudson River sites are displayed on 19 clickable maps that link to detailed information about each location including driving directions, hours of operation, accessibility, available facilities and contact numbers. The maps can be viewed on a computer screen or easily printed out to carry with you when you visit the river. The maps are currently available on a CD or in a downloadable pdf.
Hudson River Watertrail Guide Covers the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area from the Erie Canal, north of Albany, to the New York City line, plus the New York City and New Jersey sections of the lower river. It contains 160 pages of charts, illustrations, and site listings to help boaters get the most out of a day on the river. Please use the Links Leaving DEC's Website on the right side of this page to find more information.
Hudson River Valley Ramble Brochure The annual "River Ramble," which takes place every September during National Estuaries Week, offers opportunities for over 150 guided outdoor experiences in the Hudson Valley. Brochures, available year-round, are a great source of information on where to go to hike, bike, boat, fish, and learn about the Hudson River Valley. The Ramble is sponsored by the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, the Hudson River Valley Greenway, and the Hudson River Estuary Program. Please use the Links Leaving DEC's Website on the right side of this page to find more information.
Hudson River Pumpout Locations The 2003 Clean Vessel Act was created to eliminate water pollution caused by overboard sewage discharge from recreational boats. As a result of this Act, New York waters, including the entire Hudson River Estuary from the Battery in Manhattan to the Troy Dam, are now a "No Discharge Zone." This site provides locations of pumpout facilities in New York waters including the entire Hudson River. Please use the Links Leaving DEC's Website on the right side of this page to find more information.
More about Access to the Hudson River Estuary:
- Hudson River Estuary Public Fishing and Boating Access Maps - Site maps and resources for public fishing and boating access sites on the Hudson River Estuary.
- Feasibility Report On Potential Swimming Access Sites Along The Hudson - To identify feasible sites for public swimming along the Hudson River from the Troy Dam to the Battery in Manhattan | <urn:uuid:b515b783-d2a8-4e96-87a0-35370bbf52b6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5088.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394987.40/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00159-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933965 | 1,411 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Haiti Humanitarian Action Plan 2013
Humanitarian action in Haiti over the last three years has helped improve the lives of over 1.5 million Haitians. Almost three years after the devastating earthquake in 2010 that cost the lives of 217,300 people and left 2.1 million homeless, humanitarian action has accomplished significant tangible results. From 2010 to 2012, humanitarian actors ensured adequate services to the 1.5 million displaced after the earthquake and helped return or relocate 77% of these people out of camps. The number of people newly affected by the cholera epidemic has been considerably reduced and mortality rates lowered to 1.2%. National capacities to prepare for and respond to future emergencies have also been strengthened.
Despite these improvements, significant humanitarian needs remain that require a sustained humanitarian engagement. Despite the progress made in the last years, Haiti is still confronted with a number of critical needs that national capacities alone cannot resolve. Of particular concern is the deteriorating food security situation affecting at least 2.1 million people which risks evolving into a nutritional crisis if no preventive interventions are carried out. Today, 81,600 children under five are acutely malnourished; 20,000 of these suffer severe acute malnutrition and are nine times more likely to die than healthy children. Among internally displaced people, 358,000 remain in camps facing deteriorating living conditions and increased vulnerability to protection incidents. They are in urgent need of return solutions. There are recurring localized peaks of cholera whilst reduced prevention and curative capacities endanger the country’s ability to ensure adequate responses. Large segments of the population face continuous vulnerability due to their limited capacity to withstand external shocks, particularly those related to the natural disasters.
Humanitarian funding and capacities have been reduced drastically in the last year whilst national capacities remain fragile. Despite the needs outlined above, the funding gap is widening. From the US$1.1 billion received in the aftermath of the earthquake, humanitarian funding for 2012 decreased to $62 million, which is only 42% of the humanitarian requirements identified. Whilst increased efforts are being made to use available reconstructions and development funds to meet residual humanitarian needs, significant gaps remain requiring prompt action on the basis of humanitarian principles.
The costs of a premature disengagement are too high and endanger the hard-won gains attained so far. The dramatic decline in humanitarian funding puts at risk the important gains achieved to date and the mechanisms established to respond to existing needs and potential new ones. These risks include a possible nutritional crisis if food insecurity is not addressed; a resurgence in the number of victims of cholera and an increase in mortality rates; a deterioration in the living conditions of people in camps; an increase in the incidence of water-borne diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria; and a surge in the number of people affected by old and new disasters.
Humanitarian assistance is still needed to capitalize on recent progress and act as a safety net in the event of future shocks. The recent storms Isaac and Sandy highlighted the fragility of national emergency response capacities and the continuous need for international support to respond to new crises. A concerted effort to capitalize on the work deployed to date is needed to meet the needs of the most vulnerable and help the government build its capacities to respond to future emergencies.
The Humanitarian Action Plan 2013 aims to assist one million people identified as the most vulnerable. $144 million in international assistance is required to support the implementation of the plan. A significant new element in the HAP is the major focus on addressing food insecurity (34% of total funding sought). Unlike previous CAPs, the HAP only focuses on critical priorities and does not include all sectors of intervention.
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit http://unocha.org/. | <urn:uuid:a1d009f1-0907-4738-a712-b36bbb6e6f1c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-humanitarian-action-plan-2013 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00004-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9359 | 755 | 2.671875 | 3 |
When President Obama took office, there were no renewable energy projects allowed on public lands. But since 2009, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved 34 RE projects, including 18 utility-scale solar facilities, seven wind farms, and nine geothermal plants, with associated transmission corridors and infrastructure. While wind energy projects are authorized or under review in Oregon and Wyoming, the majority of the projects are on public desert lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. When built, these projects will total 10,400 MW of capacity. While that capacity could provide an estimated 3.4 million U.S. homes with renewable energy, not everyone is happy about it.
In its quest to have permitted 10,000 megawatts of renewable power on public lands by the end of 2012, the Obama Administration has been criticized for “fast-tracking” projects without adequately assessing the impacts on wildlife and Native American sacred lands, specifically across the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—which oversees the approval and leasing process for public lands operating under the arm of the DOI—has been called out by environmental and community groups for making “hasty” and “short-sighted” decisions when granting the leases or right of ways for RE projects.
Concerns over planning missteps continue to escalate as the DOI moves forward with permitting for an additional 23 utility-scale projects on federal lands. In early February 2013, the department announced that it had identified 14 solar, six wind, and three geothermal projects that should be approved for construction over the next year or two.
As the California Desert Program Manager with the nonprofit National Park Conservation Association (NPCA), David Lamfrom has been close to the planning process since stakeholder discussions began in 2008. His chief concern is the proximity of current and future projects to national parks, and “the loss of habitats and the fragmentation of habitats” caused by some of these projects, which could “threaten the existence of the diverse plant and animal life that lives in our national parks and preserves.”
The National Park Service identified areas around 53 national park sites in the six-state region where significant impacts to resources would result from industrial solar development. The NPCA advocates that energy development should be focused on fallow agricultural or disturbed lands rather than on public lands with intact desert habitat.
Other environmental groups, big and small, have actively lobbied against RE projects on public lands and filed lawsuits against federal and state agencies—some of which are still pending. The general contention is that many of these projects pose significant harm to habitats and wildlife, including the federally protected endangered desert tortoise, golden eagle, California condor, and San Joaquin kit fox, as well as desert bighorn sheep and other species.
Tribal groups also sued federal and state agencies over the fast-track approval process for projects, which, they say, violated federal law by failing to engage in “government-to-government” consultation with tribes. More than 40 solar and wind energy projects are proposed within a 50-mile radius of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) reservation, which stretches along the Colorado River on the Arizona and California border. CRIT says that these projects will desecrate sacred places and viewsheds, impairing the tribes’ ability to practice their traditional and religious beliefs.
“The tribe acknowledges the need for energy projects and supports renewable energy,” says John Batisky, the Historic Preservation Officer for the Quechuan Tribe, “but there is some question as to whether the government is doing enough on the consumption side to encourage consumers to reduce their fossil-fuel use and encourage communities to develop smaller, distributed-generation RE systems.” | <urn:uuid:490d275b-55a8-4143-8ff7-94f6d8a9ac8a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.homepower.com/articles/solar-electricity/design-installation/re-right-way-public-lands | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00089-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.945759 | 778 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Of enzymes and diarrhea
Research shows promise for anti-diarrhea treatments without side effects
But while many of us find diarrhea to be quite humorous, it is actually a major health concern, particularly in developing countries. In fact, each year diarrhea kills 1.5 million children around the world and is second only to pneumonia in causing the death of children under 5 years old, according to the World Health Organization. Surprising, isn’t it?
Although there are anti-diarrhea treatments available, like Imodium, they aren’t always effective. Additionally, medications may have a range of side effects, such as vomiting, stomach pains and fatigue—it really makes you wonder if it’s just better to endure liquid stools for a few days.
New research at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, however, has discovered that the enzyme hydroxylase could be targeted to develop drugs to prevent diarrhea, without any aggravating side effects. Hydroxylase is important to the body’s management of water and salt movement in the intestines.
The research, published in October in The FASEB Journal, looked at how obstructing hydroxylase with the inhibitor dimethyloxallyl glycine (check out this imaginative video game analogy) affected mice with allergic diarrhea. Researchers found that only one in five mice developed severe diarrhea after being treated with the chemical. They also found that the treatment didn’t result in any overt side effects. Wonderful!
But keep in mind that this is a mouse study, so more research is needed before companies can develop drugs for human use.
Until then, keep tanking the pink stuff. And you may want to think about putting your children on a yogurt diet, as another, widely reported study has shown that probiotics or prebiotics may have some potential for treating viral diarrhea in kids.
We can only hope that with continuing research, diarrhea will someday cease being a health concern… yet remain something we can all laugh about. | <urn:uuid:3b7377bc-dfb5-41ba-994b-86b2753e3f7e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://scienceline.org/2010/12/of-enzymes-and-diarrhea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00027-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956851 | 413 | 3.390625 | 3 |
To visualize life-size or colossal marbles, the great Baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) began by rapidly modeling small clay sketches. Fired as terracotta, these studies are bold, expressive works in their own right. Together with related drawings, they preserve the first traces of Bernini’s fervid imagination and unique creative process that evolved into some of the most famous and spectacular statuary in Rome, including the fountains in the Piazza Navona and the angels on the Ponte Sant’ Angelo. Bernini: Sculpting in Clay will feature 50 of these terracotta sketch models, shown together for the first time, with 30 drawings. Due to unprecedented loans especially granted for this occasion, the exhibition will be the first to retrace Bernini’s unparalleled approach to sculptural design, and his use of vigorous clay studies and drawings in directing the largest workshop of his time. The exhibition will offer viewers a more profound insight into the artist’s dazzling creative mind, and his impact on the fabric of Baroque Rome.
The exhibition and catalogue are made possible by the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Foundation.
The exhibition was organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was the most famous and important sculptor in 17th-century Europe, best known for his stunning works in marble that still decorate many of the churches and piazzas of Rome today. Bernini examined problems of construction and design by modeling damp clay with his fingers and tools with incredible dexterity. He used these studies and related drawings to decide carefully on the perspective of his majestic compositions. Bernini: Sculpting in Clay will present an overview of his exceptional career and showcase his full range as a modeler by assembling almost all of his surviving terracottas, including 15 from the Harvard Art Museums, the largest collection of Bernini terracottas in the world, on loan for the first time.
Bernini’s liveliest terracottas divulge an impassioned imagination and also raise the curtain on the practical side of sculpture-making. Unlike his contemporaries, Bernini often fashioned his clay figures in groups, and the two such groups that survive will be recreated in the exhibition. Occasionally, he also presented more finished models to his patrons to win commissions or to his assistants to use as guides in carving. The exhibition will also treat the role of drawing in Bernini’s design process and, where possible, the drawings and the models to which they relate will be displayed together. These juxtapositions will make clear the evolution of Bernini’s own works, as he shifted between media, and will allow visitors to follow the many steps of his creative process. Significant clay studies by his closest assistants will also be on display to illustrate the practice of sculpture production in his studio.
Bernini: Sculpting in Clay will include other outstanding loans from international museums such as the Musée du Louvre, Paris, the Vatican Museums, the Museo del Palazzo di Venezia, Rome, the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Many of these loans have never been seen in the United States. Highlights will include a dynamic terracotta model for the lion (ca. 1649-50) destined for the base of the Four Rivers Fountain in the center of the Piazza Navona in Rome; the series of models for the Angel with Superscription (1668-69); the Moor (1653), Bernini’s largest surviving model; and drawings and clay sketches for the Kneeling Angels (1672) on the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Curators for the exhibition are: Ian Wardropper, Director of the Frick Collection (guest curator); Anthony Sigel, Conservator of Objects and Sculpture, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museums (guest curator); C.D. Dickerson, Curator of European Art, Kimbell Art Museum; with Paola D’Agostino, Senior Research Associate at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Bernini: Sculpting in Clay will be accompanied by a richly illustrated catalogue that will present the results of new research. The publication will feature essays by Ian Wardropper, C.D. Dickerson, Andrea Bacchi, Tomaso Montanari, Steven Ostrow, and detailed catalogue entries by C. D. Dickerson and Anthony Sigel. Sigel is also the author of an illustrated glossary that will be included in the catalogue.
An audio tour, part of the Museum’s Audio Guide program, is available for rental ($7, $6 for Members, $5 for children under 12).
The Audio Guide is sponsored by Bloomberg.
A variety of education programs will explore the techniques, ideas, and historical context that informed and shaped Bernini’s works. Highlights will include gallery talks, studio programs, films, and a Sunday at the Met program on December 9.
The exhibition will be featured on the Museum’s website at www.metmuseum.org.
After its presentation at the Metropolitan Museum, Bernini: Sculpting in Clay will be on view at the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, from February 3 through April 14, 2013. | <urn:uuid:f422b28b-bc05-467f-8b26-4efb3a9fe9ff> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://mannerofman.blogspot.se/2012/08/bernini-sculpting-in-clay-october-3.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397842.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946767 | 1,141 | 3 | 3 |
Gallipoli Peninsula, Lat. Chersonesus Thracica, narrow peninsula, c.50 mi (80 km) long, W Turkey, extending southwestward between the Aegean Sea and the Dardanelles. The port of Gallipoli gives it its name. It was the scene of the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 and was (1920–36) part of the demilitarized Zone of the Straits.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:a79ced53-2503-4f7a-98fd-1f808b72a14f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/world/gallipoli-peninsula.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403508.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00174-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.889113 | 113 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Through the iconic example of Pompeii, and the spell this city cast on the early nineteen-century French Romantic imagination, From Paris to Pompeii shows how an archaeological gaze arose in response to a secular anxiety of memory loss and helped define our modern relationship to history.
2008 | 320 pages | Cloth $59.95
Literature | Cultural Studies
View main book page
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
1. The Antiquarian Comes of Age
2. The Archaeological Turn
3. The Specular Past
4. Body Politics
5. Lost Worlds and the Archive
6. The Uses of Archaeology
When Théophile Gautier ridiculed the claims of progress in the preface to Mademoiselle de Maupin (1835-6), he could imagine no better insult than to forecast the future exhumation of Paris by disappointed archaeologists. What if "tomorrow a volcano opened its jaws at Montmartre," he mused, "and buried Paris under a shroud of ashes and a tomb of lava, just as Vesuvius did earlier at Stabia, Pompeii, and Herculaneum, and in a few thousand years the antiquarians . . . exhumed the cadaver of the dead city, what monument would remain to testify to [our] splendor?" None, he suggests, only helmets, lighters, and ugly coins, and these archaeologists would be tempted to conclude that "Paris was nothing but a barbarian encampment" (50).
Beyond Gautier's sarcastic reminder here that art trumps utility as a measure of civilization, the device that he uses—evaluating his own culture from a future perspective—points to a radically new experience of time that arose in the nineteenth century. The age of archaeology had begun: writers and artists were embarking on a massive enterprise of retrieval which involved resurrecting extinct animals, lost languages, buried civilizations, and human prehistory. The past was becoming a new frontier as the age of exploration drew to a close, and as an exotic aura of novelty came to color the past. Like the Ancien Régime, the entire past seemed an endangered species in a time of rapid change that underscored the fragile and mortal character of civilizations; the Revolution, and later capitalism, had opened a palpable gap between past and future that broke the chain of tradition and undid the predictive, stabilizing power of historical examples. In this context of turbulent change, much nineteenth-century writing exhibited a tangible anxiety of loss, and gave free rein to an urgent archival impulse that reflected the period's sense of its own mortality much more than the nostalgic desire to emulate golden ages characteristic of revivals.
The mortality of cultures was a key experience of modernity: if history had come to resemble a drawn-out apocalypse more and more, this was in large part due to the rapid and relentless transformations that were changing the face of France. Every day, Balzac complained, something vanished from Paris—a type, a building, a practice—provoking a sense of homelessness that Haussmann's midcentury urban reforms would only aggravate. In response to this ceaseless internal exile, romantic writers embarked on a vast salvage operation that made them record their own culture compulsively, ostensibly to convey an exact image of it to future readers: fashions, customs, speech habits, social types, private life. The more ephemeral a thing was, the more urgent it was to embalm it in writing. Balzac of course cast his literary project in such terms, presenting the Comédie humaine as "that book which we all regret that Rome, . . . Persia, and India have unfortunately not left us on their civilizations." Balzac's comparison reveals the close link between retrieving the past and the modern fear surrounding the fugitive character of the present. The period's fascination with lost worlds, such as Pompeii, and its urge to resurrect them in words and images, can be seen as the flipside of the vast journalistic project of recording the modern world, and both endeavors were symptomatic of a culture that had grown hyperconscious of its own mortality.
Gautier's analogy of Paris and Pompeii was no random juxtaposition, then, but an image that associated past and present destruction. Pompeii would indeed often serve as a cipher for Parisian fears throughout the century, as if Paris were also destined to vanish in a catastrophic upheaval, or expire slowly as history moved on; the disaster could take many shapes: revolution, transformation, or decline, but in the big picture they all blended into the same somber archaeological allegory. The specter Gautier evoked was moreover a commonplace of nineteenth-century literature: take Joseph Méry's burlesque story, for instance, "The Ruins of Paris" (1856), in which two archaeologists from the Atlas Phalanstery in North Africa tour the muddy remains of Paris and Marseille in 3844 and confuse France with ancient Rome. The satirical thrust of such fictions would seem to suggest that Paris was not worth grieving, but their critical edge in fact always masked a deeper anxiety of impermanence. Indeed, Gautier would live to witness the realization of his own prophecy during the violent suppression of the Paris Commune in 1871, in the aftermath of which he penned a visionary reportage on the ruined city: "it seems as if two thousand years have passed in a night," he wrote, and as if Paris were "a dead city" reduced to "some scattered debris on the banks of the deserted Seine." Pompeii and Paris had here become twin cities: the burnt papers of the ministry of finance floated in the air like "the lapilli of this Vesuvius opened in the heart of the city" (622).
Gautier's archaeological imagery was in fact a vital component in the nineteenth-century vision of history and of itself. Both past and present carried the imprint of an entropic time that condemned all things to an ephemeral existence marked by ceaseless becoming rather than by any enduring identity. This elegiac view is no novelty, of course, but it grew into an all-encompassing outlook that included not just men but also cities, species, cultures, languages, and nations. At the same time, the transcendent horizon that had formerly guaranteed the soul's immortality began to erode, as human life gravitated increasingly around a purely earthly existence. A central argument here will be that as the religious faith in the afterlife declined, inclusion in collective secular identities, such as race, nation, or humanity, emerged as a weak form of compensation: though death was becoming more final, individuals also survived, to a greater degree, in the group. In a telling meditation on oblivion, Ernest Renan confessed to being haunted in a village cemetery in Bretagne by the "millions and millions of beings that are born and die . . . without leaving a trace," but he also expressed the reassuring conviction that "these obscure children of the hamlet . . . are not dead" since "Bretagne still lives, and they have contributed to making Bretagne." And "when Bretagne is no longer, France will [still] be; and when France is no longer, humanity will still be." The reckoning with mortality thus provokes a long chain of secular assimilations whose function is to guarantee that "not a single word that has served the divine work of progress will be lost" (262).
All the silent and seemingly futile sacrifices of the nameless masses thus help pave the collective path to the future, so that nothing, and no one, is truly lost, and every life becomes absorbed into an ideal, perfectible humanity. This compensation is of course radically diminished not only by the loss of self but also by the mortal nature of entities like Bretagne and France; in principle it led to an infinite regression, which could only dissolve, in the end, in the empty abstraction of the universe. This is where archaeology comes into the picture: it was widely regarded as a magic science capable of undoing the work of erosion, and of rescuing even the most traceless beings from amnesia, and in that capacity it offered an imaginary guarantee that nothing was truly lost and that every life left some kind of legible trace. Archaeology thus underwrote the myth of an earthly memorial survival that could plausibly take the place of immortality. The promise of assimilation into larger collective beings, such as France, and the strength of one's commitment to them was partly a function of their power to absorb and perpetuate the group's memories. This postreligious memorial burden of the collectivity helps explain the urgency with which many Romantics turned to archaeology.
This thesis is not offered as a totalizing explanation; religion clearly remained a vital force throughout the century, and indeed regained some lost ground at the outset with Napoleon's Concordat. But by and large faith was becoming a private matter that no longer framed public life, while the modern secular nation was taking its place as the horizon of collective life. It is at the level of this global trend, rather than of individual beliefs, that archaeology performs its role as a guarantor of memories; indeed, its promise in no way challenged religion with an overtly rival discourse, and Catholics often adopted its rhetoric of memory to defend an enduring Christian identity. The decisive shift does not take place at the level of individual beliefs, but turns on the loss of a public form of transcendence that transforms the earthly community into the site of a secular immortality. Archaeology emerged in this context as a modern myth that secured memorial survival on three overlapping levels: the persistence of personal traces; the individual's assimilation into the collectivity; and the relative longevity of the group's identity.
This seems to charge archaeology with a rather heavy symbolic burden, at least when measured against its marginal role before it was professionalized in the second half of the century. Up until then it was marked by amateur efforts, provincial antiquarian societies, and sporadic public subventions, but the claim here is also not that this nascent field carried this burden alone or directly. This book is not about the rise of archaeology as a professional discipline, but about its broader mythical impact on romantic culture. Indeed, as an idea, it quickly shaped the consciousness of the period, left a large cultural footprint, and gained a symbolic prestige that far outweighed its real impact. Naturalists, geologists, historians, philologists, and writers all adopted its rhetoric of excavation, its interpretation of material remains, its vision of stratification, and its promise of resurrection to reinforce their own efforts to reconstruct the past. Thus the naturalist Cuvier saw himself an "antiquary of a new species" while the philologist Renan promoted a linguistic archaeology that would retrieve "the primitive world" from beneath the "numerous strata of people and idioms." Michelet consistently presented his history as a national archaeology, while writers revived lost worlds from Carthage and Pompeii to medieval Paris and the Ancien Régime.
Wherever the past had to be reconstructed, archaeology proved to be a useful and elastic model that was easy to exploit. With the rise of historical consciousness, and the modern perception of things as changing entities without stable essences, the archaeological image of a ceaseless stratification of the past became a useful master metaphor: texts, languages, nations, landscapes, and minds also changed constantly, and deposited their pasts in invisible strata that might be excavated, reconstructed, and revived. The entire past was taking the shape of a vast archival accumulation in which heterogeneous records (words, fossils, monuments, relics, psychic traces) came together in a single great imaginary deposit. Thus when Élisée Reclus evoked the prehistoric Swiss lake-dwellers discovered in the 1850s, his rhetoric blurred the frontiers between geology, philology, and archaeology: "wherever historical monuments and written testimony is lacking, there begins the role of the geologist. He explores the strata deposited by the water, sand grain by sand grain; he exhumes the gnawed bones, the pottery, the debris of every sort already gathered in the stratified archive, and the study of these objects allows him to conjure [these] vanished people from oblivion."
This symbolic confusion would be an obstacle for a narrowly conceived history of the discipline, but this fluidity, conversely, provides the basis for my claim that a diffuse archaeological gaze marked much of romantic culture. The field's undisciplined and amateur character even reinforced its global impact by making it available for appropriations and imaginary uses. Balzac's use of the term in Le Cousin Pons gives a good illustration of this extreme flexibility; there Pons, an impoverished art-lover, claims it as the master science that informs his strategy of collection: "archeology comprises architecture, sculpture, painting, jewelry, ceramics, cabinetmaking, a very modern art, lace, tapestry, in fact all the creations of human labor." Archaeology also formed the core of Balzac's own practice of observation, which sought above all to expose the secret histories of the characters, buildings, and objects that peopled his novels: "archeology is to social nature," he wrote, "what comparative anatomy is to organized nature."
Such broad and flexible uses were to some degree authorized by the vague nature of the field itself; both as a term and practice, archaeology was replacing an older antiquarian culture that had declined steadily during the eighteenth century, but not without inheriting some of its imprecision: did it study words or material remains, artistic works or every trace of human culture? Was it an aesthetic or historical discipline? Could it look beyond classical antiquity to the national past, or further back, to prehistory? The courses on archaeology in the early nineteenth century were mainly art-historical, and focused on the development, dating, and quality of artistic forms, but at the same time the modern idea of a strictly material science of past civilizations was gaining ground. By the time Napoleon III ordered excavations at Alésia to unearth material for his History of Julius Caesar (1865-6), archaeology had successfully carved out its own niche beside philology, art history, and history, not least because the mid-century recognition of man's prehistoric existence had made the need for a science of nonverbal and non-artistic traces obvious.
While the field's loose boundaries no doubt facilitated its broad appropriation, its central concern with past civilizations had emerged quite early, and it was chiefly this meaning that nourished its mythical appeal as a science of memory. No discovery played a greater role in the establishment of this myth than Pompeii; the theme of countless poems, novels, paintings, plays, operas, and travelogues in the nineteenth century, most notably Bulwer Lytton's The Last Days of Pompeii (1834), this city embodied a contradiction that lay at the heart of archaeology's power of enchantment: it had been abruptly annihilated, and just as suddenly resurrected, and this stark contrast of violence and redemption provided an irresistible melodramatic script for the comprehension of history; while conceding that history was a violent process that littered the past with vibrant cultures, it also dissociated ruin and amnesia, and suggested that lost worlds might leave imperishable traces. Loss and memory were cemented into a single felicitous narrative at Pompeii, which had of course both perished and survived thanks to the 79 C.E. eruption, as if its death had been the vehicle of its preservation. This fantasy—a leitmotif of Pompeian writing—accounts for the city's great popularity with Romantics as well as for archaeology's symbolic appeal. Accordingly, I here take Pompeii as a thread to study the global impact of archaeology on romantic culture. It is not a book about Pompeii, and does not purport to relate the city's discovery or reception systematically, but it is the central example to which I return again and again, just as it was the example that inevitably came to mind when Egypt, Assyria, or prehistoric sites were excavated. In La Légende des siècles, Hugo marveled at the enormity of oblivion by wondering how "many Herculaneums and Pompeiis / Lie buried in the thick ashes of history!"
Much of the corpus studied here thus deals directly with Pompeii, and in the interests of breadth draws on a wide range of genres, such as travel narratives, erudite reports, fictional resurrections, and visual reconstitutions. Beyond this central example, I also make selective use of archaeological texts on Egypt, Assyria, France and prehistory; the works of Chateaubriand, Mme de Staël, Gautier, Hugo, Renan, and, to a lesser degree, Scott and Carlyle, lie at the center of my corpus. In addition, I also often turn to the works of the major romantic historians, Augustin Thierry, Prosper de Barante, and Jules Michelet. The inclusion of historiography can be justified on two grounds: on the one hand, romantic history drew abundantly on archaeological rhetoric; on the other hand, my reading of archaeology identifies it as the central trope that structures modern historical consciousness.
There are of course a number of major studies of romantic historicism (notably by Stephen Bann, Linda Orr, Ann Rigney, Claudie Bernard, and Maurice Samuels), to which I owe a great debt, but which do not grant archaeology a central place. By foregrounding the archaeological rhetoric of romantic historicism, my aim is to deepen our understanding of it as a modern secular theology, and partly to take issue with its dismissal as a picturesque, spectacular, or naïvely ideological enterprise. While history certainly helped forge national identities, heal the breach of the revolution, and legitimize new regimes, my focus on archaeology subordinates these functions to a deeper existential concern with the being of the past—to a specifically modern preoccupation with the imperishability of memories. Archaeology, or rather its myth, affirmed that nothing perishes, that earthly existence itself embodies a form of immortality, and that the tragic historicity of modern life carries with it a secular ontology that neutralizes its fragile and fugitive character.
The book is divided into three parts, and moves progressively from a concrete study of the archaeological gaze to its broader theoretical implications. Part one examines the birth of a modern archaeological outlook in the early nineteenth century, and begins by looking at the early reception of Pompeii, which was marked by a narrow focus on artworks and a slightly brutal effort to extract them. Chapter two then turns to the romantic revival of the antiquarian as a modern heroic archaeologist, no longer a bespectacled savant, and shows how the gap between erudition and imagination narrowed in Romanticism. In chapter three, I return to Pompeii to show how interest shifted from art to the intimate image it furnished of a civilization known chiefly from its textual accounts, and to argue that this new archaeological gaze turned artifacts into documents whose meaning both illuminated and depended on their setting. At this point, I turn briefly to the debate about the museum sparked by the French Revolution, and use the Pompeian example to argue that both opponents and adherents of the museum shared a similar contextual outlook, but ironically disagreed, as it were, in the name of their archaeological understanding of monuments.
Part two then turns to the poetics of resurrection in history and literature to show how writers mobilized the archaeological gaze to make the past present once more. Two metaphors are central here: vision and the body. Chapter four analyzes the use of visual tropes to produce presence, and interrogates the implicit ontological stakes of this operation. In chapter five, I look at presence in physical rather than optical terms, and explore the desire, at once religious and erotic, to reanimate, touch, and commune with the "body of the past." Lastly, in part three, I address the broader cultural, philosophical, and political implications of archaeological thought. Chapter six examines the romantic myth of the lost world along with the catastrophic view of history it encodes, before reading these as a meditation on the existence of an indestructible archive that safeguards memories. Finally, in chapter seven, I turn to the pragmatic uses of archaeological rhetoric, and show how its secular theology of memory fueled a broad range of ambitions to renew modern society; by securing the past, archaeology had also established a reservoir of energy to nourish the future, and this mythical idea galvanized dreams of artistic, social, and political rejuvenation. By way of conclusion, I consider the exhaustion of the archaeological myth at the end of the century, when it finally lost its power to neutralize the experience of rupture, violence, and oblivion. All the foreign texts cited here are my own translation, unless the reference is to an English edition; for the sake of brevity, full references occur only in the bibliograph | <urn:uuid:80bdced7-7418-4d92-9655-4de7b76fe157> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/toc/14507.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402516.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00165-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956665 | 4,324 | 3.03125 | 3 |
High School Lesson Plans for Business Classes
The Importance of Global Cooperation
This high school curriculum seeks to actively involve students in exploring and constructing an informed understanding of global
cooperation by studying the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The activities are designed to
include a visit — or virtual visit — to the
IMF Center's exhibition,
Money Matters: The Importance of Global Cooperation.
They focus on the history, mission, structure and function
of the IMF, as well as its past and continuing contribution to the economic stability of nations and the living standards of individuals.
Note to the teacher: The curriculum includes activities suitable for high school students enrolled in world and American history, geography,
economics, and business courses. The curriculum begins with general activities, which can stand alone as an introduction to the IMF
and/or prepare students for a visit to the
IMF Center. (See II below.) These are followed by activities specific to students' courses
of study. (See III, IV, and V below.) Teachers may choose from among the activities to satisfy classroom and field-trip needs and
time constraints. Objectives and procedures are easily adaptable to the skill and knowledge level of students. Sections I and VI use
concept maps as assessment tools to measure students' entry knowledge before starting the curriculum and final understandings following
Students will be able to:
- Explain the role of the IMF as a facilitator of global cooperation:
- How the IMF functions as a cooperative international organization.
- How the IMF facilitates international trade.
- How the IMF strengthens its members' economies.
- Discuss the adaptations over time made by the IMF.
- Describe the interplay among sociocultural, political, and economic forces, and the impact of these forces on nations and
- Identify the essential mechanisms for productive cooperation when working with others, (e.g., negotiating, compromising,
seeking consensus, and managing conflicts).
- Initial Assessment: Concept Map
Note to the teacher: The curriculum begins with a measure of students' entry knowledge, using concept maps as the assessment tool.
Concept maps provide a quick read of students' prior knowledge, e.g., misconceptions, familiarity with relevant vocabulary. They also
serve to bring to the foreground both content and organization of current knowledge and attitudes, readying the student for what is
- With the class as a whole, the teacher models the drawing of a concept map of the term "money" by writing
it on the blackboard and asking, "What does this term mean?" As students respond, they and the teacher begin to map
and make connections among related concepts.
- Students draw individual concept maps of the term "International Monetary Fund" or "IMF." After
general discussion, the teacher collects the signed maps to be used as an assessment measure by teachers and students on
completion of the curriculum.
- Pre-Visit Activities: General Introduction
Note to the teacher: The first three activities provide students with the following: a general introduction to the IMF; practice in
the processes of "reading" images; experience conducting web-based research. These activities are designed to increase both
teacher and student awareness of competency and gaps in knowledge. Teachers may decide the number of class periods required for these
activities. Students should maintain a folder of materials to be drawn on throughout the three-part curriculum. Following completion
of this section, the lesson plans are tailored to specific courses.
Teacher Materials: Selected images from the exhibit, including the IMF logo,
"Who's Got the Gold?", "Anybody Have Any Suggestions?", "I Don't Even Understand the Old System",
"During Transition to a Market Economy, Fasten Seat Belts"; IMF video,
Millennium: Out of the Ashes.
Student Materials: Appendix A: Pre-Visit Materials, including 1.
Executive Board Room; 2.
Glossary of Terms; and 3.
"Researching the IMF" Worksheet.
- Advance Organizer
- The teacher shows an image of the IMF logo with the olive branch, followed by a brainstorming discussion of the
meaning of the symbols.
- The teacher shows exhibition images and leads a discussion of students' understanding or misunderstanding of
the IMF. (Examples of possible responses/misconceptions-oversees the free exchange of currencies to its member
nations, loans money, creates jobs, rebuilds cities.)
- Introduction to the IMF
- The teacher prepares students for viewing the "Millennium: Out of the Ashes" portion of the Millennium video by
asking them to think about the following:
- What are the goals of the IMF?
- How is the organization structured to achieve its goals?
- The teacher shows this video "Millennium: Out of the Ashes"
and facilitates a discussion during and/or following the video using the suggested questions below:
- What are the purpose and ultimate goals of the IMF? How does the IMF logo represent the ultimate goals?
- When was it founded? What is significant about the date?
- What are the major differences between the IMF and the World Bank?
- How many members sit on the IMF Executive Board? How does the Board make decisions?
- Where do Executive Board members get information on which to base their decisions?
- What do you know now about the IMF that you didn't know before?
- The teacher distributes and previews Appendix A 1,2, and 3. Students use the IMF web site and search
additional Internet sites to complete research on the mission, structure, and work of the IMF.
Note to the teacher: Include IMF Websites (www.imf.org):
"What is the IMF?"
"IMF At A Glance,"
and/or "Chronology," and sites addressing
current IMF activities and issues. See latest speech of the Managing Director
(www.imf.org/cgi-shl/create_x.pl?mds). In Appendix A 4
("Researching the IMF"), the teacher may select from the list of questions or adapt them as appropriate.
- Discussion of findings
The students report on the outcome of their web-based research.
- Pre-Visit Activities: Business Curriculum
Note to the teacher: The following curriculum activities, (III A and B) complete the preparation for the visit to the IMF Center. The
teacher previews processes and materials to be used by students at the Center, addresses the logistics for the visit, and introduces the
overarching theme: "Countries and the IMF: International partnerships in the transition to a free market economy."
Students will be able to:
Student Materials: Appendix A4:
Image Analysis Worksheet (Exhibit Area 6 Cartoon-"During transition to market economy,
fasten seat belt"); (Exhibit Area 3 Photograph -"Five cigarettes for an egg");
Appendix A5: Chart - Changing to a Free Market Economy;
Appendix B: "At the IMF Center": Exhibit Worksheet.
- "read" images;
- add new meaning to terminology introduced in the previous assignment
- explain the give and take of an IMF/member nation partnership.
- Individually or in pairs, students use the Image Analysis Worksheet (Appendix A 4) to "read" one photograph
and one political cartoon relating to a country's transition to a market economy and an international monetary system.
- The teacher facilitates a class discussion of the process of "reading" images as a means of interpreting
- The teacher divides the class into 5 or 6 groups (3-5 students) for conducting research on specific countries
experiencing problems in changing to a market economy. (The exhibit includes information on the following: Brazil; Korea; Mexico;
Poland; African countries.) Groups choose the country they will research. The teacher previews Chart (Appendix A5) and "At
the "At the IMF Center" Exhibit Worksheet (Appendix B.) Students initiate country research
prior to visiting the IMF Center.
Recording information on Chart 1, students document the following aspects of an IMF/member nation partnership:
(Note to Teachers: Suggested resources for this activity include:
http://www.imf.org (country page);
- What problems existed in this country?
- What assistance did the country seek?
- What risks did the country take?
- Who made compromises?
- What type(s) of assistance was (were) received?
- What were the results?
- Visit to the IMF Center
Note to the teacher: The visit to the Center provides direct experience for learning about the IMF and its role in fostering global
cooperation. The activities continue to build understanding of the overarching theme-"Countries and the IMF:
International partnerships in the transition to a free market economy."
An IMF representative is on hand to provide information and answer questions. The visit is organized to minimize crowding by assigning
groups to two parts of the IMF Center—exhibit areas and mini-theater. The visit takes approximately 1½ hours. Guided by
"At the IMF Center" Exhibit Worksheet (Appendix B), students will be able to:
Student Materials: Folder containing Appendices A and B, notepaper, pencils.
- "read" images;
- broaden points of view, getting perspectives of both the IMF and member nations;
- hypothesize on the role of international companies in the transition.
An IMF representative welcomes and orients students to the Center, and remains as a consultant to students during the
- IMF Center Assignments:
Students use materials in Appendices A5 (Chart) and B ("At the IMF": Exhibit Worksheet) to guide their activities.
Half of the students explore the exhibit
"Money Matters: The Importance of Global Cooperation,"
while half visits the
mini-theatre and views case study videos about African countries and Korea. After 45 minutes, students switch activities.
- Post-Visit Activities
Note to the teacher: These activities synthesize students' understanding of the IMF's role as a facilitator of global cooperation and the
role of international companies investing in developing countries. Students will be able to:
Student Materials: Appendices A and B, folders of cumulative materials, including assignments.
- Explain how IMF assistance contributes to a developing country's transition to a free market economy;
- Describe the process used by the IMF in providing assistance to a member nation;
- Hypothesize areas of research necessary for assessing an investment by the IMF or a company in a developing country;
- Identify the risks and benefits from the country's perspective
- Identify the risks and benefits from a business's perspective
- Discuss a multinational business' social responsibility
- Students regroup in the classroom, so that every country is represented in each new group. Using the Chart (Appendix A 5),
students compare their findings and identify similarities and differences among the countries. Using the format of the Chart,
students record findings on a transparency to be shared with the class.
- Continuing in their small groups, students brainstorm the research required by the IMF prior to assisting a member
- Final Class Discussion
Note to the teacher: This conversation uses the overarching theme, "Countries and the IMF: International partnerships
in the transition to a free market economy" to integrate students' new understanding of global cooperation. They may identify
such research areas as: natural resources; economic system; IMF relationship; monetary unit; legal system; Gross National Product
(GNP); Gross Domestic Product (GDP); infrastructure; competitive advantage; per capita income; currency value compared to US dollar.
The teacher facilitates a brainstorming session. Students take the perspective of a CEO of an international company. They identify
the steps and information required for sound investment decisions in a developing country. They produce a list of research
- Final Assignment
Note to the teacher: The final assignment provides a record of the students' new understanding of the IMF's role in fostering
global cooperation and the role of international companies investing in developing countries. The teacher may specify content and
length of the essay.
- The teacher provides a scenario emphasizing the human needs approach to economic development:
"You are the CEO of a multinational company interested in investing in a developing country. Assess the
various opportunities and risks of doing business in the country you have studied."
- Using the list of research criteria generated in the final class discussion above, students research and prepare a report
to a board of directors in response to the scenario assignment.
- Final Assessment: Concept Map
Note to the teacher: The curriculum ends with a measure of the students' new understanding. By comparing the initial and final
concept maps, both the teacher and the student are able to assess the growth of knowledge.
Student Materials: Initial concept map.
The teacher distributes the students' initial concept maps. The students draw a final concept map, with "IMF" at the Center.
Money Matters Curriculum Table of Contents | <urn:uuid:d2a3c731-4494-476c-bcb6-4fbbf2bb533d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/students/hs/business.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00090-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910118 | 2,729 | 4.03125 | 4 |
If my last article made you despair that “kids today” are all junkies and gun runners, I want to assure you that kids with these types of problems are in the vast minority. That doesn’t mean we, as parents, shouldn’t be vigilant; it just means that we don’t have to trade in our beloved cars and SUVs for hand baskets to hell anytime soon. The kids are alright.
Some of them are better than alright.
Take Marshall Zhang.For this Canadian 16-year-old’s science fair project, he may have come up with a treatment for Cystic Fibrosis so effective many people are calling it a cure.
You may think David is exaggerating when he mentions the Nobel Prize, but just look at these numbers from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation:
- Approximately 30,000 children and adults have CF in the United States.
- More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene.
- The disease occurs in one of every 3,500 live births of all Americans and about 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year.
Too many of these children, teens, and adults suffer for the entirety of their often too-short lives. If Marshall’s project leads to research that can change and maybe save their lives, well, what else is there to say?
May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month. Like Marshall, you can make a difference. The link above takes you to a list of opportunities to help those who struggle, their families, and to support research of the sort that may come from Marshall’s Science Fair project. You can join CFF in its mission to “add tomorrows every day” for those who fight this terrible disease.
Oh, and by the way? Marshall Zhang and his science project won the Canada-Wide Science Fair.
Congratulations, Marshall, and thank you. | <urn:uuid:25215594-4534-46a8-bb76-f9b7bfd34621> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/05/23/the-anchor-mom-teens-science-project-could-lead-to-cystic-fibrosis-cure-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393533.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00167-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9548 | 403 | 2.75 | 3 |
Fever, uterine tenderness, increased white blood cell count, and foul-smelling amniotic fluid are all signs of amnionitis in labor. Once amnionitis is suspected as the cause of infection in a pregnant patient, it is important to start antibiotics as soon as possible to fight the infection.
Once amnionitis has been diagnosed, the baby needs to be delivered immediately, regardless of the due date. Even the most powerful antibiotics cannot successfully treat an infection in the uterus while the fetus, membranes, and placenta remain inside. Therefore, the mother and fetus are at greatest risk until adequate treatment can be started. Obviously, the length of the pregnancy will affect the fetus's chance for survival.
In the past, doctors did not start antibiotics until the baby was delivered, because antibiotics given to a pregnant mother could erroneously affect results of cultures from the newborn. Culture results could be negative when infection was present. More recent studies have shown both mother and baby benefit from initiation of intravenous antibiotics during labor, with reduced risk of significant infection. In addition, the baby will generally be treated with antibiotics for at least 48 hours after delivery, even if there are no signs or symptoms of infection.
Labor is usually induced when amnionitis is diagnosed; medications may be given to speed up labor if the patient has already started contracting. Cesarean section should be performed only when necessary-for example, in instances of non-reassuring fetal well-being or lack of progress in labor. The presence of infection can affect the ability of the uterus to contract and can increase the likelihood of needing a cesarean section. A pediatrician or neonatologist should be present at the delivery when amnionitis has complicated labor. In rare cases (5%), newborns are septic at delivery; this is a life-threatening infection of the bloodstream requiring emergency measures that the pediatric team must be prepared to handle.
Results of some recent studies support the practice of urgent delivery in cases of uterine infection in the mother. This research has provided evidence that exposure to infection can risk cerebral palsy in the fetus.
Complications of Amnionitis
Recovery from amnionitis can be complicated by endomyometritis (infection of the muscle of the uterus). This complication can be quite serious especially if cesarean section was performed. Endomyometritis can be treated successfully with a combination of intravenous antibiotics. The antibiotics are generally given until the patient has been fever-free for at least 48 hours. Severe cases of endomyometritis can be slow to respond to antibiotics and cause further complications, including developing infected blood clots in the veins of the pelvis. This condition is called septic pelvic thrombophlebitis and may require blood thinners in addition to antibiotics.
The treatment of amnionitis is one of the success stories of modern obstetrics. Prompt recognition and treatment of the infection can lead to a successful delivery of the fetus with minimal complications for the baby and the mother. | <urn:uuid:102fa369-70ba-4d29-bd9f-1df7490bbd7c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/antibiotics-amnionitis-after-delivery | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391766.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00156-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.933845 | 627 | 2.921875 | 3 |
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/ Publication Information
Title: Fuel treatment guidebook: illustrating treatment effects on fire hazard
Author: Johnson, Morris; Peterson, David L.; Raymond, Crystal;
Source: Fire Management Today. 69(2): 29-33
Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
Description: The Guide to Fuel Treatments (Johnson and others 2007) analyzes potential fuel treatments and the potential effects of those treatments for dry forest lands in the Western United States. The guide examines low- to mid-elevation dry forest stands with high stem densities and heavy ladder fuels, which are currently common due to fire exclusion and various land management practices, such as timber harvesting. These stands are the focus of potential management activities intended to modify forest structure and fuels to reduce crown fire hazard on public lands. The guide is intended for use by fire managers, silviculturists, and other resource specialists who are interested in evaluating the effects of fuel.
Keywords: fire, fuel treatment, fire hazard, forest thinning, FVS-FFE
- We recommend that you also print this page and attach it to the printout of the article, to retain the full citation information.
- This article was written and prepared by U.S. Government employees on official time, and is therefore in the public domain.
XML: View XML
Johnson, Morris; Peterson, David L.; Raymond, Crystal. 2009. Fuel treatment guidebook: illustrating treatment effects on fire hazard. Fire Management Today. 69(2): 29-33.
Get the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat reader or Acrobat Reader for Windows with Search and Accessibility | <urn:uuid:b5a93a91-ac50-4160-8a4b-f14a7a403161> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/35102 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396959.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00167-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.870169 | 343 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Celebrated civil rights activist, scholar, and Pan-Africanist Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois (pictured) and his dedication to racial equality for African Americans marks him as one of Black America’s most-visible and treasured icons. Graduating from famed Harvard University and becoming the first African-American to earn a doctorate, Dr. Du Bois would later become one of the co-founders of the NAACP. Although he did not experience racism on the same level as many others as a child in Massachusetts, Dr. Du Bois still had an unyielding devotion to the elevation of Black people.
Active well in to his 90s, Dr. Du Bois and his wife, Shirley, traveled to Nigeria to witness the inauguration of the country’s first governor, Nnamdi Azikiwe. Du Bois’ time in Africa was capped with a visit to Ghana in 1961, where he was commissioned to oversee the Encyclopedia Africana project. In early 1963, the United States would not renew Du Bois’ passport and he became an expatriate along with his wife after becoming a citizen of Ghana. Unfortunately, Dr. Du Bois’ health declined dramatically during his two years in Ghana, and he would die on this day at the age of 95 in the town of Accra.
Watch Du Bois’ life story here:
A day after his death at the historic “March On Washington,” Du Bois was honored with a moment of silence after being prompted by speaker Roy Wilkins. A year after his death, the Civil Rights Act of 1964was enacted and included several measures and reforms that Dr. Du Bois staunchly advocated. In Accra, Ghana, Dr. Du Bois’ home is now known as the Du Bois Memorial Centre (see his grave in Ghana pictured below).
Du Bois’ legacy is rich, with several books and selected readings that still resonate deeply with scholars and laypersons alike. His book, “The Souls Of Black Folks” (pictured), stands as a classic piece of literature and a historic work in the line of African-American literary history.
Rest in peace, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois.
To learn more about the life and legacy of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, please follow this link. | <urn:uuid:c630deb8-d2bb-4653-9601-fda2d5d6b7d4> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://newsone.com/2032550/w-e-b-dubois-biography/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404405.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00142-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977051 | 495 | 3.390625 | 3 |
The Danube River
About the Danube River
Danube River Cruises
View river cruise deals & offers
Find a Danube river cruise
From the Black Forest of Germany to the Black Sea, the Danube is a vital lifeline that pulses through the heart of Central and Eastern Europe. The Danube is not only Europe's second longest river—more than twice the length of the Rhine and nearly three and a half times the length of the Rhône—but it flows through ten different countries and more than a dozen languages are spoken on its banks. Imagine the variety in food, architecture and history that goes with each of these languages and cultures. Enjoy an intriguing, panoramic view of two thousands years of European history as you travel along the lyrical "Blue Danube."
- Countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine
- Source: Black Forest, Germany
- Mouth: The Black Sea
- Length: 1,777 miles
Watch & Learn About the Danube River
The Danube River has been used as an important means of transportation for commerce and military operations for nearly 2,000 years because it is the only major European river that flows west to east. The Danube rises in Germany's Black Forest and flows through the heartland of Austria, first forming the border of Austria and Slovakia, and then Slovakia and Hungary. Leaving Hungary, it runs through Croatia and Serbia to form the boundary between Serbia and Romania and then the Romania and Bulgaria border. The mighty Danube brushes the edge of Moldova and Ukraine before finally emptying into the Black Sea.
The Upper Danube is home to four capital cities—Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade—more than any other river in the world. Downstream from Belgrade, the Danube enters the Iron Gates, a great natural corridor through the Carpathian Mountains and Balkan Mountains. It then spills into the plains of the ancient Roman province of Wallachia. Flooding has been a problem there since Roman times and still is. Due to the floods, no major cities have been developed on the Danube downstream of Belgrade. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, is 50 miles uphill from the Danube, well protected from rising water in the spring.
Over the centuries, the Danube has been one of the most significant cultural and historic boundaries in Europe. In the early Middle Ages (3rd Century A.D.), the full length of the river formed the northern border of the Roman Empire. It remained intact as late as 454 A.D. when the Goths, Huns, Slavs, and other groups crossed the Danube in order to invade the crumbling Empire.
The Roman legacy established the importance of the river as a medieval trade route, explaining why so many crucial trade and transportation centers can still be found along its shore today. The waters of the Danube also form a critical militaristic and spiritual lifeline. It was the major connection between Europe and the East, providing a pathway for crusaders to charge into Byzantium and the Holy Land.
The trade corridor along the Danube gave rise to two major empires, the Austrian and Hungarian, which merged under Austria in the early 19th century. The Danube then served as a link between the industrial centers of Germany (Austrian Empire) and the agricultural areas of the Balkan Peninsula (Ottoman Empire). It also served as a critical cultural border. To this day, Romania (north of the river) and Bulgaria (south) reflect their respective and separate histories with Romania having a Romance language and Bulgaria demonstrating key historic affinities in architecture and religion with the Ottoman Turks.
Both the commercial and military value of the Danube are still recognized today. Many treaties have been signed to try to keep one country from having too much control over the river. Today the Danube is still a major transportation route, with more than 3,500 ships passing through its delta each year. Extensive navigation is made possible by various dredging of canals and channels often constructed with inter-country cooperation for the benefit of all the nations that border this essential waterway.
As the Danube leaves the cover of German''s Black Forest, it trolls through the pristinely-preserved medieval town of Regensburg. This bustling university town boasts ancient treasures like the Porta Praetoria—the north gate to the ancient Roman fortress, Castra Regina, built in 179 A.D. During the holidays, Regensburg shines bright with its Christmas market lighting up the historic market square.
Farther downstream, Passau, Germany, is a gem of a city located at the confluence of the rivers Inn, Ilz, and Danube. Cobblestone streets lead the way to St. Stephen's Cathedral, which houses the world's largest church organ with more than 17,000 pipes.
Continuing along, the village of Grein offers excellent photo opportunities, with its turreted houses lining the main square in the shadow of its idyllic castle perched high on a bluff. Situated in the rolling green hills of the Wachau Valley, Melk is home to the magnificent Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe's largest and most intriguing monasteries. Step out onto the monastic terrace to look out over the Danube and take in the mesmerizing view of the sweeping countryside.
Float through the Wachau wine region to Dürnstein, known for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue façade. Above town are the ruins of the castle where England's King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192.
Vienna, Austria's capital, is next. The "City of Music" inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss. Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, the city has much to offer—the lavish Hofburg Palace, the impressive Vienna Opera House, and the majestic Ring Boulevard, to name just a few. Visitors can waltz their way down shop-lined streets, savor the sounds of an orchestral concert, or delight in a Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in a neighborhood café.
Sail on through the picturesque Austrian views before heading to the heart of Hungary. Spanning both banks of the Danube, Budapest is Eastern Europe's liveliest and most cosmopolitan metropolis. Seven bridges, including the famous Chain and Elisabeth Bridges, connect ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. The massive hilltop castle complex with Fisherman's Bastion and the Matthias Church is among the many sights of Budapest that impress and excite.
South of Budapest, the quiet town of Kalocsa, Hungary, was founded by St. Stephen in 1009. The Archbishop's Palace and the Kalocsa Cathedral are must-see sights in this town that is most known for paprika and folklore art.
The Danube winds away from Hungary and through the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Steeped in history, the hilltop Petrovaradin Fort affords dramatic views of the Danube. On to Serbia's capital, Belgrade, situated at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers. Full of lively pedestrian areas and imposing cathedrals and fortresses, Belgrade is a riveting study in contrasts.
The Danube flows away from Belgrade, through rustic hills lined with stunning Roman fortresses, and through the dramatic gorge of the Iron Gates. This narrow and formerly very dangerous passage divides Europe's Alps in the northwest from the Carpathians in the southeast and forms a natural border between Serbia and Romania.
Downstream, Bulgaria's most ancient and breathtaking treasures can be found a short drive away from the Danube. Veliko Târnovo, situated on three hills surrounding the Yantra River, is a natural fortress with stone houses clinging to its steep slopes. The historic village of Arbanassi is nearby, featuring the well-known Etnographic Museum and intricately designed frescoes in its Church of the Nativity.
Silestra is a key port city—essential to Bulgaria's thriving agricultural industry. A short distance away, the resort town of Varna sits on the shores of the Black Sea. Its storied past comes to life as you walk through Roman baths and marvel at the Gold of Varna, an archaeological wonder.
Bucharest, Romania's lively capital, is only a short drive from the shores of the Danube. Its wide boulevards and Arc de Triomphe have gained it the name "Paris of the East." Enjoy people-watching in the Royal Palace Square, the scene of riots in 1989 which led to the collapse of the communist dictatorship. The Royal Palace now houses the National Art Museum and is filled with priceless examples of Eastern European art.
The Danube River is the epitome of "East meets West," or rather "West meets East." Travelers who want to be exposed to a wide range of new cultures and experiences will soak up the sites along this sprawling waterway. History-, art- and music-lovers will all find the objects of their desires along these waters. The Danube also boasts a unique mix of urban and rural sites. Explorers who appreciate dramatic natural scenes and also delight in the bustle of the world's great cities will see the best of both worlds as they cruise down this mighty European river.
Did You Know?
- The Danube Delta was first declared a nature reserve in 1938 by the Council of Ministers and recognized as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1992. The area is home to 12 habit types, 300 bird species and 45 freshwater fish species.
- The Danube is mentioned in the title of a famous waltz by Austrian composer Johann Strauss, "An der schönen, blauen Donau" (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), composed as Strauss was traveling down the Danube River. This piece is well known across the world and is also used widely as a lullaby.
- Another famous waltz about the Danube is "The Waves of the Danube" by the Romanian composer Ion Ivanovici (1845–1902), and the work took the audience by storm when performed at the 1889 Paris Exposition.
- The German tradition of landscape painting, the Danube school, was developed in the Danube valley in the 16th century.
- The Parliament House in Bucharest is the world's largest parliament building at a whopping 3.55 million square feet.
- The Blue Danube was the name of the first nuclear weapon of the British army.
View river cruise deals & offers
Find a Danube river cruise | <urn:uuid:be9db961-9f49-4dc7-8a3d-a890998b1fe5> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.avalonwaterways.com/Europe-Rivers/Danube/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00003-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.940734 | 2,215 | 2.96875 | 3 |
Preserving habitats on campus
Being part of National Wildlife Federation, those of us at Campus Ecology talk a lot about wildlife habitats. Not only are we invested in maintaining biological diversity and preserving the migration paths of plants, birds, butterflies and animals, we also know that creating spaces for wildlife means that we are providing natural carbon sequestration opportunities.
We recently hosted a teleconference on campus habitat restoration (available here) and learned about some great things that schools have been doing to green their campuses through the use of habitat. The University of Central Florida, for example, focused their efforts on education by creating several distinct ecosystems in the UCF arboretum that replicate habitats exclusive to central Florida. The 12-acre biogeographic garden is crisscrossed with trails for students and visitors. The university has also started a temperature tracking system on campus to explore the "urban heat island effect." Native vegetation will be planted on roofs and in hot spots, and then temperature will be tracked again. Staff hope to see significant cooling in certain areas.
Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, took a different approach by restoring habitat that had already been damaged. Oakton’s acres of habitat had been overrun with buckthorn and a Eurasian garlic mustard plant which crowded out native species and plants. With a grant from BP and a lot of help from student volunteers, these plants are slowly being eradicated to make room for seeds from local (within a 25-mile radius) northeastern Illinois. Once these take hold, the ecosystem can return to its natural state and attract pollinating insects and other wildlife. Oakton also uses controlled burns, as local species are adapted to fire and will survive, while invasive plants often won’t.
An even bigger project is currently taking place at The University of Washington Bothell Cascadia Community College, where staffers looked at a dilapidated section of the North Creek floodplain on campus lands, and embarked on a decades-long restoration to manage watersheds and coax the forest back to life. (Look here for more details.) The ongoing restoration acts as a valuable case study to students, while it also attracts good press to the school as one of the biggest floodplain restorations in the Pacific Northwest.
It can sometimes be difficult to convince other campus decision-makers that habitat restoration is important and effective. It took several years to formulate the plan and gain permits for the wetlands restoration project at UWB/CCC, and even though progress is being made, it takes several decades for an ecosystem to reach maturity. Many of the people who contributed to the project may never see this part of North Creek functioning in its full glory. Also, seeing energy costs go down due to increased efficiency is, to many people, more satisfying than knowing that green space is sequestering carbon. This means some campuses are more willing to retrofit buildings than create habitats. Both are important, but we think that the Wildflower loop at UCF’s aboretum is good evidence that habitats are important for well-being, not just carbon capture.
Check out our podcast and powerpoint of the web conference if you want to get more details on these projects. You can also contact us for more research and examples if you’re interested in implementing this kind of project on your own campus. To start small, consider dedicating a small section of your campus as a Certified Wildlife Habitat®. And for extra credit, check to see if Fritz Haeg’s Animal Estates exhibit is coming to your town. This traveling installation reintroduces animals into environments such as strip malls, garages, office parks, freeways, front yards and parking lots to examine the displacement of wildlife by humans and bring species back into harmony. | <urn:uuid:8dc36cdf-56c5-4ff9-89bd-f14e46c44ddb> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://blog.nwf.org/2008/06/preserving-habitats-on-campus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00092-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951936 | 762 | 2.890625 | 3 |
May 7, 1945: In Frankfurt, Germany, Allied commanders including British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Soviet Marshal Gregori Zhukov and others celebrate the German surrender. AFP/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption AFP/Getty Images The Two-Way AP Apologizes For WWII-Era Firing Of Reporter May 4, 2012 In 1945, the wire service's Edward Kennedy reported the news that Germany had surrendered. He defied military censors to do so. German authorities had reported the story and Kennedy saw no reason to wait. At the time, AP condemned his actions. | <urn:uuid:9047ba6f-d880-4cec-8aae-a1b4776642d9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.npr.org/tags/125938626/associated-press/archive?date=2-28-2013 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392159.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00043-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928258 | 126 | 2.703125 | 3 |
New particles get a mass boost
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - A sophisticated, new analysis has revealed that the next frontier in particle physics is farther away than once thought. New forms of matter not predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics are most likely twice as massive as theorists had previously calculated, according to a just-published study.
The discovery is noteworthy because experimental improvements of this magnitude rarely occur more often than once in a decade.
To see the infinitely small bits of matter that make up our universe, physicists build ever more powerful accelerators, which are the microscopes they use to see matter. But while the trend is to more powerful accelerators, the precision achieved by some less powerful ones can pinpoint the best places to look for never-before-seen particles.
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility combined data from experiments in which electrons were used to precisely probe the nucleus of the atom. The experiments were designed to study the weak nuclear force, one of the four forces of nature. The effects of the weak force on the building blocks of the proton, up and down quarks, were determined precisely from this data and were found to be in agreement with predictions.
But when this new analysis was combined with other measurements, it raised the predicted mass scale for the discovery of new particles to about one Tera-electron-volts (1 TeV) - more than a factor of two higher than previously thought, according to Jefferson Lab scientists who published the result in Physical Review Letters.
Searches for new particles can take the form of direct production of new particles by high-energy interactions or by lower-energy, extremely precise measurements of experimental observables, which are sensitive to the existence of new particles beyond the ability of existing theories to predict.
Jefferson Lab is managed and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, a joint venture between Southeastern Universities Research Association, Inc. and CSC Applied Technologies Division, LLC. | <urn:uuid:95d14448-58e4-4c81-a188-c844e8cb2564> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | https://www.jlab.org/news/releases/new-particles-get-mass-boost | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00134-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953842 | 413 | 2.984375 | 3 |
What do "thou," "thee," and "thine" mean, and why don't we use them anymore?
Dear Straight Dope:
What's the deal with the words "thou," "thee," "thy," and "thyne"? What do they mean and why don't we use them anymore?
SDStaff McCaffertA replies:
Hey nummie, the first thing it means is you gotta get a dictionary. The first three words are in there. The fourth isn't, unless it is a really big dictionary that covers misspellings in a little appendix in the back or archaic forms in the front. Probably you're thinking of "thine."
As the dictionary would tell you, we are looking at the old form for second person singular. That is, you used to use "thou" if there were one "you" or "you" if there were two or more "you's." But then English did a slow U turn, and now "you" is always "you," except, of course, for "eeeeww."
"Thou" was the form of address for an individual, "you" for a group … except for people of high social stature. They were addressed in the plural, since they were seen as representing a larger group. (Thus Queen Victoria, in saying "we are not amused," was presumably speaking for the Empire.) Over time, the plural came to be used for a wider and wider group of people, just as the m.c. says "ladies and gentlemen" without listing the churls, boors and slatterns who are obviously in the audience. "Thou" became the familiar form, used in addressing intimates, children, social inferiors, and the deity, while "you" was the formal term, used in all other contexts. Eventually the only English-speaking group widely using "thou" were Quakers, who addressed everybody by the old singular, regardless of rank. This has parallels in other languages — only a good friend calls another Frenchman "tu." Similarly German has the familiar "du" and the formal "Sie."
OK, you say, I've got the "thou" part, but where do the rest of them come from? Easy. English was once a declined language, with the ending or form of a word changing with its use in the sentence. This still survives in the pronouns, as follows:
|my, mine||our, ours|
|thy, thine**||your, yours|
(* although some Quakers use "thee" here)
(**thine before a vowel, so "to thine own self be true", and thy before consonant, so "thy servant."
Phew. Now, what does all that mean? Thou, thee, etc., fell out of favor, like words and phrases still do today. Someday some bright kid will look back and say, "Hey, whatever happened to 'groovy'?" | <urn:uuid:1451aa4f-d166-4a8c-99d2-78fc4a8f630f> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1393/what-do-thou-thee-and-thine-mean-and-why-dont-we-use-them-anymore | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00120-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.973578 | 625 | 3 | 3 |
Mother Jones mentioned the research of Gary McCracken in this story featuring fascinating research about bats.
Gary McCracken News
Five community-campus partnerships were awarded funds for projects that enhance the engagement mission of the university locally, nationally, and globally.
Gary McCracken, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, was a guest on the NPR radio show “On Point with Tom Ashbrook.” On the call-in show, he discussed bats, Ebola, and bat conservation. McCracken is one of the nation’s leading bat experts. His research focuses on animal behavior and interactions with their environments. His current work
Services provided by Mother Nature, such as pest control from insect-eating bats, are affected by market forces like most anything else in the economy, a UT study finds. Researchers from UT and the University of Arizona, Tucson, studied how forces such as volatile market conditions and technological substitutes affect the value of pest control services provided by Mexican free-tailed bats on cotton production in the United States.
WUOT’s The Method is a series that explores the intersection of science and society. How does scientific research affect you and your community? In this installment, Brandon Hollingsworth talks with history professor and author Ernest Freeberg about Thomas Edison’s greatest invention: Modern America. Chrissy Keuper speaks with ecology and evolutionary biology professor Gary McCracken about
Bats in North America are under a two-pronged attack but they are not the only victim – so is the U.S. economy. Gary McCracken, head of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UT Knoxville, analyzed the economic impact of the loss of bats in North America in agriculture and found it to be in the $3.7 to $53 billion a year range.
This week’s Pregame Showcase features Gary McCracken, department head and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. He will present “The Conservation of North American Bats: What Happens If We Lose Them?”
HIV-AIDS. SARS. Ebola. Bird Flu. Swine Flu. Rabies. These are emerging infectious diseases where the viruses have jumped from one animal species into another and now infect humans. Gary McCracken, a UT Knoxville professor and department head in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, is one of those scientists and has made a groundbreaking discovery into how viruses jump from host to host. | <urn:uuid:1d3ca6e0-4cca-4004-a5dc-de438545f3bd> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://tntoday.utk.edu/tag/gary-mccracken/ | 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 | 0.937172 | 502 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Projected distribution of Muslim population by country and territory in 2030. Click image for higher resolution version with data. (source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life)
A study released this week by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life titled “The Future of the Global Muslim Population” is worthwhile reading for many reasons, if not simply for the informational graphs and some of the bullet points in the executive summary:
- By 2030, Pakistan is expected to surpass Indonesia as the country with the single largest Muslim population;
- In 20 years, more Muslims are likely to live in Nigeria than in Egypt;
- The Muslim birth rate is shrinking but still growing significantly faster than the non-Muslim population (twice the rate);
- The Palestinian territories are the exception to the rule when it comes to the number of years of education (14 years) for women and the average number of children born (4.5 per female). Fertility rates in nine countries with a Muslim majority where women receive the most years of education average 2.3 children per female.
(source: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life)
What are other points that stood out out to you? What does it mean? | <urn:uuid:e0f5e7ca-b2c1-409a-bcd0-e45ea0c34764> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.onbeing.org/blog/what-will-muslim-population-look-2030/2704 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00133-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938019 | 245 | 2.515625 | 3 |
No change in blacks' plight despite Obama
Updated: 2014-08-21 06:51
By Stephan Richter(China Daily)
Tension has been escalating in Ferguson, Missouri, since the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a police officer early this month, with the shooting triggering debate on whether it was the result of racial discrimination. And this warrants a broader look at the issue of how African-Americans are faring in US society today.
On a symbolic level, having a black man as president of the country may be important, but on a practical level, African Americans continue to face the same very real problems. At best, US President Barack Obama's election in 2008 can be considered an interim point in a healing process that must continue.
The core issue by which to measure progress is the actual situation of African Americans in the United States. The social and economic status of African Americans today actually is, truth be told, rather catastrophic. For example, the unemployment rate of black Americans is more than twice the rate for whites. Black teenagers are more than twice as likely not to finish high school than white teens.
And perhaps most shocking of all is the fact that the imprisonment rate of black Americans is nearly six times that of white Americans. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, blacks account for about 1 million of the 2.3 million Americans currently imprisoned in the US.
True, in a purely legal context, African Americans are now formally equipped with the same rights as whites. And without any doubt, the unvarnished racist hatred and unbelievable violence against them that marred the US in the 1960s has been pushed out of view and toward the fringes. But there are many subtler forms of discrimination that can hardly be squared with living in the 21st century. The constant needling by the governors, legislatures and courts of many US states to suppress the black vote is a constant reminder of one fact of American life.
The level of violence and outright criminality in the white establishment may be gone, but the eagerness to discriminate in any other available form is not. It is especially instructive to look at documentaries from the 1960s, the heyday of the struggle for civil rights. Despite all the unfathomable oppression that blacks experienced when they stood up for their rights, there was also a lot of hope, especially among young black people. They were hoping for a better future, solid education, a solid lifestyle.
That hope has now vanished for many African Americans. The only thing that provides comfort about the 72.1 percent of young African American children born out of wedlock is that they are no longer alone in dealing with that challenge. The corresponding rate for white children now is 29.3 percent.
Republican opposition to real social reforms that would improve these children's lot is fierce but not surprising. What is surprising is Obama's reluctance to tell the truth. While delivering a speech on the steps of Lincoln Memorial in August 2013, he didn't even blush in limiting himself to offering mellifluous words and dismissing any critics "who suggest ... that little has changed".
Americans have a bad habit of celebrating at the mile marker, instead of finishing the marathon. It was necessary to take bold action in the 1960s to make full the hollow words of the Declaration and the Constitutional amendments adopted after the US Civil War.
Likewise, the election of Obama was an important milestone, but not a crowning achievement in itself.
The US must still meet the promise of that event and work to correct the insidious and less visible violations of civil rights - and the economic imbalances that are the legacy of past misdeeds - which still persist across the country.
The author is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Globalist
(China Daily 08/21/2014 page9) | <urn:uuid:23afc12c-2d3e-485d-a603-c04e0147292c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2014-08/21/content_18461481.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00191-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958765 | 782 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Progressive increases in the complexity of crystal structures. Scales for linear dimensions are as labeled on associated bars. (a) Rocksalt (NaCl). This is a crystal in space group with lattice constant a = 5.640 Å; thus, its unit-cell volume (Vuc) is 180 Å3 and the volume of the asymmetic unit (Vau) is Vuc/192 = 0.93 Å3. The image is adapted from Fig. 10 of Bragg (1913b) where A and B may represent Na and Cl, respectively, or vice versa. (b) Crambin. This protein molecule is from a crystal in space group P21 with a = 40.96, b = 18.65, c = 22.52 Å and β = 90.77°; thus its Vau = Vuc/2 = 8601 Å3. The image here was adaped from a drawing made by Irving Geis based on the coordinates of Hendrickson & Teeter (1981). All atoms are shown, including hydrogen atoms. The six sulfur atoms, from which the structure was determined by what is now known as SAD phasing, are in yellow. (c) Complex of a 70S ribosome with an mRNA and three tRNAs. This particle is from a crystal in space group P212121 with a = 213.3, b = 453.0 and c = 631.4 Å; thus its Vau = Vuc/4 = 15 252 240 Å3 for the two ribosome particles per asymmetric unit. The image is reproduced from Fig. S1 of Selmer et al. (2006). Reprinted with permission from AAAS. The image shows only the RNA portions from one ribosome (50S bluish, 30S yellowish and tRNAs brown, magenta and dark gray). Phosphate backbones are drawn as ribbons, and ribose and base rings are drawn as colored planes. The 54 ordered protein molecules of this 70S ribosomal structure are omitted from the figure. (d) Human adenovirus capsid. This virus structure is from a crystal in space group P1 with lattice constants a = 854.0, b = 855.2, c = 865.2 Å, α = 119.6, β = 91.7 and γ = 118.1°; thus its Vau = Vuc = 450 275 173 Å3 for one viral particle. The image is reproduced from Fig. 1A of Reddy et al. (2010). Reprinted with permission from AAAS. It shows a surface rendering viewed down a threefold axis of the icosahedral particle. One of 20 identical facets is circumscribed by the white triangle, which has three of the 12 viral penton proteins at its vertices and 12 of the 240 viral hexon proteins uniquely within its boundaries. The icosahedral asymmetric unit thus comprises one-fifth of a vertex penton (pink) and four hexons (one cyan, one orange, one yellow and one green) plus accessory cement proteins (deep blue, between orange and yellow hexons; magenta, between hexons at four places) and a trimeric fiber (yellow–orange) at each penton base. Other accessory proteins are at the capsid interior and out of view. | <urn:uuid:c5a3e5da-1911-40cc-a1ce-f4259813b1e3> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://journals.iucr.org/a/issues/2013/01/00/wl0020/wl0020fig4.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397797.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00094-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.930846 | 702 | 2.75 | 3 |
KALAMAZOO, MI – A Kalamazoo women's rights pioneer was honored in Washington on the bicentennial of her birth.
Lucinda Hinsdale Stone, who was known as a forceful advocate for women's education and who helped get the first woman enrolled at the University of Michigan, received a tribute from Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, Thursday, which was read into the congressional record.
"Mr. Speaker, Women's History Month is a time for all Americans to pay tribute to the generations of women who have made our world a better place in which to live. Today, it is my great honor to recognize Kalamazoo, Michigan's Lucinda Hinsdale Stone for her efforts to advance education reform and women's rights," Upton said.
Stone was born in Vermont in 1814, and was the youngest of 12 children, according to a biography on the Kalamazoo Public Library's website. She and her husband, James Stone, moved to Kalamazoo in 1843, when James Stone was named the principal of the Kalamazoo Branch of the University of Michigan, which became Kalamazoo College. Lucinda Stone began teaching and eventually was named head of the Ladies Department of the college.
"Together, Lucinda and James Stone helped shape the school's direction, in part by introducing coeducation and promoting abolitionism and women's rights," Upton said.
Among the Stones' innovations, which were considered radical
at the time, female students were allowed to attend classes with male students
and were given access to the same curriculum.
"James and Lucinda Stone had led Kalamazoo College for twenty remarkable years, from its infancy to its state charter and a stellar reputation. They embraced evolutionary theory, espoused abolitionism and women's rights, introduced coeducation, taught modern language and literature alongside the classical curriculum, and brought to the classroom a vibrancy and intensity that powerfully shaped their students' minds," Gail Griffin, Kalamazoo College professor emerita wrote in in 2013.
The Stones were at the helm when
Kalamazoo College was chartered by the state of Michigan in 1855.
"She's quite revered and her presence here is definitely still felt," said Jeff Palmer, associate director of communication at Kalamazoo College. "She and her husband are considered the mother and father of the college in many ways."
Two new endowed chairs have been named after the Stones as part of the current $125 million capital campaign, Palmer said. Other tributes range from bells in Stetson Chapel named after the couple, the Stone Room in the Hicks Student Center and the Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Prize, which is awarded annually to a student for scholarship in women's studies,
However, the Baptist administrators of the college became
critical of the Stones, expressing their disapproval of the focus on
coeducation and accusing James Stone of mismanaging funds. (They also objected to Lucinda Stone teaching the poetry of Lord Byron.)
The trustees heard a call for new leadership in November 1863 and the couple resigned the next day. Student reaction was notable: Between 60 to 75 percent of the student body withdrew, Griffin wrote.
"Harassed and hindered and trammeled in my work, the time finally came when I felt that I could never, there, realize my ideal of what teaching should be—more—I could not retain my own self-respect and my position at the College," Griffin quotes Lucinda Stone as writing.
Lucinda Stone began teaching out of her home -- until it burned down in 1866 -- and went on to work for social reform and women's organizations throughout Michigan.
"Her life's work was recognized in 1890, when the University of Michigan bestowed upon Lucinda their first honorary doctorate to a woman," Upton said. "She lived to watch her very own pupil, Madelon Stockwell, become the first woman to be granted admission to the University of Michigan, and watched as Kalamazoo College granted its first academic degree to a female student. The legacy of her work for women and education remains evident today."
Stone also was a charter member of the Ladies Library Association, which began in 1852 as a weekly gathering for literary discussions in her home. It is the oldest women's club in Michigan and the third-oldest in the U.S., according to the Kalamazoo Public Library. It also was the first women's organization to build a clubhouse. The Ladies Library Association building recently completed a $2.1 million renovation last fall.
She also organized the People's Church of Kalamazoo, the Michigan Federation of Women's Clubs and the Women's Press Association. Susan B. Anthony dubbed her the "Mother of Women's Clubs in Michigan."
In addition to Anthony, Stone was friends with suffragists and
abolitionists including Helen and Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton,
Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Antoinette Brown Blackwell and the Grimké sisters. She also visited Sojourner Truth in her Battle Creek home, Palmer said.
"Lucinda Hinsdale Stone represents the strength that we all hope to have in the face of oppression and inequality," Upton said. "Her lasting impacts have motivated women for generations and her name lives on in Michigan lore as one of the finest Americans to stand up for what they believe in." | <urn:uuid:0ac5ac16-4780-44f8-9554-8d78690eee4a> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/03/kalamazoo_womens_rights_pionee.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00103-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98182 | 1,100 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Definition of sound barrier
: a sudden large increase in aerodynamic drag that occurs as the speed of an aircraft approaches the speed of sound
First Known Use of sound barrier
Learn More about sound barrier
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sound barrier
Seen and Heard
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Change from the Radical Center of Education
Doug Johnson <email@example.com>
Teacher-Librarian, June 2008
While the Radical Center political movement has been around for thirty years, I suggest that leaders in educational technology and school library media programs adopt a similar view on hot button topics. While polarized views of reading methodologies, filtering, DRM, Open Source, copyright/copyleft, constructivism, e-books, computer labs, fixed schedules, Mac/PC/Linux, and the One Laptop Per Child project all make for entertaining reading and a raised blood pressure, I often wonder if radical stances actually create educational change or impact educational institutions enough to change kids’ chances of success.
As a radical centrist in education, I subscribe to the following principles:
- Adopt an “and” not “or” mindset.
- Look for truth and value in all beliefs and practices.
- Respect the perspective of the individual.
- Recognize one size does not fit all (kids or teachers).
- Attend to attitudes.
- Understand that the elephant can only be eaten one bite at a time.
- Make sure everyone is moving forward, not just the early adopters.
- Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
- Believe measurement is good, but that not everything can be measured.
- Know and keep your core values.
Let me explain…
1. Adopt an “and” not “or” mindset.
“The answer to most multiple-choice questions is Yes.” Walt Crawford
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people with very strongly held opinions. It seems like I’m always reading or hearing a good deal of either/or type thinking.
- Separate or integrated tech/info lit curriculum
- Encyclopedia Britannica or Wikipedia
- Evolutionary or revolutionary change
- Content knowledge or process skills
- Testing or assessment
- Mandated skills or teacher choice
- Print or online
- Libraries or technology
- Fixed or flex scheduling
It’s is this sort of black and white thinking that makes stimulating reading and engenders reader outpourings of love or hate.
I’d encourage you, however, to go back and read an old column by Walt Crawford called “The Dangers of Uniformity” that appeared in the September 2004 American Libraries (it’s OK tech folks - you won’t get cooties reading it). In it he says:
…why do so many of us look for single solutions to current problems, single technologies, single media? Why do so many writers, futurists, and speakers tout X as “the future” rather than “a part of the future”? I’ve used the slogan “And, not Or” for more than a decade. There’s another slogan that goes along with it, one that I believe to be at least partly true in most walks of life: “The answer to most multiple-choice questions is Yes.”
Walt’s philosophy is one worth adopting. Next time you are asked if something should be x or y, try to answer, “Yes, x and y.”
2. Look for truth and value in all beliefs and practices.
If you can’t stand someone because they can’t tolerate others, does that make you hypocritical? If so, should you tolerate their intolerance? AnswerBag
I find following my own advice here is tough - really tough. My first reaction to people with whom I disagree is to consider them idiots and dope-slap them. Not a course of action approved, I’m sure, by Mother Theresa.
What is difficult to reconcile, however, is that those people I think need to be slapped usually aren’t dopes at all. In fact, more than a few are a lot smarter than I am. How does one account for a situation in which two intelligent people disagree? Well…
- One or both could be uninformed about the topic at hand.
- One or both could be misinformed about the topic at hand.
- But most likely, those in disagreement bring different values or perspectives to the topic, thus giving specific facts, experiences or arguments more or less weight. Looking at it this way, all evidence ought to be seen as having potential value.
It is dangerous to mistake disagreement for stupidity - or even ignorance. We must listen, learn, and even moderate our own views if we are to retain the Radical Center of Education. In order to find areas of mutual agreement, one needs to keep climbing the abstraction ladder until both parties find a common goal, even if there never is a consensus on the steps needed to reach the goal. (Why, yes, we both want to improve the world. There’s something we have in common!)
A related mindset I find difficult not to adopt is assuming a hidden agenda or unstated ulterior motive on another’s part. Yes, I certainly do think that those who advocate for school vouchers are actually advocating for the demise of public education, but one can only effectively argue with stated goals, not those we devise for others.
Two “sides,” each stubbornly and blindly adhering to a single tenet will not result in change. When both sides move to the Radical Center, based on finding mutual values, change is more likely to happen.
3. Respect the perspective of the individual.
Miles’ Law: Where you stand depends on where you sit.
One of the benefits (or curses) of serving on my school’s district-wide committees is learning about the challenges and goals of a variety of employees - classroom teachers, students, principals, librarians, technicians, maintenance staff, clerks, and paraprofessionals. A number of our committees have parents and other citizens as members. What we too often call “turf battles” actually are issues viewed from individual and specific group vantage points - different “frames” to problems, if you will. What makes this interesting is that individual people of good will can have widely differing perspectives.
Budgeting is one area where this is radically apparent. The question of whether more dollars are best spent on library materials, lower class sizes or tuck-pointing brick walls will be answered, legitimately, honestly, and differently, depending on whether it is the librarian, a social studies teacher with classes of 35 kids, or the head of maintenance answering the question.
The issues of digital rights management look very different depending on whether one is a producer or consumer of the creative product. Defining “adequate” network security will depend on whether one is a tech whose life will be made miserable by a virus or a classroom teacher who finds multiple log in screens time-consuming and frustrating. The description of “appropriate” Internet content is certainly depends on one’s personal values.
If change is going to happen, the voices of all stakeholders need to be heard. Different doesn’t mean right or wrong. It just means different. Daniel Pink in A Whole New Mind singles out empathy as a critical skill for workers. If I could take steroids for any leadership strength, this is where I would like to bulk up.
4. Recognize one size does not fit all (kids or teachers).
Always remember that you are unique. Just like everybody else. - Demotivators
The goal most requested by parents from our district’s 1998 strategic planning was an Individual Education Plan for all students, not just those identified with special needs. How interesting that parents, even more so than educators, recognize each child as an individual.
Ecologists talk about the advantages of bio-diversity - a wide variety of living things that create a healthier biome. Why do we not talk more about edu-diversity in our classrooms? (And that differentiated instruction means more than just different reading levels of materials.) Too often when the next great thing - constructivism, technology, whole-language reading instruction, integrated math, data-driven decision-making, professional learning communities, etc. - comes along, it is considered a silver bullet and other methods and philosophies are denigrated and pushed aside. We need to regard the “next great thing” as another tool in a big educational utility belt, not the only one of value.
There is no educational strategy (unless it involves some sort of cruelty) that does not work for at least some people under some circumstances. And I would also guess that there is no educational strategy that works with every person every time. An educational monoculture is no healthier than a suburban lawn.
The “one size does not fit all” principle is something we tech and library folks might keep in mind more often when we get enthusiastic about a particular tool or service and then are disappointed when the teaching staff yawns or even defies us. Try as I might, I simply don’t “get” why people love cell phones, yet other folks seem to rely on them heavily. I suppose if I expect you to respect my taste in this matter, it behooves me to respect yours as well.
This is why the “and” not “or” mindset is so important. Our educational system needs to be as diverse as the kids and teachers in it.
5. Attend to attitudes.
If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right. Henry Ford
Those of us who wish to maintain the Radical Center of Education need to remember the critical role attitude plays in change efforts - especially those involving technology. If we set about determining whether teachers are using library resources or tech tools well, we need to ask about attitude as well as skills.
I find it amazing (and even a little frustrating) that some teachers can’t get enough technology in their classrooms and give their kids enough experiences using it, while other teachers still grumble at even having to use anything more complicated than an overhead projector. And that I don’t think it breaks down neatly along generational lines.
These strategies can help shape teacher attitudes:
- Stress the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) reasons for computer use. Any inservice or new project should have at its heart the clear goal of making a teacher’s job easier or providing the kind of exciting learning opportunities that make teaching more enjoyable.
- Give the end user (teacher) a voice in deciding equipment platforms, software adopted, and timelines for implementation. Everybody hates top-down edicts.
- Take a hard look at your inservice times to make sure they are as convenient as possible for teachers. Consider a range of training options that suit individual teacher learning styles. While many people learn well in hands-on, face-to-face training sessions, others may prefer online or video instruction, well-written tutorials, or simply the time and peace needed to learn through experimentation.
- Adjust the attitude of the technology support staff. As all of us help teachers with computer hardware and use problems, are we doing our best in making sure they are respected for the intelligent, loveable people they really are?
Never underestimate the power of attitude.
6. Understand that the elephant can only be eaten one bite at a time.
Mrs. Weiler’s Law: Anything is edible if it is chopped finely enough.
As much as they may be needed, radical changes in education are less likely than incremental changes. Despite Disraeli’s often quoted caveat, “The most dangerous strategy is to jump a chasm in two leaps,” stepping too far outside a teacher’s or administrator’s comfort zone means leaving the Radical Center of Education, and makes long-term, universal change more difficult. And the larger the leap expected to be made in a single bound, the fewer willing to take the chance. And nobody makes anybody do anything in education.
The more analogous a technology application is to something the teacher is already doing, the more likely the teacher is to adopt it. Mobile laptop carts - not too popular; interactive white boards - hugely successful.
Vygotsky’s proximal development theory holds for adult learners as well as for kids - you’ve always got to have some old knowledge from which to hang the new learning. Chasm leaping doesn’t allow for this; bite-sized elephant eating does. I’ve never apologized for taking an incremental approach to technology implementation in the classroom. This approach gets teachers actually using the tech to improve the classroom experience, even if it isn’t radically overhauling it.
As much as I might like it were otherwise, technology is not really a catalyst for change, but simply a tool for change. It can be an effective and exciting way to help implement best practices driven by the content area research, educational theory, or even state/national mandates, but change shouldn’t start with technology.
7. Make sure everyone is moving forward, not just the early adopters.
To travel fast, travel alone. To travel far, travel with others.
I thought of the African proverb above after a few blog posts caught my eye:
A tech director recently blogged that
- Checking Email
- Surfing the Internet
- Playing Internet based games
- Word Processing
- Excel Spreadsheets
struck him as outdated. His computer use consists of social networking, using wikis, online photo editing and sharing and listing to streaming audio, as well as “crafting video intensive presentations.”
Most of the activities on this technologist’s list would make my list too, as well as the list of many technology enthusiasts. Yet a 2007 survey shows that “73% of Americans have never heard of Google Docs.” I wonder what percent of Americans who have heard of the other applications above? What’s the percentage of teachers who use social networking sites? I’ll be dollars to doughnuts it wouldn’t even be close to 73%.
This disparity between leading edge techs and the average Joe or Jane, leads thoughtful practitioners like Kim Confino from the International School of Bangkok to observe:
I sometimes need to remind myself that the most critical part of my job is to inspire change in the real world, not just within our connected group of educators. The reality is that those of us hoping to be voices of change need to make sure that we’re not speeding ahead on our own, but must always work to bring everyone else in our school environment along with us.
Speeding ahead is easy to do for those of us interested and invested in technology. But if experience has taught me anything, a school district needs to measure its technological achievements by how the majority of its teachers are using technology, not by it’s few shining stars. (Yes, every district has some.)
The Radical Center emphasizes smaller, deeper, more widespread, and lasting change through the use of technology. The problem with being too far down the road ahead of the pack is turning around to find that everyone else has taken a different path.
8. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
Discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance. Robert Quillan
It’s difficult to admit, but there are darned few things I know for absolutely certain, especially when it comes to technology and education. Thankfully, the older I get, the easier it is for me to say, “I don’t know, but let’s find out.” Try it a couple times. It gets easier.
For some reason, our culture has replaced evidence with volume on too many issues. While it’s very easy to say to those with whom one does not agree that they lack supporting evidence for their position, The Radical Center of Education believes one need to critically view the amount and validity of both (or all) perspectives. Self-examination of one’s own beliefs is necessary for credibility. And to come to consensus on controversial issues, a consensus that vital information is missing (or is unknowable) must be reached.
We have to change the culture of our schools so that asking questions is considered a sign of wisdom, not weakness.
Oh, and it is perfectly reasonable to conclude at times “the verdict is still out.” Conclusive evidence is not always available.
9. Measurement is good, but not everything can be measured.
Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted counts. Einstein
Donald Norman in his terrific book, Things That Make Us Smart, said it well:
The final result is that technology aids our thoughts and civilized lives, but it also provides a mind-set that artificially elevates some aspects of life and ignores others, not based upon their real importance but rather by the arbitrary condition of whether they can be measured scientifically and objectively by today’s tools. Consequently, science and technology tend to deal solely with the products of their measurements, they divorce themselves from the real world. The danger is that things that cannot be measured play no role in scientific work and are judged to be of little importance. Science and technology do what they can do and ignore the rest. They are superb at what they do, but what is left out can be of equal or greater importance.
We’re certainly focused on “empirical evidence” and “evidence-based practice” and testing, testing, testing in our school district. We’re devoting tremendous resources (including technology and technology staff) to online testing, value-added testing, data warehousing and data analysis. Perhaps we are overdue in public education for such an accounting. Unfortunately, that which we can measure given the limits of current testing is a very, very small subset of those attributes that make people successful. And we are discounting those programs and activities that do not show a direct bearing on basic, low-level test scores.
Data are good. No question. (I look for numbers that support my point of view all the time.) But we in the Radical Center of Education must remember that “what is left out can be of equal or greater importance” and acknowledge values other than empirical evidence if positive change is to occur. We ought to be giving equal credence to professional experience, anecdotal information, meaningful traditions, and the intrinsic value of activities and programs such as play, sports, the arts, libraries, and storytelling.
The Radical Center of Education honors multiple kinds of evidence, not just data (or just anecdote or just tradition, etc.), and uses them to direct and make change.
10. Know and keep your core values.
You’ve Got to Stand For Something (or You’ll Fall for Anything) - lyrics by Aaron Tippin
The Radical Center of Education theory doesn’t work unless the person working for change has deeply held values. While Stephen Colbert makes great sport of the know-nothing philosophy of “truthiness,” making Radical Center change requires both an open mind and values firmly held by both the heart and the head. Without such values, change is simply change for change sake.
I can’t recommend a single source of these values, nor should I expect anyone to adopt my list. I will list a few of my own and encourage you to create your own list.
- The solution to most of the world’s problems will rely effective education.
- My best judgments are made when I think of myself first as a child advocate, second as an educator, and lastly as a technologist.
- All kids should be treated the way I want my own grandchildren to be treated.
- Creativity, empathy, and humor are as important to success as reading, writing and numeracy.
- Schools should teach children to think, not to believe.
Your list will be as individual as you are. But know it and act with it in mind.
The author of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, and his wife Kay were being interviewed on National Public Radio’s Speaking of Faith program. As a couple, they lead a large Evangelical church, but also are working on AIDS prevention. One particular comment by Kay stuck me. She sees her church as a moderate organization, neither fundamentalist nor liberal. And she believes this to be the most difficult position for it to take because it has two sets of critics - those from both the extreme left and the extreme right. Anyone who chooses the Radical Center can count on doubling his/her critics. Be warned.
Change is tough - especially meaningful, lasting and humane change. The Radical Center might be a way to help it actually come about. | <urn:uuid:4dcfa5a8-5103-4d7c-b851-2230c709156b> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/change-from-the-radical-center-of-education.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00083-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947893 | 4,356 | 2.671875 | 3 |
What is compression? Why is it necessary to compress files? - Multimedia Compression.
What is compression? Why is it necessary to compress files?
- Compression refers to reducing the original file size.
- Video and audio files consume more disk space compared to document files.
- While sending the files as attachments in an email, the email may not send the file, as the size is more that it takes.
- Compressed files with less disk space can be sent as attachments in an email.
- Compressed files reduce time to attach, upload and download files.
- Some of the internet servers need only compressed files to upload and download. | <urn:uuid:3a68702e-72d8-485f-98c7-bf7aa2bb32fa> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.careerride.com/view.aspx?id=3536 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399425.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00135-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.908124 | 136 | 3.546875 | 4 |
As spring activities begin, farmers are reminded that sprayers and tanks need to be inspected for damage or degradation.
Calibration is the first and sometimes only inspection that an applicator conducts on their sprayer. While this is necessary and recommended, it is not the only aspect of spray equipment that requires regular inspection and maintenance.
Polyethylene tanks, or poly tanks for short, are extensively used on farms in Michigan. These tanks are very versatile and readily available.
Depending on how they are used and the environmental conditions they are exposed to, poly tanks have a varied lifespan. Those used for chemicals and other caustic materials will eventually weaken and fail.
Tank integrity is measured by three indicators: scratches, crazing and cracks:
• Scratches are on the surface and can be seen and felt.
• Crazing is a network of fine lines or cracks that may look like a patchwork, but often cannot be seen with a visual inspection. Crazing can be seen when using one of the testing methods explained below. Crazing occurs within the tank wall and can be a sign of deterioration of the plastic, which may lead to cracks. Tanks that show signs of crazing will still hold liquids, but the integrity of the tank is questionable. For this reason, caution should be used when putting any hazardous substance in tanks that show crazing.
• Cracks extend through the plastic wall and can be visually seen and felt. Cracks may run parallel or at right angles to each other.
Testing poly tanks is a simple procedure. If you purchase a new tank you should fill it with water and let it set overnight to ensure there are no leaks before putting any hazardous substance in it.
Three testing methods
Three different testing methods can be used on a tank that has been in use: candling, a water-soluble marker and the ever-popular bat method.
Prior to employing any of these methods, first do a visual inspection looking for any scratches or surface damage:
•Candling is using light to visually inspect a tank. You will need a bright cool light for this procedure. The first step is to inspect the outside of the tank. Place a floodlight or very bright flashlight inside the tank while you look on the outside for any cracks or crazing.
The next step is to inspect the inside of the tank. Place the light on the outside of the tank and have someone look through the fill opening. Do not allow anyone to put his or her head inside the tank.
You may want to consider using a camera to safely complete the interior inspection from the top of the tank.
• Marking the tank with a water-soluble marker is a good, safe way to determine if your tank has integrity problems. This method will show you if your tank has crazing issues or cracks.
Start by checking the areas that get the most UV, or sunlight, exposure. Rub a water-soluble marker in a six-inch by six-inch section and then quickly wipe it off with a dry paper towel or cloth. If there is any crazing or cracking, the ink will have penetrated the tank surface and will not rub off.
Repeat this procedure in several locations on the tank. If the test reveals cracking or spider webbing with lines going in all directions, this is a sign of deterioration. Test a deteriorating tank often and, if possible, use it only for water.
If the test reveals a checkered appearance, this is likely a sign of dry rot. Tanks with dry rot lose their ability to expand and become brittle. These tanks should be replaced or used only for water.
If your tank shows parallel lines, this is an early sign of UV damage and the tank should be closely monitored. If parallel lines appear around the fittings, the tank should be replaced immediately or used exclusively for water.
• The third method for inspecting poly tanks is the bat method, which involves testing an empty tank’s brittleness by hitting it with a baseball bat. This method is the simplest and, depending on your temperament, the most therapeutic.
This is a great method to check tanks that have cracking on them. A good poly tank is flexible and bends in and out as it is filled and emptied. Tanks that are brittle lose their ability to expand under pressure and to move when impacted.
Michigan State University Extension recommends inspecting every poly tank on your farm at least annually. Tank inspection is an easy way to protect your safety, your farm’s bottom line and the environment.
Want access to the very latest in agriculture news each day? Subscribe to Southeast Farm Press Daily.
You might also like | <urn:uuid:09bde1ff-1385-432b-93a4-2f7734f9316c> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://southeastfarmpress.com/print/equipment/farm-poly-tanks-should-be-checked-annually-deterioration?page=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00183-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.942525 | 953 | 2.53125 | 3 |
But the utility is also looking at other biomass sources that may help fuel the power plant.
Wayne Lei, a research and development director for the utility, said 18 different products have been charred and tested at Washington State University in a scaled-down apparatus. Six of the substances have warranted a longer look, including corn stover, wheat straw, poplar chips, special biomass sorghum and a methane digester fiber -- made from cow manure left over from the digesting process.
Researchers are testing whether the biomass has to be chipped, the percentage of liquid, solid and gas produced from the process as well as how much time is required and how much material can be charred at one time.
"We have not explored prices yet," Lei said. "Right now we're looking at that it physically works."
Lei said giant cane is set to be the "anchor crop" for the power plant, but if other biomass proves usable they could reduce the acreage needed. According to PGE, the plant would need about 8,000 tons of biomass per day when the generator is operating.
Steve Corson, utility spokesman, said once the switch is made the plant will likely only run during the peak use seasons of summer and winter.
The utility has said it would need 60,000-80,000 acres of irrigated land if only giant cane were used as fuel for the plant. One reason biomass is so appealing to PGE?is its use as a baseload power, compared to variable energy sources like wind and solar.
"To have a baseload renewable resource to turn on and off when the customer needs power is very appealing," Corson said. "It would also help us meet the requirement for the Renewable Portfolio Standard."
The standard requires PGE to produce 25 percent of retail electric sales from renewable resources by the year 2025.
Even with research being done in conjunction with University of Washington, Washington State University, Oregon State University and Portland State University, Corson said there are still a number of unanswered questions.
One concern is the potential for the fast-growing perennial plant to become an invasive weed. Corson said the utility has developed an action plan with the state weed board as well as the Umatilla County and Morrow County weed boards.
Some states, like California, have deemed the plant a noxious weed as it has a propensity to choke out native vegetation and take over waterways.
Oregon State University's Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center is studying the plant as a crop and has done trials testing invasiveness and have had no success with growing a cane after it has been dried.
"We were not able to get just the canes to grow last year," said Nick Bechtoldt, OSU undergraduate intern assisting with Arundo research in Hermiston. "There were also leftover canes in the field that were missed in harvest and after applying water on them, they didn't start to regrow."
Bechtoldt said the research is helping scientists learn what to study. This year, staff at HAREC did density tests, nitrogen and potassium trials and found some major variations in different fields. Plots in Boardman did much better than plots in Hermiston, and researchers are working to learn why.
Information from: East Oregonian
-- The Associated Press | <urn:uuid:3791f99f-d2d7-458e-aa3d-852b70631be7> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/12/portland_general_electric_test.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00057-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977493 | 684 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Is It Really Bad Behavior? Finding the Positives through Reframing
The obstruction for most special needs children is that they, and the people around them, are so focused on the weaknesses caused by the disorder that the child’s good qualities are overlooked. The challenge for adults is to avoid the predictable path of looking at the disorder’s symptoms pessimistically and to begin instead down a new road—that of focusing on the positive aspects of a child’s actions. This is called reframing.
For example we can use reframing to change behavioral descriptions like “obstinate” into “determined or persistent.” In this way we can help others open their mind to a child’s strengths, which are often detrimentally masked by the symptoms of the disorder.
For instance, when a well-meaning person says, “Your child is so insensitive with her words!” you might reply, “She’s always been very honest, maybe more so than needed, but she is honest.” This does not make an excuse for impulsive insensitivity, but it does advocate a positive quality in the child. This is important for the child to hear and is more constructive than the pervasive feeling of shame that results from hearing disapproving comments on a regular basis.
How many personal success stories from history and business contain elements of an extremely obsessive-compulsive nature? We’ve all read about those who could not let go until they made that all-important and seemingly impossible breakthrough leading to success. Afterward, historical writers praise such individuals as great people who strove for high ideals against tremendous odds; yet people who personally experienced their overbearing obsessions might not offer such an optimistic description.
It is all a matter of perspective! Difficult behaviors may well offer clues to the child’s most valuable strength.
I see special needs children every day who are continually berated for negative behaviors, which causes them to retreat further into a destructive state of mind about themselves. This only leads to additional acting out: we are what we think we are.
What children truly need are caring and kind adults who will show them acceptance, give them positive feedback, and engage in novel ways of viewing their behaviors through reframing.
Following are a few practice examples illustrating negative to positive reframing:
- Obsessive – Tenacious
- Compulsive - Thorough
- Talkative – Gregarious
- Easily distracted – Easily fascinated
- Emotional – Influential, Charismatic
- Controlling – Convincing
- Impulsive – Inquisitive
- Obstinate – Determined, Persistent
- Aggressive – Assertive achiever
- Opinionated – Confident
- Hyperactive – Energetic
- Isolated – Selective
- Immature – Innocent
- Dramatic – Powerfully vivid
- Disorganized – Creative
- Oppositional – Independent
The skill of focusing on the positive is nothing less than practicing the art of reframing. Break out that thesaurus!
February 18, 2013 | <urn:uuid:35ac71e7-3bc3-40a8-a16a-95959127d3b6> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.mom-psych.com/Articles/Education/Special-Needs/Positive-Feedback-Reframing-JT1006.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00160-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.939088 | 644 | 3.265625 | 3 |
Am Fam Physician. 2008 Jan 1;77(1):97.
Guideline source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Literature search described? No
Evidence rating system used? No
Published source: Pediatrics, May 2007
Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a form of child abuse involving both physical abuse and medical neglect. It occurs in the medical setting when a parent or caregiver causes injury to a child by seeking or administering unnecessary and possibly harmful medical treatment for the child. Although Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a rare circumstance, physicians need to consider it when treating a child with seemingly inexplicable findings or failed treatments. For a child whose illness is fabricated by a caregiver, the prognosis may be poor if the abused child is left in the home. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has identified factors that may help physicians recognize this form of child abuse and has provided recommendations on when to report a case to their state child protective services agency.
Continuing unnecessary medical care may become abusive to the child if the parent or caregiver is consistently misrepresenting or making up symptoms, manipulating laboratory tests, or intentionally inflicting harm on the child to create symptoms. The AAP advises physicians to consider three questions that may help diagnose this condition: (1) Are the history, signs, and symptoms of disease credible?; (2) Is the child receiving unnecessary and harmful or potentially harmful medical care?; and (3) If so, who is instigating the evaluations and treatment? In determining whether signs and symptoms have been fabricated, physicians need to gather relevant information from everyone involved and report concerns to other health care professionals and social service workers. A thorough evaluation of medical charts and clear communication among medical professionals are important in making a proper diagnosis.
The state child protective services agency should be informed if the parent or caregiver is harming the child and will not cooperate with the child's physician in limiting the amount of medical care to an appropriate level. Medical child abuse should be reported in the same way as physical and sexual child abuse if the parent or caregiver continues to harm the child. Care of the abused child may include a multidisciplinary approach that involves primary care physicians, medical subspecialty consultants, dietitians, physical therapists, and social service workers. Treatment considerations include ensuring the child's future safety and allowing treatment to occur in the least restrictive setting possible.
Copyright © 2008 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
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Want to use this article elsewhere? Get Permissions | <urn:uuid:ac4da921-5fbe-43a0-9124-778da96cdc55> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0101/p97.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397695.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00194-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.927458 | 603 | 2.953125 | 3 |
As endangered sea turtles cement their title as the animal most impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the throngs of volunteers that unglamorously work every year to find and guard their nests and suddenly becoming much more crucial heroes.
Along any American coast where sea turtles nest, a network of volunteer groups has sprung up in the last couple decades. Florida has at least 21 turtle volunteer groups. Alabama’s Share the Beach has 300 volunteers that patrol beaches at night during nesting season, cataloging where turtles nest and keeping trouble away. They hold a hatching vigil to ensure the babies make it to water–more than the long-gone mother turtle does. To do all that, they have the data to make decent map of every turtle nest in the gulf, including species and probable hatching time.
In a normal year volunteers ask people to turn off nearby lights show turtles the way to the water with a trench and 3-sided tent that blocks the beguiling light. This year with the Deepwater Horizon runaway oil well, even the turtles that made it the water would be doomed. So the Fish and Wildlife Service is using the map and volunteer network to pluck 70,000 eggs from the gulf and transplant them on the Atlantic coast just before they hatch.
In Alabama turtles, mostly loggerheads (Caretta caretta), lay about 40-60 nests a year, with about 100 in each nest. This year they’ve counted at least 1,782 eggs laid so far. Share Our Beaches has been walking the shore for 10 years, says director Mike Reynolds. “The program started because people were wondering why there were so many dead baby sea turtles on the road every year,” Reynolds says. Normally they only move nests if the mother has picked a really awful spot, like one that will be washed out by the tide.
Now the group–and dozens of others along the coast–is getting ready to start digging up nests Monday en masse. That’s when the first nests reach day 50 in the 55 to 75 day incubation period. The eggs will go by FedEx truck to the Cape Canaveral area to hatch, the Fish and Wildlife Service says. They baby turtles will bring luggage–30 pounds of beach sand in the hopes that the taste and smell will help guide the turtles back to their original gulf coast beach when they lay eggs themselves in 10 to 20 years. Because the homing instinct is still insrutable, no one is sure which beach the turtles will consider home: the place where they gestated or hatched.
The Space Coast is already a huge sea turtle preserve, with 72 miles of beaches. Many volunteer turtle groups, including Sea Turtle Preservation Society, are based here, especially in the 20-mile Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, which was started in 1991 just to protect sea turtles. So, even if they never return to the Gulf, the volunteers have helped them survive to produce more turtles for everyone to enjoy.
Where to Go to See Sea Turtles | <urn:uuid:1dfa8c7d-1dd6-4442-bf71-bf1bc3fff014> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://animaltourism.com/news/2010/07/07/turtle-volunteers-vast-map-of-gulf-nests-aids-in-emergency-transplant-out-of-bp-oil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397795.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00066-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.957121 | 615 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Despite the similarity, I've never thought of these as meaning the same thing because their usage is so different:
わざわざ means that someone has gone out of their way to do something.
せっかく means that someone has made an effort, or some unexpected opportunity has come up, and it would be a shame to waste it. Mostly it is used positively in the sense of grasping the opportunity, but sometimes it is used in turning down the effort.
This is explained well in the 類語例解辞典 entry for せっかく／わざわざ:
Sekkaku is used in the expressions sekkaku... no ni, sekkaku ... dakara, sekkaku no..., and expresses a feeling that since an effort has been made to do something, it should not be wasted. In the form sekkaku no ... da ga or sekkaku de wa aru ga, it is used to refuse the other person's request or proposal. Also, in expressions like sekkaku no yasumi ni ame ga furu ('just when we had a holiday it rained') it expresses regret at a situation where a rare opportunity is wasted. Also written 折角.
Wazawaza describes a situation where, although there was no necessity to go to the trouble, a person has specially gone out of their way to do something, and not merely in passing. In particular, it is often used where something is done for another person out of concern or care for that person. It is also used in cases where someone is going out of their way to do something that they don't need to.
(Please forgive the clunky translation. The explanations are full of Japanese terms that don't go easily or directly into English).
In 1) the emphasis is on appreciation of an effort or opportunity and regret at the possibility that it will be wasted. In 2), the emphasis is on the fact that someone has gone out of their way to do something, usually (but not always) with appreciation of that action.
It is interesting that you've managed to come up with two examples where
せっかく are similar in meaning and usage!
せっかく来てくれたからご飯をおごるよ differ only in that the first is a 'reward' to the other person for making a special trip; the second is a decision to take advantage of (i.e., not waste) the effort that has been made.
せっかく美容院に行ったのに、雨で髪がくしゃくしゃになっちゃった are very similar. The first suggests that a lot of effort was made but the result turned out no good. The second suggests that a lot of effort was made and it was a shame that it was wasted. (It might be slightly more natural to say for the second one:
せっかく美容院に行ったのに、閉まっていた.) In most cases, however, the usages are quite different.
Examples from the same dictionary:
Sekkaku: (adv) sekkaku no kōi o mu ni suru 'to bring to naught goodwill that is not come by every day' or 'to bring to naught goodwill that one should be grateful for' ('sekkaku' is not easy to translate here -- it doesn't mean 'goodwill that someone has gone out of their way to present'; it expresses regret at a wasted opportunity), sekkaku kita no ni rusu datta 'Even though I made a special trip (to see you) you were out', sekkaku desu ga o-kotowari-shimasu 'I appreciate your making this request/proposal, but I regret that I have to turn it down'.
Wazawaza: (adv) wazawaza motte kite kureta '(he/you) specially brought it (to me/us)', wazawaza kuru ni wa oyobanai 'there's no need to make a special trip / go out of your way to come by'.
In these sentences there is very little overlap in possible usage. | <urn:uuid:ddad00c7-5901-4da3-8537-1cc6cc632777> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/4285/whats-the-difference-between-%E3%81%9B%E3%81%A3%E3%81%8B%E3%81%8F-and-%E3%82%8F%E3%81%96%E3%82%8F%E3%81%96/4309 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00127-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.822232 | 937 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Microscopic Plastic Threatens Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are becoming increasingly clogged with microscopic bits of plastic that potentially threaten the lakes’ natural ecosystem, including resident fish and plant life, according to a recent report published in The Huffington Post, huffingtonpost.com.
Apparently this phenomenon is not new and scientists have been examining it for decades, particularly in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the report states.
The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” which is probably the best known of these floating plastic and debris collections, is estimated to be roughly twice the size of the state of Texas, according to The Huffington Post article.
“The massive production of plastic and inadequate disposal has made plastic debris an important and constant pollutant on beaches and in oceans around the world,” Lorena M. Rios Mendoza, a University of Wisconsin-Superior scientist researching the impact of such pollution, was quoted as saying in the news article. “The Great Lakes are not an exception.”
Rios told the paper that the plastic buildup, which makes up roughly 80 to 90 percent of all ocean pollution, could be particularly bad in the Great Lakes because the particles are so tiny.
In samples Rios’ team collected from Lake Erie, 85 percent of particles were smaller than two-tenths of an inch, and many were microscopic. Her group found between 1,500 and 1.7 million of these particles per square mile, according to the news story.
Photo by Markus Eriksen | <urn:uuid:1419bf91-b98f-4e49-8ca7-a5953fbb6e96> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.lakelandboating.com/scuttle-extra/microscopic-plastic-threatens-great-lakes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393997.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00088-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956951 | 315 | 3.09375 | 3 |
The term advertising comes from the Latin word “adverto”. “Adverto” basically means to turn around. By turn around we mean turn around and look because your attention is grabbed by something.
Simply put advertising is grabbing attention and then sharing some message with the person whose attention has been grabbed.
Advertising has many parts. During the advertising process many decisions have to be taken. These decisions include:
One may tend to think that the point of all advertising is to make the consumer buy the product that the advertiser is selling. However, there may be many other reasons why advertising is done. Some of the reasons are:
Let the above examples give you an idea of the kind of advertising objectives you can have. You must choose your advertising objectives on basis of your business and your situation in the market and in the minds of the consumers.
Before you decide your budget, make your advertisements or choose your media etc. the first thing you need to do is decide what your advertising objectives are.
Many different ways are used for deciding the budget for advertising. Some methods are as crude as using the same budget for advertising as your competitors or using a fixed percentage of the turnover as the advertising budget etc. However these methods of determining the budget are crude and independent of the advertising plan and what has to be achieved though the advertising.
Let the following questions guide you when deciding the budget allocated for advertising:
From the above questions it is apparent that the advertising plan has to be known and the research about the target audience etc. has to be done before the budget is prepared.
This subject has been discussed on the previous pages of this article, so we shall not discuss it here. In case you jumped some pages you could go back and check how to identify your target market by clicking here.
There are many possible media that can be used for advertising. The choice of media “mainly” depends on your target audience. You have to choose a media that your target audience is most exposed to.
The next factor used when deciding the kind of media to be used is price. Some media are costly and some are cheap.
Some of the media are stated below:
These are just the very obvious media that are out there. If you are a small business and most of these media are out of your advertising budget, you could be creative and invent other kinds of media.
For example: You could talk to your newspaper distributor and distribute your advertising message on a pamphlet along with the morning newspaper.
To get an idea about what kind of alternate media you could use, check out these links:
When we say “copy” we mean the advertisement. The advertisement copy means the whole advertisement.
What should the advertisement copy basically achieve?
An advertisement copy should basically achieve the following:
The advertisement should interest the buyer:
Once the target audience is known, it can be predicted what will appeal to the target audience. It can be predicted what kind of add will grab the attention of the target audience etc. This information has to be gathered about the target audience and the advertisement has to be made in such a way that it “grabs the attention” of the target audience.
The audience should interpret the advertisement in the way
Every one has different perceptions of the world. Every one understands things differently. As an advertiser you have to make sure that you know how your target audience thinks and interprets things. You need to make sure that the message that your advertisement gives is not interpreted in any way other than the way you would like it to be interpreted. The message in your advertisement should not convey something other that what you want it to convey. The message should not offend your target audience.
Advertisement should influence the audience:
Customers have different attitudes towards different products. What they choose to buy and what they choose not to, depends on their attitudes with respect to the products. If these attitudes can be influenced the customer can be influenced. This is what the prime purpose of an advertisement is, to change the attitude of the customer about the advertiser’s product. So an advertisement has to be so designed that it does not directly affect the customers “purchase behavior” but it subtly changes the attitudes of the people in favor of the advertiser’s products.
The above stated are the three things that an advertisement copy should basically achieve.
To understand how to design advertisements in more detail you could go though the following articles:
Everything we have explained in this article is just the basics of marketing. There is lot more to learn. New developments are constantly being made in the field of marketing. Now-a-days, because of marketing that is present everywhere, people have become immune to marketing. They are not motivated by advertisements any more.
To overcome this, a new breed of marketing is being developed. It is in it's early stages yet, but it is growing. It is called "viral" or "buzz" or "word-of-mouth" marketing. The idea is that, people do not believe advertisements anymore. They do not trust advertisements anymore. So, if you want to advertise, you will have to do it though other people. People will trust what their friends have to say even though they will not trust advertisements.
To understand this new kind of marketing, we reccommend that you read the book "Tipping Point". You can get it from ebay.in
If you are new to ebay, do not worry, you can just sign up from here free and buy whatever you are interested in right now! It's quite easy!
Once you are signed up, search for "Tipping Point". You could then choose one of the results and buy the book!
We recommend that you buy the book from Ebay.in since it is quite safe & secure and you will get a good deal there. If you are not comfortable with Credit Card payments, there are always other options like DD, money order etc. that you can go in for.
Best of Luck!
|Other articles YOU
How to "market" your business?
How to start company?
How to manage your money?
How to export outside India?
How to incorporate? | <urn:uuid:eeee1424-8da5-4bc9-88aa-2241a713995d> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.indiahowto.com/promote-advertise.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960271 | 1,286 | 2.96875 | 3 |
A cyclist blurs the line between pedestrian and vehicle on Wabash Avenue and Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. (Michael Tercha, Chicago Tribune)
Crash statistics bear out the grim reality that every day, too many people — on four wheels, two wheels or on foot — put themselves and others at risk because of misconceptions about the rules of the road or simply the belief that what you don't know won't hurt you.
Many bicyclists, for instance, think they are safer staying close to the curb in a narrow traffic lane, but such behavior just invites drivers to try to squeeze by dangerously, experts say.
On streets that are marked with bicycle lanes, the experts also say, a common mistake by motorists preparing to turn right at intersections is the tendency to merge right instead of first yielding and judging the speed of bicyclists in the bike lane, then completing the turn.
While many drivers and bicyclists appear to have an abundance of blind spots in their knowledge of traffic laws, there also is no shortage of resentment between the two groups of roadway users. Both contribute to thousands of accidents in Illinois each year.
In 2012, there were 3,456 crashes in Illinois involving bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers, resulting in the deaths of 29 bicyclists and injuries to the cyclists in almost all the other crashes, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Data for 2013 are not yet available.
In the six-county region in 2012, according to IDOT, there were 2,863 crashes and 17 bicyclist deaths.
Hoping to lower the toll and encourage drivers and bicyclists to share the road with each other, the League of Illinois Bicyclists has posted an online safety quiz for cyclists and drivers. Individual quizzes are offered in an interactive multiple-choice format for child bicyclists, adult bicyclists and motorists, and at three levels of difficulty.
"Both bicyclists and motorists can do a much better job watching out for each other and correcting their often false opinions about who should do what in specific circumstances," said Ed Barsotti, a certified bike safety instructor and executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, which promotes bicycle access, education and safety statewide.
"People tend to learn best when they miss a question on a quiz, because they are motivated to learn why they got it wrong," Barsotti said.
Your Getting Around columnist took the quiz, at bikesafetyquiz.com. I'm proud to report that, based on the test, my bike safety IQ is high — but not off the charts.
I honestly cannot quibble with the questions that I got wrong, as the correct answers pointed out a few holes in my knowledge. And it should be noted that the Illinois secretary of state's office reviewed and approved all the questions and answers.
The quiz was fun and sometimes challenging. Try it for yourself.
Contact Getting Around at firstname.lastname@example.org or c/o the Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611; on Twitter @jhilkevitch; and at facebook.com/jhilkevitch. Read recent columns at chicagotribune.com/gettingaround. | <urn:uuid:451603fd-b0ae-473c-82b0-2e5a5856a9a9> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-04-21/news/ct-getting-around-bike-safety-quiz-met-0421-20140421_1_illinois-bicyclists-ed-barsotti-safety-quiz | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403502.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00133-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.965642 | 659 | 2.515625 | 3 |
1. In combination, a tractor, a framework attached to said tractor extending upwardly therefrom, a shaft on the upper portion of said framework disposed laterally to one side of said tractor and extending longitudinally thereof, a hopper pivotally supported at one side thereof on said shaft, a pair of pivotally connected links, one of said links being connected to said hopper and the other of said links being pivotally connected to said framework, an actuator connected between said framework and the pivot point between said links, actuation of said actuator causing said hopper to pivot between a load receiving and a load dumping position, a loading chute for said hopper, means on said chute and said hopper causing said chute to move away from said hopper upon tilting of said hopper to a dumping position, said last-named means comprising an angularly shaped lever having pivotal connection with said chute and said framework at one end thereof, said means on said hopper comprising spaced apart guide plates adapted to receive said roller means, whereby upon tilting of said hopper, said guide plates engage and disengage said roller means to pivot said lever to move said chute toward or away from said hopper.
Hoppers fitted on farm tractors which are designed to be filled with products gathered by a harvesting machine coupled with a tractor are already well known.
These hoppers allow the conveyance of the harvested products up to the border or edge of the fields where they are loaded on a tip or on a trailer of large size parked on a harder ground.
Some of these hoppers include, for this purpose, a side door through which the harvested products are tilted laterally.
In this case, the emptying is made by gravity, the door serving generally as an extension part of the floor of the hopper so as to convey the products as far away as possible towards the center of the containing unit, such as a trailer or tilt.
The disadvantage of hoppers of this type lies in the fact that they must be placed on the tractor at a high level, especially when the products are to be tilted in a tip placed over a truck, which, as a result, breaks up the equilibrium of the tractor because of the raising of the center of gravity and involves the use of very long elevators to convey the products from the machine up to the hopper.
Well known also are hoppers the emptying of which is made by the rocking of the hopper towards the front of the tractor, which involves first mechanical complications arising from the side travel required to bring the hopper from its working site right to the pivoting point at the front edge of the tractor, besides, due to the fact the tractor must be placed in front of the containing unit, this obliges the driver to back each time before starting again.
The object of the invention is to overcome these inconveniences and relates, for this purpose, to a stocking hopper for tractors, particularly, featured by a support chassis bearing the hopper, said hopper being assembled with a pivoting system on the chassis, along an axis located close to one of the side edges of the hopper and close to the loading door of said hopper, which allows the hopper to tilt at a sufficient high level though the hopper is not at a too high level in loading position.
A hopper and a tractor according to the invention are shown on the attached drawings, on which:
FIG. 1 is a rear view of a tractor and a hopper assembly in working position;
FIG. 2 is a view of FIG. 1 from the left;
FIG. 3 is a partial view showing the hopper in tilted position; and
FIG. 4 is a view of FIG. 3 from the left.
The stocking hopper according to the invention is made of a sheet iron container 1 provided with a door 11 at its upper part for the loading and the emptying.
Hopper 1 is placed on a tubular chassis 2 through a shaft or pivoting axis 3 which allows the tilting of the hopper.
Tilting axis 3 is set along the sidewall of the hopper and close to the upper door 11, while a jack 4 revolving on chassis through a binding iron 5 allows the automatic discharge of the products contained in the hopper.
Jack 4 is a single-acting or double-acting jack and, in the case of a single-acting jack, the return to the loading position is carried out by means of a release spring not shown on the FIG.
Pivoting axis 3 is fitted on chassis 2 through plates 6 provided with an opening to allow the passage of axis 3, while pins 7 passing through corresponding eyelets are provided to hold axis 3 in the housings of plates 6.
In addition, an abutment 8 is provided on chassis 2 at the opposite side of pivoting axis 3, so as to support hopper 1 when in loading position and thus to avoid an overhang and a constant stress on the jack.
Chassis 2 is assembled on tractor 9 through pillars IO, chassis 2 being placed in such way as pivoting axis 3 be set on a lateral side of the tractor.
Owing to this arrangement, many advantages are gained and, in particular, those described hereunder:
The hopper can be placed at a convenient height comparatively low since the emptying is made from the upper level of the hopper;
The elevator or loading spout 11 of the hopper is shortened accordingly, as well as the hopper holders 10, which results in a lighter unit, though more sturdy;
Chassis 2 and holders 10 of hopper 1 are simple and comparatively light since the hopper rotates over itself which eliminates all mechanical troubles;
The hopper is located at the optimal place to allow that the coupling tractor-hopper, and eventually carried or half-trailed machine, be worked out according to the best equilibrium; and
The emptying is made in a trailer or in a tip against which the tractor pulls up without any particular maneuver and starts again which saves time and fatigue.
According to the invention, actuator or jack 4, which is fed under pressure by a compressor through pipes 12, is connected to the hopper by its rod 41 through a link or arm 13 pivoting at point 14 on the hopper.
At jointed coupling 15 of arm 13 and of rod 41 of jack 4, is also a jointed arm 16 pivoting at point 17 on chassis 2.
This arrangement allows the control of the tilting of hopper 1 by jack 4 while maintaining the jack and arm 13 at a correct angle so as to avoid the inversion of their angular position.
Moreover, and according to the invention, arm or link 16 is preferably bent or generally shaped in such way that, when the hopper is emptied, this arm I6 will not hinder the tilting of the hopper (see FIG. 3).
Furthermore, the unloading edge of hopper 1 is, preferably fitted with an extension piece 18 serving to convey the dumped products in the trailer or the tip stationed on the side of the tractor.
According to the invention, (see FIGS. 2 and 4), means of spacing of the elevator or loading spout or chute 11 are provided, when hopper 1 is tilted.
As a matter of fact, when in loading position, spout 11 comes by its upper part above the hopper, which would hinder its tilting.
According to the invention, hopper 1 is fitted with two guide plates 19 and 20 between which is housed roller 21 placed at the end of a bent or angularly shaped lever 22 jointed at point 23 on chassis 2.
On lever 22 is also jointed an arm 24 which bears at its ends rollers 25 and 26 taking rest on the bottom of spout 11.
On arm 24 is also fitted a bail 27 or a similar part which surrounds spout 11 and holds it against rollers 25 and 26, while allowing its sliding.
Thus, when the hopper is in loading position (see FIG. 1), spout 11 comes above hopper 1 by its edge 111; while roller 21 comes between the two guiding plates 19 and 20.
When the driver operates the feeding of the jack 4, hopper 1 revolves around axis 3 and roller 21 is pushed back by lower guide plate 19, which makes spout 11 move backwards through arm 22 which revolves at point 23.
In the course of this backward movement, spout 11 which revolves at its lower end moves into bail 27 in rolling over rollers 25 and 26 so as to obtain at the end of the stroke a layout similar to the one shown by FIG. 4 on which hopper 1 is entirely tilted, while spout 11 is drawn aside from the hopper.
When the driver operates the opposite way, hopper 1 moves back into chassis 2 and, in the course of this operation, guiding plate 20 comes in contact with roller 21 and draws it in direction of the hopper in tilting lever 22. This, as a result, moves back spout 11 against hopper 1 according to a way opposite to that described above.
Thus, an automatic clearance and setting of the spout over the hopper is obtained. | <urn:uuid:09130d7e-eb37-46c0-9d5e-67f0e46c90ff> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3559824.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00077-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950178 | 1,904 | 2.671875 | 3 |
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