text
stringlengths 199
648k
| id
stringlengths 47
47
| dump
stringclasses 1
value | url
stringlengths 14
419
| file_path
stringlengths 139
140
| language
stringclasses 1
value | language_score
float64 0.65
1
| token_count
int64 50
235k
| score
float64 2.52
5.34
| int_score
int64 3
5
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
What is Detoxing?
Detoxing may be defined as cleansing the body from poisons and toxins that may have accumulated in the colon, lymph, lungs, gallbladder, skin, blood, kidneys and liver. It gives our bodies to the chance to clear of these toxins thus rendering them more effective in doing their job in the future. These toxins usually derive from foods, beverages, alcohol, smoking, drugs and stress, and when in excess can leave a person feeling tired, sick and overweight.
Detoxing consists of:
• Lessening the burden on the detoxification organs by reducing the body’s exposure to pollutions and toxins for s set period of time.
• A restricted, healthy diet accompanied by certain supplements to help us eliminate the toxins in our body.
Detoxes can vary greatly, between restricting intake to juice only to allowing only for a diet consisting mainly of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.
Benefits of Detoxing
Potential benefits of detoxing include:
- The elimination of toxins and poisons that have been running through your body. The positive side effects of this varied, with the most obvious being dramatically increased feelings of vitality and well being.
- A cleansed colon that prevents constipation that may cause fatigue, lethargy and bloating.
- A reduction in food consumption. Whilst the amount of food is generally unlimited on a detox, many experience a decrease in appetite that may be attributed to the limited food types.
- Weight loss that may be contributed to a healthier diet, and the flushing of retained water and fat cells.
- A strengthened immune system that is freed from dealing with everyday toxins.
- The clearance of congestion, mucous, gastrointestinal inflammation and fermentation.
- The reformation of bad lifestyle habits such as junk food addictions, smoking and alcohol consumption.
Disadvantages of Detoxing
- Lowered Immunity
- Some individuals experience limited weight loss, or weight that quickly returns once the detox is over once old habits return.
Types of Detoxes
There are many types of detox diets to choose from. Some popular detox diets include:
- Juice fasting
- Master cleanse diet
- Mono Fruit Detox diet
- Raw food detox diet
- Diuretic diet
If you are interested in finding out more information on how detoxing may benefit you, please speak to a professional nutritionist or naturopath.
|
<urn:uuid:452b6ddb-7b6d-46fe-a826-03b7f213399c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/The_Pros_and_Cons_of_Detoxing
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395992.75/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00010-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933195
| 500
| 2.796875
| 3
|
For much of March and April, fires have dotted the Central American landscape, blanketing the region with smoke. (See Fires in Mexico and Central America.) In addition to smoke, the fires have released large amounts of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, which have been detected by the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) radiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite.
The false-color image above shows the average number of carbon monoxide molecules in the lower atmosphere between April 10 and April 20, 2005. If you were to squash a column of the atmosphere into a flat square centimeter, this measurement would reveal how many molecules of carbon monoxide filled that area. Broad strokes of red and yellow reveal high levels of carbon monoxide over all of Central America. Shades of light and dark blue that represent low carbon monoxide values are entirely missing, replaced with the aquamarine of intermediate values to show the lowest levels of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a good tracer of pollution since it is produced as a by-product of the combustion associated with wildfires and agricultural fires.
NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by the NCAR and University of Toronto MOPITT Teams
- Terra - MOPITT
|
<urn:uuid:74227424-2182-462f-a222-6e5f07e8f5a0>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=14869&eocn=image&eoci=related_image
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00131-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.932172
| 258
| 3.9375
| 4
|
Definitions for natronobacterium
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word natronobacterium
In taxonomy, Natronobacterium is a genus of the Halobacteriaceae. A member of the domain Archaea, it is both an extreme halophile and alkaliphile, thriving at an optimum saline concentration of 20% and optimum pH of 10.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
A genus of rod-shaped, extremely halophilic HALOBACTERIACEAE which grows in alkaline conditions. They are strictly aerobic and some strains are motile. Natronobacterium is found in soda lakes, alkaline salterns, and soda soils.
The numerical value of natronobacterium in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
The numerical value of natronobacterium in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9
Find a translation for the natronobacterium definition in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss these natronobacterium definitions with the community:
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
"natronobacterium." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2016. Web. 25 Jun 2016. <http://www.definitions.net/definition/natronobacterium>.
|
<urn:uuid:37668c7b-6609-4294-a0d3-c8fae97ef00b>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.definitions.net/definition/natronobacterium
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392527.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00091-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.702258
| 305
| 2.515625
| 3
|
Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Ancient See of Hamar
Hamar in Norway, embraced Hedemarken and Christians Amt, and was formed in 1152 out of that of Oslo, when Arnold, Bishop of Gardar, Greenland (1124-52), was appointed first Bishop of Hamar. He began to build the now ruined cathedral of Christ Church, which was completed about the time of Bishop Paul (1232-52). Bishop Thorfinn (1278-82) was exiled and died at Ter Doest in Flanders. Bishop Jörund (1285-86) was transferred to Trondhjem. A provincial council was held in 1380. The last Catholic bishop, Mogens (1513-37), was taken prisoner in his castle at Hamar by Truid Ulfstand, a Danish noble, and sent to Antvorskov in Denmark, where he was mildly treated until his death in 1542. There were at Hamar a cathedral chapter with ten canons, a school, a Dominican Priory of St. Olaf, and a monastery of the Canons Regular of St. Anthony of Vienne.
HANSEN, Hamar og dets Biskopper (Hamar, 1866); RAMSETH, Hamars Bys Historie (ibid., 1899); LANGE, De norske Klostres Historie (Christiania, 1856), 374-77, 389-91; Historisk Tidsskrift, 3rd series, I (Christiania, 1890), 113-40, 244-69, 277-334; III (Christiania, 1895), 379-411.
|
<urn:uuid:f037d284-1ed2-4ff2-893c-1cea9f399dc4>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Ancient_See_of_Hamar
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398209.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00051-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.956361
| 343
| 2.5625
| 3
|
Yesterday was Alan Turing's birthday, and this weekend is LGBT "Pride" weekend. And never the twain shall meet, it seems.
Turing played a huge role in laying the theoretical foundation for computing. His life is considered computer history, and for some reason, this means it can't be part of queer history, even though he was gay, he was persecuted and prosecuted for being gay, and he killed himself after receiving the humiliation of chemical castration by estrogen "treatments". In the same way that black history is given its own month and treated as separate from other history, LGBT history is segregated from other history as well. If it doesn't specifically pertain to the history of LGBT civil rights, apparently it doesn't count.
Needless to say, I think this is ridiculous. I also think it's incredibly self-defeating for the LGBT movement not to make more of the overlapping history it does have. Turing is a clear case of a genius whose life was cut short by homophobia. Some of the graybeards who were instrumental in the early Unix days of the 1970s are still making huge contributions to computer science - inventing the Go language and the widely-used UTF-8 encoding system for Unicode characters, for example. Turing died at the age of 41; he could easily have lived to see the beginning of the Unix epoch and made even more amazing contributions. He might also have had more insights into biology, especially developmental biology.
I think it's important that we make clear these connections: that the world lost a brilliant mathematician and scientist to the bigotry of the day. It's great that the British government apologized in 2009 for what it did six decades ago, but even better would be to tackle today's discriminations - against trans people and Muslims to name two groups - that unfairly cut short the potential of both individuals and of the societies of which they are a part.
|
<urn:uuid:341d4fe2-462d-4588-b913-d96c12aa0f4b>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.fishrockroad.org/2011/06/against-balkanization-of-history.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403825.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00187-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.986035
| 386
| 2.671875
| 3
|
Skurka's 7,000-Mile Global Warming Walk Hits Colorado
With less than a thousand miles to go, Andy Skurka, die-hard adventurer and environmental advocate, has traveled too far to let the elements slow him down. Since April 9, Skurka has been walking each and every day through some of America’s wildest and most remote landscapes. His Great Western Loop walk, an effort to raise awareness about the effects of global warming on America’s National Parks and wilderness areas, now enters Colorado where Skurka faces the new challenges of early-season snows and shorter days.
In total, Skurka will cover 6,875 miles, roughly the distance from Los Angeles to Istanbul, Turkey. His route will have taken him through 12 national parks, more than 75 wilderness areas and countless mountain peaks in the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and Rocky Mountain ranges. The odyssey is scheduled to conclude at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on November 3.
“Because so few of us get chance to visit remote areas, the damage that global warming is causing on the America’s crown jewels is ‘out-of-sight, out-of-mind’,” said GoLite Chief Executive Officer Kim Coupounas, whose company is supporting Skurka’s endeavor. “The hope of Andy’s journey is to bring the plight of the backcountry to the front of people’s consciousness.”
Many scientists believe that the American West is experiencing the effects of climate change faster and more severely than anywhere else in the USA. According to a report published in 2006 by the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council, “a disrupted climate is the single greatest threat to ever face western national parks.” The report states:
- All the Glaciers in Glacier National Park could melt away by 2030.
- Wildfires threaten to eliminate saguaro cacti from Saguaro National Park and Joshua trees from Joshua Tree National Park.
- Warmer weather is increasing the beetle population in Yellowstone National Park, which in turn is endangering the enduring symbol of the American West: the grizzly bear. Beetles are destroying whitbark pines, a staple food source for the grizzly.
- Higher temperatures and earlier snowmelt have contributed to a four-fold increase in western wildfires since 1987.
On April 9, 2007, Skurka set out to become the first person to complete the Great Western Loop, a 6,875-mile route that passes through the most cherished and pristine wild lands remaining in the United States including 12 National Parks and over 75 wilderness areas. The route links a network of five long-distance hiking trails and a self-made segment through the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. Skurka is hiking to promote the “less is more” lifestyle and to draw attention to the effects of global warming on America’s most iconic wild lands. He began his hike at Grandview Point on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon; he expects to complete his loop in the same spot approximately 7 months later.
For more information on Skurka’s trek and the Great Western Loop visit www.GoLite.com
|
<urn:uuid:34b5b8e3-953b-4106-8645-f649f0df5401>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.trailspace.com/articles/2007/09/11/skurkas-7000-mile-global-warming-walk-hits-colorado.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00109-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.932971
| 674
| 2.84375
| 3
|
Lessons & Classroom Games for Teachers
I recently wrote up a series of considerations and tips for using the listening strand in my Boost! series from Pearson Longman, but they can be used for any listening passages from any sources.
Hopefully the objectives and tips here could be of some use to you, no matter which materials you are using for promoting listening skills in your EFL/ESL classroom.
Tips for getting the most out of the Boost! main listening passages
By Jason Renshaw, author of Boost!
If you have started using the Boost! Listening strand, you may have already noticed that the listening passages are somewhat different from many other standardized listening course books – especially in terms of the pacing. Many course book approaches to listening slow down the listening input to make the delivery more salient, but in the end almost completely unnatural compared to natural delivery speed.
With Boost! Listening, from the start we wanted the listening passages to represent very close to natural English speaking delivery, to give the students exposure to more genuine-sounding input and challenge them to develop new and more effective strategies for handling it.
It is worth approaching listening comprehension classes with four ‘levels’ or objectives in mind:
1)Listening for gist / general comprehension
2)Listening to learn (content-based input and/or how natural discourse works)
3)Listening for skill application
4)Listening for precision and language development
The first objective in that list represents the purest of the “top down” approach to listening, where we want students to gain a broad idea or understanding of what they are listening to. The final objective is more “bottom up”, working with finer details as a basis. The other two objectives fall somewhere in between and to a greater or lesser degree incorporate both top-down and bottom-up processes.
It is important to keep these objectives in mind, because they will in fact be affected by the way(s) you choose to go about applying the listening passages with your learners in class. Just pressing ‘play’ on the CD player and moving directly on to the skills questions could result in your listening lessons finishing up very quickly, but also cause you and your students to conclude the listening material is beyond their level. As the writer, to me this is tragic because you and your learners have missed out on some fantastic chances to develop listening skills at multiple levels!
Tip 1: Use multiple listening opportunities – each with its own specific focus
I usually play the main listening passage in each unit 3-4 times to the class.
I ask the students to not take any notes at all during the first listening, but instead try to get a general feel about what the passage is about, or (in the case of dialogues) where and why a conversation is taking place and between who. I usually find it beneficial to link the impressions gained here with the pre-listening activity the students completed before taking on the main listening passage.
The second and third listenings are for note-taking and getting down as much relevant information about the passage as possible. I will often get the students into pairs or small groups at this stage, and let them compare and share their notes after each listening. Also, I watch the students’ note-taking strategies carefully during the second listening and may offer some practical strategies to them before listening again for a third time. For example, with the content-based passages, I may recommend concentrating on listing main ideas first, to which they can then add details during the next listening sequence. For the dialogues, I might show them how to draw a line down the middle of the notes section, and concentrate on putting each speaker’s input on either side of the line, blocked into ‘turns’. This will help them see how the conversation has developed overall, but also what each individual speaker had to say collectively, and how the various interactions flowed and worked with/from each other.
Note also that in many cases, the listening notes section is specifically formatted to help students target and absorb the information that will then be concentrated on in the follow up skill. It is important to point this out to them in advance, as they may not need to be getting down all the information from the passage in order to concentrate on a specific skill. In a comprehensive approach to listening (and this is often the way I go about it), I do general note-taking on a separate piece of paper first (as described earlier), then move across to the text-book and ask for note-taking specifically geared to the skill. Generally speaking, this allows me to hit the first three objectives in the list I outlined above (general gist, content or discourse-based information, then specific information necessary to apply the unit’s skill).
Last of all, the number of times I play the listening passage depends very much on an individual class and the learners’ needs. Some units benefit from up to 5 or even 6 repeats of the main listening input, while for other units it can be handled sufficiently with just 1-2 listenings. It depends on how familiar they are with the theme and direction of the information, and just generally how well they are managing with any given unit.
Tip 2: Add a bottom-up listening activity for language noticing/development
I generally find that the units in the Boost! Listening strand can go a little bit faster than units in corresponding levels for the other strands (writing and speaking in particular). The trick here is to not limit your listening lessons to just what has been sequenced and suggested on the textbook pages!
I do like for my learners to get practice with the ‘nitty gritties’ (fine details) of the language they are listening to, so towards the end of a class I often like to use the main listening passage again as a collaborative dictation activity. I will play the main passage and hit pause after each main sentence or utterance, giving the learners time to jot down exactly what they have heard. Once we have gone through the passage in this fashion, I ask the learners to share and compare their versions of the passage. We then listen to the main passage again 1-2 times at normal speed without pauses, during which time the learners can edit what they have written. After a final round of collaboration with classmates, I then distribute copies of the script and ask them to self-edit the versions they jotted down during the dictation sequence.
This is great for helping the learners ‘notice’ the differences between what they initially thought they heard and what was actually said. It shows them the words they missed, and also the grammatical forms and endings they may not have clued on to. For a teacher it’s pretty handy as well, as the students are helping each other and in the end editing their own work!
To create some extra variety, and also to cater to differing amounts of time remaining in lessons, I often apply this dictation approach with one of the other (shorter) listening passages in the unit (for example the passage used in Part B for skill noticing, the Pronunciation Focus scripts, and/or reading or listening passages from the integration pages).
This approach is great for very detailed and focused attention during listening, and caters to the fourth objective in the list mentioned above. It also adds variety to the lesson and places specific bottom-up style listening in what I personally believe to be the correct phase of a lesson: at the end, following things like listening for gist, listening for content/discourse information, and listening for application of specific skills.
|
<urn:uuid:aa24cc3b-03c1-4f3d-acee-2ccc8a1a6a95>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/lessons/index.pl?read=2130
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397842.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00091-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943517
| 1,568
| 2.796875
| 3
|
Free fatty acids are one of the outcomes of the food digestion process. These acids are described as "free" because they can be transported in the bloodstream without the aid of any other carriers.
The human diet is categorized into three subdivisions: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It is the digestion of fats that leads to the further process known as hydrolysis, which creates a number of different fatty acids in the body, each with a unique and specific function.
Essential fatty acids are those necessary to a particular aspect of human metabolic function; these fatty acids are not otherwise created through the body's natural processes. The most crucial function of these fatty acids is the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins necessary to the processes of bone building, blood clotting, and central nervous system maintenance. These vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Similar to the essential fatty acids are those found in fish oils and similar foods, the omega-3 group.
On the negative side of the health ledger, some fats ingested by the body and broken down through hydrolysis are the trans fatty acids, which are created in the hydrogenation, the rendering of liquid fats into solid form oils that contain saturated fats such as animal fats and lard. The trans fatty acids are a proven facilitator of the presence of unhealthy low density lipoproteins (LDLs), which are believed to contribute to the formation of plaque in blood vessels, a leading cause of arteriosclerosis, stroke, and other cardiovascular ailments.
Fats are a source of fuel that the body can utilize to produce energy. As fats are not capable of being processed by the body in their natural state, the fat molecules must be altered to permit absorption into the body after digestion. The body has mechanisms that permit it to recognize fats and to store them for future energy purposes; each fatty acid molecule, possessed of two carbon atoms, will ultimately generate a total of 17 units of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy product created by the body; approximately four times as much ATP can be realized from a similar amount of the carbohydrate energy source, glucose. It is for this reason that the body is equipped with special storage areas known as adipose tissue, each of which is a sophisticated series of cells equipped to both store and to release fat when signaled to do so.
Adipose tissues store fat in the same manner in which it naturally occurs in food. However, the fats are broken down on digestion within the body, and they are reformed into the storage form known as triglycerides, a term that describes a collection of three fatty acid molecules bound together with a glycerol molecule. Each fatty acid molecule is an extended chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The process of hydrolysis separates the stored fats into its two separate compounds, fatty acids and glycerol. Glycerol has properties similar to alcohol and sugar; after the release by the adipose tissue, the glycerol is passed through the bloodstream for return to the liver for a conversion into a useful energy source, glucose.
The free fatty acids released from adipose tissue can be utilized anywhere there is an energy need within the body. The process of releasing these compounds begins with a signal from the pancreas, the organ responsible for the monitoring of glucose concentrations in the blood. When a low glucose level is detected, the glucagon hormone is released to stimulate glucose release from the stores of glycogen in the liver. If the blood level of glucose is too high, the body releases the hormone insulin. In this circumstance, fatty acid production will be stimulated through the further trigger of the chemical lipase in the adipose tissue. The ultimate destination of the released fatty acids is the mitochondria of the subject cells that require energy. The mitochondria is the powerhouse of every cell.
There is a well-known correlation between the consumption of caffeine and the metabolizing of free fatty acids. Caffeine promotes the process of lipolysis, the breakdown of the triglycerides stored in the adipose cells. There is also a scientifically established linkage between the increased presence of fatty acids in the bloodstream and the onset of diabetes, the disease whereby the body produces insufficient amounts of insulin to properly regulate the level of blood sugars (glucose).
While fat, in the form of fatty acids, is a very desirable energy source, it is dependent on the presence of oxygen to be useful. In circumstances where energy is required by the body more quickly than oxygen can be delivered to the required location, the body will switch to its less energy efficient anaerobic system. When the body is using one of its anaerobic energy systems, it cannot burn fat, but it will simply generate less energy and will sustain a greater glucose depletion.
|
<urn:uuid:f1e8e7f7-e380-4663-bb7f-4cdf06c11a62>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.faqs.org/sports-science/Fo-Ha/Free-Fatty-Acids-in-the-Blood.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00181-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.932483
| 967
| 3.3125
| 3
|
This report is also available as an Acrobat file.
Authoring and Design for the WWW
Note If a resource has been moved from the exact location specified and
therefore cannot be found by your Web browser, look at the main site where it
was located: it may well have been moved within the site. For example, if the
to produce the document, then look at http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ (the first part
of the same address) to try and locate it from there.
NCSA A Beginner's Guide to HTML
This is a general primer for HTML, covering Getting Started, HTML Documents,
Markup Tags, Character Formatting, Linking, Inline Images, Tables,
Fill-out Forms and Troubleshooting.
Web Development Information
This site offers links to several other useful sites under the following broad
headings: HTML Starting points, Style Guides, Reference Guides and Technical
Information and Documentation; Server Management; PERL and CGI.
Web 66: Cookbook
This site aims to offer a mix of information and linked resources so that
intending Web publishers can find everything they need to set up a site. It has
Macintosh and Windows specific areas.
Introduction to HTML
This site is useful in separating out the non-standard extensions from the
general material. It includes Introduction to HTML, the HEAD and BODY
elements of an HTML Document, Stepping up to HTML 3, Netscape &
Microsoft Extensions, Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and Interaction with
the Server (with examples).
Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction
The Maricopa Center provides a wide range of instructional materials for
various interactive technologies including HTML and Director.
ANU - Quality, Guidelines & Standards
This site includes sections on the design, production and maintenance of WWW
Resources, Gopher Information Facilities, FTP Information Facilities,
Databases, Mailing Lists, USENET systems, and information about Internet
Relay Chat (IRC). It also points to the scholarly papers collection next.
ANU Quality, Guidelines & Standards for Internet Resources: Scholarly Papers
This facility, provided by the Australian National University, keeps track of
scholarly papers dealing with standards, measures and management procedures
aimed at improving the quality of networked information facilities.
Style Guide for Online Hypertext
One of several useful documents and links provided by the World Wide Web
Consortium, see entry under Background below.
Legal and ethical
Legal issues on the WWW
A comprehensive survey of the legal issues relating to the development and use
of Word Wide Web technology at educational sites, by Andrew Charlesworth of
the Information Law and Technology Unit at the University of Hull. A SIMA
EFFweb - The Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation proclaims itself as a non-profit civil
liberties organization working in the public interest to protect privacy, free
expression, and access to public resources and information in new media
Products and technologies
BrowserWatch is an essential site for information about browsers and plug-ins.
However, it does not express a view about which new technologies are
important and which are not, so it is important to look critically at the various
sites to which BrowserWatch points.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
From ignoring the Web, Microsoft has moved rapidly to attempt to dominate it.
The company's thoughts on the integration of the Web and the personal
computer desktop are worth considering.
World Wide Web Software Tools
This survey takes the form of a set of web pages covering tools on the
Macintosh, PC and Unix platforms, some on-line tools, and a report.
A SIMA Project.
Adobe Systems Incorporated
A comprehensive site about Adobe products, future plans, publications etc.
A comprehensive site about Netscape products, intranets, development, plus a
wide range of instructional materials for Web publishers.
The Assistance section of the Netscape site has useful material on authoring
documents and developer tools.
A series of white papers' on the use of the Web for intranets.
JPEG image compression
Includes twenty-one sections on the JPEG graphic file format, including how to
choose between JPEG and GIF, and advice on achieving the best form of JPEG
compression for a given purpose.
Non-Dithering Colors in Browsers
The Browser Safe Palettes only contain 216 colors out of the possible 256,
because the remaining 40 colors vary on Macs and PCs. By eliminating the 40
variable colors, this palette is optimized for cross-platform use. The author
recommends the Browser Safe Palette for flat-colour illustrations rather than
for remapping colour photographs. There is a test page to prove the point.
Yale C/AIM WWW Style Manual
A Web style manual by Patrick Lynch of the Yale Centre for Advanced
Instructional Media, covering Interface Design in Web systems, Page Design
and Optimizing Performance in Web Pages, with appendices on Web Authoring
Resources, Graphic Interface Design and Multimedia
Do's and Don'ts of Web style
A light-hearted but useful summary.
The Alert Box: Current Issues in User Interface Design
An intelligent monthly column by Jakob Nielsen, SunSoft Distinguished
Engineer which has included such topics as the Top Ten Mistakes of Web
Design, The Internet Desktop and In defense of Paper.
User Interface Design for Sun's WWW Site
An interesting case study by Jakob Nielsen of the interface design for Sun's own
Web site, including their fundamental design concepts, iterations of the home
page design and icon designs, and an account of the usability engineering'
methods used in the design process.
What is good hypertext writing?
In Jutta Degener's view, The two pitfalls of writing hypertext copy are links and
emotions. Links are a new stylistic element that writers must learn to handle.
The emotional problem is harder: we must snap out of the host' or provider'
role, must get away from the excitement of guiding another person through the
text, and get back to just writing.' A useful contribution to the debate.
As We May Think
The complete text of Bush's 1945 article, which set out under the name Memex
many of the principles of what subsequently became hypertext.
Advisory Group on Computer Graphics (AGOCG) World Wide Web Server
The Advisory Group on Computer Graphics (AGOCG) is an initiative of the
Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding
Councils and the Research Councils. AGOCG provides a single national focus
for computer graphics, visualization and multimedia within the UK higher
education community and is concerned with the handling of visual information
and its processing.
This handbook was developed with the support of AGOCG's Support Initiative
for Multimedia Applications.
ACM/SIGCHI Home Page
SIGCHI is the special interest group for computer-human interaction of the
Association for Computing Machinery, New York. ACM SIGCHI brings
together people working on the design, evaluation, implementation, and study of
interactive computing systems for human use. ACM SIGCHI provides an
international, interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas about the field
of human-computer interaction (HCI).'
SIGCHI publishes a monthly bulletin and a quarterly magazine called -
ACM/SIGLINK Home Page
SIGLINK is the special interest group for hypertext of the Association for
Computing Machinery, New York. SIGLINK is a forum for the promotion,
dissemination, and exchange of ideas concerning hypertext research,
technologies, and applications among scientists, systems designers, and end-users.'
SIGLINK publishes a Newsletter. The ACM itself publishes monthly
Communications as well as journals and books.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The World Wide Web Consortium exists to realize the full potential of the Web.
W3C is an industry consortium which develops common standards for the
evolution of the Web by producing specifications and reference software.
Although W3C is funded by industrial members, its products are freely available
The World-Wide Web Virtual Library
The Virtual Library has sections on Communications and Telecommunications
(http://www.analysys.co.uk/commslib.htm) and on Electronic Journals
(http://www.edoc.com/ejournal/) amongst many others.
British HCI Group
The British Human-Computer Interaction Group was set up as a Specialist
Group of the British Computer Society in 1984, to provide an umbrella
organisation for all those working on the requirements analysis, design,
implementation and evaluation of technology for human use.'
KMi, Open University, UK
The Knowledge Media Institute is a grouping of the OU's research into learning
applications of new technologies. We share a belief that our future depends on
understanding and sharing knowledge, and we therefore aim to define the future
of life-long learning by harnessing and shaping the technologies which
MIT's Media Laboratory, founded in 1985, carries on advanced research into
a broad range of information technologies including digital television,
holographic imaging, computer music, computer vision, electronic publishing,
artificial intelligence, human/machine interface design, and education-related
technologies. Our charter is to invent and creatively exploit new media for
human well-being and individual satisfaction without regard to present-day
Virtual Environments Visualisation
|
<urn:uuid:d8deed52-d704-4b09-988f-4b91b05af86c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.agocg.ac.uk/reports/mmedia/sbd/webres.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00109-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.807588
| 2,014
| 2.6875
| 3
|
April 1 is the day the Conficker computer worm was supposed to do something terrible to millions of computers running Microsoft Windows -- though engineers were at a loss to say just what that something was.
So what happened? If your computer lets you read this story, we can presume it's not a smoldering wreck.
But somewhere in cyberspace, some hacker, or hackers, created Conficker, and they're still out there. So are others.
What's a Hacker Anyway?
Merriam-Webster has multiple definitions of "hacker." One is very positive: "an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer." Another is darker: "a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system."
But you may be surprised to know what's happened to the most famed hackers of the past. We went looking for a way to measure the top cases -- perhaps in terms of dollar cost or computers infected -- and the consensus we found was that it's hard to do.
"Tagging a damage amount or number of machines compromised to a single virus (let alone a single person) is very difficult," said Nicholas Newman, who tracks computer crimes at the National White Collar Crime Center.
"Data can be transmitted across the globe in a matter of seconds, and computers are infected with malware just as quickly," he wrote in an e-mail to ABC News. "As a result, accurately counting the number of machines infected by a particular worm is impossible and can only be estimated."
Alfred Huger of Symantec, the online-security firm, largely agreed. "We don't track individuals," he said, "we follow software threats."
He named some particularly virulent cases of recent years: the Code Red worm of 2001 and the SQL slammer worm of 2003 (no perpetrators were caught), as well as the Blaster worm from 2003 (an 18-year-old from Minnesota, Jeffrey Parson, served 18 months for writing one variation of it).
He said Conficker is tops on his list in recent years: "It was dramatic in how quickly it moved. However, it didn't have any impact. Yet."
Top of the List: America's Best-Known Hackers
So here are some of the most famous -- or infamous -- hackers, compiled with the help of Symantec, the Justice Department, the National White Collar Crime Center, and several technology consultants. You may despise some of them; others, you may actually like. Please feel free to suggest others, or argue with our choices, in our comments section.
In 1983, Fred Cohen, then a Ph.D. student at the University of Southern California, wrote a short program, as an experiment, that could "infect" computers, make copies of itself, and spread from one machine to another. It was benign. It was hidden inside a larger, legitimate program, which was loaded into a computer on a floppy disk -- something few computers sold today can accommodate anymore.
Other computer scientists had warned that computer viruses were possible, but Cohen's was the first to be documented. A professor of his suggested the name "virus." Cohen now runs a computer security firm.
|
<urn:uuid:8d66889a-8d88-4433-a702-e625bff54cc0>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=7230601&page=2
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00112-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.971904
| 660
| 2.578125
| 3
|
Lyrics: First verse Dere ain't no use o' cryin' now, So niggy go to sleep Dere ain't no use o' fussin', nigger babies mustn't weep, We ain't got all de comforts like de white folks, rich an' fine, You'se jest a little nigger, still you'se mine, all mine, You ain't got silks and satins, Fur me to wrap you in, You ain't got any silver spoon, dis yar ones made o' tin, But when de Springtime comes around de birds and beezes too, Will sing, an' all de flowers in de woods will bloom for you. Chorus You'se jest a little nigger, still you'se mine, all mine, And when you rolls yo'great big eyes why how dey shine, Your mammy loves you dearly, And will all time, You'se jest a little nigger, still you'se mine, all mine. Second verse Perhaps you don't amount to much, But niggy jest de same, Some day among de cullud folks you'll have a great big name, course some of de white folks think dat some how you won't do, But you trust in de Lordy an' he'll sho' take care o' you, De sunshine from de Heabens, An’ de fallin’ of de rain, Am ‘tended for de white folks an’ de black ones jest de same, De very sweetes’ melon sometimes has de greenes’ rind, You’se jest a little nigger, still you’se mine, all mine.
Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.
The derogatory terms, images, and ideas that appear in some of this sheet music are not condoned by the University of Mississippi. They do represent the attitudes of a number of Americans at the times the songs were published. As such, it is hoped that the sheet music in this collection can aid students of music, history, and other disciplines to better understand popular American music and racial stereotypes from the 19th- and early 20th-centuries. Read the introduction for further information to use when contextualizing this item: http://188.8.131.52/cdm4/intro_harris.php
|
<urn:uuid:0b0f974c-057b-49ae-9ab2-88ee650c4e86>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://clio.lib.olemiss.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/sharris/id/1272/rec/18
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00148-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.843966
| 498
| 2.78125
| 3
|
In early September 2010, floodwaters continued rising along a massive water body that branched off from Indus River. Reuters reported that embankments intended to protect settlements in Pakistan’s traditional floodplains had begun to channel water into new areas, including Manchhar Lake (also spelled Manchar).
Acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite, these images show waters rapidly rising between Hamal Lake and Manchhar Lake. The top image is from September 7, 2010, and the bottom image is from September 13, 2010. Both images use a combination of infrared and visible light to increase the contrast between water and land. Water ranges in color from electric blue to navy. Vegetation appears bright green. Bare land ranges from pink-beige to brick red. Clouds appear pale blue-green.
Both images show severe flooding off the Indus River, but compared to the image acquired just six days earlier, the image from September 13 shows higher waters extending from Hamal Lake southward to Manchhar Lake. Southeast of Hamal Lake, an area of relatively dry land pushes westward on September 7. On September 13, the same area is underwater. The waterway between the two lakes is wider on September 13, and Manchhar Lake is visibly swollen.
The Main Nara Valley Drain connects Manchhar and Hamal, and a network of canals in turn links Manchhar Lake to the Indus River. The eastern edge of Manchhar Lake is about 2 kilometers from the swollen Indus River.
In these images, the water appears lighter in color in the Indus River than in the floodwater lake. Although the darker color in the floodwater lake suggests greater depth, the lighter color in the Indus River might result from a greater amount of sediment being carried through the channel.
On September 10, Agence France-Presse reported that continuing rains hampered rescue and relief efforts in southern Pakistan. On September 13, Reuters reported that the monsoon floods of 2010 were Pakistan’s worst natural disaster in terms of damage. More than 6 million people had been displaced, and 20 million people had been affected in some way.
- Agence France-Presse. (2010, September 10). Rain hinders rescue efforts in Pakistan’s south. Accessed September 13, 2010.
- Mastoi, G.M., Shah, S.G.S., Khuhawar, M.Y. (2008). Assessment of water quality of Manchar Lake in Sindh (Pakistan). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 141, 287–296.
- Reuters. (2010, September 13). Six weeks on, south Pakistan faces new flood threat. Accessed September 13, 2010.
NASA images courtesy MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Michon Scott.
- Aqua - MODIS
|
<urn:uuid:5513568c-5e39-4684-96d9-91e30b991edd>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=45763
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00023-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.928992
| 594
| 3.546875
| 4
|
Online education degrees allow for increased flexibility in your schedule, which for many, makes completing one's education a much more viable option. Taking courses online can also be a way to bolster your resume or bring your skills up to date; especially if you have been out of the work force for a while.
It is interesting that there are so many people who have an opinion in regards to online education. Depending on whom you might ask, you'll get a wide range of answers to the same question. Some will say that studying online can be the end of civilized society as we know it and others will readily comment on the fact that it is a new way of learning for a new type of lifestyle in our modern world. The fact is that getting an education online is not some temporary fad that will soon fade away into the sunset, it's a part of our new and more progressive world so it would pay immensely to understand a little about studying online.
Learning Is Learning:
While people continue to divide themselves up into different camps on online education, it may be time for us to recognize why it has been gaining in popularity. Ever since Howard Gardner announced that there is more than one way to learn anything, people have begun to recognize that learning applies to different people in different ways. The new approach to education has encouraged many educators to adjust their teaching styles to the children in their classroom rather than forcing the child to adapt to an antiquated system that applies only to a select few.
The result, therefore, is that learning is learning and there is no significant difference that could indicate that traditional learning as more effective than online learning. While online education has been designed to reach a larger number of students, many have assumed that this means that the classes will be 'easier' than other traditional teaching styles. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The quality and difficulty of the topic depends more on the instructor, the type of lessons applied and the subject matter. Studying online can be just as challenging as in any traditional classroom.
Can Reach More People:
Finally, one thing that online courses can do that traditional classrooms cannot is that they have the capability to reach many more students. This is because they embrace the unique quality of being anywhere they need to be rather than the other way around. With the utilization of modern tools and advancements in technology, it is easy for students to find that online learning is definitely reaching more students than any other form of education. The convenience of being able to access essential knowledge and information at any time of the day or night, for as long as it is needed, and with adaptations for different learning styles, has made it become a far more popular way to learn what we need to know.
If you're on the fence about getting an online education, it may be time to take a closer look at how it has improved the life of so many people. Online classes are being offered to students of all ages, and the quality of education you may get from it can be quite rewarding to say the least. While getting an education may require an investment in effort, the rewards will certainly pay off in the end.
|
<urn:uuid:36a81510-3c0a-4079-809b-5ef8bce66d06>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.onlinetradeschools.org/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394937.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00061-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.974644
| 633
| 2.640625
| 3
|
Some common sense tips to improve your personal safety and security...
- Be aware of your surroundings and people walking near to you. If you suspect someone
is following you then turn around to see if anyone is there rather than taken being
- Use a money clip and keep your cards separate.
- If you come home an suspect you’ve had a break-in, don’t enter your home. Wait with
a neighbour until the police arrive.
- If a stranger asks to use your phone, have him wait outside while you make the call.
- If your car breaks down then raise the hood and stay inside your car. If a stranger
wants to help ask them to call for help.
- If you get attacked most people would shout "HELP" but you will get more attention
if you shout "FIRE".
- Don’t get distracted in a crowded situation. Pickpockets may be about.
- If a friend or taxi driver takes you home, ask them to wait until you're safely
- If you at home by yourself, make sure all windows and door are locked.
- If a stranger telephones or comes to your door don’t give the impression you are
on your own.
- Be alert when using public transport.
- Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable in any situation, then leave.
- Be careful where you cross the road. Don’t walk between park cars else drivers may
not see you
- Don't walk in isolated places at night. You may also want to carry a personal alarm
siren or pepper spray. If you have to, wear light-colored clothing and carry a flashlight.
- Always park your car in a well lit area.
- Think about your safety everywhere you go – be alert and don’t assume you are always
safe. Avoid situations that could put you in danger
- Walk confidently and look alert. Walk at a steady pace. Walk on the side of the
street facing the traffic. Avoid using alleyways, doorways and bushes.
- Keep your car doors locked and never pick up hitchhikers.
- For your rail or bus journeys, be aware of the schedules so you don’t have to wait
any longer than necessary at the bus stop or station.
- If you take money out of an ATM, make sure you choose a machine in a well-lit location.
- Don’t wear any more jewlry than you need to and reduce the contents of your purse/wallet
to a minimum. Don’t carry anything unnecessary with your address on it.
- Dont carry any more cash than you really need to and keep your purse or wallet close
to your body at all times. Don’t carry them in jeans back pockets.
- If someone snatches your bag, don’t fight back, its not worth getting hurt.
- Walk to your car with keys in your hand.
- Dress casually when traveling, and dress down where appropriate. Wear clothes and
shoes that allow ease of movement.
|
<urn:uuid:626accd7-fd8f-46dd-8dbc-fdf779d20992>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://homesecuritysystemsadvice.com/top-personal-security-tips.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398869.97/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00120-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.906812
| 649
| 2.828125
| 3
|
3D-printed cars, intelligent parking, and smart glasses: the most intriguing technological innovations of the past year and what to expect for 2016.
The Human Body as a Communication System
Everyone’s talking about wearables, the term commonly used to refer to data glasses, smart watches, and fitness wristbands. Now, the world of science is taking this technology a step further by using the human body to transmit magnetic signals that enable these devices to communicate with each other. The advantage of this technique – which makes humans and their gadgets part of the same communication network – is that it requires significantly less power and is more secure than conventional methods.
Researchers at the University of California in San Diego have already tested this new communication technique on a Ph.D. student who works in the labs there. This involved coiling copper wires around the student’s arms. Because, to pass through the human body, magnetic fields require circular geometries. Devices like smart watches and fitness bands are therefore ideally suited for the human body communication technique, whereas flat sensors are not. The magnetic fields that pass through the body do not pose a health risk, say the researchers; their effects on the human body are less harmful than those of the magnetic fields that occur naturally on Earth.
Learn more: From Fiction to Functionality: Wearables at Work
American motor vehicle manufacturing company Local Motors presented the world’s first 3D-printed car at the Detroit Motor Show in 2015. The two-seater electric roadster, known as the “Strati”, is made almost entirely from carbon and plastic, and is powered by a Renault drivetrain. The car currently takes 44 hours to build, though the manufacturer is working to bring the printing time down closer to 24 hours. Local Motors will begin selling the world’s first series of 3D-pirinted cars, the LM3D, early in 2017.
Learn more: How 3D Printing is changing the World
Glasses Get Smart
If researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland have any say in the matter, then Google Glass may no longer be the must-have product of the future. Because they’ve developed a 1mm-thick augmented reality display that can be integrated into any ordinary pair of glasses. So, instead of calling a smartphone app, users will be able to have information such as their fitness, their pulse rate, and the distance they have jogged routed from their smart glasses directly into their field of vision.
Learn more: Bosch Shares Experience with Smart Glasses
Wouldn’t it be great if we no longer had to endure the tedious search for a parking spot and could sit back and let our cars do all the work instead? Although that day is still a fair way off, diligent researchers are on the case: Audi, for example, is using complex electronics to test this tantalizing vision in a parking garage at its headquarters in Ingolstadt.
SAP Vehicles Network, a cloud offering from SAP, on the other hand, is already a reality. It enables drivers in North America to use digital payment services or apps to share data from the Internet of Things, activate gas pumps, pay at the pump, reserve parking, open off-street parking gates, and pay for on-street parking from the car.
Drones vs. Beetles
Drones created by Chinese manufacturer DJI use a microwave radar to scan the ground below them and maintain the right distance from crops to spray the correct amount of pesticide. Analysts predict that the world of agriculture is set to become increasingly mechanized and that devices such as drones will play a key role in supplying farmers with information in real time. The digitization of agriculture (digital farming) will empower farmers to increase their productivity, and the SAP HANA Cloud Platform will support this transformation. Its aim is to collect and analyze the vast quantities of data that are generated in farming operations so that farmers can make better-informed decisions in managing their business and so that manufacturers can offer them more tailored products and services.
Learn more: Farmers’ Tablets Yield Digital Harvests
How the Apple Watch is Saving Lives
For 20 hypertension patients from Louisiana who are taking part in a trial in New Orleans, the future of modern medicine is already here. They each have an Apple Watch that alerts them when it’s time to take their life-saving medication. The wearable also displays an image of the pill they need to take so that they don’t confuse it with other meds.
SAP is also testing the Apple Watch. The German software company wants to find out if its real-time notification functions increase employee punctuality at meetings and help close sales deals by preparing personnel more effectively for customer appointments. SAP has purchased several hundred Apple Watches for testing purposes.
Learn more: 2015 Will Be the Year of the Smartwatch
Detecting Unripe Avocados
In a paper presented at the UbiComp 2015 conference, American researchers describe how their “hyperspectral” camera can predict the relative ripeness of fruits with 94% accuracy. Another really great thing about this camera is that, at around $50, it’s affordable enough to be added to a smartphone.
Back to the Future: Here Comes the Hovercraft
October 21, 2015, was “Back to the Future Day,” with fans from all over the world celebrating the date on which time-traveler Marty McFly arrived in the future in the 1980s film classic “Back to the Future II.”
While the announcement of a hoverboard like the one Marty McFly used turned out to be a hoax, it looks as if a similar technology could actually become a reality very soon. Because U.S. aero-tech development firmAerofex has announced a futuristic hovercraft called the “Aero-X ”, which rides like a motorcycle ‒ though hovering about 10 feet off the ground ‒ and can carry up to two people at a speed of 45 miles per hour. The first test “flights” will take place in 2016 and the “hoverbike” will go on the market for a price tag of $85,000 in 2017.
What was your coolest tech trend in 2015, and which innovations will take off in 2016?
This story originally appeared on SAP Business Trends.
Top image via Shutterstock
|
<urn:uuid:4fb3c4d8-370d-445d-b2a0-052c2c5d0db9>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://news.sap.com/the-coolest-tech-trends-of-2015/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00113-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.942113
| 1,318
| 3.0625
| 3
|
Bella Abzug convenes National Women's Conference in Houston
On November 18, 1977, 20,000 women, men and children gathered in Houston to participate in an unprecedented event, the first federally funded National Women’s Conference. Longtime feminist activist and U.S. Representative Bella Abzug presided over the conference, for which she had paved the way two years earlier by authoring a bill in Congress that provided the conference’s funding.
Preparation for the national Houston meeting included conferences organized in each state to discuss women’s needs and public policy and to consider a “National Plan of Action” to improve the lives of women. The Houston Conference subsequently approved the National Plan. While many grassroots women’s organizations used these meetings as an opportunity to mobilize and use government to achieve feminist goals, opponents approached them as an opportunity to unite in a fight against feminist causes. Phyllis Schlafly and others attacked the Houston conference and its agenda and created the basis for a new anti-feminist constituency in American public life.
Over the course of the conference’s three days, a diverse group of about 2,000 official delegates ratified a National Plan of Action dealing with everything from the Equal Rights Amendment to Civil Rights to disarmament. This set of recommendations was then presented to the White House and to Congress. The National Plan of Action called for equal opportunities for women in artistic, professional, and political fields, comprehensive childcare facilities, a national healthcare system, civil rights for lesbians, protection against rape and child abuse, and a better welfare system, among many other issues.
On November 10-11, 2007, the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute, directed by Bella's daughter, Liz Abzug, celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Houston Conference by convening a "national women's and girls conference," entitled Freedom on Our Terms.
To learn more about Bella Abzug, visit the Women of Valor exhibit and Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia.
How to cite this page
Jewish Women's Archive. "Bella Abzug convenes National Women's Conference in Houston." (Viewed on June 29, 2016) <http://jwa.org/thisweek/nov/18/1977/national-womens-conference>.
|
<urn:uuid:6d1ae0ab-d66c-46c0-b654-98c7039d60fe>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://jwa.org/thisweek/nov/18/1977/national-womens-conference
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397748.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00169-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.940117
| 471
| 3.03125
| 3
|
toothwort, any species of the genus Dentaria [Lat. dens = tooth, for the toothed rhizomes of some species], slender perennials of the family Cruciferae (mustard family), native to north temperate regions. North American species are found chiefly in the eastern half of the continent and in the Pacific coastal region. The edible rhizomes have a pungent flavor similar to that of watercress, giving the name pepperwort to some species. D. diphylla, also called crinkleroot, is common to the E United States and was eaten raw or boiled by the Iroquois. It is sometimes cultivated for its large white or purple blossoms. Toothworts are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Capparales, family Cruciferae.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
|
<urn:uuid:2796c2de-eabc-4ea9-b8f8-edf0df4c51de>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/science/toothwort.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397695.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00043-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.920205
| 200
| 3.15625
| 3
|
An earthquake is a sudden movement of the Earth, caused by the abrupt release of strain that has accumulated over a long time. For hundreds of millions of years, the forces of plate tectonics have shaped the Earth as the huge plates that form the Earth's surface slowly move over, under, and past each other. While sometimes the movement is gradual, at other times, the plates are locked together, unable to release the accumulating energy. When the accumulated energy grows strong enough, the plates break free. If the earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause many deaths and injuries and extensive property damage.
Earthquake Fault Types
Faults are the location of most earthquakes. Faults are a fracture in rock in which the rock on one side of the fracture has moved with respect to the rock on the other side.
There are three main types of fault that may cause an earthquake: normal, reverse (thrust) and strike-slip.
- Normal - Normal events involve downward movement on a sloping fault as the fault's two sides move apart. They signify extension or stretching of the Earth's crust.
Many earthquakes are caused by movement on faults that have components of both dip-slip and strike-slip; this is known as oblique slip.
Measuring earthquakes (1)
The vibrations produced by earthquakes are detected, recorded, and measured by instruments call seismographs. The data from seismograms, help scientists determine the time, the epicenter, the focal depth, and the type of faulting of an earthquake and can estimate how much energy was released. The severity of an earthquake can be expressed in several ways. The magnitude of an earthquake, usually expressed by the Richter Scale, is a measure of the amplitude of the seismic waves. The moment magnitude of an earthquake is a measure of the amount of energy released - an amount that can be estimated from seismograph readings. The intensity, as expressed by the Modified Mercalli Scale, is a subjective measure that describes how strong a shock was felt at a particular location.
The Richter Scale, named after Dr. Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology, is the best known scale for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes. The scale is logarithmic so that a recording of 6, for example, indicates a disturbance with ground motion 10 times as large as a recording of 5. A quake of magnitude 2 is the smallest quake normally felt by people. Earthquakes with a Richter value of 6 or more are commonly considered major. Great earthquakes have magnitude of 8 or more on the Richter scale.
For more information...
- U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program - This web site is provided by the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program as part of our effort to reduce earthquake hazard in the United States. On this site you can learn everything you want to know about earthquakes, how they are monitored, and what research scientists are doing to reduce earthquake hazards.
- Recent Earthquakes - Put together by the USGS. It provides information about recent and real-time earthquakes for the United States and the World. You can also sign up for earthquake notifications.
- FEMA for Kids! Disaster Connection Earthquakes - Information about earthquakes for kids put together by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
|
<urn:uuid:e9155af2-cea9-4c5d-9764-db1498b72262>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://thelibrary.org/blogs/article.cfm?aid=699
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396459.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00018-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.950882
| 677
| 4.3125
| 4
|
August 7, 2012
Liars Possibly Have Worse Mental And Physical Health
Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online
11 times a week. That´s the whopping number of times American lie each week, according to surveys described in WebMD Health News. The statistics relate to a new study by researchers from the University of Notre Dame that focused on if people could be convinced to lie less and the effects of lying. The study, titled “Science of Honesty,” found that those who tell the truth during stressful moments can heighten their mental and physical health.The research was recently presented at the American Psychological Association´s 120th Annual Convention. During the ten week study period, scientists surveyed 100 people, 34% of who were adults and 66% who were college students. The age range was from 18 to 71 years, with an average age of 31. In the project, half the group was told to stop telling major and minor lies while the other half was not given any special instructions on lying. Each week, participants completed measurements on their health and relationship status as well as took a polygraph test to record the number of major and white lies they had told during the week.
"Recent evidence indicates that Americans average about 11 lies per week. We wanted to find out if living more honestly can actually cause better health," explained lead author Anita E. Kelly, professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, in a prepared statement. "We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health."
At the end of the project, the researchers saw that there was a connection between less lying and improved health for those who were in the no-lie group. In particular, those in the no-lie group who told less than three white lies in the week reported a reduction of about four mental health complaints and three physical health complaints; these complaints were related to mental state, such an anxiety or melancholy, as well as physical feelings, like less sore throats and headaches. On the other hand, when the lying group told less than three white lies, they reported a decrease of only about two fewer mental-health complaints and one less physical complaint.
As well, those in the truthful group stated that they felt that they were becoming more honest by the fifth week of the study. If they felt the need to lie, they would try to tell the truth about their daily activities and stop make excuses for not completing a task or arriving late. When all the participants lied less during a week, they reported that they had overall improvements in their mental and physical health.
"We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health," continued Kelly, an expert on secrets and self-disclosure, in the statement.
The participants´ close personal relationships also became stronger and they stated that they had better social interactions with those around them.
"Statistical analyses showed that this improvement in relationships significantly accounted for the improvement in health that was associated with less lying," noted Lijuan Wang, a statistician at Notre Dame, in the statement.
As the results are new, the researchers plan to submit the findings for scientific review and hope for publication later this year. Studies at other research centers have found similar results. One research study at Loyola University in Chicago focused on trust.
"When you find that you don't lie, you have less stress," Linda Stroh, professor emeritus of organizational behavior at Loyola University in Chicago, tol USA Today. "Being very conflicted adds an inordinate amount of stress to your life."
Another study by a researcher on lying highlighted feelings of intimacy in relationships.
“There may be increased conflict, as a result of being open and honest, but it leads to better quality of friendships," Sally Theran, assistant professor of psychology at Wellesley College, mentioned to WebMD.
|
<urn:uuid:d5b33b07-ea89-4025-865f-af11089c0c36>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112670988/liars-have-worse-mental-physical-health-080712/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00200-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.980681
| 812
| 2.671875
| 3
|
We aren't the only great apes that prize a good steak. It's well-known that chimpanzees and bonobos hunt other animals and consider flesh a great prize. The evidence is that if they were better hunters they would probably eat more meat. At what point in our evolution did meat go from a rare treat to a preocupation?
It seems we were butchers before we were hunters, which makes sense in light of the importance of fats in our diet. It is a blessing that for many animals the fat is locked inside hard alabaster bones. Another better hunter might have fangs, but our ancestors apparently had such a great desire for the fat within that they were willing to carry stones great distance to break open the bones that even predator teeth would falter upon.
We carried our own fangs in our hands, making up for a history of being mired in days of chewing hard plants that left us with the legacy of fairly-innocuous looking teeth. But while we never got the matching maw, we instead got something much nicer— big brains and flat stomachs.
Perhaps this happened as early as 3.4 million years ago, say some anthropologists in a NYtimes article published today. While it's hotly contested, there is some startling new evidence that "Lucy" Australopithecus afarensis used stone tools on animal bones. To bolster this evidence, a recently uncovered Australopithecus afarensis skeleton showed evidence of a thorax that wasn't built for eating leaves all day.
We can probably credit the human sexy washboard abs (if we eat right) to eating meat. To contrast, gorillas have to carry the equipment necessary to turn fiber into fatty acids in their ample potbellies.
It's all about quality food. And meat is the ultimate quality food.
|
<urn:uuid:6384089c-8077-443e-ac3e-870eb8c6bddb>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://huntgatherlove.com/content/lucy-sky-steak
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00145-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.968599
| 373
| 3.34375
| 3
|
HOLDING GROUND: THE REBIRTH OF DUDLEY STREET is at once a cautionary tale of urban policies gone wrong and a message of hope for all American cities. In 1985, African-American, Latino, Cape Verdean, and European-American residents in Roxbury and Dorchester, Mass. united to revitalize their community. The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) went on to gain national recognition as residents fought to close down illegal dumps, gain unprecedented control of land from City Hall and create a comprehensive plan to rebuild the fabric of their community. Through the voices of committed residents, activists and city officials, this moving documentary shows how a Boston neighborhood was able to create and carry out its own agenda for change.
Since HOLDING GROUND aired on public television in 1997, it has become an important community-building tool. The film has been used widely by educators, and many credit the documentary with transforming the thinking of activists, community development professionals and philanthropists. At the time of the broadcast the filmmakers coordinated a far-reaching national outreach campaign. This effort made the documentary a model of grassroots media distribution and the ripple effects of this campaign are still being felt. The Ford Foundation studied the campaign in an evaluation of its most successful media funding in the past 25 years. After Hurricane Katrina, the Annie E. Casey Foundation commissioned an 11-minute version of the documentary to encourage its use by groups struggling to rebuild the Gulf Coast.
Viewers often ask what has happened in the Dudley Street neighborhood since the documentary was completed. A sequel was completed in 2013.
Major funding for HOLDING GROUND was provided by the Ford Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Mabel Louise Riley Foundation.
Buy a DVD of HOLDING GROUND through New Day Films.
|
<urn:uuid:244804db-02f8-415a-9c7b-5f3dd8c0b062>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.leahmahan.com/films/holding-ground
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00022-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.956407
| 369
| 2.609375
| 3
|
The Clos de Vougeot vineyard was created by Cistercian monks of Cîteaux Abbey, the order's mother abbey. The land making up the vineyard was purchased by the Cistercians, or donated to them, from the 12th century to the early 14th century. The initial vineyard consisted of donations in 1109 to 1115. It served as the flagship vineyard of the Cistercians, and has been a highly recognised name for centuries.
Château de Clos de Vougeot, situated inside the wall, was added in 1551 by rebuilding and enlarging a small chapel and some other buildings previously existing at... Read More
|
<urn:uuid:d76660e9-4011-4847-9cc1-eedc227f93c4>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://pages.rediff.com/clos-de-vougeot/918878
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397695.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00080-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.973639
| 145
| 2.625
| 3
|
Over the years, Dr. Mazur discovered that students in his introductory physics course were passing exams without having understood the fundamental concepts he was trying to teach. In response to this problem, Dr. Mazur developed a variety of interactive techniques linked to each other in ways that help his students learn basic concepts far better than before. He developed a strategy that incorporates "just-in-time" teaching with short lectures punctuated by conceptual questions posed to students, better known as Peer Instruction. The Peer Instruction method engages students through activities that require each learner to apply the concepts being presented. Students then explain those concepts to fellow learners, involving the entire group. Questions are asked, discussed and then displayed using classroom response technology. Peer Instruction provides continuous assessment and feedback, forcing students to learn from each other while in the classroom. You can forget facts, but you cannot forget understanding! Dr. Mazur's ultimate goal is not for students to memorize material for tests, but to create lifelong understanding.
Via Miloš Bajčetić
|
<urn:uuid:268098d4-4d36-477f-af2b-563581961d37>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.scoop.it/t/aprendiendo-a-distancia/?tag=JiTT
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00169-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.964259
| 209
| 3.4375
| 3
|
If you lived in Southern California during the summer of 2006, you probably remember the two-week heat wave that resulted in the deaths of at least 140 people.
Though that was an extreme case, excessive heat events – prolonged periods when temperatures are 10 degrees or more above normal – claim 1,500 lives each summer nationally, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Summer temperatures in Orange County hover in the mid-80s and many scientists believe they're likely to increase. Derek Arndt, climate monitoring chief for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, predicts, "In the future, you would expect larger, longer, more intense heat waves, and we've seen that in the last few summers." Case in point: In June 2012, a total of 3,282 daily high temperature records were tied or broken across the country.
Excessive heat can be hard on everyone, but older bodies in particular struggle to adapt to temperature change. It's not happenstance that almost 80 percent of heat-related deaths in 2011 involved people age 50 or older. As we age, our built-in cooling mechanism doesn't work as well as it did in our youth.
Our bodies are cooled when our eccrine sweat glands, which are widely disbursed throughout the subcutaneous layer of our skin, deliver warm moisture to the skin's surface, where it evaporates. Over time, our sweat glands not only dramatically decrease in number, but those that remain, shrink. The result: We perspire less, putting us at increased peril of heat-related illnesses.
Another casualty of maturing is that our thirst sensation becomes a less reliable indicator of our need to replenish fluids. We can no longer safely assume that we aren't dehydrated just because we don't feel thirsty. At the same time, the kidneys slow down, resulting in more water loss in the urine. The American College of Sports Medicine sums it up this way: "The ability to regulate fluid balance in response to fluid deprivation or dehydration is compromised in older individuals."
Dr. Wesley Chang, an internist in Anaheim Hills, has another word of caution. He warns that people with chronic health conditions such as hypertension should be aware that their medications often have a diuretic effect, thus rendering them more susceptible to the risk of dehydration.
But, says Chang, keeping cool in the summer is really just "common sense." "The biggest thing is to be aware of the need to stay hydrated," he says.
High temperatures, like high surf, demand respect. We ignore the power of Mother Nature at our peril. In September 2010, Sally JoAnne Menke, Quentin Tarantino's longtime film editor on such popular movies as "Pulp Fiction," went hiking in Griffith Park during a heat wave with a friend, her dog and a single bottle of water. Her friend was dissuaded by the sizzling temperatures and turned back. But Menke, 56, kept hiking, eventually becoming dehydrated and disoriented. Her body was found the next morning alongside her badly dehydrated Labrador retriever. An autopsy confirmed that she had succumbed to heat stroke.
Heat-related conditions are collectively referred to as hyperthermia, which refers to an abnormally high body temperature which occurs when our bodies don't adequately cool themselves.
It takes several forms:
Heat cramps are the mildest form of heat injury and consist of painful muscle cramps that occur during or after intense exercise and sweating in high heat.
Heat syncope is fainting caused by dehydration and is often triggered by the sudden cessation of exercise.
Heat exhaustion is more severe than heat cramps and results from a loss of water and salt in the body. It occurs in conditions of extreme heat and excessive sweating without adequate fluid and salt replacement.
Heat exhaustion occurs when the body is unable to cool itself properly and, if left untreated, can progress to heat stroke.
Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency that requires medical attention. The hallmarks of this form of hyperthermia are a fever of 104 degrees, rapid heartbeat, flushed dry skin and confusion.
Some cooling tips for when the temperature rises:
•Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
•Plan your outdoor activities in the cooler parts of the day – before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
•Take a cool shower or bath.
•Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can interfere with sweating and fluid loss.
•When outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat and stay in the shade as much as possible.
•If you care for elderly parents, check on them twice a day and take them to a senior center or cooling center. Contact the Office on Aging for locations, at 800-510-2020 or officeonaging.ocgov.com
• If you haven't exercised for a while, don't overdo it when you start back up. It's too much of a shock to the system and your body will be additionally taxed trying to keep cool. UC Irvine Heath recommends that you first acclimate your body to the heat by starting off at 50 percent of your exercise capacity.
•Follow the 15-minute rule when exercising. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends drinking water 15 minutes before you start exercising and every 15 minutes thereafter. If you work out for an hour or more, drink a sports drink, like Gatorade, to replace lost electrolytes and salt.
Lorie Eber is a wellness coach, certified personal trainer, gerontologist and attorney. She may be contacted at EberLorie@aol.com.
- Motorcyclist found dead near his Harley on the 91 in Anaheim
- Two men who died in separate crashes identified
- Prepping for July 4 parties: Newport Beach, Huntington Beach brace for hectic holiday
- Fullerton police seize nearly 1,000 pounds of illegal fireworks
- Costa Mesa police arrest man in Craigslist robbery
|
<urn:uuid:7d304550-38c6-4130-8514-f1ac7dffe1a1>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/heat-517359-high-temperatures.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403826.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00066-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.956506
| 1,216
| 3.046875
| 3
|
Charles Staley’s comprehensive article on speed strength training laid the theoretical background for understanding the various sport uses of speed strength training as well as the various methods suitable for each and the mechanics of the working muscles. That article, however, did not specifically address the application of speed strength training techniques in bodybuilding, which is the aim of this article. The goals of speed-strength training for specific sports are quite different to those of bodybuilding; while the former strives to develop maximal speed-strength (power) or plain velocity (speed) of movement, the latter uses speed training as an alternative way of increasing training intensity for the purpose of inducing muscle hypertrophy, with no special concern for maximal velocity goals.
Regular Training First
If you are a beginning trainer, it would be a mistake to incorporate speed training in your training. The ability to employ speed training techniques in an effective and safe way relies upon a foundation of muscle strength, biomechanical integrity, and neural pathways which are developed during the beginning stages of bodybuilding. If you rush your way to use speed training, you will face the risk of various injuries, including muscle strains or even tears, and tendon and ligament damage. You would do well to stick to conventional training, in which the weight is lifted in a slow, constant speed and the muscles are under a more-or-less constant tension throughout their range of motion. (Notice I did not use the adjective “controlled” to describe the movement, as “controlled” is sometimes used to qualify the movements in traditional training as opposed to other, more advanced, methods; I maintain, however, that control is an essential quality to observe in any type of training, including speed training, as I will show later).
Physics for Physiques
Some very basic laws of physics first. Weight is a product of mass (m) x gravity coefficient (g) = (mg). When you lift an object vertically (like a weight, say…), you are generating a force equal to its weight plus the product of its mass (m) x acceleration (a) =(mg + ma). If there is no acceleration, like when moving the object upright at a constant speed, a = 0 so the force you are generating is equal to the object’s weight. Work is the product of force x distance. Therefore, if you push a dumbbell 20 inches above head level you will have performed a work double that of pushing it only 10 inches. Poweris defined as work divided by time, so the less time it takes you to do the work, the more power you generate. For instance, moving that dumbbell the same distance in 2 seconds requires generating 2 times the power as moving it in 4 seconds. For our intent, this last rule is the most important issue, because it shows why training at a higher speed entails higher intensity.
Why Speed Train?
Speed training provides an alternative path to the progressive resistance principle, which states that in order to induce muscle hypertrophy, one has to constantly keep increasing the weight used. Once past the beginning/intermediate stage, many bodybuilders reach a plateau or a “rut” where they cannot increase the weight they are using anymore. In order to continue to induce hypertrophy, you have to keep increasing the intensity, but if you cannot up the amount of weight, you have to use alternative ways to increase the intensity. Moving the weight at a higher speed implies expanding more power, as explained above, and more power translates directly to a higher intensity. Also, consider that like any other systematic change in the way you train, you are actually periodizing your training, which is a good thing by itself, whatever the change. Finally, speed training may develop motor unit recruitment patterns different to those developed using the same exercises with regular training, thus potentiating better gains with subsequent regular training cycles.
Speed training would best be applied in the form of a cycle. It should not be used on a constant, ongoing basis as an alternative to conventional training based on the progressive resistance principle.
Machines vs. Free Weights
Machines lend themselves well to speed training, provided they are not of the iso-kinetic type (mechanically damped to enforce constant movement speed), are of high quality (robustly constructed with heavy-duty bearings having relatively small friction) and are well maintained. (This needs to be carefully observed, because as the speed increases, the chances of the machine jamming in the course of execution increases sharply. See below). The execution of speed training with free weights, on the other hand, places extra demands on stabilizer muscles, mostly because the body is not accustomed to the relatively large momentum resulting from the fast movements. The stabilizer muscles (which are not specific muscles in the body, as Charles Staley explained, but rather the ones that contract statically to anchor or stabilize the body in each exercise) have to adjust to the forces generated by fast movements in speed training. It would be wise, then, to begin speed training with machines (pulley stations qualify as “machines” for this purpose). This will allow the use of relatively heavy weights while observing proper form. “Proper form” in speed training does not relate only to keeping proper posture and not using other muscles to “cheat”, but also to accurately carrying out the acceleration, speed and deceleration goals of the specific speed training method and exercise.
Because of the increased possibility of machines jamming when using speed training, carefully check the following points:
- Inspect the bearings of the moving part. Make sure that they don’t have any free play, they are not wobbly, and they don’t have any tendency to stick. Ascertain that bearings are properly lubricated. If you are not sure, ask the facility manager. Explain that you intend to use high speed on the machine and that you need his or her approval of the integrity of the machine.
- In machines using a single stack of weights or a single loading bar for plates, and which present a wide span between two arm handles (fork-like designs), you can inspect the integrity and quality of the bearings by carefully attempting to apply force to one side of the machine. Using a relatively light weight and applying force at a high speed, observe whether there is any noticeable friction, wobble or tendency to stick. This method is also applicable to inspecting the movement of the bar in a Smith machine, the movement of the padded bar of the leg curl machine (leg extensions are not suitable for speed training – see below), and the movement of the platform in the leg press machine.
This is not to say that speed training should not be executed with free weights. On the contrary, speed training with free weights affords some advantages over machines, specifically the complete lack of friction, the extended range of motion in some exercises, the recruitment of synergist muscles, and a kinesthetic feedback (sense of movement at the joints) more closely resembling that obtained in everyday movements. However, the initial weight used should be lower than those used with machines, to allow the body to learn to compensate correctly for the forces generated by the movement. I suggest you heed this carefully – you could end up with an injury otherwise. After some training with relatively small weights, you could then build on the improvement of the stabilizer muscles in coping with fast movements and gradually use heavier weights.
Bodyweight exercises are also very suitable for speed training. The reasons again have to do with stabilization during the movement. As it happens, we know how to handle relatively fast movements of the body – and how to stabilize it during such movements – from our everyday activities.
The two exercises that come to mind here are dips and chins. If you can’t perform these satisfactorily using speed training – and many can’t – a good idea would be to perform these on an assisted machine, where the foot platform is counter-balanced (loaded) by a varying weight. Selecting a proper amount of counter-balance weight will allow you to perform a satisfactory number of reps using speed training.
Velocity Patterns through a Movement
The positive (concentric) part of most exercises, no matter whether performed traditionally or by employing speed training, can be divided into three phases:
Acceleration Phase: The initial part of the movement, in which the weight is brought from a standing still to the target speed;
Constant Speed Phase: The part of the movement in which the weight is moved in a more or less constant speed (note that some speed training techniques omit this phase);
Deceleration Phase: The final part of the movement in which the weight is decelerated in order bring the weight to a stop at the required position while avoiding hyper-extension, -flexion or -rotation, depending on the case.
The best-known exercise deviating from this pattern is the deep squat (going below 90°), in which the pattern is acceleration – deceleration (reaching the sticking point) – acceleration – deceleration. But many other exercises can be performed using differing acceleration and deceleration patterns throughout the movement, depending on both the varying force curve through the movement and, with advanced trainers, trainer’s explicit control.
While in conventional training it is advisable to avoid joint lock-out at the end of a movement, especially where the elbow and knee joints are concerned, this is not practical in speed training. However, because of the lower weights used in speed training, the risk of joint hyper-extension is somewhat reduced.
Observing the Speed Limit
While the target of sports-specific training may be to achieve very high speeds, our goals in bodybuilding are quite different and so is the desired speed. In bodybuilding our aim is to induce maximal muscle hypertrophy and so we want to use the combination of resistance (weight) and speed that will accomplish this. This implies using heavier weights and slower speeds than those used in many types of sports-specific training. Another consideration is that the use of heavy weights promotes the risk of hyper-extension, -flexion or -rotation at the end of a movement. The higher the weight, the more inertia it has and the bigger the momentum it generates, and consequently bringing it to a stop requires the antagonist muscles (the muscles working in an opposite direction to the “working” muscles) to generate more force and do this in a shorter order. Since there is a practical limit to the capabilities of the antagonist muscles, the speed employed should be such that it will not risk arriving at such danger situations.
The target speed for the concentric part of the movement for bodybuilding training should be between 0.75 and 1.5 seconds. This, however, is a generalized figure and should be determined individually for each exercise. The determining factor here is the length of the movement, which is, of course, directly related to the time it takes to execute it. For instance, the length of movement in a machine shoulder press is larger than that in a dip and, consequently, you should aim to complete a dip in about 1 second while for the machine shoulder press you should aim closer to 1.5 seconds.
Selecting the Weight
There are no hard and fast rules in selecting the weight to use in speed training for bodybuilding. The most important guideline is to select a weight which will force you to use just about the right speed of movement. This should be light enough to allow you to use the faster movement speeds implied by speed training yet heavy enough to naturally limit the speed when applying maximal effort. By naturally I mean the weight will dictate a maximal speed commensurate with our speed goals for bodybuilding. As a rule of thumb, if you can complete the concentric part in less than 0.75 seconds, the weight is too low. I actually find that the best way to determine the amount of weight is to work my way down until I can move the weight at the right speed. A good starting point is to employ about 60 to 70 percent of your usual poundage (not your 1RM). For instance, if you are usually using a weight of 140 lbs. on a narrow-grip lat pulldown machine, use no more than 100 lbs. for speed training.
What should happen after a few sessions of speed training however is that, for each exercise, you will develop a “feel” for both the amount of weight to use and the speed at which to move it such that the resulting intensity and gains will be optimal.
The most important issue to observe with speed training is that of constant tension through the range of motion. Even though you will speed the weight through the motion, which means you will generate a momentum that may decrease the load on the working muscles at some points in the movement, you still want to keep the muscles under constant tension. This implies adhering to two principals:
Using Super-Strict Form. You do not want any of the acceleration imparted to the load to originate from jerking or “cheating” movements. If you jerk, the initial part of the movement may be devoid of any tension on the working muscle – something you’ll dearly want to avoid.
Using Progressive Acceleration. Because the momentum that is generated when a mass is accelerated tends to reduce the load once acceleration stops, you should attempt to continue to accelerate the load throughout the movement. As long as the load is accelerated, more power is generated and the muscles are kept under tension. If you rely on the momentum generated during the initial part of the movement to “carry” you through the end of the movement, you are not placing the muscle under the constant tension necessary for best results. This also means that you should try not to apply maximal force right at the beginning of the movement, but rather increase it gradually over the course of the first third to one-half portion of the movement.
Speed Training Techniques for Bodybuilding
Since the purpose of using speed training in bodybuilding is not to develop maximal speed (velocity), but rather to achieve higher intensity training, I will discuss only those speed training methods that provide increased training stimulus for muscle hypertrophy:
Constant Speed Training
In constant speed training, you perform the rep at a relatively high speed, but without acceleration throughout the movement. This is a misnomer because as you begin your movement, you will accelerate the weight until it reaches a certain speed; in this respect, any type of weight training involves acceleration of the weight from its dead-stop starting position to a certain speed, only in conventional training this speed is relatively low and the acceleration required is proportionally small.
In constant speed training, you should attempt to accelerate the weight to a relatively high speed during the first one-third to one-half portion of the movement, and then attempt to maintain a constant, but high, speed through the end of the movement. Near the end of the movement, deceleration is achieved through both the reduction of power of the agonist muscles and the braking action of the antagonist muscles.
Explosive (Ballistic) Training
Perhaps the best known of all speed training techniques, “explosive” refers to the rapid recruitment of a large number of muscle fibers, and is expressed kinetically as a continuous acceleration of the weight throughout the movement. While what might happen in reality is that acceleration will occur in only part(s) of the movement, interspersed with constant speed/deceleration parts, the aim of the trainer is to keep accelerating the weight during the entire course of the concentric phase. Varying leverage points as well as the force curve of the muscle through the movement will translate to various speed patterns in reality, however the feeling of the trainer may be that of continuous acceleration.
The effectiveness of this technique lies in two factors: 1. The constant tension on the muscle that is maintained throughout the movement, as the continuous acceleration ensures that the momentum generated by the weight does not decrease the tension on the muscle as would happen with constant speed training; and 2. The motor unit recruitment patterns, which would seem to favor more high-threshold units as power is developed explosively through the movement.
Compensatory Acceleration Training (CAT)
In various exercises such as the squat, mechanical leverages change through the movement so the tension on the working muscles changes in various points in the movement. In CAT, the trainer deliberately accelerates during the points where the leverage improves in order to keep the tension high. For instance, in a squat, the leverage improves once past the “sticking point” on the ascend, so a CAT trainer will attempt to apply more power at this stage. In classical CAT training for sports, a very deliberate attempt has to be made to prevent a forceful braking action near the end of the movement, which might hamper sports-specific faculties; however for bodybuilding this is not necessary and no special attempt at deceleration should be made beyond what is necessary to prevent injury.
Reactive Strength Training
Reactive strength consists of two elements: The stretch reflex (also known as the Stretch Shortening Cycle) and elastic kinetic energy. The mechanism behind SSC is as follows: As the agonist muscles stretch at the end of the eccentric (negative) part, a reflex mechanism kicks into action which causes the contraction of these muscles, thus preventing them from over-stretching. (This, by the way, is one of the reasons you have to stretch slowly and gently). When properly utilized, this reflex can add to the power of the subsequent contraction. Also, near the end of the eccentric, kinetic energy is stored in the elastic connective tissues, including muscle sheath, tendons, ligaments and the muscle itself. This energy is released at the beginning of the concentric phase, contributing to the power generated at that phase.
For reactive strength training, you should use a weight even lower that that used for the other techniques. A good starting point is to use about 50% of your usual poundage. The sudden reversal from the negative to the positive portions places extreme demands on muscles, tendons and joints. To utilize reactive strength in speed training, you should use a specific form as follows: Perform the eccentric part (e.g. lower the weight) in a moderate pace. Just as you reach near the bottom of the movement, brake (decelerate), almost coming to a full stop, but not quite; then slightly relax again, allowing the weight to “tension” your working muscles while mentally preparing to forcefully reverse directions. Then apply a strong, ballistic reverse force to begin the concentric part. If you do this right you should feel as if your muscles have a “springy” quality near the end of the eccentric and the beginning of the concentric. It is interesting to note that experienced trainers use this technique instinctively, even if they are not aware of it.
Be careful with this technique where balance of the body needs to be securely established before beginning the positive portion, such as in the squat, the bench press, etc.
The pre-stretch is used in regular training, but it has a synergy with speed training. The difference between the pre-stretch and reactive strength forms is that for the pre-stretch you decelerate and brake at the bottom of the movement, then slowly relax the working muscles somewhat so that they are slightly stretched beyond their normal starting position, then pause and hold this position for a moment and start the concentric position. There are specific exercises where the pre-stretch is most effective, such as low-pulley rowing, narrow-grip lat pulldowns, chins and dips.
I find it very effective to alternate speed reps with regular reps as well as speed sets with regular sets. Within a set, the basic idea is to perform a regular rep, then a speed rep, then a regular again, but variations on this theme are possible, like 2 speeds/1 regulars, etc. For sets, I find that a 1/1 alternation works best. Presumably, fiber recruitment patterns vary somewhat between regular and speed reps and this allows for a (short) partial recovery of fibers between the alternating reps, allowing for a fuller exhaustion of the entire muscle. On a larger scope this may be true for entire sets as well.
Let me now discuss specific exercises. I’ll start with exercises suitable for speed training and then list some that are not.
|Exercise||Optimal Execution Time of Concentric Part (in Seconds)||Notes|
|Machine Shoulder Press||1.0-1.5||Make sure not to lock your elbows out too forcefully at the end of the movement. (As explained above, joint lockout is unavoidable in speed training. The point is not to lock the joint out with excessive force).|
|Assisted Dips||0.75-1.0||As above.|
|Assisted Chins||~ 1.5 or less for partials (see note).||1. With chins there’s no concern of elbow hyper-extension, so you can accelerate right through the end of the movement.2. If you do partial reps – e.g., going down to parallel (upper arms at 90° to the ground) – cut the speed down to 1 sec. or less.|
|Narrow-Grip Lat Pulldown||1.0-1.5||Use a pre-stretch or reactive training form for maximal effect.|
|Low Pulley Rowing||1.0-1.5||As above.|
|Pec Dec Flies||~ 1.5||As above.|
|Smith Machine Bench Press||~ 1.5||Avoid using too heavy weights.|
|French Triceps Extension||1.0-1.5||As above.|
|Triceps Pushdown||1.0-1.5||As above.|
|Hack Squat||~ 1.5||As above.|
|Leg Press||~ 1.5||As above.|
|Seated Leg Curl||~ 1.5||Do not perform on a lying curl machine. See below.|
|Leg Extension||High risk of knee hyper-extension, in a position preventing other joints from absorbing some of the lock-out impact.|
|Lying Leg Curl||High risk of lower back injury.|
|Shoulder Lateral Raises||Because of the long movement at the palms, this exercise is performed at quite a high speed normally, generating a rather large momentum; using speed training will result in a decreaseof tension through a large portion of the movement.|
|Deadlift||High risk of lower back injury.|
Designing a Program
While various speed training regimens call for relatively low volumes (sets x reps), they are usually targeted at certain sports-specific goals such as maximal velocity or strength speed (power) and not muscular hypertrophy. Your training volume as a bodybuilder should be about the same as for a regular routine. Within your routine, you can mix regular and speed training exercises. I do suggest, however, that for the first few times you use speed training techniques, you will stick with them for at least two weeks, because it takes some time to master the skills for correct execution of speed training exercises. As you progress, you will develop the “feel” for which exercises and which techniques work best for you, and the mastery of the best way to accelerate the weight for achieving best muscle growth goals.
It is best to utilize speed training in a cycle lasting no more than 2 weeks, during which you should attempt to work each bodypart from 2 to 4 times. After the cycle, take some time off from training – 3 to 6 days would be appropriate – before switching to your next cycle. You may notice an improved performance in the subsequent cycle resulting from the neuromuscular adaptations that occurred in the speed training cycle.
Baechle, T.R., “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning”, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1994
Behm, D.G. and Sale, D.G., “Velocity Specificity of Resistance Training”. In Sports Med. 15(6): 374-388, 1993
Fleck, S. and Kraemer, W., “Designing Resistance Training Programs (2nd Ed)”, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL, 1997
Hatfield, F.C., “Power: A Scientific Approach”, Contemporary Books, Chicago, IL, 1989
Stone, M.H. and O’Bryant, H.S., “Weight Training: A Scientific Approach”, Burgess International, Minneapolis, MN, 1987
Stone, M.H. and Stone, M.E. “Training Principles: Evaluation of Modes and Methods of Resistance Training”, in Muscular Development, Dec. 1998
|
<urn:uuid:3a2f32e6-362f-4c71-978e-b7754562e7dc>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://thinkmuscle.com/training/practical-application-speed-training-techniques/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00033-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.940441
| 5,157
| 2.578125
| 3
|
Vogue Living attempts to recreate a Vermeer painting.
Secret Knowledge, written by the great British artist David Hockney, espouses a theory that the art of the Great Masters was done with the help of a lens, a camera obscura. Lenses, which have long been rumored to have somehow been used by the Great Masters, are extensively examined in this book. To help illustrate his theory, Hockney developed a wall of art, where he hung art works from the beginning of time up until and through today. The middle section of this wall of art, which is pictured on the cover of his book, is the era of the Great Masters such as Vermeer and Caravaggio. The wall of art helps to put into perspective the phenomenal realism with which the Great Masters painted. The changes in artistic expression from the Renaissance period to how the masters painted is staggering. How was this done? What precipitated the changes? How did artists suddenly and profoundly begin to paint in a style that was so realistic the art truly looked like photographs?
Hockney spent years developing his theory and was met was great resistance when his book was first published. He postulates that these great works of art are truly tracings of images projected by a lens, or a camera obscura, that produced what amounted to a modern photograph.
Another researcher who studied the artist Vermeer exclusively and his use of the camera obscura is Philip Steadman. You can read a synopsis of his theory here. Steadman recreates the room in which Vermeer painted his masterpieces and proves, without a doubt to many art researchers, that Vermeer's paintings, which although are undoubtedly masterworks, nevertheless, are actually tracings of photographs produced by the camera obscura.
In the years since Hockney's book was first published, his theory has met with less and less scepticism. His book is fascinating and easy to read with pages upon pages of illustrations that show how Hockney reached his conclusions. If you haven't read it and you appreciate the art of the Great Masters, please consider giving the book a try. You will be fascinated, but be forewarned, you won't look at this body of art in the same way again.
Steadman's book on Vermeer and his use of the Camera Obscura.
A page from Hockney's book which juxtaposes the changes in which faces were painted during the Renaissance and later by the Great Masters. The bottom two faces look more like photographs than paintings.
Here in a page from Hockney's book, he reproduces how a Great Master may have used the camera obscura. The book is filled with other examples of how Hockney tries to prove his theory.
An example of the camera obscura and how it works.
|
<urn:uuid:e8d2fef0-ad06-46c3-8c8d-e0a040f74bdf>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://cotedetexas.blogspot.com/2007_10_17_archive.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00144-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.980831
| 581
| 3
| 3
|
Open File Extension MDS
File Extension MDS are commonly used to hold information or image about a DVD. This is simply referred as the image of the disk to be burn. MDS is classified as Media Descriptor File and can be found with an ISO CD image file. This works similar to .cue extension for CD and DVD. Most support for software using this file extension is only capable of running under Windows operating systems.
Information stored on a file with this extension includes header information, track of the disk, copyright protection of a disk, and others. This is usually present when burning CD's and DVD's. In addition, MDS file extension is associated with the MDF file that contains the data of the disk.
Files available for download over the Internet may contain this extension. This file can be useless unless specified software able to read it is installed. Torrent files are most likely uploaded with a file using this extension.
Some files available for download contain MDS files which can easily be use any software such as Alcohol 120%. This can be used to duplicate a copyrighted disk posing some copyright issues.
Applications using this extension include CyberLink PowerDVD, DVD Shrink, Daemon Tools, EZB Systems UltraISO, and others.
For more general information about files, file extensions and registry you can read one of the following articles:
- Windows registry - Windows registry is included in modern Windows operating systems to replace the older INI files which also contained system configuration. Let's concentrate on the structure and purpose of Windows System Registry and show some concerns that makes it vulnerable to attacks...
- Folders, files and paths - Files are the entries or information stored on your computer. These are represented by binary coding and written on the tracks on a disk. Files are often represented by distinct icons, a normal practice done by Microsoft with their products including system files for their series of operating systems...
- What are file extensions? - File extensions are unnoticed yet are very crucial parts of the computer world. But many are still unaware of the basic foundation and principles behind the remarkable wonders of computers...
|
<urn:uuid:77a15ced-f7d3-44ce-a307-8c2a83c10775>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://mds.extensionfile.net/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397795.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00068-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.917872
| 428
| 2.53125
| 3
|
The events that led up to the economic recession in 2008 and 2009 have placed a renewed emphasis on business ethics. Questionable financial reporting, inflated executive compensation and worthless public assurances undermined consumer and investor confidence. The Rasmussen index of investor confidence reached its lowest ever level at 52.5 on March 9, 2009.
Some commentators, such as Milton Friedman, believe that the "primary and only responsibility of business is to make money" while abiding by the law. Supporters of this point of view argue that companies' self-interested pursuit of profit benefits the whole of society. Profitable businesses clearly benefit shareholders, but other commentators, such as Edward Freeman, argue that businesses should also benefit other stakeholders. Stakeholders are people and groups with whom the business has a relationship. This includes shareholders, but extends out to include employees, their families, the community within which the business operates, customers and suppliers.
Business ethics offer companies a competitive advantage. Consumers learn to trust ethical brands and remain loyal to them, even during difficult periods. In 1982, Johnson & Johnson spent over $100 million dollars recalling Tylenol, its best-selling product, after someone tampered with bottles of the painkiller. The company followed its credo, a set of ethical organizational values, and the result was a boost in consumer confidence, despite the contamination scare. Society benefits from business ethics because ethical companies recognize their social responsibilities.
Business ethics reduce a company's freedom to maximize its profit. For example, a multinational company may move its manufacturing facility to a developing country to reduce costs. Practices acceptable in that country, such as child labor, poor health and safety, poverty-level wages and coerced employment, will not be tolerated by an ethical company. Improvements in working conditions, such as a living wage and minimum health and safety standard,s reduce the level of cost-savings that the company generates. However, it could be argued that the restrictions on company freedom benefit wider society.
People, Planet, Profit
Companies increasingly recognize the need to commit to business ethics and measure their success by more than just profitability. This has led to the introduction of the triple bottom line, also known as "people, planet, profit." Companies report on their financial, social and environmental performance. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index benchmarks companies who report their performance based on the triple bottom line. This type of performance reporting acknowledges that companies must make a profit to survive, but encourages ethical and sustainable business conduct.
- Ethics Resource Center; The 2009 National Business Ethics Survey; 2009
- "Contemporary Reflections on Business Ethics"; Ronald F. Duska; 2007
- Josephson Institute Center for Business Ethics; Values in Business; December 2010
- Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes: Corporate Responsibility
- "Business Ethics Quarterly"; Sweatshops and Respect for Persons; Denis G. Arnold, et al.; 2003
- Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
|
<urn:uuid:33053297-2a6f-4408-9182-9edab4b8fe5e>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-disadvantages-business-ethics-10414.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397797.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00137-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.94696
| 593
| 2.8125
| 3
|
Our Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska is home to towering old-growth trees, five species of Pacific salmon, and some of the highest concentrations of brown bears and bald eagles in the world. For decades the U.S. Forest Service has managed the Tongass for its timber, but it is enormously valuable as a resource for fishing, tourism, and recreational activities. With over half of the ‘great giants’ of the Tongass felled, we need you to weigh in on a plan that would protect the remaining old-growth forest for good.
Today, the U.S. Forest Service is accepting public comments on their Tongass management plan. This is an opportunity to ask them to amend the plan to shift away from the unsustainable logging practices of the past and transition towards sustainable diversified economies for southeast Alaska, prioritizing industries like fisheries, tourism and recreation.
PUBLIC COMMENTS HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED. IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A COMMENT AT THIS POINT, PLEASE DO SO HERE BY JUNE 30.
The Tongass National Forest in southeast Alaska is America’s rainforest and the crown jewel of our national forest system. Historically, the U.S. Forest Service has managed the forest only for the millions of board feet of timber it produces, but the Tongass is more than just timber. It is a living and thriving ecosystem that supports southeast Alaska’s wildlife, people and economy.
In the fall of 2010, your agency announced a transition in the way that the forest would be managed. You said that you would shift away from the unsustainable logging practices of the past and transition towards sustainable diversified economies for southeast Alaska, prioritizing more industries like fishing, tourism and recreation.
It is time to make good on this promise, amend the land management plan, and implement a swift transition from old-growth logging to a more sustainable Tongass.
When you sign, you'll also receive periodic updates and action alerts from Alaska Wilderness League. You can unsubscribe at any time.
|
<urn:uuid:dde1b3c0-9af9-47a9-925e-4cef954cfbea>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://act.alaskawild.org/sign/Tongass_pcomments_3-20-13/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00008-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933984
| 415
| 2.625
| 3
|
FROM Naypyidaw, the “abode of kings” (in Burmese anyway), a clique of former generals who earned their stripes fighting wars in the country’s interior are now trying to manage the international race for access to Myanmar’s 1,200km-long (750-mile) coastline. The new capital they built for their country, to replace Yangon its main commercial city and port, is farther from the sea than any other in East or South-East Asia that is not landlocked.
One of the side effects of the generals’ decision to swap their uniforms for civilian dress, as they did last year, has been to transform a centuries-old idea: a new shipping lane, to connect East Asia to South Asia. A grand old dream is dying, as newer, more manageable projects spring suddenly into being. What was once a puzzle—how to break a waterway through the South-East Asian landmass—has become instead a rush to circumvent smaller-scale obstacles, like antiquated ports and unpaved wilds, to speed trade around the Asian continent.
It is pipelines, expected to generate $29 billion in revenue for Myanmar over the next 30 years, which are arguably the most important project along this long stretch of coast that ships can’t cross. These will radically change the route that brings Middle Eastern oil into China. Eventually the equivalent of 10% of China’s current annual oil imports will travel through this vexed corridor. The new construction should relieve China’s anxiety about the strategic vulnerability imposed by its reliance on the Malacca strait; at present, fourth-fifths of its energy imports pass through that narrow channel near Singapore.
Kings, mandarins and engineers had long contemplated ways of cutting straight through the South-East Asian peninsula, to open a passage for ships. A hot favourite for the past 350 years was the notion of digging a canal across the Isthmus of Kra, in southern Thailand, which divides the Bay of Bengal from the Gulf of Siam, and India’s ports from East Asia’s. In 1677 King Narai of Ayutthaya commissioned a famous French engineer to contrive a way to get ships over the land bridge, which—though conspicuously narrow—in parts has an elevation of 75m metres.
There were political problems with the plan however, to go with the enormous engineering challenge. Any channel through Kra would have created a watery, man-made barrier that cut off the ethnic-Malay, Muslim-dominated south of Thailand from the rest of the kingdom. This would have been politically inconvenient during any period, but especially so in recent years, when Thailand’s four southern provinces are racked by an insurgency.
Some of the region’s earliest mapmakers were convinced that a short cut to avoid the “claws of Malacca” must already exist somewhere. An optimistic bunch of them depicted a curious feature on their early maps of Malaya—a trans-peninsular waterway some distance south of the mid-point of the peninsula (visible in this map, to the left, if you reverse north and south). A Portuguese chartmaker, Godinho de Eredia, who served as the officer in charge of exploration and discovery of the peninsula, just barely avoided that delusion. He labelled the best trans-peninsular trade route (which involved dragging cargo overland between the sources of two rivers) as a “drag-way or portage”.
Which brings us back to reality, and the newest plan for a trans-peninsular pathway. Forming what is to be the biggest drag-way of the modern era, some 1,500km north of the one described by Eredia, the two South-East Asian neighbours mean to construct a $1 billion highway connecting Thailand’s Laem Chabang port, via Bangkok, to the yet-to-be-built deep-sea port in Dawei, in Myanmar’s Tanintharyi region. Both governments have stepped up efforts to get the Dawei seaport project off the ground. Thailand’s prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and Myanmar’s president, Thein Sein, agreed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September that building Dawei will be a priority.
This marks a break with the policy of Ms Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who ordered a national commission to study the feasibility of a maritime channel at Kra shortly after he took office. To dig or not to dig? That is no longer the question. Instead the slightly more modest goal has become to build an overland passage. The drag-way is to become a multi-purpose corridor, for rail, road and pipeline alike. Land prices along the Thai side have surged. In some areas of Kanchanaburi province, they have shot up tenfold. Dawei promises to cut the shipping time between Bangkok and the Indian port of Chennai from six days to three, by circumventing the congested Malacca straits.
So far, so good. But how valuable is the connection in the first place, and to whom? If the India trade were like the China trade, those three days saved might make a lot of sense. But Thailand’s annual trade with India is worth only one twelfth the kingdom’s trade with China. So the commercial case for the $50 billion project is at least debatable, from the Thai point of view.
To what extent a port some 600km south of Myanmar’s commercial capital, Yangon, will help Myanmar trade with India is a separate question (for Myanmar, the development of a deep-sea port and industrial complex at Thilawa, 30km from Yangon and well-situated for its China trade, is much more important). But no matter, for Dawei is—and the Thais will say this openly, when there are no Burmese present—a Thai project. The biggest construction company in Thailand, Italian-Thai, holds the 75-year concession to develop and operate the Dawei project.
Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Board claims to think the project will raise Thailand’s annual GDP by an implausible 1.9%. Put differently, the board believes the project to be a tremendous sort of stimulus: according to its estimate, Dawei would shorten the time it takes for their national economy to double in size, from 14 years to just ten.
The better case for Dawei is based on geopolitics. In private, Thailand’s tycoons are wondering whether America’s interest in countering Chinese influence might turn Dawei into a business opportunity for them. Thailand’s military allies, America and Japan, are trailing hopelessly behind China in the race for maritime access and political and economic influence with its immediate neighbours. In October Myanmar was invited to attend a major American- and Thai-led multinational military exercise. The speculation is that a great flow of American dollars might chase any Thai initiative to boost trade and strategic ties to bind the two sides of South-East Asia.
India too, though a latecomer to the battle to open up the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal, has been making quiet progress. It is at work on a deep-water port in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state in Myanmar, 539km from Kolkata. India has touted the Sittwe port as a “trade gateway” for its own landlocked north-eastern states. A combined conduit of dredged riverbed, road and pipeline for Burmese gas is to connect the seaport to a river port at Paletwa in Myanmar’s Chin state. From the Chin hills, goods could flow up to Myeikwa, on the border with the remote Indian state of Mizoram. The project is supposed to be operational by mid-2013.
China has already secured direct access to Myanmar’s coast and the gas-rich Bay of Bengal. An 800km-long gas-and-oil pipeline, with a nice road alongside and an enormous security detail, will come online next year. Those pipelines will run from Kyauk Pyu, theepicentre of Burmese violence against the Rohingya minority and a site earmarked for the development of a massive, Chinese-backed port and economic zone, in the restive Rakhine state, via Mandalay, and through war-torn Kachin state, before entering China’s Yunnan province. In a move to steal a march on India, China last month chipped in $200m to upgrade an airport in the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar, near a potential deep-water port which could serve the landlocked parts of India, Myanmar and China. In all directions, the race is on.
|
<urn:uuid:78a3da77-4b04-4341-b5a1-d78257298641>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://bacajela.blogspot.com/2012/11/breaking-devils-neck.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397864.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00175-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946946
| 1,846
| 2.515625
| 3
|
the Energy Information Administration
The Lesson Plan section of Energy Kids provides activities and lesson plans for students of all learning styles and levels. Many of the lessons were developed by the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project in cooperation with the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Lesson plans are sorted into the following age-grade categories: Primary, Elementary, Intermediate, and Secondary. Topics covered include energy, biomass, consumption/conservation, electricity, oil, natural gas, nuclear/uranium, and wind.
Metadata instance created
July 10, 2006
by Jessica Hollums
October 15, 2011
by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:
January 1, 2010
This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.
Topic: Conservation of Energy Unit Title: Energy Forms and Sources
This site from the U.S. Energy Information Administration provides a large set of lesson plans for teaching about energy. Lessons are organized in four categories: primary (30), elementary (25), intermediate (22), and secondary (15 lessons). Topics include forms of energy, fossil fuels, geothermal, solar, nuclear, wind, U.S. energy consumption, and more.
%0 Electronic Source %D January 1, 2010 %T Energy Kids: Lesson Plans %I Energy Information Administration %V 2016 %N 27 June 2016 %8 January 1, 2010 %9 text/html %U http://www.eia.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=Plans
Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
|
<urn:uuid:a51462a7-98c0-4b23-851e-e1e51a2f8e80>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.thephysicsfront.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=4065
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00170-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.890682
| 353
| 3.84375
| 4
|
for National Geographic News
Names don't last forever, including those on desktop globes. Changing place-names reflect shifts in world history, whether it's the collapse of the Soviet Union or a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The city in Italy (map) that's hosting this month's 2006 Winter Olympics is known throughout the English-speaking worldand to speakers of the traditional Piedmontese language of the regionas Turin. But the official name, as far as the Olympics are concerened, is "Torino," in keeping with a decision by the IOC.
Unlike past Olympic venues that went by their English names, the IOC chose the Italian version after the city's leaders lobbied for the change.
While confusing for millions of English speakers, the name swap could eventually make "Torino" part of the standard geographic vocabulary.
For now, English-language media covering the games, which open Friday, are split over what to call the city.
Among those going with "Torino" are television networks NBC and CBS, and the newspaper USA Today.
NBC, which has the U.S. broadcast rights for the games, reportedly thought "Torino" sounded more exotic than "Turin," a name more closely associated with heavy industry than with winter sports.
Other media outlets, including the Associated Press, the New York Times, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, are sticking with the familiar "Turin."
The BBC, which is broadcasting the games in Britain, is billing its programs the "Winter Olympics" to "keep it direct and simple," said Tim English of BBC Sport in London.
"Our presenters and commentators will initially be using 'Turin,' because that is how the city is known in the English-speaking world, and [it] will relate better to the vast majority of our viewers," English said.
"However," he added, "we will try as much as possible to bring in the Italian 'Torino' at appropriate moments, in order to reflect the official name of the city and educate the audience."
|
<urn:uuid:4dbdf7c2-3ce5-4e25-b6e5-6b4a882cfd14>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0206_060206_torino.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00141-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.965688
| 424
| 3.078125
| 3
|
Ides of March
Beware the Ides of March
This line from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar is generally regarded as a foreboding of doom, especially when you consider its also the day Caesar was killed .
Here’s a bit of info concerning the assassination of Cesar from Wikipedia…
Caesar summoned the Senate to meet in the Pompey’s Theater on the Ides of March, 44 BC for the purpose of reading a petition, written by the senators, asking him to hand power back to the Senate. According to the Greek biographer Plutarch, a few days before, the soothsayer Titus Vestricius Spurinna apparently warned Caesar, “Beware the Ides of March.” Caesar disregarded the warning: Krystal is evil.
“…A certain seer warned Caesar to be on his guard against a great peril on the day of the month of March which the Romans call the Ides; and when the day had come and Caesar was on his way to the senate-house, he greeted the seer with a jest and said: “Well, the Ides of March are come,” and the seer said to him softly: “Ay, they are come, but they are not gone.”
As the Senate convened, Caesar was attacked and stabbed to death by a group of senators who called themselves the Liberatores (“Liberators”); they justified their action on the grounds that they committed tyrannicide, not murder, and were preserving the Republic from Caesar’s alleged monarchical ambitions.*
source: wikipedia – Ides of March
|
<urn:uuid:6c56b957-81f0-4d12-8481-32055b7381c2>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://blog.holidays.net/index.php/2008/03/15/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00011-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.973626
| 343
| 2.640625
| 3
|
Animal Species:Black Flying-fox
Black Flying-foxes are the largest species of flying-fox in Australia. They can fly at 35 - 40 kilometres per hour and may travel over 50 kilometres from their camp to a feeding area. They often share their camps with other flying-fox species.
Standard Common Name
Short black fur, but can sometimes also have a reddish-brown or yellow-brown collar. Its belly fur can have a frosted appearance if the fur is flecked with grey tips. The lower legs of this bat are unfurred and faint red-brown eye rings may be present. It is quite a large flying-fox with weights ranging from 500 – 1000 g. Forearm length up to 19 cm.
Northern and eastern Australia.
Tropical and subtropical forests, and in woodlands. Forming camps in mangrove islands in river estuaries, paperbark forests, eucalypt forests and rainforests.
The Black Flying-fox is a migratory species that roosts in large numbers high in the tree canopy during the day.
Feeding and Diet
At dusk, individuals fly out to feed on blossom and fruits, and return to their roost at dawn.
Mating and reproduction
Mating occurs in March to April when large males establish a territory on a branch. Females become pregnant before the bats disperse into generally smaller camps for the winter. They re-congregate into large camps during spring and summer, when birthing occurs. Females give birth to one offspring annually around late September to December. Young are completely dependent for up to 4 weeks, at which point they will be left at the camp at night while their mothers forage. At 2-3 months, the young can fly and they will start to leave the camp at night to feed. They are weaned at about 5 months, and become sexually mature at about 2 years old (but most females will not reproduce before 3).
Black Flying-foxes are vulnerable to loss of feeding areas from clearing of native vegetation and land degradation from agriculture.
Danger to humans and first aid
Yes, carriers of infectious diseases: Lyssa and Hendra viruses. A bite or scratch from an affected bat can be fatal.
Dr Anja Divljan , Technical Officer
|
<urn:uuid:494f0d3b-5f42-4377-b710-feb5d77f439e>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://australianmuseum.net.au/black-flying-fox
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783402746.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155002-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.920116
| 474
| 3.75
| 4
|
|Name: _________________________||Period: ___________________|
This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does Alquist tell Primus he wants to do?
2. What does Helena say is happening outside?
(a) The robots are revolting.
(b) The birds are singing.
(c) The sun is rising.
(d) The sun is going down.
3. What does Alquist throw off himself?
(a) His hat.
(b) His wig.
(c) His gloves.
(d) His coat.
4. What does Helena want Primus to let her make him?
5. What kind of books does Damon suggest that Alquist reads?
(a) History books.
(b) Maths books.
(c) Fiction books.
(d) Science books.
6. What does Helena think is going to happen to her?
(a) She is going to faint.
(b) She is going to sneeze.
(c) She is going to fall ill.
(d) She is going to die.
7. What part of her body does Helena say hurts?
(b) Her feet.
(c) Her heart.
(d) Her head.
8. What does Alquist say is God's greatest invention?
(a) Helena and Primus.
(b) Adam and Eve.
9. When does Helena think eyes are beautiful?
(a) When they are deepset.
(b) When they are big.
(c) When they are closed.
(d) When they are blue.
10. What does Damon scream for Alquist to do?
(a) Go quicker.
(c) Knock me out.
11. Where does Alquist tell Primus and Helena to go?
(c) An island.
12. What does Primus say the numbers on the paper are?
(a) Indivisible numbers.
(b) Mathematical formulas.
(c) Scientific formulas.
(d) Imaginary numbers.
13. What does Damon say it necessary to do to become people?
(b) Kill and dominate.
(c) Feel love and hate.
(d) Conduct war.
14. What is Alquist researching?
(a) How to reform human society.
(b) How to make robots.
(c) How to cook for himself.
(d) How to survive in the desert.
15. What does Helena look through in the lab?
(a) A telescope.
(b) A window.
(c) A microscope.
(d) A magnifying glass.
Short Answer Questions
1. What was the name of the sixth day?
2. What does Alquist call Primus?
3. What does Alquuist ask Primus to take away?
4. What is the only things the machines can produce?
5. What does the eye that does not cry for people cry for?
This section contains 361 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page)
|
<urn:uuid:1a8303a6-e4be-4bd9-b0d5-09b600099afa>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.bookrags.com/lessonplan/rur/test2.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.882183
| 683
| 3.0625
| 3
|
Key: "S:" = Show Synset (semantic) relations, "W:" = Show Word (lexical) relations
Display options for sense: (gloss) "an example sentence"
- S: (n) property, belongings, holding (something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone) "that hat is my property"; "he is a man of property"
- S: (n) property (a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class) "a study of the physical properties of atomic particles"
- S: (n) place, property (any area set aside for a particular purpose) "who owns this place?"; "the president was concerned about the property across from the White House"
- S: (n) property, attribute, dimension (a construct whereby objects or individuals can be distinguished) "self-confidence is not an endearing property"
- S: (n) property, prop (any movable articles or objects used on the set of a play or movie) "before every scene he ran down his checklist of props"
|
<urn:uuid:041f0e77-006d-41f5-9efb-aefc0482b811>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?o2=&o0=1&o8=1&o1=1&o7=&o5=&o9=&o6=&o3=&o4=&s=property&i=0&h=00000
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783392069.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154952-00089-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.888766
| 230
| 3.140625
| 3
|
Amata tossed and turned . . .
. . .
While the infection first, like dew of poison
Fallen on her, pervaded all her senses.
Sailing up the coast of Italy, the Trojans reach the mouth of the Tiber River, near the kingdom of Latium. Virgil, invoking the muse once again to kick off the second half of his epic narrative, describes the political state of affairs in Latium. The king, Latinus, has a single daughter, Lavinia. She is pursued by many suitors, but the great warrior Turnus, lord of a nearby kingdom, appears most eligible for her hand. Worried by a prophet’s prediction that a foreign army will conquer the kingdom, Latinus consults the Oracle of Faunus. A strange voice from the oracle instructs the king that his daughter should marry a foreigner, not a Latin.
Meanwhile, Aeneas and his captains are eating on the beach, with fruit spread out on flat, hard loaves of bread. They finish the fruit but are still hungry, so they eat the bread that they have used as tables. Ascanius notes with a laugh that they have indeed eaten their tables, thus fulfilling the Harpies’ curse in a manner less dire than anticipated. Aeneas recognizes that they have arrived at their promised land. The next day, he sends emissaries to King Latinus, requesting a share of the land for the foundation of a new city. Latinus offers territory as well as something extra—mindful of the oracle’s words, he suggests that Aeneas take the hand of Lavinia in matrimony. Latinus recognizes that accepting fate, even if it means that the Trojans will one day rule his kingdom, proves a safer course than resisting destiny.
Juno, however, still has not exhausted her anger against the Trojans. Unable to keep them from Italian shores forever, she vows at least to delay the foundation of their city and to cause them more suffering. She dispatches Allecto, one of the Furies, to Latium to rouse anger on the part of the natives against the Trojans. First, Allecto infects Queen Amata, Latinus’s wife, causing her to oppose the marriage of Lavinia and Aeneas. Virgil describes Allecto’s rousing of Amata’s anger with the metaphor of a snake that twists and winds itself around Amata’s body. Then Allecto approaches Turnus and inflames him with indignation at the idea of losing Lavinia and submitting to a Trojan king.
Turnus assembles his army and prepares to drive the Trojans out of Italy. Shepherds prove the first to bear arms. As a result of Juno’s meddling, Ascanius sets off to hunt in the woods and fells a stag that happens to be a favorite pet of Latinus’s herdsman. The animal staggers back to his master before dying. The herdsman summons the other shepherds to track down the hunter, and the Trojans, sensing a commotion, come to Ascanius’s aid. Many Latins are slain in a brief skirmish, then each side retreats temporarily. The shepherds go before King Latinus, carrying the dead, and plead with him to launch an all-out assault on the Trojans. Latinus does not wish to engage in battle, but all the court—even his own wife—clamor for war. In the end, he throws up his hands and retreats to his chambers, feeling unable to stop what the gods have set in motion. Turnus amasses a great army, captained by the greatest warriors in Italy, and marches them to war.
The Trojans’ landing in Latium begins the epic’s second half. The Aeneid demands comparison to the epics of Homer: whereas the first half of Virgil’s epic—a chronicle of the wanderings of Aeneas and his crew in the wake of the fall of Troy—takes up the themes of the Odyssey, the second six books share the martial themes of the Iliad. In these later books, Virgil describes the strife that leads to the unification of the Latin peoples. Virgil’s second invocation to the muse marks this division. Beginning in Book VII, Virgil dwells with more careful attention on the geography of the region he describes. He knows that these locations are familiar to his contemporary Roman audience, and will reinforce their sense of historical connection to the legendary events of the narrative.
Virgil also incorporates an interesting element of Roman lore into the beginning of the war between the Latins and Trojans. Historically, whenever the Romans prepared to march into battle against an enemy, they would open the Gates of War—enormous gates of brass and iron that were constructed as a tribute to Mars, the god of war. Opening these gates, they believed themselves to be releasing the Furies, who inflame the hearts of soldiers and drive them into the fray with a passion for death—the polytheistic version of a battle cry. Virgil claims that this tradition already existed in the time of Aeneas. Generally, the king opens the gates, but since Latinus is unwilling—as he has opposed the war from the start—Juno descends to open the gates herself. At this moment, Turnus, whom the Fury Allecto has already infected with bloodlust, gathers his company to march out and confront the Trojans.
AP exam Results
2 out of 9 people found this helpful
I don't recall Orestes killing his betrothed's betrothed in the Oresteia. It focuses on him and his family.
Compared to The Odyssey and The Iliad, The Aeneid doesn't focus that much on Aeneas? It seems like most of the outcomes of the story are from other people, luck, or godly support. He was wanting to fight, and would've probably died with the rest of the Trojans if he wasn't reminded by Venus. Women attempt to burn down his ships, but downpour stops the flames. Aeneas seems to be more along for the ride than being a hero.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
|
<urn:uuid:8a464ce6-5a77-4e09-8966-f7dd70e1c156>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/aeneid/section7.rhtml
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397562.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00064-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.963681
| 1,331
| 3.140625
| 3
|
The study, published in the August edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, included 1,685 overweight or obese U.S. adults aged 25 and older.
For six months, they kept food diaries and were encouraged to eat a healthy diet and be physically active. They also met weekly in groups to share their food diaries and brush up on skills like how to judge portion size.
After six months, participants had shed almost 13 pounds, on average. The most powerful predictor of their weight loss was how many days per week they kept their food diary, says Victor Stevens, PhD, senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Ore.
Those who kept food records six days a week -- jotting down everything they ate and drank on those days -- lost about twice as much weight as those who kept food records one day a week or less, Stevens tells WebMD. Read the entire article.
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss
|
<urn:uuid:8928b3dc-0bcb-4548-82b2-9e5a69dab788>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.theherbsplacenews.com/2008/07/weight-loss-food-diaries-work.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396872.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.970899
| 200
| 2.921875
| 3
|
1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Farne Islands
FARNE ISLANDS [also Fearne, Fern, or The Staples], a group of rocky islands and reefs off the coast of Northumberland, England, included in that county. In 1901 they had only eleven inhabitants. They extend in a line of some 6 m. in a north-easterly direction from the coast, on which the nearest villages are Bamborough and North Sunderland. The Fairway,11⁄2 m. across, separates the largest island, Farne, or House, from the mainland. Farne is 16 acres in area, and has precipitous cliffs up to 80 ft. in height on the east, but the shore is otherwise low. The other principal islets are Staple, Brownsman, North and South Wamses, Longstone and Big Harcar. On Farne is a small ancient chapel with a square tower near it built it for purposes of defence in the 15th century. The chapel is believed to occupy the site of St Cuthbert's hermitage, whither he retired from the priory on the neighbouring Holy Island or Lindisfarne. He was with difficulty persuaded to leave it on his elevation to the bishopric of Lindisfarne, and returned to it to die (687). Longstone rock, with its lighthouse, is famous as the scene of the bravery of Grace Darling in rescuing some of the survivors of the wreck of the "Forfarshire" (1838). The rocks abound in sea-birds, including eider duck.
|
<urn:uuid:6c2cfa41-1664-4445-b3a6-1bb23275e5b1>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Farne_Islands
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00041-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954213
| 325
| 3.3125
| 3
|
There are many things in life that requires precision. In certain jobs being precise is very important. For example an eye surgeon operating someone's eye. Being precise and accurate is also required of your school work.
To be precise and accurate means a requirement to constantly check your work and evaluate the contents for improvement. To reiterate the process until further effort to improve the work is no longer worth it. When you finish your homework, that is not the end. In fact, finishing your homework should be the beginning of the checking phase. To ensure you have the best possible answer within the time you are given.
Some students asked me: "Cher, what is Wendy's?" Well, if I drew MacDonald s, that would be too common. Wendy's is a pretty new fast food chain in Singapore.
Anyway, hope the cartoons will always be a good reminder for you to CHECK your work. =)
|
<urn:uuid:c592af45-b837-46c3-a750-8e46e306162b>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://daniellim-cartoons.blogspot.com/2011/04/habits-of-minds-hom-striving-for.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397213.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00024-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.955655
| 184
| 2.84375
| 3
|
This picture taken by the IMP (Imager for Mars Pathfinder) aboard the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft depicts the rover Sojourner's position after driving onto the Martian surface. Sojourner has become the first autonomous robot ever to traverse the surface of Mars. This image reflects the success of Pathfinder's principle objective -- to place a payload on Mars in a safe, operational configuration.
The primary mission of Sojourner, scheduled to last seven days, will be to use its Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument to determine the elements that make up the rocks and soil on Mars. A full study using the APXS takes approximately ten hours, and can measure all elements except hydrogen at any time of the Martian day or night. The APXS will conduct its studies by bombarding rocks and soil samples with alpha particle radiation -- charged particles equivalent to the nucleus of a helium atom, consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C.
Photojournal note: Sojourner spent 83 days of a planned seven-day mission exploring the Martian terrain, acquiring images, and taking chemical, atmospheric and other measurements. The final data transmission received from Pathfinder was at 10:23 UTC on September 27, 1997. Although mission managers tried to restore full communications during the following five months, the successful mission was terminated on March 10, 1998.
|
<urn:uuid:bc03cebf-ef56-4b13-a235-d34d5b99e069>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00623
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00053-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.924193
| 330
| 3.375
| 3
|
Added sugar = added cardio risk
Sodium has been hogging the spotlight lately: On Tuesday the Institute of Medicine issued its report on strategies to reduce American sodium consumption, and a week earlier, General Mills announced it would cut the sodium content in many of its products by 20 percent by 2015.
Now it's sugar's turn. A study in yesterday's Journal of the American Medical Association found an association between eating lots of sugar and blood-lipid profiles linked with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. That finding, the authors note, supports the notion that dietary guidelines should be adjusted to cut back on the amount of sugar Americans consume.
Researchers looked at data for 6,113 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey who had reported what they'd eaten in an earlier 24-hour period. Those who consumed the most "added sugar" -- sweeteners that are added to processed and packaged foods and that contribute nothing but calories -- had higher triglyceride levels and higher ratios of triglycerides to HDL-C, or good cholesterol than those who consumed less. Both measures are related to heart-disease risk.
The study points out that current dietary guidelines issued by various public health organizations are all over the board when it comes to telling us how sweet a tooth we can have:
The 2005 US Dietary Guidelines do not provide a quantified intake guideline for added sugars, suggesting only that consumers "choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners." The new Food Guide Pyramid (the federal nutrition education tool designed to translate the US Dietary Guidelines into kinds and amounts of food to eat each day) includes calories consumed as added sugars as part of "discretionary calories," i.e., those not required to meet nutrient needs. Most discretionary calorie allowances are small (between 100 and 300 calories), especially for individuals who are not physically active--a level of added sugars substantially lower than that currently consumed by adults in the United States. New guidelines from the American Heart Association encourage adults to limit added sugars more than any of the previously issued guidelines. Women are advised to limit their added sugars to fewer than 100 calories daily and men to fewer than 150 calories daily (approximately 5 % of total energy intake).
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, last revised in 2005, are under revision for 2010 right now. Many eyes will be on the new recommendations regarding sugar.
Even if you never add a spoonful of sugar to your food, it's hard to avoid consuming sweeteners -- which include the ubiquitous high-fructose corn syrup -- if you eat any processed, packaged or prepared food at all.
Let's try keeping track for a day. Look for these terms on the ingredient list. You might be surprised at how often they pop up.
Send your sweet tweets our way on Twitter: Find me and the other Local Living writers at @wposthome/local-living. And keep track of my "Me Minus 10" effort to lose 10 pounds before I turn 50 at twitter.com/jhuget.
Jennifer LaRue Huget
April 22, 2010; 7:00 AM ET
Categories: Cardiovascular Health , General Health , Health Policy , Nutrition and Fitness
Save & Share: Previous: Big study questions 'brain training'
Next: Is that right? Buying KFC buckets fights breast cancer?
Posted by: Axel2 | April 22, 2010 9:25 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: cmckeonjr | April 23, 2010 8:12 AM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
|
<urn:uuid:b29d0665-bcf6-4a1a-b7a9-855c30d7aa3d>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2010/04/too_much_sugar_ups_cardiovascu.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397873.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00021-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.940062
| 727
| 2.65625
| 3
|
(For previous posts in this series, see here.)
When all else fails, religious people sometimes resort to utilitarian arguments in favor of god, such as that some people would act worse if they did not believe in a god who would punish them for doing bad things. Other alleged benefits of ‘good’ religion are that it helps people cope with the stresses of life and deal with the fear of death, that it encourages people to do good acts, and to summon up courage in the face of adversity.
While some of these things may be true, they seem rather a weak foundation on which to base one’s support for religion. The basic problem is that every one of these benefits is not unique to religion. As I have written before, every benefit claimed for religion can just as well be provided by other institutions.
Provides a sense of community? So do many other social groups. Do charitable works? So do secular charities. Work for social justice? So do political groups. Provide comfort and reassurance? So do friendships and even therapy. Provide a sense of personal meaning? So does science and philosophy. Provide a basis of morality and values? It has long been established that morals and values are antecedent to and independent of religion. (Does anyone seriously think that it was considered acceptable to murder before the Ten Commandments appeared?)
So by getting rid of religion we can still have all the benefits claimed for it while getting rid of the evils that are unique to it. Some try to argue for retaining religion by pointing out, correctly, that science also has been used for massively evil ends so why not call for the end of science? But the fact is that if we get rid of science, there are no alternative ways to obtain all the social benefits it provides, so the only alternative is to try to learn how to use it wisely. This is not the case with religion. It provides no social benefits that cannot be duplicated by purely secular institutions.
Christopher Hitchens says something similar in his introduction to The Portable Atheist (2007), p. xiii-xiv):
One is continually told, as an unbeliever, that it is old-fashioned to rail against the primitive stupidities and cruelties of religion because after all, in these enlightened times, the old superstitions have died away. Nine times out of ten, in debate with a cleric, one will be told not of some dogma of religious certitude but of some instance of charitable or humanitarian work undertaken by a religious person . . . My own response has been to issue a challenge: name me an ethical statement made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer. As yet, I have had no takers. (Whereas, oddly enough, if you ask an audience to name a wicked statement or action directly attributable to religious faith, nobody has any difficulty in finding an example.)
If the foundations of religion are false, then the alleged benefits it provides are merely placebos, devices to make people feel good in the short-run, to allay their fears about death, and to provide facile answers to deep questions of existence and meaning. It is not clear to me why making people feel good on the basis of a falsehood is better than them being able to see the truth clearly. Of course, this does not mean that one should go about destroying people’s beliefs indiscriminately. I would not argue with someone in grief who finds consolation in some religious dogma. But that leave-well-alone policy does not extend to public discussions of religion, and the new atheists are perfectly justified and even to be commended in pointing out that religions are based on false foundations.
Religion also results in people being required to suspend rational thought and judgment and encourages passivity and tolerance for injustice since provides people with the dubious option of putting their faith in a higher power to redress injustices and looking towards justice in heaven rather than fighting for those goals here and now.
In the past I have shown clips of exorcists, mind readers, and people who claim the ability read the thoughts of animals. I argued that such charlatans (and others like faith healers) would not be able to ply their trade without the cover that religion gives them to persuade people that supernatural forces exist. For atheists to not attack religion in order to preserve some façade of coexistence with ‘good’ religion is to permanently leave ajar the door that enables those who use religion as weapons for evil ends or to exploit the gullible for profit to enter and ply their trade. As Christopher Hitchens says in God Is Not Great, (2007, p. 160):
It is not snobbish to notice the way in which people show their gullibility and their herd instinct, and their wish, or perhaps their need, to be credulous and to be fooled. This is an ancient problem. Credulity may be a form of innocence, and even innocuous in itself, but it provides a standing invitation for the wicked and the clever to exploit their brothers and sisters, and is thus one of humanity’s great vulnerabilities. No honest account of the growth and persistence of religion, or the reception of miracles and revelations, is possible without reference to this stubborn fact.
I believe that it is futile to try and separate bad religion from good religion and to try and eliminate the former while preserving the latter. In my interview in Machines Like Us, I say:
[W]hen one decides to not criticize the thinking of ‘moderates’, one has shut off the most powerful critiques one can make of extremists, which is that the whole edifice of thinking they adhere to has no evidentiary foundation and simply makes no sense. Trying to counter extremists without hurting the feelings of the ‘moderates’ is like agreeing to play chess while giving up the right to capture the opponent’s queen. You are bound to lose, except against the most incompetent player.
Good religion and bad religion are two sides of the same coin. The only way to end bad religion is to end religion altogether, and the way to do that is to advance as publicly as possible all the powerful arguments and evidence we now have that there is no reason whatsoever to assume that god exists in any form or that any of the supernatural doctrines of any religion have any validity.
This is the ‘new atheism’ and I am proud to be a part of that movement.
POST SCRIPT: Baxter again
Because you can never have too many photos of a terrific dog. . .
|
<urn:uuid:93975c92-628d-488d-9798-b15d5bc57be5>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://freethoughtblogs.com/singham/2008/05/09/the-end-of-god-8-why-even-good-religion-is-not-worth-saving/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00187-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961117
| 1,347
| 2.625
| 3
|
|Home > RNJ > 2011 > January/February > Nurses with Sensory Disabilities: Their Perceptions and Characteristics (CE)|
Nurses with Sensory Disabilities: Their Perceptions and Characteristics (CE)
A survey design was used to explore the perceptions and characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) with sensory disabilities and their risk for leaving their jobs. An earlier study found that nurses with disabilities are leaving nursing and that employers do not appear to support these nurses. Work instability and the mismatch between a nurse’s perceptions of his or her ability and the demands of their work increase risk for job retention problems. This study’s convenience sample of U.S. RNs had hearing, vision, or communication disabilities. Participants completed a demographic form, three U.S. Census questions, and the Nurse-Work Instability Survey. Hospital nurses were three times more likely to be at risk for retention problems. Nurses with hearing disabilities were frustrated at work. Hearing difficulties increased with years spent working as a nurse. Many nurses with sensory disabilities have left nursing. Early intervention may prevent work instability and increase retention, and rehabilitation nurses are ideally positioned to lead early intervention programs.
Very little is known regarding registered nurses (RNs) with disabilities, including the number of nurses with disabilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12.9 % of people between 21 and 64 years of age and 30% of those between 64 and 75 years of age have a disability. Nurses are found in both of these age groups, so while the number of nurses with disabilities is unknown, it is likely that the number is significant (Maheady, 2005). The culture of the healthcare organizations in which nurses work can present behavioral, attitudinal, and structural barriers to people with disabilities (Schur, Kruse, & Blanck, 2005). The literature reports that people frequently leave their employment for reasons that are related to disability (Mitchell, Adkins, & Kemp, 2006; Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008a). Disability may prevent nurses from performing their usual duties to the expected standard. This mismatch between ability and expectation is termed work instability. According to Gilworth and colleagues (2007), work instability is defined as “the extent of any mismatch among functional (in)capacity, work demands and its potential impact on efficiency/productivity at work” (p. 544). As work becomes more difficult to perform, nurses are more likely to consider leaving their jobs. Early intervention may prevent work instability and decrease or eliminate the risk of nurses leaving their jobs (Gilworth et al.). Rehabilitation nurses are experts at working with people with disabilities and, in general, helping disabled people and society better understand and accept the contributions that people with disabilities can make to the home and workplace. In addition, rehabilitation nurses understand the culture of nursing and can be instrumental in breaking down barriers and facilitating change for their colleagues with disabilities.
Healthcare employees are more likely than other employees to work despite illness, and their absence from work seriously impacts the work environment (Johnson, Croghan, & Crawford, 2003). Work instability also can lead to increased risk for absence due to sickness that is related to the disability (Gilworth et al., 2007). To better understand RNs with disabilities and their risk for leaving their jobs, it is important to explore their perceptions of work instability.
There has been no research to date regarding RNs with sensory disabilities involving hearing, vision, or communication. The purpose of this study was twofold: to explore the perceptions and characteristics of RNs with sensory disabilities and their risk of job retention problems (as measured by the Nurse Work Instability Survey [WIS]) and to determine whether the Nurse-WIS is a reliable tool to measure work instability in nurses with sensory disabilities. This article will focus on the perceptions and characteristics of the nurses in the sample.
Little is known about the perceptions of nurses with sensory disabilities. This study was intended to be an exploratory, descriptive pilot study to determine whether the survey tool could be used for future research with nurses with sensory and musculoskeletal disabilities. The specific aims of this study were to determine the demographic characteristics of RNs with hearing, visual, or communication disabilities; explore work instability and the risk for job retention problems among nurses with sensory disabilities; and determine whether the Nurse-WIS is a reliable tool to measure work instability in nurses with hearing, visual, or communication disabilities.
According to the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, there are approximately 2.9 million nurses in the United States, 83% (1.6 million) of whom are employed in nursing (Health Resources and Services Administration, 2006). It is not known how many nurses are disabled. A qualitative study (Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008a, 2008b) of nurses with disabilities was conducted, and the results supported the need to further explore the characteristics and perceptions of RNs with disabilities. This study of RNs in Maine, Virginia, and Washington, DC, with self-reported permanent physical or sensory disabilities found that RNs were leaving their jobs for reasons related to their disabilities. Nurses reported hiding their disabilities from nurse recruiters. Nurse recruiters confirmed this finding, with many saying they often could not remember interviewing nurses with disabilities. Nurses with disabilities often left their jobs or sometimes left nursing altogether because they feared they could jeopardize patient safety and they lacked collegial or administrative support to stay. Some nurses went back to school to pursue graduate degrees with the hopes of obtaining less physically demanding nursing positions.
In light of the ongoing nursing shortage and the aging nursing population, it is vital to retain experienced nurses and to intervene before nurses leave their jobs. The current study was an attempt to learn more about nurses with disabilities and discover whether nurses with sensory disabilities are at risk for leaving their jobs.
The Integrative Model of Health Care Working Conditions on Organizational Climate and Safety (Stone et al., 2005) was used as a framework for this study; this model reflects a larger research program of nurses with disabilities. Stone and colleagues define organizational climate as “member perceptions of organizational features like decision making, leadership, and norms about work” (p. 468). Organizational culture is viewed as “norms, values, beliefs, and assumptions shared by members of an organization” (Stone et al., p. 468). Organizational climate and culture ultimately influence processes and outcomes, but organizational climate is easier to change than organizational culture (Stone et al.).
Although Stone and colleagues’ model does not address disability, it suggests that structural and process domains influence healthcare worker and patient outcomes. According to the model, manageable workload is an aspect of nursing work that influences these outcomes. The physical ability of a nurse to manage his or her workload may influence the intent to leave and patient outcomes. Stone states that based on the studies used to develop the model, manageable workload can be operationally defined as “the provider’s ability (or perceptions) that they are able to manage their workload to provide quality care” (P. W. Stone, personal communication, January 3, 2008). If the workload is not manageable, work instability may result.
Press releases, Web links, and e-mail were used to solicit participation in the study. Articles and announcements were placed in regional nursing magazines and newspapers throughout the United States. Nursing associations posted the announcement of the study on their websites, and word of mouth also aided in solicitation. Criteria for participation included current RN license; residency in the United States; and a hearing, vision, or communication disability (unrelated to a cognitive deficit). Nurses either phoned in or e-mailed their interest in participating. They then received (via mail or e-mail) the survey packet with informed consent, a cover letter, demographic form, the U.S. Census Questions on Disability, and the Nurse-WIS survey. Nurses who chose to receive the survey packet in the mail were sent a stamped, self-addressed envelope to mail the survey packet back to the researcher. Originally, the study was to include nurses in New England only. After solicitations for participation were launched, however, the principal investigator began to receive responses from RNs from throughout the United States who had left their jobs or were considering leaving their jobs because of their disabilities and wanted their voices heard. This same phenomenon was found in the qualitative study described above (Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008a).
Participation posed no risks. However, participants were reminded in the informed consent that the security of e-mail and phone communication could not be guaranteed. The researcher kept identifying information in a locked file. The Yale University Institutional Review Board approved the study.
All of the instruments were printed in 18-point type. Participants who received the study materials via e-mail were able to alter the type for their comfort. The U.S. Census Questions on Disability that pertain to sensory disabilities were used to screen for eligibility for participation in the study. Demographic questions were included in the survey packet along with the Nurse-WIS. There was no effort to determine whether the nurse’s disability was sustained since becoming a nurse or before nurse training because the objective was to study work instability related to current nursing work and the intent to leave the current job. Preliminary research did not find a difference in the experience of being a nurse with a disability based on when the disability started. This condition will be explored further in future, larger studies. Participants were encouraged to add narrative qualitative comments. A panel of nurses who have expertise with disabilities tested the demographic questions, the readability of the Nurse-WIS, and the administration process. The panel reached 98% agreement.
Census Questions on Disability
The United Nations derived its question set from the questions the U.S. Census Bureau uses to collect data regarding persons with disabilities (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). The questions focus on six areas: vision, hearing, walking or climbing steps, remembering or concentrating, self-care, and communication. Possible responses for each question are No—no difficulty, Yes—some difficulty, Yes—a lot of difficulty, and cannot do at all. For the purposes of this study, only the questions that focus on vision, hearing, and communication were used. Participants were asked to evaluate whether they had difficulty hearing or seeing despite the use of a hearing aid or glasses. The communication question asked if the participant had difficulty (using one’s customary language) understanding or being understood. If the participant answered “no” to all three questions, then he or she was not eligible to participate in the study.
The Nurse-WIS tool (Gilworth et al., 2007; Figure 1) has face validity, criterion validity, interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity. Rasch measurement resulted in chi-squared interaction p = .169. The person separation index (reliability) was 0.9. The Nurse-WIS was developed from the analysis of qualitative interviews and mailed surveys involving RNs and healthcare assistants in England. All of the participants had been respondents to a screening questionnaire of the entire nurse workforce. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants with a variety of musculoskeletal symptoms. Qualitative interviews made up stage 1 of the study to develop the instrument. Participants in the qualitative interviews had to experience recent musculoskeletal symptoms (during the past 3 months). For stage 2, respondents from the original questionnaire were place into two groups to receive mailed surveys. It was possible to participate in only one stage of the study. After the development of the final 30-item survey, the developers of the instrument mailed the questionnaires to 296 nurses on two occasions 2 weeks apart. The results confirmed test-retest reliability. Using Rasch analysis, construct validity was confirmed.
The Nurse-WIS is worth testing for reliability with nurses with nonmusculoskeletal symptoms because the questions in the tool address work instability or the mismatch among the (in)ability to perform the work, the demands of work, and the potential impact on the performance and efficiency of the work that is done. This tool does not address musculoskeletal symptoms, nor do the questions require respondents to have a physical disability to be relevant to work instability.
To use the tool, respondents can choose to mark true or not true for each statement listed in the Nurse-WIS. The “true” responses are then tallied and a total score is obtained. The score is measured against a scoring range that estimates risk of job retention problems for that respondent. Participants do not have access to the scoring range.
The cover letter of the Nurse-WIS instrument was revised. It previously read, in part: “Thinking about your musculoskeletal symptoms please choose the response that applies to you.” It was revised to read: “Thinking about your visual, hearing, and/or communication disability please choose the response that applies best to you.” In addition, the cover letter instructed participants to “tick” the answer. This was changed to be more appropriate for American subjects to read “check” the answer. Also, within the document, the participant was told: “Please remember to read each statement thinking about your musculoskeletal symptoms” and then answer the questions. This was changed to read: “Please remember to read each statement thinking about your hearing, visual, and/or communication disability.”
Eighty nurses between 26 and 77 years of age from 21 states representing all regions within the United States participated in the study (Figure 2). The mean age was 52 years. Participants had worked as nurses for 1 to 55 years, with a mean of 24 years. Nurses with various levels of education were about equally represented (diploma/associate degree = 27, bachelor’s degree = 31, master’s/doctorate = 21). Among the 64 nurses who were currently working, 41 (51%) worked in a hospital. Eight percent of the nurses worked in the community, and 5% in nursing home settings. The remainder of nurses represented a variety of work settings and positions (Figure 3). Those who were not working had recently left their jobs and responded to the survey to describe why they left. Leaving nursing jobs appears to be a common feature of nursing with a disability. Consequently, it was a challenge to survey nurses with disabling physical conditions who had not left their job. Most (91%) nurses who responded were White; Black, Asian, and Hispanic nurses comprised the remainder (4%, 1%, and 4%, respectively). The sample included nurses with hearing, visual, and communication disabilities, with hearing disability most common (Table 1). Participants did not state how the disability manifested. However, the census questions on disability clarified the level of difficulty the disability caused the nurse. Participants responded anecdotally and via e-mail that their disabilities included, but were not limited to, deafness, low vision, slurring, and other speech impediments.
Because this was a population (nurses with sensory disabilities) that had not previously been studied and there is no literature documenting the number of RNs in the U. S. who have sensory disabilities, it was difficult to ensure a representative population. However, it was hoped that with a national sample and a large enough response rate, the results could be generalizable. It was determined that, given an effect size of .2 and a power of .80, that 393 people would be required for an alpha of .05. Given a likely response rate of 30%, it was estimated that the sample size should consist of 1,000 nurses. Only 80 nurse respondents were obtained within the study time period (approximately 50 nurses responded after data collection ended and before announcements could be made that the study was over); consequently, results are not generalizable but serve to provide a foundation for future larger studies.
Participants who were licensed RNs who respond “yes” or “cannot do at all” to any of the three Census (sensory) Questions on Disability were included in the analysis. Surveys were electronically scanned into an Excel spreadsheet. Data were double-entered into ACCESS. Data from the two databases were compared using PROC COMPARE in SAS, and any discrepancies were verified and corrected. Univariate statistics were used to perform logical data checks and to assess distributions and describe the data. Bivariate analyses included using contingency table analysis for categorical variables. General associations were examined using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. For categorical variables with an ordinal scale (Nurse-WIS category, degrees of disability), a mean score test Qs also was used in assessing associations. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to examine differences in continuous outcomes by categories. Assumptions of normality and constant standard deviation were assessed through residual analyses. Outcome variables were transformed when assumptions did not hold. If transformations were not adequate to meet model assumptions, nonparametric tests were used.
This was a descriptive, exploratory study, so an alpha of .10 was used. All analyses were carried out using SAS version 9.1. Rasch analysis (Rasch, 1960) was used to test the Nurse-WIS with nurses with sensory disabilities. As a result of this analysis, the survey was shortened to an 18-item scale, and the comparative cut points for measuring medium and high risk of sickness absence and job retention problems were slightly altered. Qualitative participant comments that were sent via e-mail or added to the survey instruments have been included in this article. Two researchers independently analyzed the comments for any ambiguity before including them in this article (the researchers concluded there was no ambiguity). It is important to add that there was no formal qualitative component in the study’s design, so no formal analysis of themes took place. This study was intended to explore work instability. Future studies will explore the experience of being a nurse with a sensory disability. The analysis and refinement of the tool will be discussed in depth in a subsequent article.
Results and Discussion
Only the statistically significant findings are described and discussed in this article. Interestingly, nurses (56%) who have some or severe difficulty hearing, seeing, or communicating are not currently working as nurses. Conversely, if you are currently working as an RN, you are less likely to have substantial difficulty seeing, communicating, or hearing. Seventy-three percent of the nurses in the study who are currently working have no difficulty seeing. It is mere conjecture to say that nurses who experience severe difficulty with any of these senses may have left nursing or did not feel able to participate because the study announcement and materials required vision that was sufficient for reading. Earlier research found that nurses with disabilities are leaving the profession (Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008a), so it is worthwhile to question whether nurses with sensory disabilities also are leaving the profession.
Among respondents, the older the nurse was, the more likely that he or she had difficulty communicating. The mean age of nurses with difficulty communicating was 60 years. However, in this study, age was not associated with difficulty hearing. Length of time spent as an RN was associated with difficulty hearing (21 years = some difficulty; 28 years = a lot of difficulty), begging the question of whether working as a nurse contributes to hearing loss.
Nurses with graduate degrees (85%) were more likely to have difficulty hearing as opposed to those with bachelor’s degrees (74%). Previous research found that nurses with physical disabilities often pursue higher education in an effort to remain in nursing despite their disabilities (Neal & Guillett, 2008b). This also may be the case for nurses with sensory disabilities.
Nurses who worked in hospital settings were three times more likely than nurses who worked in nonhospital settings to be at risk for retention problems. Furthermore, nurses with severe difficulty hearing who worked in hospitals (68%) were at greater risk for job retention problems than nurses with hearing disabilities who worked in nonhospital settings. These nurses said they “feel frustrated that I can’t do things for myself.” Risk of job retention problems (as measured by the Nurse-WIS) was not associated with length of time the participant had been a nurse.
Respondents’ anecdotal comments included “I often feel that [my hearing disability] disrupts my ability to carry out my responsibilities as a nurse….On one job I held, the nurse manager felt that it placed the patients I worked with at risk. I felt rejected and disappointed in myself, eventually leaving that job to go to another.” A nurse with blindness in one eye wrote “I have to work twice as hard as others to do reading, writing, and communicating that others take for granted.”
Seven men and 73 women participated in this study. More men (67%) than women (29%) reported difficulty with vision. Men (54%) reported greater difficulty hearing than women (22%).
The Nurse-WIS demonstrated good internal consistency with a Cronbach’s alpha of .888. Study data added to the tool’s overall reliability and demonstrated reliability for measuring work instability with nurses with sensory disabilities.
Conclusion and Implications
This was an exploratory, descriptive study. Much work needs to be done to further assess work instability in nurses with disabilities. This study was limited by gender and ethnicity inequality and small sample size. However, the statistically significant findings are worth reporting because they provide a foundation for further research. In addition, these findings should give administrators, educators, and clinicians pause as they contemplate ways in which to retain nurses. The results of this study confirm a previous finding that nurses with disabilities are leaving nursing or are at risk for leaving nursing. Efforts to increase, acknowledge, and value diversity in the workplace should take into consideration people with disabilities and misconceptions, fears, and prejudice (Ferguson et al., 2009). Perhaps acknowledgment of these emotions can increase the perceived value of these nurses and help to retain them. It is vital to the profession that interventions to accommodate nurses with disabilities and support their retention be implemented. An earlier article (Neal-Boylan & Guillett, 2008b) suggested re-evaluating the education of nurses with disabilities to permit tracks that include clinical and nonclinical work that use a nurse’s strengths and minimize the impact of the disability. Rehabilitation nurses are experts at increasing disability awareness and in disability education and can be instrumental in changing perceptions among nurse educators, colleagues, and administrators.
Administrators, especially those in hospital settings, may need to rethink the way the environment is designed and whether mechanisms may be put in place to allow nurses with disabilities to use their expertise to care for patients without experiencing frustration that could encourage them to leave their jobs.
In addition, although there are no reported patient injuries attributable to a nurse with a disability, changes in the environment to accommodate nurses with sensory disabilities may enhance patient safety by decreasing the risks associated with bedside care, in particular. For example, acutely and seriously ill patients may be surrounded by equipment that can be hazardous to nurses with sensory disabilities. If a nurse trips or falls on unseen wires or tubes, the patient’s safety also is put at risk. Nurses with sensory disabilities may not be able to function safely in certain environments. It is not known whether or not they can be accommodated sufficiently to allow them to remain in all areas of nursing. Rather than removing them from or not hiring them into certain positions, these nurses should be given the opportunity to demonstrate they are capable of doing their work well (in the same way that nurses without disabilities are allowed to do).
It may be relatively easy to accommodate nurses with hearing disabilities by making sure that administrators and staff speak directly to the person to enable lip reading as an adjunct to hearing. Flashing lights and other adaptations that have been used by schools for deaf students can be put into place to enable nurses to perform their work with less difficulty. One nurse with hearing problems had this to say regarding concerns about missing a code red: “I advised my students to please tap me on the shoulder…even if I was standing under the loud speaker.” This worked quite well. Improved awareness that nurses with hearing, visual, and communication disabilities are leaving nursing may help administrators find creative ways to keep them.
Clinicians should consider providing support to colleagues with disabilities in return for their expertise and assistance with work that does not require physical or sensory rigor. For example, a nurse with a sensory disability might be enabled to complete work by using minor adjustments such as large type and lights instead of call bells. If nurses without disabilities can exercise patience when a nurse with a communication disability is trying to speak, this also will go a long way. Rehabilitation nurses should lead the way to redesign of work space and work methods to better enable nurses and others with disabilities to feel comfortable in the workplace.
Nurses contribute to patient and clinical outcomes and, most importantly, to patient safety. No documentation demonstrates that nurses with disabilities jeopardize patient safety or care. However, retaining these nurses may positively influence patient care as those in the healthcare system benefit from their expertise, experience, and presence. This study did not review targeted recruitment of disabled nurses; this topic was briefly addressed in an earlier study and is another area that requires further investigation. More research is needed, but the clinical relevance is clear: The profession cannot afford to lose experienced nurses who have a lot to offer the profession and patients. As one nurse said, “There is a big need to help nurses fit in and find jobs that they are comfortable with.”
Assistance with Nurse-WIS and statistics: Alan Tennant, PhD BA, professor of rehabilitation studies, faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Leeds.
Funding: Delta Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, Yale University School of Nursing, New Haven, CT.
About the Authors
Leslie Neal-Boylan, PhD CRRN APRN-BC, is a professor of nursing at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT. Address correspondence to her at nealboylanL1@southernct.edu.
Kristopher Fennie, PhD MSC MPH, is a research scientist and lecturer at Yale University School of Nursing in New Haven, CT.
Sara Baldauf-Wagner, MS APRN-BC CNM MSN (candidate), is a recent graduate of Yale University School of Nursing in New Haven, CT.
Ferguson, D. S., Evans, V. S., Hajduk, D. B., Jones, D. L., Liston, D., Myers, E., et al. (2009). Enable the disabled: An untapped resource for the nursing shortage. Nursing Management, 40(2), 9–11.
Gilworth, G., Bhakta, B., Eyres, S., Carey, A., Chamberlain, M. A., & Tennant, A. (2007). Keeping nurses working: Development and psychometric testing of the Nurse-Work-Instability Scale (NURSE-WIS). Journal of Advanced Nursing, 57(5), 543–551.
Health Resources and Services Administration (2006). Preliminary findings: National sample survey of registered nurses. Retrieved October 8, 2010, from fftp://ftp.hrsa.gov/bhpr/nursing/rnpopulation/theregisterednursepopulation.pdf.
Johnson, C. J., Croghan E., & Crawford J. (2003). The problem and management of sickness absence in the NHS: Considerations for nurse managers. Journal of Nursing Management, 11, 336–342.
Maheady, D. (2005). Degrees of success “homework” for future nursing students with disabilities. Minority Nurse, Spring, 60–64.
Mitchell, J. M., Adkins, R. H., & Kemp, B. J. (2006). The effects of aging on employment of people with and without disabilities. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 49(3), 157–165.
Neal-Boylan, L. J., & Guillett, S. E. (2008a). Work experiences of RNs with physical disabilities. Rehabilitation Nursing, 33(2), 67–72.
Neal-Boylan, L. J., & Guillett, S. E. (2008b). Nurses with disabilities: Can changing our educational system keep them in nursing? Nurse Educator, 33(4), 164–167.
Rasch, G. (1960). Probabilistic models for some intelligence and attainment tests. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Schur, L., Kruse, D., & Blanck, P. (2005). Corporate culture and the employment of persons with disabilities. Behavioral Science & the Law, 23, 3–20.
Stone, P. W., Harrison, M. I., Feldman, P., Linzer, M., Peng, T., Robin, D., et al. (2005). Organizational climate of staff working conditions and safety—An integrative model. Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation, 2, 467–481.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2008). Americans with Disabilities: 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2010, from www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p70-117.pdf.
Rehabilitation Nursing is pleased to offer readers the opportunity to earn nursing contact hours for its continuing education articles by taking a posttest through the ARN Web site. The posttest consists of questions based on this article, plus several assessment questions (e.g., how long did it take you to read the article and complete the posttest?). A passing score of 80% on the posttest and completion of the assessment questions yield one nursing contact hour for each article.
To earn contact hours, go to www.rehabnurse.org/education/cearticles.html. (You may also go to www.rehabnurse.org → Education → RNJ Online CE.) Once there, you may read the article again or go directly to the posttest assessment by selecting "Purchase CE Test." Contact hours for this activity will not be available after February 28, 2013.
The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC-COA).
|
<urn:uuid:f34d02e9-0aac-4b93-9715-68a1720f8950>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.rehabnurse.org/apps/ws_resource/public_index.php?task=full_article&art_id=544&cat_id=47
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393463.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00199-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.967332
| 6,277
| 2.84375
| 3
|
From your excerpt of the book The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, you are to select the topic that most interests you. You are to explain and discuss this thought with one adult that you respect. After discussing you are to post the following:
20 points 1) A brief synopsis of the topic you have selected. Explain it.
10 points 2) Why that topic interests you.
10 points 3) The profession of the adult you have discussed the topic with.
30 points 4) Their reaction to the topic and whether they agree or disagree.
30 points 5) Your thoughts about how this topic will impact your future decisions concerning career, classes that you will take, and your future.
I structured the question this way because to explain it to another person, particulary an adult, requires a more advanced understanding of the material. I wanted them to read it! My amazing students never let me down! (I always wonder if they are so amazing because I believe it and treat them in such a way.)
In particular, I like Friedman's assertion that:
CQ (curiosity quotient) + PQ (passion quotient) > IQ
Here is how two of my students responded:
So many teachers spend more time on teaching that they forget to get excited about what they are teaching! Class is so much more enjoyable when your teacher is having fun because it rubs off on you! If you care about what you are trying to learn then you will do your hardest to learn it and go over the top about the subject. You will be a self educator and a self motivator! No one learns more than when you are genuinely curious about a subject.
I discussed this with my mother, an interior designer, and her overrall reaction to the subject was agreement. She is a very artistic individual, and she said she only did well in the artistic-minded subjects in school, but her IQ level based on GPA did not shape her success as a designer. It was her enthusiasm for what she loved to do and her passion for other people that brought her to success. She stated that many intelligent people have a propensity to seek knowledge from others because they are usually, or feel as if they are, intellectually superior. Although that is not always the case, someone who is an avid learner of his passion will be more likely to continue learning about it. When I was struggling with a decision, my mother along with another adult I respect told me the same thing: do what "you" want to do. Life is too short to waste time doing something you do not love. My mother said that passion gives someone a curiosity to develop and learn about the subject in which he or she is interested. Lack of interest makes for a lack of effort.
With this idea in mind, I will be sure not to wade through college mired in subjects that do not interest me. I will take relevant courses and strive for a major I can enjoy and excel in. I read a book recently that said "Make an adventure out of everything." I think that can be tied into this idea. If I can apply adventure, curiosity, and passion to my life, it will take me much further than a high intelligence quotient could. People with high intelligence, if they have not already, must use their intelligence and see the potential they contain. Whatever career path, college courses, or future choices I may make, I will be sure to choose something I can enjoy. I only want to give my all, my 100%, and how can I do that if I do not have a desire to do so?
Wow! Blogging allows me to add a whole new dimension to my classroom and tackle important subjects that we only have time to briefly discuss in class. It allows me to immerse my students in information that I believe is important. It allows us to discuss things that MEAN something and not just content.
Although blogging is another thing to grade it is more than that. It connects me to my students. It makes it more. And for those who are concerned about teaching writing -- I want you to go the blog of CC and notice her post. She did this in a computer science class! If you want writing across the curriculum, blogging is a great way to do it!
Again, we use blogs for opinion and wikis for fact in my structure. I'm sure as I go through each post and comment (I comment on every blog post) that more cream will rise to the surface from these exceptional children!
What have you blogged about with your students that has changed your life?
|
<urn:uuid:72ef5461-1af1-4bdd-9f17-52e676784b54>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2006/10/my-students-weigh-in-on-friedmans-flat.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00000-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.970194
| 939
| 2.59375
| 3
|
Blane Klemek: The American woodcock is an interesting species
The behavior of animals is fascinating to watch. It is one of the primary reasons we enjoy observing wildlife so much. Certainly, the vivid plumage of many species of male birds and the spectacle of large flocks of migrants is another reason, but we all enjoy seeing what an animal does and, for many of us, digging deeper to understand why they do it.
By the end of the month of March the migratory American woodcock arrives from their wintering grounds to Minnesota’s woodlands. These odd looking birds are actually shorebirds, but inhabit forests instead of wetlands, lakes and other riparian habitats.
When the male woodcock arrives here in the northland, they search for locations for their “singing grounds.” Typically, these sites include a component of young aspen and forest openings. Cut-overs (recently logged areas) or small fields next to prime cover are often where woodcock can be found.
Right now male woodcock are performing twice daily — early in the morning and late in the evening — for your listening and viewing pleasure. Of course the birds are actually performing for female woodcock and as a display for other males in the vicinity to stay away. But mostly it’s about courtship, and the way they go about it is worth the show.
Beginning everyday during the breeding season for about thirty minutes to an hour at dawn and dusk, the performance is both musical and spectacular. The male starts by “peenting,” as it’s called, from the ground, which is a nasal sounding vocalization produced from its throat. After numerous peents, the male abruptly departs into the sky above. Special primary wing feathers produce a twittering noise as the male woodcock’s flight carries him some 100 to 300 feet above his singing ground.
At the apex of the flight, he begins a corkscrew descent, creating a wonderfully musical bubbly, chirping and warbling song until, just moments before alighting back to the ground, he quits and glides to nearly the very spot he took off from. Almost immediately he begins his series of peents again. The flight, lasting about a minute, is repeated continuously until full daylight or darkness overcomes the woodland.
The common snipe, another migratory shorebird, performs aerial displays, too. Just a few days ago I watched four males perform their aerial feats. Over and over I watched in amazement as each snipe dove dozens of feet while simultaneously producing their rapid ascending musical sounds. While many people assume it’s their wings that make the sounds, the fact of the matter is the sound is produced from their tail feathers. Called “winnowing”, male snipe do what the woodcock does in the spring; they performing their own unique courtship display.
Other avian performers, male ruffed grouse, are presently “drumming” in forests everywhere. Though these birds will often drum in the fall, the activity really picks up during the spring breeding season. With drumming generally beginning in March and peaking in April to May, the male ruffed grouse generates the loud and thumping sound by beating his wings against the air. He chooses a secluded spot in dense thickets, always on top of a fallen log or stump and, while standing erect and using his fanned-out tail as support, extends his wings and beats hard against the air, slowly and deliberately at first, and culminating with a rapid series of wing-beats followed by a resting period.
Sharp-tailed grouse is yet another avian performer. Many sites throughout northwestern and northeastern Minnesota provide ideal habitat for these “prairie” grouse. Gathering on traditional dancing grounds, or “leks” as they are also called, male sharptails dance for breeding rights as they display, court, and even fight with other males from time to time. Like windup toys, the courting males will perform their amazing acts by vibrating the earth with rapidly stamping feet, heads pointing downward, and their wings extended to the sides. All of this, in addition to their clucks, coos, and cackles, just to impress the ladies.
Another “prairie” grouse is the greater prairie chicken. Pioneers had observed countless numbers of both prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse on the expansive grasslands of the Great Plains long ago. Like sharp-tails, prairie chickens gather in large groups on their traditional “booming grounds.” Located in prairie habitats in Clay, Becker, Norman, Mahnomen, Polk, and a few other northwestern Minnesota counties, prairie chickens depend on grasslands for survival.
Booming grounds refer to the males’ incredible booming sounds created from inflating their bright yellow-orange air sacs on the sides of their necks. The hoots and moans sound eerie and, like sharpies, the performances are generally conducted at dawn to attract hens. Males erect special neck feathers, called pinnae, during their foot stamping musical courtship displays.
And yet another well-recognized avian courtship display is what male wild turkeys performs each spring — the puffed out feathers, the fanned out tail, and the gobbling and drumming vocalizations — all serve a unique purpose. During the spring breeding season adult male turkeys compete with other males for the attention of hens. Male turkeys, also called gobblers or toms, establish “strutting zones” and will aggressively defend these areas from other toms. Though a true woodland bird, during the mating season these displays are performed where they can be easily seen, such as forest openings, field edges, and along trails.
Indeed, there are lots of opportunities to observe wildlife of all kinds performing courtship displays — especially birds. From waterfowl to grouse to songbirds and more, springtime is the best time as we get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
BLANE KLEMEK is a Minnesota DNR wildlife manager. He can be reached at bklemek@ yahoo.com.
|
<urn:uuid:8fb43b1d-1f83-4316-bf48-8992b333564a>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/content/blane-klemek-american-woodcock-interesting-species
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395679.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00015-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.962886
| 1,290
| 3.234375
| 3
|
Bronchitis, Chronic (COPD) in Cats
Also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis occurs when the mucous membranes of the bronchi (the airways that transport oxygen from the trachea to the lungs) become inflamed. Typically, this leads to a chronic cough that lasts two months or longer -- a cough that is not attributable to other causes like heart failure, neoplasia, infections, or other respiratory diseases.
Despite extensive diagnostic efforts by your veterinarian, the specific cause of the inflammation is rarely identified. In addition, breeds such as the Siamese and domestic shorthair are found to be predisposed to this chronic disease.
Symptoms and Types
- Abnormal lung sounds (i.e., wheezing, crackles, etc.)
- Inability to perform routine exercises
- Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes (cyanosis); a sign that oxygen in the blood is dangerously diminished
- Spontaneous loss of consciousness (syncope)
Chronic airway inflammation is initiated by a variety of causes.
You will need to give a thorough history of your cat’s health to your veterinarian, including the onset and nature of the symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated the unusual behaviors or complications. He or she will then perform a complete physical examination as well as a biochemistry profile, urinalysis, and complete blood count. Although the findings for these tests depend on the underlying cause of the brain injury, often the biochemistry profile may indicate abnormalities in the blood glucose level. Blood gases are also measured to confirm oxygen deficiency in the blood.
When fractures involving the skull are suspected, X-rays, CT (computed tomography) scans, and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) are extremely useful to evaluate the severity of the brain trauma. These diagnostic tools also help in determining the presence of bleeding, fractures, foreign bodies, tumor, and other abnormalities involving brain. The ECG (electrocardiogram), meanwhile, is used to evaluate heart functions and rhythm.
Lastly, your veterinarian may collect cerebrospinal fluid sample to determine the level of inflammation and to confirm possible infections.
Unless life-threatening symptoms develop, most cats do not require hospitalization. Otherwise, your veterinarian will typically recommend medication and oxygen therapy to be administered at home. Corticosteroids and bronchodilators, for example, are commonly employed to reduce airway inflammation and dilate the airway passage to facilitate breathing, respectively. Antibiotics, meanwhile, are usually prescribed to cats in case of lung infections.
Living and Management
Unfortunately, there is no cure yet available for COPD, but, with proper management, some symptoms may be kept in check. For example, weight control, a balanced diet, and proper compliance with medication will control the severity and progression of the disease.
Exercise is particularly important, as it helps clear the secretion present in the airways, thereby making it easier for the cat to breath. However, exercise must only be implemented gradually, as it can also cause excessive coughing. Additionally, a balanced diet will help keep the cat fit, thus improving its breathing, attitude and exercise tolerance.
Watch for excessive coughing and call your veterinarian immediately if it persists, as it may lead to a spontaneous loss of consciousness (syncope).
|
<urn:uuid:48260a79-2364-4848-bcae-6bdc49ce4fc4>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/respiratory/c_ct_chronic_bronchitis?page=show
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00103-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.925171
| 696
| 3.1875
| 3
|
I love fractals! The maths is is not complex* and yet simplicity can create such beauty. Fractal geometry is basically the maths of describing shapes. The essence of the idea is that you can define apparently highly complex patterns (like shapes) with relatively simple mathematical expressions. To generate images as below, typically a simple function (or formulae) is applyed repeatedly to each x,y co-ordinate of a grid of numbers (forming the canvas). After each calculation, the result is fed back in to the function. This is done a set number of times and depending on the final value, a colour is applied to that point of the canvas.
* Mathematical irony fans, that was for you.
I made these pictures with a program I wrote in Perl, basically to prove that I could. Many have gone before me and done it much better. Take, for example my mate Mat Holton who wrote a brilliant Java application for his CS BSc project. OK, enough bigging-up Mat. More about Perl and fractals… OK, how does this work? The basic algorithm used here was devised by Benoit Mandelbrot and does it’s work on a plane of complex numbers. You might start to feel a bit lost or freaky in a moment but hang in there, it really is quite simple… This plane of complex numbers is basically a big grid of sums where each ‘cell’ in the grid holds a value that is the sum of a ‘real’ number and an ‘imaginary’ number. Imaginary numbers are real numbers multiplied by i, which is the square root of -1. I know what your thinking… You can’t make a square root of a negative number! Well with a bit of jiggery-pokery, that is way beyond my understanding, you can. so there. Anyway, it turns out that these complex numbers are pretty usefull in all sorts of situations (usually engineering). What do we do with each of these complex numbers in a big grid? We bung them through Mandlebrot’s equation! Each complex number is depicted by z in this algorithm. z0 is the starting value whilst z is the current value. This current value of Z gets repeatedly run through the equation and as it does so, the current value changes. The actual equation I used in my programs was: z = z² + z0 Each cell in our grid (i.e. values of z in our plane of complex numbers) gets put through this equation a specified number of times (e.g. 300). For some starting values of z, it will change but always remain very small (less than 2). For other starting values, it will get big, small and big again untill eventually it goes larger than 2 and it heading off to become a very big number indeed. Basically, you can count the number of times (and stop somewhere around 300 itterations) the starting value for z can go through the equation before it gets big (goes to infinity) and depending on how long it lasts, plot it’s position in the grid as a colour. and there you go. The picture drawing is handled by creating a bitmap where each cell in the grid (plane of complex numbers) is a pixel on the bitmap. The program starts at the top left corner with a certain value of z corresponding to the topleft corner of the grid defined by the user. It runs the calculation and checks to see how far through the maximum number of itteratons (specified by the user) the cell got before its value of z got larger than 2. The colouring was (sometimes) as follows:
When it has done one pixel, it moves on to the next in the row and does the same for each row of cell/pixels. Ok, so have a go yourself… If you are running Unix or Linux then you should have Perl installed by default (but you may have to change the first line of the script to reflect the true path to your version). If you are a Windows user, why not download the Activestate version of perl here. If you are running anything less than Win 2000 it can be a PITA but persevere, it WILL be worth it. I also understand that there is a Mac version of the Perl interpreter but I have no experience of this and hence have never tested these programs on this distribution. If you really can’t be arsed to download and install Perl then this compiled executable may work for you (if you have Win 2000)… OK. Now if you have perl, you just need to make sure you have the GD and Math::complex module installed. This is pretty simple stuff, if you are using Unix or Linux then go to the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network and follow the instructions from there or if you are a Windows user, open a command/MSDos prompt and type ppm. You can then type “help” to get the list of commands. Something like “search GD” followed by “install GD” should do you for the GD module and similarly, “search complex” etc should do you for the Math::complex module. Also, if you want to start programming in Perl, I would recomend Learning Perl as a very good start… Enjoy. If you have Perl installed (and the gd.pm and math::complex.pm modules) you can save and run the following scripts (Right-click and save the target/link): Download script for Mandelbrot coloured according to the final value of the complex number. Download script for Mandelbrot coloured according to the proportion of itterations before the complex number is bigger than 2. When you start the program, it asks for some paramters that enable you to change the section of the mandelbrot set that is calculated and vary the resolution of the finished image. Follow the instructions carefully. The image is drawn and placed in the same directory as you run the program from… The picture below may help you to work out which bit you will be plotting. The Real numbers are the x-axis and the imaginary numbers are the y-axis. The most exciting bit (sad I know!) is between the points that don’t go to infinity (the bug) and the bits that do go to infinity (or bigger than 2 anyway).
|
<urn:uuid:fb6c6724-c9c4-4270-a0ec-5716c13d2e35>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.jambell.com/fractals/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400572.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00052-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.932528
| 1,316
| 2.78125
| 3
|
India zooms into space.
This is an extremely important news for all of us. That’s why Dr. V R Gowariker, Director, VSSC wrote in Science Today ( 1980 August ).
From almost toy rocketry (1969) to Satellite launching (July 18, 1980 ) took just about 10 years.
With reference to the SLV-3 launching ( on 18 July, 1980), he wrote :
“ Experience gained from SLV-3 has given us confidence that we will be able to build launch vehicles of 300 to 400 ton class , using both solid and liquid systems. We have probably all the rudiments to build such vehicles in this decade itself. “
|
<urn:uuid:341eb2af-142a-4ee5-ac73-8525091ae173>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://scienctoday.blogspot.com/2008/03/india-in-space-slv-3.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00171-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954962
| 143
| 2.84375
| 3
|
Malay at SOAS Language Centre
Malay is a member of the Austronesian language family and thus shares a common origin with languages belonging to territories as far-flung as Hawaii, New Zealand and Madagascar. Malay and Indonesian are particularly close to each other, having evolved from the lingua franca of the East Indies that was used in trade by indigenous as well as non-indigenous populations from before the 15th Century.
Malay contains a huge number of loanwords, reflecting centuries of contact with speakers of other languages. The oldest evidence of borrowing comes from the archaeological record of Sumatra: this is the Kedukan Bukit inscription, dated to around the 7th Century, carved in an alphabet of Indian origin and containing a substantial number of words clearly identifiable from Sanskrit.
It is from Arabic that Malay has borrowed most extensively, reflecting both trade with Muslim peoples and the process of Islamisation from early times. Malay can still be written in jawi, the writing system derived from Arabic, with the addition of letters not represented in the Arabic alphabet, although the use of rumi, a Roman-based writing system, has become prevalent since independence from Britain in 1957.
It is difficult to estimate the total number of speakers of Malay, since the language has many non-native speakers – many, many more if Indonesian, with which it is intelligible, is included. One may estimate the number of speakers of Malay to be in the region of 25 million, predominantly in Malaysia and Brunei. With Indonesian, this figure rises dramatically to around 140 million, making it a major world language.
SOAS Language Centre offers the following for Malay:
- Malay Beginners (Not currently available)
|
<urn:uuid:61fa602d-32f4-43fe-a102-a389c15b7031>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre/languages/malay/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00080-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.956825
| 354
| 3.203125
| 3
|
The following tutorials will be offered on the first day (July 15th, 2007) of the 10th
International Protégé Conference:
Tutorial content subject to change. Contact the conference
organizers with questions (protege-conf-organizers AT lists DOT stanford DOT edu).
How to Build and Maintain Useful Ontologies
This tutorial will provide an overview of what we have learned from recent work, especially in the
biomedical domain, regarding practices of ontology building. We will focus not on tools and
implementations, but rather on the steps needed to create coherent ontology content. Topics to be
dealt with will include:
- Basics of ontology building -- How to formulate terms, definitions, axioms.
- Some ontology success stories -- The role of annotations; how to make ontologies work successfully
with instance-data in real-world contexts.
- Ontology cooperation -- How to resolve problems where ontologies overlap.
- Ontology terminology -- How the different disciplinary groups in ontology development and application can
communicate with each other when they use different terminologies?
- Ontology evolution -- How to improve ontologies, and how to keep track of improvements in useful ways.
- Ontology evaluation -- How can we prove that high-quality ontologies bring real benefits? What are
examples of successful use cases.
(Alan Rector, Olivier Dameron, Nick Drummond, Matthew Horridge)
OWL is the W3C standard ontology language for the Semantic Web, and Protégé-OWL the most widely used
editing tool for OWL. This three-part tutorial introduces OWL ontology development with Protégé-OWL,
presents the majors features of the OWL-DL languages, and explains how to leverage these features for performing
advanced reasoning tasks. This will be a "hands-on" adaptation and extension of the famous
pizza tutorial. The three
parts are in continuity, but intermediate resources will be provided so that participants can attend only the second,
the third, or the second and third parts depending on their level of expertise.
The first part of the tutorial covers the basic language elements of OWL (classes, properties, and individuals) and shows
how they can be edited with Protégé-OWL. The goal of this session is to demonstrate how to create the various
elements of a pizza ontology and how to structure this ontology. The intended audience is users not familiar with the
Protégé-OWL editor or with the OWL language.
The second part of the tutorial introduces the semantics of the OWL language constructs. We will explore more complex
OWL class descriptions by showing how different types of restrictions can be used to enhance the logical meaning of
classes, after which we will discuss the important notion of primitive and defined classes. The goal of this session is
to demonstrate how to use the richness of the OWL language both for providing an accurate description of a domain knowledge
and for using this knowledge in order to make the development and maintenance of the ontology easier and safer. The
intended audience comprises those who attended the first part and those who want to have an introduction to the semantics
of the OWL language.
The third part of the tutorial introduces a more advanced exploitation of the reasoning power of OWL. We will cover the
open world assumption and compare class and instance-based reasoning. The intended audience comprises those who attended
the second part and those who want to get an in-depth understanding of the capabilities of OWL reasoning.
SWRLTab Tutorial (Martin O'Connor)
This tutorial will provide an in depth look at the
SWRLTab, a development environment
for working with Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) rules in Protégé-OWL. The tutorial will provide an
introduction to the SWRL language. Hands-on sessions will cover the authoring of rules using the SWRL Editor and
the execution of rules using the SWRLJessTab. The set of libraries provided by the SWRLTab will also be covered.
These libraries can be used in SWRL rules and include collections of mathematical, string, and temporal operators,
in addition to operators that can be used to effectively turn SWRL into a query language.
The target audience member is an existing Protégé-OWL user. Attendance at the OWL Tutorial or
previous familiarity with basic OWL concepts are minimal requirements.
More information on this tutorial
Ontology Visualization (Jennifer Vendetti)
This tutorial will focus on several Protégé plug-ins that have been developed specifically
for the purpose of visualizing ontologies. The first portion of the tutorial will be a hands-on walk-through
of the graph widget tutorial that is available on the Protégé Web site. The graph widget is a
custom slot widget plug-in that allows users to graphically create and populate instances of classes.
It is very useful as a) an alternative to Protégé Forms for entering instance data,
b) as a way to visualize networks of instances, and c) as a way to visualize relationships between instances. The
graph widget can be used both in the
The second portion of the tutorial will be a demonstration of the
TGVizTab tab plug-ins.
If time permits at the end of the tutorial, there will also be a demonstration of a new visualization plug-in called the
Impact & Alignment Tab, which is a
work in progress and will be released (hopefully) in the fall. The target audience for this tutorial are Protégé
users with little exposure to the existing visualization plug-ins that are currently available. If users plan to follow the
hands-on portion of the tutorial, basic experience with navigating the Protégé user interface will be assumed.
Attendees should know how to perform rudimentary tasks such as opening projects and creating new classes, slots, and
More information on this tutorial
JessTab & JessAgentTab Tutorial (Henrik Eriksson, Karl-Heinz Krempels)
The first 2.5 hours of this tutorial will introduce the JessTab extension,
which enables the use of the Java Expert System Shell (Jess)
under Protégé. The tutorial will cover basic Jess programming, rule-based reasoning with Jess under
Protégé, and the use of Jess for managing Protégé ontologies and knowledge bases.
Furthermore, the tutorial will address the mapping of instances in Protégé knowledge bases to Jess facts
and use of the JessTab with both Protégé-Frames and
Protégé-OWL. The tutorial will
exemplify practical uses of Jess together with Protégé and discuss common design patterns. The tutorial
will demonstrate how to install Jess and the JessTab and how to interact with the JessTab. The target audience is
developers interested in combining ontologies and reasoning. No prior knowledge of Jess or the JessTab is required.
The last 30 minutes of this tutorial will present the JessAgentTab and is focused on a four stage development
process of agent-based applications. In this process, Protégé's main role is the knowledge
representation integration among the different tools used in each stage, but also ontology modeling, knowledge
acquisition, problem solving method development, and code generation and export to the target technology
(agent technology, Web services, etc.). The first stage covers domain analysis and requirements specification
with the help of well-established tools in the domain of discourse. The second stage addresses knowledge engineering:
ontology modeling and knowledge acquisition with the help of core Protégé functionality. The problem
solving method (PSM) is developed/implemented with the help of the JessTab (Henrik Eriksson) in stage three.
The last stage covers code generation and export of the ontology (TBox, ABox) and PSM into a JessAgent.
The JessAgent is a generic rule-based agent with FIPA (Foundation of Intelligent and Physical Agents) interaction
capabilities and an embedded Jess (Java Expert System Shell) rule engine for reasoning. The target audience is
developers interested in combining ontologies, reasoning, and agent-based application development. No prior knowledge
of Jess, JessAgent, the JessTab, or the JessAgentTab is required.
More information on this tutorial
Application Development with Protégé (Timothy Redmond)
This tutorial will address the issue of developing plug-ins and applications with Protégé. It will
start with a description of the Protégé Plug-in Framework and describe how the plug-in framework can
be used to add capabilities to the Protégé system. We will cover all of the
existing plug-in types. We will describe what is necessary to
develop each type of plug-in and how each plug-in type extends the Protégé application. We will
follow-up the discussion of Protégé plug-ins with a discussion of an alternative paradigm of development
in Protégé: the development of standalone Protégé applications. We will see that in many
cases, there is a natural evolution from the development of Protégé plug-ins to the development of
standalone Protégé applications. We will describe the architectural design issues in application
development and analyze some real deployed applications that have been built with Protégé. The target
audience includes both Java programmers and non-programmers.
|
<urn:uuid:132e8848-d210-402f-bc45-a92f81027091>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://protege.stanford.edu/conference/2007/tutorials.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00134-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.856292
| 2,020
| 2.53125
| 3
|
The highlight activity for the week was making a paper-mache globe. It was a very messy project, but loads of fun and definitely worth the time and effort.
Here's how we did it:
- 1 round balloon or punch ball, blown up to a diameter of 12" or whatever size globe you would like
- newspaper cut into 1"x10" strips
- plastic table cover or lots of newspaper to cover work surface
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water (separate from the first 4 cups)
- tempera paint: blue, green, and white
- paint brushes
1. Put 4 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. While waiting for water to boil, mix/whisk 1 cup flour with 1 cup water in a bowl.
3. Pour this flour/water mixture into the boiling water, and simmer 2 or 3 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally, preferably with a whisk.
4. Pour into a 9"x13" casserole and let cool. We cut our newspaper strips while our paste cooled.
5. Dip 1 newspaper strip into cooled paste, squeezing off excess with fingers, and smooth it onto the balloon. Repeat until balloon is covered.
6. Hang to dry overnight.
7. Cover with a second layer and possibly a third.
8. Use a pencil to draw outlines of the continents.
9. Paint with tempera. It will possibly take two coats.
10. Hang once again to dry.
11. If you want, you can have your students label the continents and oceans (or anything else for that matter) with a black sharpie marker.
A whisk helps smooth out the lumps.
Cooling in the Pyrex
The gooey-ness takes some getting used to.
One layer down...two to go!
The kids enjoyed this, and my littlest grew tired of laying on the newspaper strips before we finished.
A couple of tips that we learned while doing this project:
1. Do this on a nice, leisurely day when you have an empty schedule and are under no time constraints if possible. It is a messy project that takes patience on your part and on the part of your children. However, it is fun and rewarding!
2. Our paste mixture got lumpy over time as we were dipping our strips of newspaper in it. To remedy this we had to occasionally stir it with a whisk, sometimes adding a teaspoon or so of water as we whisked.
3. Do not wait longer than a day in between pasting on each layer of newspaper. If you do, the balloon might start to separate from the first layer prematurely, and you'll have a caved-in globe and will have to start over. Can you guess how I know this?
4. If drawing the continents free-hand onto the globe is too much for your students, you can print out continent outlines and cut them apart. Then your student can either color them and glue them on the globe or use them as templates to trace around on the globe and then paint.
This project is not the sort of thing we do very often around here. It takes several days and a lot of patience to complete, but it was well worth our time and effort.
Hope these directions were helpful to some of you!
|
<urn:uuid:1c74aca7-58ae-40fd-b71c-b6a601bf64d1>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.songofmyheart.org/2012/11/making-paper-mache-globe.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393442.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00090-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.948961
| 699
| 3.375
| 3
|
New Product Showcase
Request a Quote
Add a Link
Pennsylvania Removed More than 1,300 Tons of
Trash and Debris in 2002
Harrisburg, PA— Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources Acting Secretary Michael DiBerardinis announced
that more than 1,300 tons of trash and other debris were removed from
78 illegal dumpsites on state forest and parklands in 2002 as part of
Pennsylvania's Forest Lands Beautification Program.
PA CleanWays, DCNR's cleanup partner under the program, organized volunteers
to perform most of the cleanups. In 2002, 838 volunteers spent 3,769 hours
- the equivalent of 471 eight-hour workdays - removing tires, appliances,
household trash and other debris from state forests and parks.
Program volunteers also monitor cleaned sites to ensure that dumping does
not recur, an approach that reduces subsequent dumping. Cleaned sites
have had few reoccurrences of dumping.
In addition to the more than 1,300 tons of debris, more than 6,600 tires
were also pulled from illegal dumpsites during 2002 cleanups. The amount
of trash removed from the parks and forests dump sites last year is the
equivalent of nearly 1,600 people dumping their yearly household trash
on public lands. Each person in the United States generates an estimated
4.6 pounds of trash per day.
Contractors were hired for cleanups at sites where the terrain, quantity
or weight of discarded materials required the use of cranes or other heavy
equipment. Forestry personnel cleaned several other sites. Scrap metal,
appliances, tires and other materials were recycled after each cleanup.
The remaining waste was properly disposed.
"Thanks to the tremendous efforts of hundreds of volunteers, we are
restoring Pennsylvania's forest and park lands for all to use," PA
CleanWays President Josie Gaskey said. "But there's still work to
do. Volunteers interested in creating an immediate and lasting benefit
for the environment are encouraged to call and sign up for a cleanup."
Gaskey noted that when volunteers express interest in cleaning up a specific
site, that site becomes a higher priority on the cleanup list.
The Forest Lands Beautification Program, created by the Forest Lands Beautification
Act in 1998, provides up to $7.5 million over five years to clean up existing
dumps on state forest and park lands by recycling or properly disposing
of waste materials, monitoring sites and working with communities to reduce
future dumping. The program is funded by the Municipal Waste Planning,
Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (Act 101), administered by the Department
of Environmental Protection.
More than 250 illegal dumpsites have been identified throughout Pennsylvania.
Since the program's inception, 166 sites have been cleaned through the
efforts of more than 1,500 volunteers. These cleanups have resulted in
the removal of more than 1,900 tons of household trash, 11,500 tires,
280 tons of scrap metal, 525 tons of concrete and more.
|
<urn:uuid:3ff56e2c-8715-4dc3-b873-9e0c5e64f4b7>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.americanrecycler.com/apr03/04pennsylvania03.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396455.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.9262
| 636
| 2.734375
| 3
|
Here’s a diagram that may help you learn the difference between England, Great Britain, the British Isles, and the United Kingdom.
The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom are the only two sovereign states in this image. They are shown in red. Ireland and Great Britain are both islands and are shown in green. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are constituent countries of the United Kingdom and are shown in orange.
There are other complicating factors, stemming from politics, history, and geography. The author explains these as simply as possible, including the fact that this is actually a Euler Diagram instead of a Venn Diagram. Now if they could only explain North America/USA/America! Link -via reddit
|
<urn:uuid:04975ce5-6e8f-4920-8d6f-7664159f6b28>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/02/04/the-great-british-venn-diagram/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398216.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00011-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.924366
| 150
| 3.3125
| 3
|
Alien Profile: Zebra Mussel
Alias (scientific name in Latin): Dreissena polymorpha
Home Land (Origination): Ponto-Caspian region of western Russia
Arrival Date: They were first found in the Great Lakes on June 1, 1988. They were accidentally introduced to North America in ballast water from a boat that traveled across the ocean.
How to Identify:
How They Multiply:
The fertilized eggs quickly develop into free-swimming larvae called veligers (VEL-i-jers). Veligers are smaller than periods! They feed on tiny phytoplankton and begin to grow shells. The water currents can cause veligers to travel great distances.
At 3 - 4 weeks, the veligers' shells weigh enough to cause them to sink. They must find something to attach to or they will die.
Some of the veligers attach to hard surfaces called substrates. Hard surfaces include rocks, wood, glass, metal, native mussels, and each other. They now change from free-swimming larvae to anchored mussels. Very few of the veligers survive to this stage.
The young zebra mussels reach sexual maturity during their first year and are ready to continue the cycle.
Invaded Territory: Great Lakes and several inland lakes and rivers like the Mississippi River.
Evidence of Invasion:
Zebra mussels also pile up on beaches. When they die they wash up on the shore and begin to decay. Their shells are razor sharp. Watch your step!
When zebra mussels feed on plankton, they remove incredible amounts of food from the water. They can filter about 1 quart of water each day. They leave the water clear, sometimes too clear. The zebras grow on top of the native mussels and smother them. With plankton removed from the water, more sunshine reaches the bottom. Plants living here grow rapidly. They also use zebra mussel droppings as fertilizer. Bottom-feeding fish feast on the waste produced by the zebra mussels. Their numbers increase. Zooplankton and small fish which feed on plankton have less to eat. Their numbers decrease. Larger fish which feed on the small fish decrease in number. The zebra mussels take food, space, and oxygen, causing the death of native mussels.
Help Stop the Alien Invasion!Extermination Techniques:
1. Are you providing free rides to aliens? Don't be an alien helper, watch out for hitchhikers. Zebra mussels have already invaded the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Other lakes and streams in Wisconsin are at risk. Check the ways you think zebra mussels can get from one body of water to another.
If you find a zebra mussel, take a close look at it. While we are not crazy about having them in Wisconsin, they are fascinating animals. Do not put the mussel back into the water. Try to determine if anyone has seen zebra mussels in this particular body of water before.
Note: If you checked all the boxes above, you know how to avoid giving free rides to zebras!
2. Freshwater drums (fish) and diving ducks eat zebra mussels, but they don't eat enough to control their population. Zebra mussels seem to be able to survive everywhere, but they are rarely found in still water or fast-moving water. They also don't do well in polluted water or at low oxygen levels. Summer water temperatures might also limit their spread.
3. Chemicals will also kill the other animals living in the lakes. Scientists are searching for ways to control their growth. Meanwhile, some diving ducks are changing their migration patterns to munch on zebra mussels.
This "WILD in the City" publication was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Project WILD with a grant from Phillips Petroleum Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Written and designed by Beth Mittermaier, 1996.
|
<urn:uuid:2afe20e1-b061-4840-85d8-0db0f33ab133>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/invert/zebramussel.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396147.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00093-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.944822
| 827
| 3.890625
| 4
|
Though a small group of proteins, the family called Ras controls a large number of cellular functions, including cell growth, differentiation, and survival. And because the protein has a hand in cellular division, mutated Ras, which can be detected in one-third of all tumors, contributes to many human cancers by allowing for the rapid growth of diseased cells.
Now Prof. Yoel Kloog of Tel Aviv University's Department of Neurobiology, along with Dr. Itamar Goldstein of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sheba Medical Center and their students Helly Vernitsky and Dr. Oded Rechavi, has found that oncogenic Ras, which promotes cancer development, can also alert the immune system to the presence of cancer cells.
For the first time, the researchers have shown the transfer of oncogenic Ras in human cells from melanoma cells to T cells, which belong to a group of white blood cells that are part of the immune system. This transfer allows the immune cells to gather crucial intelligence on what they are fighting and develop the necessary cytokines, or signalling molecules, to kill the melanoma cells.
Prof. Kloog suggests that a drug that enhances the transfer of the oncogene from the tumor to the immune cells is a potential therapy to augment the anti-cancer immune response. This research has been published in the Journal of Immunology.
Finding the tipping point
Although they found that immune cells often exchange proteins among themselves, the discovery that melanoma cells transfer mutated Ras is an intriguing first. And it's this initial transfer that begins what the researchers call a positive feedback loop.
In the lab, researchers incubated T-cells from patients with human melanoma cells that had originated from tumors to track the process of handing-off various proteins. They uncovered a circuit that runs between the cancer and immune cells. Once the melanoma cells pass oncogenic Ras to the T-cells, the T-cells are activated and begin to produce cytokines, which enhances their capacity to kill cancer cells.
As these melanoma cells pass along the mutated Ras, the immune cells become increasingly active. Eventually, enough oncogenic material is transferred across the immune cells' threshold, causing the T-cells to act on the melanoma cells from which the oncogenic Ras was derived. Ultimately, this transfer tips the scales in favor of the immune cells, the researchers say.
Exploiting the information transfer
The next step is to develop a therapy that can enhance the transfer in patients with cancers linked to oncogenic Ras, says Prof. Kloog. And although their research has so far focused on melanoma, which is known to elicit the response of the immune system, he believes that this finding could be applicable to other types of cancers.
There is a constant balancing act between cancer cells and the immune system, says Dr. Goldstein. Under normal circumstances, the immune system will kill some cancerous cells on a daily basis. The disease becomes critical when the immune system can no longer keep cancer cells in check. Although there are many theories as to how cancer cells break free of this cycle, scientists are still attempting to discover why this occurs.
Prof. Kloog and Dr. Goldstein hope that this research leads to a better understanding of how the immune system fights tumors. "It's a part of the interaction between cancer and the immune system that is not well known," says Dr. Goldstein. "We are trying to gather more comprehensive data on all the proteins that are being passed around, and how this information impacts the immune system's response to cancer."
Explore further: Universal donor immune cells
|
<urn:uuid:08209708-ceb1-4b15-acd2-63a634af8c02>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-immune-melanoma-proteins-cancer-cells.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395620.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00010-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.947713
| 742
| 3.125
| 3
|
World Space Week, held from October 4 to October 10, is the largest public space event in the world.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly to be an international celebration of technological contributions to the betterment of humankind, WSW is coordinated by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs with the support of World Space Week Association, a non-profit organization supported by national coordinators in 68 nations.
The start and end dates recognize the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1 (October 4, 1957) and the signing of the Outer Space Treaty (October 10, 1967).
Annual events generally include rocket launches, school activities, exhibits, political events, and special programs at planetaria around the globe.
This year’s theme is "Space for Education" and teachers are encouraged to use space-themed activities in the classroom to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Also this year, $500 teacher grants will be awarded for the most creative use of space in the classroom during WSW!
Highlights of the TENTH Annual World Space Week 2009 include:
- NASA's LCROSS mission impacts the Moon October 9
- Week-long space celebration across the Hawaiian islands
- Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté broadcast from space
- Australian Government launches the Australian Space Science Program
- Space Festival & Astronautical Congress in Republic of Korea
- Sending messages into space via SentForever
- Celebrations in 60 nations!
|
<urn:uuid:b6ab5bbb-3acc-47de-b566-aa0136ad78a5>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://pillownaut.blogspot.com/2009/10/world-space-week.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783394414.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154954-00093-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.925052
| 310
| 3.15625
| 3
|
In Antarctica, you learn not to take anything for granted. Not even things as basic as food, water, or energy. The reason? Everything people depend on has to be shipped or flown into the continent. Why? There are no farms in on the icy continent. The only plants are mosses and lichens. There are certainly no cows, pigs, or chickens. Whether your favorite food is pizza or burritos, all of the ingredients have to come from other continents. As for drinking water, special systems and a great deal of energy are needed to take to salt out of seawater to make it useable.
Then there is the matter of waste. The U.S. Antarctic Program is committed to reducing its impact—or footprint—on the Antarctic environment. That means that every bit of garbage a person might produce in a day has to be transported off the continent. That's true whether it's the wrapper from your candy bar or the green beans you didn't want to eat or the paper towels you used to wipe your hands.
McMurdo Station managers remind community members to adopt the values and habits of conservation. The station has put into place technology that helps it reduce its footprint. It starts with energy. The U.S. research base has partnered with its nearby neighbor, New Zealand's Scott Base, to share energy produced from three large wind turbines. Scott Base Kiwis—as the New Zealanders are called—get 100% of their power from wind, says power-plant manager Ron Blevins, while the American base gets about 35% of its energy from wind. The much larger U.S. base uses oil-fired generators to supply the rest of its energy needs. The waste heat produced by the generators is then used to warm many of its buildings.
Water-plant manager Paul Jones says it takes energy and special technology to remove the salt from seawater to produce drinking water. McMurdo uses about 45,000 gallons of water a day. People are encouraged to conserve water. At the South Pole Station, where snow and ice must be melted for drinking water, people are limited to two-minute showers twice a week!
The McMurdo base also has a wastewater treatment plant that takes care of sewage. Yubecca Bragg, who is an organic farmer in West Virginia during the Antarctic winter, manages the treatment plant. Bragg explains that sewage treatment depends on allowing microorganisms to break down the wastes until the liquid part of the waste can be safely released into the ocean. Between 150,000 and 180,000 pounds a year of the remaining solid waste, called sludge, is packed into containers and sent back to the U.S.
What’s on the Cargo Ships?
The people who live and work in McMurdo fly into and out of the continent along with their luggage and scientific equipment. But the food and fuel, machinery and supplies that keep the town running come in by cargo ships. There is one ship that brings fuel and another ship that brings cargo. The cargo ship takes back all of the waste, from construction materials to glass, paper, plastic, and metal that has been carefully recycled. Both ships will be arriving at McMurdo in the next two weeks. It takes 10 days to unload and reload the cargo ship, and about 40 hours to unload the fuel. All fuel and supplies must be delivered during the short Antarctic summer. Nothing comes in or goes out during the long, dark Antarctic winter.
To live and work at the bottom of the world, whether you are there to study penguins or bake bread, requires very careful planning. And as visitors to Antarctica quickly discover, every plan always requires a backup plan—and a backup plan to the backup plan.
David Bjerklie is filing reports while traveling to Antarctica with the National Science Foundation. Track his progress and learn all about the icy continent at TFK’s Antarctica Mini-Site.
To see a live web broadcast on January 23, teachers and parents can join the TFK community at edweb.net/tfk. All participants will receive printable worksheets with maps, time lines, and more.
|
<urn:uuid:a98628e5-f7e9-4400-be4f-643bad3011b2>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.timeforkids.com/news/not-so-simple-life/140426
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396872.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00189-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.953943
| 851
| 3.5625
| 4
|
Mints are aromatic garden plants that have so many culinary and medicinal uses; everyone loves them. There are as many flavors of mint as there is ice cream. Varieties include chocolate, banana, apple, spearmint, peppermint, orange, ginger, and the ever popular lavender mint plants. Mints are attractive plants and make delightful additions to teas, soups, cold drinks, salads and desserts. Lavender mint has delicate purple flowers and is hardy in USDA growing zones 3 to 7.
Growing Lavender Mint
Growing lavender mint (Mentha piperita ‘Lavendula’) isn’t difficult, as mint is generally not fussy and a perfect starter plant for those just getting into gardening. Like peppermint, lavender mint plants have a red stem and delicious floral overtones.
One caveat that must be mentioned about growing any type of mint is its invasive nature. Once mint gets started, it runs like a freight train throughout the garden. It is best to contain lavender mint in a fairly shallow, wide pot, for best results. It’s also a good idea not to combine different types of mints together but give them each their own space.
You can also put mint in large tin cans or buckets with open bottoms and bury them in the garden to keep plants contained. However, if you have a large open space and require a perennial groundcover, lavender mint is a good choice, as it tolerates some shade and will grow well under trees and shrubs as long as it gets a little sun daily.
Although mints are not particular about the soil, if you grow it in a pot, be sure to use a loamy soil that drains well.
Care of Lavender Mint
Mint plants are a breeze to care for and are often called the perfect lazy gardener’s companion. Care of a lavender mint plant in a pot is minimal as long as you make sure that the soil does not become overly dry.
Keep the soil evenly moist and offer more water during especially dry times. A layer of mulch helps mint plants in the ground retain moisture.
How to Use Lavender Mint
Like other mints, the lavender mint family is remarkably versatile. This mint is equally at home in the kitchen as it is in the medicine cabinet. Most often used dry for potpourris and teas, lavender mint is also a key ingredient in a number of personal care products including lip balms, shampoos and creams.
Add a sprig or two of lavender mint to your salads, pastas or soups for a taste enhancer. Fresh lavender mint is also a pleasant addition to a glass of cold lemonade or on top of a dish of fresh strawberries.
|
<urn:uuid:26abdbe0-9aba-4eb3-80fb-1e82b9628905>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/mint/growing-lavender-mint.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00037-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.941859
| 573
| 2.625
| 3
|
full title · Anne of Green Gables
author · Lucy Maud Montgomery
type of work · Novel
genre · Coming-of-age novel; juvenile literature
language · English
time and place written · 1908; Canada
date of first publication · 1908
publisher · L. C. Page
narrator · The narrator relates the events of the novel in the third person and has access to every character’s thoughts and emotions. Biased and partial, the narrator often mocks, condemns, or shows affection for the characters.
point of view · The novel is written mainly from Anne’s point of view, but it frequently switches to Marilla’s and sometimes to Matthew’s points of view.
tone · The narrator is affectionate toward Anne, satirical when describing small-town life, and sentimental and gushing when describing nature.
tense · Past
setting (time) · The turn of the twentieth century
setting (place) · Prince Edward Island, Canada
protagonist · Anne Shirley
major conflict · Anne struggles to reconcile her imagination and romantic notions with the rigid expectations of traditional Avonlea society.
rising action · Anne’s continuous mistakes in her domestic duties and social interactions
climax · Matthew’s death and Anne’s success at college
falling action · Anne’s decision to stay at Green Gables and teach in Avonlea
themes · The conflict between imagination and expectation; sentimentality versus emotion
motifs · Fashion; images of nature
symbols · Anne’s red hair; the light from Diana’s window
foreshadowing · Anne’s dream about having a best friend hints at the close relationship she develops with Diana Barry; Matthew’s heart trouble foreshadows his death at the end of the novel, just as Marilla’s headaches foreshadow her health problems.
Hello,friend I am miss Lisa Maxwell,I am interested knowing you because i have an important issue to discuss with you,please contact me via this e-mail ( firstname.lastname@example.org )waiting for your email to send my pictures and tell you more about me, your friend, Lisa Maxwell,
|
<urn:uuid:a6824cfe-fd64-47dc-8422-f5f140e37b7c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/anneofgreengables/facts.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396875.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00019-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.849172
| 469
| 2.71875
| 3
|
Wu-Tang Clan: History of the Hip Hop Group
Formed in Staten Island, New York in the early 1990s, the Wu-Tang Clan rose to prominence due to their martial arts film-inspired hip hop tracks. Consisting of RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa, the group earned fans almost from the get-go due to their hardcore lyrics and unique beats. This even led many of the band’s members to successful solo careers outside of the collective. Though Wu-Tang’s popularity did eventually wane, their influence on hip hop history cannot be denied. In this video, WatchMojo.com takes a look at the history of the Wu-Tang Clan.
|
<urn:uuid:d7815fe5-84fa-49ce-a8fb-a577d0d8bbfe>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.watchmojo.com/video/id/10669/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00139-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.920543
| 173
| 2.765625
| 3
|
Meet a Meteorologist
Click's friend David George is a meteorologist—a scientist who studies the weather. He works in a television station and delivers the weather report on the evening news. One day Click stopped by to talk to David about wind and weather. Here's what they said.
David: Hi, Click. What brings you to the station today?
Click: Well, it's blowing pretty hard outside, and I needed to get in out of the wind.
David: Ah, yes. It's windy because of the low pressure system near our area.
Click: Low pressure system? What's that?
David: Before I explain about low pressure, I'd better talk about wind.
Click: Oh, I know all about wind. Wind is moving air!
David: Right! And that moving air is what drives weather around the world. The key thing to remember about weather and wind is that hot air rises and cold air sinks. Since some parts of Earth are really hot and some parts are really cold, there's a lot of rising and sinking air. And besides this up and down motion, the spinning of Earth makes wind curve and blow around.
Click: It could make a mouse dizzy just thinking about it.
David: Here's the tricky part. Cold, sinking air squeezes down with a lot of pressure. So we call this a high pressure system. Warm air rises, lifting pressure off the Earth. This is a low pressure system.
Click: But what does this have to do with how stormy it is today?
David: Well, when warm, moist air rises into the sky, clouds are formed. So low pressure systems usually bring bad weather. High pressure systems bring clear, pretty days.
Click: It sounds complicated to me. But this looks like a cool place to work.
David: I like it. It has everything I need to prepare my weather reports.
Click: Is this the camera you use when you're on TV? Can I take your picture?
David: Well, maybe we'd better wait till the cameraman gets here.
Click: OK. While we're waiting, can you tell me how you make your forecasts?
David: I use weather maps, satellite maps, radar displays—lots of things. I get weather information on these computers from all over the world.
Click: It was pretty cloudy when I got here. Does that mean it's going to rain?
David: It might. It might even be raining right now, higher up in the sky.
David: Well, not every raindrop hits the ground, you know. The same wind that creates clouds can keep raindrops—and even heavy hailstones—up in the sky. Let me show you.
Click: Hey, that's a hair dryer and a Ping-Pong ball!
David: Right. Imagine the Ping-Pong ball is a raindrop. The blowing air from the hair dryer is the wind lifting the raindrop. The wind is strong enough to keep raindrops and hailstones, and even whole clouds, in the air.
Click: Well, but clouds are light and fluffy.
David: Not really. In a rainstorm, the raindrops in the clouds get too heavy to be held up by the wind, and they fall to the ground. If we had a really heavy rain here, and it rained on this building for twenty minutes, there would be enough water to fill a swimming pool. So those clouds are as heavy as a swimming pool filled with water—and yet the upward motion of air can support their weight. Wind is strong stuff.
Click: I guess!
David: You know, Click, I have some instruments right outside to help me measure wind. Want to see?
David: The wind vane on the bottom shows which direction the wind is coming from. The anemometer—those little cups on top—measures how fast the wind is blowing. Both help me know what kind of weather to expect.
Click: Well, David, I expect I'm going to get blown away if I stay out here much longer. Good-bye and thanks!
David: Bye, Click—better get inside until this storm blows over!
- What kind of a day is it outside of the television station?
[anno: It is a stormy day.]
- What happens in a low pressure system?
[anno: Warm air rises off of the Earth in a low pressure system. The warm air forms clouds in the sky.]
- You wake up in the morning and look outside. You see a clear, blue sky. Is there a low pressure system or a high pressure system overhead?
[anno: There is a high pressure system overhead.]
|
<urn:uuid:bac8e233-468b-4c78-82d9-f3684bd73b69>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.eduplace.com/parents/hmsc/1/d/cricket/cktcontent_1d81.shtml
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00146-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.948722
| 990
| 2.984375
| 3
|
Do governments owe us clean air and clean water? Many Canadians expect our government to protect us from contamination and other environmental harms in outdoor air, water and land. But is this a legal right?
The first formal recognition of environmental rights is found in the Stockholm Declaration, signed in 1972. Principle 1 recognizes our “fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being.” But this is international law, more of a statement of aspiration than a legal requirement.
David Boyd, one of Canada’s leading academics on environmental law and policy, argues that most countries in the world have followed the Stockholm Declaration, and do recognize a formal right to a healthy environment. He reviewed the place of environmental rights in 193 constitutions and related laws and court decisions. (Professor Boyd summarized his findings here). More than 90 countries explicitly recognize environmental rights in their constitutions, he says. In at least twenty others, the courts have ruled that the right to life includes an implied right to a healthful environment. Altogether, 177 of the world’s 193 UN member nations recognize the right to a healthy environment through their constitution, environmental legislation, court decisions, or ratification of an international agreement.
So why not Canada? Many environmental activists want substantive environmental rights accepted as a part of Canadian law. Some are focused on expanding such rights to include the right to a healthy climate. How could this be done? It’s a long, long, long-shot, but the best possibilities are the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, aboriginal law, and the concept of public trust.
Environmental rights and the Charter
Ecojustice is in the midst of litigation on behalf of two members of Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia’s Chemical Valley. They argue that the Ministry of the Environment’s decision to approve additional air pollutant releases infringes their clients’ right to life, liberty and security of the person, guaranteed under section 7 of the Charter, because of the cumulative effect of all the Chemical Valley pollution on their health:
The Applicants have been deprived of personal choices that most Canadians take for granted, such as not living in a constant state of fear for their health and safety, being able to work and engage in recreation outdoors, and not being forced to choose between their culture and community connections, and their own health and safety.
They also argue that the decision infringes equality rights guaranteed under section 15(1) of the Charter:
As a result of the cumulative effects of pollution approved in Chemical Valley, and the economic and cultural barriers to relocation off-reserve, the Applicants bear a disproportionate burden of the significant adverse health impacts resulting from the pollution approved by the Director.
Their claim is bolstered by links between environmental rights and the right to life in other countries around the world.
Ecojustice expects their case to be heard in early 2014. Meanwhile, they continue to campaign with the David Suzuki Foundation to amend the Charter to explicitly recognize the right to a healthy environment. That would be a big change!
Environmental rights and treaty rights
In January, the Mikisew Cree First Nation and Frog Lake First Nation filed applications for judicial review of two federal omnibus Budget Bills, Bill C-38 and C-45, in Federal Court. These Bills slashed federal environmental protections, such as the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
They argue that these amendments are a breach of the Crown’s obligation to manage and protect their traditional territories to ensure they are able to meaningfully exercise their treaty rights, and were made without the required consultation.
The Treaties signed by the Mikisew and Frog Lake First Nations promised that the Crown would protect First Nations’ traditional way of life and, in particular, their rights to hunt, trap and fish throughout lands outside their reserves. The Budget Bills significantly reduce federal oversight of environmental assessment and protection of lands and waters in the First Nations’ traditional territory. Thus, say the applicants, these changes endanger their treaty rights.
The public trust doctrine is based on the principle that certain resources must be preserved for public use, and is generally applied to navigable waterways and beachfront land. The US-based group Our Children’s Trust (OCT) has launched lawsuits across the US and internationally to argue the doctrine also applies to the atmosphere. As they explain:
The government has a legal obligation to preserve these trust resources and to manage them for the benefit of everyone, not just for the benefit of the wealthy and politically-connected corporations. The government cannot allow the privatization of the atmosphere…
The doctrine stretches all the way back to Roman times, long before anyone understood how important and fragile the atmosphere truly is. Fifteen hundred years ago the Emperor Justinian wrote, “The things which are naturally everybody’s are: the air, flowing water, the sea, and the seashore.” The legal actions apply this deep-rooted doctrine to our modern understanding of the atmosphere, demanding that the government recognize and protect our collective right to a stable, livable climate.
The lawsuits seek a declaration that the governments, in allowing greenhouse gas emissions at current and increasing levels, are in breach of their fiduciary trust to protect the atmosphere. The federal lawsuit also seek an injunction requiring the national government to take all necessary steps to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 6% each year, beginning in 2013.
Although most of the lawsuits were dismissed without being heard on their merits, the action was allowed to proceed in New Mexico. In Texas the court found that all natural resources are protected under the public trust doctrine and the state constitution.
OCT is now looking for Canadian partners. After all, our Supreme Court has recognized that we have some public rights in the environment held in trust for us all by the Crown, in British Columbia v. Canadian Forest Products, Ltd. (Canfor). They also went back to Roman times: “The notion that there are public rights in the environment that reside in the Crown has deep roots in the common law… Indeed, the notion of “public rights” existed in Roman law: “By the law of nature these things are common to mankind — the air, running water, the sea…””
But don’t we already have environmental rights?
Some provincial environmental laws do mention a right to a healthy or healthful environment, such as Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993 (EBR), Quebec’s Environment Quality Act, the Northwest Territories’ Environmental Rights Act (also applicable in Nunavut), and the Yukon’s Environment Act. However, these laws create primarily procedural rights, not substantive rights to any particular quality of air, water or land. For example, Ontario’s EBR gives the public rights to notice and consultation on some government decision-making, rights to request investigations and reviews, and whistle-blower protection.
Attempts to expand these procedural rights into substantive ones have been consistently rejected by both courts and governments. In Clean Train Coalition Inc. v. Metrolinx, for example, neighbours tried to force Ontario to purchase electric, rather than diesel, locomotives for the new rail link to the Toronto airport. The court concluded:
The applicant argues that the decision affects legal rights because the preamble of the Environmental Bill of Rights, 1993, S.O. 1993, c. 28 (“EBR”) recognizes the right to a healthy environment. However, the preamble does not confer any legal right. Moreover, s. 2(1)(c) of the EBR limits its purposes to protecting the right to a healthful environment “by the means provided by this Act.” The EBR provides specific mechanisms to address environmental complaints, which do not include judicial review.
Where do we go from here?
According to Professor Boyd, Canada remains one of just 16 holdouts across the world in refusing to recognize substantive environmental rights. If so, it is obvious that merely recognizing substantive environmental rights has not banished climate change, air pollution, or any other major environmental ill. Still, environmental rights could be a powerful tool – particularly in a country like ours where the courts wield substantial power. And it is precisely because the courts do wield such power that we might see substantive environmental rights recognized.
Keep an eye on these long-shot lawsuits launched by hard-working environmental groups against all odds. Sometimes, they change the world.
Section 64 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act contains limited recognition that substances entering the environment are toxic if they“constitute a danger to the environment on which life depends”.
|
<urn:uuid:ed3cffa4-f0f5-40d9-a6e8-f500567b8fb8>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.slaw.ca/2013/04/04/do-we-have-rights-to-a-healthy-environment/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391634.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00149-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.944691
| 1,800
| 3.46875
| 3
|
Mesoscale convective complexes bring summer rain
Source: USA TODAY research by Chad Palmer
Mesoscale convective complexes often bring much of the growing-season rain to the USA's corn and wheat belt. These large clusters of thunderstorms are often begin with isolated thunderstorms over the eastern Rockies and the western Plains.
If conditions are favorable, the isolated thunderstorms merge and form large convective complexes. A strong, nighttime low-level jet often develops and helps feed warm, moist air into the large cluster of storms, allowing the complexes to last six hours or more.
The complexes often peak in strength and grow largest just after midnight.
Mesoscale convective complexes first identified in the early 1980s, but much research and energy has been put into forecasting them because one in every four mesoscale convective complexes causes injuries or deaths.
|
<urn:uuid:82fea33f-8b69-450e-a9f1-7fdcf51fc79a>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/wcomplex.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395039.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00025-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943902
| 176
| 3.140625
| 3
|
Self-Aware Robot Can Adapt To Environment
by Jay Lyman | Submitted Sunday Feb 01, 2009 [06:20 AM]
A new robot, dubbed "Starfish" because of its size and shape, has the unusual ability -- in the mechanical world, that is -- of fixing itself. The Starfish is programmed to recognize its parts, but not how they're arranged or meant to be used. It figures that out for itself, using trial and error
Starfish reflecting on itself as it walks
Cornell University researchers have created a robot capable of self-awareness, learning and adapting -- all keys to the intelligence and technology needed for robots to function in adverse and changing environments.
The Cornell researchers, who published their findings in the Nov. 17, 2006, issue of Science, said their robot did not rely on predetermined models of movement in order to learn how to walk on its four legs. When the researchers removed one of the legs, the machine was able to adjust for the difference and eventually walk on three legs.
"We found a way the robot can generate its own model," Cornell assistant professor and lead researcher Hod Lipson told TechNewsWorld. "It allows the robot to develop [an] internal model and to make predictions. That's the core of the idea."
The robot, dubbed "Starfish" because of its size and shape, is programmed to recognize its parts but does not know how they are arranged or how to use them. The device is also programmed with a prime directive to move forward, researchers reported.
It uses trial and error, building a random series of "candidate models" of how its parts might be arranged in order to move. It develops a set of commands to send to its motors, tests those models, and then moves ahead.
Starfish is made from printed plastic and runs Windows XP Embedded, Lipson said. It communicates wirelessly with a bank of 15 desktop computers. In a few years, the number of processor cores and other advances will allow such a system to reside in the robot, he added.
Changing the Model
There are two basic ways of designing robots. There is the predictive model, which gives the robot a control system based on engineering design; and then there is the method used to create Starfish. In the latter case, the robot learns and determines control, according to Lipson, who worked on Starfish with Cornell graduate student Viktor Zykov and former Cornell postdoctoral researcher Josh Bongard.
While endless trial and error can be a challenge, Starfish can crunch its different candidate models, reconciling and comparing them until they converge, Lipson said.
"It will allow robotics to move to systems where it's difficult to create analytical models," he said, referring to the complex and laborious task of programming for sophisticated, real-world scenarios.
Possible applications of the technology include the use of robots in space or other distant or harsh environments. It may also have uses beyond robotics in fields of study such as human and animal behavior and learning, the Cornell researchers said.
Important First Steps
The self-learned steps of Starfish demonstrate the importance of self-awareness and self-repair functionality in robots, Eyebits Studios Owner Dale Musser told TechNewsWorld.
The Cornell research and similar efforts are also important in order to understand the macro scale, so they can be applied to the nano scale where self-assembly is key in tiny or microscopic devices, explained Musser, a robotics enthusiast and former University of Missouri professor.
"The important thing about self-awareness is you have to take steps to get started," he said of the Cornell research.
People who read this, also read...
back to top
|
<urn:uuid:5c687b55-3165-4b1a-844c-f9b98728dd00>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.danshope.com/news/showarticle.php?article_id=90
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399117.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00046-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.946052
| 760
| 2.578125
| 3
|
Written communications in Inuktitut have evolved enormously since the first
syllabic typewriters were developed thirty years ago. Today, it is possible to
use syllabics on all of the most popular computer software. The Government of
Nunavut is at the forefront in developing new tools to help Inuktitut speakers
work more easily and reliably on computers. These efforts are making an
important contribution to establishing Inuktitut as the working language of the
Unicode is a new worldwide computer standard that supports virtually all
languages and writing systems commonly used in the world today. The previous
widespread standard, called ASCII, could only reliably support English. While
ASCII syllabic fonts, such as ProSyl were a great achievement when they were
first developed, they caused many headaches for Inuktitut speakers. Using
Unicode makes writing syllabics as reliable and trouble-free as typing in
English. It is for this reason that the Government of Nunavut now requires
Unicode-based fonts, including Pigiarniq, in its Inuktitut communications.
To type in Pigiarniq, or other Unicode syllabic fonts you will need the font
itself and a keyboard driver to produce the syllabic characters.
The Pigiarniq font can be downloaded from the GN web site at: Inuktitut Fonts
Using Inuktitut Fonts (PDF)
Installing Unicode fonts and their keyboard (PDF)
Nunavut Utilities is a package of Microsoft Office tools to make working in the
Inuit language easier. It contains the following features: A syllabic font
converter to switch text between Unicode fonts and older syllabic fonts; A
transliterator to convert text from roman orthography to syllabics, or vice
versa; and orthographic rules checkers for syllabics and roman orthography that
detect many common mistakes made when writing the Inuit language.
All of these features currently work through Microsoft Word. A version for
Microsoft Excel is also under development.
Nunavut Utilities (PDF)
Technical Guide (PDF)
|
<urn:uuid:e28f8fda-b46c-43e9-b5f0-9017757c7323>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.ch.gov.nu.ca/en/ComputerTools.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00085-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.896885
| 467
| 2.625
| 3
|
Nearly one in every 10 American children is diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Often the treatment prescribed is medication. Children in foster care are prescribed drugs at a much higher rate than that of other kids. And concern over their well-being — not to mention the amount it costs to treat them — has prompted the government accountability office to investigate potentially abusive prescribing practices in state foster care systems. The GAO findings are expected to come out later this year. Need to Know correspondent Shoshana Guy provides an update on a story we first aired in January.
Drugs in the system: Foster children and antipsychotic medication
ByJune 3, 2011
Last modified: June 3, 2011 at 4:43 pm
|
<urn:uuid:eab12cd5-d372-4740-a212-e0099a168186>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/video-drugs-in-the-system-foster-children-and-antipsychotic-medication/9651/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396029.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00038-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.952222
| 143
| 2.59375
| 3
|
ho chi minh trail cycles
if this isn't utility, i don't know what is.
as i understand it, these were push bikes only- no pedals.
no idea how long the hcm was. some bikes weighed in at
several hundred pounds.
the bikes on their sides have been captured.
Ho Chi Minh had a fleet of bikes, that were what we would called a Long-Tail. Basically, a set of steel pipes were welded in to give what would be like an Xtracycle is today.
Generally, one bike would carry the Mortar, and the other ten bikes would carry Mortar Rounds, and the shelling went on just about every night. This was before the Americans invented the Mountain Bike, so there was no way to chase them off.
|All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:49 PM.|
|
<urn:uuid:361dcbc2-c341-4801-b85a-29122248aaa4>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.bikeforums.net/utility-cycling/883605-ho-chi-minh-trail-cycles-print.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00008-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.990989
| 185
| 2.640625
| 3
|
I have spent a lot of time in the last few days trying to get to grips with the apparently simple question: does the scientific evidence support the Government's proposed cull of badgers as a way of controlling TB in cattle?
It is certainly an important issue - 25,000 cattle were slaughtered for TB control in 2010 and in the last 10 years TB has cost £500 million.
But does science have any answers? Cast your mind back to the crisis over mad cow disease - BSE.
Scientists were asked for advice about whether BSE in cattle could spread to humans.
Back came a pretty clear-cut answer: it is very unlikely.
On the basis of that, politicians assured us all eating burgers was safe and John Gummer, then the agriculture minister, fed one to his daughter on camera.
Sadly the answer was wrong and BSE did spread to humans.
Fortunately, the number of people with CJD - the human equivalent - was small and the epidemic is dying out. But at least there was an answer.
With badgers and TB, science seems to have no clear-cut answers.
There was a trial of culling, which started in 1999 and has been analysed up to 2010.
The figure that comes out of that, is that IF culling is done over a wide area, IF it's done for four years and IF 70% of the badgers are killed, it will reduce TB in cattle by around 16%.
That is what science tells us. The rest is politics. The Government says, yes it is worth it.
In areas with high infection rates, that could make a big difference. And existing control methods won't have the same effect.
But eminent scientists, like Lord John Krebs, who instituted the trial and used to run the Food Standards Agency, says 16% is not worth it.
Lord Bob May, an ex-government Chief Scientific Adviser and former president of the august Royal Society, said culling was not evidence-based policy but policy-based evidence - i.e. that the government was picking and choosing the evidence to fit its argument.
One thing is certain: culling will not wipe out TB in cattle.
Some scientists even doubt that badgers play much of a role in spreading the disease - the Government's advisers say they are thought to be involved in about 50% of outbreaks.
But even if that is true, much of TB is spread among cattle with badgers not playing any role.
In the long run, one solution is the development of better vaccines for badgers and for cattle.
The Government is investing £20 million in that over the next five years. Not enough say the critics and not fast enough.
Time to stop now, my head is beginning to hurt.
Conclusions? My personal thoughts: culling will not reduce TB by much, it will be expensive, it will polarise society, it might leave wounded badgers in pain, and if botched, it either will not work or could endanger whole local populations of badgers.
But none of those thoughts is particularly scientific.
|
<urn:uuid:16dc2f54-e03c-4ec2-af34-aed0fee1c329>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.itv.com/news/2012-10-17/the-badger-cull-what-does-the-science-tell-us/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783403823.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155003-00166-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.978431
| 635
| 2.765625
| 3
|
Since our objective is to compute the flow around a cylinder, the efficiency of the parallel implementation was tested on such a problem. The region for which is uniformly covered with N particles. The parallel efficiency is shown on Figure 12.19 as a function of the hypercube size. The parallel implementation is fairly robust: The parallel efficiency, , remains larger than . The number of vortices per processor was kept roughly constant at 1500 even if the parallel efficiency is not a strong function of the size of the problem. It is, however, much more sensitive to the quality of the domain decomposition. The fast parallel algorithm performs better when all the subdomains have approximately the same squarish shape or in other words, when the largest group assigned to a processor is as compact as possible.
Figure 12.19: Parallel Efficiency of the Fast Algorithm
The results of Figure 12.19 were obtained at early times when the Lagrangian particles are still distributed evenly around the cylinder which makes the domain decomposition an easier task. At later times, the distribution of the vortices does not allow the decomposition of the domain in groups having approximately the same radius and the same number of vortices. Some subdomains cover a larger region of space and as a result, the efficiency drops to approximately 0.6. This is mainly due to the fact that more processors end up in the near field of a processor responsible for a large group; the request lists are longer and more data has to be moved between processors.
The sources of overhead corresponding to Figure 12.19 are shown on Figure 12.20 normalized with the useful work. Load imbalance, the largest overhead contributor, is defined as the difference between the maximum useful work reported by a processor and the average useful work per processor. Further, the extra work includes the time spent making a copy of one's own data structure, the time required to absorb the returning information, and the work that was duplicated in all processors, namely, the search for acceptable interactions in the upper portion of the tree and the subsequent creation of the request lists. The remaining overhead has been lumped under communication time although most of it is probably idle time (or synchronization time) that was not included in the definition of load imbalance.
Figure 12.20: Load Imbalance (solid), Communication and Synchronization Time (dash), and Extra Work (dot-dash) as a Function of the Number of Processors
We expected that as P increases, the near field of a processor would eventually contain a fixed number of neighboring processors. The number of messages and the load imbalance would then reach an asymptote and the loss of efficiency would be driven by the much smaller communication and extra times. However, this has yet to happen at 32 processors and the communication time is already starting to make an impact.
Nevertheless, the fast algorithm, its reasonably efficient parallel implementation and the speed of the Mark III have made possible simulations with as many as 80,000 vortex particles.
|
<urn:uuid:1caa275a-34d4-4414-8b5e-86dc4cdfc17c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.netlib.org/utk/lsi/pcwLSI/text/node288.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393093.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00173-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.957397
| 607
| 2.671875
| 3
|
Octopuses may not have a brain, but scientists believe they are intelligent creatures with distinct personalities. Living on Earth’s Steve Curwood and environmental writer Sy Montgomery went behind the exhibits at the New England Aquarium and wrapped their arms around Octavia, a giant Pacific octopus.
CURWOOD: On a warm sunny day, I visit the New England Aquarium to meet up with author Sy Montgomery, who has a new best friend.
CURWOOD: Now, Sy Montgomery, you’ve written a lot about really smart animals, in fact, you had one live with you; his name was Christopher Hogwood, he was a pig. And then when you went to the Amazon, you met these pink dolphins. I think maybe you fell in love with one of the pink dolphins, too.
MONTGOMERY: Oh, I think I fell in love with all of the pink dolphins, Steve!
CURWOOD: (laughs) And of course, there are the Golden Moon Bears that you tracked down in Southeast Asia, all very smart. And today we’re at the New England Aquarium to meet another very smart animal, you tell us. And that would be a …
MONTGOMERY: A Giant Pacific Octopus.
Living on Earth's Steve Curwood with author Sy Montgomery.
CURWOOD: Uh, octopus? Just one though?
MONTGOMERY: Yes. The problem is, if you put two together, they tend to eat each other.
CURWOOD: And more than one octopus … do you say octopuses, octopi, octope, what do you do?
MONTGOMERY: Unfortunately, it’s now octopuses. It’s because the plural - octopi - did not go with the origin of the word octopus, and so it’s supposed to be octopuses.
CURWOOD: Huh. So, who are we going to meet today, Sy?
MONTGOMERY: We are going to meet a Giant Pacific Octopus named Octavia.
CURWOOD: Octavia. And this isn’t, of course, your first time encountering these animals.
Octavia rises out of her tank. (Photo: Tony LaCasse)
MONTGOMERY: Well, no. I got to know Octavia’s predecessor, whose name was Athena. I visited her three times. Athena, when we first met, it was the most amazing thing. She started coiling up from her exhibit - her arms started coming out and I plunged my arms into the 57-degree water, which is actually very cold, and immediately we were just embracing each other. Her suckers were all over me. I was petting her beautiful head, and I would notice that her skin would turn light colored right underneath my touch.
CURWOOD: No way.
MONTGOMERY: And I knew that that’s the sign of a contented octopus. An unhappy, angry octopus turns red and gets all pimply. But she was showing her contentment and letting me touch her head. And after the encounter, which went on for awhile, I was told by the wonderful folks at the New England Aquarium, they said, ‘this is very unusual for an octopus to let someone - a stranger like you - touch her head.’ So we had an immediate bond.
But I just met Octavia last Friday, and just from my short encounter with her, I can tell you she’s very, very different from her predecessor, who was very different from her predecessor, who was different from his predecessor. They all are quite distinctive, just like we are, which is so surprising. These are, I think, the most surprising creatures, because unlike us, they are completely without any bones - they are so unrelated to us in anyway - and yet, you can have a meaningful interaction with them. And that just blows my mind. I think you’re going to love this.
Many arms and a couple of hands. (Photo: Tony LaCasse)
CURWOOD: Okay, well, let’s go inside.
[WALKING SFX - DOOR OPENING]
CURWOOD: We head inside the aquarium, past the information desk, and up some stairs. We go behind the labyrinth of exhibits and into a room full of tanks.
[MUSIC: Yellowdubmarine “Octopus’s Garden” from Abbey Dub (Gold Lion records 2011)]
CURWOOD: This is a favorite place of staff biologist Bill Murphy. So, Bill Murphy, this is your tank. This is your octopus. This is your world here.
MURPHY: Yes it is. So, come on back. This is the octopus tank right over here with the lid on it.
CURWOOD: Now, let's see, scientifically this is known as a cephalopod, in other words, a head and foot type of thing?
MURPHY: Yes, correct.
CURWOOD: But, there are no bones in this. It’s completely invertebrate.
MURPHY: Yes, the only hard part of it is its beak.
CURWOOD: Which is kind of like what?
MURPHY: It’s kind of like a parrot’s beak.
CURWOOD: Yeah? So what’s really unusual about octopuses aside from the fact that they have eight arms, which we don’t and the fact that they don’t have any bones and we do… they’re smart though, like us, I’m told.
MURPHY: Yes, they’re very intelligent. They’re also very curious, which also leads to, I would say, partly, their intelligence.
CURWOOD: So, just how smart is an octopus?
MURPHY: Well, they can open locked boxes, which we do here at the aquarium. They can open pill bottles, they can turn valves, they can turn knobs, they can crawl through a tube to get to food - if they see food on the other side of the tank they’ll try and go towards it. There’s been an experience that I’ve heard about where if an octopus knows how to do a puzzle and opened the box before, and another octopus is right next to it and does not, the other octopus will actually watch the one octopus who knows how to do it open it and then learn it immediately. So, they can observe and then learn.
CURWOOD: Now, if the two octopuses are together observing, what about the risk of getting eaten by the other octopus?
MURPHY: They were separated. They were in different tanks, so they could see each other but they couldn’t get to each other.
CURWOOD: Ah, Okay. Sy, you told me that octopuses don’t really get along with each other very well.
MONTGOMERY: Yeah, that's kind of too bad. It’s one reason why I don’t think any aquarium has yet bred them in captivity, because they tend to eat each other.
CURWOOD: Yeah, what is this about octopuses not liking each other?
MURPHY: I think it’s just more of also the aggressiveness of their attitude. When you're you’re living on own, fighting to survive, adding another octopus in there competing for the same source is just not a good thing.
CURWOOD: Ok, so how do they reproduce if they don’t get along?
MURPHY: That comes at a time in their life - they reach a lifecycle where they’re ready to reproduce - the females are ready to lay eggs and mate, the males have reached their maturity and they're ready to mate and then move on. And the male still has to appease the female. He still has to do his dance, and she still has to accept him for them to mate, and then for them to move on, and then she’ll lay her eggs, and spend the rest of her life’s energy making sure those eggs stay safe and protected and hatch.
CURWOOD: So, she doesn’t live long after she lays eggs.
MURPHY: Correct. So, once they lay eggs once, that’s it for them.
CURWOOD: So, an octopus will have how many young?
MURPHY: Thousands. They lay strands of eggs that look like grains of rice and they’ll have probably easily a thousand eggs, if not more. And most of them will hatch, but it’s also the law of the wild - you lay a lot and produce a lot of offspring, but only a few will survive due to predators and food.
MONTGOMERY: How would you describe how Octavia differs from all the others, since every one is an individual?
MURPHY: She’s a little more picky. She came to us probably a little bit older than what we normally get our octopuses, because the one before her, Athena, died unexpectedly. So we got one from the wild - from a collector - that we talk to a lot. So she’s straight from the wild, and a little bit larger and more used to the wild of nature than other ones are.
MONTGOMERY: How much do you think she weighs and how big do you think she is?
MURPHY: Ah, she’s probably about 40 pounds. And if we stand her up, she’s probably about four and a half feet. She still has another year and a half - I’d say- to grow.
CURWOOD: Wow. Alright. And Bill, I guess you’re the one really to take us to meet her, anything that I should say or do?
MURPHY: Roll up your sleeves; take off your watch. We always joke that they’re very sticky fingers so they could probably slip off a ring or a watch without you realizing it, but also, we don’t want anything sharp on ourselves that would hurt them.
MONTGOMERY: I was wondering if there is anything that she would like to have as a gift, and I brought in two shells and a rock for you to inspect to see if that was something she might enjoy or if it would be safe. Would you be willing to look at it?
MURPHY: I'll take a look at them, but it’d be up to her whether she enjoys them or not.
CURWOOD: Alright, well, now’s the moment. Do we get to meet her?
MURPHY: Yes, you do! Step right over this way…
[MUSIC: Yellowdubmarine “Octopus’s Garden” from Abbey Dub (Gold Lion records 2011)]
MURPHY: This is our volunteer, Wilson, he’s been with us for many, many, many, many years!
MONTGOMERY: Look her beautiful arm is out!
MURPHY: And there she is.
MONTGOMERY: Oh let's touch her! Can I touch her?
MURPHY: Go for it!
MONTGOMERY: Hi, darlin’. Oh, man, stick your hand up here. Oh my god, this is great!
CURWOOD: Very sticky!
MONTGOMERY: She’s very excited about … these delicious capelin, yum! And, there they are going right down into her mouth! Oh, she’s beautiful!
MONTGOMERY: I’ve got three arms on me.
CURWOOD: She’s grabbing a hold, here.
MONTGOMERY: Do you feel the suckers?
CURWOOD: Yup, feel the suckers…
MONTGOMERY: She’s tasting you with these, as well as feeling you!
CURWOOD: She can control each one of these suckers individually! Wow! So, she’d be amazing playing the piano - can you imagine?
MONTGOMERY: Oh! Now, her beak is right in the middle there, and that’s where you don't really want your hand to be. Oh, she’s got me! Hear those suckers coming out?
[SOUNDS OF OCTOPUS SUCKERS]
MONTGOMERY: Look at you! She’s so big.
CURWOOD: Oh my god.
MONTGOMERY: Isn’t this amazing?
CURWOOD: So, what do you think? She’s recognizing you again?
MONTGOMERY: Well, I just saw her Friday, but I really think that she’s being much more affectionate because she’s with Wilson, and she feels like a friend of Wilson's is a friend of mine. Hear the suckers coming off?
CURWOOD: Yeah. Now this color she is right now - she’s very red - does that mean she’s happy?
MENASHI: Red is very normal and they kind of stay this way. They kind of get more flashes of darker reds and whites when they’re aggressive.
MONTGOMERY: And she’s all over me now! I've got one, two … both of my hands and my forearms are covered, but look, there’s the beak, right where all of her arms come together - that’s where her mouth is.
CURWOOD: Uh huh. Are all of the fish gone? Look at that - woah!
MONTGOMERY: I’m going to come home covered with hickeys!
MURPHY: It’s amazing, if you feel how firm their arms are? Amazing that’s just all muscle - that's so solid it feels just like a steel cable, but it's just muscle. It shows you how strong they can be.
(Photo: Tony LaCasse)
MONTGOMERY: This is great! Her tentacles are coming just as fast as you can take them off! She’s really enjoying this. This is lovely. Do you think she’d want my rock? Here sweetheart, would you like this? Here’s a nice rock. It’s from New Hampshire. She’s holding onto it - she’s investigating it. Well, she's not as interested in the rock. Look at the difference between touching the rock and touching me. She can get so much more interesting information out of touching me than touching the rock, I think.
CURWOOD: You know, Sy, I think you are probably more interesting than a rock.
MONTGOMERY: (Laughs) So glad to hear! I bet you say that to all the girls!
MONTGOMERY: There she goes. She’s got the rock. Opp! She’s dropping the rock. She doesn’t care about the rock. Cares about my hand, though - look at this! Here darlin’. Now, watch this: here comes the fish - she’s holding it with her sucker, and what she’ll do is she'll pass it if she wants to eat it. She’ll pass it from sucker to sucker to sucker as it goes into her mouth, but she may just want to play or not want to do anything with it. Right now, she seems more interested in interacting with us than eating the capelin. Oh, god, look at how - she’s coming - she’s coming out of her exhibit!
MENASHI: She knows where the food comes from so grabbing the food bowl and trying to take it.
MONTGOMERY: But she's not even hungry, she’s just doing it for fun, isn’t she? Oh, she’s wonderful! Just wonderful. This is so different from the first encounter that I had with her.
[SOUNDS OF SUCTION]
CURWOOD: Now, here’s a creature that’s smart, sentient and looks nothing at all like us.
MONTGOMERY: In fact, when she touches you with those suckers, she is knowing your skin, and probably your bones, and probably your blood and your muscle in a way that no other animal will ever know you. That’s what she’s knowing when she touches you. And look how white she’s going now - right under my touch. So, she feels very calm. I feel calm too.
[MUSIC: Gary Burton: “Dance Of The Octopus” from For Hamp, Red, Bags, And Cal (Concord Records 2001)]
CURWOOD: So, I guess our time is up with Octavia.
MONTGOMERY: Wow! Was that the greatest thing ever?
MENASHI: And now my hand is frozen, too.
MONTGOMERY: Oh boy, you know, I didn’t even notice how cold it was.
CURWOOD: Wow! So, if an octopus is this smart, what other animals that are out there could be this smart - that we don’t think of as being sentient and having personality and memories and all these things?
MURPHY: It’s a very good question. The ocean is a very undiscovered world and there’s a lot of animals out there we don’t even know about - there's a lot of animals that we know they're there, but they don’t know anything about them. Who knows what else is actually out there for the ocean?
CURWOOD: Bill Murphy from the New England Aquarium, Sy Montgomery… thank you both for being with me today, and Octavia. Octavia will you say something? (Silence). I guess she’s taking a nap after having lunch. Thank you both.
MURPHY: No problem, thank you.
MONTGOMERY: Our pleasure!
[MUSIC: Gary Burton: "Dance Of The Octopus" from For Hamp, Red, Bags, And Cal (Concord Records 2001)]
CURWOOD: That was writer Sy Montgomery. And we also heard from New England Aquarium marine biologist Bill Murphy, volunteer Wilson Menashi, and, of course, Octavia the Octopus. Sy Montgomery's article, "Deep Intellect - Inside the Mind of the Octopus" was published in Orion Magazine. You can grab some links and photos on our web site - LOE dot org.
Living on Earth wants to hear from you!
P.O. Box 990007
Boston, MA, USA 02199
Donate to Living on Earth!
Living on Earth is an independent media program and relies entirely on contributions from listeners and institutions supporting public service. Please donate now to preserve an independent environmental voice.
Major funding for Living on Earth is provided by the National Science Foundation.
Kendeda Fund, furthering the values that contribute to a healthy planet.
The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment: Committed to protecting and improving the health of the global environment.
Contribute to Living on Earth and receive, as our gift to you, an autographed copy of one of Mark Seth Lender's extraordinary hummingbird photographs. Follow the link to see Mark's current collection of photographs.
|
<urn:uuid:32571d10-d210-4517-ad87-1f502cf305b6>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=12-P13-00033&segmentID=5
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398516.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00101-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.952756
| 4,210
| 2.671875
| 3
|
The U.S. Senate is to publish a report on the historical and geopolitical relationships of Northeast Asian nations which claims that Korea's ancient Koguryo and Balhae kingdoms were provinces of China's Tang Dynasty.
According to diplomatic sources in Washington on Sunday, the U.S. Congressional Research Service plans to publish a report around the middle of November predicting the role of China in an emergency on the Korean Peninsula and highlighting China's historical perception.
The report details China's views that the Koguryo and Balhae kingdoms were Tang provinces and explains that Korea's Chosun Dynasty and China's Qing Dynasty set their territorial boundaries along the Apnok (or Yalu) and Duman (or Tumen) rivers using a point on Mt. Baekdu as a reference.
It was apparently drawn up by the CRS at the request of a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "It appears to serve as reference material to forecast North Korea-China relations and aims to inform senators about how the Chinese have historically regarded Korea," said a Foreign Ministry official here.
The ministry has sent experts from the Northeast Asian History Foundation to the CRS to explain South Korea's position, which is apparently also reflected in the report. Government sources said it would also be published in a separate appendix.
"The report simply details Chinese claims and does not reflect the official stance of the U.S. Senate," said the Foreign Ministry official.
|
<urn:uuid:95bd58ad-6f1d-4cb3-bb7c-1866fbd201e3>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/10/29/2012102901338.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397567.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00149-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.96193
| 296
| 2.578125
| 3
|
Children exposed to common flame-retardant chemicals before birth have a greater risk of hyperactivity and lower IQ scores, according to new research presented at a meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Washington D.C.
This group of brominated chemicals, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), were mostly withdrawn from the American market in 2004 and are no longer used as flame retardants in the U.S. However, they were used for decades in things like furniture foam, carpeting, plastics, baby strollers, and electronics.
Because the chemicals are not bound to the products they are used in, they are more likely to leach into the surrounding air, water, and soil. PBDEs have been found in fish, as well as in human blood and breast milk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
outlawed, the chemicals remain in U.S. products manufactured before
2004. The chemicals do not biodegrade easily, so if they are ingested or
absorbed they remain in the body and can be transferred to a developing
fetus, the researchers said.
And there are still many legal flame-retardant chemicals used in furniture and other home goods that pose huge health risks to humans, according to Charles Margulis, communications director for the Center for Environmental Health (CEH, which aims to eliminate the use of all flame-retardant chemicals in home furnishings and other products.
Also according to the CEH, there may be as much as two pounds worth of chemicals meant to prevent fires in a single living room couch, and flame-retardants have even been found in mats at a daycare center.
"I doubt there are many children smoking during nap time at a daycare," Margulis said in an interview with Healthline. "There's study after study that these chemicals are harmful and ineffective in preventing fires. They're causing serious health problems and they're incredibly prevalent."
PBDEs and Child Development
Dr. Aimin Chen, an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s Department of Environmental Health, analyzed blood samples from 309 pregnant women and performed intelligence and behavioral tests on the mother’s children until they reached 5 years old.
Chen's team found that a mother’s exposure to PBDEs was associated with reduced cognition in her 5-year-old and symptoms of hyperactivity as early as age 2. A 10-fold increase in a mother’s PBDE exposure was associated with a four-point IQ deficiency in her 5-year-old, Chen reported.
“Because PBDEs exist in the home and office environment as they are contained in old furniture, carpet pads, foams and electronics, the study raises further concern about their toxicity in developing children,” Chen said in a press release.
Previous research from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has shown that PBDE levels are “considerably higher” in Americans than in Europeans.
The EPA states that major concerns about PBDEs include evidence of liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, and neurodevelopmental toxicity.
"It's very hard to tell if products contain certain flame-retardant chemicals," Margulis said. "There's no requirements for labeling."
Flame Retardants Toxic to Firefighters As Well
When fire-retardant chemicals don’t retard fire, they’re released into the air during a blaze. Those who rush into the burning building may then have a greater risk of developing cancer and other health conditions.
A new study by environmental toxicologist Dr. Susan Shaw and colleagues shows that firefighters have a greater risk of exposure to PBDEs when furniture, televisions, and other home furnishings are engulfed in a house fire.
Studying San Francisco firefighters, the researchers found that brominated dioxin and furans concentrations were 21 times more toxic than other chemicals commonly encountered when battling a blaze.
“Firefighters have much higher levels and different patterns of these chemicals in their blood than the general population,” Shaw said in a press release. “What we have shown here points to the possible link between firefighting and cancer.”
|
<urn:uuid:8124f3ea-9f0b-477f-a264-5feee5b89c56>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.healthline.com/health-news/children-flame-retardant-chemicals-linked-to-lower-iq-scores-050613
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393332.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00173-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.964468
| 881
| 3.28125
| 3
|
(1794–1867) French physician and anatomist
Flourens, who was born at Maureilhan in France, studied medicine at the University of Montpellier, graduating in 1813. Moving to Paris he was fortunate enough to be taken in hand by the powerful Georges Cuvier, serving as his deputy at the Collège de France from 1828. After Cuvier's death in 1832, Flourens succeeded him as professor of anatomy and secretary of the Académie des Sciences.
In 1824 Flourens published his highly influential Recherches expérimentales sur les propriétés et les fonctions du système nerveux dans les animaux vertébrés (Experimental Researches on the Properties and Functions of the Nervous System in Vertebrates) in which he demonstrated the main roles of different parts of the central nervous system. Extending the work of the Italian anatomist Luigi Rolando on the nervous system, Flourens removed various parts of the brain and carefully observed the resulting changes. Thus he found that removal of the cerebral hemispheres of a pigeon destroyed the sense of perception. Removal of the cerebellum destroyed coordination and equilibrium and excision of the medulla oblongata caused respiration to cease. He also exposed the spinal cord of a dog from head to tail and found that while stimulation lower down would produce movement there came a point higher up where no muscular reaction could be elicited. Flourens is also known for important work on the semicircular canals in the ear, demonstrating their function in balance.
Although Flourens assigned different roles to different anatomical parts of the brain he was not prepared to go further and localize different roles and powers within each part. It was not until 1870 that Gustav Fritsch and Eduard Hitzig were able to break this unitary picture and establish cerebral localization experimentally.
Flourens is also remembered for his attack on Darwin in his Examen du livre de M. Darwin (1864; Examination of Mr. Darwin's Book) in which he poured scorn on Darwin's “childish and out of date personifications.”
Subjects: Science and Mathematics.
|
<urn:uuid:14eec7a0-4fdf-4c90-9e1a-a79932b0acb4>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095824762
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783400031.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155000-00164-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.930185
| 469
| 3.359375
| 3
|
( Paññā Pāli) or ( prajñā Sanskrit) "wisdom", is insight in the true nature of reality, namely primarily anicca (impermanence), dukkha (dissatisfaction or suffering), anattā (non-self) and śūnyatā (emptiness).
Etymology [ edit ]
Prajñā is often translated as "wisdom", but is closer in meaning to "insight", "discriminating knowledge", or "intuitive apprehension".
jñā can be translated as "consciousness", "knowledge", or "understanding." [web 1]
Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as "higher", "greater", "supreme" or "premium", or "being born or springing up", referring to a spontaneous type of knowing. [web 2]
Understanding in the Buddhist traditions [ edit ]
Paññā is the fourth virtue of ten Theravāda , and the sixth of the six Mahāyāna pāramitās . pāramitās
Theravada Buddhism [ edit ]
Pāli Canon, paññā is concentrated insight into the three characteristics of all things, namely impermanence, suffering and no-self, and the four noble truths.
In the 5th-century exegetical work
, one of the most revered books in Theravada Buddhism, Visuddhimagga Buddhaghoṣa states that the function of paññā is "to abolish the darkness of delusion".
Mahāyāna Buddhism [ edit ]
In Mahayana Buddhism, the importance of prajna was stressed in combination with
karuna, compassion. It took a central place in the , such as the Prajñā-pāramitā Sutras Heart Sutra. Prajna is spoken of as the principal means of attaining nirvāna, through its revelation of the true nature of all things as emptiness.
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Sources [ edit ]
Published sources [ edit ]
Buddhaghosa; Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli (1999), The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga, Buddhist Publication Society, ISBN 1-928706-00-2
Keown, Damien (2003), A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press
Loy, David (1997), Nonduality. A Study in Comparative Philosophy, Humanity Books
Nyanaponika Thera; Bhikkhu Bodhi (1999), Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: An Anthology of Suttas from the Anguttara Nikaya, Altamira Press, ISBN 0-7425-0405-0
Rhys Davids, T. W.; Stede, William (1921–25), , Pali Text Society The Pali Text Society’s Pali–English Dictionary
Web-sources [ edit ]
External links [ edit ]
|
<urn:uuid:e72d86a5-620c-401a-9bdf-4e0fd0c0181e>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.mashpedia.com/Wisdom_in_Buddhism
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397748.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00042-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.835996
| 641
| 3.171875
| 3
|
...the ad’s insinuation aside, it’s also possible the young woman is “just shy,” or introverted — traits our society disfavors. One way we manifest this bias is by encouraging perfectly healthy shy people to see themselves as ill...Social anxiety disorder did not officially exist until it appeared the 1980 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the DSM-III, the psychiatrist’s bible of mental disorders, under the name “social phobia.” It was not widely known until the 1990s, when pharmaceutical companies received F.D.A. approval to treat social anxiety with S.S.R.I.’s and poured tens of millions of dollars into advertising its existence...Though the DSM did not set out to pathologize shyness, it risks doing so, and has twice come close to identifying introversion as a disorder, too. (Shyness and introversion are not the same thing. Shy people fear negative judgment; introverts simply prefer quiet, minimally stimulating environments.)Cain's article continues with an interesting discussion of the respective advantages and disadvantages of being a sitter or a rover.
...shy and introverted people have been part of our species for a very long time, often in leadership positions...We find them in recent history, in figures like Charles Darwin, Marcel Proust and Albert Einstein, and, in contemporary times: think of Google’s Larry Page, or Harry Potter’s creator, J. K. Rowling.
...We even find “introverts” in the animal kingdom, where 15 percent to 20 percent of many species are watchful, slow-to-warm-up types who stick to the sidelines (sometimes called “sitters”) while the other 80 percent are “rovers” who sally forth without paying much attention to their surroundings. Sitters and rovers favor different survival strategies, which could be summed up as the sitter’s “Look before you leap” versus the rover’s inclination to “Just do it!” Each strategy reaps different rewards.
IN an illustrative experiment, David Sloan Wilson, a Binghamton evolutionary biologist, dropped metal traps into a pond of pumpkinseed sunfish. The “rover” fish couldn’t help but investigate — and were immediately caught. But the “sitter” fish stayed back, making it impossible for Professor Wilson to capture them. Had Professor Wilson’s traps posed a real threat, only the sitters would have survived. But had the sitters taken Zoloft and become more like bold rovers, the entire family of pumpkinseed sunfish would have been wiped out. “Anxiety” about the trap saved the fishes’ lives.
Next, Professor Wilson used fishing nets to catch both types of fish; when he carried them back to his lab, he noted that the rovers quickly acclimated to their new environment and started eating a full five days earlier than their sitter brethren. In this situation, the rovers were the likely survivors. “There is no single best ... [animal] personality,” Professor Wilson concludes in his book, “Evolution for Everyone,” “but rather a diversity of personalities maintained by natural selection.”
The same might be said of humans, 15 percent to 20 percent of whom are also born with sitter-like temperaments that predispose them to shyness and introversion. (The overall incidence of shyness and introversion is higher — 40 percent of the population for shyness, according to the psychology professor Jonathan Cheek, and 50 percent for introversion. Conversely, some born sitters never become shy or introverted at all.)
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Introspection and shyness - evolutionary tactic?
I have previously pointed to the work of Jerome Kagan at Harvard; who, along with others, has shown that some of us are born with a predisposition to be timid and more anxious. The temperament we display in early childhood (introvesion versus extroversion, high versus low reactivity, anxiety in unfamiliar versus familiar situations, etc) is largely genetically determined and persists through life. In this vein Susan Cain has recently offered an interesting article on shyness. She first notes the re-framing of shyness into "Social Anxiety Disorder" by drug company TV adds seeking to sell serotonin reuptake inhibitors (S.S.R.I.), cited Zoloft advertisements:
|
<urn:uuid:f3345d65-6630-4cb4-9749-eb90a19ab927>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://mindblog.dericbownds.net/2011/07/introspection-and-shyness-evolutionary.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397749.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954469
| 942
| 2.734375
| 3
|
2.2 Jim Hunt
By Ryan Teague Beckwith, December 26, 2007. Reprinted by permission of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Provided by Raleigh News & Observer.
Jim Hunt redefined the office of North Carolina governor in the 20th century. In his unprecedented four terms in office, he helped pass constitutional amendments allowing the governor to run for re-election and veto legislation. A strong proponent of education, he created the Smart Start program and was an early advocate of teaching standards. In 1984, he lost a hard-fought campaign for U.S. Senate against Jesse Helms that remains the most expensive in state history. After leaving office in 2001, he went to work for the Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice law firm, and the Institute for Emerging Issues, a Raleigh think tank he helped create.
Jim Hunt is the former four-term Democratic governor of North Carolina and a former lieutenant governor.
James Baxter Hunt Jr. was born in Greensboro on May 16, 1937, to James Sr. and Elsie Brame Hunt.
His father was a soil conservation officer and his mother was a high school English teacher.
When Hunt was a child, his family lived in Greensboro, Shelby, and Raleigh. In 1941, the Hunts moved to a tobacco and dairy farm in the Rock Ridge community in Wilson County.
As a teenager, he raised cattle, harvested tobacco, and joined the Youth Grange.
Hunt graduated from Rock Ridge High School in 1955 as valedictorian of his class.
Hunt went to college to learn about farming, but he got an education in politics.
After high school, he attended N.C. State College (now university) in Raleigh, with the intention of becoming a dairy farmer.
In his spare time, he became involved in politics. He was president of the state chapter of the Future Farmers of America in 1957, and he served an unprecedented two terms as student body president his junior and senior years.
At N.C. State, he built a group of supporters that later came to be known as the “Wolfpack Mafia.”
Its members included several future political players: Supreme Court Justice Phil Carlton Jr., Charlotte mayor Eddie Knox, state Rep. Tom Gilmore, state Sens. Wendell Murphy and J.K. Sherron, and cabinet member Norris Tolson.
Hunt earned a bachelor’s in agricultural education in 1959 and a master’s in agricultural economics in 1962. His thesis, an economic analysis of different tobacco production techniques, was used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a federal program.
Bitten by the politics bug, he decided to study law, enrolling at UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall of 1961. The following year, he studied at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., while working as national college director for the Democratic National Committee.
He returned to Chapel Hill in 1963, graduating from UNC in 1964.
While in high school, Hunt met Carolyn Joyce Leonard, an Iowa farm girl, at a national Grange Youth Conference in Ohio.
He courted her through his first two years in college, often hitchhiking 36 hours to visit her family farm in Iowa. In 1958, the couple married at a church in Mingo, Iowa.
They have three daughters, Rebecca, Rachel, and Elizabeth, and a son, James Baxter Hunt III.
A teacher, Carolyn Hunt quit her job to become a full-time first lady after her husband was elected. She later ran unsuccessfully for school board in Wilson County.
In law school, Hunt worked for the campaign of federal judge Richardson Preyer, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
After failing the bar exam, Hunt moved with his wife and daughter to Nepal, where he worked as an economic adviser for the Ford Foundation for two years.
In 1966, he passed the bar exam on his second try and joined a law practice in Wilson.
In 1968, Hunt was elected president of the Young Democrats Club. In 1970, he was appointed chairman of a commission to review Democratic Party rules by Gov. Bob Scott, gaining statewide exposure to key party members.
Lt. Governor ‘73-’77
After rejecting a run for governor, Hunt ended up with more power as the state’s No. 2.
He was elected lieutenant governor in 1972 with the support of former Gov. Terry Sanford and his former campaign manager, Winston-Salem oil distributor Bert Bennett Jr.
With Republican Gov. Jim Holshouser in office, he was the state’s highest-ranking Democrat.
As head of the state Senate, he played a key role in pushing legislation through the Democratic-controlled legislature.
Along with Holshouser, he helped pass bills requiring kindergarten and increasing teacher pay.
In 1976, he held a state conference on Sex and Violence on Television, similar to federal hearings then being held by U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.
At the same time, he traveled the state building a network of political supporters in preparation for an eventual bid for governor.
Hunt kicked off his campaign on April 6, 1976, in Raleigh.
He ran with the help of a grassroots organization headed by local leaders he called “keys,” that was unmatched in the latter part of the 20th century in North Carolina.
In the Democratic primary, he defeated Eckerd Drugs chairman Ed O’Herron, former state Sen. George Wood, and state Sen. Thomas Strickland.
In the general election, he beat Republican Dave Flaherty, former secretary of the state Department of Human Resources, winning 65 percent of the vote.
His first act in office was to order high-level appointees to sign a code of ethics that required financial disclosure, a first in North Carolina. He appointed Chapel Hill Mayor Howard Lee as the first black Cabinet secretary in state history.
He later established a reading program in first through third grades, limited class size to 26 students and pushed for the creation of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham.
Despite intensive lobbying, he twice failed to persuade the legislature to approve the Equal Rights Amendment. However, he led a successful push to amend the state constitution so that governors could serve two terms.
In the 1980 Democratic primary, Hunt defeated former Gov. Bob Scott, a one-time ally who had grown disaffected by some of his conservative stands.
In the general election, he faced Republican state Sen. I. Beverly Lake Jr., a former Democrat who had the backing of the National Congressional Club, a conservative organization that pioneered direct-mail fundraising for U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.
Hunt won in a landslide, picking up 65 percent of the vote in a year that otherwise trended Republican in North Carolina and across the country.
In his unprecedented second term, he persuaded the legislature to raise the gas tax by three cents to pay for new roads despite tough opposition.
On his third try, he failed to get the Equal Rights Amendment passed in 1982.
Senate Campaign ‘84
As he prepared to leave office in 1984, he campaigned for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. Jesse Helms, then in his second term.
It was characterized as the second most important race in the country, after President Ronald Reagan’s face-off with Walter Mondale.
Helms attacked Hunt for supporting legislation to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday and for increasing the gas tax, among other things. He also attacked Hunt for being a fence-sitter with the slogan, “Where do you stand, Jim?”
In all, the campaign cost $26.3 million — making it the most expensive Senate race in Tar Heel history. Helms won by 52 percent.
It was Hunt’s first and only political defeat. Afterward, he joined Poyner & Spruill, a Raleigh law firm, and worked on recruiting new businesses to North Carolina.
In a 1987 piece, Washington Post columnist David Broder said that if Hunt had won, he would be “one of the favorites” in the 1988 Democratic presidential primary.
In 1992, he ran for governor again.
Unlike his previous campaigns, Hunt ran with the help of coalitions of Democratic-leaning interest groups, including organized labor, teachers, and African-American leaders. He also reached out to executives of Charlotte banks and high-tech companies in the Triangle.
In the Democratic primary, he defeated Lacy Thornburg, then the state’s attorney general.
He was then elected over Republican Lt. Gov. Jim Gardner, 53 to 43 percent. Libertarian Scott McLaughlin won 4 percent.
In office, he persuaded the legislature to create Smart Start, a public-private partnership that serves children from birth to age 5, and implemented a Work First welfare reform package.
In 1996, he was re-elected over Republican state Rep. Robin Hayes, 56 to 43 percent. Libertarian Scott Yost and Natural Law Party candidate Julia Van Witt received around 1 percent of the vote.
On the same ballot, voters also approved a constitutional amendment — promoted by Hunt, Hayes, and four previous governors — giving the governor the power to veto legislation.
Previously, North Carolina had been the only state in the country without the veto. Despite his work on the amendment, Hunt never vetoed any legislation.
Before leaving office, he helped create Centennial Campus, a research park at N.C. State, from land that had been a part of the Dorothea Dix state mental hospital.
In 2000, it was estimated that he appointed at least 12,000 people to state boards and commissions.
Though he no longer holds elected office, Hunt remains influential in state politics.
After leaving office in January of 2001, he went to work for the Raleigh office of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, a Winston-Salem-based law firm. He uses his office in the Wachovia Building downtown to network with business and political leaders.
Hunt often meets with his successor, Gov. Mike Easley, to give advice and ideas. He also has ties to the two Democratic candidates for governor in 2008: State Treasurer Richard Moore served as secretary of crime control and public safety under him, while Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue was a key liaison in the Senate.
Political observers speculate that he would have served as education secretary if either Al Gore or Jim Kerry had won their presidential campaigns.
Public policy issues
Hunt also remains involved in public policy.
He still works with the Institute for Emerging Issues, a think tank based at N.C. State which grew out of an annual conference he started in 1985.
The institute is currently in the middle of a five-year effort to reform the state tax code.
In 2003, he started the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy, which holds conferences in Chapel Hill for governors, legislators, and educators.
In 2006, the state Democratic Party began an annual fundraiser, the Sanford-Hunt Dinner, which is held in conjunction with the state convention. The event is named for Hunt and former Democratic Gov. Terry Sanford.
- Next: "Senator No"
|
<urn:uuid:7557e0d1-034e-452a-8475-d746de3e0742>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-recent/6192
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395621.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00023-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.974865
| 2,329
| 2.703125
| 3
|
The American army hoped to outflank the Germans in Italy and launch an attack on Rome. They landed an amphibious force at Anzio and Nettuno achieving complete surprise. Unfortunately for the Allies, the field commander failed to capitalize on the advantage. General John P. Lucas preferred to take his time, consolidate, and defend against an expected counterattack. His delay allowed the Germans to strike the beachhead, pin down the Americans, and led to a six month bloodletting rather than a quick victory.
Axis powers successfully halted the Allied advance on Rome. The defensive line became known as the Gustav Line under the command of Field Marshall Albert Kesselring. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill believed an amphibious landing at Anzio would allow the Allies to slip past Kesselring’s defenses and capture Rome. If Kesselring moved to blunt the landing, then the troops at the Gustav Line could break through. If not, then the invading force could flank the Nazis and march on Rome.
General Mark Clark assumed command of the mission. He feared the Allied High Command did not provide enough troops for the assault. Some worried Kesselring would be able to both defend the Gustav Line and Anzio. In this case, the battle could become a meat grinder. However, these concerns were ignored. The planners felt that either the Allies would take Rome or bog the Germans down in two spots on the Italian front.
Clark made his orders plain to Lucas. The Americans had to seize the Anzio beachhead, secure the Alban Hills, and then take Rome. However, Clark did not provide a timetable for Lucas. He evidently expected stiff resistance and Lucas had little faith in the plan. In fact, he believed Anzio would be a repeat of the Gallipoli bloodbath orchestrated by Churchill in World War I. As a result, Lucas was given wide latitude for the advance. This proved disastrous for the American force.
The battle began successfully for the invaders. They landed unopposed on January 22, 1944 with the exception of some Luftwaffe sorties. The Americans landed 36,000 soldiers in short order, with only 100 casualties. The lack of resistance caught the Allies by surprise. Rather than capitalize on German surprise, Lucas decided to consolidate and continued to land supplies on the beach. Churchill compared the invasion force to a “beached whale.”
Lucas had three options and chose the worst. He decided to stay put because he lacked the confidence in the operation. However, he could have raced to Rome, but that likely would have resulted in disaster once the Germans moved. Lucas should have moved inland to a better position in order to protect his men, consolidate, and attack the enemy. His inaction created a shooting gallery for the Germans.
The assault surprised the Germans, but not necessarily Kesselring. The field marshal planned for the attack as a contingency. Kesselring put his defense plan into motion at breakneck speed. He decided to attack the landing site and consolidate his own defenses. The German quickly moved troops to the Alban Hills and requested reinforcements from France and Yugoslavia. Within three days, the Nazis surrounded the invasion force at Anzio.
The 36,000 Allied troops faced 25,000 German and Italian soldiers at the outset. Each side filtered more troops into the battle. By the end, 150,000 American and British soldiers battled 135,000 German and Italians. Lucas launched a breakout attempt on January 30, but the battle eerily replicated World War I’s western front. Men died in droves for limited gains. The breakout failed and the Nazis counterattacked. At one point, the Germans nearly broke the Allied lines at a salient near Campoleone.
The two sides continued the back and forth nature of the combat into February. Churchill attacked Lucas’ competence and finally managed to get him replaced. Lucian Truscott assumed Allied command, but stalemate developed. The frustrated Allies planned for a breakout and Operation Diadem was born. The Allies launched Operation Diadem to breakout on May 23. Artillery announced the offensive to the Germans in another action reminiscent of World War I. The 1st Armored Division lost almost 1000 casualties in the first day, which was the highest single day total for any American unit in the war. The two sides slugged it out and even fought house-to-house as the Allies advanced.
On May 25, Clark ordered his main line to turn 90 degrees to the left while moving the 1st Armored to withdraw and prepare to breakout. Meanwhile, Kesselring continued the chess match by deploying forces to halt the Allied advance on Route 6 to Rome. The battle turned when Allied forces slipped into a gap between German forces. The 36th Division had to climb Monte Artemisio’s slopes to achieve the advantage. The Germans quickly withdrew from their positions while the Americans managed to slip around the Alban Hills and moved on Rome. The German defenses collapsed on June 2. General Clark entered Rome on June 4. However, Operation Diadem failed to destroy the German army in Italy, which led to sustained bloody fighting into 1945.
The Battle of Anzio cost around 40,000 casualties for each side. The Allies lost around 7,000 dead while the Axis powers suffered around 5,000 deaths. The initial assault lacked the requisite number of troops for instantaneous success. Despite this, General Lucas could have done more than sit on the beach and wait for the German onslaught. His lack of initiative led to a six month standoff that need not have happened. Although the Allies captured Rome, the Germans maintained an effective battle force in Italy. As a result, the Battle of Anzio proved a debacle for the Allies despite the victory.
|
<urn:uuid:dc837571-fb4f-497b-9e2b-8188e12d0c82>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-battle-of-anzio-1943
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783391519.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154951-00072-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961194
| 1,168
| 3.625
| 4
|
AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Egypt enjoys a unique geographical location.
It is an Arab-African country situated on the north-eastern
corner of the African continent. It is also partly an Asian
country, being linked to that continent by the Sinai Peninsula,
which has always played a pivotal role in history as a crossing
point between the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Due to its singular geographical situation, Egypt has always
been a connecting link between the world’s continents.
Although the country’s position was affected following
the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope route, it later regained
its vital role after the creation of the Suez Canal. Egypt
lies between latitudes 22° and 32° and between longitudes
24° and 37° to the east of the Greenwich Meriden.
The Arab Republic of Egypt consists of a total area of about
1,002,000 square kilometres, of which only 35,189 square
kilometres, ie, 3.6%, are populated.
Cairo, the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a time-honoured
city, with an outstanding position among world capitals.
It has a population of approximately 17,000,000, ranking
21st among world cities in terms of population, and making
it the largest in the Arab world and Africa.
The Arab Republic of Egypt is divided into four major parts:
Nile Valley and Delta
This consists of an area of about 33,000 square kilometers,
accounting for 4% of the total area of the country, while
the remaining area, ie, 96%, is desert.
extends in the south from above Wadi Halfa up to the Mediterranean
coast in the north.
It is divided into:
- Upper Egypt, extending from Wadi Halfa to the south of
- Lower Egypt (Nile Delta), extending from the south of
Cairo to the Mediterranean coast in the north
The Western Desert occupies an area of about 671.000 sq
km, ie, 68% of the country’s total area, extending
from the Nile Valley in the east to the Egyptian-Libyan
borders in the west and from the Mediterranean coast in
the north to Egypt’s southern borders with Sudan.
The Western Desert terrain is dominated by sand dunes, extending
from north to south. It is divided into two sections:
- The northern section, extending from the Mediterranean
coast to the Great Depression area
- The southern section, extending from the south of the
Great Depression area to the borders of Sudan
- Eastern Desert
With an area of about 225,000 sq. km, ie, 25% of the country’s
total area, the Eastern Desert is noted for its mountain
range along the Red Sea coast, with peaks that rise up to
about 2,000 metres above sea level.
- Sinai Peninsula
With an area of about 61,000 sq. km, ie, 6% of the country’s
total area, the Sinai Peninsula is triangular in shape,
with its base in the north and apex in the south. It is
bounded by the Mediterranean coast to the north, the Gulf
of Aqaba to the east, and the Suez Canal to the west.
Climate is determined by many factors, chief of which are
location, terrain and atmospheric pressure and water surfaces.
Basically, Egypt lies within the dry tropical region, except
for the northern parts that lie within the warm moderate
region, with a climate similar to the Mediterranean, characterised
by hot dry summers and moderate winters with little rainfall.
Egypt’s land area is about 238 million feddans, of
which only 7.7. million feddans are cultivated, while the
remainder consists of desert, lakes and territorial waters.
Egypt depends for its water supply on the following:
- surface water from the Nile, rain and storm water and
subterranean water. While The Nile remains the main source
of fresh water, there are additional, albeit limited resources,
consisting of recycled agricultural drainage water resulting
from irrigating cultivated land; and treated sanitary waste
The quantity of water available for use at present is 61.61
billion cubic metres per annum, broken down as follows:
- 53.3 billion cubic metres of Nile water from the Aswan
Dam reservoir, to irrigate cultivated land (old and newly-reclaimed)
- 3.3. billion cubic metres of underground water (in the
Delta, Upper Egypt and Sinai) for drinking purposes
- 7.2. billion cubic metres of recycled agricultural drainage
water, for other industrial purposes
- 0.8 billion cubic metres of treated sanitary waste water,
for non-consumer purposes.
The Arab Republic of Egypt has a large wealth of major minerals,
particularly petroleum, phosphate, iron and manganese.
Arabic is Egypt’s official language, but English and
French are widely spoken.
Islam is the country's main religion. Coptic Christians
make up most of the remaining population.
The unit of currency is the Egyptian pound (LE), which is
divided up into 100 piastres(pt).
Division and local Government
The Arab Republic of Egypt is divided into 26 governorates,
each comprising a number of urban districts, provincial
towns (marakez) and villages. The city of Luxor is an independent
The country is divided into seven regions as follows:
1 — Southern Upper Egypt
2 — Central Upper Egypt
3 — Northern Upper Egypt
4 — Greater Cairo
5 — Canal Region (Canal governorates plus North and
South Sinai governorates)
6 — Delta Region
7 — Alexandria and Matrouh
At present, Egypt has about 4,625 villages in addition to
22,704 affiliate and subsidiary hamlets.
is the bastion of faith and the faithful on earth, the connecting
link between the past and the present and truly the “cradle
of civilisation”. This is proved by the history of
the Ancient Egyptian civilisation: Egypt was the world’s
first state to emerge as a stable, central political unit,
when its people permanently settled on the banks of the
the rule of King Menes, the First of Egypt’s Pharaohs,
its provinces were united at the beginning of the third
millennium BC. At that time, there emerged the greatest
and most advanced civilisation known to the Ancient World,
namely the Pharaonic Civilisation. The monuments and landmarks
of this civilisation are still extant, bearing witness to
the greatness of the Ancient Egyptians, who understood “total
development”, and, therefore, accorded due attention
to all economic considerations in the areas of agriculture,
industry, trade and irrigation.
statement that “Egypt is the Gift of the Nile”
is only half-true. In point of fact, Ancient Egyptian civilisation
evolved as a result of creative interaction between the
Ancient Egyptians and their physical surroundings. This
fact is more clearly reflected in the words of the modern
Egyptian historian Shafiq Ghorbal: “Egypt is the gift
of the Egyptians.”
times of strength, as well as weakness, Egypt has maintained
its unique identity, formed through a process of interaction
between its unique cultural characteristics and other civilisations,
including the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic
peoples. While being a melting-pot for all such civilisations,
Egypt has over the years maintained its own distinct identity
through the unity of culture and language.
Civilisation in Egypt started in pre-historic times, estimated
by some archaeologists to be around 100,000 years ago. Since
the late Palaeolithic era (10.000 years BC), the ancient
Egyptians considered themselves as a separate nation, calling
themselves “The People of Egypt” or “The
People of the Earth”. At that time, there were two
separate kingdoms in Egypt. The first was founded in Lower
Egypt, with Butu as its capital, the papyrus as its emblem,
Horus as its deity and the snake as its symbol. The Southern
Kingdom had Nekhen as its capital, Seth as its deity and
the lotus as its emblem. Several attempts were made to unite
both the north and south kingdoms but were unsuccessful
until the year 3,200 BC, when King Menes (Narmer) ascended
the throne. His rule marked the beginning of written history
and the era of dynasties, which followed in succession until
the 30th dynasty.
Old Kingdom (2980 BC - 2475 BC)
During this era, principles of central government were established.
Menes was called the King of Both Lands and “Bearer
of Both Crowns”. At this time, hieroglyphic writing,
i.e. sacred engraving, was devised.
were actively involved in securing the country’s borders
and trade between Egypt and Sudan was developed. Egypt then
embarked on a glorious period of its history, known as the
pyramid-builders’ age, when the first pyramid of Saqqara
the flourishing of agriculture, industry and trade, the
first river fleet was also introduced by the Egyptians.
Middle Kingdom (2160 BC — 1580 BC)
Kings of the Middle Kingdom attended to those projects most
beneficial to the people such as irrigation, agriculture
and trade. During that era, a canal was dug to connect the
Nile with the Red Sea. Mines and quarries were operated
and arts and architecture flourished.
However, towards the end of this kingdom, Egypt was invaded
by the Hyksos in 1957 BC, who occupied and ruled the country
for about 150 years.
New Kingdom (1580 BC — 1150 BC)
At the hands of King Ahmus I, the Hyksos were beaten and
expelled from Egypt.
learning from experience, a strong Egyptian army was built,
thus making it possible to create a great empire extending
from the Euphrates in the east to the fourth cataract on
the River Nile in the south.
era also witnessed Akhenaton´s religious revolution.
He called for the worship of one deity symbolised by the
sun. He also built a new capital for Egypt, which he named
Aketaton. From the 21st to the 28th dynasty, Egypt was occupied
by the Assyrians in 670 BC and by the Persians in 523 BC.
The last native dynasty came to an end in 332 BC, when Alexander
the Great invaded Egypt and was recognised as a Pharaoh.
under the Pharaonic Civilisation
The Ancient Egyptians were the first to introduce systems
of government, setting up the authorities required to administer
the country’s affairs.
the vizier’s position was created to assist the Pharaoh
in administering government affairs, and the vizier himself
was provided with staff, thereby ushering in the first system
of local government.
the religious front, Ancient Egyptians had already arrived
at some concepts ranging from polytheism to monotheism advocated
by Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton),who was highly regarded for
his philosophical thinking. Then came the country’s
outstanding achievements in architecture. The first pyramid
ever built in Egypt was Zoser’s. However the Giza
Pyramids, together with the Sphinx, built during the 4th
dynasty, are the most famous of the 97 pyramids built as
tombs for Pharaohs.
the period of the Middle Kingdom, many funerary temples
were built. The most famous of these was the Labyrinth Temple
or the “Maze Palace” as it was called by the
Greeks. It was built in Hawara by King Amenmehat III, who
also built castles, fortresses and walls along Egypt’s
The Middle Kingdom period was the heyday of architectural
arts, when exquisite inscriptions and fine artworks were
engraved on the walls of colossal temples, chief of which
were Karnak, Luxor and Abu Simbel.
is also indebted to Egyptians for inventing writing with
the advent of the “Hieroglyphic Alphabet”, composed
of 24 letters. In particular, Egyptians excelled in religious
writing, the oldest examples of which were “The Text
Pyramid” and the “Book of the Dead”, which
contained texts written on papyrus and were buried with
the dead to protect them from the perils of the “after
Egyptian wrote music and stories, too. Music was used for
educating young people as well as in public and private
ceremonies, including funerals.
in Pharaonic Egypt varied depending on class. In general,
clothes were made of soft linen or silk fabrics imported
from Ancient Syria (Phoenicia) and differed according to
Ornaments were also known to ancient Egyptians, and were
derived from natural surroundings such as papyrus, palm-trees,
lotus flowers and precious stones. At the same time, women,
used Kohl as eye-liner and wore bracelets, necklaces and
in the Greek Era
Having beaten the Persians in Asia Minor, Alexander the
Great conquered Egypt in the year 332 BC. The Egyptians,
who had been involved in constant revolts against the greatly-resented
Persian rule, welcomed Alexander, who admired and took an
interest in Egyptian religion. He later selected a unique
site on the Mediterranean Sea, where he established a new
town bearing his name and made it the capital of Greek rule
in Egypt and a principal sea harbour.
under the Ptolemies
(323 BC — 30 BC)
After Alexander’s death, Egypt was ruled by his general,
Ptolemy, who founded the Ptolemaic Dynasty that ruled Egypt
for three centuries and adopted Alexandria as its capital.
Later, though, because of a series of weak kings and continuous
revolts by the Egyptians, the Ptolomaic dynasty soon degenerated.
Thereafter, Rome stepped in and put an end to the rule of
Queen Cleopatra in 30 BC.
Egyptian Civilisation under the Ptolemies
Alexandria was well known not only as a centre of outstanding
achievements in arts, science, industry and trade but also
as the prime harbour on the Mediterranean thanks to its
famed lighthouse, considered by the Greeks to be one of
the Seven Wonders of the World.
city was further renowned for its university, which symbolised
a great Hellenistic-Egyptian civilisation.
At Alexandria University, founded by the Ptolemies, scientists
came to significant conclusions concerning the earth’s
rotation around the sun and the approximate circumference
of the planet. The University was also famous for the study
of medicine, particularly anatomy and surgery. The most
famous university scientists were the geometrician Euclides,
the geographer Ptolemy and the Egyptian historian Maniton.
(Bibliotheca Alexandrina) and its Cultural Influence
The Ptolemies also established a large library in Alexandria.
It was considered the greatest in the world at that time
and contained more than 500,000 papyrus rolls. The Ptolemies
ordered that each visiting scientist should donate a copy
of his work, thus bringing the number documents to more
Civilisation under the Romans
In 30 BC, Egypt was conquered by the Romans and became a
province in their empire. However, due to its unique geographical
position, the fertility of its land and its cultural and
urban development, the country was regarded as the empire’s
most precious property. During this period, agriculture
and industry, particularly glass manufacturing, flourished.
Egypt was especially known for glass blowing and paper manufacturing,
as well as making perfume, cosmetics and fine linen fabrics.
Egyptian capital was practically the largest trading centre
in the east Mediterranean and the second city of the Roman
Empire. And the university maintained its position as a
centre of scientific research and a seat of learning for
scholars from all over the world.
Civilisation during the Coptic Era
Coptic architecture upheld the spirit of ancient Pharaonic
art. And churches built from the 5th century AD up to the
Arab conquest of Egypt are models of Coptic art
prevailing style of painting during the Coptic era was an
extension of the Fresco style (or oxidised colour painting)
on gypsum-coated walls inherited from previous eras.
a unique form of church music, in harmony with Ancient Egyptian
melodies, emerged during the Coptic era. And, indeed, some
of the church tunes played today in Coptic churches still
bear Pharaonic names.
Aspects of Islamic Civilisation
Under Islamic rule, Egypt generally enjoyed a golden age
in arts and architecture. This was evidenced in the building
of many mosques, fortresses and city walls. The first Islamic
capital of Egypt was founded at Fustat, which has developed
into the modern city of Cairo.
Nilometer on the Island of Roda in modern Cairo, built by
Abbassid Caliph Al-Mutawakel Billah in 295 AD, is known
to be the oldest Islamic monument in Egypt.
period also witnessed the development of local Islamic architecture.
The Al-Azhar Mosque, built by Jawahr Al Siqilli, general
for the Fatimid Caliph Al- Mu´izz Lidin Ellah, and
the Al Anwar and Al-Aqmar Mosques are examples of Fatimid
architecture. And the Al Geoshi Mausoleum is a model for
dome structures and mosques built around the tombs of eminent
men of religion. During the Ayyubid period, further advances
were made in the field of architecture, and Salah Eddin´s
(Saladin´s) Citadel still stands out as a lofty, striking
example of Islamic architecture.
Mamelukes were no less advanced in this field. They also
left behind a great wealth of finely-designed and decorated
mosques, domes, mystics’ houses, palaces, schools,
khans (inns), fortresses and public drinking fountains.
The most notable arts of the period were wood-engraving
and ornamentation, textiles, porcelain and stained glass.
|
<urn:uuid:28b10822-e1a4-4920-af27-97d6e6d0842c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.gotoegypt.org/General.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395166.84/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00172-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943643
| 3,943
| 3.328125
| 3
|
How the thirty-two persons at the ball fought.
The two companies having taken their stations, the music struck up, and with a martial sound, which had something of horrid in it, like a point of war, roused and alarmed both parties, who now began to shiver, and then soon were warmed with warlike rage; and having got in readiness to fight desperately, impatient of delay stood waiting for the charge.
Then the music of the silvered band ceased playing, and the instruments of the golden side alone were heard, which denoted that the golden party attacked. Accordingly, a new movement was played for the onset, and we saw the nymph who stood before the queen turn to the left towards her king, as it were to ask leave to fight; and thus saluting her company at the same time, she moved two squares forwards, and saluted the adverse party.
Now the music of the golden brigade ceased playing, and their antagonists began again. I ought to have told you that the nymph who began by saluting her company, had by that formality also given them to understand that they were to fall on. She was saluted by them in the same manner, with a full turn to the left, except the queen, who went aside towards her king to the right; and the same manner of salutation was observed on both sides during the whole ball.
The silvered nymph that stood before her queen likewise moved as soon as the music of her party sounded a charge; her salutations, and those of her side, were to the right, and her queen’s to the left. She moved in the second square forwards, and saluted her antagonists, facing the first golden nymph; so that there was not any distance between them, and you would have thought they two had been going to fight; but they only strike sideways.
Their comrades, whether silvered or golden, followed ’em in an intercalary figure, and seemed to skirmish a while, till the golden nymph who had first entered the lists, striking a silvered nymph in the hand on the right, put her out of the field, and set herself in her place. But soon the music playing a new measure, she was struck by a silvered archer, who after that was obliged himself to retire. A silvered knight then sallied out, and the golden queen posted herself before her king.
Then the silvered king, dreading the golden queen’s fury, removed to the right, to the place where his warden stood, which seemed to him strong and well guarded.
The two knights on the left, whether golden or silvered, marched up, and on either side took up many nymphs who could not retreat; principally the golden knight, who made this his whole business; but the silvered knight had greater designs, dissembling all along, and even sometimes not taking a nymph when he could have done it, still moving on till he was come up to the main body of the enemies in such a manner that he saluted their king with a God save you, sir!
|
<urn:uuid:6dc40c2f-8629-4c76-82b0-712ac7c101f0>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.bookrags.com/ebooks/1200/576.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783398628.62/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154958-00003-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.99046
| 648
| 2.9375
| 3
|
In “Notes on ‘Camp,’” Sontag writes, “To snare a sensibility in words, especially one that is alive and powerful, one must be tentative and nimble. The form of jottings, rather than an essay (with its claim to a linear, consecutive argument), seemed more appropriate for getting down something of this particular fugitive sensibility.” Adopting the form or mode of “jottings” – other “jotters” we’ve read this semester include Barthes, Koestenbaum, Sante and to a lesser extent Sebald – write a piece called “Notes on Style.” The notes should be ordered by some principle – numbering, alphabetization by keyword – that is neither chronological nor obviously logic-or-argument-driven. You are welcome to use quotations from Austen, Flaubert, James, Proust, etc. as illustrations, but you are not obligated to do so; examples from other spheres are also welcome. Be as vivid and precise as possible, and include at least one original “maxim” or “aphorism” about style or one of style’s affiliates as a self-standing item in your list of jottings.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The final assignment
for the class I've been teaching this semester on style:
|
<urn:uuid:5d72eb41-12fe-48e2-833f-578b0359bb71>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://jennydavidson.blogspot.com/2009/11/final-assignment.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783399428.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154959-00181-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.934095
| 293
| 2.609375
| 3
|
Waste Heat: More than Just Hot Air
In producing electricity, heat
makes things work. Any power plant that uses steam to spin turbines and
generate an electric current which includes nuclear, coal, and natural
gas-fired power plants needs heat to keep things moving.
The heat created by burning fossil fuels or through a
nuclear reaction isn't any different than that used in factories to produce
glass, paper, aluminum, steel, chemicals, bricks, and other materials.
Unfortunately, a lot of the heat used in manufacturing processes goes
straight up the smokestack. It stands to reason that some of that waste
heat could also be used to generate electricity.
A lot of waste heat is located at rural sites served by
electric co-ops, explains Ed Torrero, executive director of the Cooperative
Research Network (CRN), the research arm of the Arlington, Va.-based
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. This presents co-ops with
an attractive but challenging opportunity to access local generation with
almost no emissions at low or no incremental cost. Under many states
renewable portfolio standards laws, this type of energy qualifies as a green
In the late 1970s researchers began focusing on harvesting
the potential of waste heat for generating electricity, a process also known
as cogeneration or combined heat and power. The U.S. Department of Energy's
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory puts the electricity-making potential
of using industrial waste heat at 96,000 MW, equivalent to 10 percent of
existing installed generating capacity in the country. A new study by CRN
estimates that roughly 30,000 MW could be generated by waste heat within a
The CRN report explores the sources of all this heat, many
of which are located in rural sites served by electric co-ops. Along with
the factories already mentioned, natural gas pipelines, ethanol refineries,
landfills, and water treatment plants produce large volumes of waste heat.
Ethanol plants are singled out by the CRN report as an
ideal [co-op] target for examining possible waste heat to power projects
because of the amount of electricity and steam consumed. Torrero, though,
points to natural gas pipelines as the source being tapped most effectively
by electric co-ops.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative, a generation and transmission co-op based in Bismarck,
N.D., generates 33 MW of renewable base-load power from waste heat
recovery stations located at six compressor sites along the Northern Border
carries natural gas from Canada to Chicago. Basin Electric
Power obtains about 5.5 MW from waste heat off one compressor alone, or
enough to serve the electrical needs of about 5,000 average residential
homes. Compressors are spaced 70 miles apart, and the pipelines run
thousands of miles, allowing ample room for growth.
These projects are excellent first steps, but to really
take advantage of waste heat on a larger scale, some technical hurdles must
be cleared, a new crop of technologies in development must be commercially
proven, and a more compelling business case for all parties must emerge,
emphasizes Bob Gibson, senior program manager at CRN. The potential is
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho
National Laboratory (INL) are also looking into innovative ways to put waste
heat to work, but they're thinking small: A team has developed intricate
materials that use millions of microscopic antennas to collect heat energy
from the sun and industrial sources.
Every process in our industrial world creates waste
heat, says Steven Novack, an INL physicist who leads the research team.
Its energy that we just throw away!
Basin Electric Power, a generation and transmission
cooperative based in Bismarck, N.D., generates 33 megawatts of renewable
base-load power from waste heat.
|
<urn:uuid:91462b57-fd5a-4893-9f8e-a1c29fd436d3>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.co-opliving.com/coopliving/issues/2009/August%202009/yourbusiness.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00169-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.927199
| 813
| 3.6875
| 4
|
Mankind would not overreach itself by making extinct some organisms that cause misery – or by bringing back others
The World Health Organisation’s annual assembly decided on Saturday evening not to set a date to destroy the last two remaining samples of smallpox virus kept in secure laboratories in Atlanta and Novosibirsk. Smallpox, being a virus, does not really count as a living species. But the prospect of the deliberate extinction of some harmful species is getting closer. Be in no doubt — it would be an unambiguously good thing.
Smallpox was eradicated outside laboratories in 1977, when Ali Maow Maalin recovered from the disease in Merca, Somalia (he died last year of malaria). Until now researchers have wanted to
|
<urn:uuid:72655508-1acb-4639-a3c1-e5ab4fe66f73>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/columnists/article4100008.ece
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396224.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00185-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.939687
| 150
| 2.890625
| 3
|
easily found in almost part of the world, has currently played its great role
in supplying materials for clothing, home decors, souvenir and accessories,
and building construction. Bamboo is widely known as a tribe of green plants in
the family of grass plantation.It can
live either on low land or on plateu making it easy to recognize.This plantation is made up of several types
which bear different use. For instance, Wuluh Bamboo,which is dark in color and with smooth
texture, is commonly used to make benches, chairs,beds, and other furniture. Petung Bamboo,
which looks strong and is heavily built, is mostly used to provide house
builders with materials for poles and pillars. Apus Bamboo functions
differently from the previous ones. People use it to make a rope for fastening
there have been an increasing demand for bamboo while many keep depending on
such a harder material as wood.This
indicates that this plantation is worth considering in use not only to
anticipate the decrease in the number of wood supplies but, more importantly,
due to its endurance as well. Owing to its sustainability, it is made
alternatives for cotton and textilein
the production of clothes.To some
nations it can be a new way of producing clothes, but for many, such bamboo clothing
are already their style.Their testimony
has proved to ensure that wearing bamboo clothes gives better taste and feels.
supporters and opponents to the ideabamboo
clothing have their bitter arguments.Greenecology practitionerssaid
massive production of bamboo clothing meansinstant devastating of greeny grass plantation that needs to conserve. In
addition, it might take relatively longer time to make a single plant to grow,
a case which does not ever happen to cotton plantation. They suggest to use
bamboo just to some extent like for home décor, partly for house construction,
and traditional music instruments.Those
who agree come up with an argument that bamboo is a material with tough texture
and and can last long. Its fibersgive
impression of strength and durability. Apart from this, it is to diverse the
use of the plantation and provide you with alternatives for textile and cotton
which increasingly grow expensive.
matter what people say, bamboo clothing have been in community and are considered
good products to shop.Related to how to
process the fabric, a special preparation should be made in terms of technical
issues since it is more complicated to process than other materials. Experts in
this area need togive special training
to fabric workers.Likewise,
introduction to the machinery use should intensively be given. In practice, a
tailor will need a tailoring machine which fits best to the hard materials.
However, processing this fabric gives good prospect for future business since
bamboo clothing are in high demand.Wearing a T-shirtmade from
bamboo materials gives one a special sense of pride as expressed by a consumer.
1.What do people use bamboo to do as stated in paragraph 1?
2.Which paragraph tells about bamboo as supplies for clothing material?
3.What do the pros say to argue that bamboo is good for clothing?
4.Are people familiar with bamboo clothing? State your arguments!
|
<urn:uuid:db5beace-4deb-4845-b113-337d3356171f>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://styusup.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783404382.73/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155004-00100-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943534
| 684
| 2.78125
| 3
|
Isaac Newton (1642-1727) discovered the natural laws of motion, which provided the final piece to the puzzle, establishing the Copernican theory of the Earth revolving around the sun, introducing the spirit of individualism and the idea the study of human progress was at the centre of all things. During the following decades, his achievement was celebrated as the triumph of the modern mind over ancient and medieval ignorance. The 18th century Age of Enlightenment saw the intellectual maturation of the humanist belief – a system of thought that focuses on humans and their values, capacities and worth. With the introduction of new patterns of thought, honest doubt began to replace unreasoning faith. The ‘truth’ discovered through reason, would free people from the shackles of corrupt institutions, such as the church and monarchy, whose misguided traditional thinking and old ideas had kept people subjected in ignorance and superstition. The concept of freedom became central to the vision of a new society. Through truth and freedom the world would be made a better place.
Neoliberalism is an ideology and policy model that emphasizes the value of free market competition. As national economies became more interdependent in the new era of economic globalization, neoliberals promote free-trade policies and the free movement of international capital. While this political theory has been around since the late 1900s, the rise of the neoliberals occurred over the last 40 years to become the dominant ideology shaping our world today. Joseph Stiglitz observes, “Neoliberal market fundamentalism was always a political doctrine serving certain interests. It was never supported by economic theory. Nor, it should now be clear, is it supported by historical experience. Learning this lesson may be the silver lining in the cloud hanging over the global economy.”
Over centuries of development humanism emphasis shifted from the religious realm to the human realm. The neoliberals brought in their own vocabulary to control the debate: human beings became human capital, essentially reduced to an investment. The individual is no longer at the centre of discussion, having been displaced by the corporation. Government has no economic responsibility; only people have responsibility. Neoliberals maintain the pretense of freedom defined as non-coercion – less government means less coercion or control. The solution is to treat politics as a market and promote an economic theory of democracy. The citizen is replaced with consumer of state services. Following from the human-capital concept education is a consumer good, not a life-transforming experience.
To neoliberals the market is a natural state of mankind. The market can be made manifest in many guises. Natural science narratives are woven into the neoliberal narrative. For example, it can be considered an evolutionary phenomenon. The selective pressure seen in nature is also seen in market forces. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), an English philosopher and economist, believed that society was evolving towards increasing freedom of individuals and held that government intervention ought to be minimal in political and social life. Spencer’s survival of the fittest concept was believed to be natural, hence morally correct. Neoliberalism that underpins the Bush Administration’s No Child Left Behind Act introduced education reforms promoting high-stakes testing, accountability, and competitive markets. The education system is largely seen as the ultimate arbiter of innate intelligence and ability, as well as the benefactor of hard-work and merit. If public schools fail it clears the road for voucher and charter schools (experimental publicly funded private schools with minimal regulation). Charter schools are neoliberalism’s logical conclusion for education, where schools should become for-profit institutions.1
Their vision of a good society is such that conditions for its existence must be constructed. On the other hand classical liberals reconciled freedom with authority and replaced authority with society. Neoliberals reject society and revive a version of authority under a new guise. The state becomes a core agency that actively fabricates the subjectivities, social relations and collective representation suited to making the fiction of the markets real and consequential. Neoliberals vigorously reject that there are ‘failures’ or glitches in the markets, rather, evolution or ‘spontaneous order’ brings the market to ever more complex states of self-realization that the human mind cannot understand. They reject any suggestion of ‘market failure’ with relation of the 2008 debacle.
Neoliberals extol freedom as trumping all other virtues. Their freedom is divorced from democracy, buttressed by the concept that all coercion is evil. This particular brand of freedom is not the realization of any political, human, or the ultimate aim of cultural success, but rather relying on a system to harness the selfishness of people and direct it to public good, thus freeing itself from the need to depend unrealistically upon the uncertain moral virtues of its participants. For neoliberals inequality is unfortunately a by-product of capitalism, but a necessary functional characteristic of their ideal market system. It is part of a strong motor to progress, hence the rich are not parasites, but a boon to mankind. In fact, the concentration of wealth since 1990s is part of the neoliberal script to produce more efficient and vibrant capitalism.
Neoliberals need the state, (it cannot be destroyed), it is necessary to redefine the function and nature of the state. While democracy is ambivalently endorsed as the appropriate state framework for an ideal market, it is necessary to keep the relationship impotent so that citizen interests are rarely able to change anything. It is necessary to restrict the state with numerous audit devices under the sign of accountability such as, convert state services to private and provision of government services on contractor basis. The privatization of the process of securitization of mortgages , which had started out in the 1960s as a government function has become a flash point in in explanations of how the financial sector lost its way. They mask their role in power by marketization of government functions – and in the process, shrinking state bureaucracies that become unwieldy under such neoliberal activities.
A corporation can do no wrong (as it was created for legal purposes only). Neoliberals were for introducing market forces into corporations. The reengineering of the corporation by separating ownership from control by such features as reduced vertical integration, outsourcing supply chains, outrageous compensation for top officers, incentives such as massive stock options, golden handshakes, and latitude beyond any oversight. Capital has a natural right to flow freely across national borders (labour enjoys so similar right). Offshore outsourcing of manufacturing in advanced economies is clearly a function of neoliberal doctrines concerning the unbounded benefits of freedom of international trade, combined with neoliberal projects to reengineer the corporation as an arbitrary nexus of contractual obligations, rather than as a repository of production expertise.2
Concurrent with the neoliberalization of America, the prison population in the United States exploded. Crime is defined as an inefficient attempt to circumvent the market. Neoliberal ideology helps justify increasingly punitive government intervention into crime and punishment – incarceration becomes a solution to structural economic inequality and political instability. Faced with increasing populations situated outside the reaches of the disciplinary structure of the wage labor system, the neoliberal state reforms welfare into prison-fare to exert social control and regulation of poor and deviant populations and, therefore, limit social instability. The precariousness bred by a welfare-averse politics maintains a steady flow of inmates. The main drivers of penal policy reform at the elite level are cost-benefit analyses and concerns about recidivism, not concerns of justice or human rights.3
Neoliberals have made efforts to have economic theories do dual service as a moral code. The best that they can achieve is intellectual accommodation with the religious right. They share the same freedom – the desire to follow one’s own moral conviction as a modern safeguard to individual freedom. Neoliberals notoriously use “wedge issues,” commonly known as “culture war” issues, such as abortion and gay rights, to divide Christians who might otherwise stand together against the neoliberal economic agenda. Republican neoliberals continue to have one thing in common with their evangelical protégés; they are unlikely to waver in their faith.
The market (suitably engineered and promoted), claim neoliberals, can always provide solutions to problems seemingly caused by the market in the first place. Basically any problem has a market solution. Suitably engineered boutique markets are promoted as superior method to solve all sorts of problems previously thought to better organized by governments: everything from scheduling space shots to regulating the flow through airports and national parks. The marketplace is deemed to be a superior information processor, therefore all human knowledge can be used its fullest only if it is comprehensively owned and priced. This is extrapolated to explain that the solution to perceived problems in derivatives and securitization is redoubled ‘innovation’ in derivatives and securitization, and not their curtailment. Essentially the best people to clean up the crisis were the same bankers and financiers who created it in the first place, since they clearly embodied the best understanding of the shape of the crisis. The revolving door between the US Treasury and Goldman Sacks was evidence that the market system worked, and not of ingrained corruption and conflicts of interest.2
The 18th century Enlightenment was a movement to displace the dogged adherence to established opinions and customs, and to enlighten a population that the system had kept in the dark. The Enlightenment introduced critical thinking to replace the dead weight of tradition and challenge the blind faith in institutions. In the 18th century the church was the dominant institution, while in the 21st century the corporation is the dominant institution. In the 21st century there is a need to challenge the blind faith and convictions in less government and regulations to understand the truth – increasing economic inequality between the rich and the rest of society over the past four decades is no longer acceptable. It is necessary to introduce interventions to reduce the influence of the dominant institution, the corporation, in government affairs. New social relationships need to be constructed, creating a system with increased transparency and accountability that allows individuals expanded opportunities for self-determination and freedom, making the existing model obsolete.
1 Leyva, Rodolfo (2009) No child left behind: a neoliberal repackaging of social darwinism. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 7 (1). pp. 365-381. ISSN 2051-0969 http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/14551/
2 Mirowski, Philip. Never Let A Serious Crisis Go to Waste: How Neoliberalism Survived the Financial Meltdown. (2013) Verso London: New York p. 50-67.
3 Gottschalk Marie. The Folly of Neoliberal Prison Reform (08 June 2015) https://bostonreview.net/books-ideas/marie-gottschalk-neoliberal-prison-reform-caught
|
<urn:uuid:1d40be80-bf20-48aa-beca-cdbb5792f023>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://questioningandskepticism.com/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00124-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.943268
| 2,240
| 3.375
| 3
|
Eastern Africa is unusual in that its coastal fish production is low in relation to the surface area and potential productivity of its fisheries, in spite of large amounts of nutrients made available by coastal upwelling resulting from the Somali Current. The coastal fishery yield for the entire eastern and south-eastern African coast, including the Western Indian Ocean Islands, represents less than 1 per cent of global landings and most of the coastal fish stocks of the subregion are considered to be fully exploited or overexploited (FAO 1997).
Destructive fishing practices pose a threat to coastal fisheries and coral reefs. Use of dynamite, pullseine nets, poisons, and heavy pressure on selected species and juveniles are widespread along the Eastern African coast, contributing to decline of the ecosystem. However, national and international pressure to ban these practices has stimulated the empowerment of local communities to monitor and manage their resources (Obura, Suleiman, Motta & Schleyer 2000).
The countries of the Eastern African coast are the main exploiters of their coastal waters, but their EEZ is being increasingly harvested by foreign fleets from Europe and Eastern Asia. Somalia is experiencing an extreme case of this, as outlined in Box 2c.2. Reported catches by foreign nations increased dramatically in the early 1990s, with the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, Taiwan and Spain playing a major role (Okemwa 1998). Shark populations are declining rapidly with consequent drops in shark-fin catches by fishermen from Yemen, Somalia, Djibouti and Sudan. Most shark fishing is illegal and also impacts on turtles, dolphins and finfish which get caught in the nets and lines. Lack of surveillance and enforcement is a contributing factor (Pilcher & Alsuhaibany 2000).
|Box 2c.2 Somali fisheries require international control|
|Source & photo: Coffen-Smout 1998|
Eastern African countries are party to the 1982 UNCLOS which establishes fishing rights, and to international agreements on harvesting limits and areas. However, countries in the sub-region, like many African countries, lack both the infrastructure to exploit their own territories and the capacity to police and monitor the activities of international fleets or unsustainable harvesting rates. In addition, fishing agreements with foreign countries have been poorly defined, based on the need by African states for income and foreign exchange.
In Eritrea, marine resource harvesting is being regulated as peace returns to the area, through development of formal management procedures. Similar efforts are anticipated in Somalia. In Kenya, the MPA system is managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service and extends over 5 per cent of the coastline. There are two types of protection: full protection in marine parks, and the traditional resource harvesting allowed in marine reserves. Tourism is the main activity at all sites, and plans are underway to involve local communities and other stakeholders in the management of some areas (Obura and others 2000).
|
<urn:uuid:044d3df5-a091-4730-b847-2f7e6cf9e094>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.grida.no/aeo/107.htm
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00074-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.945861
| 591
| 3.53125
| 4
|
CD-ROM and Linux
To mount a CD-ROM, insert it in the drive and use the mount command (as root). A typical command line is the following:
% mount -t iso9660 -r /dev/cdrom /mnt
The example above assumes that the CD-ROM device file is /dev/cdrom and the disc is ISO-9660 formatted (this is almost always the case). The -r option indicates that the disc is to be mounted read-only. If successful, the CD can now be accessed under the directory /mnt.
For a more permanent setup, you may wish to mount the CD under a more meaningful name such as /cdrom. By adding an entry to the /etc/fstab file you can have a CD-ROM automatically mounted when Linux boots; see the fstab(5) man page for details.
When finished with the CD, it can be unmounted using the umount command (again, run this as root):
% umount /mnt
If you want to allow non-root users to mount and unmount CD-ROMs, you can use the “user” option provided by some mount commands. If you make an entry such as the following in /etc/fstab:
/dev/sbpcd /cdrom iso9660 user,noauto,ro
then an ordinary user will be permitted to mount and unmount the drive using these commands:
% mount /cdrom % umount /cdrom
The disc will be mounted with some options that help ensure security (e.g., programs on the CD cannot be executed and device files are ignored). Another method is to obtain or write a program such as usermount which runs setuid to root and allows restricted mounting of specific devices (e.g., CD-ROM and floppies) for non-root users.
PhotoCDs use an ISO-9660 file system to store image files in a proprietary format, at several different resolutions. Not all CD-ROM drives support reading PhotoCDs. If yours does, you can mount it and use a program such as hpcdtoppm to convert the files to a format that can be displayed using graphics file viewers such as xloadimage or xv.
The hpcdtoppm program is part of the PBM (portable bit map) utilities, available on many Internet archive sites (look for pbm or netpbm).
The program xpcd is an X11-based utility for manipulating PhotoCD images. You can select the images with a mouse, preview them in a small window, and load the image with any of the five possible resolutions. You can also mark a part of the image and load only the selected part. This program can be found at ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de in the file /pub/linux/Local/misc/ xpcd-0.2.tar.gz.
Several programs are available that allow playing audio CDs, either through a headphone jack or an attached sound card. workman, supplied with many Linux distributions, is one such program. It sports a graphical user interface that resembles the controls provided on audio CD players. Simple command-line CD player programs also exist. Note that to play an audio CD you should not try to mount it.
The CD player programs simply route the analog output of the drive to an external device. Some CD-ROM drives also support reading the digital sound data contained on audio CDs. Using a program such as cdda2wav you can save audio tracks from a CD-ROM as a sound file (e.g., in .wav format).
The Inheriting File System (IFS) is a kernel driver that allows mounting multiple file systems at the same point. By mounting a hard disk directory over a CD-ROM file system, you can effectively obtain a writable CD-ROM file system.
At the time of this writing, an experimental version of IFS, written by Werner Almesberger for the 0.99 Linux kernel, is available as a kernel patch.
If you want to create your own CD-ROM, either by using a writable CD drive or sending a tape to a vendor to be mastered, there are some tools available under Linux that you can use.
The mkisofs package allows creating an ISO-9660 file system on a disk partition. This can be used to assist in creating and testing CD-ROM file systems before mastering discs.
There are also some utilities available for verifying the format of ISO-9660 file systems; these can be useful for checking suspect CD-ROMs.
Fast/Flexible Linux OS Recovery
On Demand Now
In this live one-hour webinar, learn how to enhance your existing backup strategies for complete disaster recovery preparedness using Storix System Backup Administrator (SBAdmin), a highly flexible full-system recovery solution for UNIX and Linux systems.
Join Linux Journal's Shawn Powers and David Huffman, President/CEO, Storix, Inc.
Free to Linux Journal readers.Register Now!
- Download "Linux Management with Red Hat Satellite: Measuring Business Impact and ROI"
- Sony Settles in Linux Battle
- Libarchive Security Flaw Discovered
- Profiles and RC Files
- Maru OS Brings Debian to Your Phone
- Snappy Moves to New Platforms
- The Giant Zero, Part 0.x
- Understanding Ceph and Its Place in the Market
- Astronomy for KDE
- Git 2.9 Released
With all the industry talk about the benefits of Linux on Power and all the performance advantages offered by its open architecture, you may be considering a move in that direction. If you are thinking about analytics, big data and cloud computing, you would be right to evaluate Power. The idea of using commodity x86 hardware and replacing it every three years is an outdated cost model. It doesn’t consider the total cost of ownership, and it doesn’t consider the advantage of real processing power, high-availability and multithreading like a demon.
This ebook takes a look at some of the practical applications of the Linux on Power platform and ways you might bring all the performance power of this open architecture to bear for your organization. There are no smoke and mirrors here—just hard, cold, empirical evidence provided by independent sources. I also consider some innovative ways Linux on Power will be used in the future.Get the Guide
|
<urn:uuid:dd167539-50dd-46a9-81da-68753bd71e33>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2851?page=0,1&quicktabs_1=1
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397636.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00163-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.88213
| 1,341
| 2.796875
| 3
|
It's just a piece of black cloth, but it says so much about immigrants and cultural assimilation. The cloth, known in Arabic as the niqab, covers some Muslim women's faces, leaving only tiny slits around the eyes.
Sound off on the important issues at
In the West, the niqab's effect is unnerving, sending an unpleasant message to onlookers: Keep away, because I'm not one of you.
The niqab also symbolizes another issue: how far immigrants should go to adapt to their new country. For Europeans, niqabs put the question of assimilation literally in their faces because the wearer's message is so unyielding. For Americans, where niqabs aren't prevalent, the assimilation question surfaces more subtly. We notice it when immigrants spend years here and never learn English, forcing us to change school curricula, government documents and billboards to accommodate them.
Americans feel anger when protesters at pro-migrant rallies wave Mexican flags. At the Gold Cup soccer championship, when the U.S. and Mexican national teams squared off for the title match, the domestic crowd cheered for the United States to lose.
The mood is turning nasty over immigration. Migrants should heed the message of the niqab. Americans don't want to erase migrants' cultural identities, but it's hard to embrace those who refuse to embrace this culture. At a minimum, meet your hosts halfway.
|
<urn:uuid:30abb0f9-26f6-4dab-a9c4-6709a806c74f>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://juneauempire.com/stories/070407/opi_editorial2001.shtml
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783393518.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154953-00025-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.938666
| 295
| 2.53125
| 3
|
"Power, Privilege, and Social Justice" Document Study
Paul Cowan, An Orphan in History, excerpt on Jewish experience
Paul Cowan grew up in an upper-middle-class American Jewish family where he absorbed the Jewish values of his mother, Polly Cowan, who believed that Jews had a special responsibility to help those who were less fortunate. Like his mother, Paul Cowan lived these values when he became a civil rights activist. But his experience also taught him that acting on Jewish values of social justice was a privilege not available to all American Jews. Working as a journalist, Cowan encountered many different people and situations that at times led him to reconsider his world views. Here he recounts an encounter with Jewish refugees from Europe, who opposed the building of low-income housing projects for blacks and Puerto Ricans in their neighborhood.
I spent one afternoon walking on the picket line with an elderly Jewish couple, Romanians who had fled to Russia during World War II, then migrated to Newark, Greenwich Village, and Forest Hills, where they owned a grocery story. They had been chased and harassed all their lives – first by Hitler, then by the Communists, then by blacks in Newark and Italians in the Village. They were convinced that people were better off among their own kind – an idea that sounded reactionary to me. When I mentioned that I was Jewish, the old woman asked me, “Do you think we will all be chased from New York?” What gruesome experience lingered in her mind, producing that question? Surely her desire for security wasn’t merely a form of bigotry…The crowd’s chant brought me back to Mississippi. Those white kids at the swimming pool had been muttering similar invectives as they drank their beer and looked at Polly’s motel room. So I asked the couple from Romania if the crowd’s chant about black people awakened memories of the chants that were directed at them because they were Jews?
“No,” the man said.
“You see, we’re trying to protect ourselves here. I wish the Jews had done the same thing in Europe.”
How could I see them as any more – or any less – oppressed than the blacks and Hispanics who might move into the project they were protesting so vehemently? Talking with them, and with others in their position, I realized that my flashbacks to Mississippi were inappropriate. The issue in Forest Hills involved two competing claims, not right and wrong.
When I published my article, I was afraid that my mother would think I was too soft on the Romanians and their counterparts; that I was explaining their racism away. In fact, she agreed with my article. But the chain of thought that began during those days in Forest Hills produced new questions, new sympathies that I could never quite explain to her, though my father understood them completely. For, though she has remained my political conscience, I realized that there was a contradiction in the belief she and I had always shared, that all Jews were mandated by history to be more ethical than other people. It allowed the Cowans, with our wealth, to argue that Jews with less money, less mobility, less access to powerful people than we had were somehow immoral if they organized their lives around their own self-interest. If they were survivors, we romanticized them without understanding them – or, on the other hand, assumed that their years in the camps should have made them less bigoted. If they were American-born people, who wanted the same security for their families as we had on Park Avenue, we tended to dismiss them as selfish business people or as bigots.
- Who wrote this document? What was his role in the events he describes?
- When was this document written? (At the time of the events described? After the events described took place?) Why might when the document was written matter in what we learn from this document?
- What experiences does Paul Cowan bring to this event? How do they shape his initial view of the issues?
- Who are the picketers? What are they protesting? Why?
- What experiences do the picketers bring to this event? How do these experiences shape their view of the issues?
- In what ways are Paul Cowan and the picketers the same? In what ways are they different?
- How does Paul Cowan's view of the issues change as a result of his experience on this picket line?
- Near the end of the document, Paul Cowan says, "I realized that there was a contradiction in the belief she and I had always shared, that all Jews were mandated by history to be more ethical than other people." What do you think the contradiction is that Cowan has discovered? How might you rewrite the phrase "all Jews were mandated by history to be more ethical than other people" to make it more accurately reflect the reality that Paul Cowan has discovered on the picket line?
- If, as in this case, none of the parties has power (Jews, Hispanics, and blacks are all portrayed as oppressed), is there a way to resolve the issue? Who else (present or not) might have the power to resolve the issue of competing claims? What is their responsibility?
- What other situations or conflicts does this story make you think of? Who has power in those situations? How, if at all, have they been resolved?
How to cite this page
Jewish Women's Archive. ""Power, Privilege, and Social Justice" Document Study." (Viewed on June 26, 2016) <http://jwa.org/teach/livingthelegacy/documentstudies/power-privilege-and-social-justice-document-study>.
|
<urn:uuid:c2564727-a8e3-4105-8480-d357822c2c49>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://jwa.org/teach/livingthelegacy/documentstudies/power-privilege-and-social-justice-document-study
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395548.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00096-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.988928
| 1,181
| 2.625
| 3
|
Health Benefits of Makabuhay Plant
The stem of makabuhay plant is a primary ingredient used to concoct preparations that would prevent spread of malaria, and may be used as cleanser for skin ulcer and skin wounds. Clinical tests have shown that the decoction of this plant cures diarrhea, indigestion and scabies. Also, it is an effective ointment for pains caused by rheumatism. However, young children below the age of three, pregnant women, patients with typhoid fever, those who are suffering from pneumonia, and people diagnosed with heart problems, should not in any way take decoction that contains makabuhay, because their weak state will be in conflict with the strong medicinal effects that it manifests.
Preparation and Use of Makabuhay
It has been mentioned earlier that this plant have several medicinal uses. Thus, the form, preparation, and manner of intake also vary according to the purpose for which it will be taken. For instance, when makabuhay is going to be used as an ointment for rheumatism, its preparation is different in such a manner that the stems have to be chopped. It is suggested that the chopped stems amount to one-half glass and such stems are supposed to be fried for five minutes in a glass of coconut oil, under low fire. Then, the stems are to be separated after frying, after which ½ glass of grated candle wax should be incorporated to it. As soon as the wax have already dissolved and cooled down, the prepared ointment can already be applied to the body, except for the face, for three successive nights.
A similar preparation is to be observed when makabuhay is to be used to eradicate intestinal worms, and cure fever brought about by malaria. However, instead of sautéing, the stems are supposed to be boiled. In preparing this particular decoction, 30 grams of fresh makabuhay stems, or 25 grams of dried ones, are supposed to be boiled for twenty minutes in three cups of water. The extracts can be derived by subjecting the boiled preparation in a strainer, therefore removing the stems from the substance that are necessary to address the health concern discussed. The preparation should be taken and drank in half a cup, twice a day before the first and last meals of the day. Like any other medicinal plant preparation, should there be complications suffered or no marked improvements seen after administering the said preparation, treatment should be discontinued and a physician is to be consulted.
|
<urn:uuid:022c85c2-e3b5-4bb4-a958-3f98c3de668d>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://phherbs.blogspot.com/2011/06/makabuhay-tinospora-rumphii-boerl.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397865.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00171-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961811
| 523
| 2.8125
| 3
|
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a national vegan and physician group based out of D.C., has filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking for milk to be banned from school lunches, according parenting site BabyCenter.
According to the report, PCRM claims that the beverage is “…high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal protein that is harmful to, rather than protective of, bone health.”
Despite the American Heart Association's recommendation that children between ages 1 and 8 drink around two cups of reduced-fat milk a day, the PCRM asserts in its petition there are better ways for youngsters to get their calcium.
“Children can get the calcium they need from beans, green leafy vegetables (e.g., broccoli, kale, collard greens), tofu products, breads and cereals. Additionally, a wide variety of non-dairy, calcium-fortified beverages is available today including soy milk, rice milk and fruit juice, all of which provide greater health and nutritional benefits compared with dairy milk.”
Anne Goetze, a registered and licensed dietitian at the Oregon Dairy Products Commission, told the Capital Press that while calcium is available in other foods and beverages, it couples many other necessary vitamins as well.
"Milk is its own component because of the irreplaceable package of nutrients it provides," Goetze told the Capital Press.
The report notes that milk sold in schools makes up 7 percent of total milk sales in the U.S.
The PCRM petition also goes against new school lunch guidelines unveiled by first lady Michelle Obama in January that calls for low fat milk and nonfat flavored milk. All meals included on a sample menu released by the USDA call for a serving of milk for students.
School districts across the country have already started to ban sugary drinks like sodas from their lunchrooms, and schools from California to Massachusetts are considering banning, or have already banned, chocolate and flavored milk, citing its high sugar content. Will regular milk be next?
|
<urn:uuid:26dd1755-2d3e-4216-ad85-e9ce9dc80b6c>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/ban-milk-from-school-lunc_n_1703406.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00142-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.961696
| 424
| 2.578125
| 3
|
Spotlight on History
A descriptive history of military aviation psychology
By Mark A. Staal, PhD, ABPP
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Staal submitted a very nice brief history of military aviation psychology for this issue of the Spotlight on History. Like me, I'm sure you will find some new and interesting information in it. I suspect many of you also will be reminded of the Air Force's Armstrong Laboratory, named after Harry Armstrong, one of the founding fathers of aviation psychology that Mark discusses. The Armstrong Lab was home to much important groundbreaking behavioral science research by noteworthy military psychologists such as Ray Christal, Malcom Ree and Pat Kyllonen, among others.
— Paul A. Gade, Editor, Spotlight on History
Trying to talk about where military aviation psychology has come from without acknowledging the role of aviation medicine is a bit like describing your new job without mentioning the company or industry that hired you. Taking its cues from both advances in technology as well as events in military history, aviation medicine can be best described as a child of World War I. Much of the development of aviation medicine has tracked the evolution of aviation itself. The first manned lighter-than-air flight was conducted in 1783, and this was followed by the extensive use of balloons for military purposes (typically observation) throughout the 19th century in France (Davis, 1923). These early experiments in manned flight caught the attention of a range of aviation pioneers, including physiologist Paul Bert, meteorologist Gaston Tissandier, and physician John Jeffreys. Their interest seems to have been a mixture of scientific curiosity (e.g., investigating the peculiar effects of altitude) and a desire for adventure. However, it was not until the development of heavier-than-air machines at the turn of the last century that the medical community took a serious interest in those daring to fly. One of the first to do so was a young Army surgeon named Theodore Lyster working during the Spanish–American War. Lyster, retiring after World War I at the rank of Colonel, was assigned as the first Chief Surgeon, Aviation Section, of the Signal Corps in 1917. As a result of his efforts, he was later promoted in 1930 during his retirement to the rank of Brigadier General and has gone down in history as the “Father of Aviation Medicine.”
In 1911, Lieutenant John P. Kelley became the first medical officer assigned to a flying school for aeromedical support. While little is known of Kelley and his duties at the school, General Henry “Hap” Arnold, who knew Kelley between 1911 and 1913, once described him as an excellent flight surgeon (Jones & Marsh, 2003). While Kelley may have been the first organically assigned medical officer to support fliers, Armstrong (1939) told us that the first medical officer to be placed on flying orders was Major Ralph Greene in 1916. The following year witnessed the coining of the term “flight surgeon,” and in August of 1918, history records the death of the first flight surgeon (Major William Ream). The year 1918 also witnessed the creation of the U.S. Army's Air Service Medical Research Laboratory (Hazelhurst Field, NY). According to Kirby (2001), its first mission was to improve procedures for pilot selection; however, this mission shifted toward training the Army Air Corps' first flying doctors out of necessity. Paton, MacLake, and Hamilton (1918) reviewed the standard aviator selection interview used at Hazelhurst and, in doing so, provided us with a snapshot of how little has changed in our evaluations over the last century. Although we no longer consider “blotchy” skin and “flabby muscles” as indicative of individuals who are “incapable of exercising good judgment in facing critical situations,” the majority of what we consider positive and negative aircrew attributes are the same (Paton et al., 1918, p. 631). Similar physical screening had taken place among the German and French Air Forces in 1910 and 1917, respectively (Jones & Marsh, 2003).
In 1918, General Pershing, then Commander of the American forces in Europe, requested that specialized aeromedical support officers be sent to aid flying units in the European theater. Thirty-three medical officers were deployed (to include over a dozen newly minted flight surgeons), marking the first known combat deployment of aviation medicine.
Operations were moved in 1926 to San Antonio, Texas, where the School of Aviation Medicine found its home at Brooks Field. Although it was later moved and integrated into pilot training at Randolph, it returned to Brooks in 1958 and was dedicated by President Kennedy on November 21, 1963, in what was to be his final public address outside of Washington, D.C. As readers will recall, he was assassinated the following day. During the intervening period between the two world wars, a second facility, designated as the Aeromedical Research Laboratory in 1934, was created at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, by Major Malcolm Grow and Captain Harry Armstrong (Armstrong, 1939, 1982). In the interest of cooperation, the lab at Wright Field became dedicated to engineering design, such as protective flight equipment and life support, whereas the Brooks Field site was focused on aviator physiology. During this same period of time, the Navy and the Army developed their own aeromedical programs—located at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, and Fort Rucker, Alabama, respectively. From 1934 to 1939, Grow served as the Chief Flight Surgeon for the Army Air Corps and was eventually appointed as the Air Force's first Surgeon General in 1949. Grow and Armstrong (1941) wrote one of the first manuals for pilots emphasizing various preventative measures to preserve their “mental hygiene.” Although not discussed here, similar developments were taking place among the civilian aviation community. In 1926, the Bureau of Air Commerce was established, becoming the Civil Aeronautics Administration in 1938 (an infant Federal Aviation Administration). Civilian aeromedical standards and training followed and were well-established by the close of World War II. During the years following the war, there were many developments in aviation medicine. Perhaps the most influential individual during this time was Spurgeon Neel. In 1954, then Major Neel was installed as the Air Force's first Aviation Medical Officer, becoming the first to be placed on flying status. He has been remembered by many in the aerospace medicine industry as the “Father of Aerovac Medicine.”
The History of Military Aviation Psychology
The field of Aviation Psychology grew out of the need to refine and define a more objective and less time-consuming means of selecting candidates for military aviation training. During World War I, the number of pilots needed increased dramatically, and the initial exploratory research into human abilities and traits that predict success in aviation began. In one of the earliest known studies on the subject, Henmon (1919) reviewed the aviation personnel selection research for the Army's Air Service. Working with Thorndike, he attempted to empirically validate a test battery for selecting pilots and aircrews for training. Following a thorough evaluation of the Army's personnel selection protocol, Henmon remarked, “The Air Service is certain to become an increasingly significant arm of the military forces . . . The selection of the apt and the elimination of the unfit for flying is, therefore, so important” (p. 109). During World War II, the military selection program—known as the “Pensacola Project”—was initiated, ushering in a new era in aviation psychology. Accordingly, in 1939, some 30+ different psychological instruments were administered to all entering naval flight students to determine which tests were predictive of flight training success. This initiative would later become recognized as the progenitor of the first aviation psychology program. Shortly after the advent of this project, propelled by the war, the Department of the Navy created a new designator—aviation psychologist—for those in uniform engaged in this work. In later portions of 1941, Navy Captain Alan Grinsted was designated as Naval Aviation Psychologist number 1. The Aviation Classification Test and the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test had proven their worth as validated predictors of flight training success, and these two tests became the basis for the Navy's aviator selection program by 1942.
In a parallel move, the Army was also searching for the right psychologist to develop an aviation psychology program. Described as a “practical psychologist,” John C. Flanagan was selected for the job and reported to active duty in the summer of 1941. Charged with recruiting other psychologists, Dr. Flanagan was asked to develop the Army Air Corp's program, and, by the end of the war, he had overseen the commissioning of over 150 psychologists. Within its ranks were some of the finest psychologists of the day, including five forthcoming presidents of the American Psychological Association and 11 members of its board of directors. Toward the close of the war, this group of psychologists was involved not only in conducting research regarding the selection and classification of aviators but was also involved in developing training programs and human factors engineering.
During subsequent decades, the focus of aviation psychology research went beyond personnel selection into aircraft flight design, layout of instrument displays, and an examination of the basic tasks of flying. While there were many aviation psychologists that facilitated this movement, perhaps most notable was Paul Fitts. Dr. Fitts was an Air Force psychologist who served from 1941 until 1946, following which time he left the service but remained involved in human factors and aviation psychology (Fitts, 1954). He initially became interested in the study of pilot attention, examining the pilot's visual scan across cockpit controls and instrumentation during approach and landing procedures. This work is considered the earliest application of eye-tracking experimentation and is one of the first examples of applied human engineering studies. In 1945, Fitts was assigned as the first psychology branch director of Wright Field's Aeromedical Laboratory and was charged with coordinating the study of engineering psychology. Arguably, Dr. Fitts's greatest contribution was the extension of information theory to the human perceptual-motor system. He described and modeled the logarithmic relationship between perception and action. More specifically, he quantified the accuracy of human movements in terms of the bandwidth of perception and action (Fitts, 1954). His work, the foundation of what was later to be known as “Fitts's law,” framed the speed–accuracy tradeoffs found in purposeful movement—considered by many as one of the most intensively studied topics in the human–computer interaction literature and one of the most successful formulas used in the history of human factors research.
Soon thereafter flight simulators were invented for pilot training, and this opened up innumerable opportunities for aviation psychologists to study pilot behavior and performance. During the 1970s, a great deal of the focus concerned mental workload and attempts to define the limits of human information processing in multitask environments (aviation being but one of them). With the advent of on-board computer systems and the glass cockpit of the 21st century, many flying tasks have been automated, which has required a significant shift from actively flying the aircraft to greater pilot monitoring. While the original goal of the many automation changes was to reduce pilot workload and “take them out of the loop,” reality has demonstrated that automation also added many human factors issues that had not previously existed. Such by-products of automation include (but are not limited to) complacency and an overreliance on automated systems, resulting skill decline, increased requirements for visual scanning, and greater situational awareness. Concomitantly, with the increased need for concurrent task management and the volume of information processing on the rise, improving selection and training of aircrew has continued to be in great demand.
Each branch of the service currently has among its ranks a cadre of aviation and aeromedically trained psychologists. These officers' duties include aircrew selection and training, human factors engineering and systems design, and aeromedical consultation and aviation medicine (Bowles, 1994; Giles & Lochridge, 1985; King, 1999; King & Lochridge, 1991; Senechal & Traweek, 1988). While making up only a small fraction of the active duty military psychology corps, they provide an invaluable service supporting the aviation operations mission and carrying on a distinguished heritage dating back to the birth of aviation itself.
Armstrong, H. G. (1939). Principles and practice of aviation medicine . Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
Armstrong, H. G. (1982). An aeromedical center for the United States Air Force. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 72, 940–947.
Bowles, S. V. (1994). Military aeromedical psychology training. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 4, 167–172.
Davis, W. R. (1923). The development of aviation medicine. Military Surgeon, 53, 207–217.
Fitts, P. M. (1954). The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the amplitude of movement. Journal of Experimental Psychology , 47, 381–391.
Giles, D. A., & Lochridge, G. K. (1985). Behavioral airsickness management program for student pilots. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 56, 991–994.
Grow, M. C., & Armstrong, H. G. (1941). Fit to fly: A medical handbook for fliers. New York: Appleton-Century.
Henmon, V. A. C. (1919). Air service tests of aptitude for flying. Journal of Applied Psychology, 3, 103–109.
Jones, D. R., & Marsh, R. W. (2003). Flight surgeon support to United States Air Force fliers in combat . (Technical Report No. SAM-FE-BR-TR-2003-0001). Brooks Air Force Base, TX: U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
King, R. E. (1999). Aerospace clinical psychology . Brookfield, VT: Ashgate.
King, R. E., & Lochridge, G. K. (1991). Flight psychology at Sheppard Air Force Base. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 62, 1185–1188.
Kirby, D. J. (2001). A brief overview of the development of aerospace medicine in the United States. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 72, 940–947.
Paton, S., MacLake, W., & Hamilton, A. S. (1918). Personality studies and the personal equation of the aviator. Mental Hygiene, 2, 629–634.
Senechal, P. K., & Traweek, A. C. (1988). The aviation psychology program at RAF Upper Heyford. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 59, 973–975.
|
<urn:uuid:e110bae9-297d-41a6-9c3d-e26959b156e5>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.apadivisions.org/division-19/publications/newsletters/military/2014/04/aviation-psychology.aspx
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395160.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00137-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.959418
| 3,078
| 3.078125
| 3
|
Hanukkah in Devils Lake
Monday, December 20, 2004
Today is the first day of Hanukkah, a holiday celebrated by a substantial number of Jewish homesteaders near Devils Lake in the early 1900s. Rachel Calof later wrote in her autobiography:
“Our home became the center for all the Jewish holiday celebrations. Jewish farmers came from far and near…some traveling for days by horse and buggy and by horseback. These were wonderful and festive events. Everyone stayed for as long as the holiday lasted. We put up tents for the visiting children’s sleeping quarters, and in the house, sleepers occupied all the chairs and covered the floors.
“…guests (were) so numerous…that Abe (devised) an apparatus to ease the distribution of food at meal times. He drove an iron shaft into the center of the table, which acted as an axle upon which revolved a huge wagon wheel covered with a board face… During meals, the wheel was always in motion, and one needed only to wait a moment or two to find the desired food before him.”
Happy Hanukkah from Dakota Datebook.
Dakota Datebook written by Merry Helm
|
<urn:uuid:4d6076a6-7e33-4356-a3c9-5333042d21c6>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.prairiepublic.org/radio/dakota-datebook?post=6236
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396106.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00073-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.975024
| 251
| 2.59375
| 3
|
Earth, Wind and Fire
From Ada City-County Emergency Management
The fire on Idaho Highway 16 last week in northern Ada County is a tragic reminder of one of a danger crested by lightning strikes. Fire is a creature of opportunity, and when conditions are right, it springs into action.
Fires can take on a life of their own, seeking ways to stay alive, consuming whatever it can in order to keep growing. For this reason it is important to be aware of your surroundings. Whether you are recreating in the foothills, camping in the mountains or if you live on a property surrounded by sagebrush, wild grasses and trees, keeping a “weather eye” on the environment is an important life-saving skill.
Weather and Fire
The weather can play a major role in the birth and growth of a wildfire. When humidity is high, fuel is less likely to be dry and it will be harder to ignite. The lower the humidity, the better the conditions are for a wildfire. The lightning storms of summer can find fuels on the ground while providing too little moisture to subdue fires started by the lightning. This is particularly dangerous during late afternoon storms when the temperatures are high and the fuels have been dried out by the sun.
Once a fire has started, wind greatly affects its behavior. Unfortunately, wind also contributes to the unpredictability of a fire. It supplies the fire with additional oxygen, dries out more fuel, pushes the fire to greater rates of speed and can rapidly change the direction of the fire.
As the fire grows, it generates wind of its own that can be as much as 10 times faster than the surrounding winds. These winds can throw embers into the air and create spot fires away from the main blaze.
The lay of the land
Fire is not like most people, it travels faster uphill than downhill. The steeper the slope, the faster it goes. The heat from the fire rises, which dries the fuel in front of the fire, making it easier to ignite. Traveling downhill it is not able to preheat the fuel as well, so it travels more slowly. On flat land, it is the fuel load, fire break and wind combination that determine fire speed and direction. Existing firebreaks in the environment, such as rivers, rock ledges or roads might stop or redirect a fire. It is the wind that may push a fire past these obstacles.
The Environment and the fire triangle
There are three elements to the fire triangle:
Fire needs fuel to burn (sagebrush, grass, trees, etc.).
Oxygen from the air.
Heat source to start (lightning, cigarette, campfire). Once a fire has started, its size and growth will be determined by several factors. Three major factors that affect the fire are fuel load, weather and topography. Fuel load refers to the amount of flammable materials in the area. Spring rains may bring a bounty of flowers, grasses and shrub growth. However, if this spring weather is followed by dry conditions in the summer, it can create an explosive combination for wildfires.
Awareness is the first step
A wildfire can start in the blink of an eye. Pay attention to winds, types of storms and how dry the vegetation is around you. Lightning with little to no rain is dangerous summer weather. Be aware of your surroundings; plan how to evacuate any area you are in. Identify more than one evacuation route. Keep emergency supplies together so that you may evacuate immediately once you have seen the danger or are notified to do so by authorities.
See ACCEM newsletter
|
<urn:uuid:5a4ddfe8-89d2-4469-852b-1655fa89b089>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.itd.idaho.gov/transporter/2010/080610_Trans/080610_ACCEM.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395560.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00127-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.94429
| 741
| 3.484375
| 3
|
A new “deprivation study” of commuters in Boston and San Francisco found people are more willing to commute by bus or train when they have apps and social media tools to guide them along their commutes.
Eighteen people who surrendered their cars for a week found that any freedom lost by not driving was reclaimed through apps providing real-time information about public transit schedules, service alerts and businesses along bus and train lines.
“Though the sample size is small, the researchers dug deep into participants’ reactions. The results could have a dramatic effect on public transportation planning, and certainly will catch the attention of planners and programmers alike. By encouraging the development of apps that make commuting easier, transit agencies can drastically, and at little cost, improve the ridership experience and make riding mass transit more attractive.”
|
<urn:uuid:ea25fc8f-9141-4a7f-b915-d2059a1ff52a>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2011/04/do_smartphones_get_commuters_o.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396027.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00057-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.94233
| 167
| 2.703125
| 3
|
Definition of BRCA breast cancer gene
BRCA breast cancer gene: One of several genetic mutations linked to breast cancer and ovarian cancer. There is now convincing evidence that every woman with a BRCA mutation is at high risk for breast cancer, irrespective of whether she has a family history of breast cancer or not. By age 80, a woman with a BRCA mutation has about an 80% chance of developing breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of ovarian cancer 54% and 23%, respectively. Mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 account for 5-10% of all breast cancer which translates into 10-20,000 new cases of breast cancer in the US and many more around the world every year.
The BRCA mutations appear to cause breast cancer at an earlier age in younger generations. The culprit may be estrogen, which is rising with the epidemic of obesity. Pregnancy is protective. BRCA mutation carriers who have children develop breast cancer as a rule later in life than those who never had children. (That finding is true for all types of breast cancer, not just cases caused by BRCA mutations.)
It is recommended that women with BRCA mutations have frequent mammograms and MRI and ultrasound scans to detect breast cancer early. They may also be advised to take the drug tamoxifen to reduce the breast cancer risk. Some women with BRCA mutations avoid breast cancer by having their breasts preventively removed. Most BRCA carriers are also advised to have their ovaries removed after childbearing since there is currently no means of early detection for ovarian cancer. Removing the ovaries also helps to lower the risk of breast cancer.Source: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary
Last Editorial Review: 6/14/2012
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z
Search Medical Dictionary
|
<urn:uuid:5a06f011-fb81-4b58-b224-ac2e2bec9063>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=24966
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395613.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00168-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.954503
| 380
| 3.40625
| 3
|
Lesson Plans that Work - Younger and Older Children - Adult (Lectionary)
Office of Children's Ministry and Christian Education, Episcopal Church, 800-334-7626, downloadable free from
- Younger children
- Older children
This curriculum follows the Revised Common Lectionary and the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Each week's lesson lists all the Sunday readings for the day, gives a brief commentary on the Gospel, and usually bases the lesson plan on the Gospel reading. The lesson plan is simple and specific, including how to start and end class, prayer, story, and activities. Activity choices are limited, and some teachers may wish to supplement them.
|
<urn:uuid:6245902a-7b11-40d3-98ed-5692ead42c59>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.vts.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=6648&tn=Lesson+Plans+that+Work+-+Younger+and+Older+Children+-+Adult+(Lectionary)&lid=20417&ptid=119583&pttid=2&sdb=1
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783395346.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154955-00116-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.888898
| 137
| 2.796875
| 3
|
The corn stalk plant (Dracaena fragrans) grows a tall, woody stalk with a spray of cornlike leaves at the top. These plants grow well as potted houseplants because they tolerate indoor conditions and require little care. The stalks can grow several feet high if they aren't pruned to maintain their size. Corn stalk plants don't require regular pruning. Trim back the plant in spring every two to three years, or when the stem begins to look bare or the plant becomes too large for your home.
Cut through the main stem with a sharp, clean knife. Remove no more than one-half of the stem when you prune. If possible, make the cut just above a branch or leaf cluster on the stem, which helps hide the cut surface.
Space cuts on multiple stems carefully to form layers of foliage so the plant looks fuller. The corn stalk plant will eventually produce two branching stems just below the cut location. Plan your cuts to develop a full plant.
Water the plant with a soluble, complete fertilizer formulated for foliage houseplants after pruning. Dilute the fertilizer in water at the rate recommended on the label for your plant size. The nutrient boost encourages new growth on recently pruned plants.
Things You Will Need
- Soluble complete fertilizer
- You can grow new corn stalk plants from the cuttings. Insert the cut end of the removed stem portion 1 or 2 inches into a moist potting soil in a new pot and care for it as you would an established plant. The stem produces new roots and leaves in as little as two to four weeks.
|
<urn:uuid:2768de53-dbef-4eb2-859b-0431e026e49b>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/cut-back-corn-stalk-plant-54553.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397696.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00068-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933927
| 330
| 3.25
| 3
|
A group of scientists, researchers and traditional owners is on the cusp of reshaping Australian history, with experts hoping that Aboriginal rock art in Western Australia may prove to be up to 50,000 years old, putting it among the oldest cultural expressions in the world.
Initial results of pioneering Australian research have the potential to drastically alter the perceived flow of global artistic development after University of Melbourne scientists achieved a world first in dating methods on cave and rock paintings in the remote Kimberley region, which has one of the largest surviving bodies of rock art on the planet.
Co-funded by the Australian Research Council and the Kimberley Foundation Australia, which initiates research centred on some of area's tens of thousands of rock art sites, the rock art dating project has worked in step with traditional owners, on whose land the extensive galleries of ochre, deep brown, rusted orange and white-hued pictures of human figures, marsupials, shells and fish are found.
"The scientific question, of course, is how old is it?" said geologist Andrew Gleadow, whose team at the University of Melbourne and from the Australian Nuclear and Science Technology Organisation spearheaded a new method for uranium-series dating of rock art.
"Does this rock art go back just a relatively short while, or does it go back 50,000 years, the entire history of people's settlement in Australia?"
Working with archaeologists from the University of Western Australia led by Sven Ouzman, the multidisciplinary team has analysed radioactive decay within tiny flakes of mineral crusts from above and below paintings, gradually narrowing age brackets around hundreds of samples in the vast area.
Until now, accurately dating the art form was regarded as almost impossible, with a lack of organic matter in most paintings ruling out radiocarbon dating.
The oldest rock art in the Kimberley is currently dated at 17,500 years old, a finding that is long-disputed. Cave art in Spain and France is currently thought to be the oldest in existence, at around 40,000 years old.
Professor Gleadow said that never has such a concerted effort and sheer technical firepower been focused on the problem of dating Australian rock art and results emerging over the past few weeks are "incredibly exciting".
"The results need a lot of work on them yet but the first indications are very encouraging," he said.
Findings are expected to be published in scientific journals within the next few months.
"If we can say that Australian art is the oldest continuous record anywhere on earth, that is extraordinary," Mr Gleadow told the Herald.
"We've had a traditional perspective that things all started in Europe and migrated from there. They didn't necessarily.
"Kimberley rock art should be held up as one of the greatest cultural achievements in the great saga of human development and migration across our planet."
Chairwoman of the Kimberley Foundation, Maria Myers, has driven the project from its first ambitious hypothesis suggesting that Kimberley paintings may as be old as human settlement of the continent.
"It's what we set out to do. What this is eventually going to tell is the first part of Australia's story," said Ms Myers, who was in January made a Companion of the Order of Australia for her work championing Indigenous rock art.
She said the results were key to understanding how humans dealt with massive environmental changes, including sea level rise.
"It's a big part of the jigsaw puzzle of the movement of humans around the globe in early times," she said.
Regardless how old the art proves to be, the methods developed will have wide applicability. And putting a solid date on our relatively unsung treasures will guide conservation plans into the future, protecting the heritage of both traditional owners and the nation.
Perhaps most exciting, said both experts, is how little is known about rock art both in and out of Australia.
"Our archaeologists were going to the Middle East and anywhere in the world but Australia, but suddenly we realise it's on our doorstep," said Ms Myers, who first visited the Kimberley in 1995 and now owns two properties in the region.
"The hypothesis of the Australian settlement story – that we find paintings as old as human settlement of the continent – might be correct."
|
<urn:uuid:fe3c6ce4-bfcc-4471-8959-e287d84edddc>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/australian-rock-may-be-among-the-oldest-in-the-world-according-to-new-research-20160219-gmyaw1.html
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783408840.13/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624155008-00073-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.968694
| 868
| 3.453125
| 3
|
The pressure of the air around us changes constantly. These changes are associated with changes in the weather. When the air pressure is high (also called a high), the weather is mostly likely to be fair and clear. When the air pressure is low (called a low), stormy weather is mostly likely in the forecast.
In this experiment, you will make their own barometer and use it for a week or more to forecast weather in your area. While professional measure air pressure in mg of mercury, you will be able to measure pressure by watching your pointer dip up or down.By noting the position of your pointer and associating it with a particular type of weather, you will be able to predict weather. This is a good experiment to do if you live in an area where the weather changes frequently. If the weather does not change much, consider doing a different experiment.
How can barometric pressure be used to predict the weather?
- Plastic straw (like a Slurpee straw)
- Medium-size glass jar.The diameter of the mouth of the jar should be approximately three inches (lid not necessary).
- Elastic band
- 8 ½ x 11” piece of stiff poster paper
- Pen and notebook
- Bring all of your materials to your work area. Using your scissors, cut your balloon open.
- Create a four-column data sheet with columns for the date, the weather, your barometric readings (high or low) and professional readings for your location, found in the newspaper or online.
- Stretch your balloon across the mouth of the jar so that the balloon rubber is pulled as taut as possible. Secure the piece of balloon in place with an elastic. The object of this is to make the jar as air-tight as possible because the amount of air in the jar must remain constant.
- Using your scissors, cut the straw so that it measures six inches in length.Cut both ends of the straw so that they come to a point.One of these ends will be a pointer.The point of cutting the other end is to have a flat edge that you can tape to the balloon.
- Place the straw so that it is lying flat across the top of the jar.Move one end of the straw so that the end is directly in the middle of the mouth of the jar and the rest is lying flat across the balloon.Tape the straw to the balloon, using a minimum of tape.
- Fold the poster board twice lengthwise so that it is folded into thirds and can be formed into a triangular column that will stand upright by itself. Tape the long sides of the poster board together. You will make markings on this column to indicate the barometric pressure.
- Stand the triangular tower next to your jar so that the pointer points to the tower.Mark the tower where touched by the pointer.Makes notes directly on the tower what the weather is like outside.
- Continue observing your barometer for a week or more. You will observe that when the pressure is low, air in the jar will expand upwards, causing the end of the pointer to tip down. When the pressure is high, the volume of air inside the jar will constrict, causing the pointer to point up. Record your results on your datasheet.
- Check the results from professional meteorologists found in a newspaper or online. Do this every day for one week or more. Record this data on your datasheet. Do your findings parallel theirs?
|
<urn:uuid:df955d20-c994-48e9-9a89-37e86b87f6e5>
|
CC-MAIN-2016-26
|
http://www.education.com/science-fair/article/barometric-pressure/
|
s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783397562.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154957-00118-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz
|
en
| 0.933759
| 709
| 3.703125
| 4
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.