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Demon of the Lost Cause: Sherman and Civil War History, Wesley Moody, University of Missouri, 200 pages, $30.00. Release Date: November 20, 2011
Review by William C. Davis for History Book Club:
"Not too many years ago a speaker at a Civil War symposium in St. Louis announced that when the program was over, he was going to visit the local cemetery where General William T. Sherman is buried to “piss on his grave.” Not the most temperate of notions, perhaps, but one that certainly reflects the attitude of millions of Southerners past and present toward one of history’s most controversial commanders. No general on either side generated more visceral animosity, nor has any other leader in the Civil War been so damned on the basis of myth, prejudice and general ignorance.
"Sherman was living in Louisiana when the crisis erupted, and in fact few other future leaders of the Union’s armies had as close an experience and understanding of the South as he did. And oddly enough, in light of his later reputation, Sherman rather liked the South, and felt some sympathy for its plight in 1861 when it found itself backed into a corner over issues surrounding slavery. One of the answers to critics who condemn him for the damage done during his march across Georgia in 1864 is that he saw it as a way of shortening the war, and thereby lessening the overall injury to the South of more years of protracted war.
"As for the widespread destruction that he perpetrated in Georgia in his March to the Sea, a great deal of it is simple myth. Scores of the houses and barns that he supposedly burned are still standing. His army, in fact, cut only a narrow swath either side of its route of march to Savannah, and even his goal was primarily seizure of foodstuffs needed by his army, and destruction of anything that could aid the Confederate war effort. There was virtually no sanctioned wanton destruction. Even the burning of much of Columbia, South Carolina, was against his orders, though he did not try over hard to prevent it once commenced.
"In his new book Demon of the Lost Cause: Sherman and Civil War History, Wesley Moody takes on this myth and many others, including those that Sherman himself helped to create or promote. No man who has been at the center of epochal events is immune to the temptation to take the high ground in crafting his own place in history, and Sherman was no exception. His two-volume memoir, published in 1890, became almost as controversial as the general himself, and Moody does an admirable job of sifting the fact from the “spin.”
"What emerges is a Sherman who was neither beast nor saint, neither a cruel destroyer of civilians and their world, nor a far-seeing prophet of 20th-century warfare. Historians and readers of today may find as much stuff of controversy in Moody’s depiction of Sherman as our ancestors did in the man himself, but no student or study of the man who made war a sort of hell can afford to ignore Demon of the Lost Cause in the future.
"By the way. The historian in St. Louis changed his mind, and Sherman’s grave remains to date, so far as is known, unsoiled."
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|The full moon of March 19, 2011 became a supermoon when it was at it's closest to Earth. By the time North Americans get to see it, it will already be further away.|
What Makes a 'Supermoon' So Super?
Space.com- Much ado has been made about the so-called "supermoon" that will take place tonight. Tonight's full moon will nearly coincide with the moon's arrival at the perigee point in its orbit around the Earth, resulting in the closest and biggest full moon in our sky since March 1993.
Or will it?
On Saturday night, the moon will arrive at perigee at 19:09 UT (3:09 p.m. Eastern Time). Its distance from the Earth at that moment will be 221,565 miles. But just over three years ago, on Dec. 12, 2008, which was also the night of a full moon, the moon reached perigee at 21:39 UT (4:39 p.m. Eastern Time) at a distance of 221,559 miles, about 6 miles closer than Saturday night's perigee distance.
So it seems Saturday night's supermoon will actually be just a little less super than the full moon of Dec. 2008.
Despite this fact, Geoff Chester of the United States Naval Observatory says tonight's full moon is still the winner for closeness of a full moon. How is that possible?
A lunar loophole
Chester points out that on Dec. 12, 2008, the moon reached fullness at 16:37 UT, while perigee was at 21:39. That's a difference of just over five hours. So when the moon turned full that night, it was still five hours away from reaching its closest point to Earth; its distance at the moment it turned full was 221,587 miles.
In contrast, today's full moon occurs at 18:10 UT, while perigee occurs at 19:09; the difference being less than an hour. So today, when the moon officially turns full, its distance from Earth will be 221,566 miles.
So even though the moon actually came a little closer to Earth in December 2008, if we compare distances when the moon officially turns full, today's full moon wins out by a scant 21 miles.
But for North Americans ... second place!
In all fairness, we should also point out that on Dec.12, 2008, the moment that the moon officially turned full was not visible in North America because it occurred during the daytime, when the moon was below the horizon.
And that very same circumstance will also occur at the moment today's moon turns full (2:10 p.m. Eastern Time; 11:10 a.m. Pacific Time); the moon will again be out of sight for North Americans.
So back on Dec. 12, 2008 — as will be the case tonight — when millions of people cast their gaze toward the moon, it really wasn’t a "full" moon, but rather a waning gibbous moon. The same case will hold true tonight.
Certainly, to all of us who look up at it tonight's moon, it will appear "full," but keep in mind that the actual moment when the moon's disk became 100 percent illuminated will have already passed many hours earlier. Although not readily perceptible to most eyes, tonight’s moon will be waning or diminishing in illumination. Rather than seeing it fully illuminated, tonight we will see it at about 99.8 percent illumination).
In addition, the moon that North Americans will see with their own eyes tonight will actually run a very close second to that of Dec. 12, 2008, in terms of distance.
From Boston, for instance, when the moon comes over the eastern horizon this evening, it will be 221,580 miles away.
But on Dec. 12, 2008, at moonrise, Bostonians saw the moon ever-so-slightly closer, at 221,559 miles; again, just a scant 21 mile difference. That's because in 2008, the moon took more than five hours to reach its perigee point after it turned full. The moon was arriving at the closest point in its orbit just as darkness had begun to fall and the moon was beginning to appear over North America.
As Geoff Chester has already pointed out above, today's full moon and moment of perigee occur within less than an hour of each other, during the late morning/early afternoon hours for North America.
By the time darkness is falling and the moon begins appearing over the eastern horizon for North Americans, it will have already been slowly receding from Earth and so it will be a little farther away than it was in 2008.
But don't let all this stop you from going out tonight and enjoying the sight of this, the "biggest moon of 2011." The moon is, after all, our nearest neighbor in space, Earth's eternal companion and friend.
And let's face it ... what's 21 miles among friends?
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Hashing Concepts CSC 485/585 Objectives Define Hashing and Hash Values. Explain the common uses of Hashes within the field of Computer Forensics. Data Authentication Data Reduction File Identification Explain the limitations of Hashes. What is a Hash Function? A hash function is any well-defined procedure or mathematical function which converts a large, possibly variable-sized amount of data into a small datum. The values returned by a hash function are called hash values, hash codes, hash sums, or simply hashes. Cryptographic Hash Functions A cryptographic hash function is a deterministic procedure that takes an arbitrary block of data and returns a fixed-size bit string, the (cryptographic) hash value, such that an accidental or intentional change to the data will change the hash value. The data to be encoded is often called the "message", and the hash value is sometimes called the message digest or simply digest. The ideal cryptographic hash function has the main properties: it is infeasible to find a message that has a given hash, it is infeasible to modify a message without changing its hash, it is infeasible to find two different messages with the same hash. MD5 and SHA-1 are the most commonly used cryptographic hash functions (a.k.a. algorithms) in the field of Computer Forensics. MD5 MD5 (Message-Digest algorithm 5) is a widely used cryptographic hash function with a 128-bit hash value. The 128-bit MD5 hashes (also termed message digests) are represented as a sequence of 16 hexadecimal bytes. The following demonstrates a 40-byte ASCII input and the corresponding MD5 hash: MD5 of “This is an example of an MD5 Hash Value.” = 3413EE4F01F2A0AA17664088E79CF5C2 Even a small change in the message will result in a completely different hash. For example, changing the period at the end of the sentence to an exclamation mark: MD5 of "This is an example of an MD5 Hash Value!” = B872D23A7D14B6EE3B390A58C17F21A8 SHA-1 SHA stands for Secure Hash Algorithm. SHA-1 produces a 160-bit digest from a message and is represented as a sequence of 20 hexadecimal bytes. The following is an example of SHA-1 digests: Just like MD5, even a small change in a message will result in a completely different hash. For example: SHA1 of "This is a test.” = AFA6C8B3A2FAE95785DC7D9685A57835D703AC88 SHA1 of "This is a pest.” = FE43FFB3C844CC93093922D1AAC44A39298CAE11 Statistics The MD5 hash algorithm - the chance of 2 files having the same MD5 hash value is 2 to the 128th power = 3.4028236692093846346337460743177e+38 or 1 in 340 billion billion billion billion. The SHA-1 hash algorithm - the chance of 2 files having the same SHA-1 hash value is 2 to the 160th power = 1.4615016373309029182036848327163e+48 or 1 in....a REALLY big number! What do CF Examiners use Hashes for? Data Authentication Data Reduction To prove two things are the same To exclude many “known” files from hundreds of thousands of file you have to look at. File Identification To find a needle in a haystack. Data Authentication One of the most important issues a computer forensic examiner faces is ensuring the ability to “authenticate” your digital evidence. This is done via Chain of Custody, Documentation, and Hash values. Using MD5 or SHA-1 hashing tools, an examiner should be able to verify that data has not changed. A hash of the acquired data must be identical to a hash of the original evidence. Data Authentication Calculating a “hash value” for any block of data (i.e. a file, an entire disk, a partition, etc.) can be accomplished as a stand-alone task or simultaneous with the acquisition process (by most tools). Calculating the “hash value” of an entire disk is done by reading all data on the disk, running it through the desired algorithm, and generating a hash of all data read. The examiner then typically documents the resulting hash value. The resulting “hash value” is a hash of the data READ from the disk, not necessarily a hash of the data WRITTEN to your target disk during the acquisition process. Input/Output errors and bad sector errors encountered during the acquisition process will effect the resulting hash value. An examiner should run a verification process after acquisition to ensure that the original hash value calculated while reading the original data matches the hash value of the data written out to your target disk. FTK Imager (Hashes calculated without acquiring drive) WinHex Specialist (Hash calculated without acquiring drive) Linux – md5sum & sha1sum (using Helix3-2009R1) FTK Imager (Hashes calculated (and verified) as part of acquisition process) Data Authentication Considerations: Drives will start to fail as they get older, resulting in “bad sectors”. Bad sectors = inability to obtain matching hash values when comparing a hash of the original disk to the hash of a forensic image of the data read from the disk. The more time a disk spins up, the more chance of disk failure(s). To calculate a hash value of a drive, you must read all data on the disk. To acquire a forensic image, you must read all data on the disk. If your imaging tool does not simultaneously capture a hash value as part of the data acquisition process, consider whether the risk of double the spin-up time to obtain a pre-acquisition hash values is appropriate given that your primary objective is to obtain the data. Data Authentication In the previous slides, we looked at hashing an entire drive. Using hashes, an examiner can also verify that a specific file or any block of data has not changed. Hash individual file(s) with FTK Imager, WinHex, md5summer, and many other hashing tools. Data Authentication Note that although these graphic files look identical, a single modified byte will result in hash values that do not match. Data Authentication When hashing individual files: Changing filename or extension does NOT change hash value. Changing Modified, Accessed, Created dates does NOT change hash value. Changing file system attributes (read-only, hidden, system, etc.) does NOT change hash value. Changing ANYTHING within the file contents DOES change the hash value of the file. For files like MS Word documents, that contain “Metadata”, changes within the Metadata DO change the contents of the file and therefore change the hash value of the file. For example, if you opened a MS Word document, made no changes to the contents of the file and just re-saved the file, MS Word would update the dates saved within the Metadata and the actual raw content of the overall word document would change and therefore generate a different hash value. Cropping a graphic, changing the resolution, saving as another graphic format (BMP to JPEG), or any other change that may not necessarily change the visual depiction of the picture, WILL change the raw contents of the file and therefore will change the hash value of the file. Data Authentication NOTE: Although we just told you that changing a filename or other “non-content” of a file does not change the hash value of the file…. Such a “non-content” change DOES make a change to the FAT directory entry, MFT entry, or other file system component that holds the filename, MAC dates, attributes, etc. and therefore DOES change the data on the file system that holds the file in question. Therefore a change of a filename, MAC date, file attribute, etc. DOES NOT change the hash value of the file, but it DOES change the hash value of the disk on which the file is stored. Data Reduction As the storage capacity of disks grows, so does the number of files a computer forensic examiner must examine. A typical hard drive containing a Windows installation, software applications, user files, temporary Internet files, music downloads, etc. will contain well over a hundred thousand files. Large databases containing hash values of “known” files can be used by a forensic examiner to reduce the number of files he or she must analyze. Files that are known to be part of the operating system and/or installed software applications are likely not going to contain evidence. By excluding all known operating system files and files from known software applications, an examiner is left with only user created files to review for potential evidence Data Reduction Using forensic software tools, an examiner calculates the hash value of all files on a disk. Then the examiner uses the software tool to compare the calculated hash values against all of the hash values within a known hash database to identify any matching hash values. The examiner can then exclude from view, any files with hash values matching those in the database. The examiner can also exclude from view, any files that are duplicates of each other according to their hash values, further reducing the number of files in view. This process called “Data Reduction” can save the examiner from analyzing many thousands of un-necessary files. Data Reduction Hash Databases: National Software Reference Library (NSRL) – Reference Data Sets (RDS) - NIST HashKeeper (LE, Military and Government only) - NDIC Known File Filter (KFF) – AccessData, Inc. Self-generated or shared databases NIST NSRL (RDS) Forensic Tool Kit - KFF File Identification Quickly identifying a specific “notable” file or files amongst the hundreds of thousands of files on a disk can also be accomplished by use of hash databases….finding the needle in the haystack! Instead of using a database of known “ignorable” files such as OS files, databases containing hash values of known “notable” files can be utilized. Example of common “Notable” files are: Child Pornography and other contraband images Hacker Tools Viruses, Trojans and other Malware The examiner can search by hash value and flag any files with hash values matching those in the “notable” database. Limitations A mismatched hash value only tells you something changed, not what changed! When using MD5, SHA-1 or other standard cryptographic hashes to identify known files, only EXACT matches will result in success. When files are slightly modified, standard hashing will not identify similar files. “Fuzzy Hashing” uses a concept called context triggered piecewise hashes in the tool ssdeep to identify files that have similar pieces but may not be entirely identical. Hash “collisions” have been discovered and some argue that stronger (more collision proof) hash algorithms should be used in computer forensics. Questions ??? …as usual, use the discussion board!
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What is the definition of
[ noun ]
(chemistry) gene that produces its characteristic phenotype only when its allele is identical
"the recessive gene for blue eyes"
To share this definition
press "text" (Facebook, Twitter) or "link" (blog, mail) then paste
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Everyone knows spider silk is really strong, but scientists want to make it even stronger. In just such an effort, researchers sprayed 15 spiders from the Pholcidae family with graphene or carbon nanotubes and discovered that the arachnids can add the tough artificial particles into their silk. The resulting hybrid fiber is 3.5 times tougher than the strongest ordinary silk, New Scientist reports. Researchers don’t know details of how the spiders are incorporating the carbon structures into the silk; they could be added to the outside of the thread, or the spiders could be absorbing the particles from the environment and using them in the silk’s formation. Four spiders also died after being sprayed, indicating that nanoparticle sprays are likely hazardous to arachnids.
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Always drawn to graveyards of any age, we find the most ancient ritual burial places especially fascinating. Who were these peoples, who left symbols carved into gigantic stones? Who left passage tombs and dolmens and wedge tombs and stone circles?
If I were going to urge people to visit just one place in Ireland in would be Brú na Bóinne, near Dublin in County Meath. This large and complex megalithic site is home to Newgrange and Knowth. Here one finds passage tombs, ranging from small and modest to huge and awe-inspiring. These tombs date to 3500 BCE, older than Stonehenge, older than the Egyptian pyramids, older than most things we’ll ever be lucky enough to see.
The majesty of these sites, with their evidence that we are only the latest of the innovative and reflective people to inhabit the earth, defies description.
But they aren’t the only worthwhile megalithic places in the land. We also visited Carrowmore and the Cavan Burren Park.
Carrowmore, in County Sligo, contains passage tombs, as well as stone circles, even older than Newgrange, dating to 3700 BCE.
The Cavan Burren Park, in County Cavan, has a new visitor center and wonderfully constructed walking trails that take one past megalithic tombs, prehistoric stone walls, ancient rock art, and glacial erratics.
Of course, a spot need not be ancient to inspire calm and introspection. From the National Museum of Ireland to Yeats’ grave, we found our quiet places.
May you share the awe and peace we found at these remarkable places. A huge thank you to Angela, from A Silver Voice of Ireland, for her generous guidance in directing us to many of these wonderful sites!
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We then had a ball learning more about slope (lesson, pdf).
Your homework for Wednesday is:
- Watch the slope video. Make sure you complete all parts, including the self-check problems. This is a critical concept in Algebra - make sure you go through this video carefully.
- You might consider doing a few of these problems at Cool Math for practice. Do as few - or as many - as you think you need to make sure you understand how to calculate slope from two points on a line.
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U. SOUTHAMPTON (UK) — A process similar to the one used to manufacture blu-ray discs offers a new way to culture adult stem cells. The discovery could lead to new therapies for conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.
When adult stem cells are harvested from a patient, they are cultured in the laboratory to increase the initial yield of cells and create a batch of sufficient volume to kick-start the process of cellular regeneration when they are reintroduced back into the patient.
The process of culturing is difficult because of spontaneous stem cell differentiation, where stem cells grown on standard plastic tissue culture surfaces don’t expand to create new stem cells but instead create other cells which are of no use in therapy.
Currently, stem cell expansion is boosted by immersing the cells in chemical solutions which help to increase the overall yield of stem cells but are limited in their effectiveness.
The new research, reported in the journal Nature Materials, shows how a plastic with a nanopatterned surface offers a method of stem cell expansion that is much easier to manufacture and use than anything currently available.
Created by an injection-molding process similar to that which is used to manufacture blu-ray discs, the new nanoplastic has a surface that is covered with 120-nanometer pits, which allow stem cells to grow and spread while retaining their stem cell characteristics.
“Until now, it’s been very difficult to grow stem cells in sufficient numbers and maintain them as stem cells for use in therapy,” says Matthew Dalby of the University of Glasgow, who led the research with Nikolaj Gadegaard and Richard Oreffo at the University of Southampton.
“What we have shown is that this new nanostructured surface can be used to very effectively culture mesencyhmal stem cells, taken from sources such as bone marrow, which can then be put to use in musculoskeletal, orthopaedic, and connective tissues.”
“If the same process can be used to culture other types of stem cells too, and this research in under way in our labs, our technology could be the first step on the road to developing large-scale stem cell culture factories which would allow for the creation of a wide range of therapies for many common diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
“Development of platform technologies that allow the scale up of skeletal or mesenchymal stem cells offers a whole new approach to skeletal regenerative medicine,” says Oreffo.
“If this new technology enables us to create sufficient stem cells, and to pattern hip implants, for example, it could herald the development of new medical devices with therapeutic application and approaches to understanding stem cell fate and regulation.
“It is important to realize the ability to retain skeletal stem cell phenotype using surface topography offers a step change in current approaches for stem cell biology. The implications for research and future interventions for patients with arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases are substantial.”
More news from the University of Southampton: http://www.soton.ac.uk/
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Want to collect dragonflies in PA, like this beautiful Emerald? Better make sure you have a fishing license! Photo (CC BY 2.0) by Andy Deans: https://flic.kr/p/eDNaCx
I get lots of questions about how to collect insects legally in Pennsylvania, especially when students are enrolling for ENT 432. I think it’s about time I post what I know—at least what I think I know—in case the information is useful to others. Note that this info is structured for students interested in general collecting, mainly for the collection requirement in ENT 432, and the reader should contact relevant agencies about research opportunities and permits. See also Chris Grinter’s excellent web page on permits; it’s a great starting point for information.
(1) You need a fishing license to collect aquatic insects, regardless of where you collect them (i.e., even on private land if it’s not your year-round residence!) Know that before you start collecting anywhere in PA! As the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission states (see this information sheet (PDF)):
Pennsylvania law defines “fishing” as the act of angling, or to catch, take, kill or remove or the attempt to catch, take, kill or remove from any waters or other areas within or bordering the Commonwealth any fish by any means or method for any purpose at all.
PA law also states that “… fishes include aquatic macroinvertebrates” (also in information sheet (PDF)). If you want to collect Odonata (up to 50 larvae per day), Ephemeroptera, Dytiscidae, Hydrophilidae, Haliplidae, etc. you need a fishing license. Also note that if you collect in certain streams at certain times of year you need a valid trout/salmon stamp in addition to your fishing license. More information is available at the PA FBC website.
(2) Be mindful of federally and otherwise protected species! Check state (aquatic species) and federal listings and understand that you can’t collect these species without special permits you are unlikely to have. For PA that includes the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus affinis), American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), and other species that are unlikely to occur here (1, 2, 3, 4) … but you never know!
(3) You can collect on private land, with owner’s permission. This one is easy. You can collect any insect (except see points 1 and 2 above) you want on my property in Pine Grove Mills, or your uncle’s land in Beaver county, or your grandmother’s farm near Lancaster, as long as you’ve been given permission.
(4) You can collect on Penn State property. No one has ever told me no. In fact, they’ve encouraged collecting for the purposes of growing the collection at the Frost and for helping students learn entomology! See the PSU hunting info site for a few maps and a list of rules. If you want to collect in more public places, such as the Arboretum, it’s best to get permission first. Don’t forget to re-read points 1 and 2 above, though.
(5) You can collect recreationally in U.S. National Forests. Don’t forget your PA fishing license for aquatic species, and be mindful of threatened and protected species! Grab your gear and head up to the Allegheny National Forest.
(6) You can collect in Pennsylvania State Forests, with a few exceptions. With points 1 and 2 in mind, feel free to explore Pennsylvania’s State Forests and collect insects! As with Pennsylvania State Game lands (see point 7 below), some types of collecting methods are apparently not allowed under existing rules, including bait traps and collecting plant parts.
(7) You can collect on Pennsylvania State Game lands, with a few exceptions. The State Game Lands rules (see also this PDF) don’t seem to preclude insect collecting, with the exception of points 1 and 2 above (remember your fishing license!). Some rules apparently impact certain types of collecting, though, and you must be mindful of hunting seasons (e.g., know when to wear fluorescent orange). You can harvest “mushrooms and fruits of berry-producing plants” but you cannot “gather, cut, dig, remove or otherwise injure any plants or parts thereof, including trees, shrubs, vines, flowering plants and cultivated crops”. So, no collecting galls, leaf mines, etc. You also cannot “feed wildlife or place any food, fruit, hay, grain, chemical, salt or other minerals”, so no bait traps. And you cannot “construct, place, maintain, occupy, use, leave or abandon any structures or other tangible property”, which might exclude Malaise and other, similar traps from your approach.
(8) You need a permit to collect in PA State Parks. We have an amazing park system in this state, and my impression is that it’s relatively easy to get collecting permits for reasonable educational and research activities. Points 1 and 2 above apply to collecting in state parks, so remember your fishing license! The fishing license alone should allow you to collect aquatic insects without further permitting, but other insects would require permits. See state park rules (PDF). You can also join the Entomological Society of Pennsylvania and get listed on their blanket state parks collecting permit. That’s super easy and cheap! See their contact information to inquire about permits.
(9) You need permits to collect in National Wildlife Refuges. Permit applications are available on the web. Pennsylvania has several refuges, and points 1 and 2 above still apply. You probably will not be collecting in National Wildlife Refuges for ENT 432.
(10) You need permits to collect in National Parks, and we’d need a MOU to house the specimens at the Frost. There are several National Parks in PA. For ENT 432 it’s best to avoid collecting in these areas.
Did I miss anything? Have any suggestions for updates? Post a comment below!
ENT 432 students collect insects at a Hg-vapor light at Powdermill Nature Reserve. We had permission to collect from the director. Photo (CC BY 2.0) by Hillary Morin: https://flic.kr/p/KZmHH7
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Protecting Michigan’s Inland Lakes: Starting with Van Buren County
Partners & Resources
Protecting Michigan’s Inland Lakes: Starting with Local Government in Van Buren County
Michigan: land of 11,000 lakes with 1,250 townships and 83 counties, who all share a role in keeping our inland lakes clean for future generations. Local officials and concerned citizens understand the benefits of inland lakes to communities, the regulations that govern them, and the opportunities for enhancing protection at the local level.
This guidebook is designed to help local officials and concerned citizens understand the benefits of inland lakes to communities, the regulations that govern inland lakes, and the opportunities for protecting them at the local level. Protecting these important resources does not always require elaborate or expensive regulations. This guidebook outlines a variety of inland lake protection techniques, from the simple enforcement of existing statutes to comprehensive ordinances.
This toolkit is designed to provide local officials and concerned citizens with examples of different ordinances that can help protect the lakes in their communities. This toolkit consists of two parts:
Part I: Is the book which focuses on understanding specific goals and connecting them with specific local options that can help achieve those goals. In this part, case studies from different communities are also highlighted to illustrate how they achieved their goals.
Download: Protecting Michigan’s Inland Lakes: A Toolkit for Local Government Part I
Part II: This part is available online on the Michigan Lake and Stream Associations website: www.mymlsa.org. Here you will find the examples of ordinances from different communities, other support materials to help local municipalities implement changes and related agency and organization contact information.
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On the Eve : The Jews of Europe Before the Second World War Paperback
This is the portrait of a world on the eve of its destruction.
Bernard Wasserstein presents a disturbing interpretation of the collapse of European Jewish civilization even before the Nazi onslaught and World War Two. In this revisionist account of modern European Jewry, Wasserstein shows how the harsh realities of the age devastated the lives of communities and individuals.
By 1939, the Jews faced an existential crisis that was as much the result of internal decay as of external attack. Ranging from Vilna ('Jerusalem of Lithuania') to Salonica with its Judeo-Espanol-speaking stevedores and singers, and beyond, the book's focus is squarely on the Jews themselves rather than their persecutors. Wasserstein's aim is to 'breathe life into dry bones.' Based on vast research, written with compassion and empathy, and enlivened by dry wit, On the Eve paints a vivid and shocking picture of the European Jews in their final hour.
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 576 pages
- Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
- Publication Date: 23/05/2013
- Category: European history
- ISBN: 9781846681905
- EPUB from £8.79
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As a parent, you want what’s best for your child from the first moment you hold him in your arms. One of the many exciting milestones your baby will pass during the first year of life is the introduction of solid foods into the diet. Long before this milestone approaches, you’ll probably find yourself weighing the pros and cons of commercially made baby food versus homemade baby food. Parents that choose to make their own baby food often do so because they want to know exactly what’s in the food they’re feeding their baby while avoiding chemicals, preservatives and additives. Making your own baby food isn’t that hard, and it can be very rewarding.
Foods to start with
Fruits and vegetables should be introduced to a child’s diet around 6 months of age. Avoid chemicals and other toxins by using fresh, organic produce that’s not been exposed to pesticides. Apples, bananas, blueberries, peaches, carrots, avocados and sweet potatoes are good choices to begin with. Have filtered water on-hand, as well, because when a baby food recipe calls for water, you want to make sure it’s clean and pure.
There are a variety of ways to make your little one’s baby food, ranging from methods that require special equipment and those that use kitchen supplies you already have. If you want to keep it simple, or you’re in a hurry, steam or boil the produce in a pot until very soft. Once the food is cool, puree it in a blender with a little water or mash it with a fork. You can also use a food processor or hand-cranked baby food grinder.
Make sure the food you make is thoroughly pureed and contains no chunks. It takes babies quite some time to get used to the texture of baby food and, it also takes time for them to learn to chew. Likewise, you should only introduce one new food every three to four days so it’s easy to tell if something you’ve just introduced is causing an allergic reaction.
The complete process
- Wash the produce, even if it’s organic.
- Blanch the produce in boiling water for a few minutes, and then place it in cold water to remove the skin.
- Steam or boil until very soft.
- Cool for 30 minutes.
- Add water to get desired consistency and puree.
You’ll quickly find out the tastes and textures your baby likes and dislikes, and you can use this knowledge to make delicious, healthy baby food you know your little one will enjoy. As you discover foods your baby likes, you can make larger batches and freeze individual servings so it’s easy to bring your homemade food to your child’s daycare, or to grandma’s house. If raising a child who has healthy eating habits is important to you, there’s no better way to begin than by making your own delicious, nutritionally rich baby food. As an added benefit, you’ll find that making baby food at home saves you quite a bit of money at the grocery store.
Image courtesy of stevendepolo
Earnest Parenting: help for parents who are thinking of making their own baby food.
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Through membership of the European Union, the UN and other supranational organisations successive British Governments have given away your democratic rights and refused to govern for the benefit of the British people. Farmers, fishermen, businessmen, taxpayers and electors find that British ministers have delegated to others the powers which they themselves, because they are elected by us, should use to solve our problems. The British people cannot elect or sack those powers and therefore they no longer have any democratic control. If you can only vote for those who don’t govern then there is no point in voting. The distinctive British identity is being deliberately eliminated – for instance by the replacement of the British passport. The British people no longer control who has right of entry into Britain. British fishing grounds, nurtured for centuries by British fishermen, have been handed over to and decimated by foreign fishermen. The environmental disaster will take decades to reverse. The British Parliament cannot act in our own territorial waters. For the first time British people are ruled by foreign courts and a political judiciary. Justice and the Law have been divorced and so the British people no longer respect the Law. Foreign and defence policy is traded by British politicians, regardless of and often contrary to the British interest. None of these changes to our democratic constitution was made with the authority of the British people. British Freedoms and Democratic Rights, forged over centuries of battle at home and abroad are being improperly withheld. Only the British Declaration of Independence will restore the morality of democratic government and the Sovereignty of the British people. The British Declaration of Independence, by becoming law and asserting the Sovereignty of the British people, solves these problems.
In the light of the above the British people no longer trust any political party in Parliament, nor do they trust individual parliamentary candidates of the parties at present in Parliament. Those Candidates who have in the past claimed they believed in the Sovereignty of the British people and the democratic powers of our Parliament before they were elected, betrayed those very rights when they got into Parliament. By committing the candidates of the Parliamentary parties to presenting and voting for the BDI Bill (when a majority of MPs is available to pass it into law) the BDI does not rely on trust. Those who sign the BDI commit to resigning if they go back on their word. Equally if their Party tries to force them when in Parliament to go back on their word to their electorate they will resign. By resigning on the issue of the Sovereignty of those who voted for them the BDI candidates will then seek a fresh mandate from the people (ie the Sovereigns!) and will assuredly get that mandate. Many candidates of the Parliamentary parties who do not believe in the sovereignty of the British people have learned how to use the same words as those candidates who DO believe in (and will assert) that Sovereignty when they get to Parliament. The former will not sign the BDI, the latter will – so you can tell the difference. The British Declaration of Independence solves these problems.
Perhaps the greatest problem at General Elections is that by voting for minority parties not yet in Parliament which DO believe in the Sovereignty of the British people, votes will be taken from genuine democrats in the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative Parties. The latter will form the bulk of MPs in the next Parliament! We could therefore end up with the most anti-democratic, euro-federalist Parliament in history – just as the people are committing in large numbers to the opposite. So you need to know whether a Labour, Lib Dem or Tory candidate really believes in and will assert your Sovereignty when they get to Parliament. The British Declaration of Independence solves that problem
© 2017 Freenations
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A castle and fortress in North Zealand, Denmark, once contributed two thirds of the Danish state income from a toll applied to foreign cargo. Even when the toll was abolished after being in force for more than 400 years, Kronborg Castle had been immortalised in a Shakespeare’s play and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The city of Helsingør is about 45 minutes by train from central Copenhagen. The train trip took me along the east coast of Zealand, passing through the woods from time to time before reaching the terminus at Helsingør.
A scale model of the castle and fortress was displayed not far from one of the outermost gates. The castle itself was clearly visible from this point. In fact, I immediately noticed it as soon as I exited the station building.
The Crownwork Gate is the main entrance to the star-shaped fortress. The original fortress was first built in the 1420s by Eric of Pomerania.
Kronborg Castle seen beyond the Crownwork Gate. It was still a long way to go before I finally reached the castle since it was surrounded by protective moats, gates, high walls and dark passages.
The Swedish city of Helsingborg was just “over there”, a mere four kilometres away across the Øresund, that my home network recognised my location as “Sweden” even though my feet were standing on Danish soil.
King Frederik II rebuilt the medieval gothic fortress into a Dutch renaissance castle in 1574. He also renamed the Krogen (fortress) to Kronborg Castle.
Sound Dues, a toll for foreign ship passing through the Øresund, was applied since the early days of Krogen for more than 400 years. Cannons were ready to open fire at any ship that refused to stop and pay the toll. Today the cannons in the flag bastion fire salutes to mark special occasions in the royal family and when the royal yacht passes by.
A portrait relief of William Shakespeare on the wall just outside the castle’s inner courtyard. A pre-viking legend of Prince Amleth was told by Saxo in the Middle Ages and then by Shakespeare in the Renaissance. It was Shakespeare who immortalised Kronborg Castle as Elsinore in his Hamlet tragedy.
The Trumpeter’s Tower on the inner courtyard. It had been a long walk but I was finally here. A mission accomplished!
The ballroom, where Hamlet‘s bloody finale took place. At 62 x 12 metres wide, it was the largest royal hall in Northern Europe.
A walk through the corridors in the royal apartments.
A bed chamber in the royal apartments.
A sample of a royal meal. What do you think? I wondered where the cutlery was.
The castle’s chapel, located right below the ballroom, was the only survivor of the 1629 great fire. King Christian IV made a great effort in rebuilding the castle but Kronborg never regained its former glory.
Through the ornate orgel and other colourful and intricate carvings in the chapel I could somehow picture Kronborg in its glorious days.
“Krogen. Wall from the first fortress on the site, 1420.”
Exploring the casemates. Not for the claustrophobic. Musty and very dimly lit (some spots were almost in total darkness.) with low ceilings, rough stone floor and narrow passages.
Imagine being forced to stay here for days, even weeks, when the castle was under siege.
Holger the Dane sat asleep, a shield on his side, a sword held tightly in his hand. Legend says Holger will wake up to defend his country when the Kingdom of Denmark is threatened.
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From Digital Methods, by Richard Rogers, loc 671-688:
The “sphere” in “blogosphere” refers in spirit to the public sphere; it also may suggest the geometrical form, in which all points on the surface are the same distance from the center or core. One could think of such an equidistance as an egalitarian ideal, in which every blog, or even every source of information, is knowable by the core and vice versa. It has been found, however, that certain sources are central on the web. They receive the vast majority of links as well as hits. Following such principles as that the rich get richer (aka Matthew effect and power law distributions), the sites already receiving attention tend to garner more. The distance between the center and other nodes may only grow, with the idealized sphere being a fiction, however much a useful one. I would like to put forward an approach that takes up the question of distance from core to periphery, and operationalizes it as the measure of differences in rankings between sources per sphere. Spherical analysis is a digital method for measuring and learning from the distance between sources in different spheres on the web.
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click on picture for larger image
Lake Okeechobee means “big water” in Seminole Indian language. The lake is one of the biggest freshwater lakes in the U.S. covering 730 sq. miles on its’ surface. Its’ average depth is only 9 ft. but can vary substantially with the rainy season and with the canals, tributaries and sheet flow of water feeding into it. The canals and tributaries bring with them harmful quantities of phosphorous, nitrogen and pollutants from nearby farms, cattle ranches, mining operations and urban areas. The lake has many thousands of tons of phosphorous in the bottom which makes the lake harmful for fish, drinking water or release into the Everglades for which it was intended.
The U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers and South Florida water Management District has been working for years to help purify or make cleaner the lakes water by creating Water Conservation Areas (WCA) and Storm Water Treatment Area’s (STA) which are used as storage basins for some of the lakes water. The WCA’s and STA’s which are composed of thousands of acres of land are used to help filter the polluted water of nitrogen, phosphorous and other pollutants before it is sent to the Everglades or communities where it may be used as drinking water or marshes and wetlands which serve as habitat for wildlife. When the lake reaches dangerous levels approaching 15 ft., the USACE has no choice but to use the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie Rivers as release points to flush billions of gallons of lake water out of the lake so that nearby towns surrounding lake Okeechobee will not be threatened with flooding.
The area around the lake has been in the news lately because of the option for the state legislature to buy large tracts of land surrounding the lake for environmental purposes. The state legislature has not been unanimous in their effort to buy land for millions of dollars. They have been urged by environmentalists and those who want to continue the cleanup efforts to buy this land and direct the flow of water southward towards the Everglades and not through the estuaries east and west of the lake. The South Florida Water Management District has some good information about the cleanup efforts about Lake Okeechobee on their website.
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Riddles of Jane Austen
By: Justin Zablocki (author, Zablocki Bros. LLC) on October 8th, 2013 12:00 AM.
Jane Austen was an English novelist who has become extremely popular for her novels, including 'Sense and Sensability' and 'Pride and Prejudice'. She wrote these novels between 1811 and 1818. A lesser known fact about her is that she wrote a lot of great riddles. The riddles she wrote could also be called charades; in the past charades could also mean a riddle in verse or prose. Most of the charades she wrote were written one syllable at a time. Each syllable was described separately in the riddle and in the end the syllables could be connected to form a single word or phrase. Many of her most popular riddles come from her 1816 novel, 'Emma':
My first doth affliction denote
Which my second is destin'd to feel.
And my whole is the best antidote
That affliction to soften and heal.
The answer to this riddle is woe-man (woman). Another great riddle that she authored goes as follows:
When my first is a task to a young girl of spirit,
And my second confines her to finish the piece,
How hard is her fate! but how great is her merit
If by taking my whole she effects her release!
The answer to this riddle is hem-lock (hemlock). One final riddle from her:
My first displays the wealth and pomp of kings,
Lords of the earth! their luxury and ease.
Another view of man, my second brings,
Behold him there, the monarch of the seas!
The answer to this final riddle is court-ship (courtship). One interesting thing about all of these riddles is that they each deal with gender and interaction between the two genders. This is very similar to all of her writings. All of her novels satirize the fact that most women of her time were obsessed with getting married and getting a man.
For more on Jane Austen visit her Wikipedia page.
For some more great riddles visit our Hard Riddles Section.
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Useful websites to help parents with online safety
The digital world is the world in which our children will grow up. It is a source of information and creativity. We need to help our children to expertly use this resource in a safe and responsible way so that they can be well equipped as adults in a rapidly changing world.
The following websites may help you to teach your child how to keep safe when using the internet. They may also help you to keep all your digital devices secure at home.
The NSPCC –National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has an excellent website to support parents with e-safety. It contains helpful advice and tools you can use to help keep your child safe whenever and wherever they go online.
The official site for information on internet safety and reporting abuse online.
This site contains useful information for you and your child. There are specific sections for children of different ages and parents. Children can also play at the Cyber Café to learn about keeping safe. https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/
We use many of these resources in school and the thinkuknow site can be accessed via the Alfred Sutton Learning Platform.
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Wilson’s Falls Generating Station is a single-unit hydroelectric station located on the Muskoka River in Bracebridge, Ontario. The station was originally built in 1901. The station had an original installed capacity of 0.6 MW at a head of 13.1 metres. Upgrade to 2.9 MW.
The headwork consisted of a concrete main dam with one sluice gate and a long weir. The concrete headpond dam had a sluice gate, a small log spill bay that contained the intake structure. The concrete intake was a gatehouse structure and was equipped with steel trashracks, where one steel penstock conveyed water to the brick powerhouse. Water from this facility is discharged into the Muskoka River at the base of Wilson’s Falls.
In 2012 the facility completed a series of upgrades, which have expanded the facility’s capacity to 2.9 MW. Upgrades to the facility involved modifications to the headrace and tailrace, installation of a new penstock and transformer and construction of a new powerhouse. With significant technology advances in the past century, the renovated facility now boasts one (1) Norcan S-Type Hydraulic Turbine as well as one (1) SAB Horizon Brushless Synchronous Generator, which are controlled by a Rockwell Automation ControlLogix system.
The station is connected to Muskoka TS.
Location: Bracebridge, Ontario
River System: Muskoka River
Nameplate Capacity: 2.9 MW
OPA Contracted Capacity: 2.9 MW
Operator: Bracebridge Generation Ltd.
Turbines: (1) Norcan S-Type Hydaulic Turbine
Originally Built: 1901
Coordinate: 45° 3′ 44.8″ N, 79° 18′ 38.1″ W
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Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Arts and Crafts/Lighthouses< Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book | Arts and Crafts
|Arts and Crafts
North American Division
See also Lighthouses - Advanced
|Skill Level 1|
|Year of Introduction: 2007|
The Lighthouses Honor is a component of the Artisan Master Award .
1. Describe the following in detail concerning lighthouses:Edit
a. What is the function of a lighthouse?Edit
The function of a lighthouse is to serve as a navigational aid to ships by sending a beam of light, which provides signals.
b. When were the first lighthouses of record built?Edit
The first lighthouse in recorded history is the Pharos Lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt. Built in 280 BC, it is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
c. What is the name of the most famous ancient lighthouse?Edit
Perhaps the most famous lighthouse in history is the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built on the island of Pharos in ancient Egypt.
d. What are people called who study lighthouses? Why?Edit
People who study lighthouses are called pharologists, after the island of Pharos where the famous lighthouse was constructed. Indeed, the name of the island is still used as the noun for "lighthouse" in some languages, for example: French (phare), Italian and Spanish (faro), Portuguese (farol), Swedish, Danish and Norwegian (fyr), Romanian (far) and Greek (φάρος).
e. Do all lighthouses have keepers? If not, how are they run?Edit
In the United States, only the lighthouse called Boston Light still has a keeper - all the others are automated.
Even automated lighthouses need occasional maintenance, which the Coast Guard and the National Park service do on a regular basis. However the day-to-day warning that Lighthouses given is totally automatic with electronic machines that shine the (usually) aero-marine beacon lights out to passing ships, just like the Fresnel-lenses and gas-lamp mechanical masterpieces did in ages past.
More info: The Lantern Room
2. Research the structure and function of Fresnel lenses. Explain what makes these lenses so effective.Edit
A Fresnel lens (pronounced fray-NELL) is a type of lens invented by Augustin-Jean Fresnel. Originally developed for lighthouses, the design enables the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the weight and volume of material which would be required in conventional lens design. Compared to earlier lenses, the Fresnel lens is much thinner, thus passing more light and allowing lighthouses to be visible over much longer distances.
The Fresnel lens reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional spherical lens by breaking the lens into a set of concentric ring-like sections. These concentric rings are shaped to point the light inward, focusing the light from all the rings to a single point, much like a magnifying glass does (imagine hundreds of magnifying glasses all working together!). Because there are so many ring-like lenses focusing light on a single point, the light is very bright, and can be seen from miles away, even through a thick fog.
3. Throughout history, what fuels were used for lighthouse lights?Edit
The earliest lighthouses used wood and coal fires to make their light. Other fuels that have been used since include whale oil, lard, kerosene, and (lots of) candles. Today most lighthouses are lit with electricity. The first lighthouse in the United States to use electricity was the Statue of Liberty in 1886! Lady Liberty served her first 15 years as a lighthouse.
4. Are all lighthouses located along ocean shores? If not, list other locations where you would find a lighthouse.Edit
Not all lighthouses are located along ocean shores. Many are also located along major rivers and lake shores.
5. What is the lighthouse service called in your country? What organization or branch of government is responsible for maintaining lighthouses in your country?Edit
In the United States and in Canada, the Coast Guard is responsible for the lighthouse service. Other lighthouse services may be found by visiting The International Association of Marine Aids and Lighthouse Authorities.
- Historical Notes (United States):
- 1852 - the United States Lighthouse Board created as an agency of the US Federal Government to be responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States.
- 1886 to 1902 - the Statue of Liberty functioned as a lighthouse.
- 1910 - the United States Lighthouse Service (also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses) succeeded the Lighthouse Board.
- 1939 - the US Lighthouse Service merged with the United States Coast Guard, which now maintains and operates all US Lighthouses and Lightships.
6. When a lighthouse is a visible landmark seen from the ocean during the day it can be identified by certain markings. What are these called?Edit
These markings are called daymarks. Lighthouses have unique daymarks so that they can be distinguished from one another. If all lighthouses were round brick towers, a sailor would have to have a pretty good idea of where he was to know which lighthouse he was looking at. Instead, lighthouses are painted with easily distinguishable patterns. Often these are red and white, or black and white. Daymarks can be bands, diamonds, squares, rectangles, or any other shapes - so long as they can be seen from afar.
7. What is a foghorn? Why would one be used at a lighthouse? What are three things that affect how far away a foghorn can be heard?Edit
Foghorns are a navigation aid for mariners. In foggy conditions, when visual navigation aids such as lighthouses are obscured by the weather, fog horns provide an audible warning of rocks, headlands, or other dangers to shipping.
Lighthouses are often built near shipping hazards such as rocks. It often becomes too foggy to see a lighthouse at a safe distance from these hazards, so an audible signal is needed instead.
The sound produced by a foghorn is a very deep pitch, due to the fact that deep sounds are audible to human ears at a greater distance than higher pitched ones. It is also very loud so ships a considerable distance away can heed its warning. Height above sea level is another factor that determines the distance at which a foghorn can be heard. Some foghorns can be heard up to six miles (9.6 km) away.
8. Since lighthouses are often called "lights", explore the concept of "lights" in scripture by doing the following:Edit
a. Look in the Bible Concordance to find “lights” and discuss lights as referred to in the BibleEdit
- In Genesis 1:14-16, Psalm 136:7, and Ezekiel 32:8 refer to God making the lights in the sky
- Luke 8:16 and Luke 11:33 talk about putting a light under a basket verses on a lampstand where everyone can see it.
- In Acts 16:29 the jailer calls for lights to see if Paul and Silas had escaped from jail.
In all of these cases, the lights are there as an aid to seeing. Sometimes the light is so we can see physically, and sometimes so we can see spiritually.
The instances here are limited to the plural noun "lights" and do not include the singular form "light" or the use of light (or lights) as a verb. You may wish to expand the search to include those.
b. Explain why you think God’s word is like a lighthouse.Edit
Just as a lighthouse guides ships, God's word shows us the way to happiness and away from destruction.
c. Memorize John 8:12.Edit
|John 8:12 (NKJV)|
|Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”|
9. Write a poem or a story about a lighthouse light. Include thoughts of God’s “light”. Read your story or poem to your group.Edit
There are various forms of poetry, including traditional rhyming poems or non-rhyming ones. Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry containing three lines: the first line has five syllables, the second has seven, and the third has five. The Bible is full of poetry as well, though it is in a form unfamiliar to most English speakers. Biblical poetry repeats an idea using different words. Consider the full text of Psalm 136:7-9 (NKJV):
|Psalm 136:7-9 (NKJV)|
Notice how the first line speaks of the great lights, and is followed by a verse meaning the same thing, but with different detail. Also notice how "For His mercy endures forever" is repeated between each expression of the idea.
Have fun with this.
10. Draw or photograph five lighthouse forms/types being used today.Edit
Description: As the name implies, and octagonal lighthouse has eight sides.
Description: A conical lighthouse is round with a taper, like an inverted ice cream cone.
Description: A cylindrical lighthouse is round, having close to the same diameter at the top as at the bottom.
Description: A square lighthouse is four-sided.
Description: A skeletal lighthouse has a base made of steel beams and posts rather than being composed of solid walls.
Description: A sparkplug lighthouse is short, squat, and round, like the sparkplug in an engine.
11. Do one of the following:
a. List the names and locations of 5 lighthouses in your state/province.
b. Locate on a map the location of 10 lighthouses in your country/divisionEdit
The International Association of Marine Aids and Lighthouse Authorities is a good resource to check out for meeting this requirement.
The U.S. Park Service has an Inventory of Historic Light Stations which lists lighthouses from all over the United States, though this inventory is by no means exhaustive.
The Canadian Coast Guard has a List of Lights, Buoys and Fog Signals.
Another way to find lighthouses is by using an Internet search engine using the terms "Lighthouse" and the name of your locality. If you cannot find five lighthouses in your state or province, you may have to expand the search and find ten lighthouses in your division instead.
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A survey of lakes and streams was conducted in 2004 for fish and amphibians. This survey detected nine species of fish of which five are native to parts of California. Native species include rainbow trout, tui chub, speckled dace, Lahontan redside and Tahoe sucker. Brook trout, Brown trout, golden shiner, and fathead minnow are all species that are non-native to the park that were detected during this survey.
Fish stocking occurred prior to the park being established in 1916. Most of the lakes in the park were stocked with rainbow, brown, and brook trout. It is suspected that the golden shiner and fathead minnow were introduced as bait that was used by fishermen and escaped. Due to National Park Service policy, all stocking of fish was halted in the park and currently most of the lakes where these fish were planted are currently fishless due to lack of suitable spawning grounds.
Butte Lake, Snag Lake, and Horseshoe Lake are all popular fishing destinations in the park with populations of rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Kings Creek and Grassy Swale Creek both have populations of brook trout as well. The most popular fishing lake in the park, however, is Manzanita Lake. This lake holds a fair number of rainbow and brown trout and is rated as a blue ribbon fly fishery by the state of California Department of Fish and Game. It is managed as a catch and release fishery with only single barbless hooks allowed. No bait such as worms, salmon eggs or powerbait may be used. This lake is nationally known for its fly fishing opportunities.
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Geoscience Map 1997-1: Geology of the Tagish Lake Area
NTS (104M/8,9,10E, 15 and 104N/12W)
View PDF Map (3.6 MB)
View DWF Map
View Full DWF Map (1.37 MB)
Superseded by Bulletin 105
Scale 1:100 000
The Tagish Lake area has been recognized as an important mineral belt since 1896, when hoardes of placer miners bound for the Klondike passed through it. It continues to be a focus for mineral exploration, but today these are guided by a respect for the geological diversity and complexity of the area. Geoscience Map 1997-1 encompasses critical components of the terrane architecture in the northern Intermontane Belt. From east to west these include: oceanic crustal rocks of the Cache Creek Terrane, overlap strata of the Whitehorse Trough, volcanic arc strata and metamorphic basement of Stikine Terrane, metamorphosed continental margin rocks of the Nisling Terrane and volcano-plutonic complexes adjacent to the Coast belt.
Two crustal scale faults, the Llewellyn and Nahlin, are focal points because they juxtapose terranes and are loci of gold mineralization, including the Engineer and Venus Mines. Map 1997-1 illustrates the relationships between mineral occurrences and tectonic features in an area of high mineral potential extending from south of Tagish Lake to the BC-Yukon border.
All printed publications of the BC Geological Survey are available digitally, free of charge, from this website.
For questions or more information on geology and minerals in British Columbia contact BCGS Mailbox or call toll free (BC Residents only).
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After the House and Senate both passed their respective health care reform bills, the two chambers had intended to reconcile those two bills into a final package. After the House and Senate passed that final package, it would have been sent to President Obama, who would have signed it into law. Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), however, won a special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) before the final health care bill could be brought up for a vote. Brown's victory gave Republicans 41 votes in the Senate, thus depriving Democrats of the 60-vote majority they needed to defeat a Republican filibuster against the final health care bill.
In order to pass comprehensive health care legislation without a 60-vote majority in the Senate, Democratic leaders devised a plan in which the House would pass the Senate health care bill (H.R. 3590), thereby enabling the president to sign it into law. The House would then pass a separate companion bill (H.R. 4872) to make changes to the Senate health measure. Assuming the Senate passed the companion bill, that measure would then go to the president for signature as well. This process allowed the House to make changes to Senate-passed health
care legislation without sending the entire health bill back to the Senate, where it could be filibustered indefinitely.
The House had already passed the companion bill on March 21, 2010. The Senate then made a number technical changes to the measure, and sent it back to the House. Senate Republicans succeeded in striking a number of sections of the bill that did not conform to budget reconciliation rules. These modifications did not change the substance or cost of the bill, but merely forced the House to vote on it a second time.
This was the vote on the resolution setting a time limit for debate and prohibiting amendments to the companion bill making changes to the Senate health care legislation. Those changes included delaying the implementation of the tax on high-cost insurance plans until 2018. Democratic leaders brought up H.R. 4872 under a process known as budget reconciliation. This process shielded the bill from a filibuster in the Senate. If a bill is filibustered, it must have the support of 60 senators in order to end debate and vote on the legislation. Under budget reconciliation, bills can pass the Senate with a simple 51-vote majority.
H.R. 4872 would increase the number of uninsured Americans that would be covered under the health care bill by 1 million -- resulting in an expansion of coverage to 32 million individuals, as opposed to 31 million. An estimated 95% of Americans would have access to health insurance under the legislation.
H.R. 3590 placed 40% tax on high-cost insurance plans -- or those plans that are worth more than $27,500 for families, and $10,200 for individuals. Under the reconciliation bill (H.R. 4872), the tax would not take effect until 2018.
H. R. 4782 also contained a major provision -- unrelated to health care -- that would phase out a program in which the federal government guaranteed loans made to students by private lenders. Under the bill, students would instead receive loans directly from the federal government.
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) called for swift passage of the legislation: "I won't even bother reciting all of the ways in which ordinary Americans will gain as we shift the balance of power away from insurance companies and back to patients, because they will know very shortly. I have already spoken at length about how under our bill families will no longer feel trapped by their coverage or fearful about children with preexisting conditions. Health care reform, I am happy to say, is now the law of the land. I encourage my colleagues to join me today in quickly adopting these small technical fixes to the legislation so we may move on to more pressing challenges."
Rep. Jim McGovern praised Democratic efforts to pass health care reform legislation: "We voted to end the most abusive practices of the insurance companies, to provide coverage to millions of hardworking families, to bring down the costs of health care for families and small businesses, and to pass the biggest deficit reduction package in 25 years. That reform is now the law of the land. Already, we hear from our friends on the other side of the aisle saying that they want to repeal that law. They want to allow insurance companies to once again discriminate against people because of preexisting conditions….They want to continue to let families go bankrupt because of their medical bills."
Rep. David Dreier (R-CA) criticized Democrats for failing to craft a bi-partisan health bill, and vowed that Republicans would work to pass legislation more to their liking: " We will work to ensure that government bureaucrats never come between patients and doctors. We will make sure that no one will be forced to give up their current coverage if they do not so choose, and that those who have diligently saved in their health savings accounts are not in any way punished. If we can abandon the failed tactics that the Democrats in charge have put forward and work in an bipartisan and open fashion, these are the kind of real reforms that can be enacted so all Americans will have access to quality, affordable health insurance."
Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) warned that the legislation would have dire consequences: " The first thing that it will do is it's going to drive millions of people out of work. Also, besides that, it's going to drive many doctors out of business…When people have that free health care insurance card issued by the federal government in their pocket, it's going to be about as worthless as the Confederate dollar was after the Civil War because you are not going to find any doctors who are going to be willing to take the government insurance card."
The House agreed to the resolution setting a time limit for debate and prohibiting amendments to the companion reconciliation bill by a vote of 225-199. 225 Democrats -- including all of the most progressive members -- voted "yea." All 174 Republicans present and 25 Democrats voted "nay." As a result, the House proceeded to formal floor debate on legislation giving 32 million uninsured Americans access to heath insurance, delaying a tax on high-cost health insurance plans until 2018, and phasing out a program in which the federal government guaranteed loans made to students by private lenders (Under the bill, students would instead receive loans directly from the federal government.).
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Select Video Clip...
Biographical Details of Leadership
Contemporary Lens on Black Leadership
Historical Focus on Race
BOND: Dr. Butts, welcome to Explorations in Black Leadership.
BUTTS: Thank you.
BOND: We very much appreciate your coming. I want to start with some questions about Brown v. Board. You were five years old when this decision was handed down, but do you have any memories of it or it being talked about it?
BUTTS: Yes, I have memories of the Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas. In 1954, I was five, but I remember reading about it. The interesting thing is that I could read and read well at that age. I lived for a while with my grandmother in a small town in southwest Georgia called Fitzgerald and I remember attending school in a one-room house — this is literally the truth — with a potbellied stove in the middle and a pan of water on the top. It was a bunch of us, maybe fifteen, sixteen, twenty, in this little room and a woman whose name I cannot remember taught us how to read and how to count, spell, all of that, and so when the decision came down, I don’t know if it was Jet Magazine or if it was Ebony. It was something that I read that talked about this Supreme Court decision.
Moreover, there was a picture of I think it was the Rev. Brown and his daughter and I remember that vividly, but what rivets it to me is that in conversations, either when my parents would come to visit with my father’s mother or later when I returned to New York in our living room, when my aunts and uncles and friends of the family would come over, there would be these animated discussions about that case, about integration. Then there would be someone on the side who would say it’s not integration. You heard Adam [Clayton Powell, Jr.] say it’s desegregation, and so as I grew older, and particularly, as we approached the fiftieth year celebration, I could recall all of that and it is very meaningful to me because I think that was the first — that was before Dr. King became vivid for me — that was the first civil rights talk that I can remember hearing about.
BOND: Do you remember what people thought about it? Did they think it was something that was going to make instant change? What were their discussions about?
BUTTS: Well, if I remember the discussions in that small town in Georgia, it was not about instant change. It was about hope for change because we were still going to a segregated school. After I finished in that little house, that room, I went to the Monitor High School for the 1st grade. That was a school where they still believed in corporal punishment. If you were late, you had to get past the principal who had a switch, but it was segregated, and there was no immediate change, but there was hope that soon it would change and, of course, it did. Monitor High School is no longer there and many of the places across the South became integrated and the old “colored” or Negro high schools closed, but there was hope for change and it was meaningful.
Now, in New York, I had a couple of uncles, one in particular who was very militant and kind of nationalistic. He was a union organizer. He talked a lot about Clark — [Dr.] Kenneth Clark. I was thinking of John Henry for a moment. Kenneth Clark and how Thurgood argued the case and how we were going to move forward and how we were going to break down the barriers of segregation, particularly in education. Now, that became meaningful for me because when I left the 6th grade, something happened in New York called open enrollment. That means that I could take a bus from my community of Corona, East Elmhurst in Queens, and go across town to Forest Hills to a Russell Sage Junior High School which was predominantly white and that was an unfolding for me of Brown v. Board of Ed, and I could make the connection and that was not only happening for me. It was happening for African American students around the New York City. In fact, I remember reading in some papers in New York around that time that some students were going to Canarsie. They were in Brooklyn. They were going to Canarsie, Brooklyn, and they were met with racial epithets and almost riots and that wasn’t the Deep South. That was New York City. So, it stirred up a lot of hope and it made people even more — people of African descent and people of good will, more aggressive in either integrating or as Adam would put it, desegregating the schools.
BOND: Now, so, fifty-plus year later, what do you think it means today?
BUTTS: Well, we know, particularly in urban areas, and I can speak about New York, that the schools are just as segregated as they may have been forty or fifty years ago, and that has a lot to do with the discontinuation of the kind of open enrollment and people getting on buses to travel across town as well as economic and social status because if you happen to live in Harlem, where I have the privilege of serving the Abyssinian Church, it is predominantly an African American poor community and therefore you won’t find much integration and you don’t find whites busing their children even though we have developed through our Abyssinian Development Corporation some excellent schools, so segregation in public education is still a reality and I’m sure it’s not only in New York and where busing has been discontinued, it is just going back to the way it was.
On top of that, the old paradigm of saying, well, if that’s where you’re going to go, we’re going to put our children in private schools, religiously-based schools, so that they won’t have to deal with this notion of integration, which hurts the nation because you can’t imagine what it did for me. Now, I was already fine. That one-room house that we learned in, Monitor High School, I could read. I could handle numbers. I was proud of who I am. I was proud of who I was and I am proud of who I am.
When I went to the segregated school in Queens, you know, I had a great time, good teachers, you know, but when I went over to the junior high school in Forest Hills, I met some wonderful people there in terms of my fellow students. I remember some of them now. One came to the church the other Sunday, Nicky, to visit. He’s a dentist and we got along just fine, but I discovered something and that was they were no brighter than I was. They were no smarter. Matter of fact, I could read and count, but what happened was I also, as I looked back, recognized that what I was receiving in terms of resources, training to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test, field trips, it was a lot more than I would have received had I remained in a segregated situation. They were no brighter, brought no more skills. They just had greater opportunity and more resources, and so, as a result, it built my confidence to let me know I can compete with anybody, that there is no such thing as racial superiority — you know, white people are no smarter than black people. Black people are no smarter than white people, but there was this matter of the equitable distribution of resources so that whatever natural or innate ability I had could be enhanced and there was a huge difference between P.S. 92 and Russell Sage Junior High School.
BOND: You mentioned your grandmother in Georgia and I want to ask about her and other people besides your parents. Who are the people who influenced your life early on?
BUTTS: Early on?
BOND: Early on, when you were a young guy?
BUTTS: My Scoutmaster, Wesley — Charles Wesley Shipman. He would round us up and put us in the back of his old station wagon and take us to the Harlem YMCA to swim. He would take us to the Ten Mile River, TMR Scout Camp. He’s the guy who taught us how to pitch tents and tie knots and encouraged us to go on to become an Eagle Scout. I never made Eagle. I got to Life. My Scoutmaster, Charles Wesley Shipman.
BOND: You know, you may not be surprised at how many people sit where you sat, sit now, and said the Scouts, and I was a Scout growing up, but it didn’t have that much of an influence on me, but it’s remarkable to me how many people were affected in some way by the Scouts and girls by Girl Scouts.
BUTTS: I was a Boy Scout. Now, Charles Wesley Shipman was one. There was another named Bessie Jackson. She was a 4th grade teacher in the segregated school, P.S. 92. Bessie Jackson was never my teacher but she would see me and she was one of maybe two black teachers in this segregated school, mostly all black students. The rest of the teachers were white, but Bessie Jackson would see me and she’d say, “Boy, you need to be in my class.” I never got it. Ms. Jackson, you know, she’d run me around and I was an active child and she’d catch me in the hallway and she’d say, “Boy, you need to be— Butts, come here. You need to be in my class.” I never got it and I never did go to her class. She was very influential because she was from the community. She lived there. She went to — I think she was a member of Corona Congregational Church. I was a member of First Baptist. We would see Miss Jackson at different functions and I never will forget, when I was a freshman at Morehouse College and we went to Archer Hall and when we got into Archer Hall, the Glee Club stood up to sing and they sang “Lift Every Voice” and I cried like a baby and I said, "Miss Jackson, I finally made it to your class." I mean, it just rushed in on me. I could see her face. I preached her eulogy, so Miss Bessie Jackson, Charles Wesley Shipman.
There was another gentleman and he leaves a vivid impression on me because I’m a minister. His name was Parker. I never knew Mr. Parker’s first name, but we used to go to his house because his son was in the Scouts with us and Miss Costa used to bring us all in and Mr. Parker was there and he would be very provocative and the thing that I will never forget, we were sitting there watching Muhammad Ali fight and all of us young kids, we were all in the Scouts together, you know, “Float, Muhammad. Hit him.” And Mr. Parker, when the fight was over, he’d gather us around and he’d say interesting things. Now, as a clergyman, this is why this rushes back on me. He said, “Look,” and we looked and there was a picture of the crucifixion, of Jesus hanging on the cross in the living room. He said, “Do you see those letters over there?” I said, “Yes.” “What are they?” I said, “I, N, R, I.” He said, “Do you know what that means?” And I started shaking and he was right in your face. I said, “No, no, Mr. Parker.” He says, “I’m going to teach your something about who you are.” He says, “That means I Negro Rule Israel.” I was a seminary student before I found out that wasn’t true.
BUTTS: So, my Uncle Leon who was the union organizer. He came by our house one night or we went to his. He said, “Come down in the basement. I’ve got something for you to hear.” Now, what is this? And he put on this forty-five record and the record was singing or saying, “White man heaven is black man hell.” He said “Do you know who that is?” I said, “No.” He says, “That’s Louis X,” and of course, that’s Minister Farrakhan today. And so he was influential because he had that energy.
BUTTS: Now, those were in my young years. Now, other than family, you know, those were some of the key people. I imagine I could think of some more, but between Bessie Jackson, Charles Wesley Shipman, my pastor, Reverend William E. Gardner, who was a Morehouse graduate and an Army captain. He was a stern, firm, authoritarian figure, but he loved me and I remember being at Morehouse and I was not necessarily a clergyperson at that time, and he came back and he had heard about my exploits down at Morehouse. He kept track, and I went in his office. He said, “Butts, you’re a fool.” And I said, “Doctor, Reverend Gardner.” He said, “Straighten up.” He said, “You’ve got your Religion Merit Badge here and you’re down there running the street and acting crazy,” and part of that was because of partying activities and the other was because of social activism.
I’d gotten very involved with the election of Horace Tate, well, with the campaigning of Horace Tate. I’d gone down to Orangeburg after the massacre and had been very involved with people ready in defense of Ebony pride. He’d heard that I’d been involved in some of the raucous activities after the assassination of Dr. King, so he was not necessarily pleased with those kinds of things. He was in that Mays-ian tradition, you know, and Dr. [Benjamin] Mays, however, was encouraging. Dr. Mays said some of these things you need not do. He said, “But one of the things I’d like for you to do is get in a car and travel to the churches in the white community on a Sunday morning and see if they’re still segregated.” And so a friend of mine named Julius Stevens and I got in his car and we rode around we visited the churches and we had to report to him that they are or were at that time still segregated and for that, he put me in his book and I’ll be eternally grateful, Dr. Mays, wherever you are.
Dr. Benjamin — well, in my college years and then I could go on and talk about others.
BOND: Let me go back to the Scouts. As I said, many people have mentioned the Scouts. What was it about the Scouts? What did the Scouts do for you?
BUTTS: The Boy Scouts of America in terms of Troop 224 in Queens, Charles Wesley Shipman Scoutmaster, provided an opportunity for us to get out of an urban environment, first of all, and do camping, to learn skills that we thought were just amazing. You know, when you learn how to tie these different knots and when you travel to the Coast Guard Academy and learn what they do on the ships and how the knots are used to secure the ship and the sails and things of that nature, and it developed your character—“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country, to obey the Scout law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.” I’m glad I got that right for the camera, but it made you proud, and the uniform, you know, we used to march before we started finding out what Columbus really did, in the Columbus Day Parade, and we’d strut with our spats on and the people on the sidelines would applaud us, so it built your character.
But it was Shippy, the Scoutmaster, who loved us. I mean, who would pick us up and our parents trusted him and that made the difference, so it was a combination of the kind of militaristic, paramilitary nature of the Scouts, the uniform, the regiment, learning the skills and being proud that you could pitch a tent, or that you knew how to keep yourself warm in the snow or that you could shop in a supermarket or that you could take the food that you’d buy in the supermarket into the woods, build your own oven, and cook your own food and it tasted pretty good.
BOND: Now, the other people that you mentioned, the teacher whose class you did not attend—
BUTTS: Bessie Jackson.
BOND: What did they — what was the influence on you?
BUTTS: Oh, Bessie Jackson was like an aunt, a grandmother, a mother. She was in the community. You could see her. She was part and yet she was the one who was in the school teaching you. She never taught me directly, but indirectly she was teaching me. It’s almost undefinable. Oh, and she demanded of you your best. If she saw you doing something you weren’t supposed to do — “Stand up. Straighten up” — and because she looked like your aunt or your grandmother or your mother, and she wasn’t afraid of you. I said, “Stand up.” I said, “Get up. Shut up. Sit down,” and she knew your mother so that was the other side of it, so it was that sense in which she was really an educator -- educare -- to pull out of you the best that’s in you, to lead you out of bad behavior into good behavior. She was wonderful.
Mr. Parker, on the other hand, was just — he frightened you, you know, and “gahhh” and you wanted to — but you didn’t know what to say, but he made you think.
BUTTS: Of course.
BOND: And Uncle Leon who introduced you to Louis Farrakhan --
BUTTS: Uncle Leon, I mean, again, that was the provocative thing. He didn’t frighten you, but he was excited. He would say about that record, he’s say, “Come, I want you to hear.” I’d say, “Where is it?” He’d say, “It’s from the east.” “It’s from the east? What’re you talking about, Uncle Leon?” “It’s from the east.” You know, it was my father and Uncle Leon and some others who made me sit down and listen. He said, “Wait, the news is coming. You hear that name?” “What is it?” “Patrice Lumumba. Listen — [Joseph] Kasa-Vubu, Mobutu [Sese Seko], [Kwame] Nkrumah.” “What’s going on?” “It’s liberation.”
And they talked about it, they argued about it -- “What is the Negro going to do?” You know, we were Negroes. “What is the Negro going to do?” Roy Wilkins, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. -- these were the central topics of discussion in the house and all of these men and women to me — I mean, you found out later like INRI, it seemed like they knew what they were talking about, that they were fully informed.
Then I had one of my uncles — James was a Mason and he would talk, as much of the Masonic stuff as he could. The funny thing about it was he was a Mason and he wrote the number and they arrested him because the number was illegal then and they put him in jail and he went before the judge and he said, “When I got before the judge, I gave him the sign,” and the judge let him go and so they arrested him again. He got before the judge — “I gave him the sign,” and they let him go, and so they arrested him a third time and he went before the judge. He said, “I gave him the sign,” I said, “Well, where he is, pop?” “He said, ‘Lock him up.’” He said, “You can’t abuse that stuff," but it was a sense of pride and a sense that they cared. They cared about you and I think that’s what impressed me.
BOND: And that in turn made you care more about yourself?
BUTTS: Of course.
BUTTS: I had another big influence. Now, I’m getting a little older.
BOND: That's okay.
BUTTS: Booker Sumner Garnett has a daughter. Booker’s passed now, Mr. Garnett, but his daughter Avril was my girlfriend in high school. She was a cheerleader, beautiful, beautiful. Jet black, just gorgeous, but I'd go to visit her but I couldn’t really see her until her father finished with me. Now, he was a nationalist, Richard B. Moore, Marcus Garvey, and he was the one who said to me, “Do you know who you are?” I said, “Well, I’m Calvin Butts.” “No, do you know who you are?” I said, “Well — " Then we went on. I said, “I’m a Negro.” He said, “Negro?” He looked at the map. He said, “Where’s Negro Land? Point to it.” I said, “Well, it’s not — " He said, “Because you’re not a Negro. There’s no such thing.” And then we would go on and then so after about an hour and a half with him I could see his daughter for fifteen minutes, but he was very powerful. As a matter of fact, my high school essay — “I’m Not a Negro, I’m an African American.”
These things continue to come at me, along with reading about Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., hearing and reading about the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, hearing as a young boy speak Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays.
BOND: You said earlier on that you could read at age 5. How’d that happen? It had to be your parents --
BUTTS: Well, it was my parents. My mother was a student at Savannah State. Both of them valued education. Now, my father did not go to college, but it was my grandmother who sent me to that little schoolhouse and I don’t know the woman’s name and she’s looking over the balconies of glory, forgive me, but she taught us how to spell, how to read, and how to write, and how to use numbers in that one-room house, and we didn’t know any better but to learn and were frightened out of our minds if we didn’t learn because when we got home, if we didn’t do what we were supposed to do, they’d go get a switch.
BOND: Tell us more about your parents.
BUTTS: My parents are wonderful people. They’re still alive. They’ve been married 61 years. They’re the salt of the earth, light of the world kind of folk. Deeply faithful. Father’s a deacon in the church, mother’s a deaconess. Hard workers and great providers. My father is my greatest inspiration, along with my mother. I watched him work every day of his life. We never were hungry and cold. We lived in the Lillian Wald Projects, government housing, and they worked hard, saved enough money to buy their first home. I saw them work with their hands to put that home in order and we had a wonderful family life and then I saw them continue to save, be frugal, while encouraging me to go to school. My mother sat with me and did homework. I never will forget when the new math came out. She looked at it. She said, “Son, I don’t know what this is but I’ll tell you what I know and then you figure it out,” and what she told me was good enough.
And they bought another home. My father always believed in investment property, so he had enough sense to build a home, a two-family home, and one took care of the other, and never said an unkind word about anybody that I know of. Never said — never heard a racial epithet come from his mouth. Now, I did hear them say something once when they were watching the Ku Klux Klan on television. I did hear them discuss the murder of Emmett Till. They were outraged but they never said, “Hate white people,” you know, they just said this is terrible, this is horrible what happens, and would take me to task when they would hear me say something that was a little derogatory of anybody else. He’s a wonderful — that’s got to be my greatest blessing that I had good parents. I have good parents, and today, you know, if my father — he does not know — he knows that I’ve left town, but he does not know that I’m sitting with you. If he knows — when he finds out that I was with Julian Bond, that’s going to just — I mean, you know, you’re one of the heroes. Your name is a household name. People know who you are.
I remember once I was at WNET-13 in New York. I was very young in ministry and I had the occasion of meeting Lena Horne and being in close contact with her and I put my arm around her to take a picture and they gave me the picture. They sent it to me in the mail and I showed it to my father and all. He said, “Oh, my God, look at this,” because Lena Horne was, you know —
BOND: Oh, yes.
BUTTS: My mother was the one who encouraged me to go to Morehouse. I wanted to go to Trinity in Hartford. I have an honorary degree from there now, but in those days when I was graduating, we went to the high school college fair and I talked to the guy from Trinity and he said, “Well," he said, "your grades are good enough." He said, "We’ll let you in, but we can’t give you a full scholarship, a partial scholarship.” Well, that wouldn’t do. I couldn’t afford it. He said, “Well, I tell you what, you know, maybe you go to another school and if you get straight A's, we’ll let you in with a full scholarship.” I was distraught, because I’d seen the pictures of Trinity and the beautiful campus. So, I went home and my mother saw I was distraught. She said, “Well, he said if you go to another school,” she said, “Why don’t you consider going to Morehouse?” And I said, “What?” She said, “Yeah, Dr. Mays is there.” I said, “Doctor — ?" She said, “You remember, I would take you to the National Beauty Culturist Luncheon and he would be their speaker.” Now, these were all the black beauticians, and I said, “Yeah,” and she said, “Do you remember?” I said, “I remember him like he was standing right here,” and I did. I remember him telling a story about two men in a race. I remember his little pithy sayings, I just — so, she said, “Why don’t you go there?”
My father chimed in. He said, “Yeah, it’s in Georgia. Your mother and I are from Georgia,” so I applied and I was accepted and I went. I got straight As both semesters of my freshman year, a 4.0. So my mother said, “Are you ready to go to Trinity?” I said, “No, no, I don’t want to go.” I’d met guys from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, but I met guys from Tennessee and Mississippi and Alabama and right there in Georgia and the Atlanta experience at that time was just marvelous for me, and Dr. Mays retired the year I went, but he was still around and this last story about him, though there’re many more, I was at Citizens Trust Bank down on — it was Hunter Street then on Martin Luther King Drive, and I was opening an account and the young person, the person behind the counter was a bit slow and I’m a New Yorker, you know, come on, what’s going on, and I let my impatience show. I didn’t see Dr. Mays down at the other end, and he looked down and heard my voice. He said, “Mr. Butts.” I looked up and I saw it was Dr. Mays and I quieted right down, but what shocked me was he knew my name. He remembered me, and his presence, his brilliance, his patience, had a profound impact on me. Dr. Mays was — he was the closest thing to God that I could imagine and everybody else around me. I’ll never get over the influence he’s had on my life. Now, he’s major.
Dr. Lawrence Neal Jones who was Dean at Union Seminary and then he became Dean of the Howard Divinity School. Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor and Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor. These are the men in my later years in terms of forming my ministry and what I went on to do in terms of becoming a college president. Between Dr. Mays, Dr. Proctor and Dean Jones, in terms of academia and the college experience, etc., their influence was just overwhelming.
BOND: Let me lead up to how you became a minister. You talked a moment ago about how you’d been called in by Dr. [Benjamin] Mays and you said that you weren’t in your ministerial period then. How did you come into your — how did you decide this is the way you wanted to go?
BUTTS: I had a very good time at Morehouse College in any number of ways and I changed majors quite frequently. I was psychology, economics, history, and then I realized that I loved them all. What could capture all of them? Philosophy. So I settled in on philosophy with a minor in religion with the expressed goal of teaching philosophy at the undergraduate level. That was going to be my career, but the religion courses taught by Melvin Watson and by Jackson and others and then I remember Lucius Tobin had left by then, but it was Sam Williams in philosophy who was that cross between philosophy and religion, and during my sojourn in these courses, men would come from seminaries to recruit. Henry Mitchell came from Colgate Rochester. Kelly Miller Smith from Vanderbilt and then a student who had graduated a year before me, Bill Sanders, came from Union Seminary and they started talking about seminary.
Well, I was walking across the campus and I was in an altered state of consciousness so I don’t quite remember what, but Bill said, “Hey, Butts. You want to go to seminary?” I said, “You telling me to come to the cemetery? What are you talking about?” He said, “No, come here, come here.” And he brought me into my fraternity house and we sat down and he laid it out. I said I never thought about that, but one thing I had discovered is that every major advance of people of African descent was led by a clergyperson or had the strong overpowering influence of the church and I was certainly one who was strong on social and political justice. What better base to work from? So I said, “I’ll think about it.”
Well, there was a practical side. Henry Mitchell offered me money to come to visit Colgate. He hasn’t forgiven me yet. Lawrence Jones and Union, they said, “Well, we’ll pay your way.” Kelly Miller Smith said, “We’ll take care of you if you come by here,” so I figured I could go to Rochester, come back through New York City, and stop off in Tennessee, you know, and it was all paid for, so I had a little vacation. I decided to go to Union. I still wasn’t sure about this deep religious call, but the doors were certainly opening. I got to New York City. I saw Dean Jones and he said, “What’re you doing?” I said, “I don’t know. I’m going to class.” He said, “You need a job.” He said, “There’s a new minister over at the Abyssinian Church. Adam Powell died in April,” he said, “and they called a man named Sam Proctor.” He said, “Go see him. He’s looking for someone with no experience at all.”
So I walked over and I met Dr. Proctor. He looked at me. He said, “Where’d you go to college?” I said, “Morehouse,” and he said, “You look humble enough.” He said, “Show up Sunday morning.” I showed up Sunday morning. He said, “Show up next Sunday.” I showed up next Sunday. He saw me. He said, “There’s this fellow out there from Morehouse. What’s your name?” I said, “Calvin Butts.” He said, “Come sit up here in the pulpit.” And I’ve been there ever since. I started out as a gofer, became the Youth Minister, stayed Youth Minister for a couple of years, then Assistant Minister. Then I became the Executive Minister. Dr. Proctor was part-time. He was full Professor of Education at Rutgers. He had been President of two colleges — A&T and Virginia Union, and he said, “You run the church,” and he said, “You become the executive head and I’ll stay the spiritual head,” and I stayed with him for seventeen years. When he retired, the church called me to be the pastor and I’ve been the pastor now — I’m in my twentieth year.
BOND: And I wonder if the example of [Dr. Samuel] Proctor having been a university president must’ve been some signal to you that you can do this, too, this long association you had with him. Could that have led you to believe that you could do this, too?
BUTTS: Yes. But it was not only that I was led to believe it. He said I could do it, but he didn’t say I could be a college president. What he said was — he had a speaking engagement. The place will remain anonymous and he couldn’t do it. Something came up, a personal matter. He said, “Butts, I’m asking them to take you.” I said, “Doc — " This was a very prominent place. I said, “I can’t go there.” He said, “Look, you can go.” He said, “You got more sense than all of them put together." And I went. I was shaking, but it worked out and he said, “You know, you can do anything you want to do,” and that had already been instilled in me a little by Morehouse and then I used to watch him.
He was invited to go to a historically black college. He showed me the letter and they’d put down on the bottom, “We’ll pay you an honorarium.” I think it was a thousand dollars. Then he showed me another letter from a very prominent university and they were going to pay him an honorarium of — in excess of ten thousand, much in excess. He said, “I’m going here.” I said, “But, Doc — " He said, “Look. These students need me more.” I said, “But a thousand — they can do better than that.” He said, “No, they can’t.” He said, “Butts, remember, I was a black college president,” and he said, “The reason they can’t is because other prominent figures who will go unnamed have demanded of them forty and thirty and twenty thousand dollars and they paid it,” and he said, “and they didn’t get much.” Now, they want somebody who will try to give them a little bit more and he said I’ve got to go. I saw him do that so much. He had open heart surgery and I saw him jump on and off planes, so, “What— what’re you doing?” And he said, “Butts, I gotta go.” And he said, “You do, too.” He said, “You do, too.”
And so, you know, when they asked me if I could be a — when they asked me if I could take over the presidency of the college, “Sure.” The other thing — he tricked me. He said, “Do you know many hours a week a minister works?” and I said, “No.” He said, “80.” And just like the man told me about INRI, I believed it. I’ve been working 80 hours. My wife drives me crazy. She said, “You gotta slow down. The church members—how can you do this?” I said, “Well, Doc was a full professor. He did it. Adam [Clayton Powell] was in Congress. He did it.” Dean [Lawrence N.] Jones told me when I entered seminary that the minister in the black church in the twenty-first century has to be bi-vocational, has to have dual competency. These were the terms. He said, “You owe it to the people.” I don’t know any better, I guess. It’s what I’ve seen. It’s what I’ve been taught and I know it’s what we need.
BOND: A few minutes ago you were talking about your activities at Morehouse and going to Orangeburg for the massacre and being involved in Horace Tate’s Senate campaign, these kinds of activities, and you’re playing a leadership role in these activities. Now, when did you begin to think of yourself and maybe not consciously saying I am a leader but at some point, you’ve got to say, when I do things, people follow me. Do you remember when this happened to you?
BOND: It had to happen to you at some point.
BUTTS: I don’t — I heard a fellow jump up in a meeting once and he says, “I am a leader.” I was so turned off by it I didn’t know what to do. I never really paid much attention —
BOND: Well, I don’t mean to say that you would say this in an egocentric way or pat yourself on the back in some way, but I would guess there’s some point in your life at which you said when I say let’s take this approach, other people say, yes, that’s a good approach, let’s follow what Butts has to say. There’s got to be at some point, even in your younger life in school activities and college activities, when you rise to the top.
BUTTS: The only time I heard something like that was one of my — a girlfriend of mine many years ago said — she invited all of her friends to come to her house because there was a big party going on, and all of her girlfriends, and she said — she invited me, so I went by the house and they were all there and one of them said, “Where’re you going, Calvin?” I said, “Well, I’m going to so-and-so’s party,” and she said, “Whoa.” She asked her mom, she said, “Mommy, can we go?” She saw me. She says, “Yeah, yeah, you can go.” So we walked down. I said, “Well, if you were all going to the party, why did you divert me over here? I could’ve gone straight to the party.” She said, “Because if you come and my mother saw you and she knew you were going to the party, she would let all of us go.”
BOND: I see. Is that your first recognition that people would follow you?
BUTTS: I don’t know. It was funny to me. I guess I never paid that much attention to it. It is that you do what you think is right and you try to convince other people, but you can’t lead where you won’t follow. And I have a stronger leader, you know. I guess, and I say this with all seriousness — I’m led by the Holy Spirit and it’ll get you in trouble and it might cost you your life as we know, from some others who are much more — who were real leaders, but I’ve never taken time to calculate that. I’ve just never thought about it.
BOND: But what about leadership roles in high school? You had some.
BUTTS: I was president. In high school, I was president of the senior class.
BOND: Isn’t that a leadership position?
BUTTS: Yeah, it is. It is. It is.
BOND: And they didn’t just give it to you. You had to get it.
BUTTS: Well, I had to get it. One of the students passed me in the hallway and said, “Calvin, why don’t you run for senior class president?” I said, “Oh, come on.” I said, “Okay.” I didn’t campaign but I won.
BOND: Well, why’d you get it? Was it some magic that you won?
BUTTS: No. I just — no. I usually — when I say I’m going to do something or I give my word, I try to keep it, and I guess most of the students understood that and you know, I had excelled as a student, except for chemistry, and I was — I guess I had a certain level of popularity and it’s not bad being in the top spot either. You get some privileges. I’ll tell you a funny story. There was a local television dance show, kind of like Dick Clark but it was local, you know, American Bandstand-type show and Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles were going to be on it, so they were looking for high school students to come on and be on the floor dancing like Soul Train. So we had a dance-off and I was part of the dance-off and I said, “No, the president should dance, too.” But I lost, but because I was the president, I still got to go, so, you know, those privileges.
BOND: Let me talk about leadership philosophy. What do you see as the difference between vision, philosophy and style? What is the interaction between these three — vision, philosophy and style — in your life and in the leadership roles you’ve had?
BUTTS: Philosophy is how you understand life, your point of view. For me, I guess the most prominent, if you want to call it a philosophy, is defined by my faith. Vision is where you see that lifestyle leading you, where you see that philosophy leading you, where’re you going, what’s out in front of you, and if you are in a position of some influence and authority, what do you want to accomplish, so as a Christian I would like to see the valleys exalted and the mountains made low and all of God’s children stand on an equal plane. As a Christian, I want to see poor people, you know, empowered to the point of view that no one is hungry and that people have good health care, where education is a right. That’s the vision based on my point of view as a Christian.
And my style — it’s how I accomplish or move toward that vision. Now, my style has changed. At once, my style was very confrontational, very in-your-face. At once, physical altercation was not impossible for me. My style has, as I’ve matured and grown older and understood more about life and people and travelled, it has become more negotiable. My style is to embrace every person I meet as a potential brother or sister. Shake their hand. Speak to them. Treat them like human beings, you know. They’re no different than you are. They’re no better than you are. They’re no worse than you are. My style is to keep people smiling as much as I can because all of us have so much trouble, so many challenges, that if you can bring a moment of lightness and joy into somebody’s life, that you try to do that, so my style may moderate depending on the circumstance, but I do have a decided philosophy that’s guided by my faith as a Christian.
I do have a vision of what I would like to see and some of my vision has been realized in Harlem through our Abyssinian Development Corporation of building better housing. We’ve built schools. We’ve built commercial developments. That’s part of realization of the vision and the style at which I approach it — depending, I mean, I have been confrontational. I’ve led demonstrations against people who are the producers of this gangster, negative rap, painted over billboards, you know. I’ve almost had physical altercations with police over brutality issues, but I’ve also negotiated with corporate executives, tried to win them to understand my vision of building and creating. I’ve met with presidents.
BOND: And you described a moment ago about how your style had changed. What about your vision? Has your vision changed?
BUTTS: Yes. My vision is now beyond the parochialism of a particular neighborhood and city, and it’s even beyond the confines of the United States of America. It’s a broader world vision that has been brought about by the opportunities to travel, and it is a particular vision that is focused primarily on people of African descent. Du Bois has a very powerful influence in terms of reading him and the Pan-Africanist point of view is very important to me and I think people of African descent need to be united and understand our common struggle.
[We] recently celebrated the bicentennial of Abyssinian Baptist Church. We took a trip to Ethiopia, took one hundred and sixty-five people there and while there, of course, looking at the religious artifacts, reconnecting with our history, it dawned on me that we as a church and our influence, not only our philosophy, if you will, but our vision, needs to see beyond just what we’re doing in terms of at home. Charity starts at home, but now we’ve got to reach out and try to unite as much of the world, particularly the African world as we can. Now, how that’s fine tuned is being determined now. I mean, that trip to Ethiopia had profound impact on me, but I’d been to East Africa before and Kenya and I’d been to Egypt and other places. Been to Ghana, many places, but how to do that and just to show you how the Holy Spirit works, our youth minister came into the office the other day to sit down and he crossed his legs and he sort of talked and he said, “You know, Reverend, our church is large enough and strong enough that we need to have an NGO that seeks to do development in Africa.” I said, “Well, don’t they exist?” He said, “Yeah, Catholic Charities does it and, you know, the United Methodist Church does a very good job, but we need to do it.” He said, “I don’t know of a black church that does this this way,” and I looked at him. He’s a Morehouse grad and his heritage is Jamaican, West Indies, and I said, “Well, Lord, have you provided an answer? Here’s this young energetic man with a vision.” I said, “Well, don’t you want to be a pastor?” He said, “Well, I’m twenty-some-odd years old." He said, "I’ve got time.” That touched me deeply and it made me go back and think that once again God has provided a key to unlock or a way to the vision.
I mean, I've got — my assistant pastor is a woman. My minister for Christian education is a woman and these two women are dynamic and strong preachers, and they are intelligent beyond — I mean, they’re just great. One of the sons of our ministry is now the pastor of Ebenezer in Atlanta, Raphael Warnock. Another one took Bill Gray’s place in Philadelphia. Another one leads the Covenant Churches, is the chairman of their board in America. These young men and women are just dynamic and the Lord gives them to me. I mean, they get up and they preach and the congregation is just in a frenzy and I just sort of shrug my shoulders and say I can’t get rid of them. They just keep coming and so, yes, I have a broader vision and the Lord is revealing how to realize that vision.
BOND: Some people categorize the making of leaders in three ways: first, great people cause great events. Next, movements make leaders. A third, the confluence of unpredictable events creates leaders appropriate for the times. Does one of these fit you?
BUTTS: If people see me in a leadership role —
BOND: And they do.
BUTTS: It is only because of the confluence — how did you say that?
BOND: The confluence of unpredictable events creates leaders appropriate for the time.
BUTTS: That, or the one prior to that.
BOND: Movements make leaders.
BUTTS: Or movement makes leaders. So, I just — you know, it’s almost like I am in no way comparing myself to the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but it’s almost like Dr. King. Dr. King went to Montgomery. I’m not sure that he knew he was going to walk into what he walked into.
BOND: I’m sure he didn’t.
BUTTS: Yeah, and he was just ready for the moment. He was young. Well, a little bit of inexperience and untouched by the local politics. He rose to the occasion. It’s what Dr. Mays, Dr. Gloucester, it’s what they prepared us to do, so there is a person who will never get an opportunity to meet you, who will not sit before this camera who is in a small town, you know, and is as much of a leader as anybody else we’ve ever known because they’re prepared. They are handling the situation where they are. That’s all I’m doing. The confluence — I think that was the word you used, of those events.
BOND: Yes. Right.
BUTTS: I just happened to arrive back home in 1972. Powell had just died. Dr. Proctor, who was a molder of young men and women, was there, you know. We were fraternity brothers. The people just — I was young and so they embraced me as their little boy. I had a family. They loved that and I threw myself into work. I was broke. I didn’t know what else to do but work and I was deeply committed as a result of all around me to the elevation and forward progress of African people, and so if there is some notion that I’m an leader, it is only because I have assumed the responsibility that has been given to me.
BOND: We are not only assuming that you’re a leader, we are saying that you’re a leader, and having said that you’re a leader, is your leadership ability or your leadership legitimacy, does it come from your ability to persuade people to follow your vision or does it come in your ability to articulate the agenda of a movement?
BUTTS: I’m going to say, and I’m very uncomfortable saying this, but I’m going to go with you in your question —
BUTTS: — it’s both. I believe that one of the great movements of our time in the realization of the dream of Dr. King’s and I argue this as often as I get an opportunity, is community development. Now, that’s a movement that seeks to go into communities, urban and rural, and redevelop deteriorated towns, villages, hamlets, by building schools, housing, creating health opportunities. I believe deeply in this. I believe Dr. King gave us a blueprint and I believe we take the skills that we have and build on that, actually implement, and that helps us to realize the vision, the dream.
And then I believe that there are times when you will have an appreciation for something that people may not see and it is your task to persuade them. Now, I’ll give you a very local illustration. Homelessness is a recent term, in the last thirty, forty years. We said we ought to build housing to accommodate homeless families. The congregation at that time, no, you know, NIMBY, not-in-my-backyard, not-in-our-backyard, so you had to persuade the people that this is the right thing to do. Well, then you use your whatever skills and talents of persuasion you may have to lead people in that direction. Now, if that’s leadership, then that’s what we do.
BOND: That’s leadership.
BUTTS: And you take advantage of everything and, see, no one is a leader unto him or herself. See, God doesn’t give you everything. If you can talk, you may not be able to organize, you know what I mean? Martin Luther King, Jr. was a tremendous figure, but Wyatt Walker was a great organizer.
BOND: You know, Bayard Rustin said Dr. King couldn’t organize vampires to go to a bloodbath.
BUTTS: Amen. So, you know, I could never just — it would be presumptuous of me to assume — there’re so many people who are part of it. The Development Corporation wouldn’t be what it was or what it is without Karen [A.] Phillips.
BOND: Indeed so, and these other people play tremendous roles, as they did in King’s organization and it is true that King didn’t possess the standard qualities we think of as an organizer, like your Uncle Leon who’s a union organizer. He had traits that I bet you Martin Luther King didn’t have.
BOND: But at the same thing, King had this enormous gift of oratory and persuasion and that enabled him to make up for what he lacked in these other areas and I’m guessing that you possess those skills plus others as well, which is why you’re a leader.
BUTTS: Well, I think it’s best for all of us to allow others to say whether we are leaders or not.
BOND: Indeed it is.
BUTTS: Because it becomes dangerous when you begin to see yourself in that position because sometimes you begin to understand leadership as a privilege of making people do what they know it is best not for them to do and very often, especially in today’s world, I’ve seen men and women appoint themselves as leaders and take people in the wrong direction and it has been devastating. They’ve exploited people. Every person who is a leader I think you won’t find and a true leader will always admit to mistakes, big ones, will always admit to vulnerability and sin, and to the degree that a person appoints him or herself as a leader and rises above those things, you’ve got to be careful.
BUTTS: Very careful.
BOND: A little while ago you were quoted as saying that you’re not called to be popular, but that your calling is to be faithful to the struggle. Does that characterize your role as the pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church as well as your role as a college president? Are the issues, the struggle — is the struggle the same in the same large sense that both these roles are when you’re building a development corporation, does that require — is that a different struggle or does it require the same characters from you?
BUTTS: I have said that I’m not called to be popular. I’m not called to be successful and I’m not even called — but I am called to be faithful.
BOND: Faithful, that's right.
BUTTS: And that faithfulness is seen in my calling to whatever task my hands have been assigned and I don’t separate the pastorate from the college presidency, except, you know, in those practical senses. The Apostle Paul says, hey, you guys are getting ready to arrest me, I’m a Roman citizen, I appeal to Caesar. I’m not, you know, I'm not trying to impose my faith on the college, but I hope that my position as a minister and my own moral position as a human being has some influence.
Both the college presidency and the pastorate are callings and the struggle for me is to be — is to provide — all right — here we go — the kind of leadership that helps people to move forward, so if I’m building the development — if I’m working on building housing for working families, that empowers the working family. That provides them with some of the life, some of the pursuit of happiness, and on here, if I am trying to get Julian Bond to become a faculty member at the State University of New York because I think that he imparts wisdom and experience and intellectual acuity to the students, it’s the same thing. I’m helping those young men and women grow by exposing them to the best.
If I’m building dormitories, particularly at a public college, I’m empowering poor people who can’t afford to pay $20,000 a semester for tuition, and if I were asked to be the president of a school that was very expensive, I might have second thoughts, because one of the interesting and compelling things about the public university is that it is accessible, that the people I’m called to serve can get there, so $40,000 a year as opposed to $17,000 a year. So, I’m called to be faithful to that.
Now, my name may never go in lights, but we’ve built five new dormitories. We’ve brought graduate programs, you know, we got State University on Long Island and you may not get a whole lot of accolades for it, but, so — I’m called to be faithful to that task, but I’m also called to be faithful to a larger struggle and that is the struggle of African people. I’m not against anybody else, but there’s a collective unconscious that continues to speak to me. Now, it is informed by Dr. Mays. Dr. Proctor. “Boy, do your best. Do your best. Make us proud. Run the race with dignity. You’re going to run into racism. You’re going to stumble and fall. You’ve got your own moral failures to deal with, but hold up the banner. Don’t let us down.”
My mother and father are still living. I can’t let them down, and that’s what informs me. That drives me. I’m not supposed to, you know, sit down, servant. I can’t sit down. I hear those, you know, sometimes I feel discouraged. Dr. King — “I think my words are in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.” That’s who I am. I can’t help it. I don’t know what it is. I can’t help it and I’m embarrassed when I make a mistake, when I say something that’s out of line, but I try to correct it and get back on track.
BOND: This is a great segue to the next subject and it’s about race consciousness and you mentioned and have mentioned throughout this interview people of African descent and what responsibility you feel to them and responsibilities you feel they must undertake. How does race consciousness affect the work that you do?
BUTTS: Pretty profoundly. I have been called to, to use a line from Jesus and paraphrase, I have been called to the lost sheep of the house of African people or black people, African Americans, however you want to categorize them. I came up out of the womb. Now, I’m familiar and I love everybody, but I’ve got to serve these, my people, and if I’m in leadership, it’s because they put me there. They said there’s something about you that’s worthwhile, you know. You’re intelligent. You can read. You can write. You can think. You can lead, so whether they put me there as a result of being pastor of Abyssinian, chairman of a hospital in Harlem, chairman of the Development Corporation, I chair so many boards I don’t know whether I’m coming or going sometimes, but I’m there because the people put me there and they keep me there.
Now, I always refer to my history. Everything that has been done, particularly in America, to advance the cause of people of African descent has always helped all Americans. It has always. Martin King and the civil rights movement, that benefited all of America. Adam Powell’s legislation, that benefited all of America, and so while I worked with people across racial lines and while I try to improve the relationship between the races every opportunity I get, I am still dedicated to making sure that people of African descent, not only in America but across the world, are treated with great dignity and respect and not exploited. That’s — I mean, I can’t run from that. I look in the mirror and I can’t run from that.
BOND: Do you think there’s such a thing as a race-transcending leader? People, for example, have said that about Barack Obama, but I don’t think he’s finding that to be true.
BUTTS: No. I do think that there’s such a thing as a race transcending leader but I think that that comes as a result of that person’s dedication to the cause, even of African people. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a race-transcending leader, but his service was to black people. It’s clear. And then as he began to speak and think and grow, he could not help but connect with the consciousness of all men and women.
BOND: And you described a moment ago the number of boards and the organizations you’re connected with, and both in your church role and your presidential role. I wonder if you have a different leadership style when you deal with groups that are all black, or black and white, or all white. Are you different?
BUTTS: I think the style— Earlier, we talked about style. I think so. I think so. I may not say anything differently or I may say it differently but it may not be different. Sure, I mean, I can think of some stories that I would tell in an all-black audience that would probably just fall to the ground in an all-white audience and some in an all-white audience that an all-black audience would say what is that boy talking about. So, I think so, yeah.
BOND: In a book called Challenging the Civil Rights Establishment, the authors quote William Allen and he writes about a danger in continually thinking in terms of race or gender: “Until we learn once again to use the language of American freedom in an appropriate way that embraces all of us, we’re going to continue to harm this country.” Is there a danger of divisiveness when we focus on black leadership?
BUTTS: No, I think the reality is what it is. I mean, if you are an African American, you’re providing leadership in the African American community, one could rightly say that you are a black leader. Now, you can transcend race, as I said before, in your leadership in the African American community. For example, a person who ascends to become president of the United States, a John F. Kennedy, he wasn’t a leader in the black community. He was a leader in a predominantly white community. They just didn’t characterize it that way. Then when he becomes president, he becomes president of all the people. You know, Barack Obama was elected to the Senate, the state Senate, and the United States Senate primarily by — well, the United States Senate, but the state Senate by black people, you know, but then when you get to that lofty position, you become responsible for all people, so I don’t —
Abraham Joshua Heschel was a leader in the Jewish community. Now, they didn’t call him a Jewish leader. It just so happened that race in America defines us as black leaders, but there’re Jewish leaders, there’re Catholic leaders. I mean, Cardinal [Edward] Egan in New York, he’s a leader of the Catholic community. You say he’s a Catholic leader, but he’s responsible for the whole archdiocese and everybody under him. I think it’s the same thing with black people so, yeah, I speak to black people.
Jesus Himself said, “I have come to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” Jesus was defined by a narrow strip of land, parochial focus, but He’s the savior of the world, from my perspective, and so therefore was He a Jewish leader? Of course He was, but then His gospel embraces everybody, so you can call me a black leader if you want, but there’re a lot of white people who listen to what we have to say.
BOND: Do you think that black leaders have an obligation to help other African Americans or is there a point where that obligation can end and a black leader can pursue his or her own professional opportunities?
BUTTS: I can’t answer it. We have an obligation to serve African people, continually always. There is no point at which I can walk away and say and divorce myself, rather, from who I am as a black man. There is no point that I can do that. In my service to African people, I may rise to the point where all people begin to hear what I say and say, ahhh, you know, that doctor can heal everybody. That preacher can preach to everybody. I know he’s a black man but he’s speaking to me, just like I can go to hear a white preacher and say, yeah, that’s right, amen, brother. But his congregation is predominantly white. It just so happens in a racist America we get labeled that way, but I’m not ashamed of that, you know.
And in terms of the church, we’re not the black church because we want to be. We’re the black church because we’ve had to be. Nobody else would take us, so in a real sense, yeah, I’m committed to us and I really look askance at those men and women who say at some point they have no more of an obligation to black people. You’ve lost your mind. And any black person who has said that has cut him or herself off from their base and a cut flower, while it may look good, will not last.
BOND: In his book Race Matters, Cornel West writes, “The crisis of leadership is a symptom of black distance from a vibrant tradition of resistance, from a vital community bonded by ethical ideals and from a credible sense of political struggle.” Do you see a crisis of leadership in black America today? Is it represented by the kind of people you just spoke about who cut themselves off? And if there is, what contributes to this crisis?
BUTTS: I see that there’s a crisis of leadership in America and one of the major contributors is a lack of integrity. Men and women are not really committed to the struggle for justice and liberation and freedom for all people, black or white. For black people, it is particularly severe in the sense that we have wedded ourselves to the world. You can’t serve God and man, and either you will hate one or love the other, and too many of us have been lured by the siren song of materialism and therefore we have committed ourselves to the same kind of philosophy as those who enslaved us and we’ve left the masses saying that we have arrived. However, the crisis is superficial. Media has brought to the top a lot of charlatans, a lot of weak, atrophied people, but just below the surface there still exists those men and women who are committed to the struggle for civil and human rights. They are school teachers, coaches, leaders of local NAACP branches. They are clergypersons. They are social workers, and they’re out there and they continue to organize, speak the truth, and out of that — I don’t know when — there’s going to emerge that clear voice who, not for political expediency, will continue to be identified with the base.
Some of us for political expediency will say, well, you know, they’ll take the base for granted. You’re going to be there. Some of us for political expediency — well, I can’t identify with you right now because, you know, I got a bigger prize to gain. It’s not going to work because integrity demands that you will stick to the issues, represent what you believe, even at personal cost, and for me, the examples, if I just give you two, the ultimate example was Jesus — they nailed Him to a cross, and in our own experience, was Dr. King. He died broke, shot down on a Memphis balcony, but he never forgot his base.
BOND: What kind of leaders does contemporary society demand? How will future problems demand different leadership styles?
BUTTS: Well, different leadership styles, future problems will demand different leadership styles. One is because, in order to keep up with today, you’ve got to be technologically savvy and, you know, my style of leadership is often slow because I still write with a pen and pencil, and I’m just learning to use the text thing and as the campaign of Obama has shown us, in order to connect with the masses of young people, you’ve got to be technologically savvy so I think that’s one thing, and media. You know, how do you negotiate media? And there’s so much of it and it’s often difficult to communicate truth through a vehicle or medium of deception and so you’ve got to always be thinking about these kinds of things, you know. I guess the radio had its same challenges and television and now digital technology, XM or Satellite. And quite frankly, whoever can master that style and yet maintain a sense of integrity will begin to emerge as the leadership of the future.
BOND: Well, as a society, how can we foster, how can we create leaders of the future? Or perhaps the question is: can we create them?
BUTTS: I don’t think you can create them, but what you can do is instill in them the qualities of leadership, hopefully, and the only way I can answer that question is by telling you what happened to me. If there is a sense that I am in some ways defined as a leader, it is because I was influenced, maybe directly, but certainly indirectly by leaders. See, my father was a leader. He didn’t lead anything but his family. Bessie Jackson, Charles Wesley Shipman, Dr. Mays, Lawrence Neal Jones, Samuel Proctor, Gardner Calvin Taylor, and the exposure to this and the dedication to the race — maybe I’m a race man — was what helped to produce — it had to be the same for Dr. King. I’m in no way comparing myself to Dr. King.
BOND: I understand.
BUTTS: But, I mean, he used to sit around in his father’s living room and meet all of these great preachers and leaders who crossed paths in Atlanta. He went to Morehouse — Dr. Mays. So if we want to, because we never know whom God will select to rise up out of the group to become the preeminent, but if we want to, we have to work on developing character. Martin King said, “We should be judged not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.” Now, what is character? It’s the avoidance of luxury. It is developing the capacity to endure, to hang in there. It is nurturing the love for beauty, not just the superficial name but the deep qualities of the human soul, and it is having a concern for courtesy.
Thank you, Mr. Bond. You know, it’s been wonderful to be with you and I’ve appreciated the attendance of all of these wonderful technicians. You’d be surprised — when that character is exuded and followed by the second point of education which is to increase our knowledge, why, anybody could be a leader.
BOND: One other question about the dual roles that you have undertaken as you’re leader of a secular state university and a Baptist ministry and you touched on this earlier, but how do you divide yourself in ways that work? Do you feel any conflicts of interest in what you say in each of these positions and how you lead?
BUTTS: I don’t find any conflicts of interest in what I say in each of these positions or even how I lead. Now, the style may differ, you know, in some place, and for instance, I know that when I’m in the church, I am more relaxed and I can speak more extemporaneously. When I’m at the college, you know, I’ve got a script and I stick pretty closely to it, though I do stick to manuscripts in the church sometime when I’m preaching, but no, there’s no conflict because I see them both as emanating from the same call. This is to serve this present age and it has been given to my hand to be a president of a college and the pastor of a church and I have to carry them out with the same character, the same commitment, the same vision and philosophy, maybe with a little variation on style here or there. No.
I’m tired most of the time, and I do pay sometimes for comments I may make in one place or another but that’s part of the responsibility of leadership, if you will. I mean, when it rains, the head gets wet first. You’re human. You make mistakes and if you don’t want any grief, don’t assume a role of leadership. If you don’t want to lead sometimes or have to go in a corner and feel bad because you really made a mistake, don’t be a leader, and if you’re not willing to pick up your cross daily, then you might as well just say, well, you know, this leadership stuff is not for me because a real leader with integrity is going to have some very serious challenges. However, I believe and I have discovered that the Lord will see you through it. I have no concern.
When Dr. King said, “I’ve been to the mountaintop and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you but we as a people will get to the Promised Land,” and I’ve watched that over and over and over again, but I heard the tremble in his voice. I looked at his face. He knew and the older I get and the more I see what has evolved with leadership responsibility in some positions, you just understand. It is something that when you get to that point, if you’ve got any integrity at all, that’s why we salute his holiday today. There’re very few like him. Very few will ever be like him, but those of us who just aspire, just reach out a little bit, you know, who aspire, aspiration is an index of — how does that go? Admiration is an index of aspiration and aspiration is the prophecy of attainment.
BOND: Well said. Thank you for being with us.
BUTTS: Thank you for having me. It’s been my honor.
BOND: We very much appreciate [it] and appreciate your leadership.
BUTTS: Thank you so much.
BOND: Thank you.
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Wednesday Final Review: 401 Advanced Topics Studio
401 ADVANCED TOPICS STUDIO
Led by Jeffrey Inaba
Compressing a standard-sized object can lead to interesting results. The process often doesn’t yield a perfectly scaled down replica of the original form. Many of the elements may be smaller in size to eliminate possibly excessive area. But not all of the elements are necessarily scaled down.
Some might keep their original dimensions. In the case of reducing the footprint of a house for example, several of elements will have to remain the original size in order to accommodate the basic dimensional requirements of humans inhabiting the interior. The general reduction in the size of elements and the exceptional maintenance of others at ‘full-scale’ can yield a distorted overall form that lacks the proportional coherence of the original model.
The studio’s intention is to embrace the distortion that arises out of compressing or scaling down a functional object, and to take the abnormality of its form as the point of departure for design. The end goal is to produce controlled anomalies in which the form seamlessly integrates reduced and normative elements and establishes new relationships of proportion.
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From the cover of Hitler’s American Model, by James Q. Whitman. Princeton University Press.
In 1935, two years after Hitler came to power, Nazi Germany promulgated the so-called Nuremberg Laws. One of the two laws stripped Jews of their citizenship, leaving them instead as mere subjects. The other prohibited marriage or extramarital sex between Jews and persons of “German or related blood.”
Some months earlier, the Reich Minister of Justice had convened a meeting of lawyers to begin drafting the two laws. The lawyers left behind a stenographic record that has now been mined by James Q. Whitman, the Ford Foundation professor of comparative and foreign law at Yale University, to “ask what it tells us about Nazi Germany, about the modern history of racism, and especially about America.”
About America? Why America, and why “especially”? Because, as the lawyers convened, they had before them, among things, memoranda detailing American regulations outlawing miscegenation and imposing various forms of racial discrimination. Coming upon this transcript, Whitman proceeded to study it and several other sources to see where they might lead. His conclusion: the American “model” served as an “influence” and an “inspiration” to the Nazis.
This, in a nutshell, is the thesis of Whitman’s short new book: Hitler’s American Model: The United States and the Making of Nazi Race Law. Although, he writes, “no one wants to imagine” that America bears such a discomfiting responsibility—to the contrary, “we may wish to deny it”—there is no getting around it. “When we add it all up . . . American white supremacy . . . provided, to our collective shame, some of the working materials for the Nazism of the 1930s.”
Whitman pursues the quarry of American influence and inspiration in two lengthy chapters, respectively titled “Making Nazi Flags and Nazi Citizens” and “Protecting Nazi Blood and Nazi Honor.” Regarding the deprivation of citizenship that would become enshrined in the first Nuremberg law, the Nazis closely examined the American refusal to give blacks the right to vote in the South, the country’s restrictive and discriminatory immigrations laws, and its denial of citizenship to Filipinos. His finding is this: “throughout [the Nazis’] effort to degrade, demonize, and expel the Jews of Germany, American law remained a regular . . . point of reference.”
As for the proscription of miscegenation, the basis of the second Nuremberg law, the Nazis departed little from their American model except insofar as that they found it too severe. Some Southern states had adopted the so-called “one-drop rule,” which classified as non-white anyone with even a single Negro ancestor. This, says, Whitman, was “disturbing even to Nazi commentators, who shuddered at the ‘human hardness’ it entailed.”
The essence of this malignant confluence of thinking was the “race madness,” as Whitman calls it, that infected both Nazi Germany and the American South in the decade of the 1930s. In that decade, he writes, these two places
had the look, in the words of two Southern historians, of a “mirror image”: these were two unapologetically racist regimes, unmatched in their pitilessness. In the early 1930s the Jews of Germany were hounded, beaten, and sometimes murdered by mobs and by the state alike. In the same years, the blacks of the American South were hounded, beaten, and sometimes murdered as well.
Lest the reader take some comfort in the thought that the American model so admired by the Nazis was, after all, limited to the South, Whitman has even more disturbing news. “The Nazis,” he assures us, “drew on a range of American examples, both federal and state. Their America was not just the South; it was racist America writ much larger.” Nor, for that matter, did the Nazis draw their inspiration only from American figures whom we customarily think of as bigots or reactionaries. To the Nazi lawyer whose work was centrally cited in the committee’s debates, the most admirable exemplars of American racism were Thomas Jefferson and . . . Abraham Lincoln.
So deep were the parallels between the two countries in the 1930s that, Whitman reports, some commentators in Nazi Germany “were particularly hopeful that they could ‘reach out a hand of friendship’ to the United States on the basis of a shared commitment to white supremacy.” In the event, of course, all such fancies came to naught when the U.S., together with the allies that it helped to arm, succeeded in wiping Nazism from the face of the earth. But how does one square this wholly incongruent historical outcome with Whitman’s picture of American/Nazi commonality? That he does not pause to consider this question, let alone to answer it, suggests the rickety quality of his argument.
Suppose for a moment that the Nazis had found no “inspiration” in American examples. What then? The German lawyers had a mandate, flowing from the Führer, to draft laws that would strip Jews of their citizenship and prevent them from further contaminating German blood through sexual contact. Had there been no American “models” to guide them, would the lawyers have reported back to their superiors that, however desirable it might be to protect the Aryan race from the Jews, they could recommend no measures because they could find no foreign precedents? Would there have been no Nuremberg laws? Would the Führer have backed down and away?
To this, Whitman replies demurely: “We will never know.” But that reply is a transparent dodge. Whitman himself, even as he insists repeatedly that the Nazis “found precedents and parallels and inspirations in America,” also concedes that “they nevertheless struck out on their own path.” Indeed, the Nuremberg laws, for all their intrinsic viciousness, were in the end just a step on that path. But about this path itself, Whitman has nothing to say. He has produced a book frozen in time at 1934, a book purportedly about Nazi treatment of the Jews in which the Holocaust is mentioned only in passing.
By means of this time-frozen approach, Whitman begs the obvious question: had there been no American “model,” would one fewer Jew have died at Hitler’s hand? Here, too, he dodges, stating confidently but wrongly: “It is essential to emphasize that extermination of the Jews was not the initial aim of the Nazis”; rather, he asserts, they envisioned only forced emigration.
The only Nazi whose aim mattered in this connection was Adolf Hitler. And, pace Whitman, we do not know exactly when Hitler settled on murdering the Jews. But as early as 1919, he wrote that “[the] final objective must unswervingly be the removal of the Jews altogether.” Removal only from Germany? Perhaps, but Hitler was a global thinker. In the same document, he warned that “the effect of Jewry will be racial tuberculosis of nations.” So perhaps even then he was thinking of the removal of the Jews from the world as a whole.
A few years later, in Mein Kampf, Hitler described a titanic contest for world domination pitting the Aryan race against the Jew. “The struggle against the Jewish world menace will begin” in England, he said, quirkily, adding that in this respect “the National Socialist movement has the mightiest task to fulfill.” That task was to dissuade the German people from nursing a grudge against England or other enemies in the Great War who, despite everything, were fellow Aryans. Instead, they should be seen as allies against the Jews. “[We] must,” he wrote,
open the eyes of the [German] people on the subject of foreign nations and . . . remind them again and again of the true enemy of our present-day world. In place of hatred against Aryans, from whom almost everything may separate us but with whom we are bound by common blood . . . [we] must call eternal wrath upon the head of the foul enemy of mankind [i.e., the Jews] as the real originator of our sufferings.
In brief, it hardly seems that the emigration of Jews from Germany would ever have been sufficient to Hitler’s vision.
Near the end of his book, Whitman implicitly concedes these points and abruptly withdraws what, in effect, has been his main argument, namely, that America “inspired” and “influenced” Nazi practice. “What the history presented in this book demands that we confront,” he now states, “are not questions about the genesis of Nazism, but about the character of America.”
His true subject all along, it thus emerges, has been the sins of America. “In the early 20th century,” he intones, “the United States was not just a country with racism. It was the leading racist jurisdiction—so much so that even Nazi Germany looked to America for inspiration.” And this “forces us to confront an unpleasant historical datum about the place of America in the world history of racism.”
Yet just as Whitman has told us nothing about the “genesis of Nazism,” so he tells us nothing about the “world history of racism.” The discrimination and persecution visited on American blacks was terrible and shameful, but how do we measure it against the European subjugation of much of Africa and Asia, against the mass murder of Armenians by the Turks, against Japan’s rape of Nanjing and murder of millions of Chinese, against fascist Italy’s treatment of the Abyssinians, against the Soviet regime’s ruthless subjugation of small ethnic groups and later its deportation of entire nationalities, against bloody conflicts among tribes, ethnicities, religions in various remote corners of the globe? Much of the abuse of one group by another around the world was and is often carried out without recourse to law; insofar as Nazi lawyers looked to American law, wasn’t it simply because they were, after all, lawyers looking for laws?
Finally, despite his hedged qualifier “early 20th century,” Whitman’s own indictment of American racism is not limited to the past. In the book’s conclusion he adds this:
Contemporary . . . American criminal justice is spectacularly, and frighteningly, harsh by international standards. It includes practices that are sometimes uncomfortably reminiscent of those introduced by the Nazis—for example “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” laws. . . . [W]hat [Nazi lawyers] saw, and admired, in American race law 80 years ago is still with us in the politics of American criminal justice.
One needn’t remind Whitman that the victims of the Holocaust were permitted neither three strikes nor two nor even one to see that his entire book is an elaborate exercise in the intellectual trick known as reductio ad Hitlerum—and a trick that perfectly suits the temper of our times. The farther we get from the era of Jim Crow, the greater our sensitivity to racism seems to grow. Would that one could say the same about our sensitivity to anti-Semitism as the Holocaust recedes in time. Instead, we see that singular horror shamelessly trivialized and exploited in the interests of all manner of ulterior purposes, in this case the pursuit of new and better ways to illustrate the unmatched evil that inheres in the “character of America.”
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I was consulting with a Montessori school that is making tremendous effort to improve it's pedagogy and we spent two full days reviewing the Montessori language theory and material presentations. You probably already know that there are three main areas in the Montessori language program for 3 to 6+ year-olds:
- Spoken language
- Preparation for writing
Of course, before you can really do anything beyond the oral language work, you have to steep the child in practical life, especially all of those preliminary exercises. (This school spent 3 days with me on that endeavor last summer.)
Anyway, it took the entire first day just to go over theory and spoken language presentations and we could have spent a second day on it. Now I know that in some Montessori teacher training programs, these lessons get really short-shrift. However, since they are the basis of the entire language program, I thought I'd give you a few highlights here.
First, here's a picture of the spoken language shelves that we set up.
Everything always goes from top to bottom, left to right. So, the top left has a framed piece of art to remind the Guide to given the conversations at a picture lessons. Next, there is a small photo album of pictures from the class in action. This is to remind the Guide to give True Story lessons. Next there is a lyric card... this is just the lyrics to a song you want to be sure to sing that week printed on card stock and standing up in a postcard holder. You won't use this when you sing the song with the children, but it is on the shelf as a reminder to the Guide to sing the song. Swap the song every week. Finally, the top shelf has a poetry card. Just like the lyric card, this is a short poem printed on card stock that is meant to remind the Guide to recite that poem (poems must be memorized...don't read it!) with the children.
Shelf two has a basket with objects for the Sound Game. You can have an empty basket here and use it to collect objects from around the room or you can prepare objects in advance. Both strategies are good. Next, two baskets of vocabulary cards.
Shelf 3 starts with a basket of visual matching objects (nice, real miniatures or actual objects...no pink elephants) followed by a tray with matching cards and then a tray with two packets of matching cards for matching/sorting work.
To put this in context, I should probably give you the list of spoken language presentations, remember that the spoken language lessons require formal presentations just like every other material in the environment. And formal presentation means we need to practice (with our co-teacher/assistant if we have one) ahead of time so our lessons are seamless. Here is a list of the lessons we covered:
- Natural conversations
- Conversations at a picture
- Poetry (memorized)
- Songs (memorized)
- Reading classified books (e.g., At the Market)
- Reading literature (e.g., The Dot)
- True stories
- Listen & Do
- Furnishings & surroundings
- Names of the exercises
- Objects within exercises
- Classifications (e.g., all brushes)
- Entire exercise (all parts)
- Double commands (touch the third rod and pick up the smallest brown stair)
- Spoken classification (e.g., think of fruits)
- Question games
- News periods
- Holiday discussions
- 3-period lessons
- Parts of the body
- Sensorial material language
- Classified vocabulary cards (groups of things)
- Discussing (elicit definition)
- Sorting & Matching
- Sound games
- Level 1: Beginning sounds
- Level 2: Beginning & ending sounds
- Level 3: Beginning, ending, and any other sounds
- Level 4; Beginning, ending, and every other sound
- Notes: Lasts 3-5 minutes; Always teacher led; When children are consistently successful with Level 1, introduce the sandpaper letters; When they have mastered the sandpaper letters AND are consistently successful with Level 4 sound games, introduce the movable alphabet
We discussed the theory behind each lesson, gave a model lesson, and then practiced giving the lesson in small teams. It was an incredibly eye-opening experience.
Here are some more photos of the entire language area. First, the children's library where they can go wherever they like to look at a book. Such a calm and lovely space. I wish we had had a little lamp to add in next to the chair.
Next two pictures to give you an overall sense of the language area.
Now, specific images of the preparation for writing shelves (sandpaper letters, movable alphabets, metal insets, and chalkboards).
And the Reading shelves... these are a bit too crowded IMHO but we were very pressed to set up the area in time for the workshop... your environment should probably have two shelves to cover what we did in one.
I think an awesome staff development program might take one of these lessons to discuss, present, and practice at each professional development meeting. You could also easily bring poetry to life in your school by asking a different Guide to prepare a short, memorized poem to recite/teach to the staff at each staff meeting. Poetry, of course, is an oral tradition and so poems should be memorized before being presented to the children. Keep them short at first (just one or two stanzas) to increase the possibility of success and bolster enthusiasm (the same goes for introducing poetry to the children).
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Kissing: It really is all about chemistry
By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Valentine Lotharios beware: There's a lot riding on a kiss, new studies on the science of smooching suggest.
Researchers said kissing sets off a complex set of chemical reactions, and in some cases, a bad kiss could be the kiss of death for a burgeoning romance.
"A kiss is a mechanism for mate assessment," said Helen Fisher of Rutgers University in New Jersey, who is presenting her findings on Saturday at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago.
Fisher, an anthropologist, told a news briefing that kissing is something more than 90 percent of human societies practice, but scientists are just beginning to understand the science of kissing, which is known as philematology.
One theory of kissing is that it is intended to promote bonding. Wendy Hill, a researcher at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania who is presenting her findings at the meeting, set out to test this on college students.
She was looking for changes specifically in oxytocin, a "love" hormone linked to feelings of sexual pleasure, bonding and maternal care. Since oxytocin has been known to lead to decreases in the stress hormone cortisol, she decided to look at that as well, she told reporters on Friday.
The researchers studied 15 heterosexual college couples between 18 to 22 who were assigned to either go off and kiss in a room in the college health center or just hold hands and talk to each other for 15 minutes.
Blood and saliva tests showed that men in the kissing group had a burst of oxytocin, but in women, levels of this hormone fell. "Cortisol levels for everyone declined," Hill said. Continued...
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yak(redirected from Domestic Yak)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.
Related to Domestic Yak: Wild Yak
yak,bovine mammal, Bos grunniens, of the Tibet region of China and adjacent areas. It is oxlike in build, with short, thick legs, humped shoulders, large upcurved horns, and a thick coat that hangs down to the ankles. Wild yaks were formerly found from Kashmir to W China, but were so extensively hunted for meat and hides that they now survive only in isolated highlands at elevations above 14,000 ft (4,300 m). They live in herds numbering from 10 to 100 animals, mostly females and young led by a few old bulls; males are mostly solitary. Yaks have been domesticated in Tibet for centuries, and the domestic form has been introduced into other parts of central Asia. The wild yak may attain a shoulder height of 65 in. (165 cm) and have horns 3 ft (90 cm) long; its coat is dark brown. The domesticated yak is smaller, with short horns; its coat, which may be long enough to reach the ground, may be black, brown, reddish, piebald, or albino. Yaks can live on vegetation so sparse that it cannot support other domesticated animals. The domestic yak is a source of milk, butter, meat, hair (for cloth), and leather and is also much used as a beast of burden. Yaks are classified in the phylum ChordataChordata
, phylum of animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development. Most chordates are vertebrates (animals with backbones), but the phylum also includes some small marine invertebrate animals.
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Artiodactyla, family Bovidae.
(Poephagus grunniens), a ruminant of the subfamily Bovinae. The yak occurs in the wild only in Tibet.
A large animal, the wild yak sometimes reaches a height of 2 m and a weight of 1 ton. The body is massive. The legs are relatively short, and there is a hump at the shoulders. The long, rather slender horns of the males spread outward, forward, and then upward. The horns of the females are shorter than those of the males. The black-brown coat is thick, and there is a warm undercoat. The hair is especially long on the abdomen, chest, and legs, forming a “skirt” that keeps the animal warm when it lies on the snow. The tail is covered with long, coarse hair.
The wild yak inhabits forest-less high-desert plateaus. It is solitary or lives in groups of two or three. It feeds on herbaceous vegetation, which it can obtain even from under the snow. Mating occurs in September or October, with a single young born in June and July. The wild yak avoids contact with human habitation; hence, crowded out by domestic herds, it is decreasing alarmingly in number.
Domesticated yaks are raised in high-mountain regions of China and Mongolia. In the USSR they are raised in the Gomo-Altai AO, the southwestern Tuva ASSR, the Kirghiz SSR, and the Buriat ASSR. They are smaller than wild yaks. Adult males weigh 400–450 kg, and adult females 270–300 kg. The annual milk productivity is 300–350 kg of marketable milk per year; the fat content of the milk is 6–7 percent. The lactation period is 170 to 180 days; the calves are suckled. Yaks pasture under the open sky year-round. They are valuable work animals, able to easily carry loads of as much as 140 kg on mountain trails. Yaks are also kept for their coarse-fibered flavorful meat. Hair clippings yield as much as 3 kg per year; the hair is used to manufacture coarse cloth and rope. Hybrids are obtained by crossing with cattle; bulls are fertile in the third or fourth generation. The hybrids exceed yaks in weight and productivity.
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Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
US Marines Took Iwo Jima
It won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography the same year it was published (the only photograph at the time ever to have done so), and even appeared on a commemorative US dollar in 1945. What few people know is that this inspiring moment was actually a second version of the original event.
On 23 February 1945, 2nd Battalion Commander Chandler Johnson was ordered to send a platoon to take the Japanese mountain of Suribachi. First Lieutenant Harold G Schrier was chosen to lead the platoon, and as they embarked, Johnson handed Schrier a small US flag which had been taken from the USS Missoula, and said, ‘If you get to the top, put it up.’ The Battle of Iwo Jima had seen some of the fiercest fighting of the Pacific Campaign, and this was the final throe.
As apprehensive as they were, Schrier led his platoon to the summit without incident. The team assembled, the small flag was erected, and the whole anti-climactic affair was captured by Staff -Sergeant Louis R Lowery, a photographer with Leatherneck magazine. What should have been a moment of great patriotic significance turned out to be a rather deflated declaration of ownership, with a flag too small to be seen even from the nearby landing beaches.
Take two, and by now rumour the of mountain’s capture had reached Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal. He had decided the previous night that he wanted to go ashore and witness the final stage of the fight for the mountain himself. The first flag was raised as his boat touched shore, and the mood among the high command on seeing the red, white, and blue spec against the sky was one of jubilance and victory. So caught up in the moment was Forrestal that he requested the Suribachi flag as a souvenir. Johnson, who believed that the flag should remain flying as a symbol of the battalion’s heroism, was disgusted by Forrestal’s demand.
Forced to accept that Forrestal would have his way, Johnson decided to send Lieutenant Ted Tuttle to retrieve a replacement flag to fly once the original had been removed. After glancing once more at the tiny flag, barely visible against the sky, Johnson told Tuttle to ‘make it a bigger one.’ Tuttle returned with a larger flag he had found in a nearby Tank Landing Ship and up the mountain it went, in the safe hands of the Marines. Joe Rosenthal set on shortly after with two other Marine photographers.
As they arrived, the Marines were already attaching the flag to an old Japanese water-pipe. Rosenthal nearly missed the shot while working out how to best view the action. He turned round just in time to snap the five Marines raising the US flag, and, without even knowing it, took one of themost iconic images ever captured.
Had Lowery been at the right place at the right time, would he have caught so powerful a shot? On his descent from Suribachi, did he believe that he had taken the sort of photograph that Rosenthal’s would turn out to be? Ten years later, Rosenthal wrote of the moment: ‘Out of the corner of my eye, I had seen the men start the flag up. I swung my camera and shot the scene. That is how the picture was taken, and when you take a picture like that, you don’t come away saying you got a great shot. You don’t know.’
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Safety Topic: Safety Tips
According to IAPA President and CEO Maureen Shaw, there are five simple steps employers should take to promote safety and health in the workplace:
- Show commitment to workplace health and safety at the CEO and senior management level.
- Have workers participate in workplace safety efforts.
- Have an effective joint health and safety committee.
- Comply with legislative regulations.
- Provide training and education for employees in occupational health and safety.
“The sad fact is that workplace fatalities, injuries and diseases are preventable, but too many organizations haven’t yet made that commitment to making workers’ health and safety a real business priority,” Shaw adds.
Reported in: Occupational Hazards
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Inspired by the local materials and culture of Mahabalipuram, an Indian fishing village famous for sculpture, American Artist Janet Echelman stumbled upon a material that would change her art, and life, forever. One evening, while observing the fishermen’s nightly routine of bundling their nets, Echelman imagined a new type of sculpture – a volumetric form that could be the scale of a large building but remain light enough to ripple in the wind, constantly reshaping the net and creating ever-changing patterns.
With a sophisticated mixture of ancient craft and modern technology, Echelman collaborates with a range of professionals including aeronautical and mechanical engineers, architects, lighting designers, landscape architects, and fabricators to transform urban environments world-wide with her net sculptures.
Continue after the break to view some of Echelman’s most famous projects.
Using color and material to invoke the memory of the site’s history as a fishing and industrial center, this three-dimensional multi-layer net floats over the Cidade Salvador Plaza. This work is credited as the first permanent, monumental public sculpture to use an entirely soft and flexible set of membranes moving fluidly in wind. The work casts cinematic shadow drawings onto the ground further highlighting the “wind choreography.” The the city has made the sculpture its graphic symbol. When interviewed, local people give different interpretations of the work, from fishing nets, ships and masts of the Portuguese maritime history, the red-and-white striped smokestacks of the area’s industrial past, to Portuguese lace, sea creatures and ripples in water.
Three steel poles, ranging in height from 25 to 50 meters, are painted white with red stripes to reference nearby smokestacks and lighthouses. These poles support a 20 ton steel ring, 45 meters in diameter, from which the net weighing about one ton is suspended. The ring greets the ocean at a slant, ranging from 13.5 meters off of the ground at the lowest point and 27 meters at the highest. The smokestack reference is continued through the red and white stripes of the net.
The net is comprised of 36 individual mesh sections in different densities, hand-joined along all sides into a multi-layered form. The net material is TENARA® architectural fiber, a 100% UV-resistant, colorfast fiber made of PTFE (poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene), the substance most widely known as the non-stick cooking surface Teflon®.
This project makes visible to the human eye the patterns of desert winds. During the day, sunlight projects patterned shadow drawings onto the ground and pedestrians on their daily paths. At night, the colored illumination gradually changes color through the seasons. The large three-dimensional multi-layered form is created by a combination of hand and machine knotting of recyclable high-tenacity colored polyester that is replaced in new color variations at intervals.
The sculpture is comprised of painted galvanized steel and cables, changing sets of recyclable high-tenacity polyester braided twine netting and colored lighting with computerized programming.
Tsunami 1.26, an aerial lace installation, was inspired by the 2010 Chile earthquake’s ensuing tsunami and the 1.26-microsecond shortening of the day that resulted from the earthquake’s redistribution of the Earth’s mass. By meditating on these epiphenomena, the work underscores the interdependence of Earth systems and the global community. It asks the viewer to pause and consider the larger fabric of which they are a part.
Studio Echelman generated a 3D model of the tsunami using data from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research and then used software to transform an outline of the model’s higher amplitude area into a sculptural form. Additionally, the studio created hand-knotted models to achieve the complex shaping of the piece.
This artwork utilizes Spectra®, a material 15 times stronger than steel by weight. The mesh is knotted by machine in order to withstand winds, but is engineered to reflect the intricacy of handmade lace.
1.26 Sculpture Project at the Biennial of the Americas July 6-August 6, 2010 Illumination hours: 9pm-6am
Janet Echelman’s 230-foot-long aerial sculpture “1.26” suspends from the roof of the 7-story Denver Art Museum above downtown street traffic to commemorate the inaugural Biennial of the Americas.
The City of Denver asked the artist to create a monumental yet temporary work exploring the theme of the interconnectedness of the 35 nations that make up the Western Hemisphere. She drew inspiration from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s announcement that the February 2010 Chile earthquake shortened the length of the earth’s day by 1.26 microseconds by slightly redistributing the earth’s mass. Exploring further, Echelman drew on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) simulation of the earthquake’s ensuing tsunami, using the 3-dimensional form of the tsunami’s amplitude rippling across the Pacific as the basis for her sculptural form.
The temporary nature of the Biennial and its accelerated timeline precluded the artist’s use of a permanent steel armature, as employed in the artist’s previous monumental permanent commissions. Instead, “1.26” pioneers a tensile support matrix of Spectra® fiber, a material 15 times stronger than steel by weight. This low-impact, super-lightweight design made it possible to temporarily attach the sculpture directly to the façade of the Denver Art Museum, and this structural system opens up a new trajectory for the artist’s work in urban airspace.
Because this monumental sculpture is made entirely of soft materials, it is animated by the wind. Its fluidly moving form contrasts with the rigid surfaces of the surrounding urban architecture. At night, colored lighting transforms the work into a floating, luminous form while darkness conceals the support cables.
A book about “1.26” includes an essay by Sanford Kwinter, Professor of Architectural Theory and Criticism at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, cofounder of the journal Zone and Zone Books, and author of Architectures of Time: Towards a Theory of the Event in Modernist Culture.
Water Sky Garden transforms the plaza surrounding the Richmond Olympic Oval, official venue for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games speed-skating events, into a permanent art environment for the community. Echelman’s design engages the space all around the viewer – water, sky, and pedestrian pathways – to create an immersive whole using rock, wood, water, air bubble fountains, steel, netting, and light.
Red-stained cedar boardwalks lead visitors through the artwork. Water purifying aerators draw shapes with bubbles on the surface of a pond that collects runoff water from the Ovals’ 5-acre roof, while suspended net-forms undulate overhead in the wind, becoming sky-lanterns during nighttime illumination.
The red boardwalk and “sky lanterns” are inspired by the city’s cultural communities. Richmond has the largest immigrant population by proportion of any city in Canada with the majority of those immigrants being of Asian descent. The wooden boardwalk follows a curving path similar to the choreography of the Dragon Dance, a performance frequently seen in local Chinese festivals. The Nitobe Japanese garden and the Sun Yat Sen Chinese garden of the Vancouver region are important references, especially their material presence, intersecting paths and reflective ponds, and their framing of views. Water Sky Garden is a contemplative art environment that encourages participants to linger. The overhead netted forms provide a new visual experience, putting art in the sky; at night they glow like lanterns. Nets have a special relationship with the site, as the native Musqueam Band continue to teach their children to fish using nets at this particular bend in the Fraser River to this day, and this area has a history of the fishing/canning industry which employed many ethnic groups.
This project was achieved through Echelman’s collaboration with a team of international award-winning architects, engineers, lighting and water consultants, landscape architects and fabricators.
Artist Janet Echelman transforms the terminal with fictional nature that subtly engages viewers with real and imagined natural forces. Her sculpture installation cuts three round skylights into the ceiling, from which descend delicate layers of translucent colored netting to create three voluptuous volumetric forms. A series of shaded outlines below are embedded into the terrazzo floor, reflecting the precise shadows that would occur on the summer solstice if the sun could penetrate through the roof. During the day, sun streams through the skylights to cast real shadows that interplay with the fictional shadows in the floor. At night, the artist’s program of colored lighting makes the sculpture glow from indigo to purple, magenta to red-orange. Computer-programmed mechanized air-flow animates the fluidly-moving sculpture at different intervals throughout the day, as if the wind could magically flow through solid walls.
The artist achieved the sculpture’s physical presence by braiding fibers and knotting twine into sculptural netting suspended from powder-coated steel armatures. Despite their large scale, more than 120 feet in circumference for a single form, her sculpture is experienced as ephemeral and weightless. Visually, the sculpture evokes the contours and colors of cloud formations over the Bay and hints at the silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge. Aesthetically, the sculpture looks both backwards and forwards, drawing its color from the heyday of psychedelic music, the Summer of Love, and San Francisco’s prominence in the beat poetry movement, while also referencing the contemporary bay area as a hub of innovation and interconnectivity for the world of technology.
The title, Every Beating Second, referring to a line by beat poet Allen Ginsberg, represents the artist’s interest in heightening awareness of the present moment:
live in the physical world moment to moment
I must put down every recurring thought— stop every beating second (11-16)
All project descriptions provided by Studio Echelman.
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Eight small teeth found in an Israeli cave raise big questions about the earliest existence of humans and where we may have originated, Binghamton anthropologist Rolf Quam says.
Quam is part of an international team of researchers, led by Israel Hershovitz of Tel Aviv University, that has examined the dental discovery and recently published joint findings in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
Excavated at Qesem cave, a pre-historic site near Rosh Haain in central Israel that was uncovered in 2000, the teeth are similar in size and shape to those of modern man, Homo sapiens, which have been found at other sites in Israel, such as Oafzeh and Skhul — but they’re a lot older than any previously discovered remains.
“The Qesem teeth come from a time period between 200,000-400,000 years ago when human remains from the Middle East are very scarce,” Quam says. “We have numerous remains of Neandertals and Homo sapiens from more recent times, that is around 60,000-150,000 years ago, but fossils from earlier time periods are rare. So these teeth are providing us with some new information about who the earlier occupants of this region were as well as their potential evolutionary relationships with the later fossils from this same region.”
The teeth also present new evidence as to where modern man might have originated. Anthropologists believe that modern humans and Neandertals shared a common ancestor who lived in Africa more than 700,000 years ago. Some of the descendants of this common ancestor migrated to Europe and developed into Neandertals. Another group stayed in Africa and evolved into Homo sapiens, later migrating out of the continent. If the remains from Qesem can be linked directly to the Homo sapiens species, it could mean that modern man either originated in what is now Israel or may have migrated from Africa far earlier than is now thought.
Quam says the verdict is still out as to what species is represented by these eight teeth, which poses a challenge for any kind of positive identification.
“While a few of the teeth come from the same individual, most of them are isolated specimens,” Quam says. “We know for sure that we’re dealing with six individuals of differing ages. Two of the teeth are actually deciduous or ‘milk’ teeth, which means that these individuals were young children. But the problem is that all the teeth are separate so it’s been really hard to determine which species we’re dealing with.”
Quam says that rather than rely on individual features, anthropologists use a combination of characteristics to get an accurate reading on species type. For instance, Neandertals have relatively large incisors and distinctive molars and premolars, whereas Homo sapiens’ teeth are smaller with incisors that are straighter along the “lip” side of the face. Sometimes the differences are subtle, but it’s these small changes that make having a number of teeth from the same individual that much more important.
Even though Quam and his colleagues don’t know for sure which species the teeth belong to, these dental “records” still tell them a lot about the past.
“Teeth are evolutionarily very conservative structures,” Quam says. “And so any differences in their features can provide us with all sorts of interesting information about an individual. It can tell us what they ate, what their growth and development patterns looked like as well as what their general health was like during their lifetime. They can also tell us about the evolutionary relationships between species, all of which adds to our knowledge of who we are and where we came from.”
Excavation continues at the Qesem site under the direction of Avi Gopher and Ran Barkai of Tel Aviv University. The archaeological material already recovered includes abundant stone tools and animal remains, all of which are providing researchers with a picture of daily life and hunting practices of the site’s former inhabitants.
“This is a very exciting time for archeological discovery,” Quam says. “Our hope is that the continuing excavation at the site will result in the discover of more complex remains which would help us pinpoint exactly which species we are dealing with.”
Quam continues to be in touch with the on-site archeologists and hopes to collaborate in the project if more complete human remains are recovered.
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src="Why Sicily Menu/js/tinynav.js"> Back to Top
The ancient city lies on the hill above the modern town, the approach to it being defended by quarries, in which tombs of all periods have been discovered. The auditorium of the small theater is well preserved, though nothing of the stage remains. Close to it are ruins of other buildings, which bear, without justification, the names Naumachia, Odeum (perhaps a bath establishment) and Palace of Hiero. The water supply was obtained by subterranean aqueducts. In the cliffs of the Monte Pineta to the south are other tomb chambers, and to the south again are the curious bas-reliefs called Santoni or Santicelli, mutilated in the 19th century by a peasant proprietor, which appear to be sepulchral also. Near here too is the necropolis of the Acrocoro della Torre, where many sarcophagi have been found. About 5 miles (8 km) north lies Buscemi, near which a sacred grotto has been discovered; and also a church cut in the rock and surrounded by a cemetery.
Content from wikipedia.org
Dating back to the Norman period, the castle, built on a rock foundation overlooking the Anapo valley was mostly destroyed during the 1693 earthquake. Some walls and foundations are still visible today.
See artifacts and remains from the peasant civilization of Sicily, including working tools, glass paintings, wax statues and other interesting items.
Held during the 2nd half of May
Held in the ancient Greek theater above Palazzolo Acreide. Performed by youth of the INDA, (the Institute of National Antique Drama)
In Palazzolo Acreide, in the province of Siracusa, during the last week of June you will fine the fabulous “Feast of San Paolo”. The village has been celebrating San Paolo since the 1600’s. St. Paul, is considered by the farming community the saint of good harvests and also the healer of snake bites, scorpion bites and tarantula bites.
The feast begins with the unveiling of the statue on the first day. The next day the villagers make their offerings of lavender and bread decorated with the shapes of snakes, which are then blessed and auctioned in the church yard. After mass the Saint is then carried out on the shoulders of many men amidst blazing fireworks, confetti and cheers from all of the people.
As he is carried through the streets, it is tradition to hand up naked babies as a sign of protection for having received grace.
Palazzolo is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with awe-inspiring Baroque architecture, spectacular churches and mouth watering local food.
A very striking baroque style church in the center of town, just across from the piazza. A delight to photograph, especially at night as it is lit up beautifully. Be sure to bring a tripod for the evening shots.
A magnificent church to visit with fine examples of baroque architecture. Don't miss the annual Feast of San Paolo celebration and procession each year. The fireworks display is one of the most spectacular and booming that you will ever see or hear.
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The Mississippi Story A Museum Exhibit
22 February 2017
Mississippi writer Eudora Welty observed that all art is connected to place and that “the art that speaks most clearly, explicitly, directly and passionately from its own place of origin will remain the longest understood.” This exhibition explores the art that is explicitly and passionately derived from Mississippi, its place of origin, produced within the state primarily by artists who were native to or lived and worked in Mississippi. Comprised of artwork from the Museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition reveals the remarkable history of visual arts in the Magnolia State. The installation includes more than 300 objects and is divided thematically into four sections: Mississippi’s Landscape, Mississippi’s People, Life in Mississippi, and Exporting Mississippi’s Culture. The exhibition is guest curated by Patti Carr Black, author of Art in Mississippi, and is the Museum’s most comprehensive showing of Mississippi art from its permanent collection. Cost: Free to the public.
Below: Flat Out Dog Trot, William Dunlop.
Right: Still Life: A Season of Moment, Glennray Tutor
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The group project is due Ses #11, and will count for 25% of the grade. You will need to write a 10–15 page report on the macroeconomic environment in one country (other than the U.S.) as it is likely to look after the 2008–2009 global crisis. You can be optimistic or pessimistic, but you should ground your assessment in data of some kind, as well as the analytical concepts covered in the course. This is a group assignment. You can work in teams of 3–4 people on this project. You may choose to post your report on BaselineScenario (this is encouraged, as it will bring you a broader readership, but it is optional and will not affect your grade).
Guidelines and Suggestions
The following are broader suggestions, based on previous experience with Sloan Fellow papers in this class.
- Do provide an initial table of contents or otherwise lay out the structure of the paper at the beginning. This helps more than you can imagine.
- What is your bottom line? Can you summarize the main points of your argument or interpretation of events in just a few sentences? If not, then you may not have converged sufficiently within your group on the main conclusions to be drawn.
- Don't just "dump" data on the reader at any point, whether in the main text or in appendices. Explain what numbers you are using and why. Otherwise readers are overloaded and tune out.
- Be sure to explain your exact sources for key points, whether facts or assertions. The credibility of sources varies a great deal and this helps the reader evaluate which parts of your work are built on rock and which more likely based on something sandy.
- When a team is comprised only of non–native English speakers, it is a very good idea to ask a native speaker to help edit the final text.
- Avoid vagueness of any kind. Be direct and specific.
- Integrate exhibits in the text—don't just say, "see exhibit 4" (e.g., for graphical analysis) without discussing fully in the text. Assume that all readers of everything are busy and distracted people—they sit down with your text hoping to be drawn into it. Make things easy for them.
- Make your timeline of events under discussion very clear always.
- Use the analytical frameworks discussed in class—for 15.015 this is BBNN and ISLM, primarily, but also we talk a lot about fiscal issues and the macro aspects of financial regulation (and financial sector failure).
- If your entire team is from the same country and particularly if you are writing about that country, you might want to have an outsider look at your text. Do you have sufficient distance from the policies and events under discussion? Are you writing with a sufficiently critical eye?
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https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-015-macro-and-international-economics-fall-2011/projects/
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Researchers, taxonomists, and students from The Field Museum and 88 other institutions around the world have provided new answers to two simple but long-standing questions about Amazonian diversity: How many trees are there in the Amazon, and how many tree species occur there? The study will be published October 17, 2013 in Science.
The vast extent and difficult terrain of the Amazon Basin (including parts of Brazil, Peru, Columbia) and the Guiana Shield (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), which span an area roughly the size of the 48 contiguous North American states, has historically restricted the study of their extraordinarily diverse tree communities to local and regional scales. The lack of basic information about the Amazonian flora on a basin-wide scale has hindered Amazonian science and conservation efforts.
"In essence, this means that the largest pool of tropical carbon on Earth has been a black box for ecologists, and conservationists don't know which Amazonian tree species face the most severe threats of extinction," says Nigel Pitman, Robert O. Bass Visiting Scientist at The Field Museum in Chicago, and co-author on the study.
Now, however, over 100 experts have contributed data from 1,170 forestry surveys in all major forest types in the Amazon to generate the first basin-wide estimates of the abundance, frequency and spatial distribution of thousands of Amazonian trees.
Extrapolations from data compiled over a period of 10 years suggest that greater Amazonia, which includes the Amazon Basin and the Guiana Shield, harbors around 390 billion individual trees, including Brazil nut, chocolate, and açai berry trees.
"We think there are roughly 16,000 tree species in Amazonia, but the data also suggest that half of all the trees in the region belong to just 227 of those species! Thus, the most common species of trees in the Amazon now not only have a number, they also have a name. This is very valuable information for further research and policymaking," says Hans ter Steege, first author on the study and researcher at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in South Holland, Netherlands.
The authors termed these species "hyperdominants." While the study suggests that hyperdominants – just 1.4 percent of all Amazonian tree species – account for roughly half of all carbon and ecosystem services in the Amazon, it also notes that almost none of the 227 hyperdominant species are consistently common across the Amazon. Instead, most dominate a region or forest type, such as swamps or upland forests.
The study also offers insights into the rarest tree species in the Amazon. According to the mathematical model used in the study, roughly 6,000 tree species in the Amazon have populations of fewer than 1,000 individuals, which automatically qualifies them for inclusion in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The problem, say the authors, is that these species are so rare that scientists may never find them.
Ecologist Miles Silman of Wake Forest University, another co-author of the paper, calls the phenomenon "dark biodiversity".
"Just like physicists' models tell them that dark matter accounts for much of the universe, our models tell us that species too rare to find account for much of the planet's biodiversity. That's a real problem for conservation, because the species at the greatest risk of extinction may disappear before we ever find them," says Silman.
While the authors are confident that these hyperdominants also dominate the vast expanses of Amazonia where scientists have never set foot, they do not know why some species are hyperdominant and others are rare.
The authors note that a large number of hyperdominants – including Brazil nut, chocolate, rubber, and açai berry – have been used and cultivated for millennia by human populations in Amazonia.
"There's a really interesting debate shaping up," says Pitman, "between people who think that hyperdominant trees are common because pre-1492 indigenous groups farmed them, and people who think those trees were dominant long before humans ever arrived in the Americas."
Explore further: Warming climate unlikely to cause extinction of ancient Amazon trees, study finds
"Hyperdominance in the Amazonian Tree Flora," by H. ter Steege et al. Science, 2013.
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This week had only four days but we still managed to do a lot. We began with presenting our PPT presentations on indigenous architecture. These presentations made us think about the different cultures, beliefs and how these had influenced the designs and structures around the world.
Finally it was time to end this unit. We began working on our summative assessment task.
Out task was - Design a suitable house for a given context (environment)
Points to keep in mind:
- Select the place/area/country where your house will be built
- The climate of the place
- The materials you will use
- How will it be designed to have the least effect on the environment
- The design must include elements of the indigenous architecture of the place
In language, we continued working on our stories. We have completed editing our stories and now are in the process of making our final books. Stay tuned to read the stories of the two budding authors Aditya and Laay.
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In19th century Bengal the Indigo struggle became a historical legend, folk tales, songs and plays were created based on the Indigo planters struggle.
The Indigo revolution 1859-61) was one of the greatest struggle aganst the British colonial power in 18th century. With the emergence of Industrial revolution in Europe, cotton industries were flourished in Britain tremandously. Indigo - a herbal product was the essential ingridient to allow required brightness of cotton products. As we know, The colonial British made India the supplier of Raw materials for their Mills & factories by destroying our cottage Industries. They forced the planters to plant indigo instead of paddy, tobacco and other crops. The planters faced inhuman oppression even worst than that was against the bonded negroes in the then America. During the later part of 18th century indigo plantation aws startet in Bengal. By the third decade of 19th century, forceful indigo plantation expansed enormously and colonial oppression touched the peak. The Indigo planters at last organised themselves in various parts of Bengal Nadia and Maimansingha District in particular and the their struggle culminated into a violent revolution in 1659-60. In the face of the violent revolution, the British set up Indigo commission (1860) and the commission compelled to observed in their report how cruel was their oppression for the forcefull indigo plantation. Then the then Governor general Grant ( Charls Grant ? ) passed a law directing not to force the planters for indigo plantation against their will.
The legendary play "NIL DARPAN" was written by Dina bandhu Mitra in 1860, India's first public theatre was started in1972 by staging this play.
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Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes
What would life be without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and home grown tomatoes."
-- Guy Clark
Fresh tomatoes are the reason I garden. There's nothing like that first juicy, sweet bite to remind you what summer is all about. You've planted your tomatoes two feet apart, staked them and pinched off the suckers, watered them in the morning, removed any stems touching the ground and have made sure there is good air circulation. And yet, you are finding spotty, yellowing leaves. Oh no! Disease has entered the garden. As tomatoes begin to set fruit, diseases are out there just waiting to attack. What to do when disease strikes? The following is a primer of tomato diseases and some strategies to handle them.
Most diseases that affect tomatoes are fungal. Septoria leaf spot, early and late blights, anthracnose, fusarium and verticillium are all caused by different fungi. (The most common ones you'll find in your home garden are Septoria and early blight.) Leaves may look spotted, wilted, yellow, black or brown; and fruits will also look spotty, brown or inedible. Identification of a particular fungal infection isn't necessary because treatment for each is the same. Remove affected plant material, water only in the mornings; make sure no foliage touches the ground, increase air circulation around plants and spray with fungicides approved for use on vegetables. (An organic, copper-based fungicide is effective against fungal infections and some bacterial diseases.) Fungicides don't cure diseased branches, but keep the fungus from spreading to disease-free plants. Fungal diseases can spread rapidly, so quick response is needed to save your tomatoes.
Bacterial diseases of tomatoes (Speck, Spot and Canker) have symptoms similar to fungal infections, and are treated similarly. Garden weeds can be a host for the bacteria that causes these diseases, so make sure your garden patch is weed free. Copper sulfate can somewhat reduce the spread of the disease, but good garden culture practices are key to keeping your bed disease free.
Clean your garden beds in the fall, and remove all plant material. Next spring, be sure to select disease resistant varieties, and rotate your tomatoes so they don't occupy the same spot in the garden for four years. This may be difficult to accomplish in small gardens, but not impossible. Consider container plantings. Here's hoping your tomato patch is weed and disease free.
Until next time, happy gardening!
It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."
-- Lewis Grizzard
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Digital cameras remote controls are used to release the shutter on a camera rather than the photographer pressing the shutter button. There are two types of digital camera remote controls: cable or wireless systems.
To eliminate camera shake, remotes are used along with a tripod or other camera support.
Basic remote controls have a single button which lets you trigger the shutter at your command. More sophisticated and expensive remotes not only release the shutter but control zoom settings, time-interval shooting, playback and turn the LCD on and off.
Some remotes even include a small, built-in LCD that displays information such as camera mode and the number of frames to be captured.
Digital camera remote controls are especially useful when taking long telephoto and close-up shots, time exposed pictures and when using a bulb setting. Not all compact cameras can be used with remote controls, though most digital single lens reflex cameras can be used with remotes.
Tip: check the battery compartment cover as soon as you receive the remote, even if the remote works. Some covers can be very difficult to slide open. Make sure yours is okay while you have time to return it if necessary.
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If you live in the southern United States, you may be pleased to hear that fire ants have met their match in another invader from South America, the crazy ant (Nylanderia fulva).
Photographed by April Nobile, 6/8/07
Edward LeBrun, Nathan Jones and Lawrence Gilbert of The University of Texas at Austin found that the crazy ants can detoxify the venom of the fire ants, rendering the latter weaponless in the ensuing battle. The crazy ants do this by daubing themselves with their own abdominal secretions.
Crazy ants that were permitted to detoxify the fire ant venom had a 98% survival rate. That rate dropped in half when the crazy ants' own venom glands were sealed, preventing them from applying the antidote. With the arrival of crazy ants, it looks like fire ants' days may be numbered.
The news isn't all good. While crazy ants are likely to spread more slowly than fire ants did, they will eventually cause many of the same problems, devastating native populations of insects, and, in turn, the animals that depend on those insects.
You can read more about this here.
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http://stochasticscientist.blogspot.com/2014/03/revenge-of-crazy-ants.html
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The Great Depression in the United States began on October 29, 1929, a day known forever after as “Black Tuesday,” when the American stock market–which had been roaring steadily upward for almost a decade–crashed, plunging the country into its most severe economic downturn yet. Speculators lost their shirts; banks failed; the nation’s money supply diminished; and companies went bankrupt and began to fire their workers in droves. Meanwhile, President Herbert Hoover urged patience and self-reliance: He thought the crisis was just “a passing incident in our national lives” that it wasn’t the federal government’s job to try and resolve. By 1932, one of the bleakest years of the Great Depression, at least one-quarter of the American workforce was unemployed. When President Franklin Roosevelt took office in 1933, he acted swiftly to try and stabilize the economy and provide jobs and relief to those who were suffering. Over the next eight years, the government instituted a series of experimental projects and programs, known collectively as the New Deal, that aimed to restore some measure of dignity and prosperity to many Americans. More than that, Roosevelt’s New Deal permanently changed the federal government’s relationship to the U.S. populace.
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http://www.history.com/topics/new-deal
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Extracurricular activities and athletic programs are important features of American high schools. Little research has been done on how much instructional time is negatively affected or lost due to these activities. The emphasis on extracurricular activities increases the sense of school community in a diverse school, but it also takes away from the already small amount of time teachers have to present new material to their students. Educators and administrators alike need to look carefully at the impact that participation in extracurricular activities has on their classroom and school environments.
To view my qualitative research paper click here.
To view my qualitative research paper as a PDF file click here.
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http://eportfolios.cornellcollege.edu/education/2008graduates/e-masimore/research.htm
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Ascariasis is infection with the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides.
Ascariasis is caused by consuming food or drink contaminated with roundworm eggs. Ascariasis is the most common intestinal worm infection. It is found in association with poor personal hygiene, poor sanitation, and in places where human feces are used as fertilizer.
Once consumed, the eggs hatch and release immature roundworms called larvae within the intestine. The larvae then move through the bloodstream to the lungs, exit up through the large airways of the lungs, and are swallowed back into the stomach and intestines.
During movement through the lungs the larvae may produce an uncommon form of pneumonia called eosinophilic pneumonia. Once they are back in the intestines, the larvae mature into adult roundworms. Adult worms live in the intestine where they lay eggs that are present in feces.
It is estimated that 1 billion people are infected worldwide. Ascariasis occurs in people of all ages, though children are affected more severely than adults.
Most of the time, there are no symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may include:
The infected person may show signs of malnutrition. Tests to diagnose this condition include:
Treatment includes medications that paralyze or kill intestinal parasitic worms, such as albendazole or mebendazole. If there is a blockage of the intestine caused by a large number of worms, endoscopy or, rarely, surgery may be needed.
Most people recover from symptoms of the infection, even without treatment, although they may continue to carry the worms in their body.
Complications may be caused by adult worms that move to certain organs or multiply and cause a blockage in the intestine.
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of ascariasis, particularly if you have traveled to a high-risk area. Also call if symptoms get worse, do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms occur.
Improved sanitation and hygiene in developing countries will reduce the risk in those areas. In areas where this disorder is common, routine or preventive (prophylactic) treatment with deworming medications may be advised.
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http://drugster.info/ail/pathography/277/
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Not as the songs of other lands: 19th century Australian and American landscapes
Not as the songs of other lands explores the political, economic and cultural aspirations revealed by artistic representations of the land in Australian and American art during the nineteenth century. By comparing and contrasting Australian and American approaches, Not as the songs of other lands references notions of the sublime and tensions between rural and urban landscapes to enable reflections on national identity in colonised land. These works also reflect the characteristics of nineteenth century colonial exploration in the depiction of race, class and power.
This exhibition presents works from the Hudson River School within the Terra Foundation for American Art Collection alongside works from the University of Melbourne’s Russell & Mab Grimwade Miegunyah Collection and paintings by iconic Australian artists such as Eugene von Guérard, John Glover, and Nicholas Chevalier, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton from important Australian collections.
Not as the songs of other lands is presented in partnership with the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Russell and Mab Grimwade Miegunyah Fund.
Image: Robert Havell Jnr (engraver) after Robert Dale, Panoramic view of King George's Sound, part of the Colony of Swan River October [detail], 1834. The University of Melbourne Art Collection
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http://museumsandcollections.unimelb.edu.au/whats-on/exhibitions/not-as-the-songs-of-other-lands-19th-century-australian-and-american-landscapes
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Exposure of Impacted (Non-wisdom) Teeth
An impacted tooth simply means that it is stuck and cannot erupt into function. Patients frequently develop problems with impacted third molar (wisdom) teeth. These teeth get stuck in the back of the jaw and can develop painful infections among a host of other problems (see Wisdom Teeth under Procedures). Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted. Frequently, there are teeth other than wisdom teeth become impacted. These teeth generally cannot be extracted, since they are potentially functional and many times vital to overall long term oral health.
The maxillary cuspid (upper eyetooth)
Next to wisdom teeth, upper cuspids are the second most common teeth to become impacted, since they are the last functional teeth to erupt in the upper arch. The cuspid tooth is critical in the dental arch and plays an important role in your bite. They are very strong and have the longest roots of any human teeth. They are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together so they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite. Therefore, it is always advantageous to retain these teeth rather than extract them.
Normally, the maxillary cuspid teeth are the last of the front teeth to erupt into place. They usually come into place around age 13 and cause any space left between the upper front teeth to close together. If a cuspid tooth gets impacted, every effort must be made to get it to erupt into its proper position in the dental arch. The techniques involved to aid eruption can be applied to any impacted tooth in the upper or lower jaw, but most commonly they are applied to the upper cuspid teeth. Sixty percent of these impacted eyeteeth are located on the palatal (roof of the mouth) side of the dental arch. The remaining impacted cuspids are found in the middle of the supporting bone but stuck in an elevated position above the roots of the adjacent teeth or out to the facial side of the dental arch.
The second molars
The second molars are the teeth directly in front of the wisdom teeth. In some patients with small jaws and large teeth (or a combination of both), the second molars as well as the wisdom teeth might become impacted due to a lack of space. These are difficult clinical scenarios, since the only solution is to wait for the patient to continue growing to allow the space for the second molars to erupt. During this time, the partially submerged second molar will be difficult to maintain and clean, resulting a high risk of infection. A possible treatment would be to expose the second molars while removing the wisdom teeth.
The older the patient, the more likely an impacted teeth will not erupt by natures forces alone even if the space is available for the tooth to fit in the dental arch. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a panoramic screening x-ray, along with a dental examination, be performed on all dental patients at around the age of seven years to count the teeth and determine if there are problems with eruption of the adult teeth. It is important to determine whether all the adult teeth are present or are some adult teeth missing.
This exam is usually performed by your dentist or hygienist who will refer you to an orthodontist if a problem is identified. Treating such a problem may involve an orthodontist placing braces to open spaces to allow for proper eruption of the adult teeth. Treatment may also require referral to an oral surgeon for extraction of over-retained baby teeth and/or selected adult teeth that are blocking the eruption of the impacted tooth. The oral surgeon will also need to remove any extra teeth (supernumerary teeth) or growths that are blocking eruption of any of the adult teeth. If the eruption path is cleared and the space is opened up by an early age, there is a good chance the impacted tooth will erupt spontaneously. If the impacted tooth is allowed to develop too much, it will not erupt by itself even with the space cleared for its eruption. Therefore, the key is early intervention and treatment before the roots have fully formed
In cases where the impacted tooth will not erupt spontaneously, the orthodontist and oral surgeon work together to help these unerupted teeth to erupt. Each case must be evaluated on an individual basis but treatment will usually involve a combined effort between the orthodontist and the oral surgeon. The most common scenario will call for the orthodontist to place braces on the teeth. Next, a space will be opened to provide room for the impacted tooth to be moved into its proper position in the dental arch..
The gums on top of the impacted tooth will be lifted up to expose the hidden tooth underneath. If there is a baby tooth present, it will be removed at the same time. Once the tooth is exposed, the oral surgeon will bond an orthodontic bracket to the exposed tooth. The bracket will sometimes have a miniature gold chain attached to it. Once the tooth exposed and brackets are placed, the surgeon will leave the exposed impacted tooth completely uncovered by suturing the gum up high above the tooth or making a window in the gum covering the tooth. Other times, the gum will be returned to its original location and sutured back with only the chain remaining visible as it exits a small hole in the gum.
Shortly after surgery (1-14 days) the patient will return to the orthodontist. A rubber band will be attached to the chain to put a light eruptive pulling force on the impacted tooth. This will begin the process of moving the tooth into its proper place in the dental arch. This is a carefully controlled, slow process that may take up to a full year to complete. Remember, the goal is to erupt the impacted tooth and not to extract it. Once the tooth is moved into the arch in its final position, the gum around it will be evaluated to make sure it is sufficiently strong and healthy to last for a lifetime of chewing and tooth brushing. In some circumstances, especially those where the tooth had to be moved a long distance, there may be some minor gum surgery required to add bulk to the gum tissue over the relocated tooth so it remains healthy during normal function. Your dentist or orthodontist will make this recommendation to you if it applies to your specific situation.
Anesthesia and Recovery
The surgery to expose and bracket an impacted tooth is a surgical procedure that is performed in the oral surgeons office. For most patients, it is performed under IV sedation if the patient wishes to be asleep. For patients with mild to moderate anxiety, this route is recommended. Another option is to perform the surgery using laughing gas and local anesthesia (Novocaine). Please see the section on Anesthesia for more information
You can expect a limited amount of bleeding from the surgical sites after surgery. Although there will be some discomfort after surgery at the surgical sites, most patients find Ibuprofen or Advil to be more than adequate to manage any pain they may have. Within two to three days after surgery there is usually little need for any medication at all.
Your doctor will see you seven to ten days after surgery to evaluate the healing process and make sure you are maintaining good oral hygiene. You should plan to see your orthodontist within 1-14 days to activate the eruption process by applying the proper elastic traction to the chain on your tooth.
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A new Gallup poll shows that 73% of Americans subscribe to creationism in one form or another, including 42% who take a literal interpretation of Genesis. This is a result that's changed very little over the past three decades.
The poll, conducted between May 8 to 11, asked respondents to identify which of the following three statements came closest to their own views on the origin and development of human beings:
- Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God guided this process
- Human beings have developed over millions of years from less advanced forms of life, but God had no part in this process
- God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so
The results: 42% said God created humans in their present form, 31% said humans evolved with God guiding, and a paltry 19% said God had no part in the process. That means 73% of Americans don't understand Darwinian natural selection — a stand-alone process that does not require supernatural intervention.
By contrast, 22% of people in Canada and the UK believe in literal creationism. By contrast, in Norway, only 8% still believe in creationism.
The number of Americans who believe God had no part in the process has doubled since 1999.
Not surprisingly, people who claimed to be unfamiliar with the rudiments of evolution were more likely to say God was involved. At the same time however, and quite arrogantly, people claiming to be either very or somewhat familiar — nearly 70% of the respondents — still claimed that God was involved:
Frank Newport of Gallup goes over the implications:
Between 40% and 47% of Americans over the past 32 years have said the creationist explanation for the origin of human life best fits their personal views. These Americans tend to be highly religious, underscoring the degree to which many Americans view the world around them through the lens of their religious beliefs. Those who adopt the creationist view also tend to have lower education levels, but given the strong influence of religious beliefs, it is not clear to what degree having more education or different types of education might affect their views.
A number of states have been embroiled in fights in recent years over the degree to which evolution and creationism should be included in their public school curricula. Residents in the South are more likely to believe in the creationist view of the origin of humans than are those living in other regions, making it clear why the fights to have creationism addressed in the public schools might be an important political issue in that region.
Still, few scientists would agree that humans were created pretty much in their present form at one time 10,000 years ago, underscoring the ongoing discontinuity between the beliefs that many Americans hold and the general scientific consensus on this important issue.
Top image: Olivier Le Queinec/Shutterstock | Chart via Gallup.
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Proposed rule aims to reduce public housing residents' exposure to second-hand smoke, as well as reduce smoke-related maintenance costs and fire risk
New York, NY – Research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrates that secondhand smoke is an extremely prevalent problem in multi-unit housing. According to their July 2016 press release, tobacco smoke often travels from smokers’ units into those of non-smokers, as well as common areas such as hallways and lobbies. This puts all residents, especially children, at risk of exposure. According to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, there is no safe level of exposure to tobacco smoke, and second-hand exposure to children can have devastating consequences, ranging from asthma to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
In an effort to address this issue, approximately 600 of the nation’s 3,300 public housing authorities (PHAs) have made at least one of their buildings smoke-free. While this is a solid foundation to build upon for a completely smoke-free public housing environment, much of the country’s public housing remains largely unregulated.
On November 30th, 2016, Secretary Julián Castro of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that a new rule had been implemented requiring all PHAs to now provide smoke-free environments for their residents within the following 18 months. Throughout the year, HUD has worked with PHAs, housing and health partners, and tenant advocates to create a final rule which prohibits combustible tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, or pipes in all public housing properties, as well as all outdoor areas within 25 feet of housing and administrative office buildings. This rule was created based out of the need to provide safe, smoke-free homes for children living in public housing units. Out of 2 million residents living in public housing, there are more than 760,000 children under the age of 18.
HUD’s smoke-free rule is not only expected to dramatically reduce second-hand smoke exposure, but decrease smoke-related maintenance and repair costs for PHAs as well. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this rule will save agencies up to $153 million every year, including $94 million in health care costs, $43 million in renovation of smoking-permitted units, and $16 million in smoke-related fire reparations.
“Exposure to secondhand smoke can mean the difference between a healthy childhood, and one spent taking recurrent trips to an emergency room to receive treatment for smoke-related health issues.” said Dawn Middleton, Project Director of the COE for HSI. “HUD’s new rule for smoke-free public housing would ensure that future generations can live healthier lives, free from the devastating consequences of secondhand smoke.”
For more information about the work of the COE for HSI, visit www.tobaccofreeny.org
About CAI: CAI is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of underserved populations worldwide. Since 1979, CAI has provided customized capacity building services to health and human service organizations in more than 27 countries and in all 50 states. Offering more than 1,500 training programs annually, CAI’s passionate staff works to fulfill its mission: to use the transformative power of education and research to foster a more aware, healthy, compassionate and equitable world. For more information about CAI, visit our website: www.caiglobal.org.
About the Center of Excellence for Health Systems Improvement: With funding from the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control, CAI serves as the Center of Excellence for Health Systems Improvement (COE for HSI) for a Tobacco-Free New York. The COE for HSI promotes large-scale systems and policy changes to support the universal provision of evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment services. The COE for HSI aims to support 10 regional contractors throughout New York State working with health care systems and organizations that serve those populations for which tobacco use prevalence rates have not decreased in recent years - adults with low incomes, less than a high school diploma, and/or serious mental illness. Focused on providing capacity-building assistance services around topics like how to engage and obtain buy-in from leadership to implement the kinds of systems-level changes that will result in identification and intervention with every tobacco user who seeks care, the COE for HSI also will offer materials and resources to support contractors in their regional work. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreeny.org.
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A bicycle is an efficient machine, but only when it's a proper fit. The correct position of the seat, pedals and handlebars in relation to your height, ensure that you enjoy an efficient and enjoyable ride. Because your foot is your body's direct connection for providing motion to the bicycle, proper foot positioning on the pedal is extremely important.
You should position your foot over your bicycle pedal so that the ball of your foot, also called the metatarsal, is directly over the pivot arm of the pedal. The pedal's pivot arm is the axis, which runs through the body of the pedal. Positioning your metatarsal over this part of the pedal maximizes stability when bicycling. Practice proper positioning every time you ride, until it you can feel when your foot is out of place on the pedal.
Placing your foot properly over the body of the pedal will help to ensure maximum pedal power and efficiency. Positioning the pedal at the ball of your foot promotes a process called "ankling." Ankling to the natural rolling of your foot as it rotates through the crank arms full range of motion. If your foot is farther back on the pedal, you will lose reach and power because your foot cannot rotate properly. If your foot is too far forward, it will place too much pressure on your toes, reducing power and in some cases, causing pain or injury.
Clips And Cages
Cages and clips provide more efficient riding by attaching your foot to the pedal. Cages work by providing a metal or plastic form that fits over your foot and the bike pedal. Adjust the cages' forward position and the tension on your foot to ensure proper alignment. Specially designed biking shoes can clip or snap onto your bicycle pedals. You need to adjust them properly to align the ball of your foot with the pedal's axis.
Proper foot positioning on the pedal is easier when other bicycle fit adjustments are correct. Your foot's position is dictated in large part by your bicycle seat's position. Your should ensure that your seat's height, forward and aft position, and tilt are properly adjusted. When fit correctly, your feet should comfortably reach the pedals throughout your full range of motion. When adjusting seat for position, make sure to wear your normal riding shoes, which can affect fit, especially through seat height.
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By M. Taylor
He stood in the road, a note of sadness in his simple, yet majestic demeanor, as He watched the ten men disappear in the distance. Presently, a shape detached from the hazy group, and hurried back to thank the divine power that healed him of the dreaded leprosy. “Were not ten made clean?” Jesus asked, “Where are the other nine?” (Luke, 17:17)
Indeed, gratitude is a virtue that our human nature often leaves by the wayside. I don’t know if we so much mean to be ungrateful, as that we easily take for granted what is given us, and so, forget the source–especially in a moment of joy. At times we can also have unrealistic expectations and thus fail to recognize the gift.
So, for a country to have made the giving of thanks a national holiday, and thus, so to speak, institutionalized gratitude, is indeed a great thing, and excellent thing, a thing that can’t fail to please God, the giver of all good things.
While many countries have some form of thanksgiving on their national calendars, Thanksgiving Day is primarily celebrated in the United States and Canada.
In Canada, the origin of the celebration has roots in English harvest festivals and, actually, precedes the origin of the American feast.In the US, Thanksgiving dates back to the first colonists in Plymouth, M.A. in 1621, who organized a feast in thanks for a good harvest.
After that first gathering, religious and civil leaders offered various forms of thanksgiving through the years, but it was George Washington, while president of the United States, who proclaimed the first nation-wide Thanksgiving-Day on November 26, 1789.
He established the holiday “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”
An attitude of gratitude moves the heart of God, as it moves the heart of anyone who is the object of sincere thanks.
Indeed, who knows but that the many and great blessings of our country are derived from that first attitude of grateful prayer of our first president?
In his marvelous little book, The Way of Trust and Love, Fr. Jacques Philippe, contemporary spiritual master, calls the virtue of gratitude “one of the secrets of the spiritual life that is also one of the laws of happiness.” 1
Expounding on the mysterious Gospel passage, “for to him who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Matt. 13:12),” Fr. Philippe elucidates that if we recognize and are grateful for all the good things we have received in life, we will receive even more. But if we choose to camp out in the barren land of resentment and discontent, we will receive less and less.
This is a law written into nature. Indeed, a life lived with trust and gratitude shines, even in difficult moments. A life steeped in bitterness and resentment is miserable even amidst the greatest ease.
St. Paul invites us to “Give thanks in all circumstances …” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). He also adds with force, “And be thankful!” (Colossians 3:15)
In the sight of God we are all lepers, our souls filled with sinful sores. As a nation, despite our great qualities, and our brave generosity, we have sinned grossly and continue to do so. Suffice it to mention the holocaust of abortion.
Yet God Our Lord makes His magnificent sun rise on us each day, and warms our lives, and grows our food and shines on our journey, ever inviting us back to Him.
So this Thanksgiving, as we carve that juicy turkey, and enjoy that velvety pumpkin pie, may America and Americans resolve to be the leper that not only comes to Him for forgiveness and healing, but who does not forget to return and thank–always.
Douay Rheims Bible OnlineWikipedia1 The Way of Trust and Love by Fr. Jacques Philippe, p. 112Painting: Jennie Brownscombe - 1914 The First Thanksgiving
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Before you decide to grow peach trees at home you need to be aware that to do so is a commitment. Peach trees are often susceptible to insect infestation and disease, so unless you are willing to do what is required to help your peach tree grow and thrive, you might be better off seeking your fresh peaches from the local farmers market. Some common peach tree pests include:
- stink bug
- oriental fruit moth
- peach tree borers
- Japanese beetle
- June beetle
The sheer number of potential pests makes it almost a requirement to have a proactive pest management program in place when you grow peach trees at home.
Selecting a strong peach tree cultivar that will thrive in your growing zone is imperative. Peach trees are highly susceptible to frost, so you will need to bear this in mind when selecting a cultivar. If your area is frost-prone, be prepared to protect young, fragile trees and blossoms should a late season cold snap threaten your crop.
Select a location that gets full sunlight, little-to-no shade is important, as has a good quality sandy-to-loamy soil content. In a perfect world you would spend a season or two preparing the soil so that it has time to settle and balance itself prior to planting.
When you plant a new peach tree sapling, it is best to prune it into a whip. That means that you remove all lateral branches leaving just the main trunk, and cut that back to about 30” in height. Though this sounds extreme, it allows the new tree to focus its energy on growing solid and sturdy. An established tree will add about 18” of new growth each year.
Thinning of peach trees can be important in good growth years because they can produce too much fruit that may cause limb damage in the long run.
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Question: In a daring lecture demonstration
In a daring lecture demonstration, an instructor dips his wetted fingers into molten lead (327°C) and withdraws them quickly, without getting burned. How is this possible? (This is a dangerous experiment, which you should NOT attempt.)
Answer to relevant QuestionsWhat is wrong with the following statement? “Given any two objects, the one with the higher temperature contains more heat.”When a sealed Thermos bottle full of hot coffee is shaken, what are the changes, if any, in (a) the temperature of the coffee (b) the internal energy of the coffee?Why do heavy draperies over the windows help keep a home cool in the summer, as well as warm in the winter?Why is it more comfortable to hold a cup of hot tea by the handle rather than by wrapping your hands around the cup itself?The rotating solid steel shaft is simply supported by bearings at points B and C and is driven by a gear (not shown) which meshes with the spur gear at D, which has a 6-in pitch diameter. The force F from the drive gear acts ...
Post your question
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The Australian Frontier Wars were fought from 1788 to the 1920s between Indigenous Australians and an invading coalition of white settlers, militia, police, and colonial soldiers. Estimates of the total death toll range between 20,000 and 50,000 Aboriginal lives lost and between 2,000 to 2,500 Europeans.
To mark NAIDOC week, NSW Young Labor member Joey Watson interviewed Professor Henry Reynolds, one of Australia’s most respected historians to learn more on this nation defining conflict and how it might be better remembered, starting with the Australian War Memorial.
What where the frontier wars and why can we categorise it as a war?
Well in the early period the conflict was often between Aboriginal people and British soldiers because Australia was garrisoned by British troops who were here partly to control the convicts but also to ensure settlement proceeded without too much resistance from the Aborigines so there were numerous expeditions in early NSW and early Tasmania where soldiers were used to attack Aborigines.
Now that was often difficult because the Aborigines were able to see the soldiers and get out of the way. But there were military campaigns in early Australian and it was probably in Tasmania that the conflict most resembled war. It was called the Black War. That was the name used at the time. That’s not the name we impose on it now. That was the term used in official documents used in Britain to describe what happened.
In a 5 year period the Aboriginals killed something like 250 settlers and no doubt many of them were killed but the ratio was much closer. Now 250 settlers killed in short period of time in a small colony brings it close to many of the other small wars Australia has been involved in. So just in terms of the conflict, the number of people killed, the damage done the cost of the conflict, that conflict in Tasmania must be seen as a war.
In your experience, what barriers have existed to formal recognition?
I became a historian of the Frontier by accident. The accident was that I accepted a job in Far North Queensland in Townsville at a time when there was still a great deal of quite open conflict. Now people weren’t killed but there was a great deal of fighting and bashings in that society. This led me to investigate the past.
The first difficulty was that this sort of material had not been written about. There was almost nothing in the history of Australia which gave any idea of the extent and the duration and the nature of the conflicts. So you had to go back to the original documents. So that meant also you were starting a new area of history and starting it as a very junior academic in a very minor institution in the remote part of Australia so you had that institutional resistance. And one of the first people who was also working in this area, a man named Charles Rawley went around the history departments in the late 1960s to say he was doing a national history project on the Aborigines. He said that in the history departments he found no interest and people didn’t think it was a very decent or honourable thing to be researching.
So there was resistance from people who didn’t want to know about this very terrible and brutal aspect of Australian history. Historians and ordinary people want stories about their country about which they can feel proud about. History in a way grew up as something which supported the nation and there is in every society there is resistance to telling the truth about the history.
Now the largest area we were worried and disturbed about was indeed our treatment of the Aborigines and above all our historical treatment out on the frontiers of settlement.
I expected and understood the resistance. I was teaching students and talking about this every few days and I knew from them that some of them accepted and welcomed these stories but there were many students who found it disturbing, they found it upsetting and some of them were quite aggressive.
They didn’t think we should be talking about it. They said:
“We must forget the past... let’s move on from the past...what is past is past”.
“What’s the point in dragging up these old stories?”.
“We want to get on together and dragging up these old stories will make that more difficult”.
Many countries face that problem. Is it best or forget the past or is it best to remember? Some countries say, yes we should remember but others certainly say what is past must be left, we are not ready to cope with them. So I understood. I understood why people didn’t want to talk about it. Particularly where I was living, where people, Aborigines and Europeans and Islanders mixed together everyday in the street and in society and so they felt if we are to get on we must put the past behind us.
What are some ways we could recognise these conflicts?
Well I think, I think we don’t need a Truth Commission but this is what societies have done across the world, in Europe, in Africa, in South America, in Central America. We had two enquiries that were like Truth commissions, there was the Stolen Generations inquiry and the inquiry into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Now they were that sort of thing but I think it wouldn’t hurt for us to have essentially a Truth Commission that was given the job of investigating the history and being well funded. Now if we spent just a percentage of the money which is spent on our other wars, our overseas wars we could do a great deal of serious investigation but that doesn’t happen at the moment and that’s what needs to happen.
If the institutions like the War Memorial don’t want to do this, I think there needs to be set up in Canberra probably an Indigenous museum which could do this work well funded and tell this story to Australians and to all our visitors what happened in the past. We need that sort of institutional support.
Otherwise it is just individuals writing serious books and articles in academic journals and it doesn’t reach out, it doesn’t reach out because it isn’t funded in the way that the War memorial and Veterans Affairs is funded. Hundreds of millions spent on history but it’s their sort of history and they don’t want to have that sort of forensic investigation on the Frontier Wars.
Why do you think it’s important that Australians recognise the Frontier Wars?
I think it’s important because I think the past is important. I’m a historian, that’s my profession but I think the past is important and I think that it is absolutely critical that we understand and appreciate and empathise with Indigenous Australians.
In those years, I was 30 years in North Queensland I spent a great deal talking to and having relations with Aborigines and Islanders and I know how important it is for them to have recognition. That’s what victims of tyranny, victims of torture all over the world say.
We just want people to know, we want the recognition. We want people to accept, they don’t even have to say sorry but we want them to acknowledge what happened to us in the past. Now that is what Aborigines and Islanders overwhelmingly want. They want acknowledgment and they want respect, the respect that you give people when you treat their history as important to yours. Now that’s what we don’t do.
We treat our white history of war with enormous respect. We go around the world and we dig up bodies that have been buried for generations. We dig them up, we bring the remains back, we tell the relatives, we often pay for the relatives to go to Europe and we have proper military funerals. We count every single person who has died in battle. We treat our war dead with tremendous respect. Now I’m not suggesting we change that but if that’s the way we treat our war dead in overseas wars there is something extremely odd when we don’t want to know about those killed in Australia.
There are no official monuments, there a few private monuments but no official monuments. There is no public institutional recognition and that’s what we need.
Joey Watson is a member of the Truth Collective. The Truth Collective is a youth led movement of activists, academics and artists working together to end the conspiracy of silence which has defined the Australian national identity for far too long. We believe that there can be no genuine reconciliation without truth. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/thetruthcollective/info?tab=page_info
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The latest news from academia, regulators
research labs and other things of interest
Posted: May 26, 2010
Novel design promises a sensitive detector of hybrid particles that unite light and charge
(Nanowerk News) Light can force the electrons at the surface of a metal to collectively oscillate. Coupling these oscillations with photons—creating 'surface plasmon polaritons' or SPPs—could lead to intriguing applications in communications, information processing and sensing since SPPs oscillate at very high frequencies that enable, potentially, the transfer of large volumes of data.
Fig. 1: A schematic depiction of the proposed plasmonic detector that converts optical signals to electrical ones. Two L-shaped silver nanorods detect SPPs (red arrow) at the end of a waveguide and then enhance the electric-field intensity. A germanium active layer generates a photocurrent that is measured by an external circuit.
In the field of photonics, light is used to reproduce the functionality of electronics but at much higher speeds. However, while modern semiconductor processing can produce nanometer-size electronic devices, diffraction limits the size of optical components to approximately one micrometer. In plasmonics, the application of SPPs, the advantages of both are married. “Plasmonics allows light to propagate along sub-100 nanometer tracks and to be focused into a very small volume,” explains Bai. Plasmonics technology, however, is in its infancy, and researchers are still developing the basic components that engineers take for granted in electronics and photonics.
When SPPs come to the end of a metallic waveguide, for example, some of the energy is reflected backwards. The little energy that does escape decays very quickly in the gap between the guide and a detector. This makes SPPs difficult to measure.
The detector proposed by Bai and his co-workers consists of two L-shaped nanorods made of silver separated by a layer of germanium (Fig. 1). The parts of the L-shapes that run perpendicular to the propagating SPPs are closest to a waveguide, 50 nanometers away, and act like a nanoantenna. They focus the power of the plasmonic wave into the cavity formed by the other two arms of the Ls. This cavity amplifies the electric field. Finally, the enhanced electric field generates a photocurrent in the germanium that can be measured by an appropriate electrical circuit. “In this way, information can be transferred optically and then processed electrically, taking full advantage of both photonic and electronic technologies,” Bai notes.
The team’s simulations showed that the power absorbed from SPPs with a wavelength of 1.55 micrometers is at a maximum for an antenna length of 400 nanometers and a cavity gap of 75 nanometers. Bai says the next step is to fabricate an experimental prototype and to choose the proper materials and optimum structure for mass production.
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Plaid Pete Discovers What Matters In Ecosystems! Unit Assessment
Lesson 20 of 20
Objective: SWBAT show what they know about the interactions, energy, and dynamics within ecosystems.
Connection to the Next Generation Science Standards:
Students who demonstrate understanding of the Disciplinary Core ideas of Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy and Dynamics of the Next Generation Science Standards; and the Crosscutting Concepts of Systems and Systems Models, and Energy and Matter, will be able to complete this individual assessment with 75% or better accuracy.
I am also including a scoring guide that is calibrated for a standards based grading system.
Preparation time is minimal for this Lesson. Scoring of the assessment is dependent on the number of students. I estimate it takes approximately 5-6 minutes per student. I score a page at a time, which goes much more quickly.
One copy for each student of the Plaid Pete Discovers What Matters In Ecosystems- End of Unit Assessment
One copy for each student of the Plaid Pete Discovers What Matters In Ecosystems - Unit Scoring Guide
Today is the big day! I hand out the Plaid Pete Discovers What Matters In Ecosystems- End of Unit Assessment to my students. I assure them that they have studied and are well prepared for this assessment.
I can say that with confidence, because I have had my students write "Study for Science Test" on their planners for the past few days, and for this assessment we have had the last couple of days to study in class while students have been collecting data on their model ecosystems, and finishing up the last page of questions in the Lab Booklets. They have also had the opportunity to complete their last model.
In this Screencast, I compare the response to the food chain model of two of my English Language Learners.
When students are finished with the assessment, I tell them to return to the first page of this unit in their Science Notebooks, where they have written the first Big Idea for this unit on the bottom top half of the page:
Big Idea #1 - Organisms are interdependent with one another and their environment.
I read this Big Idea out loud. I ask students to think about all they have learned in this unit, and to create a pictures or series of pictures on this half of the page that best represents their new learning. I give students time to complete their rough draft, letting them know we will have time at the end to color in the pictures. This is a Student Example of Big Idea #1. I can tell from this student's drawing that they understand the interdependent relationships that occur within ecosystems. This student has drawn a simple food chain and communicated their understanding through speech bubbles.
I then read the second Big Idea.
Big Idea #2 - Matter and energy flow through an ecosystem.
I ask them to do the same thing - create a picture or series of pictures on the bottom half of the page where they have written this big idea that best represents their new learning.
This is another assessment piece that will give me a window into student understanding. It is also a way I can compare my written assessment with the pictorial representations of my English Language Learners. It gives me another way to determine their acquisition of concepts without the interference of language and vocabulary. I allow students time to work and then collect their notebooks. This is a Student Example of Big Idea #2. This student has drawn a food chain, as well as a simple example of the carbon cycle.
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Major depression may influence the course of gray matter development in children from preschool age through early adolescence, according to research in JAMA Psychiatry.
In a longitudinal study, Joan L. Luby, MD, and her colleagues at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified “marked bilateral decreases in thickness of cortical gray matter and in volume of the right hemisphere (with marginal significance on the left hemisphere)” in children with depression.
The researchers tracked 193 children, including 90 with major depressive disorder, for 11 years starting in 2003. The children, ages 3 to 6 at baseline, underwent IQ testing, two psychiatric interviews (with parent report) and at least one of three waves of neuroimaging; 116 children completed all three. Structural MRI measured the volume, thickness and surface area of cortical gray matter in each child.
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The Naval bombardment at Peleliu had gone on since September 12th. The invasion on the 15th was literally hell on earth for the invaders and defenders. Day two was even worse.
The battleships Pennsylvania, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee and Idaho, heavy cruisers Indianapolis, Louisville, Minneapolis and Portland, light cruisers Columbia, Cleveland, Denver and Honolulu, and three fleet and five light aircraft carriers dropped 519 rounds of 16 in (410 mm) shells, 1,845 rounds of 14 in (360 mm) shells, 1,793 500 lb (230 kg) bombs, and 73,412 .50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun rounds onto the tiny island, only 6 sq mi (16 km2) in size.
The Americans believed the bombardment to be successful, as Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf claimed that the Navy had run out of targets. Major General William Rupertus had convinced his superiors that his Marines would have the island secured within four days. The Japanese under Colonel Nakagawa had other plans.
The Japanese had studied the previous attacks and determined that the traditional beach defenses were not effective in stopping the Americans. They also determined that the Banzai attacks were horrible wastes of human life and adjusted both of their strategies to fight a different kind of battle. The Americans were not so blessed. Their strategy remained the same as it had been all through the Pacific War to date and the results could be predicted.
The American’s came to the beachheads in lightly armored Amtracks and quickly found out how ineffective the bombardment had been. The defenders had literally honeycombed the island with a series of caves and used interlocking fire to reap a heavy toll on the invaders. A large cannon on the top of hill was hidden behind several bomb proof metal doors, only emerging between shelling from the ships nearby. This horrible weapon killed many sailors and Marines before they even hit the beach.
The morning of day two revealed another of the tactical changes the Japanese had made. Instead of the shrieking banzai attacks, they snuck quietly into the foxholes of the exhausted Marines and killed them where they lay. The casualty rates were the highest of the Pacific War and took the First Marines out of action until 1945. Another tactic the Japanese realized was the American’s use of stretcher bearers during the attack. Snipers would target those lifesaving men in order to draw out more victims. It is a credit to the men who still went to help their fallen comrades that they continued to do so all through the battles.
The Marines had many enemies on Day Two. The 110 degree heat from the first day was replaced by the 112 degree heat of day two. The hard coral was brutal on the men who kept finding more and more spider holes filled with snipers and machine guns. Even the water they needed so badly worked against them. Someone who was tasked with providing the fresh water for drinking had loaded 55 gallon barrels that had not been sufficiently cleaned from the oil that had been in them before. Many of the Marines succumbed to water poisoning as they tried to quench the unrelenting heat. Add the shell shock effect on many young Marines and combat fatigue resulting from too many horrors to imagine, and it is easier to understand the losses.
By the time the First Marines secured their objectives, they had gone from 3500 men to only twenty seven effectives. A battle that was only supposed to last four days lasted instead to three months. The Japanese survivors finally surrendered in 1947, a full two years after the war itself was over.
What did we gain? Strategically, not very much. The little island was not very useful for the battles soon to come to regain the Philippines. Many island fortresses were bypassed in the race across the Pacific and the use of the atomic bombs finally convinced the Japanese leadership of the further futility of pursuing the war. In proportion to the number of men involved on both sides, Peleliu would have a lasting mark as the bloodiest and most costly victory of the Second World War.
Shortly after the battle rage slowed to an ebb, MacArthur landed on the Philippines and began the brutal campaign of liberation. The war had a long way to go before its conclusion, but in the heat of the second day it ended too quickly for some of America’s finest. God rest their souls.
For more background… and some very great pictures:
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https://theleansubmariner.com/2011/09/16/day-two-in-hell/
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Forty Seven Samurai
December 14 commemorates the same day in 1702 when forty-seven ronin (浪人, masterless samurai) avenged the death of their master by beheading the court official who had forced their master to commit suicide. The ronin were later forced to commit ritual suicide for their involvement in the murder. Not a particularly happy story, but one that is known by all Japanese people, so a good cultural point to read up on. See the article on the forty-seven ronin in Wikipedia.
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Met Office admits Earth’s temperature is rising slower than first thought
- Earlier forecasts predicted a much steeper rise in global temperatures
- But latest figures from Met Office show slower rise than previously warned
- Figures raise questions about the true danger posed by greenhouse gasses
PUBLISHED: 8 January 2013
The Met Office has admitted that global warming has stalled.
Officials say that by 2017, temperatures will not have risen significantly for nearly 20 years.
They concede that previous forecasts were inaccurate – and have come under fire for attempting to ‘bury bad news’ by publishing the revised data on Christmas Eve.
Now a press release, published yesterday, has confirmed that over the next five years temperatures will be 0.43 degrees above the 1971-2000 average, instead of the previously forecast 0.54 degrees – a 20 per cent reduction.
This rise would be only slightly higher than the 0.4-degree rise recorded in 1998, an increase which is itself attributed by forecasters to an exceptional weather phenomenon.
With all but 0.03 degrees of the increase having occurred by 1998, the revision means that no further significant increases to the planet’s temperature are expected over the next few years.
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https://chemtrailsnorthnz.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/uk-daily-mail-global-warming-has-stalled-since-1998/
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Academic Quadrathlon Description
The Academic Quadrathlon is a local or a regional event involving undergraduate student teams from within a school or university or between students from various schools or universities. The emphasis of an Academic Quadrathlon is on participation by students rather than on competition. At the local level, teams must be organized by the students and consist of four individuals or fewer. Any student from any major may participate at the local level. To be an eligible member on a regional team one must not have previously represented their school at the regional level. They must be undergraduates in a nonprofessional degree program at the time of their local competition. The regional team must be the winning team at the local competition.
Teams participate in four events: Laboratory Practicum, Written Exam, Oral Presentation, and Quiz Bowl. In the Laboratory Practicum, the team demonstrates its ability to perform physical skills. Work at each station lasts 15 to 20 minutes and involves the entire team. The work at each station usually involves a species such as beef or swine or a disciplinary area such as nutrition or meats. The Written Exam has a time limit. The questions may involve any area related to animal production and products. Each team writes one exam, dividing the questions as they wish. In the Oral Presentation, the students are given a topic to discuss dealing with animal agriculture. This is an exercise in cooperative problem solving. In the Quiz Bowl questions may be on any topic that relates to animal agriculture and that are answerable in a short period of time. Quiz games will be organized as double elimination tournament.
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https://www.asas.org/membership-services/asas-sections/northeast-section/quadrathlon
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We all know divorce can be hard on the kids. But did you ever stop to think about what it’s doing to the environment? Well scientists at Michigan State University have. After crunching the numbers, they’ve found that when couples split, they use more land, more energy, and even more water than before.
Here’s why. After a breakup, the parties move into smaller, individual households, which means more land used, and more resources consumed per person. In 2005, in the US, divorcees occupied 38 million extra rooms, and used about 50% more electricity and water per person than they did while married. These findings appear in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
So how can we keep doomed relationships from taking the environment down with them? The authors note that if all these newly liberated singles remarry, the problem disappears. Or maybe they could just move in with one another. Of course, then you have to wonder…[Odd Couple theme song and voice over: Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?]
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https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/a38c4447-e7f2-99df-3c61831c88ebe324/
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Ponerology 101bibliotecapleyades.net | Feb 15th 2010
by Harrison Koehli
from Sott Website
Beginning immediately after World War II and continuing in the decades after the imposition of Soviet dictatorship on the countries of Eastern Europe, a group of scientists - primarily Polish, Czech, and Hungarian - secretly collaborated on a scientific study of the nature of totalitarianism.
Blocked by the State Security Services from contact with the West, their work remained secret, even while American researchers like Hervey Cleckley and Gustave Gilbert were struggling with the same questions.1
The last known living member of this group, a Polish psychologist and expert on psychopathy named Andrzej Łobaczewski (1921-2007), would eventually name their new science - a synthesis of psychological, psychiatric, sociological, and historical studies - "ponerology", a term he borrowed from the priests of the Benedictine Abbey in the historic Polish village of Tyniec.
Derived from poneros in New Testament Greek, the word suggests an inborn evil with a corrupting influence, a fitting description of psychopathy and its social effects.
Most of what we know about this research comes from precious few sources. Łobaczewski's sole contact with the researchers was through Stefan Szuman (1889 - 1972), a retired professor who passed along anonymous summaries of research between members of the group. The consequences for being discovered doing this type of forbidden research were severe; scientists faced arrest, torture, and even death, so strict conspiracy amongst their little group was essential. They safeguarded themselves and their work by sharing their work anonymously.
This way, if any were arrested and tortured, they could not reveal names and locations of others, a very real threat to their personal safety and the completion of the work.
Łobaczewski only shared the names of two Polish professors of the previous generation who were involved in the early stages of the work,
Stefan Błachowski (1889 - 1962)
Kazimierz Dąbrowski (1902 - 1980) 2
Błachowski died under suspicious circumstances and Łobaczewski speculates that he was murdered by the State police for his part in the research.
Dąbrowski emigrated and, unwilling to renounce his Polish citizenship in order to work in the United States, took a position at the University of Alberta in Canada, where he was able to have dual citezenship.
A close reading of Dąbrowski's published works in English shows the theoretical roots of what would become ponerology.3
Like Lobaczewski, Dąbrowski considered psychopathy to be,
"the greatest obstacle in development of personality and social groups".4
"The general inability to recognize the psychological type of such individuals [i.e. psychopaths] causes immense suffering, mass terror, violent oppression, genocide and the decay of civilization...
As long as the suggestive [i.e. hypnotic, charming, "spellbinding"] power of the psychopaths is not confronted with facts and with moral and practical consequences of his doctrine, entire social groups may succumb to his demagogic appeal".5
In perhaps the first explicit mention of "political psychopathy", he remarked that the extreme of ambition and lust for power and financial gain "is particularly evident in criminal or political psychopathy":6
Methods are developed for spreading dissension between groups (as in the maxim "divide et impera" [divide and rule]). Treason and deceit in politics are given justification and are presented as positive values.
Principles of taking advantage of concrete situations are also developed. Political murder, execution of opponents, concentration camps and genocide are the product of political systems at the level of primary integration [i.e. psychopathy].7
In a passage decades before its time, he observed that less "successful" psychopaths are to be found in prisons, while successful ones are to be found in positions of power (i.e., "among political and military national leaders, labor union bosses, etc.").
He cited two examples of leaders characterized by this "affective retardation", Hitler and Stalin, to whom he referred repeatedly in his books8 and who both showed a,
"lack of empathy, emotional coldness, unlimited ruthlessness and craving for power".9
Dąbrowski and Łobaczewski experienced this horror firsthand.
In September 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland using a false-flag operation that has come to be known as the Gleiwitz Incident. This was part of the larger SS project Operation Himmler, the purpose of which was to create the illusion of Polish aggression as the pretext for "retaliation".
In other words, the Germans needed a plausible excuse or cover story to invade the country. Germans dressed as Poles attacked a radio station and broadcast anti-German propaganda in addition to murdering a German-Silesian sympathizer of the Poles, Franciszek Honiok, and placing his body at the scene.10
The Nazis used these operations to justify the invasion, after which they instituted a regime of terror that resulted in the deaths of an estimated six million Poles. As part of a larger goal of destroying all Polish cultural life, schools were closed and professors were arrested, sent to concentration camps, and some murdered. Psychiatry was outlawed.
According to Jason Aronson of Harvard Medical School, the Nazis murdered the majority of practicing psychiatrists.
Only 38 survived out of approximately 400 alive before the invasion.11
During this tumultuous time Łobaczewski worked as a soldier for the Home Army, an underground Polish resistance organization, and his desire to study psychology grew.
The gothic style school that he would later attend, Jagiellonian University, suffered greatly during the war years as part of a general program to exterminate the intellectual elite of the city of Krakow. On November 6, 1939, 144 professors and staff were arrested and sent to concentration camps. They had been told that they were to attend a mandatory lecture on German plans for Polish education. Upon arrival, they were arrested in the lecture hall, along with everyone else present in the building.
Thankfully, due to public protest, the majority was released a few months later and despite the University having been looted and vandalized by the Nazis, survivors of the operation managed to form an underground university in 1942.12
Regular lectures began again in 1945 and it was probably then that Łobaczewski began his studies under professor of psychiatry Edward Brzezicki 13,14 Łobaczewski probably also met Stefan Szuman, a renowned psychologist who taught at Jagiellonian, at this time.
Szuman later acted as Łobaczewski's clearinghouse for secret data and research.
While Jagiellonian and the other Polish universities enjoyed three years of freedom, this quickly ended in 1948 when Poland became a satellite state of the Soviet Union and the Polish United Workers' Party took full control of University life. With the establishment of the Polish Democratic Republic, Poland was placed under the Soviet sphere of influence; medical and psychiatric services were socialized, and clinical psychiatry reduced to strictly Pavlovian concepts.
Thus the "Stalinization" of Polish education and research picked up where Hitler left off. Łobaczewski's class was the last to be taught by the pre-Communism professors, who were considered "ideologically incorrect" by the powers that be. It was only in their last year of schooling that they fully experienced the inhuman "new reality" which was to inspire the course of Łobaczewski's research for the rest of his life.
During the three decades he spent living under the Communist dictatorship, Łobaczewski worked in general and mental hospitals.
The dictatorship provided intensified conditions and opportunities to improve his skills in clinical diagnosis - essential skills for coming to terms with this new social reality. He was also able to give psychotherapy to those who suffered the most under such harsh rule. Early on, as others involved in the secret research observed Lobaczewski's interest in psychopathology and the social psychology of totalitarianism, he became aware that he was not the first to pursue such research and was asked to join their group.
Originally, he only contributed a small part of the research, focusing mostly on psychopathy.
The name of the person responsible for completing the final synthesis was kept secret, but the work never saw the light of day. All of Łobaczewski's contacts became inoperative in the post-Stalin wave of repression in the 1960s and he was left only with the data that had already come into his possession. All the rest was lost forever, whether burned or locked in some secret police archive.
Faced with this hopeless situation, he decided to finish the work on his own. But despite his efforts in secrecy, the political authorities came to suspect that he possessed "dangerous" knowledge that threatened their power. One Austrian scientist with whom Łobaczewski had corresponded turned out to be an agent of the secret police, and Łobaczewski was arrested and tortured three times during this period.
While working on the first draft in 1968, the locals of the village in which he was working warned him of an imminent secret police raid. Łobaczewski had just enough time to burn the work in his central heating furnace before their arrival.15 Years later, in 1977, the Roman correspondent to Radio Free Europe, to whom Łobaczewski had spoken about his work, denounced him to the Polish authorities.16
Given the option of a fourth arrest or "voluntary" exile to the United States, Łobaczewski chose the latter. All his papers, books, and research materials were confiscated and he left the country with nothing.
Upon arrival in New York City, the Polish security apparatus utilized their contacts to block Łobaczewski's access to jobs in his field.
He was terrified to learn that,
"the overt system of suppression I had so recently escaped was just as prevalent, though more covert, in the United States."17
In short, the U.S. was infected with the same sickness and the "freedom" they offered was little more than an illusion.
In the case of scientists living abroad, the Polish secret police's modus operandi was to suggest certain courses of action to American Party members, who then gullibly carried them out, unaware of the real motivations for their actions. Łobaczewski was thus forced to take a job doing manual labor, writing the final draft of his book in the early hours before work.
Having lost most of the statistical data and case studies with his papers, he included only those he could remember and focused primarily on the observations and conclusions based on his and others' decades of study, as well as a study of literature written by sufferers under pathocratic regimes.
Once the book was completed in 1984 and a suitable translation made into English, he was unable to get it published. The psychology editors told him it was "too political", and the political editors told him it was "too psychological".
He enlisted the help of his compatriot, Zbigniew Brzezinski, who had just previously served as President Jimmy Carter's National Security Adviser and who initially praised the book and promised to help get the book published.
Unfortunately, after some time spent corresponding Brzezinski became silent, responding only to the effect that it was a pity it hadn't worked out. In Łobaczewski's words,
"he strangled the matter, treacherously".18
In the end, a small printing of copies for academics was the only result, and these failed to have any significant influence on academics and reviewers.
Suffering from severely poor health, Łobaczewski returned to Poland in 1990, where he published another book and transcribed the manuscript of Political Ponerology - A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes onto his computer.
He eventually sent this copy to the editors of Sott and Red Pill Press, who published the book in 2006. His health once more failing, he died just over a year later, in November of 2007. While other scientists conducted important research into these subjects over the years, Łobaczewski's book remains the most comprehensive and in-depth.
It is truly an underground classic.
Cleckley wrote the classic book on psychopathy The Mask of Sanity and Gilbert wrote The Psychology of Dictatorship based on his analysis of the Nazi Nuremberg war criminals.
It's unclear if Łobaczewski was aware of more but refused to share their names for fear of their well-being.
Unfortunately, like Gilbert's book, Dąbrowski's books are now out-of-print. A DVD containing scans of his work is available here.
Translated by Elizabeth Mika in "Dąbrowski's Views on Authentic Mental Health", in Mendaglio, S. (ed) Dąbrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration (Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press, 2008), pp. 139 - 53.
Dąbrowski, K. (with Kawczak, A. & Sochanska, J.), The Dynamics of Concepts (London: Gryf, 1973), pp. 40, 47.
Dąbrowski, K. 1996 . 'Multilevelness of Emotional and Instinctive Functions' (Lublin, Poland: Towarzystwo Naukowe Katolickiego Uniwersytetu Lubelskiego, 1996 ), p. 33.
Ibid, p. 153.
Ibid, p. 21; 'The Dynamics of Concepts', p. 40; Dąbrowski, K. Personality-shaping Through Positive Disintegration (Boston: Little, Brown, 1967), p. 202; Dąbrowski, K. Psychoneurosis Is Not An Illness (London: Gryf, 1972), p. 159.
Dąbrowski, K. (with Kawczak, A. & Piechowski, M. M.) Mental Growth Through Positive Disintegration (London: Gryf, 1970), pp. 29 - 30.
See Wikipedia, "Gleiwitz Incident".
Preface to Dąbrowski, K. Positive Disintegration. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1964), pp. ix - x.
Błachowski taught at one such underground university in Warsaw. See Wikipedia, "Stefan Błachowski".
On the arrest of Jagiellonian staff, see here.
See Jagiellonian University website.
Later, in Bulgaria, he attempted to send a second draft to a contact in the Vatican via a Polish-American tourist, but to his knowledge it was never delivered.
Łobaczewski only learned the identity of his denouncer from the Polish Institute of National Remembrance in 2005. See interview conducted November 19, 2005.
Łobaczewski, A. Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes (Grande Prairie, AB: Red Pill Press, 2006), p. 23.
In Memoriam: Andrzej M Łobaczewski
The Psychopath's Mask of Sanity
17 Mar 2010
M.C. Roessler 2010
A Wall Street Psychopath?
In 1960 Bernie Madoff founded his Wall Street firm, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC.
As chairman of its Board of Directors until his arrest in December of 2008, Madoff saw his firm (and himself) rise to prominence on Wall Street, developing the technology that became NASDAQ, the first and largest electronic stock exchange in America, in the process.
A multimillionaire with over $800-million in shared assets with his wife and high school sweetheart, Ruth Alpern, Madoff was well-regarded as a financial mastermind and prolific philanthropist. He exuded an aura of wealth, confidence, and connections, and many trusted him as a pillar of the community.
Sounds like a great guy, huh?
His humanitarian image was supported by his work for various nonprofit groups like the American Jewish Congress and Yeshiva University in New York, the various commissions and boards on which he sat, and the millions he donated to educational, political, cultural, and medical causes.
As his firm's website made clear at the time (it has now been removed):
"Clients know that Bernard Madoff has a personal interest in maintaining the unblemished record of value, fair-dealing, and high ethical standards that has always been the firm's hallmark."
It's funny how things change with a little perspective and a pattern emerges only in retrospect.
It wasn't until December of 2008 that the public became aware that this "personal interest" was anything but one of integrity, and that image stopped being taken for reality.
In a discussion with Condé Nast Portfolio Editor in Chief Joanne Lipman, Holocaust survivor, Nobel laureate and Madoff victim Elie Wiesel said:
"I remember that it was a myth that he created around him... that everything was so special, so unique, that it had to be secret. It was like a mystical mythology that nobody could understand... He gave the impression that maybe 100 people belonged to the club. Now we know thousands of them were cheated by him." 1
In what has been described as the largest investor fraud ever committed by single person, Madoff defrauded thousands of investors out of just under $65-billion in an elaborate Ponzi scheme, paying returns to investors from money paid by other investors, not actual profits.
By moving funds in such a way, Madoff created an image of money that rivaled his own as a man of good character. The illusion of consistent, high returns, lured thousands into a deal too good to be true, offered by a man too good to be true. According to the media portrayal of events, Madoff described the investment fund as "one big lie" to his sons, who promptly informed the authorities.
Madoff was arrested the next day and his assets were frozen (as were those of his wife and sons later on).
In the aftermath, Madoff had succeeded in ruining the lives of thousands, driving some victims to suicide. He ended up pleading guilty to eleven counts of fraud, money laundering, and perjury, among others. Although Madoff ran his companies with an iron fist and claimed he was solely responsible for defrauding clients, investigators were unsatisfied that one person alone could hide fraud on such a massive scale for so long.
Subsequent investigations have so far placed six former associates under criminal investigation,2 while multiple lawsuits are underway against Ruth Madoff and her sons.3
So how did he pull it off?
Jerry Reisman, a prominent New York lawyer, described Madoff as,
"utterly charming. He was a master at meeting people and creating this aura. People looked at him as a superhero." 4
Even when he was scrambling to secure funds to keep up his dead-end fraud, associates noticed no signs of stress.
In a 2007 roundtable conversation, viewable on Youtube,5 Madoff makes some telling comments.
Speaking about modern exchange firms, Madoff coolly says,
"By and large, in today's regulatory environment, it's virtually impossible to violate rules. This is something that the public really doesn't understand... It's impossible for a violation to go undetected. Certainly not for a considerable amount of time."
This coming from a man who had been doing just that for years and possibly decades!
No wonder, given his propensity for deceit, that Madoff and his firm were extremely secretive, finding ways of keeping their illegal activities hidden, for example, refusing to provide clients online access to their accounts and ordering employees - against regulations - to delete email after it had been printed on paper, as reported by Lucinda Franks in her piece for The Daily Beast.6
Contrary to his illustrious public persona, in an article by Mark Seal for Vanity Fair,7 various family friends and insiders present an image of Madoff as a cold-hearted control freak who not only exploited strangers, but also those closest to him.
He cultivated ostensibly close friendships with the late Norman F. Levy and philanthropist Carl J. Shapiro while robbing them blind in the process. Madoff spoke of Levy as his "mentor of 40 years" and always deferred to him.
In return, Levy considered Madoff his,
"surrogate son, a member of his family."
Carmen Dell'Orefice, Levy's then-girlfriend, remembers,
"He always did so much for Norman's comfort in the smallest details."
She described Madoff and his wife as quiet and inconspicuous and expressed the cognitive dissonance often experienced by victims of conmen like Madoff when the truth behind the image is finally revealed:
"I am accepting that what I was experiencing was a projection of a person who wasn't there... If I didn't take all the pictures I took all those years, I would say 'Carmen, you're delusional'."
Levy's son Francis said his father believed in Madoff:
"If there's one honorable person," he said, "it's Bernie."
Joseph Kavanu, a former law school peer of Madoff's shared similar disbelief with Julie Creswell and Landon Thomas Jr. in their piece for the New York Times:
"It doesn't make sense... I cannot take the Bernie I knew and turn him into the Bernie we're hearing about 24/7. It doesn't compute."
In reality, there were two Madoffs:
the carefully cultivated image of the successful businessman and philanthropist
the reality: a ruthless and remorseless criminal who operated behind a mask of sanity, success, and humanitarianism
One source described to Seal how Madoff ruled his two sons through,
"tough love and fear. People were afraid of Bernie. He wielded his influence. They were afraid of his temper."
Madoff also ruled his office with an iron fist, controlling the work environment down to the smallest detail. He was obsessed with order and control.
A family friend related,
"There was a lot of arrogance in that family. Bernie would talk to people who were as rich as he was, but he didn't want to be bothered with the little people."
Another insider said,
"He was imperial, above it all. If he didn't like the conversation, he would just get up and walk away. It was 'I'm Bernie Madoff and you're not.'"
"Peter [Madoff's brother] is much more religious, more even-keeled. Bernie is more cocky, arrogant, a showman. Shrewd like a fox."
From the descriptions of those who knew and interacted with him, a picture emerges of Bernie Madoff as arrogant, superficially charming, glib, manipulative, deceitful, emotionally cold, domineering, and heartless, in short, all the hallmarks of a successful psychopath.
Unsurprisingly, journalists and experts alike have suggested exactly that J. Reid Meloy, forensic psychologist and author of The Psychopathic Mind, Florida forensic psychologist Phil Heller, and former FBI agent Gregg McCrary, have all said so in print 8 & 9, and several prominent researchers including Adrian Raine suggested the same at the 2009 conference for the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy in New Orleans.
In what I'll show over the course of this series to be typical psychopathic fashion, Madoff fought his way to the top, wooed the regulators, and built his fortune by conning those he saw as worthless, even screwing over his so-called friends.
However, as Meloy told Creswell and Thomas,
"the Achilles' heel of the psychopath is his sense of impunity. That is, eventually, what will bring him down."
What Is Psychopathy?
Until the publication of Hervey Cleckley's landmark book The Mask of Sanity in 1941 (along with its subsequent editions), there wasn't much agreement on what exactly psychopathy is.
The term had come to describe individuals whose emotional life and social behavior were abnormal, but whose intellectual capacities were undisturbed. In contrast to psychotics whose grip on reality is clearly disturbed, as in paranoid schizophrenia, psychopaths are completely sane. They have a firm grip on reality, can carry on a conversation, and often appear more normal than normal.
But at the same time, while talking to you about the weather or the economy, they may be deciding the best way to con you out of your life savings or perhaps get you to a secluded location where they can rape or murder you.
However, while psychopaths may be intellectually aware that their actions grossly violate the limits of normal human behavior, they lack the emotional engagement with others that normally acts as an inhibitor of anti-social acts, like calculated aggression, intentional intimidation, pathological lying and emotional manipulation.
In the course of his (or her, as probably one in four psychopaths is female) development, the psychopath's inability to feel and thus identify with the emotions of others blocks the development of a "moral sense" that allows normal individuals to care for others and treat them like thinking and feeling beings.
Psychopaths just don't care. To them people are things, objects.
When they're no longer useful they can be discarded or destroyed without a second thought.
The jarring disconnect between the absolutely normal (if not more than normal) face with which the psychopath greets the world, and the utterly unfathomable irrationality and inhumanity of his actions has led to their being called "wolves in sheep's clothing" and "snakes in suits".
Cleckley coined the phrase "mask of sanity" to illustrate the disparity between the image of normality and the psychopath's essential abnormality.
While the label has come to be almost strictly associated with serial killers, rapists and arch-villains, Cleckley was quick to point out that the vast majority of psychopaths are not violent, and,
"only a small proportion of typical psychopaths are likely to be found in penal institutions, since the typical patient... is not likely to commit major crimes that result in long prison terms."10
Their actions are antisocial in that they violate the almost universally agreed upon "rules" of social behavior.
Of course, this often takes the form of crime, but many psychopaths operate successfully within the boundaries of the law, wreaking havoc interpersonally or monetarily.
After years of frequently encountering psychopaths in clinical practice and witnessing the immense suffering they inflict upon those who happen to fall within their sphere of influence, Cleckley identified several universal traits.
On the one hand psychopaths are superficially charming and of good intelligence. They lack any delusions or other signs of irrational thinking and are free of nervousness and anxiety. In other words, they present an image of good "mental health" that can disarm even the most experienced judge of human character. However, a close analysis of their life history and interactions with others reveals some striking deficits beneath the mask.
Psychopaths are also notoriously insincere, liberally inserting lies and innuendo into their talkative stream that usually go unnoticed. They are usually impulsive, acting on whims, and seeming to live entirely in the present, unhindered by concerns for past failures and future consequences.
As such they often show remarkably poor judgment and an inability to learn from punishments or the threat of future ones (psychopathic criminals have the highest recidivism rates). They are unreliable, often moving from job to job and city to city, finding new victims and living parasitically off of others' kindness and naiveté. They also have a pathological sense of entitlement. The center of their own universe, they are incapable of love, lack any sense of remorse or shame, and show a general poverty of any deep emotional life.
This is the core feature, shared equally by all psychopaths: the inability to feel empathy.
While Cleckley did much to bring light on the issue, in the preface to the fifth and final edition of his book he described "an almost universal conspiracy of evasion" of the topic of psychopathy among North American researchers and clinicians.
While institutions exist to deal with illness and crime, when it comes to psychopathy,
"no measure is taken at all... nothing exists specifically designed to meet a major and obvious pathologic situation."11
Psychopathy arguably accounts for a grossly disproportionate amount of damage to society.
Cleckley was convinced that the first step to deal with this immense problem was to "focus general interest" and "promote awareness of its tremendous importance."12
Thankfully, significant contributions have been made in recent years towards such a goal by writers like Robert Hare and Paul Babiak, clinicians Martha Stout and Sandra Brown, and popular media portrayals such as the documentaries, The Corporation and I, Psychopath.
Unfortunately, even with these efforts, public knowledge about psychopathy still falls far short of ideal, the "conspiracy of evasion" persists, and the problem rages on. For a disorder affecting more people than schizophrenia,13 and causing exponentially more harm to society, the fact that psychopathy is not a generally understood concept is alarming.
Robert D. Hare, Professor Emeritus of psychology at the University of British Columbia, wrote a book in 1970 summarizing the research available at the time. Since then, he has been at the forefront of psychopathy research, developing the first valid measure of criminal psychopathy, the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R), and writing two bestsellers on the subject: Without Conscience in 1993 and Snakes in Suits (co-authored with Paul Babiak) in 2006.
Working with criminal populations, Hare further refined Cleckley's list of psychopathic traits for the PCL-R, settling on twenty characteristics of a prototypical psychopath.
Whereas Cleckley described his psychopathic patients as "carr[ying] disaster lightly in each hand" and "not deeply vicious",14 Hare's Without Conscience presents a much more malevolent look into the mind of the criminal psychopath.
As he puts it:
"Psychopaths have what it takes to defraud and bilk others: They are fast-talking, charming, self-assured, at ease in social situations, cool under pressure, unfazed by the possibility of being found out, and totally ruthless... Psychopaths are generally well satisfied with themselves and with their inner landscape, bleak as it may seem to outside observers."15
They see empathy, remorse, and a sense of responsibility - all the qualities usually considered as the epitome of goodness and humanity - as signs of weakness to be exploited; laws and social rules as inconvenient restrictions on their freedom; and antisocial behavior as deliberate "nonconformity", a refusal to "program" by society's artificial standards.
Love, kindness, guilt, and altruism strike the psychopath as comical and childish naiveties for "bleeding hearts", and psychopathic serial murderer Ted Bundy even called guilt,
"an illusion... a kind of social-control mechanism."16
While they may convincingly profess to love in the most romantic and meaningful verbosity to their partners, these displays are soon replaced with domination and exploitation, as Sandra Brown shows in her 2009 book Women Who Love Psychopaths.
Psychopaths see normal life as dull and boring, a dog-eat-dog world in which potential enemies (i.e. you and me) are to be manipulated, and aggression used as a tool to establish their superiority and take what is rightfully theirs - to satisfy their grandiose sense of entitlement.
Naturally, in a universe of one, Hare observes,
"Obligations and commitments mean nothing to psychopaths... They do not honor formal or implied commitments to people, organizations, or principles."17
They may very well ask,
"What's so bad about being articulate, self-confident, living a fast-paced life on the edge and in the now, and looking out for number one?"
And in our decaying society, many would not disagree.
But what the psychopath sees as a carefree life of excitement and entitlement usually amounts to little more than the pursuit of immediate moments of pleasure and feelings of power, whether fleeting or more long-lasting.
With Hare's work, the psychopathic "mask" of sanity and normality acquires a sinister and Machiavellian tone. That's because psychopaths are conscious of being different. They see normal people as inferiors - "others" - to be used and discarded when they are no longer needed. But like a predator among its prey, psychopaths must disguise themselves to evade detection. If they made their motives known, others would be horrified.
So, from an early age they learn to fit in by copying normal human reactions and behaviors.
They learn when it is appropriate to cry, show grief, guilt, concern, and love. They learn all the facial expressions, common phrases, and social cues for these emotions they do not feel. And as such, they deceive others with false displays of sadness, grief, guilt, concern, and love, and they manipulate our reactions to get what they want.
That's how a psychopath is able to con you out of money by playing on your sense of pity and compassion.
Normal people, unaware of the differences between psychopaths and themselves, assume that these displays of emotion are evidence of actual emotion, and so the psychopath succeeds in going unnoticed, like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
"[T]he truly talented ones have raised their ability to charm people to that of an art, priding themselves on their ability to present a fictional self to others that is convincing, taken at face value, and difficult to penetrate."18
This "practice" at appearing human is expertly portrayed in Mary Astor's novel The Incredible Charlie Carewe, which Cleckley recommended,
"should be read not only by every psychiatrist but also by every physician" because of its remarkably accurate portrayal of a psychopath.19
This "act" is a matter of survival for a psychopath, lest their "inhumanity" be discovered.
After all, most people do not react positively to a child or adult who potentially can, as Hare put it,
"torture and mutilate [a human being] with about the same sense of concern that we feel when we carve a turkey."20
Psychopaths also keep up their "psychopathic fiction" by being charming conversationalists.
They expertly tell "unlikely but convincing" stories about themselves, easily blending truth with lies. Not only can they lie effortlessly, they are completely unfazed when caught in a lie. They simply rework their story, to the befuddlement of those who know the truth. They may feign remorse, but are equally skilled at rationalizing their behavior, often portraying themselves as the victims (and blaming the real victims).
One female psychopath complained that no one cared about how she felt, having lost both her children. In fact, she was the one who had murdered them. In cases like this, the mask slips ever so slightly, as when the less intelligent psychopath attempts to use emotional concepts he cannot understand.
One inmate told Hare,
"Yeah, sure, I feel remorse [for the crime]."
However, he didn't,
"feel bad inside about it."21
Even their violent outbursts of "rage" are carefully controlled displays.
One relatively self-aware psychopath revealed,
"There are emotions - a whole spectrum of them - that I know only through words, through reading and in my immature imagination. I can imagine I feel these emotions (know, therefore, what they are), but I do not."22
Another, confused when asked how he felt, was asked about the physical sensations of emotion and responded,
"Of course! I'm not a robot. I really get pumped up when I have sex or when I get into a fight."23
Capable of only the most primal body-based feelings, the psychopath has no intense emotions to be in control of; any display of such is an act with the intent to manipulate.
As to the causes of this disturbing disorder, researchers are now confident that, contrary to the once common belief that psychopathy must be caused by childhood trauma, there is a substantial genetic and biological basis for psychopathy.
In his 2007 update on the last twenty years of psychopathy research, Robert Hare comments:
"I might note that the early results from behavioral genetics research are consistent with the evolutionary psychology view that psychopathy is less a result of a neurobiological defect than a heritable, adaptive life-strategy."24
Or, as he put it in Without Conscience:
I think [childhood experiences] play an important role in shaping what nature has provided [i.e. "a profound inability to experience empathy and the complete range of emotions"]. Social factors and parenting practices influence the way the disorder develops and is expressed in behavior.
Thus, an individual with a mix of psychopathic personality traits who grows up in a stable family and has access to positive social and educational resources might become a con artist or white-collar criminal, or perhaps a somewhat shady entrepreneur, politician, or professional.
Another individual, with much the same personality traits but from a deprived and disturbed background, might become a drifter, mercenary, or violent criminal...
One implication of this view for the criminal justice system is that the quality of family life has much less influence on the antisocial behaviors of psychopaths than it does on the behavior of most people.25
In line with this understanding, psychopathy can be detected at an early age.
By the age of 10 or 12, most psychopaths exhibit serious behavioral problems like persistent lying, cheating, theft, fire setting, truancy, class disruption, substance abuse, vandalism, violence, bullying, running away, precocious sexuality, cruelty to animals. One psychopath smiled when he reminisced to Hare about tying puppies to a rail to use their heads for baseball-batting practice.26
However, the exact causes (and possible steps to prevent it in infancy and early childhood) are still unknown.
Children predisposed to psychopathy who do not show obvious signs later in life probably become successful at avoiding detection because of such factors as increased intelligence and abilities to better plan and control their behavior.
While the vast majority of research has been conducted on prison populations, because of the relative ease of research opportunities, the concept of the successful psychopath (whether that means he is not criminal or simply doesn't get caught) is a relatively recent topic of interest for specialists and is not yet clearly defined or publicly understood, just as the term "psychopath" was in the early twentieth century.
It is these psychopaths - the ones who avoid detection - who become successful and ruthless politicians and government insiders, as was the case with Hermann Göring and Lavrentiy Beria (who will be discussed in future columns) and is probably the case with contemporary politicians like,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
American ex-Vice President Dick Cheney
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
These men achieve the heights of power, and they are dangerous.
A transcript of the talk is available here
"Ex-Madoff Operations Director Arrested by FBI", Reuters, February 25, 2010
"Participants in the Madoff investment scandal," Wikipedia, accessed March 17, 2010
Tim Shipman, "Bernard Madoff: how did he get away with it for so long?", telegraph.co.uk, December 20, 2008
Lucinda Franks, "Madoff Employee Breaks Silence", The Daily Beast, March 19, 2009
Mark Seal, "Madoff's World", Vanity Fair, April 2009
Julie Creswell and Landon Thomas Jr., "The Talented Mr. Madoff", New York Times, January 24, 2009
Katy Brace, "Psychologist calls Madoff a psychopath", wptv.com, January 29, 2009
Cleckley, H. 1988 , The Mask of Sanity (Augusta, Georgia: Emily S. Cleckley)
Goldner et al. (2002) put the prevalence of schizophrenia at 0.55% of the general population, and while accurate studies of psychopathy in the general population have yet to be done, recently a few limited studies show that the low limit for psychopathy is 0.6% (Coid et al., 2009). Some estimates go many times higher than that figure, factoring in successful psychopaths.
Hare, R. D. 1999 , Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of Psychopaths Among Us (New York: Guilford Press), 121, 195
Babiak, P. & Hare, R. D. 2006, Snakes In Suits: When Psychopaths Go To Work (New York: ReganBooks), 50
Hare, R. D. 2007, 'Forty Years Aren't Enough: Recollections, Prognostications, and Random Musings,' In Herve, H., and Yuille, J. C. (eds) The Psychopath: Theory, Research, and Practice, pp. 3 - 28 (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), 14. However, recent studies have shown distinct differences in the brain functioning of psychopaths when compared to normal individuals. See Oakley, B. 2007, Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother's Boyfriend (Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books).
Hare (1999), 173 - 4
Ibid, 66 - 7
Snakes in Suits
05 May 2010
The criminal psychopath has been observed and studied for almost a century.
But except for a short mention by Cleckley, the idea of a successful psychopath - ordinary by almost all external standards - has remained shrouded in that pervasive "conspiracy of silence". As this series progresses, it will become clear why this is the case and what exactly are the ramifications of such a dangerous gap in knowledge and awareness.
So far the only in-depth presentation of the problem of successful psychopaths has been Paul Babiak's and Robert Hare's book Snakes in Suits, published in 2006. The book is essential reading, and has the potential to save your life, literally.
The information it contains is universal and can be applied to interactions on any social level.
Babiak, as an industrial and organizational psychologist, encountered his first corporate psychopath in 1992. By studying operators like "Dave" in the corporate environment, Babiak not only brought into focus the methods by which psychopaths infiltrate and ascend the corporate ladder of success, he shattered previous illusions about what was and wasn't possible for psychopaths to accomplish.
Many in the industry thought psychopaths wouldn't be able to succeed in business. They thought that psychopaths' bullying and narcissistic behaviors would be off-putting to potential hirers, and that their abuse and manipulations would inevitably lead to failure within the company. In fact, the so-called "experts" couldn't have been more wrong.
They seemed to have neglected the uncanny ability of psychopaths to present an image of extreme normality, and even excellence, to their victims.
And that is what we are to them: victims, potential "marks", suckers.
Against the prevailing beliefs and hubristic assumptions, Babiak found that psychopaths were readily accepted into the management ranks of prominent companies, and were even experiencing career success.1
Their extreme narcissism was apparently mistaken as a "positive leadership trait", and the murky morality and internal chaos typical of the mergers, acquisitions, and takeover environment seemed perfect for their type. Not only would they do well under the pressure - not having the ability to feel fear or stress - the potential personal rewards were too great to refuse, for the business and the psychopath.
As Babiak put it,
"the lack of specific knowledge about what constitutes psychopathic manipulation and deceit among businesspeople was the corporate con's key to success." 2
Ironically, the very traits sought by corporations and other powerful entities are often the ones that do bring about their inevitable demise (witness the fall of Bernie Madoff, Enron, Nazism).
And they are the traits we have been conditioned to see as ideal. For example, through the "rose-colored glasses" of those who do not know better,
conning and manipulative become "persuasive" and "influential"
coldhearted behavior and lack of remorse become "action oriented" and the "ability to make hard decisions"
fearless and impulsive become "courageous" and "high-energy"
lack of emotions becomes "strong" and "controls emotions" 3
In short, when we call a psychopath "persuasive and courageous" we should actually be charging a commission for doing the psychopath's PR for him, because that is all it is.
It's like selling bleach and calling it holy water!
On paper these qualities may look promising, but as coworkers, and especially as bosses, psychopaths are domineering, intimidating, frightening, and dangerous. Quick to take credit for others' work and to hire and fire employees on a whim, they tolerate only praise, are extremely short-sighted, and genuinely lack the insight that makes a good leader.
One psychopath, described by Babiak, was,
"unwilling and perhaps unable to acknowledge that any of her decisions could have any negative consequences for the business."4
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Was Aristotle The First Great Salesperson?
Aristotle was a scholar who taught extensively about successful communication (most specifically, how to influence a person's views). He was so effective with his communication techniques that most of his precepts are still being taught to law and philosophy students today. Franchisees and business owners can use these same techniques to overcome sales objections and influence a buyer’s decisions. Let's have a look at why Aristotle's techniques were so successful, and how they remain relevant to those running a franchise opportunity today.
Aristotle said that all persuasive arguments have 3 common elements, and he gave these elements some great names (which suspiciously sound like the names of the Three Musketeers):
Ethos refers to the person delivering the message, and this person needs to have a couple of very distinct attributes: they must appear both credible and likeable.
Aristotle himself was rumored to have been trained by the classical world's equivalent of nuns, marking him as a credible source of information. In addition, the name “Aristotle” is a “smart name,” as people in ancient Greece associated the name with nerdy, bookwormish tendencies. Essentially, the name "Aristotle" struck the ancient Greeks much in the way “Poindexter” strikes people today.
In addition to preaching the importance of credibility, Aristotle taught that an effective communicator must be relatable or likeable. Always one to follow his own advice, Aristotle was known to possess a dry wit. When students praised his superior intellect, he would often say things like, “Hey, don’t put me too high up on a pedestal. I don’t want you to look up my toga!”
Logos means that the communicator must be rational. The person delivering the communication, or salesperson, has to make sense and draw logical conclusions from the available data. They can use this data, logic, and sound reasoning to prove their point, disprove another’s point, or to challenge the status quo. Rational buyers faced with more intelligent solutions than they are currently using will often gravitate towards the better solution, so long as their budget allows.
For example, at one time public schools used to teach phonics to elementary school children. Then one day a text book company came out with “the whole language” approach to teaching English. Needing to make their quotas, text book salespeople eagerly pointed out to school boards, “If phonics were so important, why do they spell it ‘phonics’ instead of ‘fonix'?’” Nodding in agreement at their flawless logic, school board members eagerly snatched up the new text books like drunk fraternity brothers grabbing for the last slice of pizza.
Pathos means the communicator should craft a message which leaves the listener emotionally engaged. If the person that the communicator is courting cannot personally connect to what is being said, the communication gets filtered out and it will be dismissed.
For instance, in the movie Annie Hall, Woody Allen's character snuck into the bedroom during a friend’s party to watch a basketball game on TV. Annie Hall (played by Diane Keaton) happened upon him and sat down to watch the game and strike up a conversation. Looking for something in common, Allen's character asked her if she liked or played sports. Annie Hall replied, “I swim,” to which he replies, “Swimming isn’t a sport. It’s what you do so you don’t drown.” Allen's character couldn't care less about swimming, so Annie Hall didn’t score any points with him. Perhaps this isn’t such a tremendous example, since as the movie progressed, the characters engaged in a love affair. In the end, however, they endured a painful break-up, so maybe the example holds after all.
You may not be the product of a nun-based educational system, you may not enjoy the nerdy credibility of a name like "Poindexter," and you'll probably never star in the blockbuster remake of Annie Hall, but ultimately, if you follow Aristotle’s three guidelines for effective communication and persuasion, you can dramatically increase your sales success -- no matter what your business is.
Joe Mathews is the founder of the Franchise Performance Group and has over 20 years experience with such national chains as Subway, Blimpies, Motophoto, and Entrepreneur’s Source.Mathews specializes in the area of franchisee recruitment, sales, and franchisee performance. He is a regular presenter at IFA conferences and is an instructor with the ICFE (Institute of Certified Franchise Executives). Mathews is author of two books,Street Smart Franchising with Don Debolt and Deb Percival and Meaning of Life Project.
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The brand of adult shop that the newlywed couple launched after returning from a year-long tour of duty in Iraq was inspired by what made them uncomfortable about other adult shops.
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Tasty, classic, and lucrative, pizza franchises should definitely be considered if you want to open a food franchise. Pizza franchise opportunities are incredibly fast-growing, and are definitely not going to leave American’s diets any time soon. (Imagine your life without pizza!) To get you started, we’ve listed some of the best pizza franchises below, so you can start comparing your options today.
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Once upon a time, Americans had two options to alleviate their beef binging desires: visit a fast food jointor go to a traditionalsit-down restaurant. The former often offered sub-par meals, while the latter required too much of a commitment of both time and money. The people demanded a happy medium, where they could be chowing down on quality eats within minutes of ordering.
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Take Away Points:
- CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) is a cellular immune therapy using our own T cells that have been educated to recognize and attack our cancer.
- The target of the educated T cells is CD19 that is found on all mature B cells including normal B cells.
- With this CAR-T therapy, there may be lifelong loss of all B cells and thus of any antibody production.
- It has generated some dramatic responses about half the time in very tough to treat CLL cases that had rum out of options.
- We are very early in our experience with CAR-T therapy.
Hematology in general and CLL specifically are full of jargon and acronyms that can be both overwhelming and daunting. With time and experience, you’ll become familiar with the terminology and acronyms. We will try to explain each medical term the first time it appears in an article, but we will use the true terminology so that you gain comfort and familiarity with the medical terms that you will see in your lab reports and in medical articles. We have provided a glossary and a list of abbreviations and acronyms for your reference.
As discussed previously in our article on cytotoxic T cells and this amazingly cool NIH (National Institute of Health) movie on cytotoxic T cells, excitement is growing about immune cellular therapy. After all, the only “cure” for CLL has been a cellular therapy, namely getting a new immune system through a bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).
CAR-T therapy removes all the inherent risks of importing someone else’s immune cells.
As Dr. David Porter from the University of Pennsylvania explains, CAR-T stands for C– chimeric (from the Greek mythological chimera or fire-breathing monster that was an unholy mix of several animals, but in cellular therapy refers to an organism having two distinct genetic signatures), A– antigen or a distinct identifying protein on a cell’s wall, R– receptor, and T- for T- cell, the type of lymphocyte that is involved in cellular immunity.
Let’s listen to Dr. Porter in Part 1 of a two part interview recorded in Greece in late 2014 at the International Conference on New Concepts in B Cell Malignancies: From molecular pathogenesis to personalized treatment.
Here is a link to the journal Blood that describes the steps in the CAR-T process.
- Step 1 is the removal of T cells and is self-explanatory, similar to donating platelets.
- Step 2 involves the infection of the patient’s T cells in the laboratory with a virus that is able to easily penetrates the T cells and insert the genetic material to allow the transfected (a cell that has had foreign nucleic acids introduced) cells to recognize the target cancer cells.
- Step 3 is the re-infusion of the T cells back into the patient. Please note that it includes lymphodepleting therapy (usually chemotherapy to reduce or “deplete” the number of lymphocytes), normally done in advance of this cell transfer to give the new CAR-T cells a fighting chance. CAR-T is done in addition to chemotherapy, not instead of chemotherapy.
- Step 4 is the monitoring for any problems including the dangerous and possibly therapeutically critical cytokine (small proteins that direct communication and behavior between cells) release syndrome or “storm” that is described in the second part of this article.
CAR-T therapy is a very promising and exciting but complicated and experimental option as of today.
Brian Koffman 3/1/15 with help from SA
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tr.v. de·nied, de·ny·ing, de·nies
1. To declare untrue; assert to be false: "A senior officer denied that any sensitive documents had been stored there" (Scott Ritter).
2. To refuse to believe; reject: deny the existence of evil spirits.
3. To refuse to recognize or acknowledge; disavow: The official denied any wrongdoing.
a. To decline to grant or allow; refuse: deny the student's request; denied the prisoner food or water.
b. To give a refusal to; turn down or away: The protesters were determined not to be denied.
c. To restrain (oneself) especially from indulgence in pleasures.
[Middle English denien, from Old French denier, from Latin dēnegāre : dē-, de- + negāre, to say no; see ne in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: deny, contradict, gainsay
These verbs mean to refuse to admit the existence, truth, or value of: denied the rumor; contradicted the statement; trying to gainsay the evidence.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2017 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the force of buoyancy.
Prior to conducting the lesson, review the procedure and the equipment required for the experiment.
Display slide 14 of the Push and Pull PowerPoint. As a class, brainstorm some possible answers to the questions on the slide.
Demonstrate the investigation on slide 17 for the class. Encourage the students to share their ideas about why the ball pops up when it is pushed down into the water.
Display and discuss slides 15-16. Encourage the students to suggest situations where the weight force down is equal to the upward push of water (items that float) and situations where the weight force down is larger than the upward push of water (items that sink).
What are the two things that effect whether an object floats or sinks?
Why does a bowling ball sink when you place it into a bucket of water?
Why does a balloon float when you place it into a bucket of water?
Provide the students with a copy of the Push and Pull Inquiry Task. Read the instructions for the floating task to the students and answer any questions they may have.
Support the students to complete the first two boxes (ask a question and make a prediction) on the Scientific Method Worksheet. Encourage the students to share their predictions.
Place the students into groups and assign a group leader to collect the necessary equipment. Allow the students to complete the inquiry task in small groups. Monitor and support the students as required.
Support the students to complete the last two boxes (observe and record results and method) on their worksheets.
Discuss the results of the inquiry task as a class. Ask the students:
What happened when you put the ball of blue tac into the water?
What happened when you put the flattened strip of blue tac into the water?
Why do you think this happened?
Encourage fast finishers to repeat the inquiry using a different material e.g. cardboard.
Allow less confident students to be assisted by their peers during group work.
Suggested Assessment Strategies
used strategic whole class or individual questioning
observed student participation during learning activities
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The development of folk-tales and myths
THE collections of folk-tales and myths of all continents, but particularly North America, that have been accumulated during the last few decades, have yielded the definite result that the incidents of tales have a very wide distribution, that they have been carried from tribe to tribe, even from continent to continent, and have been assimilated to such an extent that rarely only there is any internal evidence that would indicate what is of native and what of foreign origin.
Although these incidents have a wide distribution, they have developed characteristic peculiarities in restricted parts of the territory in which they occur. I will illustrate this by means of some examples selected from among the folk-tales of the north Pacific coast of America.
An excellent illustration is presented by the North American tale of the Bungling Host. The fundamental idea of the story, the failure of the attempt to imitate magical methods of procuring food, is common to the whole North American Continent, apparently with the sole exception of California and of the Arctic coast. The incidents, however, show considerable variation. Confined to the north Pacific coast are the tricks of letting oil drip from the hands, of obtaining flshroe by striking the ankle, and of letting berries ripen by the song of a bird. The widely spread trick of cutting or digging meat out of the host’s body is practically unknown on the north Pacific coast. The host’s trick of killing his children, who revive, which forms part of the Bungling Host tale in the state of Washington and on the Plateaus, is well known on the north Pacific coast. However, it does not occur as part of this story. It is entirely confined to stories of visits to the countries of supernatural beings.
Similar observations may be made in regard to the prolific test theme. The dangerous entrance to the house of the supernatural beings is represented among the northern tribes of the north Pacific coast by the closing cave or by the closing horizon; among the tribes farther to the south, by a snapping door; on the western plateaus, by animals that watch the door of the house. Heat tests occur frequently, but in some regions the heat is applied by baking the youth in an oven or boiling him in a kettle; in others by sending him into an overheated sweat-lodge or placing him near a large fire. More important differences may be observed in the general setting of the test tales, which in some areas are tests of the son-in-law; in others, matches between the inhabitants of a village and their visitors.
Other examples of the local development of the plot of a story by the introduction of specific incidents occur, as in the north Pacific coast story of raven killing the deer, whom, according to the Alaskan tale, he strikes with a hammer, while in the more southern form he pushes him over a precipice. Similarly, in a story of a rejected lover who is made beautiful by a supernatural being the magic transformation is accomplished in the northern versions by bathing the youth in the bathtub of the supernatural being, while in the south he is given a new head.
In other cases the geographical differentiation of the tales is not quite so evident, because different types of stories overlap. This is the case in the widely spread story of the deserted child. Tales in which a youth gives offense by being lazy or by wasting food belong to Alaska. Another tpe, in which a girl is deserted because she has married a dog, belongs to British Columbia; but the two types overlap in distribution. This particular theme occurs in a much wider area on the American Continent, and other types may easily be recognized in the stories of the Plains Indians.
Tales of marriages with supernatural beings or animals are often found in the form of the abduction of a girl who has unwittingly offended an animal. This type seems to belong primarily to Alaska, while the theme of helpful animals that succor unfortunate and innocent sufferers is much more frequent among the tribes of British Columbia.
All these examples illustrate that there are a number of simple plots, which have a wide distribution, and which are elaborated by a number of incidents that must be interpreted as literary devices peculiar to each area. In all these cases the incidents obtain their peculiar significance by being worked into different plots.
On the other hand, we find also certain incidents that have a very wide distribution and occur in a variety of plots. Many examples of these are given in the annotations to all the more important recent collections of folk-tales. The local character of folk-tales is largely determined by typical associations between incidents and definite plots.
In most of the cases here discussed the plot has a general human character, so that the processes of invention and diffusion of plots must be looked at from a point of view entirely different from that to be applied in the study of invention and diffusion of incidents. The latter are, on the whole, fantastic modifications of every-day experiences, and not likely to develop independently with a frequency sufficient to explain their numerous occurrences over a large area. On the other hand, the stories of a deserted child, of contests between two villages, of a rejected lover, and other similar ones, are so closely related to every-day experiences, and conform to them so strictly, that the conditions for the rise of such a framework of literary composition are readily given. Nevertheless the plots that are characteristic of various areas should be studied from the point of view of their literary characteristics and of their relation to the actual life of the people.
1. A woman marries an animal, is maltreated by it, and escapes.
2. A woman marries an animal, who pities and helps her; she returns with gifts.
3. Men or women marry animals and receive gifts; crest stories.
4. Men obtain crests through adventures in hunting or traveling.
5. Parents lose their children; a new child is born owing to the help of some supernatural being; adventures of this child.
6. A man maltreats his wife, who receives help from supernatural beings.
7. The adventures of hunters; they meet dangers, which the youngest or oldest one overcomes.
8. War between two tribes, due to the seduction of a woman and the murder of her lover.
All these stories show a unity of the underlying idea. They are built up on some simple event that is characteristic of the social life of the people and that stirs the emotion of the hearers. Some tales of this type are elaborated in great detail, and therefore conform to our own literary standards. To this class belongs, for instance, the tale of a deserted prince. It is told that a prince fed eagles instead of catching salmon. In winter when food was scarce he was deserted by his relatives, but was helped by the eagles, who gave him food. It is told in great detail how larger and larger animals were sent to him. When the prince had become rich he sent some food to the only person who had taken pity on him. By chance his good luck was discovered and he rescued the tribe that was starving and married the chief’s daughter.
Another tale of this kind is “Growing-up-like-one-who-has-a-grandmother.” This is a tale of another poor boy who is helped by a super-natural being, overcomes all the young men of the village in various contests, and thus obtains the right to marry the chief’s daughter. The chief feels humiliated, deserts him, and the youth kills a lake monster. When wearing its skin he is able to kill sea game, but finally is unable to take off the skin and must remain in the sea.
Besides these, there are a large number of complex tales of fixed form, which are put together very loosely. There is no unity of plot, but the story consists of the adventures of a single person. I do not refer here to the disconnected anecdotes that are told of some favorite hero, such as we find in the Raven legend or in the Transformer tales, but of adventures that form a fixed sequence and are always told as one story. Examples of this kind are quite numerous.
It is noticeable that only a few of the complex tales of the last-named type are known to several tribes. Although enough versions have been recorded to show that in each area the connection between the component parts of the story is firm, the whole complex does not migrate over any considerable distance. On the contrary, the parts of the tale have the tendency to appear in different connections. This point is illustrated, for instance, by the story of a man who is deserted on a sea-lion rock and is taken into the house of the wounded sea-lions whom he cures. This story appears in quite different connoctions in various regions. Other examples of simdlar kind are quite numerous.
The literary device that holds together each one of these tales consists in the use of the interest in the hero that has been created by the introductory story, and that makes the audience desirous of knowing about his further deeds and adventures. The greater the personal interest in the hero, the more marked is the desire to attach to his name some of the favorite exploits that form the subject of folk-tales. I presume this is the reason why in so many cases the introductory tales differ enormously, while the adventures and exploits themselves show a much greater degree of uniformity. This happens particularly in the case of tales of culture heroes. When a large number of the same exploits is thus ascribed to the heroes of different tribes, it seems to happen easily that the heroes are identified. Therefore I imagine that the steps in the development of a culture-hero myth may have been in many cases the following: An interesting story told of some personage; striking and important exploits ascribed to him; similar tales of these personages occurring among various tribes; identification of the heroes of different tribes. While I do not assume that this line of development has occurred every single time—and it seems to me rather plausible that in other cases the introductory story and the adventures may have come to be associated in other ways—it may be considered as proved that introduction and adventures do not belong together by origin, but are results of later association. The great diversity of associations of this type compels us to take this point of view. On the whole, in many forms of primitive literature, the interest in the personality of the hero is a suffient means of establishing and maintaining these connections. Nevertheless there are a few cases at least in which the adventures conform to a certain definite character of the hero. This is the case in northwestern America in the Raven, Mink, and Coyote tales, in which greed, amorous propensities, and vaingloriousness are the chief characteristics of the three heroes. In tales that have a more human background these tendencies are hardly ever developed.
The recorded material shows also that the imagination of primitive man revels in the development of certain definite themes, that are determined by the character of the hero, or that lend themselves in other ways to variation. Thus in Alaskan tales Raven’s voraciousness, that induces him to cheat people and to steal their provisions, is an ever-recurring theme, the point of which is regularly the attempt to induce the people to run away and leave their property. Mink’s amorousness has led to the development of a long series of tales referring to his marriages, all of which are of the same type. The strong influence of a pattern of thought on the imagination of the people is also illustrated by tales of marriages between animals and men or women and a few other types to which I referred before.
The artistic impulses of a people are not always satisfied with the loose connections of stories, brought about by the individuality of the hero, or strengthened by the selection of certain traits of his character illustrated by the component anecdotes. We find a number of cases in which a psychological connection of the elements of the complex story is sought. An example of this kind is found in the Raven legend of British Columbia, in which a number of unrelated incidents are welded into the form of an articulate whole. The adventures of the Steelhead Salmon, the Grizzly Bear, and Cormorant, are thus worked into a connected series. Raven kills Steelhead Salmon because he wants to use it to deceive Grizzly Bear. He holds part of the salmon in front of his body, so as to make the Bear believe that he has cut himself. Thus he induces the Bear to imitate him and to kill himself. Finally he tears out the tongue of Cormorant, who had witnessed the procedure, so that he may not tell. Another excellent case from the same region is the story of Raven’s son and Thunderbird. Raven has seduced a girl, and their son is stolen by Thunderbird. In order to take revenge, he makes a whale of wood, then kills Pitch in order to calk the whale, and by its means drowns the Thunderbird. Among other tribes the same tale occurs in another connection. The animals have a game, and Thunderbird wins. The defeated guests are invited, and the host’s wife produces berries by her song. Then the Thunderbird abducts her, and the revenge of the animals by means of the whale follows. In the former group of tales the incident describing the death of Pitch is brought in, which ordinarily occurs as an independent story.
In these cases we find the same incidents in various connections, and this makes it clear that it would be quite arbitrary to assume that the incident developed as part of one story and was transferred to another one. We must infer that the elements were independent and have been combined in various ways. There certainly is nothing to prove that the connection in which an incident occurs in one story is older and nearer to the original form than one in which it occurs in another story.
The distribution of plots and incidents of North American folk-lore presents a strong contrast when compared to that found in Europe. European folk-tales, while differing in diction and local coloring, exhibit remarkable uniformity of contents. Incidents, plots, and arrangement are very much alike over a wide territory. The incidents of American lore are hardly less widely distributed; but the make-up of the stories exhibits much wider divergence, corresponding to the greater diversification of cultural types. It is evident that the integration of European cultural types has progressed much further during the last two or three thousand years than that of the American types. Cultural contrasts like those between the Northwest coast and the Plateaus, or between the Great Plains and the arid Southwest, are not easily found in Europe. Excepting a few of the most outlying regions, there is a great underlying uniformity in material culture, social organization, and beliefs, that permeates the whole European continent, and that is strongly expressed in the comparative uniformity of folk-tales.
For this reason European folk-lore creates the impression that the whole stories are units, that their cohesion is strong, and the whole complex very old. The analysis of American material, on the other hand, demonstrates that complex stories are new, that there is little cohesion between the component elements, and that the really old parts of tales are the incidents and a few simple plots.
Only a few stories form an exception to this rule—such as the Magic Flight or Obstacle myth—which are in themselves complex, the parts having no inner connection, and which have nevertheless a very wide distribution.
From a study of the distribution and composition of tales we must then infer that the imagination of the natives has played with a few plots, which were expanded by means of a number of motives that have a very wide distribution, and that there is comparatively little material that seems to belong to any one region exclusively, so that it might be considered as of autochthonous origin. The character of the folk-tales of each region lies rather in the selection of preponderant themes, in the style of plots, and in their literary development. The supernatural element in tales shows a peculiar degree of variability. In a study of the varying details it appears a number of times that stories which in one region contain fantastic elements are given a much more matter-of-fact setting in others. I take my examples again from the north Pacific coast. In the tale of Raven’s battle with South Wind we find in most cases an incident of an animal flying into the enemy’s stomach, starting a fire, and thus compelling him to cough. In the Tsimshian version he simply starts a smudge in his house. In most tales of the liberation of the Sun the magical birth of Raven plays an important part, but among the Eskimo he invades the house by force or by ordinary fraud. In the Tsimshian tale of the origin of Raven a dead woman’s child flies up to the sky, while the Tlingit tell the same tale without any supernatural element attached to it. Another case of this kind is presented by the wedge test as recorded among the Lower Thompson Indians. In most versions of this tale a boy who is sent into the open crack of a tree and whom his enemy tries to kill by knocking out the spreading-sticks, escapes miraculously when the tree closes. In the more rationalistic form of the tale he finds a hollow which he keeps open by means of supports given me. The available material gives me the impression that the loss of supernatural elements occurs, on the whole, near the border of the area in which the tales are known, so that it might be a concomitant of the fragmentary character of the tales. That loss of supernatural elements occurs under these conditions, appears clearly from the character of the Masset and Tlingit tales recorded by Swanton. In some of the Tlingit tales the supernatural elements are omitted, or weakened by saying that the person who had an incredible experience was out of his head. In the Masset series there are many cases in which the supernatural element is simply omitted. I am not prepared to say in how far this tendency may be due to conflicts between the tales and Christian teaching or in how far it may be due simply to the break with the past. The fact remains that the stories lost part of their supernatural character when they were told in a new environment.
I think it would be wrong to generalize and to assume that such loss of supernatural elements is throughout the fate of tales, for the distribution of explanatory tales shows very clearly that it is counterbalanced by another tendency of tales to take on new supernatural significance.
An additional word on the general theory of mythology. I presume I shall be accused of an entire lack of imagination and of failure to realize the poetic power of the primitive mind if I insist that the attempt to interpret mythology as a direct reflex of the contemplation of nature is not sustained by the facts.
Students of mythology have been accustomed to inquire into the origin of myths without much regard to the modem history of myths. Still we have no reason to believe that the myth-forming processes of the last ten thousand years have differed materially from modem myth-making processes. The artifacts of man that date back to the end of the glacial period are so entirely of the same character as those left by the modem races, that I do not see any reason why we should suppose any change of mentality during this period. Neither is there any reason that would countenance the belief that during any part of this period intertribal contact has been materially different from what it is now. It seems reasonable to my mind, therefore, to base our opinions on the origin of mythology on a study of the growth of mythology as it occurs under our own eyes.
The facts that are brought out most clearly from a careful analysis of myths and folk-tales of an area like the northwest coast of America are that the contents of folk-tales and myths are largely the same, that the data show a continual flow of material from mythology to folk-tale and vice versa, and that neither group can claim priority. We furthermore observe that contents and form of mythology and folk-tales are determined by the conditions that determined early literary art.
The formulas of myths and folk-tales, if we disregard the particular incidents that form the substance with which the framework is filled in, are almost exclusively events that reflect the occurrences of human life, particularly those that stir the emotions of the people. If we once recognize that mythology has no claim to priority over novelistic folk-lore, then there is no reason why we should not be satisfied to explain the origin of these tales as due to the play of imagination with the events of human life.
It is somewhat different with the incidents of tales and myths, with the substance that gives to the tales and myths their highly imaginative character. It is true enough that these are not directly taken from every-day experience; that they are rather contradictory to it. Revival of the dead, disappearance of wounds, magical treasures, and plentiful food obtained without labor, are not every-day occurrences, but they are every-day wishes; and is it not one of the main characteristics of the imagination that it gives reality to wishes? Others are exaggerations of our experiences; as the power of speech given to animals, the enormous size of giants, or the diminutive stature of dwarfs. Or they are the materialization of the objects of fear; as the imaginative difficulties and dangers of war and the hunt, or the monsters besetting the steps of the unwary traveler. Still other elements of folk-lore represent ideas contrary to daily experiences; such as the numerous stories that deal with the absence of certain features of daily life, as fire, water, etc., or those in which birth or death are brought about by unusual means. Practically all the supernatural occurrences of mythology may be interpreted by these exaggerations of imagination.
So far as our knowledge of mythology and folk-lore of modem people goes, we are justified in the opinion that the power of imagination of man is rather limited, that people much rather operate with the old stock of imaginative happenings than invent new ones.
There is only one point, and a fundamental one, that is not fully covered by the characteristic activity of imagination. It is the fact that everywhere tales attach themselves to phenomena of nature; that they become sometimes animal tales, sometimes tales dealing with the heavenly bodies. The distribution of these tales demonstrates clearly that the more thought is bestowed upon them by individuals deeply interested in these matters—by chiefs, priests, or poets—the more complex do they become, and the more definite are the local characteristics that they develop. The facts, however, do not show that the elements of which these tales are composed have any immediate connection with the phenomena of nature, for most of them retain the imaginative character just described.
The problem of mythology must therefore rather be looked for in the tendency of the mind to associate single tales with phenomena of nature and to give them an interpretative meaning. I do not doubt that when the anthropomorphization of sun and moon, of mountains and animals, had attracted stories of various kinds to them, then the moment set in when the observation of these bodies and of the animals still further stimulated the imagination and led to new forms of tales, that are the expressions of the contemplation of nature. I am, however, not prepared to admit that the present condition of myths indicates that these form any important part of primitive mythology.
That European myths happen to have developed in this direction—presumably by long-continued reinterpretation and systematization at the hands of poets and priests—does not prove that we must look for a poetic interpretation of nature as the primary background of all mythologies.
The mythological material collected in recent years, if examined in its relation to folk-tales and in its probable historical development, shows nothing that would necessitate the assumption that it originated from the contemplation of natural phenomena. It rather emphasizes the fact that its origin must be looked for in the imaginative tales dealing with the social life of the people.
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INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
In political terminology, the initiative is a process that enables citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed statutes and, in some states, constitutional amendments on the ballot. The first state to adopt the initiative was South Dakota in 1898. Since then, 23 other states have included the initiative process in their constitutions, the most recent being Mississippi in 1992. That makes a total of 24 states with an initiative process.
There are two types of initiatives: direct and indirect. In the direct process, proposals that qualify go directly on the ballot. In the indirect process, they are submitted to the legislature, may act on the proposal. Depending on the state, the initiative question goes on the ballot if the legislature rejects it, submits a different proposal or takes no action. In some states with the indirect process, the legislature may submit a competing measure that appears on the ballot along with the original proposal. States with some form of the indirect process are Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada and Ohio. In Utah and Washington, proponents may select either the direct or indirect method.
No two states have exactly the same requirements for qualifying initiatives to be placed on the ballot. Generally, however, the process includes these steps:
(1) preliminary filing of a proposed petition with a designated state official;
(2) review of the petition for conformance with statutory requirements and, in several states, a review of the language of the proposal;
(4) circulation of the petition to obtain the required number of signatures of registered voters, usually a percentage of the votes cast for a statewide office in the preceding general election; and
(5) submission of the petitions to the state elections official, who must verify the number of signatures.
If enough valid signatures are obtained, the question goes on the ballot or, in states with the indirect process, is sent to the legislature. Once an initiative is on the ballot, the general requirement for passage is a majority vote. Exceptions include Nebraska, Massachusetts and Mississippi. Those states require a majority, provided the votes cast on the initiative equal a percentage of the total votes cast in the election: 35 percent in Nebraska, 30 percent in Massachusetts and 40 percent in Mississippi. In Wyoming, an initiative must receive a majority of the total votes cast in a general election. For example, in Wyoming’s 1996 general election the votes cast totaled 215,844, so an initiative would have had to receive at least l07,923 votes to be passed. In Nevada, initiatives amending the constitution must receive a majority vote in two consecutive general elections.
“Referendum” is a general term which refers to a measure that appears on the ballot. There are two primary types of referenda: the legislative referendum, whereby the Legislature refers a measure to the voters for their approval, and the popular referendum, a measure that appears on the ballot as a result of a voter petition drive. The popular referendum is similar to the initiative in that both are triggered by petitions, but there are important differences.
Legislatures are often required to refer certain measures to the ballot for voter approval. For instance, changes to the state constitution must be approved by voters before they can take effect. Many state legislatures are also required by their state constitutions to refer bond measures and tax changes to the voters. Although this is not always the case, legislative referenda tend to be less controversial than citizen initiatives, are more often approved by voters than citizen initiatives, and often receive higher vote thresholds. Legislative referenda may appear on the ballot in all 50 states.
The popular referendum is a device which allows voters to approve or repeal an act of the Legislature. If the Legislature passes a law that voters do not approve of, they may gather signatures to demand a popular vote on the law. Generally, there is a 90-day period after the law is passed during which the petitioning must take place. Once enough signatures are gathered and verified, the new law appears on the ballot for a popular vote. During the time between passage and the popular vote, the law may not take effect. If voters approve of the law, it takes effect as scheduled. If voters reject the law, it is voided and does not take effect. 24 states have the popular referendum. Most of them are also initiative states.
A third form of referendum, the advisory referendum, is rarely used. In this form of the process, the Legislature, and in some states the governor, may place a question on the ballot to gauge voter opinion. The results of the election on this question are not binding. An example of an advisory referendum is Question 5, which appeared on the Rhode Island ballot in 2002. Placed on the ballot by the governor, Question 5 asked voters if they favored changing the state constitution to make the three branches of government co-equal. Although voters overwhelming voted yes, the question was non-binding and the governor and legislature were not obligated to act upon the measure.
Recall is a procedure that allows citizens to remove and replace a public official before the end of a term of office. Recall differs from another method for removing officials from office – impeachment – in that it is a political device while impeachment is a legal process. Impeachment requires the House to bring specific charges and the Senate to act as a jury. In most of the recall states, specific grounds are not required, and the recall of a state official is by an election. Eighteen states permit the recall of state officials. A recent, high-profile example of the recall process was the recall of California Governor Gray Davis and his replacement with Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003.
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Texans are resilient. They defeated the Mexicans—twice—took a beating during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and then chased the Comanche clean out of the state and into Oklahoma. All of those events were watershed moments in Texas history.
And so was the day they came.
The Plains Herder, NC Wyeth, 1909
Sheep. Hundreds of thousands of them, munching their way across the land like wooly locusts. The sight of a single woolyback could boil a cattleman’s blood. The critters trampled the range, close-cropped the forage, and left behind an odor neither cattle nor man could abide. They also carried a type of mange called “sheep scab” to which cattle were susceptible.
As if all of that weren’t enough, pastores herded on foot, not horseback. Horses were a status symbol in the Old West. Cowboys figuratively and literally “looked down on” mutton-punchers.
Sheep are not native to Texas, although they’ve been in the state since padres brought Spanish transplants with them in the 1700s. Since the animals provided both food and clothing, no mission was without a flock.
In 1800, 5,000 head of sheep lived in far south Texas, along the Rio Grande. By 1870, 700,000 woolies had moved in, primarily with Germans and other Europeans who immigrated to central and western Texas. By 1890, the state was home to 3.5 million of the critters. Of the 30 million sheep in the U.S. in the middle of the twentieth century, one-third were in Texas. At that time, the state produced 95 percent of the country’s Merino wool.
Due to market fluctuations, drought, and some disastrous government programs, in 2012 the entire ovine population of the U.S. stood at only 5.345 million; 650,000 of those, still the largest bunch by more than 100,000 animals, were in Texas. To this day, mutton, lamb, and wool make a significant contribution to Texas’s economy.
Sheep Raid (Harper’s Weekly, Oct. 1877)
Ranchers in the mid- to late-1800s never would have believed such a thing possible. In fact, they went to great lengths to prevent the possibility. The notorious clashes between sheepmen and cattlemen that scarred the entire West began on the Charles Goodnight range in Texas. Between 1875 and 1920, one hundred twenty serious confrontations occurred in Texas, Arizona, Wyoming, and Colorado. Across the four states, at least fifty-four men died and 100,000 sheep were slaughtered.
Real and imagined problems led to the sheep wars. Texas cattlemen already were becoming testy with one another over grazing and water rights. Add sheep—which, as a means of finding other flock members, scent the ground with a noxious substance excreted by a gland above their hooves—and the range got a little smaller. Add sheep “drifters,” who grazed their flocks on other folks’ land or public property because they owned no territory of their own, and the situation became volatile. Add barbed-wire fence…and everything exploded.
The Texas legislature outlawed grazing sheep on private range without permission and on public land at all. Cattle and horses faced no such restrictions. Consequently, sheepmen were among the first to throw up fences in order to keep their flocks in and other animals out. Sheep fences lit one of the first matches in what became the Texas Fence-Cutter War, which erupted across more than half the state for about a decade starting in the 1870s. The cattlemen erected their own fences, and soon everyone was at someone else’s throat. The fence war died down, for the most part, when the state legislature criminalized fence-cutting in 1884.
Texas Merino Sheep, courtesy Fir0002/Flagstaffotos
Not long thereafter, most Texas cattlemen were shocked—and somewhat relieved—to discover good fences make good neighbors. They also discovered mutton and wool sold even when a mysterious disease known as Texas Fever made driving cattle to the railheads in other states well-nigh impossible.
Today, many Texas ranchers run sheep and goats right along with their cattle, and all the critters get along just fine on the same property.
Of course, had stubborn Texans on both sides of the fence paid attention to the native Indians who’d run cattle and sheep together for a hundred years before the trouble started, they might have spared themselves considerable aggravation.
In my debut novel Prodigal Gun, sheep and a barbed-wire fence touch off a war in the Texas Hill Country, bringing an infamous gunman home for the first time since he left to fight for the Confederacy. The book releases tomorrow in both paperback and digital versions, but it’s available for pre-order now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and .
There’s an autographed print copy up for grabs! I’ll let Random.org draw a winner from among those who are kind enough to comment today. Please leave me a way to get in touch.
A dangerous man. A desperate woman. A love no war could kill.
Widowed rancher Jessie Caine buried her heart with the childhood sweetheart Yankees killed on a distant battlefield. Sixteen years later, as a Texas range war looms and hired guns arrive to pursue a wealthy carpetbagger’s agenda, Jessie discovers the only man she ever loved isn’t dead.
At least not yet.
Embittered by a brother’s betrayal, notorious gunman Calhoun is a dangerous man, come home to do an unsavory job. A bushwhacker’s bullet nearly takes his life on Jessie’s land, trapping him in a standoff between the past he tried to bury and the infamy he never will. One taste of the only woman he ever loved puts more than his life and her ranch in the crossfire.
With a price on his head, a debt to a wealthy employer around his neck, and a defiant woman tugging at his heart, Calhoun’s guns may not be enough to keep him from the grave. Caught between his enemies and hers, Jessie faces an agonizing choice: Which of her dreams will die?
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- There is sufficient evidence that restless leg syndrome can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.
- Early research suggests magnesium supplements can reduce RLS symptoms.
- High doses of magnesium can result in dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor about the proper dosage for you.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a disorder of the nervous system that causes the overwhelming urge to move your legs. It’s often accompanied by pain, throbbing, or other unpleasant sensations. Symptoms often increase when you’re inactive, like when you’re sitting or lying down. Restless leg syndrome can be extremely disruptive to sleep.
Magnesium is a natural mineral that our bodies need to function properly. It plays a role in regulating different biochemical reactions in the body. This includes nerve and muscle function and a healthy immune system. Magnesium deficiency can cause problems with nerve impulse conduction, muscle contractions, and muscle cramps.
Early research suggests that certain cases of restless leg syndrome may be caused by a magnesium deficiency, and that magnesium supplements can reduce RLS symptoms. Magnesium is sometimes used as a natural or alternative remedy for RLS, especially when a deficiency is thought to contribute to the condition.
Researchers think that magnesium makes it easier for muscles to relax. This may be because of its calcium-blocking abilities, which help regulate the nerves and muscles instead of letting calcium “activate” the nerves. If magnesium is low, calcium isn’t blocked and nerves become overactive and trigger muscle contractions.
Getting more magnesium is an extremely effective treatment for RLS when magnesium deficiency is a contributing factor to the condition.
The most common side effect of magnesium is stomach upset. Other common side effects include:
- abdominal cramping
These side effects may be lessened by reducing the dose of magnesium.
Severe side effects
High doses of magnesium are not safe, and can result in dangerous side effects. Side effects of a magnesium buildup within the body include:
- low blood pressure
- irregular heartbeat
- reduced rate of breathing
In severe cases, it can result in coma or death.
Magnesium is available in a number of different forms and doses. Magnesium oxide is most commonly available in oral supplements. For adolescent and adult men and women, daily doses of 270-350 mg are considered safe. Talk to a medical professional about the proper dosage for you.
Magnesium sulfate can be administered via IV, though the oral supplement would likely be used instead for treating RLS.
Foods with magnesium
You can add more magnesium-rich foods to your diet. Foods rich in magnesium include:
- dark greens like chard, spinach, and kale
- nuts and seeds, including pumpkin and squash seeds
- fish like mackerel and tuna
- beans and lentils
- low-fat and non-fat dairy, including yogurt
Magnesium is considered safe for most people to take. This is especially true for oral supplements and magnesium that’s obtained through food.
If you have any bleeding disorders, you should not take magnesium without consulting your doctor. Magnesium can slow blood clotting and can increase the risk of bleeding. You also shouldn’t take magnesium if you have any kidney disorders, including kidney failure.
Magnesium administered via an IV may not be safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Magnesium may interact with certain medications, including:
- aminoglycoside, quinolone, and tetracycline antibiotics
- calcium channel blockers
- muscle relaxants
- water pills
In addition to magnesium, several natural and alternative treatments can offer relief from restless leg syndrome. These treatments include:
- sitting in a warm bath, which can relax muscles
- getting massages
- getting moderate exercise regularly, which can reduce symptoms of RLS
- avoiding caffeine, which can agitate RLS and decrease magnesium in the body
- utilizing relaxation techniques like meditation to lessen the stress that can aggravate RLS
- establishing a regular sleep routine
Traditional treatments are available for RLS, including medications that you can take. These medications include:
- medications that increase dopamine in the brain, which can reduce motion in the legs
- muscle relaxants
- sleep medications, which can reduce insomnia caused by RLS
Some medications for RLS can become addictive, like opioids or some sleep medications. You can develop a resistance to others, like medications that increase dopamine in the brain.
There’s strong evidence that magnesium deficiencies can contribute to RLS. Taking a daily magnesium supplement may help reduce symptoms and can improve sleep quality.
If magnesium alone doesn’t resolve your symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss alternative remedies and medications that may benefit you.
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By Donald Kagan
The first quantity of Donald Kagan's acclaimed four-volume background of the Peloponnesian battle deals a brand new review of the origins and explanations of the clash, in keeping with proof produced through sleek scholarship and on a cautious reconsideration of the traditional texts. He focuses his learn at the query: used to be the struggle inevitable, or might it were avoided?
Kagan takes factor with Thucydides' view that the conflict used to be inevitable, that the increase of the Athenian Empire in a global with an latest rival strength made a conflict among the 2 a sure bet. announcing as a substitute that the beginning of the warfare "cannot, with no critical distortion, be taken care of in isolation from the interior heritage of the states involved," Kagan lines the connections among household politics, constitutional association, and international affairs. He additional examines the facts to determine what judgements have been made that resulted in battle, at each one element asking no matter if a special choice might were possible.
Read or Download The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War PDF
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Extra info for The Outbreak of the Peloponnesian War
The Spartan king Agesilaus easily employed the mercenaries clear of Cletor and ordered Orchomenus to desist from conflict as long as his crusade lasted. 36 On none of those events is there any facts that anybody raised a constitutional factor, less demanded a league meeting. as a matter of fact that we hardly listen of an meeting of the league. No conferences of the alliance may occur until Sparta known as them, just because the one alliances that existed have been bilateral treaties with Sparta. conferences have been referred to as provided that they have been deemed neces33 CPo XXVIII (1933), 274-275. The reference is to the quarrel among Boeotia and the Phocians in 395, which resulted in the Corinthian conflict. See Hell. Oxy. thirteen. four. 34 Thuc. 1. 103. four; Diod. II. seventy nine. 1. 35 four. 134. 36 Xen. Hell. five. four. 36-37. THE OUTBREAK OF THE PELOPONNESIAN struggle sary or worthy through the Spartans. in fact it might be absurd to consider launching a tremendous battle with out the consent of the allies on whom good fortune depended. however, whilst King Cleomenes desired to restoration the aristocratic executive of Isagoras to Athens in 507, he mustered an allied military not just with no consulting an meeting yet even with no asserting the aim of the excursion. 37 in basic terms whilst the conflict used to be approximately to start did the Corinthians strength a dialogue, and their defection pressured the Spartans to desert their scheme. 38 a little while later the Spartans, fearing the energy of the newly based Cleisthenic democracy, attempted to revive the tyranny of Hippias to Athens. Made wary through their past adventure, they first referred to as an meeting in their allies. back they have been rebuffed end result of the normal hatred of tyranny and maybe due to a typical worry of Sparta's becoming ambition. through the fifteen years of the 1st Peloponnesian battle, we listen of no assembly of the meeting of the league. In 432, in fact, the Spartans had no selection yet to name the sort of assembly prior to launching a warfare opposed to the Athenian Empire. Even then, as we will see, the meeting served an inner political function in addition to a world one. within the fourth century Sparta used to be so robust that she didn't have to seek advice her closer and weaker allies, whereas she usually discovered herself at struggle opposed to former allies who have been superior and extra distant, Corinth and Thebes. therefore, we not often pay attention of assemblies of the league. As an Athenian spokesman complained to the Spartans in 371, "You claim enemies for yourselves with out consulting your allies whom you lead opposed to them. the result's that regularly those people who are stated to be self sustaining are pressured to struggle opposed to their very own pals. " 39 Even during this interval in their maximum energy and conceitedness, in spite of the fact that, the Spartans known as conferences of the league meeting whilst it was once handy. In 396, once they have been approximately to release a good and hazardous invasion of Asia,40 and in 382, while requested to struggle 37 Hdt. five. seventy four. Larsen believes that during 507 the Peloponnesian League didn't but exist, so an meeting wouldn't be worthy. See CP, XXVII (1932).
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Dear parents! Your regular exercise routine may set habit in your kids
Washington D.C. [USA], Jan. 10 : Dear parents, if you exercise regularly, then it can directly affect the health of your kids in childhood as well as adulthood.
A new study suggests that kids aged three to five are more likely to be physically active if their parents increase activity and reduce sedentary lifestyle.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, examined the impact of parent modeling of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in low-income American ethnic minorities, included data from more than 1,000 parent-child pairs.
The participants live in metro areas of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and Nashville, Tennessee.
Each parent and child wore an accelerometer for an average of 12 hours a day, for a week.
This is the first study to link the physical activity of parents and young children by objectively measuring that physical activity with such a long wear time for an accelerometer.
Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the US found that the preschoolers' total physical activity was 6.03 hours per day with 1.5 hours spent in moderate to vigorous activity.
"This study highlights how important parents' physical activity is to shaping their young children's physical activity," said principal investigator Shari Barkin.
"The good news is that increasing physical activity is not only good for parents' health, it also helps set these behaviours in their young children as well. It's doubly good for family health. Setting this habit early could impact good health not only in childhood but in adulthood as well," Barkin added.
Physical activity is a critical factor for preventing childhood obesity and promoting good cardiovascular health.
Recommendations call for preschoolers is to obtain about three hours a day of total physical activity (light, moderate and vigorous) with at least one hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).
The reports show that less than half of preschoolers actually achieve that recommendation.
They also found that up to 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by a parent correlated with their preschool-age child's level of MVPA.
Similarly, for every minute a parent engaged in light physical activity, the child's light physical activity increased by 0.06 minutes. (ANI)
London [UK], April 16 : Dear parents, ask your kids...Read More
Washington D.C. [USA], Apr 15 : Medication for...Read More
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Washington D.C. [U.S.A.], Apr. 15 : According to a...Read More
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1 an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict" [syn: disposition, tendency]
2 (astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees [syn: inclination of an orbit]
3 (geometry) the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line (measured counterclockwise from the positive half of the x-axis) [syn: angle of inclination]
4 (physics) the angle that a magnetic needle makes with the plane of the horizon [syn: dip, angle of dip, magnetic dip, magnetic inclination]
5 that toward which you are inclined to feel a liking; "her inclination is for classical music" [ant: disinclination]
6 the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical; "the tower had a pronounced tilt"; "the ship developed a list to starboard"; "he walked with a heavy inclination to the right" [syn: tilt, list, lean, leaning]
7 a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect; "the alkaline inclination of the local waters"; "fabric with a tendency to shrink" [syn: tendency]
8 the act of inclining; bending forward; "an inclination of his head indicated his agreement" [syn: inclining]
- Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn
- A tilt or bend
- The inclination of his head increased and he awoke with a start.
- A slant or slope
- The road up to the house had a steep inclination.
- A tendency
- He had an inclination to drink.
- The angle of intersection of a plane and the orbital plane of a planet or moon etc; also the angle between an object's orbit and the ecliptic
A tilt or bend
- Finnish: kallistus
A slant or slope
- Finnish: taipumus
The angle of intersection of a plane and the orbital plane of a planet or moon
- Finnish: kaltevuuskulma
Translations to be checked
Inclination in general is the angle between a reference plane and another plane or axis of direction. The axial tilt is expressed as the angle made by the planet's axis and a line drawn through the planet's center perpendicular to the orbital plane.
OrbitsIn particular, the inclination is one of the six orbital parameters describing the shape and orientation of a celestial orbit. It is the angular distance of the orbital plane from the plane of reference (usually the primary's equator or the ecliptic), normally stated in degrees.
In the solar system, the inclination (i in figure 1, below) of the orbit of a planet is defined as the angle between the plane of the orbit of the planet and the ecliptic —which is the plane containing Earth's orbital path. It could be measured with respect to another plane, such as the Sun's equator or even Jupiter's orbital plane, but the ecliptic is more practical for Earth-bound observers. Most planetary orbits in our solar system have relatively small inclinations, both in relation to each other and to the Sun's equator. There are notable exceptions in the dwarf planets Pluto and Eris, which have inclinations to the ecliptic of 17 degrees and 44 degrees respectively, and the large asteroid Pallas, which is inclined at 34 degrees. Many of the currently known extrasolar planets are in multiple systems, and sometimes have high inclinations.
The inclination of orbits of natural or artificial satellites is measured relative to the equatorial plane of the body they orbit if they do so close enough. The equatorial plane is the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the central body.
- an inclination of 0 degrees means the orbiting body orbits the planet in its equatorial plane, in the same direction as the planet rotates;
- an inclination of 90 degrees indicates a polar orbit, in which the spacecraft passes over the north and south poles of the planet; and
- an inclination of 180 degrees indicates a retrograde equatorial orbit.
For objects farther away from the central body, another reference plane is often used: the Laplace plane. As one moves away from the primary, the Laplace plane starts off in its equatorial plane and then gradually tilts away from that plane until it merges with the primary's orbital plane at great distances.
For objects where the primary's axis of rotation is unknown or poorly known, a satellite's inclination will be given with respect to the ecliptic, or sometimes (for slow-moving objects) with respect to the plane of the sky (see the definition given for binary stars, below).
For the Moon, measuring its inclination with respect to Earth's equatorial plane leads to a rapidly varying quantity and it makes more sense to measure it with respect to the ecliptic (i.e. the plane of the orbit that Earth and Moon track together around the Sun), a fairly constant quantity.
- For planets and other rotating celestial bodies, the angle of the axis of rotation with respect to the normal to plane of the orbit is sometimes also called inclination, but is better referred to as the axial tilt or obliquity.
- In particular, for the Earth, the obliquity of the ecliptic is the angle between the plane of the ecliptic and the equator.
- The inclination of objects beyond the solar system, such as a binary star, is defined as the angle between the normal to the orbital plane (i.e. the orbital axis) and the direction to the observer, since no other reference is available. Equivalently, this can be defined as the angle between the orbital plane and the plane of the sky. The latter depends on the direction in which an observer looks, so one has to be careful when comparing stars in different regions of the celestial sphere. Binary stars with inclinations close to 90 degrees (edge-on) are often eclipsing.
- The term inclination, can also be used in the context of demonstrating the will of a person regarding a subject.
CalculationIn astrodynamics, the inclination i\, can be computed as follows:
inclination in Bulgarian: Инклинация
inclination in Danish: Banehældning
inclination in German: Bahnneigung
inclination in Spanish: Inclinación orbital
inclination in Esperanto: Inklinacio
inclination in Estonian: Inklinatsioon
inclination in French: Inclinaison
inclination in Croatian: Inklinacija
inclination in Italian: Inclinazione (orbita)
inclination in Japanese: 軌道傾斜角
inclination in Hungarian: Inklináció
inclination in Dutch: Glooiingshoek
inclination in Norwegian Nynorsk: Banehelling
inclination in Polish: Inklinacja
inclination in Portuguese: Inclinação
inclination in Russian: Наклонение (астрономия)
inclination in Finnish: Inklinaatio
inclination in Swedish: Inklination
inclination in Slovenian: naklon tira
inclination in Thai: ความเอียงของวงโคจร
inclination in Turkish: Yörünge eğikliği
inclination in Ukrainian: Нахил орбіти
inclination in Chinese: 軌道傾角
a thing for, affection, affinity, aim, an ear for, an eye for, angle, angularity, animus, appetence, appetency, appetite, aptitude, aptness, ardor, attitude, azimuth, bag, bank, bearing, bend, bending, bending the knee, bent, bevel, bezel, bias, bob, bow, bowing, bowing and scraping, cant, capacity for, cascade, cast, cataract, character, choice, chosen kind, chute, collapse, comedown, command, conation, conatus, conduciveness, constitution, course, crash, craving, cup of tea, current, curtsy, debacle, decision, declension, declination, defluxion, delight, descending, descension, descent, desire, determination, diathesis, dipping the colors, direction, direction line, discretion, discrimination, disposition, down, downbend, downcome, downcurve, downfall, downflow, downgrade, downpour, downrush, downtrend, downturn, downward trend, drift, drop, dropping, druthers, eagerness, easy slope, eccentricity, enthusiasm, fall, falling, fancy, fascination, favor, favoritism, feeling for, felicity, fervor, flair, fleam, forejudgment, free choice, free will, genius for, gentle slope, genuflection, gift for, glacis, grade, gradient, grain, gravitation, hanging gardens, heading, helicline, helmsmanship, hillside, homage, idiosyncrasy, incline, inclined plane, inclining, individualism, inequality, innate aptitude, intention, interest, involvement, jaundice, jaundiced eye, kidney, kneeling, kowtow, launching ramp, lay, lean, leaning, leaning tower, liability, lie, liking, line, line of direction, line of march, list, longing, lust, make, makeup, making a leg, mental set, mettle, mind, mind-set, mold, mutual affinity, mutual attraction, nature, navigation, nepotism, nod, nodding, obeisance, objective, obsequiousness, one-sidedness, orientation, parti pris, partialism, partiality, particular choice, partisanism, partisanship, passion, penchant, personal choice, piloting, pitch, pleasure, plummeting, point, pounce, preconception, predilection, predisposition, preference, preferential treatment, prejudgment, prejudice, prepossession, presenting arms, probability, proclivity, proneness, propensity, prostration, quarter, rake, ramp, range, rapids, readiness, resolution, reverence, run, salaam, salutation, salute, scarp, scrape, sensitivity to, servility, set, sexual desire, shelving beach, side, slant, slope, soft spot, stamp, standing at attention, steep slope, steerage, steering, stiff climb, stomach, stoop, strain, streak, stripe, style, submission, submissiveness, susceptibility, swag, sway, swoop, sympathy, talus, taste, temper, temperament, tendency, tenor, thing, tilt, tilting, tip, tower of Pisa, track, trend, tropism, turn, turn for, turn of mind, twist, type, undetachment, undispassionateness, unneutrality, velleity, volition, warp, waterfall, way, weakness, will, will power, willingness, wish, zeal
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THE PALESTINE-ISRAEL CONFLICT:
A Basic Introduction, 3rd ed.
by Gregory Harms, with Todd M. FerryLondon: Pluto Press, 2012. 288 pages.
Buy on Amazon
BACK COVER: The Palestine-israel conflict is the most notorious conflict of the twentieth, and now
twenty-first, century. Yet the way it is reported in the media is often confusing, leading many to
assume the hostilities stretch back to an ancient period. This accessible introduction covers the
full history of the region, from biblical times until today. Perfect for the general reader, as well
as students, it offers a comprehensive yet lucid rendering of the conflict, setting it in its proper
historical context. Harms and Ferry show how today's violence is very much a product of recent
history, with its roots in the twentieth century. This third edition is fully updated, including an
analysis of the ongoing situation in Gaza.
STRAIGHT POWER CONCEPTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST:
US Foreign Policy, Israel, and World History
by Gregory HarmsLondon: Pluto Press, 2010. 240 pages.
Buy on Amazon
How did the US become a world power?
How did it become involved in the Middle East?
What is the history
and nature of its "special relationship" with Israel?
AMAZON COPY: Given the increase in tensions in the Middle East, and the United States' involvement in them, news
coverage is in abundance. Yet, the reportage and discussion of American foreign policy is often
narrow in scope, offering little background or context. The subject is routinely treated with the
vocabulary provided by government officials, presenting best intentions while conceding occasional
mistakes and unfortunate incidents. As Gregory Harms demonstrates in Straight Power Concepts, the
historical record bears out a different vocabulary and tells a story that sharply contrasts with the
In this brief and accessible account, the reader is guided through the panoramic sweep of world and
American history, reviewing how the US became a world power, how the Middle East became "modern,"
and how Israel became an American "strategic asset." In doing so, the book provides a broad frame of
reference, illustrating that recent developments are closer to business-as-usual and nothing
resembling the rhetoric commonly used by heads of state, press secretaries, news media, and
As in his highly successful book The Palestine-Israel Conflict, Harms makes complex subjects
accessible to everyone, without sacrificing analytical rigor. This book should be the first port of
call for students and anyone seeking clarity and a historical elucidation of current events
involving the United States, Israel, and the Middle East.
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Ayurveda (the science of life) is one of the branches of vedas. It is regarded as upaveda of rigveda or atharva-veda but, really speaking,it is a stream of the knowledge coming down from generation to generation since eternity parallel to the vedic literature that is why its emergence has been said to be from the creator (Brahma) himself prior to the creation.It is called eternal because nobody knows when it was not there. All this shows its long tradition and deep attachment to the Indian culture.
Ayurvedic Definition of Health
Prasannatma, indriyas manah swath abhidayate.
Health is in balance when all three doshas (bioenergy) and agni (metabolic process) are in balance, and excretions are in proper order. When atman (soul), senses, manah (intellect) are in harmony with internal peace, the svastha (optimal health) is achieved.
Aim of Ayurveda
प्रयोजनं चास्य स्वस्थस्य स्वास्थ्य रक्षणं आतुरास्य विकार प्रशमनं च...
Prayojanam chasya swasthasya swasthya rakshnam Aturasya vikar prashamanam ch...
The objective of Ayurveda is to protect health of the body and to alleviate disorders in the diseased.
Dharmarthakamamoksanamarogyam mulamuttamam..... *Ch.Su.-I/16
Disease-free condition is the best source of virtue, wealth, gratification and emancipation while the disease is destroyer of this source, welfare and life itself.
Ayurveda provides knowledge of aetiology, symptomatology and therapeutics, best way for both the healthy and the sick, tri-aphormismic, continuing since time immemorial and virtuous which was first known to Brahma the creator.
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Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 56 / Number 2 / August 2009 / Pages 632-640
Laser Fusion-Fission Hybrid / Eighteenth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Part 2) / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST18-8166
Molten salt with dissolved uranium is being considered for the Laser Inertial Confinement Fusion Fission Energy (LIFE) fission blanket as a backup in case a solid-fuel version cannot meet the performance objectives, for example because of radiation damage of the solid materials. Molten salt is not damaged by radiation and therefore could likely achieve the desired high burnup (>99%) of heavy atoms of 238U. A perceived disadvantage is the possibility that the circulating molten salt could lend itself to misuse (proliferation) by making separation of fissile material easier than for the solid-fuel case. The molten salt composition being considered is the eutectic mixture of 73 mol% LiF and 27 mol% UF4, whose melting point is 490°C. The use of 232Th as a fuel is also being studied. (232Th does not produce Pu under neutron irradiation.) The temperature of the molten salt would be ∼550°C at the inlet (60°C above the solidus temperature) and ∼650°C at the outlet. Mixtures of U and Th are being considered. To minimize corrosion of structural materials, the molten salt would also contain a small amount (∼1mol%) of UF3. The same beryllium neutron multiplier could be used as in the solid fuel case; alternatively, a liquid lithium or liquid lead multiplier could be used. Insuring that the solubility of Pu3+ in the melt is not exceeded is a design criterion. To mitigate corrosion of the steel, are fractory coating such as tungsten similar to the first wall facing the fusion source is suggested in the high-neutron-flux regions; and in low-neutron-flux regions, including the piping and heat exchangers, a nickel alloy, Hastelloy, would be used. These material choices parallel those made for the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE) at ORNL. The nuclear performance is better than the solid fuel case. At the beginning of life, the tritium breeding ratio is unity and the plutonium plus 233U production rate is ∼0.6 atoms per 14.1 MeV neutron.
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Note: In October/November 2012 Professor of Forest Ecology Glenn Juday participated in a private trip (pilgrimage) following the route of St. Paul, through Turkey, mainland Greece, the Aegean islands and Rome. As time permits he will post some sketches of the history, geography, and natural history and contemporary observations of this route.
Part 2 of 3
The design, construction and conservation of the Parthenon
The construction of the Parthenon displays architectural design skill, large-project construction capability, and artistic ability beyond the level of nearly all other structures of its time. The Parthenon displays a deceptively simple visual harmony, which is what first attracts most visitors. The harmony is based on the simple mathematical and geometric ratio of 9:4. This is the ratio of the length to the width of the Parthenon, and it is the ratio of the width of the front of the temple to its height. The same ratio carries over into the distance between the center of each vertical column to the width of each column.
|An olive tree at the base of the Erectheum, on the Acropolis of Athens, October 2012. This olive tree commemorates the gift of the mythical goddess Athena.|
The Parthenon originally was lavishly decorated with marble sculptures on both the exterior and interior. The west and east pediments (triangular spaces between the peak of the roof and height of the columns) were covered with tableaux of the mythological events of the involvement of the gods and demi-gods in the origin of the city. Analysis of residues on the sculptures indicates that they were originally painted, although the extent and color scheme are still being discovered and debated.
In terms of the quality of artistic workmanship, these sculptures are practically without parallel in the Hellenic (from the Greek Hellas for Greek) world of the time. Doric temples such as the Parthenon characteristically had a frieze or wide moldings and bands, which extended horizontally above columns. The frieze of the Parthenon could only be seen through the columns, requiring the viewer to look up. As a result they had to be designed very precisely so the viewer could see the details. The amazing fact about the sculptures on the frieze of the Parthenon is that the carvings are no more than 7.5 cm (3 in) deep. Yet the figures depicted convey a three dimensional look. They display a naturalness and fluidity that easily suggests movement, or strength and power in horses, or relaxation in the maidens.
All of the original sculptures have been removed from the building itself, although some replicas have been put in their place. Some were destroyed in late antiquity, some were partially destroyed in a 17th century explosion, and some have been placed into an excellent on-site museum. But perhaps the most famous set of sculptures missing from the Parthenon are the so-called “Elgin Marbles” (actually the Parthenon Marbles), which are one of the prized holdings of the British Museum. Thomas Bruce, the 7th Earl of Elgin, was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1799 to 1803. During his ambassadorship he obtained a blanket permission from Ottoman authorities to remove pieces of the Parthenon. The local Greeks were largely a suppressed, powerless, and poorly educated people. Ottoman officials, and obviously British as well, felt no need to consider their opinion at the time.
Agents working for Elgin removed about half of the Parthenon sculptures, a number of architectural members, and sculptures from the Erechtheum from 1801 to 1812, packed them up and shipped them off by sea to London. Some of the pieces were sawn apart to facilitate shipment. Even at the time, this removal of pieces of the Parthenon generated harsh criticism in Britain as equivalent to an act of vandalism or looting.
Elgin was unable to bear the expense of the entire operation while maintaining his estate. The British government purchased the Parthenon Marbles from Elgin in 1816 and put them on display in the British Museum, where they remain today in a special wing constructed for them. The museum’s dilemma is acute. On the one hand, the Greek government and people have a strong case for the return of their patrimony. On the other hand, few museums in the world could sustain all their current holdings on the basis of a consistent application of the general principle of repatriation of objects acquired with some shady overtones.
The Parthenon, the instantly recognizable iconic symbol of so much of enduring value in art, architecture and democratic values, has had a difficult time enduring in recent decades. All it takes to dissolve marble into a salt crust is acid and water. For much of the post-WW II era, Athens existed in a vigorous cloud of air pollution that provided plenty of acidity, particularly sulfur oxides and nitrous oxides. Just add water and sulfuric acid and nitric acid are produced. Nearly all school children have seen a teacher put a few drops of acid on limestone or marble and watched the rock dissolve away. In just this way the Parthenon and its artwork began to dissolve away.
As the population in Athens exploded in the post-WWII years and a great influx of people from the countryside moved in as a result of the civil war with the communists in the late 1940s, a new and somewhat haphazardly constructed city with very bad air quality took shape. The great marble and limestone artistic and cultural patrimony of ancient Greece were bathed in acid. The damage was severe, and in some cases exceeded in a couple of decades the amount weathering in the previous two millennia. More recently some progress has been made in reducing air pollution.
Greece has developed a world-class set of museum facilities, conservators and historians. A conservation and restoration plan for the Parthenon is being carried out gradually. Some of the severely damaged sections of the Parthenon remained as stone fragments littered about the Acropolis, and previous restorations frequently put them together incorrectly. Today these stone pieces are being taken apart and then reassembled correctly with the aid of a complete database of original stone fragments and a computer shape-matching program. But in the end the final decision about the proper placement of a fragment is reserved to human judgment. Some past restoration used concrete to supply missing material in order to join to original pieces. Older concrete mixtures can react with the original marble and accelerate deterioration, so concrete restorations are being removed. Reinforcement of some weakened stone structural sections was formerly accomplished using iron and steel reinforcing rods, which have reacted over the years with the marble and damaged it further. Where necessary, new titanium rods are being substituted for other metals.
All these problems are being systematically corrected while the Parthenon is open to visitors. The visibility of scaffolding and construction cranes are minimized to the degree the different asks allow so that visitors can continue to enjoy the Parthenon and it can continue to generated much-needed revenue for the Greek economy.
|Author in front of crane and scaffolding at the west end of the Parthenon, November, 2012.|
The Parthenon is built from marble quarried from Mount Pentelicon, about 16 km (10 mi) from Athens. This proximity of an abundant source of high quality marble (a premium building material in ancient times) was a crucial factor in allowing the construction of such a large and elaborate temple to such high standards. Ancient records indicate that quarrying and moving the marble was the biggest expense in the construction of the Parthenon. The Mount Pentelicon quarry has been reopened, and it supplies marble for restorations of the original structure of the Parthenon and replica statuary. Restorations are now literally the same material as the original.
The fate of the Parthenon through history
The Parthenon, obviously, has a long history. Yet it managed to survive in a more intact condition than most of its contemporary structures. The Parthenon outlasted the civic religion that produced it, the empires that absorbed it, and even a number of alternative uses that spread across the Acropolis. The Parthenon did not go into ruin slowly. Much of the worst damage to it came from specific incidents, with a surprising number of them in the later, more recent period of its long life.
Just before the spectacular recovery achieved by ancient Athens from the Persian attack that occasioned the building of the Parthenon, Athens formed a military alliance with more than 150 smaller and more vulnerable city-states. These city-states either contributed forces or alternatively paid a fee to the alliance. The sacred island of Delos held the treasury where the payment was stored and guarded, and so the alliance was called the Delian League. Over time the larger, stronger Athenian protectors began to dominate the League, and in practical terms it became an Athenian Empire. In 454 B.C. Pericles ordered the transfer of the League treasury to Athens. The self-appropriation of the immense wealth of the League treasury allowed Pericles to rebuild the Parthenon, the Propylaea and much of Athens on a lavish scale to the most exacting standards of quality.
The Parthenon itself appears from its earliest days to have been partially regarded as a treasury. The giant stature of Athena was made of ivory and covered with a massive amount of gold. As might be expected, when in later times (296 B.C.) a somewhat dodgy ruler, the tyrant Lachares, got into a pinch and needed some quick way to pay his army, he helped himself to the gold.
Athens and all of Greece came under Roman rule after 146 B.C., at first under the Republic, and later the Roman Empire. In 88 B.C. Athens revolted, and the Roman Army under the general Sulla crushed the resistance with much violence and emphatic attention to the details of looting. But once Roman rule was unchallenged, life in Athens continued much as before. The Greek language remained solidly established in the eastern Mediterranean. The Romans had a saying that: “Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit.” (Captive Greece captured her rough conqueror). The Romans had a god paired to nearly each in the Greek pantheon, in part because the Roman gods and religion developed under some Greek influence in their formative years. So once the Roman Empire engulfed Athens it was a simple matter to let the Parthenon stand and function as it had before.
The Romans were practical, proud of their achievements in engineering (both civil and military), and focused on the future – as in expanding or protecting the Empire. Many Romans deeply respected the Greek cultural patrimony, but a number, especially the more populist types, tended to regard Greek philosophical schools, refined language, and attachment to a golden past as stuffy, effete and hopelessly impractical. Even in the early times of the Roman Empire, only a couple of centuries after construction of the Parthenon, there was a nostalgia about the Athens of a golden, glorious past, now faded. But there is no particular evidence that the Romans identified the Parthenon in any special way as the icon of the institution of democracy or the cultural achievements of the Golden Age of Athens. Partly, that was because there was plenty of other evidence to make the point – physical evidence as well as unbroken transmission of cultural evidence.
In the late 4th century Athens experienced a brief incursion of the Goths and Vandals from the north, who, not surprisingly, vandalized and looted much of the city. They were driven out and went on to sack the greatly weakened city of Rome in 410 A.D. The Roman Empire had by then reorganized, and earlier in the 4th century the Emperor Constantine founded a strong new and much more defensible capital, Constantinople, at the old village of Byzantium as the Eastern Roman Empire. Immediately Athens was at the heart of the new empire. But it was Christian empire from its start, and the Parthenon was quickly converted into a Christian church.
The contemporary author Anthony Kaldellis argues that the Parthenon was more important as a church than it had been as a cultic temple, and in fact there is scant evidence for the latter use at all. However there is evidence that the Parthenon Church became an important pilgrimage destination. The Parthenon was initially dedicated as the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, or Hagia Sophia). It was then rededicated to the Virgin Mary as Theotokos (literally “God bearer,” or more commonly, Mother of God). The term Theotokos emerged in 431 at the Council of Ephesus from the controversies over the nature of the person of Christ. Given the origin of the Parthenon as a structure dedicated to Athena Parthenos – Athena the Virgin – one interpretation under the new Christian culture was that the old and imperfectly understood prepared the way for the perfect and fully revealed (Blessed Virgin Mary). An apse was added at the east end, and the internal columns were removed. Significantly it is not clear that many statues of pagan deities were removed from the Parthenon during its active use as a church. Some polemicists would like to make the Christian culture of the time a retrograde and vandalizing force. While it is indisputably true that among the Christian ranks there existed ignorant and weak-minded people, there is little evidence to support the conjecture of systematic anti-cultural and anti-art fanaticism. And the clearest example of anti artistic fanaticism, the iconoclast controversy, was introduced as the result of imperial meddling and was resolved as a result of condemnation of iconoclasm (literally, icon smashing) by Church councils of 787 and 843. In any event, the great pagan mythic scenes on the pediments of the Parthenon were certainly not removed. For nearly a millennium the Parthenon functioned under this order. It certainly was architecturally one of the oddest churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
As a result of the Fourth Crusade, Athens and Constantinople itself were conquered by western knights, with the latter severely looted. During the period from 1205 to 1456, Athens was ruled by a succession of medium “western” powers heavily invested in trade with the eastern Mediterranean and able to project power and establish bases there - Burgundians, Catalans, Florentines, and, briefly, Venetians. All of them appear to have extended respect to the Parthenon. By this time the differences between the ancient apostolic Eastern and Western Churches had firmed up into a schism or split of Eastern Orthodoxy versus the Catholic and overwhelmingly Latin Church. The western rulers of Athens in this period transformed the Parthenon into a Latin-Rite Catholic Church. In the late thirteenth century, Pope Nicholas IV even granted an indulgence for those who went on pilgrimage to it.
By 1460, the recent Islamic conquest and destruction of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire by the Ottoman Turks allowed a continuation of jihad and invasion into mainland Europe. Greece and Athens were conquered, and the Parthenon was converted into a mosque. A minaret was added, but even at this date the Parthenon was far more intact than anybody in modern times has seen. Then a period of neglect and decline began. The Venetians alternately traded with and fought the Ottomans in the eastern Mediterranean. During one of these wars, in 1687 the Parthenon suffered the greatest damage in its history. The Venetian forces were attacking, and the Ottoman forces were defending from the Parthenon. The Ottomans had stored their gunpowder in the Parthenon. A Venetian mortar bomb arced through the roof and detonated the gunpowder. The explosion destroyed the central portion of the Parthenon. The roof collapsed, and pillars especially on the south side were cut in half. Most of the sculptures were damaged to some degree. A fire raged for a day and a half. The largely intact patrimony of a time two millennia earlier was ravaged in an instant.
By the late 18th century tourism to Athens began to develop under the protection of the strong British fleet that dominated the Mediterranean Sea and a general decrease in risk of travel on land. The ruins of the Parthenon fit right in with the mood and aesthetic of this, the early Romantic Period. In its essence the aesthetic went something like: a long lost romantic past is encountered in ruins that speak of the intangible things of the spirit and culture. The Parthenon became a must-see on any decent tour of the Mediterranean.
The Ottomans anticipated an eventual conquest and replacement of European civilization with Islamic culture, and so were not greatly moved by the Parthenon or its fate. But the British, a rising power in the region, had an intellectual class keenly interested in all things ancient and Greek. The widespread teaching of Greek (some of the American Founding Fathers were among the students of the language) began to create a class for whom the Athenian past spoke. The removal of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin was the product of that unique moment in history when the indigenous Greek people were powerless, the ruling Ottoman power indifferent (or bribable), and an outside global power (British) enthralled and projecting power into the region.
Seething under Ottoman and Islamic suppression, and benefiting from a Greek language revival, the rise of a merchant class, and young people educated in European universities, in 1821 the Greeks began a war for independence. A sympathetic British and European elite offered encouragement and pressed their governments to support the revolt. A combined British, French and Russian fleet defeated an Ottoman naval force, and Ottoman land forces were forced to withdraw. George Gordon Byron (Lord Byron), the chief English Romantic poet, joined the revolt and died of a fever, becoming a Greek national hero. During the struggle, Greek and volunteer forces besieged and attacked the Parthenon. Ottoman defenders rearranged the ruins for defense, and even extracted lead for bullets from metal stays that held parts of the Parthenon together. The Greeks forces were so upset it is said that they offered the defenders their own bullets if they would agree to stop damaging the Parthenon.
The Greeks gained control of Athens in 1832 and promptly removed the minaret from the Parthenon. All modern and medieval structures were cleared from the Acropolis, and it became an historic district controlled by the Greek government. In essence the Parthenon was appropriated for Greek nationalism. Given the influence of the Romantic movement and the thorough destruction of Greek and Byzantine culture and learning by four centuries of Ottoman rule, the modern act of recalling the past skipped over most of a millennium and a half. In the subsequent presentation and depiction of the Parthenon, a hazily recalled and inaccurately depicted secular past leapt directly into a politically charged modern world. The tourist experience at the Parthenon was crafted to provide this meaning, and the Parthenon became the icon of the origins of democracy and the cultural flowering of the time of Pericles and the Golden Age of Athens. This interpretation is accurate enough, as far as it goes.
But the idea that the Parthenon was a treasury, a mosque, and since there is no record of it being de-sacralized, that the Parthenon is still an Orthodox (“Panagia Atheniotissa”) or Catholic church (“Notre Dame d’Athène”), is simply not part of the modern consciousness. At the very time the modern world has established strong cultural institutions such as museums or scholarly institutes and developed a continuously improving historical record, a sort of black hole has opened up in the contemporary historical understanding of the middle life of this unique and iconic building. Perhaps the history of the Parthenon is too much of a record accumulated over too much time for the somewhat odd world we inhabit to show much respect for historical truth. But perhaps there will always be a few people interested in such things, and who knows what meanings will be attached in the future to this hauntingly attractive building and the island of ‘time out of time’ that surrounds it?
See Part One
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The TEACCH Autism Program started in 1972 as part of the University of North Carolina. TEACCH stands for Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children. It was developed as a system of university-based regional centers to serve children, adolescents and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families and consists of active clinical, teaching, and research programmes.
Across the state of North Carolina, TEACCH operates 7 community regional clinics as well as a vocational/residential facility for adults with ASD. Each of the centres provides core services and unique demonstration programmes meeting the needs of individuals with ASD, their families, and professionals. TEACCH additionally supports student and professional training activities within the state, the US, and around the world.
In the UK many aspects of the TEACCH approach are adapted and used in both specialist and mainstream schools, as well as by parents at home. One of the 4 major components of structured teaching widely used in the UK is the individual work system used for developing independence in school (The other 3 major components are: physical organisation; schedules; and learning task organisation – Schopler & Mesibov, 1995). Typically, young people using the work system to support their learning will have a work station set up within the classroom that allows their work activities to be structured using trays or folders which the young person can then work through with minimal adult support.
The structured work station provides a prosthetic that allows the young person to make sense of how to understand and proceed with the activities, and reduces the need for adult direction and support. It’s important to remember to be creative with how these structured approaches are used – what works well for one young person may not work well for another, but the idea of making the task more easily understood and developing independence is an important one!
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‘India Year Book 2017’ – India 2017 (English) or Bharat 2017 (Hindi) – is a reference book published annually by the Publication Division of the Indian Government. Popularly known as the ‘India Year Book’, this reference book is an authoritative compilation of the complete information about the almost everything associated with India – with the latest data corresponding to this year.
In this post, we review the India Year Book 2017. We shall see how useful India 2017 for UPSC Civil Services aspirants.
What’s special about India Year Book 2017?
India Year Book 2017, covers most of the government policies and schemes of the Government of India. This would give the readers clear-cut and authentic information. Moreover, aspirants will get a whole picture idea.
What are the contents of India Year Book 2017?
The book covers current affairs of the country, which includes important dignitaries, state policy, public schemes and important data related to demographics, trade, economy and others.
Though the book has 32 chapters, which runs into 1056 pages, India 2017 can be easily covered if you prioritize important chapters.
How can you buy India 2017?
You can either buy the hardcopy (paperback) or use the softcopy (Kindle edition). If you buy online, the book is available at a great discount. The Hindi version of the book is available as Bharat 2017. Links for both English and Hindi versions of India Year Book are given below:
- Click to Buy India YearBook from Amazon.
- Click to Buy India YearBook from Flipkart.
- Click to Buy Bharat 2017 (Hindi) from Amazon.
- Click to Buy Bharat 2017 (Hindi) from Flipkart.
7 Reasons why aspirants should refer India Year Book 2017?
- Being a government publication, the information presented is authentic that is also used as a reference source by researchers, media and reputed publications.
- The book is brought out on a yearly basis and updates all the data related to development in the country regularly. Information ranging from urban to rural India, industry to infrastructure, art and culture, technology and science to economy, health, defence, education and mass communication is put together.
- Information about sports, national events and international events having relevance to India are also presented in this book.
- The sections on Current Affairs and General Knowledge portion presented in India 2017 is one of the most authentic information sources as it is officially stamped and released by government publishing house.
- A clear, precise and updated population table even presents the latest population estimates of the nation, for a census is only done once in a decade.
- Although the book contains much information about the working of the Government, it’s functioning, and its various agencies, it is written in easy to understand language that is precise and updated.
- Apart from being the most reliable source of information and knowledge about the workings of the Indian Government, the book also proves to a Bible of facts and figures for those competing at the UPSC conducted examinations, be they the civil services examination (IAS, IPS etc.), Indian Economic Services, Indian Military Academy or other competitive examinations held regularly for national and state services jobs.
Review of 'India Year Book 2017' - by ClearIAS Team
Book Title: India 2017
Book Description: India 2017 (English) or Bharat 2017 (Hindi) is a reference book published annually by the Publication Division of the Indian Government.
Book Author: Publication Division of the Indian Government
Book Edition: 1
Book Format: Paperback
Number Of Pages: 1056
India Year Book 2017 is an authentic book from the Government of India. It not only gives you facts and figures but also an idea about latest government schemes and policies. The book can supply a lot of filler points - which may turn extremely handy for UPSC Main exam. Worth buying - the choice can be a hardcopy or softcopy.
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Contemporary medical science has, until recent times, remained in perennial search of a single cause of a disease, be it physiological or molecular. Looking at the human body through a systems perspective is a relatively new approach in the field of biomedicine. Ayurveda, the Indian traditional medical system, on the other hand, has always looked at diseases as a holistic response of an individual to the environmental challenge.
The bane of Ayurveda, however, is that unlike the present day allopathic system it lacks documented records of experiments, research methodology, peer-reviewed studies, and population-based investigations, in the manner as seen today. There are only a few molecular correlates to back up this ancient system of healing – to connect it to our present understanding of human health. Well, that was so, at least until recently.
The situation now seems to be changing rather positively. In an article, recently published in the Journal of Genetics (Prasher et al., “Genomic insights into ayurvedic and western approaches to personalised medicine), Dr Mitali Mukerji and Dr. Bhavana Prasher, from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology have described Ayurgenomics – an emerging field that integrates the science of genomics to investigate Ayurvedic concepts, drawing parallels between ‘Prakriti’ and ‘gene expression patterns’ in people. The paper argues that “recognition of the underlying systems biology has been effective in the translation of network medicine into clinical practice of Ayurveda for thousands of years”.
In the Ayurvedic system, people are classified on the basis of Prakriti, which basically characterises a person’s constitution, defined by the relative proportions of three basic elements, a.k.a. ‘three doshas’ or ‘Tridosha’. The three doshas – Vata (kinetic), Pitta (metabolic) and Kapha (potential) and their combinations Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, Vata-Kapha and Vata-Pitta-Kapha are the 7 classes of healthy physiological constitutions that, according to Ayurveda, any person can be categorised into. A person’s Prakriti, based on his inherent dosha, is responsible for the way he looks, his skin, hair, body type, physical-, mental-, metabolic- abilities, health, etc. Any disruption, in any of these basal states of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, leads to disease. Ayurvedic therapy, therefore, is directed towards the restitution of a balanced state of doshas, based on a person’s Prakriti.
While Ayurvedic concepts may sound abstract and unrealistic, the Ayurgenomics team at CSIR-IGIB, through their studies, has been able to identify unique molecular signatures for each individual. In an earlier study, the first of its kind, the authors sampled 96 healthy unrelated individuals – belonging to any of the three basic Prakriti types (Vata, Pitta or Kapha), in order to determine whether each class could be mapped to a unique molecular signature. The answer, following Genome-Wide Association Studies and various biochemical profiling analyses, was in the affirmative.
The study, reported in the Journal of Translational Medicine in 2008, revealed a number of genes that were differently expressed between the three Prakriti classes. More authentically, the list of genes included were those involved in core regulatory functions – ones known to impact multiple phenotypes and physiological processes. “Since the method of Prakriti phenotyping captures multiple seemingly unconnected systems, genetic variation underlying Prakriti could enable identification of hub genes that would have system-wide effects”, say the researchers in their article. Their studies provide proof of concept for the Ayurvedic principle of Tridoshas.
One of the genes identified in the study was ELGN1, whose product regulates the activity of a transcription factor, HIF1a, that is involved in allowing cells adapt to hypoxia. The EGLN1 product has multiple roles in the body, and dysregulation of this gene has been linked to diseases affecting various body systems. Genotypic variations responsible for variable expression of this gene can either assist recovery, like in the case of ischemia, or exacerbate the disease as observed in cancer. Based on their findings, the authors propose that this molecule could be a ‘molecular contributor to Tridosha’. Of course, this is only the beginning. Multiple studies are now being carried out whose results can be applied to the Ayurvedic concept of Trisutra (meaning: causes, symptoms and treatment of a disease), warranting further investigations along the same line.
The review article, co-authored by Dr Bhavana Prasher and Prof. Mitali Mukerji from CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, and Prof. Greg Gibson from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, can be freely accessed using the link provided here.
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How Biotech Can Guarantee Improved Yields
By Abdallah el-Kurebe
The introduction of biotechnology in agriculture is globally met with opponents’ criticisms of genetically-modified (GM) crops. They argue that the crops do not increase more yields than non-GM crops.
However, the proponents of such crops see it otherwise. They posit that biotechnology guarantees improved yields. But how?
In agriculture, desirable crop characteristics are known as traits and one of the most important traits in crop characteristics, is yield.
Improving crop yield could be accomplished through biotechnology in addition to plant breeding. When biotechnology is applied on crops, it guarantees higher yields than the conventional plant breeding.
Prof. Muhammadu Ishiyaku of Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria said that “Yield is controlled by many genetic factors in addition to the quality of the environment (soil). Soil nutrients cannot provide any yield beyond the genetic potential of the crop. But the genetic potential of the crop can be enhanced through biotechnology.”
But how can biotech enhance the genetic potential of crops? “Biotechnology will assist in precisely identifying yield genes and that can be put in specific variety. That will set a very high genetic potential for yields. So, when growing in the appropriate environment, then you see the yield becoming five to ten times more than what the conventional variety can provide,” Prof. Ishiyaku says.
Important for biotech application towards improved yields in agriculture, is enabling law that allows for free use and commercialization of biotech crops.
Adequate funding by governments, corporate organisations, and individuals for research and development is one important thing for Biotech. R & D will strengthen biotechnology adaptability because scientists will carry out and apply their research findings with ease.
The application of biotechnology by developed and a few developing nations has resulted in various percentage of yield increases in wheat, banana, soybean, corn, papaya, cotton, etc. Therefore, if the same is applied in Nigeria and other African countries, improved yields would also be assured.
Already, researchers have completed the second of three major steps needed to turbo-charge photosynthesis in wheat and rice in order to boost yields by around 36 to 60 percent for many plants. It means that if African countries encourage the understudy of biotech and also see to its applicability, improved varieties would be a guarantee.
Prof. Calestous Juma says in his book, “New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa” that Biotechnology, which is a technology that is applied to biological systems, “has the promise of leading to increased food security and sustainable forestry practices, as well as improving health in developing countries by enhancing food nutrition.”
The major problems of the African farmer and by implication, African agriculture is soil degradation, which has resulted in soil infertility; drought, weed, pests, etc. Juma says that biotech gets rid of all these.
“Biotech has enabled the genetic alteration of crops, improved soil productivity, and enhanced weed and pest control. Unfortunately, such potential has largely been left untapped by African countries,” he says.
Prof. Ishiyaku says that “Higher yields are found in Biotech crops. This is because without chemicals, which are harmful to our environment, biotechnology provides insects protection technologies in GM crops. They are also resistant to many threats like insects, pests, drought, etc.”
There is a rapid increase in demand of food – no doubts. This is at the time that the farming population is aging while the youths are not interested in the strenuous work. Agric Biotech offers itself to ease the stress and maximise farm output.
Dr. Moses Adebayo of the Department of Agronomy, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso says that “Biotechnology reduces production constraints on farms. It also reduces stress and will attract the youths to engage in farming.”
For improved yield, scientific methods is needed the reason that Prof. Juma suggests that challenges, “In order to achieve the best solutions to the challenges in African agriculture, independent and scientifically sound methods must be used. We must consider all the alternatives for addressing these challenges using independent and scientifically sound methods. These alternatives include genetically modified organisms (GMO) and their potential use.”
Improved yields could be further guaranteed in Africa by relying on the promise of technology itself. This is because the evidence of its contributions to rural development around the globe is inspiring. The region should therefore complement the existing practices with agricultural biotechnology.
If the scientific community is emboldened to work with governments to explore ways of building the needed capacity, especially in agricultural technology, African farm yields would be boosted.
Though joining the biotechnology revolution lately, African governments should create enabling environment for farmers to take advantage of the technological leap-frogging by enacting laws that allow the application of agric biotech. This is required also if improved yields is our aim.
It is pertinent for research institutes to involve farmers in research processes. This could be done in a way of Public Private Peasant Partnership (PPPP). This will be a little diversion from such research undertakings where the peasant is excluded. The Public Private Partnership (PPP) has always excluded the peasant who is the end user of research products.
Modern biotechnology added to conventional breeding techniques and good agricultural practices could guarantee improved planting material. This in turn, gives you a good harvest – a good harvest means more food on the table, and the ability to sell surplus, driving economic development for individuals, families and communities.
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High incidence of hypertension
South Africans in general, and our black population in particular, are very prone to hypertension or high blood pressure. It is estimated that 24,4% of adult black South Africans suffer from hypertension and that this disease tends to be poorly managed due to a variety of factors. Consequently strokes and cerebral accidents are also common in this population.
Two major dietary factors that can influence hypertension are salt or sodium intake (which increases blood pressure) and potassium intake (which decreases blood pressure). The WHO recommend a sodium to potassium ratio in the diet of 1. In our black population the sodium intake is very high (up to 8 gram per day – compared to the recommended maximum of 6 gram per day), while potassium intake is very low (50-60 mmol/day). It is, therefore, understandable that South African black people struggle to achieve the sodium to potassium ratio of 1 as recommended by the WHO.
The Dash Diet has provided sound scientific evidence that eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains together with moderate quantities of low-fat or fat-free dairy products, can improve potassium, magnesium and calcium intakes, while reducing sodium intake to acceptable levels to reduce blood pressure.
While more affluent members of our society can easily apply the principles of the Dash Diet, the less economically advantage sectors of our population tend to have low intakes of fruit, vegetables and dairy products because of outright poverty and consequent food insecurity.
The researchers, therefore, had to devise another plan to reduce the sodium intake and increase the potassium intake of their 80 black subjects. What they decided to do was to reduce sodium intake while increasing intakes of potassium, magnesium and calcium in commonly consumed foods.
Bread, margarine, stock cubes, soup mix and a flavour enhancer with a lower sodium or salt content, and a 500 ml serving per day of maas (unflavoured sour milk) to 40 study participants for a period of eight weeks.
The 40 control subjects were given the same diet with a ‘normal’ salt content and 500 ml of artificially sweetened cold drink per day for the same period.
After eight weeks, the average systolic blood pressure of the test subjects was 6.2 mm Hg lower than that of the control subjects. Other blood pressure results such as average systolic and diastolic bp measured by a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor were on average up to 4.5 mm Hg lower for the test group.
In the test group the sodium intake remained unchanged, while in the control group it increased by nearly 1 gram per day. The protective nutrient intakes improved dramatically; for example calcium intake nearly doubled, potassium intake increased by nearly 900 mg per day and magnesium intake increased by 84 mg per day in the study group. Keep in mind that these improvements in potassium, calcium and magnesium intakes were achieved without using mineral supplements.
Early History of Africa
The early history of man is the story of food in Africa. Homo sapiens evolved apart from other apes in Africa, and the adaptation of humans has been shaped by adaptations to diet . For example, some anthropologists believe that the selection pressure that led to bipedalism (walking on two legs) was an adaptation to changing environments that involved travel in search of tubers (rounded underground plant stems, such as potatoes). Africa’s history includes some of humankind’s earliest food production, with one of the most fertile centers located in Northern Africa, the Nile Valley. The Nile Valley historically was and continues to be a rich source of fish, animal, and plant food. In the drier African savannas, especially after the Sahara region became arid after 6000 B.C.E., nomad tribes raised cattle, goats, or sheep, which served as part of the tribes’ food source. Crops that were less affected by extreme weather like cereals (such as wheat, barley, millet, and sorghum) and tubers (such as yams) slowly became popular throughout the continent and have remained important staples in the African diet today.
The African Climate and Terrain.
The historic influences on the African diet began in ancient times and continue to the present day. Great geographic differences across the African continent caused much of the variety in the African diet. In addition, many tribes and peoples migrated or traded, bringing spices and foods from each other’s culture into their own. However, though each region of Africa has its distinct cuisines , African food has its basic staples.
The African Diet
Throughout Africa, the main meal of the day is lunch, which usually consists of a mixture of vegetables, legumes , and sometimes meat. However, though different meats are considered staples in many areas, many Africans are not able to eat meat often, due to economic constraints. Beef, goat, and sheep (mutton) are quite expensive in Africa, so these foods are reserved for special days. However, fish is abundant in coastal regions and in many lakes.
The combination of various foods is called stew, soup, or sauce, depending on the region. This mixture is then served over a porridge or mash made from a root vegetable such as cassava or a grain such as rice, corn, millet, or teff. Regional differences are reflected in variations on this basic meal, primarily in the contents of the stew. The greatest variety of ingredients occurs in coastal areas and in the fertile highlands. Flavorings and spiciness have varied principally due to local histories of trade. In the traditional African diet, meat and fish are not the focus of a meal, but are instead used to enhance the stew that accompanies the mash or porridge. Meat is rarely eaten, though it is well-liked among carnivorous (meat-eating) Africans.
Traditional Cooking Methods.
Traditional ways of cooking involve steaming food in leaf wrappers (banana or corn husks), boiling, frying in oil, grilling beside a fire, roasting in a fire, or baking in ashes. Africans normally cook outdoors or in a building separate from the living quarters. African kitchens commonly have a stew pot sitting on three stones arranged around a fire. In Africa, meals are normally eaten with the hands.
The countries of North Africa that border the Mediterranean Sea are largely Muslim countries. As a result, their diet reflects Islamic traditions. The religion of Islam does not permit eating pork or any animal product that has
North African cuisine reflects the Islamic traditions of the region. Here, a man cooks with traditional Moroccan tajines,
conical clay pots used for lamb stews and curries.
[Photograph by Owen Franken. Corbis. Reproduced by permission.]
not been butchered in accordance with the traditions of the faith. Like other regions of Africa, much of the diet is based on grains. However, cooking with olive oil, onions, and garlic is more common in the countries of North Africa. Notable spices include cumin, caraway, clove, and cinnamon. Flat breads are a common staple and can accompany any meal, including breakfast, which is usually porridge prepared from millet or chickpea flour. Couscous (made from hard wheat and millet) is often the main dish at lunch, which is the primary meal. This may be accompanied by vegetable salads. Other main dishes include tajine, named for the conical clay pot in which a whole meal is prepared. Lamb is cooked in tajines as well as on kabobs (roasted on a skewer). Vegetables include okra, meloukhia (spinach-like greens), and radishes. Common fruits are oranges, lemons, pears, and mandrakes. Legumes such as broad beans (fava beans), lentils, yellow peas, and black-eyed peas are also important staples. Alcoholic drinks are forbidden by Islamic tradition. Mint tea and coffee are very popular beverages in this region.
Within West Africa, there is considerable variation in the staple food. Rice is predominant from Mauritania to Liberia and across to the Sahel, a region that stretches across the continent between the Sahara and the southern savannas. Couscous is the prevalent dish in the Sahara. Along the coast from Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to Nigeria and Cameroon, root crops, primarily varieties of yam and cassava, are common. Cassava, imported from Brazil by the Portuguese, is boiled and then pounded into a nearly pure starch. Yam is the chief crop in West Africa and is served in a variety of dishes, including amala (pounded yam) and egwansi (melon) sauce. Millet is also used for making porridge or beer.
Biotechnology and Africa
Many scientists believe that biotechnology is the most promising route to fighting and possibly eradicating chronic malnutrition among the 800 million people in the developing world who live in poverty. Researchers are working to develop improved versions of African staples, including a strain of sweet potato that is resistant to a virus that regularly devastates the crop, cassava that is resistant to the cassava mosaic virus, and corn that is resistant to the maize streak virus. Also under development is cotton that is less susceptible to insect infestation. However, genetically modified crops are controversial in some African countries. Zambia has banned donations of genetically modified food, and Zimbabwe has raised concerns about donations of corn from the United States that is not certified to be free of genetic modifications.
Palm oil is the base of stew in the Gambia, southern, and eastern regions. In the Sahalian area, groundnut paste (peanut butter) is the main ingredient for stew. Other stews are based on okra (a vegetable native to the rainforests of Africa), beans, sweet potato leaves, or cassava. Other vegetables are eggplant, cabbage, carrots, chilies, french beans, lettuce, okra, onions, and cherry tomatoes. All the stews in this territory tend to be heavily spiced, often with chilies.
West African Fruit.
Plantain, a variety of banana, is abundant in the more tropical West Africa. Sweet plantains are normally fried, while hard plantains are boiled or pounded into fufu. Dates, bananas, guava, melons, passionfruit, figs, jackfruit, mangos, pineapples, cashews, and wild lemons and oranges are also found here.
Meat sources of protein include cattle, sheep, chicken, and goat, though beef is normally reserved for holidays and special occasions. Fish is eaten in the coastal areas. Because of the Islamic influence, pork is localized to non-Muslim areas. In these regions, “bush meat” is widely eaten, including bush rat, a large herbivorous rodent, antelope, and monkey. Giant snails are also eaten in various parts of West Africa.
Extensive trade and migrations with Arabic countries and South Asia has made East African culture unique, particularly on the coast. The main staples include potatoes, rice, matake (mashed plantains), and a maize meal that is cooked up into a thick porridge. Beans or a stew with meat, potatoes, or vegetables often accompany the porridge. Beef, goat, chicken, or sheep are the most common meats. Outside of Kenya and the horn of Africa, the stew is not as spicy, but the coastal area has spicy, coconut-based stews. This is quite unique in comparison to the central and southern parts of Africa.
Two herding tribes, the Maasai and Fulbe, have a notably different eating pattern. They do not eat very much meat, except for special occasions. Instead, they subsist on fresh and soured milk and butter as their staples. This is unusual because very few Africans consume milk or dairy products, primarily due to lactose intolerance .
The horn of Africa, which includes modern-day Somalia and Ethiopia, is characterized by its remarkably spicy food prepared with chilies and garlic. The staple grain, teff, has a considerably higher iron and nutrient content than other grain staples found in Africa. A common traditional food here is injera , a spongy flat bread that is eaten by tearing it, then using it to scoop up the meat or stew.
Outside of the temperate zones , in the southern part of the continent, a greater variety of fruits and vegetables are available. Fruits and vegetables in southern Africa include bananas, pineapples, pau-pau (papaya), mangoes, avocadoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes, and cabbage. Nonetheless, the traditional meal in southern Africa is centered on a staple crop, usually rice or maize, served with a stew. The most common dish made from cornmeal is called mealie meal, or pap in South Africa. Also known as nshima or nsima further north, it is usually eaten with stew poured over it. The stew may include a few boiled vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, or turnips, or on more special occasions, fish, beans, or chicken.
Nutrition and Disease
White South Africans (Dutch descendants called Afrikaaners), Europeans, and Asian Indians in Africa have diets similar to their countries of origin. In urban areas, however, the diet of (black) Africans is increasingly dependent on meat, much like the diet of some West African pastoral tribes, as well as on empty calories from prepackaged foods similar to those found in the West. The result is an unbalanced diet. In many parts of Africa, the traditional diets of indigenous peoples are often inadequate in essential vitamins , minerals , and protein, which can lead to a variety of diseases. Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamin A, iodine, and iron deficiencies, which can result in vision impairment, goiter, and anemia , respectively, are prevalent throughout much of Africa, particularly in the arid areas where the soil is deficient either naturally or due to overuse.
A far greater threat comes from increasingly insecure food sources (a lack of consistent and affordable food staples) arising from adverse weather (drought and floods) and war. During the late 1900s, famine became increasingly frequent in Africa. In addition, a new threat to the food supply emerged due to the worsening HIV/AIDS epidemic. As adults fall ill and die, agricultural production declines. Rural communities are the hardest hit, and women are particularly at risk given their unique physiologic needs tied to their roles as mothers, as well as their vulnerability due to lower economic and social status.
With its immense population, resources, and growing population, Africa is a continent that struggles to keep its people and cultures healthy. African history, the proliferation of foods and spices across the land, and the preservation of land that can still be farmed, will continue to be important. Weather, geography, politics, culture, and religion are forces that have caused strife within Africa for centuries, and will continue to do so. A land that was once pure and fertile can only be restored through land preservation and food availability.
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A general term meaning inflammation of the muscles, myositis includes the following diseases:
The above diseases are also referred to as inflammatory myopathies. They cause inflammation within muscle and muscle damage.
Polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and juvenile myositis are all autoimmune diseases, meaning the body’s immune system is attacking the muscle. While the immune system may also cause muscle damage in inclusion body myositis, this may not be cause of this disease. Although myositis is often treatable, these diseases are poorly understood and do not always completely respond to current medications.
Muscle inflammation and damage may also be caused by certain medications. These are called toxic myopathies. Perhaps the most common toxic myopathy is caused by statin medications which are frequently prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. In most cases, the muscle can recover once the problem medication is identified and stopped.
Symptoms of myositis may include:
- trouble rising from a chair
- difficulty climbing stairs or lifting arms
- tired feeling after standing or walking
- trouble swallowing or breathing
- muscle pain and soreness that does not resolve after a few weeks
- known elevations in muscle enzymes by blood tests (CPK or aldolase)
Although the inflammatory myopathies affect about 50,000 Americans, often they are not diagnosed correctly. In part, this is because patients with autoimmune myopathies have many of the same symptoms as those with inclusion body myositis, toxic myopathy, or muscular dystrophies, which are inherited forms of muscle disease.
As a result, patients with the above symptoms should be tested and evaluated by physicians and medical staff who specialize in diseases of the muscle, such as those practicing at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center. We use specific guidelines to evaluate and diagnose patients and all care is managed in one center by our caring and committed staff.
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Economic growth is the over-arching policy objective of governments worldwide. Yet its long-term viability is increasingly questioned because of environmental impacts and impending and actual shortages of energy and material resources. Furthermore, rising incomes in rich countries bear little relation to gains in happiness and well-being . Growth has not eliminated poverty, brought full employment or protected the environment. Results from a simulation model of the Canadian economy suggest that it is possible to have full employment, eradicate poverty, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maintain fiscal balance without economic growth. It's time to turn our attention away from pursuing growth and towards specific objectives more directly relating to our well-being and that of the planet.
For more information about the Centre for Inquiry, please visit http://www.cficanada.ca.
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Every year over 300,000 cataract operations are performed in the UK, making the surgery the most common surgical procedure in Britain today. Although cataracts can affect people of any age, it is in later life that many of us will develop the condition. This guide will explore the essential facts about cataracts, helping you to get to grips with the optical condition.
What are cataracts?
Cataracts are a condition that cause vision to become cloudy. The condition affects the lens of the eye, which is located behind your pupil. When an individual develops cataracts, their lens, which is transparent in a healthy eye, becomes more opaque, limiting the amount of light which can reach the retina from the cornea and pupil. This results in increasingly poor, misty or cloudy vision.
Who can develop cataracts?
Anybody can develop cataracts at any point in their lives. Yet this is typically an age-related condition most common in those over 65. There are, however, many cases of younger people developing cataracts. Childhood cataracts are another, less common form of the condition.
What are the symptoms of cataracts?
Cataracts are very difficult to detect at the early stages of their development. This is because the condition worsens steadily over time, making it hard to notice initially. As the condition develops, you may find that you are increasingly suffering from cloudy, misty, or unclear patches in your vision.
Other symptoms may include vision problems in dim and low light, desaturated or unclear colours, difficulty looking at bright lights, a dazzling or halo effect around bright lights, double vision and a yellow or brown tinge to your vision.
What causes cataracts?
In many cases, cataracts are simply a symptom of ageing. However, there are some conditions and factors which may increase your risk of developing this vision problem. The link between diabetes and cataracts, for example, is strong and diabetes sufferers are more likely to develop cataracts earlier in life.
Trauma to the eye can also trigger the condition, as can eye surgery and certain medications such as steroids. If you are already suffering from an ocular problem such as myopia (short-sightedness), retinitis, uveitis, glaucoma or pigmentosa, your likelihood of developing cataracts may also be heightened.
What are the treatments for cataracts?
Unfortunately there is no helpful prescription you can take to deal with cataracts – the only option is surgery. However, as the UK’s most common surgical procedure, cataract surgery is now very advanced and successful. During the surgery, the clouded lens is removed from the eye and replaced with an artificial version known as an IOL (Intra Ocular Lens).
The whole procedure takes no more than 30-40 minutes and can be performed under local anaesthetic to reduce health risks and minimise downtime. Typically performed on a “day patient” basis, you can receive your surgery and go home on the same day. For those with cataracts in both eyes (which is common) the surgeries are usually completed on two separate occasions, 3-5 weeks apart to give you time to heal.
Recovery from cataract surgery
Once a friend or family member has helped you get home from the hospital (you will not be allowed to drive), you’ll be able to go about your everyday life as usual. You may, however, want to rest for 1-2 days. Take extra care to protect your recovering eye from bacteria, dust, soap and water for 2-3 weeks.
It’s common to find that your vision is somewhat blurry for a few days following surgery, however, this will steadily improve and you should begin to find focussing and looking at bright lights much easier. Your vision should be clearer and colours will appear brighter and more distinct. You may require a change in prescription or need to begin wearing glasses.
For even more in depth information, Focus Clinic’s comprehensive guide offers extra insight and detail.
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One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
1Not connected with religious or spiritual matters.‘secular buildings’Contrasted with sacred‘secular attitudes to death’
non-religious, lay, non-church, temporal, worldly, earthly, profaneView synonyms
- ‘To the contrary, the Court found that the School Board sought to advance two secular purposes.’
- ‘With all this talk of Christianity, it is easy to imagine government becoming less secular.’
- ‘Since that time, Bangladesh has been both less socialistic and less secular.’
- ‘Her quest for the big answer leads her to accept Confucianism and nonreligious Buddhism as well as secular humanism.’
- ‘The truth is that, the milieu in which Popper grew up was militantly secular.’
- ‘What sort of meaning does marriage have in our modern secular society?’
- ‘Meanwhile, the attitudes of the younger generation are largely secular and wised up.’
- ‘I agree that education should be essentially secular.’
- ‘Most of the hoopla connected with the year 2000 was predominantly secular in origin and character.’
- ‘Primary education, having become universal and largely public, became overwhelmingly secular.’
- ‘Although it had some religious overtones, Carnival has become a purely secular event.’
- ‘He argues for more state funding of religious institutions within an increasingly secular society.’
- ‘Some of the more secular trends in humanism dared to defend happiness in the here and now.’
- ‘Seven years earlier, France had erected a government that was intended to be purely secular.’
- ‘Over time, however, the values of psychotherapy have made inroads into religious as well as secular culture.’
- ‘Nowadays, of course, Christmas is a largely secular affair.’
- ‘Since that time, however, the French Canadian community has become more secular.’
- ‘So why in this secular age is a spiritual movement that seeks to eradicate the ‘self’ gaining ground?’
- ‘No law says that advertisements have to be purely secular - except the law of supply and demand.’
- ‘But it did guarantee that in time American politics would largely become a secular matter.’
(of clergy) not subject to or bound by religious rule; not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order.Contrasted with regular
- ‘As the author notes, Maria's case was championed by the Jesuits, while her doubters were the secular or parish clergy.’
- ‘The secular clergy from nearby parishes recruited maidens from needy or troubled homes.’
- ‘Overall the role of regulars was diminished and that of secular clergy and even laymen enhanced.’
- ‘The rate of recruitment is probably better than that of the secular clergy, but this may be because a large percentage of the monks do not go on to priesthood.’
- ‘Individuals were chosen from different orders and secular clergy, but primarily they came from the Dominican Order.’
Of or denoting slow changes in the motion of the sun or planets.
(of a fluctuation or trend) occurring or persisting over an indefinitely long period.‘there is evidence that the slump is not cyclical but secular’
- ‘But the weakness in the U.S. manufacturing sector does not reflect a simple secular trend.’
- ‘But if one focuses on the company's positive secular trends, the picture is different.’
- ‘There are also other secular trends that are generating ominous forecasts about the prospects for much of the Third World.’
- ‘A few weeks ago, I opined that the market probably had reverted to the primary secular trend.’
- ‘There are three spikes, but the secular trend is pretty obvious: down, down, down.’
5Occurring once every century or similarly long period (used especially in reference to celebratory games in ancient Rome).
A secular priest.
- ‘Most priests were seculars, living in the world and working amongst ordinary people.’
- ‘Since 90 per cent of clerical émigrés were seculars, the loss of parish clergy was not far short of a half.’
- ‘Meanwhile, and without overt religious logic, the regime plundered the church, taxing the seculars heavily while abolishing the regular orders entirely and confiscating their wealth.’
- ‘To the seculars, this text suggested that the group of Apostles was accustomed to holding a purse in common, and that they used the money from it both to maintain themselves and to give alms.’
- ‘In their dealings with the seculars, Marist clergy mistakenly gave the impression that they were ‘empire building’.’
Middle English: secular (sense 1 of the adjective, from Old French seculer, from Latin saecularis, from saeculum ‘generation, age’, used in Christian Latin to mean ‘the world’ (as opposed to the Church); secular (sense 3 of the adjective, secular sense 4 of the adjective, secular sense 5 of the adjective) (early 19th century) from Latin saecularis ‘relating to an age or period’.
In this article we explore how to impress employers with a spot-on CV.
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Dance in the United States
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There is great variety in dance in the United States of America. It is the home of the hip hop dance and its derivative Rock and Roll, and modern square dance (associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country—nineteen U.S. states have designated it as their official state dance) and one of the major centers for modern dance. There is a variety of social dance and concert or performance dance forms with also a range of traditions of Native American dances.
African American dance
African American dances are those vernacular dances which have developed within African American communities in everyday spaces, rather than in dance studios, schools or companies. African American vernacular dances are usually centered on social dance practice, though performance dance and concert dance often supply complementary aspects to social dancing.
Placing great value on improvisation, African American vernacular dances are characterized by ongoing change and development. Because they exist in social spaces and their main 'purpose' is self-expression, they are continually changing to reflect the needs, interests and personalities of their participants.
The term "swing dance" refers to a group of dances that developed concurrently with jazz music in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. The most iconic among the various styles of swing dance is the lindy hop, which originated in Harlem and is still danced today. While the majority of swing dances began in African American communities as vernacular African American dances, some forms, like Balboa, developed within Anglo-American or other ethnic group communities.
Dances such as the Black Bottom, Charleston, Shag, and Tap Dance travelled north with Dixieland jazz to New York, Kansas City, and Chicago in the Great Migration (African American) of the 1920s, where rural blacks travelled to escape persecution, Jim Crow laws, lynching and unemployment in the South (during the Great Depression).
Swinging jazz music features the syncopated timing associated with African American and West African music and dance—a combination of crotchets and quavers which many swing dancers interpret as 'triple steps' and 'steps' — yet also introduces changes in the way these rhythms were played—a distinct delay or 'relaxed' approach to timing.
Swing dance is now found globally, with great variety in their preferences for particular dances.
American modern dance developed in the early 20th century alongside American music. Among the pioneers of modern dance were Isadora Duncan, the dance company of Ruth St. Denis and her husband-partner, Ted Shawn, and their pupils Doris Humphrey and Martha Graham. The early modern dance makers broke with European classical forms by giving into the weight of gravity, initiating movement from the center rather than the limbs, and emphasizing an emotional directness in their choreography. Many of Graham's most popular works were produced in collaboration with leading American composers -- "Appalachian Spring" with Aaron Copland, for example.
Later choreographers, Merce Cunningham introduced chance procedures and composition by field, and Alvin Ailey incorporated African dance elements and black music into his works. Recently, Mark Morris and Liz Lerman have shown that graceful, exciting movement is not restricted by age or body type.
Dance and society
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Some popular competition televised events that are made for dance are Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew. These dancing shows allow society to interact with them, choosing who they think suits best in the competition.
Popular songs like Michael Jackson's "Thriller", The Harlem Shake, and "Teach me how to dougie" have influenced dance moves that became trends in society. In social gatherings people may dance folk dances, ballroom dances, casual dances, or modern dances like hip-hop.
American folk dances
Other American dances
- Allen Civic Ballet
- Alameda Civic Ballet
- American Ballet Theatre
- American Ballet
- Anaheim Ballet
- Aspen Sante Fe
- Ballet Met
- Ballet Nouveau
- Ballet San Jose
- Ballet West
- Boston Ballet
- Carolina Ballet
- Chicago Festival Ballet
- Cincinnati Ballet
- Colorado Ballet
- Dayton Ballet
- Houston Ballet
- Joffrey Ballet (Chicago)
- Kansas City Ballet
- Miami City Ballet
- Nevada Ballet Theatre
- New York City Ballet
- New York City Center
- New York Theatre Ballet
- Pacific Northwest Ballet
- Oregon Ballet Theatre
- San Francisco Ballet
- The Sacramento Ballet
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
- American Indian Dance Theatre
- Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
- Paul Taylor Dance Company
- Nevada Ballet Theatre
- Dance Box Theater
- Dance Theater Workshop
- Judson Dance Theater
- Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company
- Jose Limon Dance Company
- Pilobolus Dance Theater
- Martha Graham Dance Company
- Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
- Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
- Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
- Mark Morris Dance Group
- Trisha Brown Dance Company
- Shen Wei Dance Arts
- The Rockettes
- Snappy Dance Theater
- Rock Steady Crew
- Duquesne University Tamburitzans
- Ice Theatre of New York
- Columbia City Jazz Dance Company
- Dance Theatre of Harlem (not performing since 2004) however its Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble continues to perform
Former dance companies
- American Dance Festival
- Jacob's Pillow is a home for dance in the United States founded by Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, were America's leading dance couple. It is a National Historic Landmark located in the town of Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. It encompasses an internationally acclaimed summer dance festival (the first and longest-running in the United States), a professional school, rare and extensive archives, an intern program, and year-round community programs.
- Fall for Dance Festival
- Modern dance in the United States
- National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame
- Performing arts presenters
- List of U.S. state dances
- Fox Renews So You Think You Can Dance and Hell's Kitchen, Movieweb.com. (Accessed July 28, 2006)
- "Nice People Suddenly Get the Urge to Become Vulgar" The Afro American 14 June 1941. 1
- Where Are All the Black Swans?, New York Times, published: May 6, 2007 (accessed May 6, 2007)
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Black holes are a constant source of fascination to many due to their mysterious nature. This Very Short Introduction, addresses a variety of questions, including what a black hole actually is, how they are characterized and discovered, and what would happen if you came too close to one.
Professor Katherine Blundell looks at the seemingly paradoxical, mysterious, and intriguing phenomena of black holes.
Outlining their nature and characteristics, both those resulting from the spectacular collapse of heavy stars, and the giant black holes found at the centres of galaxies, she separates scientific fact from science fiction, and demonstrates the important role they play in the cosmos.
ABOUT THE SERIES:
The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
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A CBS News article reports that as many as 70 percent of people that suffer from migraines experience attacks as the barometric pressure drops before it rains. According to the article, a study by the Headache Care Center and published in 2005 by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, the majority of migraines that may be triggered or worsened by barometric pressure changes are erroneously treated as sinus headaches.
Changes in barometric pressure may trigger your migraines. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine with the National Institutes of Health, migraines are a type of headache caused by abnormal activity in your brain. A migraine attack may begin with nerve pathways and chemicals in your brain that affect blood flow in your brain and surrounding tissues. Blood vessels in your brain may constrict or dilate in response to these neural nerve and chemical changes. You may experience pain on one side of your face or head during a migraine attack.
Barometric pressure changes may lead to sinus headaches. Damp and cold weather may intensity pain in your sinuses and barometric pressure changes may trigger sinus headaches if your sinus cavities are slow to equalize air pressure inside your sinuses. Symptoms of sinus headaches include pain in front part of your head and around your eyes. A fever and yellow or green nasal discharge may accompany sinus headaches.
An article on the Weather Channel's website reports on research by the Headache Care Center that suggests barometric pressure headaches may be migraines that are mistaken for sinus headaches. The article suggests that weather changes may trigger half of all migraines. Cold and dry weather may trigger migraines in addition changes in barometric pressure and other types of changes. The article recommends that you keep a record of weather changes that occur around your headaches and consult your doctor to get a diagnosis that identifies weather you are experiences sinus headaches or migraines.
MayoClinic.com recommends that you keep a headache journal to cope with headaches that may be caused by changes in barometric pressure. List each incidence of a headache with information about when it occurs and how long it lasts. Indicate possible causes that include weather conditions. You can monitor changes in the weather and try to avoid headache triggers by staying indoors or taking migraine medication at the first sign of an attack. MayoClinic.com suggests that a healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate rest helps control stress. These lifestyle practices may reduce the number and severity of migraines that may be due to barometric pressure changes.
Your head is a large cavity filled with fluids, brain tissue, smaller cavities and sealed chambers like blood vessels. These chambers expand and contract as environmental pressure changes occur outside of your head. For example, your middle ear has a small tube that equalizes air pressure by connecting the chamber of your middle ear with your nasal cavity. A cold or infection may block this passage and prevent pressure from equalizing. This condition can become painful when environmental air pressure outside of your head changes rapidly
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|A Western scrub jay enjoys a cool drink. Photo by J.J. Meyer|
MAKE A SPLASH WITH YOUR BACKYARD BIRDBATH
California towhees, Western scrub jays and robins tend to jump into the middle of a birdbath and splash with gusto. Smaller birds are often more timid, walking around the edges of a bath until they feel confident enough to test the water. Hummingbirds prefer to fly through a gentle spray.
With so many types of fountains and birdbaths on the market, how do you choose one that most birds will actually use?
For the birds, it’s all about feeling safe.
“The water should be no deeper than 3 inches for a water feature to be attractive to most songbirds,” said Robyn Bailey, NestWatch project leader at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “And gentle sloping basins are preferable to one that drops off sharply.”
Rocks can be added to an existing bath that may exceed this depth. And it’s best if the basin has a rough texture of the surface to give the birds a sure footing, she said. When it’s too slippery, the birds may not feel comfortable using it.
Like all animals, birds need water to survive. Bathing is a bird’s best friend for feather care. Birds bathe frequently to wash off dirt, parasites and other skin irritants. After vigorous splashing, a bird usually retreats to a perch where it fluffs its feathers to dry. Then it methodically preens each feather, adding a protective coating of oil secreted by a gland at the base of its tail.
Birds are attracted to the sight and sound of moving water, which makes some fountains or birdbaths with misters a popular rest stop for resident and migratory birds.
Placement of the water feature in your yard also matters to the birds. Some shy species such as orioles and warblers will only visit birdbaths and fountains near protective vegetation.
“If cats are a concern, chose a birdbath with a 3-foot pedestal and place it in an open area, about 15 feet from shrubs to give birds a chance to see the approaching danger,” Bailey said. “In yards without a threat from predators, a basin can be placed on the ground or short pedestal."
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggests sanitizing birdbaths at least once a week by using a 10 percent solution of household bleach in water. Scrub with a stiff brush, rinse well and refill. Clean and replace the water frequently, especially in the heat. Replacing the water every few days will help reduce the threat of breeding mosquitoes, which can carry the West Nile Virus.
“Consistency is key,” she said. “If the birdbath is always drying out, the birds will stop coming. Providing water as part of a backyard habitat is important especially in periods of extended drought.”
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The following account was written by Frederick Winter of Battery M, 7th U.S. Artillery. The Battery was sent to Puerto Rico, where it served in the garrison of Ponce. Apparently, toward the end of the brief Puerto Rico Campaign, the Battery was sent on the road toward San Juan, to participate in the attack on the capital. The assault never occurred, since Spain and the U.S. agreed to an armistice before American forces reached the city.
The account is interesting in that it graphically shows the tremendous
work it took to transport artillery over the central mountains of Puerto
Rico. For clarification, the reader made want to know that a prolonge
is a rope attached to a hook. This tool was utilized to maneuver the gun
once the horses were removed from the battlefield (the hook would be attached
to the gun and the gun pulled by the gun crew). Secondly, the limber chest
is the ammunition box for the gun. Typically a cannon was towed behind
a wagon which carried a single ammunition chest. The cannon and limber
would usually be pulled by six horses.
One of twelve children, Frederick Arthur Winter was born September 11, 1880 in Bromley/Bow, Middlesex County, England. He died September 6, 1960 in Riverside, California, USA. Along with his parents, Samuel William and Emily Eliza (Brown) Winter, immigrated to the United States in 1887, locating in Ohio. In 1898 Frederick enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was discharged in 1901. As a young man he traveled extensively in the United States. He was never able to pursue his artistic interests as a vocation, but worked as a cook, a house painter/sign painter and even as a ship painter during World War II at the Kaiser Shipyard in Vancouver, Washington. During 1914 - 1915 he worked as a cook near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. As a cook he was also employed at one time as chef for the Idyllwild Inn in Idyllwild, California. Winter also had spent time cooking in logging camps and C.C.C. (Civilian Conservation Corps) Camps and in the late 1920s cooked for a crew building look-out towers in Oregon. As head cook at Camp Emerson (Boys Scouts of America), Idyllwild, California, he was fondly referred to as “Cookie.” Much of his “Scouting” poetry was written on napkins. In 1932 he married Cecelia Margaret Fray (1893-1971). The couple had one son, Charles H. Winter (1933).
The following account was copied from the original, without alteration to grammar, punctuation, etc.
“My name is Frederick A Winter. On June 14th, 1898 I was enlisted as a Private in the U.S. Army! We were then at war with Spain! I was 17 years of age and though I was under age I was told that it was all right and was duly sworn in.
I was immediately sent to Columbus Barracks Ohio, Here I was kept for two days and then sent to Fort Meyer Virginia. Upon my arrival at Fort Meyer I was assigned to the Kitchen as a Cooks Helper which work I kept for two weeks, I was then fitted with a Uniform and given about a weeks instruction after which I was shipped to Florida. In a few days time I was shipped to Porto Rico, Here I was assigned to Battery M, of the Seventh Light Artillery.
Either a few days before or after I was enlisted a young man named Frederick Winter was enlisted and consigned to Battery C of the seventh Light Artillery. I learned later that he was from Zenia Ohio.
While in Porto Rico we had about two weeks of Artillery Practice and then were ordered to help storm San Juan the Capital of Porto Rico. The following details are to help in my proof of what I have so far narrated, I was assigned to section thee, my position was the left side of the Field Piece, On our way toward San Juan while going up a narrow steep and curveing road the drivers of the section to which I was attached at leaste the leading Driver too to wide a curve and the off wheel of the Piece slipped over the edge. My position being nearest to the piece I had to unhook the prolonge which O [I] fastened to the wheel and I and the men nearby grasping the prolonge tried to pull the Piece back up onto the road and though we strove with all of our might we were unable to accomplish Our effort, The lead team became balky and the Driver frightened jumped off and the frightened Horses became unmanageable, Our First Lt., Immediately caught hold of the bridel strap of the Lead horse, the horse went over the edge pulling the Lt. With it at almost the same moment the entire outfit wet over and rolled down the steep incline mowing the Trees and Brush in their path, piling into a grotesque heap near to the bottom of the steep hill, I leapt over hem and met the Lt. About twenty feet from the top I recall that his face was ashen, I asked him if he were hurt , He said No, so I hurried down to where the Artilery and the Horses were piled in a heal, I thought immediately that I must try to extricate those poor Horses and wondered what I could possibly do, Glancing around I saw two men who we[re] on the other side of the stream, one of them met me half way across and handed me an American Army mess knife and at the same time made me to understand that he was A Spaniard but friendly to our Cause, I accepted the knif[e] and at once started to cut the harness from the Horses, I had made perhaps a dozen cuts when the Lt. Arrived and said that it would be no no good to try to free the Horses so I stopped what I was doing and asked him what I might do. Then the rest of our Battery was summoned to give us help. The Lt., speaking to the body of men that had assembled said “ Men we can nothin[g] for the Horses, However we have go to salvage the Piece and the Limber Ches[t] That is our responsibility, We formed a long line from the equipment to the top of the hill, having fastened the Prolonges together we stood one above t[he] other and passed all of the smaller equipment hand over hand to the top of the hill, The heavier parts we had to drag up and that was at last accomplished. It was near midnight when we made camp a few miles down the road, Here we strung a line for the Horses and after a hurried snack made camp as best we could under the circumstances.”
Winters Family documents, submitted by Brian and Chuck Winter,
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George Polgreen Bridgetower was a talented African violin Prodigy. Bridgetower was born in Biala, Poland on February 29, 1780.
He was one of the most celebrated black musicians in Europe during the eighteenth and early nineteenth Century.
His father, the African Prince was married to a German woman who is named in English documents as Mary Ann Bridgetown. They had two sons, who both became fine musicians. The younger brother, “Fredrick; ” was a cellist.
In 1789 An African Prince of the name Bridgetower, came to Windsor with a view of introducing his son, a most possessing lad of ten years old, and a fine violin player.
He was commanded by their majesties to perform at the Lodge, where he played a concerto of Viotti’s and a quartet of Haydn’s, whose pupil he was; both father and son pleased greatly. Noted for his talent and modest bearing, the other for his fascinating manner, elegance, expertness in all languages, beauty of person, and taste in dress. He seemed to win the good opinion of every one, and was courted by all.
from: – Court and Private Life in the Times of Queen Charlotte,
Being the Journals of Mrs. Papendiek assistant keeper of the wardrobe and reader to Her Majesty ( vol.4)
George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetown. prodigy of the violin, patronized and into the musical establishment of the Prince of Wales at Brighton when he was just ten.In 1802 Bridgetower went to Europe where he was introduced to Beethoven in Vienna, by Prince Lichnowsky (the same Lichnowsky for whom the Pathetique Sonata for Piano is dedicated.)
George played in the Prince’s band at the Royal Pavilion Brighton for 14 years .He is best remembered today for his association with Ludwig van Beethoven who wrote the Kreutzer Sonata for the Afro-European violinist in 1803.
The title folio of Beethoven’s autograph copy of the Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op.47, bears the inscription, "Sonata mulattica composta per il mulatto Brischdauer" reproduction in Joseph Schmidt-Gorg and Hans Schmidt. eds., Ludwig van Beethoven [New York, 1970] p. 140).
Beethoven and George Bridgetower first performed this work in Vienna at the Augarten on May 24, 1803. (The Musical Quarterly vol.,LXVI)Ludwig vanBeethoven, played in the houses of the nobility, in rivalry with other pianists, and performed in public with such visiting virtuosos as violinist George Bridgetower.
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A Clip from The China Study, by T.Colin Campbell
“…These studies document the fact that vegetarians consume the same amount or even significantly more calories than their meat-eating counterparts, and yet are still slimmer. The China Study demonstrated that rural Chinese consuming a plant-based diet actually consume significantly more calories per pound of body weight than Americans. Most people would automatically assume that these rural Chinese would therefore be heavier than their meat-eating counterparts. But here’s the kicker: the rural Chinese are still slimmer while consuming a greater volume of food and more calories. Much of this effect is undoubtedly due to greater physical activity…. but this comparison is between average Americans and the least active Chinese, those who do office work. Furthermore, studies done in Israel and the United Kingdom, neither of which represent primarily agrarian cultures, also show that vegetarians may consume the same or significantly more calories and still weigh less.
What’s the secret? One factor that I’ve mentioned previously is the process of thermogenesis, which refers to our production of body heat during metabolism. Vegetarians have been observed to have a slightly higher rate of metabolism during rest, meaning they burn up slightly more of their ingested calories as body heat rather than depositing them as body fat. A relatively small increase in metabolic rate translates to a large number of calories burned over the course of 24 hours..”
To Be Continued
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Lang may yer lum reek! It sounds faintly insulting, I know, but this is a traditional Scots greeting for the new year, translating as 'long may your chimney smoke' - or long may your fire burn.
This is an example of Scots, often described as a language but probably more accurately regarded as a dialect, with many words relatively easily translated back to formal English. There is no universal distinction between a language and a dialect, but in a 2010 poll conducted by the Scottish Government, an overall 64% of respondents agreed that Scots was best considered a dialect. There may be an element of perspective on the matter led by whether or not a person is a native speaker of Scots - in the same survey, 58% of people who spoke Scots regularly considered it a dialect, whilst 72% of people who never spoke Scots considered it a language.
Certainly a native speaking in Scots might be considered challenging for a visitor to understand - but compare 'dialectic' Scots with Gaelic, an entirely distinct language which bears no easy relation to formal English. According to the 2011 census, just over 1% of the Scottish population indicated that they could speak Gaelic at that time.
If you venture to the Highlands on your visit to Scotland, you'll notice that all public signage is presented in both English and Gaelic - the differences in the language will be easily visible here.
Scots is still in active use around Scotland, and specific usage varies between regions or areas of the country. (In this sense it is again less like a fixed language than a variable dialect.) You will find examples of Scots phrases readily available on t-shirts, posters, mugs and other souvenir items - none of this should override the fact that Scots is a current and contemporary form of expression across Scotland, and is not merely a vestigial linguistic hangover from bygone times. Even any examples of 'old Scots' that you encounter - such as the motto on the side of John Knox's house - can be understood fairly easily with a little effort to translate into formal English.
Be sensitive to the fact that Scots is an integral part of Scottish heritage and culture. You are likely to encounter Scots in conversation with locals, and if you find yourself struggling to understand anything that you hear or read, a polite request for repetition or explanation will be received more warmly than a joke about your lack of comprehension. Just as some people will find comments about 'Mickey Mouse' Scottish banknotes insulting, so are they likely to feel aggrieved at remarks which denigrate the way they express themselves.
During your visit, you may find the following list of phrases a useful reference...
Aye / Naw - Yes / No
Whaur ar ye fae? - Where are you from?
Awa an bile yer heid - Don't be stupid
A dinna ken! / Eh? - I don't understand
Whaur's yer cludgie? - Where's the toilet?
Caw on the polis! - Call the police!
Ma hoovercraft's full o eyls - My hovercraft is full of eels
Edinburgh Expert is run by Gareth Davies, an adopted native of Edinburgh with 18 years of experience living and working in the city.
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Children in the United Kingdom soon will be seeing a lot less of the Marlboro Man, thanks in large part to the work of Kogod School of Business professor Wendy Boland.
Boland was one of four authors of a paper that antismoking advocates in Britain used to help successfully push for a ban on point-of-sale tobacco advertising. The measure has passed both houses of Parliament.
Earlier this year Boland and her colleagues published a paper in the journal Addictive Behaviors that argued cigarette advertisements do indeed prompt some adolescents to start smoking. The tobacco industry has long maintained that its ads aim only to entice smokers to switch brands, not to prompt nonsmokers to pick up the habit.
The study showed print advertisements for cigarettes and other products to a group of 7 to 12 year olds. Researchers asked the children if they understood the product, understood the brand, or understood both the product and the brand. When they were shown cigarette ads, the majority were aware only of the product, not the brand.
“Because they just focused on the product, everything cigarette companies were saying—commercials are just teaching people about brands—wasn’t actually the case,” Boland said. “They remembered things like Tropicana orange juice, but they didn’t remember Camel cigarettes, they just remembered cigarettes.”
Martin Dockrell, director of policy and research for the U.K.-based nonprofit Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), read the paper and used it to lobby for the legislation to ban point-of-sale tobacco advertising.
"This is a very illuminating study, it illustrates powerfully how even very young children respond to tobacco marketing," Dockrell said. "When the Health Act was in its committee stage ASH sent members a summary of this and a small number of other studies to illustrate the strong and rapidly growing body of evidence on how cigarette marketing works on children. When the bill returned to the whole house every [member of Parliament] was sent a briefing highlighting the new evidence in this study. The tobacco industry’s main line of attack on the bill had been that there is no evidence that tobacco promotions lead young people to smoke. This study helped to nail that lie.”
Boland’s research centers on public policy, specifically high risk decisions. She focuses on vulnerable groups, such as low-income families, children, and people with disabilities. She’s now examining how children deal with sales promotions.
“It’s important for me to do research that has long-term benefits,” said Boland, who came to AU in 2008. Kogod’s Department of Marketing was the perfect fit, she said, because of the priority it puts on socially responsible research.
“A lot of times the review process is so strenuous, you never know if anything is going to actually make an impact,” she said. “So it was [exciting] to hear they were using that research, and that a bill passed that’s really something I believe in.”
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What is Early Head Start...
Early Head Start includes a set of principles to nurture healthy attachments between parent and child (and child and caregiver), emphasize a strengths-based, relationship-centered approach to services, and encompass the full range of a family’s needs from pregnancy through a child’s third birthday. They include:
- Positive Relationships and Continuity which honor the critical importance of early attachments on healthy development. Parents are a child’s first, and most important, relationship.
- Parent Involvement activities that offer parents a meaningful and strategic role in our program.
- Prevention and Promotion Activities that both promote healthy development and recognize and address atypical development at the earliest stage possible. Inclusion strategies that respect the unique developmental trajectories of young children in the context of a typical setting, including children with disabilities.
- Cultural competence which acknowledges the profound role that culture plays in early development. We also recognize the influence of cultural values and beliefs on both staff and families’ approaches to child development.
- Comprehensiveness, Flexibility and Responsiveness of services which allow children and families to move across various program options over time, as their life situation demands.
- Collaboration is central to our ability to meet the comprehensive needs of families. Strong partnerships allow us to expand services to families with infants and toddlers beyond our program and into the larger community.
To apply for enrollment, click here.
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'but waste not by excess:for ALLAH loves not the wasters.
Quraan Chapter 6 v.141
Islam expresses great concern for the environment. A number of verses in the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad have addressed this issue. Islam’s solution to environmental problems lies in man’s adaptation of its guidance. Allaah has stated that He made all the material objects on earth for man’s use, not for his abuse.
Eco Islam is dear to my heart, wrote about it here.
I have really excellent Muslim comrades, well and Christians, etc....religion in non fundamentalist forms is a force for good including social justice and ecology.
According to the Quran, humans are entrusted to be the maintainers of the earth and the only species able to burden this responsibility. If there is any place on the planet to which Muslims should offer this protection, surely it should be their holiest sites of Mecca and Medina?
However, during the Islamic pilgrimage, Hajj, most Muslims have to sidestep plastic bottles, used diapers and food packaging in order to complete their pilgrimage.
Kristiane Backer, a television presenter, author and eco-Muslim, explains that "most Muslims are not aware of the innate nature of environmentalism within Islam, just as, generally, most people aren't aware of the importance of protecting the environment".
According to Backer, shedding cultural attitudes and ecological indifference is vital in developing a sustainable Hajj.
In order for pilgrims to fulfil their religious obligation, without jeopardising their responsibility to the environment, local Saudi authorities might consider offering recycling points for food containers and installing drinking fountains in key areas.
But litter is not the only obstacle to a more sustainable Hajj. Nearly three million Muslims perform Hajj each year, a pilgrimage which is required once of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it. Many Muslims complete Hajj several times, travelling thousands of miles by airplane in order to duplicate an experience that is required only once.
Rianne ten Veen, a Muslim environmentalist, is concerned about the number of times that people complete Hajj.
"Several of the people I met there asked, 'How many times have you been? Only once?… This is my fifteenth time'." She adds, "But this is supposed to be a journey of a lifetime."
A century ago, when more eco-friendly transport was still widely used and the number of pilgrims was far lower, repeat trips might have been understandable, if less practical.
But today, pilgrims – particularly those who live far from Saudi Arabia – should consider the ecological damage caused every time they fly several thousand miles to Mecca. The Muslim Prophet only completed Hajj once and if a single trip was adequate for him, it should be sufficient to those who wish to mirror him.
Multiple pilgrimages are excessive and unnecessary, particularly if pilgrims stay in five-star lodgings. This is often considered the ultimate Hajj experience, coupling spirituality with luxury.
But money wasted on penthouse suites and yearly pilgrimages could be better spent on helping people who have yet to complete the pilgrimage to fulfil the fifth pillar of Islam
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The "Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India" has been introduced as an elective subject at the Senior
Secondary level w.e.f. 2012-2013 in class XI as a pilot and introduced in all schools w.e.f. 2013 in classes XI
and XII. After ten years of general education, students branch out at the beginning of this stage and are
exposed to the rigours of the various disciplines for the first time. This is the stage when they are made to
start reflecting over their future life and decide a career. At this point, they also become aware of certain
knowledge traditions and practices of India that are being followed in their families and society around them
but few students get an opportunity to lay hands on the vast treasure of knowledge that lies hidden in the
form of literature or books.
This course aims at providing a broad overview of Indian thought in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary
mode. It would not seek to impart masses of data, but would highlight concepts and major achievements
while engaging the student with a sense of exploration and discovery. It would be an introductory course so
that students who take this course are prepared for a related field in higher studies in the universities. The
course will cultivate critical appreciation of the thought content and provide insights relevant for promoting
cognitive ability, health and well-being, good governance, aesthetic appreciation, right values and
appropriate worldview. The course will therefore comprehensively deal with all-round personality
development of the students and increase their knowledge about their country.
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December 12, 2008 High definition TV’s and displays offer obvious visual benefits over conventional standard definition sets, but what about the audio side of things? Along with the Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats have come new high definition sound formats to match their high quality picture.
To understand what these new high definition audio formats have to offer, it’s important to know how that digital information is stored and transmitted in the audio visual world.
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Sound can be stored on a disc in a number of ways:
- Losslessly (no compression and no data lost),
- Compressed losslessly (smaller storage space needed, but no data is lost),
- Compressed (some data is lost).
Compression formats that lose data (“lossy” compression) use careful algorithms to throw away data that you are supposed to be unable to hear. DVD’s use these types of compression formats as space restrictions on a DVD (video) disc don’t allow for lossless audio as the video information has the lion’s share of the space.
With Blu-Ray and HD DVD discs space isn’t an issue. With 25GB per layer, multiple layer support, and dual-layer discs being rather common now, these two new HD disc formats have plenty of scope for the future.
DVD’s can deliver data at up to 10.08 Mbps (megabits per second) and only approximately 1.5Mbps of this is used for audio (that means all audio streams; 5.1 soundtrack, 2 channel soundtrack, director’s commentary, etc.) The Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats are capable of up to 48Mbps. Around 30Mbps of this transfer speed is reserved for video, leaving a sizeable chunk for (uncompressed) audio.
These audio streams can be sent to an AV receiver/amplifier as bitstream (encoded digital data) or PCM (essentially raw digital data.) Bitstreamed audio from a DVD, Blu-Ray or HD DVD disc needs to be decoded. This can sometimes be done by the player and output as PCM to the amplifier/receiver. More often than not though, the decoding is done by an AV receiver/processor. Regardless of which method you use, there is no difference in quality between PCM and lossless bitstreamed formats like Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio. As a result, many Blu-Ray and HD DVD discs will offer both Dolby True HD/DTS HD Master Audio and (multi-channel) PCM soundtracks for the sheer convenience.
Along with the lossless Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio formats, Blu-Ray and HD DVD offer Dolby Digital Plus and DTS HD High Resolution. While being a “lossy” format, these other two new standards offer benefits that Dolby Digital and DTS from DVD discs can’t such as higher sample rates. Like Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio, they also offer support for 7.1 channels of audio, where DVD’s (at best) can only support up to 6.1 channels.
So what do you need to get the best out of these new HD audio formats? Firstly you’ll need a Blu-Ray or HD DVD player and some discs. It’s important to note though that it’s not mandatory for Blu-Ray or HD DVD discs to carry lossless audio formats, so check the specifications for the movie on the disc case.
Secondly you’ll need an AV receiver/processor. It needs to be compatible with high definition audio. The little format compatibility labels on the front of the unit might only list Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio but all four new HD formats will be covered.
Last but not least are speakers. All HD audio compatible receivers will be 7 channel. At this stage however, a vast majority of titles will only offer 5.1 Dolby True HD or DTS HD Master Audio. To keep your costs down a little you could just purchase 5 speakers and upgrade to 7 speakers down the track when 7.1 channel audio on Blu-Ray and HD DVD discs becomes common place.
So what happens if you have a good Dolby Digital/DTS AV receiver that you’re happy with and didn’t plan to upgrade for a while longer? Can any benefit be gained from these new HD audio formats that Blu-Ray and HD DVD carry? Thankfully, yes. Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio have a “core” Dolby Digital or DTS soundtrack that older receivers can lock in to as they do with Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks from DVD’s. Like all “lossy” compression systems, the less compression, the better. With the extra space on Blu-Ray and HD DVD discs, higher compression rates aren’t as necessary for the Dolby Digital or DTS “core” soundtrack, meaning better quality audio. For example, Dolby Digital 5.1 on a DVD will use a sample rate of either 384kbs or 448kbs. Blu-Ray discs will carry the same Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack at 640kbs. The “core” DTS soundtrack on a Blu-Ray disc is often delivered at an even higher bit rate.
While the benefits of high definition audio are obvious, it still hasn’t been the smoothest introduction of new standards into the AV industry. However the situation was much the same with the introduction of the DVD player all those years ago and the Dolby Digital and DTS formats experienced similar teething problems.
As with the introduction of any new standard into the AV industry, it takes a little while before it really becomes “standard.”
Tim LeFevreView gallery - 2 images
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