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It is human nature for people to associate with and support others like themselves -- based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender and other factors. In this segment of How America Elects, VOA's Jeffrey Young examines the impact of so-called identity politics.
Presidential contender Barack Obama went into the South Carolina Democratic Party primary in January with opinion surveys showing him to be the choice of about 60 percent of that state's African-American Democrats. But exit polls that day showed that Senator Obama finished with more than 80 percent of their votes. Political analysts say that surge was the result of something they call identity politics.
That human tendency to identify with people who share our characteristics has a direct effect at the ballot box, says Georgetown University government professor Mark Rom. "'Identity politics' is when someone casts a vote for a person because of their race, their gender or their ethnicity -- something they can identify with in themselves, and want to see in a candidate," he said.
Analysts say that identity politics came to the forefront in South Carolina after former President Bill Clinton compared Senator Obama's historic bid for the nomination to another, earlier African-American presidential candidate.
"Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice in 1984 and 1988, and he ran a good campaign,” Clinton said. “And, Senator Obama has run a good campaign here."
Obama is the first African-American that has demonstrated broad multi-racial appeal. A number of African-American voters felt the remark diminished Obama's candidacy and perhaps was meant to turn non-African-Americans away from him.
"When race is being used in campaigns to mobilize white voters, African-Americans then most identify themselves and their politics, and behave in terms of politics, as African-Americans," says David Bositis, who is an analyst at an African-American centered, independent research group, The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
Identity politics is involved in the campaigns of other presidential candidates, too. Senator Hillary Clinton is the first woman to have a serious chance to gain her party's nomination. And many women Democrats, especially those of her middle-aged generation, have embraced this historic opportunity.
"American women have waited a very long time to have the chance to vote for someone like them for president," Rom said.
The Republican Party's presumptive nominee, Senator John McCain, practices what some observers call a different form of identity politics -- shared strong beliefs.
McCain TV Ad: "Keep that faith. Keep your courage. Stick together."
In this ad, McCain appealed to voters who see national pride, security and military strength as paramount.
"Politics is the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible," Hilary Clinton said.
Critics of identity politics say it is oftentimes divisive. But if candidates and their parties can gain advantage by using it, they will. | <urn:uuid:ec33f64a-35a2-41cd-a29b-9a28017ccb38> | CC-MAIN-2018-34 | https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2008-04-04-voa36-66644237/557221.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-34/segments/1534221210040.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20180815083101-20180815103101-00592.warc.gz | en | 0.966567 | 584 | 2.640625 | 3 |
We’ve all heard how remote learning is not working for students and teachers. And some of these problems arise from issues systemic in our society. Nevertheless, the challenges that come with remote learning can also be opportunities for change in our education system.
Let’s be honest, remote learning is not the same as real face to face interaction with the teacher and classmates in a physical classroom.
The engagement for students is not the equivalent when participating in video conferencing classes. One may argue that valuable, socio-emotional skills needed for communication and collaboration cannot be learned through an online setting. Do we have the same confidence in this new age of at-home learning?
What will this generation of students lack if remote learning were to continue for more than a year? What is lost with preschoolers who are just starting to make connections beyond their family? What valuable personal growth would teenagers miss by not having chances to socially interact with their peers? How much of the university experience be removed when networking through informal gatherings are absent.
My argument is that fundamental to the act of teaching is personal human connections. This cannot be replicated by mere video conferencing a lecture, such as going through multiple Powerpoint Slides. Instead, we must leverage the times we see each other virtually to understand each other deeper. Thus, I propose a few suggestions for helping teachers build more connections with their students in a remote learning environment.
Give Students Private Space
Create that safe space during video conferencing for students to share their hopes, dreams, and worries. Many video conferencing platforms have features for participants to break out into smaller private rooms for intimate conversations. Make use of this feature. Trust students to have these conversations regardless of their connection to our lessons. Many times, these private conversations are necessary for students to work through the challenges that they face. In turn, students respect teachers who provide them with autonomy.
One to One Conversations with Students Matter More
Design your scheduling so that you can have one-on-one conversations with students multiple times during the week. In this time of quarantines and lockdown, teachers having a one to one conversation with their students breaks isolation. It also helps teachers gain a better understanding of their students on a personal level. These conversations help teachers create more personalized instructions and feedback for their students. The secret to these conversations is teachers’ willingness to set aside time to listen and empathize with their students.
Design Home Projects to Be Meaningful
Students need to engage in projects that are authentic and meaningful to them at home. If teacher assignments are limited to worksheets, students do not have the context to engage in meaningful conversations with their peers and the teachers. It would be far better for teachers to co-design projects with their students and validate appropriate knowledge and skills mastered by the student.
Home projects are an excellent opportunity for teachers to understand better their students’ passions and interests. For example, one of my teacher colleagues guided his students to more in-depth concepts about physical forces by inviting them to explore different household objects’ center of balance. He extended to their interest by having his students investigate how their learning extended to their personal interests in the application of forces in different sports and hobbies. It will be critical for teachers to continuously monitor and give feedback. However, such projects’ personalization and authenticity will be more meaningful and will help students make better learning connections.
Indeed remote learning is not perfect. And we still have much to learn about how to make virtual learning work. Nevertheless, if we can just add a bit more human into our remote interactions, perhaps the online experience will be much more approachable for our students and teachers. | <urn:uuid:905e7acc-ebbb-4e0f-abee-3b71c351d48e> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://marlonng.com/2020/08/25/making-remote-learning-a-bit-more-human/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964358480.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20211128073830-20211128103830-00118.warc.gz | en | 0.965184 | 749 | 3.1875 | 3 |
In 2017, Google researchers were the first to assemble a quantum computer; these devices are seen as a crucial technology for speeding up calculations in such areas as medical research, climate change and cyber-security.
A team of scientists from the University of Bristol and the Technical University of Denmark claimed in a study that they had for the first time managed “to teleport” information between two quantum computers. The study was published in the journal Nature Physics on Friday.
The researchers used so-called “quantum entanglement” in order to “instantly send the data” pertaining to quantum computing, a breakthrough that they admitted proved “to be highly challenging”.
According to them, this may result in the creation of a quantum internet that “would ultimately protect the world’s information from malicious attacks”.
Dan Llewellyn, co-author of the study, praised the team’s efforts to “demonstrate a high-quality entanglement link across two chips in the lab” which he said will further add to development of quantum computers and other technologies linked to “quantum information”.
“This is encoded in single particles that are difficult to control and measure”, Llewellyn added.
He was echoed by lead author Jianwei Wang who predicted that in the not-so-distant future, the “integration of quantum photonic devices and classical electronic controls will open the door for fully chip-based CMOS [Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor]-compatible quantum communication and information processing networks”.
The study comes after a team of Google-based researchers confirmed in October that the company had achieved so-called “quantum supremacy” by using a quantum computer to resolve a task which was considered impossible for conventional machines.
The computer managed to finish calculations for a task that was unspecified in the document in 3 minutes and 20 seconds, something which would have taken a classic supercomputer 10,000 years to complete.
Quantum computers are considered to be a crucial technology for speeding up calculations in the future, especially in areas such as medical research, climate modelling and cyber-security. At the same time, researchers admit that quantum computers are still years away from solving any practical problems. | <urn:uuid:13e52859-7906-434b-bca5-7c00546e151d> | CC-MAIN-2020-29 | https://www.cyberbannews.com/en/news/cutting-edge-tech-deals-cyber-threats | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-29/segments/1593655902377.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20200709224746-20200710014746-00201.warc.gz | en | 0.9537 | 475 | 3.484375 | 3 |
I found this video on quantum computing educational. It confirmed some things that I’ve been pondering about quantum computing for a while, notably its limitations, which are discussed after about the five minute mark.
The strength of quantum computing is that it makes use of superpositions, the fact that quantum particles can be in multiple states at the same time. But it’s always bothered me that superpositions disappear as soon as we try to determine what they contain (or, if you’re an adherent of the many-world interpretation of quantum mechanics, they spread to us in such a way that “we” only have access to one of the superposition branches).
It was fellow blogger Disagreeable Me who explained to me, and this video confirmed, that the way to think of quantum computing is as of a type of double slit experiment, but in the shape of a logic circuit. Quantum computing allows for much more complex logic circuits than classical computing. But as soon as that circuit outputs its results, decoherence, the wave function collapse, the disappearance or spread of the superposition, or whatever we call it, happens, and all the data aside from that in the collapsed state, disappears.
This means that quantum computing is good for certain types of CPU bound processes, such as calculations, but not for I/O bound processes, which is most of computing. It means that those who believe that Moore’s Law is some cosmic law of physics are going to be disappointed when classical computing eventually hits fundamental physical laws. Science fiction authors and singularity enthusiasts shouldn’t expect quantum computing to ride in and provide infinite computing power.
Of course, no one knows when Moore’s Law is going to end. Experts seem to place it somewhere between 5 and 30 years. I suspect we’ll only know about the end in retrospect years after we’ve hit it. It won’t mean the end of progress in computing power, but it will mean that future gains past that point will be much harder, requiring alternate architectures. | <urn:uuid:9e5f83f6-f3fb-4464-a068-d92e3d216ef2> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | https://selfawarepatterns.com/2015/06/21/quantum-computing-will-not-rescue-moores-law/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818685129.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20170919112242-20170919132242-00538.warc.gz | en | 0.946569 | 425 | 2.9375 | 3 |
- Gunung Machinchang? What’s that you say?
Well, to cut straight through the suspense, Gunung Machinchang is a mountain peak and the dominant feature of the western end of Langkawi island. It is also the subject of this second post in a photo series featuring images from a recent holiday to Malaysia.
Destination for the first week away was Langkawi which is located on Malaysia’s west coast just inside the border with Thailand. Langkawi’s tourism has been developed around its largely unspoilt natural beauty and the island has declared itself as a UNESCO Geopark, ensuring it’s development is guided by consideration for the environment and its unique geological features.
Within Langkawi, there are three major geopark areas and a number of smaller sites. One of the major parks is the Machinchang Cambrian Geoforest Park. The park protects a geologically significant area, with the sandstone rocks that form Gunung Machinchang and the adjacent peaks representing some of the earliest land to form in the region we now know as South East Asia. The sandstones date back to the Cambrian period some 500 million years ago and were originally part of the margins of the Gondwanaland super-continent.
Langkawi folklore however ascribes the presence of Gunung Machinchang to a fight between two giants. Mid-fight, both were struck by lightning and turned into stone. One of the giants became Gunung Machinchang and the other Gunung Raya, the other significant peak on the island. Gunung, by the way, means mountain in Malay.
Park visitors can access Gunung Machinchang’s peak via a cable car that rises from near sea level all the way up to Gunung Machinchang’s 708 metre (2323 feet) peak. Built around the cable car’s base station is a tourist village area called Oriental Village which incorporates a cluster of buildings incorporating Malaysian and Oriental architecture styles. I’ll save images of that for a later post.
For my first photo, I conveniently found a car coming around the base station’s turning wheel decorated with quite a pretty advertisement for Langkawi rather than one of the not so interesting ones for a local bank.
Readers of my previous post should recognise the bird featured on the front of the cable car. Quick memory test: what was it called again?
The cable cars look to be exactly the same models as used on Mt Titlus in Switzerland. I found this somewhat reassuring having previously undertaken a cable car ride up and down Mt Titlus!
If you happen to visit Langkawi and plan to use the cable car, please note that it is closed on certain days for scheduled maintenance. These days are advertised on the cable car’s website.
And to finish, a view south showing off some of the many islands that actually make up Langkawi, over 100 in total. The number varies slightly depending on whether the tide is in or out. These distant islands form another of the major geopark areas and will be the feature of a future post.
Pentax K-3 with my regular walkaround lens, my Tamron 17-50 F2.8 zoom. From memory, a polarising filter was used.
To Learn More
Thinking of a holiday in Langkawi? Information about the cable car ride can be found here: Panorama Langkawi
And where on the island is Gunung Machinchang? | <urn:uuid:dbd0a32a-affe-46c4-a372-ca7194d31cab> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://photomorsels.com/2014/07/08/gunung_machinchang/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583511314.51/warc/CC-MAIN-20181017220358-20181018001858-00497.warc.gz | en | 0.936647 | 732 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Exponential growth is a biological principle that follows a format in which a population of life forms grows at a faster rate when the population is larger. Exponential growth assumes birth and death rates are constant, and factors such as migration are non-existent. The graph of an exponential growth system follows a continuous curve upward over time.Continue Reading
A simple example of exponential growth revolves around paramecia. Each of these one-celled creatures divides into two separate organism by simple mitosis. Assume that on "Day Zero" of the graph, there is a single paramecium, and the organisms multiply once per day. On "Day One," there are two paramecia. On "Day Two," there are four. On "Day Three," there are eight and so on.
The function of paramecium population growth is squared, or with the exponent of two. One squared is two. Two squared is four. Four squared is eight and upward until the graph appears to trend almost vertically. The paramecium population doubles every day in this simple example. The rate of population increase is faster as time moves forward. There are fewer organisms on "Day One" than on "Day 10," which means more organisms are created on "Day 11" than on "Day Two."
The journal "Nature" explains several formulas that describe exponential growth on a given day. Exponential formulas offer models for predicting population explosions, determining the economic limits of populations and figuring population density.Learn more about Biology | <urn:uuid:4c3efb0a-3ee2-4a63-a0ed-c7225e30d050> | CC-MAIN-2018-39 | https://www.reference.com/science/exponential-growth-biology-d123f6ff114eea18 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-39/segments/1537267163326.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20180926041849-20180926062249-00221.warc.gz | en | 0.938871 | 303 | 4.1875 | 4 |
Looking for a way to entertain your toddler or preschooler while building important developmental skills at the same time? How about yoga? That’s right, even your little three-year-old can be a yoga master!
Yoga is a fun, interactive, and engaging activity which can help preschoolers improve developmental milestones pertaining to fine and gross motor skills, body awareness, and balance. Not only has yoga proven to be effective for developmental skills, it is also enjoyable for young children. It is becoming popular for preschool teachers to integrate yoga into their daily school routine with great results. Because it is inexpensive and requires no special equipment or certification to teach, yoga can be easily integrated into the preschool classroom setting, daycares, or at home. Children practicing yoga don’t even need yoga mats; the entire room is essentially their yoga mat. Studies show that yoga poses with preschool age groups also encourages self-regulation and mindfulness, encouraging better attention and learning in preschool.
The receptors that detect movement and body awareness are largely housed in our joints and muscles. Putting pressure through these joints and muscles provides feedback to the child’s brain and builds important developmental skills. Yoga also includes several balance poses. These poses can be adapted so they are fun for children, such as pretending they are a tree swaying in the wind, a kitten with one paw lifted, or an egg rocking on the edge of a table. These yoga poses that feel like pretend play to children are actually really helpful in building strength and equilibrium. Because of the core strengthening and pressure through the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hands, fine motor skills will improve and it doesn’t take long for improvements to be noticeable.
Children who participated in just ten days of yoga scored better on gross motor and fine motor activities which can help with athletics, handwriting, and scissor skills. With improvements in skills occurring in such a short period of time, yoga lends itself perfectly to short-term preschool programs, camps, and kindergarten readiness programs. The positive effects of yoga carry over to school-age children as well. Evidence shows that yoga helps with hand steadiness, letter writing, and motor planning in school-age and preschool children.
Although yoga is great with just one or two children, it also lends itself really well to a large group because children can model off each other and even perform some of the poses with a partner, such as making their bodies look like letters or numbers, or holding hands while balancing. Yoga is also highly adaptable for different skill levels, abilities, and ages. Poses can easily be modified if a child has a delay or special needs, and the poses can be graded to more challenging for older, more advanced children. The traditional poses of yoga can be completely adapted to make yoga a more engaging experience for young children. Poses can be transformed into animals, shapes, and letters, boosting children’s creativity and imagination while simultaneously building motor skills. It may just seem like fun for them to crawl around like a puppy or stomp their feet like an elephant, but the joint compression of the crawling and heavy steps of the elephant improve children’s motor skills, balance, and core stability, not to mention it can be so much fun!
As academic demands continue to grow, budget constraints limit access to safe playgrounds, and children are spending more time on technology, yoga is a great way to get children out of their chairs and provide them with some healthy movement each and every day. | <urn:uuid:ef64ce3c-722b-48c8-9510-e5691ade32ed> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | https://fllmag.com/the-little-yogis-in-all-of-us/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549423812.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20170721222447-20170722002447-00641.warc.gz | en | 0.959674 | 708 | 3.234375 | 3 |
Since the play also involves the two different religious groups,what are the actions in the first scene of the fourth act that highlight certain anti-jewish aspects. Kindly expedite.
Answers 1Add Yours
Shylock is portrayed as a stereotypical Jew who wants his bond and vengeance despite being reasoned with. Bassanio comes forward and offers Shylock the six thousand ducats as repayment for the loan. Shylock tells him that even if there were six times as much money offered to him, he would not take it. The Duke asks Shylock, "How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?" (4.1.87). Shylock responds that he is doing nothing wrong, and compares his contract with Antonio to the Christian slave trade. He tells the Duke that he does not demand that the Christians should free their slaves, and therefore the Christians should not demand that he free Antonio. | <urn:uuid:0212eceb-9447-4004-9b3c-8a9717d8dc3e> | CC-MAIN-2017-51 | http://www.gradesaver.com/merchant-of-venice/q-and-a/what-are-the-anti-jewish-actions-in-the-play-302358 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948592972.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20171217035328-20171217061328-00264.warc.gz | en | 0.978543 | 191 | 3 | 3 |
Bonsai Plant Business Idea: Low Investment gives You Huge Profit
Bonsai plants are miniature representations of full-sized trees that are often kept as houseplants or displayed in containers like furniture.
Bonsai trees are a traditional art form that originated in China. They come in different shapes, leaves, and forms.
Bonsai trees are a traditional art form that originated in China. They typically take the shape of a full-sized tree and can be made from any tree species.
The name bonsai is derived from the Japanese words meaning "tray plant" which refers to the container that houses these miniature trees.
Bonsai was originally created for people with limited living space such as farmers or fishermen who needed their crops or catches preserved for extended periods of time.
If you're new to the art of bonsai, you should know that they need to be watered regularly and groomed to maintain their shape.
Knowing what type of soil to use and how much water your bonsai needs can hel
p you keep it healthy.
It's important to k
now that while most plants require water every day, bonsai plants only need water twice a week or when the top inch of
soil has dried out.
The roots will help draw moisture from the potting mix and release it back into the air for other plants in the room. | <urn:uuid:c1dabc50-57ad-4273-8be9-991b876d165d> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://jobexamhub.com/web-stories/bonsai-plant-business-idea-2022/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656104215805.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20220703073750-20220703103750-00091.warc.gz | en | 0.964289 | 285 | 2.6875 | 3 |
"Sources are the raw materials that historians use to write history. This site offers a range of primary sources—published and unpublished documents as well as images—that begin to fill in the picture of adoption’s past, illuminating topics, people, organizations, and studies that shaped adoption theory and practice during the twentieth century."
"...an online archive funded by Marquette University and the National Endowment for the Humanities that shows the many ways children experienced city life during the last century and a half. Designed for use by teachers, students, historians, and general users, the site features hundreds of documents and images about children in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, drawn from newspapers, government and other official records, oral histories and memoirs, and many other sources."
"... is a core electronic collection of books and journals in Home Economics and related disciplines. Titles published between 1850 and 1950 were selected and ranked by teams of scholars for their great historical importance. The first phase of this project focused on books published between 1850 and 1925 and a small number of journals. Future phases of the project will include books published between 1926 and 1950, as well as additional journals. The full text of these materials, as well as bibliographies and essays on the wide array of subjects relating to Home Economics, are all freely accessible on this site. This is the first time a collection of this scale and scope has been made available." Cornell University
"With U.S. entry into World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover to head the newly created U.S. Food Administration. A mining engineer who had successfully organized the massive effort to get food to Belgium’s citizens after the German army’s sweep through that country in 1914, Hoover was now charged with managing domestic agriculture and conservation in order to feed the U.S. Army and assist Allied armies and civilians. “Food Will Win the War,” declared the Food Administration through its ubiquitous posters and publicity efforts. Planting gardens, observing voluntary rationing, avoiding waste—these efforts at food conservation all came to be known as “Hooverizing.” Women’s magazines also took up the home conservation crusade, some employing military analogies to promote the recommendations of the Food Administration. Presenting domestic work as patriotic effort, this U.S. Food Administration campaign in Good Housekeeping offered women a membership shield and even provided instructions for sewing a “patriotic” housekeeping uniform."
An online collection of books from the HathiTrust Digital Library. It covers "areas in American domestic and commercial life in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Far more than just cookbooks, it contains a wide diversity of materials from the 16th to early 20th centuries - books, ephemera, menus, magazines, graphics, maps, manuscripts, diaries, letters, catalogues, advertisements, and reference works - and is increasingly recognized as a premier collection for the study of culinary Americana"
The original archive is located at the University of Michigan's Clements Library (http://www.clements.umich.edu/longone-archive.php)
"Latah County was an exhilarating place to live at the beginning of the twentieth century. Residents of the county contended with wild animals, mob actions, economic upheaval, revenge murders, union struggles, mining and logging accidents, and various other challenges.." The collection contains digital audio recordings and transcripts of oral histories.
"Work, school, and leisure activities in the United States from 1894 to 1915 are featured in this presentation of 150 motion pictures. Highlights include films of the United States Postal Service from 1903, cattle breeding, fire fighters, ice manufacturing, logging, calisthenic and gymnastic exercises in schools, amusement parks, boxing, expositions, football, parades, swimming, and other sporting events."
"As the principles of scientific management came to play a more significant role in the workplace, some reformers sought to apply these principles to any aspects of daily life that might be improved by standardization and routine. Perhaps no one applied the principles of scientific management to the home with as much passion as Christine Frederick, the household editor of Ladies Home Journal as well as the National Secretary of the Associated Clubs of Domestic Science. In 1912, she published a four-part series in the Ladies Home Journal that promised less housework. Each article opened with a box recounting Frederick Taylor’s principles of scientific management. “Taylorization” made it possible for (compelled, really) steelworkers to quadruple their usual output, and Frederick implied that Taylor’s principles would also result in a four-fold increase in home productivity. Frederick’s articles were enormously popular. Although Frederick posed as an impartial efficiency expert, she had very close ties to appliance and kitchen-equipment manufacturers and helped lend scientific legitimacy to new products. In this excerpt from the first article in this series, Frederick described how to wash dishes correctly and efficiently. " GMU History Matters
"Working as an investigative photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC), Lewis Hine (1874-1940) documented working and living conditions of children in the United States between 1908 and 1924. The NCLC photos are useful for the study of labor, reform movements, children, working class families, education, public health, urban and rural housing conditions, industrial and agricultural sites, and other aspects of urban and rural life in America in the early twentieth century. The collection consists of more than 5,100 photographic prints and 355 glass negatives, given to the Library of Congress, along with the NCLC records, in 1954 by Mrs. Gertrude Folks Zimand, acting for the NCLC in her capacity as chief executive."
"As immigration dropped sharply during World War I and many native-born women left domestic service for wartime jobs, middle-class women lamented the shortage of domestic workers. New experts offered their advice to the middle-class woman who decided to tackle housework without the assistance of paid help. Gladys Hutton Chase , writing in Good Housekeeping in 1918, explained the new middle-class housekeeping. Chase celebrated her newfound freedom from the “work and worry” of employing domestic workers. Notably, her solution was doing her own work with the help of a professional home economics course, rather than getting other household members to pitch in. And even as she enthused about the efficiency of her new methods, Chase revealed the escalating standards that expanded and complicated middle-class housekeeping." GMU History Matters
"With U.S. entry into World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover to head the newly created U.S. Food Administration. A mining engineer who had successfully organized the massive effort to get food to Belgium’s citizens after the German army’s sweep through that country in 1914, Hoover was now charged with managing domestic agriculture and conservation in order to feed the U.S. Army and assist Allied armies and civilians. “Food Will Win the War,” declared the Food Administration through its ubiquitous posters and publicity efforts. Planting gardens, observing voluntary rationing, avoiding waste—these efforts at food conservation all came to be known as “Hooverizing.” In a campaign sponsored by the Food Administration, Good Housekeeping magazine published a December 1917 editorial seeking recruits for an army of “kitchen soldiers.” The editorial portrayed women’s domestic work as part of the U.S. military effort and solicited women’s direct participation, asking readers to sign a pledge to conserve food." GMU History Matters
"Women’s magazines published between the Civil War and World War II frequently featured articles on “the servant problem” for their middle-class readers. For mistresses, the “problem” was the inadequate supply of “competent” household help. Over the years, the solution to the problem changed. Whereas in the 19th century women were counseled to follow the ideals of Christian maternal benevolence, in the 20th century women were advised to follow principles of scientific management. As this 1912 article by Christine Frederick, an advocate of scientific management for housewives, makes clear, none of these reforms touched the heart of the real problem: servants were poorly paid (eight cents an hour in this “enlightened” household) and treated with little respect. Even so, scientific management did have some potential benefits for domestic servants. Many household workers complained about the lack of a regular schedule, constantly changing orders, and conflicting demands. If household work were truly rationalized, it might free them of some of the arbitrary, demeaning, and disorderly conditions of their work lives." GMU History Matters
"The quest for efficiency touched nearly every aspect of American life during World War I, including the nation’s clocks. Daylight saving first appeared during the war years as an experiment to save fuel. Theoretically, people would use less artificial light in the evenings thanks to the extra hour of daylight. Urban dwellers generally delighted in the “extra hour,” but protests by farmers and other rural citizens brought the experiment to an end after only one year. Farmers, rural Americans, and those whose jobs forced them to work very early hours disliked the measure intensely. They bombarded Congress with petitions, letters, and angry telegrams demanding the return to “God’s time.” According to farmers, city dwellers who wanted more leisure in the afternoon could just show up for work an hour earlier and leave an hour earlier." GMU History Matters
"In folklore the black nursemaid was seen as a dutiful, self-sacrificing black woman who loved her white family and its children every bit as much as her own. Yet the popular images of the loyal, contented black nursemaid, or “mammy,” were unfortunately far from the reality for the African-American women who worked in these homes. In 1912 the Independent printed this quasi-autobiographical account of servant life, as related by an African-American domestic worker, which dispelled the comforting “mammy” myth."
Book Sources: Home & Family - 1910s
A selection of books/e-books available in Trible Library.
Click the title for location and availability information. | <urn:uuid:e4d2e344-7497-486f-9743-1ad4deffc53a> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | https://cnu.libguides.com/the1910s/home | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232256082.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20190520162024-20190520184024-00255.warc.gz | en | 0.958966 | 2,132 | 3.09375 | 3 |
What are the world’s top polluting countries?
We’ve heard about air pollution in China, oil spills in the Caribbean, and toxic algae blooms in the Great Lakes, but it can often be hard to pinpoint how much pollution impacts our lives. Yet, it’s so prevalent today that it accounts for sixteen percent of deaths around the world.
According to theGlobal Alliance on Health and Pollution that’s “3 times more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined; and 15 times more than all wars and other forms of violence. In the most severely affected countries, pollution accounts for more than 1 in 4 deaths.”
However, not all pollution is distributed evenly around the world. Some countries cause greater pollution than others and defining the top polluters also depends on the type of pollution. In this post, you’ll find the top polluters for three different pollution measurements: carbon dioxide emissions, PM2.5 air pollution and number of pollution-related deaths.
Carbon Dioxide emissions pollution by country
The International Panel on Climate Change warns that if we don’t curb our carbon emissions, we could face devastating consequences if the temperature of the atmosphere rises above 1.5 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial temperatures. They have reduced the previous global target from 2 degrees Celsius in a special report in 2018, comparing the types of consequences associated with each target. Their findings basically suggest that 1.5 degrees Celsius is already bad enough and best to be avoided.
The troubling fact is that some of the risks anticipated in the report can already be seen throughout the world today.Droughts and rainfall shortages have caused Chennai, the sixth largest city in India with a population of 10 million people, to suffer from a total lack of water. Excess rainfall in other areas is apparent when you consider theflooding that began mid-March in the midwestern states of the U.S.
The list of countries that produce the greatest are unsurprisingly known forcoal andoil production and exportation. Hopefully this list helps us connect the dots between today’s climate change crisis and the complicity of the fossil fuel industries in climate change.
TheWorldbank’s most recent data from 2014 shows the top emitters of carbon dioxide in millions of kilotons (kt) added to the atmosphere.
- China: 10.3m kt
- United States: 5.3m kt
- India: 2.2m kt
- Russia: 1.7m kt
- Japan: 1.2m kt
- Germany: 0.7m kt
- Iran: 0.65m kt
- Saudi Arabia: 0.6m kt
- South Korea: 0.59m kt
- Canada: 0.54m kt
When you adjust the list to evaluate the emissions on a per capita basis, the United State and Canada climb to the top of the chart. According to aStatista report from 2016, using data from the International Monetary Fund, these are the top carbon dioxide emitters per capita in metric tons (t).
- United States: 14.95t
- Canada: 14.91t
- South Korea: 11.5t
- Russia: 9.97t
- Japan: 9.04t
- Germany: 8.88t
- China: 6.57t
- U.K.: 5.65t
- Italy: 5.37t
- France: 4.38t
Air pollution by country
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports thatnine out of ten people in the world breathe polluted air. Even though our air flows freely, air pollution disproportionately affects poor and marginalized people. Almost all cities (97%) with over 100,000 residents in low- and middle-income countries don’t meet the air quality standards for health defined by WHO.
In the United States, arecent study found that a racial disparity exists between white and non-white populations, since the people breathing the harmful air are predominantly black and hispanic communities, while the people causing more air pollution are, in fact, white.
According toState of Global Air, air pollution ranks fifth for the “Global ranking of risk factors by total number of deaths from all causes for all ages and both sexes in 2017.” Air pollution-related diseases included in the report are:
- Respiratory infections and TB
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Chronic respiratory disease
- Diabetes and chronic kidney disease
Whileair pollution comes from a wide range of harmful air contaminants, which we get exposure to when we breathe, one of the most commonly measured sources of air pollution is particulate matter, which comes from both natural and manmade materials.
PM2.5 is a pollutant in the air made of a mixture of small particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers. This is the nasty stuff that gets caught in our lungs, causing chroniclung and respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis as well as life-threatening heart attacks. It’s one of doctors’ biggest concerns when it comes to air pollution.
These are the top ten countries in 2017 for PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure (micrograms per cubic meter), according to theWorldbank.
- Nepal (100)
- Niger (94)
- Qatar (94)
- India (91)
- Saudi Arabia (88)
- Egypt (87)
- Cameroon (73)
- Nigeria (72)
- Bahrain (71)
- Chad (66)
Pollution related deaths by country
Pollution causes so much harm that it literally takes lives at very high quantities in some parts of the world. These high risk places for deadly pollution are predominantlylow- and middle-income countries (92%) and impact children the most during the critical time of life when their brain functions are developing. This shows us the high importance of high environmental standards for the public.
The following countries had the highest number of pollution-related deaths per 100,000 people in 2016 according to theGlobal Burden of Disease study.
- Central African Republic (321)
- Chad (249)
- North Korea (244)
- Niger (229)
- Burundi (221)
- Lesotho (217)
- Sierra Leone (211)
- Madagascar (205)
- India (200)
- Somalia (199
Other global pollution concerns
Pollution impacts people in both direct and indirect ways by harming the ingredients needed for life: air, water and soil. TheLancet Commission on Health and Pollution highlights how all forms of pollution impact not only our health, but also our economic well being.
Ways to solve pollution problems
One of the key concerns about global pollution is that not enough reliable data exists to connect the impact of pollution to health. For that reason, it’s important for institutions and governments to play an active role in collecting data and providing resources to the public such as the fantastic pollution data map compiled byPollution.org.
Government regulations also offer an important way to curb pollution at its industrial sources. Historically, the U.S. has benefited from its strong regulatory environmental protections in place such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. However, these safeguards to public health are increasingly facing political challenges from thecurrent administration. They’ll require increased public support to ensure they remain effective. | <urn:uuid:c39be3b8-155e-40cf-b25d-d51e3f6cafbb> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://healthyhumanlife.com/blogs/news/top-polluting-countries | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875143815.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20200218210853-20200219000853-00261.warc.gz | en | 0.911013 | 1,545 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Key Difference – 1-Butyne vs 2-Butyne
All simple aliphatic hydrocarbons are broadly categorized into three types based on the presence of carbon-carbon single or multiple bonds: alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons and contain only single carbon-carbon bonds. The general formula of alkane is CnH2n+2. Some common alkanes include methane, ethane, propane, and butane. Alkenes are the unbranched unsaturated hydrocarbons with at least one carbon-carbon double bond. The general formula of alkene is CnH2n. The simplest alkene is ethylene. Butene, hexene, propene are some common examples for alkenes. Alkynes are the unsaturated hydrocarbons with at least one carbon-carbon triple bond. The general formula of alkyne is CnH2n-2. 1-butyne and 2-butyne are two simple alkynes that contain one carbon-carbon triple bond in different places. Both has the same molecular formula of C4H6, but have some differences. The key difference between 1-butyne and 2-butyne is that in 1-butyene, the triple bond is found between first and second carbon, whereas in 2-butyene, it is found between second and third carbon atoms. Because of this difference, these two substances have entirely different characteristic features.
What is 1-Butyne?
1-butyne is called a terminal alkyne due to the presence of terminal triple bond between the first and second carbon atoms of the carbon chain. Because of the presence of this terminal bond, 1-butyne can be distinguished from 2-butyene by two main tests. In the first test, ammoniacal cuprous chloride solution gives a red precipitate with 1-butyene, resulting in copper 1-butynide. In the second test, ammoniacal silver nitrate solution reacts with 1-butyne, resulting in silver 1-butynide, which is a white precipitate. Both these two solutions do not react with 2-butyne.
1-butyne is an extremely flammable colorless gas. It is dense than normal air. The IUPAC name of 1-butyne is but-1-yne.
What is 2-Butyne?
2-butyne is a non-terminal alkyne, which has its triple bond in the middle of the carbon chain, connecting the second and the third carbon atoms. Unlike terminal alkynes, 2-butyne do not react with either ammoniacal cuprous chloride solution or ammoniacal silver nitrate solution to give characteristic precipitates. The terminal alkyl groups of 2-butyne provide electrons to sp-hybridized carbon, thus stabilizing the alkyene while decreasing the heat of hydrogenation. Hence, the heat of hydrogenation is less in 2-butyne than in 1-butyne. 2-butyne is a colorless liquid and emits a petroleum-like odor. It has a low density than water and is not soluble in water. The IUPAC name is but-2-yne.
What is the Difference Between 1-Butyne and 2-Butyne?
1-Butyne vs 2-Butyne
|1-Butyne is a terminal alkyne with a triple bond that connects first and second carbon atoms.||2-Butyne is a non-terminal alkyne with a triple bond that connects second and third carbon atoms.|
|Heat of Hydrogenation|
|Heat of hydrogenation is 292 kJ/mol.||Heat of hydrogenation is 275 kJ/mol.|
|1-Butyne is a colorless gas.||2-Butyne is a colorless liquid.|
|1-Butyne is less stable than 2-Butyne due to the presence of terminal triple bond.||2-Butyne is more stable.|
|With Ammoniacal Cuprous Chloride Solution|
|1-Butyne gives a red precipitate of copper 1-butynide.||2-Butyne gives no such precipitate.|
|With Ammoniacal Silver Nitrate Solution (Tollen’s Reagent)|
|1-Butyne gives a white precipitate of silver acetylide.||2-Butyne gives no such precipitate.|
|IUPAC name is but-1-yne.||IUPAC name is but-2-yne.|
|Common name is ethylacetylene.||Common name is Dimethylacetylene.|
Summary – 1-Butyne vs 2-Butyne
Both 1-butyne and 2-butyne are hydrocarbons that belong to the group of alkynes. 1-butyne is a terminal alkyne that has a triple bond connecting C1 and C2. It is a colorless gas. 2-butyne is a colorless liquid that has its triple bond connecting C2 and C3 atoms. Hence 2-butyne is a non-terminal alkyne. Due to this difference between 1-Butyne and 2-Butyne, these two hydrocarbons have entirely different chemical and physical properties. However, their chemical formula is the same, i.e., C4H6.
Download PDF Version of 1-Butyne vs 2-Butyne
You can download PDF version of this article and use it for offline purposes as per citation note. Please download PDF version here Difference Between 1-Butyne and 2-Butyne
1. Carey, Francis A., and Richard J. Sundberg. Advanced Organic Chemistry Part A: Structure and Mechanisms. Boston, MA, Springer US, 2007.
2. Lon, Clive. X-Kit FET Grade 12 PHYS SCIENCE CHEMISTRY. South Africa, Pearson, 2008.
3. “1-BUTYNE.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Available here. Accessed 8 Sept. 2017.
4. “2-BUTYNE.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Database, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Available here. Accessed 8 Sept. 2017. | <urn:uuid:15f6a8f4-7bcd-43db-a617-f0d13f13b6a5> | CC-MAIN-2018-26 | https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-1-butyne-and-vs-2-butyne/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-26/segments/1529267860570.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20180618144750-20180618164750-00528.warc.gz | en | 0.860967 | 1,353 | 3.875 | 4 |
This is an image of Mars.
Click on image for full size
The Climate of Mars
The unusual climate of Mars makes Mars not quite right for life as we know it on Earth. If the climate were warm enough, water would not freeze into the ground but vaporize into the atmosphere. Lots of water vapor in the atmosphere would help keep Mars warm, and prevent water from freezing.
On a cold planet water can be frozen into the ground, like the frozen tundra of the Earth, and therefore trapped. This ground water can only be turned into running water when the climate of Mars undergoes a change.
Over the history of Mars, when the climate changes due to the unusual shape of its orbit, water, which has been stored, frozen, underground, turns to running water and is transferred from regions near the poles to regions near the equator. This phenomena has to do with the unusual global geography of Mars. Scientist think there are two possiblities for how it happens.
Ultimately, as Mars cools off, climate changes are not enough to prevent the water from being permanenty frozen into the ground.
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The Martian climate is more influenced by the shape of the Martian orbit than the climate of the Earth is influenced by the shape of the Earth's orbit. The orbit of Mars is more oval-shaped than that...more
On Mars, the water is trapped, frozen, within the ground. Nevertheless, there is evidence for running water on Mars. When the water is melted and released to the surface, it will run from higher ground...more
On this map of Mars, the lightly cratered Tharsis Ridge is shown, as well as the heavily cratered Martian highlands (near the bottom of the picture), and Valles Marineris to the right. The volcanoes are...more
Separate from the Martian outflow channels, or the river valley networks, are large Martian lakes (600 km, or ~1000 miles across) which exhibit evidence of a periodic and catastrophic release of water...more
This is an image of fog in a Martian canyon. The presence of fog provides evidence of water, and a water cycle on Mars. More fog has been seen in images returned by Mars Global Surveyor of the south polar...more
This is an image of a storm moving across the Martian terrain. The camera is looking down upon the storm and the storm front forms a spiral pattern, the same way terrestrial storms are presented on the...more | <urn:uuid:3e62a164-86d6-44e9-88c2-92cccb374a1f> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://www.windows2universe.org/mars/interior/Mars_climate_history.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187826840.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20171023221059-20171024001059-00218.warc.gz | en | 0.945984 | 635 | 4.125 | 4 |
Lancelot 'Capability' Brown worked at Moor Park in Hertfordshire for Admiral Lord Anson in 1750s.
In 1720 Benjamin Styles, a merchant who made a fortune from the South Sea Bubble, bought the estate, rebuilding the house and employing Charles Bridgeman (d 1738) to provide a plan for the gardens.
Admiral Lord Anson (d 1762) bought Moor Park from Styles sometime around 1754 and employed Capability Brown from 1753 to carry out extensive works to it during the 1750s, including remodelling the pleasure grounds. Horace Walpole visited very soon after the work was completed and recorded that Lord Anson had paid £6000 for “improving the grounds under Brown’s direction” at Moor Park. “I was not much struck with it after all the miracles I has heard that Brown had performed there. He has undulated the horizon in so many artificial mole-hills that it is full as unnatural as if it was drawn with a rule & compasses”. Thomas Whately, visiting in the 1770s when the landscape had matured, was much more enthusiastic.
The estate passed through several further hands, including Sir Lawrence Dundas, who employed Robert Adam in the house and to design park buildings, and the first Marquess of Westminster who employed Robert Cundy II, and laid out the Italian Garden. Lord Leverhulme employed Thomas Mawson c 1910.
Moor Park Today
In the mid C20 the park was laid out with golf courses and the mansion became the clubhouse, in which use it remains. It now includes two golf courses, with the remains of 19th/early-20th century formal gardens of 3 hectares. There has also been building development along the boundaries and in the south-east quarter of the estate. | <urn:uuid:ff98702b-c11a-42a0-a000-73fc98793bc9> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | http://www.capabilitybrown.org/garden/moor-park | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232261326.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20190527045622-20190527071622-00155.warc.gz | en | 0.979695 | 376 | 2.609375 | 3 |
Mises Daily Articles
Think Locally, Act Globally
According to one slogan, we should think globally, but act locally. Such thinking obviously has significant appeal, but it is highly misleading. Typically, this slogan pertains to environmental issues. However, it represents a particular worldview that is hostile to free markets and friendly towards governmental intervention.
The appeal of this slogan and the ideas it represents derives from legitimate issues. The persons who promote governmental control of the economy and environment do so because they see great potential for conflict in a free society based on the pursuit of self-interest. After all, how can individuals pursue their interests without coming into conflict with each other?
The simplest and most-obvious answer to this question is we cannot avoid conflict in a society of free individuals. It might therefore seem to be the case that the interests of individuals can only be reconciled through coercion. However this dismal conclusion is not true. Reconciliation of divergences of interests between individuals comes through social cooperation within the market system. To see this point we must understand how the pursuit of individual interests leads to conflict, and what markets do to harmonize individual interests.
The most obvious reasons for conflicts between individuals are the fact of scarcity and the idea of rational self-interest. If we each pursue our selfish use of scarce resources aggressively, conflict might seem inevitable. There are a few dreamers who speak of a postscarcity society. While the idea of abundance has a certain emotional appeal there are obvious reasons to reject such an idea, such as human mortality and the finite nature of natural resources. Others reject the idea of self-interest. After all, some people do undertake seemingly selfless actions, such as charity and occasionally martyrdom. And some believe that though there is no natural harmony of interest, we can instead harmonize social life by making human nature altruistic.
Altruism alone does not harmonize social interaction. On the contrary, a world of altruistic people could easily be more rancorous than the world we know. It is not enough for people to want to promote the interests of others. We must also comprehend the interests of others, and this is impossible. One of the great insights of 20th-century economics was the "knowledge problem" examined by F.A. Hayek. The modern global economy is shaped by the individual interests and local circumstances of billions of people, each of whom is unique. We each have our own scale of values concerning the end uses of scarce resources, and these values are personal and subjective. Moreover, we each develop our values through time, through experience. We also each have unique skills or talents in producing the things of value to ourselves or others.
Adam Smith illustrated the productivity advantages of specialized and divided labor. The ability to divide productive tasks among individuals enables groups to improve productivity and raise living standards far beyond what is possible under autarky. Finally, modern means of production use advanced technology arranged in complicated chains of production. Capital goods exist in enormous variety, and are arranged in very complicated ways. The unique nature of wants combines with the advantages of global division of labor and modern technology to pose a problem. How can anyone comprehend such complexity? How can we harmonize so many different actions in the pursuit of self-interest?
It should be fairly obvious that nobody can "think globally," but this is not the only problem with the aforementioned slogan. It might seem inevitable that we must "act locally," but this is not true either. Our inability to think globally poses a problem. How can a global economy work if nobody comprehends its working? The knowledge problem renders the idea of an altruistic solution impossible. Of course, self-interested people will want to achieve global order, if such an order delivers higher living standards for them.
In any case, seemingly selfless acts usually have a hidden payoff. People who perform volunteer work or donate to charities often speak of how much they enjoy these acts. Also, leaders and martyrs can secure prestige and a place in history for themselves when they commit seemingly selfless acts. Consequently, there is no reason to believe that altruism exists or will ever exist, and there is no need for it anyway. The real problem of attaining social cooperation lies not in the nature of human intentions, but in the limits of human cognition.
Since we can only think locally, global coordination of production requires some means by which we can "extend our span of the use of resources beyond the span of conscious control of any one mind" (Hayek 1948, p. 88). Markets solve the knowledge problem of mutual coordination of the use of scarce resources in the face of the knowledge problem. Prices in markets reach out across the world as signals to coordinate production.
Increased demand for oil in Asia has sent a signal to the West to conserve this resource. Americans recently cut their consumption of oil by 800,000 barrels a day, not because of any altruistic sentiments regarding Asians. We have economized on our use of oil because we are thinking locally, in terms of our own budgets, our own interests. Yet without intending to, we have acted globally to coordinate with others in the use of this and all other scarce resources. The price system enables us to "think locally and act globally" through markets. This is how we solve the knowledge problem, to arrive at some degree of global harmonization of many selfish interests.
The market system itself was not designed for the purpose of achieving social harmony. Markets emerged initially out of self-interested trade based on double coincidence of wants. When two people each have what the other wants and want what the other has, they can trade provided that they recognize this situation and have the means to carry out this trade (Menger 1871). Institutions like money and property emerge to facilitate commerce. The whole system of capitalism can therefore be seen as Adam Smith put it: "a system of natural liberty". The formation of market prices in money makes the coordination of global production possible.
There is a moral dimension to the idea of social coordination through trade in markets. As Henry Hazlitt has argued, there is no conflict between personal interests and ethical behavior. Ethical conduct derives from the subordination of immediate gains to longer-term gains. People achieve the most for themselves through social cooperation in markets rather than through coercive transfers. This reasoning of Hazlitt's implies that markets harmonize ethical conduct and personal gain. Yet some still fail to see how a system of natural liberty enables us to achieve prosperity and justice. Some people still see planning or "global thinking" and coercion through government as the means of attaining a better and more just world.
The debate between those who see the benefits of a free society and those who insist that economic progress and social justice require deliberate planning and coercion is long standing. In 1767, Adam Ferguson described an evolutionary process where an unplanned social order emerges out of purposeful acts in the face of a complex and uncertain world. Since then, scholars like Adam Smith, Carl Menger, and F.A. Hayek have developed this evolutionary view of institutions. Yet some people claim that the market system could only have resulted from deliberate action to establish social order. Even though nobody could have designed the modern global economy in all its details, there must have been a more general plan for social order, especially where the protection and enforcement of individual rights are concerned.
Private institutional arrangements can emerge and develop mechanisms for the enforcement of rights that are, however, often less formal and coercive than is commonly thought. Individuals tend to coordinate activity between themselves by abiding by unwritten, unspoken, or implicit agreements. As Robert Axelrod has demonstrated, it is in the interests of individuals to cooperate with others so long as others cooperate with them. Of course, the need for self-defense exists in great variety, but the satisfaction of such needs does not require a central planner who can "think globally." On the contrary, protection industries require exchange and competition on a mass scale, if they are to function properly.
We each achieve much more through social cooperation than we can alone. The past few centuries have proven Adam Smith right about the great benefits of a global division of labor. Furthermore, experience with the market system has proven its worth as a coordinating mechanism for global production. Yet many people not only deny the merits of global capitalism, they decry its results and call for greater governmental control. Politicians still win elections by promoting "economic plans."
While the debate in question is lengthy, and the sum of all the ideas within this debate is considerable, it can all be reduced to a simple form: The idea that we can think globally is absurd, not only when it comes to environmental issues, but perhaps even more so when it comes to economics. The idea that we should act locally is timid and small minded. The market system globalizes human action in a way that makes global thinking unnecessary, if not pernicious. The idea that we should think globally and act locally has superficial appeal, but careful examination of this proposition reveals that it derives from thinking that is both utopian and mediocre or unimaginative. The idea that we should think locally or selfishly and act globally might seem counterintuitive — in some sense small minded and greedy and in another sense absurd. However, competition in the market system does result in the unintended consequence of promoting general interests through individual actions, whether they appear greedy or altruistic.
To put it simply, those who truly want social progress should promote the idea that we should all think locally as individuals and act globally through the capitalist system. This is the creed of the true progressive.
I thank Don Lavoie, Pete Boettke, Anila Xhunga, and Scot Kjar for commenting on drafts of this paper. The usual disclaimer applies.
This slogan has been attributed to David Brower, Rene Dubos, and Jacques Ellul. In its original usage it applied to environmental issues. However, the idea behind this slogan underlies much of the thinking of socialists and social democrats.
Menger has an excellent discussion of the emergence of money in his "Principles". Mises refined this concept in his regression theorem (1912, 1949).
Von Mises argued this point forcefully in his "Socialism" (1922).
Donald Wittman (1995) and Theodore Breton (1989) have shown that if government is to achieve economic efficiency, it can do so only by replicating the workings of the market system.
Axelrod, Robert An Evolutionary Approach to Norms
Breton, Theodore (1989) "The Growth of Competitive Governments." The Canadian Journal of Economics. 22, 717Ð750.
Ferguson, Adam. Essay on the History of Civil Society (1767)
Hayek, F.A. Individualism and Economic Order (1948)
—— "The 'Non Sequitur' of the Dependence Effect," (1962)
—— The Constitution of Liberty (1960)
Hazlitt, Henry. The Foundation of Morality (1964)
Menger, Carl. Principles of Economics (1871)
Mises, Ludwig von. Human Action (1949)
——The Theory of Money and Credit (1912)
—— Socialism (1922)
Smith, Adam. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776)
Wittman, Donald. The Myth of Democratic Failure (1995) | <urn:uuid:527221b5-7da9-42f2-83c7-2dd6847f85e1> | CC-MAIN-2017-51 | https://mises.org/library/think-locally-act-globally | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-51/segments/1512948550199.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20171214183234-20171214203234-00307.warc.gz | en | 0.945575 | 2,331 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Made in Germany: the stories of 10 fascinating objects
Volkswagen Beetle: an early global success
The Beetle is a classic German car but it was first produced by the British after World War Two. By 1955, one million of them had been made.
Volkswagen sold more abroad than at home and the car was an major success story. The biggest and most prestigious foreign market was the USA, where the un-American Beetle became an emblem of the counter-culture of the 1960s.
Barlach's angel: a new kind of war memorial
This sculpture, by Ernst Barlach, was commissioned in 1926 for Güstrow cathedral. It evokes a mother looking west, to the killing fields of Flanders, grieving for her dead son.
Volker Probst, director of the Barlach Foundation, says 'Barlach developed a new type of war memorial. There is no heroism, no glorification of death or war. Instead, you find an exploration of pain, death, mourning and grief.'
Porcelain rhinoceros: part of a porcelain menagerie
Augustus the Strong (1670- 1733) was so passionate about German porcelain that his collection extended to numerous birds and animals, including life-size peacocks, dogs, a fox, vultures, and two rhinoceroses modelled on Dürer’s famous rhinoceros woodcut.
Rubble woman made from rubble
In the aftermath of World War Two, women were called upon to the clear the rubble from Germany’s cities. They were known as Trümmerfrauen, which means rubble women.
The artist Max Lachnit created this striking sculpture of the head and shoulders of a rubble woman, using hundreds of fragments of rubble.
Astronomical compendium: the show-off gadget of its day
This unique compendium, made by Johann Anton Linden in 1596, has all you would want in one box in terms of time-keeping, finding your place on earth, and finding the date.
The smartphone of its day
Silke Ackermann, director of Oxford University's Museum of the History of Science, describes it as 'the smartphone of its day'. 'It is very much a show-off piece,' she says.
Bauhaus cradle: based on a circle, a triangle and a square
This cradle was created by 24-year-old student Peter Keler in 1922 at the Bauhaus, the pioneering school of art and design. Like so many Bauhaus objects, it is made of simple materials, in this instance wood. It uses pure geometric shapes and is painted in primary colours.
The Four Evangelists: the most expressive lime-wood carving
The Four Evangelists (1492) by Tilman Riemenschneider are a brilliant example of a distinctively German art: carving lime-wood.
Art historian Julien Chapuis points out that with wood, 'expression is entirely dependent on your ability to control the chisel. And in that, Riemenschneider was unsurpassed.'
Strasbourg clock: astronomy, theology, mathematics and precision engineering
This is a domestic version of the famous Strasbourg Cathedral clock. It was made in 1589 by Isaac Habrecht.
This is the House of TimeNeil MacGregor
'This is the House of Time and its different dials and discs measure the minutes and hours of our lives from now to Judgement Day,' says Neil MacGregor.
Gutenberg Bible: printed on paper due to insufficient animals for parchment
Johannes Gutenberg invented moveable type and pioneered the printing press.
He wanted to use parchment for his first printing of the Bible, because it was considered to be the most precious material for the word of God. But it was impossible to obtain enough parchment to print 180 copies.
The Bible had around 2,000 pages and for every eight pages he needed one sheep or goat. There were not enough animals so he used paper.
Model of Friedrichstraße Station: used to train Stasi border guards
It is believed that this model of Berlin's Friedrichstraße Station was used to train the Stasi guards who closely monitored people leaving or entering East Berlin.
Dürer’s Apocalypse: good timing helped sales
Dürer’s Apocalypse (1948) was the first printed book in Western art to be illustrated by a major artist.
Many people believed the end of the world would come in 1500 and were curious to see what might be in store. This increased interest in Dürer’s images. | <urn:uuid:710e77a3-0aab-44c1-8fd3-20330eb469ea> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/C6tc8m8WnvSrJzqwRyjSKg/made-in-germany-the-stories-of-10-fascinating-objects | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600400238038.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20200926071311-20200926101311-00353.warc.gz | en | 0.947869 | 971 | 2.59375 | 3 |
When it comes to injuries, they usually fall into two categories; acute injuries or overuse injuries. If you want a full definition of each you can read our article on Acute vs. Overuse Injuries. But for the purpose of this article, in a nutshell, acute injuries are caused by a single event and result in wrist fractures, ankle sprains, and other one-time events. Overuse injuries are caused by repetitive actions that build up over time and result in painful conditions such as tennis elbow, pitcher’s elbow, runner’s knee, and jumper’s knee. If you noticed a pattern in the last list of injuries, they seem to be sports-related. This is the largest reason why overuse injuries increase in the spring and continue to peak through the summer. It should be noted that not all overuse injuries are sports-related as you can also develop an overuse injury at work. For the purpose of this article, however, we are going to address the three most common sports injuries that increase in the spring.
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)
The common symptom is burning pain over the bone and side of the elbow. This is caused by inflammation of the tendon that attaches muscles to the bony part on the outside of the elbow. About 50% of the athletes who practice racquet sports can develop tennis elbow and, if left untreated, can lead to chronic pain. Tips for prevention includes proper exercise to stretch and strengthen your arm movements—even when you are off the court. During play, improve your technique by learning to use your shoulder and upper arm during your swing to take the strain off the elbow. Finally, stick to your middle range of motion. Extreme bending or straightening of your arm causes stress to the joint and muscles.
Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendonitis)
Common symptoms of jumper’s knee include pain right below the knee cap and pain while bending the knee, especially during activities like climbing the stairs. 20 percent of athletes that compete in sports like basketball, volleyball, high jumping, and long jumping develop jumper’s knee. It also occurs in athletes that do not require jumping, like weight lifting and cycling. As with all injuries, left untreated it can develop into chronic pain. Tips to help prevent jumper’s knee includes stretching your quads and hamstrings. The primary cause of jumper’s knee is stress on the patellar tendon (the one that connects the kneecap to the shin bone). When your quads and hamstrings are inflexible, you are asking your patellar tendon to compensate, and it could lead to injury.
Thrower’s Shoulder/Swimmer’s Shoulder (Impingement Syndrome)
A common symptom of thrower’s shoulder is a pain in front and outside the shoulder joint. Your shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The ball is the upper part of your arm and it fits into the socket of your shoulder blade. The muscles and tendons which make this attachment work and move is a complex group of anatomy called the rotator cuff. When the tendons in the rotator cuff get trapped, it can cause injuries and mobility issues to the shoulder. Tips that may help prevent thrower’s shoulder have a lot to do with posture. Visit this link for 9 tips for Better Posture.
Check with Your Doctor
It is always a good idea to check with your doctor if you are feeling any of the above symptoms for these sports injuries—even if you are not an athlete. The key is to prevent chronic pain. The sooner you get diagnosed by a physical therapist, the sooner you can get back to living pain-free.
Renew Physical Therapy is located in Portland
Renew Physical Therapy is an independent manual physical therapy clinic that was established in December 2015 by Michael and Heidi Cantwell. Our facility features three private treatment rooms and an open gym area to treat all our patients’ needs. You can find us on Southeast Division Street in Portland, Oregon.
Renew Your Body, Reclaim Your Life! | <urn:uuid:ec852189-6ce2-45c2-a5bf-a5c5a9df3f00> | CC-MAIN-2021-17 | https://renewptpdx.com/3-common-overuse-injuries-that-increase-in-the-spring/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-17/segments/1618038072366.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20210413122252-20210413152252-00146.warc.gz | en | 0.942183 | 849 | 3.03125 | 3 |
Educate your audience with ease for all
Use the Information Presenter to help educate your audience, and maintain their knowledge.
ProblemThere are two pillars in education in terms of pure knowledge.
- Acquiring of new knowledge. Traditionally new knowledge it gained by systematic studding. However, in today's busy world, people are often too busy to spend time to learn anything outside of their domain of work, even though many would love to.
- Keeping of already gained knowledge. Not using or practicing knowledge usually leads to forgetting it. Often, if a person only thinks about it, they might feel that they still remember it. However, only after a review with a text on the subject do they realize that they have begun or already have forgotten it.
SolutionThe Information Presenter provides the ideal solution for an app to help people to gain new knowledge and keep the one that they already have.
Generic editions - suitable for all organizations.
Any edition of the Information Presenter enabled to display online slides can help people to build and keep their knowledge. In these cases the important part is the quality of the slide library of the edition.
Your own "Study" edition - suitable for Schools and Universities.
Main features relevant for a "Study" edition:
- Your own "Study" edition of the Information Presenter will allow your students to learn continuously, one item at a time, consciously and subconsciously, as well as keep their knowledge, find gaps in it, and correct them. It will also allow you to broadcast messages/adverts to your students.
- The app will provide parents with a tool for a better parental control, since they can also use the app, and be able to see what, and how, is taught to their children.
- Teachers create online slides from their notes at the end of the day or week, or reuse existing slides. Students can also create slides as home or course work, which the teacher only approves and makes available to view through the app.
Web-portal - all customer editions include an online portal.
- For editions able to display online slides, the online portal is also used to add and edit the online slides.
- The online portal allows you to display messages through the app.
Ability to display local slides - neutral position.
- On one hand we do not recommend for a "Study" editions to include the ability to display local slides as some students may use it inappropriately.
- However, on another hand some students may develop their own slides, e.g. take photos of the pages of their own notebooks, which they can view as local slides and will be very beneficial for them. Thus there is also a good reason to include the ability to display local slides.
Ability to display online slides - mandatory.
The "Study" edition should provide lots of information form the school's online slide library.
User authentication and group membership - mandatory.
User authentication and group membership is mandatory for study editions as it is used to select and display the appropriate slides to the students.
Ability to display adverts - all customer editions include it.
The edition is able to display all three types of adverts. In the context of a school adverts are general school messages, as well as invitations to school events, messages from student clubs, etc.
License - typically licensed to the school.
- When display of local slides is not enabled, then the license is always corporate to the institution, i.e. to the school.
- When display of local slides is enabled, then the license is usually granted to the end user.
Physical media - no physical media.
Download from the school website. The software will work only with authenticated users registered with the school's online slide library, i.e. students of the school.
The Information Presenter "Study" editions for schools and universities are designed to:
- Enable continuous learning.
- Help students to maintain their knowledge.
- Help students discover gaps in their knowledge
- Improve the quality of new learning due to reminding them the material from the previous years.
- Help students learn by participating in the teaching process.
- Receive acknowledgment for participating in the teaching process.
- Enable teachers to provide unlimited, structured, search-able, and persistent information.
- Complement the schools’ website and other teaching aids.
- Can help involve students in extracurricular activities of the school, etc.
- Peer-to-peer explanations.
- The spacing effect.
- Frequent practice tests.
- Interleave concepts.
- Combine text with images.
For most types of organizations, such as museums, parks, resorts, corporations, and businesses, the Information Presenter enables people to learn facts on a subject which is of interest to them, without effort while enjoying quick momentary breaks. Over time this builds up their education. For schools and universities, particularly, students use the software to revise and discover gaps in their knowledge throughout the year, by simply clicking on it from time to time while working on other projects on their computer. However, for some subjects, such as languages, the software can also serve as a primary learning tool e.g. for new words and phrases. Also note that the app slides can link to, as well as contain links to external websites, yours or otherwise, where the users can find additional information related to the slide.
Brief presentations of the Information Presenter in the context of a middle/high school.
- Implements the "Peer-to-peer explanations" - a scientifically proven learning strategy ⇳
Quoting edutopia.org this learning strategy is: "When students explain what they've learned to peers, fading memories are reactivated, strengthened, and consolidated." The Information Presenter implements this learning strategy by allowing students to create slides. For example, as home or course work. The teacher only approves and makes the slides available to view through the app. In addition if you enable the built in property "author of the slide" or add another similar custom property. Then other students will know whom of their friends to ask about the subject. [close]
Implements the "Spacing effect" - a scientifically proven learning strategy ⇳
Quoting edutopia.org this learning strategy is: "Instead of covering a topic and then moving on, revisit key ideas throughout the school year." The Information Presenter implements this learning strategy by virtue of its operation. Whenever the student opens a slide, it will contain some material learned in the past. [close]
Implements the "Frequent practice tests" - a scientifically proven learning strategy ⇳
Quoting edutopia.org this learning strategy is: "Akin to regularly reviewing material, giving frequent practice tests can boost long-term retention and, as a bonus, help protect against stress, which often impairs memory performance." The frequent practice tests – you can get the students to create slides, and the teachers only create test slides. [close]
Implements the "Interleave concepts" - a scientifically proven learning strategy ⇳
Quoting edutopia.org this learning strategy is: "Instead of grouping similar problems together, mix them up." The Information Presenter implements this learning strategy by virtue of its operation. Whenever the student opens a slide, it will contain material on some subject learned in the past. [close]
Implements the "Combine text with images" - a scientifically proven learning strategy ⇳
Quoting edutopia.org this learning strategy is: "It’s often easier to remember information that’s been presented in different ways, especially if visual aids can help organize information." The Information Presenter implements this learning strategy by allowing you to easily create document slides containing text, images, video and audio. Additionally you can create any number of slides of different types for each particular point of interest. [close]
Enable students to learn by topic. ⇳
Student can request the app to display all slides that mention a certain term, e.g. the Pythagorean Theorem. The app will then display all slides, which include that term added to the library throughout the studies of the students. Including any problems' solutions in this particular case, which were added to the slide library. [close]
- Enable users to learn in a continuous way without conscious effort. ⇳
Provide an edition of the app to your students or public. Using the software, they will be able to view your content in the best way and at any time. With just a click they will be able to view and learn new things, or remind themselves of facts they already know. By providing video, document and image slides, with attached to them properties, you can continuously help increase their knowledge. One bit after another, with every slide they see. Undoubtedly, they will appreciate this. The app can be a key tool for languages studies where memorizing and remembering of words is fundamental. [close]
Enable students to revise the material they studied throughout the year without effort. ⇳
As the app works a student (or a user) can open the current slides to view its content, thus they can easily revise and confirm what they already know. [close]
- Enable students to find gaps in their knowledge throughout the year without effort. ⇳
As a student (or a user) opens slides to view its content, they may realize that they have missed to learn or forgotten a particular topic. Then, they can fill the gap in their knowledge from the slide, if all information is presented there, or go to the webpage of the slide if one is provided and learn it from there. [close]
Provide comprehensive information for each item through multiple slides and properties. ⇳
You can add as many slides to your slide library as you wish. The software will deliver your content to your audience. The web interface for adding and editing slides is simple and intuitive yet powerful and allows - no IT skills are required.
- The app supports three types of slides: image, video (and audio), and document slides containing text, images, video, audio, links, etc.
- An item can have multiple slides of all types to show and discuss it from different points of view without becoming repetitive or boring.
- Slides can have any number of properties attached to them, to provide information about the item, such as history, materials, price, etc.
- Each slide should contain a single point of interest as opposed to try to cram all possible information on a subject.
- You can link slides to webpages to enable the user to get more information or take action by following the link.
Make the information available and easily accessible to the user at all times. ⇳
Since the Information Presenter app is (usually) always visible on the desktop, the user can glance it at any time. If the mini-slide attract his attention, then he can open the current slide with a click. [close]
- Help students to gain better knowledge and higher marks through continuous revision throughout the year. ⇳
Schools and universities build their slide libraries as they find would be most beneficial for their students. For example, by year of study, then by subjects, then by week, or by phenomena, and so on. They can also have multiple hierarchies with different ways of structuring of the information simultaneously. The school may start each academic year with an empty slide library which tutors and students build in due course. Slides are added each week as it passes. A similar but better approach is for each class to continuously build their section of the slide library from start to finish of their studies. In this case the enrollment years are roots in which classes placed all their slides. This will allow all students to have their slides available to them throughout their studies, and be able to reference and revise material that they studied in the previous years. [close]
Enable graduated students to maintain their knowledge in the following years by keeping their student accounts and access. ⇳
Schools and universities, can help their graduates to maintain their knowledge which they gained while studding with them. They can do this by keeping the section of the slide library which they build during their studies online even after they graduate, and also allow them to continue to use the app. [close]
Create bonds, trust, and gratitude between the user and your organization. ⇳
This will be a natural effect of gratitude for the received knowledge and consequent successes. [close]
- * Not all benefits apply to all organizations, and not all potential benefits may be listed.
- Museums, art galleries and science centers.
- Resorts, hotels, cruises, tour operators, travel agencies, and municipalities.
- Parks, gardens, nature reserves, zoos and aquariums.
- Schools, universities and libraries.
- Corporations, s.a. automotive, etc.
- Fashion designers.
- Communities and churches.
- Other types of businesses and organizations. | <urn:uuid:28b358de-769c-4edf-8dd3-740479ea0706> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://informationpresenter.com/solutions/educate_your_audience_with_no_effort_for_you_and_them | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510214.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20230926143354-20230926173354-00550.warc.gz | en | 0.938703 | 2,734 | 3.21875 | 3 |
Earlier in January, the Chicago Tribune ran an article about big potential changes coming to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and how they could drastically change the face of food access in Illinois.
While nothing has been confirmed, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has proposed the possibility of block-granting SNAP, which would mean sending fixed sums to each state annually. Block-granting would fundamentally alter the structure of the SNAP program, and render ineffective one of the USA’s most robust anti-poverty programs. Currently, SNAP funding is flexible and responds to demand. It comes from the federal government, which can rely on deficit spending to cover the increased costs of more nutrition assistance in an economic downturn. States cannot spend this way because they must balance their budgets. In other words, when the money runs out in a block-granted SNAP program, people lose access to benefits.
In addition, block-granting SNAP would set up the program to diminish in scope. Even if Congress does not make any cuts outright, the grants will decrease in value over time with inflation. To maintain their value, Congress would have to either tie the amount of the grants to inflation or raise the sums on a regular basis—neither of which are likely to happen, given Congress’ recent track record of limiting federal spending.
Ultimately, any losses to SNAP funding would adversely affect millions of people in the United States. In Illinois alone, nearly two million people rely on this program for basic nutritional assistance. To block-grant SNAP would be to deny these people reliable access to nutritious food.
Interested in learning more?
Check out our latest episode of “Getting to Work,” CJC’s podcast. The podcast demystifies some of the policy jargon surrounding SNAP and analyzes the potential policy changes from a workforce development perspective.
For a more detailed overview of the SNAP program, check out this article from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). | <urn:uuid:244bbd75-a4aa-4740-b873-5b0df5269caa> | CC-MAIN-2017-13 | http://wire.cjc.net/federal-policy-impact-access-food-assistance/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-13/segments/1490218188553.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20170322212948-00597-ip-10-233-31-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938947 | 418 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Volapük is one of the many attempts of making a universal, easy to learn language. It was created by Johann Martin Schleyer in 1879-1880. And abandoned in the early 1900’s. According to Wikipedia there are now an estimated 20-30 Volapük speakers in the world. If that’s correct, this is pretty amazing:
The Volapük Edition of Wikipedia has more than 100 000 articles.
Now that’s some productive 20-30 persons! | <urn:uuid:eb297bfe-eb49-4121-908d-3ae6715a9c93> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://eirikso.com/2008/09/12/the-amazing-collaborative-force-of-the-internet/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600401600771.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20200928104328-20200928134328-00243.warc.gz | en | 0.923427 | 107 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Portrait of Nicholas Kratzer.
1528. Oil on wood. Louvre, Paris, France. More. [Order a Print]
(c. 1497- c.1550) was a native of Munich, who came to England in 1516 and was employed by both Thomas More and Cardinal Wolsey (whose downfall occurred a year after the portrait was painted). Kratzer remained in England until his death. He was a friend of Holbein | <urn:uuid:d165b4e4-c734-4171-9186-f22e544407c8> | CC-MAIN-2016-07 | http://www.abcgallery.com/H/holbein/holbein25.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-07/segments/1454701158609.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20160205193918-00314-ip-10-236-182-209.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.982645 | 96 | 2.546875 | 3 |
You are here
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Definition: A child with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a child with an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, which impairment adversely affects the child’s ability to receive reasonable educational benefit from general education. A qualifying Traumatic Brain Injury is an open or closed head injury resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term “traumatic brain injury” under this rule does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.
The Colorado framework for understanding the brain, how to assess brain processes, and what strategies to use with students for learning and behavior.
BrainSTEPS consulting teams support school teams in the development and implementation of educational plans following acquired brain injury.
- Professional Development
- Online Learning
- CDE Webpages
Join the Brain Injury Listserv
To subscribe to the brain injury listserv:
- Open a new email.
- In the “To” field, type the email address TBIfirstname.lastname@example.org and send the message.
- You will receive a confirmation email. You will not be added until you respond to this email.
- If you have a problem, try using “plain” text or check with the technology people in your district.
To unsubscribe from the Brain Injury listserv:
- Open a new email.
- In the “To” field, type the email address email@example.com and send the message.
- In the body of the message write, “unsubscribe TBI.”
- You will automatically be unsubscribed.
For more information, please contact:
Email Heather Hotchkiss
Find what you were looking for?
If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact our web content coordinator Amanda Timmerman at Timmerman_A@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing. | <urn:uuid:61bcc85e-aa38-450b-ba51-180c7b1963f3> | CC-MAIN-2019-43 | http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdesped/sd-tbi | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-43/segments/1570986700435.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20191019214624-20191020002124-00252.warc.gz | en | 0.870444 | 512 | 3.203125 | 3 |
The concept of "Radius of Influence" (RoI) plays a crucial role in various scientific and engineering disciplines, especially in fields dealing with fluid mechanics and groundwater flow. The RoI signifies the region around a particular point where the effect of a certain phenomenon, like groundwater extraction, is noticeable. The precise calculation of this radius is indispensable for effective planning and management of resources. This is where the "Radius of Influence Calculator" steps in, a powerful tool designed to compute the RoI using pertinent variables such as thickness, hydraulic conductivity, and recharge rate.
Detailed Explanation of the Calculator's Working
The Radius of Influence Calculator operates on the foundation of a specific mathematical formula. It involves a series of steps where the user enters relevant data points: the thickness of the aquifer, hydraulic conductivity, and the recharge rate. The tool then processes these values through the formula to generate an accurate RoI value. This robust calculator eliminates the need for complex manual calculations, streamlining the process, and providing valuable insights in just a few clicks.
Radius of Influence Formula and Variables Description
The formula used to calculate the Radius of Influence (RoI) is:
RoI = b * SQRT(K / (2 * N))
- RoI is the radius of influence.
- b is the thickness of the aquifer in meters (m).
- K is the hydraulic conductivity in meters per second (m/s).
- N is the recharge rate in meters per year (m/yr).
To calculate the radius of influence, the thickness of the aquifer is multiplied by the square root of the hydraulic conductivity divided by two times the recharge rate.
To illustrate the working of the Radius of Influence Calculator, let's consider an example. Suppose we have:
- Thickness (b) = 10000 m
- Hydraulic Conductivity (K) = 0.00006 m/s
- Recharge (N) = 0.00000003348 m/s
Substituting these values into our formula, we get:
RoI = 10000 * SQRT(0.00006 / (2 * 0.00000003348)) = 0.9466030570784414 m
The Radius of Influence for these specific conditions is approximately 0.9466 meters.
Applications of the Radius of Influence Calculator
The Radius of Influence Calculator holds significant importance across several fields. Engineers and hydrogeologists use it to evaluate the impact area of groundwater wells, assisting in proper positioning and minimizing the chances of wells interfering with each other. Environmental scientists apply it in pollution studies to determine the extent of contamination spread from a specific source. The calculator can also aid in civil engineering projects to assess the area of influence of foundation piles.
Most Common FAQs
The accuracy of the calculator depends on the precision of the input parameters. With exact values, the calculator can yield highly accurate results.
Yes, but it is crucial to ensure consistency in the units used across all parameters.
While it is a powerful tool, some complex cases might need additional assessment methods alongside the calculator.
The Radius of Influence Calculator is a versatile tool that simplifies complex calculations. By streamlining the process of estimating the radius of influence, it opens the door to effective resource management, precise pollution control, and robust civil engineering planning. The future holds vast potential for this tool as researchers continue to refine and apply it in innovative ways. | <urn:uuid:9df60e9e-b493-48b1-b61e-acde035f6eff> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://calculatorshub.net/science/radius-of-influence/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679101195.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20231210025335-20231210055335-00828.warc.gz | en | 0.863437 | 703 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Until 1883, from 75-90% of all paper in the world was made with cannabis hemp fiber including paper for books, Bibles, maps, paper money, stocks and bonds, newspaper, etc. The Gutenberg Bible (15th Century); Pantagruel and the Herb Pantagruelion, Rabelais (16th Century); King James Bible (17th Century); Thomas Paines pamphlets, The Rights of Man, Common Sense, The Age of Reason (18th Century); the works of Fitz Hugh Ludlow, Mark Twain, Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas, Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland (19th Century); and just about everything else was printed on hemp paper.
The first draft of the Declaration of Independence (June 28, 1776) was written on Dutch (hemp) paper, as was the second draft completed on July 2, 1776. This was the document actually agreed to on that day and announced and released on July 4, 1776. On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered the Declaration be copied and engrossed on parchment (a prepared animal skin) and this was the document actually signed by the delegates on August 2, 1776.
Colonial printing press
What we (the colonial American) and the rest of the world used to make all our paper from was the discarded sails and ropes sold by ship owners as scrap for recycling into paper.
The rest of our paper came from our worn-out clothes, sheets, diapers, curtains, and rags* sold to scrap dealers made primarily from hemp and sometimes flax.
* Hence the term rag paper.
Our ancestors were too thrifty to just throw anything away, so, until the 1880s, any remaining scraps and clothes were mixed together and recycled into paper.
Rag paper, containing hemp fiber, is the highest quality and longest lasting paper ever made. It can be torn when wet, but returns to its full strength when dry. Barring extreme conditions, rag paper remains stable for centuries. It will almost never wear out. Many U.S. government papers were written, by law, on hempen rag paper until the 1920s.5
5. Frazier, Jack, The Marijuana Farmers, Solar Age Press, New Orleans, LA, 1974; U.S. Library of Congress; National Archives; U.S. Mint; etc.
It is generally believed by scholars that the early Chinese knowledge, or art, of hemp paper making (First Century C.E.800 years before Islam discovered how, and 1,200 to 1,400 years before Europe) was one of the two chief reasons that Oriental knowledge and science were vastly superior to that of the West for 1,400 years. Thus, the art of long-lasting hemp papermaking allowed the Orientals accumulated knowledge to be passed on, built upon, investigated, refined, challenged, and changed, for generation after generation (in other words, cumulative and comprehensive scholarship).
Hemp paper lasted 50 to 100 times longer than most preparations of papyrus, and was a hundred times easier and cheaper to make.
The other reason that Oriental knowledge and science sustained superiority to that of the West for 1,400 years was that the Roman Catholic Church forbade reading and writing for 95% of Europes people; in addition, they burned, hunted down, or prohibited all foreign or domestic booksincluding their own Bible! for more than 1,200 years under the penalty and often-used punishment of death. Hence, many historians term this period The Dark Ages. (476 C.E.-1000 C.E., or even until the Renaissance). (See chapter 10 on Sociology.)
alternative version of a picture
the authorized on-line version of Jack Herers The Emperor Wears No Clothes
text from The Emperor Wears No Clothes © Jack Herer
CD-ROM and web presentation © 0=2
$100 donation $25 donation $10 donation
|previous page||intro||next page| | <urn:uuid:13539de9-24ce-41f4-9bb7-ba87022ed39e> | CC-MAIN-2016-26 | http://www.electricemperor.com/eecdrom/HTML/EMP/02/ECH02_03.HTM | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-26/segments/1466783396538.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20160624154956-00186-ip-10-164-35-72.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951348 | 820 | 2.96875 | 3 |
||This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (May 2014)|
The Intrabaetic Basin is a series of intermontane basins that separate the Penibaetic System to its south from the Subbaetic System to the north. These basins run more or less parallel to the Mediterranean coast. Together, these valleys constitute a route from eastern Andalusia and the valley of the Guadalquivir to the Spanish Levante, the eastern Mediterranean coastal region of Spain. From west to east, the basins of the Depression of Ronda, the Hoya of Antequera, the Depression of Granada, the Hoya of Guadix, the Hoya of Baza, the Hoya of Huéscar and the Hoya of Lorca.
The valleys of the Intrabaetic Basin stand in contrast to the adjacent mountain ridges that define their collective border and the rocky spurs—formed of limestone, and yielding a dry, nearly treeless landscape—that separate them from one another in that they are formed of soft materials such as clays, silts and conglomerates. Soils are deep and suitable for agriculture, but the limiting factor to human activity is the scarcity of water.
The Intrabaetic Basin formed at the end Oligocene and beginning of the Miocene, as the Baetic ranges were being formed. It is believed that at that time the entire Baetic system was surrounded by water, and the basin formed a single, continuous valley, sometimes referred to as the Baetic Depression. Later, the spurs crossing the basin were raised up, turning it into a series of separate valleys.
The valleys of the Intrabaetic Basin are quite heterogeneous, although all are sedimentary basins. The Depression of Ronda, the westernmost of the valleys, falls fully within the Cordillera Penibética. The Hoya of Antequera is intimately related to the original Baetic Depression: it was a great gulf of the sea that separated the Sierra Morena from the Andalusian ranges. The Depression of Granada is intermediate between the Penibético and Subbético. Finally the Hoyas of Guadix, Baza and Huéscar are more related to the Subbético.
The Intrabaetic Basin provides a route for the Autovía A-92 that connects Seville to Almería, passing through Antequera, Granada, and Guadix. Its branch Autovía A-92N passes through Cúllar and Baza to Puerto Lumbreras, where it meets Autovía A-7, which, in turn continues to Murcia and the Spanish Levante.
- Julián Alonso: Geografía túristica: general y de España, Ed. Centro de Estudios Ramón Areces, Madrid 2006. ISBN 84-8004-637-6. | <urn:uuid:53d816c0-e9c9-4ea9-a8ad-538a0e566f1e> | CC-MAIN-2015-40 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrabaetic_Basin | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-40/segments/1443737896527.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20151001221816-00050-ip-10-137-6-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.904912 | 622 | 3.640625 | 4 |
“We can read the gospels in a new light when we see Jesus as a teacher in this milieu. Like many other Jewish teachers, Jesus gathered to himself disciples who were eager to learn from him. He was consulted on questions of doctrine, and he drew on parables and sayings to inspire righteousness in his disciples.”
The gospels record many encounters between Jesus and other Jewish teachers; such terms as lawyer, scribe, rabbi, and Pharisee describe teachers of Jewish law. But the role of teacher and the place of the law—or Torah—in daily Jewish life was a relatively late development in Judaism.
When the Jews of the southern kingdom were driven into exile, they were cut off from the most tangible expression of their faith – worship at the temple. The exiled community found new strength in clinging to the law that set them apart from their pagan captors. When the exiles began to return home in 445 B.C.E., the study of Torah continued to exert a unifying force on daily life. Before the exile, scribes counted the exposition of the law as only one of many duties that included bookkeeping, letter-writing, and the recording of legal documents. After the exile, these duties took second place to the study and teaching of Torah. Synagogues were built in most villages and cities—Jerusalem probably had many synagogues–where people could gather together to hear the law and its explanation.
Torah Training at the Time of Jesus
In Luke 4:16-21, we see Jesus taking part in such a service centered on the law. A prayer leader–probably a layman—would have begun the service with prayers and blessings. Any adult male, either a member of the synagogue or a guest, could have been invited to read a portion of the Torah aloud.
This male or another would then follow the reading with teaching that interpreted the text. Thus, in the passage in Luke, Jesus reads from Isaiah and then sits to offer a teaching on its meaning.
Most teaching was done by teachers who were laymen, men of the synagogue who worked at a daily trade, such as carpentry or pottery. A teacher who was gifted would gather disciples, who would study with the teacher until perhaps they were ready to gather disciples of their own.
Training in the Torah began for most Jewish boys at about the age of five. Mornings would be spent in a room attached to the synagogue where the boys would learn first the Hebrew alphabet, then words and passages by heart from the Torah. The aim of study at this first stage was memorization of substantial amounts of the Torah, which could then be drawn on for the arguments of more advanced studies.
Perhaps at age ten or so, these advanced studies would begin. A student would now be expected to memorize traditional arguments and judgments, as well as the Torah: when could wood be gathered? when was this prohibited? with what exceptions? Each point of the argument needed to be bolstered with a quotation from scripture.
Distinct Schools of Teachers
Teachers drawn from the different philosophies of Judaism, of course, differed in their teaching methods and contents as well. The Essenes, a quasi-monastic group best known for leaving us the Dead Sea Scrolls, combined their teaching with an ascetic lifestyle. The Zealots, a group that resembled the fighting Maccabeans of old, gathered disciples willing to fight the Roman oppressors as well as study. (Frequently called brigands, they may have included among their numbers Barabbas and the two “thieves” crucified with Jesus.) The Sadducees were the priestly aristocracy; they held a strict interpretation of scripture, only counted the five books of Torah as authoritative, and rejected completely the oral law.
The Pharisees were the best-known teachers of the oral law, and their teaching style shaped Judaism forever. The oral law consisted of interpretations, modifications, and expansions of the written law that had been handed down to make the law applicable to new circumstances. The oral law allowed Judaism to meet the challenge of shaping a code of life based on a primitive agricultural lifestyle to fit the new needs of the centuries. As the oral law itself became codified and written down, it formed the foundations of the modern Talmud.
Adult disciples who gathered around a Pharisee teacher were trained in midrash, the exposition of both the written and the oral law. Midrash could be divided into two different styles of exposition: halachah and haggadah. Halachah was a legal judgment based on the law. Good teachers were expected to be able to settle questions of daily conduct by making such judgments. We can read an example of such an argument in Romans 10:5-9 where Paul argues that faith in Jesus supersedes righteousness based on the law.
Haggadah was a more devotional approach to interpretation, consisting of sayings, stories, lore, parables, and sermons. The book of Hebrews contains many examples of such interpretation, including the Old Testament figures of faith in chapter 11, which the writer uses to exhort the Hebrews to steadfast faith in Jesus. Both styles of teaching depended on a faithful recollection and adherence to tradition. Midrashic teachers did not aim at novelty of doctrine, but fidelity of life.
Seeing Jesus’ Teachings in this Context
We can read the gospels in a new light when we see Jesus as a teacher in this milieu. Like many other Jewish teachers, Jesus gathered to himself disciples who were eager to learn from him. He was consulted on questions of doctrine, and he drew on parables and sayings to inspire righteousness in his disciples.
But the differences in Jesus’ teaching were proclaimed by his listeners in saying that he taught “with authority” (Mt.7:29).
In other words, he was not primarily concerned with biblical interpretation, but with proclamation: the proclamation of the kingdom. He showed himself ready to teach new doctrines and able to back his teaching with power: the power to work miracles, heal illness, and forgive sins. He was—and is— the teacher to whom his disciples could say, “We… have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” | <urn:uuid:66ff8840-2f66-4a9c-bdce-e56a10e1bf49> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://buildfaith.org/teachers-and-teaching-in-the-time-of-jesus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323587659.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20211025092203-20211025122203-00448.warc.gz | en | 0.981421 | 1,292 | 3.671875 | 4 |
Hydro excavation is a non-destructive process of excavating soil. It involves using pressurized water, and vacuums to break up the soil, after which the soil and water mixture is removed and contained in a debris tank of the hydro excavation truck.
Hydro excavation is known for being the safest and most accurate method of excavating the soil nowadays, especially if it involves underground utilities. It is superior to other machine excavation because of its benefits. Below are some of the reasons why hydro excavation is superior:
It is Safer
Being a safer method to excavate is one of the reasons why hydro excavation is most preferred today. Hydro excavation accuracy makes it able to minimize injury to workers on-site and avoid damage to existing underground structures.
On the contrary, other machine excavation can expose workers to some risks. Especially, if workers are working on areas where underground mains power, sewage lines, gas lines, and other related lines are present.
If these lines are mistakenly hit with digging equipment, there’s a high tendency to cause damage. Therefore, with this high margin of safety, employing the methods of hydro excavation seems to be a better and safer option for digging soil and trenches.
Daylighting or Exposing Utilities
Another common reason for using hydro excavation is for daylighting. Daylighting is the practice of digging the ground to expose and locate underground utilities. The process starts with the excavation trucks using pressurized water to break up the ground, then the vacuum system to remove the soil on site.
What’s more, the water and vacuum, if used properly, do not disturb or damage these existing utilities. Contractors often use this method to determine the vertical and horizontal location of underground utilities. Thus, when it comes to daylighting or exposing utilities, hydro excavation remains the best method.
It is Cost-Effective
Finally, hydro excavation is cost-effective as it help reduce expensive repair cost after any project. Hydro excavation doesn’t harm the existing underground cables and lines in any way. If other machine excavation methods are used, chances are there will be a need for unnecessary repairs and restoration expenses, as a result of damages during digging.
However, with hydro excavation, all these expenses are prevented. This, in turn, translates to faster completion of projects and zero man-hours lost due to interruption of service and unnecessary repairs, as in the case of machines. These hydro excavation machines are best suited for non-destructive excavation and help save cost.
There you have it! Above are some reasons why hydro excavation is superior to machine excavation. When planning on an excavation project, most people in construction will definitely prefer a safe and cost-effective system, because hydro excavators eliminate the use of sharp or metal equipment that are at fault for the majority of digging incidents.
At Vac-Con, we offer you a wide range of Hydro-Excavation and Combination Machines. Contact us today to know more about any of our equipment and machines. Our experts will be available to speak with you and discuss your available options. We have quality, durable vacuum excavation trucks and vacuum truck for sale at affordable prices.
Whether you need heavy-duty machines and vacuum trucks including Hydro Excavation Trucks, Industrial Vacuum Loaders, Titan Machine, Dual Engine Combination Machine, Single Engine Combination Machine, X-Cavator, XX-Cavator, and more, we have the equipment to help you get the job done right. | <urn:uuid:af8f2d3c-6fab-4dbd-b196-3a97cc712e0e> | CC-MAIN-2022-27 | https://stockillus.com/3-reasons-why-hydro-excavation-is-superior-to-machine-excavation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-27/segments/1656103036077.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20220625160220-20220625190220-00072.warc.gz | en | 0.927947 | 709 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Milestones:Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, 1962
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, 1962
(ASME National Historic Engineering Landmark, with IEEE)
The Stanford two-mile accelerator, the longest in the world, accelerates electrons to the very high energy needed in the study of subatomic particles and forces. Experiments performed here have shown that the proton, one of the building blocks of the atom, is in turn composed of smaller particles now called quarks. Other research here has uncovered new families of particles and demonstrated subtle effects of the weak nuclear force. This research requires the utmost precision in the large and unique electromechanical devices and systems that accelerate, define, deliver and store the beams of particles, and in the detectors that analyze the results of the particle interactions.
The plaque can be viewed in the visitors center of the Stanford Linear Accelerator, 2575 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, California.
The basic research tool at SLAC is an intense beam of electrons that have been accelerated by an electric field equivalent to 30 billion volts, making this the most powerful electron beam in the world.
The two-mile linear accelerator produces this field using high-power microwaves traveling through an evacuated waveguide. Electrons injected into one end of this pipe are continuously accelerated by this traveling field to very high energies.
Although the principle is straightforward, the application is not. The engineering problems included manufacturing a thousand sections of precision copper waveguide, aligning these sections over a two-mile length, producing high-power pulsed microwaves, and safely handling the intense high-energy beam of electrons.
The accelerating waveguide, which is basically a long conducting tube about four inches in diameter, was assembled from cylinders and disks that formed individual microwave cavities as shown in the photograph at right.
These cavities, made of high-purity copper, were machined to a precision of about two ten-thousandths of an inch and then brazed in a hydrogen furnace into ten-foot-long sections. Each cavity was then 'tuned' by slightly deforming the outside using hydraulic rams. In the complete accelerator there are nearly 100,000 of these cavities, each brazed to hold high vacuum. This operation required new techniques for mass production to very high standards.
If any section of the accelerator is out of line, the electromagnetic fields produced in the walls by the passing beam can severely limit the intensity. Controlling this 'beam breakup' effect required precision alignment of the two miles of accelerator. This was solved by mounting four ten-foot accelerator sections on one large aluminum pipe and aligning these four sections with an optical transit in the laboratory. These 40-foot-long sections were then transported into the underground tunnel of the accelerator and connected together.
Fresnel targets, which were built in the end of each 40-foot section, intercepted a laser beam traveling down the center of the pipe. Each 40-foot section was then aligned separately using its own jacking screws. Using this method the accelerator was aligned to be straight within twenty-thousandths of an inch over its two-mile length. | <urn:uuid:a87b0dea-3647-4a3b-8b49-a939883c4c90> | CC-MAIN-2016-50 | http://ethw.org/Milestones:Stanford_Linear_Accelerator_Center,_1962 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-50/segments/1480698543567.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20161202170903-00305-ip-10-31-129-80.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938675 | 643 | 3.8125 | 4 |
• Write a 2–3 page essay that compares and contrasts the literary styles used by the authors in these two works. • Use 1 of the following approaches in which to write your essay: o Theme: Compare or contrasting the symbols, settings, and titles in each story. How are they similar or different in revealing the themes? o Character: Compare or contrast 1 character from each story. Discuss how the characters are similar or different in their motives, actions, outcomes of the stories.
This is the end of the preview.
access the rest of the document. | <urn:uuid:63813506-2272-4256-bd9b-4cadd269d169> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | https://www.coursehero.com/file/6194845/Unit-3-IP/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891812913.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20180220070423-20180220090423-00004.warc.gz | en | 0.922937 | 114 | 3.625 | 4 |
I was wondering how collisions in some simple 3d car racing games are done (especially in games like Outrun 2/Motoracer).
In classic car racing games with complex environment (open world), I guess this is done with a basic box (for the car) to plane collision (for track, buildings an other stuff). The whole thing would be optimized using some bounding boxes (this is the way collision is done in many games).
In a game like Outrun 2/Motoracer, the gameplay is so simple that developers maybe dont need that and everything could have been simplified a lot. For those who never play it, here is what is so specific :
- The car/bike is always glued on the road.
- The road is always same size and have a very simple shape.
- The only possibilities is to follow that road, its not possible to leave the road, or to get in collision with something else (except other cars/bikes but we don't care).
- When you collide with the road, very basic arcade collision is done (the car is simply pushed away from it)
Here is how i think collision (could) have been done :
The whole track could be considered as giant a 3d bezier curve. From that curve, the road polygons could be generated (using front, left and up vectors generated from curve). Other elements (like houses, trees, ...) could be also placed and aligned using this method.
Then, to handle the collisions (and draw car) :
1) Find closest position on 3d curve from current car 3d position. In other words, transform 3d car position to bezier curve position. Every 3d position on the road could be considered as a displacement along 3d curve (
t) + lateral displacement (
d). Check image below if it is not clear (this is a 2d example but this apply to 3d easily).
when t = 0 car is at beginning of track section, when t = 1 car is at the end. when d = -1 or 1 car is at border of track, when d = 0 car is in the middle of the road
2) align the car to the road using
d (very simple : for any
d values i can get a 3d position + up/front/left vectors). the car is now glued on the road
3) check lateral displacement
d of car. if value is too big
(d > 1) or to low
(d < -1) car is away of track. just clip it to put car in correct place.
This also make 3d culling very simple, just draw the track from current car
t position to
t + some_big_enough_value_to_avoid_visible_clipping.
Or maybe i'm completly wrong : it would have been lot faster and simpler to just check collision of the car (a bounding box) and a very simplified set of polygons that represent the track (without the buildings and such). The 3d world (and the resulting colision model) would have simply been generated before, using some 3rd party tool (no more 3d curve when running the game, just a bunch of polygons). | <urn:uuid:ee19f115-b4c1-40a1-9bdc-d601fc884631> | CC-MAIN-2013-48 | http://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/25280/in-very-simple-3d-racing-games-how-are-collisions-handled | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2013-48/segments/1387345771702/warc/CC-MAIN-20131218054931-00090-ip-10-33-133-15.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.955156 | 675 | 2.984375 | 3 |
Thunderstorms occasionally produce upward discharges, called blue jets and gigantic jets, that propagate out of the storm top towards or up to the ionosphere. Whereas the various types of intracloud and cloud-to-ground lightning are reasonably well understood, the cause and nature of upward discharges remains a mystery. Here, we present a combination of observational and modelling results that indicate two principal ways in which upward discharges can be produced. The modelling indicates that blue jets occur as a result of electrical breakdown between the upper storm charge and the screening charge attracted to the cloud top; they are predicted to occur 5-10s or less after a cloud-to-ground or intracloud discharge produces a sudden charge imbalance in the storm. An observation is presented of an upward discharge that supports this basic mechanism. In contrast, we find that gigantic jets begin as a normal intracloud discharge between dominant mid-level charge and a screening-depleted upper-level charge, that continues to propagate out of the top of the storm. Observational support for this mechanism comes from similarity with bolt-from-the-blue discharges and from data on the polarity of gigantic jets. We conclude that upward discharges are analogous to cloud-to-ground lightning. Our explanation provides a unifying view of how lightning escapes from a thundercloud.
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all) | <urn:uuid:77e78fe3-5cd0-4d1a-a2e9-ba7aefd553fe> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://pennstate.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/upward-electrical-discharges-from-thunderstorms | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370506121.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20200401192839-20200401222839-00359.warc.gz | en | 0.890133 | 287 | 2.78125 | 3 |
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Teaching NICO How to Grasp: An Empirical Study on Crossmodal Social Interaction as a Key Factor for Robots Learning From Humans
- Knowledge Technology, Department of Informatics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
To overcome novel challenges in complex domestic environments, humanoid robots can learn from human teachers. We propose that the capability for social interaction should be a key factor in this teaching process and benefits both the subjective experience of the human user and the learning process itself. To support our hypothesis, we present a Human-Robot Interaction study on human-assisted visuomotor learning with the robot NICO, the Neuro-Inspired COmpanion, a child-sized humanoid. NICO is a flexible, social platform with sensing and manipulation abilities. We give a detailed description of NICO's design and a comprehensive overview of studies that use or evaluate NICO. To engage in social interaction, NICO can express stylized facial expressions and utter speech via an Embodied Dialogue System. NICO is characterized in particular by combining these social interaction capabilities with the abilities for human-like object manipulation and crossmodal perception. In the presented study, NICO acquires visuomotor grasping skills by interacting with its environment. In contrast to methods like motor babbling, the learning process is, in part, supported by a human teacher. To begin the learning process, an object is placed into NICO's hand, and if this object is accidentally dropped, the human assistant has to recover it. The study is conducted with 24 participants with little or no prior experience with robots. In the robot-guided experimental condition, assistance is actively requested by NICO via the Embodied Dialogue System. In the human-guided condition, instructions are given by a human experimenter, while NICO remains silent. Evaluation using established questionnaires like Godspeed, Mind Perception, and Uncanny Valley Indices, along with a structured interview and video analysis of the interaction, show that the robot's active requests for assistance foster the participant's engagement and benefit the learning process. This result supports the hypothesis that the ability for social interaction is a key factor for companion robots that learn with the help of non-expert teachers, as these robots become capable of communicating active requests or questions that are vital to their learning process. We also show how the design of NICO both enables and is driven by this approach.
In the future, robots may perform complex visuomotor tasks in domestic environments as human assistants and companions. Today, this is still a challenge due to the complexity of the dynamic, non-standardized environments and tasks involved. A promising approach for coping with this complexity is to take inspiration from biological systems and develop neurocognitive learning models embodied in developmental robots (Cangelosi and Schlesinger, 2015) that learn, similar to a human child or infant, from interaction with the environment and imitation of, or teaching by, adult experts. A spectrum of such learning approaches exists in the literature, ranging from relying entirely on the imitation of a human teacher to nearly autodidactic approaches without any human assistance. Imitation approaches often face challenges when the robotic anatomy diverges from that of the human demonstrator: though anthropomorphically designed, robotic hands usually do not match the degrees of freedom (DoF) of the human hand sufficiently to allow a direct mapping (Gupta et al., 2016). Furthermore, external tracking approaches for hands and objects are often constrained to laboratory settings. On the other hand, deep reinforcement learning promises human-level control (Mnih et al., 2015) through autonomous interaction with the environment. The agent learns through trial and error to achieve a given goal. However, most robot platforms and environments are not suited to the large number of interactions in the real world or the possibility of harmful actions. Therefore, many intermediate approaches have been developed that combine autonomous learning with human expert knowledge in the form of instructions (Cruz et al., 2016), or imitation (Gupta et al., 2016). The presented research follows the concept of developmental robotics, which aims to leverage efficient learning strategies inspired by nature. We adopt the principle of scaffolding, a teaching approach based on collaborative interaction between the learner and an expert (Newson, 1979), which plays a crucial role in early human development, for a robot.
We hypothesize that there are two requirements of the robotic learner to enable successful scaffolding:(1) Sensory and motoric similarity: human and robot need to have a substantial overlap in their motor and sensory abilities to enable the robot to profit from human demonstration and to enable the human to affect the learning of the robot positively. Especially, non-expert users rely on their intuitive ability for human-to-human teaching to convey their skills. Different sensory modalities, body forms, and degrees of freedom can hinder this transfer. Therefore, a robotic companion needs to mimic human sensory and motor abilities to a certain degree. As an example, the way a human grasps or handles an object might not be applicable to a robot with a non-hand-like end-effector. Also, the robot's size is essential; while smaller robots might be easier to construct and require less powerful motors or materials, a robot must have a sufficient size to operate efficiently in a domestic environment.(2) Approachability and social interaction: the robot's physical design and behavior need to encourage users to engage in teaching interactions. Not only are safety issues a concern when it comes to physical human-robot interactions; perceived safety and approachability are important because they encourage especially non-expert users to engage in (physical) interactions to improve the learning outcome, for example, reaching into the robot's workspace while the robot is performing a manual task. Furthermore, the robot should encourage an intuitive, natural teaching interaction that relies on natural language and social cues.
Through meeting these criteria, we expect the Neuro-Inspired COmpanion robot, NICO (see Figure 1), an open-source developmental robot platform developed by the Knowledge Technology group1, to be able to acquire visuomotor skills with the assistance of non-expert users. We present an update to the NICO platform with a focus on the properties that are relevant for this study and a review of related studies; we examine the assumption that social interaction and human-like sensorimotor abilities are a key to robots learning from humans by conducting a Human-Robot Interaction study with 24 participants in which we evaluate the effect of an active role of a humanoid in a grasp-learning experiment. In a novel comparative crossmodal, visuomotor learning study, NICO is supported by a non-expert participant in a visuomotor learning task. This study, for the first time, evaluates the interplay between NICO's social interaction and visuomotor learning abilities. NICO learns to grasp by repeatedly placing and re-grasping an object at different positions in its workspace. During this semi-autonomous grasp learning, NICO requires the aid of human assistants to initialize the learning process and to provide aid in case NICO loses the object. Two experimental conditions are evaluated, in which NICO either takes a passive or an active role in the learning process: in the baseline human-guided condition, all instructions toward the participant are given by the experimenter; in the active learning condition, the robot uses a crossmodal Embodied Dialogue System to actively guide a non-expert participant through the learning process and to request assistance when needed. The experimenter is present during this time but does not communicate with the participant. We show that the active, communicative, and emotional engagement of the robot in a teaching situation leads not only to a subjectively better rating of the robot using a set of established measures for HRI research but also to an increase in the engagement of the human, non-expert teachers, which in turn can lead to better visuomotor learning results.
Figure 1. NICO, the Neuro-Inspired COmpanion, is being taught how to grasp a training object by a human assistant and is giving positive feedback with its facial emotion display.
We would also like to address the methodological gap between machine learning in robotics and neurorobotics. The embodiment of state-of-the-art machine neural machine-learning in a physical platform allows training and evaluation that is hardly possible in simulation, e.g., physical interaction between a robot's hand and a soft, deformable object. More importantly, we argue that research communities for machine learning in robotics and developmental robotics are growing closer together. While classical roboticists focus on human-in-the-loop approaches that rely on imitation learning and demonstration, developmental roboticists have been researching scaffolding by caregivers to learn complex cognitive and visuomotor skills. The underlying idea is the same: leveraging human competence can be an essential part of robotic learning. This competence can be supplied by trained experts as well as non-expert users. In the latter case, one of the main goals is to enable these non-expert users to use their intuitive teaching abilities in a robotic scenario, which in turn relies on an intuitive and natural communication with the robot.
Our main claim is that non-expert users can teach visuomotor skills to a developmental robot; however, the more these non-experts are engaged in the teaching experience, the more they tend to use intuitive teaching approaches that in the end lead to more efficient teaching. This effect requires a humanoid platform that enables intuitive and engaging social interaction and, at the same time, has sufficient sensing and motor abilities for the learned action. In section 2, we report on different robot platforms and robotic visuomotor learning approaches. In section 3.1, we present the updated NICO and a comprehensive review of studies on its sensory, motor, and HRI abilities. We show how its design both enables and is driven by the interplay of social interaction and sensorimotor learning by summarizing previous studies that often focused either on social interaction or on crossmodal and visuomotor learning. We bring these aspects together in section 4, where we detail the grasp-learning approach, the Embodied Dialogue System, and the setup for the HRI experiment, which couples social interaction and visuomotor learning, and we show, in section 5, how an engaging social interaction can enhance the quality of robotic visuomotor learning. We conclude with a discussion of the results and examine their implications as a contribution to the future development of learning companion robots in section 6, finding that the ability of a balanced robotic platform to engage non-expert users can benefit the learning of non-social tasks. The social aspect not only enhances the user's subjective experience but also to enables non-experts to apply intuitive teaching approaches.
2. Related Work
2.1. Humanoid Platforms
Today, a wide range of robots is available, though not all of them fulfill the above-mentioned criteria of possessing a sensory and motoric similarity to humans in addition to an approachable design and social interaction abilities: a humanoid is expected to have two arms with a human-like range of motion and hand-like end-effectors to use tools and manipulate objects in domestic environments. Often, the hands' fingers have tactile sensors to enhance grasping, tool use, and in-hand manipulation but also to create shared, embodied sensory concepts with human interaction partners regarding haptic properties like softness or texture. The locomotion of a humanoid is usually bipedal. Though complex to realize, walking allows the navigation of domestic environments, for instance, a cluttered floor. However, for better stability and easier handling, many platforms use a wheeled base instead. A humanoid also has a head with eyes. Though other sensing setups might be more efficient for specialized tasks, such as 360° laser scanners for mapping, eye-like cameras can enable shared attention with human interaction partners and thus also fulfill a critical communicative role. Many humanoids feature some form of emotional expression on their face, ranging from color changes of status LEDs to stylized and animated facial expressions and mouth movements. An alternative to an actual face is a monitor or tablet that displays a virtual avatar or face. Another important criterion for research platforms is an open design that allows customization of the platform toward novel experimental setups, easy maintainability of the platform, and compatibility with common software standards.
One way to categorize humanoids is by their size. Small, infant-sized humanoids are affordable, easy to handle, and secure. For example, the NAO from Aldebaran is well-used in research on developmental robots, while the DARwIn-OP from Robotis was a popular walking platform for the RoboCup competitions (Ha et al., 2011). However, these small platforms cannot interact with most domestic environments, cannot use tools, and are not able to manipulate everyday objects.
Child-sized robots overcome this challenge while still being relatively easy to handle in terms of weight and size. The iCub resembles a 3.5-years-old child (Metta et al., 2010). The iCub has many relevant features for developmental robot research and HRI: 53 human-like DoF, five-fingered hands, eyes with mechanical gaze shift, an LED-based display for stylized emotion expression, and optional tactile sensing skin. However, its holistic design impedes individual modifications. More modular are the NimbRo-OP (Schwarz et al., 2013) and its slightly larger, novel design Nimbro-OP2X (Ficht et al., 2018) from the AIS (Autonomous Intelligent Agents) group of the University of Bonn. These platforms are designed for the RoboCup TeenSize and AdultSize league and, as such, prioritize walking over manipulation ability: the arms have non-actuated end-effectors and serve primarily for balance and getting up from a prone position. The Poppy robot (Lapeyre et al., 2014) is a 3D-printable open-source robot developed in 2014 by a research group at the French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation (INRIA). The objective of the robot is to be a robot base for scientists, students, and artists originally aiming to study the role of morphology in sensorimotor control. The software API of the Poppy robot is based on Pypot2, a framework for modeling controllers for custom robots, which is used by the NICO robot as well. The Reachy robot is a commercial robot torso developed by Pollen robotics3 in 2017. The robot has 7-DOF arms and can lift up to 500 g (Mick et al., 2019). The software of Reachy is Python-based. The strengths of the robot seem to be in the field of manipulation, as the capabilities of the arm are sophisticated for a robot of this size category. The Pepper by Softbank (formerly Aldebaran) (Pandey and Gelin, 2018) is mainly designed for Human-Robot Interaction. Its human-like torso is fitted onto a wheeled platform. Pepper has 20 DoF and human-like arms with five-fingered hands; however, its arms and fingers are mainly designed as a means for making gestures.
Soft-skin platforms offer a more realistic human-like appearance. The CB2 (Child with Biomimetic Body) from Osaka University (Minato et al., 2007) is a 130-cm tall platform for cognitive developmental robotics and features soft skin and flexible pneumatic actuators; it has a total of 63 degrees of freedom. Its face has actuators for eyeballs, eyelids, eyebrows, cheeks, and mouth to display emotions. In addition to cameras and microphones, skin tactile sensors in the skin can mediate haptic interaction. It is designed with a view to social interaction with a human caregiver. Affetto (Ishihara and Asada, 2015) has a similar design. It is an upper-body platform that has the proportions of an 80-cm tall child and has 22 degrees of freedom. It is designed to appear human-like, including in terms of its visual and tactile impression. Among the adult-sized robots, the high-performance biped Talos from PAL robotics (Stasse et al., 2017) is a further development of their REEM robot and offers a platform for research in complex industrial environments. It is well-suited for physical manipulation tasks and can traverse rough terrain but is not designed for social interaction. The PR2 from Willow Garage, a wheeled robot with two 7-DoF arms endowed with grippers with tactile sensors, has a similar function. Like the Talos, it has no means for emotion-expression and is instead designed for physical tasks rather than HRI. Finally, the InMoov (Langevin, 2014) is an open, 3D-printable robot with a human-like design and tendon-operated five-fingered hands. Instead of displaying emotions, it can move its jaw to emulate talking.
In summary, many robotic platforms are available, though currently, no single platform offers a combination of object manipulation, sensing, and HRI qualities in an affordable and open design. This gap in the state of the art is addressed with the NICO robot (Kerzel et al., 2017c), whose design will be summarized below.
2.2. End-to-End Visuomotor Learning
Visuomotor skills map raw sensory input to motor actions. Modular approaches divide this task; they process sensory information into explicit internal representations like coordinates that are then used as input for modules like inverse kinematics solvers. However, these approaches often have difficulties adjusting to novel challenges due to their lack of inherent learning ability. A complementary approach is to learn visuomotor skills through interaction with the environment (Cangelosi and Schlesinger, 2015). Deep reinforcement approaches employ trial and error learning. Based on initial random exploration, rewards for successful actions drive the learning of visuomotor policies. Lillicrap et al. (2016) introduced the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient algorithm (DDPG) to solve a series of visuomotor tasks in a simulated two-dimensional environment. This approach is based on early direct motor model learning, where motor skills are learned in the target space only based on minimizing the error from observations Rolf et al. (2009); Nguyen-Tuong and Peters (2011). However, adapting these algorithms to physical robots is challenging. The trial and error exploration can be harmful to the robot or its environment; a large number of required trials can cause material stress and might be too time-consuming. Therefore, extensions to the DDPG algorithm and related algorithms have been suggested to enhance the sample efficiency and reduce the required training episodes. These approaches leverage the principles of intrinsic curiosity (Hafez et al., 2019), imagination (Andrychowicz et al., 2017), and task simplification (Kerzel et al., 2018). However, the basic problem of reinforcement learning of possibly unproductive and harmful exploratory actions remains.
This issue can be addressed in several ways. Nair et al. (2018) combine imitation and reinforcement learning. Instead of random explorations, the learner first learns to mimic the actions of a human teacher. The learner then refines its policy for exploration once a sufficient level of performance is reached to avoid unproductive or harmful actions. The basic idea behind this approach is to give the learner a set of good samples to bootstrap the learning process. A variation of this strategy is not to use an external teacher to imitate but to design the learning setup such in a way that the learner can generate these good learning samples autonomously. In the Hindsight Experience Replay (HER) (Andrychowicz et al., 2017), imagination is used after the execution of an action to, in hindsight, imagine the optimal goal for the previously executed action. This imagined training sample is then used to update neural policy models. However, though the creation of imagined samples works well in simulated environments, it can prove difficult in real environments. A related strategy is to let the learner generate good samples through physical actions. This strategy is employed by Levine et al. (2016), who utilize the known forward kinematic of the PR2 robot. Samples are generated by having one of the robot's hands move a target object while the other hand tries to grasp the object. Kerzel and Wermter (2017b) introduced a related approach where a robot generates samples for grasp learning by repeatedly placing and re-grasping an object at a random location. This approach has the advantage that the kinematics of the robot do not need to be known. However, human assistance is needed to initialize the process and to interfere in the case of re-grasping errors. A second approach, adopting a strategy from human learning, is to have an expert observe the reinforcement learning process and interfere in critical situations by giving advice and warnings to the learner in case of harmful actions (Cruz et al., 2018a). In summary, human teachers play an essential role in making reinforcement learning more sample-efficient, be it as models for imitation, physical assistants, or advisers.
2.3. Natural Teaching of Robot Learners
To ease the transfer of humanoid social robots from laboratories to the cluttered surroundings of domestic life, they need to be able to adapt their behavior dynamically and learn new skills through the instructions of non-expert human users. Humanoid social robots have the advantage that they generally foster a human-like interaction with the user, allowing users to easily anthropomorphize the artificial agent (Epley et al., 2007). Social interaction through spoken dialogue is the most intuitive way to enable such communication since it does not require additional knowledge and training from the non-expert user. The robot has to be a transparent learner, with its observable behavior and spoken feedback motivating the user to teach it further.
In a study by Thomaz et al. (2006) examining the way people teach a virtual agent in a reinforcement learning simulation, evidence was found for people's willingness to view their interaction and teaching of the agent as a collaboration. The human teacher guides and adjusts the training behavior of the agent, with a tendency toward positive feedback. Even without any specific amplifying behavior by the artificial agent, there seems to exist a clear concept of partnership in human-robot teaching scenarios. However, in comparison to a virtual agent, a physical robot has to be much more transparent about its intentions and internal states to ease the cooperation between human and robot.
A typical teaching cycle usually consists of the teacher demonstrating the desired skill for the student, followed by a series of supervised repetitions by the student. During these repetitions, the teacher might offer spoken feedback, display corrective behavior, or provide additional demonstrations to further improve the performance of the student (Nicolescu and Mataric, 2003). To enable teaching behavior that feels natural to the teacher while being effective for the robot learner, one must consider the design and behavior of the artificial agent. A childlike design, according to the baby schema (Lorenz, 1943), with round eyes set low in a comparatively big head, can help in facilitating intrinsic teaching methods like scaffolding.
Scaffolding is a form of assistive teaching regularly and often unknowingly displayed by human adults when interacting with children or infants (Breazeal, 2002). While infants are not capable of actually requesting assistance, they display a form of proto-social response that resembles an adult's behavior closely enough that the caregiver can assign meaning to them and act accordingly. By reinforcing the infant's interaction with the environment, the caregiver can encourage and assist the learning of new abilities (Newson, 1979). The adult handles the parts that are beyond the infant's or, in our case, the robot's capabilities, allowing them to focus on solving the simpler parts of the problem first. The learning process is supported by the adult giving affective feedback, reducing distractions, and simplifying the problem in a way that allows the learner to recognize the solution to a problem before being able to implement it (Breazeal, 2002).
Designing the robot as an approachable, transparent interaction partner allows the human-robot team to show better performance and the learner to reach a higher level of competence. In a study by Srinivasan and Takayama (2016) examining how the behavior of the robot during the interaction influences people's willingness to help it, one seemingly obvious conclusion could be drawn: robots that get assistance from people tend to accomplish more.
3. NICO, The Neuro-Inspired COmpanion
3.1. NICO Robot Platform
To create a robotic research platform for embodied neurocognitive models based on human-like sensory and motor capabilities that is at the same time well-suited for HRI studies, the Knowledge Technology group at the University of Hamburg designed the NICO humanoid (Kerzel et al., 2017c)4.
The first version of NICO was developed based on the NimbRo-OP, which was discussed in section 2.1. It is constructed mainly from 3D-printed parts and Robotis Dynamixel servomotors, endowing it with simple maintenance and high flexibility. This flexibility was used to gradually improve NICO, driven by experience from experimental setups and research. The designers followed a modular approach: each new functionality of the robot was first evaluated and iteratively improved before it was integrated with other functionalities. Following this scheme, a description of the sensory, motor, and HRI capabilities of NICO are given below alongside a review of scientific studies where these capabilities have been used. Figure 2 shows NICO with optional clothing and a close-up of its robotic hand with embedded tactile sensors.
Figure 2. (A) NICO humanoid robot sitting on child-sized furniture. (B) NICO can wear regular clothing without being hindered in its motor abilities. (C) NICO's three-fingered hand with tactile sensors. (D) Schematic depiction of the mechanical design of NICO's upper body.
3.1.1. Physical Form and Appearance
NICO stands 101 cm tall and has a weight of 7 kg, with its body proportions and degrees of freedom resembling those of a child between the ages of three to four. NICO's face is adapted from the open iCub design, giving it a stylized, child-like appearance. In its standard design, NICO has no outer shell, i.e., it is possible to see through the frame of the robot. To alleviate this, a 3D-printed cover is being developed. Furthermore, its child-like anatomy allows the robot to wear off-the-shelf clothing.
3.1.2. Motor Capabilities
NICO has 30 DoF, which are distributed as follows. Two DoF perform yaw and pitch movements of the head, which has an important signaling function in human-robot interaction, in addition to supporting joint attention and addressing communication partners. The arms have 6 DoF, with the shoulder forming a cluster of three motors that mimic the physiology of the human shoulder ball joint. An additional DoF allows bending of the elbows, and the final two DoF for wrist rotation and wrist flexion are provided by the Seed Robotics SR-DH4D articulated hands. These three-fingered hands are tendon operated; two motors contract the two linked index fingers and the opposed thumb. The tendon operation emulates hand synergies during grasping (Mason et al., 2001) to simplify the control during this complex process: only two DoF for closing the hand can securely grasp a wide range of different objects. Figure 2D shows a schematic depiction of the mechanical design of NICO's upper body. For locomotion, each of NICO's legs has three DoF in the hip joint, one DoF in the knee, and two DoF in the foot.
3.1.3. Sensory Capabilities
NICO's head features two parallel See3CAM CU135 cameras with 4K resolution (4,096 × 2,160). The cameras have an opening angle of 202°. Via the API, the camera can be configured to transmit only parts of the image and thus constrain the field of view to a human opening angle of 70°. This results in a reduced amount of data and the possibility of realizing virtual gaze shifts. NICO's head is endowed with two Soundman OKM II binaural microphones embedded in realistically shaped and 3D-printed pinnae, which allows human-like binaural hearing for vertical and horizontal sound source localization. The location of the microphones and the dampening factor of the head and also of the pinnae have been designed to mimic human-child anatomy for providing a realistic distortion of the sounds. To reduce ego-noise and improve speech recognition, NICO's head was designed without internal fans, mechanics, or motors. Haptic sensing subsumes proprioception and tactile sensing. While proprioception provides information about body posture, movement, and forces, the tactile modality registers deformation, vibration, and temperature. Both sub-modalities are realized in NICO: information about motor position and torque provide a proprioceptive sense for all DoF. To allow faster and more precise measurement of forces in motors even during movements and under load, the energy supply to all motors has been redesigned to exclude artifacts from power spikes due to energy-intensive motions. For tactile sensing, OPTOFORCE OMD-10-SE-10N7 force sensors were installed in all three fingertips of each hand. These dome-shaped sensors are slightly deformable and measure forces of up to 10 N in three dimensions at up to 400 Hz, making them well-suited to picking up vibration.
3.1.4. Interaction Capabilities
NICO's head is fitted with three LED arrays in the mouth and eye areas that can display stylized facial expressions. The areas behind the eyes consist of 8 × 8 LEDs; the array in the mouth area consists of 16 × 8 LEDs. The thickness of the 3D-printed head is reduced in the respective areas and optimized to allow the LEDs to shine through the material while blurring individual lights. A set of fixed emotions can be displayed, as well as freely programmable patterns; thus, emotional expressions can also be learned over time or be adjusted to individual interaction partners. Figure 3 shows examples of expressions for happiness, sadness, surprise, anger, and a neutral mood. These facial displays can give intuitive feedback to the user about the state of NICO in the context of a task. In addition to this specialized facial display, NICO, like many robotic platforms, has an internal speaker for uttering spoken messages and can express non-verbal social cues like gestures, poses, and head movements.
Figure 3. NICO's facial emotion display showing different expressions: (A) neutral, (B) happiness, (C) sadness, (D) surprise, and (E) anger.
3.1.5. API and Virtual Model
The NICO API supports direct control via Python and the robot operating system ROS. Python allows easy integration into the most common frameworks for GPU processing and deep learning like Tensorflow (Abadi et al., 2016). This gives scientists an easy way to embody neurocognitive models into the robot. NICO's full functionality can also be accessed via ROS (Quigley et al., 2009), the de facto standard in the robotics community, to allow easy sharing of software modules. The low-level motor control of the API is based on PyPot (Lapeyre et al., 2014), which was extended to support NICO's hands. The use of Python makes it possible to utilize existing libraries for control and preprocessing of sensory information, such as OpenCV for camera and PyAudio for microphone recordings. A set of predefined facial expressions is provided for the Arduino-controlled facial emotion display. As virtual environments are often used in robotics research for allowing extended and controlled experiments without strain to the robotic hardware, a virtual realization of NICO for the V-REP robotics simulator (Rohmer et al., 2013) is provided. V-REP supports simulated physical interactions, including forces and friction between different objects. Additionally, the robot model is provided in the established Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) for use in other simulation environments. The URDF description contains information about the kinematics of the robot, its collision model, and visual representation. The API allows seamless switching between real and simulated environments.
3.2. NICO Evaluation and Studies
Following the design strategy to iteratively evaluate and improve each functionality of the robot before integrating it in larger experiments, a set of studies has been conducted involving NICO's motor, sensory, and human-robot interaction capabilities5. In some studies, the main scientific focus was not on the robot itself but on the neurocognitive models embodied within it. However, these studies are especially valuable for NICO's ongoing design process, as they provide feedback under realistic research conditions.
3.2.1. Embodied Sensing Evaluation
Embodied Visual Perception. Compared to the typical applications of computer vision approaches, there are no differences in a robotic vision system. Therefore, the performance of state-of-the-art approaches for object detection, e.g., RetinaNet (Lin et al., 2017) can be utilized without limitations on NICO. However, a robot offers the ability to combine vision with active object manipulation: the robot can move and turn an object to learn a more elaborate visual representation. Additionally, object manipulation can also be used to train and evaluate models for object tracking under deformation and occlusion. Heinrich et al. (2019) recorded the NICO-object interaction dataset featuring sixty object-hand interactions, including different push, pull, grasp, and lift actions on a broad range of toy objects that show diverse behaviors, such as rolling, bouncing, or deformation. The exploration procedures were inspired by typical child-like behavior that could be realized on a humanoid. The dataset was used to evaluate the HIOB framework, an adaptive convolutional object tracker based on an incremental update mechanism. Josifovski et al. (2018) applied a convolutional neural network for object detection and pose estimation trained with 3D-models of NICO's hand. Though the pose of the hand can be computed via forward kinematics, such models can contribute to developmental approaches in which the kinematics of the robot are learned. Furthermore, the work demonstrates the transfer of models trained on the simulated model to the real world.
Embodied Audio Perception. Like computer vision, audio processing on a robotic platform does not differ greatly from any non-robotic audio task. However, the robot's ego-noise during operation and its ability to actively manipulate objects to elicit audio information have to be considered. Humanoids can perform common audio exploratory procedures like shaking an opaque container to gain insight into its content. Eppe et al. (2018) and Strahl et al. (2018) recorded an audio dataset with 1,080 samples of active audio exploration of 30 capsules filled with different materials, which NICO could shake with its hand, to train a recurrent neural network classifier. High classification accuracy of 91% was achieved due to the low ego-noise of the robot in the head area.
Embodied Haptic Perception. In contrast to audio and vision approaches, haptic perception is inherently based on active exploration to gain information about handled objects and materials. Compressing or squeezing an object can give information about the compliance of the material, while forces along the movement direction during lateral motions reveal static and slip friction as well as texture information. NICO's haptic sensory setup enables the use of human-like haptic exploratory procedures: in two studies, the use of lateral motion across surfaces to gain texture information and the use of squeezing objects to gain information about their compliance and shape was evaluated. Kerzel et al. (2017a) collected a 3200-sample dataset of lateral motions over a set of 32 samples of common household materials ranging from metal to different fabrics or cardboard. High classification accuracy of 99% could be achieved with a neural model. The study could also positively evaluate the robustness of the sensors; in over 5,000 trials, no wear and tear to the sensor occurred. Kerzel et al. (2019b) collected a dataset of human-inspired active haptic exploration of 16 different toys by enclosing and squeezing the objects in the robot's hand. These objects range from foam dice to different plush and plastic figures. The dataset contains 100 active exploration trials for each of the 16 objects; in each trial, seven haptic sensory channels were recorded for 52 time steps. A neural model that integrates the different haptic sensory channels over time achieved a 66.6% classification accuracy. Both studies showed that a key to recognizing haptic properties is the integration of motoric, proprioceptive, and tactile information. To this end, the NICO API is designed to synchronize motor commands and different sensory streams.
3.2.2. Motor Learning Evaluation
Several approaches for grasp learning have been evaluated on NICO: Hafez et al. (2017, 2019) successfully evaluated curiosity-driven reinforcement learning both on a simulated and on a physical NICO. For the physical experiments, full training of the deep RL approach was conducted without human supervision for over 50 h during which NICO performed arm movements and grasp actions. This uptime attests to the robustness of NICO's hardware. Cruz et al. (2016, 2018a,b) used a virtual model of NICO to develop and evaluate interactive reinforcement learning by allowing NICO to receive parent-like advice during a simulated cleaning task. Vocal commands and hand gestures were supplied during training and could be shown to enhance the training efficiency. These studies show the effectiveness of intuitive supervision by non-expert users during domestic tasks that are enabled by an interactive humanoid. Kerzel and Wermter (2017a,b) developed an end-to-end learning approach for object grasping based on a semi-autonomous self-learning cycle, which is described in more detail in section 4.1. Eppe et al. (2017) extended the approach with a modular, attention-based vision approach to grasp a diverse set of small objects in a cluttered scene. Kerzel et al. (2019a) further refined the approach by unifying the visuomotor architecture with a pyramidal convolutional network for identifying, localizing, and grasping a goal object in a complex scene.
A series of mono and crossmodal datasets from the above-described active sensing studies that have been recorded with NICO have been published for further use by the scientific community. Kerzel et al. (2019b) provide a haptic dataset of tactile and proprioceptive information during active haptic exploration of objects. Heinrich et al. (2019) provide a vision dataset of 60 object-hand interactions. Heinrich et al. (2018, 2020) recorded the EMIL dataset on embodied multi-modal interaction for language learning. The dataset focuses on low-level crossmodal perception during the environmental interactions from a body-rational perspective. The robot explored a set of toy objects through different actions like shoving, pulling, lifting, and scooting the object across the table. For each action, continuous recording from the robots' cameras, microphones, and proprioception, as well as from an external RGB and depth camera, is provided. Additionally, each sample is annotated with multiple natural language descriptions of the action.
3.2.4. Human-Robot Interaction Evaluation
A wide range of HRI research questions has been addressed using the NICO platform. Initial studies focused on the reception of NICO and its emotional display. Churamani et al. (2017b) evaluated the seven abstracted facial expressions of NICO. Twenty participants (seven female, 13 male, aged between 19 and 49 years, English at a conversational level or better) from eleven different countries from Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East took part in the study. The participants could identify a subset of five expressions (neutral, happiness, sadness, surprise, and anger) with an accuracy of ≥75%. Furthermore, the effect of emotion-display on the subjective user rating was evaluated: users completed the Godspeed questionnaire (Bartneck et al., 2009) before and after having seen NICO's facial emotion display; the results showed a significant increase in ratings for the anthropomorphism, animacy, and likeability of the robot.
The use of emotion recognition and expression is aimed at the overall goal of creating natural and engaging interactions. This idea was further explored by personalizing the interaction with individual interaction partners and also by evaluating different “personalities” or interaction strategies for NICO.
In summary, these studies utilize NICO's ability for crossmodal sensing, motion, and social interaction to extend existing neurocognitive models, e.g., for emotion recognition, which were previously trained on prerecorded datasets (e.g., Barros et al., 2018), to live interactions. This allows the evaluation of the model's ability to adapt to individual users and, more importantly, it allows the effect of different HRI strategies on subjective user rating under realistic conditions to be studied. In the following section, we will further extend this research by evaluating how these more engaging interactions can benefit the learning of neurocognitive visuomotor models.
In the presented HRI experiment, non-expert users perform a training procedure for a visuomotor task with the developmental humanoid robot NICO. Two conditions are compared: in the robot-guided condition, the robot takes an active role as a learner and guides the user through the process using an Embodied Dialogue System; in the human-guided condition a human experimenter gives all instructions to the participant and controls the robot. We evaluate both the effect on the subjective user rating of the robot and the effect on the learning process. The visuomotor learning task is based on an end-to-end approach for visuomotor learning by Kerzel and Wermter (2017b) and will be described in detail in section 4.1. To enable the bio-inspired development of grasping abilities from interaction with a physical environment, the robot repeatedly places and re-grasps an object on a table. This semi-autonomous learning cycle requires human assistance for initialization and also in the case of a failed re-grasping attempt.
4.1. Neural Architecture and Self-Learning Cycle for End-to-End Grasp Learning
To circumvent the long and possibly damaging trial-and-error-learning periods required for reinforcement learning, Kerzel and Wermter (2017b) presented an approach for transforming the learning task into supervised learning with a neural architecture. A neural architecture can link a visual input image of an object in the robot's field of view to a joint configuration to reach for the object. This regression can be performed by a convolutional neural network (CNN). Figure 4 (top) shows the neural architecture. Given an input RGB image of 80 × 60 pixels, the two convolutional and two dense layers of the network predict a joint configuration for grasping. The two convolutional layers consist of 16 filters, each with a size of 3 × 3 and a ReLu activation function; the dense layers have 900 neurons each and, like the output layer with six neurons, one for each joint in NICO's arm, use a sigmoid activation function. The output is a joint position for reaching for the object, normalized to the interval [0, 1]. The architectural parameters were initially informed by successful approaches for learning visuomotor skills (e.g., Mnih et al., 2015), and empirically optimized (see Kerzel and Wermter, 2017a for details).
Figure 4. (Top) The neural architecture for grasp learning, adapted from Kerzel and Wermter (2017b), maps a visual input to a six-DoF joint configuration to reach for the object in NICO's field of view. (Bottom) NICO's self-learning cycle: (A) an object is put into NICO's hand. (B) NICO places the object at a random position on the table and records its joint configuration. (C) NICO releases the object, removes the hand, and records an image. (D) Using the recorded joint configuration, NICO re-grasps the object and repeats the self-learning cycle.
The neural architecture can associate an image of an object on the table with a joint configuration to reach for the object. For the supervised training of the network, annotated samples are needed that link said images to joint configurations. As it would be too time-consuming to manually create these samples, e.g., by guiding NICO's hand toward the object, the learning task was transformed: instead of grasping, NICO performs the far easier task of placing the object. Starting in an initial pose with the object in its hand, NICO places it at a random position on the table. It stores its current joint configuration, releases the object, removes the hand, and records an image. The resulting image-configuration pair will later be used to train the neural architecture. To complete the learning-cycle, NICO uses the stored joint configuration to re-grasp the object. Once the object is in its hand, NICO starts from the beginning and places the object at another random location on the table. Figure 5 (bottom) shows this semi-autonomous learning cycle.
Figure 5. Results of the visuomotor learning from Kerzel and Wermter (2017b), based on the number of training samples, averaged over ten trials. With 400 training samples, 85.5% of all grasp trials are successful.
Kerzel and Wermter (2017b) evaluated the architecture with training sets of different sizes (10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 400 samples). All experiments were conducted for 2,000 epochs with stochastic gradient descent with Nesterov momentum (learning rate = 0.01, momentum = 0.9). The batch size was 40, except for the experiments with fewer samples, where a batch size of 10 for the 10-sample condition and a batch size of 20 for the 25-sample condition were used. Mean squared error was used as loss. Each condition was repeated ten times with Glorot uniform initialization and evaluated with 50 random test samples. Figure 6 shows results for different training set sizes. A grasp success rate of 85.7% was achieved with 400 samples of a single object. In a related study, Eppe et al. (2017) report an average accuracy of 76.4% using a total of 535 samples of six different objects. The later model was used for the demonstration phase during the HRI experiment. The success rates represent complete and successful physical grasp actions. A large portion of the non-successful grasps results from objects slipping from the robot's hand during the closure of the fingers or lifting of the hand.
Figure 6. Diagram of the Embodied Dialogue System: depending on the task, NICO guides the user through the grasp training until a fixed amount of samples is successfully collected or demonstrates its grasp abilities to the participant.
However, two challenges arise: First, NICO needs to learn to place objects on the table. For this, initial motor training needs to be performed, during which NICO's hand is moved randomly over the table surface by a human assistant for a few seconds. Second, a human assistant is also required to place the training object into the robot's hand at the beginning of the learning process or when a re-grasping attempt fails. Using its proprioception, NICO can detect such a failure. It then stops the learning cycle, deletes the last collected sample, and moves back into its initial pose, waiting for a human assistant to place the object into its hand so that it can resume. The learning-cycle is semi-autonomous, as it can run for extended periods unattended. In the study by Kerzel and Wermter (2017b), errors occurred in about one out of thirty attempts; however, the number of consecutive error-free cycles fluctuated between 2 and 106. To allow human assistants to focus on other tasks while NICO is learning, the setup was further modified to not just halt the learning-cycle upon detection of failure but to also alert the experimenter, utilizing NICO's inbuilt communication abilities and the Embodied Dialogue System.
4.2. Embodied Dialogue System
The Embodied Dialogue System (Kerzel et al., 2017b) is designed as a control center connecting the six main components needed to accomplish visuomotor grasping tasks, namely Motion, Vision, Emotion, Computation, Knowledge, and Natural Language Generation (NLG). Motion controls the sensorimotor functions of the robot, while Vision uses the cameras in NICO's head to capture the stereo images necessary for the computation of joint values. The data for the task is stored and made available in the Knowledge component, while the Computation component handles the loading of the trained model to the neural network and the computation of the joint values for grasping. Communication with the user happens mainly through the Emotion component, which displays stylized facial expressions with embedded LED lights, and the Natural Language Generation (NLG), which outputs the situationally appropriate response or request through text-to-speech synthesis. The Embodied Dialogue System is implemented as an agenda-driven system, with the agenda being the training of object grasping skills or the testing and demonstration of the acquired ability. The Dialogue System implements the joint-task agenda approach (Piwek, 2017) in which tasks are accomplished via human-robot collaboration. NICO performs visuomotor actions and communicates its progress and the possible need for help, while the user hands the learning object to the robot and provides assistance when requested.
The Embodied Dialogue System is realized in a structured dialogue model (Schlangen, 2005) with atomic and finite states. Figure 6 shows the underlying state machine: states represent actions of the robot that are carried out with different combinations of components. The Embodied Dialogue System decides which action to perform next based on internal knowledge, external commands, or perception with visual or tactile sensors. If, for example, the learning to grasp task is selected, the system will initialize the learning process and ask for assistance from the user, it will execute the grasp-learning cycle until it reaches the desired number of successful samples or until NICO fails at a grasp attempt in which case assistance is required again. The NLG function is executed concurrently with other functions to report progress without interfering with the action currently being executed.
4.3. Experimental Design
The recruitment of participants occurred through various sources (internet advertising, flyers, academic offices) to attract participants with no or little prior experience with humanoid robots, to avoid a so-called “convenience” sample (Baxter et al., 2016). The only requirement was a basic knowledge of conversational English. As an incentive, all participants were able to participate in a draw for gift certificates. Of the 24 participants (12 female and 12 male), an overwhelming majority (83.3%) reported no or little experience with humanoid robots prior to the experiment. Even though the participants were distributed randomly between the two conditions, the gender ratio remained equal in both. The overall average age of the participants was 27, with a range of 17–60. The majority (62.5%) identified as atheist or of no religion, 33.3% was Christian, and 4.16% as ‘other.' In terms of English proficiency, 45.83% self-assessed themselves as advanced, 41.6% as intermediate, and 12.5% as beginner. The study was approved by the Ethics Commission of the University of Hamburg. Written informed consent was acquired from every participant before the start of the experiment.
4.3.2. Experimental Setup and Process
In the experimental setup, NICO is seated at a table with appropriate dimensions for a child-sized robot, as depicted in Figure 7. This experimental setup was initially introduced by Kerzel and Wermter (2017b) and subsequently adapted for various studies related to visuomotor learning and crossmodal object interaction (e.g., Eppe et al., 2017; Kerzel et al., 2017b, 2019b; Heinrich et al., 2018, 2020). Therefore, the experimental setup recreates a realistic neurorobotic learning scenario. The human participant is sitting face-to-face with the robot. The participant and the robot are enclosed by a semi-circular screen. A ceiling-mounted camera captures the interaction between participant and robot. The experimenter is positioned at an extra table to the side, where the interaction phase is started, observed and, depending on the experimental condition, narrated from. A separate adult-sized table was provided for filling out the questionnaires and the consent form.
Figure 7. Experimental setup. Photo (A) and schematic depiction (B) of the experimental setup. The participant is seated face-to-face with NICO, while the experimenter is standing at a separate table and, depending on the experimental condition, guides the participant through the experiment and visibly operates the robot (human-guided condition) or remains silent (robot-guided condition). A ceiling-mounted camera records the interaction.
Figure 8 shows the experimental process. To measure the effect of the Embodied Dialogue System on the effectiveness of the training process and the user's perception of the agent, independent measures were used. The participants were randomly assigned to either a human-guided condition (HG), in which the human experimenter guides them through the grasp-learning task, or a robot-guided condition (RG), in which NICO itself narrates the process and asks for help if needed. Before the experiment, a short introduction to the process and to NICO itself was given to the participants. The camera above the table was shown to them, and the purposes of both audio and video recording were explained. The participants had the opportunity to ask questions before written consent for their participation in the experiment was obtained.
Figure 8. The experimental process. After an introduction, participants were asked to fill in a first questionnaire (Uncanny Valley Indices) based on their initial impression of NICO. Participants were then randomly assigned to the robot-guided or human-guided condition. In both conditions, participants performed a training phase with NICO, followed by a demonstration by NICO. After the demonstration, participants filled in two more questionnaires (Goodspeed and Mind Perception) and took part in a structured interview using the USUS framework.
Before the interaction, the participants were seated opposite an unmoving NICO and were asked to evaluate their immediate impression of NICO by filling out the first questionnaire, based on the refined version of the Uncanny Valley indices by Ho and MacDorman (2017), measuring perceived humanness, eeriness, separated into eerie and spine-tingling, and attractiveness. Since perceived humanness measures a similar concept to the anthropomorphism and animacy indices of the Godspeed questionnaires (Ho and MacDorman, 2010), this serves as a basis for the comparison of the change of the participants' impressions of the robot after the interaction.
The interaction was divided into two phases: A training phase and a demonstration phase. The training phase was limited to 10 min to allow a comparison of the number of collected samples in both conditions. To start the training process, the participant placed the object into NICO's hand. For an increase in interactivity, an intentional grasping error was included in the training. The error occurred randomly every two to five grasping attempts. (For comparison, without the intentional error, failed grasp attempts occurred on average only after more than 30 trials in the study by Kerzel and Wermter (2017b).
In the human-guided condition, the human experimenter instructed the participant when and how to initiate the training and narrated the process. NICO remained silent in this condition and only displayed facial expressions dependent on the success or failure of the grasping attempt. The human experimenter informed the participant if the robot was in need of assistance. In the robot-guided condition, NICO took over the role of the instructor, combining the display of emotions with verbal expressions of happiness or distress, and requesting the assistance of the participant if needed. The script for the training phase can be viewed in Table 1.
The demonstration phase consisted of the participant placing the object on the table in front of NICO three times, and the robot trying to pick it up. If the attempt was successful, the robot handed the object back to its interaction partner and, depending on the condition, voiced its happiness in addition to displaying an appropriate facial expression. The participants were given no instruction on where to place the object exactly. This allowed the participants to witness the effects of the prior training phase, even though a previously trained neural network was used. For the sake of transparency, the participants were informed about this fact beforehand. Equivalent to phase one, depending on the condition, either the human expert or the humanoid itself guided the participants through the process (see Table 2).
After the interaction, the participants were asked to return to the interview table to fill in the second questionnaire, based on the Godspeed questionnaires by Bartneck et al. (2009) and the Mind Perception questionnaire by Gray et al. (2007), with some additional questions collecting demographic information about the participants. The Godspeed questionnaires measure anthropomorphism, animacy, likeability, perceived intelligence, and perceived safety. While they are known to be very dependent on the environment of the experiment and the experimental design (Weiss and Bartneck, 2015), more so than on the robot itself, they remain a popular evaluation tool and were included here for comparison's sake. The Mind Perception survey questions measure the amount of mind participants attribute to the evaluation subject, in two dimensions: Experience and Agency. While Experience is about how much the subject feels or senses, Agency describes the robot's capacity to act, plan, and exert self-control. As before, the participants were asked to evaluate NICO based on their personal impressions alone. The interview that followed was conducted in a semi-structured manner, with the questions based on the USUS evaluation framework of Weiss and Bartneck (2015), with a combination of obligatory and additional questions for the categories Usability, Social Acceptance, and User Experience. The interview was audio-recorded, about which the participants had been informed before the start of the experiment.
5.1. Subjective Effect of an Active Role in Learning on the Participants
5.1.1. Humanoid Evaluation
Initial evaluation. The Uncanny Valley indices were used to evaluate the participants' first impression of a silent, motionless NICO. The mean scores are M = 2.32(SD = 0.66) for humanness, M = 3.01(SD = 0.56) for eeriness, M = 3.13(SD = 0.53) for spine-tingling, and M = 3.79(SD = 0.72) for attractiveness. A visualization of the results can be viewed in Figure 9. These results establish a baseline against which we can make comparisons after the robot interaction in the two experimental conditions.
Figure 9. Initial evaluation to establish the participants' first impression of a silent, motionless NICO as a baseline for later comparison. Mean scores and standard error for the Uncanny Valley indices.
Evaluation of the two experimental conditions. As Figure 10 shows, the mean scores of the Godspeed questionnaires are slightly higher in the robot-guided condition for anthropomorphism, animacy, and perceived safety. In the human-guided condition, NICO ranked higher on likeability and perceived intelligence. The mean scores and standard deviations can be viewed in Table 3. To test the statistical significance of the different scores in both conditions, a two-sided Mann-Whitney test was performed. The evaluation of the differences between the two groups produced no significant results (p>0.05).
Figure 10. (A) Shows the mean scores and standard error for the categories of the Godspeed questionnaires. The active NICO scored higher in regard to Perceived Safety, Animacy, and Anthropomorphism. (B) Shows the mean scores and standard error for Experience and Agency in the Mind Perception survey questions. Blue signifies the robot-guided condition and red signifies the human-guided condition.
As for the results of the evaluation of the Mind Perception survey, NICO scored higher in regards to both Experience (M = 2.65, SD = 0.63) and Agency (M = 3.12, SD = 0.54) in the human-guided condition (Figure 10). The scores in the robot-guided condition were M = 2.34 (SD = 0.83) for Experience and M = 2.84 (SD = 0.93) for Agency. However, a two-sided Mann-Whitney test showed no statistical significance to the difference between the conditions (p>0.05).
Evaluation after the interaction compared to the baseline. To evaluate a possible change in perceived humanness during the interaction in relation to the established baseline, a Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed, under the assumption that humanness measures the same concept as anthropomorphism, animacy, and likeability. As suggested by Ho and MacDorman (2010) in their analysis of the Godspeed questionnaires, a high correlation between anthropomorphism and animacy (rs = 0.71, p < 0.01) and a medium correlation between animacy and likeability (rs = 0.46, p = 0.03) was found. The small correlation between anthropomorphism and likeability (rs = 0.35, p = 0.09) was not statistically significant.
The comparison of pre-interaction humanness and post-interaction anthropomorphism did not yield a significant result, with p = 0.11 (Z = 93.5). The p-value of the test within the human-guided condition is p = 0.7203 (Z = 34.5), and p = 0.11 (Z = 18.5) within the robot-guided condition. The comparison between humanness and animacy produced a significant result overall, with p < 0.01 (Z = 55.5), as well as within the robot-guided condition, with p < 0.05 (Z = 14). The test within the human-guided condition shows no significant difference (p = 0.17, Z = 21.5). The comparison between humanness and likeability produced a significant result overall, with p < 0.01 (Z = 4), as well as within the robot-guided condition, with p < 0.01 (Z = 2), and the human-guided condition, with p < 0.01 (Z = 0).
5.1.2. Interaction Evaluation
The evaluation by interview reinforces and clarifies some of the conclusions of the statistical analysis; it also uncovers additional information by giving the participants the space to talk about their experience. The interview questions were based on the indicators of the USUS evaluation framework by Weiss and Bartneck (2015), and the interview was conducted in a semi-structured way. On average, the interviews took between 7 and 8 min per participant.
The effectiveness of the training process was perceived more favorably in the robot-guided condition, with a majority of participants believing in the accomplishment of a goal (60%) and experiencing a high level of satisfaction regarding NICO's progress (79.9%). In the human-guided condition, only 33.3% of the people reported a feeling of accomplishment, and only 16.6% were satisfied with the achieved performance.
All of the participants in the robot-guided condition rated the communication as satisfactory for them, and a majority (66.6%) felt that they would be confident enough to interact with NICO again in the future without the presence of an expert. The most commonly mentioned reason for their confidence was the fact that NICO had previously told them what to do. The remaining 33.4% who were unsure about future interactions mentioned insecurity regarding the expected extent of their help toward NICO. In the human-guided condition, the split was approximately even, with 58.3% of participants admitting the need for further help by a human assistant in a future interaction with NICO and 41.7% being confident in the simplicity of the task and in NICO's ability to conduct the training process without any mistakes. The majority of participants (60%) in the robot-guided condition reported a lack of anxiety due to the dialogue system and NICO's instruction. The remaining 40% expressed anxiety with regard to their own failings, but with the underlying theme being a concern for NICO and its learning process.
In the robot-guided condition, 73.3% of the participants felt that they played a more active role in the interaction, and 80% felt more integral to the success of the learning process. Meanwhile, people in the human-guided condition perceived themselves more frequently as passive observers or in a subordinate role, which is mirrored in the fact that they felt less important to the success of NICO's training. The Embodied Dialogue System also influenced how involved the participants felt in the whole interaction. Since NICO was not equipped with any additional functionalities that facilitate personal involvement, like face-tracking, the emotion display and dialogue system had to fill that role. As mirrored by the participants' perceived lack of importance to the training process in the human-guided condition, only 16.6% felt directly involved. Meanwhile, in the robot-guided condition, 73.3% felt a sense of personal involvement and continuous engagement, which was amplified by NICO addressing them and looking at them directly.
The interaction with NICO was perceived as enjoyable by both groups, with NICO's observable improvement and the feeling of teaching a child being the two most frequently mentioned reasons. But when asked about the type of roles NICO could fill in the future, dangerous, repetitive, or monotonous work featured more prominently in the answers of the participants in the human-guided condition. People in the robot-guided condition placed NICO mostly in elderly care or as a social companion robot. Additionally, 41.6.% of people in the human-guided condition cited NICO's lack of social interaction and emotional understanding as the main reasons for their refusal to accept NICO into their social circle. Meanwhile, 66.6% of people in the robot-guided condition could imagine welcoming NICO into their family, with the remaining 33.3% mentioning roles like “family pet” or “colleague at work.”
To summarize: the Embodied Dialogue System had a noticeable influence on the way people talked about and described NICO. In the robot-guided condition, user satisfaction was overall higher because the participants felt more integral to and engaged in the learning process. This was primarily attributed to NICO's vocal expressions, which made the participants overall confident enough to imagine a possible unsupervised interaction. In contrast, the people in the human-guided condition who experienced a higher level of confidence largely attributed it to the simplicity of the task. This overall detachment from the process and NICO itself can also be found in their active refusal to imagine NICO as more than a utility. This shows that in order to facilitate an environment that allows non-expert users to confidently supervise and actively assist the training process, the robot needs to be able to generate and keep the engagement of the user.
5.2. Objective Effect of an Active Role in Learning on the Learning Process
To ensure comparability between the two conditions, the first phase of the interaction was limited to a time frame of 10 min, during which the participant assisted NICO with the collection of samples. The number of collected samples during this training phase was on average higher in the human-guided condition (M = 9.08, SD = 2.63) than in the robot-guided condition (M = 6.5, SD = 2.53). This difference can, in large part, be attributed to the time the audio output of the dialogue system required.
However, in only the robot-guided condition, an interesting pattern could be observed: people were more inclined to engage themselves in the training process in a positive way, contributing to a smaller number of errors in the observed cases. By correcting the orientation and position of the object after NICO had placed it on the table, they made the subsequent repeated grasping less error-prone, leading to a larger number of uninterrupted iterations of the training process. This went as far as them actively putting the object back into NICO's hand after a predetermined failed grasp in the third or fifth iteration.
In order to quantify this effect, the video recordings of the training phase were analyzed: out of 24 participants, 23 agreed to a video recording and a qualitative analysis of their interaction behavior. Therefore, 230 min of video were annotated for physical interactions between participant and NICO or participant and learning object. We defined any action in which the participant touches the training object or the robot as a physical interaction during the learning phase. Physical interactions were categorized as being either requested or participant-initiated. Depending on the experimental condition, the request for interaction could either come from the robot or from the experimenter. Interactions are requested for two reasons: first, to start the training process, the human participant is asked to put the training object into NICO's hand; second, if, during the learning process, NICO fails to grasp the object, which was artificially caused on each third to fifth trial, NICO moves back into its starting position, and the participant is asked to place the learning object into NICO's hand again. While there were no explicit reasons given for participant-initiated interactions, the fact remains that these interactions overwhelmingly occurred in the robot-guided condition, which can be linked back to the overall higher confidence in NICO's capabilities, as discussed in section 5.1.2, and a higher Perceived Safety score. The examination of the video material shows that participant-initiated interactions occurred if the robot lost its initial grip on the object before or while placing it on the table, in which case the participants picked it up and placed it where they assumed the robot had intended to place the object. The participants also corrected the position of the object after the robot released it, with a possible trigger for that interaction being that the participants observed the object moving during the release. The majority of participant-initiated interactions were small corrections to the object's position during an ongoing grasp attempt. It can be assumed that the participants predicted the end position of NICO's hand based on the observed trajectory and positioned the learning object accordingly. As shown in Figure 11, this also happened in physical contact with the robot6.
Figure 11. Participants correcting the object position during the training phase, after NICO put it on the table (A,B) and during a grasping attempt (C,D).
Table 4 shows the average requested and participant-initiated interactions per training phase. There is a visible increase in the number of participant-initiated interactions in the robot-guided condition (MR = 1.08 compared to MH = 0.18), even though half of them did not initiate any interactions at all. The prerequisites that could have enabled this behavior are discussed in section 5.1.2: participants have little fear of contact with the robot; they feel more engaged in the learning situation and more actively care about the learning outcome. The second observation, namely there being fewer requested interactions in the robot-guided condition (MR = 2.67 compared to MH = 2.91), can also be linked back to this. A possible interpretation of these combined results is that fewer requested interactions were necessary because the participants anticipated and prevented situations that would cause an unsuccessful grasp through participant-initiated interactions. While these results show no statistical significance for α = 0.05, there is a trend to be observed here: participants in the robot-guided condition showed more engagement and proactive behavior, which can have an effect on the actual neural learning processes of the robot.
Table 4. Requested and participant-initiated physical interactions during the learning phase, mean and standard deviations.
6.1. Discussion of Results on Human-Robot Interaction
The participants reported a high rate of identification with active teaching or supporting roles and continued to refer to NICO as childlike. This indicates that the desired relationship dynamic of a teacher-learner team was achieved. The fact that the participants ascribed the reasons for their enjoyment to the feeling of teaching a child suggests that the collaborative learning approach further facilitated the student-teacher relationship dynamic. The results of the Godspeed questionnaires showed higher scores for anthropomorphism, animacy, and perceived safety in the robot-guided condition. Although the difference in ratings between the groups showed no statistical significance, the results of the interviews were able to confirm them to a degree. The participants attributed human characteristics to NICO in both conditions, but an examination of how they imagined NICO to react to their mistakes showed a tendency toward more human-like behavioral patterns in the robot-guided condition. Following the theory that a high anthropomorphism score could serve as an indicator of social acceptance, as suggested by Weiss and Bartneck (2015) in their meta-analysis of the Godspeed questionnaires, a greater disposition toward accepting NICO as part of their family or social circle could be observed among the participants in the robot-guided condition. Emotional support and elderly or health care appeared more frequently as imagined tasks for the active NICO in a domestic or work environment, which supports the higher anthropomorphism score.
Under the assumption, made in section 4.3.2, that humanness and anthropomorphism, animacy, and likeability measure a similar concept, a significant improvement of perceived humanness after the interaction with an active NICO could be observed. The effect was distinctly lower in the human-guided condition, suggesting that the Embodied Dialogue System was the influencing factor. Participants in the robot-guided condition reported a higher level of perceived involvement after interacting with NICO, although in both groups, the feeling of reciprocity peaked in the demonstration phase. This shows that the Embodied Dialogue System could help with keeping user involvement high throughout an interaction.
The number of collected samples and successful grasping attempts had no measurable influence on the perceived intelligence rating. A reason for this could be a missing basis of comparison for the users, amplified by the fact that the majority had no previous experience with humanoid robots. This is reflected in the fact that NICO's performance did not have any influence on the participants' sense of achievement. People in the robot-guided condition were on average more forgiving of NICO's mistakes, reporting an accomplished goal even with a low number of collected samples. In the human-guided condition, participants were much more ready to dismiss the learning process, even though a high number of samples indicated a fast training phase.
Although people in both conditions were equally afraid of making mistakes during NICO's training phase, the higher perceived safety score in the robot-guided condition indicates that participants overall felt more secure during this interaction. This is endorsed by the fact that the participants were more confident in their capability of interacting with NICO unsupervised, basing this confidence on NICO's clear instructions. This confidence is also mirrored in the fact that in the robot-guided condition, the participants more actively intervened in the grasp learning process by, e.g., correcting object positions (Figure 11). These results support the hypothesis that the Embodied Dialogue System enables non-expert users to supervise the learning process with confidence and efficiency.
6.2. Discussion of Results on Robotic Visuomotor Learning
The presented study shows that the Embodied Dialogue System can realize a successful visuomotor learning scenario between a non-expert user and NICO. Though the scenario was carried out in controlled laboratory conditions, the results indicate that the robot-guided learning interaction could also take place ad hoc in a domestic environment, e.g., when the robot encounters a novel visuomotor task and requires some form of human aid. This assistance can take different forms like demonstration (Gupta et al., 2016), advice, and instruction (Cruz et al., 2016) or physical assistance (Kerzel and Wermter, 2017b).
The positive subjective rating of the participants that was achieved in the robot-guided condition is an important factor for the use of humanoid robots as learning companions in everyday tasks. However, it is equally important to consider the quality of the learning outcome. Our results show that while using the Embodied Dialogue System to communicate its internal states and intentions took more time, resulting in less collected samples, it also led to a number of participants actively collaborating with NICO in its training and thus improving the learning process. The participants physically intervened in the learning process on their own initiative and prevented, e.g., unsuccessful grasps by correcting the position of the object. This behavior, in turn, enhances the quality of the collected samples. Moreover, in an actual learning scenario in the wild, learning based on the supervision of a human expert defeats the purpose of a semi-autonomous learning companion robot.
In summary, though fewer samples were collected in the robot-guided condition, the participants rated the robot-guided interaction more positively, indicating that they might be willing to spend more time teaching the robot, which could compensate for the slower speed of sample collection in this condition. Furthermore, participant-initiated interactions improved the quality of the collected samples. Finally, results from the interviews conducted indicate that the participants would put more trust in the abilities that result from NICO's training and are more willing to accept NICO as a companion in their home.
6.3. Discussion on Social Humanoid Robots
The presented study shows how a robot's ability to socially interact is a key factor for learning from and with humans. Considering the challenging nature of many real-world robotic tasks, the ability and willingness of non-expert users to aid in the necessary learning process is an important resource. The presented results are in line with the concept of developmental robotics (Cangelosi and Schlesinger, 2015): when looking at early human development, social interaction, especially scaffolding provided by caretakers, is critical for the development of cognitive abilities.
The results give evidence to support the proposition that successful scaffolding of a robotic learner in interaction with non-expert users is fostered by sensory and motoric similarity, approachability, and social interaction abilities. We show that this idea is reflected in the design of NICO (section 3.1) and by the previous studies carried out on NICO (section 3.2) evaluating it as a platform for social interaction, human-inspired active visual, auditory, and haptic perception, and developmental grasp-learning. The studies show in multiple cases that human strategies, e.g., active audio exploration (Eppe et al., 2018) and can be adapted to NICO. In turn, this also implies that non-expert users can apply their common sense and expertise as teachers in the NICO scenario. Multiple studies on Human-Robot Interaction demonstrate that NICO can engage in different Human-Robot Interaction scenarios and is rated positively by participants and that features like its facial emotion display have a positive effect on subjective user ratings (Churamani et al., 2017b). These properties of NICO are reflected in the questionnaire and interview responses of the presented study, and it can be assumed that they contributed to the positive learning outcome. The presented HRI study brings together, for the first time, human-robot interaction and visuomotor learning on NICO and shows that social interaction can be a key factor for enabling human teachers. The presented learning setup can be adapted to other platforms as a contribution to both the robotic machine learning as well as the developmental robotics community7.
6.4. Future Work
If a state-based Embodied Dialogue System is able to greatly improve the user experience of non-expert participants while teaching NICO, it might be possible to further amplify that behavior by designing a system that focuses on user comfort, not just to improve the experience of the human interacting with the robot but also to increase the training success of the robot learner. A natural learning process, with clearly communicated intentions, that is accessible to non-expert humans, will ultimately benefit both user and robot.
Valuable lessons can be drawn from the structured interviews for improving NICO's design and social interaction capabilities: NICO's three-fingered hands will be upgraded to four-fingered hands with a movable thumb, giving NICO a more human-like appearance. More importantly, the design will enable different types of grasps that can be selected according to object affordances. This more anthropomorphic design is intended to contribute to grasp learning with the aid of non-expert human teachers by enabling a more intuitive understanding of NICO's kinematics. To enhance NICO's overall appearance, NICO will be upgraded to allow concealed cable routing inside its limbs and also be fitted with an optional outer shell.
For the interaction scenario, suggestions by the participants will be implemented and evaluated: A module for face tracking and gaze shifts will be integrated into the API, as the missing eye-contact during the training phase was the most commonly mentioned grievance because it disconnected the user from the process. Also, a new text-to-speech module will be developed, as NICO's voice was also repeatedly remarked upon, either as being unfitting for a young child or causing confusion about NICO's perceived gender. At the moment, the evaluated Embodied Dialogue System only covers the instructions and assertions necessary for a smooth training process. A wish for a more detailed introduction to or narration of the process was mentioned, which could be a way to keep user involvement high even during longer phases without eye-contact and create a more satisfying user experience. In future studies, we will also more tightly control the participant's initiative in the interaction as an evaluation tool. With regard to crossmodal neurocognitive models, the suggested extensions will support a tighter integration of semi-autonomous reinforcement learning and multiple forms of learning from humans, like advice, physical aid, learning from demonstration, and human feedback as reward signal.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author.
The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Commission of the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences of Universität Hamburg. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants' legal guardian/next of kin. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s) for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.
MK conceived the presented idea, developed the neurocognitive architectures and robotic learning setups used in the presented study. MK and TP-R designed the experiments, which were conducted and analyzed by TP-R. ES aided in the technical realization of the presented study, together with MK, one of the main developers of NICO. MK and TP-R were the primary contributors to the final version of the manuscript. SW supervised the project and revised the manuscript. All authors provided critical feedback and helped shape the research, analysis, and manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The authors gratefully acknowledge partial support from the German Research Foundation DFG under project CML (TRR 169).
4. ^Further technical details, including CAD files for 3D-printed parts, a construction guide, video material, and the NICO API can be found at https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/en/inst/ab/wtm/research/neurobotics/nico.html.
5. ^An overview video of selected studies carried out on NICO can be found at https://www2.informatik.uni-hamburg.de/wtm/videos/NICO_papers_2017-2020.mp4.
6. ^Redundant safety features limit the closing force of the robotic hands: the mechanical design of the robotic hand is based on magnet connectors for the fingers that give away in case of excess load; furthermore, both software and firmware limitations for all motors are implemented. Therefore, the physical interaction between the participants and the robot was safe at all times.
7. ^The NICO API and code examples, including a pre-trained neural grasping model, can be found at https://github.com/knowledgetechnologyuhh/NICO-software.
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Kerzel, M., Eppe, M., Heinrich, S., Abawi, F., and Wermter, S. (2019a). “Neurocognitive shared visuomotor network for end-to-end learning of object identification, localization and grasping on a humanoid,” in Proceedings of the 9th Joint IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning and on Epigenetic Robotics (ICDL-EpiRob) (Valparaíso), 19–24. doi: 10.1109/DEVLRN.2019.8850679
Kerzel, M., Ng, H. G., Griffiths, S., and Wermter, S. (2017b). “Effect of a humanoid's active role during learning with embodied dialogue system,” in Proceedings of the Workshop: Towards Intelligent Social Robots: Social Cognitive Systems in Smart Environments at the 26th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, eds A. Aly, S. Griffiths, V. Nitsch, T. Taniguchi, S. Wermter, and A. Tapus (Lisbon: RO-MAN). Available online at: http://intelligent-social-robots-ws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/effect-humanoids-active-1.pdf
Kerzel, M., Strahl, E., G?de, C., Gasanov, E., and Wermter, S. (2019b). “Neuro-robotic haptic object classification by active exploration on a novel dataset,” in Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN 2019) (Budapest). doi: 10.1109/IJCNN.2019.8852359
Kerzel, M., Strahl, E., Magg, S., Navarro-Guerrero, N., Heinrich, S., and Wermter, S. (2017c). “Nico–neuro-inspired companion: A developmental humanoid robot platform for multimodal interaction,” in Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN) (Lisbon), 113–120. doi: 10.1109/ROMAN.2017.8172289
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Keywords: crossmodal learning, developmental robotics, neurocognitive models, human-robot interaction, visuomotor learning
Citation: Kerzel M, Pekarek-Rosin T, Strahl E, Heinrich S and Wermter S (2020) Teaching NICO How to Grasp: An Empirical Study on Crossmodal Social Interaction as a Key Factor for Robots Learning From Humans. Front. Neurorobot. 14:28. doi: 10.3389/fnbot.2020.00028
Received: 29 October 2019; Accepted: 17 April 2020;
Published: 09 June 2020.
Edited by:Mehdi Khamassi, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), France
Reviewed by:Alex Pitti, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, France
Hatice Kose, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey
Copyright © 2020 Kerzel, Pekarek-Rosin, Strahl, Heinrich and Wermter. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Matthias Kerzel, firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:04116259-eb1a-40be-ae18-74aeffd20912> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbot.2020.00028/full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030337524.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20221004184523-20221004214523-00015.warc.gz | en | 0.913986 | 22,550 | 2.765625 | 3 |
I’ve often recommended switching to a diet higher in natural fats and lower in refined carbohydrates. What’s the deal with dietary fat? Simply put, dietary fat does not raise insulin. And hyperinsulinemia is the main driver of obesity. Hyperinsulinemia means literally, high insulin in the blood (hyper means high, and -emia means blood levels).
So, logically, switching refined carbohydrates (raises insulin) for dietary fat, can lower insulin levels significantly even if you take the same total number of calories. But what is so different about dietary fat compared to both protein and carbohydrates that makes this true? It all comes down to the different ways that proteins and fats are metabolized. | <urn:uuid:d20d58a6-01b4-4f0c-a68f-a4ac3edd9d7f> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | https://nutritionsquared.com/2016/09/19/dietary-fat-and-hyperinsulinemia/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794865691.44/warc/CC-MAIN-20180523161206-20180523181206-00414.warc.gz | en | 0.913903 | 146 | 2.59375 | 3 |
What's happening at the Clear Lake Nature Preserve?
July 26, 2017
The Clear Lake Nature Preserve including Brennan Woods is open! The preserve was closed to the public a few months in the spring of 2017 during a selective tree harvest. Even though the preserve is open, the land looks quite different after the tree harvest and after the prescribed fire we completed earlier in the year on the preserve. More recently, some residents and visitors are noticing the brown field on the west side of the preserve.
Not surprisingly, some are asking, why all this activity?
We're glad you are interested! Here are the reasons and the vision. Converting the 46-acre, Clear Lake Nature Preserve & Brennan Woods to its former open oak woodland continuum (meaning the preserve includes an oak savannah ecosystem that gradually becomes an open oak woodland ecosystem) requires all these steps--a selective harvest, a prescribed fire, and vegetation management.
Under the direction of a forestry consultant, over the last several months, large equipment has removed carefully selected trees. A variety of sizes, including large mature trees, and various species, including cottonwood, a variety of oaks, hickory, maple, black cherry, bigtooth aspen and others, were removed to open up the canopy and convert the forest back to an open oak woodland. Around 200 trees were removed with over half being cottonwood trees. While they are native to our area, they are not desirable in the oak woodland ecosystem. Timber harvesting is used as a management tool to change the light levels in the forest, to stimulate regeneration, and to change the very structure of the forest. It can be controversial, it can be hard to understand, and it can be ugly!
When timber is harvested, the process looks and is somewhat chaotic. Bits of the tree, like the tops, remain, temporary access trails are installed, erosion occurs, and occasionally residual trees are damaged or taken out in the process. Now that the harvest is completed, the tops and remaining debris will deteriorate and add important nutrients back into the soil and in the meantime serve as habitat for wildlife. The temporary trails will revegetate and the overall erosion was minimal. The timing of the harvest was intentionally done in late spring, early summer to allow time for vegetation to reestablish helping to minimize the potential for erosion.
Removing these carefully selected trees will help us reach our restoration goal of opening up the canopy to allow more light to reach the forest floor. Before the harvest, the canopy was so thick that oak saplings, for example, could hardly receive enough sunlight to grow for natural oak tree regeneration. The prescribed fire earlier in the year helped to remove a thick leaf litter layer, creating more ideal growing conditions for native understory plants, including baby oak trees!
Next steps? Vegetation management will continue over the next few years. Activities will include herbiciding, seeding, cutting and pulling, mowing, and prescribed fire. The large patch of brown field on the west side of the preserve was sprayed, by a licensed professional, with herbicide. Native seed will be dispersed, replacing the non-native vegetation currently there. Over time, this portion of the preserve will be restored to a native oak savanna.
What's the longterm vision? In addition to the restoration activities, our summer intern, Jonathan Moss, with the guidance of our Lands Committee and input from the community, is designing a hiking trail through the preserve. We are determining the location of a small parking area, the location of the trailhead and how many trailheads we should offer, signage locations and wording, and other aspects of the trail installation. Our goal in creating the trail is to help protect important features of the preserve while encouraging exploration and enjoyment of this beautiful property. | <urn:uuid:f218e752-8767-466a-91f5-d669d0d45a55> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | https://clearlakeconservancy.org/news/whats-happening-at-the-clear-lake-nature-preserve | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232258620.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20190526004917-20190526030917-00045.warc.gz | en | 0.954086 | 767 | 2.546875 | 3 |
Blood from the heart is mainly ejected upwards along the ascending aorta. When pulling blood into the heart, the major motion is also along the axis parallel to the spine. Thus the major motion is longitudinal. For both ejecting and pulling blood, according to Newton's 3rd Law the force exerted on the blood by the heart is matched by an equal and opposite force on the body by the blood.
If a patient is placed on a table with very low friction, then the force on the body causes the body and the table to move back and forth as the blood is being pumped. A sensitive accelerometer on the table measures its acceleration, and one can compute the acceleration of the blood with:
This is called a ballistocardiogram (BCG), and an apparatus to make one is shown to the below.
The apparatus was made by Nihon Kohden in 1953, and we use the figure with permission. The original figure is at www.nihonkohden.com/50th/history2.html
Although the technique has been known for over 50 years, because the mass of the accelerating blood is small compared to the mass of the body and table, the experimental errors in the measured blood acceleration were large. Thus it was not very useful as a diagnostic tool. Recently modern signal processing techniques have allowed these experimental errors to be greatly reduced, and BCG's are now often used in a medical context.
As you will learn in the third quarter, the electrocardiogram (ECG) measures the activity of the muscles in the heart; there is also an experiment in the laboratory on ECGs. The BCG measures the effect of this muscle activity by directly measuring the acceleration of the blood. The following figure shows an ECG and a BCG for a normal patient.
The data for the above figure was supplied to us by Dr. William McKay, Department of Anesthesia, University of Saskatchewan. | <urn:uuid:2325ffad-fad1-457c-8d63-504b4a5a1b51> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Classical_Mechanics/Supplemental_Modules_(Classical_Mechanics)/Miscellaneous_Classical_Mechanics_Topics/Ballistocardiogram | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030337421.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20221003133425-20221003163425-00556.warc.gz | en | 0.946309 | 462 | 3.921875 | 4 |
Between the Rows: "Bringing nature home"
Douglas Tallamy, author of “Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens,” was the keynote speaker at the Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners Spring Symposium last week. His talk focused on the need for more insects to make our gardens — and the world — healthier and more ecologically balanced. “A mere 1 percent (of all insects) interact with humans in negative ways. The other 99 percent pollinate plants, return the nutrients tied up in dead plants and animals to the soil, keep populations of insect herbivores in check, aerate and enrich the soil, and as I keep stressing, provide food either directly or indirectly for most other animals,” Tallamy writes in his book and illustrated in his talk.
His enlightening talk covered a lot of ground, but two ideas made a particular impression on me. The first was the idea of the environmental carrying capacity of our local landscape and, ultimately, of the whole earth. The term “carrying capacity” refers to the amount of resources needed to sustain a certain population. It is easy to understand that a given population of insects, or birds or whatever, will decline when the food they require decreases.
So, what happens when, for example, the emerald ash borer, which is a threat in Massachusetts right now, were to kill all the ash trees? Forty-four insect species rely on the ash tree to survive. No ash trees; no more 44 insect species. And that means reduced food for the creatures who depend on those insects. So, their populations will decline as well. Insects are the very bottom of the food chain and we usually do not consider how important they are to the wildlife that we enjoy. At least, that is true for me.
Tallamy said many people ask him why insects can’t eat some other tree or plant? He explains that over thousands of years plants and insects have evolved together. The insects’ digestive systems have adapted and evolved to digest the particular chemicals in a plant’s foliage. They cannot immediately adapt to a new plant. That is one of the reasons that invasive plants can take over. The food web of insects, birds and wildlife cannot keep the invading plants in check.
The second idea Tallamy put forth is that not all native plants are equal. Some plants support many more species of wildlife than others. This was an eye opener for me. I have been talking about the benefits of native plants for a long time, but this idea never occurred to me. As you might expect, trees are the most productive in having what it takes to support many insects and birds. Trees are big. But even here, some trees are more productive than others. In his book, and on his Web site, www.bringingnaturehome.net, Tallamy lists the 22 of the best woody plants, beginning with oaks that support 534 species, down to the chestnut, which supports 125 species. Black cherries, maples and willows are also highly productive.
If we don’t have the room to plant an oak or two, we might be able to fit in a crabapple or some blueberries. We can plant asters, morning glories and lupines in our ornamental gardens. We can not only marvel at and admire the lupine meadows that some people in our area have cultivated, we can thank them for supporting 33 species of wildlife.
Those lupine meadows also remind us that birds and other pollinators need clumps of productive native plants. Their eyesight is not always good so they need big clumps of a useful plant to catch their attention. Tallamy pointed out that 80 percent of our food crops are pollinated by animals. It is clear that supporting that wildlife is very important in our area where there is a growing number of farms.
Lately I have been talking about the benefits of reducing the size of our lawns. Tallamy said that 92 percent of landscape-able land is lawn, lawn which is a monoculture that does not support wildlife. He suggested that if we reduced the amount of lawn in the United States by half, we would have 20 million acres that could be put to native trees and other native plants. This would certainly increase the carrying capacity of our neighborhoods and our nation.
Suburban yards can play an enormous part in restoring the health of our ecosystem. A whole neighborhood that includes a substantial number of native trees, shrubs and other plants can make a significant impact.
I am so grateful to the Western Massachusetts Gardeners for bringing us this excellent program that included Ellen Sousa of Spencer and the author of “The Green Garden,” as well as workshops on making compost, hypertufa containers and bentwood trellises that not only make our gardens healthful and productive, but beautiful as well.
Their Spring Symposium is their big educational effort of the year, and there are two more symposia coming up on April 6 in Holyoke and April 13 in Lenox. Check their web site www.wmassmastergardeners.org for complete details. However, they hold soil testing events, phone and email hotlines where you can get your questions answered, and lots of questions are answered right on the website. They even have a speakers bureau that can send a speaker to your club, or class or other organization. If this is of interest to you send an email to email@example.com for more information.
Now, I am wondering how many of us will find a place to plant an oak, or crabapple.
Readers can leave comments at Pat Leuchtman’s Web site: www.commonweeder.com. Leuchtman has been writing and gardening in Heath at End of the Road Farm since 1980. | <urn:uuid:d5103be9-d1eb-461f-b55d-9f12ff4fbc0e> | CC-MAIN-2014-42 | http://www.recorder.com/lifetimes/home/garden/5270050-95/between-the-rows-bringing-nature-home | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1413507445159.36/warc/CC-MAIN-20141017005725-00361-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.963435 | 1,212 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Why is XSLT used by many web applications?
closed as not constructive by ChrisF♦ Feb 14 '12 at 23:42
As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. If you feel that this question can be improved and possibly reopened, visit the help center for guidance. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
XSLT is a relatively easy way to manipulate data provided on XML-form.
The combination of easy generation of output data on XML-form, and the SQL-ish ability for the XPath queries to slice through the DOM-tree in many, many ways aggregating data is very powerful.
Because you can do so much with so little.
XSLT allows you to transform a (number of) well-formed XML document(s) or fragment(s) into something else, such as:
You can also write sophisticated rules to take decisions on the data in the source XML file(s) along with some parameterization.
There are functions available for processing - similar to SQLite.
The manipulation of hierarchical data is awesome - you can have rules that match tree structures like RegEx's match text strings.
It has a very low barrier to entry - just need a text editor and a modern Browser.
At one company I worked for, we developed a system where 3 well-structured XML files CustomerRequirements.xml, Specifications.xml, TestCases.xml could be run through a variety of XSLT transformations to produce:
Of course, all the interesting information had to be contained in the XML files for the XSLT to be able to generate these outputs, but, with a little bit of thought, this was all made possible.
Of course, we built the XSLT step into our build process to make sure all docs were always up-to-date.
In fact, it encouraged the developers to contribute to the documentation because it felt more like code and lived in version control.
Because it works.
Given that a) XML is in widespread use (from services and as a data storage format) and b) easy to generate you have a lot of data that is available or easily made available as XML.
So, given that you have data in XML format the ability to render it to another format (to restructure the data or for display) using a standard "tool" is very useful, XSLT is the tool and it makes things fairly easy and allows you to do relatively complex things.
I have two use cases:
Its not the only way to achieve this sort of result - but it works and is widely supported.
The first web framework (to my knowledge) that used XSLT extensively for web applications was Apache Cocoon. It also incorporated almost every XML technology out there. The reasoning behind the choice for the framework was two fold:
Essentially, you could create an entirely functional web site that was complete, and then dress it any way you like depending on the setting. The ideas and concepts are powerful, but in the end, developers were required to learn a heck of a lot to become marginally useful with it.
However, it is still true that XSLT allows you much more freedom over the layout than simple HTML and CSS does.
But it can also (like many other tools):
Personally I have used it quite a lot do develop small widgets with different configuration options and styles for websites where the presentation format changed betweens portals but used the same original data. I also often used it to transform database data to JSON data (dump DB to XML then create a JSON tree structure). | <urn:uuid:c6ce045a-8b51-4825-b8b8-779b1cb421c9> | CC-MAIN-2015-22 | http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/25202/what-is-the-reason-for-using-xslt | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-22/segments/1432207928965.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20150521113208-00186-ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938272 | 793 | 2.65625 | 3 |
If you are interested in a new career, you should take the time to learn about the opportunities that exist in the field of phlebotomy. Although the word phlebotomy may sound strange, it simply refers to the drawing of blood samples from a person. In general, it is the puncturing of the skin and can include punctures for intravenous procedures other than drawing blood.
When you study to become a phlebotomist, you will learn everything you need to know that is related to anatomy and blood to perform the work of a phlebotomy technician. There is also a great deal of study that is related to proper procedure, especially in the area of safety and hygiene. Classes and entire programs teaching you how to become a phlebotomist are available in a variety of places. Sometimes hospitals will teach them, community colleges may offer them and specialized vocational schools related to health care.
Phlebotomy is a great entry level position in the health care field. For many people, it is a stepping stone to other jobs in health care while others stay with phlebotomy for many years. The training that is required is minimal compared to many other positions. You can begin your new career in no time at all.
A program at a typical community college in Maryland will take 20 weeks. However, this represents a certain number of hours that you need to study to become a phlebotomist. The actual hours needed are about 115. There are accelerated programs that can reduce the completion time of the training.
There are also training programs available online. Some of the local programs in the state will offer online training. Of course, only a certain portion of the program can be done online, but the part of the class that can be done in this manner gives you greater flexibility to complete the program.
After you have completed your courses satisfactorily, you will need to obtain certification to begin your career as a phlebotomy technician. The requirements to become certified are not difficult in the state of Maryland, but they are specific. You must be at least 18 years old and have graduated from high school. In addition, you cannot have a criminal record. You will also be required to complete a physical examination.
From this point, you need only enroll in a phlebotomy program and finish it with passing grades. After completion of the program, you will have earned a certificate from your vocational school or community college, but you must also pass a phlebotomy examination from an accredited institution to become certified to practice your new profession. There are more than one certifying body, and you will be able to get this information from your school.
The examination is not free, but the fee that is charged to you will be well worth the price to become a certified phlebotomist. If you ever move to another state, your certification in Maryland may be enough to get employment elsewhere. Many states do not require certification and having a Maryland certification in phlebotomy will look good on your resume.
Here Are Some Schools Near You:
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Fortis Institute can give you the skills you need to train for a career in the healthcare field.
* Programs vary by location
* Please contact each individual campus for accreditation information
- Works closely with an advisory board from the medical community to ensure that their curriculum, equipment and instruction are current and relevant.
- Offers special tuition pricing for Veterans, Active Duty Military and spouses/qualifying dependents of all Active Duty, National Guard and Reserves.
- ABHES-accredited: An advantage upon graduation
- Short-term education: Programs range from 10 months to 2 years
- Blackboard Learn mobile allows students to complete assignments on the go.
WELCOME TO KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
Online Education That Fits Your Life
For 80 years, we’ve been preparing students for career success. We’ve led the wayso that our students can too.
Globally Renowned Purdue to Acquire Kaplan University
Purdue University, one of the nation's most respected universities, will acquire Kaplan University and create a new, nonprofit, public institution within the Purdue system. Pending regulatory approvals, this exciting transition is expected to take place later this year. This change will be seamless—during the transition, you will still be able to enroll at Kaplan University, earn a high-quality education, and meet your educational and career goals.
CTU can help you connect to what matters most: a powerful professional network, faculty who are real-world professionals and innovative technology. And now several CTU degree programs are ranked by U.S. News Best Online Programs for 2015. Are you in? | <urn:uuid:67978711-7c53-4f35-8204-572262f8e9b5> | CC-MAIN-2018-05 | http://learnlinc.com/phlebotomy/phlebotomy-training-in-maryland/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-05/segments/1516084889660.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20180120142458-20180120162458-00511.warc.gz | en | 0.949483 | 1,040 | 2.75 | 3 |
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a painful skin rash that develops on one side of the face or body. It can also cause damage to hearing or vision. The shingles vaccine reduces the risk of developing shingles and the long-term pain that can follow. Your risk of shingles increases as you age.
The shingles vaccine is recommended for people age 60 and older, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Always check with your doctor about the right immunizations for you, and about the right age for you to receive a particular vaccine.) This is a one-time vaccination. There is no maximum age for getting the shingles vaccine.
The vaccine is important regardless of whether someone has had chickenpox, which is caused by the same virus as shingles. Studies show that more than 99 percent of Americans ages 40 and older have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember getting the disease. And even if you have had shingles, you can still receive the shingles vaccine to help prevent future occurrences of the disease.
— Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | <urn:uuid:0c1ff44f-7f7c-4929-b867-f64cdbb4d57a> | CC-MAIN-2017-17 | http://goodvaluerx.com/vaccination/shingles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-17/segments/1492917118740.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170423031158-00036-ip-10-145-167-34.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.962347 | 244 | 3.640625 | 4 |
There are no two ways about it: maintaining a productive sugarbush requires a lot of cold, gritty, manual labor. We use tracked vehicles to get into the woods, but each tap must be placed by hand – in our case all 81,000 of them – every season. It’s incredibly rewarding to be in the forest, working in teams and using hand tools in much the same way as sugarmakers have for hundreds of years. Proper preparation in the woods ensures the sap flows into the sugarhouse efficiently and in large volume.
Every winter sugarmakers tap their maple trees by drilling a small hole in the trunk and inserting a spout. With 81,000 taps to put in, we start the process in mid-January so we are ready for the first thaw. Tapping all our trees in time is a battle against the elements. January, more often than not, sees deep snow and extreme cold. The crew uses four wheelers via the logging roads to haul equipment up to a starting point but the majority of the work is done on foot through the forest. Some of our sugarbush is extremely steep. Any member of the crew, no matter how fit, will attest that trudging up and down the pitch through waist-high snow with 20 lbs on your back makes for an exhausting day. We try not to tap when the temperature goes below 0°F, mostly because it is hard on the equipment and morale. Working in the snow and cold, however, is part of the job and it is an understatement to say that the crew consists of some very hardy people.
When spring finally arrives and the temperature rises above freezing during the day, the sap starts to run. At this point, it is all systems go. The sap comes out as a slow drip from the tap and flows into tubing that is connected to a network which runs throughout the forest. The network starts as small lines, draining into larger lines and ultimately ending in huge tanks at the sugarhouse. The entire network is on a vacuum system to keep the sap flowing.
Each year is a guessing game as to how long the sap will run. It may go on and off for ten weeks or it could run for just a few days before the weather warms up too much and the season comes to an abrupt end. Regardless it is a very short period to make a year’s worth of syrup, therefore when it does start to run we work round the clock to make the most of the season.
There is no syrup without the sap so our efforts are concentrated on making sure the vacuum and tubing network is working efficiently. Holes in the tubing from fallen branches and nibbly squirrels reduce the pressure. Consequently, every day the crew walks the lines looking for problems. We have over 600 miles of tubing throughout our woods which means a lot of walking (or snowshoeing, depending upon the condition of the snow.)
Once the sap comes into the Sugarhouse, it’s all about the pipes, gauges and heat.
From the tank room, the sap is filtered through a reverse osmosis machine. The RO, as it is known, is the same technology used to supply communities with clean drinking water. For us, it removes up to 90% of the water from the sap before we boil it. This is the revolutionary bit of kit that has transformed modern sugarmaking over the last several decades. Without it, we would need to use eight times as much fuel.
After being concentrated, the sap is then sent back to the tank room and from there to the evaporator where it is boiled down to syrup. The boiling process is intense and the hours long. If the weather is perfect and the sap is flowing, a run can last for up 20 hours and require constant fiddling with the equipment. When we have roughly six weeks to make a year’s worth of product, there is no stopping and starting mid-run to catch some sleep. It’s an art in endurance and on-the-job problem-solving.
At Runamok, we use steam to boil the sap because it gives us precision control over the process and we find it results in the best flavor. The 400 horse power steam boiler produces roughly 13,000,000 BTU/hour creating a roiling but controlled boil in the steam pan. Billows of steam exit through the stack creating a heavenly smell of maple syrup throughout the farm.
The last step of the process is to send the finished syrup through a filter press, creating a clear, amber liquid. The color of maple syrup is lightest at the beginning of the year and continues to darken over the course of the season. The taste also changes as the winter recedes and the temperatures warm. We taste the syrup each run to determine the peak of flavor for our Sugarmaker’s Cut. We never know when that peak will come but it is a pleasure tasting maple syrup almost daily, looking for it. | <urn:uuid:4ad88428-e95c-4ce9-8378-be328fa0e1f1> | CC-MAIN-2017-09 | http://runamokmaple.com/about-maple/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-09/segments/1487501170993.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20170219104610-00251-ip-10-171-10-108.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960498 | 1,021 | 2.53125 | 3 |
In my previous post, I asked any of you who have ever been involved in school to take a brief survey. What do you think is the primary purpose of grades?
This is, in fact, the same survey that my principal sent out to his entire staff. And after reading and mulling over some of the research he presented to us, I realized that a lot of my grading policies were not reflecting the primary purpose of grades. In fact, I found myself really rethinking some of the grading practices I have always taken for granted.
It’s kind of a scary thing when you realize you might have to admit you were wrong about some things — especially if those things are integral to your profession.
Nevertheless I am really grateful to my principal for challenging me and my colleagues to rethink grading practices and to try to better align our individual classroom policies with the true purpose of grades.
Most of you said — correctly — that the primary purpose of grades is “to give feedback to students on their learning.”
The other options are important, but they are secondary.
Take this report card sample I showed my kids, for example:
Many of the kids began by answering, “The college would know this is a hardworking student.” Or “the college would know this student is good at theology, geometry, and computer programming, but is not quite as good as English or Biology.” Or “the college would see this student is really smart.”
“Good at x subject, less good at y subject”
So I pushed them on their answers. “How many of you have taken a class where it is easy to get an A? Where you basically had to just be a nice person and the teacher would reward you? How many of you have taken a class where you had to work really hard even to earn a C? Or a class where you earned a grade that you don’t think you deserved — whether it was too high or too low?”
They all had had these experiences.
“How do you know that the A+ in Old Testament on this student’s report card was the result of his hard work? Or because the teacher was easy? Or because the teacher was really hard but the student is a genius? Or because the student turned in all the assignments? Or because he turned in a lot of tissues and markers for extra credit?”
The students acknowledged that, from the report card alone, it is impossible to tell which factors influenced the grades.
Then we began a discussion of what grades should show. The most frequent answer I got, from my kids, was “how hard you worked.”
Interestingly, both struggling and strong students gave this answer.
“But what if you are really talented in Math, and you don’t have to work very hard to learn the concepts? Should I give you a C because you don’t need to work hard?”
They acknowledged this would not be fair.
“What about the student who always tries her best in English, but by the time of the test still doesn’t know what a thesis statement is or how to write one? Should she earn an A or a B just because she works hard — even though she doesn’t know the main idea?”
Some of them looked uncomfortable here, but again they agreed this would not be fair, either.
“So,” I said. “What should grades be about?”
“Grades should show you what you have learned,” someone ventured.
There were murmurs of agreement.
“Okay,” I said. “I agree with you. Now, we’re going to be spending the next few days exploring this question — and I really need your help and input on this. If grades should be about showing what you have learned, what grading practices should we change in our class to help your grades better reflect that?”
And so the real discussion began. | <urn:uuid:06fb743b-8fb7-4c9d-97f6-c3f3c4d06f62> | CC-MAIN-2017-26 | https://mysteriesandmanners.wordpress.com/2015/01/18/why-im-changing-my-mind-about-grades-part-i/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-26/segments/1498128320261.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20170624115542-20170624135542-00675.warc.gz | en | 0.982343 | 844 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Today’s exercise, Swimming, is a part of our bodyweight back exercises (see the list below) and a natural progression from the previous exercise, Double Impact. If you have a bad posture while sitting (most people who work in front of a computer are leaning forwards towards it), this exercise will compensate for the stress and strengthen your spine and back muscles. Before attempting today’s exercise, make sure you are proficient with all previous five from the program. Have fun swimming!
The series so far:
- Exercise #1: Cat-Cow
- Exercise #2: Back Extension
- Exercise #3: Back Stretching
- Exercise #4: Heel Kick
- Exercise #5: Double Impact
- Exercise #6: Swimming (you are here)
- Exercise #7: Stomach Rolls
- Exercise #8: Diving Swan
Bodyweight Back Exercises – Swimming
Initial position. Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms in front of you, palms facing downwards. Slightly lift the chest, arms and legs of the mat. Keep the legs and toes extended;
- Raise your right arm and left leg;
- Then raise the left arm and right leg, while returning their opposite to their initial position. Continue the exercise for 10 exchanges. The exchange of the opposite limbs is quick, but smooth.
Make Sure You:
- During the exercise, the muscles of the abdomen should be pulled in and slightly lifted up to limit forward tilt of the pelvis;
- In the initial position, use the spine extensor muscles to lift the upper body, and the leg extensor muscles to lift the legs. Simultaneously take your hands off the mat by using the arm extensor muscles in the shoulder joint and engage the muscles that control your shoulder blades to prevent them from lifting as well;
- As the name of the exercise suggests, the limb movements can be compared to swimming. Imagine the pelvis and lower torso lying on a swimming board and keeping a stable position, while the arms and legs perform the movements.
The main purpose of this exercise is stabilization of the spine, with some additional benefits. While the back extensor muscles actively work, hold the body in the air, the limbs perform alternating movements. This type of movement is an important aspect of the overall motor skills of the body, and is used in many everyday activities such as walking and running.
The rotation of the spine depends on the limb movements. When the left leg is lifted, it is trying to turn the lower left part of the torso. With the rise of the right arm, the torso also tends to turn to the right. To keep the body in a stable position, you need to connect the muscles, turning and extending the spine, particularly the muscles at the left lumbar spine region, which turn the lower part of the spinal column to the right, and the right semispinalis capitis, which turns the thoracic spine to the left. These muscles counteract rotations caused by the movements of the limbs. In this way, Swimming allows you to develop spine stability skills by movement of hands and feet, which seek to turn it sideways. This newly developed mobility will bring relief to your spine from all the accumulated daily stress. In addition, the exercise increases the tone and endurance of the leg extensor muscles.
If you prefer, you can perform this exercise by making five movements while breathing in, and five exchanges while exhaling.
To continue to the next bodyweight back exercises go to Stomach Rolls.
- How to Start a Telehealth Program in Your Medical Practice - May 26, 2022
- Top Strategies To Help You Conquer Your Vertigo Ailment - May 26, 2022
- Top 7 Advantages of Health Information Exchange - May 18, 2022 | <urn:uuid:7e79f54d-7705-4994-b073-3eeb550eb34e> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.thehealthsciencejournal.com/exercises-improve-posture-bring-relief-back-spine-part-6/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662631064.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20220527015812-20220527045812-00661.warc.gz | en | 0.917747 | 785 | 2.796875 | 3 |
Flowers are great additions for your outdoor decorations. Flowers come in different categories with some being seasonal that only bloom at certain months of the year. You can grow flowers in your garden in outdoor plant beds or in pots depending on your preference. But, just like any other plants, you have to give them the care and maintenance that they need to ensure that they are healthy.
To do this you need to know how professionals grow and take care of seasonal flowers from a young plant to a mature flowering plant. The right planting technique will enable your plant to stay healthy and strong from the time they are transplanted. Start with a small bed before expanding to a larger area. Here are four tips that professional use that will help you get started.
Plant the right flower in the right season
Every seasonal flower has its own characteristics and growth requirements. Spring normally affect gardeners more severely compared to other seasons of the year. Some seasonal flowers require direct sunlight to grow while others need to be planted in a shade. Determine whether you want to plant the flower in the sun, shade or both.
If this is the case, choose a seasonal flower that thrives in most of the season without requiring you to uproot it once the season comes to an end. A seasonal flower that can survive partially in the sun and partially in a shade is a great choice, although most flowering plants need the sun to flower.
Choose a location you can easily access
Remember that every seasonal flower requires water every once in a while. When choosing where to plant your flower, choose a location that you can water easily. If you are planting the flower directly on the ground, clear the planting bed, removing any grass or weeds and mix up the soil.
Water them frequently
If the flower requires a lot of water, water the bed or pot regularly to ensure that the flower does not dry. Potted seasonal flowers need a lot of water and you will have to water them more often since they have less soil around them that retains moisture. Watering can be done using a hosepipe or watering can. But, ensure that the soil is moist and not waterlogged to prevent the roots from rotting.
Choose seasonal flowers that bloom early
Seasonal flowers that bloom fast are great for gardening. The essence of planting flowers is to have a garden that is lively and well decorated. During colder seasons, most seasonal flowers have a hard time blooming and even if they do, the flowers are normally lost in the snowy garden.
The best seasonal flower varieties should be the ones that bloom during spring or summer giving your garden a fresh appealing look. Get more information about the best flowers on the Garden-R website and accentuate the look of your garden.
With a well kept garden, full of bright flowers, your garden will not only look beautiful but a great place to spend family moments such as family evenings. You can even host a party or rent it out for an event and earn some money. | <urn:uuid:5f4ac529-5d37-4e47-a128-5020802129c1> | CC-MAIN-2021-17 | https://www.coolgarden.me/4-tips-to-planting-seasonal-flowers-5338/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-17/segments/1618039617701.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20210423101141-20210423131141-00202.warc.gz | en | 0.955145 | 603 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Sleep is a process that provides energy to our body for the next day. Therefore, it is good to have a healthy sleep and not wake up before the time or every hour during the night. Here are some things you need to do in order to have better sleep.
1. Do not drink the water
Water is essential for the body to provide proper work of all the organs and to lubricate the joints as you move. But if you drink just before bedtime, you will not get up only once, but several times to urinate, which will interrupt your sleep.
2. Do not nap during the day
Some have a habit of doing this, but should be avoided because if you nap during the day you will interrupt the natural cycle of the body and thereby you will not have a decent sleep at night. This will affect your health and your sleep habits.
3. Avoid the use of a laptop or mobile phone
People often have a habit to put laptops or mobile phones to bed before sleeping to check their mail of facebook profiles. However this moment last a long time and they end up staying late at night. Thereby it is better that you do not bring your laptop or cell phone in your bedroom at all.
4. Plan your meals
This is a very important rule that you should most definitely obey: you should have a habit of not eating at least 3-4 hours before bedtime. This way you will help your digestive system to process the food easily and to function normal and healthy.
5. Set a bedtime routine
It is recommendable to have a bedtime routine and stick to it. This implies showering, brushing teeth, going to bed. This way your body will get used to this routine and you will easily fall asleep as soon as you are done with this routine of yours.
6. Choose your favorite position for sleeping
Everyone has their own sleeping position that suits them best. Finding the perfect sleeping position will help you get some quality sleep and not wake up with neck pain. It is recommended that these positions are on the side or on the back, not the stomach.
7. Exercise before bed
You need to exercise and walk every day to make your body fresher and full with energy. However your workout needs to be over at least 3 hours before bedtime.
8. Cold Feet
If your feet are cold, you will not be able to fall asleep immediately. Therefore, you should warm up your legs by putting socks on.
9. Quality mattress
Never save money when buying mattress. The quality of the mattress will determine your sleep. Namely if your mattress has high quality then you will sleep comfortable without waking up during the night and you will be fresh and rested in the morning.
10. Avoid coffee before bedtime
Coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a known as a substance that can make a person stay awake. Try not to drink coffee 4 hours before bedtime. Caffeine increases the body’s metabolism and will make you feel fresher and thereby keep you awake. This is why you should avoid drinking coffee before going to sleep. | <urn:uuid:cdf1f32c-a9e6-4b06-b36f-a597c4578b19> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://yourstylishlife.com/10-deadly-habits-that-we-all-do-before-going-to-bed-that-seriously-damage-our-health-your-stylish-life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500041.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20230202232251-20230203022251-00407.warc.gz | en | 0.954847 | 638 | 2.703125 | 3 |
From the brochure …
Many home educators use a blend of the different approaches. Traditional textbooks may be chosen for maths and science, for example; then a computer program used to teach typing, and a unit study developed around a key interest which incorporates English, music, art, history, geography, etc.
Eclectics are selective, but do not follow any single approach to home education. Parents find a satisfying balance, designing the curriculum to suit the individual student, and using concepts from various sources.
To Elaborate …
In reality, this definition probably applies to the significant majority of home educators. Some are true unschoolers, some are avid Traditionalists, but most people, to some degree, pick and choose what works at the time. Conversely, most eclectic home educators also have a particular leaning, towards (say) Classical or Montessori methods.
It’s a “little bit of this and a little bit of that”, picking the best aspects from different methods and customising them into the family’s own inimitable style. The approach is both innovative and flexible, relying heavily on the parents’ own judgement to select what will work for their child in the blend of academic and experiential learning.
Often voracious researchers themselves, Eclectic home educators are often keenly inquisitive about all sorts of theories, programs and educational resources, shopping for quality products beyond the common stream.
An Eclectic approach may have at its core a particular belief system (see Philosophies) and an obvious consideration of the child’s Learning preferences. Whatever curriculum materials are purchased usually come from a diverse array of suppliers, then will be adapted and refined as required. Choices also take into consideration the child’s temperament, gifts, and interests.
Textbooks alone are not enough for the Eclectic home educator, whose child also has the freedom to explore and exploit every potential learning experience. Private or group lessons with external teachers may be included, in visual, dramatic or performing arts, and plenty of adventures to museums, libraries, galleries and parks round out this approach.
- uniquely tailored
- always adaptable
- parents and children both influencing directions taken
- may be too flexible for parents or children who need definite structure
- may require too much preparation or forethought from parents
- often the way things head as time goes by, but may seem unsure to new parents
In many ways, our approach has been very eclectic since early days, in that we’ve rarely relied on curriculum from just one supplier, and we’ve always had plenty of extra input. It’s good to have the confidence to know when you need more structure, either for your own sake or your child’s, and when to allow and even encourage a more relaxed approach.
- Homeschool Diner
General article explaining the Eclectic approach, with some very helpful links at the bottom of the page.
- Eclectic Homeschool Online
This is a christian site, providing plenty of information on a wide variety of resources.
An internet search will yield additional resources, which you will be able to assess according to your own criteria.
“We all should know that diversity makes for
a rich tapestry, and we must understand that
all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value
no matter what their color.”
~ Maya Angelou | <urn:uuid:9d81e482-e5f8-41bb-a5a1-e1c982745ddc> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://hedjumacation.net/considerations/approaches/eclectic/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583516135.92/warc/CC-MAIN-20181023111223-20181023132723-00116.warc.gz | en | 0.935151 | 706 | 3.34375 | 3 |
If you want to divide the pre-history of humanity into chunks, one of the common ways to do it is to break it up into (1) the period before modern humans evolved and after our ancestors split off from chimpanzees and bonobos (the pre-human era), (2) the period from the appearance of Neanderthals until the appearance of modern humans (the Neaderthal era), (3) the period from the appearance of modern humans until the "Neolithic Revolution," (modern human pre-history) and (4) the period after the Neolithic Revolution (human history a.k.a. the Holocene period).
The Neolithic Revolution, approximately 8,000-12,000 years ago represents the time period in which humans transitioned from being hunter-gatherers to farmers, writing was developed, and cities first arose. The oldest linguistic evidence about our roots from language family resemblances also goes back only about this far (the vast linguistic diversity of pre-Columbian America also emerged over a time period only a few thousand years older, at most).
Modern humans, the subspecies distinct from Neanderthals to which every human alive today belongs, arose sometime roughly 160,000 to 100,000 years ago, and spread across the globe over tens of thousands of years, with the Americas constituting the areas last settled by humans, other than a few islands in Oceana. Humans had dispersed to every continent but Antarctica by the time of the Neolithic Revolution, which occurred everywhere on Earth at roughly the same time (give or take a few thousand years), with different plants and animals being domesticated, and different architectural styles being used in different places.
Our understanding of modern human pre-history is pretty limited. Illiterate hunter-gatherers don't leave a lot of traces behind for archeologists to examine. We know that Neanderthals went extinct, or nearly extinct, sometime fairly late in modern human pre-history. We can use genetic evidence to trace some very broad patterns of migration of humans that probably took place in this time period.
Natural Climate Change and Human Pre-History
The Neolithic Revolution coincides with the end of the most recent Ice Age.
The latest plausible evidence of Neanderthals dates to about 24,000 years ago, around the same time as the coldest point of the most recent ice age, and also the coldest time period since modern humans emerged from Africa.
The emergence of modern humans from Africa roughly coincides with the interglacial Late Pleistocene Eemian Stage, 131–114 thousand years ago, whose end marked the beginning of the Ice Age that ended shortly before the Neolithic Revolution.
And, there are two interglacial periods that could coincide neatly with the emergence of Neaderthals from Africa sometime 350,000-600,000 ago.
It is plausible to hypothesize that the most recent ice age tipped the balance that caused Neaderthals to go exinct and be replaced entirely by modern humans, and that the setbacks suffered by Neanderthals in the previous ice age is what created the ecological space into which modern humans emerged from Africa as that ice age ended.
Domesticated Dogs, Domesticated Cats and the Neolithic Revolution
There is a near consensus based upon genetic evidence that dogs were domesticated in modern human pre-history, with some genetic evidence pointing to 100,000 years ago, around the time that modern humans left Africa, and other genetic evidence pointing to a much later date, around 15,000 years ago, a few thousand years before the Neolithic Revolution. Either way, dogs would be the first domesticated animals.
The notion of dogs as the first domesticated animals is consistent with the fact that pre-Columbian Native Americans had domesticated dogs, but do not appear to have brought other domesticated farm animals with them to the New World from Asia (in contrast, modern human settlers of the last uninhabited islands in the Pacific did bring domesticated animals with them). The animals domesticated in the New World during the Neolithic Revolution were indigeneous to the Americas. This is also consistent with the fact that many Native American lived on a hunter-gatherer basis in pre-Columbian times, even though there were many notable farming based communities in the Americas.
Indeed, the coincidence in time between the later dates for the domestication of dogs, a theory that points to an origin for all domesticated dogs somewhere in China, is suggestive of the idea that the domestication of dogs may have been a pivotal cause of the entire Neolithic Revolution.
Dogs may have been important both in suggesting to pre-modern humans the benefits that could come from domesticating animals, and also in the actual proces of farming by protecting crops and domesticated animals and the human settlements themselves from invaders. The domestication of dogs, along with an end to competition between modern humans and Neanderthals after Neaderthals were wiped out during the ice age, and the improved climate for growing plants that arrived when the ice age ended, may have been a critical factor that made agriculture a sustainable proposition.
Cats, in contrast, appear to have been domesticated several thousand years later than dogs, probably co-existing with human communities only after the food surpluses created by human adoption of agriculture started to attract the vermin that cats prey upon. Genetic evidence suggests that all domesticated cats trace their roots to Egypt. Domesticated cats are not native to the Americas (or to either New Zealand or Australia where their introduction caused the extinction or near extinction of many native marsupial species). According to Wikipedia:
In 2004, a grave was excavated in Cyprus that contained the skeletons, laid close to one another, of both a human and a cat. The grave is estimated to be 9,500 years old, pushing back the earliest known feline-human association significantly.
Like some other domesticated animals, cats live in a mutualistic arrangement with humans. It is believed that the benefit of removing rats and mice from humans' food stores outweighed the trouble of extending the protection of a human settlement to a formerly wild animal, almost certainly for humans who had adopted a farming economy. Unlike the dog, which also hunts and kills rodents, the cat does not eat grains, fruits, or vegetables.
In modern rural areas, farms often have dozens of semi-feral cats. Hunting in the barns and the fields, they kill and eat rodents that would otherwise spoil large parts of the grain crop.
Thus, cats may have been an important factor in strengthening the Neolithic Revolution once it took hold, but they came too late in time to be a cause of this event which marks the beginning of human history.
Other developments that one could plausibly have expected to be triggers for the Neolithic Revolution in the absence of hard evidence, came tens and hundreds of thousands of years earlier. Human ancestors tamed fire, used stone tools, used woooden spears, lived in reasonable large groupings (two or three dozen individuals) and had a global range, more than a hundred thousand years before the Neaderthals evolved. Painting at least pre-date modern humans. There are signs that even Neanderthals had some amount of functional language, and certainly all modern humans had full fledged spoken languages. | <urn:uuid:cac5783c-1f30-4a7a-b58e-801baa361c82> | CC-MAIN-2018-09 | http://washparkprophet.blogspot.com/2009/02/dogs-cats-climate-and-neolithic.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-09/segments/1518891812259.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20180218192636-20180218212636-00343.warc.gz | en | 0.956488 | 1,500 | 3.84375 | 4 |
- € 46,99
This book examines the contrasting interpretations of Islam and the Qur’an by Averroes and Al-Ghazali, as a way of helping us untangle current impasses affecting each Abrahamic faith. This has traditionally been portrayed as a battle between philosophy and theology, but the book shows that Averroes was rather more religious and Al-Ghazali more philosophical than they are usually portrayed.
The book traces the interaction between two Muslim thinkers, showing how each is convinced of the existence of a Book in which God is revealed to rational beings, to whom He has given commandments, as well as of the excellence of Islamic society. Yet they differ regarding the proper way to interpret the sacred Book. From this point of view, their discussion does not address the contrast between philosophy and religion, or that between reason and revelation that is so characteristic of the Middle Ages, but rather explores differences at the heart of philosophical discussion in our day: is there a level of discourse which will facilitate mutual comprehension among persons, allowing them to engage in debate?
This interpretation of sacred texts illustrates the ways religious practice can shape believers’ readings of their sacred texts, and how philosophical interpretations can be modified by religious practice. Moreover, since this sort of inquiry characterizes each Abrahamic tradition, this study can be expected to enhance interfaith conversation and explore religious ways to enhance tolerance between other believers. | <urn:uuid:b22599af-6b25-46da-82c2-dd020c7a5edf> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://books.apple.com/nl/book/al-ghazali-averroes-and-the-interpretation-of-the-quran/id611210431 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710978.15/warc/CC-MAIN-20221204172438-20221204202438-00233.warc.gz | en | 0.948923 | 299 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Use you mouse for restore initial text. Online exercises for students of English
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We were learning to be penetrating, to discern ”hidden meanings”; and we devoured.
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Subscription Information Individual and Family Subscribers: | <urn:uuid:df7c54bf-3953-4644-b6fd-d3a59d0411c5> | CC-MAIN-2016-22 | http://www.ababasoft.com/learning/compose_text.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-22/segments/1464049276964.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20160524002116-00096-ip-10-185-217-139.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.921322 | 427 | 2.875 | 3 |
TORAH PORTION OF BREISHIT Genesis 1:1–6:8
We read in the text of the Torah portion of Breishit regarding the events that led to the first recorded murder in the Torah.Abel ( Hevel) was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain( Cayin) was a tiller of the soil. Now it came to pass at the end of days, that Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering to Hashem.And Abel he too brought of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest, and Hashem turned to Abel and to his offering.But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn, and it annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell….And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.” Genesis 4:2-8)
Cain was incensed and aflame with jealousy fueled by a sense of worthlessness. His reaction was horrific violence. He goes to speak to Abel his brother, but he is overtaken by his rage and he kills him without much explanation.” And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.”(ibid8)
Anger is a cruel and merciless dictator. It conquers the soul and warps it. We have witnessed how anger unleashes hatred and violence throughout our world and it has not yet released its grip.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto writes: “One who is quick to anger over anything which is not to his liking loses control of his senses and would destroy the entire world if he only could. He is as out of control as a wild beast and is ready to commit all the sins in the world if his anger should lead him to do so, because he is completely dominated by that anger. One who is in such a state is equivalent to an idol worshipper who lacks any sense of discipline in regard to his Creator.”
Anger waits for the opportunity pounce in the soul of every individual and in the heart of every mortal being. In the same Biblical text Hashem warns Cain about this “demon” that lay lurking waiting to pounce.”And Hashem said to Cain, “Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Is it not take charge of our emotional states because so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it.” ( ibid :6-7)
If only we could take back the words we have said in anger or the actions we committed in a state of rage. If only we can clean the stains of figurative blood that lay on the floor because of our unkind tirades.
Or perhaps the solution is to take charge of the actions of our heart before we fall prey because “if you improve, it will be forgiven you”.
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”(proverbs 16:32)
Yet there is another lesson to be learned from this Biblical text. We read in the verses “Hashem turned to Abel and to his offering .But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn, and it annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell”.(Genesis 4:4)
Why did Hashem accept one offering over the other?
There are those in the world who teach that Hashem prefers a sacrifice of animals to the offering of fruit and produce. That understanding truly does not make sense when we see the rejoicing upon the offering of the First Fruits or of the offering of the Grain Omer offering.
The answer to the question of Hashem’s preference lies in the text itself.”Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering to Hashem. And Abel he too brought of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest”( ibid 3).Cain brought of the fruits that he found in the soil, , while Abel brought “of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest”.
It is not what they brought that made the difference, but rather how they brought it. It was not the type of offering that made a difference to Hashem but rather the passion of the heart of he who brought the offering.
Therein lies the directions for our journey and quest in this life.
We must learn to curb our zeal of anger and jealousy and learn to nurture our passion to love our creator and his creations
LeRefuat Yehudit bat Golda Yocheved | <urn:uuid:f0e5c9a2-3578-4506-bcde-534b0703e6c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://shorashimshop.com/blog/2020/10/cain-and-abel-the-first-murder/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030335304.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20220929034214-20220929064214-00212.warc.gz | en | 0.982159 | 1,030 | 2.5625 | 3 |
The fact that survey data are obtained from units selected with complex sample designs needs to be taken into account in the survey analysis: weights need to be used in analysing survey data and variances of survey estimates need to be computed in a manner that reflects the complex sample design. The present chapter outlines the development of weights and their use in computing survey estimates and provides a general discussion of variance estimation for survey data. It deals first with what are termed “descriptive” estimates, such as the totals, means and proportions that are widely used in survey reports. It then discusses three forms of “analytic”approaches to survey data that can be used to examine relationships between survey variables, namely, multiple linear regression models, logistic regression models and multilevel models. These models form a set of valuable tools for analysing the relationships between a key response variable and a number of other factors. In this chapter, we give examples to illustrate the use of these modelling techniques and also provide guidance on the interpretation of the results.
Statistical analysis of survey data
Chromy, J., & Abeyasekara, S. (2005). Statistical analysis of survey data. In Household Sample Surveys in Developing and Transition Countries New York, NY: United Nations. | <urn:uuid:1e2062f9-b8c1-4f0a-9f2f-07b1d3138777> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://www.rti.org/publication/statistical-analysis-survey-data | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610703538226.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20210123160717-20210123190717-00250.warc.gz | en | 0.90758 | 260 | 3.59375 | 4 |
"Storytelling with Archives" is a transdisciplinary Honors College course developed as part of the Honors College Faculty Fellows program. Primarily STEM majors, most students took the course to fulfill a “creativity and the arts” course requirement.
Students developed confidence in their own voice and creativity along with practical digital literacy skills through the practice of digital storytelling. Lessons combined soft skills such as listening, consensus building and historical empathy with digital production, and the theory and practice of story work applied to their disciplines.
Visitors to this poster have the opportunity to critically examine innovative classroom assessment techniques including daily coded memory cards. They can explore the results of a creative and collaborative course project where students practiced world building to create an alternate universe. Attendees are invited to expand definitions, methods, and applications of storytelling in order to reframe its value in professional and personal life by entertaining ideas such as becoming their own hero in control of a personal narrative.
Digital Commons Citation
Toren, Beth Jane, "The Journey is the Destination: Storytelling in the Cloud" (2019). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 1114. | <urn:uuid:a9428a94-a280-4556-a871-763bc583f3ac> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/1114/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030334912.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20220926144455-20220926174455-00425.warc.gz | en | 0.93021 | 273 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Temperance and prohibition are two reform terms often used synonymously, but initially they had separate meanings. Temperance originally referred to an effort to establish a temperate or responsible use of alcohol; drunkenness was regarded as a problem of the individual, not the liquid itself. Occasional and moderate drinking was acceptable to the reformers who supported this approach. Prohibition, on the other hand, called for total abstinence. Its supporters believed that alcohol dependence was addictive behavior. Even well-meaning individuals often lacked the discipline to drink responsibly. A total end to the production and consumption of alcohol, backed by law and the threat of punishment, was the only solution in the minds of these reform advocates. Following the Civil War, many temperance advocates realized that their position was not bringing about desired changes in society, so they adopted the total abstinence philosophy. The staging of small parades in towns targeted for abstinence campaigns became the favored reform approach. The expression "Going on the wagon" dates to this tactic. A wagon carrying a barrel of water — the approved drink — was the procession's focal point. Bystanders desiring to reform their habits were invited to climb "on the wagon" as a demonstration of their commitment. | <urn:uuid:d8d5e9b2-ae3e-4947-94f5-c2d4f30b3fdc> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1084.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154099.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20210731172305-20210731202305-00338.warc.gz | en | 0.976149 | 245 | 3.75 | 4 |
Background: As society has developed and living standards have improved, diabetes has become a severe
public health issue. Insulin plays a crucial role in managing hyperglycemia caused by type I diabetes and particular
type II diabetes. Many researchers are seeking alternative, more acceptable methods of insulin delivery, such as oral
insulin. An oral formulation has become a new goal for insulin delivery in recent years.
Methods: The PubMed and CNKI databases were searched for “oral insulin, ” “drug delivery systems, ” and “pharmacokinetics,
” and 85 relevant articles were selected from the results as material for this review. These papers were
authoritative and had a higher number of citations.
Results: Oral insulin would be highly advantageous but is poorly absorbed. The main reason for low absorptivity is
the hydrolysis of insulin by enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. Lack of active transport vectors that pass through
the intestinal epithelium is also a non-negligible problem. Additional issues need to be considered to facilitate appropriate
research, such as long-term efficacy and safety, clinical data, and toxicological characteristics.
Conclusion: This review summarized recent advances in oral insulin and the pharmacokinetic profile of the suitable
delivery system, providing valuable reference material for future research. | <urn:uuid:9fbdcf10-7e91-4fd5-b79d-7cae0e6b984f> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://www.eurekaselect.com/162376/article | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610704799711.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20210126073722-20210126103722-00748.warc.gz | en | 0.937243 | 271 | 2.796875 | 3 |
The 20th Century in Poetry
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The history of the twentieth century as seen through the eyes of the greatest poets of our time.
This groundbreaking anthology presents in chronological order over four hundred poems written during the twentieth century. The authors, both published poets themselves, give an overview of each period of history, while notes to the poems place each one in its historical context and trace the century's poetic development. Concise biographies for each poet complete the anthology.By organizing the poems in chronological order, readers will see poets in a new light. Here A. E. Houseman, for example, rubs shoulders with T.S. Eliot, showing that traditional forms can hold their own against the modernist orthodoxy. All the major events of the twentieth century are reflected in the choice of poems within these pages.
Including poems by noel coward, Rudyard Kipling, James Joyce, D. H. Lawrence, Robert Frost, G. K. Chesterton, Ezra Pound, Philip Larkin, T. S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams, W. H. Auden, e. e. cummings, Dylan Thomas, Kingsley Amis, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Frank O’hara, Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath, John Updike, Robert Penn Warren, among a host of others, this richly rewarding collection captures the history of the twentieth century within one monumental volume.
stumbling, sewers, my sacked shop, roofs, a dis-world ai! Death was a German home-country. ‘Death is a German expert’ translates the words ‘Der Tod ist ein Meister aus Deutschland’, from the ‘Todesfuge’ (‘Fugue of Death’) by Paul Celan (1920—70). The modulation to ‘a German home-country’ at the close recalls Heinrich Heine’s ‘I once had a German homeland. It was a dream.’ (Both poets were Jewish.) Varshava is Warsaw. 1965 from Briggflatts BASIL BUNTING Brag, sweet tenor bull, descant on
his president ‘completely unafraid’ in his ‘absurd protective booties’ at the site of the Three Mile Island accident (at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania), his laconic comment was, ‘the fool’. As the Cold War moved into a fifth decade, Vincent O’Sullivan’s Pilate, having ‘killed a god’, was a man who had ‘dabbled in chaos’ and voted ‘as you do’. Two striking poems about city dumps written a decade apart — Robert Gray’s ‘Flames and Dangling Wire’ in the late Seventies, and Elizabeth Spires’s
inside … brass handles … tries to find alternatives … that long thing where you lie for words like coffin that have slipped her mind and forgetting, not the funeral, makes her cry. And Anne, who treats her roommates to her ‘news’ though every day her news is just the same how she’d just come back from such a lovely cruise to that famous island … I forget its name … Born before the Boer War, me, and so I’m too old to remember I suppose … then tries again … the island’s called … you know
but influential group of Imagists, to his inspired editorial work on T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, his impact on generations of subsequent poets, and the endless labour on his own Cantos, Pound proved a formidable and dominant force. E. J. PRATT (1882—1964) from ‘The Titanic’ Born in Newfoundland, Pratt trained to follow his father into the Methodist ministry (which he chose not to do), and studied philosophy at Toronto. Some of his poetry dealt with epic actions in Canadian history, such as
morale and shame defeatists. Immortalising the young pilots who saw off the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain — ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few’ — he called on his beleaguered countrymen to stand firm against the devastation that Hitler’s bombers proceeded to unleash: ‘Let us … brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its commonwealth lasts for a thousand years, men will say, “This was their finest hour”.’ | <urn:uuid:5c5e689f-f059-452b-856b-c2bef67f71e8> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | http://portal.cenjor.pt/ebooks/the-20-th-century-poetry | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934806842.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20171123142513-20171123162513-00079.warc.gz | en | 0.920458 | 973 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Financial, Acronyms, Wikipedia.
The arrangement by which real or Personal Property given by one person is held by another to be used for the benefit of a class of persons or the general public.
The law favors charitable trusts, sometimes called public trusts, by according them certain privileges, such as an advantageous tax status. Before a court will enforce a charitable trust, however, it must examine the charity and evaluate its social benefits. The court cannot rely on the view of the settlor, the one who establishes the trust, that the trust is charitable.
In order to be valid, a charitable trust must fulfill certain requirements. The settlor must intend to create this type of trust. There must be a trustee to administer the trust, which must consist of some res or trust property. The charitable purpose must be expressly designated. A definite class of persons comprised of indefinite beneficiaries within it must actually receive the benefit. The requirements of intention, the trustee, and the res are the same in a charitable trust as they are in any other trust.
A charitable purpose is one designed to benefit, ameliorate, or uplift mankind mentally, morally, or physically. The relief of poverty, the improvement of government, and the advancement of religion, education, and health are some examples of charitable purposes. Trusts to prevent cruelty to animals, to erect a monument in honor of a famous historical figure, and to beautify a designated village are charitable purposes aimed, respectively, at fostering kindness to animals, patriotism, and community well-being.
The definition of charitable purposes is derived from an old English Law, the Statute of Charitable Uses, but has been expanded throughout the years as new public needs developed.
The class to be benefited in a charitable trust must be a definite segment of the public. It must be large enough so that the community in general is affected by, and interested in, the enforcement of the trust, yet it cannot encompass the entire human race. Within the class, however, the specific persons to benefit from the trust must be indefinite. A trust "for the benefit of the orphans of American veterans of the Vietnam conflict" is charitable. The orphans of such veterans constitute a definite class. The indefinite persons within the class are the ones who are ultimately chosen by the trustee to be paid the benefits. The class is large enough so that the community is interested in the enforcement of the trust.A trust for named persons or a trust for profit cannot be a charitable trust. A trust "to construct and maintain a hospital" might be charitable, even though the hospital charges the patients who are treated, provided that any profits realized are used solely to continue the charitable services rendered and are not paid to private persons.
A trust that serves both charitable and non-charitable purposes will fail if the two are inseparable. For example, suppose a settlor bequeaths $500,000 to a trustee "to hold in trust for the benefit of all the schools in a particular town." The settlor's daughter is the residuary legatee of the estate, who will inherit the remainder of the estate after the testamentary dispositions are satisfied. Some of the schools in the town are public and charitable institutions and some are private and operated for profit. The settlor has not apportioned the $500,000 between the public schools and the private schools. The valid part—to be given to public schools and charitable institutions—cannot be separated from the invalid part—the disposition to private or profit making institutions; therefore, the trust fails as a charitable trust. The trustee holds the $500,000 in a Resulting Trust for the settlor's daughter, since the settlor's disposition cannot be valid as a charitable trust because there is no indefinite beneficiary.
If a trust has both charitable and noncharitable purposes and if the maximum amount to be used for noncharitable purposes can be determined, the trust fails only with respect to that amount pertaining to noncharitable purposes, which will be held in a resulting trust by the trustee for the settlor's statutory heir or residuary legatee. The remainder is a valid charitable trust.
As a general rule, a charitable trust can be eternal, unlike a private trust, which must comply with the Rule against Perpetuities, a principle limiting the duration of a trust. With respect to a private trust, the designated beneficiary is the proper person to enforce the trust, but in a charitable trust, the state attorney general is the one to enforce it. The settlor, his or her heirs or personal representatives, the members of the general public, and possible beneficiaries cannot maintain a lawsuit for the enforcement of the trust.
Charitable trusts yield substantial tax benefits to donors, whether in the form of Income Tax deductions, tax shelters, or reduced inheritance taxes. Typically under charitable remainder trusts, immediate income tax deductions can also be matched with avoidance of capital gains taxes if the donor funds the trust using certain types of assets. The charitable lead trust, which is often used in estate planning, commonly benefits heirs. After its duration, the principal assets return to the donor's heirs subject to reduced gift and estate tax.
Parks, Charles T., Jr. 2003. "The Charitable Lead Trust: Why It Works Even in a Down Market." Faegre & Benson LLP. Available online at <www.faegre.com/articles/article_840.asp> (accessed June 17, 2003).
Teitell, Conrad. 2001. "Tax Primer on Charitable Giving." Trusts & Estates (June 1). | <urn:uuid:f205e48e-42a4-442e-8a5f-e25f839aa1be> | CC-MAIN-2021-04 | https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Charitable+Trust | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-04/segments/1610704800238.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20210126135838-20210126165838-00421.warc.gz | en | 0.936729 | 1,149 | 3.078125 | 3 |
The term “daddy long-legs” can refer to a few spider-looking insects. In the New England area, it most commonly refers to an invertebrate that is not a spider at all (pictured here) and is also called a harvestman. This arachnid has a brown oval body that appears to be one segment. Its long legs are characteristic.
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What is the Daddy Long-legs' Diet?
Daddy long-legs are scavengers that will feed on decaying organic matter or small insects.
What is the Daddy Long-legs Reproductive Cycle?
They mate and the female lays eggs, but not in a silken web.
Where Do Daddy Long-legs Live?
Daddy long-legs arachnids do not have venom or silk producing capabilities. They are most active at night and seek shelter during the day. They myth about deadly venom is about another “daddy long-legs” species, the cellar spider, which does not contain venom that is lethal to humans.
Ready to Schedule a Service? | <urn:uuid:8693385b-58e8-4391-9273-649d6bafa4c9> | CC-MAIN-2020-50 | https://www.modernpest.com/pest/spiders/daddylongleg-spiders/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-50/segments/1606141185851.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20201126001926-20201126031926-00334.warc.gz | en | 0.947077 | 246 | 2.734375 | 3 |
These networks are designed to keep your traffic anonymous.
Freenet is a peer-to-peer platform for censorship-resistant communication. It uses a decentralized distributed data store to keep and deliver information, and has a suite of free software for publishing and communicating on the Web without fear of censorship. Both Freenet and some of its associated tools were originally designed by Ian Clarke, who defined Freenet's goal as providing freedom of speech on the Internet with strong anonymity protection.
Invisible Internet Project¶
I2P is a computer network layer that allows applications to send messages to each other pseudonymously and securely. Uses include anonymous Web surfing, chatting, blogging, and file transfers. The software that implements this layer is called an I2P router and a computer running I2P is called an I2P node. The software is free and open-source and is published under multiple licenses.
The Tor network is a group of volunteer-operated servers that allows people to improve their privacy and security on the Internet. You use the Tor network by connecting through a series of virtual tunnels rather than making a direct connection to the site you're trying to visit, thus allowing both organizations and individuals to share information over public networks without compromising their privacy. Tor is an effective censorship circumvention tool. | <urn:uuid:8c0c0ed2-7af9-4d3a-a5db-4c7b30dfd5c1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.privacyguides.org/self-contained-networks/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.940699 | 285 | 2.59375 | 3 |
National legislation on organ donation
Main law references
Law: 2020 Donor Act
Expression of consent or dissent to the donation and organs that can be donated
Post mortem donation
Who can donate organs: every person resident in the Netherlands (the person’s nationality is irrelevant) aged 18 or older must register in the Donor Register. There are four options:
-Yes, I give permission (you can specify what organs or tissue you would like to donate);
-No, I do not give permission;
-My partner or family decides;
-I am authorizing a specific person to decide.
If you don’t register, this is viewed as silent consent.
Which organs can be transplanted: heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestines.
Which tissues can be transplanted: skin, bone tissue (including tendons and cartilage), eye tissue, heart valves, blood vessels.
Living Donation Process
Which organs can be transplanted: kidneys, part of the liver, part of the lungs, stem cells, bone marrow.
Rules: donation may not cause lasting damage to the health of the donor.
Children and young people under 18 years of age may only donate organs and tissue that can grow back again.
The donor may not receive payment for the donation. The donor must not have been put under pressure to donate an organ or tissue.
National laws on organ donation | <urn:uuid:fed6aa58-5959-460f-ae6a-1e79cc484cc6> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://www.efod.eu/en/netherlands/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710870.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20221201221914-20221202011914-00007.warc.gz | en | 0.893674 | 293 | 2.625 | 3 |
RUB researchers make bio-based solar cell breakthrough
Researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum have created a bio-based solar cell capable of generating a continuous electrical current of several nanowatts per sq cm. The new approach avoids damage to the tapped photosynthetic cells, an issue that has plagued previous attempts to harness nature's "power plant."
While the technology is still in its infancy, bio-based solar cells could offer several advantages over photovoltaic systems, namely greater efficiency and the fact that they are not dependent on silicon and expensive rare earth metals. On the downside, the systems developed thus far are not very durable and do not produce much power.
Past attempts at harnessing the process of photosynthesis to generate electricity have concentrated on tapping in to only one of the two steps known as the Z-Scheme.
The Z-Scheme is the process of photoreduction where light energy is converted to chemical energy in two steps or photosystems. When a plant, algae or cyanobacteria absorb a light photon an electron within photosystem 2 (PS2) is excited and attains a higher energy level. This unstable electron is transferred via a series of redox reactions down the electron transport chain before entering photosystem 1 (PS1).
In a first, the team at RUB, led by Prof Wolfgang Schuhmann and Prof Matthias Rögner, has integrated both PS1 and PS2 into a photovoltaic cell. Rather than capturing electrons at either the PS1 or PS2 stage of photosynthesis, as has been the approach in previous bio-based cells, they have used the charge separation between the two photosystems to create an anode and diode, generating continuous electrical current through a redox hydrogel when exposed to light.
To achieve this, the team isolated the two photosystems in thermophilic cyanobacteria found in hot springs, which are attractive because the extreme environmental conditions they exist under makes their photosystems relatively stable. These photosystems were then embedded into redox hydrogels with different potentials developed by the team. The result is a system that generates electricity rather than converting carbon dioxide into oxygen and biomass.
This approach also seems to overcome problems experienced by other researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) and Stanford University, where cells rapidly deteriorate rendering them useless within as little as a few hours.
“The system may be considered a blueprint for the development of semi-artificial and natural cell systems in which photosynthesis is used for the light-driven production of secondary energy carriers such as hydrogen,” says Prof Rögner. | <urn:uuid:9b6a2a4e-0716-4e0f-befa-9e73dc692216> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://newatlas.com/cyanobacteria-bio-based-solar-cell-rub/30142/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280718.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00375-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.947302 | 548 | 3.59375 | 4 |
Graham, C. R., Borup, J., Short, C. R., & Archambault, L. (2019). K-12 Blended Teaching: A Guide to Personalized Learning and Online Integration (1st ed.), 1. BYU Open Learning Network. https://dx.doi.org/10.59668/2
This book is your guide to blended teaching in K-12 spaces. It was designed to help both pre-service teachers and in-service teachers prepare their classes for blended teaching. This book begins by orienting you to the foundational dispositions and skills needed to support your blended teaching practice. Then you will be introduced to four key competencies for blended teaching:
This content is provided to you freely by BYU Open Learning Network.
Access it online or download it at https://open.byu.edu/k12blended/about_this_book. | <urn:uuid:5b24c11b-48ca-4ba5-917f-c8efcbd6806d> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://open.byu.edu/k12blended/about_this_book | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224644907.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20230529173312-20230529203312-00042.warc.gz | en | 0.918509 | 184 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Regarding constraints of biological systems:
Written in 1928 by J. B. S. Haldane, its a quick read and worth it. Near the end JBS sneaks in this conclusion:
And just as there is a best size for every animal, so the same is true for every human institution. In the Greek type of democracy all the citizens could listen to a series of orators and vote directly on questions of legislation. Hence their philosophers held that a small city was the largest possible democratic state. The English invention of representative government made a democratic nation possible, and the possibility was first realized in the United States, and later elsewhere. With the development of broadcasting it has once more become possible for every citizen to listen to the political views of representative orators, and the future may perhaps see the return of the national state to the Greek form of democracy. Even the referendum has been made possible only by the institution of daily newspapers.
Two points here. Dunbar’s Number suggests there is a right size for our ability to meaningfully model other humans in our immediate perimeter of experience. So there is a right size for close meaningful relations if you are human.
And there is a right size of Government, also. And money. And everything touched by life.
Second point: For the first 60 years AI neural networks were completely constrained by the hardware they were run on. They still are, but movement to the cloud has changed the ballgame.
AI is beginning to have no real physical constraints on size as compute and memory resources are cheap and getting cheaper by the hour. The only constraints will be time.
AI is not going to play our size game.
Right now, this AI is being used to create models of you. To target you for advertising. To assess your likelihood to vote. To spit you out as data to be manipulated by other Singletons who do not know you.
But we are not data.
We are Singletons.
And we are the right size for the future, if we use AI only to expand ourselves, and not to turn ourselves into a commodity. | <urn:uuid:ef6ce092-3948-4bf3-bb9a-1ca94ab62eaf> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | https://trustnorobot.blog/2018/12/05/on-being-the-right-size/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600402130615.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20201001030529-20201001060529-00203.warc.gz | en | 0.967285 | 431 | 2.609375 | 3 |
It is always an unknown factor with a blog as to whether you are writing purely for yourself or whether anyone will read your composition. Therefore, I've been delighted to receive a few messages from people to say they are following my rambles with interest. To them, I would like to say thank you and use this opportunity to say hello to Penny Taylor.
Penny is interested in the history of Plymouth and due to various activities on local walks and so on, became aware of my book, Inspeximus. Amusingly, she referred to it in one message to me as 'Inspecsy-Mouse' which immediately set my mind to a wide range of images, mainly - that here was an excellent title for a children's detective character.
This in turn (as one thing always leads to another), generated my thoughts towards how words are interpreted and the challenges of the English language with all its foibles. We could start by looking at Homonym's and Homophone's:
Homonym: One of a group of words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings. One easy example is 'bow'. This could refer to the bow in bow and arrow, to bow down to the king or queen, tie a bow in your hair or create music by putting a bow to a violin.
Homophone: A word that has the same sound as another word but is spelled differently with a different meaning. for example, to/too/two and pray/prey.
However ..... the word Heterographs are also referred to as to, too, two and there, their. Confused? A breakdown of the word Heterograph means 'different writing' so technically this is correct.
Consider this sentence: The wind swirled up the leaves/I must wind up the clock today.
What about a Synophone then? These are a little more slippery and can be identified with how a foreigner learning English, may make an easy mistake. Think of spellings and sounds, for example ...
Methods of teaching English in our schools is quiet weak.
Did you see the Synophone above? Yes, the word 'quiet' and 'quite' sound the same if said quickly.
We can grow even more adventurous with Polysemes. These are words which are seen more in creative writing although we don't consciously use them. For example, 'the strong arm of the law,' or 'the gaping mouth of the cave on the beach.' The word 'arm' can be the physical limb, ammunition or used to describe a form of strength. the word mouth can again be a physical part of the body, an opening or description of where a river yawns ahead at its widest points.
And it means that Capitonyms don't escape categorizations either. Think of when you 'polish' the furniture or your neighbour has a 'Polish' student staying with them.
They say that English is one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn. Personally I think I would find Chinese a challenge. Not that I'm looking to learn Chinese as I'm still trying to capture my knowledge of English.
So thank you Penny for your message on Inspecsy-Mouse. I already have rich images in my mind of a little whiskered chap with a Sherlock Holmes hat and cap, sporting a curled pipe and speaking like the detective Columbo. 'Excuse me sir/ma'am .... Just one more thing ... When you rose from your bed this morning did you notice that dead body in your rose garden?' | <urn:uuid:d8a55b88-015b-4ebc-95f8-7312a5ff58c1> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | http://devonportmaid.blogspot.com/2016/03/words-polysemes-capitonyms-and-more.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794865863.76/warc/CC-MAIN-20180523235059-20180524015059-00309.warc.gz | en | 0.958337 | 722 | 2.53125 | 3 |
Paris Marathon captures energy of runners' footsteps(Read article summary)
Clean energy was generated from the Paris Marathon thanks to the installation of energy-harvesting tiles, Burgess writes. The tiles are made from recycled truck tires and can generate as much as eight watts of kinetic energy from each footfall.
Sunday’s Paris marathon was a great success, and this year, thanks to the installation of energy-harvesting tiles, clean energy was actually generated from the event.
178 of the flexible tiles, which are able to capture the kinetic energy of footsteps, were laid out along a 25 metre stretch of the Champs-Elysees, just part of the 26 mile course.
The tiles, created by Pavegen Systems Ltd. from the UK, are made from recycled truck tyres and can generate as much as 8 watts of kinetic energy from each footfall. Pavegen announced that they would donate €60,000 to an NGO if the 40,000 runners could produce produced 7 kilowatt-hours of energy. There is still no word as to whether that target was reached. (Related article: Have Canadian Researchers Cracked How to Store Renewable Energy?)
Laurence Kemball-Cook, the CEO of Pavegen and inventor of the technology, explained the idea behind his compay’s new product. “Imagine if your run or walk to work could help to power the lights for your return journey home in the evening. A viable new type of off-grid energy technology that people love to use and which can make a low-carbon contribution wherever there is high footfall, regardless of the weather.”
Pavegen have been unwilling to release the current cost of the tile, but did mention that they have reduced the cost by half over the past year and area aiming to lower it further to around £50 per tile, similar to other high-spec floor tiles. | <urn:uuid:4b1a8c6d-c0c3-4080-97a7-0f10cca6274e> | CC-MAIN-2016-50 | http://m.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2013/0409/Paris-Marathon-captures-energy-of-runners-footsteps | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-50/segments/1480698543316.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20161202170903-00247-ip-10-31-129-80.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967477 | 393 | 2.765625 | 3 |
Intelligent Energy attached a hydrogen fuel cell to a DJI Matrice 100 quadcopter. The fuel cell and its fuel weigh just 3.5 pounds, which is lighter than the battery it replaces. Hydrogen fuel sometimes comes with unique risks, but the National Hydrogen Association thinks those risks are overblown.
The company has been making hydrogen fuel cells since 2001, and recently demonstrated their drone on BBC’s Click. Intelligent Energy isn’t the first to make such a device: Boeing and others have their own fuel-cell drones. What makes this design stand out is the simple reality of it: a normal quadcopter, with a new power source, hovering in a gymnasium as though it was supposed to do this all along.
Intelligent Energy expects the drone to enter the business market within the year, and be available for consumers after that. Watch the BBC Click segment on it below: | <urn:uuid:2adb7595-193a-4e65-b803-479012d496ef> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | https://www.elektormagazine.com/news/down-with-the-batteries-i-m-flying-fuel-cell | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934804610.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20171118040756-20171118060756-00368.warc.gz | en | 0.953863 | 187 | 3.03125 | 3 |
20 - Peirce, Eco, and unlimited semiosis
"[...] reading means stripping herself of every
purpose, every foregone conclusion, to be ready to
catch a voice that makes itself heard when you least
"A sign, or representamen, is something which stands to
somebody for something in some respect or capacity. It addresses somebody,
that is, creates in the mind of that person an equivalent sign, or perhaps
a more developed sign. That sign which it creates I call the interpretant
of the first sign. The sign stands for something, its object. It
stands for that object, not in all respects, but in reference to a sort of
idea, which I have sometimes called the ground of the representation"2.
In this way Peirce explains the relationships existing between the three poles in the triad of semiosis. Eco, in The Role of the Reader, has devoted a chapter to explaining how in this and in other phrases from Peirce one can find the foundation of unlimited semiosis and openness of the text, of which we have often spoken in the previous units.
First of all we must try to understand what is meaning is for Peirce. From the quoted sentence we can infer that one object, depending on the point of view under which it is considered - according to the ground on which the consideration lies - has different interpretants. Eco's preoccupation seems to be getting away from individual perception to get to a wider context in which it is possible to explain why two speakers usually can understand each other, at least partially, while their communicative capacity is based on subjective instances. And he states:
|[...] a ground is an idea in the sense in which an idea is caught during the communicative intercourse between two interpreters3.|
The interpretant is subjective, but there exists a
pragmatic use of words that, taking into account the actual communicative
relation between two persons, relies on that part of the interpretants that
presumably can be shared. The meaning of a sign is null in itself, it only
becomes something in the relation with the pragmatics of communication, it
becomes something only in translation. Meaning
|[...] is, in its primary acception, the translation of a sign into another system of signs4. [...] the meaning of a sign is the sign it has to be translated into5.|
The sign-interpretant-object triad thus does not contemplate
the notion of "meaning" until the semiotic process is not actualized.
Meaning is something empirical gatherable from the practical actuation of
a process of signification, or, better, of many processes of signification: something
similar to the result of a statistical sampling of the interpretants
related to one sign. The meaning of a word, in Eco's opinion, is
representable as a network of features regarding that term6.
Following Peirce, unlimited semiosis is apparently a strict consequence of the semiotic theory, but it eventually takes on the form, in some of its representations, the anguished aspect of the interminability not only of the analysis of meanings, but also of the search for understanding, like in this passage:
|The object of representation can be nothing but a representation of which the first representation is the interpretant. But an endless series of representations, each representing the one behind it, may be conceived to have an absolute object as its limit. The meaning of a representation can be nothing but a representation. In fact, it is nothing but the representation itself conceived as stripped of irrelevant clothing. But this clothing never can be completely stripped off; it is only changed for something more diaphanous. So there is an infinite regression here. Finally, the interpretant is nothing but another representation to which the torch of truth is handled along; and as representation, it has its interpretant again. Lo, another infinite series7.|
The metaphor of meaning as a naked body, that however is
never possible to be seen as naked, in a striptease where the tease
aspect is far more important than the strip, leaving the reader frustrated,
and distraught. Every interpretation, every perception is just a link in
the endless chain of an endless strip tease, however eventually transparent
the clothes covering the striper become.
Understandably anguished by such infernal perspective, Eco finds a solution, in the form of an energetic interpretant. In Eco's opinion essentially the interpretant produced by an object has a double nature. On one hand there is the emotional interpretant, the one we have always mentioned, the mental sign, the affect that, in the mind of each of us, constitutes the link between an object and a sign. Interpretations, within affective interpretants, have consequences remaining within the framework of interpretation and change of representations, without altering behavior in any way.
"Energetic interpretant" is, on the other hand, the one producing a change of habit8. When this apparently endless series of representations of representations leaves the mental context to enter the practical one, causing a different behavior, "our way of acting within the world is either transitorily or permanently changed"9. This new attitude, this pragmatic aspect, is the final interpretant that ends the perpetual strip tease of meaning proposing a concrete result to cling to.
Unlimited semiosi has produced a practical result, at least. Translating this discourse toward the practice of communication, of reading, and translation, we can state that the semiotic process has an end when the translator chooses a concrete translatant, a text to substitute for the prototext. But it would be an illusion to pretend that this is the end:
|[...] the repeated action responding to a given sign becomes in its turn a new sign, the representamen of a law interpreting the former sign and giving rise to new processes of interpretation10.|
In other words, the translating text sets an end to the
otherwise unlimited semiosis of the prototext, but sets in motion a new
chain of unlimited semiosis based on new signs, new texts, new
interpretations. We leave the conclusion to Eco's words:
|Semiosis explains itself by itself: this continual circularity is the normal condition of signification and even allows communicational processes to use signs in order to mention things and states of the world11.|
CALVINO I. If on a Winter's Night a Traveller, translated by
William Weaver, London, Vintage, 1998, ISBN 0-7493-9923-6.
ECO U. Lector in fabula. La cooperazione interpretativa nei testi narrativi, Milano, Bompiani, 1981, ISBN 88-452-1221-1. First edition 1979.
ECO U. The Role of the Reader. Explorations in the Semiotics of Texts, Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1995, ISBN 0-253-20318-X.
PEIRCE C. S. Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce, edited by Charles Hartshorne, Paul Weiss e Arthur W. Burks, 8 vol., Cambridge (Massachusetts), Belknap, 1931-1966.
2 Peirce, vol. 2, p. 228.
3 Eco 1995, p. 183.
4 Peirce, vol. 4, p. 127.
5 Peirce, vol. 4, p. 132.
6 Eco 1995, p. 187.
7 Peirce, vol. 1, p. 339.
8 Eco 1995, p. 194.
9 Eco 1995, p. 194.
10 Eco 1995, p. 195.
11 Eco 1995, p. 198. | <urn:uuid:a451638c-74a0-4a0d-8ce7-7de6f0a80c2a> | CC-MAIN-2014-15 | http://courses.logos.it/EN/2_20.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-15/segments/1397609532374.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20140416005212-00063-ip-10-147-4-33.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910599 | 1,626 | 2.875 | 3 |
Minnesota Health Department officials say this year's observance of National Infant Immunization Week is particularly significant.
Twenty-one cases of measles have been reported this year, and three children died from measles in the state's last big outbreak in 1990.
The department's director of infectious diseases, Kristen Ehresmann, said vaccines protect children when they are most vulnerable to infectious diseases.
"A number of the vaccines are intended to be given in the child's first year of life," Ehresmann said. "The reason that's so important is we want children to be protected at the earliest age possible because many of these diseases are most severe when children are younger."
National Infant Immunization Week starts Saturday. Media events are scheduled in St. Cloud and Minneapolis Monday coincide with National Infant Immunization Week.
The Minnesota Department of Health will be putting out the message in the coming week that vaccines are safe and effective and don't cause autism. It's urging parents and health care providers to make sure that children's immunizations are up to date.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.) | <urn:uuid:115838d1-a203-4e9d-98b7-4028f10caa62> | CC-MAIN-2015-40 | http://www.mprnews.org/story/2011/04/22/infant-immunization | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-40/segments/1443737962531.78/warc/CC-MAIN-20151001221922-00143-ip-10-137-6-227.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958382 | 224 | 2.890625 | 3 |
After unthawing the deer, they performed CT and MRI scans and a necropsy, or animal autopsy. They realized the fawns had never breathed air, which means they were stillborns. They also shared several body parts, but had two hearts and two intestinal tracts. They had normal fur, heads and legs, and “almost perfect” spot patterns running up their necks.
“It’s amazing and extremely rare,” UGA researcher Gino D’Angelo said in a statement. “We can’t even estimate the rarity of this. Of the tens of millions of fawns born annually in the U.S., there are probably abnormalities happening in the wild we don’t even know about.”
They are still unsure how the twins became conjoined. “Even in humans we don’t know,” D’Angelo said. “We think it’s an unnatural splitting of cells during early embryo development.” | <urn:uuid:a3d7829a-978a-4ab1-882b-28941a1bd9b7> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://www.wbab.com/news/national/see-two-headed-deer-discovered-first-documented-case-conjoined-white-tailed-deer-twins/xRfDL2Rhkcz7u3DrsR3bCK/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583509336.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20181015163653-20181015185153-00131.warc.gz | en | 0.973554 | 212 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Scams using the IRS as a lure continue. They take many different forms. The most common scams are phone calls and emails from thieves who pretend to be from the IRS. They use the IRS name, logo or a fake website to try to steal your money. They may try to steal your identity too.
Be wary if you get an out-of-the-blue phone call or automated message from someone who claims to be from the IRS. Sometimes they say you owe money and must pay right away. Other times they say you are owed a refund and ask for your bank account information over the phone. Don’t fall for it. Here are several tips that will help you avoid becoming a scam victim.
The real IRS will NOT:
- Call you to demand immediate payment. The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail.
- Demand tax payment and not allow you to question or appeal the amount you owe.
- Require that you pay your taxes a certain way. For example, demand that you pay with a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for your credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other agencies to arrest you without paying.
- Threaten you with a lawsuit.
If you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you do:
- Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Use TIGTA’s “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page to report the incident.
- You should also report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your report.
If you think you may owe taxes:
- Ask for a call back number and an employee badge number.
- Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS employees can help you.
In most cases, an IRS phishing scam is an unsolicited, bogus email that claims to come from the IRS. They often use fake refunds, phony tax bills, or threats of an audit. Some emails link to sham websites that look real. The scammers’ goal is to lure victims to give up their personal and financial information. If they get what they’re after, they use it to steal a victim’s money and their identity.
If you get a ‘phishing’ email, the IRS offers this advice:
- Don’t reply to the message.
- Don’t give out your personal or financial information.
- Forward the email to firstname.lastname@example.org. Then delete it.
- Don’t open any attachments or click on any links. They may have malicious code that will infect your computer.
More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
Additional IRS Resources:
IRS YouTube Videos:
- Tax Scams – English | Spanish | ASL
- Phishing-Malware – English | Spanish | ASL
- IRS Efforts On Identity Theft – English | Spanish | ASL
- IRS ID Theft FAQ – Going After the Bad Guys – English | Spanish | ASL
(This article is courtesy of irs.gov) | <urn:uuid:fb19a311-c786-40c4-b36c-a2dd49f4f23f> | CC-MAIN-2016-36 | http://www.bankalpine.com/blog/security-alerts-tips/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-36/segments/1471982290765.41/warc/CC-MAIN-20160823195810-00248-ip-10-153-172-175.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907229 | 741 | 2.59375 | 3 |
News and Events
NUI Galway Study on Empathy, Social Values and Civic Behaviour Among Early Adolescents in Ireland, 23 February 2019Date Released: 23 February 2019
Principal Investigator, Dr Bernadine Brady from the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway, said: “As young people in Ireland are now exposed to a much wider array of influences than previous generations, it is important to gain an insight into their values and attitudes in relation to empathy, social responsibility and civic behaviour and to understand the factors that influence these values. Our research shows that parents, peers, schools, and local communities continue to have a strong influence on youth social values.”
Overall, the study found that young people showed high levels of empathy and social responsibility values but low levels of civic behaviour (for example, offering to help someone at school, helping out in your community). Young people reported that while it is easy to feel empathy for others in society, it is more difficult to actively help or engage in prosocial responding. Some of the factors that inhibited young people from responding were not knowing what to do or fear of showing weakness. Girls scored higher than boys on measures of empathy, social responsibility, and civic behaviour. Taking part in civic education at school, experiencing an open classroom climate, and having parents and a peer groups that endorse pro-social values were found to positively influence young people’s values. Participation in youth work and extracurricular activities (including arts, music, and drama) was also linked to higher levels of empathy, social responsibility and civic behaviour.
The study highlights a number of opportunities for Irish policy and curriculum support for empathy and social values. Despite the increasing support for Social and Emotional Learning, it found that academic achievement remains the key priority in the formal education sector. Social and Emotional Learning in schools, the study found, tends to devolve to a small number of interested teachers and they can be reluctant to use the active methodologies associated with such learning. The study recommended that more opportunities be provided to young people to engage in civic behaviour, such as social action projects or volunteering both inside and outside of schools.
UNESCO Chair Professor Pat Dolan from NUI Galway, commented: “The current policy framework places the greatest emphasis on developing socio-emotional skills through the formal education system. Considerably more attention could be put on the role of informal and non-formal settings, such as home, youth work and community, in the development and promotion of empathy and related skills and values.”
The research was launched in Dublin last Saturday, 23 February as part of a ten-year celebration of the award of the UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement to NUI Galway’s Professor Pat Dolan. UCFRC Patron, actor Cillian Murphy and Professor Pat Dolan co-hosted an evening of ‘in conversation’ pieces featuring a number of contributions from celebrated Irish artists including author Sally Rooney, poets Rita Ann Higgins and Louis de Paor, moderated by writer and broadcaster John Kelly. The theme of the event, Artists for Empathy, reflected the focus of the UNESCO Chair in extending the broader ethical education of youth in national and international settings in collaboration with UNESCO.
At the launch of the research, UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre Patron and Actor Cillian Murphy, said: “Empathy and related values and behaviours are so important across a range of areas in society and policy. I warmly welcome this research which places the spotlight on empathy among young people and helps us to understand how these values are shaped and promoted.”
Welcoming the launch of the reports, Peter Brown, Director of the Irish Research Council, said: “Research for policy and social progress represents a critical contribution of the research community. Cultivating new knowledge and evidence in this area is a very important part of the Irish Research Council’s mission and one we aim to further develop over the coming years through our funding programmes. By supporting and disseminating excellent research, and integrating it into policy and practice, we collectively foster better outcomes for all, not least for our children, young people and families.”
To read the full reports from the study, visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/cfrc/publications/policyreports/
Pictured at the ‘Artists for Empathy’ ten-year celebration of the award of the UNESCO CFRC in Dublin are l-r: Professor Pat Dolan (UCFRC Director), Dr Charlotte Silke (Researcher), Cillian Murphy (Actor and UCFRC Patron), Dr Bernadine Brady (Principal Investigator), Dr Ciara Boylan (Researcher) and Mr Peter Brown, (Director, Irish Research Council). Photo: Jason Clarke Photography. | <urn:uuid:48d2a55d-925c-45f1-be12-0cce0e6ce3ec> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | http://universityofgalway.ie/cfrc/news-and-events/title-269318-en.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233510671.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20230930082033-20230930112033-00718.warc.gz | en | 0.931683 | 989 | 3 | 3 |
In Ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang is a concept of dualism, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another.
There are many given meanings to this ancient symbol: light and darkness, good and bad, positive and negative, heaven and earth, love and hate, life and death.
Yin and yang is also a perfect representation of the Animus and Anima – the male and female – that dwells within us all.
Jung described the animus as the unconscious masculine side of a woman, and the anima as the unconscious feminine side of a man, each transcending the personal psyche.
The Anima (the feminine energy in the male)
Derived from Latin meaning “a current of air, wind, breath, the vital principle, life, soul”, the Anima refers to the unconscious feminine dimension of a male which can often be forgotten or repressed in daily life. However, in order to psychologically progress and reach greater internal balance and harmony, it is necessary for a man to recognise, embrace and connect to this latent element of his character.
As described by Jungian Psychologist Dan Johnston, the man who has connected with his feminine Anima displays “tenderness, patience, consideration and compassion.” However, repression of the female element within the man results in a negative Anima that triggers personality traits such as “vanity, moodiness, bitchiness, and sensitivity to hurt feelings.”
The Animus (the masculine energy in the female)
The Animus, which is a Latin word that means “the rational soul; life; the mental powers, intelligence“, is the unconscious male dimension in the female psyche. Due to societal, parental and cultural conditioning, the Animus, or male element within the woman, can be often inhibited, restrained and suppressed. However, some societies and cultures (such as the Western way of life), ruthlessly impose masculinity ideals as ways to excel, succeed and get anywhere in life for women.
These external elements can contribute towards a negative Animus, which reveals itself in a woman’s personality through argumentative tendencies, ruthlessness, destructiveness, and insensitivity. However, integrating a positive Animus into the female psyche can result in strength, assertiveness, levelheadedness, and rationality.
Jung believed that in order for a person to develop self-awareness and understanding and become whole they must encounter and work to embrace their internal Anima or Animus.
The masculine/feminine elements within us have nothing to do with sexuality, and everything to do with creating a balance on the scales of passive (female) and aggressive (male) energies within us.
Balancing male and female energy
Gender roles are not as defined now as they were in the past, but there is still a fairly strong separation of gender energy. Everyone naturally has both aspects in their physical and spiritual makeup but society has separated the two for thousands of years creating an imbalance.
A young girl would be called a tomboy if she enjoyed outdoor sports or getting dirty more than playing with dolls. In reality she is a girl who has an outward expression of her masculine energy. Likewise, a boy who wanted to dance or paint may have been called a 'girl’ or a ‘sissy’. In truth, he is just a boy with an outward expression of his feminine energy, something that would make him a good partner and father in the future.
For hundreds of years, we have lived in a world that has been biased toward the patriarchal, supressing the feminine. This has not only been damaging to females, but also to the wellbeing of our planet. The suppression of the feminine has resulted in nature being much less respected and has resuted in problems with pollution and lack of habitat.
But, as feminine qualities are receiving more recognition it is important not to suppress the masculine in an attempt to bring in more power for female energy. That would just create an imbalance in the opposite direction. Balance is the key to greater happiness and prosperity.
We all need to be conscious of keeping a balance of masculine and feminine energies. Here are a few ideas on how you can create balance:
Create balance: Masculine energy
For females, connecting to the inner Animus is also about understanding masculine energy which manifests itself as everything that is active, dominant, and logical.
1. Do Something Competitive
In nature, males are naturally competitive.
- Take on a sporting challenge such as running a marathon.
- Set a challenging goal for yourself in your work.
- Compete in a team sport.
- Learn to play chess or cards and play to win.
- Play a video game with a partner.
2. Complete a home maintenance task
Home maintenance jobs are often seen as a ‘man’s job’. Embrace jobs that need doing around the home yourself. Learn masculine skills, (e.g. fixing car problems, handy-man abilities like using drills, fixing broken appliances, etc.)
- Look for any minor repairs that need to be done around your home. Seek guidance from the internet and local building stores.
- Attend a ‘how-to’ class in something like car maintenance.
- Dig a hole and create a water feature in your garden.
- Learn how to change a car tyre.
- Renew grouting or sealant in your bathroom.
3. Test your physical strength
Take your limits beyond everyday chores to spark useful masculine energy.
- Lift weights
- Practice squats and stay in the squat position as long as you can.
- Climb a steep hill carrying a weight such as a rock.
- Practice doing a headstand
- Do a set number of press ups every day.
Remember to be safe, and consult your doctor before engaging in greater physical activity.
4. Practice assertiveness
Assertiveness is seen as a masculine trait. Remember, as with all the ideas here, the aim is to create balance. When embracing your masculine side don't forget to keep the balance of the feminine.
- Adopt a role or position that puts you in authority/dominance.
- Learn to take charge of something in your life.
- Discover and develop your leadership abilities.
- Read non-fiction instead of purely fiction.
- Become more self-sufficient and self-reliant.
Feminine energy is flowing, ever-changing. Feminine energy will flow from one task to the next, always looking for something else that needs to be done. While this is good, we must remember that balance is the key. Masculine energy knows when to stop and rest and recharge. After doing a set number of tasks allow yourself time to relax. Recognise that it is just as important to look after yourself as it is to look after others.
Create Balance: Welcoming the Feminine
Connecting to the Anima for males is about understanding feminine energy which manifests itself as passivity, sensitivity, and emotionality.
1. Create Art
The side of your brain responsible for creativity can be found on the feminine side. Look for ways of expressing the inner Anima creatively, e.g. through music, art, sculpture, poetry, or dance.
- Get a sketchbook and pencil and just draw whatever comes to mind
- Sign up for a local art class
- Put on some music and dance.
- Buy a colouring book and pens (there are lots available for adults now).
- Make music. If you don’t have an instrument you can create one from household items.
These are just some ideas. The list of things you could do is endless.
One of the strongest female traits is to nurture. This could be to nurture anything from plants to people. It isn’t just children that need nurturing - that belief alone has created an imbalance. Everyone craves to be nurtured and to nurture others. This is an inner strength that can be expressed in various forms:
- Encourage those around you in whatever they are doing.
- Practice the art of listening with concern and compassion.
- Be a vessel of positive energy that draws people to you
- Nurture yourself and others with fresh food, water, and rest
- Touch: Give someone a hug, a touch on the arm, or hold someone’s hand.
3. Trust your intuition
Intuition is a feminine energy and is the balance to a masculine analytical mind. The education system has churned out people more used to using their analytical mind. Your intuition is your internal GPS and is never wrong. Your senses and your higher-self can see and feel things that your basic human senses cannot. Practice following your gut instincts and see where they take you. The more you build this natural gift the stronger it will become. Read my blog post here for more ideas.
4. Don’t fight your Emotions
Boys especially have been brought up believing that emotion is a weakness. Expressing emotions is not only a way to keep yourself on a good balance of masculine and feminine energy, it's good for your personal health, improves relationships, and builds your self-awareness.
- Practice mindfulness, meditation and other ways to get in touch with, and understand inner emotions.
- Practice thoughtfulness and consideration of the needs of others.
- Practice Self-Study in order to develop greater consideration of your internal needs for love and fulfillment.
5. Think Holistically
The word ‘holistic’ means to look at any situation as a whole. In health, holistic healing is to treat all aspects of human health: mind, body, and soul. Think of ways throughout your day that you can bring in a more holistic approach. When dealing with other people take into account their spiritual and religious beliefs and any health needs they may have.
Life is fluid and in constant motion. Change is the only thing we can be sure of. As you go through your day be constantly aware of creating balance. One day, you may need to focus more attention on your feminine side, the next day the masculine. Look at each task you face from the masculine and feminine perspectives. You could even give each energy a name and then be aware that you are in the background watching and making the decisions.
Consider what has been happening in your life recently. Do you attend business meetings that have a strong male bias? If yes, how can you introduce more female energy? If you are in an environment, such as nursing, that is a more nurturing environment can you think of ways to introduce more masculine energy?
Everything in the universe is about balance. As you go through your day constantly adjust your energy to bring about balance. It will be good for your health and peace of mind and good for others too. Jung discovered that the human psyche was androgynous and consisted of both masculine and feminine, so, in essence, what we are striving for is this androgynous state, the state that is often attributed to our spirits which balance all opposites into one unified whole. | <urn:uuid:0e69683e-3c66-4144-bd67-a998e71351e3> | CC-MAIN-2020-45 | https://www.janeredfern.uk/2019/12/balancing-the-masculine-and-the-feminine.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-45/segments/1603107882103.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20201024080855-20201024110855-00523.warc.gz | en | 0.948801 | 2,317 | 2.890625 | 3 |
BEAUTIFUL GATE (ἡ ὡραία πύλη; ἡ ὡραια θύρα, beautiful, fair, lovely gate or door). A gate of Herod’s temple renowned for its splendor and before which Peter and John healed a lame man (
Some uncertainty exists concerning the identification of the gate but the evidence seems to favor its being taken as the Nicanor Gate (mentioned in the Mishna, e.g. Middoth, ii. 3, 6) which led from the court of the Gentiles into the women’s court. Judging by an ossuary inscr. discovered on Mt. Olivet, the gate owed its existence to a Jew from Alexandria named Nicanor. Josephus refers to this gate as the Corinthian Gate (Wars, V. v. 3). It was larger than the other gates of the temple being fifty cubits in height. Also, in contrast to the other gates which were covered with only gold and silver, theexcelled in splendor because of its Corinthian brass. | <urn:uuid:de6ecf64-6f67-4c98-8e70-e375d709278c> | CC-MAIN-2020-10 | https://www.biblicaltraining.org/library/beautiful-gate | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-10/segments/1581875144150.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20200219122958-20200219152958-00125.warc.gz | en | 0.960572 | 238 | 3.28125 | 3 |
Since the time before history, man has used everything from prominent geographical features, and special contraptions and instruments that plot the suns path and position of stars in the sky to find their way to distant lands over vast seas and baron plains. In our modern world we have one very simple technology that we can use to our advantage in the wilderness to navigate our way through the wilds, and to get us home safely. The map and compass! Even with the ease of use of smart phones and modern GPS systems, nothing is more reliable for navigation than a magnetic compass and a paper map, they require no batteries, and when you know how to use them can be far more accurate as well! If you prefer to watch and listen than read, scroll to the bottom to learn how to navigate safely with map and compass using the Silva 1-2-3 System. Tools of the Trade: THE MAP These provide you with a bird’s-eye view of the prominent features in a given area. Knowing how these features relate spatially to one another can help you: Figure out where you are on your map simply by looking at the world around you. Figure out where your final destination is in relation to you, even if you can’t see it (assuming you know your location on your map). Types of maps Topographic maps: Are generally made by government agencies, and are the most commonly used, since they give the best picture of the country. They are drawn from data obtained by aerial photography, which is very accurate providing the cartographer makes the correct interpretation. Unfortunately errors are sometimes made. Contour lines are used to indicate the shape and steepness/depth of hills and valleys. Many also include information about prominent man-made features like tracks, roads and bridges. Sketch maps: Are usually produced by outdoors people for specific uses and are only available for a limited number of popular areas. Hills are often indicated pictorially, so accuracy is sometimes low. However, special details of tracks, passes, campsites and water availability are invaluable. Where possible, use both sketch and topographic maps together. Many sketch maps have become out-dated, due to changes in roads and tracks since they were drawn, but walking tips can still be relevant. Orthophoto maps: Are similar to topographic maps, but are printed with an aerial photograph of the ground as a background to the other data. A fair idea is obtained of the pattern of vegetation, but other detail sometimes suffers. They are only available for limited areas. Contour lines are used. Other maps: There are other types of maps, including cadastral maps showing property boundaries. They are seldom of value for bush navigation. Some tourist maps and the like can be useful for planning trips or getting to the start of your walk. Map parts A map is a symbolic representation of the ground. To read a map requires knowledge of the symbols and how they are used. Scale: The relation between a length on a map and its corresponding distance on the ground is called the scale, given by a representative fraction. The most useful scales are 1:25 000, 1:50 000 and 1: 1 00 000. Naturally there is less room for detail on a 1: 1 00 000 map than there is in a 1:50 000 map, whilst the 1:25 000 scale can show very fine detail. The 1:50 000 scale is a good compromise for most bush navigation, though you don’t always have much choice. Large areas of remote Australia are only covered by the 100 000 series, which are not renowned for their accuracy on features like roads and tracks, although the topography is adequate. Contours: Hills and valleys are shown by contour lines, which join points of the same height. The vertical distance represented by two adjacent lines is called the contour interval. Thus, if you climb (or descend) a hill from one line on the map to the next, you will have moved vertically a distance equal to the contour interval: 10, 20 and 40 metres are typical values, depending on the map scale and steepness of the terrain. Using the numeric information from the contours and the interval information from the bottom of the map, you can figure out: How high your current position is (assuming you know where you are on your map) How high any other specific point on the map is How steep the terrain is between where you are and where you want to go The steepness of a given area on a topographic map is determined by how close together the contour lines are in that area. The closer the lines are together, the steeper the terrain will be. Grid: The Australian map grid is a system of lines drawn over maps of the whole of Australia and is related to latitude and longitude. The lines are 1000 metres apart to scale. The grid is used to identify points on a map, somewhat like a city road map, except six figure numbers are used. Details of how to use these references are given on most maps that have the grid. You should be able to use grid references, as they are the main way of transferring route information from one person to another, as in route guides. North pointers: There are three norths: true, magnetic and grid. For the area covered by a given map, the relationship between true, magnetic and grid north is usually shown by a diagram. True north is the direction of the north geographic pole. The borders of most maps are true north and south, with north usually being at the top. A check should always be made – particularly of sketch maps. Magnetic north, to which compasses react, coincides with true north in Australia along only one line. The difference between the two is called the magnetic declination. (Hot linked) Grid north is the direction of grid lines: almost true north and south. The difference is usually small enough to be ignored for our purposes. NB: To understand the relationships fully it is recommended that you read a book with a good outline, such as Paddy Pallin’s – ‘Bushwalking and Camping’, or take a short course. Conventional symbols: are fairly standard, but there are often variations and the legend should he checked. The non-topographic information that a map provides can be as crucial to navigation as the topographic information, especially for beginning bushwalkers. This additional information includes things like: The paths of access roads in the area The location of tracks and campsites Wilderness area boundaries The proximity of nearby towns and villages Different maps provide different levels of this information. Date and maker: The shape of hills does not vary appreciably over decades, but map-making methods do. Unnatural features like roads and buildings can alter overnight. The date and maker of a map are important guides to its reliability. Navigating through the scrub in Jamberoo THE COMPASS The compass helps you navigate more precisely from point to point. This can be extremely important in the wilderness, where even small mistakes can result in you walking right by your destination without seeing it. A compass will not show you where to go, but it does point in a constant direction – magnetic north – providing there is nothing nearby to mislead it. Being magnetic, it must not be used too close to electric currents or magnetic and steel objects like knives, spectacle frames, fences, cars and corrugated steel sheds or tanks. While half a metre might be a safe distance to be away from a pocket knife, 10 or 20 m is probably better for a shed – not so much for its size, but rather because it is stationary and thus may have its own induced magnetism. There are a few locations where natural deposits of iron-rich rock play havoc, with compasses, such as Tabletop Mountain in the Snowy Mountains, but beware of imagining phantoms to explain away navigational puzzles – the fault is nearly always in the navigator! Principles of the compass Bearings: Compasses are basically designed to show you where north is in the real world. Knowing where north is allows you to identify all of the other directions in the “compass rose” (south, east, west etc.) as you travel and to head in those directions. Many compasses take this one step further, by allowing you to assign a specific numerical direction, called a ‘bearing’, to any direction in the full 360° circle around you. This means you can head toward a very specific spot, rather than simply heading on a more general heading (e.g. southwest). To convert general compass directions into bearings, a compass has a special rotating bezel mounted around the outside edge of the compass needle. This bezel, which is divided into 360° usually in 2° to 5° increments°, measures the direction towards a given object in terms of an angle; specifically, the clockwise angle between a straight line pointing due north and a straight line pointing toward the object. This bezel allows you to express any specific direction as a number between 0 and 360. Back bearings: When following a compass bearing from some feature, you may want to check back to that feature to see if you are on course, or you may wish to retrace your steps. The bearing in the reverse direction is called a back bearing and is simply 180′ different from the forward bearing. The best method of obtaining a back bearing is – leaving the compass set at the forward bearing and held in front of you – simply turn around. There is no need to add or subtract 180′: the south end of the compass needle now points to the north mark on the compass dial, and the travel arrow on the compass base points on the back bearing. The importance of bearings: Following a bearing that is just one degree off can translate into a 25metre variance over a kilometre. This means that after a 10km walk, you may miss your target by over 200metres. In the bush, a few metres can mean the difference between spotting a track or creek and missing it completely. Being able to measure directions in terms of specific compass bearings can also help in a number of critical situations. Knowing the bearing that the target you are heading for is on (river, house, campsite etc.), allows you to travel even if the weather closes in or night falls. Knowing the bearing allows you to keep you on track even if you have to detour around an object in your path (your compass will allow you to turn from your original course, get around the obstacle safely, then turn back and find your exact course again). Knowing how to take bearings can help you pinpoint your location on your map even if you are completely lost, using a technique called triangulation (discussed below). Note: Knowing how to use a map and compass is very important for all bushwalkers. If you do get lost, or you have to cross an area of land without tracks, your map and compass may be the only tools that can get you back home safely. Triangulation Triangulation is one of the most common and most useful navigation techniques that use both a map and a compass. It is a simple procedure that, when done correctly, can pinpoint your exact position on your map even if you have no idea where you are. Looking around you try to identify two unmistakable landmarks, say two peaks. If you take 2 accurate bearings on the two peaks, and draw a line on your map from each landmark along the bearings taken, your location will be where the two lines intersect. Triangulation is based on the principle that once you’ve taken a bearing on a visible landmark (i.e., established in what direction that landmark lies from your present position), you can logically assume that your position lies somewhere along a line drawn to that landmark along that bearing, the second bearing allows you to define the point. Magnetic Declination Map and compass navigation works on the principle that you know one thing at all times and that is where north is. To find north, you simply look at where the red end of your compass needle is pointing. The problem is that navigation is based on knowing where “true north” is, i.e. the North Pole. And unfortunately, that’s not where compass needles really point. Compass needles actually point toward “magnetic north,” a point that is close to true north, but not right on top of it. And this is where “declination” comes in. Declination is the angular difference between ‘true’ and ‘magnetic’ north. The tricky thing about declination is that this angle is different depending upon where you are standing in the world. Declination is usually indicated diagrammatically with a series of arrows drawn on a map. These diagrams are often not to scale so always use the values, not the drawing to set your compass. People navigate successfully with maps and compasses all the time, even though magnetic north and true north don’t always line up. How? They simply figure out what the angle of declination is in their general area, and then make sure that they take that angle into account when they make their navigation calculations (basically, by adding or subtracting the angle of declination from the compass bearing numbers that they read off their compasses). Some compasses can be set so that they remain adjusted for an entire trip. Click here to view the Paddy Pallin range of compasses and maps Learn how to navigate safely with map and compass using the Silva 1-2-3 System. “You can never be lost if you don’t care where you are” One Response Gear checklist for a multi-day walk – Wandering Tasmania April 29, 2017 […] Compass – it is also essential to know how to use it […] Reply Leave a Reply Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. | <urn:uuid:0d4965a7-1aef-42f3-a6de-0aaaac5da5b1> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://www.paddypallin.com.au/blog/the-basics-of-navigation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964363312.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20211206194128-20211206224128-00283.warc.gz | en | 0.951863 | 2,843 | 3.515625 | 4 |
Qanat: type of underground irrigation canal between an aquifer on the piedmont to a garden on an arid plain. The word is Arabic, but the system is best known from Iran.
Typically, the qanat becomes a ditch near its destination; in other words, the water is brought to the surface by leading it out of the slope. In fact, one creates an artificial artesian well and an oasis.As the ceramics of the farms at the exit of a qanat offer an indication of its age, it is possible to date qanats. The technology became popular at the turn of the Bronze/Iron Age, about 1000 B.C.E., but is considerably older. In the late second millennium, there were qanats in the country that was once known as Maka and is now called Oman. In 2014, archaeologist claimed that a qanat, discovered near Iran's Seimareh Dam, dates back to the early third millennium.
In the sixth century, many qanats were dug in the area east of the Zagros mountains, and there is something to be said for the theory that the rise of Persis (under Cyrus the Great) and the fall of Media as the political center of Iran had something to do with the ability of the Persians to overcome a climatic change: the Persians, living in an arid zone, had learned to build qanats, and the inhabitants of Media (where rain-fed dryland cropping is possible) had not. It is perhaps no coincidence that the Greek researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus in his description of the rise of Persia mentions agricultural activitiesnote[Herodotus, Histories 1.126.] and that the Achaemenid kings often presented themselves as gardener (roi-jardinier).
In the Persian Empire qanats appear to have spread along the Silk road to Parthia, Aria, Bactria, and Sogdia. Later, the technique became also known in Xinjiang. In the Roman age, we see the first qanats in Syria and Egypt, and the Muslim conquerors spread their use along the arid zone south of the Mediterranean. Today, qanats can be found as far west as Morocco and Andalusia, and even the Sicilian capital Palermo boasts a medieval qanat.
Being about 1½ meter high and ¾ meter wide, qanats are rather narrow, but they can reach depths of 30 meters (the record seems to be 60) and can cover distances of many kilometers (the longest Iranian qanat is said to be 70 kilometers long.) The trick is to make the angle of the qanat not too steep, because in that case, the water will grind itself down into the bottom and create pools that will make the qanat collapse; on the other hand, if the angle is not steep enough, the water will be tainted. Everything depends, therefore, on the correct angle. The diggers or muqannis were brilliant surveyors.A qanat, once built, can exist for a long time, but agriculture with qanats is extremely labor-intensive. Not only is it difficult to dig an underground canal, but it also needs a visit every spring to clean it out. Usually, this work is left to boys, whose fathers are standing near the shaft and pull up buckets and can come to their children's rescue when the gallery collapses.
During the White Revolution of the late shah, Iran's great estates were broken up and the land was given to those who actually worked it. An unintended result was that it was no longer clear who was responsible for the maintenance of the qanats, and many fell into disrepair. At the same time, several qanats were replaced by underground canals made of concrete, which needed less maintenance and were cheaper. This process has accelerated during the last quarter of a century, but at least 20,000 qanats are still in use, and even those that no longer carry water are still useful - if only as traps for little animals.
In the Maghreb, qanats are called foggara; Moroccons call them khettara; the people of the Persian Gulf call them falaj; a Persian synonym is karez. | <urn:uuid:11808317-a95b-469d-8a02-e137d6a803d2> | CC-MAIN-2015-18 | http://www.livius.org/misc/qanat/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-18/segments/1429246651873.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20150417045731-00059-ip-10-235-10-82.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.970481 | 896 | 3.765625 | 4 |
Spring is almost here, and for those of us in the North, it’s time to be thinking about ordering seeds and starting plants.
But which seeds to order? How do you make sure you aren’t putting genetically modified (GMO) vegetables in your garden?
A lot of people have concerns about GMO foods, and want to make sure that they are not growing GMO’s in their garden or feeding them to their kids. However, there is a lot of hysteria and misinformation floating around out there, making it hard to figure out where to shop or what is safe to buy. Here is an explanation of the differences between Heirloom, Hybrid, and Genetically Modified (GMO) seed.
Genetically Modified Organisms
First, it is important to remember that Genetically Modified Organism (or GMO) seeds are not really available to the general public. The majority of GMO seeds out there are grains, such as canola and corn, or other commercial plants, like cotton and alfalfa.
GMO’s are created in a laboratory, often using genes from completely different species that would never be able to breed in nature. They are usually created to be disease resistant, or, more commonly, resistant to specific herbicides, such as Roundup Ready canola, which will survive being sprayed with glysophate, allowing farmers to use Roundup to control weeds in their canola fields.
Farmers have to sign an agreement not to save their seeds, since the GMO producing seed companies hold patents to the seeds, and require royalties from anyone planting those seeds. While The Non-GMO Project lists corn, papaya, summer squash, and potatoes as having widely available GMO options, it is unlikely you would come across GMO garden seeds for a backyard garden or orchard. If you are curious about what plants have GMO varieties, the ISAAA’s GM Approval Database has a searchable list that is quite interesting.
The biggest threat to the home gardener would be if your crop was cross-pollenated by a GMO crop. Given that most home gardeners are not growing canola, soybeans, or cotton, it is not an issue for most people. However, if you live in a rural location, and are growing summer squash next to a field of commercial summer squash, it might be worth speaking to the farmer about what variety he or she has planted, or simply don’t save your summer squash seeds that year.
There are other issues with GMO seeds, such as herbicide use and resistance, concerns with untested genetics getting into wild populations through cross-pollenation, and moral issues with large international companies holding patents to the seeds that provide our food. However, you don’t really need to worry about finding them in your garden.
Hybrid seeds are sometimes confused with GMO’s, but they are completely different. Hybrids not created in a lab using biotechnology; rather, they are created by crossing two different plant cultivars (types) of the same species – so, for instance, a hybrid squash seed is created when one type of squash plant is intentionally pollenated using another type of squash plant. These crosses could occur naturally in people’s gardens, but seed companies create the crosses under carefully controlled conditions, so that the person who plants and grows the seeds gets a consistent and predictable end product.
Hybrid seeds often have better disease resistance or better yield; some hybrids are bred for better flavor, as well. Hybrids are widely available in seed catalogs, and many gardeners grow them. Seed companies usually mark which seeds are hybrids.
The one significant drawback to hybrids is that they do not come true from seed. This means that if you save seeds from a hybrid plant, then plant them the following year, the plants you get will most likely resemble one of the original hybrid’s parents, rather than resembling the hybrid plant you saved your seed from.
A totally fictional example would be something like a purple squash that was created by breeding a red squash plant with a blue squash plant (silly fictional example, remember). If you saved seeds from your purple squash and planted them, you might get red squash plants or blue squash plants, but you would not be able to count on getting purple squash plants.
Hybrids are nothing to be afraid of, and are often a good choice for a gardener looking for specific traits such as high yield or drought tolerance. Unfortunately, because of the confusion over GMO’s, hybrids sometimes get a bad rap, which they really don’t deserve.
Heirloom seeds are seeds from stable cultivars. This means that the flower or vegetable sub-type was created through traditional breeding, by crossing various plants of the same species, then selecting specific plants that have the traits the gardener was looking for, and saving seeds from those for several generations, until the offspring plants have the same traits as the parent plants. Heirloom varieties are perfect for saving seeds from, since the parent plants are the same as each other, so plants you grow from saved seeds will have predictable traits.
Back to our fictional purple squash, an heirloom variety of purple squash might have started out by crossing blue squash with red squash, but over several generations, the farmer re-planted saved seed, and selected for purple squashes. This means the farmer only saved seeds from purple squashes, and any squash plants that reverted to the red or blue types of the original parents would be eliminated, and none of their seeds would be kept in the gene pool. Eventually, the saved seeds would only produce purple squash, and if you saved seeds from purple squash one year, and planted them the next year, you would end up with purple squash in the second generation (and third generation, and so on).
Which Is Best For Me?
Most homesteaders and gardeners who save their own seeds prefer heirloom varieties, because of the predictability of the offspring. Sometimes, heirloom varieties are hardier, or tolerate poor conditions better than hybrid plants, though some heirloom varieties are less productive than hybrids.
Ultimately, the choice between hybrid and heirloom seeds comes down to your own goals. Do you want a plant that will give you the most possible produce in the smallest space? A hybrid might be perfect for you. Do you want to save seeds from your garden and get away from having to buy new seed every year? An heirloom variety is probably your best bet. You are unlikely to end up with GMO seeds in your garden, so even if you are trying to avoid GMO foods, luckily, you won’t have to work very hard or worry about where you are getting your seeds from.
If you have moral concerns with supporting any company that produces or sells GMO seeds, look for the Safe Seed Pledge. Many smaller seed producers have pledged not to plant or sell GMO seeds, and have signed the Pledge. The Safe Seed Pledge reads as follows:
“Agriculture and seeds provide the basis upon which our lives depend. We must protect this foundation as a safe and genetically stable source for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners and consumers who want an alternative, we pledge that we do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants. The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks, as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately healthy people and communities.”
You can find a list of seed companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge here.
Remember, though, that just because a company sells hybrid seeds, or may not have signed the Safe Seed Pledge, doesn’t automatically mean they are selling you GMO seeds or supporting companies who do. Contact them and see what they say! | <urn:uuid:bbaf6262-e085-48ea-8c22-6325f5673710> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://ruraldreams.ca/hybrid-heirloom-and-gmo-seeds | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710898.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20221202050510-20221202080510-00806.warc.gz | en | 0.962471 | 1,672 | 2.671875 | 3 |
Potato Chip Monopoly Essay
A monopoly is an industry composed of only one firm that produces a product for which there are no close substitutions and in which significant barriers exist to prevent new firms from entering into the industry (Case, 2009). In a different definition, it can be distinguished by a lack of financially viable competition to produce the goods or services as well as to substitute goods. Monopolies often refer to a procedure by which a company could gain a determinedly larger market than what would be expected under an ideal competition.This paper will emphasize on several components such as how a monopoly can benefit towards stakeholders or owners. Also, how the changes could take place according to price and output of the goods and services in a particular market place and how the market structure can be beneficial to the Wonks potato chip monopoly.
This paper addresses a particular incident regarding a company called “Wonk” that produced potato chips. In 2008, two lawyers started acquiring aggressive potato chip firms with the plan to create a monopoly firm ‘Wonk’.From this perspective, those lawyers hired a consulting firm to manage and estimate the long-run competitive stability of this firm as monopoly. Again, with rule of marketplace a monopoly is a company which produces goods and services for which there no substitution in that particular area to compete for those certain products or services and prohibits new companies enter in that market to serve that community.
By acquiring all the farms that produce similar products like potato chips those lawyers made a perfect monopoly of its kind.A perfect or pure monopoly would definitely make this firm to control the entire business of that kind. This is how this “Wonk” takes over its significant position and which reflect on the market demand curve.
This company with two lawyers now would have power over everything from output quantity, to price point and as well as customer choice. In this case the cost of production would the only thing remaining against them. When the firm has over all control to what extent of production would take place and how much production would be continued based on demand and thus the firm controls their position on the demand curve.This would be a great example of Monopoly. By running a company as a monopoly there would be no difference between the product market and the company. (Case, 2009) Since the company is the market place where it would eventually decide what move should they make, what is going on in terms of external and internal operation of the business. This situation could generate a significant price unfairness, which would definitely impact families, consumers and suppliers of the goods and services.
This kind of discrimination could affect suppliers being charged a higher fee for the similar goods and services in the area where they reside or within their reach. In these circumstances, monopoly would ultimately affect the society and regular consumers. Some families would have to pay higher than others for trading the same goods and services if it was purchased from different location or city where this type of Monopoly does not exist. When a manufacturer negotiates a lower rate that might be a different case whether it acts as Monopoly or not it takes a different direction and breaks the monopoly games.As a business owner or consumers, it is definitely not very beneficial to have a firm that is monopoly due to its power and control that affects consumers or the society. One of the most important components of monopoly is the improved price discrimination which often allows a monopolist to increase greater profit by charging more money to those consumers that require in higher demand and those who need the product more or who have a better ability to bear the cost. For example, most of the textbooks cost significantly higher in the United States than in a third world country like Sudan.
Monopoly embraced company has serious power to be in charge of price point, which can affect the business and supplier and then ultimately the consumer. In this case the business of Wonk as monopoly, the owners are required to only have only a few choices to acquire the potato chips ingredients products. This type of situation obviously playing a huge role in monopoly where owners selling price would be affected if the remarkable producer started increasing their price point based on this simple fact that they have the authority and own all market shares.This control of the market would definitely affect the buyer’s price and finally when the consumers acquire. If a company increase or decrease the prices in the market, the producers can change and adjust the demand and total quantity of goods and services that manufactured for consumers. Monopolies are usually good for the company owners and shareholders when they know that the market is captured by their company. Therefore, they attract more people to buy shares due to better revenue and sound financial outcomes.Similarly, the Wonk potato chips company would benefit by operating as a monopoly and take advantage of the situation.
In this case, Wonk would have the precise knowledge and understanding of how they would move their products and fully aware of the market condition. Since they control the overall market they would not have any competition with their products to move whenever it requires. By controlling production and the amount of product to be received by the consumer, Wonk Company would control the selling price due to all the power of what a monopoly creates demand on their own.Since, the company is free from competition they could easily increase their price of products as much as they want.
Therefore they would benefit from this opportunity once all price position is recognized. If the company increases its price too high at certain limit, Wonk could face a serious challenge to satisfy the consumers. But, that affect in the long run. Ultimately Wonk has the control to set pricing by operating as a monopoly. This decision as to where to set pricing can ultimately impact the demand curve.When company set its price the consumers could miss the value of products and services in a fair market.
As a producer or a supplier it is very important to continuously satisfy customers and consumers and should be the first choice to satisfy from the chain. This situation could generate an impact on market demand resulting in a loss of revenue. By setting price point to low, the manufacturer may need to sell much more product to compensate for production costs. When dealing with monopolies in other areas except food manufacturing industry, we could determine that there is no limit to how high price point.But for this particular industry, I would say that the price point would not increase right away since the Wonk has realized that it’s not viable for them to increase price point in an higher set, because it could drive all the customers away from the business. Of course I do believe that the company would increase the price in acceptable manner that consumers still keep faith on the company. Wonk, a monopoly business would have many significant benefits as an ideal, healthy company in perfect situation with any competition.Since they are the only the producer of goods and services in the market the potato chip market in whole would be fully controlled by Wonk.
Since A perfect competition industry would allow a fairness of price setting, most companies would sell competitive products, and there would no company larger to capture a unwanted price. Here, Wonks most certainly would buy out all relevant potato chip rivals and thus, they would control the potato chip industry which would not qualify for a perfect competition market.Therefore, their profit would sky rocketed and on the other had consumers would be refrained from a better price for quality products that has competition. In an ideal world as a consumer, I believe everyone would contribute to a perfect competition and buy goods and services from a monopoly free, ideal competitive industry. In a competitive market the buyer has the option to choose what products is suitable for his or her needs and would have many choices to pick from.
The biggest advantage for the customers would be many different option and types of products and many different prices (Case, 2009).Monopolistic market drives the producer to shares many small segments of the market which usually helps keep the price of the products in an acceptable stage and consumers could afford happily. I believe different choice of prices would absolutely be an advantageous method for to the consumers.
Wonks could face charges for practicing monopoly with the Sherman Act of 1890. The Sherman Act states that it is illegal for an individual or a company to operate a monopoly business or attempt to monopolize. There are many different government authorities are in charge to restrict the rules.The offices that handle the authority to implement and regulate are Federal Trade Commission and Antitrust Division of the Justice Department. By enforcing these acts and laws the Federal Government has been fully determined to keep firms to stay away from monopolize. Monopoly business, Wonk restricts a good fairness market which only made profitable for itself but made the consumers refrained from open and fair choices of market shares.
Wonk made them the only choice available for consumers regardless of quality products such as potato chips.As consumer, I would not accept one choice of product. I would like to have many different price and quality products available for me to be fully satisfied. Thus it is absolutely clear the reason why federal governments put laws on the table to protect customer’s right and let other business have their opportunity to serve with variety of goods and services.
It is clear that Wonk, a monopoly company certainly in control of everything and benefits from every direction from price to quality to consumer’s choice.ReferencesCase, K. E. , Fair, R.
C. , and Oster, S. M. (2009) Principles of Microeconomics (9th ed). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Kelvin Lancaster (1974), Introduction to Modern microeconomics, Second Edition, United States: Rand McNally College Pub.
Co Michael Parkin (2008) Economics, Eight Edition. United States: Pearson Education Published by Addison-Wesley, Inc. Paul Krugman, Robin Wells (2010), Microeconomics, Second Edition, United States: W H Freeman & Co | <urn:uuid:185fb54d-23e4-4a4f-a640-e35beadb490e> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://lyceecharlesdegaulle.eu/potato-chip-monopoly/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323588246.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20211028003812-20211028033812-00395.warc.gz | en | 0.973435 | 2,008 | 3.140625 | 3 |
This course aims at providing a broad range of technological tools for teachers in order to enhance their pupils’ creativity, curiosity, engagement, fun, both individual and collaborative learning and critical thinking. To do so, participants’ creativity and motivation will be boosted by exploring a great variety of up-to-date educational applications. All the stages involved in teaching will be covered: from class management, class preparation and delivery, assessing, organisational school tasks and parent-teacher communication. The tutor with participants will delve into different ways to improve lesson presentations, organisation and planning, and go through multiple resources to develop an efficient gamified practice, revision and assessing. Play with art and drawing apps are also planned, including creating funky videos and rendering quizzes and projects more fun and enjoyable.
The skills learnt by the participants during the course can be used to:
- Getting to know how to use a great variety of digital resources,
- Creating inspirational activities for both the teacher and the student,
- Increasing pupils’ engagement and motivation,
- Using students’ devices as one more educational tool at school and at home,
- Developing collaborative activities,
- Increasing performance and effectiveness in lesson preparation and delivery,
- Using free, easy, ready-to-use resources,
- Gaining efficiency as a teacher,
- Saving time on bureaucracy for a more student-cantered approach,
- Offering ICT support to students.
- DAY 1: READY TO EMBARK?
Who are you? Getting to know each other, challenges, expectations and motivations.
Introducing Genially, Padlet, Quizizz & Quizlet
What is the essential need you’d like to satisfy? What is your driving question? How can you bring something to society? What can you do to help your community? Group energy, collaborative work
Introducing Active Learning, PBL & Flipped Classroom.
How can we have a better understanding of our environment and make decisions that will make it a better place to live? Start thinking critically, investigating, collaborating, researching and communicating.
Introducing Blooms Taxonomy.
Introducing Google Classroom.
Are learning apps helping or hurting education?
What have you learnt today? Have you already met any of your expectations?
- DAY 2: HOLD TIGHT! A CREATIVE STORM IS COMING!
What do our students expect from our lessons?
Let’s create funky videos!
Introducing Edpuzzle, Flipgrid & Nearpod.
Let’s prepare inspiring lesson presentations!
Introducing Canva, Prezi & Book Creator.
How could you substitute and combine an element? Maybe you could adapt it, minify, magnify or modify it? Put to other uses, eliminate, reverse or rearrange?
Introducing SCAMPER Thinking Strategy.
What have you learnt today? Have you satisfied any of your needs?
- DAY 3: TAKE IT EASY! IT’S ALREADY BEEN MADE!
Introduction to communication theory.
How to build good relationships? – workshop.
The theory of the dramatic triangle – workshop.
How to speak so people want to listen – mini-lecture and presentation.
Inspiration – discussion based on the mini-lecture.
Communication and facilitation techniques – workshop.
Group Discussion: Any criticism of PBL, Flipped Classroom or Active Learning?
Another way to engage parents. Introducing Class Dojo.
More fun for students, more fun for teachers and parents! Alreadymade resources.
ISL Collective, Busy Teacher
Let’s sing along! Educational videos & songs.
Gonoodle, The Learning Station – Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes, TED Ed, Lyrics Training, Audacity.
Final Presentation: Presentation to Society
What have you learnt throughout the course? Have you satisfied your needs? Have you answered your driving questions?
- DAY 4: LET’S RECAP!
Treasure Hunt! How much do you know about TechEd?
Practice, practice, practice! Let’s edit videos and create photo collages with InShot.
Challenge the other groups!
What have you learnt today? Have you satisfied any of your expectations?
What is the ideal use of technology in education?
- DAY 5: TIME TO IMPLEMENT WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT!
Open day for attendees to keep creating their own materials based on all the knowledge and experience acquired.
What new ideas can you to implement in your daily practice?
Have you met your expectations?
The course will scope around a challenge, an issue, a question. What is the essential need you’d like to satisfy in this course? What is your driving question? How can you bring something to society? What can you do to help your community? The idea is, in groups, to create a short project throughout the course in order to answer de “ah ha!” question. And the group will do so by thinking critically, investigating, collaborating, researching and communicating. This way of teaching and learning involves three different methodologies, Active Learning, PBL and Flipped Classroom.
By completing this course, you will be able to:
- Understand different technological models of lesson planning, presentation and assessment,
- Use collaborative tools using cloud computing tools: Google Apps,
- Search and select appropriate available videos and other resources,
- Create video resources: record, edit and deliver videos,
- Create audio-visual interactive activities,
- Deal with main issues using technology in class,
- Guide students to create their own content,
- Get instant feedback from students.
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- Tuition & training materials.
- Coffee break.
- Training Certificate.
- Europass Certificate.
- Admin & organizational costs.
- Accommodation (hotels & self-catering apartments).
- Half-day and one-day trips.
- Cultural activities.
- Airport transfer.
- Local transport. | <urn:uuid:94ff0ec2-902a-430f-8fd7-8b46b5c89e81> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://idevelopcourses.com/course/increasing-engagement/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511002.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20231002164819-20231002194819-00430.warc.gz | en | 0.867205 | 1,420 | 3.9375 | 4 |
Paul’s Fourth Missionary Journey:
Paul was acquitted before emperor Nero, ca. AD 62 (see 2 Timothy 4:16-17; Acts 28:16, 30-31). Paul may have then left on a mission to Spain, cf. Romans 15:24, 28, but no evidence of such a journey has been found. Paul’s possible fourth missionary journey may have gone like this:
1 – To Crete, which Paul had passed by on his voyage to Rome, and where after some undisclosed time spent on the Island he left Titus to continue the ministry there, Titus 1:5.
2 – To Miletus, where Paul left Trophimus who was ill, and to Ephesus, where he left Erastus, 2 Timothy 4:20, and possibly to Colossae, Philippians 1:22 (cf. Tychicus, 2 Timothy 4:12).
3 – To Troas, where Paul left Carpus and his coat, and possibly his books and parchments, 2 Timothy 4:13.
4 – To Macedonia, 1 Timothy 1:3.
5 – To Achaia, 1 Timothy 3:14; 4:13
6 – To Nicopolis, Titus 3:12.
7 – To Rome, (Mamertine) prison. 2 Timothy 1:8, 16–17; 2:9; (beheaded, ca. AD 67) 2 Timothy 4:6.
The Island of Crete
The Island of Crete (formerly known as Candia when a colony of Venice) is in the southern portion of the Aegean Sea which is a branch of the Mediterranean Sea. Crete is 160 miles long and 35 miles wide at its widest point, with 3,219 square miles in total area. It features lowland hills to the east and a central mountainous ridge to the west with one mountain of over 8,000 feet. The central Messara Valley is a rich alluvial plain. Homer spoke of the 100 cities of Crete (Illiad 2.649), the Hellenistic period identified 40 towns, and the Roman period 20. Philo identified a Jewish community on Crete.
Paul first saw Crete from the deck of a ship that was “coasting” along the south shore westward from Salmone to Lasea. He was a prisoner of the Roman centurion, Julian, being transported from Caesarea to Rome. They had changed ships at Myra in Lycia, boarding a grain transport from Alexandria. Sailing with difficulty, “under the lee of Crete…we came to a place called Fair Havens.” Against Paul’s advice, the owner and the pilot of the ship along with the centurion determined to winter at Phoenix. But they were struck by a strong northeaster, driving them out to sea… (see Acts 27).
It is quite possible that there were already believers on the Island when Paul and Titus arrived. Cretan Jews attended the Pentecost feast in Jerusalem and heard Peter’s inaugural Gospel sermon (see Acts 2:11). Were some of these among the 3,000 who obeyed the Gospel on that day? Titus was written ca. AD 63, some thirty years after that Pentecost. During that period Christianity had spread throughout the Roman world, including nearby Achaia with Corinth and the Peloponnese. One of the problems that plagued the Gentile church were Judaizing teachers. These appeared to be already present in Crete when the missionaries arrived (see Titus 1:13, 14; 3:9). Thus their mission included both evangelism and church building.
So we ponder, did Paul see the Island beckoning for the Gospel as he “coasted” by? Did this prompt him to return to Crete shortly after he won his freedom in Rome to proclaim the Lord Jesus there?
Titus is mentioned in the NT thirteen times. He was a long-time friend, fellow-believer, and co-worker in the Gospel with Paul. He accompanied Paul on his mission to Crete, and remained there to complete the work begun.
In ca. AD 50, Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas at that decisive council of “elders and apostles” that met in Jerusalem to consider if Gentile believers were required to keep the Law (see Acts 15:1-21). Paul wrote to the Galatians concerning this meeting, “I took Titus along with me” (Galatians 2:1). And Titus became sort of a case study, as Paul said, “But even Titus…was not forced to be circumcised” (vs. 3).
Titus was important to Paul in his relation with the church at Corinth. In his second letter to this church, Paul acknowledged that he anticipated word concerning them from Titus when he arrived in Troas, but Titus was not there (2 Corinthians 2:12–13). Paul went on to Macedonia where he was under great stress. The subsequent arrival of Titus was a godsend for Paul, “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he comforted you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more” (2 Corinthians 7:6, 7). Thus Titus was a source of encouragement to the Corinthian church in this difficult time: Paul wrote, “And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you is true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Cor. 7:13b–15).
Paul had undertaken a major effort of charity—in which the poor Jewish believers of Judea would receive charitable assistance from the Gentile believers of Macedonia and Greece. Paul wrote, “Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he has had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace” (2 Corinthians 8:6). Later in his Letter to the Corinthians in this regard, Paul again spoke of the value of Titus: “But thanks be to God who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches…. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit” (vs. 16–17, 23). In closing his letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go…. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit?” (2 Corinthians 12:17–18).
In Paul’s Letter to Titus, he refers to Titus, “…my true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4). After completing his mission in Crete, Titus would be replaced by either Artemas or Tychicus, and Paul hoped to see Titus in Nicopolis over the winter (Titus 3:12).
In Paul’s last writing, he reported, “Titus has gone to Dalmatia” (i.e. Croatia; 2 Timothy 4:10c).
Three highlights of spiritual grace that make this letter a gem:
1) The greeting, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour” (Titus 1:1b–3).
2) The wonder, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11–14).
3) The work, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of the works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ , our Saviour, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Tit. 3:4–7).
These three passages are each one continuous sentence in the original Koine Greek. In English they would be considered run-on sentences. (A number of translations break them into shorter sentences; the ESV, used here, maintains the original continuity.) But in the original they are a study of carefully crafted statements.
The letter includes qualifications for elders, marking of the Judaizers, and citing Christian duty according to age and citizenship. Paul emphasizes the importance of good works: 1:16, 2:7, 2:14, 3:1; 3:8; 3:14. | <urn:uuid:75d2c327-d690-46f1-949b-731e4368ab20> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://gospelherald.org/book-of-titus-a-gem-introduction-to-titus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046154897.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20210804174229-20210804204229-00422.warc.gz | en | 0.974248 | 2,066 | 2.59375 | 3 |
Unreal Engine is a powerful game development tool that allows users to create stunning games, simulations, and other interactive experiences. To bring their ideas to life, developers must first import assets into Unreal Engine. In this article, we’ll walk through the process of importing assets to Unreal Engine and provide some tips to help beginners get started.
Supported File Formats
Unreal Engine supports a wide range of file formats for importing assets. Some of the most commonly used formats include:
- 3D Models: FBX, OBJ, DAE, 3DS, and others.
- Textures: TGA, PNG, TIFF, BMP, and others.
- Sound Effects: WAV, MP3, and others.
It’s important to note that not all file formats are created equal. Some formats may result in lower quality or performance issues, so it’s important to choose the right format for your needs. Commonly, projects will use FBX files for models, TGA files for textures and WAV files for sound effects. These are a good place to start if you are unsure.
Importing Assets to Unreal Engine
To import assets to Unreal Engine, follow these steps:
- Open the Unreal Editor and create a new project.
- In the Content Browser, select the folder where you want to import the asset.
- Click the Import button to open the Import dialog.
- Select the file you want to import and configure the import settings. This includes setting the correct scale and rotation for 3D models and textures, setting the compression and quality settings for textures, and other options.
- Click the Import button to import the asset into Unreal Engine.
Tips for Importing Assets
Here are some tips to bear in mind when importing assets to Unreal Engine:
- Keep your file names and folder structure organized. This will make it easier to find and manage your assets later on.
- Optimize your assets for use in a game. This includes reducing the poly count of 3D models, using lower resolution textures, and optimizing the audio quality of sound effects.
- Use a 3D modeling software like Blender or Maya to create custom assets. These programs provide more control over the creation process and can help you create assets that are optimized for use in a game engine.
- Use the Material Editor to create custom materials for your assets. Materials can add texture, shine, and other effects to your assets and help bring them to life.
Importing assets to Unreal Engine is an essential part of game development. By following these steps and tips, beginners can import assets into Unreal Engine and begin creating stunning games and interactive experiences. Remember to optimize your assets and use the right file formats to ensure the best performance and quality. Happy game developing! | <urn:uuid:16a5c088-a6e4-4043-bc7a-3ac00e3b798c> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://gamedevinsider.com/importing-assets-to-unreal-engine-a-beginners-guide/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511361.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20231004052258-20231004082258-00821.warc.gz | en | 0.849285 | 573 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Short story analysis sample: nicolai gogol posted on april 30, 2013 by essayshark this article is devoted to the analysis of nicolai gogol's stories the story of how ivan ivanovich quarreled with ivan nikiforovich and old world land owners. How do you start a college essay kerala 5 paragraph essay about myself colleges the academic essay how to plan (short story essay thesis statement) aice general papers essays this essay has a strong appeal to logos magazine compare and contrast advertisement analysis essay short essay of mexico wag the dog essay conflicting perspectives. A critical analysis of the short story should include information about the story itself, the writer's handling of the story and the skill level of the technical aspects of short story writing cite this article. Analysis of the short story icebreak essay ice break - english essay ice break is a short story written by astrid blodgett the story is told in a first person narrator and is from the main character dawn's perspective.
Custom interpretation of a short story essay paper writing service buy interpretation of a short story essay paper online 'a worn path' by eudora welty and 'i used to live here once' by jean rhys both have one subject matter in common: journey of life (gottschalk, 2000, 256-260. Personal interpretation of fiction story/essay if you are skilled at creative writing and prefer to take projects that involve creative writing, please make sure you know what is expected from personal interpretation of a specific fiction story/essay. Be clear about whether you're writing about a book, an essay (non-fiction, short prose), a story (short fiction) a poem, a novel (book-length fiction), an autobiography, a narrative (as in captivity narratives) etc walden is a book comprised of chapters each of these chapters could also be called an essay. Analysis essays are known to be one of the most difficult to write indeed, a writer should not only present facts but also be able to explain and analyze them analysis essays can evaluate both student's knowledge on selected issues and their ability to express own thoughts and analyze topics.
(see reference 3, p 176) capitalize the first word and subsequent important words for short story titles within your essay regardless of which documentation format you choose (see reference 1, p 87 and reference 3, p 101) the title of a short story would be formatted like this example: the rocking-horse winner. The sniper in the story is going through war and through the text it is shown that he is cautious and patient in his work although he is careful in the line of duty, his work has become the main cause of a severe mental complex. The basics use the following guidelines for teaching how to write an interpretive essay or how to write a literary analysis: the introduction must introduce the literary work, capture the reader's attention, and include a clearly written thesis statement that contains the literary interpretation. Words: 1403 length: 4 pages document type: essay paper #: 94450316 secret sharer in joseph conrad's short story the secret sharer, a young unnamed captain strives to prove to both his crew and to himself that he is that both the physical and mental strength to lead them and keep them alive.
Literary analysis: using elements of literature students are asked to write literary analysis essays because this type of assignment encourages you to think about how and why a poem, short story, novel, or play was written. Characteristics of persuasive essay lord of the flies extended essay o3xy research paper essay on cow in punjabi diwali essay on democracy has lost its meaning gessayova 419 persuasive essay on lowering drinking age essays on kanyashree prakalpa revising and editing your essay disney research epaper essaye moi allocine fr poppies poem comparison essays underlies the argumentative essay. The introduction to your literary analysis essay should try to capture your reader‟s interest to bring immediate focus to your subject, you may want to use a quotation, a provocative question, a brief anecdote, a startling statement, or a combination of these. Essay assignment # 2: short story critique you are to write an essay interpreting some aspect of a short story aim to convince readers that your understanding is insightful and can be supported by an imaginative reading of specific passages from the story.
Here are many examples of short stories for you to read online online has become another leg in our life we have to take that into account so that we will go along the growth of the science and technology. Papers about short stories, also called literary analysis essays, allow writers to explain the basic elements of the story and make a deeper statement about the plot, characters, symbolism or theme essay on the short story ' ' divorced, beheaded, survived' - essay uk. Short story analysis essay kate chopin's short stories the turning of the 19th century instilled a desire in all women to be free and liberated from their husbands they desired freedom, liberation and happiness.
This short story essay sample is only an example of academic writing don't use it as your own essay, as it will be considered plagiarism if you don't have enough skill in writing to complete your own paper, you can get help from essaysharkcom reading through our short story essay sample, you can see that our writers complete great papers. Short story analysis by: gayle kendall and tony delvecchio this is the story of a man who grew up, lived, worked with, and became friends with some of the most famous and infamous people of our time and he lived to tell the tale. Learning lab tips on critical analysis (from mississippi gulf coast community college): this web page presents many good suggestions for writing an interpretation of a short story however, ignore the information on the page about judging the merits and faults of a story in your essay.
Literary analysis looks critically at a work of fiction in order to understand how the parts contribute to the whole when analyzing a novel or short story, you'll need to consider elements such as the context, setting, characters, plot, literary devices, and themes. (full name mary flannery o'connor) american short story writer, novelist, and essayist the following entry presents criticism of o'connor's story a good man is hard to find, first published in. Interpretation of the short-story neighbors the short-story neighbors, by raymond carver, was first published in june 1971 in the esquire and later in where im calling from (1989) in this story, told by an omniscient narrator, bill and arlene miller are supposed to take care of their. Analysis of short story crossing essay sample in this paper i will be analysing the short story called crossing furthermore i will be interpreting this short story and i will be going in-depth with the text to do these things and utilise the english skills and abilities i have been taught throughout my time of studying the english language. | <urn:uuid:d5e76e53-4a3b-4707-97a9-469bd6c22be0> | CC-MAIN-2018-47 | http://pdpaperyroq.presidentialpolls.us/short-story-interpretation-essay.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-47/segments/1542039746398.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20181120130743-20181120152743-00449.warc.gz | en | 0.942279 | 1,449 | 2.96875 | 3 |
A Script Handwriting Book for Senior Infants which is part of the Sunny Street Junior & Senior Infants programme.
- The Revised Curriculum recognises the need to develop handwriting as an essential skill, suggesting practice in scribbling and pattern work from the earliest stages.
- With this in mind we have developed a series of writing books aimed at giving children the best start in early writing.
- The Sunny Street English language programme offers an opportunity for children to become involved in the process of writing by linking it with the oral language and reading elements of the programme.
- JUST WRITE B - This book allows the pupil plenty of scope for practice writing.
- It moves on from the formation of lower case letters to the formation of capital letters.
- The Just Write Series provides extensive practice of handwriting skills, includes lively fun exercises with specific objectives and incorporates graded progression throughout. | <urn:uuid:38842fd6-a8b7-4444-8cef-0138f53f3480> | CC-MAIN-2022-21 | https://www.theshelf.ie/products/just-write-b | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-21/segments/1652662531762.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20220520061824-20220520091824-00313.warc.gz | en | 0.919593 | 178 | 2.875 | 3 |
Computers have changed and improved significantly in just a few years, and they continue to have immense improvements as time passes, making the older computers a great opportunity for compute jokes, and fodder for hilarious jokes about how they will change in the future.
Why did Wi-Fi and the computer get married?
-Because they had a connection
Where do computers keep their money?
– In a data bank
What do you call a computer superhero?
-A Screen Saver
What is a robot’s favorite snack?
Why was the computer so angry?
– Because it had a chip on its shoulder
My computer and air conditioner have something in common.
-They both lose efficiency whenever i open the Windows.
What happens if someone throws a computer at you?
-It mega hurts…
I’ll leave now sorry
Why did the computer cross the road?
-It was programmed by the chicken
What type of a computer does a horse like to eat?
Why were older computers heavier?
-Because they used a FAT file system!
I’m teaching my white blood cells math and my red blood cells computer science
-Once they become STEM cells I am hoping to regrow a finger.
Why did the spider take a laptop to the beach?
-So it could surf the web
How big do computers like their snacks?
How do you make a computer say ‘5’?
-You’ll figure it out. It’s Programming Binary 101.
What does a baby computer call his father?
What type of computer does Ronald McDonald use?
-A big mac
Why was Harry Potter such a good computer programmer?
-Because he spoke python.
Why did the computer squeak?
-Because someone stepped on its mouse
Why Are Computer Jokes funny?
Computer jokes are funny because they are familiar but also have a lot of unknown qualities and their future developments are hard to predict. Funny computer jokes have been made for years about the first few developments and their screens, colours, speed and their limited function. Some of the top computer
jokes make fun of the sounds they made and how long it took to do many things. As things become faster and easier it becomes easy to laugh at what used to be the normal time and expense invested in these machines. There are also short computer jokes about how much smaller they have become and how large they used to be in comparison.
With a future that is so unknown there are many clean computer jokes about how they may end up taking over tasks in the future and how much effort they can save for people. Some corny computer jokes may focus on computer failures and short computer jokes or silly computer jokes on how they look and the changes that have been made. Many are using these to disguise their genuine fear of the future and others to make fun of those who are genuinely concerned about the direction that technology is taking.
Who Uses Them?
Hilarious computer jokes are shared among many, those who understand computers and make fun of the older ones and those who are worried about the future and what they will be like and everyone in between. There are some computer jokes for kids
that can help them enjoy the fun as well, about what they can do and can’t do, but also how they would be as people. This helps to grow their imagination and to help them learn how their friends feel about computers and react to them.
There are several computer one liner jokes
about how computers respond to commands and how they do what they want rather then what they are instructed to do, and some of the funniest computer jokes include their unpredictable nature. Short computer jokes can fit in many conversations and fill quiet spaces when needed, they are funny and easy and the best computer jokes age well.
There are also a range of silly computer jokes about how as people age they are not good at using computers any more and that is most often from the technology changing faster then they can learn it. This is a common part of aging but many will enjoy the comedy relief of joking about it rather then feeling bad or embarrassed and those trying to help them can use these computer jokes to ease the tension of trying to teach new skills. The people who are sharing these now may not find the newer versions that accompany their own aging to be not quite so funny, but time will tell.
What Can Be Learned From Them?
Cute computer jokes can teach children a lot about computers and some of the funniest computer jokes can teach about what computers used to be like. As past experiences are shared there is a bonding that happens between the people sharing their history and those that learn about it, and they can help to teach about the recent past in a way that is fun and easy.
As there is so much fear about the future of technology and what developments will occur clean jokes
can be used to ease that fear with fun and help increase comfort for those who are unsure what computers will be used for in the future. | <urn:uuid:a4b4c742-352c-4695-b900-e5ac93067ce2> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://jokesbuzz.com/computer-jokes/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446711712.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20221210042021-20221210072021-00552.warc.gz | en | 0.97337 | 1,051 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Good mental health allows us to live our lives to the fullest—it influences how we feel on a daily basis, allows us to build healthy relationships, and helps us deal with life’s difficulties. But when that integral piece of our overall well-being is missing, it can impact not only our lives, but the lives of those closest to us. And when that trauma is multiplied, and passed on from one generation to the next, it has devastating effects not only on the individuals and families involved, but on entire communities.
Political, social, and economic policies and practices over time have negatively affected the well-being of Calgary and area’s Indigenous population. Suppressed Indigenous culture, identity, and spirituality has resulted in significant loss of language, spirituality, family structure, and traditional roles in Indigenous societies.
As a result of this trauma, Indigenous people have higher suicide and homeless rates, poorer health, lower income, and tend to be less formally educated than other Canadians. Without a chance to fully address and heal from this trauma, it is passed down and perpetuated in Indigenous children and youth.
Healing from intergenerational trauma and preventing it from occurring in future generations is a crucial step in supporting Indigenous people to rebuild their families and communities from a place of hope, strength, and resiliency. Breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma helps ensure their success and well-being and affirms the unique gifts they bring to creating stronger, more inclusive communities.
United Way invests in programs and services—like the Natoo’si Indigenous Healing and Well-being Initiative—that strengthen Indigenous cultural identity and support the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Indigenous people. To respond to the complex needs of urban Indigenous youth, the Diamond Willow Youth Lodge is a place for young people to connect with peers, facilitate healing and well-being, and access a variety of supports. | <urn:uuid:79b8eac4-d9c5-4091-9dfa-9238d10adcb6> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://calgaryunitedway.org/unignorable-issues/intergenerational-trauma/?mode=grid | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439740343.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20200814215931-20200815005931-00468.warc.gz | en | 0.939174 | 387 | 2.9375 | 3 |
May his soul Rest In Peace. I don't know the depth of grief people have while saying this, but yes this has popularly become a fashion among people today.
Talking about the degree of sorrow and sympathy people have towards the deceased, can someone be cruel enough to kill a person so brutally just in order to punish her/him?
No wonder, that the custom of punishing a person has improved a lot today, but there prevailed an era where a few shocking and horrifying ways of punishment that led to people's death.
Recommended for you: 7 Of The Most Brutal Punishment Techniques Ever Devised In History
Killing somebody by gradually cutting off flesh from one's body was a punishment that prevailed in China around 900s, which was banned in the year 1905. It was reserved for the hardest of the crimes.
The execution of the punishment was usually done in the public place where the victim was tied to a wooden frame. The flesh was sliced first from the breasts, then thighs. Following was the peeling off from the limbs, then ears, nose, and genitals. Later, the victim was stabbed to the heart.
This practice dates back to the time of Medieval Europe, where the criminal was hung upside down from the tree. The victim was then cut into two, starting from the crotch, all the way to the chest and head.
Because of the upside-down position, there used to be sufficient blood flow in the head, therefore, keeping the person alive for a longer time.
It is an ancient execution method where the victim's hands and feet were bound, or sometimes nailed to a wooden cross like structure. It was the worst of punishments during the reign of Alexander the Great.
Death was usually caused by overall exhaustion or by heart failure. Sometimes, to shorten the victim's suffering, his/her legs were shattered using an iron club so that subsequent asphyxiation could soon end the life.
The saddest thing to hear is that the custom still remains in occasional use in some countries.
The criminal was first stripped naked and then thrown into a large pot of boiling water. Sometimes, it was even more torturing, when the victim was first thrown into a cold liquid and then it was heated to the boiling point. The person was even raised and lowered by using a system of ropes which helped in controlling the temperature.
The types of liquid which were used comprised of water, oil, wax, wine, tar, acid, or even molten lead. The boiling liquid gradually destroyed the fatty tissues, skin, exposed muscles, eventually forming breaches in the main arteries and veins.
The Catherine Wheel was a device to increase the pain of punishment. The criminal was tied to a cartwheel with his legs and arms stretched out. The executioner then smashed the criminal's limbs with an iron hammer or a metal bar, while the cartwheel slowly revolved. This process would break the bones in many places.
Sometimes a merciful death was also ordered, where the pain given was to a lesser degree. First, all the bones were shattered, and then a blow of mercy was given by immediately breaking a person's neck or chest.
Post the execution, the person on the wheel was then hung on a tall pole, allowing the birds to eat the body of the sometimes still living person.
Impalement on a pole, one of the most gruesome methods of execution, used during the Middle Ages. The criminal was forced to sit on a thick, sharpened wooden pole. The pole was then slowly raised upright, and the criminal was left to gradually slide further down the pole only by his or her weight. The pole then emerged through victim's chest, shoulder or neck. Sometimes, it could take more than three days for a person to die, in a very slow and painful way.
Impalement has been particularly prevalent in 15th century Romania, during the reign of Vlad Dracula. He executed more than 80,000 people this way and often enjoyed having a meal while watching them die.
There was even an East Asian variant of this method. The victim was securely tied in a place above a young bamboo shoot. Over the course of several days, the sharp, rapidly growing bamboo shoot would puncture the victim's body, eventually emerging on the another side.
Also known as Skinning alive, this punishment was carried out on captured soldiers and dangerous criminals.
The execution process involved binding the person's hands above his head, and gradually cutting off all the skin. A knife was used for this purpose, starting from the face. There was another method, where the skin was first burnt, and then the skin was peeled off.
In the year 415, Hypatia of Alexandria who was a famous mathematician and philosopher was flayed alive by a Christian mob.
The most gruesome method of execution so far is 'rat torture'. In this method, a victim was left to become a prey to the rats. A large bowl filled with many rats was placed openly on the naked prisoner's body. Red hot charcoal was then piled on the top of the bowl which heated the air inside, which was to irritate the rats leading them to slowly gnawing their way outside through the victim's flesh.
Even a few people used to survive this torture, where the most of the people used to die due to intense internal bleeding.
The Brazen Bull was an execution device, which had a door on one side. It was designed by Perillos of Athens in the year 560 BC. The criminals were locked inside the bull, and a fire was set under the statue because of which the metal heated until the victims inside died from severe burns.
It is surprising to know that the scorched bones were then made into bracelets and sold in the market.
The structure of the bull was designed with a system of pipes and tubes, which was to convert the screams of the victims to the sounds similar to the bellowing of an enraged bull. Perillos once said, "The horrendous screams will come to you through the tubes as the tenderest, most melodious, most pathetic of bellowings."
Well, it is also interesting to know that when Perillos proposed the Brazen Bull to Phalaris, the latter was disgusted by the brutality of this invention and ordered to put the former inside the bull and get him roasted.
This method of execution was originated in Persia, where the criminal was contained inside a pair of narrow rowboats, with the head, hands, and feet sticking out from the container.
The victim was then forced to intake large milk and honey in large amounts until developing severe diarrhea. Also, a mixture of milk and honey was rubbed on the exposed parts of the body, to attract the flies and insects. Following this, was the leaving of the person afloat in a still pond.
The person was also fed regularly in order to prevent his/her early death and so that he/she can face the torture for several days.
Death was caused as a result of the combination of septic shock, dehydration or starvation. | <urn:uuid:d3a5d378-86b0-4485-97cf-9d2c814a642d> | CC-MAIN-2017-47 | https://www.wittyfeed.com/story/32966/most-shocking-deaths-of-the-history | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-47/segments/1510934805761.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20171119191646-20171119211646-00544.warc.gz | en | 0.983162 | 1,442 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Every year, we celebrate Valentine’s Day as a way of showing love and affection toward the amazing people in our lives. But did you know that countries around the world have different Valentine’s Day customs?
Here are some interesting international Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world:
In Germany, Valentine’s Day is known as “Valentinstag.” It’s celebrated similarly to how we celebrate here in the United States, with a focus on romantic love and relationships. Most commonly, people exchange gifts like flowers, chocolates, and small tokens of affection. Recently, there’s been a trend towards personalized, handmade and creative gifts! A unique tradition in Germany during Valentine’s Day is exchanging heart-shaped gingerbread cookies, known as “Lebkuchenherzen,” which are typically decorated with romantic messages or names!
In Brazil, Valentine’s Day is known as “Dia dos Namorados,” which translates to “Lovers’ Day” — but don’t expect to celebrate it on February 14th, as it is actually held on June 12th! Dia dos Namorados is a popular holiday and is traditionally celebrated by couples with a focus on romantic love. The most common way to celebrate is to give gifts like chocolates, flowers, and small tokens of affection called “presentinhos.” There are also regional festivals and parades, like “Festa Junina,” where there’s dancing, music, and other cultural activities.
In Colombia, Valentine’s Day is known as “El Día del amor y la amistad” or “Love and Friendship Day.” It’s a popular holiday celebrated not only by couples but also by friends and family. Unlike in the U.S. where Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February, the people of Colombia celebrate their holiday on the third Saturday of September, and the festivities often last the entire weekend! Most commonly, people will exchange small gifts like flowers or chocolates, but they also may attend parties or events — such as the “Feria de las Flores” in Medellín, which includes a parade of flowers and other cultural activities.
In Italy, Valentine’s Day celebrations are similar to what we’re used to in the United States, with a focus on romantic love and relationships, but there are also some unique traditions and celebrations. For example, in Verona (the city of Romeo and Juliet) there is an annual event called “Verona in Love,” which includes special concerts, shows, and events for couples. Another tradition in Italy is to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic meal, often featuring special dishes like heart-shaped pasta or desserts.
In Turkey, many people celebrate Valentine’s Day similarly to how we do in the United States — exchanging flowers, chocolates, and other small sentiments. But another tradition is to attach love locks to bridges or other public spaces as a symbol of their love!
In Japan, Valentine’s Day is traditionally celebrated as a day for women to express their love and appreciation to their romantic partners or friends by giving them chocolates. Two types of chocolates are typically gifted: “Giri-choco,” which is for friends, colleagues or acquaintances, and “Honmei-choco,” which is meant as a romantic gesture. The receiver is expected to reciprocate their feelings one month later, on March 14th, which is known as “White Day.” On this day, that individual will typically give a gift to their romantic partner, often in the form of white chocolate, flowers, or other small presents. Overall, Valentine’s Day and White Day are viewed as important days of recognition for couples and a way to express their feelings to each other in Japan.
7. South Africa
In South Africa, Valentine’s Day is a popular holiday celebrated by couples, friends, and family members. People often give gifts like chocolate, teddy bears, and flowers. In recent years, there has been a trend towards personalized gifts, too! One unique custom in South Africa is for women to wear brightly colored dresses on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day, known as “La Saint-Valentin” in France, is a celebration of love between couples. On top of the traditional exchange of small gifts or flowers, couples in some regions may also exchange “mignardises,” which are small treats like chocolates or macarons. Paris, the city of love, is particularly popular for romantic getaways on Valentine’s Day! Couples can enjoy a romantic walk along the Seine River, dine in quaint restaurants, and take in the city’s most romantic landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower and the Pont des Arts bridge.
In Poland, Valentine’s Day is not traditionally celebrated as much as in other countries. However, it has become increasingly popular in recent years as a way to express love and appreciation for romantic partners! Poland does have its own celebration of love, called “Andrzejki” or St. Andrew’s Day, which takes place on November 30th and has more cultural significance.
Valentine’s Day is uniquely celebrated in Thailand as “Wan Rak” day, which means “Love Day” in Thai. On this day, couples give each other gifts, like flowers and chocolates, and also release birds or fish as a symbol of love and merit-making. Additionally, many Thai couples choose to get married or make marriage proposals on this day!
Around the world, people from other countries and cultures have their own unique Valentine’s Day traditions.
Though our traditions may be different, the sentiment remains the same — celebrating love and admiration! | <urn:uuid:167c4387-a4d8-474b-9a2e-076af9f87722> | CC-MAIN-2023-40 | https://blogs.aupairinamerica.com/2023/02/13/valentines-day-around-the-world/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-40/segments/1695233511406.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20231004184208-20231004214208-00630.warc.gz | en | 0.958482 | 1,288 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Poppy's Planet is a great book for all ages. As a teacher myself, this could be a really wonderful resource for so many different aspects of the curriculum, as well as specific topical issues but also a really lovely book to share with a child for pleasure. Well written, easy to read, with a great rhyme and rhythm throughout. A simple story with bags of discussion points that this little wonder creates. Well worth a purchase, really enjoyable :)
Angie Amazon User
Poppy's Planet is a fantastic, inspirational and educating piece of children's literature.
In addition, this enlightening text can also be a brilliant vehicle of environmental learning in and out of the classroom, that ensures children and adults to become more aware of environmental changes around the world.
Russell Brown's use of rhythm and rhyme within the story allows the imagination freedom to explore ideas and to venture into wonder, children can redraw boundaries to fit in their own experiences of the environment.
Finally, this specific text enables children through their own learning about interpreting the raised issues within Poppy's Planet, therefore children can take part in life an understanding way to positively contribute to their world and environment around them. Fabulous :-D
Vicky Amazon User
For Daisy the Donkey's First Fare -
I was recommended this book by a friend and bought a copy for my daughter (6) she loves it and asks for it as her bedtime book every night. We now know it off by heart and she still loves it a heart-warming traditional tale told from a modern viewpoint, we love it! :)
Popsicle via amazon.co.uk
@russbrownauthor It's a wonderful, heart warming story, about
coming into your own when you feel different.
It's great for kids and parents.
Twitter follower @l*************gs
For Daisy the Donkey's First Fare
I needed a resource for a unit in literacy for my year 1/2 class leading up to Christmas and this book fitted the bill perfectly. It provided numerous opportunities for activities and discussion in class that in turn facilitated learning in a whole host of other subjects such as history, art and RE. I can see myself using this book for many years to come in my teaching career. Highly recommended.
J.Devoy Amazon user
Take a look at some lovely peoples reviews of my books.
Its great to know that they love reading my books as much as I love them writing them! | <urn:uuid:b6ad26df-3a89-437a-8203-b7ee85b57212> | CC-MAIN-2018-05 | http://russbrownauthor.co.uk/reviews/4549174734 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-05/segments/1516084886939.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20180117122304-20180117142304-00028.warc.gz | en | 0.954666 | 502 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Quite often a communication act may be untimely or not to the point, thus negatively influencing the addresser
and causing his confrontation tune which may imbalance further course of conversation and bring it to a stop.
Third, Jacobson assumes that the selfhood of the addresser
and addressee are pre-given.
So as soon as the encoding process comes into view, we see the implied author in the role of the addresser
in the communication model of narrative.
Compared to this, the presence of the lyrical "I" in "Byzantium" is extremely limited, and allows no further inference about its position than that of the addresser
of the text.
Roman Jakobson's model involves an addresser
, an addressee, coding and decoding of a message, etc.
Neither doing full justice to Ricoeur's refined theory, nor to the notions of "split addresser
and addressee" introduced by Jakobson, I will concentrate on "split reference" in the above sense.
Presuppositions and inferences as a case of tensions between an addresser
and an addressee in literary communication have been subtly analyzed by Glowinski ("Komunikacja literacka").
It is assumed that these example sentences would be totally unintelligible, if there were not a pragmatically governed pre-condition which can be specified as there is an intentionally conveyed meaning that the addressee knows what the addresser
implies here by
This point of view, says Hantzis, generates an "alternating pattern of identification and displacement" in which the reader is both drawn into the text when he or she identifies (and identifies with) the addresser
and addressee of the "you," and expelled again when their identities slide and make identification untenable.
In the present study, the participant context is basically twofold: addresser
Even though the narrator is obviously the insubstantial invention of the author, pragmatic meaning construction remains very firmly predicated on the assumption of an addresser
observing the maxims of cooperation in human communication.
Second-person narratives, in so far as a speaker or addresser
emerges from the text, moreover, tend to move along and across another boundary line, that between the discourse and the story.
Communication theory has long accustomed us to think of any interchange as consisting of three main components: addresser
, message, addressee, where addresser
and addressee normally and regularly switch roles.
By the sudden introduction of "you" in the text, the narrative center in [4-S] is shifted to the Addresser
3-Addressee 3 level from the Addresser
4-Addressee 4 level, which is foregrounded in [4-L].
So, working with the archive means a constant exposure to germs, mold, dust and mites and to protect yourself you have to wear a mask and surgical gloves--the researchers and the addressers
have to wear them also. | <urn:uuid:49c55701-4f24-44d5-9b28-90bd726d1046> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | https://www.freethesaurus.com/addresser | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187826840.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20171023221059-20171024001059-00504.warc.gz | en | 0.940084 | 632 | 2.71875 | 3 |
New English Dictionary.
Why Is It Called “Rock n’ Roll”?Is “Rocket ‘88” by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats the very first rock and roll record? The question has inspired debate among musicologists for years. Another equally contentious question: Where does the term rock and roll come from? Rock is derived from the Old English roccain, related to the Old Nordic rykkja meaning, “to pull, tear, move.” The earliest recorded use of the term in literature …
Why Are A, E, I, O, U, And Y Called “Vowels”?In elementary school, we all learned the vowels of the English language: A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y. But, what makes a vowel a vowel?
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 | <urn:uuid:11ac7252-270a-4bb7-9320-98b3c6e53829> | CC-MAIN-2019-22 | https://www.dictionary.com/browse/n-e-d- | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-22/segments/1558232258621.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20190526025014-20190526051014-00182.warc.gz | en | 0.920212 | 201 | 3.609375 | 4 |
Stanford scientists are working on a “stem cell treatment” to cure hearing loss due to lost nerves.
The Science Guy at the Houston Chronicle references a Wired News article, that links to the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the San Francisco Gate and an interview with Stefan Heller.
Here’s a slightly better review from Medical News Today.
I believe that reading about the evolution of Heller’s research will give us some indication about future treatments that result from “stem cell treatments.”
Dr. Heller found stem cells in the hearing and balance systems in the ear of humans and mice.
He found that the hearing, inner-ear adult stem cells of mice don’t grow and divide much after birth, but that the balance nerve cells, the vestibular hair cells are “pluripotent” (“can give rise to a variety of cell types in vitro and in vivo, including cells representative of ectodermal, endodermal and mesodermal lineages”) and can be induced to form either the vestibular, balance cells or the hearing sensory cells.
Then, Heller’s team discovered (free abstract, here)that human bone marrow stem cells can become progenitor cells – or the dedicated adult stem cells – that can repair damaged hearing sensory nerve cells.
[Editing note: I had the url of that abstract wrong. Also, I many have the timeline wrong, since a closer look at the abstract shows that it was only published in January, 2007.]
However, Heller and his team ignored the bone marrow cell findings and began focusing on embryonic stem cells. Why would he leave a field of inquiry that would allow each of us to have access to genetically matched cells to repair our own hearing?
Nevertheless, it turns out that the goal is to regenerate the patient’s own stem cells to repair damage where it’s needed in the body, when it’s needed.
From the January 29, 2007 San Francisco Gate article:
On this day he is finally starting his first experiment — growing inner ear cells in a culture dish, to test the new equipment — and already people in the medical school are asking, “When are the first transplantations taking place?” he says. “I’m a little careful of that, because we have to do animals first.”
He wouldn’t be here answering this question at all if he hadn’t found stem cells in the vestibular organ, which controls balance. Both balance and hearing are controlled by hair cells. When the hearing cells are damaged by illness or noise, they die off and don’t come back. A University of Virginia study 15 years ago found that cells in the vestibule have shown a small and limited ability to regenerate. Heller took that further and within these cells was able to isolate stem cells that continuously multiply. In culture dishes, these regenerative balance cells can be engineered to produce hearing cells.
The logical next step would be to transplant these into the auditory canal. “The problem with any surgical approach to the ear is you have the potential of doing more damage than you can do any good,” he says. “So I don’t think this will be successful any time soon.”
That means 10 years and 10,000 mice, maybe more of each. The immediate future is drugs.
They can be tested directly on embryonic inner ear cells to see if any lead to over-production of hair cells. If a drug could be found that stimulates enough productivity within the damaged ear, this drug could be applied to a deaf ear. These can then be tested on animals, starting in a year or so. | <urn:uuid:a91fb371-7d6c-4e59-80d3-622c320db450> | CC-MAIN-2018-43 | https://lifeethics.org/2007/02/22/weve-heard-this-stem-cell-story-before-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-43/segments/1539583512501.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20181020013721-20181020035221-00325.warc.gz | en | 0.953946 | 774 | 2.9375 | 3 |
New Delhi’s “gas chamber” smog is so bad that United Airlines has stopped flying there
In this Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 file photo, a girl begs for alms from a group of people wearing face masks to fight the pollution in New Delhi, India. A thick gray haze has enveloped India’s capital as air pollution hit hazardous levels, prompting local officials to shut down schools.
According to a recent report by the Lancet medical journal on the impact of pollution across the world, one out of every four premature deaths in India in 2015, or some 2.5 million, was attributed to pollution.
In this Friday, Nov. 10, 2017 file photo, the morning sun is enveloped by a blanket of smog on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. A thick gray haze has enveloped India’s capital region as air pollution hit hazardous levels.
As winter approaches, a thick, soupy smog routinely envelops most parts of northern India, caused by dust, the burning of crops, emissions from factories and the burning of coal and piles of garbage as the poor try to keep warm. | <urn:uuid:ddf2604d-6f5c-4a7c-adf1-cf2a9f2a3478> | CC-MAIN-2018-22 | http://www.prime-patriot.com/new-delhis-gas-chamber-smog-is-so-bad-that-united-airlines-has-stopped-flying-there/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-22/segments/1526794864558.8/warc/CC-MAIN-20180521220041-20180522000041-00458.warc.gz | en | 0.918462 | 235 | 2.59375 | 3 |
A Brookings report has found that India no longer has the world’s most poor people. In fact, poverty in India is on the decline.
n 2018, a Brookings report found that India is no longer the country with the most extreme poverty. Nigeria now has the world’s largest population of people in extreme poverty. Consequently, India is sliding down the global poverty ranking.
The report also says that by 2030, Africa will nine-tenths of the world’s poor living on its continent.
What does the report say?
The Brookings report in question is authored by three people: Interim vice president and director of global economy and development, Homi Kharas; COO of World Data Lab, Kristofer Hamel, and research analyst for World Data Lab, Martin Hofer.
The three have based their findings on data collected by the World Poverty Clock, an online ticker tool that displays global poverty and population statistics.
The World Poverty Clock evaluates information from 188 countries and territories to develop its projections on global poverty.
The Brookings report specifically discusses “extreme poverty”, which means a severe lack of access to education, healthcare, electricity, sanitation, and clean water.
People stuck in extreme poverty also suffer gender inequality and fragile government, says the World Bank.
“According to our projections, Nigeria has already overtaken India as the country with the largest number of extreme poor in early 2018, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo could soon take over the number two spot”, said Kharas, Hamel, and Hofer.
While the Nigerian population continues to fall into poverty, Indian demographics are being lifted up.
“By the end of 2018 in Africa as a whole, there will probably be about 3.2 million more people living in extreme poverty than there are today”, estimated this report.
As of 2018, Africa accounted for two-thirds of the world’s “extreme poor”. If this trend persists, by 2030, 14 of the 18 countries on the continent will be home to nine-tenths of the world’s poor.
The report also said that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to achieve the poverty-linked Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) that were internationally agreed upon in 2016. The SDG framework hoped for global poverty will be eradicated by 2030.
However, to meet this target, 35 million people will need to be immediately uplifted from extreme poverty. This means that from needing to lift 1.5 persons out of poverty every second, the world needs to alleviate poverty for 1.6 people per second.
“At the same time, because so many countries are falling behind, the actual pace of poverty reduction is starting to slow down. Our projections show that by 2020, the pace could fall to 0.9 people per second, and to 0.5 people per second by 2022”, said the report.
Conflicting estimates, but India improves
While the Indian government officially reports that poverty in India is improving, different committees have found conflicting data.
In 2014, the Rangarajan Committee redefined the poverty line from the Tendulkar Committee’s previously recommended Rs. 27 in rural areas and Rs. 33 in urban areas to Rs. 32 and Rs. 47 respectively.
The Rangarajan Committee’s poverty line increases the number of poor people in India to 260.5 million from the Tendulkar committee’s number of 216.5 million.
The Rangarajan Committee found that India has 19% more poor people in rural areas and 41% more in urban areas than previously estimated.
However, the Planning Commission decided to stick with the Tendulkar method while reporting the 2011-12 statistics on poverty.
In 2012, the BBC found that India’s embracing of welfare schemes was helping reduce national poverty, especially in rural areas.
The Planning Commission said that the main reason for India’s decline in poverty was that the government was spending more on rural welfare programmes.
“This is not surprising. Such an outcome is on expected lines as this is the period when the government increased the expenditure on flagship programmes substantially”, said Planning Commission member Mihir Shah.
Rhea Arora is a Staff Writer at Qrius. | <urn:uuid:6aa56274-afa7-488f-b32b-261270ee0d93> | CC-MAIN-2021-31 | https://orbtimes.com/nigeria-surpass-india-in-poverty-the-fight-between-two-countries-going-on/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-31/segments/1627046152144.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20210726152107-20210726182107-00188.warc.gz | en | 0.941246 | 895 | 3.296875 | 3 |
“Solutions exist for many of the problems we face – it’s about the political courage and long-term vision to implement them,” says CEO Peder Holk Nielsen, who is leading Novozymes’ delegation at COP21, in Paris.
“We urgently need a meaningful cost on carbon emissions, designed to effectively alter our behavior, guide our decisions and incentivize solutions.”
Driving down emissions in the transport sector
One of the areas with much room for improvement is the transport sector. There are one billion cars on the planet today and transport accounts for 25% of energy-related CO2 equivalent. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be almost three billion cars on the roads.
Biofuel is the only existing liquid alternative to fossil fuels available at scale today, and holds the potential to provide 30% of all transportation fuels by 2050 – with cellulosic biofuels from waste and agricultural residues reducing emissions by 80-90% compared to gasoline.
“Stable, long-term policies such as biofuel blending mandates are critical to the successful deployment of these low-carbon fuel technologies that should be a core component of each country’s climate strategy,” says Peder Holk Nielsen. “It is critical to reduce emissions significantly within this sector to remain below the 2°C global temperature rise.”
Establishing a level playing field for low-carbon technologies
According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), fossil fuels benefit from global subsidies of some $436bn every year. Ending these inefficient subsidies is an obvious step to cut global carbon emissions. Along with carbon pricing mechanisms, this will enable the global economy to move towards a level playing field on energy costs by internalizing part of the external costs of using energy. This can help diversify energy sources and ensure that low-carbon technologies are properly valued.
“Phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and pricing CO2 emissions will show the true cost of climate change and create a level playing field for renewable alternatives,” says Peder Holk Nielsen.
Last year, Novozymes’ biological solutions – notably in industrial processes such as agriculture, bioenergy and consumer products such as detergents – helped reduce its customers’ emissions by 60 million tons of CO2. That is equivalent to taking 25 million cars off the road. By 2020, Novozymes is committed to save the world 100 million tons of CO2 a year through customers applying its products, while also reaching six billion people with biological products. Novozymes has also promised to deliver 10 transformative innovations that really change the lives of many people and fulfill ambitious sustainability goals.
For further information, please contact:
Frederik Bjørndal: TFBH@novozymes.com | <urn:uuid:1fe8076d-af91-48d1-b762-37bac203c792> | CC-MAIN-2020-34 | https://www.novozymes.com/en/news/news-archive/2015/12/climate-change-solutions-exist-lets-use-them | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-34/segments/1596439739182.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20200814070558-20200814100558-00522.warc.gz | en | 0.928287 | 578 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Eucalyptus trees are planted all over the world, although they are native to Australia. They are not exactly cold-hardy, only surviving in USDA zones six through 11. Eucalyptus trees are a lovely yard tree, with their tall trunks and mass of silvery leaves that make a statement wherever they are planted. Pruning a eucalyptus tree is easy, as they only need to be pruned while they are between two and six years old. If you know how to prune a eucalyptus tree properly, you will be able to take care of it for years to come.
Prune eucalyptus trees in the summer. Pruning in the spring and fall is too cool for the eucalyptus trees.
Prune eucalyptus trees every year while the tree is between ages of two and six. Eucalyptus trees older than six years do not need to be pruned except to remove dead or damaged foliage. Pruning an older eucalyptus tree may cause its structure to weaken. Pruning while young should improve the structure of the eucalyptus tree so it can be left alone to grow.
Remove all dead or damaged branches at the base of the eucalyptus tree.
Cut back any overreaching branches on the eucalyptus tree. Cut them back to within the reach of other branches. If the branch splits in two making a 'y,' cut right before the branch splits.
Prune off any water sprouts at the base of the eucalyptus tree. Do not remove more than 20 to 30 percent of the growth on your eucalyptus trees each time you prune it.
Brush pruning seal over all the cuts you make on your eucalyptus tree. This prevents the branch from getting infected, but it also encourages sprouts to grow out of the side of the branch. Prune these each year until the tree is mature enough to need little pruning. | <urn:uuid:e3ba7286-b5b2-4d93-bf0b-c954481b19b7> | CC-MAIN-2017-43 | http://www.gardenguides.com/75781-prune-eucalyptus-trees.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-43/segments/1508187824325.29/warc/CC-MAIN-20171020192317-20171020212317-00258.warc.gz | en | 0.911889 | 424 | 3.125 | 3 |
One of the important and fundamental topics in deep learning technology!!!
Before moving to tensor let us see what Deep Learning is?
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning. It is a field that is based on learning and improving on its own by examining computer algorithms. While machine learning uses simpler concepts, deep learning works with artificial neural networks, which are designed to imitate how humans think and learn. We all know TensorFlow and PyTorch libraries are deep learning frameworks.
Tensors are the data structure used by machine learning systems, and getting to know them is an essential…
In this modern world, I presume that most of us are conversant with new loads of industries that use computer vision applications. In particular, a CCTV surveillance camera and video analysis, which are contributing towards a major role in computer vision technology.
For instance, when we analyze a CCTV camera, as a first step, we should read RTSP URL using OpenCV, then we should store it somewhere in the cloud to analyze it further.
But the problem is, when we upload the frames one after the other into the cloud, it will take some time to upload, won’t it?
Before playing with the code, let us see the libraries that need to be installed on your Ubuntu machine.
Below are the three python files that are just enough to achieve this!!!
The above image showed the input (left) and output (right). Let’s see how to auto rotate the image without manual rotation. These days, computer vision has evolved so much all over the world. I just played and implemented a small technique to auto rotate images using computer vision.
Steps to auto rotate the images:
Before going to implement this technique we will see what are…
Why do You want to become a data scientist?
Why? Why? This is a very important question to ask yourself before changing the direction of your career. Answer to that will lead you to your destination. How? Let us assume, you are a software developer having a well-established experience. Why then? Some developers are thinking if they are good at data science, they can make more money being a data scientist than a software developer. And they do have an assumption of getting placed into a new role since many companies are hiring for data scientists. …
These days, many people implement computer vision applications. Do you think is it very difficult to learn and implement? my answer is NO because nowadays a lot of libraries available to implement such a powerful computer vision application. Recently have you watched the TensorFlow summit 2020? This year TensorFlow team announced a lot of cool things for us. Here we are going to see how we can implement computer vision applications using tensorflow.js models!!
Before reading this blog, Please Check out my previous Part I blog because this blog continues from part 1.
As you see above image, Take a look at the tenant table which is the parent table for all the tables. The tenant table is playing a very important role in the multitenant applications.
Step 1:- Create a tenant Model in models.py file
tenant = models.ForeignKey(Tenant, on_delete=models.CASCADE) class Meta:
abstract = True
Step 2:- Now, we have to inherit TenantModel to add tenant_id in child tables. …
Linear regression is the first step to learn the concept of machine learning. When you start to say that you are going to learn machine learning; Firstly, we will think that we should have a confident base in mathematics and basic equation. Do not worry I will guide you to learn the linear regression algorithm at a very basic step. Let’s start the learning part. Going further, since it is a beginner level we will not dive-in into linear regression mathematical formula.
Multi-tenancy is an architecture in which a single instance of a software application serves multiple customers. Each customer is called a tenant.
Types of Multi-tenancy Models:-
1. Instance Replication Model:- The system spins a new instance for every tenant. This is easier to start, but hard to scale. It becomes a nightmare when 100s of tenants signup.
2. Data Segregation Model:- There are two types of approach in a data segregation model. The first approach is a separate Database for each tenant and the second one is a single database for all tenant.
Part 1, Let us see how we…
I will walk through my experience of speech technology. Everybody thinks the speech is just sound. NO, it’s not!! In the software world, speech is our data. HOW??
Right now, The world is growing fast with a technology called artificial intelligence and machine learning. Speech technology is growing one of a big part in machine learning and Artifical intelligence world. How?? The only thing is the DATA. So, How to get the data?? We can get the data in many ways(Social media, e-commerce ) But here we are getting data from speech!!!
We have a lot of open source repository… | <urn:uuid:df9842ff-5089-4867-ab06-25e3fa164e11> | CC-MAIN-2021-10 | https://balavenkatesh.medium.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-10/segments/1614178362481.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20210301090526-20210301120526-00048.warc.gz | en | 0.924261 | 1,049 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Tinnitus Is Common:
Sound in your ears that is not present in the environment is known as TINNITUS. Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from tinnitus or head noises. Tinnitus is often described as “ringing in the ears” but can include virtually any type of sound including whooshing, hissing, whistling, clicking and buzzing, just to name a few. It may be an intermittent sound or an annoying continuous sound in one or both ears. The pitch can go from a low roar to a high squeal or whine. People with severe tinnitus may have trouble hearing, working, concentrating or even sleeping.
Tinnitus Is Not A Disease.
It is a condition in which a person’s brain perceives sound that is not actually present in the environment and can result from a wide range of underlying causes. Causes of tinnitus may include hearing loss, exposure to loud noises, exposure to medicines you may be taking for a different problem, neurological damage, or even stress. Tinnitus may also be a symptom of other health problems, such as allergies, high or low blood pressure, tumors, or problems in the heart, blood vessels, jaw or neck.
Treatment Depends On The Cause.
Prior to any treatment, it is important to undergo a thorough examination and evaluation by your Otolaryngologist and an Audiologist that specializes in the treatment of Tinnitus. Typical treatments in the past included traditional hearing aids, sound-masking devices, medicines and counseling in ways to learn how to cope with the noise. Unfortunately, most of these have proven to be ineffective in reducing or relieving bothersome symptoms of tinnitus over time.
Fortunately, Several New And Effective Treatments Are Available Today!
The Audiologists at Best Hearing San Diego are certified to provide a wide range of new treatments for tinnitus, such as, Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, CR Neuromodulation, and Hearing aids with integrated tinnitus treatment programs. We have been helping patients find relief from their tinnitus for more than 20 years. We are always on the lookout for new methods and technological advances in a continual effort to offer state-of-the art therapies to our patients.
We know that frequently tinnitus patients have been told that they
“just have to live with it” or “nothing can be done.”
We want you to know this is no longer the case. More often than not, tinnitus can be treated and its symptoms improved.
Take The First Step And Call Us Today.
To schedule a tinnitus consultation with our audiologist. An audiologist’s evaluation of your tinnitus is necessary to determine if you are a candidate for Tinnitus Treatment and what type of therapy is best suited to your tinnitus (in some cases a medically treatable condition may exist and further evaluation from an ENT may be recommended). Best Hearing San Diego’s Tinnitus Treatment Program provides a diagnostic audiometric evaluation and treatment of an individual’s tinnitus (or hyperacusis) *for more info regarding tinnitus treatment see “Tinnitus Treatment Program” | <urn:uuid:6c47ea9d-4892-47ac-a471-78d7a2b63ba2> | CC-MAIN-2020-16 | https://besthearingsandiego.com/tinnitus/tinnitus-101/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-16/segments/1585370510846.12/warc/CC-MAIN-20200403092656-20200403122656-00111.warc.gz | en | 0.930099 | 666 | 3 | 3 |
The George Washington Bridge connects Manhattan with New Jersey over the Hudson River. Once the world’s longest suspension bridges, it is one of New York’s most famous and undoubtedly most impressive bridges.
New York boomed during the 1920s and its population doubled between 1900 and 1930 to seven million. Car ownership increased exponentially and by 1930 New York was the most congested city in America and its streets were constantly clogged up. To relieve congestion, plans were drawn up to build new highways, tunnels and bridges.
The construction of the George Washington Bridge, which started in 1931, was one of these large infrastructure projects aimed to relieve congestion in New York City. The bridge’s location was carefully chosen between a bluff in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood and Fort Lee in New Jersey across the Hudson River. The steep riverbanks allowed for shorter ramps and lowered its overall construction costs.
The engineer chosen for the design of the bridge was Othmar Hermann Ammann, a Swiss immigrant who had moved to the US in 1904. He was assisted by Cass Gilbert, the architect best known for his Woolworth Building. Construction of the George Washington Bridge started in 1927 and the bridge opened to traffic in 1931.
The World’s Longest
The George Washington Bridge was an engineering marvel of its time and its fame stems from the major leap forward it represented. With a span of 1067 meters or 3501 feet the bridge was almost twice as long as the world’s then-longest bridge, the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit.
The George Washington Bridge would hold the title of longest suspension bridge until 1937, when it was surpassed by the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Today the bridge isn’t even the longest bridge in New York (that title goes to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge), but it remains a favorite of architecture enthusiasts and is only surpassed in fame by the inevitable Brooklyn Bridge.
The iconic towers of the George Washington Bridge rise 604 feet (184 meters) above the water. Cass Gilbert wanted to clad the towers in granite and create observatories in the towers, but due to budget constraints this was never realized. Instead, the steel framework is visible – and that is part of the bridge’s appeal. Designed like monumental arches they are truly impressive, especially when approaching the bridge to cross the river.
The bridge initially had six lanes for car traffic, later expanded to eight. A lower deck was added in 1962 – following original plans by Ammann, bringing the total number of lanes to fourteen.
Little Red Lighthouse
Near the east tower of the George Washington Bridge stands a small picturesque lighthouse known as the Little Red Lighthouse. Officially known as Jeffrey Hook’s Lighthouse, it was originally located in New Jersey and moved to this spot in 1921.
The lighthouse was made famous by a children’s book published in 1942: ‘The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge’, written by Hildegarde Swift. | <urn:uuid:524a31ac-a9b4-4fa8-a6de-7c050762ea20> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://aviewoncities.com/new-york/george-washington-bridge | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446711150.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20221207053157-20221207083157-00877.warc.gz | en | 0.969605 | 623 | 3.546875 | 4 |
(PRWEB) February 13, 2013
A team of eleven scientists with expertise in genetics, forensics, pathology, biochemistry, and biophysics has sequenced three whole nuclear genomes from a novel, contemporary species of hominin in North America. The study, “Novel North American Hominins, Next Generation Sequencing of Three Whole Genomes and Associated Studies,” which analyzed DNA from a total of 111 high-quality samples submitted from across the continent, appears in the inaugural issue of Denovo: Journal of Science (http://www.denovojournal.com) on February 13.
The team, led by Dr. Melba S. Ketchum, DVM, of DNA Diagnostics in Nacogdoches, TX, sequenced the three whole nuclear genomes using the next-generation Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform at University of Texas, Southwestern from a tissue sample, a saliva sample, and a blood sample. The three genomes all attained Q30 quality scores above 88 on the Illumina platform, significantly higher than the platform average of 85, indicating highly-purified, single-source DNA with no contamination for each sample. The three Sasquatch genomes align well with one-another and show substantial homology to primate sequences.
In addition to the three nuclear genomes, Ketchum’s team also sequenced 20 whole and 10 partial mitochondrial genomes from the Sasquatch samples. In contrast to the nuDNA results, the Sasquatch mtDNA was fully modern Homo sapiens, indicating that the species is a hybrid cross between modern Homo sapiens in the maternal lineage and an unknown hominin male progenitor.
“Novel North American Hominins, Next Generation Sequencing of Three Whole Genomes and Associated Studies.”
Authors: Ketchum MS, Wojtkiewicz PW, Watts AB, Spence DW, Holzenburg AK, Toler DG, Prychitko TM, Zhang F, Bollinger S, Shoulders R, Smith R.
DeNovo. 13 February 2013.
Specimens yielding DNA were obtained, purportedly from elusive hominins in North America called Sasquatch. Sequencing and genotyping were performed in addition to histopathologic and electron microscopic examination of a large tissue sample.
Mitochondrial whole genomes were consistent with modern humans. In contrast, novel data were obtained when nuclear DNA was sequenced. Next generation whole genome sequencing was performed on three samples. Phylogeny trees generated showed homology to human chromosome 11 and to primate sequences. The data indicates that the Sasquatch has human mitochondrial DNA but possesses nuclear DNA that is a structural mosaic consisting of human and novel non-human DNA.
Correspondence should be directed to M.S. Ketchum (email@example.com).
Reporters may log-in to the Press Room at http://www.denovojournal.com to view the embargoed manuscript. | <urn:uuid:22374a4e-ea13-46cd-90e0-c9144048b6ea> | CC-MAIN-2017-30 | http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2013/2/prweb10427105.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-30/segments/1500549427750.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170727082427-20170727102427-00342.warc.gz | en | 0.918451 | 622 | 2.515625 | 3 |
maintenance, care, compatibility
What are the requirements for the LEDs in the aquarium?
If you plan to cover only the fish and the underwater landscape, there are no special requirements for lighting, as long as the owner likes it. It is more difficult if there are or are planted live plants in the aquarium.
Then, in contrast to fluorescent lamps, to calculate the required number of LEDs in an aquarium, they operate not with watts – indicators of power, but with lumens – with units of luminous flux.
Unpretentious aquarium plants for well-being requires an illumination of 20-40 lumens per liter, more demanding – 40-60 lumens.
The color temperature of lamps designed to illuminate aquarium plants ranges from 5500 Kelvin (usually 6000-8000 K). Above 6000 K, the light is more saturated with blue hues, below 4000 K – red.
As a rule, white LEDs are used in aquariums (in variations of daylight, warm white or cool white), sometimes with a slight addition of red and blue.
Green light is not used because it is not needed for plants.
The parameters of the power of the light flux and color temperature are indicated in the characteristics of LED lamps, based on them and the selection of the lamp for the aquarium.
Of course, the quality of LEDs is also important. Cheap Chinese are very short-lived and have little penetrating ability, that is, they will not be able to enlighten the water column.
The best are LEDs brands Osram and Cree.
What types of aquarium LED lights are available?
Trying to provide comfortable conditions for the inhabitants of domestic aquariums, we, willy-nilly, strive to reproduce in it the conditions that are characteristic of the natural habitat as accurately as possible. One of the most difficult tasks in this regard is to provide a normal light mode.
It would seem, what is simpler: he took the light bulb, hung it near the aquarium and – let there be light! But no.
You see, a week later, either the water began to bloom, or the walls were covered with algae, or the plants that looked handsome from their former owner, suddenly took on a very deplorable appearance. So something is wrong.
You need to buy specialized lamps for the aquarium, giving increased radiation in the blue and red parts of the spectrum. As an example, we give Osram-fluora and Sylvania Gro-Lux. Sometimes, in order to get well developed plants and beautiful looking fish, it is necessary to combine different types of lamps.
That would not mess with the inclusion of lighting in the aquarium manually. You can instruct this automation.
The photo sensor in the room will monitor the general level of illumination and in summer, when there is enough light, turn off the backlight. A daily timer completely de-energize the lamp for the aquarium at night.
LIGHTING FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS
LED lighting type more and more enters aquarism, which is greatly contributed by changing the LED market.
Light Emitting Diodes (LED))
Light Emitting Diodes (LED)) become brighter, consume less electricity and have an increasing radiation spectrum …
LED lighting for aquarium appeared about 10 years ago, abroad. We, in Russia, still prefer traditional lamp lighting.
A couple of years ago, several companies producing aquarium equipment, decided to produce and equipment based on LEDs. The idea was to replace the traditional aquarium metal halide lamps on the market with more economical and durable LED arrays.
Red radiation in combination with Orange (Orange) is the main form of energy for photosynthesis of aquarium plants. This light enhances the formation of carbohydrates during photosynthesis, as it is extremely well absorbed by chlorophyll.
The zone of these radiations is one of the most important for all physiological actions in plants.
Radiation purple and blue (Blue) LEDs are needed to suspend the growth of stems, leaf stalks, plant plates. That is, this light makes your plants more compact, this in turn allows you to improve absorption. Such rays stimulate the formation of proteins and organic synthesis in aquarium plants.
The blue and violet part of the spectrum is almost completely absorbed by chlorophyll, which in turn creates excellent conditions for maximum photosynthesis intensity.
Green (Green) LED You may need to, if you need to give your aquarium plants a pronounced green color. Since its radiation actually passes through the leaf blades without being absorbed by it.
The latter under their action become very thin, and the axial organs of plants stretch. The level of photosynthesis in this case is very low.
Yellow LED creates a glow as close as possible to natural lighting. Yellow radiation, unlike warm white, does not reflect from the surface of the water and its light penetrates deep into the aquarium, allowing you to create an effective lighting as close to natural light as possible The intensity and type of lamps affects the health, color, photosynthesis and reproduction of aquarium inhabitants. Pick up the light with all the preferences of the fish and their natural habitat.
Many tropical species are not familiar with bright light even on hot sunny days, so an excess of light can cause them stress and deterioration in their well-being. Some organisms need powerful rays of light, as a rule, they are inhabitants of shallow tropical rivers, where the water is clear and the sun sends out rays within 12 hours.
Coral reefs in wildlife have settled in shallow bodies of water, so they also need to ensure good and bright lighting. UV radiation is very important for corals, the rays pass into the depths of the water, where corals and invertebrates are already waiting for their arrival, since ultraviolet light activates the process of photosynthesis.
LIGHTING FOR AQUARIUM PLANTS
LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting is an excellent option for a saltwater or freshwater aquarium. LED lamps do not consume much electricity. Differ in long and rather easy operation.
These features allow you to reduce operating costs for a long time. Environmentally friendly LED lighting does not contain harmful chemicals such as mercury or phosphorus, unlike fluorescent lamps.
You have the opportunity to install LED lighting aquarium with your own hands, if you use the instructions.
How to install LED aquarium lighting by yourself
The wide range allows you to count on the beauty of perception
How much LED light per liter is required?
What are the advantages of LED lights for the aquarium?
In the aquarium, you can organize a full lighting, ensuring no need to use generators and sophisticated equipment. This option is also suitable for plants and fish.
A capacity of 120 V is recommended for 200–300 liters if you grow a large number of plants. It is assumed to use 40 point LED lamps with 270 lumens of three watts each. The overall figure will be 10,800 lumens, with optimal brightness guaranteed.
It is necessary to note the need to monitor the balance of the ecosystem, as in some cases it is recommended to reduce the overall intensity.
The cost of such equipment for the aquarium can be significantly different, but in any case, high-quality products can be found. What is required for self-assembly activities?
- A set of LED lamps.
- Two to two and a half meters of plastic gutter width of 100 millimeters.
- Power supply at twelve volts.
- Soft wire 1.5 millimeters.
- Six computer coolers at 12 volts.
- Forty sockets for LED light bulbs.
- Milling cutter for machining holes of 48 millimeters.
It should be noted that you will need to cut two pieces of tape gutter along the length of the aquarium, and it is recommended to make holes in the bottom (optimally – 20 pieces per meter with a staggered arrangement). LED bulbs need to be inserted into the holes and securely fastened, then connect to the power supply unit at 12 volts in compliance with the wiring diagram.
For an aquarium, LED tapes can be successfully used, because they guarantee the successful growth of plants and the development of fish. An independent event is more than possible.
DIY Aquarium Lighting, LED Lights in Aquarium
What do you need to create lighting in the aquarium with your own hands and how much will it cost?
First, you need skillful hands, without them in any way))) As well as tools, preferably: drill, electric jigsaw, Bulgarian, other small tools (screwdrivers, keys, pliers, etc.). If you do not have a jigsaw or grinder, do not despair.
You just have to do everything “manually”, for example, with a hacksaw or sawing.
I am “modernsirval” aquarium cover TM “Nature” (plastic, with two integrated LL T8, ballast and starters), like this: Acquired two CD prozhetora 30W, TM “Feron” model LL 730. Features: daylight 6500K, 2850 lumen (by the way, 2 SD * 2850Lm = 5700Lm / 110l.vody = 51.8lm / l).
Acquired Aquaelev electronic starter for LL T5. Such a choice was made in order to minimize the “stuffing” of the aquarium cover, the place under which is worth its weight in gold.
Acquired previously voiced T5 lamp JBL Solar Ultra Color T5, 28 W, 60 cm. + reflector.
Socket – voltage relay. It is necessary for safety and the prevention of power surges.
In such an outlet, voltage limits are set, after which the equipment is de-energized. Sockets timers (2 pcs.). Required for automatic on / off lighting.
It makes life easier and clearly controls the time of the filing of a particular lighting. Electronic sockets-timers were purchased for lighting, since, unlike mechanical ones, they do not go astray.
For example, when the network is de-energized, they “remember everything” and after the resumption of power supply, they work according to a predetermined schedule. To install coolers (fans), you will need: 2-a computer cooler for 12W and a voltage adapter, respectively, 12W. I purchased an adapter with a switch W from 0 to 12 W, it is convenient to reduce or increase the speed of rotation of the coolers and, accordingly, the degree of cooling.
And also to reduce noise, if necessary.
You will also need: Silicone (building and aquarium), fasteners (bolts, nuts, screws), tie-holders for spotlights (preferably aluminum, so as not to rust), wires (strong and three-core), are needed to connect spotlights, coolers, plugs under spotlights with ground connection.
The process of assembling aquarium lighting The process of assembling and installing aquarium lighting with their own hands is different for everyone, since everyone has different covers. I will describe my process.
1. First, connect the power cord and plug to the spotlights. From the spotlight comes a three-core wire (with ground), respectively, you need to attach to it the same wire.
Do not listen to smart sellers in building supermarkets. When I bought the wire I was told, they say: “What are you. / censorship /, ground lights.
In general, believe only in yourself and reliable information, and not “woe to the specialists”, who probably understand only cheap vodka.
Photo can be increased paint
2. Next, remove all the “old insides” cover.
3. Make the layout and cut out the holes for the spotlight. This manipulation must be done very carefully, so that the illumination of the spotlights will be uniform – throughout the aquarium.
4. Install the spotlights and fix them with a tie and fasteners.
5. All silicone and seal. Remove special attention to metal parts (if used), make good silicone so that rust does not get into the aquarium.
6. After checking the performance and proceed to the installation of coolers.
7. Making holes for coolers in opposite sides of the cover.
8. Mount the cooler. One cooler is placed on blowing, the other on blowing.
9. Connect the cooler to the adapter, check the performance.
10. After all the wires stretch around the perimeter of the cover and fasten with silicone.
11. Install T5 and Aquaelev electronic starter in the last turn, based on the availability of free space under the cover. SD and LL should not overlap.
It looks like the electrical connection under the aquarium
How much is it? Cover – in stock.
Searchlight (30W) – 2800 rubles. * 2 = 5600 rubles.
Aquaelev electronic starter – 1200 rubles.
T5 JBL Solar Ultra Color T5, 28 W, 60 cm. – 750 rubles.
Reflector – I used homemade, because Standard not intermeddle.
Relay socket – 400 rubles.
Socket timer – 350 rubles * 2 = 700 rubles.
Extension cable with off buttons = 400 rubles.
Power adapter 12W – 210 rubles.
Fasteners, wires, plugs, silicone, screed, and other trifles – 500 rubles. (about).
TOTAL: 9760 rubles. ($ 275)
Is it worth bothering? What is the effect?
Definitely worth it. The price of the issue is not so global, and the effect is stunning.
My plants immediately bubbled up even without T5, with the T5 after two hours of intense lighting, an “oxygen blizzard” begins. And this is a clear sign – effective and high-quality lighting. The plants themselves grow like weeds in the garden.
And the aquarium sparked and transformed beyond recognition.
Here are the primary photos of the aquarium and plants with bubbles | <urn:uuid:4a322cea-3ae1-4da1-8121-087cecb69ddd> | CC-MAIN-2020-05 | https://beauty-x.us.org/aquarium/aquarium-leds | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-05/segments/1579250594333.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20200119064802-20200119092802-00106.warc.gz | en | 0.925685 | 2,914 | 2.734375 | 3 |
1. Enoch strikes Alix as an outlandish savage when he first enters the story. “Mounted on a monstrous plodding white mule, he looked to be a bull more than a man--a huge menacing form emitting deafening shrieks... ” What do you think of Enoch? How does Kaufman use Enoch’s sense of humor as a device to develop his character? Why does he immediately commit to protecting Alix as they begin their journey? Is it his kind heart or his keen opportunism at work?
2. Young Alix’s initiation into the world of sex is the brutal rape and murder of her friend and milk-sister, Maisry. She then goes on to witness bawdy whorehouses, desperately unhappy but necessary royal couplings, Enoch’s casual sexual dalliances, the licentious attentions of her pedophile king, and Queen Eleanor’s “Rules” governing ecstatic, adulterous love. Combined with memories of her own parents’ happy marriage, these contradictory messages about sex leave Alix totally confused. Does she ever sort it all out?
3. In the first seventy pages of the novel, Alix lies to Dame Margery about why Maisry died, lies to her father about how her mother died, and lies to Enoch about splitting Wanthwaite with him. Are these lies justified, or does Alix have a problem dealing with the truth? Do her lies ever cause real trouble? Her adventure comes full circle when she lies about being raped by Lord Roland, thereby causing his death and avenging her mother and Maisry. Could she have cornered him any other way? Do you think she does the right thing?
4. What guidance does Alix’s mother provide her from beyond the grave? Is it useful?
5. In Paris, Enoch and Alix study law with the famous Master Malcolm. What does Alix learn during his lectures that she uses later? Why does Enoch insist that they take the time to study despite their rush toward the king?
6. What does Zizka want with Alix? Why is she perfect for the job at hand? What advice does Zizka give Alix before her private audience with the king? Does she heed it? Is she correct in her hunch that Zizka feels guilty about something?
7. What does Alix learn about love, politics, and women’s rights from Princess Alais of France? What is the significance of Alais’s comment, “’Tis a glorious occasion,” as she watches Richard’s entry into Paris? Why does Alix repeat the same comment as she attends Richard’s wedding to Berengaria more than a year later?
8. Despite her naivet? and lack of experience, Alix is a solid judge of character. She can see Richard’s duplicities, his cruelties as a ruler, and his weaknesses as a man. Why does she still fall for him?
9. What grave mistake does Alix make when she begs Richard for a writ naming her the sole heir to Wanthwaite? What advantage would she have gained had she presented Enoch to Richard as her older brother? Is it greed or ignorance that guides her? Does Richard have any intention of bestowing Wanthwaite on her when her tenure as a page is over?
10. When Wanthwaite is sacked by Osbert, Lord of Northumberland, why does Alix’s father insist that she go to King Henry for help, rather than to the local Assize court for intervention? What makes him think Henry will care? What law has Osbert broken?
11. From the very opening of the story, when Alix convinces Maisry that they “deserve” a forbidden outing despite the danger, we see Alix’s sense of self-importance and entitlement. Does she grow out of her self-absorption?
12. A very fine line separates Alix’s hatred for Enoch, and her adoration of him. She manages to blame him for nearly every misadventure in the novel, yet she can’t function without him. Do you think she is too hard on him? Does he love her all along, or does his love blossom after he realizes she’s a girl?
13. Richard is a master of transformation, shifting from ruthless warrior to gracious host to lovesick boy, and back again, in the blink of an eye. Who is the real Richard–arrogant, power-mad despot? Or tragic, guilt-ridden monarch with bad luck? Do you find his feelings for Alix distasteful? In what ways can you identify with him?
14. Alix’s convoluted journey is one long attempt to regain her own home, and could be read as a metaphor for her search to know and understand herself. Because she leaves all semblance of a normal life while still a child and grows up in disguise, she has no chance to grow into her own identity. Discuss her revelation before her wedding day: “Poor Enoch, mourning the loss of Alex. Poor Alix, competing with the Alex who’d never been, first with Richard, now with the Scot.”
15. When Enoch rescues Richard and Alix during a skirmish with peasants, the king is enraged to discover that Enoch has been keeping guard over Alix even while she’s in the king’s company. The two men nearly come to blows. What is this fight really about? Is Richard’s pride wounded because he’s unable to defend himself in battle, or is he angry at Enoch’s disobedience, or is this an expression of jealousy over Alix?
16. Where does Kaufman use humor about Medieval medicine and religion to embellish her story?
PRAISE FOR SHIELD OF THREE LIONS
“Magically captivating...both hilarious and touching...absolutely splendid.”
“A rollicking, bawdy, glorious work.”–Publishers Weekly
“Richly rewarding...superbly written...stunning...astute...the richness of the characters, the historical details, and the story as a whole make this novel a memorable reading experience.”–Chicago Sun-Times
“Fast-paced, energetic and amusing...Shield of Three Lions is sheer delight.”
–Detroit Free Press | <urn:uuid:36528e82-f027-4bc7-9a08-44567640e38d> | CC-MAIN-2015-11 | https://www.randomhouse.com/book/90426/shield-of-three-lions-by-pamela-kaufman/9780609809464/?view=reader'sguide | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-11/segments/1424936468546.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20150226074108-00113-ip-10-28-5-156.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964679 | 1,365 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Destinationdes•ti•na•tion (des′tə nā′shən),USA pronunciation n.
- the place to which a person or thing travels or is sent: Her destination was Rome.
- the purpose for which something is destined.
the numerals in the ancient Roman system of notation, still used for certain limited purposes, as in some pagination, dates on buildings, etc. The common basic symbols are I (=1), V (=5), X (=10), L (=50), C (=100), D (=500), and M (=1000). The Roman numerals for one to nine are: I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX. A bar over a letter multiplies it by 1000;
thus, X̄ equals 10,000. Integers are written according to these two rules: If a letter is immediately followed by one of equal or lesser value, the two values are added;
thus, XX equals 20, XV equals 15, VI equals 6. If a letter is immediately followed by one of greater value, the first is subtracted from the second;
thus, IV equals 4, XL equals 40, CM equals 900. Examples: XLVII(=47), CXVI(=116), MCXX(=1120), MCMXIV(=1914). Roman numerals may be written in lowercase letters, though they appear more commonly in capitals.
Dodo1 (do̅o̅;[unstressed]dŏŏ, də),USA pronunciation v. and auxiliary v., pres. sing. 1st pers. do, 2nd do or ([Archaic]) do•est or dost, 3rd does or ([Archaic]) do•eth or doth, pres. pl. do* past sing. 1st pers. did, 2nd did or ([Archaic]) didst, 3rd did, past pl. did;
past part. done;
pres. part. do•ing;
n., pl. dos, do's.
- to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.): Do nothing until you hear the bell.
- to execute (a piece or amount of work): to do a hauling job.
- to accomplish;
complete: He has already done his homework.
- to put forth;
exert: Do your best.
- to be the cause of (good, harm, credit, etc.);
- to render, give, or pay (homage, justice, etc.).
- to deal with, fix, clean, arrange, move, etc., (anything) as the case may require: to do the dishes.
- to travel;
traverse: We did 30 miles today.
- to serve;
suffice for: This will do us for the present.
- to condone or approve, as by custom or practice: That sort of thing simply isn't done.
- to travel at the rate of (a specified speed): He was doing 80 when they arrested him.
- to make or prepare: I'll do the salad.
- to serve (a term of time) in prison, or, sometimes, in office.
- to create, form, or bring into being: She does wonderful oil portraits.
- to translate into or change the form or language of: MGM did the book into a movie.
- to study or work at or in the field of: I have to do my math tonight.
- to explore or travel through as a sightseer: They did Greece in three weeks.
- (used with a pronoun, as it or that, or with a general noun, as thing, that refers to a previously mentioned action): You were supposed to write thank-you letters; do it before tomorrow, please.
- to wear out;
tire: That last set of tennis did me.
- to cheat, trick, or take advantage of: That crooked dealer did him for $500 at poker.
- to attend or participate in: Let's do lunch next week.
- to use (a drug or drugs), esp. habitually: The police report said he was doing cocaine.
- to act or conduct oneself;
be in action;
- to rob;
steal from: The law got him for doing a lot of banks.
- to proceed: to do wisely.
- to get along;
manage: to do without an automobile.
- to be in health, as specified: Mother and child are doing fine.
- to serve or be satisfactory, as for the purpose;
suffice: Will this do?
- to finish or be finished.
- to happen;
transpire: What's doing at the office?
- (used as a substitute to avoid repetition of a verb or full verb expression): I think as you do.
- (used in interrogative, negative, and inverted constructions): Do you like music? I don't care. Seldom do we witness such catastrophes.
- [Archaic.](used in imperatives with you or thou expressed;
and occasionally as a metric filler in verse): Do thou hasten to the king's side. The wind did blow, the rain did fall.
- (used to lend emphasis to a principal verb): Do visit us!
- do a number on (someone). See number (def. 27).
- do away with:
- to put an end to;
- to kill.
- do by, to deal with;
treat: He had always done well by his family.
- do for:
- to cause the defeat, ruin, or death of.
- [Chiefly Brit.]to cook and keep house for;
manage or provide for.
- do in, [Informal.]
- to kill, esp. to murder.
- to injure gravely or exhaust;
ruin: The tropical climate did them in.
- to cheat or swindle: He was done in by an unscrupulous broker.
- do one proud. See proud (def. 11).
- do one's number. See number (def. 28).
- do one's (own ) thing. See thing 1 (def. 17).
- do or die, to make a supreme effort.
- do out of, [Informal.]to swindle;
cheat: A furniture store did me out of several hundred dollars.
- do over, to redecorate.
- do time, [Informal.]to serve a term in prison: It's hard to get a decent job once you've done time.
- do to death. See death (def. 15).
- do up, [Informal.]
- to wrap and tie up.
- to pin up or arrange (the hair).
- to renovate;
- to wear out;
- to fasten: Do up your coat.
- to dress: The children were all done up in funny costumes.
- do with, to gain advantage or benefit from;
make use of: I could do with more leisure time.
- do without:
- to forgo;
- to dispense with the thing mentioned: The store doesn't have any, so you'll have to do without.
- have to do with. See have (def. 36).
- make do, to get along with what is at hand, despite its inadequacy: I can't afford a new coat so I have to make do with this one.
- a burst of frenzied activity;
- a hairdo or hair styling.
- a swindle;
- [Chiefly Brit.]a festive social gathering;
- dos and don'ts, customs, rules, or regulations: The dos and don'ts of polite manners are easy to learn.
Magazinemag•a•zine (mag′ə zēn′, mag′ə zēn′),USA pronunciation n.
mag′a•zin′ish, mag′a•zin′y, adj.
- a publication that is issued periodically, usually bound in a paper cover, and typically contains essays, stories, poems, etc., by many writers, and often photographs and drawings, frequently specializing in a particular subject or area, as hobbies, news, or sports.
- a room or place for keeping gunpowder and other explosives, as in a fort or on a warship.
- a building or place for keeping military stores, as arms, ammunition, or provisions.
- a metal receptacle for a number of cartridges, inserted into certain types of automatic weapons and when empty removed and replaced by a full receptacle in order to continue firing.
- Also called magazine′ show′. [Radio and Television.]
- Also called newsmagazine. a regularly scheduled news program consisting of several short segments in which various subjects of current interest are examined, usually in greater detail than on a regular newscast.
- a program with a varied format that combines interviews, commentary, entertainment, etc.
- See magazine section.
- cartridge (def. 4).
- a supply chamber, as in a stove.
- a storehouse;
- a collection of war munitions.
Howdy peoples, this post is about Destination I Do Magazine (awesome Outdoor Wedding Venues Maine #9). It is a image/jpeg and the resolution of this picture is 780 x 353. This post's file size is only 49 KB. Wether You ought to save It to Your computer, you could Click here. You might too see more attachments by clicking the picture below or see more at this post: Outdoor Wedding Venues Maine.
Besides Outdoor Wedding Venues Maine, making a great wedding decoration is also important. Here are some tips about that.
There are naturally additional tips for Destination I Do Magazine (awesome Outdoor Wedding Venues Maine #9) and you should be ready to include tons more ideas to some I Have proposed below if you employ two electricity sources that I mentioned at the article's beginning. Visit with this website for wedding history and some fantastic device arrangements.
One very large piece otherwise that you may need to consider to your wedding decorations may be the background of the marriage. It was wonderful to place behind the main desk to actually highlight the bride. They luster so excellent to get a disco night and also can shine.
Balloons - device in the centre of the desk will really carry a space and so as to add a thumb of daring colors. This corresponds to your fat inlaid with wonderful ribbon that is colored. In addition to balloon arrangements, posts and arches can be constructed with a balloon which can be purposefully positioned to include less lovely spot where you are.
Glass dishes, vases of wine leaders - each of these stuffed with tinted water with candle floating ontop, or can be filled with attractive resources such as shaded stones or leaves. Added to top of the tiny round mirror while in the centre of every stand, this makes accessories that are amazing.
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The broom hare typically shelters among scrub or trees during the day, moving into pastures and clearings at night to feed. However, it rarely ventures far from shelter in case of attack by predators (2) (3). Unlike rabbits, hare species rarely dig burrows, instead typically resting in depressions in the ground or vegetation, known as ‘forms’, and relying on their camouflage and strong running abilities to escape danger (7) (8).
The diet of the broom hare consists mainly of grasses and other herbaceous vegetation typical of mountain grasslands, and it often moves into recently burned areas of scrub to feed on tender new shoots (2) (3). Like other hares and rabbits, the broom hare is likely to maximise the nutrients gained from its food by re-ingesting its faeces, so that food passes through the digestive tract twice (7) (8).
There is little information available on reproduction in the broom hare, but it has been observed mating in April and May (2). The breeding season of this species is likely to be shorter than that of the brown hare (L. europaeus) and Iberian hare (L. granatensis) due to the limitations of its high altitude habitat, but in other respects its reproductive behaviour is likely to be similar to that of other hare species (2) (3).
Most hare species are largely solitary outside of the mating season. Female hares usually give birth to between one and nine young at a time, with species in temperate areas typically having one or two large litters each year, while those nearer the equator can have up to eight litters of one to two young each year (4) (7) (8). Overall, this gives a fairly standard value of about ten young per female per year for most hare species (4) (7).
Young hares are born after a gestation period of around 40 to 50 days and are well developed at birth, being fully furred, with open eyes, and able to move about shortly after birth (4) (5) (7) (8). The young are typically born in an open place or in a shallow depression on the ground, and soon separate from each other and from the female, hiding in vegetation and only coming back together for very brief periods of suckling by the female (5) (7) (8). The female hare’s milk is highly nutritious, and the young are usually weaned after around 17 to 23 days (7).
In general, young hares do not usually breed in their first year of life (8). Most hares do not survive beyond their first year, but those that do can sometimes reach up to five years of age (7). | <urn:uuid:bedc9166-a55e-4eff-9aee-47e6b68adb38> | CC-MAIN-2016-30 | http://www.arkive.org/broom-hare/lepus-castroviejoi/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-30/segments/1469257824319.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20160723071024-00226-ip-10-185-27-174.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.961863 | 574 | 3.9375 | 4 |
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