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At a glance: youth engagement openings in treatment A youth engagement approach to care is holistic, recovery-oriented, strength-based and collaborative; young people and service providers develop strong relationships and work together to identify goals, supports and services according to the young person’s individual needs and preferences. Indicators of success: - Youth receive accurate and thorough information about services and supports - Treatment is holistic and recovery oriented. - Treatment goals and planning are set collaboratively, to meet the needs and preferences of the young person. - Treatment builds on the youth’s strengths, skills, resilience and resources. - Mechanisms are in place for youth to provide feedback on how treatment is working for them. - Treatment plans emphasize the roles of family and natural supports. - Peer support is recognized as an essential component of mental health services “…a young person has the opportunity to make real choices for the plan and to influence decision making. To participate meaningfully, the young person must also have access to information that enables [the youth] to make informed choices and decisions. They also have the opportunity to help set and monitor goals that become part of the plan. Finally, the young person has the encouragement and support needed to take an active role in planning.1 Some youth may require additional skill-building, supports, and services to fully benefit from youth engagement opportunities. A youth engagement approach to treatment strengthens the role of positive youth development and creates opportunities for young people to work with their service provider to adjust services to meet their individual needs. The following considerations have been shown to increase engagement in treatment: Youth receive accurate and thorough information about services and supports By addressing stigma and providing young people with choice within the therapeutic setting, service providers can enhance treatment engagement. 2 Service providers are tasked with explaining (in accessible language) information about the treatment process; more specifically, what youth can expect, what the different treatment options are and how supports are supposed to help. Service providers also go over the young person’s rights and responsibilities (e.g., confidentiality, what they can do if they believe they are receiving poor services) as well as potential benefits and risks. 3,4,5,6 Treatment is holistic and recovery-oriented The principles of youth engagement are aligned with a recovery-oriented approach to mental health care. SAMHSA (2012) defines recovery as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. 7 Engagement in meaningful activities, empowering relationships and connection to the community are major dimension that support a life in recovery. 7 While the elimination of symptoms may be an important goal, symptoms are only one facet of the person’s experience. Recovery considers quality of life and the wellness of the whole person. 8 Treatment goals and planning are set collaboratively to meet the needs and preferences of the young person Shared decision-making invites youth to be active participants in their treatment and to have a better understanding of, and increased commitment to the treatment process. 9 Evidence suggests that therapists’ use of collaborative behaviours, including presenting treatment as a team effort, working together to establish goals, promoting participation and involvement, encouraging feedback, predict better quality alliance scores, 10 which is linked to positive treatment outcomes in youth. 11 To promote active involvement, planning meetings are scheduled at times that work for the young person and do not happen without them present. The Achieve My Plan project was created by young people, caregivers and service providers, with the help of researchers at Portland State University. The project has co-produced resources to prepare youth and meeting facilitators for youth engagement and empowerment in Wraparound team meetings. Treatment builds on the young person’s strengths, skills, resilience and resources Treatment has traditionally focused on addressing a young person’s pathology, deficits, or problems. Working from a positive youth development approach, service providers focus on the relationship and the young person’s strengths, skills and resources as protective factors against mental health problems. 12 Given its demonstrated benefits, youth engagement is a promising intervention in itself, leading to improved clinical outcomes. Hawke, Hennen, Gallione (2005) demonstrated that youth engagement in meaningful activities increases the development of key recovery skills such as self-regulation, effective coping and understanding of self-factors related to recovery. Lloyd and King (2003) maintain that engagement activities may act as a protective factor against the negative effects of stigma by building capacity, confidence and skills for sound decision-making. For more, see the evidence summary Youth engagement and clinical outcomes. Mechanisms are in place for youth to provide feedback on how treatment is working for them; that feedback is built into treatment planning Service providers work to create opportunities for young people to provide honest feedback about their treatment and they are supported in ensuring that treatment fits the young person’s individual needs 13,6. Measures exist to invite feedback and assess therapeutic alliance. Treatment plans emphasize the roles of family and natural supports “Families need to be supported in a way that enables access to the right information at the right time to help them help their children make informed choices, and to advocate for services that best meet their unique needs. 14 Working from an ecological framework to therapy, service providers attend to various alliances in the young person’s psychosocial network. 15,16,17 Natural supports can be valuable sources of support and engaging parents and caregiver in treatment can have a positive effect on treatment retention and outcome. 18,5 Peer support is recognized as an essential component of mental health services Peer support can happen informally between young people who connect around a shared issue. Peer support can also involve more formal roles where young people in recovery are selected and prepared to provide support to others utilizing clinical services. Peer supporters generally have lived experience of a mental health issue, and can relate to the challenges along the way. This often inspires hope, demonstrating that recovery is possible. 8 In Making the Case for Peer Support, 19 the Mental Health Commission of Canada recognized peer support as an essential component of mental health services. While there is little research evidence specific to peer support in youth mental health, a best practices publication by Health Canada (2008) for youth with substance use problems includes a recommendation to include peer helpers in outreach activities. Outreach services involve former clients alongside outreach staff or other workers, and act as peer educators or helpers. As a best practice, it is suggested that using peers has several potential advantages: - Peers may address barriers associated with mistrust of adults or professional service providers - Peers may have knowledge of existing youth networks and social norms - Peers with lived experience and street knowledge are more relatable to youth seeking help - Peers might have innovative insights into the design and implementation of outreach activities, operations, and evaluation elements Health Canada does warn there is risk that former clients reinitiate problem substance use, and if they are engaged as peer helpers it could delay their transition into mainstream community life. It is essential that outreach initiatives, which incorporate peer workers or volunteers, have ongoing support and supervision available. To learn more about peer support check out the Centre's Peer support Evidence In-Sight report. - 1. Walker, 2008, p.4 - 2. Oetzel & Scerer, 2003 - 3. Karver & Caporino, 2010 - 4. Sommers-Flanagan & Bequette, 2013 - 5. a. b. Karver, Handelsman, Fields & Bickman, 2006 - 6. a. b. Henkelman & Everall, 2011 - 7. a. b. https://www.samhsa.gov/recovery - 8. a. b. Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2013 - 9. Schuer, Everett, & del Veccio, 2007 - 10. Creed & Kendall, 2005 - 11. Martin, Garske & Davis, 2000 - 12. Schwartz & Suyemoto, 2013 - 13. Walker, Thorne, Powers & Gaonkar, 2009 - 14. Manion & Smith, 2011, p.3 - 15. Feinstein, 2009 - 16. Thompson, Bender, Lantry &Flynn, 2007 - 17. Hawley & Garland, 2008 - 18. Hawley & Weisz, 2005 - 19. Mental Health Commission of Canada, 2010
Study: 4 Million Turbines Can Power Entire World on Wind - Study looks at geophysical limits to global wind power - Critics knock lack of economic feasibility and land area requirements With many oil fields on the decline and the push towards green energy in full swing, new studies show that all of modern human civilization could be easily powered by wind energy if the necessary infrastructure — approximately four million wind turbines — were in place. The power of wind is all around us, strong at ground level and even more powerful in the upper atmosphere, yet it remains an elusive power source given its unreliability. Reports on the potential of wind as an energy source vary with their optimism, but a paper released this week in Nature Climate Change insists that the Earth produces enough wind to power the globe 100 times over. While that number may not be currently achievable, it is a worthy goal. Humanity consumes about 18 terawatts of electricity per year, with wind power producing about 4.1 percent of that amount, leaving lots of room for growth in the wind industry. “We were looking at the geophysical limits of what the Earth could handle,” says Kate Marvel, a researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and co-author of the paper. “We didn’t necessarily restrict our study to what was feasible.” To put what’s possible into context, a 2008 report by the United States Department of Energy estimated that, even with billions of dollars in investment, wind has the potential to account for no more than 20 percent of U.S. electricity creation by the year 2030. Even still, that much lower number would depend on a continued dropping in the price of harnessing the wind and vastly increased production of turbines and other wind farm equipment. Potentially years away from being well-exploited but surrounding us at all times, the power of the wind is promising in its ability to produce clean and cheap energy for public consumption, but its development into a viable source of electricity will depend heavily on political and economic factors, especially in these uncertain times. As the study concludes: “[I]t seems that the future of wind energy will be determined by economic, political and technical constraints, rather than global geophysical limits.”
How can we grow flowers that change color, produce microbes that make perfumes, or build organs from scratch? In this Library NExT workshop, students will explore synthetic biology, the intersection of biology and engineering. They will find out how DNA can be changed to alter the way biological systems work. Students will also learn about bioprinting – using 3D printing to make functional body parts – and try out this technology as they create models and art pieces to take home. Geared for Middle School ages.
New Policy takes the "P" out of Pollution Phosphorus Offset Policy reduces amount of phosphorus entering Lake Simcoe Officials from 20 municipalities in the Lake Simcoe watershed, tour a Newmarket neighbourhood to hear developer Paul Bailey, talk about integrating Low Impact Development technologies with an aim to reduce phosphorus laden stormwater. NEWMARKET, ON – October 3, 2017 – On the heels of publishing the Lake Simcoe Phosphorus Load Update , the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) Board of Directors approved a new policy requiring future development in the Lake Simcoe Watershed to achieve a stringent target of zero-phosphorus discharge into our waterways and Lake Simcoe. "The story that the Phosphorus Load Update tells is that we need to come up with new solutions to address phosphorus in Lake Simcoe – so we've done just that," says LSRCA Chair, Aurora Mayor Geoffrey Dawe. "While annual loads haven't increased, they haven't come down to a level that satisfies the provincial targets in the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan . We've developed this policy collaboratively and with significant support from the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, watershed municipalities, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (Simcoe Chapter) and the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, so we're confident it will prove to be an effective tool to reduce phosphorus." In the realm of water quality management, , known as "P" in the periodic table of elements, is considered a "dirty" word. In reality, phosphorus is a natural element that people and our planet need to survive, but, and it's a big but, over time too much phosphorus can cause serious issues including excessive weeds, toxic algae and depleted oxygen levels in our rivers, streams and Lake Simcoe. Phosphorus comes from many sources, but one of the most significant is stormwater, which picks up the pollutant as it travels across paved and hardened surfaces, especially in densely populated urban areas. "Effective January 1, 2018, the policy ensures that new development does not contribute any phosphorus to the watershed," outlined LSRCA Chief Administrative Officer, Mike Walters. "If zero-phosphorus can't be achieved then a project to offset the amount of phosphorus being discharged must be undertaken elsewhere in the watershed, and must meet a ratio of 2.5 to 1. That means for every kilogram of phosphorus discharged, 2.5 kilograms has to be offset." Phosphorus Load Update 2012-2015 Phosphorus Offset Policy It is the mission of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority to work with our community to protect and restore the Lake Simcoe watershed by leading research, policy and action. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Phone: 905-895-1281, ext. 264 Toll Free: 1-800-465-0437 Back to all Media Releases ]
This study assessed the effects of constant and diurnally fluctuating acidification and hypoxia on the survival, growth, and development of larval stages of 3 bivalves indigenous to the east coast of North America: bay scallops Argopecten irradians, hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria, and eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica. Bivalves were exposed to ideal (pH = ~7.9, dissolved oxygen [DO] = ~7 mg l?1), acidified (pH = ~7.2, DO = ~7 mg l?1), hypoxic (pH = ~7.9, DO = ~2 mg l?1), and acidified and hypoxic (pH = ~7.2, DO = ~2 mg l?1) conditions, as well as treatments that fluctuated between ideal conditions by day and acidified, hypoxic, or acidified and hypoxic conditions by night. Continuously acidified conditions reduced survival of larvae of all 3 species, slowed growth of larval bay scallops and eastern oysters, and delayed the development of bay scallop larvae. Continuously hypoxic conditions reduced the survival, growth, and development of larval bay scallops and slowed the development of larval hard clams. Simultaneous exposure to continuously low pH and DO yielded more negative effects than each factor independently. Diurnal exposure to low pH and/or low DO rarely altered, and never fully mitigated, the negative effects of hypoxia and/or acidification despite significantly higher mean pH and DO levels. This suggests that pH and DO fluctuations were too intense, and/or the durations of normoxic and normcapnic conditions were not long enough for bivalve larvae to overcome the physiological stress of hypoxia and acidification. Therefore, the diurnal fluctuations of pH and DO in this study did not provide a temporal refuge from hypoxia and acidification for North Atlantic bivalve larvae, suggesting that such fluctuations in an ecosystem setting can be a significant threat to these larvae.
Marking 100 Years Since The Trigger of WWI \|Site of the assassination and new museum devoted to the story.\| Today marks the 100th anniversary since Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife in Sarajevo. Little did the teenager know his shot would plunge Europe, and indeed the world, into war, crumbling empires and laying the foundation for a century of conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. Opinions differ on the role Princip played in the war, with Serbs considering him a national hero as opposed to the terrorist label he typically receives. It's just one example of the tensions that still remain in Bosnia following the Dayton Accord that ended the "ethnic cleansing" of Bosniaks. Check out the BBC's 10 Interpretations of who started World War I here.
Why does Singapore have such a high population? Reasons for the expected population growth include increase in the number of young unmarried mothers, high fertility rates for some ethnic groups, and inadequate sexual education and birth control provision. Is Singapore the most overpopulated? With an urban population of around 5.69 million people in 2020 and a land area of approximately 720 square kilometers, Singapore was the third most densely populated territory in the world. Is Singapore the most densely populated country? Not all shown areas are independent countries. State affiliations are noted. Countries with the highest population density worldwide in 2019 (in inhabitants per square km) \|Characteristic\|\|Population density in inhabitants per square km\| \|China, Hong Kong SAR\|\|7,082.1\| What happens if Singapore is overpopulated? With the rapid increase of Singapore after the war, the country soon faced the effects of overpopulation, which could be the depletion of natural resources, degradation of environment, a rise in unemployment, and a higher cost of living. Which country is overpopulated? China, with a population of 1.44 billion, is the most populous country worldwide. In 2019, over 60% of its population resided in urban centers, a trend that has seen the portion of city dwellers double over the last 25 years. Is Japan overpopulated? Japan’s population will more than halve, from a peak of 128 million in 2017 to less than 53 million by the end of the century, the researchers behind the new Lancet study predict. Japan already has the world’s oldest population and the highest rate of people over the age of 100. Is Singapore High density? Singapore’s density is among the world’s highest – with roughly 7,900 people per square kilometre of land.
Recent experimental findings about bacterial behavior aboard Atlantis’ STS-132 and 135 missions represent a key step toward keeping astronauts healthy during long-term space missions. Above photo shows astronauts of the STS-135 crew performing floating exercises. Image credit: NASA Colonies of bacteria grown aboard space shuttle Atlantis behaved in ways never before observed on Earth, according to a new NASA-funded study from Rensselaer. Recent findings provide important evidence of spaceflight’s effect on the behavior of bacterial communities and represent a key step toward understanding and mitigating the risk these bacteria may pose to astronauts during long-term space missions. The research team, led by Rensselaer faculty member Cynthia Collins, sent the experiment into orbit aboard Atlantis’ STS-132 mission in May 2010 and its STS-135 mission in July 2011. Samples of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa were cultured for three days in artificial urine. The space-grown communities of bacteria, called biofilms, formed a column-and-canopy structure not previously observed on Earth. Additionally, biofilms grown during spaceflight had a greater number of live cells, more biomass, and were thicker than control biofilms grown under normal gravity conditions. Biofilms are complex, three-dimensional microbial communities commonly found in nature. Most biofilms, including those found in the human body, are harmless. Some biofilms, however, have been found to be associated with various diseases. “Biofilms were rampant on the Mir space station and continue to be a challenge on the International Space Station, but we still don’t really know what role gravity plays in their growth and development.” Biofilms cultured during spaceflight display a column-and-canopy structure never before observed on Earth. The bacterial communities had a greater number of live cells, more biomass, and were thicker than control biofilms grown on Earth. “Biofilms were rampant on the Mir space station and continue to be a challenge on the International Space Station, but we still don’t really know what role gravity plays in their growth and development,” said Collins, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. “Our study offers the first evidence that spaceflight affects community-level behaviors of bacteria and highlights the importance of understanding how both harmful and beneficial human-microbe interactions may be altered during spaceflight.” Beyond its importance to astronauts and future space explorers, this research also could lead to novel methods for preventing and treating human disease on Earth. Examining the effects of spaceflight on biofilm formation can provide new insights into how different factors, such as gravity, fluid dynamics, and nutrient availability, affect biofilm formation on Earth. Additionally, the research findings could one day help inform new, innovative approaches for curbing the spread of infections in hospitals, Collins says. “The opportunity to conduct microbiology research aboard spacecraft is valuable and unique,” said Macarena Parra, who served as the study’s payload science adviser at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. “Aboard free-flying satellites, or using laboratory facilities aboard the ISS, allows researchers to validate ground-based experiments and discover results that can only be observed in space.” NASA Research Reports
Springfield, Illinois Woman Claims to See Abraham Lincoln's Face in Clump of Dirt Abraham Lincoln died on April 14, 1865, but his memory is alive and well in his former home of Springfield, Illinois. So much so that one resident saw the late president's face while doing housework, KMOX reports. Lori Eileen Day was sweeping the wood floor of a Springfield, Illinois home when she saw what she claims is Lincoln's profile in a clump of dirt. She shared the presidential dirt clod in a Facebook video. The sighting took place just a block away from the former home of Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd. The house where the dirt was found has another connection to the 16th president: It used to be the location of Mary Todd Lincoln's hairdresser. Seeing faces in objects, also known as pareidolia, is fairly common behavior. The human brain is so good at recognizing faces that we see them in everything from flocks of birds to grilled cheese sandwiches, and neurotic people are more likely to experience the phenomena. But seeing someone's face on the floor where that same person may have walked centuries ago makes this case slightly more noteworthy than your average Jesus-in-a-potato-chip sighting.
Athénienne de Napoléon Ier © Musée du Louvre, dist. RMN / Thierry Ollivier This "Athenian" was made for the Consul Napoleon Bonaparte to adorn his chamber in the Palais des Tuileries. Inspired by the ancient Greek tripod, it was executed by the "tabletier" Martin-Guillaume Biennais (1764-1843), who had extended his activities to furniture and gold and silverwork after the abolition of the guilds in 1792. It reveals the pervasive taste of the early nineteenth century for antiquity, as well as the personal taste of Napoleon, who took it with him to Sainte-Hélène. What is an "Athenian"? The form of this "Athenian" is derived from the ancient Greek tripod, a small, three-legged stand used in antiquity to support a basin. Generally made of bronze, it could also be in copper, silver, stone, or gold. Often a commonplace household item serving as a brazier, it was also used for votive functions, offered in homage to the divinites. The tripod rapidly became a widespread motif in the classical period. An interest in antiquity during the middle of the eighteenth century gave a new lease of life to objects of this kind. In 1773, Jean-Henri Eberts invented a tripod that variously served as pedestal table, incense-burner, chafing dish, or flower stand, which he named an "Athenian" in reference to Joseph-Marie Vien's picture, The Virtuous Athenian, in which a Greek woman is to be seen making an offering on a tripod. A repertoire at once aquatic and antique The design of this "Athenian", the drawing for which was supplied by Charles Percier (1764-1838), is extremely elegant. The legs, made of yew, are finely curved and are surmounted by palm leaves where a swan, modelled in the round, nests in chased gilt bronze. The swans support on their necks and wings a hoop of bronze decorated with a frieze of Vitruvian scrollwork, on which the basin engraved with reeds and oak leaves rests. The tablette between the legs is connected to the feet of the stand by small dies decorated with bees and dolphins. Dolphins and swans belong to a repertoire at once aquatic and antique, thereby illustrating the function of this "Athenian" as a washstand. A work characteristic of the early nineteenth century The theme of the swan was fairly widespread during the Consulate and Empire periods. The architect and decorator Berthault chose the motif to decorate Madame Récamier's bed. In the early nineteenth century, the form of the tripod was more than ever in vogue, at a time when taste was steeped in classical culture. Architectural digests, such as that of Percier and Fontaine, include numerous models of furniture of this type. The tripod, however, no longer combines several uses, but, like that of Napoleon, serves as a washstand. The term "Athenian" was restricted at the time to luxurious models intended for sovereigns. Biennais made other small washstands and bureaus, and we know of two other "Athenians" made by him, now in the Metropolitan Museum of New York and the château de Fontainebleau. BibliographyExposition Martin-Guillaume Biennais, l'orfèvre du Roi,Paris, Editions de la Ruénion des musées nationaux, 2003, pp. 21-22. Exposition D'après l'antique,Paris, Editions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, 2000, pp. 346-347. Martin-Guillaume BIENNAIS (1764 - 1843) Athénienne de Napoléon Ier Entre 1800 et 1804 If, bronze, argent H. 90 cm; D. 47 cm Dation en paiement des droits de succession, 1973 , 1973 The Louvre is open every day (except Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The collision occurred in a dense fog bank several hundred yards west of the Golden Gate Bridge. The fully laden Arizona Standard was inbound en route to Richmond, Calif., and the Oregon Standard, carrying a full load of bunker fuel, was outbound steaming toward British Columbia. Both were T-2 tankships, 504 feet in length and 10,553 gross tons. Before the Arizona Standard made its pass under the bridge, a red navigation light was sighted on the starboard bow of the Oregon standard, which was approximately 200 yards away. The master ordered a hard-left rudder and to stop all engines, but it was too late. The bow of the Arizona Standard penetrated the port side of the Oregon Standard at a 45-degree angle. The two vessels became locked together and 800,000 gallons of fuel spilled into the Bay Area waters. The incident received national attention and resulted in two significant maritime safety initiatives: The Bridge to Bridge Radiotelephone Act and The Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972. The later allowed the Coast Guard the authority to construct, maintain and operate Vessel Traffic Service, which is now celebrating its 40-year anniversary. The VTS is a Coast Guard unit that provides active monitoring and navigational advice for vessels in confined and busy waterways. The mission is to reduce vessel collisions and groundings in order to protect the environment from the release of petroleum and other hazardous cargos. “We’re the eyes and ears for the Captain of the Port,” said Victor Zboralski, VTS Training Coordinator at VTS Puget Sound, located at Pier 36 on the Seattle waterfront. “We accomplish our mission by providing a measure of order and predictability on the water through active monitoring and advisory, traffic organization and navigational assistance services.” VTS watchstanders use an array of sophisticated equipment that allows them a clear picture of the maritime traffic within their area of responsibility. “We use a program called Coast Guard Vessel Traffic System which displays our area of responsibility as a chart with track icons for the different vessels we are tracking,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Gavin Shepherd, an operations specialist and watchstander at VTS Puget Sound. "These tracks are fed by radar, Automatic Identification System or both. The track icons are accurate to the vessel's location and display name and type of vessel, type of cargo on board, direction of movement and speed and any other pertinent information.” “In higher traffic areas we use closed-circuit TV cameras which are fed to large screen monitors at our workstation,” said Shepherd. “All vessels participating with the VTS use a standard VHF-FM radio channel on which the operator can inform vessels of other vessel movement, navigational hazards, weather, marine events and fishing openings and can provide navigational assistance or any other information related to marine safety.” Each watchstander has this technology at his or her fingertips, giving them a detailed look into the region’s maritime traffic. “At our modal level, our comprehensive small scale view provides a complete snapshot of maritime activity, and we use this perspective to provide the mariner with timely information that allows for ample time to make their own sound navigational decisions,” said Zboralski. To implement these services, the Coast Guard began establishing VTSs in critical, congested ports with the first two established in San Francisco and Seattle on Sept. 25, 1972. The Coast Guard now operates 12 Vessel Traffic Centers throughout the United States including VTS Puget Sound. VTS Puget Sound monitors the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Rosario Strait, Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound, maintaining an area of responsibility of more than 3,500 sq. miles, making it the largest in the United States. VTS Puget Sound is also the nations’ only Vessel Traffic Center working cooperatively with the Canadian Coast Guard. Since 1979, VTS Puget Sound has worked directly with Tofino Marine Communications and Traffic Services, based in Ucluelet, B.C., and Victoria MCTS, located in Sidney, B.C., to monitor the waters of the Salish Sea, which includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia, and all their connecting channels and adjoining waterways. The three units cooperate via computer and dedicated telephone lines to advise each other of vessels passing between their areas of responsibility, allowing traffic to travel seamlessly in these multifaceted waterways. "The cooperative vessel traffic service between the United States and Canada in managing vessel traffic plying the waters of the Pacific Northwest represents a hallmark of international cooperation,” said Capt. Scott Ferguson, Coast Guard Commander of Sector Puget Sound. “Fostering a robust safety, security, and environmental protection network has quietly provided extraordinary benefits for our joint citizenry." In a typical year VTS Puget Sound monitors more than 220,000 vessel transits. They assist 150 search-and-rescue cases, 200 law enforcement cases and 30 pollution cases. They’re also able to affirm that their actions resulted in 55 marine accidents averted annually. Many of which involve large commercial tankers or freighters that could have devastating effects on the pristine environment of the Pacific Northwest. “Imagine the convenience of steering your vessel, eyes on water, and having someone to assist as you navigate possibly unfamiliar waters,” said Zboralski. The VTS provides this type of security to commercial mariners. It’s similar to air traffic control in that regard; an eye in the sky if you will. Technologically, a VTS can get by with radio communications only, which is known as “caveman style” in the watchstander lexicon; however, the addition of radar, AIS, and CCTV all enhance the effectiveness of a VTS service, which allows for safer marine transits and reduction in pollution to the environment that results from maritime mishaps. “The Salish Sea is a pristine ecosystem and an important commercial port that deserves the best protection we can collectively muster,” said Zboralski. "Since the VTS has the best overall situational awareness of the real time maritime picture in the Northwest, it is hard to imagine who would have the bubble at their fingertips in our absence.” Since the establishment of the VTS 40 years ago, commercial maritime transit has become safer and more predictable. The percentage of major maritime casualties has decreased significantly in areas monitored by Coast Guard VTS units and many accidents such as the Arizona Standard and Oregon Standard collision have been avoided. As we look forward, Coast Guard VTSs throughout the country will continue to keep an invariable eye on the nation’s congested ports and waterways with a mission of profound importance.
Daily design algorithms for a better workflow Design algorithms are sets of rules and processes that help designers work more efficiently and effectively. Whether you’re a graphic designer, web designer, or product designer, incorporating design algorithms into your workflow can lead to a more organized and streamlined approach to your work. Here are some daily design algorithms that can help improve your workflow: Start with a plan Before beginning any design project, take some time to plan out your approach. This could include creating a rough sketch or outline of your design, determining the key elements you want to include, and deciding on a color scheme. Having a plan in place will make it easier to stay focused and avoid getting bogged down in the details. Use a style guide A style guide is a document that outlines the design elements and standards for a particular project. This can include things like typography, color palette, and graphic elements. Having a style guide in place will ensure that all designs are consistent and cohesive, saving you time in the long run. Automate repetitive tasks Design work often involves repeating certain tasks, such as resizing images or formatting text. Consider using design software with features like macros or scripts to automate these tasks and save time. Keep your workspace organized A cluttered workspace can lead to a cluttered mind, making it difficult to focus and be productive. Make a habit of organizing your files and keeping your desk tidy to help keep your mind clear and focused. It’s important to take breaks and step away from your work every now and then. This can help reduce stress, increase creativity, and improve focus. Consider taking a walk, doing some light exercise, or simply getting up and stretching every hour or so. Collaborate with others Design work can often be a collaborative effort, and working with others can help bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. Consider working with a team of designers, or seeking feedback from colleagues or clients. Finally, make a habit of continually learning and improving your design skills. This could include taking courses, attending workshops, or simply practicing and experimenting with new techniques. In conclusion, incorporating these design algorithms into your daily workflow can help you work more efficiently, produce higher-quality designs, and reduce stress and burnout. Give them a try and see how they can improve your own design process. Why AI matters in Daily design algorithms for a better workflow Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to greatly impact the design industry and improve workflow in a number of ways. Here are some reasons why AI matters in daily design algorithms for a better workflow: AI algorithms can automate certain tasks, such as image resizing or color correction, freeing up designers to focus on more creative tasks. This can save time and increase efficiency. AI algorithms can be used to create personalized designs, such as website or product recommendations, based on a user’s preferences and behaviors. This can lead to more relevant and engaging designs for users. AI algorithms can assist designers in making more accurate decisions, such as choosing the best color palette for a design, by analyzing data and making predictions based on that data. AI algorithms can also be used to generate new design ideas and concepts, by combining existing designs in new and innovative ways. This can help designers overcome creative blocks and generate new ideas for their work. AI algorithms can also help to streamline collaboration between designers and other stakeholders, by allowing for real-time feedback and collaboration on designs. This can lead to faster and more efficient decision-making. In conclusion, AI has the potential to significantly improve the design industry by automating tasks, personalizing designs, improving accuracy, enhancing creativity, and streamlining collaboration. As the technology continues to develop, it's likely that AI will play an even greater role in the design process and help designers work more efficiently and effectively
Young workers’ labor market prospects are an apt barometer of the strength of the overall labor market: When the labor market is strong for workers, the prospects for young workers are very strong—and when the labor market is weak, their prospects are very weak. Data from the upcoming edition of EPI’s The State of Working America affirm this general finding, as the wages of entry-level workers fared extremely poorly during the period of general wage stagnation that began during the business cycle that started in 2000. This pattern was also evident during the period of declining wages from 1973–1995, when young workers experienced the most dramatic erosion of wages overall. This pattern also manifested itself during the years of booming wages from 1995–2000, albeit in the opposite direction, as young workers experienced the fastest wage growth. These patterns are shown in detail in Table 1, which shows wages by gender for entry-level high school and college graduates (defined as those with one to seven years of experience). From 2000 to 2011, a period of disappointing overall wage growth, wages actually fell among every entry-level group regardless of education. Wage losses occurred for each group of entry-level workers between 2000 and 2007, as well as during the recessionary years between 2007 and 2011. This stands in sharp contrast to the extremely strong wage growth for each of these groups from 1995 to 2000. During this period of overall strong wage growth, wages rose roughly 10 percent for entry-level high school-educated men and women, and increased by 20.3 percent for entry-level college-educated men and 11.4 percent for entry-level college-educated women. These changes illustrate how the wages for entry-level workers vary considerably depending on whether the overall economy is experiencing strong wage growth, or wage stagnation. The longer-term trends in the wages of entry-level high school-educated men and women are shown in Figure A. While the wage boom of the late 1990s carried over into the first few years of the 2000s for most workers, it ended in 2001 for these entry-level workers, and since then their wages have generally fallen (except for the year of negative inflation in 2009 for women and 2007 for men). Figure A also shows the dramatic deterioration of wages for entry-level high school-educated men from 1979 to 1996, an indicator of the loss of earning power among non-college-educated men and the correspondingly even larger loss for non-college-educated younger workers. In comparison, entry-level wages for women high school graduates have remained significantly below those for their male peers, yet their wages also fell substantially from 1979 to 1996. Consequently, despite the significant wage increases in the late 1990s, the entry-level wages for high school-educated men and women in 2011 were far below their 1979 or 1973 levels. For instance, the entry-level hourly wage of a young high school-educated man in 2011 was 25.3 percent less than that for the equivalent worker in 1979, a drop of nearly $4.00 per hour (in 2011 dollars). Among women high school graduates, the entry-level wage fell 14.2 percent over this period, representing a decline of $1.64 (in 2011 dollars). It is important to note that wages in entry-level jobs held by high school-educated women are still far less than those for similar jobs held by their male counterparts in 2011, a gap of roughly 15 percent. Figure B illustrates the longer-term trends for entry-level men and women college graduates. Entry-level wages fell among both women and men college graduates from 2000 to 2007, declining by 2.5 percent among men and 1.6 percent among women, and tumbled further in the recessionary years after 2007. This means that young college graduates who finished their education in the last five years or so are earning significantly less than their older brothers and sisters who graduated in the late 1990s. The poor wage growth in the last decade contrasts markedly with the strong period of rising wages for entry-level men college graduates from 1995 to 2000, during which time they increased 20.3 percent. In contrast, from 1979 to 1995, the entry-level hourly wage for men college graduates fell more than $1. Thus, the period of falling wages since 2000 does not stand as the exception to the rule for young college-educated men; rather, it is the wage boom of the late 1990s that seems exceptional. In 2011, the hourly wage of entry-level college-educated men was slightly more than $1 higher than in 1979, a rise of only 5.2 percent over 32 years. The wages of women college graduates have grown more strongly than the wages among any other group of women, and this strength is reflected in the long-term trend among entry-level women college graduates; their wages grew 15.4 percent, or $2.50, from 1979 to 2011. In this light, the erosion of wages among entry-level women college graduates since 2000 stands out, with a decline of 1.6 percent from 2000 to 2007 and a decrease of 4.4 percent from 2007 to 2011. In short, in the most recent decade, the most-educated workers (college graduates) with the newest skills (young college graduates) did not fare well at all; their wage opportunities fell even as overall productivity in the economy continued to soar.
Shoulder impingement syndrome overview Shoulder impingement syndrome occurs when the tendons of the rotator cuff, along with the subacromial bursa, become compressed against the acromion. The acromion is a bony scapula protrusion. As these tissues continually rub against bone, they may become irritated and inflamed. Causes of shoulder impingement Shoulder impingement syndrome is typically caused by excessive use of the shoulder. Occupation such as painting or construction, which require repetitive overhead motions are common culprits. Shoulder impingement symptoms Symptoms of shoulder impingement syndrome include tenderness, swelling, reduced range of motion, and weakness in the shoulder. Minor pain may be present even when the shoulder is at rest. Sudden, sharp pain may be felt when the arm is used. Shoulder impingement treatment Shoulder impingement treatment options may include rest, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections and physical therapy. If these methods do not relieve the symptoms, shoulder impingement surgery may be needed to create space in the shoulder joint.
In the early 1900s, the Inuvialuit of the Mackenzie Delta faced desperate times. Dependent on caribou meat and fur for thousands of years, they found that herds no longer behaved in a predictable way. With a change in climate, hunters were forced to travel several miles east in search of caribou. In order to stave off famine, the United States and Canadian governments joined together to launch the Alaskan Reindeer Experiment and the Canadian Reindeer project. These programs sought to mitigate the food shortage by importing and herding reindeer from Scandinavia. With the reindeer came the Sami, whose job was to teach the Inuvialuit their successful herding techniques. The Pulk family of Norway and the Binder family of the Canadian Arctic were joined together in both marriage and in the difficult task of introducing reindeer husbandry to Canada. To this day, Inuvialuit and Sámi descendents of the Reindeer Project, herd approximately 3-4000 reindeer near Inuvik locally owned and managed by the a private company called Canadian Reindeer
Spelling Word Activities - Use the word in an original sentence. - Find and learn the definition of the word. - Know how to pronounce the word. - Which parts of speech is the word used as (e.g. noun, verb)? - What are other forms of the word such as plurals or tenses. - What are synonyms of the word? - What are antonyms of the word? - What is the origin or etymology of the word? - What words rhyme with this word?
The Northland region of New Zealand is full of legends and stories significant to Kiwi culture. Professor Kimberly O’Leary got to recently travel in the Northland region. She embraced the land – rich with beauty and meaning. Despite the possible difficulty to traverse the mountainous, hilly New Zealand terrain, she and her husband forged ahead to conquer Mount Manaia, located in the Whangerai Heads, like so many other travelers do each year. The hike, consisting of over 1000 stairs, makes a short but steep trail through New Zealand bush, ferns, mangrove trees, and blooming flowers. The mountain is the remnants of a volcano that erupted 20 million years ago. At it’s top are five vertical stones that can be seen for miles around. Legend says that Chief Manaia, the Chief’s children, a rival Chief, and the rival Chief’s wife all turned to stone by the God of Thunder. The hard climb was well worth the hardship and time. Professor O’Leary and her husband were rewarded at the top with stunning view of the bays and the surrounding area. Travelers also enjoy the walk through the tropical bush, replete with birdsong and the magnificent blooms of the Pahutakawa trees, often called by locals as the New Zealand Christmas tree due to its bedazzling red foliage during the holiday season. The nearby Bay of Islands is considered the birthplace of New Zealand; home to Maori origin legends and the first Maori encounters with western sailors. Professor O’Leary ventured out by boat, traveling past the black rocks, nesting sea birds, beautiful islands, several pods of dolphins, and the famous Motu Kokako, also known as the “Hole in the Rock.” Motu Kokako represents strength through adversity after all it had endured to withstand the sea. The Urupukapuka Island water is so clear and translucent that you can see all the way to the bottom. All are treated to another stunning view of the bay, blooming pahutakawa, and jacaranda trees after a climb to the top. The trip to Cape Reinga had a breathtaking view of 90 mile beach. The Cape is at the upper most tip of New Zealand, and the place where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. The Maori believe this spot is the place where souls leap into the afterlife. Along the Tasman Sea coast, unspoiled beach extends for dozens of miles. It is said that the beach is 90 nautical miles from the Cape to Dargaville, hence the name “90-mile beach.” You get to ride a special “dune bus” about 40 miles on the sand of this beach. Also in the region is the largest known living kauri tree. Kauri trees existed along with dinosaurs, formerly growing all over the world. The only living kauri trees are now in New Zealand, with sub-species growing in Australia. These trees are known for growing very large – second only to giant redwoods. They were harvested aggressively in the 19th century, and are now protected. The largest living tree is called Tane Mahuta, which is a Maori name meaning “Lord of the Forest.” Tane Mahuta is estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old. Ancient fossilized remains of these trees produces amber, and speculators came from all over the world in the 19th century to mine for amber. Tane Mahuta grows in the Waipoua forest – a protected forest of native trees and plants and a special place. Finding herself in the midst of ferns, birds, mountain tracks, dolphins, volcanic formations, the meeting of oceans, unspoiled beach and towering ancient trees, Professor Kimberly O’Leary found her own center, clear on the other side of the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments across the world to impose lockdowns, forcing billions of people into home confinement. This exceptional situation has caused a lifestyle paradigm shift. Working, learning and socializing online has become the norm, as people severely restrict their time in the outside world to limit any prospects of catching the novel coronavirus. The use of the internet is not new, but COVID-19 fast-forwarded this global shift where the internet dominates all aspects of life for those who have access to it. If online is the way forward in these times of a pandemic, what about countries stricken by conflicts with limited internet access? COVID-19 accelerates digital transformation The COVID-19 pandemic and the unprecedented measures taken to stop its spread have changed our lives. It has led to fundamental shifts in how societies and businesses operate. As the deadly virus disrupts the world and may continue to do so until a vaccine is discovered, the internet has taken over. Studies show that internet traffic has surged by between 50 percent and 70 percent since COVID-19 began. Trapped at home, people turned to the internet en masse to continue their daily routines including shopping, working and learning, communicating and socializing. This will likely have a lasting impact well after the pandemic ends. A deepening digital divide The internet is widely available and provides a lifeline in wealthy countries during COVID-19, but this is not the case for almost half of the world’s population, which has no internet access. The majority of this population lives in poor, war-stricken countries where infrastructure is failing and yet, the need for information is most urgent. In conflict-stricken countries, many citizens face this additional crisis without the internet. Meanwhile, in wealthy, peaceful countries, the internet has enabled citizens to mitigate the impact of lockdowns by allowing them to continue to work, study, communicate, socialize and access information. In some countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), COVID-19 struck at a time of economic crisis, and wide-scale conflict or uprisings. Years of conflict in Yemen, Syria, and Libya have brought immense suffering, displacement and destruction. Infrastructure has been targeted by warring parties with disregard for civilian life. In Syria, for example, over 50 percent of the infrastructure is no longer operational. In Libya, much of the telecom infrastructure has been destroyed or stolen, including about a quarter of the country’s mobile tower sites. As a result, basic services — electricity, sanitation, water and the internet —have been brought to a standstill. In Yemen, labeled by Relief Web as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, internet access is a major obstacle. Only about 27 percent of Yemenis, mainly young men located in urban areas, have internet access. The majority of youth are striving to find ways to connect to the external world. “The internet is our oxygen and is as important as food. I moved from my town to the capital to be able to connect,” said Ghomdan, a Yemeni journalist who asked Global Voices only to use his first name. Women in the region are disproportionally affected by this digital divide. Fewer women have access to the internet than men, which reflects a regional gender inequality gap with Yemen, Syria and Libya ranking near the bottom of all countries. A combination of conservative social norms, less access to learning and financial resources and a hostile online environment impede women’s ability to connect and access information online and minimizes participation in online discussions. The internet: High cost, low speed and unreliable In Libya, Syria and Yemen, strained by conflict and economic chaos, users face low-speed internet and prohibitive costs. Yemen has the slowest internet speed globally with an average speed of just 0.38 megabits per second in 2019: It would take over 30 hours to download a 5-gigabyte film. In January 2020, damage to a submarine cable plunged Yemen into an internet outage for over a month. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced massive school closures, affecting 90 percent of the world's student population, which has led to a culture of virtual learning, online education, but learning proves nearly impossible without a reliable, high-speed internet connection. This also prevents people from communicating and journalists from reporting and reaching a large audience. Low speeds make it difficult to browse, download or upload materials and communicate with sources. It also deprives access to valuable resources critical to writing reports, news stories and daily events. Without reliable internet, online conversations, or phone calls via Whatsapp or Facebook often get disrupted or disconnected. Censorship and lack of Arabic language content War often includes a war on information with various warring parties trying to maintain a tight grip over their populations. They censor the internet and keep citizens under tight surveillance. For example, authorities in Sana’a, Yemen, and Damascus, Syria, block a large number of websites, including national, Arab and foreign news websites. These restrictions limit access to critical information on the pandemic. To bypass censorship, tech-literate users turn to virtual private networks (VPNs) to access blocked content. Though many are reluctant to use a VPN, “as it adds an extra load on the already limited bandwidth, further slowing download speeds,’’ according to Coda Story. Although native Arabic speakers represent about 4.5 percent of the world population, less than 1 percent of total global online content is in Arabic. The rapid increase in the number of Arabic-speaking internet users has not yet translated into more Arabic content — Arabic remains one of the most under-represented languages online. Nearly 70 percent of websites are in the English language. Most online resources about the pandemic are available in native or indigenous languages, which makes it harder for those with limited English language and literacy skills to access critical public health information online. Internet access is considered a fundamental enabler of human rights and governments around the world have committed to providing universal and affordable internet access by 2020, but large swaths of the world's populations are left behind. COVID-19 has exposed the gap between those with reliable internet access and those for whom internet access is a distant prospect. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East only exacerbates and widens these gaps.
In 2008, a measles outbreak spread in California. A child whose parents had made an affirmative decision not to vaccinate him brought the disease back from Europe, infecting other children at his doctor’s office and his classmates. The boy’s parents had signed a “personal belief exemption” affidavit stating that some or all of the immunizations were against their beliefs, thereby allowing their son to go unvaccinated before entering kindergarten. California is one of 20 states that allow such exemptions. The fact that the outbreak spread in a school setting—indicating that other children were also unvaccinated—concerned Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health & Society Scholar program alumna Alison Buttenheim, PhD, MBA (2009-2011), an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. “Vaccines are one of the great public health achievements of the last couple of centuries,” Buttenheim says. “They protect us from diseases that used to routinely kill hundreds of thousands of kids in the United States and still kill hundreds of thousands globally. It’s not just important for your child to be vaccinated, it’s important at a population level to have high rates of coverage.” People who can’t get immunizations because of allergies or compromised immune systems rely on “herd immunity,” the protection they get from a disease when the rest of the population is immunized or immune. If a high number of children are intentionally unvaccinated because of personal belief exemptions, herd immunity is compromised, she explains, giving a disease the chance to spread rapidly. To gauge the likelihood of future outbreaks, Buttenheim—under the auspices of the RWJF Health & Society Scholars program—and her colleagues assessed how many children in California have received personal belief exemptions, paying particular attention to the grouping of exempted children within schools. The study, coauthored by Malia Jones, BA and Yelena Baras, BA, was published online in the June 14 edition of the American Journal of Public Health. The researchers looked at data that more than 7,000 public and private schools report to the California Department of Health each year, for some 500,000 kindergarteners. They looked at each of the previous three school years and found that children with one or more personal belief exemptions increased 25 percent in the state from 2008 to 2010. They also found that exempt children tended to aggregate within individual schools, and that a growing number of kindergarteners—both adherent and exempted—were attending schools with potentially risky personal belief exemption rates. “All of these measures are very clearly increasing over time and some of them quite rapidly,” Buttenheim says. The researchers also compiled county-specific data to better understand where exempted children are located. In addition to the number of exempt children, they looked at factors that are important for determining where an outbreak could take hold: the likelihood that a child with an exemption will interact with another exempt child (the aggregation index) and the likelihood that an adherent child will interact with an exempt child (the interaction index). Counties with larger populations predictably had higher numbers of personal belief exemptions, but the highest percentage of children with exemptions were in the smaller counties in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range and in the northwest region of the state. At some schools with the highest rates of personal belief exemptions, more than one in five kindergarteners was exempt. While rates of immunization at the national level are adequate, “it is likely that herd immunity in smaller localities… may have already been compromised,” the researchers write. Buttenheim hopes that her research team’s county-level results can be used as a prioritizing tool for state policy-makers to intervene in areas with the highest percentage of exemptions. Changing School Culture Not every child who is counted as exempted is missing all of the required vaccines. Parents can sign personal belief exemptions for one or more vaccines and have their child partially vaccinated. Some children are also “conditionally accepted” to kindergarten, meaning they are not up to date on their vaccinations but the parent is planning to complete their record in a timely manner. However, conditional acceptances require additional follow-up from school staff. Based on results from a small study conducted by the California Department of Public Health, Buttenheim hypothesizes that schools may encourage parents to file an exemption rather than grant conditional acceptance and have to follow up later. “It’s a hassle for schools to grant conditional acceptance. We’d like to see it be more of a hassle for parents to get an exemption and to see the conditional acceptance status work as intended.” “We know from others’ research that states with easier exemption policies have more exemptions, and California is a fairly easy state in which to exempt. Let’s make complying with the mandated vaccines easier than opting out. Make opting in easier than opting out,” she says. Buttenheim hopes to test several interventions at the school level, including new incentive structures for schools to increase adherence rates. She also thinks the school nurse can play a key role in encouraging parents to get children immunized. “We know everyone is heavily influenced by social norms and pressure,” she explains, and school nurses can set the expectation that children get fully vaccinated. “I think the school nurse can really act as a gatekeeper here, and reset the norm in favor of immunization.”
‘That slender and narrow seminal passage arises from the horn of the uterus very white and sinewy but after it has passed outward a little way it becomes gradually broader and curls like the tendrils of a vine until it comes near the end when the tendril-like curls spread out, and it terminates in a very broad ending which appears membraneous and fleshy on account of its reddish colour … if they are opened carefully and spread apart, they form, as it were, the hell-like mouth of a bronze trumpet’. Gabriele Falloppio, Obervationes Anatomicae (Venice, 1561). This description of the tubes connecting the ovaries to the uterus comes from the Italian anatomist Gabriele Falloppio (1523–62), after whom the tubes are named ‘Fallopian tubes’. Falloppio, who had taught anatomy at the University of Pisa before being appointed professor of anatomy at the University of Padua, was clearly influenced in his anatomizing by a previous professor of Padua, Andreas Vesalius (1514–64). As Persaud notes, Falloppio was not the first to describe the Fallopian tubes – they had essentially been described by ancient authorities such as Herophilus (c. 300 Bc), Galen (129 – c. 200 AD), and Rufus of Ephesus (1st century AD), but he was the first to begin to understand their function. Reinier de Graaf, Opera omnia (Leiden, 1677), Tabula XVI: Graafian follicles. The Dutch anatomist Reinier de Graaf (1641–73) brought Falloppio’s work a step forward, describing the Fallopian tubes as follows: ‘The ”The trumpets”, or “tubes” … are two in number, one of either side. In human females they are situated at the sides of the uterus. Where they originate, at the fundus, they are quire narrow … As they pass through the substance of the uterus and for some distance outside they proceed in a straight course, gradually widening. When, however, they have attained an appreciable size, they curve perceptibly more and more and proceed, being from side to side or twisting like vine-tendrils’. De Graaf’s own contributions to female reproductive biology are commemorated in the term ‘Graafian follicle’, another name for ovarian follicles, the basic units of female reproductive biology. De Graaf first published the above image of Graafian follicles in his famous work on the female reproductive system, De Mulierum Organis Generationi Inserventientibus (Leiden, 1672). In it we see a section of an ovary (A), some ovarian follicles within it (B), and beneath it the fallopian tube (E) leading to the uterus. Within the ovary (referred to by Dr Graaf as the ‘testes muliebres’), De Graaf pointed to the presence of the follicles, which he called ‘female balls’. Daniel Le Clerc and Jean Jacques Manget, Bibliotheca anatomica sive Recens in anatomia inventorum thesaurus locupletissimus (Geneva, 1685), ii, Tabula XVIII, fig. 5. De Graaf was not afraid to criticise Fallopio’s comments on the Fallopian tubes and pointed to the fact that the tubes were usually open. In the above illustration he depicts a tubal pregnancy and, using an account of one which had been presented in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, went on to emphasize his point that: ‘All these cases prove that the eggs from which fetuses are to be generated pass from the ‘testicles’ through the tubes to the uterus and that a fetus is generated in a tube from no other cause than that an already fertilised egg gets caught for some reason or other in its transit’. Text: Dr Elizabethanne Boran, Librarian of the Edward Worth Library, Dublin. Ankum, W.M., H.L. Houtzager and O.P. Bleker, ‘Reinier De Graaf (1641–1673) and the Fallopian tube’, Human Reproduction Update, 2, no 4 (1996), 365–69. Anon, ‘An account concerning a woman having a double matrix; as the publisher hath Englished it out of French, lately printed Paris, where the body was opened’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in volume 4, no 48, (1669), 969–70. Persaud, T.V.N., A History of Anatomy. The Post-Vesalian Era (Springfield, 1997). Stolberg, Michael, ‘A Woman Down to Her Bones. The Anatomy of Sexual Difference in the Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Centuries’, Isis, 94, no, 2 (2003), 274–99. Thiery, M., ‘Reinier De Graaf (1641–1673) and the Graafian follicle’, Gynaecol. Surg., 6 (2009), 189–91. This quotation is cited by Ankum, W.M., H.L. Houtzager and O.P. Bleker, ‘Reinier De Graaf (1641–1673) and the Fallopian tube’, Human Reproduction Update, 2, no 4 (1996), 366. Worth had a complete Latin edition of the works of Fallopio, printed at Frankfurt in 1606. Persaud, T.V.N., A History of Anatomy. The Post-Vesalian Era (Springfield, 1997), p. 22. Cited in Ankum, W.M., H.L. Houtzager and O.P. Bleker, ‘Reinier De Graaf (1641–1673’, 366. Cited in Persaud, T.V.N., A History of Anatomy. The Post-Vesalian Era (Springfield, 1997), p. 242. Cited in ibid., p. 368. The account, which included the original picture, was printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in volume 4, no 48, (1669), 969–70: ‘An account concerning a woman having a double matrix; as the publisher hath Englished it out of French, lately printed Paris, where the body was opened’.
There’s no question whether the advent of 3D printing will have an affect on the architecture and construction industries. Not only can you use the technology to create models of a structure, you can then print out pieces of the structure and assemble them. But what if you could print a 3D structure as you design it? That’s exactly what the 3Doodler does. The 3Doodler is a 3D printing pen that actually prints plastic as you draw whether its on a surface or in the air. The video demonstrations below have so impressed the Kickstarter community that the website’s users have pledged nearly $2 million to kick off production of the device. And get this, it will likely only cost $50 once it goes on sale. [youtube DQWyhezIze4 nolink]
Artifacts from an excavation on Baffin Island, Canada have yielded evidence that the Vikings may have had a settlement there in the 14th century. Evidence includes traces of bronze, European-style stonework and tools, Old World rat pelts, and yarn similar to that made in Greenland at the same time. Archaeologists first suspected that there may be a settlement there when they found a series of Viking-style artifacts stored in museum archives that were found all along Canada's eastern coast. An unusual sod house excavated on the Baffin Island site in the 1960s is what made them decide to examine that spot in detail. [photo]
Prior to Michigan's statehood and as early as 1816, private schoolschurch-operated or otherwiseexisted in Detroit and were developed along similar lines as those in New England. However, when Michigan entered the union in 1835, it immediately created a system of state-controlled schools. One of the men primarily responsible for this establishment was former Connecticut lawyer Isaac E. Crary of Marshall, Michigan, who was appointed head of the committee to prepare the first state constitution's article on education. Isaac Crary's philosophical approach to education was similar to Horace Mann's approach. Like Mann, Crary believed that the centralized and state-controlled Prussian school system described by Victor Cousin was a desirable and efficient model, and he set about bringing this model to Michigan. Crary submitted to the constitutional convention his committee's draft education provision on June 2, 1835, and with minimal modifications, the convention adopted what would become Article X of the first state constitution. As a result, Michigan "became the first state in the Union to accept the principle of state control over educational affairs."35 Section 1 of Article X of the new state's constitution granted power to the governor to appoint a superintendent of public instruction for two years with the advice and consent of the legislature. Section 2 established provisions for the funding of state schools through the sale of land granted by the federal government. Section 3 mandated the operation of schools for at least three months out of the year, while Section 4 provided for the establishment of public libraries by townships as soon as circumstances permitted. The final section, Section 5, laid the groundwork for a publicly financed state university. Hence, under the guidance of Isaac Crary, Article X of Michigan's constitution established the framework of a centralized, government-controlled system of education in 1835. Crary's success as a convention delegate propelled him into Michigan's first and lone seat in the U. S. House of Representatives.36
Guyanese enjoy a variety of dishes on a regular basic and as with many countries, the food tells about the country’s past, present and future. Guyana is the only English Speaking Country in South America and it is the home of Kaieteur Falls, one of the highest water falls in the world. There is not a shortage of friendly people in this country and it is also rich in natural beauty. Some of the foods that are eaten here are as follows. Pepper Pot is the country’s national dish and it is a dish that came from the Amerindians or Indigenous people of the land. This meal is usually prepared on Christmas eve, or, in the early morning hours on Christmas day. It is then served for breakfast on Christmas morning. It is served with bread, preferable homemade bread and steaming hot or warm chocolate “tea.” You would dip a piece of bread into the Pepper Pot and eat and when you are holding the last piece of bread in your hand, you would use it to soak up every drop of this delicious and special dish. Some of the ingredients of this dish are ox tail, beef, pork, seasoning and casareep. Cassareep is made from cassava root and it is a tick black liquid which is also used in many other dishes here. Metegee is an all in one dish, which is made with ground provision and “meat.” Cassava, plantain, eddoes and potatoes are some of the ground provision used and egg, beef, pork, chicken or fish is chosen for the meat. After the meat is cooked, the ground provision is gradually added to the pot, then some coconut milk, which helps to thicken the “sauce” in this meal. Of course, if egg is the only “meat” used, it is usually added last. In this land of many waters, parents do not usually have to battle with their children to eat their fruits. In fact, it is the other way around. They have to tell them to stop eating so much of it. There are many homes that have at least one fruit tree growing in their yards. It may be a mango, or a cherry tree, a pear, or a tamarind tree, Guyanese also eat guineps, pineapple, banana and the list goes on. To gain some more insight into this topic and to find a lot of recipes, the book What’s Cooking in Guyana by the Carnegie School of Home Economics, is a good place to look.
Research found one in three first-time mothers reported depressive symptoms at least once between pregnancy and four years after giving birth. But they were more common towards the end of that period. The study, published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, looked at the experience of 1,507 first time mothers in Melbourne, Australia. It found women with just one child four years after birth showed far higher levels of depression than those with more children. The worst sufferers had previously been depressed in early pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth. Other factors included being young, having a low income or violence from a partner. Co-author Dr Hannah Woolhouse said: “It is likely that current systems of maternal mental health surveillance will miss more than half the women experiencing depression in the early years of parenting.”
Interface between Internet and telephone network: • DSL (digital Subscriber Line) are used by the telecom companies to provide Internet access their users. • The companies that provide wired phone access will also provide data services to their customers. • This ensures that the Internet networks have interface to the telecom networks. Process involved in voice call passing through Internet and telephone network: • Skype uses this interface to make a phone call from the PC (personal computer). • When a Skype user makes a phone call from his PC, it passes through the internet and reaches the interface of both the networks. Then it enters into the telecom network and reaches the specified telephone number. • A proprietary protocol VOIP (voice over internet protocol) is used by Skype for all its communications. It is an internet telephony network based protocol. • Skype protocol was the first peer-to-peer IP telephone network protocol. Therefore, Skype uses its proprietary protocol and the interface between the internet and telephone networks to make a voice call from a PC. Please leave a comment below and share with other students in your network if you found this answer helpful. Happy learning!
These are the names of tools and utensils which were in common use in the Highlands and Islands a century and more ago. Some, or similar items, would have been found in farming communities in many parts of Europe. Others are specific to the Highlands, like peat-cutting tools. The posters (shown above and below) from the Historical Centre, featuring accurate drawings of items from the Highland Folk Museum, make the point that they are all related to a subsistence economy, used to produce fabrics for local people to wear, or food or fuel for families. People in the past had a more sustainable life-style. During the Coronavirus crisis, the value of producing our own food locally has become very evident. This spring, the idea of a plant swap was floated by Judy Gibson, a Trustee of the Historical Centre as well as a member of the Ross of Mull and Iona Organic Gardening Group (RoMIOG). With a great deal of hard work beforehand, and careful organisation on the day, the empty Columba car park in Fionnphort was transformed in mid-May, with safe social distancing, for what Judy described as "the biggest social gathering on the Ross since the lockdown started". Hundreds of pots of vegetable seedlings were donated and many local folk took them away to be grown on. There were also 42 animal feed tubs planted up with herbs and salad plants by the Erraid Community – see photos below. Self-sufficiency is very relevant just now, although gardeners have to manage without some of the implements featured in our posters! Meanwhile at the Historical Centre we’ve just a few of the posters left for sale (dimensions - 63 × 81 cm or 24.75 × 32 in). There are three different ones: - Croggies, Querns & Cromans (the first image above); - Bickers, Quaiches & Cruisies (the second image above); and - A fascinating drawing of a Highland Township - Badenoch c1730 (image below). Single posters or combinations of the three can be posted to you in cardboard tubes. Single poster - £5 Two posters - £8 Three posters - £12 Prices exclude postage. If you would like to purchase the poster(s), please email email@example.com and provide us with your postal address. We will then advise you of the postage costs and provide a link for payment via PayPal. Sign up for our eNewsletter!
[toggle title=”The importance of the Act”] Decisions of the Government and public bodies affect the lives of citizens. Therefore, citizens need to be a part of the decision-making process which has an impact on them. • Citizens have a right to know of Government decisions which are relevant to them. • The Government, public bodies, and even private entities which impact public life in turn, are answerable to the citizens. • The Act facilitates citizens to exercise their Fundamental Right to Information guaranteed by the Constitution. • The Act sets out the procedure and mechanisms to follow in obtaining information from Public Authorities. [toggle title=”Some Basic Principles of the Act”] The Principle of Maximum Disclosure requires the Public Authorities(PA’s) to publish as much information as possible. • Thus official information in their possession should be available to the public. • The burden is on the Public Authorities to justify the denial of information. • The Principle of Proactive Disclosure requires publicizing information of Public Authorities as a matter of course, so that citizens do not have to pay a fee to access such information. Information then becomes more affordable. • The Principle of Obligation to Publish. This means that a Public Authority should publish and disseminate information important to the public on its own accord without merely responding to requests for information. • The Principle of Disclosure takes Precedence. This guarantees that all laws inconsistent with the principle of maximum disclosure should yield to the RTI Act. The Act will take precedence over any other enacted law in that regard. [toggle title=”Accessible information”] • Accessible information includes; records, documents, memos, emails, opinions, advices, press releases, circulars, orders, log books, contracts, reports, papers, samples, models, correspondence, memorandum, draft legislation, book, plan, map, drawing, diagram, pictorial or graphic work, photograph, film, microfilm, sound recording, video tapes, machine readable record, computer records and other documentary material, in whichever physical form it is. • This could also relate to issues concerning projects that directly affect the people such as health, education, environment etc. • But, certain types of information could be denied under certain circumstances, which are set out in detail in chapter 6 of this Manual. • It is important to note that even where information can be denied under this law, there is an overriding public interest factor that can open the door to the availability of such information. Certain provisions of the RTI Act came into operation on the date of the Speaker’s certification. These included the establishment of the Right to Information Commission and the appointment of Information Officers. All remaining provisions will come into operation after the Minister in charge of the subject gazettes the same within a period of 6-12 months of the Act coming into operation.
Medical food is specially formulated food that meets the nutritional requirements of a specific disease. The FDA defines medical food as ‘food that is formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under the supervision of a physician and that is intended for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition for which distinctive nutritional requirements, based on recognized scientific principles, are established by medical evaluation.’ These criteria were defined in FDA’s 1988 Orphan Drug Act Amendments and are subject to the general food and safety labelling requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Medical foods are created for both pediatric and adult use and are available in a variety of forms, including powders, liquids, capsules, tablets, and bars. Moreover, they are specialized blends of macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and botanicals or preparations composed of a single nutrient. The global medical food market is driven by a rise in geriatric population and increase in burden of chronic diseases around the globe. There is a shifting trend toward enteral nutrition (absorption through the gastrointestinal tract) methods rather than parenteral nutrition absorption such as intravenous administration. Enteral administration is safer as compared to the parenteral option as there is lesser risk of infection and it offers physiological bene?ts such as the maintenance of small intestine mass and pancreatic function. Technological advancements have reduced the cost of enteral drug administration, making it cost-effective. Thus, a shift toward enteral nutritional products and increase in demand for personalized medicine in developed countries are expected to fuel demand for medical foods in the near future. The global medical foods market can be segmented based on product, application, route of administration, distribution channel, and geography. Based on product, the global medical foods market can be classified into powdered medical foods, pills, and others. Among these, the powdered medical foods segment is anticipated to dominate the market. Enteral feeding devices have improved in many ways due to technological advancements. For example, pumps have become lightweight. The devices are constructed from materials that eliminate stress cracking in high-stress applications, and they are easy to use and easy to clean. These are some of the factors boosting the use of powdered medical foods. Planning to lay down future strategy? Get this Report Brochure: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=45447 In terms of application, the market can be divided into diabetes management, bone & joint related diseases, Alzheimer disease, depression, medical foods for inborn errors, gastrointestinal diseases, and others. The diabetes management segment held a major market share in 2017, and the trend is expected to continue during forecast period. New product launches and rise in prevalence of diabetes in developed as well as developing countries are major factors boosting the segment. In terms of route of administration, the medical foods market can be categorized into oral and enteral route of administration. Based on distribution channel, the market can be divided into hospital pharmacy, retail pharmacy, and online pharmacy. Among these, the online pharmacy segment is expected to expand at a rapid pace during forecast period. In terms of region, the global medical foods market can be classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America is likely to continue its dominance of the global medical foods market in terms of revenue during the forecast period. North America and Europe are the most prominent regions of the medical foods market owing to increase in demand for medical foods with increase in prevalence of chronic disorders. Asia Pacific is expected to be a rapidly expanding region of the medical foods market due to increasing awareness among people and a high rate of acceptance of new treatment methods. Prominent players operating in the market include Danone, Primus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Nestlé, Abbott, Meiji Holdings and Co., Ltd., Targeted Medical Pharma, Inc., Mead Johnson & Company, LLC., Accera, Inc., and Alfasigma USA, Inc. The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications. Browse Report Overview of Medical Foods Market @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-foods-market.html
A non-profit organization or NPO is an organization that does not sell products, hold profitable shares or render services to gain profits. The funding of such organization is not used to acquire profit, but is used to help realize its goals and agenda. Among the most common kind of NPOs are charitable institutions. Other recognized non- profits are trade associations, trade unions and public arts organization. Although most governments and government organizations can be described as non- profit organizations, but they belong a separate category in most countries. Some nonprofit organizations are able to earn profit from various sources, although they are more accurately referred to as surplus. These earnings must be allocated by the corresponding organization in lieu of advancing its agenda, including self- preservation, expansion and plans. This task, as well as other functions and managerial issues are supervised by controlling members or boards. The organizations are mostly composed of a managerial staff that is compensated, while others employ unpaid volunteers and even uncompensated executives. The gaining of profit is not the primary goal of an NPO, which is why it is called as such. However, there are instances where an NPO can legally or ethically trade at a profit to increase its funding or to ensure sustainability of its programs. The extent of income generation may be constrained, as well as the spending of such income. Many NPOs are funded by private and public funding agencies in the form of donations. These donations can be tax deductible. NPOs are typically exempted from income and property taxation. There are various NPOS around the world and they vary in size and goals. Many NPOs are directed towards social and community welfare as education, health, and many other concerns. NPOs are often required to be registered to be recognized.
Sometime in the afternoon of the 11th snow day of the year, after watching the movie Finding Nemo for the third time and drinking hot chocolate, my third grader came to me with a question: “Mom, can you help me find something new to learn on the computer?” “Do you want me to help you log into the school’s website?” I responded, confused. Her teacher had posted a nice list of educational games and websites on the class webpage earlier in the year. “I’ve already done all those,” she replied. “I want something new. Something different.” This winter has seen huge swaths of the country hammered repeatedly by large snow storms, leaving many schools and districts behind schedule. Having long ago used up all of their designated make-up days, many districts are scrambling to fill in the gaps in their curricula by extending school years and cutting their spring breaks short. In at least nine states, schools and districts are exploring the viability of e-learning days as a way to fill in the educational void left by unpredictable winter storms. Referred to as “cyber days” by some schools, e-learning days allow teachers to turn traditional snow days into days with an instructional purpose. E-learning days tap into snow days’ untapped potential, providing students with activities and assignments to be completed from the safety of their home. In an era where many students have access to vast quantities of information virtually anywhere through computers, phones, and tablets, providing teachers with an alternative to lost instructional time seems almost like a no-brainer. Read Entire Post
What does MUSIC stand for? What does MUSIC mean? This page is about the various possible meanings of the acronym, abbreviation, shorthand or slang term: MUSIC. We've found a total of 4 definitions for MUSIC: What does MUSIC mean? - an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow: Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is the only bird restricted entirely to the Everglades ecosystem. The 5-inch-long sparrow is dark olive-gray and brown on the back and light gray with dark olive streaks on the sides. It has small patches of yellow feathers in front of the eyes and at the bend of the wings. Because of their small size, drab appearance, and secretive habits, seaside sparrows usually are heard before they are seen. The male's song consists of a few introductory notes followed by a "buzzy" trill. The non-migratory Cape Sable seaside sparrow occurs almost exclusively in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve in Dade and Monroe counties. Seaside sparrows are normally found along the coast, however, this subspecies occupies seasonally flooded inland prairies of muhly grass, short sawgrass, and cordgrass. Areas of dense cordgrass, cattail, and shrubs are avoided. The sparrow has not been found on Cape Sable since the 1970s due to habitat changes. The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is adapted to a life in vegetation that is periodically burned and flooded. Fires and flooding maintain suitable habitat by preventing the invasion of shrubs and trees. However, fires and high water levels during the nesting season can threaten eggs and recently fledged young. The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is sometimes called the "Goldilocks bird" because conditions have to be just right for its Cape Sable seaside sparrows are dietary generalists, taking advantage of any food available as they forage low in the grass and on the ground. They feed on grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, and grass and sedge seeds. Adults remove the legs and wings from insects before feeding them to their young. Nesting can occur from February through August with most occurring during April and May. The time and length of the nesting season depends on flooding. Nesting will be delayed or ended if water levels are too high. Males sing from the tops of grass stems early in the morning during the nesting season. Nests are constructed in clumps of grass about 6 inches above the ground. Usually 3-4 eggs are laid. The female incubates the eggs for 12 days and young fledge at 9-11 days old. Two or three nests are attempted each season with a success rate of 40-75%. The sparrow's high reproductive potential help it persist in a variable Some nests are lost to flooding and fires. Raccoons, snakes, rice rats and hawks are probably predators of Cape Sable seaside sparrows. Predation by a cottonmouth has been documented. The Cape Sable seaside sparrow was classified as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission because of its low numbers, limited distribution, and threats to its habitat. Areas of critical habitat were designated for the sparrow. There were an estimated 6,656 Cape Sable seaside sparrows in 1981, but annual surveys since 1992 indicate a decline to an estimated 2,624 birds by 2002. Habitat is maintained by prescribed fire, and water levels are regulated to benefit the sparrow. However, water management in the Everglades has been controversial because of possible negative impacts on other endangered species and human land uses.
Determination of particles produced during boiling in differenz plastic and glas kettles via comparative dynamic image analysis using FlowCam® Sven Kluczka, Anasysta e.K. In many everyday products containing plastics, tiny plastic particles are generated by mechanical, thermal or other influences and are released into the environment by various transport routes. These particles not only have a long lifecycle, but can also only be degraded very slowly in the ecosystem. Damage to humans and animals is possible if, for example, particles are ingested through food. The number of particles produced was determined on the basis of water investigations before and after boiling in plastic-based kettles compared to a glass kettle. The results are discussed in this paper. Many everyday objects consist at least partially of plastics . In 2015, the private and commercial end use of plastics as a "pure" plastic product (e.g. packaging) or as a subcomponent of a system (e.g. automobile) in Germany was still around 12.06 million t, by 2017 the value had already risen to around 14.3 million t. Similar increases in the production and processing of plastics have been recorded worldwide. The most frequently produced and processed plastic, apart from polypropylene, is polyethylene which is, for example, contained in plastic bags or refuse bins. Plastics are created by special chemical processes. One of the most important raw materials is crude oil. Depending on the ingredients and the circumstances surrounding these chemical processes, the plastic may have various properties at the end, ranging from elastic, heat-resistant to break-resistant. Degradation reactions of plastics result in microplastics (particles smaller than 5 mm), which, in addition to general plastic waste, are currently one of the biggest and most discussed environmental problems. Since the start of mass production of plastic in the 1950s, it is hard to imagine everyday life without it. Looking at the degradation process of plastics, several degradation paths can be observed. The degradation of polymers can be induced by heat (thermal degradation), oxygen (oxidative and thermal-oxidative degradation), light (photo degradation), weathering (generally UV/ozone degradation). All polymers will undergo some degradation during service life. The result will be a steady decline in their (mechanical) properties caused by changes to the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution and composition of the polymer. Other possible changes include chain hardening, chain scission, color changes, cracking and weight loss. The plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm are defined as microplastics.
The USS CONSTITUTION was the first ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy. Throughout her entire service life she was never boarded by hostile forces. To this day the USS CONSTITUTION can be viewed in the harbor of Boston, MA. Click here for a photo tour of the CONSTITUTION is Boston. \|Awarded: March 1, 1794\| \|Keel laid: November 1, 1794\| \|Commissioned: October 1, 1797\| \|Builder: Col. George Claghorn, Edmont Harrt’s Shipyard, Boston, Mass.\| \|Length: 204 feet (62.16 meters)\| \|Length at waterline: 175 feet (53.32 meters)\| \|Beam: 43,5 feet (13.25 meters)\| \|Displacement: approx. 2.200 tons\| \|Speed: 13+ knots\| \|Cost: $302,718 (1797 dollars)\| \|Armament: 32 24-pounder long guns; 20 32-pounder carronades; and, two 24-pounder bow chasers\| \|Boats: one 36-ft. long boat; two 30-ft. cutters, two 28-ft. whaleboats; one 28-ft. gig; one 22-ft. jolly boat; and one 14-ft. punt.\| \|Crew: 450 including 55 Marines and 30 boys (1797)\| \|Homeport: Boston, Mass.\| History of USS CONSTITUTION: CONSTITUTION, one of six frigates authorized by act of Congress, approved 27 March 1794, was designed by Joshua Humphreys, and built at Hartt's Shipyard, Boston, Mass., under the supervision of George Claghorn with Captain Samuel Nicholson as inspector. She was launched on 21 October 1797 and christened by Captain James Sever. Into the trim frigate's construction went timbers from States ranging from Maine to Georgia, as well as copper bolts and spikes supplied by Paul Revere. A ship of beauty, power, and speed thus was fashioned as a national expression of growing naval interest, and a symbol auguring the dedication, courage, and achievement of American fighting men and ships. CONSTITUTION put to sea on 23 July 1798, commanded by Captain Samuel Nicholson, the first of many illustrious commanding officers. Following patrols along the Eastern Seaboard she became flagship on the Santo Domingo station, making several captures including the 24-gun NIGER, the SPENCER, and the letter-of-marque SANDWICH. At war's end, CONSTITUTION returned to the Charleston Navy Yard where she was placed in ordinary. In 1803 amid growing demand for tribute and increasing seizures by the Barbary pirates, CONSTITUTION was recommissioned under Captain Edward Preble and sailed as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron on 14 August. Preble took command of the squadron and vigorously brought the war to Tripoli, executing well-laid plans with brilliant success. On CONSTITUTION's decks tactics for destroying the captured frigate, PHILADELPHIA, were laid as well as those for blockading and assaulting the fortifications of Tripoli. The small United States fleet on 3 and 7 August 1804 bombarded the enemy's ships and shore batteries with telling results. Commodore Samuel Barron and later Captain John Rodgers were next to command the squadron and CONSTITUTION, continuing to blockade and take prizes. Naval action thus generated a favorable climate for the negotiation of peace terms with Algiers. After the Tunisians agreed to similar terms in August, CONSTITUTION spent 2 years patrolling in maintenance of the peace. She sailed for home under Captain Hugh Campbell and arrived Boston in November 1807. Placed out of commission, the frigate was repaired in the succeeding 2 years. In August 1809 she was recommissioned and became flagship of the North Atlantic Squadron, Commodore J. Rodgers, and in 1810 Isaac Hull was appointed her captain. The following year she carried U.S. Minister, Joel Barlow, to France and returned to Washington in March 1812 for overhaul. War with Britain impended and CONSTITUTION was readied for action. On 20 June 1812 the declaration of war was read to her assembled crew and on 12 July she took to sea under Captain Hull to rejoin the squadron of Commodore J. Rodgers. On 17 July CONSTITUTION sighted five ships in company; supposing them to be Rodger's squadron, Hull attempted to join up. By the following morning, however, the group was identified as a powerful British squadron which included the frigates GUERRIERE and SHANNON. The wind failed, becalming within range of the enemy who opened fire. Disaster threatened until Captain Hull astutely towed, wetted sails, and kedged to draw the ship slowly ahead of her pursuers. For 2 days all hands were on deck in this desperate and successful attempt at escape, a splendid example of resolute command, superior seamanship, and indefatigable effort. During the war, CONSTITUTION ran the blockade at Boston on seven occasions and made five cruises ranging from Halifax, Nova Scotia, south to Guiana and east to Portugal. She captured, burned, or sent in as prizes nine merchantmen and five ships of war. Departing Boston on 2 August she sailed to the coast of Nova Scotia, where she captured and destroyed two British trading ships. Cruising off the Gulf of St. Lawrence on 19 August, she caught sight of GUERRIERE, a fast British frigate mounting 49 guns. GUERRIERE opened the action, pouring out shot which fell harmlessly into the sea or glanced ineffectively from the hull of CONSTITUTION whose cheering crew bestowed on her the famous nickname "OLD IRONSIDES," which has stirred generations of Americans. As the ships drew abreast, Hull gave the command to fire and successive broadsides razed GUERRIERE's mizzen mast, damaging her foremast, and cut away most of her rigging. GUERRIERE's bowsprit fouled the lee rigging of CONSTITUTION, and both sides attempted to board, but the heavy seas prevented it. As the ships separated GUERRIERE fired point blank into the cabin of CONSTITUTION and set it on fire, but the flames were quickly extinguished. GUERRIERE's foremast and mainmast went by the board and she was left a helpless hulk. The flag of GUERRIERE was struck in surrender and when the Americans boarded her they found her in such a crippled condition that they had to transfer the prisoners and burn her. It was a dramatic victory for America and for CONSTITUTION. In this battle of only half an hour the United States "rose to the rank of a first-class power"; the country was fired with fresh confidence and courage; and union among the States was greatly strengthened. CONSTITUTION, Commodore William Bainbridge, stood out from Boston on 26 October. On 29 December 1812 she added to her conquest the British 38-gun frigate JAVA whom she engaged off the coast of Brazil. Despite loss of her wheel early in the fighting, CONSTITUTION fought well. Her superior gunnery shattered the enemy's rigging, eventually dismasting JAVA, and mortally wounding her captain. JAVA was so badly damaged that she, too, had to be burned. The seemingly invincible "OLD IRONSIDES" returned to Boston late in February for refitting and her wounded commander was relieved by Captain Charles Stewart. CONSTITUTION departed on 31 December for a cruise in the Windward Islands. On 15 February she seized and destroyed the schooner PICTOU and 9 days later chased the schooner PIQUE who escaped. She also captured three small merchantmen on this cruise, characteristically successful despite a close pursuit by two British frigates along the coast of Massachusetts. CONSTITUTION moored safely at Boston only to be bottled up for nearly 9 months by the vigorous British blockade. In December 1814 CONSTITUTION braved the forces of the enemy, and headed southeast. She seized the merchant brig LORD NELSON and later captured SUSANNAH with a rich cargo on 16 February 1815. Four days later she gave close chase to the frigate CYANE and the sloop LEVANT bound for the West Indies. CONSTITUTION opened the action firing broadsides; as the contestants drew apart she maneuvered adroitly between the two, fighting each separately and avoiding raking by either. In less than an hour CYANE struck her colors and soon thereafter LEVANT surrendered. Sailing in company with her prizes, CONSTITUTION encountered a British squadron which gave chase but was able to retake only LEVANT. En route to New York, she received confirmation of the ratification of peace terms and on 15 May arrived. Ordered to Boston, she was placed in ordinary for 6 years, undergoing extensive repair. In May 1821 she returned to commission, serving as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron, under Commodore Jacob Jones, and guarding United States shipping until 1823. A second cruise on that station lasted from 1823 through July 1828, with a succession of commanding officers including Captain Thomas Macdonough and Daniel Patterson. A survey in 1830 disclosed CONSTITUTION to be unseaworthy. Congress, considering the projected cost of repairs, relegated her for sale or scrapping. Public sentiment, engendered partly by the dramatization of her history in Oliver Wendell Holmes' memorable poem, elicited instead an appropriation of money for reconstruction which was begun in 1833 at Boston, where once again she was captained by the redoubtable Isaac Hull. Returned to commissioned status in 1835, she served well in the ensuing 20 years in a variety of missions. In March 1835 she sailed to France where she embarked the U.S. Minister to France, Edward Livingston, for return to the States. In August she entered upon a 3-year tour as flagship of Commodore Jesse Elliott in the Mediterranean protecting trade and maintaining good relations. She served as flagship for the South Pacific Squadron from 1839 to 1841; and for the home station from November 1842 to February 1843. In March 1844 she began a memorable 30-month circumnavigation of the globe while under the command of Captain John Percival. The fall of 1848 brought a resumption of duty as flagship of the Mediterranean Squadron, Commodore W. C. Bolton. Decommissioned briefly in 1851 she sailed under Captain John Rudd in 1852 to patrol the west coast of Africa in quest of slavers until June 1855. Five years of decommissioned status followed. In August 1860 she was assigned to train midshipmen at Annapolis, and during Civil War at Newport, R.I. Among her commanding officers in this period are listed Lieutenant Commanders David D. Porter, and George Dewey. In 1871 CONSTITUTION underwent rebuilding at Philadelphia; she was commissioned again in July 1877 to transport goods to the Paris Exposition. Once more she returned to duty as a training ship, cruising from the West Indies to Nova Scotia with her youthful crews. In January 1882 she was placed out of commission and in 1884 was towed to Portsmouth, N.H., to become a receiving ship. Celebration of her centennial year brought her to Boston in 1897 where she was retained in decommissioned status. A public grateful for her protective services once again rescued her from imminent destruction in 1905 and she was thereafter partially restored for use as a national museum. Twenty years later, complete renovation was initiated with the financial support of numerous patriotic organizations and school children. On 1 December 1917, CONSTITUTION was renamed OLD CONSTITUTION to permit her original name to be assigned to a projected battle cruiser. Given first to CC 1 (renamed LEXINGTON) then to CC 5 (originally named RANGER), the name CONSTITUTION was restored to "OLD IRONSIDES" on 24 July 1925, after the battle cruiser program had been canceled under the Washington naval treaty. CONSTITUTION (CC 5) was some 13.4 percent complete at the time of her cancellation. On 1 July 1931, amid a 21-gun salute, CONSTITUTION was recommissioned. The following day she sailed on a triumphant tour of 90 United States' ports along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf coasts, where more than 4,600,000 people visited her. On 7 May 1934 she returned to Boston Harbor, the site of her building. Classified IX 21 on 8 January 1941, an act of Congress in 1954 made the Secretary of the Navy responsible for her upkeep. The Navy reclassificated the CONSTITUTION again from IX 21 to "none" 1 September 1975. Since then, the ship is listed as USS CONSTITUTION on the Naval Vessel Register. In the late 1990s, the CONSTITUTION completed a 44-month restoration to prepare her for her 200th anniversary 21 October 1997. USS CONSTITUTION Image Gallery: The photos below were taken by me on August 25, 2010, during a visit to the USS CONSTITUTION at Boston, MA. \|Click here for more Photos.\|
As part of its promotion of multilingualism as an asset both for individuals and for our community as a whole, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, in partnership with county school districts, recognized almost four hundred students. Two hundred sixty graduating seniors received the prestigious State Seal of Biliteracy. In order to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, students must demonstrate that they are proficient in two or more languages both orally and in writing. The most popular language in Santa Cruz County this year was Spanish, followed by French, Latin, Chinese, Vietnamese and Ilocano. Sheena Gee, of Scotts Valley High School, distinguished herself by earning the award for three languages: English, French and Spanish. To prove abilities in their languages, students must demonstrate high academic achievement in English, as measured on standardized tests of English language arts, as well as a C average in their English classes. To demonstrate their abilities in a language other than English, students must either pass an AP language test with a 3 or better in their junior year, or enroll in four years of a foreign language and maintain a B or better average for that class. Students may also prove their proficiency in a language other than English through the Scholastic Assessment Test II Foreign Language Examination or other foreign language assessment available in the student’s language other than English. California is the first state to establish a State Seal of Biliteracy program. To date, thirty states have formal Seal of Biliteracy Award programs and four more have programs under consideration. In addition to the 260 graduating seniors recognized for bilingualism, over 170 elementary school students were honored as Language Ambassadors. The first year of this program drew participants from five schools in three districts, covering the geographic breadth of the county from Pacific Elementary in Davenport to Hall District Elementary School, across the Pajaro River, in Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Other schools participating in the first year of the program included Mintie White and Starlight Elementary schools in Pajaro Valley Unified and Green Acres Elementary in Live Oak School District. To earn recognition as a Language Ambassador, a student most complete a total of six activities throughout the year to show that they are working on learning and developing a language other than English. Some students choose to study a language spoken by their families at home and others choose an additional language. For example, Hall District students participated in a Japanese club run by teacher Aimee Mizuno, who herself speaks English, Spanish and Japanese. Spanish and Japanese were the most popular languages studied, but students also became Language Ambassadors for French, German, Yaqui, Swahili and Hawaiian. Mia Kamoss of Green Acres is working towards becoming trilingual in English, German and Spanish. Houssin Swan, also of Green Acres, is doing the same but in English, French and Spanish. The Language Ambassadors, which included thirty-three TK-K-1graders, sixty-seven 2nd -3rd graders and seventy-five 4th -5th graders, were honored at both at a Santa Cruz COE Board meeting on May 18 and also at a special recognition night held in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s Board Room on May 17.
The 14 October 2014 coronal mass ejection (CME) was associated with a medium-class X-ray flare (M1.1 on the solar flare classification scale), closely followed by a longer M2.2 flare from the same region. The flares were behind the eastern limb of the Sun as seen from Earth. The eruption started around 18:30 GMT and was followed by bright post-eruption loops that continued to increase in height and persisted for more than one day. The movie is a composite of images captured by the ESA/NASA SOHO over a range of distances from the Sun. The inner yellow image is an extreme ultraviolet image of the solar disc, the middle red image is from the LASCO C2 coronagraph covering the distance of about 2–6 solar radii, and the outer blue image is from LASCO C3, covering the reach of the CME to greater distances.
The lottery is a game in which participants pay a small amount of money for the chance to win a large prize. The prize is usually cash, though other prizes such as goods or services may also be offered. Lotteries are popular in many states and raise billions of dollars annually. People play the lottery for fun or as a way to improve their financial prospects. While there are some who argue that lottery playing is a waste of money, others believe that it can be a good way to make a quick buck. The first recorded lotteries, which sold tickets for prizes in the form of cash, were held in the Low Countries in the 15th century. Town records from the time show that local residents used the lottery to raise money for walls, town fortifications, and even to help the poor. Modern state lotteries were created in the wake of World War II. Their proponents saw them as a way to increase government spending without increasing taxes, by allowing the general public to voluntarily spend their money on a game that would benefit their communities. Since New Hampshire’s first lottery in 1964, state governments have consolidated and expanded their gambling operations. One big reason why lottery games are so popular is that they offer the promise of instant wealth. People who play the lottery often dream of what they will do if they win. The lottery industry has a sophisticated understanding of how to appeal to these desires, with billboards touting massive jackpots and television commercials featuring celebrities who have become rich through the game. Despite the huge payouts, the odds of winning are incredibly low. In fact, it is much more likely that a person will be struck by lightning than win the lottery. This is why it’s so important to understand the math behind lottery numbers and how to calculate your chances of winning. In order to maximize your chances, it is crucial to avoid common misconceptions about the game and focus on proper budget planning. Lotteries are a great way to raise money for charities, but it’s important to remember that the winnings aren’t always distributed evenly. In addition to paying out the actual winnings, lottery proceeds are used for administrative costs, promotion, and profit for the promoter. The final distribution is determined by a combination of factors, including the number and value of prizes offered and the number of tickets sold. The best way to increase your chances of winning is to purchase more tickets. However, if you’re not careful, you could end up losing more than you gain by purchasing more tickets. The truth is that there are no surefire ways to guarantee a winning ticket, and the most successful lottery players are those who have a sound understanding of probability theory. This is why it’s so important for individuals to learn the math behind lottery numbers and stay away from superstitions.
- A new wave of schools are growing, many backed by tech executives - Project-based learning shifts the focus from grades to creative thinking (CNN)Whether school years were socially awkward or the happiest days of your life, this time (hopefully) brings back lifelong memories and a tinge of nostalgia for the majority of grown-ups. It was also likely a time defined by strict timetables, rigid lessons, and unforgiving homework. Testing, too, was probably a big part of anyone’s educational experience no matter where they lived. Depending on how well one performed on tests, it often meant certain doors were open — or closed. Imagine a school now, though, where students choose their own curriculum and teachers are more like mentors guiding them through activities and topics of interest. Instead of homework and tests, portfolios and exhibitions would display your films, writing, art, and creations, and you were constantly encouraged to keep doing more. A new wave of schools are increasing in number, particularly in the U.S., many of them flipping the traditional style of schooling to a more personalized-style of education. A new type of school Portfolio School is a project-based start-up school in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood, which emphasizes guided choice and a personalized education, mixing technology with learning activities. The school calls itself a “micro-school”, which aims to broaden a child’s creativity and is based on the philosophy that children need an interdisciplinary model of learning. Currently, the school has 19 students ranging from ages 5-10 in a single open-plan multi-purpose space with plans to grow to 80 in two years. Portfolio says its research-based approach is reinventing everything — from the curriculum, space design, classroom management, schedule, the role of teachers and a student’s engagement with the outside world. One way of achieving self-motivation is by giving power to the students, said Nancy Otero, a former software engineer who is the director of research and learning design at Portfolio. “Our school is more like a studio. Things are open all the time. We have drills, 3D printers. We give them these powerful tools, where they can code and construct,” said Otero. Kids can make things out of plaster, they can speak, write, make videos. “Technology is not viewed as something frightening. It’s one of multiple tools,” said Dr. Shira Leibowitz, director of the lower school at Portfolio. At traditional schools, there isn’t much time for most of this. “You need large amounts of time to tinker and play and those schedules (of traditional schools) are very conforming,” said Leibowitz. There’s a policy of no homework at Portfolio. “Research has shown it’s not a useful thing. Some of the kids start not wanting to learn so much (with homework),” said Otero. What’s more, says Leibowitz, kids have time to be with their families, time to nurture friendships. “It’s not for everybody, it’s very different, but part of what makes it work is that the families are here by choice.” Schools created by technology experts Other similar schools in the U.S. — mainly clustered around, unsurprisingly, California’s Silicon Valley — have cropped up thanks to parents who have worked in technology. Co-founder and CEO of Portfolio, Babur Habib, and co-founder Doug Schachtel, who runs operations of the school, came up with the idea for Portfolio over a game of squash at their alma mater Princeton University. Both have had successful careers and now have young children and felt there needed to be something different, something that wasn’t already available. In a similar way, the California-based AltSchool is a group of micro-schools founded by former Google executive Max Ventilla. His financial supporters include Mark Zuckerberg among many other Silicon Valley executives. AltSchool now has schools in California and New York. In Boston, former Google executive Sep Kamvar started Wildflower School in 2014 after it evolved from a project within the MIT Media Lab. It has grown to many more locations since. Stripping away the old-school methods By taking away the traditional U.S. grading system of A, B, C, D, F, Portfolio say it’s liberating students instead of holding them back. “There’s no end limit. In a traditional school if you get an A+, that’s it. We’ve taken away that ceiling so that they (students) keep going. We keep stretching,” said Leibowitz. Instead of the typical pat on the back, Leibowitz said she and her team are constantly giving feedback so students can get better and better. “There’s this culture of ‘we’re so lucky, we can make it better’.” We’ve created an environment which does two things, said co-founder Doug Schachtel. Portfolio fosters creativity and innovation by enabling students to pursue their interests and giving them space and time to go explore them, he said. The school also ensures students learn the core skills of reading, writing and math at their own pace. “We’ve achieved this innovation not through a software program but being really thoughtful about all the aspects of school,” he said, when asked about other similar schools. Parents stamp of approval One mother of twins who attend Portfolio, Georgia Marantos, said she makes the journey from uptown to downtown Manhattan every day (with a toddler in tow also) as she liked the school so much. Her son was part of an exhibit at the school where students had created their own ice cream machine. Seeing an older nine-year old student present the machine, Marantos’ son was inspired. “He said, ‘I want to do that’.” “That’s an opportunity that would never have been there in any other classroom,” said Marantos, of the experience of mixed age groups working together. Marantos also praised the positive shift away from being the kid who gets the award or the best grades in class to the one who’s creating something incredible. Another mother at the school agrees. “Portfolio believes every child is a genius. They don’t dumb down the content because of their age and they stretch the kids beyond their comfort zone. At the same time, the teachers know the kids well and recognize each has different strengths and weaknesses, and they challenge them with great compassion,” said Jackie Tian. Finding the right balance Some say it’s too early to know what results will be seen from experimental schools. “There’s a lot of great innovation in schools right now. Project-based learning can intrinsically motivate students to be creative and explore their own interests — not just for the sake of a test score or grade. We do a disservice to students though if we shortchange foundational learning. There needs to be a balance,” said Karyn Wynn, a school administrator based in Palo Alto, California. “Learning driven by genuine inquiry sparks a child’s mind,” says Wynn. “There are also times when you need to rework an essay for the third time or struggle through a proof. Students need to build these muscles to persevere as well.” With a balanced approach, Wynn praises project-based learning. She says the current system of rigid testing causes too much pressure and the stakes are “ridiculously” high. “It’s great to have more creative energy in the education field. We do need to reimagine what is possible,” she added.
How Common Core, Marzano’s Design Questions 3 & 4, and project-based learning foster students’ thinking skills for the future. Here’s an example of a fairly typical city public school mission statement : “Our mission is to be a learning community that provides a safe, caring, quality education for students in order to prepare for the possibilities of tomorrow.” Does your school’s mission statement, and your personal mission statement, reflect your level of instruction? In education, a mission statement should be a reflection of the instructional practices that we employ in our schools. “Safe” and “caring” most teachers understand intuitively. But “a quality education” is harder to define. And – helping students “prepare for the possibilities of tomorrow”? Are we educators, or fortune-tellers? Actually we don’t need a crystal ball or psychic powers. To get kids ready for real-world future challenges, schools have to provide opportunities for students not just to skim the surface, picking up skills, but to truly deepen their new knowledge. Students must learn to generate and test hypotheses centered on their new knowledge – they need to take that big leap into higher-order thinking skills (and if you’re using the Marzano Model, you recognize Design Question 3 and Design Question 4.) Here’s why: Being able to analyze, to test an idea, to apply a concept, are the higher-order skills students will need to navigate a future whose features we can only guess at today. Are you preparing your students for the possibilities of tomorrow? And how do you know? Ask yourself these two questions. 1. As a teacher, am I providing students with the opportunities to practice new knowledge and question their knowledge by incorporating 21st century skills (problem-solving, analysis, judgments and decisions)? 2. Am I creating activities to develop skills in decision-making, problem-solving, experimental inquiries, and investigating? These skills – practicing and questioning new knowledge, decision making, investigating—are outlined in Dr. Robert Marzano’s New Taxonomy, Level Four: Knowledge Utilization. And they pack a double whammy: They also support the guidelines of the Common Core State Standards. Here’s even better news. According to Dr. Marzano’s research, general effects of generating and testing hypotheses show a 15-29 percentile gain for student achievement. These percentages are promising! An approach to developing “critical thinking skills,” Design Question 3, is forged through repeated exposure to knowledge. Likewise, to get students “questioning new knowledge,” (Design Question 4) teachers must provide opportunities for students to make predictions and reexamine those predictions through the use of cognitively complex tasks. Project Based Learning: Quality Counts One way to put the “quality” in education is to get students working toward understanding and resolving a problem. Project-based learning (PBL) and contextualized teaching and learning (CTL) are great ways to do this. According to Diane McGrath, students engaged in PBL activities “work in groups to solve challenging problems that are authentic, curriculum-based, and often interdisciplinary.” Good projects are often generated from a driving question, and they incorporate those 21st century skills, we’ve been talking about. Doesn’t that sound a lot like the goals of Common Core? You can create quality projects for all grade levels and subjects. Here are a few project based learning examples, all of which draw on investigating, problem solving, decision making, and/or experimental inquiry. Invasive insects are eating the leaves off flowers and plants around the school campus. Students can investigate and determine ways to stop the insects while still allowing them to contribute to the environment Students advise a design company who wants to make the school campus more attractive for students to learn and use technology. What financial and educational issues must they consider, and what will draw students to increase their use of technology on campus? The students, as shareholders in a local bank, determine whether their bank should open a small bank in the school media center. The local Health Department asks students to develop a comprehensive plan to educate students on infectious disease within their high school. As members of the “School Improvement Team,” students have to brief the principal on the cost and benefits of installing new lockers. Use mathematical principles such as volume and surface area to determine the cost of the lockers and the design of the lockers. The goal is to provide the most space and the least cost. The students are members of the city’s tourism society. The city wants them to create a tour guide for visitors that reflect classic literature from your summer reading list. Resources. For more on Project-Based Learning, see: PBL Project-Based Learning: A Resource for Instructors and Program Coordinators IMSA PBL Network McGrath, Diane. 2003. Artifacts and Understanding. How are you teaching 21st century skills in your classroom? Share your experiences or ask us a question in the comments section below.
Introduced last year, the Chinese regulations banned the import of some types of waste materials including mixed recyclables. New Zealand is one of many countries impacted, and faces similar issues to Australia. New Zealand had been sending 15 million kg to China annually – mainly mixed paper and mixed plastics that isn’t recycled locally the way glass, aluminium, clean and separated cardboard and paper, and certain types of plastic are. “The ban has had a greater impact than the industry expected and we need a coordinated response from central and local government, together with the waste and business sectors,” Eugenie Sage said. “A special taskforce is being set up within the Ministry for the Environment dedicated to leading the response, and we will establish an external working group with representatives from councils and the sector to provide independent advice.” New Zealand’s recycling sector has been diverting most of the materials that is not recycled here to processing plants in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. “The ban has had deeper impacts than anticipated and the recycling sector is facing rising pressure from the significant drop in global commodity prices. It is clear that this situation is not sustainable. “Several small stockpiles of recyclable materials have been building around the country, where smaller operators don’t have ready access to alternative markets,” Ms Sage said. “The Government is using funds from the waste levy to invest in projects that will accelerate New Zealand’s transition to a circular economy, including investing in onshore recycling plants. “We are also looking at options such as expanding the waste levy to more landfills, improving the data we have on waste including recyclables, and other tools to reduce the environment harm of products such as product stewardship, levies and bans.”
Article, Book Lists Poetry for All Ages - Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8 To show the delight and fun that words can be, introduce your students to poetry. The poems of Jack Prelutsky and especially Shel Silverstein are both humorous and inventive in their use of language. Poetry collections for young readers will introduce concepts of meter, rhyme, metaphor, and simile, which are important comprehension skills. Poetry for Preschoolers Delight your students with the rhythms and sounds in these perfect books for read-alouds. Poetry for Beginning Treat your students to stories in verse and poetry collections that make learning to read a delight. Poetry for Independent Discover a world of rhythm, rhyme, and free verse with engaging collections and novels for middle readers. Poetry for Pre-teens Open your students'minds to a world of language with these poetry collections and free verse novels.
During October we’ll be at the Palace of Westminster celebrating our amazing rivers and unique wildlife! We’ll also be sharing the important message that the environment should be at the heart of our politics. What is happening at Westminster? From 16 to 20 October, we’ll be taking over the Palace of Westminster with a stunning display of the UK countryside. Called ‘A river runs through it’, our river will flow through the Upper Waiting Hall, a busy thoroughfare for Members of Parliament on their way to meetings in the Committee Room Corridor. The exhibit will support a week of engaging events that celebrate the UK’s unique ecosystems, asking politicians to support the restoration of our environment. Likewise, the display will also showcase a beautiful piece of artwork about rivers, created by families that have attended the WWF Living Planet Centre during the summer. Why are we doing this? One of the most urgent environmental issues facing the UK is the declining health of our rivers. Four out of five rivers in England and Wales are failing. They are under pressure from many sources, including sewage, pollution and unsustainable abstraction. Many of you have helped us demand urgent action from the UK government to address these issues facing our rivers. A river runs through it will give us another opportunity to call on the government to ensure that the UK retains and strengthens standards of environmental protection as we leave the EU. We also want the government to develop a strong plan for environmental improvement that includes measures to restore rivers which are currently at risk from poor water management. What can you do? You can help make sure our exhibition is on your local MPs radar – and sometimes MPs invite their constituents to attend, so you may be able to visit our exhibition too! You can do this by tweeting this blog to your local MP or emailing them. Our event is kindly sponsored by Angela Smith MP.
Walking is a popular and healthy way for pedestrians of all ages to keep in shape. However, it is important that pedestrians be responsible for their own safety, as accidents can occur anywhere. Most child-age pedestrian accidents occur in the same neighborhood where the child lives, and these injuries result from children often having difficulty determining sound, distance, and location, in addition to a lack of knowledge of complex traffic rules. As such, it is important that all pedestrians, young and old, practice good habits, such as walking on sidewalks and crossing streets at crosswalks. The Florida Department of Transportation provides resources that help pedestrians learn about and practice safe walking habits. Boca Raton is committed to promoting and encouraging walking as a safe, economical, environmentally friendly, and health-conscious mode of transportation that is a viable and convenient alternative to the automobile through the expansion of facilities, services, and programs that promote walking. The City is actively working to install and maintain pedestrian and school crossing signs, sidewalks, and crosswalks. The City also participates in the Safe Routes to School program, which provides funding for sidewalks to be built within two-miles of elementary schools, encouraging students to walk to school. The City also provides funding for sidewalks as determined by the City Manager to promote pedestrian safety and/or to increase accessibility through American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Such sidewalks are installed by the city and the costs are assessed against the abutting properties. For more information on the City's sidewalk policy see Section 23-162 of the Code of Ordinances, or to request a sidewalk, fill out a sidewalk request form.
The Census of Marine Life has released its findings of ten years of research and exploration of the world's oceans. The first-ever study of its kind, involving 2700 scientists from 80 nations, identified more than 6,000 potentially new species. The effort will help researchers observe how marine populations change in response to events such as oil spills and climate change. © 2010 National Geographic, Census of Marine Life Now, breathe in again. Every second breath you take, comes from the ocean. No matter who you are, or where you live, your life depends on the ocean and the creatures that live there. From the tiniest organisms, to the biggest. But for something so important to our lives, we know surprisingly little about it. In 2000, The Census of Marine Life embarked on a mission to change that. This 10-year effort used the latest technologies as well as time-tested techniques to explore and monitor life in the oceans, It was a landmark collaboration that involved more than: And 9000 days at sea. Census scientists recorded the locations of tens of millions of individual marine organisms. Some finds were thrilling. In the waters off Australia, researchers found a species of shrimp thought to have gone extinct 50 million years ago. Other discoveries, however, were not as encouraging. Off the coast of northern Europe, Atlantic bluefin tuna were scarce in waters where they once thrived. In many areas, scientists found species that are completely new to science. In all, researchers found more than 6000 potentially new marine species, and formally described 1200 of them. And for the first time, scientists created a digital "address book" of what lives in the oceans. Made up of nearly 30 million records, this resource is accessible for free to researchers and the public worldwide. Thanks to this unprecedented effort, now there's a baseline -- a snapshot of what lives in the sea and where it was found, against which future change can be measured. We can see how populations change over time, what stays the same, and what's at stake for our ocean's future. And hopefully because of the Census of Marine Life, we can all ...breathe a little easier.
Pre-transplant tests and procedures You'll undergo a series of tests and procedures to assess your health and the status of your condition, and to ensure that you're physically prepared for the transplant. The evaluation may take several days or more. In addition, a surgeon or radiologist will implant a long thin tube (intravenous catheter) into a large vein in your chest or neck. The catheter, often called a central line, usually remains in place for the duration of your treatment. Your transplant team will use the central line to infuse the transplanted stem cells and other medications and blood products into your body. Collecting stem cells for transplant If an autologous stem cell transplant is planned, you'll undergo a procedure called apheresis (af-uh-REE-sis) to collect blood stem cells. Before apheresis, you'll receive daily injections of growth factor to increase stem cell production and move stem cells into your circulating blood so they can be collected. During apheresis, blood is drawn from a vein and circulated through a machine. The machine separates your blood into different parts, including stem cells. These stem cells are collected and frozen for future use in the transplant. The remaining blood is returned to your body. If an allogeneic stem cell transplant is planned, you will need a donor. When you have a donor, stem cells are gathered from that person for the transplant. This process is often called a stem cell harvest or bone marrow harvest. Stem cells can come from your donor's blood or bone marrow. Your transplant team decides which is better for you based on your situation. The conditioning process After you complete your pre-transplant tests and procedures, you begin a process known as conditioning. During conditioning, you'll undergo chemotherapy and possibly radiation to: - Destroy cancer cells if you are being treated for a malignancy - Suppress your immune system - Prepare your bone marrow for the new stem cells The type of conditioning process you receive depends on a number of factors, including your disease, overall health and the type of transplant planned. You may have both chemotherapy and radiation or just one of these treatments as part of your conditioning treatment. Side effects of the conditioning process can include: - Nausea and vomiting - Hair loss - Mouth sores or ulcers - Infertility or sterility - Organ complications, such as heart, liver or lung failure You may be able to take medications or other measures to reduce such side effects. Based on your age and health history, it may be better for you to receive lower doses or different types of chemotherapy or radiation for your conditioning treatment. This is called reduced-intensity conditioning. Reduced-intensity conditioning kills some cancer cells and somewhat suppresses your immune system. Then, the donor's cells are infused into your body. Donor cells replace cells in your bone marrow over time. Immune factors in the donor cells may then fight your cancer cells. May 05, 2015 - Bone marrow transplantation and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/bone-marrow-transplant. Accessed June 9, 2014. - Holmberg LA, et al. Determining eligibility for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 9, 2014. - Barbara Woodward Lips Patient Education Center. Autologous blood and marrow transplant (BMT). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2009. - Stem cell transplant (peripheral blood, bone marrow, and cord blood transplants). American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/TreatmentTypes/BoneMarrowandPeripheralBloodStemCellTransplant/index. Accessed June 9, 2014. - Hogan WJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 15, 2014.
Obtaining genome sequence information frequently leads to breakthroughs in the study of a particular organism. Bringing agriculturally important plant species into the genomic age is therefore an important goal. However, because they are typically larger or much larger than the 3-billion letter human DNA sequence and have a high proportion of so-called repetitive DNA that is difficult to sequence and contains few coding regions or genes, the genomes of many plants--including most agriculturally important species--have posed significant challenges to researchers interested in crop improvement, plant molecular biology, or genome evolution. A new study by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers is a significant step toward overcoming those challenges. By applying a method they recently developed that captures gene-rich regions and excludes the vast majority of repetitive, gene-poor DNA, Cold Spring Harbor researchers have now achieved a dramatic shortcut to sequencing the genes of corn. The approach should provide a similar boost to the sequencing and comparative analysis of other genomes in a wide variety of biological, biomedical, and biotechnological settings. The study, led by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists W. Richard McCombie and Robert Martienssen, is published in the December 19 issue of Science along with a related study carried out by researchers at The Institute for Genomic Research in Rockville, Maryland. A key method used in both studies, called methylation filtration, was developed in 1999 by McCombie and Martienssen's groups through work funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Methylation filtration relies on the observation that the DNA of repetitive, gene-poor regions in the corn genome (and other plant genomes) is modified by a process called methylation, whose study has been pioneered in part by Martienssen's group. Methylation filtration takes advantage of this observation to preferentially capture the unmethylated, gene-rich regions of the corn genome for subsequent analysis. Indeed, the new study demonstrates that methylation filtration removes 93% of repetitive, gene-poor DNA. As a result, the researchers were able to focus their efforts on the sequencing and analysis of the gene-rich regions of the corn genome. "This study establishes that methylation filtration, combined with other simple techniques, can be used to successfully recover and properly assemble complete gene sequences from genomes that are otherwise extraordinarily difficult to decipher," says McCombie. "Moreover, both studies involved large-scale tests that validated our initial estimates regarding how well the procedure would work. Perhaps most importantly, we've shown that after gene-enriched draft DNA sequences are obtained, they can be converted into the complete sequence of the corn genes by using the related, but much smaller rice genome sequence as a guide. We believe that taking this short-cut approach has brought us a very close to a final sequence map of the biologically important regions of the corn genome at a fraction of the cost of other approaches," adds McCombie. The rice genome, which is about 1/6 the size of the corn genome, is being sequenced as part of an international consortium funded in the United States by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn is the most important agricultural crop in the U.S. Because the genome structures of wheat, oats, barley, and many other crops are quite similar to that of corn, the approaches outlined by the new study provide the means to bring investigations of all of these important crops into the genomics era. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation Plant Genome Research Program (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/dbi/dbi_pgr.htm). Dr. Jane Silverthorne, Director of NSF's Plant Genome Research Program, says, "The success of this project highlights the importance of virtual center projects in bringing together the expertise required to tackle large complex problems in genomics." The above story is based on materials provided by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Cite This Page:
The Shuttle Discovery and its seven crewmembers are now in orbit after cruising through key flight milestones. Solid Rocket Booster separation was triggered 2-minutes and 5-seconds into the flight after burnout of the putty-like fuel packed inside each rocket. The firing of explosive bolts freed the twin boosters from the side of the External Tank, allowing them to peel away from the Space Shuttle. Parachutes were then automatically deployed from the boosters, allowing them to slowly descend into the Atlantic Ocean where they will be towed back to shore. Discovery initiated the command for Main Engine Cutoff, or MECO, at the 8-minute, 23-second mark. MECO shuts down the orbiter's three powerful engines in the rear of Discovery after completing the "uphill" climb into space. With the ascent into space complete and fuel onboard the External Tank exhausted, Discovery jettisoned the orange canister. Following jettison, Discovery used it's new belly-mounted digital camera to take pictures of the tank as it fell back into Earth's atmosphere. This historic mission is the 114th Space Shuttle flight and the 17th U.S. flight to the International Space Station. STS-114 is scheduled to last about 12 days, with a planned KSC landing at about 5:46 a.m. EDT Aug. 7. Discovery's first launch attempt was July 13 and was postponed at 1:30 p.m. EDT. During countdown activities, a low-level fuel cut-off sensor located inside the External Tank failed a routine prelaunch check. The sensor protects a Shuttle's main engines by triggering their shut- down in the event that fuel runs unexpectedly low. The sensor is one of four inside the liquid hydrogen section of the External Tank. Discovery rolled into KSC's Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) on Aug. 22, 2001, after returning from its last mission STS-105 in August 2001 and undergoing an Orbiter Major Modification period. The Shuttle rolled out of OPF bay 3 and into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on March 29 this year. While in VAB high bay 1, Discovery was mated to its redesigned External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters. The entire Space Shuttle stack was transferred to Launch Pad 39B on April 7. In order to allow for the addition of a new heater to the External Tank, Space Shuttle Discovery was rolled back to the VAB on May 26 for that modification to be performed. Discovery was removed from its External Tank and attached to a new tank originally scheduled to fly with orbiter Atlantis on mission STS-121, the second Return to Flight mission. Discovery was rolled back out to Launch Pad 39B on June 15 in preparation for the July launch window. On mission STS-114, the crew will perform inspections on orbit for the first time of all of the Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) panels on the leading edge of the wings and the Thermal Protection System tiles using the new Canadian-built Orbiter Boom Sensor System and the data from 176 impact and temperature sensors. Mission specialists will also practice repair techniques on RCC and tile samples during a spacewalk in the payload bay. In the payload bay, the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, built by the Italian Space Agency, will carry 11 racks with supplies, hardware, equipment and the Human Research Facility-2. During two additional spacewalks, the crew will install the External Stowage Platform-2, equipped with spare part assemblies, and a replacement Control Moment Gyroscope contained in the Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure. The STS-114 crew includes Commander Eileen Collins, Pilot James Kelly, and Mission Specialists Soichi Noguchi, Stephen Robinson, Andrew Thomas, Wendy Lawrence and Charles Camarda. For the latest information on NASA's Return to Flight efforts, visit: Cite This Page:
Hundreds of rare moths have flocked to the UK in what is being described as the best migration for years as a result of the recent record-breaking spell of warm weather. The last few days have seen the largest influx of the rare Flame Brocade moth for 130 years, with experts also believing it has now set up a colony at a secret site in Sussex. The arrival of a wide variety of species, many typically found in the Mediterranean, has led moth scientists at wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation to declare the autumn of 2011 as the best immigration season for more than five years. Others immigrants drawn in by the Indian summer include a spectacular species made famous by horror film The Silence of the Lambs - the Death's-head Hawk-moth, the beautiful Crimson Speckled and the delicate Vestal moth. But it is the occurrence of large numbers of Flame Brocade, a moth normally found in Spain and France, that could prove most significant. This was first discovered by Butterfly Conservation Officer for Sussex, Michael Blencowe and his friend Graeme Lyons, when one of the moths turned up unexpectedly in a back garden at the weekend. Mr Blencowe, 40, explained: "I'd never seen one of these moths before so I grabbed my net and went off to find out if there were any others about at a suitable site nearby. "I saw 10 that night and there have been recordings of 20 or more there every night since." Usually only single figures of Flame Brocades turn up in the UK each autumn, but this discovery of the beautiful, purplish-brown moth which boasts a distinctive white wing flash, has led to experts to suspect there may be a colony at the site. Butterfly Conservation's Head of Moth Conservation Mark Parsons said: "The Flame Brocade was resident in Sussex for at least half a century from about the mid 19th century and a scarce immigrant since then. "This is the first time the moth has been seen in these numbers in this country for about 130 years. "This moth appears to have been making an attempt to re-colonise these shores, possibly as a result of more favourable overall weather conditions through climate change." The Death's-head Hawk-moth, which boasts a striking skull like pattern on the thorax, has been seen along the South Coast at the RSPB's Arne nature reserve in Dorset and in Plymouth, Devon. Large numbers of Vestal moths and several Crimson Speckled, both normally found in the Mediterranean, have also been seen on the South West and South East Coast, both also being seen in Gwynedd And the extremely rare tropical species Spoladea recurvalis has been recorded from Ireland to the Isle of Man. Mark Parsons explained: "This is beginning to look to be the best autumn for immigrant moths since 2006, both in numbers of scarce species and diversity." "Amongst the highlights is Spoladea recurvalis. Prior to 2006 there had only been 19 records of this species in this country, with 19 recorded that year. "More than 20 have been recorded so far this autumn, being found in Sussex, Dorset, Cornwall, Cumbria and the Isle of Man, additionally there have been the first records for Ireland. "This is a widespread tropical species, its occurrence here this autumn being aided by the southerly winds." But despite the influx of foreign species, it has been a relatively poor year for some of our rare native moth species which have struggled as a result of the record-breaking dry spring.
A new study reveals how conflict resolution works on the microscopic scale -- a protein called Flower marks the weaker cells for elimination in favor of their fitter neighbors. The research, published by Cell Press in the June 15th issue of the journal Developmental Cell, furthers our understanding of a developmental process of "cell competition" and may provide some insight into pathological conditions that involve imbalances in cell fitness, such as cancer. During development, a cell compares its metabolic rates with neighboring cells and, as a result, the best adapted cells "win" and proliferate at the expense of neighbors that "lose" and are eliminated. This process of cell competition was first described in the fruit fly, in larval structures called imaginal discs that give rise to adult body parts, such as the wings. Cell competition may serve as a way to ensure that only the fittest cells contribute to the growing organism. However, all the known regulators of cell competition are also known to affect cell growth and survival in general, so it has been hard to determine what benefit animals derive from this particular type of cellular melee. "We were interested in investigating how cells of fly wing imaginal discs distinguish winners from losers during cell competition," explains senior study author, Dr. Eduardo Moreno from the Spanish National Cancer Center in Madrid. "We took a genomic approach and combined it with functional assays in order to identify genes expressed early during cell competition." Dr. Moreno's team identified several factors involved in the process, including Flower, a protein found in the cell membrane of multicellular animals. They show that three different forms of the Flower protein act as cellular "tags" that weigh in on win/lose decisions. A specific Flower tag not only labels cells as losers but triggers their elimination by apoptosis, a type of genetically programmed cell death. In fact, Flower is required for cell competition to occur, but does not affect general cell growth and survival. "Taken together, our results suggest that Flower isoforms generate the scaffold that is required and sufficient to label cells as winners and losers during competitive interactions among cells," concludes Dr. Moreno. "The extracellular code composed by the Flower isoforms may have biomedical implications beyond cell competition because imbalances in cell fitness also appear during aging, cancer formation and metastasis." Indeed, the specific role for Flower in cell competition makes it a unique focus for future study to understand the function of cell competition in isolation from other signals that control tissue growth. The researchers include Christa Rhiner, Jesus M. Lopez-Gay, Davide Soldini, Sergio Casas-Tinto, Francisco A. Martin, Luis Lombardia, and Eduardo Moreno, of the Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Melchor Fernandez Almagro, Madrid, Spain. - Christa Rhiner, Jesús M. López-Gay, Davide Soldini, Sergio Casas-Tinto, Francisco A. Martín, Luis Lombardía, Eduardo Moreno. Flower Forms an Extracellular Code that Reveals the Fitness of a Cell to its Neighbors in Drosophila. Developmental Cell, 2010; 18 (6): 985-998 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2010.05.010 Cite This Page:
Watch Rookery Bay doc on mangroves, 40-year history airing on Earth Day, April 22 Southwest Florida's unique ecosystem, primarily its mangroves, is the main focus of a new documentary airing on Earth Day, April 22, at 9 p.m. on WGCU. Florida filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus is behind the one-hour doc, "Southwest Florida's Mangrove Coast," which looks not only at the tropical coastal vegetation, but also spotlights the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and its 40-year history of protecting the fragile ecosystem between Marco Island and Naples. More environmental news: Naples artificial oyster reef project gets underway Produced by Stoltzfus, an award-winning director, and written by Nic Stoltzfus, both with Live Oak Production Group, the documentary will air across Florida PBS stations all month-long. "This documentary looks at the importance of the mangroves and its relation to hurricanes and then it looks at the history and how the reserve started as an idea from a few people in the 60s," Stoltzfus said. That idea grew into partnerships with local families and conservation agencies, including the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The documentary features people who were instrumental in creating the reserve, and spotlights its past and present programs. "To me, part of the strength of this story is that the partnerships established in the 60s are still there and have continued to grow and prosper," Stoltzfus said. The documentary is also a celebration of the reserve's 40th anniversary this year. “We are really excited about this film,” said the reserve's director Keith Laakkonen in a news release. “The documentary not only describes, but also shows the diversity of connections that people have made to this extraordinary place for over four decades.” Located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on Florida's gulf coast, the reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in the U.S. More on Rookery Bay: Science Saturdays at Rookery Bay aim to make environmental education more accessible Rookery Bay was designated as a National Estuarine Sanctuary by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Florida Gov. Bob Graham in 1978, following a grassroots effort spearheaded in the 60s by several groups, including the National Audubon Society, according to the news release. This isn't Stoltzfus's first time documenting the region. He's worked with both the reserve and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection since the 90s. Originally from Lancaster, PA, Elam moved to Florida, got his degree in media production at Florida State University, and fell in love with the state, and most importantly, a girl. For more than 30 years he has been documenting Florida's natural beauty, producing seven feature-length films, including "Living Waters: Aquatic Preserves of Florida" and "The Great Florida Cattle Drive: Unbroken Circles. He's documented Rookery Bay several times in the past as well as the Big Cypress National Preserve. "I love the outdoors and I love natural Florida. The stories I capture are about history and to learn about our natural habitats. My happy place is outdoors with a camera," Stoltzfus said. "Southwest Florida's Mangrove Coast" Read more about the filmmaker: liveoakproductiongroup.com/
By Susan Burke March, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE This week’s column is devoted to the top two myths about alcohol. In upcoming weeks I’ll cover a few others. Alcohol turns to sugar in your body and that’s why it makes you fat. This is a common myth since over-consumption of calories from alcohol can quickly make you fat. But it’s not because alcohol is transformed into sugar in your body – it’s because of the way it is metabolized and stored as fat. Alcohol is more quickly stored as fat than even excess calories from sugar (carbohydrate), or from protein, or even from fat itself. Fat has nine calories per gram, and protein and carbohydrate each have four calories per gram. Digestion begins in the mouth when you chew. Salivary enzymes begin the process for carbohydrates, while protein is further broken down by enzymes secreted in the stomach. Both continue their digestive journey when they encounter a variety of enzymes in the small intestine. The small intestine is the site of the absorption of all nutrients and digestion of fat. Once in the duodenum, or the upper part of the small intestine, bile from the gallbladder and digestive enzymes secreted from the pancreas break down fat. Absorption of these three nutrients is through the small intestine into the bloodstream. Alcohol has seven calories per gram but, unlike foods, which require time for digestion, alcohol is quickly absorbed. According to Brown University Health Promotion, about 20% of alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of an empty stomach and can reach the brain in about one minute. Most of the remaining 80% is absorbed through the small intestine and then goes directly to the liver, where enzymes break it down. How alcohol contributes to weight gain is both because it provides a source of quick calories, and because of the liver’s job in processing it; since the liver considers alcohol a toxin, it will go to work on it first, before fat, protein, or carbohydrate. Since the liver’s priority is to detoxify alcohol before processing anything else, drinking slows down the burning of fat, which leads to weight gain. Since the liver’s job is to process alcohol first, drinking can cause low blood sugar because nutrients are not transformed into energy (glucose) for our cells and they would normally be. More about how alcohol affects people with diabetes in an upcoming column. The myth about alcohol turning into sugar may have found its way into diet lore because, alcohol, like any liquid, goes down so very quickly – it’s typical to overlook liquid calories when you’re counting how many calories consumed during the day. Distilled alcoholic beverages like vodka, gin, and rum do not contain any “sugar” or carbohydrate at all – it’s distilled alcohol. A scant 1-½ -oz. shot has about 100 calories and no carbs, but what we mix with pure alcohol can overload you with both. For example, sour mix, simple syrup, sodas like tonic water or Coke, are brimming with sugar; a 10-oz gin & tonic has 240 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrate, all from the sugar added to sweeten the soda…of course, a diet tonic will cut the carbs and so the calories. Wine and beer contain small amounts of carbohydrate. For example, a 5-oz glass of white wine (about 100 calories) has about 2-3 grams of carbohydrate, depending on whether or not it is “dry” or “sweet” – still, just a fraction of the calories are from carbs (2 grams of carbohydrate x 4 calories per gram = 8 calories from carbohydrate). A regular beer (150 calories) has 12 grams per 12-oz bottle, a light beer about 6 grams. Watching your weight? Because of the way alcohol is metabolized, drinking makes it difficult to lose weight and can loosen your resolve to eat less, or more healthfully. Click here for more info on calories and carbs in alcoholic drinks. Drink a lot of water before going to sleep to prevent a hangover. No doubt, drinking a lot of alcohol can make you dehydrated, but it’s not the source of your hangover. A hangover is from stomach irritation, low blood sugar (shakiness, weakness, irritability) and dilated blood vessels. Add to this a poor night’s sleep and you will likely feel crapulous in the morning. Some people are especially sensitive to congeners, substances that are produced during fermentation and are responsible for most of the taste and aroma in distilled drinks. Congers are known to contribute to symptoms of a hangover. Bourbon contains 37 times the amount of congeners as vodka. In general, darker liquors contain more congeners and cause more severe hangovers. How much alcohol that causes a hangover for you will be quite different from your drinking partner; even if you’re the same size and weight – some can tolerate more, some can’t tolerate any. The liver can process only one ounce of liquor (or one standard drink) in one hour. If you consume more than this, your system becomes saturated, and the additional alcohol will accumulate in the blood and body tissues until it can be metabolized. Alcohol metabolism can depend on factors such as the amount of alcohol consumed and over what time period; body size; type and amount of food eaten along with alcohol; and level of physical activity. Understanding BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) is key to understanding how alcohol affects your body and the danger zones of alcohol poisoning. BAC measures the ratio of alcohol in the blood. So, a BAC of .10 means one part alcohol for every 1000 parts of blood.To see how to calculate how much alcohol you can safely metabolize in one hour click here. Most women will feel the effects of alcohol more than a man, even if they are the same size. There is also increasing evidence that women are more susceptible to alcohol’s damaging effects than men. Women have less dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme that breaks down alcohol. So a woman’s body will break down alcohol more slowly than a man’s. According to James C. Garbutt, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, to try and minimize any negative effects of alcohol, eat food before you drink and continue to eat while you drink. Foods, and fat especially, help to compete with the absorption of alcohol in the liver. To moderate your consumption, drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks but understand that drinking water won’t undo the effects of too much alcohol. The day after, take an ibuprofen for a headache, but avoid aspirin; alcohol aggravates gastritis (stomach irritation) and aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding. Avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol) when drinking; in combination with alcohol, it can cause liver damage. Heavy drinking can result in a vitamin B12 deficiency – side effects can mirror the symptoms of a hangover. Dr. Garbutt notes that hangover “cures” are just myths. Coffee won’t help, the “hair of the dog” just delays recovery, and a fatty, greasy or otherwise “morning after meal” would help only if you’d eaten it the night before before you started drinking. How to prevent a hangover? There’s nothing to be done if you exceed your personal ability to metabolize alcohol. If you choose to drink, drink slowly. Moderation is key, so respect your limits. Compare calories in alcoholic drinks. https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/food/alcohol How alcohol affects weight loss: Calories and carbs in drinks. http://www.shapefit.com/weight-loss/alcohol-calories.html What’s the best hangover cure? How to prevent a hangover. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173349.php Your digestive system and how it works. http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/Anatomy/your-digestive-system/Pages/anatomy.aspx Susan Burke March, a Cuenca expat, is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in smart solutions for weight loss and diabetes-related weight management. She is the author of Making Weight Control Second Nature: Living Thin Naturally—a fun and informative book intended to liberate serial dieters and make healthy living and weight control both possible and instinctual over the long term. Do you have a food, nutrition or health question? Write to me at email@example.com
A global study of religious adherence released on Tuesday by the Pew Research Center found that about one of every six people worldwide has no religious affiliation. This makes the “unaffiliated,” as the study calls them, the third-largest group worldwide, with 16 percent of the global population — about equal to Catholics. The study also found a wide disparity in the median age of religious populations, with Muslims and Hindus the youngest, and Buddhists and Jews the oldest. The median age of the youngest group, Muslims, was 23, while the median for Jews was 36. Over all, Christians (including Catholics) are the largest religious group, with 2.2 billion people, about 32 percent of the world’s population. They are followed by Muslims, with 1.6 billion, about 23 percent. There are about one billion Hindus, about 15 percent of the global population, and nearly half a billion Buddhists, about 7 percent. The study, “The Global Religious Landscape,” is a snapshot of the size and distribution of religious groups as of 2010, and does not show trends over time.
What does VHS mean in Electronics? This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand VHS in the Academic & Science field in general and in the Electronics terminology in particular. Find a translation for VHS in other languages: Select another language: What does VHS mean? - The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videotape-based cassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan. The 1970s was a period when video recording became a major contributor to the television industry. Like many other technological innovations, each of several companies made an attempt to produce a television recording standard that the majority of the world would embrace. At the peak of it all, the home video industry was caught up in a series of videotape format wars. Two of the formats, VHS and Betamax, received the most media exposure. VHS would eventually win the war, and therefore succeed as the dominant home video format, lasting throughout the tape format period. In later years, optical disc formats began to offer better quality than video tape. The earliest of these formats, Laserdisc, was not widely adopted, but the subsequent DVD format eventually did achieve mass acceptance and replaced VHS as the preferred method of distribution after 2000.
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume.7 Number.1 March 2016 Pp..310- 325 Effect of Attitude on Foreign Language Acquisition: Arabic Pronunciation as Case Study Nasser Saleh AlMansour Department of Linguistics and Translation Studies College of Languages and Translation King Saud University This study aims at investigating how attitude influences foreign language acquisition. In fact, the present study focuses on the relationship between the pronunciation proficiency of some of the American students learning Arabic at the Georgetown University, and their attitude toward Arabic speakers. The study also reveals and points out some fundamentally related elements, such as the exposure to Arabic Language and Arabic environment, to eliminate, or at least to reduce, the students’ negative attitudes that may hinder the process of pronunciation acquisition. The sample of the study consisted of 6 students (4 females and 2 males) randomly chosen from Georgetown University. A five-point likert scale attitude questionnaire and an achievement test were used to collect data from the students who participated in this research. Results showed that the students who have good attitudes towards Arabic speakers, and have visited or stayed in an Arabic-speaking country, have the best pronunciation performance, while those who have neither good attitudes nor stayed a long time in an Arabic-speaking country, have the poorest performance. KeyWords: acquisition, Arabic pronunciation, attitudes, foreign language, Georgetown University students, performance, pronunciation Cite as: AlMansour, N. S. (2017). Effect of Attitude on Foreign Language Acquisition: Arabic Pronunciation as Case Study. Arab World English Journal, 8 (1).
Pick the right kind of science fair project Before starting your project, ask your school teacher about the kind of science fair project that you are supposed to do. There are three different and distinct types of projects. What is acceptable for elementary school may not be for a high school or middle school science fair project. Also, state, regional or national science fairs may have different rules. If you do the wrong kind of project, it can keep you from going on to those larger science fairs. Plus you could end up with a bad grade, even after all your hard work. Let's talk about the three main kinds of projects so that you understand what is expected at your school. 1. A Model Kit In this type of science project, a display of some kind is assembled in order to illustrate something related to science. A famous example is the "erupting volcano" model. This is a plaster model of a volcano that is filled with baking soda and vinegar; the reaction between the chemicals causes a violent foaming which erupts like lava. This type of science fair project requires the least amount of work, and lacks the creativity that judges look for. It is sometimes used for elementary school science fair projects, but is rarely appropriate for middle school or high school. 2. The Demonstration The "demonstration science fair project," like the name implies, simply demonstrates a known scientific principle. It does not answer try to discover something new or answer a question through experimentation. A tornado in a wind tunnel or an "oil drop" model of splitting the atom are examples. This type of project is usually discouraged for middle or high school students because it doesn't challenge them to think critically about scientific ideas, principles or procedures. 3. The Investigation This is what most science fairs require. It is a proper scientific experiment, using the scientific method to seek out unknown answers to hypothetical questions. Basically, it's an experiment. If you want to advance to state, regional, or national science fairs, then this is probably the best type of project to choose. More information on different types of science fair projects can be found in many books. Check your local library or click here to search on-line. Now that you know about these three types of school science fair projects, it is important to ask your teacher about which will be acceptable for the assignment. Once you know what type of science project is expected, you can start to determine what the actual topic of your project will be. Let's take a look at the best way to do that. Get great science articles and projects each month with the Science Made Simple newsletter. Click here to learn more.
BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- China will launch Gaofen-2, a high-definition Earth observation satellite, to space this year, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND). As one of China's major science and technology projects, the Gaofen satellite series will help in geographic and resources surveys, environment and climate change monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster relief and city planning. Launched in April last year and still in service, Gaofen-1 provided data on the Lushan earthquake in Sichuan; floods in northeast China; and smog in north and east China during the test period. It also provided Pakistan with image data after an earthquake which happened on Sept. 24. Gaofen-1 was the first of five or six satellites to be launched for high-definition Earth observation before 2016. It is also the first low-orbit remote-sensing satellite designed to be in use for longer than five years. Equipped with better technology, Gaofen-2 will be able to see a one-meter-long object in full color. Wu Zhenyu, researcher with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the project will boost the development of China's remote sensing industry and ensure more effective social management.
How on Earth can we help geography teachers? Bailey, David. 2007 How on Earth can we help geography teachers? Mapping News, 32 (Summer). 24-26.Before downloading, please read NORA policies. If you work in geography or earth science education, you may know that the British Geological Survey (BGS) has been producing geological maps and books since 1835. But did you know that we also have a broadly based educational outreach programme? BGS has a broadly based expertise across the earth sciences. Our research covers hazards such as earthquakes and tsunami, volcanic eruptions, landslides, mud flows, subsidence and radon gas; resources such as hydrocarbons, aggregates, minerals and building stone; environmental concerns such as climate change, clean water supplies, contaminated soils and protection of seabed habitats; and applied IT skills encompassing GIS, 3‑D modelling and computer animation. \|Item Type:\|\|Publication - Article\| \|Programmes:\|\|BGS Programmes > Information Delivery\| \|NORA Subject Terms:\|\|Education \|Date made live:\|\|09 Jul 2008 13:18\| Actions (login required)
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numbers 23:19 This verse emphasizes God’s unchanging nature and trustworthiness. Here are some other King James Version (KJV) Bible verses that convey similar themes: - 1 Samuel 15:29: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” - Titus 1:2: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” - Hebrews 6:18: “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:” - James 1:17: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” - Psalm 33:11: “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” - Psalm 102:27: “But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” - Malachi 3:6: “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” These verses all emphasize the consistent, unchanging nature of God, and His commitment to His promises. Remember, the Bible has many themes and messages, so these verses touch on the idea that God's word is steadfast and reliable. Personalizing The Above As Christian Affirmations 1 Samuel 15:29: The Strength of Israel Will Not Lie nor Repent Also see: Spirit Of Truth 1 Samuel 15:29: "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent." - “Strength of Israel”: This phrase refers to God. In the context of the Old Testament, God is often referred to as the strength or protector of the Israelites. - “will not lie nor repent”: This part emphasizes God’s unchanging nature. Unlike humans, God doesn’t lie or change His mind. - “for he is not a man, that he should repent”: This again highlights the difference between the nature of God and humans. Humans might change their minds, make mistakes, or have regrets, but God is portrayed as being above these human tendencies. In simpler terms, this verse is saying: "God, the protector of Israel, doesn't lie or change His mind like humans do." God Can Not Lie Titus 1:2: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." - “In hope of eternal life”: This refers to the Christian hope of living forever with God in heaven. - “which God”: Here, the verse is referring to God as the source of this promise of eternal life. - “that cannot lie”: This emphasizes God’s truthful nature. It’s saying God is always honest and doesn’t break His promises. - “promised before the world began”: This part suggests that God’s promise of eternal life was made even before the creation of the world, emphasizing its eternal nature and significance. So, in simpler terms: "Christians hope for eternal life in heaven, a promise made by God (who always keeps His promises) even before the world was created." It Is Impossible For God To Lie Hebrews 6:18: "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" - “two immutable things”: The context of the chapter refers to two unchangeable things: God’s promise and His oath. These are things that God won’t go back on. - “in which it was impossible for God to lie”: This reiterates the concept that God is truthful and unchanging. He doesn’t and can’t lie. - “we might have a strong consolation”: This means believers can find comfort and encouragement knowing that God’s promises are steadfast. - “who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us”: This part describes believers as those seeking safety (like someone running to a safe place) by embracing the hope offered by God’s promises. So, to put it simply: "Because of two unchangeable things (God's promise and His oath), which prove God never lies, believers can find great comfort. They embrace the hope God offers, like someone seeking a safe place." God Is Doesn’t Change He Is Always The Same James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." - “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above”: This means all good things come from heaven or from God. - “cometh down from the Father of lights”: “Father of lights” is a poetic way to refer to God. It could imply God as the creator of celestial bodies (like stars) or as a source of enlightenment and truth. - “with whom is no variableness”: This emphasizes God’s unchanging nature. He is consistent and doesn’t vary or change. - “neither shadow of turning”: This is another way to stress God’s consistent nature. Imagine a light that doesn’t cast a shadow or move. That’s how steadfast and unchanging God is. To simplify: "All good and perfect things come from God in heaven, who is unchanging and always consistent, like a light that doesn't move or cast a shadow." Gods Plans Are Eternal They Don’t Change Psalm 33:11: "The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." - “The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever”: This means God’s wisdom, advice, or plans are eternal. They don’t change or fade with time. - “the thoughts of his heart to all generations”: This emphasizes that God’s intentions, plans, and love are consistent and extend to every generation, past, present, and future. To simplify: "God's wisdom and plans are eternal, and His intentions are consistent for every generation." God Is Unchanging and Consistent Forever Psalm 102:27: "But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end." - “But thou art the same”: This is addressing God directly, emphasizing His unchanging nature. God remains consistent throughout time. - “and thy years shall have no end”: This speaks to God’s eternal nature. Unlike humans who have a limited lifespan, God’s existence has no end. In simpler terms: "God, you are unchanging and eternal, with no end to your existence." God Keeps His Promises Because He Is Unchanging Malachi 3:6: "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." - “For I am the LORD, I change not”: Here, God is speaking directly and emphasizing His unchanging nature. He’s consistent and doesn’t vary in His ways or character. - “therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed”: The “sons of Jacob” refers to the Israelites, descendants of Jacob. The phrase “are not consumed” implies that because of God’s unchanging nature and His covenants/promises, He has not allowed the Israelites to be destroyed or wiped out, despite their shortcomings. To put it simply: "I am the unchanging God; because of this consistent nature, I've protected the Israelites from being destroyed." The following two tabs change content below. Allan Wilson is the creator of the Scriptural Thinking Affirmations Package. Featuring over 200 minutes of mp3 audio Bible affirmations complete with background music. The package comes with the original affirmations PDF ebook and many bonus affirmation Bible studies as well. The affirmations are designed to help you call to remembrance all of the wonderful benefits of being in Christ and the marvelous privilege of being a child of God. Latest posts by Bigal (see all) - Represent Your Culture: We Are People Of Faith – Faith Culture - November 24, 2023 - The Power of Faith in Christ: Insights from Matthew 9:2 - November 24, 2023 - I Have Not Found So Great Faith, No, Not in Israel - November 24, 2023
The Vine alphabet was invented by Marshall Wildey in 2002 during a boring day at work. He was inspired by Mongolian in its vertical, continuous writing. Most of the consonants somewhat resemble the ones in the Latin alphabet. The name of the alphabet comes from its style which resembles a hanging vine. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) The information and images on this page were produced by Marshall Wildey If you have any questions about the Vine alphabet, please write to Marshall.
The Maningrida Collection of Aboriginal Art consists of approximately 600 works in fibre and other materials by Maningrida artists. The Collection is held in trust for the people of Maningrida on a long-term basis under a unique cultural agreement. The works were all created in the mid-to-late 1980s, and made, for the most part by women, revealing their ingenuity and ability to maintain strong links with the past, while at the same time incorporating new ideas and materials. Some traditional pieces – such as dragnets, fish traps and hunting bags – have been produced collectively by men and women. The Maningrida Collection, together with the Ramingining Collection and the Arnott’s Collection are three remarkable collections of Aboriginal art which complement one another, and came to the Museum because of its commitment and involvement with the Aboriginal communities, and a curatorial perspective from ‘within’ the communities in the case of the two closely related areas of Ramingining and Maningrida.
Description: On January 13, 2021, the House debated articles of impeachment of President Donald Trump after the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Using primary source video of the House floor debate, this lesson provides an overview of the debate's procedures and has students analyze the arguments made during that debate. View the entire lesson here: Have the students begin class by answering the following questions. Review the answers with the class and address any misconceptions. - What is the purpose of Congress' impeachment power? - How does the impeachment process work? After reviewing the basic power and purpose of Congress' impeachment power, have the students view the following video clip and read the articles of impeachment. For each video clip, students should complete the activity listed below. Video Clip: Previewing a Second Impeachment of President Trump (5:42) - Describe the process for impeaching the president. - What are the obstacles to the impeachment process in the House? - What are the obstacles to an impeachment trial in the Senate? - What does Rep. Raskin (D-MD) say are the reasons for impeaching President Trump? - Describe the debate over holding an impeachment trial after the president leaves office. Reading: Article of Impeachment Read the resolution and answer the following questions: - Summarize the events discussed in Article I: Incitement of Insurrection. - What are the arguments for impeaching President Trump laid out in the article of impeachment? Using the impeachment debate handout linked below, have the students view each of the video clips of members of Congress debating the articles of impeachment. While viewing these video clips, students will take notes on the arguments each member of Congress makes and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. Handout: Analyzing the House Impeachment Debate (Google Doc) - Video Clip: Rep. McGovern (D-MA) (4:23) - Video Clip: Rep. Cole (R-OK) Debates Article of Impeachment against President Trump (5:10) - Video Clip: Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) (4:11) - Video Clip: Rep. McClintock (R-CA) (4:12) - Video Clip: Rep. Lofgren (D-CA) (1:21) - Video Clip: Minority Leader McCarthy (R-CA) (7:06) APPLICATION AND CONCLUSION: Using the T-charts on the handout, have the students list the arguments for and against each of the Articles of Impeachment. Based on this chart, have them provide a written response to the following prompt. Teachers can also choose to use one of the activities listed on C-SPAN's Classroom Deliberation site - Based on the arguments from the House impeachment debate, how should the House have voted on the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump? Create your Own Clip- View and search through the House impeachment debate on C-SPAN's website. Find arguments not included in the lesson. Using the clipping guide, create a clip to present to the class. Research your Member of Congress- Identify your member of Congress. Search through the House impeachment debate on C-SPAN's website. If applicable, summarize your member of Congress' position on the issue of impeachment. Previous Impeachment Comparisons- Using the video of the House impeachment debate of President Clinton or the first impeachment debate of President Trump, explain how the arguments in the Clinton impeachment debate compare to those in the Trump impeachment debate. Logical Fallacies- Using the logical fallacies explained on the Purdue Online Writing Lab website, identify and explain how these logical fallacies were represented in the arguments for or against impeachment.
The NIPP Risk Management Framework Diagram. In the U.S. someone says “critical infrastructure,” what comes to mind? For some, it’s highways, electrical grids, and municipal water delivery systems. Others think of dams and railways. While those are all valid parts of infrastructure, it is important to realize that there are many other facets, or sectors, of critical infrastructure (CI). Dr. John Sullivan, vice-chairman of the American Board for Certification in Infrastructure Protection (ABCIP), puts it nicely: “Infrastructure is the glue that binds society together.” That glue includes stadiums, financial institutions, defense companies, farms, and many other portions of our society. In post-9/11 American society, all of us, not just those responsible for public safety, must understand why it is important to protect those assets, both physical and electronic, that are critical to our everyday life. A water treatment plant in San Diego, right next to a military housing tract and within sight of the international border, is probably more at risk of being attacked than a bank in rural Kansas. However, if that bank is the Federal Reserve at Fort Leavenworth, then the threat becomes a higher priority than the water treatment plant. As a result of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City, former President Bill Clinton convened the President’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection (PCCIP) in 1995. The commission’s report was one of the eye-openers that told government officials that our nation’s infrastructure was not well protected. One of the things that the PCCIP really focused on was the lack of protection for our cyber infrastructure. President Clinton issued PDD-63 in 1998, in response to the report generated by the PCCIP, which mandated the establishment of the National Infrastructure Assurance Plan (NIAP), which was the precursor to today’s National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). The report recognized that certain portions of our infrastructure are vital to daily life and that proactive measures must be taken to protect them. While the nation was taking steps to protect its infrastructure, budget constraints and other priorities pushed the recommendations of the PCCIP to the back burner until the 9/11 attacks resulted in the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security. President George W. Bush issued HSPD-7 in 2003, which set guidelines for the federal government to identify and prioritize U.S. critical infrastructure to protect it from terrorist attack. HSPD-7 also updated the definition of critical infrastructure to mean any assets that are “so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety.” The NIPP was released in 2006 to provide a unifying strategy to integrate existing and future critical infrastructure protection systems and efforts into one national program. The NIPP stresses the importance of prioritization. While not all CI threats can be eliminated, we can prioritize those that have the greatest probability of happening and causing the most damage. The NIPP identified sector-specific agencies that were in charge of 18 sectors deemed critical; they in turn were responsible for sector-specific plans (SSPs). The following are the 18 sectors deemed critical and the agencies assigned to each: Also, the 2006 NIPP focused on three principal objectives: Building security partnerships to implement critical infrastructure protection programs; Implementing a long-term risk-reduction program; and Maximizing efficient use of resources for critical infrastructure protection. In 2009, the NIPP was updated to include a greater emphasis on risk management and resilience. It also discussed how each of the 18 sectors could work together in regional consortiums to address cross-sector risks. The 2009 NIPP outlined a common risk assessment approach, called the NIPP Risk Management Framework. The update also stressed that resiliency is just as important as protection. This also ties into Continuity of Operations (COOP), another concept that DHS stresses in emergency management planning. With COOP, the idea is that businesses should have programs in place that enable them to maintain operations in the wake of a disaster or terrorist attack. It is imperative that those in the public safety field understand the 2009 National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP)—specifically, the NIPP Risk Management Framework. It is by this framework that Federal, state, local, and tribal governments determine where to focus their infrastructure protection efforts. The framework describes how to combine consequence, vulnerability, and threat information. The outcome of that process is a comprehensive, rational, and systematic assessment of risk associated with an asset, i.e. the water treatment plant, bank, and Federal Reserve described earlier. The best part about the NIPP Risk Management Framework is that it, like NIMS and ICS, is scalable. You can use it to assess risk for a large corporation, government, or computer network, or you can use it to assess risk on your home, school, or small business. The steps remain the same; the only things that change are the expenditures of time, money, and staffing. For instance, if you have a broken window in your home, you could run a short risk assessment utilizing the NIPP Risk Management Framework. First, we set goals and objectives. The goal is to secure your personal valuable items and information, or critical infrastructure. We can identify your computer containing all of your personal information as your critical infrastructure. Then we assess the risks by determining the consequences, vulnerabilities, and threats. The consequences include loss of personal information, loss of proprietary business information, identity theft, intelligence gathering, etc. The vulnerability is that broken window, the lack of a robust security system around the computer (because who really has a retina scan to access their PC?), and the fact that you work, so are not always home to show a presence in the household. The threat is that someone may gain access to your home through the broken window, break another window, or walk through an exterior door to your residence. Now you would prioritize. Clearly, the first thing on your list is fixing that broken window. Then you buy some robust locks and consider a contract with a company that installs centrally monitored security systems. Your last priority might be that retina scanner for your computer. So now that you’ve made your priority list, you will begin to implement programs to take care of those priorities. Get the window fixed, call the security company, and somehow procure a retina scanner. Finally, it’s time to measure effectiveness. Figure out a way to test the effectiveness. If that means trying to break into your own home, then so be it. Remember, folks, this is just an example of how to utilize the NIPP Risk Management Framework. We use this example to show that it can be utilized in almost any risk situation, large or small. Most of the nation’s critical infrastructure is owned and operated by private-sector companies. The number is often debated, but the general consensus is that 75%–95% of critical infrastructure assets are privately held. That means that the government must work with those business owners and operators to ensure that America is hardened against an attack against our homeland as well as natural disasters. These companies are encouraged to work with DHS to address risk identified through risk assessments. So what does all of this mean to you? No matter what sector you work in, you can assess the threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences involved with your business. You can even do so at home. Once you figure out the threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences, you can assign a value of risk to whatever you are assessing. Once you have that risk identified, you can take action to mitigate that risk. So what can you do? You can get involved with infrastructure protection at any level, whether it is within your home, company, or government. Check out ABCHS online courses. Start taking free FEMA courses online. There are hundreds of courses at training.fema.gov for you to increase your knowledge of NIMS, ICS, NIPP, COOP, and all of the other awesome acronyms that we use in the field of homeland security. Shawn J. VanDiver, BS, CHS-V, SSI, CDP-I, CMAS, CAS-PSM serves in the United States Navy, operating in support of the global war on terror and the war on drugs, as well as providing sailors in his unit with force protection and anti-terrorism training. He is the assistant emergency management coordinator for his command as well as the lead CPR instructor, assistant safety officer, and hazmat coordinator for his division. He spent several months working for the County of San Diego Office of Emergency Services, developing relationships with and providing critical disaster preparedness information to military families in the San Diego area. VanDiver, who holds the rank of petty officer second class, is a graduate student completing his Master of Science degree in Homeland Security and Safety Engineering at National University in La Jolla, California. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Domestic Security Management from National University, with a minor in criminal justice. VanDiver is a Charter Member of the American Board for Certification in Infrastructure Protection and holds several certifications in homeland security and anti-terrorism.
Cancer symptoms: Men are more likely to be diagnosed than women Experts have said there is no significant biological reason why more men than women are diagnosed with cancer. Even when people remove sex-specific cancers from the equation - such as prostate cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer - which can affect men but most commonly affects women, experts found men were more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and more likely to die from it. A report by the ONS on avoidable mortality in England and Wales revealed males were more likely to die from an avoidable cause than females. Figures by Cancer Research UK state: “An estimated 42 per cent of cancer cases each year in the UK are linked to a combination of 14 major lifestyle and other factors. “The proportion is higher in men - 45 per cent - than women - 40 per cent, mainly due to sex differences in smoking. Smoking is believed to be the largest single preventable cause of cancer each year in the UK, with excess body weight being the second. People who are obese have a higher risk of developing cancer and dying from the disease. Sophia Lowes, Cancer Research UK’s health information officer, said: “In the UK, men are more likely to develop cancer while women are more likely to survive it. “Some cancers only happen in males due to their biology, like prostate cancer, but for other cancers lifestyle differences are likely to play a role. “For example, men are more likely to drink alcohol, be overweight and to have smoked in the past, which all increase cancer risk. “Four in ten cancers could be prevented by things like being a non-smoker, keeping a healthy weight, cutting down on alcohol, eating a balanced diet and staying active.” Cancer symptoms: Men are more likely to drink alcohol Cancer affects more men than women Figures revealed by the ONS have revealed the number of men and women diagnosed with certain cancers. Between 2012 and 2014, 18,903 men were diagnosed with bladder cancer in comparison to 6,976 women. Colorectal cancer - or bowel cancer - affected 56,369 men, in comparison to 44, 393 women. Lung cancer affected 58,801 men and 49,855 women. However the report said bladder cancer was an anomaly because women have a much lower chance of survival than men. The report said: “This is likely to be due to a complex mix of reasons. Cancer symptoms: Women arguably have more contact with GPs “Women with a given stage of bladder cancer have worse survival compared with men with the same disease stage. “This suggests that there are some gender differences in bladder cancer survival, because of differences in biology. Women with bladder cancer also tend to be diagnosed at a later stage.” It has also been suggest that men are less willing to talk about their health concerns. Women have more contact with health professionals throughout their lives - including appointments for contraception, during pregnancy and birth which could give women more opportunity to talk to GPs about worrying symptoms. Women are also invited to breast and cervical cancer screenings - which provides more opportunities for women to be in contact with healthcare professionals. All men and women aged 60 to 74 are invited to carry out a faecal occult blood (FOB) test - bowel cancer screening.
Time may be running out for some Olympic Winter Games host locations – including the 2014 host, Sochi (Russia) – according to an article in Current Issues in Tourism. Scott et al analyse two climatic indicators – minimum temperature of ≤0°C and snow depth of ≥30cm – both from a historical point of view and using future projections. They find that only 10 of the 19 previous host locations for the Winter Games are expected to remain suitable in the 2050s, and as few as 6 in the 2080s. This will have a major impact on where – and how – future Winter Games can be staged. The Olympic Winter Games is a global mega-event. It is important not only for elite sporting competition, but also for tourism, media coverage, sponsorship and the promotion of culture. The Games can bring substantial benefits to a host city and region, and the bidding process to become a host is highly competitive. Climatic suitability is a key element in assessing locations, with weather conditions being critical for outdoor competitions, opening and closing ceremonies, the scheduling of events, spectator comfort and televised broadcasts. Average February daytime temperatures of Winter Games locations have steadily increased, from 0.4°C in the period 1920–1950s, to 7.8°C in the twenty-first century. Given these trends, not all previous locations are likely to be suitable hosts for the Winter Games in future years. Scott and colleagues focus on two specific conditions to assess the suitability of host locations, namely the probability that minimum daily temperatures will be 0°C or lower, and the probability that the snow depth will be 30cm or more (with snowmaking capacity). They classify each of the 19 previous host locations for three time periods: baseline (1981–2010), 2050s (representing 2041–2070) and 2080s (representing 2071–2100). They consider low- and high-emission scenarios for the two future periods. On the basis of how often these conditions were, or are expected to be, fulfilled, locations are classified as climatically reliable, marginal/high-risk, or unreliable. In a high-emission scenario, less than a third (6 out of the 19) of the previous host locations are projected to be climatically reliable by the 2080s. This raises a number of issues for organisers of the Winter Games. Over the next two decades there may be a greater impetus to award the Winter Games to locations that are expected to become unreliable by the 2050s. If fewer regions of the world are climatically suitable, other regions that have not previously hosted the Games may need to be considered. As Scott et al conclude: "In a substantially warmer world, celebrating the second centennial of the Olympic Winter Games in 2124 would become increasingly challenging." Organisers of the Games need to consider changes in the scale and format of future events, and investigate technologies that can overcome climate vulnerabilities. Explore further: Marketing instructor predicts Olympic locales
to obey is better than sacrifice / obedience is better than sacrifice July 04, 2019 – Thursday Esther 3:8-9 NIV 8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.” We read in chapter 3:1 for some reason – the reason or reasons are never given – After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. We are not told what events are being referenced, but if we turn back to chapter two we find two events. The first we know about, Esther became queen. The second is that Mordecai overheard a plot to assassinate King Xerxes, reported it Queen Esther, who told the king while giving credit to Mordecai. So what did Haman do to earn the seat of honor given him? We are not told, it is a mystery. However, we know about Mordecai from 2:5-6 that he was a a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachinking of Judah. We further learn he raised a cousin named Hadassah, who was an orphan. She was also known as Esther and is now the queen. We still know nothing about why Haman was elevated to such a high position, something we never find out. But we do know why he hated Mordecai, because after Haman was given a position higher than all the other nobles in verse two, All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. Eventually Haman learned of this his pride was greatly wounded. 5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. Thus we arrive at our verses for the day where Haman sought the king out to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed due to his vanity. While the king agreed to Haman’s idea, this chapter ends with his command going throughout the kingdom 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered. Why were the inhabitants of the city of Susa bewildered? The citizens of the empire knew Jewish people who lived among them, and they knew that they were good citizens who caused no trouble. Therefore, they were confused that such a decree came forth, declaring that these Jews were dangerous enemies. Guzik Tomorrow we will find out what happened, how Haman’s plan succeeded or failed. Or you might want to read the following chapters yourself (it is quite a story) or watch the recommended Bible Project video on Esther to see how it ends. One thing for sure God remains in control. RileyD, nwJ (to obey is better than sacrifice / obedience is better than sacrifice)
Man has long been fascinated by living creatures, and there is a long history of appreciation of birds for their beautiful plumage, their bright joie de vivre, and their song. In fact song and birds are inextricably linked, celebrated by poets and composers the world over. Certainly, other groups of animals sing (whales, crickets and some monkeys, for example), but for most of us none of them can compete with birds for the loveliness of their song. Song is surely linked in our minds with birds, as much as their ability to fly and their possession of feathers. Singing is most characteristic of birds in the order passeriformes, this group comprising about 5000 of the world’s 9000 or so bird species. The oscine passerines include most of our familiar small birds, from crows to cardinals and including warblers, sparrows and Carolina wrens. Some non-passerines sing, including hummingbirds, but their songs are generally less developed and attractive (to our ears, at least). Birds sing for two main reasons : 1. To attract a mate and 2. To establish and hold a territory. As might be expected from these functions, singing is mostly a male activity. Under the influence of a seasonal increase in hormones, the male is ready to breed. To raise a family, he first needs to establish a home or territory. Most larger animals defend a territory, a certain area which the individual claims for his own use (and that of his family) and from which he excludes all other individuals of his species. When a male sings, he is laying claim to his territory and sending a message to other males "this is my property, keep out". The territory may be an acre or less, or several square miles depending on the species. The bird may be able to establish and maintain his territory by song alone. If another male tries to invade his territory, he is likely to respond with increasingly vigorous song, display flight, or if necessary physical confrontation. However, song often enables the bird to repel its rival without Once the bird has established its territory, it needs to find a mate. Once again - for many species - song is the key. The song used to attract females may be different from the one used to establish a territory. If the bird successfully attracts a mate, and once eggs are laid, he may reduce the frequency of the female attracting song, but still keep up the territorial song. He must keep the food and cover on his territory for himself and his Birds produce sounds in various ways. Not considered further here are sounds made by knocking on trees (woodpeckers) and noises made by wind passing through feathers (e.g. nighthawks and snipe), although they may serve a similar function to song in other species. The avian equivalent of the mammal’s larynx is the syrinx, a hollow structure situated where the trachea splits to form the two bronchi. This location on the two bronchi enables the bird to produce different sounds from each bronchus simultaneously (or to breathe through one while singing with the other!), and makes possible a very complex song. The name Syrinx will be familiar to classical scholars, Syrinx was a nymph who was pursued by the god Pan. Running to escape his embrace, she was cornered when her way was blocked by a stream. By her wish, and to escape her pursuer, she was transformed to a hollow-stemmed reed. When the wind blew over the opening, a soft musical sound was produced. Pan tied several of these reeds together, and thereby invented the pipes that bear his name. Singing is a potentially a risky business to a bird. The song that attracts a wife, can also attract a predator! Even a bird like a painted bunting, which usually stays well hidden in dense cover, can often be easily seen when perched high and singing. To the bird it is worth the risk. Breeding is the only chance he has to transfer his DNA to a new generation. It has been shown that there are advantages and disadvantages to different song characteristics. For example, low frequency (pitch) sounds travel further (in part by reflection from the ground), but require more energy to produce, and may not be anatomically possible for small birds. Higher frequency sounds are more easily distorted by vegetation, but are common in birds which live in open areas. Many birds sing from the top of a tree to enhance sound propagation. Some open country birds sing while in flight to gain extra height. As you might expect, song is most noticeable in the breeding period (roughly February to July here in Central Florida). We often hear the first northern parula song around Valentine’s Day, and then increasing amounts from various birds up to the peak around the end of May. However there is some singing all year round (especially this far south). You will also notice some wintering birds singing, I have noticed this in American robins later in the winter. You can buy recordings of bird sounds to help you learn their songs. Hopefully, when our birds start their breeding cycle this spring you will be able to enjoy their song with a bit more understanding of what is going on, and why. Instead of throwing the alarm clock at that wren, you’ll react more like Sir Joseph Banks, naturalist with James Cook, who, while at anchor off the coast of New Zealand in 1770, wrote "This morn I was awakd by the singing of birds...their voices were the most melodious wild musick I have ever heard, almost imitating small bells...".
After much introspection on this picture; I have to apologize for suggesting the female character being justice. The reasoning was a quick assumption based on where the picture hangs (court house) and the dichotomy of two figures that can be taken as good and evil. After thorough analysis of all the involved elements, I believe the female figure is actually meant to be Venus, due to the amount of Masonic imagery in this painting. So instead of giving a personal interpretation; I feel it best to inform other readers of the symbolism of many things contained in the painting, so that they may draw from their own subconscious as to what the paintings meaning is, in a more personal way. (Striped Pants) The history of stripes arises from their being strangely identified in medieval western mysticism with the mark of the outcast. As such, stripes represent everyone from people of other religions to the mentally ill, in short, all those excluded from, or cast out of, society. Taking on a more prominent role in 12th and 13th century folk literature and palace fiction, stripes became identified with groups such as treacherous knights, feudal despots, adulterous wives, disobedient children, disloyal brothers, cruel dwarfs and greedy knaves and housemaids, who were almost always represented in, or forced to wear, striped garments. The black and yellow pattern of stripes are often associated with bees or wasps. (Purple silk Robe) Symbolizes royalty, the earliest were made of Sea Silk, and dyed purple from harvesting mollusks to produce the ink. Gathering the materials to make clothing and robes of these materials were tedious and difficult, and became associated with royalty because a commoner simply could not afford it. (Top Hats) In Freemasonry, top hats are often associated with the position of Worshipful Master as they are the only member allowed the privilege to wear one. The red poppy is also known as the remembrance poppy; and usually associated with, Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day or Armistice Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. It is also important to note that a large red silk poppy is a common decoration on Easter hats. (Black and white checkered tile) Is an old symbol of the Order. It is met with in the earliest rituals of the last century. It is classed among the ornaments of the lodge along with the indented tessel and the blazing star. Its partly-colored stones of black and white have been readily and appropriately interpreted as symbols of the evil and good of human life. (Snow White and Dwarfs) The seven dwarfs represent the seven planes of consciousness that ancient philosophers believed to exist in the universe as well as inside each person. These planes correspond to the physical realm (body, sensations, emotions and concrete mind) and spiritual realm (pure mind, intuition, will). It is of interest that two are leaning in looking at the goats finger, which is also phallic in relation to proximity. Snow white has red hair; in Dutch myth people with red hair bring bad luck. It might also help to think the was a step child to the queen, perhaps you've heard the phrase "red headed step child". (Collars) Detachable Collars were usually worn by upperclass men and boys. The collar was supremely uncomfortable, and often used to punish boys who had disobeyed their parents. A lockable strap and pin could be inserted in tom certain types of collar, which could then be tightened in order to prevent the removal of the collar. (Clown Face)The white face character-type is often serious, all-knowing (even if not particularly smart), bossy and cocky. He is the ultimate authority figure. He serves the role of "straight-man" and sets up situations that can be turned funny. (Goat man) Pan's name (Πάν) is the Greek word for "all" Pan's goat image recalls conventional faun depictions of Satan. Although Christian use of Plutarch's story is of long standing, English historian Ronald Hutton argues that this specific association is modern and derives from Pan's popularity in Victorian and Edwardian neopaganism. Medieval and early modern images of Satan tend, by contrast, to show generic semi-human monsters with horns, wings and clawed feet. (Venus) hints at a link with ancient mother/goddess/fertility worship including the worship of her consort, the Horned God. The sign of the horns is "I Love You" in sign language no thumb used, is in this version also this is a gesture in Buddhism to cast out demons. Venus wears what appears to be a sleeping mask that is composed of a midnight blue with stars, but has holes taken to represent not being blinded by the darkness. (Triangle beneath collar) Appears to make a right triangle with a separate color distinction; appearing to be the all seeing eye. So to anyone interested, what are your thoughts on how all of this ties together? edit on 24-8-2012 by BigBrotherDarkness because: sp
F# (pronounced F Sharp) is a multi-paradigm programming language, targeting the .NET Framework, that encompasses functional programming as well as imperative and object-oriented programming disciplines. It is a variant of ML and is largely compatible with the OCaml implementation. F# was initially developed by Don Syme at Microsoft Research but is now being developed at Microsoft Developer Division and is being distributed as a fully supported language in the .NET Framework and Visual Studio as part of Visual Studio 2010. (* print a list of numbers recursively *)source: F Sharp (programming language). (2010, November 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12:23, November 19, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=F_Sharp_(programming_language)&oldid=397032758 let rec printList lst = match lst with \| -> () \| h :: t -> printf "%d\n" h For more information, see Microsoft F# developer centre
Workers employed on farms and in factories producing Australia’s fresh produce are working long, unfair and unsafe hours for very low pay Many are paid less than the Award, which is the minimum pay and conditions by law in Australia, and are not receiving superannuation or penalty rates. Many are being forced to use accommodation and transport provided by their employer at exorbitant prices. Sexual harassment, bullying and abuse are rampant in the industry. Many workers are suffering repetitive strain and other injuries, due to excessively fast pace of work, and a lack of training and rotation. All of these factors have created an industry built on exploitation Australian communities cannot feel confident that the fresh food sold in their major supermarkets is produced ethically because workers in the industry are not earning a living wage and many are suffering serious labour rights abuses.
2 October 1553: John Locke visited Cyprus on his way to Jerusalem. He stopped twice on the island, once going, and then during his return home. “The second of October we returned to Amacho, where we rested untill the sixth day. This towne is a pretie village, there are thereby toward the sea side divers monuments, that there hath bene great overthrow of buildings, for to this day there is no yere when they finde not, digging under ground, either coines, caves, and sepulchres of antiquities, as we walking, did see many, so that in effect, all alongst the seacoast, throughout the whole Island, there is much ruine and overthrow of buildings: for as they say, it was disinhabited sixe and thirtie yeres before Saint Helens time for lacke of water. And since that time it hathe bene ruinated and overthrowen by Richard the first of that name, king of England, which he did in revenge of his sisters ravishment comming to Jerusalem, the which inforcement was done to her by the king of Famagusta.” The ‘History Today’ series is made possible with the support of OPAP (Cyprus).
Dedicated to St. Andrew, this church lies a short block from the more famous Cathedral of Cologne. The nave, aisles and west end were built between 1180 and 1245 in the romanesque style. The choir and apsidal transepts were added in the 15th century in the high gothic style. The choir is longer than the nave, almost making two churches that meet at the crossing. Yet, the overall effect is very unified. This church is the repository of some remarkable relics (giving them the benefit of the doubt for the moment). St. Andrew’s arm bone is reputedly contained in a reliquary in the apse of the choir. The south transept holds a 16th century gilded reliquary that reputedly contains the bones of seven Jewish brothers and their mother. The apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees records their torture and death at the hands of Antiochus. When the synagogue near which they were buried was converted to a Christian church, their bones were recovered and eventually found their way to Cologne in 1164. When the choir was built, the crypt underneath was sealed up. After WWII, the crypt was reopened and renovated. A chapel was opened up underneath the crossing to house the relics of Albertus Magnus, a Dominican scholar and scientist of the 13th century. The sarcophagus is a roman artifact once held at the nearby St. Ursula church. Albertus was canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1931. As unique as the shrine of the Jewish martyrs is, the reliquary in the vestibule (with St. Andrew in the background) is perhaps the strangest. I thought at first it was a baptismal font. It is in fact supposed to contain the blood of the virgins who were martyred with St. Ursula in the 3rd or 4th century. The stone “font” itself is 16th century. The unique decagonal nave of this church opens to east into a choir which was completed about 1156. Much of the original furniture was destroyed in WWII and the structure required significant repairs. Yet the heavy, round-arch, romanesque design elements are evident. The apse retains most of the original wall paintings, including the enthroned Christ, St. Gereon, and a bishop brandishing a sword. The windows are modern. Opening off the south side of the decagon is a baptistry built 1242-45. By that time the gothic style had taken hold in German lands. The font itself is of a somewhat earlier date. Opposite the font is a late gothic altar. The wall paintings date to the mid-13th century, about the time of construction. One of the most striking features of the church is a chapel with a 19th century pieta. Although the gilded vault and variegated marble panels are eye-catching, the monochrome sculpture stands out even more. The gothic style first appeared in France at St. Denis in A.D. 1147. The style came to Germany 60 years later. I’ve often wondered why it took so long. How the style came to Magdeburg is clear however. Archbishop Albrecht II von Kefernburg (in office 1205-1232) had studied in Paris and seen the building of Notre Dame Cathedral. The 300 year old church in Magdeburg burned in 1207. Albrecht razed the ruin and re-built in the new style beginning in 1209. Although the church includes pointed arched and ribbed vaults, there are no flying buttresses, and the overall visual effect is a blend of the late Romanesque and early Gothic. Some of this blend can be observed in the chancel: mixed round and pointed arches, mixed groin and arched vaults and thick rectangular piers with half columns supporting arches. On entering the cathedral, one is tempted merely to absorb the immensity, the repetition of lines and curves, and 800 years of history. There are many details to study as well. (Click each thumbnail for bigger images). Cowgoyle at west portal The parable of the ten virgins and the last judgment. North Transept. I didn’t catch his name, but he’s looking right at me. Pieta with Flowers Screen inside West Portal Otto I (d. 973) who was instrumental in consolidating and extending the German Empire, is entombed in the center aisle of the choir. We attended an Anglican evensong service here (in English, mit deutscher Übersetzung). The sound was glorious. One evening, we were reading the notice board at the entrance to the Cathedral when a man on a bike paused to speak with us. He told us how, as a student in the DDR (East Germany), during a two week work period before the term, he had helped lay the cobblestone paving of the churchyard. The statue is St. Mauritius a third century African Roman soldier honored by the cathedral. When we arrived just before sunset to photograph the west front of the Cathedral, a boy and his father were kicking a soccer ball in the plaza. I was waiting quietly, but impatiently, for them to move on. After about 5 minutes they did. What makes a restoration successful? Must it be a faithful reproduction of the original? How does one restore a church built 700 years ago that went through many modifications and then was nearly completely destroyed? What if little is known about the original furnishings or paintings? What if artifacts from any relevant period are rare or extinct? Perhaps it is easier just to do something completely modern. There is no simple answer. St. Stephan’s Church of Mainz is a church that must have presented such a conundrum, but the answer turned out to be quite satisfying. The unique restoration there is at once modern, conveying an important message to today’s world and yet compatible with the historical architecture and sensibilities. The church was founded in the 10th century by Archbishop Willigis, who also was the builder of the initial phase of the Mainz cathedral. It stands on a hill on the western side of the Old City. The present Gothic structure replaced the original building between about 1290 and 1340. The walls and piers however are all that remain of that church. An explosion in 1847 and several air raids in WWII gutted the church and adjacent cloister. Many historic furnishings are removed at that time. Since then the church has been in a nearly continuous state of restoration. The most remarkable aspect of the restored church lies in the windows. Marc Chagall was engaged to create them in 1973 when he was nearly 90 years old. Collaborating with with Charles Marq, a long time associate, and Klaus Mayer, the parish priest, he created a distinctly modern set of windows that harmonize perfectly with the 700 year old building. Chagall was Jewish and desirous to provide a work that would heal the wounds of the war and bring Jews and Christians closer together. The result is a set of windows that demonstrates the reliance of Christianity on the history and writings of ancient Israel and celebrates the shared heritage of creation. The windows in the apse are the focal point, depicting scenes from creation, the lives of Abraham, Moses, David and others. The booklet written by Klaus Mayer waxes quite poetic on the windows. Beyond the obvious, what struck me was the compatibility of the windows with the Gothic style. Though not geometrically regular, there is a balance to the design that mirrors the balance of the building. The flowing curves and sharp points echo the flow of the multi-shafted piers and pointed arches. The blues lend a peaceful atmosphere and complement the red sandstone. The impact is facilitated by the height of the aisles, which equals that of the central nave and all the windows can be viewed from any location by turning around. Chagall originally engaged to provide the windows in the apse, but apparently became so interested in the project that he continued to work on additional windows for the transepts and aisles until his death in 1985. He left sufficient instructions for his associate, Charles Marq to finish the remaining windows. Thus the entire set of windows constitutes a unified whole. The organ was being played as we visited, filling the building with sound. The adjacent window cast the entire area in a blue glow. The cloister adjoining the church is striking for its intricate vaulting and its leaning walls. Changes in the flow of groundwater over the years have compromised the foundations. Fortunately modern techniques for injecting concrete into the foundation and other modern measures have strengthened the vaults from above. Throughout the history of Israel, they were instructed to erect memorials and institute festivals to remind themselves of their heritage. St. Stephan’s church functions as such a reminder to our age. Klaus Mayer, St. Stephan in Mainz, Regensberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-7954-4310-8
Accounts Receivable Analysis Overview of Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable are the amounts owed to a business by its customers, and are comprised of a potentially large number of invoiced amounts. Accounts receivable constitute the primary source of incoming cash flow for most businesses, so you should analyze these invoices in aggregate to ascertain the health of the underlying cash flows. Several accounts receivable analysis techniques are noted below. Accounts Receivable Analysis One of the easiest methods for analyzing the state of a company's accounts receivable is to print an accounts receivable aging report, which is a standard report in any accounting software package. This report divides the age of the accounts receivable into various buckets, which you can sometimes alter within the accounting software to match your billing terms. The most common time buckets are from 0-30 days old, 31-60 days old, 61-90 days old, and older than 90 days. Any invoices falling into the time buckets representing periods greater than 30 days are cause for an increasing sense of alarm, especially if they drop into the oldest time bucket. There are several issues to be aware of when you analyze based on an aging report, which are: - Individual credit terms. Management may have authorized unusually long credit terms to specific customers, or perhaps only for particular invoices. If so, these items may appear to be severely overdue for payment when they are, in fact, not yet due for payment at all. - Distance from billing date. In many companies, the majority of all invoices are billed at the end of the month. If you run the aging report a few days later, it will likely still show outstanding accounts receivable from one month ago for which payment is about to arrive, as well as the full amount of all the receivables that were just billed. In total, it appears that receivables are in a bad state. However, if you were to run the report just prior to the month-end billing activities, there would be far fewer accounts receivable in the report, and there may appear to be very little cash coming from uncollected receivables. - Time bucket size. You should approximately match the duration of the time buckets in the report to the company's credit terms. For example, if credit terms are just ten days and the first time bucket spans 30 days, nearly all invoices will appear to be current. - Unapplied credits. There may be unapplied credits on the report. If so, clean up the report by researching which invoices they should have been applied against. Doing so may reduce the amount of overdue receivables listed on the report. Another accounts receivable analysis tool is the trend line. You can plot the outstanding accounts receivable balance at the end of each month for the past year, and use it to predict the amount of receivables that should be outstanding in the near future. This is a particularly valuable tool when sales are seasonal, since you can apply seasonal variability to estimates of future sales levels. Trend line analysis is also useful for comparing the percentage of bad debts to sales over a period of time. If there is a strong recurring trend in this percentage, management may want to take action. For example, if the percentage of bad debt is increasing, management may want to authorize tighter credit terms to customers. Conversely, if the bad debt percentage is extremely low, management may elect to loosen credit in order to expand sales to somewhat more risky customers. This is a particularly useful tool when you run the bad debt percentage analysis for individual customers, since it can spotlight problems that may indicate the imminent bankruptcy of a customer. There are several issues to be aware of when you use trend line analysis, which are: - Change in credit policy. If management has authorized a change in the credit policy, this can lead to sudden changes in accounts receivable or bad debt levels. - Change in products or business lines. If a company adds to or deletes from its mix of products or business lines, this may cause profound changes in the trend of accounts receivable. - Change in business conditions. If the economy is in decline, there may be an increasing trend of bad debts that is well above the historical average. A third type of accounts receivable analysis is ratio analysis. The most commonly used ratio is the accounts receivable collection period, which reveals the number of days that an average customer invoice remains outstanding before it is paid. The formula is: Average accounts receivable Annual sales/365 Days For example, if there are usually $500,000 of accounts receivable outstanding at any time, and annual sales are $3.65 million, then the accounts receivable collection period is calculated as: $500,000 Accounts receivable / ($3,650,000 Annual sales / 365 Days) = 50 Days collection period In the example, we cannot tell if a 50-day collection period is good or bad, since we do not know the duration of the credit terms. In summary, the best way to analyze accounts receivable is to use all three techniques noted here. You can use the accounts receivable collection period to get a general idea of the ability of a company to collect its accounts receivable, add an analysis of the aging report to determine exactly which invoices are causing collection problems, and then add trend analysis to see if these problems have been changing over time. Other Types of Analysis An interesting analysis related to accounts receivable is a trend line of the proportion of customer sales that are paid at the time of sale, noting the payment type used. Changes in a company's selling procedures and policies may shift sales toward or away from up-front payments, which therefore has an impact on the amount and characteristics of accounts receivable.
Description: A bronze statue of a Confederate soldier stands erect atop a marble pedestal. He is clad in a Confederate uniform, complete with hat, and holds his rifle in front of him, its butt rusting on the ground. The monument stands 27 feet tall. Front: TO THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS OF CHATHAM COUNTY / OUR CONFEDERATE HEROES Side: THIS MONUMENT IS THE GIFT OF THOSE WHO / RESERVE THE MEMORY OF THE CONFEDERATE / SOLDIER. ERECTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE WINNIE / DAVIS CHAPTER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE / CONFEDERACY. MRS. H.A. LONDON / PRESIDENT / AUG. 23 1907. Rear: CHATHAM FURNISHED 1900 / SOLDIERS TO THE CONFEDERACY / ABOUT 14-50 ENLISTED IN THE FOLL- / OWING COMPANIES ORGANIZED IN THIS / COUNTY / CO. I-32 REGIMENT / E 26 / G 26 / D 35 / E 44 / G 48 / D 61 / E 63 / G 63 / H 70 D 49 / ABOUT 450 SONS OF THE CHATHAM ENLISTED IN COMPANIES / ORGANIZED IN OTHER COUNTIES. Dedication date: 8/23/1907 Creator: C. J Harlin, Durham (N.C.) Marble Works, Supplier Materials & Techniques: Mount Airy Granite Sponsor: Winnie Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy Unveiling & Dedication: North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Walter Clark was the orator and was introduced by Mr. Henry London. The statue was presented by Mrs. H. A. London and received by Lieutenant O. A. Hanner. Colonel John R. Lane served as Chief Marshall for the occasion. Post dedication use: Children make a game of tossing bottle caps from the balcony of the courthouse and seeing if they can get them to stay on the soldier's hat. Controversies: Some people in Chatham want the monument removed from the courthouse, or destroyed. They contend it promotes racism and commemorates the slave-holding South. Others defend it as a reminder of historical events and of local heritage. Location: The monument stands directly in front of the Chatham Country Courthouse steps. Subjects: Civil War
Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that can cause your bones to become fragile and break more easily. A bone density test will help you determine whether you have osteoporosis, so you can take steps to stop the disease’s progression. “During the test, your doctor will use X-rays to determine the amount of calcium in your bones,” says Philip W. Taylor, MD, FACP, rheumatologist at Saint Francis Medical Center. “The test is performed on the bones of your body that are most likely to break, such as your lower spine bones, your femur or the bones in your forearm.” Your “T-score” is the number of units your bone density is above or below average. If your score is -1 or above, you have normal bone density. However, if your score is -2.5 or below, you have osteoporosis and will need to talk to your doctor about follow-up steps. For more information, call 573-331-3996.
Coronary Angiography is an X-ray examination of the blood vessels or chambers of the heart performed through cardiac catheterization to pinpoint possible problems in heart arteries. A very small tube (catheter) is inserted into a blood vessel through the groin or arm. The tip of the tube is positioned either in the heart or at the beginning of the arteries supplying the heart, and a special fluid called a contrast medium or dye is injected. This fluid is visible by X-ray and the pictures obtained are called angiograms. Angiograms show how the blood circulates in the arteries, supplying blood to the heart. In particular, this procedure provides important information about the function of the heart’s left ventricle, and also identifies blocked or narrowed coronary arteries. This diagnostic procedure also helps determine which arteries need immediate surgery, which blockages may eventually need surgery, and which blockages can be treated with diet, exercise and medicine. Intravascular ultrasound is a cardiac catheterization procedure occasionally used to diagnose coronary artery disease when the results of angiography are uncertain. During the procedure, a transducer (a tiny ultrasound camera mounted on a catheter) sends and receives sound waves. The catheter is threaded through a blood vessel up into the coronary arteries. The transducer rotates within the arteries to create a complete image of the thickness and amount of plaque buildup in the arterial walls. This imaging also helps the cardiologist to determine the size and selection of stents and balloons that could be used for therapeutic catheterization to unblock the artery. Invasive Physiologic Assessment is another cardiac catheterization procedure that is occasionally used to diagnose coronary artery disease when the results of angiography or of a stress test are uncertain. A small wire with a pressure transducer is advanced through the blockage in the coronary artery. The transducer allows measurement of pressures before and after the blockage in the artery. Large differences in pressures are indicative of a significant blockage that needs treatment
For having relatively small bodies, cicadas make an impressive racket. Now, researchers with the U.S. Navy are trying to tap into the insects' acoustic abilities to create better techniques for remote sensing and other communications underwater. Scientists have long been captivated by periodical cicadas, which have what may be the most extended youth of any known insect. It takes them 13 or 17 years to mature, depending on the brood. Cicadas also spend most of their lives underground, but when they reach adulthood, they crawl out of the dirt for a few weeks to molt and mate, have babies and die. Their brief presence above the surface is marked by a deafening chorus of mating calls; East Coasters experiencing the emergence of Brood II are well aware of the noise, which can reach up to 100 decibels. Scientists know that the cicada's loud song comes from the rapid vibration of the ribbed drumlike plates called tymbals on the insect's exoskeleton. Derke Hughes, a researcher at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I., explained in a statement that cicadas have a unique ability to deform their bodies to set off this vibration. If a human body were like a cicada's, Hughes said, it would have a thick set of muscles on either side of the torso that could squeeze the chest inward, making the ribs buckle one at a time. Releasing the muscles would let the ribs spring back into shape. Hughes said that kind of squeezing and releasing is basically what is happening in the cicada's body, but about 300 to 400 times a second. [Ewww! 6 Crazy Facts About Cicadas] New Jersey braces for once-in-17-years cicada invasion Bugged by the billions: East Coast about to see power of big numbers in coming cicada invasion Ghostly seal, sunlit shark win 2013 nature photo contest Algorithm finds hidden faces in Google Earth Cicadas emerge on East Coast by hundreds, billions more expected Though the basic mechanisms behind the cicada's sound-making are understood, mimicking them is challenging, Hughes said. He is still working on a physics-based model to accurately describe how the cicada produces its mating call. Such a model could help researchers understand how to make a loud noise using very little power, which could have applications for remote sensing underwater, ship-to-ship communications and rescue operations, Hughes said. Hughes and his colleagues are set to present their research in Montreal today (June 3) at the International Congress on Acoustics. The team previously uncovered some subtleties in the cicadas' technique. A few years ago they found that as the male cicada approaches the female, its sound gets softer, which Hughes described as the insect equivalent of switching to a bedroom voice. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
There was a great article in the New York Times yesterday, Confirming a Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, which talks about making sure you really have Celiac Disease before committing to a life-long gluten-free diet! I thought this would be helpful for those wondering if they truly have CD, and what tests to get while trying to figure it out! Dr. Sheila Crowe discussed the various blood tests that should be done- prior to having an intestinal biopsy- although, for me, that IS how it was found (because they were testing for an Ulcer! I was lucky enough for them to find CD, because it wasn't even on their radar!) Dr. Crowe said, "Since getting an intestinal biopsy is not necessarily the first test anyone wants to undergo, it is fortunate that several blood tests are helpful during the initial steps of diagnosing celiac disease. These blood tests measure antibodies – usually IgA or IgG – that are made by immune cells to two main proteins. One protein is an enzyme called tissue transglutaminase, or TTG, that is found in many cells of our body. TTG is released from the damaged intestine during active celiac disease, and antibodies to TTG are found to be elevated in the blood of most patients with untreated celiac disease. The other protein to which the body’s immune system responds to abnormally in someone with active celiac disease (and occasionally in some other disorders) is a group of proteins found in gluten called gliadins. She goes on to say "even the best antibody tests have some inaccuracies, including a false negative rate. Because of this, I would like to emphasize that if an individual patient’s case points to celiac disease, even if all antibody tests are negative, then the next step should be to undergo an upper G.I. endoscopy to obtain small intestinal biopsy samples. this test is also referred to as an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, or EGD. " For the whole article (and lots more information on testing) please visit: http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/confirming-a-diagnosis-of-celiac-disease/
the Nuclear Boom: A new wave of uranium mining threatens Indigenous communities in the Southwest By Klee Benally and Jessica Lee December, miners have resumed crawling deep into the earth on the edge of the Grand Canyon to mine high-grade uranium ore at the Arizona 1 Mine, which had been closed since the late 1980s. Owned by the Canadian Denison Mines Corp., it is the first uranium mine to open in northern Arizona since nuclear power again became a popular idea in Washington within the last decade. The greater Grand Canyon area faces a possible explosion in the number of new uranium mines. The price of uranium has rebounded in recent years due to a surge in reactor construction throughout the world and thanks to political support from the White House, starting with George W. Bush and reinforced by Barack Obama. The price has varied from $10 to $138 per pound since 2001, and is currently valued at $41.25 per pound. More than 8,000 uranium mine claims have been filed in northern Arizona, an increase from 110 in 2003 — a rate seen across the West. The area’s sedimentary rock layer called breccia pipes, which exists up to 1,800 feet below the surface, is the most concentrated source of uranium known in the United States. to the Arizona Daily Sun, Denison plans on operating four days per week, extracting 335 tons of uranium ore per day. The hazardous ore will be hauled by truck more than 300 miles through towns and rural communities to the company’s White Mesa mill located near Blanding, Utah, where it will be processed into “yellowcake” (refined uranium ore to make uranium oxide) and then sold. A coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit last November to stop the opening of the mine, alleging that the legally required documents were outdated and did not offer protections required by contemporary environmental laws. While the lawsuit is pending, the Bureau of Land Management and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality say the mine is properly In response to growing concern about the pending mining boom in northern Arizona, U.S. Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar called for a “two-year time-out” last summer to allow federal agencies to complete a two-year environmental review before authorizing new mining claims within the one million acres on federal lands near the Grand Canyon. Existing claims, such as Denison’s mine, were exempt from the temporary moratorium. Environmentalists and local Indigenous communities hope that after the review in February 2011, Salazar will make the area unavailable for new mining claims for the a maximum 20-year period allowed by the Interior Department. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives is considering the Grand Canyon Watersheds Protection Act (H.R. 644), legislation that would permanently protect the one million acres on federal land from new mining claims — creating a five-mile buffer zone of around Grand Canyon National Park.
We’ve heard it time and again that health is wealth. It’s essentially the only thing that will last you a lifetime. You only have one body after all. How you take care of yourself and live a healthy life can likewise determine the quality of your life in your lifetime. However, there is one aspect of human health that is seldom talked about – mental health. A person’s mental well-being is just as important as his/her physical health and we shouldn’t even be arguing about it at this point. When ignored or not cared for properly, a poor mental state can cause various problems in life not only to your health but also your relationships with others. You’d be surprised to find out that the state of your mind can have a big impact on your body. But it is not surprising to see someone fall ill when they are constantly stressed, losing sleep and worried about a lot of things all the time. You’d notice that you tend to lose weight, get dark circles under your eyes and feel anxious and fidgety all the time when something is bothering your mind. If it persists, it’s not impossible to get sick and exhibit physical symptoms like when you are actually sick with an infection or ailment. Even criminals and offenders are known to have mental health issues, especially that most crimes they do are incomprehensible and only people who have a twisted mind and have no sense of what is right and what is wrong will likely do it. Between 50 and 70 percent of the young prisoners in state juvenile justice systems have a mental disability, but an analysis of those systems found that only one state — Indiana — requires all teachers in such facilities to have special education certification. Criminals are no longer just adults who lost their way but a growing number of juvenile delinquents and prisoners show that even young kids can commit crimes so unspeakable it makes you question their innocence after. But since they are still young, it is possible to correct them early and prevent these young offenders from living a life of sin if only an expert who knows how to deal with their fragile state of mental health can work with them and help them see the error of their ways and address their special needs. In 2013, Villayat ‘Wolf’ Sunkmanitu launched a series of rolling exhibitions to raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and to promote creativity as a coping mechanism for disability. His poetry raised awareness of what living with PTSD feels like, while his photography demonstrated his escape from the ‘Chains of PTSD’. His exhibitions allowed him to interact with and listen to other people with disabilities, civilians and veterans alike and he was made aware of similar problems being experienced by others but on a wider scale. “People were opening up at the exhibitions by either leaving comments in the guestbook, through social media or talking to me direct,” said Villayat. Not only criminals but the victims, most especially, have a more vulnerable state of mental health and will likely require professional help to get them back on track. Virtually everyone who has PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder finds it difficult to cope if not for mental health experts who help them overcome whatever traumatic situation they were once in. In this case, photographs proved to be handy in showing the general public that trauma can be any forms of bullying, abuse, accidents, or anything that felt beyond normal where your usual coping skills faltered and left your emotions and mind vulnerable to undue stress and so much more. It is visible in your physical demeanor whether you are okay mentally or not, so don’t just shrug it off and seek help rather than face your inner demons by yourself.
“Theirs” in a Sentence (with Audio) Examples of how to use the word “theirs” in a sentence. How to connect “theirs” with other words to make correct English sentences. theirs (n, pro): the one(s) belonging to or connected with them; Use “theirs” in a sentence Our problems are nothing compared to theirs. That book is theirs. She is a friend of theirs. Back to “3000 Most Common Words in English”
This article was originally published the ‘Back to School Guide 2019’ published by MumsDelivery, here. Teaching students to think critically is a primary goal of schooling. By critical thinking, I mean the ability to reasoning dispassionately, solve novel problems, generate new ideas, reason dispassionately and so on. But decades of educational and cognitive science have shown that critical thinking skills can only be learnt when students are equipped with a rich store of facts to draw from. As the cognitive scientist, Daniel T Willingham puts it, “The processes of thinking are intertwined with the content of thought (that is, domain knowledge)”. The accumulation of facts requires memorization. You cannot know some fact that you do not remember. Unfortunately, your children are likely to consider this bad news. Internalising quotes, dates, the elements of the periodic table and anything else by rote repetition is painful even for the most dedicated of students. There is, however, a more effective and enjoyable way. Enter the world of competitive learning and the World Memory Championships. Founded in 1991, the World Memory Championships gathers the world’s fastest learners to compete across 10 disciplines for brainy dominance. Katie Kermode, a high-level competitor, can memorize 97 names and faces in just five minutes. Another, Johannes Mallow, can memorize 132 historic dates just as quickly. To give that some context, they could probably memorize all 29 Australian Prime Ministers in the order in which they were elected in about the time it takes me to tie my shoes. But these athletes aren’t superheroes or savants. Rather, they use a small set of mnemonic techniques that anyone can learn and apply. In fact, these techniques, which originated in ancient Greece, where central to education until as late as the 17th Century. I’m a memory athlete myself – I’m a three times silver medallist and national record holder – but my main interest is in the application of these techniques in the modern classroom. Learning even a few simple memory techniques can transform learning into an activity that is imaginative, fun and effective. All the techniques used by memory athletes involve generating creative and unusual associations between visual images. Below are two examples of memory techniques and how they might be used to memorize material encountered in school. I encourage you to read these examples to your kids. Have them close their eyes. Invite them to create colourful ‘mental movies’. Afterwards, see how much they can recall. Example 1: First 5 elements of the periodic table To remember the first element, hydrogen, visualize a fire hydrant. ‘Hydrant’ sounds like hydrogen, so is our first mnemonic. Now picture that hydrant being carried into the air by a helium balloon – helium is the second element. Unfortunately, the balloon is popped by a spark from a lithium battery, as lithium is our third element. Beryllium is the fourth element, so we will imagine our lithium battery bursting into a shower of berries, which are really yum! Here, we are taking advantage of the fact that ‘Beryllium’ sounds like ‘berries really yum’. We are going to use the same strategy to remember that the fifth element is boron. To do so, imagine the berries being turned into a jam which we pour on someone named Ron. Poor Ron! Both ‘pour on’ and ‘poor Ron’ rhyme with ‘boron’ and so allow us to easily recall the name of the element. Example 2: Foreign language vocabulary To remember that the Spanish word for rice is ‘arroz’, imagine arrows landing in a bowl of rice. To remember that the Spanish word for donkey is ‘burro’, imagine a donkey writing at a bureau desk To remember that the Spanish word for shrimp is ‘gumba’, imagine a giant shrimp dancing around in 10 pairs of shiny black gumboots. Memory athletes have techniques that allow them to memorize almost anything, but they all come down to creating associations and visual mental images. During one talk, I had the entire audience learn the order of the planets in the solar system using these principles. Mastering memory techniques allows students to take control of their own learning, to conquer difficult material and to develop the skills of critical thinking, all while having fun. Not a bad deal.
\|Scientific Name:\|\|Albizia glabripetala\| \|Species Authority:\|\|(H.S.Irwin) G.P.Lewis & P.E.Owen\| Pithecellobium glabripetalum H.S.Irwin \|Red List Category & Criteria:\|\|Least Concern ver 3.1\| Albizia glabripetala is a tree which occurs in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil. The estimated extent of occurrence (EOO=230,000 km²) does not meet the threshold for a threatened category, as the species shows a wide distribution range at present and there is not enough data about population numbers and trends to infer and quantify a possible population reduction, therefore the species is currently rated as Least Concern. Further research and field work are required to better understand distribution, health and dynamics of A. glabripetala, which, being a riverside species, might be affected by the increasing gold mining in the regions and by the mercury contamination of soil and river sediments. \|Previously published Red List assessments:\| \|Range Description:\|\|Albizia glabripetala occurs in Brazil (Roraima), Guyana, Venezuela and Suriname.\| Native:Brazil (Acre, Acre, Amazonas, Amazonas, Bahia, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Norte, Roraima, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina); Guyana; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of \|Range Map:\|\|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.\| \|Population:\|\|The species has been described as occasional along river in Venezuela (Fenix and Wurdack #41263).\| \|Current Population Trend:\|\|Unknown\| \|Habitat and Ecology:\|\|A. glabripetala is a tree, 10-12 m high, which grows in riverine forest on sandy banks, seasonally flooded forest and in low (3-4 m tall) carrasco woodland.\| A. glabripetala is known to occur in the Guianan moist forests, Guianan savanna, Guianan piedmont and lowland moist forests ecoregions (Olson et al. 2001). \|Major Threat(s):\|\|Recent increases in gold mining have severely impacted streams and surrounding landscapes with polluted runoff and mercury contamination (Schipper et al. 2001).\| There are no known conservation measures specifically for A. glabripetala, but the species is currently known to occur in some protected areas, such as El Caura Forest Reserve (Venezuela) and Maracá Ecological Station (Brazil). Samples of seed of A. glabripetala should be collected and stored in the Millennium Seed Bank as an ex situ conservation measure. A. glabripetala is listed in the World list of threatened trees (1998) as Lower Risk/near threatened (ver 2.3) and in the Libro Rojo de la Flora Venezolana (2003) the species is listed as one of the species at lower risk. \|Citation:\|\|Contu, S. 2012. Albizia glabripetala. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T36588A20004774.Downloaded on 23 August 2017.\| \|Feedback:\|\|If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided\|
A drug that stops people from drinking alcohol can be used to treat a deadly type of brain tumor, says a new study. Researchers from University of Wolverhampton have shown that the drug disulfiram can be used to treat glioblastoma. Lab studies have shown that disulfiram is effective in destroying cancer cells, especially if coupled with standard cancer-fighting drug gemcitabine. Researchers say that both dislfiram and gemcitabine cross the blood brain barrier and so are effective in killing the cancer cells. Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the tumors that can grow really fast, usually the patient lives for just 15 months after cancer diagnosis. According to estimates, in the year 2010, more than 22,000 adults in the U.S. were diagnosed and 13,140 died from brain and other nervous system cancers. Around 15 percent of all brain-cancer patients between 45 and 70 years have glioblastoma multiforme. Chemotherapy with drugs like gemcitabine helps fight the tumor cells, but some people develop resistance to the drug. Since disulfiram is already used to treat alcoholics for more than half century, researchers say that next phase of drug trial can begin early. "We've been studying the cancer-fighting properties of disulfiram for over a decade, so it's very exciting to have reached a stage where clinical trials may be possible," said Dr. Weiguang Wang, from the University of Wolverhampton, and lead author of the study. Dr. Wang said that the drug probably works by increasing levels of copper in the cancer cells that eventually generate free radicals that kill the cells. The drug doesn't affect normal tissue because cancer cells are known to have higher levels of copper than healthy cells, so additional copper in the cell kills them but not the normal cells. "One of the big challenges in cancer treatment is how to successfully kill tumour cells without harming the surrounding tissues. Drugs like this one, which can both penetrate the blood brain barrier and increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy, could play an important role in overcoming the problem of resistance to help improve the outlook for people with brain tumours," said Dr. Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's senior science information manager. The study is published in the British Journal of Cancer.
Italy has a long history of different coinage types, which spans thousands of years. Italy has been influential at a coinage point of view: the florin, one of the most used coinage types in European history, was struck in Florence in the 13th century. Since Italy has been for centuries divided into many city-states, they all had different coinage systems, but when the country became unified in 1861, the Italian lira came into place, and was used until 2002. Today, Italy uses the Euro. Despite the fact that the first Italian coinage systems were used in the Magna Graecia and Etruscan civilization, the Romans introduced a widespread currency throughout Italy. Unlike most modern coins, Roman coins had intrinsic value. While they contained precious metals, the value of a coin was higher than its precious metal content, so they were not bullion. Estimates of their value range from 1.6 to 2.85 times their metal content, thought to equal the purchasing power of 10 modern British Pound Sterling (US$15) at the beginning of the Roman Empire to around 18 Pound Sterling (US$29) by its end (comparing bread, wine and meat prices) and, over the same period, around one to three days' pay for a Legionnaire. The florin was struck from 1252 to 1523 with no significant change in its design or metal content standard. It had 54 grains of gold (3.5g). The "fiorino d'oro" of the Republic of Florence was the first European gold coin struck in sufficient quantities to play a significant commercial role since the seventh century. As many Florentine banks were international supercompanies with branches across Europe, the florin quickly became the dominant trade coin of Europe for large scale transactions, replacing silver bars in multiples of the mark (a weight unit equal to eight troy ounces). In the fourteenth century, one hundred and fifty European states and local coin issuing authorities made their own copies of the florin. The most important of these was the Hungarian forint because the Kingdom of Hungary was a major source of gold mined in Europe (until the New World began to contribute to the supply in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, most of the gold used in Europe came from Africa). The early modern Italian coins were very similar in style to French francs, especially in decimals, since it was ruled by the country in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. They corresponded to a value of 0.29 grams of gold or 4.5 grams of silver. The Papal States scudo was the coinage system used in the Papal States until 1866. Between 1798 and 1799, the revolutionary French forces established the Roman Republic, which issued coins denominated in baiocco and scudo. In addition, the states of Ancona, Civitavecchia, Clitunno, Foligno, Gubbio, Pergola and Perugia changed their coinage system to that of the Roman Republic. In 1808, the Papal States were annexed by France, and French francs circulated as the official coins. When the Pope's authority was restored in 1814, the scudo was restored as the currency. However, the coinage of the individual states was not resumed. In 1849, another Roman Republic was established which issued coins centrally and in Ancona. In 1866, the scudo was replaced by the lira, equivalent to the Italian lira. The exchange rate used was 5.375 lire = 1 scudo. The Parman lira was Parma's official currency before 1802, and later revived from 1815 to 1859. The Duchy of Parma had its own coinage system until it was made a part of France in 1802. This lira was subdivided into 20 soldi (singular: soldo), each of 12 denari (singular: denaro), with the sesino worth 6 denari and the ducato was worth 7 lire. The currency was replaced by the French franc. After the re-establishment of Parman independence, the Parman currency system was introduced in 1815. Also called the lira, it was subdivided into 20 soldi or 100 centesimi. However, this lira was equal to the French franc and the Sardinian lira, and it circulated alongside the latter. It weighed 5 grams, and had a purity of 9/10 of silver. Since 1861, Parma has used the equivalent Italian lira. The Neapolitan piastra was the most common silver coin of the Kingdom of Naples. In order to distinguish it from the piastra issued on the island of Sicily, it is referred to as the "Neapolitan piastra" as opposed to the "Sicilian piastra". These two piastra were equal but were subdivided differently. The Neapolitan piastra was divided into 120 grana (singular: grano), each of 2 tornesi (singular: tornese) or 12 cavalli (singular: cavallo). There were also the carlino worth 10 grana and the ducato worth 100 grana. The Two Sicilies piastra was the coinage system or currency of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies between 1815 and 1860. It was subdivided into 120 grana (singular: grano), each of 2 tornesi (singular: tornese). Accounts were kept in ducato, worth 100 grana. The Sardinian lira was the currency of the Kingdom of Sardinia between 1816 and 1861. It was subdivided into 100 centesimi (singular centesimo ) and was equal in value to the French franc, which had replaced the Piedmontese and Sardinian scudos by 1799. It was replaced at par by the Italian lira. The Tuscan fiorino was the currency of Tuscany between 1826 and 1859. It was subdivided into 100 quattrini (singular: quattrino), with an additional denomination called the paolo, worth 40 quattrini, in circulation. The Lombardy-Venetia florins were the coins of Lombardy-Venetia (reduced to the sole Venetia three years before) between 1862 and 1866. It replaced the pound at a rate of 1 florin = 3 pounds. The florin was equivalent to the Austro-Hungarian gulden (also called the florin). Although it was subdivided into 100 soldi rather than 100 Kreuzer, Austrian coins circulated in Venetia. The only coins issued specifically for Venetia were copper ½ and 1 soldo pieces. The lira was made the official currency of Italy in 1861 after the Italian unification, however stopped being used in 2002. The euro coinage system entered circulation in Italy in 2002 and is currently the official currency. Main article: Italian lira Upon the creation of the Kingdom of Italy under Vittorio Emanuele II (1861), a unified lira was established, at 4.5 grams of silver or 290.322 milligrams of gold. This was a direct continuation of the Sardinian lira. Other currencies replaced by the Italian lira included the Lombardy-Venetia pound, the Two Sicilies piastra, the Tuscan fiorino, the Papal States scudo and the Parman lira. In 1865, Italy formed part of the Latin Monetary Union in which the lira was set as equal to, among others, the French, Belgian and Swiss francs: in fact, until the introduction of the euro in 2002, people speaking the Gallo-Italic dialects in north-western Italy usually called "franc" the lira. World War I broke the Latin Monetary Union and resulted in prices rising severalfold in Italy. Inflation was curbed somewhat by Mussolini, who, on 18 August 1926, declared that the exchange rate between lira and pound would be £1 = 90 lire—the so-called Quota 90, although the free exchange rate had been closer to 140–150 lire per pound. In 1927, the lira was pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 1 dollar = 19 lire. This rate lasted until 1934, with a separate "tourist" rate of US$1 = 24.89 lire being established in 1936. In 1939, the "official" rate was 19.8 lire. After the Allied invasion of Italy, an exchange rate was set at US$1 = 120 lire (1 British pound = 480 lire) in June 1943, reduced to 100 lire the following month. In German-occupied areas, the exchange rate was set at 1 Reichsmark = 10 lire. After the war, the Roman mint first issued the first 1, 2, 5 and 10 lira coins (6 September 1946). They were officially set up on 21 December of the same year and were used up to 1953–4. The value of the lira fluctuated, before Italy set a peg of US$1 = 575 lire within the Bretton Woods System in November 1947. Following the devaluation of the pound, Italy devalued to US$1 = 625 lire on 21 September 1949. This rate was maintained until the end of the Bretton Woods System in the early 1970s. Several episodes of high inflation followed until the lira was replaced by the euro. The lira was the official unit of currency in Italy until 1 January 1999, when it was replaced by the euro (euro coins and notes were not introduced until 2002). Old lira denominated currency ceased to be legal tender on 28 February 2002. The conversion rate is 1,936.27 lire to the euro. All lira banknotes in use immediately before the introduction of the euro, as all post WW2 coins, were still exchangeable for euros in all branches of the Bank of Italy until 29 February 2012. Main article: Italian euro coins The euro officially began circulating in Italy on 1 January 2002 (even though the creation of Italian lira coins was suspended in 1999). Italian euro coins have a design unique to each denomination, though there are many themes of works by one of the most renowned and famous Italian artists and painters. Each coin is designed by a different designer, from the 1 cent to the 2 euro coin they are: Eugenio Driutti, Luciana De Simoni, Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini, Claudia Momoni, Maria Angela Cassol, Roberto Mauri, Laura Cretara and Maria Carmela Colaneri. All designs feature the 12 stars of the EU, the year of imprint, the overlapping letters "RI" for Repubblica Italiana (Italian Republic) and the letter R for Rome. There are no Italian euro coins dated earlier than 2002, even though they were certainly minted earlier, as they were first distributed to the public in December 2001. ((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) ((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
An Oak Ridge environmental microbiologist named Christopher Schadt approaches a cottonwood tree, and “sticks a hollow tube in the middle and then takes a lighter and flicks it.” The next thing that happened was mind-blowing. There was flame shooting out of the tube? How could this be possible? This was achievable because of the methane trapped inside the cottonwood tree. The trapped methane phenomenon happens in certain cottonwood trees. The question is: How did the methane gas get to be inside the tree? Do these trees make the methane gas? "The wood in this particular species naturally has this condition called wetwood, where it's saturated within the trunk of the tree," says the lighter-flicking scientist, Oak Ridge environmental microbiologist Christopher Schadt. This wetwood makes for a welcoming home for all sorts of microorganisms. "You can't actually see a lot of the organisms because we can't grow a lot of these organisms," says Melissa Cregger, a staff scientist at Oak Ridge. "So we're able to identify them using their gene sequences." Some of those organisms turned out to be species of archaea that are known methane producers. So it's not the trees themselves that are making the methane, it's the microbes living in the trees. (Image Credit: Dan Yip/ ORNL)
I was interested to see that Westlands Water District was outlined in the original. Who asked NASA to outline Westlands?* Seems that politics is interfering with science. [Click here for the original, which zooms to VERY large.] Oh -- and we can also see how the drought is affecting some places and not others. Westlands has lots of brown spots because it has poor (junior) water rights. Other areas are better off. Yes, there's a drought, but most of the damage is accruing to those with poor water rights -- as is appropriate. (It's the same difference as that between people who have lost their houses because they took on too much debt and others who still have their because they have "reasonable" debt. It's both fair and predictable -- but perhaps not nice -- that one would lose while the other does not.) Bottom Line: Westlands has lots of political friends, but we should not let politics interfere with their just NASA may have put Westlands in because it's in the news, but I wonder if they are reading the science or politics section? The Westlands, reports National Public Radio, is the United State’s biggest irrigated region. Water pumped into the region from the Delta via the San Luis Reservoir supports farms where much of the nation’s fruit, nuts, and produce are grown. It was the last water district to join the federal irrigation agreement, and therefore it is the first to face restrictions during water shortages. Meanwhile, the Fresno District, immediately east of Westlands, had far fewer bare or failing fields.
Give your preschooler or kindergartener practice with tracing and recognizing capital letters A to Z with this fun full-color (green, of course! 🍀) shamrock printable. - Print two copies and play a matching game with the cards after your child traces the outlines. - Use the cards to spell out words like SHAMROCK or LEPRACHAUN. - To make the cards more durable, Milestone Mom suggests first printing on cardstock and then laminating the pieces after you cut them out. - Or leave the sheets whole and slip into page protectors to use again and again with dry-erase markers. What's Included in Shamrock Tracing Letters 5 PAGES IN ALL \| 26 uppercase letter shamrock cards
A system for learning if-then rules from a dataset is available in the Feature Vector Editor. Perhaps the most successful AI algorithms are a family of entropy-based techniques for inducing decisions trees. Decision trees organize tests hierarchically such that running the tests along a path from the top to any leaf classifies an example within a category. Because they rely on global information measures, these techniques require a one-to-one mapping between values of compared variables that is found only in flat datamodels (one feature vector). Complex datamodels -- for example the hierarchically-structured feature vectors in the SHERFACS International Conflict Management Dataset -- almost always give rise to one-to-many mappings between values of compared variables, but this violates the fundamental assumption of conventional decision-tree learners, rendering them unusable for all but the most limited analyses of SHERFACS. Unseld and Mallery (1991) found a unifying solution to this problem that generalizes earlier techniques along several dimensions in order to handle complex datamodels. The key insight is to decompose examples into local observations until one-to-one comparisons again become possible, and then, to recombine these local comparisons to ultimately arrive at global information measures. Their Induction Interaction Detector (I2D) implements an inductive rule learner suitable for studying complex datasets like SHERFACS because it supports learning on the tree-structured temporally related feature-vector data. Significant features include:
There are two parts to this, and usually they are done by separate agencies. The first part is to collect information (to "spy") on other countries. The other side is to watch people in the home country who might cause problems. A third activity is to defend against foreign intelligence agencies in the home country. This is called counter-intelligence, and is often done by a separate agency. The methods of information gathering are sometimes covert (hidden) and sometimes quite open. A covert method might be to steal and copy secret documents. An open method would be to read all published work on some important matter, and analyse it. Much important material is published openly in democratic countries. To get hold of secret information, these organisations use espionage, intercept signals (tap phones, hack computers), cryptanalysis (break codes), and think about what the information means. Putting together and communicating information is known as intelligence analysis and assessment. Some agencies have been involved in assassination, arms trafficking, coups d'état, and the placement of misinformation (propaganda) as well as other covert operations, in order to support their own or their governments' interests. - SIS The Secret Intelligence Service, usually called MI6. Collects intelligence ("spies on") from other countries. - The Security Service, usually called MI5. Does counter-intelligence against foreign threats. - GCHQ Government Communication Headquarters. Intercepts signals, decodes them, passes the information on to other agencies. The home of cryptanalysis, the successor to Bletchley Park. - Joint Intelligence Committee. Informs government as to what is going on. - Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office - Defense Intelligence Headquarters - Public Security Intelligence Agency The United States has about 17 major intelligence groups, and many other smaller groups. These are the most important: - CIA: The Central Intelligence Agency. Spies on foreign countries, and takes covert action against enemies of the U.S. abroad. - Defense Intelligence Agency - National Security Agency. Interception and Cryptanalysis of foreign communication, and protecting US communication from same. - United States Intelligence Community is the coordinating group for government intelligence agencies, headed by the Director of National Intelligence.
\|Scientific Name:\|\|Grampus griseus\| \|Species Authority:\|\|(G. Cuvier, 1812)\| \|Infra-specific Taxa Assessed:\| \|Red List Category & Criteria:\|\|Least Concern ver 3.1\| \|Assessor(s):\|\|Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J.K.B., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L.\| \|Reviewer(s):\|\|Hammond, P.S. & Perrin, W.F.\| As with similar species, threats that could cause widespread declines include high levels of anthropogenic sound, especially military sonar and seismic surveys, and bycatch. Threats that could cause declines include entanglement in fisheries and competition with squid fisheries. The combination of the large global range and high abundance with possible declines driven by these more localized threats is believed sufficient to rule out a 30% global reduction over three generations (60 years; Taylor et al. 2007) (criterion A). \|Previously published Red List assessments:\| \|Range Description:\|\|This is a widely-distributed species, inhabiting primarily deep waters of the continental slope and outer shelf (especially with steep bottom topography), from the tropics through the temperate regions in both hemispheres (Kruse et al. 1999). It also occurs in some oceanic areas, beyond the continental slope, such as in the eastern tropical Pacific. It is found from Newfoundland, Norway, the Kamchatka Peninsula, and Gulf of Alaska in the north to the tips of South America and South Africa, southern Australia, and southern New Zealand in the south. Its range includes many semi-enclosed bodies of water, such as the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of California, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Sea of Japan, and Mediterranean Sea.\| The map shows where the species may occur based on oceanography. The species has not been recorded for all the states within the hypothetical range as shown on the map. States for which confirmed records of the species exist are included in the list of native range states. States within the hypothetical range but for which no confirmed records exist are included in the Presence Uncertain list. Native:Algeria; Angola (Angola); Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Aruba; Australia; Bahamas; Barbados; Bermuda; Brazil; Canada; Cayman Islands; Chile; China; Colombia; Comoros; Cook Islands; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Croatia; Cuba; Denmark; Dominica; Ecuador; France; French Polynesia; French Southern Territories (Mozambique Channel Is.); Gabon; Gambia; Germany; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guam; Guatemala; Guernsey; Guinea-Bissau; Haiti; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Ireland; Israel; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Jersey; Korea, Republic of; Lebanon; Madagascar; Maldives; Malta; Mauritius; Mayotte; Mexico; Morocco; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Oman; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Russian Federation; Samoa; Seychelles; Slovenia; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Spain; Sri Lanka; Sweden; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tanzania, United Republic of; Tonga; Trinidad and Tobago; Tunisia; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States; United States Minor Outlying Islands (Midway Is.); Uruguay; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of; Viet Nam; Yemen \|FAO Marine Fishing Areas:\| Atlantic – western central; Atlantic – southwest; Atlantic – eastern central; Atlantic – northeast; Atlantic – northwest; Atlantic – southeast; Indian Ocean – western; Indian Ocean – eastern; Mediterranean and Black Sea; Pacific – southwest; Pacific – western central; Pacific – northeast; Pacific – eastern central; Pacific – northwest; Pacific – southeast \|Range Map:\|\|Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.\| \|Population:\|\|There are no estimates of global abundance, but there are some estimates for specific areas. Forney and Barlow (1998) observed that the estimated abundance of Risso's Dolphins off California was almost an order of magnitude higher in winter (N= 32,376) than in summer (N= 3,980). However, the California, Oregon, Washington subpopulation is now estimated at only 16,066 (CV=28%) whales (Barlow 2003). Hawaiian waters are estimated to contain 2,351 (CV=65%) Risso’s Dolphins (Barlow 2006). Abundance estimates off Sri Lanka ranged from 5,500 to 13,000 animals (Kruse et al. 1999). In the eastern Sulu Sea, Dolar et al. (2006) estimated the abundance at 1,514 (CV=55%) individuals. There are an estimated 20,479 (CV=59%) Risso’s Dolphins off the eastern United States (Waring et al. 2006), 2,169 (CV=32%) in the northern Gulf of Mexico (Mullin and Fulling 2004), 83,300 (CV=17%) in three areas of concentrated occurrence off Japan (Miyashita 1993), and 175,000 in the eastern tropical Pacific (Wade and Gerrodette 1993). \| In relative terms, there are several examples of long term changes in abundance and distribution, e.g. in the Southern California Bight (Kruse et al. 1999). In the late 1950s, Risso's Dolphins were rarely encountered in this area, and between 1975 and 1978 they were still considered to be a minor constituent of the cetacean fauna of the Bight, representing only 3% of the cetaceans observed. After the El Niño of 1982/83, however, numbers of Risso's Dolphins increased, especially around Santa Catalina Island where they came to be considered common (Shane 1995). There is no information on global trends in the abundance. \|Current Population Trend:\|\|Unknown\| \|Habitat and Ecology:\|\|Risso’s Dolphins inhabit deep oceanic and continental slope waters, generally 400-1,000 m deep (Baird 2002, Jefferson et al. 1993), mostly occurring seaward of the continental slope. They frequent subsurface seamounts and escarpments, where they are thought to feed on vertically migrant and mesopelagic cephalopods. In Monterey Bay, California, Risso's dolphins are concentrated over areas with steep bottom topography (Kruse 1989). Currents and upwelling causing local increases in marine productivity may enhance feeding opportunities, resulting in the patchy distribution and local abundance of this species worldwide (Kruse et al. 1999). Davis et al. (1998) and Baumgartner (1997) reported that in the Gulf of Mexico, Risso's dolphins were mostly found over deeper bottom depths, concentrating along the upper continental slope, which may reflect squid distribution. Most records of Grampus griseus in Britain and Ireland are within 11 km of the coast. In certain areas, such as in the southwest English Channel, Risso’s Dolphins are known to occur seasonally in shallow coastal waters to feed on cuttlefishes Sepia officinalis (Kiszka et al. 2004).\| Long-term changes in the occurrence of Risso’s Dolphins in some areas (e.g., off Catalina Island and in central California) have been linked to oceanographic conditions and movements of spawning squid (Kruse et al. 1999). Risso's Dolphins feed on crustaceans and cephalopods, but seem to prefer squid. Squid bites may be the cause of at least some of the scars found on the bodies of these animals. In the few areas where feeding habits have been studied, they appear to feed mainly at night. \|Use and Trade:\|\|This species is hunted for food in some places, and is used as fertilizer in Japan.\| Occasional direct killing of Risso’s Dolphins has occurred. This is generally as a result of the dolphins removing fish from longlines, or in multi-species small cetacean fisheries, such as those that occur in Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, and Indonesia. One regular hunt occurs in Japan, where about 250–500 are taken per year in a drive fishery. Some Risso’s Dolphins have been captured for live display in oceanaria, although there are not many of them in oceanaria. In Sri Lanka, Risso's Dolphins are apparently the second most commonly taken cetacean in fisheries, providing fish and meat for human consumption and fish bait; subpopulations there may be adversely affected (see Jefferson et al. 1993, Kruse et al. 1991). An estimated 1,300 Risso's Dolphins may be landed annually as a result of this fishery, and abundance estimates in these waters range only from 5,500 to 13,000 animals (Kruse et al. 1999). In Japan, Risso's Dolphins are taken periodically for food and fertilizer in set nets and as a limited catch in the small-type whaling industry (Kruse et al. 1999), with reported catches in recent years ranging from about 250–500. They are also a major target of artisanal hunting, and are taken often in gillnets and other fishing gear in the Philippines (Dolar 1994, Dolar et al. 1994). Off eastern Taiwan, Risso’s Dolphins are also taken by harpoon opportunistically and oceanic large-mesh driftnets for large pelagic fish appear to take considerable numbers incidentally (Wang pers. comm.). There are reports of bycatches from the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, the southern Caribbean, the Azores, Peru, and the Solomon Islands. They are also a rare bycatch in the US tuna purse seine industry, and are taken occasionally in coastal gill net and squid seining industries off the US coast, or shot by aggravated fishermen (Kruse et al. 1999). This species, like Beaked Whales that are also deep-divers that feed on squid, is likely to be vulnerable to loud anthropogenic sounds, such as those generated by navy sonar and seismic exploration (Cox et al. 2006). Predicted impacts of global climate change on the marine environment may affect this species of whale, although the nature of impacts is unclear (Learmonth et al. 2006). The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES. The North and Baltic Sea subpopulations are included in Appendix II of CMS. This is a circumglobal species, which migrates between summering and wintering grounds. Off California, where these movements are best known, they may cross between US and Mexican waters. Data on abundance, bycatch, and behaviour needed in order to develop conservation measures that will enable protection of the natural habitat of the species \|Citation:\|\|Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J.K.B., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2012. Grampus griseus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T9461A17386190.Downloaded on 23 August 2017.\| \|Feedback:\|\|If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please provide us with feedback so that we can correct or extend the information provided\|
One of the most overused words is that, but did you know that 90 percent of the time it can be left out of a sentence? I have read detailed explanations about how that is used as a pronoun, an adjective or an adverb. Explicit posts outline how that joins an independent clause and a dependant clause, and how it may be used after a verb of attribution, such as says or announced. I think this is too much information, so I decided to keep things simple. 1. That joins two thoughts to clarify or add information. Example: She bought the dress that was on sale. You cannot leave that out of this sentence, but you could replace it with which if you add a comma after dress. Using that offers a direct statement. Using which adds an afterthought: By the way, the dress was on sale. 2. That emphasizes or measures the extent of something. Example: I wouldn’t go that far. If you left that out of this sentence it would be vague, but still grammatically correct. 3. That introduces or designates something specific. Example: Look at that tree. Following, are some examples that illustrate when that is needed for clarity and when it can be omitted. When should you use “that”? Leaving that out of a sentence may confuse the reader, causing them to reread. - The music instructor noticed [that] the students who practised often were the most confident in her class. The music instructor didn’t notice the students, she noticed something about the students. - The teacher announced [that] the winner of the contest would be revealed soon. The teacher didn’t announce the winner, she announced something about the winner. - The manager announced [that] on May 15 the store would be closing. If you left that out, you might wonder if the manager made the announcement on May 15 or if the store was closing on May 15. - While stuck in traffic, Dana realized [that] she was running late and [that] she had left her cellphone at home. Dana has remembered two different things, both of which require the use of that. This is known as the double that. - Did you know [that] 90 percent of the time “that” can be left out of a sentence? If you left that out, it could sound like you know this 90 percent of the time. When can you omit “that”? In these examples, that is not required. - She said [that] she was hungry. - The book [that] I just bought is a bestseller. - I knew [that] the baby was tired. - Shirley knows that if she doesn’t remember to wake Jessica, [that] she will be late for school. This illustrates the use of a double that. Because both thoughts are related, the second that is unnecessary. These sentences read smoothly without that, but it’s up to you whether you use it or not. Using that will offer a more formal and precise tone to your writing. Unless you are studying for a grammar exam, if the meaning of your sentence is clear and the reading flows smoothly, you’re good! When you’re in doubt, get a second opinion or use that. If you’re using it too often, rewrite so it’s not necessary. Using that when it’s unnecessary is better than omitting it when it is needed. According to the AP Stylebook, “When in doubt, include that. Omission can hurt. Inclusion never does.” It didn’t hurt this verse in the nursery rhyme, This Is The House That Jack Built: This is the farmer sowing his corn, that kept the cock that crowed in the morn, that woke the priest all shaven and shorn, that married the man all tattered and torn, that kissed the maiden all forlorn, that milked the cow with the crumpled horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built. If you have questions about using “that,” please ask. If you have a grammar topic you’d like me to write about, I’m open to requests. Thanks to Stephen at Simply Stephen, for requesting this topic. He blogs about sustainable living and if that is something you’re interested in, surf through his archives. He shares some interesting and creative ideas.
Current guidelines recommend screening high-risk individuals for liver cancer, but the strength of evidence supporting these guidelines is unclear. Researchers for the Veterans Health Administration conducted a systematic review of published literature to determine the benefits and harms of routine screening for liver cancer in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). Twenty-two studies were included in the review. While screening could identify patients with earlier-stage disease who could benefit from treatment, the researchers found very-low-strength evidence about the effects of liver cancer screening on mortality. Studies show that liver cancer has variable rates of progression and some patients may never experience symptoms. Diagnosing and treating patients for liver cancer that would never progress is an example of overtreatment. The researchers found no evidence examining rates of overdiagnosis in liver cancer screening. These findings neither support nor refute current clinical guidelines.
The Bluest Eye Society and Class Theme Race and class are nearly inextricable in The Bluest Eye, since there were so many economic barriers for African Americans during this time period. The African-American citizens of Lorain that we encounter are mostly working-class folks who work in coal mines or as domestic servants for white families. The breakdown of community is another aspect of this theme, since many of the characters who identify with middle-class white culture feel the need to separate themselves from lower-class blacks, or "black e mos," whom they associate with criminality and laziness. Questions About Society and Class - How do class and race intersect in the novel? - Who is to blame for Pecola's fate? - How does the Great Depression influence the conditions of the novel? Chew on This The entire town of Lorain, Ohio, is responsible for Pecola's fate.
\|Back to Main Print This Page Email to a Friend\| Constipation is when you are not passing stool as often as you normally do. Your stool becomes hard and dry, and it is difficult to pass. You might feel bloated and have pain, or you might have to strain when you try to go. Some medicines, and even some vitamins, can make you constipated. You can also get constipated if you are not getting enough fiber, using the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge to go, or getting enough exercise. Try to get to know your normal bowel movement pattern, so that you can keep constipation from getting worse. Exercise regularly. Drink more water and eat more fiber. Try to walk, swim, or do something active at least 3 or 4 times a week. If you feel the urge to go to the bathroom, go. Do not wait or hold it in. You can also train your bowels to be more regular. It may help to go to the bathroom every day at the same time. For many people, this is after breakfast or dinner. Try these things to relieve your constipation: Many foods are good natural "laxatives" that will help you move your bowels. High-fiber foods help waste move through your body. Add foods with fiber to your diet slowly because eating more fiber can cause gas Drink 8 to10 cups of liquids, especially water, every day. Ask your doctor for the right amount of fiber to take in each day. Males, females, and different age groups all have different daily fiber needs. Too much fiber can cause bloating and gas. Most fruits will help ease constipation. Berries, peaches, apricots, plums, raisins, rhubarb, and prunes are just some that may help. Do not peel fruits that have edible skins, since a lot of the fiber is in their skins. Choose breads, crackers, pasta, pancakes, and waffles made with whole grains, or make your own. Use brown rice or wild rice instead of white rice. Eat high-fiber cereals. Vegetables can also add fiber to your diet. Some high-fiber vegetables are asparagus, broccoli, corn, squash, and potatoes (with the skin still on). Salads made with lettuce, spinach, and cabbage will also help. Legumes (navy beans, kidney beans, chick peas, soy beans, and lentils), peanuts, walnuts, and almonds will also add fiber to your diet. Other foods you can eat are: You can also sprinkle 1 or 2 teaspoons of bran flakes, ground flax seeds, wheat bran, or psyllium on foods such as yogurt, cereal, and soup. Or, add them to your smoothie. You can buy stool softeners at any pharmacy. They will help you pass stool more easily. Your doctor may prescribe a laxative to relieve your constipation. It may be a pill or liquid. Do NOT take it if you have severe stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting. Do NOT take it for more than 1 week. It should start to work in 2 to 5 days. Some people get a rash, nausea, or sore throat while taking laxatives. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children under age 6 should NOT take laxatives. Bulk-forming laxatives such as Metamucil or Perdiem can help pull water into your intestines and make your stools more bulky. Call your doctor if you: Camilleri M. Disorders of gastrointestinal motility. In Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa:Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 138. Lembo AJ, Ullman SP. Constipation. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Sleisenger MH, eds. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa:Saunders Elsevier; 2010:chap 18.
Huge product rangeOver 140,000 books & equipment products Rapid shippingUK & Worldwide Pay in £, € or U.S.$By card, cheque, transfer, draft Exceptional customer serviceGet specialist help and advice What will be the impact on forests of future economic development, globalized trade and increases in the world's population? The 2009 edition of the biennial State of the World's Forests looks forward, with the theme "Society, forests and forestry: adapting for the future". Part 1 summarizes the outlook for forests and forestry in each region, based on FAO's periodic regional forest-sector outlook studies. Past trends and projected demographic, economic, institutional and technological changes are examined to outline the scenario for 2030. Part 2 considers how forestry will have to adapt for the future, focusing on: the global outlook for wood products demand; mechanisms for meeting the demand for environmental services of forests; changes in forest-sector institutions; and developments in science and technology. This volume will serve as a source of information to support forest-related policy and research. It is hoped that it will also stimulate creative thinking and debate to enhance the future of the world's forests. A useful reference for policy-makers, foresters, environmentalists, academics and all readers concerned with the major issues affecting the forest sector today.
Looking to make sure your child is fostering good study habits early on? Our Study Skills programs in Long Beach, California have the power to ensure your son or daughter learns how to tackle increasing workloads from elementary school to college and beyond with ease. If your child is starting to fall behind or is looking for ways to get ahead, our tutors can provide valuable study tips that will encourage growth. How to Study Smarter From instruction to lots of independent practice and chances to put new skills to work, we can turn good study habits into a way of life! Personalized Tutoring (K-12) Each and every child has unique learning needs, which means there are multiple ways to instill practical academic behaviors and effective, life-long study skills. That's why our Personalized Tutoring program takes a comprehensive approach. It covers a diverse array of academic areas, including: - Active reading: Better comprehension is an important asset in any subject area. - Effective note taking strategies: Using tools to make study time more productive, including flash cards and color coding. - Time management: Higher scores are possible when your child learns how to organize and prioritize his or her workload. - Research skills: Including how to evaluate sources and write a bibliography. - Mastering the writing process: Our students are taught to be effective, engaging communicators. - Online safety: Including learning how to find and assess digital informational, and share it in a responsible fashion. Advancement & Test Prep (Grades 9-12) Our expert tutors teach teens skills that can be used in school, college and beyond, including digital literacy, goal setting, study habits, time management and more. With Advancement & Test Prep, your teen will: - Focus on the most relevant areas: You choose the skill areas — such as time management or presentation skills — so we can focus on them and make the biggest difference. - Be more confident when tackling new challenges: We foster positive behaviors so your teen can feel good about overcoming big academic challenges. - Develop future-ready skills: We help teens work on fundamental skills like public speaking, goal setting and even job interview preparation.
Cold-formed steel rebuilds earthquake-resistant architectureSeptember 9, 2013 in Technology / Engineering Academia and industry are collaborating in a new effort to engineer earthquake-ready buildings. The effort based at Johns Hopkins University aims to design and test a single structure primarily built from cold-formed steel, a material that has boomed in structural engineering projects over the last 25 years. With funding from the National Science Foundation, JHU engineering professor Benjamin Schafer helped bring together a team composed of industry professionals, professors, graduate students and the occasional high school or undergraduate student yearning for research experience to conduct experimental and computational seismic research on cold-formed steel components. The first industry standards and codes for cold-formed steel were written in 1946 and are mostly based on empirical data, in many cases lacking underlying theory. When engineers attempt to make a building earthquake-resistant, they use specific structural components, appropriately called details, to absorb earthquake forces and help direct some of those forces back to the ground. That works, but when an earthquake hits, the entire building reacts, not just the sections containing details. Even though academic research has lead to improvements to the original building codes over the decades, there is much to be learned about the entire system of a cold-formed steel building as it responds to an earthquake. "When you have a big knowledge gap, you have a danger gap," says Schafer. To fill the gap, he and his collaborators are testing and analyzing individual components of a cold-formed steel structure, and taking what they learn about each piece to design a full-scale building that will undergo three stages of shake table tests. The tests will occur in 2013 at the NSF Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) site at the University of Buffalo in New York and are part of NEES's broader research efforts. Cold-formed steel in the lab Cold-formed steel is lightweight and shines like aluminum because it possesses a galvanized coating. Kara Peterman, a third-year Ph.D. student on the project, describes it as "steel that is rolled by a long string of machines into a thin sheet, then bent like origami into a desired shape." With every shape change, each made at room temperature (hence the name cold-formed), the properties of the piece change, improving the qualities of the steel. Small tweaks have the potential to increase the steel strength, making one component more efficient than it was before. For example, when an 8-foot tall sheet of steel is converted into a u-shape with two 90-degree bends, it becomes a stud that can withstand ten thousand pounds of loading. The beam could carry five Volkswagen Beetles - each about two thousand pounds - yet it is light enough for Peterman to lift. Peterman has been working with a second graduate student, Peng Liu, to assess how individual cold-formed steel components bear loads. She has tested components such as beam-columns and local connections in the JHU lab, and this past summer, she tested wall-to-floor connections. Liu, a visiting Northeastern University Ph.D. student from China, has been conducting experiments on shear walls, which are specifically made to resist lateral forces. He completed his testing in a facility at the University of North Texas. Liu also analyzes and interprets the raw data that his experiments have yielded. Peterman and Liu relay very specific information to Jiazhen Leng, a Ph.D. student at JHU, who can then code a highly detailed building model, component by component, using OpenSees - open-source building analysis software. With the 3-D model in place, he has the ability to perform various analytics. In turn, his analytical data informs predictions for more experimental work, particularly the 2013 full-scale test. The work the graduate students perform comes full circle, linking them together. The big blue baby In the bowels of Latrobe Hall, the civil engineering building on the JHU campus, dwells the Big Blue Baby, also known as the multi-axis structural testing rig. Schafer's research group, which designed the machine, is proud of the fact that there is only one other like it in the United States (at the University of Minnesota, also part of the NEES network.) The body is made of hot-rolled steel and the brain is a computer, which drives a hydraulic pump. The system sits in the center of the cramped lab, where black electrical wires snake along the ground toward other, smaller systems. Rows of walls, made in-house, lean against the back of the room, with stacks of sheathing and steel at the front. "Compared to the NEES facilities, our room is tiny," admits Peterman. "But, we've gotten a lot out of this lab - great results, great publications, and great changes to the codes." Experiments are large-scale tests of small components, because it's almost impossible to scale down every behavior. The Big Blue Baby can hold a standard wall in its belly and apply loads using hydraulic actuators, which look like thick, black tentacles. What makes this machine unique is its ability to perform combined loading. The punch can come straight down, twist from two different sides, or apply stress from several directions at once. Most structures experience varying loads from multiple directions, so the Big Blue Baby simulates real-world engineering situations. The most common type of load is called the axial load, weight that comes directly down on a wall due to gravity - think furniture or snow. There are red emergency buttons around the rig, just in case the thirty thousand pound Baby decides to throw a tantrum and it must be taken offline. The 2013 Shake Table Tests Robert Madsen, Senior Project Engineer at Devco Engineering, Inc., is the primary link between the researchers and industry. Leading up to the 2013 large-scale tests, there is a meeting every three months between the academics and a larger industry advisory board for updates from both sides. Madsen provided the constructible design for the 2013 NEES building that the graduate students have been characterizing on a component level. The plan is to construct a two-story building, 50 feet by 23 feet, inside the colossal NEES Buffalo lab. The building will sit upon dual shake tables that will be linked. The Buffalo building will undergo shake table tests in three major stages: the first will be as a steel skeleton; the second stage will include only walls and other structural components that engineers currently rely upon; and the third stage is a complete structure built to standard and ready to be inhabited. Cue Narutoshi Nakata, co-principle investigator from JHU, brings his expertise in shake-table testing and performance evaluation. To attain meaningful and useful results, Nakata must determine the right number of sensors on the table, their locations, and what they will measure. He must also decide what type of ground motion the table will produce, such as fast versus slow, and the number of scenarios to enact. Based on Leng's 3-D model and analytical tests, Nakata creates the mathematical models of earthquakes that the shake table will generate, and will eventually analyze how the structure dynamically reacts. One of the scenarios is a reproduction of the 1994 Northridge earthquake - as a well-recorded, historical Los Angeles earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7, it is widely used for simulation experiments. Schafer has involved high school and undergraduate students in the project to provide them with hands-on experience quite early in their careers. High school students often come from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a Baltimore City public school, which offers a research practicum course that allows those enrolled to volunteer at the JHU lab a couple hours per week. The latest volunteer was from Garrison Forest High School, a private all-girls school in Owings Mills, Md., which required the student to complete a specific research project she could present at the end of the semester. With Peterman's guidance, the student had the opportunity to explore connection testing variables. The team also tries to get younger college students involved, because research is usually not an opportunity they have until they are juniors and seniors. After passing a trial period to prove their interest, two undergraduate students participated this past summer: one who just finished his freshman year, the other her sophomore year. The bigger picture Although the east coast is not often on the news for earthquakes, Schafer explains that, "Earthquakes are a matter of return period, not a matter of where you live. They come more quickly in California, but if you design a building and you expect it to exist for 20, 50, or 100 years, you'll go into the codes and you'll see almost anywhere you are in the U.S., you're going to need to design for earthquakes." Schafer remains driven to impact fundamental knowledge and change U.S. practice. "If an engineer knew how the whole system responded," he adds, "instead of just one little bit, then they would be able to design the whole building to be earthquake ready." Provided by National Science Foundation "Cold-formed steel rebuilds earthquake-resistant architecture" September 9, 2013 http://phys.org/news/2013-09-cold-formed-steel-rebuilds-earthquake-resistant-architecture.html
Landscape and Road Workers in Ladakh Almost a lunar landscape endlessly filling the eye: this is Ladakh. An unpredictably varying surface which is an open book of geology and one of the highest natural borders with the sky in the whole world. Which makes this land unique. The highest motorable roads on earth are here, in this remote Himalayan region whose name of Tibetan origin (La-dvags) means Land of the High Passes. The climate is one of the tangible region’s extremes: comprised within a complete rain-shadow area, this landscape has been shaped into a cold high-altitude rocky desert whose stark barren beauty, suddenly interrupted by tiny explosions of green vegetation, proves fascinating in every way. Ladakh is remote, but historically all but isolated: it has been a vital crossroads for trade, religion and culture until the 1960s, when China closed the borders. Also known as Little Tibet, but being part of the Muslim Jammu and Kashmir region which in turn is embedded within a Hindu country, Ladakh bears all the cultural marks of the area. No wonder, then, that Ladakh is the object of an intense road construction state programme. The old trails have often been turned into roads; the traditional caravans of yaks have more often than not been replaced by caravans of trucks. The related rituals are still the same, though, and caravans of all kinds are blessed before leaving. There are less than 2,000 km of roads, in Ladakh, having commercial and military strategical importance, and are looked after by the Indian Border Roads Organisation. Only less than half are surfaced. It is a hopeless fight against the local climate: road construction workers build and rebuild the same roads endlessly, during the warmest months. Road workers are mainly migrants. Ladakhis have maintained their traditional life style, so mountain road construction is the “privilege” of dozens of thousands of seasonal migrants, 70,000 from the Indian plains every year. They camp by the roadside, often together with their families, in tents made of simple canvas, and follow the roadworks as they advance. With Summer temperatures dropping below zero, low oxygen levels, high amounts of particulate matter and lack of safety gear, their life is hard, and their work conditions unimaginable. Nonetheless, the economic, political, social, and also symbolic significance of roads is undeniable. As a result, the Himalayas are marked by asphalt. An apparently endless ribbon of asphalt unravels through the roof of the world, modifying the landscape. Photographs and text by Claudia Ioan
The aquatic environment is a comfortable place to exercise for your fat-burning goals. Swimming is an aerobic activity, which means it uses fat to sustain your workout. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a particular frequency, intensity and duration are required to burn fat. If you're splashing around playing Marco Polo, you won't get the same benefit as when you continuously lap swim. The good news is that your swim stroke does not matter. If you are able to do the front crawl, back stroke or the challenging butterfly, you will burn fat when you swim at a moderate to high intensity level. Warm up by swimming at a slow pace for five to 10 minutes. Use this time to gradually increase your heart rate and to warm your shoulders for the swim. Increase your swimming pace to a level that feels moderate to heavy. Check your intensity level by the feel of your breathing. Slow down your swim if you are gasping for breath and unable to talk. Speed up your swim if you are not breathless and could sing. Wear a waterproof heart monitor for a more accurate gauge of your intensity level. Aim to exercise at a level between 60 and 90 percent of your age-predicted maximum heart rate. Calculate this by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying the result by 60 and 90 percent. Maintain your swimming pace for a minimum of 10 continuous minutes. Aim to perform 20 to 60 continuous minutes to burn a higher number of fat calories as your fitness and endurance improve. A 160-pound person burns approximately 10.3 calories each minute swimming at a moderate, crawl pace. Swim on a minimum of three days a week. Aim to do your swimming workout three to five days a week for maximum fat-burning benefits. Cool down with a slow-paced three- to five-minute swim at the end of your fat-burning session to settle your heart rate before you return to land.