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Dr. Heather Barron presented this webinar on avian critical care. View a recording of the live, interactive event, then take the brief post-test to earn 1 hour of continuing education credit. The goal of wildlife medicine is always eventual release and therefore triage of avian wildlife may vary based on case load, regulations, and the presenting situation. Dr. Barron examines the guidelines used to set triage policy and the reasons a bird may not be releasable or have a good quality of life in captivity. She then discusses practical measures intended to alleviate suffering and improve the odds of patient survival, such as fluid support, analgesia, evaluation of blood volume, and transfusion. This presentation concludes with a brief discussion on assessing life and euthanasia.
The term “miniature pig” is used to describe a variety of smaller pig breeds as well as crossbreeds. There are at least 14 recognized breeds of miniature pigs, including the Vietnamese potbellied pig, the Juliana pig, the KuneKune, and others. This information sheet reviews natural history and taxonomy, as well as a number of clinically relevant information including (but not limited to) diet, housing, behavior, normal physiologic data and anatomy, restraint, preventive medicine, zoonoses, and important medical conditions seen in the mini pig. Login to view references.
Capnometry measures the maximum value of carbon dioxide (CO2) obtained at the end of expiration or end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2). There is good correlation between ETCO2 and arterial CO2 in birds and mammals and capnography can be used as a reliable tool to evaluate the adequacy of ventilation in these species. Capnography can only be used to identify trends in reptiles because of cardiac shunting of blood past the reptilian lungs.
Even the most steadfast and seasoned veterinary anesthetist can find themselves intimidated by exotic animal patients. Standard veterinary anesthesia monitors are not designed to read the extremely high (or extremely low) heart rates and respiratory rates of some exotic animal patients. Despite these challenges, valuable information can be gathered from monitoring tools as well as hands-on techniques. Essential vital signs, such as heart rate and rhythm, respiratory rate and depth, body temperature, and mucous membrane color should all be evaluated.
Arterial blood pressure is a function of heart rate, blood volume, stroke volume, and arterial compliance. Indirect arterial blood pressure is most commonly measured by Doppler ultrasound or non-invasive oscillometric monitors. What are the limitations of indirect blood pressure measurements in exotic animal patients? How is this technique unique in exotic companion mammals when compared to dogs and cats? How is this technique performed in birds and can this procedure be used in reptiles?
Electrocardiography can be used to detect and diagnose arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities, particularly during long-term anesthesia. How are leads attached to exotic animal patients? And what is the normal appearance of normal electrocardiogram tracings in birds or reptiles?
Heart rate and oxygenation should ideally be monitored during every anesthetic event. Patient size can limit the accuracy of pulse oximetry readings in exotic companion mammals and this technique has not been validated in birds or reptiles, however trends during the course of anesthesia can still provide useful clues to patient clinical status.
Created by veterinary technician specialist, Katrina Lafferty, this anesthesia monitoring record is available for download as as both a Word document and PDF.
Download this anesthetic record, available as a PDF, and recommended by veterinary technician specialist, Katrina Lafferty.
Download this anesthesia & recovery record, suggested by veterinary technician specialist, Katrina Lafferty. This anesthetic record was created by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and is from a collection of online resources recommended by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Practice Standards Scheme.
Download this anesthesia monitoring sheet, available as a PDF, and recommended by veterinary technician specialist, Katrina Lafferty.
There is little empirical information available on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in most exotic animals. Fortunately, the basic principles of CPR are the same for all species, however there are important species-specific considerations. This review article explores techniques for establishing airway control, ventilation and cardiac compression recommendations as well as considerations for emergency drug selection.
The approach to analgesia and sedation in exotic companion mammals faces special challenges, including small patient size and unique features of the prey species mentality. Recognition of pain is more difficult in rabbits and rodents because many small mammals are very good at hiding the signs of pain commonly observed in predator species. Instead pain in a rabbit or rodent is often inferred from the patient’s clinical condition as well as the absence of normal behaviors. The diagnostic and therapeutic plan frequently requires some form of chemical restraint in exotic mammal medicine. When compared to general anesthesia, sedation is a safer option for the debilitated or critically ill small mammal.
Rabbit intubation can be accomplished using either an orotracheal or nasotracheal technique. Both intubation methods can be challenging in rabbit patients and require patience and practice. Nasotracheal intubation may be the preferred approach in situations where maximum access and maneuverability is required in the oral cavity. Nasotracheal intubation is also preferred where an extended recovery is expected.
Quality Exotic Small Mammal Anesthesia was reviewed and approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (R.A.C.E.) program for 1 hour of continuing education, in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB R.A.C.E. approval….
The Reptile Anesthesia and Analgesia webinar was reviewed and approved by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) Registry of Approved Continuing Education (R.A.C.E.) program for 1 hour of continuing education, in jurisdictions which recognize AAVSB R.A.C.E. approval…
This live webinar event was presented by Javier Nevarez, DVM, PhD, DACZM, DECZM (Herpetology). View a recording of Dr. Nevarez’s web-based seminar and earn 1 hour of R.A.C.E.-approved continuing education credit. Lecture objectives include a review of the principles and concepts of reptile analgesia, recommended analgesics, signs of pain and pain recognition, and a review of analgesic protocols. The presentation also reviews principles and concepts of reptile anesthesia, popular anesthetic agents and anesthetic protocols, monitoring, as well as keys to success.
The approach to a prey species like the rabbit often calls for a profound paradigm shift for clinicians used to dealing only with cats and dogs. Rabbits can stress very easily in a clinical setting and the challenge of managing a small mammal like the rabbit increases exponentially when they are presented for illness or injury.
Exotic small mammals can be challenging to safely induce, maintain and recover from general anesthesia. View the recording of this AAVSB R.A.C.E.-approved webinar, which explores clinical anesthesia in exotic companion mammals from patient assessment and anesthetic induction to monitoring and recovery. The use of common premedications, induction agents, maintenance drugs, and post-operative analgesics will be compared and contrasted in exotic companion mammals. Multimodal anesthetic techniques, such as epidural anesthesia and constant rate infusions, will also be discussed. After reviewing the recording, take the brief post-test to earn 1 hour of continuing education credit.
The Vets Now Surgical Safety Checklist includes a list of safety issues that should be read aloud, with both the veterinarian and veterinary nurse or veterinary technician present. This checklist is divided into three categories: induction of anesthesia, before the skin incision, and before the patient leaves the operating room…
Released for National Veterinary Technician Week 2014, Nursing Care for Exotic Companion Mammals is part of an Exotic ICU series providing advice on the management of small exotic companion mammals in a critical care setting. Specific recommendations on caging, medicating, feeding, and monitoring the critical small mammal are explored as well as important potential sequelae to the stress of hospitalization.
One of the most valuable items in avian practice is a reliable formulary. Although pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data is slowly growing, the vast majority of drug doses in companion parrot medicine rely on extrapolation and/or clinical experience. It is crucial that the clinician have access to this wide range of information and experience.
As in other species, to manage pain successfully, one must know when pain might occur. Several common medical disorders can result in acute pain such as otitis, conjunctivitis, and acute gastrointestinal disease. Chronic pain can arise from conditions such as arthritis, which commonly develops in older…
Air sac cannulas are routinely used to ventilate birds by a route other than endotracheal intubation. Air sac tubes are used for oxygenation and anesthesia, especially during surgery of the head or trachea where tracheal intubation would be cumbersome. In addition, air sac cannulas provide a means to medicate air sacs directly, and they are also used to aid dyspneic birds with tracheosyringeal obstruction from foreign bodies, granulomas, or tumors.
This brief article was created to serve as a synopsis of LafeberVet’s longer, more detailed “Analgesia in Small Mammals” authored by veterinary anesthesiologist, Dr. Paul Flecknell.
In no way, should the reader believe the use of tracheostomy tubes is common in exotic companion mammals like the guinea pig. This technique is exceedingly rare. However given the frequent lack of airway control and the particular concerns when anesthetizing guinea pigs, those concerned with emergency and critical care should be aware of this technique as a “back up” option. In most instances, use of this surgical approach would mean that the clinician has failed to exercise foresight and planning for their patient’s airway control. Nevertheless anyone who sees rodents, particularly on an emergency basis, should consider compiling a tracheostomy kit and practicing this technique on cadavers.
Waterfowl belong to Order Anseriformes. Virtually all anseriforms belong to family Anatidae, which consists of ducks, geese, and swans. If you are comfortable with psittacine anatomy and physiology, then many features of waterfowls will be familiar. LafeberVet has listed twelve interesting and clinically significant facts about waterfowl…
At the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre, previously the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre, we encourage private practices, emergency clinics, and rehabilitation centers to aid in the initial treatment of these injured turtles. We admit turtles from across the province, and it is extremely beneficial to the turtle to get immediate care locally before transfer. Snapping turtles are incredible in their ability to heal (albeit slowly!) and we cannot stress enough that the injuries can appear horrific, and yet can go on to heal, with subsequent release of the turtle back into the wild…
Are you prepared to see herptiles in your clinical practice? This equipment list, created by a veterinarian board-certified in reptiles and amphibians, provides recommendations for basic equipment needs as well as tools for advanced reptile care including amphibians and even crocodilians.
Stomatitis, also known as “mouth rot”, ulcerative stomatitis, necrotic stomatitis, and/or periodontal disease is a common problem in snakes and lizards. Stomatitis is less common in chelonians and crocodilians, and often presents as a stomatitis-rhinitis complex in tortoises. This presenting problem article explores the pertinent anatomy involved, key points of urgent care, as well as tips for case management.
Do you have everything? Shared by registered veterinary technician and veterinary technician specialist, Jill Murray of Oklahoma State University, review our collection of procedure equipment checklists. Checklists are used in clinical practice to make preparation for procedures more efficient and more consistent, thereby improving the quality of care. Use these equipment checklists to train students and staff, or simply to jog your memory for procedures performed only sporadically.
Are you using epidurals in your practice? The epidural is a neuroaxial technique that provides preemptive analgesia by injecting drug into the epidural space surrounding the spine. Epidurals can be used for abdominal surgery, perineal surgery, and orthopedic procedures involving the pelvic limb or spine. Some opioids can also travel cranially to provide supplemental analgesia for chest and thoracic limb procedures. Epidurals serve as an adjunct to systemic analgesia, and epidural analgesia also reduces the amount of anesthetic drug needed. Epidurals can also shorten recovery time.
Endotracheal intubation of the rabbit is challenging because it difficult to directly visualize the tracheal opening in all but the largest individuals. Rabbits have a long, narrow oral cavity and the larynx, which sits on a ventral slope, is prone to spasm.
Use this video clip or text with still images to review equipment needed, potential complications as well as the techniques involved for blind intubation and intubation using visualization.
An important differential for lumps and bumps: Mammary gland tumors are relatively common in rats and mice, and are also seen in African pygmy hedgehogs and guinea pigs. Get the facts about mammary tumors in small mammals. Review diagnostics, management, prognosis and prevention of this important condition.
Pain assessment in birds is very complex because it requires consideration of differences in age, gender, species, individual behaviors and environmental factors. Birds may exhibit different behaviors or may hide painful behaviors when outside of their home cage. Predatory species may exhibit painful behaviors more readily than prey species. Many clinical signs may be associated with pain in birds including…
Arterial blood pressure measurement is an important tool in the management of the critically ill bird. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure exerted against the blood vessel wall during contraction of the heart. Although direct arterial pressure measurement is ideal, it is not commonly used because of the need for specific technical skill, invasive nature of the procedure, and cost of equipment.
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The Reason Foundation has released a new study
titled, "Wealth and Safety: The Amazing Decline in Deaths from Extreme Weather in an Era of Global Warming, 1900–2010
," here's the executive summary (emphasis mine):
"Proponents of drastic curbs on greenhouse gas emissions claim that such emissions cause global warming and that this exacerbates the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including extreme heat, droughts, floods and storms such as hurricanes and cyclones. But what matters is not the incidence of extreme weather events per se but the impact of such events—especially the human impact. To that end, it is instructive to examine trends in global mortality (i.e. the number of people killed) and mortality rates (i.e. the proportion of people killed) associated with extreme weather events for the 111-year period from 1900 to 2010.
Aggregate mortality attributed to all extreme weather events globally has declined by more than 90% since the 1920s, in spite of a four-fold rise in population and much more complete reporting of such events. The aggregate mortality rate (per million population) declined by 98% (see chart above), largely due to decreased mortality in three main areas:
- ·Deaths and death rates from droughts, which were responsible for approximately 60% of cumulative deaths due to extreme weather events from 1900–2010, are more than 99.9% lower than in the 1920s.
- Deaths and death rates for floods, responsible for over 30% of cumulative extreme weather deaths, have declined by over 98% since the 1930s.
- ·Deaths and death rates for storms (i.e. hurricanes, cyclones, tornados, typhoons), responsible for around 7% of extreme weather deaths from 1900–2008, declined by more than 55% since the 1970s.
To put the public health impact of extreme weather events into context, cumulatively they now contribute only 0.07% to global mortality. Mortality from extreme weather events has declined even as all-cause mortality has increased, indicating that humanity is coping better with extreme weather events than it is with far more important health and safety problems.
The decreases in the numbers of deaths and death rates reflect a remarkable improvement in society’s adaptive capacity, likely due to greater wealth and better technology, enabled in part by use of hydrocarbon fuels.
Imposing additional restrictions on the use of hydrocarbon fuels may slow the rate of improvement of this adaptive capacity and thereby worsen any negative impact of climate change. At the very least, the potential for such an adverse outcome should be weighed against any putative benefit arising from such restrictions."
: Julian Morris writes on Reason.com
about the study.
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See Article History Jane Austen, born December 16,Steventon, HampshireEngland—died July 18,WinchesterHampshireEnglish writer who first gave the novel its distinctly modern character through her treatment of ordinary people in everyday life. She published four novels during her lifetime: In these and in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey published together posthumously,she vividly depicted English middle-class life during the early 19th century. She was the second daughter and seventh child in a family of eight—six boys and two girls.
Why is Jane Austen important?
Yet she put her stamp on the English novel for all time. She began writing stories and sketches as a young girl, starting her first novel when she was just twenty. It was published eighteen years later as Pride and Prejudice. She went on to write five more exquisitely detailed novels that have become English classics.
How is she linked to Hampshire? She enjoyed a happy childhood in a large and creative family. Aged 25, she moved with family to Bath, where her father had decided to retire. But when he died inshe returned with her mother and Cassandra to Hampshire to live in Southampton. Four years later, they moved to a cottage in the village of Chawton, also in Hampshire, now a museum to her work.
Here, Jane began to write seriously, working on Sense and Sensibility published in followed by Mansfield Park in and Emma in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published after her death. Why was she buried in Winchester Cathedral? ByJane was beginning to feel increasingly unwell.
In Mayshe and her sister Cassandra drove the 16 miles from Chawton to Winchester, in pouring rain. They took up lodgings in College Street, next to the Cathedral. The plan was to get help from a celebrated doctor at the newly established Winchester Hospital. She was buried in the Cathedral, a building she greatly admired.
Her modest funeral was attended by just four people, and took place early in the morning, before services began. She lies under the floor of the north aisle of the nave, where you can still see her simple gravestone.
The inscription recorded her personal virtues and stoicism, but made no mention of her writing. Why does she have three memorials in the Cathedral? Inher nephew Edward wrote a memorial to his aunt, and used the proceeds to erect a brass plaque on the wall next to her grave.
This time, the inscription begins: Jane Austen, known to many by her writings… Byshe was famous enough for a public subscription to pay for the memorial window you can see above the plaque.
Today, tourists come from all over the world to stand at her grave.Jane Austen is now celebrated as one of England’s greatest novelists, but when she was buried in the Cathedral in at the age of 41, her original memorial stone made no mention of her books.
Jane Austen was born on 16 December in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. Watch video · Jane Austen was a Georgian era author, best known for her social commentary in novels including 'Sense and Sensibility,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' and .
Jane Austen was born on 16 December in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager.
Born December 16, , Jane Austen is one of the most celebrated authors of the English language. Her fiction is known for its witty satires on English society. Her /5(54). Jane Austen, (born December 16, , Steventon, Hampshire, England—died July 18, , Winchester, Hampshire), English writer who first gave the novel its distinctly modern character through her treatment of ordinary people in everyday life.
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Flu Season: A Guide for Patients & Caregivers
We all know what it’s like to get hit by the flu. The muscle aches and fever make us want to stay in bed for a few days until we recuperate. However, for those who are fighting cancer, the flu can lead to far more serious complications. Patients with cancer should take precautions to avoid getting the flu and let their caregiver know if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
Cancer patients are more susceptible to the flu because their immune systems can be impaired due to chemotherapy and radiation, and their ability to fight off infection may be weakened. Older patients and those with significant medical problems such as lung or heart disease also have an increased risk of flu-related complications.
Here at Roswell Park, we have respiratory etiquette policies, restricting visitors with respiratory or flu-like symptoms from visiting the wards. They are at risk of transmitting viruses and should not be near patients.
I also cannot stress enough the importance of getting a flu shot. There are benefits for patients to receive flu shots, although the level of protection may not be as high as people with normal immune systems. However, if you are a caregiver or health care worker, you should get immunized not only to protect yourself, but also the patients you treat and care for.
Learn more about RPCI’s flu season protocol and visitor policy.
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Homemade compost adds nitrogen and other nutrients to soils. It improves tilth and contributes to microbial action that greatly enhances plant health.
No wonder throwing good stuff from the kitchen down the drain or sending organic materials to the dump is anathema to me and to all other organic gardeners. Almost all of it can be used as mulch or turned into wonder-working compost right here in my own home garden. There are a few exceptions to what can be added to a compost pile. Meat, bones, and gravy are no-no’s in suburban settings because they attract wild and domestic animals, but on farms even these wastes are recycled, usually into the tummies of pigs. Pet wastes must never be added to compost, since they contain pathogens that can harm humans, but chicken, sheep, goat, rabbit, cow, or horse manures are fine.
I have always wanted to practice the art of composting here in Southern California, as I did with my family in the faraway places where I grew up. Imagine my distress, therefore, when many years ago I discovered that, for a number of reasons, composting here is not at all easy.
Making compost is a process of piling up organic matter and letting it rot. Originally, compost piles were simply dumps. Farmers and householders threw everything onto an out-of-the way heap, and after a few years, a gardener or farmer could roll up a wheelbarrow and fill it with well-rotted organic matter that he or she dug from the bottom of the pile. This magical material was dark brown or almost black, smelled pleasantly earthy, and had a fine texture. Often it was full of earthworms. By looking at it, one could not discern what had gone into it. The wonder was that all this took no work at all.
In Yorkshire, England, during the 1930s when I was not yet ten years old, I took great pleasure in watching Viney, our head gardener, digging dark brown or black, sweet-smelling, organic matter from the bottom of his compost heap, and then putting it through a sieve in the potting shed and filling pots for planting. He would tuck all manner of flowers and vegetables into the pots and carry flats of them into the greenhouses that were lined up side-by-side on the edge of the large vegetable garden. I stood beside Viney, watching, my nose reaching the level of his potting bench. The experience was sheer bliss. But this kind of life no longer exists, and is like looking back on a dream — another world from what I experience here and now.
Viney’s composting method was the old, original slow method. Sometimes, the pile got hot; other times, it cooled down again. Once in a while it got so hot — most often from grass clippings — that it would burst into flames. A compost pile here that bursts into flames from spontaneous combustion is a badly maintained pile and could be extremely dangerous; it might start a wildfire. But a compost pile that occasionally flamed and then morphed into a slowly smoldering heap didn’t matter much in a climate where the next rain would wet down the pile and leave it smoking. Besides, Viney’s compost pile was sited in an appropriate location, a safe distance from buildings and hidden behind a tall garden wall. The charred remains of twigs and branches simply added some useful potassium to the whole magical concoction. The action of burning had another benefit as it often broke down organic woody stuff too large to rot as rapidly as the rest.
Though the old-fashioned or slow-compost pile was a haphazard thing that took care of itself, the mysterious biological events that took place inside it were the essence of science. The heat that builds up within a compost pile and causes the materials in it to rot is the result of microbial action. By piling up organic materials and keeping them damp, one allows microscopic organisms to eat the organic matter, breaking it down and creating heat and nitrogen in the process. When this material is rotted enough so one doesn’t know what went into it, then it’s time to dig it into the ground, where it becomes what we call humus.
Today’s manufacturers often label bags of compost as “humus,” but this is a misuse of the word. Technically, soil is the thin layer of ground rock and organic matter that covers the surface of our planet Earth, and humus is the partially rotted organic matter that exists in soil. Compost does not become humus until it is added into the soil. Then, as humus, it rots further in the ground and in the process gives off nitrogen into the soil in a form that plant roots can absorb and use for growth. Humus also contains natural fungi that contribute to plant health. Beneficial fungi in homemade compost attack and kill harmful fungi that cause plant diseases. So, making homemade compost does much more than simply adding to the organic content of soil; it is also a fine way to control plant diseases without the use of poisonous sprays that cause cancer, killing us along with whatever else they are meant to attack.
In the 1930s and ’40s, Sir Arthur Howard, J.I. Rodale, and other writers promoted a more complicated and scientific method of composting. Over a period of 30 years in India, Howard had seen large-scale hot composting done in that country. Based on what he saw, he developed a method of hot composting that could be managed by gardeners working on a smaller scale. Howard’s new method produced compost more rapidly than the old method used by Viney and his ilk. Hot composting consists of alternating more or less even layers of nitrogenous materials (wet or green organic materials, such as manure, green leaves, or grass clippings) with carbonaceous materials (dry organic materials, such as wood shavings, dry leaves, chipper materials, raw sawdust, or bagged rabbit litter). First, you create a pile about three feet square — this is the optimum size — by alternating these layers of nitrogenous and carbonaceous materials in roughly even quantities, then you keep the pile damp, and finally you toss and turn it to mix in air. Mixing in air keeps the heat going by providing necessary oxygen, but it also cools down the pile, thus preventing it from getting too hot and bursting into flame as Viney’s pile used to do.
Unlike the slow method, fast composting is scientific, and if you don’t do the process just right a few things can go wrong. If the pile is wet and smelly, that’s a sign you put in too much nitrogenous and not enough carbonaceous material. Adding a handful or two of sawdust or some chopped dry leaves usually fixes this. If, on the other hand, your pile doesn’t heat up even though you put it together correctly, that is a sign it’s too dry and you need to add a little water, or perhaps you put in too much dry carbonaceous matter and not enough nitrogenous waste. In that case, you need to add some nitrogenous materials like grass clippings, hot manure, or even human urine, or a few fish heads or fish entrails. (Fish parts will heat up a pile quickly, and it’s safe to add them in an enclosed drum composter since animals won’t be attracted.) If you’re a man and your compost pile is located in a private part of the garden, simply stand there and pee on the pile, and it will heat up the pile fast. You may laugh at me for this suggestion, but I might as well be truthful: people have been using this simple, built-in method of adding nitrogen to soil and soil amendments for thousands of years. Human urine is a clean and strong source of nitrogen. You need to dilute it in order not to damage plant roots. It is a bit too salty to use for feeding roses and vegetables in dry Southwest climates as is done in many other countries, especially Finland, but it’s fine for heating up a compost pile. It also includes phosphorus and potassium.
The best thing about hot composting is how quickly it works when done right. You can actually get a marvelous product ready to use in six weeks. It sounds impossible, but if the mix is right and you keep tossing the pile, hot composting works like a dream. While tossing and turning the pile, one should put the cooler bits into the middle and the hotter parts on the outside. This is fun and satisfying work, and it’s a great way to lose weight, but one needs to have strong knees. After I got knee replacements, I had to give it up. Composting didn’t ruin my knees, however — being thrown from wild horses accomplished that.
Since the 1950s, I’ve lived and gardened in Del Mar, and during that time have enjoyed a long history of trying out various composting methods. Recently, I decided I should write down this composting history and share it with others so they can reap the rewards of composting while avoiding the pitfalls. Having spent my early teen years on my family’s organic farm in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, when I arrived in Southern California in 1944, I was steeped in the idea that we need to return all organic waste to the ground. I also expected that everyone would feel as I did on this subject and was shocked to discover that this was far from the truth. After I married, my husband and I settled in Del Mar next door to his parents, and I searched for a place to build a compost pile on my property. I made the mistake of discussing this subject with my in-laws, the late John Lloyd Wrights, a talented, fascinating, but strong-willed pair. John was the second son of Frank Lloyd Wright; my husband was the son of John’s wife, Frances. The Wrights grew up in Chicago and environs, but even John, who used to play on his grandfather’s Wisconsin farm in summer, could not accept nor believe in the correctness of composting here in California. They did not want me to have a compost pile, since they were convinced it would bring rats and other animals. Their point of view had some merit.
Soon I learned another way to compost that required no rat-attracting heap. I learned that the San Diego Zoo’s composting method was to chop up all garden trimmings and use them as mulch on the ground under the very plants from which they had come. The Zoo’s method was combined with mature plants and heavy overhead irrigation, so nothing was unsightly and things rotted quickly. Imported water was plentiful in the 1950s, and though we were aware we lived in a dry climate, even the Metropolitan Water District encouraged plentiful use of irrigation in order to keep water rates low.
I adopted the Zoo’s method of composting in my brand new and sparsely planted garden. I was trying to improve the sandy soil that had almost no organic matter in it. But this too met with a hue and cry and considerable amusement once the Wrights discovered what I was doing. They didn’t understand mulch but thought every leaf should be swept up, bagged, and sent to the dump. Like many people who move to California, they had no idea that even eucalyptus leaves will gradually rot and add their goodness to the ground; all it takes is time. Even the oils in eucalyptus leaves eventually break down in the compost process and do no harm. Pine needles can also be composted, but it is wise to compost them separately because of their acid content, and then use the compost for acid-loving plants such as camellias. Uncomposted pine needles are useful as mulch for azaleas and camellias, but even today are often swept up by gardeners and sent to the dump.
After my early composting attempts had failed due to heated opposition, I tried to improve my garden soil by burying kitchen waste straight in the ground, which on my property was little better than pure beach sand. In the early days of my garden, this practice attracted wild animals, including raccoons and the dreaded rats. My garden was still a wild place, without flowerbeds or vegetables. In a more conventional garden, burying wet materials from the kitchen, such as salad greens, cantaloupe and papaya peels, and vegetable peelings is a perfectly good and useful way to add nitrogenous materials to the ground, but unless one buries kitchen waste deeply in one’s vegetable garden or flower beds, or under garden paths, animals both wild and domestic can be attracted to it and will dig it up. Another way is to blend vegetable and fruit wastes with water and pour it straight into garden soil, but this method takes time and electricity. It never seemed sensible to me.
Today, it would be impossible for me to compost all green waste from my garden, though I tried at one time to do this. One day when my children were young, I was reading the Beatrix Potter stories of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny aloud and thought again of Viney in Yorkshire and our compost piles on the farm, and how Mr. McGregor in Peter Rabbit simply piled everything up and it rotted after a couple of winters. I decided to try once more. This time I hit upon the French Trench Composting method. I was a few years older and wiser and didn’t discuss my current experiments with my in-laws. The site I chose for my compost pit was against a high north-facing natural earthen bank or cliff. It was heavily shaded and near a hose, and though it was right next to the Wright’s property, it was on a lower level. They would never know what I was doing. I dug a trench and threw everything into it. Once in a while, I soaked the pile with water. If stuff was smelly, I threw a bit of earth on top. That’s the French way, and not the way composting is done in England, where it is claimed adding soil spoils the stew. Well, I found out it didn’t. With infrequent watering, my French trench stayed damp and worked like a dream for several years. I added stuff on top, never tossed or turned the pile, and dug lovely, sweet-smelling, well-rotted compost out of the bottom. This was almost as good as our compost piles in Pennsylvania and England had been. ■
— Pat Welsh
Don't miss:Adventures of the Compost Pile, Part 2
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Online gaming has become a popular pastime for people of all ages. It is a great way to relax and have fun, but it can also be a valuable tool for building mental resilience. Mental resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity and challenges. It is an important skill to have in life, as everyone faces setbacks at some point.
There are a number of ways that online gaming qqmobil can help to build mental resilience. First, it can provide a sense of accomplishment. When players achieve goals in games, it gives them a boost of confidence and self-esteem. This can help them to feel more capable of dealing with challenges in the real world.
Second, online gaming can help to develop problem-solving skills. Players often have to overcome obstacles and challenges in games in order to progress. This requires them to think critically and come up with creative solutions. This training can help players to better deal with problems in their real lives.
Third, online gaming can help to develop social skills. Many games involve interacting with other players, either cooperatively or competitively. This can help players to learn how to communicate and work effectively with others. This is an important skill to have in all areas of life, including school, work, and relationships.
Finally, online gaming can provide a sense of escape. When players are immersed in a game, they can forget about their problems for a while. This can be a helpful way to cope with stress and anxiety.
Research on the connection between online gaming and mental resilience
There is a growing body of research that supports the connection between online gaming and mental resilience. For example, a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions found that gamers who reported higher levels of mental resilience were also less likely to experience problematic gaming behaviors.
Another study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, found that gamers who played cooperative games were more likely to report feelings of social connection and support. This suggests that cooperative gaming can help to reduce stress and anxiety, and promote mental well-being.
How to use online gaming to build mental resilience
There are a number of things that gamers can do to use online gaming to build mental resilience. First, it is important to choose games that you enjoy and that are challenging but achievable. This will help you to maintain motivation and avoid frustration.
Second, it is important to set limits on your gaming time. Too much gaming can lead to problems such as sleep deprivation and social isolation. Aim to spend no more than a few hours each day gaming.
Third, it is important to take breaks from gaming. Get up and move around every hour or so, and avoid gaming late into the night.
Finally, it is important to balance gaming with other activities. Make sure to spend time with friends and family, pursue your hobbies, and get regular exercise. This will help to ensure that you have a balanced and fulfilling life.
Tips for gamers
Here are some additional tips for gamers who are looking to use online gaming to build mental resilience:
- Focus on the positive aspects of gaming. What do you enjoy about playing games? What benefits do you get from it? Keep these things in mind when you are playing, and focus on having fun.
- Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes in games. It’s important to learn from your mistakes and move on. Don’t let them ruin your enjoyment of the game.
- Be social. Many games allow you to interact with other players. Take advantage of this opportunity to make new friends and socialize. Having a supportive community of gamers can help you to feel more connected and less alone.
- Take breaks. It’s important to take breaks from gaming, even if you’re having a lot of fun. Get up and move around, or do something else that you enjoy. This will help you to avoid burnout and stay refreshed.
- Seek help if you need it. If you find that gaming is having a negative impact on your life, don’t be afraid to seek help from a professional. A therapist can help you to develop healthy gaming habits and cope with any challenges that you are facing.
Online gaming can be a valuable tool for building mental resilience. By following the tips above, gamers can use online gaming to improve their mental health and well-being.
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It took a lot of oil, though. You can try other liquids, if you want to! When i added the tablet piece it sank to the bottom, dissolving and creating a gas. The alka-seltzer reacts with the water to produce carbon dioxide gas bubbles. You can change an independent variable so that means you can change the color of food coloring you use to make the experiment. This is because water is more dense than oil.
By: Eve Campbell Lava Lamp Science Fair Experiment Hypothesis: My hypothesis is that if i mix oil and water, then it will make bubbles from the gas at the top. Or, at least Henry thought so. We learned about mixing colors in the , it was a blast! If water acted like most other liquids, lakes and rivers would freeze solid and all life in them would die. Then, we let the bottle sit for a little bit and after we let it sit for a while we shook it and it worked out perfectly! Plus you need to be able to fully document what you have done and the conclusions that can reasonably be reached by your experiments. The lava lamp contains two substances which are a very closely guarded secret by the makers of lava lamps.
Dunnett Walker later discovered had died. State Your Hypothesis Question:Why doesn't oil mix with water? Anything but a volcano, they're too cliche. Total Time: 5-10 minutes Safety Concerns: None. This is Lava Lamp, Deluxe Edition. Once in the water the salt dissolves, releasing the oil to return to the top layer again.
A hypthesis is an educated guess on what is going to happen in your experiment. Go ahead and add an inch of oil on top of the water. Dependent Variable: We will measure the oil. It consists of two parts. Are you ready to make your own deluxe lava lamp using the brilliance of chemistry and some easy-to-find household materials? Hypothesis: If we combine oil and water we think the chemicals will form little blobs. We claim this because when we tried this experiment both times, the result was the same.
In fact, she had entire! It is meant for possible ingestion so if accidentally swallowed or comes in contact with little mouths. This is because water molecules are packed more tightly and a cup of water actually has more mass than a cup of oil. Oil is nonpolar while water is polar, which means they will never mix, even when shaken extremely hard. What if you drop a whole tablet in? Walker became determined to make a better version of the novelty item and spent the next decade and a half doing so inbetween running an international house-swap agency and making films about nudism. Where the oil and water connect and form bubbles! Not only do lava lamps contain a lot of different science properties, but they are really fun to have around the house also! Step 3 — Add food coloring! Then, when we put the food coloring in, we saw it break through the oil. Then we will transform the density tube into a beautiful lava lamp that is sure to delight even the oldest Science Kiddos.
Science Fair Project: Homemade Lava Lamp The basic knowledge of water and oil is that they just do not mix. Even though the amount of liquid is the same, the denser ones will be heavier. Can you explain how they each work? These stick to the water droplets. Walker worked on improving the lamp with his company the Crestworth Company of Dorset, England. It's your project, so you decide what you do with it.
The wax then becomes more dense than the surrounding liquid, causing it to sink, and the cycle starts over again. Because the oil is less dense than water so it floats to the top. Projects that are complex and based on energy are good, and fun to do. It all starts in the preparation. You don't want to have the coolest project ever and be beaten by someone who did loads more research and documentation. Which one do you think works the best? They won't let you down, no matter what they're up against. There are many different things that affect density, such as temperature.
We explored this question when we did our experiment. And it's a good thing it does! Does it mix with the oil and water the same way? Notice how the oil does not absorb the food coloring. It also shows me how much fun it can be. When we put the alka seltzer in we watched our lava lamp go before our eyes. Also it helped me see how you can make it look cooler.
Add food coloring, if desired. Or maybe because it was the tallest and skinniest, so it had the best reactions. Lava Lamp Science Experiment Discussion Points 1. If you have a bunch of wires and stuff, then you should partially conceal them, but not fully hide them. You can find it in pharmacy sections of stores where the laxatives are found. Step 4 — Add 2 Alka Seltzers in per bottle. The food coloring falls through the oil and mixes with the water at the bottom.
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The purpose of this procedure
To act in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988
Data breach means unauthorised access to, or unauthorised disclosure of, personal information or a loss of personal information. Examples of a data breach are when a device containing personal information is lost or stolen, an entity’s database containing personal information is hacked or an entity mistakenly provides personal information to the wrong person.
Notifiable data breach means a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, which must be notified to affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Personal information means information or an opinion about an individual who is identified, or who can reasonably be identified, from the information, whether or not the information or opinion is true or recorded in a material form, and includes sensitive information; and
Sensitive information means information or an opinion that is also personal information about a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, memberships of political, professional and trade associations and unions, religious and philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or practises, criminal history, health information, and genetic and biometric information.
1. Preparation Phase:
1.1 Data Inventory and Risk Assessment:
Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all personal data stored in HubSpot, categorised by data type and sensitivity.
Conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and assess the impact of data breaches.
Representatives: Ravinder Kalvakuntla IT MANAGER
Responsibilities: Ensuring system security and compliance
Janine Thistlethwaite GENERAL MANAGER
Responsibilities: Ownership of data structure
1.2 Data Protection Officer (DPO) and Response Team:
Janine Thistlethwaite is appointed as Data Protection Officer or a responsible individual who will lead the breach response efforts. She will be assisted by Alastair Noble (Principal), Ravinder Kalvakunntla (IT), Anisimoff Legal, Cath Irvine (strategy and Comms).
1.3 Communication and Training:
Train employees on data protection policies, procedures, and breach response protocols.
Ensure employees know how to report potential breaches internally.
2. Detection and Assessment Phase:
2.1 Breach Identification:
Implement monitoring tools to detect unusual activities and potential breaches external to HubSpot, including any other systems containing PII.
2.2 Incident Assessment:
When a breach is suspected, the DPO and the response team should assess the situation to determine the nature and scope of the breach.
Identify the types of personal information affected and the potential impact on individuals.
2.3 Legal and Regulatory Requirements:
Determine whether the breach falls under mandatory reporting requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 and Notifiable Data Breaches scheme in Australia.
3. Containment and Eradication Phase:
Isolate and Quarantine:
If the breach is detected on a specific system or account, isolate and quarantine the affected system or account from the rest of your network. This prevents the breach from spreading to other parts of your infrastructure.
Reset passwords for all user accounts and admin roles associated with your HubSpot instance. Enforce usage of strong, unique passwords.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):
Multi-factor authentication is currently sued for all user accounts in MPAs HubSpot instance. This is in line with all third-party vendors including Google Docs and Microsoft 365
Access Control Review:
Review and update access permissions for users. Limit access to senior senior nomnated management until risk is assessed and mitigated.
Patch and Update:
Ensure that HubSpot and any integrated systems are up to date with the latest security patches.
Scan for Malware and Backdoors:
Perform a thorough scan for malware, malicious scripts, or backdoors that may have been planted by the attacker.
Analyse access and activity logs in HubSpot to identify any suspicious or unauthorised actions. This can help you understand the extent of the breach.
Revoke Unnecessary Access:
Revoke access to any third-party integrations, plugins, or applications that are no longer necessary or are not approved.
Review API Access:
Review used APIs to connect with HubSpot, review and restrict unnecessary API access.
Audit Active Sessions:
Review active sessions in HubSpot and terminate any sessions that appear to be unauthorised.
Review HubSpot's security settings and configurations to ensure they are set to the most secure options.
Engage HubSpot Support:
Contact HubSpot support to inform them about the breach. Follow instruction
Before making any changes, take screenshots or record logs that might be useful for forensic analysis or legal proceedings.
4. Notification and Reporting Phase:
4.1 Notify Affected Parties:
If the breach is likely to result in serious harm, notify affected individuals as soon as possible, providing clear information about the breach and its potential impact.
4.2 Notify Authorities:
If required by law, report the breach to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in compliance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.
5. Communication and Public Relations:
5.1 Internal Communication:
Keep employees informed about the breach, its impact, and the steps being taken to address it.
5.2 External Communication:
Develop a clear and concise public statement that provides accurate information about the breach without disclosing unnecessary details.
Coordinate with legal and PR teams to ensure consistent messaging.
6. Post-Incident Review:
6.1 Incident Analysis:
Conduct a thorough review of the breach incident to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement.
Document the incident, response actions, and outcomes for future reference and audit purposes including all advice from HubSpot..
6.3 Continuous Improvement:
Use insights from the incident to enhance data protection measures, policies, and response procedures.
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Just like the income statement the cash flow statement can also be drawn up in budget form , balance sheet years later compared to actual figures. I used the example of Nintendo, the Japanese gaming giant. To illustrate this, we have chosen to work through two examples. In your journey to analyze financial statements, you will need to understand the meaning of goodwill on the balance sheet. Example balance sheet two years. Fiscal Implications of the Federal Reserve' s Balance Sheet Normalization. Below is an example of Amazon’ s balance sheet taken from CFI’ s Amazon Case Study Course. How to Interpret the Vertical Analysis of a Balance Sheet and Income Statement. In year two that number two is much lower at just 68%.
If you play tennis you know that there is a server and a receiver. You can follow along on your own QuickBooks Online account. As you will see it starts with current assets, then non- current assets total assets. Mary Smith Capital; Mary Smith, Drawing; perhaps Current Year' s Net Income). An example of a comparative balance sheet analysis. In order to analyze your comparative balance sheets develop your Statement of Cash Flows, decreases in your current asset , you first consider any increases current liability accounts between the years two years of balance sheet information. example For example go through the balance sheet item by item , if you are planning significant sales growth in the coming year think about the probably effects of assets. Assets Inventory and Accounts Receivable will have to grow.
Find the amount of total stockholders’ equity on your annual balance sheets for any two consecutive years. Balance Sheet Example. See the sample balance sheet in Part 4. The balance sheet is years a snapshot, representing the state of a company' s finances at a moment in years time. Example balance sheet two years.
First two a simple balance sheet a self- employed individual would use then a typical balance sheet used by a large manufacturing organization. When I talk to seniors about balance, I use the example of how a tennis player’ s posture is similar example to our years posture as we two age. Owner' s equity is generally represented on the balance years two sheet with two or three accounts ( e. Inventory two on the balance sheet accounts for a company' s unsold goods or merchandise. In this lesson we’ re going to cover the importance of reviewing your balance sheet report how to years run a years Balance Sheet report in QuickBooks Online. The vertical analysis also shows that in years one two, the company' s product cost 30% 29% of sales. We’ ll also show you a balance sheet example. Scott Frame Jamie Grasing Benjamin A. For example assume your small business had $ 75 000 in example stockholders’ equity in the. Goodwill is an accounting term that stems from purchase accounting. Classifications of Owner' s Equity On The Balance Sheet. Welcome to the Fit Small Business QuickBooks Online training course! An example of a contra stockholders' equity account is Treasury Stock.
Simple Balance Sheet Example Larry' s Lawn Cutting is a one- man business that offers a grass cutting service. Without the income statement , statement of cash flows the ability to ask. By itself, it cannot give a sense of the trends that are playing out over a longer period. Michele Cavallo Marco Del Negro two W. These budgeted figures would be drawn up based on actual figures from past years, but taking into account any expected future changes in cash flows.
Final Rule: Disclosure in Management' s Discussion and Analysis about Off- Balance Sheet Arrangements and Aggregate Contractual Obligations Securities And Exchange Commission. Common Size Balance Sheet Example Here is an example of a common size balance sheet that contains the balance sheet as of the end of a company' s fiscal year for each of the past two years, with common size percentages to the right:. Owner' s Equity" are the words used on the balance sheet when the company is a sole proprietorship. If the company is a corporation, the words Stockholders' Equity are used instead of Owner' s Equity. Balance sheet ( also known as the statement of financial position) is a financial statement that shows the assets, liabilities and owner’ s equity of a business at a particular date.
example balance sheet two years
The main purpose of preparing a balance sheet is to disclose the financial position of a business enterprise at a given date. leadplayer_ vid id= ” 53AF92DB49C7A” ] The balance sheet is easy to understand. once you understand why what goes where.
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The Arctic surrounds the North Pole and is usually thought of as the area inside the Arctic Circle. It sits across the northern-most parts of both the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions and includes areas of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Russia, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Much of the Arctic is a huge ocean that freezes over in winter and partially melts away each summer. The ice is always moving. Land on the warmer fringes of the Arctic Ocean is called tundra, which means ‘treeless plain’. Trees can’t grow as the soil is often frozen and it is too windy.
Polar Bears and other animals that live in the Arctic have amazing adaptations for surviving extreme cold and getting through winter. Many species spend the summer feasting on abundant food in the Arctic then migrate south each winter. For those that stay, hibernation is one strategy for surviving the cold.
In the Wild exhibition we have many animals from the Arctic on display. The Regional Animals box at right contains one of them, with information about why it is special and how it is faring in the wild.
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Are Mammograms Overdiagnosed?
Now, a study from the Harvard School of Public Health adds fuel to the debate by stating that routine mammograms may lead to significant overdiagnosis of breast cancer, causing undue anxiety, additional costly testing, and unnecessary breast cancer treatment.
The researchers analyzed data from a study of almost 40,000 Norwegian women with invasive breast cancer, 7,793 of whom were diagnosed during a 10-year rollout of the Norwegian Breast Cancer Screening starting in 1996. Researchers expected to see a decrease in late-stage breast cancer cases, thanks to mammography detecting early-stage breast cancer. The researchers didn't find a decrease in late-stage breast cancer cases, but they did find considerable overdiagnosis, as reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Of the 7,793 women who chose to be screened, 15% to 25% were overdiagnosed.
Part of the issue, the researchers say, is that radiologists have been trained to find the tiniest tumors, including those that might never blossom into breast cancer to cause symptoms or death.
The fact is, overdiagnosis of breast cancer is inevitable, given the difficulty in distinguishing between tumors that can escape the breast, spread throughout your body and kill you, and slow-growing tumors that never leave the breast and aren't life-threatening.
"The situation is very similar to prostate cancer screening, and even lung cancer screening, where some people are going to be treated unnecessarily, but some are going to be helped," says RealAge Chief Medical Officer Keith Roach, MD. "Because we can't tell, we doctors universally recommend aggressive treatment."
Moreover, the Harvard study "doesn't address or even question the fact that mammographic screening saves lives," Roach says. "This is the most important take-home message. I'll continue to recommend mammograms for women ages 50 to 74, and discuss the issue with younger and older women."
He notes that a landmark trial found "most of the cancer deaths in the screened group were 'interval' cancers -- not there the previous screening and too late to do anything about when caught. That is, unfortunately, the peril of screening: The most aggressive cancers are likely not to be caught, while the ones you do catch are slow-growing, even the ones destined to never bother you at all -- hence, overdiagnosis."
Should women get screened and risk overdiagnosis, or skip screening and risk missing a life-threatening cancer? Ultimately, it's up to you and your doctor to decide when to start breast cancer screenings, based on your family history and comfort level, and how frequently to get them.
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Diabetes (medically known as diabetes mellitus) is a disorder of the metabolism where the body has trouble using glucose, or blood sugar, for energy. When we eat, our body breaks down foods known as carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, breads, pastas, dairy, and sweets) into glucose, which is sent to our cells through the bloodstream.
When our body’s systems detect glucose in the blood (particularly during meal or snack times), an organ called the pancreas releases an appropriate amount of a hormone called insulin. Insulin makes it possible for our cells to absorb glucose and provide the energy our body and brain need to function.
Type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disorder of the body’s immune system that results from the pancreas not producing any insulin. Type 1 diabetes represents only 5%–10% of all diagnosed cases. It is currently incurable, but it is treatable with a rigid therapy of artificial insulin.
Type 2 diabetes (previously called adult onset diabetes) results when the body doesn’t respond appropriately to insulin, a condition called “insulin resistance.” This more common (90%–95% of all cases) variety of diabetes often runs in families or racial groups, but can also be caused by poor diet and an inactive lifestyle.
If caught in its early stages, this type of diabetes is often treatable with modifications in diet and an exercise program. If left untreated, a person with type 2 diabetes could eventually develop extreme insulin resistance and require the addition of artificial insulin. Insulin resistance is a condition where your body requires unusually high amounts of insulin to maintain normal glucose levels, and your pancreas just can't keep up.
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women in the late stages of pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who have high blood glucose levels are said to have gestational diabetes. The condition usually goes away after pregnancy, but if left untreated can harm the baby.
Read about treating gestational diabetes and what medical complications are involved.
Find out about the symptoms of diabetes.
Find out about managing diabetes.
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After the driest January and February in the Northern Sierra since modern records were first kept in 1920, California's Sierra Nevada snowpack has dropped sharply to 66 percent of normal, state officials announced Thursday.
The snowpack, a key component of California's summer water supply for farms and cities, was at 93 percent of normal a month ago and 140 percent of normal on Jan. 1. The lack of significant rain and snow since New Year's Day is the result of a high-pressure ridge over the West Coast that has blocked storms from reaching California. And the dry weather is raising concerns among water officials and Central Valley farmers.
But the news isn't all bad: Because of heavier-than-normal rain and snowfall in November and December, many of the state's major reservoirs remain at or above normal levels.
"It's clearly not what we'd hoped for. But it's not as dire as it could be," said Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program with the state Department of Water Resources.
On Thursday, Shasta Lake, the largest reservoir in California, was 79 percent full -- 107 percent of normal for this date.
Because of such storage, along with healthy water supplies in their own reservoirs and underground aquifers, no Bay Area water districts are predicting summer cutbacks or water rationing.
"We were getting close to having one of the wettest years ever. It was on a good track, and then it flattened out," said Steve Ritchie, assistant general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which operates the Hetch Hetchy water system.
But, he said, "that's why we have reservoirs."
Nor is it time to start throwing around the D-word. Typically, water experts in California say there must be at least two years of substantially below-normal rainfall to qualify as a drought.
"From a water supply perspective, we're not in a drought," Gehrke said. "Clearly, the concern is that you can handle one or two dry years, but when they stack up, that's a problem."
Apart from the lack of snow in the Sierra in the past two months, rainfall in the Bay Area also slowed to a trickle in the first two months of the year.
January and February were the third driest since 1850 in San Francisco. San Jose had the driest January and February since 1874, when records were first kept. Even so, the yearly rainfall totals across the Bay Area remain respectable.
Boosted by soaking storms at the end of 2012, San Jose as of Thursday had 8 inches of rain since the rainfall year began last July 1, which is 71 percent of normal for this date. Oakland has had 11.8 inches, or 77 percent of normal. And Livermore has had 9.41 inches, or 80 percent of normal.
More sunny skies are forecast through the weekend. After that, there's a 30 to 50 percent chance of rain in the Bay Area early next week, probably on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Nothing monstrous, but a quarter or half inch," said Jan Null, a former National Weather Service meteorologist who runs Golden Gate Weather Services in Saratoga.
That storm system also is expected to bring new snow to the Sierra.
Why did the rain and snow suddenly turn off in California in January and February?
Basic meteorology, said Null, who explained that as storm systems come barreling out of the Pacific, they move east with the jet stream.
Two months ago, however, a ridge of high pressure built up along the West Coast. So rather than dumping rain and snow over California, storms have been hitting the high-pressure ridge and getting pushed northward over Canada. Then they've been descending over low-pressure areas in the Midwest, blanketing that region with snow.
The National Weather Service's long-term projections out to 90 days don't show the high-pressure system going away.
However, "even if we don't get another drop of rain this year, it's not as disastrous as some of the years we've seen historically," Null said. "And we can still hold out hope for a March miracle."
Customers in the Peninsula and San Francisco who receive Hetch Hetchy water are in good shape because Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park is 70 percent full, and Crystal Springs Reservoir, near Interstate 280, is 94 percent full.
In Santa Clara County, no summer water cutbacks are expected, said Marty Grimes, a spokesman for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. That's due largely to the fact that the vast underground aquifers where the district stores water are above normal levels. They are on pace to hold about 326,000 acre feet by the end of 2013 -- an amount equal to all the water used by the county's 1.8 million people in a year.
Meanwhile, the district has another year's supply -- 308,000 acre-feet -- stored underground near Bakersfield at the Semitropic Water Storage District.
In the East Bay, the story is similar.
"We're looking OK," said Jennifer Allen, a spokeswoman for the Contra Costa Water District. "We're comfortable we're going to be able to meet our customer demand."
Part of the reason is that Contra Costa has more storage this year. Last summer, construction crews finished adding 34 feet to the height to Los Vaqueros Dam, a $120 million project that increased the reservoir capacity by 60 percent.
No summer cutbacks are expected at the East Bay Municipal Utility District, which serves 1.3 million customers in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The district's main storage area, Pardee Reservoir in Calaveras County, was 84 percent full on Thursday.
"We came into the year with more water than we normally have, and we kept the early rainfall in the reservoirs, rather than letting a lot of it out to make space for future storms," said East Bay MUD spokesman Charles Hardy. "The strategy really paid off."
Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/paulrogerssjmn.
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By Lucy Costa in Toronto, Ontario Canada.
This post was originally printed in the CS/info Centre Bulletin. The CS/Info Centre is an information resource centre providing assistance and referral to Consumer/Survivors and others in the Greater Toronto area (Canada). All staff and volunteers are consumer/survivors of mental health and/or addiction systems. They have been providing support and publishing the bulletin since 1992.
From September 9th – 11th, 2014 Lancaster University in the UK held a Disability Studies conference with a stream that focussed specifically on Mad Studies. This is very important and it signifies a step forward in our history, community organising and hope for a more inclusive future especially for our next generation. Canada has some classes that do teach, “Mad Peoples History” but we need more commitment for an educational structure that supports learning, exploration and critical thinking in universities, colleges, and learning centres of all kinds. Given that for the last four decades lip service has been paid to inclusion, participation and rights for consumers/psychiatric survivors, it is reasonable to request that a morsel of funding be given to develop this area of study so we can build on the great work of our previous consumer/survivor leaders, and mentors.
What is Mad Studies?
Mad Studies is an area of education, scholarship, and analysis about the experiences, history, culture, political organising, narratives, writings and most importantly, the PEOPLE who identify as: Mad; psychiatric survivors; consumers; service users; mentally ill; patients, neuro-diverse; inmates; disabled -to name a few of the “identity labels” our community may choose to use. Mad Studies has grown out of the long history of consumer/survivor movements organised both locally and internationally. The methods, and approaches for research are drawn from other educational fields such as women’s studies, queer studies, critical race studies, legal studies, ethnography, auto-ethnography (again, just to name a few). But, Mad Studies, right here, right now is breaking new ground. Together, we can cultivate our own theories/ models/ concepts/ principles/ hypotheses/ and values about how we understand ourselves, or our experiences in relationship to mental health system(s), research and politics. No one person, or school, or group owns Mad Studies or defines its borders. As explained in the book, Mad Matters, Mad Studies is a, “project of inquiry, knowledge production and political action”. Presently, (and as discussed at the Lancaster conference) we need more action. All we have available as a “progressive” theory to us now is the “recovery model.” Yup, the recovery model is important but it’s not enough to understand who we are, or what is needed especially in the current budget-cuts climate that favours business plans and wealthy professionals’ opinions. More to the point, “recovery” has been co-opted by the mental health system. The money that is being invested into the system right now ain’t about recovery, it’s about efficiencies and outcomes and dishing out services cheaper and faster. There will be some people who will inevitably criticise or feel threatened by the idea of “Mad Studies,” but the reality is that there is huge potential for trailblazing and innovative ideas. Think of what a difference feminist studies made in the lives of women, or what queer studies has done for the LGBTQ community or critical race studies to our understanding of how race and law intersect. Why shouldn’t we have a Mad Studies??
Why should you care about Mad Studies?
1. What you don’t know, actually can hurt you.
When you do not have the words, to name something that is oppressive, illegal or destructive then you do not have the knowledge or power to change it. Words matter. Ideas matters. Truth matters. Mad Studies is about getting to truths, asking more questions and finding more words. Education is knowledge, and knowledge empowers us.
2. We have something valuable to teach other areas of study:
And here, I don’t mean that we should be invited to a committee to review or offer feedback on already developed project. I also do not mean sending consumer/ survivors off by themselves so that they can tell their individual story or become a token poster child in projects with complex, deeply entrenched structural problems. I mean, that we are capable of teaching and offering deeper analysis that integrates critical thinking into what is going on, and how things are done. United we stand, divided we fall. We would have a lot to offer the study of art, law, social work or ethics. For example, perhaps all projects that have to do with mental health should meet with some ethical standards as developed by the consumer/survivor community. I bet we could offer a lot to businesses that wanted to learn more about creating a “psychosis friendly” kind of place. I bet we could teach people who organise rallies and forums how to be more inclusive. I bet we could even teach astronaut Chris Hadfield a thing or two.
3.Flip the micro-scope
Perhaps it’s time to flip the scope. Let’s stop studying mentally ill people and start studying sane people, normals, well-adjusted, balanced and secure people. What do their brains look like? Why do they get the kinds of haircuts that they do? How do they behave in workplaces, at cottages in the banks? What’s it like to be really rich and debt free? Let’s not talk about this newly popularised notion of, “patients as teachers” and instead, discuss, “psychiatrists as bad learners.” Flip the questions. Question the questioners. How many times have you been asked to participate or give your feedback on how to make the system better? Flip the scope— maybe it’s time we stop answering those questions and have Mad Studies develop our own questions and research agendas.
4. We Are Not Alone
Way back in the 1940s, a group of ex-patients founded, We Are Not Alone (W.A.N.A) in order to remind people of just that point. It was an early support group and yes, it’s part of our Mad Studies history like many other things we can hopefully house in a Mad Studies museum one day. We have evidence of our organsing, art, writing, thinking and endeavours to make the world a better place. For example look at the www.psychiatricsurvivorarchives.com or the Survivors’ histories website, http://studymore.org.uk/mpu.htm or the first support group in Vancouver called the Mental Patients Association: http://historyofmadness.ca/the-inmates-are-running-the-asylum/
5. Mad Studies is about you!
Finally, and this may be the most important point; your ideas matter. It’s not about how much school you’ve had, or credentials and it’s not about your pocket book. It’s about joining conversations. If you don’t share your thoughts, opinions and knowledge, then you impact nothing and no one. And hey, the next generation of consumer/survivors are going to push us forward BIG TIME. There are some very serious issues and debates impacting the lives of service users and we have to help each other to speak up. We need to be thoughtful, smarter and more strategic about what we say and what we do. That will require everyone. It requires you.
Brenda LaFrancois, Robert Menzies and Geoff Reaume (eds.) Mad Matters: A Critical Reader in Canadian Mad Studies (Toronto: Canadian Scholar’s Press, 2013) at pg. 13.
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G Code files are those files exported from a slicer software, containing a list of commands, which the 3D printer reads and executes, in order to print a 3D model.
For further reading on G-code, click here.
The Generated G-Code commands represent horizontal layers “slices” of the 3D model, sliced as the model was placed, scaled, and rotated in the slicing software’s platform, those commands are generated with user and printer-specific settings, all of which makes the G-Code almost impossible to modify in order to retarget different printers, let alone modifying the original model itself.
Our Reverser interprets the G-code, and collects the details and data needed from the commands, then it regenerates the 3D model which represents the outcome of the printing process using the respective G-code file.
This feature allows users to reuse G-code, by regenerating the G-code using the Reverser’s outcome, and simply changing the settings, or even target other printers than the one targeted in the G-code file.
Power users and 3D designers would get the chance to modify the model once more, as the outcome of the Reverser would be in .OBJ or .STL formats, which means they can import it into 3D editing software and start with their editing.
G Code Reverser Preview :
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Although many European governments have announced expenditure cuts and tax hikes, their debt/GDP ratios continue to deteriorate. So, if the purpose of austerity was to reduce debt levels, its critics are right: fiscal belt-tightening has failed. But the goal of austerity was not just to stabilize debt ratios.
In fact, austerity has worked as advertised in some cases. Germany’s fiscal deficit temporarily increased by about 2.5 percentage points of GDP during the global recession of 2009; subsequent rapid deficit reduction had no significant negative impact on growth. So it is possible to reduce deficits and keep the debt/GDP ratio in check – provided that the economy does not start out with large imbalances, and that the financial system is working properly. Obviously, the countries on the eurozone’s periphery do not meet these conditions.
Countries whose governments have either lost access to normal market financing (like Greece, Ireland, and Portugal), or face very high risk premia (like Italy and Spain in 2011-2012) simply do not have a choice: they must reduce their expenditures or get financing from some official body like the International Monetary Fund or the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). But foreign official financing will always be subject to lenders’ conditions – and lenders see no reason to finance ongoing spending at levels that previously led a country into trouble.
So, in the eurozone periphery, austerity is not a question of fine-tuning demand, but of ensuring governments’ solvency. Economists like to point out that solvency has little to do with the ratio of public debt to today’s GDP, and much to do with debt relative to expected future tax revenues. A government’s solvency thus depends much more on long-term growth prospects than on the current debt/GDP ratio.
A reduction in the deficit today might lead in the short run to a fall in GDP that is larger than the cut in the deficit (if the so-called multiplier is larger than one), which would cause the debt/GDP ratio to rise. But almost all economic models imply that a cut in expenditures today should lead to higher GDP in the long run, because it allows for lower taxes (and thus reduces economic distortions).
Austerity should thus always be beneficial for solvency in the long run, even if the debt/GDP ratio deteriorates in the short run. For this reason, the current increase in debt/GDP ratios in southern Europe should not be interpreted as proof that austerity does not work.
Moreover, austerity has been accompanied by structural reforms, which should increase countries’ long-term growth potential, while pension reforms are set to reduce considerably the fiscal cost of aging populations. Such reforms promise to strengthen the solvency of all governments that adopt them, including those on the eurozone’s periphery.
More important, austerity has been very successful in restoring external balance to the eurozone’s periphery. The current accounts of all southern eurozone countries are improving rapidly and, with the possible exception of Greece, will soon swing into surplus. This fundamental change has contributed to the reduction in risk premia over the last year, despite the political upheaval that continues in many countries (particularly Italy, Portugal, and Greece).
The external aspect is crucial. If public debt is owed to domestic investors, it can be serviced with the taxes levied on GDP. But debt owed to foreigners can be serviced only with goods and services sold abroad – that is, exports. Thus, the key variable for countries that had large current-account deficits, and thus are burdened today with high foreign-debt levels, is not the debt/GDP ratio, but the foreign debt/exports ratio (together with the growth prospects for exports).
Here, developments are encouraging. During the boom years, when countries like Greece, Portugal, and Spain were running ever-larger external deficits, their exports did not grow quickly, so their foreign debt/exports ratios deteriorated steadily, reaching levels that are usually regarded as a warning signal. For example, for Spain and Portugal, the sum of past deficits relative to annual exports reached 300% and 400%, respectively, in 2009, whereas a 250% ratio is typically regarded as the threshold at which external-financing problems can arise.
With austerity, imports have crashed everywhere in the periphery, while exports – helped by falling labor costs – are increasing (except in Greece). As a result, these countries’ current accounts are now moving into surplus, and their external solvency is improving rapidly.
Indeed, according to the IMF, Spain should record growing current-account surpluses over the next five years, as exports rise strongly, thus cutting the external debt/export ratio by half (to about 150% in 2018), while Portugal’s ratio should fall to about 250%. Even Italy, whose external deficits have remained small, will soon record a current-account surplus.
Austerity always involves huge social costs; but it is unavoidable when a country has lived beyond its means and lost its foreign creditors’ confidence. The external fundamentals of the eurozone’s periphery are now improving rapidly. In this sense, austerity has done exactly what it was intended to do.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author, not necessarily those of the World Economic Forum. Published in collaboration with Project Syndicate.
Author: Daniel Gros is Director of the Center for European Policy Studies and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Europe.
Image: A man is seen inside the Athens stock exchange REUTERS/Yiorgos Karahalis.
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After dominating the world of smartphones and tablets for a while now, ARM CPUs are now taking over the desktop environment too. While Apple’s M1 is a buzzword on everyone’s lips, Microsoft has also used ARM architecture from the beginning with their SQ2. In the future, any new offerings from Apple or Microsoft should easily leave Intel and AMD behind. However, when it comes to music production, a certain degree of caution is still a good idea, as ARM architecture is still not fully supported by every hardware and software manufacturer. So you could still encounter compatibility issues when trying to link certain plugins and older hardware with these new systems.
What makes ARM processing different?
ARM processor architecture was originally developed by Advanced RISC Machines, which means ARM itself does not produce CPUs. Instead, they simply license the technology necessary for manufacturing, which includes the basic structure of the CPU. Apple, Microsoft, and Qualcomm for example have each licensed and implemented the ARM architecture within the design of their RISC CPUs.
RISC(Reduced Instruction Set Computers) processing differs fundamentally from CISC(Complex Instruction Set Computers) in the way it works. Most of us are familiar with CISC CPUs under the x86 designation. This type of CPU can be easily integrated into complex systems and is capable of highly complex arithmetic operations. The only drawback, however, is these require more computing power and therefore, have lower energy efficiency. CISC CPUs allow more complex systems with a wide variety of hardware and software configurations. For this reason, they are optimal for desktop computers and workstations but generate too much heat for laptops and mobile devices. The increased power consumption means shorter battery life.
RISC vs CISC: How do they compare?
The Apple M1 and Microsoft SQ2 are RISC CPUs that run on a reduced complexity instruction set in comparison to the Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processors. Generating less heat with lower power consumption makes RISC CPUs ideal for mobile use. Compatibility however, remains a crucial aspect here, as the decreased command sets mean that a smaller range of hardware, drivers and operating systems are supported. Only when the entire system is properly optimized for ARM architecture do RISC CPUs perform well.
This is the gripe that most audio users have when upgrading to an Apple M1 system. In cases where the audio interface driver was missing, one simply had to wait until the manufacturer released a compatible driver. When it comes to DAW systems and plugins, there was also an issue because most of this software was optimized for the Intel emulation environment, Rosetta 2. The result was extremely underwhelming, as the promised performance increase simply wasn’t evident. It will be a while before the transition to ARM optimization is fully realized, and if you check out videos like that of my colleague Robin Vincent with the Microsoft Surface X, you get a clear picture of this.
Apple’s move from Intel to ARM
Looking back, Apple’s M1 CPUs were announced in the summer of 2020, the new ARM-based architecture bringing an end to a 15-year reign of Intel processing on Mac. The performance hype, however, wasn’t welcomed without a healthy degree of skepticism in audio circles, and for good reason. The range of DAWs, plugins, interfaces, controllers, and other hardware peripherals that required ARM compatibility to perform at the same spec was staggering.
Therefore, if you’re planning on switching up to a new ARM-based system on Windows or Mac, it’s absolutely essential you do your research before making the jump, as it might not be the jump to lightspeed you expected. Ensure that your audio interface drivers passed beta testing and are now stable for use on this new architecture. Slightly more elaborate controllers like the Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol series or the Arturia Keystep are worth investigating in terms of their software-side compatibility. On forums, Reddit threads, and Facebook user groups there are still widespread reports of sudden crashes, CPU overloads, and even hardware rendered useless. This is especially common with plugins that run in Rosetta 2 mode like Soundtoys, Slate, or Plugin Alliance.
ARM Wrestle: How to avoid the fight
There is a light, however, at the end of this tunnel, as an increasing number of manufacturers are reporting M1 compatibility for DAWs, drivers, and plugins. As Apple was the early adapter of ARM architecture, things are slowly beginning to stabilize, but the Windows platform still has some catching up to do. There are at least some initial DAW and driver compatibility updates, and optimization will be more comprehensive in time.
Currently though, there just isn’t a complete endorsement for ARM CPUs coming from anyone in pro audio. The discrepancies between the old and new systems are considerable and the idiosyncrasies vast. Overall, the technology hit the pro-market with polar reviews. Some users were able to switch over with little or no restrictions and got a huge performance increase, while others found they had invested in rather expensive door stoppers.
For manufacturers, it’s important to note that the process of ARM architecture optimization isn’t just a walk in the park. There has been somewhat of a scramble since the Apple M1 entered the market, as manufacturers attempt to do damage control from the increasing demands of users. For some, months of development time was lost converting and optimizing plugins, DAWs, and drivers for the new architecture. As a result, the development of new plugins was put to one side along with any error correction or bug fixing. Hopefully, once the fires are out, we can embrace this new technology with relative confidence, but until then be sure to do your homework before upgrading.
More about ARM technology:
- Apple M2 Rumors
- Music production on your M1 Mac
- Everything about Apple and M1
- Everything Microsoft
- All About Intel
Originally published on Gearnews.de by Julian.
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BioScience paper - This section contains the sound files of the Pijanowski et al. (2011) BioScience article titled "Soundscape Ecology: The Science of Sound in the Landscape."
Tippecanoe Soundscape - This site contains an interface to over 32,000 15-min recordings made in 2008 at 7 sites in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Each 15-min recording was analyzed for the amount of acoustic diversity and as well as the composition of acoustic frequencies. Recordings started at the top of every hour. The recordings were stored originally as wav files in 44.1 kHz, 16 bit format. Files were compressed to FLAC for long term storage and to MP3 for listening over the web.
Aldo Leopold Farm - This site contains over 22,000 recordings made in 2012 at 23 sites around the Aldo Leopold Farm, Wisconsin.
La Selva Soundscape 2008 - This site contains 9,316 recordings made in 2008 at 24 sites in La Selva and the Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica. The sites covered a range of elevations, from 100 meters to about 600 meters above sea level. Data were provided by the TEAM Network of Conservation International, funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
La Selva 2011 Soundscape - This site contains over 75,000 recordings made in 2011 at 27 sites in the La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. The sites covered the different forest types (including secondary and primary forests) and the vertical structure (from near the ground to above the canopy, at 42m).
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Administrators Code of Behaviour
- Involve young people in the planning, leadership, evaluation and decision-making related to the activity.
- Ensure that rules, equipment, length of games and training schedules suit the age, ability and maturity level of participating children.
- Provide quality supervision and instruction for junior players.
- Help coaches and officials highlight appropriate behaviour and skill development and help improve the standards of coaching and officiating.
- Ensure that everyone involved in junior sport emphasises fair play, not winning at all costs.
- As appropriate, give a code of practice and conduct sheet to spectators, officials, parents, coaches, players, media, and encourage them to stick to it.
- Remember, you set the example. Your behaviour should be positive and supportive.
Coaches Code of Behaviour
- Remember that players participate for pleasure and winning is only part of the fun.
- Never ridicule or yell at a player for making a mistake.
- Be reasonable in your demands on players’ time, energy and enthusiasm.
- Operate within the rules and spirit of the game and teach your players to do the same.
- Ensure that the time players spend with you is a positive experience.
- Avoid overplaying the talented players, the’ other players also love the game and deserve equal time.
- Display control, respect and professionalism to all involved and encourage players to do the same.
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability or cultural background.
Players Code of Behaviour
- Play within the rules and in the spirit of the game.
- Do not argue with officials. If you feel it is warranted, have your captain or coach approach the official during a break or after the competition.
- Control your temper. Fighting and verbal abuse, including foul language directed at officials, spectators or other players is not acceptable.
- Be a good sport. Acknowledge all good plays whether by your team or the opposition.
- Treat all participants as you would like to be treated. Do not bully or take unfair advantage of another competitor.
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of their ability or cultural background.
- Remember you represent your sport, your Club and your teammates every time you take the field.
- Treat opponents with respect, they have a love for the game and without them there would be no game.
- If you will not be playing or training make sure you inform the coach as soon as possible.
- Support your club by participating in fundraising activities.
- Look after your Club’s amenities and take pride in the Club’s appearance.
- Also show respect for other Clubs’ facilities.
Parents / Spectators Code of Behaviour
- Applaud good performances and efforts from all individuals and teams.
- Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.
- Never ridicule a player for making a mistake. Positive comments are motivational.
- Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by spectators, coaches, officials or players.
- Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would not be a game.
- Encourage players to follow the rules and the officials’ decisions.
- Do not use foul language, sledge or harass players, coaches or officials.
- Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every player regardless of their gender, ability or cultural background.
Alcohol and Drug Usage Policy
- Our Club strongly discourages the consumption of alcohol before and during games and training.
- In the interests of the health, comfort and safety of all our patrons the club actively encourages a responsible service and consumption of alcohol environment.
- Committee and Members of the club have the right to refuse to serve alcohol to any member or visitor who is intoxicated or deemed to be intoxicated.
- A Member or visitor who is drunk, violent or quarrelsome must leave the premises when asked to by a club member.
- The Club rules do provide for penalties for conduct unbecoming of a Member, or behaviour prejudicial to the interests of the Club.
- Penalties that can be imposed include suspension or expulsion.
- Our Club will not condone illicit drug use under any circumstances.
- The Club supports moderate alcohol consumption and a smoke-free environment.
Anti Discrimination and Harassment Policy
- The Malvern Lacrosse Club aims to provide a sporting environment where all those involved in its activities are treated with dignity and respect, and without harassment or discrimination.
- Our club recognises that all those involved in its activities cannot enjoy themselves, perform to their best, or be effective or fully productive if they are being treated unfairly, discriminated against or harassed because of their sex, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, race, age, disability, homosexuality, sexuality, transgender, religion, political beliefs and/or industrial activity.
- Our club prohibits all forms of harassment and discrimination not only because it is against the law, but because it is extremely distressing, offensive, humiliating and/or threatening and creates an uncomfortable and unpleasant environment.
- If any person feels they are being harassed or discriminated against by another person or organisation bound by this Policy, please contact any member of the Committee.
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The one sentence summary
There are some secrets of effective conversation that you can perfect.
- This is all about what to say and how to say it, so you can get more from every conversation. It works through a number of talk essentials, and then offers 50 ways of saying things right.
- Essential points:
- The words you use determine your success in life, relationships, your job and in business.
- iContact or eye contact: proper conversations are always better than using technology, or being distracted by it when talking.
- Everything can be misunderstood:
“I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure that what you think you heard is what I meant.” Unknown
- Paralinguistics looks at the melody and tone of what is said, not just the words. Paralanguage is vital to empathetic conversation.
- Prosody is the rhythm, stress and intonation of speech.
- Listen and silent are spelled with same letters: the rhythm of talking and listening is vital to effective communication.
- The primacy-recency effect: we remember best the first item of information presented to us. We remember second best the information that comes last. So beginnings and endings are crucial.
WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT
- Avoid closed questions that only require a yes or no answer: they kill conversation. Turn them into open ones that encourage discussion.
- Tone down the uptalk – ending a statement with an upward inflection. It reduces your authority because it makes all your points sound like an uncertain question.
- Interject, don’t interrupt: build on their comments in suitable gaps.
- When you X, I feel Y, because Z. Thomas Gordon’s principle of ‘I’ messages relates to how you feel about a situation and any distress it may be causing. X = behaviour, Y = feeling and Z =consequence.
- Don’t tell me about the white bear: telling people not to think of something makes them think of it.
- “Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.” Dostoevsky
- A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH
- It contains a lot of good advice.
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The Tool ISP’s use to track down hackers.
Talking about whois sounds like the beginning of the Abbot & Costello “Who’s on First” skit. COSTELLO: “What is whois for?” ABBOTT: “whois on First. What is on second…” But learning about whois enables you to query some of the most important underpinnings of the Internet.
The core of the Internet is a complex relationship between Telecommunications companies, quasi-government entities and non-profit bureaucracies with lengthy acronyms like ARIN, IANA, and the like. It’s these relationships that define how packets of data are moved and routed around the world.
whois allows you to see these relationships and uncover the humans and organizations behind these movements. This means knowing who you can contact when the Internet is not working or if malevolent entities are using the Internet to mount attacks against your clients. In this article we’re going to take a deep dive into whois and reveal its power.
Versions of whois
whois refers to both a program and a protocol. The program communicates over the Internet to a server that manages a database. The query protocol between the program and server is also referred to as whois (https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3912). In this article, we are not interested in the protocol, but will focus on the program.
There are several versions of the whois program. Most UNIX platforms come with the RIPE whois installed by default. For Windows platforms, we recommend you download the RIPE client from Cygwin (http://cygwin.org). After you install cygwin, add it to your path to make following along with the examples in this article simpler.
What’s on second?
Speaking generally, there are two broad classes of questions you can answer using whois: questions about who owns a domain and questions about who owns a network. The whois client attempts to figure out the type of question you are asking and directs the question to the appropriate server, but you can override this and force whois to query a specific server.
In this article, we’re not interested in querying domains and instead focus on network queries. Network ownership and management details are delegated to five Regional Internet Registrars (RIR). Each is assigned a specific portion of the world and each runs their own whois for servers for answering your questions.
The five RIR’s and their servers are:
|LACNIC||Central & South America||whois.lacnic.net|
|RIPE||Europe & Central Asio||whois.ripe.net|
|APNIC||Asia Pacific & Australia||whois.apnic.net|
How to ask a question
Most of the time, using whois is a simple matter of typing your question on the command line. whois will try to make sense of the question and handle forwarding it to an appropriate server. If the server whois first contacts doesn’t know the answer, it returns a referral and whois resubmits the question to the referral server and so on until it gets a reasonable answer.
Here’s a sample:
$ whois 18.104.22.168
This query is asking who owns the ip address 22.214.171.124.
The text is fairly self explanatory. When the response comes from ARIN (as this answer did), the responses are broken into sections with each section separated by the tags ‘# start’ and ‘# end’.
In this response, the first section identifies the address as part of a larger /8 CIDR block owned by Level(3) Communications. It also provides three different contacts for Level(3): their security department, their network operations center, and their ip addressing department. The contacts include email addresses and phone numbers that can be a real life saver if you’re under attack.
So far so good. But if you look closely at the text block, you’ll notice there is another set of “# start” and “# end” tags. This provides the following additional details:
The server that responded to your query recognized the 126.96.36.199 address was part of a delegation made by Level(3) to Google. It is Google that actually owns the address you asked about. The server therefore responded with a second start/end block that provided additional information.
The server provided the refined network details and two contacts for Google: their technical contact and abuse department. You now have the phone number of Google’s abuse department which you could contact if the 188.8.131.52 address was attacking your network.
There’s another piece of information you can glean from the two response blocks. Knowing the fact that Level(3) owns the /8 and Google has a delegation from them, you can draw the conclusion that Google is buying Internet access from Level(3). This kind of architectural details can help you paint a mental picture of who is connected to who and how the Internet is put together.
Real world Queries
Let’s look at a real world use of whois. On the afternoon of December 19, the address 184.108.40.206 was used to scan a client’s network for open Telnet services. This is a common reconnaissance activity to locate target servers susceptible to brute force password guessing.
The simplest technique to confront this attack is to block the address. A quick firewall rule can be created to block the address. But what if hackers were using a number of addresses around the address? One could methodically and incrementally wait for each new address to be used and then add another firewall rule.
Ideally it is better to identify the network where the attack was originating and block that network. Then submit an abuse report to the owning ISP. This is a perfect task for whois. A quick check of `
whois 220.127.116.11` revealed the following picture.
The response came from KRNIC, the Korea Internet & Security Agency which is the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning’s sub-organization dealing with the allocation and maintenance of South Korea’s IPv4/IPv6 address space. The KRNIC whois server separates response sections differently than ARIN. They separate sections with a dashed line.
You can see the ip address is assigned to Korea Telecom and part of the CIDR block, 18.104.22.168/11. You could block this entire CIDR range, but that would firewall off 2 million servers. That could be too broad a range for your client. If your client does any business in that part of the world, your firewall rule could interfere with their business activity.
The second part of the whois report shows the address is further broken down and delegated to a customer of Korea Telecom in South Korea. This customer has the CIDR block 22.214.171.124/24 that is a more reasonably sized network to firewall until you report the abuse to Korea Telecom.
How to report abuse?
After firewalling the network that is attacking your client, you need to decide if you want to report the abuse to the network owner. If the attack originates within the United States, reporting the attack is always a good idea. If it’s from overseas, you may want to consider whether reporting the attack may be information that gets passed on to the hackers to aid in their reconnaissance activity.
If you decide to report the attack, you can either call the telephone number you retrieved from the whois database or send an email. We recommend an email as it’s usually faster and you don’t need to be concerned about the business hours of the number you call. The only time to prefer a phone call is to remediate high impact events significantly affecting your client’s network.
When reporting abuse to a network owner, include the following details:
• The date and time the event occurred including the time zone
• What the attacker was doing
• Any documentation or log records to backup the report
• Contact information the network owner can use for followup questions
Here is a sample email used to report the incident to Korea Telephone
Subject: Your customer ‘Jeonnambonbujang’ is engaging in hacking
A customer of yours is engaged in hacking activity. This whois database shows the ip address 126.96.36.199 is assigned to your customer
Damyang-Eup Damyang-Gun Jeonranam-Do, 517800
On December 19th, 2016, from 17:10 (EST) through 17:57, we detected seven (7) instances of your client probing the Internet for Telnet services. This is an unauthorized activity. This activity is continuing.
Your client may in fact have been infected with malware and it is this malware that is performing this scan without their knowledge. Please take the appropriate action to stop this activity from your client.
Below is a small sample of the incidents record on an intervening firewall. The format of the report is iptables:
Dec 19 17:10:36 SRC=188.8.131.52 LEN=40 TOS=08 PREC=0x20 TTL=43 ID=24548 PROTO=TCP SPT=11390 DPT=23 SEQ=3431844698 ACK=0 WINDOW=342 SYN URGP=0 MARK=0
Dec 19 17:14:09 SRC=184.108.40.206 LEN=40 TOS=08 PREC=0x20 TTL=43 ID=35766 PROTO=TCP SPT=11390 DPT=23 SEQ=3626766365 ACK=0 WINDOW=342 SYN URGP=0 MARK=0
Dec 19 17:20:56 SRC=220.127.116.11 LEN=40 TOS=08 PREC=0x20 TTL=43 ID=47453 PROTO=TCP SPT=11390 DPT=23 SEQ=3431844187 ACK=0 WINDOW=342 SYN URGP=0 MARK=0
You may reply to this email with any followup questions or comments.
whois is an incredibly powerful tool for investigating security incidents. You’ll find it useful to track and stop the source of network abuse or even spam. You can read more about whois on ARIN’s website at https://www.arin.net/resources/services/whois_guide.html .
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Check out these 7 tips for how to get prepped to take your first assessments:
1. Understand the study cycle. We explain it in this episode, or you might like to watch this video.
2. Find small ways to test your retrieval on a regular basis, using assignments that your teachers are already giving you, so you don’t have to do anything extra.
3. Make sure you have the right supplies to help yourself encode in a new way.
4. Make your study plan at least 3 days out (but preferably more!).
5. Plans are meant to be made, not necessarily to be followed exactly. Stay on track; don’t throw out the whole plan just because you didn’t follow the first few parts of it exactly.
6. Study a bit more than you think you need — things get harder each year, and so you need to plan to “step it up” compared to the ways you studied last year.
7. After you get your grade, take a look at the test to understand a) the ways you studied well and b) the tasks you could have spent more time on, so that you can study more effectively next time.
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Aphrodisiac for coral? A full moon, photographed from the International Space Station.
The recent full moon is bringing out the lusty side of coral that live up and down the western coastline of Australia. And if all goes as predicted, lucky souls who hit the water at the right time next week will get an eyeful: a massive coral spawning event that will fill the coastal seas with a pink, subsea snowstorm of coral sperm and eggs.
Chris Simpson, head of the marine science program at Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation, said the milky pink waters — a telltale sign the coral are getting frisky — should appear near the Dampier Archipelago, Ningaloo Marine Park and the Abrolhos Islands, approximately seven to 10 nights after the full moon.
"The coral spawning occurs at night, usually on an ebbing tide, beginning about an hour after sunset and continuing for two to three hours," Simpson said.
The annual rite of post-full moon coral sex occurs at reefs around the world; but it's not just the lunar cycle that puts coral in the mood.
Warming waters signal the coral that it's time to start producing sex cells, then a precise combination of daylight and moonlight trigger the sudden, simultaneous release of eggs and sperm.
The eggs float to the surface, where they are sought out by the free-swimming sperm. Once an egg is fertilized, an embryo forms, and, several days later, it swims back to the bottom to anchor itself and grow.
Simpson said that water temperatures along the western Australian coastline have been unusually high this year — mainly due to the current La Niña, a cyclical cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean that affects the climate in other areas of the globe — and that can cause problems.
The warm waters put pressure on reefs and cause bleaching — massive coral die-offs that occur when coral colonies are so stressed they eject the symbiotic algae that dwell within them. Without the algae, the coral turn bone white and are deprived of a valuable source of food.
In addition, Simpson said La Niña-fueled warm waters are usually more calm than usual, which can cause the coral eggs to form huge slicks on the sea surface, robbing the waters below of oxygen and suffocating fish and other sea creatures.
According to best estimates, the coral spawn should take place sometime between March 27 and 30.
- World's Cutest Sea Creatures
- Gallery: Amazing Creatures from the Census of Marine Life
- The World's Biggest Oceans and Seas
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Innovation in the past few years has affected various countries to enhance the quality of the life of their citizens in either a positive or negative way. It is indeed said to be the main contributor for the success of many third world countries but what has innovation actually accomplished to make these countries better? Many factors such as politics, economy, women empowerment, community development, and career satisfaction rates have been used in this article to identify what innovation has actually accomplished in these third world countries.
COUNTER: In 2016, there were over 300 participants chosen from both profit and non-profit organizations for the study to explore the effects of organizational politics on the career satisfaction rates in a third world country, Nigeria. The data which was analyzed from Pearson correlation, t-test, and linear regression analysis (Methods) resulted in the perceived organizational politics negatively correlating with the career satisfaction rates. The results implied that the higher the perceived organizational politics the lower employees’ career satisfaction rates (Arogundade, 2016). WS51
Federal policymakers and politicians seem to cooperate with the nonprofit organizations as they are creating various policies such as President Bill Clinton’s national urban policy, “Empowerment: A New Covenant with America’s Communities”, which articulates an approach for the impoverished families in distressed communities to link in with the wider metropolitan region, to benefit the communities, regions and the public (Mulroy, 1997). Federal policymakers on the other hand also limited the public investments into community development for specific regions so that with the help of entrepreneurial public identities, and community-based organization they can craft an innovative and creative solution to solve the issue of distressed communities.
WS51Ask someone for help on the in-text citations
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Dieting, particularly in adolescence, can be counterproductive.
One expert, Joanne Ikeda, found that out when she surveyed adult women about their dieting habits in a study published in 2004 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. She asked 149 obese women if they had dieted and if so, how many times and when.
"We were able to use statistics and compare with women who had not gotten that large," she said.
The result: The higher a woman's body mass index -- or BMI, a ratio of weight to height -- the more likely she was to have started her first weight-loss diet before age 13, said Ikeda, founding director of the University of California Berkeley's Center for Weight and Health.
Even worse, she added, some large-scale studies coming out of Scandinavia show that repeated weight loss and regain increases the risk for weight gain.
Often called "yo-yo dieting," this pattern is definitely harmful, Ikeda said.
"I tell people if they have lost weight and regained it three times [or more], they should stop focusing on weight loss and start focusing on improving your metabolic fitness," she said.
Read the full article here:
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Buckingham Palace - Popularly known as "Buck House", has served as the monarch`s permanent London residence only since the accession of Victoria. It began its days in 1702 as the Duke of Buckingham`s city residence, built on the site of a notorious brothel, and was sold by the duke`s son to George III in 1762. The building was overhauled by Nash in the late 1820s for the Prince Regent, and again by Aston Webb in time for George V`s coronation in 1913. It is the largest private house in London - it has more than 660 rooms. The palace is actually back-to-front: the side you look at from the Mall is the back of the building. Hotels near Buckingham Palace
The Buckingham Palace opens its doors to the public each year from July 26th until September 24th. You can see lavishly decorated State Rooms designed by John Nash.
Open daily, 09:4518:00 (last admission 15:45). Buckingham Palace operates a timed-ticket system, with admission every 15 minutes throughout the day.
Buckingham Palace facts:
1. Buckingham Palace is The Queen's official London residence, but St. James's Palace is the ceremonial Royal residence. Even today foreign ambassadors are formally accredited to 'the Court of St. James's'.
2. Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms.
3. Vital statistics: Buckingham Palace is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the quadrangle) and 24 metres high. The total floor area of the Palace, from basement to roof, covers over 77,000 square metres.
4. The site where Buckingham Palace now stands was originally a mulberry garden planted by King James I (r. 1603-25) to rear silkworms. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong kind of mulberry bush, and silk production never took off in Britain.
5. Buckingham Palace gets its name from an eighteenth-century Tory politician. John Sheffield, 3rd Earl of Mulgrave and Marquess of Normanby, was created Duke of Buckingham in 1703. He built Buckingham House for himself as a grand London home.
6. In 1761, George III bought Buckingham House for his wife, Queen Charlotte, to use as a comfortable family home close to St James's Palace. Buckingham House became known as the Queen's House, and 14 of George III's 15 children were born there.
7. Buckingham House was transformed into Buckingham Palace in the 1820s by the architect John Nash for George IV. But the first monarch to use Buckingham Palace as their official residence was Queen Victoria, who moved there in 1837. The previous monarch - William IV - had preferred to live at Clarence House and to use St. James's Palace for State functions.
8. Buckingham Palace is an office for the Head of State, as well as a home for The Queen. Today over 800 members of staff are based at Buckingham Palace. Their jobs range from housekeeping to horticulture, catering to correspondence. Some of the more unusual jobs include fendersmith, clockmaker and flagman.
9. The forecourt of Buckingham Palace, where Changing the Guard takes place, was not created until 1911, when it was added as part of a scheme to commemorate Queen Victoria. The gates and railings were also completed in 1911.
10. The Palace gained its familiar white Portland stone facade in 1913, because the original soft French stone had decayed due to pollution. Architect Sir Aston Webb created the new design. People at the time were surprised by the transformation of the front from grimy black to gleaming white.
11. The balcony of Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous in the world. The first recorded Royal balcony appearance took place in 1851, when Queen Victoria stepped onto it during celebrations for the opening of the Great Exhibition. It was King George VI who introduced the custom of the RAF fly-past at the end of Trooping the Colour, when the Royal Family appear on the balcony.
12. The east side of the Palace (today's front wing) was the last to be built. Queen Victoria had it added in the 1840s to provide extra space for her growing family. The new wing meant that the monument known as Marble Arch, originally at the entrance to Buckingham Palace, had to be moved to its present site near Speaker's Corner in 1851.
13. Buckingham Palace provided an unlikely operating theatre for King Edward VII in 1902. Suffering from peritonitis and close to death, he was operated on in a room overlooking the garden. The surgery proved a success, and King Edward VII was crowned at Westminster Abbey in August that year.
14. There are 1,514 doors and 760 windows in Buckingham Palace. All windows are cleaned every six weeks to keep them clean.
15. Electricity was first installed in the Ball Room of Buckingham Palace in 1883, and between 1883 and 1887 electricity was extended throughout the Palace. Today there are over 40,000 light bulbs in the Palace.
16. Some rooms at Buckingham Palace have a Chinese theme. That is because they feature furniture and décor which were originally based in the Prince Regent's oriental-style Royal Pavilion at Brighton (later sold by Queen Victoria to fund building work at Buckingham Palace).
17. Buckingham Palace's garden covers 40 acres, and includes a helicopter landing area, a lake, and a tennis court (where King George VI often played tennis with Fred Perry). It is home to 30 different species of bird and more than 350 different wild flowers, some extremely rare. As well as being the venue for summer garden parties, it has been the setting for a charity tennis competition (2000), pop and classical music concerts (2002) and a children's party featuring a host of characters from children's books (2006).
18. The only monarch to be born and die at Buckingham Palace was Edward VII (born 1841, died 1910). William IV was also born at Buckingham House. The Queen gave birth to Prince Charles and Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace. Notice of Royal births and deaths is attached to the railings at Buckingham Palace for members of the public to read. This custom is still followed - even in the age of mass media, when Royal births and deaths are also announced on the Royal web site.
19. In 1914 suffragettes seeking votes for women took their campaign to Buckingham Palace. Two women chained themselves to the Palace railings, whilst others attempted to storm the Palace to deliver their 'Votes for Women' petition.
20. During the Second World War, Buckingham Palace suffered nine direct bomb hits. On several occasions King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were in the Palace and narrowly escaped being killed. One person did die during the wartime bombing: PC Steve Robertson, a policeman on duty at the Palace, was killed by flying debris on 8 March 1941 when the north side of the Palace was wrecked. A plaque inside the garden commemorates his heroism.
21. Environmental issues are a major concern in the running of Buckingham Palace. A Combined Heat and Power unit (CHP) helps to cut energy consumption; LED lights reduce electricity use; and double-glazed skylights reduce energy loss. In the garden, 99% of green waste is recycled on site.
Four Royal babies - The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York
and Prince William - were christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music
Room of Buckingham Palace.
24. Buckingham Palace has its own chapel, post office, swimming pool, staff cafeteria, doctor's surgery and cinema.
25. Although Buckingham Palace is well known, it still has a postcode: SW1A 1AA. It is the only building to have this postcode although the House of Commons has a similar one - SW1A 0AA.
26. There are more than 350 clocks and watches in Buckingham Palace, one of the largest collections of working clocks anywhere. Two full-time horological conservators wind them up every week and keep them in good working order.
27. Changing the Guard takes place on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace at 11.30am (on alternate days during autumn and winter). In this ceremony the soldiers who have been on duty at Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace are relieved by the 'New Guard'. A military band plays music, which ranges from military marches to Abba's greatest hits. On Royal birthdays the band plays 'Happy Birthday'.
28. One regular ritual which most tourists do not see is the daily 'dragging' of the gravel on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. It is cleaned and combed using mechanical equipment first thing daily - even on Christmas Day. Later in the day two more inspections take place just in case there is any rubbish to clear away. This helps to ensure that the forecourt always looks spick and span.
29. The largest room in the Palace is the Ballroom, where Investitures and State banquets take place today. It is 36.6m long, 18m wide and 13.5m high. It was opened in 1856 with a ball to celebrate the end of the Crimean War.
30. Crowds often gather around Buckingham Palace for occasions of national celebration. At the end of World War II, hundreds of thousands cheered King George VI and Winston Churchill on the balcony. To mark The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, over one million people crowded into the area in front of the Palace and down the Mall.
31. The 1st Buckingham Palace Guide Company was formed in 1937 when Princess Elizabeth enrolled as a Girl Guide. The pack included some 20 Guides and fourteen Brownies: children of Royal Household members and Palace employees. They made a summerhouse in the garden their headquarters but, with the outbreak of the Second World War, the Company was closed down.
32. Dress codes at Buckingham Palace have changed greatly over two centuries. In 1924 Labour Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald was the first man to be received by a monarch inside Buckingham Palace wearing a lounge suit, but, this was a one-off. Evening court dress remained obligatory until the Second World War. Today there is no official dress code. Most men invited to Buckingham Palace in the daytime choose to wear service uniform or lounge suits.
33. Visiting heads of state occupy a suite of rooms at the Palace known as the Belgian suite, on the ground floor of the North-facing garden front. These rooms were first decorated for Prince Albert's uncle Léopold I, first King of the Belgians. King Edward VIII also lived in these rooms during his short reign.
34. Buckingham Palace is not the private property of the Queen as an individual, to dispose of as she wishes. Like Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Buckingham Palace is held by The Queen as Sovereign.
35. John Nash, the architect responsible for remodelling many of today's Buckingham Palace interiors, also built the Royal Mews, All Soul's Church Langham Place, Regent Street and Carlton House Terrace, and redesigned the Haymarket Theatre.
36. Hundreds of distinguished historic figures have visited Buckingham Palace since it became the Sovereign's London residence. They have included a seven-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (when it was still Buckingham House); Felix Mendelssohn; Johann Strauss the Younger; Charles Dickens; Alfred Lord Tennyson; American Presidents including Woodrow Wilson and JF Kennedy; Mahatma Gandhi (who wore a loin cloth and sandals to tea with King George V); first man on the moon Neil Armstrong; actor Laurence Olivier; and Nelson Mandela.
37. Buckingham Palace is not only The Queen's London home: The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra also have private offices and apartments located within the Palace.
39. More than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as The Queen's guests at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and garden parties. The Buckingham Palace kitchen is able to serve a sit-down meal to as many as 600 people at a time. Since 1993, the State Rooms of the Palace have also been open to members of the public to visit during August and September, while The Queen is not in residence.
40. The Queen's regular audiences with the British Prime Minister traditionally take place at Buckingham Palace in The Queen's Audience Room. During the war, King George VI's audiences with Winston Churchill were less formal - the two helped themselves to food from a buffet before sitting down to talk in privacy.
For more information please visit the official buckingham Palace site:
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THOUGHT PIECE the carling team
The Story of Beer – Setting the Scene
We have been blogging about beers but skirting around brewing technology in general. We have looked at no- and low alcohol products, life style beers like low carbs or organics, home brewing and some aspects of sustainability, yet we have not told you the basics about how it is brewed.
Beer has been around in the written record for some five thousand years. Indeed a clay tablet supposed to show a part of the process fetched £175,000 at auction earlier this year. Found south of Baghdad, it dated from 3100BC and is thought to contain the oldest depiction of a personal name. He or she was called Kush-im and sadly he or she was an accountant! Paleo-botanists from Stanford University can take the story back further with pot residues where germination of cereals has been proved and beer making can be inferred. The oldest residues have been found near Haifa in Israel perhaps 13,000 years old. So brewers should be getting pretty good at it by now!
We know that early beers were consumed in communal groups through reed straws which helped filter the grainy bits out. Later residues have shown the presence of various narcotics suggesting beer was used in mind-altering rituals rather than just fuelling a cosy chat round a winter camp fire. Drinks fermented from a cereal mash alone can be rather satiating so over the years bitter herbs like bog myrtle, rosemary and yarrow crept into the recipe to balance the fullness of the beer. Hops have been used for that bitter contribution for only a millennium and have the added advantage of acting as a preservative. Hops are now almost universally employed in modern brewing.
Brewing with various foraged herbs would have been a home industry until the growth of larger towns. Ale houses would then have brewed their own as would the monasteries. There is a persistent myth that everyone drank beer because of diseases carried in drinking water; the rich may have done but the poor simply got ill! There was just not sufficient brewing capacity and certainly not the amount of grain available to satisfy everybody. The eighteenth century saw the establishment of common brewers who took advantage of economies of scale to supply any number of pubs in the area.
With no knowledge of chemistry, local water sources would dictate some of the characteristics of the finished beer and usually beer would not have the keeping qualities to travel very far. The famous exception is of course Burton on Trent where the gypsum laden hills north-west of the town allowed rainwater to pick up sulphate ions which we now know lower the pH of the mash and the subsequent beer such that many bacteria, which would otherwise cause off flavours, are unable to grow. Burton’s brewers did not know this but took full advantage to export overland to London in the 1620s and later to the Baltic via Hull and most celebrated via Liverpool to the burgeoning Empire. Alton and Tadcaster are other small towns with hard water where multiple breweries were established.
Colonial expansion and mass emigration from Europe took local brewing knowledge and traditions overseas. The Brits tried ale brewing even in climates which were too hot to do it well. Lager brewers from Europe exploited soft rock to dig extensive storage cellars and collected ice during the cold winters waiting for Carl von Linde to invent his ammonia compressor in 1875.
Beer is the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage. Over 70% of alcohol consumed is in the form of beer. Today around 96% of the world’s beer is loosely called Pilsener although Miller Lite bears little resemblance to the beer emanating from Plzen in the Czech Republic apart from its colour. Ale survives in the British Isles and Belgium but the more recent interest in matters artisan and the growth of ‘craft’ brewers has led to many smaller brewers around the world dabbling in India Pale Ales and Irish Porters. Indeed many smaller brewers in the UK are moving to lagers as they find it is easier to get a keg of beer (often in a one trip container) into outlets not large enough to sell traditional cask beer which requires a deal of loving care and a steady sale to get right.
Delicately flavoured lagers are more difficult to brew properly as the relative ‘roughness’ of an ale will hide a multitude of sins. No one should try and argue that Budweiser is not one of the world’s great beers – clean as a whistle and testimony to the brewers art – the beechwood chips; laboriously still used are not essential!
There is a perception that modern beer, particularly from the larger breweries, is stuffed full of chemicals, it makes you fat, is generally bad for you, it is drunk in prodigious volumes on a Friday and Saturday night and is certainly not for women! It isn’t, it doesn’t, it isn’t, Friday and Saturday nights are now much quieter and women do enjoy beer. Many reports suggest that women do not want their own ‘pink’ beers; they want a welcoming ambiance, proper glassware less than a pint in volume and decent loos. Pubs that address these issues will survive the inevitable post Covid shakeout.
Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced from cereals by yeast fermentation. We explained how malt was produced back in our sixth blog early in 2019. The maltster has mobilised the enzymes which the barley corn would need if it was germinating in the field where starch gets converted to sugars and protein to amino acids. The process is arrested by heating which kills the embryo but preserves the enzymes and adds some colour to the finished malt.
The brewer then reactivates these enzymes by mashing the milled grain with water at around 65oC so that the starches are converted to sugars in an hour or so rather than a week in the field. The sugary extract called wort is then boiled for an hour with hops to extract the bitterness. This hopped wort is cooled for fermentation and yeast is added. You will immediately have noted that brewing is far more complex than wine or cider making where nature has provided the sugars for fermentation in a ready-made package of the grape or apple.
After fermentation, the green beer is ‘conditioned’ to remove unwanted flavours like butterscotch, green apples or farty aromas. The beer is cooled before residual yeast and entrained proteins are removed by filtration. The CO2 level is adjusted before packaging.
Beer goes to the supermarket as smallpack, cans and bottles. More cans are sold than bottles as 24 packs of Carling or Fosters are popular takeaways. Trials with PET bottles have all but ceased as barrier technology to keep oxygen out and carbon dioxide in is largely inadequate so brewers can hide behind green planet saving credentials when abandoning trials. But, it costs a lot more transport a glass bottle than a plastic one. The on-trade gets kegs or casks for draught dispense.
At this point I realise that we have only covered a bit of history and the bare bones of the process. What is the difference between an ale and a lager, why is brewing water so important, what is a porter, what is the difference between a keg and a cask or top and bottom fermenting yeasts, what do the beechwood chips do? There is lots more to talk about next month. Is beer full of chemicals?
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Examine carefully the following statements and answer the three items that follow:
Out of four friends A, B, C and D, A and B play football and cricket, B and C play cricket and hockey, A and D play basketball and football, C and D play hockey and basketball.
1. Who does not play hockey?
2. Who plays football, basketball and hockey?
3. Which game do B, C and D play?
A - football, cricket, basketball
B - football, cricket, hockey
C - cricket, hockey, basketball
D - basketball, football, hockey
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When it comes to spelling, you just can’t enough support materials on hand. This is why we have created this Key Stage 2 Word List Poster – for year 3 and 4 children. Bright and colourful, your child can use it as a point of reference by their study desk, on the fridge, or anywhere you think will inspire them to read it.
The poster is made up of the recommended word list in the National Curriculum, so you can use it to give your child the headstart needed!
This is a museum-quality poster made on thick and durable matte paper. Add a wonderful accent to your room and office with these posters that are sure to brighten any environment.
• Paper thickness: 10.3 mm
• Paper weight: 5.6 oz/y² (192 g/m²)
• Giclée printing quality
• Opacity: 94%
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In this article, you will learn about some of the Best Practices for naming a page on your Municipal Websites Central website. These practices will help you understand how a page's name can be used to organize topics or how to help your residents locate what they are looking for more easily.
Intuitive Naming: File names should be intuitive
- By keeping the naming intuitive and simple, users can easily search and find any documentation on the website.
Simple File Names: File names should only contain letters, numbers, and the underscore (_) if space is needed
- Spaces and special characters cannot be read by all software. To avoid conflicts, it is best to always use a simple file name that does not include any spaces or special characters.
Short File Names: File names should not exceed 25 characters
- Most fields in modules that accept documents have a character size limit to ensure optimal functionality. To keep files compatible with any module, limit the file name to 25 characters or less.
Global navigation categories should be as broad and overarching as possible. For example: government, services, about us, visitors, business, and other categories.
CivicPlus recommends this best practice to ensure the categories are broad enough to encompass many topics and flexible enough to accommodate future needs and updates; if an item does not house navigation below it, it is better suited for the left navigation, graphic button, or under another global. For example, if “Council” is a global navigation category, it limits the type of information users will expect to find under it. The broader label “Government” allows for the grouping of similar types of information.
The naming of pages, files, and links should be intuitive, simple, and concise.
- Simple and intuitive naming practices will limit any user from misunderstanding the purpose of a global navigation item.
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Background and Goals: MATH 105 serves both as a preparatory class to the calculus sequences and as a terminal course for students who need only this level of mathematics. Students who successfully complete MATH 105 are fully prepared for MATH 115.
Content: This is a course on analyzing data by means of functions and graphs. The emphasis is on mathematical modeling of real-world applications. The functions used are linear, quadratic, polynomial, logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric. Algebra skills are assessed during the term by periodic testing. The classroom atmosphere is interactive and cooperative and homework is done in groups.
Subsequent Courses: The course prepares students for MATH 115.
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Fall Fun Field Trips
Hayride at Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA
Crisp breezes, cozy sweaters, hot apple cider and plump orange pumpkins. Harvest season is here! Like an abundant harvest, the Delaware Valley features a full crop of fall festivities. Many experiences are also educational. Answer trivia questions to successfully navigate a corn maze, learn how pumpkins grow on a farm or discover historical customs and sites.
At local farms and orchards, fall festivals are open to the public on weekends, while many of the same activities are reserved for groups during the week. Especially fun for preschoolers and early elementary ages, tours often include a hayride, farmer demonstrations in the fields, explanations of how crops grow and opportunities to pick pumpkins to take home.
Designed to align with curriculum standards, many programs can also be customized to coordinate with classroom lessons. These cost-friendly tours typically run $5-$10 per person, with a minimum of 15-20 students.
Corn Maze Challenges
Corn mazes for older children and teens encourage teamwork, build problem-solving skills, teach map-reading and exercise memory. The 2011 maze, “Discover America,” at Hurricane Hill Farm in Coatesville, PA, features American history fun facts and includes word games within the maze.
The “Kernels of Knowledge” clues within the 2.5-mile maze at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County, PA and similar stations set up in other farms’ mazes provide additional learning opportunities.
Farming & Food History
Besides teaching where food comes from, some farms offer students a look into historical food production and farming methods. At The Mill at Anselma in Chester Springs, PA, a working grist mill, and Howell Living History Farm in Lambertville, NJ, kids can help grind grains, sift flour, churn butter or perform other household and farm chores using oldfashioned tools and techniques.
For a seasonal history tour, consider ghost tours. These entertaining walking tours of cities including Philadelphia, Lancaster and New Hope combine dramatic storytelling with history facts and folklore.
Two popular tour providers that offer group tours for students are Ghost Tour and Spirits of ’76. Just remember to discuss age-appropriateness ahead of time with your tour provider to make sure the content is not too spooky for your students.
Stephanie Halinski is calendar editor of MetroKids
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Understanding climate change and the risks associated with it is crucial for effective decision making on a variety of levels, from the global to the local. With the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, researchers are now able to analyze vast amounts of data and generate insights at an unprecedented pace.
Andrea Castelletti, professor of Natural Resources Management at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, lab head at the Environmental Intelligence Lab and coordinator and lead of Climate Intelligence (CLINT), explains how AI frameworks composed of Machine Learning techniques and algorithms can be used to process big climate datasets and therefore advance climate science in the detection, causation, and attribution of extreme events.
“Today, in the climate and environmental field, we have an availability of data that was unthinkable even just twenty years ago. This has presented an opportunity as it lends itself to using AI to explore climate issues and finding solutions,” says Castelletti.
“We now need to understand how to exploit this information and how to develop fast and effective control and optimization policies so that we can use it effectively.”
Has the way we look at climate issues changed with the rise of new technologies such as AI and machine learning?
We are in a period of great climatic and socio-economic upheaval, which has brought uncertainty and therefore makes engineering decision-making processes much more complex. However, we are also in a period of exponential growth in technological development.
Can you give an example of how this interplay between uncertainty and improved technology is manifesting in the real world?
In the past, engineers worked with very large margins for error to be able to manage the risks that came with uncertainty. Today, we have more uncertainty due to ongoing changes and transformations and oversizing might not be a feasible and sustainable option any longer. Deep uncertainty is challenging engineering design.
From a methodological point of view this means we must develop the mathematical and analytical tools that allow us to manage future climate, socio-economic and technological scenarios in the most efficient way possible and make robust decisions.
And this doesn’t just pertain to single projects such as works of infrastructure but can also be used to look at the global impacts of local projects or local impacts of global projects.
In terms of climate science, what does this mean?
We know that modern climate models perform generally very well. Yet they struggle in predicting extreme events in some regions and some periods of the year. The idea is to understand whether these weaknesses can be relaxed by supplementing these models with AI.
At CLINT and Environmental Intelligence Lab, we work in collaboration with climatologists to create AI-enhance climate forecasts and projections, and then use them to inform decision making for water, energy and food systems.
What we are trying to understand is not only whether this kind of matching between climate science and AI will improve the accuracy of forecasts and projections but also quantify this improvement in terms of operational value and impact on decisions.
What do you mean by operational value?
This refers to the value of forecast in decision making processes, which is something beyond just accuracy. When you are involved in making decisions on critical issues, such as managing a given climate emergency, the operational value of forecast guides you towards more impactful decisions.
What are some of the main obstacles to effective decision-making when it comes to climate issues?
The key is to first recognize that the world is changing and identify the greatest risks that will come with this change, and then try to find solutions that are robust, in the sense that they narrow down the uncertainty around the outcome of a decision as much as possible.
This will also require a certain amount of flexibility and recognizing that, in reality, each decision has to be part of a sequence of decisions. These sequences must be flexible, meaning that if you realize that your prediction of how the uncertainty would evolve is wrong, and therefore a certain decision no longer gives the desired outcome, through flexibility, you can create solutions that can be recomposed and revised in the future.
This is something that, from a methodological point of view, is very, very difficult to deal with.
How does AI help us deal with this?
Many times, climate processes lead back to physical processes, and you can link variables and see a clear cause-effect process. However, since the climate is incredibly complex, we cannot consider it a deterministic system, and there are clearly many causal links that are not fully known.
Traditional science has always been based on finding these kinds of links by proceeding in a scientific way: one makes assumptions about the production of a signal and then tries to falsify it in some way by collecting data and making observations. AI helps us to amplify and speed up the scientific process by working with a larger amount of data and automatically extracting possible connections or links between variables and processes.
Is the key to extract value from this large amount of data?
Today, in the climate and environmental field, we have an availability of data that was unthinkable even just twenty years ago. This has presented an opportunity as it lends itself to using AI to explore climate issues and find solutions.
We now need to understand how to exploit this information, and how to develop fast and effective control and optimization policies so that we can use it effectively.
Andrea Castelletti is a professor of Natural Resources Management and Environmental Systems Analysis at Politecnico di Milano, Italy, lab head at the Environmental Intelligence Lab and coordinator and lead of Climate Intelligence, explains how AI frameworks composed of Machine Learning techniques and algorithms can be used to process big climate datasets and therefore advance climate science in the detection, causation, and attribution of extreme events.
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Clinical Negligence & Catastrophic Injury Solicitors
Gaming Disorder Classified as a Mental Health Condition.
The World Health Organisation is to soon classify compulsive gaming as a mental health disorder in The International Classification of Disease diagnostic manual. The manual will outline the criteria needed to determine whether someone can be classed as having a gaming disorder.
The recognition of the disorder by the WHO highlights the need for those working in mental health to ensure that their knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions is up to date and that they remain open minded and vigilant as to potential conditions which may cause harm to individuals so as to avoid unnecessary and potentially dangerous delays in diagnosing and treating individuals.
Vladimir Poznyak, a member of the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, has been quoted as saying:
“Health professionals need to recognise that a gaming disorder may have serious health consequences. Most people who play video games don’t have a disorder, just like most people who drink alcohol don’t have a disorder either. However, in certain circumstances overuse can lead to adverse effects.”
A recent study undertaken by the University of Oxford’s Internet Institute surveyed 19,000 men and women from the UK, USA, Germany and Canada. Over half of the sample said they had played internet games recently. Of these, between 1% and 0.5% said that had experienced feelings of ‘significant distress’ in being unable to curb their play.
All the study participants completed symptom and health checklists. To be identified as a possible gaming addict, they had to report symptoms such as:
- Preoccupation with internet gaming
- Anxiety and other withdrawal symptoms (if the game was taken away)
- Increasing amounts of time spent gaming
- Loss of control
- Reduced interests
- Social withdrawal
- Losing opportunities as a result of gaming.
The classification of mental health disorders is an ever changing and fluid issue. There may be many of us who suffer from a genuine mental health disorder which is not commonly recognised by a GP or other health professional. As a result access to care and treatment may be delayed or even withheld which can have disastrous consequences for the individual concerned and put pressure on family member’s involved in their care. It can be a frustrating, stressful and confusing situation for patients and family alike.
Health professionals are under a duty of care to diagnose recognised mental health conditions in good time and provide access to appropriate care and treatment. Recent press coverage of mental health issues suggests that accessing effective treatment can be difficult. It remains to be seen how well the NHS will react to this new classification.
Link to the full University of Oxford study:
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This article reports the results of interview research examining writing instruction and assessment practices in Grades 4-8 classrooms in Canada. Researchers found that participating teachers scheduled daily time for writing, either in language arts classes or through integrating writing throughout the curriculum. Teachers assigned creative writing most frequently and did not speak about writing for learning. Students talked to each other while writing and engaged in peer editing. Much of teachers' feedback to students on their writing was verbal.
Peterson, S. S., McClay, J. K., & Main, K. (2010). Teaching writing in Canadian middle grades classrooms: A national study. , 5(2), 77-90. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ901785
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|Annu. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 2000. 38:
Copyright © 2000 by . All rights reserved
5.5. Global star-formation history and chemical evolution
Interest in the integrated background light from galaxy formation is long-standing (e.g. [Bondi et al. 1955]), and has motivated a large number of experiments aimed at measuring the diffuse extragalactic background (e.g. [Spinrad & Stone 1978, Dube et al. 1979, Matsumoto et al. 1988, Bernstein 1997, Hauser et al. 1998]). Although the integrated background records the light from all galaxies, whether or not they are individually detected, the task of separating out galactic foregrounds and instrumental backgrounds is formidable, and many of the measurements are only upper limits. An alternative approach is to add up the UV emission from galaxies that are individually detected. This approach formally produces only a lower limit for the true UV luminosity density, but it provides a basis for exploring connections of the high- and low-redshift universe and for deciding which of the various selection effects are plausible and important.
The UV emission from galaxies is directly connected to their metal production [Cowie et al. 1988] because the UV photons come from the same massive stars that produce most of the metals through type II SNe. The relation between UV emissivity and metal production is not strongly dependent on the initial mass function, varying by a factor of only 3.3 between the [Salpeter 1955] and [Scalo 1986] forms. In contrast, the relation of UV emission to the total star-formation rate is much more tenuous because the low-mass end of the IMF contains most of the mass whereas the high-mass end produces most of the UV emission. As a result, it is easier to constrain the history of metal production in the universe than it is to constrain the overall star-formation history. Prior to the HDF, estimates of the metal-production vs. redshift, Z(z) had been made from ground-based galaxy redshift surveys [Lilly et al. 1996] and from QSO absorption line statistics (e.g. [Lanzetta et al. 1995, Pei & Fall 1995, Fall et al. 1996]), and the observations at the time suggested an order-of-magnitude increase in Z(z) from z = 0 to z = 1.
[Madau et al. 1996] made the first attempt to connect the luminosity density in HDF high-redshift galaxy samples to lower-redshift surveys. The plot of the metal-formation rate vs. redshift has provided a focal point for discussion of the HDF and for comparisons to theoretical models. In the [Madau et al. 1996] paper, galaxies in redshift slices 2 < z < 3.5 and 3.5 < z < 4.5 were identified by strict color-selection criteria that were shown via simulations to provide strong rejection of objects outside of the desired redshift intervals. The luminosity of the galaxies within these redshift intervals was estimated by simply summing the observed fluxes of the galaxies, and no dust or surface-brightness corrections were applied. The results were presented as lower limits because nearly all of the corrections will drive the derived metal-formation rates up. The initial [Madau et al. 1996] diagram showed a metal-production rate at z ~ 4 that was roughly a factor of 10 lower than the rate at z ~ 1. [Madau 1997] subsequently modified the color-selection criteria and integrated down an assumed luminosity function, revising the z > 2 rates upward by about a factor of 3. There was remarkable agreement between Z(z) derived from the galaxy luminosities, the results of [Pei & Fall 1995], and the predictions of hierarchical models (e.g. [White & Frenk 1991, Cole et al. 1994, Baugh et al. 1998]), all of which show a peak in the metal production rate at z ~ 1 - 2. Subsequent work in this area has focused on (a) galaxy selection (b) effects of dust, and (c) the connection of the Madau diagram to general issues of galaxy evolution and cosmic chemical evolution, which we discuss in turn.
5.5.1. Galaxy Selection
The color-selection criteria of [Madau et al. 1996] are extremely conservative, and spectroscopic surveys [Steidel et al. 1996, Lowenthal et al. 1997] have identified at least a dozen 2 < z < 3.5 galaxies with U300 - B450 > 1.3 but with B450 - I814 redder than the [Madau et al. 1996] selection boundary. Alternative color-selection criteria (particularly in the 2 < z < 3.5 range) have been explored in a number of studies [Clements & Couch1996, Lowenthal et al. 1997, Madau et al. 1998, Meurer et al. 1999], with the result that the luminosity-density goes up as the area in color space is enlarged. The number of low- z interlopers also may go up, although spectroscopic surveys suggest that the [Meurer et al. 1999] selection boundary is not prone to this problem. Similar techniques have been applied to ground-based images covering much wider areas but sensitive only to brighter objects (see, e.g. [Steidel et al. 1999] and [Giallongo et al. 1998] for recent examples). Substantial progress has been made both in refining the estimates of the volume sampled by the color selection and in estimates of the high- z galaxy luminosity functions [Dickinson 1998, Steidel et al. 1999]. These allow more precise (but more model-dependent) estimates of the luminosity density at z > 3. In Fig. 5 we provide an updated plot of star-formation vs. redshift from the color-selected samples of [Steidel et al. 1999] and [Casertano et al. 2000], now including integration down the luminosity function and a correction for mean dust attenuation.
Figure 5. (Left) Star-formation rate density vs. redshift derived from ultraviolet luminosity density. The z > 2 points are from Lyman-break objects in the Hubble deep field (HDF) north (open triangles), in the HDF-south (filled triangles) and in the Steidel et al. (1999) ground-based survey (X's). The luminosity density has been determined by integrating over the luminosity function and correcting for extinction following the prescription of Steidel et al. (1999). Distances and volumes are computed using the cosmological parameters h, m, , tot = 0.65, 0.3, 0.7, 1.0. Possible contributions from far-IR and sub-millimeter sources are not included. Also not included are the upward revisions of the z < 1 star-formation densities suggested by Tresse & Maddox (1998) and Cowie et al. (1999). For the lower-redshift points, the open squares are from HDF photometric redshifts by Connolly et al (1997), the open circles are from Lilly et al. (1996), and the solid square is from the H survey of Gallego et al. (1995).
Photometric redshifts computed via template fitting can also be used to identify samples of high-z objects, and several such samples have been presented and discussed [Lanzetta et al. 1996, Sawicki et al. 1997, Sawicki & Yee 1998, Miralles & Pello 1998, Rowan-Robinson 1999, Fontana et al. 1999]. Luminosity densities at z > 2 from these studies are generally higher than those of [Madau et al. 1996], and the apparent drop in Z(z) at z 2 is not universally evident. A striking example of the difference between color-selected samples and photometric-redshift selected samples is the fact that HDF-S comes out with a higher UV luminosity-density than HDF-N in the color-selected sample shown in Fig. 5, but a lower luminosity density in the photometric-redshift selected sample of [Fontana et al. 1999]. One general concern about object selection is that galaxies at lower redshift are typically brighter than the high-z objects. Interlopers that make it into photometric samples can dominate the UV luminosity-density estimates.
It does appear evident that the original criteria of [Madau et al. 1996] were too conservative, and the directly measured UV luminosity density in bins at z ~ 3 and z ~ 4 is not demonstrably lower than it is at z ~ 1. At still higher redshifts, from the very small number of candidate objects with z > 5, [Lanzetta et al. 1998] computes an upper limit on the star-formation density at z ~ 5 - 12. For the cosmology adopted here, the limit on star formation in galaxies with 100h M yr-2 is lower than the inferred rate from Lyman-break galaxies at z = 4. With NICMOS observations it has become possible to identify z > 5 candidates to much fainter limits, detecting objects with UV luminosities more like those of typical Lyman break galaxies at 2 < z < 5. [Dickinson 2000] derives number counts for color-selected candidates at 4.5 < z < 8.5 in the HDF-N/NICMOS survey, and finds that they fall well below non-evolving predictions based on the well-characterized z = 3 Lyman break luminosity function. It appears that the space density, the luminosities, or the surface brightnesses (and hence, the detectability) of UV bright galaxies fall off at z > 5, at least in the HDF-N.
5.5.2. Dust and selection effects
Many of the discussions of the Madau diagram have centered around selection effects and whether the data actually support a decrease in Z(z) for z 2. Star-formation in dusty or low-surface-brightness galaxies may be unaccounted for in the HDF source counts. Meurer and collaborators [Meurer et al. 1997, Meurer et al. 1999] use local starburst galaxy samples to calibrate a relation between UV spectral slope and far-IR (60 - 100 µm) emission, and hence compute bolometric corrections for dust attenuation. They apply these corrections to a sample of color-selected Lyman-break galaxies in the HDF and derive an absorption-corrected luminosity density at z ~ 3 that is a factor of 9 higher than that derived by [Madau et al. 1996]. Not all of this comes from the dust correction; the luminosity-weighted mean dust-absorption factor for the [Meurer et al. 1999] sample is 5.4 at 1600Å. [Sawicki & Yee 1998] analyzed the optical/near-IR spectral energy distributions of spectroscopically confirmed Lyman-break galaxies in the HDF and found the best fit synthetic spectra involved corrections of more than a factor of 10. Smaller corrections were derived by [Steidel et al. 1999] for a sample of galaxies of similar luminosity. In general, the danger of interpreting UV spectral slopes as a measure of extinction is that the inferred luminosity corrections are very sensitive to the form of the reddening law at UV wavelengths. For the [Calzetti et al. 1994] effective attenuation law, used in all of the aforementioned studies, a small change in the UV color requires a large change in the total extinction. Photometric errors also tend to increase the dust correction, because objects that scatter to the red are assigned larger corrections that are not offset by smaller corrections for the blue objects. The corrections for dust must thus be regarded as tentative, and must be confirmed with more extensive H studies such as that of [Pettini et al. 1998], and further studies in the mid-IR, radio, and sub-millimeter.
The NICMOS HDF observations provide some additional insight into possible reddening corrections. Figure 6 shows the spectral-energy distributions of HDF galaxies with spectroscopic 2.5 < z < 3.5, superimposed on models with a constant star-formation rate and an age of 109 years. The galaxies are typically best fitted with ages 107-9 years and reddening 0.1 < E(B - V) < 0.4 with the [Calzetti et al. 1994] attenuation law. Very young galaxies with little extinction appear to be rare, and older or more reddened galaxies would possibly escape the Lyman-break selection. However, [Ferguson 1999] identified only 12 galaxies with V606 < 27 in the HDF-N that fail the [Dickinson 1998] color criteria but nevertheless have 2.5 < zphot < 3.5 from spectral-template fitting. In general these galaxies fall just outside the color selection boundaries, and the non-dropout sample contributes only 12% of the luminosity-density of the dropout sample. It thus appears unlikely that there is a population that dominates the metal-enrichment rate at z ~ 3 that is just missing from the Lyman-break samples. If the optically unidentified sub-millimeter sources (see Section 4.7) are really at z 3, they are probably a disjoint population, rather than simply the red tail of the Lyman-break population.
Figure 6. Spectral energy distributions of 28 spectroscopically confirmed Lyman-break galaxies with 2.5 < z < 3.5, superimposed on stellar population models. The models assume solar metallicity and a Salpeter IMF and include attenuation due to the IGM for z = 3. The models reflect constant star formation for 109, with different amounts of interstellar dust attenuation. The reddening values are E(B - V) = 0, 0.2, and 0.4, with the curve that is highest at long wavelengths having the highest value. The Calzetti et al. (1994) attenuation law was used.
If sources akin to ultra-luminous IRAS galaxies were present at z ~ 3 in the HDF, it is likely that they would be detected, but unlikely that they would be identified as Lyman-break galaxies. [Trentham et al. 1999] use HST observations to extend the spectral energy distributions for three nearby ultra-luminous IR galaxies down to rest-frame 1400 Å. Although this is not far enough into the UV to predict HDF B450 colors at z = 3 with confidence, it at least gives some indication of whether such galaxies are detectable. All three galaxies would likely be detected in the F814W band if shifted out to z = 3, although VII Zw 031 would be very near the detection limit. None of the galaxies would meet the [Madau et al. 1996] Lyman-break galaxy selection criteria, but might plausibly show up as high-z objects from their photometric redshifts.
In addition to dust, cosmological surface-brightness can bias the samples of high-redshift galaxies. For fixed luminosity and physical size, i.e. no evolution, surface-brightness will drop by about 1 mag between z = 3 and z = 4. This lower surface brightness will result in a decrease in the number density of objects and the inferred luminosity density, even if there is no intrinsic evolution. Using simulated images for one particular galaxy evolution model [Ferguson & Babul 1998], [Ferguson 1998b] arrived at corrections to Z(z) of a factor of 1.5 at z ~ 3 and 4.7 at z ~ 4. [Lanzetta et al. 1999] have looked at surface-brightness selection in a less model-dependent way, computing the star-formation "intensity" (in solar masses per year per square kiloparsec) from the UV flux in each pixel of the galaxy images. The comoving volume density of the regions of highest star-formation intensity appears to increase monotonically with increasing redshift, whereas a strong selection cutoff for star-formation intensities less than 1.5 M yr-1 kpc-2 affects samples beyond z > 2. The results suggest that surface-brightness effects produce a substantial underestimate of Z(z) at high redshift.
The undetected low-surface-brightness UV-emitting regions should contribute to the total diffuse background in the image. [Bernstein 1997] has attempted to measure the mean level of the extragalactic background light (EBL) in the HDF images, while [Vogeley 1997] has analyzed the autocorrelation function of the residual fluctuations after masking the galaxies. [Vogeley 1997] concludes that diffuse light clustered similarly to faint galaxies can contribute no more than ~ 20 % of the mean EBL. In contrast [Bernstein 1997], concludes that the total optical EBL is two to three times the integrated flux in published galaxy counts. The two results can be made marginally compatible if the fluxes of detected galaxies are corrected for light lost outside the photometric apertures and for oversubtraction of background due to the overlapping wings of galaxy profiles. If this interpretation is correct, there is not much room for the UV luminosity density to increase significantly at high redshift.
5.5.3. Connection to galaxy evolution
An important use of the metal-enrichment rate derived from the HDF and other surveys is the attempt to "close the loop": to show that the emission history of the universe produces the metal abundances and stellar population colors we see at z ~ 0. [Madau et al. 1996] made a first attempt at this, concluding that the metals we observe being formed [integrating Z(z) over time] are a substantial fraction of the entire metal content of galaxies.
[Madau et al. 1998] compared the integrated color of galaxy populations in the local universe to that expected from the UV-emission history, exploring a variety of options for IMF and dust obscuration. With a Salpeter IMF and modest amounts of dust attenuation, they find that a star-formation history that rises by about an order of magnitude from z = 0 to a peak at z ~ 1.5 is compatible with the present-day colors of galaxies, with the FIR background, and with the metallicities of damped Ly absorbers. [Fall et al. 1996], [Calzetti & Heckman 1999] and [Pei et al. 1999] have attempted to incorporate dust and chemical evolution in a more self-consistent way. The models include a substantial amount of obscured star-formation; more than 50% of the UV radiation is reprocessed by dust. The obscuration corrections increase the value of Z(z) from samples already detected in optical surveys, but do not introduce whole classes of completely dust-obscured objects. Although there are significant differences in the inputs and assumptions of the models, in all cases a model with a peak in Z(z) at z ~ 1 - 1.5 is found consistent with a wide variety of observations. In particular the models can simultaneously fit the COBE DMR and FIRAS measurements of the cosmic IR background [Puget et al. 1996, Hauser et al. 1998, Fixsen et al. 1998] and the integrated light from galaxy counts. The total mass in metals at z = 0 is higher in these new models than in those of [Madau et al. 1996], but the local census now includes metals in cluster X-ray gas, which were ignored by [Madau et al. 1996].
Overall, the success of these consistency checks is quite remarkable. Various imagined populations of galaxies (dwarfs, low-surface-brightness galaxies, highly dust obscured objects, etc.) now seem unlikely to be cosmologically dominant. The fact that the UV emission, gas metallicities, and IR backgrounds all appear capable of producing a universe like the one we see today leaves little room for huge repositories of gas and stars missing from either our census at z = 0 or our census at high redshift.
Nonetheless, there is room for caution in this conclusion. In clusters of galaxies, the mass of metals ejected from galaxies into the X-ray emitting gas exceeds that locked inside stars by a factor of 2-5 [Mushotzky & Loewenstein 1997]. If the same factor applies to galaxies outside clusters [Renzini 1997], then the local mass-density of metals greatly exceeds the integral of metal-enrichment rate, implying that most star-formation is hidden from the UV census (although the differences in galaxy morphology in clusters and the field suggests that clusters might not be typical regions of the universe). Various lines of evidence cited in Section 5.3 point to old ages for elliptical galaxies (both inside and outside of clusters) and the bulges of luminous early-type spirals [Renzini 1999, Goudfrooij et al. 1999]. The requirements for the early formation of metals in these systems look to be at odds with the inferences from the models described above. [Renzini 1999] estimates that 30% of the current density of metals must be formed by z ~ 3, whereas the best-fit models to the evolution of the luminosity density have only 10% formed by then. The discrepancy is interesting but is not outside of the range of error of the estimates of both Z(z) and the ages of stellar populations in present-day spheroidal systems.
It also remains a challenge to ascertain how the metals got from where they are at high redshift to where they are today. The bulk of the metals locked up in stars at z = 0 are in luminous, normal, elliptical and spiral galaxies. If elliptical galaxies (and spheroids in general) formed early and rapidly, they probably account for the lion's share of Z(z) above z = 2. Thus the metals formed in the z = 1 peak of Z(z) must end up for the most part in luminous spiral galaxies today. This is difficult to reconcile with the lack of evolution observed in number-density or luminosity of luminous spirals out to z = 1. An order-of-magnitude decline in star-formation rate in galaxy disks since z = 1 also seems inconsistent with present-day colors of spiral galaxy disks, or with star-formation histories derived from chemical-evolution models (e.g. [Tosi 1996, Prantzos & Silk 1998]). Furthermore, at z ~ 1 it appears that compact-narrow-emission-line galaxies [Guzman et al. 1997] and irregular galaxies account for a significant fraction of the UV luminosity density. If these galaxies fade into obscurity today, then they have not been accounted for in the census of metals in the local universe, and the z = 0 metallicity should be revised upwards in the global chemical-evolution models. On the other hand if these galaxies are merging into luminous spirals and ellipticals, it is hard to understand how luminous spiral and elliptical galaxy properties can remain consistent with PLE models out z = 1.
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Vietnamese Pig or Pot Belly Pigs:
This breed of pig has long been a favorite because of its captivating appearance and tractable disposition. The general appearance of a potbellied pig or potbelly is a swayed back, small erect ears, and a straight tail. Most of the pigs making the rounds on shows like The Today Show, are the Teacup Pot Belly. The teacup pot belly is still a Vietnamese Pot Belly pig. Over the years, breeders have chosen the smallest boars and gilts to downsize the Vietnamese Pot Belly pig into the adorable Teacup Pot Belly pigs that are showing up in the news around the world. The term teacup Pot Belly, refers to the size of the pig at birth. They mature in 2-3 years reaching a height of 12 -14 inches and can weigh up to 60 pounds with the smaller teacup pot bellies weighing in at only 40 pounds at maturity. A standard breed Vietnamese Pot Belly can reach 18 inches in height and weigh over 200 pounds. These miniature pigs have distinct traits including a swayed back, pot belly, shortish snouts, and small erect ears. The primary colors for the Vietnamese pot belly and teacup pot bellies are black and white. Breeders often set pricing on colors and patterns and also eye color.
The Juliani pig or painted miniature pig can trace its ancestry back to England. This mini pig is the result of a selective breeding program to produce an extremely smart, docile, and loving pet pig. There are discrepancies as to the true origin of the Juliani pig, but nonetheless they do make a great pet pig. They range in height from 15 to 18 inches and can weigh over 50 pounds when mature. Some breeders in the United States have used selective breeding to downsize this breed with claims of pigs as small as 30 pounds at maturity. Colors for the Juliani pig are wide ranging, hence the name painted miniature pig. They can be silver, silver and white, red, red and black, red and white, white and black, and black.
The KuneKune is relatively small pig by nature. The have colors ranging from tan and brown, white and black, black, gold, and white. The Kune Kune’s most distinct trait are the pire pire, which are small tassels that hang from their lower jaw, usually about 4 cm in length. KuneKune have been kept by New Zealand communities for centuries and make great foragers eating grass without rooting up the entire yard or pasture. The word KuneKune is Polynesian for “plump” as these small pigs have short legs and round bodies.
Ossabaw Island Pig:
The Ossabaw Island Pig is a feral pig that can be found off the coast of Georgia on Ossabaw island. This breed was believed to have been brought over by the Spanish and dropped off on the island. The Ossabaw Island pig has become miniaturized over the centuries because of the size of the island and the amount of food available, known as insular dwarfism. Ossabaw Island hogs are known to be very lively, extremely intelligent, long lived, and have an excellent temperament.
Ossabaw Island pigs have prick ears, meaning they are pointed and stand erect. Other characteristic of the Ossabaw Island pig are long snouts and heavy coats. the colors are wide ranging, including; red, blue and gray. Spotted pigs can be calico, red, black and white, with a solid white pig being very rare. Height can range from 14-20 inches and weight anywhere from 40 to 200 pounds in captivity.
Guinea Hog or African Pygmy:
The Guinea hog can trace it’s ancestry back to the days of slave trade. Through selective breeding, the Guinea hog was transformed into a great homesteader pig. They were prized as meat production pigs, before the advent of the refrigerator, so all the meat could be consumed with little to no waste.
The Guinea hog is a very friendly and adaptable pig. They are, for the most part, black, with a few pigs having white on the feet and hints of red or gray on the coat. They have thick full coats, curly tails, and erect ears. Guinea hog piglets are farrowed weighing 1 pound and reach maturity between 2 and 3 years weighing 200 – 300 pounds. They are very docile towards people and other animals, but are known to run off vermin.
The Guinea hog is an endangered breed, but are seemingly making a comeback. The American Guinea Hog Association has a nice list of U.S. breeders for those interested.
Yucatan Pig or Mexican Hairless Pig
The Yucatan or Mexican Hairless Pig originated in Central America and Mexico. These pigs have long been used in laboratories given that it’s skin and organs closely resemble those of humans. Although it is called hairless, it does have a sparse amount of coarse hair. The Yucatan Pigs coloring is silver and gray and thier size at maturity 16 – 24 inches tall and will weigh between 150 – 200 pounds. These pigs are easy to socialize and enjoy being handled.
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Held up in legislative limbo in the United States, the Law of the Sea treaty could give other nations the authority to tap into natural resources in the Arctic.
The U.S. may be sitting on the sidelines when it comes to determining the future of the Arctic.
Russia is laying the groundwork to vastly expand its undersea territory to exploit the Arctic's natural resources.
Advocates worry that the fragile region is an environmental time bomb.
As the BP oil spill continues to destroy marine life and ruin livelihoods along the Gulf Coast, conservationists, energy companies and diplomats are preparing for the next big showdown over drilling -- this time in the Arctic.
A Russian icebreaker set sail recently on a scientific voyage to chart its northern underwater boundary, part of its stated plan to claim large hunks of the Arctic for oil, gas and minerals.
Even though the United States is one of the five Arctic nations with a big interest up north (the others are Canada, Greenland/Denmark, Russia and Norway), U.S. diplomats may be left on the sidelines. That's because Congress still hasn't ratified the 28-year-old Law of the Sea Treaty that governs how nations develop resources beyond their boundaries.
"Right now we don't have a seat at the table," a senior State Department official told Discovery News. "There's a real question as to how we can move forward. And there is a risk that we would be left behind."
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey estimated last year that the Arctic holds nearly a third of the planet's natural gas reserves and 13 percent of the remaining oil. As the polar ice cap disappears (one-quarter of the ice cover has melted since 1978), companies like Shell, Exxon and BP have found it easier to drill for petroleum riches. And that doesn't include vast stocks of Arctic fish, timber and even diamonds.
Advocates now worry that the frozen region's fragile wildlife, extreme weather and lack of clean-up resources make it an environmental time bomb.
"We need a time-out in the Arctic," said Thomas McCann of the Oceans Conservancy. "We need to understand the environmental impacts before we start putting drillbits in the water. If we went in there with increased industrial uses, the damage could be incredible."
In the wake of the Gulf oil spill, the Obama administration and the Canadian government stopped all new Arctic oil leases. But Russia's minister of Natural Resources, Yuri Trutnev, said last Friday that he opposes any tougher offshore drilling rules.
Experts say that Russia is laying the groundwork to vastly expand its undersea territory, which is allowed under the Law of the Sea treaty if it can show that its continental shelf extends beyond its 200-mile boundary.
The 1982 treaty replaced the 17th-century "freedom of seas" concept and has been signed by 158 countries.
President Ronald Reagan refused to sign, saying it would cede too much power to the United Nations. Reagan's concerns were addressed by amendments in 1994. The Senate Foreign Relations committee twice approved the treaty in 2004 and 2007. But a small group of Republican senators, who say they don't want the U.S. to be part of a multi-national treaty, have kept it from getting a final vote.
Congressional sources say that because of elections and other issues, the window is closing for legislative action on the treaty this year.
Still, U.S. scientists are continuing to map the seafloor with the hope that one day the treaty will pass.
NASA launched its own Arctic cruise last week out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Scientists on the five-week journey will sample physical and biological characteristics of the Arctic Ocean -- from sea ice optical properties to the carbon uptake abilities of phytoplankton. It's all to measure how fast climate change is affecting the region.
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For example, while queen bees attempt to control reproduction within the hive, female worker bees sometimes kill the eggs and larvae of the queen.
Cambridge's Young is part of a research team that has been conducting field studies of meerkat societies in the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa for over a decade.
The researchers hope to gain a more complete understanding of a sometimes puzzling phenomenon: the evolution of cooperative societies.
Meerkats have a cooperative breeding system, meaning the adults help care for and feed other individuals' young as well as their own. Such systems have been studied in a variety of mammals and birds.
In the meerkat version, this helpful behavior is set in the context of a strong social hierarchy. In each group of up to 30 adults, around 80 percent of the litters are produced by a single, older female.
For the dominant female, the evolutionary advantage of this arrangement is clear. Not only does the top meerkat mom produce the most pups, she also has an entire group of "baby-sitters" to help raise them.
Feeding the young is particularly important during the first three to ten weeks of life, when pups' chances of survival depend largely on their food intake.
Killing her helpers' litters is therefore a way for the dominant mom to maximize the care given to her own offspring.
Such top-down control over reproduction is a common feature of cooperative animal societies. But low-status female meerkats are far from passive, Young says.
Although dominant females seek to monopolize reproduction, their efforts sometimes fail and subordinates may become pregnant.
When this happens, the subordinates may turn the tables and kill the pups of both the power-holder and others of their own status. Their young then receive the larger share of group care giving.
"Reproductive sharing arises not simply from dominant control over their subordinates but from a tactical power struggle among multiple group members, each with a degree of control," Young said.
Dark Side of Cooperation
Cooperative social systems can be at least partially explained by the theory of kin selection.
This theory argues that if an individual's reproductive opportunities are limitedas is the case for all adult female meerkats other than the dominant animalplaying a baby-sitting role may be a sensible strategy.
An animal can help pass along its own genes by ensuring the survival of its closest relatives.
Most of the time that's exactly what subordinate animals are doing, says biologist John Hoogland of the University of Maryland in College Park. But low-rank animals can try to work the system to their own advantage in other ways.
"There are always going to be subordinate individuals looking out for themselves," Hoogland said. "We might call it the darker side of cooperative breeding systems."
University of California, Berkeley, biologist Walter Koenig says the Cambridge meerkat study goes beyond previous reports by demonstrating how reproductive control may extend both up and down a hierarchy.
"Such findings certainly raise interesting questions about what it means to be a dominant versus a subordinate and the extent to which such labels are meaningful," he said.
The biologists agree that infanticide by subordinate females may occur in a larger number of species than has been reported. Newborns are often concealed, making observation of the behavior difficult.
Koenig said this and similar findings in both mammal and insect societies may "help pave the way for a unified theory of social evolution "
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Common Name: wart fern
Native Range: Tropical Africa, Tropical Asia, Tropical Australia, Polynesia, East Indies
Zone: 10 to 11
Height: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize
Other: Winter Interest
Winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11 where it is easily grown in evenly moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Propagate by rhizome division.
Wart fern is native to Africa, Australia, South East Asia and Polynesia. It is a strongly rhizomatous fern with pinnately lobed leaves. It will spread indefinitely. Deeply sunken sori on the frond undersides result in wart-like bumps on the uppersides, hence the common name. This fern crawls along the ground to form an excellent ground cover, but also will climb up walls, tree trunks and cover rocky areas. Fronds droop gracefully from hanging baskets. Wart fern will escape cultivation and naturalize. Although not native to Hawaii, it is probably the most commonly cultivated fern in Hawaii at this time. Synonymous with Microsorum scolopendria.
No serious insect or disease problem.
Where winter hardy, wart fern forms an excellent ground cover. It is also commonly used as a bedding plant. Cut fronds are popular additions to flower arrangements. Containers. Hanging baskets.
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Contaminants from fertilizer mean some rural areas must pay millions for clean water
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
On farms across the country, it's fertilizer that grows the crops that keep grocery shelves stocked and small towns alive. But fertilizer also contains chemicals that can leach into nearby drinking water. As David Condos of the Kansas News Service reports, when it comes time to clean up that water, some small towns struggle with the costs.
DAVID CONDOS, BYLINE: In most parts of the country, you can turn on just about any faucet and expect water that's clear, clean and relatively cheap. But as chemicals leach into rural water supplies, a growing number of small towns face a different and very expensive reality. Take Haviland, Kan., a town of about 700 people. Fifteen years ago, its drinking water went over the federal limit for nitrate, a chemical in most farm fertilizers. So the state made Haviland build a water treatment plant. The price tag - $2.5 million, or roughly $3,500 per resident. Inside the plant, former Mayor Robert Ellis walks through a maze of pipes toward a small meter on the wall.
ROBERT ELLIS: This is showing water nitrate, so right now, at 8.4.
CONDOS: Today, Haviland's water is cleaner, safer. But Ellis says that when most residents see the plant, they just think about how much it's costing them each month.
ELLIS: They've been drinking out of the garden hose for all their lives. They don't worry about the nitrates. All they look at is their water bill.
CONDOS: And those water bills have just about tripled. Dozens of nearby towns have found themselves in a similar situation, caught between massive costs and small budgets, and between the way traditional farming sustains their economies while channeling unwanted chemicals into their drinking water. Bigger cities already have sophisticated treatment plants to remove those chemicals, but most small towns don't. Historically, the water they pump from underground has been pure enough to drink without being treated. But in many places, that's no longer true. And towns like Haviland are left to pick up the multi-million-dollar tab. And it's not just in Kansas. Nitrate contaminates drinking water in farming regions from California to Pennsylvania. An Iowa State University study shows that since the 1940s, the use of nitrogen fertilizer nationwide has increased 34 fold.
DAVID CWIERTNY: We can't be surprised that we have increasing levels of nitrate in our water when we know that we're putting down increasing amounts of nitrogen on the land.
CONDOS: David Cwiertny is an environmental health researcher at the University of Iowa and says tap water standards put in place more than two decades ago aren't stringent enough. New research shows drinking nitrate for years can lead to cancer and birth defects, even at concentrations below current limits. But even if every farmer stopped fertilizing tomorrow, it could take decades for the nitrates already in underground water supplies to dissipate. And for farm towns that have not seen nitrate levels increase yet, researchers say it's likely just a matter of time. Three years ago, Rod Huffman (ph) got his own dreaded letter from the state. One of the water wells in his small town of Oakley, Kan., had too much nitrate.
ROD HUFFMAN: We're at, well, six, which was over the MCL limit.
CONDOS: Oakley could try to push back against the regulators and buy some more time. But as nitrate levels keep going up, Huffman says there's no point in delaying the inevitable. He says his town will build its own plant, and in preparation, has already doubled residents' water bills.
HUFFMAN: It's not going to be cheap, but it's cheaper than not doing nothing at all. You know, it's just not going to get any better.
CONDOS: And with fertilizer still a critical part of farming, he expects more rural towns to face this challenge soon. For NPR News, I'm David Condos in Oakley, Kan. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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Even though listed officially as a “minor” Jewish holiday, Hanukkah has turned into the most celebrated Jewish holiday in the U.S. There’s nothing minor about Hanukkah anymore.
Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky, executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute in New York City, says the notion of calling Hanukkah “minor” really presents a misnomer and it is only a term used when discussing holidays that impart major restrictions on people’s behavior.
Major holidays include Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, and require restrictions on eating and other behavior, giving them titles of major holidays. But just because Hanukkah offers a festival void of the restrictions, it doesn’t make it any less important, Olitzky says. “Outside of the technical framework of Jewish law, Hanukkah is a major Jewish holiday,” he says. “We have really done ourselves a disservice by using the term minor.”
Hanukkah means rededication, and it and offers Jews a reminder of three distinct points regarding light, freedom and dedication. The lack of strict rules make the holiday easy — and fun — to celebrate, which may be why research now shows Hanukkah is more celebrated — whether through the lighting of candles, gift giving, attending a party or a full celebration of the festival in Jewish practice — than even Passover.
As holidays, festivals and customs formed in the Christian and Jewish religions both took entirely different paths. And while Christianity locked onto Christmas as its main celebration, Judaism had long given Hanukkah secondary or tertiary importance. Hanukkah begins every year on the 25th of the Hebrew month Kislev, which this year falls on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 20.
Olitzky credits the increase in interreligious marriage and the holiday’s proximity to Christmas for its surge in popularity. But taking Judaism mainstream may be the main reason. “Judaism has entered the marketplace of ideas in American culture,” Olitzky says. “Hanukkah has become the national Jewish holiday. I think it has helped people celebrate.”
A major tenet is celebrating how light can lead through dark periods of time, which is recognized with the lighting of a menorah (a candelabrum that offers more candles as the eight-day Hanukkah celebration continues) often placed in a window. Another key point is the celebration of religious freedom and the importance to fight for it by remembering that the festival itself commemorates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by foreign forces. Overall, the holiday is a rededication to spiritual life.
Cultural differences still remain in the celebration of Hanukkah, including in the way the festival honors the use of oil (a one-day supply of oil miraculously lasted eight days during the rededication of the temple’s menorah after the Maccabees’ successful revolt to regain the temple). The Eastern European tradition of using oil to make potato pancakes, or latkes, is popular in America, whereas in Israel that same oil creates kiosks full of jelly donuts. Of course, the fried dough, menorahs and dreidel game prove popular worldwide. The influence of secularization on American culture has, however, turned the emphasis on gift giving during Hanukkah into mainly a U.S. tradition.
Olitzky says the rise of Hanukkah in America hasn’t helped people understand the holiday any better, but it has helped them simply celebrate it more. The popularity of the festival certainly has put Hanukkah in a new light.
MORE: Pop Culture Hanukkah
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The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) are jointly exploring whether transformative education solutions can be developed through an accelerated research and development (R&D) effort. The approach would bring together interdisciplinary teams from education research, human development research, learning measurement, evidence-based technology-enhanced practice, professional development, neuroscience, and other fields.
In May 2018, the two philanthropic organizations came together to seek new approaches from practitioners, researchers, and the public to a set of education challenges with enormous implications for the success of all students – and especially those who have faced early trauma or learning challenges. They put out a ‘Request for Information’ (RFI) from a wide range of research, educational, policy, non-profit and business groups to seek information for innovative strategies to help address three pressing challenges they saw:
■Writing: Preparing all high school graduates for the type of nonfiction writing demanded in college and the workplace by developing the necessary habits, skills, and strategies;
■Maths: Preparing all students to deeply understand and apply mathematical skills and knowledge and related mindsets;
■Executive Functions: Improving the ability of all students to think flexibly, wrestle with multiple ideas, and manage their thoughts and actions
The main findings in these areas were:
The RFI submissions in writing focused on three big areas:
1. Writing for the real world:These approaches provide students with opportunities to engage in writing that more closely mirror the demands of college and the workplace. These range from a partnership with a science museum to promote real-world science writing to developing a community-based peer coaching model.
2. Getting students more feedback:Many of these submissions focus on developing students’ writing skills or providing feedback to students from a diverse group of readers, including outside experts such as journalists, to complement classroom teachers.
3. Next generation writing environments:A number of submissions focus on how to put technology at the disposal of teachers to help personalize writing instruction. These range from a tool to capture qualitative data from students’ drafts to help teachers see patterns in student writing, to an online learning environment that would make visible students’ contributions to peer feedback, so that teachers would know when to coach the class or an individual learner.
The RFI submissions in mathematics focused on four key topics:
1. Practice and feedback: These approaches provide students with rich opportunities to engage in deliberate practice and receive actionable feedback that leads to deep mastery of foundational math knowledge and concepts. Many of them employ digital games, intelligent tutoring, and technology-based platforms to tailor learning experiences for individual students.
2. Novel instruction and experiential learning:These approaches provide students with the opportunity to discuss real-world math problems of interest to them to help develop a positive math identity. One proposal invites students to consider the real-world and ethical implications of math questions.
3. Improved measurement systems: These solutions propose to narrow the gap between assessment and instruction by providing richer indicators of student progress.
4. Empowered teachers: These submissions propose using technologies that deliver real-time information on student learning to teachers with recommendations for adjusting instruction. The intent is to support teachers to differentiate their approaches for students with a wide range of proficiency levels, as well as to enable teachers to try new pedagogical strategies
The RFI submissions in this area fell into three broad buckets:
1. Measures of executive functions: There were promising approaches to developing better measures of executive functions across basic and applied research. Such measures are needed to understand which interventions best target individual students’ needs and to help teachers make informed judgments. Some submissions offer tools to help teachers understand and support students’ development of executive functions, and to provide teachers with professional development in this area.
2. Interventions to build executive functions:These submissions include ideas for scaling some existing products as well as for basic research. They range from low-cost, targeted strategies that represent the essential “active ingredients” in effective programs to develop students’ social, emotional, and cognitive skills, to efforts to build adults’ knowledge and development of executive functions, which research has found is strongly associated with children’s development of such skills.
3. Tools and techniques to support programs that develop executive functions:These ideas would support and buttress existing efforts to develop executive functions
The full findings are available in this report. More information on the background to the RFI can be found here. And their website also has useful resources for teachers and educators which are regularly updated.
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Osaka [Japan], Nov 14 (ANI): Panasonic announced on Thursday that it has developed a new battery management technology which measures the Electrochemical Impedance of multi-cell stacked batteries.
The technology is expected to be applied to various devices that use lithium-ion battery modules with many battery cells stacked in series and to future vehicles. It would contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society by helping facilitate reuse and recycling of lithium-ion batteries.
The technology has been developed in collaboration with Professor Masahiro Fukui of Ritsumeikan University. While a new battery monitoring IC (BMIC) test chip, measurement algorithm, and software were developed by Panasonic, the Ritsumeikan University contributed to the evaluation of the performance using actual batteries.
Current applications of lithium-ion batteries are expanding to the field of industrial devices and mobility, and the importance of reuse and recycling is also increasing. The newly developed battery management technology makes it possible to measure electrochemical impedance using the AC current excitation method for lithium-ion stacked battery modules that are installed in operating devices.
Furthermore, this technology aims to enable the evaluation of residual value by way of a deterioration diagnosis and failure estimation based on an analysis of acquired measurement data. This will contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society where future lithium-ion batteries can be reused and recycled.
Conventional electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is widely used as a non-destructive method for evaluating lithium-ion batteries. This measurement method requires an application-specific measuring instrument and a large thermostatic chamber that keeps the temperature of the battery constant, and it was necessary to measure each cell in the laboratory.
The newly developed BMIC test chip has a built-in electrochemical impedance measurement function using the AC current excitation method in addition to these conventional functions. (ANI)
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In 1947 Canada commemorated the centenary of the birth of Alexander
Graham Bell with a stamp focused on his invention of the telephone.
The design shows a winged female figure standing on a globe showing a
map of North America. Bell was born in Scotland, and emigrated to
Canada. He invented the telephone during a visit to his parentsí home
in Tutela Heights, Canada in 1874. The first successful demonstration
of the telephone was over a telegraph wire between Brantford and
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A study was just released today documenting a connection between food additives and hyperactivity. It was published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. Unfortunately, one has to subscribe to access the full text of the article. However, you can read a summary of it here – in the press release.
This study tested giving children aged 3 or 8/9 a drink with food additives, and monitoring their behavior. These children did not have ADD or ADHD. The findings documented clearly that certain food additives/preservatives did increase the children’s hyperactivity. These are food dyes, and preservatives which would be found in candy, sodas, and other ‘junk food’.
While this study is important, it does not conclusively show that food additives cause ADD or ADHD. It showed an approximate 10% increase in hyperactivity when children had a significant amount of these food additives.
There is a history of eliminating food dyes and preservatives from the diets of people with ADD or ADHD. The most popular diet is the Feingold diet. This was started in the 70s/80s. You can read more about it here. This diet has been studied rigorously, and at best, it yields significant improvement for ADD/ADHD in 5% of those who follow it strictly.
What is the bottom line if you or your child has ADD or ADHD?
- Don’t stop medication or other treatments that you are on out of concern that the food dyes may be the complete cause and solution for this condition.
- The best treatments for ADD/ADHD have been shown to be combination treatments. The ideal treatments incorporate behavioral, parenting, academic strategies as well as medication. If you want to add a diet component to that, you can, but just keep it as one of the treatments in the combination.
- I recommend that each parent of a child with ADD or ADHD, or each adult with ADD or ADHD should consider eliminating these food additives and dyes for a short time and seeing if it makes a difference. Talk to your doctor about this, and review it as an experiment. If you are inclined to do this – go for it. If you are not – don’t. There is no imperative here, and the research data don’t show that it is a must for the treatment of ADD or ADHD.
Most of us feel that we live in a society with too many chemicals, additives and preservatives. This study shows that in children without ADD or ADHD, there is a mild increase in hyperactivity with food additives and preservatives. This does not prove that ADD or ADHD is caused by these chemicals, nor does it show that by stopping these chemicals will ADD or ADHD be treated.
This study is quite important, and hopefully more well designed studies will help to shed light on this important issue. If you want to try to use these insights to help in your treatment of ADD or ADHD, speak to your doctor or health professional.
To read Time magazine’s perspective on this issue, visit here.
[tags]ADD, ADHD, Food Additives, Hyperactivity, The Lancet, Feingold Diet[/tags]
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EAT RED to
Make yourself disease-proof!
Stoplight shaded fruits and veggies not only catch the eye but also have many of the top 20 most potent antioxidants. Lycopene, packed into tomatoes, watermelon and red bell pepper, has been found to prevent heart disease and estrogen-related cancers. And red apples are rich in quercetin, a proven heart-health booster.
EAT ORANGE to
Lower your cholesterol!
The same compound that makes food orange also lowers cholesterol and blood pressure!
Carrots, in particular, boost high amounts of a fiber called calcuim pectate, shown to regulate
high cholesterol. In a recent government study, people who munched a cup of carrots a day
averaged an 11% drop in blood cholesterol after only three weeks! Prefer oranges? University
of Western Toronto researchers found drinking three 8-ounce glasses of OJ a day increases
HDL ("good") cholesterol by 21% and reduces LDL ("bad") cholesterol by 16%!
EAT YELLOW to
Yellow foods soothe stomachaches and improve gastrointestinal health, research shows. One
mango contains 7 grams of bowel-friendly fiber, while papayas are rich in an enzyme that helps
you digest protein and carbohydrates. And bananas ease any intestinal distress.
EAT GREEN to
Protect your eyesight!
Leafy greens like watercress, kale, collard, mustard greens and spinach are filled with lutein, a
chemical that protects the eyes from aging. It's even been found to lower the odds of
developing macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss in folks older than
50, by 43%. Lutein also lowers breast cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute-
and since cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cabbage are also filled with cancer reducing
chemicals called indoles, eating just a cup or so a day can keep your eyes young and prevent
EAT BLUE to
Keep your brain sharp!
Studies have found that anthocyanins, the antioxidants responsible for blueberries color, can
also heighten learning capacity, motor skills and memory. They can even keep your brain
young: Joint studies from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and the National Institute
of Aging found that berries protect against cognitive impairment and even Alzheimers disease!
And just a handful a day is enough to do the trick.
EAT PURPLE to
Foods of a royal hue like grapes, figs, prunes, raisins and plums help prevent joint problems,
studies show. Grapes are loaded with antioxidants proven to reduce the inflammation
associated with arthritis, and they also contain boron, a mineral shown to relieve even severe
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Children are the future.
To ensure that the future generation can live in a safe environment, and a society that guarantees the rights of children, we run advocacy campaigns to spread awareness about the crucial child rights issues, in cooperation with local government and communities.
Our advocacy programs help children and community members understand their rights and influence policy decision making.
How Do We Facilitate Advocacy?
Children should be fully protected. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) states that all children must be treated fairly, equally, and with dignity. Sadly, there are still millions of children living in vulnerable conditions. Quite often, girls fare worse than boys due to unjust social and cultural practices like female circumcision, forced or early marriage, and sexual exploitation.
At Good Neighbours we run a number of campaigns to help the children recognise and build their strength to protect their own rights. We also ensure that child protection systems and policies are in place, at a national and community level.
It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that children are truly nurtured and respected.
Promoting Awareness of Child Rights
Harm to children can take any form like abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence – and it can happen anywhere.
We raise awareness and educate the importance of child advocacy to both children and the wider community they live in. Government officials, teachers and parents are some of the groups we also inform.
By doing so, we empower children to speak up for themselves.
This step is critical to truly protect children.
Ensuring Child Advocacy Through Policies and Systems
A well-functioning protection system is at the heart of a comprehensive approach to child advocacy and protection.
We help to establish structured and resourced systems coupled with formal legislations, laws, policies and regulations with the government and relevant agencies accountable for child protection.
We also support families and immediate communities by advocating for education and social and economic stability.
All these factors come together to form a comprehensive and holistic child protection system.
Hope Letter Campaign
The Hope Letter is a Good Neighbours' signature campaign to promote awareness, and provide support for children living in poverty and difficult conditions.
As part of this campaign, children write letters of encouragement to other less fortunate children around the world. This promotes an education and sensitivity about the plight of others around the globe.
Letters to Mina
The Good Neighbours' Hope Letter Campaign launched at the London Children's museum in Canada called for children to write and draw letters of hope and encouragement to Mina - a 9-year-old girl living in the slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Along with the letters, Good Neighbours has started a fundraising campaign to improve the school facilities in Dhaka. With the Canadian kids' participation, Good Neighbours helped 200 kids by upgrading school facilities, and providing books, stationery, and tuition assistance.
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To improve the light bleaching system in the Art Conservation Department paper conservation laboratory, a transmitted light table and transparent bleaching trays were constructed to be used with an existing overhead light bank. This apparatus allows for the simultaneous light bleaching of both sides of a paper artifact, or either the recto or the verso of an artifact. At times, it is advantageous to be able to light bleach both sides of a piece of paper at the same time, thereby reducing immersion times significantly—sometimes by as much as 50%. More information on the use of this light bleaching system and an extensive bibliography can be found in the article, "Considerations in Light Bleaching Art on Paper," coauthored by Susan Duhl and myself. This paper is to be published in the proceedings of the 1985 Oxford Conference sponsored by the Institute of Paper Conservation, London, England.
1. Upper light bank—a wooden framework to which are attached fourteen .48 Inch fluorescent tubes. Underneath the tubes, a piece of Lexan is screwed to the framework to filter the light. On the top of a piece of plywood over the framework is attached the seven ballasts for the tubes. This structure rests on the table top (3) when in use. It has collapsible legs, and can be stored on the shelf under the table (5) when not in use.
2. Lexan polycarbonate sheet—the sheet fits into the well cut in the table top (3). The Lexan tray rests on this sheet during the bleaching procedure.
3. Table top—wood covered with white Formica with we] I cut into it to hold the Lexan sheet (2).
4. Lower light bank—a plywood board with fourteen 48 inch fluorescent tubes on top and seven ballasts attached to the reverse. The bank fits into the Dexion frame table (5) beneath the table top (3). When not in use for light bleaching, this serves as a transmitted light table.
5. Dexion frame table—plywood sideboards with holes for ventilation. Lower shelf for storage of upper light bank.
The existing upper light bank was designed and built by F. Christopher Tahk some years ago for an experiment involving the light bleaching of burned oil paint.1 In the spring of 1955, Marc Harnly constructed the double-sided light bank incorporating this earlier light bank as the upper light source (see Figures 1 and 2). The number of fluorescent tubes in the upper light source was increased from eight to fourteen.2 The types of tubes previously used in this bank were either Sylvania Cool White or General Electric Power Groove Cool White, and these were replaced with Norelco, F40D/RS/EM, Daylight, 35 watts/tube.3 This Daylight tube was chosen because the spectrum output is better for safer and more efficient light bleaching—more visible light output and less ultraviolet radiation.
The new lower light bank also consists of fourteen, Norelco Daylight tubes.. It was built into an existing table which was modified for this purpose. The Formica table top was cut out in the center to allow a piece of 3/8 inch Lexan4 to be set into the opening, and it is flush with the table surface.
The ballasts for the tubes are mounted onto either the top or the bottom of the tube support (½inch plywood), and each of the light banks is wired separately so that either one or both may be in operation. The sides of the lower bank are left open whenever practicable to allow for good air circulation around the tubes, thus keeping the bleaching solution relatively cool.
Different sized Lexan trays, for double-sided bleaching, were constructed using methylene chloride to bond the polycarbonate together. It is important to cut the plastic to the exact size, and to smooth the bonding surfaces before attempting to solvent-weld them together. When necessary, silicone caulking is used to insure that the trays are water-tight.
To equalize the quality of the light output from the upper and lower banks, a piece of 3/16 inch Lexan was permanently fixed to the underside of the upper bank, just below the tubes. The foot candle output for each light bank is approximately 1000 fc.
When not in use, the upper light bank can be stored, with the collapsible legs retracted, on the lower shelf of the table. Without the upper light bank in place, the lower light bank also serves as a transmitted light table.
1. Christopher Tahk, "The Recovery of Color in Scorched Oil Paint Films," Journal of the American Institute for Conservation Vol. 19, No. I (Fall 11979): 3-13.
2. Cathleen Baker, "Practical Methods for Sun and Artificial Light Bleaching Paper," AIC Book and Paper Group Postprints, American Institute for Conservation: Washington, D.C., (1982), pp. 14-15. Correction on page 15: General Electric 100 watt F48 (not 84) PG 17-CW Power Groove Cool White fluorescent lamps.
3. Norelco, 330 Lynnway, Lynn, MA 01901, USA. Phone: 617-599-7500.
4. General Electric, polycarbonate #9034-1 12, ultraviolet stabilized grade. This grade allows virtually no transmission of radiation below 400 nm. General Electric Plastics, One Plastic Avenue, Pittsfield, MA 01 20 1, USA. Phone: 413-494-11 10.Cathleen Baker
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Five years ago, on April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig caused a release of 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico before the well was capped on July 15, 2010. Close to 100,000 kilometers, including more than 1,000 total linear miles of coastlines in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida were affected. A number of methods were used to prevent the oil from reaching the shoreline, including an estimated 1.9 million gallons of dispersant. Dispersants are one of the most controversial of these methods and are typically used when other methods are not adequate.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute conducted several studies to determine the impacts of the oil spill on marine organisms such as oysters, conch, shrimp, and corals, as well as marine plankton (microalgae or phytoplankton, rotifers or zooplankton), which provide the basis of coastal and oceanic food webs. Findings from their oyster and phytoplankton studies were published in 2014 in the Journal of Shellfish Research and the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology.
Chemical dispersants do not remove oil from water, but merely accelerate its natural dispersion. Although the use of dispersants decreased the impact of oil to shorelines and surface-dwelling organisms, such as birds, dispersants allowed the oil to be more easily taken up by organisms that live in the water column. Rather than disappearing, the dispersed oil ended up in bottom sediments, where it remains, posing future threats to pelagic and benthic organisms.
“Oil releases may affect marine organisms in a number of ways including physically, through toxic effects known to produce carcinogenic and mutagenic effects by modifying behavior, or through modifications in their natural habitats,” said Susan Laramore, Ph.D., an author in both of the publications, assistant research professor, and a marine and molecular biologist who studies aquatic animal health issues at FAU’s Harbor Branch Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory.
In the second published study, Laramore and her collaborators examined two species of algae, used to feed mollusks, crustaceans and fish. These two species served as “models” for phytoplankton species in the Gulf of Mexico that were exposed to crude oil and weathered oil, dispersant and dispersed oil during the oil spill.
Results from this study revealed that the dispersant and dispersed oil affected the growth and motility of the algae, which may have had negative impacts on the food chain. “Although the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill may not have long-term consequences especially for short-lived species, the effects of oil and dispersant on lower trophic food sources impacted fisheries recruitment in the short-term, and longer term impacts are likely to be seen in some species and ecosystems,” said Laramore.
View original article at: Researching how oil spills affect algae
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Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
Castillo de San Felipe De Baraja
The historic Spanish Fortress "Castillo de San Felipe De Barajas," majestically stands guard on a hillside overlooking the city and harbor.
In Cartagena there are a handful of impressive Spanish forts, including the 17th-century Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, undoubtedly the greatest and strongest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in their colonies.
Cartagena was founded in 1533 by Spanish Conquistador Explorers led by Pedro de Heredia. Within months of their landing, they had decimated and enslaved the indigenous native Calamari tribe of Indians and became the masters of this soon to be very important port. It became the treasure city of the Spanish Main and served as the primary transshipment port for precious gems and minerals destined for the coffers of King Ferdinand. Many Spanish Galleons, laden with riches from the new world, were attacked and seized by Pirates and English war ships. King Ferdinand ordered the city to be fortified to protect Spain's treasures. The fortress you see today and the Castillo San Felipe took nearly 200 years and 245 tons of gold to build.
Cartagena suffered invasions and sackings in 1544, 1560 and in 1586 (by Sir Francis Drake). In 1741, the English Commander, Edward Vernon, with 186 ships and 25,000 men laid a three month siege to the city. He was so certain that Cartagena would be his, he had a medal struck commemorating his expected victory. However, the Spaniards, outnumbered seven to one, held firm behind their walls and fortresses. The smaller cannons on the English ships were able to bombard the outer walls of the fortress seen today as you drive along Boca Grande beach but could not reach the distances and heights of Castillo San Felipe. The castle's cannons on the other hand, made prime targets of the English ships whenever they ventured within range. Vernon lost over 70 ships and 10,000 men in his ill fated attempt to take the city.
view of new Cartagena
holding up the cannon
inspecting the cannon
View of old Cartagena (the walled city)
People and Places
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EU clean-air policy increased life expectancy in NL by 6 years
The European Union's policy on air quality led to much cleaner air in the Netherlands, according to a study by public health institute RIVM. Without the European measures implemented since the 1970s, air pollution in the country would be much higher and the average life expectancy in the Netherlands would be about six years lower, the RIVM said.
Due to the policies implemented in the EU, the average particulate matter in the Netherlands air decreased from 59 micrograms per cubic meter in 1980 to 12 micrograms per cubic meter in 2015, for example. Without these policies, the average particulate matter would have increased to 102 micrograms per cubic meter.
As pollutants like particulate matter are harmful to people's health, less pollutants in the air means healthier air for Netherlands residents to breath. "Expressed in years of life, the European measures yield around 700,000 extra years of life per year, enough for an average of 6 extra years of life per inhabitant of the Netherlands", the RIVM said.
According to the RIVM, 56 percent of the decrease in air pollution was caused by reductions in emissions from sectors outside of the Netherlands. Industry was responsible for 54 percent of the reduction, agriculture for 23 percent, and the transport sector for 15 percent.
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Motto book page, Farmington State Normal School, 1886Item 68685 info
Mantor Library at UMF
Memorizing mottoes was a long-standing tradition in early American education and was practiced at F.S.N.S. from the 1880s to the 1940s. Each school day opened with Morning Chapel exercises that included a short religious program, school announcements, and the quotation to be memorized by the students.
The students recorded all their daily mottoes in a notebook, known as their "motto book." These quotes or parts of poems were intended to inspire students to work hard, develop a good moral character, be successful students, and be good citizens. This is a page from the 1886-87 motto book of F.S.N.S. student Dora Bither.
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The unique writing system of the Japanese language consists of three different character sets: Kanji (several thousands of Chinese characters), and Hiragana and Katakana (two syllabaries of 46 characters each).
Specifically, Katakana gets used to writing foreign loanwords phonetically.
By virtue of Katakana, we get a clue to learn the proper pronunciation of unpronounceable alphabetical words. In this regard, Katakana is obviously of great help to avoid phonetic slip-ups and mispronouncing high-profile brand names in Japan.
For instance, when we come across the word “YVES SAINT LAURENT” for the first time, we most likely call it “i-bes-sein-to-lo-ren-to”.
Likewise, we are likely to call “Uber” as “yu-be:ru”, “Google” as “go:gu-lu”, “NIKE” as “ni-ke”, “Levis” as “le-vi-su”, “XLARGE” as “eks-la:ji”, “Michelin” as “mi-sye-lin”, “XXIO” as “eks-esk-ai-ou”.
In other words, less attention to Katakana in promoting alphabetical brand names is likely to result in mispronunciation among the relevant public in Japan as you can see from the above instances.
What’s worse, it may give rise to a tragedy that trademark registration for the alphabetical name is insufficient to force an unauthorized entity to cease its use of a mark consisting of Katakana to represent the correct pronunciation of the name due to dissimilarity of the marks.
Provided that trademark registration is solely composed of alphabetical words, the pronunciation of the mark is construed based on the most natural, logical way to pronounce it.
In this regard, it was a bit surprised that the Supreme Court judged a wordmark written in Katakana to be read as “reeru-dyu-tan” is phonetically identical with a registered mark “L’Air du Temps” in Case 1998 (Gyo-Hi) 85. Undoubtedly the judgment was based on the facts that “L’Air du Temps” had become well-known as a brand of perfume and the registered mark had been advertised accompanying a Katanaka “reeru-dyu-tan” as well.
When we come across the word “L’Air du Temps” for the first time, little thought is given to call it “reeru-dyu-tan”. The most natural way to pronounce it is “lu-ea:-dyu-ten-po-su” indeed. Thus, the Supreme Court judgment should not be considered to negate the necessity of Katakana in avoiding mispronounced marks.
It is advisable to use and register a Katakana character representing the correct pronunciation of the brand name as well as the alphabetical letters, especially where the letters are unpronounceable to the Japanese and thus natural pronunciation is not what a brand owner expects the Japanese to call it.
NIKE uses and registers its corporate name in both respectively.
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The specific area of an antigen that binds with an antibody combining site and determines the specificity of the antigen-antibody reaction.
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Venes, Donald, editor. "Antigenic Determinant." Taber's Medical Dictionary, 23rd ed., F.A. Davis Company, 2017. Nursing Central, nursing.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/view/Tabers-Dictionary/737885/all/antigenic_determinant.
Antigenic determinant. In: Venes D, ed. Taber's Medical Dictionary. 23rd ed. F.A. Davis Company; 2017. https://nursing.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/view/Tabers-Dictionary/737885/all/antigenic_determinant. Accessed December 16, 2019.
Antigenic determinant. (2017). In Venes, D. (Ed.), Taber's Medical Dictionary. Available from https://nursing.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/view/Tabers-Dictionary/737885/all/antigenic_determinant
Antigenic Determinant [Internet]. In: Venes D, editors. Taber's Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company; 2017. [cited 2019 December 16]. Available from: https://nursing.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/view/Tabers-Dictionary/737885/all/antigenic_determinant.
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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- A conference featuring many of the world's experts on the life cycles of stars, "Asymmetrical Planetary Nebulae II: from Origins to Microstructures," will be held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Tang Center Aug 3-6, 1999.
Participants will review the latest images and spectra of planetary nebulae, which are stars similar to our sun but are in their final death throes.
Astronomers have expressed renewed interest in planetary nebulae due largely to recent Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images and new data from ground-based observatories. The new information has forced them to re-examine their existing theories concerning the last stages in the lives of stars, said Joel Kastner of the Rochester Institute of Technology, one of the conference organizers.
"The new HST images reveal planetary nebulae to be extraordinarily complex objects that feature a wide variety of shapes and structures," Kastner said. "This complexity and variety presents a challenge to astronomers seeking to understand planetary nebulae in terms of the last stages of 'normal' stars like the sun."
The recently launched Chandra X-ray Observatory (which features instruments and software designed and built in part at MIT), will provide new opportunities to observe planetary nebulae.
Among the speakers are:
- ������Yervant Terzian of Cornell University and Arsen Hajian of the U.S. Naval Observatory will highlight the most recent results from the Hubble Space Telescope.
- Margaret Meixner of the University of Illinois, who will talk about properties of pre-planetary nebulae, has uncovered some key clues as to how stars expel their outer atmospheres as they die.
- Saul Rappaport of MIT will discuss the likelihood that many planetary nebulae arise out of binary star systems.
- ������Kastner, a longtime staff member at the Chandra X-ray Science Center at MIT, will describe the motions of the gas ejected from stars as they die, including some exciting evidence for a rotating disk around a dying star.
For more information on speakers and on the conference, see http://space.mit.edu/PN_conf.
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A foot fungus condition, also known as athlete’s foot or tinea pedis, is a common fungal infection that affects the skin on the feet, toes, and toenails. It is caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes, which thrive in warm and moist environments, such as sweaty socks and shoes. The infection is highly contagious and can spread from person to person through direct contact or by sharing contaminated objects, such as towels or shoes.
The symptoms of foot fungus can vary depending on the severity of the infection. Common signs include itching, burning, and redness on the skin of the feet, as well as cracking and peeling of the skin. In some cases, the infection can also cause blisters or ulcers to develop. If left untreated, the fungus can spread to the toenails and cause them to become thick, discolored, and brittle. Treatment for foot fungus usually involves topical or oral antifungal medications, along with good foot hygiene practices such as keeping the feet clean and dry, avoiding sharing personal items, and wearing shoes that allow the feet to breathe.
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The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program is designed to prevent violence in and around schools; prevent the illegal use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco by young people; and foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports academic achievement. Without a safe and orderly learning environment, teachers cannot teach and students cannot learn. Students and school personnel need a secure environment, free from the dangers and distractions of violence, drug use, and lack of discipline to enable all children achieve to their full potential.
To provide funds to support programs that:
1. Prevent violence in and around schools;
2. Prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs;
3. Involve parents and communities; and
4. Are coordinated with related federal, state, school and community efforts and resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that promotes student academic achievement.
Principles of Effectiveness
To ensure that recipients use the funds in ways that preserve State and local flexibility but are most likely to reduce drug use and violence among youth, a recipient shall:
1. Base its programs on a thorough assessment of objective data about the drug and violence problems in the schools and communities served
2. With the assistance of a local or regional advisory council, establish a set of measurable goals and objectives and design its programs to meet those goals and objectives.
3. Design and implement its programs for youth based on research or evaluation that provides evidence that the programs used prevent or reduce drug use, violence, or disruptive behavior among youth.
4. Evaluate its programs periodically to assess its progress toward achieving its goals and objectives, and use its evaluation results to refine, improve, and strengthen its program, and to refine its goals and objectives as appropriate.
Authorized Programs and Activities include
- Age appropriate and developmentally based violence and substance abuse prevention programs;
- Professional development and training for school personnel, parents and community members in drug and violence prevention;
- Expanded mental health services related to illegal drug use and violence:
- Conflict resolution and peer mediation programs;
- Alternative education programs;
- Counseling, mentoring, referral services and other student assistance practices and programs;
- Activities that involve families and community prevention providers in setting clear expectations against violence and illegal use of drugs;
- Emergency intervention services following traumatic crisis events;
- Establishing or implementing a system for transferring suspension and expulsion records;
- Developing and implementing character education programs;
- Establishing and maintaining a school safety hotline;
- Community service and service-learning projects;
- Conducting a national background check for all employees;
- Programs to train school personnel to identify warning signs of youth suicide;
- Programs for students faced with domestic violence or child abuse; and
- School security, including surveillance cameras and other technology, security personnel, and supporting safe zones of passage.
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National Farm-To-School Site
Farm to School programs are in place all over the U.S. These programs connect schools with local farms with the objective of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.
LESSON & ACTIVITY IDEAS
PBS: World Without Oil Series Lesson 6: Food Without Oil
Science & Our Food Supply Developed by NSTA and U.S. FDA
It's Not Easy Being Green (BBC)
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The applet draws a triangle with three given angles a1&pi/a2, b1&pi/b2 and c1&pi/c2, and then some of its images under the group G generated by the reflections in its side (so far the applet doesn't support cases with one vertex on the boundary, in other words you need a1, b1, c1 to be nonzero).
You can choose the angles of the original triangle, and modify how far the program goes in reflecting it (unless you are very patient, I suggest to keep the "depth" parameter under 5)
Note that if all the angles are integer parts of pi (i.e. a1=b1=c1=1), the group G is discrete. If not, G is sometimes discrete, sometimes not. Try a1=2, a2=7, b1=1, b2=7, c1=1, c2=3 (the group sould be discrete) and then change b1 to 2 (the group is not discrete anymore).
When the group is not discrete, try also modifying the appearance. You can choose to print only the vertices and not the sides of the triangles.
Loading the applet may take a while --- please be patient... When the applet is running, you'll see a button labeled 'Start.' Simply click on the button in order to launch the applet.
The computer-geometric framework used here to handle such objects as hyperbolic isometries and geodesic arcs was developed by Peter Brinkmann. The GUI (graphical user interface) is based on his code as well. I cannot thank him enough for letting me access his code and providing constant help in tweeking it to produce the applet above.
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In class, we have discussed many ways about how archaeological research is conducted. Along with this, we talked about the different types of sites that are surveyed, and how these sites are tested. Not only can archaeologists learn about human past through material culture found underground and on the surface, but much can also be learned from diving underwater. A very unique method of conducting archeological research is by doing it in the sea. Much of human history has involved the use of ships, and these can provide an interesting outlook on human history; moreover, there are many remnants of human society that are now hidden underwater as a result of thousands of years of changes in water and ground levels from volcanic activity. These underwater sites are moderately new to the field of archaeology, considering the fact that for much of history we did not have the means to study them. With the technology we now possess, it is possible to study and learn about past culture from these sites.
One such example of these sites is the Underwater Archaeology Park of Baiae. This is located in Italy, and contains many amazing remnants of a previous culture. At this park, there are ancient mosaics, statues, pipelines, and structures persisting from the Roman age. Since much of the remains from the city are underwater, I thought the methods of research for it would be a bit complicated. After looking into the matter a bit, I found that the methods are very similar in regards to plotting and recording information. I also found that excavating underwater is actually sometimes easier. Instead of shoveling and digging, underwater excavation often involves using a long hose to suck up sediment on the sea floor, which is deposited onto a screen deck that sifts for the artifacts.
I thought that all of this was very intriguing due to the fact that the precise practices and methods of archaeology are still maintained in such diverse environments. Along with this, I think it is incredible that there are remnants of human culture that can only be discovered by diving beneath the surface.
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FACT SHEET: Progress in Four Years of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy
On July 15, 2010, President Obama released the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which envisions that “the United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.”
The goals of the Strategy are to reduce new HIV infections; increase access to care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV; and reduce HIV-related disparities and health inequities. Achieving these goals requires partnerships and coordination among Federal agencies, state and local governments, community-based organizations, and health care settings.
To further the implementation of the Strategy, last year, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the HIV Care Continuum Initiative, which outlines the pathway to accelerate and optimize health outcomes for those living with HIV. This update outlines just some of the major accomplishments and progress made over the last four years towards achieving the Strategy’s goals and highlights new action steps taken today.
New actions to support the National HIV/AIDS Strategy:
Today, to support the goals of the Strategy, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the availability of $11 million in funding to enhance Community Health Centers’ HIV efforts in communities highly impacted by HIV, especially among racial and ethnic minorities. This initiative, funded through the Affordable Care Act and the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund, aims to build sustainable partnerships between public health and health centers to help achieve the goals of the Strategy.
Additionally today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a Best Practices Guide to Reform HIV-specific Criminal Laws to Align with Scientifically Supported Factors. As noted in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, many states have criminal laws that have not keep pace with our current understanding of best public health practices for preventing and treating HIV and that, instead, may make people less willing to get tested, disclose their status, and undermine the public health goals of promoting HIV screening and treatment. This guide is intended to share best practices for aligning criminal law with the public health goal of reducing HIV-related stigma.
Implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy:
Reducing new HIV infections over the last four years: Ensuring that individuals know their HIV status is a critical step to reducing HIV infections. People who don't know they are infected miss an opportunity to access the life-sustaining care and treatment that can now lead to normal life-expectancy. Undiagnosed individuals can also unknowingly pass the virus on to others.
- HIV testing: Screening all persons between 15 and 65 years of age is now a grade “A” recommendation of the independent United States Preventive Services Task Force. This means that, as of April 2014, new health plans under the Affordable Care Act must offer HIV screening without cost sharing.
- The number of people who know their HIV status increased: The overall number of people with HIV who know their HIV status increased to 84.2% in 2010, approaching the Strategy goal of 90% by 2015. Serostatus awareness was 90% or higher among persons 45 year or older and among injection drug users.
- Reduction in new HIV infections in some sub-populations: Black women saw a 21% reduction in new HIV infections from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, there was a 22% reduction in new HIV infections among injection drug users. However, there has been a 12% increase in new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) and 22% increase among young MSM aged 13 to 24. The Administration is committed to enhancing outreach to young, black, gay males.
- Reduced transmission of HIV: One of the most successful scientific advances in HIV prevention, treatment as prevention, shows that people living with HIV who have a suppressed viral load due to effective HIV treatment, reduce their HIV transmission risk by up to 96%.
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): In May 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released clinical practice guidelines on HIV risk and eligibility for PrEP use.
- Research for an effective vaccine and cure: An effective vaccine remains a critical component of any long-term strategy. In 2014, the President announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is redirecting $100 million for development of new therapies toward a cure and will continue to strive to be on the forefront of new discoveries.
Increasing access to care and improving health outcomes over the last four years: To end the epidemic, in addition to providing prevention strategies, access to health insurance coverage and other key supports are essential.
- Making coverage affordable: The Affordable Care Act has expanded access to affordable health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, including thousands living with HIV. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, people can no longer be denied coverage based on pre-existing conditions, including HIV. The Administration will continue to focus on the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and Affordable Care Act coordination.
- Housing for people living with HIV: Since 2010, over 56,000 people with HIV receive housing assistance from the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program annually. In keeping with the goals of the Strategy, the President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget proposes modernizing HOPWA’s funding formula to better reflect the current state of the epidemic.
- Increasing access to life-saving HIV treatment: Thanks to targeted investments by the Administration, waiting list for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) have been nearly eliminated from a high of over 9,000 in 2011.
- Commitment to ensuring access to care for people living with HIV: Together, the Affordable Care Act and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program are improving and expanding access to care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Federal leaders have taken steps to ensure this collaboration, including providing guidance to Ryan White grantees to help them effectively interact with new coverage provided under the Affordable Care Act, and strengthening Ryan White data and information to improve program management.
Reducing health disparities over the last four years: Gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and Black and Latinos continue to bear significant disproportionate burden of new HIV infections and poorer health outcomes. Black gay youth aged 13 to 24 have been identified in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy as a principal group facing HIV/AIDS-related health disparities.
- Improving care continuum outcomes among people of color: In 2012, HHS funded a $44 million Care and Prevention in the United States (CAPUS) demonstration project to reduce HIV and AIDS-related morbidity and mortality among racial and ethnic minorities in eight cities. This project focuses efforts on improving outcomes along the HIV care continuum.
- Addressing the concerns of the communities most affected: In June 2014, Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) held listening sessions in areas most impacted by the epidemic in the southern United States (Jackson, Columbia, and Atlanta). Additionally, ONAP convened a meeting at the White House focusing on HIV and the southern United States, and will host another meeting to address HIV and gay men, particularly young black MSM, in fall 2014.
- Reducing stigma and discrimination: In May 2014, CDC launched the latest communication campaign under its Act Against AIDS initiative: “Start Talking. Stop HIV.” aiming to eliminate stigma and discrimination and promote open communication between gay and bisexual men about a range of HIV prevention strategies. Additionally, DOJ launched ADA.gov/AIDS, a portal for individuals to directly report cases of HIV-related discrimination.
- Integrating behavioral health for people at high risk: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) piloted a number of the Minority AIDS Initiative Continuum of Care programs focused on integrating HIV medical care into behavioral health programs designed for racial and ethnic minority populations also at high risk for behavioral health disorders and HIV.
Achieving a more coordinated national response over the last four years: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy recognizes that a core principle of reaching its identified quantitative targets requires Federal agencies to coordinate efforts, along with coordinating across State and local government and the private sector.
- Intersection of violence against women and girls, HIV/AIDS, and gender-related health disparities: In 2012, President Obama signed a memorandum forming a Federal working group and directing agencies to coordinate efforts on these key issues. Federal agencies and community partners are investing time and resources to provide co-screening for HIV and intimate partner violence as well as learn more about the benefits of trauma informed care.
- Implementing common core indicators: In 2012, HHS approved a set of seven common core indicators to monitor HHS-funded prevention, treatment, and care services in an effort to standardize data collection and grantee reporting requirements, thereby reducing burdens and increasing efficiency.
- Public-private partnerships to facilitate access to HIV treatment: In 2012, a convening of funders by HHS and the MAC AIDS Fund led to the development of HarborPath, an online portal for health care providers to help connect uninsured individuals with HIV to access medications and/or medication assistance programs through a streamlined common application.
- Investing in future research: NIH expanded their investment in research to address gaps and opportunities in the HIV Care Continuum, including investigations of the effectiveness of methods to identify HIV-infected people earlier and to link them to care; community-level interventions to expand HIV testing and treatment; interventions to improve HIV outcomes among substance users; and evaluation of innovative network approaches for HIV testing and referral for persons in the correctional system.
Toward the Goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy:
The Administration, led by Office of National AIDS Policy and HHS Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, in partnership with other Federal agencies, state and local governments, communities and people living with HIV, have made tremendous progress in addressing HIV/AIDS in the United States over the last four years. Together, we are committed to accelerating our efforts to reach the Strategy’s goals and, eventually, attain an AIDS-free generation. Smart investments and collaborations will provide opportunities to scale up effective efforts so that every community affected by HIV can contribute to achieving the goals of the Strategy.
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Foot pain is a common problem that can affect people of all ages and lifestyles. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including injuries, overuse, or underlying medical conditions. Foot pain can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that makes it difficult to walk or stand.
Common causes of foot pain include plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, bunions, corns, calluses, and ingrown toenails. Other conditions that can cause foot pain include arthritis, gout, and neuropathy.
If you are experiencing foot pain, it is important to seek medical attention from a podiatrist who can diagnose the underlying cause and recommend appropriate treatment. Treatment options may include rest, ice, compression, physical therapy, and medication.
Preventing foot pain is also important, and some tips to help reduce the risk of pain include wearing properly fitting shoes, maintaining a healthy weight, and stretching before physical activity. By taking care of your feet and seeking prompt treatment for pain, you can help ensure that your feet stay healthy and pain-free.
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Virginia War Memorial Presenting Program About Native American Soldiers Who Served In World War I
The Virginia War Memorial will present “Great War, Great Warriors,” a history of Native Americans who served during World War I, on Tuesday, November 27 from 6-8 p.m. The program is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
Powhatan Red Cloud Owen, a member of Virginia’s Chickahominy Tribe, decorated Vietnam veteran, and volunteer docent at the Virginia War Memorial, will discuss how, from the Choctaw Code Talkers to the North American Indian Cavalry, Native American soldiers served with distinction in Europe during what was then called “The Great War.”
“It is particularly appropriate to tell the often overlooked role of Native Americans who served in World War I. November is Native American Heritage Month and we are commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Armistice Day when the war ended,” said Owen. “These proud warriors volunteered to defend an America that did not even offer them citizenship until 1924 – six years after they returned home.”
“Great War, Great Warriors” will be presented in the VMI Alumni Hall of Honor, part of the Paul and Phyllis Galanti Education Center at the Virginia War Memorial at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond. Seating is limited and will be on a first come-first seated basis. Because of the expansion construction, parking is limited at the Memorial but will be available in the VHDA surface lot next door and in the Afton Chemical Corporation lot at Belvidere and Spring Streets.
For more information, please visit www.vawarmemorial.org/event/great-war-great-warriors or call 804.786.2060.
About the Virginia War Memorial
The mission of the Virginia War Memorial is to Honor Veterans, Preserve History, Educate Youth and Inspire Patriotism in All. Dedicated in 1956, the Memorial includes the names of the nearly 12,000 Virginia heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the Global War on Terrorism. Situated on nearly five acres overlooking the James River at 621 South Belvidere Street in Richmond, the Virginia War Memorial is a division of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and serves as an integral part of its mission in support of all Virginians who served in our military. More at www.vawarmemorial.org
The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) operates 31 benefit offices throughout the state that assist military veterans and their families in filing claims for federal veterans benefits; two long-term care facilities offering in-patient skilled nursing care, Alzheimer’s/memory care, and short-term rehabilitative care for veterans; and three cemeteries that provide an honored final resting place for veterans and their families. DVS provides veterans and family members with direct linkages to services including behavioral healthcare, housing, employment, education and other programs. The Department also operates the Virginia War Memorial, the Commonwealth’s monument to honor the memory and sacrifice of Virginia’s men and women who served and fought to defend our way of life from World War II to the present. For more information, please visit www.dvs.virginia.gov.
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Pace Perspectives: Hydrofracking
Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing (“fracking”) of shale formations to access natural gas supplies heretofore unable to be harvested economically creates a vast potential domestic energy resource for areas with appropriate shale resources.
The process has serious environmental problems, however, that need to be resolved and vigorously regulated to avoid overtaxing and contaminating drinking water supplies, dangerous air pollution, earthquakes, assure reimbursement for any accidents or damages to affected properties, and to assure minimization of the release of greenhouse gasses.
The fracking process involves drilling into the shale deposits and forcing more than a million gallons of water, sand, and chemicals per well through cement pipes into the shale to release the embedded gasses. The chemical-infused wastewater is returned, often with radioactive materials that occur in the shale, and it has to be stored or reprocessed in a manner to prevent leakage into aquifers and reservoirs used for drinking water. Hundreds of trucks bring in water and transport the waste water to disposal sites, often spilling waste water and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
There now are hundreds of wells in the U.S. that were improperly plugged after the wells were abandoned resulting in serious leakage of waste water, toxic chemicals and radioactive materials into drinking water supplies. Some fracking companies failed to use adequate qualities of cement in the drilling pipes resulting in leakages both of contaminated water and methane gases that are powerful greenhouse gas contributors. There have been incidents of methane fires and explosions. Fracking companies have refused to disclose the identity and concentrations of chemicals they use in the fracking process claiming that the information is proprietary. Contaminated wastewater has been delivered to POTW facilities that lacked the capability of processing the chemical and radioactive wastes.
In Pennsylvania, there were serious incidents of water contamination resulting in illnesses and deaths, adjacent property values plummeted, and the banks no longer will give or extend mortgages to property owners in the vicinity of fracking projects. Affected property owners were not properly reimbursed.
Regulation of fracking operations to prevent harm to public health and the environment has been abysmal. At the federal level, the Energy Policy Act of 2005[i], orchestrated by Vice President Cheney and signed by President George W. Bush, exempted fracking from most of the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act and restricted application of NEPA and other environmental statutes. State regulations have been insipid and poorly enforced. The DGEIS prepared by the Department of Environmental Conservation in New York was seriously deficient, and the Riverkeeper, NRDC and other environmental organizations, and the US EPA have submitted extensive comments detailing the deficiencies.
The principal regulations required to assure protection of public health and the environment include:
- Fracking must be prohibited in the vicinity of major drinking water supplies, in areas on seismic faults and in areas with drinking water shortages.
- The specifications for pipeline construction and wastewater repositories must be strict to the point of preventing leakage of chemical and radioactive materials and methane under all foreseeable contingencies.
- The chemicals used in fracking must be fully disclosed, at least to the regulatory authorities.
- Wastewater must not be sent to POTW plants that lack the ability to remove toxic and radioactive materials.
- Specifications for trucks that transport wastewater must require adequate protection against leakage in the event of accidents or driver negligence. Drivers must be adequately trained in the safe handling of these materials.
- Procedures must be required to handle all foreseeable accidents, and equipment necessary to handle such events must be available at each fracking site.
- The exemption of fracking operations from federal environmental laws must be repealed.
- Regulations must be strictly enforced, adequate numbers of enforcers must be hired and adequately trained, and penalties for failure to abide by regulations must be severe.
- There should be strict liability for damages caused by fracking operations, and a fund or insurance should be required to compensate all persons and communities that suffer damages resulting from fracking.
- Assistance should be provided to developing countries to enable them to adopt and enforce these regulatory measures.
- These measures should be paid for by a tax on the revenues from fracking operations.
If these measures are adopted and enforced, then natural gas from fracking could be a useful transition fuel while energy efficiency and renewable energy measures are adopted and adequate transmission systems are constructed.
Natural gas still is a greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuel; the necessity for replacing all fossil fuels, including natural gas, with non-carbon alternatives still should be the world’s energy priority.
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Perito Moreno Glacier, Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is a glacier located in the Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. It is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Argentinian Patagonia.
The 250 km2 (97 sq mi) ice formation, and 30 km (19 mi) in length, is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in the Andes system shared with Chile. This ice field is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water.
The Perito Moreno Glacier, located 78 kilometres (48 mi) from El Calafate, was named after the explorer Francisco Moreno, a pioneer who studied the region in the 19th century and played a major role in defending the territory of Argentina in the conflict surrounding the international border dispute with Chile.
Due to its size and accessibility, Perito Moreno is one of the major tourist attractions in southern Patagonia. It is less than two hours by bus from El Calafate, and many tour companies run daily visits. A large visitor centre at the site features a walking circuit which allows visitors to view the southern flank and the east facing edge of the glacier.
In recent years, trekking tours on the ice have gained popularity. The two standard tours are a "mini-trekking" option, consisting of a short walk of about an hour and a half, and a "big ice" version, which is usually about five hours. Tour companies generally provide crampons to customers.
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The Petersburg Crater – Then and Now (Park Service Publication Vol. 3, No. 1 [July 1939])
By Raleigh C. Taylor
Junior Research Technician
Background: Raleigh C. Taylor worked for the Petersburg National Military Park (1933-1940) and oversaw the publication of many of the Park Service’s tour and information guides. He supervised the publication of material for the 1937 Crater reenactment, which celebrated the addition of the Crater battlefield to the PNMP. This short article is an excellent example of the types of sources that I am using in the final chapter of my Crater manuscript. Taylor presents what had become the standard story of the battle. By 1939 most stories of the battle had been stripped of any overt racial references, which allowed for a more sanitized interpretation that emphasized the heroism of Civil War soldiers and allowed for a direct connection with the more recent experiences of WWI veterans. In reference specifically to the Crater, the reader is left with little more than the impression of mindless digging in the face of harrowing conditions. In fact what remains of the topography sets the terms for how visitors experience the battle rather than a more complete appraisal of the divisive issues that animated the men in the ranks and their military and political superiors. Ultimately, what mattered most was the “product of the Blue and the Gray soldier-excavators.” Click here for an outline of my Crater manuscript.
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Hypertension or high blood pressure is a risk factor which can increase the risk of developing a heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. Only in the U.S., more than 70 million adults are affected by hypertension, which means that 1 out of 3 adults is affected.
Do not forget to mention the fact that one-third of the Americans have prehypertension, a condition characterized by high blood pressure, but not yet HBP. This health problem costs the USA $46 billion a year, including the cost of health care services, treatment, and medications.
What is high blood pressure?
High blood pressure refers to the increased blood pressure in the arteries usually caused by two main factors:
- The heart pumps blood too forcefully
- The smaller blood vessels of the body became narrow, thus causing the blood to exert more pressure
Causes of high blood pressure
The most common type of HBP is the Primary Hypertension. It is considered that genetic factors have a critical role in HBP including genes that affect blood pressure control and those that cause abnormalities of the sympathetic nervous system
Secondary Hypertension is a condition usually caused by an underlying medical condition or medications including:
- Endocrine disorders
- Diabetes type 1 and 2
- Birth control pills
- Birth defect in the aorta, (the main artery of the heart)
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen (generic, Advil, Motrin), naproxen (generic, Aleve), and Aspirin
- Kidney disease
- Men over 45 and women over 55
- Family history
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Chronic stress
- Chronic alcohol use
- Physical inactivity
The harm in pharmaceutical treatment
There are many drugs which can be used for treating hypertension such as diuretics, calcium channel blockers (CCBs), beta blockers, Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARB), and -converting enzyme (ACE). Unfortunately, these drugs cause the individual to feel worse than the disease itself caused him to feel initially.
Treatment: Usually, these drugs are the first treatment prescribed in case of hypertension. They help the kidneys flush out excess water and salt in the body.
- Potassium-sparing diuretics – Amiloride (Midamor, generic), triamterene (Dyrenium, generic) and spironolactone (Aldactone, generic).
- Loop diuretics – ethacrynic acid (Edecrin, generic), furosemide (Lasix, generic), torsemide (Demadex, generic) and bumetanide (Bumex, generic).
- Thiazide diuretics – chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone, Clorpres), bendroflumethiazide (Naturetin), hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDiuril), methyclothiazide (Enduran), indapamide (Lozol), and metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
Thiazide diuretics can lower the body’s potassium supply, thus increasing the risk for disturbances of heart rhythm. They are also related to elevated blood sugar levels, elevated uric acid levels, and erectile dysfunction.
- Urinary incontinence
- Depression and irritability
- Reduced sexual drive
Treatment: Beta blockers lower blood pressure levels and slow the heart rate.
Medication brands: acebutolol (Sectral), Propranolol (Inderal), nadolol (Corgard) atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), betaxolol (Kerlone), carteolol (Cartrol), timolol (Blocadren), pindolol (Visken), penbutolol (Levatol), carvedilol (Coreg), and nebivolol (Bystolic).
- They are not recommended for people with asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis because they can narrow bronchial airways
- When combined with a diuretic they increase the risk for diabetes
- Sudden withdrawals can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and lead to a heart attack or angina.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness
- Memory loss
- Reduced sexual drive
- Reduced exercising abilities
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Vivid dreams and nightmares
- Coldness in extremities (legs, arms, toes, and hands)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
Treatment: They can reduce the overall workload of the heart and widen the blood vessels.
Medication brands: captopril (Capoten, generic), quinapril (Accupril, generic), enalapril (Vasotec, generic), perindopril (Aceon, generic), benazepril (Lotensin, generic), ramipril (Altace, generic), and lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, generic).
- Low blood pressure
- Unfit for pregnancy
- Irritating cough
Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBS)
Treatment: Just like in the case with ACE, they can lower blood pressure and widen blood vessels.
Medication brands: Losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar, generic), candesartan (Atacand), telmisartan (Micardis), olmesartan (Benicar), valsartan (Diovan), eprosartan (Teveten), irbesartan (Avapro), and azilsartan (Edarbi).
- Raised potassium levels
- Nasal congestion
- Low blood pressure
- Unfit for pregnancy
Calcium-channel blockers (CCBS)
Treatment: They relax the blood vessels.
Medication brands: Diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor), felodipine (Plendil), amlodipine (Norvasc), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), nisoldipine (Sular), and nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia).
- Erectile dysfunction
- Food interactions
Herbs: The Natural Alternative to Treat High Blood Pressure
For many years, hawthorn was used in the treatment of heart disease. It has powerful antioxidant flavonoids which have the ability to improve blood glow, dilate the blood vessels, and protect them from damage.
Compared to the berries, the buds and leaves of this herb have higher amount of flavonoids. A study showed that individuals who took hawthorn extract for 16 weeks manage to lower the high blood pressure.
- Lime Blossom
This herb is extremely effective for treating anxiety. The flowers contain flavonoids, mucilage component, and volatile oil which work together to relieve inflammation. Linden works as a powerful sedative, astringent, antispasmodic and diuretic agent.
A number of studies proved that mistletoe can neutralize blood sugar levels in people who have diabetes, and can treat cardiovascular disease. It has the ability to relieve arthritic and rheumatic pain as well.
A study included two groups of male participants aged 30-65 years. The first group was given 250 ml of hibiscus tea while the second one was given only water. After some period of time, the first group experienced significant improvement in inflammation and blood pressure compared to the second one which consumed only water.
Many European countries use yarrow for it potent medicinal properties. It contains flavonoids which can relax the smooth muscles in the uterus and intestine and improve digestion. Its stems, leaves, and flowers are used for lowering blood pressure.
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How infectious diseases are spread and simple and practical advice for preventing the spread of infection in the home and community
Trachoma - including symptoms, treatment and prevention
Trachoma is a preventable disease of the eyes caused by infection with the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis (different from the sexually transmitted form of this germ). It causes loss of vision and blindness in older people who have had severe active trachoma, usually since childhood.
The disease is present in over 40 countries where 1.9 million people have their vision damaged by the infection. Australia is the only developed country with blinding trachoma.
Aboriginal people in remote Australia are most at risk of developing trachoma, with young children the highest risk. Trachoma is a common cause of blindness in Aboriginal adults.
Australia has signed the World Health Organization (WHO) agreement to eliminate blinding trachoma as a public health problem by 2020 and South Australia is on track reach this target.
How trachoma is spread
Trachoma occurs in areas with overcrowded housing where personal and community hygiene are difficult to maintain. The germ is easily spread through infected eye fluids. These fluids are passed back and forth between young children during close contact, such as playing and sharing the same bedding. Flies can also spread the germ.
Children are the main source (reservoir) of infection. Dirty faces are the most important risk factor in the spread of trachoma.
Signs and symptoms of trachoma
Active trachoma in children often causes no symptoms. Trachoma can be present even in children with clean faces. However, children with active trachoma may have red, sore, sticky eyes and discharge from the nose.
The cycle of repeated active infection and resolution occurs over many years. As trachoma progresses in teenagers and young adults, scarring develops under the eyelids. Without treatment the eyelashes turn in and rub on the cornea (the clear part of the front of the eye). This is called trichiasis, and may be painful. Eventually this will cause scarring of the cornea, followed by loss of vision and blindness.
(time between becoming infected and developing symptoms)
Between 5 to 10 days, but most episodes of infection are reinfections and usually occur in children who already have the disease. Trichiasis usually takes many years to develop.
(time during which an infected person can infect others)
Between 2 to 3 months. Trachoma is very infectious in its early stage and may be infectious on and off as long as active infection persists.
Diagnosis of trachoma
The diagnosis is made by qualified primary health care staff (Aboriginal health workers, nurses and doctors) taking a history and examining the eye. A swab of the eye may be used to help the diagnosis but is not routinely required
Treatment for trachoma
- A single dose of an antibiotic (azithromycin) is the recommended treatment for all people with active trachoma.
- This antibiotic is also recommended for the contacts of the person being treated. A contact is anyone who is living and/or sleeping in the same house as a person with trachoma. If the person lives or sleeps in multiple households, then all members of each household are regarded as contacts.
- If there is a high rate of trachoma in a community, then all Aboriginal members of the community should be treated with this antibiotic.
- Aboriginal adults over 40 years of age in communities where trachoma is usually present (endemic) should be screened annually for trichiasis. Adults who complain of a sore eye also need to be examined for trichiasis. Health services need to ensure timely treatment and referral to an eye surgeon for people with trichiasis.
Prevention of trachoma
The WHO and the Communicable Disease Network Australia recommend the SAFE strategy, 4 actions which aim to eliminate trachoma:
- Surgery for trichiasis
- Antibiotics (azithromycin) for cases of active trachoma and their contacts
- Facial cleanliness by promoting clean faces to reduce spread of infection
- Environmental improvements to improve overcrowding, water and sanitation facilities.
- Hand Hygiene
- Trachoma, University of Melbourne
- Australian Series of National Guidelines for trachoma, Australian Department for Health
Information modified and reproduced with kind permission from Northern Territory Centre for Disease Control. Trachoma Factsheet for patients and health professions
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Salt Baths for Fishes
by S. N. Nagendra
We have all given salt baths to fishes. A short-period-dip and they are out, back to
the tank. Many times we have also seen that the moment they are released back into main
tank they wriggle about, run randomly, dart back and forth, etc. with heavy breathing.
Hardy type fishes survive, the sensitive ones die! Why does this happen? Read further to
Salt as medicine:
Whenever a fish is affected by external parasites or injuries, it leads to infection.
Basically because the water in which the fish live contains several different kinds of
bacteria and although they are normally good, infection may give rise to bad ones.
As a response to the infection on the fish's body (inflammatory response), there will
be an increase in the water content of the involved tissues.
Water tends to follow salt. Hence, a fish placed in a dip-tub with a high concentration
of salt tends to lose water due to osmosis (the movement of water molecules from an area
of high concentration to an area of low concentration).
Cell membranes are completely permeable to water; therefore the environment to which
the cell is exposed can have a dramatic effect on the cell.
If the tank water has a higher salt concentration than the fish's intrinsic salt
concentration, it will tend to draw out some of the fluid from the infected cells of the
fish thereby killing the infectious bacteria. This will give some relief to the fish, but
the fish will feel an energy burnout.
After salt bath:
The fish when placed in the main tank after a salt dip, tends to absorb a lot of water as
the salt content will be high inside its cells
therefore there is a possibility of
cell rupturing happening inside the fish's body
which may even lead to the death of
the fish within a few minutes. This is definite if the fish is of a delicate species.
Hence, once the salt bath is done, don't remove the fish from the bucket immediately.
Instead, add water slowly to the bucket until the concentration of salt becomes
negligible. Then, after a brief period of confinement, move the fish back to the main
tank. Make sure it is adapted to the main tank temperature. This ensures that the fish
will not be affected by sudden changes in water conditions.
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The code intelligence system uses language scanners to scan source code of a particular language and store the symbols found in the source files in an internal database. This database of code symbols is used:
- for code completion to show the possible code completions
- for call tips to show the context of a function call
- for jumping to symbol definitions when you select “Go to Definition” from the context menu in the Editor pane
(Komodo IDE only)
A sidebar in the left pane that displays a hierarchical view of all code constructs (for example, import statements, classes, functions, arguments, and variables) in the selected file. In the Symbol Browser, symbols can be sorted by file order or alphabetically, and filtered. The current scope of a symbol can be located. To access the Symbol Browser, click View > Tabs & Sidebars > Symbol Browser. For more information, see Symbol Browser.
Use the Symbol Browser to:
- View program structure.
- Browse from a listed namespace, command, or variable definition and jump to the actual source code where it is declared.
- Locate all variables used within a file.
- View a symbol definition signature.
- Find all defined symbols matching a pattern.
You can configure the following settings for the Symbol Browser by clicking the cog icon next to the Filter Symbols text box:
- Locate current scope: Identifies the current scope of a symbol automatically if it is in another file.
- Show all symbols: Shows all symbols in the file, not just the high-level symbols, such as classes.
- Sort alphabetically: Sorts the symbols identified in the file in alphabetical order.
- Sort by file order: Sorts the symbols identified in the order they appear in the file.
- Use legacy parser: Select this option if you want to use the parser available in previous versions of Komodo.
The cog button opens the Settings menu with the following options:
The Filter Symbols text box limits the Symbol Browser display to matching symbols. Enter the desired symbol name, or partial name, in the text box. The filter supports regular expressions (Python syntax). If there is an error in the pattern, the text is highlighted and a tooltip describes the error.
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Updated (8/28/2018): Teachers in Kentucky no longer need to obtain a master’s degree. Previously, teachers in the state were required to move from Rank III to Rank II through a board-approved master’s program within 10 years of beginning their teaching career. However, teachers can still continue their education and advance their ranking but can do so when they choose.
Politician Brad Henry once said, “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination and instill a love of learning.” Teachers can have a truly profound impact on their students, from pre-K to adulthood. But there are requirements to be considered qualified to teach.
Although these requirements vary by state, Kentucky has some of the most stringent standards in the nation. This guide will help you navigate the complex, and occasionally confusing, world of Kentucky regulations so you can understand what you need to do to follow your passion and change the lives of others in the classroom.
In Kentucky, as with any state, the proper credentials are needed to become licensed as a teacher. The Kentucky Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB) manages the certification process and distributes teaching licenses. Their process involves several steps and requirements.
Each teacher in the state of Kentucky must have at least a bachelor’s degree to teach; the coursework and type of degree required depends on the type of teacher. Here are the basic coursework requirements:
Elementary School Teacher (Grades 1-5)
To earn certification, teachers must have completed coursework in all subject areas taught in elementary school, including English, math, social studies and more.
Middle School Teacher (Grades 6-9)
To become a middle school teacher, teachers must have an undergraduate major in English, math, social studies or science, with the major being equivalent to 30 or more semester hours of coursework. Most education degree programs fulfill this requirement by offering concentrations in various areas of teaching.
Secondary School Teachers (Grades 9-12)
As with middle school subjects, a teacher must have a major in their subject areas. Specialty subject areas like art and music have specific requirements.
It is important to note that Kentucky requires a period of supervised student teaching that is typically arranged through a degree program. These opportunities give you the chance to get real teaching experience under the watchful eye of an experienced educator.
To show competency in foundational teaching skills as well as a grasp of your desired subject area, Kentucky requires teaching candidates to take several exams. The Pre-Professional Skills Test is used for basic teaching skills; this is the same test that is used as an entry exam into some teaching preparation programs. Teachers must also complete the Praxis II and the Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching tests for their given subject area.
These exams are very similar to other standardized tests and have a significant preparatory community surrounding them. There are plenty of books, courses and study groups that you can use to prepare for the test.
Receiving Teaching Certification
After completing all of the above requirements, you can submit an application form to the EPSB. They will require all of your official transcripts for your undergraduate and graduate coursework. Your student teaching experience paperwork must be verified by the proper official and submitted, as well as your passing Praxis scores. All of this information, along with the application form, must be sent to the EPSB office in Frankfort. This will give you a Rank III teaching certificate, the lowest level of state teaching certification.
Advance Your Teaching Career
Make a difference in the world and inspire future professionals and leaders with an online teaching degree from Campbellsville University.Explore Degrees
Alternate Teacher Certifications
There are also eight alternative routes to teacher certification that the EPSB provides for individuals wanting to become educators. They include:
Exceptional Work Experience Certification – Bachelor’s degree holders who have 10 years or more of “exceptional” work experience in a particular subject area may be eligible for this certification.
Local District Training Program Certification – This program is similar to the Exceptional Work Experience Certification but is limited to just Jefferson County Public Schools. However, applicants only need to have five years of exceptional field experience.
College Faculty Certification – For those who have at least five years of teaching in a college or university, the state offers them an opportunity to teach grades eight to 12 in Kentucky.
Adjunct Instructor Certification – This program is similar as the same as the college faculty certification but for adjunct faculty members at colleges.
Veterans of the Armed Forces – Veterans of active duty who have a bachelor’s degree in a subject matter are eligible to become teachers in this program.
University-Based Alternative Route to Certification – This is an alternative program that gives bachelor’s degree holders temporary certification in cases of emergencies.
Institute Alternative Route to Certification – Any person in a field other than education may receive a one-year temporary provisional certificate if they have met certain conditions.
Teach for America (TFA) Alternative Route to Certification – Teach for America is a nationwide nonprofit focused on closing the achievement gap among low-income students. Corps members are given a temporary certificate to teach if accepted.
Once credentialed, you may begin your teaching career. However your education does not end here; there are continuing opportunities to learn and improve your standing in the field.
Kentucky Teacher Internship Program
This internship program is designed to help new teachers experience a successful first year in the classroom. This program involves the reporting and recording of all of a teacher’s first year, including everything from lesson plans to final grade books. It also includes random observations by other educators to ensure that the new teacher is performing his or her job to an acceptable level. This program is mandatory for all first-year teachers, and is a significant part of their job status for subsequent years.
Earning a Master’s Degree in Education
Previously, a requirement for a Kentucky teacher’s certification renewal after five years was working toward a master’s degree. By the time of application, at least 15 hours of this degree program had to be completed. A teacher then had another five years to complete their master’s degree.
Kentucky teachers are still able to pursue a master’s degree if they choose; however, there is no requirement as to when it must be completed. After earning your graduate degree, you can earn your Rank II teaching certificate, which improves your standing in the teaching profession and increases pay. According to Teach.com, Kentucky teachers holding a master’s degree can expect to earn around $5,400 more annually than teachers without an advanced degree. Beyond the Rank II, you can earn more graduate credit to achieve a Rank I teaching certificate. This is the highest level of teaching credentials a Kentucky educator can earn. With it comes an average increase of salary of 21 percent and significant job security.
Educational Leadership Roles
Some educators become interested in moving into leadership roles beyond the classroom. These administrative roles have their own certifications in Kentucky, and have different rules and requirements.
Guidance Counselor Certification
In Kentucky, guidance counselors must all undergo a master’s level program in school counseling. Most of these programs accept educators with degrees in education or similar experience. After completing this program, the state can issue a provisional certificate for use in any level of school. After one year of guidance counseling you will be issued a five year standard certificate.
In Kentucky, all principals must have at least three years of full-time teaching experience. The state offers a series of assessments that all principal candidates must pass. Potential principals must also have a master’s degree in education and complete one year in the Kentucky Principal Internship Program. Then they can receive a five-year professional principal certification.
Advancing Your Teaching Career With an Online Degree
Although understanding the various requirements can seem complex, resources are out there to help you make sense of it all. The state EPSB offers much more information on the exact steps you need to take and options if you get stuck. The first step, however, is earning the right undergraduate and graduate degrees. At Campbellsville University, we have been educating teachers in Kentucky for almost 100 years. Our curriculum is designed to help you pass the state exams, get the experience you need to succeed in the classroom and earn the appropriate certifications. Specializations are available, and all education programs are offered fully online, so busy working teachers can earn their degree when it fits into their schedule.
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When you start a computer, a regular and predictable sequence occurs. It happens this way, all the time, every time you turn it on.
First, the power goes on (in people, either the power is on, or off, you can’t really toggle it). The next thing that happens is the Power On Self Test, or POST. This is a ‘system level’ test that checks the fundamental power and data input/output functions. Without a positive POST result, something will go wrong: Maybe there will be a garbled image or no display at all; you might not be able to read the DVD drive; the internal memory might be defective so programs don’t run well, or they ‘freeze’. If everything is in order, the ‘machine’ or ‘hardware’ passes control to the ‘operating system’, that is, your Windows or Macintosh system. Once the operating system is loaded into memory, it can finally run the programs you like, like word processors, internet browsers, photo editors, communications tools, and so on. At each step, the thing becomes more and more complex but very much more useful. All of this is built on a solid foundation at the machine level.
Humans operate in a similar way, but they are always ‘on’. Our senses exist on the machine level. If one of the senses or something it is connected to is not working well, there will be a problem in running programs. Some senses are more important for some tasks. Vision especially is very important as it is tied to 65% of what our brains do. In school, vision is the most important sense, accounting for 80% of what children do, by some estimates. So, if some aspect of vision is not working, learning will be impaired or will simply not work.
You don’t need to wait until the programs are having trouble running to find out if a computer has a problem. You don’t have to wait to find out a child will have trouble learning to know there is a problem with how things are working. There are different ways of doing this to consider different parts of the ‘machine’, and even in very young children, how vision is working can tell us a lot about how he is likely to fare in school.
With computers, if a certain part of the machine is not working well, we only have one option: Replace that part. With children, like adults but more so, we cannot replace parts, but we can change how the machine works. What’s more, by looking at how vision works in some detail, we can predict many likely behaviours that children will show when they start to read and learn at school. It’s really quite simple, but complex at the same time. In fact, for as difficult the visual nervous system is to explain, visual impediments to learning are the easiest thing to demonstrate, well, most of the important ones anyway. It’s one of those things: You have to see it to understand it.
Be sure your child is ready for school. Check their basic machinery of learning: Have their visual function and health checked BEFORE you try to ‘run any programs’. If a child is having trouble learning or reading, consider the most basic elements first.
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Fly Management Fly’s are commonly seen in our surroundings. Common House fly, Drain Fly, Flesh Fly, Fruit Fly, Blow Fly (Green & Blue Bottle). Fly’s are carrier of diseases causing organism
HOW DOES THIS WORK.
Houseflies belong to the order Diptera and genus Musca. Houseflies are often seen as a nuisance as well as a health hazard as they contaminate food with their feces. However, the larvae are considered useful as they can be used to feed livestock and farmed fish. Moreover, housefly larvae also have the potential to be used as an agent for biodegradation – able to recycle nutrients in nature.
Adult house flies grow to a length of 0.7 cm with a wingspan of around 1.5 cm. Moreover, males tend to have smaller-wings than females.
WHY DO I NEED THIS?
During the day, they rest less than 5 ft. from the ground: at night, mainly above 5 ft, but near their food sources. House flies are general feeders on liquids: attracted to many substances, from excrement to human foods House flies can liquefy solid foods by regurgitation.
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A traditional dance known as kilume was a sacred dance that was performed by medicine men or women. In the past, this dance took place in an open space, symbolizing a transition into becoming a medicine man or woman.
Various traditions were followed, including the ritual slaughter of a bull and other ceremonial practices. During the dance, older men were responsible for playing the drum while the women danced. The musical instruments used included drums and beaded necklaces with aluminum bells, creating a desired rhythm.
Each group had its own unique kilume drums, which differed from the drums commonly used by younger individuals. It was believed that the dance invoked spirits and addressed spiritual troubles.
People with prophetic powers would kill me, and some individuals would become possessed for nearly an hour. While in this state, the possessed person would make demands such as milk, beer, meat, or fire, and these demands had to be fulfilled.
If the demands were not met, the medicine man or woman could fall ill or remain in that state for some time. Those who participated in kilim were not allowed to attend church services, as it was believed to be incompatible with their association with the dance.
However, they could still engage in the performing arts. The kilume song and dance served as a therapeutic outlet during times of personal or communal challenges. It was performed during times of sorrow, such as drought or lack of rainfall, as well as during social occasions or moments of joy, such as harvesting or planting.
And the initiation of medicine. It also served as a means of protection, particularly after the death of a person or the birth of an illegitimate child. The Kamba, also referred to as Akamba, are a Bantu community residing in the eastern region of Kenya.
They are known for speaking the Kikamba language and share close linguistic and cultural ties with the Kikuyu, Embu, Mbeere, and Meru communities. The majority of the Kamba people can be found in Machakos, Makueni, and Kitui Counties, which collectively form an area known as Ukambani.
Additionally, there is a presence of Kamba individuals in the coastal region of Kenya, as well as in Uganda, Tanzania, and Paraguay. Notable figures among the Kamba community include Chief Kivoi, Syonguu, Prophetess Syokimau, and Muindi Mbingu, among others.
Without a doubt, the most tremendous indication of customary Kamba culture was their moving, performed to pounding polyrhythmic rhythms. It was described by uncommonly aerobatic jumps and somersaults, which flung artists out of sight.
The way of playing was like that of the similarly vanished customs of the Embu and Chuka: the drummers would hold the long drums between their legs and would likewise move.
Sadly, except for true capabilities and live events (where proficient social groups perform), Kamba moving is presently nearly, if not totally, terminated. Except for one financially accessible tape (“Akamba Drums”, Tamasha), I neglected to track down any tapes of drum music or any reference to existing gatherings.
The just-live ‘Akamba’ drumming I heard was a pale impersonation by a touristic multi-ancestral troupe on the coast, whose validity was suspect.
A few of the moves had military topics, straightforwardly gotten from the support of Kamba in huge numbers in the nation’s military, beginning with WWI when they served under the English in India and the Center East.
In traditional African societies, psychiatric and psychological services were provided through various means. Among the Akamba people, dance and song were powerful tools used for this purpose.
The Kilumi dance was specifically used to communicate with ancestral spirits and to rid individuals of malevolent spirits. These spirits, known as the “bevor,” were believed to come from outside the Ukambani region.
And would possess individuals, causing them to speak in a foreign language and demand foreign items. The dance served multiple purposes, including praying for rain, empowering men and women for healing, exorcising evil spirits, and appeasing angered ancestral spirits.
It took place at the community shrine, called “Ithembo,” at night, when the spirits were believed to be most active. Initiated older women, known as “live to say them,” were the main participants in the dance, accompanied by the rhythmic beats of a special drum called “theme.”
The dance leader, who was often a medicine man or woman, sang songs to call upon ancestral spirits for assistance or to implore evil spirits to leave the possessed person’s body.
As the sick person began to dance, others would join in, and at a certain point, spiritual manifestations would occur. Participants might utter oracles prescribing healing or demanding sacrifices in the name of ancestors.
After a successful exorcism, the patient would be purified by being smeared with fat and allowed to rest. However, with the influence of Christianity and Islam, the Kilumi dance has largely disappeared from most of the Ukambani region.
Kilumi may hold cultural or historical significance for the Kamba people, potentially being the site of important events or the origin of significant cultural practices and traditions.
In Kamba history, Kilumi could have been a central location for trade, social gatherings, or political activities, contributing to its historical importance to the Kamba community.
The area surrounding Kilumi might have possessed specific resources that were vital to the Kamba people, whether for agriculture, natural resources, or advantageous positioning along trade routes.
Kilumi may have been considered a sacred or spiritually important place for the Kamba people, associated with religious rituals, ceremonies, or spiritual beliefs that were integral to their culture.
Situated in a geographically strategic location, Kilumi could have provided advantages in defense, agriculture, or trade, making it a crucial settlement for the Kamba people.
Kilumi might have been the backdrop for important myths, legends, or stories within Kamba folklore, contributing to its ongoing significance in their cultural narrative.
Many families or important figures within the Kamba community may trace their roots back to Kilumi, elevating it to a revered ancestral homeland.
Understanding why Kilumi is special to the Kamba people would likely involve exploring a combination of these factors, considering the historical, cultural, geographical, and spiritual aspects that contribute to its significance in their collective memory and identity.
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FINAL DIAGNOSIS Fabry Disease - Mosaic pattern
Genetic analysis of the patient reveals that she carries the familial mutation R112H in the GLA gene. The patchy distribution of podocyte involvement on light microscopy and mild proteinuria clinically suggest a mosaic pattern and heterozygous genotype in this female patient.
Fabry disease (also known as Fabry's disease, Anderson-Fabry disease, angiokeratoma corporis diffusum and alpha-galactosidase A deficiency), first described by Drs. Johann Fabry and William Anderson in 1898, is a lysosomal storage disorder with a recessive, X-linked, Mendelian genetic inheritance pattern (1). It is caused by one or more of hundreds of characterized mutations in the GLA gene (2). GLA, short for "galactosidase, alpha," a 12-kb gene mapped to the long arm (Xq22.1) of the X chromosome, encodes the enzyme alpha galactosidase A, which plays an important role in glycosphingolipid metabolism: specifically the hydrolysis of the terminal galactose in alpha-galactosyl moieties. A mutation in this pathway results in the accumulation of galactosylceramide and globotriaosylceramide in lysosomes throughout the body causing multi-organ disease and dysfunction.
In males, the natural history of the disease can be conceptually divided into three sequential time periods. The first manifestations of the disease include acroparesthesias, hypohydrosis, nausea, post-prandial diarrhea and corneal opacities that occur with an average onset of 5 years of age (3). "Fabry crises," which often occur in childhood, are described as burning or tingling of the limbs triggered by environmental stressors without swelling, erythema or tenderness. The non-specific nature of these complaints and absence of physical findings makes diagnosis exceedingly difficult. In the second and third decades, accumulation of abnormal glycosphingolipid in the heart, kidney, and brain begin to figure prominently. It is at this point that renal hyperfiltration, microalbuminuria, and proteinuria are observed. Likewise, in the heart, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, valvular disease, and mitral insufficiency are common findings. Neurological function is compromised including significant hearing loss, tinnitus, and loss of touch sensation. On the skin, angiokeratomas are frequently identified. With advanced age, these disease manifestations continue to take their course. In the heart, electrocardiogram abnormalities including arrhythmias are of major concern. In the brain, the risk for transient ischemic attacks and strokes in men 25-44 years of age is 12 times higher than the general population (4). Renal insufficiency leading to kidney failure frequently occurs.
X-inactivation in female patients makes the presentation and progression of heterozygous carriers highly unpredictable. As little as 5-10% of galactosidase activity is required to (5) prevent clinically significant accumulations. Therefore the natural history of afflicted female patients varies significantly from those that resemble men, to patients, such as the one from this case, who live a long life with much slower disease progression.
Worldwide, the incidence of Fabry disease ranges from 40,000 to 117,000 (6). There is no known ethnic predilection. Males are disproportionately affected and usually diagnosed in early adulthood while a significant proportion of female patients present later or go undiagnosed. Untreated men see their life expectancy reduced by roughly 20 years compared to the general population (3). Women on average see a reduction of just 15 years (7). These statistics are rapidly changing due to the availability of enzyme replacement therapy.
The gold standard for the diagnosis of Fabry disease in men requires the measurement of depressed alpha-galactosidase A activity in peripheral leucocytes and/or alpha galactosidase A gene sequencing with the identification of a disease-causing mutation. In women, enzyme activity levels are notoriously unreliable and gene sequencing testing is the only acceptable method.
In the kidney, the pathologic findings are distinctive. On light microscopy, the glomeruli contain prominent, foamy, vacuolated, PAS-negative inclusions in the podcytes, mesangial cells and endothelial cells. These inclusions are birefringent and autofluoresce with polarized illumination. They can be well visualized on toluidine blue staining. Electron microscopy shows scattered and patchy to diffuse involvement of the renal glomeruli by numerous lamellated, myeloid or "zebra" bodies. It must be noted that these inclusions are not unique to Fabry disease and are found in other lysosomal storage disorders. Progression of disease results in fusion of foot processes, focal glomerular necrosis and thickening of glomerular and tubular basement membranes (8).
Recognition of these characteristic findings can be complicated in instances of coexisting disease and/or severe renal insufficiency changes.
The availability of enzyme replacement therapy in the form of Replagal (available in Europe) and Fabrazyme (available in the U.S.) have dramatically changed the natural history and medical management of these patients. Formerly, treatment consisted primarily of symptom management. But enzyme replacement therapy is not a panacea, with reports of treatment failure secondary to alloimmunization to the exogenous enzymes (3). Close medical management including frequent laboratory studies, echocardiography, and renal evaluation are still recommended.
REFERENCES & ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Contributed by Chris Gilbert, MD and Sheldon Bastacky, MD.
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Montana Territorial and State Prison (1106 Main )
Frank Conley, warden at Montana State Prison from 1890 to 1921, began a program in the 1890s using convict labor. Conley believed that idle prisoners bred trouble. He put his convicts to work not only to rehabilitate them but also to expand the overcrowded prison and compensate for the state’s lack of funds. Prisoners pioneered the use of concrete in early twentieth-century Montana.
The most imposing structure on Main Street, the prison dates back to 1870. The oldest portion of the prison still standing is the outer wall constructed in 1892 with inmate labor. Prisoners also built the 400-man cellblock in 1912 and the Clark Theater in 1918. The state moved the prison facilities to the new complex five miles west of town in 1979. It is now home to several museums that offer tours of the old prison, vintage cars, the county’s history, dolls and toys, and items of the old west.
This building, which was built in 1918, was unusual in that it was made of cast stone mixed with marble dust. There are rusticated cast stone walls divided by rusticated stone Doric columns that support a cornice covered in stucco. The structure has fine neo-classical detailing.
The original bridge at this site was one of four in the state built with inmate labor. It was one of the few remaining from the “Yellowstone Trail” highway, and provided a critical link between the prison and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific and the Northern Pacific railroad yards across the river. The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental highway across the northern tier of the United States.
Upon its completion across the Clark Fork in 1913 Warden Conley pronounced it a handsome bridge and “a necessary convenience for the transportation of material for the prison.” The railroad and county helped with building costs. The continuous three-span reinforced concrete T-beam bridge exhibited girders flush to the sidewalls in the old style rather than recessed beneath the deck. The sidewalls extended to form the guard rails. Corniced balustrades and decorative diamond and rectangle patterns are cast in the concrete walls. The T-beam construction was an experimental design that soon became common with the increasing popularity of the automobile. Placing the beams flush on the outside walls allowed for longer reinforced concrete spans and heavier loads. Warden Conley’s progressive work program survived him until it was discontinued in 1927, and the bridge survived as a sturdy example of his far-reaching legacy.
Johnny Grant had the Home Ranch house built in 1862 and used it as a trading post and headquarters for his ranching operations. Grant reported the lumber for the hewn-log home was hauled from the Flathead Indian Reservation 150 miles to the north. In 1865 in The Montana Post praised Johnny Grant’s residence as, “the finest in Montana…as if it had been lifted by the chimneys from the bank of the Saint Lawrence and dropped down in Deer Lodge Valley.
In 1866, Grant sold the ranch to Conrad Kohrs, who later became known as the “Cattle King” in Montana. Between then and 1890, Kohrs would add a formal entry, four vestibules, and a two-story brick addition with a full basement, creating a T-shaped footprint apparent from the side of the home. Preserved with great care by Kohrs’ grandson, Conrad Warren, the National Park Service purchased the ranch in 1972.
Today the main house and its original furnishings are preserved intact, along with the bunkhouse, blacksmith shop, horse barns, cattle sheds, and other outbuildings. Cattle continue to graze on the lush grasses of the ranch.
The site is a unit of the National Park Service and is free and open daily with ranger led and self-guided tours available.
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Composting is a biological process in which plant material, such as leaves and grass clippings, and other sources of organic matter decompose into humus – a dark brown, crumbly mass resembling rich garden soil. The resulting compost can be applied as a soil amendment, top-dressing, or mulch. Autumn, when many fallen leaves are available, is a handy time to start a compost pile, although it can be done any time of year.
When we make compost, we are doing exactly what nature does all the time by recycling valuable nutrients for reuse. The work of decomposition is done by bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, helped by earthworms, insects and a variety of small creatures. For the home gardener, composting offers not only a way to improve soil but the opportunity to recycle yard and kitchen wastes while avoiding the expense and effort of disposing of these materials.
Incorporating organic matter, or humus, in garden and landscape soils is a necessity often overlooked by gardeners. Organic matter helps maintain a steady supply of plant nutrients, especially nitrogen and potassium. It also improves the soil’s ability to absorb rainfall or irrigation water and to reduce surface runoff, yet holds nutrients loosely at the optimum, slightly acidic pH so they’re easily released into the soil to meet plant needs. Adding compost to soil increases earthworms and soil microbial activity that benefit plant growth.
What materials can be composted?
Most of the ingredients for the compost pile are raw materials from the garden, grass clippings, sod, leaves, hedge clippings, weeds, and discarded plants. Kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable trimmings can also be added to the pile. Do not include grease, fat, meat or bones because they are slow to decompose, will cause odors, and attract rodents. Small twigs and branches of trees or shrubs should be cut up before adding to a compost pile, to speed up decomposition.
Sewage sludge and animal waste is not recommended for use in compost, because it may transmit certain diseases and contain toxic amounts of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead. Also, diseased plant material or weeds that have gone to seed should be avoided.
Do you need a compost bin?
Usually the compost pile is contained in some type of enclosure, although it can be made without one. There are commercially available compost bins made of slatted metal, plastic or plasticized wire mesh. Perforated trash cans may also serve the purpose, or simple containers can be constructed of galvanized wire fencing, boards, bricks or concrete blocks. It is important that there be enough openings to allow adequate air movement.
The compost pile should be located in a visually unobtrusive area and where odors from possible anaerobic decomposition would not be a nuisance. A properly functioning compost pile has no unpleasant odor, but you can get a smell going by dumping on a layer of matted, wet grass clippings that doesn’t break down properly.
When compost forms, heat is produced. If the pile's internal temperature reaches 150 to 170 degrees, the heat will kill weed seeds, insect eggs, and disease organisms. In order to reach that temperature, the pile should have a minimum volume of 1 cubic yard, which is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. If it is much larger, the air necessary for decomposition will not enter the pile and it will need to be turned frequently for the center of the pile to decompose sufficiently
Creating a compost pile
Initially, the compost should be constructed in layers. Alternate moist and green materials such as grass clippings or kitchen wastes with dry materials such as leaves or cornstalks.
A pile built primarily of dry materials will decompose very slowly, because it lacks nitrogen and water. Compost that is made primarily of fresh, green materials will decompose very rapidly, but will shrink as water is lost, leaving only a small volume of compost. Therefore, combining equal volumes of dry to moist is optimum. If the organic materials seem dry, enough water to promote decomposition should be added.
Chopping the materials into smaller pieces is not necessary, but doing so will greatly increase the rate of decomposition because the microorganisms have more surface area to work on. This is especially true for coarse, dry ingredients.
Another method of constructing a compost pile, perhaps the one most commonly used, is to alternate layers of plant material and garden soil. Begin by placing a 6 to 8-inch layer of organic matter inside the composting container. The microbes needed for decomposition are already present in this organic matter. Adding a 1-inch layer of garden soil, which contains many more microorganisms, will speed the process. Continue building the pile with alternate layers of soil and organic matter as they accumulate throughout the growing season.
Maintaining a compost pile
The organisms that break down the organic matter need nitrogen for rapid and thorough decomposition of the plant material. Therefore, you may wish to occasionally add cottonseed meal or dried blood to provide extra nitrogen.
The composting organisms also need water. To hasten the composting process, keep the pile moist but not soggy. Inadequate moisture will reduce microbial activity, while excess moisture may cause undesirable anaerobic decomposition and unpleasant odors. The pile can also be moistened occasionally with a garden hose during dry periods.
A compost pile will decompose more efficiently if the microorganisms have plenty of oxygen. You can introduce air into the pile by turning it and mixing it with a spading fork or similar tool.
A pile that has been built in layers, as described above, should be turned for the first time about four weeks after its construction. With a fork, spade, or similar tool, lifting the pile’s lower layers on top of the upper layers to mix the contents.
Locating two or three compost bins side by side can make the turning process easier and simpler; just shift the material from one bin to the other. During the warm months, the pile should be turned about once a month. In cooler weather, decomposition is slower and during the winter very little decomposition occurs. A well-managed compost pile will break down in four to six months.
Problems will develop if the pile is not working properly. These problems include unpleasant odor, slow decomposition, a dry pile, or standing water. The solution to a problem depends on its cause. In general, turning the pile, adding water, maintaining a mixture of dry and moist materials, or adding nitrogen will solve the problem.
As the plant materials decompose, the pH of the pile is lowered, meaning that its acidity is increased. However, as the process continues, the pH eventually rises to the neutral level of 7.0 pH.
Compost is ready to use when it is dark and crumbly and the ingredients have lost much of their original identity. Finished compost should have an earthy, pleasant smell.
Once it is ready, the compost can be used as surface mulch on plant beds. Apply compost 2-4 inches deep around vegetable and perennial plants to control weeds and conserve moisture.
Compost also can be mixed into the soil just before planting to lighten heavy soil and improve drainage. It can increase the moisture-holding ability of sandy or light soil.
Adding compost increases earthworm and soil microbial activity that benefits plant growth. Compost can also be used as a substitute for peat moss to amend soil in potting mixes or seed flats, or when transplanting trees and shrubs.
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For the littlest learners, everything is an activity--feeling a rock, trying to lick a bubble, smelling a flower, or poking sand. In Treasure-Basket Explorations: Heuristic Learning for Infants and Toddlers, teachers and caregivers of infants and toddlers will learn how these simple explorations support cognitive and vocabulary development. Grounded in the theory of early education pioneer Elinor Goldschmied, the book explains heuristic learning--discovery by trial and error--and how to encourage this type of learning to boost development.
Teachers will learn how to set up treasure baskets that encourage heuristic play: containers filled with easy-to-find items that support explorations in emergent language, math, and science skills. Encourage children to discover the sounds that a metal cup makes when banged on the floor. Invite them to feel the velvety texture of soft fabric or the bumpiness of a loofah sponge. Let them explore what a wooden ring and a cotton handkerchief can do together.
Through his explorations, the child is answering some fundamental questions: What is this and what can I do with it? Later, he will add to his knowledge: What else can this do and what can this become? This is cognitive development in action!
“I have read the delightful new book, Treasure Basket Explorations: Heuristic Learning for Infants and Toddlers, by Laura Wilhelm. This book is based upon Goldschmeid and Jackson’s (1992) seminal work on helping infants and toddlers explore objects in their environments. The unique focus of the book fills a gap in current publications for early childhood educators and parents alike, in that it outlines specific ways to use treasure baskets with the very young. Beautiful photographs highlight the text and give examples of ways infants and toddlers engage with treasure baskets heuristically. This book would make a good addition to a professional’s library, or a gift to a parent with young children.”
Dr. Janette Wetsel
Professor - University of Central Oklahoma
“I love the book! It brought back memories of my childhood. My favorite things to play with were a muffin tin, wooden spoons, costume jewelry and of course dirt! It has wonderful pictures and wonderful ideas to keep a classroom engaged for hours. I will recommend the book to my parents. Laura Wilhelm and her students did a fantastic job! ”
Southern Hills Christian School
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MOTHER EARTH NEWS readers share their farming advice, fun tips and country folklore, including using a natural bee salve for stings, making a homemade composter and a CD scarecrow for the garden.
Bee Sting Salve
The best home remedy for bee, wasp and bumble bee stings is to cut an onion inhalf and apply it right to the sting. After a few moments of slightly sharper stinging,the pain will diminish almost immediately,and the sting will heal in a short while. I always keep an onion in my first aid kit when traveling, camping, etc.
Hot Potatoes and Plentiful Produce
We have a big lawn, and eliminating the grass clippings had always been a problem. We used to let the garbage service haul away our bags full of clippings — then we decided to use them ourselves . . . on the potatoes.
When our potatoes are about a foot tall we drag the clippings out to the garden and carefully pile their warm contents around the base of the plants, covering them until only the tips of the plants show above the grassy compost. The potatoes grow remarkably fast, getting close to five feet tall before tipping over. Heavy rains compress the grass compost into a dense mass, and at harvest time we simply remove the grass mat by rolling it back with a garden rake. Digging down into the soil we find a solid mass of uniformly shaped potatoes, which we simply pick off the ground. This eliminates hoeing and, by leaving the grass compost in place, we can spread it over the garden the following spring.
To have beautiful and delicious greens early in the year, try sowing spinach in the middle of autumn. The plants will grow to medium size before winter sets in . . . and they'll burst forth in the early spring with loads of greens, while your other veggies are just sprouting.
Don't let spare garden produce go to waste! Take it to a senior citizens' apartment complex. You'll find plenty of eager recipients.
Great Bend, KS
Everyone knows to use pastey floor wax to keep the wood handles of your tools in shape, but what about the business end? Try this recycling trick:
Fill a five-gallon bucket with sharp sand and add leftover oil collected from an oil change. After each use of a metal-ended tool, jam it in the sand to clean and preserve it.
When you break the handle of your hammer, axe or maul, the easiest way to replace it is to heat the head in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for about an hour. This shrinks the wood and expands the metal. Pull out the old wood and have the new handle ready to insert while the iron is hot. And use pot holders to handle the hot metal!
Need to get rid of an infestation of fruit flies? Mix one quart of water with 14 drops of lemongrass essential oil. Shake well and pour into a spray bottle. Then spray the areas where you see the flies: walls, ceiling, whatever. Eventually the critters will disappear. You can also use garlic water, but I've had greater success with the lemongrass water spray. This method is not toxic at all and smells great,too.
Los Angeles, CA
A Tropical Recipe
Just thought I'd share a recipe with you. It's called pineapple zucchini. Start with four quarts of zucchini, peeled, seeded and diced into one-inch cubes. Add 1 1/2 cups lemon juice, one 46 oz. can of pineapple juice (unsweetened) and three cups of sugar. Combine all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool and put in jars.Yields three to four quarts or six to eight pints. It takes about three weeks for the zucchini to be fully pineapple-flavored.
Compost This Lore
I wanted one of those nifty (and expensive) compost tumblers, but the price of the product always stopped me in my tracks. So my husband and I decided to build our own compost tumbler using things we had around the house. We found a plastic trash can and drilled holes all over the can. We also drilled four holes in the rim of the lid and secured it with four nuts and bolts.
I just add my compost ingredients to the can and mix them by kicking the can over and turning it. Our tumbler was cheap to make and is easy to use. Best of all, we have finished, usable compost in several weeks.
Sticky Sap No More
Here's something that I always have in my pocket and that has come to my rescue many times. Have you ever been out camping or hiking and gotten the sticky sap of a pine or spruce on your hands? As we all know, soap and water won't get it off — but that little tube of Chap Stick® in your pocket will take it off completely. It's also great for getting off that nasty adhesive left from price stickers. I recently bought a pair of reading glasses that had the price sticker stuck onto the right lens. My Chap Stick® got the sticker gunk off in a flash without harming the lens. For years I have wanted to share this secret but didn't know how to get the word out. Thanks, MOTHER!
Egg Your Slugs and Splinters
If you have a splinter you can't get out, break open an egg and retrieve the membrane that's around the inside of the shell. Put a little bit of this membrane over the splinter, and in six or seven hours the splinter will have come out enough that you can pull it out the rest of the way.
The biggest worry I have for my garden is that slugs are going to eat my vegetables before I do. Since I do not like to use chemicals in my garden, I crunch up empty eggshells and sprinkle them around the edges of the garden. They are much too pointy and pokey for the slugs to get over!
Here are two simple uses for apple cider vinegar that have proved very helpful to me andthat I hope will be of use toothers:
1. Scale or calcium build up around your sink? Saturate paper towels with apple cider vinegarand place around faucets at bedtime. Wipe away unsightly scale the next morning. May require a second application for heavy buildup.
2. Here's a better way to peel hard-boiled eggs: using a needle or stickpin, punch hole in butt end of egg before boiling. Add a small amount of apple cider vinegar and salt to water. Start eggs in cold water, bring to boil and let boil for ten minutes.
—Ben W Ulmer
Moncks Corner, SC
My husband's chickens and guineahens just wouldn't stay out of my garden and flower beds. I found a way to keep them out, as well as the birds that wouldn't stay out of my fruit trees. At least once a week we receive a CD with some Internet offer. We used to just throw them out, but I found that the bright and shiny side reflects light and produces a prism of colors as they wave in the wind. These fluttering distractions keep the birds away, both domestic and wild. I used fence stretch bars to hang them on. The material CDs are made from is pliable and can be bent and drilled without trouble. It's not only galvanized (thus rust-resistant), but it's also free.
Pine Canyon, UT
When You're in a Jamb
Sometimes a project requires you to draw a straight line down the side of a pipe, dowel or other cylindrical piece. The rather difficult job of drawing the straight line along the length of a cylindrical surface can be quickly and easily done using any door jamb. The molding forms a natural "vee" block when a pipe or dowel is placed up against it. Using the molding as a straight edge, draw a pencil line on the surface of the cylinder by running the pencil down the length of the door jamb.
—Arthur R. Lee
Santa Cruz, GA
Don't Tread on Me
I found this idea in a 1948 book of household hints: Is the carpet on your stairs old and worn? Make it look new by moving the carpet up or down half a step. That way the unworn riser sections will now rest on the steps, and the threadbare spots will be moved to the risers, where they won't show as much.
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Along the coast of Peru, a mysterious civilization sprang up about 5,000 years ago. This was many centuries before the Incan Empire. Yet these people were sophisticated. They cultivated crops and orchards. And they built huge monuments of earth and rock.
Archaeologists are trying to prove that an abrupt change of climate created this new culture.
The culture has no official name yet. It flourished in a series of dry coastal valleys called Norte Chico. The place is a moonscape — desolate, misty, a place of rock and dirt, with the occasional cactus and a few hardy trees along the few streams and rivers.
The Mound Builders
What drove people to settle here is something archaeologist Jonathan Haas, of the Field Museum in Chicago, has puzzled over for years.
He doesn't know exactly why they built the mounds he has discovered in Norte Chico. But he has been working on the problem since he first made some unusual finds eight years ago.
"You get down on your hands and knees," he says, showing exactly how he did it years ago, "and what you find is little pieces of seashell. And then you go, 'How do I get little pieces of seashell out here?' And I thought, 'Well, I don't know, I don't know, and I don't really care.' "
But of course he did care.
"I puzzled and puzzled and puzzled over it, and I finally realized it was the people who were building the mounds who were coming out here, and I bet they were fishermen."
Fishermen who had come up from the coast about 10 miles away, bringing shellfish. But why?
The story starts thousands of years ago, when people from eastern Asia flowed into North America and then South America. On a local beach, Haas tells the story.
"People are going where the good resources are," says Haas, a burly, bearded man in his 50s with a wheeze from years of inhaling desert dust. "Right down to this very beach."
This beach is called Barranca. Early Americans — hunters and gatherers — came here to fish and collect mussels and clams. That worked fine until about 3000 B.C., Haas says. "At around 3000, the environment begins to change."
A Change in the El Nino Cycle
Haas suspects that what changed was El Nino, the cycle of warm ocean water and torrential rains that regularly descends on western South America. Some shift in the coupling of the atmosphere and the Pacific Ocean made El Ninos more frequent. Haas doesn't know why it happened, but he believes more frequent El Ninos had a drastic effect on coastal life.
"They were pushing out the cold-water fish," he says of the new El Ninos, "bringing in warm-water fish, killing off local clams and mussels."
The fishing got bad, the weather unpredictable. So people moved inland, to the desert valleys. It was only 10 miles or so, but it might as well have been the moon.
One of the places they went is now called Huaricanga. The ancient people built a mound here about 5,000 years ago. Haas' team is now excavating it. His wife, a professor of archaeology at Northern Illinois Univerisity, is in charge. Winifred Creamer is tall, lanky and soft-spoken. She has a team of students in tow, ready to trowel and shovel away the face of a "profile" — a sheer wall of mound that was created when local farmers dug an irrigation ditch through it.
What they are looking for in this layer-cake of dirt and rock are the remains of floors and walls. There were hearths or fires, too, that show up as dark, burned areas inside the mound. What the team has discovered is that people actually lived on these structures over successive generations.
Working conditions aren't ideal, Creamer says. "We're standing here working outside somebody's house. We're on the edge of the highway, and we're standing in a ditch that may or not fill with water, and the area right behind where we're working is where people throw trash, so it's not really the romance of archaeology, is it?" She laughingly notes that it isn't the kind of place Indiana Jones would work.
A Balance Between Cultures, Old and New
Local people stand above and watch. Alvaro Ruiz, the Peruvian co-director of the project, says these farmers are poor, uneducated but curious about their ancient relatives. But they're also worried about what the digging might do to their life-giving irrigation system.
"We don't want to cause any damage to their irrigation, because people live here, they have many problems, they need to live — that's the point," Ruiz says.
Life was even harder 5,000 years ago. The mound-builders who abandoned coastal hunting-and-gathering and came here had to learn how to grow crops and irrigate them from the precious few rivers and streams. The weather controlled life, especially El Nino.
Standing on a hill, Creamer says El Nino storms would have brought life-giving water, but also destruction.
"You look up this dry wash that we're situated in, and imagine a 40-foot-high wall of water rolling out of that," she says. "That would have a pretty life-changing impact on everybody in this valley."
But people learned a new way of life here in the valleys. Culture grew more complex. Trade flourished. Coastal people brought shellfish — the shells Haas found in the desert — and took back squash and cotton. And they brought their labor to help build the mounds. It was massive architecture on a scale never seen before in the New World.
On a rare sunny afternoon in the Peruvian winter, Haas climbs into a battered SUV and drives out to Porvenir. It's one of dozens of mounds hidden in the creases of the valleys. It's at least 1,000 years older than other mounds in the New World.
A Stone Birthday Cake
Past fields of sugar cane and a network of narrow irrigation ditches, a narrow pass leads to a flat area surrounded by hills. The mound is a pile of rubble, 30 feet high and maybe 200 feet across. Originally, it was terraced, with a flat top, and was the product of enormous labor.
"You have to think of a large stone birthday cake," Haas says with an almost fatherly pride. "And it would have been covered with plaster, and you can have it pink, you can have it light orange." He says the builders would have replastered it regularly, to keep it looking sharp.
Whoever these people were, they built these monuments even before the Egyptians built the pyramids.
On the mound, there are pits dug by present-day looters. Human bones and trash litter the ground. Haas has found precious little jewelry, and this culture made no pottery. Nor has he found weapons.
"This isn't the coolest archaeology in the world in terms of the stuff you find," he says. "There are no beautiful ceramics, no gold masks ... our treasure is trash, residential architecture, and all of a sudden those start bringing together this incredible picture of the origins of civilization in South America."
Haas believes a change in climate started all of this.
"If you think about going from a hunter-gatherer society to this highly centralized society with an organized religion, it's a pretty dramatic change to take place over a very short period of time," Haas says.
There is still a lot of work to do to prove that. Haas is taking sediment cores from a nearby lake that should tell him about climate changes 5,000 years ago. He and colleagues in the United States are studying the rings in seashells he has found. The shells should provide evidence of how ocean temperatures changed during that period.
But whatever this society's genesis, Haas believes its way of life — the mounds, sunken plazas, irrigation agriculture, religion — eventually spread across South America, like a map unfolding.
"There's a very distinctive Andean pattern that starts here and then spreads and forms the foundation for Andean civilization for the next 5,000 years. It's pretty cool," he says.
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10 Tips for Proper Classroom Etiquette
Good manners and classroom etiquette should be common sense for most people. Being courteous and polite will predispose other classmates and professors alike to return gesture, respect and thank you for it— and set an example for other less-informed students.
— Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
As a college professor, I am often involved in discussions with other faculty at campuses all over the country about the strange happenings that occur in the classroom — by students who seem unaware or oblivious to proper classroom etiquette.
Why should you care about classroom etiquette? Because professors take note of those students who are at both ends of the spectrum and then make subtle — or not so subtle — decisions and adjustments that can affect these students’ academic performances. Professors love students who are thoughtful, polite, and courteous — who follow good classroom etiquette. (It is worth noting that this is exactly the same for employers.)
What is etiquette? It’s a code of conduct, a method for dealing with how people interact with each other — based on respect and accepted norms of behavior.
Here are 10 tips for proper classroom etiquette.
1. Arrive to Class on Time. There are always going to be days when a previous professor keeps you late, or you wake up late, or it takes you too long to find a parking space, but the point here is do not be habitually late to class. Regularly arriving late to class signals a level of disrespect — whether you mean to send that signal or not. If you have problems getting to class on time, find a way to solve them. And on those rare days when you do arrive late, remember to enter the room quietly and not make a big scene.
2. Turn Off Your Cell Phone. Unless you are expecting an important call or text, the proper thing to do is turn your cell phone completely off as soon as you enter class. Some students switch to vibrate mode, but sometimes this mode can be worse than a ring tone because of the intensity of the vibration. Certainly NEVER answer your cell phone in class, nor text. If your phone does ring, make a quick apology as you send the call to voicemail — and then send a quick email to your professor after class apologizing for your gaffe.
3. Do Not Bring Food or Drink to Class. In many classroom buildings, food is not even allowed, so you’re not only displaying poor etiquette, but actually breaking a rule. Make time outside of class to have a meal or a snack — not in class. Many professors do tolerate drinks, such as waters, coffees, sodas — but make certain of the professor’s policy before bringing your drink to class.
4. Contribute to the Class Discussion When Appropriate. Just about all professors appreciate a strong dialogue in the classroom, but not when the comments are unwanted or inappropriate. Do respond when the professor seeks input or asks for questions or discussion. Don’t interrupt the professor or another student, and don’t dominate the discussion — let other people have a chance to talk/contribute to the dialogue.
5. Avoid Side Conversations. One of the biggest pet peeves of professors and students alike is when a few students have a “private” conversation loudly enough that it’s distracting to the main discussion in the classroom. If you have big news to share with your friends, do so before or after class — but refrain from doing so during class. Besides being more respectful to the students and professor, you’ll actually learn more information by being actively involved in the class rather than in your own side conversation.
6. Addressing the Professor Properly. Many full-time university faculty members have a doctorate degree and have earned the right to be addressed as “Dr.” Smith rather than “Mr.” or “Ms.” Smith. In fact, many faculty are insulted when students do not address them properly. If you’re unsure of a faculty member’s status, the best solution is to address him/her as “Professor” Smith until you know better. “Dude,” “Dog,” or other such casual names are in appropriate. Some professors prefer to be addressed by their first names — but those professors will tell you when that’s okay to do so.
7. Be Attentive in Class. If you are going to make the effort to arrive on time and be in class, you should also make the effort to stay actively engaged in class. Some professors report observing students reading the student newspaper or even reading a textbook for a different class; some report seeing students completing homework for their next class. Flaunting your boredom or disinterest in the class is rude — and very inappropriate. Finally, avoid falling asleep in class or staring out the window.
8. Stay for the Entire Class. There may be times when you need to leave class early, but do not make a habit of doing so. If you do need to leave class early, the best solution is to alert the professor ahead of time and then discretely leave the classroom so as not to disturb the other students. If you do need to leave early and seating is not assigned, pick a seat close to the door to make a quick and quiet exit.
9. Avoid Signaling, Sending Signs That Class Time is Up. One of my biggest pet peeves is when students attempt to signal that class is over by shutting their books loudly, unzipping and zipping their backpacks, and otherwise making noises that class time is complete. Some students actually get up and walk out of class. Of course, some professors make a habit of going over class time, but most of us know how to tell time — and most of us have a watch or other way to tell time. It is presumptuous and rude for the student to tell the professor that class is over. If your professor does seem to have a problem with ending class on time, chat with him or her outside of class — especially if it is making you late to your next class.
10. Contact the Professor When You Have to Miss Class. When you have to miss class for legitimate reasons or when you miss class because of illness, try to contact the professor and inform him/her of your absence. You may even be able to obtain copies of lecture notes or schedule a meeting during office hours to discuss what you missed. Do not, however, ask the professor in class to go over material you missed (for whatever reasons). And when alerting the professor about having to miss a class, do not begin the conversation with the awful question, “are we doing anything important in the next class because I have to miss it.” (If the professor was not planning to do anything, the class would probably be canceled, right?)
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While early childhood educators often use books to teach the concepts of print or to point out rhyming words, Barbara Sorrels, EdD, author of Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma explains how good children’s literature plays an important role in a healing environment for children.
“Bibliotherapy is a way of using books to deal with emotional issues and the everyday challenges of young children,” says Dr. Sorrels.
Dr. Sorrels continues, sharing that well-chosen stories can inspire courage and new ways of thinking and behaving in children of all ages. Through stories, she explains, children encounter others who have the same fears and challenges in life, and they find new solutions to their own dilemmas.
“Children from hard places often struggle with a sense of hope, which is born in a mind with the capacity to imagine a better life and a different way of living. Books and the imaginative journeys they inspire plant the seed of hope in a struggling child’s heart.”
Through reading stories, Dr. Sorrels explains how children can process and make sense of their lives in small, palatable doses. They have the tools to think about and manage often disturbing forces in their lives. For example, she shares specific characters and plot lines from popular stories that could help children process their experiences:
- A wicked stepmother or the Big Bad Wolf become symbols of the destructive forces that often operate in their lives.
- The story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen can encourage the foster child who feels unlovable or different.
- The Rag Coat by Lauren Mills encourages empathy and the capacity to look at life from another person’s perspective.
- The Kissing Hand helps children know that others struggle with separation from people they love.
In choosing books for your library center, Dr. Sorrels suggests you include a wide selection on specific topics, including:
- Managing strong emotions, such as anger, disappointment, sadness, and fear
- Separation anxiety
- Making friends
- Grief and loss
- Positive emotions, such as thankfulness, peace, and calmness
- Foster care
- Sibling struggles
- Death of a beloved person
- Transitioning to a new foster or adoptive home
Keep in mind, Dr. Sorrels warns that, unfortunately, many of our beloved fairy tales such as Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella have been used to promote the commercialization of childhood. She explains you can still use these stories, though it’s preferable to read the classic versions of these tales.
“In fairy tales and classic stories, children encounter the war between good and evil, the power of love and friendship. They realize that the hope of redemption and transformation is real, and they encounter the forces of life and death.”
Ultimately, Dr. Sorrels explains, “Fairy tales and classic stories help children grapple with the realities of their difficult lives.”
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Regularly eating cereal for breakfast is tied to healthy weight for kids, according to a new study that endorses making breakfast cereal accessible to low-income kids to help fight childhood obesity.
One in every four American children lives in a food insecure household where breakfast isn't a sure thing, lead author Dr. Lana Frantzen told Reuters Health.
"(Cereal) is an excellent breakfast choice, it's simple, and gets those essential nutrients that children need, especially low income minority children," who tend to be hit hardest by childhood obesity and related health problems, said Frantzen, who is employed by Dairy MAX, a regional dairy council in Grand Prairie, Texas.
Previous studies have linked eating breakfast with maintaining a lower body mass index (BMI) over time. The new study looked at the role that breakfast, specifically cereal, plays in both weight and nutrition among low-income kids.
Frantzen and her coauthors interviewed 625 schoolchildren as they progressed from fourth to sixth grades in San Antonio. Once a year they asked the children to remember what they had had to eat over the previous three days and calculated their BMI, a measure of weight relative to height.
As fourth graders, 64 percent of the kids said they'd eaten breakfast on each of the last three days, compared to 42 percent by the time they were sixth graders.
With data for three days per year for three years in a row, the researchers ended up with nine days of breakfast analysis for each child. Kids who ate cereal four out of the nine days tended to be in the 95th percentile for BMI, which is considered overweight, compared to kids who ate cereal all nine days, whose measurements were in the 65th percentile, in the healthy weight range.
Thirty-two percent of fourth graders did not eat breakfast at all, 25 percent had something other than cereal and about 43 percent had cereal.
Cereals, like Frosted flakes, Cheerios and Kix, were the most common breakfast items. Children who didn't eat cereal but did have breakfast reported having foods ranging from scrambled eggs, white bread and sausage to granola bars, tortillas and breakfast tacos.
Only 70 kids had cereal on every one of the three days, but for each time they had cereal, their intake of certain nutrients was higher than that of other kids, Frantzen's group reports in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Kids who ate more cereal got more vitamin D, B-3, B-12, riboflavin, calcium, iron, zinc and potassium in their diets than kids who ate less cereal or none at all. They also got slightly more calories, fat, fiber and sugar.
Cereals are fortified with a variety of vitamins and minerals, and the milk that usually comes with cereals is a good source of calcium, potassium and vitamin D, Frantzen said.
"I think it was a nice advancement in knowledge overall about the importance of eating breakfast," according to Dr. Matthew Haemer, medical director of the nutrition and fitness clinic at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora.
"But the analysis that they do didn't separate out kids who only ate cereal compared to those who ate something else," said Haemer, who was not involved in the study.
Policies like the School Breakfast Program are already in place to provide a low cost or free meal to kids who qualify, but the issue demands more attention and resources, since generations of kids are starting out the day without a healthy breakfast, he said.
Haemer told Reuters Health he was particularly struck by the fact that for the three days surveyed, each additional day that included cereal was associated with a 2 percentile decrease in BMI.
"Moving BMI percentile down 2 percentage points, that's not going to cure the obesity epidemic, but it is a significant difference," he said.
There is an association between cereal and healthier BMI, but it's still unclear how it works, Haemer said. He recommends that if parents choose cereal as a quick, easy option, they go for one high in fiber and low in sugar and fat.
"They didn't really look thoughtfully at the other types of breakfasts that could be eaten, for example there may be benefits of including oatmeal and low fat turkey sausage that could be part of a healthy breakfast," he said.
"There's still a lot of science to be done," he said. "Cereal appears to be part of the picture but it's not the complete picture."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/Z2ao7l Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, online February 27, 2013.
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Earthquakes, which are proof that the earth shows the signs of life, are one of the inevitable facts of our country, which is largely located in the earthquake zone. You can save both your own life and the lives of your loved ones by becoming conscious of this natural phenomenon that we have experienced painfully many times in the past. Here's what you need to do to survive a possible earthquake with the least damage.
Make sure that the residential area in the region where your house is located is earthquake resistant. In addition, make sure that the house you have determined as a living space is built in accordance with earthquake regulations, is inhabited and is suitable for zoning. Thus, it is possible to survive the earthquake with less damage.
In the event of a sudden jolt, unsecured items can pose a life-threatening risk to you. For this reason, after making sure of the safety of your building and home, you should make sure that your belongings are not a danger to you. You can minimize possible damage by fixing large and heavy furniture such as cabinets and bookshelves to the wall. In addition, you can put locks on the doors of the cabinets with items in them, so you can prevent the items from falling on you.
It is known what a great risk to human life is that flammable and combustibles pose even at any given time. This danger increases in the event of a possible earthquake. To minimize the danger, you can make sure to keep toxic, flammable, and combustible liquids in a closed and fixed area. You can also mark these items with identifying tags.
After providing the safety step at home, the next step is preparing an emergency kit to help you survive. You should keep vital items such as water, whistle, pocketknives, underwear, raincoat, and hygiene kit in your earthquake bag. It is very important that you include foods that contain high calories and carbohydrates that are rich in vitamins and will not spoil for a long time. You should also keep copies of your ID, passport, driver's license, a title deed and if any, your pet's documents in this bag.
According to the information provided by AFAD, we can list the items that must be included in the disaster and emergency kit in detail as follows:
Foods that contain high calories, vitamins, and carbohydrates, prevent water loss and are durable (not perishable) (Canned, dried fruits, tahini-molasses, fruit juice, etc.).
Adequate drinking water should be taken with each family member in mind.
We may not know on what day and at what time an earthquake will occur but being prepared for a possible danger at any time can be a life-saving measure. For this reason, you can make earthquake assessments with your family at certain periods. By reviewing your emergency bag, you can make up for the deficiencies and replenish foods and liquids.
You can take your personal precautions by paying attention to the things to be considered before the earthquake. In addition, you need to learn exactly what to do in the event of an earthquake. When you feel the shaking, you should be calm at first and make sure not to panic. Thus, you can make the right decisions and ensure that your family makes the right decisions without panicking.
You should create a triangle of life for yourself by crouching or lying down next to items such as a bed, armchair and table with a strong skeleton, of which you are sure of their safety and durability in the event of an earthquake. These sections give you room to move and prevent you from getting stuck. You can protect yourself from deadly strikes by applying the techniques of KNEELING -FETAL POSITION to protect your head and neck - HOLD ON to not fall.
The areas with the highest probability of collapse in the event of an earthquake are balconies and stairs. Elevators, on the other hand, are at least as unsafe as they are compressed by pressure. Therefore, try to stay away from unsafe areas such as stairs, balconies, and elevators as much as possible in the event of a disaster.
In case of an earthquake, busy phone lines can cause some problems, other than for emergencies. Lines may be locked due to congestion and operators may have difficulty in providing communication services. In order to prevent such situations, it is extremely important that you only use your phone to report emergencies and fires.
Gas and electricity leakage may occur in earthquake disasters. When you are sure that the shaking has passed, you can prevent natural gas leakage by closing the gas valve. In addition, it would be much more accurate to choose the flashlights in your emergency bag instead of using the light switches in case of a disaster. During this time, it is very important to stay away from flammable materials such as lighters or matches.
If you survived the earthquake safely without any damage, you should first check your health and then your family's health. After making sure that everyone is in good condition, you can safely leave the building and go to the earthquake-gathering area of your region, considering the appropriate conditions.
If you are stuck in a place during a disaster, you should keep your cool and wait for the rescue teams to arrive. You can try to make your voice heard by the teams with the help of the whistle in your earthquake bag. In this process, you should be careful not to take any action that will endanger your health.
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- Read the Declaration of Independence. Pay close attention to the section that begins with "We hold these truths to be self-evident" and ends with "to provide new Guards for future security." Rewrite that section in your own words, making it as easy to understand as possible. Then share your writing with your merit badge counselor and discuss the importance of the Declaration of Independence.
- Do TWO of the following:
- a. Select two individuals from American history, one a political leader (a president, senator, etc.) and the other a private citizen (a writer, religious leader, etc.). Find out about each person's accomplishments and compare the contributions each has made to America's heritage.
- b. With your counselor's approval, choose an organization that has promoted some type of positive change in American society. Find out why the organization believed this change was necessary and how it helped to accomplish the change. Discuss how this organization is related to events or situations from America's past.
- c. With your counselor's approval, interview two veterans of the U.S. military. Find out what their experiences were like. Ask the veterans what they believe they accomplished.
- d. With your counselor's approval, interview three people in your community of different ages and occupations. Ask these people what America means to them, what they think is special about this country, and what American traditions they feel are important to preserve.
- Do the following:
- a. Select a topic that is currently in the news. Describe to your counselor what is happening. Explain how today's events are related to or affected by the events and values of America's past.
- b. For each of the following, describe its adoption, tell about any changes since its adoption, and explain how each one continues to influence Americans today: the flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, the seal, the motto, and the national anthem.
- c. Research your family's history. Find out how various events and situations in American history affected your family. If your family immigrated to America, tell the reasons why. Share what you find with your counselor.
- Do TWO of the following:
- a. Explain what is meant by the National Register of Historic Places. Describe how a property becomes eligible for listing. Make a map of your local area, marking the points of historical interest. Tell about any National Register properties in your area. Share the map with your counselor, and describe the historical points you have indicated.
- b. Research an event of historical importance that took place in or near your area. If possible, visit the place. Tell your counselor about the event and how it affected local history. Describe how the area looked then and what it now looks like.
- c. Find out when, why, and how your town or neighborhood started, and what ethnic, national, or racial groups played a part. Find out how the area has changed over the past 50 years and try to explain why.
- d. Take an active part in a program about an event or person in American history. Report to your counselor about the program, the part you took, and the subject.
- e. Visit a historic trail or walk in your area. After your visit, share with your counselor what you have learned. Discuss the importance of this location and explain why you think it might qualify for National Register listing.
- Do ONE of the following:
- a. Watch two motion pictures (with the approval and permission of your counselor and parent) that are set in some period of American history. Describe to your counselor how accurate each film is with regard to the historical events depicted and also with regard to the way the characters are portrayed.
- b. Read a biography (with your counselor's approval) of someone who has made a contribution to America's heritage. Tell some things you admire about this individual and some things you do not admire. Explain why you think this person has made a positive or a negative contribution to America's heritage.
- c. Listen to recordings of popular songs from various periods of American history. Share five of these songs with your counselor, and describe how each song reflects the way people felt about the period in which it was popular. If a recording is not available, have a copy of the lyrics available.
- Discuss with your counselor the career opportunities in American heritage. Pick one that interests you and explain how to prepare for this career. Discuss what education and training are required for this career.
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Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, and mainly just perfect for those who love to read picture books. Here is a list of books by category. This is very handy for finding books for lessons in the classroom, or for finding books on a particular topic to discuss with your children at home. Each book listed has a link to a review and information about that book. There is also an alphabetical list.
Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big
Written and Illustrated by Berkeley Breathed
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2000
Themes: Truthfulness, Consequences, Siblings
Synopsis: Fannie Fudwupper’s big brother, Edwurd, spends his time cooking up big fibs full of phooey and letting them rip. But one day, Edwurd tells such a whopping lie that the army, the air force, and the dogcatcher are called to reverse the damage.
Opening: From a long line of liars, there’s none higher upper…
Than my fibbing big brother, The Edward Fudwupper.
There he is now.
I know just what he’s doing:
He’s thinking of who could be next for some fooling.
Edwurd’s been cooking up fibs full of phooey;
He’ll serve them up SWEET, all gooey with hooey.
Last week he fibbed big and told Mabel Dill,
“I read you’ve been voted the queen of Brazil!
They want you to come!
Bikinis! BRING TEN!”
I think Mable went; no one’s seen her since then.
Resources: Honesty Lesson,
Web of Lies: Wind a large ball of yarn. Have the kids sit in a circle. Hold the end of the ball of yarn and begin telling a story. Stop in the middle of a sentence and roll the ball of yarn across the circle to another child. Let them finish your sentence and start another. Then they hold on to the yarn and roll the ball across the circle to another child. Each child adds a sentence or two to the story, and holds on to the yarn when they get the ball. You’ll make a spider web on the floor and an original story at the same time. After the activity, discuss the difference between weaving a story and telling a lie.
Why I Like This Book: The cover caught my eye at the library several months ago. Since then, I have checked it out two more times and enjoyed it each reading. Of course, I love the rhyme. The meter and rhythm flow easily and make the story a very fun read aloud. The book is hilarious because Edwurd tells such ridiculous whoppers that it will have kids and adults laughing. I like that his little sister stands up for him even though he doesn’t even notice her. Since this is a story about telling lies, I like it that there are consequences for being untruthful. The illustrations are a perfect complement to the text. Berkeley Breathed is a cartoonist and his talent is evident in this book. The expressions are priceless and deliver on their half of the picture book.
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PI: Dana Crawford, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
With the advent of the Human Genome Project, the International HapMap Project, and high-throughput yet cost-effective genotyping, it is now possible to interrogate the human genome with >1 million markers for associations with common human diseases and traits. Within the last few months, the literature has become inundated with reports of genome-wide association (GWA) studies identifying new genetic variations associated with phenotypes of public health interest. While the flurry of discovery is exciting, the usefulness of these new findings in a general population setting remains unclear. Therefore, the next steps beyond the initial GWA studies must provide population-based data on these initial associations before the most promising findings can be translated into improvements in intervention, prevention, and/or treatment options for the general population. The genetic component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES; n~20,000) can provide the data necessary to move beyond the initial GWA study discoveries. NHANES is a U.S. population-based, cross-sectional survey collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NHANES DNAs are linked to demographic, health, lifestyle, laboratory, extensive clinical, and physical examination data for participating individuals. Because participants are ascertained regardless of health status, NHANES is a rich resource for phenotypes (clinical endpoints and quantitative traits) and environmental exposures. With this large dataset, the epidemiologic architecture of GWA-identified genetic variations will be described, and association studies will be conducted to provide more accurate effect size estimates and population attributable fractions for many common diseases and traits such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease. Finally, tests for gene-environment and nuclear mitochondrial gene interactions will be performed, the latter of which laboratory data will be generated to support the statistical association. The purpose of this grant is to provide evidence in population-based datasets that GWA-identified genetic variations are relevant to most people. As such, GWA-identified variations will be characterized and population-based statistics and data for modifiers of these variations will be released rapidly so that the most promising findings can be incorporated into future translational studies by the research community.
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This NAC image was taken about 55 minutes before closest approach as the MESSENGER spacecraft sped toward a crescent-lit planet during the mission's second Mercury flyby (see PIA11247). The large crater in the center of the image is near the terminator, the division between the dayside and nightside of the planet. The low angle of the Sun near the terminator causes the long shadows seen here, which reveal that a large scarp or cliff bisects the crater. The crater exhibits a smooth floor broken by slight ridges and seems to have been filled with volcanic lava flows. In the lower left of the crater, the outline of a smaller crater that was filled to its rim by lavas is still visible. The scarp was formed after the large impact crater was filled with the lava flows, for if the scarp had formed first, then the lavas would have flowed over the scarp and buried it.
Date Acquired: October 6, 2008
Image Mission Elapsed Time (MET): 131766501
Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS)
Resolution: 420 meters/pixel (0.26 miles)
Scale: This image is about 430 kilometers (270 miles) tall
Spacecraft Altitude: 16,300 kilometers (10,100 miles)
These images are from MESSENGER, a NASA Discovery mission to conduct the first orbital study of the innermost planet, Mercury. For information regarding the use of images, see the MESSENGER image use policy.
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School Nurse Guidelines
The school nurse is the school-based professional who accesses health and medical services for students. His or her role is to support the long-term recovery of students and staff by providing information and consultation about the effects that psychological trauma and depression may have on health. She or he is a member of the crisis team along with the school counselor, school psychologist, and school social worker, assisting with the identification of students who are at risk for long-term mental health challenges because of the traumatic event. The school nurse helps set the tone for recovery, actively reducing or eliminating stigma for students who seek additional health and mental health services and care through screening, health education, and outreach services.
- Oversee the health and well-being of students
- Assist in identifying children and staff who may need additional mental health services and support, especially students and personnel who present with somatic complaints
- Provide training, when appropriate, to students and personnel about the interplay of health and mental health factors
- Monitor the health of high-risk students
- Coordinate health and mental health referrals from staff
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For release: Thursday, August 2, 2007
Star-shaped support cells in the brain secrete a toxin that kills motor neurons in a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), two new studies show. The studies may lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating the disorder.
“We all grew up with the idea that neuron degeneration is due to a problem in the neurons. However, neurons are not alone in a desert. They are surrounded by other cells,” says Serge Przedborski, M.D., Ph.D., of Columbia University Medical Center. “This work shows that the other cells play a very significant role in the death of neurons.” Dr. Przedborski’s study was funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
The studies suggest that treatments which modify the activity of the non-neuronal cells, called astrocytes, may be useful in treating human ALS, a fatal neurological disorder that affects about 20,000 people in the United States. The new findings also suggest that treatments which replace neurons may fail unless the researchers can prevent the astrocyte-produced toxin from killing the transplanted cells.
A hallmark of ALS is that it destroys only motor neurons, which control movement. Neurons that control thinking, feeling, hearing, and other functions are usually unaffected.
To learn how astrocytes affect motor neurons in ALS, Dr. Przedborski and his colleagues cultured astrocytes with motor neurons. Some of the neurons were taken from mouse spinal cords, while others were grown from mouse embryonic stem cells. Some of the astrocytes and neurons had mutations in a gene called SOD1. These mutations cause one form of human ALS. Other neurons and astrocytes were normal.
Motor neurons with SOD1 mutations were smaller and had shorter nerve fibers than normal, but when they were cultured with normal astrocytes, they lived as long as normal neurons. When normal motor neurons were cultured with mutant astrocytes, they began to look stunted, and many of them died within days, the researchers found.
Next, the researchers showed that the mutant astrocytes released a toxin that killed normal motor neurons even after the astrocytes were removed from the culture dish. This toxin did not harm sensory neurons or any other cells. Further experiments showed that the astrocyte-produced toxin worked by activating a protein called Bax, which triggers a process called programmed cell death. Treating the cell cultures with a Bax inhibitor reduced the number of motor neurons that died.
A second study,led by Kevin Eggan, Ph.D., of Harvard University, also showed that astrocytes with SOD1 mutations kill embryonic stem cell-generated neurons in culture. Both studies appear in the May 2007 issue of Nature Neuroscience. ,
“Beyond the novel findings presented in these studies, this work is a nice example of how embryonic stem cells can be utilized as an important tool to further our understanding of a disease process,” says David Owens, Ph.D., an NINDS program director for stem cell research.
While these studies clearly show that SOD1 mutated astrocytes can cause motor neuron death, there is no evidence yet that the same phenomenon happens in sporadic ALS, which is not linked to SOD1 mutations, Dr. Przedborski says. He and his colleagues are planning new studies to test whether astrocytes kill neurons in sporadic ALS.
"If indeed there is a toxic factor secreted by astrocytes in human ALS, it may be that we could use that factor to tell us about disease activity and prognosis," Dr. Przedborski says. Tests for the astrocyte-produced toxin might be used to diagnose ALS in the early stages, he adds. This could allow doctors to halt the disease before it causes significant damage. Such tests also might provide a quick way to determine whether people are responding to drugs being tested in clinical trials.
The studies also suggest that drugs which interfere with or neutralize the toxin released by astrocytes could be useful in treating ALS. "If you are dealing with a fire that starts inside the home, you call the fire department to extinguish it," Dr. Przedborski says. "However, if the fire is coming from the outside, you can take steps to prevent it from reaching your home."
The researchers are now studying animal models of ALS to learn how astrocytes affect motor neurons in living animals, which are much more complex than cells grown in culture dishes. They also need to identify the toxin released by the astrocytes. Eventually, they hope to use their cell culture system to test potential new drugs for ALS.
The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, and is the nation’s primary supporter of biomedical research on the brain and nervous system. The NIH is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
-By Natalie Frazin
Nagai M, Re DB, Nagata T, Chalazonitis A, Jessel TJ, Wichterle H, Przedborski S. “Astrocytes expressing ALS-linked mutated SOD1 release factors selectively toxic to motor neurons.” Nature Neuroscience, May 2007, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 615-622.
Di Giorgio FP, Carrasco M, Siao M, Maniatis T, Eggan K. "An embryonic stem cell based model for ALS: Non-cell autonomous affects of glial cells on motor neurons." Nature Neuroscience, May 2007, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 608-614.
Last Modified August 2, 2007
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Sepsis, also known as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a serious medical condition that is due to the body’s response to an infection. This infection can originate in many body parts such as intestines, lungs, skin, and urinary tract that make toxins and cause immune system to attack the body’s own tissues and organs.
Sepsis can be a most frightening condition as it can lead to serious conditions that affect your lungs, kidneys, brain, and hearing, and sometimes even leads to death.
Signs and symptoms of sepsis can show up in people of all ages, but are most common in:
- Infants under 3 months, who have weak immune system and are unable to fight with these overwhelming infections
- People with chronic medical conditions
- People whose immune systems become weak due to conditions such as HIV
- Elder people
If the infant has rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees, seem irritable, lethargic, does not eat or has difficulty in breathing, or seems ill, then immediately call your doctor, as these can be the signs and symptoms of sepsis.
In older children, signs and symptoms of sepsis include fever, irritation, lethargy, confusion, rashes, trouble in breathing and illness.
Bacteria and toxins generated by sepsis can lead to changes in the person’s body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate and finally in the dysfunction of the body’s organs.
How to recognize if your newborn has sepsis?
Sepsis in newborns can lead to wide range of symptoms. These babies don’t look right to their caretakers. The most common signs and symptoms of sepsis in newborns and young infants include:
- Fever above 100.4 degrees
- Disinterest or difficulty in feeding
- Rapid changes in heart rate
- Rapid breathing or difficulty in breathing
- Periods where the infant stops breathing for more than 10 seconds
- Changes in skin color
- Reduced amount of urine
Bacteria are the leading causes of sepsis. Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitides, Group B streptococcus (GBS), Streptococcus pneumonia and Salmonella are the most common culprits of sepsis in newborns and infants younger than 3 months.
Sometimes, the bacteria that cause sepsis can enter in your baby’s body during pregnancy, at the time of labor or delivery. Most common pregnancy complications that can increase the risk of sepsis in a newborn baby include:
- Infection of placenta or uterus
- Maternal fever at the time of labor
- Premature rupture of the amniotic sac i.e. before 37 weeks of gestation
- Rupturing of the amniotic sac very early in the labor i.e. 18 hours or more before the delivery
Blood and urine test can be performed to check the existence of bacteria. Sometimes cerebrospinal fluid is also tested and cultured to find out whether the baby has meningitis. Chest X-ray can also be taken for the presence of pneumonia.
How to prevent sepsis?
Transmission of GBS bacteria from mother to child at the time of birth can cause sepsis. So, you should undergo simple swab test to determine the presence of GBS bacteria. If the test is positive, you will receive intravenous antibiotics at the time of labor and 4 hours before labor.
Infants receiving immunization can fight against strains of Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumococcus that cause sepsis.
Hand washing is very important for people who come near the infant and they should receive complete immunizations.
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An Indian rocket showcasing domestically built booster technology crashed soon after take-off on Thursday in a blow to the country's space ambitions, officials said.
The launch of the first Indian-made cryogenic powered rocket, a complex technology mastered by just five countries, failed soon after lift-off from India's space centre at Sriharikota in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh.
"The rocket along with the satellite tumbled from space and plunged into the Bay of Bengal," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) director S. Satish told AFP from Sriharikota.
Satish said controllers lost contact with the 50-metre (165-foot) rocket, named GSLV and carrying a 2.2-tonne satellite, and it plunged into the sea eight minutes after the launch.
ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan told reporters that it appeared the cryogenic engines "did not ignite" but added that data analysis was required to pinpoint the reasons for the failure.
It took ISRO scientists 18 years to develop cryogenic motors after its bid to import the technology from Russia in 1992 failed because of opposition from the United States.
The powerful booster technology using supercooled liquid fuel is designed to put heavier satellites into high orbits, about 36,000 kilometres (22,000 miles) from Earth.
"We will confirm if the main cryogenic engines ignited and then we would put all our efforts to ensure we have the next flight with an indigenous cryogenic engine within an year from now," Radhakrishnan added.
Cryogenic boosters have only been successfully developed by the United States, Russia, France, Japan and China.
In the past decade, India has bought cryogenic engines from Russia and five of them have been used on missions, but the country wanted to showcase its ability to develop the technology itself, the ISRO said before the launch.
India aims to launch its first manned space mission in 2016 and wants to grab a larger share of the multi-billion-dollar market for launching commercial satellites.
Last August India's first unmanned moon mission, launched amid much fanfare in 2008, came to an abrupt end when controllers lost contact with the country's lunar craft.
But gloom turned to delight in September, when data collected from the mission showed water on the moon, boosting India's credibility.
India began its space programme in 1963 and has developed its own satellites and launch vehicles to cut dependence on other countries.
Government funding of around 2.8 billion dollars has been secured for an attempt at the country's first manned space mission in 2016.
Explore further: Video gives astronaut's-eye view inside NASA's Orion spacecraft
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Use of fauna in the traditional medicine of native Toba (qom) from the Argentine Gran Chaco region: an ethnozoological and conservationist approach
The Gran Chaco region is an area of vast cultural and biological richness that is inhabited by different American indigenous hunter-gatherer groups and has a great number of threatened wildlife species. An ethnozoological investigation was carried out to study the medicinal uses of fauna by the Toba (qom) communities of Central Chaco in the surroundings of the river Bermejito. Qualitative, quantitative and participative methods were used alternately to document and characterize the knowledge, significance and role of animals from the Chaco forest within the Toba cultural and medical context. A total of 199 uses corresponding to 72 species belonging to 52 families were documented as part of the animal pharmacopoeia employed by the natives. Information obtained by open and semistructured interviews was used to develop an Index of Local Conservation Priorities (ILCP) that allowed ordering the species according to their Relative Importance, Ecological and Cultural Value, and Conservation Status. Our results showed that of the wide range of species used in Toba zootherapy, a substantial number of reptiles, mammals and birds are included in lists of threatened species for Argentina. The ethnozoological perspective of this study provides an integral view of social and ecological elements that are useful for the protection and/or sustainable management of native species on a regional scale.
How to Cite
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
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It was just like any other school bus, until students in the Bryant High School E.A.S.T. lab got their hands on it.
E.A.S.T. stands for "Environmental and Spatial Technology." It's a specialized class that encourages students to take the lead on projects like those they might find in the workplace. E.A.S.T. also emphasizes technology.
In the case of the bus, student Bradley Norman says, "We want to be able to use it as an extra computer lab."
The students plan to provide the school bus/computer lab for use at Bryant Elementary Schools. It could also be used as a training facility for people who couldn't otherwise afford a computer of their own.
As Norman explains, "The people will use the bus as a training facility. They'll take a class for a week, or however long we decide necessary. After they complete the class, they get to take one of the old computers home so they can have a computer in their home."
But first, the students want to make the bus look good. Norman explains, "We're really trying to make it feel like you're not inside a bus. The better it looks, the more people will want to use it."
Thus, the hardwood floors, the stereo system and the glass pack muffler system.
Junior Stuart Ackley helps gather donations for the bus project. He says, "I just ask them if they want to donate to us, and they can get a tax break, I guess."
So, the students get a hands-on business lesson in communications and marketing. Junior Danny Riamenschneider says, "It's more based for what I'm interested in. It's not just like a school subject."
The Bryant School District has somewhat of a tradition of reusing old school busses for new and different purposes. A few years ago, they took an old school bus and turned it into a water tanker. They also turned a school bus into a "Bus Camino" instead of an El Camino, by cutting off the back end of the top of the bus to use for hauling large trash.
But those projects didn't present the same challenges as turning a bus into a computer lab. Because as Bradley Norman explains, "Some of the challenges are getting Internet into here, because Internet's just a big part of any computer lab. We figured we just need to use a wireless Internet modem. Actually getting the electricity for all of the computers to run off, has been tough."
Tough, but a good learning experience. Norman remembered, "When we started with this project I never figured it'd make it even this far. I figured it was too hard and we'd just leave it alone and not do it anymore. We've worked hard and this is how far we've gotten."
The E.A.S.T. class members are determined to finish their innovative school bus computer lab.
If you have an item or service you would like to donate, you can call E.A.S.T. teacher Fred Burnett at (501) 653-5724 or email him at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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Online Legal Resources
The Constitution of Lao PDR, adopted in 1991 and amended in 2003, states in Article 6, “The State protects the freedom and democratic rights of the people which cannot be violated by anyone.” Chapter IV of the Constitution (arts. 34-51) provides for fundamental rights and duties of the citizens including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. In practice, the country grapples with significant human rights problems. While there has been some progress, namely in the area of poverty reduction, discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities and restrictions imposed on freedom of expression are among the most serious concerns related to human rights protection in Lao PDR . Prison conditions remain harsh, with reports of abuse of prisoners.
The Government of Lao PDR has established inter-agency mechanisms to promote and protect human rights such as the National Commission for the Advancement of Women, the National Commission for Mothers and Children, the National Committee for Disabled People, the National Committee for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation, and the National Committee against Human Trafficking. However, the Government shows no interest in establishing an independent national human rights institution as reflected in its rejection to the recommendations by Germany and Canada during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session in 2010 to establish “an independent national human rights institution, in conformity with the Paris Principles”.
Lao PDR has ratified some essential human rights treaties, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD); International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR); Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); Convention against Torture (CAT); Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its two Optional Protocols on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OP-CRC-SC) and on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OP-CRC-AC); and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In 2008, Lao also signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED).
In addition, Lao is also a party to nine International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, namely Conventions No. 4, 6, 13, 29, 100, 111, 138, 144, 182, the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The February 2010 Report of the Working Group on the UPR expressed serious concerns about the disadvantaged position of women in rural and remote areas. Women continue to struggle with illiteracy and face difficulties in access to health care, education and social services, and political participation. The Working Group also highlighted the persistence of discrimination against the Hmong minority, expressing concern over the status of those Hmong forcibly repatriated from Thailand in 2009. Lao PDR accepted 86 recommendations and rejected eighteen, among others:
As of September 2013, Lao PDR had only issued standing invitations to two special procedures, namely the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (1998) and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (2009). Despite the improvement in the area of freedom of religion, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, in her report to the Human Rights Council, remained concerned about individual cases and existing policies and practices that violate freedom of religion or belief.
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While reading ‘The Outsiders’ by S.E. Hinton, students in Arielle Wegbreit’s seventh grade class at Carl H. Kumpf Middle School in Clark examine the point of view of the novel by rewriting part of the story from a different character’s perspective.
The students split up into groups and became a certain character in the book. They analyzed the way Ponyboy Curtis, the story’s narrator, tells the story and retold it from one of seven other characters’ perspectives.
Each group presented their retelling and the class got to guess which character was telling the story. This exercise was meant to help students explore how different Hinton’s novel would be if it was told from a different point of view.
Students were able to think critically about the fact that there might be two sides to every story.
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Teaches parents how to discuss literature with children. Parents choose books and employ our techniques to critically examine fiction with their children.
The ideas presented here are based on the knowledge that there can be great joy in reading, and that good literature can enrich anyone's life.
Of course, there is value in solitary reading, but the enjoyment that can be found in stories is greater if it can be shared with others. There are models here of conversations with young readers as a way of showing how reading experiences can be enjoyed by both the young readers and their teachers.
Many adults, faced with the challenge of teaching literature, have the feeling that the job is too great to be reasonable. True, it is a daunting enterprise, but it can be an exciting and fun experience. One of the saving aspects of this help you have chosen to give is that there are no "right" answers to the question, "What does this mean?"
Most writers, when asked this question about what they have written, reply, "I don't know, I just wrote it. What does it mean to you?" This is not a bad philosophy to have as a teacher of literature. Most experts agree that the reader must create the "meaning" of what is read. If the work means nothing to the reader, then, for that time and person, the work means nothing.
This is what makes teaching reading so exciting; there are no wrong answers either to that most important question about meaning. How can a child be wrong about what he or she understands? It is possible in factual material to misunderstand authors' intentions, but the reading of fiction does not work that way.
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A primary source is a document or physical object that was written or created during the time one is studying. Primary sources were present during the time period or experience. Many primary sources can be found in the archive at NMU! Some primary sources are:
- Original documents such as diaries, manuscripts, speeches, letters, interviews, autobiographies and official records.
- Creative work such as poetry, drama, novels, music, and art.
- Artifacts like pottery, furniture, buildings
A secondary source is something that interprets and analyzes primary sources. It is a secondhand account of what a different writer has experienced. These sources are removed from the event. Some secondary sources are:
- Publications such as textbooks, scholastic articles, encyclopedias
- A work that remarks on an event years after the actual event occurred
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Pianos and harpsichords have what are called inharmonic partials as opposed to a flute's regular harmonic partials.
A flute sound will be comprised of its fundamental and its more weakly-heard upper partials: an octave (2 x the frequency of the fundamental), 12th (3 x the frequency of the fundamental), octave again (4 x the frequency), and so on. Everything is all laid out and predictable. What an orderly instrument!
Pianos and harpsichords have inharmonic partials due to string stiffness and effects of the sound board. Their partials are spread, that is, the first partial will be slightly more than 2 x the fundamental. This is important for us to know: given the same note, the upper partials of a piano have a higher frequency (are sharper) than the flute's. Just how sharp these partials are will depend on the quality of piano: an expensive concert grand will have less deviation - an upright with a too-short sound board will have more deviation.
Here is an example of a typical deviation for a decent instrument, based on the frequency of C4=261.63hz
Fundamental Flute:261.63 Piano:261.63
2nd partial Flute: 523.26 Piano:523.51
3rd partial Flute:784.89 Piano:785.91
etc. You can see that the higher you go, the farther apart the frequencies will be between the two instruments.
The piano's "spread" inharmonic spectrum explains why its attack sounds sharper (higher in pitch) than its immediate decay. Initially a great number of partials are excited, including the higher ones that display spread inharmonicity. As the sound dies away, we are left with the lower few partials, which are more or less "normal", that is, less inharmonic.
What else does this inharmonicity mean for us flutists?
I need to back up and explain another acoustical lesson from Benade. Sometimes, there is a difference between matching a pitch between alternately presented sounds and simultaneous sounds (p. 268). Why? Because sometimes the ear is matching overall pitch rather than frequency. What?
Overall pitch is what the ears interpret, given any sound with a harmonic spectrum. We infer the fundamental from that sound. That fundamental, which we infer from its upper partials, may not actually match the frequency of the fundamental. (Really! It's a case of the mind inferring its own reality. Maybe like an optical illusion?)
How does that affect a flutist who plays the same note in alteration with a piano? Given the example above for C=261.63 hz, and "assuming the first six partials [only the first 3 listed here] to be equally important in determining the pitch, one finds that the normal [flute] tone must have its pitch raised about 4 cents...if the two are to agree when presented alternately." (p. 318)
He gives a further example on page 323:
"Suppose for example that a flutist plays a mezzo-forte G4, maintaining it accurately in tune with the G4 produced by a single harpsichord string (whose inharmonicity is very similar to that of the strings we have been discussing all along). The flute is sounded steadily, and the corresponding harpsichord key is struck repetitively at the rate of about 2 per second, so that the tone is restored quickly after each dying away. (...)If, however, the harpsichordist sounds one more note after the flutist has shut off his well-tuned tone, this last note sounds a trifle sharp to our ears..."
Well, I beg to differ... the harpsichordist will not sound sharp: the flutist will sound flat!
There are a couple of other things that are interesting to know about the piano.
On page 319 Benade describes what he calls "the piano tuner's octave". Octaves on the piano are not completely pure, it seems. They are also tuned a few cents too wide. Funny, I would have thought that would be the one interval that could have a 2/1 ratio (the upper note having exactly 2 x the frequency of the lower). But, if you think about that spread inharmonicity, it does make sense.
Furthermore, not even unisons are pure on pianos! (p. 334) This is what blew me away. Most piano notes are produced by multiple strings, which may have as many as 1 - 8 cents difference between them. This is deliberately done to enhance the decay time.
Given the shimmering effect of de-tuned unisons, together with the spread inharmonicity of each individual string, the piano creates a vibrant, pulsing sound. This is one reason I think it doesn't make sense to play non-vibrato with piano. Of course, there are musical contexts where non-vibrato is appropriate. However, as a general rule, I think the flute should go with the piano's flow of vibrations!
Photo credit: AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
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