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Regardless of how humanity decides to power its off world settlements (whether by solar power, geothermal, solar steam, or even algae), they are going to need an efficient and quick way to transfer the energy to not only space habitats, but future rovers as well. While NASA and Germany have come up with innovative ways at storing energy, respectively, it looks as if researchers from Massachusetts may have developed a way to recharge electrical batteries at lightening speeds. (Times Online) Scientists in the United States have invented a battery that can charge in seconds, promising a revolution in power storage that could also help green cars and renewable energy. The advance allows lithium-ion batteries, the standard variety used in consumer electronics and cells for electric or hybrid vehicles, both to charge and discharge stored energy more quickly than at present. […] “If you can charge your phone in 30 seconds, that becomes a life changer,” said Gerbrand Ceder, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who led the research. “It could change the way we think about technology like this: you would literally be able to charge up while you stand and wait.” This technology could enable future colonists to create fleets of rovers to travel across the surfaces of the Moon, Mars, as well as Jupiter’s lunar children (Ganymede and Callisto to be exact). Settlers could construct electric charging stations to supply rovers en route to distant destinations, thereby enabling explorers to travel their world without fear of running out of energy. While this technology has yet to be perfected (not to mention tested on Earth), it may help humanity expand across the various worlds that orbit around our golden star Sol.
In this brief article, we will discuss the Straight Axle, the advantages and drawbacks of a Straight Axle, and the types of Straight Axle Front Suspension. What is a Straight Axle Front Suspension? From the Oxford definition, the word Axle means – “..a rod or spindle (either fixed or rotating) passing through the center of a wheel or group of wheels…” In a vehicle, a front solid axle is also called a ‘beam axle’, or a ‘rigid axle’. The Front Straight axle is basically a Straight Hollow Tube structure holding the left and right wheels through Kingpin joints. What Vehicles use a Straight Axle Front Suspension? The application for a Straight front axle is mostly in drag racing cars and “traditional hot rods”. A traditional Hot-Rod is a car from the 1920s – 1940s that was converted into a high performance vehicle that is also capable of Drag Racing. What are the Different Types of Solid Axles? A Non-Driven Front axle can also be called a beam axle. A beam axle is mostly found in the front suspension of traditional cars from the 1920s -1940s, and in trucks that are rear wheel drive. There are basically 2 types of Front Solid Beam Axles: - Straight Axle - Drop Axle The Straight Axle Beam, as the name suggests, is an axle beam that has no ‘Drop’ or gooseneck. The beam would be either made of Hollow Tube or solid “I section”. In a real hot rod, the straight axle is not literally straight. It is curved downwards in an arc. The axle beam that is “Gooseneck” shaped is a Drop Axle. A Drop front axle means a Solid beam structure that would mostly have an ‘I-Shaped’ Cross-section in order to get maximum bending strength. The Stub-Axles are attached at each end using a Kingpin joint which is serviceable. What are the Advantages of a Straight Axle Beam? In practical use, a straight axle is not literally ramrod straight. It is purposely shaped as an arc. The purpose of the arc shaped straight-Axle is for adjustability of Camber. For adjusting Camber, the Axle beam is bent using a simple hydraulic arrangement. Another purpose of the straight-axle is to raise the front end of the vehicle so that more weight is transferred to the rear-end. In a drag race, rear-wheel drive cars need the maximum grip and downforce at the rear end. Therefore, rearwards weight transfer during launch is an important factor. What is the Suspension used on the Front Straight Axle? A Solid Axle suspension can also be called a dependent suspension. The earliest form of suspension for the solid front axles was the leaf spring type. Because the left and right wheels are connected rigidly, the vertical motion of the left and right wheel is always coupled. In other words, when the left wheel went upwards over a bump, it pushed the right wheel to go downwards. What are the Different Types of Straight Axle Front Suspension? The different types of Straight Axle Front suspension are: - Transverse Leaf-spring with 4-Bar Linkage - Transverse Leaf-spring with Hairpin control arms - Hairpin control arms with Coil Springs Transverse Leaf-spring with 4-Bar Linkage The Transverse Leafspring-type suspension is the most popular among all hot rod front suspension systems. The Axle beam is connected to the chassis using 4 parallel “Leading Arms” or control rods (One upper and one lower control arm on each side) from the chassis to the axle. At the Axle, the 2 control arms on each side are connected to a “Batwing” axle Bracket that has the 2 hinges for the upper and lower control arm. This takes care of the longitudinal and braking forces. The leaf spring is transversely mounted with the leaf spring middle clamped to the chassis Front Cross-member and leaf spring eye-ends hinged to the axle. The lateral forces are taken care of using a Panhard rod. Transverse Leaf-spring with Hairpin control arms The Hairpin arrangement is very similar to the 4-bar Leading arm arrangement. The only difference is that the 2 parallel leading arms on each side are joined together at the chassis end in a U-Shape resembling a Hairpin. Instead of 2 hinges at the chassis, there is only one hinge. The axle has the same Batwing bolted axle bracket to connect to the Hairpin control arm. Hairpin Control Arms with Coil Springs The Coil Spring setup is similar to the transverse leaf hairpin control arm setup. The difference is that the single transverse leaf spring is replaced by 2 inward-tilted Coil Springs that are connected from the axle Batwing bracket to a chassis–rail bracket. The Panhard rod restricts lateral movement of the axle. Drawbacks of the Straight Axle Front Suspension - Due to the higher unsprung mass and the inability of one wheel to follow the unevenness of the road without affecting the opposite wheel on the vehicle, the ride and handling quality in a solid axle suspension is much less as compared to an independent suspension. - The Straight Axle was typical of the hot rods built in the 1960s. It is only suitable for building a race car out of a vintage era car. The Kinematics and Compliance adjustability in a solid axle is too limited. - The straight axle Camber adjustment is done by bending the axle is a crude and inaccurate method. Modern day race oriented independent suspensions provide a wide range of adjustability. In this brief article, we have discussed the Straight Axle, the advantages and drawbacks of a Straight Axle, and the types of Straight Axle Front Suspension. In case of any queries or comments, please feel free to ask.
The pulse of the modern world and the conveniences that come with it—temperature control that either cools us down on a blazing hot day or warms us up on a biting cold morning, electricity that illuminates our homes when the sun goes down, cars that take us from point A to point B in minutes—have certainly improved our lives in innumerable ways. But these great innovations that make life easier actually make it harder for our bodies to function optimally. The human body has not only been designed to endure challenge, but to thrive on it. Our physiology requires moderate levels of biological and environmental discomfort to function at its best, and it is up to us to see to it that our bodies find the challenge they crave. It’s not news that today we are more physically inactive than at any point in human history, and that our sedentary lifestyles are negatively impacting our health, making us more prone to developing obesity and other metabolic diseases. The same modern conveniences that have made life more enjoyable have also made it all too easy to sit still for prolonged periods of time. While it may seem like “conserving” energy would prevent us from feeling drained, in reality, the opposite is true: You need to use energy to make energy. Sweat: It Takes Energy to Make Energy Our bodies are designed for movement. While the hunter-gatherer lifestyle makes them considerably more active than the average American office worker, even when the Hadzas are “at rest,” they are not fully sedentary. For example, something as simple as sitting down and standing up is vastly more dynamic for them: They squat or, rather, sit on their haunches. As you are reading this paragraph, try getting out of your comfy seat and squatting on your haunches—you will feel the muscles in the backs of your legs and your glutes light up. Getting up and down fully to the ground many times over as part of daily life requires constant engagement of large muscles and uses the full range of motion of the joints. This steady movement uses energy, keeps our metabolic fires burning, and promotes mitochondrial efficiency Research shows that any type of sustained movement that keeps your body active and muscles engaged can be considered a cardiovascular activity. In fact, there is strong research showing that even low-level movement, such as fidgeting—tapping of the pen or tapping of feet—appears to help keep systems using energy more efficiently and can burn up to 300 to 350 more calories a day. This is metabolic flexibility in a nutshell, and regular movement helps keep your mitochondrial fires burning. The great news is that it’s never too late to get moving: Research shows that movement and exercise can restore diminished mitochondrial function. Plus, there’s evidence that the benefits we reap from exercise in mitochondrial function and regeneration endure with time as we age. Exercise also helps keep the body sensitive to insulin, and therefore has been proved to be protective against insulin resistance and diabetes. It’s clear that moving your body is a nonnegotiable—the benefits are just too significant to pass up. The question is: How can we create an exercise program that works for you? If you’re reading this book, chances are you don’t have a ton of extra time for a new exercise routine—you’re already overscheduled and exhausted. So let’s work on meeting you where you are now, and consider how you can get the most gain with the least investment of pain (and time). Contrary to what you may think, you don’t need to exercise for forty-five minutes or more to reap the benefits of movement. In fact, studies show that three ten-minute sessions of exercise scattered throughout the day offers at least the same, and perhaps even more, benefit as thirty minutes of continuous exercise The overall goal is to move continuously throughout the day, with “bursts” of vigorous movement included here and there that condition your metabolism to become more flexible. - Jog in place. Just do a nice, easy trot for 1 minute. If this is too much for you, try it seated and move your legs and arms as though you’re running. - To do a crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent, and with either arms behind your head or arms pointed toward your feet, lift your head and shoulders up off the floor, then slowly lift your torso up, vertebra by vertebra. Go as far as you can go and do as many as you can within 1 minute without going too quickly; you want to keep your form the whole time, making sure your abs are doing the work, not your arms or neck. - Planks are a great all-around body strengthener, and they can be done practically anywhere. To do a plank, get into push-up position on the floor with arms and legs out straight, resting on your toes (or bended knees if you need the support). With your back straight, head and neck in a neutral position, and your hands directly below your shoulders, squeeze your glutes, abs, and quads for 1 minute. If you are new to the exercise, you may find it a bit challenging—take a break whenever you need to. A slightly modified version is to rest on your elbows with your forearms out front. Whichever position you choose, you should feel your core engaged. If planks aren’t your thing, do a regular old or modified (knees on the floor) push-up. - This is another great move you can do anywhere. Stand with your feet parallel and a little wider than hip-width apart. Raise your arms to shoulder level, and as you squeeze in your abdominal muscles, slowly bend your knees while keeping your chest forward and your head lifted. Bend as deeply as your mobility will allow, then return to a standing position by engaging your gluteal muscles. Do as many repetitions as you can in 1 minute, focusing on keeping your form. Hold on to a counter or the back of a chair with one hand if you need balance. Sunlight: Nature’s Free Vitamin Think of sunlight as one of the most inexpensive and effective supplements out there. Exposure to sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which is intimately connected with energy levels because it supports the intestinal wall integrity and immune function. Full-spectrum natural light plays a critical role in our energy stores by giving our skin’s melanin the power it needs to help make ATP. And with the help of the sun’s infrared light, we can lower blood pressure while increasing overall blood flow. As you likely have experienced, getting plenty of bright daylight also improves your mood and helps you sleep better at night. So get out there—the more you get those rays (yes, you get them even if it’s overcast), the better your inner energy systems function. Regular sun exposure is key not only to reaping the energy-boosting benefits of sunlight, but some suggest it may also (paradoxically?) be critical to protecting yourself from sun damage. In fact, Matt Maruca, a researcher in the field of photobiology and founder of blue-blocking eyewear brand Ra Optics, has spoken about emerging science on building up a “sun callus.” Just like a callus you can get by learning to play guitar or walking barefoot—a protective buildup created by doing one thing over and over—Maruca cites how regular, moderate exposure to sunlight all year round has a protective benefit. When we don’t get adequate exposure to sunlight throughout the seasons, we step outside totally unprepared in the summertime and fry our cells, which can create carcinogenic damage and stress. Regular exposure to sunlight helps us build up a healthy callus, limiting the potential for skin damage while we safely benefit from the sun’s multivitamin effects. Shutdown Mode: Turn off the Blue Light Before electricity, our ancestors ate according to daily and seasonal changes in sunlight exposure, not dissimilar to how the long days of blue light in the summer prompt bears to fill their bellies with berries and salmon, which will turn into fat that nourishes them through their long, sleepy winter. Like those bears, we are encouraged by warm, long days to increase our food consumption (including the only sweet food that was once available to us, fruit) so that we have extra fuel to burn during the leaner months. And while humans don’t hibernate, traditionally the colder, shorter days and longer nights of winter meant fewer food options, less time for activities like hunting or gathering, and more time for rest and sedentary activity. We existed this way for millennia. But the discovery of electricity and subsequent invention of artificial lighting profoundly disrupted these natural rhythms. Soon a variety of light-emitting devices—including televisions, computers, and eventually smartphones—came into existence. All of these gadgets are illuminated by artificial blue light, which in recent years has come to be referred to as “junk light.” Blue light disrupts our circadian clock, and today it is hard to get away from. In order to regain our energy—and our overall well-being—it is essential for us to reestablish our circadian rhythm and get back in sync with the natural ebb and flow of daylight. This means we must reduce our exposure to blue light as much as possible, and aim to expose our eyes to its natural counterbalance, red light, at sunrise and sunset. (Remember, the red and infrared wavelengths of the spectrum help your mitochondria do their work.) To mimic this, you can buy a red light device such as Joovv. And I hope it goes without saying that when you actually get into bed for some shut-eye, you must shut off your electronic devices—do not take them to bed with you! Some may emit blue light even when dormant, and they may also emit EMFs that disrupt sleep patterns, so plug them in to recharge on the other side of the room (better yet, outside of the room so you’re not tempted to check Twitter during the middle of the night). Sleep: Recharging Our Cells We are a nation of people walking around as sleep-deprived zombies, and we’ve become sadly accustomed to it. For many people, the shoe doesn’t drop until true sleep deprivation starts to hit—by then, the damage has been accumulating for some time. As Arianna Huffington shared in her book The Sleep Revolution, she learned about the importance of sleep the hard way while trying to power through her days as the ultimate “super woman.” After her chronic sleep-deprivation was to blame for a scary accident, she woke up. The importance of good-quality and sufficient sleep cannot be underestimated; it is as critical to our well-being as nutrition, yet it is often—to use a wheel analogy—the one spoke that is broken. It is only recently that the scientific community has begun to fully appreciate the myriad ways sleep impacts our health, and my hope is that in sharing these benefits with the public, people start to prioritize their nightly shut-eye. As you know, one obstacle to restful sleep is blue light, which affects your circadian clock and disrupts sleep patterns. In order to get the sleep your body needs, it’s important to reestablish your circadian rhythm and get back in sync with the natural ebb and flow of daylight. But light isn’t the only factor that gets in the way of a good night’s sleep. In fact, the number one suggestion is to not eat within three hours of bedtime. During sleep, your body engages in repair mode, and your brain in particular “cleanses” itself, a function that is essential to healthy cognitive and neurological function. But the process of digestion diverts blood flow down to the gut instead of giving your brain the resources it needs for its freshening-up period. So, please, finish eating three hours before bedtime at least once a week, but ideally every day. You will be shocked how much better and deeper you will sleep. Stress Management: Chill Out to Power Up Historically, stress invaded our lives only in short bursts, and we had ample time for rest and recovery. Of course, the way stress affects our lives today is a different story altogether—stress is often chronic and unrelenting, and worse, we’ve normalized this state (much like being tired all the time) as the cost of modern life. We know that the constant barrage of stress hormones in our body increases systemic inflammation, wreaks havoc on the gut, and is a major cause of brain inflammation (and resulting cognitive impairment) as well. Living with high levels of stress is simply not an option if we’re going to reclaim our energy (and sanity). I realize this is easier said than done, but I want you to understand that stress is a very real physiological phenomenon with dangerous side effects. So, let’s talk about how you can manage your responses to today’s seemingly endless stream of challenges. Start with two nonnegotiables: daily exercise, which we know to be a powerful stress reducer, and fixing sleep deprivation. Once those habits are engrained, start bringing awareness to your stress response as it happens during the day. You have a lot more power over this than you realize! Your conscious thoughts can either activate your stress hormone network and, by association, your gut, or calm it all down. The easiest and cheapest way to calm your body’s stress response is through controlled breathing. When you learn to “harness your breath” through conscious breathing, you tap into the power of your vagus nerve to calm your nervous system and communicate to your gut, and to your gut buddies, that “all is well.” Breathing techniques are a free, easy, and remarkably effective way to manage stress.
Based on Government Regulation Number 24 of 1997 on Registration of Land, the transfer of right of land can be conducted by some means which are (i) sale and purchase (jual-beli), (ii) inheritance (warisan), (iii) testament (wasiat), (iv) grant (hibah), and (v) auction (lelang). The procedure for the registration of transfer of right of land as the result of auction is different with the other means. Auction means every public sale of goods by verbal and/or written to the highest bidder Transfer of Right of Land through Auction By its characteristic, auction can be divided into two types, i.e. (i) execution auction, and (ii) non-execution auction. Execution auction means an auction that is related to court decision, mortgage rights (hak tanggungan), tax seizure (sita pajak), seizure held by District Attorney (Kejaksaan) or Investigator (Penyidik), and seizure held by Affairs Committee of State Receivable (Panitia Urusan Piutang Negara). Auction of non-execution means an auction of the assets owned by State Central Government Agency (Instansi Pemerintahan Pusat) or Regional Government Agency (Instansi Pemerintahan Daerah), State Owned Enterprise (Badan Usaha Milik Negara) or Regional Owned Enterprise (Badan Usaha Milik Daerah), and voluntary auction that is related to the right of land, or right to own of condominium unit that owned by individual or legal entity. In practice, on the execution auction there may be a problem in relation to the refusal from the executee to submit the original certificate of right of land which will be auctioned. However, that refusal will not stop the auction. In the event that certificate has not been delivered to the auction buyer, then the evidence for the registration of land is the statement letter (surat keterangan) from the Head of Auction Office (Kepala Kantor Lelang), elaborating the reason why the certificate cannot be given to the auction buyer. If the land has not been registered yet, the evidence for the registration of land is the statement letter from Village Head/Sub-District, stating on the control of land and statement letter about the land. Auction Procedure and Registration of Land through Auction The transfer of rights of land as the result of auction can only be registered to the National Land Agency if it is evidenced by the Minutes of Auction (Risalah Lelang). Within 7 (seven) days before the auction, the Head of Auction Office (Kepala Kantor Lelang) has the obligation to request the information on the physical data, and juridical data (data yuridis) as mentioned in the Map of Registration (Peta Pendaftaran), and list of land (daftar tanah). Within 5 (five) days after receiving the application, the National Land Agency will provide the land information to avoid the unclear public auction, and to make the Auction Official (Pejabat Lelang) has the basis to conduct the land auction. The registration application of transfer of right of land acquired through the auction can be submitted by the auction buyer to the Head of Land Office by attaching the following documents: - Minutes of Auction (Risalah Lelang). - Certificate of right of land or condominium, if the right of land that will be auctioned has been registered. - Statement Letter from the Head of Auction Office (Kepala Kantor Lelang) elaborating the reason why the certificate cannot be given to the auction buyer. - If the land has not been registered yet, the auction buyer shall attach (i) deed of title, (surat bukti hak) such as written evidences related to the right of land, witness statement, and/or statement letter in relation to the land ownership which will be assessed by Committee of Adjudication (Panitia Adjudikasi)/Head of Land Office (Kepala Kantor Tanah), or Statement Letter from the Head of Village/Sub-District (Kepala Desa/Kecamatan) on right of land, and (ii) statement letter stating the land has not been certificated from the Land Office. - Identity of auction buyer. - The receipt of payment. - Receipt of Acquisition Duty of Right of Land and Building (Bea Perolehan Hak atas Tanah dan Bangunan). - Receipt of Income Tax (Pajak Penghasilan). By registering the right of land through the Land Office, the auction buyer will be registered as the owner of land which has been auctioned previously. Ivor Pasaribu, SH
Operating systems : Linux Extracting tar.gz files in Linux, command line: tar zxvf file.tar.gz - z : filter the archive through gzip [ 1 ] - x : extract files from an archive - v : list the files processed - f : use archive file The command extracts the contents of a compressed archive to the current directory. Tar creates an archive of one or several files. Then gzip is used to compress it. Or both processes are made at once by tar only, with corresponding options employed. The duality of nature - archived and compressed after - is reflected in the extension of the file ("tar.gz") and requires two procedures to be performed while extracting: decompressing and unpacking. Hence both z (decompress it) and x (unpack it) in the command. Aliosque subditos et thema Migrating an IMAP account from one IMAP server to another [ 1 ] / Linux, command line: imapsync --host1 imap.this.com --user1 firstname.lastname@example.org --passfile1 /home/user/imap/passwordfile1 --ssl1 --host2 imap.another.com --user2 email@example.com --passfile2 /home/user/imap/passwordfile2 --ssl2 --skipsize --allowsizemismatch - There is a web site (example.com) and an email box (firstname.lastname@example.org) hosted at a web hosting company. The IMAP server: imap.this.com. The IMAP server supports SSL. - The example.com web site is to be transfered to another web hosting company. So is the email@example.com box with all its contents and keeping its folders structure. The IMAP server of another web hosting company: imap.another.com. The IMAP server supports SSL. 1. Set up an email box named firstname.lastname@example.org and a password to it on the server of the web hosting company the email@example.com mailbox is to be transfered to - from the previous web hosting company. 2. Create two text files in /home/user/imap/: passwordfile1 with the password for the mailbox on the first IMAP server and passwordfile2 with the password for the mailbox on the second IMAP server. 3. chmod 600 /home/user/imap/passwordfile1 4. chmod 600 /home/user/imap/passwordfile2 5. Install imapsync 6. Run imapsync Imapsync transfers a mailbox - keeping its folders structure - from imap.this.com to imap.another.com. SSL is used to enable encryption and passwords are saved to protected files (chmod 600). Migration between two email service boxes may happen to require to make use of more imapsync options [ 2 ]. Like transfering contents of one Gmail.com box to another demands to have "--port1" and "--port2" specified: imapsync --host1 imap.gmail.com --port1 993 --user1 firstname.lastname@example.org --passfile1 /home/user/imap/passwordfile1 --ssl1 --host2 imap.gmail.com --port2 993 --user2 email@example.com --passfile2 /home/user/imap/passwordfile2 --ssl2 --skipsize --allowsizemismatch [ 1 ] A simple and common case: contents of one email box are transfered to another, empty mailbox. But there can be more complicated ones like: Gmail to Google Apps Email Migration and Moving to Google Apps with imapsync. [ 2 ] For more command options: Migrate mail from one server to another with imapsync and imapsync(1) - Linux man page.
SPE Online Education Gas-Gas Separation for Blue Hydrogen Production Recorded On: 05/06/2022 Hydrogen is increasingly being acknowledged as an energy carrier that will help achieve a low or net zero-carbon energy future. Currently, more than 95% of the hydrogen in the world is produced from fossil fuels, with or without the capture of the co-produced carbon dioxide. When the carbon dioxide is captured and sequestered (e.g. permanently stored in depleted oil or gas reservoirs or deep saline aquifers), the hydrogen is referred to as blue hydrogen. Several gas-gas separation operations are involved in the production of blue hydrogen from methane steam reforming, hydrocarbon reforming or coal gasification. These include desulfurization of the feed gas or syngas to protect the catalysts used in the production process, the removal of gas impurities in the hydrogen product stream, the capture and purification of the carbon dioxide co-produced in the process, and optional further separation or recovery of valuable components such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the vent gas from the hydrogen purification and CO2 removal units. More recently the low carbon-hydrogen (LCH) process offers a major improvement in blue hydrogen production through the use of oxygen. Gas-gas separation operations are also essential in the application of hydrogen as an energy carrier. Ammonia is already in use as a transport friendly proxy for hydrogen. The ammonia production process requires air separation to provide the nitrogen for ammonia synthesis, the purification of the produced ammonia, and the recovery of hydrogen from the vent of liquid ammonia storage. In addition, there is also a need for the separation of hydrogen from natural gas if the produced hydrogen is blended with natural gas for pipeline transportation to end-users. This presentation reviews the gas-gas separation technologies required in the production, distribution and use of blue hydrogen. This webinar is categorized under the Projects, Facilities, and Construction and the Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability technical disciplines. All content contained within this webinar is copyrighted by Dr. James Xiao and its use and/or reproduction outside the portal requires express permission from Dr. James Xiao. Dr. James Xiao Dr. James Xiao graduated with a PhD degree in chemical engineering from Monash University in 2012. He then worked as a post-doc researcher at Monash University and the University of Melbourne on the modeling and pilot demonstration of carbon capture processes. He is now a chartered professional engineer and research fellow at The University of Western Australia. His research revolves around the development and application of novel materials and processes in energy and environmental related technologies. He has published more than 40 papers related to gas separations. He has consulted on industry projects for improving the efficiency of gas separation processes for companies in the Middle East, Europe and North America. Dag Kvamsdal (Moderator) Separation Domain Expert Dag Kvamsdal holds a master of engineering degree from the Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology. He has more than 25 years experience as an process engineer specialized in oil and gas separation. Dag Kvamsdal; has been involved in product development of separators, scrubbers and cyclones, and holds several patents within the field. Currently he has the position as Separation Domain Expert in Schlumberger. SPE Webinars are FREE to members courtesy of the
A mention of â€œbundle of products and services,â€ in some write ups indicates that the line between product systems and service systems is not necessarily always clear. Nevertheless there are important differences between them. Products are tangible things that we can carry away with us, whereas services are intangible and perishable and are consumed in the process of their production. Products may be produced to inventory and made available â€œoff-the-shelf,â€ whereas the availability of services requires keeping the productive system that produces them in readiness to produce the services as they are needed. In addition, the person being served often participates in the productive process, as by providing part of the labor in self-serve systems. In product systems there is very little if contact between the producers and the users of the product; that is left to distribution and retailing, when customers purchase an item or have it serviced. On the other hand there is a great deal of contact with the client or customer in services systems. Indeed, how much individuals rate a service depends on how the service is given. Human contact is almost the essence of many service systems. In product systems processes to convert raw materials to physical products may involve a multitude of interrelated steps, but the processing required in the service system is usually simple, involving only a few steps. Other important contrasts between product and services have to do with demand variability, markets, and the location of the productive system. The demand for product certainly varies with time, but that variability tends to be on a weekly, monthly, or seasonal basis. On the other hand the demand for services is often extremely variable on a short-term basis; that is, weekly, daily, and even hourly variations are common. This extreme short-term variability in the demand for services means that the system must be able to expand and contract its productive capacity rapidly if it is to be cost efficient. Alternatively service systems can either absorb the costs of over capacity by designing for peak load conditions, or they can absorb the costs of under capacity (lost sales and customer dissatisfaction) by designing for something less than peak loads. Market served by a productive system for product can be regional, national, and even International. Because of the size of potential markets for products it is often possible to take advantage of the economies of scale through mechanization and automation. Thus productivity in manufacturing has enjoyed very substantial increase over the years. Conversely because the services cannot be shipped to distant places, a productive system for services must ordinarily serve a local market. Therefore even though the total market may be national or international (for example, the market for fast foods), the market served by a given productive unit is small, resulting in relatively small units that cannot take great advantage of economies of scale. The location of productive system is dictated by the location of local markets. If the service system is the nonprofit organization, then the location is dependent on the location of the users, as is the case with post offices, medical clinics, and so on. Services as a Part of the Product: If you examine the nature of the delivery system for physical products, the clear line between product and services is much less apparent. Almost all purchases of consumer products involve services as well as the product itself. If you buy an automobile for example, you buy not only the product but also the guarantee and some servicing of the car. Services that extend beyond the manufactureâ€™s guarantees and services are usually related to retailing operations. When producers buy products from other producers (raw materials and supplies), they may also be buying services in the form of credit, supply in relation to production schedules, technical advice and service, and so on.
bash is a standard Linux shell. You can use bash to execute Linux commands. # Execute Linux command with bash ls Check environment variables Let's check the environment variables. You can check it with the env command. When combined with grep, you can retrieve only the environment variables you need. # Get only those that contain PATH env \| grep PATH Set environment variables Use the export command to set environment variables. bash configuration file The bash configuration file is ".bashrc" in your home directory. There is also a special config file called ".bash_profile", but use ".bashrc" for normal configs. If you write the above environment variable settings in ".bashrc", they can be set automatically when the shell is loaded. bash shell script Let's create a bash shell script. This is useful when executing frequently used Linux commands. Suppose you save the following script as "myecho". #!/bin/bash echo 'Hello' Save this script and change the permissions to 755 with the chmod command so you can run it chmod 755 myecho Shebang is "#!/bin/bash". What kind of shell scripts are there? Bash is the standard shell script on Linux, but there are other shell scripts such as csh, ksh, and zsh. Shell scripts are like dialects, and each Linux OS has a different standard shell.
Reader letters \| Saving the Monarchs Helping Monarchs migrate Regarding your Jan. 8 story on the decline of the Monarch butterfly, my husband and I as recently as 5 years ago used to sit on our deck and count the Monarch butterflies traveling south through our valley which parallels the Gene Snyder. There were so many 10 years ago that we'd lose count. I only saw two this past fall. My point is that we also saw the highway department mowing still-blooming thistles, ironweed and other wildflowers, I'm sure including milkweed, along the right-of-way on the Gene Snyder and I-64. If these areas were left unmowed until after the butterfly migrations, there would be passages with food for the butterflies. I would like to ask the city, county, state and national highway departments to consider not mowing until late fall to help the population of migrating birds and insects make their way south. Those living in town may not know but there is a superhighway of a natural sort going north and south through our city and state. Why not help it along? Louisville 40245 – Thanks to James Bruggers for his very informative, Jan. 7 article on the precipitous decline of the monarch butterfly, and thanks for mentioning the efforts of the Nature Conservancy, the Garden Club of Kentucky, and other organizations that are trying to restore habitat and replenish the supply of milkweed critical to monarch survival. Readers might also be interested in the organization called Forests for Monarchs, formerly the La Cruz Habitat Protection Project. We are planting 1 million trees this year on the mountaintops in Mexico where nearly all surviving monarchs east of the Rockies migrate. Most are oyamel fir, where the butterflies roost, but we also plant other varieties to provide firewood for the local communities so that the roosting areas are protected. See our web site at forestsformonarchs.org. Danville, Ky. 40422 –
- Venus as an Evening Star, 2016-2017 - 2016 Evening Planets - Chart and Image Collection - The Venus-Mars Encounter - Jupiter’s Year with Spica: A Triple Conjunction The sun rises south of east and sets south of west during November. The chart about shows the length of daylight throughout the year — the red line. The blue area shows the length daylight during November. The mid-northern latitudes lose nearly an hour of daylight during the month. \|First Quarter\|\|11/07/16 (1:51 p.m.)\|\|12:42 p.m.\|\|11:23 p.m.\| \|Full Moon\|\|11/14/16 (7:52 p.m.)\|\|5:08 p.m.\|\|7:39 a.m. (11/15)\| \|Last Quarter\|\|11/21/16 (2:33 a.m.)\|\|11:05 p.m. (11/20)\|\|12:46 p.m.\| \|New Moon\|\|11/29/16 (6:18 a.m.)\|\|6:46 a.m.\|\|4:57 p.m.\| \|Times are Central Standard Time for Chicago, Illinois, from US Naval Observatory calculations. (For mjb & afb) The Supermoon idea is not an astronomical concept and it appears to have originated in 1979. This is described to when the moon appears at its full phase when it is at its nearest point to earth (perigee). At this supermoon, the moon reaches perigee nearly 3 hours before it is opposite the sun at its full phase brilliance. The result is that it appears brighter (although nearly imperceptible) in the sky and about 14% larger than the typical full moon, again not noticeable for most of us. The moon appears larger when near the horizon and this does not cause a supermoon. The moon illusion is explained in several ways. Here’s a way to measure the size of the moon when near the horizon and then higher in the sky. Locate the moon and extend your arm. Notice that the tip of your little finger covers the moon. Try the same again when the moon is higher in the sky. Compare the two views. Jupiter is the bright “star” in the eastern sky as the sky brightens. On November 1, Jupiter rises 2 hours, 15 minutes before the sun. As the month progresses it rises earlier each morning. By month’s end Jupiter rises nearly 4 hours, 30 minutes before sunrise. At mid-month, Spica appears about 10 degrees below Jupiter. Jupiter, Spica and the moon. The moon is 7 degrees from Jupiter and Jupiter is 9 degrees from Spica Jupiter, Spica and the moon. The moon is 5 degrees from Jupiter and Jupiter is 9 degrees from Spica. On the mornings of November 24 and 25, the moon appears near Jupiter and Spica. Venus dominates the western early evening sky. On November 1, it sets about 2 hours after the sun and 3 hours after the sun at month’s end. Mars and Saturn also appear with Venus in the western sky early in the month. On the evening of November 2, the moon appears near Saturn and Venus. Venus is 6.5 degrees from the moon and 5 degrees from Saturn. Mars appears over 36 degrees to the upper left of Venus. A few nights later, the moon appears 7 degrees to the upper left of Mars. Venus is 35 degrees to the lower right of Mars and Saturn is 8 degrees Venus. Venus and Mars move quickly eastward among the stars and Saturn disappears into the sun’s brilliant glare. By month’s end, Venus and Mars are 25 degrees apart. Mercury passed superior conjunction on October 27 and is moving into the evening sky. More about it next month. For more details about Jupiter, Spica, Mars and Venus, see the articles linked at the top.
The Child Protection Act 1999 requires certain professionals, referred to as ‘mandatory reporters’, to make a report to Child Safety, if they form a reasonable suspicion that a child has suffered, is suffering or is at an unacceptable risk of suffering significant harm caused by physical or sexual abuse, and may not have a parent able and willing to protect them. Mandatory reporters should also report to Child Safety a reasonable suspicion that a child is in need of protection caused by any other form of abuse or neglect. Under the Child Protection Act 1999, mandatory reporters are: Teachers include approved teachers under the Education (Queensland College of Teachers) Act 2005, employed at a school. Doctors and nurses include those employed in both the public and private health sectors. Child Safety employees and employees of licensed care services are mandated to report a reasonable suspicion that a child in care has suffered, is suffering or is at an unacceptable risk of suffering significant harm caused by physical or sexual abuse. The department must provide notifiers from government or non-government agencies, which includes mandatory reporters, with information about the departmental response to child protection concerns reported (Child Protection Act 1999, section 159M). The notifier is to be asked whether they require feedback at the time of the initial contact with the department. If the notifier requests feedback the department must: The Queensland Government has accepted recommendations accepted recommendations made by the Queensland Law Reform Commission in its report Review of Child Protection Mandatory Reporting Laws for the Early Childhood Education and Care Sector . The report proposes changes to legislative mandatory reporting provisions for child protection concerns to apply to key professionals in the early childhood education and care sector. The government accepts all three report recommendations - two in full (recommendations 8.1 and 9.1) and one in principle (recommendation 9.2). The recommendations reflect the unique position of early childhood education and care professionals to observe child protection concerns. The Queensland Government will work with the early childhood education and care sector to ensure any changes made are practical and supported by appropriate training and resources.
The Galatians were a Celtic people that dwelt mainly in the north central regions of Asia Minor or Anatolia, in what was known as Galatia, in today's Turkey. In their origin they were a part of the great Celtic migration which invaded Macedon, led by Brennus. The original Celts who settled in Galatia came through Thrace under the leadership of Leotarios and Leonnorios c. 278BC. These Celts consisted mainly of three tribes, the Tectosages, the Trocmii, and the Tolistobogii, but they were also other minor tribes. They spoke a Celtic language, the Galatian language, which is sparsely attested. Seeing something of a Hellenized savage in the Galatians, Francis Bacon and other Renaissance writers called them "Gallo-Graeci", "Gauls settled among the Greeks" and the country "Gallo-Graecia", as had the 3rd century AD Latin historian Justin. The more usual term in Antiquity is Ἑλληνογαλάται (Hellēnogalátai) of Diodorus Siculus' Bibliotheca historica v.32.5, in a passage that is translated "...and were called Gallo-Graeci because of their connection with the Greeks", identifying Galatia in the Greek East as opposed to Gallia in the West.
Do Macs need antivirus? On September 26, 2016, Apple published its first-ever support article on malware. Why is it a notable event? Because for quite a while, Macs have been considered immune to it. Just for the sake of the experiment, try asking Mac users this question, “do Macs need antivirus software?”. I bet most of them will reply with, “macOS doesn’t get viruses, so there’s no need to have one.” Sadly, that’s not quite true. Malware is now a Mac problem, too. - According to the Objective-by-the-Sea malware conference, around 20% of Macs are infected with PUPs or potentially unwanted programs. While there’s been no severe outbreak or epidemic of Mac viruses in the wild, macOS has been hit by malware quite a few times. Just recently, Meltdown and Spectre malware exploited flaws in Intel chips and affected Macs. Malware vs. virus: Is there a difference? Now, you’re probably confused by why we use malware and viruses interchangeably here. So let’s clear that out once and for all. Technically, a virus is a bit of code that infects your system and can cause all sorts of havoc. Malware is a much broader term used to describe anything malicious that finds its way onto your Mac — from apps you download to links you click that steal data and cause all sorts of damage to your device. So while malware and viruses aren’t exactly the same, the steps taken to combat them are similar enough. That’s why we’re approaching them, as they are the same thing. And the best antivirus software for Mac should deal with both categories equally anyway. How to tell if Mac has a virus Viruses display several different symptoms, depending on the kind of malware they are. Your Mac may start behaving strangely, like showing odd things on the screen. Or you may receive a message telling you that your Mac is infected and that you should call such and such number to get rid of it. Prior warning, don’t call that number! Here are other signs you can easily spot if your Mac has a virus: - Your Mac suddenly starts running slow, or applications lag much more than usual. - You see adverts pop up on your Mac randomly. - Out of the blue, websites you visit show adverts unconnected with anything you’ve browsed or searched for. - You find software, like a browser toolbar, that you’ve never installed. - Websites that don’t normally show adverts have banners on them. If your Mac displays one or more of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean it has a virus or has been infected with malware. It’s a sign that it might. If you’d like to investigate further how Apple computers get viruses, head to this article. Remember, it’s always worth getting to the root of the problem. If you’re dealing with malware in particular, time to install an antivirus and use it to scan your Mac. Do I need antivirus for Mac One might argue that even though the threat of Mac infection with malware or virus is very real, Apple has all the needed security measures and settings in place for their users. And you’re not wrong there. Apple has an advanced built-in security system and settings that you can tune up, so it is a good starting point. Turn on your security settings to the maximum. Apple suggests allowing only apps from the Mac App Store or verified developers to be installed on your Mac. This is all good, but the reasons why developers refuse to sell on the App Store are numerous, so there’s a big chance an app you need will not be there. It can also be created by developers who don’t have an agreement with Apple, and it doesn’t make the app any less valuable or necessary. So what do you do? - Avoid software that scares you in its advertisement: your Mac is not under threat, your system has no critical errors, no, you don’t need this app to save your data. - If you have accidentally installed such apps (ironically, malware usually poses as antivirus software), the only rule is never to give them your credit card details. The apps that ask for money in exchange for imaginary threat protection or for giving you back control over your Mac are called ransomware. - Be on the lookout for websites that distribute illegal (pirated) content. They frequently show giant misleading buttons that install random downloaders or packages and tiny buttons that link to the content needed. - Google the app developer. Do they have a website? Do they disclose their team, contacts, and address? - Ensure you’re downloading/purchasing the app from the official website and nothing extra gets installed. - Avoid unnecessary browser extensions and clean cache and cookies regularly. - We could advise you to get a Mac antivirus program or other Mac security software. But the issue with antivirus Mac software is that few applications deal with it appropriately since the problem is relatively new. Most Mac virus protection apps do little to protect your Mac. It’s better to be safe than sorry, but… Does Mac have built-in antivirus? Over the years, Apple has implemented many security measures and features to safeguard its computers. Here are some of them: Software that gets checked and verified by Apple receives a developer’s certificate. Gatekeeper then checks if the app you’re about to install has this certificate. You’ll see a warning message telling you it’s not verified if it doesn’t. Sandboxing limits the damage that a malicious app can do. Malicious software can still sneak into your Mac, but it won’t be able to use your camera or microphone and access your data without permission. Another built-in antivirus technology, XProtect, helps protect your Mac from known malicious threats. It checks your apps when you first open them and ensures no new malicious changes are introduced in the file system. With all these built-in antivirus measures, you might hesitate if Macs need antivirus. Macs are indeed safer than other computers. But here’s the thing, the recent threat — Shlayer — could bypass Gatekeeper and get on Macs unnoticed, showing intrusive ads and running scripts that open doors to other malware. So the better question would be how safe your Mac is without additional antivirus software. The bottom line is cybercriminals are getting more innovative than ever, and Mac users — are an attractive target. No doubt, staying vigilant will help you avoid most threats and protect your Mac from malware. Still, investing in good antivirus software is something to consider if you want to remain fully protected. What do I do if my Mac gets a virus? We wrote an entire article covering all the basics of removing viruses and malware from your Mac. Feel free to skip to the good part and read it here. But if you’re still reading this, here’s a summary of what you should and shouldn’t do if you end up with a virus on your Mac. A piece of advice, don’t just google your symptoms and download whatever comes at the top of the search listings. The most widespread host for malware is fake antivirus software, and often the websites that contain these apps are optimized for the very symptoms they cause. If you need to scan your Mac for malware, here’s a good read on how to run antivirus on Mac (automatically or manually). Or simply download CleanMyMac X. It detects thousands of threats, including adware, worms, spyware, ransomware, and more. The app comes with a malware monitor that works in real time. If some dubious app attempts to get into your Launch Agents, you’ll see an alert and instructions on what to do next. Here’s the screenshot of CleanMyMac X detecting a bunch of viruses on a MacBook… How to protect your Mac from malware? 1. Use antivirus software So, what to look for in antivirus software? Antivirus software is a juicy market that attracts many newcomers. That’s why you should look into software with a reputable name and credibility. Don’t fall for fancy names, though! And don’t install more than two antivirus programs because antiviruses often overlap. Here’s an example of what else to consider: Reputable brand: CleanMyMac X Apple notarization: ✅ Real-time protection: ✅ Regular updates: ✅ 2. Clear your browser cache If the malware has come from a website you downloaded, you don’t want any traces left on your Mac. Quickly clear the browser cache for Safari and Chrome using CleanMyMac X mentioned above. 3. Make sure your Mac’s Firewall is switched on - Go to System Settings and click on the Network pane. - Choose the Firewall tab. - If the green light next to the word Firewall is showing, Firewall is on. If it’s not, click Turn On Firewall. - Click on Firewall Options and check the Enable Stealth Mode box. 4. Use public Wi-Fi networks safely Keeping your Firewall on will help protect your Mac, but it won’t keep out every piece of malware. If you regularly use your Mac on a public Wi-Fi network, you should consider using MacPaw’s ClearVPN — the first effortless VPN for a personalized and secure online experience. By using ClearVPN, you create a secure tunnel between your Mac and the websites you visit, and your data is encrypted. If the Wi-Fi network is compromised, your data and your Mac will be safe. 5. Don’t click the link Email messages are a very common distribution medium for malware. Never click a link in an email unless you’re certain you know who the message is from. Phishing, as it’s called, can catch anyone out if you’re not vigilant. We’ve all had emails that look legitimate and ask us to click a link to access a form or read an important message. Don’t do it. The easiest strategy — and the best malware removal for Mac — is simply being vigilant. 6. Trust in Gatekeeper Gatekeeper is a built-in security layer of the macOS itself. It’s no replacement for antimalware software, but it has a couple of very helpful tools that protect your Mac. One is Quarantine. If you’ve ever downloaded an application from the internet, you’ll have seen it in action. It pops up a dialog box telling you that you’ve downloaded it and where it’s come from — assuming it’s been digitally signed by its developer. Apps that don’t have a signature supplied by Apple don’t even get that far. You must then click to approve the app before it can be opened. Please don’t ignore this box when you see it. Check the app you’ve downloaded is the one you expected to download before you agree to open it. 7. XProtect yourself The other macOS tool is XProtect — it scans files you’ve downloaded when you open them and looks for known malware. If it finds anything, it will warn you. If you see it, follow its instructions. 8. Avoid known offenders Both Flash and Java have been used in the past to spread viruses — usually by hackers who create fake installers that pretend to be updated and lure you into downloading them. But outdated versions of Flash (the MacDownloader malware used a fake Flash update as a host) and Java can leave your Mac vulnerable to malware. The safest approach is to uninstall them altogether. Now that most of the web uses HTML 5 video and Adobe discontinued support for Flash Player, there’s no reason to have Flash installed on your Mac. 9. Keep macOS up to date Apple introduces security patches and fixes to known software vulnerabilities with every update. That’s why it’s essential to stay updated. Here’s how to check for macOS updates: - Go to Apple menu > System Settings > General. - Click Software Update. If updates are available, click Update Now to install them. If you haven’t updated your Mac for a long time, there will be the Upgrade Now option that will install a new macOS version. 10. Keep your browser up to date Safari updates are installed with macOS updates, while other browsers like Firefox and Chrome will alert you when your browser is outdated and a newer version is available. Don’t ignore the warnings. Update your browser immediately. Often, these updates will include security features designed to keep you safe from malware. 11. Back up your Mac regularly If you back up your Mac, you can restore from that backup if a virus causes real damage to your system. And if you use Time Machine, you can boot your Mac into the recovery partition and restore from a snapshot taken just before your Mac became infected. That makes it very easy to get back up and running again. 12. Avoid Facebook scams It’s now clear that clicking a malicious link in a suspicious email may get your personal data exposed to scammers. The same works on Facebook. There are multiple Facebook scams that trick gullible people into giving away their personal information, like fake posts telling them you’ve won a vast sum of money. Here are some other popular Facebook scams to avoid: - Fake warnings - Direct messages with suspicious links - Surveys that contain personal questions - Scam ads Be vigilant on social media and only click a link if you know where it leads. 13. Secure personal data You could use macOS FileVault to encrypt every file on your Mac. But it consumes resources and hits your Mac’s performance. For most of us, it’s overkill. But you should ensure that all sensitive or personal data stored on your Mac is encrypted. One way to do that is to use a password manager. As well as passwords, most apps encrypt and safely store credit card details, bank accounts, and text notes. You should also use secure, difficult-to-guess passwords from your Mac user account to your Wi-Fi network. Bottom line: macOS used to feel like the Great Wall of China, yet now, each Mac user has to exercise caution. The best virus protection for a Mac is to be alert and use common sense. If you notice your Mac behaving strangely, take action immediately, even if it’s only launching Activity Monitor, to find out why your Mac is running slowly. Apple virus protection in macOS, in the form of Gatekeeper and XProtect, will help, but they won’t stop every possible piece of malware. Be vigilant, back up your Mac regularly, and minimize the risk by removing Flash and Java. The chances of your Mac becoming infected with a virus are slim. By employing the advice here, you can reduce that risk even further. Got valuable insights from this article? Our MacPaw team is on the watch for the latest Mac security updates, so stay tuned!
Methods \| Statistics \| Clinical \| Educational \| Industrial \| Professional items \| World psychology \| Reverse learning is a neurobiological theory of dreams. Crick and Mitchinson's (1983) reverse learning model likened the process of dreaming to a computer in that it was "off-line" during dreaming. During this phase, the brain supposedly sifts through information gathered throughout the day and throws out all unwanted material. According to the model, we dream in order to forget and this involves a process of "reverse learning." The cortex cannot cope with the vast amount of information received throughout the day without developing "parasitic" thoughts that would disrupt the efficient organisation of memory. During REM sleep, these unwanted connections in cortical networks are wiped out by impulses bombarding the cortex from sub-cortical areas. Support for the theory of reverse learningEdit In the echidna, a primitive egg-laying mammal that has no REM sleep, there is a very enlarged frontal cortex (Allison et al, 1972). Crick and Mitchison argue that this excessive cortical development is necessary to store both adaptive memories and parasitic memories, which in more highly evolved animals are disposed of during REM sleep. Objections to the theory of reverse learningEdit One problem for reverse-learning theory is that dreams are often organized into clear narratives (stories). It is unclear why dreams would be organized in a systematic way if they consisted only of disposable parasitic thoughts. It is also unclear why babies sleep so much, because it seems they would have less to forget. Additionally, the brain of the echidna has far less folding than the brains of other mammals, so has less surface area (the location of the neo-cortex). It may actually have less capacity for higher thought than that of other mammals, rather than more, as it's greater mass suggests. In response to these objections, Crick and Mitchinson restricted their theory to apply only to dreams with bizarre imagery and no clear narrative - Allison, T., Van Twyver, H. and Goff, W.R. (1972). Sleep in mammals: ecological and constitutional correlates. Archives of Italian Biology 110: 145-184. - Crick F and Mitchison G (1983). The function of dream sleep. Nature 304 (5922): 111-4. PMID 6866101. \|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).\|
Patience, forgiveness, empathy? What is the most important parenting skill? Good parenting isn’t presented to us at baby showers or as a parting gift from hospital staff following 21 hours of labor. So, how do you acquire the skills needed to raise decent human beings? Moreover, what are the most important qualities needed to ensure your child is able to grow into a valuable member of society? Patience: Wash, dry, fold, break up fights, chauffeur, shop, cook, clean, repeat… over and over again. After years of this monotony it’s no wonder many parents find it challenging to be patient with their children. Still, if you are able to dig deep and find a way to tolerate the child asking the same question 50 times in 30 minutes, parenting will be much more rewarding. Try to laugh when you want to cry; smile when you feel like screaming. Look for the lighter side of dark moments and you may find your child doing the same. Being able to feed off of one another’s patience will help foster a stable and loving home. Listening: Don’t pass up an opportunity to listen to your child regardless of his age. Talk less, listen more and you will be one step closer to raising an emotionally healthy individual. By truly listening and acknowledging what your child has to say you will help build confidence in him and strengthen the bond between the two of you. Empathy: Being able to empathize with your child is a priceless skill, especially when your son or daughter is too young to speak. Infants don’t have the means to communicate via words which means you have to work harder to interpret your baby’s feelings through his behavior. If your typically happy and active toddler is acting up or is unusually quiet, he might be feeling under the weather. A good parent is able to read in between the lines of his child’s behavior and act accordingly.
A superb quality jade ornament plaque, Qing Dynasty or earlier. An openwork jade ornamental plaque, carved as a dragon with it's heads turned back in the Han/Ming archaistic Style. The ornament is carved out of a terrific white jade stone with darker markings. The carving is sharp and well executed. ...click for details AN UNUSUAL PAIR OF CELADON JADE CARVINGS, IN THE SHAPE OF BALLS, LIKELY 19TH.-20TH. CENTURY OR EARLIER A pair of highly unusual large jade nephrite balls carved with a mythical beast going all around each ball. One can see the face with open jaws, eyebrows and flat nose (lioness) following it round, one can see the spine and ending in a l ...click for details A SUPERB WHITE JADE CARVING WITH BROWN MARKINGS, CHINESE, LIKELY 17TH.-18TH. CENTURY OR EARLIER A wonderful jade carving depicting a man lying inside a large leaf, as if holding on, perhaps he is sailing on the leaf. Inside the leaf a beetle or insect and a yin-yan symbol. The details and the beauty of the stone itself makes this jade p ...click for details AN ARTFUL WHITE JADE CARVING WITH BROWN MARKINGS, CHINESE, LIKELY 17TH.-18TH. CENTURY OR EARLIER This very accomplished jade carving depicts a man lying inside a large leaf, as if holding on, perhaps he is sailing on the leaf. The details and the beauty of the stone itself makes this jade piece very special. ...click for details HIGHLY IMPORTANT MASSIVE CYLINDER SEAL IN BEIGE-WHITE HARDSTONE, MESOPOTAMIA, LATE JEMDET NASR PERIOD, CA. 2800 BC. With it's huge size (37 mm. (tall) and 23 mm. wide) a very impressive seal in hand. The typical Jemdet Nasr style drilling, but here done with great skills, showing a couple of seated figures, likely tending something inf ...click for details RARE IBIS HEAD AND NECK IN BRONZE, DATING TO THE THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD, DYNASTY XXI-XXV, CIRCA 1069-664 B.C. This bronze Ibis once had a body of wood or steatite and legs of bronze, now lost. The head with a small tang for attachment, is of the finest style of the period with a curved ridged beak, eyes recessed for inlay. ...click for details
\|This shows the stages of the project: Image selection, simplified sketch\| and completed Fauve Landscape. One great project the 6th graders worked on was Fauve landscapes. I have posted a Fauve Landscape project before which was more technical and science-oriented since it involved afterimages and such (check it out here--it makes a grew STEAM project). But this time, I went with a simpler version that still allowed the students to learn about the Fauves and color theory. These came out beautiful and made a wonderful display, but I didn't get a picture of them all together (I know, I can't believe it). Trust me, they are awesome and beautiful. :-) Here's how it worked: Students looked through the magazines in the classroom for three landscapes they liked that they thought would work to simplify--these oil pastels don't do detail well. The students met with me and we discussed their choices and they selected one to take to final. They could then simplify the landscape on newsprint using a grid format (or freehand it if they preferred). Once they were done their draft, I had them transfer the image to a poster-weight paper. I thought that would hold up well. However, you could probably use white drawing paper. Students were encouraged to use at least two colors in each section of their drawing using blending. We had talked about color theory, warm/cool colors and atmospheric perspective so they could make great color choices. Once all of the sections of their landscape were complete, they could use a dark-colored pastel to outlines the sections (similar the some of the Fauve artists). When done, the finished pieces were glued to a black mat (black paper cut 2" larger than the work). This really made the colors seem so bright and also made the pieces look more finished. Matting work just makes it seem more special. Ta-da! Beautiful Fauve Landscapes! ENJOY!
Protecting the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and is rich in history and natural beauty. In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established a "pollution diet" to restore clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and the region's streams, creeks, and rivers. Protecting this natural treasure is an important and complex task, involving the federal government, six states and the District of Columbia. DC Water's Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest plant of its kind in the world. Wastewater from the District and several counties in Maryland and Virginia is treated at Blue Plains and returned to the Potomac River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, after being cleaned. The return of this treated water to the Potomac makes Blue Plains the largest single point discharger to the Chesapeake Bay. DC Water has long been a leader in working to clean up the Bay by voluntarily reducing nitrogen levels and exceeding goals established by the Chesapeake Bay Agreement. DC Water has invested upwards of one billion dollars in upgrading treatment processes to meet or exceed the EPA’s goals of nitrogen reduction in the Bay. While Blue Plains is the largest single point source discharger to the Chesapeake Bay, that only accounts for roughly 2 percent of the bay's nitrogen. Two-thirds of the nitrogen load in the Bay comes from agricultural and airborne influences. Although plants and animals need nutrients to survive, when too many nutrients enter waterways they fuel the growth of algae blooms and create conditions that are harmful for fish, shellfish and other underwater life.
Historically, the number of public school districts in the United States has decreased despite a dramatic increase in the number of students enrolled. Although public school district consolidation has impacted districts of all sizes, since the late 1930’s smaller rural districts facing dwindling community resources have merged or consolidated with each other, resulting in fewer school districts. When school districts consolidate, all aspects of the newly-formed district are affected. Each year, lawmakers and rural public school district officials face dwindling finances, and each year these decision makers question whether to consolidate to avoid fiscal perils. Proponents tout the benefits of fiscal efficiency, a broadened curriculum, and a projected increase in student achievement. Critics argue that the community suffers when the community school closes, students are burdened with new transportation issues, increased academic opportunities do not necessarily impute to greater student performance, and a host of tangible and non-tangible arguments are put forth. This ex post facto quantitative study examines the fiscal efficiency of small, rural, consolidated school districts by comparing per-pupil expenditures with matched non-consolidated school districts in the state of Texas. The study also examines student achievement levels by comparing passing rate percentages on all Texas state assessment tests for 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade students attending these schools. For before and after consolidation comparison purposes, rural community public schools were matched according to Texas state designated “paired” protocol. Districts meeting Texas Education Agency (TEA) Snapshot criterion for Absorbing districts were matched with Joining districts. Expenditure and student achievement data for Absorbing and Joining districts were collected for the ten-year period from 1999 to 2009. A paired samples t-test measured differences in the district’s efficiency, and the Lawshe-Baker Normative t-test measured differences in student achievement. Four null hypotheses were examined with an a priori alpha level = 0.05. This study, when the data for the joining and absorbing districts was subjected to appropriate t-tests, supports other research that suggests per-pupil expenditures increased and student achievement decreased for the absorbing district. Cooley, Dwight A. and Floyd, Koy A. "SMALL RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION IN TEXAS: AN ANALYSIS OF ITS IMPACT ON COST AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT," Administrative Issues Journal: Vol. 3 , Article 7. Available at: http://dc.swosu.edu/aij/vol3/iss1/7
A manager and an executive are both leaders. The difference in their positions lays in its focus. Think of a company as a puzzle: each piece represents a specific function, such as a department or a project. If you’re a manager, you’re responsible for one of those pieces. A manager’s leadership targets all the work needed to cut, paint and polish that one piece so it fits the assigned space. An executive looks at the entire puzzle to make sure all the pieces fit together effectively, making adjustments when needed. Managers are the first rung of the leadership ladder, or the lowest level of strategic leadership, while executives represent occupy the top rung. The most common leadership hierarchy has managers who report to directors, who in turn report to executives. The topmost executives in large corporations are often referred to as C-level executives, such as chief executives. Presidents and vice presidents represent another layer of executives and report to the chiefs. As you move higher up the ladder, the more strategic your focus becomes and the less hands-on responsibility you will have. C-level executives report directly to the CEO. The number of chief executives can differ from company to company. Common C-level positions include chief operating officer, chief financial officer, chief information officer and others. In smaller companies, one chief can wear many hats, having responsibility over a number of functional areas. In larger companies, the number of chiefs can grow, providing for greater specialization, including chiefs of technology, marketing, sustainability, human resources and other key functions. Executives establish organizational policies and strategies. They focus on issues affecting the entire company, such as profit and loss, market share and compliance with government regulations. Executives set corporate goals and monitor overall performance based on reports from their management teams. These leaders pay close attention to how the company holds up against competitors and determine the actions needed to address challenges posed by market conditions and global economy. Managers provide focused leadership, zeroing in on specific processes and functions to execute the strategies provided by executives. This level provides in-the-field or on-the-floor direction. They don’t necessarily roll up their sleeves and perform specific processes themselves, but they understand those processes well enough to provide direction to the employees they supervise. Managers make sure employees have the tools they need -- both from a knowledge and an equipment standpoint -- to get a job done properly. Managers then report their teams’ successes, concerns and recommendations to the next level of leaders. Leadership titles can and do vary. City managers in government and general operations managers in industry function as executives. In some companies, senior managers fill the role of directors, and directors can be considered the first level of executive leadership. At the opposite end of the spectrum, supervisors and team leaders also provide employees with direction, but typically possess limited authority and don't set strategic focus. 2016 Salary Information for Top Executives Top executives earned a median annual salary of $109,140 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, top executives earned a 25th percentile salary of $70,800, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $165,620, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 2,572,000 people were employed in the U.S. as top executives. A careers content writer, Debra Kraft is a former English teacher whose 25-plus year corporate career includes training and mentoring. She holds a senior management position with a global automotive supplier and is a senior member of the American Society for Quality. Her areas of expertise include quality auditing, corporate compliance, Lean, ERP and IT business analysis.
Fifth disease, also called erythema infectiosum, is usually not a serious infection. Its most notable symptom is a bright red patch or rash on your child’s cheeks. It is caused by a virus called parvovirus B19 and can be spread from one person to another through droplets or secretions (eg, saliva, sputum). It can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus. The virus can cause serious illness in a fetus or in any child who has a certain type of anemia (low red blood cell count) such as sickle cell anemia. Outbreaks of parvovirus B19 infections occur from time to time in elementary and middle schools during the late winter and early spring months. In the initial stages of fifth disease, your child may develop mild cold-like symptoms including a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, mild fever, muscle soreness, itching, fatigue, and headaches. Less commonly, your child may experience aches in the knees or wrists. After 7 to 10 days of these first symptoms, the distinctive rash of fifth disease may appear. It typically starts on the face, giving the child a “slapped cheek” appearance. A slightly raised rash in a lacelike pattern may develop on the torso and then spread to the arms, buttocks, and thighs. Five to 10 days later, the rash will tend to fade. It may reappear briefly weeks or months later, especially when your youngster becomes hot while exercising, bathing, or sunbathing. Parvovirus infections can make sickle cell anemia and other hemolytic anemias, much worse. This complication may lead to an aplastic crisis in which blood counts drop to dangerously low levels. This can happen to the fetus when a pregnant woman has a parvovirus infection. The fetus can develop heart failure related to the low blood counts. This condition is called hydrops fetalis and can cause fetal death. Transfusions are often needed in the fetus or child with aplastic crisis. The incubation period from exposure to the virus to the beginning of symptoms usually ranges from 4 to 14 days. The rash appears 2 to 3 weeks after your child becomes infected. Once the rash is present, your youngster will no longer be contagious. When to call the doctor If your child’s symptoms seem to get worse with time or if she develops joint swelling, contact your pediatrician. If your child has sickle cell disease, contact your doctor whenever your child gets a fever or seems especially pale. Your pediatrician will diagnose fifth disease by examining the rash, which has a distinctive look. In some cases, your doctor will conduct a blood test that can detect antibodies to parvovirus B19. Let your pediatrician know about any medications your child may be taking because the rash associated with fifth disease can look like rashes that are side effects of certain drugs. Most children with fifth disease are treated only with symptomatic care to make them feel more comfortable. If a fever is present, your pediatrician may recommend acetaminophen to lower the temperature as well as to reduce the intensity of any aches and pains that are part of the illness. Your pediatrician also may advise using antihistamines to relieve any itching associated with the rash. In children with serious anemias, hospitalization and blood transfusions are often needed. Most children infected with parvovirus B19 have only a mild illness that goes away on its own. However, children with blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia or a weakened immune system can become seriously ill if they develop fifth disease and should be seen by a doctor immediately. The infection can also be serious if it is contracted by pregnant women. Fifth disease can result in serious complications such as damage to the fetus, miscarriages, or stillbirths. To reduce the risk of spreading fifth disease, good hygiene is important, including frequent hand washing.
Methods \| Statistics \| Clinical \| Educational \| Industrial \| Professional items \| World psychology \| is chronic pain experienced by a patient in one or more areas, and is thought to be caused by psychological stress. The pain is often so severe that it disables the patient from proper functioning. Duration may be as short as a few days or as long as many years. The disorder may begin at any age, and occurs more frequently in girls than boys. This disorder often occurs after an accident or during an illness that has caused pain, which then takes on a 'life' of its own. The DSM-IV-TR specifies three coded subdiagnoses: pain disorder associated with psychological factors, pain disorder associated with both psychological factors and a general medical condition and pain disorder associated with a general medical condition (although the latter subtype is not considered a mental disorder and is coded separately within the DSM-IV-TR). Conditions such as dyspareunia, somatization disorder, conversion disorder, or mood disorders can eliminate pain disorder as a diagnosis. Diagnosis depends on an inability for physicians to explain the symptoms and on psychological influences. Common symptoms of pain disorder are: negative or distorted cognition, such as feelings of despair or hopelessness; inactivity and passivity, in some cases disability; increased pain, sometimes requiring clinical treatment; sleep disturbance and fatigue; disruption of social relationships; depression and/or anxiety. Acute conditions last less than six months while chronic pain disorder lasts six or more months. There is no neurological or physiological basis for the pain. Pain is reported as more distressing than it should be if there was a physical explanation. People who suffer from this disorder may begin to abuse medication. At least once a week, 10-30% of those under 18 years of age suffer from unexplainable headaches and abdominal pains in the United States, and the number is rising. People from collectivistic countries such as Japan, China, and Mexico are more likely to suffer from pain disorder than individualistic countries such as the US and Sweden. Ethnicities show differences in how they express their discomfort and on how acceptable shows of pain and its tolerance are. Most obvious in adolescence, females suffer from this disorder more than males, and females reach out more. More unexplainable pains occur as people get older. Typically, younger children complain of only one symptom, commonly abdominal pains or headaches. The older they get, the more varied the pain location as well as more locations and increasing frequency. - Psychodynamic theory: unconscious conflicts or desires are converted into somatic symptom to protect the conscious of the person from awareness of it - Emotions and communication: children show distress in what may be the only way they can, physical symptoms, when they lack the ability to speak or express their thoughts in any way - Social influences: where psychological disorders are frowned upon, whether in families or cultures, distress may be expressed in physical terms - Learning theory: children learn to imitate a family member or pick up on possible gains of being "sick" - Family systems theory: a child's role in a family may be the sick one as part of the family dynamics. Reasons why fall under four possibilities: enmeshment, overprotection, rigidity, lack of conflict resolution - Trauma and abuse: this includes physical, psychological, or both combined with somatization. It is a common combination. The prognosis is worse when there are more areas of pain reported. Treatment may include psychotherapy (with cognitive-behavioral therapy or operant conditioning), medication (often with antidepressants but also with pain medications), and sleep therapy. According to a study performed at the University of Miami School of Medicine, antidepressants have an analgesic effect on patients suffering from pain disorder. In a randomized, placebo-controlled antidepressant treatment study, researchers found that "antidepressants decreased pain intensity in patients with psychogenic pain or somatoform pain disorder significantly more than placebo". Prescription and nonprescription pain medications do not help and can actually hurt if the patient suffers side effects or develops an addiction. Instead, antidpressants and talk therapy are recommended. CBT helps patients learn what worsens the pain, how to cope, and how to function in their life while handling the pain. Antidepressants work against the pain and worry. Unfortunately, many people do not believe the pain "is all in their head," so they refuse such treatments. Other techniques used in the management of chronic pain may also be of use; these include massage, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, trigger point injections, surgical ablation, and non-interventional therapies such as meditation, yoga, and music and art therapy. Before treating a patient, a psychologist must learn as many facts as possible about the patient and the situation. A history of physical symptoms and a psychosocial history help narrow down possible correlations and causes. Psychosocial history covers the family history of disorders and worries about illnesses, chronically ill parents, stress and negative life events, problems with family functioning, and school difficulties (academic and social). These indicators may reveal whether there is a connection between stress-inducing events and an onset or increase in pain, and the removal in one leading to the removal in the other. They also may show if the patient gains something from being ill and how their reported pain matches medical records. Physicians may refer a patient to a psychologist after conducting medical evaluations, learning about any psychosocial problems in the family, discussing possible connections of pain with stress, and assuring the patient that the treatment will be a combination between medical and psychological care. Psychologists must then do their best to find a way to measure the pain, perhaps by asking the patient to put it on a number scale. Pain questionnaires, screening instruments, interviews, and inventories may be conducted to discover the possibility of somatoform disorders. Projective tests may also be used. Early intervention when pain first occurs or begins to become chronic offers the best opportunity for prevention of pain disorder. - Chronic pain - Conversion disorder - Pain management - Psychogenic pain - Psychological pain References & BibliographyEdit \|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).\| <ref>tags exist, but no <references/>tag was found
Methods \| Statistics \| Clinical \| Educational \| Industrial \| Professional items \| World psychology \| in environmental psychology, Thematic Interpretation is an approach to heritage interpretation originally advocated by professor William J. Lewis (University of Vermont) and subsequently developed by professor Sam H. Ham (University of Idaho). In the thematic approach, an interpreter relies on a central theme (i.e., a major point or message) to guide development of a communication activity or device. In presenting the activity or device, the thematic interpreter develops the theme in such a way that it will be highly relevant to an audience. According to studies, presenting a strongly relevant theme greatly increases the likelihood an interpreter will succeed in provoking an audience to think about theme-related issues. Beginning in the early 2000s, the thematic approach has been adopted widely in persuasive communication campaigns aimed at impacting environmental behaviors, especially those related to energy and water consumption, and in occupational safety and risk communication programs. In the broader fields of sustainable development and risk communication, the term thematic communication (rather than thematic "interpretation") is often used. The two approaches, however, are identical, and both are linked largely to Ham's (1992) book, Environmental Interpretation. In everyday reality, the practice of thematic interpretation involves theme-based communication by interpretive naturalists, zoo and museum educators, guides, docents, park rangers, and other communicators in natural and cultural settings. Typically interpreters are required to present complex and potentially dry subject matter to non-technical voluntary audiences (often consisting of tourists) in an interesting and engaging way. The thematic approach can involve any method that increases the relevance of an interpreter's theme to an audience, for example, comparisons, analogies and stories that link unfamiliar things to the things an audience already cares about. Ham formally presented the thematic approach for the first time in his 1992 book, wherein he outlined the "EROT" (Enjoyable, Relevant, Organized, Thematic) framework. Drawing heavily on persuasive communication research, Ham refined the EROT framework in the early 2000s and renamed it the TORE model of thematic interpretation. The most detailed presentation of the TORE model is in Interpretation-- Making a difference on purpose which Ham published in 2013. There are obvious parallels between Ham's view of thematic interpretation and those of Freeman Tilden who is widely considered the founder of the field of interpretation. The most important parallel is that both see interpretation as a process aimed at provoking audiences to do their own thinking and thereby develop their own subjective understanding of the world. This is in contrast to the view that interpretation instructs audiences to know or accept the interpreter's understanding of things. Both Tilden and Ham appear to be strongly influenced by the views of constructivist learning theorists--in particular, those of cognitive constructivist, Jean Piaget, and social constructivist, Lev Vygotsky. In the spirit of constructivist learning theory, both Piaget and Vygotsky saw learning as the result of knowledge that is created inside a learner's own head, rather than being "put" there by an educator. Both Tilden, and later, Ham, advocated a very similar view in the field of interpretation. According to both of them, when interpretation is strongly relevant to its audience, it is likely to provoke thinking and elaboration. The thematic approach to interpretation was popularized in the book Environmental Interpretation (1992) by Dr. Sam H. Ham (University of Idaho) which has become standard reading for many students of interpretation and interpretive tour guiding. Prior to Dr. Ham's book, two additional contributors to the field of Interpretation are its founder, Freeman Tilden and his book, Interpreting Our Heritage (1957)] and Dr. Grant W. Sharpe (University of Washington) and his work, Interpreting the Environment. - ↑ Ham, Sam (1992). Environmental interpretation--A practical guide for people with big ideas and small budgets, Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing. - ↑ Lewis, William (1980). Interpreting for park visitors, Fort Washington, PA: Eastern National. - ↑ Tilden, Freeman (1957). Interpreting our heritage, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. \|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).\|
Its not RA that is used in the acidification calculation, its alkalinity. If you use RO water, you can estimate what the alkalinity is since it should fall in a narrow range due to most of the minerals being removed. Alkalinity for RO water should fall in the 5 to 20 ppm (as CaCO3) range. If the RO machine is working very well, use the lower end. If not so good, use the upper end. The pH assumed for the water to be acidified is not all that important. If you play with the calculator, you'll see that adjusting the alkalinity has a lot more effect on the acid demand than adjusting the starting pH. Of course when playing with the starting pH, I'm talking about a small range that would be typical in drinking water...say 6 to 9 with many supplies coming in around 8. RO water can have a lot of dissolved gases including CO2 since the RO membrane is very permeable for gases. So that means that the pH of RO water can be a little lower than normal. It should be in the 5 to 7 range in most cases. That excess CO2 comes out quickly upon heating.
There is no doubt that the Chopin Competition is specifically important for the Japanese. It is hard not to have a soft spot for something you love. And loving Chopin is simply wonderful. The fact that, in their love for the composer, the Japanese are second only to the Poles, seems to be noticed even by the Poles themselves – writes Haruka KOSAKA. “Over time the Chopin Competition has become increasingly international. The tendency has been reinforced by the fact that Chopin’s music is played not only in Poland, but throughout the world,” said Susumu Nagai, the first Japanese to have sat on the competition’s jury, upon his return to Japan. Taking place in 1970, it was the 8th edition of the event, the one when Mitsuko Uchida won the second prize. Nagai added that, even though the Japanese might have some difficulties picking up European customs, they had a perfect sense of what it meant to “cry with your heart and laugh with your face,” a quality that is so crucial for Chopin’s music. This is why they should have high expectations for the future. “What is a truly Chopinesque interpretation?” continued Nagai. “With the advent of internationalisation the understanding of musical interpretation will become more common and the Japanese will have a lot of potential to express the essence of Chopin’s music.” The issue has been raised anew and discussed by the Japanese piano community for over half a century. The Japanese first took part in the 3rd Chopin Competition of 1937. The country was represented by Miwa Kai, who spent her childhood in the USA, and Chieko Hara, who studied in France from the age of 13. Both had contacts with Western culture from a very early age. Of the two, Chieko Hara was especially acclaimed by the audience and critics. So much so that when the results of the competition were announced and she came fifteen, “the audience protested vehemently, saying that the verdict was not fair. The commotion was so great that police had to be called.” At least that is how a Japanese journal described it. Eventually Chieko Hara was given a special award. The first Japanese to have won a regular prize was Kiyoko Tanaka who came in tenth place during the 5th Competition in 1955. She also made an impression on the audience which was so strong that the Japanese who visited the competition in later years would often hear people say: “Tanaka was great.” The pianist herself reminisced that, even though the economic situation in Poland was bad, “the country seemed devoted to art, something I envied the Poles a lot.” In 1965, one year after the Tokyo Olympics, Hiroko Nakamura was fourth during the 7th Chopin Competition. The Japanese media raved about the achievement of the pianist who had previously come to the public attention as a child prodigy. After her success in Warsaw, Nakamura became a national star, a “world-class Japanese”, and the competition started enjoying growing popularity in Japan. As it has already been mentioned, its 7th edition was the first to have a Japanese man on the jury. In those days, more and more Japanese would come to Warsaw to listen to the players directly. It was the time of high economic growth and international travel became much easier, at least for the Japanese. But it was also the moment when YAMAHA and KAWAI made a lot of progress in the areas of piano production and music education. This marked the beginning of the Japanese piano boom. In the 8th Competition, Ikuko Endo, who ran for the second time, came away with the eight prize. Mitsuko Uchida, who was second, was just 21 and studied music in Vienna where she had lived for quite some time. She went to Europe when she was 12 due to her father’s work as a diplomat. After the competition, she explained to a Japanese critic who advised her to return to Japan that she wanted to stay in Europe to continue studying, developing and creating her own music. Uchida finally chose London as her domicile. To this day she is one of the world’s best piano players. After Uchida’s success the juries of all subsequent competitions have included Japanese names, starting from Akiko Iguchi who was invited to sit on the jury of the 9th Chopin Competition in 1975. The number of Japanese participants kept growing. Kazuko Yasukawa was a member of the jury during the 10th edition in 1980, when one of the prizes was won by Akiko Ebi, who came fifth ex aequo with Ewa Pobłocka. They will both sit on the jury of the 2021 event like they did for its 17th edition. The largest number of Japanese contestants (26 out of 124) took part in the 11th Competition in 1985, ten of them qualifying for the second stage. Takahiro Sonoda, a juror, said: “People told me, without flattery, they had not expected that the Japanese would play at such a high level.” In the end, it was Michie Koyama who won the fourth prize. She remains the only Japanese woman who has won prizes in both Tchaikovsky and Chopin competitions. She was also a member of the jury during the 16th Competition in 2010 which took place on the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth. A special mention must be made of Stanisław Bunin, the winner of the 1985 Competition. His frequent presence in Japan had a major impact on the Japanese music market: a merely 45-minute-long documentary aired by the NHK television channel started a crushing wave of interest in Bunin, a genuine “Buninmania”. It did not take long to see the results. In 1990, the 12th Competition attracted a large group of Japanese listeners. It is said that 260 out 1070 seats in the National Philharmonic were taken by the Japanese. In the meantime, the Japanese economy kept growing. One article on the competition said that the Japanese were even sorry that many music lovers from Warsaw could not buy tickets as these were sold out to the guests from Asia. It also said that, perhaps as a sign of dissatisfaction of the local audience, regardless of how well the Japanese performed, they only received modest applause. Coming back to jurors and participants, the jury of the 1990 Competition included Kazuko Yasukawa and Hiroko Nakamura. The Japanese participants in that edition were rated highly: as many as seven out of fifteen made it to the third stage. A Polish newspaper wrote: “Seven samurais – so many Japanese. Where have all the Poles gone?” With no Polish candidate left in the finals, the local audience pinned their hopes on Takako Takahashi who studied in Warsaw at that time. She eventually came fifth while Yukio Yokoyama won the third prize. It was the first time in the competition’s history when the jury did not award the first prize, which obviously caused an outcry. In 1995, the Japanese jurors of the 13th Competition were Hitoshi Kobayashi and Hiroko Nakamura. Again, the event finished with the same shocking verdict: no winner. The fifth prize was awarded to Rika Miyatani. In 2000, the jury of the 14th Competition included Hiroko Nakamura and Ikuko Endo. Following two editions without the first prize, the competition was won by Li Yundi from China. Mika Sato from Japan was sixth. After the deliberations of the jury, Hiroko Nakamura said that Chinese participants were hungry for success while “Japan has a lot of pianists, but has perhaps lost the desire to win for all this wealth.” The observation is worth reflecting upon. During the 15th Competition, in 2005, two Japanese pianists, Shohei Sekimoto and Takashi Yamamoto, shared the fourth prize. Of the two, it was specifically Yamamoto, a then student in Warsaw, who grew in popularity as he progressed to higher stages of the competition. Nobuyuki Tsujii was awarded the Critics Prize even though he did not get to the finals. Nakamura, who was famous for her prudence, sat on the jury four times. During the sessions, she exchanged opinions with the world’s best teachers and pianists, accurately analysed what she saw and heard, and then offered many suggestions to the Japanese pianist community. In an article published in 1970, when Mitsuko Uchida won the second prize, one Japanese critic wrote: “People flattered me there, saying that a Japanese would be the next winner, but I think there was some truth in it.” That second prize, however, remains the greatest Japanese achievement. Even though Japanese names were almost always among the top six finalists since the 7th Competition, there were no Japanese laureates either in the 16th (2010) or the 17th (2015) editions. What is the reason? Maybe it is just a coincidence? Opinions vary from calm analyses to passionate speculations. What is obvious is that the Chopin Competition is specifically important for the Japanese. It may seem funny, but it is a fact. It is hard not to have a soft spot for something you love. And loving Chopin is simply wonderful. The fact that, in their love for the composer, the Japanese are second only to the Poles, seems to be noticed even by the Poles themselves. Looking back, I have realised how astonishing it is that this passion has persisted in Japan for over half a century. I do not think this will change in the future and the Japanese will continue loving Chopin and the Chopin Competition.
If you’ve ever wanted to win a million dollars, but aren’t sure whether to try your luck at the lottery or not, you may want to know more about the history and current form of the game. This article will discuss the origins of this data hk pools, its costs, and its opponents. You can also find out how to win the lottery with these tips. So, get ready to enter the lottery! The next time you see a newspaper ad, you can make sure to play! The Origin of Lottery games is a very mysterious phenomenon. However, there is a good chance that it was first played in the Low Countries. During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, many Low Countries towns held public lotteries to raise funds for public purposes. These games eventually spread to other European countries, including England, France, and Germany. During this time, participants would purchase tickets from a chosen company, and winners were drawn in a public drawing. In some early instances, these games were even more widespread, but the history is very unclear. In 1445, a record from the town of L’Ecluse mentions that a lottery was held to raise funds for the walls of the city. That same year, the prize money for a lottery was 1737 florins, or about US$170,000 in 2014. Lotteries are used to decide who gets to win big cash prizes or housing units. Some lotteries use fixed prizes, while others award a percentage of the lottery’s receipts as prize money. For example, the National Basketball Association holds a lottery each year to determine who gets to pick the top college talent in the NBA draft. The data hk pools winner gets to pick the college student with the highest lottery number. The lottery is a popular way to ensure that top college talent gets picked by the right team. The costs of operating the lottery are often overlooked. Operating expenses can account for up to 15 percent of gross revenues, and advertising expenses are limited to 2 percent. Lottery revenues are derived from the sales of tickets, plus interest and other revenues. The Department of Revenue deducts any sales tax paid by ticket buyers. In 2001, the Lottery’s operational expenses were $22.2 million. During 2003, these expenses were down to $46.2 million. The state’s advertising expenses are discussed in Chapter 3. Opponents of the lottery say the game is immoral, creates an addictive atmosphere, and is an economic injustice. Some have even accused the lottery of encouraging gambling addiction. However, lottery opponents often overlook the simple fact that winning a lottery ticket costs less than the price of a lightning strike. As a result, opponents of the lottery are trying to limit the age of eligibility for purchasing lottery tickets. However, the data hk pools has passed in every county in the state except two, and supporters say the vote is not an indication of racial discrimination. While you may be thrilled to win a big jackpot, you may wonder if taxes on lottery winnings are required. The IRS considers lottery winnings as gambling income and, therefore, taxable. If you win the lottery, you’ll need to pay taxes in the year that you received the lottery money, as well as any future taxable interest that comes from it. For more information, read about the tax implications of winning the lottery. While data hk pools participation is not without its downsides, there are some economic benefits. For starters, lottery winnings help raise money for government programs. While the number of people who play varies, many lottery winners are among the poorest citizens. This means that lottery participation fosters the dream of becoming rich and helps improve the economy. Additionally, it encourages people to donate their winnings to worthy causes. This all helps create positive social change in communities.
Organizers met this week to draw up boundaries of the new state, as part of an ambitious schedule to draft a ballot initiative by August 1, and get a proposal before the voters in November. Congress must approve admission of a new state into the Union. But the U.S. Constitution also requires that secession of parts of any existing state be approved both by the voters and legislature of that state. This means Colorado would have to approve of the counties’ secession, as would Kansas and Nebraska if parts of those states wanted to join. One of the ten counties that initiated the movement, Weld County, is larger than Delaware and Rhode Island, according to a county commissioner. One of the laws that movement representatives say “broke the camel’s back” requires rural energy cooperatives to get 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. The current goal is ten percent. While Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) signed the bill into law, he also signed an executive order committing to make an independent assessment of whether the 20 percent requirement is feasible, and to revisit the legislation next session if need be. The organizers also cite several failed bills to regulate the oil and gas industry that would have increased fines for violations of state law, and imposed other measures to address the fast-increasing number of both wells and oil spills and contaminations in Colorado over the last several years. Proponents of the movement say the legislature is not recognizing its “main economic drivers, agriculture and energy.” But these energy-heavy rural counties are also particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation, which is why some residents have voiced strong opposition to the movement. “I don’t want be in a 51st state,” Washington County resident Steve Frey told the local CBS affiliate. “I don’t want any part of their fracking that they’re doing in Weld County.” Reports on this week’s organizing meeting differ, with the Denver Post suggesting that fervor for the secession is already cooling because of a lack of public support. Some county commissioners are now endorsing another proposal to instead change the method of county representation in the state legislature, while others remain committed to secession. The last state to secede from another was West Virginia in 1863. Maine, Vermont, and Kentucky were also formed from other states.
In recent years the modern world has seen a rise of many diseases to epidemic proportions, especially obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These pose a direct threat to us and our families. Just like the old-world epidemics, these are not restricted to genetic factors. This means that they can affect everyone. Worse yet, all of these have a strong link to our regular daily diet. You do not want another piece of bad news about your diet? Think of it this way: If you had an expensive new sports car that needed gas, would you put diesel in it? Or the best oil you could buy? This is the same, only it has to do with your own body and your own health. Are you sure you are not putting in it “bad” gasoline? This is how it is: Diet has turned out to be a double-edged sword: Although more nutritious and more affordable than ever, it also contains ingredients that can be toxic. A lot of them. Most common today are AGEs (Advanced Glycation Endproducts), which—over time and without warning—can make you very ill. Fortunately, it is possible to identify AGEs in food, so they can be avoided, and at the same time keep yourself safe from a lot of trouble. Here you will find a simple, practical, and economical way to do just that: The AGE-less Way. The AGE-less Way is a program for everyone: those who already have diabetes, heart and kidney disease or those want to stay clear of these conditions. Also, healthy pregnant women who want healthy children; and all older adults eager to stay physically active or mentally healthy for as long as possible. The AGE-less Way is a program to help you maintain or improve your health! It is not just about weight control – There are thousands of excellent guidebooks about body weight. But still, you will find that this program will help you to lose extra weight faster – if you combine it with any other established diet program – and certainly will prevent you from gaining it back. Learn all of this in The AGE-less Way Book at amazon.com
Castles of England/The Development of the Castle The traditional medieval castle has long inspired the imagination, conjuring up images of jousts, banquets and Arthurian chivalry. Even standing amidst thousand year-old ruins it is easy to bring to mind the sounds and smells of battles long gone, to almost hear the clatter of hooves on the cobbles and to smell the fear rising from the dungeon pits. But is our imagination based on reality? Why were castles built in the first place? How were they designed and built? Who lived in them? This book will try and answer those questions for you... Historical Context edit Fortifications of one sort or another have been in use in England since at least the Iron Age (6th century BC) with remains of ditches, ramparts and palisades still in evidence. Scotland is scattered with brochs, stone towers built for defence, raised at least 1,000 years before the first medieval castles. Historians do not consider these structures to be castles - in this book the definition we use of a castle is that it was both the home of its owner, and a fortification designed to protect the owner's lands and holdings. Where did the need for large, permanent, fortified homes come from? The answer to that lies in the feudal system. The Feudal System edit It was the development of the feudal system that led directly to the development of what we recognise today as a castle. Before about the 9th century, "kingdoms" were generally small and could be easily governed by one ruler. It was Charlemagne, the king of the Franks, who changed this. His empire, which stretched across much of central Europe in the 8th - 9th century BC, was too large for him to rule effectively. So he began the practice of breaking it down into small administrative units, each governed by a lord or nobleman. In return for being allocated land, each lord was required to provide soldiers to Charlemagne in time of war. Charlemagne's successor, Louis the Pious, king of Aquitaine, had three heirs (Lothair, Pepin and Louis the German) who split the empire between them. These new kings were faced with the threat of war with each other, enemies outside the old empire and from unrest within their own territories. At around the same time the Franks invented the stirrup, allowing armoured men to fight effectively from horseback. This lead to the changes in social order we would recognise as typical of the medieval period with knights on horseback serving a lord. The feudal system developed to support this military hierarchy, creating a social hierarchy with the king at the top, then the nobles, then the knights and finally the serfs or peasants. The king owned all the land, but "lent" it to those below him, who lent it to those below them in the system. In return a portion of the products of the land were paid to those higher in the system. The system was in effect providing an income to the warriors and nobles higher in the hierarchy to pay them for protecting those lower in the hierarchy. The advantages of this system to the king are clear. Not only would he have forces available when required, and a constant income without having to administer all of the lands himself, he had also ensured no noble could individually afford a large enough army to threaten his rule. He has also ensured that every area of his lands would be constantly defended in the event of invasion. To make this system work, each noble needed a home within their lands. As these were dangerous times, and the noble could not afford to have a large standing army, this home needed to have strong defences that could be manned by a relatively small number of soldiers. And, thus, the castle was born. Origins of Castles edit The word Castle itself entered the English language in the 11th century AD, being adapted from the Norman word castel, broadly meaning "fort". The word had earlier entered Old English in a different form as ceaster, and can be found in the name of many English town as the suffices "caster" and "chester". The exact date when the first castles were built is unknown. However, it is likely that the first buildings with the main features associated with castles were built between 850 and 900 AD. The earliest castles were constructed by local nobles to defend their home or hall and its associated buildings. The construction would have taken the form of a ditch dug around the hall, with the earth banked up inside the ditch to form a steep slope. At some point, fences or a palisade of sharpened timber may have been built on top of the bank. Further developments might have included a lookout tower and a separate fence to protect the hall independently from the other, less important, buildings. In this way the basic shape of the castle can be discerned - a gate tower, a keep surrounded by an inner wall, and an outer wall enclosing all of the protected buildings. During the 9th century, the Danes began to arrive in England and construct their own settlements. To resist further encroachment on his lands, Alfred the Great fortified the towns that lay on the border with the Danes' settlements, using ditches and ramparts. Meanwhile, Viking invaders of what was to become France were given land around Rouen. This group grew rapidly in strength expanding into the area later known as Normandy. When Edward the Confessor's cousin, William, inherited Normandy in 1035 the links between Normandy and England were cemented. On Edward's death, Harold Goodwinson (the strongest of the nobles of England) took the throne sparking William to invade England in 1066. With the invasion came the beginning of the construction of what we recognise today as a true English castle...
Mindfulness is having a moment. A psychological practice in which the user develops the skill of bringing his or her full attention to the present moment, mindfulness has roots in Buddhism. Not that it’s new to the West. It’s been applied here in clinical psychiatric settings since the 1970s. Over the past few years, perhaps due to our increasingly connected and distracted world, mindfulness has been thrust back into the spotlight. Wellness experts, authors, and apps all promise you a calmer, more focused state of mind if you’d all just be a little more, well, mindful. It’s not just hype. Scientific evidence supports its efficacy in creating a host of psychological benefits as well as an overall sense of well-being in people. Sounds good, right? Here’s what you need to know about mindfulness, its benefits, and its risks. Also, should you decide to give it a try, some steps you can take to get started. According to Douglas Baker, a counselor and meditation instructor in Cambridge, Mass., many people respond to a stressful moment in their day by creating more stress for themselves. Mindfulness, Baker says, helps to stop that cycle. Want an example? Try a traffic jam. “You get stuck in traffic on your way to an important meeting,” Baker says. “That’s painful, there’s inherent suffering in that.” The problem is that we then add to the suffering. If you look at suffering in “units,” you can assume that getting stuck in traffic is equivalent to, say, twenty units of suffering. But blaming yourselves or others for getting stuck in traffic—“it’s my fault! Actually, it’s all these other idiots’ fault!”—creates a swarm of negative thoughts. Sitting and stewing with these thoughts in our car now adds an extra one hundred units of stress to the whole experience. “That extra hundred is optional,” says Baker. “Nobody wants to be late. But we don’t have to add those extra parts.” Mindfulness & meditation The terms “mindfulness” and “meditation” have sometimes been used interchangeably, but there are differences, says Moria Joy Smoski, an associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. “Mindfulness is basically paying attention to what’s present, setting aside the narrative or story or judgment about what we’re noticing,” says Smoski. “That’s something we can do any moment of the day. It doesn’t take anything special. You don’t need bells or cushions for that.” Take a moment. Stop. Pay attention. Notice what’s there, and notice when our mind is trying to pull us into stories. Those are the mindfulness essentials. Meditation, meanwhile, is when you’re engaged in a mental exercise—such as breathing in a controlled way or repeating a mantra—designed to bring you to a heightened state of consciousness. You can be mindful during meditation; mindful of your breath, mindful of the noises you hear around you, mindful of the thoughts that arise as you sit with your eyes closed. Think of it as performing a set of bicep curls, but for your mind. “Meditation practice is sort of like going to the gym so that you are stronger, more flexible, and have more endurance in your everyday life,” says Smoski. It doesn’t mean passivity Many people, when first starting out with mindfulness or meditation, think it means they have to be okay with every bad thing that happens to them. That a mindfulness practice will lead to a passivity that will stop the forward momentum in their lives, or make them more susceptible to being taken advantage of by others. Not so, says Baker. “It’s not implying passivity as a life path,” he says. “We just try to cut down on our unhelpful reactions.” Another way to say it: “We come to understand when we’re trying to control things that we don’t really control.” From research, we know that people who start a course of mindful practice generally report that they’re better able to manage their emotions. “They find themselves feeling less anxious, less depressed, and are also more likely to use other effective forms of emotion regulation,” Smoski says. And that can make the difference, she adds, between “my boss gave me a funny look and I’m going to get fired,” and “my boss gave me a funny look — I don’t know what that means, but I’m going to follow up and see if there’s anything I need to change.” The more we can be present with emotional experiences, the more flexibility—and clarity—we have in choosing how to act. Never too late Smoski mostly treats adults over 50. Overall, she says, there isn’t anything too special about older people and mindfulness: it works just as well with younger people as it does with those middle-aged and older. And that can be reassuring to her patients. Sometimes patients tell her “I’m too old to learn new tricks.” The great thing, however, Smoski says, is that mindfulness can be beneficial to you no matter your age. says being older might actually be advantageous to your practice. “As we get older, we are usually more contemplative and less restless,” says Farias. “So it’s actually more ‘natural’ and easier to meditate when one is older.” Mindfulness and cognitive decline Some of the best preventions for dementia and other ills include exercising, eating right and getting to bed at a regular hour. Smoski would add to that: “spend some time attending to your emotions.’’ “I think mindfulness fits into that general healthy lifestyle,” she says. And for those who feel like they’re having memory slips, mindfulness does seem to slow cognitive decline. According to Smoski, groups of people in this category see improvements in cognition if they go to the “attention gym.” “Folks who do mindfulness exercises, if you retest them six months down the road,” she says, “do a little better cognitively than folks who don’t do the exercises.” Smoski recommends a guided class in MBSR, or mindfulness-based stress reduction. A guided class can help set the foundation for your practice — sort of like jump-starting a fitness regimen with a personal trainer, or a group aerobics class. If classes or one-on-one consultations aren’t an option, there are online tools you can use. Baker recommends the online meditations and podcasts of Jack Kornfield, whom he describes as a “national treasure,” and the online meditations of Jon Kabat-Zinn. Smoski recommends the free guided meditations at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. She likes them because they’re relatively short. The use of apps like Headspace and Calm have also become more popular. “Apps are really helpful for reminding you to keep practicing,” says Smoski. Set small goals Sitting still for five minutes—or even one minute—is a really difficult thing for many of us to do. Particularly when we’ve been programmed to just be going, going, going, all day. Baker says the key is not to judge yourself when you start, and to set benchmarks you’ll actually hit. “Make your goals modest and really achievable,” he says. “Say, ‘maybe I can sit and do this funny little thing for a minute, and let me call that a success.’ Or maybe you want to go for five minutes.” Meditating for 30 minutes straight isn’t feasible for most people in the beginning. So don’t go crazy with your initial goals. What mindfulness isn’t “Don’t expect yourself to be free from your thoughts,” Baker says. “That’s one of the myths. Don’t judge your experience if you’re flooded with thoughts. We’re training the mind to slowly be more focused.” Even most experienced meditators don’t hang out in a thoughtless place for an extended amount of time. And, to be clear, that’s not even necessarily the goal: The goal is to change how you react to experiences, to cut down on suffering, and to make your reactions more positive. A word of caution A small number of people have negative reactions to mindfulness, says Baker. “It’s a little like the warning label on a medication,” says Baker, “‘If you get bleeding from your ears and your eyes, call your doctor.’” “For many people meditation is a form of relaxation,” says Farias. “They usually find it hard to focus at first but gradually find the experience relaxing — many people fall asleep.” But for others, he says, it’s not enjoyable at all. They find it hard to be quiet or become more anxious or depressed, or some emotions or thoughts may overwhelm them. Some form of discomfort for mindfulness beginners is to be expected. But if the discomfort becomes too much—to the point that it’s unmanageable—stop and talk to your primary care physician or a mental health professional. You could see results quickly The timeline will vary for person to person, and getting too wrapped up in results can hurt your practice. But many people see changes in a month or two. “We definitely see measurable improvements in folks who do these standard 8-week mindfulness classes,” says Smoski. “Certainly in a month or two, people will start seeing improvements.” For someone who’s doing exercises on their own, and not in a one-on-one or group setting, it can be harder to tell. But if you’re struggling (to the point that it’s still manageable), it’s a good sign that you’re making progress. But just because you’re seeing improvements doesn’t mean it’s time to stop. Like going to the gym, mindfulness is not a “once and you’re done” situation. You have to maintain your practice to continue to see results, just like you have to eat right and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body. A tool in the toolbox What really matters about a mindfulness practice, Baker says, is whether or not it seems helpful for you. “Check your own experience,” says Baker. “Don’t blindly follow some teacher. It’s got to work for you on some common sense level.” And although mindfulness can be valuable to your overall wellness, it’s not a silver bullet. Rather, it’s one of many useful tools you can use to stay strong. “There are lots of pathways to health and well-being,” says Smoski. “This is one of them.” This article originally appeared on Considerable.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org. Featured Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
MA in International Education This paper examines the colonization of indigenous peoples in what is now referred to as Mexico. In the examination it is revealed that the processes of colonization are still being felt in today’s society. Consequently, this research was performed with the hope of providing solutions for decolonization. The research question presented asks: How does rebuilding the soils of culture start the process of decolonization? Through the examination of authors from colonized societies, an alternative viewpoint is created which reveals the ways which colonialism has transformed itself in the modern era. We are able to see a real life situation of the viewpoints offered by these authors by using the Zapotec community of Santo Tomas Jalieza, in Oaxaca, Mexico as a basis for research. In this community, we are able to see how globalization is imposing a Western monoculture upon the world, destroying the culture of the local people. In order to stop the imposition of this worldwide monoculture, steps were taken towards the preservation of the Zapotec culture and oral histories in Santo Tomas Jalieza. In the process the author was able to see his own position as a colonized person and his conversion into a tool of colonialism and of the dominant culture. Consequently, the use of Participatory Action Research was used to break down the oppressor-oppressed dichotomy, towards co-liberation. The results are that there are steps that can be taken towards the rebuilding of cultures, in which decolonization may be achieved. However, it is the responsibility of each individual people to search for their own solution, which is embedded in their own culture and environment. Latin American Studies \| Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies \| Social and Cultural Anthropology Cardona, Aaron Manuel, "Who Are We? Where Did We Come From? And Where Are We Going? Decolonization In The Process Of Rehumanization" (2009). Capstone Collection. 1311.
Scientific Investigations Map 3240 The Ucross-Arvada area is part of the Powder River Basin, a large, north-trending structural depression between the Black Hills on the east and the Bighorn Mountains on the west. Almost all of the study area is within Sheridan and Johnson Counties, Wyoming. Most of the Ucross-Arvada area lies within the outcrop of the Wasatch Formation of Eocene age; the extreme northeast corner falls within the outcrop of the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation of Paleocene age. Within the Powder River Basin, both the Wasatch Formation and the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation contain significant coal resources. The map includes locations and elevations of coal beds at 1:50,000 scale for an area that includes ten 7½-minute quadrangles covering some 500 square miles. The Wasatch Formation coal beds shown (in descending order) are Monument Peak, Walters (also called Ulm 1), Healy (also called Ulm 2), Truman, Felix, and Arvada. The Fort Union Formation coal beds shown (in descending order) are Roland (of Baker, 1929) and Smith. First posted April 22, 2013 For additional information contact: Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge. Molnia, C.L., 2013, Map showing principal coal beds and bedrock geology of the Ucross-Arvada area, central Powder River Basin, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3240, 11 p. pamphlet, 1 sheet, scale 1:50,000. Geographic and Geologic Setting—Central Powder River Basin
A boy sits with some of his belongings in Jalozai Camp in Nowshera District. In 2009, conflict between militants and government forces affected an estimated 2.7 million people, many of whom have little or no access to basic social services. Critical Issues for Children and Women It is estimated that more than 2.7 million people have been adversely affected by armed conflict in Pakistan during 2009. This includes the displacement of more than 1.4 million people due to fierce fighting between militants and government forces in the north-western part of the country. Although some of those affected have been able to return home once the government re-gained control of the area, they face badly damaged infrastructure and have little or no access to basic social services; significant numbers are still living in temporary shelters. Elsewhere, in one of the poorest regions in Pakistan, ongoing conflict is leaving around 500,000 people vulnerable to crossfire and without sufficient heath care, nutrition or education. All of these factors are contributing to high rates of malnutrition, typically around 10 per cent among children under five and outbreaks of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections, especially among children in displaced camps and host communities. Planned Humanitarian Action for 2010 UNICEF will work with the Government of Pakistan, NGOs and United Nations agencies to respond to the needs of the 1.2 million displaced people living in camps and host communities. In addition, UNICEF will support community-based early recovery activities for 1.7 million conflict-affected people, which will benefit an additional 1 million people in the areas of conflict. As lead of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Nutrition and Education Clusters and the Child Protection Sub-Cluster, UNICEF’s focus will be on ensuring access to health and nutrition care, safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, a safe learning environment and strengthened child protection networks, especially for children at risk of recruitment or released by armed groups. Following are the expected results of UNICEF emergency interventions: Health: Vaccination campaigns will ensure immunization of 1.7 million children aged between 9 months and 13 years against measles in five vulnerable districts, while more than 1 million women of childbearing age will be vaccinated against tetanus and benefit from improved access to maternal and child health-care. Nutrition: Community-based management of acute malnutrition will be expanded to treat 211,000 children under five and 80,000 pregnant and lactating women. UNICEF will support the introduction of inter-agency surveys and surveillance systems in conflict-affected areas. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Up to 1.7 million people in displaced camps, areas of return and in host communities will benefit from sufficient water supply and sanitation facilities through the installation of water systems and latrines, including at schools and health centres, and the distribution of hygiene kits. Education: Working in collaboration with the Department of Education, NGOs and parent–teacher associations, UNICEF aims to get 500,000 boys and girls back to school or enrolled for the first time. This will be achieved through rehabilitation of 5,000 primary schools equipped with appropriate learning materials and the training of 11,000 teachers in education in emergencies, measures designed to improve learning environments and to deliver psychosocial support to children. Child Protection: UNICEF will work to protect more than 200,000 children and women from abuse, exploitation, trafficking, separation and institutionalization by facilitating access to protective and reintegration services and by training staff of child protection centres and NGOs in psychosocial support. HIV/AIDS: UNICEF will reduce vulnerability and exposure to HIV in camps and areas of return by screening women for HIV at Preventing-Parent-to-Child-Transmission sites and two specialist paediatric units. \|Summary of UNICEF Emergency Needs to fulfil\| Core Commitments for Children for 2010 \|Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)\|\|28,000,000\|
Each decade = 5 lbs less muscle, 15 lbs more fat. Muscles burn calories at a high rate. With the decrease in muscle mass as we age, our resting metabolic rate decreases which means we burn less calories. It’s the same as going from an 8 cylinder engine in your car to a four cylinder engine – it burns less fuel. Our bodies need to do something with this excess fuel (calories) so it stores it as fat instead. This explains why dieting is often not successful. Dieting aims to reduce the number of calories we intake. However, in this case the problem is not the number of calories we are taking in. The problem is that the calories we have taken in, cannot be used and then get stored as fat instead. Dieting can actually make the problem worse because dieting can further reduce muscle tissue and in turn, further reduce the resting metabolic rate. If losing muscle is such a big problem, then what is the solution? Enter – strength training. Several studies have shown that strength training can increase muscle mass at essentially any age. Strength training exercise can add muscle, lose fat, increase resting metabolic rate, and increase daily energy expenditure. As an added bonus strength training has been shown to increase bone density, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Another benefit is enhanced glucose metabolism which may decrease the risk of adult onset diabetes. It can increase gastrointestinal transit speed, thereby, decreasing the risk of colon cancer. Strength training has also been proven to reduce low back pain and arthritic pain. It has been shown to help reduce resting blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Finally, strength training has been proven to have positive psychological effects such as reducing depression in older adults. There is no medication that can produce all these benefits! If you need help with starting to strength train, let us know. We can help you choose safe methods of strengthening and how to properly progress over time.
Muscular. Courageous. Bronzed. The stereotype of the sun-kissed sabra is Ari ben Canaan, as played by actor Paul Newman in the 1960 movie Exodus. The word sabra stems from the name of the prickly pear cactus—tzabar in Hebrew and sabr in Arabic—whose thick thorny skin covers a sweet and succulent soft flesh. An affectionate metaphor, it describes native-born Israelis whose rough and impertinent manners hide their good hearts and sensitive souls. Sabra originated as a slur, according to The Comprehensive Dictionary of Slang, by Ruvik Rosenthal, referring to uncivilized Jews born in Israel. It didn’t pick up its positive spin until journalist Uri Kesari wrote a 1931 essay in the newspaper Do’ar Ha-Yom, entitled “We Are the Leaves of the Sabra!,” in which he appealed to newly arrived immigrants to respect their native-born counterparts. Palestinian-born Jews quickly appropriated sabra as a badge of honor. “They were looking for a word to distinguish themselves from the Europeans,” says Zel Lurie, a former Jerusalem Post writer who moved from Brooklyn to British Palestine in 1928. It was so well-liked that Haganah underground members selected tzabar as the secret code name for their wireless communication system, according to The World Dictionary of Hebrew Slang by Dahn Ben-Amotz and Netiva Ben-Yehuda. The first sabra was Avshalom Feinberg, suggests Israeli sociologist Oz Almog in his 2000 book, The Sabra: The Creation of the New Jew. Born in Gedera in 1889, Feinberg was a hero of the Jewish resistance in Ottoman Palestine. He and other graduates of the first class at Tel Aviv’s Herzliya Gymnasium were the prototypes of the sabra, according to Almog, who explains that the term has more to do with culture and sociology than geography. The pioneer generation of Jews born in Palestine throughout the 1920s and 1930s were identified not by where they were born, but rather by the institution—kibbutz, moshav or pre-military corps—that “imprinted a specific culture on them.” They “already had sabra characteristics, such as a rough and direct way of expressing themselves, a knowledge of the land, a hatred of the Diaspora, a native sense of supremacy, a fierce Zionist idealism and Hebrew as their mother language.” Although the word applied to both men and women, the standard sabra was male, says Israeli journalist Haim Watzman, who translated the Almog book into English. “Women existed in sabra folklore less as individuals than as part of the group in which the men dominated,” he says. It was Israel’s independence in 1948 and its impressive victory over its enemies that placed the sabra squarely in the international imagination. They are “fearless young people,” wrote Gertrude Samuels, a New York Times correspondent, in a series of articles in 1949 on the new state of Israel, “…intolerant of intolerance and selfishness who, for all their shortcomings, exude the self-confidence that comes from never having been pushed around.” Ironically, although sabra worship downplayed the role of immigrants who made up the vast majority of the country’s citizens, the prickly pear cactus—opentia ficuis-indica—itself was not native. Introduced to Israel some two centuries ago from Central America, the prickly pear adapted so successfully that it seemed as if it had been part of the hilly landscape for millennia. It was also absorbed into Israeli culture, showing up in paintings, stories and songs even before becoming a symbol of the Jewish native, says Almog. Sabras were a minority, numbering about 5,000 to 8,000 in the 1930s and growing to about 20,000 by 1948, but they played an outsized role in the early development of the Israeli psyche. A small homogenous group, they became a model for the rest of Israeli society, Almog explains. Idealized often and proudly, sabras became nearly synonymous with Zionism. Tom Segev wrote in his book, 1949: The First Israelis, that the 1948 generation of authors took “the mythical sabra, the native-born soldier-boy” as their main subject, describing him as “handsome, upright, honest, bold and hounded by none of the complexes of the Diaspora.” Ferdynand Zweig, writing in his 1969 Israel, the Sword and the Harp, called the sabra a “buoyant, extrovert type with a heightened sense of living and purpose…a complete antithesis to the model of the Ghetto Jew.” And the word made its way into Israeli popular culture: In 1956, the cartoonist Kariel Gardosh, known as Dosh, brought the sabra to life in his popular cartoon character “Srulik.” Drawn in black and white, Srulik exemplified the sabra’s characteristics: A puckish figure with a tembel or bucket hat, khaki shorts and open sandals, he sported a self-confident and roguish air. The sabra began to lose some of his luster in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the rise of an anti-heroic middle class challenged his primacy, Almog maintains. The tension between these generations intensified throughout the 1980s with the Lebanon War, peace with Egypt and the decline of the kibbutz and labor movement. As time went on, the sabra was relegated to an historic figure in Israel’s formative era, less relevant to the present. This trend has continued: Benjamin Netanyahu, born in 1949, is the first prime minister to be part of what is known as the Dor haMedina—the “Statehood Generation.” Today, more than 70 percent of Jews in the State of Israel were born there, and the word sabra no longer refers to the pre-1948 generation, but to all native-born Jews. It is also used less often. “People still call themselves sabras, but usually only when talking to foreigners,” says Yael Adar of the Israeli tour company, Gems in Israel. One of her tour guides likes to introduce himself as a sixth-generation sabra. “It is a source of great pride,” she says.
Milad-un-Nabi festival, or Bara Wafat is celebrated with eclat and enthusiasm by the Muslims all over India and across the world. It commemorates the birthday of Hazrat Muhammad and falls on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal month. Milad-Un-Nabi: Islam Festival Bara Wafat Prophet Mohammed was born in 571 A.D. on 12th April at Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Abdulla was his father and Amina his mother. Khadiza was Mohammad’s wife. That was the period of moral chaos and great corruption. Mohammad spent his time in prayer and meditation in seclusion. He led the people on the path of morality and true religion. On the day of Milad the Prophet’s teachings are repeated, the holy Koran is read and recited and religious meetings are organized in the mosques. The devotees keep night vigil spend their time in namaz and reading of Koran. They invite friends. and relatives to feast, and offer food, clothing money, etc., to the poor. What Do People Do? Those who observe Milad-un-Nabi gatherings remember, discuss and celebrate the advent of the Prophet Muhammad’s birth and his teachings. Some people send Milad-un-Nabi e-cards to friends and family. Many Sunni Muslims celebrate this event on the 12th of the Islamic month of Rabi’ al-awwal, while the Shi’a community celebrates it on the 17th of Rabi’ al-awwal. Many Activities Include: - Night-long prayer meetings. - Marches and parades involving large crowds. - Sandal rites over the symbolic footprints of the Prophet Muhammad. - Festive banners and bunting on and in homes, mosques and other buildings. - Communal meals in mosques and other community buildings. - Meetings to listen to stories and poems (nats) about Mohammad’s life, deeds and teachings. - Exhibitions featuring photos of mosques in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Many people carry green flags or banners or wear green ribbons or items of clothing when taking part in these events. The color green represents Islam and paradise. Many Kashmiri Muslims gather at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, which is in the Indian province of Jammu and Kashmir. It houses a hair that is believed to have come from the Prophet Mohammad. Thousands of people attend prayers at the shrine on the night before Milad un-Nabi. The relic is displayed in the mosque after the morning prayers. It was paraded through the town in previous years.
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition - n. A radioactive compound used in radiotherapy or diagnosis. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License - n. Any radioactive substance used as a pharmaceutical from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. - n. pharmaceutical consisting of a radioactive compound used in radiation therapy Sorry, no etymologies found. The radioactivity of a radiopharmaceutical is carefully selected by the nuclear medicine physician to be safe. A radiopharmaceutical is injected into the patient and its emissions are measured by a PET scanner. Reactants in radiopharmaceutical kits, or inactive ingredients that physically or chemically combine with active ingredients to facilitate drug transport are considered inactive ingredients. back to top Invest in all applications of nuclear energy and medical, industrial, and agricultural activities that use ionizing radiation, such as radiopharmaceutical production and building high-dose irradiators. The blood will then be mixed with a radiopharmaceutical. This exam requires the use of a radiopharmaceutical through an IV catheter. Your child's blood (with the radiopharmaceutical) is then administered back into the IV line. A technologist or nurse will place an IV in your child for the radiopharmaceutical (tracer) injection needed for this exam. A technologist or nurse will place an IV in your child for the radiopharmaceutical injection needed for this exam. After, your child will be injected with the radiopharmaceutical (I-125). Wordnik is becoming a not-for-profit! Read our announcement here.
researchers, science writers, editors, translators, illustrators, publishers FACTORS GENERALLY PERPETRATING THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS IN MALAWI AND OTHER HIGH PREVALENCE COUNTRIES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. MARISEN MWALE: PH FELLOW COM/CDC/PEPFAR ATTACHED- MACRO SECRETARIAT [LILONGWE] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TEACHING STUDIES HIV/AIDS remains a global health problem of unprecedented dimensions. Unknown 27 years ago, HIV/AIDS has already caused an estimated 25 million deaths worldwide and has generated profound demographic changes in the most heavily affected countries. According to the Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS, sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the pandemic and region most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS, accounting for 67% of all people living with HIV globally and for 75% of AIDS deaths in 2007 [UNAIDS, 2008]. Malawi is among the ten sub-Saharan countries with the highest HIV prevalence in the world, estimated at 12% of adults aged 15-49 by the National HIV Prevention Strategy , and pegged at 11.9% by UNAIDS . Other sub-Saharan countries with highest global prevalence rates include; Swaziland- 26.1%, Lesotho- 23.2%, Botswana- 23.1%, South Africa- 18.1%, Zimbabwe- 15.3%, Namibia- 15.3%, Zambia- 15.2%, Mozambique- 12.2% and Kenya- high but not documented; in such descending order. Several factors account for the high prevalence rate not only in Malawi in particular but sub-Saharan Africa as a whole. Such a constellation of variables range from cultural determinants across the continuum to socio-economic, environmental, psychosocial and other structural determinants. In Malawi culture is one of the most powerful precursors and predisposing factors to contracting HIV and it is interlinked with many other variables in the whole equation. There are several cultural practices across the nation from Nsanje to Chitipa that one can rightly construe as counterproductive relative to the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS. Kulowa kufa- a widow cleansing ritual -is practiced in the lower shire. Kusasa/kuchotsa fumbi- sexual cleansing of graduate initiates -is practiced in most parts of the southern region. Chokolo- widow inheritance- is practiced by many ethnic groups across the nation. Chimwanamaye- mutual exchange of wives or girl friends among peers as an expression of good friendship or to strengthen friendship ties- is practiced in certain parts of the southern and central regions. Nhlazi- offering a younger sister to a son in law in appreciation for proper care of the elder sister- is practiced in certain parts of the northern region. Kupimbira- offering in marriage a young girl of unmarriageable age in exchange for material or financial support – is practiced in the northern region. Mitala- polygamy- is practiced by several ethnic groups across the nation and lastly Fisi/chipambanjete- a ritual where some men are tasked with anonymously deflowering virgins- is a practice common in both the southern and central regions of the nation. Above all else cultural initiations of adolescents among the Chewa of central Malawi, the Yao of southern Malawi, the Lomwe of southern Malawi and several other ethnic groupings even in the northern region have a bearing in the spread of the pandemic. It is believed adolescents who have been initiated or even circumcised are more likely to be sexually experienced and active compared to those who are not. This is considered the case because the curriculum in traditional initiation rites condones and encourages sexual exploration. Such cultural dynamics as have been highlighted by no means posit not an optimistic overture in this struggle against HIV/AIDS bearing in mind that old traditions die hard with experience having explicitly taught us that many societies vehemently resist change to their long cherished traditional values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Multiple and concurrent partnership is another factor that is exponentially perpetrating the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi and other sub-Saharan high prevalence nations. Especially so among men of economic standing and even those construed as influential, having several partners is seen as prestigious- a sign of machismo, popularity, potency, virility and manhood. This behaviour is considered normative and is even promoted and condoned by women. Faithfulness to one partner is stereotyped as a sign of weakness which is culturally construed to be a resultant of the man having been given love portions by his wife. Women are thus expected to remain faithful but men to philander irrespective of marital status. These attitudes, beliefs and values militate against contemporary preventive philosophies such as zero-grazing or one-love where persons are expected to be faithful to only one partner of their choosing in marriage or otherwise. Psychologically research has further indicated that most people do not consider themselves to be at risk of infection by HIV either as a function of cognitive processes such as optimism of personal precautions taken or motivational processes such as are a result of wishful thinking. This has been shown to be heightened even against odds of risky sexual debuts or exposure to HIV. Among the youth for instance lack of intra-personal skills to resist social pressure has been shown to exacerbate such confounded risk perception registering a gap in the need to enhance life-options and social skills training in the age group. Skills training for instance self-efficacy training motivates the youth to uphold the belief and confidence in their ability to withstand social pressure vis-à-vis indulgence in risky sexual behaviours. UNICEF states that about nine in every ten young people aged 15-19 in sub-Saharan Africa have heard of HIV/AIDS but most are not familiar with the ABCs of prevention- abstinence, being faithful to one partner and use of condoms. This scenario again paints a gloomy and pessimistic picture in the war against AIDS since the youth provide us with a window of hope not only in the area of mitigation but overall curtailing of the pandemic. A culture of silence also surrounds most reproductive health issues with many parents not comfortable with and considering such sexual issues taboo. Compounding this lack of education is the fact that most young people are left to learn about sex from peers or worse still as already highlighted in the foregoing through initiation rituals where they are exposed to a curricular that perpetrates sexual activity hence fuelling the spread of the pandemic. Many youths are also economically dependent and socially inexperienced and not having been taught or otherwise learnt to protect themselves means being at pernicious risk to the shackles of HIV/AIDS. Psychological egocentrism further fosters and instills a sense of invulnerability among so many teenage youth. Notwithstanding HIV/AIDS has had several devastating repercussions in Malawi in particular and sub-Saharan Africa in general. First and foremost HIV/AIDS is depleting adult productive capacity with teachers, doctors, lawyers, farmers, engineers and what have you falling prey to the deadly scourge. Secondly, public resources are being drained in no measure comparable to any other plague in history. Especially for the ever dependent economies of Africa and Asia, this has fostered economic underdevelopment and overreliance on western donors further perpetrating the dependency syndrome. Thirdly, relative to life expectancy, gains made previously are drastically being reduced. AIDS is erasing decades of progress made in extending life expectancy which for Malawi is now tagged at around 37 or 40 thereof, whereas it could have been 62 in sub-Saharan Africa in general without AIDS. HIV/AIDS has above all else also put extra pressure on the already limited resources through overtaxing health care facilities, payment of premature death benefits, caring for AIDS orphans and many other liabilities bequeathed. Governments are spending a lot to purchase drugs to curtail opportunistic infections and on ARVs for AIDS patients hence taxing the health sector already overstretched by other tropical diseases as Tuberculosis and Malaria. The question however still remains whether we are fighting a winning battle considering the many variables and factors militating against behavioral change in our cultural, socio-economic as well as psychosocial domains. It might be plausible to bet we still have higher mountains to climb and a long way to go. NAC (2009) National HIV Prevention Strategy [2009-2013] UNAIDS (2008) Report on the global AIDS epidemic, Geneva. UNICEF (2006) How does HIV affect young people? http://www.unicef.org. Add a Comment
We help with your Nike, Inc refers to a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in Beaverton, Oregon, USA. Founded in January 1964 by track athlete Philip Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman, Nike was originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports. As it officially became Nike in 1978s, various organizational changes internally happened to aligned with the external requirements. Nike is a global brand with its Swoosh as the most recognizable logo. As a very competitive organization, gaining a valuable coverage is critical. This is especially true because of the fact that Nike makes a very lean organization, and a virtual chart organization makes it easy for the company to bring together functions, processes and activities. In this report, Nike’s organizational nature and dynamics will be explored. Several organizational changes that occurred in response to environmental changes will be also discussed. A virtual organization, Nike shared organizational changes and resources for the purpose of better responding to emerging opportunities. Virtual organizations like Nike utilizes the virtual structure to outsource manufacturing particularly because the company owns no manufacturing facilities and are keen in moving production when the needs arise. Nike, as a network organization, had dispersed members that is linked using advanced technology. Nike believed that through modules or networks a strong mechanism of horizontal linkage greater cross-functional coordination could be achieved. This could be true considering that other organizational structure could not provide Nike the flexibility. Vertical structures could show only the functionality of Nike’s networks hence only formal relationships while horizontal structures would not be advisable since few rules are permitted. This would be impossible for Nike where functions are geographically-dispersed. Though both can tap efficiency and learning, Nike had its own idea of improving the flow of information from Oregon to other units globally. Heneman and Greenberger (2002) state that in a virtual organization, the core business activities are reduced in scope, leaving other entities to focus on some of key business functions. Nonetheless, the core business functions can still be diverse or limited like that of Nike. Nike’s organizational core structure is tied with marketing and design, with much of the rest being outsourced. Hatch and Cunliffe (2006) suggested that it is natural for virtual organizations to outsource wherein networks of people whose connections take place primarily or entirely via electronic media is the basic level of interaction. What sets Nike apart from its competitors is the fact that it does not cash out on buildings and facilities. The company manufactures whenever they can produce high quality products at the lowest possible cost. Further, Nike has a strong research and development foundation with evolving and innovative product range as evidence. Nike, however, is dependent on profits on footwear market which could be exacerbated by volatile retail sector and price sensitivity. As the largest and most profitable show manufacturer in the world, Nike’s success relies on the network structure that Nike founder and CEO Philip Knight created, allowing the company to produce and market shoes. Basically, the virtual organizational architecture that would allow Nike to focus on some functions such as design and leave others like manufacturing to keep costs low and to give the company greater flexibility. By far, the largest function of Nike Oregon is the design function responsible for pioneering innovations in shoe design while the rest of the major functions are scattered in Southeast Asian suppliers like China and Malaysia. Strategic alliances are important aspects of Nike production particularly since 99 million pairs of shoes manufactured annually are made through such. Jones and George (2003, p. 232) assert that the network structure provides Nike two important advantages: quick responding to changes in sports shoe fashion and low cost. Nike makes use of a global IT system that can literally change the instruction it gives each of the suppliers in real time. As such, within a matter of short period its foreign manufacturers are producing new kinds of shoes. Nike’s cost are also low because of Southeast Asian labor are a fraction of that of its US counterparts. With Nike’s ability to outsource and use foreign manufacturers keep the headquarters' structure flat and flexible. This relatively inexpensive functional structure to organize its activities enabled Nike to obtain talent and resources worldwide. Although the virtual structure provides high flexibility for Nike to be responsive to market trends and changes, Nike is hindered by the loss of hands-on control of several functions and employees. Considerably a hollow organization, Nike has a weakened organizational culture and employee loyalty. Inherent risks are also evident including relationship management and contract partner failure and/or business exit. True enough, Nike is faced with minimal tasks environment but with international environment that is otherwise conflict-laden and competition-pressured. While in the internal environment Nike is considered as a technological innovator, technological capabilities also make a standout within the athletic shoes industry. Globalization, as such, not only requires Nike to globalize its communication technology but also contributes to ever-fiercing competition thus the continued product innovations (Frenkel, 2001). Stonehouse et al (2004) notes that continuous product development is considered necessary because Knight believes that there is a seven-year brand cycle within the athletic footwear industry. Nike combated the perils of globalization through embracing a continuous business model without sacrificing the core design of its products. Pal (2008, p. 265) describes Nike’s business model that transformed into a network-centric organization using information technology to better equip coordination among its more than 800 partners in over 52 countries. Luo (2001, p. 227) maintains that Nike monitors the industry for changing trends and often leads it in product innovation. Technology has created a fierce competition within the industry and it is the only way to innovation. Public is increasingly becoming aware of new technological improvements in footwear as well hence increasing stability, support, comfort and performance are at the core of Nike’s research and design. Taken from the modernism theory of organizations, Nike adapts to rapidly changing environment through the use of technology. Likewise, Nike also capitalizes on healthier lifestyles of the people although the industry in general is in its mature stage of the industry life cycle. Further, major threats for Nike are government regulation especially those that attacks the corporate social responsibilities (CSR) and ethicality of Nike, and also economic downturns and changes in shoe fashion. All these makes high end shoes like Nike an unaffordable luxury good. Moreover, Nike faces tough competition with Reebok and Adidas with the former focusing on quality and not quantity and strategizing for increased international sales. Possibility of new entrants, nonetheless, is not significantly high and established companies could easily venture into an athletic footwear line. These companies, however, might be trendy but must be guarded with the demands of the athlete. Nike is an organization that had long-term contracts with professional and collegiate athletes then running expensive television and magazine advertisements. Aside from contracting agreement with individual teams, Nike settles agreements with the entire sports league which enables the company to enter and market itself in growing industries using existing industrial leaders and popular sports. Going back to CSR, Nike had faced dilemmas of unethical treatment of its labor force hence in the manufacturing aspect whereby sweatshops make most of the production units. Heal (2008, p. 168) points out the responsibilities of a Western company outsourcing to a poor country. Frenkel (2001) termed the process as the international contracting wherein a buyer-driven commodity chain is apparent. In such an arrangement, the lead firm, in our case Nike, is a brand name merchandiser in a developed country. Nike orchestrates the procurement, manufacture and marketing of athletic shoe products manufactured in developing countries. Virtual organizations adhere into environment uncertainties that require buffering, boundary spanning, strategic alliances and co-opting, and Nike understands this very well. However, various unethical criticisms necessitated Knight to rethink its organization. Environmental contingency theory explains that the environment affects the decisions that managers make and adjustments follow. Because Nike is propositioned at moderate to high uncertainty and is an unstructured organization, it is easy for Nike to fall prey of the changes in the environment. What made Nike to proactively respond to its global environment was the pressure anti-Nike activists are imposing the organization (Wokuch, 2001). From symbolic interpretative theory, the problem of poverty wages and working under extreme pressure for long hours prevail. Nike institutionalized itself by becoming more responsive when cases of labor rights violations in specific suppliers are brought to its attention to improve the conditions of the worker in supplier factories. This is normative considering that Nike is being pressured by cultural expectations (DiMaggio and Powell, 1983). Using Myron Chartier’s change management model known as change by rational problem solving, Nike felt the need and decided to do something about it. Nike tried at defining the problem and discovered that wages are not only the central of these criticisms but also health and safety laws, and laws guaranteeing human rights. This prompted Nike to take unprecedented step of listing all of its subcontractors and admitting that it was unable to ensure that they all comply with its labor standards. Disclosure was attempted through cooperative monitoring. Nike then searched for promising solutions and applied one or more promising solutions to the need. What Nike did was to bring together the industry through setting up standards and communicating such through a code. Nike sought at disclosing its supply chain while also investing in and improving communities where productions are in existence. Those suppliers that are not in favor of the new agreement are quickly replaced, as a way of symbolizing that Nike is serious with its endeavors. Since this will be fairly ineffective if Nike will do it alone, the role of Fair Labor Association (FLA) to conduct unannounced audits for five percent of the supply chain annually, amounting to at least 40 independent audits of Nike factories. Non-compliance with the requirements of FLA means dropping out of such factory. On a broader scale, Nike encouraged the industry to embrace and agree on common standards because of the fact that Western sports organizations can have different and potentially conflicting standards. Coercibly, Nike is pressured to conform to various rules and laws imposed by different states worldwide. This was mirrored in Nike’s Code of Conduct, setting standards for partnerships by seeking contractors who are committed to best practices and continuous improvement in areas of employing management practices that respects the rights of all employees, minimizing impact on the environment, providing a safe and healthy workplace, promoting the health and well-being of all employees. Core standards hence are forced labor, child labor, compensation, benefits, hours of work/overtime, environment, health and safety and documentation and inspection (Hartman, Arnold and Wokutch, pp. 145-146). This is a process wherein Nike determines, and continued doing so, whether the problem is solved satisfactorily. In particular, SHAPE that stands for Safety, Health, Attitude of Management, People Investment & Environment was conducted. SHAPE is performed also for a new production factory that desires to establish a relationship with Nike. To say, there is no need for Nike to repeat the problem solving cycle since the problem had been solved from a supplier-centric point of view. In sum, the nature of Nike as a virtual organization had cultivated various unethical practices, mostly of its suppliers and their factories, that had driven Nike to rethink its organization and how Knight conducts his business. Nike received and was attacked by various labor activists and advocacy groups because of its direct involvement with sweatshops particularly in Asian countries. Knight responded to such condemnations by means of introducing codes and programmes that will bind Nike and its suppliers to uphold fair labor practices. DiMaggio, Paul J., and Powell, W. W. (1983). The iron cage revisited: Institutional isomorphism and collective rationality in organization fields. American Sociological Review, 48: 147-60. Frenkel, S. J. (2001). Globalization, athletic footwear commodity chains and employment relations in China. Organization Studies, 22(4): 531-562. Hartman, L. P., Arnold, D. G. & Wokutch, R. E. (2003). Rising above sweatshops: innovative approaches to global labor challenges. Greenwood Publishing Press. Hatch, M. J. & Cunliffe, A. L. (2006). Organization Theory: Modern, Symbolic, and Postmodern Perspectives. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Heal, G. (2008). When principles pay: corporate social responsibility and the bottom line. Columbia University Press. Heneman, R. L. & Greenberger, D. B. (2002). Human resource management in virtual organizations. International Associated Press. Jones, G. R. & George, J. M. (2003). Essentials of Contemporary Management. McGraw Hill Professionals. Luo, Y. (2001). How to enter China: choices and lessons. US: University of Michigan Press. Pal, N. (2008). From Strategy to Execution: Turning Accelerated Global Change Into Opportunity. Springer. Nike Watch. Retrieved on 22 July 2009, from http://www.oxfam.org.au. Stonehouse, G., Campbell, D., Hamil, J. & Purdie, T. (2004). Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Wokuch, R. E. (2001). Nike and Its Critic: Beginning a Dialogue. Organization and Environment, 14(2): 207-237.
Challenges in sustainability assessment: issues for capacity building Morrison-Saunders, A., Annandale, D. and Jenkins, B. (2003) Challenges in sustainability assessment: issues for capacity building. In: Building capacity for impact assessment, 23rd Annual Meeting of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA), 17 - 20 June, Marrakech, Morocco. The purpose of sustainability assessment (also known as ‘integrated’ or ‘triple-bottom-line’ assessment) is to simultaneously analyse the impacts of a proposal on a combination of environmental, social and economic receptors. This paper presents some challenges for sustainability assessment. It is based on recent experience in Western Australia where the State government is attempting to develop the capacity to implement sustainability assessment. A number of challenges will be addressed as follows. (i) How will sustainability assessment of projects be undertaken? Capacity for social and economic impact assessment and overall sustainability criteria may need to be developed to complement existing environmental impact assessment processes. (ii) When should trade-offs between environmental losses and socio-economic gains occur in the assessment process? (iii) In sustainability assessment of projects, how will mitigation and management actions that transcend the proponent's project site and its responsibilities (e.g., provision of social infrastructure and issues such as equity in employment and wealth distribution) be treated? A role for government agencies is apparent here. (iv) How will strategic proposals and regional land use planning be treated during sustainability assessment? Developing regional sustainability strategies and management plans may offer a practical solution. (v) How will existing unsustainable practices (e.g., current land uses and activities that degrade land, water and air resources) be remedied? Establishing agency based sustainability action plans and State of Sustainability Reporting may provide solutions here. In exploring these challenges for the implementation of sustainability assessment, implications for institutional reform and capacity building will be addressed. \|Publication Type:\|\|Conference Item\| \|Murdoch Affiliation:\|\|School of Environmental Science\| \|Notes:\|\|For more information see journal article http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/1714/\| \|Item Control Page\| Downloads per month over past year
Working out is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but it comes with the risk of injuries. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or a beginner, it’s important to take steps to avoid common workout injuries and recover from them when they do occur. In this article, we’ll explore some common workout injuries, how to prevent them, and what to do if you do get injured. Common Workout Injuries: 1. Strains and Sprains: These injuries are caused by overstretching or tearing of a muscle or ligament. They can happen in any part of the body but are most common in the back, legs, and ankles. This is an inflammation of the tendons, which are the cords that connect muscles to bones. It’s common in the shoulders, elbows, and knees. These are breaks in bones and can happen when a bone is subjected to a force that’s stronger than it can handle. They’re most common in the wrists, ankles, and hips. 4. Rotator Cuff Injuries: A rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Injuries to this area can be caused by repetitive overhead movements or sudden trauma. Always start your workout with a proper warm-up. This can include light cardio, stretching, and mobility exercises. 2. Proper Technique: Make sure you’re using the correct form when performing exercises. If you’re unsure, seek guidance from a qualified trainer. 3. Gradual Progression: Avoid increasing the intensity or frequency of your workouts too quickly. Gradual progression is key to avoiding injuries. 4. Rest and Recovery: Allow your body time to recover between workouts. This includes getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and taking rest days. Recovering from Injuries: Depending on the severity of the injury, you may need to take a break from working out. This can help the body heal and prevent further damage. Applying ice to the injured area can help reduce inflammation and pain. Compression can help reduce swelling and provide support to the injured area. 4. Physical Therapy: In some cases, physical therapy may be necessary to help rehabilitate the injured area and prevent further injuries. While injuries can be a part of working out, there are steps you can take to prevent them and recover from them. Always warm up before your workout, use proper technique, progress gradually, and allow your body time to recover. And if you do get injured, don’t push through the pain. Take the necessary steps to recover properly, and seek guidance from a qualified medical professional if needed. With these tips, you can enjoy a safe and effective workout routine.
Law student Ahmari and Weddady, civil rights outreach director of the American Islamic Congress, present the “most compelling voices” from an essay competition they organized shortly after Lebanon's Cedar Revolution in 2005. The online competition was designed to give a means of expression to individuals under the age of 25 looking to find their voices on issues of religious and political freedom and human rights. During a five-year period, the editors received more than 8,000 essays from 22 countries in four languages. Each year the writers were asked to share either an example of the “pain of repression,” or concrete projects designed to strengthen civil rights or dreams of a better future. As a byproduct the process also opened pathways to recruit activists. The editors present the essays under three headings: “Trapped,” “Unequal” and “Breaking Through.” The views expressed by the essayists reflect an impressively diverse cross-section of the Middle Eastern world. From Iran came contributions from the Baha’i and the Sunni religious minorities. The Baha’i are not allowed to participate in Iran's educational institutions, and Sunni ways of praying are banned in Shia Iran. The appeal for religious freedom also came from Saudi Arabia, where a student explores her process of standing up for herself against a repressive teacher. Also included are horrifying accounts of fundamentalist violence from Algeria and pleas for Western-style freedoms for homosexuals, along with accounts of the persecution of women. A slim volume that successfully presents “treasures, surprises, and rewards.”
Parents often bribe, plead and even threaten their kids to get them to eat their veggies. And while this feeding strategy may get kids to reluctantly ingest their greens, studies show it makes healthful foods less attractive to children over the long haul. It’s like kids take that pressure and translate it to mean “that food can’t possibly taste good.” So what’s a parent to do? There’s another way but the results won’t become evident today, tomorrow or even next week. But if used consistently, the action plan below has a huge pay off. That’s because it will not only get your kids to eat more healthy foods while they are young, it will increase the likelihood they’ll become adults who prefer nutritious fare. Let’s take a look… - Make mealtime the no-pressure zone Early in her career, internationally recognized feeding expert and dietitian, Ellyn Satter, was counseling a mother distraught about her ultra-picky-eating child. In that moment Satter realized that parents can’t possibly be responsible for what their children eat. Their only responsibility, she explained to the mom, is to provide children with a variety of food. Ever since her revelation, Ellyn Satter has refined what she calls the Division of Responsibility, a simple and ingenious feeding strategy. Basically parents decide the “when,” “what,” and “where” of feeding and children decide the “whether” and “how much” of eating. So let your child know that you are in charge of what is served but that it’s up to them whether or not to eat. This no-pressure atmosphere increases the likelihood that kids will eat a wider variety of foods. - Give them structure Once parents stop pouring all their energy into trying to get their kids to eat, they can focus on providing balanced meals and snacks. Providing structure for meals and snacks has a number of advantages. First, it gives children plenty of opportunities to eat and be exposed to different foods. It also helps them to manage their hunger so they show up to the next meal hungry but not famished. And lastly, it keeps them from grazing on food between meals which can cause a low desire to eat at meal time. So provide structured meals including 3 meals and 2-3 in-between-meal snacks in a designated area like the kitchen table. - Make food familiar and eat it yourself According to a 2007 review published in Current Nutrition Food Science, a good way to encourage children to try new foods is repeated exposure and role modeling. That means the more often kids see a food, the more likely it is they’ll eventually eat it. And when they see a parent eating it, the odds they’ll eat it go up even more. The review also reveals that kids are more willing to try new foods when they are paired with other liked items. So at mealtime include your kid’s favorites along with plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and nuts and seeds. And eat together as a family as often as you can. - Get them involved You’ve probably heard that having children help prepare meals is a good way to encourage eating. But there’s one caveat. Don’t make it all about getting them to eat. Why? Kids can smell an agenda from a mile away. Instead, have them help with meals to teach them something incredibly valuable: how to cook. When 18-year olds leave the house they should know how to prepare meals for themselves. If they can learn to make feeding themselves a priority, it will be easier for them to manage their weight and health. So have them help you pick out produce, get involved with food preparation and talk about how the food tastes. Older kids can even help plan weekly menus. And who knows? They could eventually end up making you dinner! - Be patient Getting your kids to try and accept a wide variety of foods does not happen overnight. But when you give children time and plenty of opportunities to learn (the same way you do with reading and writing) there will come a day when it all clicks. And everyone will ask you how your kid got to be such an adventurous eater. But the answer is never what parents think it will be. Structure, no pressure, repeated exposure, family meals, time and most of all trust. Tanofsky-Kraff M, Haynos AF, Kottler LA, Yanovski SZ, Yanovski JA. Laboratory-based studies of eating among children and adolescents. Curr Nutr Food Sci. 2007;3(1):55-74. \|Written on 1/31/2010 by Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen. Maryann is a registered dietitian, mother of two and creator of www.RaiseHealthyEaters.com, a blog dedicated to providing parents with the most credible nutrition advice.\|\|Photo Credit: Jimmcclarty\|
The Bhagwad Gita is replete with Buddhist themes and messages. The Chariot itself stands for the Noble Eightfold Path. Is the Bhagwad Gita a Buddhist Sutra? The Highest Chariot (Gita calls it rathauthamam) represents the Eightfold Path and the armies represent Samsara, Buddha as Krishna is our guide and charioteer. Buddha is known as Purisa Damma Sarathi -- or charioteer of men. 1)THUS HAVE I HEARD (Evam Maya Srutam)! This is what almost all Buddhist sutras begin with -- this identifies and differentiates Buddha Vacanam or Buddha's words from all other discourses. 1) Bhagwad Gita ends with Sanjaya exclaiming "Thus have I heard": Bhagavad Gita 18.74 Thus have I heard the conversation of two great souls, Krishna and Arjuna. And so wonderful is that message that my hair is standing on end. 2)Buddha is remembered by the faithful since the beginning of Buddhism as "Purisa Dama Sarathi" or Charioteer 2)Krishna is shown as a charioteer and guide of Arjuna. 3)THE CHARIOT: The Noble Eightfold Path: The Buddhist "Divine Chariot" VICTORIOUS IN BATTLE is another synonym for the Buddhist Eightfold Path (see Janussoni Brahmana Sutta). Buddha says, "The noble vehicle 'Brahma yana;' the vehicle of the teachings, dhamma yana' and the incomparable vehicle of victory in Battle 'anuttaro sangama vijaya' are only different names, Ananda, for the Ariya Path of Eight Constituents." 3)THE CHARIOT: BG 1:24, In the Gita is also drawn by white horses (BG 1.14) which Krishna guides to VICTORY IN BATTLE IN A YOGIC WAR OF DHARMA. This chariot is called " rathottamam" or the best of chariots! 4)REFUGE: Buddhists take "Saranam" or complete refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha of saints -- this is how we become Buddhists and declare victory with this ultimate and highest refuge! No other refuge do I seek; The Buddha is my matchless refuge, By the might of this truth, May joyous victory be mine! 4)REFUGE: Gita constantly says to take refuge in Buddhi as the ONLY refuge, the true refuge: buddhau Sharanam anvicchaa (Gita 2:49) BG 14.2, BG 18.57, 66. Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not. dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te To those who are constantly devoted to serving Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. Who was Krishna addressing? We get a clue from the first line of the Gita that Krishna (aka Sariputra) was addressing Buddhists. The first line states, "Dharma kshetra Kuru Kshetra". What do the Kurus have to do with the Dharma? NOTHING! There is no direct association in Hinduism between Dharma and the Kurus -- so a Hindu wouldn't know what Kurus have to do with the Dharma -- but a well read Buddhist would. A Buddhist who reads the Jatakas would know that the 5 precepts that every Buddhist takes upon taking refuge in the Triple Gem of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is rooted in the Kuru Dharma Jataka where the Bodhisatta is reborn as the son of the king "Dhanañjaya, the Kuru King, observes the Kuru righteousness (dhamma) And he caused them to write upon the plate of gold: "1)Slay not the living; 2)take not what is not given; 3)walk not evilly in lust; 4)speak no lies; 5)drink no strong drink." This is the Pancha Sila of the Buddhist that every Buddhist takes along with the Triple Gem refuge!!!! Krishna also says, "Buddhau saranam anvicche"
Coagulase test is used to distinguish pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus (which is coagulase positive) from nonpathogenic strains of S. aureus (which is coagulase negative). This test is used to differentiate Staphylococcus aureus (positive) from Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (CONS). Coagulase is an enzyme produced by S. aureus that converts (soluble) fibrinogen in plasma to (insoluble) fibrin. Staphylococcus aureus produces two forms of coagulase, bound and free. Coagulase is an enzyme that causes blood plasma to clot. The enzyme is a key virulence factor in the pathogenicity of pathogenic S. aureus because the clot formed helps to shield the bacterium from phagocytosis. Free coagulase reacts with a plasma cofactor called coagulase reacting factor (CRF) to produce coagulase-thrombin (a thrombin-like particle) which promotes the change from fibrinogen to fibrin forming a clot called coagulum. Free coagulase (detected by tube coagulase test) and bound coagulase (detected by slide coagulase test) are the two types of coagulase enzymes produced by pathogenic strains of S. aureus. Coagulase test can be performed in two ways viz: slide method (using a clean glass slide) and tube method (using test tubes). SLIDE METHOD OF COAGULASE TEST - Use pure cultures from solid culture media (preferably BA) to perform this test. - Divide a clean glass slide into two parts using a grease pencil. - Place a drop of normal saline or distilled water on each side of the slide. - Pick a colony or speck of the overnight culture using a sterilized inoculating loop. - Emulsify the culture with each of the drops of normal saline to form a homogeneous suspension. This must be separately done for each side of the slide. - Add a drop of plasma (from human or animal origin) to only one of the suspensions on the slide and stir for about 5 secs. - Lookout for clumping which does not re-emulsify. Presence of clumping indicates a positive test (Figure 1). - The other portion of emulsified culture without plasma remains the same and serves as the negative control of the test. TUBE METHOD OF COAGULASE TEST - Wash three small test tubes thoroughly. - Label each of the tubes as tube A (test culture tube), tube B (positive control), and tube C (negative control). - Aseptically dispense 0.5 ml of plasma into each of the three tubes. - Add 0.5 ml of the test broth culture to tube A. - Add 0.5 ml of S. aureus culture to tube B (positive control tube). - Add 0.5 ml of sterile broth to tube C (negative control tube). - Incubate all tubes at 37oC after proper mixing. - Observe the tubes hourly for the presence of clotting. It is vital to tilt or slant the tubes when looking out for clotting (Figure 1). - Presence of coagulation within 1-4 hrs indicates a coagulase positive test. Basic laboratory procedures in clinical bacteriology. World Health Organization (WHO), 1991. Available from WHO publications, 1211 Geneva, 27-Switzerland. Beers M.H., Porter R.S., Jones T.V., Kaplan J.L and Berkwits M (2006). The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. Eighteenth edition. Merck & Co., Inc, USA. Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. 5th edition. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. National Institute of Health. HHS Publication No. (CDC) 21-1112.2009. Cheesbrough M (2010). District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries. Part I. 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press, UK. Cheesbrough M (2010). District Laboratory Practice in Tropical Countries. Part 2. 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press, UK. Collins C.H, Lyne P.M, Grange J.M and Falkinham J.O (2004). Collins and Lyne’s Microbiological Methods. Eight edition. Arnold publishers, New York, USA. Disinfection and Sterilization. (1993). Laboratory Biosafety Manual (2nd ed., pp. 60-70). Geneva: WHO. Garcia L.S (2010). Clinical Microbiology Procedures Handbook. Third edition. American Society of Microbiology Press, USA. Garcia L.S (2014). Clinical Laboratory Management. First edition. American Society of Microbiology Press, USA. Fleming, D. O., Richardson, J. H., Tulis, J. I. and Vesley, D. (eds) (1995). Laboratory Safety: Principles and practice. Washington DC: ASM press. Dubey, R. C. and Maheshwari, D. K. (2004). Practical Microbiology. S.Chand and Company LTD, New Delhi, India. Gillespie S.H and Bamford K.B (2012). Medical Microbiology and Infection at a glance. 4th edition. Wiley-Blackwell Publishers, UK.
You have a stick that is one meter long, and you cut it at two arbitrarily chosen points. What is the probability that you will be able to form a triangle with the three pieces? The first thing to resolve is: "What does it mean that the three pieces form a triangle?" As many remarked in the discussion board, in order to have a triangle, it must be the case that no piece is longer than the sum of the lengths of the other two pieces. In particular, for us it means that all three pieces must be less than half a meter in length. This program is a simulation of doing the experiment of cutting many one-meter sticks at random and determining whether a triangle can be made with the pieces. The computer chooses random numbers between 0 and 1 to be the places to cut. If the experiment is repeated a large number of times, the proportion of "successful" triangles to the total number of experiments should approximate well the actual probability of being able to make a triangle with the pieces.
By Nina Chestney LONDON (Reuters) - Manmade climate change is the main driver behind the unexpected emergence of a group of bacteria in northern Europe which can cause gastroenteritis, new research by a group of international experts shows. The paper, published in the journal Nature Climate Change on Sunday, provided some of the first firm evidence that the warming patterns of the Baltic Sea have coincided with the emergence of Vibrio infections in northern Europe. Vibrios is a group of bacteria which usually grow in warm and tropical marine environments. The bacteria can cause various infections in humans, ranging from cholera to gastroenteritis-like symptoms from eating raw or undercooked shellfish or from exposure to seawater. A team of scientists from institutions in Britain, Finland, Spain and the United States examined sea surface temperature records and satellite data, as well as statistics on Vibrio cases in the Baltic. They found the number and distribution of cases in the Baltic Sea area was strongly linked to peaks in sea surface temperatures. Each year the temperature rose one degree, the number of vibrio cases rose almost 200 percent. "The big apparent increases that we've seen in cases during heat wave years (..) tend to indicate that climate change is indeed driving infections," Craig Baker-Austin at the UK-based Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, one of the authors of the study, told Reuters. Climate studies show that rising greenhouse gas emissions made global average surface temperatures increase by about 0.17 degrees Celsius a decade from 1980 to 2010. The Vibrio study focused on the Baltic Sea in particular because it warmed at an unprecedented rate of 0.063 to 0.078 degrees Celsius a year from 1982 to 2010, or 6.3 to 7.8 degrees a century. "(It) represents, to our knowledge, the fastest warming marine ecosystem examined so far anywhere on Earth," the paper said. Many marine bacteria thrive in warm, low-saline sea water. In addition to warming, climate change has caused more frequent and heavier rainfall, which has reduced the salt content of estuaries and coastal wetlands. As ocean temperatures continue to rise and coastal regions in northern regions become less saline, Vibrio bacteria strains will appear in new areas, the scientists said. Vibrio outbreaks have also appeared in temperate and cold regions in Chile, Peru, Israel, the northwest U.S. Pacific and northwest Spain, and these can be linked to warming patterns, the scientists said. "Very few studies have looked at the risk of these infections at high latitudes," Baker-Austin said. "Certainly the chances of getting a vibrio infection are considered to be relatively low, and more research is focused on areas where these diseases are endemic or at least more common," he added. Previous Vibrio outbreaks in colder regions have often been put down to a sporadic event or special conditions rather than a response to long-term climate change. This is because the effects of global warming can be more pronounced at higher latitudes and in areas which lack detailed historical climate data, the study said. Baker-Austin said there was a growing realization that climate and the emergence of some infectious diseases were closely linked but there are some "huge data gaps in that area which need addressing." (Editing by Tim Pearce)
GENEVA (Reuters) - Some 72 million people around the world had been driven from their homes by conflict, natural disasters or big development projects at the end of last year, the Red Cross reported on Tuesday. Nearly 16.4 million had fled abroad and were officially classified as refugees, while 41.4 million more were living in their own country as "internally displaced persons", according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world's largest disaster relief network. The remainder were asylum seekers whose claims were pending or had failed, as well as refugees who had not registered, the IFRC said in its annual World Disasters Report. Around 20 million people were living in so-called "prolonged displacement", including around 5 million Palestinians living in camps run by the United Nations' UNRWA agency in the Middle East since the late 1940s. The figure of 72 million forced migrants compares to 101 million at the end of 2010, 75 million in 2009 and 92.3 million in 2008. The wide fluctuations are largely due to the irregularity of major natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, droughts and cyclones, the Federation said. (Reporting by Robert Evans; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Template:Redirect Template:Other uses Template:Refimprove [[File:Male Lion and Cub Chitwa South Africa Luca Galuzzi Bold textghvhvnbbbbggtbg 2004.JPG\|thumb\|250px\|right\|Lions are voracious carnivores; they require up to seven kilograms (15 lbs) of meat per day. A major component of their diet is the flesh of large mammals, like this African buffalo.]] A carnivore (Template:Pron-en), meaning 'meat eater' (Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour'), is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging. Animals that depend solely on animal flesh for their nutrient requirements are considered obligate carnivores while those that also consume non-animal food are considered facultative carnivores. Omnivores also consume both animal and non-animal food, and apart from the more general definition, there is no clearly defined ratio of plant to animal material that would distinguish a facultative carnivore from an omnivore, or an omnivore from a facultative herbivore, for that matter. A carnivore that sits at the top of the foodchain is an apex predator. Plants that capture and digest insects are called carnivorous plants. Similarly, fungi that capture microscopic animals are often called carnivorous fungi. Carnivores that eat insects and similar invertebrates primarily or exclusively are called insectivores, while those that eat fish primarily or exclusively are called piscivores. The word "carnivore" sometimes refers to the mammalian Order Carnivora, but this is somewhat misleading. Although many Carnivora fit the definition of being exclusively meat eaters, not all do. For example, most species of bears are omnivorous, except for the giant panda, which is almost exclusively herbivorous, and the carnivorous polar bear. In addition, many carnivorous species are not members of Carnivora. Outside the animal kingdom, there are several genera containing carnivorous plants and several phyla containing carnivorous fungi. The former are predominantly insectivores, while the latter prey mostly on microscopic invertebrates, such as nematodes, amoeba and springtails. I'm a fuck face Obligate or true carnivores depend solely on the nutrients found in animal flesh for their survival. While they may consume small amounts of plant material, they lack the physiology required for the efficient digestion of vegetable matter and, in fact, some carnivorous mammals eat vegetation specifically as an emetic. The domestic cat is a prime example of an obligate carnivore, as are all of the other felids. The ability to produce synthetic forms of nutrients such as taurine in the lab has allowed feed manufacturers to formulate foods for carnivores (zoo animals and pets) with varying amounts of plant material. The diet of a hypercarnivore consists of more than 70% meat, that of a mesocarnivore 50-70%, and that of a hypocarnivore less than 30%, with the balance consisting of nonvertebrate foods, which may include fungi, fruits, and other plant material. Characteristics of carnivores Edit Characteristics commonly associated with carnivores include organs for capturing and disarticulating prey (teeth and claws serve these functions in many vertebrates) and status as a predator. In truth, these assumptions may be misleading, as some carnivores do not hunt and are scavengers (though most hunting carnivores will scavenge when the opportunity exists). Thus they do not have the characteristics associated with hunting carnivores. Carnivores have comparatively short digestive systems, as they are not required to break down tough cellulose found in plants. Carnivores will also generally possess eyes that face forward, affording binocular vision and depth perception necessary to pounce on prey, as contrasted to the usual herbivore arrangement of eyes set on opposite sides of the head, sacrificing binocular vision for a nearly 360 degree field of vision as a defense against predators. Prehistoric mammals of the crown-clade Carnivoramorpha (Carnivora and Miacoidea without Creodonta), along with the early order Creodonta, and some mammals of the even earlier order Cimolesta, were true carnivores. The earliest carnivorous mammal is considered to be the Cimolestes that existed during the Late Cretaceous and Tertiary Periods in North America about 65 million years ago. Most species of Cimolestes were mouse to rat-sized, but the Late Cretaceous Cimolestes magnus reached the size of a marmot, making it one of the largest Mesozoic mammals known (20-60g). The cheek teeth combined the functions of piercing, shearing and grinding, and the molars of Palaeoryctes had extremely high and acute cusps that had little function other than piercing. The dentition of Cimolestes foreshadows the same cutting structures seen in all later carnivores. While the earlier smaller species were insectivores, the later marmot-sized Cimolestes magnus probably took larger prey and were definitely a carnivore to some degree. The cheek teeth of Hyracolestes ermineus (an ermine-like shrew - 40g) and Sarcodon pygmaeus ("pygmy flesh tooth" - 75g), were common in the latest Paleocene of Mongolia and China and occupied the small predator niche. The cheek teeth show the same characteristic notches that serve in today's carnivores to hold flesh in place to shear apart with cutting ridges. The theropod dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex that existed during the Mesozoic Era were "obligate carnivores". List of extant carnivores Edit - All feliforms, such as domestic cats, big cats, hyenas, mongooses, civets - Most caniforms, such as the dogs, wolves, foxes, ferrets, seals and walruses - All cetaceans, such as dolphins, whales and porpoises - All bats (except fruitbats) - The carnivorous marsupials, such as the Tasmanian devil - All birds of prey, such as hawks, eagles, falcons and owls - All vultures, both old world and new - Some waterfowl, such as gulls, penguins, pelicans, storks, and herons - All crocodilians, such as alligators, crocodiles, gharials and caimans - All snakes, such as cobras, vipers, pythons and boas - Some lizards, such as most skinks and all monitor lizards - Some turtles, including the snapping turtle and most sea turtles - Fish and amphibians - Most anurans, such as frogs and toads - All sharks, such as tiger, great white, nurse and reef sharks - Many bony fish, such as tuna, marlin, salmon, and bass - Some crustaceans, such as the coconut crab, though mainly omnivorous, will prey on turtle hatchlings, smaller crabs species, rats, and carrion - Some molluscs, such as octopuses and squid, and some gastropods - Most arachnids, such as spiders and scorpions - Many insects, such as mantises, dragonflies and most wasps - All jellyfish and sea stars - All centipedes Template:Biological interaction-footer Template:Feeding Template:Modelling ecosystems ar:لواحم an:Carnivorismo ay:Aycha manq'iri bn:মাংসাশী zh-min-nan:Chia̍h-bah tōng-bu̍t ca:Carnivorisme cs:Masožravec cy:Cigysydd de:Fleischfresser et:Karnivoor el:Σαρκοφάγα es:Carnívoro eu:Haragijale fa:گوشتخوارسانان fr:Carnassier (régime alimentaire) gl:Carnívoro ko:육식성 hr:Mesožderi io:Karnivoro id:Karnivora is:Kjötæta it:Carnivoro he:טורפים (ביולוגיה) jv:Karnivora ht:Kanivò la:Carnivora hu:Húsevő mr:मांसभक्षक प्राणी ms:Maging nl:Carnivoor ja:肉食動物 nrm:Mangeux d'viande pl:Zoofag pt:Carnívoro qu:Aycha mikhuq ru:Плотоядные simple:Carnivore sk:Mäsožravosť sl:Zoofag sr:Месојед fi:Lihansyöjä sv:Köttätare ta:ஊனுண்ணி tg:Дарранда ur:گوشت خور wa:Magneu d' tchå zh:肉食性
The Incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge within a Sustainable Development Context: Maya-Kacquikel Perspectives from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala MA in Sustainable Development The World Bank reports, “indigenous peoples in Guatemala are the poorest of the poor” (O’Kane, 1999). Approximately 50% of the population of Guatemala is indigenous. Indigenous peoples have passed down their knowledge through the generations. This knowledge is beginning to be recognized by the development community as a valuable resource. Development programs and projects have thus far lacked community participation towards sustainable development. With a high proportion of indigenous peoples, Guatemala provides the ideal research location to gain insight into the perspectives of indigenous peoples on the appropriate methodology and use of their indigenous knowledge (IK) in development. Through in-depth interviews, participants provided recommendations that could improve development within an indigenous context. A voice from the indigenous community will aid in a more equitable and culturally appropriate alternative model for the incorporation of IK in development. Levy, Ben, "The Incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge within a Sustainable Development Context: Maya-Kacquikel Perspectives from Lake Atitlan, Guatemala" (2006). Capstone Collection. 2202. This document is currently not available here.
THE difference between fuzzy perceptions and hard science can mean everything to someone who has been falsely accused of a crime. According to the Innocence Project, a non-profit legal clinic attached to Yeshiva University in New York, DNA evidence has so far helped to exonerate 194 people in the United States who were wrongly convicted, and who spent an average of 12 years in prison before being released. Of the wrongly accused, over 75% had been mistakenly identified by eyewitnesses. Since using witnesses to weed out suspects remains a crucial tool for investigating crimes, groups across the country—from crime commissions to state legislators—have been looking for better ways to run police line-ups. That effort is spotlighting an academic debate about psychology and research methods. And it has now triggered a lawsuit over a pilot study of three police departments in Illinois. In traditional police line-ups (as featured in many a celluloid crime drama) investigators show eyewitnesses a group of subjects or a palette of photos and ask whether the criminal they saw is among them. Many psychologists and criminal defence lawyers have called for a switch to another method that is different in two important ways. First, they say, the officers handling the line-up should not know which members of the group are “fillers”: ie, innocents who have been added merely to make the eyewitness choose. That way, the witness does not pick up any cues, intentional or otherwise, about which subject the police suspect. Second, say psychologists, eyewitnesses would respond more accurately if they could see subjects one at a time, rather than seeing a whole group at once and making relative comparisons. A number of research studies in academic settings have suggested that this method, called “sequential double blind”, would lead to fewer witness errors than traditional line-ups. New Jersey's attorney-general recommended the new method to the state's police department in 2001. Since then, attorneys-general or crime commissions in Wisconsin, North Carolina and Virginia have endorsed the reforms in different ways; and legislatures in five other states are considering them. This reform drive was called into question last year, however, by a pilot study in Illinois. Unlike earlier research, which often used video clips or other methods to simulate crimes and witnesses, the Illinois study was the first and only one to compare the two methods in the field using actual cases. During 700 or so real police investigations in Chicago, Evanston and Joliet, eyewitnesses using sequential line-ups were less likely to name the police's suspect, or anyone at all, as the criminal. That is an ambiguous result, since the police, of course, could have been wrong about some of their suspects. But eyewitnesses using sequential line-ups named fillers as criminals—that is, they wrongly accused people who were definitely innocent—three times more often than witnesses who looked at traditional line-ups. Many reforms remain convinced that the newer method is better, but concede that the Illinois study has slowed their political momentum. So earlier this month two reforming groups—the National Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers (NACDL), and the MacArthur Justice Centre at Northwestern University—filed a legal demand for more details about the pilot study. Scott Ehlers, who deals with state legislatures for the NACDL, says that some of its results are “fishy”. The Chicago police, however, say that they are innocent. No eyewitnesses have come forward. This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "Killers and fillers"
This page is currently being updated. Additional details will be published shortly. Rabies is a deadly contagious disease caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The wild animals that most often transmit rabies are bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. Rabies is spread by the bite of a rabid animal, or a wound or mucous membrane coming into contact with its saliva. After possible exposure to rabies, you should wash the wound with soap and water for several minutes. Modes of transmission, symptoms, treatment and prevention in humans. Last update: October 22, 2015 11:19 AM The information on this website by no means replaces the advice of a health professional. If you have questions regarding your health, contact Info-Santé 8-1-1 or see a health professional.
For many years scientists have speculated that changes in the amount of energy given off by the Sun can influence the Earth's climate. There is no doubt that variations do occur in various characteristics of the Sun on a range of time scales. The 11-year cycle in the number of sunspots on the face of the Sun is well known. But other parameters, including the size of the Sun, vary too, and over different time scales from tens of years to thousands of years. What is less clear is whether or not these changes produce significant variations in the total energy output of the Sun. The total solar energy received by the Earth, or solar constant, has only been measured accurately since the advent of the satellite era, 40 years ago. In addition, changes which have been detected over the past 20 years are very small in magnitude, and probably too small to account for all of the observed global warming that has occurred during this period. While changes in total solar energy may be greater on longer time scales, this is only a speculative possibility. Nevertheless, scientists have proposed that longer-term changes to the nature of the sunspot cycle may have been the cause of the Little Ice Age that occurred between the 16th and 19th centuries.
The acceleration of the loss of the extent of the ice is mostly because the ice has been so thin. This would explain why it has melted so much this year. By June the ice edge had pulled back to where it normally is in September... . ..The 2007 record was set when you had weather conditions which were perfect for melting. This year we didn't have those. It was mixed. So this suggests the ice has got to a point where it's so thin it doesn't matter what the weather is, it's going to melt in the summer. This could become the new normal.Julienne Stroeve. I've been one of what has seemed at times like a minority of one in the amateur community following the loss of Arctic sea ice. My view had been that the ice was transitioning to a new pseudo-equilibrium state, one with an ice pack composed almost entirely of young ice. I now doubt that such a pseudo-equilibrium state exists, and I anticipate a rapid transition by 2020 to a virtually sea ice free state (NSIDC Extent <1M km^2), I suspect it could be much earlier than that. The loss of volume until recently has come from thicker ice categories, as thickness is a proxy for age it can be presumed that a process has been underway removing the thick old ice from the Arctic. Indications are that this process is now at an end. PIOMAS volume contributions from four thickness categories of sea ice, 1978 to 2011. This is also supported by the work of Maslanik, which shows that ice over 4 years old is imminently due to be lost from the Arctic. I had expected that at the end of the process of removal of old sea ice a new pseudo-equilibrium would begin with a younger ice pack more prone to melting ushering in a new regime of greater volatility. Since 2010, and certainly with this year, that seems to be what has happened. However I am no longer convinced that this is a semi-stable state that implies survival of the pack in summer until well into next decade. The PIOMAS model is the best measure of volume we have, it is well verified against past observations such as submarine and satellite measurements. Furthermore initial indications are that Cryosat 2, the new satellite system supports PIOMAS, more here. And PIOMAS shows substantial recent March volume losses, implying thickness loss. This is supported by the PSC's own calculation of thickness, here, and by calculated thickness, here. It's worth noting that there have been similar volume losses in the past, so what is different now? The difference is that the ice is thinner. Here is the thickness* before the volume losses of 1981/2, a volume loss that didn't lead to a crash in area/extent. I've chosen June as this is at the beginning of the melt season before the biggest volume loss which is in July. *(PIOMAS gridded data - my presentation) Here is the thickness before the volume losses of 2010/11. And here is the thickness in June of 2011, 2012 gridded data should be out sometime next year. The following two graphics are taken from this presentation (pdf) by Marika Holland on Rapid Ice Loss Events (RILEs). I mentioned March ice volume in connection with my first graphic, that was not without reason; Holland's work shows that in models March thickness (therefore volume) drops during RILEs. The RILE is marked with the grey band, it's worth noting that current thicknesses are below that of the model above during a RILE. Why is this important? After all as can be seen from the above two graphics, both volume and thickness show large drops earlier in the 20th Century. The key issue is Open Water Formation Efficiency (OWFE). OWFE is defined as the percentage of open water made by each cm of vertical ice melt. Back in the 20th century and before the ice was thicker, so OWFE was low (to the right of that curve). But now the ice is much thinner so the same losses of thickness during the melt season are much more able to expose open ocean. Going back to the presentation by Holland she states: • In most extreme case, conditions go from near-present day to near-ice free Septembers in ~10 yrs• The transitions result from: – A vulnerable, thin ice state: Increased OW per melt rate – A trigger: Increased OHT (natural variability?) – Accelerating feedbacks: Albedo change/OHT?/Clouds? As I've shown recently the loss of volume in 2010 rivals that of 2007, here, and was driven by unique weather conditions, here. 2007 was also driven by weather, but as it turns out the weather pattern responsible, the Arctic Dipole (AD) has stuck since then due to a highly anomalous atmospheric condition, here, why remains unclear. But the Arctic Dipole is a key player that transports warm air into the Arctic basin, has a proven role in sea ice loss (here), and has been active every year since 2007 in early summer, as Overland et al show (see previous post for reference). The June AD index from 1950 to 2012 shows how unusual recent years have been. The June AD index from 1950 to 2012 shows how unusual recent years have been. In the last 6 years we've had: 2007's loss of 1/4 of the sea ice area, and the start of an unusual assertion of the Arctic Dipole. Continued year-on-year volume loss (PIOMAS) with 2010's loss of volume equalling 2007, and the majority of the thickest, oldest ice off the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) being lost. The area record of 2007 being beaten in 2011, and that new record smashed this year. Even taking into account the AD, the weather of the last two years hasn't been as conducive to ice melt as 2007. After 2011 I was wavering in my view that we'd have late summer sea ice through until late next decade. Earlier this year I said I'd reconsider after this year, and what happened this year? From June when the ice retreat began in earnest inside the Arctic basin, the ice was retreating abnormally rapidly. This is seen in Cryosphere Today area anomalies (my calculation - 1980 to 1999 baseline). The early August cyclone did have a significant effect, but even before that anomalies from the baseline were well below even 2007, without the cyclone it was still very likely that 2007's record would be broken. The early August cyclone merely exacerbated what was already likely by the end of June, a new record was going to be set. Following the near elimination of the oldest ice I had anticipated that the volume loss would abate. This is a reasonable expectation given that the preceding interannual trend of volume loss had been from loss of old thick multi-year ice, as shown by ICESat and PIOMAS. Against the volume loss would then be the thinner younger ice with its fast response times, more able to rebound from forcing events like 2010 and this year. The rebound of younger ice has come into play, the first graphic in this post shows that happening in the PIOMAS domain. In the real world the larger area (CT) losses of years since 2007 have been countered by larger growth, enlarging the seasonal cycle. There are two processes happening here, discrete in time and process: During the melt season (Mar - Sept) thinner ice has more readily revealed open ocean, while during the early freeze season large new areas of open ocean have vented most of the energy gained during the summer into the atmosphere leading to delayed but ultimately vigorous horizontal spread of ice, with subsequent thickening over winter, a negative feedback on the summer's ice albedo feedback driven recession. But this is not enough as the volume losses have continued. I see no negative feedbacks that are likely to come into play that aren't already active - the overall feedback is strongly positive. I'm now pretty well convinced that we are in a Rapid Ice Loss Event (RILE), probably a doozy of a RILE. I can see two main problems with this viewpoint, the biggest one is that March 2012 shows no evidence of a further loss of volume, but I'm expecting further March volume loss this year. The second is the role of weather. It may seem that the involvement of weather in 2007, 2010, and the AD in the post 2007 era detracts from this view point of an ongoing RILE. However Holland notes in her presentation that RILEs are driven thermodynamically with ice dynamics playing a small stabilising role. In other words, in the models RILEs aren't driven by factors like ice-albedo but are driven by atmospheric and oceanic processes causing influxes of heat into the Arctic. In the extreme AD event of 2007, the assertion of the AD thereafter, and the unusual combination of weather leading to 2010's PIOMAS volume loss, we are seeing atmospheric processes that are thermodynamically driving ice loss. The processes behind the post 2007 assertion of the AD are not yet clear, snow forcing may play a role due to earlier snow melt. But it strikes me as stretching coincidence too far to claim there is no feedback and that the AD just happened to assert itself in the wake of 2007, when ice thickness had been substantially reduced, and ice retreat during the year had stepped into a faster gear. The volume loss of 2010 was driven by the Warm Arctic Cold Continents pattern pre-conditioning ice in the winter and a massive warm anomaly over Northern Canada. In the case of the former, Cohen has shown linkage to the state of Arctic sea ice (more here), and in the case of both factors, they would not have had the dramatic impact but for decades of pre-conditioning, as the 1981 volume loss shows. The Arctic atmosphere, and ocean are not passive players in the changes that are afoot, and their net role is to hasten ice loss. If I take any one aspect of my argument I can see reason for doubt, reason to delay expressing this opinion, but when I put it all together I'm battered into submission by the overall pattern of the evidence. If I delay until I'm absolutely certain I might well be calling the blog post; "Well that was a RILE!" So if I do think we're in a RILE, what do I expect to see in the future? I anticipate a rapid transition by 2020, but it may be much earlier. Given that I don't think anyone really has a grip on what's going on I don't think anyone can say for sure how fast it will be. Simplistic hand waving about ice-albedo effect driving the process neglects the AD role I outlined in my previous posts, and tells us nothing about the interplay between ice albedo and heat loss in autumn due to open water and thinner ice. As I accept that I have no more of a grasp of this than I think anyone else does, I'm not hazarding guesses as to how exactly the whole thing will play out. It's enough to say: By 2020 possibly much sooner. Which is vague enough to cover a lot of the uncertainty, but represents a substantial shift from where I was a year ago. However in the course of the next 12 months I do think it's possible to outline the following bullet points shaping what I expect. - I don't expect to see a substantially delayed refreeze of the same order as 2007, that's because there's not been the sunny skies over open water seen in 2007. Once it gets started the refreeze will be fast. - I expect a volume loss between PIOMAS maxima for March 2012 and March 2013. i.e. this year's losses will not be made up over the winter. - I expect large positive anomalies of NCEP/NCAR temperature in the lower troposphere, biassed towards the surface, from February to April. That's not to say it will be warm, but it won't be as cold as in years before 2010. - Piomas volume anomalies will fall throughout May - June. - I expect large positive anomalies of NCEP/NCAR temperature in the low to mid troposphere in May and June. Again, maintaining the apparent warming since 2010. - There will be a massive crash in Cryosphere Today area anomalies during early June. Going at least as low as 2012, probably lower. - There will be the development of a high pressure anomaly over Greenland in June persisting through July and into August. This will form an AD anomaly in tandem with low pressure over the Siberian sector. - CT Area at minimum in September will be lower than the 2011 record of 2.9M km^2, likely at least matching this year's record, which is 2.23M km^2. There remains the significant possibility of a further crash well below this year, I can't hazard a guess as to the magnitude of such future crashes.
HTTP cookies explained HTTP cookies, most often just called “cookies,” have been around for a while but are still not very well understood. The first problem is a lot of misconceptions, ranging from cookies as spyware or viruses to just plain ignorance over how they work. The second problem is a lack of consistent interfaces to work with cookies. Despite all of the issues surrounding them, cookies are such an important part of web development that, should they disappear without a replacement, many of our favorite web applications would be rendered useless. Origin of cookies One of the biggest issues in the early days of the web was how to manage state. In short, the server had no way of knowing if two requests came from the same browser. The easiest approach, at the time, was to insert some token into the page when it was requested and get that token passed back with the next request. This required either using a form with a hidden field containing the token or to pass the token as part of the URL’s query string. Both solutions were intensely manual operations and prone to errors. Lou Montulli, an employee of Netscape Communications at the time, is credited with applying the concept of “magic cookies” to web communication in 1994. The problem he was attempting to solve was that of the web’s first shopping cart, now a mainstay on all shopping sites. His original specification provides basic information about how cookies work, which was formalized in RFC 2109 (the reference for most browser implementations) and eventually evolved into RFC 2965. Montulli would also be granted a United States patent for cookies. Netscape Navigator supported cookies since its first version, and cookies are now supported by all web browsers. What is a cookie? Quite simply, a cookie is a small text file that is stored by a browser on the user’s machine. Cookies are plain text; they contain no executable code. A web page or server instructs a browser to store this information and then send it back with each subsequent request based on a set of rules. Web servers can then use this information to identify individual users. Most sites requiring a login will typically set a cookie once your credentials have been verified, and you are then free to navigate to all parts of the site so long as that cookie is present and validated. Once again, the cookie just contains data and isn’t harmful in and of itself. A web server specifies a cookie to be stored by sending an HTTP header called Set-Cookie. The format of the Set-Cookie header is a string as follows (parts in square brackets are optional): Set-Cookie: <em>value</em>[; expires=<em>date</em>][; domain=<em>domain</em>][; path=<em>path</em>][; secure] The first part of the header, the value, is typically a string in the format name=value. Indeed, the original specification indicates that this is the format to use but browsers do no such validation on cookie values. You can, in fact, specify a string without an equals sign and it will be stored just the same. Still, the most common usage is to specify a cookie value as name=value (and most interfaces support this exclusively). When a cookie is present, and the optional rules allow, the cookie value is sent to the server with each subsequent request. The cookie value is stored in an HTTP header called Cookie and contains just the cookie value without any of the other options. Such as: The options specified with Set-Cookie are for the browser’s use only and aren’t retrievable once they have been set. The cookie value is the exact same string that was specified with Set-Cookie; there is no further interpretation or encoding of the value. If there are multiple cookies for the given request, then they are separated by a semicolon and space, such as: Cookie: value1; value2; name1=value1 Server-side frameworks typically provide functionality to parse cookies and make their values available programmatically. There is some confusion over encoding of a cookie value. The commonly held belief is that cookie values must be URL-encoded, but this is a fallacy even though it is the de facto implementation. The original specification indicates that only three types of characters must be encoded: semicolon, comma, and white space. The specification indicates that URL encoding may be used but stops short of requiring it. The RFC makes no mention of encoding whatsoever. Still, almost all implementations perform some sort of URL encoding on cookie values. In the case of name=value formats, the name and value are typically encoded separately while the equals sign is left as is. The expires option Each of the options after the cookie value are separated by a semicolon and space and each specifies rules about when the cookie should be sent back to the server. The first option is expires, which indicates when the cookie should no longer be sent to the server and therefore may be deleted by the browser. The value for this option is a date in the format Wdy, DD-Mon-YYYY HH:MM:SS GMT such as: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; expires=Sat, 02 May 2009 23:38:25 GMT expires option, a cookie has a lifespan of a single session. A session is defined as finished when the browser is shut down, so session cookies exist only while the browser remains open. This is why you’ll often see a checkbox when signing into a web application asking if you would like your login information to be saved: if you select yes, then an expires option is attached to the login cookie. If the expires option is set to a date that appears in the past, then the cookie is immediately deleted. The domain option The next option is domain, which indicates the domain(s) for which the cookie should be sent. By default, domain is set to the host name of the page setting the cookie, so the cookie value is sent whenever a request is made to the same host name.Â For example, the default domain for a cookie set on this site would be domain option is used to widen the number of domains for which the cookie value will be sent. Sample: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; domain=nczonline.net Consider the case of a large network such as Yahoo! that has many sites in the form of name.yahoo.com (e.g., my.yahoo.com, finance.yahoo.com, etc.). A single cookie value can be set for all of these sites by setting the domain option to simply yahoo.com. The browser performs a tail comparison of this value and the host name to which a request is sent (meaning it starts the comparison from the end of the string) and sends the corresponding Cookie header when there’s a match. The value set for the domain option must be part of the host name that is sending the Set-Cookie header. I couldn’t, for example, set a cookie on google.com because that would introduce a security issue. Invalid domain options are simply ignored. The path option Another way to control when the Cookie header will be sent is to specify the path option. Similar to the domain option, path indicates a URL path that must exist in the requested resource before sending the Cookie header. This comparison is done by comparing the option value character-by-character against the start of the request URL. If the characters match, then the Cookie header is sent. Sample: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; path=/blog In this example, the path option would match /blogroll, etc.; anything that begins with /blog is valid. Note that this comparison is only done once the domain option has been verified. The default value for the path option is the path of the URL that sent the The secure option The last option is secure. Unlike the other options, this is just a flag and has no additional value specified. A secure cookie will only be sent to the server when a request is made using SSL and the HTTPS protocol. The idea that the contents of the cookie are of high value and could be potentially damaging to transmit as clear text. Sample: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; secure In reality, confidential or sensitive information should never be stored or transmitted in cookies as the entire mechanism is inherently insecure. By default, cookies set over an HTTPS connection are automatically set to be secure. Cookie maintenance and lifecycle Any number of options can be specified for a single cookie, and those options may appear in any order. For example: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; domain=nczonline.net; path=/blog This cookie has four identifying characteristics: the cookie path, and the secure flag. In order to change the value of this cookie in the future, another Set-Cookie header must be sent using the same cookie name, domain, and path. For example: Set-Cookie: name=Greg; domain=nczonline.net; path=/blog This overwrites the original cookie’s value with a new one. However, changing even one of these options creates a completely different cookie, such as: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; domain=nczonline.net; path=/ After returning this header, there are now two cookies with a name of “name”. If you were to access a page at www.nczonline.net/blog, the following header would be included in the request: Cookie: name=Greg; name=Nicholas There are two cookies in this header named “name”, with the more specific path being returned first. The cookie string is always returned in order from most specific domain-path-secure tuple to least specific. Suppose I’m at www.nczonline.net/blog and set another cookie with default settings: The returned header now becomes: Cookie: name=Mike; name=Greg; name=Nicholas Since the cookie with the value “Mike” uses the hostname ( www.nczonline.net) for its domain and the full path ( /blog) as its path, it is more specific than the two others. Using expiration dates When a cookie is created with an expiration date, that expiration date relates to the cookie identified by name- secure. In order to change the expiration date of a cookie, you must specify the exact same tuple. When changing a cookie’s value, you need not set the expiration date each time because it’s not part of the identifying information. Example: Set-Cookie: name=Mike; expires=Sat, 03 May 2025 17:44:22 GMT The expiration date of the cookie has now been set, so the next time I want to change the value of the cookie, I can just use its name: The expiration date on this cookie hasn’t changed, since the identifying characteristics of the cookie are the same. In fact, the expiration date won’t change until you manually change it again. That means a session cookie can become a persistent cookie (one that lasts multiple sessions) within the same session but the opposite isn’t true. In order to change a persistent cookie to a session cookie, you must delete the persistent cookie by setting its expiration date to a time in the past and then create a session cookie with the same name. Keep in mind that the expiration date is checked against the system time on the computer that is running the browser. There is no way to verify that the system time is in sync with the server time and so errors may occur when there is a discrepancy between the system time and the server time. Automatic cookie removal There are a few reasons why a cookie might be automatically removed by the browser: - Session cookies are removed when the session is over (browser is closed). - Persistent cookies are removed when the expiration date and time have been reached. - If the browser’s cookie limit is reached, then cookies will be removed to make room for the most recently created cookie. For more details, see my post on cookie restrictions. Cookie management is important to avoid any of these automatic removal cases when they are unintended. There are a number of restrictions placed on cookies in order to prevent abuse and protect both the browser and the server from detrimental effects. There are two types of restrictions: number of cookies and total cookie size. The original specification placed a limit of 20 cookies per domain, which was followed by early browsers and continued up through Internet Explorer 7. During one of Microsoft’s updates, they increased the cookie limit in IE 7 to 50 cookies. IE 8 has a maximum of 50 cookies per domain as well. Firefox also has a limit of 50 cookies while Opera has a limit of 30 cookies. Safari and Chrome have no limit on the number of cookies per domain. The maximum size for all cookies sent to the server has remained the same since the original cookie specification: 4 KB. Anything over that limit is truncated and won’t be sent to the server. Due to the cookie number limit, developers have come up with the idea of subcookies to increase the amount of storage available to them. Subcookies are name-value pairs stored within a cookie value and typically have a format similar to the following: document.cookie property. This property acts as the Set-Cookie header when assigned to and as the Cookie header when read from. When creating a cookie, you must use a string that’s in the same format that document.cookie="name=Nicholas; domain=nczonline.net; path=/"; Setting the value of document.cookie does not delete all of the cookies stored on the page. It simply creates or modifies the cookie specified in the string. The next time a request is made to the server, these cookies are sent along with any others that were created via Set-Cookie. There is no perceivable difference between these cookies. document.cookie property. The returned string is in the same format as the Cookie header value, so multiple cookies are separated by a semicolon and space. Example: path, expiration date, or To create an HTTP-only cookie, just add an HttpOnly flag to your cookie: Set-Cookie: name=Nicholas; HttpOnly Once this flag is set, there is no access via document.cookie to this cookie. Internet Explorer also goes a step further and doesn’t allow access to this header using the getResponseHeader() methods on XMLHttpRequest while other browsers still permit it. Firefox fixed this vulnerability in 3.0.6 though there are still various browser vulnerabilities floating around (complete browser support list). There’s a lot to know and understand about cookies in order to use them effectively. It’s truly amazing how a technique created more than ten years ago is still in use in almost the exact same way as it was first implemented. This post is a guide to the basics that everyone should know about cookies in browsers but is not, in any way, a complete reference. Cookies are an important part of the web today and improperly managing them can lead to all kinds of issues from poor user experience to security holes. I hope that this writeup has shed some light on the magic of cookies. Disclaimer: Any viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of Nicholas C. Zakas and do not, in any way, reflect those of my employer, my colleagues, Wrox Publishing, O'Reilly Publishing, or anyone else. I speak only for myself, not for them.
Dental health is a cornerstone of overall well-being, and it is no different for the residents of Modesto, CA. From the sharp sting of tooth sensitivity to the unsightly shades of tooth discoloration, dental problems are more common than you might think. But what’s more concerning is the lack of awareness about their root causes and the availability of solutions. Have you ever found yourself confused by ongoing bad breath despite maintaining a regular oral hygiene routine? Or wondered why a cold drink sends a jolt of pain through your teeth? As many individuals seek answers to these questions, this comprehensive guide aims to shed light on the most common dental problems, demystifying their causes, and offering actionable solutions. - 1. Tooth Decay (Cavities) - 2. Gum Disease (Periodontitis) - 3. Tooth Sensitivity - 4. Tooth Discoloration - 5. Tooth Damage - 6. Bad Breath (Halitosis) - 7. Impacted & Wisdom Teeth - 8. Plaque & Tartar - 9. Multiple Missing Teeth - 10. Crooked Teeth - 11. Dental Anxiety and Phobia - Other Dental Issues - Signs and Symptoms that Warrant a Visit to the Modesto Dentist 1. Tooth Decay (Cavities) Tooth decay is also known as cavities. It is the gradual destruction of the tooth enamel, leading to holes in the teeth. Causes of Tooth Decay - Dietary Habits: This is the root cause of tooth decay. It is the result of consuming sugary and acidic foods that frequently can erode the enamel. - Poor Oral Hygiene: Inadequate brushing and flossing is another reason, which can lead to bacterial buildup. Solutions for Tooth Decay - Regular Dental Check-ups: It is good to visit your dentist at regular intervals for dental check-ups. It helps in the early detection of tooth problems and helps to start the right dental treatment at the right time. - Fluoride Treatments: Apart from regular dental check-ups, fluoride can help in remineralizing and strengthening the enamel. 2. Gum Disease (Periodontitis) Gum disease, especially periodontitis, is a silent enemy. It’s not just about bleeding gums; it’s about the potential for tooth loss, pain, and the ripple effects on overall dental hygiene. Causes of Gum Disease - Plaque Buildup: Plaque can harden into tartar, leading to inflamed and bleeding gums. - Lifestyle Choices: Smoking and chewing tobacco can exacerbate gum issues, reducing the body’s ability to heal the gums. Solutions for Gum Disease 3. Tooth Sensitivity That sudden jolt of pain while having a cold beverage or biting into an ice cream is tooth sensitivity. Causes of Tooth Sensitivity - Brushing Too Hard: If you brush your teeth too hard, you might wear out your tooth enamel, making your teeth feel sensitive when you eat or drink certain things. - Grinding Your Teeth: Some people grind their teeth while they sleep without even knowing it. This can slowly wear away the protective layer of teeth, making them more sensitive.’ - Gum Problems: If your gums are sore or swollen, they might pull back from your teeth a bit. This can expose parts of your teeth that are usually protected, leading to sensitivity. - After Teeth-Whitening: Some people have sensitivity issues while having a teeth whitening treatment. If you are also one of them, don’t worry… Because this is temporary and once the treatment is completed, sensitivity is longer available. Solutions for Tooth Sensitivity 4. Tooth Discoloration Tooth discoloration is a common dental disorder where teeth lose their bright, white shine, often taking on a yellow, brown, or even grayish tone. This can affect one’s confidence and willingness to smile. Causes of Tooth Discoloration - Dietary Choices: Drinking beverages like coffee, tea, and red wine causes tooth discoloration. - Tobacco Use: Both smoking and chewing tobacco can also cause stained teeth. - Medications: Certain medications and treatments can cause tooth discoloration. - Aging: As we age, the outer enamel wears thin, revealing the naturally yellowish dentin beneath. Prevention and Teeth Whitening Options - Mind Your Diet: Limiting the intake of staining foods and beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, and berries can help. Using a straw for drinks can also reduce direct contact with the teeth. - Tobacco Avoidance: Both smoking and chewing tobacco can lead to tooth discoloration. Avoiding or quitting these habits can prevent staining. - Regular Dental Cleanings: Professional cleanings can help remove surface stains and prevent tartar buildup. - Good Oral Hygiene: Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash can help combat discoloration. - Professional Teeth Whitening: There are various types of teeth whitening treatments available, which a dentist can use to restore the natural tooth color. - Over-the-counter Whitening Products: An individual can also use several over-the-counter products to avail of the benefits of white teeth. These products can help in lightening the teeth shade. - Veneers: Dental veneers are the thin coverings placed over the front part of the tooth to improve appearance. 5. Tooth Damage Tooth damage, whether it’s a minor chip or a significant break, can be both painful and aesthetically displeasing. It’s essential to manage it promptly to avoid further complications. Causes of Tooth Damage - Accidents: Serve accidents or physical injuries can lead to chipped or broken teeth. - Biting Hard Objects: Usually, individuals chew ice or hard candies, which can create teeth problems and require help from a Modesto emergency dentist. - Tooth Decay: Weakened teeth due to cavities or other oral diseases are more susceptible to breaking. Best Solutions for Damaged Tooth - Dental Bonding: For minor chips, tooth-colored fillings (composite resin) can be bonded to the affected area to restore the tooth’s appearance. - Dental Veneers: This procedure is ideal for larger chips or cracks. Basically, it is used to cover the front surface of the tooth. - Dental Crowns: For severely damaged or broken teeth, a dental crown (or cap) can be placed over the tooth to restore its shape, size, and function. - Root Canal: If the crack or break has extended into the tooth’s pulp, a root canal might be necessary to remove the damaged pulp and save the tooth. - Dental Implants: In cases where the tooth is severely broken or damaged beyond repair, it might need to be extracted. In this situation, a dental implant specialist is required to replace the missing tooth. 6. Bad Breath (Halitosis) Bad breath, medically known as halitosis, is a common issue that can affect people of all ages. It can be occasional or chronic, and while it’s often a source of embarrassment, it can also be an indicator of underlying health issues. Causes of Bad Breath - Poor Dental Hygiene: Neglecting regular brushing and flossing can lead to food particles remaining in the mouth, which can decay and cause bad odors. - Tobacco Products: Smoking and chewing tobacco can leave chemicals that remain in the mouth, leading to a distinct odor or problem with teeth. - Diet: Consuming foods like garlic, onions, and certain spices can result in bad breath. After digestion, these foods enter the bloodstream, are carried to the lungs, and affect the breath. - Dry Mouth: Saliva helps cleanse the mouth. Conditions that reduce saliva production can lead to bad breath. - Medications: Some medications can indirectly produce bad breath by contributing to dry mouth. Others can release chemicals that are carried on one’s breath. - Infections: Surgical wounds, gum diseases, or mouth infections can be potential causes. Best Solutions for Bad Breath - Improved Oral Hygiene: Regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash can remove bacteria and food particles. - Stay Hydrated: Drinking water and avoiding alcohol or caffeine can help combat dry mouth. - Regular Dental Check-ups: Regular visits to the dentist can help detect and treat potential dental diseases that might be causing bad breath. - Dietary Changes: Avoiding foods known to cause bad breath can help in resolving this oral concern. 7. Impacted & Wisdom Teeth Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last to emerge, usually in the late teens or early twenties. Sometimes, there isn’t enough room for them to grow properly, leading to impacted wisdom teeth. Explanations and Complications - Partial Eruption: A wisdom tooth that has partially emerged can create a flap of gum tissue that can trap food and bacteria, leading to gum infection. - Misalignment: Wisdom teeth can grow at various angles, sometimes even horizontally, pushing against neighboring teeth. - Cysts: If the sac that holds the wisdom tooth remains in the jawbone, it can fill with fluid, forming a cyst that can damage the jawbone, teeth, and nerves. Wisdom Tooth Removal Procedures To fix this dental issue, wisdom tooth removal is required by any tooth extraction procedure. Depending on the condition of the tooth, it can be: - Simple Extraction: If the tooth has erupted, it can be removed like any other tooth. - Surgical Extraction: If the tooth is impacted, an incision is made in the gum, and the tooth may be divided into sections for easier removal. 8. Plaque & Tartar Plaque is a soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth. If not removed, it can harden and become tartar, which can only be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist. Top Causes for Plaque & Tartar - Food Residue: Sugary and starchy foods provide fuel for bacteria, which produce acid, leading to plaque formation. - Poor Oral Hygiene: Not brushing or flossing regularly allows plaque to build up and harden into tartar. Prevention and Treatments for Plaque & Tartar - Regular Brushing and Flossing: This removes food particles and prevents plaque buildup. - Dental Cleanings: Regular professional cleanings can remove tartar and detect early signs of gum disease. - Antiseptic Mouthwash: Rinsing with mouthwash can help reduce plaque and bacteria. 9. Multiple Missing Teeth Multiple missing teeth are not just an aesthetic issue; they pose a serious concern for oral health and functionality. The absence of multiple teeth can lead to several complications as mentioned below: Top Complications for Missing teeth - Bone Loss: When teeth are missing, the jawbone lacks the stimulation it needs to maintain its density, leading to bone loss over time. - Misalignment: The remaining teeth may shift to fill the gaps, causing misalignment and bite issues. - Speech and Chewing: Missing teeth can affect the ability to chew food properly and may also cause speech impediments. Best Treatments for Missing Multiple Teeth - Dental Implants: These are the most permanent solution, providing a strong foundation for artificial teeth. - Dental Bridges: These can fill the gap between two existing teeth, providing a less invasive option than implants. - Partial Dentures: These sorts of dentures are removable and prove useful in replacing multiple missing teeth. If we are talking about the cost, partial dentures are generally less expensive than implants or bridges. 10. Crooked Teeth Crooked teeth are more than just a cosmetic issue; they can have a significant impact on your oral health. Misaligned teeth can lead to improper bites, increased plaque buildup, and even jaw pain. Main Causes of Crooked Teeth - Genetics: Hereditary factors can play a role in the alignment of teeth. - Poor Oral Habits: Habits like thumb-sucking or tongue-thrusting can contribute to misalignment. Best Treatments for Crooked Teeth - Orthodontic Braces: Traditional braces are the most common treatment for correcting crooked teeth. - Invisalign Clear Aligners: The next treatment option for crooked teeth is Invisalign clear aligners. It offers a less noticeable alternative to braces. - Retainers: Post-treatment, retainers help maintain the new position of the teeth. 11. Dental Anxiety and Phobia Dental anxiety and phobia are common but often overlooked issues that can severely impact one’s oral health. The fear of dental procedures can prevent people from seeking necessary care, leading to worsening dental issues over time. What Causes Dental anxiety Or phobia? - Past Experiences: Negative or painful experiences at the dentist can lead to anxiety. - Fear of Pain: The anticipation of pain can be a significant factor, which leads to anxiety and phobia. Top Tips to Manage Dental Anxiety Other Dental Issues There are numerous other dental problems that individuals might face, from misaligned teeth requiring braces to oral infections requiring antibiotics. It’s essential to maintain regular dental check-ups to address any concerns promptly. Signs and Symptoms that Warrant a Visit to the Modesto Dentist If you experience persistent bad breath, tooth pain, swollen gums, or any other unusual oral symptoms, it’s important to consult ProSmile Family Dental Modesto. Here, Dr. Pushpinder Sethi can help you in the early detection and treatment of potential dental problems. Schedule your visit today and get rid of any of the above-given dental problems. Remember, early detection and correction of dental issues plays a significant role in overall oral health well-being. Regular dental care, both at home and with a professional, is vital for maintaining a healthy mouth. ** Disclaimer: The above guide provided is for information purposes only. Prior to initiating any treatment, please consult with a qualified medical professional for guidance Dr. Pushpinder Sethi is a highly experienced dentist in Modesto, CA at ProSmile Family Dental. With a passion for providing exceptional dental care, Dr. Sethi specializes in a wide range of professional dental services, including Teeth Whitening, Tooth Colored Fillings, Denture Repair Service, and more. Call us: 209-422-6176 today to book your appointment and take the first step towards a healthy, beautiful smile
Inoculation of cast iron can take place in one or more of several stages: furnace, ladle, in-stream or in the mould. Inoculants are most effective immediately after they have been added to the cast iron. Over time, the effectiveness of the inoculant fades which reduces the nucleation potential of the iron. Inoculating in the mould is the latest stage in the process where the iron can be inoculated. There is practically no fading of the effect of an in the mould inoculant and therefore a very low addition can be made, making in the mould inoculation an efficient method.
Famous Cherokee chiefs, entertainers, artists, and leaders Famous Cherokee from the Historical Eras Austenaco - Principle Chief Elias Boudinot (Buck Oowatie), nephew of Major Ridge and early publisher of first Cherokee newspaper Chief Bowl (Duwali), principle chief of the Cherokees in Texas. Bowl, known in his own language as Duwali, was the principal chief of the Cherokees in Texas. Bowl had led his band from North Carolina to Missouri to Arkansas, finally ending up in East Texas about 1819. In 1822, Bowl sent Richard Fields, a Cherokee diplomat, to Mexico to try to negotiate a land title for the tribe. Though Fields was unsuccessful, Bowl continued his efforts throughout the era of Mexican rule. In February 1836, Bowl negotiated a treaty with Sam Houston in which the newly formed Republic of Texas guaranteed the Cherokees possession of their lands in East Texas. The Texas Senate refused to ratify the treaty. Desperate, Bowl entered into an alliance of Indians and Mexicans who were conspiring to overthrow the Republic. President Mirabeau B. Lamar discovered these machinations and ordered the Cherokees out of Texas. When they resisted, Lamar ordered military action. Bowl was killed in the Battle of the Neches on July 16, 1839. Carrie Bushyhead, Trail of Tears survivor who became a prominent Indian Territory educator. Doublehead (Chuquilatague,)was one of the 350 Cherokee who signed the treaties forced onto the rest of the 17,000 Cherokees living at that time, was later assassinated by Major Ridge (Kahnungdatlageh -"the man who walks the mountain top"),James Vann and Alexander Saunders as a Cherokee traitor. He was called Doublehead because he had a split personality. Chief Dragging Canoe (Cui Canacina)(Tsi'yu-gunsini), the son of Attakullakulla and cousin of Nancy Ward and the primary leading force in the Cherokee's resistance to white settlement on Cherokee lands. He strongly resisted the sale of Cherokee lands to whites and spoke at treaty negotiations vehemently objecting to the continued sale of Cherokee land. Charles Hicks, Vice Chief on the Trail of Tears and briefly Principal Chief himself in 1827 following the death of Pathkiller with John Ross as Second Principal Chief, before his own death just a few shorts weeks later brought that to an end. A protoge of the former warrior and Upper Towns chief James Vann, Hicks was one of the most influential leaders in the Nation during the period after the Chickamauga Wars to just past the first quarter of the 19th century. Extremely well-read and acculturated, his personal library was one of the biggest on the continent, public or private. A member of the Cherokee Triumvirate at the beginning of the 19th century, along with James Vann and Major Ridge. Elected Second Principal Chief under Pathkiller in 1811, a political dispute two years later left Hicks as de facto top chief with Pathkiller serving as a mere figurehead. Kanagagota (aka Cunne Shote, Standing Turkey ),was major chief of the Cherokee who was known to the british as "Old Hope of Chote". He visited England in 1762 with a delegation of Cherokee. Kingfisher - ? Little Carpenter, also known as Attakullakulla, Supreme Chief of the Cherokee from 1760-1775 Corn Tassel (See Old Tassel - alternate spellings: Tassell or Tassle) George Tassel (alternate spellings: Tassell or Tassle)- Probably a son of Old Tassel. A Cherokee who was executed for murder. In 1830, George Tassel was tried and convicted in Hall, Georgia and sentenced to hang for the murder of a white man on Indian land. Since the Cherokee Nation was sovereign, Tassel deserved to be tried in a Cherokee court. The Cherokee Nation won a stay of execution from the United States Supreme Court, but the State of Georgia ignored the stay and murdered him anyway. His legal case became the first Cherokee legal document to set precedence on behalf of Cherokee sovereignty. This case is still considered an important precedent for Indian sovereignty today. John Watts (a.k.a. Young Tassel) Watts was the son of a sister of Corn Tassel. Quite likely his father was John Watts who served as interpreter at the Cherokee treaty with the British at Augusta Georgia in 1763. Watts had such a close attachment to Old Tassel that he was known as Young Tassel In this era, it was Cherokee custom for a brother to raise his sister's children. Thus, some historians mistakenly list him as Old Tassel's son, when he was actually a nephew. Old Tassel (A.k.a. Corn Tassel, George Watts, Kai-ya-tahee, Koatohee, or Corn Tassel of Toquo [see signature on Hopewell Treaty of 1785]) (alternate spellings: Kahyanteechee, Kayanatehee) Born about 1720 Chief Corn Tassel was killed in Jun 1788 at Chilhowie, Little TN by Kirk of John Seviers militia unit Father: Chief Dutch Tau-chee, Broom Deer Clan Mother: Nancy Broom Moytoy, Full Blood, Paint Clan Sister was Wurtah,Mother of Sequoyah. Gist was allowed to settle on the Great Island (across from Fort Henry), and was married, in Cherokee terms, to Tasselís sister, Wurtuh. Pumpkin Boy - Old Tasselís brother ? Son was Little Tassle, Kunnesseei, or Green Corn Top Pathkiller,(1749 to January 1827) Pathkiller was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, fought in the Revolutionary War for Britain and in the wars against American frontiersmen from 1783 through 1794. Pathkiller, a "fullblood," unacculturated Cherokee, became principal chief in 1811 and was the last individual from a conservative background to hold that office. Although Pathkiller remained principal chief through 1827, authority in the Cherokee Nation, after 1813, shifted to Charles Hicks. Pathkiller was the mentor to John Ross, identifying the young Cherokee of Scotch-Irish descent as the future leader of the Cherokee people. Pathkiller is buried in New Echota Cemetery in New Echota, Georgia. Rayetayah (a.k.a. Hanging Maw) John Ridge (son of Major Ridge) Major Ridge - John Ross (Guwisguwi or Cooweescoowe), 1/8th Cherokee, principle chief of the Cherokee at the time of Cherokee removal. Once there, Ross was instrumental in drafting a Cherokee constitution that united the eastern and western branches of the tribe. That year he was also chosen chief of the united tribe, an office he held until his death. He settled near Park Hill in Oklahoma, where he erected a mansion and farmed, using his many slaves to cultivate his fields. His first wife, a Cherokee, Quatie, died in 1839. In 1845 he married a white woman who died in 1865. His father was a Scotsman; his mother was one-quarter Cherokee and three-quarters Scot. Ross was educated by private tutors and then at Kingston Academy in Tennessee. Alexander Saunders - ? Sequoyah (George Gist), is credited with inventing the Cherokee writing system, although Cherokee oral history suggests he may have borrowed from an earlier writing system used only by Cherokee priests. Tsi'yu-gunsini - Dragging Canoe, Chickamaugas Chief Tsi'yu-gunsini was a war leader who led a dissident band of young Cherokees against the United States in the American Revolutionary War. Dragging Canoe is considered by many to be the most significant leader of the Southeast, and provided a significant role model for the younger Tecumseh, who was a member of a band of Shawnee living with the Chickamaugas and taking part in their wars.
The Eagle Squadrons of WWII: American Volunteers Fly with the Royal Air Force The ill-fated Dieppe Raid on the northern cost of occupied France on August 19, 1942 did not go as Allied forces had hoped. Unable to successfully penetrate the German coastal defenses that day, the landing forces suffered incredibly high losses to include the deaths of U.S. Army Rangers. But they were not the only Americans fighting there. Heavy bombers, which would officially become part of the 8th Air Force the next month, made one of their early raids on the region that day. Of the 24 Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter squadrons in support of the Dieppe Raid, three were “Eagle Squadrons” of American volunteer pilots. The concept of American volunteers fighting with combatant nations, and serving international relief agencies before the United States declared war dated back to World War I. The Lafayette Escadrille of the French Aéronautique Militaire was the most famous, and led to an American fascination with these “cowboys of the air.” When World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, Americans were encouraged by their example to volunteer for service in the new war. An odd group of men gathered to collect Americans bent on flying for the Allies. One recruiter was Charles Sweeney, an American mercenary and friend of Ernest Hemmingway. He managed to dodge the FBI and Axis agents while illegally seeking pilots in the United States, risking $1000 fines and prison. Still, Sweeney had a reputation for entertaining candidates in nightclubs and seeking newspaper coverage, playing on a nation intrigued and fascinated with adventurous pilots. After the fall of France the United States relaxed its concern over British recruiting. In July 1940 the FBI found there was no wrong done by Sweeney’s recruiting. Meanwhile in Canada, WWI Ace Billy Bishop, a recipient of the Victoria Cross, and a WWI American pilot volunteer and artist Clayton Knight created the Clayton Knight Committee with the purpose of recruiting and training Americans for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Before the end of 1941 Bishop and Knight had recruited over 7,000 Americans, though fewer than 15 percent became pilots. Almost all the pilots went to Britain to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF). While the motivation to serve as a recruiter or early pilot varied greatly from person to person, many of these people thrived on adventure and their love of flying. By July 1940 France had fallen. England was under aerial attack. The RAF decided to group acceptable American pilots into one unit, 71 Squadron, known as “The Eagle Squadron,” which became operational in February 1941. Sweeny had designed a unit shoulder patch bearing an American Eagle, the source of the unit’s name. Enough American volunteers followed to form 121 and 133 Eagle Squadrons, operational by fall 1941. By the beginning of 1942 all three American-piloted Eagle Squadrons were flying sweeps over France, escorting bombers or performing strikes. Among the first and the most experienced pilots in these squadrons were Vernon “Shorty” Keogh, Andrew Mamedoff, and Eugene “Red” Tobin. Each of them went to Europe in 1940 to fly with eight other Americans in British squadrons throughout the Battle of Britain that same year. All three Americans died before the United States officially entered World War II. Mamedoff was forced down in bad weather. Keogh died defending a coastal convoy. And Tobin lost his life in a dogfight between 71 Squadron and German fighters near Boulogne, France. A fellow pilot of 71 Squadron was William Dunn, a U.S. Army veteran. He was credited with destroying five German fighters, and becoming the first American ace of World War II in Europe. Wounded in August 1941, he recovered and returned to American service as a fighter pilot in 1943. The pilots of the Eagle Squadrons were highly motivated. Ira Eaker, famed Air Force Commander said of the Eagle Squadron pilots: “They realized…they should do their gallant best to see that Great Britain survived.” Don Blakeslee, a famous American fighter leader, remarked that he joined because a friend wrecked his plane and, without insurance, he could only fly by joining the RAF. Another pilot, Ervin Miller joined to “get my hands on a really high performance aircraft.” Their love of flying did not detract from their patriotism to the United States. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, 71 and 121 Squadrons contacted the U.S. Embassy to request transfer to American service. They remained with the RAF until September 1942 when all three squadrons were turned over to the American 8th Air Force as the 4th Fighter Group. The 71, 121, and 133 Squadrons became respectively the 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons. (By special order, former Eagle Squadron members in the 4th Fighter Group were allowed to wear their RAF pilot’s wings on their American uniforms.) They flew combat missions from October 1942 until April 25, 1945. As the top scoring Allied Fighter Group, they were the first with missions into Germany and the first over Berlin. Today the names of Tobin, Keogh, and Mamedoff are among the 260 pilots and squadron staff engraved on the Eagle Squadron Memorial in Grosvenor Square, London not far from the American Embassy. Philip D. Caine, Eagles of the RAF – The World War II Eagle Squadrons (Washington, National Defense University Press, 1991). Kenneth C. Kan, First in the Air – Eagle Squadrons of World War Two (Washington, Air Force History and Museum Program, 2007).
Sheep have grazed on the moors for more than 3,000 years, shaping much of the Exmoor landscape by feeding on moorland grasses and heather. North Devon cattle are also farmed in the Exmoor ponies can be seen roaming freely on the moors. They are a landrace rather than a breed of pony, and may be the closest breed to Wild horses remaining in Europe. The ponies are rounded up once a year to be marked and checked over, they are also one of the oldest breeds in the world. In 1818 Sir Richard Acland, the last warden of Exmoor, took thirty ponies and established the Acland Herd, now known as the Anchor Herd, whose direct descendants still roam the moor.In the second World War the moor became a training ground, and the breed was nearly killed off, with only 50 ponies surviving the war.The ponies are classified as endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, with only 390 breeding females left in the UK. In 2006 a Rural Enterprise Grant, administered locally by the South West Rural Development Service, was obtained to create a new Exmoor Pony Centre at Ashwick, at a disused farm with 17 acres of land with a further 140 acres of moorland. Red deer have a stronghold on the moor and can be seen on quiet hillsides in remote areas, particularly in the early morning. The moorland habitat is also home to hundreds of species of birds and insects. Birds seen on the moor include Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Curlew, European Stonechat, Dipper, Dartford Warbler and Ring Ouzel. Places of Interest The attractions of Exmoor include 208 monuments, 16 conservation areas, and other open access land. Exmoor receives approximately 1.4 million visitor days per year.Many come to walk on the moors or along waymarked paths such as the Coleridge Way. Attractions on the coast include the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, which connects Lynton to neighbouring Lynmouth, where the East and West Lyn River meet. Woody Bay, a few miles west of Lynton, is home to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, a narrow gauge railway which used to connect the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth to Barnstaple, just over 19 miles away. Nowadays it runs for about mile and a half. Further along the coast, Porlock is a quiet coastal town with an adjacent salt marsh nature reserve and a harbour at nearby Porlock Weir. Watchet is a historic harbour town with a marina and is home to a carnival, which is held annually in July. Inland, many of the attractions are centred around small towns and villages or linked to the river valleys, such as the ancient clapper bridge at Tarr Steps and the Snowdrop Valley near Wheddon Cross, which is carpeted in snowdrops in February and, later, displays bluebells. Withypool is also in the Barle Valley. The Two Moors Way passes through the village. As well as Dunster Castle, Dunster's other attractions include a priory, dovecote, yarn market,inn, packhorse bridge, mill and a stop on the West Somerset Railway. Exford, lies on the River Exe. has been the setting for several novels including the 19th century Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor by R. D. Blackmore, and Margaret Drabble's 1998 novel The Witch of Exmoor. The park was featured on the television programme Seven Natural Wonders twice, as one of the wonders of the West Country.
Transnational Pollution: Why Are You Dumping on Me? This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are - Scientific Accuracy - Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments - Pedagogic Effectiveness - Robustness (usability and dependability of all components) - Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page For more information about the peer review process itself, please see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html. This page first made public: Aug 30, 2006 This material is replicated on a number of sites as part of the SERC Pedagogic Service Project The purpose of this lesson is to familiarize students with the different types of transnational pollution, and to give them an opportunity to role-play in a hypothetical case of transnational pollution involving the Danube River. The flow of pollutants across national boundaries has confirmed that pollution does not recognize geographical boundaries. Clearly, environmental degradation in one country can spread to another, reconfirming that now more than ever, the health of the global environment is the responsibility of all nations, whether vast or small, rich or poor. The major goal of this activity is to make students cognizant that an incident in one nation may well have serious environmental consequences for other nations. Additionally, it will also give students an opportunity to play complex roles that are meaningful and consequential to global concerns. The lesson plan and accompanying handout are highly detailed with a clearly described scenario and characters and detailed activities and questions for the students. - Become aware that an incident in one nation may well have serious environmental consequences for other nations. - Realize that a diversity of interests are involved in transnational issues. - Practice, develop, and defend a position in a debate. - Learn to evaluate the rhetorical techniques of other students. Context for Use Teaching Notes and Tips The lesson is geared for 9-12th graders, but is applicable to university students, especially non-majors. More characters could comfortably be added to the debate if the instructor does not wish to break up the class. Additionally, if the exercise is not just an introduction, each student could be asked to provide a position paper for his or her character. One possible adaptation of this lesson for higher-level courses involves adding real data for the students to work with. Eurodelta has water-quality data for a number of rivers, including the Danube, and sediment data for their deltas. The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River contains databases, currently with reports on emissions into the Danube.
Alertness - decreased Toggle: English / Spanish Decreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness. A coma is a state of decreased alertness from which a person cannot be awakened. A long-term coma is called a vegetative state. Stuporous; Mental status - decreased; Loss of alertness; Decreased consciousness; Changes in consciousness; Obtundation; Coma; Unresponsiveness Many conditions can cause decreased alertness, including: - Chronic kidney disease - Extreme tiredness or lack of sleep - level or level - High or low blood sodium concentration - Infection that is severe or involves the brain - Liver failure - Thyroid conditions that cause or Brain disorders or injury, such as: Injury or accidents, such as: - Diving accidents and near drowning - Heat stroke - Very low body temperature (hypothermia) Heart or breathing problems, such as: Toxins and drugs, such as: - Alcohol abuse (binge drinking or damage from long-term alcohol use) - Exposure to heavy metals, hydrocarbons, or toxic gases - Overuse of drugs such as opiates, narcotics, sedatives, and anti-anxiety or seizure medicines - Side effect of almost any medicine, such as those used to treat seizures, depression, psychosis, and other illnesses Get medical help for any decrease in consciousness, even when it is due to , , or a that has already been diagnosed. See the article on seizures for tips on how to care for a person who is having a seizure. People with epilepsy or other seizure disorders should wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace describing their condition. They should avoid situations that have triggered a seizure in the past. When to Contact a Medical Professional Get medical help if someone has decreased alertness that cannot be explained. Call your local emergency number (such as 911) if normal alertness does not return quickly. What to Expect at Your Office Visit Most often, a person with decreased consciousness will be evaluated in an emergency room. The health care provider will perform a physical examination. The exam will include a detailed look at the heart, breathing, and nervous system. The health care team will ask questions about the person's medical history and symptoms, including: - When did the decreased alertness happen? - How long did it last? - Has it ever happened before? If so, how many times? - Did the person behave the same way during past episodes? - Does the person have epilepsy or a seizure disorder? - Does the person have diabetes? - Has the person been sleeping well? - Has there been a recent head injury? - What medicines does the person take? - Does the person use alcohol or drugs on a regular basis? - What other symptoms are present? Tests that may be done include: Treatment depends on the cause of the decreased alertness. How well a person does depends on the cause of the condition. The longer the person has had decreased alertness, the worse the outcome. Bassin BS, Cooke JL. Depressed consciousness and coma. In: Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2013:chap 16. Bassin BS, Cooke JL, Barsan WG. Altered mental status and coma. In: Adams JG, ed. Emergency Medicine: Clinical Essentials. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 94. Lank PM, Kusin S. Ethanol and opioid intoxication and withdrawal. In: Adams JG, ed. Emergency Medicine: Clinical Essentials. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:chap 154. Lennihan L. Delirium and Confusion. In: Rowland LP, Pedley TA, eds. Merritt's Neurology. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:chap 2. MacNeill EM, Vashist S. Approach to syncope and altered mental status. Ped Clin N Am. 2013;60(5):1083-1106. - Last reviewed on 6/1/2015 - Daniel Kantor, MD, Kantor Neurology, Coconut Creek, FL and Immediate Past President of the Florida Society of Neurology (FSN). Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2013 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Are you familiar with the affliction? Anthropomorphobia is the fear of recognizing human characteristics in non-human objects. The term is a hybrid of two Greek-derived words: ‘anthropomorphic’ means ‘of human form’ and ‘phobia’ means ‘fear’. Although anthropomorphobia was originally rare, with complaints limiting themselves to fairs and amusement parks with moving dummies that laughed at visitors, the blurring boundary between people and products is leading to increased problems. Complaints can be accompanied by irrational panic attacks, disdain, revulsion, and confusion about what it means to be human. Will anthropomorphobia eventually become public disease number one? Or can anthropomorphobia serve as a guiding principle in the evolution of humanity? Herewith, an exploration. By KOERT VAN MENSVOORT Exploring the Twilight between Person and Product Luxury cars with blinking headlight eyes. Perfume bottles shaped like beautiful ladies. Grandma’s face stretched smooth. Carefully selected designer babies. The Senseo coffeemaker shaped – subtly, but nonetheless – like a serving butler. And, of course, there are the robots, mowing grass, vacuuming living rooms, and even caring for elderly people with dementia. Today more and more products are designed to exhibit anthropomorphic – that is, human – behaviour. At the same time, as a consequence of increasing technological capabilities, people are being more and more radically cultivated and turned into products. This essay will investigate the blurring of the boundary between people and products. My ultimate argument will be that we can use our relationship to anthropomorphobia as a guiding principle in our future evolution. Introduction: Anthropomorphism for Dummies Before we take a closer look at the tension between people and products, here is a general introduction to anthropomorphism, that is, the human urge to recognise people in practically everything. Researchers distinguish various types of anthropomorphism (DiSalvo, Gemperle and Forlizzi, 2007). The most obvious examples ? cartoon characters, faces in clouds, teddy bears ? fall into the category of 1) structural anthropomorphism, evoked by objects that show visible physical similarities to human beings. Alongside structural anthropomorphism, three other types are identified. 2) Gestural anthropomorphism has to do with movements or postures that suggest human action or expression. An example is provided by the living lamp in Pixar’s short animated film, which does not look like a person but becomes human through its movements. 3) Character anthropomorphism relates to the exhibition of humanlike qualities or habits – think of a stubborn car that doesn’t want to start. The last type, 4) aware anthropomorphism, has to do with the suggestion of a human capacity for thought and intent. Famous examples are provided by the HAL 9000 spaceship computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and the intelligent car KITT in the TV series Knight Rider. Besides being aware that anthropomorphism can take different forms, we must keep in mind that it is a human characteristic, not a quality of the anthropomorphised object or creature per se: the fact that we recognise human traits in objects in no way means those objects are actually human, or even designed with the intention of seeming that way. Anthropomorphism is an extremely subjective business. Research has shown that how we experience anthropomorphism and to what degree, are extremely personal – what seems anthropomorphic to one person may not to another, or it may seem much less so (Gooren, 2009). Blurring The Line Between People And Products To understand anthropomorphobia ? the fear of human characteristics in non-human objects ? we must begin by studying the boundary between people and products. Our hypothesis will be that anthropomorphobia occurs when this boundary is transgressed. This can happen in two ways: 1) products or objects can exhibit human behaviour, and 2) people can act like products. We will explore both sides of this front line, beginning with the growing phenomenon of humanoid products. Products as People To understand anthropomorphobia we must begin by studying the boundary between people and products. The question of whether and how anthropomorphism should be applied in product design has long been a matter of debate among researchers and product designers. “You shouldn’t anthropomorphise computers, they don’t like it” is a classic and frequently made joke among interaction designers; the punch line rests on the knowledge that people will always, to a greater or lesser degree, ascribe human attributes to products, whether or not they are not designed to exhibit them ? evidently it is simply human nature to project our own characteristics on just about everything (Reeves & Nass, 1996). Some researchers argue that the deliberate evocation of anthropomorphism in product design must always be avoided because it generates unrealistic expectations, makes human-product interaction unnecessarily messy and complex, and stands in the way of the development of genuinely powerful tools (Shneiderman, 1992). Others argue that the failure of anthropomorphic products is simply a consequence of poor implementation and that anthropomorphism, if applied correctly, can offer an important advantage because it makes use of social models people already have access to (Harris and Louwen, 2002; Murano, 2006; DiSalvo & Gemperle, 2003). A commonly used guiding principle among robot builders is the so-called uncanny valley theory (Mori, 1970), which, briefly summarised, says people can deal fine with anthropomorphic products as long as they’re obviously not fully fledged people ?e.g., cartoon characters and robot dogs. However, when a humanoid robot looks too much like a person and we can still tell it’s not one, an uncanny effect arises, causing strong feelings of revulsion ? in other words, anthropomorphobia (Macdorman et al., 2009). Most researchers agree that anthropomorphism can be advantageous as well as dangerous. On the one hand, it can encourage an empathic relationship between the user and the product. If the expectations raised are not met, however, disappointment and incomprehension can result. Personality, cultural background and specific context can also influence one’s perception of the product, increasing the chance of miscommunication further. Although no consensus exists on the application of anthropomorphism in product design and there is no generally accepted theory on the subject, technology cheerfully marches on. We are therefore seeing increasing numbers of advanced products that, whether or not as a direct consequence of artificial intelligence, show ever more anthropomorphic characteristics. The friendly soft drink machine; the coffeemaker that says good morning and politely lets you know when it needs cleaning. A robot that scrubs the floor, and one that looks after the children. Would you entrust your kids to a robot? Maybe you’d rather not. But why? Is it possible that you’re suffering from a touch of anthropomorphobia? Consciously or unconsciously, many people feel uneasy when products act like people. Anthropomorphobia is evidently a deep-seated human response ? but why? Looking at the phobia as it relates to products becoming people’, broadly speaking, we can identify two possible causes: 1) Anthropomorphobia is a reaction to the inadequate quality of the anthropomorphic products we encounter. 2) People fundamentally dislike products acting like humans because it undermines our specialness as people: if an object can be human, then what am I good for? The coffeemaker that says good morning and politely lets you know when it needs cleaning. A robot that scrubs the floor, and one that looks after the children. Champions of anthropomorphic objects ? such as the people who build humanoid robots ? will subscribe to the first explanation, while opponents will feel more affinity for the second. What’s difficult about the debate is that neither explanation is easy to prove or to disprove. Whenever an anthropomorphic product makes people uneasy, the advocates simply respond that they will develop a newer, cleverer version soon that will be accepted. Conversely, opponents will keep finding new reasons to reject anthropomorphic products. Take the chess computer ? an instance of aware anthropomorphism, like HAL 9000. Thirty years ago, people thought that when a chess computer was able to beat a grandmaster, it would mean computers had achieved a human level of intelligence. But when world champion Garry Kasparov was finally vanquished in the 1990s by IBM’s monster computer Deep Blue, the opponents calmly moved the goalposts, proposing that chess required merely a limited kind of intelligence and human intelligence as a whole entailed much more than that ? emotional intelligence, bodily intelligence, creative intelligence, and so on. Never fear: computers couldn’t touch human beings, even if they could beat us at chess! Then again, the nice thing about this game of leapfrog is that through our attempts to create humanoid products we continue to refine our definition of what a human being is ? in copying ourselves, we come to know ourselves. Where will it all end? We can only speculate. Researcher David Levy (2007) predicts that marriage between robots and humans will be legal by the end of the 21st century. For people born in the 20th century, this sounds highly strange. And yet, if we think for a minute, we realise the idea of legal gay marriage might have sounded equally impossible and undesirable to our great-grandparents born in the 19th century. Boundaries are blurring; norms are shifting. Although I’m not personally interested in hopping into bed with a sophisticated sex doll, nor am I especially bothered if other people are. Robot sex has been a secret fantasy of both men and women for decades, and although I don’t expect it will go mainstream anytime soon, I think we should allow each other our placebos. Actually, I’m more worried about something else: whether marrying a normal person will still be possible at the end of the 21st century. Because if we look at the increasing technologization of human beings and extrapolate into the future, it seems far from certain that normal people will still exist by then. This brings us to the second cause of anthropomorphobia. People as Products We have seen that more and more products in our everyday environment are being designed to act like people. As described earlier, the boundary between people and products is also being transgressed in the other direction: people are behaving as if they were products. I use the term ‘product’ in the sense of something that is functionally designed, manufactured, and carefully placed on the market. It is becoming less and less a taboo to consider the body as a medium, something that must be shaped, upgraded and produced. The contemporary social pressure on people to design and produce themselves is difficult to overestimate. Have you put together a personal marketing plan yet? If not, I wouldn’t wait too long. Hairstyles, fashion, body corrections, smart drugs, Botox and Facebook profiles are just a few of the self-cultivating tools people use in the effort to design themselves ? often in new, improved versions. It is becoming less and less taboo to consider the body as a medium, something that must be shaped, upgraded and produced. Photoshopped models in lifestyle magazines show us how successful people are supposed to look. Performance-enhancing drugs help to make us just that little bit more alert than others. Some of our fellow human beings are even going so far in their self-cultivation that others are questioning whether they are still actually human ? think, for example, of the uneasiness provoked by excessive plastic surgery. The ultimate example of the commodified human being is the so-called designer baby, whose genetic profile is selected or manipulated in advance in order to ensure the absence or presence of certain genetic traits. Designer babies are a rich subject for science fiction, but to an increasing degree they are also science fact. “Doctor, I’d like a child with blond hair, no Down’s Syndrome and a minimal chance of Alzheimer’s, please”. An important criticism of the practice of creating designer babies concerns the fact that these (not-yet-born) people do not get to choose their own traits but are born as products, dependent on parents and doctors, who are themselves under various social pressures. In general, the cultivation of people appears chiefly to be the consequence of social pressure, implicit or explicit. The young woman with breast implants is trying to measure up to visual culture’s current beauty ideal. The Ritalin-popping ADHD child is calmed down so he or she can function within the artificial environment of the classroom. The ageing lady gets Botox injections in conformance with society’s idealisation of young women. People cultivate themselves in all kinds of ways in an effort to become successful human beings within the norms of the societies they live in. What those norms are is heavily dependent on time and place. Ever Met a Normal Human Being? What Did You Think of Them? At the beginning of the 1990s, shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, I was in a European airport. The Cold War had just ended. Waiting to check in, I was standing between two queues for other flights, one of which was going to the United States – Los Angeles, I think – and the other to Bucharest, Romania. The striking difference between the people in the two queues made a powerful impression on me. In the queue for the United States stood a film crew and a Hollywood actor, who had been in picturesque Europe filming a romantic comedy whose name I have since forgotten. There were slightly too thin, stretched-tight yet elegantly dressed “Hello, how are you?” women and friendly yet superficially smiling white-toothed men like the ones I had seen in Gillette commercials. The whole thing made a sophisticated yet somewhat artificial Barbie-and-Ken-like impression. The contrast with the queue for the Eastern European flight was enormous. The latter was comprised of proud but bony people in grey fur coats with grown-out haircuts and too many suitcases – many times more authentic, but shabby verging on animal (I know that today Bucharest is a hip, fashionable city, but in 1990, just after the fall of the Wall, things were different). As a Western European (deodorant, highlights, no Botox yet), I felt somewhere in between, with enough distance to reflect. Never before had I been so keenly aware of how relative our ideas about what a ‘normal’ human being is really are. Someone from the Middle Ages probably would have considered the Romanians’ suitcases and fur coats unbelievably sophisticated. From the perspective of a cave-dweller, we would scarcely be recognisable as humans. I wouldn’t be surprised if a caveperson experienced strong feelings of anthropomorphobia at the sight of the lines in the airport and presumed it was a landing zone for post-human aliens from a faraway planet. Humans As Mutants Throughout our history, to a greater or lesser degree, all of us human beings have been cultivated, domesticated, made into products. This need to cultivate people is probably as old as we are, as is opposition to it. It’s tempting to think that, after evolving out of the primordial soup into mammals, then upright apes, and finally the intelligent animals we are today, we humans have reached the end of our development. Of course, this not the case. Evolution never ends. It will go on, and people will continue to change in the future. But that does not mean we will cease to be people, as is implied in terms like ‘transhuman’ and ‘posthuman’ (Ettinger, 1974; Warwick, 2004; Bostrom, 2005). It is more likely that our ideas about what a normal human being is will change along with us. We should prevent people from becoming unable to recognize each other as human. The idea that technology will determine our evolutionary future is by no means new. During its evolution over the past two hundred thousand years, Homo sapiens has distinguished itself from other, now extinct humanoids, such as Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo ergaster and the Neanderthal, by its inventive, intensive use of technology. This has afforded Homo sapiens an evolutionary advantage that has led us, rather than the stronger and more solidly built Neanderthal, to become the planet’s dominant species. From this perspective, for technology to play a role in our evolutionary future would not be unnatural but in fact completely consistent with who we are. Since the dawn of our existence, human beings have been coevolving with the technology they produce. Or, as Arnold Gehlen (1961) put it, we are by nature technological creatures. Because only one humanoid species walks the earth today, it is difficult to imagine what kind of relationships, if any, different kinds of humans living contemporaneously in the past might have had with each other. Perhaps Neanderthals considered Homo sapiens feeble, unnatural, creepy nerds, wholly dependent on their technological toys. A similar feeling could overcome us when we encounter technologically ‘improved’ individuals of our own species. There is a good chance that we will see them in the first place as artificial individuals degraded to the status of products and that they will inspire violent feelings of anthropomorphobia. This, however, will not negate their existence or their potential evolutionary advantage. If the promises around up-and-coming bio-, nano-, info-, and neurotechnologies are kept, we can look forward to seeing a rich assortment of mutated humans. There will be people with implanted RFID chips (there already are), people with fashionably rebuilt bodies (they, too, exist and are becoming the norm in some quarters), people with tissue-engineered heart valves (they exist), people with artificial blood cells that absorb twice as much oxygen (expected on the cycling circuit), test-tube babies (exist), people with tattooed electronic connections for neuro-implants (not yet the norm, although our depilated bodies are ready for them), natural-born soldiers created for secret military projects (rumour has it they exist), and, of course, clones – Mozarts to play music in holiday parks and Einsteins who will take your job (science fiction, for now, and perhaps not a great idea). It is true that not everything that can happen has to, or will. But when something is technically possible in countless laboratories and clinics in the world (as many of these technologies are), a considerable number of people view them as useful, and drawing up enforceable legislation around them is practically impossible, then the question is not whether but when and how it will happen (Stock, 2002). It would be naive to believe we will reach a consensus about the evolutionary future of humanity. We will not. The subject affects us too deeply, and the various positions are too closely linked to cultural traditions, philosophies of life, religion and politics. Some will see this situation as a monstrous thing, a terrible nadir, perhaps even the end of humanity. Others will say, “This is wonderful. We’re at the apex of human ingenuity. This will improve the human condition”. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. What is certain is that we are playing with fire, and that not only our future but also our descendants’ depends on it. But we must realise that playing with fire is simply something we do as people, part of what makes us human. While the idea that technology should not influence human evolution constitutes a denial of human nature, it would fly in the face of human dignity to immediately make everything we can imagine reality. The crucial question is: How can we chart a course between rigidity and recklessness with respect to our own evolutionary future? Anthropomorphobia as a Guideline Let us return to the kernel of my argument. I believe the concept of anthropomorphobia can help us to find a balanced way of dealing with the issue of tinkering with people. There are two sides to anthropomorphobia that proponents as well as opponents of tinkering have to deal with. On the one hand, transhumanists, techno-utopians, humanoid builders, and fans of improving humanity need to realise that their visions and creations can elicit powerful emotional reactions and acute anthropomorphobia in many people. Not everyone is ready to accept being surrounded by humans with plastic faces, electrically controlled limbs and microchip implants – if only because they cannot afford these upgrades. Along with the improvements to the human condition assumed by proponents, we should realise that the uncritical application of people-enhancing technologies can cause profound alienation between individuals, which will lead overall to a worsening rather than an improvement of the human condition. Understanding anthropomorphobia can guide us in our evolutionary future. On the other hand, those who oppose all tinkering must realise anthropomorphobia is a phobia. It is a narrowing of consciousness that can easily be placed in the same list with xenophobia, racism and discrimination. Just as various evolutionary explanations can be proposed for anthropomorphobia as well as xenophobia, racism and discrimination, it is the business of civilisation to channel these feelings. Acceptance and respect for one’s fellow human beings are at the root of a well-functioning society. In conclusion, I would like to argue that understanding anthropomorphobia can guide us in our evolutionary future. I would like to propose a simple general maxim: Prevent anthropomorphobia where possible. We should prevent people from having to live in a world where they are constantly confused about what it means to be human. We should prevent people from becoming unable to recognise each other as human. The mere fact that an intelligent scientist can make a robot clerk to sell train tickets doesn’t mean a robot is the best solution. A simple ticket machine that doesn’t pretend to be anything more than what it is could work much better. An ageing movie star might realise she will alienate viewers if she does not call a halt to the unbridled plastic surgeries that are slowly but surely turning her into a life-sized Barbie – her audience will derive much more pleasure from seeing her get older and watching her beauty ripen. The 17-year-old boy who loses his legs in a tragic accident should think carefully before getting measured for purple octopus attachments, although that doesn’t mean he should necessarily get the standard flesh-toned prosthesis his overbearing anthropomorphobic mother would prefer. Awareness and discussion around anthropomorphobia can provide us with a framework for making decisions about the degree to which we wish to view the human being as a medium we can shape, reconstruct and improve – about which limits it is socially acceptable to transgress, and when. I can already hear critics replying that although the maxim ‘prevent anthropomorphobia’ may sound good, anthropomorphobia is impossible to measure and therefore the maxim is useless. It is true that there is no ‘anthromorphometric’ for objectively measuring how anthropomorphic a specific phenomenon is and how uneasy it makes people. But I would argue that this is a good thing. Anthropomorphobia is a completely human-centred term, i.e., it is people who determine what makes them uncomfortable and what doesn’t. Anthropomorphobia is therefore a dynamic and enduring term that can change with time, and with us. For we will change – that much is certain. Bostrom, N. ‘In Defence of Posthuman Dignity’. Bioethics, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2005, pp. 202–214. DiSalvo, C., Gemperle, F. From Seduction to Fulfillment: The Use of Anthropomorphic Form in Design. Engineered Systems. 2003. DiSalvo, C., Gemperle, F., and Forlizzi, J. Imitating the Human Form: Four Kinds of Anthropomorphic Form. 2007. Duffy, B.R. ‘Anthropomorphism and the Social Robot’, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, vol. 42, 2003, pp. 177–190. Ettinger, R. Man into Superman. Avon, 1974. Gehlen, A. Man: His Nature and Place in the World. Columbia University Press, 1988. Gooren, D. Anthropomorphism & Neuroticism: Fear and the Human Form. Eindhoven: Eindhoven University of Technology, 2009. Haraway, D. Simians, Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge, 1991. Harris, R. and Loewen, P. (Anti-) Anthropomorphism and Interface Design. Toronto: Canadian Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, 2002. Levy, D. Love and Sex with Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships. Harper, 2007. Macdorman, K., Green, R., Ho, C. and Koch, C. ‘Too Real for Comfort? ‘Uncanny Responses to Computer Generated Faces’. Computers in Human Behavior, 2009. Murano, P. ‘Why Anthropomorphic User Interface Feedback Can Be Effective and Preferred by Users’. Enterprise Information Systems, vol. VII, 2006, pp. 241–248. Mori, M. ‘The Uncanny Valley’, Energy, vol. 7, 1970, p. 33–35. Reeves, B. and Nass, C. The Media Equation: How People Treat Computers, Television, and New Media Like Real People and Places. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996. Shneiderman, B. ‘Anthropomorphism: From Eliza to Terminator’, Proceedings of CHI ’92, 1992, pp. 67–70. Stock, G. Redesigning Humans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future. 2002. Warwick, K. I, Cyborg. University of Illinois Press, 2004.
A UN specialist warns that sanitation is the most off-track of all MDGs. In statement on the occasion of the upcoming World Toilet Day (19 November), Catarina de Albuquerque, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, warns that the sanitation target set by the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) is today the most off-track of all, leaving around one billion people still practicing open defecation on a daily basis, and one-third of the world’s population ‘without access to improved sanitation.’ “This is a euphemism to describe the undignified life of billions of people who have no place to defecate or urinate and have to do it without conditions of safety, hygiene, privacy or dignity,” Ms. de Albuquerque said on the first UN World Toilet Day. Eighty three per cent of countries have fallen significantly behind the national targets they have set for sanitation. “I am disappointed with the slow and insufficient progress in providing these services despite the significant political and legal commitments undertaken in the last years, including the ‘Sanitation and Water for All’ initiative - a strong political platform to gather support for increasing financing for the sanitation sector”, the expert said. The Special Rapporteur recalled that the human right to sanitation was recognized in a landmark resolution supported by the majority of UN Member States in 2010, in order to respond urgently to this alarming situation. “From now on,” she said, “the focus has to be on sustainable solutions for those persons who are systematically forgotten and face significant barriers in accessing sanitation – because they live with a disability, because they belong to a minority, because they are homeless, because they live in a slum, because women’s and girls’ need for privacy is not guaranteed,” Ms. de Albuquerque said. “Twenty years after World Water Day was declared, we finally can celebrate UN World Toilet Day – an occasion to unite our global efforts with States, United Nations and relevant stakeholders to make toilets a reality for all and forever”, she noted. The human rights expert hailed the UN General Assembly’s decision declaring 19th of November as UN World Toilet Day. “I hope this declaration galvanises national and international action to reach the billions of people who still do not benefit from this basic human right,” the Special Rapporteur said. Recalling current discussions on a future global development agenda, the rights expert also called on Governments to achieve universal access to sanitation in the post-2015 global development agenda by giving priority to the elimination of open defecation and committing to eliminate inequalities in access progressively. “Toilets are the symbol of dignity for billions of people who still cannot enjoy them,” said Ms. de Albuquerque. “Let’s cherish them, let’s prioritize them…let’s celebrate them!” Catarina de Albuquerque (Portugal) currently works as a senior legal adviser at the Office for Documentation and Comparative Law (an independent institution under the Portuguese Prosecutor General’s Office) in the area of human rights. She holds a Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures in international relations with a specialization in international law from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. She teaches at the University of Coimbra and American University’s Washington college of Law. Ms. de Albuquerque was appointed in September 2008. Learn more about the Special Rapporteur’s mandate and work, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/WaterAndSanitation/SRWater/Pages/SRWaterIndex.aspx The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities. United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels) Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485
Plagiarism is a grievous sin capable of death sentence, As a student, how can you avoid plagiarism in your academic writing? If we put it simply, plagiarism means duplication of content. If you copy someone else’s work and post it as your own, then this means that your content is plagiarized. In this article, we are going to focus on plagiarism in academic writing. These include assignments, essays, case studies, etc. Committing plagiarism is a very common practice among students. A study online revealed that at least 68% of students have plagiarized. However, fortunately, modern technology and tools are able to detect plagiarism fairly easily. That’s why students can no longer easily get away with copying content. Also, sometimes plagiarism can be incidental or unintentional. Similarly, there are other types of plagiarism as well. We will share some tips and tricks to help you avoid all the different types of plagiarism. How Students Can Avoid Plagiarism in Academic Writing Below are ways students can curb plagiarism in their academic writing. 1. Understand Plagiarism Types and Consequences As mentioned before, plagiarism is of more than one type. All of these types are unacceptable and will be considered cheating by your professors or assignment checkers. Some of the most common types of plagiarism include: This happens when you unintentionally write something that completely matches someone else’s already published work. This is a common error, but for plagiarism detectors, it doesn’t matter if it was accidental or not. That’s why it is compulsory to remove such plagiarism. This is the act of completely copying something from an online source and submitting it as your own. This can be detected very easily and is highly discouraged. This occurs when you accidentally reuse your old content in an assignment. This is also considered plagiarism because it doesn’t matter to plagiarism-detecting software if the author of the matching text is the same. Mosaic Plagiarism or Patchwork Plagiarism This is a type of plagiarism in which you only plagiarize several parts of a text or copy content from different sources to make it difficult to detect. However, it can also be detected fairly easily and can get you into trouble. All of these types of plagiarism are strongly prohibited. If any of these is detected in your academic writing, then your teacher will not accept it. Then, you will either have to write it all again or lose marks for that writing. That’s why you should never cheat on your assignments. You should perform adequate research on the given topic and then write about it yourself. - Read Also: Relevance of AI in Education 2. Learn Citation Techniques and Styles Citation is a process in which you credit the original author for certain information that you have used in your own writing. For example, let’s suppose you are writing about animal behaviour. Now you want to share the results of a study about animal behaviour that was performed and published online by someone else. To do so, you will have to give a link to the original source. This is the proper way of citation. There are different types of citation styles. Some of them include: - APA(American Psychological Association) Style - Chicago/Turabian Style - MLA (Modern Language Association) Style These styles are used for specific types of content. For example, the Chicago style is usually used in business-related and historical content. If you want to learn more about these styles, click here. It is imperative to cite a source properly because if you don’t, then it can be considered plagiarism. Other than knowing about these citation styles, you should also be aware of some common mistakes that people make while citing a source. Here is an example of a correct and incorrect citation. Let’s say you have shared a statistic about motorcycles and traffic collisions. You found it from an online source. Here is how some people might cite the source: Incorrect: Source: https://www.moneygeek.com/ Whereas the correct way of citation is to give the link that takes you to the exact page where the statistics are given. Correct: Source: money geek Since the link was too lengthy to share, we used a hyperlink to keep things tidy. 3. Develop Research and Note Taking Skills Many students just want an easy way out of completing academic assignments. That’s why they try to use different techniques of copying content from other sources and end up creating plagiarized content. This is not how online sources should be utilized. If you want to avoid plagiarism, then you should perform research with the help of sources on the internet and take notes. When you read about a topic from different sources, then you get familiar with different perspectives. In this way, you can write by yourself by using information from all these sources. One great way of performing research is to note down important points as you go through different sources. If you do so, then by the end of your research process, you will have a sort of outline of all the points that you will discuss in your writing. Once you have this outline of important points, you can explain all of them in your own wording and completely avoid plagiarism. You should keep following this pattern of research and note-taking. In this way, you can develop skills that can help you reduce the time you spend researching. By frequent research, you can easily avoid plagiarism in your academic writing 4. Rewrite the Plagiarized Content One great way of removing plagiarism from your writing is to rewrite it. You don’t necessarily need to rewrite it completely. Instead, you can just rewrite the plagiarized sections that you can detect with the help of plagiarism checkers. We will discuss these plagiarism checkers a little later in this article. Rewriting or rewording a sentence can very efficiently remove plagiarism from a piece of text. If that does not work, you can completely remove the plagiarized sections and try to summarize your writing. However, sometimes you may not have the time to find out all the plagiarized sections and then rewrite them separately. In such a situation, you can take help from an online article spinner. It is a tool that can rewrite articles. This rewritten article is very likely to be unique and free of plagiarism. To show you how an article rewriting tool works, we inserted an already-published article into the tool to see if it can remove plagiarism from it or not. The results of the article rewriting process are given below: After this, we checked how much percentage of plagiarism this passage has. As you can see, even a completely plagiarized piece of text was rewritten in such a way that it is now considered 54% original. In this way, you can use article rewriters to reduce the amount of plagiarism in a text. 5. Use Quotation Marks for Direct Quotes Quotations or sayings need to be written in the exact same wording. That’s why plagiarism checkers might consider them unoriginal. However, if you put punctuation marks around such quotations, and mention the author, then it will not be considered as copied. That’s why it is necessary to use quotation marks properly. To further elaborate on this point, here is an example of what is the correct way of quoting something: Incorrect: To be, or not to be: that is the question. Correct: “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” So, make sure that you don’t use someone else’s saying or quote without quotation marks or without mentioning their name. 6. Use Plagiarism Detection Tools Plagiarism detection tools are available online that can be used to see if your writing has copied content or not. These can help you find out unoriginal parts of your writing. Once you know about them, you can modify them to reduce plagiarism. These tools usually have the same working. First, you have to copy and paste your writing into the tool. Some tools also give the option to upload documents. After that, you have to click on the button given underneath the tool. Once you do that, the tool will search the web to find out if there are any online sources that have the same content as yours. Once that is done, the tool will give you a report that will tell you if your content is plagiarized or not. 7. Cultivate a Unique Writing Style Writing style can be helpful in avoiding plagiarism. An ideal writing style can consist of elements such as, - Short Paragraphs - Simple Words - Readable Sentences - Correct Grammar Other than these, you can use specific tones of writing. For example, an autobiography can have a little bit of humour and a friendly kind of tone in it. At the same time, a case study should be professional and have a formal style. With a little bit of trial and error, you can cultivate a writing style that is unique only to you. Once that happens, the chances of your writing having plagiarism will become very low. So, try not to copy other people’s writing style but make one of your own. 8. Uphold Academic Integrity and Originality in Writing This last point is about being moral and honest. Being a part of an academic or educational institution, it is your duty to be truthful in your work. By copying someone else’s work, you break all the moral codes and rules that are a part of your academic integrity. That’s why you should never commit plagiarism in your academic writing. Complete your task with the utmost honesty, and then embrace whatever results you get. It is better to fail but stay honest than to pass by cheating. Conclusion: Avoid Plagiarism in Academic Writing Plagiarism is a very foul act and should be avoided at all costs. It can be intentional, or it can be accidental. Regardless, it should be removed from your work. This article has a large number of techniques that you can follow to avoid all types of plagiarism in your academic writing. If you use these techniques and remove plagiarism from your academic writing, then it is possible that you become more trustworthy in the eyes of your superiors, such as professors.
NASA Earth Observatory image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of NASA/GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team. Caption by Michon Scott. Parts of the oil slick from the Deepwater Horizon rig accident neared the Mississippi Delta in early June 2010. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this false-color image of the Delta and nearby ocean water on June 10, 2010. Vegetation appears red and water appears in shades of blue and white. Sunglint—the mirror-like reflection of sunlight off the sea surface and into the satellite sensor—enhances the visibility of an oil slick, which appears brighter than the surrounding oil-free water in the image. However, the relative brightness of any spot is not a perfect indicator of the oil slick’s location or amount. Not all oil appears bright, and not all bright spots are necessarily oily. Please see the links below for more information. - Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Response, the official site of the Deepwater Horizon unified command. - Current information about the extent of the oil slick is available from the Office of Response and Restoration at the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration. - Information about the impact of the oil slick on wildlife is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Note: Often times, due to the size, browsers have a difficult time opening and displaying images. If you experiece an error when clicking on an image link, please try directly downloading the image (using a right click, save as method) to view it locally. This image originally appeared on the Earth Observatory. Click here to view the full, original record.
WAVE Drowning Detection System Despite the best protocols and intentions, drowning events still happen on a surprisingly regular basis. In fact, at least 20% of all drowning fatalities occur with lifeguards present. WAVE is the first truly reliable, affordable, and easy-to-deploy solution that dramatically reduces the risk of drowning. The system relies on lightweight, comfortable headset-like wearables worn by swimmers, or small clips attached to swim goggles. The wearables communicate wireless with the system twice every second, and enable WAVE to accurately determine how long the swimmer's face is fully submerged. If submerged for longer than the facility wants (ex 20s), wearables (such as bracelets and pendants) worn by lifeguards will begin to vibrate to make them aware that a swimmer may be in trouble. If the swimmer does not emerge for an additional preset period of time (ex: 10s), the system will alert via audio visual alarms. Additionally, in dark water environments (lakes, rivers, etc), WAVE uses devices called Location Indicators which are positioned around the swim area. Locators closest to the potential victim will flash to help quickly guide rescuers towards the victim's location. Innovation Despite best intentions and more public awareness, drownings still occur at guarded facilities much more frequently than most people realize. In fact, 57% of pool drowning victims aged 5-14 occur at commercial or public facilities, 88% of all drownings occur with supervision present, and drowning remains the #2 cause of accidental death of children. The WAVE Drowning Detection System the first truly reliable, portable, and user-friendly technology to prevent these tragedies. WAVE uses lightweight wireless wearables used by swimmers to determine if a swimmer is at risk of drowning from prolonged submersion. The system immediately alert guards and caregivers of the event before it can escalate into a tragedy. Detail WAVE w1000 HUB:. - ABS plastic - Cast urethane(painted aluminum-silver) - White acrylic, clear acrylic - Stainless steel and aluminum hardware - White Polypropylene mix - Black EVA XLPE foam Specification w1000 HUB SPECS. - Dimensions: 10" x 10" x 20" - Weight: 22 lb - Audio Out: 100 W 118-124 dB - Visual Out: 1W x 68 LED - Environmental: +32°F to +120°F Humidity: 0% to 90% non-condensing - Coverage Area: ≤ 800'+ radius clear line-of-site (2) - Maximum Wearables: 200 Swimmers - Wireless 1: Wi-fi/WLAN 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz) - Wireless 2: Bluetooth 4.0/4.1/4.2, 5 compliant 2.400- 2.483 GHz - Power: Li-ion 14.8V 3500mAh 51.8Wh x 4 Rechargeable Battery Life: 16 hours WAVE WEARABLE SPECS. - Unisex universal fit for most head sizes ages 5 and up. - Familiar sport headphone-like design. - Automatically activate with no buttons to fuss with. - Waterproof, durable and rugged. - Stay on during most normal swim activities. - Fixed internal batteries lasts 18-36 months, recyclable. Bio WAVE started after a tragedy occurred at a town park where one of the co-founders lived. A nine-year-old boy drowned despite five lifeguards and six camp counselors watching the water that day. After learning that drowning is all too common and that most are preventable, cofounders Mark Caron and Dave Cutler assembled a dedicated team of water safety experts, aquatic professionals, engineers and designers and set out to create a reliable, simple to use, and affordable drowning detection system. The result of their collective efforts is WAVE, and it will change aquatic safety forever.
Senate Passes Legislation Supporting Soil and Water Conservation Districts Bills include support for educational initiatives, watershed projects, and programs to combat invasive species ALBANY – Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) throughout New York are on the front lines of protecting the State’s natural resources, helping landowners, preventing floods, fighting the spread of invasive species, and educating the public. Three bills sponsored and passed by Senator Catharine Young (R, I, C—Olean), Chair of the Legislative Commission on Rural Resources, provide SWCDs with additional tools they need to accomplish their ambitious mission. The first two of these bills also were passed by the Assembly and are awaiting the Governor’s signature into law. “Soil and Water Conservation Districts provide a wide range of valuable services to communities, landowners, farmers and local municipalities. We need to ensure that current laws are brought up to date to support this important work, to create opportunities for future projects, and to increase the efficiency of existing programs,” said Senator Young. Conservation education is already a priority for SWCDs because of its importance in protecting New York State’s natural resources. The first bill, (S.4356), memorializes SWCDs educational role in maintaining healthy lands and waterways. Doing so ensures accessibility to clean drinking water, fresh and healthy locally-grown produce, and lands and waterways used for recreation and tourism. Educational examples include classroom education for elementary and high school students, conservation field days, public outreach efforts, courses for landowners, and stormwater management programs for contractors and municipalities. By making educational programming an official function of SWCDs, this bill takes a proactive approach toward strengthening natural resource conservation. Protecting New York’s land and waterways from invasive species is a growing priority, and the second bill, (S.4396), includes this critical role within the mission of SWCDs. Whether it is the Emerald Ash Borer infesting ash trees, water chestnut plants clogging a lake, or any of hundreds of other invasives, their impact can be devastating. They displace or destroy native species, contaminate land and waterways, and cause economic difficulties for farmers, landowners and communities. SWCDs have the technical, educational, and administrative capability to implement programs that help in the prevention, identification, remediation, control and eradication of invasive species. Therefore, providing SWCDs with the statutory authority to do so only makes sense. These bills are supported by the New York Association of Conservation Districts (NYACD) and the New York Farm Bureau. “We are very pleased with the passage of these bills, and appreciate Senator Young’s ongoing support of the State’s 58 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The legislation that was passed will serve to strengthen and justify programs that Districts are already involved in, and pave the way for future opportunities. In doing so, Districts will have the ability to build on education programs, and invasive species control programs that assist the public, students, landowners, and municipalities in protecting our pristine natural resources in New York State. This, in turn, benefits our agricultural, forestry, landscaping and tourism sectors,” said Ms. Judy Littrell, Executive Director of The New York Association of Conservation Districts. The third bill, (S.4334), designates SWCDs as eligible applicants for the local waterfront revitalization grant program, thereby streamlining the process for many watershed projects. Currently, only local governments can apply to the grant program. With many watershed projects occurring across multiple municipalities, coordination of these projects can be challenging. Allowing SWCDs to apply in cooperation with local governments creates opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce project costs, and complete projects faster. This legislation will allow the Department of State to work directly with a single SWCD, rather than multiple municipalities. Many municipalities already rely on SWCDs because they have extensive experience with watershed projects, and they possess grant writing skills, administrative staffing, and an ability to coordinate projects that cross town lines. Both NYACD and the New York Farm Bureau also support the third bill, (S.4334), which was passed by the Senate but was not passed by the Assembly. “Water protection programs in New York State are increasingly becoming more watershed focused, which involves several municipalities joining together to apply for local waterfront revitalization program grants. Since Districts have the authority to work across municipal lines, this legislation benefits municipalities and the watersheds themselves, as it is designed to make the grant process much more efficient, therefore, getting conservation practices on the ground in a timely manner,” said Ms. Littrell. “We have made excellent progress during this year’s legislative session in providing Soil and Water Conservation Districts with the authority and tools that will help them continue to meet their mission. I will continue to work closely with SWCDs to help them in their efforts to educate the public, fight invasive species, and protect our state’s essential land and water resources,” said Senator Young.
One of the greatest principles the Church teaches us is to be more self-reliant, which includes increasing our education in all areas of life. Once we learn for ourselves, however, we are also responsible for teaching our children. We must give our children a strong foundation for life. What children learn early in life really directs how they deal with the obstacles later on, and we are a great force in helping our children choose strong principles. Here are three basic principles we can use to help our children to love, learn, and progress in their path toward self-reliance, when it’s easy and especially in hard times. Set the example This principle is one we often hear over again. Being an example is repeated in our learning because every action and word we use either influences our children for good or bad. If we want our children to learn to be self-reliant learners, we need to give them an example of what self-reliant learning looks like. Do your children know that you are studying the scriptures on your own? Do you ask questions and seek answers? Part of helping your children become self-reliant learners is to teach them these four questions and principles to consider before making decisions: 1. How am I feeling? Have them ask themselves this question before reacting to a situation. 2. Why am I feeling that way? Teach them that they don’t have to share why, but it is good for them to recognize what is causing their feelings. 3. Know that others see us differently. When confronted with a situation or question, it is good for children to know that they can learn by trying to see their actions from another’s point of view. 4. Know that God knows more about ourselves than anyone. This means they can ask Him for help with anything they are struggling with. See here an article on teaching children. The greatest way to teach children is to listen to them. It helps you learn about what they are worried about, things they are struggling with, and how you can help them become more self-reliant. Use these reminders when communicating with anyone, especially your children. 1. Do not prepare a counter argument or advice while others are sharing. 2. Do not interrogate or cause them to be defensive. 3. Do not order or demand. 4. Do not attack or criticize. 5. Do not sidestep a question. That may sound like a long list of "don’t do’s," yet that’s because we are more effective using positive reinforcement, especially in teaching and setting the example. Our children are more willing to listen to us if we use positive tactics. If a child comes to you with a problem, concern or a question about something gospel-related, here are some things to keep in mind: 1. When children come to you visibly upset, state what you see. “I see you are upset.” 2. Ask them to share with you why they are upset. This is where you just listen, even if you don’t like what you hear. 3. Repeat in your own words to them what you understand they are saying or feeling. 4. Use empathy phrases such as, “I am sorry all of this happened.” 5. Ask them what you can do to help. Don’t take it over and fix it for them. This is a good time for them to learn to problem solve. If necessary, ask them if they need a few ideas on how to over come this. It is important to let them ask you for help and tell you exactly what you can do. If they ask you to do it for them, say “I am sorry I can’t do that. Is there something else I can do to help?” Children need to be self-reliant too. This is how they learn to problem solve. 6. After they share what they want help with, you may ask to share your ideas or feelings. If they feel understood, they are more willing to be taught. Again, do this kindly and with none of the previous “don’ts.” This process can be difficult at first and we as parents aren’t perfect, yet with continual practice of these tactics you can build a strong connection with your children that will allow them to feel safe coming to you with questions or problems as they continue to learn and grow. Provide opportunities for independence The following are a few helpful techniques in teaching self-reliance skills to your children—skills they can apply to both gospel learning and life. 1. Do the principle or action you want to teach them for them while they are watching. For example, show them how to find an answer to their questions using the scriptures. 2. Do the action with them. Both hands on. 3. Observe while they are doing it. 4. Let them do it on their own. 5. Have them teach someone else what they just learned. Here is a free download to help our kids to be more independent. Expectations can prevent us from being the best teacher and best parent. Here are some ideas to help you manage your expectations.
When disaster strikes, people come together. During the worst times of our lives, we can end up experiencing the best mental health and relationships with others. Here’s why that happens and how we can bring the lessons we learn with us once things get better. “Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.” “Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary. Modern society has perfected the art of making people not feel necessary.”— Sebastian Junger The Social Benefits of Adversity When World War II began to unfold in 1939, the British government feared the worst. With major cities like London and Manchester facing aerial bombardment from the German air force, leaders were sure societal breakdown was imminent. Civilians were, after all, in no way prepared for war. How would they cope with a complete change to life as they knew it? How would they respond to the nightly threat of injury or death? Would they riot, loot, experience mass-scale psychotic breaks, go on murderous rampages, or lapse into total inertia as a result of exposure to German bombing campaigns? Robert M. Titmuss writes in Problems of Social Policy that “social distress, disorganization, and loss of morale” were expected. Experts predicted 600,000 deaths and 1.2 million injuries from the bombings. Some in the government feared three times as many psychiatric casualties as physical ones. Official reports pondered how the population would respond to “financial distress, difficulties of food distribution, breakdowns in transport, communications, gas, lighting, and water supplies.” After all, no one had lived through anything like this. Civilians couldn’t receive training as soldiers could, so it stood to reason they would be at high risk of psychological collapse. Titmus writes, “It seems sometimes to have been expected almost as a matter of course that widespread neurosis and panic would ensue.” The government contemplated sending a portion of soldiers into cities, rather than to the front lines, to maintain order. Known as the Blitz, the effects of the bombing campaign were brutal. Over 60,000 civilians died, about half of them in London. The total cost of property damage was about £56 billion in today’s money, with almost a third of the houses in London becoming uninhabitable. Yet despite all this, the anticipated social and psychological breakdown never happened. The death toll was also much lower than predicted, in part due to stringent adherence to safety instructions. In fact, the Blitz achieved the opposite of what the attackers intended: the British people proved more resilient than anyone predicted. Morale remained high, and there didn’t appear to be an increase in mental health problems. The suicide rate may have decreased. Some people with longstanding mental health issues found themselves feeling better. People in British cities came together like never before to organize themselves at the community level. The sense of collective purpose this created led many to experience better mental health than they’d ever had. One indicator of this is that children who remained with their parents fared better than those evacuated to the safety of the countryside. The stress of the aerial bombardment didn’t override the benefits of staying in their city communities. The social unity the British people reported during World War II lasted in the decades after. We can see it in the political choices the wartime generation made—the politicians they voted into power and the policies they voted for. By some accounts, the social unity fostered by the Blitz was the direct cause of the strong welfare state that emerged after the war and the creation of Britain’s free national healthcare system. Only when the wartime generation started to pass away did that sentiment fade. We know how to Adapt to Adversity We may be ashamed to admit it, but human nature is more at home in a crisis. Disasters force us to band together and often strip away our differences. The effects of World War II on the British people were far from unique. The Allied bombing of Germany also strengthened community spirit. In fact, cities that suffered the least damage saw the worst psychological consequences. Similar improvements in morale occurred during other wars, riots, and after September 11, 2001. When normality breaks down, we experience the sort of conditions we evolved to handle. Our early ancestors lived with a great deal of pain and suffering. The harsh environments they faced necessitated collaboration and sharing. Groups of people who could work together were most likely to survive. Because of this, evolution selected for altruism. Among modern foraging tribal groups, the punishments for freeloading are severe. Execution is not uncommon. As severe as this may seem, allowing selfishness to flourish endangers the whole group. It stands to reason that the same was true for our ancestors living in much the same conditions. Being challenged as a group by difficult changes in our environment leads to incredible community cohesion. Many of the conditions we need to flourish both as individuals and as a species emerge during disasters. Modern life otherwise fails to provide them. Times of crisis are closer to the environments our ancestors evolved in. Of course, this does not mean that disasters are good. By their nature, they produce immense suffering. But understanding their positive flip side can help us to both weather them better and bring important lessons into the aftermath. Good times don’t actually produce good societies. In Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging, Sebastian Junger argues that modern society robs us of the solidarity we need to thrive. Unfortunately, he writes, “The beauty and the tragedy of the modern world is that it eliminates many situations that require people to demonstrate commitment to the collective good.” As life becomes safer, it is easier for us to live detached lives. We can meet all of our needs in relative isolation, which prevents us from building a strong connection to a common purpose. In our normal day to day, we rarely need to show courage, turn to our communities for help, or make sacrifices for the sake of others. Furthermore, our affluence doesn’t seem to make us happier. Junger writes that “as affluence and urbanization rise in a society, rates of depression and suicide tend to go up, not down. Rather than buffering people from clinical depression, increased wealth in society seems to foster it.” We often think of wealth as a buffer from pain, but beyond a certain point, wealth can actually make us more fragile. The unexpected worsening of mental health in modern society has much to do with our lack of community—which might explain why times of disaster, when everyone faces the breakdown of normal life, can counterintuitively improve mental health, despite the other negative consequences. When situations requiring sacrifice do reappear and we must work together to survive, it alleviates our disconnection from each other. Disaster increases our reliance on our communities. In a state of chaos, our way of relating to each other changes. Junger explains that “self-interest gets subsumed into group interest because there is no survival outside of group survival, and that creates a social bond that many people sorely miss.” Helping each other survive builds ties stronger than anything we form during normal conditions. After a natural disaster, residents of a city may feel like one big community for the first time. United by the need to get their lives back together, individual differences melt away for a while. Junger writes particularly of one such instance: The one thing that might be said for societal collapse is that—for a while at least—everyone is equal. In 1915 an earthquake killed 30,000 people in Avezzano, Italy, in less than a minute. The worst-hit areas had a mortality rate of 96 percent. The rich were killed along with the poor, and virtually everyone who survived was immediately thrust into the most basic struggle for survival: they needed food, they needed water, they needed shelter, and they needed to rescue the living and bury the dead. In that sense, plate tectonics under the town of Avezzano managed to recreate the communal conditions of our evolutionary past quite well. Disasters bring out the best in us. Junger goes on to say that “communities that have been devastated by natural or manmade disasters almost never lapse into chaos and disorder; if anything they become more just, more egalitarian, and more deliberately fair to individuals.” When catastrophes end, despite their immense negatives, people report missing how it felt to unite for a common cause. Junger explains that “what people miss presumably isn’t danger or loss but the unity that these things often engender.” The loss of that unification can be, in its own way, traumatic. Don’t be Afraid of Disaster So what can we learn from Tribe? The first lesson is that, in the face of disaster, we should not expect the worst from other people. Yes, instances of selfishness will happen no matter what. Many people will look out for themselves at the expense of others, not least the ultra-wealthy who are unlikely to be affected in a meaningful way and so will not share in the same experience. But on the whole, history has shown that the breakdown of order people expect is rare. Instead, we find new ways to continue and to cope. During World War II, there were fears that British people would resent the appearance of over two million American servicemen in their country. After all, it meant more competition for scarce resources. Instead, the “friendly invasion” met with a near-unanimous warm welcome. British people shared what they had without bitterness. They understood that the Americans were far from home and missing their loved ones, so they did all they could to help. In a crisis, we can default to expecting the best from each other. Second, we can achieve a great deal by organizing on the community level when disaster strikes. Junger writes, “There are many costs to modern society, starting with its toll on the global ecosystem and working one’s way down to its toll on the human psyche, but the most dangerous may be to community. If the human race is under threat in some way that we don’t yet understand, it will probably be at a community level that we either solve the problem or fail to.” When normal life is impossible, being able to volunteer help is an important means of retaining a sense of control, even if it imposes additional demands. One explanation for the high morale during the Blitz is that everyone could be involved in the war effort, whether they were fostering a child, growing cabbages in their garden, or collecting scrap metal to make planes. For our third and final lesson, we should not forget what we learn about the importance of banding together. What’s more, we must do all we can to let that knowledge inform future decisions. It is possible for disasters to spark meaningful changes in the way we live. We should continue to emphasize community and prioritize stronger relationships. We can do this by building strong reminders of what happened and how it impacted people. We can strive to educate future generations, teaching them why unity matters. (In addition to Tribe, many of the details of this post come from Disasters and Mental Health: Therapeutic Principles Drawn from Disaster Studies by Charles E. Fritz.)
also synesthesia, "sensation in one part of the body produced by stimulus in another," 1881, in some cases via French, from Modern Latin, from Greek syn- "together" (see syn-) + aisthesis "feeling" (from PIE root *au- "to perceive") + abstract noun ending -ia. Also psychologically, of the senses (colors that seem to the perceiver to having odor, etc.), from 1891. Related: Synaesthetic (adj.).
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition - n. A shape or design with emanating rays that resembles the flash of light produced by an exploding star. from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License - n. A violent explosion, or the pattern (likened to the shape of a star) supposed to be made by such an explosion. - n. A symbol similar to an asterisk, but with additional rays: ✺. - n. A region of space with an unusually high rate of star formation. - n. A period in time during which a region of space experiences an unusually high rate of star formation. - v. To experience an unusually high rate of star formation. These superwinds are common in so called starburst galaxies, like for example the nearby M82. These so-called starburst galaxies have long been a puzzle to astronomers, but a new paper published in NGC 253 is known as a starburst galaxy, after its very intense star formation activity. M82 is classified as a starburst galaxy because within a small, central region it makes stars at a rate 10 times higher than that of the entire Milky Way. I bought one with a "starburst" effect that blurs the edges of the image to create a sometimes-dreamy, sometimes-streaky shot, depending on what I was photographing. Let's just remember her "starburst" when we begin to feel like "has beens", used up, and out of ideas. I like that little "starburst" of light near the head. In this one, she has switched on the "starburst" option or something but the effect is quite good: Galaxies with high levels of star formation like M82, also known as "starburst" galaxies, have large numbers of supernovae and massive stars. B.: The patterned seams create a pleasing "starburst" effect around the crotch (or "Clinton-getter"), making them, indeed, a historically significant choice. Wordnik is becoming a not-for-profit! Read our announcement here.
There are several integration problems of fundamental physics that still lack coherent solutions, the case in point being wave-particle duality. While empiricism and mathematical modelling have served physics well, they have not yet been able to achieve integrated causal models. Conventional theories and approaches have only provided partial solutions, and it is possible that a more radical reconceptualisation of fundamental physics may be required. This work comes at the issue from a totally different approach: it applies design thinking to the problem. The result is the cordus conjecture, which proposes that the photon, and indeed every matter ‘particle’, has an internal structure comprising a 'cordus': two reactive ends that each behave like a particle, with a fibril joining them. The reactive ends are proposed to be a small finite distance apart, and energised [typically in turn] at a frequency. When energised they emit a transient force pulse along a line called a hyperfine fibril [hyff], and this makes up the field. This concept is used to explain the path dilemmas of the single photon in the double-slit device, and the wave behaviour of light including the formation of fringes by single photons and beams of light. In addition it provides a tangible explanation for frequency. It also yields new quantitative derivations for several basic optical effects: critical angle, Snell’s law, and Brewster’s angle. Thus the cordus structure offers an alternative conceptual explanation for wave-particle duality. Comments: 17 Pages. Pre-print, DOI: http://physicsessays.org/doi/abs/10.4006/0836-1398-25.1.13 Unique-IP document downloads: 452 times Add your own feedback and questions here: You are equally welcome to be positive or negative about any paper but please be polite. If you are being critical you must mention at least one specific error, otherwise your comment will be deleted as unhelpful.
Flames from the Rim Fire in the hills behind Tuolumne City, Calif., on Wednesday. That red area is where the air will be "unhealthy" on Thursday, and likely for days to follow, because of the Rim Fire. The massive "Rim Fire" around California's Yosemite National Park is now about 30 percent contained and it's hoped that cooling temperatures and more moderate winds will continue to work in firefighters' favor. But The Associated Press cautions that officials say it will likely still be three weeks before the fire is surrounded and that the blaze likely won't be out until many weeks after that. According to the online "fire tracker" that our colleagues at Southern California Public Radio's KPCC are maintaining, as of Thursday morning more than 192,000 acres had been burned. About 111 structures had been destroyed and 5,500 others were threatened. Fortunately, only 4 people had been injured and there had been no fire-related deaths. As we reported Wednesday, there's concern about the fire's lingering effects. Erosion from scorched hillsides could pollute the pristine waters of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir that provides water to about 2.6 million people in the Bay Area. The flames are also threatening the area's ancient sequoias. Of more immediate concern, KQED adds, is the unhealthy air in areas where the fire's smoke is spreading. A map produced by the federal government's AirNow website shows a large patch of "unhealthy" air in the Thursday forecast for an area that straddles the border of Northern California and Nevada.
The Elysee Palace has insisted there are no plans to pay tribute to Marshal Philippe Pétain, who led the French to victory at the Battle of Verdun in the First World War but subsequently collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War. It comes amid remarks by President Emmanuel Macron, who described him as a “great soldier” in WW1, before going on to make “dire choices” during WW2. Speaking ahead of this weekend's Armistice commemoration, Macron said: “I consider it entirely legitimate that we pay homage to the marshals who led our army to victory. Marshal Pétain was a great soldier in World War One.” But in the face of an outcry over the comment, the president’s office and a government minister said that at Saturday’s planned ceremony at the Invalides paying tribute to French generals, Pétain would not be included. The stance is being reported as a U-turn in French media, in which army sources have been quoted as implying that Pétain had been included in original plans. Macron’s remarks unleashed criticism from Jewish groups, his political opponents and on social media, with #Pétain now trending in France on Twitter. Who was Pétain? Pétain was promoted to commander-in-chief of the French armies after his victory at Verdun — the longest battle of the First World War, in which more than 300,000 French and German soldiers were killed during 10 months of trench warfare. He emerged from the Great War as a national hero, with streets in towns and cities across France named after him. Two decades later, with France poised to fall to Nazi forces, Pétain was appointed the country's prime minister. His administration, based in the unoccupied part of the country known as Vichy France, collaborated with Nazi Germany — participating in the round-up and deportation to concentration camps of France's Jews. After the war, Pétain was sentenced to death for treason, although then-president General Charles de Gaulle, a longtime admirer of Pétain, reduced the punishment to life in prison, citing his age and his military heroism during the First World War. Despite appeals for his release from figures including the Duke of Windsor, US president Harry Truman and General Franco, Pétain died in prison in 1951, aged 95. What have critics said? Francis Kalifat, president of Crif, the body representing France’s 400,000-strong Jewish community, said: “It is shocking that France can pay tribute to a man deemed unworthy of being French in a trial held in the name of the people." Jean-Luc Mélenchon, head of the hard-left La France Insoumise [France Unbowed] party, posted on Twitter: “Marshal Joffre was the military victor of the 1914-18 war. Pétain was a traitor and an anti-Semite. "His crimes and his betrayal cannot be erased from history. Macron, this time, you’ve gone to far.”
And it's not just Microsoft that's having trouble with buffer overflows. Carnegie Mellon's CERT also announced a buffer-overflow vulnerability in Oracle's supposedly unbreakable Oracle 8i and Oracle 9i servers. So what exactly is a buffer overflow, and why haven't programmers gotten rid of it? FIRST, A FEW SIMPLE definitions. A stack is a data structure in which the most recently added item is the first removed; a buffer is a temporary storage area. If a program sends a string of data to a fixed-sized buffer on a stack, everything's fine, and the program usually works as designed. But if an attacker sends a string of data that is too long for the application to handle, it can fill up the buffer's available memory. And, if the attacker is good at this, he or she can then replace the saved return address on the buffer with another value, so that the malicious code is executed instead of the original program. Since the original program enjoys system privileges, it is possible that a successful malicious program might allow a remote user to take over your PC--allowing the new malicious code to add, delete, and execute programs without your knowledge. Fortunately, this is not so easy. A fair number of buffer overflows simply crash the affected program, or crash the operating system. The trick is for the malicious user to find not only the right return pointer address, but also code that will execute once it has system privileges. One exploit that successfully took advantage of a buffer-overflow vulnerability was the Morris worm. On Nov. 2, 1988, Robert Morris, Jr., found and exploited a buffer overflow condition in the "finger" service of Unix. In his buffer-overflow attack, Morris replaced finger with shell code that was used to copy a program that uploaded, linked, and ultimately executed the worm on other systems. From there, the Morris worm took off unchecked, exceeding even the creator's original intent. If you're really curious about how malicious users create these exploits, the hacker group Cult of the Dead Cow has an online tutorial. WHAT CAN BE DONE to prevent this type of attack? When programming a buffer, software developers could set the program to respond to a worst-case scenario. For example, if an overflow condition existed, the program could throw away the excess data, halt all operations, or provide the user with a warning message. Perhaps an even better approach would be for the software to automatically check the size of data going into each buffer. Such checks, however, could add to the overall program size and perhaps slow down the program's overall performance. Given the consequences of a buffer-overflow vulnerability, a slight performance trade-off might be worth it. The trouble is, even if we started imposing stricter programming standards, or began certifying software through some non-partisan software clearinghouse, as some have proposed, a lot of existing systems would remain vulnerable for years to come. The question is, is it too late to stop the tide of buffer overflows? I don't think so. But it will take a long time to defeat this menace. Would you accept slower performance in exchange for protection against buffer overflows? Do you have any suggestions for how to beat this threat? TalkBack to me!
Education in Sherwood has a history that goes back to 1923. The first educational opportunity in this area began the year a one room church, Sylvan Hills Community Church, was built. The church shared their building with the school until about 1928. County Board of Education records from 1920 document over site of all schools in Pulaski County. This included Little Rock Special School District and North Little Rock Special School District. In 1926, a petition was filed with the county board to dissolve districts 43 and 9. The areas were what is currently Sylvan Hills and Sherwood. The intent was to create one common rural special school district. J.H. Forby, R.H. Todd, and W.D. Chumley were named and appointed as judges to conduct an election to approve the proposal. The election was held on Saturday, May 3, 1926. The proceedings were ruled illegal because the district 9 “petition failed to have the required number of qualified of electors.” In July 1927 an election was held to create a county special school district out of the schools in the Pulaski County excepting those in cities containing a population exceeding 10,000. The Arkansas Legislature passed a referendum pursuant to Act 152 of 1927 that joined 38 independent school districts into a special school district known as Pulaski County Special School District The first school building, Sylvan Hills School, was built in 1928 at 8900 Highway 107 for students in the 1st -9th grades. The original building, known as Roy Todd Hall, no longer exists. In December of 1928 Pulaski County Special School District purchased the lots just north and south of the original building. The lots were purchased for $550 from Justin Matthews. In April of 1929 a plea was made to build a new building to accommodate the increased population of the area. In February 1930 at a price of $26,542 for fixtures, furniture, and building, J.H. Forby Hall opened. It was constructed on the lot south of Roy Todd Hall. It contained 8 rooms and an auditorium. It was for students in the 5th-9th grades. That building is still standing and is currently the site of the Sherwood First Church of the Nazarene. Students in grades 10-12 attended Argenta High School in North Little Rock until 1929 when the current North Little Rock High School opened. High school students continued to attend North Little Rock High School until Sylvan Hills High School was constructed in 1956. After the war, in about 1948, a third building was constructed. That building was built on the north lot purchased in 1928 and was named Price Hall after Mrs. Gertrude Price, one of the school’s original teachers. That building is currently the Sherwood Retirement Home. The city of Sherwood was established in 1948. In 1955 a school was opened for students with special needs. The school for exceptional children in Kindergarten-12th grade attended classes in the “Y”. Several years later, land for a school was made available by the Fred Rains family. North Hills Exceptional School opened in February of 1959. The name was later changed to Woodland Hills. It remained in that site until 1980 when a new facility was built at 2200 Thornhill. In 1956 Sylvan Hills High School opened at 401 Dee Jay Hudson Drive. This new school was for students in grades 10– 12. The first graduating class in 1959 consisted of 101 students. After the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, the high schools in Little Rock were closed during the 1958-59 school year. The closing had an impact on Sylvan Hills High School as parents tried to find a place for their high school students to attend classes. The original school building was torn down and students in grades 1-9 continued to attend classes in Forby Hall and Price Hall. In 1960 a community effort to build a school inside the city of Sherwood was completed with the opening of Sherwood Elementary School at 307 Verona Avenue. This was a neighborhood school for students in the 1st-6th grade. In 1964 a new elementary school was build for the rest of the students who had been attending school in Price Hall. The school was built across the street from the high school at 402 Dee Jay Hudson Drive. Students in junior high continued to attend classes at 8900 Hwy 107 until a new high school opened in the fall of 1968. The students in 10th – 12th grade moved into the building at 484 Bear Paw Road a few weeks into the 1968-69 school year. The students in 6th – 8th grade moved into the building at 401 Dee Jay Hudson with the 9th grade. The next change came when the Arkansas Legislature made kindergarten a part of the elementary schools. Schools that had been for students in the 1st – 6th grade began housing kindergarten classes. There were no new buildings constructed until 1980 when Woodland Hills and Oakbrooke Elementary were constructed at 2200 Thornhill Drive. The schools were independent of each other until 1983. At that time the schools combined as Oakbrooke Elementary. Special needs students in 7th – 12th were sent to North Pulaski High School. William Jefferson Clinton Interdistrict Magnet School opened in 1995 with special ceremonies that included the president and first lady of the United States. Clinton Elementary was opened as a magnet school specializing in speech and technology. In 2001 schools in Pulaski County Special School District were re-structured. Elementary schools contained students in Kindergarten-5th grade with the 6th-8th grade students becoming a part of middle school. The school at 401 Dee Jay Hudson Drive that had been Sylvan Hills Jr. High became Sylvan Hills Middle School. Students in the 9th grade moved to Sylvan Hills High School. The newest school is Sylvan Hills Middle School. It was constructed in 2011 at 10001 Johnson Drive. It continues to serve students in the 6th-8th grade.
There are two kinds of computer graphics - raster (composed of pixels) and vector (composed of paths). Raster images are more commonly called bitmap images. A bitmap image uses a grid of individual pixels where each pixel can be a different color or shade. Bitmaps are composed of pixels. Vector graphics use mathematical relationships between points and the paths connecting them to describe an image. Vector graphics are composed of paths. The image to the left below is representative of a bitmap and the image to the right is representative of a vector graphic. They are shown at four times actual size to exaggerate the fact that the edges of a bitmap become jagged as it is scaled up: With Adobe® Systems' introduction of the PostScript® page-description language computers could display fonts and images using point-to-point math rather than by pixels alone. The advantage to using a page-description language such as PostScript becomes clear when you scale an image up. The larger you display a bitmap, the more jagged it appears, while a vector image remains smooth at any size. That is why PostScript and TrueType® fonts always appear smooth - they are vector-based. The jagged appearance of bitmap images can be partially overcome with the use of "anti-aliasing". Anti-aliasing is the application of subtle transitions in the pixels along the edges of images to minimize the jagged effect (below left). A scalable vector image will always appear smooth (below right): \| Anti-Aliased Bitmap Image: \|Smooth Vector Image: Bitmap images require higher resolutions and anti-aliasing for a smooth appearance. Vector-based graphics on the other hand are mathematically described and appear smooth at any size or resolution. Bitmaps are best used for photographs and images with subtle shading. Graphics best suited for the vector format are page layout, type, line art or illustrations. Wherever possible use the vector format for all your type, line art and illustrations and only use bitmaps for photos or images with complex or non-uniform shading. If the graphics application recognizes native vector files such as those created by Deneba Canvas (a filename with an extension of .CNV- for versions 6 and 7), Adobe Illustrator® (a filename with an extension of .AI), CorelDRAW® (a filename with an extension of .CDR), or Macromedia® FreeHand® (a filename with an extension of .FH8 - for version 8), then use them first. The EPS File Format If the graphics application you are using cannot read native vector files the next best thing would be to save them as EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) files. These are self-contained PostScript files which contain the same mathematical descriptions as the vector files they are made from. Even bitmaps can be saved in the EPS file format. EPS files are supported by most all graphics applications. It is the most portable format for this reason. It is best to use EPS files for all line art and illustrations because they can be reproduced at any size or resolution and still display exactly as they were drawn. Use them wherever native vector files cannot be used. A Little of Both In Today's Applications Today's graphic artist has to master both skills - image editing and illustration. In fact, Adobe Photoshop® - an image editor - incorporates vector based paths which can be exported as native vector files. Four of the major illustration programs - Deneba Canvas, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW and Macromedia Freehand - allow bitmaps to be embedded in the vector files they create. I believe that the ideal page layout program of the future would be primarily a vector-based application which would create, import, display and print native vector objects side by side with bitmaps. As computing power becomes more affordable I believe this will happen. Here To Continue...
A recent freedom of navigation operation conducted by the USS McCampbell in the South China coincided with talks in Beijing between US and China. The relatively restrained response by the People's Liberation Army lessened the risk of a collision - and a serious crisis in China-US relations. On 7 January 2019, the USS McCampbell conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) in the disputed Paracel Islands, the tenth publicized US Navy mission in the South China Sea since President Trump took office in January 2017, and the first of 2019. The media made much of the timing of the latest FONOP. It was the first under US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who took over from General Jim Mattis following his resignation in December 2018. The FONOP also coincided with talks in Beijing between US and Chinese officials designed to avert a looming trade war. It was thus portrayed as demonstrating US continuity and strength. However, according to the US Pacific Fleet, the sole purpose of the FONOP was to “challenge excessive maritime claims” and not meant as a political statement. In fact the McCampbell mission came two months after the last FONOP (on 26 November 2018, also in the Paracels) and fits into what has become an established pattern of US Navy FONOPs in the South China Sea roughly every 60 days (there was a gap of nearly 4 months between the 7th FONOP on 27 May and the 8th FONOP on 30 September 2018, but unconfirmed reports suggest an unpublicized FONOP may have occurred during the summer). According to the US Pacific Fleet, the sole purpose of the FONOP was to “challenge excessive maritime claims”. China’s response to the FONOP also fit into an established pattern: it protested the presence of the US warship, accused America of violating Chinese and international law and undermining regional security, and sent a PLA warship to “warn off” the McCampbell. However, there was no repeat of the September 2018 incident in which a Chinese warship almost collided with the USS Decatur which was conducting a FONOP in the Spratly Islands. The relatively restrained response to the most recent FONOP may indicate that the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command—whose ambit covers the South China Sea—has advised its senior commanders not to undertake aggressive manoeuvres against US vessels, thus avoiding the risk of a collision and a serious crisis in US-China relations. Nevertheless, certain voices within the PLA have ramped up the rhetoric against America’s presence in the South China Sea. A few days after the FONOP, Zhang Junshe, a researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, warned that if a Chinese and US warship did collide in the South China Sea, America would be to blame. A few weeks earlier, a retired PLA general and “princeling”, Liu Yuan, opined that if China wanted to establish dominance in the South China Sea it should sink two US aircraft carriers with the potential loss of 10,000 American sailors. Both Zhang and Liu are regular commentators in the Chinese media on military affairs and prone to nationalist and sensationalist comments. At a time of heightened US-China tensions, fortunately neither seems to reflect mainstream thinking within the PLA. Ian Storey is Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
With one PowerPoint slide after another, journalist Elizabeth Kolbert laid out the pending disaster that is climate change. • The 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 1998. • The Arctic ice cap has shrunk far faster than expected. New models show that by 2030, the ice cap will disappear during the summer months. • If the Greenland ice sheets were to melt, sea levels around the world would increase by 20 feet. • The recent flooding in Pakistan, forest fires in Russia and dead spruce trees throughout the American West from growing beetle populations are all in keeping with signs of a warming world. “There really is just no excuse any more. To continue on the path that we are on even as the Arctic ice caps start to melt away, the Greenland ice sheet starts to melt, forests die off ... this is just not the way that a society that believes in rational and moral action should behave,” Kolbert said. On Monday night, Kolbert spoke to a roomful of people at Kansas University’s Woodruff Auditorium. Kolbert, staff writer for The New Yorker and author of “Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change,” was the first speaker in the Humanities Lecture Series hosted by the Hall Center for the Humanities. After presenting the evidence and the consequences of climate change, Kolbert posed a simple question to the audience: “What exactly are we waiting for?” The United States, she noted, is responsible for a third of the cumulative carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. “Until privileged Americans start taking real action, I don’t see anyone else on our planet taking action,” Kolbert said. “And to be frank, I don’t really see why they should do so.” Because carbon emissions linger in the atmosphere for hundreds and even thousands of years, Kolbert said, the longer the world waits to reduce carbon emissions, the more radical the changes have to be. “It’s like a bathtub; eventually you have to turn the water off,” she said. “We really need to bring emissions down very soon, basically by the end of this decade.” Kolbert, who flew from Massachusetts to Kansas for the day to give the talk, said that she shouldn’t be held up as an example of what to do to curb carbon emissions. But when asked by an audience member, she divulged that she uses solar energy in her home, tries not to drive, uses a hybrid vehicle and has sealed up her house. “What I have done is not sufficient. It is not going to get us there,” she said. “My message is we do need a very big systematic change.” In a red state, Kolbert said, one of the best things Kansans could do is lobby legislators for change. “If one Kansas congressman felt the heat over climate change, it would make a difference,” she said.
When it comes to children, parents are so easily focused on intelligence and learning. What is grossly overlooked is that no amount of intelligence or learning can be put to use without emotional development. Very little can be done to change a child’s intelligence. But a great deal of difference can be made in emotional development. As a person who has struggled with emotions when flying, you may be wise to consider that the level of emotional development you gained as a child is — unless you have done considerable therapy — the same level of emotional development you will be able to give your child. It is very naive indeed to think that you can hide your fears from your children and that will keep them from developing phobias, phobias, and anxieties. It isn’t that way. Emotion development is taught unconsciously. There is very little a person can do to keep from passing their own level of emotional development to their children, unless,that is, they do one of two things: - get considerable therapy before having children - get their children in therapy, in some cases as early as age 3 Mentalization (sometimes called mindfullness) is the ability to use the mind maturely. Mentalization has an enemy, and that enemy is anxiety. When calm, it is easy to use ones mind. When anxious, it becomes difficult. And in high anxiety and panic, mentalization simply stops and the mind shifts back to the level of wisdom possessed by a two year-old. That is not an exaggeration. As pointed our earlier, when a two year-old and a three year-old play pretend, a well-developed three year-old can maintain awareness that the terrifying things the two of them are pretending about are imaginary. But the two year-old will not be able to maintain awareness that the thing in mind is being pretended, and will become overwhelmed with fear. What the two year-old is stuck with is what we call “psychic equivalence”, which is to say, whatever is in mind is real. As adults, our mentalization lets us know that not everything we have in mind is real. And that works fine until what? Until we get anxious. When the level of anxiety reaches a certain level, we no longer can remember that what is in the mind MAY not be what is really happening. This happens time and time again in turbulence. You can remember now, sitting on the ground, that I have told you that turbulence is not a problem for the airplane. But when you are in the air, unless you have the Strengthening Exercise to keep anxiety in check, the anxiety you feel can reach a level at which the plunge you are worried about shifts from a worry to a reality. Here is a way to conceptualize how mentalization sinks under the weight of anxiety. In your bathroom toilet, there is a device that floats on top of the water. When the water rises to the proper level, the float shuts off the water. But the float is small enough that you could, with your hand, push it under the water. Think of the float as your mind. Normally, it floats on the surface of the thing you deal with and you are able to do mentalization just fine. But when anxiety reaches a certain amount, it is like a lead weight hanging from the float. Enough anxiety — like enough weight — can pull the float under the surface of the water, and your ability to mentalize drowns. When it does, you become like the two year-old and whatever you have been pretended shifts and becomes real. This is what happens when people allow anything at all to connect them to disaster. For example, someone called yesterday to say that there was an incident in which a plane had to make an unscheduled landing due to a problem. I explained the problem to him, but he said, “That is the same flight I’m taking”. No, it isn’t. That flight is finished. The flight he is taking is, indeed, the same flight number, but the number in no way connects him to any possible risk on a flight of the same number the day before. Yet, any association at all becomes something that can connect a person to danger when mentalization is overwhelmed by anxiety. The trick is to be able to maintain mentalization. That is what the Strengthening Exercise is for. It stops high anxiety and panic before it can start, and makes it possible for your mentalization to continue. Now we can return to the reason why it is important for a person to complete adequate emotional development before becoming a parent. When you, as a parent, do not have adequate emotional development, the anxiety of having a child can weigh down your ability to deal with the anxieties of parenthood. Then, daily emergencies cause even greater stress. For the child to develop emotionally, the parent must remain calm and poised. That simply is not something that can be faked; it has to be built-in. If it isn’t built in, you will not be able to build it in to your children without help.
The human brain differs considerably from the brains of all other animals. It can be all kinds of things that are too difficult for animal brains or unthinkable. For example, talking, solving difficult questions (such as how the brain works) and making plans for the future. The main difference with animals is the ability that people have to share thoughts, emotions and ideas with others. a fantastic read The functioning of the brain The brains lie under the meninges and can be subdivided into the large brain, brain stem and cerebellum. The large brains are formed by two uniform brain halves that are interconnected by a beam. The large brains are connected to the brainstem by means of two stems. The brain occupies only 2 percent of our body weight, but consumes as much as 20 percent of all the oxygen we absorb and even 30 percent of the energy we have at our disposal. The big brain Every part of the big brain can be divided into four parts: The motor centers lie just in front of the central groove that distinguishes the frontal lobe of the lateral lobe. These motor centers provide the stimulation of for example the movement muscles in the opposite body half. So the motor part of the big brain on the left side controls the functions on the right side of the body. Behind the central groove we find the centers that have the task of absorbing and processing the emotional stimuli. The centers for smell, taste, hearing and facial stimuli have a fixed place, just like the centers for speech and writing. In the brain stem we find the largest central switching station for processing the incoming signals from the cerebral cortex. Here is also the control center for sexual function and sexual maturity. Our brains are made up of about 100 billion neurons (nerve cells). The neurons are connected to each other. Each neuron can connect to about 5,000 other neurons. The connections are made through the foothills of the neurons, the dendrites. Not the number of neurons determines our thinking capacity, but more the number of dendrites. The dendrites can be made into old age. The information that we receive through our senses is processed via the short sensory memory and the short-term memory and is stripped of unnecessary information. Then this filtered information goes to the long-term memory. With the stored information we can make infinite performances. We call thinking about applying this available information. The brain of Albert Einstein Einstein actually had rather ordinary brains, but there was something special about it: the brain area responsible for mathematics and the sense of space and time was much more developed than normal. As a result, Einstein’s brains were 15% wider than the average person. Another special feature was that the groove in the middle of the brain stopped halfway. It is possible that more neurons were connected to each other and they worked better together.
Birthmarks, Beauty Marks, and Moles: Decoded What's the difference between birthmarks, beauty marks, and moles? Birthmarks are skin blemishes that form before you're born or shortly thereafter. Vascular ("strawberry") birthmarks tend to be areas of reddish, swelled skin thought to be caused by a non-harmful overgrowth of blood vessels. Moles can also occur as birthmarks, though most of us don't develop these until later. They're caused by a hyper-pigmentation of skin and are usually benign. Beauty Marks are moles or birthmarks on the face, neck, or shoulder area. The term "beauty mark" has no medical basis; it comes from the historical idea that these are considered attractive. Moles are the marks that should command your attention. You probably developed in-between 10 to 40 of these throughout childhood and adolescence. They can be raised or flat and come in a variety of colors. However, a change in a mole can be an early sign of melanoma, the skin cancer that kills more than 8000 Americans every year. How do moles indicate melanoma? The "tanning" cells in your skin - melanocytes - cluster and create moles. Melanoma tends to begin inside or next to moles. Since melanoma cells produce melanin, this leads to color and shape changes in your moles. By keeping an eye on them, you'll increase your chances of detecting a problem early. While melanoma can metastasize quickly, it's also 99% curable when detected early. How can I track my moles? Visit the American Academy of Dermatology's website to download a mole map you can use on a regular basis to track what your moles look like over time. Contact a dermatologist if you notice any of the following "ABCDE" changes in your moles: - Asymmetry: One half looks different - Border: Irregular or poorly defined outline - Color: Various shading/colors - Diameter: Larger than 4mm - Evolving: The shape, size, or color has changed The Skin Cancer foundation advocates an additional mole detection technique called the way to the "Ugly Duckling" method. This simply involves comparing each mole to the others on your body. The one that looks different could be an early sign of a lesion. How do I know if I'm at risk? The American Cancer Society details the following risk factors for melanoma: - Family history of skin cancer like basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma - High number of moles - especially irregular and large ones - on your body - Fair skin, light hair, and/or lots of freckles - Compromised immune system Should I have my mole removed? There's no one answer to this question. If you think you should remove a mole - whether for medical or aesthetic reasons - the important first step is to talk to a dermatologist. You should never attempt to remove a mole on your own. American Academy of Dermatology Skin Cancer Foundation American Cancer Society American Academy of Dermatology site and mole map Sign Up for Free Newsletters Ask Your Doctor the RIGHT Questions! the most from your doctor visit. Emailed right to you! The Ask Your Doctor email series may contain sponsored content. 18+, US residents only please.
From our point in history, more than 100 years after the so-called modernist crisis of the early 20th century, it is easy to be appalled by the Church's repression of any and all creative theology in the 60 years prior to the Second Vatican Council. But that repression and subsequent ossification of the theology taught in seminaries is quite understandable in its historical context. From the time of the horrors of the French Revolution, the Church faced real and serious threats to its position in society. The rise of modern socialism, the expansion of individual liberties and liberal democracy, and, most dramatically, the fall of Rome in the Italian Revolution of 1870 all served to radically diminish the Church's influential position in society. Prior to 1870, the Church had helped to shape European society through its diplomacy. The establishment of secular governments rendered that diplomacy nearly impotent. The papacy of Leo XIII (1878-1903) was a last gasp at restoring the effectiveness of that diplomacy. Pope St. Pius X, aided by his Secretary of State Cardinal Raphael Merry del Val, began to see the ordinary laity as agents of Christian-inspired social change. The modern world, however, was seen as an implacable enemy, one with which no compromise could be accepted. The papacy sought to heighten the spirituality of the people and improve their consciences. Pope Pius' 1907 encyclical Pascendi domini gregis (Feeding the Lord's Flock) tarred a small number of disconnected heterodox Catholic writers with the label "modernism," defining the term so broadly that virtually any Catholic thinker who drew inspiration from any source other than the philosophy and theology of St. Thomas Aquinas became highly suspect. Pope St. Pius X The encyclical, wrote Darrell Jodock, a religion professor, condemned modernism "with such vehemence, and the measures prescribed to prevent its growth were so stringent that it virtually slammed the door on any historical study of the Bible, on theological creativity and on Church reform." The result was at least two-fold. First, the theological formation of seminarians entailed little more than coming to a basic understanding of 24 theses pulled out of the writings of Aquinas. Second, any theologian who strayed from the strict study of Thomistic writings, even including researching the early Fathers of the Church, did so at his peril. Theology was a package of truths derived from the words of Christ and defined and defended by the Church. Any appeal to personal experience was seen as subjectivism and hence an example of modernism. Oddly, this cold rationality of seminary scholasticism existed side-by-side with exorbitant claims about Marian apparitions and miracles and the promotion of sentimental devotions. It was a bifurcated reality with reason and sentiment co-existing, but neither one having the slightest effect on the other. Despite this theological repression – or maybe even because of it – the 20th century began to produce some significant theologians. The French Dominican Marie-Dominique Chenu called for a unity of theology and contemplation. The theologian needed to pray his theology. Chenu also maintained that truth is more than propositions, more than dogmatic affirmations. God is revealed not only in his words, but also through his actions. Chenu was subsequently investigated and interrogated by his religious order, forced to sign a juvenile statement of beliefs and barred from teaching in Dominican institutions. However, his teaching about the nature of revelation became a cornerstone of one of the most important documents of Vatican II, The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. Another Dominican, Yves Congar, was later to become one of the most influential theologians at Vatican II. But because he had consorted with Protestants and written books on ecumenism, the theology of the laity and reform of the Church, Congar was subjected to a series of persecutions right up to the start of Vatican II. At one point, he was forced into a lonely three-year exile in England. Hans Urs von Balthasar was likely the greatest theologian of the 20th century. While he never faced persecution himself – his most important writing began around 1960 – he had nothing but scorn for the facsimile of theology inflicted on future priests. Entering the Jesuits at age 24, already armed with a doctorate in German literature, Balthasar wore earplugs and read the Fathers of the Church while attending his mandatory theology classes. "My entire period of study in the Society of Jesus was a grim struggle with the dreariness of theology, with what men had made out of the glory of revelation," Balthasar later wrote. The near-paranoid repression of anything that smelled slightly of "modernism" prevented any theological creativity from reaching lay Catholics or their priests for the first 60 years of the century. But inside the pot, the temperature was rising. At Vatican II, all that theological energy would explode on the mass of largely-unsuspecting bishops with major consequences for the life of the Church. (Information for this article came from articles published in Catholicism Contending with Modernity, Darrell Jodock [editor], and from Twentieth-Century Catholic Theologians by Fergus Kerr.)
$1 Trillion to CAP CO2 emissions? PricewaterhouseCooper has released a study saying that it will cost roughly a trillion dollars to “cap” the emissions of CO2. These kind of numbers will clearly scare many policy-makers who are convinced that reducing CO2 emissions is incompatible with healthy economic growth. Without plunging into the debate over global warming, let’s consider a scenario–if conservative policy-makers thought that CO2 emission reductions would lead to economic GROWTH, they would be enthusiastic about embracing the cause of CO2 reduction, because there would be profit to be made. It’s like expecting water to flow uphill. So long as emission reduction is seen as economic reduction, politicians and policy-makers with rather short-term “risk horizons” will not change the way things are going now. But if energy solutions are brought forward that have lower capital and life-cycle costs that CO2-emitting energy sources, they will proceed in that direction. Specifically, I am convinced that the thorium-fueled liquid-fluoride reactor, coupled with the triple-reheat helium gas turbine, offers the potential for huge reductions in initial capital costs, and even greater reductions in life-cycle costs. I cannot quantify these numbers to the level that I would like to, but I can look at a nuclear plant that requires a fraction of the metal, concrete, and complexity of a conventional power plant and be reasonably assured that it has lower capital costs. And I can examine a fuel cycle that is a fraction of the complexity of today’s nuclear fuel cycle, which already offers the lowest fuel costs of comparable generators, and reasonably believe that there is money to be saved there. With money to be made through generating energy in ways that have essentially no CO2 emissions, we can then expect political “water” to flow “downhill” and changes to be made that lead to a future with far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than today. And it won’t cost a trillion. Rather, it will make trillions.
What does the ultimate healthy microbiome look like? Researchers at UNSW Microbiome Research Centre are trying to find out! What is the microbiome? Living within each one of us are many communities of microorganisms (or microbes). While some microbes can coexist within our bodies without causing harm, or indeed promoting health, others are responsible for causing disease. Microorganisms, just like humans and other organisms, contain DNA. The collective term for DNA belonging to the microorganisms which live within us is called the “microbiome”. Why is the microbiome important? The microbiome plays an important role in maintaining the health of the person that they reside within, the host. They can play an important role in the development and maintenance of the immune system, and regulation of the metabolism through the production of short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, the microbiome has known roles in the gut-brain axis as well as providing resistance to inflammation, infection and disease-causing -pathogenic microorganisms. There is an abundance of research demonstrating the interplay of the microbiome and diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and liver disease however, there is still a massive gap in our understanding of what a “normal” and “healthy” microbiome looks like. Through the HOAM Study, researchers at UNSW Microbiome Research Centre hope to shed some light on this by defining what the ultimate-healthy and normal microbiome looks like. How you can help To make this study a success, we are seeking participants for several groups. These include - Teenagers (age 13- 18) – Open for recruitment - Adults (age 19 to 65) who are not active more than 3 h per week– Open for recruitment - Very Senior adults (age 95) – Open for recruitment - Senior and very senior adults with a clinical diagnosis of dementia (age 65 plus) – Open for recruitment - Elite and professional athletes (age 19-45) – Open for recruitment - Adults (age 19-65) who are active more than 3 h per week –Not currently open for recruitment - Senior adults (65 plus) Not currently open for recruitment This is a non-intervention study, so there are no medications or treatments to undergo. If you take part in the study, you would be asked to provide a sample of your poo (stool), a blood sample and an oral swab as well as complete some clinical assessments. Additionally, you will be asked to complete some surveys about your health, lifestyle and medical history and some tests of your cognition. You may be eligible to participate in this study if you: - Can provide a stool, blood, urine and oral swab samples - Can have some clinical measures taken e.g. height, weight and blood pressure - Can complete a survey about your diet, mood, and lifestyle - Can complete a computer-based ‘brain-game’ cognition test (optional) - Have not had antibiotics in the last 3 months - Have not had major gastrointestinal surgery such as bowel resection or bariatric surgery How to participate Click the join the study button below, complete the short survey and a member or our team will get in touch with the next steps. Frequently asked questions. How long does the study last? This is a single time point study. You provide your samples only once. The online surveys will take about an hour to complete. Sample collection is done at home however we ask you come to St George hospital or one of our other hospital sites to provide a blood sample and to drop off your other samples. Where can I have my blood taken? Blood collection and sample drop off sites are across NSW. and include the following hospitals: - RPAH, Concord, Canterbury, Randwick, Sutherland, St George, Royal North Shore Hospital, - Liverpool, Campbelltown, Fairfield - Westmead, Blacktown/Mt Druitt, Nepean - Gosford, Wyong, John Hunter Hospital, Taree, Kempsey, Lismore, Tamworth - Wollongong, Shellharbour, Nowra Phone: +61 2 9348 0691 This study has been Approved by the South Eastern Sydney LHD Research Ethics Committee 2019/ETH13001.
and why this is so important: We all still bear the scars from our own experience of sex ed’ lessons at school… So when we suggest tell people that we promote a programme that begins in Reception with 4 year olds… people tend to panic as an initial response… We would like to say things have changed a lot since our day, however, in many schools across the country, children’s experience of sex education is just as uncomfortable and unfit for purpose – indeed, there have been very little progress over the years. Despite clear and compelling evidence for the benefits of high-quality, curriculum based RSE1 few children and people receive preparation for their lives that empowers them to take control and make informed decisions about their sexuality and relationships freely and responsiblyUNESCO (2018), International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education: An evidence-informed approach. We would like to suggest an alternative – one that is evidence based and shown to work. Comprehensive sexuality education is built on a spiral curriculum and based on a values and human rights approach. It is built on the premise that it is much better to drip feed positive messages and have little conversations, than merely waiting until the last term of year six before dumping everything on children, having never mentioned relationships or S-E-X before and hoping that children will feel prepared for puberty and high school. Comprehensive RSE, covers more than merely where babies come from. In fact, the majority of the programme isn’t actually about sex – instead it is focused on helping children to develop the skills to recognise and manage healthy relationships both online and in the real world. It is designed to build self esteem and to explore personal identity. It is about helping children understand and make sense of the world they are growing up in; to recognise the differences and similarities between their peers and their families; to understand the fact every human being is unique and has the right to be respected. There are many different family structures and all children have the right to feel safe. Comprehensive RSE has been shown to help keep children safe by allowing them to understand appropriate and inappropriate touching, to realise that their body is fantastic and belongs to them. No one has the right to touch you in a way you don’t like – the foundations of consent – but also the difference between public and private behaviours. It is important for children to know the names and functions of their body and to be reassured it is natural to be curious about them. Indeed, by teaching children the correct terms for their private parts, children are proven to be safer from abuse. Unfortunately, if we aren’t giving them the correct terms for their body parts, we are leaving it up to potential abusers who will teach them language to hide their abuse. In addition comprehensive RSE helps children to develop their vocabulary and emotional literacy to enable them to talk about and manage their feelings. It helps children build their own support networks and the confidence to ask for help when they feel unsafe. Comprehensive RSE prepares children for both the emotional and physical changes that take place during puberty. Unfortunately, many young people complain that they felt completely unprepared for puberty. Children need to understand how both girls and boys bodies function and change as they grow into adults. Equally, we need to recognise it is completely natural to have questions about sex, their bodies and to be curious about where they came from. In the age of information – with the internet, smartphone and tablets, if we are not answering children’s questions google will. It is much better that children receive age appropriate answers from us than it being left to their peers or worse the internet. However, if we pretend it is something off limits and put barriers in place due to our own embarrassment – this not only makes it even more fascinating as a topic, but also something that becomes secretive and taboo – and if there’s one thing we know when it comes to safe guarding children, it is secrets that are dangerous… not the things we can talk about… Just to be clear: Sexuality education does not increase sexual activity, sexual risk taking behaviour or STI infection rates. It does not encourage young people to have sex early – but actually enables them to delay sexual activity for when they are ready. Indeed, we know that young people who site school as a positive source for their sexual information, have sex later; are more likely to use protection when they do; are less likely to regret their first experience; and on top of that report happier relationships! Whereas, abstinence only programmes have been unanimously shown to be ineffective. We know that some of these topics may make you uncomfortable – but when the outcomes are this clear – what is not to like? To find out more:
I had a twelve year old client last weekend who wanted to perform better in her races. She had identified the problem and said ‘I want to stop looking round’. We talked about the process of preparing for the race. Just before it her coach would say to her ‘now don’t think about anyone else, OK?’ Well all I would say to that is When I say ‘don’t think about pink elephants, what do you immediately think of? Pink elephants of course! Why? Because in order to process my instruction, you have to get an image of a pink elephant in your head so you know what it is you aren’t supposed to be thinking of. Yes, you’re right, by now you have already done what you were asked not to do and this is exactly what happened to my young runner. As our conversation progressed and by my noticing her language pattern and appearance, where her eyes went (usually up and to the right) I could tell my client was quite visual. She processed visually, that’s how she learned about her world, by watching, noticing, looking, imagining. I also noticed that other people’s opinions and behaviour was more important to her than her own. It mattered a lot what her parents thought and how her friends and fellow runners were doing. She derived her self-esteem by what others thought of her rather than from her own performance. So basically her externally referenced and visual programming was running this pattern of looking back to see how others were doing. Of course, physically we would know that the movement of turning back would slow you down as your shoulders now point in the wrong direction taking hips with them. This will add minutes to your time and could potentially lose you the race. Indeed this is exactly what it did. Then of course she realized what she’d done and felt annoyed with herself. So what solution did we come up with? She needed to stay visual so what I did first was an anchoring exercise. We spoke about what her well-formed outcome was and she named it as ‘I want to win’. We then anchored this to the knuckles on her right hand of which there are conveniently – four. We then talked about how she could notice (visual external referencing) everyone she passed in the race, noticing whether they were male or female, what colour top they were wearing, what colour hair, or something about them. She was to count them as she passed them. Then we ‘future paced’ by imaging she was in a race. She counted on her knuckles of her right hand ‘I want to win’ and then imagined she was now running with her feet running in a stationary situation. I asked her to tell me the colour of the person she was passing as she counted them and then the next person and so on. In this way she now had a strategy that was still externally and visually referenced but was now reliant on her looking forwards rather than ‘not looking backwards’ or ‘not worrying about the others’. So it was positively expressed and supported by the well-formed outcome ‘I want to win’, which had been anchored. Her reward was to be seeing the smile on her Dad’s face so she held this in her mind as she also imagined seeing her name in the top 10 for the next race. I can’t wait to see how she does! Feedback from Mum “Thanks for seeing X last week. I’m not sure what you did with her, but she ran today and was so much more positive. There was no negative talk in the run up to the race and she was just a different child!! She came tenth, which was fab as she is still a little under the weather. After last week, she was back in the mix and just so much happier with herself.”
The ketogenic diet is a mainstream dietary therapy that was developed to reproduce the success and remove the limitations of the non-mainstream use of fasting to treat epilepsy.[Note 2] Although popular in the 1920s and '30s, it was largely abandoned in favour of new anticonvulsant drugs. Most individuals with epilepsy can successfully control their seizures with medication. However, 20–30% fail to achieve such control despite trying a number of different drugs. For this group, and for children in particular, the diet has once again found a role in epilepsy management. Many people choose to forgo food from animal sources to varying degrees (e.g. flexitarianism, pescetarianism, vegetarianism, veganism) for health reasons, issues surrounding morality, or to reduce their personal impact on the environment, although some of the public assumptions about which diets have lower impacts are known to be incorrect. Raw foodism is another contemporary trend. These diets may require multivitamin supplements to meet ordinary nutritional needs. Short-term results for the LGIT indicate that at one month approximately half of the patients experience a greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, with overall figures approaching that of the ketogenic diet. The data (coming from one centre's experience with 76 children up to the year 2009) also indicate fewer side effects than the ketogenic diet and that it is better tolerated, with more palatable meals. Work indulgence foods into your calorie plan. If you do want to have something that is a little higher in calories, then make sure that you work it into your overall calorie goal for the day. For example, if you are following a 1,800 calorie plan, and you want to have a brownie that is 300 calories, then you would only have 1,500 calories left for the day. One downside to a ketogenic diet for weight loss is the difficulty maintaining it. “Studies show that weight loss results from being on a low-carb diet for more than 12 months tend to be the same as being on a normal, healthy diet,” says Mattinson. While you may be eating more satiating fats (like peanut butter, regular butter, or avocado), you’re also way more limited in what’s allowed on the diet, which can make everyday situations, like eating dinner with family or going out with friends, far more difficult. Because people often find it tough to sustain, it’s easy to rely on it as a short-term diet rather than a long-term lifestyle. “Keto diets should only be used under clinical supervision and only for brief periods,” Francine Blinten, R.D., a certified clinical nutritionist and public health consultant in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, told Healthline. “They have worked successfully on some cancer patients in conjunction with chemotherapy to shrink tumors and to reduce seizures among people suffering from epilepsy.” The purpose of the Mayo Clinic Diet is to help you lose excess weight and to find a way of eating that you can sustain for a lifetime. It focuses on changing your daily routine by adding and breaking habits that can make a difference in your weight, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, not eating while you watch TV, and moving your body for 30 minutes a day.
Classics of American Literature, 1820-1860 After a brief look at the Puritan heritage, English 269 will take up major works by major American authors in the generation leading up to the Civil War -- the time of the Transcendentalist movement. The syllabus will include essays and poems by Emerson, Thoreau's Walden and Civil Disobedience, tales, poems and essays by Poe, tales and a novel (The Blithedale Romance or The Scarlet letter) by Hawthorne, Melville's Moby-Dick and Billy Budd and some stories, and a generous selection of poems by Walt Whitman. Background reading will include a slave narrative by Frederick Douglass or Harriet Jacobs. Three hour exams (no three-hour final exam). One term paper focusing on one or more of the writers in the course.
SWOT is an analysis tool that gives you a way to see how your existing or start-up fashion brand stands up against the competition. In a larger sense, SWOT will help you understand the fashion marketplace and your brand's place within it. SWOT stands for "Strengths," "Weaknesses," "Opportunities" and "Threats." The fashion industry is divided into the creative and sales functions, that is, design and production on one side and sales and distribution on the other. Geographically, the fashion industry is divided into three regions: U.S., Europe and Asia. Use SWOT to analyze your brand in terms of all four functions and its presence in each of the three regions. Include as strengths any formulas or policies your company uses that give it an edge in name recognition, brand positioning and bottom-line revenue. For example, many designers have two avenues of distribution, a couture line and a ready-to-wear, off-the-rack line more accessible to buyers with average incomes. This is a strength because it allows the designer's name to reach a larger audience of potential customers and the brand to make more sales. For example, Giorgio Armani includes high-priced couture and a ready-to-wear line available through Armani Exchange; Issac Mizrahi designs both couture and a ready-to-wear line sold exclusively through retailer Target. Consider as weaknesses any unusual or unnecessary costs, unknown designers or lack of presence in a particular region. Consider also everything used to define strengths. A lack of any of the strengths is considered a weakness within SWOT analysis. Look at the politics of each region, both in itself and in relation to the U.S., to identify opportunities. Watch for the repeal of trade embargoes, a new or newly accessible source of raw materials such as fabric or thread or a newly green source of raw materials like sustainable natural fabric fiber. For example, for years, China was inaccessible as a source of labor, supply or export sales due to inter-governmental tension and its fundamental attitude toward commerce. However, recently China has loosened commercial restrictions and has become a more open source for labor, materials and import/export commercial transactions. Technological advancements in machinery are also opportunities when the technology makes production or distribution faster or increases its scale, such as machines that cut more garment pieces at a time. Politics and economies are primary sources of threats to a brand in the fashion industry. Trade embargoes, political unrest in an area of raw material supply and economic downturns that lead to restricted consumer spending are all threats to the accessibility of raw materials, brand exposure and name recognition, distribution and consumer purchasing. Comparison and Planning Compare your brand its competitors. What strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are the same? Which are unique to a competitor or to you? Make changes to capitalize on your strengths and turn both your competitors' strengths and weaknesses into your strengths. Capitalize on your existing opportunities. Find ways to turn threats into opportunities. Hire a lobbyist, negotiate with politicians yourself or farm your own natural raw materials supply. Consider working with competitors to circumvent a threat if the threat is too big to eliminate on your own. - Clothes image by sakaman from Fotolia.com
Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Course Design Sections Metacognition (defined as “thinking about thinking” or “learning about learning”) involves thinking about one’s own cognitive processes. Metacognition is an important concept to understand for both improved study skills and gains in content learning. The process of self-regulating one’s own learning is iterative: Identify a topic, plan/set goals to examine the topic, apply strategies to grapple with the topic, evaluate and adapt those strategies as your understanding deepens. Metacognition is important because it gives someone the ability to recognize what they understand, or don’t understand, about a given problem and the means to approach that problem in a systematic way. You are likely already an expert in self-regulating your learning; the most obvious first step is becoming aware of your own metacognitive process. In doing so, you will be able to explicitly design activities and assignments that help students become proficient in those same self-regulating skills. By doing some reflection on how you learn, you can scaffold your course so that your students will also be able to self-regulate their learning and master the materials you feel are most important. Creating an environment that fosters learning to learn: - Be explicit with your students: Spend time discussing how self-regulated learning activities will help students learn (and tell them that it takes time to master these skills) - Ask students to plan and set goals for themselves - Show students strategies for approaching problems and encourage them to monitor their progress, assessing their own strengths and weaknesses - Encourage students to evaluate their own performance and adapt strategies as needed - Reward effort over ability (allow for revisions) - Encourage self-comparison over social comparison - Model and provide graphic organizers and other organizational structures How can you help your students become more metacognitive? Empower your students through self-regulated learning: Empowering students to become self-regulated learners is something that you can do in any course by providing students with opportunities to reflect on their mastery of both course content and course skills. The key goal is that by teaching students how to become proficient self-regulated learners will improve their learning. Take a moment to consider some of the following metacognitive activities and how they might fit into your course… (Many of the ideas above were developed by Marsha Lovett of Carnegie Mellon University. View her presentation on metacognition here.) Metacognitive classroom activities: Low effort (class or activity-level): - Think-Pair-Share (or TPS) activities are a great way to encourage student engagement and reflection in class. These activities pose a question students must consider alone and then discuss with a peer prior to settling on a final answer. Depending how it is implemented, TPS can help students synthesize course content or reflect on practicing for mastery. See the following link for more details on this method. - Retrieval practice is another way to enhance student retention of key material, making them more aware of the learning process. Recent cognitive psychology research shows that students who are tested or questioned on relevant course material at regular intervals tend to retain that material longer. Check out some of the findings of Bob Bjork and his team of cognitive psychologists at UCLA. Moderate effort (activity or unit-level) - Reflective prompts are activities that require students to reflect on a given learning experience at a specific scale of interest. You might ask students to write a “minute-paper” on an index card, asking them to write down their thoughts or ideas from a specific class activity. This gives students the opportunity to quickly express their ideas on a specific topic - Exam Wrappers help students think about the exam experience before and after a given exam. They might be as simple as a series of questions asking students how much time they spent studying for the exam or they could be more involved. See any of the following links for further reading: Carnegie Mellon or The Teaching Professor. - Learning Journals are a way for students to describe their learning experiences over time. This could be a daily, weekly or periodic activity meant to gives students a window into their own understanding and how that understanding grows and changes as the term progresses. Ask specific questions or have them reflect generally about how they are doing, what their specific academic goals are in your course, etc. You may or may not review their journals regularly but attaching some participation points will make the students take the work seriously. Take a look here at one relevant resource discussing student learning journals. Committed effort (course-level) - Classroom notebooks are similar to the Learning Journals above but with more structure and with regular check-ins/share-outs. This scaffolded approach to writing and reflection with associated points will empower students to take more control of their learning process and become more self-regulating of their progress. Next Up: References and Resources
The ASU-85 was commonly used by Soviet airborn units in the 1960s-1970s. Designed to support infantry fire, it is capable of destroying tanks and light armored vehicles. It was the ASU-85, a combat vehicle classified as airborne self-propelled gun designed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. From 1959, it began to replace the open-topped ASU-57 in service. And then, it was succeeded by BMD-1 beginning in 1969. The ASU-85 was once part of the Soviet and Polish armed forces. It is currently in service with the Vietnam Army. There is information that ASU-85 is also fighting in Ukraine in the Ukrainian army. The ASU-85 was commonly used by Soviet airborn units in the 1960s-1970s. During the border war in 1979, the Soviet Union aided Vietnam with large weapons, including the ASU-85 self-propelled gun, which Vietnam called the SU-85. The ASU-85 is based on the PT-76 tank chassis, but without the amphibious capabilities and fitted with a new engine. The vehicle has three compartments: the driver’s in front, the combat compartment in the center, and the engine compartment at the rear. The PT-76’s turret was removed. The main gun is attached directly to the tank body, thereby reducing the overall height and weight compared to the original vehicle, especially suitable for transport aircraft. The ASU-85 has a weight of about 15.5 tons, a length of 8.49 m, a width of 2.80 m, and a height of 2.10 m. Crew of 4 people, including: commander, gunner, loader, and driver. One of the notable advantages of this gun is that it is relatively compact but has the ability to maneuver quickly on many terrains, including swampy areas, or with steep slopes, ensuring firepower to support infantry. The armament consists of a D-70 (2A15) 85 mm gun, derived from F.F. Petrov’s D-48. It has an elevation range from −4.50° to +15°. Traverse is 15° either side. The D-70 fires the same ammunition as the D-48, the combat load is 45 rounds. The gun has an effective range of 1,150 m and a maximum range of 10 km. TShK-2-79 viewfinder simultaneously control both the main gun and coaxial machine gun. With high explosive anti-tank rounds 3BK-7, ASU-85 can easily destroy the tanks, light armored vehicles. It can penetrate 192 mm of steel armor from an angle of 60° at a maximum distance of 1 km. The coaxial machine gun is either the SGMT or the PKT with a combat load of 2,000 rounds. The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped. However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. The ASU-85 is also somewhat vulnerable to aircraft strafing, particularly if they attack from the top or with rockets. The landing of relatively heavy self-propelled guns was carried out only by landing a transport aircraft on the runway, which limited the main tactical advantage of the landing – surprise. Therefore, in 1964, the ASU-85 was discontinued “due to low efficiency and limited use.” Then in the USSR began the design of a fundamentally new combat vehicle BMD-1 landing troops. The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there. The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.
Coal hard facts When one considers the environmental and health impacts of coal combustion it plain and simple is NOT the cheapest source of electricity. Yet for countries like the U.S., China and India it is still the primary source of electricity. Something's got to give. (GW) February 14, 2009 COAL is the cheapest source of electricity. One major reason why is that mining companies and coal-burning utilities have managed to pass many of its health and environmental costs - from the dust miners breathe to greenhouse gases - onto society at large. The latest demonstration of this came in Tennessee just before Christmas, when a lake of coal fly ash broke through its earthen dam and oozed out over 300 acres, damaging or destroying at least 15 houses. The sludge, enough to fill 1,300 Olympic-size swimming pools, contains cancer-causing heavy metals, including arsenic and lead. For years, environmentalists have tried to get fly ash declared a hazardous waste under the supervision of the US Environmental Protection Agency, but utilities have fought successfully to categorize it as a standard industrial waste that state officials can oversee. As a result, disposal methods run the gamut from relatively safe in Massachusetts to slipshod in many other states. In 2007, an EPA report found that over a decade the groundwater in 67 towns in 26 states had been contaminated by heavy metals from fly ash dumps. Environmentalists would like to see the fly ash go to lined and capped landfills, which would prevent the leaching of the heavy metals into soil and groundwater. In Massachusetts, where fly ash from the Salem power plant once contaminated the Lake Wenham water supply of Beverly, ash that is not reused in concrete production or other beneficial applications ends up in lined and covered landfills. Even in this state, though, there is no law mandating safe disposal. A bill co-sponsored by Representatives Lori Ehrlich of Marblehead and Mary Grant of Beverly would do so. In 2000, the EPA tried to impose stricter federal controls on fly ash disposal, but ran into unyielding opposition from utilities, the coal industry, and Clinton administration officials. At the time, the industry estimated that declaring fly ash hazardous would cause an estimated $5 billion a year in disposal costs. Not surprisingly, the Bush administration was as reluctant as the Clinton administration to take action on this issue. But evidence has been mounting of the threat coal ash poses to human health. In 2006, the federal National Research Council found that the byproducts of coal-burning "often contain a mixture of metals and other constituents in sufficient quantities that they may pose public health and environmental concerns if improperly managed."President Obama and other critics of coal-fired electricity as a source of greenhouse gases want to put a price on carbon through a tax on carbon dioxide emissions or a cap-and-trade system of emission credits. While they are at it, they should ensure that a cap - and no trade - is put on coal fly ash
\|시간 제한\|\|메모리 제한\|\|제출\|\|정답\|\|맞힌 사람\|\|정답 비율\| \|2 초\|\|512 MB\|\|94\|\|45\|\|36\|\|48.000%\| Petya is developing his own spreadsheet editor. His editor will use the following naiming for columns: the first 26 columns will be named by the letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, ..., Z. The following columns, starting from column 27, will be named using pairs of letters: AA, AB, ..., AZ, BA, BB, ..., BZ, ..., ZZ. Then triples of letters will be used: AAA, AAB, AAC, ..., then strings of four letters, and so on. Now Petya needs to get the name of the column by its number. Help him to create the corresponding piece of code. Input data contains several test cases. The first line of input contains an integer t — the number of test cases (1 ≤ t ≤ 1000). The following t lines contain one integer k each (1 ≤ k ≤ 109). For each test case output the name of the k-th column in the spreadsheet editor. 4 1 10 100 1000 A J CV ALL
Dwarf pampas grass is one of the showy perennial pampas grass with the stunning white flower-giving appearance of feathers fixed at the top of the blades. This stunning ornamental grass is not a big task to grow, even if you have a small garden or want to grow in a pot or container. You can easily grow and maintain this fine grass by following this guide and can take care of it more carefully. So, without further delay, start exploring ‘Dwarf Pampas Grass’. Key Learning Points Dwarf Pampas Grass – Brief Overview Dwarf Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana Pumila) is one of the stunning ornamental grasses with soft and fluffy creamy white feathery flowers that bloom in summer. The long fine arching leaves displaying big showy plumes reach a height of 3-6 ft high and 4-5 ft wide. In ideal conditions, it can also reach up to 8 feet giving an outstanding view. The dwarf pampas grass generally grows well in full sun and is deer and rabbit resistant. This low-maintenance grass with blooming white flowers is an outstanding solitary specimen best suited for small gardens even along streams, ponds, and fountains that blooms in mid-summer. The stunning white flower are sterile; not produce seeds, so it does not become weedy like other plants but it is best used in floral arrangements. This wind and drought tolerant perennial dwarf pampas grass are best suitable for USDA zone 7b through 10. General Summary – Dwarf Pampas Grass \|Flower\|\|Big fluffy white or creamy\| \|Soil\|\|Well Drainage (Compost)\| \|Watering\|\|Medium to high in dry condition\| \|Hardiness\|\|7b, 8, 9, 10\| \|Key Attribute:\|\|Deer and Rabbit resistant Growth Conditions – Pampas Grass Your desired place where you want to grow dwarf pampas grass depends on your interest and available space but you have to ensure ideal conditions for best growth. Whether you are growing directly in the ground or in the pot, make sure seeds sow in mid-winter and get proper light because they require light for germination. You have to use well drainage soil for best growth. 60-70oF temperature is suitable as seeds take almost 2-4 weeks for germination. The warmer climate is more suitable for pampas grass so; spring would be ideal for a transplant more favorably after the last hard frost. How to Grow Dwarf Pampas Grass – Pot or Container Growing colorful ornamental grass into a yard or garden is all time fun. Pampas grass with ivory feather plume is also widely used in floral arrangements and its feathery white flower when uncut in winter, gives an astounding snowy view. Growing dwarf pampas grass in the container is as easy as any other plant. Due to its invasive nature and fast-growing habit, people prefer to grow in pots or containers. If you have a small garden, it would be best showy grass that you can grow under your control. So, let’s begin and grow this extraordinary grass by following step by step procedure. First of all, before growing any plant in a container, the selection of an appropriate pot or container is a prime thing. In order to grow dwarf pampas grass, you have to take a pot with proper drainage with almost 20 inches diameter. After the selection of pot, you have to decide its suitable place. As grass needs full sunlight for proper growth, the same is the case with dwarf pampas grass. So, select a spot in your garden receiving proper light and place your container. Compost gives good results in the growth of plants that is why for good organic growth of grass add compost in potting soil with equal proportion and fill up to one-third of the pot. Place the root ball in the container and cover it with the soil carefully in a way it would not protruding from the pot. Watering and fertilization A good watering and timely fertilization add life to the plant. Weekly thorough watering is appropriate but in a warmer climate, if you see soil dried half an inch deep, you can water as per need. As far as fertilization is concerned, all-purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer is best. You can fertilize grass when you plant it. Give a Stable Support As grass can grow long enough, it needs support at the start when it is young. Fix a rod or stake in the ground and loosely tie grass blades in a way that keeps them erect and stable. How to Care for Dwarf Pampas Grass? When light falls on silvery feathers on top of the grass blades, it gives a superb gleaming appearance in the garden. If you also want to mesmerize you have to simply follow the given guidelines to get healthy ivory feathers. - First of all, take care of watering because good watering leads to good roots. You have to take an eye if the top is drying to three inches, water it thoroughly until you see water in runoff (if you have grown in pot). - Do pruning in winters or in early spring and cut down up to 5-7 inches. - Add slow-release fertilizer and water after fertilization. - When you see overgrowth of grass, take out the clump to divide. Cut 2-3 shoots containing healthy roots and plant at another place so that it can further grow a wider space. - Remove any dried or non-productive sections of the grass. - If you live in an area where wildfire is common, you have to be conscious while planting near home or in the garden as it is widely flammable. Growing, maintaining, and caring for plants become easier by knowing right at right time. Hopefully, it is not too late to plant this lovely grass in your garden so, give a superb look in the shortest time. If you feel any confusion at any step of growth, feel free to ask in the comments as we want to give you the best of advice.
28 Feb What Pheromones Reveal About Your Love Life By Dr. Mercola Insects, fish, and non-human mammals all have pheromones, which are chemical signals that influence the behavior or physiology of other members of the same species. Pheromones may, for instance, divulge an animal’s age, gender, and emotional state, along with their social and reproductive status. Whether or not humans release pheromones, and what role they play considering humans have multiple other systems to acquire information, is a subject of debate and considerable research. While the underpinnings of human pheromones are still being discovered, it’s clear that humans do communicate on a chemical level and, according to The Monell Chemical Senses Center, “It’s much more than we thought.”1 Pheromones Likely Influence Sexual Attraction If you’ve ever found yourself inexplicably attracted to a stranger you’ve just met, it could very well be their chemical signals that you find irresistible. Humans tend to be attracted to those with a dissimilar genetic make-up to themselves, which is signaled by subtle odors (though you probably don’t consciously recognize). This ensures genetic diversity for the species. For instance, it’s thought that each of us has a unique “signature smell” due to a collection of proteins called the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). MHCs help to regulate your immune system, and there’s evidence that they also play a role in your selection of a mate. Ideally, you would select a partner with MHCs quite different from your own, as this would diversify your child’s immune system, making them better equipped to fight off pathogens. In one study, women sniffed shirts worn by men and selected those which they’d most like to socialize with. The women tended to choose men with dissimilar MHC… except when they were taking birth control pills. When a woman is on the Pill, her odor preferences change. The Pill essentially mimics pregnancy, and when a woman is pregnant, she tends to prefer the scent of men with similar MHC as her own—perhaps as a biological cue to now seek out and bond with supportive family members as opposed to potential mates. What this means is that when you’re taking a hormonal contraceptive, you interfere with your biology and risk producing a hormonal imbalance that might make you more attracted to men with similar chemical makeup. If you were on the pill when you met your mate, you might, therefore, feel less attracted to him when you stop taking it. The study’s lead author noted:2 “Choosing a non-hormonal barrier method of contraception for a few months before getting married might be one way for a woman to check or reassure herself that she’s still attracted to her partner.” Scientific Proof of ‘Chemical Attraction’ There are many fascinating studies that show there really can be an unconscious chemistry between two people. Often, this appears related to estrus, or the time in a women’s menstrual cycle when she’s most fertile and able to conceive. One study involved professional lap dancers in a gentlemen’s club. The women earned the most tips just prior to ovulation, the most fertile period, and the least tips during menstruation.3 Women taking birth control pills, however, did not show a significant difference in tips throughout their cycle. A separate study involved men smelling t-shirts worn by women who were about to ovulate. The men had higher testosterone levels than when they smelled t-shirts from women not about to ovulate or those with a control scent. According to the study:4 “Hence, olfactory cues signaling women’s levels of reproductive fertility were associated with specific endocrinological responses in men–responses that have been linked to sexual behavior and the initiation of romantic courtship.” There are actually a growing number of studies showing that scent communication may play a central role in mating… not just in non-human mammals but in humans as well. For instance, men may perceive women’s “high-fertility body scents” (collected near ovulation) as more attractive than their low-fertility body scents.5 A Woman’s Fertility Status May Influence a Man’s Behavior Research even shows that subtle signs of women’s fertility influences men’s mating cognition and behavior and facilitates “psychological and behavioral processes associated with the pursuit of a sexual partner.” According to one series of studies:6 “In Study 1, men exposed to the scent of a woman near peak levels of fertility displayed increased accessibility to sexual concepts. Study 2 demonstrated that, among men who reported being sensitive to odors, scent cues of fertility triggered heightened perceptions of women’s sexual arousal. Study 3 revealed that, in a face-to-face interaction, high levels of female fertility were associated with a greater tendency for men to make risky decisions and to behaviorally mimic a female partner. Hence, subtle cues of fertility led to a cascade of mating-related processes-from lower order cognition to overt behavior-that reflected heightened mating motivation.” The opposite may also hold true, in that women who smelled men’s sweat reported feeling less tense and more relaxed than women who smelled a placebo. Researchers also detected a shift in luteinizing hormone, which typically surge just prior to ovulation (but also peaks hundreds of times during the menstrual cycle).7 6 Weird Facts About Kissing While we’re on the topic of attraction, you may be surprised to learn that that first kiss (or the many after) may serve a very important purpose. Actually, it may serve multiple purposes. As reported in TIME:8 1. Kissing May Build Your Immunity A 10-second kiss may transfer 80 million germs from one mouth to another. As you pass these bugs around, your body can build up immunity to them. One such “bug” is cytomegalovirus, which lurks in saliva. It normally causes no problems, but it can be extremely dangerous if caught while pregnant and can kill unborn babies or cause birth defects. Research suggests that kissing the same person for about six months may provide optimum protection and allow women time to build up immunity against cytomegalovirus. Writing in the journal Medical Hypotheses, researcher Dr. Colin Hendrie from the University of Leeds said:9 “Female inoculation with a specific male’s cytomegalovirus is most efficiently achieved through mouth-to-mouth contact and saliva exchange, particularly where the flow of saliva is from the male to the typically shorter female.” 2. Kissing Is Another Way to Assess Your Potential Mate Women rate kissing differently at different points in their menstrual cycle. When they’re close to ovulation, romantic kissing is rated as more important.10 3. It May Boost Libido French kissing is enjoyed by both men and women in long-term relationships, but in short-term relationships it’s the men who tend to prefer it. According to Laura Berman, PhD, assistant clinical professor of ob-gyn and psychiatry at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University: “One theory is that their saliva transfers testosterone to the woman, which in turn increases her sexual desire.” 4. Boost Your Mood Kissing triggers the release of feel-good chemicals like endorphins while lowering levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 5. Strengthen Your Relationship People who report frequent kissing have greater levels of sexual satisfaction in their relationship. Men who kiss frequently also report feeling three times happier in their relationship than men who do not. 6. The Longest Kiss… The longest kiss award goes to Ekkachai Tiranarat and Laksana Tiranarat, who kissed for 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds in 2013! Beyond Romance: Chemical Signals May Influence Mood, Social Support and More Chemical signals aren’t only reserved for attracting a mate. They influence a complex array of biological processes and human relationships. For instance: - Women who sniffed fear-induced sweat became more mentally alert and intelligent, according to a study in Chemical Senses.11 According to researchers, “Humans distinguish between fear and other emotional chemosignals based on olfactory cues.” - Women who sniffed the scent of 2-day-old babies had increased activity in the reward-related areas of their brain.12 - Exposure to other women’s pheromones may cause women’s menstrual cycles to speed up or slow down.13 - Odors collected from pads in the underarm and breast area of breastfeeding women changed menstrual cycle length and sexual motivation in other women.14 - Chemical communication may convey social support, for instance among a support group for breastfeeding women.15 So while it seems clear that chemical signals, including pheromones, play a role in sexual attraction and finding a mate, they likely influence other key relationships as well, such as those between you and your child and, possibly, even close friends. These signals may help you avoid potentially threatening situations and may one day even be harnessed to help diagnose diseases (some of which also emit a unique odor production). So you might want to think twice about covering up your own natural scent with artificial perfumes. As neuroscientist Charles Wysocki observed:16 “With every little piece of information we gain, we scrape away a little bit of blackness on the window. As we peek through a little more and begin to see that humans have the potential to communicate with chemical signals, we’re finding that human behavior and physiology respond much more to chemical communication than we originally believed.” Source: Dr. Mercola Blog
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to photographs in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or triggered automatically. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, kites, poles, parachutes,vehicle mounted poles . Aerial photography should not be confused with Air-to-Air Photography, when aircraft serve both as a photo platform and subject. This Post contains Photographs from Flickr for promotional and only reasons. If you wish to find out more about the owners of these photographs please visit the website mention above. If you are the owner of one or more photographs and you wish to be removed feel free to contact us.
A picture, also called an image, is a group of colored points on a flat surface that looks the same as something else. For example, a picture can look the same as an object or a person. Pictures can also be drawings, paintings or photographs. People who make such pictures are called artists, photographers or painters. Pictures are very helpful. Sometimes people say pictures are worth a thousand words.
© 2004 – Routledge Based on extensive field research over a period of twenty years, this is the first comprehensive study of the Puyuma people of Taiwan. The Puyuma belong to the Austronesian peoples, which today number less than 370,000. In Taiwan, they are the least known of the aboriginal groups, numbering only 6000, and inhabiting the Southeastern province of Taitung. The study looks at the historical changes in the status and definition of these people in relation to the central state, the criteria by which people determine their own ethnic identity, and the evolution of that identity through history. The increasing awareness in the West of the importance of ethnic relations makes this an especially timely book. 'The ethnology of the Puyuma presents numerous topics of interest, not only to the researchers, but also to the curious readers. The participant observation by the author gives a particular depth and the richness of the present synthesis.' - China Information Preface Introduction 1. The Puyuma 2. The Village 3. Gods and Men 4. Birth and Death 5. Family Horizons 6. Dual Organisation and Age-System 7. Shamans 8. Material Civilisation 9. The Aborigines in Taiwan Today Appendix References Index