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ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing these types of cancer and things you can do to help prevent them. To see other pages, use the menu on the side of your screen. A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and talking about them with your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices. Two risk factors greatly increase the risk of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer: Tobacco use . Use of tobacco is the single largest risk factor for head and neck cancer. Tobacco products include cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff. Eighty-five percent (85%) of head and neck cancer is linked to tobacco use. Additionally, recent research suggests that people who have used marijuana may be at higher risk for head and neck cancer. Secondhand smoke may also increase a person’s risk of head and neck cancer. Alcohol . Frequent and heavy consumption of alcohol is a risk factor for head and neck cancer. Using alcohol and tobacco together increases this risk even more. Other factors can raise a person’s risk of developing nasal cavity or paranasal sinus cancer: Human papillomavirus (HPV). Research indicates that infection with this virus is a risk factor for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer. HPV is most commonly passed from person to person during sexual activity. There are different types, or strains, of HPV, and some strains are more strongly linked with certain types of cancers. HPV vaccines protect against specific strains of the virus. Specific inhalants. Breathing in certain substances, most commonly found in the work environment, may increase the risk of developing nasal cavity or paranasal sinus cancer. These substances include: - Dust from the wood, textiles, or leather industries - Flour dust - Nickel dust - Chromium dust - Mustard gas - Rubbing alcohol, also called isopropyl alcohol, fumes - Radium fumes - Glue fumes - Formaldehyde fumes - Solvent fumes used in furniture and shoe production Exposure to air pollution. Being exposed to air pollution may increase a person’s risk of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer. Gender. Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer occurs twice as often in men than women. Age. This type of cancer is most commonly found in people between the ages of 45 and 85. Research continues to look into what factors cause this type of cancer and what people can do to lower their personal risk. There is no proven way to completely prevent nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer, but there may be steps you can take to lower your cancer risk. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your personal risk of developing these types of cancer. Although some risk factors for nasal cavity and paranasal sinus cancer cannot be changed, such as a person’s age and gender, several can be avoided by making lifestyle changes. Stopping the use of all tobacco products is the most important thing a person can do, even for people who have been smoking for many years. Also, avoiding exposure to substances that have been known to increase the risk of cancer and wearing a protective facemask to reduce breathing in potentially harmful substances may help reduce this risk. Workplace exposure and industrial-related hazards can be reduced by appropriate air filtering, and workers in these areas need to be aware of their potential risk of exposure. To continue reading this guide, use the menu on the side of your screen to select another section.
What Should I Eat If My Calcium Is High? A condition called hypercalcemia (high calcium in the blood) can be caused by diseases such as cancer or it may occur as a side effect of cancer treatment. Nutritional management of hypercalcemia is most commonly associated with malignancies. However, a rise in calcium causes other problems, such as low potassium and phosphate levels, which can also cause confusion, disorientation and weakness. Your health is a priority, so when your doctor tells you that you have too much calcium in your blood, it is understandable that you might panic. The good news is that it is not nearly as serious as it sounds. In fact, you might be able to manage high calcium levels by making simple lifestyle changes at home. What is Calcium? Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body and accounts for 1-2% of the human body weight. Every cell in your body needs it to function. Calcium supports your bones, heart, muscles, and nervous system. But only around 1% of your total body calcium is found in the blood. The remaining 99% is stored in your bones and teeth. Calcium blood levels are mostly controlled by parathyroid hormone (PTH). Cells in your parathyroid gland – located in the neck just behind the thyroid – release PTH when they sense a drop in calcium blood levels. PTH raises blood calcium levels by increasing the absorption of calcium from the gut and kidneys. This hormone can also mobilize calcium and phosphate from the bones: that is, it can break down and free the mineral content of bones to compensate for low calcium levels. This process is known as bone resorption. PTH also increases the amount of vitamin D that is converted to its active form, calcitriol. Active vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the gut. If PTH levels drop too low, so does calcium What is hypercalcemia? The parathyroid glands are responsible for controlling calcium levels in the blood. These four tiny glands sit behind the thyroid gland. When the body needs calcium, the parathyroid glands secrete a hormone. This hormone signals: - the bones to release calcium into the blood - the kidneys to excrete less calcium into the urine - the kidneys to activate vitamin D, which helps the digestive tract absorb more calcium Overactive parathyroid glands or an underlying health condition can disrupt the balance of calcium. If calcium levels become too high, a person may receive a diagnosis of hypercalcemia. This condition can impede bodily functions and may specifically lead to: - poor bone health - kidney stones - abnormal heart and brain function Extremely high levels of calcium in the blood can become life threatening. Mild hypercalcemia may not produce any symptoms, but more serious hypercalcemia can cause: - Excessive thirst and frequent urination: An excess of calcium forces the kidneys to work harder. As a result, a person may urinate more often, leading to dehydration and increased thirst. - Stomach pain and digestive problems: Too much calcium can cause an upset stomach, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. - Bone pain and muscle weakness: Hypercalcemia can cause the bones to release too much calcium, leaving them deficient. This abnormal bone activity can lead to pain and muscle weakness. - Confusion, lethargy, and fatigue: Too much calcium in the blood can affect the brain, causing these symptoms. - Anxiety and depression: Hypercalcemia may also affect mental health. - High blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms: High levels of calcium can increase blood pressure and lead to electrical abnormalities that change the heart’s rhythm, adding strain. Why Diet Is So Important With Hypercalcemia If you’re diagnosed with hypercalcemia, you may need to make some changes to your diet, like avoiding high-calcium yogurt. Being diagnosed with high blood calcium, or hypercalcemia, might mean making some changes to your normal diet. You may be advised to have a low-calcium diet or to avoid specific calcium-rich foods in the short-term. But everyone with hypercalcemia is different, so follow your doctor’s advice. What Causes High Blood Calcium? The most common cause of hypercalcemia is excess parathyroid hormone (PTH) being released by the parathyroid glands, according to the Endocrine Society. The excess PTH makes the bones release calcium into the bloodstream, which can cause symptoms such as weak muscles, nausea, constipation and confusion. Other illnesses, including cancer, tuberculosis and autoimmune conditions, can raise blood calcium to dangerous levels, too. Diet — such as unusually high intakes of vitamin D, vitamin A or calcium in conjunction with antacids — is only very occasionally the cause. “Hypercalcemia is not caused by a diet high in calcium, nor is a low-calcium diet the primary way of treating it,” says Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, RD, assistant professor of nutrition at Saint Louis University in Missouri. “Instead, the primary treatments are medications and sometimes surgery.” That said, a low-calcium diet may be recommended for a short period of time until the hypercalcemia is under control, Linsenmeyer says. Low-Calcium Diet for Hypercalcemia Typically you’ll be advised to follow a low-calcium diet for hypercalcemia if you’ve received hospital treatment to bring your high blood calcium levels down and are now going home, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM). This will generally involve: - Going easy on, or temporarily cutting out, calcium-rich dairy foods, including cheese, milk, ice cream and yogurt. - Choosing magnesium-based antacids if you require these medications (not those with a high calcium content). If you have been diagnosed with hypercalcemia, you should also not be cutting back on salt and must make an effort to stay well hydrated. It can be helpful to keep water by your side at night so you can drink some when you get up to use the bathroom, according to the NLM. Linsenmeyer says it’s also important to inform your health care team about any supplements you may be taking, especially those that may contain higher levels of calcium and/or vitamin D. “Also, pay attention to any foods fortified with calcium (i.e., breakfast cereals, orange juice),” she adds. Another tip from Linsenmeyer: Ignore any self-help advice you may see to drink lemon juice for the condition. “There is no evidence to support that lemon juice is an effective or appropriate treatment for hypercalcemia,” she warns. Hypercalcemia Longer Term “Ultimately, calcium is an important nutrient for bone health and should not be restricted indefinitely,” Linsenmeyer says. She adds that while it can be somewhat counterintuitive, hypercalcemia actually increases the risk for osteoporosis (brittle bones) because calcium is being leached from the bones. However, you should not change your diet to be higher in calcium (e.g., by starting to incorporate more dairy foods) without a health professional’s advice — this may need a specialist dietitian, Linsenmeyer says. Similarly, check with your doctor as to the appropriate amount of exercise for you, per the NLM. Walking and being generally active will help to offset the breakdown of bones, but you should follow any guidelines that are specific to your own medical needs. Other important pointers from the NLM: If your doctor prescribes medicines to help keep your calcium level from getting too high, take them the way that is explained to you and call your doctor should you have any side effects. Also, keep any follow-up appointments you have with your doctor and/or dietitian, particularly for blood tests, which people with hypercalcemia will usually have to have regularly. 6 Natural Remedies for High Calcium Levels There are various safe things you can do to decrease your blood calcium levels and avoid having hypercalcemia. Consider the following natural remedies for high calcium levels: 1. Address Underlying Health Issues If your hypercalcemia is mild and you are already working with your doctor to address the causes, the following strategies may help. However, it would help if you first discussed these strategies with your doctor. When you have high calcium levels, your doctor may prescribe the following: - Intravenous fluids - Dialysis (if other treatments are not helping, or if there is damaged kidneys) - Calcitonin, biphosphonates, loop diuretics, or corticosteroids It would help if you did not make any sudden changes to your lifestyle, diet, or supplement regimen without consulting your doctor. 2. Reduce Foods High in Calcium If you know you are suffering from high calcium levels, you may have to reduce your intake of food high in calcium. Such foods include green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, tofu, and dairy. Instead, increase your intake of low-calcium foods. Some healthy low-calcium foods include asparagus, strawberries, eggplant, tomatoes, apples, rice, meat, resistant starch, and olive oil. 3. Avoid Drugs and Supplements Containing Calcium You should avoid taking calcium supplements if you have hypercalcemia. Many dietary supplements contain calcium, so you should be very careful about your choice of supplement; these supplements include over-the-counter drugs for acid reflux (for example, Tums) and multivitamins. 4. Drink More Water You need to consume more water if you are suffering from hypercalcemia. Staying hydrated will help flush more calcium from the body through the urine. Hydration (saline drop) is one of the principal treatments for hypercalcemia in hospitals. 5. Limit Vitamin D Supplements Vitamin D elevates the amount of calcium your body takes in. If your calcium levels are already too elevated, you do not need to worsen them by increasing calcium absorption from foods. You may need to decrease your dosage of vitamin D or generally stop supplementing it. Importantly, exposure to the sun does not cause dangerously high vitamin D levels. Even if you expose yourself to too much sun, sunlight will degrade any excess vitamin D. limiting your vitamin D supplement is one of the essential natural remedies for high calcium levels. 6. Watch Out for Calcium-Raising Drugs Some medications may increase your calcium blood levels. Talk to your doctor if your calcium levels are high, and you are taking any of the following medications: - Antacids for heartburn (for instance, Tums) - Tamoxifen (Nolvadex), used to fight breast cancer - Anti-estrogens, used in the treatment of hormonal abnormalities and breast cancer - Estrogens, such as birth control pills - Androgens used majorly in breast cancer therapy - Thiazide diuretics Although calcium-free foods might be hard to come by, you can still find many foods with an irrelevant amount of calcium. Considering that your daily calcium intake should be around 1000 mg, these foods are good options with a calcium amount of up to 100 milligrams at most. Here are some no-calcium foods: 1. Chicken and beef fat Both chicken fat and beef fat contain no calcium at all. Chicken fat contains an acceptable amount of fatty acids and no sugar, making it a healthy option for those looking to reduce their calcium intake. In contrast, beef fat is lower in calories and is usually considered a more beneficial fat. 2. Soy milk Soy milk found in regular stores and supermarkets is usually ‘fortified’ with nutrients, including calcium. However, you can make soy milk at home without any added nutrients, including calcium. Soy milk contains just 10 milligrams of calcium. That is a relatively low amount, especially compared to 290-300 milligrams of calcium found in dairy milk. Therefore, soy milk is an ideal substitute for milk in your diet. With only 52 milligrams in one serving, cereals provide nowhere near the 1000 milligrams of recommended daily calcium. Most cereal products you can find in supermarkets contain 10 percent of the daily recommended amount of calcium. You should try to avoid consuming cereal with milk; so try it with soy milk instead. In a serving size of 100 gr, mushrooms only contain 3 milligrams of calcium, which is one of the lowest figures in foods. Mushrooms should be an essential part of your diet because their nutritional value is high, and you can compensate for what you’ll be lacking with no-calcium foods by adding mushrooms into your diet. 5. Brown rice Brown rice contains as little as 10 milligrams of calcium per 100 g serving. It is one of the optimal foods for those on a low-calcium diet, as its nutritional value is high. Also, it is healthier than its white-grain counterpart because it is a whole grain. 6. Dried cranberries Dried cranberries are a type of fruit that has been dried and then sweetened. One of the very few fruits that don’t include a high amount of calcium with 7 mg, dried cranberries are a good addition to your diet as it is high in nutritional value. 7. Corn pasta Corn pasta, the starchy and gluten-free alternative to wheat pasta, is made from ground corn flour and water. Unlike regular pasta made from wheat which contains approximately 50 milligrams of calcium, corn pasta contains a very modest amount of 4 milligrams of calcium per 100 gr, thanks to the low-calcium nature of corn. Foods to avoid on a low-calcium diet For those on a special diet to adjust or lower their calcium levels, there are foods to avoid as they contain lots of calcium. 1. Dairy products: milk, cheese, yogurt Dairy products are high in calcium. Dairy products rich in calcium include milk, yogurt, and cheese. Parmesan cheese is the richest in calcium at 242 milligrams. Make sure you keep parmesan cheese out of your diet. Yogurt is another calcium-rich dairy product. While low-fat yogurt is higher in calcium compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt seems to be even lower. Opt for the latter if you want to add some yogurt to your diet. 2. Seafood: salmon, sardines When it comes to seafood, salmon, especially canned salmon, contains a surprisingly high amount of calcium at 232 milligrams. That is higher than some dairy products. This amount is mostly due to the fish bones. Sardines contain even more calcium than canned salmon, with a figure of 321 milligrams. Make sure you avoid these two if you are on a non-calcium diet. 3. Leafy vegetables Leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale, and collard greens contain high amounts of calcium. One hundred grams of cooked collard greens contains 242 milligrams of calcium, while 100 grams of cooked mustard greens have 123 milligrams of calcium. Consume these in moderation, or find a substitute for them.
Polar bears are the largest terrestrial predators on Earth, outweighing lions, tigers, and all other bears. They have to be big to catch their major prey - seals and small whales. Polar bears hang out at the edges of holes in sea ice waiting for seals and whales to surface and take a breath. They then pounce on the unsuspecting prey and drag it out onto the sea ice to eat. But now many polar bears are starving to death because sea ice in the Arctic has been melting and the bears can no longer hunt from their ice platforms. Polar bear populations, especially in the southern Arctic, are declining rapidly. Alarmed at the prospect that this huge and important predator was heading toward extinction, the United States Department of Interior took drastic action. In May 2008 the polar bear was listed as a Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing cited melting sea ice from global warming as the key threat. When a species is listed under the ESA, the government is directed to take the actions necessary to bring the species back from the brink. We know that melting sea ice is exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions. By implication, saving the polar bear requires actions to reduce these greenhouse gases. The listing of the polar bear opened the door to actions that would force the federal government to curtail its contributions to global warming. Preventing endangered species from going extinct is never easy, but in many cases it can be done by identifying critical habitat and protecting the animal or plant and its habitat from known threats. The ESA is very clear that decisions about listing and managing species recovery are scientific, not political, enterprises. The law requires independent scientific review of any developments that could threaten listed species, reviews that are undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For the majority of endangered species, these threats are local or regional - for example, a dam that might eradicate the last snail darter (a small fish), or a mining concession that will decimate Florida panthers. The polar bear's listing seems to have ushered in a new era in which the threats posed by global environmental change are recognized. Besides the bear, two coral species are listed as threatened by global warming, and more species are sure to follow. Scientists now expect that global warming will be the largest single threat to biological diversity in the coming decades. So, how should scientific information be used to prevent extinctions when the threats are truly global in origin? How should knowledge that polar bears are being driven toward extinction by global warming enter into public debate on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? These are tough questions, to say the least, but now seems to be the time to tackle them. However, last week, the Bush administration crafted one of its "midnight regulations" (rules unveiled in the waning days of an administration to avoid close review) regarding polar bears. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced a new rule designed to make these questions go away. This midnight rule eliminates the ESA's requirement that federal agencies consult with independent scientists before proceeding with plans that might damage endangered species. Under the new rule, if the federal government wants to license a new power plant, dam, mine, or other development that might drive species extinct, it is free to proceed without having to ask for independent scientific review. The rule applies to any animal or plant, not just the polar bear. The message behind the rule is simply, "If the scientific information might be unwelcome, just don't ask for it." Sometimes science tells us things we don't want to hear. Who wants to learn that each new coal-fired power plant hastens the demise of the polar bear? But there is no alternative to science when it comes to providing information about the natural world. The science doesn't tell us how to act - it tells us why the problem exists and predicts the consequences of our various options. Shouldn't the government be required to learn objectively what threatens polar bears and what will reduce those threats? Without that information, how can we hope to be good stewards? We ignore science at the peril of all Earth's inhabitants, including us.
The central nervous system protects the physical body like the Gladiators of Rome protected their turf. On duty twenty-four hours a day, standing guard to fight any foreign substance that poses a threat to physical health. When people experience an event that is physically or emotionally threatening, the body will react biologically. This physical response ensures that it has whatever it takes to maintain balance. I believe that if people understand how this system functions, they can then learn ways to strengthen their body. Thus, ward off physical and emotional illness. The prevention of disease is at least somewhat in our control and is the health psychology association. What is The Central Nervous Systems Function? The brain and spinal column form the Central Nervous System. All thoughts that flow through the mind, every action and emotion experienced in the world flows through the CNS. We can compare the Central Nervous System to being like a computer’s motherboard, which without it the computer would not exist. The CNS is the motherboard and control panel of the human body. People activate a computer by turning it on, which alerts the motherboard to turn on the hard drive, which in response stimulates the operating system, and then sends signals to start programs. When triggered, the central nervous system initiates a system of physical reactions which interprets and communicates experiences, thoughts, feelings and movements to the rest of the body, via a network of organs, cells and neurons. For optimal survival, the human body does its utmost to maintain a sense of balance or homeostasis, which means that it wants to remain at a constant. The CNS is responsible for overseeing the functions that allow people to survive. It determines the best response to stressful situations by launching adrenaline or cortisol to help adapt to the threat. The Central Nervous System also regulates the production of serotonin which controls daily living functions like hunger, sleep and the desire for sex. Physical Health and the Immune System How does the body maintain health in response to physical and/or psychological stress? The immune system contains many organs, containing billions of immune functioning cells. The thymus gland and bone marrow form and mature the cells. The peripheral immune system includes the blood, lymph nodes, and the spleen. The endocrine system produces hormones and supports the central nervous system by releasing the relevant ones that allow us to survive. The real gladiators are the white blood cells that continually circulate, searching for foreign invaders in the blood and tissues. The white cells function is to begin the immune response and to protect against daily invasions of viruses and bacteria. Indirect invasions on physical health are environmental factors, which include anxiety, a poor diet, air pollution and smoking. Direct invasions on physical health are contacts with contagious diseases, such as flu’s, colds, measles, and toxins such as consuming foods that contain pesticides. All living organisms strive to maintain balance, or homeostasis, which is routinely challenged by internal or external triggers. Stressors’ are triggers which are physically harmful, and they can be emotional or physical. Stress threatens stability, and the process of homeostasis is to re-establish balance through behavioral and physiological responses that attack the intruders. (Viruses, Bacteria) The magnitude and chronicity of the stressor is significant because when any trigger exceeds a certain magnitude it activates the central nervous system’s adaptive response. In other words, a little anxiety in life that is short lived (forgetting where you placed the car keys) is much less physically damaging than facing a housing foreclosure. The challenge is learning techniques or ways of coping with life’s problems to decrease the biological response. The Health Psychology Connection to the Immune System The Immune System works extremely hard trying to destroy and eliminate stress and anxiety reactions. The adrenal glands produce a hormone called cortisol that is discharged during moments of tension in an attempt to reduce the pressure. Centuries ago while hunting for food humans were subjected to the dangers of being low on the food chain because the animals killed were often wild and fierce. It was the Central Nervous Systems physical response mechanism that helped to ensure survival. Primitive people would react to a confrontation from a dangerous animal by fighting, if prepared or running away in flight. In modern times, the anxiety that people experience tends to be lifestyle orientated. As a result, stress is chronic and severely damaging to physical health. Anxiety is a silent killer that causes serious health complications, related to heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. The Two Types of Stress - Acute Stress is an immediate physical reaction to something in the world and can be negative or positive in nature (Surgery, Accidents, Arguments, Marriage, Birth of a baby, a job promotion). - Chronic Stress is a persistent physical reaction to something constant in life and may relate to work, finances, family problems, abuse, disease, physical pain, diet, and smoking. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for triggering the response directed towards the anxiety in which initiates the “fight or flight” reaction. This response means that the body decides whether it will surrender (give in to infection) or manage (fight it off) the threat. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for relaxing the body once the stress has been removed from the situation. When anxiety levels remain constant, the relaxation time does not occur and the individual is vulnerable to becoming ill. Inflammation is the primary cause of all chronic, degenerative diseases such as; fibromyalgia, allergies, arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lupus, chronic fatigue, and a host of others. Inflammation causes a strong response from the immune system to pathogens that cause injury and physical illness. When the stress response does not turn off or relax, the immune system is overloaded and is in a weakened, compromised state causing people to become susceptible to contracting a physical illness. Causes of Chronic Inflammation of The Central Nervous System - Toxins (Pollution, Pesticides, Food poisoning) - High levels of insulin in the blood (Diabetes) - Infection (Skin Conditions, Poor Healing) - Oxygen free radicals (Cell Death, Aging) - Allergens (Pollen) - Lack of Exercise - Chronic stress Health Psychology and the Cortisol Connection As mentioned, both cortisol and adrenaline are hormones that are manufactured by the adrenal glands in the kidneys. When people come in contact with an acute stress situation, the adrenal glands will respond by producing adrenaline. If people are exposed to prolonged stress the body will react by producing a different hormone called cortisol, which is regulated by the hypothalamus in the brain. This physical reaction comes about because of the desire to maintain that sense of balance. When exposed to chronic stress, the physical body will react by releasing cortisol in preparation for the fight or flight situation. Cortisol effectively mobilizes the body on every functioning level to ensure it has sufficient incentive to survive the danger. When someone has chronic stress, the role of cortisol is to improve the ability to maintain balance by releasing this hormone in hopes of achieving: 1. Immediate energy and strength to endure, 2. A Reduction or a desensitization to the pain, 3. Improvement in memory function. These chemical processes and the release of hormones for survival are typical. However, high levels for extended periods of time are dangerous to psychological and physical health. Therefore, these protective responses can be extremely hazardous. When stress hormones circulate in the bloodstream for prolonged periods of time they can cause physical conditions such as blood clots, angina and heart disease. In response to chronic stress, the increase in cortisol produces the following physical effects. - Slows down digestion, which relates to weight loss and weight gain. - Increases the blood sugar level, which is a direct link to Diabetes. - Reduces the inflammatory response, and may increase susceptibility to physical irritations and infections. - Increases blood pressure and dilates the pupils causing a strain on the heart. - Depresses the immune system by deactivating white blood cells decreasing the ability to fight off infections, viruses, and bacteria. - Metabolizes protein, fats, and carbohydrates by converting them into glucose and increasing the probability of becoming diabetic. The Central Nervous Systems Physical-Psychological Connection to Depression Cortisol is present in the bloodstream, and the amount available is regulated by the hypothalamus. A healthy hypothalamus will ensure that cortisol is present in the right amounts and that it is secreted at the right times. People have the highest levels of this hormone between 8 AM and 4 PM. Laboratory studies performed on people who suffer from depression reveal an unusual amount of cortisol in the blood stream, either having it peak at odd times or having a consistently high supply. A high cortisol level over time is thought to lead to problems in metabolic, immune and cardiovascular systems. Excess or fluctuating levels of cortisol affect the rate at which the body produces serotonin, which is a mood enhancing neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters like serotonin, adrenaline, noradrenaline, endorphins and dopamine affect mood, and subsequently, the way we think and feel about our world. Approximately 19 million Americans suffer from depression. In one’s life, this condition affects between 10 and 25% of women and 5 and 12% of men. In this fast paced modern society, symptoms of depression are as frequent as the common cold. Research is beginning to explain how personality traits can change nature’s biology, and at times has a hazardous effect on bodies and minds. On days when people reported happy mood states less cortisol was produced compared to days when gloomy mood states were reported. Scientists are stating that being better organized leads to being less distressed and that being less distressed will cause less production of daily cortisol. The healthy psychology relationship is that people can learn ways to become more organized, which leads to a decrease in anxiety and less production of the physically damaging cortisol. Neurons, the Wiring of the Brain and Psychology There are between 10 and 100 billion neurons in the brain that receive messages or nerve impulses at speeds of 1/5000 of a second. The substances that transmit these messages are called neurotransmitters. It is the speed of communication on a neurological level that enables people to respond quickly to various situations. Serotonin is often referred to as the happiness hormone, even though it is not a hormone. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, that is found in the spaces between the neurons (synapses) in the brain. Serotonin’s role in a healthy functioning central nervous system is to regulate vital functions such as sleep, sex drive, and appetite. These are the areas of living that may be disturbed when a person suffers from symptoms of depression. On a psychological level, there are some depressed people who have demonstrated low levels of serotonin, and it is believed that these lowered levels are associated with clinical depression. Scientists are attempting to determine exactly how this happens, but low serotonin levels form the basis of why most modern anti-depressants are prescribed. Studies have also revealed that almost half of depressed patients who were tested had unusual cortisol levels in their bloodstream. While it is inevitable that prolonged stress can give rise to bouts of depression, these conclusions suggest that there could be a physiological relationship between serotonin, cortisol levels and anxiety and depression. What Are The Central Nervous System Disorders? Physical Diseases that are linked to a weakened immune system Poor wound healing Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Asthma and other respiratory disorders Chronic fever, diarrhea, and swollen lymph glands Two or more colds/flu’s a year with slow recovery How to Achieve Health for the Central Nervous System and Prevent Illness - Anxiety Reduction: Stress produces a biochemical reaction and the overproduction of cortisol and adrenaline, thereby, lowering the immune system’s ability to fight off physical illness. This process explains why the common cold takes hold during difficult times. The weakened immune system simply does not have the strength to fight off infections. Find ways to reduce stress. Listen to music, go for a walk, practice relaxation techniques, or find someone to talk to about the anxiety to discover a personal way to reduce stress. - Learn to Become More Organized: Studies show that being organized decreases anxiety levels and reduces the high cortisol levels that reduce the immune system’s ability to fight off infection. Take the time to plan your day. - Physical Exercise: Regular gentle exercise, like walking, help protect the immune system by encouraging the organic killer cells to eliminate bacteria and viruses in their tracks. People become less physically active with age, and those over the age of 55 may benefit the most from physical exercise. A walk refreshes the immune system by reducing anxiety and assists in restoring the antioxidants, thereby, protecting people from disease. - Get Adequate Sleep: The body needs rest to remain balance. Sometimes sleep is the best medicine especially when trying to fight off a cold or the flu. Learn Relaxations Methods. Develop a routine to prepare yourself to calm down for a restful nights sleep. This “wind down” time should be at least one hour. - Hand Washing: A powerful and fundamental behavior that fights germs. Use soap and water and wash vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds. - Maintain A Healthy Diet: Foods that are eaten have a direct influence on the immune system. Deficiencies can impair the ability to fight off infection. All fats weaken the immune system because they confuse white blood cells and impair recognition of foreign foes. Antioxidants attack the pure causes of illness such as depression and the aging process. Tissues and organs decay through oxidation, thereby, causing common diseases. Antioxidants restore the organs cells and assist with stability by slowing down the oxidation process. This fix is straightforward; eat more fruits, vegetables, oats, grains, legumes, nuts, berries, and mushrooms. Buy some organic produce. Try a taste test, buy one organic apple and compare with a modern day apple. (The nutrients and pesticide levels are different) If fast food is a must, choose healthy fast food menu items. Pay attention to calorie intake. Consume less fat. In conclusion, people can consciously or unconsciously choose to live a stressful life. The happy news is that we are in charge of these decisions. Changes in habits and routines can be accomplished whenever there is a genuine desire to live a healthy life. I encourage everyone to try and take on this enormous challenge one day at a time because living a healthy lifestyle even if it is only for one day, is better than none. The goal, of course, is to build on that healthy lifestyle from one day to many days, then to months and ultimately to years. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is our power and control over developing a chronic disease, and this is how health psychology meets the central nervous system. This is good news. Health Psychology for Everyday Life, the book. Ask a question or schedule an appointment 760 439-9331 Top Image by: Trey Ratcliff /Creative Commons. The Roman Gladiators of Gaul The Nervous System, Virtual Chembrook, Elmhurst College. http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/661nervoussys.html Brain Changes in Mood Disorders. PsychEducation.Org. http://www.psycheducation.org/mechanism/MechanismIntro.htm Sympathetic Nervous System. Science Daily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/s/sympathetic_nervous_system.htm Health Coach. How To Take Care of Your Immune System http://valerietonnerhealthcoach.blogspot.com/ How to Take Care of Your Immune System, So It Can Take Care of You http://www.silverplanet.com/health/healthy-living/how-take-care-immune-system-so-it-can-take-care-you/2069
Indie pop and alternative pop are closely related genres that both incorporate elements of rock, folk, and pop music. While they share many similarities, there are some key distinctions between the two styles. Indie pop emerged in the 1980s as an outgrowth of indie rock and new wave music. Bands producing indie pop tended to have a lighter, more melodic sound that was still rooted in guitar-based rock. Prominent examples include The Smiths, Aztec Camera, and Belle and Sebastian. Their songs featured catchy melodies and hooks but retained an outsider sensibility and DIY aesthetic. In contrast, alternative pop developed in the 1990s as college radio stations and modern rock formats embraced a broader range of styles. While still retaining pop song structures and accessibility, alternative pop allowed for more experimental influences from genres like shoegaze, dream pop, and post-rock. Early pioneers like R.E.M. and The Cranberries blended pop melodies with lyrical depth and textured instrumentation. Some key distinguishing characteristics: Indie pop - Lighter sound, stronger emphasis on melody and songwriting craft. Roots in indie rock and new wave. Bands often release on independent labels. Alternative pop - More experimental and eclectic influences. Broader range of moods and textures. Often found mainstream success on rock radio formats. Both genres appeal to listeners seeking a thoughtful alternative to mainstream pop fare. While the lines sometimes blur, indie pop tends to focus more on melody, while alternative pop allows for a wider range of stylistic experimentation within the framework of pop song structures. Together they helped expand pop music's boundaries in the late 20th century.
Saber and the lovely Mrs. Saber (they are the couple in right of the picture) Graybacks and Bluebellies Why They Fought To the Civil War novice, the reason the Civil War soldiers fought was to end or preserve the institution of slavery. This could not be farther from the truth. The boys from north and south who rushed to volunteer were not politically motivated. These were simple young men, most of whom were barely literate. Most lived in homes that were built by their fathers and grandfathers and many had never traveled more than ten miles from their homes. Many northern boys had never seen a Negro and the great majority of southern boys did not own any slaves. Then why did they flock to enlist before this unpleasantness between the states was over. For one answer in the north, perhaps we need go no farther than the flag and the freedom and strength of union it represented. The boys were treated to an avalanche of speeches all telling them of how those backward southerners were threatening their freedom and ruining their country. For the vast majority this was enough. Southerners had a different perspective. They listened to speeches filled with ideas of states rights, intrusion of the Federal government, invasion of sacred southern soil and reminders of their ancestors fight against tyranny. It is easy to understand why many viewed the coming war as the second American Revolution. The majority simply had to defend their homes. As thousands of adventure seeking young men swelled the ranks of the Union and Confederate forces, one fear was paramount in their minds. The war would be over before they got there. Honor and glory was awaiting them on the battlefield if they could get there in time. To both Graybacks and Bluebellies it would only take one great charge and it would all be over. This was their romantic idea of war. For those who survived those first battles their ideas of honor and glory would be crushed forever. I have tried to give a brief overview of their willingness to fight. It would fill volumes to fully detail the motivations of both sides. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention possibly the most important motivation to either side: "Once the die was cast and war was inevitable, it was simply the right thing to do. " RETURN TO CHAT ROOM COMMENTS PAGE
- Camus, Albert born Nov. 7, 1913, Mondovi, Alg.died Jan. 4, 1960, near Sens, FranceAlgerian-French novelist, essayist, and playwright.Born into a working-class family, Camus graduated from the university in Algiers and then worked with a theatrical company, becoming associated with leftist causes. He spent the war years in Paris, and the French Resistance brought him into the circle of Jean-Paul Sartre and existentialism. He became a leading literary figure with his enigmatic first novel, The Stranger (1942), a study of 20th-century alienation, and the philosophical essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" (1942), an analysis of contemporary nihilism and the concept of the absurd. The Plague (1947), his allegorical second novel, and "The Rebel" (1951), another long essay, developed related issues. Other major works include the short-story collection Exile and the Kingdom (1957) and the posthumous autobiographical novel The First Man (1994). His plays include Le Malentendu (1944) and Caligula (1944). Camus won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. He died in a car accident.Albert Camus, photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson.Henri Cartier-BressonMagnum * * ▪ French authorIntroductionborn Nov. 7, 1913, Mondovi, Alg.died Jan. 4, 1960, near Sens, FranceFrench novelist, essayist, and playwright, best known for such novels as L'Étranger (1942; The Stranger), La Peste (1947; The Plague), and La Chute (1956; The Fall) and for his work in leftist causes. He received the 1957 Nobel Prize for Literature.Early yearsLess than a year after Camus was born, his father, an impoverished worker of Alsatian origin, was killed in World War I during the First Battle of the Marne. His mother, of Spanish descent, did housework to support her family. Camus and his elder brother Lucien moved with their mother to a working-class district of Algiers, where all three lived, together with the maternal grandmother and a paralyzed uncle, in a two-room apartment. Camus's first published collection of essays (essay), L'Envers et l'endroit (1937; “The Wrong Side and the Right Side”), describes the physical setting of these early years and includes portraits of his mother, grandmother, and uncle. A second collection of essays, Noces (1938; “Nuptials”), contains intensely lyrical meditations on the Algerian countryside and presents natural beauty as a form of wealth that even the very poor can enjoy. Both collections contrast the fragile mortality of human beings with the enduring nature of the physical world.In 1918 Camus entered primary school and was fortunate enough to be taught by an outstanding teacher, Louis Germain, who helped him to win a scholarship to the Algiers lycée (high school) in 1923. (It was typical of Camus's sense of loyalty that 34 years later his speech accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature was dedicated to Germain.) A period of intellectual awakening followed, accompanied by great enthusiasm for sport, especially football (soccer), swimming, and boxing. In 1930, however, the first of several severe attacks of tuberculosis put an end to his sporting career and interrupted his studies. Camus had to leave the unhealthy apartment that had been his home for 15 years, and, after a short period spent with an uncle, Camus decided to live on his own, supporting himself by a variety of jobs while registered as a philosophy student at the University of Algiers.At the university, Camus was particularly influenced by one of his teachers, Jean Grenier, who helped him to develop his literary and philosophical ideas and shared his enthusiasm for football. He obtained a diplôme d'études supérieures in 1936 for a thesis on the relationship between Greek and Christian thought in the philosophical writings of Plotinus and St. Augustine. His candidature for the agrégation (a qualification that would have enabled him to take up a university career) was cut short by another attack of tuberculosis. To regain his health he went to a resort in the French Alps—his first visit to Europe—and eventually returned to Algiers via Florence, Pisa, and Genoa.Camus's literary careerThroughout the 1930s, Camus broadened his interests. He read the French classics as well as the writers of the day—among them André Gide, Henry de Montherlant, André Malraux—and was a prominent figure among the young left-wing intellectuals of Algiers. For a short period in 1934–35 he was also a member of the Algerian Communist Party. In addition, he wrote, produced, adapted, and acted for the Théâtre du Travail (Workers' Theatre, later named the Théâtre de l'Équipe), which aimed to bring outstanding plays to working-class audiences. He maintained a deep love of the theatre until his death. Ironically, his plays are the least-admired part of his literary output, although Le Malentendu (Cross Purpose) and Caligula, first produced in 1944 and 1945, respectively, remain landmarks in the Theatre of the Absurd (Absurd, Theatre of the). Two of his most enduring contributions to the theatre may well be his stage adaptations of William Faulkner's Requiem for a Nun (Requiem pour une nonne; 1956) and Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Possessed (Les Possédés; 1959).In the two years before the outbreak of World War II, Camus served his apprenticeship as a journalist with Alger-Républicain in many capacities, including those of leader- (editorial-) writer, subeditor, political reporter, and book reviewer. He reviewed some of Jean-Paul Sartre's early literary works and wrote an important series of articles analyzing social conditions among the Muslims of the Kabylie region. These articles, reprinted in abridged form in Actuelles III (1958), drew attention (15 years in advance) to many of the injustices that led to the outbreak of the Algerian War in 1954. Camus took his stand on humanitarian rather than ideological grounds and continued to see a future role for France in Algeria while not ignoring colonialist injustices.He enjoyed the most influence as a journalist during the final years of the occupation of France and the immediate post-Liberation period. As editor of the Parisian daily Combat, the successor of a Resistance newssheet run largely by Camus, he held an independent left-wing position based on the ideals of justice and truth and the belief that all political action must have a solid moral basis. Later, the old-style expediency of both Left and Right brought increasing disillusion, and in 1947 he severed his connection with Combat.By now Camus had become a leading literary figure. L'Étranger (U.S. title, The Stranger; British title, The Outsider), a brilliant first novel begun before the war and published in 1942, is a study of 20th-century alienation with a portrait of an “outsider” condemned to death less for shooting an Arab than for the fact that he never says more than he genuinely feels and refuses to conform to society's demands. The same year saw the publication of an influential philosophical essay, Le Mythe de Sisyphe (The Myth of Sisyphus), in which Camus, with considerable sympathy, analyzed contemporary nihilism and a sense of the “absurd.” He was already seeking a way of overcoming nihilism, and his second novel, La Peste (1947; The Plague), is a symbolical account of the fight against an epidemic in Oran by characters whose importance lies less in the (doubtful) success with which they oppose the epidemic than in their determined assertion of human dignity and fraternity. Camus had now moved from his first main concept of the absurd to his other major idea of moral and metaphysical “rebellion.” He contrasted this latter ideal with politico-historical revolution in a second long essay, L'Homme révolté (1951; The Rebel), which provoked bitter antagonism among Marxist critics and such near-Marxist theoreticians as Jean-Paul Sartre (Sartre, Jean-Paul). His other major literary works are the technically brilliant novel La Chute (1956) and a collection of short stories, L'Exil et le royaume (1957; Exile and the Kingdom). La Chute reveals a preoccupation with Christian symbolism and contains an ironical and witty exposure of the more complacent forms of secular humanist morality.In 1957, at the early age of 44, Camus received the Nobel Prize for Literature. With characteristic modesty he declared that had he been a member of the awarding committee his vote would certainly have gone to André Malraux (Malraux, André). Less than three years later he was killed in an automobile accident.AssessmentAs novelist and playwright, moralist and political theorist, Albert Camus after World War II became the spokesman of his own generation and the mentor of the next, not only in France but also in Europe and eventually the world. His writings, which addressed themselves mainly to the isolation of man in an alien universe, the estrangement of the individual from himself, the problem of evil, and the pressing finality of death, accurately reflected the alienation and disillusionment of the postwar intellectual. He is remembered, with Sartre, as a leading practitioner of the existential novel. Though he understood the nihilism of many of his contemporaries, Camus also argued the necessity of defending such values as truth, moderation, and justice. In his last works he sketched the outlines of a liberal humanism that rejected the dogmatic aspects of both Christianity and Marxism.John Cruickshank Ed.Additional ReadingBiographies of Camus include Morvan Lebesque, Portrait of Camus: An Illustrated Biography (1971; originally published in French, 1963); Herbert R. Lottman, Albert Camus: A Biography (1979, reissued 1997); Patrick McCarthy, Camus (1982); and Olivier Todd, Albert Camus (1997), an abridged and edited translation of the original French (1996).Bettina L. Knapp (ed.), Critical Essays on Albert Camus (1988), presents a collection of 15 essays, including one by Jean-Paul Sartre. Critical studies of his works and ideas include Jean-Claude Brisville, Camus (1959, reissued 1969); John Cruickshank, Albert Camus and the Literature of Revolt (1959, reprinted 1978); Philip Thody, Albert Camus, 1913–1960 (1961), and Albert Camus (1989); Germaine Brée, Camus, rev. ed. (1964, reissued 1972); Adele King, Camus (1964, reissued 1971); Emmett Parker, Albert Camus: The Artist in the Arena (1965); Roger Quilliot, The Sea and Prisons: A Commentary on the Life and Thought of Albert Camus (1970; originally published in French, rev. ed., 1970); Brian T. Fitch, The Narcissistic Text: A Reading of Camus' Fiction (1982); Susan Tarrow, Exile from the Kingdom: A Political Rereading of Albert Camus (1985); David Sprintzen, Camus: A Critical Examination (1988); Philip H. Rhein, Albert Camus, rev. ed. (1989); Joseph McBride, Albert Camus: Philosopher and Littérateur (1992); Anthony Rizzuto, Camus: Love and Sexuality (1998); and Elizabeth Ann Bartlett, Rebellious Feminism: Camus's Ethic of Rebellion and Feminist Thought (2004). Among numerous studies of individual works are Patrick McCarthy, Albert Camus, The Stranger (1988); Adele King (ed.), Camus's L'Étranger: Fifty Years On (1992), a collection of original essays by leading Camus scholars; and Steven G. Kellman, The Plague: Fiction and Resistance (1993). Ronald Aronson, Camus & Sartre (2004), examines the split between the two authors. David Carroll, Albert Camus the Algerian: Colonialism, Terrorism, Justice (2007), examines Camus's works in the context of the Algerian War of Independence. * *
An ACEAS-funded workshop aims to assist decision makers in natural resource management and planning set better priorities for policies aimed at the conservation of native species. The workshop group, led by Ms Tania Laity, from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities, intends to improve the function of the Australian Natural Heritage Assessment Tool (ANHAT), which gives a picture of the distribution of native species and ecosystems over time and across the continent (species’ biogeography). The tool is used in natural resource management and conservation planning. The ACEAS workshop will bring together leading biodiversity scientists and practitioners to evaluate data held in ANHAT so that evolutionary relationships between species can be considered when conservation priorities are assessed. Some information for mammals has already been tested in ANHAT, but it needs to be improved to allow more sophisticated interpretations to be made. By expanding the tool to cover all native plants, vertebrates and invertebrates, the workshop team will make a considerable contribution to ANHAT, and this, in turn, will help policy makers and regulators make better decisions. The project is called ‘Integrating measures of phylogenetic and taxonomic diversity and endemism into national conservation assessment’. It is one of five funded in the December round of ACEAS’s open-call funding. Making stream monitoring robust In another project recently funded, Dr Fran Sheldon at Griffith University, leads a group that will investigate how to use spatial modelling to formulate more robust predictions about the health of streams. Most streams are monitored at numerous points along their course, and the monitoring data aggregated into catchments or regions when management decisions are being made. However, this process can be inaccurate when data are missing from some sites, or if a variety of tools and techniques are used in the measurement. Fran’s group will investigate whether spatial models can improve current methods. The workshop is called ‘Local to national: the capacity for increasing the spatial scale of monitoring’. Response to climate change may be written in the past An international working group will gather evidence of how species endemic to Australia have responded to climate change in the past, to predict how organisms might adapt to future changes. The information collected will contribute to baseline data for models used to predict the effects of an increasingly arid climate. Most current predictions on climate change adaptation are based on studies of the responses of organisms to the late Pleistocene glacial phases in the Northern Hemisphere. However, conditions in Australia at that time were different, and quite similar to the climatic changes Australia is facing now: an expansion of arid and semi-arid zones and contraction of moister environments, and the loss of vegetation cover over inland Australia. Existing genetic data indicate a massive toll on a wide range of Australian terrestrial animals during this period. The project, ‘Using genetics to reconstruct the impacts of past climate change on Australian endemics’, is led by Professor Alan Cooper of the University of Adelaide. Alan said that by understanding how and why organisms responded to climate change, managers may be better able to predict how to preserve biological diversity. This working group was also funded in ACEAS’s December round of open-call funding. Understanding how aquatic plants adapt In another project funded by ACEAS in the recent round, scientists will investigate which wetland and riverine plants are likely to adapt better to climate change. To do this, the group, led by Professor Max Finlayson, of Charles Sturt University, will test current empirical models of the ability of aquatic plants to re-colonise their usual habitats when favourable conditions return after droughts or floods. This is important because it is expected that more waterways will be actively managed in future, in response to growing human needs and uncertainty about water supplies with changes in climate patterns. Managed systems are likely to become either wetter or drier for longer periods than unmanaged systems, and the group wants to know which plants will tolerate these kinds of managed environments. The project is called ‘Adaptation pathways for aquatic plants under climate change: facilitating dispersal and management interventions’. Published in TERN e-Newsletter February 2012
Wearable tech can track your sleep patterns, give you walking directions that float above your eye, and measure your heart rate using the shirt on your back. But can a wearable gadget make you think faster, or even make you momentarily smarter? Turns out, it can. But only by attaching electrodes to your head that shock your brain, which is how devices like the Focus headset work. The Focus is designed for gamers --- only if you're 18 years old, or older -- and made headlines in May when its Web site opened for preorders. The Focus marks the first device of its kind, and it could bring what is now a cutting-edge enthusiast activity into the mainstream. The unknown, however, is just how safe it might be to clamp this type of device to your head on a daily basis. So far, scientists have tested the technology, but mainly to figure out if it's effective. And creating a mass consumer product of this sort raises whole new concerns. The medical community remains wary, and the Focus headset may force an answer that dictates the future of consumer enhancement products. The technique in question is called tDCS, for transcranial direct current stimulation, and it's a brain stimulation method that involves sending very low amounts of electrical current through various parts of the brain to achieve different effects. Historically it's been reserved for medical treatment, and it was first used as far back as 1804. Recent studies have determined that minor stimulation can have positive effects on healthy brains. For example, shocking the prefrontal cortex, as the Focus device does, is thought to improve learning and working memory, while shocking the motor cortex may raise one's threshold for pain and improve the use of one's nondominant hand. It sounds too good to be true, and in fact tDCS is widely believed to have few, if any, side effects for short-term use. It's also painless. Research even shows that it does work; a study published in Neuroscience Letters last year outlines how 33 individuals attempted to solve a logic puzzle with and without tDCS; 40 percent succeeding using stimulation and zero without it. The tDCS enthusiast community is also blossoming, especially considering that stimulation can be replicated with do-it-yourself electrodes and over-the-counter batteries, as this YouTube tutorial outlines. Dave Siever, a Canadian man whose company, Mind Alive, makes a $650 tDCS device, swears by the technique, claiming it has improved his sense of pitch and even works as an antidepression device. These kinds endorsements, both from hobbyists and from the select scientific studies that have shown the positive effects of tDCS, have driven interest in stimulation as the next wave of human enhancement. But the science isn't keeping pace. "I am concerned about the safety of allowing brain stimulation devices loose on the public, without prior efficacy or safety limits," said Mark George, director of the Medical University of South Carolina's Brain Stimulation Laboratory. "We need to proceed cautiously with brain stimulation." What to know before 'overclocking your head' For starters, brain stimulation is a wide-reaching term that can range from the seemingly harmless tDCS to the invasive and dangerous forms of deep brain stimulation that sometimes involve implanting electrodes directly in your head. These forms, reserved for those who suffer from medication-resistant depression and other serious forms of neurological disorders, are done with devices that must be FDA-approved, are vigorously regulated, and are operated within the safe confines of a lab with trained experts. On the other hand, tDCS devices are not typically FDA-approved and their effectiveness varies depending on the types of equipment used and what kind of effects are being tested. That's what makes the Focus headset a particularly interesting test case for the future of consumer tDCS devices. For one, it's fully formed, designed to look and feel like a futuristic device. The $250 headset, which is not FDA-approved because it is not marketed as a medical device, sends anywhere from 0.8 to 2.0 milliamps of electrical current to your prefrontal cortex for 10 to 40 minutes. (To put that in perspective, a 100-watt lightbulb on a 120 volt supply, which is more than ten times the recommended voltage for powering a tDCS device, puts out roughly 830 milliamps of electricity.) The result, the company claims, is a smarter, faster, better you. "Overclock your head," reads one of the energetic tag lines. "We did a fairly broad review of the current state of scientific knowledge regarding tDCS," said Michael Oxley, Focus' founder. "In science it's rarely the case that one can base a conclusion on one (or even a few) particular studies or publications (of studies) -- or the views of a single (or even a few) researchers. We were given a few starting points by academic contacts and took it from there." For safety consultation when designing the Focus headset, Oxley provided a 2007 study on rats from Germany's University Medical Center Göttingen that that outlined a potential threshold for current amounts using tDCS before the animals developed lesions. The researchers found it likely humans could safely withstand small amounts of electricity, though they concluded that "further animal studies are required, before such protocols can be applied in humans." Oxley also cited a 2009 study on humans from Georg-August University in Germany, which included this mild caveat: "Our results suggest that tDCS applied to motor and non-motor areas according to the present tDCS safety guidelines, is associated with relatively minor adverse effects in healthy humans and patients with varying neurological disorders." The company also took measures to diligently test the device because, while not a medical tDCS unit, it does have physiological effects, which range from mild tingling to lasting burning sensations and potential headaches and mood changes as one online user described. "The testing was independently assessed and verified by a UK test centre. Foc.us also had to pass FCC testing requirements due to the included bluetooth connectivity and other CE testing requirements," Oxley wrote. But Amit Etkin, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavior sciences at Stanford University, will tell you flat out that tDCS likely is not dangerous, as Oxley's cited studies suggest, but also that the issue is not about immediate safety concerns. Rather, the potential with tDCS is simply unknown. "It's true that tDCS has been used in studies and even shown substantial positive effects on patients," said Etkin, whose clinic specializes in transcranial magnetic stimulation, a depression treatment that is highly regulated and poses a slight risk of seizure. But, he noted, "The worst-case scenario is that a bunch of users who don't have specific instructions will use it in a variety of different ways and alter their brains in ways that they don't anticipate and we don't anticipate." The Focus headset has built-in measures designed to prevent misuse. Its iOS app lets you control, among other things, the current level and the duration of the shocks. But what's to keep an avid gamer from running the Focus headset, which is meant to be used up to 40 minutes, for two hours, or even longer? After all, telling a pumped-up teen who thinks he's now a better gamer to slow down would be like asking a frat member to drink responsibly. "Most likely, it will be fine," Etkin said. The trouble, he added, is that the "potential harm" is unknown and, hence, of "quite significant" concern. Update, 9:19 a.m. PT:Clarified milliamp output of the Focus headset when compared with a standard 100-watt lightbulb.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is "the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior." AI is fast becoming a major player in the health and healthcare industries. In addition to having positive impacts in traditional medical areas such as radiology, pathology, EHR systems, oncology, and cardiology, AI is increasingly being used in the health industry to bridge gaps in the healthcare delivery systems. This course will provide students with the tools to understand how Artificial Intelligence platforms sort and learn from the immense amount of data available in the healthcare field. Students will engage in virtual learning as well as project-based learning offering the next generation of health industry professionals the skills to leverage massive amounts of data into meaningful knowledge.
How You Can Support Your Immune System Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited fear among the American public, emptied Chinatowns all over North America and stopped much of the travel between the U. S., Toronto, Canada, China, Taiwan and southeast Asia. While SARS is an urgent concern for the World Health Organization, a larger worry on the horizon for the world health agency is the flu-the long awaited influenza pandemic. The flu pandemic has historically occurred at 25-30 year intervals and its destruction has been cataclysmic. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, for example, killed more than 40 million people worldwide (670,000 Americans alone). The most recent flu pandemic struck 35 years ago and killed more than 4 million people. SARS, by comparison, has caused less than one thousand deaths and is much less infectious. Dr. Klaus Stohr, the head of the influenza program at the World Health Organization who is also leading the agency's fight against SARS said in a Wall Street Journal interview, "We are not prepared for the devastation of a flu pandemic? SARS will be something to smile about," he said. Regarding the likelihood of a major flu pandemic striking in the near future, Albert Osterhaus, a Dutch scientist involved in pandemic preparedness in Europe said in the same Wall Street article, "It's not a matter of if, but when, this will happen. I am far more scared of a flu pandemic than I am of SARS." The flu, SARS and other communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis are the twenty-first century's major heath challenges. Overcrowding and global travel have increased the risk of diseases spreading unchecked. However, the real threat lies in a virus's ability to undergo small changes or mutations that evade people's natural immunities or commercial vaccinations. Similarly, the widespread use of antibiotics in poultry and meat producing industries has enabled bacteria to become stronger and more resistant. According to some critics, even our current medical practices of over-prescribing antibiotics may contribute to the rise of "super-bugs"! When these "new" microbes strike, they move quickly and wipe out victims, leaving a wide path of destruction. The West Nile and Ebola viruses, for example, both have at least a 90% mortality rate. Don't panic. You can prevent or minimize your chance of contracting infectious diseases both at home or while traveling. Some of my recommendations are common sense: Wash your hands frequently Avoid touching your face Eat well-cooked foods Maintain a distance from someone who is sick Avoid crowded and poor ventilated places Sometimes you cannot help but travel on airplanes, meet with someone who may appear to be sick, eat out at a restaurant or be in a crowded place. Therefore you must make sure that your immune system is functioning at a peak level. This involves avoiding activities that would weaken or deplete your immune system and engage in immune strengthening and supporting actions. Below I have outlined a checklist of things to avoid: Stress and negative emotions Overwork and over-exhaustion Diet high in sugar, caffeine and refined products Under or over-exercise Frequent use of antibiotics, steroids or immuno-suppresant drugs Many people who were exposed to SARS, Ebola, the West Nile virus or the flu virus never came down with the infection. The reason is simple: Their immune systems are much stronger and better equipped to fend off the viruses than those who came down with the illnesses. I have outlined below actions to strengthen your immune system: Reduce stress and maintain equanimity Get plenty of rest and sleep Pace yourself at work and in your life Moderate daily exercise including cardiovascular and light weight training Avoid drugs and chemicals whenever possible Take herbs and vitamins that have been shown to optimizing the immune system Extensive studies of ways to strengthen the human defenses have been carried out for centuries in China, producing a wealth of knowledge on Chinese herbal medicine and its effect on the immune system. While there is currently no cure for SARS, the Chinese Government Health Authority recently released its recommendations for preventing SARS. These recommendations consist of Chinese herbal medicine formulations as prophylactic agents against SARS. They are herbs that have been found to contain anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and have immune boosting qualities. Some are effective in increasing the white blood cell production in your body (they are your defense troops), while others increase lymphocyte activities such as killing foreign invaders, etc. Fundamental principles of Chinese medicine are, of course, "Treating disease before its occurrence", and "Strengthen the defenses to prevent sickness." The recommendations are listed below: Lu Gen (reed root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Chan Yi (cicada shell), Jiang Chan (silkworm), Bo He (peppermint), Gan Cao (licorice) Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Bai Zhu (white atractylodes rhizome), Huang Qi (astragalus root), Fang Feng (siler root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Sha Sheng (silver beech root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root) Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Da Qing Ye (Isatis leaf), Zi Su (perilla leaf), Ge gen (Kudzu root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Pei Lan (ornamental orchid), Tai Zi Sheng (pseudostellaria root) Persons whose jobs (health workers) or relations may bring them into contact with someone with potential SARS are advised to take the following formula: Da Huang (Chinese rhubarb root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Chai Hu (bupleuri root), Huang Qing (skullcap root), Ban Lan Gen (Isatis root), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Cang Shu, Yi Yi Ren (Job's tears), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Fang Feng (siler root), Gan Cao (licorice)
At first we feel pity for Shylock when he’s persecuted for being a Jew. Everyone seems to hate Shylock just because he is a Jew. We feel pity for him because it seems even his daughter who he loves very much hates him. Shylock hates Antonio because he is a Christian and when Bassanio suggests that Shylock should dine with them he replies with a sarcastic comment. ” Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitations which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into.” Pork is forbidden meat to the Jews and Shylock thinks they will eat pork in front of him because they are Christian. Christians have always persecuted Jews because Jews killed Jesus, so Shylock is seeking revenge. When Shylock’s world begins to fall apart, a modern day audience may have much sympathy for him. Shylock’s daughter Jessica is in love with a Christian and she desserts her father to be with her lover, which not only means he will be alone he will have the shame of his name being carried on in a Christian family. This also means he will never see her again. When Jessica is saying goodbye to Shylock’s servant she says things like “I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so” Shylock’s servant also ends up leaving him because in the end he is left with a choice out of working with his evil master or Bassanio and he chooses Bassanio. However, Shylock’s cunning and deceitful nature causes us to have contempt for him. When Shylock agrees to lend Antonio the money his part of the deal was that if Antonio didn’t pay back all the money in time he would get to cut off an equal pound of his flesh. Shylocks speech that tries to make us feel sorry for him has some main points in it. Firstly he points out that Antonio has insulted him and his friends and that he did this just because of his religion. Secondly that Jews are human like everyone else so a Jew should be allowed revenge just as a Christian. Then he finishes by saying he will now treat Antonio as he treat others. Furthermore, Shylock’s lack of mercy indicates that he is an evil character who wants revenge at any price. Shylock threatens him because Antonio just borrowed money without making sure he could repay it in time and Shylock is angry with him. Now that the date has past that Antonio has to pay him has past Shylock wants a pound of flesh like the bond stipulates. Shylock is adamant in refusing the money he is owed he just wants a pound of flesh which suggests that Shylock never wanted the money he just wanted revenge on Antonio. Shakespeare’s own prejudice is evident in the way that the Jewish religion is shown in the play. The Jewish stereotype in those days was mainly greedy people. He also refers to the conversion of Jews to Christianity as a ‘happy ending’ which shows prejudice in its self because it refers as Christianity as a superior race. Shylock is so stubborn about achieving justice and Antonio the same for mercy. But it ends up back firing in Shylock’s face when the court says you may take your pound of flesh but if you draw blood we will put you in prison because no blood was stipulated in the bond. As this is impossible Antonio ends up with all his flesh and doesn’t have to pay back any of the money. I think Shylock is a very cunning character because he will try anything to get revenge at Antonio but doesn’t plan it to carefully. Although I am made to feel sorry for him at times I think he is an overall nasty, angry and cunning character. By the end of the story if have no pity for him.
The public relations process is a method for anticipating and solving problems. One approach to public relations problems is the ROPE process. It has four phases: The research phase of the process involves identifying and learning about three key elements: (1) a client or institution that has (2) a problem or potential problem to be solved, which involves (3) one or more of its audiences, or publics. The second phase of the public relations process involves the setting of objectives for a program to solve the problem. The third phase of the process consists of planning and executing a program to accomplish the objectives. Finally, evaluation, as defined in this process, consists of two parts. First, it includes an ongoing procedure of program monitoring and adjustment. Second, evaluation refers back specifically to the objectives that were set in the second phase of the process and examines the practitioner's degree of success in achieving them. Each element of ROPE may be modified by the demands of different audiences or publics, including employees, members, customers, local communities, shareholders, and, usually, the
Woody vine, the stems developing large punctiform lenticels in age; stipules narrowly triangular, distinct, interpetiolar, soon deciduous; leaves decussate; petiole eglandular; lamina mostly soon glabrate on both sides, usually bearing 1–several small glands immersed in abaxial surface in a row set in from margin. Inflorescences axillary, paniculate, open, the flowers in few-flowered pseudoracemes, often with several in a terminal umbel; peduncle and pedicel both developed, the bracteoles borne at or below apex of peduncle; bracts and bracteoles eglandular, caducous or deciduous during enlargement of fruit. Flowers radially symmetrical in all their whorls; sepals imbricate, completely concealing petals during enlargement of bud, nearly distinct, strongly reflexed in anthesis, sericeous on both sides, all eglandular; petals white, obovate, clawed, glabrous, caducous; stamens 10; filaments long and slender, ± alike, nearly distinct; anthers all alike, sparsely pilose or glabrous; receptacle glabrous between androecium and gynoecium; gynoecium comprising 3 carpels connate in the ovary; ovary densely hairy, all 3 locules developed and containing ovules; styles 3, alike, long and slender, with minute terminal stigmas. Fruit indehiscent, dry, hard, woody, ± globose, 2–3 cm in diameter, with 1 locule developed and containing a large seed and the other 2 locules abortive, unwinged or the fertile locule bearing 3 ribs or winglets (2 lateral and 1 dorsal) and the abortive locules unwinged or bearing small partially developed winglets. Chromosome number unknown. Flabellariopsis was named for its resemblance to Flabellaria, which also has radially symmetrical flowers with long, narrow sepals that completely conceal the petals during enlargement of the bud and are reflexed in anthesis. In both the strongly spreading petals are white and the fruits are indehiscent. Nevertheless, there are differences between them, of which the most significant are summarized in the following key. \|1.\|\|Leaf glands on abaxial surface of lamina (albeit near the margin), the petiole eglandular; lamina soon glabrate on both sides; stipules relatively large, triangular, interpetiolar, caducous; sepals imbricate in bud; petals clawed, caducous; fruit nutlike with the seed-containing locule large, unwinged or bearing ribs or distinct winglets much smaller than nut.\|\| \|1.\|\|Leaf glands on margin of lamina, and often in 2 rows on petiole; lamina adaxially glabrous, abaxially ± persistently sericeous; stipules absent or represented by minute rudiments borne on petiole just above base; sepals valvate in bud; petals spatulate, long-persistent; fruit samaroid with the seed-containing locule small and the lateral wing much larger, membranous, continuous at base.\|\|Flabellaria\| In 1959 [pdf] Wilczek amplified his earlier description of Flabellariopsis by describing and illustrating a large, nutlike fruit with three parallel winglets, two lateral and one dorsal. In the few fruiting specimens available to W. R. Anderson for the preparation of this treatment some specimens show enlarging but immature fruits with winglets like those illustrated by Wilczek, while others with full-sized fruits bear no winglets at all or only ribs where the winglets should be. This difference may prove diagnostic of two distinct species, the one with winglets having a more western distribution and the one without winglets in the east (Kenya and Tanzania), but it is also possible that the variation in nature is continuous; only more fruiting collections will resolve that matter. The winglets, when present, are surely too small to be functional in dispersal, so there may be great variation in a character no longer constrained by selection. The fruit of Flabellariopsis is probably adapted for dispersal by water, which is not uncommon in New World Malpighiaceae but almost unknown in Old World members of the family (excluding Heteropterys leona and Stigmaphyllon bannisterioides), presumably reflecting the fact that the ancestors of the Old World clades migrated from the New World via wind-dispersed samaras. That brings us to the problem of the ancestry of Flabellariopsis. The latest family phylogeny (Davis & Anderson 2010; pdf) showed Flabellariopsis as sister to the Asian genus Hiptage, with very strong support. Aside from having similar stipules and leaf glands those two genera could hardly be more different in their morphology; see our description of Hiptage. Most striking in Hiptage are the unbranched inflorescences, the bilaterally symmetrical flowers, the short sepals, the hairy petals, the strongly unequal stamens, the single style, and the fruit breaking apart into three samaras, each bearing three elongated lateral wings. If Hiptage and Flabellariopsis did descend from a common ancestor, there have been many significant changes in their morphology as they journeyed to their present distantly separated areas of distribution. Etymology: The name Flabellariopsis means "resembling Flabellaria." Flabellaria Cav. is another monotypic genus of Malpighiaceae in equatorial Africa. Drawing: F. acuminata
Researchers have found evidence that Mom was right: breakfast may really be the most important meal of all. A new study reports that the more often adolescents eat breakfast, the less likely they are to be overweight. The researchers examined the eating and exercise habits of 1,007 boys and 1,215 girls, with an average age of 15 at the start of the five-year study — a racially and economically diverse sample from public schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The authors found a direct relationship between eating breakfast and body mass index; the more often an adolescent had breakfast, the lower the B.M.I. And whether they looked at the data at a given point or analyzed changes over time, that relationship persisted.
A China coupling supplier is a mechanical device applied to link two shafts collectively at their ends in buy to transmit energy and torque from a person shaft to an additional. It offers a implies of signing up for two rotating factors when accommodating slight misalignments and permitting for a degree of versatility. Right here are the vital needs and rewards of working with couplings: 1. Electrical power Transmission: Couplings are mainly utilized to transmit power from one particular shaft to another. They help the transfer of rotational motion and torque from a driving shaft (input) to a driven shaft (output). This enables the electric power created by an engine or motor to be proficiently transmitted to a variety of driven elements or devices. 2. Misalignment Compensation: In several applications, shafts may possibly not be perfectly aligned due to manufacturing tolerances, thermal growth, or other variables. Couplings can accommodate tiny angular, parallel, or axial misalignments involving the shafts, supporting to cut down stress, vibrations, and premature wear on the related parts. 3. Shock Absorption: Couplings can soak up and dampen shock loads and torsional vibrations that happen during procedure. They act as a buffer, safeguarding the connected tools from unexpected shocks or China coupling supplier impression masses, which can aid stop damage and make improvements to the in general system’s dependability. four. Overall flexibility: Couplings offer a specified diploma of flexibility, letting for slight axial, angular, or radial movement in between the linked shafts. This overall flexibility can help compensate for minor positional improvements, thermal enlargement, or dynamic functioning conditions, ensuring clean and uninterrupted electrical power transmission. five. Maintenance and Serviceability: Couplings are generally designed to be easily set up, eradicated, and serviced. This facilitates servicing and maintenance jobs, lessening downtime and linked charges. Couplings can be swiftly replaced without demanding disassembly of the overall procedure, creating them a convenient and economical element in quite a few apps. six. Vibration Isolation: Some couplings are made to provide vibration isolation by incorporating damping or elastomeric components. These couplings aid minimize the transmission of vibrations and shocks between the linked shafts, cutting down sound, improving consolation, and shielding sensitive machines or parts. 7. Flexibility: Couplings come in a variety of styles, dimensions, and patterns to suit diverse apps, masses, and running circumstances. They can be tailored to certain specifications, these kinds of as superior torque, superior-velocity, or corrosive environments. Couplings can be observed in a huge variety of industries, such as automotive, equipment, power generation, and a lot more. General, couplings are employed to hook up and transmit electricity among rotating shafts even though accommodating misalignments, damping vibrations, and supplying adaptability. They participate in a critical job in ensuring efficient and reliable energy transmission in several mechanical devices.
Zoos in the Southeast (Photo: ) Covering 10 states, including diverse natural landscapes such as the Appalachian Mountains and portions of the Mississippi River Basin, the southeast region of the United States includes more than 325 animal species. Some of the region’s largest zoos showcase these animals alongside a collection of critters from around the globe. Thanks to typically mild temperatures in the region, the vast majority of zoos in the area are open year-round, with the exception of major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Part of Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom (disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/animal-kingdom) in Orlando is a 500-acre zoo with more than 1,700 animals. The theme park offers the Wild Africa Trek with a series of VIP adventures, like zip lining over hippos and a three-hour guided safari, all while accompanied by a Disney photographer who documents your journey. Attractions open to the public include a high-speed roller coaster, animal-themed stage shows and a roaring rapids ride. Based in West Palm Beach, Lion Country Safari (lioncountrysafari.com) is a drive-through safari park with more than 900 animals, including zebras, giraffes and rhinos. You can drive your own car or rent a van from the park, available on a first-come, first-served basis. The zoo also includes a walk-through amusement park with six rides, including a Ferris wheel, carousel and paddle boats, and a 4,000-square-foot sprayground with 23 interactive contraptions. Opened in 1906, the Memphis Zoo (memphiszoo.org) is spread across 70 acres and home to 3,500-plus animals. Various themed exhibits include primate canyon, animals of the night, cat country, penguin rock and tropical birdhouse. The zoo also has daily stage shows, feedings and zookeeper talks highlighting animals like sea lions, pandas and grizzlies. Special events throughout the year include a Christmas lights show and an outdoor ice skating rink. Inside the city’s sprawling Grant Park and established in 1889, Zoo Atlanta (zooatlanta.org) is a 40-acre facility with close to 1,000 animals. Exhibits showcase critters from around the globes, such as kangaroos, tigers, American alligators and giant pandas. Special programs include safari day camps for kids from kindergarten through eighth grade, overnight sleepovers and behind-the-scenes tours. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden (riverbanks.org) is a 170-acre venue in Columbia, South Carolina. Exhibits include a 20,000-square-foot reptile aquarium, lemur island and two-acre African savannah with giraffes, zebras and ostrich. The attached botanical gardens include rose, succulent and fruit and berry gardens. In January and February, the zoo offers free admission to Lexington and Richland county residents on Fridays, as of publication. North Carolina Zoo (nczoo.org) is in Asheboro, at the base of the Uwharrie Mountains. The 500-acre zoo hosts 1,600 animals, including African bush hogs, American black bears, red wolves and chimpanzees. The zoo also has a carousel, 4D theater and playground. Seasonal events include Halloween, Easter and Earth Day celebrations. In New Orleans’ Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo (auduboninstitute.org) is home to jaguars, primates, rhinos and sea lions. Additional attractions include a train ride, ape-feeding sessions and a children’s zoo. The nearby aquarium, IMAX theater and Dinosaur Adventure, complete with replica dinosaurs and fossil excavation sites, require a separate admission. Covering 110 acres, Jackson Zoo (jacksonzoo.org) is in Jackson, Mississippi’s Livingston Park. The zoo has close to 800 animals, including 12 endangered species. Animals on hand include zebras, tigers, orangutans and red pandas. The zoo also includes a carousel and train ride for kids. You can arrange to have a birthday party at the zoo, with possible perks including food, drinks, admission and rides. Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. Brought to you by OnlyInYourState.com
Systems for air compressors Use the excess heat to your advantage It is a thermodynamic fact that around 95% of this energy is converted to heat and is wasted to the atmosphere through heat dissipated by the motor and cooling system, with the majority lost via the oil cooler. By re-directing the hot oil to a high efficiency oil to water heat exchanger, the heat can be transferred to water, raising the temperature to a required level for a multitude of applications. Nice to have... or must have? The heat generated during compression is paid for as part of the process, then paid for again during removal by way of cooling fans. Instead of simply removing the heat, it can be used to generate hot water, heating systems and application processes in other areas of the installation. CompAir’s innovative heat recovery systems delivers the opportunity to save money, energy and help to protect the environment. The heat recovery principal The basic principle lies in the transferral of heat into a medium and then transporting it to where it can be utilised. The hot cooling air of a closed air cooled compressor can be diverted to an enclosed area via ducting for heating. If water was to be heated, the oil in the oil cooler is chosen as the transfer medium, this will provide approximately 72% of the overall power consumption for water heating. - Significant cost savings - Lower CO2 emissions - Factory fitted integrated system - Retrofit kits for installed systems including all pipework and fittings - Low investment costs The data is based on an inlet temperature of 25 °C. \|Water flow rate litre/hr\|\|531\|\|235\|\|648\|\|287\|\|760\|\|335\|\|695\|\|278\|\|786\|\|314\|\|854\|\|340\|\|1218\|\|486\|\|1518\|\|607\|\|1770\|\|708\| \|Outlet temperature °C\|\|45\|\|70\|\|45\|\|70\|\|45\|\|70\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\| \|Energy saving kW\|\|12.3\|\|12.3\|\|15.0\|\|15.0\|\|17.5\|\|17.5\|\|16.1\|\|16.1\|\|18.2\|\|18.2\|\|19.7\|\|19.7\|\|28.2\|\|28.2\|\|35.2\|\|35.2\|\|41.0\|\|41.0\| \|Water flow rate litre/hr\|\|2064\|\|822\|\|2796\|\|1116\|\|3499\|\|1410\|\|4266\|\|1704\|\|4782\|\|1914\|\|5230\|\|2108\|\|6515\|\|2626\|\|8269\|\|3333\| \|Outlet temperature °C\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\|\|45\|\|75\| \|Energy saving kW\|\|47.8\|\|47.8\|\|64.8\|\|64.8\|\|80.6\|\|80.6\|\|98.5\|\|98.5\|\|110.8\|\|110.8\|\|120.5\|\|120.5\|\|150.1\|\|150.1\|\|190.5\|\|190.5\| Further ranges and models are available upon request. The above table is dependent on site conditions and shows examples of kW savings at stated water temperature rises. CompAir's energy recovery system offers savings on a wide range of inlet and outlet temperatures. For alternative temperatures please contact your local CompAir representative.
Myopia is blurry long-distance vision, often called "near-sightedness." Most myopia is caused by the eye length growing too quickly in childhood. Once a child becomes myopic, their vision typically deteriorates every 6-12 months, requiring a stronger prescription. Most myopic children tend to stabilize by the late teens and early 20’s. Excessive eye growth raises concern because even small amounts of stretching can lead to increased likelihood of vision threatening eye diseases in later life, such as myopic macular degeneration (maculopathy), retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts. There is a 25-33% chance a child will develop myopia if one parent is myopic, and that number jumps to 33-50% if both are myopic School-aged children who spend 7+ hours per week or more using computers or mobile devices or video games triple their risk for myopia Standard, single-focus long distance spectacles or contact lenses do not slow down the progression of childhood myopia. They will allow the patient to see clearly for a period of time, but then myopia will get worse and new lenses with a more powerful prescription are needed. Similarly, if a child is under-corrected, or not corrected at all, vision will be blurry and myopia has been shown to worsen. Instead, speciality glasses, specialty contact lenses and eye drops called atropine have been proven to slow myopia progression in children. Experts agree that myopia management should be commenced for all children under age 12 and typically continue into the late teens. It is important to note that no treatment can promise the ability to stop myopia progression entirely in children, only to slow it down. Myopia progresses fastest in younger children, especially those under age 10. This means that the most important opportunity to slow eye growth is when children are younger. Myopia management aims to apply specific treatments to slow the excessive eye growth to a lesser rate. The short-term benefit of slowing myopia progression is that a child’s prescription will change less quickly, giving them clearer vision for longer between eye examinations. The long-term benefit is reducing the lifetime risk of eye disease and vision impairment. Specially formulated eye drops known as atropine, in low-concentrations(0.01% to 0.05%), are made at a compounding pharmacy. These drops are shown to slow down the progression of myopia when used before bedtime. Spectacles or contact lenses are still needed to correct the blurred vision from myopia during waking hours, as atropine only acts to slow myopia progression. These are hard contact lenses that mold the shape of the cornea temporarily. They are worn overnight and removed upon waking, such that no spectacles or contact lenses are required for clear vision during the day. There are significant benefits for water sports and active lifestyles. These are soft lenses worn during waking hours. Daily disposable contact lenses are highly recommended over a monthly reusable lens. There are many FDA approved soft daily disposable lenses available to us for the management of myopia, however at this time, only the MiSight soft contact lens is FDA approved for the treatment and management of myopia control. This program works for patients that may not be ready for contact lens wear and/or for kids who aren’t especially myopic but whose eye growth pattern suggests that myopia is in their near future. We prescribe this drop through a compounding pharmacy. Payments are made directly to the pharmacy and drops are delivered to you. Once your child has begun using the drops, we see them in 1 month for a follow up, and typically will see them back in 4 months and 8 months (or more or less depending on stability) to monitor for any changes. With our higher tier program, we determine the best line of treatment (orthokeratology, specialty soft contact lenses, and/or atropine drops) that will suit your child and their lifestyle. The program includes however many contact lenses are required to get your child through 1 year of treatment, free shipping of contact lenses, exchanges and returns for power changes, all visits related to myopia, & careful tracking of your child's myopia progression. Follow-ups will vary, but for a new contact lens wearer, typically are 1 week, 4 months, and 8 months (and more often for a new orthokeratology fitting). If we need to switch to another line of treatment, these changes are included in the global fee. Contact us directly with any questions, comments, or scheduling inquiries you may have. 364 North Ivy Street, Canby, Oregon 97013, United States Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm Closed Wednesdays from 12:00 - 1:00pm
Feed selection on the pasture costs cows time and energy. With the aim of optimised pasture feeding and efficient resource use, the feed selection of Swiss and New Zealand Holstein cows was compared. In pasture-based feeding systems, the feed intake of cows is limited. This in turn also reduces dairy cow productivity. Grazing dairy cows actually require substantially more time for feed intake and consume less feed than cows fed indoors with the same quality of grass. At the same time, cows expend additional energy on grazing. Unlike indoor-fed cattle, they then lack this energy for milk production or body growth. Supply and demand – feed preference and feed selection The individual preference for or selection of certain plants by grazing dairy cows could be harnessed to boost feed consumption. A suitable range of preferred forage plants could improve productivity, efficient nutrient conversion and the welfare of grazing dairy cows by reducing the time they spend looking for and selecting forage. This increased productivity could also reduce emissions. Swiss and New Zealand Holstein cows Agroscope conducted a grazing trial with Swiss and New Zealand Holstein cows that looked at feed selection on the pasture. The diet of the 32 dairy cows consisted of 100% grazed herbage, since no hay or concentrates were fed indoors. Determining feed selection and estimating herbage intake Alkanes in the herbage and in the cows’ faeces were used as markers in order to estimate herbage intake. The substances characteristic of the individual plants (alkanes, long-chain alcohols and long-chain fatty acids) were used to determine individual feed selection. Details concerning the quantity and components of the milk, feeding and ruminating behaviour and the activity recorded with pedometers provided additional information. - The method used to determine the individual feed selection of grazing dairy cows yields useful results. - The marker content (alkanes, long-chain alcohols and long-chain fatty acids) permits the distinction of the individual plants and plant groups. - It was not possible to choose a single best combination of markers with the selected experimental approach. - There are major differences within a group of New Zealand or Swiss Holstein cows in terms of feed selection, but no significant differences were observed between the two types of cows. - The chosen approach for determining the feed selection of grazing dairy cows – detection of the characteristic substances in the forage plants consumed and in the cows’ faeces – appears to have proven its worth. - It was not possible to choose a single best combination of markers (alkanes, long-chain alcohols and/or long-chain fatty acids) for determining individual feed selection. - There are major differences within the group of New Zealand or Swiss Holstein cows in terms of feed selection while grazing, but no significant differences were discovered between the two types of cows. - The approach introduced enables better adaptation of plant communities of pastures to the needs of individual dairy cows. - The manner in which individual cow feed selection and nutrient utilisation are related is still in need of investigation.
As you get older, your body reliably falls apart. Right? Not even close, finds a new study published in the Journal of Physiology. Age really is nothing but a number—but if your number happens to be high, that only applies if your exercise levels are, too. The study from King’s College London and the University of Birmingham in the U.K. looked at older adults all between ages 55-79 who were very active cyclists. The researchers collected extensive physiological information of every person, including heart stats, respiratory and metabolic levels, endocrine functions, hormones, brain power and bone strength. Many of these measures showed a significant association with age—but they varied so much from person to person that no single measure was able to reliably predict a person’s age. That’s probably because exercise levels have such a strong influence over many of those numbers, the study authors note, and being sedentary arguably plays the biggest role. Said Norman Lazarus, study co-author and professor at King’s College London, in a press release, “Inevitably, our bodies will experience some decline with age, but staying physically active can buy you extra years of function compared to sedentary people.” - Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse - The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics - Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother - We Should Get Paid for Our Online Data: Column - The COP28 Outcomes Business Leaders Are Watching For - The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 - The Top 100 Photos of 2023 - Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Children that breastfeed for longer periods end up smarter, more educated and wealthier in adulthood, according to a new study. According to research published in the Lancet Global Health journal, children who breastfeed for at least 12 months scored almost four points higher on IQ tests, attended school for a year longer and made 15% more money at 30 years old, when compared with their peers who suckled for less than a month. Researchers in Brazil surveyed almost 3,500 individuals born in the state of Pelotas in 1982 about their breastfeeding habits. The study’s authors say the uptick in intelligence is likely tied to the presence of long-chain saturated fatty acids present in breast milk that are essential for brain development. “Our finding that predominant breastfeeding is positively related to IQ in adulthood also suggests that the amount of milk consumed plays a role,” said lead author Bernardo Lessa Horta, a professor at Federal University of Pelotas in Brazil. - Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse - The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics - Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother - We Should Get Paid for Our Online Data: Column - The COP28 Outcomes Business Leaders Are Watching For - The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023 - The Top 100 Photos of 2023 - Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Lion and Beehive Houses The Lion and Beehive Houses were both once homes built for second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brigham Young. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (frequently misnamed the “Mormon Church” by the media) has been headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, since 1847. The Beehive House was constructed in 1854. Brigham Young was also territorial governor of the Utah Territory, and the Beehve House served as his executive mansion from 1852 to 1855, where he entertained important guests. It later became the official home of later presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Lorenzo Snow and Joseph F. Smith. The Lion House, so named for a stone lion which sits on top of the front door to the house, was constructed in 1856 and housed up to twelve of Brigham Young’s wives and their families. Mormon polygamy was still being practiced at this time, and Brigham Young had several families to take care of. It was in the Lion House that Brigham Young founded the Retrenchment Society for his daughters and other young women of the Church to learn together principles of industry, modesty, and religion. This society became today’s Young Women Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Brigham Young died in the Lion House in 1877. Both houses were designed by Truman Angell, Brigham Young’s brother-in-law and architect of the Salt Lake Temple. The houses are built out of adobe and sandstone. While the Lion House is named for a stone lion which reminded Brigham of a similar lion featured on a prominent home in Vermont (where Brigham grew up) and which also served as a reminder of Brigham’s nickname “Lion of the Lord,” the Beehive House is named for a carved beehive on top of the house. Brigham Young frequently used the symbol of the beehive to denote industry. After the death of Brigham Young in 1877, his family maintained the houses for several years before selling them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After being used as a residence for LDS Church presidents, the Beehive House later became a dormitory. It was restored in 1960 and is now a historical site open for public tours. The Lion House became a home economics center for the Latter-day Saint University, which was located on the same block of South Temple Street. The Lion House later became a social center for young women of the Church where the Young Women Mutual Improvement Association held classes in myriad subjects including art, needlework, and lectures on diverse subjects. After its restoration in 1968, it remained a social center. It is home of the Lion House Pantry restaurant and is available for wedding receptions, group meetings, and birthday parties. Doris White is a native of Oregon and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English and a minor in Editing. She loves to talk with others about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Netherlands’ Solar Team Eindhoven just unveiled Stella, the world’s first solar-powered family car! The team comprises a group of 22 students who want to show the world that a family car that runs on solar energy is a real possibility today. The four-passenger vehicle is not only powered by the sun, but it also features new technologies that make it many times lighter and more efficient than today’s cars. Using lightweight materials like carbon and aluminum, Stella has a range of around 373 miles. The energy generated by the car’s solar panels is also more than the car actually needs, which gives Stella the ability to send it excess energy to the power grid. That means she is also the world’s first “energy-positive car.” The team will participate in the World Solar Challenge, which is a competition that takes the car across 1875 miles of the Australian Outback. They will take part in the brand-new Cruiser Class category of the WSC. This means that next to the criterion of speed, the car will be judged for the number of transported people, the amount of electricity taken from the grid, and its user friendliness. The race takes place from October 6 – October 13.
For more than three decades, our Nation and the world have confronted the challenges posed by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Today, thanks to lifesaving medications, an HIV/AIDS diagnosis does not have to be a death sentence. On World AIDS Day, we remember the 35 million lives that have sadly been cut short by this terrible disease, and we renew our pledge to stand with those living with it until it is eliminated from our communities. Medical advancements and procedures have transformed HIV from a disease that meant nearly certain death into a generally manageable, chronic condition. Antiretroviral drugs and therapies help control the virus so that people with HIV can experience healthy and productive lives with reduced risk of transmitting it to others. With these long sought solutions now at our disposal, we have the ability to help alleviate the pain and needless suffering of our fellow Americans living with HIV, their family and friends, and the millions of others around the world living with this disease. Our efforts to connect those affected by this disease with high quality healthcare are dramatically improving many lives. The 2017 National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) progress report indicates a significant increase of Americans living with HIV. These people are now able to suppress the virus with medication. But we cannot rest on this progress. In recent years, opioids and other injected drugs have caused HIV outbreaks in communities rarely affected before the outbreak of the epidemic. We must continue to work to eliminate the stigma that surrounds HIV so that no one is afraid to learn their HIV status, treat their condition if HIV infected, and prevent infection if they are at risk. My Administration remains steadfastly focused on achieving the NHAS goals for 2020. These goals are within our reach, but achieving them will require continued coordinated work with local and State governments, faith based and charitable organizations, and many others. One such critical component of our domestic public health response is the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Working with cities, counties, States, and local community-based programs, this program provides a comprehensive system of HIV care, lifesaving medications, and essential support services to more than half a million low income people in the United States each year. We also remain committed to collaborating with both national and international stakeholders through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). For 15 years, PEPFAR has devoted American resources to critical HIV prevention, treatment, and care to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, helping to save more than 17 million lives. PEPFAR has continued to support a rapid acceleration of HIV prevention by using data to increase program performance, mobilize domestic resources, and support local partners for sustainable implementation. Through this program, we are supporting lifesaving HIV treatment for more than 14 million people and have enabled more than 2 million babies of HIV infected mothers to be born HIV-free. With American leadership, the HIV/AIDS pandemic has shifted from crisis toward control. Hope and life are prospering where death and despair once prevailed. A generation that could have been lost is instead thriving and building a brighter future. For the first time in modern history, we have the ability to sustainably control an epidemic, despite the absence of a vaccine or cure, and create a future of flourishing, stable communities in the United States and around the globe. NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2018, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and American people to join me in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support and compassion to those living with HIV. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third. DONALD J. TRUMP
Spotlight: Skunk Cabbage Also known as lysichiton americanum, skunk cabbage can be found in very wet, swampy areas with low to medium elevations. It is primarily located from Northern California to Alaska. This plant consists of a greenish yellow spike of flowers on a fleshy stem, surrounded by huge, lance-shaped leaves. Skunk cabbage is typically 30-150 cm tall. The skunk cabbage has a putrid odor that resembles rotting meat, hence the name. This odor attracts many insects to pollinate inside of its flowers. An interesting characteristic of the skunk plant is that it produces heat. It often melts the snow and ice that surround it. This is why the flowers appear so early in the spring. Skunk cabbage is often called "Indian wax paper" because Native Americans used the leaves to wrap food and line berry racks and cooking pits. The roots can be eaten if roasted and the leaves can be eaten if boiled first. If not boiled properly, the skunk cabbage can cause burning and irritation. However, grizzly bears can eat this plant without a problem. Nobody knows how the bears can tolerate the poisonous crystals embedded in the roots. The skunk cabbage has medicinal uses as well. When combined with honey, it can be used to treat asthma and other lung disorders. Native Americans used skunk cabbage to relieve muscles and headaches. Unfortunately, an overdose of the plant can have awful side effects such as nausea.
Understanding climate change through plants: a visit to the IU Southeast Herbarium Nov. 28, 2012 Where most people see a field of flowers, David Winship Taylor sees specimens. Specifically, the IU Southeast biology professor visualizes the flowers as neatly pressed, dried plant parts referred to as herbarium specimens -- plant samples that can provide crucial information on topics such as climate change patterns and the preservation of threatened species.For the past 20 years, Taylor has curated the IU Southeast Herbarium, a collection of nearly 8,000 plant specimens from a five-county area, and the only active such resource in southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Taylor's personal research focuses on the evolution of flowering plants, analyzing fossilized flowers for clues about their origin, reproductive biology and ecological role. Currently, he is working on an article about the pollen size of the earliest flowering plants during the Cretaceous period, examining pollen size through time in different groups of flowering plants. His field research varies from the seemingly routine classification of plants found in Indiana and Kentucky counties to exotic discoveries made overseas at archaeological digs in England, China and Jordan. In 1999, Taylor and co-researchers were conducting a dig in Jordan when they unearthed the oldest flowering plant fossil leaves ever discovered in the Middle East, dating back to the Early Cretaceous Period over 100 million years ago. The researchers also discovered the leaves of an aquatic fern on that trip. But Taylor talks with equal pride about taking IU Southeast undergraduate students to the nearby 2,339-acre Charlestown State Park each summer in search of previously unidentified native and invasive plants. Located in Southern Indiana, Charlestown State Park was once an ammunition plant owned by the military. The park's limestone glades are so near the surface of the soil that trees don't thrive there, Taylor said. The result is a proliferation of prairie plants that include a rare orchid not often seen in the state, and some instances of the Eastern prickly pear, the single cacti species native to Indiana. "We are seeing a growing number of southern species crossing the Ohio. These lists play an important role in understanding change, in climate and in native vegetation," he said. The herbarium serves as an important resource for other organizations, as well. Recently, Jeffrey D. Carstens of the Iowa-based North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station contacted Taylor for location information on blue ash trees, which are somewhat uncommon in Indiana. The organization is a collaborator in a nationwide effort to preserve the genetic diversity of the North American ash and was seeking seed samples for preservation. "In the past, epidemics that led to loss of the American chestnut and elm species resulted in permanent loss of important forest and landscape trees," Carstens said. Using the resources of the IU Southeast Herbarium, Taylor was able to advise Carstens on specific sites that historically documented the presence of the blue ash. Carstens used the location information to target documented populations of blue ash in order to find sample seeds, which are being deposited into the seed storage facility devoted to preserving the genetic diversity of plants. The herbarium's online database also offers an easy-to-navigate catalog of species searchable by scientific or collector name, genus, family, county or state. Many of the cataloged plants are found by active volunteers, some of whom have no academic ties to IU Southeast. One of those volunteers, Bill Thomas, is working on his third publication, in the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, about plants from the five-county area that have not previously been described in print. He is working in collaboration with Dick Maxwell, the professor emeritus who first established the IU Southeast Herbarium in the 1970s. Thomas has found and identified an invasive plant that typically grows throughout Asia. "It was the first time it had been reported in the U.S.," Taylor said. "Hopefully it won't survive."
Washington — Congress this year may harvest a bountiful crop of environmental legislation. Long-stuck bills dealing with wilderness areas, toxic waste, and clean water are likely to become law before fall. ''No major piece of environmental legislation has passed since 1980,'' notes Jeff Conly, project officer of the National Environmental Development Association. ''There's a lot of pressure from all sides to move this stuff.'' To be sure, some major environmental initiatives are still as stuck as a cat in a tree. Congress is doing its best to ignore the expired Clean Air Act and the issue of acid rain. Last week, a House committee vote in effect guaranteed that acid rain controls won't be considered until after November. But in this election year when Capitol Hill is both underworked and overpoliticized, it is something of a surprise that any environmental bills are moving at all, observers say. Environmental politics, after all, are particularly complicated. They are both partisan and regional. Some of Congress's epic environmental battles of recent years, for instance, have pitted House Energy and Commerce chairman John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat who sometimes supports industry positions, against California Democrats who side with environmentalists. Probably the most spectacular breakout of environmental legislation involves designation of wilderness areas. Since 1979, Congress has been examining pristine national forest land, state by state, to decide what parcels should be permanently protected from development as official ''wilderness.'' For the last three years, however, this work has been held up while the Senate and House fought over what should happen to the land that doesn't get the wilderness tag. Then last week the House and Senate committees involved suddenly settled their feud. They agreed that forest land not named wilderness can be again considered for protection in 10 years, though in the meantime it need not be managed as a pristine area. The way is now clear for quick passage of bills that would establish more than 3 million acres of wilderness in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, and Arkansas. ''We're very pleased. This takes away the hurdle that was holding things up, '' Charles Clusen, Wilderness Society deputy director of conservation, says. Moderate Republican senators from Oregon and Washington forced the compromise. They were fed up with the delay, according to congressional sources, and wanted wilderness established in their environmentally conscious states before the November elections. Congress also appears ready to refurbish the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the main United States law governing transportation and disposal of hazardous waste. Front-page news stories about Times Beach, dioxin, and EDB have made legislators quite sensitive to the issue of hazardous waste. Last fall, the House voted to renew and tighten RCRA, in an effort to catch more hazardous substances before they are released into the environment. A similar bill has been stalled in the Senate, waiting its chance to squeeze onto the floor for a vote. ''For two months, it's been 'tomorrow we'll bring it up,' '' a congressional aide who helped draft the bill complains. But with school-prayer and deficit-reduction votes out of the way, action now seems imminent. The committee aide says the Senate should vote on RCRA late this week, or early next. If it finally passes muster on Capitol Hill, the new RCRA will regulate for the first time those companies that produce small quantities of hazardous waste. It is also likely to stiffen design requirements for hazardous-waste landfills. Water is the third major environmental issue Congress will probably complete work on this summer. The Clean Water Act expired two years ago (''It's been dead in the water quite some time,'' jokes Larry Williams, a Sierra Club lobbyist), and legislators have been struggling ever since to reauthorize it. The Senate is biding its time, waiting to see movement in the House before voting on its version of a modern Clean Water Act. And representatives are, indeed, starting to move: A House panel is scheduled to vote on the Clean Water Act Thursday. ''Was there ever any doubt we'd get a clean water bill this year?'' asks a House committee aide, with an air of nonchalance. Nonpoint pollution - runoff from farms, construction sites, and city streets - is the most controversial aspect of the clean water issue. The Senate bill would require states to submit to EPA plans for controlling such liquid pollution. The House version is less strict on the matter. Thus environmentalists, when it comes to clean water, are in the somewhat unusual position of supporting the efforts of the Republican-dominated Senate, and opposing the Democratic House. ''We'd like them to move first in the Senate,'' says the Sierra Club's Larry Williams.
For the past eight years, Puerto Rico has faced at least one extreme event every year. Hurricanes, droughts and floods have landed multimillion dollar blows to the island, while 92% of coastal towns have suffered from beach erosion. The Puerto Rico government has known for years about the serious threat facing the island. Under the administration of the two political parties that have been in office since 2005, the Legislature and the Executive branch have enacted a total of 62 measures to tackle climate change and its effects on the island. None has translated into action, according to an investigation by the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) in Puerto Rico.
In the digital age, documents come in various formats, each tailored to specific needs and preferences. Among these formats, PDF (Portable Document Format) stands out as a widely used option, but it’s not the only one. Other document formats, such as Word and HTML, offer unique features and capabilities. In this article, we will explore the differences between PDF and these formats, shedding light on their advantages and disadvantages. PDF vs. Word: The differences between PDF and Word, including formatting, editing, and collaboration capabilities PDF and Word (typically in the form of .doc or .docx files) differ significantly in terms of formatting. PDFs are known for preserving the original formatting of a document, ensuring that text, images, and layouts appear exactly as intended. This makes PDFs ideal for sharing documents that require precise formatting, such as legal contracts or design portfolios. Word, on the other hand, allows for more dynamic formatting changes. Users can easily adjust fonts, colors, and layouts to suit their preferences. While this flexibility can be advantageous for creative projects, it may lead to formatting inconsistencies when sharing documents with others. When it comes to editing, Word takes the lead. It offers robust editing features, allowing users to make changes to text, images, and formatting with ease. Collaborative editing is also seamless with Word, thanks to real-time collaboration features in platforms like Microsoft 365. PDFs, in contrast, are primarily designed for static content. While there are online PDF editors like Lumin that enable you to edit PDF files, they are generally less intuitive and feature-rich than word processors like Microsoft Word. Editing a PDF often involves converting it to another format, making changes, and then reconverting it back to PDF. Collaboration is where Word shines. Multiple users can work on a Word document simultaneously, providing real-time feedback and edits. This collaborative approach is highly effective for team projects and document reviews. PDFs can also be collaboratively reviewed, but the process is typically less straightforward. It often involves annotating the PDF or using separate commenting tools, making it less seamless compared to Word’s integrated collaboration features. PDF vs. HTML: The differences between PDF and HTML, including interactivity, accessibility, and flexibility HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the backbone of the internet, and it excels in creating interactive content. Unlike PDFs, HTML documents can embed multimedia elements, hyperlinks, and interactive forms. This makes HTML the preferred format for web pages, online applications, and e-learning materials. PDFs, while not inherently interactive, can include hyperlinks and interactive forms to a certain extent. However, creating complex interactivity in PDFs may require specialized software and expertise. HTML has a significant advantage when it comes to accessibility. Screen readers and other assistive technologies work seamlessly with HTML, ensuring that content is accessible to individuals with disabilities. HTML’s semantic structure and adherence to web accessibility standards contribute to its inclusivity. PDFs can also be made accessible, but it requires extra effort. Proper tagging, alternative text for images, and careful attention to layout are necessary to create accessible PDFs. Failing to do so can result in accessibility issues for individuals with disabilities. HTML offers unmatched flexibility for web content. It allows content to adapt to different screen sizes and orientations, making it responsive and suitable for various devices. This responsiveness is crucial for a consistent user experience across smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. PDFs, in contrast, maintain a fixed layout, which can be a limitation when viewed on smaller screens. While some PDF viewers offer zoom and reflow features, the content’s appearance may still be less optimal compared to responsive HTML. PDF vs. EPUB: The differences between PDF and EPUB, including layout, text reflow, and multimedia capabilities PDFs are known for their fixed layout, which ensures that documents appear exactly as intended by the creator. This makes PDFs ideal for documents where layout precision is critical, such as magazines, brochures, and technical manuals. EPUB, on the other hand, is an eBook format designed for flexibility. EPUB documents allow text to reflow dynamically based on the reader’s device and preferences. This adaptability ensures a pleasant reading experience on various e-readers and mobile devices. In PDFs, text reflow is limited, which can be frustrating for users who prefer larger fonts or different text spacing. EPUB, on the other hand, offers a seamless text reflow experience, enabling readers to adjust font size, line spacing, and margins to suit their preferences. While both PDFs and EPUBs support multimedia elements like videos and audio, EPUBs tend to handle them more gracefully. EPUB readers often provide better multimedia integration and playback options. This makes EPUB a preferred format for interactive eBooks and digital publications. Advantages of using PDF Despite the differences outlined above, PDFs offer several unique advantages: - Universal Compatibility: PDFs can be viewed on nearly any device and operating system, ensuring broad compatibility. - Security Features: PDFs can be password-protected, encrypted, and digitally signed, making them a secure choice for sensitive documents. - Reliable Rendering: PDFs maintain consistent formatting across different devices and platforms, reducing the risk of layout discrepancies. Disadvantages of using PDF While PDFs are versatile, they do have limitations: - Limited Editing Capabilities: Editing PDFs can be more cumbersome compared to Word or HTML, especially for complex changes. - Potential Accessibility Issues: Creating accessible PDFs requires additional effort, and poorly tagged PDFs can pose accessibility challenges. Choosing the Right Format When deciding which document format to use, consider factors such as the intended use, audience, and required features. If you need precise formatting and plan to share the document as a final version, PDF is an excellent choice. However, for collaborative editing or highly interactive content, Word or HTML may be more suitable. Converting Between Formats Converting between document formats is possible and often necessary. To convert a PDF to Word or HTML, various online converters and software applications are available. Google Docs, for instance, allows you to edit PDFs and save them in different formats. Using Multiple Formats In some cases, using a combination of formats can be advantageous. For example, you can create an interactive HTML webpage and provide a downloadable PDF version for users who prefer a printed or offline format. This approach ensures maximum reach and accessibility. In conclusion, understanding the differences between PDF and other document formats like Word and HTML is essential for choosing the right format for your specific needs. Each format has its strengths and weaknesses, and selecting the appropriate one can greatly impact the effectiveness of your documents and communication. Whether you prioritize formatting precision, interactivity, or accessibility, there is a document format that aligns with your goals.
\|THE INTERNET PLASMA PHYSICS EDUCATION EXPERIENCE\| Explore the data from a fusion energy experiment and begin to understand the complexities of the problem. If you succeed, you can help change the world by providing unlimited clean energy. To take part, answer the 5 questions on the following pages. E-mail your results to the Fusion Wizard. If you answer all 5 questions correctly, you can submit your picture and will receive the rank of Research Assistant. In all of our investigations of TFTR [princeton plasma physics lab's tokamak reactor] raw data we will study how a particular input quantity affects plasma performance. The input quantity of interest is systematically changed in a series of different plasmas (called "shots" and given a unique number) while all other quantities are held constant. We then study how the performance variables are effected by changing input power. In our first investigation, the variables of interest are plasma current , the input variable, versus output fusion power, the performance variable. The table below lists all of the input variables and performance variables with a link to their definitions in the glossary: The plotting routine below allows you to plot two different variables (data types) for up to 5 different plasmas (shots). To plot the plasma current on the top and the neutral beam input power on the bottom for shots 45606 and 41087 you would do the following: [a list of shot numbers will be provided during the analysis] Give it a try! (Check your plot here!) Once you are comfortable with plotting different variables, it's time to begin Exercise 1. Copyright © 2001 IPPEX ONLINE all rights reserved.
It is true that human beings have a natural tendency towards cooperation, but it is also true that we can sometimes be very cruel to each other. The frequency with which verbal aggression occurs is an example of that. In the end, as much as we must live in society to survive, that does not mean that we should always get along, in all contexts. In this article we will see how to respond to verbal aggression , as well as strategies for managing the emotions associated with this process. How to react to verbal aggression? Although we normally associate violence only with attacks on people’s bodies or property, we must not forget that as sentient beings, words and symbols can also hurt us. That is why verbal aggression is a reality, and we must know how to position ourselves before it. Of course, one of the facets of responsible behaviour in this respect is not to use this kind of attack against others, but it doesn’t end there. How to respond to verbal aggression when it is directed towards oneself ? In a situation of open hostility in which we are attacked by verbal aggression, remember the following guidelines to know not only how to act, but how to act. Next we will see the main guidelines to follow, assuming that verbal aggressions occur in a context where there is no risk of receiving physical or economic damage, in which case we would be talking about a much more serious form of domination. 1. Be clear about the objective It is necessary to keep in mind from the beginning that what we aspire to is, fundamentally, to protect our dignity and, secondly, to prevent this kind of attack from happening again. This means that we do not seek revenge, nor to humiliate the other , goals that are incompatible with the previous ones. 2. Take a distance perspective Faced with compromising situations like this, it is necessary to adopt a certain critical distance from what is happening to us, so as not to get carried away. Part of successfully managing those moments when we are attacked verbally is simply not losing your temper and knowing how to control yourself. In fact, sometimes the only purpose of these aggressions is based on the expected effect of making us nervous, so that we cannot think rationally, thus creating an asymmetry in the power dynamics that are established in the dialogue. If we remain calm we not only avoid this, but also demonstrate our strength and self-confidence , something that makes us gain power both in the eyes of the aggressor and in those of possible observers who are not directly involved in what is happening. There should be no sign that self-esteem is compromised, as this may give more reason to continue acting in the same way. 3. Drawing attention to the offense You cannot act as if verbal aggression is normal, so the first thing to do is to point out the fact that the other person is already at a disadvantage. In these cases it is good not to focus on how the attack makes us feel, as this may encourage the other person. Instead, it is better to talk about these attacks as an easy resource that is only used by those who are less able to defend their positions in a coherent and informed way. Everyone can use personal insults or allusions that only hinder dialogue. 4. Deconstruct the attacks of the other Sometimes we forget that verbal aggressions are based on totally questionable actions and statements, and we simply focus on the discomfort they generate. But the truth is that through these attacks, the person issuing these aggressive messages is exposing himself, and risks having his actions turned against him. This is what we need to take advantage of. After all, on many occasions these attacks are a way of masking the poverty of the arguments used. Thus, it is good that, at least in the beginning, we act as if within those verbal aggressions there is a content worth taking seriously, so that a rigid and dogmatic attitude is not shown that is comparable to that of the other person. In this way, we can explain, briefly, the reasons why the attacks received are absurd and unfounded. However, it is essential that this step is always taken after the previous one, which consists of drawing attention to the denigrating content of the other’s messages. 5. Showing little patience It is good to make it clear that our attitude is not the same as that of the attacker, but neither should we act as if the other person were doing his or her part to generate a fruitful dialogue. That’s why we should not create elaborate responses to each new attack by the other. If a verbal assault occurs a second time, it is best to stop seeing this person as a valid interlocutor, and to stop paying attention to what he has to say, briefly explaining our reasons for doing this. This is a step that has to be taken right after the verbal assault occurs, to emphasize the fact that this is unacceptable, and that is the reason, and no other, why we stop talking to this person.
Prehistoric Humans Didn’t Grunt Their Ideas - They Used Hand Gestures A new study has shown that the origins of human communication began with hand gestures, and not sounds. The research team discovered this after tasking volunteers to describe words using grunts and then hand gestures. The latter was found to be, by far, the most effective method of conveying ideas and concepts. Testing Grunts and Hand Gestures The “archetypal” prehistoric human grunted when communicating. But this incorrect stereotype, that Hollywood has hammered home for decades, has now been dissolved in the face of a new scientific study. A team of scientists from the University of Western Australia has determined that our prehistoric ancestors likely “did not use sounds to communicate, and instead opted for hand gestures.” - 10 Ancient Symbols You Think You Know the Meaning Of (But You Probably Don’t) - How Does Language Emerge? Answer: Spontaneously The new study was recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B in which the researchers asked volunteers to attempt describing words using only grunts, followed by hand gestures. The latter were found to be “far more effective” when one human attempted to communicate ideas to another. Furthermore, actions more than sounds, were understood by people from different social backgrounds. The study revealed that hand gestures were far more effective in communicating meaning. (Fay et. al. / Proceedings of the Royal Society B) Lips or Hands, That Was the Question The Australian researchers aimed to determine whether grunts or hand gestures were the most effective means of communication across cultures. The scientists wrote that people of all cultures gesture while they speak. Even blind people gesture, and hearing restricted adults and children can also “successfully use gesture as their sole means of communication,” the researchers said. The new study was inspired by a 2015 paper by scientists from the University of Liverpool and St Andrews argued that humans initiated more complex communications around “2.5 to 1.8 million years ago.” It was implied that people were “talking about DIY” after the researchers concluded “tool-making drove the evolution of language among our human ancestors in the African savannah.” Part of the study involved playing a game similar to charades. (EmotionPhoto / Adobe Stock) Hunting Was the Most Efficient Method of Communication The new paper says sophisticated manual languages, with the same expressive range as spoken language, emerge rapidly in populations of deaf children. It is the “ubiquity of gesture, and its capacity to rapidly evolve into language,” that urged the scientists to test if language originated in the ancient world with physical gestures, rather than conceptual vocal instructions. The first experiment testing the team’s “gesture before vocals” hypothesis involved 30 people from Australia and 30 people from Vanuatu. Firstly, both groups were tasked with playing a game similar to charades that requires an individual projecting ideas to other people to guess what the significance of the instruction was. Then the rules changed, with hand gestures being replaced with grunts and grumbles. It was discovered that gestures were a much more effective communicating method. Effective Communicators Don’t Grunt - They Gesture Part two of this experiment repeated the first but with visually-impaired people making and interpreting the hand gestures or grunts. Again, even though visually-impaired people do not have shared visual clues, hand gestures beat grunts, hands down. “These findings support a gesture-first theory of language origin,” the researchers concluded. - The Origins of Human Language: One of the Hardest Problems in Science - The Quest to Understand Haliphat’s Speaking Handshapes Gestures such as “slicing the air or waving” seem to make visual instructions more memorable. The scientists said this means gesture is “ideally suited to bootstrapping human communication among modern humans and therefore supports the hypothesis that gesture is the primary modality for language creation.” And according to the Daily Mail these new observations might explain why politicians, and other salespeople, have the “annoying” habit of chopping their hands in the air while orating. Prehistoric man communicating with each other and producing cave drawings. (Public domain) Lost in the Middle of Grunts and Hand Gestures Just to be clear, this new study has quite serious implications for the current state of, and the future of, human communications. Now we know, for sure, that human communication is most effective when delivered as hand gestures, what then of emails, texts and social media platforms? A primary reason why online platforms see so much conflict between users is because so much of one’s intentions are are lost with textual communication. The tech giants know this clearly, and to help users they now offer a tight set of emojis so that they can “gesture” to one and another. Where will all this end, I ask you, if all of our gestures are limited to the same little stupid circular yellow faces, when we know that for more than 2 million years we were most effective communicating with hand gestures? The devolution of communication, one fears. Top image: Study shows prehistoric man used hand gestures to communicate. Source: Zemler / Adobe Stock By Ashley Cowie
In 1765 a handful of physicians in this city of 25,000 residents had an idea—a dream of training new physicians in a school of medicine. Their purpose was simple and direct: to have a continuing supply of trained physicians who could provide quality medical care. So, 200 years ago formal medical education in America began with the establishment of the College of Philadelphia—later to become the University of Pennsylvania. And three years later, in 1768, the first ten new physicians were graduated. Later, in this city of Philadelphia a group of 56 men, including five physicians, gathered in 1776. They too had an idea— a dream of freeing their country from tyranny, of declaring their country independent, and of unifying their countrymen. They too succeeded, for a new nation soon was to be established. Their purpose also was simple and direct: to establish a new government which would insure the
IHS Health Information System First Federal Agency Certified for Meaningful Use The Indian Health Service's health information system was certified for Meaningful Use, which essentially means its electronic health records met the Department of Health and Human Services' standards, earning it certification as a Complete Electronic Health Record (EHR), according to an IHS press release. Indian Health Service (IHS), which provides health care to 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives in 35 states, is the first federal agency to have its health information system certified for Meaningful Use. The qualification means IHS can receive reimbursement incentives through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help improve health disparities throughout the Indian health system. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , also known as the Recovery Act, enacted on February 17, 2009, authorizes the CMS to offer incentive payments to providers that demonstrate meaningful use or certified EHR technology. Through the Recovery Act, IHS received $85 million to modernize and extend electronic health information technology, which is currently operational at more than 280 IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health care facilities nationwide. The electronic health records are intended to improve the quality and efficiency of care, providing secure access to health information, the ability to document patient care services, clinical decision support, performance reporting, and exchange of information with other providers of care. "These features help clinicians make better decisions and avoid preventable errors," stated the IHS press release. “The Indian Health Service is very proud to be the first federal agency to earn this certification, which is based on industry standards. Our certified electronic health record will help us provide quality health care delivery to patients in the Indian health system,” said IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux, M.D., M.P.H. “The monetary incentives made available by this certification will also benefit IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health facilities.” You need to be logged in in order to post comments Please use the log in option at the bottom of this page
From the Bahamas to Hong Kong – across the international date line and across the planet….everyone gets involved! Are you getting involved? On World Oceans Day, people around the blue planet celebrate and acknowledge the ocean which connects us all. It’s a great idea to get together with your family, friends, community, school, and child care, to recognise what needs to happen to ensure the ocean is kept safe and start creating a better future. The global celebration is a way to acknowledge that no matter where in the world we are – we all have a role to play in protecting our oceans. The “WHY” of World Oceans Day! A healthy world ocean is critical to our survival. Every year, World Oceans Day provides a unique opportunity to recognize, help protect, and conserve our world’s shared ocean. Why is the ocean so important? Because it: - Generates most of the oxygen we breathe - Helps feed us - Regulates our climate - Cleans the water we drink - Offers a pharmacopoeia of medicines - Provides limitless inspiration When communities acknowledge, plan and talk about the ocean on June 8th it allows for: - Changes in perspective – encourage individuals to think about what the ocean means to them and what it has to offer all of us with hopes of conserving it for present and the future generations. - Learning – discover the wealth of diverse and beautiful ocean creatures and habitats, how our daily actions affect them, and how we are all interconnected. - A changing of our ways – we are all linked to, and through, the ocean! By taking care of your backyard and helping in your community, you are acting as a caretaker of our ocean. Making small modifications to your everyday habits will make a difference, and involving your family, friends, and community will benefit our blue planet even more! - Celebration – whether you live inland or on the coast, we are all connected to the ocean. Take the time to think about how the ocean affects you, and how you affect the ocean, and then organize or participate in activities that celebrate our ocean. World Oceans Day web page has an interactive map – showing events that have been organised and registered – you too can register and get your name on the map! Imagine sharing with your children that your centre/school has just been listed on this world map! You can download resources from the organiser’s website – But some other great ideas are – - Letting your local paper know what you’re up to for World Oceans Day- and try and be a feature article – really spreading the word across the community. - Taking an excursion to the beach and start a cleanup project to protect marine life in the ocean. - Create a long term project with children and families in the centre about how you can make a change in homes and centres and the community. - Make contact with a centre in another part of the world and discuss how you are acknowledging World Oceans Day. - Invite a guest speaker to come in and talk with Educators and children about the ocean – and maintaining its beauty. “The ocean is a place of beauty, a wildlife habitat, it allows up to breathe and grow, it also allows for industry, energy, recreation and tourism – we cannot keep harming and continue to take without consequence- it won’t be with us forever.” Anon.
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more. How to insert a text box in Google Docs Any alternative to Microsoft Word that’s worth its salt must be able to do it all. That means handling way more than just paragraphs and page breaks. Google Docs checks all of the boxes, but some tasks are less intuitive than others. For example, what if you want to emphasize text like pull quotes in your document? Let’s quickly run through how to insert a text box in Google Docs. Read more: How to add a graph to Google Docs To insert a text box in Google Docs, you can make your own text box in the drawing tool, or you can use a 1×1 table and format its borderlines as 0 pt. To reach the drawing tool, click Insert → Drawing → + New. To add a 1×1 table, click Insert → Table → 1 x 1. JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS The process to insert a text box in Google Docs is actually kind of complicated, as there isn’t a built-in text box button. There is on Google Slides but not on Google Docs. Knowing how to add text boxes will allow you to add things like pull quotes and highlight certain areas of writing. There’s plenty more you can do with the drawing tool as well, so don’t be afraid to experiment! How to insert a text box in Google Docs (Drawing) One way to add a text box in Google Docs is to use the drawing tool. First, click the Insert button in the top toolbar. Move your cursor down over Drawing, then, from the extended menu, click + New. Within the Drawing window, locate the Text Box button in the upper toolbar; this looks like a capital letter ‘T’ within a square. Click this and your cursor will become a crosshair. Click and drag to the shape and size you want for your textbox. When you release the cursor, you’ll see your box with nine handles so you can change the shape and size. When you’re ready to fill in your text box, double-click within the nine handles. You can change the color, font, and size in the toolbar above. When you’re ready to insert your text box into your Google Doc, click the blue Save and Close button at the top. When it’s on the page, you can play around with the positioning and shape until it’s just right. The text box is treated as a still image; if you need to edit your text box, click the box and hit the Edit button underneath. How to insert a text box in Google Docs (1×1 table) There is another makeshift way to add a text box on Google Docs. That is to use a 1×1 table. Similar to how you can use a thick-lined 1×1 table as a border for your page, you can get pretty creative with the alternative uses for a 1×1 table. By that, we mean manipulating it into a text box. To start, insert a 1×1 table onto the page. Click Insert, then hover your cursor over Table. From the extended menu, click the top left square, which reads 1 x 1 at the bottom. You will see a long rectangular box appear on your page. From here, type out whatever it is you want your text box to read. Resize the table to the way you want it positioned on the page. You can do this by dragging each of the four lines on each side. You essentially have your text box now. However, there is one last thing that you can do to clean up your text box. The final step—and this is optional—is to get rid of those four lines on each side. We like to do this to make it look like we have positioned our text box without using any borders. To do this, click the Border width button, and choose 0pt. When finished your text box will have invisible borders around the edges. If you want your borders thicker, you can change the border weight to a higher value instead. Read more: How to change or add fonts to Google Docs Is there a text box in Google Docs? In terms of a text box function, no. There is no built-in function in Google Docs to click and drag a new text box within a page. However, you can make your own text box in the drawing tool, or you can use a 1×1 table and format its borderlines as 0pt. How do you make a fillable text box in Google Docs?
November 9, 2011 Kamuela HI – One of the world’s largest optical/infrared telescopes has captured near-infrared light images of asteroid YU55 as it was departing its close flyby of Earth the night of Nov. 8, 2011. The observing run on the Keck II telescope was webcast live to a large audience on UStream directly from the Keck II Telescope Remote Operations room in Kamuela, Hawaii. At the helm of the 10-meter telescope and using Keck’s pioneering adaptive optics to view YU55 were asteroid investigators William Merline and Peter Tamblyn of Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colo.; and Chris Neyman of Keck Observatory. The first unprocessed infrared images of the coal-black asteroid appear to confirm that the asteroid does not have any small companion satellites and that it may be somewhat smaller than some researchers have suspected. Asteroid YU55, made its closest approach to Earth - just 324,600 kilometers – on Nov. 8 at 3:26 pm U.S. PST. Merline’s research is funded by NASA’s Planetary Astronomy Program and NSF’s Planetary Astronomy Program. More updates and images are forthcoming. # # # The W. M. Keck Observatory operates two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes on the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. The twin telescopes feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectroscopy and a world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics system which cancels out much of the interference caused by Earth’s turbulent atmosphere. The Observatory is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization and a scientific partnership of the California Institute of Technology, the University of California and NASA.
A credit score is a three-digit number that is a fast objective estimate of your credit risk based on a snapshot of your credit report at a particular moment. Lenders use this number to make a prediction about how you will behave in the future. Your credit score can affect whether you get a loan, a car, a home and even a job. Being considered a “high risk” can cost you hundreds in fees and interest. Your score is calculated on multiple factors. Five major areas effecting the score are: Payment History – This is probably the most important factor. Your payment history is looking at your past payment history, with an emphasis on your most recent history. Total Debt – How much is your overall debt? How close are you to your credit limits? Length of Credit History – In general the longer your credit history the better. New Credit – This is looking at how much new credit you have tried to get recently. Avoid applying for multiple accounts at once. An exception would be if you are shopping for a mortgage or a car loan. Types of Credit Established – Do you have a healthy mix of revolving (credit cards) and installment (mortgages) credit? A good score varies from lender to lender and between the credit bureaus. Each bureau compiles the scores differently by varying the weight given to each category. Your score could vary up to 100 points depending on the bureau and the information gathered at each of the bureaus. To ensure your credit doesn’t have any discrepancies and you haven’t been a victim of identity theft, we recommend that you request your FREE annual credit report by going here Learn about your credit score by visiting these sites – http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditreports http://www.walletpop.com/credit Free Financial Credit Review – The Credit Union will review your credit report with you and make recommendations for improving your credit bureau score. Simply call us or send us an email at email@example.com and we’ll contact you to set up an appointment. Budgeting can be a scary word. Few people really want to know how much they are spending and like dieting, budgeting sounds like you are depriving yourself of something. Budgeting isn’t a bad thing! And actually it can be fairly simple to set up a budget. Step One: Set Financial Goals Where do you want to be in a year, ten years, at retirement? Why are you creating a budget? It might help if you wrote down a few goals so you know what you are working towards whether it is saving more, spending less, or that dream vacation. At this point don’t worry about how unrealistic the goal is – just get it on paper. Later once you have a budget in place; remind yourself often what you are working towards. Step Two: Start Tracking Expenses Find a way that works for you – this could be a notebook that you carry with you, computer software or use this budget worksheet form. Write everything down and categorize spending by the type of expense (entertainment, groceries, gas, etc.). Remember even that $1 in the vending machine counts. You might be surprised how quickly the little dribblers add up - $1 a day for soda is over $360 a year! That daily $3.50 latte or mocha adds up to $1,277.50 - and that doesn’t include tips! Step Three: Know Your Income What are you really making after taxes and other deductions? Step Four: Take a look at your lifestyle. Where are your spending weaknesses? Are you spending more than you are bringing in? Now it’s time to actually create a plan. Look at your type of expenses – figure out how much you need to budget for basic things like utilities, bills, gasoline, groceries, etc. How much is left over to save or spend on entertainment and extras? Step Five: Trim Excessive Spending If your expenses are more than your income or if you are just looking to increase your savings, you will need to cut back. What can you get rid of – premium cable channels, subscriptions to magazines or movie services? Look at your spending honestly and look for leaks or extras you just don’t need. Just like a diet, you can’t deprive yourself of everything or you will never stick with it. Budget a small amount of money for fun extras. It may be helpful to actually pay yourself in cash so when the money is gone – it’s gone. Use this money for fun extras like a coffee on the way to work, or a night out with friends. Step Six: Pay Yourself First You should make a category in your budget to pay yourself. Even if you start with setting aside $10 a month – it’s something. You also need to budget money for emergencies, such as car repairs, unexpected bills, etc. Payroll deduction could be a great way to start saving. You set up how much and to which account. Castparts Credit Union offers an automatic transfer from one account to another – so if your money is direct deposited into your checking set up a recurring transfer of a certain amount of money to your savings. You can always adjust the amount later if you find you can save more or less. Step Seven: Review and Reevaluate Often Your situation will change constantly – your income may increase or decrease, expenses may fluctuate, or maybe you paid off that credit card debt. Adjust your budget accordingly. If you need more strategies or ideas, give us a call! To help you manage your spending and expenses, use this handy budgeting calculator! Track your expenses and determine your budget needs by using these worksheets offered free from our partner Balance®. We realize no one is perfect. We've all had bumps in the road. Let's face it, change is inevitable. As your credit union, we're committed to helping you through your life, even the rough times. Are you experiencing any of the warning signs of financial distress? Balance® is a nonprofit credit counseling agency, committed to helping individuals and families establish sound financial security and well-being through confidential and personalized service. Each of their Financial Specialists is a certified credit counselor through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), the nation's most trusted credit counseling organization Balance® can help you: Over the phone: 888-456-2227 (toll-free) On the internet: http://www.balancepro.net Balance® can help with understanding and analyzing your personal credit report, strategies to improve your credit score, even debt management. They can also help you prepare for bankruptcy by exploring options and required steps. MyMoney.gov is the U.S. government's website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are buying a home, balancing your checkbook, or investing in your 401(k), the resources on MyMoney.gov can help you maximize your financial decisions. Articles regarding financial planning, budgeting, insurance and more. Serving Our Members Since 1957 Questions, Comments, Suggestions? Email the Webmaster Copyright 2007-2016 Castparts Employees Federal Credit Union All Rights Reserved
The Night Watch by Rembrandt – the story behind the night watch painting The story behind the Night Watch painting is one that has many twists and turns. In 1911, a down-and-out navy cook sliced the painting with a knife. On September 14, 1975, a Dutch schoolmaster thought he was performing a divine mission by attacking the work. After these attacks, the Night Watch was placed under a permanent guard. In April 1990, an unemployed Dutchman sprayed concentrated sulfuric acid on the painting, causing it to crumble. This time, restoration efforts were able to fix the damage. Now, this work is viewed by more than 2.2 million people each year.
When a person develops a bacterial infection, healthcare workers usually provide antibiotics to help fight the infection. But some bacteria have adapted and can fight off the antibiotics. A recent study found that one of the strongest of these antibiotic fighting bugs continues to affect children, especially babies under 3 months old. The bacteria is called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Methicillin is the name of the antibiotic that the bacteria is able to fight. Rates of MRSA infections in children that began in the general community have increased over five years. The highest rates occurred among babies younger than 3 months and among black children. This study, led by Martha Iwamoto, MD, MPH, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), looked at infection rates of the invasive antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA from 2005 to 2010. The researchers used data from a program called the Active Bacterial Core Surveillance system. This system was set up in July 2004 with populations from nine geographically diverse US counties to actively track MRSA infections. The combined population includes approximately 4.4 million children under age 18 from California, Connecticut, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Washington and Tennessee. From 2005 to 2010, a total of 876 cases of MRSA infections among children were reported, including 340 (39 percent) among babies. Of these, a little over a third of the cases (35 percent) began in a hospital, 23 percent began in another health care-related community setting and 42 percent occurred in the general community. The rate of infections occurring in the community increased from 1.1 per 100,000 children in 2005 to 1.7 per 100,000 children in 2010, which was a 10 percent increase in infections. The researchers did not find any changes in the rate of MRSA infections among children in hospitals or other health care settings. In 2010, the most affected population included babies under 3 months old, who suffered MRSA infections at a rate of 44 per 100,000 babies. Older babies and children had MRSA infections at a rate of 2 per 100,000 children. In addition, black children were more likely to develop a MRSA infection with a rate of 6.7 per 100,000 children, compared to a rate of 1.6 per 100,000 children among other races. "In contrast to reports of declining incidence among adults, there were no significant reductions in health care–associated MRSA infections in children," the researchers wrote. "Concurrently, the incidence of community-associated MRSA infections has increased, underscoring the need for defining optimal strategies to prevent MRSA infections among children with and without health care exposures," they wrote. Chris Galloway, a dailyRx expert who specializes in emergency medicine, said he has seen MRSA throughout his career and has seen more and more each year in adults and kids. "Ten years ago, MRSA often was only seen in chronically ill and/or hospitalized patients, what we call hospital-acquired MRSA, and mostly seen in adults," he said. "We now have community-acquired MRSA that affects not only adults, but also children, and it is serious and on the rise," Dr. Galloway said. "These infections often require multiple antibiotics, hospitalization and often surgery to drain abscesses that can develop from this bacteria." Dr. Galloway said that parents should call their child's pediatrician at the first sign of a rash that is painful or any rash associated with a fever. "MRSA can be transferred amongst family members, and also within schools and daycares, so ask questions and be informed," he said. This study was published September 23 in the journal Pediatrics. The research was funded through a cooperative agreement with the Emerging Infections Programs of the CDC. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
One of the biggest challenges for many families is dealing with meltdown behavior. “What calming methods have you found successful?” is often a common question. Below are the top 10 ways we have learned to calm your child during a meltdown. Top 10 ways to calm a child having a meltdown 1. First, prevention is the best policy. Learn to identify and avoid triggers. 2. Secondly, do your research — especially if triggers aren’t obvious – to determine what factors were in place that resulted in a meltdown: make a list of things going on before the behavior took a turn for the worse and see if you can find patterns. 3. Next, use deep pressure, including weighted blankets and massage, to ease your child into a calmer state. 4. Fourthly, create a diversion that will take your child’s attention elsewhere. This could be singing a song, taking a walk, making silly faces, or whatever usually makes your child laugh. 5. Additionally, keep yourself calm and seek a calm environment to encourage de-escalation. 6. Also, aromatherapy can be calming, especially lavender and chamomile oils. 7. Provide positive verbal reinforcements as your child shows signs of calming down. 8. A pop-up tent can ease your child through alone time. Place soothing objects inside, such as a bean bag, a soft blanket, a favorite book, etc. 9. A Gluten-Free diet over time may result in reducing meltdown tendencies. 10. Lastly, consider noise-canceling headphones to lessen noise, which can lead to sensory overload. Finally, consult your doctor if your child’s behaviors are becoming an issue. More articles on managing meltdown behaviors
Confession: As a nerdlet of nine or ten, I decided to help flowers get fertilized. I loved seeing the glossy seeds hidden inside the fat green ovaries of dead flowers when I split them open with my thumbnail. I must have watched one of those nature specials where the scientists climb up to the top of the Alps and dust pollen onto endangered flowers with a paintbrush, because I started going around roadside fields with cotton balls and gathering pollen. Partway through my project I realized that these particular plants were doing fine without human intervention, and abandoned them. Now, a group of Russian scientists has given some help to plants that were, unlike my backyard buttercups, definitely not going anywhere on their own. The seeds and fruits of Silene stenophylla were buried 12 stories deep in the Siberian permafrost. They'd been cached there by a ground squirrel some 30,000 years ago. After digging up these long-frozen specimens, a team led by Svetlana Yashina managed to resurrect the ancient organism. They grew healthy plants that flowered and produced their own new, fertile seeds. When the team excavated this ground squirrel's hoard, they could tell from the ice structures around it that the spot hadn't been touched--or thawed--since it was first interred 30 millennia ago. Though the industrious squirrel had stored a variety of seeds and fruits, previous studies had shown that the seeds of S. stenophylla had a little more liveliness left in them than the others. From unripe fruits of S. stenophylla, the researchers extracted placental tissue. (Yes, flowering plants have placentas; it's the place where each seed attaches to the ovary. This was news to me too.) They grew this tissue on its own, coaxing it to develop into actual plant shoots. These shoots were fed and grown up into real, potted, flowering plants. Alongside the ancient and reconstituted plants, the researchers also grew modern plants of the same species. The ancient plants produced up to twice as many flower buds, as if excited to be alive again. Once the plants had become flowering adults, there were notable differences between the ancient and modern versions. The ancient plants' flower petals, for instance, had a narrower and more shallowly bisected shape. (You can see one of the modern flowers below, and an ancient flower at the top of this page.) The plant was like a snapshot from an earlier stage of its evolution. Not only did the plants grow and flower--thirty-six of them!--but they were fertile. Scientists demonstrated this by artificially pollinating the plants with each other's pollen (like me with my cotton balls, sort of). Eight or nine weeks later, the plants produced seeds. When scientists gathered these seeds for germination, 100% of them successfully sprouted into new plants. As adults, they grew the same unusual, ancient flower petals that their parents had. No one has brought a plant this ancient back to life before. The oldest viable seeds ever found are from the first century BC. Yashina writes that the rapid, deep, and permanent freezing of this squirrel's pantry effectively preserved the plant tissues inside. A similar strategy is employed today at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway, where samples of seeds from around the world are held in an under-ice bunker. If the world's other seed banks are someday destroyed or abandoned, the Svalbard stock can be used to reestablish our crops. As for seeds that have been unintentionally frozen, there are countless more under the world's icy regions. Permafrost covers a fifth of the planet's surface. If scientists can find other viable plant tissues preserved beneath it, they may discover more species that, like S. stenophylla, have changed since they were frozen--or they could reanimate plants that are now completely extinct. There's another potential reanimation to consider. Under the permafrost is a rich community of microorganisms, frozen and preserved like the fruits of S. stenophylla. But unlike the flowering plant, which required plenty of manipulation to bring back to life, these organisms are built to last. David Gilichinsky, the senior scientist on this study, has resurrected permafrost bacteria that were frozen for millions of years. "They are very tough little guys, especially if they are capable of forming spores," McGill microbiologist Lyle Whyte told me. Whyte was not involved in the plant regeneration study, but researches microbes in the Arctic permafrost. He adds that bacteria in, say, million-year-old permafrost may not be quite that old themselves--there's evidence that these frozen communities actually grow and reproduce very slowly while trapped under the ice. As climate change begins to thaw the permafrost, will some of these frozen microorganisms be awoken and released into the above-ground world? Whether they've been in suspended animation for thousands of years, or quietly reproducing for millions, these microbes would represent strains that modern-day species have never been exposed to. Ancient bacteria--or perhaps viruses or fungi--might discover that the modern world is fertile ground. Humans might discover the Neanderthal flu. Sadly, David Gilichinsky himself passed away just two days before the publication of his remarkable plant regeneration discovery. "David was at the same time a great expert [on] microorganisms isolated from the cold permafrost and a warm-hearted friend," a colleague wrote on a memorial page. Although Gilichinsky will be greatly missed by his scientific community, he leaves behind him the message that even something unthinkably long gone can be brought back to flowering life. Svetlana Yashina, Stanislav Gubin, Stanislav Maksimovich, Alexandra Yashina, Edith Gakhova, & David Gilichinsky (2012). Regeneration of whole fertile plants from 30,000-y-old fruit tissue buried in Siberian permafrost. PNAS : 10.1073/pnas.1118386109
Fact is that the United States enacted the USA Patriot Act in October 2001 to fight terrorism and money laundering activities. The statute’s title - USA Patriot Act - stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. It was intended to clarify, simplify and strengthen investigative powers for US law enforcement officials, because misunderstandings of pre-2001 criminal procedure and privacy laws were partially blamed for the failure of US law enforcement agencies in preventing the September 11, 2001 attacks. When the provisions of the USA Patriot Act expired in June 2015, President Obama extended some of its key provisions for another four years under a new name – the USA Freedom Act. The press continues to report on discomfort around the world about this law. US businesses suffer and demand change. The following are some facts that demystify the notion that data in the US is endangered by the USA Patriot Act/USA Freedom Act: - The powers contemplated by the USA Patriot Act/ USA Freedom Act are not relevant for most types of data in cloud computing arrangements. - The US government is much more likely to obtain the data directly from data controllers (i.e., users of cloud computing services) because the data controller is closer connected to the data subjects, may have additional information and the government would not know initially what cloud services the employer uses. - If the data controller is not based in the US and does not have a strong nexus to the US, chances are the US government is not interested in the data regardless of whether the data is hosted in the US. - If the US government is interested, it can usually obtain access to the data through foreign governments through judicial assistance and cooperation treaties, regardless of where the data is hosted. The US has entered into mutual legal assistance treaties with over 50 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, Hong Kong and a majority of the EU Member States, as well as a mutual legal assistance agreement with the EU. The cooperation under mutual legal assistance arrangements can include substantial sharing of electronic information between law enforcement authorities in the two countries. - Most countries around the world allow law enforcement access to private information under similar conditions as in the United States. And, following the recent Paris attacks, we are currently witnessing strong calls in various EU Member States for laws to allow broader access to private information for law enforcement purposes. Compared with other countries’ laws, the USA Patriot Act/ USA Freedom Act does not stand out that much. - Data is typically much more at risk of being accessed by governments at the place where the data controller is based. - The USA Patriot Act/ USA Freedom Act issue is raised to support unrelated agendas, such as protecting local companies or unionized jobs from global competition.
Creating healthy baby sleep habits is like baking a cake. For a successful outcome, you have to have all of your ingredients on hand, each one measured to perfection. The ingredients for good sleep consist of the proper environment, nutrition, and emotional well-being. Ingredient 1: Healthy Baby Sleep Environment Sleep environment is the first and most important factor to address. For babies and young toddlers, the best and safest place to sleep is in a crib. When a baby resists sleep, parents often worry that it means the baby hates cribs. Babies actually love cribs because the four walls of the crib give a sense of security. If your baby is not falling asleep easily in the crib, it is most likely because of another factor, such as being overtired, overstimulated, gassy, hungry, etc. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should ideally sleep in a crib from birth to 36 months. This is because children younger than 36 months cannot comprehend the concept of staying in a bed without “walls.” However, the exception to this rule is if a child climbs out of the crib. For safety, crib climbers should be transitioned to a toddler bed with guard rails on the open sides. The bedroom should always be dark for both naps and bedtime. Blackout shades are very effective in eliminating light completely from the window. Darkness is not only relaxing, but it also triggers melatonin (the sleepy hormone) production. Lastly, a healthy baby sleep habit includes ensuring the bedroom should only be used for sleep. When other activities, such as eating or playing, are avoided, it gives children a clear message that the bedroom is for going to sleep. Ingredient 2: Nutrition and Healthy Baby Sleep Habits Nutrition plays a big role in sleep as well. Babies ages 0-12 months need to have a predictable feeding schedule. Consistent feeding times will inevitably help to create a sleep schedule. This is because the baby is learning to distinguish between hunger and sleep. Playing the hungry-or-tired guessing game every time a baby cries will confuse a baby’s hunger and sleepy cues. Check with your pediatrician to find out exactly how many feedings your baby needs and how far apart, based on the baby’s growth. Toddlers also thrive on scheduled meals. Predictability and routine throughout the day will help get their bodies and brains ready to sleep during nap or bedtime. Limiting processed sugar, caffeine, and artificial colors or flavors from lunchtime and on is ideal. These foods can cause hyperactivity and difficulty falling asleep. Ingredient 3: Emotion Well-Being and Healthy Baby Sleep The emotional well-being of a child’s home is the “icing on the cake.” Starting as young as one day old, babies and toddlers are strongly connected to and affected by their parent’s emotions. If there is unusual or new stress in the home, parents will likely see more sleep issues in their children. While it is impossible to change life circumstances, it is important to make yourself aware of its effect on your children. If a baby or toddler senses that their parent is tense, it will be harder for them to relax and go to sleep. Before putting your child to sleep, take a few moments to calm yourself in the way that is most comfortable for you. For example, take some deep breaths, drink water, and step outside for fresh air. There will be a noticeably big difference in the calmness of your child. Make time for self-care at least one to two days a week to help lessen your stress level. Toddlers that are verbal can also benefit from emotional work. Some age-appropriate activities include talking with your older toddler about their feelings toward different situations, keeping a color journal where they color a picture of feelings, or doing a sensory activity like playdough an hour before nap or bedtime. It takes time and practice to set up the proper foundations mentioned above. After a few days to a few weeks of practice and making changes, your entire family will reap the benefits! Ask your concierge about sleep preparation activities you can do with your child if you haven’t already done them. We have prepared some quick things you can do before to help you and your baby get the sleep you both need.
Clayton M. Christensen: The New Church of Finance: Deeply held belief systems and complex codes must be changed Corporate balance sheets and profits are in the best shape they have been in over half a century. So why do jobs remain scarce? The income of the top 1 percent of Americans has grown significantly, and they garner about 28 percent of total income. But total personal income has been flat for about 30 years. Why do the rich get richer while the rest tread water? In seeking answers to these questions, we need to understand the relationship between innovations and how the decision of companies to invest in jobs is shaped by zealously maintained theories of finance. Three types of innovation There are three types of innovations that affect jobs and capital: empowering innovations, sustaining innovations and efficiency innovations. Empowering innovations transform something that is complicated and expensive into something that is so much more simple and affordable that a much larger population can enjoy it. The Model T did that, making an automobile affordable and accessible. Apple and IBM computers made it so all of us could have a computer. Google made it possible for almost anyone to advertise at low costs. It turns out that almost all net growth in jobs in America has been created by companies that were empowering — companies that made complicated things affordable and accessible so that more people could own them and use them. When more people are buying them, more people have to be hired to make them and distribute them and to service them. Empowering innovations make up the core engine of economic growth. Sustaining innovations, on the other hand, account for most of the innovation activity in an economy. They have a net zero impact on employment. A sustaining innovation makes better products that you can sell for better profits to your best customers. When Toyota sells an innovative new car like the Prius, they don't sell a Camry. These innovations are important for the economy because they sustain the economic trajectory, but they do not create significant new growth. Efficiency innovations arise in industries that already exist. They provide existing goods and services at much lower costs. They are not empowering. Efficiency innovators become the low cost providers within an existing framework. So Wal-Mart can come into town and announce that they have hired a lot of people, but actually they put those working at less efficient retail operations out of work. Efficiency innovations have a negative effect on employment. But the resulting efficiency gains allow financial capital to be invested elsewhere. In a healthy economy empowering, sustaining and efficiency innovations operate in balance. A healthy economy creates and sustains more jobs before squeezing out inefficiencies. Over the past 20 years, however, there has been far less money flowing into empowering innovations and much more capital flowing into efficiency innovations and sustaining innovations. As a result, we are not creating new jobs at a rate that will sustain our economy. Why is financial capital flowing disproportionately to innovations that do not produce jobs? I think the roots lie in a powerful new belief system. About 40 years ago some people established what I describe as a new church. I call it the New Church of Finance. The members of this church are finance professors at business schools, a lot of economists and the partners in hedge funds and private equity funds. I call it a church because it has many of the characteristics of a well-catechized belief system. For those committed true believers within this "church" it is inconceivable that the catechism isn't true. People on the outside looking through the window, however, might be justifiably skeptical. - Jay Evensen: Legislature's pornography... - Ralph Hancock: The anti-establishment delusion - Barack Obama: Religious freedom keeps us strong - Jonathan Johnson: The truth about sales tax... - In our opinion: Internet sales tax should... - In our opinion: National security and the... - My view: Mayor Biskupski deserves to build... - Richard Davis: Why do I serve? - In our opinion: National security and... 74 - Is it time for our first woman president? 55 - Robert J. Samuelson: The false charms... 54 - Jay Evensen: Legislature's pornography... 30 - Barack Obama: Religious freedom keeps... 28 - Ralph Hancock: The anti-establishment... 19 - Letter: Hillary and FOIA 18 - Letter: Coal and job creation 18
Many electronic-test sequences require movement: Think of positioning a printed circuit board (PCB) in a test fixture and then pressing it against a bed of needle-like probes that connect the PCB to test instruments. Although engineers often understand how motors work, they may not know how to integrate motion control with other portions of a test system. Almost all motors connect to mechanical devices such as X-Y stages, robotic arms, and other devices that interact with a device under test (DUT). After outlining a test application that requires motion, system designers must choose the right type of motor. As designers ponder motor choices, manufacturers can provide applications assistance, which may include drawing on their experience automating test apparatus. After selecting a motor type, test-system designers must look at driving circuits, or "drives," that generate the voltages or currents that cause a motor's shaft to move. In effect, a motor's associated drive circuits amplify signals produced by a computer interface. A drive's output signals cause a motor to move in a specific direction with a given velocity and acceleration, all preset under software control. Each type of motor relies on unique drive circuitry. A small stepper motor, for example, requires a drive that produces several synchronized high-current square waves. To ensure proper operation, many drives require motor-position information, often supplied by a quadrature encoder, as part of a control loop. The feedback loop ensures the motor moves properly when energized and it holds the energized motor's shaft in place once it reaches its destination. Brushless ac motors require current feedback to ensure proper torque output during shaft rotation. An ac brushless motor also requires current commutation—the control of currents in the motor's coils. Commutation applies the optimum sine-wave currents in the coils to move the motor's shaft with the correct velocity and torque at a given time. (This type of control requires sophisticated intelligence in the drive.) To simplify motor-drive connections and to ensure compatibility, designers often procure motors and drives from the same supplier. Many drive circuits accept voltage signals from an interface board that plugs into a PC bus such as PCI or an instrumentation bus such as PXI. Some drives communicate with a host controller or PC using serial protocols such as CANOpen or IEEE 1394 (Firewire). Designers also can choose from basic drives that offer fundamental motion operations or "smart" drives that directly accept motion commands and set up complicated motion sequences. Smart drives are expensive, and system designers often can perform the same operations—at lower cost—using software on a host controller or PC. Find total cost Motion-control software can come from several sources: 1. Drive vendors supply programs that control motors, usually through a set of proprietary commands. 2. Third parties sell general-purpose test software that incorporates motion-control routines and algorithms. 3. Several independent vendors offer Visual Basic or C/C++ motion-control libraries 4. Integrators can provide custom code tailored to specific needs. The resulting application programs causes a motor to move something from point a to point b. Developers usually have complete control over characteristics such as a specific trajectory, motion profile, velocity, acceleration, and so on. (Motion characteristics go beyond the scope of this column.) After engineers analyze their needs and hardware and software choices, they must evaluate a system's total cost, which includes more than the cost of motors, drives, software, and so on. Total cost includes program-development time, training, maintenance, and so on. And engineers must make tradeoffs. If equipment includes unneeded functions and capabilities, it may cost less to build or buy a bare-bones controller and customize it for a system. But, if engineers take the customization route, they must budget added development costs. All in One: Automating motion in a test system requires a motor, drive electronics, a computer to control the drive, and intelligent software to put motion commands into effect. In this case, the motor produces a linear motion. Custom vs. standard Although off-the-shelf components may at first cost more than a customized system, standard components can save money: They're easy to repair, replace, and upgrade without reengineering hardware or rewriting code. The chosen development path often depends on how many systems a company plans to deploy. As a rule of thumb, for 100 or more systems, the custom-controller route pays off. But, if you expect to need only a few systems, think about taking the standard-product path. Whether you develop a custom controller or buy off-the-shelf components, in all likelihood the resulting motion-control system will interact with other electronic equipment. In a packaging system designed for the beverage industry, for example, the system controller had to manage 50 digital I/O lines, three motors, and three cameras. That type of system calls for real-time control of devices and careful timing of measurements. Such systems often rely on a real-time operating system. Even when an application calls for only a simple stand-alone motion-control system, invariably someone will want to add machine-vision or electrical-measurements capabilities.
Kingdom of Isles A time of destruction and great change which took place over 300 years ago and was the catalyst for the forming of the Kingdom of Isles. Records of that time report that “Seas boiled, the sky was blackened and blood red at mid day, mountains arose in to the clouds in the space of 2 days. Fires raged across the world yet new jungles grew and forest expanded at a rate only the gods could have caused. Sands covered parts of the land and scoured all life away. Men and animals perished in great numbers and all hope seemed lost by the faithful and heathen alike”.
It found its way into a gravitational collection of neutral gas, and cooled, eventually getting sucked in to another gravitational perturbation, as star-formation happened all over again. Only four per cent of the mass of the Universe is in the atoms that make up you and me, the stars and planets. Now watch the universe fly by, going from macro to micro. This is the biggest discrepancy between a prediction and an observation in the history of science. Yes, back then it was too hot to have any atoms at all. Well, one epoch a carbon atom went on a bender with a helium atom and came out oxygen, but it doesn't remember much of what happened after that. Here you are, a human being, a grand Universe of atoms that have organized themselves into simple monomers, assembled together into giant macromolecules, which in turn comprise the organelles that make up your cells. The atom we're thinking of started out as a neutron. All rights reserved.Alan Watts - the whole universe is the only true atom [Taoist Science] Fiction Free Audio Books: The process involves a lot of assumptions and can lead on to a good discussion of the modelling process. As a science writer, I am constantly amazed at how much stranger science is than science fiction; how much weirder the Universe we find ourselves in is than anything we could possibly have invented. The consequence of this is that we can only see a portion of the Universe. James N. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains approximately 100 to 400 billion stars. The universe is vast. We know of its existence only because its gravity tugs on the visible stars and galaxies. It was only by luck that this atom we're following wound up in a dense molecular cloud, shielded from this radiation. Although 10 80 atoms is a good ballpark value for the number of atoms in the universe, other estimates exist, mainly based on different calculations of the size of the universe. Thanks again, and please consider this. But that's just for perspective. An Atom in the Universe facebook twitter reddit linkedin email print. Williams et al. It still takes time for the gravitational field from one end of the volume to "see" the gravitational field from the other. Find us on facebook!
It seems that for the past two years, we’ve had our heads in the stars… studying space. Even our family Netflixing is centered around Star Trek! So it’s probably no surprise that as the iHomeschool Network celebrates some noted historical figures born in August, I’d choose to commemorate one of our favorite space personalities – Neil Armstrong! All about Neil Armstrong Neil Armstrong was born Aug. 5, 1930, in Ohio. (Yes, I’m celebrating two Ohioans this month – Annie Oakley being the other!) His goal, actually, had been to be a test pilot, and he was a great one, reaching records in both speed and height for the time and, over the course of his career, flying more than 200 different types of aircraft. He also served as a Navy pilot during the Korean War, flying 78 missions over Korea. In 1962, he was invited by Deke Slayton to join NASA as part of the “New Nine,” or second set of astronauts. While his Apollo 11 moon-landing mission was probably the most commonly remembered, Neil Armstrong went into space earlier as part of the Gemini 8 crew; that mission went up in 1966 and involved docking two spaceships together while in orbit. A critical systems failure required the mission to be aborted after only a few hours, but Neil (and the rest of the crew) thought quickly and all survived. We’ve watched footage of the landing many times, and heard and read many stories that say that Neil Armstrong intended to say “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind,” but recordings have always seemed to indicate that he dropped the “a,” which kind of messes with the meaning a little. Just in the past few months, however, research by linguistics experts seems to think it might have been there after all! When Armstrong passed away on Aug. 25, 2012, America lost one of its greatest pioneers. Always a humble and private man (perhaps even MORE so after the famous landing), it was fitting that his burial at sea was relatively private, but the photos I saw from it touched me deeply. Much more about space exploration If you’re interested in digging deeper into this topic, please check out To the moon and back: Best resources for solar-system study. That learning guide post that wraps up so many of the great books, movies and trips we found valuable! Read more about Neil Armstrong - Find more about Neil Armstrong on Wikipedia. - NASA also offers a basic Neil Armstrong biography. - Perhaps my favorite set of basic facts (in Q&A format) about Neil Armstrong come from this post on Space.com. - The Armstrong Air & Space Museum in Neil’s Ohio hometown is well worth a trip – we’re considering a visit this fall! - Last year, Amy at Milk and Cookies celebrated Neil Armstrong’s birthday as part of the August iHomeschool Network celebration. Check out her amazing post, Discovering Neil Armstrong, for moon-related crafts, a printable on how to say “moon” in other languages, coloring pages and more! Ideas for discussion I admit it – we’ve talked SO MUCH about space that it’s almost hard for me to boil down our questions to a few interesting bullet points you might want to discuss. That said, here are a few of the many! - Being first. Was it right that Neil Armstrong, not Buzz Aldrin, walked on the moon first? Was it right that Armstrong got so much more attention for what he did? And what about Mike Collins, who had the unenviable job of staying up in space, circling the moon, while Buzz and Neil were in the LEM (landing module)? - The future of our space program. I admit that in our family, we’re not happy with the turn away from space exploration following the Apollo missions. That said, we’re incredibly interested in things like the the recent decision to start working on the Human Spaceflight initiative to promote deeper-space human travel, as well as private space exploration like SpaceX. What are your thoughts on space exploration? What are the benefits vs. the risks? - Rights and responsibilities. Who “owns” space? What are our responsibilities when exploring – and, in the future, possibly colonizing – moons and planets? When I took my astrobiology course via Coursera, we talked about these issues in some detail, and surprisingly, they came up again in my recent archaeology course! Join the birthday party If you’re interested, there are many more cool “August birthday” lessons from my fellow iHomeschool Network bloggers. Click the image below to check them out! And thanks for stopping by to help me wish Neil Armstrong a happy birthday!
Costa Rica is a democratic republic. Under the 1949 constitution, all citizens are guaranteed equality before the law, the right to own property, the right of petititon and assembly, freedom of speech and the right of habeas corpus. The constitution also divides the government into independent executive, legislative and judicial branches. The executive branch is composed of the president, two vice presidents and a cabinet. The legislature is the National Assembly, composed of 57 members (diputados) elected by proportional representation. National elections are held every four years, on the first Sunday of February. Under a constitutional amendment enacted in 1969, a president may serve only one four-year term during his lifetime. Diputados also are elected for four years and may serve a second term four years after the first ends. The largest political party is the National Liberation Party (PLN). Its main rival is the more conservative Social Christian Unity Party. Information supplied by the Green Arrow Guide
Materials for pavement construction30 July 2019 Materials for pavement construction Every pavement, other than those on bridges, self-evidently includes soil. The most basic design requirement of any pavement is that the underlying soil is adequately protected from applied loads. Thus, no pavement engineer can avoid the need to understand soil. The following list features some key facts. - Soils vary from heavy clays, through silts and sands to high-strength rocky - Soils are not usually consistent along the length of a road or across any pavement - Soils are sensitive to water content to differing degrees. - Water content will vary during the life of a pavement, sometimes over quite short timescales, in response to weather patterns. - Some soils are highly permeable; some clays are virtually impermeable. All this leads to one thing – uncertainty. However clever one tries to be in understanding and characterising soils, it is quite impossible to be 100% sure of the properties at a given time or in a given location. This uncertainty makes life considerably harder. Nevertheless, it is necessary to categorise each soil type encountered in as realistic a way as possible, and there are two fundamental areas in which soil behaviour affects pavement performance. These are : - stiffness under transient (i.e. moving wheel) load - resistance to accumulation of deformation under repeated load, likely to be related to shear strength. Granular material is unbound material with relatively large particle sizes, and includes natural gravel, crushed rock and granulated industrial by-products such as slag from steel production. Soils are technically granular materials, albeit often with a very small particle size (2 mm or less for clay), but the key difference is that a soil is not, in general, ‘engineered’ in any way. A granular pavement layer, on the other hand, will be selected and quite possibly deliberately blended to give a particular combination of particle sizes. It can also be mixed with a predetermined amount of water. One would therefore naturally expect that much of the uncertainty inherent in soil properties is removed in the case of a granular material. However, it may still be difficult to predict performance accurately, as different material sources, most commonly different rock types, might be expected to exhibit slightly different properties due to their different responses to crushing or their differing frictional properties. Nevertheless, a granular material will be a much more controlled and predictable component than the soil. Even the water-content variation of a granular material will be a little more predictable, in both magnitude and effect, than in the case of soil. However, the properties of granular material of interest to the pavement engineer are actually more or less the same as those of soil, namely - stiffness under transient load - resistance to accumulation of deformation under repeated load, related to shear Nowadays, the availability of Portland cement, and substitutes such as fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag, means that it can be economical to use such a binding agent to strengthen a granular material. These binders are known as ‘hydraulic’ binders, as they require the presence of water for the cementing action to take place. Cement technology is a vast subject in its own right and involves several different chemical reactions, the most important of which are the conversion of tricalcium silicate (c. 50% of Portland cement) and dicalcium silicate (c. 25%) into hydrates (forming strong solids) by reaction with water, also generating calcium hydroxide and heat. The first reaction is rapid; the second is slower. The reader should refer to specialist literature for details. Hydraulically-bound materials, including so-called pavement-quality concrete (hereafter referred to as PQC) at the upper end of the strength spectrum, introduce a quite different type of behaviour and totally different design requirements. They possess a key property that is lacking in soils and granular materials, namely the ability to withstand tension. Individual particles are rigidly bonded together by the binding agent, and a definite tensile force is required to break that bond. In the case of a strong concrete, all the large particles are well bonded into a continuous matrix of fine aggregate and cement paste, and the whole material is solid and rigid. It has a stiffness that is still partly governed by the contacts between the large particles, but which is also heavily dependent on the qualities of the surrounding cementitious matrix. In the case of a weaker hydraulically-bound material, the binding effect may be less complete and there may be many particle contacts that remain unbound, giving a certain freedom of movement within the material and a reduced stiffness and strength. Nevertheless, even a weak hydraulically-bound material will remain as a solid, with negligible permanent deformation until the bonds are fractured, that is until the tensile strength is overcome. The key properties for the pavement engineer are, therefore - tensile strength. One further property that could arguably be added is fatigue resistance, that is, the resistance of the material to failure under repeated load at a stress level less than its failure strength. However, the relationship with tensile strength is so close that it is hardly a separate property. It would also have been possible to add curing rate (the rate of strength gain), as this certainly affects the construction process and economics significantly, and thermal expansion coefficient, as this property strongly influences the tendency of a hydraulically-bound material to crack under day–night temperature variation, requiring the introduction of movement joints in concrete pavements This is a material almost unique to pavement engineering, amaterial whose beneficial properties were discovered almost by accident, but a material which is now very much at the centre of pavement technology. There are countless stories as to when bituminous products were first used on roads, such as the accidental spillage of tar outside Derby iron works in 1901. Although mastics including natural asphalt had been used on footways since the 1830s, they were not stable enough for roads, and it was not until around 1900–1901 that the first usages of tar-bound stone occurred at approximately similar dates in the USA and Europe. Lay (1990) gives further information. While proportions differ around the world, typically some 90% of paved highways have a bitumen-bound surface layer; whatever the make-up beneath the surface, bitumen and bitumen-bound materials (referred to hereafter as asphalts) currently play a major role. And asphalt is quite different from concrete or any hydraulically-bound material. Bitumen is a binding agent, like Portland cement and the other hydraulic binders, but it has very different properties. Whereas hydraulic binders create a rigid material that cannot deform appreciably unless it first cracks, bitumen remains a viscous liquid at normal in-service temperatures. It therefore has the ability to ‘flow’. An ability to flow may seem a rather undesirable quality in a material that is aiming to bind rock particles together, and it does indeed lead to the possibility that an asphalt can deform – hence the phenomenon known as ‘rutting’ or ‘tracking’. However, it also overcomes some of the difficulties encountered with rigid hydraulically-bound materials. For a start, the expansion and contraction with day–night temperature variation is accommodated simply by a small viscous strain within an asphalt, meaning that no movement joints are required, and that thermally-induced cracking will only occur under the most extreme temperature conditions (continental winters, deserts). Asphalts are also able to accommodate any moderate movement within the foundation, for example, minor differential settlement in an embankment, movement that might lead to the fracture of a rigid concrete slab. Furthermore, the tendency of asphalt to flow can be controlled by proper mixture design such that rutting is avoided. However, despite the flexible nature of asphalt, it can still crack. It is impossible to define a tensile strength, as this will vary with temperature and rate of loading; the relevant parameter is the ‘fatigue characteristic’, defining resistance to cracking under repeated load. The key properties required for design are therefore: - resistance to deformation under repeated load - fatigue characteristic. The fourmaterial types introduced so far represent the basic building blocks available to the pavement engineer. However, it is worth referring here to a couple of materials that do not fit so easily into any of the four categories.The first is block paving. Blocks are often made of concrete and so could have been introduced under ‘hydraulically-bound materials’. On the other hand, they can be cut fromnatural stone or may comprise fired clay bricks.Moreover, the discontinuous nature of block paving means that the properties of the parent material are less important than the effects of the discontinuities. The blocks themselves may have the properties of concrete, for example, a stiffness modulus of some 40 GPa, but the effective layer modulus once the discontinuities are taken into account may be as little as 500MPa. The second special case is a hybrid material, known in the UK as grouted macadam and in the USA as resin-modified pavement; it is also sometimes known as ‘semi-flexible’ material. This too does not fit neatly into any of the previous categories, as it combines an asphalt skeleton with a cementitious grout, filling the voids in the asphalt mixture. It therefore utilises both bituminous and hydraulic binders. Having a two-stage production process the material tends to be expensive, and is used in particular heavyduty applications such as bus lanes and industrial pavements. As will be demonstrated later, it actually resembles an asphalt much more than a concrete, but it is nevertheless Block paving and grouted macadam are bulk-use materials at the expensive end of the range. There are also specialist products that are only used in small quantities to strengthen, or in some way improve, a pavement layer.Here one could include steel reinforcement of concrete. There are also reinforcing products designed for asphalt; some are steel, others polymeric or made of glass fibre.Asimilar range of products is available for the reinforcement of granular materials. Generically, these products are known as geogrids and their use is widespread in some areas, for example, as a means of stabilising roads over very soft ground. Geotextiles comprise a closely related range of products, produced in various ways and forming continuous layers separating two different pavement materials (commonly the soil and a granular layer). These too can have a reinforcing function, but their most common use is simply as a separator, ensuring that fine soil particles do not migrate up into the pavement and that stones from a granular layer do not lose themselves in the soil. The entire spectrum of geogrids and geotextiles is known under the collective name of geosynthetics and, although geosynthetics are specialist products, it is the responsibility of the pavement engineer to understand how (and whether) they work in particular applications rather than relying solely on the, sometimes not unbiased, opinion of a supplier.
Risk Planning15 March 2019 Usually, risk plan is the first effort that is being done through project risk management. However, in some projects, the top management in the organization identifies high level risks in the project charter and these high level risks are the input for the project manager that clarify an image of what risks are significant and important for the top management. Risk plan is a subsidiary plan of project management plan that describes how risk management activities will be managed throughout the project phases. This plan performs as a guide of how you will accomplish all the activities of risk management. It defines the tools and approaches that will be used, roles and responsibilities, estimated budget for these activities, risk categories, risk definitions, reporting formats, and auditing procedures. Through the next paragraphs, we will show examples for some of these components of risk management plan. 1 – Tools & Approaches Risk management activities may be done manually or using computer software programs. These software programs expedite, facilitate, and fully control the of risk management activities. These programs can be integrated with other organization systems such as scheduling, costing, and ERP systems. The capabilities of these programs are not only for calculation and assessment; however it can track and communicate responsibilities to the team assigned for these tasks and also for the management to be able to follow the status and take actions. 2 – Roles and Responsibilities Table-1 shows an example for the roles and responsibilities. \|1. Develop the risk management plan 2. Manage the risk management team. 3. Follow up that risk management activities are being done with the valid manner in the right time. 4. Monitor contingency reserve and maintain the sufficiency of monetary in reserve fund. 5. Report on risk management activities. \|1. Administrate the risk management program. 2. Maintain and monitor the privilege of users. \|1. Share in the identification of risks. 2. Develop the qualitative and quantitative analysis. Table-1 : Roles and Responsibilities 3 – Timing and Frequency Risk management activities are being done according to a time scheduling that is being developed by the risk manager and in conformity of project management vision. Figure-1 is an example of risk management activities time scheduling. Figure-1 : Risk Activities Time Schedule Risk management meetings could be determined to be as a separate meeting and held on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. The common practice is that risk management activities are being discussed in the progress status weekly meeting. 4 – Risk Categories Risk Categories can be illustrated in a list or a risk breakdown structure. Figure-2 is an example of risk breakdown structure. Figure-2 : Risk Breakdown Structure 5- Risk Definition This is the classification criteria that will be used further in order to qualitatively assess risks. Table-2 shows an example of these limits. Table-2 : Risk Classification Limits 6 – Risk tracking and Reports format This defines how risks will be tracked during project phases; and the formats of risk reports that will be used to communicate risk information through vertical and horizontal communication channels.
SANTA BARRAZA – TEXAS ARTIST IN HER OWN WORDS: I think that my encounter with the civil rights movement and the struggles of Mexican Americans, I first became aware of it when I was at the University. At the time José Rivera was there, Carmen Lomas Garza, Amado Peña, José Angel Gutiérrez as a graduate student, Carlos Guerra who had just put together MAYO and César Martinez would occasionally come back–he had already graduated. At the time I wanted to be an artist, I wanted to make a difference. When I was at the University of Texas I did not see myself reflected in any of the books, in any of the textbooks, any of the paintings, and so I felt I needed to do something about that. The female image, the iconography, the Chicana imagery–I was particularly very interested in that because I was trying to figure out what direction of painting, what direction of artwork, I should take. I started doing research on the Virgin de Guadalupe. According to the ancient legend, the way that she is interpreted originally was no the way we see her today. Originally she was 16 years old maiden. She spoke in her indigenous language, she was Nahuatl. She was dark-skinned. The Mexican colonial painters actually redid her image, made her look more European so that the dominant culture would accept her. I felt we needed to look beyond that and see the hidden meaning in that image. So I started doing research on that and I started to use those in my works. I started playing with the image to take back the ancient interpretation of the image of the earth. So, for example, when you see the Virgin de Guadalupe instead of having stars, I have indigenous fertility symbols on it. I think it is important because traditionally we are a matriarchal society, but now we are not. Our original culture was matriarchal, so I felt it was important to empower the younger generations of women to realize that this. So I started to make this correction through my art. I am actually appropriating our ancient past, reinterpreting it in a very contemporary way. Now it becomes American art, a contemporary American art expression.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Summary of the report: For over 70 years, Social Security has been the foundation of retirement income for American workers and their families and has been instrumental in reducing poverty among the elderly. The Congressional Research Service estimates that if Social Security benefits did not exist, an estimated 44 percent of all elderly people would be poor today. Still, some people who receive Social Security retirement benefits remain vulnerable to poverty in old age. The elderly poverty rate in 2007 was 9.7 percent. In addition, the long-term financing shortfall currently facing the Social Security program is growing and has made reform of the program a priority for policy makers. Thus, the nation faces the challenge of improving long-term program solvency, while also ensuring benefit adequacy for economically vulnerable beneficiaries. Many Social Security reform proposals have suggested modifying the system to restore its financial balance by reducing benefits or increasing payroll or other taxes, and several also include options to address concerns about benefit adequacy for economically vulnerable groups of beneficiaries. Economically vulnerable beneficiaries generally have limited income from other sources, such as employer-sponsored pension plans or personal savings, and therefore depend heavily on their Social Security benefits. Because they have limited resources, many of those beneficiaries also receive assistance from other programs for low-income individuals, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Medicaid; and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program; among others. This report addresses the following key questions: (1) What are the options for modifying Social Security benefits to address concerns about benefit adequacy and retirement income security for economically vulnerable groups? and (2) What effects could these options have on benefits those groups receive from SSI, Medicaid, and SNAP? Get the full report here: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10101r.pdf
Health is one of the most important things in life; there are many ways and strategies to manage the health in order to be as healthy as possible. On the other hand; there are several common health issues that should be managed in order to have a normal life like any other normal people. Diabetes is one of the most common health problem with more than 25 million people are diagnosed with diabetes and most of them are having the type 2 diabetes. It is recommended to life a healthy lifestyle by arranging the diet as well as increasing the level of physical activity can reduce the risk of having the type 2 diabetes. Those activities can be a simple solution to lose weight that is also recommended to reduce the chance of having diabetes disorder. Anyone with prediabetes who manage the diet and having more exercise can have the blood glucose level back to normal as well as prevent the presence of the type 2 diabetes by practicing healthy lifestyle. It is recommended for anyone with type 2 diabetes to live a healthy lifestyle and carefully arrange the diet in order to manage the blood glucose level. The type 2 diabetes diet can be arranged by managing the consumption of carbohydrate and fat. The low carb diet is recommended to reduce the insulin resistance and also to reduce or even stop the prediabetes progression. It can be a simple solution to have a healthier life for anyone with diabetes issues. It is recommended to consume more vegetables and natural foods due to the ability to promote weight loss and providing rapid assimilation of the contained sugar. The low fat diet is another recommended diet management for anyone with type 2 diabetes. This type of diet can reduce the risk of heart related diseases. The managed diet is practically about the control of the saturated fat to lower the possible risks related to the type 2 diabetes.
Carbohydrates are an essential macronutrient that provides the body with energy. They are found in a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products. Carbohydrates are made up of three elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and are classified into two main types: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Types of Carbohydrates - Simple carbohydrates, also known as sugars, are made up of one or two sugar molecules and are easily broken down by the body for energy. Common sources of simple carbohydrates include fruit, honey, and table sugar. However, consuming too much simple sugar can lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, which can contribute to weight gain and other health problems. - Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are made up of long chains of sugar molecules and take longer to digest. They provide a slower and more sustained release of energy and are found in foods such as whole grains, beans, and vegetables. Complex carbohydrates are a good source of fiber, which is important for digestive health and can help lower the risk of certain diseases. Role of Carbohydrates in the Body - Carbohydrates play an important role in providing the body with energy. When carbohydrates are consumed, they are broken down into glucose, which is then used by the body for energy. Glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen and can be used by the body when energy is needed. - Carbohydrates also play a role in maintaining blood sugar levels. When carbohydrates are consumed, they increase the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, which helps to move glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body, where it can be used for energy. This process helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Sources of Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates are found in a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products. It is important to choose high-quality sources of carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, which are rich in fiber and other essential nutrients. - Foods that are high in refined carbohydrates, such as sugary drinks and processed snacks, should be consumed in moderation. These foods are often low in nutrients and can contribute to weight gain and other health problems. This is a short summary article. For quality control, we do not encourage or allow strangers to edit the content.
Comprehensive or Master Land Use Plan: A long-range blueprint for development designed to promote high-quality, orderly growth for the community and provide a basis for development regulations. Planned Development District (PDD): A large tract of land governed by a Master Development Plan, incorporating a mix of land uses and utilizing flexible design standards. Property Rights: Constitutional right of property owners to develop their property as long as they meet all applicable rules and regulations. Rezoning:The act of changing a zoing district to include a different set of permitted uses. Changes must be consistent with the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan. Site Condominium: A subdivision plan developed under a master deed rather than a plat, and generally includes private roads. Site Plan: A plan for development showing location and height of the building, setbacks, parking and vehicular access, landscaping and preliminary engineering. Tentative Preliminary Plat: A subdivision's conceptual layout plan to split land into more than four additional parcels. Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA): An appointed body that hears requests for variances to the Zoning Ordinance. Zoning Ordinance: A detailed development regulation that provides general limitations and standards for specific land uses, including setbacks, use of exterior materials, accessory structures, and landscaping.
April 1, 1915, French pilot Roland Garros shot down a German Albatros airplane. Although this was not the first air-to-air kill, Garros’ airplane, a Morane Parasol, was the first airplane that was modified specifically for the purpose of aerial combat. Working with designer Raymond Saulnier, Garros had developed reinforced propeller blades that deflected bullets from a forward-firing machine gun (which made hitting the target easier). Over the next several weeks, Garros and his airplane scored three more victories until he was forced to land the plane in Germany territory. He was taken prisoner before he could burn the airplane, which fell into the hands of the Germans. A crashed German Albatros and his airplane ushered in a new era of aviation—both the age of aces and the first aviation arms race. For the remainder of the war, the combatants competed daily for air superiority in order to fly over the enemy’s trenches un-harassed--photographing movements, dropping bombs, and strafing troops. But to gain air superiority, an army’s aerial wing had to have more airplanes and the best pilots. Governments spent the war pushing their designers to build planes that would be faster and more manoeuvrable than the enemy’s. This arms race, combined with advances in personnel training and aerial combat tactics, meant that when World War I ended on November 11, 1918, the airplane’s development had been accelerated to the point where it had become an integral part of military and civilian life. all began with Garros and his Morane Parasol. During the month before the outbreak of the war, Raymond Saulnier had been working on an interrupter gear that would allow a machine gun to be fired through the propeller arc. He had grown impatient with hang-fire failures so he attached steel deflection plates on the propeller where the bullets passed through the arc. The military lost interest in his idea once the war started and made Saulnier return the machine gun he had borrowed. After a few months into the war, all the pilots were unanimous in their desire for fixed machine guns facing forward that they could shoot in the direction they were flying. Lieutenant Roland Garros, who had been a famous stunt pilot before the war, came to Saulnier and had steel deflector plates attached to his propeller blades and a fixed machine gun mounted in front of the cockpit. The interrupter gear was not installed, Garros relying on the steel plates to ward off the bullets that hit the airscrew. At the end of March Garros took to the air, and in just over a fortnight he had shot down five German planes. On April 19, though, he was brought down by enemy ground fire while strafing an infantry unit near Coutrai. His attempts to set fire to his plane (as all pilots did when they crashed landed in enemy territory, so the enemy could not get their hands on their technology) were unsuccessful and his modified airscrew was quickly in the workshop of Anthony Fokker. Anthony Fokker improves Garros' Innovation The problem of perfecting a machine gun that would synchronize its firing with the rotation of the propellers was the assignment given to Anthony Fokker. In two days the Dutch engineer had improved on Garros' innovation considerably. Fokker Eindekkers were armed with synchronized Spandau machine guns and roamed the skies virtually unopposed for a while. German aces such as Immelman and Boelcke led a reign of terror in the skies, known as the Fokker Scourge. But, as things went in that war for control of the air, the Allies weren't too far behind in making an answer to the Fokker Scourge. A little while later the Allies came up with a synchronized gun designed by Georges Constantinesco Fighting Airman -The Way of the Eagle Major Charles J. Biddle, described the principle of the synchronized machine gun. There is no mystery about a machine gun firing through a propeller without hitting the blades. Nearly everyone understands the principle by which the valves of a gasoline motor are timed so as to open and close at a given point in the revolution of the engine. In the same way a machine gun may be timed to shoot. On the end of the cam shaft of the motor is placed an additional cam. Next to this is a rod connected with the breech block of the gun. When the gun is not being fired the rod is held away from the cam by a spring. pressing the trigger brings the two in contact , and each time the cam revolves it strikes the rod which in turn trips the hammer of the gun and causes it to fire. The cam is regulated so that it comes in contact with the rod just as each blade has passed the muzzle of the gun which can therefore fire at this time only. The engine revolves at least 1,000 turns per minute and as there are two chances for the gun to fire for each revolution, this would allow the gun to fire 2,000 shots per minute. The rate of fire of a machine gun varies from about 400 to 1,000 shots per minute according to the type of gun and the way in which it is rigged. The gun therefore has many more opportunities to fire between the blades of the propeller than its rate of fire will permit it to make use of. Consequently, the gun can work at full speed regardless of ordinary variations in the number of revolutions of the engine. pilots found themselves helpless against the planes. French bombing missions into German territory were halted. British pilot morale plummeted, as the pilots began to call themselves "Fokker fodder." The German pilots began to accumulate victories and medals steadily. Max Immelman and Oswald Boelke ruled the skies as they flew together, developing aerial combat tactics and techniques. The Germans carefully protected their advantage, never allowing the Eindecker to cross lines where it might be shot down, captured, and copied. the era of the Fokker Eindecker ended in 1916, when an Eindecker pilot became lost in heavy fog and landed in France. Soon after, the British debuted the Sopwith Strutter and the French introduced the Nieuport 17. Both airplanes used technology from the captured Eindecker but combined the synchronized propeller system with stronger engines. Beginning with the death of Immelman on June 18, 1916, the French and the British reigned over the skies. challenge the Sopwith Strutter and Nieuport 17, the Germans developed the Albatros D.I, the first airplane developed for the sole purpose of aerial combat. But production problems delayed the plane’s debut. As the Battle of Somme began in the summer of 1916, Allied airplanes flew freely over the Front. They strafed the enemy trenches and bombed munitions dumps and supply systems. The German ground troops felt besieged and grew panicky. Any airplane that flew overhead, even those with German markings, was perceived as a threat and would send the troops running for cover. German morale plummeted. Some of the first Albatross D-IIIs were supplied to the German organization, Jasta 11, commanded by Baron Manfred von Richthofen. Germany’s loss at the Battle of the Somme proved to German military planners the necessity to gain air superiority. They scrambled to reorganize. National resources were directed toward Albatros production. Oswald Boelke was called back from a war bond propaganda tour. During the preceding year, he had been rallying for a reorganization of the fighter force with specially trained pilots and now he was being given the chance to make it happen. organized the German aerial combat resources into Jagdstaffeln ("hunting squadrons") commonly known as Jastas. Jastas were not attached to any ground units but travelled as needed. They did not patrol but were mobilized in response to sightings of enemy aircraft, which they then hunted down. The Jastas defined their mission as "aggressive aerial pilots of the Jastas were trained to follow the Dicta Boelke, a series of aerial combat techniques Boelke had developed that covered both attack procedures and tactics. The Dicta included rules such as securing the advantage before attacking, firing only at short range, keeping the sun behind you, flying to meet an opponent in a dive, and always keeping a line of retreat. The Dicta also covered the basics of formation flying--between four and six airplanes was the desired number for an attack, and a plane was never to be stranded alone during a fight. handpicked the pilots for the first Jasta, named Jasta 2. Among these men was a former aerial observer named Manfred von Richthofen, soon to achieve fame as the "Red Baron." The men were trained on the new Albatros airplanes. This emphasis on training and tactics made the Jastas such deadly fighting units. 2 hit the skies in the fall of 1916. In the first five weeks, Boelke doubled his personal kill count to 40 until he was killed in a midair collision with a squadron mate. But the Allies had no time to rejoice while Germany mourned. The system Boelke built continued, and command of the squadron passed on to von Richthofen. height of the Jastas’ power came during April 1917 at the Battle of Arras, better known as "Bloody April." The French air squadrons had withdrawn to recover from the previous months of battle, but England had decided to fight on despite delays in delivery of the next generation of fighters to the Front. The English believed that their sheer numerical superiority--385 fighters over the 114 German fighters--was enough to ensure victory. During that month, England lost a third of its fighter force, and the flying life expectancy of an English pilot was 17½ hours. "Bloody April" forced the British to revise its approach to aerial combat, as the Germans had done the year before. It had now been proven that well-trained pilots flying the best planes were more important than numerical superiority. Britain rushed to organize pilot training schools with experienced veterans as instructors. The students were taught using James McCudden’s Notes on Aeroplane Fighting in Single-Seated Scouts and Fighting in the Air. The Sopwith Camel had arrived earlier that year, but it was difficult to fly and there had been a high number of fatal accidents. The new training schools allowed enough training time for pilots to become familiar with the planes before being thrust into the chaos of combat. In the hands of an experienced pilot, the Sopwith Camel would outmanoeuvre any contemporary airplane, with the possible exception of the Fokker Triplane. From July 1917, when it reached the Front, until the Armistice, the Camel shot down more than 1200 enemy aircraft. "Bloody April" was the end of German air superiority. The British Sopwith Camel finally arrived in large numbers, and this small, light airplane with twin forward-firing machine guns flown by experienced pilots soon made a difference. The French returned to the Front with the Spad XIII-- a plane that became so popular that all the Allied forces flew them. And the Americans arrived. Trained at home on their beloved Curtiss Jenny, they also flew the Spad XIII as well as the Nieuport 28. The SPAD (Societe pour l'Aviation et ses Derives - Society for Aviation and its was designed in 1916 as a French attempt to counter the twin gun German fall of 1917, the Germans had begun feeling the effects of the war. Shortages of materials such as metal and rubber were slowing down production. Fokker designed what was considered the best fighter plane of the war; the Fokker D.VII, but it was never manufactured in large enough numbers to make a difference. When the peace treaty was signed in November 1918, the D.VII was the only armament specified by name for
Moose vs Elk Moose and Elk are the largest among the members of Family: Cervidae. Therefore, it would be important to discuss the differentiation of an elk from a moose. The natural distribution seems alike but with some distinctions. The physical characteristics along with other biological aspects are interesting in both moose and elk. Elk is an even-toed ungulate with a hugely built body, which measures more than 2.5 metres of height. Males, called bulls or stags, grow larger with a body weight could go as high as 480 kilograms, while females, known as cows or hinds, weigh almost 300 kilograms. They live in forests as well as the habitats along the edges of the forests. The shaggy neck and the presence of mane are important features of them. Additionally, their neck is darker and the rump is white, those are unique features too. According to the climate, elks change their colour and the thickness of the coat. In winter, the coat gets lightly coloured and thicker, while it is dark tanned with short fur in the summer. They are social animals living n groups called herds. One single female dominates the herd, i.e. these are matriarchal herds as like elephants. Males have widely branching antlers with about one metre span in dendritic configuration. During their mating period, bulls make repeated high pitch vocalization Stag sheds the antlers in late fall after mating because of reduced testosterone in body. The antlers regrow every year and a very high rate of more than 2 centimetres per day. However, upon mating, the hinds get pregnant and the gestation period lasts for 240 – 260 days. The newborn calves have spots as in many deer species and disappear by the end of summer. A healthy elk lives about 15 years, but sometimes there are records of 25-year olds. Moose is the largest among all the deer species with a weight range of 400 – 700 kilograms. Sometimes male have grown more than 3 metres, but the females are always smaller. They range in the Northern part of the North America and temperate Asia and Europe. One of the characteristic of this ruminant is the presence of hanging dewlaps. Moose is light brown to black in colour, depending on the season and the age. They are not social herbivores but prefer solitary lives. Bulls have enormously built palmate antlers to attract cows and to use in fighting for females during mating season. The legs of moose are paler in colour than the rest of the body. Other important features of moose include drooping lips, rotatable ears, and prominent hump. They mate during September and October of each year and the gestation lasts for about eight months. If there is enough food, newborn twins are possible. Calves are reddish brown in colour, and mother cares for the calves until the end of the next pregnancy. Usually, their lifespan ranges from 15 to 25 years. What is the difference between an Elk and a Moose? - In comparing these big-made deer species, moose ranks top among all the Cervids in terms of body size, while elk is the second. - Moose has hanging dewlaps that elk does not. - Moose’s’ palmate antlers are comparable to elk’s widely branched dendritic antlers. - Skin colour is darker in moose than in elk. - The legs are paler than the body colour in moose, whereas elks have darker legs compared to body colour. - Additionally, moose has drooping lips, but elk does not. - Moose prefer solitary lives while Elks live in matriarchal herds. - Moose’ rotatable ears are another interesting feature to differentiate from elk.
Tactile Display With Directional Force Feedback This new touch panel concept imparts a directional tactile feedback force to the user, by moving the panel surface. Developed by a research group with members from NEC and the Tokyo Institute of Technology, the system uses wires to pull the four corners of the panel. The tensile force to be applied to each wire can be adjusted, so the strength of the force, as well as the direction, can be controlled. "This system produces a sensation like when you hit an object, enabling you to understand where the object is. With vibration alone, you know you've hit an object, but just touching an object doesn't enable you to understand where it is. You will know if you look at it, but the information you can sense by touch is insufficient." "In this demo, when you touch the ball, if it's rolling toward you slowly, the force you feel is weak, and if it hits you quickly, you feel a strong force from it. So in that regard as well, this system differs from a tactile display using vibration." This prototype has optical touch sensors in the bezel, and all the components that produce the force, including the wires and motors, are housed inside the display. So this system can be used like a regular touch panel, without needing to attach any extra devices to the fingers. "Because you can feel the direction of the force, this system could be used for navigation, for example, to let people know which way they're going just by touching the display. Also, when you're entering text by flicking, with no sensation, it's hard to know which side you're on, but with this system, you know which way you've flicked. So we think this system could be useful in applications like that." - This Week - This Month - All Time
Report on Banda Api (Indonesia) — June 1987 Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, vol. 12, no. 6 (June 1987) Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.. Banda Api (Indonesia) Small plume observed after large earthquake Please cite this report as: Global Volcanism Program, 1987. Report on Banda Api (Indonesia). In: McClelland, L. (ed.), Scientific Event Alert Network Bulletin, 12:6. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.SEAN198706-265090. 4.523°S, 129.881°E; summit elev. 596 m All times are local (unless otherwise noted) A M 6.7 tectonic earthquake occurred 150 km SE of Banda Api on 17 June (preliminary epicenter 5.58°S, 130.88°E). Activity consisting of a white plume, reaching 100 m above Banda Api's crater, was reportedly observed after the earthquake. However, photographs taken during a climb to the crater 24-26 April showed no plume or gas emission. Geologic Background. The small island volcano of Banda Api is the NE-most volcano in the Sunda-Banda arc and has a long period of historical observation because of its key location in the Portuguese and Dutch spice trade. The basaltic-to-rhyodacitic volcano is located in the SW corner of a 7-km-wide mostly submerged caldera that comprises the northernmost of a chain of volcanic islands in the Banda Sea. At least two episodes of caldera formation are thought to have occurred, with the arcuate islands of Lonthor and Neira considered to be remnants of the pre-caldera volcanoes. A conical peak rises to about 600 m at the center of the 3-km-wide Banda Api island. Historical eruptions have been recorded since 1586, mostly consisting of Strombolian eruptions from the summit crater, but larger explosive eruptions have occurred and occasional lava flows have reached the coast. Information Contacts: VSI.
This volume, featuring work by leading researchers in educational and developmental psychology, provides new perspectives on how and why children tend to thrive or fail at school. The individual chapters examine the unique roles of peers and teachers in communicating and reinforcing school-related attitudes, expectations, and definitions of self. The relation of children's school adjustment to school motivation, interpersonal functioning, and social skillfulness are also explored. The developmental and social perspectives on motivation and achievement presented in this text provide fresh insights into the complex processes that contribute to success in school. This is important reading for educators and psychologists who work with children. Back to top Rent Social Motivation 1st edition today, or search our site for other textbooks by Jaana Juvonen. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Cambridge University Press.
About a third of the world’s fish is caught using bottom trawling, a method that drags a net along the seabed, scooping up everything in its path. The ecological damage can be devastating. Many marine creatures—sea turtles, corals and anemones—are accidentally caught, and often die. As it scours the bottom, the trawl can also destroy marine habitats crucial to a thriving ecosystem. But some trawling techniques are more damaging than others. That’s the conclusion of a study by University of Rhode Island Oceanographer Jeremy Collie and a group of international scientists. “Global analysis of depletion and recovery of seabed biota after bottom trawling disturbance” was published July 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Collie, a professor in URI’s Graduate School of Oceanography, was a co-author. Collie and other researchers studied four different trawling techniques and concluded that otter trawling, a method that uses two doors to hold the net open, is the least harmful to marine organisms. Collie says that the study should be of great interest to New England fisheries, which have used trawling to catch fish for decades and are often embroiled in debates with marine conservationists about whether to ban trawling, or limit the practice. “Bottom trawling causes physical and biological change to seabed habitats and can cause structural and functional changes in seabed communities,” the scientists concluded. “Understanding the ecosystem consequences of trawling is important so we can reduce negative impacts on the seabed through appropriate management measures.” The team looked at 70 previous studies on the effects of bottom trawling to determine which methods were most harmful. The studies focused on waters off the East Coast of the United States and Western Europe. Besides otter trawling, the group also studied beam trawling, a method that uses a metal beam to hold the net open. The team also looked at towed dredges that drag a toothed metal bar along the seafloor and hydraulic dredges, in which a jet of water loosens the seabed to capture creatures living in the sediment. Otter trawls removed 6 percent of marine organisms each time the net passed, according to the study. Hydraulic dredges caused the most damage, removing 41 percent of animal and plant life on the seabed, the study reports. Depending on the type of fishing gear, penetration depth and environmental factors such as water depth and sediment composition, recovery for marine organisms ranged between 1.9 and 6.4 years. “These findings fill an essential science gap that will inform policy and management strategies for sustainable fishing practices by enabling us to evaluate the trade-off between fish production for food and the environmental cost of different harvesting techniques,” says Ray Hilborn, a fisheries professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, and another study co-author. The findings are part of the Trawling Best Practices Project, which is looking at the impact of trawling worldwide and hopes to publish trawling guidelines for the fishing industry that focus on preserving the marine ecosystem. Collie expects to remain involved in the project for years to come. “In addition to calculating the mortality of marine animals caused by bottom trawling, this study provides some of the first estimates of their rates of recovery,” he says. “Combined with high-resolution maps of trawling efforts, this work allows us to estimate the impact of bottom trawling on seafloor communities worldwide.” Collie collaborated with a prestigious group of scientists from various institutions including Bangor University in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, the Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies in the Netherlands, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Centro Nacional Patagonico in Argentina, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome. The project was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; the Walton Family Foundation; the Alaska Seafood Cooperative; American Seafoods Group; Blumar Seafoods Denmark; Clearwater Seafoods; Espersen Group; Glacier Fish Company; Gortons; Independent Fisheries New Zealand; Nippon Suisan, United States; Pacific Andes International Holdings; Pesca Chile, South Africa; San Arawa, South Africa; Sanford New Zealand; Sealord Group, New Zealand; South African Trawling Association; and Trident Seafoods. Government funding was provided by the United Kingdom Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the European Union Project; the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Science Fund; and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Photo captions— (Top) GSO professor Jeremy Collie. (Bottom) Scallop dredges attached together on a beam at a fishing dock in the Netherlands. Photos courtesy of Jeremy Collie.
No Mow May: Why you shouldn't mow the lawn in May Mowing your lawn is an essential job for every gardener as grass and flowers appear to grow at a rapid pace during the Spring and Summer months. Mowing is the key to a healthy lawn, encouraging a lusher crop of grass. Cutting the grass is a timely task each season and must be undertaken on several occasions to maintain a tip-top lawn. However, mowing your lawn in May is banned for many as gardeners strive to help nature in another way. All you have to do to participate is let your lawn grow for the entire month of May. Several nature charities, including Plantlife, endorse the campaign, urging people with gardens to leave their mowers in their sheds until June. The impetus behind No Mow May is to give pollinators, like bees, more time to undertake their work. The mow-free period allows more flowers to grow so pollinators can collect more nectar. Postponing your mowing session until June can help plants create enough nectar for up to 10 times more beers and other pollinators. At the end of the month, you can count the flowers on your lawn to take part in the conservation charity Plantlife’s Every Flower Counts survey. You will then receive your own Personal Nectar Score, which tells you how many bees your garden is helping to support. Recent research found there is a huge diversity of wildflowers currently growing in British lawns. More than 200 species have been found flowering on lawns, including rarer flowers such as meadow saxifrage, knotted clover and eyebright according to a large survey from Plantlife called Every Flower Counts. The most abundant flowers in British gardens are daisies, white clovers and selfheals. The survey found 80 percent of laws supported the equivalent of 400 bees a day from the nectar sugar produced by flowers. But 20 percent of lawns were found to be supporting 10 times as many – which equates to up to 4000 bees a day. This year, the Every Flower Counts survey will take place from May 23 to 31. To join you simply need to count the number of flowers in a random square metre of your lawn.
Let’s think of a school as an economy. Just as entrepreneurs and consumers must navigate an economy strangled by regulations and central economic policy, so too must teachers and pupils navigate their educational world strangled by regulations and central education policy. As Thomas DiLorenzo points out in How Capitalism Saved America: “Human being[s] (are) unique in a thousand different ways–in motivation, intelligence, interests, physical attributes and abilities, preferences, goals, skill levels, age, formal and informal education, worldly experiences, family history and culture, psychology, and much more.” This means the billions of people making up society are all unique individuals, acting out of self-interest. Economics, as a subset of praxeology, is the study of how humans act, and how the interaction of all these individual actions comprise an economy. Promoters of central economic planning purport that not only is it possible to plan for all these interactions, the government is best at doing so. This is fallacious, and makes for a coerced climate for entrepreneurs. Take soft drink manufacturers. They know sugar cane to be the best way to sweeten their drinks; both in terms of flavor and cost. However, central economic planning places quotas on cheap, imported sugar cane, and gives massive subsidies to the corn industry, resulting in artificially cheap corn. This makes high fructose corn syrup the most economical product for American soft drink manufacturers to sweeten with. Consumers are then left with a massive supply of inferior product, and must seek out (and pay a higher price for) the superior product. As stated earlier, individuals are unique in their wants and desires, and in a free market, competent entrepreneurs will satisfy those wants and desires. But because of central economic planning, entrepreneurs are discouraged economically from providing for the individual consumers. To do so is now more expensive and less profitable. Both the entrepreneur and consumer lose. In the realm of education, teachers are the entrepreneurs, and their pupils are the consumers. The product teachers provide, and the product their pupils look to obtain, is education. Teachers are mandated to teach standardized curricula. It doesn’t matter whether Pupil A is better at math than Pupil B, they must receive the same education, and at the same speed. More advanced students are left uninterested and unchallenged, while slower students are left behind. Though well-meaning teachers recognize this, they’re stonewalled from alleviating the situation by central education policy. Let’s look at it another way. Like in the market place, pupils have unique wants and desires when it comes to what they want or need to learn. For example, a high school student wanting to become an engineer would benefit most from taking math and science courses. He has teachers who are willing and able to provide such an education. However, central education policy mandates he must learn and spend as much time on English as he does on math and science. You may claim he needs to learn English, and drawing, and music, etc., but who are you (or a bureaucrat) to say? As pointed out before, perhaps he’s not good at English. Trying to force it upon him is only going to leave him discouraged, and is therefore a doomed-to-fail endeavor for the teacher. As for the student who is good at English? He must seek out the superior product, and pay more for it (e.g. AP exams, private school, or extracurricular education, such as music lessons). It is because of human nature (i.e. the uniqueness of individuals), that perhaps well-meaning central economic planning fails society. The manifestation of central planning in education is no exception. Both the entrepreneur (the teacher) and the consumer (the pupil) lose.
This Tuesday is the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and considered the holiest of the year. During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to fast during daylight hours, and abstain from smoking and sexual relations between sunrise and sunset. They are also encouraged to donate to charity or do volunteer work, and to read the Qur’an. Muslim history in Australia predates 1788, for traders and fishermen from Indonesia are believed to have had contact with Indigenous Australians hundreds of years before European settlement, leaving their mark in language, culture and even genetics on the peoples of northern Australia. However, Muslim emigration is usually dated from the mid-19th century, when Central Asians were brought here to work as camel-drivers in the desert – they were known as Afghans, although they were mostly from India. The train from Adelaide to Darwin is called The Ghan in their memory, and the first mosque was built in 1861 in South Australia for the “Afghan” community. Immigration from Muslim countries increased during the 1970s, and today about 1.5 million Australians identify as Muslim, or 2.2% of the population. It is an ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse religious group, with Lebanese-Australian Muslims the largest group within it (although most Lebanese-Australians are Christian). Around half of Muslims in Australia live in Sydney. The most blessed night during Ramadan is Laylat al-Qadr, which can be translated as Night of Destiny (August 3 this year). It commemorates the night when Muslims believe Allah revealed the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad, and it is a night to pray for blessings and salvation. Layla means “night” in Arabic. It is sometimes interpreted by Arabic writers as “one who works by night”, with connotations of matters which are kept hidden or secret. Others see it as a name describing a dark beauty, or suitable for someone born during the hours of night – or even for a girl born on Laylat al-Qadr. The name Layla is prominent in Arabic literature because of a medieval love story (supposedly based on real events) whose title can be roughly translated as Crazy for Layla. According to the legend, Qays and Layla were from the same Arabian tribe, and fell in love. The smitten Qays began obsessively composing poems in his sweetheart’s honour, to the point where he gained a reputation as being not quite right in the head. As a result, he acquired the moniker Majnun (“madman”). When Majnun asked for Layla’s hand in marriage, her father refused, because he didn’t want a poetry-mad nutter as a son-in-law, and married her off to someone more stable. Poor lovesick Majnun began wandering alone in the desert, and could occasionally be sighted muttering poems to himself or writing what was presumed to be more poetry in the sand with a stick. Layla became ill and eventually died; some said she had died of a broken heart. Majnun was found dead in the wilderness in 688, near Layla’s grave. His last poems were carved on a rock near Layla’s final resting place. The story is best known from the work of the 12th century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi, who adapted it into a long narrative poem called Leyli o Majnun (“Layla and the Madman”). Nizami Gangavi’s poem is considered a literary masterpiece, and brings the story vividly to life. In his version, the lovers fell for each other while still in school, and were not permitted to marry because of a feud between their families – very much like Romeo and Juliet. The romance was extremely popular, and mystics used it to illustrate spiritual truths, so that Majnun became a symbol not only for poets and lovers, but also for those seeking higher truths. Layla and Manjun are often referenced in literature, and the story has gained wide appeal in India, where it has inspired many films. The story of Layla gained a new audience in 1970, when Eric Clapton’s song Layla was released. Based on his infatuation with model Pattie Boyd, then married to George Harrison, it uses the story of Layla and Majnun to illustrate madly despairing unrequited love. Another song from the same album, I Am Yours, quotes directly from Nizami Gunjavi. Unlike Layla and Majnun, Eric and Pattie did later wed, but the marriage didn’t last. Layla has charted since the 1980s, when it debuted at #752. It was #353 for the 1990s, and #147 for the early 2000s. Layla entered the Top 100 in 2004, when it got to #98, and made the Top 50 in 2009, at #47. Currently it is #38 nationally, #28 in New South Wales, #42 in Victoria, #32 in Queensland, #32 in South Australia, #24 in Western Australia, #36 in Tasmania, and #35 in the Australian Capital Territory. Layla has zoomed up the charts to become established as a popular girls name. Apart from its musical heritage, it fits in with the trend for girls name with an AY sound in them, such as Ava, Hayley and Kayla, and also with the L-L trend, such as that found in Lily, Lila and Lola. That means a Layla may be the only one in her class, but the other girls around her could have similar-sounding names. Layla is pretty and simple with a nice meaning and a very romantic history, and it works well cross-culturally too. It’s popular, but its position has stabilised, so it’s not rocketing upwards any longer. If you have fallen deeply in love with the name Layla, then I don’t think anyone will think you are crazy for choosing it. Name Combinations for Layla Layla Carys, Layla Elise, Layla Jade, Layla Peri, Layla Scarlett, Layla Zoe Brothers for Layla Fabian, Jett, Ryder, Skandar, Tariq, Xavier Sisters for Layla Aaliyah, Evie, Jasmine, Sophie, Willow, Zara Note: Middle names and sibling names partially based on real life examples POLL RESULT: Layla received an approval rating of 94%, making it the highest-rated featured girls name of 2013. 34% of people liked it, and nobody hated it. (Picture is of the cover of the album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, by Derek and the Dominoes)
The Whittier Narrows Operable Unit (WNOU) addresses contamination in the southern most part of the San Gabriel Valley, where groundwater and surface water flow from the San Gabriel Basin into the Central Basin. In 1999, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an amendment to the Record of Decision for the WNOU which identified the need for a groundwater extraction barrier approximately ¼ mile north of the Whittier Narrows Dam to halt the flow of contamination traveling toward the Central Basin. To form an effective containment barrier, five or six extraction sites were required to remove and treat about 12,000 gallons per minute, extracting from both the shallow and intermediate zone aquifers. The EPA built a comprehensive treatment facility operated by the State of California. Prior to the construction of the EPA project, the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority (WQA) stepped in at the request of EPA to construct a temporary, 1,000-gallon-per-minute early action project to stem the flow of high concentration contaminants in the area. That facility was shut down when EPA completed construction of its project. Appendix A in WQA’s Groundwater Quality Management and Remediation Plan (406 Plan)
Any essay you distribute should really be established in your analysis that is own and. Any product or some ideas obtained from other sources should be placed in the recommendations area. In the event that you don’t understand much in regards to the provided subject, it is far better to start with learning the overall reputation for the time and standard textbooks, as an example, The Cambridge Ancient History. Your essay on ancient history must be a structured little bit of persuasive writing with appropriate arguments and proof. In your essay you put the relevant concern and response it. Writing a history that is ancient includes six actions: selecting an interest, making records, arranging the data gathered, composing the drafts, creating last type of the essay and preparing footnotes in addition to bibliography. To begin with, you ought to decide which topic will match you better. Your essay may well be more effective you are interested in and you have profound knowledge about if you will write on the topic. While performing research, you ought to take into account that considerable reading is vital for receiving grades that are high your essay. It is possible to choose instead slim topic, but hold a deep analysis. Because of this you may show your knowledge that is deep of topic as well as your analytical abilities. Read More
Antidepressants and Pain Management Most of the drugs that are used in psychiatry are also used as pain medications. These drugs are known for anxiety treatment, reducing fatigue, insomnia, depression, Also benzodiazepines, or anticonvulsants can be used to relieve pain . Of the most common psychiatric drugs, those that are antidepressants also have a pain reducing effect. This is through to be partly independent of the relieving effect on depression. The two main classes of antidepressants , which are known as the tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are thought to play different roles when it comes to treating pain. The drug amitriptyline (Elavil ), is a tricyclic. It is also one of the most prescribed antidepressants that is also used as an analgesic. This is due, partly, to its sedative abilities, which can be beneficial for people who may be in pain. The SSRIs like fluoxetine (Prozac ) as well as sertraline (Zoloft ) are not normally as effective when it comes to pain relief. However, their known side effects can often be better tolerated by patients. They are also less risky when compared to the tricyclic drugs. For both of these drug classes, they work on brain pathways which are known to regulate mood as well as pain perception. The tricyclics medications will increase the activity that goes on with the neurotransmitters norepinephrine as well as serotonin. When it comes to the SSRIs, they work more on serotonin. There are researchers as well as some clinicians who believe the newer antidepressant drugs act more strongly on neurotransmitters. These are known as dual action drugs such as venlafaxine (Effexor ), which is believed to be superior to the tricyclics and SSRIs when it comes to treating pain. To date, though, the evidence is not conclusive. Many physicians and some clinical psychiatrists are also thinking over the possible potential of the drug gabapentin (Neurontin ). They are also looking at drugs that can effectively block the normal activity of substance P. This is yet another neurotransmitter that is involved in pain regulation and depression. In addition, electroconvulsive therapy, which has been a standard treatment in cases of severe depression, can also have analgesic effects. Tricyclic antidepressants have long been used in treating mild-to-moderate pain that is also associated with neuropathy. These drugs work by increasing levels of neurotransmitters that are found in the brain tissue and by inhibiting certain chemical processes that are also found in the human brain which lets us feel pain. Many times, these medications are used in conjunction with either non-narcotic or sometimes narcotic pain relievers for pain management. The well-known tricyclic antidepressants appear to be more effective for pain that is brought about by diabetic nerve damage, tension headache, or the more severe migraine, as well as fibromyalgia , and cases of low back pain It is not yet fully understood how the painkilling mechanism works in these drugs. It is thought that the tricyclic antidepressants can somehow increase neurotransmitters within the spinal cord which are known to reduce the pain signals. However, these drugs do not work right away. In most cases, patients must take tricyclic antidepressants for many weeks before they notice a reduction in pain. There are some side effects for tricyclic antidepressants including: - dry mouth - sudden weight gain - blood pressure changes. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the newer forms of antidepressants that are being used today to treat pain symptoms that are caused by neuropathy. The SSRIs are able to restore chemical balances within the human brain's nerve cells. Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors comprise a relatively new form of antidepressant that may also alleviate pain that is caused by neuropathy. This newer from of drug works on the nerve cells within the human brain and inhibits not only the production but also the release of specific neurotransmitters. These are being serotonin and norepinephrine. Another type of antidressant is the Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) . These, too, can be used to reduce neuropathic pain. The drugs work on the nerve cells that are located in the brain and restrict the reuse of certain neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, or norepinephrine. It is also used to help alleviate depression by balancing brain chemicals. Serotonin receptor modulators is a class of antidepressant medications which may also be used to relieve neuropathic pain. The drugs work by restoring proper balance to certain brain chemicals. They do this by increasing overall levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine, which are used to transmit messages within the brain to other nerves.
Friday, April 18, 2014 Pratt Gibson, a first grader at Indian Hill Primary School, is one of four finalists in the under 16 category of National Geographic’s "Jerusalem Challenge," associated with their "Jerusalem the Movie," to make the world a better place. The challenge was to come up with an idea that brings people together from different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. Pratt created a video to explain his idea, which is now being voted on via Facebook. The winner of the challenge goes to Jerusalem. Please help our local seven-year-old by voting for him on Facebook. Visit http://bit.ly/18fiBPW and "Like" the page. Then click "View Entries" to see the finalists. Pratt is one of four in the younger than 16 category. Watch his video and click "Vote" to vote for him. Thank you for supporting Pratt and his dream of helping heal the world through art!
11 May 2011 This image, processed to show the true size of Vesta, shows the first glimpse of the giant asteroid Vesta in front of a spectacular background of stars. It was obtained by the framing camera aboard NASA's Dawn spacecraft on 3 May 2011, from a distance of about 1.2 million kilometres. Vesta is so bright that it outshines its starry background, so the framing camera team programmed a long exposure time to make the stars visible. The resulting exaggerated size of Vesta was corrected by superimposing a short exposure image of the target asteroid, showing its true size. Vesta is the small, bright pearl in the middle of the image.Vesta is 530 kilometres in diameter, and the second most massive object in the asteroid belt. But, as the inset shows, Vesta is approximately five pixels across in size in Dawn's early approach images. This is the first unprocessed image of the giant asteroid Vesta in front of a background of stars, obtained with NASA's Dawn spacecraft. It was obtained with Dawn's framing camera on 3 May 2011, from a distance of about 1.2 million kilometres. Vesta is seen in the centre of the image. The giant asteroid reflects so much sunlight that its size is dramatically exaggerated at this exposure. The camera system on board the Dawn spacecraft has acquired its first image of the massive asteroid Vesta. Although the mission's first target is still about 975,000 kilometres away, appearing as just a large white dot, "we now have visual contact with our objective," said Ralf Jaumann of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR). In August 2011, the camera will photograph the asteroid from an orbit with a planned survey altitude of 2700 kilometres; the data will then be processed to develop a three-dimensional model. It has taken the NASA spacecraft over 43 months, during which it has travelled 2.6 billion kilometres, to come within imaging range of the irregularly shaped asteroid. The image acquired on 3 May 2011 shows the asteroid, which has a diameter of about 530 kilometres, as a white dot against a background of stars. Dawn will use its framing cameras over the next three months to navigate the approach and orbital capture by Vesta. "We are no longer flying without sight of our target," said Jaumann, head of the Planetary Geology Department at DLR's Institute of Planetary Research in Berlin. The camera system has now successfully demonstrated the first of its two functions by providing navigational data. "It is now clear that the camera system is working flawlessly and can fulfil its purpose as a navigation instrument." The images obtained with the framing cameras will now be used to determine the exact relative trajectory of the spacecraft, and significantly improve its guidance and control to Vesta. According to current calculations, on 16 July 2011, Vesta will capture Dawn into orbit. The spacecraft will study the asteroid for roughly a year. An asteroid in three dimensions Beginning in August, the framing cameras will begin to perform their second function; the German camera system will analyse the surface of Vesta before Dawn continues its journey to visit the asteroid Ceres. Excitement is growing among planetary scientists as the spacecraft approaches Vesta. "We can't wait to begin exploring," says an enthusiastic Carol Raymond, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Deputy Principal Investigator for the Dawn mission. Although the appearance of the asteroid's surface is as yet unknown, it is thought likely that it has a solid crust similar to that of the Moon. The camera technologies have been exercised on the Rosetta, Mars Express and Venus Express missions. DLR's planetary scientists will process the data obtained with the cameras as Dawn orbits Vesta at different altitudes. The resulting terrain model will answer questions about Vesta's birth, geological history and battering by other asteroids. The Dawn mission The Dawn mission to Vesta and Ceres is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, which is a division of the California Institute of Technology, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington DC. The University of California, Los Angeles, is responsible for overall Dawn mission science. The camera system on the spacecraft was developed and built under the leadership of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, with significant contributions from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Planetary Research in Berlin and the Institute of Computer and Communication Network Engineering in Braunschweig. The Framing Camera project is funded by the Max Planck Society, DLR, and NASA/JPL. Last modified:19/05/2011 15:50:17
As it is evident, the lunar New Year is based on moon cycles and therefore its dates are not fixed. Usually, it commences in the last week of January or in the month of February according to the solar calendar, as the Chinese calendar is the combination of solar and lunar cycles. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many parts of Asia such as China, Korea and Vietnam. It is also celebrated in the US and other countries by the Asian communities. Similar to the solar calendar, lunar year is also divided into 12 months and the first day of the first month is called lunar New Year. The lunar New Year has been observed as an auspicious holiday for the past five thousand years in China. The Chinese calendar actually began in 2700BC, during the reign of Emperor Huang Ti. Later on, in the 2300BC, Emperor Yao instructed his astronomers to invent a calendar that can help farmers determine the exact time of different seasons and the right time to harvest. Chinese observe the lunar New Year with great fanfare and rendezvous with friends. The preparations start from the last dates of the previous lunar month. They pay all their debts, get their hair cut and buy new clothes. To ward off misfortune and invite good luck, they clean their homes. The cleanliness drive is thorough and massive. But, on New Year’s Day, the cleaning is completely prohibited, as it’s considered to be inauspicious on that day. Rubbish and dirt is collected in the room till the next five days and then it’s cleared through the backdoor. Paper cutouts of traditional themes of happiness and wealth are used to dress and adorn the windows and doors. Incense is used in houses and places of worship as a mark of respect for ancestors and as a good omen for health in the New Year. New Year’s Eve A special get together is arranged on the New Year’s Eve, where popular local dishes are served. Family members play cards and other games or simply watch the New Year programs on TV. At midnight, the celebration begins with dazzling fireworks. Fireworks and lights are considered to be a powerful act to ward off the evil spirits. New Year Day In the morning, when the sun of the New Year dawns, youngsters and children greet their parents and elders and in turn are awarded with “lay see”, the money kept in red envelopes and thought to be lucky. Then the family members go outside the house and wish their neighbors and friends knocking every door in the neighborhood. This is an auspicious and festive occasion, where people do away with their differences, reconcile as a goodwill gesture, and exchange gifts for many days to come. All around, there is an atmosphere of peace, festivity, celebration, social get-togethers, folk dance and fun. The celebration continues till the next fortnight. It’s also known as Spring festival and after this festive season ends another festival called the Lantern Festival starts. The festival food is amazing and there are up to nine dishes on the dining table during this festival. Number four and any number which is less than six is avoided, when it comes to number of dishes. The favorite food includes fish, whole chicken, dumplings, jiao zi, Jai, and fried vegetables. According to a legend, Nian monster, the evil power that swept away all crops, livestock and villagers in Ancient China can be thwarted with bright red clothes. Red is considered to be a color that protects and brings good luck in the New Year. White is considered to be a symbol of sorrow and misfortune and hence it’s avoided completely.
Animals That Begin with J In English and Spanish Children tend to learn new words and their meanings quite easily. Not only is this good for their amusement, but it also helps them learn new languages. In addition to English, Spanish is an incredibly important language. In fact, studies show that Spanish is the second most widely-spoken language in the world. Spanish is predominantly spoken in: Spain, South and Central America and several areas of the USA. For this reason, we have created a list with names of animals that begin with "J" in both Spanish and English! Do you want your little ones to learn about all the animals in the world? Then, you have come to the right place! Keep reading to find out more! Animals that begin with J in Spanish Discover which animals begin with J in Spanish below! The Jabiru is a large stork species which can reach 14 centimeters in height and 3 meters in length (with spread wings). It does not emit any type of sound or song, but communicates through beats that it makes with its beak. It usually lives on top of trees, near lakes and rivers. The Jerbo is a small and friendly rodent from China and Mongolia. It is a a relative of rats and mice. It can be easily domesticated due to the fact that is is sociable and easy to care for. When in the wild, it inhabits desert or low vegetation areas. They live in tunnels that they dig to protect themselves from predators. Also known as paca, is a rodent that lives in places with a lot of vegetation. Its fur is rough and brown. Like most rodents, it feeds on fruits and vegetables. It live in burrows in the vicinity of water present areas. This animal is originally from Bolivia. The Jineta (muskcat) is a mammal that owes its name to the fact that it produces musk through its anal glands. This musk allows the Jineta to its territory. It is usually gray, but can also appear black. It is an omnivorous animal, that feeds on; small rodents, birds and fruits. The Jaguarundi, also known as the eyra, is a kind of cat with: short legs, body and an elongated tail. This animal can be found in a large part of Central and South America. They live in the lowlands where weeds and dry forests predominate. They are carnivores and feed on all kinds of; rodents, reptiles, rabbits and birds. These cats are currently threatened by environmental destruction and increasing deforestation. Jabali (Wild boar) The Jabali is a mammal which belongs to the pig family. It is easy to distinguish from the latter by its fur, which is short and usually brown. It also carries characteristic long fangs, which can measure up to 30 centimeters long. This animal is native to Africa, but can also be found in: America, Europe and Asia. They are herbivores that feed on; plants, berries and fruits and small vertebrates and insects. Jicotea (Pond Slider) The jicotea is a very small turtle of approximately 18 to 27 centimeters in size, originally from Puerto Rico. They are usually green or brown and they eat vegetables and small animals. They inhabit freshwater, although they can also sometimes be found in; lagoons, swamps and wells. An interesting fact about this pond slider is that it doesn't have teeth. Animal that begin with J in English Now let's take a look at animals that begins "J" in English. Keep reading to find out which they are! Jackals are predatory mammals native to Africa. They are loners who are usually more active at night. They are known for being very strong yet agile and cowardly. Their fur is beige with a large black spot on its back. Jellyfish are interesting marine creatures that carry a gelatinous bell-like shaped body. They are typically transparent and come in various colors depending on the type of which we speak. Although its natural environment is the sea, they have also been seen in fresh water. Jaguars are the largest felines that exists in America. They are very agile animals, with a keen sense of; vision, hearing and smell. They feed on all kinds of prey including fish and deer. They often live in solitude and love to climb trees to rest. This bird belongs to the raven family and lives in: Europe, Asia and Africa. It is an omnivorous animal that feeds on plants and insects. It is known for its beautiful eggs of a blue or greenish color. This Jackrabbit refers to the white-tailed hare. They are active and fast moving nocturnal animals that live hidden, in order to protect themselves from; coyotes, wolves, eagles and other predators. They inhabit meadows and fields, and feed on: grass, roots and fruit trees. The long-tailed jaeger is a gray-backed bird with a white breast and gray or black wings. Its tail can reach up to 15 centimeters long. This bird can be found in: the Arctic, Europe, Asia and North America. This Japanese macaque is a snow monkey that lives in the forests and mountains of Japan. They live in extremely large groups, sometimes adding up to 200 macaques. It is said that, due to their social behavior, they are very similar to humans. They eat fruit and vegetables. Do you want to find out more animal names? If you want to find out about more animal names that begin with specific letters, take a look at; If you want to read similar articles to Animals That Begin with J In English and Spanish, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.
Wednesday, May 9, is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. It’s a day to recognize the importance of promoting good mental health in our children and to recognize what can harm their mental health. People are generally aware that bullying or the death of a parent can have impact. But what else should we know? Exposure to traumatic events can substantially negatively impact a child’s mental health and have repercussions long into adulthood—not only on their mental health but on their physical health as well. In a recent study researchers estimated that 26 percent of children in the United States will witness or experience a traumatic event before the age of 4. In addition to death of a loved one, traumatic experiences can include witnessing domestic violence, experiencing abuse or neglect, having a life-threatening illness or injury, or living with a family member whose care-giving ability is impaired. While we cannot always stop children experiencing traumatic events, it is critically important that we make sure children receive the treatment and supports needed to address this experience. Children may have nightmares, increased aggression or intense sadness. Children who do receive help have better emotional health, fewer suicidal thoughts or attempts, better school attendance and grades, fewer arrests or delinquent behavior and reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In Minnesota we have strong organizations collaborating with each other that are dedicated to addressing these issues. The Ambit Network works to make high quality care more accessible for traumatized children and families in Minnesota and beyond. The Children’s Mental Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services has several projects working to support young children who have experienced traumatic events. NAMI Minnesota, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, provides free classes, support groups and materials on children’s mental health. If you are a parent or a professional, know that there are treatments and supports in Minnesota that work. For more information contact NAMI at 651-645-2948 or 1-888-NAMI-Helps. Sue Abderholden, Executive Director National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of MN
White House considers raising minimum wage While the fast food industry won’t bow to an increase to $15 an hour in minimum wage, the White House is considering whether to sign the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2015, in three steps of 95 cents each. After 2016, the wage will adjust with inflation to keep pace with the rising cost of living. Thirty-year high minimum wage The increase to $10.10 an hour would be a page-turner. Over the past three decades, minimum wage in the United States (after adjusting for inflation) was below $8.00 an hour. An increase to $10.10 would mean going back to pre-1980 levels. These adjustments use the CPIs (consumer price indexes) collected from the U.S. Department of Labor. Minimum wage and inflation relationship positive Since the 1970s, the correlation between inflation and minimum wage has been positive, with the strongest correlation between the urban CPI and the minimum wage at 0.45. This reflects the fact that minimum wages increase from time to time to adjust for the cost of living and keep workers out of poverty. Indeed, several states have already been doing that for a while. But higher prices could be a result of higher wages. If minimum wage were raised without any productivity gain that could arise from lower employee turnover or training costs, it could create a ripple effect throughout the entire labor market. The restaurant industry would pass the increase in wage cost to customers, knowing that wages of other restaurants would also increase. Even if higher wages weren’t passed on to customers in the short-to-medium term, possibly because of a weak economic environment, higher wages would lead to higher spending in nominal terms in the future. This would result in higher menu prices and inflation if capacity or productivity didn’t rise accordingly. Positive relationship between minimum wage and employee expense Over the past eight years, we’ve seen a positive relationship between minimum wage and employee expense as a share of revenue for the industry. When the government started to increase wages in 2006, inflation also rose, albeit not as much (see chart in the middle of the page). The use of inflation-adjusted wage expense shows that wage expenses increased more than how much fast food companies raised prices for their menu. That has driven expenses for fast-food companies higher, with the industry’s employee expense rising from 25.5% to 26.0% as a percent of sales. But the relationship is not perfect Despite further increases in the minimum labor expense in 2008, however, employee expenses as a share of revenue didn’t increase further. Possible explanations include increased spending at fast food restaurants as overall income rose. This supports traffic, overall utilization, and profit margins. The start of the recession in 2007–2008 also pushed people to cut their food expenditures and choose cheaper eating-out options. Improved productivity could have been another contributing factor. Outlook for fast food and consumer service With wages expected to increase possibly 39% from now to the end of 2015, it would be odd to say that higher wages won’t influence inflation. Fast food retailers such as McDonalds Inc. (MCD), Yum! Brands Inc. (YUM), Wendy’s (WEN) and Burger King (BKW) may be negatively affected in the short to medium term. But in the long term, margins won’t likely be affected by much as these companies (and others in the restaurant industry) pass on higher wage costs to customers who are earning more in nominal amount, including those who work at minimum wage. This also applies to the iShares U.S. Consumer Services ETF (IYC) and Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Holdings ETF (XLY). On a side note, last time wages rose this much within three years, the U.S. market had gone into the final stage of bull market (2006 to 2008). This is something to look out for, and possibly something investors will want to research further.
Why Migrate to Australia Australia, also known as the lucky country, has a tolerant and inclusive society which is built by people from many different backgrounds. Due to its cultural diversity and tolerance, the Australian society’s reputation is globally renowned. Because of this, migrants from more than 200 countries with varying ethnic origins, sex, color, languages and religions call Australia their dream home. Multiculturalism, which was introduced in 1973 to the Australian society, accepts and respects the right of all Australians, including new migrants to express and share their individual cultural heritage with other societies. In order for contribution to the life of the nation to be free from racial, cultural, religious, language and sexual discrimination, Australians will have the right to express their own culture and beliefs, which obliges them to accept the right of others to do the same. It gives Australians equal treatment and opportunity within Australia. Hence, Australia has emerged as one of the most cosmopolitan and unique societies in the world. Migration is one of the two separately managed programs that allow people from around the world to migrate to Australia. This is written down according to the Migration Act and Migration Regulations. In April 2005, Amanda Vanstone, the minister of Immigration and Multicultural and Indegineous Affairs announced that the 2005-06 migration program would be between 130,000 and 140,000 with about 97,500 skilled migrants, exceeding the 2004-05 figures by about 20,000. It’s never been a better time to migrate to Australia. Australia Fact Sheet
According to the newest study, conducted by the scientists from the University of Washington, the Atlantic overturning circulation, responsible for mild climate conditions over England, is currently slowing down, a shift likely to have consequences for the climates of eastern North America and Western Europe. The shift appears to be connected to changes spotted in the southern hemisphere, rather than ice melting in the North Atlantic, as previously assumed. The scientists utilized the data from satellites and ocean sensors off Miami, that followed the changes in the ocean circulation for more than a decade. The data shows a slowdown definitely occurred since 2004, which confirmed a previously suspected trend. The scientists have long suspected the changes in salinity to be the leading cause of the slowdown. The abundant melting and freshening reported in the North Atlantic has been thought to stop the water from sinking, thus slowing down the overturning circulation and moving warmer water masses north along the surface, while sinking the cold water southward. However, the new discovery has come as a surprise, as the previous main suspect was ruled out. A depiction of the global ocean circulation. The warm water In the Atlantic Ocean travels north at the surface and cooler water travel south at depths. Image credit: NASA "It appears that this 10-year slowdown is not related to salinity," said Kathryn Kelly, an oceanographer at the UW's Applied Physics Laboratory. Despite the meltdown, less precipitation contributes to the Arctic surface water becoming saltier and more dense. "That means the slowdown could not possibly be due to salinity - it's just backwards. The North Atlantic has actually been getting saltier." The scientists noted a connection with the so-called Agulhas Current around the southern tip of South Africa where the warm water from the Indian Ocean flows south along the coast of the continent and around its tip toward the Atlantic, making a sharp turn back and connecting with the stormy southern circumpolar current. The warm water mass entering the Atlantic around the cape of South Africa is called the Agulhas Leakage. According to the research, the amount of leakage changes with the quantity of northward transported heat, immersed in the overturning circulation. “We’ve found that the two are connected, but I don’t think we’ve found that one causes the other. It’s more likely that whatever changed the Agulhas changed the whole system. Most people have thought this current should be driven by a salinity change, but maybe it’s the [Southern Ocean] winds,” explained Kelly. Warm water traveling westward around the tip of South Africa and then reversing eastward (top left). The direction of currents along a satellite track (top right). Measurements of heat moved north by the Atlantic overturning circulation (blue line) compared with the amount of heat transferred around the tip through the Agulhas Leakage (red line). Image credit: Kathryn Kelly/University of Washington The new discovery likely carries implications for the climates of northern Europe and eastern portions of the US, and also impacts our understanding of how the oceans transport the heat from tropics to the poles of the planet. “I think it changes how we think about the whole Atlantic overturning circulation, of which the Gulf Stream is a part. It brings back the role of the atmosphere into what’s controlling the climate in the high latitudes, that it’s not all driven by what’s happening in the oceans,” said LuAnne Thompson, a UW professor of oceanography. The observed slowdown of the Gulf Stream and overturning circulation would cause less warm water to be transported to eastern North America and Western Europe, but any effects would be overwhelmed by the overall global climate warming. Thus, the change would not be as dramatic as depicted in the 2004 movie "The Day After Tomorrow, but very gradual. “So that whole concept in the movie of New York harbor freezing doesn’t make any sense. If the Gulf Stream doesn’t carry as much heat from the tropics, it just means that the North Atlantic is not going to warm up as fast as the rest of the ocean - it’s not going to cool down,” Kelly concluded. - "Impact of slowdown of Atlantic overturning circulation on heat and freshwater transports" - Kathryn A. Kelly, Kyla Drushka, LuAnne Thompson, Dewi Le Bars, Elaine L. McDonagh - Geophysical Research Letters (2016) - DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069789 Featured image: Measurements of heat moved north by the Atlantic overturning circulation (blue line) compared with the amount of heat transferred around the tip through the Agulhas Leakage (red line). Image credit: Kathryn Kelly/University of Washington Register/become a supporter Your support is crucial for our survival. It makes this project fully self-sustainable and keeps us independent and focused on the content we love to create and share. You'll receive your ad-free account for 20x faster browsing experience, clean interface without any distractions, ability to post comments without prior editorial check, all our desktop and mobile applications (current and upcoming) ad-free and with the full set of features available, a direct line of communication and much more. See all options.
When you learn to cut, copy and paste text or pictures you will be able to move a text or picture from one place to another. You will also be able to copy pictures and text from the internet to save on your computer. There are so many benefits to learning how to cut copy and paste. Watch this video tutorial to see for yourself. Youtube Video – How to Cut Copy and Paste What is the Difference Between Cut and Copy? 1. Cut is when you remove the file, text, or graphic from its position and paste it in another location.This means that you have removed the file, text, image form the original location and you must paste it somewhere. I do not recommend a person new to computers using the CUT feature. To copy something is a much safer option. 2. Copy is when you copy the file, text, or image, and then place a copy of it in another location. This means that the original still exists. If I do not paste the file,text, or image, will it be lost? If you copy a file and then forget to paste it down somewhere, and then copy a new file, you will be carrying the new file and the old file copy will be gone. If you have just copied a file though, the original will still be in the original location. If you cut a file and forget to paste it down, depending on what version of Windows you are using, your file will be returned to the original location or you will get a warning message. If you are on the older versions of Windows your file could possibly be lost. These things happen and this is why it is best to copy and not cut until you are experienced enough to know what is going on. Here is a full written tutorial on How to cut, copy and paste Text or pictures. Learning how to cut, copy and paste takes practice and if you are not good at it you will need to do it a few more times to get used to it.
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is a measurement of the amount of live vegetation in an area and is commonly used for agricultural assessment. This page will discuss the following topics: NDVI is a simple metric which indicates the health of vegetation. When near infrared hits the leaf of a healthy plant it is reflected back into the atmosphere. As the amount of chlorophyll produced in a plant decreases less near infrared is reflected. This can be used to see the overall health of a crop. The NDVI algorithm compares the reflected intensities of near infrared (NIR) and visible light (see here for a more detailed explanation). Image depicting two plants; left (healthy) and right (unhealthy) with NDVI reflectance VI algorithm. Courtesy of NASA. Your data is processed through several different formulas to give you different options for different insights. See here for a full explanation. The values are calculated for each pixel of your map, giving them an index in the range -1 to 1. < 0 Inanimate / dead material, e.g. roads, buildings, soil or dead plants 0 -> 0.33 Unhealthy plant material 0.33 -> 0.66 Healthy plant material -> 0.66 Very healthy plant material Standard cameras capture Red, Green, and Blue light. Modified cameras capture some combination of Near Infrared, Red, Green, and Blue light depending on the model. Difference in wavelength capture between standard and modified cameras. The graph above explains the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum captured by each type of camera. Source: By Victor Blacus (SVG version of File:Electromagnetic-Spectrum.png) CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. There are two options for cameras We recommend getting quality control samples and a warranty from your hardware vendor prior to purchase. Once you've uploaded your compatible imagery to your DroneDeploy dashboard, it will be automatically processed into an NDVI dataset. When combined with ground-truthing, this data can give you powerful insights into your area of interest. See our explanation of the Plant Health layer for details on what this data means and how to read these maps. We have also interviewed agronomists, farmers, and UAV pilots for a two part blog: "What can NDVI drones do for my business? Misconceptions and advice from agriculture industry experts."
When it comes to sports and physical activity, it’s impossible to ignore the many benefits kids receive from it. This is true on many levels, as they get to interact with their peers, stay physically and mentally fit, and have a healthy emotional outlet. Whether you’re a parent to a young athlete, or you’re a professional coach, there are several things that you need to keep in mind to prevent injuries and discomfort. By following safety guidelines, you’ll ensure that the sport remains a pleasurable and healthy experience for the kids. Preparation and assessment Before taking up any sport, you should talk with your kid and consult with a doctor. A physical exam is a must, which would include a thorough review of the medical record, as well as a series of tests. You should report any pre-existing conditions, autoimmune diseases, allergies to food and medicine, etc. In addition, don’t forget to mention your telephone number in case of emergency and relevant contact information of their chosen doctor. You should also openly talk with the coach about any pre-existing or chronic conditions, like asthma or epilepsy, so that they’ll take precautionary measures and give you further advice. Strech & Warm up Young athletes should never underestimate the importance of good warm up techniques and stretching. Experienced coaches don’t skip warm-ups and they know how to adapt it to fit the level of fitness of every kid. Stretching allows muscles to relax and alleviate any hidden tension that could otherwise lead to injuries. The typical routine involves about ten minutes of light exercise, ending with stretching all muscle groups for about 20 – 30 seconds. Water is one of the vital resources that help kids cool down, quench their thirst that naturally appears after physical effort, and keep them safe from harm. Dehydration can be lead to serious problems if not addressed properly. To prevent this, coaches should impose a routine: kids should drink water half an hour before the beginning of the game or pratice and then every 15 – 20 minutes. Water breaks are another thing that you should make mandatory. If they’re thirsty, they’re not going to play their best game and will be exhausted. Don sports gear Age appropriate and properly sized sports gear is a must, both in terms of safety against injuries, and as a way to mentally warm up, and prepare for the game. Appropriate equipment is necessary to participate in practices and games, as they can greatly reduce the risk of injuries. Of course, the equipment will vary from one sport to another, and may include: - mouth gards, - ankle braces, - swimming goggles, - leg fins, - shoes with cleats etc. Protect the head and learn to recognize signs of concussion Everyone on the team and in the parent group should know how to recognize a concussion. When you suspect that one of the kids has sufferred a concussion, remove them from the game until they are checked by a medical assistant. When in doubt, make sure to sit them down a bit. Prioritize breaks and time for recovery Resting time is crucial to allow muscles to recuperate and prevent injuries caused by overuse. Taking breaks from workouts and practice is vital for the safety of any young athlete. It gives them the opportunity to report how they feel, if they’re injured, in pain, or feeling sick. They need some time to recover before getting back on track. Professional coaches strongly recommend at least one or two days of rest every week, so consider it a part of their weekly exercise routine. Establish clean guidelines If you’re a professional coach, you should be well prepared for the role. This means that it’s up to you to provide and inform everyone involved about safety tips and guidelines. You should invest time in obtaining necessary certificates in first aid, and have the first aid kid with you at all times. Support your kid If your kid loves physical activity, but you haven’t found an ideal sport he or she can take up, don’t rush them. Encourage him or her to do some strolls around the park, or to enjoy some wall climbing, obstacle courses, or trampolines at a local fun park like Uptown Jungle in Las Vegas. Allow them enough time to find what they truly like and enjoy and you’ll be sure that they will use sport as a healthy passtime throughout their life, even if they don’t make it their primary career choice. Teach them about possible injuries, importance of rest, healthy meals, staying hydrated, and most importantly, show them that you support them when they need it the most.
Although the importance of movement for the upkeep of the body has been recognised, we don’t always realise that it is just as important for the well-being of the brain. The brain is stimulated when it receives sensory messages, and this in turn both energises and relaxes us. Because the ear is the human body’s most important channel for sensory messages, we can easily understand why its role is likewise very important. This stimulation may be deficient when the brain triggers a protective mechanism, which may happen after a single traumatic event known as an emotional shock. The brain also tends to protect itself progressively when it perceives the external environment as aggressive. This may be the case with people whose rhythm of life has been suddenly disrupted and reorganised, or who face a sudden increase of responsibility, a loss of bearings, or social pressure. The human ear ensures a function of “cortical charging”. It needs to be stimulated in order to energise the brain and the body. Sound is therefore necessary for our personal growth. The richer the sound in harmonic highs, the more effective it is. Sounds rich in harmonic highs stimulate a vast neural network known as the “reticular formation”, which controls the overall level of cerebral activity. The energising action of the Tomatis Method is complemented by a relaxing effect on the physical-bodily level, which has positive effects on the regulation of anxiety and stress.
Many people think they have a drug allergy, when in fact what they have is drug intolerance. According to the CDC, approximately 10% of all U.S. patients report having an allergic reaction to penicillin, but fewer than 1% of the population is truly allergic to penicillins. Furthermore, approximately 80% of patients with penicillin allergy lose their sensitivity after 10 years, but continue to report the allergy. An allergic reaction is an immune-mediated response to a drug, which leads to skin rash, face or throat swelling, difficulty in breathing, and in some cases, life threatening anaphylaxis. Drug intolerance, on the other hand, refers to common reactions such as nausea, headache, muscle ache, dizziness etc. It is important to specify the type, and severity, of each drug reaction because there is a difference in how each is treated. A serious allergic reaction warrants complete abstinence from an entire class of drugs, whereas mild allergic reactions such as itching do not require such drastic measures. In many instances, symptoms of drug intolerance resolve with passing of time, dose adjustment, or exchange to a similar agent. Misclassifying all adverse drug reactions as “allergy” can have unintended consequences due to elimination of potentially life-saving medicines from use. The impact of this is particularly striking when it comes to antibiotics. Because of the limited of number effective antibiotics that target a specific organism, being allergic to one antibiotic can mean settling for non-preferred alternatives, which may be less effective and carry more adverse effects. Furthermore, it can result in unnecessary use of antibiotics with broad coverage for infections that have target-specific treatment. This contributes to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, making antibiotics less effective in the long run. A recent study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, illustrates the impact of reported antibiotic allergy on hospitalized patients. The study focused on broad-spectrum antibiotics called beta-lactams, which include penicillins and several others that share a similar structural component (a beta-lactam ring). Beta-lactams are highly preferred in the treatment of various infections. The study reviewed the medical records of 507 hospitalized patients, divided into two groups: those who reported allergy to beta-lactams and those who did not. When the researchers compared a composite of outcomes like hospital readmission for the same infection, drug-related adverse reactions requiring discontinuation, acute kidney injury, and C. diff infection, they found the following: - While 25 people had the preferred antibiotic withheld because of a reported allergy, “13 (52%) of them did not get that drug even though they reported non-severe prior reactions”. This finding suggests that some doctors may be apprehensive about prescribing certain antibiotics once allergy - of any type - is reported. This highlights the importance of documenting the severity of allergic reactions before ruling out a drug. - Those who did not get the preferred antibiotic had three times the rate of antibiotic-related adverse events from to the alternative antibiotics they received, compared to their non-allergic counterparts. But those who reported allergy - and still got the antibiotic - had the same rate of adverse events as those without reported allergy. Meaning, the reported reaction was likely not a true allergy. What you can do about a true Penicillin allergy Doctors can do a skin test to confirm if someone is truly allergic to Penicillin. People with confirmed penicillin allergy can also undergo desensitization treatment so that they can take the antibiotic safely in the future. However, these treatments are not available at all hospitals or doctors’ offices and may require seeing a specialist. Consult with a physician in times of good health, because in the setting of acute illness, time and testing resources may be limited. When it comes to providing details about drug reactions, more is better. When doctors have all the information, they are better equipped to weigh risk-vs-benefit in making treatment decisions.
Thomas Mills - A Family Tradition Since 1836 Our Company History Located along the south fork of Bens Creek (now called the “Benscreek”) in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, John Thomas’s Mill was recorded as a “Grist Mill” on the property of John Thomas in 1836. History leads us to believe that the mill was actually built a few years before 1836 by someone named “J. Rock,” who started its construction and left the mill unfinished. Thomas Family legend indicates that John Thomas bought the mill from J. Rock and Mr. Rock then worked for John. The name of the village is now Thomas Mills — Coincidence? John Thomas died in 1876 and his youngest son Moses Thomas operated the mill until his death in 1907. In 1895 the mill burned to the ground. It was a windy night and it is believed that ashes raked out of the newly-installed steam boiler blew around and ignited the blaze. The next morning, Moses, his son Levi (who was by then running the mill), and Levi’s five sons gathered around the breakfast table and decided to rebuild.
I'm having a lot of problems with these questions. Volume of the region enclosed by y^2=4x and y=x about the line x=4 I can graph it, but I can't set up the integral. Another one is "The base of a solid is a the region enclosed between the graphs of y=sinx and y=-sinx from x=0 to x=pi. Each cross section perpendicular to the x-axis is a semicircle with diameter connecting the two graphs. Find the volume." I just don't know what to do with the information it gives me in the second sentence.
I recently listened to lecture 9 of Hillsdale College’s current Constitution 101 class, “The Administrative State Today.” [You can register for all of Hillsdale’s online classes for free and go through them at your leisure.] Sometimes what you get from studying is discouragement. The lecture is a description of the changes in the way government is run, spread over the 20th Century, resulting in something today that has very little resemblance to what our founders set up. \|Kevin Portteus, associate professor of politics, Hillsdale College\| screen shot from Lecture 9 First, in the “progressive” era, under Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, there was a move toward “expert” control. The legislative branch would make vague, outcome-based legislation—for example, we want clean water. Without defining that or creating rules governing water use, there was no way to ensure the outcome. So agencies were created to see to it; experts were hired, who would determine, supposedly through the best scientific knowledge of the day, to measure, make rules, and enforce them. Already, there were some real differences between what the founders intended and how laws were being enacted. If law was to be detailed and specific to localized businesses or even segments of the population, it wasn’t supposed to come under the purview of the federal government in the first place. Laws were intended for the specific purpose of protecting life, liberty, and property of all the people. Suddenly you have some entity coming in and saying, “We don’t like how you’re doing your work or using your property, so we’re going to delineate exactly what you can do and how.” These agencies took on a great deal of authority. The agency decided what the law was. The agency decided who was worth examining for violations of the law. The agency then investigated, prosecuted, and punished violators. They were suddenly doing the jobs of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches—and those branches seemed to cede the authority to them without much argument. Courts and legislators alike would say things like, “They’re the experts, so we won’t question their judgment in the matter.” This was all very much in keeping with the “progressive” way of governing—with the assumption that the modern world required an evolved approach, because life was suddenly so much more complicated. But this wasn’t enough for FDR. He saw that the regulatory agencies were headed by “experts” who had been appointed from previous administrations, and they might not have in mind the same political outcomes that he wanted. So he pushed for reforms that empowered his executive office. By executive order, he could appoint leadership of the agencies who aligned with his political intentions. In addition, he pressed for more ways to control the agencies and their direction. One way was to go directly to the people, to recruit them to his goals, which he did using media—the first president to so use it. And after FDR, more methods developed in a game of power between a strong executive individual and strong regulatory agencies. In this balancing act came the granting of standing to more groups. It used to be that a litigant had to show that it had been personally harmed; the change allowed groups to claim that they represented the people as a whole. It the abstract I don’t find a problem with that. But in practice, it granted groups, for example, environmental activists, to claim that they represented all Americans when claiming that we are all harmed by some practice. Lecturer Kevin Portteus, gives the example of Massachusetts v. EPA: the case that declared that carbon dioxide—carbon—was a pollutant that could be regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, and that the Environmental Protection Agency had better get busy regulating it. The lawsuit against the EPA was filed by a number of environmental organizations and by several attorneys general in the various states: ergo Massachusetts v. EPA. Under the traditional definition of standing, it is hard to see how any of them would have been able to bring suit. They would have lacked standing. The State of Massachusetts would not have been able, in all likelihood, to demonstrate the direct harm necessary to be able to bring a case before a court in the United States. If you’re like me, you might have noticed how suddenly talk about regulating poisons such as carbon monoxide suddenly changed to the dangers of carbon dioxide, which is what we exhale, and plants “breathe in,” and that is pretty much part of all life on earth. And suddenly experts are telling us how much is allowed in our environment. One purpose of the lawsuits from these groups, against the agencies, was to pressure the agencies to comply with political, typically liberal, ends. In other words, it was no longer about what experts in the science decided to lay down as the law; it was what a particular president’s experts said, using their science, to control entire industries the way he wanted. Over time, there began to be quite a lot of collusion between politicians, regulatory agencies, unions, and corporations, to meet in back rooms and hammer out deals that were in their best interests—regardless of what the best interests of the public as a whole might be. This was termed “liberal corporatism” by Chicago sociologist Robert Flax in 1964. A ruling power elite had come to control policy, with very little input from us self-governing American citizens. There’s always danger to freedom when the American citizens have their Constitutional powers usurped. Portteus quotes Charles Reisch, from his 1970 book The Greening of America: The tendency of administration, while it may appear to be benign and peaceful, as opposed to the turbulence of conflict, is actually violent. For the very idea of imposed order is violent. It demands compliance. Nothing less than compliance. And it must obtain compliance, by persuasion or management if possible, by repression if necessary. It is convinced that it has the best way, and that all other ways are wrong. It cannot understand those who do not accept the rightness of its view. Administration wants the best for everybody, and all that it asks is that individuals conform their lives to the framework established by the state." We can see that today with something as basic as making decisions about where our children go to school. Incidentally, Glenn Beck’s latest book, just out, is called Conform, and relates to the imposition of Common Core in our schools. We’re not going the right direction. Portteus says, The Obama administration has more faith in expertise than probably any administration since Lyndon Johnson. And Obama’s old Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orszag said, “You know what the problem with our system today is, is that we don’t put enough power in the hands of the experts: we leave too much up to the people.” At this point in our nation’s history, says Portteus, Policymaking has very little to do with what you learned in high school civics. The old framework of, well, the legislature makes the laws and the executive enforces them and the judiciary rule on cases, that’s really been scrambled. We get very hung up today on the expansion of government power and of course that is a real problem from the founders’ perspective. But the way in which the functions of government have been reshuffled among the various institutions is also a major problem. Things are being done by institutions that were never meant to do them.We know the direction we need to go, if our goal is freedom, prosperity, and civilization. We know that adhering to the actual Constitution will solve a myriad of problems. But getting the power back from those who have been controlling policy—and controlling us—for so many decades is a tougher question. The lecture ended before we got an answer. I don’t know yet if there is an answer.
Today, the Chesapeake Bay Program released a collection of short-term plans aimed at protecting and restoring the Bay, its rivers and streams and the surrounding lands. These twenty-seven work plans outline specific actions our partners intend to take over the next two years in their work toward achieving the goals and outcomes of the landmark Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Each two-year work plan addresses one or more of the Watershed Agreement’s thirty-one interconnected outcomes and outlines short-term actions critical to our work, integrating both new and long-held strategies to create an environmentally and economically sound Chesapeake Bay. Actions outlined in the plans will help maintain the health of local waters, sustain abundant fish and wildlife populations, restore vital habitats, foster engaged and diverse communities through increased public access and education, conserve farmland and forests and improve the climate resiliency of the region. The plans will help the Bay Program partnership track implementation, evaluate progress and manage adaptively to foster continuous improvement. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed in June 2014 by representatives from the six watershed states, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of the federal government. In July 2015, the Chesapeake Executive Council announced the release of a set of twenty-five strategies outlining our long-term approach for implementation, monitoring and assessing progress toward the Watershed Agreement’s goals. Our work plans outline the specific, short-term steps our partners plan to take over the next two years toward meeting those long-term goals, and represent the next step in a continued commitment toward a healthy and vibrant Chesapeake Bay watershed. The work plans and a summary of participating partners can be found online on the Management Strategies and Work Plans Dashboard. Many residents of the region know that pollutants in rivers like the James, Potomac and Susquehanna can end up in the Chesapeake Bay. In fact, the Chesapeake Bay watershed—or the area of land over which water flows into the nation’s largest estuary—stretches from Cooperstown, New York, to Norfolk, Virginia. Less well known is the fact that the Bay’s so-called “airshed” extends much farther: particles of air pollution emitted as far away as Cincinnati, Ohio, can reach the waters of the Bay. At 570,000 square miles, the Bay’s airshed is nine times as large as its watershed. Because pollution emitted into the air can be carried over long distances by wind and weather, it should come as no surprise that emissions associated with hydraulic fracturing operations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia have been found in Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., or that emissions from gas, coal and oil-powered machines in Tennessee or North Carolina can lead to algae blooms in the waters of Maryland and Virginia. Scientists estimate that one-third of the total nitrogen that pollutes the Bay comes from the air, often in the form of nitrogen oxides generated by power plants or machines. Through a process known as atmospheric deposition, six to eight percent of this airborne nitrogen falls onto the water directly, sometimes as dry particles and sometimes attached to raindrops, snowflakes or sleet. The rest falls onto the land, where it soaks into groundwater or washes into rivers and streams. Once in the water, nitrogen can fuel the growth of harmful algae blooms that create low-oxygen dead zones that suffocate marine life. But there is evidence that regulations meant to curb air pollution are having a positive impact on our air and our water. In 2014, for instance, researchers with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science traced a drop in the amount of nitrogen found in some Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia waterways to the Clean Air Act. In 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared the drop in the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen observed in the region over the past two decades can also be attributed to the Clean Air Act. And in 2016, our own water quality modeling experts confirmed we are still seeing benefits of the Clean Air Act emerge as estimates of the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen continue to fall. This means efforts to curb air pollution across the nation have curbed water pollution in our watershed. In 1985, an estimated 52.2 million pounds of nitrogen fell directly onto the region’s waters. Thirty years later, this number has dropped to 17.88 million pounds, and data show that pollution-reducing practices put in place between 2009 and 2015 in an effort to meet the Bay’s “pollution diet” have reduced the atmospheric deposition of nitrogen 20 percent. Between 2014 and 2015, underwater grass abundance in the Chesapeake Bay rose 21 percent, bringing underwater grasses in the nation’s largest estuary to the highest amount ever recorded by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science aerial survey and surpassing the Chesapeake Bay Program’s 2017 restoration target two years ahead of schedule. Aerial imagery collected between May and November of 2015 revealed a total of 91,621 acres of underwater grasses across the region. Experts attribute this spike to the recovery of wild celery and other species in the fresher waters of the upper Bay, the continued expansion of widgeon grass in the moderately salty waters of the mid-Bay and a modest recovery of eelgrass in the very salty waters of the lower Bay. In the Elk River, for instance, grass beds that had been decimated after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee hit the region in 2011 recovered in 2015. While the beds were not as dense as those seen the season before the storms pushed water-clouding nutrient and sediment pollution into the northeastern Maryland waterway, they were larger and more diverse than previously observed and surpassed the river’s 1,648-acre restoration target. Wild celery, whose seed pods and roots offer food to migrating waterfowl, was the dominant species detected. Because freshwater species like wild celery are resilient, continued improvements in water quality are expected to support the continued expansion of these grasses. In spite of this good news, experts advise cautious optimism about the state of underwater grasses overall: because widgeon grass is known as a “boom and bust” species whose abundance can rise and fall from year to year, the widgeon-dominant spike we have seen is not guaranteed to persist in future seasons. “While much of the grass that accounts for the 2015 expansion was widgeon grass—a species that is often described as a boom or bust plant—I think we can take heart in the fact that it boomed last summer—marking three consecutive years of growth,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Biologist and Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workgroup Chair Brooke Landry in a media release. “Be it freshwater wild celery or mid-Bay widgeon grass, submerged aquatic vegetation would not expand so rapidly and into areas where it hasn’t been mapped before if water quality wasn’t improving. This report shows that we are making strides on Bay restoration and truly impacting the amount of nutrient and sediment pollution entering our waterways. As we continue to provide conditions necessary for our natural resources to thrive, their resilience will increase and they’ll have a much better chance of persisting through major weather events or other challenges.” Underwater grass beds are critical to the Bay ecosystem. They offer food to small invertebrates and migratory waterfowl; shelter young fish and blue crabs; and keep our waters clear and healthy by absorbing excess nutrients, trapping suspended sediment and slowing shoreline erosion. For these reasons, the Bay Program has committed to achieving and sustaining 185,000 acres of underwater grasses in the Bay, with a target of 130,000 acres by 2025. In late March, Pennsylvania’s South Mountain was already weeks into spring’s thaw, but a stinging breeze and sinking sun meant jackets and beanies for a group forming under the tall, swaying pines near Kings Gap State Park. Devin Thomas, almost ten years old, from nearby Carlisle, showed up in shorts and sneakers but came prepared with a headlamp he made using an old pair of underwear and faithfully equipped with enthusiasm for the outdoors. “He won’t even kill bugs,” said Ray Thomas, Devin’s father—also wearing shorts. As more people arrived, they took turns dunking their boots in a bucket of soapy disinfectant, used to get rid of harmful microbes, seeds, and any other invasive species. It was a precaution justified by the group’s destination, the vernal pools of Forest Pools Preserve. Vernal pools are ephemeral forest ponds, fed by snow, rain or groundwater, and blanketed in leaves from a healthy forest. They host a wealth of animals and only stay wet for about seven months, which is just long enough for a cascade of frogs and salamanders to use them as a home for their developing young. You won’t find fish—they would eat all the eggs—but if you get the timing right, you’ll hear the clucking chatter of spawning wood frogs or the car alarm call of camouflaged spring peepers. You might see yellow spotted salamanders wriggling among the leaves, and you might see tiny fairy shrimp, the country cousins of the commercial pet Sea-Monkeys. If you were visiting the area ten years ago, you would also see piles of trash and hear the sound of broken glass underfoot. “I guess back in the olden days you would see these depressions in the forest, and before we had trash pickup I think that’s where a lot of people would just put their trash,” said Molly Anderson, a volunteer program manager with The Nature Conservancy. “You’d walk and you’d just hear ‘crunch crunch.’” The Conservancy purchased the preserve’s 70 acres in 2007, and for three years it held volunteer trash cleanups and monitored the vernal pools there. A Conservancy scientist started noticing that some of the pools weren’t holding water long enough for the young amphibians to develop. Several theories arose. One was that growing development, with people drilling wells, had lowered the water table below the groundwater-fed pools. Another was that it might be just be a naturally drier period than normal. “I also heard that maybe the clay liner that was holding the water, that it was popped by all the trash that was laying in it,” Anderson said. In 2010, with grants received by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy held a workshop to restore some of the ailing pools. Volunteers Mike Bertram and Kathy King, a local married couple, were instrumental volunteers overseeing the effort, and nearby Dickinson Township provided equipment, Anderson said. The work involved raking away leaves, setting aside mosses and other plants, using heavy machinery to remove layers of soil and carefully replacing everything above a synthetic liner placed in the depression. A season’s worth of leaf litter was the finishing touch. “The restoration took place in the beginning of August, and we came back in the fall of the same year and it was hard to tell that anything was done there,” Anderson said. In the years since, the restored pools hold water when the pools that weren’t restored are drying up, Anderson said. Now Forest Pools Preserve serves not only as critical habitat but as a means to raise awareness. “One of the things that we’re concerned about is that because vernal pools are really small and kind of unnoticeable, they’re not protected really under any kind of laws protecting water,” Anderson said. Anderson said the Conservancy is trying to educate local governments about the importance of vernal pools and address issues raised by landowners, such as the threat of mosquitos. Aiding the effort, the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program has a vernal pool landowner incentive program and an online registry. “In a really healthy vernal pool, you’ll have a lot of different predators on mosquito larvae that would keep the mosquito numbers in check,” Anderson said. Conservancy volunteer Andy Green helps monitor the pools and led the walk that the Thomas family attended. A retired doctor who grew up in Carlisle, Green managed remnant prairie and stormwater programs in Illinois before returning to Pennsylvania. He lives just down the road from Forest Pools Preserve. “It’s interesting, there are none of these pools in the North Mountain, or many of these mountain ridges north of here,” Green said. “This is essentially a South Mountain phenomenon.” Bringing the group to a pool fed by groundwater, Green pointed out the telltale masses of wood frog eggs. Wood frogs love a 40-degree night with rain, he said. The eggs were a sign that the frogs had already found a break in the cold weather, came, and left before anyone could spot them. “They fooled everybody,” Green said. Smaller in number were masses of eggs belonging to Jefferson and spotted salamanders, attached to sticks where the male of the species first places a sperm packet, or spermatophore. As the adults listened to Green, the younger members of the group dispersed once they learned that they could find salamanders underneath rocks. They became the most avid explorers of the night, flipping rocks and logs, finding tiny red-backed salamanders, and replacing them as they were—at Green’s urging—before moving on to crouch low and face the water’s surface at each pool. At the site of another pool, Green was dismayed to find nothing but a depression full of leaves. Under some of the leaves were wood frog egg masses, still moist, but the pool protecting them had dried up, and without a rain the eggs would dry up as well. Green led the group to a final stop just over the boundary with Kings Gap State Park, which the Conservancy acquired in 1973 and transferred to the state. The sound of spring peepers became louder and louder as the group approached a pool, until the chorus seemed to be coming from every direction at once. One of the adults held a spotted salamander she had found near the pool, showing it to the admiring group and periodically wetting her hands in the pool to keep the salamander’s skin moist—just another measure to keep the vernal pool community healthy. The peeper’s call that had been so piercing faded quickly as the group left the low-lying bowl holding the pool, giving way to the crunching of leaves and excited recounting of what the group had just seen. To view more photos, visit the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Flickr page Photos and text by Will Parson
Most people in Western society place their confidence in modern medicine when they become ill. While modern medicine has much to offer, when it comes to chronic illness, it mostly offers symptomatic relief. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is more than 2,000 years old and offers another perspective. The TCM system, refined over those thousands of years, is designed to address the underlying imbalances in the body that cause illness. While it can offer symptomatic relief, it goes farther and restores the body back to a state of health. It works because illnesses fall into various patterns. These patterns of illness arise from certain body processes and organs that are no longer functioning in an optimal manner. By identifying these underlying processes and systems, and providing herbal remedies that strengthen the body and restore normal function, TCM is able to correct many different illnesses with one formula because the formula is fixing the underlying imbalance causing the person’s various symptoms. Thus, two people complaining of the same disease might get two different formulas, because the underlying imbalance that’s causing the problem is different in each person. In this month’s Sunshine Sharing Hour we’ll look at 14 basic imbalances identified in TCM and traditional Chinese herbal formulas that correct those imbalances. TCM has much to offer people in modern society. Join us and learn how it can benefit you.
Lessons From Kidnapped Children THE STATISTICS INUNDATE US TO THE POINT OF NEAR-DESPAIR. Fifteen million American children live in poverty. Nearly one-half of all children in the U.S. live with only one parent. The school dropout rate stands at 25 percent overall, and 50 percent for minority students; many urban districts report dropout rates as high as 65 percent. Beyond the obvious problems of divorce, adultery, wife and child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and a general tone of immorality, our society encourages accountability to no one. In such a world, children need to learn more than merely how to “make it through” the first eighteen years. Their training must be aimed primarily toward deferred and eternal goals to develop them into godly adult leaders for new families, and more broadly, for the church. We can see some of the qualities they need by looking in an unlikely place—by viewing the behavior of displaced children of the Bible. Three texts in the Old Testament give us a look at how some young people acted when removed from the influence of their homes. Live by Biblical Standards As we encounter the now-famous Hebrew children in the Book of Daniel, the ancient calendar stands at approximately 600 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar rules as king in Babylon, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are young adults. The idolatrous king had made a gold image ninety feet high and nine feet wide, requiring all officials of the realm to bow before it. Since such behavior would obviously violate their Hebrew monotheism, the young men refused, even under threat of death. What observable behavior can we see in Daniel 3:16–18? The response of these three to a pagan king demonstrates total faith in God’s power and God’s choice, leaving the fate of their lives exclusively in His hand. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Christian children nurtured by godly parents and caring congregation must know the standards of godly living, believe the standards of godly living, and value the standards of godly living. Too often parents bemoan certain kinds of behavior without considering the dynamics which produced it. Know That God Hears Prayer Some fifty years after the incident of the fiery furnace we find another demonstration of kidnapped faith in action. Daniel had come to Babylon as a teenager in 605 B.C.; now he presides as a senior official in an alien land. Though over eighty years old, his behavior still reflects those lessons of godliness learned in his Israeli homeland during his childhood years. The temptation sounds familiar: a godly man required by a pagan government to transfer his allegiance from Yahweh to an earthly king and to demonstrate it in public. How does Daniel respond? Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help (Dan. 6:10–11). Believe in God’s Power Ben-Hadad II ruled Syria from 860 to 841 B.C. His successful and courageous military commander, Naaman, suffered from leprosy. Had he lived in Israel he would have been isolated; not so in Aram. In his household served a young slave girl. Learning of her master’s leprosy, she uttered the only two sentences history has ever recorded from her lips: “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (2 Kings 5:3). The child’s witness reflects a life of deep faith. Only recently snatched from her mother’s arms, the little girl demonstrated concern for others, a clear-cut knowledge of God’s power and, more importantly, a living faith in that power. Her spiritual maturity reached far beyond her years, and her family training reflects the importance of experience in the rearing of children. Our children need to see God at work in their lives and their families. Christian parents can show children how to use God’s Word by showing them how to test and prove their heavenly Father in real life: school work, health, family crises, dating, job problems, and a host of other day-to-day activities requiring divine involvement. The oldest of our vignettes takes us back to Egypt in about 1895 B.C. Again the captive is a slave. Young Joseph had a tough life back in Canaan, and also now in Egypt. When faced with the lustful maneuvering of Potiphar’s wife he replied, “‘How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?’…He left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house” (Gen. 39:9, 12). Somehow an obnoxious teenager becomes a valiant young warrior for the Lord, and we can attribute the dramatic change only to the intervention of God’s miraculous hand. The incident described in Genesis 39 offers some useful lessons. Joseph had a highly developed sense of responsibility, making a predetermined decision about how to respond in a moment of temptation. He faced no need to search within himself, attempting to determine the appropriate behavior for the moment. Much like modern teenagers, Joseph regularly encountered difficult decisions. He chose purity, a selection motivated by his sense of accountability to God. Contrast this with what we’re told today—that decisions to resist premarital sex should rest merely on cultural limitations such as AIDS or other social or physical risks. Meaningless anecdotes of past? From the past, indeed, but hardly meaningless. To handle successfully the challenges they’ll face when they’re on their own, young believers (and actually all of us) need to avoid sin, believe in prayer, know and practice biblical standards, and have faith in God’s power—lessons learned from kidnapped children.
In 1990, environmental activists organized what may be the largest act of civil disobedience for wilderness protection ever when authorities in northern California planned to chop down redwoods in an old-growth forest. The months-long protest became known as “Redwood Summer,” and during it, activists physically blocked the paths of bulldozers and chained themselves to the trees to prevent them from being cut down. Video: Protests to Save the Redwoods The Redwood Summer ultimately saved many of the trees, and some of them still stand today, marked with blue paint, a symbol of that summer threat. Learn more about California’s redwoods and their history in Explorer: Climbing Redwood Giants, Tuesday May 4 at 10P et/pt.
Cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant (cannabis sativa). It grows wild in many of the tropical and temperate areas of the world. It can be grown in almost any climate, and is increasingly cultivated by means of indoor hydroponic technology. The main active ingredient in cannabis is called delta-9 tetrahydro-cannabinol, commonly known as THC. This is the part of the plant that gives the "high." There is a wide range of THC potency between cannabis products. Cannabis is used in three main forms: marijuana, hash and hash oil. Marijuana is made from dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant. It is the least potent of all the cannabis products and is usually smoked or made into edible products like cookies or brownies. Hashish is made from the resin (a secreted gum) of the cannabis plant. It is dried and pressed into small blocks and smoked. It can also be added to food and eaten. Hash oil, the most potent cannabis product, is a thick oil obtained from hashish. It is also smoked. Cannabis is usually smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (known as "joints") or in special waterpipes ("bongs"). These pipes or bongs can be bought or made from things such as orange juice containers, soft drink cans or even toilet rolls.
The Angoff Method is a scoring system that allows you to use Cut Scores on each question to determine a passing score on an assessment. Adding Cut Scores to your Questions The first step to using the Angoff Method is to add Cut-Off Scores to each of your questions. This can be done when building the question or when building the assessment. - Create a new question or edit an existing question. - In the options section, add your Cut Score as a decimal between 0 and 1. This number should correspond to the expected percentage of students that will get this question correct. - Save and Approve your Question as normal. Setting up Your Assessment - Create a new Question Bank assessment or edit an existing assessment. - In the Scoring section, select Angoff Method as the Grading Method. Keep in mind this will alter your grade scales. - Once Angoff Method is selected, you will notice that the Cut Score column appears in the question listing and is an editable field. - All questions must have cut scores indicated to proceed. The Cut Score column will show the Cut Score on the question. If a Cut Score has not been indicated on the Question, the cut score field will show blank. You can add cut scores or edit existing cut scores from this column. - Once all cut scores have been indicated, post your assessment as normal. Note that you can change your grading method in Adjust Scoring after posting the assessment. If you accidentally selected the wrong method, navigate to the Adjust Scoring tab and update to the appropriate method. If all questions do not have cut scores, you must add cut scores to all questions via Adjusting the Questions prior to being able to change the grading method to Angoff Method. Scoring your Assessment If Angoff Method is selected when configuring the assessment or selected on the Adjust Scoring page after the assessment has been posted, ExamSoft will automatically calculate the pass score based on the Angoff Method and adjust your grade scales. The formula used to calculate the pass rate using the Angoff Method is below: - Open a delivered assessment that has Angoff Method selected as the scoring method. - Navigate to the Adjust Scoring tab. - Navigate to the Grade Scales tab. - Your grade scale will reflect a pass rate minimum points and percentage. If you wish to adjust your grade scales or use a traditional grading method, you must change the scoring method to Default in the Adjust Scoring tab. For More Information on how the Cut-Score will appear on your reports, check out this Quick Reference Guide!
During the past 10 years two Colorado professors have collected the widest available base of knowledge about people who practice self-injury and now are offering new insights into people who deliberately injure themselves by cutting, burning, branding and bone-breaking. Patti Adler, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado Boulder, and Peter Adler, a professor of sociology and criminology at the University of Denver, conducted in-depth interviews with 150 self-injurers from all over the world in addition to examining 30,000 to 40,000 Internet posts in chat rooms. Other self-injury practices include re-opening wounds, biting, scratching, hair-pulling and swallowing or embedding objects. Before their research, studies of self-injury had primarily been conducted by psychologists or physicians, and their research subjects came from therapeutic or hospital settings, Patti Adler said. Originally thought to be a suicidal gesture, the picture that emerged from these previous studies was one of an addictive behavior practiced mostly by privileged, white teenage girls. A completely different picture emerges when a close look is taken at all self-injurers, Adler said. Self-injury emerged from obscurity in the 1990s and spread dramatically as a typical behavior among adolescents, she said. The practice occurs mostly among those in their teens and 20s, and can still occur in the 30s but grows more rare after age 40. The Adlers trace the evolution of societal attitudes toward a behavior that once was highly stigmatized but now is considered more of a "thing that people do." And rather than a suicidal gesture or an addictive behavior, they found that it is a coping mechanism. The majority of people involved in self-injury do it to deal with anxiety or emotional pain, Adler said. It "self-soothes" and gives people a sense of control. And it helps many people get over a rough patch in their lives. "Although society was initially shocked to discover that people might harm their bodies intentionally, when compared to other ways that people seek relief from pain it offers several benefits: it's not illegal, it's not addictive, it doesn't hurt others and the body eventually heals," Adler said. "For those trapped in bad situations, it can be a way to make it through until their lives improve." Similarly, Internet chat rooms provide a safe place where self-injurers can find others like themselves. These sites help by making people realize their behavior does not mean they are "crazy, weak-willed, sick or bad," she said. A host of free support groups for self-injurers are available on the Internet, Adler said. Other types of help also are available for those who want to stop including outpatient therapy, therapeutic drugs and specialized clinics that offer inpatient treatment. "Our longitudinal data show that many people who struggle with self-injury during their formative years, like those who try drugs, eating disorders or delinquency, grow out of it to live fully functioning productive lives as professionals, parents and spouses without further problems," she said. The Adlers research was published last month in a book titled "The Tender Cut" by New York University Press. Explore further: Practice Makes Deadly Perfection, Suicide Researcher Says For more information on "The Tender Cut" visit nyupress.org/books/book-details.aspx?bookId=3299
How to Play a Track from a CD During Your PowerPoint 2007 Presentation You aren’t limited to single sounds in your PowerPoint presentations. PowerPoint can also tell your CD player to play tracks. To access a CD in your PowerPoint presentation, pop it into your computer’s CD drive and follow these steps below. (Note that you won’t be able to see the names of the tracks in PowerPoint, so you need to know which track number you want.) On the Insert tab, click the down arrow next to the Sound button and then choose Play CD Audio Track. This opens the Insert CD Audio dialog box. Select the starting and ending track numbers. To play just one track, set the starting and ending track numbers to the track you want to play. Set the other sound options however you want. You can adjust the volume, specify whether an icon appears on the slide, and tell PowerPoint whether you want the sound icon to appear while the sound is playing. A dialog box appears, asking whether you want the sound to play automatically when the slide is displayed. Don’t forget you have to have the CD in your computer’s CD drive when you show the presentation!
“To cobble” is a perfect description of efforts to piece together the life of a remarkable woman of the 18th Century. If she was not featured in a photograph or portrait, we can still find the life of Catherine Wister Miles to be quite remarkable – the bearer of children, the supporter of her husband, an educator, a sewer, a cook, water bearer, nurse maid, wood bearer, and mistress of the house. But to our advantage, there is a portrait. And as you stare into her eyes there is a connection with this woman whose portrait has adorned the houses of generations of her progeny. We admired her. We may have commented upon her appearance. But up to this time never fully considered the woman. Having the portrait in front of us we are afforded the opportunity of not only speculating about the life of one human being, but also to come upon an informed hypothesis, supported by fact, as to as to who the artist was. I have intensely studied her portrait for over thirty years. In analyzing its dynamic features, I have come to consider the woman, Catherine Wister Miles, and developed an informed hypothesis of who completed the portrait. For generations the portrait of Catherine Wister Miles has been in the homes of the Miles/McCann family. There is still much to be written about the courage of women in colonial America. Regrettably, however, throughout American history our focus, more than likely, turns to the courage exhibited by the men. With women there is a more romantic remembrance as opposed to a remembrance of human beings faced with great adversity. In an effort to give a complete remembrance of courage exhibited in the face of great adversity, it is important to include women as a group to be admired. Their role day after day, night after night is equal to those man- women who courageously set out to explore, to battle, to risk life and limb, and to create a new society for the United States. This article brings to light a human being – in this case a woman – who was an equal partner, with her husband, in contributing to the success of the family and this nation. She has not been featured in history books. Nor did she make the “cut” to be featured in Cokie Roberts’ excellent book Founding Mothers. However, unlike so many of her fellow courageous women of the colonial era, there is a portrait of this “Founding Mother”. And on closer examination, one is struck by the intensity of her spirit. At the same time, as the only 18th Century American woman portrayed with eye glasses (in her era known as sliders), the aura is one of being a learned and gentle human being. Catherine Wister Miles was the mother of 15 children. For women in the 21st century the notion of giving birth to 15 children, even with the most advanced medical technology, is a frightening thought. How brave Catherine must have been, for, in giving birth to each child, she literally put her life in jeopardy. But, how much she must have loved her children. From the time of her birth January 2, 1742 to her death on October 24, 1797, the majority of her life would be in the preparation for, giving birth to, and nurturing of children By the time she had turned 19 years of age in 1761, the French and Indian War was ending and her husband to be, Samuel Miles had returned to Philadelphia as a hero. He had advanced from the lowly rank of private and was now a captain in His Majesty’s armed forces. You can imagine how he appeared in his full British uniform regalia – red and gold, and beaming with pride. And no doubt she was awe struck. And she fell in love. But, the marriage between Samuel Miles and Catherine Wister was quite controversial. He was a Baptist. She was a Quaker. Interestingly, Samuel speaks only once of his wife in his writings when, in his autobiography, he refers to their marriage “On the 16th of February, 1761, I married and settled in Philadelphia, and after I became reconciled with my wife’s father …” But I hope there was more to this than Samuel Miles let on. Personal pain of human relationships obviously did not faze him, or so it seems. Without going into the psychological elements of how power enhances a human, and how it attracts others, Samuel Miles, as a result of his military service, had connections. The wise business people of the Quaker community recognized that. So, Samuel did his best by providing for his family. From the time Samuel and Catherine Miles were married on February 16, 1761, procreation figured prominently in her life. Catherine gave birth to 15 children (with her age noted after the year of birth) beginning in 1762/20; 1763/21; 1764/22; 1767/25; 1768/26; 1770/28; 1771/29; 1772/30; 1774/32; 1775/33; 1776 /34; 1778/36; 1780/38; 1783/41; 1785/43. The 21st Century risks in giving birth pale in comparison to what Catherine experienced in the 18th Century. But for women, regardless of the era, it must be a dichotomy of emotion! Six of Catherine and Samuel Miles’ children would die very young – 1764, 1765, 1767, 1771, and 1785. Then one month before Catherine’s death (October 1797), her son, Captain James Miles, died September 1797. Were their deaths a result of yellow fever in Philadelphia? Catherine died in 1797 at age 55. In doing the math, 36 years or almost 65% of her life was spent in preparing for the birth, the deaths, and the raising of children. And the other 35% – she spent preparing to be a good human being (the first 19 years in the Quaker tradition; and the remainder, which were the formative political years for her husband, supporting his endeavors). And all of this done for love! At age 19, she risked the permanent animosity of her Quaker family by marrying outside the faith. But, by all accounts, Catherine Wister had strictly adhered to the Quaker faith and also became quite learned in her father’s (John Wister) business. She practiced what today’s accountants would call “due diligence” in maintaining the books for her father’s and husband’s business. And there would be painstaking care to ensure the accuracy of accounts receivable and accounts payable. But to relax during the day, “due diligence” also required moments of romantic daydreaming. On the back covers of the ledgers she affectionately, time and time again, (as if enjoying her new marital status) would, in the best cursive writing, sign her name. Samuel and Catherine did not engage in the prolific letter exchanges as John and Abigail Adams. It was with Samuel’s Baptist zeal, and Catherine’s quiet Quaker steadfastness, they set out as husband and wife to literally change the world, each in their own way. This being the case, the family had money to maintain two homes; one in Philadelphia and one in Spring Mill (Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County). How brief it must have seemed, between 1762 and 1774, when the two of them were together. Amidst it all, though, there would be time for fun! Twelve years and eight children later, in 1774, Samuel cast his lot with those who were seeking independence from Great Britain. And how would that impact his family, particularly his peace loving Quaker family relatives; his father-in-law; his brothers-in-law and their families? Fortunately, John Wister’s family was immune from the animosity exhibited toward other Quakers who remained neutral in their feelings about the Revolutionary War. It was simple; the Quakers were against any type of war, period. But even with their neutrality, there would be many Quakers imprisoned. But remarkably, the John Wister home, on the outskirts of Philadelphia, served as a refuge for both the British and American Army officers. Catherine, on the other hand, followed the Apostle Paul’s admonition, from his writings to the Ephesians, “women obey your husbands.” Being of Quaker stock meant being committed to your family. Samuel Miles, who had been appointed as a Colonel by the Continental Congress, found himself going hither and yon to make regions safe for the American independence movement. First to Lewes, Delaware. Then to New Jersey. Then to New York City. By August, 1776 Samuel and his Pennsylvania riflemen found themselves in Brooklyn, New York attempting to avoid a pitched battle against the German Hessians. But the avoidance of the Hessians was for naught as his rifle regiment was discovered and a battle ensued. There were many casualties. Colonel Miles was taken prisoner, and would languish in New York until his parole in December, 1777. He was ultimately exchanged for British Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell (For more information see Brooklyn College Professor Edwin Burrows book Forgotten Patriots). It was during Samuel’s time as a prisoner of war that Catherine Miles was busy keeping her family together. In the one and only letter preserved, on December 15, 1776 note she wrote to David Rittenhouse (noted astronomer and later first director of the United States Mint of the Currency). The letter was written from the safety of her second home in Spring Mill (one mile north of the Wister home in Germantown). Spring Mill December 15, 1776 “Sir – This server being informed that a number of dwelling houses in Philadelphia are taken possession of for the use of the soldiery and having a new house in 2nd St near to Mr. Hillegas which has not yet been occupied by any person I beg you would you use your influence to prevent the same being made use of for the Army as it may he easily supposed that in such case it would be liable too much injury. Colonel Miles being from home has taken the liberty to address myself to you with the hope will not be taken amiss. I am your friend and humble servant Catherine Miles (Courtesy American Philosophical Society) Her house was in jeopardy of destruction by marauding British soldiers. Her husband was a prisoner of war. There were children to care for. (The education of the Miles’ children is mentioned in a September 3, 1783 letter from Andrew Brown to Jaspar Yeates. ) But all was not lost. A Colonel in the Continental Army was given privileges only afforded those who were “gentlemen”. In correspondence from General William Howe, Colonel Miles was granted a two-week parole provided, under the strictest of regulations, he did nothing to further the patriot cause. Colonel Samuel Miles was under house arrest. But in December, 1777 he made good use of time as he was reunited with Catherine at their Spring Mill home. (John Wister Miles was born on September 9, 1778 The John Miles branch of the family would lead to me; hence John’s birth takes on greater significance. His Majesty’s Government of King George III is to be thanked for its benevolence) On April 30, 1778 he returned to his wife and would be with her for the next 19 years. Whether or not the house was taken over the by the British is not known. We do know their neighbor’s home – the home of Michael Hillegas – was used as a British hospital. It is known that upon his release, and upon Philadelphia being rid of the British menace, the Miles family set out to resume their lives together. Samuel as deputy quartermaster under Timothy Pickering; she as wife and mother. Three more children would be born after 1778. With the war over in 1781, the new American nation found itself changing and the cultural climate was ripe for change. Thankfully for historians, it became a time for vanity. In 1802 Samuel Miles would have a portrait completed by Gilbert Stuart. And that is documented. (now in storage at Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art) But Catherine’s portrait? No account. No record. But all indications point to the portrait being completed by Gilbert Stuart. In 1796, her brother Daniel, now living in Germantown in the family home later to be known as “Grumblethorpe”, was in close proximity to the artist’s studio. Beginning in 1793 portrait artist Gilbert Stuart impressed the Philadelphia elite with his portraits. Before he left Philadelphia in 1803, he painted the portrait of Samuel Miles, which is now housed in the Washington Corcoran Gallery of Art. But Catherine Wister Miles? Before her death in 1797, she sat for a portrait artist. And all the evidence significantly points to Gilbert Stuart having completed the portrait And in the studio adjacent to her late father’s home she and her husband Samuel would sit and have their images portrayed by the master of American portraiture. A mother. Bringing 15 children into the world. Witnessing the death of children. Revolution. Fleeing from the enemy. Maintaining a business. It’s no wonder in the 1796 portrait of Catherine Wister Miles she looks much older than 54 years old. But Gilbert Stuart’s attitude in painting the portraits of women was far different than in painting the portraits of men. Wrote Frank Mather, “To the men he gave what the American man wanted, a most resolute and resemblant face-painting,” And the women? Towards the American woman Gilbert Stuart’s attitude was that of all perceptive foreigners. She was a marvel, a puzzle, and a delight. She was irresistibly herself independent and unconditioned existence, in a sense that the American man busied with nation making could not be. And in all Gilbert Stuart’s works, there is Catherine Wister Miles. And in her, one can truly agree with Mather’s statement Stuart is the greatest painter of women’s character stands, and we gain the further point that when Stuart painted women the usually clear line between fine portraiture and consummate face painting tends to disappear. In his essay “Face Painter and Feminist” Frank Jewett Mather, Jr. would go on to write about Stuart’s portraiture of women as his (Stuart’s) having “read her, confessed her, and most gallantly celebrated her, with the result that the mothers and daughters of the early Republic are about twice as alive as the fathers and sons.”It was Gilbert Stuart who “varied his response to the subject, the evocation of inner being, often in the form of an expression of either momentary or steadied –gaze (emphasis added) interaction with the viewer, was generally characteristic of his work” There is uncertainty as to the cause of death of Catherine Wister Miles. Yellow fever? We do know she suffered from Waardenburg’s disease which the portrait shows (drooping right eye lid and, in the infrared images of the portrait, each eye is a different color). Her death on October 24th 1797 was noted in the Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Advertiser. On the 24th of this month at Cheltenham Catherine Miles the wife of Colonel Samuel Miles. Of this excellent woman it may be truly said that she fulfilled all the duties of the wife, mother, mistress, and friend and as one that was to give an account your after of her conduct. She was beloved in life and died lamented by all who knew her. There could be no more fitting epitaph to a woman of the late 18th century than what was offered in the Philadelphia Gazette and Universal Advertiser. And in her portrait the eyes gaze upon us sternly, but with the kindness – to women and men who view her – a kindness that seems to say “with a humble spirit, embrace life!” She is buried next to her husband in Philadelphia’s Mount Moriah Cemetery located in the city’s second council district. I liken her portrait to the Mona Lisa because it is so true to life. It was basic. It was profound. It was gentle. And it was unique because Catherine Wister Miles is the only woman in the 18th Century America to be portrayed with spectacles. She was not vain. To some it may be a bit presumptuous to compare the portrait of Catherine Wister Miles to the Mona Lisa. But after reading Donald Sassoon’s book Leonardo and the Mona Lisa Story, it is equally true for Catherine Miles what he wrote about the Mona Lisa. And in the quote we could just as easily substitute “Gilbert Stuart” for Leonardo. Donald Sisson wrote Leonardo left behind thousands of preparatory drawings and detailed notes about all aspects of his life, yet there is not a single preliminary sketch of the Mona Lisa and not a mention of it in his notebooks. This uncertainty contributes to the mystery surrounding the Mona Lisa. When the sitter is a lady of some importance identification is simple. Contracts are exchanged and records are kept. Those who commission the painting get it and keep it. Yet despite the uncertainty about the woman portrayed there has never been doubt that Leonardo painted the portrait While some in the artistic community may doubt that Gilbert Stuart painted the portrait of Catherine Wister Miles, others, who have examined the portrait and the research, say there can be no doubt as to its artist, and the subject. Catherine Wister Miles. Humble in life; forgotten in death – until now. For a full accounting of the life of Catherine Miles’ husband, Colonel Samuel Miles, please see Milton Rubicam, “The Wistar-Wister Family: A Pennsylvania Family’s Contribution Toward American Cultural Development,” Pennsylvania History 20 (April 1953), 142-164. Catharine Wister, John’s only daughter, had a romance that was nearly nipped in the bud. She fell in love with a young soldier of Welsh origin named Samuel Miles, who had seen active service in the French and Indian War and had successfully raised himself from a private to the rank of captain in His Majesty’s Service.On his return to Philadelphia Captain Miles sought to win the hand of the fair Miss Wister, but her father, apparently of the opinion that the young officer did not measure up to the financial and social standards established for his son-in-law, refused his consent. But the young couple were (sic) married on February 16, 1761, without the paternal blessing. Eventually, Mr. Wister forgave his daughter and backed his son-in-law in the wine and rum trade. He never had occasion to regret his daughter’s choice, for Samuel Miles became a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly (1772), Colonel of the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment attached to the famous Flying Camp (1776), Auditor of Public Accounts and Deputy-Quartermaster-General for Pennsylvania (1778), Judge of the High Court of Errors and Appeals (1783), Captain of the First City Troop (1786), a famous local military organization which accepts only men of prominent families (a circumstance that must have pleased old Mr. Wister!), member of the Council of Censors (1787) and of the Common Council of Philadelphia (1788), and, finally, Mayor of Philadelphia (1790). We know the notion of “shunning” among the Amish. It must have been equally as damning among the Quakers particularly those who left the religion. “There has been much research regarding the background of Catherine’s parents John and Ann Catherina Rubenkam – Wister, and brothers Daniel and William. Her father, John, was a devout Quaker. John was born in Hilsbach, Germany, near Heidelberg on November 7 1708. His second wife Ann Catherina Rubenkam, was born in Wanfred, Germany. In the colonies, her father John became an importer of wines and other goods. He became quite wealthy as a result of his endeavors. It was John who built the home, later affectionately known as Grumblethorpe, that still stands today in Germantown. He was obviously well connected in Philadelphia as is testimony by his house having one of the “earliest rods (lightning) erected by Franklin”, (Page Talbott, ed., Benjamin Franklin In Search of A Better World, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2005, 196.). John would spell his last name Wister while his brother Casper spelled his last name Wistar. Casper preceded John in arriving in colonial America, and there are ongoing controversies among historical experts as to the influence the brothers had in many areas, particularly in the naming of the “wisteria” or “wistaria” flowering plant. 6 The account books are part of the Winterthur Downs Joseph Downs Collection, Winterthur, Delaware Jacob Cox Parsons, ed., Extracts from the Diary of Jacob Hiltzheimer (Philadelphia: William F. Fell & Company, 1893), 20, 28. Witness these activities: 1770 March 3 Took … later went with Samuel Miles, his wife, and my wife to Frankford (Page 20) 1774 January 29—In the afternoon went down to the wharf to see the skaters on the Delaware; afterward to John Wister’s, where I drank coffee with Richard Wister, Casper Wister, Daniel Wister and wife, Benjamin Morgan and wife, Samuel -Miles and wife See the Centre County Historical Society for the reprints of correspondence between General Howe, his representatives, and Colonel Miles. More interestingly, General William Howe occupied the Germantown house of Catherine Miles’ cousin David Deshler. Deshler’s father married John Wister’s sister Marie – and son David emigrated to America joining John Wister’s business in Philadelphia. The house would be used by President Washington during the yellow fever scare in 1793. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005), 142. Frank Jewett Mather, Jr., Estimates in Art (2) “Face Painter and Feminist”, in Sixteen Essays on American Painters of the Nineteenth Century, (Freeport, New York: Book for Libraries Press, 1959), 9 Dorinda Evans, The Genius of Gilbert Stuart (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1999), 79. Microfilm copy courtesy of The Library of Congress, Washington D.C. 577. Gazette of the United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser V1190.
Despite the preponderance of self-interest throughout our history, the pursuit of "Right Law" and the ideal of some ultimate universality has claimed the attention of political thinkers and writers since early Greek and Roman times. "I find that it has been the opinion of the wisest men that Law is not a product of Human thought, nor is it any enactment of peoples, but something eternal which rules the whole Universe by its wisdom. Reason has always existed, derived from the Nature of the Universe, urging men to right conduct and diverting them from wrong-doing; and this Reason did not first become Law when it was written down, but when it first came into existence; and it came into existence simultaneously with the Divine Mind." These principles were expressed by the Roman philosopher Cicero in The Republic . While such ideals can be traced yet further back to the early Greek political philosophers, it was the Romans and Cicero in particular who gave to the Greek doctrine of Natural Law a statement in which it was to become universally known throughout Western Europe down to the Nineteenth Century. Cicero continues: "There is in fact a true Law - namely, right reason - which is in accordance with nature, applies to all men, and is unchangeable and eternal. By its commands it summons men to the performance of their duties; by its prohibitions it restrains them from doing wrong. To invalidate this Law by Human legislation is never morally right, nor is it permissable ever to restrict its operation; and to annul it wholly is impossible." Particularly important here is the assumed distinction between the fundamental laws of nature which are a product of the Divine Mind, and man-made laws. Man-made laws should ideally reflect Natural Law; if they do not, they are in Cicero's view, worthless.The Art of Good Government George H. Sabine (A History Of Political Theory) comments: "None of the great Roman jurists doubted that there is a higher law than the enactments of any particular State. Like Cicero they conceived of the law as ultimately rational, universal, unchangeable, and divine, at least in respect to the main principles of right and justice. The Roman Law, like the English Common Law, was only in small part a product of legislation. Hence the presumption was never made that law expresses nothing but the will of a competent legislative body, which is an idea of quite recent origin. It was assumed that "nature" sets certain norms which [government's] law must live up to as best it can and that, as Cicero had believed, an "unlawful" statute simply is not law." The essence of Natural Law is that the Ruler, the State or the Legislator is always subject to the Law of God, or the Moral or Natural Law, the Higher Rule of Right which transcends Human interests and Human institutions. Thus the Ruler or Legislator becomes an interpreter of a Higher Law, rather than an instigator or originator of law reflecting perhaps the interests and profit of himself or the group he represents. This general principle of government - that authority is justified only on moral grounds - may appear somewhat alien today. But it achieved almost universal acceptance within a comparatively short time after Cicero and remained a commonplace of political philosophy throughout the Middle Ages, becoming a part of the common heritage of political ideas. The concept of Natural Law was fundamental to the political philosophy of Henry Bracton whose written comments after the Magna Carta have already been quoted. Bracton particularly stressed that the King must "be under God and the Law", by which may be understood the "Natural Law" or Right Reason. Following this same tradition Sir Edward Coke attempted to impose the discipline of "Right Law" upon the Acts of Parliament in the early 1600s. Coke became Attorney General in 1594 and retained this Elizabethan appointment until 1606, when King James made him Chief Justice of Common Pleas and later, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, a post he retained until 1616. Before beginning a new career as a Member of the House of Commons in 1620, Coke devoted himself to writing his Reports and Institutes which became the basis of legal education in England and America throughout the 1700s. As a student, Coke began to trace the medieval origins of Common Law, collecting ancient precedents that later filled the volumes appearing under the title The Institutes of the Laws of England and the Reports of Sir Edward Coke Kt. in English in Thirteen Parts Compleat. While preserving the Common Law's continuity he reinterpreted it in his own way, reaffirming the "Natural Law" element and defending it against all encroachments. In his opinion given in Dr. Bonhams Case (1610), Coke declared: "when an Act of Parliament is against common right and reason, or repugnant, or impossible to be performed, the Common Law will control it, and adjudge such an Act to be void." The ideal of subjecting law-makers to procedures of conduct and to basic concepts of "common right or reason" persisted after Coke's death in the turbulent years of revolution. A political reform group active during the Civil War years of the 1640s later known as the Levellers, held that Parliament itself should be bound by certain "fundamental laws" assuring for example religious liberty and forbidding military conscription. This attempted triumph of "right" over Electoral or Parliamentary "might" was not destined to become a permanent feature of English legislative discipline or procedure. Perhaps this was because the "Common Right or Reason" had not been, and indeed still has not been clearly defined. But such concepts would later inspire in the new United States of America the idea of codifying the essential procedures, safeguards and liberties gradually assembled over the centuries into one single written Constitution. The first written Constitutions were motivated by two then-current political theories: Social Contract and Natural Law. The "Social Contract" element reflected the principle that government is established as a result of a compact in which individuals promise to accept the judgements of a common arbiter. An important implication is that, having put their trust and political destiny in the hands of a Central Government, the People are thereby entitled to expect from that Government justice, honesty and competence. And since it is all of the people who are subject to law, not only those who have voted for the specific Party for the time being in office, it follows that there is a presumed obligation upon any Party in power to act in the overall national interest, avoiding solutions favouring specific sectional interests. Though this ideal may be difficult to define, it has nonetheless been possible to limit Government from practising the grosser extremes of natural in-justice; this is achieved through the Constitution, the function of which is to set out the specific terms of this "social contract" including the procedures, obligations and limitations to which Government should be subject. The "Natural Law" element in Constitutions gave them the sanctity of a Higher Law. "The modern Constitutional State at the time of its origins was justified and to a large extent legitimatized in terms of Natural Law theory. While the ancient idea of a divinely inspired, immutable, eternal Natural Law had been secularized by the Seventeenth Century it still provided a source of permanence in an ever unstable world. "John Locke used Natural Law to support the natural rights of the individual, thus limiting the powers of Government. The written Constitutions which followed Locke's philosophy embodied such traditional natural rights in detailed provisions." [Constitutions That Have Made History: Blaustein and Sigler, Paragon House, New York, 1988]. Despite their growing commitment to "rule by the people" - or more accurately, the majority of the people - the Framers of the United States Constitution were under no delusions that Democracy of itself could be relied upon to guarantee good laws. In an attempt to preserve discipline and integrity in government the Framers provided a clear and concise Constitution creating a system in which several branches of Government share power, yet limit that power through a series of checks and balances. But even this was not enough. Many of the Framers felt that Liberty should be more specifically defined and protected. Among them was Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, who argued that the Constitution as it stood directly after its adoption would "put Civil Liberty and happiness of the people at the mercy of Rulers who may possess the great unguarded powers given." He demanded such amendments "as will give security to the just rights of Human nature, and better secure from injury the discordant interests of the different parts of this Union." The result was the first ten Amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights which set specific bounds on the range and extent of Law. The significance of the Bill of Rights, as with similar Constitutional limitations on Government activity, lies in the recognition of a Higher Law endowing mankind with certain fundamental rights and liberties to which even elected Parliaments must defer. Acceptance of a higher, Natural Law requires that "... the Legislator who formulates laws is a Priest of Justice, the practitioner of a true philosophy, not a pretender to an imitation. Natural Law meant interpretation in the light of such conceptions as equality before the Law, faithfulness to engagements, fair dealing or equity." [George H. Sabine: A History Of Political Theory]. A modern exponent of "Just Law," Rudolf Stammler [The Theory of Justice, 1925], regarded this belief in Natural Law as the crowning glory of Roman jurisprudence: "This, in my opinion, is the universal significance of the classical Roman jurists; this, their permanent worth. They had the courage to raise their glance from the ordinary questions of the day to the whole. And in reflecting on the narrow status of the particular case, they directed their thoughts to the guiding star of all law, namely the realization of justice in life." Following the Industrial Revolution and the growing complexity of regulatory detail, legislators and political philosophers gradually abandoned any attempt to focus on "the guiding star of all Law", concentrating instead on "the ordinary questions of the day". But it was not, nor ever has been simply a matter of concentrating on detail at the expense of overall strategy; in fact the "opponent" of Natural Law was not and is not detail, but self-interest. The concept of Natural Law is essentially a reflection of that universal-interest which seeks benefit, peace and stability for all. This can be achieved when the Law identifies and prevents infringement of liberty, rather than perpetuating it. Throughout our history we pursued the alternative path, that of self-interest, where individuals seek to improve their own lives at the expense of others, supporting Governments and Laws which promote that objective. This resulted in slavery and feudalism, revolution and civil war, the riches and poverty of the industrial revolution, and the revenge of Socialism, the whole continuing saga symbolized in the polarization of Right and Left, each side representing a particular class or sectional self-interest. The marked difference between Right and Left, and with it the whole concept of self-interest-motivated, confrontational politics, was not destined to last. Both Party policies, of the Right and of the Left, were class-oriented, designed to further the interests of one class, if necessary at the expense of the other. The attraction of such policies was bound to fade as class differences disappeared, and as people gradually came to the more civilized view that the Laws directing our social conduct should promote the liberty and wellbeing of all the people, not some at the expense of others. Thus we return to the fundamental principles of "Natural Law" expounded by early Greeks and Romans, the "Common Right or Reason" of Coke, that "Higher Rule of Right which transcends Human choice and Human institution". Liberty and the Principle of Liberty The traditional concept of a universal guiding principle, a "Right Law" to which Legislators and Legislation are subservient, is many centuries old. That we did not formally identify the essence of "Right" or Universal Law was most probably due to the fact that "we" both in and out of Government and Parliament were more interested in seeking personal rather than universal benefit. The basis of New Age Governance returns to this fundamental issue. In our everyday lives, in personal relationships, in our use of natural resources, in our business and commercial affairs, it is possible for some to gain benefit at the expense of others. This is the essential feature of political conflict. Our response to potential conflict is reflected in personal conduct, and in the Governments we choose or accept. Either we choose, and our Laws permit us, to continue injuring, exploiting and imposing on one another so that some may gain wealth through the impoverishment of others; or we attempt to avoid, and our Laws identify and prevent, those actions which are harmful or injurious to others so that we can all live in peace, harmony and maximum liberty. One is the path of imposition; the other is the path of Non-Injury and cooperation. For two thousand years we have taken the path of imposition, during which time that path has been explored through the full range of slavery, feudalism, exploitation, civil wars, and the confrontation of sectional interests. New Age Governance is founded on Non-Injury, cooperation and the maximization of the general liberty. When we begin to seek fair rules by which we can live together and collaborate productively without exploiting one another, we will find that the true nature of "Right Law", of universal liberty, is and always has been clear and straightforward, awaiting only Human recognition and acceptance. It exists inside every one of us, for we all know what is right and wrong in social conduct - if we ever bother to ask ourselves. It exists as the fundamental basis of English Common Law; and it has been expressed by political thinkers, writers and philosophers for thousands of years. This is the Eternal Law of Right Social Conduct: that each should pursue his or her own advancement, but in ways which respect the right of others to do likewise; that each should seek his or her own growth, but in ways which do not diminish others. If we then seek to apply this principle of universal-interest in Government, we find that the guiding policy is clear and simple: the purpose of Government and Law is the identification and prevention of exploitation, harm or injury between people. This guiding Principle has already been expressed in many forms through the centuries; it is expressed clearly and concisely in the words of Thomas Jefferson: the purpose of Government is to prevent men from injuring one another. This proposition has implications far beyond its apparent simplicity. Clearly, Jefferson was not confining injury to grievous bodily harm, any more than he was confining the term men to the male gender. The purpose of Government in this view is to prevent people from injuring one another, and injury can take many forms which grow in number and complexity as the world develops. One can harm one's fellow citizens by making and selling a machine which is unsafe in use; or through incorrect labelling of a food product which results in a user consuming an additive to which he or she is strongly allergic. There are many ways in which we can injure one another, in our personal activities, in commerce and industry, in our use (or misuse) of natural resources. In Jefferson's view it is Government's job to identify and define those actions leading to the injury of others, then to prevent them through appropriate Laws and Enforcement. Thomas Jefferson was not inventing a new idea. He was taking his place in a long line of political theorists and idealists from early Greeks, through Cicero, Bracton and Coke; he shared the same principles with his colleagues as Framers of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and he was handing on a continuing tradition of fundamental rightness with which we are all, in our consciences, familiar. Most people of the Anglo legal tradition (Britain, the United States and many Commonwealth countries) have always objected in principle to any excess of regulation. We dislike meddlesome government; we find unnecessary regulation tiresome and annoying; we abhor oppressive government. Yet few would object to being told they may not do something, if it can be clearly shown that their action is in some way harmful or detrimental to others. And when a person is suffering injury at the hands of another, we would all accept that person's right to remedy and protection in law. The idea is well summarized by one of the leading figures in British justice, Lord Denning, in his book The Family Story: "Each man should be free to develop his own personality to the full; the only restrictions upon this freedom should be those which are necessary to enable everyone else to do the same." This view of Law as the prevention of injury between people reflects the fundamental limitation of social freedom. We cannot all have absolute freedom in our social relationships with one another. If one person is totally free to do whatever he likes, he is by definition free to limit or indeed eliminate the freedom of another, thereby reducing that second freedom possibly to zero. The best we can do is to maximize freedom, and this we achieve when we all accept certain limitations on our individual freedoms so that we do not infringe the freedom of others. To describe this concept of shared, limited freedom we use the word of Latin-Roman origin: Liberty. A Land of Liberty is not a land in which we all have absolute freedom to do exactly as we please. That would be a land of anarchy, since everyone would be free to limit, or eliminate the freedom of anyone else. A Land of Liberty is a land in which we are all subject to some restraint in those actions which are harmful or detrimental to others, so that we can all enjoy not absolute, but a measure of Liberty. In this way, the general Liberty can be maximized. Without the Rule of Law people would be free to injure one another in the widest possible sense, each attempting to enhance his or her own personal wealth and possessions through the dispossession of others. This is Anarchy. The remedy is the kind of Government visualized by Jefferson and Lord Denning, Government which exists specifically to prevent people from doing those things which are injurious, harmful or detrimental to one another. When Government as referee identifies those actions which are harmful or detrimental to others, then prevents such actions by Law and its enforcement, Government is limiting individual freedom; but in so doing it creates the conditions in which the general overall Liberty is maximized. The Principle of "freedom up to, but not beyond the point where freedom infringes another freedom" is the Eternal Law of social conduct, the fundamental Principle of Liberty instinctively familiar to us all. When this Principle is observed by citizens and applied by laws, Liberty is maximized, and laws enjoy the guidance of a Principle which fully reflects the age-old ideals of Natural Law, of non-injury, of respect, justice and fair dealings between people. The Principle of Liberty requires in our personal relationships, in business and commerce, and in our use of natural resources, that we respect others as if they were ourselves, that we respect others as we would have others respect us. It will be recognized at once by anyone familiar with the Sermon on the Mount. The Principle of Liberty may also be seen as an accurate reflection of the age-old ideal of "Natural Law", the "Common Right or Reason". It is universal rather than sectional in its approach and objectives; when accurately, honestly and consistently applied it seeks to maximize the general liberty for all rather than enhancing the wellbeing of some at the expense of others. Only in Liberty will the flower of Civilization unfold. And Liberty, true and full liberty, will be achieved only when all of the people understand, accept, and support with full knowledge and conviction the Principle that in the enjoyment of liberty each must respect, never infringe the liberty of others.
A chef can choose among diverse career paths, including personal chef, hotel chef, restaurant chef or private chef for a corporate client. Some chefs even own and manage their own restaurants. In large kitchens, the head chef has the primary management responsibilities, from menu planning to inventory control and supervision of staff. A chef's career preparation also varies, but it normally includes practical experience, often combined with formal education. Many chefs learn their skills through on-the-job training in restaurants or other kitchens. Some begin as dishwashers or other support staff, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while others start out as cooks. Rising to chef through experience alone takes many years. Restaurants often ask their experienced chefs to mentor and train other chefs and head cooks. Formal apprenticeship training programs for chefs often combine practical kitchen experience with class work. The U.S. Department of Labor, trade unions, cooking schools and the American Culinary Federation sponsor these training programs. For example, the ACF offers a choice of internships lasting 1,000 hours, 4,000 hours or 6,000 hours, plus a hybrid program that includes class study. The 4,000-hour apprenticeship takes two years to complete. Many chefs learn their skills in formal educational programs in secondary schools, culinary schools, technical schools, community colleges and four-year colleges. Some chain hotels, restaurants and the military also offer formal training for chefs. Post-secondary schools offer culinary certificates, two-year degrees and four-year degrees. More than 200 training programs nationwide have achieved accreditation from the American Culinary Federation. The curriculum typically includes instruction in sanitation, menu planning and inventory control plus practical hands-on classes and out-placement or internship experience. Chefs can improve their qualifications and opportunities for advancement by achieving American Culinary Federation certification. The ACF has 14 different certifications, including the entry-level Certified Culinarian and the high-level Certified Master Chef. Other designations certify specialists as personal chefs, pastry chefs and culinary administrators. The certification requirements include education and experience, depending on the particular certificate. The necessary experience varies from six months to five years. Wages and Outlook The average chef or head cook earned $46,600 per year as of 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS expects the number of jobs for chefs to decline by 1 percent between 2010 and 2020, when most new hires will be replacing chefs who leave. The most creative chefs and those with extensive experience and business expertise will fare best in the highly competitive job market. - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: What Chefs and Head Cooks Do - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: How to Become a Chef or Head Cook - Education-Portal.com: Chef -- Educational Requirements for Becoming a Professional Chef - American Culinary Federation: Certification Designations - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages: Chefs and Head Cooks - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Chefs and Head Cooks -- Job Outlook - American Culinary Federation: Certification Matters - American Culinary Federation: Accredited Postsecondary Programs - American Culinary Federation: Certified Secondary Programs - American Culinary Federation: Welcome to ACFEF Culinary Apprenticeship! - U.S. Department of Labor: Apprentices - National Restaurant Association: Home Page - American Personal and Private Chefs Association: Home Page - Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
About the Cuban girl: In Cuba, Cuban women or girls have the same constitutional rights as men in economic, political, cultural and social as well as in the family. The Cuban girls in accordance with Article 44 of the Cuban Constitution, the State guarantees women the same opportunities and Cuba likely than men to achieve the full participation of women in Cuba in the development of the country. Cuba women occupy 35% of parliamentary seats in the ranking of the Cuban National Assembly. Cuba Women and girls from Cuba In the first half of the 20th century, women in Cuba had achieved a status comparable to that of other Latin American countries like Argentina and Chile. In 1933, during the reign of 100 days of Ramón Grau, Cuban women received the right to vote. In 1934 the percentage of Cuban women working outside the home, attended school, and the control of the practice of birth exceeded the corresponding percentages in almost any other country in Latin America. Women in Cuba had been chosen to work in Cuba’s House of Representatives and Senate, and women of Cuba worked as mayors, judges, cabinet members, municipal councilors, and members of Cuba’s foreign service. Grau’s return to government under the auspices of President Fulgencio Batista provided the Cuban Constitution of 1940, one of the most progressive in the Western Hemisphere Regarding the status of women, which prohibits sex discrimination and asking equal pay for work of equal value. After the Cuban revolution of 1959, the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) was established as an NGO. The FMC was recognized by the Cuban government as “national machinery for the advancement of women in Cuba.” The organization says it has more than 3 million members, representing 85.2% of all women over 14 years. There is also a Training Centre for Women and the Women’s House which operates nationwide. The group generally adheres to the objectives of the Cuban government “to defend the Cuban Revolution.”According to Cuban government statistics, women account for 49.5% of graduates in higher levels of education and 62% of university students. Women constitute 35% of MPs, 61% of lawyers, 49% of magistrates, judges and 47% in the Supreme Court. From the “Special Period in Peacetime” in the 1990’s, the women of Cuba have taken a step forward in the life of Cuba, calling for a step towards a life without sexism. Sexism in Cuba go hand in hand with racism suffered by blacks and mulattos. Although according to a study conducted in 2002, blacks constitute 34.9% of the Cuban people are the poorest group of people with the least amount of political representation. Black women, especially, are lower paid jobs, have the highest rates of unemployment, lower educational levels and often live with the threat of gender violence. Jineterismo is a term used to describe a range of economic activities illegal or semi-legal issues related to tourism in Cuba, including prostitution. Hip-hop, rap music in particular, has become the vehicle for Cuban girls to express their discontent with race and gender situation in Cuba. The lyrics of all Cubans female rap groups demand respect for diversity in the music scene and sympathy for women who have resorted to prostitution for the bailout. During the special period, Cuba’s wife came to the forefront in the management of the different economic and domestic situations and in doing so, assume more responsibility and a new authority. The popular style of dance “perreo” can be seen as a symbol of this change, with women before men during the dance. The average wage in the island was only 334 Cuban pesos a month in late 2010.
TYING THE KNOT is a journey through 5,000 years of history with marriage Didn’t princes and princesses used to live happily ever after? Author EJ Graff corrects some myths and fairy tales that the Extreme Right has been spinning as For example, did you know: Marriage has been a constant battleground and has changed many times to reflect the values of society? Marriage had no religious significance even in the Catholic Church until the Middle Ages? Protestant churches have split a number of times over issues related to Are these quotes from the 2004 Republican National Convention? “This sort of marriage is not in the best interest of children.” “God has a plan for marriage and this isn’t it.” “Allowing this kind of marriage will pave the way for all sorts of In fact, these arguments were made about marriage between a man and a woman. In TYING THE KNOT civil rights attorney Evan Wolfson tells the love story of Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving, who fought a long battle with the Commonwealth of Virginia for the right to marry. The year was 1962. Mildred was black and Richard was white, but their loving lives together were anything but simple.
Storyrobe is a mobile digital storytelling application. Stories can be created using these simple steps: choose images/videos, record story, and upload to YouTube or email to friends. Students can use pictures or videos and arrange them in a manner to tell a story or explain a process (for math or science). They can add voice recordings to narrate for each picture. The project can be shared on the web, uploaded to YouTube or emailed.