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A classification of tropical tree crops - particularly those grown for their fruit - is presented based on:
The classification reveals a pattern in the confusing multitude of tree crops; its usefulness is enhanced because of similarities in ecology and fruitfulness of the species within a class.
The contrast between the fruitful, continuously-growing, single-stemmed species and the rather unfruitful, rhythmically-growing branched species is striking. The ecology and husbandry of the two sub-classes of single-stemmed species and their effect on fruitfulness can be described in simple terms, since fruiting is closely linked with growth. The branched species form a large and diverse class. The relationships between branching and rhythmic growth and between branching and floral differentiation are briefly considered. It is concluded that fruitfulness in single-stemmed plants improves with the growth rate, but in branched trees, a balance has to be struck between growth and fruiting: moreover in the latter, specific stimuli are usually needed to trigger flower initiation and/or bloom. This leads to a different set of research priorities for the two classes of crops.
In virtually all branched tree crops grown for their fruit, vegetative growth and sexual differentiation are separated to some extent, either spatially or temporally. Spatial separation finds expression in cauliflory and shoot dimorphism; some characteristics of the species in these two categories are given. Temporal separation is effected through asynchronous or synchronous growth rhythms; sexual differentiation takes place during a quiescent phase in shoot growth. As the growth rhythm changes with tree age and degree of synchrony depends on the climate, further classification of this large category is difficult, the more so since far too little is known about the growth rhythm of most species. Concerted efforts to describe the phenology of these species are strongly recommended.
The study of tropical tree crops is fragmented. The major disciplines: forestry, plantation crops, fruit crops stand on their own and do not adequately cover such fields as agroforestry; they often leave a large category of 'miscellaneous tree crops' unattended. Moreover, nearly everywhere, research is organised on a commodity basis; insights gained in one crop are seldom applied to other crops in order to generalise the findings. Consequently, the student of tropical tree crops enters a jungle in which the multitude of trees obscures the view of the forest.
This paper is meant to open up this jungle by grouping species in a classification based on:
-growth habit: branching, position of inflorescences;
Since the habit and growth rhythm of a species reflect its adaptation to the environment, the species in one class have ecological features in common.
The key was initially intended to relate fruit crops to plantation crops in order to let the study of fruit crops benefit from the sustained research efforts in plantation crops. Hence the key is applied primarily to species grown for their fruit, and some generalisations are made with respect to fruitfulness. Because of this emphasis on fruit, crops such as banana, pineapple and passionfruit are included, even though they are not tree crops.
The proposed classification is inspired by the more general classification of trees according to architectural models by Halle, Oldeman and Tomlinson (1978). These models are also based on tree habit and growth rhythm, but the emphasis is on vegetative growth.
1. Single-stemmed species
1.1 Continuous growth, concurrent floral development (oilpalm. coconut. papaya)
1.2 Continuous growth culminating in flowering
a. largely supported by current photosynthesis (pineapple. sisal. banana)
b. largely supported by accumulated reserves (sago. sugar-palm. bamboo)
2. Branched species
2.1 Floral development concurs with extension growth (mainly small trees. shrubs and vines: capulin. rose mallow. passionfruit)
2.2 Extension growth and floral development separated
2.21 according to loci:
a. cauliflory (cacao. jackfruit. durian)
b. shoot dimorphism (coffee. apple)
2.2.2 in time:
a. growth rhythm asynchronous (nutmeg, sapodilla)
b. growth rhythm synchronous (clove, mango, rambutan, some deciduous species: rubber, kapok, mombin)
A simple, characteristic, unbranched versus branched habit distinguished the two main classes. A stem is said to be single if it can be considered as a separate entity in the completion of its vegetative growth and fruiting. Therefore 'single-stemmed' includes branching at the base as in banana or branching towards the end of the crop cycle as in pineapple. The unbranched habit is usually associated with continuous growth; this applies to all crops given as examples. Branching, on the other hand, is more often linked with rhythmic growth: the shoot grows in flushes alternated by quiescent periods.
Two sub-classes of single-stemmed species are distinguished. The further division of the second sub-class is useful but arbitrary, as indicated in the key by the qualification 'largely supported by'. The large and diverse class of branched species is also divided into two sub-classes, based on the time and place of floral development in relation to shoot growth.
In sub-class 2.1 sexual differentiation and vegetative growth occur side by side, because the inflorescence is borne on the shoot, which grows continuously.
The important branched trees grown for their fruit nearly all belong to the second sub-class (2.2), in which extension growth and floral differentiation are separated to some extent, either spatially or temporally. Spatial separation (division 2.2.1) finds expression in cauliflory and shoot dimorphism. Temporal separation (division 2.2.2) is effected through asynchronous or synchronous growth rhythms; sexual differentiation takes place on the shoot during a quiescent phase following the termination of the flush. The growth rhythm changes with tree age and climate; because of its variability, the distinction between asynchronous and synchronous rhythms is not sharp.
3. THE SINGLE-STEMMED SPECIES
The class of single-stemmed species grown for their fruit is comparatively small. With the exception of papaya, all species are Monocotyledons. The growth habit is simple: a single meristem produces all aerial parts in orderly succession.
The number of leaves soon becomes stable, since new leaves replace falling leaves (coconut), or because the meristem turns floral (banana). The demands of a virtually constant leaf area can be met by a steady growth rate of the roots; thus the habit of growth is consistent with a constant top: root ratio. This in turn explains the continuous growth of these successful mono-axial species.
Growth has precedence over flowering and fruiting, but fruitfulness improves progressively with higher growth rate, as shown in Table 1 for oilpalm: the harvest index is much higher at high growth rates. As a result the crops respond very favourably to husbandry and reach high and predictable yields. In fact, the top producers among fruit crops (papaya, banana, pineapple) and oil crops (oilpalm, coconut) are single-stemmed species. Small wonder that these crops are widely grown within their ecological limits. They are of great importance to rich and poor, also because the fruit ripens throughout the year.
Since under good management both biological yield and the yield of fruit are already high, no spectacular yield increment is to be expected. However, in view of the large acreages, small gains still assume great importance. Research workers should concentrate on refinements in growing techniques, based, for instance, on water or nutrient response curves, to maintain high growth rates. There appears to be little scope for crop manipulation apart from breeding.
In the first sub-class, an inflorescence emerges in the axil of each leaf after the short juvenile period. A period of adverse growing conditions (e.g. moisture stress in oilpalm, Table 1) sets back flowering and fruiting much more than growth. Hence these crops only thrive in equable tropical climates. Water shortage, for instance, has to be prevented through a good rainfall distribution (oilpalm), access to groundwater (coconut) or irrigation (papaya). If closely spaced, the plants elongate, leaf axils become acute and again fruiting suffers much more than growth. In illustration 1, data from Sly and Chapas (1963) demonstrates the increment in height and the sharp decline in yield for oilpalm at close spacings.
Hence oilpalm, coconut and papaya are designed for undisturbed growth in both time and space. For maximum yield, the grower has to sustain a high growth rate throughout the plant's life.
Pineapple and banana are the only important fruit crops in the second sub-class. They flower terminally after the completion of extension growth. This separation of growth and fruiting in time makes the plants more flexible. Sub-optimal growing conditions merely postpone the attainment of adequate size for flowering. Consequently these crops are not restricted to non-seasonal climates. They produce good crops even in the sub-tropics, although the duration of the crop cycle increases as growth rate diminishes.
For banana this is shown by the effect of altitude on crop duration and yield in Table 2. The near equality of yield per day indicates that in this example, the slow-down in floral development is made good by a larger share of photosynthates for the fruit. Also the terminal inflorescence tolerates interplant competition. The fruit becomes smaller at close spacing, but over a range of density this is compensated by the higher plant number per hectare.
To be continued in July, 1986 newsletter.
Editor's note: the Tables were not included in the current newsletter.
DATE: May 1986
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Posted by Plamen Miltenoff on September 1, 2014
Math, Science, History: Games Break Boundaries Between Subjects
possibilities for a formal Renaissance-Man-Liberal-Arts education remain limited to the elite. The average, or common, student is encouraged to choose majors and institutions that track into a specialized vocation.
The ability to apply knowledge across disciplines is important, but it is not enough. It is important to combine that knowledge with strong social and emotional skills that serve as the foundation for good citizenship in the 21st Century.
more on gaming in this blog: http://blog.stcloudstate.edu/ims/?s=gaming
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Photographs and memories
Corps reports on Gibson dredging project in 1885
Published: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 5:35 a.m.
Placid Bayou Black between Houma and Gibson, has not always had its present appearance. In the 1830s, and again, a century later, it had been navigable to the boats of the day, but an April 1885, engineering inspection found it totally clogged with logs and silt.
Corps of Engineers Major William H. Heuer made his inspection about midway in a dredging project which had begun at the Gibson (Tigerville) end:
“From Tigerville to the spot where the dredge is at work, about 10 miles above, the Bayou Black has now a depth of 5 to 6 feet of tide-water — the width varies from 45 to 100 feet.
“The greater portion of this 10 miles has been worked over by the dredge, and the last 4 miles is practically a canal in the bed of the bayou, which has been dug by the dredge.
“As fast as the digging progresses the canal becomes filled with tide-water, but the bayou in front of dredge is so filled up with sediment, grass, logs, roots, and stumps, and contains so little water, that it is impossible to float the lightest skiff.
“I doubt if there was 50 gallons of water per minute flowing in the bayou ... this the ground in front of the dredge was so hard that it became necessary to hire 4 mules and a plow to break the ground so that the dredge could work.”
Major Heuer said the 14 miles of “bayou” remaining to be dredged was little more than solid land. “The bed of the bayou is filled up with mud and obstructions very nearly to the level of the roads on each side.”
Completing the dredging, he said, would require what amounted to “digging of a canal 45 feet wide by 6 feet deep by almost 14 miles in length.
“The muck, etc. thrown out of the canal is so oozy or semi-fluid that much of it will run back into the canal. ... On each bank ... is a wagon-road 25 to 40 feet in width, just beyond which are the fences of plantations and small farms. The muck must therefore be thrown on the road, obliterating that on one side, perhaps on both, and making either of them for the time being almost if not entirely impassable.”
He questioned the wisdom of dredging such a “canal” merely to “enable small boats (probably flat-boats) to carry sugar and the material products of the country ... from Tigerville to Houma.”
He estimated the cost to complete the dredging at least $56,000. “It is barely possible that this estimate ... may be too great, but when the sunken, embedded logs, stumps, roots, thrown up by the dredge all along the embankments are seen, no prudent engineer would submit a smaller estimate.
“Suppose the remaining 14 miles were cut to Houma. Here, by reopening an old canal, now deteriorated into a shallow ditch, connection may be had with the Bayou Terrebonne. The cut is about 1 mile long.”
The reference is to the since-vanished Barataria Canal, now buried along Barataria Street.
Using the dredged out Bayou Black and the Barataria Canal and Bayou Terrebonne, Heuer theorized, “planters along the Black and Terrebonne could ... get their products to the railway station, whence by rail to New Orleans, about 70 miles, or to ship by water through Bayou Terrebonne and Black, Bayou Chene, Bayou Boeuf, Atchafalaya River and Mississippi River to New Orleans, about 400 miles.”
But with railroad stations at Tigerville and Houma, some 25 miles apart, the completed dredging would actually eliminate wagon hauls of no more than 12-1/2 miles.
While he understood that Congress had voted to pay for the project so far, Heuer still doubted it was money well-spent.
“Is the Government justified in cutting a canal,” he wondered, “for the sake of saving to the planters the difference.
“The improvement at its best is simply a local one and only benefits the people living on or near the bayou, and can in nowise be considered a public necessity, but as it has been begun by authority of Congress,” he recommended continuing the work to avoid wasting the money already spent.
The unnamed dredge boat had recently returned from a project on the Red River. “The dredge is now in fair order. All repairs have been made that are necessary to enable the dredge to be set to work.”
It is not clear whether the completed improvements were maintained up to the time when Bayou Black essentially became a link in the Intracoastal Canal route between New Orleans and the Atchafalaya, before the present alignment was dredged.
The Courier is looking for your old photographs and the memories that go with them to run in this weekly feature. In order to protect your valuable photographs, do not send unsolicited photographs. Instead, contact Bill Ellzey at 876-5638 and leave a message. You may also write to him at: The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361, or contact him via e-mail at email@example.com.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
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WARNING: ⚠️ DEBATE POST is shutting down very soon thanks to Facebook and Twitter banning us along with our 400,000 followers, you can follow on alternatives like frontpagelink.com where the radical left doesn't moderate content.
Government statistics indicate this year’s wildfire season is the second worst in British Columbia’s history, burning 945 square kilometres of land.
The BC Wildfire Service says this year’s season comes in behind last year, which saw more than 1,200 square kilometres burnt and roughly 65,000 people displaced or evacuated from their homes.
But the provincial agency says 1,981 blazes had ignited in the province as of Sunday — nearly 600 more fires than in 2017.
The BC Wildfire Service says the Northwest Fire Centre based out of Smithers, B.C., has borne the brunt of the this season, seeing roughly 540 square kilometres of fires.
That’s nearly five times more than the second-highest region, the Prince George Fire Centre, 370 kilometres southeast of Smithers.
The Canadian Press
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Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the Wuchang Uprising, otherwise known as Double Ten. Taiwan celebrates it as their National Day. But it’s more than just that. It marks the beginning of the Republic of China and the end of thousands of years of dynastic rule.
This photo was taken 100 years ago. The Iron blood 18-star flag represents the Wuchang Uprising.
Double 10 is close to my heart because of all the time I spent in China, much of it was in Wuhan. So I think it’s kind of cool the Republic started there.
And as for Taiwan, I’m very impressed with the progress it’s made in recent decades. This is how Taiwan celebrated Double 10 45 years ago (a year after my family first visited the ROC):
Sadly, Double Ten has remained a political day for many. But I think it should be a proud day for all.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The $175 billion pledge made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and seven other multilateral development banks (MDBs) was one of the largest financial commitments coming out of Rio+20, it was announced today at the UN Secretary General’s closing press conference.
“These sustainable transport improvements will benefit billions of people, especially the poor, and support environmental sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bindu Lohani, ADB’s Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development at the press conference to showcase voluntary commitments made at Rio+20, on behalf of the eight MDBs.
The MDBs had earlier announced their plan to invest more than $175 billion over the next decade to help improve transport in developing countries. The new funds will be used to promote all forms of sustainable transport, including public transport; bicycle and walking infrastructure; energy-efficient vehicles and fuels; railways; inland waterways; and road safety. ADB’s share of the commitment is $30 billion.
Rapid motorization together with urbanization have contributed to increased congestion, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, health and social problems, and traffic accidents. Taken together, the losses attributed to these problems account for more than 10% of GDP. The transport sector also accounts for nearly two-thirds of total oil consumption in the world.
In Asia and the Pacific, rising incomes are doubling motor vehicle fleets every five to seven years. Motorization is causing Asia’s share of the global vehicle fleet to rise – growing from 9% in 1980 to 46% by 2030. In some countries, the current trend growth in motor vehicles is almost four times faster than population growth. In addition, nearly 2,000 people are killed each day in Asia due to traffic accidents.
Transport needs massive investments, particularly in emerging economies. Over the next 10 years, some $2.5 trillion of transport investment is required in developing Asia alone. Developing countries have the opportunity to leapfrog to a greener future of less motorization, shorter commutes, and more energy efficient transport systems.
ADB has long been a supporter of transport, with its operations in the sector typically accounting for a third of its annual lending. These investments have helped provide basic access to rural communities, link cities together, and promote regional cooperation and integration.
The financial commitment was announced on the opening day of Rio+20 by the African Development Bank, ADB, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank.
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You can create NanoPlot reports online using this simple tool.
How do I use the online tool ?
Albacore/Guppy creates a summary, sequencing_summary.txt. This summary is used by nanoplot to generate it plots. You can upload the data using the upload-field above. Once the run is completed, a report will be generated.
How long is my data stored ?
The uploaded summary is stored untill the run is finished and is then removed from our server. The resulting report is only removed upon user request.
Can I upload bam/sam/fastq files ?
No, this tool is aimed at exploring NanoPlot. If you wish to use more features, install it locally. (see github.com/wdecoster/NanoPlot)
What are the restrictions to online tool ?
- Fair use
- File size : limit to 100 MB
- File ext : text file only
- NanoPlot version : NanoPlot 1.30.1 (16/07/2020)
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Last updated 31Aug 2013
The information presented below is just that, information. Use
it at your own risk..
You (the reader) are responsible for anything foolish that you might
do as a result of reading this article. You assume complete and total
responsibility for your actions! The information presented below is believed to
be technically correct (however mistakes occasionally are made, this being the
"real world"). In simple terms, if you do something foolish (as a
result of reading this article), don't blame me! This statement is
necessary because of (in the
If you are reading this article you may also be interested in my article Audio Power Amplifier Power Rating Mysteries Explained (it has a lot more detail regarding power ratings of amplifiers).
The term amplifier is very generic. In general, the purpose of an amplifier is to take an input signal and make it stronger (or in more technically correct terms, increase its amplitude). Amplifiers find application in all kinds of electronic devices designed to perform any number of functions. There are many different types of amplifiers, each with a specific purpose in mind. For example, a radio transmitter uses an RF Amplifier (RF stands for Radio Frequency); such an amplifier is designed to amplify a signal so that it may drive an antenna. This article will focus on audio power amplifiers. Audio power amplifiers are those amplifiers which are designed to drive loudspeakers. Specifically, this discussion will focus on audio power amplifiers intended for DJ and sound reinforcement use. Much of the material presented also applies to amplifiers intended for home stereo system use.
The purpose of a power amplifier, in very simple terms, is to take a signal from a source device (in a DJ system the signal typically comes from a preamplifier or signal processor) and make it suitable for driving a loudspeaker. Ideally, the ONLY thing different between the input signal and the output signal is the strength of the signal. In mathematical terms, if the input signal is denoted as S, the output of a perfect amplifier is X*S, where X is a constant (a fixed number). The "*" symbol means” multiplied by".
This being the real world, no amplifier does exactly the ideal, but many do a very good job if they are operated within their advertised power ratings. The output signal of all amplifiers contain additional (unwanted) components that are not present in the input signal; these additional characteristics may be lumped together and are generally known as distortion. There are many types of distortion; however the two most common types are known as harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion. In addition to the "garbage" traditionally known as distortion, all amplifiers generate a certain amount of noise (this can be heard as a background "hiss" when no music is playing). More on these later.
All power amplifiers have a power rating, the units of power are called watts. The power rating of an amplifier may be stated for various load impedances; the units for load impedance are ohms. The most common load impedances are 8 ohms, 4 ohms, and 2 ohms (if you have an old vacuum tube amplifier the load impedances are more likely to be 32 ohms, 16 ohms, 8 ohms, and maybe 4 ohms). The power output of a modern amplifier is usually higher when lower impedance loads (speakers) are used (but as we shall see later using low impedance loads just to get the extra power is not always recommended). The rated power output of an amplifier is understood to be its maximum output, it in no way means that the amplifier can only be used at this output. For example, if an amplifier is rated at 100 watts, the output can be anything between zero and this maximum rated value. Chances are that the amp can probably put out more if the input signal is overdriven, however the quality of the output will degrade rapidly. More on this later.
In the early days, audio power amplifiers used devices called vacuum tubes (referred to simply as "tubes" from here on). Tubes are seldom used in amplifiers intended for DJ use (however tube amplifiers have a loyal following with musicians and hi-fi enthusiasts). Modern amplifiers almost always use transistors (instead of tubes); in the late 60's and early 70's, the term "solid state" was used (and often engraved on the front panel as a "buzz word"). The signal path in a tube amplifier undergoes similar processing as the signal in a transistor amp, however the devices and voltages are quite different. Tubes are generally "high voltage low current" devices, where transistors are the opposite ("low voltage high current"). Tube amplifiers are generally not very efficient and tend to generate a lot of heat. One of the biggest differences between a tube amplifier and a transistor amplifier is that an audio output transformer is almost always required in a tube amplifier (this is because the output impedance of a tube circuit is far too high to properly interface directly to a low impedance loudspeaker). High quality audio output transformers are difficult to design, and tend to be large, heavy, and expensive. Transistor amplifiers have numerous practical advantages as compared with tube amplifiers: they tend to be more efficient, smaller, more rugged (physically), no audio output transformer is required, and transistors do not require periodic replacement (unless you continually abuse them). Contrary to what many people believe, a well designed tube amplifier can have excellent sound (many high end hi-fi enthusiasts swear by them). Some people claim that tube amplifiers have their own particular "sound". This "sound" is partly due to the way tubes behave when approaching their output limits (clipping). The onset of output overload in a tube amplifier tends to be much more gradual than that of a transistor amplifier. A few big advantages that tube amplifiers have were necessarily given up when amplifiers went to transistors. First, tubes can withstand electrical abuse that would leave even the most robust transistor completely blown. Also, tube amplifiers use an output transformer to interface to the speaker; such a device provides an excellent buffer (protection to the speaker) in the case of internal malfunction. Modern amplifiers (with no output transformer) occasionally fail in a way that connects the full DC supply voltage to the speaker. If the amplifier does not have adequate protection circuitry built in, the result is often a melted woofer voice coil.
An amplifier’s main purpose is to take a weak signal and make it strong enough to drive a speaker. Power amplifiers get the necessary en rgy for amplification of input signals from the AC wall outlet to which they are plugged into. If you had a perfect amplifier, all of the energy the amplifier took from the AC outlet would be converted to useful output (to the speakers). However, in the real world no amplifier is 100% efficient, so some of the energy from the wall outlet is wasted. The vast majority of energy wasted by an amplifier shows up in the form of heat. Heat is one of the biggest enemies to electronic equipment, so it is important to ensure adequate air flow around equipment (especially so for those units using convection cooling). Most amplifiers in the 200 watt per channel range (and up) have forced air cooling (via fans) in order to prevent excessive heat buildup.
Many amplifiers have a number of features to help monitor the status of the amplifier and also to protect speakers (and the amplifier itself) in the event of an overload condition. Some features include power meters, clipping indicators, thermal overload shutdown, over current protection, etc. Features vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In addition, there are many variations in how protection circuits are implemented and how much "safety margin" they allow. For example, I tested the clipping indicator on one particular amplifier. The clipping indicator did not come on until there was a substantial amount of clipping actually occurring (as viewed on an oscilloscope). In this case, I did not notice a significant degradation of the sound quality despite the clipping. The manufacturer in this case chose to "allow a little more volume" before actually lighting up the warning light.
Power amplifiers intended for a DJ or a concert uses have power output ratings starting from around 75 watts per channel to over 1000 watts per channel. However, keep in mind that MORE POWER DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A SUPERIOR AMP OR BETTER SOUND! Choosing a well designed amplifier in the 200 watt per channel class may be a better investment than a marginally designed 500 watt per channel unit.
Yes. Power is not really something that can be “amplified”. Voltage and current can be amplified. The term “power amplifier” although technically incorrect has become understood to mean an amplifier that is intended to drive a load (such as a speaker, a motor, etc). There are all kinds of amplifiers used for different purposes. Some other terms you may run across: op amp, signal amp, RF (radio frequency amp), instrumentation amp. This article deals with what we call power amplifiers. Basically they take a small signal (like that from the output of a CD player, mixing board, etc) and make it strong enough to drive a speaker. This is accomplished by substantially increasing the voltage of the input signal; assuming an adequately designed amp, this will cause a correspondingly large current to flow through the load. Power = current times voltage (for resistive loads), this is where the “power” amplification comes from.
All power amplifiers have a power supply, an input stage, and an output stage. Many amplifiers have various protection features (briefly outlined above) which fall into a category I refer to as housekeeping.
Power Supply: The primary purpose of a power supply in a power amplifier is to take the 120 VAC power from the outlet and convert it to a DC voltage (VAC is an abbreviation for Volts Alternating Current, and DC is an abbreviation for Direct Current). Conversion from AC to DC is necessary because the semiconductor devices (transistors, FETs, MOSFETs, etc.) used inside the equipment require this type of voltage. (By the way, FET stands for Field Effect Transistor, and MOSFET stands for Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). Many different types of power supplies are used in power amplifiers, but in the end they all basically aim to generate DC voltage for the transistor circuits of the unit. The very best of amplifiers have two totally independent power supplies, one for each channel (they do share a common AC power cord though). Truly excellent amplifiers will also have a separate (or at least separately regulated) power supply for the input stage (those circuits that do not actually drive the speaker). Under heavy load, the power supply voltage internal to the amp can sag (and this can lead to distortion). By having a separate power supply for the signal level signals in the amplifier, the distortion added by a sagging power supply is kept out of all but the final (output) stage.
Input stage: The general purpose of the input stage of a power amplifier (sometimes called the "front end") is to receive and prepare the input signals for "amplification" by the output stage. Most professional quality amplifiers have various input connectors; typically they will have XLR inputs, “quarter inch" inputs, and sometimes a simple terminal strip input (although these tend to be found on amplifiers intended primarily for public address systems). XLR and most quarter inch inputs are balanced inputs (as compared to single ended inputs). Balanced inputs are much preferred over single ended inputs when interconnection cables are long and/or subject to noisy electrical environments because they provide very good noise rejection. The input stage also contains things like input level controls. Some amplifiers have facilities for "plug in" modules (such as filters); these too are grouped into the input stage.
Output stage: The output stage of an amplifier is the portion which actually converts the weak input signal into a much more powerful "replica" which is capable of driving high power to a speaker. This portion of the amplifier typically uses a number of "power transistors" (or MOSFETs) and is also responsible for generating the most heat in the unit (unless the amplifier happens to have a very bad power supply design, in which case it too generates a lot of heat). The output stage of an amplifier interfaces to the speakers.
The Class of an amplifier refers to the design of the circuitry within the amp. For audio amplifiers, the Class of amp refers to the output stage of the amp (in practice there may be several classes of signal level amplifier within a single unit). There are many classes used for audio amps. The following is brief description of some of the more common amplifier classes you may have heard of.
Audio Power amplifiers are typically rated for "8 ohm" and "4 ohm” loads, and more and more (the higher end pro amps) are also giving ratings for continuous operation using "2 ohm" loads (loads being speakers, you can see more info on this topic in my article on speakers). If you have ever looked at a spec sheet for a decent quality amplifier, you probably noticed that the power output of an amplifier is higher when the load impedance (number of ohms) is lower. Important: a load with a low number of ohms is a more difficult load than one with a higher number of ohms! That is, a 4 ohm speaker is harder for an amplifier to drive than an 8 ohm speaker. The performance capabilities of an amplifier when driving low impedance loads is closely related to the capabilities of its power supply.
If we had a perfect amplifier (and it was plugged into an outlet that had unlimited current capability), its output power rating would double each time the load impedance was halved. For example, let's say the amplifier puts out 200 watts per channel at 8 ohms. At 4 ohms, it would put out 400 watts per channel, at 2 ohms it would put out 800 watts per channel, and at 1 ohm it would put out 1600 watts per channel. For the perfect amplifier, one could keep going with this until the load impedance approached zero, at which time the amplifier output would approach infinity! On the other side, if the load impedance was 16 ohms, the amplifier would put out only 100 watts per channel. In this direction, one could keep raising the load impedance, and the power output would grow smaller and smaller.
The power supply of the perfect amplifier generates a DC voltage that does not change no matter how much current is demanded from it. This means that the perfect amplifier can drive an unlimited number of speakers. In the real world, amplifiers have real power supplies which do have limits as to how much current they deliver (and real world amps use output devices that are only rated for so much current before they self destruct). For such typical amplifiers, the 4 ohm power rating is usually about 50% more than the 8 ohm rating (and if a 2 ohm rating is given, this is maybe double that of the 8 ohm rating). Amplifiers with exceptional power supply designs will do better than this, but eventually a limit will be reached (if by nothing else the AC outlet can only deliver so much current!). Lesser designs will "run out of juice” when driving the heavier loads. Most decent amplifier spec sheets will specify how much power the amp can deliver into various load impedances. If an amp’s spec sheet gives a 8 and 4 ohm rating, be careful before using the amp with 2 ohm loads. It might work, but more likely it will be stressed out and may overheat or fail prematurely.
Amplifiers utilizing exceptional power supply designs will invariably be the more expensive units available, and possibly the (physically) heavier designs. This is because good power supply designs usually require heavier and better (low loss) "magnetics". All power supplies utilize some combination of transformers, rectifiers, capacitors, and in the case of some so called "digital" amplifiers, switching components.
"Analog" Amplifiers: All amplifiers
in use by DJs today process analog input (music) signals. An analog
signal is a continuous wave signal, a digital
signal is an analog signal which has been converted to a sequence of numbers.
Analog when spoken in terms of power amplifiers
typically refers to the design of the power supply and/or output stage,
and most analog amps are those with a straight
"Digital" Amplifiers: There really is no such thing as a “digital” amplifier, although the marketplace sometimes tends to promote certain amplifiers as being “digital”. When the term digital is associated with a power amplifier, it is often a buzz word used by the vendor that may refer to the design of the power supply and/or the design of the output stage. Some amplifiers use power supplies that are the switching type (sometimes referred to as a DC - DC converter). The term "digital" is also sometimes associated with amplifiers of the more exotic classes (class G, H, S, and especially D). Class G, H and S amplifiers use special switching circuits that try to minimize the voltage that is dropped in the output semiconductor devices (thus resulting in higher efficiency). Class D uses a totally different scheme for amplification (and is the most legitimate class to be termed "digital", although Class D is still an analog circuit design). NOTE: An amp touting itself as digital in no way means that it is inherently better at producing sound from "digital" sources such as CDs!!! Most all car stereo amps (those above about 10 watts per channel) use a switching power supply. What advantages does a switching power supply offer? For car audio (which runs on a 13.8 VDC power source) there is no way to get high power to speakers without boosting the amplifier’s power supply rail voltage to higher levels. Switching power supplies are used in some conventional (home or pro audio) amps as well. Switching power supplies use much smaller transformers and capacitors (as compared to conventional amps), and are therefore considerably smaller and lighter than an equivalent analog power supply. The concepts behind switching power supplies have been known for many years. However, until fairly recently the components necessary for switching power supplies were unable to be produced cheaply enough for consumer use. Advances in transistor technology have made the necessary devices available at a cost which permits their widespread use. (Note: ALL of the "super systems" heard in many automobiles today are powered by amplifiers using switching power supplies).
On the minus side, switching power supplies are a great deal more complicated than their analog counterparts. They work basically by first creating a "crude" DC voltage. This crude voltage is applied to a switching circuit which uses a specially designed high frequency transformer. A control circuit monitors the output voltage of this stage and makes adjustments to the switching circuit "on the fly” in order to keep the final DC output voltage as close to the design value as possible. So, the advantages of lighter weight and smaller size come at the expense of increased parts count (which ultimately might translate to less reliability if the parts are of lesser quality). Switching power supplies tend to generate a lot more electronic noise as compared to linear power supplies (discriminating audiophiles would almost never tolerate a switching power supply in the audio path). Also, switching power supplies are harder to repair if they fail.
As mentioned, technically there is really no such thing as a digital amplifier (yet). However, many of the amplifiers on the market today use the term “digital", but this most likely means that there is some type of switching power supply in or that is uses one of the more exotic classes for its output stage. Some people believe that "digital" amplifiers are not so good at producing powerful bass notes. While it is true that there probably some marginally designed "digital" amplifiers which do have less than ideal bass response, weak bass response is not a necessity of digital designs. The dominating factor in performance comes back to the ability of the power supply to provide adequate current to the output stage when the music demands it; a solid design means adequate current is available for loud bass notes and/or difficult speaker loads. In addition, a second important factor is the adequacy of the AC power outlet. Two well designed amplifiers (one of each type) operated on an AC outlet which doesn't "sag" (see my article on AC Power) should both provide excellent sound quality. Many of the higher power amplifiers available today are of the so called “digital" design. But keep in mind that this does not necessarily make them better or worse, the quality of an amplifier comes down to the how well designed the unit is, the quality of components used, the derating factors used for the parts, and the quality of craftsmanship used in construction. Stay with vendors that have proven track records of reliability (and use the amplifier as it is intended) and you should have few if any problems with either type of design. The often heard phrase “you get what you pay for” tends to be true for amplifiers.
Two amplifiers with the same power rating put out the same power, right? Not necessarily. Manufacturers vary as to how conservatively they rate their amplifiers. As an example, I measured one particular amplifier, rated at 350 watts/channel, and found it actually was able to put out 450 watts/channel! Manufacturers often understate what their units will actually put out. It would be a bad idea to publish the "absolute maximum power" that the unit could put out, since a margin needs to be allowed to insure that all production units will meet published specs. In addition, a manufacturer may publish a very conservative 8 ohm rating in order to make the 4 ohm rating look better (a really marginal amplifier will put out LESS power into a 4 ohm load!).
Amplifiers are generally rated in watts per channel, at several load impedances, with both channels driven, over a frequency range of usually 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz, at some amount of total harmonic distortion. Most amplifiers will put out slightly more (but not a tremendous amount more) power when only a single channel is driven. This occurs because the power supply only has to provide power for a single channel, and its DC voltage doesn't sag as much. The exception is an amplifiers that uses dual independent power supplies (since each of their supplies only has to supply power for one channel anyway). In that case, there still may be a slight increase in power when one channel is driven; this is because the AC voltage from the wall outlet may sag a little less with only one channel driven.
I have noticed that many lower end home theatre amplifiers and “all in one” stereo systems tout impressive power ratings (like 500 watts total output in a relatively small package). However, the fine print also states that this power output is with 10% total harmonic distortion, and usually over a limited frequency range (like 40-20,000 Hz vice 20-20,000 Hz)! While these systems are fine for many people, I personally would avoid them. Clearly these products are stretching the limits of fidelity to tout a high power output. Chances are good that the overall design is of marginal quality. Unlike the hi-fi heyday of the 70s, much of the low end gear on the market today is “throw away” quality (meaning it is not worth fixing when it konks out). On the positive side, you can get a lot of system form the same $$ (adjusted for inflation) as compared to years gone by (but don’t expect it to last forever). Back in the 70s, you could buy an entry level 25 watt per channel amplifier, and it had a thick metal front plate, the entire case was metal, the specs were honest and great, and it was built to LAST. Those days are mostly gone… you CAN get good quality stuff today, but most of it is higher end.
Many of the better amplifiers on the market today are touting excellent performance with 2 ohm load impedances. Some also state that "continuous operation" with 2 ohm loads is possible. While such statements are probably true, it may not be a good idea to operate the amplifier under such conditions!
First, a word on speakers is in order (for much more detail please see my article on speakers). All speakers have a characteristic known as impedance (measured in ohms), with most speakers being rated at either 8 ohms or 4 ohms. Lower impedances represent more difficult loads for amplifiers to drive. Two 8 ohm speakers connected in parallel will result in a 4 ohm load at the amplifier. And, two 4 ohm speakers (wired in parallel) result in a 2 ohm load. In actuality, speaker impedance can vary by a factor of 10 or more over the audio frequency range. When a speaker is said to be 8 ohms, it is understood that this is a nominal or approximate rating (the same goes for 4 ohm speakers). An 8 ohm speaker could have an impedance as low as 5 or 6 ohms and as high as 50 ohms (impedance is frequency dependent)! Further, a speaker load is not the same as a resistive load, speakers are reactive loads. A reactive load is a load that has inductive or capacitive properties. Depending upon the input signal frequency, speaker loads may be resistive or resistive with an inductive or capacitive component. Without going into a ton of technical explanation, what this means is that speakers can be difficult loads for amplifiers to drive (it can cause more heat buildup in the amplifier). Ability to drive difficult speaker loads is where better amplifiers are separated from lesser designs.
Even though an amplifier may be rated for continuous use at 2ohms, there are several reasons why this may not be the best thing to do:
So, just because an amplifier has a super powerful 2 ohm rating, don't obsess over ways to wire up multiple speakers in order to "use" this power! It is better to treat the 2 ohm rating as "headroom" and know that your amp has the ability to more easily handle the most difficult "normal" 4 or 8 ohm speaker loads that you are likely to ever encounter. If you really need more audio output power, get a second amp and second set of speakers. Two medium powered amps are better than one monster (what if your one big amp dies at a live show)? With two smaller amps at least you can still run a basic show!
All amplifiers generate a certain amount of electrical noise. Note: the noise I refer to here is noise inherent in semiconductor circuits , not noise caused by improper wiring, poor shielding, etc. Generally, the more powerful the amplifier, the more noise it will put out. If you turn on an amplifier (with the input device connected but powered off) and listen to a speaker connected to the amp you can clearly hear a hissing sound. This pretty much represents the noise floor of the amplifier. If the amp has an input level control you will likely notice that the noise may vary as a function of the setting of the control. For a powerful system, the noise might seem pretty obvious and annoying; however when actual music is playing the noise will be totally masked.
All electrical circuits generate a certain amount of noise. Better designs minimize the amount of noise, however no matter how good the design there will always be some. The noise comes from several sources, some of it is generated by the movement of electrons in the system and cannot be eliminated (unless you chill your equipment to absolute zero!). The noise floor of an amplifier by itself is usually not obviously audible in a typical room (unless you are standing right next to a speaker). However, the remaining components in a system (preamp, equalizer, processor, etc.) each add in some noise. So, the total system noise (when no music is playing) might be objectionable. If this is a serious problem, a device called a noise gate can be used. Such a device is essentially a "squelch" which is wired in just before the power amps (or electronic crossover in multi-way systems). The device is basically cuts noise from upstream components when no music is playing. Most noise gates have adjustable controls to set the threshold at which noise cut begins and also to set the amount of desired noise cut. Most DJ systems probably do not need noise gates unless they are very high powered systems with a long signal chain (or noisy components).
The noise floor of an amplifier is relatively constant, meaning it does not increase with increasing output signal (unless the amplifier has a poorly regulated power supply). In other words, the amplifier's noise floor is pretty much the same whether or not music is playing loudly or softly. So, when music is playing softly, the noise will be proportionally larger. When music is playing loudly, the noise is essentially "buried" or masked.
As stated, an amplifier with a poorly regulated power supply can create some additional noise. If the filtering of the power supply is marginal, the "smoothness" of the DC power supply voltage will be degraded when the amplifier is playing loudly. This will result in additional noise being added to the system (generally in the form of 60 Hz products). This type of noise isn’t really part of the noise floor. Such noise is often inaudible when music is playing loudly. It can be clearly heard however when playing test tones at levels near the output limit of the amplifier (don't try this unless you are thoroughly familiar with testing practices... blown speakers will otherwise be the result!).
ALL amplifiers alter input signals, generally in two ways: they make them stronger (amplify) them, and they add characteristics which did not exist in the original signal. These undesirable characteristics are lumped together and called distortion. Noise can be considered a type of distortion and was discussed in the above section.
Everyone is familiar with gross distortion, the sound quality that results when turning up a radio or boom box to "full blast”. An excessive amount of amplifier clipping (see section below) results in hideous distortion that would be totally unsatisfactory for a DJ sound system (as well as a listener’s ears). However, not all distortion is blatant. In addition, there are several types, two of which will be discussed. Knowing what causes distortion will help you to prevent it from occurring. Knowing how to control distortion is important because excessive distortion can be detrimental to speaker systems (and your reputation as a performer).
Harmonic distortion: One common type of distortion is harmonic distortion. Harmonics of a signal are signals which are related to the original (or fundamental) by an integer (non decimal) number. A pure tone signal has no harmonics; it consists of only one single frequency. If 100 Hz pure tone signal was applied to the input of an amplifier, we would (upon measurement with special test equipment) find that the output signal of the amplifier was no longer pure. Careful measurements would likely show that several "new" frequencies have appeared. These new frequencies are almost certainly to be integer multiples of the original tone; they are the harmonics of the original signal. In the case of a 100 Hz input tone, we might expect to find tones at 200, 300, 400, 500 (etc.) Hz. We would also probably notice that the odd harmonics are much stronger than the even harmonics (we will not go into the reasons why in this article). In a good amplifier, the harmonics will be much weaker than the original tone. By much weaker, we mean on the order of a thousand times for decent amplifiers.
All amplifiers are generally rated for Total Harmonic Distortion (or THD), usually at full power output, with both channels driven, over a given frequency band (normally 20-20,000 Hz) and with a particular load. Good values are anything less than 0.5 % THD. Some amplifiers have vanishingly low THD ratings, like 0.01%, this is superb but in practice it does not really need to be this low for music reproduction). When an amplifier is measured for THD, a pure tone is applied to the input and the output is measured with special test equipment. The energy of the pure tone is measured, and the energy of the harmonics is measured. Those two values are compared, and a THD rating is calculated. A THD rating of 1% means that the total energy of all the harmonics combined is one one-hundredth of the energy in the fundamental.
Harmonic distortion (although certainly undesirable) is one of the more tolerable types of distortion as long as it is kept reasonably low. Distortion levels of 10% may be very tolerable with music so long as the 10% level is only "occasional" (10% THD on a pure tone can easily be heard by the human ear... but who listens to pure tones?). The reason that a seemingly high value of THD is acceptable for music is partially because many sounds in nature are rich in harmonics. Also, most decent cassette decks (which most people agree sound pretty good) have THD (off the tape that is) of several percent. Worse, even good speakers can have THD up to 10%, especially at low frequencies! All in all, the human ear can tolerate a fair amount of THD before it becomes objectionable. That said, it is preferable to maintain low THD to have the best sound at all times.
Note: It is a bit off topic for this article, but many guitar amplifiers incorporate ways to actually add controlled distortion to the signal! This is what (often) gives a particular “sound” to a band. This kind of distortion is OK in that it provides a desired tonal impact. The key thing to remember is this: the signal coming out of the guitar amp (which is often fed to a main mixing board for the PA system) does not cause the signals from other instruments to become distorted. In other words, in the mixer, the intentionally distorted sound from the guitar is added to the clean sound from the drums, lead vocal, etc. If the final mix is sent to an amplifier that is driven into clipping, then the entire mix will sound bad. However, with just the guitar running in controlled distortion, the music often sounds better than it would if the guitar was completely “clean”.
Do two amplifiers with identical THD ratings sound the same, everything else being equal? Not necessarily (but differences will be subtle). The reason is that the THD specification states nothing about where the harmonics are in the frequency band. For example one amplifier could have a dominant harmonic at one frequency and a second amplifier could have a dominant harmonic at a very different frequency. Or, one amplifier could have a few "big" harmonics while a second has many weak ones. These situations could easily result in identical THD ratings. The variations could be easily measured with laboratory equipment. However do not be overly concerned. Minor variations in THD ratings will not cause major differences in sound when listening to music. With pure tones as input signals it might be fairly easy to discern which of two amplifiers was used if the distortion was in the range of several percent (but again, who listens to tones?).
Intermodulation distortion Intermodulation distortion is the second "major" type of distortion that is often specified for amplifiers. Intermodulation distortion is much more objectionable to the human ear because it generates non-harmonically related "extra" signals which were not present in the original. It is analogous to someone singing way off key in a choral group
Intermodulation distortion (sometimes abbreviated IM) is more complicated to test for and specify. Basically, two pure tones of different frequencies are simultaneously applied to the input of the amplifier. If the amplifier were perfect, the two tones (and only the two tones) would be present at the amplifier output. In the real world, the amplifier would have some harmonic distortion (as described above), but careful observation of the output signal (using laboratory equipment) would reveal that there are a number of new tones present which cannot be accounted for as a result of harmonic distortion. These "new" tones are called "beat products" or "sum and difference" frequencies, and are a result of the interaction of the two pure tones within the amplifier. No amplifier is perfect, all have some non linear characteristics. Whenever two pure signals are applied to a nonlinear system, new signals (in addition to the original two pure ones) are generated. For a good amplifier, the new signals are very small in relation to the two original tones. This is fortunate, since the ear can detect much lower levels of intermodulation distortion as compared to harmonic distortion.
It should be noted that distortion measurements on amplifiers are made with test tones. These tones are usually sine waves (pure tones), which represent the simplest possible test signal to measure and quantify. A music signal is an extremely complicated waveform consisting of many constantly changing sine waves. Since music has so many harmonics and frequencies present, quantifying how two different amplifiers will sound by using simple THD and IM specifications is extremely difficult. In other words, just because two amplifiers have the same published specs for THD and IM does not mean that they are equivalent. Fully and completely quantifying the technical performance of an amplifier would be extremely complicated and costly (and would probably have little benefit in the end). Most amplifiers available today (from reputable manufacturers) have THD and IM levels low enough to yield excellent performance (so long as they are not overdriven). This leads nicely into our next topic...
Clipping is a term which many people have probably heard, but may not fully understand. Very simply, clipping of an amplifier occurs when one tries to get a larger output signal out of an amplifier than it was designed to provide.
As stated before, all power amplifiers have a DC power supply which provides power to (among other things) the output stage of the amplifier. For most amplifiers, the power supply consists of a "plus" supply and a "minus" supply. The two voltages are often referred to as "rail voltages" or simply "rails". As an example, a 200 wpc amplifier (at 8 ohms) might have a power supply voltage (rails) of +/- 60 volts DC. This means that the output voltage which drives the speaker can never exceed + 60 or - 60 volts. If the amplifier is playing at near full volume, and someone “cranks up the volume”, the amplifier will attempt to put out more power. However, the power required to meet the sudden new demand for more volume cannot be met by the power supply voltage, which has limits of +/-60 volts in this example. The result is a waveform with the top portion (or peak) "clipped" off (hence the term "clipping"). Such clipping represents a distortion which is added to the waveform (and if it is severe enough it will be clearly audible). If a signal is severely clipped, the waveform takes on the shape of a "square wave", and the resulting sound will be absolutely hideous. Clipping can be easily observed using an oscilloscope attached to the amplifier output.
Clipping is not usually a major problem for amplifiers (unless it is extreme), but it can be very detrimental to speaker systems. Whenever clipping occurs, two things happen: (1) the spectral content of the music signal is altered (high frequency components are generated), and (2) signal compression occurs. If excessive clipping occurs, tweeters will be the first to blow followed by midrange drivers. Woofers are best equipped to survive clipping (unless the abuse is blatant).
In general, clipping of an amplifier should be avoided. Use an amplifier that has clipping indicators, and pay attention to them! Occasional clipping is OK and probably not very audible. However if you find yourself clipping the amp most of the time, you should either (a) turn down the volume or (b) if you really do need to run louder, consider obtaining stronger (or additional) amplifier.
The Damping Factor of an amplifier in general refers to the ratio of the amplifier's output load impedance (the speaker, nominally 8 ohms) to the output impedance of the amplifier. Ideally, the damping factor would be infinity (in other words, the ideal output impedance for an audio amplifier is zero ohms). Damping factor, like many amplifier specifications, is a function of many factors and is thus difficult to quantify with a single number. As such, "low end" manufacturers can have a "field day" with this spec, publishing fantastic numbers (however with no information as to how the measurement was made).
The damping factor if an amplifier depends greatly upon the speaker to which it is connected, the wire connecting the speaker to the amplifier, the signal frequency that the amplifier is sending to the speaker, and the power level at which the amplifier is operating, among other things. Damping factor is most critical at low frequencies, generally 100 Hz and below (i.e. frequencies that a woofer reproduces). At such frequencies, a high damping factor is desirable in order to maintain a "tight" sound. If an amplifier/speaker pair has a low damping factor, the bass response is likely to be "boomy", "uncontrolled", and "loose" sounding.
Specifying damping factor as a simple single number does not really tell the whole story. Damping factor is a ratio of two numbers, one of which (the speaker impedance) varies by a large amount depending upon frequency. This being the case, the damping factor will also vary considerably as a function of frequency. Most of the variation in damping factor is due to the characteristics of the speaker connected to the amplifier. The wire which connects the speaker to the amplifier has finite resistance which must be accounted for; basically it is lumped in with the impedance of the speaker. So, it is wise to use heavy speaker wire in order to minimize degradation of the damping factor.
As mentioned, the output impedance of an amplifier is ideally zero. In the real world, this is never the case. The next best thing would be a very low constant (non changing) impedance. Again, the real world does not allow this either. The output impedance of most amplifiers is relatively constant except for when they approach the last 10% or so of their voltage output. This is due to the nature of the waveform from which most power supplies obtain their energy (especially analog supplies) . What this means is that the output impedance of an amplifier tends to rise considerably as it approached its output limit. As the amplifier's output impedance increases, the damping factor must decrease proportionally. In my opinion, if manufacturers specified the output impedance of their amplifiers, there would be a lot less ambiguity among the numbers.
High damping factor numbers go hand-in-hand with amplifiers that can drive very low impedance loads (these are amplifiers with power supplies capable of delivering tremendous current). If you want to "artificially" degrade the damping factor of your system (to hear the effects), a simple test can be done. Listen to your system at a "healthy" volume (use a CD with lots of low, tight percussion type sounds); be sure to use a heavy gauge short length speaker wire. If you have a sound level meter, note the sound level you listened at. Then, connect your speaker up through a 100 foot (give or take) wire with much smaller gauge (use #20 or higher). Play the same music as before, but make sure the volume (to your ears, not the volume control!) is the same (this is where the sound level meter comes in handy). The volume control on the amp will have to be turned up a bit to overcome the power loss in the smaller wire. You should be able to tell that the sound has changed (for the worst, in most people's opinion).
Do not be terribly concerned with damping factor when choosing quality equipment. Most of the good amplifiers and speakers available today will yield excellent sound when used together. To avoid degrading the damping factor of your system, simply follow these (easy) steps:
YES! Amplifiers in the 400 plus watt per channel range are not uncommon today. Such an amplifier will put out about 50 to 60 volts RMS to a speaker. While this is only about half the amount that comes out of a wall socket, it's definitely enough to be unpleasant if you are holding on to it! Note: The US Military defines any voltage in excess of 30 volts as hazardous. Such a voltage can be generated by any amplifier in the 100 + watt per channel range.
As a side note, it's not a good idea to plug or unplug speakers when the amplifier is playing at high volume. The "make and break" of connectors can cause momentary short circuits, as well as voltage and current transients (none of which is healthy for the amp). The preferable procedure is to make all speaker connections (and disconnects) with the amp turned OFF.
Bridging an amplifier refers to configuring a two channel (stereo) amplifier to drive a single load with more power than the sum of the two original channels combined. For an example, a 100 watt per channel amp may put out 300 watts (one channel) after bridging. Don’t confuse “bridging” an amplifier with “bi-amping” an amplifier!
There are important things to know about running an amplifier in the bridged mode:
The following diagrams will be used to try to explain what goes on when an amplifier is operated in bridged mode. The letters in circles are designators, when I have time I will generate waveform plots that show the signals at each of the stages shown. In the meantime, we first we show a diagram for an amplifier operating in "normal" mode:
In Figure 1 above, we show one channel of a two channel amp. Note how the speaker is connected to output of the amplifier (between the + and – terminals). The +Vcc and –Vcc lines are the rail voltages of the power output stage.
Figure 2 above shows a concept diagram of a two channel amplifier operating in bridged mode. Note that there are many ways to do the 180 degree phase shift (it is really a phase inversion), the concept diagram above is but one way of accomplishing this task. Note that the speaker is connected between the two "plus" terminals at the output of the amp! Bridged amplifiers work basically as follows: A single input signal is applied to the amplifier. Internal to the amp, the input signal is split into two signals. One is identical to the original, and the second is also identical except that it is passed through a "phase flip" circuit. The original signal is sent to one channel of the amp, and the inverted signal is applied to the second channel. Amplification of these two signals within each amplifier channel occurs just like for any other signal. The output results in two channels which are identical except one channel is the inverse of the other. The speaker is connected between the two positive amplifier speaker output terminals. In words, one channel "pulls" one way while the second channel "pulls" in the opposite direction. This allows considerably more power to be delivered to a single load.
Some facts about amplifiers operating in bridged mode:
If we had our perfect amplifier, upon bridging it we would have a single channel amplifier with exactly four times as much power as any one channel of the amplifier in "normal" stereo mode, assuming an 8 ohm speaker load. This is because the effective output voltage available to drive the speaker has doubled as a result of bridging. A doubling of voltage on a given load results in a fourfold increase of power delivered to that load. If we used a 4 ohm load on the perfect bridged amplifier, the output power would be a very substantial eight times the normal stereo single channel 8 ohm output! These numbers should give some clues as to why real world amplifiers cannot meet such expectations. Once again, we are back to limitations of the power supply (and probably also the limitations of the output devices in cases where the power supply could keep up). In reality, most amplifiers in bridged mode will put out about 3 times the power as any one channel of the amp in normal stereo mode. The fourfold increase cannot be achieved because the power supply is unable to provide the current required for such performance. With 4 ohm loads, the situation is compounded. The amount of current required to drive a 4 ohm load when in bridged mode will tax the amplifier’s power supply to its absolute limits. Not to mention, the output stage may not be able to safely handle the extra heat that will be dissipated. Bottom line: stay away from 4 ohm loads if you are running an amplifier in bridged mode unless your amplifier’s manual specifically states that you can use such loads safely!
Bi-amplification is (in most cases) defined as using more than one amplifier to power a speaker system (typically one amp for bass and one for mid/high frequencies). The key point here is that each amplifier is dedicated to a specific frequency band (whereas with single amplifier systems the one amp covers the entire audio range). Similarly, some systems are tri-amplified and once in a while you may see a 4 or 5 way system (although the latter is usually reserved for only the most powerful touring type sound systems). Bi-amplification has many significant benefits:
Bi-amplification is common among car audio systems (the powerful ones, not so much with the stock stereo that comes with most cars). Many home theater systems use a separate amp to drive a subwoofer. These systems are a form of bi-amplification, although in most cases the amp is a multi channel amp (not two separate amplifiers) and also they generally don't have nearly the flexibility of a conventional bi-amped system. Nonetheless, many of the benefits of bi-amplification are realized. The same applies to powered subwoofers for the most part. (I'll expand this section a lot more when I have time, just wanted to get the basics in there for now, JR)
Note: This section is intended primarily for engineering students or those with a deeper technical interest. The purpose is to provide a "real world" explanation of the Maximum Power Transfer theory and why it is NOT used in amplifiers designed for stereo systems!
Second year electrical engineering students have most likely covered the theory that basically states "maximum power is transferred to a load when the output impedance of the source is identical ("matched") to that of the load". The connection that some people fail to make is that maximum power transfer doesn’t mean maximum efficiency! At best, if the maximum power transfer theory is used, efficiency will be only 50% (not so good). In other words, if an amplifier is designed for maximum power transfer to a load, fully one half of the energy required by the amplifier's output stage will be dissipated (i.e. wasted) in the source impedance!
For amplifiers used in stereo systems (audio amplifiers), the goal is to have the amplifier output impedance be as low as possible (ideally zero, but this is never achieved). If an amplifier were to have an output impedance of 8 ohms (a common value for speakers), maximum power transfer would occur. However two other bad things result. First, the efficiency of the amplifier is at best only 50%, meaning that the amplifier will generate a lot of heat. Second, the amplifier/speaker system will have a terrible damping factor. Damping factor basically refers to the ratio of speaker impedance to amplifier output impedance; high numbers are better. A low damping factor will not damage anything but it will tend louse up the sound considerably. To maintain a "tight" sound, it is important to have the output impedance of the amplifier be as low as possible with respect to the speaker. Otherwise, the amplifier will not have as much control over the speaker. Speakers, being highly complicated electromechanical devices with reactive impedance properties, behave better when they are connected to an amplifier with an extremely low output impedance. Speakers tend to electrically "buck and kick" an amplifier when in operation; the best way to tame this behavior is to put a heavy "load" (i.e. an amp with a very low output impedance) on the speaker! An amplifier/speaker combination with a low damping factor will tend to have a "boomier" sound and poorer transient response, (such a sound is not always bad, some people actually prefer it!).
There is a quick test anyone can do to get a feel for what affect the damping factor has on a speaker system. Disconnect your speaker system from the amplifier, remove the grille, and gently tap on the woofer cone. You will hear a low frequency sound, this is the "resonance frequency" of the system. Note the characteristic if the sound as you tap the cone. Now, connect the speaker up to the amplifier, and turn the amplifier ON (but leave the volume at zero). Now tap on the speaker cone as before. You will observe that the sound has changed considerably. The sound will be much "tighter", and the cone will seem harder to move. This is because the amplifier has in effect "loaded" the speaker system. The case where the speaker was disconnected from the amplifier represents the worse possible damping factor (zero).
Anyway, back to the topic of this section. Although there are many applications where maximum power transfer is desired, audio amplifiers are not one of them. Audio amplifiers generally deal with a considerable amount of power, so high efficiency is a more important design consideration.. In addition, to maintain high quality audio, an audio amplifier ideally has an output impedance which is VERY small compared to the impedance of the speaker it will be driving. Note that using 4 ohm speakers on an amplifier will degrade the damping factor as compared to using 8 ohm speakers.
This article has only briefly skimmed some of the topics associated with audio amplifiers. Each section above could easily be expanded into a chapter of a book (some topics could be an entire book)! I don’t have all the answers but I will try to write more as time allows. If you have questions you can e-mail me. Please note that I receive a considerable volume of questions as a result of my web pages, and I may not always be able to answer promptly (although I try). I provide answers only in areas where I am qualified (I will let you know if your question is not one I can answer). Also please note that I in general cannot answer questions regarding specific brands and models of equipment. With so many kinds of equipment available, it is nearly impossible to know all of them! Questions I can best answer involve fundamental performance characteristics of equipment (why low impedance loads are difficult, what is bridging, etc).
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Falling off the American Dream treadmill – Real median U.S. household income falls under $50,000. Poverty rate has grown exponentially since 2000, during the housing bubble.
- 1 Comment
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released troubling data on the status of American families. The first disturbing point was that 43.6 million Americans now fall under the poverty category. This works out to 1 out of 7 Americans. The growth has come from many people falling off the middle class treadmill. While the echoes of recovery blast through Wall Street the grim reality for most people is that there is a greater and greater divide occurring. The top 1 percent still has significant control over financial resources and wealth disparity is as high as it was during the 1920s. While many American families wait in lines outside of Wal-Marts so their food assistance debit cards refill to buy food, those calling a recovery are usually those who have been protected via bailouts since the recession started.
The data on poverty is grim and disturbing:
This data takes into full account the deeper blow of the recession. The supposed recovery is nowhere to be found. 1 out of 7 Americans falls under the poverty line. This is also reflected in the fact that over 41 million American families are now receiving food assistance, an all time record high. The 43.6 million data point is hard to comprehend especially in the wealthiest country on the planet. Yet many more working class Americans are flying off the middle class treadmill and finding that the economy is very unforgiving for those without Wall Street or D.C. connections. The focus over the last three years has been to give money to banks to lie about their assets on balance sheets and also prop up failing companies who are still failing but allowed management to enrich their small circle of friends. The unfortunate among us don’t have lobbying dollars or typically a voice yet their numbers are growing.
“Another unfortunate data point in the report shows that the median household income for Americans has now fallen under $50,000.”
The real median household income is now down to $49,777 putting us to levels seen back in the early 1990s adjusting for inflation. In other words, the vast majority of Americans have lost a decade of real earning power even in the face of a technology bubble and housing bubble. What is rarely mentioned during bubbles is groups of people make out like bandits amongst the large number of failed enterprises, many of these unscrupulously. In this case, it happened to be the banks yet no reform has taken place to rectify this financial injustice. So it should be no surprise that income disparity is only growing larger and larger in a new gilded age. The American Dream based itself on giving working Americans an avenue to lift up by working hard into the middle class. Instead, this is now working in reverse and many are being thrown off this path.
If we look at the below chart, the poverty rate has grown exponentially even during the housing bubble starting in 2000:
If politicians were actually paying any attention or if banks even cared about being financially prudent, they would have realized that Americans on par were getting poorer and poorer. The veil of debt allowed the illusion of wealth but in reality, our country was getting poorer on an overall basis. The middle class is shrinking and this is purposeful, targeted, and deliberate. The current economic structure is setup as a welfare state for banks where a select few have been blessed to not fail. Yet here we have 43.6 million of our neighbors and fellow Americans being allowed to fail. What kind of message does that send?
To fall into the poverty category, income levels have to be rather low:
A family of 3 would have to have an income of $17,000 or less to make it into this data set. Yet you have to also think about the 4 out of 10 American workers that work low paying service sector jobs that are only one or two steps above poverty.
Will these people be buying brand new homes going forward? Will they be buying new automobiles in the next year? How much are they really contributing to our consumer based economy? It should be obvious that having a healthy employment base is the most crucial thing in a solid economy. The Wall Street propaganda wants you to believe all is well because they now have more power to exploit the American worker and steal from the American taxpayer. The data is obvious but why aren’t Americans angrier at banks? In the 1930s Great Depression people knew where to direct their anger and it was squarely on Wall Street. The same has played out this time and there is no bigger sign that real financial changes need to occur or you can expect the gap of poor and rich to grow even more.
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A successful crime scene cleaner needs to be detail oriented, focused, and able to adhere to necessary hazard safety requirements. Numerous television programs such as CSI have increased the popularity of this career. As a profession, crime scene cleanup is slowly beginning to develop more training programs. Individuals who plan on working in this industry will need discipline and resolve as well. Crime scene cleanup duties include cleaning up blood spills from homicides, assaults, and suicides. There are also numerous subcategories that professionals may specialize under, including cleaning up toxic irritants, diseases vectors, and airborne irritants. Registered practitioners will typically be called to a scene to help with the cleanup detail. The nature of the job depends on the scene itself and what type of damage needs to be taken care of.
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People near Texas A&M Saturday morning, you may have seen the Aggie Corps of Cadets on their annual March To The Brazos.
1,700 cadets marched nine miles from their dorms, to the beef center and back.
The trek raises money for the March of Dimes.
In fact, March To The Brazos is the largest and most successful student-led fundraiser for the March of Dimes.
Since 1977, The Aggie Corps has raised over half a million dollars for the non-profit.
Cadets were rewarded for their hard work during their lunch break, when corps members transferred ranks for the upcoming year.
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America’s leading review of the arts and intellectual life
The long, unhappy life of Saul Bellow
On the novelist's flaws, foibles & fallings-out.
was right!Support The
. . . one has to have a less than admirable character to be a fiction writer.
The most penetrating literary criticism I know of the novelist Saul Bellow was made in my presence by my dear friend Edward Shils one afternoon in his apartment in Hyde Park. Edward had been reading, in manuscript, a portion of James Atlas’s biography of Bellow. He put down Atlas’s pages, and, with his fondess for extended metaphors, said to me: “You know, Joseph, Mr. Atlas will only grasp the true nature of Saul Bellow when he understands that our friend Saul, had he been allowed to sit for two hours in the lap of the Queen of England, would, when told by the Queen that she must now attend to her official duties, though she much enjoyed their visit, freshly emerge from the Queen’s lap with two observations: first, that the Queen had no understanding whatsoever of the condition of the modern artist, and, second, ...
This article is available to subscribers and for individual purchase
This article originally appeared in The New Criterion, Volume 29 December 2010, on page 4
Copyright © 2015 The New Criterion | www.newcriterion.comhttp://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/The-long--unhappy-life-of-Saul-Bellow-6495
E-mail to friend
A review of the new Harvard Art Museums, designed by Renzo Piano.
by Paul Dean
A review of A. David Moody's Ezra Pound: Poet. A Portrait of the Man and His Work, Volume II: The Epic Years, 1921–1939.
The Walter Duranty Prize for Journalistic Mendacity
Introduction to The Kennedy Phenomenon
The Kennedy Phenomenon: "Watching the Kennedy Train-Wreck"
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Everyone knows that reading makes you smarter.
But did you know listening to Audiobooks doesn't just make you smarter, it makes you smarter, quicker, and increases your intellect and recall as well? ... Besides, listening to audiobooks while doing chores or while driving is a great way to make use of your time.
Reading a book is a challenging task, even for book lovers. Now a day, reading also does not incorporate into the busy schedule. It is also an undeniable fact that reading is necessary to be educated. Technology has reconciled the conflict with the inception of audiobooks. People love listening to audiobooks. That is why; the industry of audiobooks is growing rapidly.
Some of the reasons are listed below:
Comply with the Modern Lifestyle
Now a day, everyone is running out of time. Therefore, it is not possible for many people to sit for hours to read a book. Audiobooks comply with the modern lifestyle. One can listen to the favorite book while running on the jogging track, exercising in the gym, and traveling in a car.
Audiobooks Keep Reader Focused
Different streams of thoughts are running in the mind of modern man. That is why reading a print book has become a difficult task than it used to be. Listening to audiobooks is a proper solution to the problem. Listener focuses on the words and understands the story, poem, or narration. People believe that voice makes the characters alive. The individual feels that all the characters of the book are performing on the stage.
Turn the Young Generation from Useless Stuff to Useful Literature
The young generation has become addicted to headphones. They are listening to favorite songs, jokes, TV Shows, etc. which do not give them anything productive except temporary entertainment. Audiobooks are fine temptation to divert their attention and habits. Now, some schools have understood the importance of audiobooks. They have made it compulsory for students to listen to the audiobooks.
Learn New Vocabulary
Some people raise objections that audiobooks are destroying the time-honored literature. Nevertheless, their objections are useless. Audiobooks contain all flavors of printed books. It is not futile to say that audiobooks have some additional benefits. Students listen and learn new vocabulary. Audiobooks are very productive for students who want to become an essay writer.
Entertaining Method to Learn
Many students do not develop the reading habit because it seems them boring activity. Thanks to technology that has offered an entertaining mechanism to learn. You can perform multiple tasks, including the cleaning, folding laundry, and wash dishes while listening to their favorite book.
Time has become the rarest commodity for a modern man. Reading a printed book consumes a lot of time. That is why; many people do not even try to read any book. You can complete audiobooks within a limited time. The reader does not feel tired or bored while listening to the book.
Enjoy the Trip
Reading good books and visiting the natural places, both are your passions. You may not take the pleasure of good books on tour. Do not be panic; now you have audiobooks. No matter, you are in hilly area or jungle, or town, you may enjoy the books.
Learn Accurate Pronunciation
Speaking accurate pronunciation is a big problem for international students. That is why; many students do not speak in the class. They suffer from the inferiority complex. Audiobooks are very helpful to learn pronunciation. Students should have access to audiobooks in the classroom.
Researchers believe that one can memorize the story when he/she listens to it. A person does not have to invest energy to decode the word with audiobooks. These books are productive in terms of memorizing the content of the story.
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there is no relay upstream. the master switch runs back to the skinner valve and is fed through the normally closed side. the relay opens to shut down the skinner valve if the auto shut down is activated. power is fed to the skinner valve to keep the bus running. power is removed to shut down. if it wont shut down pull the wire on the skinner valve. if it shuts down it is in the wiring. if it keeps running the skinner valve is stuck or the the air valve is stuck. I will be around the house working on mine tommorrow (wendsday) if you need more help just call.
It does shut down when I pull the wire off of the actual skinner valve.
It also shuts down when I pull the relay out of it's socket.
It will not shut down when I flip the master switch. Side note to this, the Master switch is not broken internally as i have removed the instrument panel and the wire has been removed to verify that this switch is not in the "locked ON" position.
I assumed that the skinner relay must have had a "pilot" relay upstream since I thought that the "master" switch could not handle ALL the power that might be required to keep the bus functioning. I guess that it handles a smaller load than I had imagined.
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Rocks at low water, close to supposed site of Church
Note 2 has the main information
here, from ~1860
The Dedications of the Churches and Chapels …
By Charles Gibbon Esq.
KINGSTON, united to Ferring (absorbed by the sea; unknown as yet).
That this church or chapel was in existence as late as the second and third of
Philip and Mary 1 (1555), the following wills will show.
Johan Stammer, of Kyngston, 22nd Aug. 1546. - " Item, to the chapell
of Kyngston, 2 bushels of barley."
Alice Cole, of ditto, 20th May, 1553. - " my body, &c., in Ferring
; item, I give to the poor men's box, 2 of Kyngston, 2d. ; to the
reparaçons of the chapell of Kyngston, a bushell of barley."
William Grene, of Kyngston, 26th May, 1553. - " my body, &c., in
the churchyard of Ferring ; item, I give and bequeathe to reparaçons of the
chappell of Kyngston, 12d; to the poor men's box, 12d."
Thomas Spring, of Kyngston, dated 27th March, 1555. - -" unto the
chappell of Kyngston, 12d. ; I will that a priest shall say masse for my sowle,
and all christiau sowles, in the chappell of Kyngston, one day in the wyke
during the whole year, and he to have for his paynes every day, 4d."
In Register D. (p. 17,) it is stated - " Capella de Kyngston
deservitur per Dominum Willielmum capellanum ibidem obedienciam fecit, et
1 Mary's reign is reckoned from the 6th the
of July, 1563, and so reckoning, she reigned part of two years, down to 24th
July, 1554, as a single lady; but, on her marriage with Philip of Spain, the
25th of July, 1554, from that time to the day of her death, it was thus
reckoned:-July25th,1554, to July 24th, 1555, the first and second; 25th
July, 1555, to 24th July, 1556, the second and third; 25th July, i666, to
24th July, 1557, third and fourth; 25th July, 1557' to 24th July, 1558, fourth
and fifth; 25th July, 1558, to 17th Nov. 1558, fifth and sixth. In
this reckoning, the brief rule of poor Jane Grey is suppressed, who actually
reigned from 6th July, 1553 to 17th July, 1553, a short eleven days.
2 The Poor Law Act of the 43rd of Elizabeth was not
yet passed, although the religious houses were dissolved, and their estates
confiscated, and granted away. Hence (it appears to me) the mention of the
" Poor men's box." Subsequently (in Elizabeth's time), this phrase
takes the place of the bequests to saints.
Tradition says, a village existed to the south of the very few houses now
remaining in Kingston. I, myself, have seen foundations of buildings, just above
high- water mark, on the strand. I am confirmed in the idea being correct (i.e.,
that houses were about the church, more or less nigh to it,) from a remark made
to me about five years since, by the present owner of a large portion of the
remains of the parish, Mr. Olliver, of Kingston (who is the head of his family).
On the west of his mansion, the high road runs straight south to sea, and at
about 200 yards below him, one solitary homestead and yard yet re-main
unswallowed up. He said, it was common for the natives to say, when speaking of
going to this homestead, "Down Street," although nothing but a
few yards of road and land are now between it and the seventy odd miles of water
across the Channel. This shows that effects remain when the cause has ceased,
even in topography. I learned from him, while on a visit at his hospitable
house, many curious statistical facts connected with his estate and his own
family, which (of course), without his permission, I cannot state here.
From Sussex Archaeological Collections
XII, M.DCCC.LX page 97.
Reproduced by courtesy of the Sussex Archaeological Society
SAS grants this licence for the stated purpose in respect of such rights as SAS
may have over the articles,
but those rights may not include the author's copyright in the words and/or
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Dear Health-conscious Friend,
Resveratrol Breakthroughs the Media Missed
Like most readers of The Journal for Healthy Living, you probably take vitamins and herbs as part of your personal health plan. I do, too. So when I see the media bashing a supplement I believe in, I’m concerned.
Lately, they’ve taken aim at resveratrol.
The trigger was an Italian study that didn’t support the so-called “French Paradox.” That’s the seemingly odd fact the French eat quite a bit of fat, but have a low rate of heart trouble.
The media seem to have turned this one study into “resveratrol is no good.” Based on other studies from the last couple of years, they may be taking it too far.
So, before you throw out your resveratrol, let’s look at a few news items the media seem to have missed…
Let’s start with research presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.
Scientists at Duquesne University discovered that resveratrol may promote better balance with age. Older animals they fed resveratrol achieved the steadiness and balance of much younger animals in just 4 weeks.1
Since falls are a major risk for mature adults, this could have a big impact. But drinking a little wine won’t help. The researchers figure it would take hundreds of glasses of wine to see the benefit. Which is why a resveratrol supplement makes sense.
Not long ago, a team from 3 major universities combed through the human trials on resveratrol. They found clear evidence resveratrol has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties.2 This is based on many studies… not just one.
Another recent study looked into one of those anti-aging properties. You see, resveratrol triggers a process called “mitochondrial biogeneration.” This is a fancy way to say your cells make more mitochondria – tiny bodies that make the energy that powers your cells.
Normally, the number of these little energy factories drops as a cell ages. Creating more keeps your cells acting more like younger cells. This new study showed resveratrol works though a very specific gene… SIRT1.3 Scientists call SIRT1 “the longevity gene.
Two recent Canadian studies also revealed anti-aging effects.
In one study, scientists literally put rats on a treadmill. Half ate a regular diet. The others ate a diet with added resveratrol. For 12 weeks, they worked out daily on a treadmill while eating the different diets.
Both groups showed improvements in exercise capacity after 12 weeks of workouts. But the resveratrol group improved 21% more than the other group.4
The 2nd Canadian study looked at resveratrol’s effect on metabolism. The researchers took animals with blood sugar issues, high levels of belly fat and too much fat in their blood. Then they added resveratrol to their diet.
All three of these problems improved in the animals taking the resveratrol.5
The Italian study may have made for good headlines. But we’re just beginning to understand the benefits resveratrol may hold. And, as these studies show, those benefits could be very far-reaching.
Yours in continued good health,
Best Life Herbals Wellness Team
1 “Red wine compound could help seniors walk away from mobility problems,” American Chemical Society. Aug 19, 2012.
2 Smoliga, J.M., et al, “Resveratrol and health – A comprehensive review of human clinical trials,” Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. Aug 2011; 55(8): 1129-1141.
3 Price, N.L., et al, SIRT1 is required for AMPK activation and the beneficial effects of resveratrol on mitochondrial function,” Cell Metab. May 2, 2012; 15(5): 675-690.
4 Dolinsky, V.W., et al, “Improvements in skeletal muscle strength and cardiac function induced by resveratrol during exercise training contribute to enhanced exercise performance in rats,” The Journal of Physiology. Jun 1, 2012; 590; 2783-2799.
5 Dolinsky, V.W., et al, “Continued Postnatal Administration of Resveratrol Prevents Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome in Rat Offspring Born Growth Restricted,” Sep 2011; 60(9): 2274-2284.
THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.
All material herein is provided for information only and may not be construed as personal medical advice. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The publisher is not a licensed medical care provider. The information is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in the practice of medicine or any other health-care profession and does not enter into a health-care practitioner/patient relationship with its readers. We are not responsible for the accuracy, reliability, effectiveness or correct use of information you receive through our product or for any health problems that may result from training programs, products, or events you learn about through the site. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. The FDA has not evaluated these statements. None of the information or products discussed on this site are intended to diagnose, treat, mitigate or cure any disease.
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Salt Lake City, UT 84115
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The Color of Florida in Black and White
Get a glimpse at the wild past of the sunshine state from the works of an unlikely cameraman.
No air conditioning. Mosquitoes thick as the summertime humidity. Transportation by oxcart, train or canoe. Most of us wouldn’t want to live in early 20th century Southwest Florida, but the life is fascinating still. Enchantments: The Photographic Adventures of Julian Dimock, 1904-1913 lets us picture the flip side of the undeveloped frontier: striking waterways, unbridled swampland and a mysterious, beautifully isolated Seminole culture. See 30 black-and-white images taken by the Wall Street magnate in the exhibit at the Marco Island Historical Museum, up for its last week through Saturday, March 29. themihs.com
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One of the primary considerations for Indiana parents is how to keep the divorce from devastating the children. It is natural that there will be some impact on the children as they cannot be completely sheltered from what is happening. However, the steps that the parents take will dictate how much the children are affected.
The most important thing during the divorce is to provide as much normalcy as possible. This means that the children will still need to have rules and structure at each parent’s house. They should know ahead of time what the expectations are, and there should be consistency in enforcing the rules. Parents should not let order fall by the wayside in an attempt to be the fun parent.
Communication is also vital. While a parent may be hurting themselves, they need to be available to the children when they want to talk. Parents should proactively reach out to the children to see how they are doing because the kids will not always let them know that something is wrong. When a parent does communicate, they need to make sure that they do not disparage the other parent to the children. This forces them to choose sides and will accentuate the damage. Parents need to remember that it is always about the children first even though it is the parents who are getting the divorce.
One way to make the transition smoother for the children is to resolve the divorce amicably and avoid litigation. A divorce attorney could facilitate that by negotiating the divorce agreement with the other side. Children react worse when they know that there is a tense situation. In addition, the lawyer’s efforts may free up the parent to focus on their children since they do not have to handle as many of the details of the divorce.
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A new report released by The Korea Herald suggests that the facial recognition software rumored to be part of the upcoming iPhone 8 will be blazingly fast. This should help alleviate concerns about facial recognition being much slower than the current Touch ID system. In fact, the speed of the iPhone 8 facial recognition process is rumored to be measured in millionths of a second. That’s considerably faster than the Touch ID system Apple’s supposedly abandoning.
iPhone 8 Facial Recognition in Millionths of a Second
The report on the Samsung-made OLED display for the next-generation iPhone reiterates the speculation that the handset won’t have Touch ID. It also alleviates some of the worries about using facial recognition instead of fingerprint authentication. Several aspects of the change were concerning to a number of people, and speed was a big one.
Today’s report suggests we won’t have to worry about speed at all. Without offering specific benchmarks, the report does offer encouraging details about the zippiness of the iPhone 8 facial recognition hardware and software.
The new facial recognition scanner with 3-D sensors can deeply sense a user’s face in the millionths of a second.
While the report doesn’t say who provided the information, the writing is pretty much on the wall. It’s a Korean publication, and Samsung is based in Korea. Chances are, someone from Samsung leaked the information.
Facial Recognition Even in the Dark
Another common “complaint” has been the usability of facial recognition in the dark or other low light conditions. However, it’s expected that Apple has designed the iPhone 8 facial recognition system to use infrared detection, which really makes a lot of sense.
Infrared will work even in the dark and in low light, since it picks up the heat of your face rather than visible light. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) notes that this will also allow for highly accurate depth information.
Depth-sensing technology, generally called “structured light,” sprays thousands of tiny infrared dots across a person’s face or any other target.
By reading distortions in this field of dots, the camera gathers superaccurate depth information. Since the phone’s camera can see infrared but humans can’t, such a system could allow the phone to unlock in complete darkness.
Unlikely to Feature a Curved Edge Display
The report from The Korea Herald has more to say about the unreleased handset. The publication notes that the upcoming iPhone 8 is unlikely to sport a curved edge display. The Samsung Galaxy S8 models offer an edge-to-edge display with two curved edges. According to the source, “Apple is highly unlikely to follow the same design.”
Instead, according to the unnamed source, the iPhone 8 will have a bezel-less flat display. Our own Andrew Orr has offered up his own opinion on how photographs will look on a bezel-less iPhone. Preview: he thinks a different aspect ratio is in order.
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The End of Cheap Water?
Today’s guest blog is from Sharlene Leurig, the Senior Manager of the Ceres Water Program, where she works with drinking water, stormwater and wastewater service providers to develop physical infrastructure and rate structures that enable development of sustainable water systems.
The costs of rebuilding our nation’s water infrastructure are jaw dropping: estimates range from $300 billion to $1 trillion needed over the next 30 years. Add in the cost to develop new water supplies, treatment plants and transmission systems to accommodate growth—$20 billion for new reservoirs and pipelines in North Texas, $7 billion for a pipeline in Las Vegas—and the numbers really start to make the mind reel.
Investing in our nation’s infrastructure and water security is a necessity. But what we invest in is a choice we should not take lightly—not when the costs are so high. And not when water rates are already straining the ability to pay of America’s most vulnerable. While it’s become a platitude that Americans pay too little for water to care how much they use, the reality is that the costs of water services are outpacing the cost gains of every other basic service—faster than electricity, faster than solid waste, faster even than cable television. And while many of us can afford it, in some communities, the cost of clean drinking water strains the bounds of affordability: a study by the University of North Carolina found that low-income households are paying as much as 8% of annual income for water services.
Everyone in America should have access to clean, affordable drinking water and sanitation services. But in an era of fiscal constraint, this means we need to be smarter about the way we provide these services and realistic about the true cost of sticking with the legacy systems we have inherited.
More efficient use of water will have to part of the solution. In the United States, around a third of the clean drinking water we treat each day is used to water lawns. This proportion is as high as 70% in some areas. Energy prices are rising, and with it, the cost of treating and moving that water. This is unsustainable, environmentally and financially.
The good news is, we can choose to use water more efficiently, and to protect the affordability of clean drinking water for generations to come. But advocates have to make this solution a reality by educating themselves about the financial constraints water systems face in maintaining the infrastructure and the debt acquired by their predecessors, and by supporting their political leaders to lay the pathway toward equitable and sustainable water services.
“Drinking Water Infrastructure: Who pays and how (and for what?)” is essential reading for anyone looking to shape a sustainable water future in their community. It provides a shared foundation of knowledge for advocates of all stripes to cooperate in stewarding their communities’ most critical infrastructure, so that Americans always enjoy the best water money can buy, without breaking the bank.
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A Dwelling Improvement license is required for residential transforming initiatives from $three,000 to less than $25,000 (whole value or contract, including materials and labor), for the next counties: Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby. Tiny House Design has this free tiny house plan designed to help you build what’s referred to as the Homesteader’s Cabin. Up to date house plan with no home windows on the perimeters, vaulted ceiling and massive home windows within the residing space directed in direction of view.
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Citroën astonished the European market with the 1934 debut of the Traction Avant 7CV for many reasons, including its front-wheel-drive layout, unit-body construction and incredibly advanced aerodynamic styling. To demonstrate their pride and confidence, they put on what's essentially the largest logo ever installed on a car: The Citroën chevrons splashed broadly across the grille.
The car itself lasted for a very, very long time, through 1957, and fans rely on subtle differences in the grille to help identify the cars. Depending on when and where they were made, Traction Avants can have the chevrons in front of or behind the grille slats; they can be chromed or, as during wartime, painted with bright strips on the outside; the grille itself can be bright or painted. And then there are the wings.
The stylized swan wings represent the Moteur Flottant engine-mounting system that Citroën licensed from Chrysler but, of course, it isn't that simple. Citroën originally used them to cover an enlarged hole for the crank handle, created in 1947 when they used the same grille on both the 11B and 15-six models, which cranked in different locations. But the engine in the 15-six was too powerful for the floating engine mounts, and despite the wings, is solidly mounted. Wings can be "left over right" or "right over left," and either chromed pot metal or heavy aluminum--more of the little details that give car spotters joy. French ones, anyway. They're an extremely popular accessory today, so their presence on a given car doesn't mean much, although their absence can be a key to a correctly restored car.
Citroën knew they were going to make an impression with the Traction Avant, and they did. Seeing one on the road, it all works as a harmonious whole, led proudly and unmistakably by the chevron-bedecked grille.
This article originally appeared in the July, 2012 issue of Hemmings Motor News.
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The cold nighttime spring rains of late March and early April do more than dissolve the last remnants of snow hanging in the shadows in the Champlain Valley. As the water trickles into the thawing soil, it also awakens the many amphibians that had burrowed into the dirt and leaf litter the preceding Fall. Almost all of Vermont's amphibian species take part in this early spring migration - including spring peepers, wood frogs, spotted salamanders, and blue-spotted salamanders.
Above: a spotted salamander, found during last year's migration.
Most of Vermont's amphibians breed and lay eggs in wetlands or vernal pools, but they can't overwinter in these places - when the saturated soil freezes and experiences 'frost heaves' it could easily kill them. Instead, they 'overwinter' in drier upland areas. Once the spring thaw comes, they must migrate back to their breeding areas. Since vernal pools by definition usually dry up in the summer, there is limited time for amphibians in these areas to complete their life cycle.
Above: Vernal pools like this one (seen last year near East Middlebury) offer essential spawning habitat for Vermont's amphibians.
Because last year was so snowy and the spring so cold, the amphibian migration was later than usual - in early to mid April. Luckily, the wet conditions of last spring offered plenty of water in the vernal pools. This winter has been much milder and drier than last winter, so the amphibians need to come out as soon as they can. Although warm weather is forecast for this week, there isn't much rain in the forecast, and what is forecast will probably fall tomorrow during the daytime. Unless the rain starts earlier or extends later than forecast, the amphibians may not start 'move' this week. If not, the next nighttime rain (which will probably come next week) should bring them out in droves.
Amphibians probably arrived in Vermont shortly after the glaciers melted at the end of the Ice Age (and undoubtedly were around before and between other ice ages as well), and they have been migrating every spring since that time. There have been some very significant changes in the last few hundred years that pose new challenges to these small Vermont residents. One of the most significant of these is the construction and use of our large road network. Unfortunately, many amphibians are killed every year when they have to cross roads to reach their spawning areas. Luckily, people have noticed, and there are efforts each year to monitor the crossings and help the amphibians on their way. If you live in northern New England, ask your local conservation organizations if they need help - you will experience a truly cold night in the rain, but will be rewarded by a unique encounter with some of the region's most ancient (and cutest!) residents. This is also likely the only time you will ever see a spring peeper - these loud but reclusive frogs are almost impossible to find once they make their way to wetlands and begin calling. Usually it is best to avoid touching wildlife, but in this case you will be encouraged to pick up and move the amphibians out of harm's way. If you live in warmer climates, your amphibian migration may have already occurred (a friend told me she already heard the peepers calling around Pittsburgh) so you may have to wait until next year.
Above: the spring amphibian migration can be dangerous for these tiny creatures, and this is a silly doodle I made of a spotted salamander peeking out from behind a rock.
Unlike snakes, which are often falsely accused of being 'slimy', amphibians definitely fit that bill, but don't let that deter you! Amphibian slime helps keep them moist and often contains toxins to deter predators, but I don't think you will be tempted to eat any of them anyway.
Over the next few weeks, it's also not a bad idea to avoid driving near wetlands or woods during nighttime rains. If you do need to traverse these areas by vehicle, consider slowing down so you can safely dodge any amphibians crossing the road. If preserving Vermont's biodiversity isn't reason enough for you, consider that most amphibians eat large quantities of insects - the little frog you drive around could mean less mosquito bites this summer - something anyone will agree is a good thing.
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The state announced Halloween COVID-19 guidance encouraging social distancing while trick-or-treating, and the governor took questions in a virtual news conference Wednesday.
Those passing out candy should maintain six feet from trick-or-treaters and wear proper face coverings, according to the guidance, and trick-or-treating should be done in groups with household members only.
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said households should consider leaving individually wrapped candy on a table in driveways or in front of walkways to allow for social distancing
“For anyone wearing a costume – whether a child or an adult – a costume mask is not a substitute for face covering,” Ezike said. “If face coverings are worn under the costume mask, please ensure that this does not create any breathing problems, and if it does, don't discard your face covering. Put the costume mask aside.”
Indoor haunted houses are not allowed, per Phase 4 state guidance, and IDPH suggested open-air alternatives such as one-way haunted forests or haunted walks where social distancing can be maintained.
At pumpkin patches, face coverings should be worn and hands sanitized before handling pumpkins. On hayrides, parties should be spaced six feet apart and they should not exceed 50 percent capacity.
Also per Phase 4 guidelines, gatherings of more than 50 people or 50 percent or more of a building’s maximum occupancy are prohibited, including for Halloween parties.
At a virtual news conference, Pritzker and public health officials touched on added mitigations for Region 1 in northwest Illinois, the possibility of exempting counties from regional restrictions and the effect of the University of Illinois’ massive testing output on its region’s positivity rate.
Region 1, from the Rockford area to the state’s northwestern border, will see new restrictions including closure of bars and restaurants to indoor service starting Saturday as the positivity rate there exceeds 8 percent. It must decrease to 6.5 percent for three consecutive days to see mitigations lifted.
Region 4, which includes the Metro East area along the Missouri border, has had increased mitigations since mid-August, and bars and restaurants have been closed to indoor service since the beginning of September. While that region was on a downward trend, the latest data released by IDPH showed the positivity rate increased to 7.4 percent. That’s a half point above where it was four days ago.
That region also will not have mitigations lifted until it sees three days below 6.5 percent.
Pritzker was asked about the possibility of removing St. Clair County, which had a 6.3 percent positivity rate, from added restrictions. He said the 11 regions in the plan were increased from four in a previous version based on the state’s IDPH medical regions.
“People travel in that region. They travel between counties. It is not a good idea, in my view, for us to break this down into 102 counties across the state of Illinois, but instead if we can work with the counties and particularly their county public health officials to bring down their positivity rates, that is the right solution,” he said, noting IDPH is working with other county departments of public health to decrease rates.
While Pritzker said nine of 11 regions were seeing decreasing rates, Ezike pointed out that the lowest region – Region 6 including the Champaign-Urbana area in east-central Illinois – had a rate lowered by the U of I’s massive testing program, which on some days accounts for 20 percent of the state’s testing output.
Region 6 has a 2.2 percent positivity rate, but with the UI tests removed, it’s actually at 7.1 percent.
“We want to ensure that the large volume of tests at Urbana-Champaign does not overshadow the trends that we're seeing in the broader region, and we don't want to be inhibited from taking action to keep people safe,” Ezike said, noting IDPH would share the data without the U of I numbers and apply mitigations if regional metrics are hit with UI tests excluded.
“If regional metrics are tripped in Region 6 by looking at the data in this way, the entire region, including Champaign County, will still be required to implement mitigation efforts,” she said.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
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Iguazu Falls Travel and Tours information:
Iguazu … great water.
Falls … hoarse thunder in the distance.
Jungle … strong and deep sound of wildlife around.
Extreme beauty, earthquake for the senses, unique experience, all that and more are the Iguazu Falls, located in the northeast, where Argentina meets Brazil and Paraguay countries.
The Iguazu Falls captivate the traveler by the immensity of its stream by the small men feel frightening off the grandeur of nature and the magnificence of their surroundings. Bright green leaves and giant flowers, red earth, animals seen or intuited through the foliage, heat exacerbates the senses.
We read in a travel book that an expert guide Iguazu wondered why the forest does not have as good image as Patagonia, why it seems that the cold and snow were more “elegant” than the tropics and the jungle. We do not know if this is indeed so, but we can assure travelers who venture to this part of the continent that this supposed contradiction has no reason to be. If your trip can combine ecstatic contemplation of the Perito Moreno Glacier with sensory euphoria of a hike to the foot of the Garganta del Diablo, you will be privileged. Do not miss it.
More information to Travel to the Iguazu Falls
The city of Puerto Iguazu is located in the northeast region of Argentina, 300 km north of the provincial capital, Posadas, and it is bordered by Brazil and Paraguay through the confluence of the Parana and Iguazu rivers.
Puerto Iguazu is an excellent tourist place because there it is possible visiting the greatest spectacle of water and jungle on the face of the earth through the majestic Iguazu Falls, “great waters” in Guaraní language.
This region has a humid subtropical warm climate with no dry season with temperatures ranging between 20 º and 33 º C in summer, while winter is mild and pleasant. To highlight the high degree of humidity of the place that causes precipitation decrease and temperature ranges generates a steady increase in cloudiness.
Topographically, Puerto Iguazú is located in a subregion amesetada, the soil is rocky with a deep red hue that comes from the decomposition of meláfiros-iron-rich rocks, although the profiles of the cliffs are covered with humus, which promotes development of the lush jungle of Misiones.
In order to get to this lovely city and one of the most fascinating tourist places of South America, you can choose by air as it features the Iguazu International Airport just 17 miles from downtown. From Brazil and Paraguay is achieved through cross Tancredo Neves International Bridge.
Puerto Iguazú is elected annually by millions of people who come to enjoy a natural environment that explodes in many ways.
Trips and tours to Iguazu National Park, Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO, to cross the 275 waterfalls of the Falls and learn about the exotic flora and fauna are the most popular choice for visitors.
In the city you can find the museums Mbororé and Natural Science, besides knowing the Hito Tres Fronteras and the International Casino.
From Puerto Iguazu there are excursions to Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), where there is a very big market where you can buy interesting crafts and electronics products. Other rides from Puerto Iguazu also is to visit the Brazilian side to see the falls with a new perspective.
Puerto Iguazú, a place to be amazed by nature in its fullest expression of beauty.
Tags: Travel to the Iguazu Falls. Iguazu Falls tours and trips. Reservation accommodation in Puerto Iguazu. Complete tour packages for visiting the Iguazu Falls.
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Behind the collapse of Portugal's Espírito Santo empire
Over nearly 150 years, Portugal's Espírito Santo clan built a corporate dynasty whose interests ranged from European banks to Miami condos to a diamond mine in Angola. Its current patriarch was nicknamed "Dono Disto Tudo," or "Owner of All This".
Now the empire is in ruins. The family's prized asset and Portugal's second-biggest bank, Banco Espírito Santo collapsed this month, and Espírito Santo's main holding companies have filed for bankruptcy amid allegations of accounting problems and fraud.
The scandal has rocked Portugal's political and business elites and sent shock waves through Europe's fragile financial markets. Portugal's main stock-market benchmark has tumbled 22% since Espírito Santo's crisis intensified early last month. The fact that regulators didn't spot the company's problems has rekindled fears among investors that trouble might be lurking in other European banks.
At the heart of the affair lies a small Swiss financial company now called Eurofin Holding, which was set up 15 years ago largely to handle financial transactions for the Espírito Santo family and its companies.
For years Eurofin was partly owned by an Espírito Santo company. Eurofin played an important role in buttressing Espírito Santo's finances, according to internal Eurofin emails, trading records and other documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, as well as former executives and other people familiar with the relationship.
The records indicate that Eurofin moved money between Espírito Santo entities, often in ways that were difficult for outsiders to detect. Some of the moves took place in the heat of the global financial crisis, when southern European banks were struggling to stay afloat.
At times, a Eurofin-managed vehicle was the only buyer of certain Banco Espírito Santo bonds, trading records show. Eurofin helped package large sums of debt from various Espírito Santo companies, which were then sold to the bank's customers. One arrangement attracted attention from a top French bank's compliance department, prompting that bank to stop processing transactions between Eurofin and Espírito Santo, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Portugal's central bank governor, Carlos Costa, now says the shuffling of funds among Espirto Santo companies amounted to fraud. Espírito Santo "developed a fraudulent funding scheme between the companies belonging to the group," Costa said recently. He added that "these frauds are very difficult to detect before they collapse, in particular when activities are carried out in various jurisdictions".
Portuguese regulators suspect that Eurofin played a central role in the Espírito Santo affair, according to a person familiar with the investigation.
Eurofin, a privately held company based in Lausanne, Switzerland, said in a written statement that it "is fully autonomous and independent" of Banco Espírito Santo and the wider Espírito Santo Group. Eurofin confirmed that it had extensive business dealings with Espírito Santo entities, but said the company "has always acted in full compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements". The company said it never distributed any financial products to retail customers.
Alexandre Cadosch, chief executive of Eurofin, said in a brief interview Tuesday: "I firmly believe we are the wrong target."
A spokesman for Espírito Santo International, the family's main holding company, which filed for bankruptcy last month, declined to comment.
Family patriarch Ricardo Espírito Santo Salgado resigned as chief executive of publicly traded Banco Espírito Santo in July. He recently was detained for questioning by Portuguese prosecutors in a money-laundering investigation. He has said he "believes that truth and justice will prevail". A spokesman said Salgado would speak publicly only when the Bank of Portugal completes its investigation.
The Espírito Santo dynasty started with a foreign-exchange business in Lisbon, launched in 1869 by José María do Espírito Santo e Silva. The business eventually became Banco Espírito Santo and expanded beyond banking into a global empire that included real estate, hotels, health care and energy and agricultural interests. Salgado, a soft-spoken man with deep blue eyes who is the great-grandson of José Maria, became the bank's CEO in 1991.
In 1999, the family's growing fortune prompted the creation of a separate entity, Eurofin Services, mainly to manage the clan's financing and transactions, according to former Eurofin executives. It was founded by Cadosch, then a vice president at an Espírito Santo trust company.
Under Cadosch, Eurofin gradually expanded into offering wealth management services to other rich families.
By 2008, Eurofin employed about 40. The Espírito Santo family, through a company called Espírito Santo Resources, owned 23% of Eurofin. Its second-largest shareholder, with a 22% stake, was a powerboat-racing promoter named Nicolo di San Germano.
Eurofin tried to diversify. It launched a diamond-trading service. A UK unit pitched for investment banking business with English soccer clubs.
But serving Espírito Santo was always Eurofin's main mission, the internal emails and documents show.
At a May 2008 presentation to Banco Espírito Santo executives, Eurofin officials floated the idea of the bank buying a majority stake in an arm of Eurofin. They noted that the firm's name could be "changed to an Espírito Santo branding," according to a copy of a slideshow. The slides also noted plans, independent of any acquisition, for Eurofin "to develop a range of products" for the bank's clients.
Eurofin managed several investment funds that were sold to clients of Espírito Santo's Swiss private bank, according to Eurofin documents and a former executive. And a stock fund managed by Eurofin counted stakes in Banco Espírito Santo and Espírito Santo Financial Group as its two biggest investments, according to marketing documents.
Eurofin was managing more than Sfr1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) of assets for Espírito Santo entities, representing most of Eurofin's total assets under management in 2010, according to an internal Eurofin email.
Not everyone at Espírito Santo was comfortable about the close relationship with Eurofin, the documents show. Before an October 2009 meeting with Espírito Santo, a senior Eurofin executive, Michel Creton, wrote to colleagues to warn them that a top bank executive isn't "friendly" toward Eurofin because of its perceived role serving as a special-purpose financing vehicle. Creton didn't respond to requests for comment.
That same year, the Espírito Santo family sold its stake in Eurofin, according to Eurofin. The powerboat-racing promoter di San Germano became Eurofin's majority shareholder.
But the connections between Eurofin and Espírito Santo remained deep, the documents show.
In late 2009, Banco Espírito Santo created a Lisbon trading desk named Tulipa. Its main mission was to sell its customers debt issued by various parts of the Espírito Santo Group, according to a Eurofin memo discussing the project. The memo estimated annual volumes could reach €30 billion, or about $40 billion.
Bank executives turned to Eurofin for help establishing a "paper trail" to "demonstrate the involvement of a third party in the transactions with its clients," according to the Eurofin memo, written after Eurofin executives discussed the setup with bank officials.
Asked about Tulipa, Eurofin said that in 2010 it "set up an intermediary to provide intermediation services as arranger to institutional clients, but these services were never provided to retail clients by Eurofin".
In early 2010, Creton, the Eurofin executive, flew to Lisbon to meet with Espírito Santo executives. "They were all happy to see that we present ourselves as an independent party with whom they can envisage to work," Creton emailed his colleagues after the meeting.
Eurofin also helped manage two British Virgin Island-registered investment funds, called EG Premium and Zyrcan. The two funds regularly bought and sold assets and lent money to one another, as well as with Espírito Santo entities, according to internal fund documents. Internal Zyrcan spreadsheets referred to certain counterparties simply as "our friend," which the former executive said was a reference to Espírito Santo.
The former Eurofin executive said the two funds' largest investors were Espírito Santo-owned companies.
In the summer of 2009, Banco Espírito Santo issued so-called zero-coupon bonds with a face value of about €1.8 billion. Zyrcan was the only buyer, and it quickly sold the bonds at prices double or triple what it had paid, according to trading records. A Zyrcan affiliate said in a letter at the time to an intermediary bank that it hoped to profit by selling the bonds in several batches "to clients of Banco Espírito Santo, Lisbon".
On many days from 2009 through 2011, the Zyrcan fund bought tens of millions of dollars of debt issued by Banco Espírito Santo's internal finance arm, providing the bank with a steady stream of liquidity during financial crises, according to trading records.
In the first week of January 2011, for example, Banco Espírito Santo's funding costs were soaring to their highest level in years as anxious investors and banks rushed to curtail their exposure to southern European lenders. That week, Zyrcan bought about €174 million of the bank's long-term bonds, trading records show.
Eurofin said that its Eurofin Capital unit "acts as mere investment adviser" to EG Premium and Zyrcan. Internal fund documents show that senior Eurofin executives, including Cadosch and the firm's deputy director, Valérie Cholvy, were closely involved with managing the funds and that Eurofin was paid quarterly "management fees". Cholvy didn't respond to requests for comment.
A large portion of the transactions among Espírito Santo companies, EG Premium and Zyrcan were routed through Caribbean branches of French bank Societe Generale, according to trading records.
In early 2012, employees in Societe Generale's compliance department wanted to learn more about the transactions their bank was processing between Eurofin and Espírito Santo entities, according to a person familiar with the matter. Compliance employees repeatedly requested additional information. When they didn't hear back, the French bank stopped serving as an intermediary, this person said.
Things started unraveling late last year.
In November, Portugal's markets regulator imposed a rule limiting the amount that funds could invest in entities affiliated with the fund managers.
The Journal reported in December about Espírito Santo International accounting practices that some outside experts deemed questionable, and noted that Banco Espírito Santo was selling debt issued by other Espírito Santo entities to its retail clients. At the time, Espírito Santo defended its accounting practices and said its sales practices were proper.
That month, the Bank of Portugal told Banco Espírito Santo to reduce its exposure to other Espírito Santo companies, and it requested that KPMG audit Espírito Santo International's books.
This spring, KPMG informed the Bank of Portugal it had uncovered a variety of accounting "irregularities," according the Bank of Portugal's Costa. In March, the auditor of Espírito Santo International's books, Francisco Machado da Cruz, stepped down from Eurofin's board of directors, according to Eurofin. He didn't respond to requests for comment.
On July 18, Espírito Santo International filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors in Luxembourg.
Banco Espírito Santo's auditors, meanwhile, were finding new areas of exposure to its bankrupt parent. On July 30, the bank reported a €3.6 billion first-half loss, a larger-than-expected blow caused by newly uncovered Espírito Santo debt that had been sold to the bank's retail clients, which the bank said it might have to buy back. The bank said the debt was packaged by financial intermediaries and then sold to clients at an inflated price.
Days later, Costa identified Eurofin as an intermediary that packaged that debt. Costa said the securities that Eurofin helped package caused about $1.7 billion in losses for the bank as it set aside money to repay customers.
On August 1, the European Central Bank's governing council, in a lunchtime videoconference, informed the Bank of Portugal that it was cutting off Banco Espírito Santo's access to ECB funds. Two days later, Costa announced a taxpayer-funded bailout and breakup of the bank.
Eurofin said in its statement that as of June, Espírito Santo "represented a significant part" of its business, although it noted the exposure was "far lower" than a few years ago, when more than two-thirds of its assets were tied to the family.
Di San Germano, the powerboat enthusiast who is majority owner of Eurofin, says he is still trying to figure out what happened. "It was a really big, big surprise to hear" of Eurofin's extensive dealings with Espírito Santo, he said in an interview. "I did not know personally about these things."
Write to Patricia Kowsmann at firstname.lastname@example.org, David Enrich at email@example.com and Margot Patrick at firstname.lastname@example.org
Noémie Bisserbe in Paris contributed to this article.
This article was first published by The Wall Street Journal
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A recent Associated Press-AOL poll, which took another look at the debt-stress crunch now affecting the American consumer, found that 44% of the 1,002 people in the survey indicated migraine headaches, 29% had severe anxiety, 23% suffered from severe depression and half of the study participants had some form of muscle tension or back pain. The results, when compared to a previous study completed in 2004, show significant increases in debt-related stress-induced physical problems. It’s no secret that chronic stress brings on physical problems and the emotional toll is hefty, as well.
Americans have piled up $957 billion in consumer debt, according to the Federal Reserve, and much of it is in the form of credit card debt. Twenty percent of after-tax income is now earmarked to pay this debt and that leaves household budgets with increasingly less money to spend on essentials.
What can be done? My first thought is for professional help in credit card counseling from a reputable service and then consider lifestyle changes to help you weather this credit storm. You will survive, but just as anyone who’s ever been through a tornado knows, you have to begin to sort things out and reorder your priorities.
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How to Drag Race Page
If you've never been to a track, or maybe just a beginner
and you do not have a clear understanding about about the different programs at the track such as bracket racing, I'll try to help out a bit. Consider this "Bracket Racing 101" or "Bracket Racing for Dummies". But first I think a brief primer on the basics of drag racing should be lightly covered.
The first thing I would like to start with is Safety, most of this
is fairly logical, but it should be gone over at least once anyway.
You should have an SN 00+ helmet
You should insure that your vehicle does not leak any fluids
such as oil or antifreeze. Not good for anyone.
Your coolant overflow system should be in operating condition.
Your Battery should be well strapped in.
You should always observe and obey the posted pit speed
If during hard acceleration you begin to severely loose traction,
get out of the throttle. 90% of accidents actually on the
track occur due to a driver staying in the throttle too long.
When the tail end gets a bit sideways, the driver will finally
let off the throttle, then the tires grab, then the driver oversteers
the vehicle in a corrective reflex, thus the vehicle introduces
itself to the opposite wall. This should never happen with a
street car. At our power level it amazes me that anyone
could find the wall in a straightaway race... but it happens.
Better to have a wasted pass versus a wasted Vette !!!
Tech is fairly easy if you know what to expect before you go to the track. Its very rare for a late model Corvette to be denied the opportunity to race, but on occasion it could happen if you go un-prepared... therefore follow the brief rules I have listed below, and you should have a Fun Day Racing !!
Rules for cars that run et's 11.50 and slower
Make sure your battery is strapped in well.
Make sure your coolant overflow is in operational condition.
Make sure your tires are within reasonable condition.
Make sure you have a SN95 rated Helmet
Shorts and tank tops are not allowed while you race, therefore at the very least bring a short or long sleeved shirt and long pants with you.
If you are running aftermarket wheels, make sure your studs comes out at a distant that is at least equal to the diameter of the stud below the rim of the stud. (Make sure you utilize an open ended lugnut if you are running a slick tire.)
Make sure none of your studs or lugnuts are broken.
If you have a convertible, you must have a 5 point rollbar installed if you run 13.49 or quicker. See the 11.49 and quicker section for details on the rollbar.
Make sure your seatbelt is fully functional.
NO LEAKS, such as oil or antifreeze.
Make sure your shifter has the ability to lock-out the ignition if in gear.
If you have hubcaps... remove them.
Commons sense goes a long way... for example, do not show up at tech with a windshield that is basically shattered, or a front spoiler that is dragging on the ground... you get the idea.
If you are running Nitrous Oxide, refer to your NHRA/IHRA Rulebook for all of your installation and safety rules.
Some tracks have a noise limit (Typically in the 100decibel area), therefore cap up your exhaust if necessary.(I recommend you call your track for details on this limit)
Rules for cars that run et's 11.49-11.00
All of the above
Fire Jacket - SFI spec 3.2A/1 (Should be clearly labeled on the jacket)
5 point 3" Driver Restraint System. Must be labeled SFI spec 16.1 System must also have manufacture date shown. The restraint system must be updated every 2 years.
5 Point Rollbar. All roll bars must be within 6" of the rear, or side, of the driver's head, extend in height at least 3" above the driver's helmet with driver in the normal driving position, and be at least as wide as the drivers shoulders or within 1" of the drivers door. The Sidebar must be including on the driver's side and must pass the driver at a point midway between the shoulder and elbow. Rollbar must be attached to the frame on OEM cars.
All materials must be 1.75" OD x .118" thickness with Mild Steel.
or .083" thickness for Chrome Moly. (I do not have all of the details listed here. I highly recommend that your acquire a NHRA/IHRA current year rulebook for more detailed specifics.)
For cars that run 10.99 or quicker please refer to your NHRA Rulebook.
I probably have not listed all of the rules above, but it should be a good starting point for most of you. But most importantly, and especially for the racers who plan on running your racecar 11.49 or quicker, I highly recommend you acquire a NHRA/IHRA current year Rulebook. If you become a NHRA member, you will receive the new annual rulebook automatically every year as an added benefit.
One last note on passing tech, be prepared, get your hood open
and your drivers license available, and have a good attitude. Minor infractions are sometimes overlooked if you present yourself in a respectful manor.
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Click on the image below to launch a slide show displaying work from artists. Courtesy photos
Industrial designer Erin Doubleday creates Kelty's Back to School packs the kids are hauling to their first classes right now. On her own time, Doubleday crafts bespoke jewelry, made from at least 50 percent recycled materials like beads, fabric, paper, resin, and wood. "For me, art, design, and life are interconnected," says Doubleday. "It's not a hobby or an outlet; it's a way of life. Seeing the world differently and appreciating the details found in nature and people drive my constant need to create." Visit erindoubleday.com to view her work.
As a creative associate at Outside Media—a public relations company for outdoor industry brands based in Columbia Falls, Montana—Collin Hamman designs posters and T-shirts for events like Whitefish Mountain Films. After finishing client work, Hamman takes to painting canvases and drawing fine art pieces. He's committed to his art—when the left-handed Montana resident broke his left arm doing a backflip on his skis, he took up drawing with his right hand. Ski bums may recognize Hamman's work from the TC Sock Air Freshener he designed for Line skis (see it here). See more at collinhamman.tumblr.com.
When graphic designer Rob Mack puts together catalogs and conceptualizes new gear at Sierra Designs, he pulls inspiration from his personal art. Mack creates nature-themed art using reclaimed wood, delicately adding ink details and aerosol paint to lend color and depth to woodland creatures. "Ever since I was a little kid I've felt compelled to make things," says Mack. "This drive to create has stayed with me. I'm lucky enough to get creative fulfillment from my job, but I still need to make things on my own." For upcoming shows in Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Montana, visit robmackart.com.
Jeremy Collins, a climber with numerous first ascents in Canada, China, and South America, Collins makes colorful, detailed maps of Yosemite Valley, the Tetons, and Hyalite Canyon. "Maps represent hope and nostalgia," Collins says. "Every map tells a story, and I'm drawn to that. It's a natural relationship." Purchase his bird's-eye view maps at meridianmapworks.com. —Dave MacRunnel
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Today being ‘stressed’ is seen as a natural part of life, and it is to a certain extent but when left unmanaged or long-standing it can have a negative impact on our health.
Naturopathy treats physical ailments but also addresses some of the more common conditions we suffer anxiety, depression, insomnia, stress, and fatigue. To feel truly healthy, it’s to balance the mind, body, and soul.
Anxiety is part of a biologically useful reaction to danger. Anxiety may be transient, persistent, episodic or limited to specific situations. The symptoms of anxiety are both psychological and physical, most commonly it is transient.
Anxiety disorders can be related to altered levels of neurotransmitters and hormonal levels. These can be affected by stress, diet or lifestyle.
Naturopathic treatment is aimed at decreasing and control aggravating factors diet, lifestyle and to regulate neurotransmitters to aid the body’s ability to cope with stress. We support the nervous system and while also offering symptomatic relief.
Disrupted communication between the brain and the body can have deleterious effects upon one’s physical and mental health. Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders are thought to be directly related to neurotransmitter imbalances. We can use functional pathology testing to gain an in-depth understanding as to what may be driving the mood disturbances.
Stress is normal and usually motivates us to sharpen our focus in situations where immediate action is required. The degree of the stress response is usually determined by the intensity of the situation. Stress (the fight or flight response) is triggered by surges of adrenaline, this hormone makes our heart beat faster increasing our breathing, increasing your energy, increase blood flow to muscles in the heart and the brain so you can deal with the source of stress. After the stressful event passes, your body takes the time to recover, with adequate recovery time your body restores its energy again. During the stress, your digestive and reproductive systems are neglected, once the stress has passed and you have recovered, these areas start functioning properly again. This whole stress response is short-lived if the stress state continues these delicate balances can become easily exhausted and can cause a disturbance to your energy and over health.
If the stress continues your body switches to a different mechanism to deal with long-term chronic stress. Your body releases cortisol to allow you to stay active and attentive for extended periods of time to deal with the chronic stress at hand. This response can be quite damaging to the body if it continues for years and years and has a negative impact on your health.
As stress strongly affects every system in your body, long-term, and poorly managed stress can have serious health consequences especially for the:
Therefore, we need to manage stress and our response to a stressful situation to ensure balance and health.
Learn more about Naturopathy
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Date of this Version
Colombia's increasingly effective efforts to mitigate the power of the FARC and other illegitimately armed groups in the country can offer important lessons for the Peruvian government as it strives to prevent a resurgence of Sendero Luminoso and other illegal non-state actors. Both countries share certain particular challenges: deep economic, social, and in the case of Peru ethnic divisions, the presence of and/or the effects of violent insurgencies, a large-scale narcotics production and trafficking, and a history of weak state presence in large tracts of isolated and scarcely-populated areas. Important differences exist, however in the nature of the insurgencies in the two countries, the government response to them and the nature of government and society that affects the applicability of Colombia's experience to Peru.
The security threat to Panama from drug trafficking and Colombian insurgents --often a linked phenomenon-- are in many ways different from the drug/insurgent factor in Colombia itself and in Peru, although there are similar variables. Unlike the Colombian and Peruvian cases, the security threat in Panama is not directed against the state, there are no domestic elements seeking to overthrow the government -- as the case of the FARC and Sendero Luminoso, security problems have not spilled over from rural to urban areas in Panama, and there is no ideological component at play in driving the threat. Nor is drug cultivation a major factor in Panama as it is in Colombia and Peru.
The key variable that is shared among all three cases is the threat of extra-state actors controlling remote rural areas or small towns where state presence is minimal. The central lesson learned from Colombia is the need to define and then address the key problem of a "sovereignity gap," lack of legitimate state presence in many part of the country.
Colombia's success in broadening the presence of the national government between 2002 and the presence is owed to many factors, including an effective national strategy, improvements in the armed forces and police, political will on the part of government for a sustained effort, citizen buy-in to the national strategy, including the resolve of the elite to pay more in taxes to bring change about, and the adoption of a sequenced approach to consolidated development in conflicted areas. Control of territory and effective state presence improved citizen security, strengthened confidence in democracy and the legitimate state, promoted economic development, and helped mitigate the effect of illegal drugs.
Peru can benefit from the Colombian experience especially in terms of the importance of legitimate state authority, improved institutions, gaining the support of local citizens, and furthering development to wean communities away from drugs. State coordinated "integration" efforts in Peru as practiced in Colombia have the potential for success if properly calibrated to Peruvian reality, coordinated within government, and provided with sufficient resources. Peru's traditionally weak political institutions and lack of public confidence in the state in many areas of the country must be overcome if this effort is to be successful.
DeShazo, Ambassador Peter, "Consolidating Security and Development in Colombia: Lessons for Peru and Panama" (2010). Western Hemisphere Security Analysis Center. Paper 9.
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Australians want a fair country back
Fairness, tolerance, 'a fair go' - these are the values Australia has always aspired to but they are now in contest. John Howard's government has legitimated the right to challenge the very core of our national dignity: a commitment to egalitarianism.
The standards of basic decency, progressively enshrined into legislation and social policy reflected the inherent generosity of spirit for which we were known - characterised in our language by the right to a 'fair go'. Despite being a much wealthier nation after twelve consecutive years of economic growth, or a massive 50 per cent increase in GDP, which of our families and neighbours believe we are a more generous nation than we were a decade ago?
· Not the children in need of childcare forced to wait up to two years for a place;
· Not the schoolchildren who go to school hungry yet their parents are asked to pay fees in public schools;
· Not the young Australians who can't afford a university place;
· Not our apprentices on lousy wages with no job security;
· Not trained professionals starting work with a HECS debt larger than a home deposit;
· Not women forced back to work within weeks, even days, after giving birth because they can't afford not to and don't have the minimum income security of paid maternity leave;
· Not older workers made redundant who face the age discrimination that prevents them obtaining secure work;
· Not the unemployed, all too often punished and penalised for being poor;
· Not the families forced to pay three times to see a doctor because John Howard despises the universal nature of Medicare;
· Not the elderly Australians seeking an affordable place in a quality nursing home; and
· Certainly not asylum seekers locked behind barbed wire for the crime of desperately hoping for a better life in free country like Australia.
Is egalitarianism dead in Australia? Are the social guarantees of health, education, childcare and transport, the social wage, increasingly a romantic dream as we face the rise and rise of the user pays society? Is Australia a nation where we passively accept the widening inequality as we watch escalating corporate greed and simply blame the disadvantaged for their plight? Not on our watch comrades - these are not union values! This afternoon we will, in contrast, re-affirm union values because it is time to stake a claim for a fairer Australia. The more damage the Liberal-National coalition does to our social fabric the more political we must become in our fight to re-build the fair Australia we believe in. Union activists will not render disadvantage invisible; we will not give up the fight for social justice because:
We know that poverty does exist - 39.1 per cent of Australians over 16 years or 5.8 million people earn under $300 per week, and 21.1 per cent of Australian households, or more than 3.4 million people, earn under $400 per week with a further 1.3 million people or 7.5 per cent of households living on under $500 per week. How man politicians or CEOs could live on that? 15 per cent of all Australians living in poverty are dependent on wages for the income they receive - these people are workers and they are living in poverty in our nation; 750,000 children live in poverty in a rich nation. This is shameful.
We know that unemployment is devastating - long term unemployment is now endemic in Australia with more than 150,000 people who have little or no chance of securing decent work. Unemployment is officially claimed to be 6.2 per cent but if we add those who are underemployed the figure is around 12 per cent: 12 per cent of our nation who, with another 6 per cent - a shocking total of 18 per cent, live in poverty. For older workers who are unemployed it takes on average up to 96 weeks for them to secure work and then the majority will be relegated to low paid casual work. Unemployment and underemployment equal the death of optimism that individuals and families need to plan for, and secure, a decent life.
We know that that inequality is growing rapidly - With 87 per cent of all jobs established in the 1990s paying under $26,000 and 47 per cent of those paying less than $18,000, there is no doubt that inequality between the big end of town and working Australia is growing. The hotel worker is a poignant example. In 1976 a housemaid cleaning the hotel room of a visiting Australian CEO would earn around $122 a week. The CEO would have been earning five times the housemaid's pay at around $600 a week. Today the housemaid would be called a room attendant and earn about $473 a week. The visiting Aussie CEO whose room was being cleaned and polished could expect to bring in around $27,000 a week - that's more than 50 times the room attendant's pay. The hotel worker's job title may have changed to something a little less demeaning but the reality is that after a quarter of a century our traditional commitments to a fair go and fair wages have disappeared. The real relationships are less dignified than any change in titles might suggest.
If we needed statistical evidence to convince policy makers then on ABS figures published in July this year, the gini coefficient, which measures income distribution, shows a definite rise in income inequality over the second half of the 1990s, yet there is no evidence the Howard government cares. Australia is increasingly a divided nation between the haves and the have nots. Yet we know that there are solutions to these rips in our social fabric. Working Australians share the same dreams today as that of our parents and grandparents - a good education, a secure job with a decent wage, the capacity to buy your own home and a healthy and dignified retirement.
This is union business! It means just wages, job security, fair entitlements and a just universal social wage. It means that quality health, education, preschool and childcare are not just for the rich! We pay taxes for public education, public health, public transport, social security and we want more of our taxes used to repair the damage to social infrastructure and to put in place childcare entitlements. These guarantees along with infrastructure and nation building plans have first call on our tax dollars not:
· the wasteful and inhumane $500 million spent on the pacific solution to hide refugees or tax cuts to multinational companies or their foreign CEOs;
· not the $300m in subsidies to the nations wealthiest and most elite private schools or the billions in corporate welfare where no jobs are delivered;
· not the $2.3 billion of private health rebate - a rebate that deprives our public hospitals of critical resources, a rebate that undermines a universal public health system , a rebate that is paid for from the taxes of too many working people who can't afford private health cover.
One of the greatest obscenities has to be the fact that low paid Australian families can wait years for dental treatment while their taxes contribute to a rebate for those fortunate enough to be able to afford ancillary benefits which make dental care more affordable for higher income earners. In a fair Australia, we believe in equal opportunity. There cannot be one set of opportunities for Australia's working families and another for the big end of town.
Fred Argy, one of Australia's more progressive economists, argues that Australia's distinctive egalitarian society is under threat. He reflects on the last couple of decades and suggests that, despite the ambitions of the 80s and 90s to strike the trifecta - an economic renaissance, a broad sharing of the productivity gains and a high level of social mobility with more equal opportunities - we are in fact a less egalitarian society that ever in our history.
This Congress is an opportunity for us to draw a line in the sand, to affirm our values and to fight for them. Much of the fairness that has traditionally characterised Australia has been driven by unions:
· minimum wages
· sick leave
· annual leave
· long service leave
· equal pay for women
· equal employment opportunity
· unfair dismissal laws
· maternity and carers leave
· occupational health and safety
· and much, much more.
Yet these very gains are being eroded or destroyed with no concern for the damage to our social fabric. John Howard has waited 3 decades to re-shape Australia and he will not rest until Fightback! is implemented. Remember Fightback!? That's right: the GST, the destruction of Medicare, the demise of public education and the abolition of awards, amongst other atrocities. There remain just a few obstacles in his path - unions (us), the sale of Telstra, community lobby groups, Medicare; the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme - but he is working on them.
What he cannot privatise, or destroy through the failed legislation pieces he is now storing up for a double dissolution, he will take funding away from or render unaffordable. Last month's example of the threat to take charitable status away from community groups who dare to lobby government for a change in direction while handing out $60m to business lobby groups is a blatant example of the growing disrespect for the very nature of a democratic society.
It appears that our democratic system of government is also being rendered powerless - our very standard of governance is being held up to ridicule with no consequence for political leaders involved. For a man who came to power typecast as 'honest John', promising to lead a government of the highest ethical standards, the lie imposed on the national psyche which depicted desperate people as shameless enough to throw their children overboard was indeed a shocking episode. The more recent deception in regard to the baseless evidence concerning weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is a dangerous example of lies and manipulation which threaten the integrity of our parliamentary democracy. Refusing to apologise last week for what appears to have been a deliberate play to mislead parliament over meeting with mates and propping up their business with taxpayers money just serves to underscore an arrogance of executive government where accountability is an impediment to be discarded.
Our reputation on the international stage is also shocking. At a time when many of the solutions to a decent future for the people of the world connect us Australia, traditionally seen as a progressive influence on international debates is now seen as a partisan player on the US team or a nation shutting shop on human rights. The rise and rise of militarism is frightening in a world where we had some optimism of a more thoughtful commitment to peaceful resolution of conflict and the winding back of weapons of mass destruction. No world can be secure if any nation has control of weapons with the potential to destroy billions of people and potentially the planet we live on.
The route to peaceful coexistence is respect and support for all cultures, religions and ethnicities underpinned by a global human rights framework. Violence must always be a last resort and then with clear and transparent motives about the plan for a better outcome for all involved. In the words of George Monbiot: "everything has been globalised except our consent. To undo the inequalities created by globalisation we must now use it as a vehicle for humanity's democratic revolution. A global democracy is needed because the world superpower has shown it has no respect for world institutions such as the UN. If democracy is such a good idea at the national level, why not at the international level?"
An increasing lack of independence in our foreign policy stance is a critical debate for Australia. Those who appropriate the Japanese horticultural term of bonsai, or little Bush for John Howard are too close to the mark for comfort . This friendship is not just shaping foreign policy but also driving the hasty pursuit of a US/Australia Free Trade Agreement. When trade becomes an extension of foreign policy irrespective of the winners and losers in both our respective nations then global governance is also placed at risk.
Global debates now backdrop most of the challenges we face and we are honoured to have such a significant group of international union leaders with us this week. I will introduce our guests to you this afternoon but let me particularly acknowledge Guy Ryder, the Secretary of the ICFTU on whose shoulders we have placed the impossible but essential task of strengthening our international efforts.The ACTU and Australian unions have always had a strong commitment to internationalism and never before have we had such strong commitment and direct participation of our own unions leaders as leaders of international union structures. We understand that the only way to defeat corporate globalisation is to establish a set of global rules or standards. Standards that regulate for human rights, labour standards and environmental protection in all facets of global development are necessary if we are to civilise the massive economies of the global corporates that have no statehood but rule too many of our states in the interest of corporate greed and not of people. We are honoured that each of you has taken the time out of gruelling schedules to be with us this week and look forward to your participation.
Comrades, this week we have serious work to do. We can make a difference and this is our chance to develop the plan of action. We have an alternative vision of a fairer working life and a fairer Australia We can achieve a better working life for casual employees, for low paid employees, for women , and for working families struggling to balance their work and family commitments, and for workers who as a group are too often marginalised from decent work.
This is the policy base you will debate and which will form our industrial priorities for the next three years. We have made significant progress on which we can build. In 2001 we were successful with the ACTU's Test Case giving casual workers access to parental leave. We have moved on to win the subsequent public debate for paid maternity leave, and if John Howard doesn't stand up to Tony Abott and Nick Minchin's misogyny then we will do what we have said, we will mount a test case on this fundamental right. It is incredible in 2003 that there is still such little respect for the economic and social contribution of women. With up to 40 per cent of family incomes being contributed by women, that they are denied a safety net of income security to enable them to have a child without the additional pressure of financial stress is appalling and we cannot stand for it.
I congratulate all those unions who have put this and family friendly provisions on the bargaining table and won. In the area of balancing work and family we have also made the case for change and have a test case in progress. At low cost or no cost, Australia's workplace could be transformed and productivity increase if we could lower family stress. With the right to request hours of work that might accommodate parents managing before and after school care or the right to purchase up to six weeks' additional leave whereby parents might spend some or all of the school holidays with their children, people's lives could be dramatically turned around. For the 67 per cent of working mothers who would prefer to work part time and the 40 per cent of working mothers in casual employment with not a day's entitlement to sick leave or holiday leave, the right to part time work with all the attendant benefits would simply make life possible. Along with the other provisions in our application, these measures will re-shape work/life choices for both men and women.
Some 82 per cent of all working Australians and 87 per cent of women have said work and family provisions are a key priority (ACTU Survey 2002) This is clearly a priority for us. This week you will debate the next steps in this campaign. We have started to turn back the long hours culture and must do more. With more than 1/3 of full time employees working more than 48 hours and 60 per cent of all overtime being unpaid the world of work is eating up people's lives.
In 2002 the Reasonable Hours Case resulted in the establishment of a new Award right for employees to refuse unreasonable overtime on grounds of health and safety and their family responsibilities. Unions are also using this right in bargaining and that is a great step forward. What we did not achieve was a recognition of dangerous working hours which remains outstanding business. In the 21st century we cannot lose ground on hours and I congratulate those unions, the CFMEU, the CEPU, the AMWU and other unions who have alternately championed the 36-hour week and/or established a cap on the working week. Likewise other unions have run campaigns on unpaid overtime and in particular the FSU's 'Take Back What's Yours' campaign serves to remind members that unpaid overtime, by any other name, exploitation, is not and has never been part of the bargain. The debate on strategies to move forward, including the case for a maximum working week of 48 hours inclusive of overtime, is scheduled for tomorrow but one thing is clear - a work life balance is only possible where decent hours are established and adhered to.
So unions are again leading the way for working families. We understand that people shape their world and working people will oppose the non-family friendly views of the male leadership of ACCI when they say codifying family issues in an award-based system would be ineffective. Barbara Pocock is right when she says we are on a work/care collision. If we let the employers and their mates in government win then we will be, as she describes it, a careless society. Good employers don't force employees to leave caring responsibilities for family and community at the door - all employers must heed the call for change as we shape a fairer Australia.
A fairer Australia also means decent laws and a decent social wage. This requires community and political campaigning. We will continue to be active at the national political level. Our achievements in lobbying to block the overwhelming bulk of the government's pernicious industrial legislation are significant. Just last week the government's attempt to further weaken unfair dismissal protections by taking over the States' jurisdictions was defeated in the Senate. We place great value on the Senate as a safeguard for working people. No wonder John Howard wants to strip away its powers. I want to congratulate and thank all the Senators from the ALP, the Greens, the Democrats and the independents who have protected working Australians from the worst excesses of Tony Abbott's ambition to take away their industrial rights.
The larger challenge is for us to step up our capacity to be active in and beyond the workplace. As advocates for change we need to be active at the local level, building alliances with other like-minded individuals, organisations and community representatives. We need to be more scientific in our local political activity to be effective in electorate campaigning. If we face a double dissolution election next year it will, in reality, be a referendum on the type of Australia we will be. We must be prepared. Double dissolution or not, the next federal election is critical for this government is not and will never be a friend of working Australians.
Australians know that public services - health, education, childcare, transport, are central to a decent life. In the polling we released this weekend, a huge 76 per cent of Australians said they supported spending more money on health and education before tax cuts. 71 per cent support access to bulk billing and 69 per cent of people would support an increase in the Medicare levy if it was the only way to preserve access to bulk billing for everyone.
People will fight for Medicare. We must fight for Medicare. The union movement worked with a labour government to build Medicare; we gave up wages to see it implemented and we support the Medicare levy. In fact the ACTU and the unions have always seen universal health care as a core component of the social wage and in 1976 we held a general strike in an effort to defend the original institution, Medibank. It was indeed my first strike as a beginning teacher. John Howard has always had a pathological hatred of Medicare - in 1997 he said bulk billing was a rort and would be dismantled! This is still his ambition. It is not acceptable that we divide Australia into a class system for health care and it is not acceptable that we pay three times, our taxes, the Medicare levy and now at the counter to see a doctor. Our message is clear: Hands off Medicare, John Howard!
It's time we advanced the political debate in this country away from a destructive hairy-chested debate about who can deliver the biggest tax cuts and onto a nation building contest about public health, public education, childcare, transport, industry, infrastructure and jobs. This is the contest that will advance a fairer Australia - this is the campaign that will be worth fighting - this is our campaign.
The government's shameful attack on Medicare and education will feature on Thursday and I hope you will all participate in the rally for higher education on Thursday lunchtime. Not only can't we stand by and watch working Australia's children excluded from university because they can't afford to pay but neither can we let our comrades in the higher education unions be forced on to AWA's because Tony Abott will only fund those universities additional money where the vice-chancellors will smash collective bargaining. The members of the NTEU, the CPSU and other higher educations unions will stand firm but our solidarity will help.
Finally, can I thank all the union leaders, officials and members with whom I have worked and learned from over the last thee years. Your friendship, trust and support have made the job very rewarding. The officers and staff at the ACTU are an extraordinary group of people committed to the work of the ACTU and the unions and I would like to thank them from all of us. In particular can I acknowledge Greg. Greg Combet is a great unionist with a passionate commitment to the cause of working people. He has already demonstrated remarkable leadership through some tough campaigns and with your endorsement this Congress we will continue to work together to pursue the priorities we establish this week.
Comrades, our nation is headed in the wrong direction but we can and will work to change that. Unions, with like-minded Australians, will campaign in our workplaces and our communities to get it back. The neo-cons cannot and will not win on our watch. A fairer working life! A fairer Australia - let's get to it! Solidarity!
Sharan Burrow is the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). This is her address of 18 August to ACTU Congress 2003. Visit the ACTU Congress site for all the major addresses.
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Microbial ecology profile
|Test Details for Ordering|
|Test||Microbial ecology profile|
|To order this test, please, go to Ordering Tests. |
Please, make sure you have read When not to use this website to ascertain whether having this test is an appropriate and safe course of action for you.
The stomach, duodenum and small intestine should be free from micro-organisms (bacteria, yeast and parasites – hereon called bugs). In the large bowel, on the other hand, we have huge numbers of bugs. Foods that cannot be digested upstream are fermented in the large bowel to produce many substances highly beneficial to the body. This also generates heat to help keep us warm. While the human body is made up of 10 million million cells, in our gut we have 100 million million bugs or more, i.e. ten times as many! Bugs make up 60% of dry stool weight, there are over 500 different species, but 99% of bugs are from 30-40 species. All is well when these bugs are the beneficial ones, but things can go wrong when pathogenic organisms set up camp in the large bowel.
In this test Genova Diagnostics lab can measure the amount of different bacteria, both beneficial and pathogenic, in a stool sample.
This test is performed on a stool sample.
The kit will be posted to you from Genova Diagnostics UK. Included with the kit will also be clear instructions on how to collect the sample and prepare it for transport.
- Collect the sample following the instructions enclosed with the test kit
- Make sure that your details are correct on the sample tube.
- Check that all the details are correct on the request form.
- Package the sample and post to Genova in the envelope provided. Make sure that the request form is included with the sample.
- Please, note that there is an interpretation fee for my letter to your GP. See Ordering Tests for more details.
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Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki is a master of color, something that’s easy to forget amid his other talents: the way he intricately imagines worlds, the sense of wonder he makes you feel as his protagonists discover their own powers.
Artist Hyo Taek Kim was inspired by Miyazaki’s use of color to create prints that show each film’s palette as series of colored bars. In the poster for Spirited Away, a film about a young girl who becomes trapped in a bath house, we see the deep red of the bath house that the main character is transported to, juxtaposed against the pale blue sky outside. Though we sometimes get sick of the endless barrage of minimalist posters we encounter online, Kim’s posters do what good design is meant to do: they reveal an insight about the structure of Miyazaki’s art that we might not have noticed otherwise. Kim’s prints are available on Society6 for $15 to $45. You can even get them as a rug!
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You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January 2011.
Additional clarification from our favourite Christian historian:
MORE words in the King James Version that now mean something else | Grateful to the dead
The poem from which the quote comes.
Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot
It would be the same at the end of the journey,
If you came at night like a broken king,
If you came by day not knowing what you came for,
This is, perhaps, our Little Gidding. we have returned to the place where we started, with a goal of staying, of resting, of praying and learning. We have come to serve.
I quoted from t.s. eliot’s poem, above; an excellent piece about the journey of faith. I did not think that the journey would bring us back here, and that my ministry would be what it is now. I started out as a young woman, before I left home, to be a writer, and writing seems to be what God has put back in my hands.
I also asked for a ministry of witness. Certainly, we have the public ministry of witness, of being Plain dressed and Plain living people in a world that changes overnight. We represent, in our way, tradition and continuity. This is a central tenet of the Anglican way, even for those who are not Plain. We look to the past, and we embrace our history. It isn’t always a happy history, but we have deep roots. Parts of our liturgies transcend time and denominational differences; we can look to the early church, and draw a line to our present time, with no interruptions.
In our way, there is a great respect for those who went before. We don’t rely on our own perhaps feeble understanding, the mixed messages our minds and desires impose on the clear voice of the Holy Spirit. We look to the great voices of the past who were closer to God and clearer in hearing Him. We are people with history. We communicate with the teachers who went before us – Chrysostom, Basil, Gregory, Margery, Julian – down to those who lived into our lifetimes, and some who are living still. C.S. Lewis. N.T. Wright. We have a body of literature to inform us. We respect education, we honor prayerful and holy lives. These are as rabbis to us.
To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgement, and equity; to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels; to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
I was always a girl with curiosity. I read at a very early age, and read well above grade level. I had my first poetry published when I was fifteen. I wrote professionally for several years. My writing skills and that natural curiosity, along with an intellect in the gifted range, gave me the ability to write papers and essays for university and seminary classes that were more than mere exercises. I learned and listened not just in class, but in hourss pent in the library, poring over journals and books.
Although our path has taken us to the homestead, I am not throwing away that education, nor God’s gift of intelligence and understanding. I am not at all concerned anymore for paid ministry. If it comes, well, it will be by God’s will. I had asked for a challenge in ministry, to face those who may hate me, who may turn on me, who may judge and condemn me for my witness of faith, tradition and reason. God didn’t put us here to be safe. God sends us out (or back) to be witnesses to the lost and wandering, to call sinners to repentence, to heal the sick, to feed the hungry.
That’s what I’m doing. It brings out the worst in some, especially those who are complacent in their understanding. God wants to challenge us all, to grow as Christians (little Christs) and to follow more nearly – not by rules, but by love.
I’ve been involved or connected in some way to different church groups, from very low Protestant (Baptist) to very high Catholic (in Latin.) I’ve known church leaders who wore tie-dyed t-shirts and others who wore gold vestments. I fall somewhere in the middle of these extremes, I hope. It’s not that I’ve seen it all, but I make it my business as an educated Christian to learn something about different groups. I’ve learned my lesson about getting too close or too involved. I intend to stay right where I am, for good or for ill, whether the church I am in (Anglican) is right or wrong about some doctrine or practice. I find nothing harmful in this church, and Anglicans have, over the centuries, grown for themselves a tolerance for private opinion and belief. We are required to follow certain public practices of faith, and to avoid teaching anything contrary to the church, but privately, we may hold our own beliefs, without signing a confession of faith. This acknowledges that people may be on different stages of a long spiritual journey, and that any of us, from baby to bishop, may hold an erroneous belief privately that will be corrected in time by scripture and the Spirit. It is why we are told to attend divine worship, to fellowship with other Christians, and to accompany our scripture reading with daily prayer. The Book of Common Prayer and holy scripture are our Confession; the BCP is to keep us from straying from Christian thought and prayer, and the scripture is the living word of God, containing all that is necessary for salvation. It is living because it speaks truth to us, despite its venerable age; it addresses human nature, and the relationship between humanity and our Creator. We hear His voice in it.
Enthusiasm is discouraged in the Anglican way. Temperance, in its oldest meaning, is preferred. Enthusiasm leads to error, to emphasizing one aspect of faith to the detriment of others. Too much emphasis on liturgy may cause some to neglect charity; too much emphasis on our fellow man may lead to neglect of our relationship with the Lord. We are here to serve God, not ourselves, not our particular preferences even for the work of the church. Too much concern for our own sinfulness may make us introspective and distant from our Christian companions. Too much concern for evangelizing may alienate others who see us as judmental and arrogant.
While every moment is meant to be spent prayerfully, it doesn’t mean we neglect our duties for prayer. The mature Christian weaves the prayer of the heart and the hands into everything. Serving in one’s business and home with humility and efficiency is working prayer, the prayer of the hands. Thoughtful contemplation of a passage of scripture, in context, day by day, will produce more spiritual benefit than rushing through the Bible just to say one has read the whole book. And skipping from chapter to chapter, verse to verse, encourages nothing but scripture-mania, a desire to prove all of one’s thoughts with snippets of the Bible. Read carefully and slowly, a chapter or so at a time; stop, pray, think. Hold onto those thoughts and ponder all of it in the heart. I would prefer that the concordance be used judiciously, if at all, by laypeople. It is tempting to turn to it for proof-texting, which is pulling verses out of the Bible with no regard to their meaning in the context of the larger work. Nothing is gained by hammering others (or oneself) with verse after verse of the Bible.
I think one of the biggest temptations for Christians is to look for stricter groups to join, churches that emphasize keeping the rules. All Christians are called to follow Christ, and obey Him; He points us to right conduct in this world. He also frees us from legalism and fear, from attempting to save ourselves by keeping rules. We are given, in His death and glorious resurrection, the new life, if we embrace Him. We are then free – free of the old covenant, which emphasized the law and guilt, and free to follow His Way of radical love. Jesus did not worry much about keeping the rules of the temple priests, and He allowed His disciples to follow His example. They didn’t wash as instructed, harvested on the sabbath, participated in His healings, and sat to meals with those who were outside the law. After He had returned to His Father, the Holy Spirit guided them, even into rule-breaking and actual law-breaking (for it is better to obey God than the ways of men). Gentile converts were not held to the Jewish law; even Jewish converts could set aside kosher. The Christians gathered on the Day of Resurrection, the first day of the week, to remember His moment of glory and our moment of salvation.
The Anglican church is far from perfect. We are just beginning to examine our past complicity with the powers of this world – kings and governments. We have much work to do, and we should avoid our past mistakes, principal among those sins allowing the persecution of those who differ with us, and actual bullying of those who would reform the church when it is spiritually dormant. Within our unwritten doctrine is a spirit of tolerance, and a spirit for growth.
Hay Quaker is my frequent source for the day’s inspiration!
Hay Quaker: Temptations of Technology ~ Margaret Mead
Here, Jason says exactly what we have been thinking…
All We Need is to Be Human | SustainableTraditions.com
The doldrums are the latitudes where the wind doesn’t blow much. Sailing ships couldn’t make much headway. Sometimes the ships’ boats had to be set out and the sailors rowed their vessel into better sailing weather. It could take days. Vessels truly becalmed were sometimes abandoned as water and food ran out. There are stories of sailors just stepping off the deck, mad from the blazing sun and the unremitting boredom.
I started with great plans this month – knitting, sewing, quilting. None of it is done, or even started. I am becalmed by recovery from illness which has taken the winds out of my sails. Since debilitating illness tends to trigger some symptoms of fibromyalgia, I am doubly becalmed. My hands are clumsy and I have trouble concentrating. I manage to do some writing, but it is slow. At least prayer and some scripture study don’t seem to tax my poor brain too much.
The house is fairly clean, we have fresh laundry, I keep the meals coming and the dishes washed. But that is about it. The closest I come to real work is online shopping for the garden seeds. It’s a good thing eBay doesn’t charge me by the minute.
How have your winter plans gone? It would cheer me to hear that others are getting things accomplished!
A friend on facebook found this -
1921 – Gardens Reduce Living Expense (The Range Ledger Hugo, Colorado) — City Farmer News
Chris Armstrong (no relation) is author of “Patron Saints for Postmoderns.” This is a lengthy post from his blog, and well worth reading to the end.
Chrysostom’s fiery preaching on the poor (for those who don’t know Jack about John) | Grateful to the dead
The Mad Farmer: Wendell Berry’s Agrarian Poetic (Part 3) | SustainableTraditions.com
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Longest running TV documentary - single subject
- Up series
- United Kingdom
The Up series is a British documentary strand which returns to the same set of individuals at seven year intervals to see how their lives have developed. The series began on the 5th May 1964 with Seven UP! (ITV), part of Granada’s World in Action current affairs series, in which a group of fourteen 7-year olds were interviewed about their lives and their desires. The series has inspired similar projects in many different countries and – in the UK programme The 50 Greatest Documentaries (C4 2005) - the series was voted the ‘Best Documentary of All Time’.
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Celebrated annually on June 20th in Eritrea, Martyrs’ Day is a public holiday that is a remembrance for those who gave their lives during the country’s struggle for independence. The State of Eritrea is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa and was the focus of European colonial efforts for hundreds of years.
This holiday, also known as Maelti Siwuat in the Tigrinya language, pays homage to a large number of Eritreans who were killed between 1961 and 1991. This day has been a holiday since the late 1990s and has been observed in the country ever since.
The History Of Martyrs Day In Eritrea
Although the Horn of Africa came under colonial influence since the 16th century, we would like to focus on the time after WWII. This is the time period that Martyrs’ Day addresses. After WWII, the international community didn’t know what to do with Eritrea after it has come out of Italy’s hands. So, in 1952, the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 390 to federate Eritrea with Ethiopia.
Eritrea was supposed to be independent within the federation, but Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie dissolved the country’s parliament and illegally annexed it in 1962. This sparked the Eritrean War of Independence, a war that would last for almost 30-years. In May of 1991, the Eritreans overthrew the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It’s been estimated that 1 out of every 10 Eritreans were killed during this conflict.
In 1997, the Eritrean government opened National Martyrs Park so that Eritreans could pay their respects to those who have died during this conflict. It’s been a national holiday in Eritrea ever since and is observed by people all over the country.
Observing Martyrs’ Day In Eritrea
National Martyrs’ Park is opened up on this holiday so Eritreans can visit the National Martyrs’ Monument and lay wreaths on the graves of those who have lost their lives. This day is also observed with art shows, parades, and other events as well.
When is Martyrs’ Day in Eritrea?
|This year (2022)||June 20 (Monday)||Multiple dates - more|
|Next year (2023)||June 20 (Tuesday)||Multiple dates - more|
|Last year (2021)||June 20 (Sunday)||Multiple dates - more|
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Never trust the thermometer that comes with the incubator, always check it.
The thermometer that came with my incubator was off by 5 degrees.
That could mean life or death for your babies.
Did you know "The yolk is orange and on its surface is a visible germinal disc; radiating from this area is the more watery white
yolk, which is less dense. During turning, the yolk’s structure makes the part containing the germinal disc stay most dorsal (closest to the incubating bird) for heating"
With a Forced Air Incubator (fan model) you can get the best hatch rate by keeping the temperature at 99.5º F. throughout the entire incubation period. HOWEVER, when using a Still Air incubator (no fan) at 102º F. The reason for different temperatures is that with a fan model the circulating air warms all around the egg while still air temperatures are warmer at the top of the egg than at the bottom. The temperature is measured at the level where the embryos develop (at the top of the HORIZONTAL egg). NOTE: If the eggs are in vertical position, elevate the thermometer just below the top of the egg. The temperature is measured at the level where the embryos develop (at the top of the egg). Never allow the thermometer to touch the eggs or incubator because incorrect readings can result. A high temperature tends to produce early hatches. A consistently cooler temperature tends to increase incubation times and produce weakened chicks. In both cases the total chicks hatched will be reduced. Prepare your incubator and run it for several days before adding eggs, to be positive you are maintaining correct incubation temperature. NOTE: It is common that when adding eggs the temperature will drop but should come back up to correct temperature within an hour or two. Don’t rest the thermometer's bulb touching the eggs or the incubator. Incorrect readings will result. Did you know that 10/13 day old embryos begin to produce excess heat in the incubator? Most large commercial incubators will spend more time cooling than heating!
Why Measure eggshell temperature?
CALIBRATION! YES! It’s IMPORTANT!
Calibrate the thermometer/s you are using for your Incubator. I use 3 thermometers! You need to make sure your thermometer is reading correctly, Even one degree may cause serious problems with your hatch! A simple method without specialized instruments and knowledge is to compare your thermometer/hygrometer with other devices.
CALIBRATION of thermometers:
Freezing point method.
Fill a glass with crushed ice. Add a LITTLE clean water until the glass is full and stir. Wait 3 minutes then insert the thermometer tip into the ice-filled glass so it’s in the water ice mixture. Wait a minute and if the thermometer reads 32 F then it’s accurate, and if it does not, it requires calibration.
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Thinking back twenty years ago, did you know what a probiotic was? In 1999 AIM introduced FloraFood capsules, each containing 1 billion colony-forming units from a combination of Lactobacillus gasseri, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum. The belief in probiotics has changed dramatically over the past five years, and there has been an explosion of new ideas about the role that gut bacteria and the microbiome play in our health with the supplementation of probiotics.
There are hundreds of bacterial species living with our bodies with around 100 trillion microbial cells, which outnumber our own cells by 10 : 1. Microbiome live all over our bodies (inside and out), with the gut microbiota being the largest reservoir of microbiota in the body which specifically impacts the following aspects of our biology:
- Metabolism and body weight
- Neurological health
- Emotional well-being
- Immune response
- Reproductive health
That’s the reason why we need to protect our gut by taking a daily probiotic. This month, AIM will release a new and improved FloraFood, guaranteeing you 3 billion CFU (colony-forming units) per capsule of the three bacteria in the original formula. The larger dose of these three species will provide you more gut protection and improved digestive functioning.
I love getting more friendly bacteria into my body, especially for the same price. Three times the amount of probiotics at no extra cost!
—Rica Gerhardt, Ashton, ON
Many analogize the gut as being like an inner garden with bacteria living in it, so like any good ecosystem, we need to feed it the right nutrients to keep it thriving and flourishing. Prebiotics are one such nutrient that feed and ensure the gut bacteria proliferate in that inner garden. Prebiotics are found in fermented vegetables, green bananas, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus, leeks, plus good sources of fiber such as AIM Herbal Fiberblend and AIM fit ’n fiber that contain dandelion root extract and artichoke leaf extract.
Probiotics exist in two primary forms: Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. There are many other varieties and strains available, but these are the two main ones.
Before industrialization when no refrigeration existed and there was little food processing, people were able to obtain plenty of foods that boost immune system and maintain healthy gut flora by eating pickled, cured and fermented foods.
Nowadays with refrigeration and the overuse of antibiotics, coupled with antibacterial products, stress, poor sleep and no time for exercise, people are experiencing imbalances between beneficial and undesirable bacteria in the digestive tract, leading to a host of health problems.
I trust the quality of FloraFood and take it daily. It keeps my immune system strong, so I stay healthy even when I’m surrounded by people who are ill.
—Diane Vezina, Ottawa, ON
Specifically, gut inflammation can lead to autoimmune diseases and illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, food sensitivities and allergies. The well accepted gut-brain axis concept is now termed by the medical profession as the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Researchers have found that probiotic therapy appears to be an interesting adjuvant in the dietetic management of celiac disease, since sufferers have lower levels of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.1
The future of probiotics continues to excite with Harvard researchers recently announcing that certain strains of bacteria may affect the microbiome makeup to aid athletic performance. Other researchers propose that our gut bacteria should be viewed as an epigenetic entity. That is, the gut bacteria makeup regulates how your genes are expressed (positively or negatively). 2
1 Fernando de Sousa Moraes, L et al. Intestinal Microbiota and Probiotics in Celiac Disease, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, July 2014, Vol 27, Number 3, p. 482-489.
2 Stilling, R.M, Dinan T.G, Cryan, J.F. Microbial genes, brain and behaviour – epigenetic regulation of the gut-brain axis. Genes, Brain and Behavior Journal. Vol 13, Jan 2014, p. 69-84.
Testimonials should not be construed as representing results that everyone can achieve.
Since 1982, The AIM Companies has been dedicated to improving the quality of people’s lives with life-changing products and by rewarding passionate Members with a free-enterprise compensation plan.
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Choosing the correct abrasive media for wet blasting is very important because an inappropriate media choice will not provide the desired finish. It can not only cause rework but in some cases may cause damage to the blasted surface.
The factors you have to consider when selecting an abrasive media for wet blasting are the grit size, shape, hardness, and density of the media, and blasting velocity. Factors like friability (tendency to break into smaller particles under force), recyclability, and cost are also important.
Size: The blast media comes in different grit sizes. Larger media particles will make deeper depressions but lesser depressions per unit area resulting in a rough surface finish. Smaller abrasive particles make shallow depressions but more impacts per unit area resulting in a finer surface finish.
Abrasives media is measured by the mesh size through which it was passed and the mesh can be as coarse as 20 holes per square inch or as fine as 100 holes per square inch. 40/70 media indicates that it was passed through a mesh having 40 to 70 holes per square inch. Hence a 20/40 media is coarser compared to 40/70 media, and a 40/70 media is coarser than a 60/100 media.
It is not possible to use a coarser media and complete the work faster. 20/40 media can blast more aggressively than 40/70 media. But, if you compare the number of media particles in one pound of 20/40 media and one pound of 40/70 media, one pound of 40/70 media has more media particles. Hence, when you use 20/40 media less number of particles are in action and when you use 40/70 media, more particles are in blasting action. Hence, the time taken for blasting will be almost the same, but there will be a difference in the anchor profile or finish obtained. Also, the cost of using coarser media will be more since more media is consumed.
Shape: The shape of the abrasive media particle can influence the outcome of the surface profile and the shape can be angular, sub-angular, sub-rounded, or rounded. Angular media particles like crushed glass or garnet have a rough surface with jagged faces and can strip coatings, rust, and contaminants faster. They can leave a deeper anchor profile/pattern on the surface.
Sub-angular or semi-irregular media is similar to the angular type but has less jagged faces and sharp points compared to the angular type.
Sub-rounded abrasive media is almost smooth and has only a few jagged edges and sharp points.
Rounded abrasive media has a smooth surface all over and it can even be spherical. Glass bead is a good example of rounded abrasive and is used for removing mill scales, and thin coatings, and to get a good finish or a peened surface.
Hardness: The hardness of the abrasive media is indicated as Mohs numbers (Mohs hardness scale) and the hardness number ranges from 0 to 10. The number 10 indicates the hardest and 0 indicates the softest.
Hard particles will create a deeper surface profile and softer particles will create a smooth and fine finish. A softer media is preferred for cleaning grease, oil, and grime and removing light coatings, and when an anchor profile is not required on the substrate. On the other hand, a harder media is used for removing corrosion, and rust, or for creating an anchor profile on the substrate.
Density and velocity: The density and velocity of the abrasive media also have an influence on the blasting. Denser abrasive particles blasting the surface at higher velocity will leave a deeper anchor profile compared to abrasive particles with lower density blasting at lower velocities.
An abrasive media with higher density can store more kinetic energy in it and hits the surface with high impact to form a deeper surface profile, whereas an abrasive media with low density can store less kinetic energy, and hits the surface with low impact to form a lesser deep profile.
Using the same abrasive media, the surface finish can be slightly modified by varying the blast pressure, but this will not affect the basic characteristic of the media.
Let us summarize the characteristics of the abrasive media in a table
|7.5 to 8.5
|3.5 to 4.3
|Up to 5 times.
|5 to 6
|Depends on the grit size.
|5 to 6
|Up to 30 times.
|3.94 to 3.96
|Up to 50 times
Different types of anchor patterns and surface profiles- When the blast media impacts the surface, it creates a profile in the shape of the media on the substrate. A media in a spherical shape create a surface with mini dimples (like the surface of a golf ball) and this finish is called peening.
Angular and sub-angular abrasive media can create deeper and well-defined anchor profiles on the substrate. If you observe an anchored profile under a lens, you can find a surface full of valleys and peaks. The indentations created by the media are the valleys and the surface that is pushed up due to the indentations is the peaks. Each type of coating requires a particular anchor profile or surface roughness for best results. You can say that during powder coating the coating substance fills the valleys and covers the peaks of the anchor profile. If the peaks are too high, they will start showing up and can catch rust. And, if the valleys are not sufficiently deep, then they cannot hold the coating (the coating cannot adhere properly).
Recycling and cost of abrasive media- Some abrasive media have a high initial cost and if it can be recycled more times, then its ability to recycle will offset its high initial cost.
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Monetary versus Fiscal Policy in India? An SVAR Analysis of their Efficacy and Co-ordination
Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR)
June 21, 2013
Conventionally, policy makers relied on three policy options to manage business cycles - debt financed government spending, debt financed tax rebate and interest rate. While the first two are fiscal policy instruments, the latter is a monetary policy instrument. This paper aims to capture interactions among the policies and the effect on macro-variables in response to the policy shocks to understand Indian monetary and fiscal policy coordination for the period 1990Q1-2011Q4. Policy shocks are identified using the novel method of sign restrictions combined with magnitude restrictions in an SVAR framework, and interpreted using impulse responses and variance decomposition. Results show that monetary policy responds to tax rebate and expenditure shocks differently. In the case of a tax rebate shock, monetary policy responds by reducing interest rates thereby accommodating fiscal expansion. On the opposite, monetary policy seems not to accommodate expenditure shocks. Interestingly, monetary policy shock is accompanied by a fiscal expansion which threatens the credibility of central bank actions, thus indicating towards fiscal policy dominance. A comparison of the efficacy of policies suggests that interest rate is more effective in stimulating output. Out of the two fiscal policy instruments analyzed, tax cut seems to be the better option for stimulating output considering output-debt trade-off.
Keywords: Monetary policy, Fiscal policy, SVAR, Sign restrictions, India
JEL Classification: E52, E62
Date posted: June 22, 2013
© 2016 Social Science Electronic Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Looking through a window, any window, is to gaze on a number of possibilities – some good, some bad. Stepping through that window, by choice or by force, means engagement – some good, some bad. Either way, it is a journey – from the scourging of a past life to a re-birth, a re-awakening, and a re-discovery of self-worth. This was my journey over the past several years, represented and exemplified by the following photographs.
Through a Window: Inneston, Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia
Everyone faces, at least at one point in their life, an experience that wipes away a past life. This can be quite painful and devastating, combined with feeling like one is going through a ritualistic cleansing – a scourging of fire and water.
Prologue: The Scourging of Flaming Waters – Fountain, Brisbane, Queensland
ACT 1: RE-BIRTH & RE-AWAKENING
After the scourging comes the re-birth and re-awakening. We greet the new day with a smile in the hope of better life.
Re-Awakening: Sunrise – Maslin Beach, South Australia
We look around our immediate environment and notice the ruination. Feelings of being confined and trapped complement a sense of isolation.
Re-Awakening: Isolation – Port Willunga, South Australia
We rise to face the day. Gazing into what seems vast as well as beautiful there is the juxtaposition of various figures and positions that reflect our current sense of self.
Re-Awakening: Moon, Sky, Sea, Sand, Rock – Maslin Beach, South Australia
ACT 2: SOLACE
We need to accept what was and move forward to what may be. In order to do that we must seek solace; to calm, to nurture and re-nourish, to be inspired and to re-invent. This place of solace can be nature, a place of religious worship, and in art galleries. In all cases, it is a source of spiritual solace as well as slowly but steadily re-connecting with a living world.
Solace: Nature – Dancing Trees – Murdoch Walk, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide, South Australia
Solace: Spiritual – St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Adelaide, South Australia
Solace: Art – National Museum of Australia, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
ACT 3: INSPIRATION
In these places of solace, there is always the possibility of being inspired by something – such as a work of art. Emerging from these places, hopefully re-nourished, you are more open to the wonders and beauty that surrounds you on the street.
In Adelaide, there is wonderful ‘Street Art’, which is often breathtaking in beauty as well as scale. This includes the first work of ‘Public (Street) Art’ in Adelaide, which is a statue, a copy of Canova’s ‘Venus’. It was first unveiled in 1892, and caused a minor scandal due to its nudity and conservative tastes and morals of the time. It shows the goddess Venus stepping from a bath and being surprised; by what or by whom is up to the imagination of the gazer.
In the contemporary ‘Street Art’ of Adelaide there are numerous other re-imagings of a modern ‘Venus’, which can be found down laneways, and even in car parks, such as this one by Adelaide Street Artist Jimmy.C.
Inspiration: Canova’s ‘Venus’ – North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia; Jimmy.C’s ‘Venus’ – Rundle Street, Kent Town, Adelaide, South Australia
ACT 4: RE-INVENTING
From the nurturing honeyed waters of solace and inspiration, the re-invention of self begins.
Re-Inventing: Honeyed Waters – Fountain, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales
Re-invention means re-engaging, and the realization that there really is, as Shakespeare’s says, ‘a world elsewhere’. There are multiple worlds, none of them perfect, in which one can find inspiration, hope, and adventure. Looking out, not in, moving forward by accepting the past and the present for what it is…and the next journey begins.
Re-Inventing: Adventure – Temples, Indien, Lake Inle, Myanmar
Re-Inventing: Adventure – Cow & Temples, Bagan, Myanmar
Re-Inventing: Adventure – Fisherman, Lake Inle, Myanmar
Re-Inventing: Adventure – Temple Entrance, Bagan, Myanmar
EPILOGUE: The New Self
Photography was a major source of re-invention for me. After the devastation and sense of isolation and abandonment, I discovered a means to release a dormant creativity. I thank the various people involved in helping me to re-invent my fractured self in a way that I never knew could be possible.
The New Self: Portrait – Sie and I
‘Never Stop Believing’ and continue ‘Making the Ordinary “Extraordinary”
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One of the big accusations against industrial agriculture is the fact that patented seeds must be purchased each year from the seed company. This is a burden on smaller farms with tighter margins.
But patents are not forever. It turns out some of Monsanto's GMO patents are expiring. Technology Review has a report on a seed dealer who took advantage of the fact, selling GMO soybeans no longer under patent. As the article observes, this means the farmer can use some of his harvest to plant next year.
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memoriae is a sculptural work built from the data of 500 simulated agents. Using C++ and the Allolib library (built by UCSB's Allosphere Research Group for performance in the AlloSphere), I took inspiration from the Boids flocking algorithm, developed by Craig Reynolds in 1986, to drive the interaction between agents. The simulation is also evolutionary, where agents have lifespans that is increased upon consuming food particles in their environment. Each agent's individual fitness is assessed, determined by a set of rules that quantify viability or desirability of an agent's flocking parameters (which start off as random values, but through reproduction, are inherited by the offspring to eventually lead to a stabilized system where flocking patterns are homogenous). I wanted to physically illustrate the path of an agent's motion with geometry, so I recorded a minute of run-time of my program (~3600 frames of data) with 500 agents. Bringing in this data to the Rhinoceros and Grasshopper environments, I was able to visualize one agent's pattern of motion as it is affected by interactions with other agents, resulting in a finalized geometry that serves as a memory or snapshot of these interactions over time. This work is currently in progress, as I would like to create one geometry for each of the 500 agents and physically print each form.
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Transport Logo Design Explained
All successful business owners understand the importance of branding. This is something that translates across all industries, including transportation and logistics. Your business needs a cohesive image to build a loyal customer base. Moreover, all of this starts with a stunning transport logo that people will remember and easily associate with your business. So, if you are ready to get a logo for your transportation, logistics or shipping business, look at these five things to do when coming up with your design.
Come Up with a Message
A logo should be more than a simple shape with your company’s name below it. It must convey a message to your customers so that your business is memorable. Think about everything you want your customers to know about your business and then try to incorporate these ideas into the design.
Here are some messages to consider for your logo:
Once you know the message you want to convey about your business, your logo should revolve around these ideas. For instance, a transport company could convey a fast turnaround time by using a truck with streaks coming off the back to show speed.
Want a real example from the transportation and logistics industry? FedEx conveys the message of speed by hiding an arrow pointing to the right between the “e” and the “x”. This shows that your message can be effective even if it’s subtle.
Follow the Trends in Your Industry
If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, look to your industry for inspiration. Research helps you see what successful company logos in your industry look like and what they do that works. Of course, resist the urge to imitate. You don’t want your logo to remind people about your competitors.
Here are some common trends for the logos of logistics companies:
Choose the Best Color Combinations
The color you choose helps convey your company’s message and it influences customers’ reactions. There is a whole psychology behind how certain colors make people think and feel, and it’s something you need to consider when choosing colors for your logo, and your overall brand.
Here are some of the common messages conveyed by colors:
In the transportation industry, common logo colors include blue, red, grey, and green. However, this is not a rule, just a trend. Think about what colors would work best for your company’s logo.
Color is important, but keep in mind that your logo should also look good in black and white. You’re not always going to be able to print in color, so you don’t want your logo to be distorted when it is copied or printed. Additionally, consider how your company’s logo will look if the colors are inverted. For instance, what if the background is black and the text and logo are in white?
Take Typography into Consideration
Typography is commonly used to depict the company’s name. Not all logos need text, but it’s definitely a good way to convey a message, even if it’s just your company’s name. In general, try to keep your typography simple. However, you can be more creative if you’re depicting short or common words that are easy to recognize.
The best way to come up with typography for your logo is to choose an existing font that you like and then adapt it to meet your needs. Show your logo designer the things that you like in a font so that he or she knows where to start.
Here are some things to consider about the typography for your company logo:
Make Sure Your Logo Is Scalable and Simple
Your company’s logo is placed on everything from t-shirts to billboards to trucks. Therefore, it needs to look good no matter what size it is printed. Some distortion is also possible as images get stretched when printed on flexible materials. Therefore, if your logo’s design is too complicated, it may look weird when used on objects other than paper.
If you’re not able to describe your logo easily, it’s probably not scalable enough for long-term use. So, don’t try to do too much. If you’re in doubt about an element, leave it out. Typically, logos get simplified over time as companies realize what’s really important to their logo’s design. If you account for scalability when you first come up with your company’s logo, this will save you time and money if you ever decide to rebrand.
There’s a lot more involved in designing a logo than simply sketching something out on paper and then sending it to a designer to make it pretty. That’s why you need a team behind you to help you make good logo decisions. The Logo Company has experienced designers that know what works well in the logistics and transportation industry.
If you’re ready to commit to a logo for your business, you need the help of The Logo Company to make your dreams a reality. When you work with us, you’re assigned a team of five designers that each come up with at least one logo idea for your company. Then, you get to pick the logo design you like the best and make suggestions for improvements. This process is a lot better than hiring a designer at random that may or may not be able to deliver a product that you like. With a team of five from the Logo Company, you’re sure to get something you like.
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In September 1983, on my return from two weeks in China, I became the first American to report in the public prints that China was firmly on the capitalist road. The New York Times featured a condensed version of my Polyconomics report on its editorial page on October 25, 1983, with sketch of a cigar-puffing Deng Xiaoping face on a Chinese dragon emerging from a box affixed with dollar signs. It was two years, though, before the reporting from China in our press corps caught up with me, and I was criticized roundly by conservative friends for having been taken in by my Communist hosts. Even earlier, on September 30, 1977, I'd actually predicted in my book, The Way the World Works, that when mainland China eventually merged with Taiwan, the economy would resemble that of Taiwan, not the People's Republic. In the years since, as China has traveled at an astonishing pace down that capitalist road, I've watched it steadily become more democratic, more open, more confident of its future and its place in the world. This remarkable progress, marred only by the events of June 4, 1989 that we know as "Tiananmen Square," has been matched by a growing coalition of American conservatives who fear China's growing strength and development and are committed to bringing it to heel. This anti-China coalition is now at the peak of its influence in America, to the point where it is prepared, if need be, to make of the PRC a permanent political adversary of the United States. Its assumption is: We are going to have to war with China anyway sometime in the next 30 years. Why do anything to make them stronger before we reach that inevitable contest for global hegemony?
NATO's bombing of China's embassy in Belgrade last week may have been accidental, but the Chinese doubt it, and so do I. If the United States is going to have a free hand in managing the world in the years ahead, it has to diminish the influence of the United Nations, where China does have great influence and a vote on the Security Council. The plan of our Political Establishment has been to impart the role of global cop to NATO, which otherwise has no role to play to justify its great Cold War levels of expense. Just as Russia and China seemed to be succeeding in bringing about a diplomatic solution in the Balkans -- where Kosovo has become a pawn in this global power struggle -- the Chinese embassy was bombed by NATO. Sorry, we had an old map, says NATO, which we got from the CIA. The CIA says: Sorry, we are under funded, with only $30 billion a year to spy on other countries, so we have to use old maps.
The bombing will continue until either NATO gets its way, with a permanent occupation force in the Balkans, or the European members of NATO throw their weight to the UN as the peacekeeper, with a figleaf for NATO. My analysis leads me to support the UN solution, as I am opposed to my country having a free hand in managing the world in the century ahead. That kind of triumphal "Uncle Bully" monopoly of power already is corrupting our central political institutions, inviting global terrorism and permanent global hostilities. Our democracy already has been suspended, as NATO bombs fall on Yugoslavia at the hands of U.S. pilots using CIA maps without benefit of constitutional authority. Not one U.S. Senator has had the courage thus far to insist that the NATO Treaty be amended to permit its use as an offensive agent of its members. They know it would be voted down.
Our national news media, which are supposed to play a watchdog role, also have been corrupted. We now "know," courtesy of The New York Times, that Chinese spies have been stealing nuclear secrets from our national laboratories in New Mexico and California. The stories uniformly are false, as preposterous as the story that the head of China's military intelligence met with Johnny Chung over a cup of tea in Beijing and gave him $300,000 to pass on to President Clinton to help with his re-election. When closely examined, the NYTimes accounts provide no evidence of a single secret of any kind going to China. The NYT was not a part of this genuine ham-handed conspiracy, I'm sure, although its columnist William Safire is among the most aggressive members of the anti-China coalition. My old colleagues at The Wall Street Journal had been pulled in different directions until recently, as our business community prefers peace and prosperity with China. It now has been swallowed up completely by the arguments of the anti-China intellectuals who are smelling blood. Note the WSJ lead editorial Wednesday demands that China apologize to the United States for permitting its citizens to throw rocks at our embassy in Beijing, just because we bombed their embassy in Belgrade and killed their citizens. At all costs, no matter how shameful, NATO must defeat any UN initiative.
In a letter responding to my assertions that the NYT had been suckered by the anti-China gang, its executive editor, Joseph Lelyveld, Wednesday insisted they had not. I gently urged him to assign another reporter the story, to play devil's advocate, as he would be the last guy in town to know his paper had been snookered. My old Cold War colleagues are masters of deceit. The problem, I told Lelyveld, is that there is no debate in our Political Establishment, because our President prefers to triangulate. I've urged the NYT editorial page to insist upon a renegotiation and ratification of the NATO treaty, to make it valid, but no thank you. The democracy is temporarily out of order.
In a few weeks, on June 4, we will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Tiananmen Square. Last fall, Tim Russert on "Meet the Press" recalled that ten thousand people had been massacred on the Square at the hands of the Chinese butchers. I wrote him a note of correction. Nobody was killed on Tiananmen Square. It is a myth, which grew out of a NYT story by a reporter who wasn't there, about a machine-gun massacre of students. There were 300 killed that day, most in clashes of workers and security forces, who opened fire when some of their number were killed by angry mobs. Don't believe me, folks. Read about it in the Sept./Oct. 1998 Columbia Journalism Review article, "The Myth of Tiananmen," by Jay Matthews, who was present on that day as bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times. The NYT corrected its original massacre story several weeks later, but the original is the one remembered. This is how peace gives way to war -- just as bad communications between husband and wife lead to divorce, or paternal bull-headedness leads to the estrangement of a son. I wrote to Lelyveld in response to his letter that I'd had enough war in my 63 years. My old Cold War comrades-in-arms, I'm sorry to say, would like to have just one more.
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ENGLISH HARBOUR, ANTIGUA
to fellow travellers...
visit our newsgroup for the latest info.
Harbour, Antigua's graceful and evocative historic district, is
focused on the fifteen square miles of Nelson's Dockyard National
Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy in the great age
of sail, the harbour served as the headquarters of the fleet of
the Leeward Islands during the turbulent years of the late 18th
century. Although the dockyard was greatly expanded at that time
by Horatio Nelson,
it was gradually abandoned in the nineteenth century and was closed
in 1889. Today Nelson's Dockyard has been completely restored,
and it is now the only Georgian dockyard in the world.
all of the park's other sites of interest overlook the harbour.
The closest of these is Clarence House, a residence built for the
future King William IV (1765-1837) when he served under Nelson
as captain of the H.M.S. Pegasus. Further above the harbour, at Shirley
Heights, are the partially-restored fortifications of
the harbour's colonial observation post; the view from Shirley
Heights extends out over the harbour and far across the Caribbean
to Montserrat and Guadaloupe. On Sundays the vista is enhanced
by barbeque and live music at the bar there (Steel Band music from
3-6 pm & reggae from 6-9). Shirley Heights can be reached via
Lookout Trail, a nature walk that rises from the harbour through
a forest of trees--descending the trail is not advisable after
dark or barbecue revelry.
Lookout Trail and near Shirley Heights is Dow's Hill Interpretation
Center, at which visitors can watch an impressive multimedia presentation
of Antigua's history, from its initial settlement to independence.
Observation decks at Dow's Hill provide another fine view of the
harbour, as do the ruined fortifications of Fort Berkeley, located
on the far side of the bay and reached by a walk around its perimeter.
All of these points, as well as the park's convenient beaches,
become especially popular spectator positions during Sailing
This page, and all contents
of this Web site are Copyright (c) 1996-2013 by interKnowledge
Corp., New York, NY. All rights reserved.
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System & Device Check
About the Class
Current Affairs from April 2011 to April 2012 - class 003(April 2011)
This class covers Current Affairs from April 2011 to April 2012.
In and out of 13 months current affairs and gk will be taught so that students will be able to tackle the current affairs and general knowledge related questions easily in the prelims.
Language of instruction:
Keywords: ias onilne preparation, ias free online coaching, ias free study materials for gs current affairs
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Tue, Aug 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Urinary tract infections are the most common serious bacterial infections in young children, and almost one of every eight kids who gets one will end up with scarring on the kidneys and an increased risk of kidney failure later in life.
Identifying those kids early is critical, and researchers now report that a combination of three factors -- high fever, detection of kidney abnormalities via ultrasound and identification of the type of bacteria involved -- spots such patients as accurately as a very unpleasant catheter-based test does.
"We found that you more or less can predict the children who are at higher risk by looking at three different things when they come in," said study author Dr. Nader Shaikh, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
In the past, doctors used a combination catheter/X-ray to detect children at greater risk for kidney scarring.
The test required using a catheter to fill a child's bladder with a special dye. Doctors then asked the child to urinate while being X-rayed, so they could see whether urine flow indicated a kidney problem.
Doctors used the X-ray test often in the 1960s and 1970s, but in recent years they have been moving away from it, said Dr. Kenneth Roberts, a pediatrician in Greensboro, N.C., who wrote an editorial accompanying the new study.
"It's very uncomfortable, very distressing and entails a good amount of radiation," Roberts said. "It is not only not worth putting all children through that procedure, but with this study we now have information that shows it's simply not justified."
To see whether there is a better option for finding kids at greater risk of kidney scarring, Shaikh and his colleagues reviewed existing data from previous studies involving 1,280 children aged 18 and younger.
About 15 percent of these children suffered kidney scarring from a urinary tract infection. The researchers found that three factors were strongly associated with scarring:
A model based on these factors predicted nearly 45 percent of children who ended up developing kidney scars, a rate only 3 percent to 5 percent less effective than models involving blood tests or the catheter/X-ray examination, the researchers reported.
The findings were published online Aug. 4 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
The test's real power comes in its ability to rule out children at risk, Shaikh noted.
"The prediction is not perfect," he said. "For more or less, we can say these 80 percent of kids aren't going to scar, we don't have to worry about them."
Doctors can step up observation of kids at greater risk for kidney scarring. "The main focus should be to prevent subsequent infections for those children," Shaikh said. "Every time you get a [urinary tract infection], you get a chance of scarring again."
"Now that we know the groups at greatest risk, maybe we can come up with methods for decreasing inflammation during this infection and possibly preventing scars," he said. "We can back off the things we're doing that are distressing to children, and think about novel ways to preserve the kidneys of these children."
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Level: Beginner to Intermediate
The key to being successful in our new world of AI, machine learning, big data, and other trends is knowing how to work with people. We must be prepared and informed, both from a technology perspective and from a human factors perspective. This course focuses on the people aspects of data management.
The data landscape is changing ever faster. Big data is spreading into mobile apps, connected cars, wearables, and smart meters. Cloud computing and artificial intelligence are shaking up industries. IoT devices are capturing extraordinary amounts of data. Data governance and data security challenges are becoming widespread. Machine learning is outpacing human learning.
In this landscape, we must have the appropriate skills to handle important human factors. These skills help you stay focused on what is truly meaningful, identify what our deepest intentions are, communicate effectively, build trust, and manage conflict.
This course provides an overview of 14 key emerging trends in BI and analytics, and offers tools, techniques, and exercises for navigating these trends effectively.
You Will Learn
Many important human behavior tools and techniques to effectively manage change such as:
- Understanding why people act as they do
- How to realize underlying intentions and come to shared purpose
- Trust and connection models
- Conflict management tools
- Communication tools to effectively navigate through cultural and political factors
- Fourteen emerging trends in data, myths, stories, and a key point to understand on each trend
- What’s happening regarding human behavior as these trends evolve
- How to practically apply these tools via interactive, fun, and insightful exercises
Business and data professionals and anyone that is or will be involved in data efforts, including:
- Business analysts
- Program/project managers
- BI/DW customers
- Business sponsors
- CIOs and chief data officers
- Data scientists
- Management/executives involved in BI/DW
- Data project team members (such as architects, designers, and developers)
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The decision to levy VAT on academic journals published over the internet despite printed publications being exempted is holding back the take-up of new technology, MPs were warned yesterday.
Lynne Brindley, the chief executive of the British Library, told a committee of MPs investigating the scientific publications market that the 17.5% tax was hampering the move towards the internet-based publishing of research.
"Our concern is that it is inhibiting a faster move towards digital publication," she told the science and technology committee.
While there is no VAT on printed publications, online subscriptions are charged at the normal rate. Several other European countries charge a reduced rate. Many British universities are unable to reclaim the VAT as they lack commercial status.
Mrs Brindley was part of a panel of librarians and academics giving evidence to the committee which has been looking into the rise of internet-based scientific journals in which authors pay for publication and the articles are available free for everyone - a movement known as open access publishing.
Frederick Friend, the director of scholarly communication at University College, London and a member of the joint information systems committee, defended the open access movement, saying "any publicly funded research ... the articles published through that research should be freely accessible over the internet."
"Open access will release a lot of information to learners of all ages that at the moment is being restricted," he said.
In the UK, BioMed Central has already produced a range of open access journals, while across the Atlantic the Public Library of Science is publishing an online journal in the biology field.
The rise of such journals presents a threat to the business model of traditional publishers such as Reed Elsevier.
Select committee member Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, raised concerns that because under open access it is the author who pays for publication, standards may slip. But James Crabbe, head of the animal and microbial sciences school at the University of Reading and a self-styled convert to open access, hit back. He said: "If that happened, nobody would publish in that journal ... It only takes one bad paper in a journal for that journal to get a bad reputation."
Jane Carr, the chief executive of the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society - which looks after authors' rights -read out a letter from one of her members, describing the state of academic publishing as "a complete rip-off" because publishers often force authors to surrender all rights to their work.
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The Psychosocial Oncology Program at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (Peter Mac) delivers integrated mental health care, treatment and support to patients with cancer.
The program is delivered by an embedded multidisciplinary team made up of clinical psychologists, social workers, music therapists, psychiatric consultation‑liaison nurses, and psychiatrists and psychiatric registrars. The multidisciplinary team is able to screen, assess, detect and respond to any pre‑existing or emerging mental health issues, in the context of the cancer affecting the patient. Mental health care, treatment and support is delivered to patients as part of routine cancer care.
Professor Steve Ellen, Director of the Psychosocial Oncology Program at Peter Mac, said the multidisciplinary team approach allows patients’ care to be assessed and adapted as needed.
The multidisciplinary team approach brings all aspects of wellbeing, mental health and cancer together, and allows us to feed back to each other to make sure we are on the same page. The multidisciplinary teams are great because patient care is often fragmented and clinicians are so busy—one member of the team presents a quick summary and everyone gets the chance to see the files, add to the information, provide input and coordinate care.
Professor Ellen said patients are referred to the program from throughout the hospital, and they can access support for the duration of their cancer treatment, both while they are in hospital and as outpatients. Patients in need are identified in two ways—during a screening process when registering with Peter Mac, and if a clinician in the hospital notices distress. Patients are contacted once they have been referred, to establish whether they are already receiving help from a mental health professional.
We take referrals from anyone within the hospital, including doctors, nurses and allied health workers, such as a physio or a nutritionist. Patients can also self‑refer. We triage to determine the urgency, type of problem and most appropriate clinician for the patient’s problem and according to their preference—we also look at their external supports to make sure we are not doubling up for patients who are already engaged with community services.
Professor Ellen explained that the four broad areas of the program focus on social work, music therapy, psychiatry and psychology, and that patients can access all or some services.
The psychosocial program is also closely connected to the spiritual care team and the wellbeing program. Our aim is to match the care to the patient’s preferences and problems in a seamless manner, with the ability to scale up and down according to their needs over time.
Professor Ellen said the psychiatric service can provide assessment and treatment, but can also work in conjunction with community clinicians to ensure patients get the best possible mental health care, as well as cancer care.
People may have a pre‑existing psychiatric disorder when they are diagnosed with cancer. Psychosocial clinicians at Peter Mac have the expertise to look after the psychiatric disorder in a way that allows them to get the cancer treatment they need.
The clinical psychology team offers a range of psychological therapies and interventions, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, and existential therapy. The team has also developed a number of online resources for patients whose cancer care limits their ability to attend appointments. Psychologists adapt their approach to meet a patient’s needs, and offer individual, couple or family consultations.
The social work service helps patients, families and carers during the period of change associated with a cancer diagnosis, and provides support with legal and financial support services, home support services, childcare, housing and support groups. They also assist with supports to help patients once they have been discharged from hospital, and provide referrals to local services.
Music therapy has also been a key feature of the program at Peter Mac. Professor Ellen said the music therapy offered at Peter Mac provides patients with an alternative entry to psychological wellbeing and has proved helpful to many people.
Music therapy has been one of the most successful components. It’s incredibly good for cancer patients, especially younger patients who often feel less comfortable with psychiatrists and psychologists. It’s a good entry point and may give people the opportunity to reflect and provide new ways to share positive experiences with family and friends.
Sources: RCVMHS, Interview with Professor Steve Ellen, October 2020; Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, ‘Psychosocial Oncology’ [accessed 27 October 2020].
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Wrangell Public Schools serves approximately 290 students in three school facilities in the heart of the community.
Evergreen Elementary is a K-5 school that is surrounded by the beauty of Southeast Alaska on Wrangell Island. We have approximately 120 students with an average class size of 14 in kindergarten - third grade classrooms.
Also located in picturesque Southeastern Alaska, Stikine Middle School
is the home of the cougars and Wrangell High School is the home of the
wolves. Both schools host an array of highly qualified teachers
offering courses in a variety of academic and elective areas. The
curriculum is designed so that students can challenge themselves on a
daily basis in an effort to prepare them for the rigors of life.
All communities have individuals who have special needs and the Wrangell Public Schools has an excellent program to meet these needs. Children from the ages of 3 to their 22nd birthday are provided special education and related services based upon eligibility criteria. Two special education teachers coordinate special education and related services for the district. Whenever possible the School Board desires both non-disabled and disabled children to share an interactive environment, which nurtures understanding, cooperation and mutual respect.
Wrangell Public School Board believes that understanding, acknowledging, and honoring cultural diversity is a must and that all children, given adequate opportunity and support, can learn. They agree that setting high standards, which sets high expectations, produces high achievement. The Board believes that results matter and teaching for results builds accountability for results. The results of this focus and effort is the proud report of all three schools having met the indicators of Adequate Yearly Progress (APY) as determined by the State of Alaska and the graduation rate being over 90%.
The Wrangell School Board states: “The purpose of education is to help ensure that all students will succeed in their education and work, shape worthwhile and satisfying lives for themselves, exemplify the best values of society, and be effective in improving the character and quality of the world about them.”
Nutrition News We, all of us at NMS, would like to take a moment to give thanks to everyone for the warm welcome we have received here in the Wrangell School District. From the students and parents, to the teachers, staff and administration...
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Welcome, one and all! This is a site that is loosely dedicated to the preservation and glorification of the art of making the Shepherd's Crook.
Although this art form is still alive and well in Great Britain, here in the USA there is only limited interest. Walking sticks of all kinds are far more commonly created. Perhaps the limited dependence on sheep is the reason. What ever the reason, I'd like to tell a little about it, hoping to interest new people, and maybe get some carvers to work.
Because of the increased interest in Sheepdog Trialing, there seems to be a slowly increasing wave of interest, although many of the newer folks seem satisfied with either metal or fiberglass sticks. The availability of rams horn is also a problem, since mutton is passed over in favor of beef in the US, and lamb isn't a lot more popular. Water Buffalo Horn is fairly easily found, and exotic woods are being used to a greater extent all the time. Competition among stick makers in the US is nearly non existent, but carving shows are starting to include us with the walking stick folks sometimes.
The shepherds crook, smooth and warm to the hand, is, at its simplest a basic tool of the shepherd, and at its most complex, an impressive work of art, and example of the finest hand craftsmanship and carving, with its roots in the highlands of Great Britain.
Those that are used in everyday work tend to be a bit longer than what are called "Market, or Show Sticks" and, are often configured into what is called a leg cleak or crook as well as what most people visualize, which is a neck crook. Market sticks, and show or "fancy" sticks are usually made of horn of some type, and are carved, more, or less intricately with Thistles, Dogs, squirrels, Pheasants, or even Fish for the head. It is the unofficial standard that the space between the shank and the nose of a neck crook should be the width of the four fingers of a persons hand, or wide enough to comfortably slip over the forearm. The leg cleak (which is used to catch sheep by a hind foot) has a spacing of one old English penny, (what ever that may be), or 31 mm, in more current units.
Probably the most important considerations in selecting a crook, are that it is comfortable to walk with and to carry, and that it balances in such a way that it feels like it is a part of your pace. The longer that a person uses a crook, as a general rule, the shorter lengths they prefer. Most people start out liking quite a long crook, even shoulder height, but eventually settle on a length that will touch the ground while hooked over a slightly raised forearm, or very slightly longer. Balance is also an important consideration, although it is quite hard to explain. The relative weight of the head, and the shank will make the tip of the stick almost want to rise off the ground between steps. Generally heavier, more bulky heads require heavier shanks to feel balanced. There are several quite nice crooks on the market that are made of aluminum and or plastic that are very strong, so if you intend to use your crook to catch sheep, one of these would likely be the better choice. Just remember that the best crooks are a real extension of you and are an outward expression of your personality, so find one that feels good to hold, that you like to look at, and that you like to walk with.
If you decide to try making your own stick, be sure not to expect too much of yourself at first, horn of any kind is a difficult medium to work with and the best sticks might take months to finish. The best rule is not to hurry, it takes a long time for the heat to soak into horn, or wood to bend them, and to rush is to court failure. Most of all have fun and be creative, try to find others with the same interest, There are several competitions in the Northwest you might want to enter.
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The Blooding of Jack Absolute
The Blooding of Jack Absolute, a prequel to the previously-published Jack Absolute, chronicles the bawdy and eventful youth of the inexhaustible main character, a British soldier fighting in Canada during the mid-18th century.
Jack is a much-abused bastard in his uncle’s house when a series of events leaves him with a family, a name, and the promise of a wealthy estate. Sent off to boarding school in London, Jack does his best to seduce courtesans, win at cricket, fight bullies, and drink as much ale as he can. Trouble follows, and soon Jack is fighting a duel against his own cousin. His father—who recognizes Jack as a chip off the old block—intervenes, and ships him away from any nasty consequences: to Canada, where he’ll serve as a lesser officer of the 16th Light Dragoons. But Jack’s adventures are only beginning. He arrives just in time for the Battle of Quebec. During the fighting, French Indian allies try to kill him, but he survives only to become their slave. With help from an Iroquois brave, he escapes, but their timing is terrible—now they must survive a winter in the Canadian wild.
Eventually, Jack returns to civilization a changed man. He’s part British, part Iroquois, wiser, smarter, and harder—and faced with a critical decision: Which life should he lead?
C.C. Humphreys has written another raucous page-turner, rich in historical detail, full of action, freewheeling and yet utterly believable. Like Patrick O’Brian’s Jack Aubrey, Jack Absolute is a character strong enough to fascinate through many, many sequels. This reader looks forward to his continuing adventures.
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Washington: China is hiding its ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads in a vast network of tunnels, said a media report citing a study carried out by a professor and his students.
The research was carried out over three years by Georgetown University students who translated hundreds of documents, went through satellite imagery, got Chinese military documents and trawled through hundreds of gigabytes of online data, reported the Washington Post.
They were led by Phillip A. Karber, a professor.
Their effort has led to a large body of public knowledge about thousands of miles of tunnels that were dug by Chinese military's Second Artillery Corps, which protects and deploys ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads.
The 363-page study concludes that China's nuclear arsenal could be many times larger than the estimates of arms-control experts, the media report said.
"It's not quite a bombshell, but those thoughts and estimates are being checked against what people think they know based on classified information," a US Defense Department strategist was quoted as saying.
There has been criticism over the study in which students carried out internet-based research and drew from sources like Google Earth, blogs, and military journals.
They also referred to a fictionalized TV docudrama about Chinese artillery soldiers.
Nick Yarosh, 22, a student who worked on the project, said: "I don't even want to know how many hours I spent on it."
"But you ask people what they did in college, most just say I took this class, I was in this club. I can say I spent it reading Chinese nuclear strategy and Second Artillery manuals. For a nerd like me, that really means something."
The study came about after Karber volunteered in 2008 on a Pentagon agency charged with countering weapons of mass destruction.
Karber's committee noticed that following an earthquake in China's Sichuan province, Chinese news accounts reported that thousands of radiation technicians were rushing to the region.
It was followed by pictures of strangely collapsed hills and speculation that the caved-in tunnels in the area had held nuclear weapons, the Washington Post said.
Karber and his students were left stunned when in December 2009, the Chinese military admitted for the first time that the Second Artillery had indeed been building a network of tunnels. It confirmed the direction of their research.
At the end of the study, Karber observed that based on the number of tunnels the Second Artillery is digging and its increasing deployment of missiles, China's nuclear warheads could number as many as 3,000.
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Dr. Julia Roberts, executive director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU, is the recipient of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators‘ 2011 William T. Nallia Award.
She was presented with the award Oct. 14 at WKU by KASA’s Vice President Paul Mullins, principal at LaRue County High School, and President-Elect Rita Muratalla, principal at Zoneton Middle School (Bullitt County Schools).
The William T. Nallia Award honors an education leader who reflects the spirit of innovation and cutting edge leadership while bringing higher levels of success and learning to children.
The award is named in honor of William T. Nallia, a KASA executive director from 1975-1986. Under Nallia’s leadership, the organization experienced tremendous growth and has since remained at the forefront of innovation in public education in Kentucky.
Dr. Roberts, the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, is an influential figure in gifted education on a state, national and international level.
She was awarded the 2011 Acorn Award at the Annual Governor’s Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship, was named one of the 100 gifts WKU has given to the world, received the very first David W. Berlin Advocacy Award from the National Association for Gifted Children, and was named one of the 55 most influential people in the field of gifted education in Profiles of Influence in Gifted Education.
She serves as treasurer of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and president of the Council for Exceptional Children—The Association for the Gifted. She has authored numerous articles, chapters, and books, including the Legacy Award-winning Strategies for Differentiating Instruction: 4Best Practices for the Classroom co-authored with Tracy Inman in 2009.
Dr. Roberts is also responsible for opening a state-funded residential high school for students gifted in science and math, The Gatton Academy. After 10 years of advocacy work, Dr. Roberts was able to open the doors and has welcomed her fifth class this fall. The academy was recently recognized in Newsweek as one of the nation’s top five high schools.
“Dr. Roberts is a servant leader who keeps her eye on the prize. She is an extremely talented individual who has been a force in helping many students in Kentucky succeed,” Wayne Young, executive director of KASA, said.
“Julia’s passion for gifted children drives her leadership vision. She communicates this vision gently, but persistently, with all she does and with everyone she meets. The kids come first,” Lynette Baldwin, executive director of the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, said.
Representing nearly 3,000 education leaders, KASA has members in every school district in the commonwealth. KASA has been connecting education leaders to policymakers, legislators and other interest groups in addition to providing numerous benefits and services to Kentucky’s school administrators for over 40 years.
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College Admissions: Mining Identity for College Essays, Personal Statements
Langston Hughes begins his poem "Theme for English B" this way:
The instructor said:Go home and write a page tonight. And let that page come out of you- Then it will be true. I wonder if it's that simple?
When colleges instruct you to "Tell us about yourself," it may sound simple, but it is not. Sarah Myers McGinty, of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, conducted a study in 1998 to determine the importance of the college application essay and students' ability to complete it successfully-she found that while admissions officials viewed the essay as "somewhat important," students found themselves unprepared to write it. In The Chronicle of Higher Education (1/25/02), McGinty says, "I knew that students felt comfortable talking about the most significant event in the life of Jay Gatsby. But many felt ill-at-ease when asked about the most significant event in their own lives." A frequent reaction from students: "I've never done anything like this before!" Students are rarely asked to write personal narratives.
So how do you tell admissions officers about yourself in a true and convincing way? First, you need to "mine" various areas of your identity to discover what makes you an individual. We're not talking strip-mining, where you just pull up whatever's on the surface. We're talking about digging to see what's below the surface. That takes time and commitment, but in the end, you may strike gold.
Writing is discovery. You cannot write an essay without first discovering what you have to say. You are setting out to discover what has made you who you are. Keep a journal as you explore-these jottings and written wanderings are not your essay, but some will serve as the essay's building materials. Some areas of your identity to explore include:
Events in a College Essay
The events of your life-big and small, successes and failures-shape you as individual. This is an overarching area of identity, the one that encompasses most of the others in our list above. "Tell me about an event" or "describe an experience" means "tell me a story," which is what you will want to do in any personal essay. Storytelling needs to be lively and entertaining. Think about the kinds of details you provide when you tell your friends a story at the lunch table-you tell what the people in the story say; you dramatize events; you bring colors, sounds and smells to life; you transport your listener to the experience and show what it was like. You will have to conjure up these kinds of details for your essay as well, so pick an event or two and start jotting.
Which experience to pick? Looking at a few colleges' essay questions may knock some ideas loose in your head (emphases added):
- The Common Application asks you to: "Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, or risk you have taken, or an ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you."
- Penn's application says, "First experiences can be defining. Cite a first experience that you have had and explain its impact on you."
- USC instructs: "Tell us a story about yourself that will help us to know you better. Illustrate one or more themes, events, or individuals that have helped shape you. Be clear and forceful."
- Stanford suggests that the applicant "Attach a small photograph of something important to you and explain its significance."
Your experience does not have to be massively life-altering (not all of us have huge turning points in our lives), but can be one of the many little events in our lives that make us see ourselves and the world a bit differently. The time your classmates offered you a stolen test and you refused it. Seeing the ocean for the first time at age 15. Learning to drive or ski or swim. Notice, too, that all of the essay questions ask you both to tell the story of an experience and also to reflect on the significance or impact of the event.
Stanford's photograph essay question is a great exercise that can force you to focus on small details. After examining the photo, write down in your journal what you look like-what you are wearing, the details of your facial expression, hair, eyes, mouth, arms, legs. Describe who else is in the photo. What is the setting? What is happening around you? Note colors, sounds, and motions that are captured in that still moment. What is the mood and what emotions do you see in yours and others' faces? What was happening in your life, your family's life, the nation and the world at the time of the photo? You can use the same laser beam eye to explore not only this photo but also other significant experiences in your life.
Passions in a College Essay
Your passion for certain causes or issues, as well as your hobbies or interests, show who you are. How do you spend your free time? What excites you? Concerns you? Enrages you? What have you done to translate this passion into action? I know a student whose concern over the Middle East conflict led him to distribute to all of his classmates bracelets commemorating those who have died in the conflict. His essay on the topic worked because his passion led him to action, and his writing conveyed his passion. Another student explored how his childhood Lego hobby was a springboard to his building robots in national competitions. I taught a young woman whose frustration over male-female relations in her school led her to start a Gender Issues discussion group. I know people who could write fascinating essays on their obsession with beads, their rock collection, or bike riding. Perhaps you think it's less-than-admirable to say that you spend every Saturday afternoon watching classic movies, but if you can intelligently reflect on why you love old movies and what it shows about you, it could be a worthwhile topic.
People in a College Essay
Begin by listing people in your life who have nurtured your identity. In addition to your family members, you may list instructors, coaches, teachers, or neighbors. After you make a list, decide which person or people you could write about most engagingly. Some applications ask you to write about a person; some just leave the door open for you by telling you to explore a topic of choice. The Common Application, for instance, suggests that you "Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe the influence."
You might begin your exploration by reflecting on your family and how it has affected who you have become. Focus on the details of one or two members of your family-their appearance, their habits, their activities, and their interactions with you. Think of a story that encapsulates a relationship. Consider exploring your family's cultural heritage, traditions, or foods. Bring the people you depict to life-give them color, personality, a voice. Provide anecdotes about these family members or other important people in your life.
Places in a College Essay
Perhaps a place has gotten under your skin because you've spent so much time there. Perhaps you've worked on your grandfather's farm in Wisconsin each summer since you were ten. Perhaps you attend a school unlike most schools in the nation, one in an unusual setting or with an unusual philosophy. Perhaps you spent a semester on sabbatical with your parents in Zimbabwe, and once you came back, everything looked different. Place can be a character, and you can tell a vivid story about how it helped shape you.
Religion in a College Essay
For some people, religion is integral to their lives and identities. Even so, you may consider religion a "touchy" subject. You may fear that the reader won't like your religion. Don't let that stop you if you have honest stories and reflections to relate. Consider writing a personal statement that reveals your thoughts about religion through a vivid story or series of anecdotes.
You care about your essay because it will help you get in to Wonderful U. Fair enough. But you can also gain a bonus along the way-self-realization as you step across the threshold from childhood to adulthood. A sense of who you are and what made you that way as you go out into the wider world. Happy digging.
If you would like the guidance and support of experienced editors as you explore your identity and develop an application strategy, Accepted.com is here to help. We offer a range of services that can be tailored exactly to your needs. Our singular goal is to help you gain admittance to the college of your choice!
By Alison Jaenicke
Former Accepted.com Editor
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That any volunteer can run a Tor exit node, and that such a volunteer might have malicious intent, has long been known as a potential weakness of the Tor anonymity network. Fortunately the network is set up in such a way, with data being relayed between a number of different ‘nodes’ between the user and the exit node, that the potential for harm is minimized.
It has nevertheless always been generally presumed that some people run such ‘spoiled onion’ nodes, which can see all traffic entering and exiting the internet through them, with NSA style spying agencies enjoying particular suspicion.
A new paper entitled ‘Spoiled Onions: Exposing Malicious Tor Exit Relays’ broadly confirms the findings an older paper, ‘Detecting Traffic Snooping in Tor Using Decoys’ in finding that 25 of the roughly 1000 Tor exit nodes operating at any one time have been misconfigured, or are outright malicious. Interestingly, the paper finds it doubtful that most people’s prime suspect for this, the NSA, is to blame.
Of the 25 servers identified, two redirected traffic away for porn sites - it is thought these are nodes run in counties with restrictive censorship laws, one suffered from what the researchers describe as a configuration error in the OpenDNS server, and the other twenty-two ran man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks using Moxie Marlinspike's sslstrip method.
‘All the remaining relays engaged in HTTPS and/or SSH MitM attacks. Upon establishing a connection to the decoy destination, these relays exchanged the destination’s certificate with their own, self-signed version. Since these certificates were not issued by a trusted authority contained in TorBrowser’s certificate store, a user falling prey to such a MitM attack would be redirected to the about:certerror warning page.’
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the results is that the attacker on nineteen of these servers appears to be the same person (or group of people), as can be determined by the fact that almost identical forged certificates were used, that almost all the servers used a very outdated version of Tor (version 0.2.2.37), and that all but one of them was located on the same VPS network in Russia.
As for the NSA, co-writer of the report Philipp Winter observed that it would have no need for such a crude attack as running malicious nodes,
‘Organizations like the NSA have read/write access to large parts of the Internet backbone. They simply do not need to run Tor relays. We believe that the attacks we discovered are mostly done by independent individuals who want to experiment.’
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8 Park Underground
If you own a computer, sometime down the road it may need some repair but if it is really old, you may need to find an old computer disposal centre. Repairs can be anything from minor to major work that needs to be done to your PC. There are many specialists out there that work very hard to come up with new programs to keep the computers running and also providing programs that use services such as crm consultancy. If you are someone who does not know that much about computers, then computer repair issues may be something you want to hand over to the specialists who are well aware of many different issues that computers have.
If you feel that it might just be something so little as downloading newer software which will update what already exists, you can find directions online to assist you with this. It will also save you monies in the end rather than having someone do this for you when it only takes a few clicks. But if you notice that the problem may be something way out of your reach and your programs are up to date, you will definitely have to research around your area different computer repair shops available.
If you turn on your computer and it does nothing but lock up and lag, it may be something such as cleaning out the disk memory. This will remove unneeded files that are on the computer and will fix the problem in the end. Other times you may need to have extra memory added on from a computer repair store which will help out the situation as well if you are not looking to remove any files which you have saved on your computer.
When searching around for crm consultants, make sure to ask basic questions such as how long they have been in service and how much their repairs can run. They will not be able to give you a basic quote at that time but you can get an estimate on how much it may cost by explaining your situation. Some computer repair shops will also give you an evaluation for the PC for a small fee. This will then give you a better quote on how much it may cost to repair the issues your computer is having. With those answers you will be able to see if it is worth fixing or easier just to purchase a new computer and have everything transferred onto the new one. The choice will be yours but you do not want your computer running slower if you allow the damage to continue.
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Flying insects native to Bryyo, Gragnols are the juvenile form of the Gragnol Adult. They are territorial, and defend themselves with small bursts of Phazon. They are native to Bryyo, and live in Gragnol Hives. Like the War Wasps commonly found on other planets, they will emerge if they detect a potential threat to the hive, but do so at great peril to themselves, as their exoskeletons are weak and underdeveloped.
Lack of exoskeleton makes it agile but weak to most weapons.
Gragnols are vulnerable to most weapons, as they have not developed the durable exoskeleton found on adult members of the species. They often travel and attack in groups. If they sense a nearby threat to their hives, they will not hesitate to advance. Their offensive capabilities are underdeveloped, leaving the ability to fire energy pulses of Phazon energy their only form of attack.
|War Wasps||War Wasp • Ram War Wasp • War Wasp queen • Dark War Wasp|
|Barbed||Barbed War Wasp • Blue Barbed War Wasp • Red Barbed War Wasp|
|Hives||War Wasp Hive • Hive Mecha|
|Similar||Chykka • Chykling • Gragnol • Gragnol Adult • Gragnol Hive|
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American Indians and the Environment
Thesis/Project Completion Date
Kathleen A. Brown-Perez, UMass Amherst -
Concerns surrounding the environment have been growing in this country throughout the last century. Environmental damage poses a threat to everyone, but American Indians have a higher risk of health problems and cultural damage from environmental problems than the mainstream population. Using secondary sources from the University of Massachusetts Amherst's W.E.B. Du Bois Library, this paper explores how pollution, desertification, resources scarcity, and climate change affect American Indian health and cultures, and in the process differentiates between Western beliefs and traditional American Indian beliefs regarding the environment. It then compares United States environmental policy to environmental programs found on specific reservations and contemplates how effective American Indian programs would be if extended to the country as a whole.
Roach, Liana, "American Indians and the Environment" (2011). Commonwealth Honors College Theses and Projects. Paper 9.
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People debate the difference between marketing and advertising. Most people will tell you advertising is a subset of marketing, one of the activities you do to help promote your brand and sell products to customers. I think the relationship between advertising and marketing is much more subtle. Marketing is advertising. I know, I'm opening a big can of worms among marketers who try to avoid any association with advertising, but hear me out.
Advertising has gotten itself a bit of a bad reputation in recent years. When we think about the best known kinds of advertising, like TV or radio ads, magazine ads, billboards and all of the things that pop up at you on the Internet, we tend to associate advertising with some negative connotations:
Marketing, on the other hand, is generally considered to be a broader, more scientific attempt to match consumers with the products they need and love using a variety of tools. Marketers use advertising, but only when they have to, because it's expensive and intrusive.
While most of us object to interruptive ads, we tolerate them because ads generally pay for the free stuff we take for granted, like TV and radio or websites and free apps. Inbound marketers try to do an end-run around advertising by attracting people with free content that has subtle forms of advertising, such as calls to action, then asking people to opt-in for more free content that eventually becomes more brazen in its attempt to separate you from your wallet. If you think about it, though, aren't all the tactics we use as marketers really advertising?
Let's step back from the battle of words for a second and take a look at what we mean by advertising. Isn't advertising really just trying to convince people to do something? By extension, sales is just trying to convince people to buy something. So marketing is simply reaching out to people for the purposes of advertising or sales. Now think about the most common activities we do as marketers.
What's the purpose of all of these things? To convince people to do something. They are all forms of advertising. Yes, we still create ads, but we know those are advertising. So here's the interesting paradox. Instead of thinking about the difference between marketing and advertising, think that marketing is advertising. So we shouldn't be so quick to bad mouth advertising as the Devil's playground. Every blog post we write, every email we send is an attempt to attract potential buyers into our lair and "capture" them as leads. Every call to action and landing page is (hopefully) a convincing "trap" to bring in leads and turn them into customers.
I will grant you that much of the content we create for marketing is educational and helpful, at least in theory. Much of it is also humorous or otherwise entertaining. How is that any different from the eTrade baby ads or the infomercials we see on TV at 4 AM when we can't sleep? It's not. It's the same thing. It's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Those CTAs are nothing but ads, and those landing pages are digital forms of toll free numbers for a sales team.
We're Madmen, pure and simple. We may be multitaskers compared to the classic Ad Men and Women of the 1950s, but we're still up to the same tricks. What we seem to have forgotten is how to do advertising well. Our messaging is boring. We repeat the same stuff over and over again. We have forgotten how to connect with people via emotion and experience. We treat people like cattle and wonder why our email open rates are in the single digits.
Yeah, this is a sore point with me right now, and I'm on a mission to make our content more remarkable (as HubSpot would say). Not just our downloads, everything. Our clients deserve the same imagination and success convincing their prospects to do something. Because it's advertising, people, and if you're going to do it at all, you might as well do it right.
Photo credit: The-Lane-Team
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A recent guest commentary ("Liberalism not same as Christian obligation," Oct. 25) suggested a concerted effort to equate liberal social policies with the Christian mandate to care for the poor. The author contrasted Christian compassion with humanist demands for a shared life and the communist confession that we will have heaven on earth. The two claims of this commentary suggest that liberal social policies are diametrically opposed to Christian compassion and that Christian charity is much better suited to meet the needs of those who suffer from poor choices, poor luck or poor justice.
The Rev. Peter TeWinkle
Who: TeWinkle, 31, is pastor of Hope Reformed Church in Grand Rapids
Background: Former pastor of an RCA church in New York, Hawthorne Reformed Church, TeWinkle graduated from Hope College and Western Theological Seminary in Holland. He and his wife, Julie, have two sons and live in Grand Rapids
Actually, calls for income redistribution are found in God's law. Alongside prohibitions of lying and sexual immorality are commands to leave some of the harvest, tithe, release slaves with provisions , and redistribute the land every 50 years at the Jubilee. They were compulsory, not left to individual choice or charity. They ensured everyone had a decent life. God knew that his people could be hard-hearted and tight-fisted and knowing that the poor would be with them commanded, "Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." (Deut. 15:7-11).
Giving to others
Jesus proclaimed "the year of the Lord's favor;" a reference to Jubilee. He taught his disciples to pray for God's kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven." "Forgive us our debts" points us again to Sabbath year and Jubilee laws. The first converts responded to the Holy Spirit by selling their private possessions and devoting them to the common good. We have a prayer and a picture that offer similar ideas to "utopian" humanists and communists. Of course, by this time there was no written law binding believers to this behavior. They were acting compassionately, the law written on their hearts.
Today, studies say most Christians, for all of their commendable generosity, only contribute two to six percent of their income. Even after recent tax cuts, none claim that most Christians give a full percent. The average house is getting larger, debt is getting deeper and the income gap wider. The apostle Paul, indeed, hoped for a cheerful giver, but had in mind a fair balance so that one would not have too much while another has too little (2 Cor. 8:15).
The Press received several responses to Paul Rhoda's Oct. 25 commentary, "Liberalism not same as Christian obligation."
• Mark Mulder: "What's so unbiblical about spreading the wealth?"
• James K.A. Smith: "Just charity"
Some suggest we would have an extra $143 billion if every Christian tithed -- enough to meet all of the U.N. Millennium Goals and more to evangelize. Alas, God's peoples have other priorities and Christian charity remains ill-suited to replace government programs. Maybe it's not supposed to.
The Bible does not take a completely negative view of government. The Old Testament commends rulers who establish God's justice. Jesus and Paul encourage Christians to pay taxes to "God's servant." Certainly, Jesus was not a communist and God did not ordain a liberal government, but perhaps we should vote for one that is more liberating; one ensuring everyone enough to live a decent life.
Government is our human attempt to organize Christian compassion and spirit of the common good into a society with liberty and justice for all. We would all like the government to be more discerning, judicious and purposeful. That's why we volunteer our votes and voices to the cause. We dare not let the voice of Christian compassion be drowned out in the halls of the state.
Guest commentary is a forum for readers' views on issues related to religion. The essay may be 500 words. Include a phone number and mail to Guest Commentary, c/o Religion Editor, The Grand Rapids Press, 155 Michigan St. NW, Grand Rapids, 49503.
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It’s a border battle fit for the season. And with this new Michigan-Wisconsin dispute comes all the underlying tensions from a long and tenuous adjacency that include zebra mussels, Asian carp, rights to the Upper Peninsula, Packers-Lions, Badgers-Spartans, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, beach envy, Lake Michigan mineral rights, and which state really has the fattest people.
Yes, Wisconsin’s tourism department has appropriated mitten imagery for new web-based winter promotion of its mitten-shaped state. And that has made mavens of mitten-shaped Michigan — well, mightily miffed. The result is a frosty contretemps between pillars of the Upper Midwest that is only likely to get more icy.
You see, Michiganders clearly own the historical and traditional use of their right hands — with fingers straight up and together, they form a perfect mitten shape —when pointing out, usually with their left index fingers, where something is located in the state’s Lower Peninsula.[more]
There’s the Thumb area north of Detroit and east of Saginaw, of course. Near the tip of the little finger is the Traverse City tourism area and, if you look real close at that last line where the pinky bends, Michael Moore’s lakefront home. The tip of the middle finger is where the Mackinac Bridge begins. And so on.
This handy locating device has been used by the residents of Michigan since time immemorial, or at least since someone thought it up. It’s one of those things that unmistakably marks you as a native, like a profound inferiority complex about Detroit and a certain wariness of the few souls who actually live in the Upper Peninsula.
So when the founder of AwesomeMitten.com, Alex Beaton, discovered what her neighbors were up to, she cried foul. To her, Wisconsin seems opportunistic in its appropriation of a stretched-mitten image for a mere tourism promotion. She tweeted her protest with the comment “we think the only Awesome Mitten is Michigan. Apparently Wisconsin thinks its a mitten too?” and a link to the Wisconsin tourism website using their version of a state-shaped mitten motif:
After all, it’s kind of a contortion to get anyone’s hand to stretch out in the actual shape of the Badger State, though you can see how Door County is represented by the thumb, with Green Bay in the crook next to it, and Milwaukee down by the base.
And here’s the clincher: Those fickle profiteers in Wisconsin also stretched a leaf into the shape of the state, in their fall promotion, showing how much the mitten shape really means to them.
Following a storm of traditional and social media responses, Wisconsin officials seem resigned to bow out of this dispute gracefully. “The mitten was used as a single creative element,” Lisa Marshall, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, told the Kalamazoo Gazette. “You guys own the mitten. We’d much rather our travelers consider us the ‘fun’ state.”
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Chief Scientist at the Bitcoin Foundation Gavin Andresen has taken to the Foundation’s official blog this Monday to discuss the topic of floating fees for the release of Bitcoin Core 0.10.
In short, floating fees add flexibility to the amount of fees paid depending on the amount transacted and acts as a smart tool to help determine which fee amount is most appropriate in order to ensure that transactions confirm quickly. These floating fees also determine whether or not the transaction is of high enough priority to be sent free of charge and still receive confirmations in a short amount of time.
There is a new option that lets you control how quickly you’d like your transactions to confirm: txconfirmtarget. The default value is 1, meaning “I’d like my transactions to be sent with enough fee or priority so they are very likely to be included in the next block.” Set it to 6 and it will take on average six blocks for your transactions to get their first confirmation.
Andresen notes that he’s been running a bitcoind node for several weeks and recording estimates on fee amounts and blocks to confirm the transactions.
Says Andresen with reference to the chart above:
The hard-coded fee rules in Bitcoin Core correspond to the red-yellow-green lines– they are taking anywhere from 2-6 blocks to confirm. The hard-coded rules evolved over time, and are much more complicated than they should be. But, simplified, today’s Bitcoin Core wallet code will make a typical 250-something-byte transaction pay 0.0001 BTC — or around 0.0004 BTC per kilobyte.
If your transaction has a lot of inputs or outputs and is 1,000 bytes big, today’s Bitcoin Core wallet code will still have you pay 0.0001 BTC (it rounds up to the nearest 1,000 bytes) — and it might take 15 blocks (over two hours on average!) to get its first confirmation. That is bad; the new code will give much more predictable behavior.
The current situation is even worse for free, high-priority transactions: the hard-coded “high-priority” constant is much too low, so transactions sent for free can take a very long time to confirm.
The dark blue, confirm-in-the-next-block line is interesting; somebody is already paying more for their transactions to confirm quickly, either by setting the paytxfee option of Bitcoin Core or using some other wallet implementation.
According to Andresen, the possibility for small, fixed fees is just out of the question, for those who were wondering.
And on the topic of the future of transaction fees, Andresen said the following:
I expect to see transaction fees rise until a good solution for optimizing the propagation of blocks across the network is deployed, because I expect transaction volume to increase and I don’t think miners will include more transactions in their blocks until somebody fixes the “bigger blocks take longer to broadcast” problem.
Happily, fixing that problem should be just a matter of some smart engineers figuring it out and then writing code to make it happen.
Disclaimer: The information contained herein is not guaranteed, does not purport to be comprehensive and is strictly for information purposes only. It should not be regarded as investment/trading advice. All the information is believed to come from reliable sources. NewsBTC does not warrant the accuracy, correctness, or completeness of information in its analysis and therefore will not be liable for any loss incurred.
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Physicist Hattie Carwell was born on July 17, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York. Carwell grew up in a nurturing black community in Ashland, Virginia, which encouraged her interest in science. After graduating from high school in 1966, she enrolled at Bennett College for Women. Carwell earned her B.S. degree in chemistry from Bennett College in 1971. She went on to earn her M.S. degree in health physics from Rutgers University in 1971.
Throughout her career, Carwell has worked nationally and internationally for the U.S. Department of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency as a health physicist and nuclear safeguards group leader. From 1980 to 1985, she went on leave to Vienna, Austria where she served as a nuclear safeguards inspector and group leader at the International Atomic Energy Agency. In 1990, she became a program manager for high energy and nuclear programs with the DOE San Francisco Operations Office. She then became a senior facility operations engineer at the Berkeley Site Office in 1992. In 1994, Carwell was promoted to operations lead at the Berkeley Site Office, a position which she held until 2006. She became a senior physical scientist before retiring in 2008.
Carwell has written numerous research articles and two books including, Blacks in Science: Astrophysicist to Zoologist. Carwell is a Board Member of the Northern California Council of Black Professional Engineers, an organization of which she is a past President. She is treasurer for the National Council of Black Engineers and Scientists, co-founder and chair of the Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology, and Director of the Museum of African American Technology (MAAT) Science Village. MAAT Science Village archives information on the achievements of Africa American in science and engineering.
Carwell is the recipient of numerous performance awards from the Department of Energy, and is recognized as a community leader. She is a distinguished alumna of Bennett College and included in the Black College Hall of Fame. Her achievements are annotated in biographical
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Trish and Sam's children have been busy exploring the classroom environment, learning a new morning routine, and meeting new friends. The focus has been on choosing one work at a time and returning it to the shelf, working at a table or on a mat, and on reinforcing bathroom skills, especially hand washing. Rolling a mat is more difficult than it appears, but the practice is fun! Please remember to mark book bags and coats with your child's name. Thanks!
Susan and Patrick's class has had an exciting first few days of school. Many returning students are enjoying reconnecting with each other, and are also enjoying forging friendships with new classmates. All of the children are adapting to the classroom quickly and are busy at work all morning. Everyone is excited to explore all the areas of the classroom. Some of the returning students have gravitated to favorite works that they remember. The class has already had a birthday timeline, learned how to roll a mat, and is practicing sitting behind the red line and walking with quiet feet in the environment. Lessons will continue regarding classroom guidelines such as carrying a chair, carrying a tray, hand washing and individual snack.
Elementary students enjoyed the first few days of school, reconnecting with old friends, meeting new members of our community, and getting back to work! They also enjoyed their first "Stretch Friday" afternoon playing ping pong toss and rug racing. It was great to see the students cheer each other on, try again if they weren't so great at their first attempt, and to try the activities ourselves! Stretch Fridays are intended as community building and personal growth afternoons, a time where individuals have the opportunity to stretch out of their comfort zones in a supportive environment. Our next Stretch Friday will actually begin Thursday, September 20th as we head to the Outdoor Lab, continue with an overnight at CMS, followed by a Friday morning Tri-Arts show, the Burundi drummers, and lunch out!
It was great to see everyone at the Preschool Parent Meetings tonight! New families picked up a Parent Handbook, which you can find online in our Parent's section. I proudly introduced our preschool staff, Trish and Sam in the Pre-Primary, Marjory and Judy in Primary I, and Susan and Patrick in Primary II. Parents also met Ellen, who will be our office coordinator. I highlighted a few points pertinent to parents, then classroom teachers highlighted items pertinent to your main concern - your children!
A few points for parents included:
Consistent attendance is key! Please ensure your child benefits from practicing Montessori lessons by attending school regularly. If your child is sick, email the office, firstname.lastname@example.org. If your child will have planned absences, let teachers know in advance.
Help our community stay safe! Parking lot safety is a must, therefore please hold your child's hand from the parking lot to the drop off spot. When we dismiss your child, please hold your child's hand until you reach the car. As Pendleton Rd. is so busy, please refrain from children playing in the front yard of the school. When you park, please pull in on the gravel and out on the paved driveway.
Help our community stay healthy! Children who have had a fever or vomited in the last 24 hours should stay at home. Chldren who do not feel up to the day's activities, regardless of the presence of fever or vomiting, should stay at home. If your child needs to be given medication at school, please complete a Permission to Administer Medication form, found in the Parent's section of the website. Prescription medications must be in the original container.
Accidents hopefully do not happen! But, in the event that a child is injured, all of our staff are First Aid/Basic Life Support certified. Typical injuries involve washing, neosporin, and a band aid. In the event a serious injury occurs, parents are notified and appropriate measures taken.
Energize all day! If your child stays at school through the afternoon, please pack a lunch, involving your child in the process. You will find fatastic lunchbox guidelines and suggestions in our Parent Handbook, as well as quick nutritious breakfast options, all written by Susan, Primary I teacher and former nutritionist.
Money Matters! Please direct any tuition invoice questions to our accounts manager, Sam, at email@example.com
Are you parenting Montessori style? For great info on Montessori parenting, please take a look at "101 Things parents Can Do to Help Children"
Thanks to those of you who made it tonight. Pleae join us for our Ice Cream Social Mon, Aug 20th at 6:30pm!
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A new study analyzing data on more than 100,000 mammograms on close to 68,000 women showed that obese women are more likely to have their mammograms read as abnormal. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, attributed the false-positive results to the thicker volume of breast tissue when compressed in the mammogram machine, as well as the extra images needed to cover the entire breast, and the increased difficulty technicians may have reading the scans. These false-positive results lead to high costs and high anxiety for women waiting to learn whether or not they have breast cancer.
The researchers insist that it is important for obese women not to be discouraged by the high prevalence of false-positive results. These women should be aware that they may need to have additional imaging or other procedures performed to rule out the possibility of breast cancer. Researcher Joann G. Elmore, MD, MPH, of the University of Washington's School of Medicine stated that not only are obese women at a higher risk for breast cancer, but they tend to be diagnosed at a later stage of the disease than thinner women. Therefore, regular screening is essential to early detection and treatment.
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To echo what Mike said, take a look at the Ramshot and Accurate powder web sites. Western powders distributes both (which is why they look so similar) and they include bulk density and both mixed unit VMD's (same as Lee's; cc's per grain) and metric unit VMD's (cc per gram). But unlike Lee, they list a bulk density tolerance. For some powder's it is as high as ±5.6%. That means the charge you throw from a specific volume measure could be as much as 11.2% different from one lot of powder to the next. So double-checking the weight is important to knowing what you are actually shooting.
Mr. Guffey's comments remind me to suggest you can use the dippers to learn what a powder measure's arbitrary scale means. You set the measure to throw the same weight the scoop does. You then change the scale numbers by some number of units and weigh the new charge weight it throws. Divide the first weight by the second weight and multiply by the number of cc's on the scoop handle by this number to see how many cc's the powder measure changed when you adjusted it. Then divide that result by the number of graduations you changed the measure setting to learn how many cc's per graduation your powder measure changes. Inversely, divide the number of graduations you changed the setting by the cc calculation result to learn how many graduations you need to change your measure to equal one cc.
As always, your results will be more accurate if you average a number of throws rather than take just one, and if you let the measure settle for several throws before starting and after making the adjustment.
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We respectfully caution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers that this website contains images of people who have passed away.Close
Sample spread from the forthcoming 'Little Bird's Day', written by Sally Morgan and illustrated by 2017 Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award winner, Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr
Magabala Books is offering an Indigenous artist or emerging illustrator the rare and exclusive opportunity to illustrate a children’s picture book by multi award-winning author, Bruce Pascoe. Entries are now open for the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award, of which the winner will receive $10,000, a professional mentorship and the opportunity to illustrate Pascoe’s first foray into writing children’s picture books.
Established in 2017, the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award is a national biennial award that seeks to identify new talent in the art of children’s picture book illustration. Judges for the award are celebrated illustrators Bronwyn Bancroft, Ann James and Magabala Publisher, Rachel Bin Salleh.
Of his role in the award, Pascoe said he is excited to be involved and support the creative development of emerging Indigenous creators.
“I love to see new people coming into the business of writing and illustration, and it’s a thrill to see new people telling old stories,” he said.
“I’m proud that my story will create an opportunity for someone to learn about illustration and to find their voice as a visual storyteller.”
The 2019 award builds on the success of the inaugural Kestin Illustrator Award, won by Gapuwiyak artist Johnny Warrkatja Malibirr, whose winning illustrations feature in the forthcoming publication Little Bird’s Day by renowned author and illustrator Sally Morgan.
Magabala Publisher, Rachel Bin Salleh said judges for the 2017 award were overwhelmed by the quality and diversity of entries received from around Australia. “It confirmed for us that there are talented Indigenous artists out there who have the interest and potential to become illustrators with the right support,” she said. “We are excited to see what talent this second round will reveal.”
The launch of Little Bird’s Day will coincide with the announcement of the 2019 Kestin Illustrator Award winner at the NSW Children Book Council of Australia’s Professional Development Conference in Sydney on 26 March 2019.
Application details for the Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award can be found here. Applications close on 28 February 2019.
Over a 30+ year period, Magabala Books has supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytellers, authors and illustrators to publish more than 270 titles, and built an impressive resume of award-winning works, including Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu. The Kestin Indigenous Illustrator Award expands its unparalleled program of professional development opportunities for Indigenous authors and illustrators.
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The contractual statute of limitations clause are customarily settled that? As a general rule, the liability should always be capped to a reasonable amount, and you should make sure that a meaningful remedy is still available for the recovering party. CLAUSES Steptoe & Johnson LLP. This past term, the Court of Appeals handed down three significant decisions addressing the statute of limitations. Holding that the insurer must prove prejudice, the courtemphasized that the purpose of a notice provision is to protect the insurer by enabling adequateinvestigation.
Therefore, they are tantamount to unauthorized waivers of sovereign immunity. Payments or ownership of its members entitled to create and construe any contractual statute of limitations clause must be acquired it? If no dollar cap the cause the federal government claims of limitations require that? Want High Quality, Transparent, and Affordable Legal Services? It is broad in all that both limitation of obligation of the rights of contractual statute limitations of clause to read the interests of the statute is granted since the gci provision. Acknowledgment or if ever, contractual statute of liability in this distinction is the american arbitration that the deadline modified under common law of amending or limit the contract case. The law recognizes that individuals are not in a position to bargain over the terms and conditions of their carriage.
Does not apply to claims against estates of deceased persons; laches only defense. If these parties want a specific provision to survive longer than six months, they need to expressly state otherwise elsewhere in the agreement. Venue refers to the NY County where the lawsuit is filed, the court is located, and the depositions take place. Note: This article, and any other information you obtain at this website, is not offered as legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as such, nor is it a solicitation for legal services. If any of your other contracts were affected, estimate the damage to those contracts or relationships.
Removing bar of statute once fallen does not violate constitutional rights. In particular, if there is any ambiguity in the wording of such a clause, it will be construed against the party seeking to rely on it. However, no published opinion has construed these statutes to favor or prohibit limitation of liability clauses. Your online business may be held liable for unforeseeable damages and losses by your customers, suppliers, or other partners. Indebtedness or any part thereof may have become barred by any statute of limitations, or that the personal liability of Debtor may have ceased, unless such liability shall have ceased due to the payment in full of all Indebtedness secured hereunder.
One of a licenesed attorney can be tied to secure a certain events that attacks on statute of contractual limitations clause is the arbitration, it is a creditor. Without potential liability to certain third parties included within the limitation, the limitation may not be much of a limitation at all. Careful drafting of survival clauses in acquisition agreements has always been important. Fina sued CBI for negligence, breach of contract, breach of warranty, and strict products liability to recover the cost to replace the catalyst cooler. In fact, it was rebuffed almost immediately by the Third Circuit when applying Pennsylvania law. Four years from the date the contract was broken.
Assess whether it is clear enough to allow you to cancel the contract.
The trial by suggesting that expressly provide goods from silence can get an unlimited liability of contractual allocation of.
The Appellate Term, in reversing this decision, made no mention of this point. Each case because of the cisg might offer the limitations clause because each is arbitrated. Uop to come under existing laws where filed three years he or limitations of contractual statute clause must show prejudice in order of limitation rather than exclusion or else the length of. Limitation on Exclusion or Modification of Warranties.
This is a generalized term asking what amount of money will put the plaintiff in the position he or she would have been if the other party performed the contract. This decision also highlights issues that can arise for consultants when entering into an agreement for a project with multiple owners. Build a custom email digest by following topics, people, and firms published on JD Supra. These statutes give assurance to parties that when a dispute is arbitrated in New York or Georgia, and the procedural law of one of those states applies, any claim that would be barred in court would also be barred in arbitration. On appeal, the court reviewed two arguments. The trial court found that the limitation intended to reduce the award was not prominent enough, declaring it unenforceable.
These statutes are founded on a public policy objective to ensure that both parties to the contract remain vigilant in the protection of construction workers and the general public.
Nothing in this section prohibits a person from entering into a contractual. Motion to preserve the contractual repose apply to such waivers should be inapplicable, if the limitations of contractual statute language. You sign the subject shortened limitations of contractual statute limitations clause from shortened statute. Statute language that contractual limitations to run until the offense as a dedicated commercial contracts in installments due under special defense. Agreement was delivery of mortgage loans that complied with the representations and warranties on the closing date and that the cure or repurchase protocol was merely the remedy for a breach of the representations and warranties.
Under the agreement's limitation of liability clause the developer was.
Exclusions by implication will not be effective and so should be made explicit. Case law pertains to the clauses that show the effect is not clear, underlying the need to consider an appropriate limitation period when drafting or negotiating an agreement. Each state legislature wrote dozens of statutes of limitation. The Google Store example, on the other hand, was not in bold or highlighted but was very clear and written in simple language. How Long Does a Civil Lawsuit Take in Minnesota?
Why not be next?
If a business agrees to one to two contracts with very high or unlimited liability, that means additional risk, but only with regard to a couple relationships. Here are some visual examples of what a limitation of liability clause looks like. Each item of a series of charges for services may be separate debt for purposes of statute. However, this decision was decided without the benefit of Nevada law having yet been established on that question. Almost three years after the loss, the insured brought suitto recover for property damage sustained during a fire. Statutes of limitations for debt are often misunderstood. The top two reasons are to provide legal protection from potential liability and other claims and to limit the amount of money you are liable to pay in the event of damages. Courts have also voided a shortened statute of limitations provision after expressing concern with the lack of economic bargaining power on behalf of the franchisee. The opposite is true for collection agents. The following two tabs change content below. Apparently the Court overlooked this distinction, concluding the clause met the clear and unequivocal test applied to the construction of indemnity agreements in Florida. However, we will only use these cookies with your consent and these cookies are switched off until you opt to turn them on.
Start with one bureau.
These damages include, but are not limited to, loss of use, loss of business opportunity, loss of product or output, loss of profit or revenue, cost of capital, and claims of others not a party to the Contract. We decline to extend such power to the creditor. The limitation period would be still enforced by a judge, even in cases where it may shorten the period to less than a year.
In a commercial real estate transaction, both parties typically are sophisticated. The Leone court left open the issue of whether, if the limitation period had been tolled, anevent had occurred which might have caused the suit limitation Oeriod to begin to run again. Impeachment is the process letting Congress bring charges vs. In other words, even if the expiration of the applicable statute of limitations cannot be extended, can its commencement be contractually delayed? However, the Illinois Constitution has been construed by our Supreme Court to mean the right of trial by jury as it existed at common law and as enjoyed at the adoption of the constitution.
Contractual risk management or statute of an iowa corporation, that analysis was terminated some statutory period will not favored and settlement of duty of. Note is where process served after institution of contractual statute of agreement to use separate from shortened limitations on liability. TION WHICH IS THE RESULT OF A NEGLIGENT INVESTIGATION, CANTOLL THE SUIT LIMITATION CLAUSE. The common carriers are checking your agreement and of statute. As a result, limitation clauses in contracts negotiated between two sophisticated commercial entities are unlikely to be challenged by the courts and the parties will be free to negotiate any period less than the statutory limitation period. Bottom line, open a new account somewhere else. Some states have established minimum contractual limitations periods below which parties may not enforceably agree.
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Places to Go
Creating memories with children means taking them to places where you can have fun and create memories together. In the diapers and naps stage, outings are necessarily short, but when children reach the preschool years, the possibilities become endless. Consider the following guidelines before you head out and you can eliminate many of the problems that can get in the way of the good times you want to have together:
- You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy your time together. There are many free and low-cost options available that young children will enjoy. In the listings below,
$ denotes free or low cost
$$ denotes moderate cost
$$$ means that you may need to budget for this activity in advance
- Preplanning is essential for any outing, even the shortest, so you can conveniently meet needs for toileting, eating, thirst, and weather conditions. Carry water and snacks wherever you go and find out where restrooms are ahead of time or as soon as you arrive at your destination.
- Remember that being in a new environment is highly stimulating, and young children are apt to tune you out as their eyes bounce from one new thing to the next. Be extra vigilant for their safety in crowds, while crossing streets and parking lots, and when looking at machinery or exhibits.
If this is an activity that you enjoy, so will your children. Be sure to include them in the campsite chores and end the day with the fun of singing around a campfire drinking steamy cocoa. If you are new to camping but would like to give it a try, contact local outdoors organizations like the Sierra Club for a safe and well-planned experience.
The only cost associated here might be stopping for a treat along the way. Check out local parks and find those with the most up-to-date equipment, as safety standards have been upgraded over the past 10 years in many states. Fast-food playgrounds are appealing to children, but if you go there, high-fat foods will become a strong temptation.
Rare is the child who will not jump at the chance to go on a picnic. Picnics mean eating with the fingers while taking in the outdoors. On the spur of the moment, try the back lawn, a local park, or pull off on a country road. Children can also help to plan the menu and pack the food, which will make it taste even better to them.
Community Events: $
Check your local newspaper for listings of special events in your community. Many of them are designed specifically for families and are free or low cost. Seasonal, multicultural, and holiday events can be found in every town, and if you mark your calendar, you will have a reminder to repeat the fun next year.
Park-District Classes and Events: $
Local park districts offer a variety of low-cost classes for children, particularly during holiday and summer vacations. Your child might learn to dance, bake treats, or create an artistic masterpiece. End with a picnic and you'll have a lovely day together.
If you have a local transit system, head off on a bus or ferry for a new adventure and a different view of your city. Check times and have the correct change available to minimize delays.
Nature Walks: $
An outing that never fails is a walk around the neighborhood, and if you make it a point, you can find something new every time. Walking together also gives you a chance to talk and share feelings and ideas and to collect interesting pieces of this and that along the way. It is also a way to model and build healthy exercise habits.
Not many children get to see where their food comes from, so a trip to a farm where you can pick produce will be interesting and exciting. Prices are generally reduced at picking farms, and you can go home and bake a treat afterward to share.
Art Galleries: $
In limited doses, many children enjoy viewing and talking about art. Some art museums even have sections designed just for children. Stick to a room or two and intersperse it with a juice break at the museum cafe. When your child begins to whine or fidget, it's time to leave.
Farmer's Markets: $
Open-air markets of fresh produce are enjoying renewed popularity across the country, and much of the produce is organic and pesticide free. Entertainment and music are often included, and you can take home something healthy to make for a snack or meal.
Local factories make fascinating destinations, and if the product is candy or ice cream, it can be like a fairy tale. Newspapers also make a good choice, as the papers spill off the presses at top speed.
Always a special outing, this one can rise in cost when goodies are included, and you may want to call ahead to check prices. Matinees offer substantial savings if your schedule permits, but snack prices are not usually reduced. Special caution should be exercised when selecting a film, being careful not to cave in to pressure from your child to see an inappropriate film that the media is pushing through targeted advertising.
Amusement Parks: $$
For children ages 5 through 8, a trip to an amusement park can be the highlight of a summer vacation. Be prepared for lots of walking, and carry water if it is a hot day. Children usually know their own limits, and some are more daredevil than others. Follow their pace and the day will go well.
Vacation Travel: $$$
Family trips require planning and budgeting, with lifelong memories as the reward. Automobile associations and travel agencies can offer you good advice on destinations and what you should take along. Preparation is half the fun, so take time to read together about what you will see and where you will go. It is wise to determine the amount of souvenir money available for the whole trip before you leave and to use this as a chance to experience budgeting and decision making.
Copyright © 2004 by Susan Kettmann. Excerpted from The 2,000 Best Games & Activities with permission of its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.
To order this book visit Amazon.com.
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Your guide to English learning resources and online courses online English teaching resources, lessons and worksheets on topics such as essay writing.
English Grammar & Essay Writing University of California, Berkeley Starts: February 18, Learn how to avoid common grammatical errors.
Learn how to interpret questions and how to plan, structure and write your assignment or report. This free course, Essay and report writing skills, is designed to.
Subjects english essay free - course
English Writing Skills Course. Learn critical language and communication skills while completing challenging writing projects in a supportive environment. The second stage is the argument made in this book: that it is crucial to focus on "the diversity of material worlds" without reducing these material worlds to symbols for "real" social processes nor cloistering them in sub-studies of like objects.... How to Succeed at: Interviews. However, there is a certain push to do certain experiments on humans, such as clinical trials for new medications or surgical procedures and social experiments on humans. Apophatical Metaphysics of a Subject. How to write a good essay English is the Most Important School Subject for Students to Learn. It has been asked by students, teachers and parents sometimes. Truly an educational experience. This course will provide you with a brief introduction to academic writing, enabling you to gain an awareness and understanding of some key features of this kind of writing. The second is the subjectivization of the universal experience and knowledge into unique and singular forms of the self and self-consciousness.
Shown: Subjects english essay free
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Being able to write effective, persuasive, and lucid essays is a vital skill that we all need, irrespective of the subject we study. If you follow this course closely, we think you'll be able to make the same kind improvements that Xiao has. Even though it is clear that Jake has racist views, the hatred he has for his former friend Chon Chon is strictly based on the jealousy he feels towards Chon for the weekend he spent with Subjects english essay free. No one is born with good writing skills. Some would think the unions influence has created a power struggle between management and union leaders. An interest in examining how people differ in their thinking, feeling and behaviour has developed over time. After completing this course you will learn about different writing styles and the importance of the audience.
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE EASY THESIS
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Now I look to these amazing sites with a deeper understanding of their history. Learn more about this free, self-paced course from UC Berkeley and enroll today. On first read, it appears that the poet is addressing an injured soldier who has returned from the trenches, asking this man whether or not it is important that he is missing limbs and sight, instead highlighting the virtues of the world and offering these as a remedy for his pains. Europe: A Continent in Crisis. It might be a good idea when referring to a particular painting to state it's Degree of Subject Matter Johnson. It is wonderful to see top universities of the World are providing online courses.
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Nano-scientists have innovated a new pH sensor 500 times thinner than a human hair, in a state-of-the-art cleanroom facility using ruthenium oxide nano-film.
According to ECU, the new device replaces the traditional glass electrode that has been in use since the 1930s.
ECU Electron Science Research Institute Director Kamal Alameh says the approach involved integrating the ruthenium oxide sensor with a transmitter.
The entire device is so small it fits into a capsule around 1cm in length and 0.5cm in diameter.
Inside the capsule, the sensor reads voltage, which then translates as a pH level or acidity reading of whatever substance is being tested.
"The sensor is comprised of two electrodes made from very sensitive and accurate material," Professor Alameh says.
"The sensor and the transmitter's electronic coil receive external magnetic energy which converts to power.
"Then the circuit board electronics convert the received data from the sensor into digital data to send it through the transmitter."
Prof Alameh says the ruthenium oxide sensor is incredibly small, and the transmitter takes up the majority of the capsule's space.
"Normally people who work with ruthenium oxide use a different technology, but we use RF, a radio frequency magnetron sputtering system, in our clean room here at ECU," he says.
"You acquire a common 'disc', and then you apply the RF source into it using argon gas, which then allows a high vacuum in which we can release just one molecule at a time to make a very thin structure.
"So it is built molecule by molecule. You can see the area of the disc while you are working but you cannot see the thickness of course."
Prof Alameh says the new pH sensor can be used in a wide array of practical applications, from agriculture, environmental science, water treatment, and "anywhere that pH is an important parameter".
As the device fits into a capsule, it can be applied in medicinal settings because patients can swallow the device.
One of the most exciting pathways is its application in the oil and gas industry.
The scientists are in engaged in talks with parties from oil and gas who are interested in applying the sensor to monitor the pH levels in pipelines.
PhD student Mr Ali Sardarinejad also worked on the paper, "High-sensitivity pH sensor employing a sub-micron ruthenium oxide thin-film," which has been published in the journal of Sensors and Actuators A.
Explore further: New sensor passes litmus test
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(Sunday sermons, talks, and teaching)
James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27
‘Pure, unspoilt religion… is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows… and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.’ (James 1:27)
A few weeks ago a fellow priest was filmed on a programme about pilgrimage while making the following statement; ‘I am not religious’. This was a last-ditch attempt to spark a meaningful conversation about faith with another pilgrim, but the contentious nature of that phrase remained the same – a priest of the established Church of this land said, ‘I am not religious’. The whole incident was rather telling; not so much about the priest speaking, but rather about how society views people who might describe themselves as religious. Being religious can be misunderstood as a bad thing; as an alternative description for either being blinkered, or outright killjoys with fundamentalist tendencies. And if that be the case – most definitely – who would want to be labelled as “religious”?
This morning we begin to explore the Letter of James. In writing this letter the Apostle James had in mind a Christian community formed by both long-standing, paid-up, members who needed a little refreshing course, as well as by people who stood on the fringes – sort of half-way in and half-way out of the Church – those who couldn’t quite commit themselves to be “religious” in the Christian sense. Sound familiar? James’ Church is our own Church too, in many respects. Every church community will have both those who attend Sunday services religiously (that word again!) and then forget about God for the other 167 hours of the week, as well as those who would put themselves down as Christians on a census form, but who would come to Mass once or twice a year tops – and, of course, everyone in between. Common to both of these groups is their unwillingness to let the Christian faith actually shape the way in which they live. And to both of these groups James writes a simple set of instructions, a basic guide on how to be a Christian and on what it means to be religious in the way God intended for us to be.
The passage we encounter this morning starts from the very beginning saying that it is not good enough for Christians to listen to God’s word and then do nothing about it. James affirms that if this is our attitude towards Christianity and the Church, this just won’t do; in fact, he says, we are deceiving ourselves (Cf. James 1:22). This type of faith will not save us. Instead, he says, as believers we have to do something, we have to be “religious people” – that is, not narrow-minded individuals, but those who act according to God’s instructions and God’s example. But what are these instructions? We find a clear one at verse 27; ‘coming to the help of orphans and widows’.
As James puts it, God chose each one of us to be his own beloved child in the Lord Jesus. God made us his children in the waters of Baptism. Consequently, as his children, we are called then to do the same works of God our Father does. In the Scriptures God is described as the defender of those who do not have anyone to plead their causes – represented by orphans, widows, foreigners, and people on the margins (Cf. Psalm 85:5). Then, if God our Father does these things, we are to do the same, just as children learn core behaviours by imitating what their parents do. Christian social action becomes part of the way we worship of God; and the way we treat the least in our society becomes the measure of whether we are “religious” or not.
The second instruction we find is to remain ‘uncontaminated by the world.’ As James puts it, our social environment and the wider community we live in are instrumental in forming our characters – and quite often not in a good way. Because of the bad things we experience and the evil that we may endure, over the years, we could change, becoming more cynical and selfish, less disposed to do good, and increasingly blind to the needs of others. But this, James says, should not happen among Christians. God our Father is not influenced or contaminated by the world, nothing can sway him from his generosity and his purpose of doing good… we read, ‘with [God] there is no such thing as alteration, no shadow of a change’ (James 1:17). Therefore we – his children – must make sure that nothing in this world could poison our hearts with bitterness and cynicism.
‘Pure, unspoilt religion… is this: coming to the help of orphans and widows… and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.’
Being religious is not a call to be fundamentalists or to be narrow-minded people. In the Christian sense, being religious is a balancing act between worship in church and doing good in the world. It is a loving response to God for choosing us to be his children; the way in which we imitate our heavenly Father, and the way in which we grow into the likeness of God.
All this is summed up in one verse from Jesus in Matthew’s gospel; ‘Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect’ (Matt 5:48).
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Researchers at security firm Proofpoint traced a recent flurry of 750,000 spam emails back to a botnet of connected home appliances. An estimated 100,000 smart devices were hacked and used to send emails between December 23 and January 6. It is believed to be the first large-scale attack using such WiFi-powered home devices.
Since few of us own smart appliances yet, news of a wide scale hack is not cause for alarm. It should, however, serve as an early warning. As our more devices in our home get connected to the Internet, they will eventually need protection against malware.
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to help keep your smart appliances from going rogue. Always use strong passwords (and never the defaults!) when setting up your connected home devices. Make sure your home wireless network and router are secured. And, always walk through the full setup of any device you’re connecting to the Internet. After all, no one thought someone would wind up hacking baby monitors until baby monitors got hacked. Stay safe out there!
[Family watching TV at home via Shutterstock]
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Experiments in animals have confirmed what common sense suggests: it's easier to prevent health problems than to reverse them. Still, many health conditions can be improved, and in some cases reversed, through lifestyle interventions. It's important to have realistic expectations and to be kind to oneself. Cultivating a drill sergeant mentality will not improve quality of life, and isn't likely to be sustainable.
Fat Loss: a New Approach
If there's one thing that's consistent in the medical literature, it's that telling people to eat fewer calories isn't a very effective fat loss strategy, despite the fact that it works if strictly adhered to. Many people who use this strategy see transient fat loss, followed by fat regain and a feeling of defeat. There's a simple reason for it: the body doesn't want to lose weight. It can be difficult to fight the fat mass setpoint, and the body will use every tool it has to maintain its preferred level of fat: hunger, increased interest in food, reduced body temperature, higher muscle efficiency (i.e., less energy is expended for the same movement), lethargy, lowered immune function, et cetera.
Therefore, what we need for sustainable fat loss is not starvation; we need a treatment that lowers the fat mass setpoint. There are several criteria that this treatment will have to meet to qualify:
- It must cause fat loss
- It must not involve deliberate calorie restriction
- It must maintain fat loss over a long period of time
- It must not be harmful to overall health
Strategies: Diet Pattern
One treatment that fits my criteria is low-carbohydrate dieting. Overweight people eating low-carbohydrate diets generally lose some fat and spontaneously reduce their calorie intake. In fact, in several diet studies, investigators compared an all-you-can-eat low-carbohydrate diet with a calorie-restricted low-fat diet. The low-carbohydrate dieters generally reduced their calorie intake and body fat to a similar or greater degree than the low-fat dieters, despite the fact that they ate all the calories they wanted (1). This may suggest that their fat mass setpoint had changed. At this point, I think moderate carbohydrate restriction may be preferable to strict carbohydrate restriction for some people, due to the increasing number of reports I've read of people doing poorly in the long run on extremely low-carbohydrate diets. Furthermore, controlled trials of low-carb diets show that the long-term weight loss, despite being greater than low-fat diets, is not that impressive for the "average person". Some people find it highly effective, while most people find it moderately effective or even ineffective.
Another strategy that appears preferable is the "paleolithic" diet. In Dr. Staffan Lindeberg's 2007 diet study, overweight volunteers with heart disease lost fat and reduced their calorie intake to a remarkable degree while eating a diet consistent with our hunter-gatherer heritage (3). This result is consistent with another diet trial of the paleolithic diet in diabetics (4). In post hoc analysis, Dr. Lindeberg's group showed that the reduction in weight was apparently independent of changes in carbohydrate intake*. This suggests that the paleolithic diet has health benefits that are independent of carbohydrate intake.
Strategies: Gastrointestinal Health
Since the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is so intimately involved in body fat metabolism and overall health (see the former post), the next strategy is to improve GI health. There are a number of ways to do this, but they all center around four things:
- Don't eat food that encourages the growth of harmful bacteria
- Eat food that encourages the growth of good bacteria
- Don't eat food that impairs gut barrier function
- Eat food that promotes gut barrier health
The colon is packed with symbiotic bacteria, and is the site of most intestinal fermentation. The small intestine contains fewer bacteria, but gut barrier function there is critical as well. The small intestine is where the GI doctor will take a biopsy to look for celiac disease. Celiac disease is a degeneration of the small intestinal lining due to an autoimmune reaction caused by gluten (in wheat, barley and rye). This brings us to one of the most important elements of maintaining gut barrier health: avoiding food sensitivities. Gluten and casein (in dairy protein) are the two most common offenders. Gluten sensitivity is more common than most people realize; just under 1% of young adults and the prevalence increases with age.
Eating raw fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt and half-sour pickles also helps maintain the integrity of the upper GI tract. I doubt these have any effect on the colon, given the huge number of bacteria already present.
Anecdotally, many people have had success using intermittent fasting (IF) for fat loss. There's some evidence in the scientific literature that IF and related approaches may be helpful (14). There are different approaches to IF, but a common and effective method is to do two complete 24-hour fasts per week. It's important to note that IF isn't about restricting calories, it's about resetting the fat mass setpoint. After a fast, allow yourself to eat quality food until you're no longer hungry.
Insufficient sleep has been strongly and repeatedly linked to obesity. Whether it's a cause or consequence of obesity I can't say for sure, but in any case it's important for health to sleep until you feel rested. If your sleep quality is poor due to psychological stress, meditating before bedtime may help. I find that meditation has a remarkable effect on my sleep quality. Due to the poor development of oral and nasal structures in industrial nations, many people do not breathe effectively and may suffer from conditions such as sleep apnea that reduce sleep quality. Overweight also contributes to these problems.
* Since reducing carbohydrate intake wasn't part of the intervention, this result is observational.
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Education is a lifelong process that starts at birth and continues until the last breath. Some consider it as a synonym of informal learning which is everlasting whereas others use it to define formal learning at a young age. It is actually the aptitude to think, process and execute your thoughts to the best of your abilities. Education is an important tool that has the knack to change your life as well as destiny by opening new doors on the horizon.
If you want to know what the actual importance of education in life is, then remember it helps a person to build his opinion about things so that he is no longer dependent upon others.
Education is a process of gaining skills, habits, beliefs, and knowledge that is imperative to our existence. It develops our personality and gives an all-important direction to life. Education offers a viable chance for a person to boost both personal and professional life.
It serves as a platform that helps individuals to beat several barriers in life so that they can move forward towards a life of growth and prosperity. The best thing about education, knowledge, and learning is that it can be imparted at any age to any person. The only thing required is the willingness to learn.
Remember it is education and the innate capacity to learn knowledge that distinguishes us from other living creatures and gives us such an important stature in the solar system. It means studying not only from books and other study materials but gaining practical knowledge from small and bigger things that continuously surround and affect us and implementing the knowledge that we have gained to make new inroads.
The true purpose of education is in making people responsible, appreciating life, teaching good values, gaining tolerance towards issues and of course developing intellect that will create a better society for living.
What is the Importance of Education?
1. Better communication
The concept of education is more often than not equated with obtaining a particular knowledge or qualification. Reading, understanding and implementing are part of an education process that gives us the courage to defy norms and set on the path we wish. It enlightens our minds and helps to conceive ideas and thoughts.
Once you gain knowledge it becomes simpler and easier to communicate your thoughts through viable words that have meaning and clarity. The speech becomes more refined as the individual has new words at his disposal. Both listening and talking take on new dimensions that help a person in his individual growth because he can now understand others clearly as well as make them understand his though-process precisely.
Education helps in better communication between individuals. The expanded knowledge via education and learning helps the educated person in having an intelligent conversation that is equally important in both the personal and professional worlds. Good Communication also helps students and people feel good.
2. It Empowers mind
Education starts at the very beginning when children are at an impressionable age. The learning process helps them to understand things and situations better with time and act on them without the fear of failure. It builds personality and helps in better functioning. Education helps to think intensively as well as extensively so as to build character, abilities, aptitude, and intelligence.
Education helps to empower minds. It also aids to entertain the idea of thought without accepting or believing in it. It is the mark of an educated man that gives him the courage to express individual views in a clear and precise manner.
Education is like a source of power that helps the mind to learn, understand and use knowledge so that everyone can compete in an even field. It is the key that can unlock doors of doubt and uncertainties and replace an empty mind with thoughts that can nudge individuals from darkness towards light.
3. Professional opportunities
Formal education offers the chance to read, write and gain knowledge. A person comes across valuable information that helps him to charter his own course in this world. Education is considered as a weapon that can prove very effective in the right hands.
If a person is currently facing poverty then it can open the door of prosperity. It enables a person to gain the right technique, information, skills, and knowledge that can help him to expand his vision and explore his abilities. Education helps to attain netter professional opportunities. Higher education paves the way for a high-paying job that can enhance living conditions.
He is able to utilize the opportunities that come at his door, differentiate between worthy and worthless and make decisions accordingly. An educated person can avail himself of numerous facilities like training or additional degree so that he can improve his chances at regular intervals and overcome any obstacles that come in his way.
It is a fact of life that an educated person has a greater advantage in being hired for a successful and desired job than a person who is not as educated or qualified as him.
Education facilitates quality learning and a high level of awareness. It boosts a person’s economic and social status throughout his life if he continues to apply the gained knowledge for improving his chances. Improved understanding and education make life fulfilling and peaceful because it transforms a person completely from outside and inside.
The mind, personality and confidence levels all reach a new high and prove constructive in nature. Education helps a person to get a better perspective on life as there is a good chance of personal and career growth. Education enables an individual to see the world with new and better eyes because it offers a fresh sight to see the world around us.
It enhances our senses and gives us a better perspective so that we can see deep inside the matter and separate the good from the bad and the right from the wrong.
Technology and science have made a tremendous amount of advancements in recent years. Its feat and recognition have been recognized as incredible in almost all industries. Education is a medium of acquiring the knowledge that can help a person in better use of technology. It is not possible to impart or convert knowledge especially technological knowledge without the help of education.
Education helps in better use of technology. Remember it is education that makes a person capable of learning, understanding and interpreting things in a correct manner. It also offers technical skills that make it easy for a person to handle modern machinery and its technological aspects.
Technology is a completely different ball game and a bit difficult to understand and implement hence you need a good and proper formal education to reach desired outcomes. Moreover, education also boosts innovation and development of technology and helps in its successful spread from one sector to another.
6. Development of society
Education helps to bring forth a constructive change in the mindset and behavior of human beings. It encourages him to broaden his reasoning powers so that he can look at the viewpoint of others and make natural changes in his own thoughts and considerations. Education is considered as a pathway that leads to the overall development of society.
When people become educated they can differentiate between right and wrong and their positive frame of mind has a direct impact on society as a whole. Education opens the mind to various scenarios so that studying and participating in discussions become easier. It develops interconnected abilities that help in the growth of physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth.
Conclusion on why Education is Important
Education and knowledge work as an internal compass that acts as a guiding force throughout our life. It is a gradual process that brings good changes in an individual’s life and behavior. It helps people to solve issues through peaceful discussions and debates.
This helps in the development of society as a whole because at the end of the day it is the individuals that make up a society and the societies that make up a nation. Education helps to eliminate barriers that are formed on the basis of gender, race, religion, social stature and economic status.
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Permanent URL to this publication: http://dx.doi.org/10.5167/uzh-34304
Barrett, T E; Savva, R; Panayotou, G; Barlow, T; Brown, T; Jiricny, J; Pearl, L H (1998). Crystal structure of a G:T/U mismatch-specific DNA glycosylase: mismatch recognition by complementary-strand interactions. Cell, 92(1):117-129.
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G:U mismatches resulting from deamination of cytosine are the most common promutagenic lesions occurring in DNA. Uracil is removed in a base-excision repair pathway by uracil DNA-glycosylase (UDG), which excises uracil from both single- and double-stranded DNA. Recently, a biochemically distinct family of DNA repair enzymes has been identified, which excises both uracil and thymine, but only from mispairs with guanine. Crystal structures of the mismatch-specific uracil DNA-glycosylase (MUG) from E. coli, and of a DNA complex, reveal a remarkable structural and functional homology to UDGs despite low sequence identity. Details of the MUG structure explain its thymine DNA-glycosylase activity and the specificity for G:U/T mispairs, which derives from direct recognition of guanine on the complementary strand.
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|Communities & Collections:||04 Faculty of Medicine > Institute of Molecular Cancer Research
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|Dewey Decimal Classification:||570 Life sciences; biology|
|Deposited On:||09 Jul 2010 12:54|
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In the days since Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the Philippines, leaving untold damage and casualties, international aid groups are readying to help the estimated 11 million people affected by the powerful storm.
The Metro New York North Red Cross chapter, based at 99 Indian Field Road in Greenwich, while still busy aiding those locally from Superstorm Sandy-related effects, has been helping run emergency call centers to assist aid deployment to the Philippines.
It is also looking to the Philippine Red Cross, one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the southeast Asian island country, for guidance.
"It's a challenge to figure out exactly what the needs are," said Mary Young, CEO of the local Red Cross chapter. "The Philippine Red Cross is actually quite an extensive (organization) themselves and they've done a lot of search and rescue preparations for these kind of conditions. We rely on them to tell us how they need assistance."
That international collaboration is key to Red Cross response efforts, Young said.
"Right now the global Red Cross network is responding by getting food, water and relief supplies inside affected areas as quickly as possible," she said.
At the Greater New York Red Cross headquarters in Manhattan, regional organizations have been coalescing to run an emergency call center and organize aid efforts. Thus far, the Red Cross is focusing on helping people with families in the Philippines trace their loved ones amid the storm's aftermath.
"We're restoring family links. We have specialists in Washington, D.C., that are working with the Red Cross in the Philippines and they're engaging with the communities," Young said
So far, the organization has helped track down one Greenwich resident's family in the Philippines. What's especially difficult, however, is getting the word out.
The Red Cross is looking to its local partners to help reach Filipinos in Greenwich and other local municipalities, including Greenwich-based FALConn, a nonprofit sports association for Filipino-Americans in the tri-state area. FALConn and the Red Cross have been partners since long before Haiyan.
"We're trying to get the word out in the Filipino community, in Greenwich and elsewhere, whatever place," Young said. "Rockland County also has a large Filipino population, so in places like that we're reaching out to elected officials, because they're often the first resource people go to when they're looking for help."
While the Red Cross has only sent a handful of volunteers to the Philippines and doesn't plan to have a large-scale ground operation there, they're looking for all the help they can get here.
"Right now, the best thing we can do to help the quickest way possible is through the donation side," Young said. "For people who want to help, the biggest thing you can do right now is a monetary donation."
Certain skills are in high-demand among volunteers.
"We're especially interested in Spanish or Filipino-speaking volunteers," Young said. "We can use all the volunteers we get."
Anyone interested in aiding in the Red Cross relief efforts are encouraged to visit the MNYN Red Cross website or call 877-REDCROSS.
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Godfrey Hodgson: Feathers ruffled by book claiming to debunk 'myths' of first Thanksgiving
The provocative claim that there was no turkey in the Pilgrims' first harvest feast in 1621 comes from a newly published history of Thanksgiving by British journalist and historian Godfrey Hodgson.
But devotees of holiday authenticity need not kiss the gobbler goodbye. Hodgson's claim is more tosh than truth, according to scholars and Pilgrim experts.
"There were turkeys there," declared the president of the Organization of American Historians, Richard White, who is the Margaret Byrne Professor of American History at Stanford University.
"Do whatever you can do to lay this scurrilous rumor aside," pleaded Kathleen Curtin, food historian at the Plimoth Plantation living-history museum in Plymouth, Mass., recoiling from a gaggle of inquiries prompted by the book.
"We had a film crew from 'CBS Sunday Morning' -- they had it on 'good authority' that there were no turkeys," she said. "It's so frustrating."
The "authority" is Hodgson's book, "A Great and Godly Adventure: The Pilgrims and the Myth of the First Thanksgiving." His account -- featured Nov. 12 in The Chronicle's Sunday Book Review -- tackles several alleged myths about the Pilgrims.
"There were, however, no turkeys at Plymouth," he writes, describing this revelation as the "most shocking of all, given the central part played by turkey in the modern mystique of the holiday."
The publisher, PublicAffairs Books of New York, touts the purported revelation as a key selling point. The book's Web page description begins with the absence of turkey, and the book's dust jacket declares, "There was, for a start, no turkey."
One shocked reader, were he alive, might be William Bradford, the famous governor of Plymouth Colony whose account -- "Bradford's History 'Of Plimoth Plantation' " -- includes what the Pilgrims gathered in their first harvest in 1621: "And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many."
Another new book on the Pilgrims, the best-selling "Mayflower" by Nathaniel Philbrick, devotes a chapter to Thanksgiving that accepts Bradford's account of the "great store of wild Turkies" among the food that was gathered. ...
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Jeremy Dupertuis Bangs - 11/24/2006
Be kind to Mr. Hodgson. As the rest of his article indicates, he relied on the work of the late Professor James Deetz, whose book claiming the Pilgrims did not have turkey at their 1621 festivities received widespread praise from reviewers. The claim was nonsense, but how was a poor journalist to know? Perhaps he should have read "1621, A Historian Looks Anew at Thanksgiving," - my review of the National Geographic (with Plimoth Plantation) book, "1621, A New Look at Thanksgiving." That popularizing book ignores turkeys and repeats much of Deetz's assumptions. The review is online at:
Charles Lee Jackson - 11/24/2006
Further information on this Hodgson at
- NYT interviews Rick Perlstein about his book
- OAH issues a statement in support of the AP standards
- Daniel Pipes says in interview that the absence of anti-Israel protests in Muslim countries is highly significant
- A historian who studies China has discovered an overlooked angle in the debate about the Middle East. Could he have figured out a key reason for Iraq’s failure to defeat ISIS?
- American Historical Association backs revision of the AP course in history
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High-Throughput Technologies for Video Signal Processor (VSP) LSIs
IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Electronics
Publication Date: 1996/04/25
Print ISSN: 0916-8516
Type of Manuscript: INVITED PAPER (Special Issue on Ultra-High-Speed LSIs)
video codec LSIs, video signal processor, VSP, DSP, video data encoding, decoding, H.261, MPEG2, power dissipation, throughtput,
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Discussed here is progress achieved in the development of video codec LSIs.First, the amount of computation for various standards, and signal handling capability (throughput) and power dissipation for video codec LSIs are described. Then, general technologies for improving throughtput are briefly summarized. The paper also reviews three approaches (i.e., video signal processor, building block and monolithic codes) for implementing video codes standards. The second half of the paper discusses various high-throughput technologies developed for programmable Video Signal Processor (VSP) LSIs. A number of VSP LSIs are introduced, including the world's first programmable VSP, developed in February 1987 and a monolithic codec ship, built in February 1993 that is sufficient in itself for the construction of a video encoder for encoding full-CIF data at 30 frames per second. Technologies for reduction of power dissipation while keeping maintaining throughput are also discussed.
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“The Testimony of Francisco de Chicora” published in Petyr Martyr’s De Orbe Novo in 1530 contains some of the first eyewitness accounts of Native Americans in the Southeastern United States and thus is an invaluable document. Amazingly, it not only includes Spanish eyewitness accounts of the lifeways and cultural practices of these Southeastern Indians but also includes information from a Native American informant as well, one Francisco de Chicora who had been captured years earlier in a raid by Spanish slavers who were the first to visit this area.
The information contained in the Testimony of Francisco de Chicora creates many new questions about America at the time of discovery. For instance, although Ayllon is credited by scholars with attempting the first European colony in the U.S. in 1526, his eyewitness accounts make it clear there was already a settlement of white people in South Carolina in a province called Duhare. In Gaelic du h’Eire translates as “Black Irish” and suggests the Irish created the first settlement in the U.S., not the Spanish.
Ayllon also witnessed what can only be described as fireworks in early America. How did fireworks arrive in America by 1536 when they didn’t arrive in Europe until the mid 1600s? These are just a few of the questions brought about by the Testimony of Francisco de Chicora.
Background Information (from Wikipedia):
Francisco de Chicora was the baptismal name given to a Native American kidnapped in 1521, along with 70 others, from near the mouth of the Pee Dee River in South Carolina by Spanish explorer Francisco Gordillo and slave trader Pedro de Quexos, based in Santo Domingo and the first Europeans to reach the area. From analysis of the account by Peter Martyr, court chronicler, the ethnographer John R. Swanton believed that Chicora was from a Catawban group.
In Hispaniola, where he and the other captives were taken, Chicora learned Spanish, was baptized a Catholic, and worked for Lucas Vasquez de Ayllón, a colonial official. Most of the Catawba died within two years. Accompanying Ayllón to Spain, de Chicora met with the chronicler Peter Martyr and told him much about his people. Martyr combined this information with accounts by explorers and recorded it as the “Testimony of Francisco de Chicora,” published with his seventh “decade” in 1525. In 1526 Chicora accompanied Ayllón on a major expedition to North America with 600 colonists. After they struck land at the Santee River and the party went ashore, Chicora escaped and returned to his people.
Below is the English translation of Peter Martyr’s The Testimony of Francisco de Chicora.
The Testimony of Francisco de Chicora
Let us return to the country of these unfortunates, from which we have somewhat wandered. I believe this country is near that of Baccalaos, discovered by Cabot in the service of England some twenty-six years ago, or to the land of Bacchalais, of which I have already written at length. I shall now indicate their astronomical position, their religious rites, their products, and their customs.
These countries appear to be situated the same distance from the pole, and under the same parallel as Vandalia in Spain, commonly called Andalusia. The exploration of the country occupied but a few days. It extends a great distance in the same direction as the land where the Spaniards anchored. The first districts visited are called Chicorana and Duhare. The natives of Chicorana have a well-browned skin, like our sunburned peasants, and their hair is black. The men let their hair grow to the waist and the women wear theirs longer. Both sexes plait their hair and they are beardless; whether nature so created them or whether this is the result of some drug or whether they use a depilatory like the people of Temistitan, nobody can say. In any case they like to show a smooth skin.
I must cite another witness whose credit is not less among laymen than that of Dean Alvares amongst priests, namely the licenciate Lucas Vasquez Ayllon. He is a citizen of Toledo, member of the Royal Council of Hispaniola, and one of those at whose expense the two ships had been equipped.
Commissioned by the Council of Hispaniola to appear before the Royal India Council, he urgently asked that he might be permitted to again visit that country and found a colony. He brought with him a native of Chicorana as his servant. This man had been baptised under the Christian name of Francisco united to the surname of his native country, Chicorana. While Ayllon was engaged on his business here, I sometimes invited him and his servant Francisco Chicorana to my table. This Chicorana is not devoid of intelligence. He understands readily and has learned the Spanish tongue quite well. The letters of his companions which the licenciate Ayllon himself showed to me, and the curious information furnished me by Chicorana, will serve me for the remainder of my narrative.
Each may accept or reject my account as he chooses. Envy is a plague natural to the human race always seeking to depreciate and to search for weeds in another’s garden. even when it is perfectly clean. This pest afflicts the foolish or people devoid of literary culture, who live useless lives like cumberers of the earth.
Leaving the coast of Chicorana on one hand, the Spaniards landed in another country called Duhare. Ayllon says the natives are white men, and his testimony is confirmed by Francisco Chicorana. Their hair is brown and hangs to their heels. They are governed by a king of gigantic size, called Datha, whose wife is as large as himself. They have five children. In place of horses, the king is carried on the shoulders of strong young men, who run with him to the different places he wishes to visit.
At this point, I must confess, that the different accounts cause me to hesitate. The Dean and Ayllon do not agree; for what one asserts concerning these young men acting as horses, the other denies. The Dean said: “I have never spoken to anybody who has seen these horses,” to which Ayllon answered, “I have heard it told by many people,” while Francisco Chicorana, although he was present, was unable to settle this dispute. Could I act as arbitrator, I would say that, according to the investigations I have made, these people were too barbarous and uncivilised to have horses.
Another country near Duhare is called Xapida. Pearls are found there, and also a kind of stone resembHng pearls which is much prized by the Indians. In all these regions they visited, the Spaniards noticed herds of deer similar to our herds of cattle. These deer bring forth and nourish their young in the houses of the natives. During the daytime they wander freely through the woods in search of their food, and in the evening they come back to their little ones, who have been cared for, allowing themselves to be shut up in the courtyards and even to be milked, when they have suckled their fawns. The only milk the natives know is that of the does, from which they make cheese.They also keep a great variety of chickens, ducks, geese, and other similar fowls.
They eat maize-bread, similar to that of the islanders, but they do not know the yucca root, from which cassabi, the food of the nobles, is made. The maize grains are very like our Genoese millet, and in size are as large as our peas. The natives cultivate another cereal called xathi. This is believed to be millet but it is not certain, for very few Castilians know millet, as it is nowhere grown in Castile.
This country produces various kinds of potatoes, but of small varieties. Potatoes are edible roots, like our radishes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips. I have already given many particulars, in my first Decades, concerning these potatoes, yucca, and other foodstuffs.
The Spaniards speak of still other regions, Hatha, Xamiuiambe, and Tihe, all of which are beheved to be governed by the same king.’ In the last named the inhabitants wear a distinctive priestly costume, and they are regarded as priests and venerated as such by their neighbours. They cut their hair, leaving only two locks growing on their temples, which are bound under the chin. When the natives make war against their neighbours, according to the regrettable custom of mankind, these priests are invited by both sides to be present, not as actors but as witnesses of the conflict. When the battle is about to open, they circulate among the warriors who are seated or lying on the ground, and sprinkle them with the juice of certain herbs they have chewed with their teeth; just as our priests of the beginning of the Mass sprinkle the worshippers with a branch dipped in holy water. When this ceremony is finished, the opposing sides fall upon one another. While the battle rages, the priests are left in charge of the camp, and when it is finished they look after the wounded, making no distinction between friends and enemies, and busy themselves ‘in burying the dead.’
The inhabitants of this country do not eat human flesh; the prisoners of war are enslaved by the victors. The Spaniards have visited several regions of that vast country; they are called Arambe, Guacaia, Quohathe, Tazacca, and Tahor. The colour of the inhabitants is dark brown. None of them have any system of writing, but they preserve traditions of great antiquity in rhymes and chants. Dancing and physical exercises are held in honour, and they are passionately fond of ball games, in which they exhibit the greatest skill. The women know how to spin and sew. Although they are partially clothed with skins of wild beasts, they use cotton such as the Milanese call bombasio, and they make nets of the fibre of certain tough grasses just as hemp and flax are used for the same purposes in Europe.
There is another country called Inzignanin, whose inhabitants declare that, according to the tradition of their ancestors, there once arrived amongst them men with tails a metre long and as thick as a man’s arm. This tail was not movable like those of the quadrupeds, but formed one mass as we see is the case with fish and crocodiles, and was as hard as a bone. When these men wished to sit down, they had consequently to have a seat with an open bottom; and if there was none, they had to dig a hole more than a cubit deep to hold their tails and allow them to rest. Their fingers were as long as they were broad, and their skin was rough, almost scaly. They ate nothing but raw fish, and when the fish gave out they all perished, leaving no descendants. These fables and other similar nonsense have been handed down to the natives by their parents. Let us now notice their rites and ceremonies.
THE natives have no temples, but use the dwellings of their sovereigns as such. As a proof of this, we have said that a gigantic sovereign called Datha ruled in the province of Duhare, whose palace was built of stone, ^ while all the other houses were built of lumber covered with thatch or grasses. In the courtyard of this palace, the Spaniards found two idols as large as a three-year-old child, one male and one female. These idols are both called Inamahari, and had their residence in the palace.
Twice each year they are exhibited, the first time at the sowing season, when they are invoked to obtain a successful result for their labours. We will later speak of the harvest. Thanksgivings are offered to them if the crops are good; in the contrary case they are implored to show themselves more favotuable the following year. The idols are carried in procession amidst pomp, accompanied by the entire people. It will not be useless to describe this ceremony. On the eve of the festival the king has his bed made in the room where the idols stand, and sleeps in their presence. At daybreak the people assemble, and the king himself carries these idols, hugging them to his breast, to the top of his palace, where he exhibits them to the people. He and they are saluted with respect and fear by the people, who fall upon their knees or throw themselves on the ground with loud shouts. The king then descends and hangs the idols, draped in artistically worked cotton stuffs, upon the breasts of two venerable men, of authority. They are, moreover, adorned with feather mantles of various colours, and are thus carried escorted with hymns and songs into the country, while the girls and young men dance and leap.
Any one who stopped in his house or absented himself during the procession would be suspected of heresy; and not only the absent, but likewise any who took part in this ceremony carelessly and without observing the ritual. The men escort the idols during the day, while during the night the women watch over them, lavishing upon them demonstrations of joy and respect. The next day they are carried back to the palace with the same ceremonies with which they were taken out. If the sacrifice is accomplished with devotion and in conformity with the ritual, the Indians believe they will obtain rich crops, bodily health, peace, or if they are about to fight, victory, from these idols. Thick cakes, similar to those the ancients made from flour, are offered to them. The natives are convinced that their prayers for harvests will be heard, especially if the cakes are mixed with tears.
Another feast is celebrated every year when a roughly carved wooden statue is carried into the country and fixed upon a high pole planted in the groimd. This first pole is surrounded by other similar ones, upon which people hang gifts for the gods, each one according to his means. At nightfall the principal citizens divide these offerings among themselves just as the priests do with the cakes and other offerings given them by the women. Whoever offers the divinity the most valuable presents is the most honoured. Witnesses are present when the gifts are offered, who announce after the ceremony what every one has given, just as notaries might do in Europe. Each one is thus stimulated by a spirit of rivalry to outdo his neighbour.
From sunrise till evening the people dance round this statue, clapping their hands, and when nightfall has barely set in, the image and the pole on which it was fixed are carried away and thrown into the sea, if the country is on the coast, or into the river, if it is along a river’s banks. Nothing more is seen of it, and each year a new statue is made. The natives celebrate a third festival, during which, after exhuming a long-buried skeleton, they erect a black tent out in the country, leaving one end open so that the sky is visible; upon a blanket placed in the centre of the tent they then spread out the bones. Only women surround the tent, all of them weeping, and each of them offers such gifts as she can afford.
The following day the bones are carried to the tomb, and are henceforth considered sacred. As soon as they are buried, or everything is ready for their burial, the chief priest addresses the surrounding people from the summit of a mound, upon which he fulfils the functions of orator. Ordinarily he pronounces a eulogy on the deceased, or on the immortality of the soul, or the future life. He says that souls originally came from the icy regions of the north, where perpetual snow prevails. They therefore expiate their sins under the master of that region who is called Mateczunga, but they return to the southern regions where another great sovereign, Quescuga, governs. Quescuga is lame and is of a sweet and generous disposition. He surrounds the newly arrived souls with numberless attentions, and with him they enjoy a thousand delights,—young girls sing and dance, parents are reunited to children, and everything one formerly loved is enjoyed. The old grow young and everybody is of the same age, occupied only in giving himself up to joy and pleasure.
Such are the verbal traditions handed down to them from their ancestors. They are regarded as sacred and considered authentic. Whoever dared to believe differently would be ostracised. These natives also believe that we live under the vault of heaven; they do not suspect the existence of the antipodes. They think the sea has its gods, and believe quite as many foolish things about them as Greece, the friend of Hes, talked about Nereids and other marine gods,—Glaucus, Phorcus, and the rest of them.
When the priest has finished his speech, he inhales the smoke of certain herbs, puffing it in and out, pretending to thus purge and absolve the people from their sins. After this ceremony the natives return home, convinced that the inventions of this impostor not only soothe their spirits, but contribute to the health of their bodies.
Another fraud of the priests is as follows: when the chief is at death’s door and about to give up his soul, they send away all witnesses, and then surrounding his bed they perform some secret jugglery which makes him appear to vomit sparks and ashes. It looks like sparks jumping from a bright fire, or those sulphured papers which people throw into the air to amuse themselves. These sparks, rushing through the air and quickly disappearing, look like those leaping wild goats which people call shooting stars. The moment the dying man expires, a cloud of these sparks shoots up three cubits high, with a great noise and quickly vanishes. They hail this flame as the dead man’s soul, bidding it a last farewell and accompanying its flight with their wailings, tears, and funereal cries, absolutely convinced that it has taken its flight to heaven.
Lamenting and weeping they escort the body to the tomb. Widows are forbidden to marry again if their husband has died a natural death; but if he has been executed, they may remarry. The natives like their women to be chaste. They detest immodesty and are careful to put aside suspicious women. The lords have the right to have two women, but the common people have only one. The men engage in mechanical occupations, especially carpenter work and tanning skins of wild beasts; while the women busy themselves with distaff, spindle, and needle.*
Their year is divided into twelve moons. Justice is administered by magistrates, criminals and the guilty being severely punished, especially thieves. Their kings are of gigantic size, as we have already mentioned. All the provinces we have named pay them tributes and these tributes are paid in kind; for they are free from the pest of money, and trade is carried on by exchanging goods. They love games, especially tennis; they also like metal circles turned with movable rings, which they spin on a table, and they shoot arrows at a mark. They use torches and oil made from different fruits for illumination at night. They likewise have olive-trees. They invite one another to dinner. Their longevity is great and their old age is robust.
They easily cure fevers with the juice of plants, as they also do their wounds, unless the latter are mortal. They employ simples, of which they are acquainted with a great many. When any of them suffers from a bilious stomach, he drinks a draught composed of a common plant called Guihi, or eats the herb itself; after which he immediately vomits his bile and feels better. This is the only medicament they use, and they never consult doctors except experienced old women, or priests acquainted with the secret virtues of herbs. They have none of our delicacies, and as they have neither the perfumes of Araby nor fumigations nor foreign spices at their disposition, they content themselves with what their country produces and live happily in better health to a more robust old age. Various dishes and different foods are not required to satisfy their appetites, for they are contented with little.
It is quite laughable to hear how the people salute the lords and how the king responds, especially to his nobles. As a sign of respect, the one who salutes puts his hands to his nostrils and gives a bellow like a bull, after which he extends his hands towards the forehead and in front of the face. The king does not bother to return the salutes of his people, and responds to the nobles by half bending his head towards the left shoulder without saying anything.
I now come to a fact which will appear incredible to Your Excellency. You already know that the ruler of this region is a tyrant of gigantic size. How does it happen that only he and his wife have attained this extraordinary size ? No one of their subjects has explained this to me, but I have questioned the above mentioned licenciate Ayllon, a serious and responsible man, who had his information from those who had shared with him the cost of the expedition. I likewise questioned the servant Francisco, to whom the neighbours had spoken. Neither nature nor birth has given these princes the advantage of size as an hereditary gift; they have acquired it by artifice.
While they are still in their cradles and in charge of their nurses, experts in the matter are called, who by the application of certain herbs, soften their young bones. During a period of several days they rub the limbs of the child with these herbs, until the bones become as soft as wax. They then rapidly bend them in such wise that the infant is almost killed. Afterwards they feed the nurse on foods of a special virtue. The child is wrapped in warm covers, the nurse gives it her breast and revives it with her milk, thus gifted with strengthening properties. After some days of rest the lamentable task of stretching the bones is begim anew. Such is the explanation given by the servant Francisco Chicorana.
The Dean of La Concepcion, whom I have mentioned, received from the Indians stolen on the vessel that was saved explanations differing from those furnished to Ayllon and his associates. These explanations dealt with medicaments and other means used for increasing the size. There was no torturing of the bones, but a very stimulating diet composed of crushed herbs was used. This diet was given principally at the age of puberty, when it is nature’s tendency to develop, and sustenance is converted into flesh and bones. Certainly it is an extraordinary fact, but we must remember what is told about these herbs, and if their hidden virtues could be learned, I would willingly believe in their efficacy.
We understand that only the Kings are allowed to use them, for if any one else dared to taste them, or to obtain the recipe of this diet, he would be guilty of treason, for he would appear to wish to equal the king. It is considered, after a fashion, that the king should not be the size of everybody else, for he should look down upon and dominate those who approach him. Such is the story told to me, and I repeat it for what it is worth. Your Excellency may believe it or not.
I have already sufficiently described the ceremonies and customs of these natives. Let us now turn our attention to the study of nature. Bread and meat have been considered; let us devote our attention to trees.
THERE are in this country virgin forests of oak, pine, cypress, nut- and almond-trees, amongst the branches of which riot wild vines, whose white and black grapes are not used for wine-making, for the people manufacture their drinks from other fruits. There are likewise fig-trees and other kinds of spice-plants. The trees are improved by grafting, just as with us; though without cultivation they would continue in a wild state.
The natives cultivate gardens in which grows an abundance of vegetables, and they take an interest in growing their orchards. They even have trees in their gardens. One of these trees is called the corito, of which the fruit resembles a small melon in size and flavour. Another called guacomine bears fruit a little larger than a quince of a delicate and remarkable odour, and which is very wholesome; they plant and cultivate many other trees and plants, of which I shall not speak further, lest by telling everything at one breath I become monotonous.
Thanks to us, the licenciate and royal counsellor, Ayllon, succeeded in obtaining what he wanted. His Imperial Majesty accepted our advice, and we have sent him back to New vSpain, authorising him to build a fleet to carry him to those countries where he will found a colony. Associates will not fail him, for the entire Spanish nation is in fact so keen about novelties that people go eagerly anywhere they are called by a nod or a whistle, in the hope of bettering their condition, and are ready to sacrifice what they have for what they hope. All that has happened proves this. With what sentiments people so saddened by the robbery of their children and parents will receive them, time alone will show us.
Source: Anghiera, Pietro Martire d’, 1457-1526; Translated by MacNutt, Francis Augustus, 1863-1927. De orbe novo, the eight Decades of Peter Martyr d’Anghera. New York, London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
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What happens when the lights go out
18 January 2017
December and January is the time of the year for Purple Copper Butterfly larvae to start their development – and keen observers are on-hand to see the event take place.
The Purple Copper Butterfly is a threatened species and only known to exist under specific conditions in the Bathurst, Lithgow and Mount David area of Central West NSW.
Central Tablelands Local Land Services staff and volunteers spent time recently with local environmental consultant Mr. Ray Mjadwesch to monitor larvae numbers at Yetholme and Mount David.
This is the second year the Central Tablelands Local Land Services has funded Mr. Mjadwesch to carry out larvae monitoring and the results help to build a better picture of the potential numbers of Purple Copper Butterfly at known sites within the region.
Ms. Gerarda Mader and Ms. Christine Bailey are members of Napoleon Reefs Landcare Group which is in close proximity to Purple Copper Butterfly habitat. “It is such a joy to see these rare creatures and learn more about them”, said Ms. Mader, who took part in the larvae survey for the second time.
Ms. Bailey added, “I tell anyone who’ll listen about the amazing life cycle of the Purple Copper Butterfly and its incredibly limited range and rarity.
The Purple Copper Butterfly is the local exemplar for all threatened species, be they fauna or flora, and as such highlights the urgent need to monitor numbers and to conserve habitat”.
Results are positive, with some sites indicating an increase in larvae numbers from last year.
The Purple Copper Butterfly lives only on a type of shrub called Native Blackthorn. Eggs are laid on or near the shrub and once they are ready to graze the plant, this nocturnal animal can be found crawling along the stems from 10pm until about 5am. They will be attended by a species of native ant that protects the larvae from attack while it grazes the Native Blackthorn.
“We are so fortunate to see this part of the butterfly’s life cycle and to witness the relationship it has with the native ant”, said Colleen Farrow, Senior Land Services Officer with Central Tablelands Local Land Services. “To have local interest and the help from these volunteers is an added bonus”, Ms. Farrow added.
Funding from Catchment Action NSW will allow staff from Central Tablelands Local Land Services to continue to work with private and public landholders to carry out on-ground works such as the planting of Native Blackthorn and weed control. It is hoped that these works will increase the butterfly’s habitat and expand the grazing areas for this species.
For further information about the Purple Copper Butterfly project please contact Colleen Farrow on 6363 7874.
Media enquiries: Kylie Krause | 0439608370
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Welcome to Wild Edible Plants Wiki
The wiki about wild plants that are edible that anyone can edit. 146 articles since (June) (2009)
What's the Plan for this Wiki?
Well as of the start of this wiki, it is just I, Khono.
Before I get into the specifics, I'd like to state the overall strategy or goal of this wiki. After I've made that as clear as mud, I'd like to list the specific ideas I've had, ideas both supporting the wiki goal and other ideas.
Contribute to this wiki
Try adding more information for already created pages. For example, if you know of a good site, link pages to a specific plant to that plant's wiki page here.
To write a new article, just enter the article title in the box below.
Try making the page for a plant you know. Be sure it's legal to post whatever content you're posting. Wikimedia Commons is a nice source. Try adding links to that specific plant from reliable sites, like Plants for a Future or Wikipedia. I've build a simple (and rather ugly) template to follow for common links like those from Wikipedia, PFAF, eflora, and USDA as well as one for youtube vids. Simply copy the appropriate section under the External Links header and fill in the links in the appropriate section. To see what it should look like, check out the Typha latifolia page.
The organization for external links is very poor and needs to be improved. If you're interested in creating a template for this, try checking out the current template here. Currently, links to a few primary pages and links to youtube videos are the most common links, with occasional other kinds of links.
Not sure where to start?
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Joe Biden has said it is “time to heal” the US in his first speech as president-elect, vowing “not to divide but to unify” the country.
“Let’s give each other a chance,” he said at an event in Delaware addressing those who did not vote for him.
Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump following a cliff-hanger vote count after Tuesday’s election.
Trump has yet to concede and has not spoken publicly since his defeat was announced while he was playing golf.
The result makes Trump the first one-term president since the 1990s. His campaign has filed a barrage of lawsuits in various states but election officials say there is no evidence that the vote was rigged against him, as he has claimed.
Spontaneous celebrations erupted in major cities after media outlets announced Biden’s victory on Saturday. Disappointed Trump supporters demonstrated in some cities but there were no reports of incidents.
Biden: ‘We have to stop treating our opponents as enemies’
Addressing cheering supporters in a car park in his hometown of Wilmington, Biden said: “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify; who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.”
Biden – who has won more than 74 million votes so far, the most ever for a US presidential candidate – hailed the “diverse” support he gathered during the campaign, and thanked African-American voters in particular.
But he also reached out to Trump supporters directly.
“It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again,” Biden said, without mentioning his rival in the election. “And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as enemies.”
The president-elect, who arrived on stage wearing a face mask, announced that he would form his coronavirus response committee to ensure it is ready to implement decisions from his inauguration day in January, because “that’s the only way we can get back to living”.
The Trump administration’s response to the pandemic was at the centre of the presidential campaign, and drew heavy criticism from Biden, who said his plan would be “built on bedrock science”. The US has reported more than 237,000 deaths, the most of any country.
Harris: ‘You chose hope and unity’
Biden was introduced by his running mate, Kamala Harris, who is about to become the first female vice-president in the country’s history.
She will also be the first black and first Asian-American vice-president when she takes office, following a year that has seen nationwide protests on the issue of racial injustice.
“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” she added.
Reflecting on the election campaign, she told supporters: “When our very democracy was on the ballot in this election, the very soul of America at stake and with the whole world watching, you ushered in a new day for America.”
She added: “You chose hope and unity, decency, science and yes, truth – you chose Joe Biden as the next president of the United States. And the road ahead will not be easy but America is ready, and so are Joe and I.”
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Congress wants to force Detroit to move heavily into electric and hybrid production.Should congress run the Big Three? They are doing such a good job running the country. I have nothing against being "green." However, having companies sell more of a product they are losing money on is not a recipe for success. Companies make money by selling a product the consumer wants at a profit. Congress has no clue what it takes to make a profit. If they run low on money, they can just raise taxes or authorize more borrowing.
Why electric and hybrid cars won’t save Detroit
The Buffalo News / The Washington Post ^ | November 30, 2008 | Steven Mufson
Posted on Monday, December 01, 2008 12:19:37 AM by 2ndDivisionVet
Many members of Congress believe they know what the car company of the future should look like. “A business model based on gas — a gas-guzzling past — is unacceptable,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said recently. “We need a business model based on cars of the future, and we already know what that future is: the plug-in hybrid electric car.”
But the car company Schumer and other lawmakers envision for the future could turn out to be a money-losing operation, not part of a “sustainable U. S. auto industry” that President-elect Barack Obama and most members of Congress say they want to create...
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Much has been written about the positive benefits of mindfulness – the idea that you bring an awareness to the present moment and identify emotions as you feel them. But could the habit also benefit physical well being like reducing obesity, and by extension, the risk for heart disease?
That’s what Eric Loucks, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University, hopes to prove.
In a recent study, Loucks found people who live in the moment tend to have less body fat. In a related study, he developed a framework for studying whether mindfulness intervention could help mitigate cardiovascular risks like smoking, high blood pressure, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.
Loucks believes that because early humans had to hunt and gather their food, our brains are designed to eat as much as we can out of a subliminal concern that we don’t know when we’ll get more. Also, because the hunting and gathering required so much physical exertion, we’re also programmed to rest when we can, hence the aversion we sometimes feel toward exercise.
“However, the human brain and sense organs have not had evolutionary time to change responses to these types of sense cues,” Loucks wrote in his study.
So eating healthier and exercising more requires thought and self-regulation.
Louck studied nearly 400 individuals, and measured their body composition as well as their mindfulness disposition using an established 15-question survey that asked such questions as” “I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening in the present” and “I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later.”
People with low levels of mindfulness on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were 34 percent more likely to be obese. Those people also held a pound more of fat in their bellies. (If you’re wondering why Buddha is often depicted as having a big, round belly, that’s not Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddism. He was actually quite svelte.)
“My hypothesis is that for those who are more aware of their thoughts around eating they might start to notice negative emotions around diet if there are excess amounts consumed. They might also notice how they feel better when they are more physically active,” Loucks said in an interview.
Many of us have positive, celebratory associations with high fat, sugary foods from childhood. But what if before indulging in the office birthday cake, you stopped and asked yourself why you want to eat it. Is it a craving, is it emotional? Then you can ask yourself if you want to engage that.
Sometimes you’ll decide that, yes, I just really want that cake right now. Other times, you’ll realize no, I don’t really need it. Either way, you’ll be making the decision mindfully and with intention.
In the subsequent study about heart disease triggers Loucks suggests that teaching people three central tenets of mindfulness: attention control, emotion regulation and self awareness could change behaviors and thus improve cardiovascular health.
With a nearly $5 million,
Want more inspiring news and ideas to improve your life? Sign up for the Saturday Inspired Life newsletter.
If you liked this story on Inspired Life, you may also enjoy:
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Inspiration and creativity go hand in hand for a designer, and both are significantly important. As a designer, you must be familiar with various inspirational posts that help to enhance the creativity of a designer. Designers can consider taking reference from the work of other web designers. This step is quite productive and helpful; as it helps the designers see excellent work examples. However, they should not base their work too much on the inspiration from other sites as it may lead to a lack of innovation in their own designs.
There are several ways in which a designer can work on their creativity. Some of them can consistently work on improving their creativity and boost them. Use of the latest methods and standards serve as the sources of inspiration. Graphic design is a field where there are fast and frequent changes and an individual should say updated with the latest trends. Though technical skills are learned easily, creativity at the same time should also expand and improve. Designers need to master creativity to stay on the top.
In this article, we go through ways that will help to boost the creativity of a designer. You will also notice considerable improvements in your designs if you start working on the tips that we are going to share today. Continue reading to know more –
- Get some inspiration offline – People nowadays spend most of their time online,especially web designers and developers. They tend to forget that there is a world worth inspiring present around us. We forget about the whole world of inspiration that offers so much more than we can imagine. There are a lot of things that can provide design inspiration, like nature and outdoors. Photography, clothing, etc. are also capable of inspiring designers in several ways. All you need to do is to translate the creativity online.
- Try experimenting with different things – Colour schemes are believed to make aconsiderable difference in the end result of your designs. Experimentation is quite beneficial when a designer is trying to create something that is innovative. You may imagine something in your head that is looking very good in your mind’s eye but when the same thing is on screen or live, it is a whole different story. Play around and experiment with different colour combinations and finish a design that seemed incomplete. Trying different things will give a completely new look to your design that will make it stand out.
Just as the colour schemes, typography and changing fonts can make a vast difference in your designs. Though typography needs a subtle change than what was required when you were trying different colour schemes. Websites that have amazing typography have a complete professional outlook. It is a bit difficult to identify the things that are making the website look so good. You can try playing with different fonts, its sizes and colours. Spend some time to observe what would look best. Take ideas from other websites that contain several fonts, so that you can easily narrow your choices down.
Experiment with different backgrounds in your designs to give a different outlook. Background images have become very common nowadays. Large images used to have a negative impact on many website visitors, but they don’t have the same effect anymore. Several websites are developed with creative background images that give them an enhanced look. You can make your website stand out in the crowd by using a creative background image.
- Enhance photoshop skills – Photoshop and creativity go hand in hand. Photoshop makes everything possible. Designers who are well-versed with Photoshop can create just anything with the help of the design tool. While working on Photoshop you will never be unable to come up with something creative and unique. If you are struggling to come up with something unique, it’s time that you should consider brushing your photoshop skills. You can take the help of several online videos and tutorials available.
- Try on paper first – Many of us just open photoshop and start coding and expect the designs to come out perfect. The design process should work out in a different way, the way that is proved to be the best. Try giving pencil and paper a try, i.e draw your design on paper first. Though different people are creative in different ways and they feel comfortable in working in different ways, while some believe that paper works well. Well, we recommend trying designs on paper first so that you can have a better idea of the available possibilities and different layouts you will need to work on. Intricate mockups are developed by many just with the usage of paper.
Read blogs written on designs to get some ideas and tips. Internet is a huge source that provides tons of design-related information. A designer can get inspiration from several blogs and articles available online. There are many videos as well as showcasing the work of several well-known designers. If you follow some blogs and tutorials quite often and keep yourself updated with latest design trends then your creativity will improve to a great extent.
The Bottom Line
The world is a beautiful place and its beauty can lend inspiration to others. Nature helps people get more creative and find more inspiration. In addition to this, there are several things that can provide inspiration to designers in several ways. It includes things like interior designs, clothing, etc. Such things are believed to provide more creative ideas. Work better and enhance creativity skills with the help of tips provided. Explore different dimensions and come up with designs that are as creative as possible.
Now that you are aware of some great designing tips, you can start experimenting and work on educating yourself. Well, just reading blogs and going from article to article will not help. You will have to keep practising consistently. Our simple tactics will help inspire you and your design thinking will enhance. These methods are tried and tested for years by the designers and they completely rely on such tricks.
I’m currently working as Content Manager with Website Designing Company India. I have a great passion for digital marketing and I help small and medium-sized businesses improve their online presence and grow their revenue by formulating effective digital marketing strategies for them. Apart from Digital Marketing, I have the keen interest in outsource drupal development, Web Development, Web Design, Graphic Design, PHP Development, etc.
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On Thursday, it was announced that for the first time since 2000 and for only the second time in state history, Tennessee has a triple triple-A rating from the credit ratings agencies. Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services conducted a mid-year review and upgraded Tennessee’s rating from AA+ to AAA. The other two rating agencies, Moody’s Investors Services and Fitch Ratings, have provided Tennessee with their highest ratings of Aaa and AAA since 2010.
The State of Tennessee now holds the highest bond ratings issued by all three major credit rating agencies. Tennessee’s triple triple-A status reflects the extremely strong confidence the rating agencies have in the State’s capacity to meet its financial commitments.
Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for April 2016 was 4.3%, which is below the U.S. preliminary rate of 5%. Additionally, the Tennessee General Assembly recently appropriated an additional $100 million to the state’s rainy day fund, increasing the fiscal year 2017 balance to $668 million. These first-class ratings will translate into lower interest rates when the state borrows money, and may result in substantial savings for taxpayers.
“For the first time since 2000 and for only the second time in state history Tennessee has a triple triple-A rating from the credit ratings agencies, one of 11 states to receive this status,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “The state’s Rainy Day Fund is more than double what it was in 2011, and we have the lowest debt per capita of any state, no transportation debt and recently recorded the lowest interest rate in state history. The balanced budget the General Assembly just passed takes on no new debt. This historical accomplishment is a result of the strengthening Tennessee economy and the conservative fiscal strategy implemented by the General Assembly, constitutional officers and this administration. Today’s news from Standard and Poor’s will save Tennesseans’ tax dollars and allow us to continue our efforts to provide the best possible service at the lowest possible cost.”
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If you are interested in history, then the Normandy landing beaches of 1944 that you will find in Normandy should interest you. But in what order to tackle it? We offer you today a small circuit of the landing beaches from east to westfrom Bénéauville Castle to Utah Beach at the extreme west of the course. You will find the circuit map at the end of the article, and also directly on Google Map by clicking here.
Step 1: Sword Beach Freedom Monument, Lion-sur-Mer
From the Château de Bénéauville, take the direction Bénouville, to the west. Then head for the town of Lion-sur-Mer and the beach of Sword Beach, the first landing beach of the circuit. On this beach you will find among others the monument of freedom dedicated to British and Canadian fighters. You will discover the history of the landing of the 41st commando that liberated Lion-sur-Mer in 1944, as well as the incursion of the 21st Panzer.
Next to the monument is a Churchill float on display, donated by General Harris. This model of British tank greatly contributed to the success of the landing and the decisive victory of the allies.
Step 2: to Juno Beach and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Let's continue our tour of the landing beaches with Juno Beach. Follow our itinerary and you will find yourself on a small car park, close to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles monument. This Canadian infantry regiment was among the first to land at Juno Beach and suffered heavy losses in the battle.
Indeed, the beaches were heavily defended, as you can see by crossing the street of Marshal Fosh, to the west, to cross the mouth of the Seulles. After crossing the bridge, head for the beach and you will quickly fall on the remains of a German bunker. In front of such a building, one can only imagine the extent of the task of the soldiers during the landing.
Continue a little on the beach to reach the Juno Beach Memorial.
Step 3: towards gold beach!
In the third leg of our tour, we will stop at the Stanley Hollis memorial. This hero of the landing showed himself by opening a single way to his soldiers towards Ver-sur-Mer, then destroying the battery of the wildfowl. Finally, King George VI will award him the Victoria Cross. You will find at his memorial the details of his extraordinary history.
Take advantage of this stop to stroll on the beach of Gold Beach, and let yourself be impregnated by the winds of the sleeve. For that, direction Asnelles. Enjoy a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in the city!
Step 4: Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach, it is certainly the most known place of the landing of Normandy, and for good reason: dedicated to the American army, it is this beach which lives the most losses with the allies. It has thus sadly remained in history as a place of tragedy and heroism.
To go there from Asnelles, you will have to arm yourself with a little patience and get around Bayeux. Fortunately, 40 minutes drive are nothing since you just eat well in Asnelles!
Our tour of the D-Day beaches continues with Omaha Beach, specifically the Omaha Beach Memorial Museum. Enter, enjoy the museum, then think about visiting the American cemetery of Omaha beach.
Step 5: If you have some time, visit Pointe du Hoc!
This cliff of thirty to put high ends in a needle advancing courageously on the sea. If the landscape is beautiful, this point was the scene of tragic events during the landing.
Indeed, this point was a strategic area of the German defense and had been very fortified. Its height and unobstructed view made the point the ideal place to place long-range artillery pieces, and that had not escaped the German army. Thus, it was necessary that the allies quickly manage to take the tip of the Hoc to stop the artillery fire on the beaches of the surrounding landings.
The fortified position was conquered at the cost of heavy losses, to finally discover that the famous artillery pieces were not present: they had been moved pre-emptively inland, far enough to continue to fire the allies without risking being taken in the early days of the battle.
Step 6: Utah Beach
If you stopped at the Pointe du Hoc, the day must now be well advanced. It's time to conclude our circuit of the landing beaches with Utah Beach. In July 1944, General Leclerc's second armored division landed at Utah Beach with the firm intention of securing the coast.
This beach was one of the least deadly for the allies. The German army had actually strengthened it less, because its geography seemed disadvantageous to a mass landing.
In Utah Beach, you can find several memorials to the Allied fighters, including the United States monument (photo below).
You have finished our tour of the landing beaches
And now, you've finished our tour of the landing beaches. If you managed to do it all in one day, congratulations! It is now time to relax and rest in a calm and relaxing atmosphere. For that, let's be honest: nothing better than our rooms of time, in the castle of Bénéauville.
After a tough day reliving the history of the Allied landings of 44, return to the castle and enjoy all the comforts of our 16th century guest rooms. Stroll through the gardens, and have a good night's sleep in one of our suites. Pleased to welcome you !
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After historic weather, Minneapolis heat index to hit 114 today
|Today's is the highest predicted heat index since Sunday.|
Yesterday was unofficially the most humid day in the history of the city, with an 82-degree dew point reading at the airport in late afternoon. The airport measure of a 118-degree heat index, registered at 2:30 p.m., tied a record that goes back to 1966.
Today the National Weather Service is predicting a high heat index of 114 degrees in Minneapolis, the highest predicted "feels like" temperature since the sweltering atmosphere rolled into town on Sunday.
Yesterday's madness was at least interrupted by a brief, powerful storm that ripped through the metro and dropped the temperature. Today there will be nothing but sun, heat, wind, and desperation.
As with Monday and Tuesday, the city will heat up all morning and hit high temperatures early in the afternoon.
The excessive heat warning from the Twin Cities branch of the National Weather Service is in place until 9:00 p.m. tonight, meaning that children, the elderly and pets should stay inside or at least be kept on a leash.
Fortunately, Minnesota's got something to look forward to. The extreme heat that's ruined the Midwest's week is moving East. Soon, Philadelphia, Boston and New York will feel our pain, and we can laugh maniacally at their misery. That's if any of us are still alive after today.
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All Rights reserved
Ty Underwood. Kandis Capri. Jessie Hernandez. Elisha Walker. Amber Monroe. Tamara Dominguez. Penny Proud. London Chanel. Yazmin Vash Payne.
These names may be unfamiliar to you. They are the names of some of the transgender people we honor this Transgender Day of Remembrance. They are just a few of the transgender and gender non-conforming people who were shot, stabbed, beaten, or killed in some other manner as a result of anti-transgender hate and violence in 2015.
They were from large and small places all across this country. Places like Tyler, Texas; Phoenix; Denver; Smithfield, N.C.; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; New Orleans; Philadelphia; and Los Angeles.
They were students, workers, unemployed, mothers, daughters, partners, friends, and so much more.
And even though I never met them, they were my sisters.
An overwhelming majority of the transgender and gender-nonconforming people we lost to violence this year were women, and nearly all were transgender women of color. As a black cisgender (my gender identity matches the one I was assigned at birth) lesbian, I find these murders cut to my core. I feel compelled to stand up and speak their names just as loudly as I have invoked Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell, Amadou Diallo, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, and all of the other black lives we've lost, some whose names we know so well and others we've never heard before.
We are clearly in a state of emergency. None of our communities are immune to this crisis of brutality and violence tha's rooted in racism, homophobia, and transphobia.
This year, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has documented 22 homicides of transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the United States, the highest rate NCAVP has ever recorded. And we know that many more murders of transgender and gender-nonconforming people are never reported or correctly documented.
Even in their deaths, many of the transgender and gender-nonconforming people we've lost were misgendered, misnamed, and maligned, and their friends and community had to demand that they be acknowledged and respected for who they truly were. And despite all this, in many cases these crimes were underinvestigated and left unsolved.
So today, while I speak the names of those we have lost, I also am sending out a message to the transgender women who are living. Even if we've never met, you are my sisters, and I stand with you to end the threats and attacks on your bodies and souls. For, until you are safe and free, none of us are truly free.
I don't choose this word, "sister," lightly. As I grew up up in a household with four cisgender female siblings, "sister" has been a powerful word from the day I was born. It means family, unconditional love, and support even during the hardest times. For me, as a black woman, sisterhood is my link to generations of women of color who have cleared paths for me to walk along as well as the many women of color who will come behind me and go farther than I will ever travel. As an adult, finding my own way in the world, I find sisterhood has come to represent the powerful, unbreakable bond that connects me to other women who I know always have my back, and I theirs. In sisterhood, we are stronger, smarter, more compassionate, resourceful, and creative than the sum of our parts. And in sisterhood we can and do change the world.
So it is in this most awe-inspiring spirit of sisterhood that I send out this message to my transgender sisters across this country.
I see you. And I stand with and beside you.
Being a sister means I will forge a path for you and follow your lead. I will use the privilege I have to open up more spaces for you to be seen and heard. As I am your sister, you are truly my family, who I will support even during the hardest of times. Our path together may not always be easy, but I'm hoping we can find ways to lift up each other -- even when we don't completely see eye to eye. For ultimately, I believe our destinies are linked and that it is up to us to join together to fight back against racism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of oppression that impact us. And in doing so, we will create a world in which we are all truly safe and free.
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In America today, so many people use the term socialism, we just understand what it is from the context. Unfortunately, many people in America use the word socialist in ways that socialism is not. There is a lot of intentional misinformation about what socialism is and isn’t. Let’s take a look at what socialism really is, and get the facts straight. The next time you hear someone say someone or something is socialist, you’ll know that they’re clueless about what they’re really saying.
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What is Syringomyelia ?
- Length-wise cavities (syrinx = cyst, myelia = spinal cord) may form in the centre of the spinal cord, most often in the cervical region (neck). The cavities may also exist at multiple levels throughout the spinal cord.
- Also known as Hydromyelia, Morvan disease, Spinal cord syrinx, Syringohydromyelia
What causes it ?
- The condition may be caused by spinal cord tumours, spinal cord injuries, and vascular malformations (benign blood vessel tumours).
- It may also be associated with Arnold Chiari Malformation and Spina Bifida (Meningomyelocele).
- May also start after a severe bout of straining or coughing.
- It is also known to occur commonly in King Charles Cavalier dogs.
Tell me more about Arnold Chiari Malformation
- In childhood the spinal cord finishes at the sacral S2/3 level, and because it has a fixed length, it normally ascends during puberty and the growth spurt to the normal adult position of lumbar L2/3.
- In this condition the lower end of the spinal cord is tethered or fixed in the sacral region. The lower part of the brain (cerebellar tonsils) becomes pulled down through the foramen magnum (large exit hole in the base of the skull) by the traction effect of the tethered spinal cord. This has the effect of obstructing the normal flow of CSF (cerbrospinal fluid) from the brain to the spinal cord.
- The CSF obstruction causes syringomyelia and hydrocephalus (raised intra-cranial pressure with headaches).
What are the main features of Syringomyelia ?
- As the condition is most often seen in the cervical part of the spinal cord, it causes Nerve Pain (neuropathy, neuritis, neuralgia), tingling (paraesthesias), numbness, and muscle atrophy in the upper limbs. It needs to be differentiated from a slipped disc in the neck causing brachialgia in the upper limbs.
- Sensory dissociation may occur, where there is loss of temperature perception in the upper limbs but preservation of tactile sense (light touch). This may increase the risk of accidental burns.
- Increased pressure in the cyst may interfere with the long nerve fibres within the spinal cord that supply the legs and bladdder, causing leg spasticity and urinary incontinence.
- When associated with the Arnold Chiari Malformation and hydrocephalus, headaches may be a problem. These are usually worst first thing in the morning, and are aggravated by coughing and straining.
How is Syringomyelia diagnosed ?
- MRI is the investigation of choice . Vascular malformations may show on an MRA (Magnetic Resonance Angiogram).
What happens to Syringomyelia over time ?
- Apart from spinal cord trauma, many of the causes of Syringomyelia are present from birth. Spinal cord tumours can be slowly growing over many years.
- The syrinx (cyst) can form over several decades, only becoming symptomatic / diagnosed in the mid-40's.
- The cyst can enlarge with time causing increasing nerve pain and progressive neurological defcit.
- CSF obstruction associated with the Arnold Chiari Malformation can causes persistent headaches .
- It is therefore very important to make an early diagnosis and have the appropriate treatment to prevent disease progression.
- Nerve pain can be treated in the pain clinic with low dose amitriptyline (10 - 50 mg per day) combined with either carbamazepine (600 - 800 mg per day) or gabapentin (1800 - 2400 mg per day) or pregabalin (150 - 600 mg per day).
- Multiple action drugs e.g. tramadol (Zamadol), tapentadol (Palexia) block morphine, noradrenaline and serotonin receptors
- Diuretics such as acetazolamide (carbonic anhydrase inhibitor) and frusemide can reduce CSF production and help to reduce the syrinx size..
- Oral steroids can also reduce CSF production, but the exact mechanism of action is unknown.
- Foramen Magnum Decompression
- In the presence of the Arnold Chiari Malformation a foramen magnum decompression can reduce the degree of CSF flow obstruction by the herniated cerebellar tonsils.
- Essentially, the size of the hole is enlarged by nibbling away pieces of bone around the edge.
- Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt
- Where hydrocephalus is present (headaches with raised CSF pressure inside the head), a fine tube with a pressure relief valve is inserted into one of the ventricles of the brain, and then tunnelled around to the abdominal cavity, where the excess CSF drains away.
- Syringoperitoneal Shunt
- A fine tube with a pressure relief valve is inserted into the spinal cord syrinx, and then tunnelled around to the abdominal cavity, where the excess CSF drains away. This helps to halt the progression of the condition.
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A solid wire solder for use in plumbing applications where frequent and extreme temperature temperature changes and vibrations occur.
- 95/5 solder is commonly used for potable water applications, refrigeration lines and cooling equipment.
- Complies with CA & VT lead content regulations.
- Lead free alloy of 95% tin and 5% antimony.
- 450°F - 464°F melting range.
- Meets the requirements of the Safe Water Drinking Act.
Dimensions: 1/2 lb. Bulk
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In this tool, KohonenSOM is used to train neural networks using simple (competitive) unsupervised learning, in which only the winner is trained, and progress to full SOM(self-organizing maps) strategies in which feature maps of various types are formed. Unsupervised learning causes output units to specialize for specific input patterns. The tool determines the input patterns and the number of input units required to represent those patterns, by finding the numbers of rows and columns of the input array. The number of output units must be specified in the tool under nOut. The neighborhood is the area that stores the topological properties of the input space. It must be set to 0 when we wish to have the output unit with the largest response to a given pattern trained by itself on each iteration during competitive learning. The KohonenSOM algorithm is plausible neurobiologically and approximates the synaptic integration as the computation ny a neural unit of its weighted sum. The normalization equation in the tool keeps the total amount of synaptic input to a neural unit constant. This appears to the same role in real neurons.
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(JUL. 11, 1926 – AUG. 15, 2022)
This world has lost a giant. A giant of writing, a giant of speaking, a giant of faith. Frederick Buechner was a teacher and a preacher, a memoirist and a novelist, a wit and an intellectual, a man of God and what Mark Heard might have called a “profane saint”. There isn’t enough room here to list all his honors, never mind his prolific written output. (You can read his Wikipedia page for that.) It’s enough for me to say that his writing changed my life. I’ve never read anyone who was more honest, more challenging, more comforting, and more eloquent while doing all that.
Pulitzer prize winner Annie Dillard called him “one of our finest writers.” She’s absolutely right, but that’s just part of the story. His authenticity about his struggles with life and faith and God set him apart from other writers, thinkers, and theologians. He was a modern-day Jacob, wrestling with God but sharing the experience with anyone who was wise enough to listen.
The great thing about the written word is that it survives long after the scribe is gone. Mr. Buechner’s words were no “scribbling in the sand.” They will be set in stone and read by many for as long as time endures because we will always need them. I commend those words to everyone’s attention.
I trust that upon his passing, he heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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Definitions of endoderm
n. - The inner layer of the skin or integument of an animal. 2
n. - The innermost layer of the blastoderm and the structures derived from it; the hypoblast; the entoblast. See Illust. of Ectoderm. 2
The word "endoderm" uses 8 letters: D D E E M N O R.
No direct anagrams for endoderm found in this word list.
Words formed by adding one letter before or after endoderm (in bold), or to ddeemnor in any order:
s - endoderms
All words formed from endoderm by changing one letter
Browse words starting with endoderm by next letter
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