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As I discuss in this question, by far the most popular school of Hindu philosophy is the Vedanta school, which bases its tenets on the doctrines laid out in the Brahma Sutras, a work by the sage Vyasa that summarizes and systematizes the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads. You can read the Brahma Sutras here. In any case, in the beginning of Adhyaya 2 Pada 1 of the Brahma Sutras, Vyasa refutes Kapila's Samkhya school:
This translation is written from the viewpoint of the Advaita philosopher Adi Shankaracharya, who believed that in Sutra 2 Vyasa is rejecting Mahat and the other evolutes of Prakriti acknowledged by the Samkhya school; here's what he says in this section of his Brahma Sutra Bhashya:
The principles different from the pradhâna, but to be viewed as its modifications which the (Sânkhya) Smriti assumes, as, for instance, the great principle [Mahat], are perceived neither in the Veda nor in ordinary experience. Now things of the nature of the elements and the sense organs, which are well known from the Veda, as well as from experience, may be referred to in Smriti; but with regard to things which, like Kapila's great principle [Mahat], are known neither from the Veda nor from experience--no more than, for instance, the objects of a sixth sense--Smriti is altogether impossible.
I'm interested in the part in bold. In Hindu philosophy, there are three main Pramanas or valid means of knowledge: Pratyaksha or sensory perception, Anumana or inference, and Shabda or scriptural testimony. And there is a hierarchy of these Pramanas: Anumana is only applicable to those that which cannot be known through Pratyaksha, and Shabda is only applicable to that which cannot be known through either Pratyaksha or Anumana. Now the Purva Mimamsa school believed that scripture was only authoritative on the subject of Dharma, since Dharma cannot be known through perception or inference, and that it has no authority on Siddharthas or objects which already exist in the Universe. The Vedanta school, on the other hand, believes that scripture is also authoritative over already-existing objects like Brahman whose existence cannot be known through perception or inference.
But what Adi Shankaracharya is saying is that not all scriptures can establish the existence of objects; he's saying that if the existence of an object is not known perception or through Shruti (i.e. the Vedas), then its existence cannot be established through Smriti. Now it's a well-established principle, going back to Adhyaya 1 Pada 3 of the Purva Mimamsa Sutras, that if Smriti prescribes an action which Shruti is silent on, like the payment of Guru Dakshina, then Smriti is authoritative. (But if Smiriti prescribes an action prohibited by Shruti, then Shruti prevails.) But Adi Shankaracharya apparently believed that that principle does not extend to the existence of the objects.
My question is, do any other Vedantic philosophers agree with Adi Shankaracharya that Smriti has no authority over the existence of objects? Presumably Adi Shankaracharya's followers agree with him, but I'm interested in what non-Advaitins have to say. The Sri Vaishnava Acharya Ramanujacharya doesn't address this issue in the corresponding section of his Sri Bhashya, because he accepts the existence of Mahat and the evolutes of Prakriti, and he argues that their existence is actually supported by the Vedas. But does he address this issue elsewhere?
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Military use of Sabotage
Updated on February 7, 2018
Act of Sabotage: Puncturing tires
Act of Sabotage: Puncturing tires
Sabotage is a deliberate act aimed at weakening an entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption or destruction.
"During wartime, one of the most effective weapons in any country's arsenal is sabotage: attacking the war machine itself by crippling key supplies, disrupting manufacturing, disrupting strategic locations and even logistic routes." (PBS)
Listed below are 10 of my favorite examples of sabotage
The United States of America's Office of Strategic Services (OSS), later renamed the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are noted for using simple acts of sabotage in many of their activities.
Examples or OSS/CIA acts of sabotage include but are not limited to:
Slashing tires
Draining fuel lines
putting sugar in fuel tanks
starting fires
starting arguments (in pubs, offices, public spaces etc.)
acting stupid or crazy
short-circuiting electrical systems
and damaging or stealing machine parts which wastes materials, manpower and time.
Fake ID of fake Royal Marine
Fake ID of fake Royal Marine
Operation Mincemeat (1943)
In April of 1943 the body of a British Royal Marine was found floating off the coast of Spain. The dead Marine had a closed case attached to his wrist that Pro-Nazi officers in the Spanish military were able to get their hands on. Inside the case they found information depicting a plot to invade Sardinia and Greece by Allied Forces. The Nazi's thought they had hit the intel jackpot with this find and indeed would have if not for one problem: all the documents were fake.
This act of informational sabotage caused Hitler to divert numerous tank divisions and other units to reinforce Greece, when the real attack happened in July 1943 the Allies instead invaded Sicily and Italy catching the German's flatfooted and undermanned.
Black Tom 1916
On the early Sunday morning of July 30, 1916 the areas of Manhattan and Jersey City found themselves rocked awake by a large explosion that blew out thousands of windows across both areas and having the still night sky suddenly turn orange with the flames of a large train of munitions that had exploded causing a great deal of property damage and killing several adults and a young infant.
The culprits were German agents on American soil who wanted to prevent the shipment of war materials including munitions and explosives to Great Britain, never mind the fact that at this point America was completely neutral in World War I.
The Trojan Horse
One of perhaps the greatest examples of sabotage and espionage in history is the well known story of The Trojan Horse.
The Trojan Horse was an act of military sabotage used by the Greeks to end the Trojan War by taking the city of Troy from the inside. At least 30 and upwards of 50 (actuate numbers are uncertain, some experts put the number higher than 50) special operations troops were concealed inside the horse, when the horse was brought into the city these troops snuck out at night, killed the guards on the walls and gates of the city then opened the gates allowing the Greek army who had hidden all day to make the Trojans think they had fled pour inside sacking the city of Troy.
Siege of Kaffa (1346)
Sabotage by plague was not a new concept in the 14th century, it had been used for many centuries, however the plague known as the Black Death was one of the most virulent in history.
In the 14th century a war erupted between the Mongol's and the Genovese over control of caravan trade routes between the Orient and the Black Sea. When the plague began to affect the Mongol empire and the army the several years of war were now proving to costly to maintain leading to the Mongol's decision end the siege and leave, but not without leaving a parting gift for the Genovese people.
As a parting shot the Mongol's hurled dozens of plague diseased bodies over the walls contaminating the city.
In the summer of 1347, the Italian merchants headed to their ships and the fled the city of Kaffa which had already lost the majority of its people after battling plague for months by this time. The Italians stopped at Constantinople, inadvertently infecting the city. Thousands of people were killed, including the son of the Greek Emperor, John VI. Those who were able fled the city, many not realising that they were already infected and spread the disease to much of Asia and Europe.
Death by Sheep (1325 BC)
At various times throughout history animals have been used to deliver disease and plague throughout an unsuspecting populous.
In the 1300s BC sending diseased sheep into civilian populations of enemy cities was a common practice of the Hittite Empire and perhaps one of our earliest examples of biological warfare. In 1325 BC in present day Turkey it was just a part of war to seed the plains outside of cities with sheep carrying the disease Tularemia also known as Rabbit Fever, a devastating bacterial disease that modern medicine still cannot cure as there is no vaccine for it making it a viable biological threat even today.
The disease can pass from animals to humans, causing enormous skin ulcers and respiratory failure and ultimately death.
When people ate the diseased sheep or the infected sheep mingled and breed with the health flocks the fever would spread unchecked through the city, the contaminated food killed dozens quickly and leaving the few survivors too weak to mount a defense when attacked by Hittite forces. The disease is transmitted through eating infected animals and through the lice and ticks that they carried transmitting the disease to bitten humans, the disease is not however transmittable from one human to another, however when you live in tight quarters with little in the way of good hygiene practices that doesn't really seem to be a bonus.
New World, Old Tactics (1763)
Biological sabotage is nothing new for military's being nearly as old as time in fact, the British military used the tactic to make the destruction of tribes easier and safer for British Troops in an effort to lessen their own loss due to direct engagement.
The British officers knew the American Natives were particularly vulnerable to diseases such as Smallpox and blankets contaminated with the disease were deliberately given to the Natives during peace talks during the French and Indian War as well as throughout various part of British expansion throughout the new world.
Project Eldest Son (Vietnam)
Throughout the 1960's there was an ongoing ammunition sabotage operation carried out by the United States Studies and Observation Group or SOG.
This operation placed ammunition that had been tampered with causing it to explode when used in with supplies carried/used by Communist forces in South East Asia. Missions under this operation were carried out successfully in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the Vietnam War.
Sabotaged cartridges were carried by the United States Army Green Berets and were inserted between good rounds among enemy ammunitions to disguise the source of the explosion.
The goal of this operation was to cause fear among the enemy about the safety/quality of their munitions supplies. Another aspect of this operation was the use of forged Chinese documents that "fell" into Vietnamese hands that caused distrust between Vietnamese troops and Chinese munitions suppliers, these documents hinted at there being a known problem with quality control in Chinese factories and other documents hinting at a lack of concern for quality control issues as well as being unconcerned about Vietnamese losses because of these issues.
Post Easter 1916 Uprising (Ireland)
After World War I tensions between Ireland and Britain were at an all time high with the Irish Republican Army (IRA) doing all it could to light the fuse, sometimes literally.
In the years after the War to end all Wars the IRA compromised communication lines whenever they could, interfered with transportation lines and fuel supplies and also used passive sabotage in addition to the active acts listed above.
An example of passive sabotage is refusing to let dockworkers and train line workers work on British owned vessels and trains/train lines.
In 1920 the IRA took a more destructive stance in their sabotage when they set fires at, at least 15 British owned warehouses in Liverpool, and in 1921 the IRA sabotaged British fire trucks before lighting the matches on numerous British targets throughout Liverpool and Dublin.
Cold War Sabotage (1980's)
During the "Cold War" in South American Countries things sometimes when from cold to explosive, two good examples of Cold War sabotage occurred in El Salvador and Honduras in 1982 and 1984.
In 1982 a group of Salvadorians and Nicaraguans destroyed a main power station to the capital city of Honduras leaving them without power for three days.
1984-El Salvador
On New Year's Day 1984 a group of guerrillas used mortar fire to scatter guards and then used explosives to blow up the Cuscatlán Bridge over the Lempa River in El Salvador. The bridge was a crucial path for both business traffic and military traffic causing an estimated 3.7 million dollars in repairs and millions more in an impact on lost business as goods and services were lost or delayed due to the destruction.
Coup's and Sabotage go Hand-in-Hand
Sabotage is a crucial tool in any kind of coup, acts of sabotage are necessary to set up a coup, get a coup going and seeing a coup through to completion.
Types of simple sabotage for coups include but are not limited to such things as disturbing state forms of communications, supply lines and simple machine issues due to physical sabotage of parts.
Another type of sabotage needed for a coup is the "Human Element" sabotage.
One way you do this is by assuming a non-cooperative attitude and convincing others to do the same. A non-cooperative attitude may involve nothing more than sitting down and refusing to work, or creating an unpleasant work environment or creating unpleasant situations between co-workers, causing work stoppages throughout a city and causing a government response which will use up government resources.
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vz. 24
This article is about the bolt-action rifle. For the semi-automatic pistol, see Pistole vz. 24.
Vz. 24
Type Bolt-action rifle
Place of origin Czechoslovakia
Service history
Used by See Users
Wars Constitutionalist Revolution
Chaco War
Ecuadorian–Peruvian War
Spanish Civil War
Second Sino-Japanese War
World War II
Chinese Civil War
1948 Arab–Israeli War and others
Production history
Designed 1924
Manufacturer Zbrojovka Brno
Produced 1924–1942
Weight 4.2 kg (9.3 lb)
Length 1,100 mm (43 in)
Barrel length 590 mm (23 in)
Cartridge 8×57mm IS, 7×57mm Mauser, 7.65×53mm Argentine
Action Bolt-action
Rate of fire 10–15 rpm
Muzzle velocity 760 m/s (2,493 ft/s)
Feed system 5-round internal box magazine, two-row, integral box, with quickly detachable floorplate
Sights Iron sights
The vz. 24 rifle is a bolt-action carbine designed and produced in Czechoslovakia from 1924 to 1942. It was developed from the Mauser Gewehr 98 line, and features a very similar bolt design. The rifle was designed in Czechoslovakia shortly after World War I, to replace the Vz. 98/22, featuring a 600 mm (23.6") barrel which was shorter and considered more handy than the 150 mm (5.9") -longer Gewehr 98. The carbine followed a similar trend in weapon design at the time, that a short rifle gave away little in ballistic efficiency at combat ranges, but was easier to handle on account of its shorter length.
During World War II, the vz. 24 was produced for the German armed forces during its occupation. The rifle was also produced in nearby Slovakia, a German ally and puppet state during the war.
The vz. 24 rifle was widely exported and enjoyed usage during and after World War 2, noticeably by Romania, the Imperial State of Persia, Guatemala, China and others. Many of the contract rifles made for South American countries were chambered in 7mm Mauser or 7.65×53mm Argentine.
After World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismantled; one of the new states to emerge from the ruins of the Habsburg Monarchy was Czechoslovakia. The new state received control of the Skoda factory in Brno, which was renamed the Brno Arms Works in November 1918. The following year, the factory began producing the first short rifles based on the German Gewehr 98 design, which were chambered in 7mm Mauser. In 1922, the long vz. 98/22 was developed; this provided the basis for the vz. 23, a shortened version. These rifles were initially produced with parts cannibalized from other rifles. The design was further refined into the vz. 23A, which consisted of newly manufactured components. Further refinements produced the vz. 24, which entered production in 1924.[1]
The vz.24 became the primary rifle of the Czechoslovak armed forces before World War II. It resembled the German Karabiner 98k, which it predated by more than a decade. Unlike the K98k, the vz. 24 has a longer top handguard, and it retains a straight bolt handle.[2]
Export and combat employment
Between 1928 and 1938, the Bolivian Army purchased 101,000 vz. 24 rifles, which were chambered in 7.65×53mm Argentine. These rifles were used during the Chaco War in the 1930s.[3] Many of them were captured by the Paraguayan Army, which in turn used them against Bolivia.[4]
Colombia ordered 10,000 rifles between 1929 and 1937, which were chambered in 7mm Mauser.[5]
In 1932, Brazilian revolutionaries ordered 15,000 rifles, which were built with bent bolt handles.[6]
15,000 (24L) were bought by Lithuania in 1935-1936.
The vz. 24 next saw action in the Spanish Civil War by the Catalan Republican troops. About 40,000 vz. 24s were bought by the Soviet Union from Czechoslovakia to be sent to the Spanish Civil War. The vz. 24s were shipped from Murmansk on 1 March 1938, along with other material (T-26 tanks and 76mm French field artillery). The French freighter Gravelines, which carried all the material, managed to get the weapons to Bordeaux from where they were sent by land across the border, to Catalonia. Despite arriving late in the war, the vz. 24 was used in Catalonia and the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula and saw action in the Battle of the Ebro, where the vz. 24 showed good results despite the Franquist-Nationalist victory. After the defeat of the Second Spanish Republic, Generalissimo Francisco Franco kept the rifles that survived the battle until 1959, when they were sold to Interarms.[4]
The Chinese Nationalist government purchased 100,000 rifles in 1937. They saw action during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the late 1930s, and many of these rifles were captured by Japanese forces. They were then used to arm five infantry divisions stationed in China.[7] After the war, Japan surrendered the rifles to China, which were then issued to Nationalist forces for use during the Chinese Civil War.[8]
After the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, the Germans took existing stocks of the vz.24 into service under the designation Gewehr 24(t) ('t' being the national origin designator tschechoslowakisch, the German word for "Czechoslovak"; such national origin designators were German practice for all foreign weapons taken into service). Brno continued production of the rifle, which progressively gained some Kar98k features as stocks of pre-war components were used up. In 1942, the production line at the Považská Bystrica plant was converted entirely to building Kar98k rifles, and the main plant in Brno was similarly converted the following year.[9][10]
Romanian vz. 24s
The Czechoslovak Armaments Factory started making specially designated vz. 24s in 1938 after the German invasion. Romania was for a time part of the Axis during World War II. "Romanian" vz. 24s have a letter followed by an "R" in the serial number; for example SR 1XXX. Romanian vz. 24s "AR", "BR", "CR"... all the way through "YR" represent different periods of manufacturing, no rifle with "ZR" has been found. Also, in Romania,the rifle's official name was ZB.The Czechs made 25,000 rifles for each period roughly totaling 625,000 Romanian vz. 24s. Romanian vz. 24's saw action in Ukraine, Bessarabia, and Stalingrad in the hands of Romanian soldiers fighting for the Axis. It was not until 1944 that Romania joined the Allies.
Post-war production
VZ.24 receiver dated 1950.
As post-script to the vz. 24 story, the production of the Czech Kar 98k Mauser continued after the end of the war. Under Czechoslovak Army designation vz. 98N (vz. being equivalent to British Mk. - an abbreviation for vzor, or mark, and the suffix N denoted německá - German, this designation being used on mostly all weapons of German origin kept in the post-World War II Czechoslovak armed forces), it served until around 1952 as the service rifle for the post-war Czechoslovak forces, and was extensively exported. Early post-war specimens were identical with wartime versions, and the use of existing stocks of wartime parts continued until exhausted. The receiver marking reverted to a pre-war style Czech rampant lion symbol, although a specimen using a German style receiver code of 'tgf' and the date '1950' has been observed. The left side of the receiver was marked "ČESKOSLOVENSKÁ ZBROJOVKA, A.S., BRNO". The standard settled on was distinguished by a new magazine assembly made from steel stampings, with an oversized trigger guard for use with thick winter gloves. The new stamping, unlike late-war German stamped trigger guard/magazine assemblies, did not have a detachable magazine floorplate, meaning whole trigger guard/magazine must be unscrewed and removed entirely to clean the magazine. The locking screws, which stopped movement of the bolts securing the action and trigger guard to the stock, were deleted. Stocks were mostly solid (not laminated) beech with the German Kar 98k side sling attachments but no cleaning rod recess, and a German "Kriegsmodell" type late-war buttplate with firing pin dismantling hole in the side. Examples produced after the Communist takeover in 1948 were marked "Národní podnik".
Among the importers of the postwar production rifle was Bolivia, which designated their rifles "Fusil Mauser Boliviano Serie B-50"; these were also chambered in 7.65 mm Argentine like the earlier rifles purchased by the country. They also incorporated some features of the German K98k.[11]
The most famous employment of these rifles was being purchased by Haganah arms buyers and smuggled into Palestine before the British Mandate expired on 14 May 1948, and their use in the Israeli Independence War of 1948. Shipments to Israel continued after independence of both new-production Czechoslovak rifles, and German-era Kar 98k's, as Czechoslovak arms dealers sold a variety of German-pattern equipment to Israel. With Israel's adoption of the FN FAL rifle in 1955, the Czechoslovak rifles were among the Israeli Mauser rifles converted to 7.62×51mm NATO for use as reserve weapons, utilizing Mauser factory equipment provided by Czechoslovakia.
In common with elsewhere in Europe, Brno also refurbished large numbers of German Kar 98k rifles in the immediate post-war period. These are distinguishable by a larger serial number stamped on the underside of the stock behind the pistol grip adjacent to the original German number. Czechoslovak-refurbished Kar 98ks were sold to other Communist states in Europe, and were used by military and paramilitary forces into the 1960s, and were retained for some years afterward as reserve weapons.
Persian Berno
The rifle found its way into Iran very quickly where it became known as the Berno, following the name of the city of Brno, Czechoslovakia, where the rifles were originally manufactured. The Mauser rifle was selected for the Imperial Iranian Army during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, however Iran never ordered any from Germany instead preferring the Czechoslovak variant. CZ produced two versions for Iran, a long rifle (comparable to the German Gewehr 98) designated vz. 98/29, and a carbine designated vz. 30. Both were known in Iran as the Model of 1930 (or 1309, by the Iranian calendar), and the carbine was nicknamed Berno kootah ("short Brno").
The Iranian version had a Pahlavi crown and lion and sun crest atop the receiver ring, as well as an inscription in Persian (in Nastaʿlīq script) on the side of its receiver giving the model and the factory name.
In the late 1940s Iran's Taslihat-e Artesh (Arms Factories of the Army), popularly known as Mosalsal-sazi (Machine-gun Factory), in Tehran started production of these Brno rifles. The required machinery and manufacturing knowledge was provided to Iran through the industrial firm Škoda, which had a long history of cooperation with Iran. Iran produced two models: the vz. 24 as "Berno" and a short version under a licence from CZ. Initially this was a copy of the Model of 1930 carbine, which was soon replaced by a slightly modified Model of 1949 (1328 by the Iranian calendar), also known as "Berno kootah".
The only difference between the local Iranian version and the Czech version was the markings on the side of the receiver: instead of naming Brno as the maker, it was written sakht-e aslah-e sazi-e artesh ("made by the Army Arms factory").
The Brno remained as the standard Iranian infantry weapon until it was replaced by the more modern, semi-automatic, American M1 Garand rifle in 1960. Following the change, the Brno was confined to the gendarmerie and the game wardens for a while, before it was decommissioned from active use. In the 1970s it was used mainly in ceremonial occasions
The Iranian Brno rifles saw action in a number of places from tribal uprisings in Kurdistan to the coup removing Mohammad Mosaddegh from power. During the 1979 revolution, the gun re-appeared in the hands of the revolutionaries and tribesmen, who had never abandoned their Brnos. The Berno was, and is, used in official Friday prayer ceremonies: the speaker is required to have 'the weapon of the day' by his side, according to the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, who carried a sword in this capacity. The rifle was even used during Battle of Khorramshahr by Iranian Gendarmerie forces.
China manufactured a copy of the vz. 24 that featured a shorter barrel and a side folding bayonet.[12]
See also
1. Ball, pp. 111112
2. Ball, pp. 115116
3. Ball, pp. 57, 59
4. 1 2 Ball, p. 116
5. Ball, p. 105
6. Ball, pp. 6869
7. Ball, pp. 8182
8. Ball, p. 93
9. Grant, p. 61
10. Law, p. 179
11. Ball, p. 61
12. Ball, p. 99
External links
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A chemical criterion for rating movies
A chemical criterion for rating movies
Tension in the air: the more nervous moviegoers are, the more isoprene they emit—a measurable indication of how stressful a film is. Credit: 123RF/Ints Vikmanis
A measurable criterion now exists for determining the age rating of films. A group of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz has found that the concentration of isoprene in cinema air correlates with the cinema industry's voluntary classification of films. Evidently, the more nervous and tense people are, the more variable is the isoprene they emit. This can be used to deduce how "stressful" a film might be for children and adolescents.
The age from which children are allowed to watch a movie has so far been based on subjective judgments. In Germany, the Voluntary Self Regulation of the Movie Industry (FSK) classifies after carefully examining their content. Some movies such as The Lion King are released for all ages, whereas others such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and Dracula are only suitable for viewers aged 6, 12, 16 or 18 respectively. Ultimately, the classification is fairly subjective.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz have now developed a method that can objectively evaluate the age at which children and adolescents can safely watch a movie. They measured the composition of air in cinemas as well as levels of (VOCs) during 135 screenings of eleven different movies. Over 13,000 audience members were involved. For a variety of film genres and age groups, the researchers found that isoprene levels reliably correlate with the age rating of a film. "Isoprene appears to be a good indicator of emotional tension within a group," says Jonathan Williams, group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. "Our approach could therefore provide an objective criterion for deciding how should be classified."
Isoprene is released whenever we move
Isoprene is formed by metabolic processes and is stored in muscle tissue. It is released via the circulatory system, expired air and the skin whenever we move. "Evidently, we involuntarily squirm back and forth on our cinema seat or tense our muscles when we become nervous or excited," Jonathan Williams explains. And how intently the audience follows a film is, in turn, a good indication of the movie's emotional impact on children and adolescents.
If the new method were applied to an audience with representative age groups, it could help to determine the age rating of a movie in disputed cases. In addition, the measurements could show how audience reactions and age classification standards change over time.
Do our emotions leave a chemical fingerprint in the air?
In order to detect the chemical clues, the scientists connected a mass spectrometer to the cinema's ventilation system. During the film screenings, the device, which can identify substances even at ppt levels, was used to track changes in the air composition by taking measurements once every 30 seconds. In this way the team analyzed the concentrations of 60 compounds. Based on the data, the scientists then created a model that compares the age classification with the data on how often and in what quantities the audience released those compounds.
Jonathan Williams has now come up with a new research idea for the unambiguous correlation they identified for . He plans to investigate whether the volatile organic compounds we emit leave a chemical fingerprint in the air, not only of tension but of other emotional states as well. His team was unable to determine this clearly during the film screenings, because scenes that elicit very different emotions follow each other in rapid succession, thereby blurring the potential air-borne chemical traces. However, by taking air measurements under controlled laboratory conditions, in collaboration with other Max Planck Institutes in Frankfurt and Nijmegen, Jonathan Williams now hopes to conduct a thorough investigation into the question of whether specific emotions leave traces in the air.
Explore further
Suspense in the movie theatre air: Cinemagoers' exhaled breath reveals the scene that is playing
More information: C. Stönner et al. Proof of concept study: Testing human volatile organic compounds as tools for age classification of films, PLOS ONE (2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203044
Journal information: PLoS ONE
Provided by Max Planck Society
Citation: A chemical criterion for rating movies (2018, October 18) retrieved 22 April 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2018-10-chemical-criterion-movies.html
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User comments
Oct 18, 2018
This methodology suggests children will have to be exposed to possibly damaging films to get an idea of whether they are necessarily harmful or not.
Understanding of the world helps predict the nature of a film without using guinea pigs, and so, among other things, increases knowledge and spares the individuals.
As involved as human essence is, anything as limited as science cannot be expected to work.
The fact is, movies that are safe, in the sense of not being as harmful to spirit, mind as so many modern films are are characterized by a major quality, a lack of fatalism; not reducing the movie cynically only to shock sequences to avoid work; revealing depth of character, content of circumstances appealing to those with depth and content not just insipids. If a movie is a good movie, it can also be said to be safe. Invoking sex, in jokes, mindless action, contempt for others, superficial "sentiments", there hasn't been a single good movie since 1968.
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The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics
2018 Edition
| Editors: Macmillan Publishers Ltd
Proudhon, Pierre Joseph (1809–1865)
• H. Bartoli
Reference work entry
Proudhon was born in Besançon, France, into a very humble family. Despite a scholarship, poverty forced him to interrupt his exceptionally brilliant studies. He became, in turn, a printer, print shop foreman, scholarship student at the Besançon Academy, owner of a small print shop, and managing clerk in a river transport company in Lyons. He then became a writer and journalist, following this profession through incessant material difficulties, political trials, election to parliament, prison and exile. On his death he left a vast body of work, in which he tackled at the same time problems of philosophy, ethics, sociology and economics. He can equally well be seen as one of the founders of sociology, the father of anarchism, one of the inspirational forces behind cooperativism and mutualism, one of the sources of syndicalist thinking, ‘the boldest thinker of French socialism’ (Marx), a pioneer of federalism and regionalism, or one of the apostles of mass education.
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3. Bouglé, C. 1930. Proudhon. Paris: Alcan.Google Scholar
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6. Haubtmann, P. 1980. La philosophie sociale de P.J. Proudhon. Grenoble: Presses Universitaires.Google Scholar
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Copyright information
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd. 2018
Authors and Affiliations
• H. Bartoli
• 1
1. 1. |
How to Use Baking Soda to Wash Off 96% of All Toxic Pesticides from Your Fruits and Vegetables
Nowadays, people are becoming increasingly aware of the health concerns linked to the use of pesticides.
According to the WHO( World Health Organization):
“Pesticides are chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops against insects, fungi, weeds and other pests. In addition to their use in agriculture, pesticides are also used to protect public health in controlling the vectors of tropical diseases, such as mosquitoes.
But pesticides are also potentially toxic to humans. They may induce adverse health effects including cancer, effects on reproduction, immune or nervous systems. Before they can be authorized for use, pesticides should be tested for all possible health effects and the results should be analyzed by experts to assess any risks to humans.”
Researchers have found that baking soda is a versatile product that can offer a myriad of health issues, and among them, it can successfully get rid of up to 96% of pesticides from fruit and vegetables.
Additionally, studies have shown that it is even more effective than standard bleaching procedures, as it is a highly alkaline product that neutralizes chemicals and pesticides by breaking them down into molecules.
A team of researchers at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study on the effects of baking soda on gala apples. The apples were treated with two of the most common pesticides to the apples, phosmet, which is a known insecticide, and thiabendazole, a fungicide that has been found to penetrate apple peels and were afterward rinsed with three liquids.
The first one was tap water, the second a 1% baking soda/water solution, and the thirst was the most popular bleaching solution, approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The results showed that the second solution removed the most pesticide residue from apples, even though it took it 12 to 15 minutes to fully eliminate all of them.
The lead author Dr. Lili He said:
‘Pesticide residues may remain on agricultural produce, where they contribute to the total dietary intake of pesticides. Concerns about potential hazards of pesticides to food safety and human health have increased, and therefore, it is desirable to reduce these residues.’
This powerful, eco-friendly produce wash will cleanse the fruits and vegetables and lower the risk of health issues due to the use of pesticides.
All you have to do is to add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl of water and place the produce in the solution to soak for a few minutes. Rinse with cold water. Moreover, you can even scrub them with a bit of baking soda. Simple, but genuinely beneficial and powerful!
Additionally, despite washing the fruits and vegetables with this solution before use, can also follow the tips below to help you minimize the risk of pesticide exposure:
-- Grow your own produce or buy organic and locally grown fruit and vegetables.
-- Learn which foods have higher pesticide residue levels
-- Use non-toxic strategies to control insects in the garden |
Questions Asked on
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131. Algebra
Solve the equation w=Cr^-2 for r. This is what I got so far.... w/C=r^-2 Then I think it's... ok so I don't really know. I want to put w/C=1/r^2 but the r is still not alone and I'm not sure where I'd take it from there. Please help.
asked by Anonymous
132. English
On a works cited page for a book with 7 different authors.... do you use and between the 6th and 7th author....or just list? Thanks
asked by Michael
133. physics
A car is climbing a hill and accelerating at a constant rate of 0.3 g as it does so. Φ=10°. What is the steady state value of θ, the angle made by a mass hung from a cord that’s attached to the rearview mirror. ?
asked by Rosh
134. enviromental science
I need to find a climatogram of Puerto Rico for my project. I've gone on several different sites for puerto rico and several environmental sites but have not been able to find a climatogram for puerto rico's tropical rainforest, does anyone know of a site
asked by krystal
135. Calculus
integrate t*(t^2 - 1)^(1/3) dt over (0,3) I substitute u = t^2 - 1 du = 2t dt which leads to integrate (1/2) u^(1/3) du over(-1,8) = (3/8) * u^(4/3) over (-1/8) = 3/8 * [8^(4/3) - (-1)^(4/3)] I would guess that (-1)^(4/3) is +1, since the cube root of -1
asked by Sean
136. physics
A body pulled by a constant force accelerates from 10 cm/s to 35 cm/s in 3.5 s. A second force accelerates the same body from rest to 110 cm/s in 10.5 s. If the first force is known to be 5.0 N, that what is the second force?
asked by seB
137. economics
Nair Inc. bought a "growing perpetuity" bond. The bond will pay 631.85 dollars at the end of year 1 and the payment will increase by 2.5 percent each year forever thereafter. Assuming the interest rate is 11.26% (forever), what is the maximum amount that
asked by Rachel
138. soil science
asked by Dan
WHAT ARE the pros and cons of the following statement: “Egalitarian companies are more innovative.”
asked by SAN
140. Algebra B
I am confused as to what the nth power is. Is it any number as an exponent that leaves the radicand the same? Could you please show me an example? thanks,
asked by Nancy
141. math
Which of the fllowing dimensions describes te right triangle with an area of 36cm^2 having the greatest perimeter?
asked by Kat
142. socialstudy
state and discued the role of farmily in AFRICAN setting
asked by kareem kehinde
143. Math
The reduced row echelon form of the matrix -1/2 1/2 3/2 -3/2 2 3/2 1/2 -3/2 9/2 is?
asked by Paul
144. ma
The only value of b for which the following system of equations in(s,u,z)does not have a unique solution is: b = 3s+3u-z=3 -3s+3u=-3 -3s+bu-z=-3
asked by Tracy
145. algebra-college
asked by pat
146. New Age Math
Given the initial augmented matrix -1 1 2 0 2 -1 -3 0 2 -2 -4 0 find the RREF
asked by Jack
147. Math
The point (-4.3) lies on a circle whose center is at (2,1). Find an equation of this circle.
asked by Adam
148. English HS
I have to write a paper on my ethical and moral values. I don't know where to begin! I know I should look at my parents and upbringing but I feel I was ingrained and I don't know how to explain that! any tips are great. Thank you guys
asked by TY
149. algebra
b^9 b^3
asked by john
150. algebra
asked by john
151. science
can a bicycle have the same acceleration?how?
asked by Jio karlo munda
152. english
What can i say at the start and at the end of a recorded interview? i will be interviewing an agriculturist.
asked by nelle
153. Algebra
Find the slope of points (-2,2) and (2,1)
asked by Lisa
154. intermediate algebra
Multiply (2sqrt5 -1)(2sqrt10 -3)
asked by Lisa
155. Abstract Algebra
Let f:A->B where A and B are nonempty. Prove that f(S1 U S2) = f(S1) U f(S2)
asked by Molly
156. Math
4+(-7)+2(-5)= i think the answer is -6
asked by :P smile
157. social studies/ history
name famous civil war battles fought in missouri and who won???
asked by smarty pants
158. math
144+(-317)+213 i think the answer is 40
asked by :P smile
159. algebra
asked by john
160. math
I4+(-3)I+I-2I i think the answer is 3
asked by :P smile
161. math
asked by :P smile
162. Algebra
have no idea how to do this... divide and write your answer WITHOUT exponents. -11.2 x 10^-7 _______________ = 1.6 x 10^-2
asked by Help
163. math
what integer makes the equation -13 + 12 + 7 +?+10 i think it is 4
asked by :P smile
164. groundwater science
Consider water in a well, and a point of measurement at depth below the surface of the water. True or False: if the point of measurement is located at an elevation of 2,000 ft. above mean sea level, and that point of measurement is 40 ft. below the water
asked by Luke
165. writing
so i have to write a research paper(3-4 pages) on this topic 'does lack of sleep affect heart rate' how do i do that...this is the first time i write a research paper so i need help..thanks
asked by HELP
166. Physics
A Jet has a liftoff speed of 160 km/hr. What minimum uniform acceleration does this require if the aircraft is to be airborne after a takeoff run of 300m?
asked by Apryl
167. human resources
Help please. I need to find information on how peers influence a sweet 16 party for a female. I can find information on how the media influences this, but I need solid information on how peers can influence a sweet 16 party. I am doing the rites of passage
asked by Patiance
168. calculus
find the area of the region R that lies under y=√x (x+1), over 0≤x≤4
asked by daniel
169. College Math
Given the initial augmented matrix 1 -1 0 2 3 -2 -2 3 -2 2 1 -3 RREF?
asked by Linda
170. network utiliztion
A network has a capacity of 90,000 frames per minute and the input to the network is 900 frames per second. If .05% of all transmitted frames are lost and must be repeated, what is the network utilization?
asked by Nathan
171. chemistry
1.when the concentraion of acetone was doubled, the time was about _____ the original time and the rate was about _______ the original rate. 2.when the concentraion of H+ was doubled, the time was about _____ the original time and the rate was about
asked by Sarah
172. us history
What were three problems under the articles of confederation, and what were two successes?
asked by Mysterious person
173. American history
When was the new York state constitution written and what are the two parts of the new York state legislature?
asked by Mysterious person
174. Internet - IT
Hi, Can some confirm that both the TCP/IP and OSI model are both examples reference models. I feel that both are reference models. And lastly is it right that, DHCP is a protocol that enables network devices to share a pool of IP addresses. and is a
asked by Ian
175. history-paul klee
what contributions did paul klee make in the 1920's?
asked by carly
176. Science
When u kick a stone your foot exerts force on the stone and the stone exerts a force ? in size and ? in direction on your foot
asked by Jordan
177. MATH
(3s+2d)(3s-2d) 9s^2-6ds+6ds-4d^2 9s^2-4d^2+0ds
178. English
Edit for proper grammar Neither of the textbooks contain the answer to the test question.
asked by Sarah
179. American history
When was the new York state constitution written and what are the two parts of the new York state legislators?
asked by Mysterious person
180. chemistry
what is a good experiment for investigating the influence of the size reaction-surface on the reaction tempo of a specific raection. using Cal-c vita tablets, rennies tablets and vinegar...?
asked by Lizard
181. word problem
a computer company gives a discount of 10% on a new piece of software.If it makes a 40% profit what percentage does the marked price exceed the cost price
asked by jeff
182. Math
How do you find the length of one side of a trapeziod using the 'point-to-a-line distance' formula?
asked by Anika
183. Math
How do you show that 2 sides of a trapezoid are parallel?
asked by S.O.S
184. math
asked by hi
185. math
asked by hi
asked by nelle
187. Physics
Find the speed of a pendulum bob at the bottom of its swing if its initial displacement is 5 degrees and its period is 2 s.
asked by Dave
188. algebra
54r^14 -3r^7 find quotient
asked by sarah
189. algebra
u-^8 positive exponent
asked by sarah
190. algebra
Subtract (1.5x^3+4.8x^2-3.7x)(-4.3x^3-4.5x^2+32)
asked by sarah
191. chemistry
what would happen if you mixed isopropanol with copper
asked by dave
192. VHS
a triangle has sides with lengths of 11 meters, 9 meters, and 7 meters. what type of triangle is it?
asked by Kelsey
193. chemistry
hen 9.3 g of an unknown non-electrolyte is dissolved in 50.0 g of benzene, the boiling point the boiling point increased to 81.19 degrees C from 80.1 degrees C. If the Kbp of the solvent is 2.53 K/m, calculate the molar mass of the unknown solute. The
asked by zainab
194. math
Ryans mother has a fenced rectangle garden that measures 15 meters x 10 of the 10 meters sides isalong the house and doesnt have a fence.How many meters of fence border the garden ?
asked by Sanyourah El-hulu
195. Math
what does "Anagram your name" means?
asked by Terry |
What is a stewardship district?
“Stewardship Districts”…What are they?
The District is a local unit of special-purpose government of the State of Florida, created pursuant to Chapter 2005-338, Laws of Florida as amended (the "Act"). Among the purposes for which the District was established are financing the acquisition and construction of, and the maintenance and operation of the infrastructure, and other public facilities necessary for development of the lands within the District. The Act authorizes the District to issue bonds for purposes, among others, of financing the cost of acquisition and construction of assessable improvements including water management and control, water supply, wastewater management, reclamation and reuse, roadway improvements, landscaping, street lights, parks and other basic infrastructure projects within and, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, without the boundaries of the District.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Stewardship Districts
Q: How are Stewardship Districts Established?
A: The Florida legislature establishes Stewardship Districts by Special act (which is like other legislation, also signed into law by the Governor). The local legislative delegation sponsors the special act, after considering the same at meetings held in the local area: As these are “local bills”, the establishment of such Districts follows a strict procedural and noticing time line that occurs well in advance of the regular legislative session (which generally runs 60 days in March and April).
Q: How are Stewardship DistrictsGoverned?
A: Each Stewardship District established to date has been tailored to the specific needs of a particular community and local jurisdiction. Landowners generally elect the board (which is usually five members) for a specific period of time, and the transition to residents sitting on the board is usually much longer than with CDDs, reflecting the extended duration of development and build out. In some cases, the transition to residents may begin after specified population triggers are reached; in others, it may be at specific dates.
Q: Do CDDS and Stewardship Districts Have Different Powers?
A: To some extent, CDD powers are all set out in general law, Chapter 190. The powers of each Stewardship District are contained within each special act. However, it is often the case that powers found in Chapter 190, as well as those found in Chapter 298 (drainage districts), form the starting place for the drafting of such special acts. Still, special powers needed for the particular land area within the Stewardship District are possible and have been included. |
Risks of Velamentous Cord Insertion Pregnancy Complication
A Rare but Dangerous Complication
Pregnant woman holding her belly in hospital
JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images
A velamentous cord insertion is a pregnancy complication in which the umbilical cord is abnormally inserted into the placenta. In a typical pregnancy, a baby's blood vessels travel from the center of the placenta into the baby via their umbilical. With a velamentous cord insertion, the baby's blood vessels are unprotected, the substance that typically surrounds them (Wharton's jelly) is missing.
In a normal gestational sac, the umbilical cord is inserted into the middle of the placenta and entirely enclosed in the amniotic sac. In a velamentous insertion, the cord inserts itself into the amniotic membrane rather than in the placenta. The baby's blood vessels then stretch along the membrane between the insertion point and the placenta.
Velamentous cord insertion can lead to serious pregnancy complications, such as vasa previa. Vasa previa occurs when the baby's blood vessels run close to the inner part of the cervix—the tissue that separates the uterus from the vagina. Because of their location, these blood vessels are at risk of rupturing. The condition can be deadly with approximately 50 percent of undiagnosed cases leading to fetal death. Approximately 6 percent of single-baby pregnancies with velamentous cord insertion will also have vasa previa.
Velamentous cord insertion can be diagnosed through an ultrasound. It may be difficult to see during the first trimester of pregnancy but is easier to visualize during the second trimester. If you have been diagnosed with a velamentous insertion, your doctor may want to perform a c-section.
Rick Factors
Velamentous insertion occurs in 1.1 percent of single-baby pregnancies and 8.7 percent of twin pregnancies. This type of insertion is more common earlier on in pregnancy. In cases of spontaneous abortion, velamentous cord insertion happens around 33 percent of the time when the pregnancy terminates between nine and 12 weeks. In pregnancies ending between 13 and 16 weeks, the rate is a little lower at 26 percent.
Other risk factors include having a two-lobed placenta, uterine anomalies, and the fetus having a single umbilical artery.
Other Types of Cord Insertions
In addition to velamentous cord insertion, there are several different ways the umbilical cord can join with the placenta:
• Central insertion (90 percent): Normal umbilical placement in the center of the placenta
• Marginal cord insertion (7 percent): The umbilical cord less than 2 cm sideways of the placental margin. A marginal cord insertion can develop into a velamentous insertion.
Other Risks Associated With Velamentous Cord Insertion
Velamentous cord insertion can also restrict how much the fetus grows, increase the risk of pre-eclampsia, premature birth, and the need for a c-section. Once the baby is born, they may be more likely to be transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), have a low Apgar score (a ranking of a baby's physical condition), low birth weight, an abnormal heart rate, or other physical issues. Velamentous insertion also increases the risk of having a stillborn child.
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Article Sources
• International Vasa Previa Foundation, "Velamentous Insertion of the Umbilical Cord." |
• Mars is the next planet out beyond Earth, but between us is an asteroid belt. Because of its position, Mars takes a lot longer to make its revolution around the sun, hence its year is longer.
• It's farther away from the sun so it has to travel farther and moves slower due to the weaker gravity.
• The earth spins on it's axis 1 degree every 24 hours. This is why there are 365 days in a year. The extra five days are for leap years. It takes 1 year for the world to spin in one whole and complete revolution.
• I know that the Earth is about 93,000,000 miles from the Sun. I've got a suspicion, without looking it up, that Mars is about 150,000,000 miles from the Sun. I know that one of Kepler's law says that the cube of the distance is proportional to the square of the time. (but don't remember which one). 150/93 = 1.61 further from the Sun. cubed = 4.20 = proportional to square of the time ratio square rooted = 2.05 Therefore Mars takes about 2.05 times as long as Earth.
• pugwashjw65
Technically, very good...but my comment was generalized as to distance.. also, Mars may not be travelling through space at the same SPEED as would vary your 2.5.
• Here's the quick and dirty version. Mars is further from the sun, and therefore the circumference of its orbit is much longer than that of the Earth. Now, doesn't that make a lot more sense than all the big words and scientific mumbo-jumbo. I like to "tell it like it is".
• 3-20-2017 Duh, because it takes nearly twice as long to go around the sun.
• This can be explained by distance....On the earth a ' year' is 365 days, 365 rotations of the earth itself... In that time the earth travels around the sun ONCE... For example...a million miles [ just a large figure] But with Mars, further out from the sun, for it to travel around the sun [ also ] ONCE...[ A Mars YEAR ] the distance travelled would be TWO million miles...Given the same speed, Mars would take TWICE as long from point to point...So one Mars year = two Earth years...if noted on a timepiece.
• Mr PantsFellDown
Okay that makes sense. But if the Earth has all that English on it as it travels around, then if the earth were a billiard ball, this would be a bank shot into the corner?
• beaker95
Controlling your balls is essential in any Galaxy.....
• No no no, you're all wrong. The Martians stupidly divided their year into 24 months, not 12. So it's longer. *blink*
• They have no cable....?
• Yea, Beaker is on to something. The Martians are a boring lot, causing time to pass dramatically slower there. Why, they're so boring__________________ (fill in the blank)
• beaker95
"Even Ice Man seems interesting, in comparison"....(only joking, Big Fella)....
• Mr PantsFellDown
The Martians are so boring they think Saturday night really is for washing socks. They're so boring, when they have a party, the guests think the steak knives are for hari kari, and thank them for their thoughtfulness. Even their dogs won't hang out with them, they're so dull. In fact they're so abjectly uninteresting, the Martian newspapers haven't...Wait, that's not funny! *straightens tie* *goes full into Rodney Dangerfield mode..* I tell ya I get no respect. I went to a drive-in with this girl. She said, "you want to get in the back?" I said, "No. I want to stay up here with you!" *straightens bow tie* I tell ya. And those Martians are boring. I'll tell ya... They're so boring no one's even written any "Martians are boring" jokes I can steal online! *HOOK* Oh come on, I was just getting warmed up!....
• beaker95
Do you have to self-medicate just to stop your mind driving off a cliff....?
• Mr PantsFellDown
I used to! *sigh* But they said I was having too much fun, and took my brandy away. So now I just hit myself in the head with a pan and see all the nice stars. :|
• beaker95
Like Lindsay Lohan and Tanya Tucker....?
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Marking and Identification: Product Identification Methods
By George Allman on 05 December, 2018
marking and identification pic
Laser marking is a mechanical process in which information can be placed on the wire jacketing itself as the wires are being processed. Laser marking is often done for military and aerospace applications, and must fit certain specifications. This method creates a durable and uniform label in which markings can be made along the entire length of the assembly.
Heat-shrinkable markers are a common method of identification. These sleeves, typically made of Polyolefin, can be pulled over the cable bundle and then shrunk to fit the product perfectly once heat is applied. These markers come in a variety of colors and sizes, and often feature more legible identification. Heat-shrinkable sleeves are frequently used in the manufacturing process to ensure that the assembly is installed in a proper manner.
Wrap labels are one marking method that allows lots of information to be provided in a small space. The information is printed on the wrap label then the label is applied to the cable bundle. Finally, a clear layer of protection is applied on top. Wrap labels are often used to supply instructions in the assembly process, including information on connector designation, the serial number of the product, and the cage code.
Lastly, direct marking with inkjet or epoxy printing is a method that offers excellent staying power. In inkjet printing, a printing machine takes the product in, scans the desired placement area, and distributes UV-curable ink onto the product. Similarly, epoxy printing is the application of a 2-part epoxy ink onto the product. This method offers excellent durability, and is typically used on rigid surfaces like connectors. A similar style is pad printing, in which epoxy ink is stamped onto the product. This type of printing provides exceptional detail, as well as resilience and durability.
Marking and identification methods go a long way in ensuring that each product is of the highest quality, meets necessary specifications, and comes from a reputable manufacturer. Properly identifying each component of an assembly is important, because in this industry, building reliable products is important. Making sure that components are uniquely and properly marked maintains traceability and certification. A well-marked and identified assembly is a key element of a quality assembly.
Contact Liberty today with any questions that you may have.
Liberty Electronics Inc Manufacturing News
Topics: Products, Wiring Harness, Wire Bundle
Author: George Allman
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Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park
‘Tasek Merimbun (Translation: Merimbun Lake) Heritage Park’ is a wildlife sanctuary, a conservation spot for flora and fauna, a recreational center, and a venue for research and education. It is the first to be declared a national park in Brunei Darussalam. The 7,800-hectare park was also declared an ASEAN Heritage Park on 29 November 1984, marking a significant era in its history. With this recognition, the government earmarked funds in the 6th National Development Plan for developing facilities at Tasek Merimbun to establish a national park that would incorporate extensive forest areas adjacent to the lake. The Park encloses Brunei's largest lake, Tasek Merimbun, and a number of small rivers feeding into the lake.
Tasek Merimbun is part of a geological formation that was uplifted from a shallow sea about 7 million years ago. Home to many species of flora and fauna, it is a kind of low depression surrounded by swamps as opposed to being a typical lake. The water is black due to the presence of peat i.e. fermentation of plant vegetative materials that feed into the lake through the peat swamp. Tasek Merimbun was declared as Brunei's National Heritage Park in 1967 and later on declared as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 1984. This park is under the management of Brunei Museums Department. |
Cats Cannot Get Vitamin A From Carrots
Beta-carotene is a yellow pigment that is found in many yellow, orange, and dark-green vegetables. For human beings and many other mammals, beta-carotene is a provitamin of vitamin A. This means that beta-carotene does not have vitamin A effects until the body converts it to retinol. Human beings can convert beta-carotene to retinol. Thus, human beings can get vitamin A from the beta-carotene in fruits and vegetables. In contrast, cats cannot convert beta-carotene to retinol. Retinol is found only in meat and other animal products, such as egg yolk. For this reason, cats cannot survive on a purely plant-based diet. If you want to make a purely plant-based (vegan) cat food, you must add the nutrients, such as retinol, that normally come only from animal sources.
Cats must get their vitamin A in the form of retinol or related compounds (such as retinyl palmitate). In contrast, it is better for human beings to get their vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. The human body converts beta-carotene to retinol on an as-needed basis. If you eat a huge amount of the fruits and vegetables that contain beta-carotene, some of the extra beta-carotene might build up in your skin. As a result, you will get a healthy golden glow that is more attractive than a suntan. In contrast, if you overdose on retinol, either from taking supplements or from eating polar bear liver, you will get a potentially fatal swelling of the brain. This condition is called pseudotumor cerebri (which literally means fake tumor of the brain). If the brain swelling damages the nerves that connect the eyes to the brain, the result can be permanent blindness.
Human beings should get their vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. And they should get their beta-carotene from fruits and vegetables, rather than from pills. People who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables tend to have better health, including lower rates of cancer. You cannot get the same effect by taking the vitamins in pill form. In fact, the vitamin pills might actually increase the risk of cancer.
In the 1980s, the National Cancer Institute launched a major study called the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET). The purpose of the study was to see whether pills containing beta-carotene and retinol (in the form of retinyl palmitate) could reduce the risk of cancer in people who were at high risk for lung cancer. The study was stopped early because the cancer rate turned out to be higher in the people who got the vitamin A pills than in people who got a placebo.
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A reference grammar of the Kanuri language by John P Hutchison; Neil Skinner
By John P Hutchison; Neil Skinner
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Extra info for A reference grammar of the Kanuri language
Sample text
Avoidance is a term most o en used in the context of learner strategies and particularly as a communication strategy in that it is a conscious mental act with a language use goal. There are two basic types of avoidance strategies adopted by learners: avoidance of topic and avoidance of formulations (the choice of certain words, phrases or language structures to express ideas). However the two types can be interrelated. Topic avoidance is usually a result of lack of cultural knowledge required for that topic to be discussed adequately.
In which country was the study carried out? It helps to know this right from the start because it sets the findings in a real context, and not all learning contexts are the same. Does it then tell you why it was carried out at this point in time and in this particular context? Does it say (usually in a footnote) whether the study was funded by a particular body and who that body might be? Was it an independent body that would not put pressure on the researchers to come up with a particular set of findings or slant the conclusions in order to pursue a desired educational policy?
More recently the use of corpora has come to be viewed as authentic text but this too has come in for criticism: ‘unfiltered’ examples of words and phrases in use have not yet proved themselves as promoting SLA. Authenticity of discourse has provoked even more debate and a definition of authentic classroom discourse is hard to come by. The argument is centred around whether discourse in an L2 classroom can ever be considered as ‘authentic’ and that therefore, rather than simulating the outside world (through role plays for example) we should be considering whether the talk encountered is ‘authenticated’ (Van Lier 1996) by its participants.
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Knowing how to read food labels is especially important
Knowing how to read food labels is especially important if you have health conditions, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and need to follow a special diet. Pregnancy: maintaining health, productivity and prevention of diet-related diseases and to support pregnancy lactation require nutritionally adequate diet with extra food for child bearing rearing.
Salt is not more or less healthy than regular salt. Avoid the fried options; baked, steamed, grilled, stewed, or broiled are lower in calories and saturated fat. The shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each shelf to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. What does it mean to eat healthily. Just think about how foods affect your own energy levels: you don't eat enough of the right foods, you feel so sluggish that it's as if you haven't even put a paddle in the water.
Snacks added to the meal plan will slightly alter the total energy and macronutrient profiles of the meals. One serving in a category is called a choice A food choice has about the same amount of carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories — and the same effect on your blood glucose — as a serving of every other food in that same category. Some people get into big trouble if they cut out a lot of foods. Another way to reduce the amount of salt you eat is to choose your condiments carefully. As much as possible, avoid processed foods, salt-rich sauces, takeaways and packet soups which are often high in salt. In advance of her on the seminar, she shared of her top tips for healthy, mindful eating. A balanced diet is one that meets an animal's protein target, and if our diet is low in protein we will eat more overall in order to reach our magic protein target. There's a lot of advice out there on how to eat healthy, and if we're being honest, it can sometimes feel like too much to think about.
Activate now and start earning cash back. Eat is the perfect marriage between a calorie counter and a meal planner.
A to -hour cleanse period of not eating between dinner and breakfast can sound like a stretch for most people, but according to, much of it comes down to perception. Here we aim to give you a basic understanding of the requirements of a balanced diet and Climax Control användning the importance of this in sport. A healthy diet also contains legumes, whole grains and nuts. Oils should replace solid fats rather than being added to the diet.
A diet that is deficient in nutrients is one that can lead to health and weight problems. Limits saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.
Cheating on your healthy diet is typically something you try to hide from family and friends but you can't fool your doctor. This could mean cooking in batches on the weekend or setting distinct times to cook throughout the day. At we aim to get the nutritional balance back into your favourite meals doing the hard work of balancing all these important elements so you don't have to worry about it. Check out the's and page for some information about the dangers of fad diets and tips on losing weight the healthy way.
For example, instead of saying that % of your diet should be carbohydrate, the advice today is more like: This results in people lacking macro-nutrients. To make it easier to make a by learning how to combine foods; Poor nutrition caused by lack of knowledge about and balanced meals. Eating beans regularly is good for your heart, and you don't need to eat a lot of them to benefit. In addition to their overall score, people who complete the online assessment will receive feedback on how they can improve their diet. They are nothing but healthy and nutritious and thus essential components of a healthy, balanced diet. Protein is essential to all cells and processes in your body anything from building and repairing tissues to making enzymes, hormones and other chemicals. A ‘balanced' diet indeed, with a little something on everyone's plate. For women, up to drinks per week, with no more than to drink per day.
You may also be able to add in more fibre with some vegetables, legumes or fruit or with some wholegrains. Other risk factors for heart disease include smoking, high blood pressure, type diabetes and obesity. Compared to most milk alternatives, cow's milk also has higher amounts of and more absorbable calcium, making cow's milk a great choice for supporting bone and muscle health. Generally, the association between health risks and body fat distribution is as follows: Having fat around the abdomen or a ‘pot belly', regardless of your body size, means you are more likely to develop certain obesity-related health conditions. Many people don't pay a lot of attention to their food choices, because they don't realize how powerful food can be on their overall health. If you have questions about your diet or feel that you need to lose weight or change your eating habits, schedule an appointment with your doctor or a dietitian. Some studies have found that consuming foods with omega-fatty acids and magnesium may help reduce cortisol levels. Fatty acid is a major component of fats that is used by the body for energy and tissue development.
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b632 method To Binomial distribution (Statistics)
b632 method:
A procedure of error rate estimation in discriminant analysis based on the bootstrap, which consists of the following steps:
(1) Randomly sample (with replacement) a bootstrap sample from the original data.
(2) Classify the observations omitted from the bootstrap sample using the classification rule calculated from the bootstrap sample.
(3) Repeat (1) and (2) many times and calculate the mean bootstrap classification matrix, Cb.
(4) Calculate the resubstitution classification matrix, Cr, based on the original data.
(5) The b632 estimator of the classification matrix is 0.368Cr + 0.632Q, from which the required error rate estimate can be obtained.
Bk method:
A form of cluster analysis which produces overlapping clusters. A maximum of k — 1 objects may belong to the overlap between any pair of clusters. When k = 1 the procedure becomes single linkage clustering.
Babbage, Charles (1792-1871):
Born near Teignmouth in Devon, Babbage read mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1814. His early work was in the theory of functions and modern algebra. Babbage was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1816. Between 1828 and 1839 he held the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Trinity College. In the 1820s Babbage developed a ‘Difference Engine’ to form and print mathematical tables for navigation and spent much time and money developing and perfecting his calculating machines. His ideas were too ambitious to be realized by the mechanical devices available at the time, but can now be seen to contain the essential germ of today’s electronic computer. Babbage is rightly seen as the pioneer of modern computers.
Synonym for back-projection.
A term most often applied to a procedure for reconstructing plausible HIV incidence curves from AIDS incidence data. The method assumes that the probability distribution of the incubation period of AIDS has been estimated precisely from separate cohort studies and uses this distribution to project the AIDS incidence data backwards to reconstruct an HIV epidemic curve that could plausibly have led to the observed AIDS incidence data.
Back-to-back stem-and-leaf plots:
A method for comparing two distributions by ‘hanging’ the two sets of leaves in the stem-and-leaf plots of the two sets of data, off either side of the same stem. An example appears in Fig. 9.
Back-to-back stem-and-leaf plot of systolic blood pressure of fifteen subjects before and two hours after taking the drug captoril.
Backward-looking study:
An alternative term for retrospective study.
Backward shift operator:
A mathematical operator denoted by B, met in the analysis of time series. When applied to such a series the operator moves the observations back one time unit, so that if xt represents the values of the series then, for example,
A term used for producing replicates of the training set in a classification problem and producing an allocation rule on each replicate. The basis of bagging predictors which involve multiple versions of a predictor that are used to get an aggregated predictor.
An approach to detecting outliers in bivariate data. The plot visualizes location, spread, correlation, skewness and the tails of the data without making assumptions about the data being symmetrically distributed.
Balaam’s design:
A design for testing differences between two treatments A and B in which patients are randomly allocated to one of four sequences, AA, AB, BA, or BB. See also crossover design.
Balanced design:
A term usually applied to any experimental design in which the same number of observations is taken for each combination of the experimental factors.
Balanced incomplete block design:
A design in which not all treatments are used in all blocks. Such designs have the following properties:
• each block contains the same number of units;
• each treatment occurs the same number of times in all blocks;
• each pair of treatment combinations occurs together in a block the same number of times as any other pair of treatments.
In medicine this type of design might be employed to avoid asking subjects to attend for treatment an unrealistic number of times, and thus possibly preventing problems with missing values. For example, in a study with five treatments, it might be thought that subjects could realistically only be asked to make three visits. A possible balanced incomplete design in this case would be the following:
Patient Visit 1 Visit 2 Visit 3
1 T4 T5 Ti
2 T4 T2 T5
3 T2 T4 Ti
4 T5 T3 Ti
5 T3 T4 T5
6 T2 T3 Ti
7 T3 Ti T4
8 T3 T5 T2
9 T2 T3 T4
10 T5 Ti T2
Balanced incomplete repeated measures design (BIRMD):
An arrangement of N randomly selected experimental units and k treatments in which every unit receives k1 treatments 1 < k1 < k, each treatment is administered to r experimental units and each pair of treatments occurs together X times. See also balanced incomplete blocks.
Balanced repeated replication (BRR):
A popular method for variance estimation in surveys which works by creating a set of ‘balanced’ pseudoreplicated datasets from the original dataset. For an estimator, 0, of a parameter, 0, the estimated variance is obtained as the average of the squared deviations, 6(r) — 6, where 0(r) is the estimate based on the rth replicated data set. See also jackknife.
Balancing score:
Synonymous with propensity score.
Ballot theorem:
Let X1, X2,…, Xn be independent random variables each with a Bernoulli distribution with Pr(X, = 1) = Pr(X, = — 1) = 2. Define Sk as the sum of the first k of the observed values of these variables, i.e. Sk = X1 + X2 + ••• + Xk and let a and b be nonnegative integers such that a — b > 0 and a + b = n, then
If +1 is interpreted as a vote for candidate A and —1 as a vote for candidate B, then Sk is the difference in numbers of votes cast for A and B at the time when k votes have been recorded; the probability given is that A is always ahead of B given that A receives a votes in all and B receives b votes. [An Introduction to Probability Theory and its Applications, Volume 1, 3rd edition, 1968, W. Feller, Wiley, New York.]
Abbreviation for best asymptotically normal estimator.
Banach’s match-box problem:
A person carries two boxes of matches, one in their left and one in their right pocket. Initially they contain N matches each. When the person wants a match, a pocket is selected at random, the successive choices thus constituting Bernoulli trials with p = 2. On the first occasion that the person finds that a box is empty the other box may contain 0, 1, 2,…, N matches. The probability distribution of the number of matches, R, left in the other box is given by:
So, for example, for N = 50 the probability of there being not more than 10 matches in the second box is 0.754. [An Introduction to Probability Theory and its Applications, Volume 1, 3rd edition, 1968, W. Feller, Wiley, New York.]
Bancroft, Theodore Alfonso (1907-1986):
Born in Columbus, Mississippi, Bancroft received a first degree in mathematics from the University of Florida. In 1943 he completed his doctorate in mathematical statistics with a dissertation entitled ‘Tests of Significance Considered as an Aid in Statistical Methodology’. In 1950 he became Head of the Department of Statistics of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station. His principal area of research was incompletely specified models. Bancroft served as President of the American Statistical Association in 1970. He died on 26 July 1986 in Ames, Iowa.
Bar chart:
A form of graphical representation for displaying data classified into a number of (usually unordered) categories. Equal-width rectangular bars are constructed over each category with height equal to the observed frequency of the category as shown in Fig. 10. See also histogram and component bar chart.
Bar chart of mortality rates per 1000 live births for children under five years of age in five different countries.
Fig. 10 Bar chart of mortality rates per 1000 live births for children under five years of age in five different countries.
Barnard, George Alfred (1915-2002):
Born in Walthamstow in the east end of London, Barnard gained a scholarship to St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he graduated in mathematics in 1936. For the next three years he studied mathematical logic at Princeton, New Jersey, and then in 1940 joined the engineering firm, Plessey. After three years acting as a mathematical consultant for engineers, Barnard joined the Ministry of Supply and it was here that his interest in statistics developed. In 1945 he went to Imperial College London, and then in 1966 he moved to a chair in the newly created University of Essex, where he stayed until his retirement in 1975. Barnard made major and important contributions to several fundamental areas of inference, including likelihood and 2 x 2 tables. He was made President of the Royal Statistical Society in 1971-2 and also received the Society’s Guy medal in gold. He died in Brightlingsea, Essex, on 30 July 2002.
Barrett and Marshall model for conception:
A biologically plausible model for the probability of conception in a particular menstrual cycle, which assumes that batches of sperm introduced on different days behave independently. The model is
where the Xik are 0,1 variables corresponding to whether there was intercourse or not on a particular day relative to the estimated day of ovulation (day 0). The parameter pi is interpreted as the probability that conception would occur following intercourse on day i only. See also EU model.
Bartholomew’s likelihood function:
The joint probability of obtaining the observed known-complete survival times as well as the so-far survived measurements of individuals who are still alive at the date of completion of the study or other endpoint of the period of observation.
Bartlett, Maurice Stevenson (1910-2002):
Born in Chiswick, London, Bartlett won a scholarship to Latymer Upper School, where his interest in probability was awakened by a chapter on the topic in Hall and Knight’s Algebra. In 1929 he went to Queen’s College, Cambridge to read mathematics, and in his final undergraduate year in 1932 published his first paper (jointly with John Wishart), on second-order moments in a normal system. On leaving Cambridge in 1933 Bartlett became Assistant Lecturer in the new Statistics Department at University College London, where his colleagues included Egon Pearson, Fisher and Neyman. In 1934 he joined Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) as a statistician. During four very creative years Bartlett published some two-dozen papers on topics as varied as the theory of inbreeding and the effect of non-normality on the ^-distribution. From ICI he moved to a lectureship at the University of Cambridge, and then during World War II he was placed in the Ministry of Supply. After the war he returned to Cambridge and began his studies of time series and diffusion processes. In 1947 Bartlett was given the Chair of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Manchester where he spent the next 13 years, publishing two important topics, An Introduction to Stochastic Processes (in 1955) and Stochastic Population Models in Ecology and Epidemiology (in 1960) as well as a stream of papers on stochastic processes, etc. It was in 1960 that Bartlett returned to University College taking the Chair in Statistics, his work now taking in stochastic path integrals, spatial patterns and multivariate analysis. His final post was at Oxford where he held the Chair of Biomathematics from 1967 until his retirement eight years later. Bartlett received many honours and awards in his long and productive career, including being made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1961 and being President of the Royal Statistical Society for 1966-7. He died on 8 January 2002, in Exmouth, Devon.
Bartlett’s adjustment factor:
A correction term for the likelihood ratio that makes the chi-squared distribution a more accurate approximation to its probability distribution.
Bartlett’s identity:
A matrix identity useful in several areas of multivariate analysis and given by
where A is q x q and nonsingular, b is a q x 1 vector and c is a scalar.
Bartlett’s test for eigenvalues:
A large-sample test for the null hypothesis that the last (q — k) eigenvalues, Xk+1,…, Xq, of a variance-covariance matrix are zero. The test statistic is
Under the null hypothesis, X2 has a chi-squared distribution with (1 =2)(q — k — 1)(q — k + 2) degrees of freedom, where v is the degrees of freedom associated with the covariance matrix. Used mainly in principal components analysis. [MV1 Chapter 4.]
Bartlett’s test for variances:
A test for the equality of the variances of a number (k) of populations. The test statistic is given by
where s2 is an estimate of the variance of population i based on v, degrees of freedom, and v and s2 are given by
Under the hypothesis that the populations all have the same variance, B has a chi-squared distribution with k — 1 degrees of freedom. Sometimes used prior to applying analysis of variance techniques to assess the assumption of homogeneity of variance. Of limited practical value because of its known sensitivity to non-normality, so that a significant result might be due to departures from normality rather than to different variances. See also Box’s test and Hartley’s test.
Baseline balance:
A term used to describe, in some sense, the equality of the observed baseline characteristics among the groups in, say, a clinical trial. Conventional practice dictates that before proceeding to assess the treatment effects from the clinical outcomes, the groups must be shown to be comparable in terms of these baseline measurements and observations, usually by carrying out appropriate significant tests. Such tests are frequently criticized by statisticians who usually prefer important prognostic variables to be identified prior to the trial and then used in an analysis of covariance.
Baseline characteristics:
Observations and measurements collected on subjects or patients at the time of entry into a study before undergoing any treatment. The term can be applied to demographic characteristics of the subject such as sex, measurements taken prior to treatment of the same variable which is to be used as a measure of outcome, and measurements taken prior to treatment on variables thought likely to be correlated with the response variable. At first sight, these three types of baseline seem to be quite different, but from the point-of-view of many powerful approaches to analysing data, for example, analysis of covariance, there is no essential distinction between them.
Acronym for Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code, a programming language once widely used for writing microcomputer programs.
Basic reproduction number:
A term used in the theory of infectious diseases for the number of secondary cases which one case would produce in a completely susceptible population. The number depends on the duration of the infectious period, the probability of infecting a susceptible individual during one contact, and the number of new susceptible individuals contacted per unit time, with the consequence that it may vary considerably for different infectious diseases and also for the same disease in different populations.
Basu’s theorem:
This theorem states that if T is a complete sufficient statistic for a family of probability measures and V is an ancillary statistic, then T and V are independent. The theorem shows the connection between sufficiency, ancillarity and independence, and has led to a deeper understanding of the interrelationship between the three concepts.
Bathtub curve:
The shape taken by the hazard function for the event of death in human beings; it is relatively high during the first year of life, decreases fairly soon to a minimum and begins to climb again sometime around 45-50. See Fig. 11.
Bathtub curve shown by hazard function for death in human beings.
Fig. 11 Bathtub curve shown by hazard function for death in human beings.
Battery reduction:
A general term for reducing the number of variables of interest in a study for the purposes of analysis and perhaps later data collection. For example, an overly long questionnaire may not yield accurate answers to all questions, and its size may need to be reduced. Techniques such as factor analysis and principal component analysis are generally used to achieve the required reduction.
Bayes factor:
A summary of the evidence for a model M1 against another model M0 provided by a set of data D, which can be used in model selection. Given by the ratio of posterior to prior odds,
Twice the logarithm of B10 is on the same scale as the deviance and the likelihood ratio test statistic. The following scale is often useful for interpreting values of B10;
2lnB10 Evidence for Mx
< 0 Negative (supports M0)
0-2.2 Not worth more than a bare mention
2.2-6 Positive
6-10 Strong
> 10 Very strong
Very sensitive to the assumed prior distribution of the parameters.
Bayes information criterion (BIC):
An index used as an aid to choose between competing statistical models that is similar to Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) but penalizes models of higher dimensionality more than the AIC. Essentially the BIC is equivalent to Schwarz’s criterion. [Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1996, 64, 103-37.]
Bayesian confidence interval:
An interval of a posterior distribution which is such that the density at any point inside the interval is greater than the density at any point outside and that the area under the curve for that interval is equal to a prespecified probability level. For any probability level there is generally only one such interval, which is also often known as the highest posterior density region. Unlike the usual confidence interval associated with frequentist inference, here the intervals specify the range within which parameters lie with a certain probability.
Bayesian inference:
An approach to inference based largely on Bayes’ Theorem and consisting of the following principal steps:
(1) Obtain the likelihood, f (x|h) describing the process giving rise to the data x in terms of the unknown parameters h.
(2) Obtain the prior distribution, f (h) expressing what is known about h, prior to observing the data.
(3) Apply Bayes’ theorem to derive the posterior distribution f (h|x) expressing what is known about h after observing the data.
(4) Derive appropriate inference statements from the posterior distribution. These may include specific inferences such as point estimates, interval estimates or probabilities of hypotheses. If interest centres on particular components of h their posterior distribution is formed by integrating out the other parameters.
This form of inference differs from the classical form of frequentist inference in several respects, particularly the use of the prior distribution which is absent from classical inference. It represents the investigator’s knowledge about the parameters before seeing the data. Classical statistics uses only the likelihood. Consequently to a Bayesian every problem is unique and is characterized by the investigator’s beliefs about the parameters expressed in the prior distribution for the specific investigation.
Bayesian model averaging (BMA):
An approach to selecting important subsets of variables in regression analysis, that provides a posterior probability that each variable belongs in a model; this is often a more directly interpretable measure of variable importance than a p-value.
Bayesian persuasion probabilities:
A term for particular posterior probabilities used to judge whether a new therapy is superior to the standard, derived from the priors of two hypothetical experts, one who believes that the new therapy is highly effective and another who believes that it is no more effective than other treatments. The persuade the pessimist probability is the posterior probability that the new therapy is an improvement on the standard assuming the sceptical experts prior, and the persuade the optimist probability; is the posterior probability that the new therapy gives no advantage over the standard assuming the enthusiasts prior. Large values of these probabilities should persuade the a priori most opinionated parties to change their views. [Statistics in Medicine, 1997, 16, 1792-802.]
Bayes’ network:
Essentially an expert system in which uncertainty is dealt with using conditional probabilities and Bayes’ Theorem. Formally such a network consists of the following:
• A set of variables and a set of directed edges between variables.
• Each variable has a finite set of mutually exclusive states.
• The variables together with the directed edges form a conditional independence graph.
• To each variable A with parents Bx,…, Bn there is attached a conditional probability table Pr(AjBx, B2,…, Bn).
An example is shown in Fig. 12.
An example of a Bayes' network.
Fig. 12 An example of a Bayes’ network.
Bayes, Reverend Thomas (1702-1761):
Born in London, Bayes was one of the first six Nonconformist ministers to be publicly ordained in England. Reputed to be a skilful mathematician although oddly there is no sign of him having published any scientific work before his election to the Royal Society in 1741. Principally remembered for his posthumously published Essay Towards Solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chance which appeared in 1763 and, heavily disguised, contained a version of what is today known as Bayes’ Theorem. Bayes died on 7 April 1761 in Tunbridge Wells, England.
Bayes’ Theorem:
A procedure for revising and updating the probability of some event in the light of new evidence. The theorem originates in an essay by the Reverend Thomas Bayes. In its simplest form the theorem may be written in terms of conditional probabilities as,
where Pr(A|Bj) denotes the conditional probability of event A conditional on event Bj and B1, B2,…, Bk are mutually exclusive and exhaustive events. The theorem gives the probabilities of the Bj when A is known to have occurred. The quantity Pr(Bj) is termed the prior probability and Pr(Bj |A) the posterior probability. Pr(A|Bj) is equivalent to the (normalized) likelihood, so that the theorem may be restated as posterior a (prior)x(likelihood) See also Bayesian inference.
Abbreviation for balanced repeated replication.
Abbreviation for bias-corrected percentile interval.
Beattie’s procedure:
A continous process-monitoring procedure that does not require 100% inspection. Based on a cusum procedure, a constant sampling rate is used to chart the number of percent of nonconforming product against a target reference value.
Behrens-Fisher problem:
The problem of testing for the equality of the means of two normal distributions that do not have the same variance. Various test statistics have been proposed, although none are completely satisfactory. The one that is most commonly used however is given by
where x1, x2, sj, s2, n1 and n2 are the means, variances and sizes of samples of observations from each population. Under the hypothesis that the population means are equal, t has a Student’s t-distribution with v degrees of freedom where
Believe the positive rule:
A rule for combining two diagnostic tests, A and B, in which ‘disease present’ is the diagnosis given if either A or B or both are positive. An alternative believe the negative rule assigns a patient to the disease class only if both A and B are positive. These rules do not necessarily have better predictive values than a single test; whether they do depends on the association between test outcomes.
Bellman-Harris process:
An age-dependent branching process in which individuals have independent, identically distributed lifespans, and at death split into independent identically distributed numbers of offspring.
Bell-shaped distribution:
A probability distribution having the overall shape of a vertical cross-section of a bell. The normal distribution is the most well known example, but Student’s -distribution is also this shape.
A procedure for adjusting a less reliable series of observations to make it consistent with more reliable measurements or benchmarks. For example, data on hospital bed occupation collected monthly will not necessarily agree with figures collected annually and the monthly figures (which are likely to be less reliable) may be adjusted at some point to agree with the more reliable annual figures. See also Denton method. [International Statistical Review, 1994, 62, 365-77.]
Bench-mark dose:
A term used in risk assessment studies where human, animal or ecological data are used to set safe low dose levels of a toxic agent, for the dose that is associated with a particular level of risk.
Benini, Rodolpho (1862-1956):
Born in Cremona, Italy, Rodolpho was appointed to the Chair of History of Economics at Bari at the early age of 27. From 1928 to his death in 1956 he was Professor of Statistics at Rome University. One of the founders of demography as a separate science.
Benjamin, Bernard (1910-2002):
Benjamin was educated at Colfe’s Grammar School in Lewisham, South London, and later at Sir John Cass College, London, where he studied physics. He began his working life as an actuarial assistant to the London County Council pension fund and in 1941 qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries. After World War II he became Chief Statistician at the General Register Office and was later appointed as Director of Statistics at the Ministry of Health. In the 1970s Benjamin joined City University, London as the Foundation Professor of Actuarial Science. He published many papers and topics in his career primarily in the areas of actuarial statistics and demography. Benjamin was made President of the Royal Statistical Society from 1970-2 and received the society’s highest honour, the Guy medal in gold, in 1986.
Benjamini and Hochberg step-up methods:
Methods used in bioinformatics to control the false discovery rate when calculating p values from g tests under g individual null hypotheses, one for each gene.
Bentler-Bonnett index:
A goodness of fit measure used in structural equation modelling.
Berkson, Joseph (1899-1982):
Born in New York City, Berkson studied physics at Columbia University, before receiving a Ph.D. in medicine from Johns Hopkins University in 1927, and a D.Sc. in statistics from the same university in 1928. In 1933 he became Head of Biometry and Medical Statistics at the Mayo Clinic, a post he held until his retirement in 1964. His research interests covered all aspects of medical statistics and from 1928 to 1980 he published 118 scientific papers. Involved in a number of controversies particularly that involving the role of cigarette smoking in lung cancer, Berkson enjoyed a long and colourful career. He died on 12 September 1982 in Rochester, Minnesota.
Berkson’s fallacy:
The existence of artifactual correlations between diseases or between a disease and a risk factor arising from the interplay of differential admission rates from an underlying population to a select study group, such as a series of hospital admissions. In any study that purports to establish an association and where it appears likely that differential rates of admission apply, then at least some portion of the observed association should be suspect as attributable to this phenomenon. See also Simpson’s paradox and spurious correlation. [SMR Chapter 5.]
Bernoulli distribution:
The probability distribution of a binary random variable, X, where Pr(X = 1)=p and Pr(X = 0) = 1 – p. Named after Jacques Bernoulli (1654-1705). All moments of X about zero take the value p and the variance of X is p(1 — p). The distribution is negatively skewed when p > 0.5 and is positively skewed when p < 0.5. [STD Chapter 4.]
Bernoulli, Jacques (1654-1705) (also known as James or Jakob):
Born in Basel, Switzerland, the brother of Jean Bernoulli and the uncle of Daniel Bernoulli the most important members of a family of Swiss mathematicians and physicists. Destined by his father to become a theologian, Bernoulli studied mathematics in secret and became Professor of Mathematics at Basel in 1687. His topic Ars Conjectandi published in 1713, eight years after his death, was an important contribution to probability theory. Responsible for the early theory of permutations and combinations and for the famous Bernoulli numbers.
Bernoulli-Laplace model:
A probabilistic model for the flow of two liquids between two containers. The model begins by imagining r black balls and r white balls distributed between two boxes. At each stage one ball is chosen at random from each box and the two are interchanged. The state of the system can be specified by the number of white balls in the first box, which can take values from zero to r. The probabilities of the number of white balls in the first box decreasing by one (pi;i— 1), increasing by one (pii+1) or staying the same (pi t) at the stage when the box contains i white balls, can be shown to be
Bernoulli trials:
A set of n independent binary variables in which the jth observation is either a ‘success’ or a ‘failure’, with the probability of success, p, being the same for all trials
Bernstein polynomial prior:
A nonparametric prior for probability densities on the unit interval.
Berry-Esseen theorem:
A theorem relating to how rapidly the distribution of the mean approaches normality. See also central limit theorem.
Bessel function distributions:
A family of probability distributions obtained as the distributions of linear functions of independent random variables, X1 and X2, each having a chi-squared distribution with common degrees of freedom v. For example the distribution of Y = a1 X1 + a2X2 with a1 > 0 and a2 > 0 is f (y) given by
Best asymptotically normal estimator (BAN):
A CAN estimator with minimal asymptotic variance-covariance matrix. The notion of minimal in this context is based on the following order relationship among symmetric matrices: A < B if B — A is nonnegative definite.
Best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE):
A linear estimator of a parameter that has smaller variance than any similar estimator of the parameter.
Beta-binomial distribution:
The probability distribution, f(x), found by averaging the parameter, p, of a binomial distribution over a beta distribution, and given by
Beta-binomial distribution:
where B is the beta function. The mean and variance of the distribution are as follows:
Also known as the Polya distribution. For integer a and f, corresponds to the negative hypergeometric distribution. For a = f = 1 corresponds to the discrete rectangular distribution.
Beta coefficient:
A regression coefficient that is standardized so as to allow for a direct comparison between explanatory variables as to their relative explanatory power for the response variable. Calculated from the raw regression coefficients by multiplying them by the standard deviation of the corresponding explanatory variable.
Beta distribution:
The probability distribution
where B is the beta function. Examples of the distribution are shown in Figure 13. The mean, variance, skewness and kurtosis of the distribution are as follows:
A U-shaped distribution if (a – 1)(fi – 1) < 0.
Beta distributions for a number of parameter values.
Fig. 13 Beta distributions for a number of parameter values.
Synonym for type II error.
Beta function:
The function B(a, p),a> 0, p > 0 given by
Can be expressed in terms of the gamma function T as
The integral
is known as the incomplete beta function.
Beta-geometric distribution:
A probability distribution arising from assuming that the parameter, p, of a geometric distribution has itself a beta distribution. The distribution has been used to model the number of menstrual cycles required to achieve pregnancy.
Between groups matrix of sums of squares and cross-products: See multivariate analysis of variance.
Abbreviation for Bienayme-Galton-Watson process.
Bhattacharyya bound:
A better (i.e. greater) lower bound for the variance of an estimator than the more well-known Cramer-Rao lower bound.
Bhattacharya’s distance:
A measure of the distance between two populations with probability distributions f (x) and g(x) respectively. Given by
In general terms, deviation of results or inferences from the truth, or processes leading to such deviation. More specifically, the extent to which the statistical method used in a study does not estimate the quantity thought to be estimated, or does not test the hypothesis to be tested. In estimation usually measured by the difference between a parameter estimate 6 and its expected value. An estimator for which E(6) = 6 is said to be unbiased. See also ascertainment bias, recall bias, selection bias and biased estimator.
Bias-corrected accelerated percentile interval (BCa):
An improved method of calculating confidence intervals when using the bootstrap.
Bias/variance tradeoff:
A term that summarizes the fact that if you want less bias in the estimate of a model parameter, it usually costs you more variance. An important concept in the evaluation of the performance of neural networks.
Biased coin method:
A method of random allocation sometimes used in a clinical trialin an attempt to avoid major inequalities in treatment numbers. At each point in the trial, the treatment with the fewest number of patients thus far is assigned a probability greater than a half of being allocated the next patient. If the two treatments have equal numbers of patients then simple randomization is used for the next patient.
Biased estimator:
Formally an estimator 6 of a parameter, 6, such that
The motivation behind using such estimators rather than those that are unbiased, rests in the potential for obtaining values that are closer, on average, to the parameter being estimated than would be obtained from the latter. This is so because it is possible for the variance of such an estimator to be sufficiently smaller than the variance of one that is unbiased to more than compensate for the bias introduced. This possible advantage is illustrated in Fig. 14. The normal curve centred at 6 in the diagram represents the probability distribution of an unbiased estimator of 6 with its expectation equal to 6. The spread of this curve reflects the variance of the estimator. The normal curve centred at E(6) represents the probability distribution of a biased estimator with the bias being the difference between 6 and E(6). The smaller spread of this distribution reflects its smaller variance. See also ridge regression. [ARA Chapter 5.]
Abbreviation for Bayesian information criterion.
Bienayme-Galton-Watson process (BGW):
A simple branching process defined by
where for each k the Xki are independent, identically distributed random variables with the same distribution, pr = Pr(Xj = r), called the offspring distribution.
Bienayme, Jules (1796-1878):
Born in Paris, Bienayme studied at the Ecole Polytechnique and became lecturer in mathematics at Saint Cyr, the French equivalent of West Point, in 1818. Later he joined the civil service as a general inspector of finance and began his studies of actuarial science, statistics and probability. Made contributions to the theory of runs and discovered a number of important inequalities.
Big Mac index:
An index that attempts to measure different aspects of the economy by comparing the cost of hamburgers between countries.
Biased estimator diagram showing advantages of such an estimator.
Fig. 14 Biased estimator diagram showing advantages of such an estimator.
Bimodal distribution: A probability distribution, or a frequency distribution, with two modes. Figure 15 shows an example of each.
Binary variable:
Observations which occur in one of two possible states, these often being
labelled 0 and 1. Such data is frequently encountered in medical investigations; commonly occurring examples include ‘dead/alive’, ‘improved/not improved’ and ‘depressed/not depressed.’ Data involving this type of variable often require specialized techniques for their analysis such as logistic regression. See also Bernoulli distribution. [SMR Chapter 2 ]
Binomial coefficient:
The number of ways that k items can be selected from n items irrespective of their order. Usually denoted C(n, k) or (k) and given by
Binomial distribution:
The distribution of the number of ‘successes’, X, in a series of n-independent Bernoulli trials where the probability of success at each trial is p and the probability of failure is q = 1 — p. Specifically the distribution is given by
mean = np variance = npq
tmpCD-87_thumbBimodal probability and frequency distributions.
Fig. 15 Bimodal probability and frequency distributions.
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RetroPsychoKinesis Experiments Online
What's going on here?
Retropsychokinesis is the claimed ability of certain subjects to alter random data generated, but not examined, prior to the time the data are presented to the subject. Crazy, you say! Well, there's certainly no mechanism in mainstream physics which could permit such an effect, yet experiments conducted by a number of different researchers over the last 20 years suggest, compellingly according to some analyses, that the probability of the results obtained in such experiments being purely the result of chance is sufficiently low that they would be considered evidence of a causal mechanism in most scientific disciplines.
We neither accept nor dismiss the existence of retropsychokinetic effects—instead we make experiments available to anybody with access to the World-Wide Web in order to discover if there is anything genuinely there. If so, the implications for physics and consciousness studies are profound. That's reason enough to see if there's something spooky going on or just a blip readily explained by the inevitability of improbable results in a few of an immense number of experiments.
To explore the history of retropsychokinesis and the development of the experiments performed at this site, please visit the Background document. All documents related to these experiments can be found from the Table of Contents.
Feedback Programs
A variety of feedback programs translate the stream of random bits from the generator into various graphical representations which allow you to see the extent to which the bit stream is departing from the most probable result of an equal number of ones and zeroes. The feedback programs are HTML5 animations; to run them, your Web browser must support the HTML5 standard (most modern browsers do). The feedback programs are also available as Java™ applets; you can select them from the Java experiments page.
Bell Curve
The bell curve feedback program provides direct feedback of the extent to which the random bit stream diverges from the most probable expectation of an equal number of zeroes and ones. The bell curve represents the binomial distribution which governs sequences of random events. The vertical bar starts in the centre of the distribution and moves to the right every time a one bit occurs and to the left for every zero bit. The height of the curve shows the extent to which the deviation, if any, from equal numbers of ones and zeroes differs from the chance expectation. Your goal is to attempt to influence the pointer to move to the right or left, toward the low-probability “tail” of the curve. If the pointer runs off the edge of the window, the bell curve graph is scrolled so that the pointer remains visible.
Clock Face
The clock face provides a familiar form of feedback which allows you to concentrate on the process rather than the probability. Every one bit from the random bit stream causes the minute hand to advance clockwise by one minute, and each zero bit moves it back one minute. The hour hand provides feedback of cumulative results if the minute hand wraps one or more time around the dial. The hands are shown in blue if the number of one bits exceeds the number of zeroes, and red if zero bits predominate.
The pendulum provides an indirect form of feedback, which results in a less jittery animation, while continuing to reflect the contents of the bit stream from the generator. The pendulum swings smoothly from side to side (assuming your computer is fast enough to run the simulation and not tied up running other programs), while the width of the swing is governed by the bits from the random generator. Each one bit makes the pendulum's swing wider; each zero bit makes it narrower. You attempt to either drive the swing as wide as possible (so the bob hits the side of the window), or reduce it so the bob comes to a complete stop.
Experiment Log
Each experimental run (except “Demo” runs which do not use live data from the random number generator) is logged. You can retrieve the log in either raw (an ASCII comma-separated-value text file) form, or as a Web document which presents information from the log in a tabular form and calculates statistics from the raw data. You can retrieve just your own runs or those of all subjects who have participated in the experiments. To display the log, fill out the Log Report Request Form and submit it to receive a log report prepared according to the specifications you indicated on the form.
by John Walker |
A detailed Beginner’s guide to Keto diet
A Keto diet is a low carbohydrate and high fat diet. It slowly reduces the intake of carbohydrates and replaces it with fats. Though it is filled with fats, it will help to burn fat more effectively. This has proven beneficial in weight loss and improving health. Today Keto diet is recommended by many doctors.
What is KETO?
“Keto” is a ketogenic diet. It allows the body to produce small molecules called “ketones”. These molecules act as an alternate to blood sugar when glucose is short in supply. Ketones can be produced only when the carbohydrates are low as it breaks down into glucose rapidly forming the blood sugar. For the ketones to be produced, the protein level should be moderate. This is because excess protein is converted into sugar. Such diet can be achieved by carefully selected the food from a good keto restaurant. To know more about keto restaurants visit the KetoSumo home page.
Who produces Ketones?
Ketones are produced in the liver. The organ uses only fat to produce the molecules. The main consumer of ketones is the brain, which is the most energy consuming organ in the entire human body. It thrives on ketones or glucose.
What is Ketosis?
Every time the body produces ketones, it enters into a metabolic state called ketosis. Research show that the state is fast approached when a person is not eating anything or eating at very large intervals, not supplying enough energy to the body. However it is humanly impossible.
On the other hand, a keto diet helps the person to eat indefinitely invoking ketosis.
Different types of Ketogenic diets
There are several types of Ketogenic diet. The classification is made depending on the amount of carbohydrates, fat and protein intake. The classification is as follows:
1. Standard Ketogenic diet – It has very low carbohydrates, moderate protein and high fat. To be accurate the ratio split is like, 75% of fat, 20% of protein and 5% of carbs
2. Cyclical ketogenic diet – A regular cycle is followed in the percentage consumption of carbohydrates, fat and protein. For instance, the diet might have 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high carb days. This is recommended at the initial stages to avoid frustration among the followers. It also helps the diet followers to maintain the consistency and constancy in pursuing the diet
3. Targeted ketogenic diet – It is an advanced version of standard ketogenic diet. This type of diet allows having low carbohydrate food during hard work outs. It is used to increase the performance of the work outs.
4. High protein ketogenic diet – It is similar to standard ketogenic diet. But the ratio of the nutrition differs. It includes 60% fat, 35% protein and 5% of carbohydrates.
Among the 4 different keto diets followed, the standard and cyclical keto diets are common. The targeted and high protein keto diets are followed by athletes and body builders. Today there are several keto restaurants providing all 4 types of ketogenic diet recipes. To know about the restaurants visit ketosumo.
How is keto a low carbohydrates diet?
How many carbs can one eat while following keto? The answer varies on the type of the keto diet an individual is following. However, to make it simple, fewer the carbohydrates, better is the result. This directly impacts on the
• Pace of weight loss
• Cravings for eating; this is because low carb diet can be very challenging. One might want to sacrifice tasty foods!
• Lessening hunger; suppose a person has type 2 diabetes, lesser the carbs he eats, his insulin resistance improves, thereby he feels less hungry.
Defining low carb diet
It is never a fixed amount to define the low carb diet and keto. The lesser; the better. The different types of low carb diet in keto are as follows
1. Keto low carb – It compulsorily includes less than 20 grams of carbs per day. However, the rest is compensated by the moderate protein and fat. This type of diet almost consumes 0% of energy from carbs, making it ideal for the liver to produce ketones.
2. Moderate low carb diet – It includes 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. In this type of diet, only 4 to 10 percent energy is derived from carbohydrates. The rest of the energy is sourced by the protein and fat.
3. High or liberal low carb –The diet is still a low carb diet irrespective of its name. Here 10 to 20 percent of the energy is derived from the carbohydrates.
Limit of low carb for a ketogenic diet
The limit for a ketogenic low carb diet is not more than 4% of the energy is coming from carbs. This says that if a person is eating thrice a day with calorie intake of 2000 calories, he will easily and effortlessly stay below 20 grams.
Limit of moderate protein in a ketogenic diet
When keto defines itself as moderate protein, it says that the not more than 25% of the energy should be derived from protein.
The keto’s look at fibres
Fibres are seen as a subset of carbs. Fibres do not produce energy. They simply absorb water and helps digestion as they pass through the intestinal tract. They help to ease the flow of food in the intestines.
• Keto is a low carb diet
• Liver is the major organ producing ketones molecules when the carbs intake is less
• The different types of keto diet depends on the percentage of carbohydrates, protein and fats
• The low carbs in keto diet varies according to the percentage of energy derived from the carbs |
Maze Solver
Suppose that you are given a maze as depicted below; you start at the position marked o and try to reach the position marked with a *, without going through any walls (#). You are allowed to move up, down, left, or right only. No diagonal movements are allowed. Is there a solution to the maze (can you traverse it from start to finish on the given open paths)?
Example maze:
The problem of solving a maze is actually a graph traversal problem. A graph is simply a representation of a set of objects, where some objects may be connected, as depicted in the picture below:
Graph Diagram
In terms of a graph, you are to determine wether a path exists from one object to another. There are two common algorithms to do this:
• A depth-first search, in which you search the child objects before the sibling objects. In other terms, travel as far as you can until you reach a dead end, then backtrack to the last spot with more paths. This is generally implemented using a stack or via recursion. A depth-first search cannot be used to find the shortest path.
• A breadth-first search, in which you search the sibling objects before the child objects. In other terms, this is kind of like pouring water in the maze to see if the finish gets wet. This is generally implemented using a queue. A breadth-first search can be used to find the shortest path. How? This is up to you to figure out.
Both of these algorithms have many applications in Computer Science and Mathematics. For example, if you have ever used Microsoft Paint, you may be familiar with the fill bucket tool, which recursively finds all adjacent pixels to the one you click with the same color, and fills it with the new color.
Microsoft Paint Screenshot
Program Interaction
The interaction for this program is quite simple, prompt the user for an input maze file (or get the filename via a command line argument), open the file and read it into memory, and finally, print wether the maze is solveable or not.
The maze files will look like the example maze at the top of this page. You can download sample inputs here. To extract this file, move it to the directory that you want the inputs in, change to that directory, and run tar zxvf maze-inputs.tar.gz.
For debugging purposes, you may find it useful to print the maze each step as you solve it. For example, you could use the @ symbol to show the places you have visited.
If you have extra time, you may want to try and figure out how to show only the shortest path to the finish. You could even make this your final project if you’d like.
You can download and run my solution here. Mine only prints False or True to indicate wether the maze is solveable or not.
You are going to need to keep track of where you have visited, and where you haven’t. There are a few ways to do this. I’m certain you are smart enough to figure out how to do this.
Lasty, try and stick to one of the two algorithms on this page, and you will have an easier time.
This project was based off of the Mazes assignment by Dr. Christopher Painter-Wakefield for CSCI-262 at Colorado School of Mines. Used with permission. |
Make the Media Work for You
The media is how we communicate ideas, news and information to large audiences.
Newspapers, magazines, TV and radio programs or internet websites like English Teacher Online, are all examples of the media – a medium of communication.
So how can you make the media work for you?
How can you get lots of people to listen to your ideas?
What message do you want to tell people?
You can use the media to highlight problems, potential solutions and success stories.
The Issue
Think about all the things you like and dislike about your school campus. Make a list and describe why those things are good or not.
Focus on the things you want to improve by talking to friends using this conversation plan;
A: What do you like or dislike about the school campus?
B: I don’t like _____________________ (identify the problem)
A: Really, why do you have a problem with that?
B: Well, the main problem is ___________ (describe the problem)
A: How do you think we can solve the problem?
B: I think we should ___________ (take action or suggest solutions)
Possible Solutions
Solutions may include forming an action group, talking to the student council or writing a letter to people in power to change things.
Other creative solutions could include writing a song or short movie highlighting the problem and asking people to change their behaviour!
A: How do you think we can solve the problem?
B: I think we should ….. form an action group to (fix the problem)
write a letter to ____ asking
make an announcement encouraging
design a poster explaining
* student’s own suggestion
A: Good idea, and maybe we could also
write a song highlighting
make a short film illustrating
Positive Campaigns
Everyone loves a good news story so if you have no complaints with school why not just create a news article, short movie or song highlighting why you love certain parts of your school. Be specific and use lots of imagery!
Creating The Campaign
Present your ideas in class and discuss what to do next. If you need help please email: Steve@EnglishTeacherOnline.Org or leave a comment below.
Need more ideas?
Check out our Introduction to Media lesson from last year!
Going To The Movies
This week English Teacher Online is going to the movies, writing movie riddles and making a movie poster.
Movie Riddles
It’s a fantasy movie that takes place in the world of elves, dwarves and orcs. Elijah Wood is in it. It’s about a hobbit as he struggles to fight the power of the ‘one ring’ which is trying to control him. He has to destroy the magic ring before an evil wizard can get it.
The answer is of course, The Lord of the Rings.
Make Your Own Riddles
Use this template to create your own riddle. Give clues such as genre, setting, actor, plot and climax.
Movie Title _________________________ (Keep this secret)
Clue #1: It’s a ________________________ (Genre)
Clue #2: It takes place ___________________ (Setting)
Clue #3: _______________________ is in it. (Actor)
Clue #4: It’s about ______________________ (Plot)
Clue #5: In the end, _____________________ (Climax)
Remember, if it’s a new movie you may want to exclude the climax so you don’t spoil the movie for someone who hasn’t seen it yet.
You can use the information to create a movie poster too.
Going To The Movies (Dialogue)
A: I’m bored. Do you want to do something tonight?
B: Sure. What do you feel like doing?
A: Well, I’m in the mood for seeing a movie. How does that sound?
B: I could go for a movie. What’s playing?
A: Lord of the Rings is playing at the Odeon theatre.
B: What’s that about?
A: It’s a fantasy, set in the world of elves and dwarves. It’s about a hobbit who has to destroy a magic ring before an evil wizard can get it.
B: Who’s in it?
A: Elijah Wood plays the hobbit who finds the ring.
B: What do the critics say about it?
A: The critics say it’s spectacular and entertaining.
B: OK. Let’s see that. What time does it start?
A: Show times are at 6:30 and 9:15.
B: Why don’t we catch the 9:15 so we can have a bite to eat before we go?
You can change the underlined dialogue with information about your favourite film.
What’s your favourite movie and why? Please leave a comment in the section below. |
Family and friends can be the hardest people to change.
The biggest mistake you can make is to take all the exciting information and skills that you want to share, and then shake it off on to everyone around you. I call this “wet dog syndrome”, and I see it all the time with my students. The content is exciting and my students have already made the decision they want it… but when they go home their friends and family members need a to be strategically informed, not have it flung at them!
Well, here is the single most important tip I can give you:
Start where the learner is at.
Here are the 3 steps I took to help change my family using this tip:
1) My parents already recycled, so they valued the idea of ‘re-using’ and understood the idea of closed-loop systems. That’s where they were at. So I proposed recycling one more thing out of the waste stream coming from their house, and made it easy for them. I gave them a user-friendly composting bin and a pretty little metal bucket to put on their kitchen counter.
What was key about that:
Now they wanted to know how to keep their compost functioning & healthy… Soil education! They then became open to having a worm composting bin inside their house, and now have a beautiful supply of rich soil. Perfect for talking about plant needs, and cool ways to grow food, like herb spirals and Hugelkulturs.
2) My parents like to throw pizza parties. So they already valued community and food. They also liked to have those get-togethers outside and use that precious patio. That’s where they were at. So I proposed a cob oven in their backyard, right next to their patio for quick pizza cooking. Less time in the kitchen, more time outside partying! Not a bad proposal, eh? It helped that I also threw out facts like “Your first pizza cooks in 60 seconds!” How did I make it easy for them? I had it hosted as a workshop so all my parents had to do was pay for the materials and provide lunch to the 8 people who came out to help us build it.
What was key about that:
It got people enjoying food together outside, cooking naturally and efficiently! This builds community and awareness in both the building and the using! And all those people are now talking with my parents about sustainable building techniques like cob and they are also asking about that composter over there….
3) So now my parents have a lot of kicking rich soil (they have been composting for three years and not really applying it anywhere) and they enjoy cooking food outside…. So, they start to wonder what they should use all that compost for and if they could use it to grow some of their pizza ingredients…. This is what I mean by start where the learner is at! Growing food is critical to educating people today! At their request, I built them raised beds to go right next to their cob pizza oven. I educated them on the design aspects of wind and solar for influencing the best place to put those growing beds.
I also get to talk further — about what makes healthy soil, including non-chlorinated town water. They now have a rainbarrel. Oh, and did I mention they now thought it would be great to have a fruit tree or two? Now they have six fruit trees in their backyard.
So in three simple steps over three years my parents are now the proud owners of a composting system, a cob oven, four large growing beds, and are working towards a mini food forest in their backyard.
So my key advice:
Always start where the learner is at, particularly when it comes to family!
Good luck!
Kenton Zerbin
(Kenton is a passionate educator for sustainable living. He runs a wide array of powerhouse workshops to help others – wherever they are at – so they can create awesome & sustainable homes, landscapes, and communities.)
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Ep 09: What to do with your child over the summer
July 3, 2018 learnsmarter No comments exist
For a lot of people, summer is the best time of year. It is a time for fun and vacations. It is also a time to catch up on those things that were avoided during the school year such as cleaning out your closet. Summer is a time to relax, slow down the pace, and build some skills. We are going to discuss what you can do with your child over the summer. We understand that summer can become difficult as you try to plan what to do with your kids. Therefore, we want to dig further into how you can do things at home and how educational therapy works during the summer.
It is important for us to get across the fact that we strongly believe kids should be able to be kids. We believe they should have a fantastic summer because they earned it.
Educational therapy over the summer is about using the skills they learned during the school year, strengthening them, and previewing some of the skills coming up in the following school year in a more fun way. Summer is a much more relaxing time. We often have conversations with our clients in May about whether or not we recommend educational therapy during the summer at all. For a lot of kids, we feel pretty strongly that we either want to reduce them from two sessions to one session a week or we only want to see them for a short period of time and do a more intense approach. We also take into account the fact that most kids have a busy summer schedule packed with traveling out of town, camps, sports, and family weekends. Educational therapy becomes less consistent.
There are a couple of ways that we determine whether or not we make the recommendation to see kids over the summer and how frequently we see kids over the summer. Our first key takeaway is to know your kid. Some kids can take a summer off of “school” while some kids need to use summer as an opportunity to catch up. We recommend that you ask yourself the following questions… What are my child’s strengths? What are my child’s areas of weakness? What did the teacher tell me throughout the year? We hope that you can use report cards and conversations that you have had with your child’s teachers as a guiding force to determine what kind of summer you would like them to have.
Another key takeaway is to do things with your child that involve learning without the child realizing they are learning. You can use games, go to museums or zoos, etc. Social learning is a big part of learning. Kids are able to participate in social learning when they go to summer camp as well. There are a lot of ways to help your child build on their academic skills that don’t require you to sit down with them and fill out a worksheet.
Here are just some ideas with you on what you can do with your student over the summer:
We think is important for kids to do over the summer and continue to do is reading. Reading is important no matter the age of your student. We know that reading isn’t always a preferred task for kids. There are several ways you can work around this.
Call it story time: Do not call it reading. Cultivating a love for stories and words is so critical as children grow up.
Read a book as a family: This is a great opportunity to ask questions, make predictions, check for comprehension, and work on things such as main idea, summary, and vocab. For us, it counts if the student is listening to an audiobook or a podcast. As long as they are interacting and engaging with words and stories, and following an idea throughout a period of time, that is enough. If you are working with the student directly and decoding (breaking down the words) is a challenge for them then it might help to use an audiobook and have the student follow along in the book at the same time so that they can see the pictures as well. This will help strengthen the decoding and the comprehension which are the two main parts of reading.
Read multiple books at once: Some parents get concerned if their child is reading a book separate from a book they are reading as a family at the same time. This is nothing to be concerned about. In fact, it can be quite beneficial for the child. How many times in life do you just focus on one thing? The answer, most likely, is never. You often have to remember different things about different situations. So have your child continue to read that chapter book on their own and do a book together as a family. Reading a book as a family can be great bonding time. Everyone can take turns reading a chapter (if your child feels prepared enough).
Prep your chapter: Let your child know that it is going to be their turn to read a section of the book that you are reading as a family so that you can go over it with them ahead of time. This gives the child a chance to preview it before they have to “perform” it in front of their family. An example of a great bonding experience would be reading Harry Potter together as a family. Depending on the age of your child you can have them read a few sentences here and there and when finished you can follow it up with the movie.
Read a menu: A lot of families go out to eat at restaurants. If you know you are going to a certain restaurant, even if your family has been there several times before, ask your kid to help you out in finding something new to eat. You can have them go online to the restaurant’s website and check out the menu. Ask them to go through it themselves and give you some new suggestions on what to eat. There are usually pictures on the menu that you can use to steer them in a certain direction. For example, say you are planning on going to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner, you can tell your child, “I would really love a new salad idea and a new pizza idea.” This gives your child specific tasks and allows them to feel important as they decide. Obviously, your child has to be of a certain age for them to think this type of activity is fun. You can also extend the reading experiences to the grocery store.
However you want to approach reading with your family, just make sure you are engaging with words.
The next area that you can work on with your child over the summer is on writing. This is another area that can be difficult for a lot of students because they are looking at a blank page. Whenever you are looking at a blank page that you are responsible to fill with your own thoughts and ideas it can be somewhat overwhelming. However, it does not always have to feel like an academic exercise.
Start a blog over the summer: Blogging (online or on paper) is a great writing exercise. Your child can recap what they did each day during summer by jotting down quick notes or bullet points rather than writing out complete sentences. A bonus with this form of writing is that it can hold great sentimental value later on down the road. At the end of summer, you and your child can sit down and look back on all of the fun and interesting things you did. The reason why we are specifically calling this writing exercise a blog rather than a diary is because kids these days do not really know what a diary is–they all know what a blog is. Your version of a diary and your child’s version of a blog is essentially the same thing. We suggest calling it a blog so that the buy-in for your child will be much higher.
Write a newspaper article: If you take your kid to a sporting event or another exciting event that they are interested in you can have them write an article about it as if they were writing it in the newspaper. This can be another way to engage your child in writing in a way that is enjoyable for them. They can read their article to another family member that didn’t get to go to the event or you can have your child stand in front of you and read their article while you record them on your phone. Articles give your child a framework. In a newspaper article, the W’s (who, what, when, where, why) are usually upfront in the first few sentences. This is great rehearsal for your child to be able to grasp all of these key points and address them.
Write a play: Make up a play or they can write a play based off of a book they have read. If your child has siblings they can create parts in their play for them so that way everyone in the family can get involved.
Let them talk: When it comes to writing, we understand that not every student wants to sit down and physically write or type something out. That is why we feel that it is absolutely acceptable for a child to generate ideas and have someone else type it. They do not necessarily have to be the ones putting the input into a word processor or on a piece of paper. It is about them generating ideas, putting them in order, and having them make sense. You can also use ‘voice to text’ in Chrome, Google documents, and Word documents.
Story Wars: Story Wars is a great website that allows your child to add on to someone else’s story. This is a collaborative writing exercise and kids LOVE this because they get to see what someone else added to their own ideas.
Make a podcast: You can also have your child do a podcast and record it on your phone. Generating ideas and generating content is what we are all about.
The next area that would be great for you to work on with your student is math. There is a lot of math aversion out there. We came up with some ideas that we feel would be fun and beneficial for you and your family to do.
Casino night: You can teach kids how to play Blackjack using candy rather than money. Blackjack is a game that will allow your child to learn fast math. Teaching your child to gamble might seem alarming for some of you but you do not have to refer to it as a gambling game. You don’t have to call it Blackjack at all. Inherently, it is just a card game and you can approach it however you like.
Imaginary Budget: You tell your child that they have “one hundred dollars” to spend at a certain store that they love. You have them go online, figure out what they would want to buy, and make sure they have some money left over. On top of math, this teaches your child about money awareness. You can also add a reward in by actually buying them the lowest cost item they chose if they were able to stay under budget. If your child is older you can also have them include taxes as they are shopping under their budget.
Fitbit Goals: Have your child set a steps goal and have them figure out how many steps they need each day in order to achieve their goal.
Build time awareness: You can have an activity that you are going to do as a family and have your child make a prediction for how long it is going to take. Or ask them how long you need to get ready for something. You can then compare the predicted times to the time it actually took to get ready or to complete the activity. Does your child tend to be right? Tend to be wrong? Build that awareness because it will increase your child’s accuracy over the long run which is crucial when you are heading into the school year. It will help with time management.
Executive functioning:
If you do not know what executive functioning is, be sure to refer back to blog 05 where we discuss this topic. We are strong advocates for building executive functioning skills. We have several ideas for you to help your child do just that.
Cooking: Cooking is a great executive functioning exercise because there are seven or eight steps in cooking.
1. Find a recipe.
2. Figure out what you already have versus what you need to buy, and making a list.
3. Making a plan to go to the store.
4. Actually going to store and finding everything you need. (Keep in mind that your child should be an active participant in all of these steps.) You can also put in practicing using a budget in this step.
5. Coming home and get everything ready to cook, assuming you are doing it right away. We recommend doing all of these steps together in one big chunk of time.
6. Cook! We could break this step down even further because you are actually following the step by step instructions.
7. The last step of cooking is getting the table ready and preparing for the food to be served. This is an important step for it teaches kids important life skills as well as executive functioning skills.
This is also a great way to get kids to try something new. If they are involved in the whole process of selecting the meal they will be more excited to try their finished product.
A lot of kids, especially the little ones, love legos. If you don’t already have a lego set and you want to go to the store and buy one you could potentially do this as a reward or use this as another budget activity.
The great thing about building a lego is reading the instructions. Let your child decipher the instructions and then explain them to the group or to you. You all are then following the instructions to create the lego.
You have to make sure you have all of the pieces.
Maybe you decide to put them aside into categories. If the toy already comes with the pieces separated you can combine them all and mess them together without your child seeing so that they can separate them themselves.
You can also go through each step and figure out what specific pieces you will need for each step as well as where they go. This is great practice for your child to learn how to determine exactly what they need in order to complete a specific task.
Another idea for this activity is to have your child draw their own image of what they want to build with their legos and create an instruction booklet. Then you as the parent can put it together as you follow along with the instructions your child created.
Family Fun Plan: Partner with your child to plan a family vacation, a family fun day, or a family fun list. A family fun list involves deciding, as a family, all of the fun things you want to do over the summer. Let it be aspirational. Nothing is off the table. You might be surprised by some of the really sweet things that kids want to do with their parents over their summer vacation.
After making the list, work with your child and have them help you plan out all of these activities on a family calendar. You do not have to feel pressured to complete every single activity on the list.
As you plan it out, see how many you are able to do.
You can always make note of the activities you did not get to and save them for a later time.
In terms of planning a vacation, we understand that this is not doable for all families. Even if it is just a day vacation, or driving somewhere, that counts too. You still have to plan out the trip, figure out a budget, directions, time, etc.
Create a board game: The last activity you can do to help build executive functioning skills is creating a board game. There are so many components you can put into creating a game that makes this a beneficial and fun task. There is also a sense of ownership that kids tend to love when they create and play their own game.
You can start creating a game by using a poster board to write out the rules of the game and what the game is going to look like. Planning it all out ahead of time will lead to a successful end product.
There will be problem-solving opportunities as you come across rules that don’t quite work.
When the game is complete, you can have your child teach others how to play.
We hope you have enjoyed all of these ideas we have shared and that you can use some of them throughout your summer with your family. Educational therapists and tutors are always available over the summer if you do have any questions or concerns. Or if you have more specific goals you would like to be met. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @LearnSmarterPodcast or join our Facebook group Smarties of the Learn Smarter Podcast. If you are interested in working with us one on one you can go to our website, LearnSmarterPodcast.com and go to the “work with us” area. We would love to be able to connect with you there.
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10 Life-Changing Inventions That Were Discovered By Accident
Duane Wesley
Have you ever wondered how somebody came up with an idea? For example, how did somebody ever think of making an X-ray machine or a microwave oven? By accident, that’s how!
Many of mankind’s most useful devices and contraptions were invented completely by mistake. For centuries, scientists have been tasked with finding the solution to a particular problem, only to discover something totally different. Here is a list of some of the most important and useful inventions that were discovered or invented by mistake.
10 Fireworks
Some 2,000 years ago in a Chinese kitchen, a cook made one of the oldest accidental discoveries known to man when he mixed sulfur, saltpeter (potassium nitrile), and charcoal over a fire. Let’s just say combustion ensued. What the cook was thinking, or whether or not he made it to work the next day, is not known, but the he’d just made a discovery that would change the history of the world forever. The ancient Chinese called it “fire chemical” and quickly learned that when they compressed the concoction, such as inside a piece of bamboo, it exploded. Thus, the firecracker was born.
Firecrackers became very common and were used during important events, such as weddings and funerals, all over the country. The Chinese believed that the retort, or bang, from the firecracker, kept evil spirits away from the ceremony. They would eventually learn through experimentation that they could produce thrust that would propel the bamboo container through the air, instead of exploding instantly, and soon, the solid-fuel rocket was invented. They put the two together, firecrackers and rockets, and fireworks were born.
Historians tell us that Marco Polo brought fireworks from China and introduced them to people in regions of the Middle East. From there, they made it to England, where interest in fireworks was strictly to weaponize them. Although the English are credited for devising the standard recipe for black powder still in use today, it was the Italians who turned the making of fireworks into an art form, with the use of multiple colors and choreographed firework displays. Needless to say, the Italians’ celebrations got louder and more colorful as they experimented with different chemical combinations that would produce different colors when burned. However, none of it would have been possible if not for the accidental discovery of “fire chemical” by a 2,000-year-old Chinese cook.[1] (What the heck was he making, anyway?)
9 Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide)
Photo credit: Louis Figuier
In 1799, Humphry Davy, a young English inventor and chemist who would eventually be elected president of the Royal Society in London, decided to use himself as a Guinea pig to find out the effects of inhaling artificially produced gases, all in the name of science. Along with an assistant, Dr. Kinglake, they discovered that heat-treating ammonium nitrate crystals produced a gas that they could collect in special oil-treated silk bags. They then could run the gas through water vapors, which would purify it.
After attaching a makeshift mouthpiece, Humphry inhaled a bag of the gas and was euphorically amazed and more than pleasantly surprised with the results. He had discovered nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, and probably the very origin of the saying, “They were gassed!” Humphry reported that he felt “giddiness, flushed cheeks, intense pleasure, and sublime emotion connected with highly vivid ideas.” He soon started experimenting with the gas more and more until he was inhaling laughing gas away from the lab and after drinking alcohol when at home. Although he did keep detailed notes on his observations while breathing laughing gas, the amount he was consuming rose dramatically.
Davy would let his patients and colleagues try the gas, as long as they also recorded their experiences for science.[2] Some of them were quite famous, such as the heir to the famous Wedgwood pottery company and well-known poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey. Humphry went so far as to construct an airtight box which subjects would get into and breathe pure nitrous oxide. In 1800, Davy wrote Researches, Chemical and Philosophical, chiefly concerning Nitrous Oxide and its Respiration, which are 80 very entertaining pages of his experiences while experimenting with laughing gas.
8 Saccharin
Other than lead acetate, which is a known toxin, saccharin is the first artificial sweetener to inexpensively replace cane sugar, and it was discovered completely by accident. Sometime in late 1878 or early 1879, Professor Ira Remsen was running a small laboratory at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, when he was approached by an import firm, H.W. Perot, to do some work regarding sugar. The firm wanted Constantin Fahlberg, an expert on the sweet stuff, to use Remsen’s lab to test the purity of a shipment of it.
After successfully completing the tests, Fahlberg stayed on working for the professor on various projects. One day, while eating his dinner, Fahlberg discovered that his roll tasted unusually sweet and decided to find out why. After deducing that the bread hadn’t been sweetened by the baker, the proverbial light bulb lit up, and he assumed that he must have gotten a chemical on his hands while working at the lab, and that substance had been transferred to his roll, making it taste sweet. Since he felt no adverse reactions to this unknown chemical, he decided to find out what it was.
Fahlberg couldn’t remember exactly what substance he’d brought home on his hands, so he simply taste-tested every chemical he had at his workstation the day before, and voila—he found it! He discovered that he had filled a beaker with phosphorus chloride, ammonia, and sulfobenzoic acid, which, in turn, created benzoic sulfimide, which was a compound he knew of but never had any reason to eat. He had discovered saccharin, which really became popular during the sugar shortages of World War I.
Contrary to popular belief, saccharin is perfectly safe to consume, and there are studies on record to prove it. In fact, as recently as 2010, the EPA publicly stated that “saccharin is no longer considered a potential hazard to human health.”[3]
7 X-Rays
Photo credit: Wellcome Trust
On November 8, 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, a German physicist, was working in his lab running tests on cathode rays when, out of his peripheral vision, he spotted a strange glow on a screen that had earlier been treated with chemicals. Wilhelm had been the first person in history to observe X-rays, which is what he dubbed them due to their unknown and mysterious properties.
X-rays are waves of electromagnetic energy that are similar to light, except that they run in wavelengths around 1,000 times shorter, allowing them to pass through soft substances such as skin and muscle but not harder ones such as bone or metal. They would revolutionize the field of diagnostic medicine by affording physicians a non-intrusive means to see inside the human body without surgery. It wasn’t long before this important diagnostic tool made headlines around the globe when it was used on the battlefield during the Balkan War to locate bullets and diagnose broken limbs.
Although the scientists of the day took no time at all in finding the benefits of X-rays, it took much longer for them to discover the harmful qualities of these magical rays. It was believed that X-rays passed through the human body harmlessly just as light does, but after several years, reports of strange skin damage and burns started piling up. In 1904 Clarence Dally, a scientist working with X-rays for Thomas Edison, died of skin cancer from overexposure to X-rays. This caused some scientists working in the field to start being more careful, but it still took quite some time before the harmful effects of radiation would really sink in.
For example, starting in the 1930s, shoe stores in the United States used fluoroscopes to draw people in. These machines would amaze customers by letting them actually see the bones in their feet, and it wasn’t until the 1950s that the danger of this novelty item was realized, and they were banned from use completely. Today, X-rays are still widely used in the fields of medicine, security, and material analysis.[4]
6 Silly Putty
Photo credit:
With no moving parts or electronics to fail, Silly Putty remains one of the most prolific toys ever produced. In its first five years, over 32 million units were bought worldwide. Today, it is guesstimated that almost a third of a billion have been sold around the globe! This was obviously a good thing for its inventor; General Electric (GE) engineer Dr. James Wright, who discovered the gooey stuff in 1943.
During the height of World War II, the good doctor had been tasked by his employers to concoct a synthetic form of rubber. But instead of delivering misery in the form of war machines rolling on synthetic rubber tires, he brought joy and happiness in the form of a cheap and simple way to entertain millions of all ages. While trying different chemical combinations to produce synthetic rubber, Dr. Wright mixed silicone oil and boric acid together, and he managed to invent a sticky mass of goop that would eventually be dubbed “Silly Putty.” (Note that Earl Warrick has also been credited with Silly Putty’s invention.)
The stuff did have a few properties that were rather unusual. For instance, it would keep its ability to bounce even better than rubber throughout a wide range of temperatures, yet when hit with a hammer, it shattered. Scientists at GE experimented with the stuff but couldn’t find any practical use for it. Not wanting to give up on the material, they sent samples to engineers around the globe in the hopes that someone might find a viable use for it.
There are multiple versions of what happened next, but the following is considered to be the most credible: Fittingly, all it took was a party to get Silly Putty going. It was a good thing for advertising agent Paul Hodgson, too. He was trying to get a toy catalog together and attended a party where he watched adults having a blast with a ball of some kind of putty. They were having so much fun sticking it to things and stretching it around the room that he decided to include the stuff in his catalog as “Nutty Putty.” Hodgson was surprised when it outsold everything in the catalog, so he decided to buy more. After finding out where it came from, he bought some from GE, filled a bunch of plastic eggs with an ounce of the stuff, renamed it “Silly Putty,” and sold over 250,000 of them in three days, at $1 each!
Over the years, fans have found many uses for Silly Putty, including squeezing it for exercise, fixing a wobbly table leg, picking lint off things, and lifting pictures off comic books and newspapers. Silly Putty made it to space in 1968 with the astronauts of Apollo 8, who used it to hold their tools in place during the mission.[5]
5 Microwave Ovens
You push “2” on the keypad. A box lights up, and you see a plate rotating with a small, brown packet on it. Soon, a machine-gun rattle fills your kitchen air with the familiar, tantalizing odor of your favorite buttery snack. You have in front of you not only steaming hot and buttery popcorn but one of most prolific machines ever invented in history, and it was discovered by accident! It is the microwave.
Today, there is one of these miraculous contraptions in over 90 percent of American households, providing hundreds of millions with any food from A to Z, and everything in between, in seconds. In 1946, an engineer working for Raytheon named Percy Spencer was working with a magnetron, the main component of a radar system, when he found that a candy bar he was carrying in his shirt pocket had melted into a gooey mess while he was in close proximity to the device. His interest piqued, he placed an egg in the path of the magnetron’s rays and got a face full of egg for his trouble. He then got the idea to put some corn kernels on a plate, and he got them to pop all over the lab!
The rest, as they say, was history. Percy Spencer is also credited with the invention of the proximity fuse, which allows bombs to explode above their targets for a much better effect.[6]
4 Scotchgard
Fluorochemical technology, which involves products made from chemical compounds containing fluorine, is 3M’s bread and butter, so to speak. They have been global leaders in the industry for well over half a century, yet there was a time when their scientists were greatly challenged by the task of creating useful products using this technology. A young chemist named Patsy Sherman accepted that challenge when she was hired by 3M in 1952 and soon agreed to meet it in 1953. Sherman was then given the assignment to come up with a rubber-like material that would resist jet fuel and, as so often happens, discovered something totally different instead.
It started with an accident when one of her assistants spilled some of a compound they’d been experimenting with on her new sneakers. She was really irritated by the fact that she couldn’t get the stuff off of them no matter what kind of solvent she tried. This intrigued Sherman, who was excited by the tenacity of the experimental product, so she joined forces with Sam Smith, another 3M chemist, in an effort to develop a badly needed and inexpensive fluorochemical waterproofing agent for clothing, something unimaginable at the time.
After a few years spent refining their compound, the team of Sherman and Smith unveiled their brand-new product to the world, and in 1956, the brand name “Scotchgard” was born. 3M had stumbled onto their first big seller. When asked about the company’s good fortune for constantly coming up with innovative and successful products in this manner, Richard Carlton, a 3M executive, astutely replied, “You can’t stumble if you’re not in motion.”[7]
3 Pacemakers
It was 1956. Wilson Greatbatch was working on a device to monitor and record the sounds of the human heart when he inserted a transistor into his device that was 100 times as powerful as he would normally use. His mistake caused the instrument to create electrical impulses that were perfectly emulating the beat of the heart. So, instead of ruining the thing, which could easily have happened, the device wasn’t monitoring the heartbeat; it was creating one! He was amazed when he quickly realized that his invention could be used as an internal pacemaker, an instrument which, at the time, had to be worn like a necklace, with the thing shocking the patient to keep their heart beating.
The very first pacemakers looked like a television that the patient was tethered to, and since battery power was insufficient at the time, they had to be plugged in as well. A patient who needed a pacemaker then was much like a person on dialysis; they couldn’t leave the machine, and they couldn’t carry it around. An internal pacemaker would allow millions of these people to live completely normal lives. So, a bit bigger than a hockey puck, Greatbatch’s first prototype was implanted into a dog in 1958 and controlled its heartbeat successfully and without difficulty. The first human patient to receive one was a 77-year-old man who lived 18 months, while a young recipient lived 30 years with his.
They did have their problems, though. Body fluids would permeate the device, ruining the circuitry, and batteries would last only about two years, so Greatbatch started looking for better ways to power them. In 1970, he started his own company, Greatbatch Inc., and developed lithium batteries that lasted ten years and would eventually be used in over 90 percent of pacemakers on the planet. The brilliant inventor ended up with 350 patents in his name and was inducted into the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame in 1986. Today, over three million people benefit from Greatbatch’s inventions, and 600,000 of his pacemakers are implanted every year. Wilson Greatbatch passed away in 2011.[8]
2 Post-It Notes
In 1968, a scientist working for the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Corporation (also known as 3M) named Spencer Silver was given the job of inventing a super adhesive designed exclusively to be used in the aerospace industry, a very tough industry to design for. His initial attempt was a flop. He was looking for strength but got something strong enough to maybe hold a sheet of paper to a bulletin board, giving them the idea to fashion some notepad prototypes, even though they didn’t have much faith in the concept. Art Fry, another employee of 3M, had the idea to use one of these prototypes as bookmarks in his choir hymn book because he kept losing his place while singing. With this practical use, he realized that the prototype notes worked perfectly by sticking really well while leaving no glue and not damaging the pages.
Silver, Fry, and several others who worked on perfecting the notes had mistakenly invented an entire brand-new hit product line. It was tough going at first, but after four failed marketing attempts in as many big cities, 3M managed to get free samples into the hands of people in Boise, Idaho, where “Post-its” finally took off. It had been 12 years, but it was worth the struggle in the end.[9]
An interesting story about Post-it notes surrounds the familiar yellow color they chose to initially market them in. The official story is that the yellow “made a good emotional connection with users” and that it also “contrasts well when stuck on white paper.” But according to an insider, the lab next door to the Post-it team’s had a surplus of scrap yellow paper, and that’s how the color was decided. In fact, after their neighbors ran out of it, they went out and bought more. Spencer Silver, who started his education in a one-room schoolhouse, is the owner of 22 patents, including the patent for a “low-tack, reusable, pressure sensitive adhesive” or, more commonly, “stickless glue.”
1 Self-Igniting Matches
Humans have had fire for eons, and we’ve always looked for easy ways to start fires. The modern-day match transformed our world and enriched our way of life in ways their inventors could never have imagined, but early matches weren’t strikable or self-igniting and needed some other means to light. For example, early Chinese matches were coated with sulfur that burned very bright and were used to enlarge an existing fire quickly, but they never evolved beyond that ability.
A Parisian named Jean Chancel opened the door to self-igniting matches in 1805 when he mixed sugar, rubber, potassium chlorate, and sulfur together and coated wooden sticks with the concoction. He then would dip the sticks into a sulfuric acid solution to get them to light. The problem with this invention was the toxic and volatile clouds of chlorine dioxide gas they produced. These clouds were explosive, making them rather dangerous.
The real breakthrough came in 1826, when an English chemist named John Walker invented the first “friction match”—you guessed it—by accident. While working in his lab, Walker noticed that a glob of chemicals he’d been working with earlier had dried and formed a lump on the end of his stir stick. Not wanting to mix the chemicals into his present experiment, he started scraping the stuff off the implement and was both startled and pleased when it burst into flame! Walker used a sulfur-based compound on the matches’ heads and rough paper coated with phosphorus to strike them with. The user would fold the paper over the match and pull it through while applying a bit of pressure to light it. He sold quite a few of these fire sticks, but they had a problem: The sulfur burned so violently that it would burn through the stick, and the flaming head would come off, many times with undesirable results.[10]
Matches these days are made from a red phosphorus concoction, first employed by Johan Edvard Lundstrom, which is completely nontoxic. Safety matches, which are familiar to most today, were first produced and sold in the United States by the Diamond Match Company, which gave up their rights to patent them so that any company could produce and market safety matches.
I live in Northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States of America, in “one of the Original 13” I like to say, where I grew up with a fascination for collectibles like baseball cards, coins, stamps, and old bottles, just to name a few. Always a self-starter, I’ve taught myself many different things and have ended up with a large variety of skills and hobbies in both the old and new and have recently started putting them to use on the Internet. I have been writing in several capacities for decades.
Read about more ways we’ve bumbled into advancement on 10 Fascinating Experiments That Happened By Accident and Top 10 Accidental Discoveries.
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Synthetic Compound from Brain Hormone Shows Beneficial Effects in Preclinical Studies
Nobel Prize winner Andrew V. Schally, Ph.D., M.D.h.c., D.Sc.h.c., professor of pathology and medicine at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Miller School of Medicine, and his team of research scientists at the Miami Veterans Affairs Healthcare System showed that a synthetic compound based on a brain hormone spurred the growth of cancer cells in Petri dishes but had the opposite effect in live mice.
The discovery, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Nov. 20, holds promise for cancer treatment. It is also significant because the human-made compound and others like it spur the growth of healthy tissue, showing beneficial effects in preclinical studies to treat a range of medical conditions affecting the heart, pancreas, eyes, and other organs. Tests in animal models suggest, for example, that the compounds could help grow new heart muscle cells after a heart attack.
The compound tested in the new PNAS report, MR409, is one of several patented analogs, or derivatives, made in Dr. Schally’s lab based on growth hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH. GHRH, which is made in the brain’s hypothalamus, triggers the production and release of growth hormone in the pituitary gland. Growth hormone, in turn, is essential for human growth and cell regeneration.
But Dr. Schally and his colleagues were worried that while GHRH analogs might be effective medicine for some conditions, they might also cause cancer cells to grow because of their growth-stimulating properties.
“I was concerned,” Dr. Schally said. “GHRH, in addition to being a brain hormone, is a powerful growth factor. I was afraid it would be stimulatory to tumors.”
That’s what MR409 did when applied to cell cultures in the latest experiments: It caused lung cancer cells from human tumors to multiply and spread, and kept them from dying.
However, the hormone analog had the opposite effect when injected into mice with implanted human tumors: Not only did it not feed the cancer cells, it also stopped them from growing. It had this effect on lung, pancreatic, gastric, bladder, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. The analog, paradoxically, worked like counterpart analogs known as antagonists that are designed to block, not mimic, the action of GHRH.
“These are very welcome findings,” Dr. Schally said. “They may alleviate serious concerns about stimulating growth of cancers with GHRH agonists in the course of therapy for other diseases and conditions.”
Agonists are analogs that act like a key in a lock to initiate a biochemical reaction in the body. The lock is a receptor — a protein on the cell surface that interacts with the agonist to trigger a reaction. Antagonists, on the other hand, jam up the receptor so no reaction can occur. GHRH antagonists have been tested extensively by Schally’s group and others for their ability to inhibit tumors.
Dr. Schally believes the most likely reason for MR409’s tumor-inhibiting effect in mice is the down-regulation of GHRH receptors in the pituitary gland and in the tumors themselves. That effect, which can occur only in live animals and not in isolated cells, may explain the dramatic difference between the analog’s effect in cells versus in the organism.
“The receptors transmit the hormonal message,” Dr. Schally said. “When there are fewer receptors on the cell surface, this blocks the effect of endogenous (produced within the body) GHRH found in tumors, and thereby blocks tumor growth.”
He notes that the receptor-squashing effect is like that seen with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which, like GHRH, is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus. A treatment for aggressive prostate cancer that is based on LHRH agonists, stemming from Schally’s early discoveries, was introduced in 1984 and is used widely.
Dr. Schally says the down-regulation of receptors that results from continuous treatment with analogs is like a lock being worn out, so that turning the key has no effect.
Dr. Schally’s journal article is accompanied by a commentary by Drs. Hippokratis Klaris and Ioulia Chatzistamou of the University of South Carolina. They write that MR409 and similar GHRH agonists, given the “virtual absence of toxicity” seen in experiments, should have “wide effectiveness in diverse cancers” and also hold promise for other diseases and conditions.
GHRH agonists must still be tested in clinical trials in the U.S. before they can be used in routine patient care. That can take several years, but Dr. Schally, who won the Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology in 1977, says he is optimistic given his team’s latest results.
“I’m not a clinician, but now I have no reservation in recommending the agonists for various clinical uses,” he said.
In terms of cancer therapy, he says the insights gained in the latest study will benefit the further development of not only MR409 and other GHRH agonists, but also GHRH antagonists. He envisions clinicians eventually being able to choose between GHRH agonists and antagonists for cancer treatment. |
Whilst studies have already shown that singing in small groups makes you happy. No-one had really looked at the effects in large choirs. Well, a study in 2015 did just that and found that whilst singing in small groups might make you happy. Singing in large choirs makes you even happier!
Understanding the study
The investigators in the Goldsmiths College study came to these conclusions by making comparisons between people singing in 10 small choirs and then coming together to sing as one large choir.
Most of the people in the small choirs were friends but didn’t know the people in the other choirs. This distinction was meant to eliminate any confounding factors. Such as feeling happier because you are spending time with some of your friends. Social bonding and pain tolerance were both measured during the experiment.
What was found?
The study found that after a 90-minute rehearsal, people’s sense of social bonding increased in both the small choirs and the aggregated choir. But this increase was larger in the aggregated choir than in the ten small choirs.
On the other hand, whilst pain tolerance, (which was measured by inflating a blood pressure cuff on their arm until it was very tight), reduced during the singing. This reduction was the same whether they sang in a small or a large choir.
Large choirs make you happier
• The investigators believed that an increase in social bonding led to making more friends.
• Increasing their enjoyment of singing in a large choir and creating a community feel.
• Anecdotal evidence from the choir’s singers revealed that when they came together as a large choir.
• They began to forge lasting friendships with people in the other nine smaller choirs.
• Raising their self-esteem and giving them an increased air of self-confidence.
It was suggested that singing in a large choir actually changed people’s lives for the better.
If you want to join a large choir and become happier – call us on 0407 431 831 or send us an email today. |
Danish resistance movement
Last updated
'Denmark Fights for Freedom', 1944 film made during the war about the Danish resistance movement
Danish language North Germanic language spoken in Denmark
Espionage or spying is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information without the permission of the holder of the information. Spies help agencies uncover secret information. Any individual or spy ring, in the service of a -government, company or independent operation, can commit espionage. The practice is clandestine, as it is by definition unwelcome and in many cases illegal and punishable by law. Espionage is a method of intelligence gathering which includes information gathering from non-disclosed sources.
Sabotage deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening a polity, effort, or organization through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. One who engages in sabotage is a saboteur. Saboteurs typically try to conceal their identities because of the consequences of their actions.
BOPA was a group of the Danish resistance movement; it was affiliated with the communists and developed after the occupation of Denmark by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
Nonviolent resistance: 1940-1943
The "model protectorate"
During the invasion of Denmark on April 9, 1940 and subsequent occupation, the Danish king and government chose not to flee the country and instead collaborated with the German authorities who allowed the Danish government to remain in power. The Germans had reasons to do so, especially as they wanted to showcase Denmark as a "model protectorate", earning the nickname the Cream Front (German : Sahnefront), due to the relative ease of the occupation and copious amount of dairy products. [1] As the democratically elected Danish government remained in power, Danish citizens had less motivation to fight the occupation than in countries where the Germans established puppet governments, such as Norway or France. The police also remained under Danish authority and led by Danes.
German invasion of Denmark (1940) fighting that followed the German army crossing the Danish border on 9 April 1940
The German invasion of Denmark was the German attack on Denmark on 9 April, 1940, during the Second World War. The attack was a prelude to the main attack against Norway. The term Weserübung means Weser-exercise in English, named after the river Weser in northwestern Germany.
German language West Germanic language
Daily life in Denmark remained much the same as before the occupation. The Germans did make certain changes: imposing official censorship, prohibiting dealings with the Allies, and stationing German troops in the country. The Danish government actively discouraged violent resistance because it feared a severe backlash from the Germans against the civilian population.
Censorship The practice of suppressing information
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information, on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by a government private institutions, and corporations.
Resistance groups
Immediately after the occupation, isolated attempts were made to set up resistance and intelligence activities. Intelligence officers from the Danish army, known as the "Princes," began channeling reports to London allies as early as April 13, 1940. Soon afterwards, Ebbe Munck, a journalist from Berlingske Tidende, arranged to be transferred to Stockholm. From there he could more easily report to and communicate with the British. [2]
London Capital of the United Kingdom
Stockholm Capital city in Södermanland and Uppland, Sweden
Following the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 the Germans banned the Danish Communist Party and had the Danish police arrest its members. [3] Those members who either avoided arrest or later escaped thus went underground and created resistance cells. From October 1942, they published a clandestine newspaper, Land og Folk ("Land and People"), which was distributed widely across the country. Circulation grew to 120,000 copies per day by the end of the occupation. [4] At the beginning of 1943, the cells were centrally coordinated under BOPA (Borgerlige Partisaner - Civil Partisans), which also began to plan acts of sabotage.
A clandestine cell system is a method for organizing a group of people such as resistance fighters, sleeper agents, or terrorists so that such people can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization.
<i>Land og Folk</i> danish newspaper
Land og Folk was a Danish language communist daily newspaper printed in Copenhagen, Denmark, between 1919 and 1982.
As time went on, many other insurgent groups formed to oppose the occupation. These included the Hvidsten group, which received weapons parachuted by the British, and Holger Danske, which was successful in organizing sabotage activities and the assassinations of collaborators. The Churchill club, one of the first resistance groups in Denmark, was a group of eight schoolboys from Aalborg. They performed some 25 acts of sabotage against the Germans, destroying Nazi German assets with makeshift grenades and stole Nazi German weapons.
When the Germans forced the Danish government to sign the anti-Comintern pact, a large protest broke out in Copenhagen.
The number of Danish Nazis was low before the war, and this trend continued throughout the occupation. This was confirmed in the 1943 parliamentary elections, in which the population voted overwhelmingly for the four traditional parties, or abstained. The latter option was widely interpreted as votes for the Danish Communist Party. The election was a disappointment for the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark (DNSAP) and German Reichsbevollmächtigter . Dr. Werner Best abandoned plans to create a government under Danish Nazi leader Frits Clausen, due to Clausen's lack of public support.
In 1942-43, resistance operations gradually shifted to more violent action, most notably acts of sabotage. Various groups succeeded in making contacts with the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) which began making airdrops of agents and supplies. There were not many drops until August 1944, but they increased through the end of the occupation.
Military intelligence operations
On 23 April 1940, [5] members of Danish military intelligence established contacts with their British counterparts through the British diplomatic mission in Stockholm. The first intelligence dispatch was sent by messenger to the Stockholm mission in the autumn of 1940. This evolved into regular dispatches of military and political intelligence, and by 1942-43, the number of dispatches had increased to at least one per week. [5] In addition, an employee of Danmarks Radio was able to transmit short messages to Britain through the national broadcasting network.
The intelligence was gathered mostly by officers in the Danish army and navy; they reported information about political developments, the location and size of German military units, and details about the Danish section of the Atlantic Wall fortifications. In 1942, the Germans demanded the removal of the Danish military from Jutland, but intelligence operations continued. It was carried out by plainclothes personnel or by reserve officers, since this group was not included in the evacuation order. [5] Following the liberation of Denmark, Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery described the intelligence gathered in Denmark as "second to none". [6]
Violent resistance: 1943-45
M1917 Enfield used by resistance group in Haslev. M1917 Enfield 1201287.jpg
M1917 Enfield used by resistance group in Haslev.
As the years went by, the number of acts of sabotage and violence grew. In 1943, the number grew dramatically, to the point that the German authorities became dissatisfied with the Danish authorities' handling of the situation. At the end of August, the Germans took over full administration in Denmark, which allowed them to deal with the population as they wished. Policing became easier for the Nazis, but more and more people became involved with the movement because they were no longer worried about protecting the Danish government.
In particular, the Danish Freedom Council was set up in September 1943, bringing together the various resistance groups in order to improve their efficiency and resolve. An underground government was established. Allied governments, who had been skeptical about Denmark's commitment to fight Germany, began recognising it as a full ally. [7]
Due to concerns about prisoners and information held in Gestapo headquarters at the Shellhus in the centre of Copenhagen, the resistance repeatedly requested a tactical RAF raid on the headquarters to destroy records and release prisoners. Britain initially turned down the request due to the risk of civilian casualties, but eventually launched Operation Carthage, a very low-level raid by 20 de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers, escorted by 30 P-51 Mustang fighters. The raid succeeded in destroying the headquarters, releasing 18 prisoners of the Gestapo, and disrupting anti-resistance operations throughout Denmark. However, 125 civilians lost their lives due to the errant bombing of a nearby boarding school. [8]
Railway shop workers in Frederiksvaerk built this armored car for offensive use by the Danish resistance. It was employed against Danish Nazis, known as the Lorenzen group, entrenched in the plantation of Asserbo in North Zealand, May 5, 1945. DanishResistanceAC2795.jpg
An American pilot in occupied Copenhagen photographed by the Danish resistance while a German pilot looks on. March, 1945. J. D. McFarlane.jpg
In 1943, the movement scored a great success in rescuing all but 500 of Denmark's Jewish population of 7,000-8,000 from being sent to the Nazi concentration camps by helping transport them to neutral Sweden, where they were offered asylum. [9] [10] The Danish resistance movement has been honoured as a collective at Yad Vashem in Israel as being part of the "Righteous Among the Nations". [11] [12] They were honoured as a collective rather than as individuals at their own request. [13]
Another success was the disruption of the Danish railway network in the days after D-Day, which delayed the movement of German troops to France as reinforcements.
By the end of the war, the organized resistance movement in Denmark had scored many successes. It is believed to have killed nearly 400 persons (the top official number is 385) from 1943 through 1945, who were Danish Nazis, informers or collaborators thought to pose a threat to the Resistance, or Danes working for the Gestapo. [14] The rationale behind the executions was discussed, and several accounts by participants said a committee identified targets, but no historic evidence of this system has been found. [14] In the postwar period, while the killings were criticized, they were also defended by such politicians as Frode Jakobsen and Per Federspiel.
Danish SS soldiers disarmed by resistance fighters in Copenhagen, 1945 Kobenhavn, 1945.jpg
Danish SS soldiers disarmed by resistance fighters in Copenhagen, 1945
The movement lost slightly more than 850 members, in action, in prison, in Nazi concentration camps, or (in the case of 102 resistance members [15] ) executed following a court-martial.
The Danish National Museum maintains the Museum of Danish Resistance in Copenhagen.
Since the late 20th century, there has been more discussion about the morality of some of the killings carried out by the resistance, sparked by a TV series about the death of Jane Horney, a Danish citizen killed at sea in what Frode Jakobsen defended as an act of war. [16]
With the 60th anniversary of the end of the war, the issue was re-examined in two new studies: Stefan Emkjar's Stikkerdrab and Peter Ovig Knudsen's Etter drabet, "the first profound approaches into the topic." [17] Both authors used veterans of the resistance movement, and covered the sometimes contingent, improvised nature of some of the actions. It suggested that some of the noted Bent Faurschou-Hviid (Flammen)'s executions may have been mistakenly directed by a double agent. [18] Knudsen's work was adapted as a 2-hour documentary film, With the Right to Kill (2003), which was shown on TV and later released in theaters. [19] These works have contributed to a national discussion on the topic. Flame and Citron (Flammen og Citronen, 2008) is a fictionalized drama film based on historic accounts of the two prominent Danish resistance fighters, directed by Ole Christian Madsen. It portrays some of the moral ambiguity of their actions.
Prominent members
Strategic result
The extent to which the Danish resistance played an important strategic role in the war has been the subject of much discussion. Immediately after the war and until about 1970, the vast majority of accounts overrated the degree to which the resistance had been effective in battling against the Germans by acts of sabotage and by providing key intelligence to the Allies. More recently, however, after re-examining the archives, historians concur that, while the resistance provided a firm basis for moral support and paved the way for post-war governments, the strategic effect during the occupation was limited. The Germans did not need to send in reinforcements to suppress the movement, and garrisoned a comparatively small number of Wehrmacht troops to defend the country. The resistance did not enter into active combat. Even the overall importance of Danish intelligence in the context of Ultra is questionable. [21]
In his history, No Small Achievement: Special Operations Executive and the Danish Resistance 1940-1945 (2002), Knud Jespersen examined the relationship between British Intelligence and the Danish Resistance. He quoted a report from SHAEF stating that the resistance in Denmark
Examining the British archives, Jespersen also found a report concluding "that the overall effect of Danish resistance was to restore national pride and political unity." [22] He agreed that this was the movement's most important contribution to the nation. [22]
Representation in other media
Sabotorspillet, "The Saboteur Game", published in 1945 - showcasing the saboteur as a hero Sabotorspillet 1203321.jpg
Related Research Articles
Denmark in World War II German military occupation of Denmark during World War II
At the outset of World War II, Denmark declared itself neutral. For most of the war, the country was a protectorate, then an occupied territory of Germany. The decision to occupy Denmark was taken in Berlin on 17 December 1939. On 9 April 1940, Germany occupied Denmark in Operation Weserübung and the king and government functioned as normal in a de facto protectorate over the country until 29 August 1943, when Germany placed Denmark under direct military occupation, which lasted until the Allied victory on 5 May 1945. Contrary to the situation in other countries under German occupation, most Danish institutions continued to function relatively normally until 1945. Both the Danish government and king remained in the country in an uneasy relationship between a democratic and a totalitarian system until the Danish government stepped down in a protest against the German demands to institute the death penalty for sabotage.
Rescue of the Danish Jews
Forum Copenhagen
Forum Copenhagen is a large multi-purpose, rentable indoor arena located in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark. It hosts a large variety of concerts, markets, exhibitions and other events. The venue can hold up to 10,000 people depending on the event. The Forum operates as a convention center, concert hall and indoor arena.
Resistance in Lithuania during World War II
Holger Danske (resistance group) Danish resistance group during World War II
Holger Danske was a Danish resistance group during World War II. It was created by veteran volunteers from the Winter War who had fought on the Finnish side against the Soviet Union. It was among the largest Danish resistance groups and consisted of around 350 volunteers towards the end of the war. The group carried out about 100 sabotage operations and was responsible for around 200 executions of informers who had revealed the identity and/or the whereabouts of members of the resistance. The group was named after the legendary Danish hero Holger Danske.
Danish Freedom Council
The Danish Freedom Council was a clandestine body set up in September 1943 in response to growing political turmoil surrounding the occupation of Denmark by German forces during the Second World War.
Major Flemming Bruun Muus, DSO was a Danish author and resistance fighter during the German occupation of Denmark in the Second World War.
Churchill Club
Denmark–Israel relations Diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Denmark and the State of Israel
Eli Fischer-Jørgensen was professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Copenhagen, she was a member of the Danish resistance movement fighting against the German occupation of Denmark.
Bent Faurschou Hviid Member of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske during World War II
Bent Faurschou Hviid was a member of the Danish resistance group Holger Danske during World War II. He was quickly named "Flammen", for his red hair. In 1951, he and his Resistance partner Jørgen Haagen Schmith, were posthumously awarded the United States Medal of Freedom by President Harry Truman.
Jørgen Haagen Schmith Danish resistance member
Jørgen Haagen Schmith, better known under the codename Citronen, was a renowned fighter in the Danish resistance movement during the German Occupation of Denmark of 1940-45. In 1951 he and his partner Bent Faurschou Hviid were posthumously awarded the United States Medal of Freedom by President Harry Truman.
Gunnar Dyrberg was a member of the Danish resistance movement during World War II, leading the Holger Danske, a Danish resistance group in the capital Copenhagen, from 1943 to 1945. After the war, Dyrberg became a public administrator, holding several appointed positions in government, and later a public relations executive in banking. For more than 40 years, he also owned and operated a horse farm, breeding and training Icelandic horses in Høsterkøb, North Zealand.
Knud Jespersen Danish politician
Knud Jespersen was a Danish politician. Jespersen served as chairman of the Communist Party of Denmark between 1958 and 1977 and was a member of parliament between 1973 and 1977.
Monica Emily Wichfeld was a leading member of the Danish resistance during the German occupation of Denmark in the Second World War.
Bispebjerg Cemetery cemetery in Copenhagen
Bispebjerg Cemetery, established in 1903 on the moderately graded north slope of Bispebjerg Hill, is the youngest of five municipal cemeteries in Copenhagen, Denmark. The main entrance to the cemetery is located in front of the monumental Grundtvig's Church from. A tall poplar avenue extends from the main entrance towards Utterslev Mose in the west. The old chapel has been converted into a centre for dance and is now known as Dansekapellet. One of the cemetery’s main attractions is an avenue of Japanese cherry trees that, when in bloom during spring, form a long, pink tunnel.
Kjeld Toft-Christensen MC was a Special Operations Executive officer and Danish resistance fighter during the Second World War. Toft-Christensen was born in Copenhagen to Aage and Elna Elise Toft-Christensen but later emigrated and joined the French Foreign Legion. During the Second World War he served with the Free French in North Africa before he left for England where he joined the British Army. He was trained as a parachutist and in sabotage tactics in the Buffs and obtained the rank of Lieutenant. On 4 April 1944 he was dropped into Skive in Denmark to assist the local resistance under the codename "Dahl". Kjeld Toft-Christensen joined the resistance in Aarhus as a liaison and intelligence officer. He became a part of the newly formed L-groups, focused on assassinations, and worked primarily in and around Aarhus.
Povl Falk-Jensen, better known under the codename Eigil, was a fighter in the Danish resistance movement during the German occupation of Denmark of 1940-45. Falk-Jensen was a member of the resistance group Holger Danske and the leader of the sub-group Eigil. Falk-Jensen was responsible for eleven executions of informers or collaborators and has written his memoir entitled Holger Danske - Afdeling Eigils sabotager og stikkerlikvideringer under Besættelsen.
Kai Henning Bothildsen Nielsen
Kai Henning Bothildsen Nielsen was a Danish national socialist who became a member of the Peter group in Denmark during the Second World War. He participated in numerous operations to murder and bomb civilians and public servants as collective punishment whenever the Danish resistance carried out an operation. Bothildsen was after the war convicted for 57 murders, 9 attempted murders and 116 sabotage events and given a death sentence which was eventually ratified by the Danish Supreme Court. He was executed on 9 May 1947 in Copenhagen.
1. Poulsen, Henning (1 January 1991). "Die Deutschen Besatzungspolitik in Dänemark". In Bohn, Robert; Elvert, Jürgen; Rebas, Hain; Salewski, Michael. Neutralität und Totalitäre Aggression (in German). Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag. p. 379. ISBN 978-3-515-05887-2 . Retrieved 20 April 2016.
2. Per Eilstrup, Lars Lindeberg: De så de ske under Besættelsen. Forlaget Union, Copenhagen, 1969.
3. Nielsen, Martin (1947). Rapport fra Stutthof[Report from Stutthof] (in Danish). Gyldendal. 170 pages.
4. Resistance in Western Europe, edited by Bob Moore, p. 105.
5. 1 2 3 H.M. Lunding (1970), Stemplet fortroligt, 3rd edition, Gyldendal, pp. 68-72. (in Danish)
6. Bjørn Pedersen: Jubel og glæde. (in Danish) Retrieved 21 April 2008.
7. Jerry Voorhis, “Germany and Denmark: 1940-45,” Scandinavian Studies 44:2 (1972) p. 183.
9. The Rescue of Danish Jews, Jewish Virtual Library, Retrieved 17 April 2008.
11. "The Rescue of Danish Jews". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 2016-02-08.
12. Germany — Duckwitz, Georg Ferdinand
13. "The Rescue of Denmark's Jews". Yad Vashem. Retrieved 2016-02-08. The Underground did not receive the Righteous Among the Nations title, which is only awarded to individuals, not to groups. This was also in the spirit of the request expressed by the members of the Danish underground not to honor them as individuals.
14. 1 2 Clement Maier, Making Memories: The Politics of in Postwar Norway and Denmark, pp. 259-263, 2007 thesis at European University Institute, available online as pdf.
15. Quistgaard, Georg (1944). Fængselsdagbog og breve [Prison Diary and Letters] (in Danish). Prefaced by Elias Bredsdorff. Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag, Arnold Busck (published 1946). 101 pages.
16. Maier (2007), Making Memories, pp. 276-278
17. 1 2 Maier (2007), Making Memories, pp. 269-272
18. Maier (2007), Making Memories, pp. 271-272
19. Maier (2007), Making Memories, p. 272
20. "Varinka Wichfeld Muus (1922 - 2002 )". Dansk Kvindebiografisk Leksikon (in Danish). KVINFO. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
21. "Denmark, Historical Role," by Hans Kirchoff in Resistance in Western Europe (p. 112 et seq).
22. 1 2 3 Hayden B. Peake, "The Intelligence Officer's Bookshelf", includes a review of Knud Jespersen's No Small Achievement, CSI Studies, Vol. 48, No.1, Retrieved 19 April 2008.
Further reading |
Ethnic Minority And The Military
779 Words Aug 10th, 2015 4 Pages
After watching the videos and reading the resources provided I feel that many ethnic minority populations serve in the military for many different reasons. While researching this topic, one particular minority population stood out to me, which is the Latino population. In the “I Am the Army: American 's New Military Caste (Latinos and the Caste System in the US Army)” it is discussed why the Latino population serves in the military, which according to the video is because it is instilled in the children very young to join the military through school visits, recruiting, and the appeal of the future opportunities.
According to Sanhez’ (2013), Latinos in the military join for three basic reasons, which include the lack of opportunities to pursue other careers since education is being priced out for many working class people, a tradition of military service in many families, and the appealing masculinity attached to serving. In a study done by Lutz’s 2008 “Who Joins the Military?: A Look at Race, Class, and Immigration Status”, those with lower family income are more likely to join the military than those with higher family income. In this study she found that a large percentage of Latinos who have served in the armed forces are children of immigrants, which is another reason military appeal to minorities. Some recruiters emphasize immigration benefits.
Preston (2014), discusses in her article that small number of young immigrants who grew up in the United States without…
Open Document |
The Tolkien 's The Hobbit
1143 Words May 8th, 2015 5 Pages
Mythology and Literature
We tend to think of myth as an untrue story or as an outdated explanation of a mystery long since cleared up by science, but myth is actually a framework of meaning, a set of collective fantasies that story our relationship to each other, the world and the universe. To tell a myth is to tell a culture 's dream about its inner workings and truths. A myth tells its tale through symbol, image and metaphor.
The Hobbit is a mythic image in our modern day society. It is written by J.R.R. Tolkien.
This story is more myth than anything. The Hobbit acts as the sister myth to Sigurd and Volsung. There are many mythic images in both of these stories that represent more than meets the eye. The plot, the characters, and the objects all have some hidden meaning, we just have to look hard enough to find them.
Bilbo is a hobbit, quite content staying where not much happens. His comfort was shattered by the arrival of the old wizard Gandalf, who persuades Bilbo to set out on an adventure with a group of thirteen militant dwarves. “As the dwarves sang the hobbit felt the love of beautiful things made by hands and by cunning and by magic moving through him, a fierce and jealous love, the desire of the hearts of dwarves. Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick.” (hobbit) Bilbo didn’t want material things…
More about The Tolkien 's The Hobbit
Open Document |
Native to Central Asia, peas belong to the leguminous family of vegetables. Formerly consumed only in their fully ripened and dried form, i.e. as pulses, peas are now mostly consumed green - in other words, prior to maturity. They are delicious when fresh and in season even though most of the crops are canned or frozen. In France, peas are harvested before reaching full maturity (when green) between May and July. There are two varieties of peas: snow peas, which are eaten whole, pod and all, and "wrinkled" peas, which are larger and sweeter and need to be shelled.
Nutrition facts
If consumed when freshly picked, peas are an excellent source of vitamins B(B1, B3, B5, B6, B9), vitamin C (32 mg/100 g), carotenoids with antioxidant properties (lutein and zeaxanthin), as well as minerals and trace elements (magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, phosphorus, potassium). Peas contain proportionally less water and more carbohydrates than green vegetables (about 12 g/100 g). Their nutritional content provides a greater sense of fullness than that of traditional green vegetables. They should ideally be mixed with other green vegetables (e.g. spinach, green beans, or broccoli) to reduce the glycemic load, or eaten with whole grains for better absorption of micronutrients, particularly vegetable proteins. Moreover, snow peas have edible pods that are very rich in vegetable proteins and fibre. They are also more beneficial if cooked quickly (steamed or stir-fried to benefit from all the nutrients).
How to keep and cook peas ?
Peas are usually eaten cooked. They can be cooked with garden vegetables, with bacon, or combined in a stir-fry with green vegetables. They are traditionally served with meat and poultry dishes. A favourite ingredient in world cuisine, their texture and flavour go hand in hand with spices such as curry, turmeric, garlic, and ginger, or herbs such as mint and coriander. Peas give consistency and richness to cold or hot soups, eliminating the need to add potatoes. Snow peas are usually steamed and can be eaten in salads seasoned with sesame or avocado oil. They can also be stir-fried or used in a risotto.
Fresh green peas will not keep for very long as they harden rapidly. It is best to purchase them fresh in their pods and to shell them just before cooking; alternatively, you can choose frozen peas.
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Abraham and Isaac: The Complete Guide and Typology
Imagine Abraham and Isaac. Imagine the man that God called to sacrifice his son. What does this man and son look like? What if I told you that our mental image of Abraham and Isaac is seriously flawed?
Who was Abraham? Just some wandering, nomadic shepherd, randomly chosen by God, right? Based on the Biblical and archaeological evidence, NO! Abraham was a much more interesting and important figure, even before he forever changed the course of world history.
What about Isaac? How old is he? He's just a young boy, right? What if I told you that Isaac was not a little boy?
On what mountain does Abraham take Isaac? Is it just an ordinary mountaintop? Where is Mount Moriah today? Where was Mount Moriah in Christ's time? What if I told you that you already know this mountaintop, and it's famous for another reason?
I've been working on this mega-article for a while! Writing this guide has spawned a number of other articles, as well:
There are so many connections between the Sacrifice of Isaac and the Sacrifice of the Cross. We'll go over all the following connections:
• Who was Abraham?
• When did Abraham live? When was Abraham born? Abraham's Timeline
• What was Abram/Abraham's Role in Society?
• The Sacrifice of Isaac
• The Test
• One and Only Son
• The Age of Isaac
• Not a Child Sacrifice
• A Willing Sacrifice
• Isaac Carries the Wood for the Sacrifice
• Three Days to Mount Moriah
• Where is Mount Moriah?
• Ram's Head Caught in the Thorn Bush
• Isaac and Jesus are Both Sons of Abraham
• Genesis 22:8 "God Himself will provide the Lamb"
Get out your Bibles! The central text we're looking at for the Sacrifice of Isaac is Genesis 22. Let's start with the first six verses, paying special attention to the words in bold:
[1] After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” [2] He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Mori′ah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [3] So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. [5] Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” [6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together
To help us keep track of our progress through this very rich scripture, look to headers like this one:
"Abraham!" "Here Am I." First Off, WHO was Abraham?
The typical depiction of Abraham as a poor desert nomad is likely completely wrong. The archaeological and even the Biblical evidence presents a very different picture. It is possible that Abraham was actually a much more interesting and important figure, even before he forever altered the course of world history.
There's SO MUCH about Abraham's story that is under attack that I wrote a whole separate article on the Modern Attack on Abraham. You can find that article here.
Abraham's Timeline
Who was Abram/Abraham?
What was Abram/Abraham's Role in Society
The City of Ur during Abraham's Time
2166 BC, the date of Abraham's birth (here's the Biblical calculation of that date, if you're wondering), corresponds to the Third Dynasty of Ur. Ur at this time was at the height of its glory, it's golden age.
Gordon & Freedman: Abraham, the Merchant Prince
Cyrus Gordon, an American scholar of Near East cultures and ancient languages, as well as David Noel Freedman of the University of California, have advanced the idea that Abraham was not just a powerful patriarch but a merchant prince.
This tells us something about Joseph, too, right? It's no wonder Joseph rose so rapidly in the Egyptian ranks. He was descended from a line of merchant princes. His family had been negotiating trade in commodities for hundreds of years.
There's a lot more that can be said about how the Bible's descriptions of Abraham match the archaeological proof, including really interesting bits about the caravan routes. You can read all about this here.
Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs
"God Tested Abraham" - The Test
Genesis 22 begins "After these things God tested (Hb. nissah) Abraham." God decides to "test" Abraham. What does this remind you of? Who else undergoes a "test"?
Christ in the Garden of Olives by Paul Gauguin
When Jesus is praying at the Mount of Olives, he chides the Apostles for falling asleep:
"The Test" can be understood either as the test of temptation that (1) the Apostles will soon undergo to abandon Christ during his Passion, or (2) that Christ is experiencing as he prepares for death.
The Greek word used here for "test" is peirasmon (noun) or peirazo (verb), which means "an experiment, a trial, temptation." This word is only used one other place in Matthew: in the Lord's Prayer (6:13). But, wait, where is the word "test" in the "Our Father"?
The New American Bible (NAB) alone translates this word as "test." The Revised Standard Version (RSV) provides the more common translation: "... And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." In the NAB, we read "... and do not subject us to the final testbut deliver us from the evil one."
Every man in the Bible must undergo this test!
The same word is used to describe Abraham's test as Jesus and the Apostles' test! The Hebrew word nissa, Abraham's "test," translates to peirazo/periasmon in the Greek.
Not only that, nissa is connected to the word used to describe the testing of Adam & Eve by Satan in Eden (and Satan didn't appear as a mere serpent, by the way)
There will be more on the connection between Adam & Eve and Abraham & Sarah in a moment ...
"Only Son Isaac" - WHO was Isaac??
God tells Abraham: "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love" (Genesis 22:2). Does this remind you of anything?
Think about God's words for His Son at Jesus' Baptism (and basically all the "Listen to Him" Luminous Mysteries): "This is my one and only Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17).
And God's words again at the Transfiguration of Jesus:
Isaac is Abraham's "beloved" son.
But something is off about this statement: "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love." What's wrong with that statement? Child sacrifice? Forget the child sacrifice part for now, we'll address that in a moment.
Was Isaac the "only son" of Abraham? No!
Why does God call Isaac Abraham's ONLY SON?
Here is Abraham's family tree - notice the forking under Abraham's name:
Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Isaac wasn't even Abraham's first-born son, so why is it that Ishmael is treated like he was never even born?
God's Promises to Abraham
God actually made three promises to Abraham. God describes the threefold promises of His covenant with Abraham at Genesis 12:
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to [1] the land that I will show you. And [2] I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and [3] by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.” (Gen 12: 1-3)
What were the three promises that God made to Abraham?
(1) "Land": "Go from your country ... to the land that I will show you."
The descendants of Abraham will lose possession of this land again and again due to their disobedience, but God is always faithful.
(2) "A Great Nation": There will be "a great nation" that's actually named after Abraham's grandson, the nation of "Israel." But a "nation" meant more than a country; it meant a royal line.
Nations were ruled by kings at this time. Presidents wouldn't be around for a while. This wasn't a promise of a government; it was a promise of a royal dynasty. It was also much more than just a promise of children; it was a promise that his children would be kings.
(3) Universal Blessing: "... and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.”
This one is a little more cryptic. What is the prophecy of this promise? Though a divine gift, how could Abraham's promised land and nation bless the entire earth? The land is only a small part of the earth and the family is only a small slice of the whole population.
How could a blessing radiate from Abraham to the entire earth? This is a promise that the entire world will be redeemed by one of Abraham's descendants. This is a promise of the coming Messiah. AND, somehow this prophecy is mystically "bound up" with Isaac. It's Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac that allows God to elevate this promise of a universal blessing into a covenant
The sacrifice of Isaac, therefore, is the single greatest prefigurement of the sacrifice of Jesus. The blessing of God we receive through Christ passed first through Abraham and Isaac.
These three promises are each ultimately elevated to covenants at Genesis 15, 17, and 22.
So why is Isaac a Son of Abraham, but not Ishmael?
A covenant is a family bond. Ishmael was born outside of the covenant. Isaac, not Ishmael is the heir to the covenant (Gen 17:17-21).
God promised Abraham, not just a son, but a whole royal dynasty (above) when Abraham was already 75 years old. Eleven years roll by living in the "Promised Land" and Abraham is still childless. Abraham is now 86 (Gen 16:16) and his wife, "Sarai", is barren and well beyond her child-rearing years, likely 76 years old[1].
People are starting to laugh! "This man said God promised him a royal line. He must be crazy!" "Too many nights in the desert ..."
The Sin of Abraham & Sarah, Adam & Eve
After 11 years of waiting, Sarai was probably sick of seeing her husband in his humiliation and misery. Like any good wife, she probably felt her husband's pain as her own pain. She tells him the following at Genesis 16:
Sarai invites her husband to have relations with her maidservant, Hagar. If she cannot give him a child, maybe Hagar will.
And Abram "hearkened to the voice of Sar'ai" - I bet he did! Does this remind you of another wife inviting her husband to sin in the Book of Genesis? Adam also "hearkened to the voice" of Eve, when she offered him to eat of the Forbidden Fruit (which was not an apple, by the way) at Genesis 3.
Similar to the Original Sin, things quickly soured after Abraham conceived with Hagar. Sarai believed that Hagar began looking upon her with contempt. Sarai soon "cast out" her pregnant maidservant, even as Adam and Eve had been "cast out" of the Garden of Eden.
Hagar in the Wilderness, Camille Corot (1835)
But the Angel of the Lord spoke to Hagar as she wandered pregnant and alone in the wilderness:
The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her.” The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will so greatly multiply your descendants that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ish′mael; because the Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” (Gen 9-12)
God makes a promise now to Hagar, as well. Like Abraham, her descendants will be numbered beyond multitudes.
Who are the descendants of Ishmael?
What is this people which claims heritage from Ishmael? The Arabs. God's prophesy rings true to this day, does it not? It has echoed like a gong throughout world history, too. The descendants of Isaac, Jews and Christians, have long been at war with the descendants of Ishmael, the Arab peoples.
Why? Because Abraham messed up. Because Abraham grew impatient waiting for God. So much depends on the actions of one man. Thankfully, this is also true of Abraham's descendant, Jesus.
Enough back story, right? Back to the Sacrifice of Isaac:
"The Land of Mori'ah" - Where is Mount Moriah?
What if I told you that SEVERAL important events in the Bible happen at Mount Moriah?
You already know about the Land of Moriah!
The Geography Mount Moriah
Do we know where the sacrifice of Isaac took place? Is it possible that the memory of this location has survived over the thousands of intervening years?
Of course! This site is a holy place for both Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It has been a place revered since ancient times. In fact, it is one of the most ancient and most holy sites in all world history.
You may know this location better as the exact, same spot at which King David and Solomon decided to build the Temple.
The stone on which Isaac was sacrificed is also the site of one of the most sacred holy sites to the Muslim people: the Dome of the Rock.
The Muslims built the shrine after conquering Jerusalem in 637 AD. Completed in 691-692 AD, the Dome of the Rock is the oldest Islamic building in the world.
Here is a picture of the stone, itself, the "rock" of the Dome of the "Rock":
This is also called the Foundation Stone, as in "the stone the builder's rejected has become the Foundation Stone."
Wait ... Was the Sacrifice of Jesus ALSO on Mount Moriah?
Isaac is possibly the greatest type for Jesus. Is it possible that the sacrifices of both "beloved sons," the Sacrifice of Isaac and the Sacrifice of Jesus, happened in the SAME LOCATION?
Nah, that would be far too great a coincidence ... right? No. That's just how God works. As the Venerable Fulton Sheen said, God does nothing without a "finesse of all details."
Both the Sacrifices of Jesus and Isaac occurred on Mount Moriah!
Though the exact locations are not known with absolute certainty, we can say that Mount Calvary or Golgotha were very near each atop Mount Moriah. Here are a series of maps:
In the map above, you can see that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Dome of the Place of Sacrifice (Dome of the Rock) are side-by-side and both on Mount Moriah
"On the Third Day" - Three Days to Mount Moriah
"Arose and Went"
This phrase "arose and went" is used several times in Scripture. In particular, there are two very interesting moments:
(1) When David journeys with the Ark to the "hill country of Judah" in 2 Samuel 6.
(2) When Mary, the New Ark, journeys with the unborn Jesus to the SAME "hill country of Judah" to visit Elizabeth.
>> For more on this very important connection, read this article "What's Really Happening at the Visitation"
David and Mary both journeyed to almost the exact same place near the western outskirts of Jerusalem ... or what would have been called "The Land of Moriah" in Abraham's time!
Abraham, David, and Mary all "arose and went" to the SAME PLACE! Jerusalem.
The Age of Isaac?
One of the first questions I asked what this: How old is Isaac? From our years in Sunday School and Children's Church, we are taught that Isaac is a child, are we not?
Isaac is NOT a young boy.
This has become such a pervasive misconception that critics actually attack the Bible for endorsing child sacrifice. Crazy, right? But it's out there. Here's an article from The Huffington Post (go figure). Here's yet another article from The Huffington Post. Here's a post from Patheos
Want the full story? There's so much to say about Isaac NOT being a little boy that I wrote this article just about this. You can read that here
Here's the nutshell version ... How we know Isaac is not a little boy:
First, Isaac carries the wood of the sacrifice: "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son" (Gen 22:6).
As we will see later, it is very significant that Isaac should carry the wood of the sacrifice on his back, as Christ did, carrying the Cross. For now, it is significant in showing Isaac's age.
How much wood would it take to roast a human being? At least several logs, right? Possibly a lot more ... maybe this much?
Based on this, we know that Isaac is old enough to carry a bundle of wood up a mountain. He is certainly old enough to walk. He's old enough, not only to climb a mountain, but to do so while hauling some serious weight.
This likely also tells us that Isaac is stronger than Abraham, who is over one hundred years old at this point - we'll come back to this in the "Willing Sacrifice" section.
Second, "lad" and "young men": "Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the ass, I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you'" (Gen 22:5).
What if I told you the same word is used for both "lad" and "young men"???
The same Hebrew word -- na'ar -- is used to describe both Isaac and the servants. It is likely, therefore, that Isaac was around the same age as Abraham's servants, who accompanied them.
There's still more Biblical evidence of Isaac's age: Here's the full article on this.
Conclusion: Isaac was an Adult
Isaac was a full-grown man and could have been the same age as Jesus.
Some last clues that point to this: (1) Abraham sent for a wife for Isaac at this time; (2) the Jewish historian Josephus claimed Isaac was 25 at the sacrifice; and (3) multiple rabbinic sources claim he was 36 or 33.
Therefore, this was no child sacrifice, nor even an attempted child sacrifice - Isaac was "a willing sacrifice."
Francisco de Zurbaran, "Agnus Dei" (1635-40), Prado, Madrid
A Willing Sacrifice
Imagine this scene again. Father Abraham is taking his son Isaac to be sacrificed. How old is Abraham? How old is Isaac?
Abraham is somewhere between 100 years old (Gen 21:1-5) and 137 years old (cf. Gen 23:1; 17:17).[7] A man his age should not be climbing a mountain!
Isaac is somewhere under 37 years old, as we discussed above. He has reached the age of manhood and will soon marry. Most likely, he is in his late 20s or early 30s, possibly even the age of Jesus, a beautiful connection in itself.
Isaac is in the prime of his life; Abraham is long past his prime.
Could Isaac overpower Abraham? Yes, easily. Isaac is not an infant or small child, as he is typically depicted.
This is not to say our older generation is weak and helpless:
But Abraham is approaching 137 years old and Isaac is in his prime. We are not told that Isaac struggled in the slightest. He was obedient to his father, Abraham, as Jesus will be to His Father.
How does Christ describe his own sacrifice? See John 10:17-18,
These could be the words of Isaac, speaking of his "Father" Abraham. Only Isaac did not have the "power to take [his life back] again."
The Wood of the Sacrifice
One more very important note about Isaac carrying the wood of the sacrifice. This tell us more than just Isaac's age.
Think: WHO else carried the wood of the sacrifice on his back?
Jesus! Both Jesus and Isaac carry the wood of the sacrifice on their backs.
SIDENOTE: What about the companions that stayed behind? The companions that were with them stayed behind (most likely on the hill across the valley, called the Mt. of Olives) when the son went with the father for the sacrifice.
Ram's Head Caught in the Thorn Bush
Remember what God instructed Abraham to use as a substitute sacrifice for Isaac? It was a ram whose head was caught in a thorn bush. See Genesis 22:13 above.
What is the significance of a ram being sacrificed instead of Isaac? A ram is an adult male sheep, an adult lamb. What does Abraham call this part of the mountain? The Mount of the Lord. Abraham called the specific place "the Lord will provide." The Lord provided what? A lamb.
Put it all together and this ram is the "Lamb of the Lord" or the "Lamb of God". Isaac is replaced by the "Lamb of God".
What does John the Baptist call Jesus at John 1:29?
Abraham sacrificed the "Lamb of God" instead of Isaac. God sacrifices His own Son, Who is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.
But what about the thorn bush?
Abraham's ram, the Lamb of God, has his head caught in a thorn bush. Jesus' head is also adorned in thorns. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is crowned in thorns.
Genesis 22:8, 14 "God Himself will provide the Lamb"
The Lord Himself provided the sacrifice (the ram, Jesus). One last note on this, the word order in the Hebrew text of Genesis 22:8 could read, “The Lord will provide Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.”
It's not merely that God will provide the Lamb, the Lamb of God. God, Himself, will be the Lamb of God. To keep this covenant between Himself and Abraham and Abraham's descendants forever, God Himself will ultimately serve as the sacrificial Lamb of God.
Scripture is just so, so rich. Amen?
Please remember to comment below and to share this Gospel message!
[7] Sarah is 10 years younger than Abraham according to Genesis 17:17.
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Creation Day 6: All Creatures Great and Small
On Creation Day 6, God made the land animals. This included one class of creature usually lost in translation: the dinosaur.
The dinosaur problem
Many creation advocates have a problem with dinosaurs—or so they think. They see no references to dinosaurs in the Bible. More than that, they cannot conceive that a creature that once grew to tremendous size was ever small enough, and lightweight enough, to ride in Noah’s Ark. And if dinosaurs did travel aboard the Ark, where are they today?
But the Bible does mention creatures that can only be dinosaurs. The poet Job knew of two of them. One, Leviathan, God made with the other creatures of the sea. The other, Behemoth, walked on land. From the detailed description that Job gives, Behemoth is not, as the Geneva and King James translators supposed, a hippopotamus. (Behemoth’s tail is as big around as a cedar trunk, and the hippo’s tail is much more slender.) Behemoth is either Diplodochus or Brachiosaurus.
Creation Day 6: What’s in a name?
Diplodochus carnegii, a type of the Behemoth of Job and of Creation Day 6
Diplodochus carnegii, artist’s concept. Graphic: Nobu Tamura, CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported License.
But most scholars who have counted the number of times the Bible mentions dinosaurs, missed one. The name Behemoth is a plural form for Hebrew feminine nouns. The singular form is behemah. And this word appears in Genesis 1:24-25. In the New American Standard Bible, this reads:
But the Hebrew text uses the word behemah, which the New American Standard translators, like King James’ Royal Commission before them, rendered as cattle. But that word does not mean “cattle.” It means a very large animal, as opposed to the far smaller animals that “creep on the ground” (worms, insects, spiders, etc.).
And so the English text should read:
Now God commanded, “The earth [or The land] shall produce living creatures of all kinds: large animals, ground creepers, and other animals of the earth, of all kinds!” And so it came to be. God made all manner of animal kinds, large animals after their kinds, and ground creepers after their kinds. God deemed this good.
Meaning that God saw this as a finished work, the finish of a two-day process for creating all the animals that swam, flew, or walked on earth.
Now God was ready to make His most exacting and marvelous creature: man.
Reprinted from Conservative News and Views
6 thoughts on “Creation Day 6: All Creatures Great and Small
1. That is an excellent post!!
The video clip is one of the best I’ve seen.
& moving[creatures]/remes
& he-is exist’
& He-sees Elohim that good’
I have always thought that Adam and the other Oldest Patriarchs spoke either classical Hebrew or what I would call “Old High Hebrew.”
Question: I have had the impression, since I researched Eliezer ben-Yehuda (“The Renovator of the Hebrew Language”), that modern Hebrew differs from classical Hebrew chiefly in vocabulary. That is, Ben-Yehuda and his successors expanded the Hebrew vocabulary in a manner that they at least tried to keep consistent with its roots. Is my impression correct? And how good a job would you say that Eliezer Ben-Yehuda and the Academy of the Hebrew Language have done?
• Thanks for the background on Sephardic, Ashkenazic, and Yemenite Jews.
Well, then! We shall create one!
He then traveled to Jerusalem, by way of Vienna, where he met and married the first of his wives. Once in “Palestine,” as it was then known, he set to work. He encouraged the revival of Hebrew by three methods:
Hebrew has slept two thousand years, but that’s all right.
We’ll wake it up with—what’s the word? We’ll start tonight!
With fluid pen he wrote down words for all affairs,
Like cauliflower. And ice cream.
The dictionary was his dream.
So successful was he that the British Mandatory authorities eventually recognized Hebrew as an official language. Ben-Yehuda formed a committee to invent the modern words. That committee survives today as Ha’Aqademia LaLashon Ha’Ivrit (The Academy of the Hebrew Language), Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
(A synthetic language typically uses a root and several affixes to build one word that expresses everything you need to know. That includes its number, gender and case for nouns, and its number, person and tense for verbs. An analytic language breaks those concepts apart. So it has lots of little helping words like “have/has/had,” “let”, “be/am/is/are/was/were”, “to”, etc. that other languages just don’t have. Hebrew is synthetic, English is analytic, and some of the Romance languages are somewhere in-between.)
My favorite Eliezer Ben-Yehuda story was his deathbed story. Well-wishers crowded in to his room, but they started speaking each in his own Diaspora language. He roused himself long enough to say, “Hebrew! Hebrew! Speak Hebrew! Don’t assault my ears with this polyglot cacophony!” Or words to that effect. His son calmed him down, and assured him of the success of Hebrew.
My article has links to all the sources I had on Ben-Yehuda. I also have three embedded videos, including two renditions of the Ballad of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda. I would publish my own lyrical translation, but I’m not sure that I have any right to do such a thing, or from whom I would have to ask permission.
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The Full Wiki
Ultra high frequency: Map
Wikipedia article:
Map showing all locations mentioned on Wikipedia article:
Ultra high frequency (UHF) designates a range of electromagnetic waves with frequencies between 300 MHz and 3 GHz (3,000 MHz), also known as the decimetre band or decimetre wave as the wavelengths range from one to ten decimetres (10 cm to 1 metre). Radio waves with frequencies above the UHF band fall into the SHF (super high frequency) and EHF (extremely high frequency) bands, all of which fall into the microwave frequency range. Lower frequency signals fall into the VHF (very high frequency) or lower bands. See Electromagnetic spectrum and Radio spectrum for a full listing of frequency bands.
UHF and VHF are the most commonly used frequency bands for transmission of television signals. Modern mobile phones also transmit and receive within the UHF spectrum. UHF is widely used by public service agencies for two-way radio communication, usually using narrowband frequency modulation, but digital services are on the rise. Narrowband radio modems use UHF and VHF frequencies for long range data communications e.g. for supervision and control of power distribution networks and other SCADA and automation applications. There has traditionally been very little radio broadcasting in this band until recently; see Digital Audio Broadcasting for details. The Global Positioning System also uses UHF.
One uncommon use of UHF waves is for the detection of partial discharges. Partial discharges occur because of the sharp geometries created in high voltage insulated equipment. The advantage of UHF detection is that this method can be used to localize the source of the discharge. A drawback to UHF detection is the extreme sensitivity to external noise. UHF detection methods are used in the field, especially for large distribution transformers.
2.45 GHz, now mainly used for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and US cordless phone has been proposed for Wireless energy transfer. Some pilot experiments have been performed, but it is not used on a large scale!
Amateur radio operators also operate in several UHF bands.
Some radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags utilize UHF. These tags are commonly known as UHFID's or Ultra-HighFID's (Ultra-High Frequency Identification) and often are small battery-powered devices such as those used to remotely open doors of motorcars.
Characteristics, advantages, & disadvantages
The point to point transmission and reception of TV and radio signals is affected by many variables. Atmospheric moisture, solar wind, physical obstructions such as mountains and buildings, and time of day will all have an effect on the signal transmission and degradation of signal reception. All radio waves are partially absorbed by atmospheric moisture. Atmospheric absorption reduces, or attenuates, the strength of radio signals over long distances. The effects of attenuation degradation increases when switching from VHF TV signals to UHF TV signals. UHF TV signals are generally more degraded by moisture than lower bands such as VHF TV signals. The layer of the Earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere is filled with charged particles that can reflect radio waves. The reflection of radio waves can be helpful in transmitting a VHF TV signal over long distances as the wave repeatedly bounces from the sky to the ground, where by VHF TV signals benefit and the UHF TV signals do not benefit from this effect of reflection. UHF transmission and reception will be enhanced or degraded by tropospheric ducting as the atmosphere warms and cools throughout the day.The main advantage of UHF transmission is the physically short wave that is produced by the high frequency. The size of transmission and reception antennas, is related to the size of the radio wave. The UHF antenna is stubby and short. Smaller and less conspicuous antennas can be used with higher frequency bands.The major disadvantage of UHF is its limited broadcast range and reception, often referred to as line-of-sight between the TV station's transmission antenna and customer's reception antenna, as opposed to VHF's very long broadcast range and reception which is less restricted by line-of-sight.
UHF is widely used in two-way radio systems and cordless telephones whose transmission and reception antennas are closely spaced. UHF signals travel over line-of-sight distances. Transmissions generated by two-way radios and cordless telephones do not travel far enough to interfere with local transmissions. A number of public safety and business communications are handled on UHF. Civilian applications such as GMRS, PMR446, UHF CB, and 802.11b are popular uses of UHF frequencies. A repeater is used to propagate UHF signals when a distance that is greater than the line-of-sight is required.
In Australia, UHF was first anticipated in the mid 1970s with TV channels 27 - 69. The first UHF TV broadcasts in Australia were operated by Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) on channel 28 in Sydney and Melbournemarker starting in 1980, and translator stations for the Australian Broadcasting Corporationmarker (ABC). The UHF band is now used extensively as ABCmarker, SBS, commercial and public-access television services have expanded, particularly through regional areas.
Australia also provides the UHF CB service for general-purpose two-way communications.
In Canada and Mexico, channel assignments for VHF and UHF terrestrial television are similar to those of the United States; however, most legal requirements that manufacturers include UHF TV or digital television tuners (as applied to the US in the All-Channel Receiver Act of 1961) did not have direct counterparts in Canada or Mexico.
The use of UHF to provide programming which otherwise would not be available, such as province-wide educational services (Knowledge Channel, TVOntario, Télé-Québecmarker), French language programming (outside Québec) and ethnic/multilingual television, has therefore become common. Third networks such as Quatre-Saisons or Globalmarker often will rely heavily on UHF stations as repeaters or as a local presence in large cities where VHF spectrum is largely already full. The handful of digital terrestrial television stations currently on-air in Canada are also all UHF broadcasts, although some digital broadcasts will return to VHF channels vacated after the digital transition is completed in August 2011.
Digital Audio Broadcasting, deployed on a very limited scale in Canada in 2005, uses UHF frequencies in the L band from 1452-1492 MHz. There are currently no VHF Band III digital radio stations in Canada as, unlike in much of Europe, these frequencies are among the most popular for use by television stations.
In the Republic of Irelandmarker, UHF was introduced in 1978 to augment the existing RTÉ One VHF 625-line transmissions and to provide extra frequencies for the new RTÉ Two channel. The first UHF transmitter site was Cairn Hill in Co.marker Longfordmarker, followed by Three Rock Mountainmarker in South Co.marker Dublinmarker. These sites were followed by Clermont Carn in Co. Louth and Holywell Hill in Co.marker Donegalmarker in 1981. Elsewhere in Ireland, both the RTÉ channels are available on VHF. Since then RTÉ have migrated nearly all their low-power relay sites to UHF. TV3 and TG4 are transmitted entirely in UHF only. When Digital Terrestrial TV is introduced, it is intended to broadcast this on UHF only initially, although VHF allocations exist. VHF TV is likely to cease whenever the existing analogue broadcasts are switched off. The UHF band is also used in parts of Ireland for Television deflector systems bringing British television signals to towns and rural areas which cannot receive these signals directly
In Japan, an is one of a loosely-knit group of free commercial terrestrial television stations which is not a member of the major national networks keyed in Tokyo and Osaka.
Japan's original broadcasters were VHF. Although some experimental broadcasts were made as early as 1939, NHKmarker (founded in 1926 as a radio network modeled on the BBC) began regular VHF television broadcasting in 1953. Its two terrestrial television services (NHK General TV and NHK Educational TV) appear on VHF 1 and 3 respectively in the Tokyo region. Privately-owned Japanese VHF TV stations were most often built by large national newspapers with Tokyo stations exerting a large degree of control over national programming.
UHF broadcasting was used outside Kuala Lumpurmarker and the Klang Valley by private TV station TV3 in the late 80s, with the government stations only transmitting in VHF (Bands 1 and 3) and the 450 MHz range being occupied by the ATUR cellular phone service operated by Telekom Malaysia. The ATUR service ceased operation in the late 90s, freeing up the frequency for other uses. UHF was not commonly used in the Klang Valley until 1994 (despite TV3's signal also being available over UHF Channel 29, as TV3 transmitted over VHF Channel 12 in the Klang Valley). 1994 saw the introduction of the channel MetroVision (which ceased transmission in 1999, got bought over by TV3's parent company - System Televisyen Malaysia Berhad - and relaunched as 8TV in 2004). This was followed by Ntv7 in 1998 (also acquired by TV3's parent company in 2005) and recently Channel 9 (which started in 2003, ceased transmission in 2005, was also acquired by TV3's parent company shortly after, and came back as TV9 in early 2006). At current count, there are 4 distinct UHF signals receivable by an analog TV set in the Klang Valley: Channel 25 (8TV), Channel 29 (TV3 UHF transmission), Channel 37 (NTV7) and Channel 39 (TV9). Channel 35 is usually allocated for VCRs, decoder units (i.e. the ASTRO and MiTV set top boxes) and other devices that have an RF signal generator (i.e. game consoles).
United Kingdom
In the UK, UHF television began in 1964 following a plan by the General Post Office to allocate sets of frequencies for 625-lined television to regions across the country, so as to accommodate four national networks with regional variations (the VHF allocations allowed for only two such networks using 405 lines). The UK UHF channels would range from 21 to 68 (later extended to 69) and regional allocations were generally grouped close together to allow for the use of aerials designed to receive a specific sub-band with greater efficiency than wider-band aerials could. Aerial manufacturers would therefore divide the band into over-lapping groups; A (channels 21-34), B (39-53), C/D (48-68) and E (39-68). The first service to use UHF was BBC2 in 1964 followed by BBC1 and ITV (already broadcast on VHF) in 1969 and Channel 4/S4C in 1982. PAL colour was introduced on UHF only in 1967 (for BBC2) and 1969 (for BBC1 & ITV).
United States
On December 29, 1949, KC2XAK of Bridgeport, Connecticutmarker, became the first UHF television station to operate on a regular daily schedule. The first commercially-licensed UHF television station on the air was KPTVmarker, Channel 27, in Portland, Oregonmarker, on September 18, 1952. This TV station even used much of the equipment, including the transmitter, from KC2XAK.
American television broadcasting, which began experimentally in the 1930s with some regular commercial broadcasting in just a few cities (such as New York and Chicago) 1941, was originally allocated (by the Federal Communication Commission - the FCC) broadcasting channels solely in the VHF (Very High Frequency) band (channels 1 through 13, with channel 1 soon being abandoned). All TV channels above channel 13 had been removed from the FCC allocation list during World War II and those frequencies re-allocated for military use, leaving thirteen channels as of May 1945. Also, all TV broadcasting on any channel was canceled for the duration of WW II, and not resuming until 1946, and then in just four cities (New York Citymarker, Philadelphiamarker, Chicagomarker, and Washington, D.C.marker Note that these were the only ones in the world.)
After VHF Channel 1 was abandoned in 1948 due to radio-interference problems, and then re-allocated to land-mobile radio systems, a mere one dozen TV channels remained. These were found to be not enough to serve the needs of television broadcasting as it grew nationwide during the latter 1940s and the 1950s. For example, these cities were never able to be allocated any VHF-TV stations at all, due to technical reasons found by the FCC: Lexington, Kentuckymarker, Huntsville, Alabamamarker, and Fresno, Californiamarker. In addition, scores more cities were able to receive only one VHF broadcast station, for example High Point, North Carolinamarker, Montgomery, Alabamamarker, Wilmington, Delawaremarker, Bakersfield, Californiamarker, and Santa Barbara, Californiamarker. Also, the entire state of New Jerseymarker has never had even one VHF broadcast station of its own - though much of the state is served from New York City or Philadelphia - and Delawaremarker has had only one VHF station. Clearly, there was a problem with an insufficient number of TV channels being available to cover all of the United Statesmarker.
With a grand total of 106 VHF stations broadcasting by the end of the 1940s in the U.S., problems with interference between stations due to some overcrowding of stations were already becoming apparent in the densely-populated areas, such as the eastern mid-Atlantic states (New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Marylandmarker, and Connecticutmarker) and Southern California. In 1949, the Federal Communications Commission stopped accepting applications for licensing new stations (a freeze that lasted until 1952) in order to address questions such as the allocation of additional channel frequencies, and also the selection of an electonic system for color television.
Allocating more of the VHF band (30 to 300 megahertz - MHz ) by moving existing radio communication users of this band seemed to be impossible. For example, FM radio broadcasting had already suffered a huge setback after being forced to move from its original 42 to 50 MHz allocated band to the current 88 to 108 MHz band during the 1940s rendered all existing FM transmitters and receivers obsolete, and having to be replaced. Furthermore, there are several other important radio communications users of the VHF band. For example, in aeronautical radio use, there is the so-called "UHF radio" system for voice communications which actually falls in the VHF band, because all of its frequencies are below 300 MHz. (Note that aeronatical radio frequencies are of necessity worldwide allocations by the International Telecommunications Union and are not open to change by individuaal countries.) In addition, there is a genuine aeronautical radio VHF radio system, and its frequencies fall into the wide band that is in between Channel 6 and Channel 7 of VHF broadcast TV, as do police and fire department radios, and the entire FM broadcast band, too. It was impractical and uneconomic to require these well-established users to move to other frequencies, such as to the genuine UHF band (300 MHz to 3.0 GHz).
The U.S. Army and Navy (and the new Air Force - established 1947) did not need to keep their huge wartime UHF spectrum allocation simply because they had never used most of it. That allocation had been done hastily in 1942 in the face of the emergency of a huge war of unknown duration - and with the presence of very new and poorly-understood electronic technologies like radar. In 1942, nobody knew how much bandwidth that the Army and the Navy might need for radar and for radio communications, so the Federal Government took a wise expedient: it allocated a huge amount of radio spectrum to the uniformed services for the time being, in case the service might need it. Then, it could make adjustments later.
After the War ended, and after the growth of civilian TV broadcasting in the years after the war, by 1950 expansion of TV channels into the UHF band of frequencies became inevitable. However, lots of UHF TV technology remained unproven at that time, though plenty had been learned about UHF electronics during the war, especially in the development and improvement of radar. (There are significant advantages to using shorter wavelengths, hence higher frequencies, for radars.) Also, the question of which owners should retain the more-valuable (at that time) VHF TV channels remained hotly contested between several different competing interests.
To incumbent corporations, such as the Radio Corporation of America and its National Broadcasting Company subsidiary, UHF-TV and FM radio represented disruptive technologies - competition to their existing and long-established manufacturing and broadcast interests in VHF-TV and AM radio. To the second-ranked radio network the Columbia Broadcasting System, the allocation of the UHF spectrum to permit two channels of color TV or of some form of high-definition television appeared to be more important than the use of the channels to provide more channels to individual cities. To newer entrants into TV broadcasting such as the DuMont Laboratories compaqny and its fourth-ranked DuMont Television Network, however, the need for additional TV channels in major markets was urgent. For proponents of educational TV broadcasting, the difficulties in competing with commercial broadcasters for the increasingly-scarce VHF channels becoming a key problem.
A key question in the FCC's allocation of TV channels was hence that of intermixture. To allocate four to as many as seven VHF channels to each of the largest cities would mean forcing the smaller, intervening cities completely onto the UHF channels, while an allocation scheme that sought to assign one or two VHF channels in each smaller city would force VHF and UHF stations to compete in most markets. (Some may find it hard to believe, but the large metropolitan areas of New York City, Washington-Baltimore, Los Angeles, and San Francisco received seven VHF stations apiece, and Chicago was allocated five, with the other two possible ones going to Milwaukee, Wisc., and Rockford, Ill.)
While the more-established broadcasters were operating profitably on VHF channels as affiliates of the largest TV networks (at the time, NBC and CBS), most of the original UHF local stations of the 1950s soon went bankrupt, limited by the range their signals could supposedly travel, the lack of UHF tuners in most TV sets, and difficulties in finding advertisers willing to spend money on them. TV network affiliations were also difficult to get in many locations. Of the 82 new UHF-TV stations in the United States broadcasting as of June 1954, only 24 of them remained one the air a year later. The fraction of new TV receivers that were factory-equipped with all-channel tuners dropped from 35% in early 1953 to 9.0% by 1958, a drop that was only partially compensated for by field upgrades or the availability of UHF converters for separate purchase.
The majority of the 165 UHF stations to begin telecasting between 1952 and 1959 did not survive. There was an FCC regulation issued in 1965 mandating that all new TV sets sold in the U.S. have built-in UHF tuners. In spite of this, by 1971, there were just more than 170 full-service UHF broadcast stations nationwide.
Independent and educational stations
In the United States, the UHF stations gained a reputation for being locally owned, less polished and professional, not as popular, and having weaker signal propagation than their VHF channel counterparts.
While UHF-TV has been available to American TV broadcasters since 1952, affiliates of the four major American TV network (NBC, CBS, ABC, and DuMont) continued to transmit their programs primarily on VHF channels wherever they were available. With the availability of the twelve VHF television channels limited by FCC spacing rules to avoid co-channel and adjacent channel interference between TV stations in the same or nearby cities, all available VHF-TV allocations were already in use in most large TV markets by the mid-1950s.
To be more specific, and why not, two TV stations on the same channel needed to be about 160 or more miles apart, and two TV stations on adjacent channels needed to be about 60 or miles apart. Exceptions to this rule occurred with VHF channels 4 and 5, and VHF channels 6 and 7, because there are additional "guard bands" between these two pairs that are allocated to other uses. Thus, the pair channel 4 and 5 was found in New York City, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and many other places. Likewise, the pair channel 6 and 7 was found in Denver, Coloradomarker and several other places.
With the most financially-affluent and network-connected TV broadcasters all on VHF channels, UHF stations in major population centers of the United States were usually unable to get big TV-network affiliations (ABC, CBS, & NBC), and thus were usually either educational network or independent TV stations. Other UHF stations did for a time affiliate with less-affluent broadcast networks that didn't last very long; for example, the fourth-ranked DuMont Network, which operated from 1946 to 1956, and then went out of business. The movie UHF, which starring "Weird Al" Yankovic and Michael Richards, parodied the independent UHF station phenomenon.
However, lest we forget, it is important to remember that there were significant cities that had few or no VHF channels allocated to them. Hence, these cities did get UHF stations that did get major network affiliations and did become financially-sound businesses. Some of these stations have been located in state capital cities or served nearby state capitals, such as Montgomery, Alabamamarker, Frankfort, Kentuckymarker, Dover, Delawaremarker, Lincoln, Nebraskamarker, Topeka, Kansasmarker, Jefferson City, Missourimarker, Lansing, Michiganmarker, Harrisburg, Pennsylvaniamarker, Madison, Wisconsinmarker, and Springfield, Missourimarker. In the United States, the television stations of or near state capital cities are important because they closely cover the operations of the state governments and spread the information to the residents of a wide region of the states.
TV antenna manufacturers of years ago often rated their top-of-the-line "deep-fringe" antenna models with phrases like "100 miles VHF / 60 miles UHF" if the antenna included UHF reception at all. (In the practice of electrical engineering, the frequency range in which an antenna is to be used is an important factor in its design. The common Yagi-Uda antenna design is strictly an HF or VHF antenna, and UHF antennas are different.
TV set manufacturers of years ago often treated UHF tuners as extra-charge optional-items until the All-Channel Receiver Act of 1964 forced their inclusion in all new TV sets as a standard. By 1964, many pioneering UHF broadcasters had already gone bankrupt. Various attempts were made by the FCC regulators to stem the tide of UHF station failures met with mixed results:
• Limits on the number of owned-and-operated stations controlled by one corporation were raised from five stations to seven, provided that two of them were UHF stations. Both NBC-TV (WBUF 17marker Buffalomarker, WNBC 30marker Hartfordmarker) and CBS-TV (WHCT 18marker Hartford, WXIX 19marker Milwaukeemarker) acquired pairs of UHF stations from their owners and operators as an experiment in the mid-1950s, but abandoned all of the stations in 1958-59. Their commercial network programming soon returned to VHF channel affiliates. WBUF's allocation on channel 17 was donated to the public-TV broadcaster WNED-TV, which now broadcasts as a Public Broadcasting Service station.
• The UHF television impact policy (1960-1988) allowed applications for new VHF TV stations to be opposed in cases where licensure could lead to the economic failure of an existing UHF TV broadcaster.
• The secondary affiliation rule (1971-1995) prohibited a network entering a market with two existing VHF TV network affiliates and one UHF independent TV station from placing its programs on a secondary basis on one or both VHF stations without offering them to the UHF station.
• Limits on UHF effective radiated power, originally very restrictive, were relaxed. A UHF TV station could be licensed for up to five megawatts of carrier power, unlike VHF TV stations, which were limited to 100 - 316 kilowatts of carrier power depending on their channel.
The situation was to begin to improve in the 1960s and 1970s, but progress was to be slow and difficult.
While ABC-TV and the short-lived DuMont Network, being smaller and less prosperous networks, had had a number of UHF affiliates, National Educational Television and the later PBS had even more.
The original SIN Network (SIN = "Spanish International Network), which was established in 1962 as the predecessor of the modern Univision Network, was built primarily by UHF-TV broadcasters, such as the charter stations KWEX-TVmarker, Channel 41 in San Antoniomarker, and KMEX-TVmarker, Channel 34, in Los Angelesmarker.
Ultimately, in addition to providing TV service where VHF channels simply were not possible because of the limitations on the technology, UHF-TV also became a means to obtain programming which was not being provided by the "Big Three" commercial networks. For example, there were educational services like the Public Broadcasting Service, religious broadcasting, and Spanish language or multilingual broadcasting that all relied primarily on UHF channels to offer programming alternatives.
Fourth networks, satellite and cable television
In 1970, Ted Turner had acquired a struggling independent station on Channel 17 in Atlantamarker, Georgia, purchasing reruns of popular television shows, the Atlanta Braves baseball team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team in order to provide access to entertainment for broadcast.
This station, renamed as WTBSmarker, was uplinked in 1975 to satellite alongside new premium channels such as HBO, gaining access to distant cable television markets and becoming the first of various superstations to obtain national coverage. In 1986 Turner purchased the entire MGM film library, and Turner Broadcasting System's access to movie rights was to prove commercially valuable as home videocassette rental became ubiquitous in the 1980s.
In 1986, the DuMont owned-and-operated station group Metromedia was acquired by News Corporation and used as the foundation to relaunch a fourth commercial network which obtained affiliation with many former big-city independent stations as Fox TV.
While largely built from former independents and UHF stations in its early years, Fox had the large programming budgets that the original DuMont lacked. It ultimately was able in some markets to draw existing long-standing VHF affiliates away from established big-three networks, outbidding CBS for National Football Conference programming in 1994 and attracting many of that network's affiliates. Various smaller networks were created with the intent to follow in its footsteps, often assembling a fledgling network by affiliating with a disparate collection of formerly-independent UHF stations which otherwise would have no network programming.
Fox launched in 1986. The film UHF portrayed a fictional station on channel 62 in 1989. By 1994, New World Communications was moving its established stations from CBS to Fox affiliations in multiple markets, including WJBK-TVmarker 2 Detroitmarker. In many cases, this pushed CBS onto UHF; "U-62" as the new home of CBS in Detroit became CBS owned-and-operated station WWJ-TVmarker in 1995, obtaining access to audiences thousands of miles distant through satellite and cable television.
The concentration of media ownership, the proliferation of cable and satellite television and the digital television transition have contributed to the quality equalization of VHF and UHF broadcasts. The distinction between UHF and VHF characteristics has declined in importance with the emergence of additional broadcast television networks (Fox, The CW, MyNetworkTV, Univision, Telemundo and ION), and the decline of direct OTA reception. The number of major large-city independent station has also declined as many have joined or formed new networks.
Digital television
Terrestrial digital television is based on a forward error correction scheme, in which a channel is assumed to have a random bit error rate and additional data bits may be sent to allow these errors to be corrected at the receiver. While this error correction can work well in the UHF band where the interference consist largely of white noise, it has largely proven inadequate on lower VHF channels where bursts of impulse noise disrupt the entire channel for short lengths of time. A short impulse-noise burst might be a minor annoyance to analog TV viewers, but due to the fixed timing and repetitive nature of analog video synchronization is usually recoverable. The same interference can prove severe enough to prevent the reliable reception of the more fragile and more highly-compressed ATSC digital television. Power limits are also lower on low-VHF; a digital UHF station may be licensed to transmit up to a megawatt of effective radiated power. Very few stations returned to VHF channels 2-6 after digital transition was completed in 2009. At least three quarters of all full-power digital broadcasts continued to use UHF transmitters, even after transition is complete, with most of the others located on the high-VHF channels. In some American markets, such as Syracuse, New Yorkmarker, there are no VHF TV remaining stations after digital transition.
The one remaining limitation of UHF, that of a greatly-reduced ability for signals to travel great distances in the presence of obstacles due to terrain, continues to adversely affect digital UHF TV reception. Potentially, this limitation could be overcome by the use ofDTS . Multiple digital UHF transmitters in carefully-selected locations can be synchronized as a single-frequency network to produce a tailored coverage area pattern rivaling that of a single full-power VHF transmitter.
While the Federal Communications Commission authorization to use DTS on anything more than an experimental basis came in November 2008, too late for sites to be acquired and transmitters built before the 2009 end of American digital transition, it is likely that more of these distributed UHF transmission systems will be constructed alongside conventional digital broadcast translator systems in the years to come as a means to get digital and high-definition television out to a wider audience.
UHF islands
One notable exception to historical patterns favoring VHF broadcasters has existed in mid-sized television markets within the United States which were too close to the outer fringe of the broadcast range of large-city VHF stations to qualify for their own stations on these frequencies. As no full-power VHF channels could be made available in these areas without encountering problems of interference from overlapping broadcast ranges, the Federal Communications Commission granted some mid-sized cities only UHF licenses. With all stations (including big-three network affiliates) on UHF, all-channel receivers and antennas became commonplace locally and UHF stations signing on as early as 1954 were often able to obtain the programming and viewership needed to remain viable into the modern era.
These communities, known as UHF islands, included cities like Huntsville, Alabamamarker; Fresno, Californiamarker; South Bend, Indianamarker; Elmira, New Yorkmarker; Scranton, Pennsylvaniamarker; Lexington, Kentuckymarker, and Springfield, Massachusettsmarker. Other smaller cities found that only one VHF channel was open and any additional programming would need to be provided either by UHF, by distant stations or by low-power broadcasting.
Broadcast translators and low-power television
A large number of very small UHF TV transmitters continue to operate with no programming or commercial identity of their own, merely retransmitting signals of existing full-power stations to a smaller area poorly covered by the main VHF signal. Such transmitters are called "translators" rather than “stations”. The smallest, owned by local municipal-level groups or the originating TV stations, are numbered sequentially - W or K, followed by the channel number, followed by two sequentially-issued letters, yielding a "translator callsign" in a generic format which appears K14AA through W69ZZ. Translators and repeaters also exist on VHF channels, but infrequently and with stringently-limited power as the VHF spectrum is already crowded with full-power network stations in most regions.
The translator band, UHF TV channels 70-83, consisted mostly of these small repeaters; it was removed from television use in 1983 with the tiny repeaters moved primarily to lower UHF channels. The 804-890 MHz band segment is now primarily used by mobile phones.
As improvements to originating stations signals lessen the need for these small translators in some areas, often the small transmitter facilities and their allocated frequencies would be repurposed for low-power broadcasting; instead of repeating a distant signal, the tiny transmitter would be used to originate programming for a small local area.
Radio, mobile and non-broadcast applications
The Family Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service use the 462 and 467 MHz areas of the UHF spectrum. There is a considerable amount of lawful unlicensed activity (cordless phones, wireless networking) clustered around 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz. These ISM bands - open frequencies with a higher unlicensed power permitted for use originally by Industrial, Scientific, Medical apparatus - are now becoming some of the most crowded in the spectrum because they are open to everyone.
The 2.45GHz frequency, readily absorbed by water, is the standard for use by microwave ovens.
The spectrum from 806 MHz to 890 MHz (UHF channels 70-83) was taken away from TV broadcast services in 1983, primarily for analogue mobile telephony. In 2009, as part of the transition from analog to digital over-the-air broadcast of television, the spectrum from 698 MHz to 806 MHz (UHF channels 52-69) was also no longer used for TV broadcasting. Channel 55, for instance, was sold to Qualcommmarker for their MediaFLO service, which is resold under various mobile telephone network brands. Some US broadcasters had been offered incentives to vacate this channel early, permitting its immediate mobile use.
The FCC's scheduled auction for this newly-available spectrum was completed in March 2008.
Frequency allocation
• UHF CB Australia - UHF CB News, Information & Repeater Locations. UHF CB Australia Supporting and expanding the UHF CB network
• UHF Citizens Band: 476.425–477.400 MHz
United Kingdom
• 430–440 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 70 cm band)
• 606–614 MHz: Protected for radio-astronomy
• 470–862 MHz: TV channels 21–69 (channel 36 used for radar, channel 38 used for radio astronomy, channel 69 used for licenced and licence exempt wireless microphones, channels 31-40 and 63-68 to be released and may be made available for other uses by Ofcom. Public consultation due December 2006)
• 1240–1316 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 23 cm band)
• 1880–1900 MHz: DECT Cordless telephone
• 2310–2450 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 13 cm band)
United States
A brief summary of some UHF frequency use:
• 300–420 MHz: Government use, including meteorology, military aviation, and federal two-way use
• 420–450 MHz: Government radiolocation and amateur radio (ham - 70 cm band)
• 470–512 MHz: TV channels 14–20
• 698–806 MHz: Was auctioned in March 2008; bidders got full use after the transition to digital TV was completed on June 12, 2009 (formerly TV channels 52–69)
• 902–928 MHz: ISM band: cordless phones and stereo, radio-frequency identification, datalinks, amateur radio (33 cm band)
• 929–930 MHz: Pagers
• 931–932 MHz: Pagers
• 935–941 MHz: Commercial 2-way radio
• 960–1215 MHz: Aeronautical Radionavigation
• 1240–1300 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 23 cm band)
• 1920–1930 MHz: DECT Cordless telephone
• 2300–2310 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 13 cm band, lower segment)
• 2390–2450 MHz: Amateur radio (ham - 13 cm band, upper segment)
• 2400–2483.5 MHz: ISM, IEEE 802.11, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n Wireless LAN, IEEE 802.15.4-2006, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Microwave oven
2. About DAB - Canadian Association of Broadcasters
3. Fifties Television: The Industry and Its Critics, William Boddy, University of Illinois Press, 1992, ISBN 9780252062995
5. Radio and Television Regulation: Broadcast Technology in the United States 1920-1960, Hugh Richard Slotten, JHU Press, 2000, ISBN 9780801864506
6. Missed Opportunities: FCC Commissioner Frieda Hennock and the UHF Debacle, Susan L. Brinson, Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media • Spring, 2000
7. VALVES AT UHF: A REVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, S. Simpson, Practical Television magazine, March 1954
8. The Superheterodyne Concept and Reception, Charles W. Rhodes, TV Technology, July 20, 2005
10. Stay Tuned: A History of American Broadcasting; pp 387-388; Christopher H. Sterling, John M. Kittross; Erlbaum 2002; ISBN 9780805826241
11. UHF morgue
12. U-62 program schedule, July 1989
13. Buffalo Broadcasters: History - UHF
14. Media Economics: Theory and Practice, Alison Alexander, Erlbaum Associates 2004 ISBN 9780805845808
15. FCC order revoking secondary affiliation rule, 1995
17. The DuMont Television Network, Appendix 10/11: A Trail of Bleached Bones, C. Ingram
19. Going once, twice, the 700MHz spectrum is sold, NY Times, Mar 18 2008
See also
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cozmik man Home Electricity efficiency SolarPV systems Gas consumption Wood burning stoves
Reducing electricity consumption in the home
Inspired by the energy consumption research of a neighbour, Chris Gare, I started recording my gas (and electricity) consumption daily at the start of 2010 by simply reading the meter each day. I had moved into a new, larger house and I was curious to know how much more expensive its energy costs would be.
With the threat of continually higher electricity prices, reducing electricity consumption becomes important if you want to keep your bills in check. But what's possible in practice? What can we do to reduce our electricity consumption in a way that makes financial sense?
Switch supplier
Much is written about switching suppliers so I will not repeat it here. However, if you have never switched electricity supplier, you are likely to benefit by doing so. is a useful website to explore what tariffs are available. If you threaten to leave your existing supplier, they can usually offer you a better tariff and discounts for your future loyalty.
Buy efficient equipment
Buying "white goods" (washing machines, fridge/freezers etc) with an A+ or better efficiency rating is essential but only once old equipment has failed. The small savings made from more efficient equipment are unlikely to justify early replacement of equipment on financial grounds alone.
Change your behaviour
Beyond having efficient equipment, other energy efficiency measures make small savings individually but combined these soon add-up. For example:
• Whenever possible run your washing machine at full load and at 40 degrees rather than higher temperatures
• Likewise, run dishwashers fully loaded and on 'eco' settings where available. Modern dishwashers are considered to be more efficient and effective than washing by hand in the sink
• Abandon your tumble drier in favour of using a washing line (although not practical in every home)
• Don't use an immersion heater to heat your hot water tank if you have central heating. Electricity is far more expensive than gas.
• Keep that big old TV, bizarrely it's probably more energy efficient than a similarly sized, modern flat screen TV
• Use low energy light bulbs
• Don't over fill your electric kettle. Boil only as much water as you need (it's both quicker and cheaper)
• Don't leave consumer electronics on standby, switch it off at the wall socket (after you've shut down PCs). Most consumer electronics aren't fully "off" until they're switched off at the wall socket so until you do this it is still drawing and therefore wasting energy. If the equipment "hums" when you think you've turned it off then it definitely should be switched off at the socket.
• If your house is lit up like a Christmas tree in the evenings but most off the rooms are unoccupied then you can easily make some savings. If you are not in a room get into the habit of switching off the lights, the TV, radios etc.
Use a real time consumption meter
real time consumption meterThere are many different real-time consumption meters on the market (see photograph). A sensor clips around the mains cable coming from the electricity meter and a wireless remote meter displays the electricity being consumed instantaneously. They are probably all fairly similar and not particularly accurate. Both the sensor and the meter need batteries and many people struggle to replace these so no longer use the meter. However, they are helpful when you are getting started as you can easily keep an eye on consumption and if the reading is too high look around to see whether something has been left on by accident.
Take power measurements
power meterA power meter (see photograph) can help you to understand how much power different types of equipment consume. This is a fairly tedious process of connecting the meter between the mains and each piece of equipment in turn and then reading the power consumption after a few hours. So to help you prioritise your effort, start with the top consumers of electricity. These are:
Equipment you can't do much about other than replace (eventually)
• Freezer
• Fridge
• Tumble drier
• Dishwasher
• Washing machine
• Kettle
Equipment you can turn off fully when not in use
• TV and associated recorders, players, game machines etc
• PC and associated add-ons such as a printer
• Modem
• Radio
• Lights (although you usually can't use a power meter on them)
The "Plug-In Mains Power and Energy Monitor" from Maplin Electronics, pictured, cost me £20.
Find things to switch off
Try reading your electricity meter twice a day for a week. Read it when you go to bed at night and then again as soon as you get up in the morning - it doesn't take more than a few minutes to do. From these readings, work out how many "units" of electricity you are consuming at night when presumably you are asleep. Work out what is "on" during the night - what should be (like the fridge, a freezer, security lights, etc) and what needn't be (perhaps a PC, the modem, a radio not switched off at the wall, etc). Track down the things that you you don't need on at night. If you can switch these items off every night, over a year you'll probably notice a drop in your electricity consumption.
If you're out at work during the day, repeat the process; read your meter as you leave for work and as soon as you get back. Calculate the electricity you have consumed per hour and compare it with the electricity you consume per hour at night. The equipment that needs to be left on when everyone is out of the house will probably be the same as what you leave on during the night (fridge/freezer etc). But are you leaving anything else on during the day unnecessarily? If so, switch it off!
This may seem like a bit of chore and that's where timers can play a role.
Use timers
Consider fitting timers to equipment that tends to get left on by mistake at night (and when you're out at work) to switch them off automatically. For example, a CRT PC may consume 1.6 watts when not switched off at the back or at the wall socket. If you use it for only 5 hrs of an evening then there are 19 hours when it's wasting electricity if it's not turned off fully. 19 hours per day for 365 days per year adds-up to over 11 kWh. At 13p per unit this represents £1.43 per year of potential savings per PC. This may not sound much (and it isn't) but if you can make these savings on numerous items of equipment the combined savings may be worthwhile.
Just by automatically switching off ten items in this way (and saving 110 kWh per year) you could save £14.30 per year, which is above the minimum savings the Energy Saving Trust claims is possible. And that's before you develop the habit of switching lights off in unused rooms!
Is it financially worthwhile?
Look at your bill. See what your annual electricity consumption is. If you are consuming more than the national average of 3,300 kWh what are the reasons for this? Do you have more than 2 adults and 2 children in the house? Are you at home most of the day, perhaps working from home? Are you using electricity for heating? If your consumption is unusually high then you have the potential for significant savings.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that monitoring your electricity consumption enables households to save between 3% and 15% off their bills. Given that the national average annual electricity consumption is 3,300 kWh per household, a 3 - 15% saving on this is 99 kWh to 495 kWh per year. Assuming electricity is priced at 13p per kWh, these savings are worth between £13 and £64 per year. Not much perhaps but they add-up year after year and your savings increase with electricity price inflation.
A power meter costs £20. Remote monitoring meters cost upwards of £30. If you buy one of each, they should pay for themselves within four years and possibly within one year. You are not likely to save more electricity if you buy more expensive meters - some are £70 or more - so the time it will take for them to pay for themselves will be longer.
Although they help, you don't need to buy meters to reduce your consumption. If you can use timers and develop a habit of simply switching things off properly then you will make appreciable savings quickly.
Monitor your progress
By recording your electricity meter at the same time every day (or perhaps once a week) you can track your consumption and evaluate the savings you're achieving. Once you start to see the reductions in consumption, this can be very motivational and help you to maintain changes in your behaviour. Below are my results for a period prior to my installing solarPV panels (after which it became more difficult to measure the savings made during daylight).
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By reducing my electricity consumption, I'm not only making savings on my electricity bill I'm also reducing my CO2 emissions.
Not content with the modest savings I could make from reducing my electricity consumption, I investigated installing a solarPV system. Read more
Written November 2011 |
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A hardcover (or hardback or hardbound) is a book bound with rigid protective covers (typically of cardboard covered with cloth, heavy paper, or sometimes leather). They may have flexible sewn spines which allow the book to lie flat on a surface when opened, although most modern commercial hardcover books have glued spines.
Hardcover books are often printed on acid-free paper, and are much more durable than paperbacks, which have flexible, easily damaged paper covers and glued spines. Hardcover books are also marginally more expensive to manufacture and usually much more to purchase. Hardcovers frequently come with artistic dust jackets.
If brisk sales are anticipated, a hardcover edition of a book is typically released first, followed by a "trade" paperback edition (same format as hardcover) the next year. For very popular books these sales cycles may be extended, and followed by a mass market paperback edition typeset in a more compact size and printed on thinner, less durable paper. This is intended to, in part, prolong the life of the immediate buying boom that occurs for some best sellers. After the attention to the book has subsided, a lower cost version, the paperback, is released to entice further sales.
Hardcover books tend to cost more than paperback versions of the book. This is due to price discrimination by booksellers who observe that consumers are willing to pay a premium for hardcover editions over paperbacks beyond the extra costs in materials and production. Hardcover editions are usually reserved for authors who are (or are expected to be) successful.
Differences in structure
Hardcovers generally consist of pages, two boards, and a cloth covering them. Their pages are glued into a flexible piece between the boards, and it too is covered by the cloth. A paper covering, usually artistic in nature, is put over the cloth, folding over each horizonal end of the boards. On the folded part over the front cover is generally a blurb, or a summary of the book. On the back folded part is where the biography of the author and/or illustrator can be found. Reviews are often placed on the back of the jacket.
See also
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Hardcover" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on original research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
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Attila the Hun: The Scourge of God
Attila became the King of the Huns alongside his brother Bleda following the death of their uncle Rugila in AD 434. He was to unite a disputatious people torn apart by feuds and internal strife, and turn them into one of the most formidable armies known to history. He was feared and loathed in equal measure and those who met him trembled in his presence.
Known as ‘The Scourge of God,’ he was to lay waste to, much of Europe and stand before Rome - quite literally the Barbarian at the Gates.
Then he turned away - Why?
The Huns were a nomadic people who arrived in Europe from the Steppes of Central Asia around AD 370 and settled in the central plains of Hungary.
The Historian Priscus described them thus:
"Though they do just bear the likeness of men (though of an ugly person) they are so little advanced in civilisation they make no use of fire, nor any kind of relish in the preparation of their food, but feed upon the roots they find in the fields, and the half-raw flesh of any animals."
attila2 on horse x
Their culinary skills may have been lacking but they were superb horsemen and ferocious warriors. They would attack their enemies en masse and at speed firing arrows as they did so. They would then disperse just as quickly and then attack from elsewhere on the field with a favoured tactic being to use nets strung between horsemen to entangle their enemies before dismounting and hacking them to death.
By AD 434 the Huns were threatening the Eastern Roman Empire.
Unable to militarily defend themselves as once they had the Romans had taken to buying their enemies off and the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II offered Attila and Bleda 660 pounds of gold and the return of those nobles who had opposed their succession and had sought asylum in Constantinople, if they agreed to leave the Empire alone.
They agreed and took particular delight in disposing of the repatriated nobles whom they had tied between two horses and then watched as their bodies were torn apart.
For the time being then Attila and Bleda turned their attention towards Armenia, but Theodosius, knowing the Huns would be back took the opportunity afforded him by their absence to reinforce the defences of Constantinople making it virtually impregnable.
In AD 440 the Huns attacked IIIyria and the Danubian Provinces destroying much of the Balkans in the process.
The Historian Callinicus wrote:
"The Barbarian Hun Nation became so great that more than a hundred cities were captured and destroyed and Constantinople itself came into danger, most men fleeing from it. And there were so many deaths and blood-lettings that the dead could not be numbered".
It was said that Attila took particular delight in killing women and children whom he not only considered an unnecessary burden, but knew that by doing so he would sew dread into the hearts of his enemies.
By AD 443 the Huns were rampaging across the Byzantine Empire virtually unopposed and Theodosius was forced to act. Reinforced with troops from Sicily he rode out from his capital to challenge the invaders but his campaign was a disaster.
Attila, who was the military commander of the Huns, destroyed a Roman army outside the walls of Constantinople, an annihilation witnessed by its citizens and Attila was only prevented from taking the city by its formidable fortifications.
He was to destroy a second Roman army at the Battle of Callinopolis, and Theodosius with no army left with which to fight was forced into a humiliating peace.
He paid Attila and Bleda a further 700 pounds worth of gold, he had to pay again for the release of every Roman prisoner taken, and an annual tribute. But at least he remained safe behind the walls of Constantinople.
In AD 445, Bleda was killed in a mysterious hunting accident and Attila became sole ruler of the Hun Empire and he soon hungrily turned his eyes west.
He marched his armies through Austria and Germany destroying everything in his path on his way to France where his declared aim was the destruction of the Visigoth Empire centred round Toulouse.
He intended to do this in alliance with the Western Roman Emperor Valentinian III with who he had remained on good terms.
attila2 warriros x
The friendly relations between the two men was broke down however when Valentinian's sister Honoria, angry at her brother's insistence that she marry an elderly Senator, sent an engagement ring and a proposal of marriage to Attila.
Attila was both surprised and delighted and accepted the proposal immediately demanding half of the Western Empire as his dowry.
A furious Valentinian sent a letter to Attila denying the validity of the proposal. He then ordered that his sister be executed and she was only saved from death by the tear-stained intervention of their mother. She was instead sent into exile.
Meanwhile, Attila declared Honoria to be his wife and property and announced that he was coming to get what was his.
Attila was at the peak of his powers and was described by the Historian Priscus as being:
"Short of stature, with a broad chest and a large head, his eyes were small and his beard thin and sprinkled with grey, and he had a flat nose and tanned skin".
He was said to be a humourless man who was rarely heard to laugh or even seen to smile. He dressed plainly and wore no adornments or jewellery. He drank little and ate only sparingly. It was said that his children looked upon him with terror.
Valentinian had been forced to break his alliance with Attila and instead join forces with the Visigoth King Theodoric.
Whilst Valentinian remained in Rome his army marched west under the command of his right-hand man Flavius Aetius.
Attila, who had already put to the sword the cities of Rheims, Metz, and Nicasius met the combined forces of Rome and the Visigoth Kingdom on the plains of Chalons.
The Battle of Chalons on 20 June, AD 451 is considered to be one of the great turning points of history, but it was one that Attila had not been expecting.
His forces were engaged besieging the town of Aurelanium (Orleans) when the armies of Theodoric and Aetius appeared on the horizon much to his surprise.
He was unprepared for battle and had to break off the siege and hastily form a battle-line.
The key to success in the coming conflict was a high ridge that dominated the plains below and both sides now raced to take possession of it. Theodoric and Aetius got there first.
attila2 chalons x
The Huns repeatedly attacked the ridge but were repulsed each time at great cost. The fighting was fierce and Theodoric was killed but by nightfall the Huns had been forced to withdraw back into their camp in some confusion.
The defeat at Chalons was Attila's first ever serious military setback but it was by no means decisive. His army still remained largely intact.
Even so, he awaited the attack he felt was sure to come in the morning with some trepidation.
Thorismund, Theodoric's son and designated heir, was eager to assault the Hun camp and finish Attila off once and for all but Aetius was more cautious.
Attila had been defeated and his invasion of the Western Empire halted. Why risk everything now?
Aetius kept to himself the fact he feared the power of the Visigoths as much as he did that of the Huns.
Angry at Aetius's reluctance to continue the battle Thorismund now withdrew his army to the Visigoth capital at Tolosa forcing Aetius also to withdraw.
Attila remained in camp for a few days uncertain of the situation but he was aware that the battle had been a particularly bloody one which had left thousands of his men killed.
Finally, he withdrew his army back across the Rhine greatly weakened, to lick his wounds.
The Battle of Chalons had seen the aura of Hun invincibility shattered though it did little to diminish Attila's fearsome reputation neither had it destroyed the Hun Army or ended the Hun threat, but it had saved Western Europe from falling to the Asiatic Hordes, for the time being at least.
Despite the defeat at Chalons Attila remained undeterred and was still determined to claim what he believed was rightfully his and within a few months he was back this time attacking Italy directly.
attila2 ravage x
His army trampled upon northern Italy, laying waste to the Lombard Plain, and as if in a fury utterly destroyed the city of Aquilea.
Valentinian, in a panic, fled his capital at Ravenna to seek sanctuary with Pope Leo I in Rome. He could do nothing to prevent Attila from seizing the whole of the Western Empire.
Rome lay at his mercy but he declined to attack it. Why exactly has remained a subject of conjecture ever since.
attila2 pope leo x
Attila is known to have had a meeting with Pope Leo I who promised him a Holy Crown and a place alongside the Saints in Heaven if he turned away from Rome. But why would Attila, who was not a Christian, be influenced by such things?
He was though a deeply superstitious man who would have been aware of the fate that befell Alaric, the leader of the Goths, who had died just days after sacking Rome in AD 410.
There may have been more prosaic reasons, however. The Huns had never before successfully besieged a major city and he had also lost a great many of his best warriors Chalons. He was also concerned that he may have to cross the Alps in winter or face being trapped in Italy.
Whatever the reason, he now turned away from the Gates of Rome.
Less than a year later, Attila the Hun, the Scourge of God, was dead.
It was the night of his marriage and the usually sober Attila had drunk heavily. He had retired to his bedchamber alone where he passed out. In doing so he smashed his nose on the stone floor which caused it to bleed so profusely that he drowned in his own blood.
It was an ignominious end for the most powerful and feared man in the known world.
Attila the Hun was buried in a lead coffin beneath the waters of the River Tisza in Hungary. Those who had participated in the burial were executed to ensure the exact location remained a secret - but then as the Historian Jordanes wrote:
"The greatness of warriors should not be mourned with feminine lamentations and the tears of women, but with the blood of men."
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World Water Day and the Water Futures Challenge
World Water Day is a day to come together and take stock of this precious resource, to galvanize efforts to protect it, and to introduce strategies for the future. From mass plastic pollution to scarce drinking water, we are currently grappling with a range of water crises.
For the past year, A/D/O has explored both the issues and solutions, inviting public discourse and collaboration through Water Futures, a series of events and talks curated by design critic, Jane Withers. A/D/O believes that good design is integral to solving everyday problems at a local and global scale, and sees designers as uniquely positioned to tackle the major water concerns through imaginative approaches that can influence public behavior.
As part of the Water Futures program, A/D/O created an open design challenge inviting multidisciplinary designers and teams to imagine possible alternatives to how water is accessed, delivered, and thought about in cities. Out of 2,000 projects from 35 countries, the jury chose nine projects that address drinking water, our relationship to single use plastic, filtration, access, or communication of information. These nine individuals and teams were paired with a design mentor who helped refine their project. The final nine are inspiring, innovative, and hopeful.
Filtering Glass Straw
Ulysse Martel
The Filtering Glass Straw by Ulysse Martel tackles the drinking water crisis through a simple, lightweight, alternative to current plastic emergency-use filters. Its filter cartridge made of dried cilantro, activated charcoal, and moringa powder employs natural purifying methods used for hundreds of years.This low cost design could easily be transported, assembled, used, and reused in emergency situations all over the world.
To address the amount of waste generated by single use plastic and paper cups, CRÈME has developed the HY-O Cup, a product and method to grow cups out of gourds. Using a 3D printed mold of a cup, the gourd can be grown into the shape of the cup. Traditionally hollowed out and used for drinking, the gourd can now be harvested in cup form, reducing manufacturing, processing, and above all non-renewable waste.
Indus by Bio-ID proposes to process wastewater generated by the textile industry in India using bioremediation. Indus is a modular system of veined tiles that can be filled with a seaweed-based and micro-algae hydrogel. When water flows over the ginkgo leaf shaped tiles, heavy metals can be isolated and compounds from textile dyes are degraded. These tiles are composed of locally sourced materials and can be easily installed.
Opacify by Post Carbon Lab proposes a labeling system that uses imagery and facts to sway consumer choices away from PET bottles. Like the horrific images tacked onto cigarette packs, negative and distressing images would be stamped onto PET bottles discouraging their use, conversely the labels could nudge consumers through positive encouragement on ways to be more sustainable. It asks the consumer to make the change.
What if all water we used was recycled, purified wastewater? Would you drink it? Using design fiction RARE by G2G imagines the future of urban society in light of water scarcity and high impact pollution through a series of fictional interviews and video reports. By situating the viewer in a future where everyone has a closed-loop water system installed in their house, they are provoking debate and instigating action.
Waters by Clara Schweers shows reverence and reframes our relationship to water by highlighting its cycles rather than its consumable use. A series of glass objects are filled with water Schweers has collected from around the world. As water evaporates, visible traces are left on the glass. This poetic visualization of the movements is a reminder that we all share water and that the water cycle is grounded in natural systems rather than anthropocentric needs.
Cape Town and New York, are among the major cities both surrounded by seawater and on the verge of drinking water scarcity, yet major desalination efforts are expensive and demand unsustainable amounts of energy. Water Everywhere by Assemble Mass proposes using traditional solar stills to generate heat to evaporate sea water and desalinate it. The design doubles as a rain catchment system and is intended to be a scalable lightweight infrastructure that could be installed along waterfronts globally.
The Water Map by Only If is a visual representation of the scales of water infrastructure that New Yorkers interact with daily such as drinking fountains, pools, and aqueducts. Conceived as an educational tool, the map surfaces otherwise invisible systems in a legible and compelling manner. It is a powerful resource with the potential to raise awareness and empower the concerned public.
In her project, The Water Runs Through Us, Katherine Ball envisions a fantastical filtration system that culminates in an immersive bathing ritual. This project simultaneously addresses our need to reconnect to water and proposes a method to transform water from the Bushwick Inlet. Water flows through a series of tanks containing beneficial bacteria, membrane filters, and biological filters and ultimately to a bathtub at A/D/O where visitors could take a dip. As dreamlike as it sounds, Ball has done a functional version of a similar installation at Berlin’s Floating University.
Text by Lily Saporta Tagiuri
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To Public Opinion
On the émeutes of 14, 15, 16, and 17 June [1831]
The government had promised that the émeutes would not happen again. Citizens of all classes had manifested the opinion that émeutes demonstrated the disaffection of a considerable part of the population with authority; the mission of this authority consisted rather in preventing them than in suppressing them. We know that émeutes have become more frequent; they are not extinguished except after they have produced their effect, and the government cannot even brag of having repressed them; far from it, it has contributed to prolonging them through the brutality of its agents, and through the deployment of useless force, consequently irritating the masses because it strikes without aim and without excuse. Thus it matters that it has been proven, that after causing these gatherings to come into being by its ineffectiveness, by its absurd system, and by the acts which it brings forth every day, the government alone has prolonged the émeutes by the use of the most cruel and cowardly means of repression–the extreme measures of weakness and fear, when it senses the approach of its inevitable destiny.
Everyone knows that the watchmaker Marchal had mistreated a young peddler who offered to sell him a history of Napoleon in the Hundred Days. This man was reputed to be a spy of the deposed government; he was known as a Carlist1. The people, seeing him unpunished for his cruel actions, and witnessing his fresh violence towards the children who burned him in effigy in front of his door, thought that the government once more, as in the affair of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois2, was refusing to render justice. The people believed they had been betrayed, and this belief, which would never have been born if the present authority had not fed it every day with its actions, immediately took on a general character and produced an explosion–which proves better than all the reasoning in the world the nature of the sentiment which is agitating the masses. The people’s demonstrations were so prompt and so energetic that there was no way to be deceived. Thirty thousand individuals, not a few mere rabble-rousers of the streets, came out on the boulevards; they came there to give witness to their contempt and indignation against an authority whose actions are so grievous to public prosperity and to the honour of France. It was no longer a question, in these groups, of the brutal watchmaker, but of the griefs of the population against the men who were determined to wrest away, through the ruin of all the industries, its last scrap of bread. Such was the subject of all conversations; these conversations did not find so much approval, because everyone was, for his interlocutor, the living proof of the truth of his accusations. Is it possible, that in this rising march of general misery, the least pretext serves as a rallying point? Is there a need for instigators in order to gather such a great number of people in common sentiment? No, there is a need only for causes which have reality and generality, which agitate the masses on their own. To what, if not these causes, can one attribute the perseverance of such groups to form despite the futility of the émeute’s origin? Let all take heed, for the lives of those who bet against the émeute will be at stake. The causes that we represent, if they exist, are superior to all efforts against them, and when the hour is at hand, there is no power in the world capable of preventing their action. This is a warning. Have we not all remarked upon the progression of the people’s irritation? Have we not seen the serious attempts at resistance? the general cry of menace against the present authority? Has nobody tried before now to raise barricades? to assault the troops with paving stones? Has nobody attempted, suddenly and spontaneously, to take the guns from the armorers’ shops? This, however, is the sort of event which characterizes the previous émeute; a still more grave event has arrived: the people have called it to the line, and they have demonstrated their disaffection with the National Guard. Certainly if anything can bring about the misfortunes which the bourgeoisie dreads, it is the continuation of the role which the people are forced to play; it is the continuation of the support which the bourgeoisie gives to a government which compromises it in the view of the people, without offering them the force which alone could protect it. But it is wrong to accuse the bourgeoisie itself; it must be said, to finish enlightening those who insist upon denying light. One of the most remarkable aspects of the last émeute is the small number of National Guards who responded to the call to duty. The legions most renowned for their devotion to the ministry provided only a few men; this has been seen by all who observe with attention, or who, having many acquaintances in the National Guard, have questioned them about the part which they played in the repression of the émeute. This, however, is left ignored in Paris and in France. This is how one finishes deceiving oneself, and how one casts oneself into the abyss. Also, in its abandon, the government employed the most odious frame-ups. The prefect of police did not fear to accuse the people of pillage. This pillage never took place. This was a concerted rumor to revive the lagging zeal of the National Guard, and, at the same time, to influence the more timid electors. The people appeared only in an armorer’s shop: this will be appreciated by all as stemming from a completely different intention than pillage. It is this intention which made the men of the ministry go pale; for it was at this moment that the lack of a superior direction was shown among the troops used to put down the people; it was then that soldiers on horseback were seen pursuing citizens even into the alleyways, and chasing them down their entire length; it was then that they stabbed isolated and inoffensive citozens, in a sort of Saturnalia of cruelty.
It must be known at last that the dead and wounded were taken to the Hotel-Dieu; corpses were seen in threes, piled up in the corners of the streets and in the wine-shops; this is a matter of public notoriety, and several newspapers contain in this regard letters and articles which have yet to be refuted.
In particular, a man, fleeing before the National Guard, is arrested in the rue Mauconseil; while they are searching him, he lets out a cry and gives a last gasp; he had just received from behind a bayonet strike which pierced his stomach. A staff officer of the National Guard pretends that pistol shots were fired at him from the café in the passage du Caire; he enters the café, which contained no more than five people, most of them occupied in a game of dominoes, and among whom were two women. He accuses a young man of being the one who fired the pistol shots: when the man denies it, he stabs him with his épée and finishes by smashing the pommel across his face; after this exploit, he breaks the tables and glasses of the café.
At the Bonne-Nouvelle post, a man is arrested, and shortly afterward it is discovered that he died from the blows of a pistol butt which were struck inside the guardhouse.
It would be easy to multiply these sorts of stories; but already the newspapers have been forced by the public clamor to record facts of this nature in their columns.
Perardel, a former officer of the cavalry, was knocked out by blows of a pistol and wounded by the bayonets of National Guards unworthy of their name. He demands to know the names of the cowards who attacked him while shouting, “March! March!”; he would have liked to teach them in his turn how an old soldier decorated by Napoleon marches.
We have seen the precise declarations of Carré, Dalbard, and Bravard, lawyers, all National Guards, who denounced acts of brutality the like of which the gendarmes of the deposed king were never accused of.
Brismontier reported the murder committed by cavalrymen of the 5th legion, Pécourt’s company, of Fleuret, a lower officer of the National Guard, who was trying to avoid the gatherings on the boulevards.
Napoléon Tachoux, lawyer, was wounded by several blows from a saber, as a mocking response from the captain to whom he addressed his complaints.
All of these plaintiffs are members of the National Guard; such is the success in arming citizens against each other. There is no longer any recognition; these are blows struck in blindness, which attest to the absence of all uniform direction. Those who speak out so often against anarchy may brag of having offered the spitting image thereof. But, as happens in great disturbances, personal character or valor of the individual is the only protection; the cowards who stab an inoffensive and timid man recoil before a strong and steadfast one.
The printer of a newspaper is found in the rue Poissonnière by a staff officer of the National Guard, who is leading a company of dragoons: “Dragoons!” cries the officer, “stab this man for me!” The indignant citizen seizes the horse’s bridle and invites the officer to give him his address; “for,” he adds, “that is how a man proves that he has a heart, and that he is no mere cowardly assassin.” The officer, disconcerted, seeing that the dragoons did not attack him, exchanged his impertinent apostrophe for officious posturing. “I am not listening to your posturing or your attempts to menace me any longer,” responded the citizen; “here is my address, and I will await your response tomorrow.” The next day, M. Hingray receives a message full of excuses in the name of M. Charles Laffitte, son of M. Eugène Laffitte. And that is how they all are! excuses for the individual, killings for the masses.
Four young men, pursued by groups bent on seizing them, take refuge in the house of Mme Cherion, rue Saint-Denis, no. 170; this lady had the young men go up to the first floor; suddenly, National Guards burst in on the orders of a sergeant, and captured the young men in the asylum which humanity had offered them… it was nine o’clock at night! The National Guards did not hesitate to violate thus the home of a citizen! In this, they have shown themselves to be worse than the gendarmes of Charles X, who at least stop at the door at such an hour.
These facts suffice to prove the degree of brutality and confusion at which the agents of a vacillating ministry have arrived. But what is not well-enough known is that the people, satisfied to have protested with their Marseillaise and their cries in the gatherings of 14 and 15 June, did not seem disposed to protest further; it was on the 16th that, when they had seen that the émeute was nearly finished, men who had shown themselves to be trembling and irresolute took up all their courage, and through the natural irritation which their measures–at once useless and bloody–succeeded in maintaining and augmenting, prolonged the agitations–in order, no doubt, to exploit them, with their songs of triumph to their profit in the elections. It was then that the rumor was passed around that a great number of shops had been pillaged. They were not in the ranks of the people in July, those who dared to publish this infamy; they never saw them, poor and without bread, guard the bank where so many treaures were shut up, without even the thought of taking away an écu; we must repeat for them the declaration of the commissionary of police who restored order in the church of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois: the crowd surrounding the door, menacing and and already having overcome all obstacles; “Come in,” they said to him, “there is gold inside.” And the people fled.
And now, for some interest of the Court and its coteries, they are slandering this generous people! these men whose ferocity surpasses that of Delavan and Mangin! and it is for one individual, it is in the interest of a minister who, on the 27 of July, closed his door to the students stabbed by the gendarmes in front of his house! Isn’t it true that cowards have always been the most ferocious?
Let them learn at least that the use of methods like theirs has always signalled–and above all in France in the past forty years–the last efforts of a dying power; whether you rejoice or lament at the émeutes is not the important point; what merits grave consideration is that émeutes are a fact plainly superior to power, for they renew themselves despite all its promises; what must be known is that they become more frequent, that the individuals who participate in them are more numerous, that their resistance is more obstinate. Now, let one of those events arise which are never lacking, and which cause to erupt, with more energy, the antipathy of the nation against an absurd system which it has condemned; whether the Holy Alliance menaces us a bit more shamelessly, or whether carlism rears its head with a bit more audacity; and the army, uncertain in its obedience, and the National Guard, reduced to a few hundred men dutiful to all regimes, will give free rein to the popular flood. They will hide in the bowels of the earth, these men who slander the populace and commit crimes to accuse it. They should at least respect its virtues, if they do not know how to have pity on its misery.
But no, those who, in the strongest of the previous gatherings, had already lost their heads and did not know how to give orders anymore–when the émeute became less menacing, we have seen these ridiculous parodists of great scenes which they never understood, talking of making, through the power of the juste milieu, a new 13 Vendémiaire, and parading through a shocked Paris the cannons destined to fire upon this too-patient people.
Here is their courage! here, one might also say, is their blindness!
It is time that public opinion, to which we appeal here, completes its detachment from this ministry a thousand times deplorable, and abandons it to its inevitable fate.
(Published by the Society of the Friends of the People.) Printed by A. Parbier, rue des Marais S.-G. n. 7.
1 Carlism was a legitimist movement that supported the Bourbon claim to the Spanish throne.
2 In February 1831 émeutes broke out in Paris when legitimists organized a commemoration of the Duc de Berri–a member of the House of Bourbon whose 1820 assassination became a rallying point for ultraroyalists–at the church of Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois. This article disputes the reports that the church and later the archbishopric were sacked by the émeutiers.
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Hip Labral Tears | DrBurke
What are labral tears?
Every joint in the body has support and cushioning from various tissues. One of the closest structures to the actual joint is cartilage. Cartilage covers the bones that make up the joint, like the hips. Cartilage inside the hip joint is the labrum. The labrum lies within the pelvic bone that aids with this ball and socket joint. The femur head moves more easily with protection from the labrum. Like the rest of the cartilage in our bodies, the labrum is vulnerable to tears and injury. For the hip, tears of the labrum can lead to chronic aches and pain.
What causes labral tears?
Labral tears are close to other orthopedic conditions like osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of hip refers to diminishing cartilage while labral tears are literal rips or tearing of the labrum. In both these conditions, there is injury to the hip that most commonly causes chronic hip pain. Causes of labral tears in the hip are the following:
• Natural wear and tear or aging
• Severe injury to the hip, thigh or groin
• Overuse or overextension of the hip joint
Athletes have a higher risk of ligament and labral tears due to their level of physical activity. So, labral tears often result from sports-related injuries.
How do I know if I have labral tears?
In addition to chronic hip pain, there are several symptoms that relate to labral tears. Patients may not notice any major symptoms immediately after the tear. Over time, the hip pain and other symptoms begin to build. If the labral tear grows or the patient waits on a diagnosis, there will be more chronic pain. Major symptoms of labral tears include:
• Pain sensations near the groin or buttocks
• Catching and locking within the hip
• Sounds like popping or clicking from the hips
• Weakness in the hip toward one side specifically
How do I prevent labral tears?
Most labral tears come from serious injury to the hip. Protecting the hip and other joints can help with injury prevention. Especially for athletes, patients must take caution before physical activity or exercise. Follow along with this labral tear prevention advice:
• Wear supportive shoes for working out and exercising
• Wear the right gear and equipment when participating in sports
• Let the hips and legs rest after repetitive motions like cycling or running
• Seek treatment when feeling any levels of pain near the hip joint |
The Environment’s Beef with Cattle
In 2016, a person in the United States on average consumed 55.7 lbs of beef, but what are the environmental impacts of this meat?
Cows are ruminant animals which means they break down their food by a distinct process using multiple stomachs. This digestive process is known as enteric fermentation which means the food goes through a pre-digestion fermentation process to help break it down. This makes it easier for cows to breakdown the heavier grasses to create energy. However, this fermentation process creates methane gas. It is estimated that each full grown cow can release between 250 L and 500 L of methane per day. Methane is a significant greenhouse gas, and it is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In 2015, methane accounted for 10% of greenhouse gases based on CO2 equivalent calculations. It is estimated that cows account for 26% of this methane production.
Fertilizers are also heavily used growing crops such as corn and soy for raising cattle. The high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus may not all be absorbed into the crops. Rain can then cause runoff of the excess fertilizer into nearby streams and rivers. This can be detrimental to the local ecosystems causing algal blooms.
Recently, the consumption of grass fed beef has been increasing while overall beef consumption is decreasing. Grass fed beef has lower amounts of specific fats which are viewed as less healthy. Chains such as Chipotle advertise their grass fed beef which allows them to sell their meat at higher prices due to its health factor. However, grass fed beef has greater impact on the environment compared to the traditional grain-fed beef. A grass-based diet is lower in calories causing it to take much longer for the animal to reach slaughter weight which creates more methane production per lb of beef.
Many people believe in more sustainable energy sources such as wind and hydro for powering our cities, but what about more sustainable energy sources for powering our bodies?
Some studies have shown that adding peculiar things such as seaweed and canola oil to a cow’s diet significantly lower the methane produced from enteric fermentation. With more research, methane production could be lowered. More efficient fertilizer use could reduce runoff into streams and rivers. Making farming practices more sustainable for raising cattle may have a significant impact in the future in regards to climate change.
Johnson, Kristen A., and De E. Johnson. “Methane emissions from cattle.” Journal of animal science 73.8 (1995): 2483-2492.
USDA ERS – U.S. Per Capita Availability of Red Meat, Poultry, and Fish Lowest Since 1983, United States Department of Agriculture, Accessed 21 Aug. 2017.
17 thoughts on “The Environment’s Beef with Cattle
1. Another point that is relevant about the beef production is the shear land use needed to produce these cows. Whether it be that large spaces are needed to farm the grain or that large areas are needed for grazing, the beef industry accounts for around 60 percent of the agriculture industry’s land. In some cases, forests are cut down to make way for this land, causing even more destruction. In my opinion, the beef industry is too strong and the culture to eat beef more than once a week or even two weeks fuels it, while some nutritionists would say that humans do not need beef at all in their diets. Somehow, beef consumption needs to be seen as a privilege rather than a necessity.
2. Another option that people are looking at is bugs. As unrealistic as it sounds bugs can be farmed with less environmental impact and provide a large amount of nutrients for their size. I myself am not a fan of eating bugs and something this dramatic would take decades to enact but its just something to think about.
3. I think that the “grass fed” movement of the food industry is not so much towards the cows dietary needs, as it is for a really great marketing tool. The industry slaps on this “grass fed” label on food and gives the false pretense of more humane treatment of animals or that the animals have better dietary conditions, thus they are able to sell their product at higher margins. I agree with your blog that it is possible to reduce methane emissions through an adjusted cattle diet, but will the market shares be willing to lose their great marketing tool in order to help the environment? I doubt we can reduce the amount of beef consumed in America to reduce methane emissions, we just like our burgers too much. If we can find a dietary supplement that reduces methane emission, that can sustain the necessary diet of cattle, and that one can convince the market to give up this “grass fed” movement, only then will we be able to reduce methane emission from cattle.
4. Personally, I realize that am a big reason for this over reliance on meat in our society. There are only a select few days a year that I don’t eat meat, and I realize the struggle the industry has to meet these demands. Granted, there are a couple solutions on how to decrease the methane emission from cattle, but the easiest one is to just lower the demand for it. As a society we constantly look for new solutions or technology to help us continue our luxurious lifestyle, but eventually we won’t be able to find a solution and the only way to decrease this would be to cut down. This same logic can be applied to many different controversial issues with the population rising exponentially, but we may just have to focus on lessening our own environmental impact to start with.
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5. I had no idea that 26% of Methane derived from cows. In order for significant changes to be made American diets without government intervention, the market will need to adjust so that consumers gravitate toward alternative meats such as chicken and fish. While chicken is cheaper than beef, there is not enough of a price gap to steer consumers away from beef. Therefore, dietary changes to the cattle seem to be the best answer for reducing Methane.
6. I would like to see the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with beef production, aside from just the methane production of the cows themselves. The post mentions how grass-fed beef results in more methane production, but fails to mention the environmental impact from other sources in the supply chain, including the production and transportation of grain feed, and water consumption of grain vs. grass fed beef. This is pure speculation but I imagine if cattle are consuming large quantities of grass they probably require less water than a cow fed on grain. The grains themselves also require massive amounts of water to produce. Furthermore the article mentions how the fertilizers used for grain production are harmful to the environment, do the fields for grass-fed beef require similar fertilizers and therefore have a similar impact on algal blooms or can they sustain themselves over long periods of time without assistance?
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7. Cattle and meat in general are a big part of what makes the average american have such a large ecological footprint. That being said I personally contribute to the problem and i have a hard time seeing the average american going vegan or cutting back on the amount of meat they eat in today’s current conditions. The price of meats needs to better reflect the environmental costs of it. In addition I think we need better substitutes to replace meat in our diets. I can’t see myself eating crickets instead of a burger. Recently the company beyond meat has developed their bleeding burger which is an all veggie burger that is supposed to be more like actual beef. Other improvements like this I think will help transition people away from eating so much meat.
8. Trey mentioned a price gap between meats being a reason that consumers might pick beef alternatives. The idea of taxing processes by how much CO2 they produce has been mentioned before. Perhaps agriculturalists could pay an equivalent tax for methane production? It would incentivize them to either find ways to raise the same number of cattle with less methane emissions or to find other animals or crops to raise. I don’t imagine that ranchers would be particularly enthusiastic about such a tax, but it’s an interesting idea to consider.
9. Some “solutions” to this problem has been to strap a bag apparatus to the cow and collect the methane it releases and then sell that methane for energy use. Between the harnessing and shipping and packaging, that seems to be just such an unnecessary attempt at solving this problem instead of fixing it at the source. The methane is produced per the cows diet, so changing the diet would be an attempt to quell the problem from the source. The addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the cows diet have shown a cut in methane production by up to 30%. Another alternative is to target the stomach enzymes that actually aid in the process of breaking down the food and releasing the methane by introducing a sort of probiotic to boost the growth of different enzymes that are less methane productive. Of course these are just attempts to reduce the inevitable output by the cows with no real “ideal” solution. The best attempt at an ideal solution would be a source of meat that naturally has less emissions.
10. Yeah, despite my agricultural background, I agree with Chase that the cattle culture has run its course and needs to enter the luxury market instead of the commodity market. I have no idea how that would alter the consumption of beef, but it would sure make it harder on the consumer to swallow the cost.
The target of the post seems to be methane production, with a side bar on eutrophication. As to the eutrophication, a simple swap to more plant-based diets wouldn’t cut it as a solution. Our environmental chemistry professor brought up an interesting point on phasing out beef. If we chose an alternative, say soybeans given their high protein value, how would the costs of their substitution into the common diet compare to that of beef’s? Just changing to soybeans without modified practices would (possibly) contribute more to eutrophication and soil degradation.
As to the methane, I agree with Trey that finding other sources of meat is imperative, coupled with Jordan’s point of meat consumption reduction. My first reaction would be to take Trey’s route instead, because I really enjoy eating meat, and swapping to chicken would help the Georgia economy. A meat alternative I am personally interested in following is one close to home in Georgia: deer. I had previously been under the impression that UGA’s Deer Research Lab had dabbled in studies on deer husbandry and farming, but apparently not, judging from their site. But! to pursue that path would prove beneficial in multiple ways, including more easily procurable food (since they eat acorns, clover, my dads peas right when they get ready to pick), a potentially strong partnership with forestry industries to grow hardwoods and pines on lands where the deer would graze, and potentially less methane production even though deer are ruminants as well.
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I just read this article from an Australian rural journalist named Asa Wahlquist. I cannot personally verify everything she wrote, but she has received many awards in the past for her work, so she’s probably on to something. She writes about the complexities surrounding a reduction of the cattle industry, mentioning things completely irrelevant to us, like eating kangaroos. But the article is fodder for further thought on our part in many regards, pushing us to abandon those thought paths we are so accustomed to take.
A particularly relevant concern is the effect a change in that market would have on the peoples raised in, and supported by, the cattle industry. Just like the coal industry in West Virginia, its a question of people’s livelihood that we are discussing as a society and must therefore be handled/spoken of delicately and with tact. That is the respectful way, and as American citizens, we must remember that and be considerate. Liberties extended toward self-interested people tend toward tribalism and disintegration. Even as I write that, I fear I may not have reflected that in my previous post… please forgive me of that if I did.
12. Like several other students, I had no idea that cows produced that large of an amount of methane. Although several places get away with selling grass-fed beef at a higher rate for saying it is healthier than grain-fed I do not agree that they should be able to do this. Personally I think that yes consumers should have to pay more for grass-fed beef than grain-fed but not because its thought to be healthier, i think they should have to pay as a “fee” for purchasing grass-fed beef over grain-fed. This said “fee” could then been used as funding for studies ways to lower the levels of not only methane in the environment but also all of the other greenhouse gasses that are out there.
13. I agree that there are definitely major problems associated with raising cattle such as increased methane production and eutrophication. Some people believe that mainstreaming the consumption of insects could be the solution. In the context of today’s society, I think it is unlikely that people will consume less beef unless they are forced to. Similarly, it would be unlikely to convince a whole society to consume insects in place of other animal products. It seems as if it is human nature to stay close to what we have grown up on because it is more convenient and comfortable for us to do. It is also common for one to think their consumption is trivial to the bigger picture. Also, there will always be groups of people that do not necessarily care for the future of the environment. I have experienced this firsthand when talking to various friends. They understand the environmental consequences but they can never find the pivotal answer to change their views when they ask , “Why should I care if these effects harm the future when I am no longer alive? And why should I compromise my lifestyle when others are not.” Thus, voluntary change to stop eating beef would be unrealistic without economic influence.
14. As a past employee of the UGA Dairy, I have seen this issue hands on. There are many other resources that are used at alarming rates such as water and land. I’m not sure about other systems but the UGA dairy uses an alarming amount of water every day to clean the milking station. I had never thought about the amount of methane gas, like Jordan said I think the only way to reduce the mount is by reducing the need. I looked into what methane is commonly used for and I found it’s mainly used to create heat and light. If there were some way to collect the gas from the cows that could be an interesting greenhouse effect and possible solution to the methane issue.
15. This is a subject matter that I actually recently became interested in after watching “Cowspiracy.” Statistics on the cow industry were amazing, everything from all the water and feed they need to the waste they produce. Two things I notice cause the increase of methane is: the corn-based feed they eat and the rise of the population. Corn is not part of the cow natural diet and their digestive system is not built to consume it. On top of that, the corn is mass produced with the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals in order to insure longer lasting and larger yields. Secondly, the global population is growing at a substantial rate, so even though pounds of beef is decreasing per person, the amount of the beef consumed as a population is still increasing. And in order to feed so many people , corn-feed is the cheapest/highest yield way. The best solution would have to be reducing the need to eat beef and provide other places where the people can still get protein and other beef nutrients.
16. I read an interesting article recently about how grass-fed and organically raised beef actually isnt nearly so good as we imagine. The journalist criticized large farms’ practices– apparently, if the cows have to return daily to a milking house or shelter, it makes it nigh impossible for the cows to actually graze once herd size exceeds a few hundred. The required acreage of land actually doesnt matter if the cows can’t go there and back in a day. I thought that was an interesting addendum to one comment about how ‘grass fed’ is largely a marketing tactic. (I will say that organically raised cows tend to be healthier, as it is in the farmer’s best interests to keep animals from getting sick if he can’t force-feed them antibiotics. So then the ethical issue of animal welfare comes into play.) Regardless, I would say the mass-production of agriculture emerges as the common problem in both the labeling issue and the actual fact that consuming beef harms the environment. Americans are ridiculously picky eaters, if the ~50% produce waste statistic isn’t harrowing enough. I would advocate for decreased meat consumption in general, and maybe a removal of subsidoes for corn– that way beef might actually cost more, and we might game it a little more.
17. This post is particularly interesting to me as I have previously changed my own diet due to the large impact the beef industry has on the environment. Though I knew that cows produce a large amount of methane, I did not realize that grass-fed cows produce more than grain-fed. I had always just assumed that grass-fed was better, probably due to the positive advertising grass-fed beef receives at the grocery store or in restaurants. This really makes me think about what other “positive” advertising I could be buying into that is actually more harmful than good. Not only is the cattle industry a main producer of methane, it is also the leading cause for deforestation of the Amazon rain forest. If we want to have a truly sustainable diet while still consuming meat, we may have to start eating bugs, just as someone previously said.
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CHARLESTOWN, formerly a separate city of the United States, in Middlesex county, Massachusetts, but since 1874 incorporated with the city of Boston, with which it had long before been in many respects practically one. It was founded in 1628 or 1629, and soon rose into importance. The most remarkable event in its history is its almost complete destruction in 1775 during the revolutionary war. Its population in 1800 was 2751, which at the time of its incorporation with Boston had increased to 32,040. See Boston. |
"D'estate usiamo la griglia."
Translation:In the summer we use the grill.
August 1, 2013
Why do we say "Siamo in autunno" but "Usiamo la griglia d'estate"? Why "in" for one and "di" for the other?
August 1, 2013
you can say: "d'estate usiamo la griglia" or "in estate usiamo la griglia", both are correct and mean the same thing.
But you can only say "siamo in autunno" - "siamo in estate" - "siamo in inverno" - "siamo in primavera"
(is wrong "siamo d'autunno" - "siamo d'estate" - "siamo d'inverno" - "siamo di primavera")
The correct use of prepositions is difficult to learn (in all languages)
August 13, 2014
so it's safer to always use in then?
July 25, 2017
It's the exception, with the other seasons we use "in".
July 23, 2014
why 'in autunno' and 'D'estate' ? I'm just repeating the question that has already been asked ! Native Italian speakers please throw some light on this.. :-)
November 13, 2013
Why do you even bother repeating the same question that has already been asked?
September 6, 2014
It's a very old comment of mine. There were no replies for the previous question when I had typed this, so I thought of getting some native speaker's attention. That's it !
September 7, 2014
You are an incredibly rude person.
August 9, 2016
About 50 years ago, in an English Language class we were told that language ultimately changes according to what people prefer to say (they don't look up a book on correct usage before opening their mouth)! That is how language changes through time. In "Emma", completed in a 1815, Jane Austen described her heroine as "handsome, clever and rich". Nowadays it would be something like "cute, smart and well-heeled".
March 18, 2017
la griglia can also translate as barbeque but I was marked incorrect for using it
August 2, 2013
Me too. A statement about using a barbecue in summer also makes more sense.
May 1, 2014
So was I, even when I spelled it as barbecue.
July 31, 2014
I think that both "grill" and "barbecue" written by "C" not by "Q" should be accepted, especially that in american english they different only in details.
May 29, 2015
I agree!
September 7, 2015
Why "D'estate"? Why not "l'estate"? What are the differences between them?
June 12, 2014
D'estate means in the summer. Di is a weird one, it and it's derivatives can mean in, from, some, etc.
L'estate is the summer. So yous be saying the summer we use the grill, which doesn't make much sense.
Question for native speakers, would in l'estate usiamo or usiamo la griglia in L'estate make any sense?
August 18, 2015
"In summer we use the grill", - Yoda ©
June 14, 2014
No. That would be, "In summer, the grill we use."
June 23, 2015
Is "The Grill" what we in England refer to as "The barbecue"? I know in Germany it's the same.
May 26, 2015
To my knowledge, the correct english term is barbecue grill. But, yes, it is the device you use for roasting things over fire.
May 26, 2015
Unfortunate really. It is simply not referred to as a gril in the U.K. "To grill" is, without exception, understood to mean grilling something indoors. If you said "We use the grill in summer", people would wonder why you never used it for the rest of the year, since things only get grilled in the kitchen, indoors.
"Barbecue" as a direct substitute for "Grill" should be permitted as a valid answer here for English speakers.
May 29, 2015
Here in Australia (I'm a Scottish migrant, by the way) it is never a "grill" (only on the kitchen "stove"). Australians use the "barbie" relentlessly. They must be its biggest fans along with the South Africans , who call it a "braai".
March 18, 2017
Anathema to vegetarians tho.
August 29, 2017
I'm veggie, and I always have plenty of barbecue options, not just soya burger and sausage alternatives, but vegetable kebabs, haloumi and paneer cheeses, and even watermelon is grillable.
April 21, 2018
since when has D'/di meant in? I thought it meant of.
September 3, 2017
fixed expression, gotta learn by heart
September 26, 2017
Are d'estate and d' estate (with a space between ' and e) both acceptable?
November 1, 2014
To my understanding, the correct spelling is without the space.
June 23, 2015
Why not "from summer we use the grill"?
March 22, 2015
I am not a native speaker, yet I get some useful information from the Internet. First, d' is usually the contracted from of di except in certain phrases like d'ora in poi (from now on), so d'estate has to be di estate. Next, as for the meaning from, di is in a spatial sense while da is in a temporal sense, so di estate cannot mean from the summer as summer is no way a place. Therefore, d'estate has to mean in the summer, and from the summer would be da estate.
January 25, 2017
I'm a native English speaker and that would imply that you would start using it in summer and then into autumn, winter and spring.
March 18, 2017
Barbecue is the correct English translation of "grill"
June 2, 2017
Can't we say "In summer, we grill"
Grill is also a verb in english
June 12, 2017
Yes, you are right. We can say, "I grill the steak", INSIDE THE HOUSE, if we put it inside the part of the cooker above the oven, called the grill. If we cook the meat like this outside IN THE GARDEN , we say "I barbecue the steak". HTH.
June 13, 2017
in tinycards la griglia is translated the grid. I know it is the grill, but pick one duoLingo!
August 11, 2017
You don't need to put "the" in front of summer in English. But DL wouldn't accept "in summer"
December 16, 2018
I answered l'estate and it was accepted however my girlfriend who is a native Italian speaker said that it is not correct and that it should be d'estate.
March 13, 2019
"In summer we use the grill " was wrong! DURING SUMMER apparently is better. Grrrr
October 4, 2017
How do these comments work?
January 13, 2018
Why. That'd just make us hotter.
April 6, 2017
Is estate pronounced e-tate?
March 5, 2015
In summer we are using the grill - I was marked wrong for this
September 6, 2015
February 20, 2014
Learn Italian in just 5 minutes a day. For free. |
Osteoporosis in Young Adults | NorthShore
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Healthy You
Preventing Osteoporosis as a Young Adult
Wednesday, July 25, 2018 9:02 AM
Growing up you may have been told to drink milk to build strong bones. You might have even broken a bone as a child or maybe you never did. Yet as you get older, you could be susceptible to breaks more frequently than when you were younger.
Starting prevention of osteoporosis early
A common disease that could cause these breaks to occur as you get older is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition where bones become weak so that a fall or mild stresses can cause fractures. This occurs when the creation of new bone does not keep up with the removal of the old bone. Osteoporosis is more common in men and women over the age of 50.
How can a young adult start prevention of osteoporosis? Divya Agrawal, MD,Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northshore, shares these tips:
Good nutrition is important to help keep your bones healthy. Eat foods which are good for bone health, like fruits and vegetables, protein and those that are good sources of calcium.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is vital to help prevention. Being over-or underweight can increase the chance of bone loss and fractures.
Vitamin D can help improve your body’s ability to absorb calcium. It helps build strong bones and keeps them healthy.
An active lifestyle will help your bones stay strong, especially if you are young. High-impact weight-bearing exercises like hiking, tennis, jogging, and stair climbing will help promote bone health.
Avoid smoking and limit alcohol to help protect your bones.
Talk to your physician on more ways to help prevent osteoporosis early. |
3Duxdesign - drawings/downloads 2017-11-20T22:19:00-05:00 3Duxdesign 2017-11-20T22:19:00-05:00 2017-11-20T22:29:08-05:00 Give your rocket some creatures Ayana Klein Here are some great creatures to use with your 3Dux/design Rocket ship.
1. color
2. cut out (with adult supervision)
3. glue to cardboard
4. use 3dux/design 3-pronged connectors to stand your characters up
Need more connectors?
space creatures to cut and color
]]> 2017-11-20T22:05:00-05:00 2017-11-21T19:59:25-05:00 Intro to Physics: Make Your Own Seaworthy STEAM Boat Ayana Klein Here's a fun activity that will blow you away. Our sailboat model is the perfect opportunity to learn about materials, buoyancy and wind power. Your task is to make your cardboard sailboat able to float and waterproof. Then, your task is to determine how to make your boat fast enough to win the race.
1. Build your boat. If your plan on doing lots of experimenting, you may want grab an old cardboard box and trace the pieces in your set onto the cardboard so you have an endless supply of parts. (don't worry, if you run out of cardboard, head over to the local grocery store, they will have plenty to spare).
Don't have the bot yet? No worries...
diy sailboat with cardboard and 3d printed connectors
2. Now that you've got your boat, think about what makes things float, what makes things waterproof. What materials around the house might make lock in the air in the cardboard and lock out water?
Good idea, give it a go...
3. Now try it out. If it works, try adding a sailor to your boat. Keep adding stuff to see how much weight it can hold before it sinks.
4. Now it's time to think about speed. For this part. you'll need
1. a body of water (long and shallow tray works well),
2. a fan (please use a battery operated fan. It is much safer)
3. string
4. tape
5. timer
6. an ADULT: Remember that water and electrical cords can be very dangerous so please use a battery operated fan. We want you to be as smart as Einstein but necessarily look like him
albert einstein
here's the setup: Make sure the fan is a safe distance away from the waterDIY sailboat race
Now you're ready for Race Day. Put your fan on. Place your boat at end of the water closest to the fan, and test how long it takes your boat to get to the other end of the container. Try the sail in different orientations and retest. What did you discover? This is a great opportunity to talk about wind power and how it works.
You can also try putting your sailor on the boat and discuss what that does to the speed of the boat and why.
Be sure to send us some photos or video. If we add it to the website, we'll send you a gift!
diy sailboat by 3dux/design to teach about buoyancy and wind power
]]> 2017-10-31T16:38:00-04:00 2018-07-06T17:29:15-04:00 Geometry 101: lesson plan for 4-6 year olds Ayana Klein More
Goal: children will construct a 3D house using cardboard and connectors. They will learn about angles and how to use a ruler in a practical, real-life situation.
Supplies needed
• 3Dux/design cardboard connectors - 90 , 60 and 120 degree angles for house construction and 3-way connectors for standup characters (all available in our assorted connector sets)
• Cardboard shapes for house and characters. For this, you will need to pre-cut rectangles for front, back walls and roof and a pentagon for the sidewalls. Print two copies of the sheet below, cut out shapes and use as template for cardboard. Then child can color the pages and glue to the cardboard
cardboard house template
Materials needed include-
• one set 3Dux/design conectors
• cardboard
• Crayons
• Ruler
mandala craft house with cardboard
The lesson
1 show children a model of the house and discuss the different geometric shapes used in this project
2. Disassemble the model showing the different connectors used to attach front, back, roof. Use a simple rectangle piece for a door
mandala house deconstructed
3 demonstrate how the 60, 90, and 120 degree angles make the door open different amounts,
4. Give names for acute, right, and obtuse angles
5. For added learning, discuss different relatives sizes of the house components. Then use ruler to measure the length of side walls and roof.
6. Have children measure the front, side walls and roof pieces
7. Have children color pieces and then construct their house
9. If time allows, let children color and cut out characters for their house or disassemble house and create other structures using the same pieces
cut out characters
the midcentury modern home
midcentury modern home architectural model
colored templates
mandate house roof mandala house sidewall craft template mandala house front and back
]]> 2017-10-11T08:48:00-04:00 2017-10-11T21:36:12-04:00 DIY 3dux/design animal and people characters Ayana Klein Have fun creating some characters for while awaiting your architecture set.\
diy animal character downloads
]]> 2017-10-05T21:30:00-04:00 2017-10-05T21:30:08-04:00 The DIY Halloween Candy organizer Ayana Klein We know that the best part of Halloween is coming home, spreading out your loot, and evaluating the situation. We've come up with a great way to inventory and organize your stash. Check this out.
]]> 2017-09-14T14:59:00-04:00 2019-01-01T20:41:39-05:00 the Mini Mandala House by Annie Marci Klein
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About the Refuge
Pee Dee Refuge includes 8,500 acres, and has a diverse landscape. The distinct habitats include bottomland hardwood forests, pine forests, mixed pine-hardwood forests, croplands, old fields, wetlands and open waters.
The refuge was established in 1963 as a migratory bird sanctuary, specifically to provide habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds.
In 1934 a local farmer and goose hunter named Lockhart Gaddy retired from hunting, and decided to establish a goose refuge on his private pond. That year, nine wild Canada geese wintered on the pond. The wintering flock steadily grew each year, and by 1954, over 10,000 James Bay Canada geese were wintering on his pond. “Gaddy’s Wild Goose Refuge” became a popular destination for people and geese. In 1952, visitors from 47 states and 11 foreign countries signed the guest log.
GaddypostcardX300 peedeesign-history-X300
The crowds of geese and people at Gaddy’s brought notoriety to Ansonville, NC. The town became a destination for waterfowl hunting and wildlife observation. In the 1960’s, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to acquire lands near Mr. Gaddy’s sanctuary. The initial goal was to expand protection of the James Bay Canada goose flock and other waterfowl in the area. Farmlands adjacent to Brown Creek and the Pee Dee River were purchased as part of the conservation effort. Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963, to provide habitat for wintering waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Unfortunately the James Bay Canada geese no longer flock here in large numbers. But several hundred of them might be seen in a good year. Overall, the refuge continues to be a great place for waterfowl, and over 10,000 ducks and geese winter here each year.
In addition to providing and managing waterfowl habitat, the refuge has other important objectives:
-Other migratory birds: It’s not just about waterfowl. The refuge strives to manage lands for the benefit of migratory shorebirds, wading birds, marsh birds and land birds. These activities include managing wetlands, forests, old fields and open waters to provide habitat for nearly 200 different migratory bird species.
-Rare, threatened and endangered species: The refuge’s diverse habitats provide habitat for several rare species, some of which are listed as threatened, of special concern, or regionally rare by the state of North Carolina. Some of these include the bald eagle, little blue heron and the robust redhorse sucker. Some federally endangered species, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker and Schweinitz’s sunflower, are known to exist near the refuge. Though not present on the refuge, suitable habitats for endangered species are managed according to the management guidelines of these species. Endangered wood storks also pass through the refuge on occasion, stopping over to feed and rest during their migration.
woodstork-hendricksonX300 woodstorks-hendricksonX300
-Native Wildlife: Non-migrants like the eastern fox squirrel, white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, snakes, bats, lizards, amphibians and native creek and river fishes are also important. The refuge is here for these species too. And refuge management plans and practices strive to protect their habitats to promote species diversity and healthy population levels.
-Public Use Opportunities: On a National Wildlife Refuge, the protection and management of wildlife and their habitats is always the top priority. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes the value and importance of getting people involved through recreational and learning opportunities. Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge has determined that carefully managed public use activities are compatible with our wildlife management goals and objectives. These opportunities include hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation.
owlprogram-hendricksonX300 fishing-hendricksonX300 |
What is IMF’s Fourteenth Quota Reform?
Quota with IMF is the central point of a member’s financial and organizational relationship with the IMF. Quota determines the amount of fund that a country has to give to the IMF, the voting share it can enjoy and the amount of loans it can take from the IMF. A country’s quota with IMF is largely determined by the relative economic weight (mainly GDP) of that country.
Quotas are denominated in Special Drawing Rights which is the reserve currency of the IMF. The largest member of the IMF is the United States, with a current quota (as of January 25, 2016, after 14th quota revision) of SDR 42.1 billion (about $58 billion), and the smallest member is Tuvalu, with a current quota of SDR 1.8 million (about $2.5 million).
Understandably, members’ economic weight changes after few years. To accommodate this changing situation, the IMF has also a provision to review quota of member countries. The IMF’s Board of Governors conducts general quota reviews at regular intervals (usually every five years). Any changes in quotas must be approved by an 85 percent majority of the total voting power, and a member’s quota cannot be changed without its consent.
The Fourteenth Quota Review
The latest quota reform was proposed in 2010 under the fourteenth quota revision, with drastic changes in quota allocation among members as well as a doubling of IMF’s quota. Since quota is subscriptions of members or fund to IMF, doubling of quota means doubling of financial resources for the IMF.
Similarly, an increased quota for a member indicates increased voting power and its role increases in the governance of the Fund. The emerging market countries like India were demanding a reallocation of quota so that the IMF reflects the increased economic weight of emerging market economies.
In this sense, the Fourteenth quota reform of the IMF was a historical one because it has restructured governance of the Fund by giving more weights to the developing countries.
Under the fourteenth quota reform IMF has made two sets of reforms. First was the quota reform and the second reform of the Executive Board.
Reform of the executive board: all elected executive board
An all elected board of executive is the main feature of the fourteenth quota reform with all 24 members are elected and no appointed members. Previously five members of the executive board were appointed by developed countries.
The Board Reform Amendment was part of a broader package of quota and governance reforms of the Fund.
Quota reform and the gain for emerging market economies
As a result of the 14th quota reform, a doubling of IMF quotas and a major shift in quota shares toward dynamic emerging market and developing countries has occurred. The share of emerging market economies increased at the expense of mostly European countries and Saudi Arabia.
The emerging market and developing economies have got 6% increase in quota. Lead gainer was China- a long term dissident of the IMF governance reforms. China has got 2.4% additional voting share which is almost equivalent of India’s present voting share. China is the third largest quota holder in the fund with 6.39% of the quotas just behind Japan (6.46%). For the first time four emerging market countries (Brazil, China, India, and Russia) will be among the 10 largest members of the IMF. Other top 10 members include the United States, Japan, and the four largest European countries (France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom).
India is seventh largest gainer of the quota revision with 0.31% increase in quota share and the total quota for India is 2.77% (eighth position) and 2.69% vote. Four emerging market economies including Russia and Brazil come into the top ten quota holding counties. There are four European powers as well in the top ten besides the US and Japan.
Total quota with the Fund that is used to give loans to the member countries will rise to SDR 476.8 billion from SDR 238.4 billion. The reforms altogether increased the financial strength of the IMF, by doubling its permanent capital resources to SDR 477 billion.
Executive board reform and acceptance
Quota reform and its acceptance
For the quota increases under the 14th General Review of Quotas to become effective, the entry into force of the proposed amendment to reform the Executive Board is required. Effectively, this means that 85% vote holding members should ratify the quota reforms.
The main hurdle for the implementation of the quota reform was objection from the US. With the US Congress ratifying the quota reforms, sufficient votes were obtained and the quota reforms were effective from Janualyr26, 2016. |
What is a skin abscess?
A skin abscess is a tender spot on the skin that is typically filled with pus, bacteria and other debris.
Skin abscesses can develop anywhere on the body but most frequently appear around the armpits, groin, anus and vagina.
A boil is a common skin abscess; it’s the result of a bacterial or fungal infection caused by an inflamed hair follicle.
Common related conditions
Staph Infection
Causes of a skin abscess
The most common cause of a skin abscesses or boil is from Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. When the bacteria enters the bloodstream (typically through a cut or scrape), it can cause an infection. When Staphylococcus aureus causes the abscess, it is called a staph infection.
Risk factors for a skin abscess
You are at higher risk of developing a skin abscess or boil if you have the following conditions:
• Compromised immune system
• Diabetes
• Eczema
If you touch or are in close contact with another person who has a skin abscess or boil, you may also develop a boil.
Symptoms of a skin abscess
Symptoms of a skin abscess includes:
• Presence of a red bump that is filled with white pus at the tip
• Pain around the affected site
• Fever
• Chills
Diagnosis of a skin abscess
Your primary care doctor can diagnose a skin abscess during a routine exam.
To determine what antibiotic to prescribe, your doctor may take a culture of the pus filling the abscess.
Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, so knowing what is causing the infection will help the doctor prescribe the most effective antibiotic for your case.
Treatment for a skin abscess
Small to moderate size abscesses can be treated at home with warm compresses. The heat from a warm compress helps the boil heal. Continue the warm compresses even after the abscess has ruptured.
The bacteria inside the abscess is extremely contagious. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and do not reuse any towels or clothes that have touched the bacteria.
If the skin abscess is more serious and does not heal with home therapy, it can be treated with antibiotics. In severe cases, the abscess also needs to be cut open and drained.
Find a primary care doctor nearby
Mercy Health locations that can treat you |
Generating rows and columns of statistics
MERLIN allows you to generate statistical data in rows or columns of a table from single or multi coded variables (svars or mvars) – or in rows only from numeric variables (ivars or wvars). Two different methods are available, which we shall refer to as automatic and manual generation methods. Here is a list of all the statistics that may be generated, and the formats which control them.
BST Base for statistics
SUM Sum of scored values
SSQ Sum of squares
AVG Average
SDV Standard deviation
SER Standard error
EVR Error variance
ILL Lowest score value
ILH Highest score value
MDE Mode
MED Median
ILEn Quantiles (automatic generation only)
When using numeric variables, the last five statistics above may only be produced in frequency tables (not statistics tables).
Automatic generation method (rows only)
Rows of statistics may be generated automatically from svars, mvars, ivars or wvars. In the case of svars and mvars, statistics will only be generated if score values are specified in the labels with label control <Vn>, e.g.
DS $Q3=$20/
1;’Very good<V2>’,
5;’Very bad<V-2>’,
If any such variable is used on the vertical axis of a table, one or more rows of statistics will automatically appear at the end of the table, depending on the format(s) set – so, if F=AVG/SDV/EVR, three rows of statistics will appear. By default, they will appear in the order of the above list, but this can be changed with the SELECT STAT ORDER statement.
Note that format ILE needs a numeric setting n between 2 (= median) and 10 (= deciles). This format will produce n-1 rows showing the quantile points, i.e. 1 row for a median up to 9 rows for deciles.
To globally change the row label associated with a statistic, you can re-define the relevant special text, e.g. %AVG – but to change it for a specific variable, it is easier to include a dummy item at the end of the variable, using label control <AA> to assign the label to AVG, or <A1> to assign it to the first statistic shown, e.g. for an svar or mvar:
D;’Product X average<AA>’,
… or, for an ivar or wvar with no other labels:
V=D;’Item A base for stats<A1>’,
Manual generation method (rows or columns)
Rows or columns of statistics may be generated from svars or mvars (providing the labels contain score values as above), by specifying the statistics as dummy items within the variable. This is done using label control <T=xxx> where xxx is the relevant format setting (ILE is not allowed).
Although it requires more typing, this method has several advantages:
• you can specify the position (and order) of the statistics (e.g. to show them before DK/NA)
• you can give each statistic your own label
• you can vary the number of decimal places with label control <Dn>
• the statistics will appear on whichever axis the variable is used
Here is an example:
DS $Q3=$20/
1;’Very good<V2>’,
5;’Very bad<V-2>’,
D;’Mean score<T=AVG>’,
Any questions? Email
Tabulating numeric data in statistics and frequency tables
MERLIN provides two ways of tabulating a numeric variable on the vertical axis of a table – known as statistics and frequency tables. Users are sometimes unclear about the difference between the two, so we will illustrate it using a variable called $NUMBER. This statement…
…produces a statistics table like this (the statistics shown depend on FORMAT settings)…
Often this type of table is joined onto the end of another table (maybe showing ranges of values) – or several statistics tables may be joined together to produce a statistical summary from different variables.
This statement…
T#2=$NUMBER(15) * $CLASS,
…produces a frequency table showing the frequency distribution of the values, as well as the statistics…
The syntax ‘(15)’ tells MERLIN to create a table with 15 rows (plus total, undefined, and the statistics rows) – in other words, we are allowing for up to 15 different values being found in the variable $NUMBER. This is an estimate, and our table shows that only 12 different values were found, so MERLIN automatically suppressed the unused rows.
You may be tempted to specify a high number like ‘(9999)’ but this is very inefficient since MERLIN will unnecessarily create a huge table – which is likely to slow the run down and (if there are many such tables), could cause limits to be exceeded. Since there are only 20 respondents in the sample, there cannot possibly be more than 20 different values, so you should specify 20 or less. If the number you specify is too low, MERLIN will report this and abort the run so you can increase it.
Format TNP
If your script contains many frequency tables, all containing the syntax ‘(100)’ for example, it is more efficient to use format TNP. If you set this to 100, it means that all table specifications from that point onwards which have a numeric variable on the vertical axis but no number in brackets, will generate frequency tables with up to 100 different values. If you want to use a different number (higher or lower), you can specify this in the usual way and it will take precedence over the TNP setting. If you want to produce a statistics table instead of a frequency table, you can specify ‘(0)’. For example…
F=TNP100, !allocate 100 rows from now on
T#1=$NUM1 *, !frequency table with 100 rows
T#2=$SVAR *, !not a numeric variable so TNP ignored
T#3=$NUM2 *, !frequency table with 100 rows
T#4=$NUM3(200) *, !frequency table with 200 rows
T#5=$NUM4(0) *, !statistics table
T#6=$NUM5 *, !frequency table with 100 rows
Statistics requiring frequency distribution
The following statistics can only be produced in frequency tables, since the calculation requires a full frequency distribution:
ILE quantiles
ILH highest value
ILL lowest value
MDE mode
MED median
If you do not wish to show the frequency distribution, you can suppress it by setting format DIS false, e.g.
T#7(F=MED/NDIS)=$NUM6(150)*, !frequency table with median but no distribution rows
Character tables
Finally, although not strictly part of our topic, we will mention that the tabulation of character data (e.g. postcodes) works in a similar way to numeric data. You can either show summary rows only (answered, not answered, undefined) – or you can show the full distribution by specifying ‘(n)’ after the character variable. Format TNP may be used as for numeric data.
Any questions? Email
Significance testing
MERLIN can perform many statistical tests, but the one we get asked about most is how to flag significant differences between cells in the same row with letters – something like this…
The letter highlighted in yellow denotes that the percentage above it is significantly greater than the percentage in column B of the same row at the 99% level – and the letter highlighted in green denotes that the mean score above it is significantly greater than the mean score in column G of the same row at the 95% level.
In the table above, we have set formats TTS3/SHG1, but this article describes many variations allowed.
Which values are to be tested?
This is determined by format TTS, which can be set as follows:
TTS0 = no tests
TTS1 = test mean scores only (using a t-test)
TTS2 = test column percentages only (using a z-test)
TTS3 = test both
Which columns are to be tested against which?
This is determined by format SHG:
SHG-2 = test each column against the remainder (i.e. total column minus current column)
SHG-1 = test each column against the total column
SHG0 = test all columns against each other (the default setting)
SHG1 = test within each 1st level header group, i.e. REGION, AGE, GENDER
SHG2 = test within each 2nd level header group (known in MERLIN as ‘overheaders’)
SHG3 = test within each 3rd level header group (known in MERLIN as ‘superheaders’)
Note that SHG-1 is a special case that should not be used unless the data has been changed with MANIP.
In the table above, we have used SHG1 – as indicated by the footnote which is generated automatically (although its appearance and position can be varied with special text %SHG and formats CGI, CGS and PSF).
Clients sometimes wish to test columns within header groups (SHG1) and against total minus each column (SHG-2) on the same table – and this can be achieved using formats TTS3/SHG1/SGX3. SGX does the same test as TTS3/SHG-2, but flags cells with one or two asterisks (depending on the significance level) instead of letters, and making it easy to distinguish between the two tests. By default, the asterisks are shown in the same cell as the values but format FBC allows you to move them below, and format SMS allows you to show + or – instead of *. Special text %SGX allows you to add text to the footnote.
Finally, you can specify your own pattern of testing with the SELECT SHG statement, e.g. SELECT SHG (1.4) (2.5) (3.6), means test column 1 against 4, 2 against 5, and 3 against 6.
Which levels of testing are to be used?
MERLIN allows testing at two significance levels, determined by formats SLA and SLB. By default these are set to 95 and 99 respectively but can be given any values between 60 – 99.99999, with up to 5 decimal places. If SLA and SLB have the same value, only one level of testing will be done.
Which flag characters are to be used?
By default, the columns on each page will be lettered from A-Z (lower case for SLA level and UPPER case for SLB level). This means that you cannot test more than 26 columns, which can be a problem when outputting tables to Excel with no ‘page breaks’ in the banners – but there are two ways around this. First, format TTL may be set to:
TTL0 = assign letters across all columns (the default setting)
TTL1 = re-start lettering on each test group, as determined by format SHG. So, if F=SHG1, the lettering will re-start on the 1st column within each header group
TTL2 = same as TTL1, but omitting the first column in each test group (typically used when this contains a sub-total). So, if F=SHG2, the lettering will re-start on the 2nd column within each overheader group.
Second, you may re-define and/or extend the string of characters used, in special texts %FCA and %FCB, e.g.
%FCA = ‘abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzàáâãäåæçèéêëìíîïðñòóôõöøùúûüýþÿ’,
If you are only testing at one level, you could redefine %FCA to include both upper and lower case letters, allowing a large number of columns to be tested against each other.
Finally, you can assign flag characters manually using label control <T=SMAx/SMBy>, and this method allows you to exclude columns from testing by not assigning any characters to them.
The table below was produced using formats TTS3/SHG1/SGX3/FBC/SLB95/TTL1.
What else?
Here are some other significance tests that can be done in MERLIN, using the formats shown:
CHI chi-square test
CHS single sample chi-square test
DEP dependent t-test
KST Kolmogorov-Smirnov test
LSD least significant difference
MWW Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test
TTF f-test
Any questions? Email
The MERLIN Technical blog
We have introduced a MERLIN Technical category on our BLOG page – primarily written for MERLIN users, and intended to inform or remind them about MERLIN features. Because MERLIN is such a comprehensive survey processing language, even experienced users are often unaware of everything it can do.
The MERLIN Technical blog is also available to non-users, as prospective purchasers of MERLIN may find it a useful guide to some of MERLIN’s many features.
Any questions? Email
Using Excel and CSV data in MERLIN
When computers were first used to analyse market research data the most common means of storing data was column binary (card image) format but, with the advent of telephone and web interviewing packages, ASCII data became the favourite. Now, however, more and more data are stored in Excel or CSV files – and there are numerous advantages to this approach including:
• Easy to view, edit, sort, etc in Excel.
• Data fields may be referenced by names in the header row rather than absolute locations. So if Q3 is in the 11th column of one data file, but the 13th column of another, this doesn’t matter so long as you refer to it by the name Q3.
• Variable names can be inferred from the header row names, or vice versa.
• More efficient storage (no empty spaces in the data file).
MERLIN can read and write data in Excel or CSV files, and the principles described below apply to both. We refer to data fields / cells in such files as freefields (free format fields) to distinguish them from fixed location fields in ASCII and column binary files, which we have traditionally called fields.
Assuming that the first row in each data file is a header containing the names of the variables (which is nearly always the case) you will need to specify one of these RCPs (Run Control Parameters):
• IGHEAD means the header row is to be ignored
• USEHEAD means the header row is to be used, and enables you to refer to freefields by these names, rather than absolute locations.
The RECORD LENGTH statement needs to specify the number of freefields in your data file(s), rather than the number of characters, e.g. RECORD LENGTH 57 FIELDS. There could, in fact, be more freefields, but this would mean you are only analysing the first 57.
To refer to a freefield, you can use one of three approaches (which can be mixed freely within the same script). In all cases, the reference starts with $* (as opposed to $ on its own, used to refer to ASCII and column binary data locations):
• By number, e.g. $*10 means the 10th freefield in the data record.
• By letter (as used in Excel), e.g. $*AC means freefield AC, i.e. the 29th
• By name, e.g. $*’Q25′, e.g. the freefield that has the name Q25 in the header row of the current data file. Freefield names are not case sensitive, so you could type $*’Q25′ or $*’q25′. If the freefield name is the same as the variable name, you can omit it in a definition, e.g. DS $Q25=$*/1-5 means define a single-coded variable called Q25 from the freefield of the same name (with a value range of 1-5). Names may only be used (or implied) if you have specified RCP USEHEAD.
The last approach is the most flexible, since Q25 could be in any location, and its position may vary from file to file (which is often the case when you are analysing different waves of the same survey together).
Another advantage of Excel or CSV files is that multi-coded variables can be stored in a single freefield, as opposed to the traditional approach of entering code 0 or 1 in a series of locations (known as a ‘bitstring’). The bitstring approach may still be used with freefield data but the former is easier to work with, and more flexible if the number of valid codes changes. A single freefield could therefore contain “1,7,10” to signify these 3 values (the quotation marks are optional in Excel, but compulsory in a CSV file). To indicate that a freefield may contain more than one value, an extra asterisk must be added after the freefield reference, e.g.
• DM $Q30=$*15*/1-20, means freefield 15 may contain 1 or more values between 1-20
• DM $Q30=$*’Q30’*/1-20, freefield named Q30 ditto
• DM $Q30=$**/1-20, ditto omitting freefield name (same as the variable name)
If your data file is not in Excel or CSV format, you can use MERLIN Toolkit to convert it, e.g. you can import from SPSS, and you can automatically generate a MERLIN script defining the variables.
Any questions? Email
MERLIN 10 released!
Merlin 10
MERLIN 10 has been released, and many of our clients are already enjoying the benefits of new features and increased capacity. If you would like to try it, request a FREE TRIAL at the foot of this page.
MERLIN ‘far better’
We have just received this emailed comment from a client who started using MERLIN this year, after previously using STATA and SPSS…
“MERLIN has been a fantastic addition to our data processing toolset, far better than what I was using previously.”
Merlinco software was mentioned a number of times during the ASC one-day conference on Automation, attended by Merlinco directors John Tebboth and Keith Hughes, as well as a number of our clients. The ability to import from, and export to, the Triple-S standard makes it easy to incorporate MERLIN runs into a series of streamlined tasks, as emphasised in the papers by James Eldridge and Steve Taylor.
MERLIN processes 130 million data records
Following an enquiry as to whether MERLIN could process 120 million data records, we mentioned this to a client who decided to try 130 million!
He constructed a dummy ASCII data file 1.6Gb in size, containing a serial number and two variables, then wrote a MERLIN set-up to generate 4 tables from it. The job ran without any problems, and took just 2 hours 5 minutes. We would be interested to know if anyone ever analyses more data records! |
Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) Tears
What is a TFCC tear?
A TFCC tear is an injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex, soft tissues in the wrist that cushion and support the carpal bones and help stabilize the forearm. Injuries range from mild to severe, but all can disable the wrist.
What causes a TFCC tear?
There are two types of TFCC tears: traumatic and degenerative. Traumatic tears typically result from falling on an outstretched hand, excessive arm rotation or a blow to the wrist. Athletes are at risk, especially those who use a racquet, bat or club or put pressure on the wrists.
Degenerative tears occur over time and with age as the cartilage wears down. Repetitive pronation and gripping can accelerate this condition. Tears can occur with minimal force or trauma.
A congenital condition called ulnar variance, in which the ulna is longer than the radius (the bones that make up the forearm), may predispose some people to a TFCC injury.
What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of a TFCC tear include pain at the base of the wrist that worsens with movement, swelling, tenderness, loss of grip strength and a clicking sound in the wrist. In some cases, it may be difficult or impossible to rotate your forearm.
How is a TFCC tear diagnosed?
In addition to a patient history and physical exam, your doctor may order an X-ray or MRI to determine the severity of your injury and rule out other conditions, such as a fracture.
What is the treatment?
Mild to moderate TFCC tears respond well to non-surgical treatment, including rest, anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroid injections and physical therapy. Patients often wear a splint or cast for several weeks to aid healing.
Severe tears, or those that fail to respond to conservative measures, may require surgery. Options include:
• Arthroscopy. In this minimally invasive procedure, the surgeon makes several small incisions around the wrist joint and inserts a miniature camera (called an arthroscope) to examine the ligaments and assess the impairment. Tiny instruments are used to clean the torn edges and remove damaged tissue (called a debridement), or repair the injury. If ulnar variance is present, the surgeon may cut the ulnar bone down to an appropriate length. Arthroscopy allows a full view of the wrist without having to cut through nerves or muscles. Patients experience less pain and blood loss, fewer complications and a faster recovery.
• Open surgery. If the TFCC tear is severe or involves multiple injuries, the surgeon may need to repair it with metal pins, screws or other fixation devices. This more extensive surgery requires an open incision. Open surgery may also be necessary to shorten the ulna.
Following either type of surgery, patients spend several weeks in a cast or splint. Rehabilitation with a Certified Hand Therapist is recommended to strengthen and stabilize the muscles around the wrist joint, and improve hand dexterity. Specific recovery time varies based on the severity of your injury and your overall health.
Educational Videos |
If your child is struggling with the concept, or has subtraction homework, you'll find lots of subtraction worksheets in this section to help you explain subtraction and reinforce learning at home of each of the subtraction skills, from couning back in hops and subtraction with a number line, to two-digit subtraction and three-digit subtraction, horizontal subtraction and decimal subtraction.
Jump strategy
What is subtraction on a number line?
Also known as the jump strategy or complementary addition, subtraction on a number line is a common technique in KS1 and KS2 maths, useful for helping children visualise that subtraction is finding the difference between two numbers. Teacher Alice Hart explains the method and how it's taught in primary school maths.
Teachers' tricks for subtraction
Help your child become subtraction savvy with our teachers' tips on methods, practical resources, vocabulary and more. From subtraction songs and subtraction story problems to column subtraction, Phoebe Doyle offers some practical homework help for 'taking away'.
What is 'the difference between'?
What is 'the difference between'?
We explain what teachers mean when they talk about finding 'the difference between' and give examples of how children are taught to work out the answers to subtraction problems.
One more, one less crossword
One more, one less crossword
Can you fill in the crossword by writing the answers to the clues as number words?
Adding and subtracting multiples of 100 worksheet
Adding and subtracting multiples of 100
Practise adding these multiples of a hundred. To help you, remember: 1. Start with the bigger number first when adding. 2. Imagine the numbers don’t have zeros on them. 3. Use the number line for the number sentences in the right hand column.
Adding and subtracting negative numbers worksheet
Adding and subtracting negative numbers
To add and subtract negative numbers, it’s helpful to use a number line. See if you can complete these sums using the number lines.
Addition and subtraction game
Addition and subtraction game
Operations puzzles
Operations puzzles
It's Operation Zook! Choose your favourite BAMZOOKi Zook and complete these operations puzzles.
Also see:
Teach your child subtraction
Teach your child subtraction is an eBook and home-teaching kit which will help you understand exactly what subtraction skills your child is expected to have mastered in each year of the primary school curriculum.
Teach your child subtraction is a downloadable, printable eBook, available for £4.99.
KS1 Maths Puzzles
Key Stage 1 Maths Puzzles
Written by a KS1 maths teacher to reinforce Y1 and Y2 maths skills, our magical learning pack will offer fun challenges galore, as well as plenty of targeted learning opportunities. A great pack for holidays or to complete in preparation for KS1 SATs, the puzzles and games make revision fun and can be completed by the whole family. Enjoy!
Subtraction sign
The Parents' Guide to Subtraction
Number lines, the counting on method and 'borrowing' numbers are all covered in our guide to subtraction, a complete overview of what your child will be taught about 'taking away' numbers at school
Maths Homework Helper
Maths Homework Helper
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Crop Farmer | Youth Central
Russell, wheat and sheep farmer
What does a crop farmer do?
Russell sums up farming succinctly: "A lot of it is governed by weather."
When the rains come, Russell can start sowing wheat and barley on his property near Swan Hill. Afterwards, he'll spray weedicide, and do maintenance on fences and machinery. He also runs sheep, which need shearing, feeding in dry times, and marking - taking the lambs' tails off with rubber rings, castrating the males, and inserting ear tags.
"Then I'll get shearers in to crutch them - this involves removing some wool from around their tail so they don't get flyblown." He also checks that the stock have enough water, and if their condition drops, he'll have to make tough decisions about whether to sell them - part of the job's responsibilities.
How did you become a crop farmer?
He grew up on the land: his father was a soldier settler in 1919, and his grandfather owned country near Kyneton. They started them young when Russell was a kid. "I've been at it now for 43 years as an occupation, but I was doing it well before then, you can guarantee that."
He remembers working farm machinery early on - "We could go out and start the tractor and away you go" - and says fewer young people nowadays learn about farming first-hand. But he points out that machinery is a lot more complex now - for example, using GPS for self-steering of tractors - and people are more aware of safety issues.
Are there any tips for getting a job as a crop farmer?
If you weren't born to farming, Russell credits agricultural college courses with turning out decent farmers, and there are farm management advisors who can provide support. He likens this to using a doctor for regular check-ups.
"With farming you employ a farm consultant, so you go and see them or ring them up [regularly] and tell them about your financial position." They also help you deal with the bad times.
What are some of the pros and cons of the job?
Russell inherited financial caution from his parents, and it has served him well. "We nearly had a good crop last year, but two or three days of very hot weather knocked probably half our yield off. If it's not extreme heat it could be rain or hail - a lot of it could have an impact as to what your final yield is."
His grain profits also depend on world prices and how the Australian dollar compares to the American dollar, which are all governed by weather elsewhere, plus diseases, wars and transport issues. "You can't plan for those ups and downs. To a large extent you're a price taker."
But Russell finds farming satisfying, with a measure of control you don't get in the city. He slaughters his own sheep, for example. "It's all prepared for you [in the city], but I can go out and say, 'Well, that's a nice one, I'll put him on the hook.' You've got the choice and you know if you're producing good meat or not."
He's also very aware of his responsibilities as a landowner. "You've got to be conscious of the environment that you live in." He grows trees for revegetation as a hobby, "but you could actually classify it as part of farming."
What sort of skills and qualities do you need?
Russell's three children help out on the farm, and will eventually return from the city when the farm can support them. His sons have mechanical skills, which are useful. "The more [skills] you've got, the better off you are: electronics, computers, mechanical, accountancy, animal health - you name it, you've got to have it."
Having "a strong constitution" also helps, since you're out in all weathers, often for 10 or more hours a day by yourself, seven days a week. But Russell is never bored: "You're always planning in your head, looking forward to your next job."
Find out more about a career in farming
Visit the MyFuture website to find more about duties and tasks, work conditions, earnings and required qualifications for a career in farming.
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Communication system book for ies,mental health first aid course newcastle,ford edge hybrid 2011 price shoes,minecraft vanilla survival servers 1.7.3 - Try Out
Digital communication involves transmission of messages using finite alphabet (finite symbols) during finite time interval (finite symbol interval). Bandwidth, a limited and valuable resource, is the difference between the highest and the lowest frequency allocated for transmitting a message in any communication system.
Obviously data has to be sent over long distance through any media used for the communication system. The inverse square law of distance works every nook and corner of the world to increasingly attenuate the signal’s intensity over the distance and eventually kills the signal completely.
This implies that the energy of the signal can be increased by increasing the frequency of transmission. 59th National School Games Yogasan Tournament 2013-14 held at Sports Complex, Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Book published by Collector - Ahmedabad and Director General Sports Authority of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Static and Interactive brochures for industries ranging from Construction, Jewellry, Textile, Chemical plants and many more. Creating distinctive things from symbols to ornamental patterns, making it an intangible asset for our customers. Memorable moments capturing in theme and creating with metal, acrylic, wood, fiber and glass material. Spectrum analyzers and signal analyzers display raw, unprocessed signal information such as voltage, power, period, wave shape, sidebands, and frequency. RF noise figure meters measure the noise contribution of an amplifier relative to a noise-free amplifier at a reference temperature. RF receivers are electronic devices that enable a particular radio signal to be separated from all others being received and converted into a format for video, voice, or data. Noise analysis of microwave circuits and systems has been a research issue for many decades. In Chapter 5, the analysis of gain and saturation characteristics of semiconductor laser amplifiers (SLAs) were discussed.
Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Please note that this page is currently in develoment and therefore many of the links may not work or lead to incomplete pages. A Communication Book or Board is defined as a no-tech AAC system that permits expressive communication by pointing or looking (or otherwise selecting) at a printed word, symbol, or picture. Click on the image (left) to move to read more about the arrangement of vocabulary or to download the Sure Start Sheet paper. We are all used to seeing pages set out using different 'typefaces' in newspapers and magazines and books. Some people will prefer the use of text alone, others will need a symbol accompaniment.It is generally considered good practice to have a text label accompanying a symbol. Back in 1929, Edith Fitzgerald wrote a book entitled 'Straight Language For Deaf' which, as its name implies, is a manual on a method for teaching language and grammar to those people who have little or no hearing.
Click on the image (left) to move to read the sounds section of this page or to download the Sure Start Sheet paper.
Function keys are system command keys: such things as 'Clear the display', 'Speak the display', and 'Turn up the volume', etc are all functions. Click on the image (left) to move to read the working with language and languages section of this page or to download the Sure Start Sheet paper. Click on the image (left) to move to move to the Download page for the Sure Start Sheets.
For example in GSM technology the typical bandwidth allocated for a single user is 200 KHz. For example mobile phones are operated in a very noisy environment in which the noise sources may be interference from other mobile user, ignition noise, thermal noise, multipath interference and other man made noises. The media may be a simple twisted pair copper wire used in telephone network, or the air media in the case of a mobile or satellite communication system.
Equivalently the frequency of the data has to be shifted from lower frequency region to higher frequency region.
70 years of Ghanshaym Maharaj at Shri Swaminaryan Mandir, Maninagar celebrated as "Amrut Mahotsav".
We will bring you details about our projects, what we do, how we do it and most importantly, customer satisfaction. The extent to which noise affects the performance of communication systems is measured by the output signal-to-noise power ratio or the probability of error. IndustryPack is a registered trademark of GreenSpring computers and a specification maintained by the VITA standards organization (VSO) of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). This page provides an explanation of each of these types and lists some of the advantages and disadvantages of their use. A typeface is a set of one or more fonts, in one or more sizes, designed with stylistic unity, each comprising a coordinated set of glyphs.
While not all symbol users will become literate, repeated exposure to the word with the symbol may eventually lead to sight recognition. Although Edith divides sentences up into parts of speech, and has a key system for doing this, at no point in the book does she talk about a colour encoding system (Fitzgerald's original key was based on a set of six symbols with each standing for a particular part of speech). Different AAC systems have a slightly different set of functions and they may operate in diferent ways.It is possible to add function keys to the pages of most AAC systems. More bandwidth provides space to transmit more data as well as more transmission rate (measured in bits per second – “bps”). Channel coding is a technique to make the transmitted data robust to such noises, meaning that you can still recover your data (using a Channel Decoder) intact even if it is corrupted by certain amount of noise.
In the physical world, it is not possible to send a signal (carrying data) over infinite distance.
Now the challenge is to increase the energy of the signal so that it can travel the intended long distance.
In this chapter, we review the effect of noise on the performance of analog communication systems. However, with the arrival of the V-Pen system, communication books and boards now can actually speak!This page leads to several other pages on this web site. Thinking a little harder about communication displays Augmentative Communication News, 6:1.
Click on the image (left) to move to read more about the types of Communication Books and boards or to download the Sure Start Sheet paper. However, such a colour encoding system has been attributed to her and it has become known as the Fitzgerald Colour (colour) coding system. The drawback, especially on pages with a small number of cells, is that the functions take the place in cells that could otherwise be used for language. According to the inverse square law of distance the intensity of the transmitted signal is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Demodulation is the reverse technique which restores the original frequency contents of a message. The signal-to-noise ratio is used to measure the performance of analog communication systems. The communication success of the augmentative communicator will be determined, in part, by this vocabulary.
This is so that when Learners or others point to a symbol their hand does not obscure the text.
It is a means to classify different parts of speech and to make them easily distinguishable from one another. In the following analysis, we will be mainly concerned with the additive noise that accompanies the signal at the input to the receiver. Some of the sections below relate specifically to the Voice Symbol program: if you are not working with this program, these sections may be skipped. This is achieved by compressing the data at the transmitting end and decompressing it at the receiving end. If you believe there are sections missing or something is not quite right, then please contact me using the contact sheet at the bottom of this page. Since the receiver is linear, the receiver output Y o( t) can be written as where X o( t) and n o( t) are the signal and noise components at the receiver output, respectively.
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Leshan Giant Buddha
The Giant Buddha of Leshan is carved on Lingyun Hill, east of Leshan City, Sichuan Province, at the confluence of three rivers, namely, Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River which is not far away from Mount Emei. The statue depicts a seated Maitreya Buddha with his hands resting on his knees.
<< Leshan Giant Buddha
The statue makes itself the most renowned scenic spot in Leshan City. In December, 1996, the location of the Buddha was included by UNESCO on the list of the World Heritage sites. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, Leshan Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story.
Construction began in 713 AD in the Tang Dynasty, led by a Chinese monk named Haitong. Completed in the year 803, the statue took people more than 90 years to carve.
Concerned for the safety of the long-suffering people who earned their living around the confluence of the three rivers, Haitong hoped that the Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that plagued the shipping vessels travelling down the river. Tempestuous waters ensured that boat accidents were numerous and the simple people put the disaster down to the presence of a water spirit.
Apparently the massive construction resulted in so much stone being removed from the cliff face and deposited into the river below that the currents were indeed altered by the statue, making the waters safe for passing ships.
When funding for the project was threatened, Haitong was said to have gouged out his own eyes to show his piety and sincerity. The project was half done when Hai Tong passed away, and two of his disciples continued the work. Construction was completed by his disciples ninety years later.
What to see
The solemn Buddha is 71 meters high and its head itself is 14.7 meters high. Its ear is 6.2 meters long, eye 3.3 meters wide, and shoulder 34 meters wide. Its head is covered with 1,021 chignons. Its middle finger is 8.3 meters long, and each of the feet are 11 meters long and 8.5 meters wide, large enough to accommodate more than 100 people sitting on it. The huge figure sits with his hands resting on his knees, his head reaching the hilltop and his feet the river, occupying the entire hillside.
There is a local saying: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is a mountain". This is partially because the mountain range in which the Leshan Giant Buddha is located is thought to be shaped like a slumbering Buddha when seen from the river, with the Leshan Giant Buddha as its heart.
By Railway
To get to Leshan by train, get off at Emei station. This station is 10 kilometers (about six miles) away from the gate of Mt. Emei, and 31 kilometers (about 19 miles) away from Leshan City.
By Road
It is 162 kilometers (about 100 miles) from Chengdu City to Leshan City if one travels by the expressway. Emei City and Leshan City, with a distance of 31kilometers (about 19 miles) are connected by a freeway, and there is a regular bus every ten minutes. Besides, there are buses to Chongqing City, Neijiang City, Zigong City, Yibin City and Ya'an City from Leshan City. Buses to nearby counties are also available.
By Water
There are very many ferries to the site of Leshan Giant Buddha every day. Ferries to Yibin City, Luzhou City and Chongqing City are available at Leshan Port.
By Air
Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) is 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) away from Leshan City by freeway. Many train and air ticket offices are set up in the city.
CNY 70 (Excluding CNY 50 for a boat trip).
9:00am to 4:50pm.
About one day.
Leshan Giant Buddha Management Committee
Tel: 86-833-2302131 |
martes, 24 de julio de 2018
ELECTROLYTE-TABLETA | An Example Of An Electrolyte Is | Sqwincher Sqweeze Electrolyte Popsicles
How do you lose Electrolytes?
Because electrolytes are dissolved in body liquids, whenever you're losing essential fluids you're losing electrolytes. Typically the major electrolyte loses, specifically sodium electrolytes, occur when your sweat rate boosts:
Lacks and electrolyte imbalance are both symptoms associated with stomach bugs. Diarrhoea and vomiting lead to large fluid and electrolyte deficits, that if left without treatment, can lead to symptoms of severe dehydration and require medical attention. Following a heavy night your electrolyte balance will also need to be corrected.
A lot of men and women tend feel that dehydration can be corrected by ingesting lots of water. Could effective in replacing lost fluids, without replenishing lost electrolytes when you're dried out your body is unable to soak up any water you drink. Not only does this prevent rehydration, but by only taking on extra fluids the electrolyte balance becomes further diluted. The particular sodium, potassium, and chloride ions that contribute to electrolyte balance need to be replaced as well as fluids.
Electrolyte tablets are the most effective way to maintain your hydration levels by exchanging both fluids and electrolytes. O. R. S Water balance Tablets contain a precise blend Electrolyte Stamina Power Pak | Electrolyte Energy Drink | Salt Electrolyte | Licl Electrolyte | Whole Foods Electrolyte Powder | Which 0.1 M Solution Contains An Electrolyte | Is Hf A Strong Electrolyte | Is Licl An Electrolyte | What Is An Electrolyte Solution | Electrolyte Depletion | of salts, mineral deposits, and glucose to bring back electrolyte balance. The sugar aids the absorption of sodium through the walls of the intestine, repairing the electrolyte balance in the blood circulating the body and allows the entire body to rehydrate by moving water to where it's needed the most.
hydration tablet formula
Salts, minerals and glucose
Increased electrolytes
Electrolytes tablet provide a complete method of replenishing fluids and are far more convenient for sports athletes that are undergoing lots of physical stress. If the body is losing water at a rapid rate, then you'll need to drink a lot of water to counter this. The problem is that water stimulates a high urine flow, so your body is going to lose water from sweating, and lose it from proceeding to the toilet tons. The result is that your body is not rehydrated efficiently. By taking an electrolyte tablet, you eliminate this problem and you don't have to drink all the normal water to rehydrate.
Using electrolyte tablets also avoids consuming sports drinks containing high levels of sugar. Every time a drink contains far more sugar than salt, none are absorbed effectively and causes a build-up of fluid Complete This Equation For The Dissociation Of The Electrolyte Nacl(aq) in the intestines not an increase in your hydration levels.
Sports athletes And Electrolyte Tablets
Elite-level athletes are the ones that gain the most from electrolyte pills. They're constantly putting themselves in situations where themselves temperature is high. This particular results in excessive sweating and a high-risk of lacks. Many top athletes use O. R. S Water balance Tablets to rehydrate by themselves moving around, ensuring their physiques are never in a state of electrolyte discrepancy.
Children And Electrolyte Dietary supplements
Children can benefit from taking electrolytes
Children can also benefit from electrolyte tablets. Typically, children get dehydrated easily. This is because they may have boundless energy, and sweat quite a lot are not as aware of staying hydrated as older people are. So, providing children these tablets can be considered a great way to ensure they stay hydrated..
Staying Hydrated In Warm Climates
Hot climate causes loss of electrolytes from sweat
People in hot climates are constantly at risk of dehydration. When you've ever stayed out there in the sun, then you'll probably have felt exhausted. Often, this is because the heat has caused you to dehydrate. Your body has lost so much normal water during the day, Nacl Electrolyte Or Nonelectrolyte | What Makes A Strong Electrolyte | Definition Of An Electrolyte | Non Electrolyte Solution | A Hormone That Regulates Electrolyte Excretion Is | Polymer Electrolyte | Electrolyte Examples | Icd 10 Electrolyte Imbalance | Electrolyte Energy Drink | Is Hbr An Electrolyte | and you have a lack of essential minerals. All of this can be avoided for some O. R. T Hydration Tablets during the day.
Sickness And Hydration Drinks
While you are sick you lose water. Hydration pills help you to maintain your hydration levels
Anybody that's sick will lose a lot of drinking water. It's common for your body heat to rise due to a fever. By taking an electrolyte tablet, you can help keep yourself hydrated during your disease. This can help you recover from your illness, and keep dehydration at bay. Electrolyte tablets are the best way for those to moisturizer themselves. They may have numerous benefits over only drinking water or sports drinks. The particular science behind ORS pills will guarantee they're effective. To boost this, they may lead to the side effects. They're medically safe, and ideal for anyone to use.
For more information click our FAQs page.
Is Sodium Hydroxide An Electrolyte
a vitamin-fortified, electrolyte-rich sports drink.
CamelBak Pocima
It's hard to go wrong with any of these offerings. Inside use, all are fairly similar. ZYM and CamelBak are stronger-tasting. As noted, ZYM Catapult's caffeine gives a noticeable boost. (CamelBak also offers tablets with caffeinated drinks. )
Overall, I was a devotee to the category of effervescent electrolyte tablets. The small tabs make getting sodium, potassium, magnesium and other performance enhancers into your system as easy as plunking a tablet in water. A final bonus: The sugar-free tablets do not crud up a water bottle or hydration reservoir like sugary supplements can. In comparison to the traditional option of mixing sports powder in water, ZYM, CamelBak, and nuun all provide a superior solution.
Original "Nuun Active" Electrolyte Tablets
Regarding a decade or so, runners and cyclists have enjoyed the advantages of adding Nuun Active electrolyte tablets to their water while exercising. Drop one into 16 oz. of drinking water, and you get a pleasantly fizzy, lightly flavored drink that helps rejuvenate electrolytes you sweat out there. People who often experience leg cramps have also noted good results from drinking the stuff. In any case, from the nice alternate to Gatorade, et al.
In early Icd 10 Electrolyte Imbalance | Risk For Electrolyte Imbalance Nursing Care Plan | What Is The Difference Between An Electrolyte And A Nonelectrolyte | Natural Electrolyte Powder | Is Ammonia A Strong Electrolyte | Low Carb Electrolyte Drink | Electrolyte Imbalance In Dogs | Ethanol Electrolyte Or Nonelectrolyte | Electrolyte Labs | Is A Soluble Ionic Compound An Electrolyte | 2016, Nuun (pronounced "noon") released a new, reformulated version of their Active tablets, but it hasn't gone over well with die-hard fans of the original formula, especially for those who dislike plant-based sweeteners such as stevia draw out.
Your own mileage can vary of course, but when it comes down to it, I had created recommend picking up a box of the old stuff while they still offer it. It comes with four 12-tablet tubes, with the respective tastes of lemon lime, tri-berry, citrus fruit, and lemon.
ZYM electrolyte capsules
ZYM is one of three similar drop-and-dissolve options for exercisers and outdoors types. The particular originator of the group, nuun & co. of Seattle, as well as hydration-products behemoth CamelBak Incorporation., offer essentially the same thing.
The products from all three companies come packaged in small plastic material tubes with 10 to 12 tablets inside. Rates vary from about $6. 55 (nuun) to $10 (CamelBak). In the last four years, I actually have used these products extensively, and each one is good. The variations come in the flavors each company offers as well as the amount and type of vitamins, electrolytes, caffeinated drinks or other constitutes additional into the fizzing What Is Battery Electrolyte | Electrolyte Rich Drinks | Is Electrolyte Water Good For You | Sugar Free Electrolyte Drink | Delish Electrolyte Water | A Weak Electrolyte Exists Predominantly As ________ In Solution. | Formic Acid Electrolyte | Table Sugar Electrolyte | Which Electrolyte Stimulates Muscle Cells To Contract? | Sulfuric Acid Strong Or Weak Electrolyte | blend.
In 2004, nuun & co. changed the group of sports drinks by introducing the original fizzing tablet. It took sugar away of the sports-drink equation and created a "fast-acting, optimally-balanced electrolyte hydration drink in a tab, " as the company puts it.
All athletes will experience some level of electrolyte loss and lacks. The extent of this loss is determined by the kind of physical activity, but more importantly the speed of sweat. The particular average football player sweating anywhere between 1 . 3% - 4% of body weight each game, to represent a high loss of electrolytes.
Like how your body triggers a temperature controlling sweat reaction during exercise, travelling in hot humid climates will make you sweat and lead to electrolyte disproportion as your body tries to cool down. Cottage dehydration on long haul flights causes electrolyte reduction, but not necessarily through sweat. The low dampness of an aircraft pulls moisture and electrolytes from your lungs, eyes, and nose as well as your skin.
Whatever allows you to sweat, electrolyte tablets are crucial for rehydration and sustaining optimum fluid balance.
Bicycling, diarrhoea and air art cabins have one thing
an example of an electrolyte is
in common; electrolyte imbalance caused by fluid reduction. The fact that drinking water makes up between fifty - 60% of the human body, and 70 percent of muscle, heart, and brain tissue highlights how important hydration is for normal bodily function. It only takes fluid losses above 1% of body-weight to become dehydrated, so that as you lose fluids your body is also shedding a combo of debris and minerals that must be changed for rehydration; this where electrolyte tablets come in.
hydration tablet method
What are Electrolytes?
With out electrolytes, your body simply would not work. Mixed in body fluids, these small electrically charged allergens are involved in almost every function throughout the body, and are especially important when it comes to hydration. A combo of sodium, potassium, and calcium ions creates a hydrating electrolyte balance that preserves cellular fluid balance all through the body by moving water to where its most needed.
Personally i have tried nuun since 2006 on dozens of trips and training days. The industry's flavors, from lemon-lime to cola, would be the most delicate in the class. Add a nuun tablet to your bike water bottle and in about two Nuun Electrolyte | Elete Electrolyte | Electrolyte Imbalance Causes | What Is An Example Of An Electrolyte | Jigsaw Electrolyte Supreme | Best Electrolyte Supplements | Nursing Interventions For Electrolyte Imbalance | Symptoms Electrolyte Imbalance | Smoothie King Electrolyte Mix | Ki Strong Or Weak Electrolyte | minutes you get a drink that tastes refreshing and light. There is only a hint of flavor, and it does not overpower water's thirst-quenching natural state.
CamelBak's Elixir, another sugar-free capsule, costs about $10 for a tube of twelve tablets. This is more income than the competition, but Elixir is more concentrated and goes a bit further. Each CamleBak tablet works for up to 24 ounces of water. I often use them in a 16-ounce bike drinking water bottle, and the taste is noticeably stronger than nuun or ZYM.
Elixir, like one other companies' options, is easy to imbibe. It comes in orange, lemon-lime, and berry flavors. All are good-tasting and refreshing.
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She was waiting for me in the kitchen. She was not smiling. Hec, you can't let those women do that, she said. But, Mom, they certainly... |
Aging changes in hair and nails
Hair color change is probably one of the most obvious signs of aging. Hair color is caused by a pigment (melanin) that is produced by the hair follicle. With aging, the follicle produces less melanin.
Graying often begins in the 30s, although this varies widely. Graying usually begins at the temples and extends to the top of the scalp. Hair becomes progressively lighter, eventually turning white.
By the time they are in their 40s, about 40% of all people have some gray scalp hair. Body and facial hair also turn gray, but usually later than scalp hair. The hair in the armpit, chest, and pubic area may gray less or not at all.
Graying is genetically determined. Gray hair tends to occur earlier in Caucasians and later in Asian races. Nutritional supplements, vitamins, and other products will not stop or decrease the rate of graying.
Hair is a protein strand that grows through an opening (follicle) in the skin. A single hair has a normal life cycle of about 4 or 5 years. That hair then falls out and is replaced with a new hair.
How much hair you have on your body and head is determined by your genetic make up. However, almost everyone experiences some hair loss with aging. The rate of hair growth slows.
The hair strands become smaller (and have less pigment), so the thick coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair.
Many of the hair follicles stop producing new hairs. Both men and women lose hair as they age. About 25% of men begin to show some signs of baldness by the time they are 30 years old, and about two-thirds are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60.
Men develop a typical pattern of baldness associated with the male hormone testosterone (male-pattern baldness). Hair is lost first from the front and top of the scalp.
Women also show a typical pattern of hair loss as they age (female-pattern baldness). The hair becomes less dense all over and the scalp may become visible.
Body and facial hair are also lost. Although the number of hairs is less, individual hairs may become coarser. Women may notice a loss of body hair but may find that they have coarse facial hair, especially on the chin and around the lips.
Men may find the hair of their eyebrows, ears, and nose becoming longer and coarser.
The nails also change with aging. They grow slower, and become dull and brittle. The color may change from translucent to yellowed and opaque.
Nails, especially toenails, may become hard and thick and ingrown toenails may be more common. The tips of the fingernails may fragment.
Sometimes, longitudinal (lengthwise) ridges will develop in the fingernails and toenails. This can be a normal aging change. However, some nail changes can be caused by infections, nutritional problems, trauma, and other problems.
It is a good idea to check with your health care provider if your nails develop pits, ridges, lines, changed shape, or other changes.
Johns Hopkins patient information
Last revised:
Diseases and Conditions Center
|
What are Mineral Rights
Ownership of mineral rights otherwise known as a Mineral Estate It is the right of the owner to exploit, mine, and/or produce any or all of the minerals lying below the surface of the property. These “Minerals” include all organic and inorganic substances that form a part of the soil. There are exceptions made to sand, gravel and Limestone and also Subsurface water because these are normally considered part of the surface of the land.
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World War I Art Has Gone Largely Unseen for Decades
In the words of one historian, “Art and war are old companions.” The United States government proved that nearly a century ago when it commissioned eight artists to go to war. Armed with sketchpads, charcoals, pastels and little to no military training, the artists embedded with the American Expeditionary Forces and sketched everything from rolling tanks to portraits of German prisoners. The War Department coordinated the program in the hopes that the artists could provide a historical record and galvanize support for the war. |
E-commerce stems out as one among the fundamental pillars of the venture entity.
It has a bearing over a firma��s sustainability and profitability, both of those inside of the short-term and long-term. Though, e-commerce units are dynamic. It is imperative the new crop of leaders is privy to the various components of the management, which underlines the importance of e-commerce growth methods. This underlines the reality that no one e-commerce technique would considerably meet the requirements of the enterprise (Fubelaar, 2013). The event of e-commerce devices happens to be critical to your identification of loopholes in diverse organizations, which poses distinct implications, strengths and restrictions that spur the business enterprise to your desired path.
E-commerce fosters loyalty and cohesion in an firm. It assists the organization to build users which have a broad base of information regarding the markets. E-commerce facilitates new interpersonal interactions in addition to the competencies which might be beneficial for your firm. All the same, e-commerce methods simply call for huge financial expenses in the firm. In essence, it can be very important that a combination of solutions is second hand to make certain that the firm can reap from your strengths of your processes put to use even though canceling out the restrictions (Suddaby, 2014). E-commerce is among just about the most successful strategies of producing tangible successes relating to the return on any financial commitment which was generated in instruction. E-commerce enhances the society of an organization. Its exceptionally instrumental in modifying the company society and establishing gaining knowledge of companies. This is certainly in particular given that numerous persons might have several tactics for fixing very much the same complications. E-commerce ensures that corporations have a very sizeable pool of techniques to settle on from, thus allowing for for the inculcation from the most proper lifestyle in to the organizational culture. This method permits the longer term supervisors to test utilising diverse methods in resolving numerous problems and concerns (Fubelaar, 2013). E-commerce is predicated about the recognition of your undeniable fact that people today study the very best from their ordeals given that the strategy might be structured. E-commerce is regarded as a motivational software. It allows for the acclimation of the new employee towards corporation and employment. Mentees would grow to be productive associates at a considerably quicker speed since they have got a particular person they’ll discuss to, talk to inquiries or possibly go over eventualities and gain knowledge of the numerous elements of the corporation. Furthermore, e-commerce allows the mentee to acquire a sense of feat that emanates from your assessment and feedback of the mentor to your mentee’s progress. It happens to be essential from the exploration with the knowledge for the staff members, at the same time as the professionals (Suddaby, 2014). E-commerce boosts the operation of employees in an organization.
E-commerce helps supervisors to mix assorted solutions to realize a specific goal. It underlines the fact that there will be plenty of skills that may be employed in forming the capacity of current and future crop of professionals to effectively operate the corporations. Yet, these e-commerce strategies have different end results and implications for the general performance within the firm. About some tactics could possibly have fairly even more gain than some people, their applicability in numerous fields is unquestionably sure to end result in several issues. Normally, e-commerce necessitates the exploitation for the appealing aspects of the devices in an entity even while removing the unwanted ones. |
How to Skip Censorship Online
Online censorship is an extremely divisive and controversial topic especially for people who live and breathe the Internet, as well as those believe that the Internet is an avenue for free speech. What is online or Internet censorship? Simply put, it means suppressing what users can access, publish, or view on the Internet.
There are many reasons why some individuals or organizations may enforce self-censorship. For instance, religious, moral, or business matters can move some to restrain what they view or publish online. Fear of legal consequences may also be the reason why some put online censorship in force.
Ideally, only websites that promote illegal content such as human trafficking or child pornography should be banned. However, more and more ISPs are restricting or filtering their users’ access to some websites. It can be frustrating and annoying for a paying consumer like you to bear the brunt of online censorship and be restricted from viewing certain websites.
Fortunately, as this source will show you, there are ways to get around the harsh filtering that many ISPs have put in place. Just to give you an idea, here are some tried and tested solutions to bypassing online censorship:
Use a DNS Server
Here’s the thing: some ISPs implement website filtering by altering their DNS servers so that the servers redirect requests for access to a blocked website to another website. This is what may be called DNS-level filtering. Making the workaround work is easy if the filtering is only at this level. If it is, you can bypass the filtering by setting up a custom DNS server on your computer or device. What this does is override the default DNS server that your ISP controls to allow you access to blocked websites. However, the thing to note here is that using a DNS server is not 100% foolproof. In fact, of all workarounds, this one is the most likely to fail.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN works by routing your connection through a different server, tunnelling your online activity through an ISP different from the one you’re subscribed to. Once you start a VPN client, you’ll be made to choose from a list of IP addresses belonging to different countries, specifically those that usually have access to websites that your ISP has blocked. Basically, what the VPN does is hide your activities from your own ISP, thereby allowing you to access certain websites privately and safely. There are lots of free VPNs you can use, and some are accessible as browser extensions, which is why this is the highly-recommended option to bypass blocked websites.
Use a Proxy
Proxies function like VPNs but these are not 100% foolproof as well. That’s because proxies don’t work with every program on your computer, but only some. There are some web-based proxies you can try if you want to access blocked websites quickly. With a web-side proxy, all you have to do is input the website’s URL into the proxy server and access the blocked site through it. Just keep in mind that web-based proxies may be blocked as well; thus, these are not failsafe.
At least, if you come across a website that’s blocked by your ISP, you’ll have certain options as far as getting around the blockage goes. |
1. Topic-
2. Content-
Social studies
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1.Students will learn they are a part of their home, school, city, state, country, and planet.
2. Students will identify and discuss where we live and how we are involved in each aspect.
3. Students will discuss how we can go places within our own school classroom via the Internet.
4. Objectives-
1. Students will identify with 100% accuracy that they are part of a community.
2. Student will define the word map with 100% accuracy.
3. Students will discuss each component of themselves on the map with 100% accuracy.
5. Materials and Aids-
Students will need a recording sheet for each section of home, school, city, state, country, and planet. Students will need to use the Internet. and ipads to look at various components of our projects, such as city and state.
6. Procedures/Methods-
A. Introduction-
1. Students will be given materials and asked to write about their life at home and school.
2. Students will learn and write about their city and state and record these on their sheets.
3. Students will use computers and ipads to take a virtual tour of Michigan and our city.
B. Development-
1. Teacher will model by writing about her home life and her school life. Teacher will include who is a part of each section.
2. Students will be shown the recording sheets and how to use them to create their own project of ME ON THE MAP.
3. The teacher will then show the students how to use the computer to take a virtual field trip to see our city and state on Google earth.
C. Practice-
1. Students will turn to their elbow partners and discuss their home life and school life.
2. Students will turn to t heir partners and discuss the city and state in which we live. Students will be able to state our city and state.
3. Students will discuss what they would like to see on Google earth field trip.
D. Independent Practice-
1. Students will create and record a ME ON THE MAP project.
2. Students will write and discuss home and school life.
3. Students will use Google earth to take a virtual field trip of our community and state.
E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-
1. Lower level students may need to be paired with a higher level student for support.
2. Students may need to give an oral discussion of the above items for the teacher or parent helper to record.
F. Checking for understanding-
1.The teacher will listen during guided practice.
2. The teacher will monitor writing or oral discussions.
3. The teacher may ask higher order thinking questions as the lesson progresses.
G. Closure-
1. The teacher will discuss how we are all on the map and have students give various examples.
2. The teacher will have some students share their completed ME ON THE MAP project.
7. Evaluation-
1.Review the ME ON THE MAP projects for each student to check for understanding.
2. Students may need to meet with the teacher to further probe students for understanding.
8. Teacher Reflection-
Did the children understand they are a part of a whole universe and not just their own worlds. How will I know this? It is important that kindergarten students can be a part of a community.
This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com) |
What is the Keto Diet?
You may have heard of the recent trend popping up all over your Instagram feed lately - with people consuming low carbs in order to reduce body fat. But, what is it exactly and how does it work?
Well, the average person’s diet contains about 55% of carbohydrates, 30% of fat, and 15% of protein. On this diet, our bodies take and break down carbohydrates for energy primarily, and then move to the breakdown of fat for that energy. If the energy from the fat is not needed, the fat is then stored.
A person on the Keto Diet would be cutting down to be consuming only about 5% of carbohydrates, while consuming 80% of fat, and 15% of protein.
Why would someone want to do this?
Well, when consuming a lower amount of carbs, your body enters a state called ketosis, where it breaks down fats in the liver primarily and produces ketones for energy, rather than storing the unused fat.
The end result of this process is a much faster turn around when it comes to weight loss through the active starvation of carbohydrates, not calories. It is known to many to have the benefits of fasting without actually fasting.
Want to know more specifics on the possible benefits and drawbacks of the Keto diet? Read our blog article here!
So...What Do I Eat?
Here is a great infographic displaying the types of foods with lower carbohydrates that can be eaten while on the Keto diet. Fish, seafood and red meats contain fewer carbs than eggs for example, but eggs and fresh veggies can still be great low-carb foods to include in your diet.
Great, let's get started!
WAIT! If you’re thinking about doing the Keto diet, make sure to do your research fully before starting anything. As the Keto diet involves changing your body's insulin production, as well as your blood-pressure, people who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or who are breastfeeding should take extra precautions and considerations before swapping over to this diet fully.
And always remember, the most effective form of weight loss is exercise and a healthy well balanced diet. |
Macronutrients: Protein
If you’ve ever looked into different nutrition options or diet plans, you may have heard of counting macros. This is a plan where you determine a specific macronutrient count for each of the three macronutrients and then eat the amount of food needed to meet these counts. This is often an effective plan for many people to help them meet their goals, whether it be weight loss, muscle gain, or improved athletic performance.
But first, what are Macronutrients? Macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. These three macronutrients along with vitamins and minerals (micronutrients), make up our food. They affect a ton of processes in our body, including how much lean mass (such as muscle) and body fat we have, our immune system, our metabolic function, and more.
Today we’re going to talk a little bit about protein. Getting enough protein is very important for everyone. Without enough protein intake our bodies can’t function very well. However, it is especially important for those of us trying to improve our body composition. Protein causes a few key effects that can help us both lose weight and increase muscle.
First, your body has to do more to process the protein you eat than it does for carbohydrates or fat. This is called the thermic effect of feeding and it means that your body has to do more work, and therefore burn more calories, just trying to process protein than it will processing carbohydrates and fat, which can be helpful when trying to lose weight.
Also, protein helps us feel full longer, since not only is it more work to process protein, it also takes our bodies longer to process it completely.
And lastly, protein helps us build muscle. If you’re a CrossFitter, you’re most likely very interested in this benefit of protein. However, even if you’re just looking for weight loss, this is still very important. The more muscle you have the easier it will be to lose weight and keep it off in the future, as muscle burns more calories than fat even while you are at rest.
The amount of protein you need each day is dependent on your size and activity level. Generally, for the average CrossFitter you want it to be about 30% of our diet. You also want to make sure you are getting a good amount of protein at each meal so you can keep your metabolism up and stay full throughout the day.
A great way to make sure you’re getting enough protein each day is to include about a palm sized amount of lean protein if you’re female (or two palms if you’re male) with each meal. Great choices are lean beef, chicken, turkey, lean pork, and fish and shellfish.
We love talking about nutrition here at CrossFit Erie, so if you feel like you need help getting started on a new nutrition plan, or just have questions and want to talk, we’d love to hear from you! |
Love Songs To The Microphone
A biographer of Frank Sinatra once commented that for singers like Sinatra, their instrument is the microphone. We tend to think of microphones as ideal transducers, picking up sound faithfully. But like most electronic components, microphones are imperfect. They have a varying frequency response. They pick up popping noises when we say words like “popcorn” that are normally lost to someone listening live.
[Cheddar] has an interesting video (see below) that covers how performers like Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Billie Holiday learned to use the microphone to their advantage. They suggest that the microphone changed the way humans sing, and they are right.
Early recordings were mechanical affairs on wax cylinders or disks. This meant people had to all but scream into a horn to collect enough sound to move the recording needle. The invention of the microphone allowed singers to perform more naturally, but as the video shows, the best and most enduring singers learned to use the microphone to their advantage.
The video overlooks another key component, though, the sound engineer, who often would adjust things to get the best sound possible. If you are wondering who “Rudy Valet” is, we think they meant Rudy Vallée.
We looked at how ribbon mics changed recording. While the video mentions Bing Crosby, it turns out he was instrumental in bringing tape recording to the radio — and later TV — industry.
3 thoughts on “Love Songs To The Microphone
1. Ah, the proximity effect. Yes, microphones have a huge role in coloring and shaping sound. I used to quip that if all we had to do was faithfully record sound, there would be only one kind of mic, and most audio engineers would be bored and out of work.
2. Truly it would be binaural and no mixing needed. For live sound I would be all for it. But…
I have a couple of birdcage mics and can really exploit them with my “radio voice” up close. I should do ASMR soundies. The whole organ pedal bass range, yep. Normally you see in old movies Churchill or Roosevelt speaking 3 feet from one and the world heard it all.
Sadly NPR dumped that sound for the high pitched kindergarten school teacher with lots of up modulation. They have one mic type that all member stations must use on air and it has little PE and they are supposed to use it lips touching. WBAA had to shelve all of their RCA ribbons to comply, and they lost their sound along with the generation that had taste to exploit this effect.
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Tabora, Tanzania
Reference work entry
Located in the central west region of Tanzania, Tabora (formerly Kazeh) is the capital of the Tabora region.
Tabora developed in the mid-nineteenth century as a centre for the Arab slave trade. At its height, some half a million caravans passed through the city each year. Control of the city went to the Nyamwezi tribe in 1876 before it came under German and then British rule. Since independence Tabora has retained importance as an agricultural centre.
Modern City
There is an airport for local flights and rail connections to Kigoma and Mwanza. Buses run to Dodoma but road connections are generally poor.
Main produces include vegetables, cotton, tobacco and cassava.
Places of Interest
The fort, or Boma, was built by the Germans and stands to the southeast, overlooking the city.
Kwihara museum, located 10 km from the town, contains artifacts belonging to the famous nineteenth century missionary and explorer, Dr Livingstone, who lived there briefly before making his last journey in 1872.
Copyright information
© Springer Nature Limited 2019
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IPv6 Addresses
On the internet there is 2 address types. IPv4 which is the main address type used by the internet, as the internet grows the demand increases and eventually we will exhaust all IPv4 addresses. This is why there is an need for the IPv6.
IPv6 is much greater in terms of numbers for IP addresses. All ISP would assign either an /56 or /64 IPv6 address range. Its possible you maybe assigned singe IPv6 address for a small VPS type service.
If you get an /56 you will have 4,722,366,482,869,645,213,696 addresses.
If you get an /64 you will have 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 addresses.
If you get an /128 you will have 1 address.
Due to the large volume of IP addresses and being assigned a large IPv6 block, you can choose any IP address within the block you have to use. You can configure the IPv6 address itself against your server and to assign them for your services. |
Understanding what is involved in septic tank pumping, it’s first important to understand what a septic system does and how it works. A septic system is an underground treatment system for household sewage. A typical septic system consists of 4 components: the pipe from the house, the septic tank, a drain field and the soil. Damage or malfunction of any of these components can cause the system to fail which can result in soil and drinking water contamination and costly repairs or replacements by the homeowner.
Contact Info:
Name: Billy Fowler
Email: info@asapadvancedseptic.com
Organization: ASAP Advanced Septic & Drainage, Inc.
Address: 5011 E Busch Blvd, Tampa, FL 33617
Phone: (813) 986-6070
Sewage TankDrain Field Repair Contractor
Septic Tank Maintenance - 5 Essential Factors For Proper Septic Systems
Understanding septic systems capabilities and limits is needed to ensure water quality. A septic system is a type of On-Site Sewage Facility and is a self-contained, underground waste-water treatment system. By using natural processes to treat the waste-water on-site, septic systems do not require the installation of miles of sewer lines, making them less disruptive to the environment. A septic system consists of a septic tank, a distribution system and a soil absorption system, also called a drain field. The septic tank is a watertight box, sometimes made out of concrete or fiberglass, with an inlet and outlet pipe. The septic tank treats the waste-water naturally by holding it in the tank long enough for solids and liquids to separate. The waste-water forms three layers inside the tank. Solids lighter than water float to the top forming a layer of scum.Solids heavier than water settle at the bottom of the tank forming a layer of sludge. This leaves a middle layer of partially clarified waste-water. The layers of sludge and scum remain in the septic tank where bacteria found naturally in the waste-water work to break the solids down. The sludge and scum that cannot be broken down are retained in the tank until the tank is pumped. The layer of liquid flows from the septic tank to the drain field. A drain a series of trenches lined with gravel or sand and below the ground. The drain field treats the waste-water by allowing it to slowly trickle from the pipes out into the gravel and down through the soil. The remaining impurities are trapped and disposed of in the soil. The excess water is eliminated through percolation into the soil, and eventually returning to the ground water, through evaporation, and by uptake through plants and transpiration.The Center for Watershed Protection notes that septic systems can be effective methods of water treatment, however failures are common in many areas. Even properly functioning septic systems can leak and are not designed to effectively deal with most of the phosphorus and nitrogen load found in the water it treats. Pathogenic fecal bacteria are also a concern. The primary concern for a municipality is proper maintenance of septic systems, and in some cases the total load of partially treated pollutants that can impact local drinking water and wildlife. A solid understanding of septic systems capabilities and limits, and a good government plan is needed to ensure water quality.
How it works
A very basic explanation of how the system works begins with waste water leaving the house through the plumbing network inside the house to the pipe leading to the septic tank. The tank is buried underground and is usually constructed in a water tight manner of concrete, fiberglass or polyethylene. It is intended to hold the waste water long enough to allow the solids to settle to the bottom (to form sludge) and the oils to float to the top (to form scum). Some of the solid waste decomposes as well. There are compartments and a “t” shaped outlet from the septic tank that prevents the sludge and scum from leaving the tank to travel to the drain fields. Once the liquid enters the drain field, it is filtered through the several layers of soil for the final treatment by removal of harmful bacteria, viruses and nutrients.
Drain Field Install CompanySeptic System Contractor Service
Pumping Your Septic Tank: How Often Does It Need To Get Done?
The septic system in the house or the building they own is not something that most homeowners think about regularly. However, this can be a big mistake. When the worst-case scenario happens - you find that the system has failed or is failing - you must get it fixed quickly.
So what exactly is a septic system? Hopefully you are not trying to find the answer to this question after learning you've got a big mess brewing under your lawn!
A septic system is what allows us to dispose of waste at a safe distance from the home. It consists of two parts: a septic tank and a drainfield. The tank is where all the wastewater goes first. The tank holds the wastewater long enough for liquids and solids within the water to separate, and for bacteria to break down the solids. Any clarified water leftover from this process gets pumped into the drainfield, where it gets one more filtering and cleaning before trickling out into the soil.
Don't redirect the sewage to a storm sewer, road ditch, or a farm drain tile. You're just creating a health hazard by polluting the water. Likewise, don't run the sewage into a sinkhole or drainage well as this pollutes the groundwater.
This goes in hand with the "lack of maintenance" angle: Don't wait for the system to fail before pumping the septic tank. It's already too late by then.
Note that repairing physical damage, improving surface and subsurface drainage, and installation of additional lines of absorption may not be enough - you might need to install a whole new system.
Maintaining a regular schedule of septic tank pumping will help keep your system running efficiently and will save you hundreds of dollars in expensive system repairs. |
• Jacob-B
here is a crucial element missing in the frenzy of debates and protests about climate change,it is truly the proverbial elephant in the room (it might have been the mastodon, had it not been made extinct by our ancestors). It is the problem of population growth. If left unchecked, population growth could more than annul any gains achieved by changing patterns of energy generation and consumption, To a very large extent the problem is centred on Africa. According to Wikipedia:
‘By 2070, the bulk of the world's population growth is predicted to take place in Africa: of the additional 2.4 billion people projected between 2015 and 2050, 1.3 billion will be added in Africa, 0.9 billion in Asia and only 0.2 billion in the rest of the world’.
What would be the effects of such explosive growth? One would like to be an optimist and hope that through a concerted effort of the developed world and African governments supported by modern technology (greening of the Sahara?) the growing population could be fed and sheltered without wars, deforestation, wiping out wildlife, an increase in greenhouse gases emission. However, looking at the present situation the room for optimism is rather limited. There are tribal conflicts, religious conflicts, and many of the continent's government are corrupt. The dominant religions and cultures are essentially opposed to family planning.
The unchecked increase in Africa's is a ticking environmental time bomb that should be at the top of the world's agenda but surprisingly is seldom discussed.
Sourced from Wikipedia:
As of 2016, the total population of Africa is estimated at 1.225 billion, representing 17% of the world's population.[3] According to UN estimates, the population of Africa may reach 2.5 billion by 2050 (about 26% of the world's total) and nearly 4.5 billion by 2100 (about 40% of the world's total).[3]
The population of Africa first surpassed one billion in 2009, with a doubling time of 27 years (growth rate 2.6% p.a.).[4]
Population growth has continued at almost the same pace, and total population is expected to surpass 2 billion by 2038 (doubling time 29 years, 2.4% p.a.).[3]
The reason for the uncontrolled population growth since the mid 20th century is the decrease of infant mortality and general increase of life expectancy without a corresponding reduction in fertility rate, due to a very limited use of contraceptives. Uncontrolled population growth threatens to overwhelm infrastructure development and crippling economic development.[5] Kenya and Zambia are pursuing programs to promote family planning in an attempt to curb growth rates.[6]
The extreme population growth in Africa is driven by East Africa, Middle Africa and West Africa, which regions are projected to more than quintuple their populations over the 21st century. The most extreme of these is Middle Africa, with an estimated population increase by 680%, from less than 100 million in 2000 to more than 750 million in 2100 (more than half of this figure is driven by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, projected to increase from 47 million in 2000 to 379 million in 2100). Projected population growth is less extreme in Southern Africa and North Africa, which are expected, respectively, to not quite double and triple their populations over the same period.[3]
• fdrake
The majority of humans have little to no climate footprint, rather than the unconstrained growth of people, the more important category of analysis for climate impact is the unconstrained growth of production and consumption. The world can support many more crofters than rich consumers in capitalist economies.
• Bitter Crank
Don't worry about population. Mother Nature has the requisite ways and means to lower the population to sustainable levels. Just hope you're not around when she does it.
• frank
We also have the means. Educate women. Give them opportunities to contribute creatively other than childbirth. Population growth stagnates. It's not hypothetical. It's called Europe.
• Bitter Crank
Projections of population growth may not be realized. Global warming is likely to have significant effects on food production, disease rates, available water for drinking and agriculture (and industry), reproduction, and so on. Worse for everyone concerned, 2070 will be another 50 years past peak oil. The whole world will be very hungry for that dense energy source. The greening of the Sahara, never mind stopping the progression of desertification on the southern edge of the Sahara, is not something we will be able to engineer.
Are you familiar with the "wet bulb" measurement? It references how fast moisture evaporates at given temperatures and humidity. Human beings can not survive outside when the wet bulb temperature is above 98. [>98º + high humidity] Why? Because our sweat doesn't evaporate, we can't cool off, and our internal temperature starts to rise, and we go into heat shock and die. A high wet bulb temperature means that much less time outdoors is available for agricultural work, hence less food production. Who will be affected? Everyone in tropical and sub-tropical areas, including the southern US.
• Bitter Crank
Yes; affluent people reproduce less than poor people. Why, exactly, isn't clear. Maybe affluent people are too busy earning affluent incomes to raise children. Maybe affluent people would rather be affluent than spending hundreds of thousands of euros on children. Maybe child survival rates are so high that 1 child is enough. Maybe sophisticated European metrosexuals just can't be bothered. Europe's population rate is below replacement levels which is a good thing in terms of ZPG, but is very bad for the economy. After all, somebody has to work in the factories, distribution centers, transportation, hospitals, nursing homes, farms, etc. Therefore, immigrant labor is necessary. Fortunately for affluent people in Europe, North America and parts of Asia there are plenty of inexpensive laborers available.
I'm not knocking immigration here (I do that elsewhere). I'm just pointing out that the virtue of low birth rates here and there is limited, because the population of laborers is still needed by affluent people to maintain affluence.
• Bitter Crank
Educate womenfrank
Yes. That has been demonstrated many times that educated women bear fewer children.
• ssu
Population growth was a big bogaboo in the 1970's. Now it isn't. Only African countries might be worried.
The thing is that likely in this Century we will see Peak Human population and then the global population will shrink. Already a lot of countries are decreasing in population. The biggest reason for this is the rise of prosperity: we simply don't need offspring to take care of us anymore. And as Bitter Crank said, women are educated, their role isn't to produce as much offspring as they can as before.
Above all, China is has a fertility rate of 1,635 (children per women), hence China's population will stop growing. Here are actually all the countries that have a problem that their fertility rate is below 2, which would sustain the population size:
Bahrain 1.998 children per woman
Jamaica 1.991 children per woman
French Polynesia 1.99 children per woman
Ireland 1.98 children per woman
Uruguay 1.979 children per woman
New Zealand 1.974 children per woman
France 1.973 children per woman
Georgia 1.971 children per woman
Kuwait 1.967 children per woman
Vietnam 1.946 children per woman
Iceland 1.921 children per woman
Guadeloupe 1.92 children per woman
Sweden 1.909 children per woman
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines 1.902 children per woman
North Korea 1.893 children per woman
United States 1.886 children per woman
Qatar 1.881 children per woman
Martinique 1.881 children per woman
United Kingdom 1.871 children per woman
Brunei 1.848 children per woman
Australia 1.832 children per woman
Norway 1.827 children per woman
Colombia 1.827 children per woman
Belgium 1.799 children per woman
Barbados 1.799 children per woman
Aruba 1.796 children per woman
Finland 1.782 children per woman
Chile 1.765 children per woman
Costa Rica 1.764 children per woman
Denmark 1.762 children per woman
Bahamas 1.755 children per woman
Russia 1.751 children per woman
Netherlands 1.75 children per woman
Trinidad And Tobago 1.73 children per woman
United Arab Emirates 1.725 children per woman
Cuba 1.716 children per woman
Belarus 1.706 children per woman
Brazil 1.705 children per woman
Albania 1.705 children per woman
Lebanon 1.704 children per woman
Lithuania 1.661 children per woman
Estonia 1.659 children per woman
Montenegro 1.657 children per woman
Slovenia 1.638 children per woman
China 1.635 children per woman
Iran 1.621 children per woman
Serbia 1.62 children per woman
Armenia 1.601 children per woman
Luxembourg 1.594 children per woman
Bulgaria 1.584 children per woman
Latvia 1.57 children per woman
Czech Republic 1.566 children per woman
Canada 1.563 children per woman
Ukraine 1.557 children per woman
Switzerland 1.549 children per woman
Macedonia 1.546 children per woman
Romania 1.54 children per woman
Austria 1.511 children per woman
Italy 1.491 children per woman
Japan 1.478 children per woman
Malta 1.475 children per woman
Puerto Rico 1.47 children per woman
Germany 1.47 children per woman
Slovakia 1.462 children per woman
Thailand 1.458 children per woman
Croatia 1.446 children per woman
Saint Lucia 1.444 children per woman
Mauritius 1.433 children per woman
Hungary 1.397 children per woman
Spain 1.391 children per woman
Bosnia And Herzegovina 1.386 children per woman
Macau 1.347 children per woman
Cyprus 1.337 children per woman
Hong Kong 1.326 children per woman
South Korea 1.323 children per woman
Greece 1.302 children per woman
Poland 1.29 children per woman
Singapore 1.26 children per woman
Portugal 1.241 children per woman
Moldova 1.23 children per woman
Taiwan 1.218 children per woman
• I like sushi
“Yes; affluent people reproduce less than poor people. Why, exactly, isn't clear.”
It is clear enough. Poorer people need children to provide for them, and generally speaking child mortality has been, until recently, relatively high in many places (as you mentioned).
Of course religious attitudes, medicine, education pay into this too, other than the need for an extra pair of hands to bring the money in (call it the natural pension scheme if you will; cynical view but it’s the practical truth in many places around the globe).
• Jacob-B
one of your comments addressed the issues I raised;
1, will sub-Saharan Africa be able to cope with more than doubling its population within 35 years and
2, What would be the effect on its environment and greenhouse emissions.
Immigration is definitely not a solution to a problem of this scale even if it was not fiercely resisted by the hosting countries, It is worth noting that infant mortality nowadays even on the poorest African countries is less than 10%, so fertility of 5-6 children is not justified on grounds of being looked after in old age.
I wish I could be as optimistic as you are.
Incidentally, China would not be where it is now were it not for the one-child policy/
Also, please bear in mind that automation reduces the need for manual labour. A Mac restaurant today employs less than half the number of one in the 80s. A car factory of say 4000 workers produces more cars than one which employed 20,000 in the 70s. Robotics makes major inroads been into the caring services,
• ssu
Incidentally, China would not be where it is now were it not for the one-child policy/Jacob-B
I'm not so sure.
You see, rising prosperity makes population growth to decrease. India hasn't had any kind of similar policies, yet look at the change:
China has basically made a real short term pension problem into the future.
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Supportive Communication Exercise
Supportive communication can easily be defined as a process of engaging someone in a respectful way. I managed to settle down with my roommate in a bid to change his untoward behavior. He is fond of drinking and smoking in our room. The problem is further escalated by the fact that he seems so comfortable smoking in the room without minding the adverse health implications that the habit has not just on him but also to me; the roommate who is a non-smoker. We sat down with him. I managed to talk to and advise him on the matter. We both agreed to seek the best solution. It was so successful because I used the principles of supportive communication as follows (Desmond, 2009).
Developing rapport or mutual comfort
This is a process which involves getting close and friendly with someone in a bid to nature the right attitude towards you and what you are going to say. In this case, I welcomed him one evening when he was a bit sober and we started a chat first by asking him how he had been and the escapades which had made his day because I know him to be adventurous. He opened up to me and our talk was really animated and joyful. Then I told about an issue I wanted us to attend to as roommates and he agreed.
Clarify issues of importance
This involves looking at the impacts that a problem has on someone and outlining a need for a solution. This is the second step. I gave him statistics and reports on the trends and information on adverse effects of smoking on both the smokers and non-smokers. This aroused his interest because he confessed that he was in the know but did not have the real details. He further acknowledged that he was not ready to become a victim or be a part of the negative statistics I had given him.
Examine options for change
This step includes looking at the way forward in solving an issue at hand. Here, we looked at the options or rather ways in which both of us was going to handle the issue. We agreed that it was going to involve a difficult choice but then it was very important for him if he wanted to live longer and perhaps even achieve some of the goals that he had set in the mind. It was a bit precarious finding an option that was going to be easy to adopt.
Identifying a method that has highest potential to succeed
This stage is basically about analyzing various open options for change and focusing on one that is most likely to succeed. In this case, we evaluated some options to solve the problem that we had and settled on one. We decided that he would have to gradually reduce the number of cigarette sticks. If he used to smoke about five per day he would have to start taking three then two and slowly use one per day. With time he will get to completely abstain for some days. He was supposed to do this outside our room so that both of us would positively gain from the change process as well as augment each other's progress (Hargie, 2004).
Clarifying the potential cost of success for each method
This step entailed bearing in mind that each method we had contemplated on had a certain cost and uncertainty in that he was going to sacrifice. We also agreed that it would take courage and effort to stop a habit that he had now become accustomed to. He agreed with me that it would take a lot of sacrifices but since he was going to make a life-changing decision, he promised that he would go all the way to the end. In the end, he got connected to the issue at hand and saw the need to get a good outcome (Joseph, 2006).
Select the best plan of action
This is essentially determining the best way forward regarding the decision which we had arrived at. At this juncture, we decided that he would confer with me about any problems that he would encounter in the process. His schedule for limited smoking and finally abstinence would begin immediately. This was a bit difficult for him at first but then we mulled over the adverse effects of the problem at hand and we both agreed that there was a need for positive change and to show a real commitment it had to start immediately.
Evaluating the outcome of the action and the lessons learned
A closer examination of the decision we had made and the planned actions or rather course was the next logical step. We decided to take the matter seriously and reconsidered what we would manage to learn from the whole experience. In this case, we got to understand that what we would achieve from the whole process was that he was going to maintain good health for himself and other members of the room. The condition in our room would be made conducive for learning and living. Through the whole experience, he had realized the need for having good relationship besides making a good environment for him and others who reside under the same roof. Both of us realized that the process was beneficial not only to him but also those around him (Hargie, 2004).
This is a final step of the whole process and it involves ensuring that the decisions which were arrived at before are fully implemented. It is a challenging step because it is not always that the person in question should gauge himself but others chip in to assess if an entire process has been effective. For me, the process was successful because he never got to smoke again in the room and with time he really reduced in his smoking. Finally, he managed to abstain from the habit, restored his heath and maintained a good environment for him and all the members of our room.
The principles of supportive communication were effectively used to positively change a wayward behavior. The process involved an individual being talked to and actively engaged in a discussion and further became a part of the process in finding solutions as well as being the one implementing them. At first, we formed a rapport, clarified issues of importance, examined options, chose the best option, clarified the costs for each method, chose the best plan of action, evaluated the actions and lessons and finally made a timely follow-up. This process is effective and recommendable for guidance and counseling for positive behavior change. |
Java graphics drawstring
Java AWT Drawing Strings Frame
Graphics class allows us to draw strings on the frame with its method drawString(). Following is the signature. void drawString(String str1, int x, int y): x and y are the coordinates where the string str1 is to be drawn on the frame. Following program illustrates.
setSize(300, 350); To draw… |
5 Benefits You Can Get From Solar Batteries
Many people are in favour of solar power systems due to the virtually endless supply of electricity they provide to a home. On the other hand, a lot of times, people often overlook the benefits that solar batteries can provide.
Solar batteries are used in conjunction with solar power systems. As a tandem, this can make a significant difference in creating renewable energy. While the price tag might make you hesitate, there are benefits that illustrate why it’s a good idea to invest in solar batteries:
Save Excess Energy
Your solar power system might be producing a good amount of energy but don’t let that excess energy go to waste. While some people might be able to sell it back or transfer it back in the grid, a wiser idea is to get a solar battery and have it store the energy you produce. With these solar batteries, you can easily ensure that your home is powered throughout the day and night.
global solar panel and battery
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Some people believe that generators and other energy systems are just as, if not more, effective as solar power systems and batteries. However, solar power systems are responsible for not only producing electrical energy, they are producing clean energy. This means that the process of producing energy does not pollute the environment. There are no harmful emissions or by-products that could cause further harm to the environment or the ecosystem. Even storage batteries are environmentally friendly and free of emissions. For this reason, going green with solar power systems and solar batteries is highly favoured in carbon footprint reduction.
Help Save Money
Solar power systems and solar batteries allow you to save money. Keep in mind that these savings are relevant in the long-term. If you’re looking for a short-term solution, you might not be too enthused with a solar power system since it can be costly to purchase and install. On the other hand, if you’re willing to consider it as an investment, you can expect to see big savings.
Great for Emergencies
Often times, emergencies, either man-made or natural, can cause a blackout. This deprives you of energy for a few hours and in some situations, even days or weeks. In such instances, your solar batteries are really going to play a role in providing you with the energy to make it through trying times. A single solar power battery lets you survive on a day-to-day basis.
tesla powerwall solar battery
Solar power batteries are quickly becoming one of the best additions in every modern home. As research keeps on improving, these batteries will continue to evolve to provide all the benefits mentioned above. It’s high time to get a solar power system in your home. Call Easy Being Green on 1300 994 929 for more details today. |
You Should Eat Some Fruits Before Bed
Eat Fruits Before Bed
Starvation during the night and at night can be detrimental to a weight loss plan and can often lead people in a direction that derails their efforts. Weight loss occurs when there is a negative energy balance, which means that more calories must be burned than consumed. There are no fruits that can be considered a magic ball to lose weight. However, the fruit snack is rich in nutrients, which means that it contains more vitamins and minerals than its calorie content (see reference 1). Many fruits can be an excellent choice for late-night snacks and can be combined with other nutrient-rich foods to avoid overeating at night.
Tips For Healthy Fruits At Night
If you decide to eat fruit before going to bed, keep it healthy. Avoid canned fruits in sweet syrup. If you combine your fruit with other foods, be careful before making your choices. Spicy and high-fat foods can interrupt sleep. Cover a bowl of cranberries with skim milk or dip the strawberries in non-fat Greek yogurt instead of all the fat variety. Keep your calories in a tracking food for seven days to make sure you do not exceed your daily calorie count, and if you find fruits before going to sleep disturb your sleep, choose another healthy snack like Graham Cracker and Nutter Butters.
Do not just think about the sugar and calorie content of the fruits you eat at night, but also think about how the pre-sleep snack affects your sleep. A small snack can help some people to sleep better, particularly if it carries a mixture of carbohydrates and tryptophan. If you have insomnia or other sleep problems and you think you may be eating worse at bedtime, talk to your doctor.
The Problem Of Weight Gain
Most of the fruits are low calories, so a bed at bedtime is not likely to put you on weight, definitely not as possible as if a bowl of ice cream was taken every night before bedtime. However, any amount of calories you eat, which you need to maintain your weight will make you gain weight. When the time you finish eating has consumed your calorie needs, whether you’re eating 1,600 calories or 2,400 calories a day, make an average banana before going to bed, which will give you a little over 100 calories for your daily goal each night for a week and you have consumed 735 extra calories. At this rate, you would get about a pound of fat each month.
Fruits can be a healthy snack at bedtime if you do not overdo it. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients that the body needs to work in the best way, and can actually make it healthier. According to the website of the United States Department of Agriculture. Eating regular servings of fruit can reduce the risk of serious diseases such as kidney stones, stroke, heart disease, bone loss, diabetes, and cancer. Eating fruits rather than high-calorie foods also help maintain a healthy weight.
The Whole Fruit Is A Good Fruit
All fruits should be considered a good choice if you need a snack to relieve hunger during the night. A study published in 2012 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association concluded that increasing fruit consumption can lead to weight loss (Ref 6). The USDA recommends two to four servings of fruit a day. When hunger comes into action at night, make a mental inventory of what you have eaten during the day. If your fruit consumption was low, your weight loss plan should include a portion of fruit as a snack at night.
Author Bio
Angela G. NeumannHey, this is Angela G. Neumann. Since 2013, I have provided various groups, organizations, and individuals with a wide range of health issues and wellness goals and nutrition programs to integrate health. Now I am working on Target Protein as a chief editor and writer. I am going to be a part of the admin of Nutrition Field very soon. My approach combines conventional health care, nutrition and a captivating connection of mind-body medicine. |
Google's Next Obsession: Your Body
Why the tech giant is focusing on health, and what it might mean for you
For Google, things are getting personal.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the company whose stated mission is to order the world's information and make it useful has begun an ambitious project to understand what it means to be a healthy human being.
The effort, called Baseline Study, will start by gathering data on 175 people. Later, thousands more people will be included.
The aim is to use collect massive amounts of samples from a battery of tests, established and new, and then use the company's computational muscle to extract patterns and identify factors that affect human health.
The project is run by Andrew Conrad, 50, a molecular biologist whose previous work involved screening for HIV in blood-plasma donations. His team, with 70 to 100 members, includes experts in physiology, molecular biology, optics, imaging, and biochemistry.
This is not the first attempt at a massive medical and genomic study, but none has ever brought the computational power and expertise of Google. Another huge challenge will be to maintain participants' privacy. The data will not be shared with insurance companies, Google has said.
Does Project Baseline sound like something you're uninterested in? Well, make sure you get these 7 blood tests every man should have.
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Pucker Factor: Getting to Know Military Lingo
Before you enlist in the military, or even if you’re already a soldier, there’s a lot of jargon to get a handle on. From rankings to banter, you’ll catch on quickly, but there’s always room for a little help wrapping your brain around all these terms.
What Does “Pucker Factor” Mean?
Pucker factor is a term used to measure fear, stress, or heightened adrenaline in dangerous situations. “Pucker” refers to the tightening of your sphincter that naturally occurs when a person feels scared or panicked. While it’s not a term that is exclusively used in the military, it’s still considered a military term – probably due to the sheer amount of crisis situations that soldiers can find themselves in.
So, someone with a pucker factor of 1 (or PF1) might come across as cold, heartless, and robotic since they don’t seem to be shaken by even the most dangerous close calls. On the contrary, a pucker factor of 10 could cause a person to freeze out of fear, unable to make an appropriate or effective decision. Apparently, it’s best to fall somewhere in between.
Pucker Factor in Action
It might be easier to explain this phrase by using some examples of when one might refer to someone’s pucker factor. We’ll start off slow and then move on to the heavier stuff.
Much of the time, it’s all about the banter. If you’re trying to liven up the taste of your food on deployment, your buddy might say, “That hot sauce on my MRE gave me a PF6!” Or perhaps your commander is really high strung. Someone might joke, “Talk about a strong pucker factor…”
A far more extreme example is the unfortunate case of Captain Will Rogers, who, in 1988, fired a missile at an unknown aircraft after waiting until the last minute, presumably due to stress. Turns out, it was a commercial flight and 290 civilians died as a result. Of course, hindsight is 20/20 and his moments of hesitation could be noted as a high pucker factor – freezing to the point of being unable to think clearly. But in combat situations, unclear circumstances are a cause for grief, not guilt.
People experience the pucker factor all the time. That feeling you get before your first ride on a roller coaster. Gliding off the ski lift as you get your first glimpse of the mountain you’re about to descend upon. Sending your child off to college. Going off to war.
It might be a funny-sounding piece of military lingo about tightening your butt in moments of fear, but we all know the feeling. Whether you’re totally calm, cool, and collected to the point where people question if you’re even real, or you’ve been given the nickname “tight ass” with a level 10 pucker factor, it’s good to know where you fall on the spectrum.
After all, learning that you’re willing and capable to take on the amount of stress that comes with the military is an empowering lesson. So, what’s your pucker factor?
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Technology allows for wider coffee cup recycling
P&PC staff
May 25, 2018
By P&PC staff
Water-based polymers will allow paper coffee cups to be recycled.
May 25, 2018 – Water-based polymers are allowing disposable paper cups a chance to be recycled and not bog down landfille sites. BASF has developed a technology that doesn't interfere with the paper repulping process and allows cups to be sorted with regular paper.
Contrary to what many consumers believe, coffee cups are not wioely recyclable in North America. Paper cups have two basic parts—paper and polyethylene. Comprising only per cent of the whole container, the polyethylene liner is what forms the liquid barrier that keeps heat in and prevents the cup from getting soggy, but it's also a contaminant in the paper waste stream.
Most contaminants can be removed, and paper mills can easily filter out unwanted substances like dirt, dyes and other residue during the repulping process. What makes the plastic liner different from other contaminants is that it breaks up into large flakes that pass through coarse pulping screens and clog the fine screens. The filter clogs are so disruptive to the equipment that most paper mills send the cups to the landfill automatically.
"What we can take from this is that people still want paper cups, so the solution can't venture too far outside the box," Katherine Grisson, industry marketing manager for printing, packaging and adhesives, BASF, said. "Designers are up against tight parameters: paper cups have to be recyclable, but they also have to be affordable, and work within existing infrastructure, and meet performance standards."
It has been difficult for the industry to find the ideal cup. Polylactic acid (PLA) liners are made from plant-based resins that can be composted, but they are more expensive, and most retail locations aren't equipped to compost.
Another strategy uses the same PE liner, but applies it differently by lightly gluing it onto the fibre instead of extruding it. The idea, however, assumes that MRFs have the equipment to process the cups correctly. If they don't, it is functionally the same as trying to recycle existing cups on the market.
The water-based polymer solution is practical.
"It's a practical alternative for formulators and converters, because they don't need any additional equipment," Grisson said. "It's applied during the converting process at a comparable cost-in-use pricing. They can use their existing gravure printing or rod coating processes. It also eliminates the extrusion or liner gluing step required for polyethylene coated cups."
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There are some ways women can detect pregnancy even before they can use a pregnancy test. First of all, let's consider late periods and what a late period really is.
A late period is not a reliable sign that a woman is pregnant. The length of a woman's menstrual period is calculated from the first day of bleeding during one period to the first day of bleeding in the next. Those events aren't always 28 days apart.
Just after girls have their first periods, their bodies are usually busy developing in multiple ways. They may be about to have or be in the middle of their growth spurt. They are developing breasts and uterine tissue. They may be very physically active.
As a result of all this activity, a teenage girl's period may take longer than 30 days. This is also true of women in their late teens and early 20's who are very active physically, or who are on strictly limited diets. Periods may come every 30, 31, or even 35 days until a woman is about 20. Then they start coming about every 28 days, for most women. They may not come exactly every 28 days, however.
As a woman approaches menopause, her periods usually start getting longer again. They may arrive every 35 days, like they did when she was a teenager. Then they disappear. Using an IUD or extended-release birth control also alters the length of a woman's menstrual period. For these reasons, being late isn't necessarily a sign of being pregnant.
However, a doctor isn't likely to offer a pregnancy test until a woman is "late." The reason for this is that pregnancy tests tend to be really inaccurate during the first month of pregnancy. A woman's body produces a hormone to thicken the lining of the uterus to give the implanted fertilized egg a place to grow. During the very first few days of pregnancy levels of this hormone, human gonadotrophic hormone (hCG), are very low, maybe as low as 3 to 5 mIU/ml. Very few tests can pick up less than 10 mIU/ml. Levels of hCG double every 72 to 96 hours, so what can't be detected in one test possibly can be detected just three to four days later. However, the most sensitive blood test can't pick up pregnancy before about four days after conception and the most sensitive urine test can't detect pregnancy until about day number eleven. Doctors don't want to guess whether you're pregnant so they really prefer to wait until the fifth week when they can use ultrasound.
But you want to know sooner.
There are some general indications even without medical tests. Here is what to consider:
• You only get pregnant after ovulation, which occurs roughly in the middle of your period. It takes a day or closer to two for sperm to travel to the opening of the ovary to meet the newly released egg. The egg is only viable for a day or a little more. If you didn't have sexual intercourse or artificial insemination just before ovulation, chances are you aren't pregnant.
• Implantation bleeding is a sign of pregnancy, but because it takes six or seven days after implantation for the bleeding to be noticed, it's easy to mistake an early period for implantation bleeding. However, the flow with implantation is darker than menstrual blood because it has to travel farther to leave the body. It's less than your regular menstrual flow, and it tends to occur at about the same time you develop swollen breasts and morning sickness.
It's hard to defect pregnancy right away. It's easy to get mistaken results. However, women know their bodies better tha anyone else, and these signs can confirm what a woman "just knows." It's important to get to a doctor, however, if any of these signs are accompanied by intense abdominal pain, which can be an early sign of a problem pregnancy.
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Jason DeCrow / AP
On November 3, voters at polling stations across the country cast their ballots in state and local contests. In addition to elections for offices such as school boards and city councilor, state and local ballot measures will also be decided. Texans, for instance, are voting on seven constitutional amendments, including a proposal that would repeal the requirement that elected state officials reside in Austin, the state capital. People living in Portland, Maine, are deciding whether or not to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 per hour for private employees.
To persuade voters, some campaigns have spent millions of dollars, particularly on controversial issues. One hot button in this election is Issue 3 in Ohio, which would legalize limited sale and use of marijuana, if it is approved. The backers of the yes campaign, named ResponsibleOhio, have reportedly committed more than $20 million. But campaign spending is not the only factor that can sway voters. Research suggests that even the position on the ballot where a certain contest appears will determine how some people vote. If the proposal appears earlier on the ballot, it is more likely to pass. And the difference between a “good” and a “bad” position on the ballot is not small: It can result in a swing of several percentage points.
Why would something so seemingly trivial as the ballot position impact how people vote? Psychologists call the effect “decision fatigue,” which suggests that as people make several consecutive choices, the quality of their decisions deteriorates. This phenomenon shows up in commonplace situations. If you go out on a shopping spree, for example, you are more likely to demonstrate poor judgment towards the end of the run and make purchases that you later regret. But decision fatigue can also be a real issue in professional settings. One study found that judges were more likely to reject parole requests towards the end of the day, after they had already made many sequential decisions. The judges, apparently tired of making choices, may have become more willing to simply preserve the status quo and to not grant parole.
Considering how many races and proposals Americans vote on when they head to the polls every November, it is not surprising that some people give less consideration to decisions towards the end of the ballot. In 2010, the average state ballot across America consisted of 17 elections for office and five ballot questions. And some were much longer: Residents of Cook County, Illinois, voted on no fewer than 93 candidate races and four ballot measures.
But while it may seem intuitive that decision fatigue could have an impact on election outcomes, it is harder to study and quantify the effect. Contests are typically categorized and presented in a certain order on the ballots, for example by listing congressional elections earlier than state propositions. Comparing how people vote on the two will not reveal much; an election for congressional office is fundamentally different from an amendment to the state constitution. But in a forthcoming paper, Ned Augenblick of the University of California at Berkeley and Scott Nicholson, the chief data scientist at Poynt, Inc., present a clever way to overcome this methodological challenge.
“This is a topic that I have been thinking about a lot,” says Augenblick. “I know that when I spend a day grading papers, I evaluate those that are closer to the bottom of the stack differently simply because I get tired of making decisions. I was interested in seeing whether we behave in a similar way in the voting booth.”
Augenblick and Nicholson looked at every federal, state, and local election in all of San Diego’s precincts between 1992 and 2002. In California, local issues like school board elections automatically appear earlier on the ballot than state propositions, such as Proposition 8 on same-sex marriage in 2008. This means that the ballots look different across precincts. In some precincts, the same state proposition will appear much later on the ballot than in other precincts, because more positions on school boards and in city government have to be voted on first.
So while some voters may decide on a given proposition as, say, the 12th contest on the ballot, residents of other precincts may not choose to approve or reject the same proposition until they first have voted on, for example, a total of 21 contests. Since the number of local contests presumably is unrelated to how voters in a precinct feel about a certain proposition, Augenblick and Nicholson were able to analyze this as a so-called natural experiment.
They found that when a certain state proposition appeared later on the ballot, voters were more likely to vote no (or to abstain from voting altogether). “When we get tired of choosing, we are more likely to want to preserve the status quo, which for state and local propositions means voting no,” says Augenblick. He and Nicholson estimate that the proportion of no votes on the propositions that they studied would have been, on average, 3.2 percentage points lower if the propositions had appeared at the top of the ballots instead of their actual positions. They reckon that this would have been enough to swing the outcome of 24 contests (or 6 percent of all contests), which means that they would have been approved rather than rejected. In other words, decision fatigue is a blessing for the “no” campaigns.
Even though the study only looks at contests in San Diego, it seems reasonable to assume that voters elsewhere in America also are affected by the sheer number of contests that appear on the ballot. The results extend beyond state and local propositions, too: The authors reckon that a late position on the ballot significantly increases the number of votes for the first-listed candidate in a race, as people are more likely to want to make an easy and quick selection.
So there is a cost to multiplying the number of decisions that are presented to voters. The benefit of holding many electoral contests is that people can get more involved in public policy and have a say on their representatives and on issues that could have a large impact on their lives. But the downside is that voters may end up making poor choices that they would not have made if their minds were fresher. Unfortunately, there is no simple solution to the problem. In some countries, such as Canada, national and local elections are spread out across multiple days, which make individual ballots shorter. But more elections may increase costs and can also lower turnout. Another option is to encourage absentee ballots to give voters more time to digest each choice they have to make. In Oregon, for example, all elections are conducted by mail. However, if people wait to fill out the ballots until right before they submit them, this may not result in any more careful deliberation than walking over to a traditional polling place.
Unfortunately, leaving the system unchanged may encourage the groups that introduce ballot initiatives to try to get their proposals as high up on the ballot as possible. Indeed, during the 2012 election season in California, supporters of a tax-increase proposition were accused of convincing the state legislature to pass a bill that put their proposal at the top of the propositions on the ballot. One way to resolve this would be to randomly determine the order in which contests of a certain type—such as local propositions—appear on the ballot. This could at least potentially help eliminate the incentive for powerful groups to game the system in order to place their propositions at the top.
Of course, one may ask whether it is even desirable in the first place that people vote on up to a hundred electoral races and propositions in a single cycle. In some states and counties on the extreme end of the scale it would probably be wise to consider reducing the total number of contests so that voters make fewer but possibly better-informed decisions.
“Democracy cannot succeed,” President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely.” That is true—and it appears to be less likely the longer the ballot.
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Assets Definition
Are Your Assets Current, Fixed or Intangible & What Are They Worth?
Business Assets
••• Image (c) Echo / Getty Images
Assets Definition
An asset is anything of monetary value owned by a person or business. Assets are classed as capital/fixed, current, tangible or intangible and expressed in terms of their cash value on financial statements (See examples of assets types below.) Tangible assets include money, land, buildings, investments, inventory, cars, trucks, boats, or other valuables. Intangibles such as goodwill are also considered to be assets.
Capital Assets
Also known as Fixed Assets, capital assets are those tangible physical assets acquired to carry on the business of a company with a life exceeding one year. Examples include:
• land
• buildings
• vehicles
• boats
• aircraft
• tools
• machinery
• computer hardware, mobile phones, etc.
• equipment
Businesses that have a high ratio of capital costs to labor costs are known as Capital Intensive businesses; that is, they require a large financial investment in capital assets to produce goods or services. Examples of capital intensive industries include:
• mining
• farming
• transportation - airlines, railroads, trucking, etc.
• oil and gas
• fishing
• construction
Aside from being used to generate income, capital assets are important for businesses in that they can be sold if the business is in financial difficulty or used as collateral for business loans. In this case the lender will normally issue a lien against the asset so it can be seized if the loan is not repaid.
Given that most capital assets decline in value over time, in financial records capital assets are usually expressed as the cost of the asset minus depreciation. Capital assets depreciate at different rates depending on the asset class (as defined by the tax authorities). The annual depreciation is a tax write off. (In Canada this is known is the Capital Cost Allowance or CCA.)
Non-capital intensive businesses create wealth in ways that do not require plants, machinery, or expensive equipment, rather they rely on "intellectual capital". Non-capital businesses have much lower barriers to entry given the minimal startup costs. Examples include:
Current Assets
Items that are currently cash or expected to be turned into cash within one year are known as current assets. This includes:
Intangible Assets
Examples of intangible assets include items such as:
Intangible assets do not appear on balance sheets but (depending on the business) may make up a substantial part of the asset value of a business.
Classification of assets as tangible or intangible is not necessarily a straightforward process. For example, the oil and gas industry has special accounting rules for classifying petroleum reserves as either tangible or intangible depending on the stage of development, as does the mining industry (e.g. an oil field or ore body does not become a tangible asset until it becomes commercially viable and begins producing oil and gas or ore).
Because the underlying commodity can be subject to large fluctuations in price, the value of assets in commodity-based industries such as oil and gas and mining can vary enormously in a relatively short period of time - the huge drop in oil prices in 2015, for instance, forced many oil and gas companies to take major write downs on assets due to the decline in the value of reserves. On the other hand, a factory owned by a manufacturing business is typically a long term core asset that slowly depreciates in value over time.
Asset Turnover Ratio
The Asset Turnover ratio is commonly used as a broad measure of the efficiency of assets to generate revenue. It's calculated by dividing sales revenue by the total assets:
Return on Assets % = Revenue / Total Assets
Return on Assets Ratio (ROA)
The Return on Assets ratio differs from the Asset Turnover ratio in that the calculation uses Net Income instead of Revenue:
Return on Assets % = Net Income / Total Assets
Given that Net income is the amount earned by a company after subtracting expenses (including depreciation and taxes), the Return on Assets Ratio is a measure of the ability of assets to generate profit.
Asset Valuation - What Is a Business Worth?
Asset valuation becomes a significant issue when selling a business. It might be relatively easy to determine the value of the capital assets of the business, but intangible assets can be problematic. A business that has a client list can normally claim goodwill as an asset, but goodwill may be tied to the previous owner. For example, a dentist who sells a practice will have the client list included as an asset in the sale, but there is no guarantee that the new owner will be able to retain the clients.
For more information on selling a business see:
Examples: A trademark is an example of an intangible fixed asset. |
Attic Greek
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Attic Greek
[ temporary import ]
please note:
- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
- it has been imported raw for GetWiki
{{short description|Ancient Greek dialect}}
; evolved into Koine|familycolor = Indo-EuropeanHellenic languages>HellenicAncient Greek dialects>Ancient Greek|fam4 = Eastern|isoexception = dialect|linglist = grc-att|glotto = atti1240|glottorefname = Attic|map = AncientGreekDialects_(Woodard)_en.svg|mapcaption = {{Ancient Greek dialects/legend}}}}Attic Greek is the Greek dialect of the ancient city-state of Athens. Of the ancient dialects, it is the most similar to later Greek and is the standard form of the language that is studied in ancient Greek language courses. Attic Greek is sometimes included in the Ionic dialect. Together, Attic and Ionic are the primary influences on Modern Greek.
Origin and range
Greek is the primary member of the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European language family. In ancient times, Greek had already come to exist in several dialects, one of which was Attic. The earliest attestations of Greek, dating from the 16th to 11th centuries BC, are written in Linear B, an archaic writing system used by the Mycenaean Greeks in writing their language; the distinction between Eastern and Western Greek is believed to have arisen by Mycenaean times or before. Mycenaean Greek represents an early form of Eastern Greek, the group to which Attic also belongs. Later Greek literature wrote about three main dialects: Aeolic, Doric, and Ionic; Attic was part of the Ionic dialect group. "Old Attic" is used in reference to the dialect of Thucydides (460–400 BC) and the dramatists of 5th-century Athens whereas "New Attic" is used for the language of later writers following conventionally the accession in 285 BC of Greek-speaking Ptolemy II to the throne of the Kingdom of Egypt. Ruling from Alexandria, Ptolemy launched the Alexandrian period, during which the city of Alexandria and its expatriate Greek-medium scholars flourished.From Goodwin and Gulick's classic text "Greek Grammar" (1930)The original range of the spoken Attic dialect included Attica and a number of the central Cyclades islands; the closely related Ionic was also spoken along the western and northwestern coasts of Asia Minor in modern Turkey, in Chalcidice, Thrace, Euboea, and in some colonies of Magna Graecia. Eventually, the texts of literary Attic were widely studied far beyond their homeland: first in the classical civilizations of the Mediterranean, including in Ancient Rome and the larger Hellenistic world, and later in the Muslim world, Europe, and other parts of the world touched by those civilizations.
The earliest Greek literature, which is attributed to Homer and is dated to the 8th or 7th centuries BC, is written in "Old Ionic" rather than Attic. Athens and its dialect remained relatively obscure until the establishment of its democracy following the reforms of Solon in the 6th century BC: so began the classical period, one of great Athenian influence both in Greece and throughout the Mediterranean.The first extensive works of literature in Attic are the plays of the dramatists Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes dating from the 5th century BC. The military exploits of the Athenians led to some universally read and admired history, as found in the works of Thucydides and Xenophon. Slightly less known because they are more technical and legal are the orations by Antiphon, Demosthenes, Lysias, Isocrates, and many others. The Attic Greek of the philosophers Plato (427–347 BC) and his student Aristotle (384–322 BC) dates to the period of transition between Classical Attic and Koine.Students who learn Ancient Greek usually begin with the Attic dialect and continue, depending upon their interests, to the later Koine of the New Testament and other early Christian writings, to the earlier Homeric Greek of Homer and Hesiod, or to the contemporaneous Ionic Greek of Herodotus and Hippocrates.
File:AGMA Ostrakon Thémistocle 3.jpg|thumb|240px|left|A ballot voting against Themistocles, son of Neocles, under the Athenian Democracy (see ostracism).Inscription: (classical standard Themistoklês Neokléous).The text is an example of the epichoric alphabet; note that the last two letters of Themistocles are written in a boustrophedonboustrophedonAttic Greek, like other dialects, was originally written in a local variant of the Greek alphabet. According to the classification of archaic Greek alphabets, which was introduced by Adolf Kirchhoff,Kirchhoff, Adolf (1867), Studien zur Geschichte des Griechischen Alphabets. the old-Attic system belongs to the "eastern" or "blue" type, as it uses the letters and with their classical values ({{IPA|/ps/}} and {{IPA|/kÊ°/}}), unlike "western" or "red" alphabets, which used for {{IPA|/ks/}} and expressed {{IPA|/kÊ°/}} with . In other respects, Old Attic shares many features with the neighbouring Euboean alphabet (which is "western" in Kirchhoff's classification).Jeffery, Lilian H. (1961). The local scripts of archaic Greece. Oxford: Clarendon. 67, 81 Like the latter, it used an L-shaped variant of lambda ({{GrGl|Lambda Athenian}}) and an S-shaped variant of sigma ({{GrGl|Sigma Z-shaped}}). It lacked the consonant symbols xi () for {{IPA|/ks/}} and psi () for {{IPA|/ps/}}, expressing these sound combinations with and respectively. Moreover, like most other mainland Greek dialects, Attic did not yet use omega () and eta () for the long vowels {{IPA|/É”Ë/}} and {{IPA|/É›Ë/}}. Instead, it expressed the vowel phonemes {{IPA|/o, oË, É”Ë/}} with the letter (which corresponds with classical , , ) and {{IPA|/e, eË, É›Ë/}} with the letter (which corresponds with , , and in later classical orthography). Moreover, the letter was used as heta, with the consonantal value of {{IPA|/h/}} rather than the vocalic value of {{IPA|/É›Ë/}}.In the 5th century, Athenian writing gradually switched from this local system to the more widely used Ionic alphabet, native to the eastern Aegean islands and Asia Minor. By the late 5th century, the concurrent use of elements of the Ionic system with the traditional local alphabet had become common in private writing, and in 403 BC, it was decreed that public writing would switch to the new Ionic orthography, as part of the reform following the Thirty Tyrants. This new system, also called the "Eucleidian" alphabet, after the name of the archon Eucleides, who oversaw the decision,{{sfn|Threatte|1980|pp=26ff}} was to become the Classical Greek alphabet throughout the Greek-speaking world. The classical works of Attic literature were subsequently handed down to posterity in the new Ionic spelling, and it is the classical orthography in which they are read today.
Long a
Proto-Greek long Ä â†’ Attic long Ä“, but Ä after e, i, r. â“ Ionic Ä“ in all positions. â“ Doric and Aeolic Ä in all positions.
• Proto-Greek and Doric mÄtÄ“r → Attic mÄ“tÄ“r "mother"
• Attic chÅrÄ â“ Ionic chÅrÄ“ "place", "country"
However, Proto-Greek Ä â†’ Attic Ä“ after w (digamma), deleted by the Classical Period.Smyth, par. 30 and note, 31: long a in Attic and dialects
• Proto-Greek korwÄLiddell and Scott, {{LSJ|ko/rh|κόÏη}}. → early Attic-Ionic korwÄ“ → Attic korÄ“ (Ionic kourÄ“)
Short a
Proto-Greek ă → Attic ě. ⓠDoric: ă remains.
• Doric Artamis â“ Attic Artemis
Sonorant clusters
Compensatory lengthening of vowel before cluster of sonorant (r, l, n, m, w, sometimes y) and s, after deletion of s. â“ Aeolic: compensatory lengthening of sonorant.Paul Kiparsky, "Sonorant Clusters in Greek" (Language, Vol. 43, No. 3, Part 1, pp. 619-635: Sep. 1967) on JSTOR.
PIE VsR or VRs → Attic-Ionic-Doric VVR. VsR or VRs → Aeolic VRR.V = vowel, R = sonorant, s is itself. VV = long vowel, RR = doubled or long sonorant.
• Proto-Indo-European es-mi (athematic verb) → Attic-Ionic Ä“mi (= εἰμί) â“ Aeolic emmi "I am"
Proto-Greek and other dialects' {{IPAslink|u}} (English food) became Attic {{IPAslink|y}} (pronounced as German ü, French u) and represented by y in Latin transliteration of Greek names.
• Boeotian kourios â“ Attic kyrios "lord"
In the diphthongs eu and au, upsilon continued to be pronounced {{IPAslink|u}}.
Attic contracts more than Ionic does.a + e → long Ä.
• nika-e → nikÄ "conquer (thou)!"
e + e → ē (written ει: spurious diphthong)
• PIE trey-es → Proto-Greek trees → Attic trÄ“s = Ï„Ïεῖς "three"
e + o → Š(written ου: spurious diphthong)
• early genes-os → Ionic geneos → Attic genous "of a kind" (genitive singular: Latin generis, with r from rhotacism)
Vowel shortening
Attic Ä“ (from Ä“-grade of ablaut or Proto-Greek Ä) is sometimes shortened to e:
1. when it is followed by a short vowel, with lengthening of the short vowel (quantitative metathesis): Ä“o → eÅ
2. when it is followed by a long vowel: ēŠ→ eÅ
3. when it is followed by u and s: ēus → eus (Osthoff's law):
4. basilÄ“os → basileÅs "of a king" (genitive singular)
5. basilÄ“Ån → basileÅn (genitive plural)
6. basilēusi → basileusi (dative plural)
7. Hyphaeresis
Attic deletes one of two vowels in a row, called hyphaeresis ().
• Homeric boÄ“-tho-os → Attic boÄ“thos "running to a cry", "helper in battle"
PIE *ky or *chy → Proto-Greek ts (palatalization) → Attic tt. — Ionic and Koine ss.
• Proto-Greek glÅkh-ya → Attic glÅtta — Ionic glÅssa "tongue"
Sometimes, Proto-Greek *ty and *tw → Attic tt. — Ionic and Koine ss.
• PIE kwetwores → Attic tettares — Ionic tesseres "four" (Latin quattuor)
Proto-Greek and Doric t before i or y → Attic-Ionic s (palatalization).
Shortening of ss
Early Attic-Ionic ss → Classical Attic s.
• PIE medh-yos → Homeric messos (palatalization) → Attic mesos "middle"
Loss of w
Proto-Greek w (digamma) was lost in Attic before historical times.
• Proto-Greek korwÄLiddell and Scott, {{LSJ|ko/rh|κόÏη}}. → Attic korÄ“ "girl"
Retention of h
Attic retained Proto-Greek h- (from debuccalization of Proto-Indo-European initial s- or y-), but some other dialects lost it (psilosis "stripping", "de-aspiration").
• Proto-Indo-European si-sta-mes → Attic histamen — Cretan istamen "we stand"
Movable n
Attic-Ionic places an n (movable nu) at the end of some words that would ordinarily end in a vowel, if the next word starts with a vowel, to prevent hiatus (two vowels in a row).
• pÄsin élegon "they spoke to everyone" vs. pÄsi legousi
• pÄsi(n) dative plural of "all"
• legousi(n) "they speak" (third person plural, present indicative active)
• elege(n) "he was speaking" (third person singular, imperfect indicative active)
• titheisi(n) "he places", "makes" (third person singular, present indicative active: athematic verb)
• Attic tends to replace the -ter "doer of" suffix with -tes: dikastes for dikaster "judge".
• The Attic adjectival ending -eios and corresponding noun ending, both having two syllables with the diphthong ei, stand in place of Ä“ios, with three syllables, in other dialects: politeia, Cretan politÄ“ia, "constitution", both from politewia whose w is dropped.
Attic Greek grammar is to a large extent Ancient Greek grammar or at least when the latter topic is presented it is with the peculiarities of the Attic dialect. This section mentions only some of the Attic peculiarities.
In addition to singular and plural numbers, Attic Greek had the dual number. This was used to refer to two of something and was present as an inflection in nouns, adjectives, pronouns and verbs (any categories inflected for number). Attic Greek was the last dialect to retain it from older forms of Greek, and the dual number had died out by the end of the 5th century BC.
With regard to declension, the stem is the part of the declined word to which case endings are suffixed. In the alpha or first declension feminines, the stem ends in long a, which is parallel to the Latin first declension. In Attic-Ionic the stem vowel has changed to ē in the singular, except (in Attic only) after e, i or r. For example, the respective nominative, genitive, dative and accusative singular forms are gnome, gnomes, gnome(i), gnomen, "opinion" but thea, theas, thea(i), thean, "goddess".The plural is the same in both cases, gnomai and theai, but other sound changes were more important in its formation. For example, original -as in the nominative plural was replaced by the diphthong -ai, which did not change from a to e. In the few a-stem masculines, the genitive singular follows the second declension: stratiotēs, stratiotou, stratiotēi, etc.In the omicron or second declension, mainly masculines (but with some feminines), the stem ends in o or e, which is composed in turn of a root plus the thematic vowel, an o or e in Indo-European ablaut series parallel to similar formations of the verb. It is the equivalent of the Latin second declension. The alternation of Greek -os and Latin -us in the nominative singular is familiar to readers of Greek and Latin.In Attic Greek, an original genitive singular ending *-osyo after losing the s (like in the other dialects) lengthens the stem o to the spurious diphthong -ou (see above under Phonology, Vowels): logos "the word" logou from *logosyo "of the word". The dative plural of Attic-Ionic had -oisi, which appears in early Attic but later simplifies to -ois: anthropois "to or for the men".
Classical Attic
{{See also|Classical Athens}}Classical Attic may refer either to the varieties of Attic Greek spoken and written in Greek majusculeOnly the excavated inscriptions of the era. The Classical Attic works are transmitted in uncial manuscripts in the 5th and 4th centuries BC (Classical-era Attic) or to the Hellenistic and Roman Including the Byzantine Atticists. era standardized Attic Greek, mainly on the language of Attic orators and written in Greek uncial (good Attic and vehement rival of vulgar or Koine Greek).
• The vernacular and poetic dialect of Aristophanes.
• The dialect of Thucydides (mixed Old Attic with neologisms).
• The dialect and the orthography of Old Attic inscriptions in Attic alphabet before 403 BC. The Thucydidean orthography is similar.
• The conventionalized and poetic dialect of the Attic tragic poets, mixed with Epic and Ionic Greek and used in the episodes. (In the choral odes, conventional Doric is used).
• Formal Attic of Attic orators, Plato,Platonic style is poetic Xenophon and Aristotle, imitated by the Atticists or Neo-Attic writers, and considered to be good or Standard Attic.
See also
• BOOK, Buck, Carl Darling, 1955, The Greek Dialects, The University of Chicago Press,
• BOOK, Goodwin, William W., 1879, Greek Grammar, Macmillan Education, 0-89241-118-X,
• BOOK, harv, Threatte, Leslie, 1980, The grammar of Attic inscriptions, I: Phonology, Berlin, De Gruyter,
• BOOK, Smyth, Herbert Weir, 1920, Greek Grammar, Harvard University Press, 0-674-36250-0,
Further reading
• Allen, W. Sidney. 1987. Vox Graeca: The pronunciation of Classical Greek. 3rd ed. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Bakker, Egbert J., ed. 2010. A companion to the Ancient Greek language. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Christidis, Anastasios-Phoivos, ed. 2007. A history of Ancient Greek: From the beginnings to Late Antiquity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
• Colvin, Stephen C. 2007. A historical Greek reader: Mycenaean to the koiné. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Horrocks, Geoffrey. 2010. Greek: A history of the language and its speakers. 2nd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Palmer, Leonard R. 1980. The Greek language. London: Faber & Faber.
• Teodorsson, Sven-Tage. 1974. The phonemic system of the Attic dialect 400–340 BC. Gothenburg, Sweden: Institute of Classical Studies, University of Göteborg.
• Threatte, Leslie. 1980–86. The grammar of Attic inscriptions. 2 vols. Berlin: de Gruyter.
External links
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M.R.M. Parrott |
The passage of CISPA (the Cyber Intelligence Security and Protection Act) in the US House of Representatives has reignited the debate over online security versus personal privacy. Less publicly, it has also created a debate over how much work the US government can compel tech companies to perform in order to meet government-set security objectives.
CISPA is a large and complex amendment to the National Security Act of 1947, intended to update that act to deal with the growing threat of cyber attacks on both government information systems and private companies. Although it has many provisions, at its core it creates a program through which companies can share users’ personal information with the government and the government can share intelligence with private companies in order to avert cyber threats.
As such, the passage of CISPA creates a few issues for hosting companies, the most critical of which are:
Determining Participation For a hosting company, sharing users’ information with the government is voluntary. Given the firestorm of controversy sure to surround any law that involves giving the government access to private, personal information, it’s a good bet that watchdog groups will sprout up to report on just how much sharing a hosting company engages in. As a result, participating in the programs that will make CISPA effective may be PR suicide for a VPS hosting company.
Defining Privacy In the physical universe, law enforcement can argue that any evidence in “plain view” can be used without obtaining a search warrant, but in the universe of information it is much more difficult to determine what “plain view” means. Hosting companies will have to subscribe to a definition – which thanks to nebulous language isn’t clearly spelled out in the bill as written – in order to define how and when they will share information.
Because of a threatened veto, the bill will have to evolve as it moves through the Senate if it is to have any chance of passing President Obama’s desk, and this could create another issue for hosting companies. A current amendment to the bill requires the government to remove personal identification from information it shares with private companies, and the Administration has stated that it will veto the bill unless the final version also requires companies to remove personal identification from information it shares with the government.
That could create considerable extra work for hosting companies in the event that they spot a potential threat. After determining how, when, and to what extent they will share information with the government, they will also have to establish protocols and workflow to remain in compliance with the bill’s data-handling requirements.
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SEDAC Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center
Environmental Effects of Ozone Depletion 1998 Assessment
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This chapter reviews recent scientific information concerning the impacts of increasing UV-B exposure on biogeochemical cycles. This is a broad area of research that deals with the complex and often long term interaction of biological, chemical, and physical processes that control the exchange and recycling of matter and energy at and near the Earth's surface.Various controlled laboratory and field studies over the past four years have provided further evidence that enhanced UV-B radiation can affect biogeochemical cycles. However, there have been no appropriate in situ studies addressing the extent to which biogeochemical cycles have already been affected by ozone depletion. This assessment therefore emphasizes potential effects should ozone continue to be depleted. Our focus is on the effects of enhanced UV on carbon and mineral nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (Figure 1) and on the exchange of radiatively- and chemically-important gases between the biosphere and the atmosphere. More detailed treatments of UV-B effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems appear in Chapters 3 and 4.
Fig. 5.1 Conceptual model illustrating the potential effects of enhanced UV radiation on biogeochemical cycles in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The effects involving living organisms, e.g. reduced plant growth, are species- and/or exposure-dependent.
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Resources for Digital Identities
The article Associative Networks introducesmodel of associative network involved in the cognitive process of creativity. Bower’s theory of associated network: memories are stored as groups and the groups of memories can be triggered by a node. Also, the article cites Gruszka and Necka’s research of the relationship between creativity and associative memory – creative people are more likely to make more associations between words.
The Impact of E-mail Communication on Organizational Life
Derks and Bakker explore the impact of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in work life. E-mail, in particular, is a form of CMC that deeply rooted in our life. But the setbacks are obvious. First, the missing of nonverbal cues can increases the ambiguity of messages. Second, many miscommunications caused by egocentrism can stay unnoticed. People tend to use their own perspective as the main reference and often think their intention is more obvious than it actually is. Third, email makes it harder to deliver negative feedback. Although with these disadvantages, the shift from immediate communication to mediated communication is still the cultural trend. We should keep an open mind about it and remember we are in control of our digital devices.
One Reply to “Resources for Digital Identities”
1. I find the drawbacks of CMC very interesting. Theoretically, if we raised children to be more empathic and to accept negative feedback then CMC would be the perfect form of digital communication. On the other hand, if we transferred to prerecorded videos, then we’d also be able to see verbal cues and egocentrism wouldn’t be an issue. It’s interesting how prerecorded videos haven’t become a part of CMC even though they have all the pros and almost none of the cons. I wonder why it hasn’t become more mainstream.
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The Small Town of Battle – East Sussex
The small town of Battle – East Sussex is a part of what the English call a local government district, with this particular entity being Rother. Geographically, the town lies about 50 or so miles south to southeast of London and is also near to the famous city of Brighton. Today, nearly 6200 people call the town home. It is most famous for being near to Hastings, where a great battle was fought in 1066.
This particular battle is famous for being the event that led to Norman rule in England. The Duke of Normandy, William, defeated the army King Harold II of England to become William I or “William the Conqueror, ” establishing Norman rule throughout the country. Its most famous structure is Battle Abbey, built in 1095 to commemorate the Battle of Hastings.
Gradually and over time, the town grew up around the Abbey and began to develop a serious reputation for the quality of its gunpowder that was made in the area. The first such gunpowder production facility was built in the area in 1676 and Battle was renowned in many parts of Europe for making the best gunpowder, though the town lost its license to do so in 1847.
As far as historical landmarks, there is a hill near to the town where it is believed that William I and his army first spotted the English army of Harold and began to prepare the battleground upon which the two great armies would fight during the Battle of Hastings. During World War I, Battle was designated as a refuge area, and many protective tunnels still exist to this day.
Battle today is known as a popular tourist destination and is visited by quite a few people interested in learning more about the Battle of Hastings, Battle Abbey and William the Conqueror and the Norman conquest of England. Railway stations and roads link this town to London as well as to several other communities in the area.
East Sussex, the ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in which Battle resides, has a current population of around 770,000 people. It was once a part of the ancient kingdom of the South Saxons, who took up residence in the area after the Romans departed in the fifth century. Both Battle and East Sussex are teeming with history and historical importance, both in England and in Western civilization. |
Day 6: How model thinking helps you
Nope, I’m not talking about Baywatch babes of any type, but more about the scientific versions that are out there. I am following a course at Coursera which is amazing. It shows you all kinds of models that simplifies life around you. By using these models you can either analyse history or predict the future. Of course there are no true fortune tellers but they do provide insight in how things work. Yesterday I followed the training about economic models which predicts the flattening of China’s economy as long as no innovative measurements are taken. It was very interesting to see how curves show the past and future.
The tutor also informs you that it can be easier to think with the help of a model as it enables you to understand the data. Actually, to start using a model you first need to destruct the separate parts of your case. To note this down you are already forced to simplify the case. Once we have the model we can use it to understand the data. There are several reasons why we want to use a model:
1. To understand patterns;
2. To predict the future;
3. To produce a band width in which your forecast will fall when there are many uncertainties;
4. To analyse something from the past in a retrospective way;
5. To understand which sub parts there are and what kind of relationship they have when compared with each other;
6. To analyse if there are hidden parameters that are also able to nudge the prediction in a certain direction;
The course provides you with loads of examples for which these models are used. For example to decide if a bank needs to be supported by the government or not (so in essence to assess if the bank is too big to fail) they have ways to analyse the impact when a chain of events occurs. Other examples are for instance the Game Theory that can surprisingly also be used in real life. The Game Theory depicts that your choice is based on what you think that others will do. This is very well seen during election day, that there is always a part that votes strategically.
I figured that creating models might actually help me with more than just economics. Look at the very interesting Action blog that accompanies this article to see why the aha-moment is just so much more!
• We can use models to simplify and understand the world around us better.
• Models can not only be used to understand the past but also predict the future.
• There are a lot of reasons why models can help us figure things out.
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Welcome to the MAKING OF A NATION –American history in VOA Special English. Andrew Jackson became president of theUnited States in March of eighteen twenty-nine. Thousands of his supporterscame to Washington to see him sworn-in. Many were there, however, only to get agovernment job. They expected President Jackson to dismiss all the governmentworkers who did not support him in the election. Jackson supporters wantedthose jobs for themselves. This week in our series, Frank Oliver and MauriceJoyce continue the story of Andrew Jackson and his presidency. Most of the jobswere in the Post Office Department, headed by Postmaster General John McLean.McLean told Jackson that if he had to remove postmasters who took part in theelection, he would remove those who worked for Jackson as well as those whoworked for the re-election of President John Quincy Adams. Jackson removedMcLean as postmaster general. William Barry of Kentucky was named to theposition. Barry was willing to give jobs to Jackson's supporters. But he, too,refused to take jobs from people who had done nothing wrong.
Many government workers had held their jobsfor a long time. Some of them did very little work. Some were just too old. Afew were drunk most of the time. And some were even found to have stolen moneyfrom the government. These were the people President Jackson wanted to remove.And he learned it was difficult for him to take a job away from someone whoreally needed it. One old man came to Jackson from Albany, New York. He toldJackson he was postmaster in that city. He said the politicians wanted to takehis job. The old man said he had no other way to make a living. When thepresident did not answer, the old man began to take off his coat. "I amgoing to show you my wounds," he said. "I got them fighting theBritish with General George Washington during the war for independence."The next day, a New York congressman took President Jackson a list of names ofgovernment workers who were to be removed. The name of the old man from Albanywas on the list. He had not voted for Jackson. "By the eternal!"shouted Jackson. "I will not remove that old man. Do you know he carries apound of British lead in his body?" The job of another old soldier wasthreatened. The man had a large family and no other job. He had lost a leg onthe battlefield during the war for independence. He had not voted for Jackson,either. But that did not seem to matter to the president. "If he lost aleg fighting for his country," Jackson said, "that is vote enough forme. He will keep his job." Jackson's supporters who failed to get the jobsthey expected had to return home.
Next, the president had to deal with asplit that developed between himself and Vice President John C. Calhoun. Thetrouble grew out of a problem in the cabinet. Three of the cabinet members weresupporters and friends of Calhoun. These were Treasury Secretary Samuel Ingham,Attorney General John Berrien, and Navy Secretary John Branch. A fourth memberof the cabinet, Secretary of State Martin van Buren, opposed Calhoun. The fifthmember of the cabinet was Jackson's close friend, John Eaton. Eaton had beenmarried a few months before Jackson became president. Stories said he and theyoung woman had lived together before they were married. Vice President Calhountried to use the issue to force Eaton from the cabinet. He started a personalcampaign against Missus Eaton. Calhoun's wife, and the wives of his three menin the cabinet, refused to have anything to do with her. This made PresidentJackson angry, because he liked the young woman. The split between Jackson andCalhoun deepened over another issue. Jackson learned that Calhoun -- as amember of former president James Monroe's cabinet -- had called for Jackson'sarrest. Calhoun wanted to punish Jackson for his military campaign into SpanishFlorida in eighteen eighteen.
Another thing that pushed the two men apartwas Calhoun's belief that the rights of the states were stronger than therights of the federal government. His feelings became well known during adebate on a congressional bill. In eighteen twenty-eight, Congress had passed abill that -- among other things -- put taxes on imports. The purpose of the taxwas to protect American industries. The South opposed the bill mainly becauseit had almost no industry. It was an agricultural area. Import taxes would onlyraise the price of products the South imported. The South claimed that theimport tax was not constitutional. It said the constitution did not give thefederal government the right to make a protective tax. The state of SouthCarolina -- Calhoun's state -- refused to pay the import tax. Calhoun wrote along statement defending South Carolina's action. In the statement, hedeveloped what was called the Doctrine of Nullification. This idea declaredthat the power of the federal government was not supreme.
Calhoun noted that the federal governmentwas formed by an agreement among the independent states. That agreement, hesaid, was the Constitution. In it, he said, the powers of the states and thepowers of the federal government were divided. But, he said, supreme power --sovereignty -- was not divided. Calhoun argued that supreme power belonged tothe states. He said they did not surrender this power when they ratified theConstitution. In any dispute between the states and the federal government, hesaid, the states should decide what is right. If the federal government passeda law that was not constitutional, then that law was null and void. It had nomeaning or power. Then Calhoun brought up the question of the method to decideif a law was constitutional. He said the power to make such a decision was heldby the states. He said the Supreme Court did not have the power, because it waspart of the federal government. Calhoun argued that if the federal governmentpassed a law that any state thought was not constitutional, or against itsinterests, that state could temporarily suspend the law.
The other states of the union, Calhoun said, would then be asked to decide thequestion of the law's constitutionality. If two-thirds of the states approvedthe law, the complaining state would have to accept it, or leave the union. Ifless than two-thirds of the states approved it, then the law would be rejected.None of the states would have to obey it. It would be nullified -- cancelled. The idea of nullification was debated in theSenate by Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Hayne of South Carolina.Hayne spoke first. He stated that there was no greater evil than giving morepower to the federal government. The major point of his speech could be putinto a few words: liberty first, union afterwards. Webster spoke next. Hedeclared that the Constitution was not the creature of the state governments.It was more than an agreement among states. It was the law of the land. Supremepower was divided, Webster said, between the states and the union. The federalgovernment had received from the people the same right to govern as the states.Webster declared that the states had no right to reject an act of the federalgovernment and no legal right to leave the union. If a dispute should developbetween a state and the federal government, he said, the dispute should besettled by the Supreme Court of the United States. Webster said Hayne hadspoken foolishly when he used the words: liberty first, union afterwards. They couldnot be separated, Webster said. It was liberty and union, now and forever, oneand inseparable. No one really knew how President Jackson felt about thequestion of nullification. He had said nothing during the debate. Did hesupport Calhoun's idea. Or did he agree with Webster. That will be our storynext week.waf0Z].Js~*3z
重点单词 查看全部解释
attorney [ə'tə:ni]
n. (辩护)律师
branch [brɑ:ntʃ]
n. 分支，树枝，分店，分部
v. 分支，分岔
surrender [sə'rendə]
v. 投降，让与，屈服
n. 投降，屈服，放弃
supreme [sju:'pri:m]
independence [.indi'pendəns]
n. 独立，自主，自立
statement ['steitmənt]
n. 声明，陈述
dismiss [dis'mis]
vt. 解散，开除，逃避，（法律）驳回
eternal [i'tə:nəl]
adj. 永久的，永恒的
n. 永恒的事
separated ['sepəreitid]
adj. 分居；分开的；不在一起生活的 v. 分开；隔开
willing ['wiliŋ]
adj. 愿意的，心甘情愿的
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Apps for Analyzing
My first set of purchases include styluses and screen protectors for all the iPads. Why some apps that I have been playing with do way better with something smaller than a finger. The screen protectors have you seen you iPhone screen??? With kids why not.
Apps that fit into the "analyzing" stage improve the user's ability to differentiate between the relevant and irrelevant, determine relationships, and recognize the organization of content. Verbs commonly used to describe this phase include differentiating, discriminating, selecting, distinguishing, focusing, attributing, deconstructing, structuring, integrating, outlining, and parsing.
When locating these "analyzing" apps, consider the following questions
Does the app help the user...
1. Discriminate fact from hypothesis?
2. Distinguish the relevant from irrelevant?
3. Observe the structure?
4. Select important elements?
5. Determine biases?
6. Recognize intent?
7. Deconstruct content?
8. Understand the relationships?
9. Organize content?
10. Outline content?
Popplet: I use this for sequencing. It works by creating mind maps or brainstorming.
Strip Designer: I use for retelling. Students can create a comic strip illustrating the beginning, middle, and end. This one is not free but my students love using it.
Doodle Buddy: I use for visualization. For my students, I have then create a picture based on the "Movie playing in their mind" from a page read or if a picture book based on the whole book. (When I do this--I don't show them pictures. They create the picture and then I reread the book showing them the pictures.)
Apps may not always be free; as my goal is to create a list of apps that can be used with Bloom's Taxonomy. Has anyone had any luck with VGA cord?? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the cost. If you have favorite apps--give them a shout out!! I'd love to hear about ones your students love using.
I also wanted to share a special education technology link with you. Click here to go to the web site. They have reviewed a ton of special education apps for just about everything you could possibly think of from autism to speech/language to basic skills to help work on IEP goals.
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Culture Factory
Who is behind this?
Deniza Mulaj
Forum for Civic Initiatives
Idea Sketch | Proposal
Idea pitch
Converting an unexploited building into a factory of culture through art. Facilitating sustainable community development while maintaining its values and recalling history.
Where will your idea take place?
Why does Europe need your idea?
The value of this project to be reflected to other countries is that the mobilization of people, especially youth with a special focus on culture and art can bring about big transformations for a sustainable community.
Empowering youth to take part on drafting strategic planning for a sustainable development of communities, and not only treating them as the target group to be assisted, will give raise to innovative ways to work for the common good.
The idea of issuing these facilities to young artists with the aim of revival of these object will solve four problems in developing countries: a) Community Sustainability b)Work space for the young artists, c) Creative ways of remembering history and d) environmental benefits.
What is your impact?
Culture Factory will facilitate and promote new and creative ways to: mobilizing citizens to work together around a purpose for the common good. With the opening of the Culture Factory we will have the following outcomes:
1. A Youth NGO of the targeted community will take over the management of the Culture Factory.
2. Reopening the unused building located in a specific community will promote the importance of memory, will provide information for the history of that factory, and will value the work of that community.
3. Promoting the resurrection of unexploited buildings for the common good. Preserve and redevelop industrial sites for the common good
4. Culture Factory will be the center where young artists can promote their work.
5. A safe and creative environment for the community
How do you get there?
-Research will be conducted on finding an adequate building for which we can get the license to implement our project idea. The research will also be used to produce the documentary with the theme of “Resurrection by recalling history”
-Mobilization of volunteers and sponsor businesses to help clean up the space for the project
-Mobilization of young artist to start their work for the opening exhibition throughout applications.
-Organization of meetings with potential sponsor businesses
-Contacting officials of Ruhr Museum in Germany to organize a conference in Kosovo
-Final meeting with the community to select the Youth NGO who will be in charge of the Culture Factory
What is your story?
Who are you doing it for?
What makes your idea stand apart?
€ 30416,-
Funding requested from Advocate Europe
€ 30416,-
Total budget
Major expenses
Idea created on March 31, 2015
Last edit on Oct. 30, 2017
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Affirmative Action
Affirmative action help women and minorities to have a chance in society. It is an opportunity for them to have a better lifestyle and be able to compete with whites and the men in America. Although more people need to be educated about the rights of minorities and women, affirmative action is a step forward toward that conversation. Yes, some whites look at minorities as another species, therefore, America needs to keep educate society in other to close the gap.
In my informed opinion, I think affirmative action is a good way for certain groups to be exposed to the same opportunities as the other groups. They can get rid of barriers or boxes that try to keep them in some class. We are all the same and it is important to have the same doors open for everyone. In my opinion, if you remove our skins underneath is the same plus our blood is the same colors.
A white man earns, on average for full-time work, almost 56% more than a Black woman, and over 83% more than a Hispanic woman. (31) Retrieved from
A solution to overcoming the barriers women face in education and employment would be a website or app for women to communicate with a company which can help them with disadvantages they face at work. They can also post any other issues they face at their place of employment. They can receive support without being afraid of what the precaution they may face.
Yes Title IX open the door to women all over the country to participate in basketball and soccer. It started that no one can be excluded from any program or activity which get money from federal finance. Actually more women than men in college belong to sports which are offered there, although not too many women are engineers and technicians. In the beginning, the men had commercial uniforms, new sneakers, and chartered buses but the women traveled by van and they wore uniforms that were made by their moms.
Now coaches get pay and the program are not divided because the athletic directors are also women and they gave more benefits to women. Title IX help women to get more jobs and they also get access to math and science. Women can get promotion with opportunities to make more money. They still have more to do because the amount of minority females in swimming and tennis is low because they need to have money to be involved in those sports.
My daughter is biracial and she is a martial art instructor in an area of New Jersey which is dominated by whites. Her father is her teacher and title IX gives her the opportunity to earn a great living doing a sport which she is passionate about.
Women are allowed to fight side by side with men in the military since they have the same rights before women were only allowed to be nurses and be there to do the laundry, the cooking, and alterations for the men.
National Conference of State Legislatures. (2014). Retrieved from
National Public Radio. (2012). Retrieved from
National Women’s Law Center. (2000). Affirmative action and what it means for women. Retrieved from
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Python Programming Language Is Considered Better Than Other Languages
Python Programming Language Is Considered Better Than Other Languages
Python is an abnormal state scripting dialect. It is anything but difficult to learn and ground-breaking than different dialects in light of its dynamic nature and straightforward language structure which permit little lines of code. Included space and article arranged practical programming make it straightforward. Such points of interest of Python makes it unique in relation to different dialects and that is the reason Python is favored for advancement in organizations generally. In ventures, machine getting the hang of utilizing python has turned out to be prominent. This is on the grounds that it has standard libraries which are utilized for logical and numerical figurings. Additionally, it tends to be worked on Linux, Windows, Mac OS and UNIX. Understudies who need to make future in Python are joining on the web video instructional classes and python programming instructional exercise.
Highlights of Python: An inquiry to emerge is the reason machine getting the hang of utilizing python is favored over different dialects? This is on the grounds that Python has a few highlights over other programming dialects. Here are some fundamental highlights of Python improving it than different dialects:
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Guest Post by NNadir (who blogs occasionally at Daily Kos, profile here). This is a long but really interesting post. If you’d rather a PDF version, click here.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) released last year, 2013, a free PDF brochure, available online, entitled “Key World Energy Statistics”[1] which reports total world energy consumption, comparing figures from 2011 with those of 1973. The energy unit that is used to described is the non-SI, if evocative, unit, “MTOE” which is an abbreviation for “Million Tons of Oil Equivalent,” a somewhat artificial energy unit – given that the energy content of grades of oil vary considerably depending on their source – that pretends that all the world’s energy comes from a standardized form of the dangerous fossil fuel petroleum, which, of course, it doesn’t. The conversion factor, as given in the free IEA brochure, between the SI unit, the Joule, here reported as terajoules, TJ, a trillion Joules, is 1 MTOE = 41,868 TJ.
The actual forms of primary energy that the consumed energy took are shown in the following graphic from the text:
As shown in the graphic, the document reports that in 2011, world energy consumption (TPES = “Total Primary Energy Supply”) was 13,113 MTOE; in 1973, the year which those old enough to remember will recall as the year of the “oil shock” where gasoline prices in the United States surged toward the then unheard of figure of $1.00/gallon, world energy consumption was, according to the document, 6,109 MTOE. Before leaving this somewhat curious unit for the more satisfying SI units, it serves to note that it suggests, on a planet with a population in 2011 reported as 6.9 billion[2], plus or minus some 100 million human beings, that, on average, each person, as recorded in recent times, is responsible for burning the equivalent of 1.9 tons of oil equivalents per year. In 1973, the world population was something on the order of 3.9 billion people, and on average, each person on the planet was responsible for consuming 1.5 tons of oil equivalent energy each year.
In 1976, which – if I have the math right – was 3 years after 1973, the energy mystic Amory Lovins published a paper in the social science journal Foreign Affairs, “Energy Strategy, The Road Not Taken?”[3] that suggested that by the use of conservation and so called “renewable energy” all of the world’s energy problems could be solved. The thin red sliver on the 2011 pie chart, identified as “other” – solar, wind, etc, – obviates the grotesque failure of so called “renewable energy” to become a meaningful source of energy in the worldwide energy equation, despite consuming vast resources and vast sums of money, this on a planet that could ill afford such sums. As for conservation, in 2011 we were using 147% of the dangerous petroleum we used in 1973, 286% of the dangerous natural gas we used in 1973, and 252% of the dangerous coal we used in 1973. The rise in average figures of per capita energy consumption, as well as total energy consumed worldwide, show that energy conservation as an energy strategy has not worked either.
The reason that energy conservation as an energy strategy has failed is obvious, even divorced from population growth. According to the 2013 UN Millennium Goals Report[4], as shown in the following graphic from it, the percentage of the Chinese population that lived on less than $1.25 (US) per day fell from 60% of the population in 1990 to 16% in 2005 and further to 12% in 2010. From our knowledge of history, we would be fair to assume that the situation in China was even worse in 1976 than it was in 1990.
By the way, it ought to weigh on the moral imagination…that figure…less than $1.25 a day…less than $500 per year…for all a human being’s needs…food, shelter, transportation, child care, education, health, care for the elderly…
Seen from this perspective, Lovins’ writings are all marked by myopic bourgeois provincialism. The huge flaw in his 1976 conceit, and his conceits forever thereafter, was that for him, people living in the United States, and maybe Western Europe, represented the only human life that mattered. Chinese and Indians, for two examples, may as well have not existed if one reads his 1976 fantasy; he blithely assumed that they would agree to remain unimaginably impoverished while Americans pursued hydrogen HYPErcars[5] in every suburban garage and solar heated molten salt tanks[6] in every suburban backyard. Apparently, from his high perch in the überrich suburb of Aspen – Snowmass, Colorado – where he lives today in a super-efficient McMansion, he continues to issue rhetoric equally oblivious to the status of the larger fraction of humanity, this while collecting “consulting fees” from companies that among other things, mine and refine oil sands[7]. Consideration of the two to three billion people defined by the IEA today as living in “energy poverty”[8] – 1.3 billion of whom lack access to electricity for any purpose, never mind for the purpose of charging up their swell Tesla electric cars, and/or the 38% percent of human beings on this planet who lack access to what the IEA calls “clean cooking facilities” – is definitely not in the purview of a person who writes books with awful titles like, um, “Winning the Oil Endgame.[9]
Out of sight, out of mind…
This raises another point:
The worldwide energy consumption averages I calculated above say nothing of the distribution of energy. On some level energy is wealth, and wealth, as most people are aware, is ever more disproportionately distributed.
By reference to the free IEA energy brochure, summing its figures for produced and imported “MTOE” energy, (see page 56 of the report) one can calculate that an “average” citizen of the United States, as of 2011, where the midyear population was 312,000,000, was consuming 7.2 MT tons of oil “equivalents” each year, almost 4 times the world average for such consumption. In comparison, an “average” consumption for a citizen of Zambia, (also on page 56 of the report) where the population was 13.4 million midyear 2011, was 0.6 tons of oil equivalent, less than a third of the world average.
As I am one of a family of four living in a single house, and I am also somewhere, I suspect, near “average” as Americans go, I am compelled to imagine where I might put 28.8 MT of oil I would need each year were this figure reflected by an actual case of the “distributed energy” that one hears so often is supposed to be so wonderful. That is, were I compelled to generate all of my energy demands at home, keeping my yearly share, perhaps as “biofuel,” if not petroleum, on my property, this would be the amount of oil I would need to either grow (in the biofuel case) or have delivered and store in the dangerous fossil fuel case. In real life, of course, I don’t need to do this; other people and organizations do it for me. Happily, I have yet to live, my car excepted, to live in a total nightmare of “distributed energy.”
Of course, not all the energy involved in my family’s imagined 28.8 tons of oil “equivalents” is consumed directly by my family to power our refrigerators, our TV sets, our computers and our automobiles; some of it is used elsewhere, to manufacture materials for instance. About 3% of the world’s electricity is assigned, for example, to producing aluminum for cans, window frames, engine blocks and, for that matter, for Tesla cars. Some metals are even more energy intensive to refine than aluminum is. For example, the metal neodymium in wind turbines and many electric and hybrid cars involves a laborious process of extraction from lanthanide ores using nitric acid, itself made using natural gas, and copious amounts of petroleum derived solvents or complexing agents for solvent extraction separations, or ion exchange resins made from dangerous petroleum, lots of pumps and other energy consuming forms of mass transfer. (When wild catted at its sources in China – China dominates the world supply of lanthanides – as it sometimes is, lanthanide production can be and often is an environmental nightmare.[10])
Out of sight, out of mind…
Even if I really don’t need to store it myself, the image of 28.8 tons of oil in my backyard is illustrative, I think. I will have more below about what it might look like, in size, were it “plutonium equivalent” rather than “oil equivalent,” but before going there, let’s move to SI units, the units in which science is largely spoken today.
Translated into SI units, converting from the figures to the free brochure, world energy consumption in 2011 was 549 exajoules (exa- = 1018); in 1973 it was 256 exajoules. From these figures one can calculate that in 2011, the average continuous power output of all the world’s energy generation systems of all types was 8.1 trillion watts, or, in more familiar power units, 8.1 million megawatts. The per capita average continuous power demand overall for all people on the planet was 2500 watts, roughly the power output of a small American suburban lawn mower; in 1973 that figure was roughly 2000 watts. Billions of people of course, had much less than a lawn mower’s worth of power on average in 2011 (and for that matter in 1973), whereas other people got to use several orders of magnitude more power than a “lawn mower’s worth” of power, driving, for instance, in swell Tesla electric cars by which they express, in unconscious drollery, their “concern” for the environment.
If Amory Lovins has completely ignored, and continues to ignore, the issue of the billions who live in “energy poverty,” others have noted it. The Nobel Peace Prize winning former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohammed El Baradei, for one example, used to make speeches in which he indicated that his drive to bring nuclear power to Nigeria was informed by his understanding that the average power consumption of a Nigerian was 8 watts,[11] although in saying this, he may have been referring to electricity alone, and not total energy demand.
Out of sight, out of mind…
Too often, discussions about energy, be they technical arguments that are either conservative or creative and dynamic, realistic or wish based, seem to divorce themselves from ethics, if not from people like El Baradei, then from many – maybe even most – others. When atheists like me discuss ethics, we are often accused of casuistry, but I think this ungenerous. Valid ethical axioms exist, I argue – they have been called, not without some irony, “self-evident” – axioms that are sometimes articulated, even advanced, by religious ideologies or principles, although, I also argue, independent of them and sometimes even in conflict with them. When we discuss energy and energy technology however, we must also keep in the back of our minds the ethical question of what a human being is worth, and thus what any particular system of energy is physically capable of providing for and measuring that worth. Surely we can agree that a human being is worth more than $1.25 a day, can we not? I will speak more of this at the end of this diatribe.
However this all may be, let us now return to some technical arguments: The neodymium and aluminum to which I referred above are just two examples of materials that require significant quantities of energy to obtain: Our modern industrial culture relies on the separation and refining of significant quantities of some sixty to seventy elements from their sources, be they rocks, gases, or liquids; all of these processes of separation from ores and refining require energy.
One element that has been mined and processed on a grand scale – and has proved essential to our way of life – is the radioactive element uranium. For use in most nuclear reactors – heavy water reactors excepted – an additional refining process beyond chemical isolation of the element itself is generally required; one of its rarer isotopes, 235U, must be enriched in the final product. Isotopic enrichment processes are generally more energy intensive than simple chemical separations. In the case of enrichment of 235U from around 0.7% in natural uranium to roughly 3%, sometimes more, in fuel grade uranium, the energy invested in this concentration process is easily overcome by the incredible energy density of 235U isotope when it is fissioned. Nevertheless as a result of process – the vast majority of nuclear reactors that have operated over the last half a century use this “enriched fuel” – most of the mined, refined and isolated uranium is left behind, even though considerable energy has been invested in mining and refining it from its ores.
This uranium left behind, of course, is the famous, or infamous, “depleted uranium.” Many people consider this uranium to be “nuclear waste,” although it has found some use as ballast in aircraft and in ships, as a shielding agent for x-rays, gamma rays and other radiation, and, also infamously, in armor piercing tank shells used in both of the US-Iraq oil wars. “Depleted uranium” is nonetheless less radioactive, gram of uranium for gram of uranium, than the natural uranium found in ores, the seas, and in common household items like granite countertops, since the more radioactive 235U isotope in it has been partially removed.
How much depleted uranium is there? According to the World Nuclear Association, the world inventory of depleted uranium is about 1.5 million tons.[12]
As for what we should do with it…well…speaking only for myself, I’m not fond of war, especially resource wars, the most common kind of resource war that we have seen over the last century being the aforementioned kind of war, the oil war. So leave me out on the tank shell thing, putting uranium in a tank shell seems like a waste of perfectly good uranium. In addressing those who consider depleted uranium to be so called “nuclear waste,” I can say I have no idea what they’re talking about, since I personally consider that nothing that is useful can be considered “waste” at all. As it happens, I argue, there are few radioactive atoms on this planet that cannot be made to do something useful[13] and in many cases there are things that radioactive atoms can do that nothing else can do as well. Depleted uranium represents just such a case. I believe that all of the depleted uranium, for which the energy for isolation has already been expended and is thus, more or less, essentially available for the taking, should be converted into plutonium and fissioned in nuclear reactors, this to eliminate the necessity for any kind of energy mining in the immediate future. In this way coal mining, horizontal drilling for oil and gas (“fracking”), offshore oil drilling, and even uranium mining might be completely eliminated on a time scale of centuries.
This, of course, is not a new idea. The men and women who first harnessed nuclear energy – some of the best minds the world has known – understood this almost immediately upon uncovering its potential. In fact, the very first reactor to produce electricity in the world, this in 1951 – it was part of an experiment and not a commercial enterprise – was a breeder reactor, a reactor that made more fissionable material, this in the form of plutonium, than it consumed. The reactor, EBR-1, Experimental Breeder Reactor 1, was built because of the “enthusiasm” of Enrico Fermi,[14] who might well have been the greatest scientist to bridge both experimental and theoretical science since Newton, or maybe even Archimedes.
Noting this, and having some small insight as to who Fermi was, I cannot avoid some sarcasm: In the 1970’s Amory Lovins, who was, for reasons that leave me cold, awarded the “MacArthur Prize,” and thus was thus declared by some in the media to be a “genius.” Such a declaration, when Fermi has existed, the same Fermi whose work Lovins has the unparalleled hubris insipidly to dismiss[15] with silly speculations, innuendo, and frankly, gross ignorance, is the equivalent of declaring a tone deaf third grader seated as a second cellist in a musically weak elementary school orchestra to be the peer of Yo-Yo Ma.
Unfortunately for humanity, Lovins’ “Road Less Traveled” is now the “Road Most Traveled” even though, as the graphic at the opening of this piece shows, neither conservation or so called “renewable energy” has not, cannot, and will not accommodate the energy traffic required for a decent lifestyle for the overwhelming majority of human beings. Lovins’ road represents the daydream of the unconscionable and indifferent elite with scant attention paid to the relatively impoverished and absolutely impoverished bulk of humanity. There was a reason that reliance on diffuse forms of energy, so called “renewable energy,” for all of humanity’s needs was abandoned around the beginning of the 19th century and all the reactionary rhetoric in the world cannot change that fact. That reason, even more so than today, was that the overwhelming majority of human beings lived short miserable lives of dire poverty.
Nuclear energy, and only nuclear energy, has the energy to mass density to be sustainable indefinitely at levels of energy production that involve a balance of human decency coupled to environmental justice.
Fermi – who despite his vast intellect is said to have been no elitist – understood, way back in the 1940’s, that we would require depleted uranium to be made into energy, and well more than half a century later, as we are in crisis whether we see it or not, it is very clear that he was, in recognizing this, handing us a key by which we might save what can still be yet saved at this point.
So how much energy is there in the isolated and refined “depleted uranium” now available for the taking? As stated, before the energy content of this uranium can be recovered, it needs to be converted into plutonium. I have prepared a spreadsheet, using the nuclear data tables available at the website of the Brookhaven National Laboratory,[16] showing the breakdown of the types of energy released when an atom of plutonium – the 239Pu isotope – fissions. The table below is from that spreadsheet:
In the calculations below, I will include all of the forms of energy except neutrinos – which represent energy that cannot be recovered owing to the weak interaction of neutrinos with matter – assuming that all of these forms can be converted into thermal energy, thus claiming 199 MeV from each fission as recoverable as heat which may be converted to electricity, to fluid fuels (or other chemicals), to drivers of industrial processes: All the things for which we use energy.
The reader who has a sophisticated understanding of nuclear engineering, nuclear physics, and nuclear chemistry might question the inclusion of gamma radiation of both types, delayed and prompt, and delayed betas in my list, even if their contribution is minor compared to the kinetic energy of fission products and neutrons. In the gamma case I argue that advances in materials science, as well as the need to provide very high temperature systems to increase energy efficiency and thus to enable the elimination of the need to mine dangerous petroleum, dangerous coal, and dangerous natural gas, imply that a much superior fast reactor coolant is pure unalloyed lead as opposed to sodium – even if the most recently built fast reactors in Russia and in India still use the historically utilized and more problematic lighter sodium coolant. (We need to think anew.) Lead’s high atomic number provides for lots of electrons and heavy atoms that absorb and thermalize gamma energy via the agency of pair production, photoelectric emissions,[17] and Auger emissions, etc. Although other elements, including sodium, also capture some gamma radiation, the most efficient elements are all heavy, with lead and the actinides being the most efficient. This said, lead cooled reactors are a small subset of the thousands of types, arguably infinite types, of possible reactors.
As for delayed betas (and gammas), it is true that some of the beta energy, that involved with long lived radioactive fission products, may be removed from the reactors when used fuel is removed, but the majority of delayed betas, will in fact, decay in situ, while still in the reactor. From the BNL Nuclear Data Center referenced above, one may obtain the full fission product profile for the fission of 239Pu in either tabular or graphic form. I will reproduce the graphic – with the caveat that the live version at the BNL website which may be accessed by following the directions in the notes[18] is interactive – here:
I have accessed the table form of the graphically shown data above, imported the data in it to MS Excel, summed the fission yields from plutonium-239 fast fission for each mass number, and have shown that on the left side maximum in the two “humps” above, the most common fission product mass number is 103 – as one just about make out in the graphic above – in which all of the radioactive members of the series decay to the single stable isotope of the rare, expensive, and industrially important element rhodium (Rh). (It is interesting to note that by 2030, the world supply of rhodium found in used nuclear fuel will exceed the supply found in ores.[19]) In direct fission, the mass number 103, which is produced in 6.59% of fission events, is represented by a distribution of elements from rubidium (103Rb) to palladium (103Pd), all of which, with the exception of 103Rh, are radioactive. (For practically every mass number, with a few exceptions, there is one, and only one, stable nuclide associated with it.) In the case of mass number 103, the most prominent nucleus among these isotopes which is formed directly in the fast fission of 239Pu is 103Mo, formed in 3.63% of fissions. Its half-life is just 67.5 seconds. With two exceptions, the half-lives of the others are all much shorter, ranging from nanoseconds to a second and a half. Thus while the beta emissions are “delayed” the beta energy of its decay of the isotopes in the mass 103 series will all, more or less, be released in the fuel during reactor operations. Indeed the longest lived radioactive isotope in the entire mass 103 series is 103Ru, which has a half-life of 39.6 days. Since nuclear fuels may be expected to remain in the reactor for periods longer than two years, and reactor designs are either available[20] or conceivable[21] in which fuel may remain in the core for periods measurable in decades, it is clear that the overwhelming majority of this ruthenium isotope will also decay to stable rhodium during reactor operations for all kinds of reactors, both of types that have been built, or among the many thousands of unbuilt types of nuclear reactors that one might imagine, with the overwhelming majority of the energy produced by mass 103 fission products recovered as thermal energy during reactor operations. Mass number 103 in this aspect is not really unique.[22]
(As an aside, on the topic of long fuel cycle time reactors, the Sekimoto monograph, Light A Candle, just referenced (reference 21), includes a charming account[23] by Sekimoto of how pleased he is that the Bill Gates funded nuclear design company, Terrapower, has essentially appropriated the ideas behind his “CANDLE” reactor, rebranding it, apparently (at the time the account was written) without attribution, as the “Traveling Wave” reactor. Sekimoto discourses, quite cheerfully, about his ultimate visit to Terrapower’s luxurious offices, where he feels that however unstated, his innovations are nonetheless appreciated. Sekimoto is, apparently, a gracious and generous soul who can be pleased to die with nothing more than the knowledge of his contribution to the welfare of humanity.)
While the analysis above suggests I am largely justified in claiming the full 199 MeV of plutonium fission as recoverable energy, it is true that a small amount of the fission products produced will be sufficiently long lived to decay outside the reactor, 137Cs, for instance, which has a half-life of 30.08 years[24] (the majority of the decay heat for mass number 137 is released before 137Cs forms). I am not among those who consider isotopes like 137Cs to be “waste,” which needs to be buried or discarded, nor do I believe that the energy that they release after removal from the reactor need be useless. Quite to the contrary, with a little less irrational fear attached to them, they might solve some problems that are otherwise intractable, or far more difficult to address without the use of radiation.
For example: It has been shown[25] that a form of “synrock” designed for the immobilization of radiocesium isotopes, synthetic pollucite, by evaluating samples manufactured in the late 70’s and early 80’s, remains essentially structurally unchanged over periods of decades, despite incorporating the stable barium to which radiocesium decays and despite having been subject to continuous radiation exposure. (Natural pollucite is a cesium aluminosilicate found in some of the oldest rocks on earth.) This suggests that such pollucite might easily be used as a portable gamma source, and indeed it is, however, to a far too limited extent. Gamma radiation can be utilized, for instance, not only for sterilizing water, but also for the total destruction very dangerous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s)[26] – with only carbon dioxide and sodium chloride as the products – the destruction of powerfully carcinogenic nitrosoamines that are side products from the (necessary) disinfection of water,[27], [28] pharmaceuticals and their metabolites excreted or dumped into surface waters via sewage systems,[29] fuel additives in water,[30] and a host of other persistent organic pollutants (and especially in the case of air, persistent inorganic pollutants). Possibly even more interesting than radiocesium containing pollucite are titanium containing cesium synrock forms,[31] cesium titanosilicates, given the well-known ability of photochemically stimulated titanium oxides using visible, UV and X-ray radiation, to produce semiconductor “holes”[32] useful for catalyzing the destruction of a wide variety of very troublesome pollutants. This is recovered energy in the sense that the irradiation of water or air might serve to eliminate or reduce reliance on chlorination and/or the superior (to chlorination) practice of ozonolysis, both of which are energy intensive. This suggestion points to the fact that in a idealized nuclear powered world, energy might be used quite differently, with a vast number of similar efficiency and performance improvements.
With all this out of the way, let’s go to the punchline, and figure out how much energy is available in the world’s “depleted uranium:”
An electron volt (eV) is the amount of energy required to move a single electron through a potential of one volt, and it follows that the conversion factor from an electron volt to a Joule is simply the charge on an electron, 1.6022 X 10-19 Coulombs. Since a Watt is a Joule sec-1 it follows that the reciprocal of the total energy per fission divided by one second gives the number of fissions per second per Watt of power, which the table above gives as 3.14 X 1010.
Those who have completed a high school chemistry class (or beyond) may recall that any number of atoms can be converted into a mass by use of the concept of a “mole,” – defined by international agreement by an international organization known as IUPAC – as the exact number, Avogadro’s number, of atoms in exactly 12.00000000… grams of the pure carbon-12 isotope. The best recent measurements of this number suggest that there are 6.02214129 X 1023 atoms found in this circumstance. This number of atoms can thus be used to calculate the number of moles in any other pure substance, including pure 239Pu. Thus one watt of energy is equivalent to fissioning 5.2108 X 10-14 moles of 239Pu per second. Multiplying the number of moles of an isotope by its isotopic mass, 239.0521565 grams per mole for 239Pu, one can find the mass of a number of moles; in this case, a watt of energy is produced by fissioning 1.2457 X 10-11 grams of 239Pu, or 12.5 picograms, an amount which is so tiny as to be invisible even using an ordinary optical microscope.
We are now prepared to calculate what the one year “plutonium equivalent” amount of energy consumed by an “average” human being on this planet, understanding that the average reflects the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, since, as stated above, the continuous power demand of modern humans is roughly 2500 watts, as well as from the fact that a calendar year has 31,557,600 seconds in it. When we do this calculation we see that the “plutonium equivalent” of “average” human energy consumption, as compared to the 1.9 metric tons of “oil equivalent” is 0.98 grams per year “plutonium equivalent.” Thus if one is average across the broad range of humanity, and one lives to become a centenarian, one would be, for the purpose of energy consumption, responsible for the utilization, for the purpose of meeting all one’s energy needs, of less than a tenth of a kg of matter in a lifetime. By contrast, one might consume a kilogram of a dangerous fossil fuel in a few minutes of driving to a shopping mall.
The next question to address is how much plutonium must be fissioned over all. The answer to this question is that to address 100% of humanity’s energy demand at current consumption levels, an average continuous power demand of 2500 watts, 6,800 tons would need to be fissioned each year. Thus at these levels the inventory of mined, refined and isolated “depleted uranium” would last roughly 220 years before any other energy source would be required anywhere at any time, and thus every energy mining operation on the planet could in theory be eliminated for this period of time. Under these conditions, the scourge of air pollution, responsible for more than 7 million deaths per year[33], would not exist, and many other intractable environmental problems that are currently ignored might be addressed.
But is 2500 watts of average continuous power enough to sustain a human life decently?
In Switzerland, there is an organization that calls itself the “2000 Watt Society” which argues that the world’s population should all strive to live on 2000 watts of average continuous power and declares, somewhat arbitrarily, that this goal should be reached by the year 2050, when presumably and conveniently, many of the people who have been making this argument will be dead, thus having avoided taking the responsibility they expect future generations will gladly embrace. (In 2011, we can calculate from the data in the free IEA report that the average continuous power demand of a Swiss citizen was roughly 4,300 Watts.) As we have seen above, 2000 Watts was the average continuous power of humanity in 1973, when the population of the planet was, again, 3.9 billion people, the percentage of whom who lived on less than $1.25 per day was much larger than it is now. By 2050, population projections of the US Census claim that the world population is expected to be 9.3 billion people. In a “2000 Watt” world – with each person entitled to a lawn mower’s worth of average power – the planetary energy demand would be 587 exajoules, only 37 exajoules more than is currently used in our 2500 Watt world but nonetheless a prodigious amount of energy, since what we use now is prodigious.
Realistically though, how many people would we expect to have clean water in a “2000 Watt world?” Clean air? Medical care? Educational tools? Again, how many? A narrow elite? Everyone?
I personally believe that the world population will never reach 9.0 billion people, since it is becoming increasingly clear that the world cannot indefinitely support 7.0 billion people, never mind two billion more, without seriously degrading its carrying capacity, a process of degradation well underway now, no matter how many lies we tell ourselves in denial. Since his timing was wrong, and his mechanism was wrong, we have become rather glib and smug in assuming that Malthus was a blithering fool. But can we be sure he was? Call me a “doomsayer, an apocalyptic prophet,” if you wish, but I believe that the world population will fall, sooner rather than later, most likely not in an orderly fashion, not as a result of managed attrition, not because of lower fertility rates, but rather in the catastrophic fashion described in Jared Diamond’s insightful book on the environmental history of remote, isolated societies, “Collapse, How Societies Choose to Succeed or Fail.”[34] And let’s be clear: On a galactic scale this planet is, in fact, remote and isolated.
Nevertheless, I hope I am wrong about the mechanism by which population – the elephant in the environmental room – will fall, but the population must fall, one way or the other.
Repeatedly, I have argued in my writings and comments around the internet, by frequent appeal to the fine and widely read paper on the environmental and human effects of nuclear energy by the climate scientists Kharecha and Hansen,[35] that the fact that nuclear energy saves lives lies at the crux of the argument that the use of nuclear energy must be expanded as a moral imperative. At the same time as I am arguing for saving lives, I am arguing that the population must be reduced for decent human life to remain – or in too many cases to become – sustainable. It would seem that these ethical arguments are at cross purposes. However, with some exceptions, it is now understood by observation that those places where the fertility rate is at or below replacement level are most often the same places where people are secure in their homes, the places where they are well provided for, where they are educated and safe. Maybe, just maybe, the key to yet saving what might be saved of the planetary environment would be involved with honoring in practice, rather than broach, the 25th article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.[36]
From the data in the free IEA brochure, one can calculate that the average continuous per capita power consumption of a citizen of the US is 9,534 watts; the same figure for a citizen of China – a country about which many Americans complain because its carbon dioxide emissions, 825 watts. For the current world population, reportedly 7.16 billion, to consume like the average American consumes, world energy demand would be required to be 2,154 exajoules, as contrasted with approximately 550 exajoules actually consumed at present by the world population. Under such circumstances, the “exa-” prefix would no longer be adequate; we’d need to speak of “zetajoules.”
That I have spent part of this work making it clear that I regard Amory Lovins to be an insufferable fool does not imply that I have no respect for the idea of energy efficiency; the questions of “Jevon’s Paradox” aside, I still think that any true environmentalist should applaud efficient use of energy. The incontrovertible laws of thermodynamics show that the highest efficiency – the maximum “exergy” or work that can be extracted from an energy system – require the highest sustainable temperatures, and right now the best sustainable approach to producing such temperatures, in light of recent advances in materials science, is nuclear fission. Thus all of the ideal nuclear reactors I imagine in a sustainable future are high temperature systems with “combined cycle” features, where electricity might be a side product of other operations. A completely, or nearly completely nuclear powered, again, world would use energy quite differently than the world we actually live in, which as the introductory graphic shows, is largely a dangerous fossil fuel powered world. Perhaps, in this light, a decent world, the average citizen might live very well at 5,000 watts average continuous power per capita, in which case the mined, isolated uranium would still be good for more than a century, rather than two centuries at current levels of energy demand, with a requirement, of around 13,600 metric tons of plutonium requiring fission each year.
Thus far I have not discussed the favorite fuel of many nuclear energy aficionados, thorium. I have nothing against thorium; it’s a fine nuclear fuel, probably not infinitely available as uranium is owing to uranium’s higher solubility[37] in seawater, but available from crustal rocks for millennia to come. I disagree with anyone who argues that thorium is the only acceptable nuclear fuel, but yes, it’s a fine fuel with the potential to increase the fuel efficiency of the existing thermal spectrum nuclear infrastructure.
Let me say this about thorium: In the Ridgewood section of Queens, New York there is a “superfund site” described in The New Yorker as “The Most Radioactive Place in New York City.[38]” The media, with its fondness for anti-nuke hysteria has tried to imply that the thorium dumped into the sewer system there by the Wolff Alport Chemical Company, which operated on the site beginning in the early 1900’s through the 1950’s was a dedicated thorium production site that existed to serve the nuclear energy and nuclear war industries. Actually, the site, for most of its historical operations, was a site for the refining on lanthanides (aka “rare earths”) – the same lanthanides now used to make wind turbines and electric cars – most ores of which are, in fact, mildly radioactive owing to the presence of thorium in them. The Wolff Alport people only stopped dumping the thorium into the sewer system when a nuclear market appeared for it. In various places around the world, including the United States, there are lanthanide mine tailings containing significant amounts of partially refined thorium. These mined resources might extend the potential of already recovered nuclear fuel materials for another few centuries, although a complete inventory of such materials seems to be not readily available.
And when, after some centuries, the already mined and refined, or partially refined (in the case of thorium) supplies are exhausted what then? I referred earlier to a post of mine elsewhere where I examined in detail the sixty year history of research on approaches for obtaining uranium from the massive reserves in the sea; it is known to be feasible to so obtain uranium at any point where the price rises high enough to justify it, even though price increases in uranium have little effect on nuclear energy prices because of the extreme energy/mass density uranium transformed into plutonium enjoys.
However, there are other uranium sources from natural geological formations, and it might make sense to remove this uranium – killing two birds with one stone – from places where it may impact human health. For instance the Marcellus shale, particularly that in New York State, which is being pulverized in the very short sighted attempt to offer transitory supplies dangerous natural gas for one selfish generation to burn at the expense of all future generations, occurs in a natural uranium formation, something we can recognize by the large amounts of radioactive radon gas found in the produced gas[39]. Indeed, the brines used in hydraulic fracturing, can have concentrations of radium (which decays to radon and has a half-life of 1610 years) that exceed 10,000 pCi/liter (370 Beq/Liter or 370,000 Beq/m3) according to a news item in one scientific journal[40], an amount of radioactive material that exceeds, by 4 to 5 orders of magnitude, the amount of radioactivity in seawater associated with the leaking of cesium isotopes outside the Fukushima reactors[41]. (Water of this type from fracking operations, called “flow back water,” is often brought to the surface and dumped in landfills.[42] In the Marcellus shale formation, the amount of flow back water created in 2014 is roughly 5 billion liters.[43]) Unless the uranium, the parent element of the radon, from this formation is removed, the radon gas will continue to leach forever from the shattered shale into the ground water and air that all future citizens of the area will drink and breathe for as long as the humanity exists. The uranium might be removed, after the gas is gone, by injecting supercritical carbon dioxide[44] (with an appropriate uranium complexing solute) into the formations, and “washing” (leaching) the uranium out, and fissioning it.
Similarly, groundwater used for, among other things, drinking water can sometimes leach uranium. There is, for example, a region in Germany near Munich where the groundwater has significantly higher concentrations of uranium than the maximum allowance by German regulatory authorities, more than 10 μg/L.[45]
Thus we might reasonable – using well understood solid phase uranium extraction resins – collect additional resin from waters or residues contaminated with uranium because of horrific environmental practices such as “fracking” or because of the necessity of mining ground water naturally “contaminated.”
Before closing with some commentary on ethics – and, as stated, I do believe that energy and ethics are very much involved with one another – let me discuss some related technical issues, as I am largely a technical guy:
A facile challenge to my arguments above would note that very few commercial breeder reactors have been built, and with some exceptions, most have been balky economic failures. There are several reasons for this – and they are complex – some technical and others clearly cultural, involved with the fear, ignorance, and selective attention of the world’s cacophonous, if jejune, anti-nuke community, and others involved with the unsustainable, if increasingly universal, disposable culture. Thus in recent years only two major examples of fast breeder reactors have been built, a Russian version and an Indian version. Russia ran the most successful commercial breeder ever built, the BN-600 for about 3 decades – and has just finished a BN-800 a model that China is considering purchasing to construct a small fleet of breeders. India will shortly bring the indigenously developed Kalapakkam fast 500 MW breeder on line and plans building more such reactors.
The latter reactor is designed to produce plutonium as a key to unlock the potential of India’s huge reserves of thorium. India is a world leader in the use of heavy water reactors which, when charged with 233U produced from thorium, can function quite well as breeders even under thermal conditions; in fact, fueled with 233U, all of India’s 18 heavy water reactors[46] now operating, as well as the four due to come on line in the next two years, will be operating as breeder reactors. Breeding with thorium is slower than breeding with plutonium but breeding is still breeding. A nice paper[47] discusses the many options open to the innovative Indian nuclear power program, utilizing various schemes to utilize plutonium, uranium (both enriched and depleted) and thorium to power its reactors under breeder conditions.
(It is a matter of some irony that Lovins’ 1976 “Road Less Traveled” discourse mentions India only once, and not with any sympathy for, or acknowledgement of, the even worse living conditions that existed in that country then than those we observe now, but only to remark, with absurd confidence:
Nuclear expansion is all but halted by grass-roots opposition in Japan and the Netherlands; has been severely impeded in West Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria; has been slowed and may soon be stopped in Sweden; has been rejected in Norway and (so far) Australia and New Zealand, as well as in two Canadian Provinces; faces an uncertain prospect in Denmark and many American states; has been widely questioned in Britain, Canada and the U.S.S.R.”; and has been opposed in Spain, Brazil, India, Thailand and elsewhere.[48]
Tarot card readers, I would guess, could have produced more accurate predictions for ten bucks on a boardwalk in a vacation beach town, probably at considerably less cost than the trillions of dollars that have been squandered in failed attempts to make many of the ideas Lovins advanced in that otherwise silly fantasy of 1976 into practical policies. What is worse than the squandered trillions is the tragedy of the cost of missed opportunities.
In 2011, we were using 1,216% as much nuclear energy as we used in 1973, but it was hardly enough.
Despite what urban myths you may have heard, advanced by people who take Lovins seriously, experimental results, which always trump theory, show that nuclear energy and not so called “renewable energy” was over a period of 4 decades, the fastest growing form of climate change gas free primary energy. Without catcalls from people who know nothing at all about nuclear energy but hate it anyway, it might have done even better.)
To return to what critics of my ideas might easily point out, it is true that neither current plutonium inventories, including both reactor grade material from used nuclear fuel and weapons grade material available from practical nuclear weapons disarmament are nowhere near the 6,800 tons I indicated would be needed to be consumed each year to provide for the “2500 Watt world” in which we now live, never mind a “5000 Watt world” requiring 13,600 tons.
The United States has been, for more than four decades, the world’s largest producer of nuclear energy. According to figures from the Nuclear Energy Institute, the NEI, the inventory of commercial used nuclear fuel in the United States was 71,780 metric tons[49], accumulated over a period of half a century. Most of the mass of this fuel, roughly as much as 95%, is simply unreacted uranium, about 1% is plutonium formed from uranium during operations, with the balance consisting with both radioactive and non-radioactive fission products. This suggests that the United States could obtain about 700 MT of plutonium from its used nuclear fuel. Possibly, if we came to our senses and found a politically viable way to dismantle our stupid and useless nuclear weapons, we might obtain an additional 200 MT; let’s say for argument sake that we might have (by the time we come to our senses and reprocess used nuclear fuels) 1,000 MT here.
Below is a table, labeled “Table 7.3” as it was in the original reference, a comprehensive monograph on fast breeder reactors published in 1980,[50] showing the proposed fuel loadings of types of breeder reactors that were designed nearly half a century ago, in the late 1960’s, reactors that would never be built today – they’re way too primitive – but are nonetheless illustrative in the sense that they show the required fuel to load a large breeder reactor. Crudely, from this data, this suggests that available US plutonium inventories are only sufficient to fuel for a single cycle, between 250 and 300 fast breeder reactors, reactors that could be built as fast as is possible, perhaps in a fashion similar to that by which Henry Kaiser built “Liberty Ships” during the second flare up of the “Great War,” sometimes called “World War II.” After these reactors were built however, the rate at which reactors could be built would be essentially constrained by the rate at which plutonium excesses from breeding accumulated and became accessible.
This is some hand waving on my part, but I believe that there are no unmanageable impediments for nuclear power plants to reach 60% thermal efficiency, although this may not involve direct “exergy” per se, but might also include producing from nuclear energy chemical products including the replacement of materials now produced from petrochemical sources, and portable high density fluid fuels, such as jet and diesel fuels. In this case, in order to produce a sustainable and decent “5,000 watt world” with a population of 7 billion we would need something like 6,000 nuclear 3000 MW(th) reactors operating at 60% thermal efficiency. There clearly isn’t, right now, even enough plutonium on the planet, regrettably, to run this number of reactors for a single year.
Of course, every breeder reactor is built and fueled will accelerate the rate at which plutonium (or in the thorium cycle case, 233U) accumulates, and the “doubling time” – the time required for a reactor to produce enough fuel to fuel not only itself but also another reactor just like itself – will not refer simply to a single reactor (as in table “7-3” above) but to the entire system of reactors. In this case, plutonium (or 233U) will accumulate much like compound interest accumulates in a bank, with the main difference being that “withdrawal” for use would accelerate, rather than slow down, accumulation of “interest.”[51]
This said, it may not even be necessary to have large reserves of plutonium from used nuclear fuel to utilize depleted uranium as a source of energy. Earlier I alluded to the Terrapower reactor, design details of which have been published[52] recently, (acknowledging this time the contribution of Seikomoto, Teller and others to the original conception). This is a “breed and burn” type of reactor, in which transmutation of the fertile fuel (238U or 232Th) into fissile fuel (239Pu or 233U) is carried out within the reactor over very long periods without shutting down. In the Terrapower case, the reactor is said to be designed to run for 60 years without ever refueling, and without ever having the fuel reprocessed, simply converting “depleted uranium” into energy in situ. After 60 years, future generations would be able to dismantle the reactor, recover the fission products and put them to use to face the vast set of problems they will surely face because of this generation’s irresponsibility, and “reload” with the residual plutonium and the inventory of “depleted uranium” that remains for them to use.
Let me say that from my less than fully informed perspective, the Terrapower reactor, which is sodium cooled and is chock full of cladded solid phase fuel and seems to face, in spades, all of the historical challenges associated with high burn up fuels (as well as with sodium coolants), with respect to fuel swelling and xenon, krypton and helium gas release; they intend to vent the fuel rods. Most likely, though, I raise these concerns out of ignorance, since they claim they have proprietary technology for the preparation of metallic fuels with excellent “smear density” properties to address swelling. (Venting in oxide fuels can be very problematic from a swelling prospective, owing to the formation of low density sodium plutonates and uranates[53]) One hopes, therefore, that they will succeed.
Metallic fuels, in general, are superior to other types of fuels when it comes to providing breeding neutrons, as is shown in the following table reproduced in a recent publication[54] referring to a “reference” uranium/plutonium fuel cycle[55] as discussed 3 decades ago.
Probably owing to the age of the document, nitride fuels, which have many interesting properties that in my view have not been fully explored, are not discussed. It seems safe to assume however that the generation of breeding neutrons would be similar to that obtained for carbide and nitride fuels.
All of this relates to solid fuels, but many people argue, with considerable justification, for fluid phase reactors, of which the famous Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor, the LFTR, which has been widely promoted by the admirable and remarkable enthusiasm of Kirk Sorensen, President and Chief Technologist of FLIBE energy,[56] is one example. The FLIBE technology is based on the Molten Salt Reactor Experiment (MSRE), a reactor that operated in the late 60’s at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
In my view, the chief advantage of fluid phased reactors – and as a chemist who is quite fond of actinide, lanthanide and other fission product chemistry – is their capacity for in continuous in line reprocessing of nuclear fuels via chemical, electrochemical or even physical separation, for instance, distillation. (Arguably the venting of Terrapower fuels, depending on operating temperatures, would result in some physical separation, via volatilization, not only of gases, but of other volatile fission products, notably iodine and cesium, thus minimizing the risk of a large scale failure releasing accumulated fission products such as occurred at Fukushima.)
What is seldom discussed is the unique opportunity represented by another of plutonium’s rather unusual properties, its low melting point. A “connected” phase diagram of the actinide elements[57] shows this unusual plutonium property quite graphically, also showing that a neptunium-plutonium eutectic exists with an even lower melting point than pure plutonium metal:
Alloys of plutonium and neptunium are attractive nuclear fuels because they further reduce the already low (but often over emphasized, ad absurdum) risk of weapons diversion of reactor grade plutonium, by causing the buildup of the heat generating 238Pu isotope that essentially renders plutonium useless[58] for use in weapons, this while consuming neptunium, which in many ways is the most problematic of all actinides produced in nuclear reactors, at least in the silly case where actinides are buried as “waste.” (I note that no similar technology exists for making oil useless for use in weapons, which is probably why wars using oil based weapons of mass destruction are continuously observed and nuclear wars are not.)
For reference, here is the isolated phase diagram of neptunium/plutonium metal alloys is available[59] and is reproduced here:
In general, the low melting point of plutonium is considered problematic in most modern fast reactor metallic fuels,[60] since liquid plutonium metal is considered quite corrosive to cladding, but historically a 1 MW research reactor – far less famous perhaps than the MSRE – was run for a few years in the early 1960’s in which liquid plutonium fuel, in this case an iron eutectic that actually melts a lower temperature than pure plutonium, was utilized. This was the LAMPRE experiment, (Los Alamos Molten Plutonium Reactor Experiment)[61].
I wouldn’t regard this reactor as “off the shelf” in the way the LFTR is sometimes represented. In many ways it was primitive. Compared to modern times, materials science was relatively poorly developed and the only material that was known then to have sufficient resistance to corrosion by liquid plutonium was the metal tantalum, a constituent of the tragic ore “Coltan” that has resulted in modern tragedy[62] for those, including children, who mine it under near slavery conditions to make “super capacitors” on which cell phone technology and other devices (including computers) depend. On moral grounds, I would never approve of a reactor dependent upon tantalum mining. But, again, materials science has advanced tremendously in the last half a century, so that one might easily imagine a reactor utilizing refractory ceramics, perhaps nanostructured composites, to contain the plutonium, for example, and coolants other than the molten sodium, which would allow it to operate at much higher temperatures than the LAMPRE operated. Noting that some of the most refractory ceramics known happen to be actinide ceramics,[63] most famously thorium oxide, but also including many high temperature uranium compounds, very interesting possibilities for future reactor types suggest themselves. (The melting point of uranium nitride has recently been measured, using laser heating, as being 3125 +/- 30K.[64] )
As I play around with these ideas privately, it occurs to me that reactors are possible that include features of “breed and burn” reactors, molten fuel reactors, and very high temperature reactors in one reactor type. Indeed the interesting physical and chemical properties of plutonium metal[65] suggest passive control features as well as remarkable spontaneous in situ fission product separations that to my knowledge have not been extensively explored but might be in some conceivable future.
A conceivable future however, is not necessarily a likely future, and I do not expect that all of the knowledge we have acquired about nuclear energy in more than half a century of practice will be employed to save what might have been saved were things otherwise. Too many absurd and selective elements of fear and ignorance directed against nuclear energy have been allowed to prevail culturally for that to happen. I could go on almost endlessly on the topic of possible reactor designs that might serve humanity well, but it would amount to little more than spitting at a hurricane. Thus, having referred, in the Coltan evocation above, to the moral dimension of technology, let us now turn to the subject of the ethics of nuclear opponents, of whom Amory Lovins is only an egregious and prominent example.
There are those who can fly around in private jets to “Live Earth” concerts like those held in 2007 for the ephemeral, disingenuous, transient and absurd genuflection towards the idea of
“fighting” climate change (as opposed, one imagines, to partying through it) – such people burn orders of magnitude more than their 1.9 ton share of oil “equivalents” per year. On the other hand there are those whose income have never, not once, afforded them access to any dangerous fossil fuel “resource” at all, who live burning sticks harvested from the edges of dying forests, or else on the combustion of bits of gathered garbage, or perhaps a few pieces of coal in a desperate effort to stay alive.
For me, with my peculiar attention, the image that sticks in my mind of the 2007 “Live Earth” debacle, is that of some hirsute Rock and Roller enjoying his Warholian 15 minutes, prancing around in front of tens of thousands of watts of sound equipment with his guitar wearing an insipid “No Nukes” tee shirt, thus sharing his obliviousness with those who are not illiterate by choice but rather by their lack of opportunity – those pulling sticks and pieces of cardboard out of the mud to cook their food for example – but nonetheless illiterate all the same, each in their own way moving with us all to our shared destruction.
If there is a God – something I personally doubt – may that God forgive that hairy rocker.
The real question is not about the inane affectations of bourgeois rock and rollers but rather about the whole of humanity and this is why nuclear energy, the only energy form powerful enough, concentrated enough, to provide safely for all of extant humanity the inherent standards set in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, represents an essential ethical issue beyond the ken of insipid sloganeering.
Why should every human being, beyond conditions of birth, matter? Couldn’t some of us – the privileged few, imaging ourselves born into special rights – just hole up with our bourgeois solar power/wind power/electric car dreams and forget them?
The great theological thinker Elaine Pagels, a more worthy MacArthur fellow perhaps than Lovins, has suggested[66] that the real triumph of Christian theology was to insert into the world moral culture the axiom that individual human beings have equality in value, and thus in the right to justice, be it secular or divine. This is hardly obvious in a world that has contained, as aforementioned, both Fermi and Lovins, or for that matter, Yo-Yo Ma and tone deaf third graders. Indeed, the way we live our lives even today suggests we really don’t believe in that axiom, any more than Thomas Jefferson, he of the “self-evident truths,” believed himself the equivalent of his sometime “lover,” (or victim) the barely pubescent slave Sally Hemmings. Still, for me at least, this moral axiom nevertheless has power, I accept it as a basic tenet of human decency, even if it is more honored in breech than practice.
Almost exactly a century ago as I write, a tremendous shock, from which the world has never really completely recovered, commenced – the “Great” war – an event by which we understood, almost too late, that the power of knowledge, of technology, our machineries of wealth, run irresponsibly, indeed childishly, had a vast potential to kill as well as save. As the “Great” war died out, and rose in fits, spits and starts here and there again and again, launched once more into full flame, right through the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, we grew to fear our technologies as we fear ourselves, some technologies more than others, not always rationally, and not always with a clear and sober balance between what we must do to live, and what we must not do to prevent ourselves from dying out as a species. In making these choices, too often we have fed on the intoxicating ambrosia of fear and ignorance, coupled with wishful thinking, self-delusion and denial.
Against this backdrop, the outset of visceral terror of the ongoing “Great War,” during which human lives were macerated, burned, boiled, punctured, dissolved alive, namelessly, facelessly, becoming no more than shreds of rotting meat, some poets among the shock of shells asked themselves, “What is a human being? Is there anything to such a thing as the human being that might be as to make human beings worth saving from themselves?”
Writing in 1918, Die Dichter – the poet – Herman Hesse, in his transcendent prologue to Demian[67], wrote this:
Was das ist, ein wirklicher lebender Mensch, das weiß man heute allerdings weniger als jemals, und man schießt denn auch die Menschen, deren jeder ein kostbarer, einmaliger Versuch der Natur ist, zu Mengen tot. Wären wir nicht noch mehr als einmalige Menschen, könnte man jeden von uns wirklich mit einer Flintenkugel ganz und gar aus der Welt schaffen, so hätte es keinen Sinn mehr, Geschichten zu erzählen.
What that is, a real living person, one actually knows today less than ever, for we shoot lots of people – each of them a valuable, unique experiment of nature – to death. Were we nothing more than individual persons, were it really possible to take one completely out of the world with a rifle bullet, it would not make sense to tell (human) stories anymore.
I would suppose, with the growing contempt around the world for the poor, who more or less represent a majority human beings now living, many of whom still are born and die in short brutal lives of unspeakable horror and, too often, equally unspeakable violence – people whose stories are not told, or if they are told, are widely ignored – we still “know less than ever” what a human being is. It seems certain that there are billions of human whose whole lives we value at less than the cost of a fashion or gossip magazine, much less than the cost of a ticket to a football game. Could we not provide for these people at least enough for a modicum of decency so as to see in their unique realities the awe inherent in the universe? How? Shouldn’t we do so? Again, why?
For me, the answer to the last question, “Why?” is contained in the text following the lines above in Hesse’s same prologue to Demian[68]:
Jeder Mensch aber ist nicht nur er selber, er ist auch der einmalige, ganz besondere, in jedem Fall wichtige und merkwürdige Punkt, wo die Erscheinungen der Welt sich kreuzen, nur einmal so und nie wieder. Darum ist jedes Menschen Geschichte wichtig, ewig, göttlich, darum ist jeder Mensch, solange er irgend lebt und den Willen der Natur erfüllt, wunderbar und jeder Aufmerksamkeit würdig. In jedem ist der Geist Gestalt geworden, in jedem leidet die Kreatur, in jedem wird ein Erlöser gekreuzigt.
I have my own translation of these lines; with their beautiful evocation (and rearrangement) of Christian moral Trinitarian theology. Whatever my failings as a translator, the translation is one by which I have tried to live, so much as has been possible, my moral life, such as it is.
(All of the translations I have seen seem to strip away the poetry, and cannot capture the beauty of the original. As such, knowing how limited and weak my German is, and not wanting to trample upon the sacred, such as there are sacred things, I will leave it for those who know the language well enough to read it themselves to do so.)
…der…wichtige und merkwürdige Punkt, wo die Erscheinungen der Welt sich kreuzen, nur einmal so und nie wieder…
With our vision extending now literally across the universe, perhaps we are less profane, more sacred then we know.
This diatribe is way too long already, so let me close it and close it with this:
The physics and chemistry of plutonium are too beautiful, too weirdly mutable, too wonderful to fall short of the ineffable: Plutonium, the frenetic dancing element, the dervish element, with its raging picometer seas of its profligate electrons, its kaleidoscopic dance of color as each atom wriggles through oxidation states irrespective of its neighbors, its armory of collapsing and heaving phases, its helium breath, its unbound krypton and xenon and radon breath, its heat, its light, its way of becoming and then of coming apart, flinging particles in and out of itself, becoming what it never was in ways both regular and wholly free of order, its bolts of energy, its property of self-destruction whenever it finds too much of itself.
Were we mystics, if we really looked at plutonium, really strove to know as much as we could about it, we should see plutonium as though it were a chimeric god, at once terrible and nurturing, at once as profane and sacred, at once loving and fearsome, a giver of power and a means to weakness, giving both a danger and a safe harbor alike; like all our gods, such as they are, reflections of ourselves, measures of ourselves, as women, as men.
Were we mystics, we might decide that so compelling is the element plutonium, so like and unlike the world, that its existence had to be put here for us to use. Were we mystics, we might see plutonium as perhaps the ancients saw fire itself, fire being a gift so awesome that the gods punished Prometheus for eternity for giving it to humanity, for in so doing, Prometheus thus gave mere human beings powers beyond the gods, ideally powers to do the good and great things that the gods and perhaps humans, when fueled like gods, may do.
Even as I have little use for mysticism myself, I would that it were so.
Notes and References.
[1] Key World Energy Statistics, 2013 (Accessed August 23, 2014)
[2] For all population figures in this article, both explicitly stated and in used in calculations, I have used, assuming reasonable accuracy, this internet link: United States Census Bureau International Database (Accessed August 23, 2014)
[3] Lovins, Amory, Foreign Affairs, October 1976, pp 65-96 “Energy Strategy: The Road Not Taken”
[4] United Nations Millenium Goals Report, 2013 (Accessed August 31, 2014)
[5] Janet Ginsberg, National Geographic Today, October 16, 2001 “Hydrogen Cars May Hit Showrooms by 2005”
[6] Op. cit. Lovins (1976) page 83.
[7] Rocky Mountain Institute, Founder’s Biography. (Accesses October 18, 2014) The oil sands company for which Lovins “consults” is Suncor. One may note in this autobiographical commentary, the large number of dangerous fossil fuel companies for which Lovins “consults.”
[8] IEA Topic Web Page: Energy Poverty (Accessed August 31, 2014)
[9] Lovins, Amory; Datta, Kyle; Bustnes, Odd-Even; Koomey, Jonathan; Glasgow, Nate Winning the Oil Endgame Rocky Mountain Institute, 2004.
[10] Rural21: The Real Cost of Lanthanide Mining. (Accessed August 23, 2014)
[11] Nuclear Power: Preparing for the Future by IAEA Director General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei March 21, 2005, Address to the International Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century, Paris France. (Accessed August 23, 2014)
[12] World Nuclear Association: Uranium and Depleted Uranium. (Accessed August 23, 2014)
[13] I made this point in the case of the radioactive metal technetium in a post on the Energy Collective: Technetium: Dangerous Nuclear Energy Waste or Essential Strategic Resource?
[14] Waltar and Reynolds, Fast Breeder Reactors, 1980, Pergamon Press, page 4
[15] Lovins, Lovins, and Ross, “Nuclear Power and Nuclear Bombs” Foreign Affairs, Summer 1980, pp 1137-1177
[16] BNL National Nuclear Data Center (Accessed September 6, 2014) This link brings one to the search page “Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) Retrieval & Plotting.” To find the data I have used for the types of energy produced in the fission 239Pu, one should enter “239Pu” in the “target” box and in the MT box below, enter “458” – a value that can be found by clicking the “browse MT” button. In the sub-library, the “neutron reactions” box should be clicked and the box for ENDF/B VII.1 should be clicked in “library”. Then one should click “submit” and will be brought to another “Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF) Retrieval & Plotting” page, where one should click on the “interpreted” link in the “library” column to see the data.
[17] The K shell ionization energy for lead is 88.0128 keV, for thorium, 109.65827 keV, for uranium, 115.60989 keV and for plutonium, 121.79547 keV, energies that under photoelectric conditions approach the energies of many gamma rays of nuclear origin. cf. P. Indelicato, S. Boucard, and E. Lindroth Eur. Phys. Journ. D 3, 29-41 (1998)
[18] Op cit. BNL National Nuclear Data Center (Accessed September 7, 2014) To access the table or graphic, one should follow the directions above in reference 14, but for the “MT” box, one should choose the second “457” accessed by clicking the “browse MT” button, that for “cumulative fission yield,” click the “back to form” button in the middle of the table, and choose in “library” box, either “Rossfond,” or “All” box. On the web page that comes up, one may choose under the “human readable” heading, either “interpreted” to get fission yields in tabular form, or “plot” to get the interactive graphic reproduced above. (Accessed September 7, 2014)
[19] (a) T.G. Srinivasan et al, Electrochimica Acta 53 (2008) 2794–28016 (b) NNadir, Supply of Rhodium in Used Nuclear Fuel To Exceed World Supply From Ores by 2030.(Accessed September 7, 2014)
[20] Gen IV Energy Web Page
[21] Hiroshi Sekimoto, Light a Candle, An Innovative Burnup Strategy for Nuclear Reactors, 2nd Edition, Center for Research into Innovative Nuclear Energy Systems, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2010.
[22] For a more detailed examination of this point see NEA/WPEC-25 International Evaluation Co-operation. Vol 25, T. Yashita, Co-ordinator, Assessment of Fission Product Decay Data for Decay Heat Calculations
[23] Op cit Sekimoto (2010), page 83-85.
[24] Op. Cit BNL National Nuclear Data Center, CS-137(DECAY),RNP MAT=1800 MF=8 MT=457 Library: ENDF/B-VII.1
[25] Fortner, Aase, and Reed, Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 713 J11.37.1-J11.37.07
[26] Mincher et al, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2000, 34, 3452-3455
[27] Stephen P. Mezyk, et al. Free Radical Chemistry of Advanced Oxidation Process Removal of Nitrosamines in Waters, Chapter 22, pp 319-333 Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water Tanju Karanfil, Stuart W. Krasner, Paul Westerhoff, Yuefeng Xie, Eds. 2008 American Chemical Society Publishers.
[28] Stephen P. Mezyk, et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2012, 116, 8185−8190
[29] J. Rivera-Utrilla et al, Water Research, 43, (2009) 4028 – 4036
[30] Stephen P. Mezyk, et al. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2004, 38, 3994-4001
[31] T. M. Nenoff et al, Chem. Mater. 2000, 12, 3449-3458
[32] Shengyi Zhang et al, Applied Surface Science 255 (2009) 5975–5978
[34] Jared Diamond, Collapse, How Societies Choose to Succeed or Fail, Viking Penguin Press, 2005.
[35] Pushker A. Kharecha and James E. Hansen, Environ. Sci. Technol., 2013, 47 (9), pp 4889–4895
[36] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) (Accessed September 13, 2014)
[37] I have advanced an argument showing why uranium resources are inexhaustible – at least when uranium is transmuted into plutonium – over on Rod Adams’ website, Atomic Insights in a guest post: NNadir, On Plutonium, Nuclear War and Nuclear Peace
[38] The New Yorker, May 8, 2014
[39] E.L. Rowan and T.F. Kraemer, “Radon-222 Content of Natural Gas Samples from Upper and Middle Devonian Sandstone and Shale Reservoirs in Pennsylvania: Preliminary Data” USGS Report 2012-1159
[40] Valerie Brown, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 122, Iss. 2. A50-A55 (2014)
[41] Hideki Kaeriyama, et al. Environ. Sci. Technol., 2014, 48 (6), pp 3120–3127
[42] Gary R. Walter, Roland R. Benke, and David A. Pickett Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 62(9):1040–1049, 2012
[43] Michael K. Schultz et al, Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett. 2014, 1, 204−208
[44] For just one example of the extraction of uranium using supercritical carbon dioxide to extract uranium see, Park et al. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2006, 45, 5308-5313
[45] Thomas R. Rüde, et al, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47, 13941−13948
[46] Data on the operating and soon to be completed Indian nuclear reactors can be found by use of the Advanced Search Tool of the World Nuclear Association’s Nuclear Database. (Accessed September 28, 2014.)
[47] H.P. Gupta, S.V.G. Menon, S. Banerjee Journal of Nuclear Materials 383 (2008) 54–62
[48] Op. Cit, Lovins (1976) page 90.
[49] Used Nuclear Fuel and Payments to the “Nuclear Waste” Fund. (Accessed September 21, 2014)
[50] Op. Cit Waltar and Reynolds, page 241.
[51] Ibid. pp 234-245. The discussion of difference by Waltar and Reynolds, between reactor breeding and “doubling time,” system breeding and “doubling time,” and compound system breeding and “doubling time,” in this 34 year old text is excellent, and remains relevant and informative today, despite an unfortunate choice of using abbreviations as opposed to symbols in equations, and despite the fact that better fuel cycling technologies and reactor types are known today than was the case in 1980.
[52] Pavel Hejzlar, et al. Nuclear Engineering and Technology.Vol.45 (6) 2013, pp.731-744
[53] Anthony M. Judd, An Introduction to the Engineering of Fast Nuclear Reactors, Cambridge University Press, 2014. See page 120. To my knowledge this recent publication is the first textbook devoted– Seikimoto’s Light a Candle, which has a better description of lead coolants, excepted – to broad Fast Nuclear Reactor Engineering to appear in more than a decade. It has its limitations as well as considerable strengths, but it is very, very, very nice to see such a book being published at this time.
[54] Yang, Nuclear Engineering and Technology.Vol.44 (2) 2012 177-198
[55] C. E. Till, Y. I. Chang, J. H. Kittel, H. K. Fauske, M. J. Lineberry, IVI. G. Stevenson, P. I. Amundson, and K. D. Dance, ANL-80-40 (1980)
[56] FLIBE Energy Website (Accessed October 11, 2014)
[57] Seigfried Hecker, “Plutonium and Its Alloys, From Atoms to Microstructure” Los Alamos Science No. 26, 290-335 (2000) pg. 301 See also A.C.Lawson, B.Martinez, J.A.Roberts, B. I.Bennett PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE B, 2000, VOL. 80, NO. 1, 53± 59 and Smith, J. L., and Kmetko, E.A., 1983, J. L ess-common Metals, 90, 83 (1983).
[58] G. Kessler, C. Broeders,W. Hoebel , B. Goel, D.Wilhelm Nuclear Engineering and Design 238 (2008) 3429–3444
[59] Ogawa, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 194 (1993) 1-7
[60] Op cit., Judd, page 127.
[61] R.E. Peterson and R.L. Cubit, Operation of the Plutonium Fueled Fast Reactor LAMPRE, AN-DC-8398 from a presentation at the Fast Reactor National Topical Meeting, ANS-101, San Francisco, 1967.
[62] Top Documentary Films: “Blood Coltan” (2007) (Accessed October 19, 2014)
[63] An excellent, if dated, overview of the properties of some high temperature ceramic actinide compounds is found in the classic monograph by Matzke, Science of Advanced LMFBR Fuels: Solid State Physics, Chemistry and Technology Carbides, Nitrides and Carbonitrides of Uranium and Plutonium. 1985, North Holland Publishers, Amsterdam, Oxford, New York and Tokyo.
[64] U. Carvajal Nunez, D. Prieur, R. Bohler, D. Manara, Journal of Nuclear Materials 449 (2014) 1–8.
[65] A very interesting, detailed, and I think thought stimulating account of the irradiation of liquid plutonium in the LAMPRE experiment exists: M.D. Freshly “Irradiation Behavior of Plutonium Fuels,” The Plutonium Handbook, A Guide to the Technology O. J. Wick, Ed, Volume 2, Section 20-2.8, pp 662-664, Gordon and Breach Science Publishers (1967).
[66] Elaine Pagels, Adam, Eve and The Serpent, Random House, New York, 1988, see pages xx – xxii of the introduction and see also pages 55 – 56
[67] Herman Hesse, Demian, Die Geschichte von Emil Sinclairs Jugend Guttenberg Project, Released 2013. (Accessed September 16, 2014) The translation is mine.
[68] Ibid.
1. Our failure to develop fast reactors is an immense tragedy. It is sad to reflect on the poverty of imagination.
Yet I was reminded today that the issue of climate change is not really that old. In the year 2000 it was really only a blip on our conscious landscape yet after 14 years we have come a long way in focusing the world’s attention.
NNadir has done a lot in this article the combine the energy equity problem with that of the impediment of technical illiteracy.
Its a very good article and one that needs to be distributed to our nuclear savvy brothers and sisters
2. How refreshing this article is! I have read it carefully, with a growing respect for its author and his message. Most of all, I have been blown away by the complexity of the subject and the multitude of options before us.
Thanks, Barry, for bringing this to our attention – it is a delight and a challenge.
Next: a few days digging into the reference documents.
3. I have additional proof as to why I am smart when I know to rely on those smarter than I am. I wrestle with the human culture reasons relating to why we refuse to manifest those technologies available to us right now which would suerly appear to satisfy and exceed the survival needs of human forever for all practical purposes.
Nadir has given me a paper I can wrap my mind around for some time. Thanks so much.
4. One of the most interesting and thoughtful essays I’ve read in quite some time. A few comments:
1. Energy efficiency is admirable in its own right and for obvious economic reasons. But it will not and cannot reduce overall energy demand, because of rebound effects (often called the Jevons effect, but properly enlarged to include other economic rebounds as well.) In short, saving energy saves money, and whatever money is saved increases GDP, which sooner or later will gobble up all of that energy savings and more. This has been formally demonstrated in a thermodynamic framework in a remarkable series of under-read and occasionally misunderstood papers by Tim Garrett; start with “Are there basic physical constraints on future anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide?”.
2, At the risk of opening an old wound, I would like to publish this essay using my own ID at DailyKos, but of course attributed to NNadir. If you would like to discuss this privately, email me at .
1. FWIW, my own translation of the final Hesse quote:
“Every human being is not only himself, he is also unique and completely extraordinary, in each case he is the important and remarkable point where the phenomena of the world intersect, only once thus and never again. That is why every human story is important, eternal, divine, why everyone as long as he lives is the fulfillment of some desire of nature, wonderful and worthy of everyone’s attention. In each the spirit has become whole, in each the body suffers, in each a savior is crucified.”
5. One other point: the global supply of uranium is essentially inexhaustible, even at the billion-year timescales anticipated until the swelling Sun strips Earth’s atmosphere and boils the oceans. This timescale essentially makes fission just as much a “renewable” resource as wind. For a cogent argument on this point, see my essay on DailyKos,
6. A very fine article by someone who cares deeply about his subject and its applications. As a footnote, Nadir appears to favor lead cooled fast-reactors over sodium, whose reactivity with water inspires nightmares in the popular imagination. I’d only suggest enthusiasts don’t get overly dogmatic one way or the other over such issues, as there are chemistry, radiological, and engineering trade-offs either way. Russia pioneered lead-cooled designs, but their BN-series commercial power reactors are cooled by sodium, as is GE-H S-PRISM. Russia’s declassification of lead technology has renewed interesting the west, and there will certainly be lead and LBE applications. And thorium, and molten-salt.
And in the immediate future, light-water reactors and CANDU. They’re what we’ve got.
Please lets keep foremost in our minds the need for application. The difference between our current 400 ppm CO2 and the needed 350 ppm is about 100 billion tonnes atmospheric carbon. And we continue to add 8 another billion tonnes each year. The magnitude of our task is daunting, the straits dire.
7. A very informative essay. I have one minor quibble. You note several times the large amounts of energy required to make swell Tesla cars, implying none too subtlety that anyone who buys a Tesla, Elon Musk included, is a hypocritical fool masquerading as an environmentalist. There are several things worth noting. First, on a low carbon grid of the kind that you advocate, the total life cycle carbon emissions of a swell Tesla are much less than that of even very efficient ICEs like the Prius. Second, Musk’s ultimate goal is not to produce swell luxury vehicles for the few, but to mass produce EVs in the hope they will replace ICEs. But he needs to produce and sell the swell luxury vehicles to finance this project. If succeeds (which is far from certain, given the difficult economics of the auto industry), and if we can clean up the grid (also far from certain, as you note), we will drastically reduce carbon emissions from transportation, one of the main sources of emissions in wealthy countries. David Mackay in his great book on energy numeracy convincingly argues that we need to electrify transport. So perhaps slightly less ungenerous view of swell Teslas and their owners is that they are the financing mechanism that (it is to be hoped) will allow for the mass production of very efficient EVs, an important step in drastically reducing our carbon emissions. Of course, we could alternatively abandon cars – ICE and electric- altogether and join the 2 kw society, but I had the impression from your essay that you were not endorsing this option …
-Swell Tesla Owner
8. Just on rare earths:
Wind turbines predominantly use copper generators. Permanent magnets cost more.
Electric cars use lithium batteries not the old NiMH. Tesla uses copper motors as well, not sure about others.
The largest use of neodymium is hard drives, and the largest consumer of hard drives is The Internet. Your blog is the bad guy here friend.
Oh and just for completeness – PV contains no rare earths.
9. Tom:
Many types PV would be less toxic if they only used lanthanides which were historically known as rare earths. Cadmium is far more toxic than any lanthanide I know about. So, for that matter is tellurium. The real dirty secret of the expensive failed solar industry is not the final constituents, but rather the solvent and by product organohalides, (CF4, for example) and inorganic halides like NF3 and SF6.
The time between the disappearance of some of these compounds and now is actually greater than the time between the invention of writing and now.
CIGS thin film solar panels are much hyped. There is not enough indium and gallium on the planet to allow this technology to ever become a significant, 10 exajoule per year or more, form of energy. The invention of the touch screens has probably limited supplies to less than two decades in the case of indium.
The toxicology of the solar industry, which is pretty much identical to the semiconductor industry in general is masked by the fact that the solar industry remains a very expensive failure, a trivial form of energy. It would be a disaster if it produced 5 of the 550 exajoules humanity uses, but it doesn’t, and it likely never will.
That’s probably good news, whether our gullible public believes it or not. Distributed energy – and I include all examples of all kinds of cars in this rubric of “distributed energy” – is distributed pollution, quite nearly impossible to reign in.
The lanthanide usage in wind turbines varies, but it is well known by most literate people that many magnets in wind turbines – most – are neodymium iron boride types. It’s all over the scientific and nonscientific literature, one could find thousands of references using a modern neodymium laced computer in seconds, if one was actually interested in producing references, as opposed to simply making blind statements.
The fact that the wind industry is also an expensive failure may have mitigated a neodymium crisis, however, I fully concede that. After spending a few hundred billion dollars on this short lived junk, it doesn’t produce 5 of the 550 exajoules we consume each year either. Most wind turbines won’t be around 30 years from now. If we need neodymium, we can always yank it out of their carcasses.
Some car batteries, although not the batteries for the silly expensive Tesla, do use lanthanum, while the magnets use neodymium. The Prius is an example.
Lithium batteries are not, however, environmentally pristine, and there are many reports involved in the LCA associated with them. I direct you to one example of the many reports in the scientific literature on this subject:
For the record, reports in the literature shows that in some places, notably China, show that electric cars can actually induce more morbidity than gasoline cars, an effect resulting from the source of the electricity – most often coal there as it has been here – and the awful thermodynamics of effecting multiple thermodynamically (and thus environmentally) expensive energy transitions.
I tweaked this information elsewhere, as always, causing a cascade of criticism from the Musk cults who hear what they want to hear:
In China, there are cities where the pollution from electric cars (not electric scooters which are far more common) is 19 times more likely to cause mortality than the exhaust of a gasoline car.
The second law of thermodynamics requires that any electric car is energetically problematic. When electricity is produced using a dangerous fossil fuel the transitions are these: Chemical energy is converted to thermal energy which is then converted to mechanical energy and then to electric energy, transported at a loss, reconverted to chemical energy, then reconverted to electrical energy and finally to mechanical energy. All of these processes involve considerably quantities of waste heat.
We may compare a car fueled by filthy mined petroleum: Chemical, thermal, mechanical, three conversions as compared to seven.
A nuclear powered car, if we actually think we want or must have the car CULTure: Nuclear to thermal to chemical to thermal to mechanical. (In this case I am envisioning a high temperature carbon dioxide reducing hydrogen cycle, for example a Zn based cycle.) Of course in the nuclear case, no carbon is involved except for that which is reduced, i.e. removed from the biosphere. If the carrier fuel is DME, there are essentially no particulate pollutants, and only tiny amounts of formaldehyde and formic acid.
I note however, than I am less interested in Egon Musk’s fantasies and his dishonest, if highly successful, marketing programs, than I am in the 1.3 billion people who lack electricity at all. There are only a few thousand billionaires, the majority of whom seem to have problems with not confusing themselves with God. These billionaires are at best irrelevant to humanity’s greater goals and needs, however, and at worst an impediment to addressing these goals and needs. Like Nero, who also confused himself with God, eventually they will all end up as dusty foot notes in esoteric histories. And, further, again, the desperately poor easily outnumber the number of people who own cars. It is very clear, even if every car owner had one car, that the number of people who live without electricity outstrips the number of car owners by hundreds of millions of human beings.
Thanks for your comment. Have a nice day tomorrow.
10. Nnadir has written on the topics the I am most passionate about. The unique value of each person, Christian Ethics, poverty, energy, and nuclear energy. Well done and I share his ethical perspective on the question of energy if not his doubt about a creator. I would be one of those mystics who see the gift of uranium as a gift from our Creator at just the time in history that it is needed.
I understand that the human population is growing but will taper off due to decreasing fertility. There are several ways to address the food needs of this increasing population.
is one, but with enough energy is is possible to grow crops in skyscrapers of farmland.
As people’s wealth increases their fertility decreases. This is a historical norm recorded over thousands of years and demonstrated on large scales today. Once the population peaks it will decline and it might decline quickly since the aging population will be much less fertile and will begin to die off in fairly massive numbers due simply to age.
We don’t need wars or population controls, we just need to move as many as possible from poverty to comparative wealth. Nuclear power is able to help with that significantly.
11. NNadir,
If you strip away your frequent gratuitous insults and name calling (which detract from your important message), you offer five substantive arguments against EVs:
1. Claim: Lithium-Ion batteries are not environmentally pristine. You link to a paper stating that LI batteries (like the one that you probably carry around in your pocket) contain things like lead, cobalt, copper, and nickel and that these can be hazardous. The authors of the paper call for stronger regulations to require recycling and reuse of the materials in LI batteries.
Response: This and similar papers are an argument for the need to recycle and reuse battery materials, not an argument against EVs.
1. Claim: EVs run primarily on coal are worse for human health than cars run on gasoline.
Response: This is an argument against coal, not against EVs.
1. Claim: The second law of thermodynamics makes EVs energetically problematic. To support this claim, you consider the case where the electricity is produced by a fossil fuel. You note that in this case, energy is converted seven times, and at each step there is a loss. You contrast these seven losses to the three losses that one sees in a car powered by petroleum. Without explicitly claiming this, you seem to be suggesting that because seven is greater than three, EVs must use fossil fuel energy less efficiently than conventional ICEs.
Response: There are two problems with this argument.
First, the fact that more energy conversions are involved does not necessarily imply that the overall efficiency is lower. To see this, let’s consider the worst case scenario where the electricity is produced by an old inefficient coal plant. In that case, about 1/3 of the total chemical energy is converted to electrical energy. According to the EIA, about 6% of this electrical energy is lost in transit to your house ( So the total efficiency of the electricity delivered to the uses is, in this worst case scenario of an old inefficient coal plant, about .33*.94 = .31.
From my dedicated wall meter, I see that my Tesla uses an average of around 400 wh/mile. (This number is on the high side because I live in a cold climate and don’t drive much. Fleet wide averages are lower.) So to travel one mile, I use 400/.31 = 1.29 kwh of primary energy. Now consider the average NEW ICE. Average gas mileage for new ICE vehicles in the US, weighted by sales, is around 25 mpg ( . A gallon of gasoline contains about 33 kwh of chemical energy. So to travel 1 mile in the average new US ICE, requires 33/25 = 1.32 kwh of primary energy, which is the same as the Tesla. The error in your seven is greater than three argument is the implicit assumption that losses for each conversion are of a similar magnitude which is simply not true.
Second, and more importantly, you don’t need to run EVs on fossil fuels. They can run on any source of low carbon energy – nuclear, hydro, wind, solar, whatever. That is the whole point. If we can get our grid to look like that of France, or Sweden, or Ontario (or in geographically lucky places like Quebec, Norway, and Iceland) – which I take to be your goal, and one that I support, we can all drive around in EVs with almost no CO2 emissions. ICEs can’t do that, even the most efficient ones. Yes, one needs to look at the whole LCA, and yes, currently EVs require more energy to make than ICEs, but energy/carbon from use dominates energy/carbon from production. On a clean grid, for example, the energy for making aluminum will be carbon free (as it is already in many places where aluminum is produced).
1. Claim: I am interested in getting electricity to the 1.3 billion people who now lack it.
Response: I fully support this worthy goal, as do most humanists, but I don’t quite see how working to simultaneously decarbonize the grid and decarbonize transport via the production of affordable EVs in rich countries in any way conflicts with it. Maybe I am missing something.
1. Claim: (I am extrapolating from your remarks this one, so please correct me if I did so incorrectly). We should get rid of our car CULTure because cars are a wasteful extravagance.
Response: You might be right in some sense but this strikes me as both practically and politically impossible. Lots of people live in areas which require car transport. Lots of people like their cars. Lots of people in poor countries would like nothing better than to buy a car, and they often do so as soon as they have the means. So telling people they need to give up their cars stands about as much chance as persuading them to join the 2 KW Society (a notion that you ridicule in your article above). A better, more practical strategy is to make cars carbon neutral.
Overall, I like your article and you make many important points, but you would appeal to a much wider audience and be much more persuasive if you cut out the vindictive insults and instead focused on the facts. It might be emotionally less satisfying to do this, but it would be more effective.
12. John:
I don’t see where I gratuitously insulted you, but if I did so, I apologize. I am basically a very sarcastic old man, ashamed of the world I am leaving to my children, angry about my shame, and disgusted by the fact that none of this was necessary, but, nevertheless, here we are.
I will never be a “nice” person, and if it mars my “message,” sobeit. Realistically no one is going to hear what I’m saying in any case, and if people wish to care so much about the messenger that they can’t be bothered with the message, it doesn’t matter a whit.
I believe that the world is better for understanding gravity, even if Newton was an obnoxious person, but that’s simply my rationalization.
You may be the same fellow who writes excellent posts over at the Energy Collective, and I must say that I have a measure of respect for many of your writings.
Now where to begin with my response to your “retort.”
I simply state, that batteries are distributed energy by definition. I get rather tired after many decades of what we “could” do, but “don’t” do. Recycling, while it always sounds good involves energy and entropy, the latter in the sense in the sense that the more diffuse a system is, the more energy that is required to concentrate it, and the greater the probability that it will be prove to not be recoverable.
People always say they’re going to recycle their solar cells. Really? I once calculated that the entire solar installation on the roof of the MOCA museum in Massachusetts – purchased with a $750,000 grant – produces about as much energy in a year as half an American uses in the same year. I would submit that any LCA calculation involving recycling theory would need to include the externalities of gathering the electronic junk up when it becomes waste. And the processing has huge external costs, not for the users, but for the people who pay the consequences for the user’s luxury. These people who pay are called “poor people.” You may or may not know anything about the serum PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants) in the poor souls in China who make us “environmental” by “recycling” our electronic garbage, but I certainly do. Try this experiment: Go to Google Scholar, type: PBDE, serum electronic waste and see how many hits you get. If you have access to a scientific library, open some of the links. It’s enlightening.
Now you may claim that your Tesla car is not an electronic waste wannabee, but I am not convinced of that at all.
Now, nuclear aficionados such as myself lean heavily on recycling nuclear fuel, and it’s a good idea. It will not make nuclear energy completely and totally harmless, but it will help to increase the margin by which it is already the risk minimized form of energy. Minimizing the risk of any form of energy is all that is possible; no energy is risk free. It happens however that in the nuclear case, the risk is globally minimized, not locally minimized.
But nuclear fuel is very dense, very compact, and it can’t be strewn around everybody’s garage, backyard, campground, landfill etc. Thus it is feasible to recover, depending on how much money and effort you want to expend, to be reasonably assured of recovering and utilizing 99%+ of any element or compound in it.
Not so distributed electronic waste.
I would be very surprised if the Tesla people – who I expect will have forgotten all of their recycling promises twenty years from now when the Tesla is garbage, as it surely will be – were able to recover 60% of the matter in the car.
900 million battery packs for electric cars are quite another story.
Right now I am reading a book called “Thanatia, The Destiny of the Earth’s Mineral Resources, A Cradle to the Grave Thermodynamic Assessment.”, (Capilla and Delgado, World Scientific Press, copyright 2015.) You may want to try this book out if your so confident that the externalities of highly subsidized Tesla are so great and we can just solve all our problems by waving our hands and yelling “recycle!”
Easily recoverable lithium is a limited resource because concentrated ores are relatively rare, even though the element is about as common as zinc, and more common than lead or tin (cf. Thanatia, pg.223.)
Theoretically one could recover lithium from seawater, but recovery will be considerably higher in cost than the 432.5 GJ/ton obtained from ores mined today. (Ibid pg 234) I note that the energy density of lithium is trivial when compared to the energy density of uranium, which can also be isolated from seawater.
Again, there are 900 million cars on this planet. If Egon Musk isn’t lying when he claims he’s selling his expensive cars to the rich to someday trickle down to the masses, I want to know whence the lithium for this adventure is going to come. Let me tell you something, wherever it comes from it isn’t going to come in at 432.5 GJ per ton. And all those stupid fraudulent solar panels he puts on his charging stations aren’t going to provide that kind of energy. All the solar PV energy collected on this planet since the invention of the solar cell in 1954 would not isolate that much lithium. A Tesla right now contains about a third of a ton of lithium. Let’s say that he magically reduces that to 1/4 of a ton. It follows that if the cost of isolation doesn’t go up (as it surely will) 900 million Tesla cars would consume, just for lithium isolation, 97 exajoules of energy, about the yearly energy consumption of the United States.
I may be being rude here, but I’m not impressed. I think it’s a waste of effort that won’t do very much positive, and may in fact make things worse.
My complaint about the expenditure of resources to make Tesla cars seems obvious to me. Tesla took a loan of $465 billion dollars from public funds to stay afloat, so that, um, people as rich as bankers would have the Tesla car to buy.
Now the millionaires and billionaires who bought the car have allowed the government to be paid back. How nice of them! But let’s ask the question this way. Suppose we “loaned” society $465 billion dollars to do something else, like provide free vaccination to people around the world who couldn’t afford it. Suppose we loaned some of our substandard schools in this country new books and fixed the roofs in leaky school buildings.
Wouldn’t this really be paid back, albeit not in cash, but rather in resources not spent to heal the sick, make up for their losses of productivity, the prisons we might need to build if they get as fed up about their lives as I am about energy and give up and fall into an abyss of criminality?
How many people were served by that $465 billion dollar loan to Tesla?
How many people would be served by a $465 billion dollar loan to build septic systems for some of the 2 billion people on this planet who have never seen, much less operated a toilet bowl?
As for your thermodynamic argument, I fully credit what you say about the efficiency of different energy conversion systems varying, although I note you have not included the external costs of transporting coal, or drilling and fracking gas in your calculation. You claim a “profit” of 0.04 kg of CO2 per mile over gasoline. I might quibble with your accuracy, but I’m sure you’re very close.
I do need to note that the need to feather down and up some dangerous fossil fuel power plants when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining, will reduce the thermal efficiency of just about every dangerous fossil fuel power plant there is, owing to the “zeroth” law of thermodynamics. Good luck with maintaining .33 thermal efficiency.
In any case, the savings if they are very slightly positive, are trivial. I don’t know if that’s really worth 60 grand or 70 grand or even 50 grand, however much these Tesla toys cost.
Of course, in a nuclear powered world, the electric car system would in fact, do much better, not as good as an electric train, or even a DME diesel bus, but better. I would concede that in New Jersey, where 50% of the electricity produced in state is nuclear, a Tesla car is superior to an individual gasoline ICE. (The paper on China that I linked in my last comment in this post does a nice job saying what the gasoline mileage for an ICE car must be to be as good, or as bad, as an electric car.)
That’s all wonderful in theory. But reality is that almost 80% of the electricity in this country comes from dangerous fossil fuels, and carbon dioxide is only one of the pernicious external costs that these fuels spew on humanity.
I think we all serve ourselves better when engaged in the actual purchase of an item to acknowledge not what we would like the world to be, but what it actually is.
The United States is a gas, oil and coal burning hell hole. It didn’t have to be, but it is. Nuclear energy was invented here, again, by some of the finest minds the world has ever known, but the smallest minds in our country have proved to rule what was done with that opportunity. Now that opportunity is lost, and we have neither the moral or intellectual infrastructure to save it.
Those of us still living in our bourgeois fantasy land may escape paying for what we have done, but surely the burden will fall on our children and their children and their great grandchildren. They may not forgive us, nor am I likely to suggest that they should.
It’s a sin.
I do understand the good will of people who buy Teslas. They want to do the right thing, to feel like they are doing something. But that is, frankly, not enough. Not at this point. It is the responsibility of every cognizant citizen to really try to dig into their choices. That’s my view anyway.
The Tesla car is a triviality, an Amory Lovins type affectation in service to oblivion. Whatever I say about it is a waste of time, but I do somehow choose to perform that time wasting whenever I encounter the strong emotions applied to defend the indefensible.
If I were sensible, which I often am not, I would find another metaphor to evoke how clueless those of us in the top 20% are about the larger bulk of humanity in the lowest 20%.
Even you concede, that as nasty as I am, I do in fact have something to say, possibly something worth saying. It’s not to my credit that I spend time tweaking this Tesla affectation, but it’s telling that whenever I do tweak it, the Tesla, somehow that generates the most emotion in people who read the garbage I write.
The emotion I would have rather generated would have been about those billions of people living on less than $1.25/day.
That, alas, was not to be.
Thank you for your comment, and your calculation. I like calculations, as they are minds at work and obviously, to your credit, your mind is working.
Have a nice evening.
13. I noticed this line in NNadir’s post and thought it worthwhile to comment on it:
NNadir evidently doesn’t know that readers familiar with Candu reactors wouldn’t think of questioning the inclusion of delayed gamma radiation – it is the uniquely defining characteristic of Candu safety, as regards operational control !
That’s because delayed gammas from fission products cause neutron emission from deuterium in the heavy water by way of the so-called photo-nuclear reaction denoted as D(g,np).
Delayed neutrons are paramount to reactor operational control, but those emitted by fission product precursors are only delayed by a fraction of a second to a few seconds at most.
By contrast, delayed neutrons from photo-nuclear reactions with deuterium have an effective delay time up to many minutes (in significant quantity).
And although the yield is relatively small, compared to fission product precursors, weighting applied to the delay time gives them a disproportionate significance – and an added control safety margin of Candu compared to other reactor types.
A similar photonuclear reaction occurs with Beryllium – Be9(g,n2a) – which may be useful in reactors such as MSRs that include beryllium fluoride (BeF2) in their salt mix.
14. Nadir,
I didn’t mean to imply that you insulted me. I was referring more to way you seem to dismiss Musk’s goal – mass producing EVs – as silly, swell, a fantasy, dishonest etc. Given that a number of intelligent, well informed, and thermodynamically literate people such as for example David Mackay have argued strongly in favor of EVs, and given the obvious appeal of EVs coupled with carbon free electricity from, for example, nuclear power as a way to decarbonize transport, I just don’t think pooh-poohing the approach is justified. I think taking that approach detracts from your otherwise excellent and informative analysis. I could imagine that someone who might otherwise be receptive to your arguments in favor of nuclear power might be turned off by what seems to be an unduly dismissive attitude toward a technology (EVs) that is not (in my opinion) obviously foolish. But this is just my opinion – I could certainly be wrong and it would not be the first time. (The Tesla loan was for 500 million, not 500 billion).
Maybe you are right and there are solid reasons why EVs won’t scale or why batteries won’t be recycled – I need to think through the points you raise in your last comment when I have some spare time.
I agree with you about the importance of focusing on the needs of the very poor. Over the last year or so I’ve read a lot of books about development economics. ‘Poor Economics’; ‘The Bottom Billion’; ‘The Tyranny of Experts’; ‘The White Man’s Burden’, ‘Poor Numbers’; ‘The Idealist’;’More than Good Intentions’; ‘Dead Aid’ and several more. After all this reading, it’s far from obvious to me how to go about helping the poor. The track record of foreign aid, in all its many guises, over the past fifty years is not exactly inspiring. The one thing that does seem to help the poor is helping them build lots of coal and hydro plants. Can we help them build safe, terrorist proof, walkway, nuclear plants instead? That would certainly be better for the climate.
Thanks for your compliments on my occasional comment on Energy Collective. I have learned a huge amount from reading your comments there and elsewhere.
15. We seem to be drifting into the area of playing the man and not the ball. Please keep it civil at all times or risk your comment being moderated or deleted.
Please take time to review the Comments Policy on BNC before posting again to make sure you are abiding by the rules of this blog. Thankyou.
16. Let me describe my dream EV system. Electrify the railways. Nuclear powered ships. For roads I really like the eHighway idea.
Convert all the major free-ways to electric. Have two classes of vehicles. One class would be freight. The right most lane would be reserved for this class. The other class would be smaller vehicles. All the other lanes would be for this class. In order to pay for it make them all toll roads. Vehicles will need RFID to identify them at various places and charge their account automatically. With this cars can have smaller batteries. Maybe only enough to get between ten and twenty miles. Slow charging stations all over the place would help as well. I kind of like acid lead batteries if possible. They can be recycled really easlly . All of this powered by nuclear.
17. @ sodacup, re EV’s.
Thanks for the pointer to Seimens’ site. The idea of diesel-electric trucks fitted with pantographs and using electricity on the mainlines while still able to operate off-grid seems to be very reasonable.
This is especially so in Australia, where B-Doubles can gross 60+ tonnes and thus are substantially larger and heavier than the standard American 18-wheeler. I’m talking 34-wheelers. The larger size truck would lend itself to larger engines and greater efficiency overall.
On some roads, road trains with an additional trailer and 20 more tyres on the road are also legal. Maybe that outside lane you mentioned could be predominantly occupied by 85-tonners, provided that pavements and bridges are up to it. They would prove to be very competitive with rail, while avoiding the need for double handling from train to truck for final delivery.
However interesting that may be, we are now drifting O/T, which is that only nuclear power, by various reactor and generator configurations, can in the foreseeable future replace fossil fuels in the world’s energy mix.
18. Sodacup said “acid lead batteries … can be recycled really easily”
Sure they can, while there is a strong market for recycled lead. (And where there is a market too, as not every battery dies in a big city.) Sooner or later lead-acid batteries will become obsolete and the price will collapse. Then unsaleable dead batteries in backyards all over the world will begin to leak their poisonous liquid into the environment. In the big picture view of NNadir, vehicles with batteries are permanent polluters.
In more than a hundred years of battery development, we have only advanced from lead to lithium, if that is an advance at all. Trouble is that the catalogue of reversible chemical reactions just doesn’t offer factors of a hundredfold or better.
However chemistry only moves the outermost electrons. If more of the electron cloud in a covalent solid could be displaced fractionally, then we have greater scope for storing energy in capacitors.
19. Roger Clifton,
Because certain elements are toxic to humans and often other life we work hard to find substitutes. This makes those elements of little value which often leads to illegal dumping and various other unpleasant situations. I wonder if this is always the right path.
I’m not that knowledgeable about mining, but I think a lot of mining digs for more than one element at a time. Certain elements tend to be grouped together in nature and if you are taking one thing up out of the ground you also get the others. Sometimes those others are toxic. It seems like it would be better if we can find some us for these toxic element instead of leaving them as mine tailings.
If we electrify enough major roads then lead acid would be good enough. Because it is easy to recycle we can keep using it over and over again thus keeping it out of the environment. Seems like a good deal to me. Maybe people shouldn’t let it become obsolete.
Although if everything falls apart like some people think it will then eventually it will probably end up in the environment, but personally I like to be hopeful about the future. Otherwise it’s just too depressing.
20. @ Sodacup:
Was not Roger’s primary point that, regardless of which chemical element is involved (Pb, LI, etc), chemical storage on a vast scale will require materials on a vast scale?
Lead acid and lithium batteries may, indeed, be with us for many years, but it does not necessarily follow that future large-scale storage options using , say, stationary lead acid and mobile lithium batteries are the least cost storage solution in the longer term.
With this in mind, then energy solutions which need little or no storage are preferable to those with high storage demands. From this perspective, nuclear power has the edge over all forms of intermittent generation options, at east unless and until energy storage advances beyond lead acid and lithium batteries.
Quote: “[lead] will probably end up in the environment.” Lead in the environment is already a major problem, whether due to mining, smelting, manufacturing, usage or disposal. The ultimate fate of every tonne of lead seems to be to do harm environmentally.
Much is made of the problems associated with decommissioning and dismantling nuclear power stations. I wonder whether the future financial and environmental costs of dismantling and storing the waste products from distributed generation involving Pb, Li, etc will not exceed that of nuclear power on the same scale. Pb in paints was withdrawn over half a century ago, yet is still causing health problems. Cleaning up lead and other metals from wide areas surrounding the smelters in Lake Macquarie, NSW and elsewhere across our country, plus the sites where the mines are/were located, plus every manufacturing site is already an insurmountable problem.
Cockle Creek smelter was closed over a decade ago, but is still responsible for a dead zone in the creek and the northern end of the lake, plus elevated heavy metal levels in houses and soils for miles around the former plant. Foods such as oysters harvested from this, Australia’s largest saltwater lake, will never be safe due to elevated lead, cadmium and selenium levels.
Chemical wastes last for ever. Lead will still be lead in a millenium and will be just as lethal. Radioactive wastes decay, so (for example) the radioactive iodine which was released into the ocean from Fukushima had disappeared within weeks.
So, no… the problems involved with chemical battery storage cannot be ignored today on the assumption that the future will look after itself.
No. Someone incapable of contributing $1.25 of worth per day to other people is not worth $1.25 a day. Such people may be worthy of humanitarian charity, but in exchange for that charity they should give up their ability to perpetuate whatever deficiency makes them unable to carry even such a trivial fraction of the weight of the world’s necessary work.
If this sounds eerily like “The Cold Equations”, it’s because the real world is like that. Just because we can support 2 people who have no useful output to contribute, it does not mean we can support the 8 children they “just have”. Rights come with obligations, beginning with the obligation not to undermine the system that secures those rights. A system designed with the intent of assisting people must include the consequences of what people do with that assistance.
Maybe we should. Even those incapable of producing $1.25 of value per day have the primordial right to be left to live their lives unmolested. Give nothing to them, ask nothing from them. Let the Bushmen and Amazonian tribes go on as they always have, without technological man interfering with their ancient habits and rites. If they go extinct as so many tribes and races have before them… that is nature’s way.
22. As people’s wealth increases their fertility decreases.
This is not generally true. Randall Parker recently noted a case where water taps put into an African village (a clear increase in wealth, saving labor) allowed more time to have and raise children, so that’s what the villagers did.
You can’t just assume that increasing a population’s wealth will accomplish what you want. We have multiple examples in the USA alone of populations which did the exact opposite, and a number of destroyed cities to show for it. If you enlist people who lack either the ability or the will to go with the program and allow them too much control, it will end in ruin.
23. Lead acid has a great deal more potential than is currently being used by the standard design. Fireflyenergy had a design that seems to have died due to lack of marketing.
This would spray lead particles into a graphite foam base rather than using plated lead. The power density is much higher and the longevity is higher since the damage from sulfation is less.
It seems the company did not succeed since it was using government loans as it’s primary capital source. I sure wish I could buy it.
In terms of transportation, I do like the system described by seimens linked above. I would point out that a Molten Salt reactor that load follows on physics rather than on human or digital feedback would keep such a system running with rock solid power delivery, steady voltages and amperage. You would supply the system with enough MSR’s to meet peak traffic demand. As traffic varied through the day the power needed would match power delivered in fractions of a second. This means that you could use smaller on board batteries as a buffer and would need less robust electric motors than would be required if the system voltages varied greatly.
24. Hi, David.
Have you overlooked the feature of Siemens’ system which enables diesel engines to power the “last leg” to the final delivery, thus removing the need for double handling from train/barge/ship onto local conventional road transport? Siemens make no mention of on-board batteries, either small or large. Motive power is either mains electricity or diesel.
Of course, it is hypothetically possible for this to be powered by batteries, but Siemens have not recommended that. They recommend diesel-electric with supplementary pantograph electricity on major routes.
Otherwise I agree that a chunk of heavy road transport on selected routes could be powered via diesel-electric drives, using any grid that meets the load, but let’s consider this for a moment.
Given that Australia’s National Highways amount to 16,000km of sealed road of various designs and that they do not reach most of the major rural communities above (say) 40,000, the Siemens system is severely limited – it would rely approximately 50/50 on electricity and diesel, at best (IMHO) and would only include semi-trailers (22 wheelers) and above, up to B-Triples. It would be optimistic to expect that Siemens’ proposal could reduce liquid fuel consumption for road transport nationally by even 25%, ie it would be marginal at best, even if money grew on trees. (Ref:
25. I don’t see where you get from a claim that the sealed (paved) roads may be a minority of the lane-miles in Australia to the implicit assertion that travel on those national routes is such a small fraction of the vehicle ton-miles. If you’ve gone to the trouble of paving a road it implies that there’s plenty of traffic on it.
26. @ EP,
Thank you for a cogent argument. You write,
I have seen many economies in my work and travel through many areas where the wages are very low and 40 / month is the normal wage of a laborer. I observe that often these are in areas with very oppressive governments, who permit the stealing of land and the charging of interest at 240 to 500 % per year. In the Philippines they call this 5/6 but the practice is common throughout Asia. You loan 5 or 500 in one month you pay back 6 or 600 the next month. There are people on motorcycles who collect a few coins a day to make sure these loans on repaid. This traps people in poverty by sucking out their marginal earnings.
At the same time, because the whole economy is functioning at a different level the value of labor is driven down. In some countries you can hire a teacher with a Master’s degree for only $80 / month. They can have the same or very similar educational background but because the prevailing wages are so low in that area their services are undervalued on a world market. This is why there are SO MANY immigrant workers moving into western countries and being well accepted there.
Finally, I note, in regards to population that adding a water well to a community does decrease their work load and they have more time for reproduction. However, the mechanisms whereby wealthy people (women especially) choose to not have children (this goes back many ages before contraceptives) is that the women receive education when their work loads are lightened, and the cost of raising children in a wealthy context is much higher and thus discouraged. So, while a small increase in living conditions will not effect this, a wealthy society will. Please note most of Europe, the majority population in the USA and Russia, Japan, and finally Australia whose birthrate has declined.
I understand that there are only a few countries now where the birthrate is increasing and most of those are Islamic, which is a policy / cultural decision on their part.
27. Thank you David, for that very enlightened and enlightening evocation. One thing worth noting as we assert “blame” for poverty, as if such an enterprise were ethical, is that of the seven million people who die each year from air pollution, about half are under the age of 5.
It is, I think, difficult to imagine what a five year old’s “responsibility” for his or her condition is.
And then, there is the matter of child soldiers. In the coltan mining regions of the Congo, there are ten and eleven year old “soldiers” fighting in petty and obscure wars over a few rocks.
There is obviously there some criminality in that somewhere on the part of someone, but somehow, I can’t believe that the ultimate moral responsibility lies with a ten year old who has ended up toting an AK-47 through a jungle and firing at other ten year-olds.
If I allowed myself to believe otherwise, I will absolutely be certain that I have not been alive at all myself, but rather have existed as a kind of ghost in a some incomprehensible hell.
I once knew a man who grew up in an obscure backwater village in China, quite a good scientist as it developed, who told me that in the village in question the high birth rate was attributable to the fact that there were no other amusements in the village beyond work and sex. At the time there were no contraceptives available, as food, never mind condoms, was a luxury.
Fortunately for him, he did exceptionally well on some kind of exam that authorities traveling through his area gave to school aged children, and he was plucked from his home, sent to some of the finest schools in China and ultimately to world class universities in North America for his doctorate and post doctorate education. He ended up enriching a lot of people’s lives, most of them, however questionably, American.
It says something I think.
Thanks again for your comment.
28. @ Engineer-Poet:
The reason for paving 100% of Australia’s national highways was essentially political. The Australian Federal Government funds selected highways, which are paved regardless of traffic counts. For example, National Route 1 across the Top End.
I chose these highways as my example simply because I do not have access to more detailed figures for less favoured roads and highways.
I have heard that there is a parallel between this situation and the Interstate HIghway system of the USA, which was constructed for military and political purposes many years back and which may still preferentially receive federal funding.
Despite the lack of detail in my discussion, I remain convinced that my central point is correct – diesel-electric trucks combined with overhead electrical power supplies which, where present, enable the diesel to be shut down will not have sufficient impact on the carbon intensity of ground transport and absolutely zero effect on air transport.
For mine, there is more promise in using electricity via one or more of many pathways to produce either gas (hydrogen?) or liquid fuels. That may be a discussion for another day, however abundant and reliable nuclear power will get us all much closer to these objectives than any distributed or even gridless electrical system.
29. @ NNadir,
While in the USA there are people in relative poverty due to personal choices such as drug use, many of the people in Asia and Africa are true victims of actual abuse. I was in Asia for about a year before I began to realize the difference between most of the wealthy people I knew in the USA and the wealthy in Asia. They are a very different type of person.
The uniqueness of each person gives a great motivation to do what is possible to help them realize the potential they were created with.
When I began to study energy issues back in 2008 in an attempt to find ways to relieve some of the poverty I saw, I found Nuclear Energy. Extensive study, which you have greatly assisted, has convinced me that abundant energy is a true solution to many of our problems.
I have come to understand that the fear of low level radiation is very similar to superstitious fears of all kinds. Witch doctors live on superstition. They extract money and respect based on lies.
30. @David
I am very pleased that my work has helped you in yours, particularly as it would seem that your work is of a higher moral order than mine. Comments like yours make me feel worthwhile.
I have been to India, and I know something of which you speak.
Thank you for your kind words, but above all, thank you for caring so deeply about humanity.
31. @Jaro:
You are correct that I was unaware of this control mechanism in CANDU/HWR types. I like these reactors very much from what I know of them, but confess to being a dilettante with respect to their operational details.
I know from previous encounters that you are an expert on HWR, and I appreciate your illustrative comment and educational effort.
However, this case of control was not what I was getting at, but rather the thermalization of gamma radiation, since gamma radiation can be highly penetrating. The threshold energy for the reaction you describe is on the order of 2.25 MeV, if I have this right, and thus it does effect the gamma flux of lower energy gamma emissions.
As for beryllium, I know that this is a constituent of the popular FLIBE and related systems, such as the sodium analogue, and besides the photo-emission mechanism there is the famous alpha, n reaction which has been been important to historical scientific research and early nuclear technology, notably early nuclear weapons.
I have to admit that my early enthusiasm for FLIBE has waned quite a bit in recent years because of some concerns about beryllium that have less to do with its nuclear properties and more to do with its toxicology. I don’t like to give nuclear energy opponents too much confidence in their often silly objections, but I can imagine a hue and cry about beryllium arising that might have some appeal to people less educated than yourself.
As much as we might object to ignorance, it has power, and in a design consideration, it needs to be considered along with all of the more important technical engineering issues.
There is of course FLINAK, and in fact, a number of other interesting molten salts, and I think, an almost unlimited number of ionic liquids, even some exhibiting some radiation stability. I was recently reading a very cool paper with a species generated from an ionic liquid with actinide counter (non-organic) counterions. (cf. Inorg. Chem. 2004, 43, 2503-2514). It would be interesting to review the universe of these types of compounds to determine their phase systems.
It is possible that FLIBE might someday become a salt more of historical interest than practical industrial significance, rather like the alpha,n reaction in beryllium.
I’m not crazy about the accumulation of Be-10, but one might object to my more recent fondness for Pb coolants – especially considering the discovery of MAX phases as potential coatings – would involve the accumulation of Pb-205. I personally consider either concern rather trivial, for beryllium or for lead since one could in theory use these atoms essentially for eternity, and in any case the capture cross sections for both Pb-204 and Be-9 are low across the neutron spectrum, and of course, Pb-204 is a minor isotope in natural lead. Of course in pure lead coolants, as opposed to LBE at its eutectic point, the overall effect is to transmute toxic lead into less toxic bismuth.
We could, in fact, claim the transmutation of toxic lead into pepto-bismol. ;-)
Lead is, of course, toxic, but easier to control than beryllium from a toxicology standpoint, at least that’s my view. In any case, people have a habit of hauling around lead in their cars, and as we know, anything in our culture involved with cars is sacrosanct.
Delayed neutron fractions have been a concern with plutonium in many settings of course for control, although we now have MOX reactors operating commercially. There are a number of interesting physical chemistry properties of plutonium that I think might lead to other elements of control that it seems to me at least, are rather unique. Neat plutonium metal is a very cool material, and so are the vast spaces of binary, tertiary and higher alloys. I’ve spent some time digging out historical data involved with this stuff, enjoying a trip into the era when nuclear science was free of all the garbage attached to it in recent times, when people were free to explore all the good that nuclear science might do for humanity (and is doing as a result of the work of the scientists of that era).
Thanks for your comment and the interesting information about CANDU reactivity control. You always have something interesting to say.
32. NNadir-Thank you for all the work that you are doing to educate the public. As you and others have clearly demonstated, the case for nuclear energy is overwhelming to any honest person. Also, thank you for directly challanging elitist “conservationists” like Lovins who don’t give a crap about all those who have no electricity to conserve. They deserve to be ridiculed and treated with contempt.
33. An excellent article, as usual, informed with facts an enlivened by stout statements of our predicament, by NNadir, one of the nuclear heros of our time, who is willing to risk his head in stating things as they really are.
I feel though, that NNadir has underestimated the usefulness of electric vehicles, especially in a nuclear powered world, but this was pointed out already by others. Also NNadir has undervalued just how good nuclear power is. For one thing, low grade supplies in the ocean alone are enough for billions of years even with today’s reactors. Even with ancient submarine reactors on steroids having a resource efficiency of 0.5%, nuclear energy can supply ten times today’s electricity supply for as long as we have oceans and plate tectonics. (removing uranium from the sea will cause more to leach back in from the seafloors, it is in chemical equilibrium).
Nuclear energy is in fact so good, that even the most devout pro nuclear writer can easily underestimate it!
34. Thank you Cyril for your kind words.
I have been accused of a lot of things in my blogging career, but underestimating the power of nuclear energy isn’t one of them.
I wrote in some detail about the inexhaustible nature of uranium resources from seawater over on Rod Adam’s website, with a fair number of references, as a side diversion.
See reference 37 in this piece.
My issue with electric cars is not about the source of energy for them, to the extent that some may powered by clean nuclear energy, but rather about issues connected with their external costs not connected with their source of energy.
I’m fairly well convinced that if we must have cars at all – something about which I’m actually not sanguine – a nuclear derived chemical fuel such as DME (the best of all possible chemical fuels) would be more sustainable to the extent that any cars can be sustainable.
Thanks again.
35. Please, somebody, tell me what is good about DME (DiMethylEther). It appears, in practice, to have natural gas as its feedstock, plus electrical energy in its transformation. So what? Does discussion about the hypothetical potential to use grass clippings as feedstock mean anything, when this is not commercially rational?
Is there a process about which I know nothing which uses water, CO2 and electricity as the primary inputs? A quick look at the International DME Association’s website hasn’t suggested anything like that.
Since it is energy dense is it perhaps a battery of the future – store our spare electrons as DME?
It also has extremely clean exhaust emissions, although still with 5% of the carbon emissions of diesel.
What is good about the cradle to grave picture? Why is it seen as a solution to the world’s needs for a zero carbon transport fuel?
36. The point here is that nuclear plants can provide the electrical energy to support the reaction needed for a transportable fuel, I assume could work in aircraft as well as cars and trucks. Am I missing some facts?
37. Or the thermal energy, right? With a mature nuclear infrastructure it won’t be just electricity, but thermal levels which can allow us to utilize chemical activity at another magnitude.
(My dad was a physicist; I made my living as an electrician, so don’t hold me to too much scientific rigor)
38. Why DME? DME, or dimethyl ether, CH3-O-CH3 is readily produced in industrial quantities by the dehydration of methanol, CH3OH. Methanol is just about the simplest species of C1 that is not a gas at normal temperatures. DME has three non-hydrogen atoms, making it conveniently liquid for handling but lacks the high energy content of three-carbon molecules.
In another thread, the difficulties of creating transport fuel from atmospheric CO2 were explored. Although there are chemical pathways available, they all seem to have mediocre energy efficiencies. In particular the polymerisation from CO2 to a chain of carbons, required to achieve a liquid at room temperatures seems particularly difficult. The polymerisation of carbon is at least one process where the biosphere (in the form of photosynthesis) triumphs over industry. But when it comes to adding energy (as hydrogen) to carbon atoms, any process, whether thermal or electric, based on nuclear trumps solar.
39. Many thanks, Roger – I had forgotten where John Morgan’s article was.
However, any discussion about the benefits of DME must include discussion of the proposed feedstocks. John’s article was based on ocean recovery of CO2, with side discussion of atmospheric or carbon capture sources. Each of those sources of CO2 removes carbon from the biosphere before adding it back – net zero, assuming carbon-free electricity.
I do not believe that the current proponents such as Mack Trucks and the International DME Association have anything better in mind than natural gas feedstock plus grid electrical power, which in USA means 80% fossil fuelled electricity.
DME from such a process is essentially repackaged fossil fuel, i.e. window-dressing.
40. Mack has put on the market an engine capable of running on a practical non-fossil carbon fuel. That must encourage everybody who wants the conversion of atmospheric CO2 into transport fuel, whether via desalination, photosynthesis, renewables or nuclear. Surely that is evolution in the right direction?
41. Agreed, Roger, but only up to a point.
Until something happens to drive a switch away from DME derived from natural gas plus fossil fuelled electricity, your desire to “evolve in the right direction” remains only a desire. As the fact sheet states, the required mods from diesel to DME are minor.
Two considerations: (1) there is a 40% reduction in power after conversion, and (2) DME which is derived from natural gas is not “biofuel”. The fact sheet does not mention that all commercially available DME is derived from LNG, apart from one small establishment in Sweden which uses “black liquor, a papermaking waste.
“DME-capable” is not a revolution; it is spin. It is essentially a CNG conversion, plus retuning of the engine management system to the calorific value and cetane number of the fuel.
Apart from the reduction in storage tank pressure, what is the advantage of DME over natgas when both are derived from raw natgas and are compatible with the same engines? This isn’t evolution, it is wasting time.
I am an engineer. I like to think that engineers are problem-solvers. This isn’t true when it comes to DME. Real change will flow not from minor redesigns and re-badging of diesel engines by mechanical engineers. The driving force will be the dollar. What s needed is a price on emitted CO2 which is sufficient to make liquid fossil fuels unprofitable. Only then will truly low carbon liquid fuels, those without fossil parentage, come into their own.
42. Yes, I concede the point. Token schemes, as you say, waste time. They fob off public anxiety for effective action to save the greenhouse.
Perhaps a chemical engineer would be able to point out an energy-efficient mechanism that turns three CO2 molecules into a three-carbon fuel such as propane, C3H8.
43. Thanks, Roger.
Since transport fuels and cooking fuels amount to a third or more of global energy-related anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions they deserve equal time with electricity options.
However, we never hear that PV can substitute for ovens or gas rings or dry dung cooking fires. We need to find a way to skip past kerosine powered cooking and to transition straight to carbon-free, but that is another topic again.
One of the references states that propane is not OK for diesels except as a fraction in a dual-fuel mode. Methane is reported to be preferable, but there remain the problems with energy density (40% more mass?), hazardous materials in a transport environment, seals and pumps, although to what extent these are just scare tactics akin to the stories which still circulate regarding ULP and ethanol. We do, indeed, need a chemical engineer’s guidance.
I’m a civil engineer, by the way, with a few additional chemistry units to support an interest in management of (chemically) contaminated land. My knowledge is transparently thin when it comes to organic fuels generally and zilch regarding production of same.
44. I wonder why anyone is bothering with DME, when its source molecule (MeOH) is a liquid at STP, has more chemical energy per carbon molecule and can be used in engines with much higher power density. It even has the potential to be reformed to H2 and CO using exhaust heat, increasing the net chemical energy by about 10%.
45. I see there’s been considerable discussion of DME in this thread.
Let me offer some general comments about why I have a strong fondness for this fuel, including and beginning with some remarks on its source.
1. It is true that currently almost all of the world’s DME is made from either dangerous natural gas, or worse, notably in China, dangerous coal. The chemistry for this utilization utilizes syn gas, CO + H2, with the preparation of syn gas from dangerous fossil fuels being one of the most widely practiced industrial chemical processes in the world, not only for ammonia synthesis, but for the synthesis of many other commodities.
2. Humanity has about a century of experience with syn gas based industries. This said, in all of my writings everywhere, I have consistently called for the immediate phase out of all dangerous fossil fuels, so DME from gas or coal, or for that matter petroleum is unacceptable to me.
3. This said, syn gas can be made from carbon dioxide and water if there is enough heat. As many people know, there are a great many thermochemical cycles for splitting water. Perhaps the most famous is the sulfur iodine cycle, but, again, there are many others. What is less well known is that there are many carbon dioxide splitting thermochemical cycles. Many of these cycles can be dual purpose, reducing either or both. The Zinc Oxygen cycle, which is often mentioned in the context of the failed solar thermal industry is one example, other CO2 cycles include ferrite cycle, and certain cerium based cycles. Note that whenever one has CO available, one can always make hydrogen gas via the very well-known water gas reaction. Thus any carbon dioxide splitting cycle is also a potential hydrogen cycle. The point is that syn gas can be made using nuclear heat.
4. I note that the oxygen side product in either water splitting or carbon dioxide splitting, can also be utilized to make syn gas in what amounts to closed systems, in the presence of water. (I’ve thought a lot about this for hours: It’s built around stackless combustion ideas similar to the often discussed “chemical looping” schemes.)
5. Thus with nuclear heat, carbon dioxide could be commoditized. I don’t think that even the most enthusiastic nuclear advocates realistically believe that the transition from dangerous fossil fuels to nuclear energy will take place in a period of weeks. However the capture and reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels make petroleum phase outs the actual “low hanging fruit” of dangerous fossil fuel elimination. Ultimately, one might be able to obtain carbon dioxide from the combustion of waste biomass, at least for some of it; air capture is not totally out of the question, particularly with a seawater intermediate, using something like the famous “Navy process.” I once published article on the Energy Collective, a sort of “tough in cheek” rumination on biofuels, particularly “solketal” from glycerol, in which I noted that considerable biomass, wet biomass ideal for treatment with oxygen, might be obtained from “harvesting” eutrophic blooms, thus restoring destroyed fisheries, such as those in Louisiana, while collecting carbon to be converted for nuclear heat.
1. Many of these points were made in an excellent “perspective” written by Nobel Laureate George Olah (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 12881–12898). If one cannot open the paper, lacking a subscription or access to a library, the graphic attached to the abstract page makes the point clear enough. Olah has written extensively on this subject, and, if I recall correctly, also has written a monograph on the subject. Olah’s Nobel prize, ironically enough, involved discoveries in chemistry that were important in modern petroleum refining, and so there is some irony in his later work to rid the world of the petroleum scourge.
46. Note that DME need not be made from a methanol intermediate. It can be made directly from syn gas over copper catalysts with various kinds of dopants and co-catalysts. The reaction to make DME from hydrogen and CO is exothermic, (as is the production of methanol from syn gas) but as Olah has noted in one of his papers, small amounts (or large amounts of CO2 are required, at least catalytically. (DME can be made, and sometimes is made, by the dehydration of methanol as well.)
47. Either methanol or DME can be utilized to make more complex carbon compounds. (Olah’s perspective covers this quite well.) The starting chemistry is the “MTO” process, “methanol to olefins” process.
48. DME is superior to natural gas because it can be easily liquefied under mild pressures; its critical point is above the atmospheric boiling point of water. Equally important, its atmospheric half-life is about 5 days, whereas that of methane is on the order of decades. Many proposals to make DME have been proposed because of “stranded” natural gas. I oppose natural gas, and want it banned. But if it is not banned, it is far less dangerous when converted to DME.
49. DME is superior to methanol because it is almost completely non-toxic and it is easy to remove from water – by simple aeration – in the event of a spill. Methanol by contrast is toxic and totally miscible with water. Thus a large methanol spill, from a tanker, might serious impact water supplies, whereas a major DME spill will be relatively benign by comparison, especially given the volatile nature of DME.
50. DME is superior to diesel fuel because it contains no carbon-carbon bonds, and thus produces no particulates. It can be used directly in diesel engines with minor modifications.
51. DME is a well-known refrigerant. These properties, along with its high critical temperature make a consideration of its usefulness as a heat transfer agent, maybe over considerable distances in insulated pipelines. From what little has been written on the subject, I garner that supercritical DME is a potential substance of considerable interest as a solvent as well.
52. DME is superior to all light alcohols, including both MeOH and EtOH because it is non-corrosive. It can be utilized either in existing LPG or natural gas infrastructure with only minor modification of some types of seals.
53. I hope these points make my position on DME clear and addresses some of the issues raised here.
54. Methanol has a half-life of 1-7 days in soil and water; its atmospheric lifetime is much longer than DME but far too short to accumulate. Spills are only a problem if the spilled substance is both present at toxic levels and persistent.
DME is not compatible with the existing fueling infrastructure and can’t be retrofitted into most conventional vehicles. MeOH largely is. DME can be made from MeOH on demand, so a vehicle fueled by MeOH could use DME as its compression-ignition fuel, dissociated CO+H2 as its main fuel produced by reclaiming exhaust heat, and carbureted liquid MeOH for spurts of high power demand. It would also serve as Otto-cycle motor fuel as M85. If we’re looking to replace that fraction of petroleum that electricity won’t do for, methanol is a really attractive prospect.
55. @EP:
Although Olah makes many of the same arguments about the toxicology of methanol that you do, and of course, you are right about the relative short half life of MeOH in the environment.
He points to window washer fluid as an example of the commercial utilization of MeOH that has little health consequence.
However, I for one, would be extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a methanol economy as opposed to a DME economy.
I’m not sure that the media would care a whit about a case of MeOH poisoning from windshield washer fluid in a child or an adult: It may happen from time to time without anyone caring that someone dies from MeOH – or is irreversibly blinded by it – with nor report being issued.
I worked, early in my career in organic chemistry, with lots of MeOH/water solutions; they were convenient for making fixed low temperature baths using dry ice. They were in almost every sense of the word indistinguishable from pure water, except for their lower melting point.
I don’t think a methanol economy is going to happen, or a DME economy is going to happen. I think we will be conservative and burn all the petroleum we can forever, until it ends up killing the planet, so the point is on some level moot.
Nevertheless, we are talking billions of tons of fuel if we attempt to maintain the car CULTure with methanol, be it nuclear methanol or some other kind. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of kilometers of pipelines, and other forms of transport. In densely populated areas these pipelines will be very close to water pipelines.
We know that humanity is pretty sloppy and lazy about maintaining infrastructure once its in place, and moreover we know that alcohols are corrosive over the long term to pipelines; the inability to make use of ethanol pipelines has been a problem to the biofuel industry.
I can easily imagine an accident at this scale in which methanol is ingested inadvertently resulting in many thousands of cases of blindness or death.
A tanker full of methanol sinking on Lake Erie might dwarf in long term consequences the incident in Toledo last summer where the water supply was shut by microcystin generating organisms. It might, or course, be a non issue in a matter of days or weeks, but it could do considerable damage within a few hours.
DME by contrast might at best, result in the worst victims getting a mild case of anesthesia.
Finally, I am not interested very much in existing automobiles. My own idea of an ideal world would be one in which the bulk of the car CULTure were phased out, with transport vehicles being limited to short haul buses, trucks, tractors, ambulances, that sort of thing. (I recognize that this is eccentric, but I don’t believe that hundreds of millions, or billions of self propelled vehicles will ever be sustainable in any way, shape or form.)
DME is compatible with the LPG and dangerous natural gas infrastructure, the latter being the kind of infrastructure humanity is racing to build, no matter how silly, myopic and short sighted this is.
Finally, the conversion of methanol into DME is not the best route to DME. Direct formation from syn gas is cheaper and easier.
Thanks for your comment, but we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this point.
The EPA defines the tolerance dose for MeOH as 0.5 mg/kg/day. For a 60 kg human, that’s 30 mg/day.
If someone consumes 3 liters of water per day (a rather high amount), they’d receive this tolerance dose at a concentration of 10 mg/liter (10 ppm). It seems unlikely that really large tankers would be used on the Great Lakes, so assume loss of a string of 3 barges with 30 kbbl/ea (9e4 bbl total). Diluting to 10 ppm requires about 1e5 as much water, or ~1e10 barrels.
1e10 barrels of water is about 1.6 billion cubic meters, 1.6 cubic km. Total volume of Lake Erie is 484 cubic km. It appears that even a very large spill in the lake would be quickly diluted below any level of concern, even if drinking water treatment systems had no features (e.g. activated carbon filtration) which would remove methanol. If some towns had higher concentrations at their inlets and no alternative sources (e.g. wells), bottled water would be advisable for drinking and cooking until dilution and bacterial oxidation had eliminated the threat. That would appear to be a matter of days. Other uses could proceed as normal.
Losing 90 kbbl of DME would be one spark away from a massive explosion and fire.
I think any sort of liquid-fuel economy is silly. We need an economy that does essentially all its heavy lifting with electrons. There will be niche applications where electrons are too difficult/expensive to employ, and that is where “MeOH or DME?” will be pertinent.
57. Come on now you guys. How many people get killed by the gasoline in their cars? Gasoline is explosive and is toxic and has carcinogenic benzene in it. But it is a minor hazard. People get killed by cars hitting things and/or people. Cars are dangerous because of the people that are in them, not the fuel. The fossil fuel pollution upstream can be bad if no scrubbers, filters and the like are used. GhG is bad.
Benzene in gasoline is something that would worry me a hundred times more than methanol in a methanol economy. But even benzene is a minor worry because modern cars burn it very efficiently. That said the electron economy is more likely, with possibly a methanol or other liquid fuel part where the electrons can’t cut it (aircraft and such). Methanol would be expected to always be at economic downside as its not so efficient as electrons.
58. NNadir: You claim that each Tesla contains 1/3 ton of lithium. The fact is that each Model S contains approximately 300 kg of cells. Lithium ion cells contain about 2.5 % lithium by mass, and each Model S thus contains around 8 kg of lithium. Your claim is wrong by a factor of 40.
Li-ion batteries can be recycled very efficiently and almost completely provided you know precisely what’s going into the process. As long as only one Li-ion variant is being processed at a time, then high purity materials suitable for production of new batteries, including the lithium, can be recovered. No high temperature processing is required so energy consumption is very low. EV batteries are large, which reduces the difficulty of keeping the input stream uniform. The success of lead-acid battery recycling (99 %) suggests that recycling of the much larger li-ion batteries can be successful too. See this document published by Argonne National Laboratory:
The battery has little impact on the life cycle energy or carbon footprint. Also by ANL:
Taken together, battery recycling and lower grid carbon intensity has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of EVs dramatically.
Should lithium ever become a limitation, then other chemistries are possible. The Zebra battery powered Think City has a range of 280 km, which is particularly impressive for such a small car. The Zebra battery requires aluminium, sodium and chlorine. We will never run out of those elements.
Regarding efficiency, I would be very interested in seeing a calculation of the source to wheel fuel efficiencies of a DME powered vehicle. There’s nothing like numbers.
The source to wheel efficiency of my Tesla is approximately 0.98 (water turbine) * 0.98 (large generator) * 0.94 (grid) * 0.96 (cabling) * 0.75 (charging and monitoring) * 0.88 (drivetrain) = 0.57. Replacing hydro power with a 33 % efficient nuclear power plant reduces overall efficiency to 20 %, which is still a bit better than well to wheel combustion engine vehicle efficiency. Higher temperature, 4-gen NPPs like S-PRISM would push the overall efficiency towards 25 %.
The efficiency of a gasoline engine barely reaches 20 % on long drives, real world efficiency with short distances and traffic is worse. If you take DME production losses into account then I suspect the efficiency number will be ugly.
Another factor is that DME production requires lots of CO2. I feel fairly confident that this will not be sucked out of the atmosphere, but rather taken from some carbon intensive process like for instance coal burning to make that seem more green and because the concentration is much higher. In this case, making DME out of it is just a way of recycling the CO2 once before it goes into the atmosphere. It should be buried instead.
As for the comment about people lacking electricity outnumbering car owners, I really can not see how this has anything whatsoever to do with electric vehicles. Emissions from transportation matter, and until cars are banned those who can afford it will drive them. If anything, poverty indicates a potential for more cars in the future, should the poor become more wealthy. Look at car sales in India and China.
I agree that putting solar panels on the roof of the Tesla superchargers is ridiculous, though.
59. I enjoyed Eledille’s detailed essay, also introducing us to the “Zebra battery requires aluminium, sodium and chlorine. We will never run out of those elements”. I might add that their eventual destination in the environment is harmless. Not so the nickel. Some more links for Zebra cells: intro, patent, description.
I must take issue with our habit of flattering our listeners’ ignorant belief that the world is running out of mineral resources, because our reiteration reinforces the belief and further motivates the vain quest for limitless “renewables”. Instead we should retort that what we are/i> running out of is somewhere to put our wastes.
60. Eledille:
Nothing, absolutely nothing I say or do offends so much as pointing to futility and myopia associated with the meaningless and useless Tesla car.
No matter how many times I talk about energy and poverty and the environment, what I hear is never what is good for humanity, but what is good for cars, especially if I display my trademark contempt for the Tesla.
I don’t hear much passion how we can make humanity survive, or how we can minimize the impact of our lives on the environment as it provides for future generations, but instead I hear about…cars…cars…cars.
Let me explain something. To me the automobile…any automobile…is a case of distributed energy writ large. To me the worst of all possible choices in energy is distributed energy, precisely for the reason that no individual can possibly take responsibility for the impact on the environment.
99% of the world’s lead is recycled? Really? Do you have a source for that claim? Is 1% of the lead that escapes recycling acceptable? If we raise 0.99 to the hundredth power, what is the result?
Lead’s a heavy element. What is the environmental cost of hauling it around and collecting it? How many miles are driven each year to collect lead batteries? Are there no cars with lead batteries rotting in people’s back yards? Abandoned cities?
The people who recycle our distributed “stuff” have tragic lives and yes…they are human beings. We may feel all “green” because we can say the word “recycle” about everything and anything but, why don’t you go to google scholar and enter the words “lead,” “recycle” “plama levels” and “China?”
Or just read the abstract here:
There is a wonderful book, over a decade old now, by a (then) young woman named Katie Alford called “Divorce Your Car,” which, among other things, drew a history of the marketing of cars as objects of liberation, of environmental purity – by eliminating the urban scourge of horse manure – and as a means of breaking the power of the railroad robber barons.
Really? The car brought justice and sustainability to humanity? We should do anything, deplete every element in the periodic table, dig every hole we haven’t dug, because we “need(?),” we worship cars?
If the Alford’s book weren’t so much about a tragedy, it would be as funny as hell. It isn’t enough to say that a battery is better than benzene and therefore a battery is good.
We run out of lithium and go screaming into the night for aluminum, which we will “never” run out of?
What, by the way, else is in a lithium battery?
Here’s an accounting in connection with SI a recent paper in the literature I happen to have handy. (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2014, 48, 3047−3055):
No matter though…
Here’s the ultimate problem with the Tesla in my view: It’s a car.
I have been misinterpreted badly, and it’s my own fault because I let myself be dragged into a discussion of “what’s good for cars” and what is a “better car.” Better than what? A horse? A city bus? A subway train?
To me the suggesting the Tesla car as a cure for humanity’s ills is rather like Marie Antoinette’s famous statement about cake; she lost her head a result. Unfortunately the situation so spiraled out of control that other, maybe more worthy people, less responsible than she, the great chemist Lavoisier comes to mind, also lost their heads as the event when out of control.
I think we are all losing our heads trying to save the car CULTure.
But no matter…
I am not willing to look my children in the eye and say, “I did whatever I could so you could live in a suburb with a car.” I’d rather say, “I did what I could so you could live.”
I am, I’m afraid, something of a radical, a radical environmentalist, which is why I support nuclear power.
I know…I know…undoing the car CULTure is a pipe dream. Even so…
My political hero from American history is Fredrick Douglass, also a “radical,” the escaped slave, who argued against the generally held conviction that eliminating slavery in the United States was impossible, because our way of life here in the United States depended upon the wealth slaves produced. And let’s be clear; in the 1850’s most of American wealth was, in fact, a product of slavery, human slavery.
These statements of impossibility did not dissuade Douglass from making his case. To the surprise of everyone involved, except perhaps Douglass himself, that wealth in slaves all disappeared, almost in a flash, albeit at the cost of great tragedy, and, believe it or not hundreds of millions of Americans found a better, healthier and happy way of life after slavery ended.
I would argue that their new way of life, post slavery, was superior to their old way of life, but that’s just me.
As for “wheel to wheel” stuff, about which I’m not very interested, I do recall skimming a paper on the subject a while back, and I just pulled it up out of my computer. (Roorda, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 6363−6370.)
He writes this in his conclusion:
“Charging PHEVs from hydroelectricity can only occur in regions that have significant hydroelectric resources. Other renewable electricity generation options also have resource restrictions. Charging PHEVs from natural gas involves the use of a nonrenewable energy resource. Charging PHEVs from coal has questionable environmental benefits, and coal dominates the marginal electricity supply for charging of PHEVs in many regions of the United States.8,22 Other environmental aspects are also important to consider. PHEVs could transfer tailpipe air pollutant emissions from regions of high population density to electricity generating facility emissions in regions of lower population density. On the other hand, production of PHEV batteries results in emissions that do not occur during production of nonplug-in vehicles.36”
He does state that plug in hybrid cars are, overall, marginally superior to regular cars in terms of greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline cars.
To me this reads like a statement that it better to have breast cancer than pancreatic cancer, since the former is sometimes treatable.
It’s still, um, cancer. I may be wrong about this, but I think it’s better not to have cancer at all.
I shouldn’t have mentioned nuclear DME, which I regard a fuel for things requiring portability other than cars, tractors, remote machineries, rescue helicopters, some trains, the heating or remote structures, campout stoves and gas lamps, that sort of thing. (Right now the main use for DME is as a propellant for hair spray.) I wasn’t advocating it as a way to make the world safe for cars.
Let the record be clear though. I do not advocate and have never advocated coal, gas or oil produced DME. I oppose the use of all dangerous fossil fuels, unequivocally. As nuclear power exists, they are all unnecessary, even if they are popularly used and identified as something we need.
Probably I should never insult the Tesla and its billionaire marketeer corporate founder – about whom I really couldn’t care less – if I want anyone to hear what I really want to say, not that what I really want to say seems to matter all that much. Marketing is all to which modern life, Western life at least, has reduced. I’m powerless against that fact.
Thanks for your comment.
Have a nice day tomorrow.
Best regards,
61. NNadir: I did not write that 99 % of lead is recycled. But I have already given you a very good reference, from Argonne National Laboratory, that lead-acid batteries have a 99 % recycling rate in the US. This supports my claim that battery recycling can be successful. I surely hope we can agree on this.
My problem with your contempt for Tesla and EVs in general is that it is wholly unsupported by numbers. You are shouting and wildly waving your arms about without any calculations or references to support your claims. The few numbers you have provided so far are wildly wrong.
I should not have to tell you, on this site at least, that if you want to convince us you need to show us some references and calculations, particularly when your claims are incompatible with the arguments we hear from people we trust already, like MacKay.
You are exactly like Lovins. All handwaving, no calculations, wild claims and no substantiation.
Read the references I gave you. Then tell me, [i]using numbers[/i], why something that consumes as little energy and can (and almost certainly will) be recycled as fully as the Tesla is any worse than, say, electric heating. Its power consumption hardly even shows on my power bill. I have shown you already why the Tesla is rather less bad than e.g. my neighbor’s Ford Mondeo.
Numbers, please. And I’m interested in the relative merit of Tesla vs other EVs, the relative merit of EVs versus alternatives (ICE, FCV, hybrids), and how EVs impact global and local emissions and pollution. Please keep the morality of driving cars out of the equations for the moment. Cars are a fact of life for the foreseeable future.
62. @Roger Clifton: Thank you, I’m very pleased to hear that.
I was not aware of the nickel content of the Zebra battery. I do not know how much energy is required for recycling of such batteries either, unfortunately. Molten salt batteries without nickel are possible, but I know little about those. The sodium-sulfur battery is one possibility. My point is that EV batteries can be constructed from abundant materials if required.
But both nickel and aluminium are used for construction at a very large scale. Scarcity will hit those sectors before battery manufacture, I think. This is handwaving, of course.
63. This is a really interesting discussion. I’ve been thinking about lead. Obviously lead paint for houses, lead bullets and leaded gasoline are a horrible ideas. As for lead batteries I’m not completely sure. I think they would need very close to 100% lead batteries recycling with no, or least very little, lead ending up in the environment where it can cause harm to people and animals. I’m not sure how feasible that is, so maybe lithium would be better if people are going with batteries. The problem is that lithium is really reactive and light. I think this makes recycling it difficult. I know that it is difficult for some reason.
“But lithium still costs about five times more to recycle than to mine, so environmental laws will drive recycling for now.”
Maybe batteries are a bad idea. Maybe cars are a bad idea. I don’t know. I think I’ll just focus on the nuclear power for electric production issue for now.
On a some what related note I’m curious what people here think about this site that that talks about recycling for profit.
64. NNadir: I skimmed the li-ion life cycle analysis you linked to. You are correct that li-ion battery production has environmental impacts. But that study does not say anything about what happens to the environmental impact of EVs when everything except the plastic foil separator can be recycled. The report just highlights the need for recycling, which the report I linked to shows is entirely feasible.
I completely support public transportation and city planning that encourages walking, cycling and public transportation. Those are better for the environment than even EVs.
Even if such plans succeed, there will be lots of cars in the future, so it is still important to create as environmentally friendly cars as possible.
EV batteries can be fully recycled at minimal energy cost, except for the plastic separator foil. This is shown in the Argonne paper. The separator foil is a small problem compared to PET bottles.
Battery recycling has been a spectacular success in the US, with recycling rate of better than 99 %. Same paper.
EV batteries are even better suited to recycling than lead-acid batteries because they are much larger, so more effort can be put into labeling and sorting to get the required uniformity. Argonne paper again.
The environmental cost of EV batteries are mainly extraction of materials and a relatively small amount of energy for assembly. Raw materials can be recycled at negligible energy cost and this removes most of their impact in the long run. Argonne paper.
The energy for cell production and battery assembly is mostly electricity, so a shift to nuclear energy will remove GHG from this step.
The vast majority of the life cycle GHG footprint of an EV, without considering battery recycling, is from the “long tailpipe”, i.e. from generation of the electricity consumed for propulsion. See the other Argonne paper.
The EV, even the Tesla which is not as efficient as e.g. the Leaf, is more efficient than current vehicles, even when powered by BWR/PWR NPPs at 33 % efficiency.
The sum of all this is that a switch to electric vehicles and nuclear power can bring the environmental impact of personal transportation to a very low level, provided that the necessary recycling is implemented, and that this is entirely feasible. Of all the ideas I have seen, this is the one that to me seems most likely to succeed.
But Tesla owners should remember that walking is both healthier and more environmentally friendly than driving the Tesla.
65. I am beginning to be discouraged by the level of dialogue here. This has been one of the best conversations on Brave New Climate. But it is beginning to sound like a proud display of esoterica.
NNadir has got to be wrong about the weight of Lithium in a Tesla, but he made some powerful statements. Perhaps this is how Amory Louvins went wrong! I follow this blog because many of you are my superiors in physics or engineering. I want this to be a dialogue I can respect even though it’s not my business.
66. “If we raise 0.99 to the hundredth power, what is the result?” That is,
(1 – 1/100)^100 ?
The residue turns out to be approximately 36%, much the same as for
(1 – 1/5)^5
(1 – 1/10)^10
(1 – 1/20)^2
in fact for large “N” in
(1 – 1/N)^N -> 1/exp(1) = 1/e = 0.368
Bear this in mind when a politician promises that emissions will be reduced by 5% per year for the next 20 years. Right at the beginning, he or his puppet masters have planned to deceive us into accepting a future of ~36% emissions, which is still in the same ballpark as we started from.
To my mind, when I see a hand-wringing politician promise any “reductions” at all, I know that he intends “business as usual”, cheating on our requirement for him to “eliminate” emissions.
67. We don’t need to criticize the politicians, or any other professional class. Cynicism and sarcasm has it’s place in a bar room or for entertainment in a social gathering.
There is a source of power which can change humanity forever and to find a way to affect the cultural conversation is tantamount. Bickering is undignified given that IFR’s or Thorium, or other technologies are a distinct near future possibility, since fusion still remains distant.
68. (of course that should read (1-1/20)^20 in the above)
NNadir is quite correct when he points out that even a 99% recycling success rate for Pb batteries is not good enough, when you realise that a hundred cycles would leave 64% (ie, 1-.36) of the dissolved and solid lead scattered through the inhabited environment.
69. Indeed, why? It’s very unlikely that lead would continue in use in batteries for more than 40 years, and batteries are not at all like paint or anti-knock additives. Lead lost due to failure to recycle would wind up in landfills (or elsewhere in the processing of MSW) rather than the broader environment.
70. @Engineer-poet, re lead:
The true problem with lead is not its recycling.
I used to live reasonably close to a lead smelter which was run by a proud, technologically literate and well financed corporation. Yet it still poisoned the air and soil and lives of those for miles around it. My dentist once explained that frequently he could see the signs of lead poisoning in his younger patients’ teeth before it presented as reduced IQ or nerve or joint damage.
So, please discontinue the hypothetical “recycling” discussion and refocus on the cradle to grave situation, including all those pesky unintended consequences that are part and parcel of separation of metals from their impurities and reducing them to parent metal.
In closing, I relish NNadir’s comments. He is absolutely unashamed to defend a radical stance. I use the word “radical” in its original meaning. He gets at the root of issues with great clarity.
I wish that I had the strength of character to do the same and to expect the same from politicians.
71. Lead isn’t always the primary thing being mined. I worry if lead becomes worthless more of it will end up in the environment instead of less.
“World Resources In recent years, significant lead resources have been demonstrated in association with zinc and/or silver or copper deposits in Australia, China, Ireland, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Russia, and the United States (Alaska). Identified lead resources of the world total more than 1.5 billion tons.”
I’m not a that knowledgeable about these things, but I worry what will happen to the lead that is mixed in with other ores if it’s no longer worth extracting.
Perhaps I’m misunderstanding something about mining and this isn’t a problem. If so someone please explain it to me.
72. Eledille:
I have been traveling and missed the chance to see your remark about how I am “exactly like Lovins” because I have failed to “do the numbers” on the useless and worthless Tesla car.
The opening post here has 68 references, most of which I’ve read and considered at great expense in time and effort.
As you dig deeply and passionately into to numbers associated with the absurd Tesla car, you may note, in passing, or may NOT note that I provide numbers in issues I CARE about, and am uninterested in wasting my time on digging into to numbers on subjects that I find trivial and silly.
I have, I’m afraid, better things to do.
I’m sorry that I don’t give a hoot about the ridiculous fantasy represented by the Tesla car. I have made my position on cars completely and totally clear and unambiguous, and I refuse to engage in any more quibbling over the moral equivalent of Lovins’ “Hydrogen HYPERcar” (see reference 5 above).
In fact, I have been clear on the subject of cars in my entire blogging career.
An effort I made to be fairly serious about the subject in a Daily Kos post that I reposted to Charles Barton’s “Nuclear Green” is found here:
“Should Nuclear Energy Be a Panacea.”
A sloppier version of my feelings about cars can be found here:
“China Already Has 100 Million Electric Vehicles.”
A more fun rumination on the foolishness and myopia associated with the absurdity of car talk can be found here, “A Note On This Race and IQ Business:”
I am quite sure that you and other Tesla car owners feel ennobled, and perhaps you feel that you all deserve a Nobel Peace Prize similar to that offered collectively to the IAEA some years back, the IEAE prize, by the way, that I feel was deserved.
With all due respect, I would rather regard this award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the collective of Tesla owners as the equivalent of the historical award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Henry Kissinger, who argued for several months over the shape of a table at a Peace Conference while men, women and children died in Vietnam and who also worked to engineer a coup in Chile that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
My general impression of the car CULTure is that it is unnecessary and unsustainable in all and any forms. I regard it as an enormous human tragedy that has resulted in a vast number of deaths, as well as untold destruction to the environment.
If I approached the issue of the lithium content of the absurd and ridiculous car in a sloppy fashion I offer no apologies. My time in my day to day life, and in fact, my time on the planet, is limited. I would note that lithium is merely one element in the car. The issue of mineral resources is a serious one that does not extend merely to automobiles, but to the whole range of human activities, some of which are actually far more important than cars. (cf. my reference in the comments above to the book Thanatia above, the merits of which, and faults of which, are certainly open to debate, but the discussion is definitely worthwhile, even if the minutiae of the silly Tesla car is not.)
You seem to believe that I am writing here for Motor Trend Magazine. Nothing, I’m afraid, could be further from the truth.
Thanks for your kind remarks comparing me to Lovins. You may have misinterpreted my ethical and scientific focus, but of course, you are entitled to your opinion. Trust me, I have taken no major offense since I always consider the source.
Thanks again. Have a wonderful weekend.
73. For the life of me I can’t understand how the wind and solar debacle was sold to otherwise intelligent people. I remember buying into those technologies as just part of the accepted rejection of nuclear power as we went from decade to decade to the present. The arguments against Nuclear seemed obvious until one takes a closer look at the actual production and cleanliness of our 104 reactors quietly pumping huge amounts of giga-watts through 500 and 765 KV transmission lines straight to where to user needs the power.
It never made sense that when we have had several major blackouts in huge regional areas (recently India and Bangaladesh) how highly distributed sources like wind and solar could ever be funnelled to where they need to go with any coherence.
I have a fair amount of idle time which I have spent plotting transmission lines in my region. I have a love affair with electrical power and to me a 500-765kv tower is a thing of beauty when I consider the energy being delivered. I took a street level tour thanks to Google Earth however on the road south from Gibralter and noticed that was not attractive were the formerly beautiful mountain ridges being despoiled by non-stop wind turbines and high voltage lines.
I’m sorry. Every time I hear about the failure of a wind or solar project, I just have a sigh of relief. I swear I’m not a “hate-a”. I just hate stupidity, especially on a gigantic scale.
From a cultural standpoint, I can certainly see how nuclear energy could have been taken to task in the past, and I know there are areas in Nevada and elsewhere that are ultra-toxic, but we have seen that most radioactive disasters were more contained than we thought and most were the result of the infancy of the technology.
74. NNadir:
I agree with most of your standpoints, including that wind and solar is a waste of effort and that nuclear is our best hope. And that picturing the Tesla in front of windmills to make it look attractive is either intentionally misleading or uninformed. I only disagree with you on the issue of electric cars. But within that area I think you make sweeping statements without any data backing, which is why I compared you to Lovins, who is doing exactly the same about nuclear power.
I think that if you care enough about a subject to offend and ridicule those who disagree with you, then you ought to also care enough to check the facts and do the numbers. If you don’t, then I will feel free to compare you to Lovins.
I do not believe that a future without cars will materialize in this century, at least not as long as society does not break down first. Nothing that I am aware of currently indicates that such a thing will happen.
If it is reasonable to assume that there will be cars in the future, then surely it is important to make their environmental impact as small as possible.
My position is that while cars may never be environmentally friendly, they don’t seem to be going away anytime soon. As EVs are much less environmentally problematic than traditional cars, EVs are still a good thing even if they are not completely harmless. And I think Tesla deserves credit for having shown that it is possible to make EVs that people want to buy and for having gotten the ball rolling.
To convince me that I’m wrong, you will have to either:
Demonstrate that the environmental benefits of EVs are small and will continue to be small in the future. This will require doing the math.
Demonstrate that an even better alternative exists and is realizable. This will also require doing the math.
Or show that the world is likely to be mostly free from cars in a few decades. Good luck on that one.
A very good day to you too.
Some remarks to no one in particular:
I’m surprised no one jumped at me for comparing the use of electric power for heating to transportation. The truth is that electric heating is obsolete, because you can get five times more heat per unit energy input from a heat pump. On the other hand there is no better alternative for transportation than electricity.
I don’t understand the continued debate about lead recycling, no one is using lead for EV batteries. I mentioned the better than 99 % lead acid battery recycling rate only to show that battery recycling has in fact been successful historically. There is good reason to believe that li-ion battery recycling can reach even better numbers.
Energy storage for wind and solar is at a quite different scale from EV batteries. Even if energy storage for unreliable sources is not viable, EV batteries may well be.
75. The above link gives a good discussion of what civilization is likely to be like, given plentiful nuclear generated electricity, but no super batteries or cheap way to make liquid fuels without petroleum to make running cars & airplanes reasonably cheap.
Something rather relevant to the argument between eledille & Nnader
76. @eledille:
Eledille questioned why we are discussing lead and the recycling thereof by writing “I don’t understand the continued debate about lead recycling”.
If you care to read your posts of 20 days ago, you will see that you have been the most strident on this subject. You will also read others’ comments, my own included, regarding the irrelevance of quoting a lead acid recycling figure for mainland US, when the damage done by lead in the environment is a cradle-to-grave, global issue.
NNadir has provided vastly many more citations to support his opinions, including those re private automobiles, than you have yet you have stated and repeated such as: “you make sweeping statements without any data backing, which is why I compared you to Lovins”. Not only is this incorrect; it is off topic.
Why not return to the main event, which is a delightfully well presented discussion of the relative merits and resource limitations of nuclear technologies and of the so-called renewables, solar and wind powered electricity?
I certainly found much in the initial post that is authoritative, well supported by citations, new to me and fun to read.
77. Nadir
First thank you for an interesting article and many interesting comments as well. I agree with you that Tesla style thinking is impractical to deliver cheap and environmentally safe transportation to the masses.
The cheapest price point so far achieved is $250 per kWh battery storage capacity and the near term ambition is $100 per kWh, which still will make a Tesla size battery more expensive than many widespread small car models.
What I simply do not understand is your strong anti wind views.
Cost is king so any winning no polluting technology without risky supply chains is as good as any other. And especially so if you can use cheap electricity to out compete fossils on pure economics because Synfuel production would create a huge optional power dump that reduce the storage need.
Nuclear runs with best economy if it runs continuously and this will be especially true if you aim for 60% electric conversion efficiency as in your calculations.
John Morgan wrote an excellent blog about Synfuel and did a calculation of Synfuel cost based upon soon to come Chinese nuclear price point at $0,0204 per kWh. A figure I have not been able to get verified.
As much as I agree that there never will be shortage of nuclear fuel provided breeder designs such as those you describe materializes, then you have to factor in cost of Uranium extraction provided that the methods you suggest. Ugo Bardi has in his study “Extracting Minerals from Seawater” analyzed the economic viability of extracting various metals from sea water and found limited grounds for optimism due to huge energy cost.
If the point of Nuclear is that it can pull the global climate away from potential disastrous changes then new nuclear that it must be air cooled to avoid water waste and release of greenhouse gasses via cooling towers.
You do not estimate the cost of electricity that can be achieved with the Nuclear revolution. I am curious about this because Saudi Arabian oil fields produce a barrel between $5 to $10 per barrel and have approximately 25% of known oil resources.
According to John Morgans Synfuel analysis the price per liter can be $0,82 based upon low Chinese nuclear power at $0,0204 per kWh, which sums up to $130 per barrel Synfuel. Even with refinery costs and transportation fossil based fuels are easily cheaper.
According to EIA the average price of a gallon of regular gas in May 2014 was about $3.67 whereof 65% is crude oil based, 13% refining cost, 12% taxes (federal, state and local), and 11% distribution and marketing. So refining is roughly $0,477 per gallon or $0,126 per liter. If you deduct that from John Morgans Synfuel cost you find that Synfuel is competitive only if crude oil is above $110.
The most problematic oil fields are deep sea, arctic, Tarsand and small on land pumps that ooze a lot of metan for little oil production. They generally require high oil prices as they are expensive to explore, so initially Synfuel does not have to compete head on with cheap oil from Saudi Arabia.
78. The answer to Jens’s question re cost of nuclear Vs cost of wind has been presented many times and ignored just as often.
Wind alone is useless. It needs support from one or several other sources. Jens knows this but has yet to provide clear indication that he accepts that 100% wind requires 100% backup and hence the cost of both must be considered when evaluating wind.
Further, I have yet to see in his contributions on this site provisions for the cost of grid upgrades to move this energy around on a national or global scale. Wind power is seen to be entitled to be provided, gratis, backup and network services, it seems, while other customers and generators must pay for them.
Quite simply, Jens is unfairly (or, perhaps, blindly?) comparing a partial system to a complete solution to the world’s electricity supply problems.
First, Jens has several times on BNC stated that cooling water is fresh water. Of course that is not necessarily true. There are three main, mature, methods for disposing of waste heat: salt water cooling, fresh water cooling and air cooling.
Second, the affirmation that fresh water cooling towers release greenhouse gases is incorrect. Cooling towers release water vapour which is very quickly returned to equilibrium in the atmosphere, air and a trace of chlorine which is typically used to suppress algae growth. The greenhouse effect of a cooling tower is negligible until proven otherwise: the onus of proof is on the person making the claim.
I look forward to reading the retraction.
79. Hi Singletonengineer
You will never get a retraction about the greenhouse effect of cooling towers simply because that would violate the laws of physics. Water vapor is in its own right the most significant climate gas and many other gasses contained in water (fresh water and seawater alike) are also climate gasses.
Grid upgrades are just the same for a Nuclear future without fossils as for any other strategy.
Nuclear is just as needy of backup and means to balance demand and supply as renewables and you have admitted to this and even suggested EV’s as part of that balancing.
If nuclear does not have spinning backup and is not stabilized by a fortified grid then how would you suggest to handle Nuclear intermittency where entire reactors at times have to stop unintentionally. Current state of the art nuclear have 0,8 unintentional incidents annually while older plants and plants of lesser quality has far more.
You have suggested to run nuclear flat out, which is a sensible technical and economic strategy but requires storage, which you also have suggested. So what is the difference between Nuclear and renewable storage – is one bigger and more expensive than the other.
As for the cost of Nuclear and wind the fossil parity question is very interesting. If you prefer to ignore the race between non emissive technologies then be my guest but in long haul the cheapest solution will prevail so for other nuclear proponents the question is a central one. Dismissing wind based upon anything than up to date figures makes no sense at all and when you plan a nuclear plant you have to assess the price point of competing technologies in the projected lifetime of the nuclear plant.
80. Jens, I believe your climate science is wrong. While water vapour is an important greenhouse “gas”, the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere is a function of temperature, not external additions. Pumping water vapour into the air does not result in a prolonged increase in atmospheric water vapour. It’s not there long enough to change the temperature to keep it there. The extra just falls back down to Earth again.
Extra CO2, on the other hand, lingers in the atmosphere, which is why CO2 emissions matter. Water vapour thus provides feedback, amplifying the effect of other greenhouse gas additions (the atmosphere/ oceans warm, water vapour increases, so temperature goes up a bit more). But water vapour doesn’t initiate changes. It’s not a “driver”.
81. Jens really should provide a link to justify the claim that, in effect, water vapour from cooling towers has a substantial CO2 equivalence? Without such a link, his claim simply cannot be believed.
I did not know whether to laugh or cry after I read a statement that refers to “Nuclear intermittency” as though, at 0.8/unit/annum is somehow much more significant than the hundreds of annual intermittency events of wind and solar. All power systems include spinning reserve in order to allow for unexpected shutdowns of a unit or two. “Nuclear intermittency” is no more an issue than meteor strike: can happen, probably will happen some day, but at an extremely low frequency.
It is an entirely more challenging task to provide a combination of hydro, spinning reserve (generally fossil fuelled), batteries and plain old standby generation for the frequent loss of wind and/or solar as the primary energy sources of a system, whether due to the daily rotation of the earth, a stationary high pressure system coupled with low wind, or passing clouds. I have decided to laugh.
Either you are playing word games or you are uninformed. Nuclear doesn’t need any backup or storage. Assuming that you are serious but technically illiterate, suppose that there is a peak demand for nine gigawatts, build ten one-gig nuke plants. Case closed. Wind and solar are useless for the grid. In fact, they are worse than useless for supplying grid power because they are not reliable and have extremely low capacity factors.
83. Rick — Wind turbines and solar PV panels are quite reliable. What is much less so is the availability of the energy sources, wind and sun respectively. Both require balancing agents to match generation to demand. For example here in the Pacific Northwest hydro generation is used to balance a modest wind capacity.
84. That is what I meant. Wind and solar are useless to the grid because 80% of the time, they produce no energy. And, the small amount of time that they do produce, the energy output fluctuates wildly. I am reasonable sure that the electric energy producers are somehow forced to integrate that junk into the grid because it is not economical to do so. There is nothing wrong with wind and solar as long as they are not connected to the grid. If I lived in a warm and sunny climate, I would consider a home solar installation, And, if I lived in a windy area, I would consider a windmill. And, I am still hoping for a breakthrough in battery tech. The physical facts are that it is much cheaper to produce electrical energy than it is to store it. It will probably never be economical to store amounts large enough yo benefit the grid.
85. Hi Rick
Apparently better informed than you.
Do you in all honesty propose to run nuclear with no backup?
You can run nuclear as a load following power plant but that will make the electricity much more expensive if you have to have a capacity to match peak demand and deliver only average demand.
Nuclear power plants does not tolerate frequent shifts in load well and is not able to switch power up and down nearly fast enough to follow demand spikes.
Nuclear power plants are intermittent. The newest generation state of the art nuclear reactors have 0,8 unintentional shut downs annually, which may grow over the years as has been the experience with earlier generations of nuclear power plants. This means the power plant goes from full power to zero power nearly instantly. Not an easy situation for the grid when a large contributor to the grid suddenly without forewarning seize to deliver power. Also the high capacity factor for nuclear power plants is not 100% on because there are refueling and planned maintenance schedules.
Many countries have experienced sudden situations where they have been required to shut down a large proportion of their nuclear reactors if not all of them.
I think it will totally blind-sighted to imagine a nuclear grid with no back and no storage unless you created a huge power dump such as a Synfuel facility or multiple heat pumps etc. that could handle excess electricity output from the reactors.
If however you create huge power dump facilities you could just as well run the grid with solar and wind despite their lower capacity factors. In the unlikely event that wind and solar does not deliver regularly you will have experienced problems on a scale most wont survive. And capacity factors for wind is growing fast and solar too can increase the capacity factor as well as conversion efficiency considerably.
It simply boils down to which power generation form is cheapest.
The timeline from the initiation of a just nuclear or just renewable grid completely substitutes existing power generation is decades so you will not see the entire electricity grid go nuclear or renewable overnight and will thus have backup.
Your assumption that energy storage will remain uneconomic is naive. To the contrary it is possible to extract CO2 and hydrogen from seawater and fabricate Synfuel using electricity from any source. The price point where cheap oil production cost in Saudi Arabia becomes in competitive with Synfuel will be reached if the cost trend in wind power during the last five years is kept in the next ten years. And there is a lot of mileage in wind power.
The development of battery technology has exceeded expectations and is currently assumed around $300 per kWh for EV’s and some battery producers and developers talk about $100 per kWh by the end of the decade.
As per BNC Comments Policy, please supply peer reviewed references to support your claims otherwise they may be construed as opinon only and if repeated without scientific back-up, as trolling. Thank you.
86. Rick — A modest amount of wind power integrates fairly well with hydro and in so doing extends the time water is stored in the reservoirs. This works quite well in Spain, for example, where the wind resource is better inegrated into the grid than here in the Pacific Northwest.
87. Nuclear and coal do not need backup because they run 90-95% of the time, night and day independent of weather, unlike wind and solar that run only 20% of the time and are dependent on weather and sun. It is difficult for me to take you seriously. Comparing intermittent wind and solar with the steady output of nuclear and coal is beyond ridiculous. I am glad that you mentioned syn fuel because that is another huge advantage of NE, especially high-temp reactors. As far as load following, run the nuke plants WFO (wide freaking open) and use the energy not needed for the grid to produce hydrogen or some other syn fuel.
You are like a drowning man grasping at a straw. By the way, the vast majority of all unplanned shut downs are caused by the irrational fear of tiny amounts of radiation which are, in fact, harmless. Many people have been duped into believing the no-safe-dose propaganda pushed by the fossil fuel industry. I confess to having been one of them even though I have a background in mathematics and physics. Stating the facts of NE to the fossil fuel industry is like showing a cross to a vampire.
88. Jens – please identify the “many countries” that have been forced to shut down most or all of their nuclear plants at the same time, and give us the relevant dates when this happened. I think you are making things up.
You repeatedly point to busbar costs for renewables which are achievable because of a raft of subsidies, including offloading onto ratepayers the cost of massive new transmission lines without which remote renewables are not available to load. This is a factor you seemingly are going to refuse to discuss. Societies need energy systems that will support civilizations. Analyzing the comparative costs of such systems is how you can determine the relevant cost from a policy perspective. If you don’t do that, its just hand-waving to get attention to some data point that is of very limited relevance.
Also, you are in error on the trend in unplanned shutdowns. It is, at least in the US, generally headed in the other direction as the legacy Gen II nuclear fleet ages, i.e., fewer, not more shutdowns.
In 2005, the Nuclear Energy Institute (USA) noted:
“Unplanned Automatic Reactor Shutdowns: More than one-half (61 of 103) of reactors experienced zero unplanned automatic reactor shutdowns, with an overall median industry value of zero per plant. This is the seventh time in the past eight years that the median industry value has been zero”
This continued (2011):
“The number of unplanned shutdowns achieved near record levels in 2011, with just 62 across the whole of the US reactor fleet, according to data complied by the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO).
“The record-low number of unplanned shutdowns helped America’s nuclear power plants achieve reliability levels on par with the high operational efficiency sustained throughout the past decade,” the US Nuclear Energy Institute said in a statement.
Unplanned shutdowns can result from severe weather or grid disturbances that trigger safety responses. In 2011—despite tornadoes in the Southeast, the Virginia-centered East Coast earthquake, Hurricane Irene and flooding in the Midwest—US nuclear energy facilities posted a capability or availabilty factor of 91.4% percent. The US industry’s record-high capability factor, 92%, was set in 2005.”
And continued (2015)
“Unit capability factors – a measure of the amount of time a plant is online and producing electricity – stood at 91.7%, close to the 2015 target of 92% and remaining above 91% for the 15th consecutive year. The 59 unplanned automatic or manual reactor shutdowns, also known as scrams, experienced by US plants were the fewest recorded in the last 12 years.
Indicators for 2014 show that US nuclear plants are approaching or already exceeding performance targets for 2015, the NEI notes. Targets are set on a five-yearly basis, so goals for 2015 were set in 2010.”
Please also note some of the identified causes. I presume you are not going to claim that weather-dependent renewables are immune from severe weather events and grid disturbances, which, in their case, sit on top of their inherent intermittency issues.
I suggest that it makes sense to compared existing to existing or projected to projected when looking at technology options. Comparing projections for one technology against existing operation of another is misleading. Comparing hoped-for projections on one technology to cherry-picked data about problems with another is very misleading.
Engineering and technological development marches on for all technologies. I only wish we could divert all of the R&D money from fossil into nuclear, solar, and storage.
Finally, I think Jens is correct about some segment of the residential market being able to substitute solar for some of their grid requirements because their “avoided cost” is their retail rate. However this trend and potential, regardless of how exciting it may be on a micro level to the people well-heeled enough, and properly situated, to take advantage of it, is approximately meaningless against the scale of the energy and emissions problems.
Rick – Wind and solar run more often than 20% of the time. For example, wind turbines have a “cut in” speed, after which they will produce increasing amounts of power until they are producing at or very near rated capacity. Solar also is not on/off.
The intermittency issue for these resources is not obviated by the ability to produce at below-capacity for a portion of the time.
I note that no one, on any of these parallel threads, has falsified Armond Cohen’s statement that, even with perfect storage, you need a 5x or 6x overbuild for reliability on an intermittent renewables system. That requirement coupled with the cost of storage, and the grid enhancements needed to address power quality and consistency issues, are problems for which there is no discernible solution. Wishful thinking is not a discernible solution.
89. I am rather surprised to find this thread revived in such a way as to suggest that the revival came from someone who has not read the post, or maybe read it, but didn’t comprehend it.
Invariably the defenders of the failed, enormously expensive, and essentially useless (in an environmental sense) so called “renewable energy” industry flail with selective attention arguments.
I will come back later with some referenced comments a little later, I suppose, should I choose not to give up and surrender the future to insipid penny counting.
It happens that I’m in a university library now, and just for fun, I’ll try to find out who Ugo Bardi is. I’ve probably read several hundred papers, technical papers from the primary scientific literature, going back 50 years, on the extraction of uranium from seawater without once having come across his name.
Before parting for the time being, anyone, absolutely anyone, who complains about the cost of mineral extraction – and (possibly unread) post was about suspending, for a time scale of centuries, mineral extraction for energy – and is defending the wind industry, obviously is entirely and totally unaware of the mineral depletion, and mineral extraction costs associated with the wind industry.
I am not, in saying this, referring merely to the costs of mineral extraction as internal costs, but, as my arguments are moral arguments as well as economic arguments, I am certainly and unambiguously including external costs, costs to the environment, costs to human health, and above all, costs to the future.
90. Frank — I won’t dispute your facts because you are better informed than me. However, I do recall reading a study on wind power in Germany that gave a figure of 22% for the year. One more example: I live in the northeast, just north of Boston, and I can tell you from personal observation that there is very little sun in winter, not a lot in the spring and fall, none at night, very little in early morning and very little in late afternoon. I also think that it is ridiculous that electric energy producers for the grid are forced to buy electricity that they don’t want or need. I am not opposed to wind and solar that is not connected to the grid. It already requires much effort and expense to follow the load without the wild, unpredictable, fluctuations of W and S. In the future, I predict thousands of small, super-safe, maintenence-free reactors that are returned to the factory after a few decades. The problem is that the anti-nuke luddites have made it practically impossible to build new reactor designs.
91. “A global boom in hydropower dam construction”
“At least 3,700 major dams, each with a capacity of more than 1 MW, are either planned or under construction, primarily in countries with emerging economies. These dams are predicted to increase the present global hydroelectricity capacity by 73 % to about 1,700 GW.”
Nonetheless I agree with Rick that as a percentage of total electricity generation hydro will drop below 15%.
92. “Nuclear power plants are intermittent”
A point is eventually reached when tech tribal-motivated reasoning appears no different to trolling.
I don’t mean “trolling” as many now do, as in something I disagree with and don’t want to hear. I mean in the deliberate and amused act of wasting others’ time.
I won’t even bother explaining how nuclear is not intermittent, as only Mr Stubbs is under this impression, based on desperately twisted logic and liberal choices of definition, and it would be futile.
But I will ask the mods to please direct him to reference his incendiary claims here and elsewhere. Right now they just look like trolling.
93. I second most of whatever it was that Actineage just said.
Moderator, please re-establish decorum. In saying this, I acknowledge that I occasionally fall short of your standards. I do try.
By the way, there are several amazing discourses that this site has hosted. One, of course, was the daily reporting and analysis of the Fukushima incident. It was spine-tingling superb.
To my mind, this introduction to NNadir and his multidisciplinary and decades-long perspectives has been scintillating and comes a close second. That the comments have again, as so often happens with blogs, been diverted is worthy of contemplation.
For mine, about 45 years back I gave up rational and unashamed intellectual independence because of family and so forth. I compromised. I survived. I dips my lid to NNadir: he has invited me and others to re-think our habits on many issues, some of which I was afraid to reappraise. He invites us all to dig deep into our history and reasoning, to view issues as we were before we were encumbered by age, association and habit.
Today, I re-read Mr Nadir’s column, word by word. Let’s put aside commercial and habitual arguments. We need to reassess our position in line with the standards and perspectives of the article at the top of this thread.
The true objectives are not winning arguments, but making this planet a reasonable place to live for at least the next few millennia and for as many of its species as possible.
I really don’t give a flying F if that means solar, nuclear, wind or whatever. But I do want the decision to be the right one.
Thanks, Barry.
I have reminded the commenter of the Comments Policy. We tend to give a little leeway with any new contributor, until we put them on moderation.
94. A global boom in dam construction, should it exist, is an environmental tragedy of the first order.
We have already killed practically every major river on the planet.
I note that with the exception of the on going disaster of air pollution, which kills 7 million people per year, the greatest energy disaster in human history was the collapse of the dam system at Banqiao in 1975. This tragedy killed anywhere from 175,000 to 250,000 people – the exact number will never be known – in a matter of days.
There were faint murmurs about this forgotten, and largely covered up tragedy during the construction of the Three Gorges dam, which should it fail – I’m not suggesting it will – would easily dwarf Banqiao, and maybe a few years worth of air pollution deaths.
Lest we feel glib about it in the US, where we run around all the time saying, “it can’t happen here,” one should look into the near miss at the Glen Canyon Dam, when the Army Corps of Engineers ran out to a hardware store to buy plywood to prevent the Colorado River dam system from collapsing in 1983.
Hydroelectricity is and will remain for many decades, the most successful form of so called “renewable energy,” but this hardly implies that dam building is a good idea.
It’s a tragedy. And the question of how “renewable” it really is, is itself a function of how sustainable our glaciers are and our climate is. California right now is burning huge quantities of dangerous natural gas to account for the loss of hydroelectric power.
That situation, worldwide, will get worse before it gets better.
95. Also, one of the great weaknesses of Dam’s is that the electricity supply is weather dependent. Not to the same degree as wind and solar but in a long drought the power can be gone, or your are competing between irrigation and power with the same water resource. I taught a class in an area that had “rolling blackouts” because the watershed for the hydro electric dam was in a 3 year drought. That brought my attention strongly to the difference between Nuclear and Hydro. Nuclear is NOT weather dependent and in a SMR / multi unit / load following arrangement you have the best of all worlds for power production.
The news papers in the area of the drought and blackouts were pointing out that even “expensive power” is cheaper than “no power.”
I am thankful for dams that provide power, but Nuclear is superior!
96. After poking around the literature to learn who Ugo Bardi is, and after locating some of his papers and scanning them at various level of detail, and including a little additional research, it occurred to me that rather than address the topic of uranium resources in a comment, in this thread, a completely independent would serve better.
There are some interesting issues surrounding the long term sustainability, and viability on scale, of the nuclear industry in comparison to the wind industry.
I emailed Barry who agreed that a post on this topic would be worthy of publication here, and I will hopefully find time to prepare such a post over the next few weeks.
Keep you eye on this space if interested.
97. Hi Nnadir
After I posted my commentary on extraction of Uranium from the sea I looked for newer information on the subject and found that there has been a lot of progress in research focusing upon extracting Uranium and other metals from the sea and I also found that the Nuclear fuel cycle enrichment is also soon going to become significantly cheaper due to the Silex process, which is nearing commercialization.
Also I found that in South Korea there is focus upon extraction of Lithium from sea water and many places around the earth there is focus upon Lithium mining from salt deposits and geothermal sources. The ratio between Lithium and Uranium in seawater and probably also in salt deposits is probably stabile.
So I for one would be interested in a thorough investigation. And perhaps especially is this investigation similar to Bardi’s approach look at a number of different metals.
Further if you would like to cover the broader opportunity of extracting metals from other unconventional sources such as geothermal wells that too would be interesting.
I would also welcome a perspective of the likelihood of Synfuel based upon nuclear power since we at one point in a not so distant future need to stop the dependency upon oil.
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99. Surely this technical discussion is worthwhile. However, probably equally important, are the political implications which are driven by public attitudes.
We all know that a serious problem we are facing is the public’s fear of nuclear power which impedes constructing nuclear power plants and makes it difficult to fund R & D to develop better, safer, and more economical nuclear technologies.
At one time I myself greatly favored wind and solar power. That changed after a took a 5500 mile motorcycle trip from Albuquerque to Savannah Georgia and back during which I saw many wind farms with stationary blades. I (belatedly) wondered how intermittent sources of power could provide for our power requirements. Upon returning, I did considerable studying of the matter and even bought books on renewable energy systems, nuclear power, etc. I discovered that there were a multitude of possible nuclear technologies, some of which looked very promising and potentially far batter than our pressurized water uranium reactors for several reasons. Of course, unlike many people but like the people here, I am willing and able to study issues and change my mind based on what I learn. Unfortunately, many people, once they have made up their minds, will not consider any information that conflicts with their conclusions; that problem has been well-known for decades.
It seems to me that more effort should be placed on finding ways to educate the public to improve the political climate for nuclear power. Unless and until we are able to do that, we will get no place. Perhaps there should be a thread dedicated to that purpose.
100. Certainly there’s a way to pry back the fixed notions of minds that won’t open up to reality. It’s certainly not about challenging their assumptions, but more about positive messages. We can change the deluded mind because it has not fully examined itself.
Nuclear power will eventually HAVE to be widely touted. At the moment what’s needed is a determination about which types of reactors will best serve the future. I imagine fusion will come around someday, but we know with reasonable certainly that fission can do the job indefinitely in the pinch and be a manageable risk based on the alternative which very well might be global ecological catastrophe and/or energy scarcity with an implosion of global economies.
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In 1892, there was a set of people who guarded the city of Pathè, Queretaro. These people were known to have special capabilities that separated them from the norm. It is said that this group of men and women were specifically chosen by God himself to roam the earth giving people hope. This set of six people had the capabilities to fend off every obstacle the people of Pathè had to face; they called them Los Valientes.
Nobody in town knew where these six men and women came from, but they were happy they were there. Every member of the group had the power of strength and agility, which helped fight robbers, terrorist, rapists, murders etc., but they each had a special capability within themselves. The leader of the pack, Herardo, was 6’9 and was able to reach the sky to bring healing to people in the community who were sick or diagnosed with cancer. Pancho, was able to make water out of dirt using his curly hair. He would lay in the dirt and wiggle back in forth until he was soaked in water. Because of Pancho, the town never ran out of quality H2O. Conicon, was known for her green thumb. She was able to punch a hole in the ground and grow apples, oranges, cucumbers, grapes, watermelon, strawberries and bananas. These trees would help people never starve and keep oxygen flowing within the town. Pico de Gallo was known for his amazing ability to punch holes in walls using his nose. He was much needed everywhere he went for he allowed woman to place their purses on the wall instead of placing them on the floor. BuckStar is debatably one of the most important members of the group because he was able to supply the town with endless coffee and tea. He turned any cup of water into tea or coffee, which in Mexico is one of the biggest essentials needed in the morning. Last but not least, there was Dora. Dora had the capability to turn every frown upside down. She made you think of all the reasons why one should be grateful for one’s life. She kept the peace within the town and made people reevaluate their anger, frustration, and sadness into happiness. Los Valientes showed the town of Pathè that if people focused on each other’s strength, a community can become a family. And when people become family, there is nothing but love to be given and received.
These six super human beings are what made Pathè the ideal place to live. People from all over the world wanted to live here, but only the families who had been there for generations were allowed to reside in such a beautiful community. This community was small enough that everybody knew each other and helped each other with daily activities. After a while, Los Valientes disappeared without a trace. But the town remained quiet and peaceful, and when trouble came it didn’t stay for long. For Los Valientes were always watching and protecting the citizens of Pathè. |
Risk Factors And Causes Of Compartment Syndrome
Compartment syndrome happens when part of the arms or legs comes under increasing pressure due to an injury. The bone, muscles and connective tissue in the arms and legs are found in enclosed spaces in the body. The pressure from an injury may cause such swelling that it compresses nerves and blood vessels to the point where they can no longer work the way they should. When that happens, it can lead to permanent nerve damage and the death of muscle and even bone. Though it is rare, some individuals with untreated compartment syndrome have lost limbs. Reveal the full details on the causes and risk factors of compartment syndrome now.
Crush Injuries
Derby Telegraph
Crush injuries are deceptive because sometimes their only indication is a bruise on the skin. They happen when force is transmitted from the exterior of the body into its interior. They can result in the crushing of the muscles, bones, and other structures within the area. The muscles can also rupture and start to bleed internally, and the build-up of blood can eventually lead to tissue damage. Muscles may also protrude through the damaged membrane that encloses the area. This is called a rupture or a hernia and may cause the patient significant pain. The danger with injuries that don’t cause that much pain is that they can lead to complications such as compartment syndrome if they are ignored.
Reveal the next cause of compartment syndrome now. |
Spanish verbs | Langbird
Learn Spanish!
Lär dig spanska
Spanish verbs
Verbs are one of the large open classes of words
To learn Spanish fluently you need to know about 2.000 verbs
Langbird contains that and even more
Verbs express actions, occurences or states of being
Spanish verbs have about 60 different forms
Verbs are often followed by nouns
Learn Spanish fluently
Learn Spanish verbs with effective exercises. You learn words from common situations and expand your vocabulary with other common verbs.
Effective Spanish exercises let you practice thousands of Spanish verbs in the infinitive. Practice complete conjugations and learn irregularities. You practice the principal parts of all Spanish type verbs and learn how to conjugate all verbs of modern Spanish.
Learn the Spanish verbs you need to speak fluently. You practice the basic forms of verbs (the infinitive), their declensions and principal parts. All unique declensions in modern Spanish are included in Langbird.
Learn Spanish really well
To learn a language really well, you must practice. Langbird contains the vocabulary and the structures that modern research shows you need to know to speak Spanish fluently.
Verbs of different types
When you learn Spanish, you need to know the conjugation of verbs.
The conjugation of a verb determines how the verb is inflected
Spanish verbs change according to person, tense and mood
Spanish verbs are divided into three conjugations
Verbs in -ar, -er and -ir (first, second and third conjugation)
Many verbs are irregular, vowel raising or diphthongizing
Verbs of different types
Practice useful Spanish phrases, dialogues and words
Learn Spanish in seventeen levels
The Langbird vocabulary is divided into topics and levels. Topics correspond to everyday situations. Levels correspond to how common a certain word or phenomenon is in Spanish. There are in total seventeen levels ranging from A1 to E. Every level contains sentences, grammar and about 500 unique word families. When you have managed between ten and sixteen levels, you start getting fluent in Spanish.
Go at a pace that works for you with an individual course
A Langbird level consists of many chapters and each chapter in turn consists of many exercises. Chapters and exercises are short so you can complete them quickly. How fast you go depends on your own results. The pace is speeded up for topics you already master, and slows down oif you make mistakes and need more time.
Learn Spanish while having fun at the same time
Langbird is designed to be easy to use for absolute beginners as well as advanced university-level users. Practice with fast, simple exercises where you click on alternativa answers, or practice written and spoken Spanish and write answers.
Follow your results and move on the playing field
Follow your results in real-time with the results monitor. Skip chapters and levels and repeat chapters as you wish by clicking selecting chapters or levels on the Langbird playing field.
Learn Spanish verbs
Spanish verbs are one of the classes of words that you practice
The verbs in the exercises each have their own explanations
You need to learn many verbs, how they are deflected and how sentences are built up
You learn regularities, irregularities and see patterns
Practice fast and reach your own goals effectively
Learn Spanish verbs
Spanish verbs have many tenses
In grammar, tense is a category that expresses time reference
Basic tenses include the past, present, and future
Spanish verbs have different past tense forms for actions which are completed, happened a long time ago or are connected to the present
Spanish verbs change according to person
The first person is the speaker, the second person is the one spoken to and the third person are others
Learn the mood of Spanish verbs
Mood allows speakers to express their attitude toward what they are saying
Spanish has four moods, indicative, subjunctive, imperative and conditional
The indicative expresses fact, the imperative expresses commands
The subjunctive mood is common in Spanish in certain expressions
The conditional expresses something that would happen under a certain condition
Learn the mood of Spanish verbs
Learn Spanish fluently with Langbird
Practice Castilian (European) and American Spanish
Master the Spanish central vocabulary, the structure and grammar
Practice all kinds of Spanish verbs, regular, irregular, vowel raising and diphthongizing verbs
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Assessment Strategies & Learning Activities
INSTRUCTIONS: Determine the approximate level of critical thinking necessary to achieve the student learning outcome and find the corresponding Bloom’s action verb on the table. Next, find activities that closely align with the action verb, and select one to use as a learning activity and/or to measure student learning outcomes.
For example, if the learning outcome is to memorize anatomy terms, students will need to “remember and understand.” A multiple choice quiz may be appropriate to measure learning vocabulary words and reading may be an activity that helps students build their knowledge base. However, if the learning outcome requires higher order thinking skills, a multiple choice quiz would not be an appropriate metric of student learning. For example, if the learning outcome is to evaluate a case study, students must be engaged in an activity that builds that skill, such as a debate. The debate itself can serve as an assessment of how well students are able to evaluate case studies.
NOTE: Most activities on the table can be used as assessments and/or learning activities.
Level of Support for Learning Outcome
While you can modify most activities to involve almost any level of thinking, some activities are more conducive to certain kinds of thinking than others. The circles in the table below indicate the most appropriate uses of each activity under most circumstances.
Recommended Lower Order Thinking Activities and/or Assessments
Recommended Higher Order Thinking Activities and/or Assessments |
The Meaning of American Independence
My wife and I were out today and a very kind lady wished us a “happy 4th.” At that moment I was determined to write this post because most Americans seem to have forgotten the reason we observe Independence Day, or have never been taught the reasons at all. There has been some discussion lately in our anti-American pop culture about the Constitution and ideas of liberty being “obsolete,” so I want to provide some facts related to Independence Day and the founding of this nation. I will attempt to be as impartial as possible, but I must disclose that I find the Constitution to be the greatest political document created by man and the revolutionary period in history to be the most unique.
What is Independence Day?
Independence Day was created as a federal holiday only in 1941, but Americans had been celebrating their Independence dating all the way back to the Revolution. In fact, Independence Day was celebrated in Philadelphia in 1777 by setting off fireworks. The reason we celebrate Independence Day is to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This was the significant political event that brought the relationship between the American colonies and Great Britain to a breaking point. Though the war with Great Britain had been going on for more than a year, signing this document effectively changed a fight for colonists’ rights as British citizens into a war of independence from Britain.
Why do we celebrate Independence Day on July 4th?
Like most political processes, the political act of independence did not occur in one day. Only the final passage and signing of the Declaration of Independence took place on July 4th, which is why we celebrate the event on that day. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee presented a resolution in Philadelphia to absolve the colonies from allegiance to the King. This resolution was much discussed, but not acted upon immediately. However, the resolution was the impetus to enlisting Thomas Jefferson to pen a formal document that would sever the political ties between Great Britain and the colonies for good. On July 2, 1776, Lee’s resolution was adopted by 12 of 13 colonies. After some minor revisions the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed on July 4th, after 9 of the colonies voted in favor of it.
Why is the historical significance of Independence Day?
To many, this may seem like a very broad and basic question. However, the fact is that most Americans today do not dwell on this question as much as they did 100 years ago, or even 30 years ago.
While the American Revolution was unquestionably the most significant historical event of the 18th century, it is important to understand the evolution of the idea of liberty in European and Christian thought before the Revolution. Most scholars trace the idea of liberty back to the Magna Carta, signed in 1215, which gave the English nobility rights in exchange for service to the King. While this seems like a small concession today, in the context of the feudal society of the time, it was a major concession by King John, whose supporters considered it the greatest of many failures by this weak king.
During the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries, one of the issues at stake was an individual’s right to have freedom of conscience. While we as Americans take this right for granted, at the time few governments were willing to openly allow their citizens to choose a religion other than the state sanctioned religion. As a result of the multitude of brutal wars of the period, governments began to tolerate people of other denominations within their borders, but almost always with limitations that those who practiced the state religion did not have to contend with. There was also very limited freedom of speech. Because of these limitations, many people, such as Pilgrims and Puritans, left for the New World, where they could have greater freedom to practice their religion as they chose.
Because of the circumstances of their emigration from Europe, the culture and traditions of the colonists started to differ in significant ways from the home country. Individual rights were enjoyed by the colonists due to the inability of the government to exercise very much control. Several generations enjoyed this liberty, which caused early Americans to have an expectation of individualism and self determination. When King George tried to raise money by levying new taxes on the colonies after the Seven Years War, he discovered a large percentage of the population would resist any additional taxation without being given a voice in their government. This he was not willing to give, and it ultimately led to the signing of the Declaration 240 years ago today.
Are the principles in the American founding documents obsolete?
The war of independence from the British Empire that was fought over 200 years ago may seem like ancient history to many people. However, there was a more general enemy that many of the founders fought against. This enemy they named tyranny, which is defined as “oppressive force exerted by government.” The writers of the Constitution not only were protecting us from their enemy – the British Empire – but any other enemy that will pick up the mantle of tyranny. That is why the Bill of Rights is such a frustration to those who would exert tyranny in the United States. The Bill of Rights was written to clearly define what government should not do. Barack Obama calls this a list of “negative liberties,” because he clearly desires the government to do more than the Bill of Rights allows. Consider the following incomplete list of government activities that are in violation of the Bill of Rights:
• The enforcement of political correctness is a violation of the First Amendment (freedom of speech)
• Gun control is in violation of the Second Amendment
• The Fourth Amendment is violated daily by the NSA (illegal search and seizure)
• The welfare state is a violation of the Tenth Amendment
Before you consider the founding documents obsolete, consider carefully the implications of lifting protections on liberty and limitations on government. Even though the Constitution is still credited as “the law of the land,” our unwillingness to hold our leaders accountable to it has caused the erosion of many of the liberties we greatly value. Even if you consider the present government worthy of your trust, and you are willing to accept their encroachment upon our Constitutional rights, how long will it be before someone takes power who does not have your best interests in mind?
Thank you for taking time to read. I wish you all a wonderful Independence Day
Communication Pitfalls
One of the real tragedies of the human condition is our inability to effectively communicate with one another. I am not referring primarily to communication of our daily activities, although we all know that there are endless difficulties with communicating these simple thoughts. We have all been on the giving and receiving end of communications that were misunderstood because we heard the wrong word, thought of it in the wrong context, or any number of other miscarriages. Knowing we have so many problems with these simple communications, it is amazing we are ever successful in conveying our deeper philosophical and spiritual thoughts.
In fact, there are many instances when we are given a chance to communicate, but we decide not to, or we decide to communicate somewhat less than we could. As an example, let’s say you are going through a difficult trial and a friend approaches you and asks how you are doing. Here you have two choices. The first choice is to suppose that this person is trying to be kind and doesn’t really want to hear about your problem (this supposition could in itself be a mistake). In that case you answer the question “Fine.” This could also be the answer if you don’t want to talk about the problem. Of course, if they know anything about you they probably know you are not fine. The second option supposes the friend is really interested in the true answer to the question and you are in the mood to share. In this case you may describe your trial and some of the reasons for it or some of the things you are doing to get through it.
At this point the communication can really derail. When we get to talking about ourselves there is no stopping us, so we can easily say something self serving. The listener might hear your communication and agree with it. Or disagree. How many times during our conversations do we disagree with a point that someone makes, but we don’t say anything because it is not worth compromising the friendship over a minor point? Yet you walk away from the conversation holding something against the speaker. The speaker walks away from the conversation feeling better, not realizing that the relationship has suffered.
A wise man once told me “when we speak we only convey a small part of what is on our mind.” The human mind is so complex, and can evaluate a subject from so many angles, that language is very limited in its ability to convey thoughts, which are laced with impressions and nuances and emotions, etc. I find that more often than not I fail to get across the entirety of my thoughts on a particular subject. It is either misunderstood by the listener, or it comes across as fragmented.
On the other hand there are many different ways through language to convey a fragment of a thought. For those that are multilingual this fact is even more apparent when translating between languages. Depending on our personality and our experience, the communication choice can either be heavy handed, subtle, or somewhere in between.
How do we minimize the damage caused by these communication pitfalls? First, honesty is the best policy. Sounds obvious, but we humans can be so unwilling to confront others even when doing so will help the people we care about. Secondly, etiquette and manners can be a great enemy to honest conversation. It causes us to put our guard up and makes us think “this is not the time or place for this conversation.” These barriers need to be removed for us to be able to be the best servants we can be to our fellow man. Finally, our ability to forgive is crucial to maintaining good relationships. It is easier too destroy a relationship through conversation than to build one, so our default position must be to believe the person speaking to us means well, even if they say something stupid.
The Apathy of the Middle
Anyone who knows me knows that I am disappointed in the direction the United States is going these days. I continue to be bewildered that the American people tolerate the wholesale changes being made to our political system with little more than a whimper. While I think it is dangerous to categorize people too broadly, the present day American political landscape can be described broadly as being made up three groups. The first is the group that understands what the collectivists wants to do and supports it. When I say they support it, I mean that not only do they believe it is right, they are taking action to achieve the goals. The second group are the people who oppose every move the collectivists are making. At the moment they don’t have a voice in our political system, as those politicians who say they agree with the dissenters lack the courage to take any action. The third group is quite simply not actively involved on either side because they just don’t care.
The ancient Roman government had a saying that if you gave the people “bread and circuses”, that is to say benefits and entertainment, you could govern in any way you chose. I look at the political landscape today and can see the truth in this. 120 million Americans voted in the last presidential election. 300 million people live here. Why do so few vote? Many people look at politics as a pastime, like you would look at a sport. Some people are interested in soccer. A lot aren’t, so they don’t watch the games. People who aren’t “fans” of politics often don’t “watch the games” because there are other pastimes they find more interesting.
I have also run into a lot of people who are not engaged in politics because they dislike the confrontation and convictions that go with strong political beliefs. They want us all to be tolerant of each other and live peaceful lives. I can’t blame them for those desires, but they are incredibly naïve.
In contemporary politics, polling is critical. Therefore you see the population broken into demographic groups and analyzed as statistics instead of people. When analyzing polling data it is easy to miss that these groups are made up of real people. When you see issues play out at your church or in your workplace, you can obtain insight into what people think and you can draw some conclusions about why things are going the way they are in the broader sense of contemporary politics.
Based on what I have observed at church and at the office, I assert that the group in the middle is the driving force in our culture at the moment. These people are decent people, but they don’t have confidence in what they believe. They don’t want to make waves or confront people. Maybe they don’t want to be distracted from their entertaining lives to be a part of something great.
The consequences of this political apathy are grave. Ideally, I think there should be a sense of responsibility that accompanies the right to choose your own leaders. I know it is controversial, but I would say that those who have no knowledge about the issues of the day should have to sacrifice their rights of suffrage, because they have shirked the responsibilities that are attached.
Obviously, that would never happen in this political climate. As a result, the lack of principles among the American apathetic is what is turning the United States from an exceptional nation into a below average one before our very eyes.
Jackie Robinson
These days it seems as if you can’t escape the realm of adoration for Jackie Robinson. One who is not familiar with his life may be tempted to roll his eyes at the media obsession over this man. The media tends to go overboard on everything that promotes their agenda, so naturally I am very skeptical of anyone they hold up so high. Every spring, Major League Baseball celebrates Jackie Robinson day, where every player wears #42 on his jersey (which is a play-by-play broadcaster’s worst nightmare). In fact, every team has retired the number 42, so that nobody can ever wear it again except on Jackie Robinson Day.
In 2013, the movie “42” was released. This is an excellent movie which chronicles Robinson’s experiences as he broke the color barrier. After watching it I further studied the subject and have developed some ideas of my own about what happened and why.
First, I will jump on the bandwagon in praise of Jackie Robinson. However, the fact that he broke the color barrier isn’t what made him special. The barrier was going to be broken anyway and it was a matter of who and when. It was how Robinson conducted himself during these difficult years that made him the legend he is today. That is why Branch Rickey picked him. Robinson had the self-discipline to absorb a lot of abuse. He had a very supportive family. He had a heart for his cause. He was an outstanding player and did not have a need for self promotion. If he had been missing one of these traits, he would have failed. If someone else had been selected for this task, such as Satchel Paige (to whom self-promotion was second nature), he probably would not have succeeded.
Now I will stay on the bandwagon and lament the fact that Major League Baseball was too blind to see the contribution that black players could make to the game for so long. Any fan worthy of the title is curious how Paige or Buck O’Neill or Josh Gibson would have matched up against Walter Johnson or Lefty Grove or Babe Ruth. Unfortunately, the mainstream culture at the time had a blind spot when it came to black Americans that we cannot comprehend today. A friend of mine suggested that it is conceivable that we have a similar blind spot in our culture today, but can’t perceive it. How will our descendants judge our treatment of Jews? Christians? Hmong peoples? the poor? Where is our blind spot?
I am going to leave the bandwagon now and comment on the conventional wisdom concerning integration and civil rights. The sources are clear on the point that Branch Rickey decided to tackle the integration issue for competitive reasons. If he could sign top tier ball players that nobody else wanted he would have an advantage over every other team in the league. This actually proved to be the case in the late 40’s when Brooklyn was consistently in the pennant race with the likes of Robinson and Roy Campanella. I don’t want to imply that Rickey was greedy. He was a devout Christian who believed the Bible’s teaching that God loves and values every man, so this was an opportunity to promote Christian values while improving the Dodgers.
Because of these factors, the integration of Major League Baseball was inevitable. If Branch Rickey hadn’t done it, some other owner or GM would have eventually realized the advantages and made it happen. This is also true of other industries. If one company refuses to hire the best man for a job due to his race, the company that ultimately hires him will have a competitive advantage over the company that refused. In this way free enterprise will always be the best way to overcome prejudices; not protests, movements, or riots.
What does this statement say about the civil rights movement in America? My assertion is that this movement was unnecessary for its stated purpose. Jackie Robinson did more for the status of black Americans in 1947 than the civil rights movement ever did in the decade of the sixties. I am not taking anything away from Martin Luther King, who was a great American Christian and whose message still resonates today. I also do not deny that political pressure during the sixties did lead to some changes. However, the civil rights movement always was and continues to be about politics, not cultural change. It takes more than political pressure to change a man’s heart and make him think compassionately about other men.
Along those lines, there is another reason Jackie Robinson succeeded where others may have failed. Robinson lived his life in a way that mainstream Americans could relate to. He was a family man. He did not ask for or expect special treatment. He served in the military during the war. He succeeded because he worked hard and took nothing for granted. He was a good teammate. Because of these traits, his teammates, and, ultimately, the American baseball fan, could not resist him for long. I think this shows us that much of what is called racism today is not actually an aversion to people of a different race. It is actually an aversion to differences in culture that are not understood or appreciated. The fact that inner city culture has little in common with the culture in flyover country contributes more to the conflicts between people in America than race does. It is unfortunate that people who control the flow of information in the United States are more than happy to blur this issue by equating race with culture, which has on many occasions incited unjust accusations and mob rule. As always, it is up to good, informed, American people to discern the difference between race conflict and cultural issues and be the voice of sanity when emotions carry lesser men away. We can learn a lot from Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey.
Review of Son Of Hamas
The book “Son Of Hamas” is an autobiography written by Mosab Hassan Yousef and chronicles his conservative Muslim upbringing within the Hamas power struggle. The book became a real page turner when he started to share his experience as a collaborator for Shin Bet and his conversion to Christianity. This book has been on my reading list since it was published in 2008, but only recently have I had the time to search for it and read it.
son of hamas
The style of the book is very frank in nature. Yousef describes bloody scenes of terrorism and reprisal in a way that sometimes seems detached. He goes on to explain how these experiences affected him in a deeply personal and moving way. However, the style of writing tells me that 1) the sheer quantity of violence a Palestinian witnesses in a lifetime is numbing, and 2) the culture in Israel and Palestine doesn’t value life the way we do in the United States, or even in Europe. Though these points may seem rather obvious it is important we do not take them for granted as we read this book.
My understanding of the political circumstances in Palestine improved exponentially after reading this book. I will admit my understanding was very weak before reading this book, but I think that is typical of 99% of Americans. We tend to trust the information fed to us by the media (both conservative and liberal) that is always heavily slanted one way or the other. Yousef does a marvelous job capturing the Palestinian bitterness over the Israeli occupation and conservative Muslim predispositions toward Jihad early in the book, as he explains how he was filled with hatred for Israel as a youth. Ultimately he made a decision to act on that hatred, which landed him in prison. On the flip side, he does an excellent job of describing the events and circumstances that led to his decision to help the Israelis. These involved seeing the Israelis as people instead of objects of hatred, witnessing the cruelty of Hamas against the Palestinians, and seeing his father, a non-violent Muslim, passively condone the violence of Hamas against Israel.
The most important theme of the book in the eyes of Yousef is the power of Jesus Christ to solve the problems in the Middle East. That is Yousef’s mission in this life. More precisely, the command that Jesus gave us to love our enemies is the passage in scripture that led Yousef to Christ. He is right to believe that if 1,000 influential men on each side took this command to heart, they could change the world and save many lives in Palestine. Admittedly, to us this seems rather far fetched considering the Jews and Muslims have been at each other since 1948. On the other hand, would you ever have thought one of the most powerful men in Hamas could embrace Christ and work to save lives in Israel? This is an incredible story that should give us a great deal of hope.
After finishing the book, I spent some time combing the internet for additional material about this interesting man. What I found were a couple of very good speeches he gave to a secular audience. One of these speeches in particular struck me between the eyes. Even though Yousef became a follower of Christ, he is very critical of the American church because of our many denominations and our tendency toward legalism. In Yousef’s view, a follower of Christ is a follower of Christ and the disunity that is created by all of our denominations and silly rules only distracts us from what is most important – the spreading of the gospel of Christ. I happen to agree with him.
Creation Museum – review
About a month ago our family visited the Creation Museum located in northern Kentucky just outside Cincinnati, Ohio. To be honest I wasn’t certain what to expect, however, it did not take long for the tone to be set. One of the first exhibits was an explanation that the predisposition that people have, based on their belief, biases how those people use the facts they obtain. In other words, someone who believes in evolution will evaluate a fossil and it’s surroundings and come to a completely different conclusion than someone who believes in the Biblical account of history.
The founders of the museum are not shy about the fact that they are interpreting artifacts and science based on their Christian beliefs. The exhibits walk us through history as it is told in the Bible, assuming it is true, and make educated guesses about how those events happened. What I found particularly interesting was the explanation about how the flood occurred, which incorporated much about what has been hypothesized on tectonic plate movement. The difference is they maintain this all happened in a very short time. These assertions are not free of problems, especially considering that tectonic plate theory is not universally accepted as true in any context.
Another major observation is that there are many wonderful archaeological exhibits, but there are even more artistically created scenes from the Bible that use skillfully produced wax models. This gives the museum a less scientific feel than artistic one, but that should not minimize the great scientific displays, such as the massive insect collection. At the end of the day, this museum is a exhibition of the Bible and even ends with gospel presentation.
Overall the experience was very enjoyable. In addition to the exhibits, there are film presentations that are well produced, a planetarium, and a wonderful gift shop. I would recommend this museum to anyone, whether a believer or not.
Patriotism is a word in its numerous forms that invokes reactions within us ranging from love to hate. It causes men and women to lay down their own lives in the service of their countries by subjecting themselves to unbelievable acts of violence. It also has caused men to commit heinous acts in the name of their country. Some examination of what provokes the emotion of patriotism is in order.
What is it that we are expressing our allegiance to when we are chanting “USA”? A nation is made of three fundamental pillars. The first is the territory that nation occupies and the second is the people that are its subjects or citizens. The third is something more illusive – the context in which the other two exist.
Is there anything special about a territory of this planet that justifies our allegiance to it? All of us have a certain attachment to the place we came from. Also, the land can be a source of a plethora of resources that can make men wealthy and comfortable. In some parts of the world, where civilizations have been present since antiquity, the land holds the treasures that are the legacies of these perished civilizations. After all these benefits provided by our land are considered, can we say with honesty that the patch of land we live on is any better than any other patch of land in the world? If we say it is, that is probably due to a personal attachment to our home that has very little to do with the sovereign nation in which we reside.
What about the people? Isn’t there something special about the people born in our nation that merits our patriotism – our desire to stand up for them? We need to ask ourselves whether a child born in our country is any different than a child born elsewhere. When we do that we find that every child is burdened with the curse of sin with no regard to the nation in which they are born. At the same time, God grants newborn children with gifts and talents regardless of the country of their birth. We can safely say that the people in our nation are fundamentally no different than the people in other nations. However, the setting that people are brought up within invariably effects the character of that people. That brings us to the third important pillar of a nation.
This third feature of a nation can be called “culture”, but this word is so often used in this day and age to describe such a wide variety of social factors that I want to use the example of the United States to examine the word and its meaning in the context of patriotism. In the United States (at least until recent times) immediately after a child is born that child is made aware of the almost infinite potential he or she has to reach the pinnacle of their desires, whether worldly or otherwise, due to the framework of our society and culture passed down via the US Constitution. The values that have propagated and evolved due to the Constitution are what make America exceptional. Our resources are similar to other nations’, but our Constitution provides the values that allow us to create more wealth with our resources. Our people are no different than other people, but our Constitution creates an environment that allows every human being a chance to reach his or her full potential. This document is only an example of how this phenomenon works worldwide through many varied social and political customs. If one thinks about how the Constitution affects the way we think about life in so many areas it is almost staggering.
Of the three pillars on which a nation is built that are discussed above, the last is the one on which we should base our patriotism. By focusing on the first two we can potentially be led down the path of Nationalism, which was manifested in its most extreme form by the Nazis. They preyed on the loyalty of most Germans to the land and the people of Germany while discarding the Lutheran traditions that defined the real positive differences between Germany and its neighbors.
Likewise, we need to decide in America what is the true object of our patriotism. We as Americans are occasionally confronted with saying the Pledge of Allegiance in a public setting. Most of us comply, but are we thinking about what we are pledging our allegiance to? If the Constitution is set aside in favor of an alternative form of government that is immoral would we still pledge allegiance to our flag? Our country?
We Americans are living in times in which those in power desire to transform the US political system to a degree that you can’t tell the Constitution was written for the country in which we reside. I would say we should resist any transformation of this kind. I would even go so far as to say it would be unpatriotic not to resist. If our resistance would prove to be ineffectual, God commands me to be obedient to the leader he has placed over me, but I will not be patriotic.
On the other hand, if another nation were to pick up our discarded Constitution and use it as the basis for their government, I would call myself an instant patriot of that nation. Some may call me a traitor for so easily changing my allegiance, but in the end I am not attached to the territory of America. Neither am I tethered to Her people. What I will take with me to my grave is a devotion to the IDEA of America.
Coen Brothers – No Country For Old Men
This is a film review that can’t be considered timely by any definition. The primary reason for that fact is that I do not relish viewing contemporary movies because they are just plain not as good as movies made in the Golden Age of Hollywood. “No Country For Old Men” is a film created by the most celebrated producers of the modern era that won Picture Of The Year honors for 2007. Since it was so well received and it happened to be on TV, I invested the time to view the film.
no country
The setting of the film is a small Texas town where the sheriff is a weak old man (Tommy Lee Jones) who is the victim of a culture that is degrading before his eyes. After a drug deal went bad and resulted in pile of dead bodies and an unclaimed fortune, the sheriff appears helpless. However, an average citizen (Josh Brolin), who happens to be the only likable character in the movie, has the guts and the resourcefulness to stand up to the career criminals for a period of time. The assassin played by Javier Bardem is the most intriguing character in the movie, mostly because he seems to be omniscient and indestructible.
The point here is said to be that the world we know is being overtaken by a chaotic, violent new reality. The thing is, it does not really reflect a reality that most of us can relate to, so the message is lost on me. I suspect many people watched it because it was made by the Coens, which means lots of graphic violence, an engaging plot, and dark comedy. Except this film wasn’t funny. Like many productions of our era, the plot ends abruptly and all sympathetic characters are extinguished. I know that was in a way the point, but I’m afraid the fact that this movie won accolades says more about the decline of American culture than it does about the quality of this film.
A Brief Case Against Evolution
I have lately been reading and commenting in blogs written by atheists for atheists. One assertion I am tired of hearing is how one has to ignore science in order to be a Christian. As an engineer who has had training in physical sciences and the scientific method, I find this assertion to be an insult. In fact, when you impartially consider evidence put forward to support many popular “scientific facts”, you quickly realize that the evidence is flimsy and defending such things like evolution, global warming, and the big bang theory take an impressive leap of faith.
Consider the theory of evolution. Microevolution is undeniable. There are countless documented instances of species, such as bacteria, that undergo changes through the process of natural selection or genetic drift. The problem has been the tendency to take this evidence and extrapolate it to provide evidence for the creation of all species over millions and millions and millions and millions of years.
While it is true that a species could experience enough microevolution over a period of time to actually emerge as a new species, the physical evidence that all species evolved from the same starting point in this manner is unconvincing. There is an embarrassing lack of transitional fossils to support a theory of gradual evolution. In fact, many evolutionists, including famous evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould, expressed consternation at the fact that the fossil record actually shows abrupt transitions and not gradual ones. The “Cambrian explosion” is the most stark example of this. Also, dating techniques have been demonstrated to be notoriously unreliable beyond a certain distance in time.
There are other problems with the theory. If the Earth had been created millions of years ago, extrapolating the changes in rotational speed and magnetic field of the earth takes us to a point in time in the past where the planet could not exist. Also, it seems incredible to me that a cell, which in most textbooks consists of 13 components, each with a specific function to help the cell survive, could be randomly created in a pool of dirty water with no external inputs. In fact, this has been attempted unsuccessfully in laboratories on numerous occasions.
There are many books written that go into details on the topics I gloss over briefly above. This is not a forum in which I intend to lay out the evidence point by point. Suffice it to say I have studied enough evidence to convince me evolutionary theory is fiction.
At this point you may be expecting me to convince you to abandon evolutionary thought and face the facts that God created the world in six days. Frankly, I don’t have the evidence to prove that. The evidence does favor a young Earth with species that arrive on the scene abruptly, but it is not God’s way to reveal our origins to us with undeniable scientific certainty. When you study the life of Abraham, you see that he did not follow God until he was 75 years old. In fact, his family were pagans, but somehow Abraham discerned God’s presence, perhaps through His creation, perhaps in some other way. Gradually his faith in God grew (after many trials and mistakes) to the point where he was willing to sacrifice his only son to the Lord. While scientific reason could conceivable lead a man like Abraham in God’s direction, It was God working through the circumstances of Abraham’s life that caused his faith to grow.
What I am trying to say is you will not find convincing evidence of God’s existence in the study of science. What you might find are hints and clues of the existence of this higher power. My prayer is that when you find these clues they will stir in you a desire to understand who God is and ultimately a desire to respond to Him by accepting Him into your life.
Orwell’s 1984
George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, is considered the best of a number of books released in the 1950’s that prophesied and bemoaned the effects of communism. Based on Orwell’s personal beliefs, which are said to have favored socialism, we can surmise that his disaffection with communism was due to his belief that those that believed in the equality that socialism offered were in fact their own worst enemies. Orwell is warning us against allowing our society to succumb to tactics of power hungry men who might hijack a good idea and oppress other men to maintain their own power. 30 years after 1984, it is worth taking another look at Orwell’s warning to measure how much of his prediction was hysteria and how much was keen observation of real human tendencies.
One point the book makes that has always been considered central to its purpose is the effect of nuclear weapons and of war itself on the relations between superpowers. In 1950 Orwell accurately predicted the principle of Assured Mutual Destruction, which in essence says that we are made safe from destruction via nuclear attack because the proliferation of nuclear arms guarantees the destruction of all combatants after the first shot is fired. This was a much bigger deal in the 50’s and 60’s than it is today because it is discussed relatively little in a public forum. However, the same conditions still exist now as did during the Cold War – with less political stability. It would be interesting to test Orwell’s theory that once a combatant is significantly weaker than the others that combatant will be quickly destroyed. The way American collectivists rush to throw away our arms, this test may occur sooner than we would like.
The way the book presents the institutions of the tyrannical socialist regime of Oceania is worth discussion. Orwell presents the Ministry of Love and the Thought Police as violent arms of the government that insist that the citizen be converted to the belief that the untrue is true without questioning it. This is an obvious criticism of Stalin’s Soviet Union, but these fictional agencies always tempt us to draw comparisons to our own government. For instance, the way the agenda driven media covers news is very biased in favor of the collectivist cause. This is, of course, a much softer sell than we see in 1984, but it can be clearly seen that the ultimate goal is the same. Also, political correctness came about for the same purpose as Orwell’s Thought Police – to change the way people think by changing the language. Consider some of these recent substitutions in our language: “climate change” replaces “global warming”; “undocumented immigrant” replaces “illegal alien”; etc. Finally, we are witnessing a rewriting of American history in our public schools through continually questioning of the integrity of the founding fathers and a criticism of the personal and economic freedoms that are a crucial principle of the foundation of our country. Of course we have to acknowledge the Orwellian institutions appear much more sinister than our modern counterparts. He is undoubtedly using an exaggerated evil to clearly illustrate the danger of the direction we are heading.
To me the most surprising part of the book was when the “why” was revealed to Winston Smith. When Smith said he understood “how” the Party maintained itself, but not “why”, the answer was very blunt. Power for its own sake. I think this is true in all governments more than anyone cares to admit. That is why we must always question the purity of the motives of men in politics. Even though they tell us they are doing something for our good (and may have even convinced themselves of this) they are just as likely to pursue a course of action for the power and personal gain that will come to them.
In the end, 1984 is a depressing book that is useful as a warning. The United States is on its way to becoming a socialist democracy. Let’s take Orwell’s warning seriously so we don’t doom our children to living in a new version of the Soviet Union. |
What you need to know about the Raw Food Diet
What you need to know about the Raw Food Diet
Venus Williams, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow are among a host of celebrities to have extolled the virtues of eating raw food. But the diet is nothing new and has been around for centuries. What is relatively new is the growing debate as to whether the health benefits of this practise outweigh cooking your food. Nutmad thought we would take a look at the Raw Food Diet so that you can decide for yourself.
What is the Raw Food Diet?
Put simply it is eating unprocessed foods that have not been heated above a certain temperature, refined, canned, pasteurised or treated with pesticides. For foods to be considered raw they cannot be heated over 104–118°F (40–48°C).
Why is that important?
Eating some foods over that temperature range is believed to denature the enzymes that can support a healthy diet. Tomatoes, for example, lose about 10% of their vitamin C content when cooked for just two minutes.
A raw food diet is typically high in fresh fruits and vegetables and as a result is packed with nutrients and fibre, making it a great way to achieve your five-a-day.
The reason the diet aids weight loss is because calorie consumption is much lower than when eating processed, sugar-packed foods. Dieters also report enhanced energy levels, while others identify a reduction in acne and strengthened nails and hair.
What can I eat on the Raw Food Diet?
If it is plant-based and raw, you can eat every fruit, vegetable, seeds and nuts (sometimes activated nuts). Activation refers to the process of soaking nuts in salty water and dehydrating them at a low temperature to remove the naturally-found phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Many people also incorporate raw eggs, unpasteurised dairy, raw meat and sushi as well.
So what is the problem?
While the Raw Food Diet offers a range of health benefits, it is not backed by science. Research shows that eating both raw and cooked foods offer health benefits that can be lost by just focussing on raw foods. In certain circumstances, cooking can boost the digestibility of foods and make it easier for the body to access the calories and nutrients it needs. Cooking is also a sure-fire way of protecting the body from harmful pathogens before they enter the body.
While studies have found that levels of vitamin C decrease when tomatoes are cooked for two minutes, cooking tomatoes and carrots makes it easier to access antioxidants, including beta-carotene and lycopene.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that although the Raw Food Diet helped to lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, it also lowered healthy cholesterol levels that led to vitamin B12 deficiency for some people. The challenge for anyone on a raw food diet is getting enough protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron, as these nutrients are typically found in foods most of us prefer to cook – meat, fish, eggs and grains. This means that people in the vulnerable category (pregnant women, the elderly and the very young, and anyone with a chronic illness) would have to consult their GP before opting for a solely Raw Food Diet.
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Paper 2
Paper 2: Rhetorical Analysis Compare & Contrast
Now that you know how to rhetorically analyze a source’s argument and select details and evidence showing how and why the argument succeeds or fails based on the strength of the writer/speaker’s credibility and his or her appeal to the audience’s logic and emotions, we move on to Paper #2.
For Assignment #2, you will begin to work more directly with arguments surrounding your particular science/technology issue in the form of a four to five page (1200-1500 words) academic essay. You will compare and contrast the efficacy of two arguments in two different sources, one more academic in nature and the other more popular. Your essay should break apart the arguments in the articles in order to identify any similarities or differences in the arguments and to analyze what those similarities or differences might represent, reveal, or demonstrate.
On a general level, the purpose of Assignment #2 is to further develop your information literacy and critical thinking skills as you begin to work with multiple sources. More specifically, Assignment #2 encourages you to more readily identify similarities and differences in multiple arguments and to translate those observations into insightful and sophisticated discussions of the particulars or elements of those arguments through in-depth and thorough analyses. Finally, Assignment #2 asks that you begin to understand how to narrow down an impressively large and controversial conversation, like medicalization, into smaller and specific conversations as a means of constructing your own effective arguments.
You need to find two sources for this paper. One source should come from any legitimate publication, including reliable newspapers, academic journals, or other reliable mediums. The other source should come from a popular medium, such as blogs, chat rooms, YouTube videos, or discussion forums. While you have a good degree of choice in the sources you use, one source must be found using one of the library databases while the other can come from a general internet search.
Try to find sources that specifically discuss the same issue. For the paper itself, remember that you are focusing on analyzing and evaluating the arguments; you are not taking a stance on medicalization at this point. Therefore, your rhetoric should be more “truth-seeking” than “persuasion” based. We would strongly encourage you to visit the English Center in order to review a draft and to visit us during office hours concerning this paper.
Specifics and Worth:
Citation—Include a properly formatted Works Cited page and incorporate appropriate in-text citations.
Length— 1200-1500 words
Worth—10% of final grade
Due dates:
Peer Review: A complete rough draft of this paper is due for peer review on Wednesday, February 15
Conference: A complete Rough Draft of this paper is due for conferencing by Friday, February 17
Final Draft: The final draft for this paper is due Wednesday, February 22th |
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
3D model of hydrogen chloride
3D model of water
3D model of the chloride anion
3D model of the hydronium cation
Sample of hydrochloric acid in a bottle
Other names
• Muriatic acid[1]
• Spirits of salt[2]
Hydronium chloride
Chlorhydric Acid
ECHA InfoCard 100.210.665
EC Number 231-595-7
E number E507 (acidity regulators, …)
UN number 1789
Appearance Colorless, transparent liquid
Melting point Concentration-dependent – see table
Boiling point Concentration-dependent – see table
log P 0.00[3]
Acidity (pKa) −5.9 (HCl gas)[4]
A09AB03 (WHO) B05XA13 (WHO)
Safety data sheet See: data page
GHS pictograms GHS-pictogram-exclam.svgGHS-pictogram-acid.svg
GHS signal word Danger[5]
H290, H314, H335[5]
P260, P280, P303+361+353, P305+351+338[5]
NFPA 704
NFPA 704 four-colored diamond
Related compounds
Related compounds
Supplementary data page
Refractive index (n),
Dielectric constantr), etc.
Phase behaviour
☒N verify (what is ☑Y☒N ?)
Infobox references
. Hydrochloric acid has a distinctive pungent smell. It is classified as strongly acidic and can attack the skin over a wide composition range, since the hydrogen chloride completely dissociates in aqueous solution.
Hydrochloric acid is the simplest chlorine-based acid system containing water. It is a solution of hydrogen chloride and water, and a variety of other chemical species, including hydronium and chloride ions. It is an important chemical reagent and industrial chemical, used in the production of polyvinyl chloride for plastic. In households, diluted hydrochloric acid is often used as a descaling agent. In the food industry, hydrochloric acid is used as a food additive and in the production of gelatin. Hydrochloric acid is also used in leather processing.
Hydrochloric acid was discovered by the alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan around the year 800 AD.[6][7] It was historically called acidum salis and spirits of salt because it was produced from rock salt and “green vitriol” (Iron(II) sulfate) (by Basilius Valentinus in the 15th century) and later from the chemically similar common salt and sulfuric acid (by Johann Rudolph Glauber in the 17th century). Free hydrochloric acid was first formally described in the 16th century by Libavius. Later, it was used by chemists such as Glauber, Priestley, and Davy in their scientific research. Unless pressurized or cooled, hydrochloric acid will turn into a gas if there is around 60% or less of water. Hydrochloric acid is also known as hydronium chloride, in contrast to its anhydrous parent known as hydrogen chloride, or dry HCl.
Hydrochloric acid was known to European alchemists as spirits of salt or acidum salis (salt acid). Both names are still used, especially in other languages, such as German: Salzsäure, Dutch: Zoutzuur, Swedish: Saltsyra, Turkish: Tuz Ruhu, Polish: kwas solny, Bulgarian: солна киселина, Russian: соляная кислота, Chinese: 鹽酸, Korean: 염산, and Taiwanese: iâm-sng. Gaseous HCl was called marine acid air.
The old (pre-systematic) name muriatic acid has the same origin (muriatic means “pertaining to brine or salt”, hence muriate means hydrochloride), and this name is still sometimes used.[1][8] The name hydrochloric acid was coined by the French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac in 1814.[9]
Hydrochloric acid has been an important and frequently used chemical from early history and was discovered by the alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan around the year 800 AD.[10][7]
Aqua regia, a mixture consisting of hydrochloric and nitric acids, prepared by dissolving sal ammoniac in nitric acid, was described in the works of Pseudo-Geber, a 13th-century European alchemist.[11][12][13][14][15] Other references suggest that the first mention of aqua regia is in Byzantine manuscripts dating to the end of the 13th century.[16][17][18][19]
Free hydrochloric acid was first formally described in the 16th century by Libavius, who prepared it by heating salt in clay crucibles.[20] Other authors claim that pure hydrochloric acid was first discovered by the German Benedictine monk Basil Valentine in the 15th century,[21] when he heated common salt and green vitriol,[22] whereas others argue that there is no clear reference to the preparation of pure hydrochloric acid until the end of the 16th century.[16]
In the 17th century, Johann Rudolf Glauber from Karlstadt am Main, Germany used sodium chloride salt and sulfuric acid for the preparation of sodium sulfate in the Mannheim process, releasing hydrogen chloride gas. Joseph Priestley of Leeds, England prepared pure hydrogen chloride in 1772,[23] and by 1808 Humphry Davy of Penzance, England had proved that the chemical composition included hydrogen and chlorine.[24]
During the Industrial Revolution in Europe, demand for alkaline substances increased. A new industrial process developed by Nicolas Leblanc of Issoudun, France enabled cheap large-scale production of sodium carbonate (soda ash). In this Leblanc process, common salt is converted to soda ash, using sulfuric acid, limestone, and coal, releasing hydrogen chloride as a by-product. Until the British Alkali Act 1863 and similar legislation in other countries, the excess HCl was vented into the air. After the passage of the act, soda ash producers were obliged to absorb the waste gas in water, producing hydrochloric acid on an industrial scale.[13][25]
Structure and reactions[edit]
Hydrochloric acid is the salt of hydronium ion, H3O+ and chloride. It is usually prepared by treating HCl with water.[28][29]
However, the speciation of hydrochloric acid is more complicated than this simple equation implies. The structure of bulk water is infamously complex, and likewise, the formula H3O+ is also a gross oversimplification of the true nature of the solvated proton, H+(aq), present in hydrochloric acid. A combined IR, Raman, X-ray and neutron diffraction study of concentrated solutions of hydrochloric acid revealed that the primary form of H+(aq) in these solutions is H5O2+, which, along with the chloride anion, is hydrogen-bonded to neighboring water molecules in several different ways. (In H5O2+, the proton is sandwiched midway between two water molecules at 180°). The author suggests that H3O+ may become more important in dilute HCl solutions.[30] (See Hydronium for further discussion of this issue.)
Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, since it is completely dissociated in water.[28][29] It can therefore be used to prepare salts containing the Cl anion called chlorides.
As a strong acid, hydrogen chloride has a large Ka. Theoretical attempts to assign the pKa of hydrogen chloride have been made, with the most recent estimate being −5.9.[4] However, it is important to distinguish between hydrogen chloride gas and hydrochloric acid. Due to the leveling effect, except when highly concentrated and behavior deviates from ideality, hydrochloric acid (aqueous HCl) is only as acidic as the strongest proton donor available in water, the aquated proton (popularly known as “hydronium ion”). When chloride salts such as NaCl are added to aqueous HCl, they have only a minor effect on pH, indicating that Cl is a very weak conjugate base and that HCl is fully dissociated in aqueous solution. Dilute solutions of HCl have a pH close to that predicted by assuming full dissociation into hydrated H+ and Cl.[31]
Hydrochloric acid is the preferred acid in titration for determining the amount of bases. Strong acid titrants give more precise results due to a more distinct endpoint. Azeotropic, or “constant-boiling”, hydrochloric acid (roughly 20.2%) can be used as a primary standard in quantitative analysis, although its exact concentration depends on the atmospheric pressure when it is prepared.[32]
Hydrochloric acid is frequently used in chemical analysis to prepare (“digest”) samples for analysis. Concentrated hydrochloric acid dissolves many metals and forms oxidized metal chlorides and hydrogen gas. It also reacts with basic compounds such as calcium carbonate or copper(II) oxide, forming the dissolved chlorides that can be analyzed.[28][29]
Physical properties[edit]
Concentration Density Molarity pH Viscosity Specific
kg HCl/kg kg HCl/m3 Baumé kg/L mol/L mPa·s kJ/(kg·K) kPa °C °C
Melting temperature as a function of HCl concentration in water[33][34]
Industrial market[edit]
Hydrochloric acid is produced in solutions up to 38% HCl (concentrated grade). Higher concentrations up to just over 40% are chemically possible, but the evaporation rate is then so high that storage and handling require extra precautions, such as pressurization and cooling. Bulk industrial-grade is therefore 30% to 35%, optimized to balance transport efficiency and product loss through evaporation. In the United States, solutions of between 20% and 32% are sold as muriatic acid. Solutions for household purposes in the US, mostly cleaning, are typically 10% to 12%, with strong recommendations to dilute before use. In the United Kingdom, where it is sold as “Spirits of Salt” for domestic cleaning, the potency is the same as the US industrial grade.[13] In other countries, such as Italy, hydrochloric acid for domestic or industrial cleaning is sold as “Acido Muriatico”, and its concentration ranges from 5% to 32%.
Pickling of steel[edit]
One of the most important applications of hydrochloric acid is in the pickling of steel, to remove rust or iron oxide scale from iron or steel before subsequent processing, such as extrusion, rolling, galvanizing, and other techniques.[13][26] Technical quality HCl at typically 18% concentration is the most commonly used pickling agent for the pickling of carbon steel grades.
By recuperation of the spent acid, a closed acid loop is established.[26] The iron(III) oxide by-product of the regeneration process is valuable, used in a variety of secondary industries.[13]
Production of organic compounds[edit]
(dichloroethane by oxychlorination)
Production of inorganic compounds[edit]
(iron(III) chloride from magnetite)
(calcium chloride from limestone)
pH control and neutralization[edit]
Regeneration of ion exchangers[edit]
High-quality hydrochloric acid is used in the regeneration of ion exchange resins. Cation exchange is widely used to remove ions such as Na+ and Ca2+ from aqueous solutions, producing demineralized water. The acid is used to rinse the cations from the resins.[13] Na+ is replaced with H+ and Ca2+ with 2 H+.
Hydrochloric acid is used for a large number of small-scale applications, such as leather processing, purification of common salt, household cleaning,[36] and building construction.[26] Oil production may be stimulated by injecting hydrochloric acid into the rock formation of an oil well, dissolving a portion of the rock, and creating a large-pore structure. Oil well acidizing is a common process in the North Sea oil production industry.[13]
Presence in living organisms[edit]
Diagram of alkaline mucous layer in stomach with mucosal defense mechanisms
Gastric acid is one of the main secretions of the stomach. It consists mainly of hydrochloric acid and acidifies the stomach content to a pH of 1 to 2.[37][38]
Classification[41] R-Phrases
> 25% Corrosive (C) R35 R37
See also[edit]
1. ^ a b “Hydrochloric Acid”. Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
2. ^ “spirits of salt”. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
3. ^ “Hydrochloric acid_msds”.
4. ^ a b Trummal, Aleksander; Lipping, Lauri; Kaljurand, Ivari; Koppel, Ilmar A.; Leito, Ivo (2016-05-06). “Acidity of Strong Acids in Water and Dimethyl Sulfoxide”. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A. 120 (20): 3663–3669. doi:10.1021/acs.jpca.6b02253. ISSN 1089-5639. PMID 27115918.
5. ^ a b c Sigma-Aldrich Co., Hydrochloric acid. Retrieved on 2017-11-29.
6. ^ “Human Metabolome Database: Showing metabocard for Hydrochloric acid (HMDB0002306)”. www.hmdb.ca. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
7. ^ a b Pubchem. “hydrochloric acid”. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
8. ^ “Muriatic Acid” (PDF). PPG Industries. 2005. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
9. ^ Gay-Lussac (1814) “Mémoire sur l’iode” (Memoir on iodine), Annales de Chemie, 91 : 5–160. From page 9: ” … mais pour les distinguer, je propose d’ajouter au mot spécifique de l’acide que l’on considère, le mot générique de hydro; de sorte que le combinaisons acide de hydrogène avec le chlore, l’iode, et le soufre porteraient le nom d’acide hydrochlorique, d’acide hydroiodique, et d’acide hydrosulfurique; … “ ( … but in order to distinguish them, I propose to add to the specific suffix of the acid being considered, the general prefix hydro, so that the acidic combinations of hydrogen with chlorine, iodine, and sulfur will bear the name hydrochloric acid, hydroiodic acid, and hydrosulfuric acid; … )
12. ^ Karpenko, V.; Norris, J.A. (2001). “Vitriol in the history of chemistry” (PDF). Chem. Listy. 96: 997.
13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m “Hydrochloric Acid”. Chemicals Economics Handbook. SRI International. 2001. pp. 733.4000A–733.3003F.
14. ^ Norton, S. (2008). “A Brief History of Potable Gold”. Molecular Interventions. 8 (3): 120–3. doi:10.1124/mi.8.3.1. PMID 18693188.
15. ^ Thompson, C. J. S. (2002). “Alchemy and Alchemists” (Reprint of the edition published by George G. Harrap and Co., London, 1932 ed.). Dover Publications, Inc., Mineola, NY: 61, 18.
17. ^ Myers, R. L. (2007). The 100 most important chemical compounds: a reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 141. ISBN 978-0-313-33758-1.
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External links[edit]
General safety information
Pollution information |
Term Paper: Eating for Good Health
Pages: 8 (3156 words) · Bibliography Sources: 1+ · Level: College Senior · Topic: Anatomy · Buy This Paper
[. . .] The second phase is called ongoing weight loss and this continues until the dieter has reached within 5-10 pounds of their desired weight. In this phase of the plan, carbohydrate intake is increased by 5 grams a week and in the order suggested in the diet plan. In the third phase, pre-maintenance, carbohydrate intake is increased by 10 grams a week and once again in the order laid down by the plan. In the final phase, lifetime maintenance, dieters learn to control their eating and maintain weight for life. This means a lifetime of following a similar regime as the dieter did throughout the plan, counting carbohydrates and sticking to a diet rich in fats and proteins.
A low-carbohydrate diet such as Atkins must be viewed with caution. Government recommendations clearly state that a balanced diet should include all food groups on the food pyramid and in the proportions suggested. The government guidelines also suggest that no more than 10 per cent of body weight should be lost within six months without there being some risk to health (such as the lack of menstruation often suffered by anorexics!) Carbohydrates have several functions in the body: they are broken down to provide energy and heat and stored as fat. They also spare proteins from being used to provide energy and heat - which happens when there is an inadequate supply of carbohydrates, depriving the body of nutrients derived from proteins (such as nitrogen from the breakdown of amino acids). Atkins and other such diet gurus claim that the body cannot handle high blood sugar that comes from eating carbohydrates and this leads to excess insulin secretion, which somehow creates a craving for more carbohydrates. Eating anything causes an increase in blood sugar - insulin is secreted when proteins are eaten, for instance. If we look at the advice given to diabetics controlling their condition through eating, these people are encouraged to cut down their intake of simple carbohydrates and choose complex carbohydrates instead, not to dramatically increase their protein and fat intake! The authors of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets tend to ignore facts like these when they talk about healthful nutrition. It might also be added at this point that 'banning' certain foods surely only encourages those seeking to lose weight to crave restricted foods all the more, which then leads to talk of 'addiction' to certain foods. it's a popular notion right now that people are addicted to sugars in their diet and many fad diets seem to talk about carbohydrate addiction in the same way as they would alcoholism or drug addiction. Then there's the question about encouraging dieters to eat more red meat when this in turn increases levels of saturated fat in the diet. Of course we need fats in the diet, but saturated fats have been proven to increase the risk of coronary heart disease through increasing blood cholesterol levels. There's also a proven link between red meat and colorectal cancer. The American Dietetic Association also points out that: "high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets tend to be low in calcium and fiber, as well as healthy phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Some authors of fad diets advise taking vitamin-mineral supplements to replace lost nutrients. However, supplements should 'bridge the gap' in healthy eating and not be used as a replacement for nutrient-rich foods." Looking at the Atkins Center website, there is a whole section dedicated to products to use in conjunction with the program - from food bars and low-carbohydrate ready meals to a host of supplements - is this perhaps a case of marketing drive over the drive for health?
Another favorite fad diet approach to weight loss is ultra-low-fat eating. In the U.S.A., the name Dean Ornish is synonymous with this kind of reduction dieting and in the UK, diet guru Rosemary Conley has sold millions of books and other products, with regular TV appearances since her first book hit the shelves in the 1980s. Ornish has written several books, both for coronary heart disease patients and for reduction dieting. The Ornish approach to dieting means a vegetarian diet, with a fat intake of around 10 grams per day. Government guidelines suggest no more than 30 grams of fat should be eaten in a day - so Ornish's suggested reduction in fact consumption is dramatic. The Ornish regime means excluding all cooking oils and animal products aside from non-fat milk and yogurt. High-fat plant foods such as avocados and nuts and seeds are also off limits for those following Ornish's diet plans. In his book Eight More, Weigh Less - based on his Life Choice Plan - the author suggests that dieters 'graze' throughout the day rather than stick to three large meals and it differs from other weight-loss diets in that the amount of food that can be eaten is not restricted. This diet program is an adapted form of the diet devised by Ornish for reduction of blood pressure and blood cholesterol in coronary patients, but is marketed as a weight-loss plan. In common with other approaches to dieting, Ornish and others like him (such as Conley in the UK) also talk about exercise and other positive lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and stress reduction techniques.
On his website, Ornish states that the reason for cutting down on fat from the diet is that breaking down fat for use as energy burns more calories than cutting carbohydrates. He also suggests that regaining weight is often caused by eating less food: "You can eat fewer calories by consuming less food. That's why you can lose weight on any diet, but it's hard to keep it off because you feel hungry and deprived. An easier way to consume fewer calories is to eat less fat, because fat has nine calories/gram whereas protein and carbohydrates have only four."
Fats within the body have various functions. These include: providing energy and heat; supporting body structures such as the kidneys and eyes (which both have fatty pads behind them for protection); transporting fat-soluble vitamins a, D, E and K; making up the protective coating of nerves (the myelin sheath); making up sebum; providing an energy store and insulation as subcutaneous fat deposits; and helping postpone the feeling of hunger through prolonging the emptying time of the stomach.
Once again we must stress that cutting down the variety of foods we eat may do more harm than good. A balanced diet is vital for health. Essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid cannot be made by the body, but come from polyunsaturated fats in the diet. A diet without any animal products (meat or fat) removes the most natural way to take in beneficial substances such as fish oils, which can help protect the body against heart disease. Suggesting that people suddenly become lacto-vegetarian (ie vegetarians that do eat dairy produce) in order to lose weight and look after their health is somewhat extreme and verges on irresponsible as it may also be counterproductive. For the dieter, vegetarianism means yet another banned food to add to the growing list from the various popular diet crazes and, sadly, yet another reason to fail in the long-term. Taking on a whole new approach to eating - such as vegetarianism - is a perfectly valid choice when done for either ethical reasons or for disease prevention. But while many people may choose to have the odd vegetarian meal occasionally, a wholly vegetarian diet is not the everyday choice of the vast majority of the population. Soybeans may be grown in the U.S.A., but they are not what most think of as a national dish! http://www.gnc.com/health_notes/Diet/Dean_Ornish_Diet.htm" There are many reasons for the popularity of various diet crazes. It only takes one a-list celebrity follower to create a craze for a particular diet plan. Publicity is all and it seems the more coverage gained in the media for a diet program, the more likely members of the public are to try emulating their rich and famous heroes and heroines. Then there's the willingness to try new options where other ways have failed - seeking a 'quick fix' by letting someone else do the hard work of calculating what to eat and what to avoid. As the increasing popularity of diet drugs and fat-burning supplements also prove, the 'easy' way is often the most attractive. But the simple truth is that there is no 'easy way' when it comes to adopting a healthy lifestyle. Fad diets tend to cut out essential nutrients. When the human body is forced into a state of fasting, the body eventually digests not only its fat stores, but cell proteins from muscle and other tissues can end up being broken down for fuel. Regular exercise is also an important factor in a healthy lifestyle if we are seeking to prevent ill health, rather than simply cure illness and much as fad diets may suggest exercising, how is the dieter to do this when starved of energy? Healthy eating should be for… [END OF PREVIEW]
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The handbrake mechanism Lever
The handbrake acts on the shoes by means of a mechanical system, separate from the hydraulic cylinder, consisting of a lever and arm in the brake drum; they are operated by a cable from the handbrake lever inside the car.
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How the braking system works
Dual-circuit braking system A typical dual-circuit braking system in which each circuit acts on ... |
Experts say portrait isn't of George Washington's chef
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Art experts are saying a portrait long thought to be of George Washington's enslaved chef was misidentified, a discovery that may have led to the real chef's final resting place. reports Friday that art experts who gathered two years ago at Mount Vernon, Washington's Virginia plantation, are now making their findings public.
The 18th-century portrait was long thought to be of Hercules and painted by Gilbert Stuart, best known for his unfinished Washington portrait.
The experts were unanimous that the portrait was not of Hercules, nor even of a chef.
The discovery may have led to finding Hercules' whereabouts. Members of a historical society last month looked into an old New York City death notice that may have been for Hercules. They and other historians now believe he's buried in a Manhattan cemetery. |
Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
The temperatures drop and we flip on our furnaces. Tossing clothes in our gas dryers and cooking on gas stove tops. We light fires in our fireplaces or heating stoves and heat our water in gas-fueled water heaters. In addition, we drive cars with combustion engines.
These may be unremarkable facts of our daily lives, but we should be paying attention to all of these things. The combustion appliances that fill our homes create carbon monoxide. What happens if a system isn’t well maintained, malfunctions, or is improperly used? It puts us and our families in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Most people know the dangers of carbon monoxide and hope to protect their families from the dangers of the gas. Nevertheless, an estimated 200 people or more die each year and thousands more are sickened by carbon monoxide in their homes. There are steps you should be taking to keep you and your family safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Those steps include:
• Performing annual maintenance and cleaning of gas- and oil-burning appliances.
If your gas- or oil-fueled appliances or their vents fail, carbon monoxide can build up rapidly within your home. For that reason, appliances that require combustion should be cleaned and inspected at least once per year. That includes furnaces, fireplaces, heating stoves, gas-fueled clothing dryers and hot water heaters.
• Keeping vents clear.
Heating and dryer vents can become obstructed for a variety of reasons. Snow can pile high around outdoor vents in the winter. Animals can nest within unprotected vents. Contractors or do-it-yourself-ers can inadvertently cover vents during renovations. Check vents regularly and after major weather events to make sure they are free to exhaust your appliances.
• Never operate combustion appliances in non-ventilated areas.
Cars should never be left running in garages, even with the doors open. Gas generators should never be run within the home. In addition, outdoor appliances like camp stoves, portable heaters, and grills should never be operated indoors.
Install a carbon monoxide detector!
Install carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of your home and near all sleeping areas. Check your carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are operating properly at least once a month. Replace batteries at least twice per year. (You can do this when daylight savings time switches, along with changing the batteries in your smoke detectors.)
Always make sure all family members know what to do, should the carbon monoxide detectors sound. Exit the home quickly and call 911. Do not go back into your home until the source of the carbon monoxide has been located and the leak has been fixed.
Carbon monoxide is a legitimate threat. Consequently, it can sicken or even kill. However, take precautions! Maintain your home appliances and install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors. In doing this, you can help to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. |
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