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I am using different types of base layer in OpenLayers and drawing vector layers on them. I am having trouble with Google satellite base layers.
I have noticed that satellite view has different zoom levels in different places. In some places base layer is not zooming but vector layer is zooming.
How can I determine if farther zoom level is available for a certain base layer?
In the images bellow a corner is marked with red. Notice the change position of the vector layer
Zoom level 19
Vector at zoom level 19
Zoom level 20
Same vector at zoom level 20
One thing you can do if you have base layers with different resolutions is to detect for the layer in the changebaselayer callback and then reset the map's resolutions array, and redraw the panzoombar control, so it can only zoom to the new base layer's resolutions.
map.events.register("changebaselayer", this, function (obj) {
if (obj.layer.name == 'your_layer_name') {
map.baseLayer.resolutions = [20, 10, 5];
map.baseLayer.numZoomLevels = 3;
map.baseLayer.fractionalZoom = false;
map.baseLayer.maxResolution = 20;
map.baseLayer.minResolution = 5;
map.zoomTo(2, map.getCenter());
In other words, you need to have different resolutions arrays if you are using layer with different allowed resolutions. These should be preloaded at design time, as you can't easily detect if a particular layer allows a certain zoom from the client.
• Well, how do I know what resolutions array to use? Also, satellite layer has different max zoom in different places. – Mohayemin Oct 27 '14 at 9:22
• You have to know the resolutions array before you can sensible add any layer with fixed zoom levels. Different zooms at different areas makes things a bit complicated. Presumably, Google Maps uses a spatial lookup. I'm not sure how you could do it from OpenLayers without knowing which areas have different zooms. You might have another issue also, as you can always zoom a layer (and get a very pixelated image back), but your tiles and vector layers shouldn't get out of sync like this. – John Powell Oct 27 '14 at 9:42
• The resolutions for GM can be seen here: trac.osgeo.org/openlayers/browser/trunk/openlayers/lib/…. You might want to add transitionEffect: 'resize' to map constructor as well. – John Powell Oct 27 '14 at 9:49
• Your answer did not solve my problem but I figured out the "Google Maps uses a spatial lookup" which you mentioned in your comment. I understand that what I need cannot be done only with OpenLayers. I need help of Maximum Zoom Imagery Service. I am trying it. Thanks. – Mohayemin Oct 28 '14 at 6:07
Your Answer
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The most recent episode of the Italian documentary TV series Ulisse - Il piacere della scoperta (Ulysses - The pleasure of discovery) covered the deportation of Jews from Italy, and at some point it was stated that
before the outbreak of World War II, Stalin's Russia handed over thousands and thousands of Jews to the Nazis, in the spirit of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.
Emphasis mine, but the way the host put it, he meant to specify that there weren't instructions for this action in the documents, but it was still done to please the Nazis - for what it's worth, the Italian phrase used by the host was in omaggio al Patto.
Is this true, in any way, or is it blatantly false?
It has been suggested that what the commentator said might have had a figurative meaning, as in handing Poland, and thus its Poles and Jews, to the Nazis. I also thought of this interpretation at some point, but it is not possible. Here is the transcript of the complete passage, in Italian:
Quello che è avvenuto in Europa 70 anni fa è certamente ad opera della Germania nazista, ma è stata aiutata molte volte localmente, per così dire. Nel caso del quartiere ebraico di Roma c'erano dei fascisti che aiutavano le SS, e anche nel resto d'Italia. Ma altrove è successa la stessa cosa, a volte in un modo ancora più organizzato, perché se pensate alla Francia di Vichy era proprio la polizia francese che andava a catturare gli ebrei e li consegnava ai nazisti. E nel caso della Russia di Stalin c'è un altro esempio: prima dello scoppio della guerra, erano proprio i russi a consegnare ai tedeschi, ai nazisti, migliaia e migliaia di ebrei, diciamo in omaggio ad un accordo che la Germania e la Russia avevano fatto, l'accordo Molotov-Ribbentrop, che aveva stabilito per così dire una specie di pace tra le due nazioni.
I already paraphrased above the bit about Stalin's Russia, I'll consider the previous part:
What happened in Europe 70 years ago is certainly due to Nazi Germany, but it was often aided locally. Fascists in Rome and the rest of Italy helped the SS; elsewhere the same thing occurred, but in an even more organized way, because in Vichy France the police captured and handed over Jews to the Nazis.
And in the case of Stalin's Russia there is another example: before the outbreak of the war, it was the Russians themselves who delivered to the Germans, the Nazis, thousands and thousands of Jews, let's say in homage to an agreement that Germany and Russia had made, the Molotov-Ribbentrop agreement, which had established, so to speak, a kind of peace between the two nations.
In this context, it is clear that the host is going through instances of concrete collaboration, not figurative.
Short Answer
No - the Soviets did not hand over thousands and thousands of Jews to the Nazis before the outbreak of World War II. The claim is inaccurate.
enter image description here
The pact was signed by Molotov (seated) and Ribbentrop (standing 3rd from left). Source: WW2History.com
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed 23 August, 1939. World War II started 1 September, 1939 with Germany's invasion of Poland. This means there was one week between signing the Pact and the start of WWII. The Pact was only in force one week before the war started, so the Soviet Union, logistically, could not have
handed over thousands and thousand of Jews to the Nazis
in that one week after the signing of the Pact
before the outbreak of World War II.
Long Answer
Because there are some complexities involved in this issue which should be considered, three additional points for more context around the topic are included below.
The first point is added in case the documentary intended to imply a cooperation before an outbreak of hostilities between Germany and the USSR (22 June, 1941) rather than the outbreak of the War (1 September, 1939).
The second point is added to illustrate that while the claim in the Question is incorrect, and instead many Jews fled Nazi territories to the relative safety of the Soviet Union, that relative safety was not long enjoyed.
The third point below is added to lend support to the overall theme of the documentary cited in the Question, that many nations and territories cooperated with the Nazis in their murderous goal of purging Western and Eastern Europe of the Jews (including many local citizens and authorities in some Soviet territories).
1) Did Stalin's Soviet Union hand over thousands and thousands of Jews before open hostilities between the Nazis and the USSR in 1941 (while the pact was still publicly observed by both parties)?
2) Was Stalin's Soviet Union innocent of atrocities against the Jews?
3) Was there any cooperation or collaboration with the Nazis in occupied territories of the Soviet Union after the Nazis invaded the USSR in 1941?
1) From the signing of the pact in 1939 to the breaking of the pact in 1941 there is no documentation to support any Soviet-sponsored deportation of Jews from the USSR into Nazi controlled territories. In fact, to the contrary, Yad Vashem's article on the Soviet Union declares:
Following Hitler’s rise to power, Germany and the Soviet Union behaved as mortal enemies. One month prior to the outbreak of World War II, however, the two countries surprised the world by signing a "non-aggression pact" (Nazi-Soviet Pact), in which they agreed to abstain from attacking each other. This pact allowed the Germans free reign to invade Poland without Soviet intervention. In exchange, the Soviets were given the eastern parts of Poland and the Baltic countries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Over the next year the Soviets also annexed Bessarabia and Bukovina, which had been under Romanian rule since World War I. Altogether, these new territories had a Jewish population of about 2 million. Additionally, about 250,000—300,000 Jewish refugees from German-occupied western Poland had fled to the Soviet Union after the war broke out. Jewish populations in these territories did not live under the best conditions but at this point, they were spared the systematic extermination suffered by Jews under the Germans. [emphasis added]
Thus we see, rather than Jews being handed over from the Soviet Union to the Nazis, an opposite effect was taking place: Jewish refugees were fleeing to the Soviet Union from Nazi expansion eastward into Poland.
2) No, the Soviets were not innocent of atrocities of their own against the Jews and Poles and other ethnic minorities. As the World Affairs Journal article on Soviet-Nazi Collaboration and World War II states:
Completely indefensible is the secret protocol that led to Poland’s partition in September 1939 and the subsequent Soviet attack on and incorporation of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania...
... during the two years the Soviets ruled Western Ukraine (the former eastern Poland), they destroyed civil society, dismantled all political and civil rights, deported hundreds of thousands of Poles, Jews, and Ukrainians to Siberia, and then, to top things off, massacred some 20,000–30,000 political prisoners in the week after the Nazis attacked in June of 1941. (About 70 percent were Ukrainian, 20 percent were Polish, and over 5 percent were Jewish.) ...
3) Yes, there was local collaboration and cooperation in some Nazi-occupied territories of the USSR. When Operation Barbarossa began, the fate of the Jews in the Soviet Union started to change (due to the presence of the Nazis). Yad Vashem's Soviet Union article continues:
The relatively good status of Jews in the Soviet Union did not last long. In mid-1941 the Germans decided to betray their pact with the Soviets and secretly planned to attack the Soviet Union in Operation "Barbarossa." In preparation for their invasion, the Nazis ordered the extermination of all Jews living in those areas annexed by the Soviet Union in 1939--1940. The Germans attacked on June 22, 1941. After the invasion, more than 5 million Jews came under Nazi rule, constituting over half of Europe's Jewish population. Einsatzgruppen followed the advancing army and with assistance from local collaborators and various police and regular army (Wehrmacht) units, they quickly massacred most of the Jews of the Baltic States, Belorussia, and the Ukraine by shooting into open pits. The remaining Jews were put into ghettos, and most were murdered within 12--18 months.
As indicated above, after the Nazis broke the Pact and invaded the Soviet Union and expanded into the western reaches of the Soviet Union, there was direct cooperation and Nazi collaboration among the locals in several areas, for example in the Ukraine and in Byelorusia, with the Einsatzgruppen in rounding up and murdering Jews (refer to The Holocaust in the Ukraine and The role of the Belarusian Auxiliary Police). But this was not a Soviet policy (local dissidents in some areas who viewed the Nazis as Liberators collaborated with the Nazis and were viewed as Traitors by the Soviet Union) and had absolutely nothing to do with the (now broken) Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
• @VincenzoOliva it occured to me today that perhaps the Italian commentator may have meant that because of the Pact, or as a consequence of the Pact (regardless of intent, or regardless that it was later broken) - the USSR made it possible for the Nazis to begin pursuing their murderous aims by giving them free reign to invade Poland without interference from the East, and as a result, the Nazis were "handed" Poland (and its Poles and Jews) on a platter. The Pact enabled the Nazis to do that. So the Pact "handed them" almost all the Jews in Poland, Ukraine, Belorusia, et al. – Kerry L Oct 17 '18 at 1:11
• I also thought of that interpretation but it's not possible, see my edit to the OP. – Vincenzo Oliva Oct 17 '18 at 12:37
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Thanks for the clarification - I removed the Edit paragraph from my answer in light of no figurative meaning intended. – Kerry L Oct 17 '18 at 12:44
• This Answer has been revised based on feedback indicating graphic content, long quotations (without pertinent emphasis added) and an unclear over-all thesis. Hopefully this revision successfully addresses that helpful feedback while still maintaining Accepted Answer status from the OP. – Kerry L Oct 22 '18 at 15:00
Stalin Ribbentrop Pact I believe the writers of the documentary are referring to the final negotiation of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. Amongst other 'spheres of influence' the original version of the proposed agreement gave Lithuania to Germany and an area of Poland between the Vistula and Bug rivers to the USSR. The latter included the entire Voivodeship of Lublin and parts of the Voivodeship of Warsaw as far as the Bug. Stalin proposed a swap of this territory to Germany in return for Lithuania and Hitler agreed. (Source: 'Germany in the Second World War Volume IV' p.104.) Based on the 1931 census figures for the Lublin Voivodeship and the Warsaw Voivodeship , well over 300,000 Jews resided in these parts of Poland. By 1939 this figure would have been increased by population growth and the inflow of Jewish refugees from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia in the years following 1931. By comparison around 160,000 Jews lived in Lithuania, the result was that many tens of thousands of Jews could be said to have been 'handed over' by the Soviets.
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What is the "one source" you refer to? Including these generally helps make answers better. – gktscrk Jun 11 '20 at 6:58
• Presenting this argument, you should also consider the fact that prior to WWII Lithuania's Jewish population was about 160,000, which is approximately 7% of the total population of the country. The total Jewish population of Poland before WWII was approximately 3.3 million. I think, your source refers to that total number. – Moishe Kohan Jun 11 '20 at 14:54
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@trevor - please move the source information into the answer; comments are used to raise issues, not to provide content. – Mark C. Wallace Jun 12 '20 at 12:07
• I cannot find in the notes where the authors came up with this number of Jews. Since Lublin's total 1931 population is about 1.9 million I think the figure refers to the the entire population of the affected territory - both Jews and Non-Jews. – Trevor Jun 12 '20 at 12:07
• 1
@Trevor - comments raise issues; edit the answer to address the issue and flag for deltion. OP should rarely if ever answer in comments. – Mark C. Wallace Jun 12 '20 at 12:38
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A regular rainbow has the red on the "outside" of the bow and violet on the inside.
Occasionally, one may see a secondary, dimmer, "reverse" rainbow where the color order is reversed where red is on the inside of the bow and violet is on the outside.
In most cases, one would see both. But, what if one only sees the secondary one? Can he make a bracha on this? Or would we assume that the bracha on the rainbow means, by definition, a rainbow that has its colors arranged in the "normal" order?
See this for a picture and explanation of this phenomenon.
Note: We have a few "rainbow" questions on this site. In particular, this one discusses rainbows created by cirrus clouds - probably more common than the double rainbow mentioned in this question. It's clear (sorry for the bad pun) that in my question, the rainbows are caused by rain-producing clouds. I have never seen double cirrus "rainbows", and given the "reverse" color arrangement, I don't think ice crystals would produce that type of refraction.
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Frugal Living Tips From the Great Depression (That Still Work Today)
In the late 1920’s and well into the 1930’s, the world experienced the worst economic downturn it had ever seen, and the worst that many countries in the future would ever see.
Many people associate the great depression directly with the United States economy and while the depression mostly originated in America, the entire world was hit extremely hard.
Especially those countries that had economies that were still thriving thanks to the industrial revolution.
Those that lived through the Great Depression learned how to adapt to their situations.
They had no other option than to live frugally, because there simply wasn’t any extra money they could depend on.
While some of the things they did during the Great Depression may seem far fetched now, there are still lessons that can be adapted to fit our current lifestyle nearly a century later.
The resiliency of those that survived through the Great Depression is something that all of us today can look up to and learn from especially as we tackle the most recent financial crisis in 2020.
Live Within Your Means
One of the first steps you can take towards living a frugal lifestyle is living well within your means.
If you don’t need those new clothes for work, then don’t buy them just because they look nice.
If you can’t afford to go out and have a nice meal paid for with cash, then cook at home instead of putting it on a credit card.
Back during the Great Depression, people made do with what they had.
As long as they could survive and be healthy, then they were fine.
Now, we aren’t saying that you shouldn’t treat yourself from time to time.
But we are saying that an important step to frugal living is to stay well below your means.
Try Being Fiscally Conservative (aka Cheap and kind of Greedy!)
While living frugally might mean cutting costs, there are also ways you can improve your finances that can increase your overall net income while reducing your spending at the same time.
During the Great Depression people had to find additional means of income wherever they could.
What’s great about our current day and age, is there are many different opportunities to access additional money, and ways to make smarter financial choices towards a frugal lifestyle.
Budget for your lifestyle
This sort of goes hand in hand with living within your means. If you’re trying to manage your spending then you need to first measure it.
Creating a budget involves sitting down to see how much money is coming in, and then to properly dictate how you should be spending it.
Thankfully these days we’ve got technology on our side, so apps like Pocketsmith or YNAB can help us track our spending and ensure we stay on track with our budget.
Related Posts:
Increase debt repayments
If you have debt, the faster you can pay it off the faster you can start living a more frugal lifestyle.
Whilst making bigger payments towards your debt seems counterproductive to saving money, the quicker you pay it off the less you will pay in interest, which results in more money you can save.
Even if you increase your debt payments each month by a few dollars, your overall savings from interest rates will equal to a nice amount of money you can save.
These are our best tips for starting a plan to get out of debt
Make (or find) extra money:
The more money you make the higher your potential is for savings and retirement contributions.
Which is why finding ways to make extra money can benefit your savings goals.
Additional income can also help take the pressure off when money starts to become tight.
Side Hustle
Many people are finding a second income by performing work on the side.
Any of these could use their own guides, but you may find some success in selling on Etsy, dropshipping with Oberlo, or performing digital tasks and jobs for people on Upwork or Fiverr.
Cash-Back Shopping
Larger shopping stores and online outlets will pay referral commissions whenever sales are referred to them.
Cash-back shopping apps will share this commission with you.
Get Paid To Complete Tasks
Complete paid surveys online (these are our top picks for New Zealand and Australian surveys), take part in online focus groups with, or to perform watch video ads online with Swagbucks.
Make Extra Money With Your Home
During the Great Depression, many homeowners found extra money by renting out their spare bedroom.
Sometimes families would all sleep in the same master bedroom so that the other bedrooms could be rented out. Back then, every little bit helped.
If you’ve got a spare bedroom, consider listing it on Airbnb.
If you have an unused pool house, mother-in-law suite, finished basement, or garage apartment, then you can do even better.
Don’t want to bring strangers into your home? How about boarding some dogs.
Sites like Rover and will help put you in touch with pet owners who need to go away for a little while but don’t want to go through the typical boarding options.
Haggle and Barter
During the Great Depression a big part of getting what you needed was centered around bartering.
While you’re not going to be able to walk into your local supermarket and haggle down the price of bananas, the age-old practice of bartering and haggling still works today in many other instances and situations.
Haggling Monthly Bills Down:
When it comes to your bills and your monthly payment obligations, it might be worth your while to negotiate with companies to get your bills down.
So many of the companies you pay monthly are part of extremely competitive industries.
Calling and asking for a lower bill, or to match the price of a competitor will result in success.
Calling and speaking to a person in the Customer Retention department and threatening to cancel your service may result in even more success.
The worst thing they can do is apologize and tell you no. Just try not to go full Karen on them because it is a human being on the other end of the phone line.
This tactic can be used for your everyday bills like cable TV & internet, and your mobile phone service if you’re not under contact or if your contract is almost up.
Some people have success doing so with their credit card bills – especially annual fees which can usually be negotiated down significantly.
Haggling these recurring monthly bills works surprisingly well.
Because many of these companies have such high competition, they have entire departments that are staffed with people whose sole job is to keep you from leaving and going to a competitor.
They would much rather give you a discounted rate than lose you altogether.
Bartering For Products & Services:
Do you have something that you’re good at? A service that can be valuable?
Or, is there a product that you can provide? Your products and services can be used to get other products and services.
Maybe you’re an amazing math tutor, a great Yoga teacher, or maybe you just make some killer Salsa.
You can reach out to other people and offer your products or service in lieu of cash for whatever it is that you’re looking for.
A friend of mine piqued my interest in web design well over a decade ago because I saw him find a small business owner who was selling a truck on Craigslist.
He reached out to this guy and successfully negotiated a trade whereby he would build a website for this guy’s business, in exchange for having the title to the truck signed over to him. That blew my mind!
Facebook Marketplace is also a great place to find some people that are likely to barter over products and services.
You may also want to consider sites like Gumtree or Postanote. Depending on your product or service many people will likely turn you down.
But it takes just one person to say ‘Yes’ for you to end up saving money.
Save Money By Fixing Your Own Stuff and Being A DIY-er
The Great Depression era was a time of teaching yourself how to fix things on your own.
There was no option to take your jeans with a tear in them to a seamstress.
Almost nobody had money to take their car to a mechanic, regardless of how necessary that car was.
In fact, fixing your own stuff is arguably much easier these days.
It doesn’t matter if you need to replace the tiles in your bathroom floor, install a ceiling fan, or change the air filter on a 1994 Ford Mustang, there will be a YouTube video explaining how to do so.
In fact, your biggest challenge will be figuring out which YouTube video to follow along with.
On top of that, there are so many specialty shops and online stores for you to easily order whatever you deem necessary for whatever repairs you’re trying to make.
DIY-ing is another great way to save money and create whatever you need.
You probably have materials laying around your house that can be turned into something new, you just might have to get a little creative.
Pinterest is a great place to get ideas for DIY projects and, as with the repairs, there are tons of YouTube videos available to walk you through any process.
Put that junk drawer to use and make or fix things in your home that you need.
Related post: 9 Benefits of Frugality That Are More Important Than Money
Eliminate Unnecessary Waste
Regardless of what it was, there was nothing wasted back then. This is a good mentality to have when trying to live frugally.
If there was food, it was all eaten, even if it took a few days to go through.
Fruit that had bad spots were simply cut around and still eaten. Bananas that were overripe were used for baking.
Get creative and think of some ways you can stretch your leftovers and scrap foods so you can ensure you are getting as much use out of what you have already bought as possible.
One of my favourite things to do is look up recipes and creative ways to turn leftovers into entirely new meals.
This same thought process can be applied to more than just food. In fact, you may find our DIY suggestions above work very well with eliminating unnecessary waste.
We aren’t saying to become a hoarder, but give a second thought to anything that you may be about to throw away.
Become Resource-Lite in the Home
Using less also applied to the home.
Making your home warmer by blocking draughts with old towels, running your washing machine on a cold cycle, line-drying clothes and ensuring you open up all the windows daily to ventilate correctly can hugely reduce your energy bill and reduce mold.
Related: 5 Cheap Ways to Winterise Your Home
Change How, When, Where, and What You Eat
Replace meals with cheaper options
When grocery shopping during the Great Depression they limited their menu to meals without meat or using small amounts of meat since that was one of the more expensive items to purchase.
A lot of meals were centered around starch and carb-heavy foods like pasta, potatoes, beans etc.
They also simplified their meals and had a solitary item for one meal, like pancakes for dinner that was the entire meal.
Obviously we aren’t suggesting everyone needs to become a vegetarian to save money, but you can use this same line of thinking while deciding what meals you’re going to cook throughout the week.
“Will bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs be okay in this meal instead of the expensive boneless, skinless chicken breasts?”
Related posts:
Grow your own food
A trend that is rising is the act of growing your own food.
During times where food was limited, having a backyard garden allowed for people to get the necessary nutrients through food they could grow themselves.
This same mentality can be used now, because the more food you can produce in your own yard, the more food available for meal time.
Gardening doesn’t require a lot of supplies and can be achieved for a fairly low cost.
Related posts:
Meal Prepping
Buying food in bulk and cooking it all at once is a great way to save money.
With proper food storage your meal that was cooked 6 days ago can still be just as good today. Good Housekeeping has some great meal prep tips.
The Great Depression Forced People To Get Creative
If there’s one thing we learned about frugal living during the Great Depression, it’s that people were forced to get creative when it came to how money was spent and how money was saved.
Obviously times were much different then than they are now, but the same idea behind frugal living still remains the same.
Whether you specifically follow each piece of advice in the article, or merely use it as inspiration to find ways to cut corners in your own budget, then we will count it as a win.
Just because the Great Depression was nearly a century ago, doesn’t mean we can’t all still learn from it!
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How to Manage and Treat Food Allergies
Managing life’s stressful situations and events can be difficult, although to combat such stress people have learned to control their anxiety in different ways. For example, some people decide to work out, meditate, or even eat healthy foods. In fact, to some people, while it’s unhealthy eating to express a person’s emotions is a perfect way to escape from life’s problems, however to others, food is just another obstacle that must be mastered. Food allergies have recently been known to torment individuals in the United States and other countries alike. But foods are known to cause allergic reactions and how do people prevent such reactions?
Here are some tips to manage and treat food allergies:
What are food allergies?
Food allergies are commonly defined when a person’s immune system becomes alarmed to a food or an ingredient in a specific type of food, thus prompting a defensive response from the body. The symptoms of food allergies span from mild to critical. It’s important to understand that just because a person experiences a mild food allergy symptom on one occasion doesn’t always mean that his or her symptoms will be mild. The severity of food allergy symptoms fluctuates and depend on numerous qualities, for example, the amount of food that was ingested, the length of time before you were treated, and how many reactions you have had before. All of these characteristics count towards if you’re food allergy symptoms will be mild or critical.
In fact, the most serious symptom of food allergies is anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening since it can hinder a person’s breathing, influences heart rate, and create low blood pressure. Although, some mild symptoms consist of vomiting, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, and hives. All of these symptoms including anaphylaxis can occur within minutes of ingesting a particular kind of food.
What kind of foods cause food allergies?
While in theory, all foods can cause a reaction in some individuals, however, there are eight common categories of food which can cause food allergies. These eight categories include milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. Although, some people might not be allergic to just one of these eight common food allergies. In fact, it’s common to be allergic to one or more types of food allergies. For example, kids are regularly diagnosed with both milk and egg allergies. Sometimes these allergies will fade away as a person ages; however, some food allergies tend to stick even with age. Fish allergies and shellfish are two of the greatest common food allergies that don’t go away even as a person ages.
It’s important to understand what your allergic to so you can take measures to stay away from such foods. In fact, some people see an allergist in order to help identify all the foods an individual may be allergic to. If you or a family member one has a food allergy but doesn’t entirely know what other foods, he or she might be allergic to it might be beneficial to consult an allergist.
How to manage and treat food allergies
It’s essential that if you have a food allergy of any kind that you refrain from consuming that particular food. Avoidance will ensure that you don’t exhibit any symptoms or don’t experience a reaction from of that specific food. All package food products label the eight common types of food allergies in the nutrient facts and ingredients sections. If you have a food allergy, it’s strongly advised that you read food labels before buying or eating a food product. Some companies may label their products with a phrase such as “may contain.” This simple phrase is used to suggest that there will be an uncertain amount of a particular ingredient that is likely to be one of the eight most common allergens. Such statements allow people to evaluate the product and asses if it is safe for them to eat.
Although, when eating out at restaurants people who have food allergies may run into some trouble. Restaurants feature most if not all the common allergens in the type of food they serve. It’s crucial if you have a food allergy that you tell your waitress or speak to the chef in order to get your meal prepared right. Some people even come to restaurants prepared with a chef card that lists their allergies in a clear and easy to read font. Chef cards can be made and brought online through multiple food allergy organization and support websites.
In fact, support groups and organizations for people who have food allergies is a great way to manage the emotional side effects of food allergies. Often people who suffer from food allergies feel isolated or alone due to their avoidance of certain foods. By not participating in eating popular foods a person might feel like an outcast or weird because of their medical condition.
However, by joining a support group a person who has food allergies will be able to meet and talk to others like him or her, and therefore, will be able to connect with other people. Also joining a support group or organization is not only a great way to help yourself if you have food allergies but also an excellent way to help other people. Some people find it hard to manage their food allergies but by sharing tips, stories, and funny tricks you can help others manage their food allergies too.
Food allergies can be tough for anyone to handle, although there are ways to manage food allergies. Firstly, you should avoid any food that you are allergic or might be allergic to. Also, it’s advised that if you have food allergies that you read food labels to prevent any symptoms or reactions from occurring. In fact, to avoid any reactions at restaurants you should tell a waitress about your allergies or provide the staff with a chef card that lists all your allergies for them. Managing allergies can be challenging, but it’s best to understand what precisely you’re allergic to before you go about managing your allergies. If you trust you might be allergic to a specific kind of food, it might be beneficial to consult an allergist about your food allergies today. |
Moving the Baseline
A normal distribution, aka a bell curve A normal distribution, aka a bell curve
I apologize for the graphic, all I had to work with was MS Paint I apologize for the graphic, all I had to work with was MS Paint
Day 18
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The Attention Ecosystem
Day 17
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Meal Prepping: Saving Time in Bulk
Day 16
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Thank the Artist
Day 15
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The Role of Local Government
The role of local government is a simple one: to provide the foundations necessary for its citizens to live their lives, simple as that. The government lays the foundations of power, water, transportation, the economy, public safety, and many more aspects of life needed to sustain the city and its population. This is done through zoning, utility departments, police & fire departments, and economic policies. If the government does it right, you may never know it’s there, save election cycles.
The city council and mayor provide the necessary representation needed to address these needs, it is up to the city manager to execute upon the desires of the public. The manager then hands off the goals to the many different departments to carry out the solutions. Each department works within their own constraints to address these needs, maybe with a new power line or a community center.’
Priorities are made through the city’s budget, which is determined through a joint effort between the council, mayor and manager. A city is always in constant flux, and so a budget must be updated annually and adjusted to address the needs then and now of its people.
How the city is structured also influences how it accomplishes its goal. There are many forms of municipal government out there: council-manger, mayor-council, commission, and town meetings. In a council-manager government the council and city manager hold the highest power, the mayor mostly there to represent the city at large but holds no veto power. In a mayor-council government the mayor functions closer to that of a governor or president and carries out the day to day work needed to keep the people of the city happy and holds veto power. A commission government is a little different, the department heads are directly elected by the public to commission the operation of their specific fields. Finally in a town meeting everybody from the city gets together to discuss how the city will be ran and functions as a pure democracy.
Each city is unique in its own regard, but each government serves the same function, no matter how it’s structured: to provide the foundation necessary to gives the people the lives they are entitled to live.
Day 14
Word Count: 370
Cost per Post: $11.13
A Brief History of Podcasting: Serial and the Birth of the Indie Podcast Renaissance
Back in December 2014 a show about an a potentially wrongly convicted man made its way across the air. This show wasn’t broadcasted the usual way, through the airwaves into your car stereo, no this little show was transmitted through the internet through a wifi router and straight into millions of people’s phones. This singlar show, produced by an A team staff, would introduce the world to a yet-to-be-legitimized medium of entertainment. Suddenly the term podcast would enter the zeitgeist, and the show that revealed it to the public was serial.
Google searches for Serial (Red) and Podcast (Blue) Google searches for Serial (Red) and Podcast (Blue)
Since December 2014 the world of podcasting has boomed. Suddenly the term “podcaster” was a legitimate profession people could put on their business cards. It was no longer defined as “it’s radio, on the internet.” People knew what podcast meant. And soon people began thinking “Hey, podcasts are just audio files right? How can I make one?” And thus the indie podcasting renaissance was born two years after the release of Serial.
We are in a new era similar to that of the birth of blogging or the birth of YouTube, and yet it is a return to the earliest form of mass entertainment save written. Audio has always been a part of human culture with news shows, and audio dramas dating back to the birth of radio. From Stuff You Should Know and 99 Percent Invisible to your best friend Alex’s new show on local events, to audio dramas like The Black Tapes of Within the Wire. Unlike their predecessors limited by air times, station bureaucracy, and FCC regulations the realm of audio is entering the beginning of a new era of creativity, a podcasting renaissance unlike anything ever heard before.
Day 13
Word Count: 260
Cost per Post: $11.99
There Are No Solutions, Only Tools
Day 12
Word Count: 415
Cost per Post: $12.99
Progress is Progress
Day 11
Word Count: 253
Cost per Post: $14.17
All the Time Tracking in the World
“Time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away”
— “In The End” Linkin Park
Time, we all have it but sometimes it feels like we never have enough. Sometimes time just flies by, and other times it feels as if it dilates turning seconds into minutes and minutes into hours. With our brain’s fluctuating perception of time it is impossible to really tell how much we spend it on different tasks or activities, and how much we really have. Enter time tracking.
Time tracking is exactly what it says it is, it’s a means to track your time and how you spend it. It sounds tedious, but in reality it’s a very passive way measure your life. With accurate data you can figure out exactly how you want to spend your time and what really eats up your daily life.
I’ve been an advocate for time tracking since I gave it a hardcore whirle roughly a year ago using the app Toggl. Toggl is made for freelance workers out there who charge by the hour to their clients, but can be easily altered to measure your day to day life. Originally I began using Toggl as a means to build my “score” at the end of the day, the score being how much time I put towards creative or productive tasks. I realized with the data that if I want to feel satisfied with my day at the very least I should put forth a minimum of four hours of productive or creative time.
Now as time as gone on I’ve decided to add more to my time tracking. Now I not only track productive time, but also break time. It occurred to me a few months ago that my breaks might be longer than I thought, so I gave it a week of time tracking and oh man were they worse than I thought. Sure I still had productive days, but with half hour long Twitch breaks.
Time tracking is like looking into a temporal mirror. It forces us to look at how we spend our time, sometimes the results aren’t pretty. But without a mirror we will never know exactly what we look like. Time is a valuable thing, and time tracking is a great way to see it.
Day 10
Word Count: 367
Cost per Post: $15.59
Weekly Planning Tools
• “Events” for things like concerts or birthday parties.
• “Flights & Travel” for everything regarding trip plans
Day 9
Word Count: 518
Cost per Post: $17.32 |
Virbac USA
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
Score 5 (6 Votes)
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency
Overview of the Pancreas
Your pet’s pancreas is one of the most important glands in the endocrine and digestive systems. The pancreas is located next to the stomach and small intestine. It is composed of two types of cells that provide critical functions:
• Endocrine cells produce insulin and hormones that regulate the body’s blood sugar level.
• Exocrine cells secrete digestive enzymes the body needs to properly digest and absorb nutrients.
Normally, the pancreas secretes inactive enzymes into the small intestine, where they are activated for digestion. In some dogs and cats, inactive enzymes become inappropriately active in the pancreas itself and create an inflammatory condition known as pancreatitis. Essentially, the pancreas attacks itself.
Pancreatitis can be a one-time problem or a chronic condition; it can also be life-threatening. Fortunately, most pets with uncomplicated pancreatitis recover after a single episode and do well, as long as high-fat foods are avoided or they follow a special diet.
Other pets face another pancreatic problem called Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). In these pets, the pancreas fails to produce and secrete necessary digestive enzymes and can result in severe malnutrition in a short period of time.
What is exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?
EPI is a condition that prevents the body from absorbing food and nutrients. In a pet with EPI, the pancreas fails to produce and secrete digestive enzymes that help to break down carbohydrates, fats and protein. Without a steady supply of these vital enzymes, the body is unable to absorb nutrients, and pets with EPI can literally starve — no matter how much food they eat. If EPI goes untreated, the lack of nutrients needed for growth, renewal, and maintenance will seriously affect a pet’s health eventually leading to malnutrition, starvation and, in the worst cases, death.
What causes and symptoms EPI in pets?
EPI is most often found in dogs, although advances in testing have shown the disease also affects cats more than previously thought.
In dogs, EPI is most often caused by atrophy of specific cells in the pancreas (known as acinar cells) that produce digestive enzymes.1 This is why EPI is sometimes referred to as Pancreatic Acinar Atrophy (PAA). EPI is most commonly caused by an auto-immune condition of the pancreas, but can also be found in pets with chronic pancreatitis or exocrine tumors of the pancreas.
The signs of EPI are associated with maldigestion and vary depending on the severity and duration of the disease.2 Weight loss despite an increased appetite is the hallmark sign of EPI. Other symptoms that may be noticed include large volumes of pale stool, flatulence and burping (borborygmi).
Some pets face a greater threat of EPI. Although cats and many different breeds of dogs have been diagnosed with EPI, researchers have learned that all breeds are at risk although some breeds are considered to be of higher risk2:
• German Shepherd Dogs
• Rough-coated Collies
• English Setters
How is EPI diagnosed?
If EPI is suspected, a veterinary visit is advised. History and signalment will provide information to guide proper testing to rule out other potential causes. Blood work will indicate if the body organs are working optimally and a fecal test will indicate if a parasite or infection is present. A serum Trypsin-like immunoreactivity test (TLI) is submitted to an outside lab for definitive diagnosis of EPI.3 In a pet with EPI, the trypsin and trypsinogen found in normal animals will be dramatically reduced. The combination of all of these diagnostic tools will provide the most complete picture of the pet’s health and guide the veterinarian’s treatment recommendations.
What is the treatment for EPI?
Relief from EPI starts with providing key essential enzymes (lipase, amylase and protease) to digest nutrients as the pet eats.4 The primary treatment for pets with EPI is to supplement each meal with these prepared pancreatic enzymes. Numerous enzyme extracts are available; however, they are NOT all alike. The supplements may vary widely in enzyme content and in their ability to be absorbed by the intestinal tract. Veterinarians will select and recommend trusted enzyme replacement supplements. Dietary modification of frequent small meals highly digestible low fat and fiber food is recommended. Additionally, vitamin B12 supplementation, addition of a probiotic, and the use of antibiotics may be recommended in some cases. Remember that EPI is managed and not cured.
Two websites, and, are reliable sources for additional information regarding exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
1. Wiberg ME, Saari SA, Westermarck E. Exocrine pancreatic atrophy in German Shepherd dogs and Rough-coated Collies: an end
result of lymphocytic pancreatitis. Vet Pathol 1999; 36:530-541.2. “Starving, Not Starved: Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) prevents absorption of food,” Whole Dog Journal, March 2009. 3. Stanley L. Marks, “Pancreatic Disease: Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI).” Virbac Proceedings, April 2012. 4. Rutz GM,Steiner JM, Williams DA (2002) Available on request from author. Reprinted in IVIS with the permission of the Congress Organizers.Proceedings of the 33rd World Small Animal Veterinary Congress 2008.
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Mincing Your Words
We might still hear someone say “she doesn’t mince her words” but do we know what it means?
Anyone who knows me will affirm that I tend to say what’s on my mind, although I try to think before I speak and to be more tactful than I used to be.
My mother used to remark to me that I had “a neat turn of phrase”, and would occasionally comment to others that I didn’t mince my words. I always took the first observation as a compliment, although I’m not sure it was ever really meant that way. The second, though, always seemed to be rather a strange image because it made me think of minced meat or minced fruit.
Of course, “mince” is one of those words that has multiple meanings. It can mean to chop or grind something into very small pieces. It can mean to walk in small, affected, or dainty, steps. And, when it comes to words, it can mean to modify your language so as to not cause offence.
All of those meanings relate to the idea of making something smaller or diminishing in size. It’s easy to see how ‘mince’ is related to other words such as diminish, miniature, minute, and minimise.
The use of ‘mincing words’ to mean making them softer or more moderate goes as far back as the 1500s, and is a term used by Shakespeare himself.
To mince one’s words means to speak in an indirect or perhaps a diplomatic way rather than stating something directly or bluntly. To do so is to make what you say less of a stumbling block, easier to move past or step over, or even easier to digest.
Thus, to not mince one’s words means to speak without worrying about how the listener will feel or respond.
Well, okay. That might sound a little like me. Sometimes.
That has changed, though, as I have got a little older.
If I am at home, or comfortable with the company I am in, I still tend to express my thoughts freely. Elsewhere, though, I feel as though I do not feel that freedom. And there are many occasions on which I simply couldn’t be bothered. One cannot, as the saying goes, fix stupid.
These days, I often choose to simply remain silent when someone says or does something ridiculous, because there is no polite way to say what I am thinking. Thirty years’ experience as a teacher and a fair few years as an actor and performer have helped me refine my ability to keep my facial expression neutral, although I will admit that sometimes I just don’t bother. Some people should be thankful that the look on my face is all they get.
So, it seems I do sometimes mince my words. On other occasions, I mince them between my teeth and swallow them.
Mincing Your Words.
#speaking #words #choosewisely #EnglishAtHome #EnglishTeacher
Misunderstood Shakespeare: “The World’s Mine Oyster”
When people say this, they usually assume it means that the world is at their feet and they are in a position where everything is going to work in their favour. Others say it to imply that they are “the pearl” and they are being cultivated for greatness.
However, when these lines were spoken in Shakespeare’s ’The Merry Wives of Windsor’, the intention is actually quite different.
In a conversation between two less-than-reputable characters, this conversation takes place:
In other words, if Falstaff won’t give him money, Pistol will go and take it forcibly from other people. It’s about taking what one is not entitled to, and it has quite violent connotations.
An oyster does not willingly open – it has to be forced.
An oyster does not willingly give up its pearl, which can take years to develop, and the oyster is often damaged or killed in the process of extracting the pearl.
This is an image of violence, and not one of happy or fortunate circumstances at all. |
Bachata dance history
Who invented bachata dance?
José Manuel Calderón
How did bachata dance originated?
Bachata originated in the 1960’s throughout the countryside of the Dominican Republic. The music was first developed with a heavy guitar emphasis and heartrending love stories as its basis. However, it grew primarily within bars and brothels, and this led to Bachata being held back for literally decades.
Why was Bachata prohibited in the past?
Bachata wasn’t prohibited . Romantic music (bolero, bachata ) was regarded as a low class music in Dominican Republic, because it was mainly played in whore houses. Bachata was never prohibited , but people were ashamed to reveale having been in the whore houses.
Where is bachata most popular?
Dominican Republic
Is Bachata a sensual dance?
Who is the most famous bachata singer?
What bachata means?
: a genre of popular song and dance of the Dominican Republic performed with guitars and percussion The group has helped make bachata ‘s romantic tidings and spiky guitar syncopations a staple of Latin radio …—
Is Bachata slow or fast?
You might be interested: Famous bachata dancers
What is Bachata Spanish?
(bəˈtʃɑːtə) 1. a type of dance music originating in the Dominican Republic. 2. a dance performed to such music.
What dance originated in Puerto Rico?
Salsa , merengue, reggaetón, bachata, and cha-cha , are styles of music and dancing most people may recognize. Locally, people also dance plena and bomba . If you want to learn some moves, consider taking a dance class during your visit to the island.
What is the rhythm of bachata?
Each of these instruments plays a part in bachata’s rhythmic fabric – contributing syncopation, melody, and swing. Bachata is in 4/4 time – which means it has four principle beats to every measure. Musically, bachata can be divided in three core rhythms: Derecho, Majao, and Mambo .
What guitar is used in bachata?
El Requinto
Is Bachata easier than salsa?
What do bachata dancers wear?
What is the difference between cumbia and bachata?
The main instrument in Bachata music is the guitar, whereas with Salsa it is more trumpets and drums. Cumbia is also slower than Salsa. The beat is said to be easier to find and follow than its cousins’. Cumbia is known to be a more relaxed dance and often not in dance competitions like its more showy cousins.
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DLTK's Bible Activities for Kids
Moses Crossing the Red Sea Snack
Contributed by Ali. Thank-you!
Make the Jello in a rectangle container.
Then give each child a Jelly bean.
They each get a spoon and take turns eating their way through the middle to the other side.
At the end they can eat the Jelly beans. |
Digestive/Immune Health
The heart of the body's ability to stay healthy is the immune system, and the heart of the immune system is the digestive system. A key factor in keeping the digestive system functioning well is related to the food we eat. Not all foods are good for every person, and not all the common "bad" foods are bad for every person. It is best to find the foods that benefit you personally.
We find the optimal eating plan for you by starting with your blood type. We also use the science of kinesiology to help your body indicate which foods are good for you. By combining these methods, we can optimize your digestion, help heal digestive issues, and ensure your intestinal system is able to do its best to ward off disease and infection.
Food is one environmental factor that can affect your overall health. Other environmental factors are chemicals you ingest in processed foods or drinks, pollutants and irritants you breathe, and substances that touch or are absorbed by the skin. Our unique diagnostics can safely and quickly find environmental factors that may be the source of your problem. Once we know what the cause is, we can then develop a wellness plan based on your system and health profile . |
Describe Walter's relationship with Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun.
Walter's relationship with Ruth in A Raisin in the Sun is generally an unhappy one. To a large extent, this is because they're on a different wavelength when it comes to what's important in life. Whereas Ruth tends to take life as it comes, Walter is much more ambitious, keen to make it as a successful businessman.
Expert Answers
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In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry shows how large-scale, impersonal forces such as poverty and institutionalized racism impact individuals and relationships. Ruth and Walter live in a cramped and dilapidated apartment together with their son and Walter's mother and sister. This living arrangement deprives them of space and privacy, exacerbating the seriousness of their arguments.
Ruth and Walter are both proud people, but they have different types of pride, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that their pride is expressed in different ways and concerns different matters. This is the major cause of conflict between them. Walter is humiliated by the servile nature of his job and by the family's poverty. He wants to be financially independent and sees a way of achieving this when Karl Lindner offers him money not to move into a white neighborhood. Ruth, however, agrees with Walter's mother and sister in being too proud to accept payment for what would essentially be an acknowledgement of inferiority on racial grounds.
Walter's relationship with Ruth is volatile and uneasy, and their misunderstandings are frequent. However, since Walter ultimately decides not to accept the money, the play ends on a note of uncertainty, in which there is some hope. This applies to the relationship between Walter and Ruth, as well as the wider fortunes of the family.
Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on December 31, 2020
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For much of the play, Walter and Ruth's marriage appears to be in serious trouble. For the most part, this is because husband and wife in this particular relationship are not on the same wavelength when it comes to the truly important things in life.
Ruth is one of those people who doesn't ask much from life. A quiet woman with a passive personality, she doesn't make things happen; rather, things happen to her. This puts her at odds with Walter, who's so much more ambitious than his wife. He has big dreams of making it as a successful businessman, of owning his own store. But Ruth thinks it's a bad idea.
The fact that his wife doesn't believe in those dreams adds considerable strain to the marriage. Walter expects his wife to support him in his business ventures, or as he puts it in the play's opening scene, “A man needs for a woman to back him up.”
A further point of contention between the two concerns their respective attitudes to money. Whereas Walter wants to earn as much money as possible—with which among things, he intends to buy Ruth some expensive gifts—Ruth is content to be comfortably off. In any case, Ruth would much rather be treated by Walter with kindness, consideration, and respect than receive presents from him.
Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on December 16, 2020
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Walter and Ruth have a difficult relationship and are not happily married to each other throughout the play. Their love has grown cold over the years and their financial struggles have taken a toll on their relationship. Walter, who harbors dreams of getting wealthy through investing his mother's insurance money in a liquor store, feels that his wife does not support his vision. He is also sick of being a chauffeur, and his negative self-perception affects his relationship with Ruth. Walter's antagonistic, callous nature is a manifestation of his own failures, which are emotions he takes out on his wife.
Ruth loves her husband and realizes that she cannot give Walter what he needs to make him happy. Ruth also has problems of her own and struggles with the decision to have an abortion or have a child. The Younger family's financial issues make having another child an extra burden, which is something Ruth is willing to prevent. Along with Walter's depression, she also has to deal with his continual drinking. Despite their unhappy marriage, Hansberry suggests that things for the couple may improve after Walter dramatically refuses Mr. Lindner's offer.
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Walter and Ruth are not happy. They have a troubled relationship with tension stemming from at least two sources.
Walter feels that he is wasting his life as a chauffeur. His job offers him no dignity.
He works as a chauffeur, a job he finds unsatisfying on a number of levels but most particularly because he does not desire to be anyone's servant.
In this diminutive self-perception, Walter becomes resentful of Ruth, projecting his self-contempt onto her. There is reason to intepret this negativity as a resentment that is actually directed inward. Walter feels that he has failed his wife and his son.
Ruth does not agree with Walter's view of himself. This difference in perspective creates some of the verbal conflict from the play's first act.
The pressures of poverty that lead Walter to feel like a failure lead Ruth to attempt to focus on the bare, positive facts: at least the family is together. They have each other.
She clearly loves her husband and family but also clearly feels the stress of poverty.
When Ruth discovers that she is pregnant, a new conflict emerges. Another child will be a financial burden on the family and there is already too little space for the family as it is now in the cramped apartment.
Walter, in his self-loathing, is desparate to find a way to express his true potential as a man, a husband and human being. The pregnancy looks like a challenge more than a blessing. As their relationship suffers, Ruth begins to feel this way too.
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Fayum Mummy Portraits
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (colloquially "the Met") was founded in 1870 for the purposes of opening a museum bringing art, and art education to the American people. The earliest origins of the museum date all the way back to 1866 in Paris. John Jay, an American lawyer who suggested the idea of educating the American people, moved forward with the project when he returned to the US from France.
On March 30, 1880, the Museum opened to the public at its current site on Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. The original gothic structure was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould. Expansions, and additions to the building mean that the original structure is largely enveloped, however, part of the original facade is still visible in the Robert Lehman Wing. The Met, is now the largest art museum in the US - with over 7 million visitors in 2016, it was the third most visited art museum in the world, and the fifth most visited museum of any kind! The permanent collection is comprised of works of art from ancient Egyptian antiquity, paintings, and sculptures from the European masters, and a collection of American and modern art, as well as African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine and Islamic art.
When I visited The Met on Day 5 of my trip to New York (a blog post from that day can be found HERE ), one of the first exhibitions I saw was that of the Egyptian artefacts and artwork. I say it was one if the first I saw... what I mean, of course, is that I had arrived at The Met with the intention of heading straight to the Egyptian section!
Comprising of approximately 26,000 historically and culturally important objects, The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of Egyptian artworks dates from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period. Over 50% of the Egyptian items at The Met have been sourced through the Museum's archeological work in Egypt, spanning 35 years - this comes as a response to the increasing interest in ancient Egypt from the Western world. This work includes several expeditions and excavations along the Nile River.
In the Egyptian wing, immediately my attention was focused on a series of portraits dotted around the exhibition. Nothing to me linked the portraits, besides the same strange elongated shape. There were several of these portraits, and I came to learn that they are known as "Fayum (or Faiyum) Mummy Portraits".
What are the Fayum Portraits?
Fayum portraits (though not all from the Fayum oasis in Egypt), were painted with a classical Roman aesthetic, but a uniquely Egyptian function. These portraits were created to be placed on top of the mummy of the deceased - much like having an image on a modern day gravestone. People would commission the artist, and until the person died, the work would be hung in their home. It has also been suggested that portraits were made at the time of death, and showed the person most accurately at the age of their death.
Upon their death, it would be cut and fixed to the top of the mummy - this explains why portraits like this all share the same narrow shape. The large un-painted area at the bottom of the work is a clear indication of being cut to accommodate the size and shape of the mummy. The lower section of the portrait would have been covered by the wrapping of cloth, to keep it held in place - as such, the bottom of each portrait is "unfinished" as it was to be covered by cloth, and not seen in its primary use.
When were they made?
The portraits date back all the way to the Imperial Roman era - the late 1st century BC, or early in the 1st century AD. It's unclear when the portraits stopped being made, but research has suggested it to be in the mid 3rd century. During this time, mummies may have actually been kept above ground for a few months, or even years before burial. It is most likely that they were left in chapel cemeteries for family to visit and have ritual meals.
Who made them? Who are they?
No individual artist or group can be credited with the works. The Fayum portraits reveal a wide range of painterly expertise and skill in presenting a lifelike appearance. The realism in the portraits is shown in the knowledge of anatomical structure and use of light and shade. At the time, painters were appreciated as craftsmen rather than artists, and as such it can be assumed that the materials were of more cost than the labour. Because of the portrait's greater value, the people who could afford to buy them were likely the affluent - military personnel, civil servants and religious dignitaries. The average person was unlikely to be able to afford a portrait, and as such most mummies were found without one. Only 1-2% of excavated mummies are known to have had a portrait!
Under Greco-Roman rule, Egypt had several Greek settlements, mainly in Alexandria. Greek settlers lived alongside 7-10 million native Egyptians. The portraits were believed to represent the Greek settlers in Egypt, however, they instead reflect the blending of Egyptian culture and the elite Greek minority. The subjects of the mummy portraits are clearly dressed like Romans, and many of them had Greek names (or Greek versions of Egyptian names), as this was seen as a status symbol. However, the families still found consolation in the ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife... they ensured a portrait was created, and bound to the mummy. The creation, discovery, and preservation of these Faiyum Portraits has unwittingly granted the subjects immortality.
The majority of the portraits show the subject in their youth - many of them children. CAT scans have been done on the mummies connected to the portraits, showing that the body was accurately presented in the portrait in terms of age and sex. The people in the portraits are shown to be young, likely because of the low life expectancy at the time. The portraits were either created at the time of death, or relatively close to this time in order to accurately show the person at the age they died.
How were they created?
The portraits use a process called "encaustic painting". This way of working involves using molten beeswax and adding coloured pigments like clay. The word "encaustic" originates from the Greek word "enkaustikos", meaning "to burn in". In order for a painting to be defined as encaustic, a great deal of heat is required in the process. This versatile medium allowed artists to create images that are somewhat akin to oil paintings.
1. A wooden panel would be prepared with a transparent glue, or wax.
2. Much like creating artwork today, the artist sketched out the composition and basic elements of the portrait - facial features, clothing, and jewellery.
3. Wax and pigments were mixed. This mixture could be used in hot liquid form, or as a mouldable paste. When used in a cooler, or paste form, it had to be mixed with oil, egg, or resin to bind the mixture and keep the pigment from drying for longer.
4. The hot wax was quickly transferred to the wooden panel. Limewood is used in the Fayum Portraits. Laid on in long and even brushstrokes, thicker applications of mixture were used in the painting of the face, while thinner mixtures were used in the background and clothing.
5. When the wax mixture had cooled and set slightly, a tool was used to blend the different tones of the face together. This smoothed the physical texture of the work, as well as made the skin more even and realistic.
Using the process of encaustic painting, the works are created to last throughout burial, the afterlife, and for eternity. Even after 2000 years, I was able to walk into The Met, and view these works with very little wear and tear! The Fayum Mummy Portraits are the only surviving examples of encaustic painting from ancient times!
My favourite examples from The Met
This piece from the Roman Period, given the title "Portrait of a young woman in red" was created around A.D. 90–120, in Egypt.
Framed by her black hair, profoundly shadowed neck, and crimson tunic, her glowing face emerges in engaging vitality - an impression that is reinforced by the gold wreath across her hair. The background was originally also gilded (covered in gold leaf, or gold paint) - this is likely to emphasise the divine status of the deceased. The large eyes give a great sense of youthfulness, but are very real and endearing - a portrait is always more real with a convincing focal point, and easier to provoke and emotional response.
The face is the area that you can most clearly see brush/tool marks, from the application of the pigmented wax. To me, this is the most interesting part of the work. Short and sharp stroked have been used to build up a thick layer of peach, tan, and brown pigmented wax, creating almost a 3D effect. This manner of painting (which is very different from the traditional Egyptian style) originated in Classical Greece in the 4th and 5th Centuries BCE.
"Portrait of the Boy Eutyches" was created between 100 and 150 AD during the Roman Period, in Egypt.
Here, the teenage boy looks to be full of life, with a calm expression on his face. He is sat comfortably, with his head tilted towards the viewer, and dressed in a white Roman tunic, and a purple stripe running vertically over the right shoulder.
In contrast to the woman in red, this work has a far smoother application of pigment. It is likely that "Portrait of a young woman in red" was created while the wax was molten, and needed to be worked quickly, leaving little time to work on the texture. This work, on the other hand, might have been created while the wax was cooling, or cold, and emulsified by egg or oil - giving the medium longer in a workable state before it dried. This might mean that the artist had more time to work on the portrait before final applications were set. This portrait shows brushstrokes, rather than solely tool marks. Modern artist who paint in encaustic use a heated tools to melt together pigments, giving the application a smoother appearance, rather than harsh scraping, and drag marks. Is it perhaps possible for ancient craftsmen to have employed a similar technique here?
Unlike "Portrait of a young woman in red", and many other Fayum mummy portraits, "Portrait of the Boy Eutyches" features an inscription just below the neckline of the subject's Roman style tunic. The inscription is Greek - the common language of the eastern Mediterranean at the time. There is some debate, however, as to what the inscription says. The boy's name, "Eutyches, freedman of Kasanios", is clear, though the words following are somewhat unclear. The latter part of the writing either says "son of Herakleides Evandros" or "Herakleides, son of Evandros". This could either be describing 2 generations, or 3 generations of the same family. At the end of the inscription, the words "I signed" are found. It is also unclear if this refers to an artist signing their work (something VERY rare for this time period, and highly unique), or if the creation of the portrait was witnessed by the father and grandfather (Herakleides or Evandros).
While the backgrounds of these portraits are likely to have shared a common theme and palette of light grey or perhaps gold leaf, the palette of the faces is extremely specific and based on the individual. The portraits are much like sitting for a photographed portrait in modern times, and evoke the same human reaction, due to their large childlike eyes, and realistic faces. While. it may be easy to disassociate from people in portraits from the past, it is very easy to imagine the people these portraits are based on and feel a connection.
What do you think about the Fayum Mummy Portraits? Do you have any artworks you think I should cover in a future blog post, or perhaps a question about anything covered? Get in touch, I'd love to hear from you!
Email: info@forrestillustration.com
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Ladakh’s Tso Kar Wetland Complex gets International Importance
Dec 24: India has added the Tso Kar Wetland Complex in Ladakh as its 42nd Ramsar site, which is a second one in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
Expressing happiness, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar shared this information in a tweet message today.
The Tso Kar Basin is a high-altitude wetland complex, consisting of two principal waterbodies, Startsapuk Tso, a freshwater lake of about 438 hectares to the south, and Tso Kar itself, a hypersaline lake of 1800 hectares to the north, situated in the Changthang region of Ladakh, India. It is called Tso Kar, meaning white lake, because of the white salt efflorescence found on the margins due to the evaporation of highly saline water.
The Tso Kar Basin is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per Bird Life International and a key staging site in the Central Asian Flyway. The site is also one of the most important breeding areas of the Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) in India. This IBA is also the major breeding area for Great Crested Grebe (Podicepscristatus), Bar-headed Geese (Anserindicus), Ruddy Shelduck (Tadornaferruginea), Brown-headed Gull (Larusbrunnicephalus), Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadriusmongolus) and many other species.
Wetlands provide a wide range of important resources and ecosystem services such as food, water, fiber, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood moderation, erosion control, and climate regulation. They are, in fact, a major source of water, and our main supply of freshwater comes from an array of wetlands that help soak rainfall and recharge groundwater. The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change would be working closely with the UT Wetland Authority to ensure wise use of this site. |
Awakening to Beauty
Some historians tell us that the beginning of Western civilization, which through the process of globalization has become the world-wide paradigm, had its origin in ancient Greece. In other words, P-B can be traced to the city-states surrounding the Athens of Pericles. If artistic expression is revelatory of consciousness, then the art produced by ancient Greece was a stunning improvement over that of Egypt and the empires of Mesopotamia.
The most outstanding achievement of the Greeks was the eloquent expression of beauty—of the Romans—roads, baths and aqueducts. One a response of the soul—the other a reaction to the needs of the physical body or “form.” One expressed an intuitive seeking for truth or consciousness and the other a perpetuation of an unconscious worldview. A good example of the latter is the Colosseum. (See A Roman Amphitheatre: the Colosseum in Rome 80 C.E.)
“On the whole it is a utilitarian structure.” Utilitarian is a word that expresses the need of the human false-self. The false-self had its genesis as a necessary survival strategy and hence epitomizes a “utilitarian” creation that ensured the survival of the ego and indeed the physical human being or the human “form.” It is the sensation energy-center of this false-self survival strategy that is impressed and influenced by “the grandeur that was Rome.”
The relationship among beauty, truth and consciousness is profound and is such that they can often be used as synonyms. Conscious people (those who have present-moment awareness) are vividly alive to the beauty surrounding them. But beauty in art has evolved as has consciousness in humanity. Notice that the highlighted words by art critic E. H. Gombrich used to describe the art that is cited in this essay can also be used to describe the “feelings,” i.e., the “beauty” accompanying an awareness of the NOW.
For example, Gombrich describes An Ionic Temple: the Erectheion on the Acropolis in Athens, c. 420 B.C.E.: “The whole impression of these buildings with their finely wrought details is one of infinite grace and ease.” Similarly, when we look at A Goddess of Victory, 408 B.C. we can see “how softly and richly the thin drapery falls over the beautiful body.” And finally, the Interior of the Pantheon in Rome built about 130 A.D., is seen by Gombrich as conveying an “impression of serene harmony.”
The Romans did what we need to do today and that is to engage in a process of synthesis. “It was typical of the Romans to take from Greek architecture what they liked, and to apply it to their own needs. They did the same in all fields.” P-A is a synthesis of the most profound ideas throughout all of human history and we need to use these ideas to create a new sustainable worldview in response to the Three Great Questions.
To attempt the process of synthesis, however, will not work without profound goals, including values such as beauty, awareness and compassion. Without these ideals, the process of synthesis can be subverted by the false-self which contains the ego. For example, in The Lower part of Trajan’s column in Rome, dedicated in 114 C.E., we see how this happened when skilled engravers lacked the higher ideals. The purpose of the column was to impress the people of Rome by depicting the military victories of Trajan’s legionnaires in Dacia. “All the skill and achievements of centuries of Greek art were used in these feats of war reporting. The main aim was no longer that of harmony, beauty or dramatic expression.” There is no more “art” on that column than one would find on the front page of today’s newspapers.
Once a paradigm becomes dominant as is the American worldview today, it can influence, for better or worse, less vital cultures and their stories. “During the centuries after Christ, Hellenistic and Roman art completely displaced the arts of the Oriental kingdoms even in their own strongholds.” Moses striking water from the rock 245-256 C.E. is an example of the influence of Greek and Roman art as far away as Mesopotamia. “Even in far-distant India, the Roman way of telling a story, and of glorifying a hero, was adopted by artists who set themselves the task of illustrating the story of a peaceful conquest, the story of Buddha.” For example see the Head of Buddha c. 200 C.E. “Greek and Roman art which had taught man to visualize gods and heroes in beautiful form also helped the Indians to create an image of the savior. The first statues of Buddha with their expression of deep repose were also made in this frontier region of Ghandara.”
“When Christian artists were first called upon to represent the Savior and His apostles it was again the tradition of Greek art which came to their aid. Christ with St. Peter and St. Paul 359 C.E. [From the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus] shows one of the earliest representations of Christ. Instead of the bearded figure to which we have become accustomed through later illustrations, we see Christ in youthful beauty, enthroned between St. Peter and St. Paul, who look like dignified Greek philosophers.”
As it had been in ancient Egypt, art is once again employed for religious purposes or storytelling and loses much of its vitality and beauty. “Its main purpose was to remind the faithful of one of the examples of God’s mercy and power. [See The Three Men in the Fiery Furnace c. 200 C.E.] Once more ideas of clarity and simplicity began to outweigh ideals of faithful imitation. These three men seen from in front, looking at the beholder, their hands raised in prayer, seem to show that mankind had begun to concern itself with other things besides earthly beauty. To a Greek of the time of Praxiteles these works would have looked crude and barbaric. [See Portrait of an official from Aphrodisias 400 C.E.] Indeed, the heads are not beautiful by any common standards.”
The rise of Christianity signaled the end of the ancient world but for a time at least the end of beauty in art. We can see in “The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes 520 C.E., that the mosaic is concerned with communicating the essential facts of a story. Artistic skills had been lost. “Artists no longer checked their formulae against how to create the illusion of depth.” Once again the paradigm when too rigid in its control, stifles artistic expression. “The Eastern Church, therefore, could no longer allow the artist to follow his fancy in these works. [See Enthroned Madonna and Child 1200 C.E.] Surely it was not any beautiful painting of a mother of God, but only types hallowed by an age-old tradition. Thus the Byzantines came to insist almost as strictly as the Egyptians on the observance of [and] stress on tradition, and the necessity of keeping to certain permitted ways of representing Christ or the Holy Virgin, made it difficult for Byzantine artists to develop their personal gifts.” Individual artists were no longer evolving new and better techniques and also lacked the inspiration to create beauty. The search for truth had stopped as well.
In today’s “globalized” world we can look to the state of artistic expression to tell us if the dominant worldview has stifled the expression of truth and beauty. When and if that happens we can expect that artists have become the heralds of a story that is nearing its end.
References and notes are available for this essay.
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One of the most important components of a thriving economy is an effective transportation sector. From transporting people wherever they need to go to conveying raw materials and goods necessary for everyday living, it can be argued that it is in the roads where the lifeblood of society flows.
However, the unfortunate combination of overpopulation and insufficient (or misallocated) resources has resulted into multifaceted challenges in transportation. These problems can’t be solved outright and require years, at the minimum, to be effectively addressed. Nonetheless, one important element is at the forefront of responding to these challenges: technology.
Real-Time Data to Decongest Roads
One of the most pressing issues in urban transportation is traffic congestion, as a stronger economy paves the way for an increased purchasing power that spills over onto the automobile industry. However, more cars on the road also means more demand for infrastructure like roads and bridges — something that cannot be provided in an instant or at all, in some cases, due to space considerations.
Using database replication software, along with gadgets such as cameras and sensors as well as and combined data from “smart” vehicles and public transportation systems, the flow of traffic can be managed more effectively. What’s more, historic data can also be used as a reference to develop new traffic schemes, like turning a previously two-way road to one-way, and help prevent accidents in high-risk areas. Personnel management and deployment will also be easier with the help of data replication.
Another facet of transportation that will be optimized with continuous data replication is parking difficulties. Sensors and cameras can feed information to a central database, which can then be sent to vehicles or smartphone applications to help the driver find and secure the most convenient parking spots.
Public Safety
Real-time data can also address public safety issues, such as road accidents and crimes. Transportation agencies can share their information with law enforcement and other relevant authorities, which helps deploy (or reallocate) additional personnel in key areas to stop crime or respond to emergencies promptly. Current and historic data can also be used to plot the safest routes and travel options, based on weather patterns, road conditions, and more.
Inadequate Options
Depending on the time of day, public transit systems are either overused or underused — be they buses, trains, or city-run taxi services. Rush hours creates discomfort and inconvenience due to the high demand, while off-peak times mean low ridership that result in financial losses. Intelligent transportation systems — which combine passenger information, freeway management, emergency management, collision avoidance and notification systems, electronic payment solutions, and other relevant data sources — can help address this usage issue, especially during peak hours.
Meanwhile, alternative transportation options like Uber and Lyft gives travelers convenience and the power of choice. Moreover, these ridesharing companies also make use of real-time data to find the best routes, which helps them shuttle more passengers in a shorter amount of time.
Road Maintenance Issues
The state of the roads is a big factor in transport. The better condition the roads are in, the easier it is to travel. Using sensors that transmit data about the current state of the roads, as well as aerial photography and other imaging technologies, engineers can conduct preemptive maintenance and repairs to ensure that all roads are travel worthy. This is especially true in major thoroughfares that see the most daily use.
While construction works are underway, real-time data can also be used to coordinate schedules and redirect traffic accordingly, so that the least number of motorists are affected.
In the past, discussions about transportation are usually geared toward building new infrastructure like roads and ports. However, with the rise of big data and various technological advancements, the path to better transportation lies in collaboration, policy making, and, more importantly, understanding the needs of the travelers. |
DNA Synthesis
During interphase of the cell cycle, another chromatid comprising a copy of the DNA molecule is constructed. This procedure is known as the process of DNA synthesis or replication. Replication facilitates dividing (unzipping) that DNA molecule to two strands, each of which functions as a template to build a new, complementary strand. The end result is two equal double-stranded molecules of DNA. Because every one of those double-stranded atoms of DNA is made up of one strand of older DNA (the template strand) and one strand of fresh (the complementary strand), this approach is known as semi-conservative replication.
DNA Synthesis
Leading Strand Synthesis
Single-strand binding proteins (SSB) attach to every strand of this uncoiled DNA to keep them different. Since helicase unwinds the DNA, it compels the double-helix facing it to spin. A set of enzymes, known as topoisomerases, break and rejoin the double helix, allowing the spins to unravel and preventing the creation of knots.
Considering that a DNA double-helix molecule is made up of 2 opposing DNA strands, the uncoiled DNA is made up of a 3'-5' template strand plus a 5'-3' template strand. The catalyst that builds the new DNA strand, called DNA polymerase, moves at the 3'-5' direction of each template strand. As a result, a brand new (match) strand develops in the antiparallel, 5'-3' direction. For the 3'-5' template strand, replication always occurs as the DNA uncoils, since the DNA polymerase follows the replication fork, building a 5'-3' complementary strand.
Formation of Replication Fork
Formation of Replication Fork
Lagging Strand synthesis
For the 5'-3' template, DNA polymerase goes from the uncoiling replication fork. This happens as it can build nucleotides just since it travels from the 3'-5' direction. Since the helix is uncoiled, DNA polymerase assembles brief sections of nucleotides along the template strand at the path away from the replication fork. After every match part is constructed, the DNA polymerase should return to the replication fork to start building another fragment. These brief sections of complementary DNA are called Okazaki fragments. The Okazaki fragments are linked by RNA ligase, making one complement strand. Since this strand takes more time to build than the major strand, it's called the lagging strand.
Leading and Lagging strand Synthesis
Leading and Lagging strand Synthesis
DNA polymerase can attach nucleotides only into an already present complementary strand. Thus, to begin a new complementary strand. polymerase search for a brief section of RNA (not DNA) nucleotides, known as an RNA Primer. The synthesis of the leading strand and each Okazaki fragment on the lagging strand should initiate with an RNA primer.
The major steps of DNA replication are outlined here:
1. Helicase unwinds the DNA, making a replication fork.
2. Single-strand binding proteins prohibit the single strands of DNA out of recombining.
3. Topoisomerase removes twists and knots, which might be formed at the double-stranded template in a result to the recoil brought about by helicase.
4. Primase initiates DNA replication at particular nucleotide sequences (known as origins of replication) with the synthesis of brief segments of RNA nucleotides, known as RNA primers.
5. DNA polymerase attaches to the RNA primers and starts elongation, the incorporating of DNA nucleotides into the matching strand.
6. The top complementary strand is constructed always since the double-helix structure of DNA uncoils.
7. The RNA primers are substituted by new DNA nucleotides.
8. Power for elongation is offered by 2 extra phosphates that are connected to every brand new nucleotide (creating a total of three phosphates attached to the nitrogen base).
9. Holding the two additional phosphates supplies the chemical energy to the procedure.
The procedure of synthesis of DNA may also happen on the exterior of a cell, which can be known as" in-vitro." The synthesis which would happen within a cell needs to be initiated lovingly using what's known as "DNA primers". The procedure of polymerase permits the DNA primer to track down and copy a particular strand in a pool of DNA molecules. This is a frequent lab process.
In this separation, each strand of this highly coiled DNA is separated. The strands prove to be indistinguishable, and the possibility that there's a mistake is remarkably minimum.
DNA is just one of the significant building blocks of existence on earth. It's so little, yet it's important to all living things. It's a rather complicated procedure at first glance, but it's simple to comprehend the demand for DNA synthesis.
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About Vaginal natural environment
The vagina has a natural protective layer which is acidic in nature, to help prevent infection. This layer is maintained when good bacteria called lactobacilli produce Lactic acid (or milk acid), which maintains the acidic environment at a pH value of 3.5 to 4.5. This promotes the growth of lactobacilli, inhibiting the presence of harmful bacteria and preventing infection.
Therefore, the vagina takes care of itself by continuously producing secretions to provide lubrication, cleanse and maintain its proper acidity to prevent infection.
Vaginal pH
The acidity and alkalinity of a substance is measured by its pH, which is a number from 0-14. Water is neutral, and has a pH of 7; the lower the number, the more acidic is the substance. pH balance is vital for the proper functioning of our bodies. All our organs function properly at specific pH levels and protect us from illness and infection. The medium of the normal healthy vagina is acidic and the pH is between 3.5 to 4.5. This pH level is ideal for the survival of 'good' bacteria (lactobacilli). If this finely tuned equilibrium of pH is disturbed, harmful bacteria can proliferate leading to vaginal problems like foul odour, irritation, discomfort and discharge.
What causes Vaginal Imbalance?
Any imbalance in the pH range of vagina causes the change in acidic environment (pH 3.5 to 4.5), which in turn reduces the growth of good bacteria and thus resulting in the attack from bad bacteria. This then increases the risk of getting any form of vaginal infections.
1. Common practice of using Soap or Water for Intimate hygiene routine
(which are alkaline and hence not advisable)
2. Inadequate Intimate hygiene (not maintaining the Vaginal pH balance)
3. Use of Synthetic undergarments
4. Tight clothes
5. Unprotected sexual activity (semen is alkaline and affects the vagina’s acidity)
6. Feminine hygiene sprays Excessive fragrance (from perfumed soap or wash)
Dyed and scented toilet paper
Preventive Measure against pH Imbalance
To stay healthy and avoid infection, hygiene is imperative. Therefore, as a preventive measure, Intimate hygiene (Vaginal Hygiene) in women should include the maintenance of the acid mantle in the intimate area.
Key factors to keep in mind are:
1. Avoid Alkaline Soaps and Sprays
Regular soaps, feminine medications, sprays, powders and deodorants can affect the vaginal pH. Most soaps have a pH from 8-10, levels that are much higher than the normal vaginal pH. Some women may have vaginal itching, irritation, rash or even unusual discharge after using these products.
2. 2 Refrain from using scented tampons, pads or sprays
Since the pH of blood is about 7.4, during periods the vaginal pH may change. This may lead to some women having vaginal problems for about a week after their periods. Using scented tampons, pads or sprays can also disrupt the vaginal pH and cause irritation.
3. 3. Have protected sex
Since semen has a pH of 7.1 - 8.0, there may be an imbalance of the vaginal pH after sexual intercourse, and occasionally leading to a slight vaginal odour.
4. 4. Avoid excessive douching
Douching (or washing out the vaginal passage) washes the ‘good’ bacteria out of the vagina, leading to the growth of harmful bacteria as the normal vaginal pH balance is upset. Hormonal changes during pregnancy or due to taking certain birth control pills can cause a change in the vaginal pH leading to itching in the genital area of some women.
Terms and Conditions - Kaya Indulge
The vagina has a natural protective layer which is acidic in nature, to help prevent infection. This layer is maintained when good bacteria called lactobacilli produce Lactic acid. This acid maintains the acidic environment of Vagina (pH of 3.5 to 4.5). The acidic environment promotes growth of Lactobacilli, inhibiting the presence of harmful bacteria. Any change in this acidic environment reduces the good bacteria and chances of bad bacteria buildup and prevents the risk of any infection. |
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Canada Has a Nuclear History, Too, Eh?
Although successive Canadian governments have denied that their country is a "nuclear power," Susan Colbourn and Timothy Sayle argue that Canada has nevertheless been deeply enmeshed in international nuclear history due its natural resources, trade relations, geography, and alliances.
“It is well known,” one set of diplomatic talking points asserted in 1982, that Canada is “not now and never has been a nuclear power.” And yet Canadian natural resources and scientists contributed to the earliest atomic bombs; Canada provided storage and basing for the bombers of Strategic Air Command; the Canadian Armed Forces were equipped - for a portion of the Cold War, at least - with atomic arms in both North America and Europe; and Canada participated in the development of Western nuclear strategy.
Not a nuclear power? Successive Canadians governments were certainly eager to endorse that claim. In doing so, they became “nuclear Victorians.”[1] Not unlike earlier Victorian mores on intimate relations, they adopted a practice of not speaking about such matters in public while engaging in them fervently in private. This attitude, perhaps, explains why Canada remains overlooked in many international nuclear histories.
Even before the Second World War, natural resources enmeshed Canada in the atomic age. Gilbert LaBine discovered the first uranium deposit at Great Bear Lake in 1930. By September of 1945, the Zero Energy Experimental Pile (ZEEP) at Chalk River, Ontario became the first reactor to go critical outside of the United States. At the end of war, the Government of Canada was eager to demonstrate its important role in bringing about the atomic age. In August of 1945, mere days after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Canadians boasted of their longstanding ties to atomic science. The Department of Reconstruction’s press release, announcing the country’s participation in the Manhattan Project, pointed to Canadian entanglements with the atom dating back to 1899 when Ernest Rutherford – a New Zealander – began working on radioactivity at the McGill Laboratories. Later, when it came time to draft an official history of the Anglo-American-Canadian effort to develop atomic power, the Government of Canada had to push, and did push, to include Canada in the official account.[2]
Canadian officials elected to forego the most common symbol of the atomic age: a nuclear weapons program of their own. But this did not mean that Canadians did not rely on nuclear weapons for their security and prepared to wage nuclear war if necessary. As atomic secrets came to be more closely guarded in the early Cold War, and as Canada came to play a bigger part in maintaining the U.S. nuclear umbrella, Ottawa was less and less willing to trumpet its nuclear role.
By virtue of its bilateral defense relations with the United States, Canada was privy to early discussions on US nuclear planning and participated in combined intelligence appreciations of the Soviet nuclear threat. Canadian territory was critical to the operations of Strategic Air Command. As a result, the Canadians were able to transform a promise of consultation on the use of nuclear weapons into an ongoing regular discussion and consultation of nuclear issues with their American allies far before any such mechanism existed in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). When, later, the alliance as a whole took up the questions of whether and how NATO might make the decision to launch nuclear weapons, the Canadians had already studied these issues for years, and brought their expertise to alliance-wide discussions.
The possibility that US – and even Canadian – forces would launch nuclear warheads over Canadian territory meant the Canadian government remained constantly seized of questions related to nuclear control, nuclear strategy, and nuclear intelligence. The records of the Government of Canada, then, are key sources for understanding Canadian nuclear history but also to understanding nuclear history more broadly. They offer a window into NATO’s past, in particular: both the difficult debate over NATO’s possible demonstrative first use of nuclear weapons during the Berlin Crisis,[3] and the broader debate over NATO’s role in the command and control of nuclear weapons.[4]
While sheltering under the US nuclear umbrella, Canadians also debated their role in holding up that umbrella – and whether they should have a role at all. In the early 1980s, concerned citizens and anti-nuclear activists opposed Canada’s role in perpetuating the arms race and linked their struggles against US cruise missile testing on Canadian territory with the demonstrations taking place across the Atlantic against the Euromissiles.[5]
Making sense of Canada’s nuclear history, particularly its Cold War chapters, has been made easier with the release of previously restricted materials from Library and Archives Canada. Several scholars have made use of Canada’s Access to Information Act to gain snippets of Canada’s nuclear history.[6] The Documents on Canadian External Relations series, the Canadian equivalent to the Foreign Relations of the United States volume, is also a crucial resource for study.[7] But increasingly, historians have been requesting declassification of whole archival files that allow for a richer study of these issues, exploring new questions and revisiting old ones.[8]
Yet, this has only scratched the surface. Canadian archival records on the planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines in the late 1980s – the subject of one chapter in The Nuclear North - offer a glimpse into a much more complex international story, one that involves the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.[9]
Peeling back the layers of Canada’s nuclear history, bridging the divide between what Canadian policymakers talked about in public and the courses of action they debated in private, remains rich with avenues to explore. And Canada’s nuclear history extends in countless directions. Some – like those mentioned above – probe larger questions about the command and control of nuclear weapons at NATO or how the United States’ extended deterrent operated in practice. Others might follow the spread of nuclear technologies, such as the sale of Canadian nuclear reactors across the globe, from Argentina to South Korea.
Canada’s entanglements with the atomic age were complex and varied, influenced by the country’s natural resources, trade relations, geography, and alliances, to name but a few. Canadians observed the testing of atomic weapons, facilitated the spread of nuclear technologies, and grappled with the environmental consequences of mining and refining parts of the bomb.
The Nuclear North: Histories of Canada in the Atomic Ageseeks to highlight exciting work by a number of scholars working in this field. But we also see it as a beginning and hope it will serve as a catalyst, encouraging more engagement between international nuclear historians and Canada’s atomic age. There is still so much more of Canada’s nuclear history left to be written.
[1] Timothy Andrews Sayle, “Nuclear Victorians,” in The Nuclear North: Histories of Canada in the Atomic Age, ed. Susan Colbourn and Timothy Andrews Sayle (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2020), 227-33.
[2] Elisabetta Kerr et al., “Draft History of US-UK-Canadian Atomic Energy Cooperation, 1953-1954,” Canada Declassified,
[3] Timothy Andrews Sayle, “’Slow-Boil’ or ‘pressure cooker’? Canada, NATO, and the Berlin Crisis, 1961-1962,” International Journal 68, no. 2 (June 2013), 255-268.
[4] Timothy Andrews Sayle, “A Nuclear Education: The Origins of NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group,” Journal of Strategic Studies (2020).
[5] Susan Colbourn, “’Cruising Toward Nuclear Danger’: Canadian Anti-Nuclear Activism, Pierre Trudeau’s Peace Mission, and the Transatlantic Partnership,” Cold War History 18, no. 1 (2018): 19-36.
[6] Early pioneers in this area include John Clearwater, Canadian Nuclear Weapons: The Untold Story of Canada’s Cold War Arsenal (Dundurn, 1998); Erika Simpson, NATO and the Bomb: Canadian Defenders Confront Critics (Kingston: McGill-Queen’s Press, 2001); Sean M. Maloney, Learning to Love the Bomb: Canada’s Nuclear Weapons during the Cold War (Washington, D.C: Potomac Books, 2007).
[7] We note that Bill Burr has made excellent use of DCER files in his “The U.S. Nuclear Presence in Western Europe, 1954-1962, Part II,” Briefing Book #722, The National Security Archive, September 16, 2020.
[8] See, for example, Michael D. Stevenson, “‘Tossing a Match into Dry Hay’: Nuclear Weapons and the Crisis in U.S.-Canadian Relations, 1962–1963,” Journal of Cold War Studies 16, no. 4 (October 2014): 5–34,
[9] Susan Colbourn, “Who’s Going to Invade Arctic Canada, Anyway?: Debating the Acquisition of the Nuclear Submarine in the 1980s,” in The Nuclear North, 133-52.
History and Public Policy Program
Nuclear Proliferation International History Project
Cold War International History Project
Canada Institute
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Circulation in the Chukchi Sea and Ventilation of the Arctic Halocline
Circulation and Water Mass Transformation in a model of the Chukchi Sea
Ventilation of the Arctic Halocline by Shelfbreak Eddies
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Air-Sea Coupling in the Vicinity of Ocean Fronts
Observations in the vicinity of ocean fronts indicate that sea surface temperature (SST) is positively correlated with near-surface wind speed such that stronger winds are found over warmer SST. This indicates that the ocean is forcing the atmosphere, and is opposite to what is commonly observed on large scales, where a negative correlation is indicative of the atmosphere driving the ocean. I have been exploring several aspects of the coupling near ocean fronts, including the behavior in strong cross-front, mid-latitude regimes and the feedback of such coupling on the ocean circulation. Traditional mechanisms for the acceleration of near-surface winds over warm water are an adjustment to local pressure gradients and the downward mixing of high momentum from aloft due to increased instability of the planetary boundary layer over warm water.
Circulation around Islands and Ridges
I am studying the influences of planetary scale topographic features such as islands and abyssal ridges on the mean and low frequency variability of the large scale circulation using both numerical models and simple theories. The circulation integral around an island places a strong constraint on the properties of the flow, both in the vicinity of the island and in the adjacent basins. Single islands or island chains allow for the passage of some forms of low frequency variability quite freely, while other forms are entirely blocked by the topography. Interesting circulation features arise in the mean flow, such as recirculation gyres, jets, and eastern boundary currents as a result of circulation constraints around the topography.
Watermass Transformation in Marginal Seas
Mixing near Boundaries
The presence of lateral boundaries fundamentally changes the circulation driven by turbulent mixing processes. In the open ocean, weak diapycnal mixing can drive strong horizontal recirculation gyres, such as is found in the classical Stommel / Arons abyssal circulation model. However, as this mixing is confined more closely to a lateral boundary, the potential vorticity balance changes such that the strong horizontal recirculations, which cross planetary vorticity contours, are replaced by weak unidirectional flow along potential vorticity contours into and out of the mixing region. If the horizontal scale of the mixing region drops below the relevant viscous length scale, the horizontal recirculation is essentially eliminated.
Instability and Nonlinear Equilibrations of the Large Scale Wind-driven Flow
Equatorial Rossby Wave Reflection and Transmission
(Collaboration with J. Pedlosky)
The interaction of equatorial Rossby waves with a western boundary perforated with one or more narrow gaps is investigated using a shallow water numerical model and supporting theory. It is found that very little of the incident energy flux is reflected into eastward propagating equatorial Kelvin waves provided that at least one gap is located within approximately a deformation radius of the equator. Due to the circulation theorem around an island, the existence of a second gap off the equator reduces the reflection of short Rossby waves and enhances the transmission of the incident energy into the western basin. The westward energy transmitted past the easternmost island is further reduced upon encountering islands to the west, even if these islands are located entirely within the "shadow" of the easternmost island. |
What is the official language of the European Union?
vincent Monday, June 21, 2004, 07:19 GMT
Now we have a Constitution.But what does it say about the official language of the european institutions? Is it english? Moreover each political construction try to establish among its citizens a sentiment of identity. What is the language of the european identity? English, latin, esperanto, old greek..??? And why not euskera (basque) which is according to Theo Vennemann (professor of germanistic) the oldest language of Europe.
Damian Monday, June 21, 2004, 07:27 GMT
Vincent: it just HAS to be English, epecially now after all these new countries have joined up , making us 25 altogether. I heard on the radio that in all these new countries the only common language they use is English. Basque may be the oldest language, but how widespread is it outside the Basque region? Welsh is much older than English, but where outside Wales (and only in small areas of Wales itself) do people speak Welsh? In my own country of Scotland fewer than 4% of the population speak Gaelic...sadly. English is all around, so to speak. That's my answer. Whether people like it or not, the future is English.
Maya l'abeille Monday, June 21, 2004, 08:43 GMT
There are 20:
Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish.
All of them are used at the european union council - everyone has their own interprete - and Catalan might soon join the list. Languages of the European identity are all these languages we have been speaking for centuries (though dialects are not taken into account...). Choosing only one among them (or Eperanto) could come in useful as a communication tool, but could not represent the European identity as this one is made up of several languages.
nic Monday, June 21, 2004, 09:02 GMT
They use english between themselves but thet's true they have their own interpret. About documents, all ot them are written in all languages used by people in the community. That's all i know. Of course english is the most used i guess
vincent Monday, June 21, 2004, 16:04 GMT
yes, if we speak about practical and pragamatic solutions english IS the language of European Union. But it is NOT the language of the european IDENTITY, do you see the difference? We must find a language which represents us as Europeans. And nowadays we use english as a common linguistic tool in Europe only because it's the language of the 1st political, economical and military power, I mean USA. So it is not ours, we didn't decide to adopt it officially so we must find a language which, at least in a symbolical way, would represent us.
javier Monday, June 21, 2004, 16:46 GMT
English does not represent me as A EUROPEAN
Dulcinea del Toboso Monday, June 21, 2004, 19:02 GMT
A question: if a Latvian is speaking in an assembly or committee, is his speech translated *directly* into each of the other languages? That is, if I'm Hungarian (well, I'm half Hungarian), does there need to be a Latvian-Hungarian translator? Or is the speech translated into an intermediate language (...English?) and then into Hungarian?
From what I read a while back, the EU requirement is that the translation for speeches be direct (unlike for documents, which may be translated indirectly).
If that's the case, this causes serious problems as the number of EU states increase. In fact, for N states, the number of different language combinations that need to be translated are N(N-1) / 2. For example, for 7 states you have 21 combinations that need to be translated.
Maya l'abeille gave 20 states, so that's 190 language combinations! And just how common are Maltese-Lithuanian translators?
So maybe the requirement is that the translation is not direct after all or, possibly more likely, the speaker of a "smaller" language chooses to speak in one of the more common ones such as English, French, Spanish, or German.
As for the language that represents the identity of Europe -- it seems that there are many possibilities, but I don't think any one will be satisfactory to everyone. There's still Volapük - menad bal, pük bal!
Jordi Monday, June 21, 2004, 20:16 GMT
I think somebody should look all this up since we are speaking without real information. From what I remember --and it is just my general knowledge and this should be checked-- all state citizens can write to the European Union and be answered in their state official languages and the most important documents have to be translated to all those languages. But, there are two main "oral" work languages: English and French. The thing is that, according to the rules, the French members of parliament aren't supposed to speak French and the English aren't supposed to speak English, in work meetings without interpreters where there are nationals from other countries. That would give an unbearable lead to "native" speakers" and too much of an advantage. Obviously, I can't imagine an Englishman speaking anything but English or a Frenchman speaking anything but French since they are, most of them, quite bad at foreing language proficiency. The Germans want their language to be added (since they do speak the most widely "spoken" European language with over 100 million speakers in Europe, the only continent on Earth where German is widely spoken). The Italians and Spanish also want their languages to be added and the English and French use that argument to refuse Germany's request. The fact is that English, Spanish and Portuguese are the 3 European languages most widely spoken in the world but not in Europe (Spanish only has 40 million speakers in Europe (inluding bilingual speakers, since native "Spanish" speakers would only be about 28 million in Europe) and Portuguese something like 12 million, I believe); and the European Union is, after all, the European Union (not the US nor the British Commowealth nor the old Spanish Empire). Language translating and interpreting is obviously one of the major expenses but that is the price of diversity. The fact is there are many other historic European languages that want to address themselves to Brussels without going through an interested third party. Aren't we all, after all, Europeans? This is why Catalan (with over 10 million speakers and more widely spoken than many other "official" state languages wants to have a similar statute. And there are many more languages in similar conditions (Occitan, Breton, Frisian and others). The fact is that French is enjoying a situation which was considered usual some 50 years ago when French was still a major world language, the language of diplomats and one of the founders of the old Common Market. But why should French be official now, when it is very much drifting as a world language, and not Italian or German with more speakers in the Union than France or the small French Belgian community? If it is one European one vote there is no reason whatsoever to keep French as a major language next to English and German should take that place. And if English is there because of world demography why not also give that role to Spanish. And if French is to be kept that should include Italian.
By the way my German is quite poor and my French is excellent. And I, of course, speak Spanish and Catalan, but that has nothing to do with it. There's a concept which I admire the English language for and it's "fairness". Let's be fair.
Axel Monday, June 21, 2004, 22:43 GMT
It seems you are very proud of your country and your own language, am I wrong? Anyway, I can't blame because of that of course.
In my visions, three languages would prevail:
First of all, English. Why? Because this is the main international language and nothing could be done on the international stage wihout that language, whatever one can say.
Then, German and French. Germany and France are the two countries which made the EU a reality, and those ones (with the UK) are still the driving elements of our continent (more particularly because of their partnership). Moreover those three languages are the most widely spoken in the EU (about 95 million German-speaking, 70 million French-speaking and 65 million English-speaking)
But we do not have to forget that the EU is an Union of different countries, with different languages, and ideally if we would repect the egality between our countries, no language should prevail...
Finally, I just would like to add something about French. I absolutely agree when some says that the French language is declining... because I believe this is true. But please don't forget that it remains one the main language through the world. Let's compare with the other international languages such as English and Spanish:
45 countries have English as the official language or as a prevailed language,
30 countries have French,
20 countries have Spanish.
(in order to compare, 21 have Arab and 7 have Portuguese)
Of course if we compare the number of people, the things are quite different:
508 million people speak English (300 million in the US and 60 in the UK),
392 million speak Spanish (100 million in Mexico, 40 million in Argentina, in Colombia and in Spain),
140 million speak French (60 million in France),
191 million speak Portuguese (170 million in Brazil),
246 million speak Arab.
Of course french is no more important compare to English and Spanish, but (and that makes some French proud -I hate that!-) French is the only language with English to be spoken over the 5 continents.
Damian Monday, June 21, 2004, 23:00 GMT
I understand and respect all the very pertinent points made in all your postings. When I said that English would most likely be the overall "official" language of the EU I did so because it SEEMS to be (I am not certain) the 2nd language of so many of the new constituent countries of the newly enlarged EU, and probably some of the original member states. In saying so, I was conscious of running the risk of appearing arrogant, seeing that I come from an overwhelmingly monoglot country! Honestly, that is the last thing I want to be. We must seek a neutral languge then, like Esperanto, and the vast majority of us, as fellow Europeans, can start from scratch.
Sorry...but what exactly is volapuk?
Jordi Monday, June 21, 2004, 23:16 GMT
It's funny how we forget that the poor Italians were there in the European project since the very beginning (a few thousand years before the Treaty of Rome, which is the birth of the Common Market). And there surely must be 70 million Italians living in Europe (a million or two in France and another million perhaps in Germany?). Regarding the five continents Spanish --and not only French-- is also spoken in all those continents. French is dying out in Asia but Spanish also is (it was after all the only official language of the Phillipines, named after a Spanish king, during 400 years until 1898). It is also an official language in Africa (not only the Canary Islands but in Spanish Guinea) and it was obviously spoken in North America long before the French or English arrived. So let's call it a tie because if French is spoken even in small Pacific islands so is Spanish in Easter Island.
Regarding the numbers of countries one should count the countries where it is really a home language and not only an ex-imperial co-official language. In all countries where Spanish or English are spoken they are home languages. In the many countries where French is co-official (mainly African countries) French is hardly the language of the home at all and that is the main reason why it is declining and will further decline in the near future. Furthermore, we do mix up things and tend to think there is a European nobility or 1st division (Great Britain, France and Germany) and the rest would be second division or even third. And the "I came first reason" isn't exactly what one would expect. That is hardly a situation a young Italian or Spanish citizen would stand. I wouldn't stand it if I were a Pole and a newcomer to the league. After all the Pope is a native Polish speaker and there are more Catholics in Europe than anything else! Please forgive me that... The thing about the French Establishment --and they've done a good job and I can't blame them either-- is that they've made everybody believe we still live in the 19th century as far as French grandeur is concerned. And the problem with German, for non-German speakers at least, is that it is the most difficult European language to learn because of technical complex reasons, specially for Romance language speakers.
I totally agree no language should prevail and I find your arguments highly interesting.
Dulcinea del Toboso Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 01:31 GMT
Damian, I wasn't being serious. Volapük was the first artificial language that ever achieved popularity. You can read the history of its amazing success and eventual fall here:
The language isn't quite dead, there's an international meetup day on July 7th!
Juan Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 01:55 GMT
That's a similar sentiment here in Latin America in regards to the how the US and the rest of the nations in this continent are perceived ;-) Granted, there is a greater divide between Latin America and the States than European "first world" developed nations.
Juan Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 02:07 GMT
Latin Americans won't stand for it either, but we have little say in the matter.
Xatufan Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 02:30 GMT
I am not European, but English CAN'T be the official language! In Europe, English is spoken only in the UK, and the UK isn't more important than Spain, Italy or even Finland (sorry, I'm talking about EU). So many people found the answer for this problem in 1951: Interlingua.
By the way, Spanish is spoken in all the continents:
The Americas: Mexico, Central America (except Belize), South America (except Brazil, Guyana, Surinam, French Guaiana).
Europe: Spain
Africa: Equatorial Guinea
Asia: Philippines (if you have the right to say that Vietnam and Cambodia speak French, I can say that Philippines speak Spanish).
Australia and Pacific Islands: According to my research, Guam used to be a Spanish territory, but Spain lost it in 1898.
Antartica: Chile, Argentina and other Latin American countries have scientific places there.
Dulcinea del Toboso: Your name sounds a bit Spanish (or maybe Italian?) By the way, Volapük is a horrible language. The man who created it was a bit drunk (am I right?). I prefer Esperanto, although Esperanto is terrible but it's a bit better. |
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What I've Done
1. I created a Cube object with Subdivision Surface modifier in order to model a spehere.
2. I created a cuboid object looking like a angled, longish baton.
What I Want to Do
I want to merge these two objects. So I want to have got just one object - a (cube locking like a) sphere with a baton sticking out on one side. It should look a bit like a head with a throat attached at the bottom.
How I Want to Do It
• I don't want to apply the Subdivision Surface modifier - I want to be able to edit my object later on nicely.
• I don't want to have any space between the baton and the sphere. It should be coherent.
• It should be possible without any bad artifices. Everything should be nice.
My Question
How can I merge these two objects nicely? Thanks. - I hope it's clear what I want to describe.
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1 Answer 1
On each object you will choose one or more faces that will be removed. In between these faces will be your connection.
• Select both objects in object mode. Press Ctrl+J to join the objects into one. Then enter edit mode and change to face manipulation mode.
enter image description here
• Remove the faces that will be joined. Select them and press X, remember to delete faces, not vertices.
enter image description here
• Switch back to Vertex manipulation mode. Join the objects by selecting the corresponding vertices from each object and using F to create a new face. For example, in the image below I've selected two of the vertices on the sphere and one on the cuboid. When I press F Blender will create a new triangle face there. It also supports quads if the vertices share a common plane. I typically limit the vertex selection to three or four vertices at a time, I tend to think I know where I want the faces to be better than Blender. But you can try selecting all the vertices and see what Blender does for you.
enter image description here
• Continue the previous step until all faces are joined.
enter image description here
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Thanks for exerting yourself for such a detailed description - but it's actually not an answer to my question. I wrote: "What I've Done: I created a cube object with a Subdivision Surface modifier in order to model a spehere." But in your initial situation you used a Icosphere instead of a subsurfed Cube. - So you're talking about a very different kind of problem. – fridojet Aug 9 '12 at 9:17
That's what actually want: There should be (1) a subsurfed Cube (or another kind of mesh which can be subsurfed that way) looking like a sphere and (2) a cuboid sticking out of that Cube. - I really don't want to use a Icosphere without an Subsurf modifier because I want to be able to change grade of detailing later on. – fridojet Aug 9 '12 at 9:27
Would it be helpful if I take some screenshots of my problem? Or do you know what I mean now? – fridojet Aug 9 '12 at 9:29
If you want to attach one object to another, the objects will share modifiers. You can't manipulate the temporary points that are generated by the unapplied subsurface modifier. You could set the cubes subsurf modifier to the minimum level you want, then apply it, that will generate real vertices you can manipulate. Go through the steps I list above, then apply the subsurf modifier to the joined object. There's no way to have two objects joined by vertices created by an unapplied modifier and no way to apply the modifier to only part of the joined object. – Byte56 Aug 9 '12 at 13:38
You can always use an isosphere too, it also accepts a subsurface modifier. But whatever you use, if you want to change the grade of detailing, it will affect the entire object, not just the part that was a sphere before joining. If you still want to stick to all the things you've bolded, then no it's not possible. – Byte56 Aug 9 '12 at 13:41
Your Answer
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Provided by: openssh-client_5.3p1-3ubuntu3_i386 bug
ssh-copy-id - install your public key in a remote machine’s
ssh-copy-id is a script that uses ssh to log into a remote machine
(presumably using a login password, so password authentication should
be enabled, unless you’ve done some clever use of multiple identities)
It also changes the permissions of the remote user’s home, ~/.ssh, and
~/.ssh/authorized_keys to remove group writability (which would
otherwise prevent you from logging in, if the remote sshd has
StrictModes set in its configuration).
If the -i option is given then the identity file (defaults to
~/.ssh/ is used, regardless of whether there are any keys in
your ssh-agent. Otherwise, if this:
ssh-add -L
provides any output, it uses that in preference to the identity file.
If the -i option is used, or the ssh-add produced no output, then it
uses the contents of the identity file. Once it has one or more
fingerprints (by whatever means) it uses ssh to append them to
~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the remote machine (creating the file, and
directory, if necessary)
ssh(1), ssh-agent(1), sshd(8) |
Armstrong, Neil A. (1930-2012), a United States astronaut. As commander of the spaceship Apollo 11, he was the first human being to set foot on the moon. He was accompanied on the flight to the moon by astronauts Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon in the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969, while Collins orbited the moon in the Apollo's command module, Columbia.
Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He was a naval aviator, 1949-52, and flew combat missions in Korea. He studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University, graduating in 1955. In that year he joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a research pilot. In 1966 Armstrong was command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. He left the astronaut corps to serve as an administrator for NASA, 1970-71. He then taught at the college level and later became a business executive. |
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I need an as short and fast as possible code to change a String to something unreadable (for humans that is), and also to make it readable again. It all needs to happen in java.
Something like this:
Would result in something like this:
ôT¿ÄÜTV CÁˆ“5="ËÂÀœššbÀß{¡ä³
decrypt("ôT¿ÄÜTV CÁˆ“5 1="ËÂÀœššbÀß{¡ä³");
would than again result into the original
What direction should I go, are there any classes that can do this for me? I don't mean something like Base68Encryption or whatever it might be called, I mean a true unreadable text that I can safely send over the internet.
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closed as not a real question by Ted Hopp, Sean Owen, emory, Charles Menguy, ecatmur Apr 26 '13 at 16:20
Base_64 is readable by humans? Hmmm, you know some smart humans. – jsn Apr 26 '13 at 14:14
To be safe to share the encrypted message publicly, you need either a shared cipher or a public/private key encryption. Please elaborate on what threats you actually need to protect against. Casual reading? Something stronger? – Ted Hopp Apr 26 '13 at 14:15
@jsn No, but is is pretty easy – ROLLER Apr 26 '13 at 14:50
@Roller the way you worded your question suggested to me that ROT13 would be an acceptable answer. It is easy for a computer to decipher, but most humans would not bother, hence it is unreadable for humans. – emory Apr 26 '13 at 15:01
3 Answers 3
See encryption and decryption of data algorithgms with example code Encryption / decription is embedded in JRE and is not difficult to use.
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Here is a very short example of using true encryption. It's 128 bit AES, which is farily secure - certainly not readable by any stretch of the imagination.
It generates a random key, so it would be different on each run. You would need to share they key between the two programs exchanging data somehow.
private static final String ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM = "AES/ECB/PKCS5Padding";
private static final SecureRandom RANDOM = new SecureRandom();
public static void main(String[] args) throws UnsupportedEncodingException, GeneralSecurityException {
final KeyGenerator keyGen = KeyGenerator.getInstance(ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM.substring(0, ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM.indexOf('/')));
keyGen.init(128, RANDOM);
final SecretKey key = keyGen.generateKey();
final String s = "My topsecret string";
final Cipher encryption = getCipher(key, Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE);
final String enc = DatatypeConverter.printBase64Binary(encryption.doFinal(s.getBytes("UTF-8")));
final Cipher decryption = getCipher(key, Cipher.DECRYPT_MODE);
final String dec = new String(decryption.doFinal(DatatypeConverter.parseBase64Binary(enc)), "UTF-8");
private static Cipher getCipher(final Key key, final int mode) throws GeneralSecurityException {
final Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance(ENCRYPTION_ALGORITHM);
cipher.init(mode, key, RANDOM);
return cipher;
My topsecret string
My topsecret string
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There are two ways to address this:
• You could pick one of the existing high quality encryption systems that is implemented as standard in a typical JVM. Then:
1. Encode the string as bytes; e.g. using UTF-8.
2. Encrypt the bytes using an agreed encryption system, and a previously agreed key.
3. Encode the bytes using base_64 or equivalent.
and at the other end:
1. Decode the base_64
2. Decrypt the bytes with the same system and key.
3. Decode the UTF-8 to get a String.
• Use SSL/TLS to secure the TCP/IP connection, and send the String over the connection as-is.
Neither of these options is particularly fast. But don't be tempted to try and invent your own faster encryption system. The chances are that a "home brewed" encryption system it will be a lot easier to break than you realize.
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Keep your stormdrains clear by removing leaves and other debris in the spring, summer, and fall months.
We depend on stormdrains and sewers, drainage ditches and culverts to keep our streets from flooding during storms. Yet, these devices also direct trash and polluted, untreated rainwater straight into our rivers and streams.
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Over 50% of the pollution that impacts our water supply occurs when runoff from rain or melting snow washes over land and carries contaminants from our everyday activities into the nearest waterway. Things like phosphorus in lawn fertilizers, pesticides, spilled household cleaners or auto fluids, pet waste, road salt, and more, qualify as pollutants.
Much of an urban stream’s water comes directly from roads and sidewalks. HRWC’s Adopt-A-Stormdrain program is an effort to restore urban and suburban streams by encouraging residents to act as river stewards, right in their own neighborhoods!
Why adopt a stormdrain?Ann Arbor Mayor's Green Fair 2013
Adopting a stormdrain benefits both the river and our local neighborhoods. You will help keep our communities litter-free and more attractive. You will also prevent garbage, leaves, and debris from entering our local waterways through our stormwater drainage systems.
Communities with residents who care for their stormdrains have reduced the occurrence of illegal dumping and prevent substances such as oil, grease, and car soap from entering our rivers.
What else can you do?
From disposing of prescription drugs through a ”take back” program or choosing phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer, to picking up pet waste or maintaining your septic system, there are many ways to make a difference. Here are a few of our favorites.
Prevent Water Pollution Capture, Infiltrate and Clean Rainwater Save Water, Save Energy
Donate to HRWC
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Huron River Water Trail
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In 2007, the microfinance market served more than 33 million borrowers and 48 million savers. Statistics provided by Unitus, an organization devoted toward fighting global poverty show that 80% of the potential market has not yet been reached. How will the worldwide growth of this market impact you?
TUTORIAL: Financial Concepts
What is microfinance?
The term "microfinance" describes the range of financial products (such as microloans, microsavings and micro-insurance products) that microfinance institutions (MFIs) offer to their clients. Microfinance began in the 1970s when social entrepreneurs began lending money on a large scale to the working poor. One individual who gained worldwide recognition for his work in microfinance is professor Muhammad Yunus who, with Grameen Bank, won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Yunas and Grameen Bank demonstrated that the poor have the ability to pull themselves out of poverty. Yunus also demonstrated that loans made to the working poor, if properly structured, had very high repayment rates. His work caught the attention of both social engineers and profit-seeking investors. (Learn more in The Who, What And How Of Microfinance.)
Historically, the goal of microfinance was the alleviation of poverty. For many years, microfinance had this primary social objective and so traditional MFIs consisted only of non-governmental organizations (NGO), specialized microfinance banks and public sector banks. More recently, the marketplace has been evolving. For example, some non-profit MFIs are transforming themselves into profit-seeking institutions to achieve greater strength, sustainability and market reach. They are being joined in the microfinance marketplace by consumer finance companies, like GE Finance and Citi Finance. "Big-box" consumer retailers, like Wal-Mart, Elektra and Tesco are beginning to emerge as consumer lenders and a few are venturing into microfinance. Although most MFIs still consider poverty alleviation the primary goal, selling more products to more consumers is the primary motivation of many new entrants.
Microfinance Products and Services
The following products and services are currently being offered by MFIs:
• Microloans: Microloans (also known as microcredit) are loans that have a small value; most loans are less than $100 in size. These loans are generally issued to finance entrepreneurs who run micro-enterprises in developing countries. Examples of micro-enterprises include basket-making, sewing, street vending and raising poultry. The average global interest rate charged on micro-loans is about 35%. Although this may sound high, it is much lower than other available alternatives (such as informal local money lenders). Moreover, MFIs must charge interest rates that cover the higher costs associated with processing the labor-intensive micro-loan transactions. (Learn more about microfinance in Microfinance: Philanthropy Through Industry.)
• Microsavings: Microsavings accounts allow individuals to store small amounts of money for future use without minimum balance requirements. Like traditional savings accounts in developed nations, micro-savings accounts are tapped by the saver for life needs such as weddings, funerals and old-age supplementary income.
• Micro-Insurance: Individuals living in developing nations have more risks and uncertainties in their lives. For example, there is more direct exposure to natural disasters, such as mudslides, and more health-related risks, such as communicable diseases. Micro-insurance, like its non-micro counterpart, pools risks and helps provide risk management. But unlike its traditional counterpart, micro-insurance allows for insurance policies that have very small premiums and policy amounts. Examples of micro-insurance policies include crop insurance and policies that cover outstanding balances of micro-loans in the event a borrower dies. Due to the high administrative expense ratios, micro-insurance is most efficient for MFIs when premiums are collected together with microloan repayments. (To learn more about the importance of insurance, see Fifteen Insurance Policies You Don't Need and Five Insurance Policies Everyone Should Have.)
What does microfinance mean for you?
The development and growth of the microfinance market affects more than just those who are engaging in or contemplating microfinance services. Here's how it may affect you:
• As an investor: Return-focused institutional investors are now making microfinance-related investments. In addition, major ratings agencies are rating microfinance transactions. For example, Morgan Stanley issued a microfinance backed bond, which contained tranches and was rated "AA" by S&P. (To learn more about debt rating, please see: What Is A Corporate Credit Rating?)
This shows that microfinance is beginning to provide investment opportunities for all investors. The Micro Banking Bulletin reports that 63 of the world's top MFIs have an average return (after adjusting for inflation and after taking out subsidies programs received) of about 2.5% of total assets. Local and regional banks are generally the first to integrate microfinance investments into their portfolios, while large international banks currently prefer to provide financing to other banks, MFIs or NGOs. As mentioned earlier, even consumer finance companies may have exposure to microfinance activities. As an investor, you may wish to look to see whether the companies you are investing in have exposure to microfinance and if so, whether the risk-return characteristics of those activities appeal to you. Visit the MIX market for current information on the supply, demand and facilitation of capital within the microfinance market.
• As a finance professional: Microfinance requires highly specialized financial knowledge as well as a unique combination of skills, such as knowledge of social science, local languages and customs. New careers are emerging to fit these unique demands. For finance professionals, this means that new careers are opening up for those who have this unique combinations of skills and experiences. Moreover, traditional career roles are blurring as microfinance brings together professionals with varied backgrounds to work in collaborative teams. For example, development professionals (such as people who have worked for the Asian Development Bank or other development agencies) can now be found working side by side with venture capitalists. A wide range of microfinance career opportunities can be found at Microfinance Gateway.
• As an individual: Some believe that we are living in a time when poverty may be eradicated. Studies support that belief. According to the Virtual Library on Microcredit, during an eight-year period, among the poorest in Bangladesh with no credit service of any type, only 4% pulled themselves above the poverty line. But with individuals and families with microcredit from an MFI, more than 48% rose above the poverty line. What poverty eradication means to you as an individual depends largely upon your personal philosophy. You might welcome it as a key achievement in the history of humanity. You also might celebrate the possibility that we each can all buy and sell to one another. Individuals who seek to be a part of this poverty eradication phenomenon may now loan money to a micro-entrepreneur in another part of the world through the non-profit online service Kiva.
Capital and expertise are increasingly flowing into microfinance. Increased competition can be seen among MFIs. As they continue to develop their internal operating capacities, more of the potential 80% of the market will be served. Key players such as ratings agencies and institutional investors are also moving into the marketplace, signaling the fact that a true market is developing. Although microfinance has been happening since the 1970s, it is now much more relevant to investors, finance professionals and individuals. Specifically, you might wish to look at your portfolio, your career opportunities, or your personal philosophy to determine how the microfinance phenomenon is impacting you. (To read more on this subject, see Using Social Finance To Produce A Better World.)
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Capillary sample
A capillary sample is a blood sample collected by pricking the skin. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels near the surface of the skin.
Alternative names
Blood sample - capillary; Fingerstick; Heelstick
How the test is performed
• The area is cleansed with antiseptic.
• The skin of the finger, heel or another area is pricked with a sharp needle or a lancet.
How the test will feel
Why the test is performed
Blood transports oxygen, food, waste products, and other materials within the body. It also helps regulate body temperature. Blood is made up of cells and a fluid called plasma. Plasma contains various dissolved substances. The cells are mainly red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Because blood has many functions, tests on the blood or its components provide valuable clues in the diagnosis of medical conditions.
Capillary blood sampling offers several advantages over drawing blood from a vein:
• It is easy to obtain (it can be difficult to obtain blood from the veins, especially in infants).
• There are several collection sites on the body and these can be rotated.
• Testing can be done at home and with little training. For example, persons with diabetes must check their blood sugar several times a day using capillary blood sampling.
Disadvantages to capillary blood sampling include:
• Only a limited amount of blood can be drawn using this method.
• The procedure has some risks (see below).
• Capillary blood sampling may result in inaccurate results, such as falsely elevated sugar, electrolyte, and blood count values.
Normal results
Results vary depending on the test done. Your health care provider can tell you more.
What abnormal results mean
• Excessive bleeding
• Fainting or feeling light-headed
• Scarring (occurs when there have been multiple punctures in the same area)
• Calcified nodules (sometimes occurs in infants, but usually disappear by 30 months of age)
• Damage to blood cells from this method of collection can sometimes cause inaccurate test results and the need to repeat the test with blood drawn from a vein.
Phenylketonuria testPhenylketonuria testCapillary sample
Vajpayee N, Graham SS, Bem S. Basic examination of blood and bone marrow. In:McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap30.
• Call 911 for all medical emergencies.
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Helping Kids Cope With Cliques
Helping Kids Cope With Cliques
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Your 10-year-old daughter comes home crying because the girls she's been friends with are suddenly leaving her out and spreading rumors about her. She's confused because it seemed to happen out of the blue. She doesn't know what she did wrong and is nervous about returning to school, unsure if she has any friends. You're unsure how to help her — you've heard a lot about kids being snubbed or teased at school, but you didn't think it could happen to your outgoing, fun kid.
Given how common cliques are throughout middle and high school, at some point your child is likely to face the prospect of being in one or being excluded from them. There's little you can do to shield kids from cliques, but plenty you can do to help them maintain confidence and self-respect while negotiating cliques and understanding what true friendship is all about.
What's a Clique?
Friendship is an important part of kids' development. Having friends helps them be independent beyond the family and prepares them for the mutual, trusting relationships we hope they'll establish as adults.
Groups of friends are different from cliques in some important ways. Friendships grow out of shared interests, sports, activities, classes, neighborhoods, or even family connections. In groups of friends, members are free to socialize and hang out with others outside the group without worrying about being cast out. They may not do everything together — and that's OK.
Cliques sometimes form around common interests, but the social dynamics are very different. Cliques are usually tightly controlled by leaders who decide who is "in" and who is "out." The kids in the clique do most things together. Someone who has a friend outside the clique may face rejection or ridicule.
Members of the clique usually follow the leader's rules, whether it's wearing particular clothes or doing certain activities. Cliques usually involve lots of rules — implied or clearly stated — and intense pressure to follow them. Kids in cliques often worry about whether they'll continue to be popular or whether they'll be dropped for doing or saying the wrong thing or for not dressing in a certain way. This can create a lot of pressure, particularly for girls, who might be driven to extreme dieting and eating disorders or even to ask for plastic surgery. Others may be pressured to take risks like steal, pull pranks, or bully other kids in order to stay in the clique. Kids also can be pressured into buying expensive clothing or getting involved in online gossip and teasing.
Cliques are often at their most intense in middle school and junior high, but problems with cliques can start as early as 4th and 5th grades.
When Cliques Cause Problems
For most kids, the pre-teen and teen years are a time to figure out how they want to fit in and how they want to stand out. It's natural for kids to occasionally feel insecure; long to be accepted; and hang out with the kids who seem more attractive, cool, or popular.
But cliques can cause long-lasting trouble when:
How Parents Can Help
As kids navigate friendships and cliques, there's plenty parents can do to offer support. If your child seems upset, or suddenly spends time alone when usually very social, ask about it.
Here are some tips:
If your child is part of a clique and one of the kids is teasing or rejecting others, it's important to address that right away. With popular TV shows from talent contests to reality series glorifying rude behavior, it's an uphill battle for families to promote kindness, respect, and compassion.
Discuss the role of power and control in friendships and try to get to the heart of why your child feels compelled to be in that position. Discuss who is in and who is out, and what happens when kids are out (are they ignored, shunned, bullied?). Challenge kids to think and talk about whether they're proud of the way they act in school.
Ask teachers, guidance counselors, or other school officials for their perspective on what is going on in and out of class. They might be able to tell you about any programs the school has to address cliques and help kids with differences get along.
Encouraging Healthy Friendships
Here are some ways to encourage kids to have healthy friendships and not get too caught up in cliques:
Remember to provide the big-picture perspective too. As hard as cliques might be to deal with now, things can change quickly. What's more important is making true friends — people they can confide in, laugh with, and trust. And the real secret to being "popular" — in the truest sense of the word — is for them to be the kind of friend they'd like to have: respectful, fair, supportive, caring, trustworthy, and kind.
Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date reviewed: August 2013
© 1995-2015 KidsHealth® All rights reserved.
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Supposedly vs. Supposably
[ik-spleyn] /ɪkˈspleɪn/
verb (used with object)
to make plain or clear; render understandable or intelligible:
to explain an obscure point.
Synonyms: explicate.
Antonyms: confuse.
to make known in detail:
to explain how to do something.
to assign a meaning to; interpret:
How can you explain such a silly remark?
to make clear the cause or reason of; account for:
I cannot explain his strange behavior.
Synonyms: justify.
verb (used without object)
to give an explanation.
Verb phrases
explain away,
1. to diminish or nullify the significance of by explanation:
She explained away the child's fears.
Origin of explain
late Middle English
Related forms
explainable, adjective
explainer, explanator
misexplained, adjective
nonexplainable, adjective
overexplain, verb
preexplain, verb
reexplain, verb (used with object)
unexplainable, adjective
unexplainably, adverb
unexplained, adjective
unexplaining, adjective
well-explained, adjective
Synonym Study
Cite This Source
Examples from the Web for explain away
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
• But the aspect of the Hall's interior was hard to explain away.
Zuleika Dobson Max Beerbohm
• She has to account for her father: to explain away, if possible, her grandfather.
• This in itself is a remarkable stride in advance, which the Separatist will find difficult to explain away.
• Why should we seek to explain away all the beautiful things of life?
Tea-Table Talk Jerome K. Jerome
• There is a new safeguard of the self-respecting dramatist which no amount of improvising for or against will explain away.
Another Sheaf John Galsworthy
British Dictionary definitions for explain away
explain away
(transitive, adverb) to offer excuses or reasons for (bad conduct, mistakes, etc)
Derived Forms
explainable, adjective
explainer, noun
Word Origin
C15: from Latin explānāre to flatten, from plānus level
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
Cite This Source
Word Origin and History for explain away
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Idioms and Phrases with explain away
explain away
Dismiss or minimize the importance of something, especially something detrimental. For example, “His words were taken down, and though he tried to explain them away, he was sent to the Tower” (Thomas Macaulay, The History of England, 1855). [ c. 1700 ]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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Word of the Day
Difficulty index for explain
Many English speakers likely know this word
Word Value for explain
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This is the Java code:
public void foo() {
final long start = System.nanoTime();
// some operations...
System.out.println("done in " + (System.nanoTime() - start) + " nano sec");
Is it possible to do the same, but without start variable? Something like this:
public void foo() {
// some operations...
System.out.println("done in " + calculateTime() + " nano sec");
share|improve this question
Create a calculateTime() that returns System.nanoTime() - start. – JonH Jun 3 '11 at 17:56
Do you have any more details why? – grundprinzip Jun 3 '11 at 17:56
this is an inane question. – mre Jun 3 '11 at 18:19
2 Answers 2
up vote 3 down vote accepted
This is not a straightforward answer. I'm inferring from the question that you do not wish to clutter your code with unnecessary profiling code, that you may remove later. In such a case, it is recommended to use AOP. You may then weave aspects around the methods that you want profiled, and these aspects would have the variable declarations that represent the 'start' and 'end' variables.
share|improve this answer
Indeed, AOP is a good option, but I'm trying to find some other tricks, no matter how dirty they will be... – yegor256 Jun 3 '11 at 18:13
@yegor256, you may then used related techniques like using cglib's Enhancer class, or java.lang.reflect.Proxy's invocation handler feature. The latter is dirty, but will work if your classes implement interfaces that can be proxied. – Vineet Reynolds Jun 3 '11 at 18:50
Not without a variable somewhere. I mean you could have a static variable and call:
// Do something
System.out.println("Done in " + CustomTimer.endTiming() + " nanoseconds");
but that wouldn't be thread-safe and would still be using a variable really.
The key thing to think about is that you need to indicate the start time you're interested in, and something has to remember that.
Alternatively you could wrap the code in something else to do the timing:
public void foo() {
CustomTimer.reportTiming(new Runnable() {
@Override public void run() {
// Do operations here
... but again the reportTiming method would need to keep a variable.
To put it another way: if you didn't know your birth date (including year), how would you work out how old you are?
share|improve this answer
Your Answer
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Disposal of Lab Chemicals
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Proper disposal of lab chemicals is an important aspect of lab use. Before using the lab, guidelines of the school, hospital or organization regarding lab safety and waste disposal must be read thoroughly. In most labs, chemical disposal is handled by university or hospital officials specifically trained to handle and dispose of chemical lab waste in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)'s regulations. Before the waste reaches them, however, it must be properly sealed and stored.
Things You'll Need
• Labels
• Containers
• Waste cabinet
• Heavy-duty plastic bags
• Cardboard boxes
1. Label waste containers before any chemical waste is stored in them. Federal law demands that waste containers must obtain the exact words "Hazardous Waste" printed on a clearly visible label. The label must also clearly identify the waste product contained in the bottles (and any other information that your lab manual dictates). If the container has an old label, you must completely remove or deface it to avoid confusion.
2. Store accumulating lab chemicals in the appropriate waste container. Use only glass or polyethylene containers to contain chemical waste. Store solid chemical waste in a heavy duty plastic bag placed inside of a cardboard box. Sharps must be in a designated sharps container provided by your lab supervisor or waste disposal manager. The containers are ready for disposal pickup when they are full. Leave at least one inch of space in the top of containers that store liquid chemical waste. Do not mix different types of chemical waste in individual storage containers. Keep containers sealed when they are not in use.
3. Store waste containers in a designated waste cabinet. Ideally, waste disposal cabinets are explosion resistant. Clearly label the cabinet "Hazardous Waste" and include a list of the waste chemicals stored in containers in the cabinet. Certain chemicals should not be stored in the same cabinet. See the "warnings" section at the bottom of the article for a list of incompatible chemicals. The cabinet should not be located near a drain where liquid chemicals may escape should there be an accidental spill.
4. Deliver chemical waste containers to the appropriate waste department of the hospital or university. Most departments will require you to fill out a form upon receipt of the chemical waste. If there is no waste disposal department for your chemical laboratory, contact your local solid waste or public health department to inquire about hazardous waste pickup.
Tips & Warnings
• Never store the following wastes in the same cabinet: acids with bases, organics with acids, any cyanide, sulfide or arsenic compound with acid, alkali or alkali earth metal with liquids, powdered or reactive metals with combustibles, mercury with silver, mercury with ammonium or ammonium with silver.
• Photo Credit laboratory image by Oleg Verbitsky from Fotolia.com
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What sins does Macbeth commit in Shakespeare's Macbeth?
1 Answer | Add Yours
litteacher8's profile pic
Posted on (Answer #1)
Normally, a person has to commit a sin for a good reason in order for it to be forgiven. Macbeth had no reason other than his own pride, wrath, lust, envy and greed. He should not be forgiven.
Macbeth commits most of the Seven Deadly Sins and breaks the Ten Commandments. First of all, he commits murder several times. He does this with callous disregard for justice or the value of human life. Macbeth is a fallen hero who should not be forgiven for his sins.
From this perspective, Macbeth should not be forgiven for his sins. Although Catholics will forgive even these sins, they are terrible sins that destroy one’s character and chances of getting into heaven. He commits the less forgivable Deadly Sins.
Macbeth’s first sins are envy and greed. He desires to have what Duncan has. He consorts with witches and then kills Duncan.
Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires:
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Macbeth also might be acting partly out of lust, since his wife is the one who eggs him on. She essentially tells him he is not being a man if he does not kill Duncan.
When Macbeth realizes that Malcolm and Macduff have run away, he commits the sin of wrath. He is so angry at Macduff that he has his family slaughtered. It is Macbeth’s pride that makes him feel that he should be king, and his pride and wrath that is his downfall.
Of course, the Ten Commandments also say that man should not kill another man. He covets, steals, and bears false witness in covering up his crimes by accusing others.
Here lay Duncan,
His silver skin laced with his golden blood,
And his gash'd stabs look'd like a breach in nature(125)
For ruin's wasteful entrance: there, the murderers,
Steep'd in the colors of their trade, their daggers
Unmannerly breech'd with gore. (Act 2, Scene 3)
Macbeth does not see his actions as wrong, but he seems to feel a modicom of guilt when his wife dies. He realizes that life is short and pointless, and from that point on prepares to die. His pride is again his downfall as he is convinced that he cannnot be hurt.
A person who is king should be a good leader. Macbeth is not a good leader. He takes the throne from a good king, and does nothing to help his people. He lets his kingdom go to waste while he throws banquets and raises an army to defend his new title. Since he did not kill for any good reason, he does not deserve to be forgiven.
If you want a counterargument, the only way Macbeth might be forgiven is if one considers that he acted under possession from the witches. However, even if he was under their control, they could not have gotten him to do those things if he did not want them deep down inside.
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bark beetle Saltos de línea: bark bee¦tle
Definición de bark beetle en inglés:
A small wood-boring beetle that tunnels under the bark of trees, which may die if heavily infested.
• Family Scolytidae: many genera and species, including the elm bark beetle (Scolytus scolytus), which is responsible for the spread of the fungus which causes Dutch elm disease
Oraciones de ejemplo
• The species have decimated pine tree populations in India and are similar to the bark beetle that has ravaged forests in the western United States.
• I can imagine an intelligent bark beetle pondering why it is that the oak tree on which it has deposited its eggs is so well suited to their growth.
• After several years of drought, which may be related to global warming, pine trees have become vulnerable to the bark beetle.
Definición de bark beetle en:
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Many who love to play also love to sing, and the digital piano has something for vocalists as well. Many instruments now feature a microphone connection. In its most elementary form, this simply uses the digital piano's audio system as a PA for vocals. But some models throw the full weight of their considerable processing power behind the vocalist. Many vocal recordings and performances take advantage of effects processing to enhance the performer's voice. This can range from adding reverberation to effects that completely alter the performer's voice, making it sound like anything from Barry White to Betty Boop. Top-of-the-line digital pianos can even go beyond what some recording studios can do. Perhaps even more amazing is the ability of some instruments to combine the vocal input with their ability to harmonize, resulting in your voice coming out in four-part harmony. Display of karaoke lyrics is also common; the presence of a video output on some instruments allows the lyrics to be displayed on a TV or other monitor.
Moving Keys
When an acoustic player piano plays, the keys must move in order for the hammers to strike the strings and produce sound. The digital piano does not share this mechanical necessity, yet we now have digital pianos whose keys move when playing a recording. You'll recall from the section on recording that the digital piano can record and reproduce your playing, or can reproduce a MIDI file from another source. The sounds are produced by sending the playback data directly to the tone-production portion of the instrument, bypassing the keyboard. But since there is no dependency on moving keys, why go to the extra expense of making them move? Two reasons: First, it's one way for the instrument to direct beginners to the next melody note in the educational modes of some models, as described earlier under "Educational Tools." Second, it's just fun to watch. However, you should measure the value of this feature against the additional cost, and be mindful of the increased possibility of mechanical failure due to the additional moving parts of the key-drive mechanism.
Human Interface Design
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Fall Home & Garden: Enriching the soil
Composting kitchen scraps and plant material can be rewarding
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Composting can be addictive -- just ask Corinne Ogrodnik. She carried around a bag of fresh kitchen scraps for a week during a beach vacation because there was no compost bin where she was staying. She planned to take the scraps home for her compost pile.
Ms. Ogrodnik is an education specialist program director for the Pennsylvania Resources Council, a nonprofit organization that helps cut down the amount of waste going to landfills. You might think her vacation collection is a little over the top. But after hearing that story, I admitted bringing back giant garbage bags of seaweed from a Maine vacation for my compost bin.
From waste to a resource
So why are so many gardeners crazy for compost? Ms. Ogrodnik, who spends more than 80 percent of her work day dealing with composting, says, "You can't have a healthy garden without healthy soil."
And there's no better way to give your garden what it needs than by adding compost. It's an invaluable soil additive that dispenses with the need for additional fertilizers. Composting is a form of recycling that offers gardeners a cheap alternative to commercial products.
Martha Rial, Post-Gazette
Corinne Ogrodnik of Pennsylvania Resource Council keeps her Earth Machine Compost Bin behind her Greenfield home. People attending composting classes will receive a bin.
Click photo for larger image.
"Not only do we need more healthy soils," she says, "but also to keep [organic matter] out of our landfills. Food waste is not seen as a natural resource, but it is. Whenever we take food from the earth, we take nutrients from the earth. By returning the compost to the soil, we fulfill the cycle of life."
Compost is simply what's left after organic matter decomposes. In the forest, leaf litter composts down into a lifelong nutrient source for trees.
Home composting is easy, and gardeners treasure what they make, only using it for their most important plantings.
The most popular things to compost come from the kitchen. Anything that will rot is usable. In my house, that means coffee grounds (and filters), eggshells, fruit and vegetable refuse (peelings and pits, too), and paper towels. Just about anything that comes through the kitchen will make its way out to the compost pile.
The average household produces hundreds of pounds of kitchen waste every year, and you can successfully compost most of it. The only things not to pull aside for a trip to the compost pile are meat or dairy products. They can start to ferment, then smell, which attracts rodents.
I know people who compost everything. When they add it to the pile, they lay a cover material on top. Straw or sawdust are the most popular covers.
Anything organic will eventually become compost. Ms. Ogrodnik offers a couple of other suggestions, such as dryer lint, vacuum cleaner refuse, paper napkins and shredded newspapers (not shiny inserts). Compost is the result of many different organisms big and small feeding on the fresh material.
"It's the bacteria, potato bugs, earthworms, fungus, spiders, ants and beetles moving through the pile of materials. All of the microbes, insects and organisms actually ingest these things, digest them and what comes out the other end is compost," she says.
Everything composts at its own rate. A wild mushroom will decompose in a few weeks, but a fallen tree in the forest will take decades until it's returned to the earth. At the end of the gardening season, everything left in the garden can be put into the compost pile as long as it's not diseased. Depending on the setup and how often it's turned, it might take a few weeks or a few years in the backyard pile to become that rich, brown, odor-free soil amendment that makes plants thrive.
The compost pile can take many forms. Some gardeners use commercially available bins; others construct their own. There are people who compost directly in the garden during the off season, and some who just pile their scraps in the corner of the property and wait for them to rot.
The traditional compost setup is three bins at least 4 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet. In the first is the fresh refuse from the kitchen; gardeners keep adding to it until it's full. In bin No. 2, we start building again. By the time the third bin is being filled, the first is ready to use.
That's how it works in my garden -- the lazy man's method. But you can speed up the process. When a compost pile is turned, it's oxygenated and composting quickens. There are a variety of tumblers available that will keep things moving. Some are rolled along the ground, and others sit on a frame and are turned with a hand crank. When conditions are right, they can make compost in weeks instead of years.
You can achieve similar results by taking a garden fork to the pile occasionally. It depends on how fast you want the compost and how strong your back is. Shredding or chopping the material first will also speed up the process.
What to avoid
I'm often asked about using wood ash in the garden, and I always tell folks to compost it first because it's very alkaline and can change the pH for the worse. Even in the compost pile, I wouldn't use a lot of wood ash -- maybe one in 10 trips to the pile should involve wood ash. Never compost coal or charcoal ash because they can contain things that inhibit plant growth.
Ms. Ogrodnik advises to never use pet droppings either, as they could contain diseases. However, other animal manures, such as cow, horse or rabbit are great additions. Even weeds can be added, although I'm wary of doing it. I have a separate pile for the weeds.
If you do compost weeds in the main pile, try to get them before they go to seed or you might be composting your way to a real headache. Technically, if the pile is the right size and has the right ingredients, temperatures reach 160 degrees -- hot enough to kill most weed seeds and pathogens.
Perfect compost is built from a combination of a lot of carbon materials, usually dry brown ingredients such as fallen leaves and a little nitrogen-rich material such as kitchen scraps or lawn clippings. The perfect mix is 30 parts brown material to 1 part green. One caution about adding mowed grass: Make sure it's not been treated with herbicides or other chemicals because you don't need that in your compost bin.
It might seem complicated to try to get the formula right, but Ms. Ogrodnik has a simple way to balance a compost pile. Every time she adds kitchen scraps, she throws some leaves on top. City gardeners without access to leaves could use shredded newspaper. The rule of thumb is to add the same amount by volume of both types of materials. The brown stuff is so airy and the green stuff so dense that it all works out in the end.
If your pile has too much green stuff, it will start to smell a little funky. Get at it with a garden fork, add a little brown material, and it will take care of itself.
You don't have to fret about the proper brown/green mixture as long as you have some brown and green in there and then add a little moisture. Heat and oxygen will do the trick. Everything rots eventually.
Once the compost pile is built, leave a slight depression on top to help trap water. If you're using a commercial covered bin, add a little water with each load of fresh material.
Composting offers many things for gardeners. Once you see how plants respond to the nutritious treat of compost, you'll try to figure out how to make more. Ms. Ogrodnik speaks for most compost junkies when she says, "You can never get enough compost, that's for sure."
Composting classes
The presentation on backyard composting thoroughly covers everything from setting up a compost pile to proper maintenance to ways of using finished compost. The cost of the class is $25 per person or $35 per couple. The fee will be used to extend the program so that classes and bin distributions can be offered throughout the year. Participants will receive an Earth Machine Compost Bin free of charge for attending. This bin, approved across the state as an ideal bin for urban and suburban areas, has an 80-gallon capacity and usually retails for more than $60. One compost bin per household. (For information on the Earth Machine, go to www.composters.com.)
Whole Foods Market, East Liberty -- Today from 6 to 8 p.m.
Urban Gardener, North Side -- Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Green Tree Municipal Center -- Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Marshall Township Building -- next Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m.
East End Food Co-op, Point Breeze -- Oct. 2 from 6 to 8 p.m.
If you are interested in attending one of the workshops, contact Corinne Ogrodnik at 412-431-4449, ext. 325, or corinneo@ccicenter.org.
For more information about Pennsylvania Resources Council, log onto www.prc.org.
Doug Oster can be reached at doster@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1484.
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Chapter 31
Help Self: What Must Be Done
With The Negroes?
3 We were brought here to work. We have worked! We are still the workers. Some of us say. "What will we do if we do not work for the white man? How will we live"? I say, when you are free and independent you have a job! You have a tremendous task of doing something for self. You have the job of building a civilization for yourself as other free and independent people are doing for themselves.
5 We must begin at the cradle and teach our babies that they must do something for self. They must not be like we, their fathers, who look to the slave-maker' and the slave-masters children for all. We must teach our children now with an enthusiasm exceeding that which our slave-masters used in having our forefathers embed the seed of dependency within us. We must stop the process of giving our brain power, labor and wealth to our slave-masters' children. We must eliminate the master-slave relationship.
8 Why should we spend 12 and 16 years seeking an education only to give the benefit of our knowledge back to the one we sought it from? It is time for us to wake up! Why should we work to give the meager earnings of our labor back to our slave-masters' children? Why can't we have our own? Why can't we do for our own? Why can't we learn to spend with and support our own? Why can't we strive toward keeping our brain power, labor and wealth within and among and elevating our own?
9 We must have that which will make us want to do for ourselves as other people want and do for themselves. You ask, "How can this be done"? The so-called Negroes must be taught and given Islam. Why Islam? Islam, because it teaches first the knowledge of self. It gives us the knowledge of our own. Then and only then are we able to understand that which surrounds us. "Know thy self" is the doctrine Socrates espoused, and this is the base of the educational system in America. The religion of Islam makes the so-called Negroes think in terms of self and their own kind. Thus, this kind of thinking produces an industrious people who are self-independent. Islam is actually our religion by nature. Islam is the proper name of God. Islam is not a European-organized white man's religion. It is the time for the so-called Negroes to help their own kind and be benefited by Islam.
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Like other wild dogs, red foxes hunt primarily at night, but they are known to extend this activity into daylight during the winter, when prey is harder to catch. They like to sleep in the open during the midday, curling up on the snow in some spot protected from wind, sunning themselves when they can while keeping a watchful eye or ear out for intruders. They seldom sleep deeply.
Red foxes are typically 40 inches long, including a 16-inch bushy tail. They weigh up to about 14 pounds and have a pointed nose and pointed ears. In winter their coat is thick and luxurious. Most red foxes are yellowish-red, with traces of black found on the back, tail, feet and at tips of the ears. The throat, the underside of the body and the tip of the tail are white.
Found throughout Minnesota, these foxes prefer farmlands, semi-open country and forest communities. Their natural range stretches from the Arctic almost to the Mexican border. They are also found across the Northern Hemisphere in Eurasia. Being primarily carnivorous, they eat squirrels, rabbits, muskrats, mice and birds of many species. In spring, summer and fall they add a variety of insects, frogs, fruits and other items to their diet. They may be the world’s greatest destroyer of mice.
Red foxes are relatively solitary animals, but by late January we sometimes see two sets of fox prints, side by side. They are probably monogamous for at least one season at a time, but they may mate for life. They breed from late January into February, and the females usually bear four to six young after a 51-day gestation. The family occupies a burrow that the foxes dig themselves or remodel from the den of another mammal.
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Biochem test 3-NW
NWHU biochem exam 3
what is a peptidoglycan composed of carbohydrate and a protein (peptide)
common information on glycoproteins oligosaccharide attached to a protein, ommon in membrane proteins, for communication, blood type, hormones, antibodes, secreted proteins
What are the glycosidic bonds of oligosaccharide linkages acetal, ketal, bonds between carb and amino acid r-group, bonds between carb and lipid
info on proteoglycans polsaccharides connected to proteins, in connective issue, provides structure in extracellular matrix, growth factor activation, adhesion
info on glycolipids in cytoplasmic membanes, used for blood types
what glycoconjugates are involved in communication relating to membranes glycoprotein and glycolipid
what glycoconjugate is involved n functions of the extracellular matrix proteoglycan
what are the functons of proteoglycan storage of water, joint lubrication
what glycoconjugate is involved in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria lipopolysaccharide
what are characteristics of lipopolysaccharides recognized by human immune system, variations of building blocks in polysaccharides lead to different serotypes, lipid A acts as toxin gets a reaction from the immune system
where is the carbohydrate attached in a glycoprotein to its anomeric carbon through a glycosidic link to the -OH
what specifically are proteoglycans one or more large glycans, called sulfated glycosaminoglycans are covalently attached to a core protein
examples of glycosaminoglycans heparan sulfate, chondroiin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate
where are proteoglycans located bound to the outside of the plasma membrane by a transmembrane peptide or a covalently attached lipid.
what do proteoglycans do provide points of adhesion, recognition, and information transfer between cells, or between the cell and the extracellular matrix
where are glycolipids and glycopolysaccharides located in the cell components of the cell envelope, have covalently attached oligosaccharide chains exposed on the cell's outer surface
what is a common characteristic between cell surface, extracellular, and secreted proteins they are all glycoproteins
what effect do the oligosaccharides have on the glycoproteins they influence the folding and stability of the proteins, provide critical information about the targeting of newly synthesized proteins, and allow for specific recognition by other proteins
what is the sugar code represents specific interactions between distinct oligosaccharides and receptors
what are the reasons behind the large number of possibilities of oligosaccharides large number of building blocks, few restrictions with respect to size, unrestricted branching, and alpha- or beta- connections combined with -OH in many positions
what are lectins proteins with a ligand site that bind carbohydrates with high specificity and affinity.
What are the purposes of lectins wide variety of cell-cell recognition, signaling, and adhesion processes and in intracellular targeting of newly synthesized proteins (they intiate interaction with other cells)
where are lectins found commonly found on the outer surface of cells
what happens when oligosaccharide tags are read by lectins in vertebrates they govern the rate of degradation of certain peptide hormones, circulating proteins, and blood cells
what do lectins have to do with bacterial and viral pathogens and some parasites they adhere to their targets by the binding of lectins in the pathogens to oligosaccharides on the target cell surface
what is the purpose of intracellular lectins they mediate intracellular protein targeting to specific organellesor the secretory pathway
do viruses bind to oligosaccharides through cell surface glycoproteins or glycolipids glycoproteins, as the first step in infection
do bacterial toxins (cholera, pertussis)bind to oligosaccharides through cell surface glycoproteins or glycolipids before entering a cell glycolipids
what is an example of a cell-cell interaction mediated by lectins in the plasma membrane of a cell neutrophils with the endohelial cells of the capillary wall at an infection site
what is the function of the mannose 6-phosphate receptor (lectin of the trans golgi complex) binds the oligosaccharides of lysosomal enzymes, targeting them for the transfer into the lysosome
A deficiency in what vitamin leads to night blindness, blindness, or dry skin, eyes, and mucous membranes Vitamin A (retinol)
What are general functions of vitamin A pigment, hormone signalling
A deficiency in what vitamin leads to Beriberi, and what are the general functions of that vitamin vitamin B1 (thiamine), coenzyme in central enzymes
What are the functions of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) integral part of coenzymes (FAD, FMN) involved in energy production
Dficiency in what vitamin could lead to Pellegra, and what are the general functions of that vitamin vitamin B3 (niacin) , integral part of coenzymes NAD and NADP involved in energy production
What are the general functions of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) integral part of coenzyme A (acyl carrier, fat biosynthesis)
what are the general functions of vitamin B7 (Biotin) coenzymes of carboxylases (add COO- from CO2)
what are the general functions of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine or pyridoxol; pyridoxal and pyridoxamine) coenzymes of ~100 enzymes
Deficiency of what vitamin could lead to macrocystal megalblastic anemia, and what are its general functions vitamin b9 (folic acid), coenzyme that transfers C1 units (nucleic and amino acid metabolism)
deficiency of what vitamin could lead to pernicious anemia, megaloblastic anemia, and neurologic symptoms; and what are its general functions vitmin B12 (cobalamin), a coenzyme of enzymes that transfer alkyl groups
The deficiency of what vitamin could lead to scurvy and fatigue, and what are its eneral functions vitain C, synthesis of collagen antioxidant, synthesis of carnitine, metablism of cholesterol
deficiency of what vitamin could lead to rickets, and what are its general functions vitamin D, Ca2+ levels in the blood, bone density, modulator of the immune system
What are the general functions of vitamin E Antioxidant, inhibits platelet aggregation, and enhances vasodilation
deficiency of what vitamin could lead to delayed blood clotting and hemorrhaging, and what are its general functions vitamin K, blood clotting, prevents calcification of soft tissue/ cartilage
What are the basic building blocks of a nucleotide phosphate group, amino acid base, and and a pentose group
what is the pentose called in RNA, DNA ribose, deoxyribose
what are the bonds beween the phosphate groups in a nucleotide, if there are more than one anydride bonds (high energy)
what are the possible base types in the nucleotide purine, pyramidine
what are the possible pyramidines, purines pyramidines: cytosine, thymine (dna), uracil (rna) purines: adenine, guanine
what are the basic functions of nucleotides building blocks for DNA or RNA synthesis, energy currency in biological systems (ATP), chemical links in hormonal signals, structural components of several coenzymes
What are examples of the coenzymes of which nucleotides are a part NAD+, FAD, coenzyme A
what are the bonds that link successive nueotides in nuceic acids phosphodiester bonds
What is the way to tell apart the 5' end from the 3' end in nucleic acids 5' has the phosphate group, 3' has the -OH
What are the ways complementary strands of DNA are stabilized when they are bonded together hydrogen bonds stabilize double stranded structure between strands, hydrophobic interaction stabilizes between adjacent bases within each strand
Who published the discovery of DNA, and when was it published 1953 James Watson and Francis Crick
when was the Nobel prize awarded for the discovery, and to whom 1962, Wason, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins
what are mutations in genes inherited changes in the nucleotide sequence of DNA
What are the types of mutations, and examples of each Spontaneous: deamination, depurination; external factors: radiation (UV, Xray, gamma ray), chemical: deaminating agents, oxidative agents
What hppens in deamination loss of an amino group
what happens in depurination purine-pentose bond breaks
what can happen as a result of UV radiation Thymine dimer (DNA reads 2 adjacent thymines as 1, causes frame shift mutation)
What can happen as a result of ionizing radiation covalent bonds break, rings in bases can open, can cause depurination, bonds in the backbone can break; reactive oxygen forces can form
What are possible chemical causes of mutations deaminating agents, can lose the amine group, oxidative agents, can cause oxygen radicals, possibly alter the structure of biomolecules
What are lipids water insoluble cellular components, can be extracted by nonpolar solvents
what are the various functions of lipids membrane, energy storage, energy source, coenzymes or prosthetic groups, signal transduction, hormones (regulation, communication), pigments (retinal from beta-carotene)
what are fatty acids hyrocarbon derivativesat aout the same oxidation state (very low) as the hydrocarbons in fossil fuels. The hydrocarbon chains range from 4 to 36 carbons in length.
What is the result of the low oxidation state of the hydrocarbons in fatty acids the cellular oxidation creates a lot of energy (similar to controlled rapid burning of fossil fuels in an internal combustion engine)
What does it mean for a hydrocarbon chain to be unsaturated it contains no double bonds
what is the method of nomenclature for unbranched fatty acids FA, total # of carbons: number of double bonds (delta followed by position of the double bonds) ex; 20:2(delta9,12)
what do storage lipids consist of glycerol, 3 fatty acids
what are fatty acids with multiple double bonds called polyunsaturated fatty acids
what is the difference between cis- and trans- configurations of PUFAs cis- are healthy (from plants and fatty fish, grass-fed beef), trans- are not as healthy (bacterial activity in meat from ruminating animals, human-developed process: partial hydrogenation)
what are the physical property comparisons of fatty acids bigger hydrocarbon tail--less water soluble, higher melting point; more cis- double bonds--more water soluble, lower melting point
which end of the fatty acid is counted first in PUFAs the double bond furthest from the COO- is counted first
FA 16:0 Palmitic acid, palmitate (product in fatty acid synthesis in humans)
FA 18:2delta9,12 Linoleic acid (essential FA) omega-6
FA 18:3delta9,12,15 alpha-linoleic acid (essential FA) omega-3
FA 20:4delta5,8,11,14 arachidonic acid (precursor for inflammation) omega-6
FA 20:5delta5,8,11,14,17 Eicosapentaneoic acid (precursor for regulatory compounds in inflammation) omega-3
FA 22:6delta4,7,10,13,16,19 Docosahexaneoic acid, omega-3
where is triacylglycerol formed in adipose tissue, in the liver (COO- bonds to the -OH of the glycerol backbone in a condensation reaction
What is the comparison of energy storage of carbs vs. fats fats hav higher energy content per weight, each gram of glycogen has ~2 g of H2O associated, fts have insulating properties, glycogen is short-term storage that is quickly accessible, fats are long-term storage with a slow mobilization process
What are the 2 basic types of membrane lipids glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids
what are characteristics of the lipid bilayer two layers of hydrophilic heads with hydrophobic tails between them 000000000 heads """"""""" tails """"""""" tails 000000000 heads
What is the meaning of amphipathic in terms of membrane lipids one component is hydrophobic and another is hydrophilic
what is the difference between sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids gycerophospholipids have 3 ester bonds and aphosphate group, sphingolipids have an amide bond and no ester bonds
where are common examples of ether-lipids membrane lipids in cardiac muscle of the heart
what are functions of ether lipids platelet activating factor (regulatory function, in blood, promotes blood clotting, released by white bood cells), functon of immunity (release of serotonin, upregulation of inflammation, allergic reactions)
what is another function of ether lipids pregnancy (implantation of fertilzed egg, maturation of fetus, induction of labor)
good way to identify triacylglycerols 3 ester bonds with fatty acids
good way to identify etherlipids has an ether bond in the hydrophobic end
good way to identify a sphingolipid has an amide bond and no additional hydrophilic group
good way to identify glycerolphospholipids look for phosphoesters
what are some examples of lipids as signals and cofactors hormone (steroid, paracrine- prostaglandines, thromboxanes, leukotrienes), coenzymes in e- transport-- quinones
what is ubiquinone a mitochondrial electron carrier (coenzyme Q)
what are eicosanoids substances that act only on the cells near the point of hormone synthesis-- not transported through the blood
what are eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid (20:4delta 5,8,11,14)
what are the three classes of eicosanoids, paracrine hormones prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes
what are steroids oxidized derivatives of sterols- many that perform anti-inflammatory activities
what are some characterisitics of the biological membrane diameter of 5-8 nm, made up of phospholipids, proteins; flexibility; separation of compartments; selectively permeable
what are some of the movements of membrane lipids uncatalyzed transverse ("flip-flop", very slow), transverse diffusion catalyzed by flippase (fast) , uncatalyzed lateral diffusion (very fast, happens within layer)
What are the two types of amino acid r-groups alpha helices (membrane spanning), beta barrels (produced by bacteria, gram negative in outer membrane, create pores
what are some characteristics of beta barrel membrane proteins "ribbons" lining pores in membranes, ~7-9 amino acids to span membrane once, ~20 sections of beta-helical polypeptide for one pore
what does staph aureus do releases alpha hemolysin subunits, aggregate in host form pores (multi subunit complexes)
Created by: cooandrew
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5 definitions by Ninjaskillz
Top Definition
A sexy liquid explosion
George Bush had a orgasm as the pie connected with his face
by NinjaSkillz August 21, 2006
2. Music. a. an orchestral composition forming the prelude or introduction to an opera, oratorio, etc.
b. an independent piece of similar character.
4. (in Presbyterian churches) a. the action of an ecclesiastical court in submitting a question or proposal to presbyteries.
b. the proposal or question so submitted.
6. to make an overture or proposal to: to overture one's adversary through a neutral party.
The overture shal be played for the queen
by Ninjaskillz December 01, 2006
Longer version of rofl or lmao, internet speak.
(On a messenger)
Fred: *Tells funny story*
by Ninjaskillz September 30, 2006
-In what way or manner; by what means? How did the accident happen?
-To what extent, degree, etc.?: How damaged is the car?
-In what state or condition?: How are you?
-For what reason; why?: How can you talk such nonsense?
-To what effect; with what meaning?: How is one to interpret his action?
-What?: How do you mean? If they don't have vanilla, how about chocolate?
-(Used as an intensifier): How seldom I go there!
-By what title or name?: How does one address the president?
-At what price: How are the new cars going, cheaper than last year's models?
-By what amount or in what measure or quantity?: How do you sell these tomatoes?
-The manner or way in which: He couldn't figure out how to solve the problem.
-In whatever manner or way; however: You can travel how you please.
-Informal that He told us how he was honest and could be trusted.
-A question concerning the way or manner in which something is done, achieved, etc.: a child's unending whys and how’s.
-A way or manner of doing something: to consider all the how’s and wherefores.
-A word formerly used in communications to represent the letter H.
-And how! Informal. certainly! you bet!: Am I happy? And how!
-Here's how, Informal. (used as a toast).
-How come? Informal. how is it that? Why?: How come you never visit us anymore?
-How so? how does it happen to be so? Why?: You haven't any desire to go? How so?
How did you do that?
I could not figure out how he did that
Who, What, When, Why, Where, How?
by Ninjaskillz November 01, 2006
667 Is the TRUTHFUL "Satanic number"
Fag: Yah! 666 man satanic 4 lyf!
Nonfag: You dues, its 667 you poser fag.
by Ninjaskillz October 21, 2006
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Skin, hair and nail conditions
Home > Conditions >
Acanthosis nigricans
What is it?
Acanthosis nigricans is characterized by the darkening of the skin in body folds and flexures, which becomes thick and velvety.
The disease can affect healthy people or may be associated with other health problems. Some cases are genetically inherited and it is more common the occurrence among people of African descent.
Obesity, as well as other endocrine disorders, can lead to the appearance of acanthosis nigricans, which is frequently found in people with diabetes.
Some drugs, like growth hormone or oral contraceptives are also cited as possible causes for the appearance of acanthosis. Severe cases may be related to the occurrence of malignancies, most commonly gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract, but its occurrence is rare.
Characteristics and symptoms
The acanthosis nigricans develops slowly causing gradual darkening of the affected areas and the lesions are not accompanied by other symptoms.
The places most affected are the armpits, groin and neck, on which are formed areas of darkened, rough ant thickened skin giving a velvety appearance. In some cases, the lips, palms, soles and other areas of the body may also be affected.
If the cause of the appearance of acanthosis nigricans is found and treated, the lesions tend to disappear. When the cause is not found, the use of local products derived from retinoids are an option for enhancing the aspect of the lesions and should be prescribed by a dermatologist according to each case.
Related articles
- Melasma
- Phytophotodermatitis |
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Everyone says that running processes as root is bad, since it defeats the security and privileges model. But what user should be used to run a startup process? Is it really necessary to create a new user, just to own a single startup process?
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ok, so specifically, this is a startup script that keeps phantomjs running, a service which i am using to create screenshots. There is user input of urls, but things are escaped and theres no problem with xss- – chrismarx Oct 16 '12 at 19:10
Most distributions create a separate user for each daemon process - see for yourself by looking in /etc/passwd. – jw013 Oct 16 '12 at 20:48
1 Answer 1
up vote 1 down vote accepted
That depends. Things that run constantly (services, servers), have to write data etc., and, most importantly, interact and use untrustworthy data owned by someone else than root should get their own users.
Other startup processes do not require such security measures.
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Your Answer
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What is a Gene and is it possible to create one?
Chuck Dunn cddunn at texas.net
Mon Jul 24 22:04:50 EST 2000
A gene is a piece of DNA containing the instructions to make a part of
a protein. They can and have been made artificially. But getting the
artificial gene into a cell and getting it to work is another story.
Chuck Dunn
More information about the Plantbio mailing list |
Compartir esta entrada
disobey Saltos de línea: dis|obey
Pronunciación: /dɪsəˈbeɪ/
Definición de disobey en inglés:
[with object]
Fail to obey (rules, a command, or someone in authority): around 1,000 soldiers had disobeyed orders and surrendered
Más ejemplos en oraciones
• She never disobeyed laws or rules for her own ill-gotten gains, it was just that she was good at it, and it was fun.
• That is what civil disobedience is: disobeying existing laws in order to promote change.
• She had disobeyed a witness summons ordering her to give evidence at the trial.
defy, go against, flout, contravene, infringe, overstep, transgress, violate, fail to comply with, resist, oppose, rebel against, fly in the face of;
disregard, ignore, pay no heed to, fail to observe
informal cock a snook at
Law infract
archaic set at naught
Oraciones de ejemplo
• The counter argument, from the disobeyer's point of view, is that the social contract is a fiction as there is no historical evidence of any such agreement ever being entered into.
• All we need to do is assign teams to organize civil disobeyers for each bridge.
Late Middle English: from Old French desobeir, based on Latin oboedire 'obey' (see obey).
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Palabras relacionadas |
Macbeth's Elements of a Tragic Hero
Timeline created by calvinandlouise in Art and Culture
Event Date: Event Title: Event Description:
Knight 2nd Jun, 1111 Macbeth is an exceptional being In this quote the Captain praises Macbeth to Duncan about the battle they have just fought and won. He portrays characteristics of being a brave, loyal and a trustworthy person to Scotland and the king. These characteristics lead him to obtain the title of being the Thane of Cawdor requested by Duncan (the king of Scotland). "For brave Macbeth-well he deserves that name- Distaining Fortune, with his branish'd steel, Which smok'd with bloody execution, Like Valour's minion carv'd out his passage"
Macbeth%20ambition 3rd Jun, 1111 Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw In this quote Macbeth shows a tragic flaw by being too curious about the prophecies the witches told him. This flaw leads to his ambition and eventually to his tragic downfall in the play. “Stay you imperfect speakers. Tell me more. By finel’s death, I know I am Thane of Glamis, But how of Cawdor” (Act 1 Scene 3 Line 68-70).
Macbeth%20wife 7th Jun, 1111 Macbeth’s Weakness In this quote Macbeth shows a flaw of being easily manipulated by Lady Macbeth’s attacks towards his manly hood. “When you durst do it, then you were a man. And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man” (Act 1 Scene 7 Line 48-51). As her husband, Macbeth will be easily affected opposed to anyone else. Macbeth is afraid of killing the king since everyone in Scotland adores the king.
Heaven hell 101 Macbeth Relates to the Universe In this quote Macbeth relates to the universe by relating to heaven and hell. “I go and is done. The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to hell.” (Act 2 Scene 1 Line 62-64). He understands that his actions of murdering Duncan will lead him to hell and that Duncan will go to heaven. He uses the universe to emphasize how he feels towards his actions which also adds to this plays tragedy.
Owl%20and%20hawk The “Great Chain of Being” Being Affected This quote explains how the outside world is being affected by Macbeth’s actions of murdering Duncan. “Tis natural, Even like the deed that’s done. On Tuesday last, A falcon tow’ ring in her pride of place Was by a mousing owl hawk’d at and kill’d” (Act 2 Scene 4 Line 11-13). This quote describes what is happening to the great chain of being where everything including the animals are being disturbed and acting unaccordingly such as an owl taking a hawk as its prey.
Betray Macbeth’s Men Betray Him In this quote Malcolm informs Siward about what happened between the English and Scottish armies. “We have met with foes That strike beside us”. (Act 5 Scene 7 Line 30). He explains that Macbeth’s army betrayed him and did not wish to go against their English army. This quote shows pathos towards Macbeth since his own army went against him and decided to join forces with England.
Macbeth%20death Macbeth’s Death In this quote Macduff has slained Macbeth that leads to a restoration of peace to Scotland and free of Macbeth’s evil. “Hail, King, for so thou art. Behold where stands Th’usurper’s cures head. The time is free. I see thee compass’d with thy kingdom’s pearl,”. (Act 5 Scene 9 Line 21-23). From Macbeth’s death, the chain of being will now be restored since the evil king will no longer be in command but Duncan’s son Malcolm will.
Timespan Dates: Timespan Title: Timespan Description:
2nd Jun, 1111
4th Jun, 1111
Macbeth is an exceptional being (Act 1 Scene 2 Line 16-19).
3rd Jun, 1111
4th Jun, 1111
Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw (2) He shows curiosity about the prophecies because the witches tell him good things towards his fate. This also foreshadows a hint of his greed by being more interested in these prophecies since they tell him about the power he will achieve.
7th Jun, 1111
8th Jun, 1111
Macbeth’s Weakness Also, since he loves his wife very much, he does not want to disappoint her that also adds to his temptation to kill the king.
Macbeth’s Death (2) This is significant in the play because it shows that his death is a crucial part in restoring Scotland's peace. |
West Bengal
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Template:Pp-semiTemplate:Pp-move-indef Template:Infobox state
West Bengal (Template:IPAc-en) is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous.<ref name="Population: India at a glance"/> It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants.<ref name="Population: India at a glance">Template:Cite web</ref> Spread over Template:Convert, it is bordered by the countries of Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, and the Indian states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, and Assam. The state capital is Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). West Bengal encompasses two broad natural regions: the Gangetic Plain in the south and the sub-Himalayan and Himalayan area in the north.
In the 3rd century BC, the broader region of Bengal was conquered by the emperor Ashoka. In the 4th century AD, it was absorbed into the Gupta Empire. From the 13th century onward, the region was ruled by several sultans, powerful Hindu states and Baro-Bhuyan landlords, until the beginning of British rule in the 18th century. The British East India Company cemented their hold on the region following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, and Calcutta served for many years as the capital of British India. The early and prolonged exposure to British administration resulted in expansion of Western education, culminating in development in science, institutional education, and social reforms of the region, including what became known as the Bengal Renaissance. A hotbed of the Indian independence movement through the early 20th century, Bengal was divided during India's independence in 1947 along religious lines into two separate entities: West Bengal—a state of India—and East Bengal—a part of the newly-created Pakistan—later becoming Bangladesh in 1971.
A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's net domestic product.<ref name=rbinsdpstat/> Noted for its political activism, the state was ruled by democratically elected communist government for three decades. West Bengal is noted for its cultural activities and presence of cultural and educational institutions; the state capital Kolkata is known as the "cultural capital of India". The state's cultural heritage, besides varied folk traditions, ranges from stalwarts in literature including Nobel-laureate Rabindranath Tagore to scores of musicians, film-makers and artist. West Bengal is also distinct from most other Indian states in its appreciation and practice of playing soccer besides the national favourite sport cricket.<ref name="dineo foot">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="bose foot">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="das foot">Template:Cite journal</ref>
The name of Bengal, or Bangla, is of unknown origins. Many theories have been formulated to explain the origin of the word "Bengal" or "Bangla". One theory suggests that the word derives from Dravidian tribes of 1000 B.C present at that time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The word might have been derived from the ancient kingdom of Vanga, or Banga. Although some early Sanskrit literature mentions the name, the region's early history is obscure. The region was part of Mauryan empire under Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. In 2011, the government of West Bengal proposed a new English name for the state, Paschimbanga (Template:Lang-bn),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which reflects the pronunciation of the state's name in Bengali.
Template:Main Stone age tools dating back 20,000 years have been excavated in the state.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Remnants of civilisation in the greater Bengal region date back four thousand years,<ref name="bharadwaj">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Citation needed when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, and Austro-Asiatic peoples. The region was a part of the Vanga Kingdom, one of ancient kingdoms of Epic India. The kingdom of Magadha was formed in 7th century BC, consisting of the Bihar and Bengal regions. It was one of the four main kingdoms of India at the time of Mahavira and the Buddha, and consisted of several Janapadas.<ref name=settlements>Template:Cite web</ref> During the rule of Maurya dynasty, the Magadha Empire extended over nearly all of South Asia, including Afghanistan and parts of Persia under Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BC.
One of the earliest foreign references to Bengal is a mention of a land named Gangaridai by the Ancient Greeks around 100 BC. The word is speculated to have come from Gangahrd (Land with the Ganges in its heart) in reference to an area in Bengal.<ref name=Gangaridai>Template:Cite web</ref> Bengal had overseas trade relations with Suvarnabhumi (Burma, Lower Thailand, Lower Malay Peninsula, and the Sumatra).<ref name=ancienttrade>Template:Cite book</ref> According to Mahavamsa, Vijaya Singha, a Vanga prince, conquered Lanka (modern day Sri Lanka) and gave the name "Sinhala" to the country.<ref name=mahavamsa>Template:Cite book</ref>
Template:Double image From the 3rd to the 6th centuries AD, the kingdom of Magadha served as the seat of the Gupta Empire. The first recorded independent king of Bengal was Shashanka, reigning around early 7th century.<ref name=shashankabanglaped>Template:Cite web</ref> After a period of anarchy, the Buddhist Pala dynasty ruled the region for four hundred years, followed by a shorter reign of the Hindu Sena dynasty. In 1010 AD, the whole Bengal was under Rajendra Chola I of Chola Dynasty. Islam made its first appearance in Bengal during the 12th century when Sufi missionaries arrived. Later, occasional Muslim raiders reinforced the process of conversion by building mosques, madrassas and Sufi Khanqah. Between 1202 and 1206, Bakhtiar Khilji, a military commander from the Delhi Sultanate, overran Bihar and Bengal as far east as Rangpur, Bogra and the Brahmaputra River. Although he failed to bring Bengal under his control, the expedition managed to defeat Lakshman Sen and his two sons moved to a place then called Vikramapur (present-day Munshiganj District), where their diminished dominion lasted until the late 13th century.
File:Raja Ram Mohan Roy.jpg
European traders arrived late in the fifteenth century. Their influence grew until the British East India Company gained taxation rights in Bengal subah, or province, following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab, was defeated by the British.<ref name=sirajbanglaped>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bengal Presidency was established by 1765, eventually including all British territories north of the Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh), from the mouths of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra to the Himalayas and the Punjab. The Bengal famine of 1770 claimed millions of lives.<ref name=famine1770>Template:Cite web</ref> Calcutta was named the capital of British India in 1772. The Bengal Renaissance and Brahmo Samaj socio-cultural reform movements had great impact on the cultural and economic life of Bengal. The failed Indian rebellion of 1857 started near Calcutta and resulted in transfer of authority to the British Crown, administered by the Viceroy of India.<ref name=baxter2>Template:Harv</ref> Between 1905 and 1911, an abortive attempt was made to divide the province of Bengal into two zones.<ref name=baxter3>Template:Harv</ref> Bengal suffered from the Great Bengal famine in 1943 that claimed 3 million lives.<ref name=wolpertfamine>Template:Cite book</ref>
Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary groups such as Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar were dominant. Armed attempts against the British Raj from Bengal reached a climax when Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National Army from Southeast Asia against the British. When India gained independence in 1947, Bengal was partitioned along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province called East Bengal (later renamed East Pakistan, giving rise to independent Bangladesh in 1971).<ref name=parttionbanglaped>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1950, the Princely State of Cooch Behar merged with West Bengal.<ref>Sailen Debnath, ed. Social and Political Tensions In North Bengal since 1947, ISBN 81-86860-23-1.</ref> In 1955, the former French enclave of Chandannagar, which had passed into Indian control after 1950, was integrated into West Bengal; portions of Bihar were subsequently merged with West Bengal. Both West and East Bengal suffered from large refugee influx during and after the partition in 1947. Refugee settlement and related issues continued to play significant role in the politics and socio-economic condition of the state.<ref>Sailen Debnath, 'West Bengal in Doldrums'ISBN 978-81-86860-34-2; & Sailen Debnath ed. Social and Political Tensions In North Bengal since 1947, ISBN 81-86860-23-1</ref>
During the 1970s and 1980s, severe power shortages, strikes and a violent Marxist-Naxalite movement damaged much of the state's infrastructure, leading to a period of economic stagnation. The Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 resulted in the influx of millions of refugees to West Bengal, causing significant strains on its infrastructure.<ref name="londonanthology">Template:Harv</ref> The 1974 smallpox epidemic killed thousands. West Bengal politics underwent a major change when the Left Front won the 1977 assembly election, defeating the incumbent Indian National Congress. The Left Front, led by Communist Party of India (Marxist), governed for the state for the subsequent three decades.<ref name=longcommu>Template:Cite news</ref>
The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms were introduced in the mid-1990s by the central government, aided by the advent of information technology and IT-enabled services. As of 2007, armed activists have been conducting minor terrorist attacks in some parts of the state,<ref name=voamaoist>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=satpmcc>Template:Cite web</ref> while clashes with the administration are taking place at several sensitive places over the issue of industrial land acquisition.<ref name=singur1>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=nandi1>Template:Cite news</ref> Although the state's GDP has risen significantly since the 1990s, West Bengal has remained affected by political instability and bad governance.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The state continues to suffer from regular bandhs (strikes),<ref name="ET01">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="sify.com">Template:Cite web</ref> a low Human Development Index level,<ref name="IGIDR">Template:Cite web</ref> substandard healthcare services,<ref name="plunkettresearch">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Health">Template:Cite web</ref> a lack of socio-economic development,<ref name="pcmidnabank">Template:Cite web</ref> poor infrastructure,<ref name="telegraphindia.com">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="tt1">Template:Cite news</ref> political corruption and civil violence.<ref name="Guardian.co.uk">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EconomicTimes">Template:Cite news</ref>
Geography and climate
File:Kalinagar Floods B.JPG
Many areas remain flooded during the heavy rains brought by monsoon
West Bengal is on the eastern bottleneck of India, stretching from the Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. The state has a total area of Template:Convert.<ref name="2011 pp tableA2"/> The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in the northern extreme of the state belongs to the eastern Himalaya. This region contains Sandakfu (Template:Convert)—the highest peak of the state.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The narrow Terai region separates this region from the plains, which in turn transitions into the Ganges delta towards the south. The Rarh region intervenes between the Ganges delta in the east and the western plateau and high lands. A small coastal region is on the extreme south, while the Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.
The Ganges is the main river, which divides in West Bengal. One branch enters Bangladesh as the Padma or Pôdda, while the other flows through West Bengal as the Bhagirathi River and Hooghly River. The Farakka barrage over Ganges feeds the Hooghly branch of the river by a feeder canal, and its water flow management has been a source of lingering dispute between India and Bangladesh.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Teesta, Torsa, Jaldhaka and Mahananda rivers are in the northern hilly region. The western plateau region has rivers such as the Damodar, Ajay and Kangsabati. The Ganges delta and the Sundarbans area have numerous rivers and creeks. Pollution of the Ganges from indiscriminate waste dumped into the river is a major problem.<ref name=gangapoll>Template:Cite news</ref> Damodar, another tributary of the Ganges and once known as the "Sorrow of Bengal" (due to its frequent floods), has several dams under the Damodar Valley Project. At least nine districts in the state suffer from arsenic contamination of groundwater, and an estimated 8.7 million people drink water containing arsenic above the World Health Organisation recommended limit of 10 µg/L.<ref name=arsenicwb>Template:Cite web</ref>
West Bengal's climate varies from tropical savanna in the southern portions to humid subtropical in the north. The main seasons are summer, rainy season, a short autumn, and winter. While the summer in the delta region is noted for excessive humidity, the western highlands experience a dry summer like northern India, with the highest day temperature ranging from Template:Convert to Template:Convert.<ref name=webindia>Template:Cite web</ref> At nights, a cool southerly breeze carries moisture from the Bay of Bengal. In early summer brief squalls and thunderstorms known as Kalbaisakhi, or Nor'westers, often occur.<ref name=kalboisakhi>Template:Cite web</ref> West Bengal receives the Bay of Bengal branch of the Indian ocean monsoon that moves in a northwest direction. Monsoons bring rain to the whole state from June to September. Heavy rainfall of above 250 cm is observed in the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar district. During the arrival of the monsoons, low pressure in the Bay of Bengal region often leads to the occurrence of storms in the coastal areas. Winter (December–January) is mild over the plains with average minimum temperatures of Template:Convert.<ref name=webindia/> A cold and dry northern wind blows in the winter, substantially lowering the humidity level. However, the Darjeeling Himalayan Hill region experiences a harsh winter, with occasional snowfall at places.
Flora and fauna
State symbols of West Bengal
Union day 18 August (Day of
accession to India)
State animal Fishing cat<ref name="wiisymbols">Template:Cite web</ref> 50px
State bird White-throated Kingfisher 50px
State tree Devil Tree<ref name="wiisymbols"/> 50px
State flower Night-flowering Jasmine<ref name="wiisymbols"/> 50px
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As of 2009, recorded forest area in the state is Template:Convert which is 13.38% of the state's geographical area,<ref name="fsiwbforest">Template:Cite web</ref> compared to the national average of 21.02%.<ref name="fsiindiaforest">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=hdrchap9>Template:Harvnb</ref> Reserves, protected and unclassed forests constitute 59.4%, 31.8% and 8.9%, respectively, of the forest area.<ref name="fsiwbforest"/> Part of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, is located in southern West Bengal.<ref name=mangrove>Template:Cite news</ref>
From a phytogeographic viewpoint, the southern part of West Bengal can be divided into two regions: the Gangetic plain and the littoral mangrove forests of the Sundarbans.<ref name=Mukherji>Template:Cite book</ref> The alluvial soil of the Gangetic plain, compounded with favourable rainfall, make this region especially fertile.<ref name=Mukherji/> Much of the vegetation of the western part of the state shares floristic similarities with the plants of the Chota Nagpur plateau in the adjoining state of Jharkhand.<ref name=Mukherji/> The predominant commercial tree species is Shorea robusta, commonly known as the Sal tree. The coastal region of Purba Medinipur exhibits coastal vegetation; the predominant tree is the Casuarina. A notable tree from the Sundarbans is the ubiquitous sundari (Heritiera fomes), from which the forest gets its name.<ref name="vegetation">Template:Cite web</ref>
The distribution of vegetation in northern West Bengal is dictated by elevation and precipitation. For example, the foothills of the Himalayas, the Dooars, are densely wooded with Sal and other tropical evergreen trees.<ref name=India123>Template:Cite web</ref> However, above an elevation of Template:Convert, the forest becomes predominantly subtropical. In Darjeeling, which is above Template:Convert, temperate-forest trees such as oaks, conifers, and rhododendrons predominate.<ref name=India123/>
West Bengal has 3.26% of its geographical area under protected areas comprising 15 wildlife sanctuaries and 5 national parks<ref name="fsiwbforest"/> — Sundarbans National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park and Singalila National Park. Extant wildlife include Indian rhinoceros, Indian elephant, deer, bison, leopard, gaur, tiger, and crocodiles, as well as many bird species. Migratory birds come to the state during the winter.<ref name=flora2>Template:Cite web</ref> The high-altitude forests of Singalila National Park shelter barking deer, red panda, chinkara, takin, serow, pangolin, minivet and Kalij pheasants. The Sundarbans are noted for a reserve project conserving the endangered Bengal tiger, although the forest hosts many other endangered species, such as the Gangetic dolphin, river terrapin and estuarine crocodile.<ref name=hdrchap10>Template:Harvnb</ref> The mangrove forest also acts as a natural fish nursery, supporting coastal fishes along the Bay of Bengal.<ref name=hdrchap10/> Recognizing its special conservation value, Sundarban area has been declared as a Biosphere Reserve.<ref name="fsiwbforest"/>
Government and politics
Template:Main Template:See also
File:Calcutta High Court.jpg
Calcutta High Court is the highest court in West Bengal
The main players in the regional politics are the All India Trinamool Congress, the Indian National Congress, the Left Front alliance (led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)). Following the West Bengal State Assembly Election in 2011, the All India Trinamool Congress and Indian National Congress coalition under Mamata Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress was elected to power (getting 225 seats in the legislature).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> West Bengal was ruled by the Left Front for the 34 years (1977–2011), making it the world's longest-running democratically elected communist government.<ref name=longcommu/>
File:WestBengalDistricts numbered.svg
Districts of West Bengal
The following is a list of nineteen districts of by rank in India.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> <ref name=blocdir>Template:Cite web</ref>
Rank District Population Growth rate Sex ratio Literacy Density per Kilometer
2 North 24 Parganas 10,082,852 12.86 949 84.95 2463
6 South 24 Parganas 8,153,176 18.05 949 78.57 819
7 Bardhaman 7,723,663 12.01 943 77.15 1100
9 Murshidabad 7,102,430 21.07 957 67.53 1334
14 West Midnapore 5,943,300 14.44 960 79.04 636
16 Hooghly 5,520,389 9.49 958 82.55 1753
18 Nadia 5,168,488 12.24 947 75.58 1316
20 East Midnapore 5,094,238 15.32 936 87.66 1076
23 Howrah 4,841,638 13.31 935 83.85 3300
35 Kolkata 4,486,679 -1.88 899 87.14 24252
58 Maldah 3,997,970 21.50 939 62.71 1071
66 Jalpaiguri 3,869,675 13.77 954 73.79 621
80 Bankura 3,596,292 12.64 954 70.95 523
84 Birbhum 3,502,387 16.15 956 70.90 771
124 North Dinajpur 3,000,849 22.90 936 60.13 956
129 Purulia 2,927,965 15.43 955 65.38 468
136 Cooch Behar 2,822,780 13.86 942 75.49 833
257 Darjeeling 1,842,034 14.47 971 79.92 585
295 South Dinajpur 1,670,931 11.16 954 73.86 753
Each district is governed by a district collector or district magistrate, appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the West Bengal Civil Service.<ref name=panchayatdef>Template:Cite web</ref> Each district is subdivided into Sub-Divisions, governed by a sub-divisional magistrate, and again into Blocks. Blocks consists of panchayats (village councils) and town municipalities.<ref name=blocdir/>
The capital and largest city of the state is Kolkata – the third-largest urban agglomeration<ref name=uapop2011> Template:Cite web</ref> and the seventh-largest city<ref name=cityrank>Template:Cite web</ref> in India. Asansol is the second largest city & urban agglomeration in West Bengal after Kolkata.<ref name=uapop2011/> Siliguri is an economically important city, strategically located in the northeastern Siliguri Corridor (Chicken's Neck) of India. Other major cities and towns in West Bengal are Howrah, Durgapur, Raniganj, Haldia, Jalpaiguri, Kharagpur, Burdwan, Darjeeling, Midnapore, and Malda.<ref name=cityrank/>
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Net State Domestic Product at Factor Cost at Current Prices (2004–05 Base)<ref name=rbinsdpstat>Template:Cite web</ref>
(figures in crores of Indian Rupees)
Year Net State Domestic Product
2004–2005 190,073
2005–2006 209,642
2006–2007 238,625
2007–2008 272,166
2008–2009 309,799
2009–2010 366,318
In 2009–10, the tertiary sector of the economy (service industries) was the largest contributor to the gross domestic product of the state, contributing 57.8% of the state domestic product compared to 24% from primary sector (agriculture, forestry, mining) and 18.2% from secondary sector (industrial and manufacturing).<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp Agriculture is the leading occupation in West Bengal. Rice is the state's principal food crop. Rice, potato, jute, sugarcane and wheat are the top five crops of the state.<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp Tea is produced commercially in northern districts; the region is well known for Darjeeling and other high quality teas.<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp State industries are localised in the Kolkata region, the mineral-rich western highlands, and Haldia port region.<ref name=wbidcindinf>Template:Cite web</ref> The Durgapur–Asansol colliery belt is home to a number of major steel plants.<ref name=wbidcindinf/> Manufacturing industries playing an important economic role are engineering products, electronics, electrical equipment, cables, steel, leather, textiles, jewellery, frigates, automobiles, railway coaches, and wagons. The Durgapur centre has established a number of industries in the areas of tea, sugar, chemicals and fertilisers. Natural resources like tea and jute in and nearby parts has made West Bengal a major centre for the jute and tea industries.
A significant part of the state is economically backward, namely, large parts of six northern districts of Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Malda, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur; three western districts of Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum; and the Sundarbans area.<ref name=hdrchap1>Template:Harvnb</ref> Years after independence, West Bengal was still dependent on the central government for meeting its demands for food; food production remained stagnant and the Indian green revolution bypassed the state. However, there has been a significant spurt in food production since the 1980s, and the state now has a surplus of grains.<ref name=hdrchap1/> The state's share of total industrial output in India was 9.8% in 1980–81, declining to 5% by 1997–98. However, the service sector has grown at a rate higher than the national rate.<ref name=hdrchap1/>
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File:Ploughing with cattle in West Bengal.jpg
A farmer works an ox-drawn plow in Kadmati, West Bengal.
In terms net state domestic product (NSDP), West Bengal has the sixth largest economy (2009–2010) in India, with an NSDP of 366,318 crore Indian rupees, behind Maharashtra (817,891 crores), Uttar Pradesh (453,020 crores), Andhra Pradesh (426,816 crores), Tamil Nadu (417,716 crores), and Gujarat (370,400 crores).<ref name=rbinsdpstat/> In the period 2004–2005 to 2009–2010, the average gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate was 13.9% (calculated in Indian rupee term), lower than 15.5%, the average for all states of the country.<ref name=ibef2011>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Rp The state’s per capita GSDP at current prices in 2009–10 was US$ 956.4, improved from US$ 553.7 in 2004–05,<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rpbut lower than the national per capita GSDP of US$ 1,302.<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp The state's total financial debt stood at Template:INRConvert as of 2011.<ref name="etdebt">Template:Cite news</ref>
The state has promoted foreign direct investment, which has mostly come in the software and electronics fields; Kolkata is becoming a major hub for the Information technology (IT) industry. Rapid industrialisation process has given rise to debate over land acquisition for industry in this agrarian state.<ref name=landproblem>Template:Cite news</ref> NASSCOMGartner ranks West Bengal power infrastructure the best in the country.<ref name=hannoverindia>Template:Cite web</ref> Notably, many corporate companies are now headquartered in Kolkata include ITC Limited, India Government Mint, Kolkata, Haldia Petrochemicals, Exide Industries, Hindustan Motors, Britannia Industries, Bata India, Birla Corporation, CESC Limited, Coal India Limited, Damodar Valley Corporation, PwC India, Peerless Group, United Bank of India, UCO Bank and Allahabad Bank. In 2010s, events such as adoption of "Look East" policy by the government of India, opening of the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim as a border trade-route with China and immense interest in the South East Asian countries to enter the Indian market and invest have put Kolkata in an advantageous position for development in future, particularly with likes of Myanmar, where India needs oil from military regime.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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As of 2011, the total length of surface road in West Bengal is over Template:Convert;<ref name="ibef2011"/>Template:Rp national highways comprise Template:Convert<ref name=highwaylength>Template:Cite web</ref> and state highways Template:Convert.<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp As of 2006, the road density of the state is 103.69 km per 100 km² (166.92 mi per 100 sq mi), higher than the national average of 74.7 km per 100 km² (120 mi per 100 sq mi).<ref name=growthfrontline>Template:Cite journal</ref> Average speed on state highways varies between 40–50 km/h (25–31 mi/h); in villages and towns, speeds are as low as 20–25 km/h (12–16 mi/h) due to the substandard quality of road constructions and low maintenance. As of 2011, the total railway route length is around Template:Convert.<ref name=ibef2011/>Template:Rp Kolkata is the headquarters of two divisions of the Indian RailwaysEastern Railway and South Eastern Railway.<ref name=irfcazones>Template:Cite web</ref> The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) plies in the northern parts of the state. The Kolkata metro is the country's first underground railway.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, part of NFR, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<ref name=heritageunesco>Template:Cite web</ref>
The state's only international airport is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum, Kolkata. Bagdogra airport near Siliguri is another significant airport in the state. Kolkata is a major river-port in eastern India. The Kolkata Port Trust manages both the Kolkata docks and the Haldia docks.<ref name=dockport>Template:Cite web</ref> There is passenger service to Port Blair on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and cargo ship service to ports in India and abroad, operated by the Shipping Corporation of India. Ferry is a principal mode of transport in the southern part of the state, especially in the Sundarbans area. Kolkata is the only city in India to have trams as a mode of transport and these are operated by the Calcutta Tramways Company.<ref name=onlytram>Template:Cite news</ref>
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According to the provisional results of 2011 national census, West Bengal is the fourth most populous state in India with a population of 91,347,736 (7.55% of India's population).<ref name="2011 pp tableA2"/> Majority of the population comprises Bengalis.<ref name=ethnic1>Template:Cite book</ref> The Marwaris, Bihari and Oriya minority are scattered throughout the state; communities of Sherpas and ethnic Tibetans can be found in Darjeeling Himalayan hill region. Darjeeling district has a large number of Gurkha people of Nepalese origin. West Bengal is home to indigenous tribal Adivasis such as Santals, Kol, Koch-Rajbongshi and Toto tribe. There are a small number of ethnic minorities primarily in the state capital, including Chinese, Tamils, Gujaratis, Anglo-Indians, Armenians, Punjabis, and Parsis.<ref name="BanerjeePage3"> Template:Cite book</ref> India's sole Chinatown is in eastern Kolkata.<ref name="BanerjeePage10"> Template:Cite book</ref>
Template:Bar box The official language is Bengali and English.<ref name=nclmanurep2010>Template:Cite web</ref> Nepali is the official language in three subdivisions of Darjeeling district.<ref name=nclmanurep2010/> As of 2001, in descending order of number of speakers, the languages of the state are: Bengali, Hindi, Santali, Urdu, Nepali, and Oriya.<ref name=nclmanurep2010/> Languages such as Rajbongshi and Ho are used in some parts of the state.
As of 2001, Hinduism is the principal religion at 72.5% of the total population, while Muslims comprise 25.2% of the total population , being the second-largest community as also the largest minority group; Sikhism, Christianity and other religions make up the remainder.<ref name=relegionindia>Template:Cite web</ref> The state contributes 7.8% of India's population.<ref name=percentcensus>Population of West Bengal (80,221,171) is 7.8% of India's population (1,027,015,247)</ref> The state's 2001–2011 decennial growth rate was 13.93%,<ref name="2011 pp tableA2"/> lower than 1991–2001 growth rate of 17.8%,<ref name="2011 pp tableA2"/> and also lower than the national rate of 17.64%.<ref name=indiastatesprov2011>Template:Cite web</ref> The gender ratio is 947 females per 1000 males.<ref name=indiastatesprov2011/> As of 2011, West Bengal has a population density of Template:Convert making it the second-most densely populated state in India, after Bihar.<ref name=indiastatesprov2011/>
The literacy rate is 77.08%, higher than the national rate of 74.04%.<ref name=indialitprov2011>Template:Cite web</ref> Data of 1995–1999 showed the life expectancy in the state was 63.4 years, higher than the national value of 61.7 years.<ref name=expectancytogether>Template:Cite web</ref> About 72% of people live in rural areas. The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 1999–2000 was 31.9%.<ref name=hdrchap1/> Scheduled Castes and Tribes form 28.6% and 5.8% of the population respectively in rural areas, and 19.9% and 1.5% respectively in urban areas.<ref name=hdrchap1/> A study conducted in three districts of West Bengal found that accessing private health services to treat illness had a catastrophic impact on households. This indicates the value of public provision of health services to mitigate against poverty and the impact of illness on poor households.<ref name="FHS Research Brief 4">Template:Cite journal</ref>
The crime rate in the state in 2004 was 82.6 per 100,000, which was half of the national average.<ref name=ncrb1>Template:Cite book</ref> This is the fourth-lowest crime rate among the 32 states and union territories of India.<ref name=hdrchap8>Template:Harvnb</ref> However, the state reported the highest rate of Special and Local Laws (SLL) crimes.<ref name=ncrbsnapshot>Template:Cite book</ref> In reported crimes against women, the state showed a crime rate of 7.1 compared to the national rate of 14.1.<ref name=hdrchap8/> Some estimates state that there are more than 60,000 brothel-based women and girls in prostitution in Kolkata.<ref name="merinews.com">Template:Cite web</ref> The population of prostitutes in Sonagachi constitutes mainly of Nepalese, Indians and Bangladeshis.<ref name="merinews.com"/> Some sources estimate there are 60,000 women in the brothels of Kolkata.<ref name="merinews.com"/> The largest prostitution area in city is Sonagachi.<ref name="merinews.com"/> West Bengal was the first Indian state to constitute a Human Rights Commission of its own.<ref name=hdrchap8/>
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Music and dance
The Baul tradition is a unique heritage of Bengali folk music, which has also been influenced by regional music traditions.<ref name=baulbengalonline>Template:Cite web</ref> Other folk music forms include Gombhira and Bhawaiya. Folk music in West Bengal is often accompanied by the ektara, a one-stringed instrument. West Bengal also has a heritage in North Indian classical music. "Rabindrasangeet", songs composed and set into tune by Rabindranath Tagore and "Nazrul geeti" (by Kazi Nazrul Islam) are popular. Also prominent are other musical forms like Dwijendralal, Atulprasad and Rajanikanta's songs, and "adhunik" or modern music from films and other composers.
Mainstream Hindi films are popular in Bengal, and the state is home to a thriving cinema industry, dubbed "Tollywood". Tollygunj in Kolkata is the location of numerous Bengali movie studios, and the name "Tollywood" (similar to Hollywood and Bollywood) is derived from that name. The Bengali film industry is well known for its art films, and has produced acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak. Prominent contemporary directors include Buddhadev Dasgupta, Tarun Majumdar, Goutam Ghose, Aparna Sen and Rituparno Ghosh.
Fine arts
Reformist heritage
File:Pitha for Wedding- Pakan, Patishapta, Bharandash.jpg
Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading to a saying in Bengali, machhe bhate bangali, that translates as "fish and rice make a Bengali".<ref name=machhe>Template:Cite web</ref> Bengal's vast repertoire of fish-based dishes includes hilsa preparations, a favourite among Bengalis. There are numerous ways of cooking fish depending on the texture, size, fat content and the bones. Sweets occupy an important place in the diet of Bengalis and at their social ceremonies. It is an ancient custom among both Hindu and Muslim Bengalis to distribute sweets during festivities. The confectionery industry has flourished because of its close association with social and religious ceremonies. Competition and changing tastes have helped to create many new sweets. Bengalis make distinctive sweetmeats from milk products, including Rôshogolla, Chômchôm, Kalojam and several kinds of sondesh. Pitha, a kind of sweet cake, bread or dimsum are specialties of winter season. Sweets like coconut-naru, til-naru, moa, payesh, etc. are prepared during the festival of Lakshmi puja. Popular street food includes Aloor Chop, Beguni, Kati roll, and phuchka.<ref name=rolltelegraph>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=streetfood>Template:Cite web</ref>
File:Durga Puja celebration.jpg
A Murti (representation) of Maa Durga
West Bengal has eighteen universities.<ref name=universitieswb>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=wbuhs>Template:Cite web</ref> The University of Calcutta, the oldest public university in India, has 136 affiliated colleges. Kolkata has played a pioneering role in the development of the modern education system in India. It is the gateway to the revolution of European education. Sir William Jones (philologist) established the Asiatic Society in 1794 for promoting oriental studies. People like Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Alexander Duff and William Carey played a leading role in the setting up of modern schools and colleges in the city. The Fort William College was established in 1810. The Hindu College was established in 1817. The Scottish Church College, which is the oldest Christian liberal arts college in South Asia, started its journey in 1830. In 1855 the Hindu College was renamed as the Presidency College.<ref name=cuaffiliated>Template:Cite web</ref> The Bengal Engineering & Science University and Jadavpur University are prestigious technical universities.<ref name=engicolbengal>Template:Cite news</ref> Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan is a central university and an institution of national importance.<ref name=visva>Template:Cite web</ref> The state has several higher education institutes of national importance including Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (the first IIM), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Indian Statistical Institute, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (the first IIT), National Institute of Technology, Durgapur and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. After 2003 the state govt supported the creation of West Bengal University of Technology, West Bengal State University and Gour Banga University.
West Bengal had 505 published newspapers in 2005,<ref name=rniindia>Template:Cite web</ref> of which 389 were in Bengali.<ref name=rniindia/> Ananda Bazar Patrika, published from Kolkata with 1,277,801 daily copies, has the largest circulation for a single-edition, regional language newspaper in India.<ref name=rniindia/> Other major Bengali newspapers are Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin, Aajkaal, Jago Bangla, Uttarbanga Sambad and Ganashakti. Major English language newspapers which are published and sold in large numbers are The Telegraph, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, The Statesman, The Indian Express and Asian Age. Some prominent financial dailies like The Economic Times, Financial Express, Business Line and Business Standard are widely circulated. Vernacular newspapers such as those in Hindi, Nepali Gujarati, Oriya, Urdu and Punjabi are also read by a select readership.
Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster. Multi system operators provide a mix of Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, English and international channels via cable. Bengali 24-hour television news channels include STAR Ananda now (ABP Ananda), Tara Newz, Kolkata TV, News Time, 24 Ghanta, Mahuaa Khobor, Ne Bangla, CTVN Plus, Channel 10 and R Plus.<ref name=moneycontrol.com>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=calcuttaweb.com>Template:Cite web</ref> All India Radio is a public radio station.<ref name=calcuttaweb.com/> Private FM stations are available only in cities like Kolkata, Siliguri and Asansol.<ref name=calcuttaweb.com/> Vodafone, Airtel, BSNL, Reliance Communications, Uninor, Aircel, MTS India, Tata Indicom, Idea Cellular and Tata DoCoMo are available cellular phone operators. Broadband internet is available in select towns and cities and is provided by the state-run BSNL and by other private companies. Dial-up access is provided throughout the state by BSNL and other providers.
File:Salt Lake Stadium - Yuva Bharati Krirangan , Kolkata - Calcutta 5.jpg
Salt Lake Stadium – Yuva Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata
Cricket and football (soccer) are popular sports in the state. West Bengal, unlike most other states of India, is noted for its passion and patronage of football.<ref name="dineo foot"/><ref name="bose foot"/><ref name="das foot"/> Kolkata is one of the major centres for football in India<ref name=soccercenter>Template:Cite web</ref> and houses top national clubs such as East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting Club.<ref name=iloveindia1>Template:Cite web</ref> Indian sports such as Kho Kho and Kabaddi are also played. Calcutta Polo Club is considered as the oldest polo club of the world,<ref name=Kolpolo>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Royal Calcutta Golf Club is the oldest of its kind outside Great Britain.<ref name=royalgolf>Template:Cite web</ref> Salt Lake Stadium is the world's second largest stadium, and Eden Gardens stadium is the largest cricket stadium in India.
West Bengal has several large stadiums—The Eden Gardens is one of only two 100,000-seat cricket amphitheaters in the world, although renovations will reduce this figure.<ref name=edenstats>Template:Cite web</ref> Kolkata Knight Riders, East Zone and Bengal play there, and the 1987 World Cup final was there although in 2011 World Cup, Eden Gardens was stripped due to construction incompleteness. Salt Lake Stadium—a multi-use stadium—is the world's second highest-capacity football stadium.<ref name=stadiarank>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=stadiarank2>Template:Cite web</ref> Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is the second-oldest cricket club in the world.<ref name=ccfcdate>Template:Cite news</ref> National and international sports events are also held in Durgapur, Siliguri and Kharagpur.<ref name=wbtoursports>Template:Cite web</ref> Notable sports persons from West Bengal include former Indian national cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, Pankaj Roy Olympic tennis bronze medallist Leander Paes, and chess grand master Dibyendu Barua. Other major sporting icons over the years include famous football players such as Chuni Goswami, PK Banerjee and Sailen Manna as well as swimmer Mihir Sen and athlete Jyotirmoyee Sikdar (winner of gold medals at the Asian Games).<ref name=iloveindia>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Wide image
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Template:Featured article Template:West Bengal topics Template:States and territories of India Template:Coord Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy datesaf:Wes-Bengale ang:West Bengal ar:بنغال الغربية as:পশ্চিমবঙ্গ bn:পশ্চিমবঙ্গ zh-min-nan:West Bengal be:Заходняя Бенгалія be-x-old:Заходняя Бэнгалія bh:पश्चिम बंगाल bg:Западна Бенгалия br:Kornôg Bengal ca:Bengala Occidental cs:Západní Bengálsko cy:Gorllewin Bengal da:Vestbengalen de:Westbengalen dv:ވެސްޓު ބެންގާލް et:Lääne-Bengali osariik es:Bengala Occidental eo:Okcident-Bengalo eu:Mendebaldeko Bengala fa:بنگال غربی hif:West Bengal fr:Bengale-Occidental gu:પશ્ચિમ બંગાળ ko:서벵골 주 hi:पश्चिम बंगाल hr:Zapadni Bengal bpy:পশ্চিমবঙ্গ id:Benggala Barat is:Vestur-Bengal it:Bengala Occidentale he:מערב בנגל kn:ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಬಂಗಾಳ ka:დასავლეთი ბენგალი sw:West Bengal ku:Bengala Rojava la:Bengalia occidentalis lv:Rietumbengāle lt:Vakarų Bengalija hu:Nyugat-Bengál mk:Западен Бенгал mg:Bengaly andrefana ml:പശ്ചിമ ബംഗാൾ mr:पश्चिम बंगाल ms:Bengal Barat nl:West-Bengalen ne:पश्चिम बङ्गाल new:पश्चिम बंगाल ja:西ベンガル州 no:Vest-Bengal nn:Vest-Bengal oc:Bengala Occidental or:ପଶ୍ଚିମବଙ୍ଗ pa:ਪੱਛਮੀ ਬੰਗਾਲ pnb:لیندا بنگال pl:Bengal Zachodni pt:Bengala Ocidental ro:Bengalul de Vest qu:Kunti Banla ru:Западная Бенгалия sa:पश्चिमबङ्गालराज्यम् sco:Wast Bengal simple:West Bengal sk:Západné Bengálsko sr:Западни Бенгал sh:Zapadni Bengal fi:Länsi-Bengali sv:Västbengalen tl:Kanlurang Bengal ta:மேற்கு வங்காளம் te:పశ్చిమ బెంగాల్ th:รัฐเบงกอลตะวันตก tg:Бенголи Ғарбӣ tr:Batı Bengal uk:Західний Бенгал ur:مغربی بنگال vec:Bengala Occidentale vi:Tây Bengal war:Katundan nga Bengal yo:Ìwọòrùn Bẹ̀ngál diq:Bengal Rocawani zh:西孟加拉邦
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Plains Indian a member of any of the buffalo-hunting, seminomadic North American Indian peoples that formerly inhabited the Great Plains.
plainsman a man who lives on the plains, esp. a frontiersman or early settler on the prairies or plains of the midwestern and western United States.
plainsong an unaccompanied monophonic chant or melody, such as that used in Hindu and early Christian liturgies. [2 definitions]
plainswoman a woman who lives on the plains, esp. an early settler on the prairies of the midwestern and western United States.
plaint an expression of unhappiness; complaint. [2 definitions]
plaintiff one who initiates a lawsuit against another. (Cf. defendant.)
plaintive showing or expressing sadness or sorrow.
plait strands, as of hair or cloth, woven together; braid. [5 definitions]
plan an intended action; aim. [6 definitions]
planar of or concerning a flat surface or plane. [2 definitions]
planarian any of various free-moving aquatic flatworms having small, broad bodies and a three-part intestinal tract.
planchet a small piece of blank metal onto which a coin will be stamped.
planchette a small platform, as on a Ouija board, on which the fingertips rest, their slight pressure causing the platform to move and spell out words with an attached pencil or by pointing to letters.
Planck's constant the fundamental constant in quantum mechanics that expresses the ratio of the radiant energy of one quantum to the frequency of radiation.
plane1 a flat or level surface. [7 definitions]
plane2 any of various carpentry tools with an adjustable blade, used to make surfaces of wood smooth, true, grooved, or the like. [3 definitions]
plane geometry the geometry of two-dimensional or planar figures.
planer a person or thing that planes, esp. a machine that cuts or smooths wood. |
TDK to Double Hard Drive Capacity with Frickin' Lasers
Outside of Hollywood, lasers mounted on sharks is a technology that may never be realized. But in hard drives? The mad scientists at TDK on working on this very thing, and once completed, it has the potential to more than double the capacity of today's hard drives. This isn't a theoretical technology that's still years or decades away, but one that will manifest in shipping drives by late next year, according to reports.
The mechanical hard drive sitting in your rig at home utilizes rotating platters. In order to read and write data to and from the platters, a magnetic head gets as close as it can with crashing into them. It's pretty remarkable when you get into the science of it all, but also pretty limited. It gets increasingly difficult for platters to hold proper magnetic charges as more data is packed onto the platters, and that's going to be a problem moving forward.
Today's mechanical hard drives use magnetic heads to read and write data.
TDK's solution is to use lasers in conjunction with a high coercivity material that's stable at normal temperatures but has to be heated when writing data. The technology is called heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). Using this new technology, TDK expects to able to build a 2.5-inch hard drive with 1TB platters. In the 3.5-inch space, this could translate to 8TB hard drives (four 4TB platters).
Tags: Hard Drive, HDD, TDK, lasers
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how can I upload a file with sockets to a ftp server? I am reading something with "STOR" in RFC...It is the same how i transfer a file between two computers?A sample code would be helpfuly...thanks
share|improve this question
There are many FTP clients and libraries out there, why reinvent ? – Romain Hippeau Apr 24 '10 at 18:17
I need it for a Java... – java2009 Apr 24 '10 at 18:18
i want to learn java – java2009 Apr 24 '10 at 18:18
5 Answers 5
I don´t advice to use raw sockets to upload FTP files, instead use something like SimpleFTP, it's easier to use and it will save you a lot of time. And since you're learning Java, you should do it on the easiest possible way.
share|improve this answer
JavaWorld presents a discussion of some FTP client libraries. To begin with, they even teach you how to use the "built-in" Java URLConnection to do FTP with in a simple way. That should get you started!
share|improve this answer
Instead of uploading a file to a ftp I'd suggest that you write your own server and client software and have them communicate with eachother if you want to learn to use sockets in java.
When you have learned that you can read the RFC for ftp which should tell you how to communicate with the FTP server. You need to learn and understand the ftp protocol in order to construct valid packets with data to send and in order to parse the data you receive from the ftp server.
its usually requests, responses and data sent back and forth.
Filedata itself is just sent in its raw form unless the ftp server requires encryption, but requests and responses can be in any form, binary values, decimal values, strings etc all depending on the protocol and the type of request.. You need to know this to setup a valid communication channel.
I don't know the ftp protocol myself so I'm just demonstrating examples so you'll easier understand what it's all about.
share|improve this answer
You really do not want to write your own implementation of the FTP protocol - it's not as simple as it might seem at first glance.
I'm using commons ftp , which gives you a nice API to all ftp operations.
If you don't need that much control, you could use URLConnection from the standard java library.
share|improve this answer
What language are you using? You can use the FTP functions if you have access to the APIs.
share|improve this answer
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Need To Be a Better Listener? Try These Six Steps
Listening involves suspending one's own judgment and predetermined ideas enough to really hear what the other person is saying, Harrison says.
On more than one occasion, I have talked with individuals who were asked to be part of "listening sessions" that turned out to be something else entirely.
Instead, they found their comments discounted; the facilitator of the "listening session" sought to justify the organization's prior actions and current practices.
The definition of "listen" is "to pay close attention to; to give heed to." There are two aspects to this definition.
· One is attentive to the words that the speaker is saying.
Let me suggest some guidelines for those conducting "listening" sessions.
1. Listen. In "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey says, "Seek first to understand … then to be understood." Listening involves suspending one's own judgment and predetermined ideas enough to really hear what the other person is saying. This takes not only patience but perception.
3. Be humble. Admit that you don't have all the answers. In reality, you may not even know how to effectively frame the questions! Realize that you are a learner and that the members of your audience are your teachers.
4. Take notes. If possible, have someone else take copious notes of what is said without attribution of who made particular comments. This is better than doing a video or audio recording, which might discourage some folks from being completely candid. The notes provide reminders and possible items for action. If someone specifically asks for a response to a statement, ask them to either give you their contact information or provide a way that they can get in touch with you by email or letter.
We need more opportunities for stakeholders to speak, but they must be more than a mere public relations ploy or meaningless exercise if they are to be an effective tool for change.
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Understanding Open Source Licensing
Feb 02, 2012, 03:17 (0 Talkback[s])
"Arguably, the prime reason why developers tend to opt for open source licenses is that it lets their software roll on as a group or community exercise, and this in turn enhances productivity manifolds. For instance, Acquia Network, the parent organization behind Drupal, currently consists of 160 employees. Obviously, a company of that size cannot sustain a mammoth project such as Drupal. However, Drupal itself being open source, is helped by the numerous volunteers from the community. Similarly, WordPress rides the wagon of a super-active community while its parent organization, Automattic, concentrates on select issues.
"Open source licenses nowadays come in multiple versions. Wikipedia has a rather incomplete list of some of the major free licenses at While all such licenses cater to diverse purposes with the same goal ('freedom'), we shall restrict ourselves to only the major ones for the sake of simplicity. From a small/medium enterprise's point of view, the noteworthy licenses include GPL/LGPL, MPL, Apache License and BSD License."
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Serbia has a rich cultural heritage ranging from the remains of the oldest human settlement Lepenski Vir, 7000 years old, through the Neolithic site at Vinca, Roman and Byzantine edifices, Tabula Trajana, Gamzigrad, the Belgrade Fortress, Petrovaradin Fortress, to medieval monasteries with their unique architecture and fresco paintings of outstanding beauty from golden age of Serbia in the 12th and 13th centuries.
Belgrade, the capital and the "soul" of modern Serbia, is situated at the confluence of the Sava and the Danube. In the course of its long history it has been captured 60 times, and razed to the ground at least 38 times; however every time it got leveled to the ground the city had arisen from its ashes, like a phoenix- which is a legend connected to the city. Today, it is a modern city of about 2 million inhabitants. To visitors Belgrade offers its rich programme of cultural, artistic and sports events, many museums, cultural and historic monuments. With the Sava Congress Centre and numerous hotels, Belgrade has become one of the major congress and convention centres in Europe.
Many mineral spring and a large number of well-appointed spas with a long tradition of use going as far back as Roman times, are an important feature of Serbia's tourism. In terms of the number of springs and the quality of the waters these spas are famous in Europe.
The combination of natural factors and medical methods in Serbia's modern and specialized centres yields remarkable results in treatment and rehabilitation. Almost all of the spas are situated at the foot of mountains surrounded by wooded hills, and have a mild climate.
golden age of serbia, truly reflects the outstanding beauty which ranges from the 12th and 13th centuries.
by siiizzerb February 27, 2008
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Home arrow History arrow People arrow Dương Văn Minh
Dương Văn Minh Print E-mail
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Sep 25, 2007 at 09:25 PM
Dương Văn MinhDương Văn Minh (February 16, 1916 – August 5, 2001), known popularly as "Big Minh," led the South Vietnamese army under Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm. In 1963, he became leader of South Vietnam after a coup in which Diệm was assassinated. Dương`s rule lasted only two months, but he briefly led South Vietnam again in 1975 before surrendering the nation to Communist forces.
He got the nickname “Big Minh” because being 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), he dwarfed all the other Vietnamese soldiers. It is also to distinguish him from another military general of South Vietnam, Trần Văn Minh.
Dương Văn Minh was born on February 16, 1916 in My Tho province in the Mekong Delta. He was a Buddhist. He went to Saigon where he attended a top French colonial school, where King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia had also studied.
He began his military career in the 1940s when he joined the French colonial army. He was one of only 50 Vietnamese officers to be commissioned. Most of the Vietnamese resented the French presence, and eventually fought back against them, defeating them at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954. (see Indochina War)
In 1954 he joined the new South Vietnamese military. In 1956 he defeated the armed religious sect, Hoa Hao, that threatened the South Vietnamese regime, and the drug-dealing pirate organisation Binh Xuyen. This got him the respect of the United States, and Minh was sent there to study, where he attended the U.S. Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, despite his poor English.
Ngô Đình Diệm was a very unpopular leader, and in 1963 the United States of America informed Minh that the U.S. wouldn`t mind if Diệm were to be overthrown. Minh was the second highest ranking general at the time, and he led the coup to overthrow Diệm at the end of 1963.
On November 1, 1963, Diệm and his brother Ngô Đình Nhu were executed (by Minh`s bodyguard commander) after surrendering. Minh took over the government under a military junta on November 6. He was a favourite of the Americans at the time, playing tennis and sharing war stories with the U.S. Ambassador, General Maxwell Taylor, and impressing Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara.
Minh is said to have preferred playing mah-jongg and giving tea parties to fighting the Viet Cong or running the country. His military junta lasted only a couple of months before it was overthrown by General Nguyễn Khánh on January 30, 1964. Dương Văn Minh went into exile in Bangkok, Thailand. He still had many American friends, particularly in the CIA, who gave him support during this period, including paying for his dentist bills. In return he wrote a hawkish article about Vietnam for the respected Foreign Affairs quarterly in 1968, condemning the Viet Cong and disparaging any possible coalition government with the Communists. This article helped end his exile and get him back into Vietnam with the support of the U.S. in 1968.
Once back in his home country, Minh opposed general Nguyễn Văn Thiệu who was still supported by the United States. Minh was going to run against Thiệu in the 1971 election but he withdrew because it became obvious to him (and most other observers) that the elections were rigged. Thieu was then the only candidate in this election. Minh kept a low profile after this.
Minh was regarded as a potential leader of a “third force” which could come to a compromise with the North to avoid an armed takeover. His brother, Dương Văn Nhut, was a leading general in the North Vietnamese army. In 1973, Minh proposed his own political program for South Vietnam, which was a compromise between the proposals of Thiệu and the Viet Cong. Thiệu and the United States however, were strongly opposed to any sort of compromise. He is known to have had contact with the North Vietnamese government, but it carefully avoided either endorsing or condemning Minh.
When the Communist troops entered the Independence Palace in Saigon, they found Minh and his Cabinet sitting around the big oval table in the Cabinet room. As they entered, Minh looked at the Communist commanding officer and said, “We have been waiting for you so that we could turn over the government.” The Communist officer replied “You have nothing left to turn over.”
Later in the afternoon he went on radio again and said, “I declare the Saigon government is completely dissolved at all levels.”
After his official surrender to Communist troops he was summoned to report back. After a few days he was permitted to return to his villa. He lived there for the next 8 years in seclusion, where he continued to raise birds and grow exotic orchids.
Life in Exile
Dương Văn Minh was allowed to emigrate to France in 1983, where he lived near Paris. He has two sons living in France (Minh Duc Duong and Minh Tam Duong). In the last few years of his life he lived in Pasadena, California, U.S.A. with his daughter, Mai Duong. As he aged, he found he needed a wheelchair for mobility.
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Bunions: Picture, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prevention
The bunion will start to make the big toe point towards the other toes on the foot.
The medical name for bunions is hallux valgus.
A 2011 study in the journal Arthritis Care and Research, found that more than 1 in 3 older adults has at least one bunion, and they can really slow a person down.
Study participants with bunions were more likely to experience pain in other parts of their body, including the hip, knee, lower back and foot.
Previous studies have shown that bunions may affect gait, balance and increase risk of falls in older people, but researchers speculate that along with these issues, people with severe bunions may report less satisfaction with their lives because they have trouble finding shoes they like to wear.
Picture of a bunion
Bunion picture and x-ray
Because a bunion occurs at a joint, where the toe bends during normal walking, your entire body weight rests on the bunion at each step. Bunions can be extremely painful. They are also vulnerable to excess pressure and friction from shoes and can lead to the development of calluses.
How do I know if I have bunions?
What causes bunions?
Bunions are thought to have an inherited component. It has also been suggested that wearing shoes with elevated heels and a narrow toe-box may contribute to bunion development, as can having flat feet.
What are the symptoms of bunions?
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Austral parakeet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jump to: navigation, search
Austral parakeet
Austral parakeet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Superfamily: Psittacoidea
Family: Psittacidae
Subfamily: Arinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Enicognathus
Species: E. ferrugineus
Binomial name
Enicognathus ferrugineus
(Müller, 1776)
Microsittace ferrugineus[2]
It occurs mostly in wooded country, but also shrubland and farmland. It stays near sea level in the extreme south, but ranges up to 2000 m at the northern end of its range. Flock size is usually only 10–15 individuals, though flocks over 100 are known. It eats grass and bamboo seeds, nuts, and small fruit, and nests in tree cavities.
There are two recognized subspecies, Enicognathus ferrugineus ferrugineus and Enicognathus ferrugineus minor.
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P. 1
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6. Acoustics 4-30-09
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Acoustics Fundamentals
Environmental Technology IV Professor Tango & Parker Spring 2009
is usually very broadly defined as "the science of sound." Room Acoustics The shaping and equipping of an enclosed space to obtain the best possible conditions for faithful hearing of wanted sound and the direction and the reduction of unwanted sound. Room Acoustics deal primarily with the control of sound which originates within a single enclosure, rather than its transmission between rooms.
The balance of keeping
wanted sounds
and eliminating
unwanted sounds
html .kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/wavesintro/waves-intro.Sound Waves What is a wave? http://www.
vibration cycles per second amplitude wave length: distance between identical points on a wave .frequency.
http://www.surendranath.org/Applets.html Amplitude and Frequency ± Applet Menu >Waves > Transverse Waves http://www.html .surendranath.org/Applets.
Speaker Woofer midrange tweeter supertweeter diameter Frequencies c (cm) (Hz) 30 12 6 3 20-2.00020.000 5.surendranath.000 The human ear can detect sounds between 20 HZ and 20. then select: menu/ new applets/new menu/ waves/ hear the beats.000 10.000 2.000-5.000 HZ.00010.org/Applets. .html . Most sensitive in the range of 100HZ to 5000HZ Hear it: http://www.
000 HZ .11/16´ 20 HZ ± 56 ½ feet .The length of a sound wave 20.
Velocity Rate at which sound travels through a conductor Air: Wood: Steel: .
700 feet per second 18.000 feet per second .Velocity Rate at which sound travels through a conductor Air: Wood: Steel: 1128 feet per second 11.
Sound Pressure/ Amplitude .
Frequency .Sound Pressure/Amplitude vs.
Complex Waves
Multiple Tones
Applet Menu >Waves > Transverse Waves > Adding Transverse Waves (continuous)
The Mobility of Sound
Direct Sound Since sound travels in all directions from the source. (Example: good Headphones) . As the distance from the source increases. each listener will hear just the segment if the overall sound wave that is traveling in a direct line to his hear (in a space free from reflecting surfaces). the sound pressure at the listener's ear will decrease proportionately.
Reflection .
Diffusion .
and this with longer waveforms). the sound can bend around obstacles or flow through small openings. When an obstacle is the same size as the wavelength or less. and continue onward. This is called diffraction.Diffraction: The Sound Squeezes Through Sound waves are not always reflected or absorbed. This action is more likely for deeper sounds (of low frequency. .
. and absorption. this series of reflections will blend with the direct sound to add "depth". depending upon the room volume. The time reverberation. interval between reflections is usually so short that distinct echoes are not heard. It can enrich speech and music in all areas -. Reverberation is a basic acoustic property of a room.Reverberation The perpetuation of reflected sound within a space after the source has ceased is called reverberation.or it can slur speech and generate higher noise levels throughout a room. Instead. timing.
Room Acoustics Shape Volume Materials Room Acoustics .
Reflect Room Acoustics Absorb Sound re-enforcement .
The shape of a space determines the sound path within the space .
Room Acoustics C B A A A Reverberation .
Parallel reflective surfaces generates unwanted reverberation .
Reverberation time must match room function Pure speech requires short reverberation time Symphony blends notes with long reverberation time .
The lower part of the band is best for rooms intended primarily for speech, the upper part is better for music rooms, and the middle portion is recommended for general purpose rooms.
Studies based on the audibility of speech and music reveal that the most desirable reverberation times generally fall within the ranges shown below. These values are based on a sound frequency of 500 Hz (approximate pitch of male speech). Reverberation time in seconds Speech Small offices 0.50 to 0.75 Classrooms/lecture rooms 0.75 to 1.00 Work rooms 1.00 to 2.00 Music Rehearsal rooms Chamber music Orchestral/Choral/ Average church music Large organ/liturgical choir
0.80 to 1.00 1.00 to 1.50 1.50 to 2.00 2.00 to 2.25
A classification of typical rooms by acoustical environments "Dead" : Very Absorptive "Live³: Highly Reflective .
Absorbing Materials Carpet Soft ceiling tile Rigid foam people .
Reflecting Materials Masonry Wood ± smooth panels Smooth concrete Glass .
absorptive surfaces toward rear. . Apply absorbent to periphery of ceiling or to wall surfaces (not both). theaters (for music) Obtain proper reverberation time to enhance musical quality. Additional treatment will contribute little to noise reduction. Provide reflective surfaces near source to reinforce sound.Live Auditoriums. Allow middle section of ceiling to act as a reinforcing sound-reflector. Medium Live Conference and board rooms Normal speech must be heard over distances up to about 35 ft.
. Use highly sound-absorptive ceiling. also use quiet equipment such as rubberized dish trays.Medium Cafeterias (school or office) Reduce overall noise level. Gymnasiums Instructor must be heard over background noise Use acoustical material over entire ceiling to reduce noise. walls remain untreated to permit some reflected sound.
instructor must hear individual notes distinctly. Room should be located away from normal use rooms. reduce noise level produced by children. . Supplementary acoustical space units on upper rear and side walls are desirable. Entire ceiling. minimum reverberation desired.Medium Dead Elementary-grade classrooms Teacher must be heard distinctly. wall behind musicians may be left sound-reflective for proper hearing. Music rehearsal rooms Unlike music hall. sidewalls. Acoustical ceiling essential. and wall facing musicians would be treated.
Dead Kindergarten Maximum noise reduction. Acoustical tile or lay-in panel ceiling. plus acoustical treatment of available upper wall areas. Maximum acoustical treatment on ceiling. . locate away from normal use rooms. Vocational classrooms and shops Maximum noise reduction. space units on available wall surfaces.
Reverberation time (in seconds) = .05 x volume of room ______________________________ sabins .
since no such surface exists). One sabin is equal to the sound absorption of one square foot of perfectly absorptive surface. . (theoretical.Sabin The amount of sound absorbed is measured in sabins. The sound absorption equivalent to an open window of one square foot.
Measuring Absorption: Sound Absorption Coefficient The fraction of the energy absorbed (at a specific frequency) during each reflection is represented by the sound absorption coefficient of the reflecting/absorbing surface. In the building industry. .whether they be of reflective or absorptive materials. this is a meaningful and widely accepted quantitative measuring of sound absorption. and applies to all surfaces -.
non-porous surfaces. Such materials heaver absorption coefficients of . such as plaster. masonry. absorb generally less than 5% of the energy of striking sound waves and reflect the rest.05 or less. glass and concrete. massive.Reflective Surfaces Hard. .
.00 (one sabin per sq.).Absorptive Surfaces: Porous materials such as acoustical tile. ft. They permit the penetration of sound waves and are capable of absorbing most of the sound energy. draperies and furniture are primarily absorptive. carpets. These materials may have absorption coefficients approaching 1.
Poor acoustical characteristics in this lecture room. .
the rear wall should be absorptive to prevent echoes.Reflective surfaces near the speaker. In lecture rooms more than 40 feet long. .
individuals show increased productivity. With such an environment. and property values rise.Why Sound Conditioning?? The objective of sound-conditioning is to create a haven for the occupant. . turnovers and vacancies are reduced. shielded from annoyance and distractions. tenants complain less.
Structure borne sound Steel Frame Plumbing Pipe .
Source Path Receiver .
Isolation Of Equipment .
Isolation Of Equipment Low-end RTUs (roof top units) are typically loud «. No isolation springs / poorly balanced .
Background Noise .
An "acceptable" level neither disturbs room occupants nor interferes with the communication of wanted sound.Acceptable Background Noise Levels As a rule. a certain amount of continuous sound before it becomes noise. . Recommended category classification and suggested noise criteria range for steady background noise as heard in various indoor functional activity areas as indicated in the Preferred Noise Criterion (PNC)Curves. we can tolerate. and even welcome.
musical rehearsal rooms. and recital halls (for listening to faint musical sounds) 10 to 20 db Large auditoriums. hospitals. and churches (for excellent listening conditions) Not to exceed 20 db Broadcast. small conference rooms. libraries. apartments. etc. sleeping quarters. small theaters. etc. or executive offices and conference rooms for 50 people (no amplification) Not to exceed 35 db Bedrooms. (for good listening conditions) 30 to 40 db .Type of Space (and acoustical requirements) PNC curve Concert halls. (for sleeping resting. small churches. opera houses. classrooms. and recording studios (close microphone pickup only) Not to exceed 25 db Small auditoriums. large meeting and conference rooms (for good listening). hotels. large drama theaters. relaxing) 25 to 40 db Private or semiprivate offices. motels. television. residences.
. cafeterias. reception areas.Type of Space (and acoustical requirements) PNC curve Living rooms and similar spaces in dwellings (for conversing or listening to radio and TV) 30 to 40 db Large offices. office and computer equipment rooms. drafting and engineering rooms. (for moderately good listening conditions) 35 to 45 db Lobbies. retail shops and stores. restaurants. kitchens and laundries (for moderately fair listening conditions) 45 to 55 db Levels above PNC-60 are not recommended for any office or communication situation. general secretarial areas (for fair listening conditions) 40 to 50 db Light maintenance shops. etc. laboratory work spaces.
isolation of a noisy movie projector. ceilings. Elimination of outside noise by sound attenuation in walls.Minimize Background Noise Level Overall noise levels which may interfere with wanted communication should always be anticipated and corrected.Control of remaining noise by absorption -. .carpeting.usually done as a last resort. 3 . typical methods include the following: 1. 4. Use of quiet mechanical equipment wherever possible. Individual handling of unusual noise sources -. upholstery. 5. To provide maximum quiet. Electronic amplification of the wanted sound level above the background noise level -. and floor 2. and acoustical treatment placed above and behind audience.for example.
For example. and speech privacy would be impossible. For example. In many cases the heating and air conditioning systems will provide a sufficient amount of masking noise. it can sometimes be masked (made less objectionable by introducing a different sound). a masking sound may be introduced to correct an oppressively quiet room. . a telephone ring or a slight cough can be distracting in a very "dead" room. piped-in music in restaurants can mask the din of dish clatter and multiple conversation. At the other extreme.Masking: Creating Background "Noise³ When an undesirable background sound can't be reduced or eliminated.
white noise pink noise .
Sound Isolation .
The control of intruding sound ideally begins with the initial building concept and continues to be a consideration through the life of the building. Total sound conditioning affects 1. 2. 6. site selection building orientation on the site room orientation within the building design. 5. Predictable sound attenuation can be achieved by careful attention to detail during all phases of planning and construction. detailing. 3. . specification construction inspection. 4.
Site Selection for Sound Control Orientation .
Room Arrangement 1. What is the STC rating of the outside kitchen exterior wall? .
sound barrier .
no louvers or openings should be permitted. Highfrequency sounds will be reduce more than low frequency sounds. If a fence or wall is used. It should be placed as close to the sound source as possible to obtain the greatest soundshadow angle.Sound Barriers If the noise source is intense and no natural sound barrier exists. The cost of an outside barrier may be less than the cost of reducing the sound transmission in the construction. a man-made sound barrier should be considered as part of the design. This type of sound barrier must completely shield the building from the noise source. A solid fence-type barrier may remove from 10 to 20 db from the noise level. .
Acoustical Zoning .
It is controlled by: 1. Isolation (decoupling). Limpness of Construction. music and machine noises (machines usually also produce impact sound). 3. 2. It is the major source of intruding sound from rooms on the same floor and from the outdoors. Absorption 4. outdoor noises.Airborne Sound Airborne sound includes conversation. Mass (weight). . These must be combined with airtight sealing and the elimination of flanking paths (routes by which the sound travels around a partition rather than being stopped by it).
Mass .
can be isolated from the structure by resilient mounting procedures. Other sources of structure-borne sound. dishwashers. and plumbing. can be isolated from the structure. Isolation of the ceiling of the receiving room can be accomplished with resilient mounting of the drywall panels or lath. Resilient subflooring materials such as insulation board and underlayment compounds are effective. such as a floor. garbage disposals. the impact sound will not be transmitted. . such as motors. This still allows some sound from above to enter the structure and travel to other rooms.Impact Sound Impact Isolation If the surface receiving the impact. as is heavy carpet over thick under pad. blowers. if the structure can be isolated from the ceiling below. A combination of these methods is necessary to produce ideal attenuation of impact noise. flushing toilets. the impact sound will be restricted from traveling into the room below. Likewise.
Isolation (Decoupling) .
with alternate studs connected to opposite diaphragms .staggered 2x3 studs on a single sill plate.
double row of studs on separate sill plates .
.2x4 studs with one diaphragm attached through sound deadening board.
2x4 studs with one diaphragm attached by means of resilient channels .
Resilient Channel 1/2´ .
is highly effective in this application. Sound attenuation blankets are manufactured with higher density than thermal insulating blankets to obtain optimum attenuation. Mineral wool insulation because of its porous yet dense character. rendering the wool ineffective in dissipating sound energy. retard movement of the air column and convert considerable sound energy into heat. its density (which determines the amount of difficulty that the sound encounters in traveling through). However. placed between the studs in a resilient partition with resilient channels. Absorption . if the diaphragms are directly connected to rigid studs.The amount of sound energy dissipated depends on the thickness of the material. Mineral fiber sound attenuation blankets. the partition will act as a single diaphragm. and it's resiliency (flexibility with the ability to spring back to its original shape).
www.Fire Resistant Assemblies .com search for SA 100 .usg.
www.com SAFB:sound attenuation fire blankets .usg.
SHEETROCK FIRECODE "C" Gypsum Panels on each side will test STC 34.Effective mass is contributed by the gypsum panels or plaster. less expensive methods of achieving better performance are available. A common wood-stud partition with 5/8-in. will have sound attenuation of STC 49. Using doublelayer panels on each side will increase the rating to STC 41. Increasing the mass beyond this point is of little value since other. but certainly not optimum. THERMAFIBER Insulating Blankets. an improvement. Gypsum panels decoupled on one side with RC-1 SHEETROCK Resilient Channels. STC 59 with the addition of 3-in. The performance of an assembly can vary as much as 15 STC points with the quality of the workmanship .
. for practical purposes.near ideal for sleeping rooms.The performance level being sought will usually fall in the STC range of 45 to 60. reduce an 85 db noise level (the maximum normally encountered in a residence) to a 25 db background sound (comparable to a night-time rural sound level) -. The partitions used in most single-family dwellings today would test about STC 35 (although the actual performance is often even less due to leaks and flanking paths). On the other end of the scale. STC-60 partitions are found increasingly in luxury multi-family dwellings. and other quality buildings. Partition performance of STC 60 will.
Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) The average amount of sound energy absorbed over a range of frequencies between 250 Hz and 2.000 Hz. NORMAL SPEECH RANGE .
is a measure of the sound transmission loss as noise travels between rooms. Q: What spaces require CAC values? A: CAC values are essential in interior spaces that require physical separation from other areas such as conference and board rooms. and corridors. Essentially. CAC is important to assure privacy for areas outside or adjoining an open plan such as private offices or conference rooms. Q: Is CAC important in open plan offices? A: Actually.What is CAC? A: CAC. . bathrooms. private offices. or Ceiling Attenuation Class. it is the ability of a ceiling panel to block sound between rooms.
Details. Specifications and Construction .
any rigid connection between the two diaphragms will effectively transmit impact sound. Continuous walls between floors. columns or any other continuous structural elements will act as flanking paths for impact sound. In fact.Flanking Paths Some of the most common flanking paths are supplied by plumbing pipes. air ducts and electrical conduit rigidly connected between the floor and ceiling. .
Flanking Paths .
Flanking Paths HVAC Good .
Sound Control Negative impacts µFlanking Paths¶ ± Electrical Boxes Especially back-to-back ± ± ± ± HVAC Perimeter Seals Doors Other penetrations 50 STC Example: Back-to-back electrical boxes .
Flanking Paths Better Best .
Flanking Paths CUTOUTS Cabinet .
Eliminating a flanking path with a nonresilent material .
Sound Seal STC 53 2 Layers 5/8´ Gypsum Board Insulation Sound Path STC 29 Unsealed .
Sound Seal 2 Layers 5/8´ Gypsum Board Insulation Acoustical Sealant STC 53 Sound Path STC 29 Unsealed .
Sound Seal 2 Layers 5/8´ Gypsum Board Insulation Acoustical Sealant STC 53 Sealed .
figure 50C. Base layer not relieved. 53 STC Both Base layers sealed. Face layer relieved and sealed. . No relief on face layers. 53 STC Sealant applied to runner track and board. figure 50D.Sealing figure 50A. 53 STC Sealant beneath and on edge of runner track. 29 STC Unsealed figure 50B.
Sound Control How to achieve Sound Attenuation Increase STC by: Isolation De-coupling Absorption Mass RC-1 or resilient channel Drywall or engineered panel 50 STC 65 dB 15 dB Usually the Dimension of the Framing 3 5/8 Insulation either SAFB or fiberglass to absorb sound energy .
Improving Sound TransmissionLoss Rules of Thumb Doubling Partition Width = 5 dB Transmission Loss Improvement Doubling MASS = 5 dB Transmission Loss Improvement .
Improving STC ISOLATION ABSORPTION 3 1/2´ Insulation STCSTC. Steel stud 43 25 25 ga. Steel stud STC 40 . Steel stud STC 37 .Wood stud STC 48 DECOUPLING RC-1 Resilient Channel MASS STC 54 STC 61 .43 -ga.20 ga.
Doors & Door Frames High STC Partitions Fill Gasket Solid Core .
Assignment 11 Room sabin absorption calculations and reverberation .
last Environmental Tech class :-( Next Thursday: Dave Duda With Newcomb Boyd Security Design then Final Exam Review .
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Reviewed April 2007
What is the official name of the IVD gene?
The official name of this gene is “isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase.”
IVD is the gene's official symbol. The IVD gene is also known by other names, listed below.
Read more about gene names and symbols on the About page.
What is the normal function of the IVD gene?
The IVD gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase. This enzyme plays an essential role in processing proteins obtained from the diet. Normally, the body breaks down proteins from food into smaller parts called amino acids. Amino acids can be further processed to provide energy for growth and development. In cells throughout the body, isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is found within specialized structures called mitochondria. Mitochondria convert energy from food to a form that cells can use.
Isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase helps process a particular amino acid called leucine. Specifically, this enzyme is responsible for the third step in the breakdown of leucine. This step is a chemical reaction that converts a molecule called isovaleryl-CoA to another molecule, 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA. Additional chemical reactions convert 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA into molecules that are used for energy.
How are changes in the IVD gene related to health conditions?
isovaleric acidemia - caused by mutations in the IVD gene
At least 25 mutations in the IVD gene have been identified in people with isovaleric acidemia. Some of these mutations disrupt the normal function of the enzyme, while other mutations prevent the cell from producing any functional enzyme. As a result, the body is unable to break down leucine properly. Defects in leucine processing allow several potentially harmful substances, including a compound called isovaleric acid, to build up to toxic levels in the body. An accumulation of isovaleric acid causes people with isovaleric acidemia to have a characteristic odor of sweaty feet. The buildup of isovaleric acid and related compounds also damages the brain and nervous system, leading to poor feeding, lack of energy (lethargy), seizures, and the other signs and symptoms of isovaleric acidemia.
Where is the IVD gene located?
Cytogenetic Location: 15q14-q15
Molecular Location on chromosome 15: base pairs 40,405,485 to 40,435,948
The IVD gene is located on the long (q) arm of chromosome 15 between positions 14 and 15.
More precisely, the IVD gene is located from base pair 40,405,485 to base pair 40,435,948 on chromosome 15.
Where can I find additional information about IVD?
You and your healthcare professional may find the following resources about IVD helpful.
What other names do people use for the IVD gene or gene products?
• ACAD2
• isovaleryl CoA dehydrogenase
Where can I find general information about genes?
The Handbook provides basic information about genetics in clear language.
These links provide additional genetics resources that may be useful.
What glossary definitions help with understanding IVD?
acids ; amino acid ; breakdown ; cell ; CoA ; compound ; dehydrogenase ; enzyme ; gene ; lethargy ; leucine ; mitochondria ; molecule ; nervous system ; toxic
See also Understanding Medical Terminology.
References (5 links)
Reviewed: April 2007
Published: November 23, 2015 |
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I find it hard to describe this problem in words, which is why I made a video (45 seconds) to illustrate it. Here's a preview of the questions, please have a look at it on Vimeo:
Using a linear crossfade the resulting image will have a 'dip' in transparency. How can I prevent this?
The issue of creating a flawless crossfade or dissolve of two images or shapes has been recurring to me in a number of fields over the last decade. First in video editing, then in Flash animation and now in iOS programming. When you start googling it, there are many workarounds to be found, but I really want to solve this without a hack this time.
The summary:
What is the name of the technique or curve to apply in crossfading two semi-transparent, same-colored bitmaps, if you want the resulting transparency to match the original of either one?
Is there a (mathematical) function to calculate the neccessary partial transparency/alpha values during the fade?
Are there programming languages that have these functions as a preset, similar to the ease in, ease out or ease in out functions found in ActionScript or Cocoa?
Update: In addition to the video, I've made a sample project (requires Xcode and iOS SDK) and posted it on github. It shows the same animation as the video but this time with squares:
share|improve this question
Don't know anything about it but +1 for the video. – sebastiangeiger Nov 12 '11 at 13:49
Depends on how the over operator is implemented. See – artistoex Nov 12 '11 at 14:16
I agree, @artistoex, there's something to that over operator, thanks for the link! However, if the answer is buried in there somewhere, I'm not seeing it :( – epologee Nov 13 '11 at 16:48
The mathematical representation of the over operator leads to an equation. Example over operator: C=alpha*c1+(alpha-1)*c2 yields alpha=(C+c2)/(c1+c2) (C being the result of mixing the two colours c1, c2). This means for this over operator, there is no function, which satisfies your condition. – artistoex Nov 14 '11 at 8:03
For C = alpha1*c1+alpha2*c2 (0<=alpha1, alpha2<=1), there is such function: alpha1=(C-alpha2*c2)/c1. – artistoex Nov 14 '11 at 8:06
4 Answers 4
up vote 2 down vote accepted
I am afraid that's not possible. This is how transparency is calculated when two objects overlay:
Alpha compositing
One of the objects must have an opacity of 1 if you don't want the overlay area to be seen through.
share|improve this answer
In computer graphics, this kind of function is called smoothstep. When used to crossfade, it determines the global alpha value for the composition.
If the input images have an alpha channel, you should first make sure that the alpha is premultiplied. Then, you can do the crossfade composition straightforwardly, using the smoothstep alpha on each channel [X = A*alpha + B*(1-alpha)], and expect reasonable results.
share|improve this answer
You can use the exponential decay function:
Alpha1(time) = 1 - exp(-time / (0.2 * transitionTime)); // fade in
Alpha2(time) = 1 - Alpha1(time); // fade out
Your graph looks more like:
Alpha1(time) = sin(time * 0.5 * pi / transitionTime); // fade in
Alpha2(time) = cos(time * 0.5 * pi / transitionTime); // fade out
share|improve this answer
Thanks @Danny. Actually, performing the 1 - Alpha1(time) equation won't take care of the dip, because two blended 0.5 alpha images won't result in an composited image with 1.0 alpha. The custom curves I drew are not mirrored vertically. – epologee Nov 16 '11 at 11:10
The 1-alpha was for the exponential decay, which I think is more suitable. For the sin/cos functions of course sin(t)=sqrt(1-sqr(cos(t)), however, calculating each one separately should be faster. – Danny Varod Nov 16 '11 at 12:17
If the issue were what the function of a similar curve might look like, your math is correct. However the issue is how to deal with the blending of two colors, e.g. how to get 40% blue + 40% blue to result in 80% blue. – epologee Nov 16 '11 at 13:36
That is easy to do but would result in bad looking saturation when sum of colors > 100%. – Danny Varod Dec 3 '11 at 11:55
I don't know what the name might be in the realm of video editing, but I'd call the curve an S-curve or sigmoid curve. It should be very simple to produce the cross-fade you're looking for in iOS using Core Animation's kCAMediaTimingFunctionEaseInEaseOut timing function. Just animate the alpha property of two views in opposite directions (one 0->1, one 1->0) using that timing function:
[UIView beginAnimations:@"crossfade" context:nil];
[UIView setAnimationDuration:1.0];
[UIView setAnimationCurve:UIViewAnimationCurveEaseInOut];
view1.alpha = 0.0;
view2.alpha = 1.0;
[UIView commitAnimations];
Note: You should really use the blocks-based animation methods instead of UIView's convenience methods. I used UIView's methods above because it's very easy to understand, and easy to type from memory. Using blocks isn't much more difficult, though.
Addendum: If you don't like UIViewAnimationEaseInOut, you can create your own timing function as described in Timing, Timespaces, and CAAnimation. That's a bit more advanced than the simple animation illustrated above, but it gives you all the control you want.
share|improve this answer
Sigmoid! That's already one step closer, thanks! The piece of code you provide doesn't work right away, for the setAnimationCurve takes a different parameter than kCAMediaTimingFunctionEaseInEaseOut. Could you have meant UIViewAnimationCurveEaseInOut? The problem with that curve is the same though (dip in the middle), because at any point in time, the two alpha values in a simple addition will equal 1.0, where as in my manually tweaked curve it needs to exceed 1.0 to get the desired results. – epologee Nov 12 '11 at 14:39
I see now... you're right about the constant -- I've updated the code in the answer. I've also added a link to docs that explain how to create your own timing functions. – Caleb Nov 12 '11 at 15:11
I do my animations with blocks, yet the gist is the same. The built in curves still don't apply, because of their symmetry, but the addendum paved the way to a custom CAMediaTimingFunction that matched the one I used in the After Effects video. Troubling is that there is not one sigmoid curve that fits every scenario, different starting levels of opacity will require different bezier positions to get rid of the 'dip'. There must be something I'm missing. – epologee Nov 13 '11 at 16:46
Hi @Caleb, I posted a sample project on GitHub (see post). The custom timing is helpful, but if you change the initialTransparency value, it's no use. You wouldn't have a clue what to try next? – epologee Nov 13 '11 at 23:39
A few more little bits to help Google searches; graphics programmers call the graph that you're talking about a "smoothstep". Highly mathy programmers will often call it a "hermite interpolator". And a simple equation to calculate one without trigonometry is: "3t^2 - 2t^3". – Trevor Powell Nov 14 '11 at 0:10
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Salmon of the British Isles originate from French and Spanish glacial refugial populations
In Europe, refugia in the Italian, Balkan and Iberian peninsulas are believed to be the main sources of species colonising northern Europe after the glacial retreat, however, there is increasing evidence of small, cryptic refugia existing north of these for many cold-tolerant species.
In a recent study published in the journal Heredity, we examined the glacial/post-glacial history of Atlantic salmon in Western Europe using two independent classes of molecular markers, microsatellites (nuclear) and mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Our findings confirm the existence of a glacial refuge in northern Spain and also highlight the existence of a previously unrecognized cryptic refuge in northwest France, containing fish with a ‘Baltic’ signature. Estimates of divergence times between salmon from these two refugia indicate that populations in these regions had already diverged a long time before the last glacial maximum; estimated divergence times ranged between 25,000–60,000 years before present, depending on the mitochondrial DNA evolution rate used.
Thus, previously glaciated areas of northwest Europe, i.e. Britain and Ireland, appear to have been colonised from salmon expanding out of both refugia, with the southwest of England being the primary contact zone and exhibiting the highest genetic diversity.
This paper is available on-line early at:
An article giving an overview of this work is available on the BBC Science and Environment web site:
The University of Exeter, The Queen's Drive, Exeter, Devon, UK EX4 4QJ
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Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills: An Introduction to Software Tools for Biological Applications
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Bioinformatics—the application of computational and analytical methods to biological problems—is a rapidly evolving scientific discipline. Genome sequencing projects are producing vast amounts of biological data for many different organisms, and, increasingly, storing these data in public databases. Such biological databases are growing exponentially,
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Examining the application of computational and analytical methods to biological problems, this guide for biologists, researchers, and students, offers a structured approach to biological data and computer tools for analyzing it. The book covers the Unix file system, the development of tools and databases, computational approaches to biological problems, the use of Perl, data mining, data visualization, and customizing data analysis software. Gibas teaches biology at Virginia Tech; Jambeck studies bioengeering at the University of California, San Diego. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (
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Chapter 1: Biology in the Computer Age
From the interaction of species and populations, to the function of tissues and cells within an individual organism, biology is defined as the study of living things. In the course of that study, biologists collect and interpret data. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, we use sophisticated laboratory technology that allows us to collect data faster than we can interpret it. We have vast volumes of DNA sequence data at our fingertips. But how do we figure out which parts of that DNA control the various chemical processes of life? We know the function and structure of some proteins, but how do we determine the function of new proteins? And how do we predict what a protein will look like, based on knowledge of its sequence? We understand the relatively simple code that translates DNA into protein. But how do we find meaningful new words in the code and add them to the DNA-protein dictionary?
Bioinformatics is the science of using information to understand biology; it's the tool we can use to help us answer these questions and many others like them. Unfortunately, with all the hype about mapping the human genome, bioinformatics has achieved buzzword status; the term is being used in a number of ways, depending on who is using it. Strictly speaking, bioinformatics is a subset of the larger field of computational biology , the application of quantitative analytical techniques in modeling biological systems. In this book, we stray from bioinformatics into computational biology and back again. The distinctions between the two aren't important for our purpose here, which is to cover a range of tools and techniques we believe are critical for molecular biologists who want to understand and apply the basic computational tools that are available today.
The field of bioinformatics relies heavily on work by experts in statistical methods and pattern recognition. Researchers come to bioinformatics from many fields, including mathematics, computer science, and linguistics. Unfortunately, biology is a science of the specific as well as the general. Bioinformatics is full of pitfalls for those who look for patterns and make predictions without a complete understanding of where biological data comes from and what it means. By providing algorithms, databases, user interfaces, and statistical tools, bioinformatics makes it possible to do exciting things such as compare DNA sequences and generate results that are potentially significant. "Potentially significant" is perhaps the most important phrase. These new tools also give you the opportunity to overinterpret data and assign meaning where none really exists. We can't overstate the importance of understanding the limitations of these tools. But once you gain that understanding and become an intelligent consumer of bioinformatics methods, the speed at which your research progresses can be truly amazing.
How Is Computing Changing Biology?
An organism's hereditary and functional information is stored as DNA, RNA, and proteins, all of which are linear chains composed of smaller molecules. These macromolecules are assembled from a fixed alphabet of well-understood chemicals: DNA is made up of four deoxyribonucleotides (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine), RNA is made up from the four ribonucleotides (adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine), and proteins are made from the 20 amino acids. Because these macromolecules are linear chains of defined components, they can be represented as sequences of symbols. These sequences can then be compared to find similarities that suggest the molecules are related by form or function.
Sequence comparison is possibly the most useful computational tool to emerge for molecular biologists. The World Wide Web has made it possible for a single public database of genome sequence data to provide services through a uniform interface to a worldwide community of users. With a commonly used computer program called fsBLAST, a molecular biologist can compare an uncharacterized DNA sequence to the entire publicly held collection of DNA sequences. In the next section, we present an example of how sequence comparison using the BLAST program can help you gain insight into a real disease.
The Eye of the Fly
Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are a popular model system for the study of development of animals from embryo to adult. Fruit flies have a gene called eyeless, which, if it's "knocked out (i.e., eliminated from the genome using molecular biology methods), results in fruit flies with no eyes. It's obvious that the eyeless gene plays a role in eye development.
Researchers have identified a human gene responsible for a condition called aniridia. In humans who are missing this gene (or in whom the gene has mutated just enough for its protein product to stop functioning properly), the eyes develop without irises.
If the gene for aniridia is inserted into an eyeless drosophila "knock out," it causes the production of normal drosophila eyes. It's an interesting coincidence. Could there be some similarity in how eyeless and aniridia function, even though flies and humans are vastly different organisms? Possibly. To gain insight into how eyeless and aniridia work together, we can compare their sequences. Always bear in mind, however, that genes have complex effects on one another. Careful experimentation is required to get a more definitive answer.
As little as 15 years ago, looking for similarities between eyeless and aniridia DNA sequences would have been like looking for a needle in a haystack. Most scientists compared the respective gene sequences by hand-aligning them one under the other in a word processor and looking for matches character by character. This was time-consuming, not to mention hard on the eyes.
In the late 1980s, fast computer programs for comparing sequences changed molecular biology forever. Pairwise comparison of biological sequences is the foundation of most widely used bioinformatics techniques. Many tools that are widely available to the biology community--including everything from multiple alignment, phylogenetic analysis, motif identification, and homology-modeling software, to web-based database search services--rely on pairwise sequence-comparison algorithms as a core element of their function.
These days, a biologist can find dozens of sequence matches in seconds using sequence-alignment programs such as BLAST and FASTA. These programs are so commonly used that the first encounter you have with bioinformatics tools and biological databases will probably be through the National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI) BLAST web interface. Figure 1-1 shows a standard form for submitting data to NCBI for a BLAST search.
Labels in Gene Sequences Before you rush off to compare the sequences of eyeless and aniridia with BLAST, let us tell you a little bit about how sequence alignment works.
It's important to remember that biological sequence (DNA or protein) has a chemical function, but when it's reduced to a single-letter code, it also functions as a unique label, almost like a bar code. From the information technology point of view, sequence information is priceless. The sequence label can be applied to a gene, its product, its function, its role in cellular metabolism, and so on. The user searching for information related to a particular gene can then use rapid pairwise sequence comparison to access any information that's been linked to that sequence label.
The most important thing about these sequence labels, though, is that they don't just uniquely identify a particular gene; they also contain biologically meaningful patterns that allow users to compare different labels, connect information, and make inferences. So not only can the labels connect all the information about one gene, they can help users connect information about genes that are slightly or even dramatically different in sequence.
If simple labels were all that was needed to make sense of biological data, you could just slap a unique number (e.g., a GenBank ID) onto every DNA sequence and be done with it. But biological sequences are related by evolution, so a partial pattern match between two sequence labels is a significant find. BLAST differs from simple keyword searching in its ability to detect partial matches along the entire length of a protein sequence...
Isn't Bioinformatics Just About Building Databases?
Much of what we currently think of as part of bioinformatics--sequence comparison, sequence database searching, sequence analysis--is more complicated than just designing and populating databases. Bioinformaticians (or computational biologists) go beyond just capturing, managing, and presenting data, drawing inspiration from a wide variety of quantitative fields, including statistics, physics, computer science, and engineering. Figure 1-2 shows how quantitative science intersects with biology at every level, from analysis of sequence data and protein structure, to metabolic modeling, to quantitative analysis of populations and ecology.
Bioinformatics is first and foremost a component of the biological sciences. The main goal of bioinformatics isn't developing the most elegant algorithms or the most arcane analyses; the goal is finding out how living things work. Like the molecular biology methods that greatly expanded what biologists were capable of studying, bioinformatics is a tool and not an end in itself. Bioinformaticians are the tool-builders, and it's critical that they understand biological problems as well as computational solutions in order to produce useful tools.
Research in bioinformatics and computational biology can encompass anything from abstraction of the properties of a biological system into a mathematical or physical model, to implementation of new algorithms for data analysis, to the development of databases and web tools to access them.
The First Information Age in Biology Biology as a science of the specific means that biologists need to remember a lot of details as well as general principles. Biologists have been dealing with problems of information management since the 17th century.
The roots of the concept of evolution lie in the work of early biologists who catalogued and compared species of living things. The cataloguing of species was the preoccupation of biologists for nearly three centuries, beginning with animals and plants and continuing with microscopic life upon the invention of the compound microscope. New forms of life and fossils of previously unknown, extinct life forms are still being discovered even today.
All this cataloguing of plants and animals resulted in what seemed a vast amount of information at the time. In the mid-16th century, Otto Brunfels published the first major modern work describing plant species, the Herbarium vitae eicones. As Europeans traveled more widely around the world, the number of catalogued species increased, and botanical gardens and herbaria were established. The number of catalogued plant types was 500 at the time of Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle. By 1623, Casper Bauhin had observed 6,000 types of plants. Not long after John Ray introduced the concept of distinct species of animals and plants, and developed guidelines based on anatomical features for distinguishing conclusively between species. In the 1730s, Carolus Linnaeus catalogued 18,000 plant species and over 4,000 species of animals, and established the basis for the modern taxonomic naming system of kingdoms, classes, genera, and species. By the end of the 18th century, Baron Cuvier had listed over 50,000 species of plants.
It was no coincidence that a concurrent preoccupation of biologists, at this time of exploration and cataloguing, was classification of species into an orderly taxonomy. A botany text might encompass several volumes of data, in the form of painstaking illustrations and descriptions of each species encountered. Biologists were faced with the problem of how to organize, access, and sensibly add to this information. It was apparent to the casual observer that some living things were more closely related than others. A rat and a mouse were clearly more similar to each other than a mouse and a dog. But how would a biologist know that a rat was like a mouse (but that rat was not just another name for mouse) without carrying around his several volumes of drawings? A nomenclature that uniquely identified each living thing and summed up its presumed relationship with other living things, all in a few words, needed to be invented.
The solution was relatively simple, but at the time, a great innovation. Species were to be named with a series of one-word names of increasing specificity. First a very general division was specified: animal or plant? This was the kingdom to which the organism belonged. Then, with increasing specificity, came the names for class, genera, and species... A modern taxonomy of the earth's millions of species is too complicated for even the most zealous biologist to memorize, and fortunately computers now provide a way to maintain and access the taxonomy of species. The University of Arizona's Tree of Life project and NCBI's Taxonomy database are two examples of online taxonomy projects.
Taxonomy was the first informatics problem in biology. Now, biologists have reached a similar point of information overload by collecting and cataloguing information about individual genes. The problem of organizing this information and sharing knowledge with the scientific community at the gene level isn't being tackled by developing a nomenclature. It's being attacked directly with computers and databases from the start.
The evolution of computers over the last half-century has fortuitously paralleled the developments in the physical sciences that allow us to see biological systems in increasingly fine detail...
Simply finding the right needles in the haystack of information that is now available can be a research problem in itself. Even in the late 1980s, finding a match in a sequence database was worth a five-page publication. Now this procedure is routine, but there are many other questions that follow on our ability to search sequence and structure databases. These questions are the impetus for the field of bioinformatics.
What Does Informatics Mean to Biologists?
The science of informatics is concerned with the representation, organization, manipulation, distribution, maintenance, and use of information, particularly in digital form. There is more than one interpretation of what bioinformatics--the intersection of informatics and biology--actually means, and it's quite possible to go out and apply for a job doing bioinformatics and find that the expectations of the job are entirely different than you thought.
The functional aspect of bioinformatics is the representation, storage, and distribution of data. Intelligent design of data formats and databases, creation of tools to query those databases, and development of user interfaces that bring together different tools to allow the user to ask complex questions about the data are all aspects of the development of bioinformatics infrastructure.
Developing analytical tools to discover knowledge in data is the second, and more scientific, aspect of bioinformatics. There are many levels at which we use biological information, whether we are comparing sequences to develop a hypothesis about the function of a newly discovered gene, breaking down known 3D protein structures into bits to find patterns that can help predict how the protein folds, or modeling how proteins and metabolites in a cell work together to make the cell function. The ultimate goal of analytical bioinformaticians is to develop predictive methods that allow scientists to model the function and phenotype of an organism based only on its genome sequence. This is a grand goal, and one that will be approached only in small steps, by many scientists working together.
What Challenges Does Biology Offer Computer Scientists?
The goal of biology, in the era of the genome projects, is to develop a quantitative understanding of how living things are built from the genome that encodes them.
Cracking the genome code is complex. At the very simplest level, we still have difficulty identifying unknown genes by computer analysis of genomic sequence. We still have not managed to predict or model how a chain of amino acids folds into the specific structure of a functional protein.
Beyond the single-molecule level, the challenges are immense. The sheer amount of data in GenBank is now growing at an exponential rate, and as datatypes beyond DNA, RNA, and protein sequence begin to undergo the same kind of explosion, simply managing, accessing, and presenting this data to users in an intelligible form is a critical task. Human-computer interaction specialists need to work closely with academic and clinical researchers in the biological sciences to manage such staggering amounts of data.
Biological data is very complex and interlinked. A spot on a DNA array, for instance, is connected not only to immediate information about its intensity, but to layers of information about genomic location, DNA sequence, structure, function, and more. Creating information systems that allow biologists to seamlessly follow these links without getting lost in a sea of information is also a huge opportunity for computer scientists.
Finally, each gene in the genome isn't an independent entity. Multiple genes interact to form biochemical pathways, which in turn feed into other pathways. Biochemistry is influenced by the external environment, by interaction with pathogens, and by other stimuli. Putting genomic and biochemical data together into quantitative and predictive models of biochemistry and physiology will be the work of a generation of computational biologists. Computer scientists, mathematicians, and statisticians will be a vital part of this effort.
What Skills Should a Bioinformatician Have?
There's a wide range of topics that are useful if you're interested in pursuing bioinformatics, and it's not possible to learn them all. However, in our conversations with scientists working at companies such as Celera Genomics and Eli Lilly, we've picked up on the following "core requirements" for bioinformaticians:
• You should have a fairly deep background in some aspect of molecular biology. It can be biochemistry, molecular biology, molecular biophysics, or even molecular modeling, but without a core of knowledge of molecular biology you will, as one person told us, "run into brick walls too often."
• You must absolutely understand the central dogma of molecular biology. Understanding how and why DNA sequence is transcribed into RNA and translated into protein is vital. (In Chapter 2, Computational Approaches to Biological Questions, we define the central dogma, as well as review the processes of transcription and translation.)
• You should have substantial experience with at least one or two major molecular biology software packages, either for sequence analysis or molecular modeling. The experience of learning one of these packages makes it much easier to learn to use other software quickly.
• You should be comfortable working in a command-line computing environment. Working in Linux or Unix will provide this experience.
• You should have experience with programming in a computer language such as C/C++, as well as in a scripting language such as Perl or Python.
There are a variety of other advanced skill sets that can add value to this background: molecular evolution and systematics; physical chemistry--kinetics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; statistics and probabilistic methods; database design and implementation; algorithm development; molecular biology laboratory methods; and others.
Why Should Biologists Use Computers?
Computers are powerful devices for understanding any system that can be described in a mathematical way. As our understanding of biological processes has grown and deepened, it isn't surprising, then, that the disciplines of computational biology and, more recently, bioinformatics, have evolved from the intersection of classical biology, mathematics, and computer science.
A New Approach to Data Collection Biochemistry is often an anecdotal science. If you notice a disease or trait of interest, the imperative to understand it may drive the progress of research in that direction. Based on their interest in a particular biochemical process, biochemists have determined the sequence or structure or analyzed the expression characteristics of a single gene product at a time. Often this leads to a detailed understanding of one biochemical pathway or even one protein. How a pathway or protein interacts with other biological components can easily remain a mystery, due to lack of hands to do the work, or even because the need to do a particular experiment isn't communicated to other scientists effectively.
The Internet has changed how scientists share data and made it possible for one central warehouse of information to serve an entire research community. But more importantly, experimental technologies are rapidly advancing to the point at which it's possible to imagine systematically collecting all the data of a particular type in a central "factory" and then distributing it to researchers to be interpreted.
In the 1990s, the biology community embarked on an unprecedented project: sequencing all the DNA in the human genome. Even though a first draft of the human genome sequence has been completed, automated sequencers are still running around the clock, determining the entire sequences of genomes from various life forms that are commonly used for biological research. And we're still fine-tuning the data we've gathered about the human genome over the last 10 years. Immense strings of data, in which the locations of only a relatively few important genes are known, have been and still are being generated. Using image-processing techniques, maps of entire genomes can now be generated much more quickly than they could with chemical mapping techniques, but even with this technology, complete and detailed mapping of the genomic data that is now being produced may take years.
Recently, the techniques of x-ray crystallography have been refined to a degree that allows a complete set of crystallographic reflections for a protein to be obtained in minutes instead of hours or days. Automated analysis software allows structure determination to be completed in days or weeks, rather than in months. It has suddenly become possible to conceive of the same type of high-throughput approach to structure determination that the Human Genome Project takes to sequence determination. While crystallization of proteins is still the limiting step, it's likely that the number of protein structures available for study will increase by an order of magnitude within the next 5 to 10 years.
Parallel computing is a concept that has been around for a long time. Break a problem down into computationally tractable components, and instead of solving them one at a time, employ multiple processors to solve each subproblem simultaneously. The parallel approach is now making its way into experimental molecular biology with technologies such as the DNA microarray. Microarray technology allows researchers to conduct thousands of gene expression experiments simultaneously on a tiny chip. Miniaturized parallel experiments absolutely require computer support for data collection and analysis. They also require the electronic publication of data, because information in large datasets that may be tangential to the purpose of the data collector can be extremely interesting to someone else. Finding information by searching such databases can save scientists literally years of work at the lab bench.
The output of all these high-throughput experimental efforts can be shared only because of the development of the World Wide Web and the advances in communication and information transfer that the Web has made possible.
The increasing automation of experimental molecular biology and the application of information technology in the biological sciences have lead to a fundamental change in the way biological research is done. In addition to anecdotal research--locating and studying in detail a single gene at a time--we are now cataloguing all the data that is available, making complete maps to which we can later return and mark the points of interest. This is happening in the domains of sequence and structure, and has begun to be the approach to other types of data as well. The trend is toward storage of raw biological data of all types in public databases, with open access by the research community. Instead of doing preliminary research in the lab, scientists are going to the databases first to save time and resources...
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It¿s no deep secret many Information Technology (IT) professionals today are facing a rough road finding gainful employment. In fact, according to Information Week, nearly 10% of the US IT workforce vanished in the last two months of 2002. More aptly put, some 272,530 American IT professionals in October were unemployed by December. This data is corroborated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Where did they all go? Many almost certainly got jobs in other professions and many still could be seeking employment. Employment counselors are encouraging IT professionals to ¿repurpose¿ those hard earned tech skills. Bioinformatics is a ripe apple waiting to be eaten. Bioinformatics simply stated is the computational and analytical methods to biological problems. If this sounds like an open ended explanation, it is. In fact, according to O¿Reilly¿s definitive publication on the topic, ¿Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills¿ by Cynthia Gibas and Per Jambeck, there are several different definitions to Bioinformatics, but suffice to say all revolve around applying IT to the management of biological data. Chapters one through six delineate the basics including the typical and common software and hardware requirements for Bioinformatics. I will tell you right now if you want to be successful in this fresh field, you must learn Unix. The book points out why. Unix is used extensively in universities and academia where the abundance of software for scientific data analysis is developed. Not to mention in the mid nineties, the only workstations able to visualize protein data structure in real-time were Silicon Graphics and Sun Unix workstations. Linux fans rejoice! As the book points out, ¿Linux is an excellent platform for developing software, so there¿s a rich library of tools available for computational biology and research in general.¿ Sound interesting? At this point you could be overwhelmed and ask yourself, ¿Where do I start?¿ Well, you may want to purchase O¿Reilly¿s ¿Developing Bioinformatics Computer Skills¿ to see what the fuss is all about, determine whether you have what it takes to succeed in this new field, and most importantly, get an introduction to the software tools for biological applications from the inside out. Bioinformatics is a growing field that will continue for the unforeseeable future. If you¿re serious about turning around that stagnant IT career and expanding your education, you may find yourself in the same enviable position you were three years ago¿needed and wanted! But don¿t let me mislead you. As the book points out, Bioinformatics is first and foremost a biological science. |
Definitions (3)
1.Banking: Bank's legal right to seize a borrower's any account balance (except a sub-account balance) in the same bank to apply it toward the borrower's any loan in arrears, or in anticipation of a default. In some jurisdictions (such as the US), this right is not applicable to consumer and credit card loans.
2.Commerce: Debtor's legal right to reduce the creditor's claim by the amount the creditor (claimant) owes to the debtor.
3.Litigation: Counterclaim by a defendant against the plaintiff on the basis of a transaction that is different from the one on which the plaintiff's claim is based. In legal terminology it is called equitable right to setoff.
Use setoff in a sentence
• The important ability to setoff was taken into consideration as the customer had been a lifelong member of the bank.
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• I was not really into the idea of a setoff, but I knew that banks did their best to maintain a fair practice.
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• One of our competitors suffered greatly when the bank employed a setoff to recoup their loses as our competitor's profits suffered and they were unable to repay the loan they took out from the bank.
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Anyone who walks to the bus stop or drives a car in the winter knows about the white rock-salt residue that coats boots and fenders. Rock salt is more than an eyesore and a potential corrosive, however; it is also dangerous to animals and potentially deadly to trees.
The salt, which is sprinkled on sidewalks, stairs and roads to melt ice and snow, can make dogs sick when they lick it off their feet, says to Dr. Gordon Robinson, director of the Henry Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital of the A.S.P.C.A in Manhattan. ''It's not poisonous,'' he said, ''but it can make them nauseous and they might vomit.''
Dr. Robinson says dogs are more at risk than cats because they tend to walk the same salted paths and streets that people use. He recommends washing a dog's paws if there is dried salt on them.
Literature from Bide-a-Wee, an animal association, suggests rubbing petroleum jelly on an animal's paws before a winter walk to protect its feet. The association advises owners to put the salve between the animal's toes and to consider having excess hair, which traps salt, trimmed.
Rock salt is even more dangerous to trees, shrubs and other plants than it is to animals. The major problem, horticulturists say, is chemical drought, which occurs when the salt filters down through the soil to the tree roots and dehydrates them.
''When roots dry out, they're dead, and they don't grow back,'' said Barbara Eber-Schmid, who is the executive director of the New York City Tree Consortium, a private organization.''
Rock salt comes in the form of either sodium chloride or calcium chloride. The former is simple table salt and is the more dangerous of the two. Either can stunt growth or cause twig death or leaf scorch, which occurs when trees or shrubs absorb the chloride ions in the salt, which in turn accumulate in the leaves and turn them brown or black.
Ms. Eber-Schmid said rock-salt damage may not be evident until spring. She said each kind of tree has a different reaction to rock salt. ''One-time usage is too much for some trees, such as the pin oak,'' she said, ''and evergreens can suffer leaf scorch if salt is accidentally sprinkled on their branches.''
The Tree Consortium, whose aim is to educate New Yorkers about the value and care of street trees, has a few suggestions for preventing rock-salt dehydration. The first and simplest is to use urea pellets (a fertilizer made from cow urine), sand or cat litter instead of salt.
Edmond Moulin, director of horticulture at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, suggested using sand, which the garden uses on its paths, or cat litter instead of anything with chemicals. He said sand provides good traction without damaging trees and plants. ''Use plain coarse construction sand,'' he said, ''not beach sand, which has salt in it.''
Residents should clear plowed snow from the bases of trees because there is probably rock salt in it. They might also build protective barriers like tree pits or raised beds.
Ms. Eber-Schmid said watering is the only remedy if a tree or shrub has been exposed to rock salt. ''Try to water around trees any time it's above freezing outside to leach off the salt, to dissolve it,'' she said.
But she noted that it may be too late to save some trees damaged by chemical drought if there is a general drought. ''People are going to lose trees if they use salt in the winter and find that in the spring and summer they may not be able to water as much because of local prohibitions,'' she said. |
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1. 1. The Basics of Marketing By: Daniel Andres
2. 2. Definition of Marketing Marketing is defined as the act or process of buying and selling in a market. It is the commercial functions involved in transferring goods from producer to consumer The basic understanding of marketing is found in the marketing mix
3. 3. The Importance of Marketing It is greatly needed in today’s economy It can give you an edge over your competition Used to gain a bigger customer base Reminds customers why they choose to use your product/service
4. 4. The Marketing Mix Product Price Place Promotion People
5. 5. PRODUCT The product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. In the case of physical products, it also refers to any services or conveniences that are part of the offering. Product decisions include aspects such as function, appearance, packaging, ser vice, warranty, etc.
9. 9. PEOPLE People decisions are those related to customer service. How do you want your workers to appear to your customers? There are a range of service profiles from service with a smile - McDonald's, to classier Nordstrom's, to plain rude - Ed Debevic's. The function of people to present an appearance, an attitude, etc.
10. 10. Summary of Marketing Mix Decisions Product Price Promotion Place People Functionality List Price Advertising Channel- Service Appearance Discounts Personal- Members Appearance Quality Allowances Selling Channel- Uniforms Packaging Financing Public- Motivation Attitude Brand Leasing- Relations Market- Warranty Options Message Coverage Service/ Media Locations Report Budget L0gistics Service Levels
11. 11. The Target Market When marketing a product you must find what/ who is your target market. Your target market is the people group/ region you are trying to reach with your product/service
12. 12. A Products Life Cycle IntroGrowthMaturityDecline
13. 13. Introduction Stage In the introduction stage, the firm seeks to build product awareness and develop a market for the product.
14. 14. Growth Stage In the growth stage, the firm seeks to build brand preference and increase market share
15. 15. At maturity, the strong growth in sales diminishes. Competition may Maturity appear with similar products. The primary objective at this point is to defend market share while maximizing profit.
16. 16. As sales decline, the firm has several options: • Maintain the product- possibly rejuvenating it by adding new features and finding new uses • Harvest the product- reduce costs and continue to offer it, possibly to a loyal niche segment • Discontinue the product- liquidating remaining inventory or selling it to another firm that is willing to continue the product Decline
17. 17. Summary The essence of marketing is to understand your customers' needs and develop a plan that surrounds those needs. Anyone that has a business has a desire to grow their business. The most effective way to grow and expand your business is by focusing on expanding your customer base.
18. 18. You can increase your customer sales in four different ways. 1. Acquiring more customers 2. Persuading each customer to buy more products 3. Persuading each customer to buy more expensive products or up selling each customer 4. Persuading each customer to buy more profitable products All four of these increase your revenue and profit. By acquiring more customers you increase your customer base and your revenues that come from a larger base. Marketing is used for researching and creating a strategic marketing plan that will increase your customer base. A good marketing plan will: • Guide your product development to reach out to customers you aren't currently attracting. • Price your products and services competitively. • Develop your message and materials based on solution marketing.
19. 19. The End I hope You Enjoyed My Presentation
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Labor Unions
union, labor
labor union, association of workers for the purpose of improving their economic status and working conditions through collective bargaining with employers. Historically there have been two chief types of unions: the horizontal, or craft, union, in which all the members are skilled in a certain craft (e.g., the International Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America); and the vertical, or industrial, union, composed of workers in the same industry or industries regardless of their particular skills (e.g., the United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America). A company union is an union for the employees of one company; it has no affiliation with other labor organizations and may be controlled by the employer.
In Great Britain
On the Continent
Labor unions developed differently on the Continent than they did in Great Britain and in the United States, mainly because the European unions organized along industrial rather than along craft lines and because they engaged in more partisan political activity. In Germany the printers' and cigarmakers' unions were started after the uprisings of 1848; German unions until World War I were responsible for much social legislation. In France labor unions were organized in the early part of the 19th cent. but received no legal recognition until 1884. In most European countries labor organizations either are political parties or are affiliated with political parties, usually left-wing ones. In some European countries, notably Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands, there are rival Christian and Socialist trade-union movements. In Russia, trade unions first appeared on a considerable scale in the revolution of 1905 but were later stamped out. They reappeared in the 1917 revolution and became highly organized in a national movement under Communist control. Between the revolution and fall of the Communist party in 1991, the trade-union movement in the Soviet Union was mainly an instrument of the state in its drive for higher industrial production.
In the United States
Early Years to the AFL-CIO
In the United States unionism in some form is almost as old as the nation itself. Crafts that formed local unions in the late 18th and early 19th cent. included printers, carpenters, tailors, and weavers. Their chief purpose was to keep up craft standards and to prevent employers from hiring untrained workers and importing foreign labor. From 1806 there were numerous prosecutions by employers of unions as combinations in restraint of trade. The early 1830s, a period of industrial prosperity and inflation, was a time of union development; however, the financial Panic of 1837 halted this growth. After the Civil War, in 1866, the National Labor Union was formed; it had such objectives as the abolition of convict labor, the establishment of the eight-hour workday, and the restriction of immigration, but it collapsed with its entry into politics in 1872.
Among the most important of the early national organizations was the Knights of Labor (1869–1917), organizing among both skilled and unskilled workers. That policy brought them into conflict with the established craft unions, who joined together to form the American Federation of Labor (AFL; see American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) in the 1890s under Samuel Gompers. The Knights, thereafter, declined in numbers and effectiveness. The leaders of the AFL opposed the entry of the federation into politics. In 1905 a huge, unwieldy but militant industrial body arose—the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It concentrated on unskilled workers—lumbermen, migrant workers, and miners. With the conviction of most of its leaders under the Espionage Act during and after World War I, IWW membership shrank, and the organization became ineffective in the 1920s.
During the depression of the 1930s, unions experienced a rapid growth in membership. At this time the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was formed; it was made up at first of dissident unions of the AFL and was led by John L. Lewis. During the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, steps were taken to restore seriously deteriorated standards of employment and to facilitate the development of trade-union organization. The accomplishment of those goals were sought through the passage of such acts as the National Labor Relations (Wagner) Act of 1935, an enactment that enlarged the rights of unions and created the National Labor Relations Board, and by protective labor legislation such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) and the Social Security Act (1935). There were often severe conflicts between the AFL and the CIO during the 1930s and 40s. It was therefore considered a momentous step when in 1955 the two labor groups merged to form the AFL-CIO. The AFL, the larger of the two organizations, was given a proportionate share of the offices of the new federation, and its president, George Meany, was unanimously elected president of the combined body. Industrial unions of the CIO were given a department of their own within the merged organization.
The Late 1950s to the Present
The AFL-CIO issued a series of ethical-practice codes to govern the behavior of union officers and expelled the Teamsters for corruption in 1957. Nevertheless the entire labor movement found itself on the defensive in the late 1950s, following the disclosures made by the Senate Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field (popularly known as the McClellan Committee); the committee exposed such abuses as collusion between dishonest employers and union officials, extortions and the use of violence by certain segments of labor leadership, and the misuse of funds by high-ranking union officials. As a result of the findings of the McClellan Committee, the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959 was enacted to correct abuses in labor-management relations.
Since World War II, U.S. unions have undergone a period of decline. In 1960 one third of all American workers belonged to a union, but by 2012 the proportion had dropped to about 11%. Faced with foreign competition and financial troubles in its traditional power base—manufacturing and mining—organized labor was hurt in the 1980s by layoffs and was, in many cases, forced to accept reduced wages and benefits. In response, many unions adopted a more conciliatory attitude, reducing the number of strikes to record lows in the 1980s and early 90s, and attempting to negotiate contracts providing job security for members. Unions have also placed greater emphasis on organizing drives for new members. Although unions have been very successful in organizing government employees, they have been less successful with recruiting office workers in the rapidly expanding services sector. Another problem is demographic: The fastest growing parts of the labor force (women, service industries, and college-educated employees) have traditionally been the most reluctant to organize.
By 1996 the number of strikes in the United States had reached its lowest level in 50 years; at the end of the decade, however, a tighter labor market and more aggressive union leadership led to a resurgence of strikes against such major companies as Northwest Airlines, General Motors, and United Parcel Service. In 2005 disagreements over policy led a number of large unions in the AFL-CIO to leave and form the Change to Win Federation, but by 2010 two of the unions had rejoined the AFL-CIO.
In the early 21st cent., public-sector employees and women made up a larger share (approaching 50% in both cases) of union members than they had historically, and manufacturing employees had diminished (to roughly one in ten union members) while college graduates had increased (to four in ten). In the early 2010s, public-sector unions, especially at the state level, found themselves under particular pressure after the economic downturn of 2008–9 led to a significant drop in tax revenues. Unlike European union movements, American organized labor has in general avoided the formation of a political party and has remained within the framework of the two-party system.
In the Third World
Organized labor in the Third World, although generally small numerically, has played a disproportionately large role in political developments in those countries. Many union movements in the underdeveloped countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, rising on the wave of nationalism, have led anticolonial movements toward political independence; the leaders of many newly independent nations have owed their rise largely to the support of workers they have organized. In Latin America, too, labor unions are a powerful force, constituting as they do the most important mass political organizations in the nations of that region.
International Organizations
For British and European unions, see C. Wrigley, British Trade Unions, 1945–1995 (1997); Q. Outram and R. A. Church, Strikes and Solidarity: Coalfield Conflict in Britain, 1889–1966 (1998); W. H. Fraser, A History of British Trade Unionism, 1700–1998 (1999); A. Martin and G. Ross, ed., The Brave New World of European Labor (1999); for American unions, see J. R. Commons, History of Labor in the United States (4 vol., 1918–35; repr. 1966); D. Montgomery, The Fall of the House of Labor (1989); F. R. Dulles and M. Dubofsky, Labor in America: A History (5th ed. 1993); R. H. Zieger, American Workers, American Unions (1994); M. Dubofksy, Industrialization and the American Worker, 1865–1920 (1996); H. Kimeldorf, Battling for American Labor: Wobblies, Craft Workers, and the Making of the Union Movement (1999); R. M. Tillman and M. S. Cummings, The Transformation of U.S. Unions (1999). See also W. Galenson, Trade Union Democracy in Western Europe (1961, repr. 1976); M. Schneider, A Brief History of the German Trade Unions (1991); H. A. Cook, The Most Difficult Revolution: Women and Trade Unions (1992); W. Lecher, ed., Trade Unions in the European Union (1994); L. J. Cook, Labor and Liberalization: Trade Unions in the New Russia (1997); H. Chapman et al., ed., A Century of Organized Labor in France (1998).
Labor Unions: Selected full-text books and articles
Labor in America: A History By Melvyn Dubofsky; Foster Rhea Dulles Harlan Davidson, 2004 (7th edition)
What Do Unions Do? By Richard B. Freeman; James L. Medoff Basic Books, 1984
The Past as Prologue? A Brief History of the Labor Movement in the United States By Adler, Joseph Public Personnel Management, Vol. 35, No. 4, Winter 2006
Hard Work: Remaking the American Labor Movement By Rick Fantasia; Kim Voss University of California Press, 2004
Unions and Legitimacy By Gary Chaison; Barbara Bigelow ILR Press, 2002
Do Unions Impact Efficiency?: Evidence from the U.S. Manufacturing Sector By Chintrakarn, Pandej; Chen, Yi-Yi Contemporary Economic Policy, Vol. 29, No. 3, July 2011
Do Unions Affect Labor's Share of Income: Evidence Using Panel Data By Fichtenbaum, Rudy The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 70, No. 3, July 2011
Generational Differences in Attitudes about Unions: A Segmented Dispositional Marketing Approach By Gallagher, Vickie Coleman; Fiorito, Jack Southern Business Review, Vol. 31, No. 1, October 1, 2005
How Unions Can Improve Their Success Rate in Labor Arbitration By Borell, Charles A Dispute Resolution Journal, Vol. 61, No. 1, February-April 2006
Unions, Organizing Cities, and a 21st-Century Labor Movement: Implications for African Americans By Fletcher, Bill, Jr Harvard Journal of African American Public Policy, Vol. 14, Summer 2008
The CIO, 1935-1955 By Robert H. Zieger University of North Carolina Press, 1995
British Trade Unions since 1933 By Chris Wrigley Cambridge University Press, 2002
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Apple trees do best when planted in fertile, well-drained soil, between late December and February. Water and fertilize your trees on a regular basis, and they should bear fruit within a few years of establishment.
Your apples will require cross-pollination to set fruit properly. The varieties ‘TropicSweet’, ‘Anna’, and ‘Dorsett Golden’ bloom at about the same time and can be planted together for cross-pollination. The fruit on these varieties tends to ripen in June or July.
TropicSweet apples
TropicSweet apples,
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OneE Group:The Best Tax Advice Company
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Microphone For Computer
Microphone headset for computer which shortcut name is referred to as a mic is small instrument that converts sound into an electrical digital signal.
Dynamic microphone computers are used in many ways it can be used in telephoned, tape recorders, hearing aid, motion production or public address and VoIP.
It is also mostly used by musician. Neumann U87 being one of the most recent design which response to sound pressure. It also uses electromagnetic inductions which aid it in producing mechanical vibration.
Microphone headsets for computer which are also referred to as element or capsule include a housing that brings a signal from the element to the computer and an electronic circuit which is fixed to the output socket of the computer.
Sometimes microphone headset for computer is called transducer principal or orientation principal. Microphone computer diaphragms are used as plates of capacitor this is when vibration produce change in the distance between the plates.
Microphone computer plates have two ways of extracting audio output from the transducer one been DC-biased where plates are biased with a fixed charge which maintains the capacitor plates and the vibration.
The other one being C=Q/V this is where the plate is proportional parallel. Microphone computer change in no time to as much as 50 ms at 20Hz. this makes the audio signal to keep the change as constant.
The voltage changes reflects in capacitance with the voltage been below the bias which is seen in the series resistor this is how the voltage is amplified to produce sound.
Microphone computer have small diaphragm which are know as AKG C451B which use very low RF voltage which generate very low noise know as oscillator and is modulated by capacitance which produce waves which moves the capsule diaphragm which is part of a resonant circuit which makes the amplitude by fixing frequency signal.
These new technologies of using diaphragm have low tension which can be used to achieve frequency with high compliance.
The sennheiser MKH series microphone computer use RF biased which have made this microphone computer to become one of the best in this new era as they can be operated in damp weather as for the dislikes of DC biased microphone which get contaminated.
They have also ranked to be the best and suitable microphone that can be used in laboratories and recording studio and are not expensive and the sound of this microphone headset for computer are of high quality.
How To Make My Computer Faster
You may wonder about ways to speed up your computer in order for you to maximize your time in doing your tasks. All of us know that it could give anyone a great deal of burden whenever our computers slow down on their tasks, so it is very important for everyone to have a little bit of knowledge regarding different tweaks that you could easily do to speed up a computer.
First is getting rid of the shortcuts that you do not have any use for in your desktop. We often find a lot of icons in our computer desktops that we do not use, and these short cut keys relatively slow down the processes of your computer. You do not really need to worry about losing access to these files, since you are only removing the short cut keys and not the program itself. Or if you really have programs that you do not have any use of, you may uninstall these programs. Just make sure that you do not really need to use the program in the future if you do need them again, you have a ready installer with you so that you may easily install the programs once again when you need them.
Another one of the ways to speed up your computer is to free up disk space. The Disk Cleanup option has the capability to remove temporary Internet files, and downloaded program files, among others. We may think that these programs do not do anything to contribute to the slow down of your computer, but think again. Letting these programs stay in your computer once they all file up is a big cause for major computer slow downs. All you need to do to access the Disk Clean up is to go to the Start button, then to All Programs, then Accessories and System Tools. Access the Disk Cleanup option on it, and after clicking, you will be asked on the type of drive that you want to clean up. In the dialog box prompted in the Disk Cleanup option, choose the files that you want to delete by scrolling through it and checking the list of files that you want, and clearing the boxes for the programs that you do not want to remove. Click OK when prompted to remove the desired files.
The Disk Defragmenter is also one way to speed up computer in no time. When the files are fragmented, it will still take some time for the computer to search for the hard disk and put these files back together. This will take a relatively longer response time for the computer, thus slowing it down. To do this, go to the Start button, then point to All Programs, and point to System Tools. Click on the Disk Defragmenter option. Analyze the number of files which needs to be defragmented first before undergoing the whole process. After knowing the number of fragmented files, you may now run this option.
Desktop Deals
Learning over the ages has undergone many changes. In recent years many rapid changes have taken place, from classroom teaching to online education. Could you ever think that management could be taught with the help of Desktop wallpapers? Here is how it is being done now days.
Learning – Let us look at learning. How do we learn? By reading, reflecting and thinking and then remembering what we have been taught. Mere remembering will not be sufficient because unless we reflect and think, we don’t get the meaning of the message.
How do we learn? How do we reflect? We reflect by thinking about something over a period of time. That is why students look at their textbooks from time to time. At this stage of learning, desktop wallpapers play a big role in teaching. Management sciences can be taught with small headings, quotes and messages. If you wish to learn management with the help of desktop wallpapers, download them on your desktop. The text will always be in front of you. As the text is on the right side of the wallpaper, it will not clutter your screen.
Desktop wallpapers and learning – As the text always remains on the screen, the eyes take the information both consciously and unconsciously. Our mind keeps pondering over what is written and i estimate that it should take about two days for an average student to learn the lesson. Download few desktop types of wallpaper and find out your own speed of learning. This learning has many benefits. It is free. It is effortless. You don’t have to devote extra time to it. It is easy.
How To Remotely Access Another Computer
Maybe you were experiencing a problem, or could not figure out how to make something work, but you knew if someone else could see what was happening on your screen, they could help you fix the problem immediately.
Ever had a phone conversation with someone about a particular business topic, but you just could not “connect” with your ideas because it was too hard to explain over the phone?
Now, visualize jumping on the phone with that same person and literally sharing your computer’s desktop to collaborate, discuss, and create virtually anything together, even if you’re separated by thousands of miles.
Imagine you need to take a trip and you either don’t need to or can’t take your computer.
The thought of emails piling up for days makes you crazy and you also need to monitor any things on your pc.
One of the most common remote desktop services is, which provides a safe and secure way for you to go down to the local internet caf”, log on, and access your office or home computer just like sitting at your own desk.
Firstly, you log in to the website with a username and password.
The benefits of remotely accessing your PC from the road are numerous, but the bottom line is that it enables you to use your computer from the road like yourself never left home.
The same company that offers also offers a service named which allows you to remotely host a meeting where multiple users can share and collaborate on a single computer desktop.
New Computer
Programs are important for the user to communicate with the computer. Thus, users need to install computer programs to make sure that the computer will work the way users need to. There are also computer programs or softwares that you can download from internet websites to help you in more specific and advanced tasks.
Many computer programmers create computer programs or improve existing computer programs for users to purchase and download from the internet.
However, because of the proliferation of computer viruses that may harm the computer like deleting files, or crashing the system, users need to be careful in downloading and installing computer programs.
It is therefore necessary that before you download or install a computer program into your computer, you will be able to assess if the program is going to harm your computer or not.
It is often difficult to assess the possibility of a computer program damaging your computer by mere description or advertisement provided by the computer programmer or program manufacturer. It is necessary that you analyze the computer program before embarking on purchasing or downloading such computer program.
Things to consider before downloading or installing computer programs
Know what the computer can do for you and what it can do to your computer. Ask the manufacturer for information and detailed description of the computer program. The manufacturer may post this in its website or provide you with copy of a manual. You will need to know what other things the computer program can do to your computer other than the function that the manufacturer tells you or advertised it can do.
Check for reviews. The written description or information of the computer program may not be enough for you to assess the computer program properly. Thus, you will need to look for other individuals who might have used or tried the computer program. Reviews posted on the internet may help you understand the program better and this is something that you need to look for before you download and install a new computer program.
Know the company or individuals who created or designed the computer program. The computer program manufacturer should be accessible to the user. Ask for their email address, telephone number, address and the registered manufacturer of the computer program. You may check the company with the Better Business Bureau to know if they are legally operating as computer program manufacturer. You may also try contacting them through telephone or email. If the manufacturer is legitimate, you will easily get in touch with them and thus, when problems arise, you are sure you can reach the people responsible for the computer program.
Backup important files in your computer. Because you will be installing a new computer program. You will avoid the risk of loosing important files by doing a backup in a CD or USB. This is to make sure that should anything untoward happen; you will be able to retrieve your important files.
If the computer program is able to pass the rigid analysis above, download and install the computer program after you have ensured that your anti-virus program is working properly.
You may have analyzed the new computer program but then being able to doubly protect your computer with anti-virus program is always necessary.
Cheap Computers For Sale
A discount computer is a low cost computer with all the same features and software as a more expensive computer. There are many types of discounts that can account for a computer being discounted. Because there many different people that use computers, we can have a different meaning for each discount.
Types of discounts available for your computer
If you are a student, you may receive a discount from the school you are attending. This is an educational discount. Schools receive discounted computers from companies which allow them to pass the discount on the student. This is also true for various software programs. Another type of discount is found at a deal shop. They sell these computers at a reduced price. They buy up sell-out computers and then they pass the savings on to the consumer.
Most computer companies also have a discount computer store online. This is another way to buy a computer at a reasonable price. The other type of low cost computer is a refurbished computer. These are computers that are used and then reformatted. In most cases the software is upgraded to make them a comparable item to a new computer.
Building a Discount Computer from Discounted Computer Accessories
When you consider building your own computer and use discounted parts and accessories, you need to make sure you are using parts and software that is of high quality. Some hard drives and memory chips can be faulty and this results in some people trying to sell them at a cheaper price. When using accessories to build a discount computer, it is recommended that you obtain parts and software from a retail store.
This holds true when buying discounted computers. You need to exercise caution when you are buying low cost computers from a wholesaler or at an online auction site. You may not be getting the best deal. It is always safer to buy computers from a retailer or a school program. It’s better to be safe than sorry and you still can get a good discount on computers without losing quality.
Some Points to Remember
Discounted parts are not always safe. Be sure of the reputation of the company before considering buying parts to build a discount computer. Watch out for wholesalers selling computers online. Always check for reviews and ask a lot of questions. Most discount computers do come with a warranty for certain things. If you want to build a computer, the best thing to do is make a budget and buy from a reputable dealer. Also, you may want to check out the consumer reports on discount computers to see the ratings. Low cost computers are a good buy. So look around and find one that is best for you.
Make My Computer Faster For Free
If you are one of the millions of people still searching for free registry clean to bring more life to your computer and generate a longer life span to your entire database then a simple visit and browse through web pages will surely make way for more probabilities of coming up with the best one.
Since you are aiming for free registry clean, you have to take into account that not all free are excellent choices and not all are indeed efficient. If you care to ask regarding any of the features that will make up good registry software then this has something to do with these: Technically speaking, your software needs to contain simple interface guidelines. A lot of computer users are not geeks and computer whiz; they are just simple individuals wanting to acquire superior processing system to attend to their needs. Therefore, the requisite of a comprehensible guideline is one of the most crucial things to consider.
Since free registry clean is gratis, needless to say, payments of any sorts are unacceptable. To those people whoever are engage in software subscription might need to shift to an on the house software since this can be easily located and downloaded on the net without further effort of purchasing for one. Some of the known registry cleaners that surely works and entails easy download includes Regcure, CC cleaner and Regcleaner among others.
Another excellent advantage of free registry clean is its performance equivalence with that of the paid ones. Although subscriptions are mostly retained and managed by computer professionals still, the free ones can greatly match up in terms of performance with the paid registry cleaner software. Whichever way you take, the final say will certainly come from you.
Weighing things, it would still be a practical choice to go for software free of charge. This software registry cleaner mostly comprise of uncomplicated user interface and can be performed and executed even by those people with basic grasp of computer technicalities. Once you acquire this software, you can use it as a lifetime partner in scanning your registries. Doing the scanning and clean up on a fixed basis will help you alleviate other risks your system might experience if not given proper and immediate attention.
Users whoever have not gone clean up and generally ignore warning hints indicating system malfunction will have to suffer the consequences of a slow running computer system. If this problem persists and you never generate further actions in remedying system problems then further glitches and malfunctions in your computer will likely to exist.
Searching for free registry clean is surely the best and surest way to fix all your registry problems. To some, this might involve major intricacies coupled with unfamiliar jargons and other technicalities that you have to bear yet; the most salient thing that you can give your computer is to provide an immediate cure necessary to thwart and put a stop to a slow running program to make way for a fast running system.
Business Computer
In todays business world, more and more individuals are choosing to work from home. This is a great avenue to pursue if one has small children in the home, lives in an area where jobs are hard to come by or is simply tired of the long commute to and from work. For these individuals, considering a home business computer opportunity might be the perfect option. There are various ways in which one can go about finding this business opportunity.
Independent Contractor Websites
One place where individuals can search for their desired home business is on independent contractor websites. There are many websites which cater to independent contractors and those who wish to be self employed. On these particular types of websites, one will most likely come across home business opportunities that they can engage in from the comfort of their own home.
Regular Employment Websites
An individual may also find a wide array of job opportunities related to a type of home business computer opportunity on regular employment websites. Many individuals who are offering job opportunities of this type will often place the advertisements in an arena where job seekers search the most, i.e. employment websites. This is another beneficial avenue to pursue when seeking out for a home business.
Newspaper Advertisements
One should also check out their local newspapers for employment information. Frequently individuals will advertise home business computer opportunities of this type in the daily newspaper. What better way to find a job of this sort than by simply flipping through the local newspaper. Oftentimes these types of advertisements will be listed most frequently in the Sunday newspaper employment section.
Recommendations From Friends And Family Members
Another way in which individuals can find a home business of their choice is by asking friends and family members for recommendations. There are so many individuals who work from home these days that it is highly likely that one will know somebody who is knowledgeable with regard to home business computer opportunities. Obtaining these types of recommendations from friends and family members also helps to ensure that the computer opportunity is legitimate and worth the time and effort.
These are just a few of the more highly recognized ways to obtain a home business computer opportunity. Home based businesses are extremely popular as well as lucrative for many of the individuals who embark upon a career choice of this kind. If one is looking to get involved with a home business opportunity, they should certainly check online job listings, both general and specific, peruse local newspapers and ask for recommendations from friends and family members. By doing so, the individual will be that much more likely to encounter the business opportunity that is perfect for him.
Buy Computer
Does this shock you? It did me at first, but now I subscribe to this motto and let go of all paper and information that doesn’t serve me. It’s my new mantra. If the information is important I make sure it gets filed–either in paper files or on my computer. More and more I don’t use paper files and have learned how to make new folders of important people or specific information I need to keep track of.
If you are a stacker, slinger, or stuffer, you can now expand your power by keeping only what is important to you.
How to File these Important Pieces
If in a paper file organize them alphabetically and vertically and put a complete name at the top of the manila file folder. Categorize the kinds of files too: one for household information, another for the teleclasses and speaking engagements, another for coaching clients, and another for promotion Online and off.
In a computer word folder organize information alphabetically too. “My documents” includes these and many more, but with this technique you will always know where to find the important information because it’s organized and categorized in folders Examples include: articles to submit, contacts influential, ClickBank, promotion campaigns by mo and of course folders for books in word and PDF. These folders are the lifeblood of any business.
Make sure you keep only information that supports your best life. With that 20% make sure you file it so you can find it in less than two minutes!
Computer Rental
Special projects, temporary staff increases and internal training are made much easier when you consider desktop computer rentals. Just think of the problems you can avoid when you rent:
No scrambling to find enough machines to set up a training room or office for temporary staff
No costly purchases of equipment that will become surplus once the project is complete
No need to sell or dispose of used equipment
Desktop computer rentals offer other benefits:
A full-service computer rentals firm will offer setup and takedown services
You can get the latest equipment for your project without the high costs of acquiring new equipment
The computer rentals firm can help you by pre-loading the software you need on each machine
Your desktop computer rentals will be fully supported by the rental firm
Who Uses Desktop Computer Rentals?
Many organizations depend on desktop computer rentals for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few:
Contractors and Temporary Staff Organizations with short-term special projects often hire people on contract. To avoid large expenditures on new equipment, they turn to desktop computer rentals. Industries that rely on computer rentals in this kind of situation include software development companies, income tax services, and non-profits that need to enter large volumes of donations during fundraising campaigns.
Testing Many businesses need to test new hardware and software before rolling it out to a broad base of users. With desktop computer rentals they can obtain the hardware they need, tailored to their exact specifications, to create a testing network that is identical to their real work environment.
In-house Workshops and Training Whether it is training in the use of new software or workshops designed to enhance job skills, many organizations conduct courses for their employees. Desktop computer rentals enable them to set up a temporary classroom that can be easily dismantled when training is complete.
Get Your Desktop Computer Rentals from a Full-Service Provider
The computer rentals company you select should offer you a wide range of services and products. Be sure to find out what is included in the service they provide. You can ask about:
Product Selection Can they provide hardware that matches your specifications? Can they source machines that they don’t currently have in stock?
Support What happens if your rented hardware malfunctions? Does the company offer phone or on-site technical support?
Changes What penalties are charged if you change the timeline of your rental agreement? How does the company deal with early or late returns?
Setup and Removal Does the company offer full setup of its desktop computer rentals? Data security is crucial be sure you know how the company removes data from rented machines.
If your company is anticipating temporary staff increases or special projects, make sure to include desktop computer rentals in your planning. Do your homework and research competitive companies online before you agree to a log-term or short-term agreement and make sure it is flexible.
Make sure the company provides 24/7 phone technical support or a rent-a-tech program and start a relationship with a sales representative you can trust! |
Expansions in dairy industry lead to surplus, lows for milk prices
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- One source of income for Pennsylvania dairy farmers has hit its lowest point in three years, according to a dairy market expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
James Dunn, professor of agricultural economics, said that in May, milk margin per hundredweight -- the income portion left to pay dairy producers' bills for inputs other than feed, such as electricity, equipment and labor -- hit its lowest point in Pennsylvania since September 2009.
"This is starting to really eat up the farmers," Dunn said. "The milk price is not historically low, but the feed price is so high that the amount that's left is not good."
Feed prices and difficulty with weather and crop harvests have contributed to dairy producers' struggles. Last year's wet seasons hindered farmers' ability to produce feed for their dairy herds. Dunn said some producers are running out of corn silage.
Exports and the strength of the American dollar also have played a role in the fluctuating milk prices. With the amount of milk produced per cow increasing -- creating more milk than the US population can consume -- dairy-product exports must increase or cow numbers must shrink to balance supply and demand.
"The problem always in agriculture is everybody looks at the same information and reaches the same conclusions," Dunn said. "And when producers saw really nice prices, everybody said, 'I'm going to expand.'"
"It's one thing to have your market grow by 3 or 4 percent, but where are you going to find 20 percent more customers than you had last year?" he asked. "The world population is growing, and you can have some bad weather, but that's too much to expect."
"If we have a strong dollar, we can buy other people's stuff for a good price, and our stuff is expensive to them," Dunn said, emphasizing that agriculture is driven largely by exports.
"Ordinarily, land in Pennsylvania is not suitable to be really competitive in corn and soybeans -- too many small fields -- but when the prices of corn and soybeans are high enough, then that works."
Last Updated June 13, 2012 |
How is Jay Gatsby affected by materialism in The Great Gatsby?
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Jay Gatsby was born poor and so had no social status to show off. Daisy, the woman he loves, was born wealthy, and so their social classes did not mingle very much; Gatsby aspired to win Daisy through his status and so had to work hard to create his own wealth. Despite this, she marries someone else, and Gatsby becomes obsessed with the idea that he can win her away with little more than his wealth and new social status in the community.
(Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby,
In Gatsby's eyes, the barrier between himself and Daisy is one of status and wealth, not of character or personality. He believes that she will come to love him again as he is accepted by her peers, and so he throws large parties and ingratiates himself with the Old Money society of the East Egg. However, since Daisy already has money and is married to Tom, another wealthy man, she is not as easily swayed by Gatsby's attentions. He finally fails because he was focused too much on buying Daisy's love, instead of earning it; Gatsby is too focused on becoming the sort of wealthy man Daisy attracts rather than becoming the character of man to whom Daisy is attracted.
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Half of world countries unprepared to deal with cancer: WHO
Less than half of all countries in the world have functioning plans to prevent cancer and provide treatment and care to cancer patients, the World Health Organisation lamented Friday.
"Cancer should not be a death sentence anywhere in the world, as there are proven ways to prevent and cure many cancers," Dr. Oleg Chestnov, in charge of WHO's non-communicable diseases and mental health unit, said in a statement.
Yet the UN's health body said it had recently conducted a survey of 185 countries revealing that less than half of them, and only 17 percent of countries in Africa, had sufficiently funded cancer control plans.
This is a major concern in a world where each year almost 13 million new cancer cases are diagnosed and some 7.6 million people die of cancer -- a number the WHO warned in 2010 could double to more than 13 million by 2030.
And things are only expected to get worse as populations age and increasingly feel the impact of exposure to major risk factors like tobacco, certain chemicals and infections, according to Dr. Andreas Ullrich, of WHO's Department of Chronic Diseases.
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A Quote by William Shakespeare on age, beauty, death, deception, fear, friendship, perception, pride, and seasons
To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I eyed, Such seems your beauty still. Three winters cold Have from the forests shook three summers' pride, Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turn'd In process of the seasons have I seen, Three April perfumes in three hot Junes burn'd, Since first I saw you fresh, which yet are green. Ah! yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand, Steal from his figure and no pace perceived; So your sweet hue, which methinks still doth stand, Hath motion and mine eye may be deceived: For fear of which, hear this, thou age unbred; Ere you were born was beauty's summer dead.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Source: Sonnet 104
Contributed by: Zaady |
July 25, 2005 11AM PST
Oh, the fun to be had with Unicode.
Unicode, for those still unfamiliar, is a universal character encoding standard, jointly developed by a consortium with dozens of corporate and individual members around the world. The Unicode character set currently tops out at over 70,000 characters, and contains character sets from around the world, in both modern and ancient forms.
A bit more background follows, and then some usage analysis. Interspersed throughout this article are various Unicode characters; it’s highly unlikely that your browser/OS knows what to do with all of them. So unless you're running Safari, click on any set to view an image-based equivalent (which is a screenshot of how they actually do render in Safari).
Glyph Examples #1
Pictographs and Icons: ☣ ✈ ☎ ☠ and ♼
Although Unicode is meant for characters, the term 'character' appears to be used rather loosely. The scope of Unicode is quite broad:
Unicode covers all the characters for all the writing systems of the world, modern and ancient. It also includes technical symbols, punctuations, and many other characters used in writing text. The Unicode Standard is intended to support the needs of all types of users, whether in business or academia, using mainstream or minority scripts.
Glyph Examples #2
Intricate non-Latin characters: Ѭ ش だ ༃ and ௵
If you've never opened a character selection utility, there are a whole bunch of goodies waiting to be discovered. Both Mac OS X and Windows have useful utilities that allow you to get at the extended characters you won't find on the average keyboard. Windows has the Character Map (All Programs ➝ Accessories ➝ System Tools ➝ Character Map) while OS X has the more functional and comprehensive Character Palette (System Preferences ➝ International ➝ Input Menu ➝ Character Palette). Both of these will enable you to browse around the higher Unicode characters that one normally can't get at directly from the average keyboard.
Glyph Examples #3
Strange decoration: ℄ ❣ ᴞ ℟ and ℋ
Given the current state of internationalization amongst modern operating systems and browsers, we're coming close to actually being able to use some of these advanced characters on the web. The issues are similar to those of specfying typefaces for a browser: the user's system must be able to render the character in question.
The biggest advantage I can see, aside from the obvious foreign language support, is the ability to include pictographs and icons within a document, without having to send an image over the wire. A little CSS styling means they can be set to any size, without consuming any more bandwidth, so the visual opportunities are promising.
Though, the biggest caveat is that any character you choose must have a representative glyph (the character pictograph itself) in the font you're displaying it with. It's unlikely that we'll ever be able to rely on a specific glyph/font combination being present on the computers of every user. It's also pretty much a given that the average typeface simply won't have glyphs for all 70,000+ characters, considering the work that goes into producing even a basic latin character set. We're lucky, though, that most of the standard web set -- Verdana, Georgia, Arial, etc. -- have a larger number of glyphs designed than an average font (thank you, Microsoft).
Glyph Examples #4
Religious and symbolic glyphs: ☦ ☬ ☤ ☮ and ☭
Browsers are not equal in their rendering, unfortunately. This article was composed while testing in Safari, and looks absolutely great. Any other browser, including Firefox, doesn't. I can't even begin to speculate why this is, as I had assumed Unicode character assignment occured on the operating system level. Suffice it to say, all browsers are not equal when it comes to rendering advanced Unicode characters.
Although it's probably easier and more reliable to embed these in an image for now, if you pay attention to the character sets and font combinations, it's possible to render them as text within a browser. Once you have a Unicode number (which you can find in your character viewer of choice) you've got enough to start playing. There are at least three ways to include them as character data, and likely more:
1. As a literal character, copied and pasted into your markup from the character viewer. Make sure your site uses a Unicode encoding like UTF-8. (Although this is true for all three options in this list.)
2. As an escaped character entity in your markup, using the &#xNNNN; format (for example, ›) where NNNN is the Unicode number (can be less than 4 digits, e.g. ·) (Unicode Character Lookup)
3. As generated content via your CSS, using the :before and :after pseudoselectors and the "\NNNN" format. (eg. li:before {content: "\203A";}
Glyph Examples #5
Vaguely meteorological glyphs: ☼ ☁ ☂ ✮ and ☃
But it can be hit and miss since so many variables are involved. Still, the opportunity to experiment is there, and you may have noticed certain Unicode characters showing up in the wild -- from the mundane © copyright symbols all over the web, to accents like John Gruber's stars on the Daring Fireball Linked List (they appear after each link).
It might be nice to have a reference sheet with a bunch of reliable cross-browser glyphs that work today, were anyone up to experimenting. Otherwise, consider all this a simple look at the possibilities of what we might get to play with in a few years, if all the major browsers play ball. I'll leave you with a couple of enhanced, gracefully-degrading generated content examples to show how you might consider using these characters in a non-harmful way.
Glyph Examples #6
About This Page:
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1) Incarnation NounAvatar, Embodiment
A new personification of a familiar idea.
The embodiment of hope.
The incarnation of evil.+ More
See Also
Personification - a person who represents an abstract quality.
Recent Updates
Say, State, Tell - express in words; "Say it all".
Truth - a fact that has been verified; "Should I say truth?".
Alone - isolated from others; "I`m alone enough for you".
Hertzian Wave - an electromagnetic wave generated by oscillations in an electric circuit.
Hertzian - of or relating to the physicist Heinrich Hertz or his work; "Hertzian discoveries".
Cps, Cycle, Cycle Per Second, Cycles/second, Hertz, Hz - the unit of frequency; one hertz has a periodic interval of one second.
Hershey Bar - a bar of milk chocolate made by the Hershey company.
Hershey, Milton Snavely Hershey - United States confectioner and philanthropist who created the model industrial town of Hershey, Pennsylvania; founded an industrial school for orphan boys (1857-1945).
Herschelian Telescope, Off-Axis Reflector - a reflecting telescope with the mirror slightly tilted to throw the image to the side where it can be viewed.
Herschel, John Herschel, Sir John Frederick William Herschel, Sir John Herschel - English astronomer (son of William Herschel) who extended the catalogue of stars to the southern hemisphere and did pioneering work in photography (1792-1871).
You are viewing incarnation Urdu definition in English to Urdu dictionary.
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Elizabeth the Great Test | Final Test - Easy
Elizabeth Jenkins
Buy the Elizabeth the Great Lesson Plans
Name: _________________________ Period: ___________________
Multiple Choice Questions
1. How does Queen Elizabeth react when she receives word that Mary Stuart has been beheaded?
(a) She laughs.
(b) She prays for Mary's soul.
(c) She weeps.
(d) She faints.
2. Why does Queen Elizabeth refuse the Prince of Orange's request to become queen of additional lands?
(a) She would have to marry him to become the queen.
(b) The lands are too poor to interest her.
(c) Doing so would put England at open war with Spain.
(d) The lands are too infested with pirates to interest her.
3. Who does Lady Lennox arrange a marriage with for her son Lord Charles Stuart, a claimant to the English throne?
(a) Catherine de Medici.
(b) Catherine Grey.
(c) Elizabeth Cavendish.
(d) Mary Stuart.
4. What is Queen Elizabeth supposed to be able to cure by prayer and touch?
(a) The plague.
(b) Cancer.
(c) Eczema.
(d) Burns.
5. How long has Queen Elizabeth reigned at 60 years-old?
(a) 50 years.
(b) 40 years.
(c) 35 years.
(d) 20 years.
6. What is Queen Elizabeth doing while the Earl of Essex's sentence is carried out?
(a) Dancing.
(b) Playing the virginals.
(c) Meeting with her Privy Council.
(d) Praying.
7. What does Queen Elizabeth do with the treasure Francis Drake brings home from Spanish ships his pirates have looted?
(a) Returns it to Spain.
(b) Pays her soldiers to make war on Scotland.
(c) Gives it to Prince Alenzon.
(d) Keeps it and pays back Drake's investors.
8. Which of the following statements does not describe Queen Elizabeth at age 60 years-old?
(a) She wears wigs a darker red than her own hair.
(b) She has gained a lot of weight.
(c) She is missing some teeth on the left side of her mouth.
(d) Although wrinkled, her skin is still flawless white.
9. Who is assassinated in 1584?
(a) Prince Alenzon.
(b) Catherine de Medici.
(c) King Philip of Spain.
(d) William of Orange.
10. Which beloved friend and councilor of Queen Elizabeth's dies at the end of Chapter 25?
(a) Lord Burleigh.
(b) The Earl of Sussex.
(c) Sir Francis Walsingham.
(d) The Earl of Leicester.
11. When the Earl of Essex hides in his house and refuses to answer a summons to appear before the Privy Council, what do Lord Nottingham and Sir Henry Sidney do to get him to come out?
(a) Threaten his children.
(b) Lie and say he will not be arrested if he comes to them.
(c) Send for kegs of gunpowder to blow up his house.
(d) Have Queen Elizabeth persuade him.
12. When Queen Elizabeth orders the Earl of Essex to stay in Ireland and carry out his orders, what does he do?
(a) He joins Tyrone's rebellion against the queen.
(b) He runs away to France.
(c) He obeys her commands.
(d) He ignores her commands and returns to England.
13. What happens to Lady Lennox as a result of her matchmaking for a youth of royal blood without the Crown's permission?
(a) She is banished to Scotland.
(b) She is imprisoned in the Tower.
(c) She is hung.
(d) She is beheaded.
14. Where do Catholics massacre Protestants in great numbers in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew?
(a) Paris, France.
(b) Rome, Italy.
(c) Denmark.
(d) Sweden.
15. After 1588, a cult develops in Europe exalting Queen Elizabeth to supernatural status as what deities?
(a) Ceridwen and Demeter.
(b) Diana or Cynthia, goddess of chastity and moonlight.
(c) Athena and Hera.
(d) Isis and Freya.
Short Answer Questions
1. What is the name of Francis Drake's pirate ship?
2. Which of the following statements does not describe Prince Alenzon, Queen Elizabeth's French suitor?
3. What does Queen Elizabeth ask to see when she visits Dr. John Dee at the beginning of Chapter 18?
4. When Alenzon and his ambassador are walking with Queen Elizabeth, what actions of the queen indicate her intent to marry Alenzon?
5. Who has a medal made to commemorate the Massacre of St. Bartholomew?
(see the answer keys)
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(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page)
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How long should I feed a new package of bees?
The answer to this question depends on whether you are starting the colony on new equipment or previously drawn comb.
If you are starting a package on bare equipment with no comb, almost no amount of sugar syrup is too much the first year. The first thing the bees have to do is build comb. Comb provides a place to live, a place for food storage, a place for egg laying, and a place for brood rearing. Without comb the colony cannot survive, and without enough food energy to build comb, colony build-up will be slow. A steady supply of sugar syrup makes the whole process quicker and easier.
But due to financial and time constraints, most beekeepers draw the line at some point and stop feeding syrup. So when is that? Unfortunately, every beekeeper will give you a different answer.
• Some feed syrup until there are five or six fully-drawn frames and then let the bees take over.
• Some keep feeding until they have two brood boxes full of drawn comb.
• Some feed the entire first season.
• Some feed until they bees have used five gallons of syrup per package.
• Some feed syrup until the bees lose interest in it. This is variable because some bees will continue taking the syrup right through a nectar flow and some will not.
When to stop feeding is really a judgment call and, unfortunately, those starting a new package on new equipment are often new beekeepers who have little experience on which to base their decision. I suspect that most stop feeding too soon—new colonies need all the help they can get.
Packages started on pre-drawn comb have it a lot easier and can be weaned much sooner. Still, unless those frames have stored honey and pollen, the bees will need help in the beginning. Feeding a pollen substitute as well as sugar syrup is a good idea for new colonies.
Overwintered colonies do not need a lot of spring syrup, although many beekeepers feed 1:1 syrup in the spring as a “stimulant” to get the brood-rearing process started. If a colony is well-fed coming out of winter, they can do fine without the stimulant feeding.
The best advice I can give is this: buy sugar wherever and whenever it is on sale. Some places sell it in 50-pound bags which are often cheaper but harder to handle. Most stores have sales from time to time. If you stay in beekeeping you will never run out of a need for sugar.
The other advice is this: Never, never feed syrup with a honey super in place. The bees will store the syrup right in with the nectar and you will not get pure honey. Fortunately, a new package of bees will not produce enough honey to harvest the first year—so you can feed them as much as you like in year one.
Huh. The sorts of things you do when you don’t know better, I guess. :)
I have four hives that were stocked with wild-caught swarms. I’ve never fed any of them beyond a little dish of honey water with lemon balm, just to encourage them to stick around. And not only do I not start them with honey/pollen/brood combs, they start completely foundationless, in empty boxes, and have to build their own. With one exception, a hive which has struggled for a variety of reasons from the time they were caught and installed, I have never fed any of them to date, and two of the hives had four boxes full of built comb, honey, and brood from the time I installed in April or May until nectar stopped in September or early October. I harvested one mostly-full box last fall, and should have taken the top box off the other tall hive at the same time. I will be doing that as soon as the weather is stable enough to decapitate the hive briefly. (It’s a Warre, and there are no bees in the top box right now, they’re all down lower, so I literally just have to slice off the top box and take it away and replace the quilt and roof.)
I wonder if it’s partly because swarms aren’t starved in transit, storage, and shipping like packages? They’re only a day or two out of a hive, and probably still have mostly full tummies. Or that I live in an area that has tons of food for bees during the growing season. I mean TONS of forage, and a wide variety. Or partly because I literally don’t care how long it takes them to start up. I don’t *need* them to be productive in the first year, or the second year, or at all, really. I steal their leftovers as rent, but they’re not going to get evicted if they don’t pay up. 😉
I probably still won’t feed any new swarms I get this year. The one hive I have that’s faltering, I think would have benefited from a feeding. I didn’t realize how traumatic their capture and installation was to them at the time, though it was a classic case of “everything that can go wrong will go wrong”. They’re still hanging in, though!
Lisa, lots of interesting issues here. Bees that escape into the wild are perfectly capable of starting up a hive from scratch, so it is definitely possible. But I think survival through the first winter is compromised if they don’t have enough stored food–and they can’t store it until they have a place to put it. The old adage “A swarm in July is not worth a fly” is based on the low probability of a late swarm getting everything done on time.
I have hived both packages and swarms without feeding them. But I don’t recommend it because of the high possibility of losing them the first winter. The amount of available forage would make a difference. Around here there is nothing in the latter part of July and all of August. Robbing gets really bad and weak colonies can end up with no stores at all.
I, too, am in no hurry for them to build up. I have more honey than I could use in several lifetimes, so that’s not the issue. I just feel better knowing they can comfortably make it through the winter.
Bees do fill up on honey before they swarm, so they have some reserves to get started. Packaged bees are fed continually, although they are not engorged the way swarming bees are. Maybe that makes a difference. Now that I think about it, the swarm that moved into my top-bar hive last year was a July swarm that I didn’t feed, but they did have fully drawn comb that they moved into–no honey or pollen, though. I didn’t feed them in the fall either and they are still going strong.
Another issue might be the money you put into the bees. Depending on where and how you purchase a package, they may be somewhere between $50 to $100 per package plus tax, plus shipping (maybe) and plus a cage deposit (maybe.) Anyway, it ends up being so much money that you would hate to lose them out of neglect! I certainly wouldn’t want someone to spend that much and then not feed them.
But, hey, if catching swarms and not feeding works for you, you probably shouldn’t mess with a good thing. I never see swarms around here (except my own) even though I always have swarm traps in place, etc. Even the one I caught last year is probably my own–I really don’t know one way or the other.
If I were in a swarmy area I would probably try to do it your way too.
John Eaves
I too used to catch swarms, and did not feed them. I haven’t seen a wild swarm in years. I feed my packages, to help them with a good start.
J.W. DeMarce
Must we feed white sugar or will other types suffice?
White refined sugar only. Other types of sweeteners (including brown sugar, maple syrup, and even evaporated cane juice) have too many solid particles in them that can easily cause honey bee dysentery.
Thanks for the advice, Rusty. I notice that my post is at least 2 years younger than these others, but bees don’t seem to care. I bought a nuc last week and just checked in on it today. They haven’t drawn out any new comb and there is not a lot of capped brood. Aside from that, the hive looked fine. It’s July here in Missouri and the nectar flow is starting to stall, so I’m going to feed them a 1/1 mix until they fill out two brood boxes. They’re Carniolans, so should take to the syrup pretty good. If this is not a good idea, I could use any advice you have to offer.
Generally, bees stop drawing new comb when the nectar dries up. So if your objective to to get them to build more comb, go ahead and feed. Most places in temperature North American have a fall nectar flow, so if you can get your bees to prepare some comb in advance, they can take full advantage of the fall flow, which will help them through their first winter. Carniolans overwinter with smaller colonies than Italians, so that will help as well.
Karen Pope
I feed many bees in the fall after sourwood harvest to build up their stores for winter (although I notice a big crop of goldenrod now). Last spring I had some of the sugar/syrup stores still in a good bit of comb when the spring nectar started to flow. I am wondering what to do with this capped sugar syrup winter food supply to empty the supers for capped nectar/honey. Is is something I could bottle for just my family and use as a syrup, not as good as honey? I want the supers empty of this to make room for honey. Have you ever had this thought/dilemma?
I would just save those frames for next year’s feeding and put new frames in the super.
I received my nuc package today and some of my beekeeping supplies have not arrived, such as my feeder. Is there any way to make a feeder at home with which to feed them the sugar water? Could I leave the sugar water out in a shallow bowl near the hive or on top of the hive? Thank you!
Punch some tiny hole in a jar lid, fill the jar with syrup, and invert it over the top bars. Place an empty super around it. Just make sure some of the holes are over the space between the frames so the bees can get to it.
Thanks for all your information, Rusty. I’m new to beekeeping and have enjoyed reading everyone’s comments.
Thank you for so good information. I just got a package of bees and my question is : how many times a day should I feed them? I’m making a syrup with lemon, chamomile , water and sugar. I live in Oregon.
Thanks again
How many times a day? Sounds like you need a bigger feeder. I would draw the line at once per day (about a gallon at a time) until they’ve got some comb drawn out. That’s just an estimate. It will depend on how many bees you’ve got and what’s in bloom.
Thank you so much Rusty. I’m enjoying this page. Happy week to all.
How about feeding splits? I just split a hive and the parent hive is very strong so I will probably stop feeding it, however the new hive is raising a queen so would that be fed like a package? They do have a med super on with honey and pollen that they are raising the queen in.
You can feed it if you want, but with a supply of honey and pollen they shouldn’t need it.
I’ve been feeding my new brood from 8 oz Ball jars in my feeder. They rip through that in about 4-5 hours. I then put another 8 oz jar an its’ gone by early evening. There’s honey dripping already from the bottom of the hive so I have stopped feeding them more then 1 8 oz bottle per day. I’ve only had them about two weeks. You say a ‘Gallon’ of syrup. I see they are only capable of consuming 16 ozs’ or so. Where do you come up with a ‘Gallon”?
You say, “I’ve been feeding my new brood from 8 oz Ball jars in my feeder.”
Remember that the brood doesn’t eat syrup, only the adults.
You say, “There’s honey dripping already from the bottom of the hive”
Nothing should be dripping from the bottom of your hive. It may be syrup. You should go in there are figure out what is amiss.
You say, “You say a ‘gallon’ of syrup. I see they are only capable of consuming 16 ozs or so. Where do you come up with a ‘gallon”?
I come up with a gallon because that is what my feeder holds. But it’s pointless to compare the amount one colony eats with what another colony eats. A colony may have 8 to 10 thousand bees, or 15 thousand, or 30 thousand. Not only that, the outside temperatures are different, requiring different amounts of food. Since each colony is different, you can’t easily compare rates of consumption.
Karen Surber
Hello Rusty!
I ran into this site while trying to find an answer. I have read that a person has to wait five or six weeks after feeding syrup with anything in it before adding the honey super, to avoid contaminating the honey. Is that true? This is my first year. I am almost at seven weeks. I have been feeding syrup with Honey-B-Healthy. They have been working on their second deep brood box for about a week. I also have two closed small hive beetle traps, one in each brood box. Do I add that to my honey medium super as well? Thanks so much for this site!!!
If you wait five or six weeks, you will probably miss the honey flow altogether. Furthermore, “anything” is a vague instruction. I would just stop feeding the HBH and add the honey supers when you are ready.
I wouldn’t add beetle traps to the honey supers unless you have a beetle problem.
Patricia Ratliff
New beekeeper. Set up two hives from packages May 12 in southeast Oklahoma (temps are now in the 90s with abundant rain). Feeding 1:1 syrup ever since we set them up and I just keep adding 1 gallon to each above-frame feeder every 4-5 days. Comb drawn out on 4-5 frames each, and they seem to be filling and capping the comb with the colorless sugar water. I’d say that < 10% has a brownish syrup, which I assume is nectar/honey. (There's pollen and brood in the midst of all that as well.) Is that okay that they're storing the sugar syrup? I thought they were going to EAT the syrup but STORE nectar, and all the books, web sites, etc., say they'll quit feeding on the syrup. Uh, not happening yet, but again, they're storing it! We're heading into the hottest part of the year, so I guess I need reassurance that the girls and I are doing the right things and I should continue to feed them. Thanks!
Your bees do not distinguish between sugar syrup and nectar. They treat them the same way, storing, drying, capping, etc. This is why you cannot put syrup on a hive once you put honey supers in place. If you do, you will end up extracting sugar syrup at the end of the year.
You ask if it is “okay that they are storing the sugar syrup.” Well, it’s okay if it is meant for them to overwinter on. It’s not ideal, however, because the best bee diet is honey with all its micronutrients and vitamins.
Most bees will choose nectar over syrup, but some will continue to store the syrup all summer long. It’s like kids: they’re all different. I would just stop the syrup feeding. If later in the fall you think they need more for overwintering, you can start it up again.
Thanks rusty for the advise! Now, I’m at two 8 frame boxes with an Engilsh cap:)
The colony is healthy and seemingly thriving. When I take a look, both under and over looks
Show them thickening up in population and health. They are now sucking down a quart of 50/50 in 8 hours:)
Taking em off.
What do they do in the late heat when they are almost swarming at the front of the hive when the temp spikes around 6pm here?
Big Rob
OK, here’s a question I can’t seem to find a clear answer for. Is it possible to feed bees through the summer to increase honey production? Here in central California, all the flowers have been dead since June and will be until late next February. The people advising me on getting my package going have recommended feeding. So, I’ve got my girls drinking 3 quarts a day of 1:1 syrup. There’s a lot of them hanging around outside the hive, so I added a separator and medium super to the two deeps I’m using for a brood chamber. Seems to me that a person could just keep offering more sugar water until the bees start filling up the honey super. Some people say that I’ll get sugar water in my honey, but do they actually store the unprocessed syrup?
You cannot increase honey production by feeding syrup. The honey bees do not distinguish nectar from syrup, so they store the syrup just as if it were nectar. What you end up with is a honey super filled with syrup.
Beekeepers often stimulate honey production by feeding syrup until the bees draw out some comb, but once comb is drawn the bees will continue to collect the syrup and store it there.
By definition honey is made from flower nectar, so syrup cannot be changed into honey, even by bees. However, if you leave the stored syrup on the hive for winter, the bees can use it for winter feed.
Big Rob
As an addendum to my first post: My bees have consumed almost a hundred pounds of sugar since I installed the package in May. That’s about 25 gallons of syrup! Does anyone think that’s a lot?
In my opinion, that’s about normal especially in dry conditions without a lot of flowers.
Big Rob
Thanks for responding, Rusty. I’m trying to get clear on the chemistry of all this. So you’re saying that although the bees convert nectar, which is sucrose, into honey, which is glucose and fructose, they won’t do the same for plain-old syrup? They’ll just suck down the three quarts I’ve been giving them every day, and seal it into the combs as-is?
Big Rob,
First off, nectar is not simply sucrose but a combination of sucrose, fructose, and glucose, along with many minor components. Honey bees invert the sucrose into fructose and glucose with enzymes while the nectar is in the mouth and honey stomach. You can do this too: just go to your local baker’s supply store, buy a bottle of invertase, a bag of table sugar, and knock yourself out. But what you end up with is not honey, just glucose and fructose in a messy bowl.
This is exactly what happens when you feed your bees sugar syrup: they hydrolyze the disaccharide (sucrose) into two monosaccharides (glucose and fructose). But it is not honey. Even honey bees, marvelous creatures that they are, cannot turn table sugar into honey.
By definition, honey is made from the nectar of flowers. Honey is a complex substance that contains mostly fructose and glucose but also trace amounts of a large number of compounds including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonols, antioxidants, pollen, as well as flavor, odor, and color-producing compounds.
As food for bees, sugar syrup can provide them the calories they need to keep going for a short time, but it is not the health food that honey is. In modern beekeeping, sugar has its uses, but it should not be the primary diet of a honey bee colony.
I like to think of sugar as emergency feed, something to tide them over in times of a honey shortage, but it cannot replace the balanced diet found in honey.
In the U.S. it illegal to sell sugar syrup in a bottle and call it honey. Even if only part of the bottle is syrup, it is considered adulterated and cannot be called honey.
PJ Mac
I’m new to beekeeping this year and obtained a swarm from a local beekeeper in June. Since then, I have been feeding a 1:1 ratio of syrup about 1 gallon per week or 10 days. The spring this year was so damp and cold and the blooming of practically everything seems to be 1 month behind. I looked at the hive yesterday and it appeared to have what I thought was capped honey in the super, but am fearing it is capped syrup now after reading your posts. I have had an excluder and a medium super up for 2 weeks, however the bees don’t seem to have done anything in the medium (top). Should I stop feeding syrup? We would like to some honey this year, but I’m more concerned they over winter well. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
Remember bee colonies expand January through June, and contract July through December. The bulk of nectar flows were over in the spring, although you may have a fall flow, depending on what is growing in your area. Most first-year hives do not produce surplus honey simply because so much of their energy went into building a home from scratch. The bees can used the capped syrup, no problem, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you have to wait until next year for honey. Where I live, my honey supers go on in April, off in June. The season is earlier than you many think, although it does vary with geography.
I started two new colonies of bees this spring and have been feeding them sugar syrup all summer. When should I stop feeding? I am concerned that the queen will continue to lay eggs too late in the year. I think they will have stored enough syrup for this winter. (I am new at beekeeping). Also, is it alright to leave a honey super of capped sugar syrup for their winter stores?
You should stop feeding syrup when you think they have enough stores for winter. Don’t worry about the queen laying too many eggs—she knows what to do. It is fine to leave a super of capped syrup for winter; in fact, that is the whole purpose of feeding late in the year.
Big Rob
Yesterday morning I observed my bees trying to pull a yellow strand out of the hive. They’d cling to it and try hard to fly out with it. They pulled and pulled. It was kind of flat, like flat dental floss. I couldn’t find any references to anything like it. Was it maybe a strand of propolis?
Big Rob,
Maybe it was a stamen from a flower (the male part that produces pollen). See this photo. If it got stuck in a pollen basket, and then entered the hive, they would probably remove it. |
Penny Stock Reform Act
DEFINITION of 'Penny Stock Reform Act'
A securities act enacted in 1990 that sought to clamp down on fraud in non-exchange-listed stocks priced below $5 that generally trade in the over-the-counter market. The Penny Stock Reform Act – which was part of the “Securities Enforcement Remedies and Penny Stock Reform Act of 1990” – was signed into law by Georage H.W. Bush on Oct. 15, 1990, to deal with the growing incidence of penny stock fraud in the 1980s. The act attempted to impose more stringent regulations on broker/dealers who recommended penny stocks to clients, and also promoted establishing a structured electronic marketplace for quoting such securities.
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BREAKING DOWN 'Penny Stock Reform Act'
The Penny Stock Reform Act used a two-pronged approach of more regulation and better disclosure to achieve the objective of reducing penny stock fraud. First, it granted the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) administrative power over penny stock issuers, brokers and dealers. Second, the act required penny stock brokers and dealers to disclose to potential customers general information about the penny stock market, and specific information about the penny stocks such customers proposed to purchase.
Penny stocks are usually issued by very small companies with minimal levels of net tangible assets and annual revenues. Penny stock transactions and abusive activities associated with them – such as “pump and dump” schemes and account “churning” – grew substantially in the U.S. from the mid-1980s onward. Advances in technology and telecommunications contributed to the dramatic rise in interstate “boiler room” operations where promoters used high-pressure sales tactics to convince unsuspecting investors to invest in dubious penny stocks.
In its report on the 1990 act, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce identified two main factors that had spurred the growth of penny stock fraud:
1) A lack of public information on these stocks, which facilitated price manipulation; and
2) The presence of a large number of promoters and others associated with penny stock issuers and broker-dealers who were repeat offenders under securities laws, convicted felons or had ties to organized crime.
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Mali: Seeking Opportunity Abroad
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Mali: Seeking Opportunity Abroad
One of West Africa's landlocked, drought-prone countries south of the Sahara desert is Mali, a nation with a long history of migrations, dating from the 4th century. In this region the salient feature of poverty is its cyclical and conditional nature. Though poverty is chronic, there are better and worse years, depending on how successful the family is in coping with the irregularities of weather, land productivity, prices, and the fluctuations in labor supply and cost. Absent is a lasting solution to the irregularity and cyclical downfalls.
Migration is an apt response to the cyclical swings of poverty in this region. Migrants leave and work elsewhere during the dry season, returning for the rainy season or when times improve. In the meantime, they send money to their families in Mali to close the production-consumption gap. This migration response to cyclical downswings and seasonal food and cash shortages has been a part of the region's way of life for at least the last two centuries. It is especially the men of this region who have gone to other countries or parts of the region to earn money.
Well before the arrival of the French in the 19th century, Malians were frequent migrants, responding to the pressures of drought, war between competing leaders, and pressures on resources. The economic and political structure of French West Africa during the colonial period of 1898-1960 brought further pressures for migration. Plantation agriculture heightened the demand for labor, and the colonial administrators effectively pushed workers to the plantations by imposition of a "head tax" that could often be paid only with earnings from labor migrations. When Malians began serving under the French in wars, they were introduced to France, and particularly after World War II, many former soldiers and a long line of subsequent migrants headed for France to work in its automobile factories and to serve the growing French urban populations.
Thus, even during the colonial period, there was enormous variability in the types of migration, in terms of both space and time. These forms included international quasi-permanent migration to France, international circular migration to the peanut plantations of the Senegambia and cotton and cocoa plantations of Ivory Coast; circular domestic migration to the cities (particularly during the dry season); seasonal migrations with herds seeking greener grass; permanent relocation by groups of families establishing a new village; and labor migration to the country's gold mines. After independence, all these forms of migration continued to flourish, with the addition of even more variety in the African migrations, which ranged even farther to encompass Gabon and central African nations. While official counts of migrants are notoriously inaccurate and incomplete, in 1991, there were almost four million Malians known to be residing in other countries. Migrations in the 1990s continued at a high level, though increasingly diversified, with growing numbers to North America, including the United States.
Migration Factors
Today, Mali continues to be buffeted by internal and external forces that propel – or compel - migration. Underpinning most migrations worldwide are economic factors, and there is no doubt that Mali continues to have very strong economic push factors, both for leaving the country to search for work and opportunities elsewhere, and for seeking out alternative economic niches within the Malian economy. Mali's per capita gross national product (GNP) is $215, at the bottom of almost any comparative ranking (158 out of 172 ranked by the World Bank). Most of the population (91 percent) earn less than $2 per day and 73 percent bring in less than $1 per day. Income is inequitably distributed, with over half the income going to the richest 20 percent.
The majority of the population (80 percent) is dependent on the primary or agricultural sector, but it contributes only half (46 percent) of GNP. Most of the crops are rain-fed, leaving the yields dependent on the variation in rainfall and ability of farmers to replenish soil losses from wind erosion. Malian farmers all over cite the lack of rain as one of the major barriers to adequate production levels. Others say that production is low because they do not have modern equipment, such as improved ploughs. Finally, when they are able to sell produce, the inadequate road system reduces market returns. Only one-fourth of all roads in Mali are paved or all-weather. In annual rankings of cereal-producing nations, Mali repeatedly ranks near the bottom for productivity, with an average of 0.7 tons/hectare for millet/sorghum and 1.6 tons/hectare for rice. In some years, Mali is self-sufficient in grains, but in bad years and frequently in the more arid regions, production does not even cover basic family needs. The subsistence nature of the agricultural system is reflected in the low level of participation in the market economy. One survey showed that half of the families sold none of their products in the market. Just over one-third of the families sold vegetables, millet, or livestock directly to other villagers, and only nine percent traveled to the regional market to sell their produce.
Mali's industry contributes only 15 percent of GNP and is limited to food processing, construction, and phosphate and gold mining. Most of the firms (64 percent) are in Bamako, and the industrial sector is dominated by bakeries. The only bright light in industry is gold mining, which currently contributes 15 percent to the country's export receipts. The balance of the economy is made up of an array of services, many from small or family-based enterprises.
Work Opportunities and Migration
People looking for work have few choices, mainly in agriculture or services. Most find work in and around their village or town, at least for part of the year. One in five, however, permanently migrate in pursuit of work or a more stable livelihood. The 1992-1993 National Migration Survey, conducted jointly by the National Statistics Office and the Sahel Institute's Center for Population Studies and Research, shows that 17 percent of those residing in Mali have migrated and live in a district other than their birthplace. The survey also shows that in addition to these permanent migrations, another 18 percent have moved for some time to another district.
When people begin looking for work elsewhere, they find opportunities in varied areas. While livestock accounts for 30 percent of all exports, there is little job potential associated with raising livestock. Within the agricultural sector, the main job opportunities are in cotton, the rice crops along the irrigated areas along the Niger River, and seasonal labor chores in the subsistence grain sector. For those with few skills and little education, the prime migration destinations within Mali are the cotton-growing region of Sikasso and the rice-growing regions in Segou, Mopti, and Gao. While some seasonal migrants go to the irrigated fields to work the harvest, the vast majority of those working in agriculture move short distances to nearby towns or larger villages, seeking odd jobs during the dry or "dead" period.
The 1992-1993 National Migration Survey shows that while 91 percent of the rural population was living in the same district as their birth, 47 percent of all rural households included at least one member who had migrated in or out. In a pattern repeated again and again throughout Mali, a young man may go each year to the same village to work making bricks or hauling wood, only breaking away from this pattern when an opportunity opens up for something more stable, for example, with an uncle in a nearby town. For many migrants, a lifetime can be made up of alternating between periods spent working one's own land and off-season periods spent looking for work somewhere not too far away. Good harvests mean shorter periods away, while bad harvests mean more family members away for longer periods of time.
The following describes a typical "sojourner" pattern of seasonal migration:
I left with three of my friends. We paid for our trip. It cost 400 francs. We went to the Mali-Senegal border at Kidira. There I walked up and down the village asking for work. Finally, I found the man who took me in. He was a veterinarian who hired me to transport goods with his cart. We made a contract. I hauled for him and gave him the receipts. Each month he paid me 2,000 francs (CFA) in addition to my lodging. The first year, I stayed only two months because I got homesick for my family. I came home with 1,000 francs for my father, 1,000 francs for my mother, and the rest I contributed to buy food and ingredients for the family's condiments. (Findley et al., IM article)
This migrant returned to the same village to do the same work for three years, by which time he had earned enough money to buy his own cart and donkey. In subsequent years, he went to the Mauritanian border to be a self-employed hauler.
Services are the other major employment option for Malian migrants, and particularly for women. Service jobs are concentrated in the larger towns and cities, and especially the largest cities of Bamako and Segou. Very little of the service sector is government (five percent) or transportation (14 percent), leaving the balance in commercial, retail, and personal services. Not surprisingly, then, migration surveys show that the bulk of migrants in the towns are found in these activities. In Bamako, the capital of Mali, 71 percent of male migrants found work of some kind within the first year after their arrival, and 21 percent of female migrants. One in 10 male migrants started as piece-workers or apprentices, and the balance were self-employed in the informal sector or wage workers in the formal sector. Female migrants were most likely to end up self-employed in the informal sector (e.g., as vendors or service providers) or wage workers in the formal sector. The 1992-1993 survey found that one-third of the recent migrants had paying jobs, such as domestic service provider or gardener, and one-fourth were self-employed, often in small-scale commercial trade or transportation services. Another quarter worked in family enterprises, twice the proportion among non-migrants.
Migrants and Destinations
The 1992-1993 survey found 1,050,638 lifetime migrants, accounting for 17 percent of the 1993 population over age five. One-third of them were in Bamako. This was consistent for both men and women. The probability of being a migrant was lower in the more isolated northern districts (only seven percent in Timbuctou and Mopti), and much higher in Bamako (48 percent) and urban areas (40 percent). By age 25, both men and women average at least one migration to another district, but by age 35 most men had moved again, raising their average for age 35-39 to 1.9 migrations. The following graph shows the destinations and origins for migrants over age 15. The majority of migrants move within Mali. The most common migration destinations are Bamako and Segou, and these are also the dominant origins for migrants. About twice as many migrants leave Mali as arrive from other nations, and by far the majority of those leaving Mali go to neighboring countries in the Sahel (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania).
Given the limited internal job prospects for Malian migrants, each year thousands pursue opportunities outside Mali. The number living outside Mali in 2000 is not precisely known, but if the pace of emigration throughout the 1990s continued at least at the level observed in the late 1980s, namely 48,000 to 54,000 per year, it is likely that in 2000 there were in the vicinity of 4,400,000 Malians living in other countries. This represents one emigrant for every 2.7 residents in Mali, which had an estimated population of 12 million in 2002. The most common destinations at that time were Ivory Coast, Senegal, France, the United States, Libya, and a handful of other Central African and European nations. Except for seasonal migrations to Senegal or Ivory Coast, the typical pattern for an international migrant has been for young men to depart for a period of three to seven years, returning with savings to marry. Depending on the work and living situation in the host country, the migrant would return for another period of time, earning money to send home to his family.
This is how an elder views migration to France:
For us, all men go out to work and experience life. It is our tradition. Migration is a good thing, because it is for the family. It is bad to go and forget the family left behind here. We live by emigration, because it hardly rains here. Without the remittances from migrants we would not have anything to eat. We depend on God and on our children who went to France. During the drought, we sent them letters explaining our difficult situation, and usually they were able to send money to satisfy our needs, if they didn't send millet, rice, and peanuts directly. If it weren't for the difficulties of life or the droughts, we would prefer to stay here with our family and work with them. But with all the difficulties we are obliged to migrate. (Findley et al., IM article)
Economic and climatic forces have altered migration prospects for Malian migrants throughout the 1990s. The 1990s saw continued fluctuations in rainfall, leading to food deficits and cotton crop failures in several years. The 50 percent devaluation of the West African franc (CFA) in 1994 sent the economy into a tailspin, sharply increasing the cost of living and reducing consumer demand. As part of structural adjustment measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund, the government reined in the growth of the government sector. University graduates could no longer expect a guaranteed government job upon graduation. These combined forces have pushed urban unemployment rates up to 70 percent of the youth, and 17 percent overall. While economic growth started to pick up in the early 2000s, this growth does not generate enough jobs for the thousands of new labor force entrants each year, even if they come to Bamako or Segou.
Recognizing the economic benefits to families of migration to Bamako and other cities, the government of Mali has a laissez-faire policy toward internal migration. While the government does issue identity cards, these are not used to control residence. However, access to certain benefits (schooling and health services) can be restricted to local residents, specifically for community health services supported by the community. In this case, non-residents are tracked separately and asked to pay additional fees.
African Conflicts Strike Migration
Mali is an active member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Since 1978, ECOWAS has established conventions allowing free movement of people and goods between member states. In addition, Mali has bilateral agreements allowing Malian migrants to move back and forth between Mali and its neighbors Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, and Guinea.
Despite these accords, political conflict and pressures within or next to Mali's borders have had a profound effect on the options for migrants. In the early 1990s, there were prolonged conflicts throughout the Sahel. Unrest in Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast brought an estimated 18,000 refugees to Mali by 1996. These were assisted in being lodged temporarily by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and with the conclusion of the peace accord in 1995, many were repatriated.
In Mali itself, between 1990 and 1995 there was fighting over the allocation of political and economic rights between the northern Tuareg/Tamashek peoples and the settled, southern peoples in the Niger Delta. Until a peace accord was signed in 1995, 200,000 people in Mali fled the conflict zones of the north for the relative calm of the southern districts, and another 55,000 fled the country as refugees. This had a ripple effect on the demand for food and work, which continued to stress the subsistence economy into the late 1990s.
The most serious threat to Malian migrants today comes from its southern neighbor, Ivory Coast. Since 1993, internal conflict and the rise of nationalism in Ivory Coast has had a devastating impact on Mali. Ivory Coast had been one of Mali's leading trade partners, and with the sharp reduction of commerce during the conflict, Mali's economy has suffered terribly. The intensification of Ivorian nationalist sympathies, expressed in part as xenophobia and resentment of perceived Malian domination of certain labor market niches, has affected the lives of the thousands of Malian migrants in Ivory Coast. The right to own land was taken away from those not of "pure" Ivoirian parentage, and in 1998 thousands of Malians and Burkinabe were expelled from their farms in Ivory Coast. Contrary to earlier conventions allowing free movement between West African states, immigrants can be denied identity cards. Tens of thousands of migrants have fled back from Ivory Coast to Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso. Conflicts in Ivory Coast between the Muslims of the north and the Christians of the south have added to the anti-immigrant bias, because Malians are largely Muslim.
In September 2002, violence between Ivoirian groups shut down the major trade routes between Mali and Burkina Faso and Abidjan, the major port city of Ivory Coast. Pressure against migrants continued to rise in Ivory Coast, and in November 2003 clashes broke out between the Bete tribe and Malian and Burkinabe immigrants in the south of the country. International efforts to broker a peace between the government and rebels have thus far been unsuccessful. While civil war continues in Ivory Coast, it is not a viable destination for new Malian migrants. In fact, it has become unsafe for Ivoirians themselves, and Mali now finds it is home to about 2,000 refugees fleeing the conflict.
Narrower Paths to Europe
Stress on the Malian migration system has also come from France. During the 1990s, France tightened its immigration regulations, making it harder and harder for Malians to find work and live there. In 1996, the pressure on Malians was turned up, and France began deporting Malians and other Sahelians by the planeload. In March 1996, 400 immigrants from Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania began a week-long sit-in at a church in Paris to demand French residency permits. After four tense days, they were evicted despite assurances from the prime minister to the contrary. The immigrants (still 300 strong) next moved to a nearby gymnasium, and the police again removed them. Days later, 67 immigrants appeared in court, seeking asylum, and most had their applications denied. At the end of March 1996, 50 of the asylum seekers were returned to Mali. The cycle of protests, police removals (some violent, as in August 1996), and deportations continued in August and September of 1996. In response, the French government established a policy of "assisted returns" designed to prevent Malians from being deported empty-handed. When "voluntarily" returning to Mali, each Malian can receive $3,600 towards opening a business. A survey of participants shows that 80 percent are still in business two years later.
While this program softened the blow of deportation for Malians, it did not address the issue of permanent residence status, as requested by the demonstrators. Finally, in 2000, a Mali-France Consultation Agreement on Migration was established. This agreement calls for annual meetings of government ministers to deal with the integration of Malians who want to remain in France, co-management of migration flows, and cooperative development. In reality, the agreement has had little impact on migration or on the Malian government's efforts to slow emigration. Three years after the agreement was established, the Malian government has refused to crack down on people traffickers, because this would curtail the millions of dollars sent by emigrants each year. The French government estimates that in 2003 there were 120,000 Malians in France, of whom 60 percent are estimated to have arrived illegally. On any given workday, one can find young men and women lined up in front of the French and American embassies. Prominent among them are university graduates who now can find no work. Like many before them, they say they do not have any real prospects for the future, and that it is better to go to Europe in search of a better life.
However, with the slump of the European economy and greater pressure from the unemployed throughout Europe, Malians have increasingly turned to the United States. This trend was accelerated by two changes to U.S. immigration policy: the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) and the Diversity Visa Program. The 1986 act enabled thousands of Africans living in the United States to become permanent residents, and the diversity program allowed 50,000 African winners of the visa lottery to come to the United States. Like other "new" African immigrants in the United States, Malians are concentrated in a few metropolitan areas: New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Chicago, and Baltimore. Like their compatriots in France, they also remit large sums to Mali. According to Mali's President Amadou Toumani Toure, "Our countrymen contribute decisively to the development of their country. Every year they send the equivalent of the total development aid that Mali receives from France." The government's banking reforms have made it easier to transfer money from foreign banks and Bamako is now the home of Western Union and a number of other money-transfer agencies.
Challenges Ahead
Migration is the Malians' age-old solution to their difficult situation. With the additional pressures of the conflicts on their borders, the impetus to go farther to Europe and the U.S. is likely to continue to increase. Such pressure is likely to come both from individual families benefiting from these moves, and from the government, which sees the enormous value added from the remittances sent back by these faraway Malians.
In the coming years, it will be a challenge for Mali's government to continue to balance the significant stakes it holds in these migrations against pressure from foreign governments, both near and far, to restrict emigration. The governments of many of these receiving countries aim to restrict immigration and cut the access of Malians to the very economic resources that lead them to sacrifice life in their homeland by migrating.
ADB (2000). Mali: Comparative Socio-economic Indicators. Compiled by the Statistics Division from ADB databases; UNAIDS; World Bank Live Database and United Nations Population Division. Geneva, United Nations.
BBC (2004). Article 15 Right to Nationality: The Issue of Nationality in Ivory Coast, BBC World Service. 2004.
Cisse, A. (2004). Mali: An Ever-Growing Diaspora. Bamako, Inter Press Service News Agency. 2004.
Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2003). Mali, Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition.
Coulibaly, S., F. Dicko, et al. (1995-1996). Enquete Demographique et de Sante, Mali. Bamako, Mali, Demographic Health Surveys Macro International, Inc. (Baltimore, MD)
Diarra, S., S. M. Traore, et al. (1996). Rapport National Descriptif du Mali:Enquete Malienne sur les Migrations et L'Urbanisation(EMMU) 1992-1993. Reseau de Migrations et Urbanisation de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Bamako, CERPOD, Institut du Sahel, CILSS.
Earth Trends (2003). Population, Health and Human Well Being: Mali, Earth Trends Country Profile. 2004.
Findley, S. and S. Sow (1998). From Season to Season: Agriculture, Poverty, and Migration in the Senegal River Valley, Mali. Emigration Dynamics in Developing Countries: Sub-Saharan Africa. R. Appleyard. London, Ashgate Publishing Ltd. 1: 69-144.
Findley, S., S. Traore, et al. (1995). "Emigration from the Sahel." International Migration 33: 469-520.
International Labor Organization (2002). Country Profiles on the Situation of Youth: Mali, United Nations Youth Programme.
International Labor Organization (2003). Africa: Mali: Labor. Geneva, Provided by nationmaster.com.
IRIN (2002). Cote d'Invoire: At least 1,600 seek refuge in Mali, International Regional Information Networks. 2004.
IRIN (2003). Cote d'Ivoire: Gbagbo flies to Mali as ethnic clash reported. Relief Web, Integrated Regional Information Networks. 2004.
IRIN (2003). Mali: France demands crackdown on people smugglers, Integrated Regional Information Network. 2004.
London, N. (1996). "Immigrants In France Win Solidarity." The Militant 60(31): 2.
Migration Network of Australia (1996). Immigration Laws: April 1996-Number #9. International Migration Newsletter. 2004.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2002). Profiles: Economy, Education, and Labor, Mali, NationMaster.com. 2004.
Ouedraogo, D., V. Piche, et al. (1995). L'insertion urbaine a Bamako, Corlet Imprimeur, Dakar, Senegal.
Takougang, J. (2002). Contemporary African Immigrants to the United States, africamigration.com. 2004.
Traore, M. T. and M. S. Toure (2002). Agriculture, Labor, and Adjustment in Mali. First Global Forum by Malian Participants in Structural Adjustment, World Bank, SAPRI. 2004.
UNESCO (2003). Human Development Indicators 2003 - Mali, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations. 2004.
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World Bank (2003). Mali at a glance. Central Economics Group, The World Bank Group. |
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This is a lesson about the role of computers in space exploration. Learners will investigate various ways to improve mission design to maximize the scientific return. In the first activity, the students examine how the use of flowcharts can help... (View More)
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This is a lesson about how spacecraft use gravity assists to get where they are going. Learners will explore how engineers minimize the use of fuel by utilizing gravity. In Activity 1, students explore the physical conservation laws by observing the... (View More)
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This is an online interactive about asteroid composition. Learners will explore how scientists learn about the composition of an asteroid by studying energy and neutrons that emanate from it. Includes audio (and transcription) explaining the diagram.
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One of the best things about the holidays is the food. Did you ever wonder how sailors out at sea get their food? Because there aren't any grocery stores in the ocean or gardens on a boat, whatever provisions a ship's crew members bring on board when they leave port is the only thing they have to eat while sailing.
Submarines such as USS Requin at Carnegie Science Center had about 80 men on board when they went to sea in the 1950s and 1960s. These 80 men had four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and an evening snack. They were on the ocean for about 75 days at a time. That means, over the course of a cruise, the two cooks on a submarine made 24,000 meals. They would bring four tons of food with them when they left port, and there isn't much room for storage on a submarine. There is a refrigerator, a freezer and a space to store bags, boxes and cans underneath the mess decks where the submariners ate, but that is enough room for only about half the food. Where did they keep the rest? Everywhere!
Sailors would stash food on every ledge, shelf and locker where there was free space. Sacks of potatoes and onions were stored in the showers, and there would be a layer of huge cans covering the floor. Submarines could stay out to sea only for as long as their food could last, so when the sailors were actually walking on the floor and not on cans, they knew it was time to go home. However, they didn't mind sharing their space. Food on submarines was some of the best in the Navy: That is one of the benefits of working on a submarine. USS Requin was famous in her squadron for the delicious cinnamon rolls the cooks made in her tiny kitchen.
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Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: A condition causing a persistently low number of platelets in the blood, due to an unknown cause; usually, there are no symptoms, yet abnormal bruising, small red spots on the skin (petechiae), or abnormal bleeding can result.
Heparin -induced thrombocytopenia: A low platelet count caused by a reaction against heparin, a blood thinner given to many hospitalized people to prevent blood clots
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: A rare blood disorder causing small blood clots to form in blood vessels throughout the body; platelets are used up in the process, causing a low platelet count.
Essential thrombocytosis (primary thrombocythemia): The body produces too many platelets, due to an unknown cause; the platelets do not work properly, resulting in excessive clotting, bleeding, or both.
Blood Disorders Affecting Blood Plasma
Blood disorders that affect blood plasma include:
Sepsis : An infection somewhere in the body spreads into the blood. Symptoms include fever, rapid breathing, respiratory failure, and low blood pressure.
Hemophilia : A genetic deficiency of certain proteins that help blood to clot; there are multiple forms of hemophilia, ranging in severity from mild to life-threatening.
von Willebrand disease: von Willebrand factor is a protein in blood that helps blood to clot. In von Willebrand disease, the body either produces too little of the protein, or produces a protein that doesn't work well. The condition is inherited, but most people with von Willebrand disease have no symptoms and don't know they have it. Some people with von Willebrand disease will have excessive bleeding after an injury or during surgery.
Hypercoaguable state (hypercoagulable state): A tendency for the blood to clot too easily; most affected people have only a mild excess tendency to clot, and may never be diagnosed. Some people develop repeated episodes of blood clotting throughout life, requiring them to take a daily blood thinning medicine.
Deep venous thrombosis: A blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg; a deep venous thrombosis can dislodge and travel through the heart to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): A condition that causes tiny blood clots and areas of bleeding throughout the body simultaneously; severe infections, surgery, or complications of pregnancy are conditions that can lead to DIC.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, DO, MS on December 16, 2014
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The Evenings are Drawing Out December 14, 2009
Posted by mwidlake in Perceptions.
Tags: ,
Today, December 14th, sunset was later than yesterday. In London it was 15:51 and 50ish seconds. Tomorrow, the sun will resolutely stay in the sky until 15:52 {and a few seconds}. The days are drawing out at last.
English Sunset by Angie Tianshi
But it is not the shortest day of the year {I should say daytime really, all days are the same length give or take odd leap-seconds)
What is the shortest day, I hear you all cry?
This year, 2009,
The shortest day is December 21st
The date with the shortest period of daylight {in the Northern hemisphere} is the the 21st/22nd December, depending on how long ago the last leap-year was. And everyone knows that the the shortest day will also be the day where the sun sets earliest, it makes sense.
Except it does not quite work like that.
We probably all remember from our school days that the earth goes around the sun at an angle from the “vertical”, if vertical is taken as at 90 degrees to the circle the planet takes as it spins around the sun. Think of it like an old man sitting in a rocking chair. He is rocked back in his chair, head pointing back away from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter and feet pointing slightly towards the sun. Come Midsummers day, he has rocked forward, head pointing towards the sun for the Northern Hemisphere summer. One rocking motion takes a year.
Well, old earth is also slumped slightly to one side in his chair. This results in a slight skew on when sunset starts drawing out and when sunrise starts drawing in. Sunrise will continue to get later until we hit the New Year (Western New Year, not Chinese :-) ). It just so happens that sunset gets later at a slower rate than sunrise gets later until the 21st, when we hit the Shortest Day.
To be fair, I missed the boat slightly, the point at which the evenings started to stretch out was actually the 13th or 14th December but I did not have time to blog until today.
The below tables help make this situation clearer, I include one for the UK and one for Australia. The jolly nice site it links to allows you to change the location to wherever you are in the world (well, the nearest Capital).
Table of sunrise/sunset times for London
Table of surise/sunset for Sydney, Australia
If you want to know a little bit more about the relative position of the Sun and Earth over the year, you could check out my little rambling comments on when we are closest to the sun. It comes as a surprise to most people on the “top half” of the planet.
What has this to do with Oracle, Performance and VLDBs? Nothing much, except to highlight that the obvious is not always correct, just as it is with Databases, IT and in fact science in general.
I’ll finish with a sunset picture from Auz. Ahhhh.
Outback sunset from ospoz.wordpress.com
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Creating a DNS Alias Record
This article was previously published under Q168322
This explains why a Domain Name Service (DNS) Alias record is needed, andhow to create it.
Sometimes it is useful to be able to access a server (or any host) by usinga name other than its DNS host name.
For example, you have an Application Server whose DNS configuration is asfollows:
Host Name Domain Name --------- ------------- myserver
You have also setup your server as a WWW server so Internet or Intranetbrowsers can access Web pages from it. You want people to access your Webserver by specifying as its name instead
To accomplish this, an alias (or canonical name) record needs to be addedto your DNS server.
The DNS server should already have the following record under zone (IPAddress should be the IP address of your server):
Myserver A <IPAddress>
The following record should be added to the zone:
www CNAME
When a DNS server looks up a name and finds a "CNAME" record, it replaces thename with the canonical name, and looks up the new name, in this case,
Article ID: 168322 - Last Review: 02/22/2007 17:15:07 - Revision: 1.1
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
• Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition
• kbhowto kbnetwork KB168322 |
Materials’ light tricks may soon extend to doing math
Metamaterials could provide faster pattern recognition
2:00pm, January 9, 2014
LIGHT MATH A new simulation shows that a light wave (red squiggle, left) entering into a specially designed structure (cube) can be transformed into the original light wave’s derivative (right), a common computation in calculus.
Tiny structures that use light waves to perform ultrafast complex mathematical operations could be built from available materials, a new computer simulation suggests.
The study could soon lead to new metamaterials, human-made materials that manipulate light in surprising ways. In previous experiments, scientists have used metamaterials to create invisibility cloaks that bend light waves around objects (SN 8/27/11, p. 16). Nader Engheta, an electrical engineer at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, took metamaterials in a new direction in 2012, when he and colleagues made circuit elements that process light waves the way resistors and capacitors process electric currents. Such elements could be far smaller and faster than current electrical circuit parts.
More from the Science News Archives |
What a Croc!
The Houston Museum of Natural Science has a new exhibit, “Archaeopteryx: Icon of Evolution” that features the best Archy ever. Do not let that blind you, though, to the other critters on display. One of these is the best marine crocodile anywhere, a Geosaurus with an exciting evolutionary story all its own. These animals have a worldwide distribution from Brazil to Germany, but this specimen is the most complete, and shows the soft parts. Ah, the preservation of fossils in the Solnhofen limestone is amazing.
Let’s see what observations we can make from the skeleton and what conclusions we can draw. Look at this picture and get an overall impression of the fossil. The label says it is a croc, but is it? It does not look like any croc I have ever seen.
Complete Geosaurus skeleton, with skin impressions, from the Solnhofen limestone.
Geosaurus skull showing croc dentition
Head: The front end certainly looks like a modern crocodile head. The teeth are conical and striated, with the typical croc dentition: teeth are located inside and outside the jaw line, and there are large teeth half way down the jaw. Modern crocs use them for breaking turtle shells (see the YouTube video referenced below).
Tail: Ok, so it is a croc but it does have a very strange tail. Let’s look more closely at the tail to see if there is any support for the decision the preparator made to indicate a tail like a shark’s.
The faint skin impressions support
interpretation as a shark-like tail.
The discolored rock strongly suggests that the tail does have a shark outline, unlike that of all known modern crocodilians. Even better, compare the caudal processes (bumps on the top of the vertebra) in the area of the fin to those farther up the spine. The processes in the tail fin area are longer and reverse orientation: they point toward the head, possibly as support for the fin. The fin is real!
Armor: This croc does not have any! There are no osteoderms (bony plates inside the skin) anywhere. The osteoderms in modern crocs do not provide complete coverage and thus are not much use as armor; however, a modern croc has muscles between its osteoderms that can stiffen up the skin during rapid land movements. Apparently Geosaurus got along without them.
Legs: The arms are very short in proportion to the legs, quite unlike modern crocs.
Salt Gland: Many animals have glands to secrete sodium chloride because they live in or on life from the ocean and eat way to much salt. This animal is said to have chambers in the skull for a salt gland, but I cannot see it. I guess I will take their word* for it. A modern croc has a salt gland in its tongue while many birds have theirs in the skull.
Analysis: Modern crocs are slow swimmers and, thus, ambush predators. A shark-like tail suggests this was a higher speed predator. A modern croc has about 5% of its weight in osteoderms and their absence would improve the water speed at the expense of land speed. I think we have caught this croc species in the transition stage of becoming a true marine predator. It still had clawed limbs to crawl out on the land (to mate and lay eggs) but their smaller size would certainly help reduce drag. If this evolutionary path had continued, the croc’s descendants might have ended up looking like Ichthyosaurs, air-breathing reptiles that gave live birth and looked remarkably like modern dolphins. Remember, a saltwater croc in Australia is called a marine crocodile, but it does not have many adaptations to live in the marine environment besides a salt gland in its tongue.
An Ichthyosaur is a reptile completely adapted to a marine environment.
What happens when a Steneosaurus trys to
ambush an Allosaurus at the water hole
There are other crocs found in the Solnhofen limestone, including long-legged land crocs, dwarf ones, and a substantially armored one, Steneosaurus, featured by Dr. Bakker in this wonderful drawing.
To read more about the Geosaurus, check out Dr. Bakker’s blog.
Wikipedia: Criosaurus , Dakosaurus, Geosaurus
A nice discussion of aquatic crocs is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cricosaurus
Modern croc using those teeth on a turtle: “ahmedsadat” posting on YouTube, 2008, “Crocodile eats turtle”, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSKAXOFvi6c
*Salt glands – it is claimed that the skulls have a chamber for salt glands see Fernández and Gasparini, 2008, Naturwissenschaften. 2008, 95(1):79-84. Epub 2007 Aug 22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17712540
Dwarf crocs from the Solnhofen limestone, page 36 in Wellnhofer, 2009, Archaeopteryx, Icon of Evolution, Verlag Dr. Friedrick Pfeil.
All pictures by Neal Immega except the Dino/Croc fight which is by Dr. Bakker.
One thought on “What a Croc!
1. I have been searching for months to find out why insects are preserved in the Solnhofen only as casts and molds. Typically, insects do not preserve well in saline deposits and i would like to know why this is. Did the chemicals in the water bleach the chitin so that it was colorless? Did the saline dissolve the protein matrix of the chitin so that it decayed away? Green River Formation preserved enough of the chitin to leave insect images on the limestone. What factors made it different for those in the Solnhofen and why?I was under the impression that hypersaline did not dissolve the protein. Can you direct me to someone who can answer my questions? Or perhaps a link to a paper on the subject?
Thank you for your time.
Best Regards,
Leave a Reply
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July 15, 2004
I am sure everyone is aware of the flash flood in Bangladesh's north-eastern region because of the media publicity. Our achievements are seldom propagated this fast by the western media.
Now I would like to state here what floods mean for Bangladesh. Floods are a recurring phenomenon in the country. Each year in Bangladesh about 26,000 sq km, 18% of the country is flooded. During severe floods, the affected area may exceed 55% of the total area of the country. Millions of people take refuge in the drier parts of the country during flood. Bangladesh experiences three types of floods:
(a) monsoon flood - seasonal, increases slowly and decreases slowly, inundates vast areas and causes huge losses to life and property;
(b) flash flood - water increases and decreases suddenly, generally happens in the valleys of the hilly areas; and
(c) tidal flood - short duration, height is generally 3m to 6m, blocks inland flood drainage.
Over thousands of years, people living in Bengal Delta learned how to live with rivers and adjusted their lives to the deltaic conditions of the land.
1) Settlement Pattern: In settling on flood plains, they always seek out high patches of land to construct dwellings and used the rest for farming.
2)Cropping Pattern: Through a process of natural selection, the people of Bangladesh has developed the amazing varieties of bona aman, which can rapidly grow twenty feet tall or even higher to withstand deep flooding.
3) Transportation: In the dry season, people walk right on the floodplains along ails or elevated borders. During the rainy season, when floodplains is inundated, they use boats.
The people of Bangladesh, therefore, found ways to live with rivers. They respect rivers. They know that rivers gave birth to this land, and rivers would come periodically to nurture it with silts. Therefore, they struck a bargain with the rivers: instead of trying to prevent river inundation, they try to make best use of it. Some positive aspects of river inundations:
1) Silt deposit leads to elevation of plain as much as 1 inch a year.
2) Silts are rich in nutrients and triggers other biological activities in the floodplains. That's why Bangladeshi soil is very much fertile.
3) River inundation makes monsoon agriculture possible.
4) By recharging the water bodies, river inundation helps to maintain the fish habitats.
5) It recharges underground water aquifers.
6) It has a great cleansing effect on the overall physical environment and it helps preserve the flora and fauna of the land.
So what Bangladesh need is an effective flood control plan and use the benefits of the flooding wisely. According to this essay the embankment control approach (which is the most used control method) is discouraged. Because this costly method does not solve flood problems rather creates new ones. There are lobbies of certain quarters including the donors to carry on with the embankment project mainly for the interest of the persons and the associations and the flood problems are remaining the same.
According to the report the appropriate flood control approach for Bangladesh is to open up as much space as possible to accommodate river overflow. This follows from simple arithmetic: given the volume of water and gradient, the height of flooding decreases proportionately with the increase of area over which water can spread. This is a strategy not of flood prevention but of flood mitigation and control. The approach is based on the time-honored principle by which our ancestors lived in this area, namely: "live with the rivers and benefit from them". The measures required to implement this method:
1) Re-excavation and dredging.
2) Ensure Free Passage of Water Across Floodplains.
3) Restoration of Water Ways.
4) Revival of Fisheries.
5) Adjustment of Rural Settlement Pattern.
6) Low Embankment with Floodgates.
I hope that this new approach is widely reviewed and implemented by the authorities so that a proper flood control measure in Bangladesh remains in affect.
Lastly I would say, that considering the amount of natural calamities and destruction of infrastructure, Bangladesh is achieving an almost 6% economic growth. There is no shortage of food. So when you read another news of devastating flood in Bangladesh please recognize the tremendous courage of the people of the land, who seldom lose heart to start everything all over again to take their country forward.
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Posts tagged with 'air quality'
Raahgiri Day closes down streets to cars, allowing residents to breathe cleaner air and reclaim the streets for recreation. (Photo: WRI Sustainable Cities)
Why Gurgaon’s Car Free Day Can Be a Game Changer for India
Ever since its launch in Gurgaon in 2013, Raahgiri Day—an open streets initiative—has become a game changer of sorts. It started as an experiment where community groups and individuals came together with public agencies in Gurgaon to temporarily provide safe ...
Celebrating the 70th anniversary of WWII, Beijing temporarily banned cars from its street and closed factories for a day of clear, perfect skies. (Photo: GreenArcher04/ Flickr)
Smog One Day, Blue Skies the Next: Beijing Gets a Breath of Fresh Air
For the first time in a long time, the color of Beijing’s sky was a perfect azure blue. From August 20 to September 3, the city’s clear sky offered a breath of fresh air for residents, and gave many a ...
How Two Brazilian Cities Upgraded Their Outdated Bus Fleets for Cleaner Air
Major cities, such as Moscow, Russia, are experiencing heavy air pollution and are looking to reduce their emissions. Reforming transport not only helps reduce congestion, but also improves air quality. (Photo: Alexei Kuznetsov/ Flickr/ slightly modified from original)
Reforming Transport in Cities: Cleaner Air, Fewer Emissions
3.7 million people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this is the number of individuals who die each year due to air pollution. At this rate, simple math dictates that more than 120 million people will die because of outdoor ...
China’s Pedestrianization: Reviving a Tradition of Walking for Healthier Cities
China’s Pedestrianization: Reviving a Tradition of Walking for Healthier Cities
Innovative building designs can use "smog-eating" technology to improve air quality in cities like Bogota, Colombia. Photo by Michael McCullough/Flickr.
Friday Fun: How Buildings Can Help “Eat” Urban Smog
Many cities around the world are suffering from severe air pollution. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s urban air quality database reveals that about half of the global urban population is exposed to air pollution that is at least 2.5 times ... |
adverb gen·er·al·ly \ˈjen-rə-lē, ˈje-nə-, ˈje-nər-lē\
: in a general way : in a way that is not detailed or specific
: in most cases
: by or to most people
Full Definition of GENERALLY
: in a general manner: as
a : in disregard of specific instances and with regard to an overall picture <generally speaking>
b : as a rule : usually
Examples of GENERALLY
1. He talked generally about his plans.
2. I had a generally good day.
3. It generally takes about a month for the shipment to arrive.
4. When stocks are up, bonds are generally down.
5. This town is generally regarded as a good place to raise kids.
First Known Use of GENERALLY
14th century
GENERALLY Defined for Kids
adverb gen·er·al·ly \ˈje-nə-rə-lē, ˈjen-rə-\
Definition of GENERALLY for Kids
: for the most part <Generally speaking, I don't enjoy horror movies.>
: in most cases : usually <I anchored out near the ledge of rocks where I generally fish. — Oliver Butterworth, The Enormous Egg>
Next Word in the Dictionary: general mortgagePrevious Word in the Dictionary: general listingAll Words Near: generally
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears |
First Amendment
Celebrating Banned Books Week
For decades, the Religious Right has used public school students as pawns in the "culture wars," fighting to impose a political agenda on textbooks and curricula in school districts across the country. This has included battles over sex education, school-led prayer, publicly funded vouchers for religious institutions, and shaping what children learn by controlling the content of textbooks and access to books in school libraries and classrooms. People For the American Way Foundation has a long record of resisting censorship and defending the freedom to learn.
People For the American Way Foundation is a sponsor of Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of the freedom to read -- and an opportunity for readers, authors, publishers, booksellers, and First Amendment advocates to call for continued vigilance against efforts to restrict that freedom. This year’s Banned Books Week has a focus on Young Adult books, which are challenged more frequently than any others.
"These are the books that speak most immediately to young people, dealing with many of the difficult issues that arise in their own lives, or in the lives of their friends,” says Judith Platt, chair of the Banned Books Week National Committee. These are the books that give young readers the ability to safely explore the sometimes scary real world. As author Sherman Alexie said in response to the censorship of one of his young adult novels, “Everything in the book is what every kid in that school is dealing with on a daily basis, whether it’s masturbation or racism or sexism or the complications of being human. To pretend that kids aren’t dealing with this on an hour-by-hour basis is a form of denial.”
Platt describes the importance of Banned Books Week at the Reading Rainbow blog:
Banned Books Week is celebrated each year because efforts are underway in many parts of this country to remove “offensive” materials from public libraries, school libraries, and classroom reading lists. Arguments can be made for involving parents in the education of their children, and giving them an opportunity to voice objections when some reading material runs counter to their own values, but problems arise when that parent wants to dictate what all children can or cannot read. In the Coda to Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury said: “There’s more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.”
Many libraries and bookstores are sponsoring events honoring Banned Books Week. Kelly Adams, a children's book specialist at Valley Bookseller in Stillwater, Minn., spoke with Minnesota Public Radio:
"Banned Books Week is my favorite week of the whole year. Seriously, it's better than Christmas.... Promoting books that have been banned or challenged shines a light on these attempts at censorship. It is an eye-opening experience for many.... We are basically a country built by rebels. When someone tells us 'you can't read that,' we naturally pick it up and read it."
In response to a recent article dismissing Banned Books Week as unnecessary, Peter Hart at the National Coalition Against Censorship argues that censorship is not just a thing of the past:
Graham thinks several hundred cases a year isn't much to get worked up about. But those numbers are a very conservative estimate of the problem. As Chris Finan of the American Booksellers for Free Expression pointed out recently, the American Library Association believes that as many as 80 percent of challenges go unreported. A Freedom of Information Act research project in two states confirmed this; the vast majority of formal challenges are never revealed publicly.
And what about librarians or school officials who seek to steer clear of controversy by avoiding potentially controversial books altogether? There is no doubt that this kind of chilling effect is real. A survey of over 600 librarians released by the School Library Journal in 2009 revealed that 70 percent reported that the possible reaction from parents affected their decisions not to buy a book. About half of librarians reported that they had gone through a formal challenge, and 20 percent of them revealed that the experience affected their book-buying decisions going forward.
So there's strong evidence that there are far more challenges than are reported, and that those challenges affect institutions over the long run. Self-censorship, as the School Library Journal put it, is "a dirty secret that no one in the profession wants to talk about."
The Banned Books Week website includes case studies on two of the most frequently challenged books, Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Marjan Satrapi’s Persepolis.
You can take the New York Public Library’s banned books quiz at And you may be able to find an event near you.
Here’s more information on the impact of censorship challenges from People For the American Way Foundation’s “Book Wars” report:
While individual challenges don’t always succeed in removing a book from a school curriculum or forcing a textbook publisher to alter its content, they can have far-reaching effects. Attacks on ethnic studies curricula or challenges to books that deal frankly with the lives and histories of marginalized communities can have divisive results beyond their original goals. For example, organizing a protest of a textbook that supposedly “promotes jihad” may not accomplish its stated goal, but might still succeed in stoking fear and resentment against Muslim Americans in that community.
Attacks on multicultural curricula in schools – like Arizona’s ban on ethnic studies classes – are joined by continuing efforts to ban books that acknowledge gay and lesbian families, teach about world religions, or deal frankly with the history of race in America. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, People For the American Way Foundation tracked challenges to books and curricula that included frank discussions of sexuality, race, and the less palatable truths of American history. In the 2000s, challenges focused also on books accused of promoting the “occult” or “undermining” Christianity, leading the Harry Potter series to top the American Library Association’s list of the most challenged books of the decade.
One common theme among many challenged books is their frank portrayals of the experiences of marginalized people. Toni Morrison’s Beloved and The Bluest Eye are unflinching explorations of being a Black woman in America. Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian chronicles a Native American teenager’s experiences living in an impoverished reservation, while going to school in a wealthy nearby town. Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man explores African-American identity in the mid-20th century. Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima, is a landmark piece of Chicano literature. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale offers a dystopian tale about the oppression of women. Marjane Satrapi’s renowned graphic novel Persepolis, is about a girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic revolution.
And here are some things you can do to fight censorship in your community:
PFAW Foundation
Bryan Fischer's Amazing Inability To Abide By His Own Theory About The First Amendment
As we have noted several times before, Bryan Fischer has an utterly incoherent understanding of the First Amendment, insisting that it only applies to Congress whenever he wants to defend some possible establishment of religion violation but insisting that it applies to everyone when he wants to complain about some possible violation of its free exercise clause.
This basic contradiction popped up once again in his latest column in which he warns that Christians are becoming "the new Dred Scott" due to the recent Supreme Court ruling striking down state gay marriage bans. Citing cases involving Christian bakers who refused to provide wedding cakes to gay customers and the false claim that one of the bakeries had been slapped with a gag order, Fischer claims that their First Amendment rights are being violated (emphasis added):
Readers are by now familiar with Aaron and Melissa Klein, who were fined $135,000 by a bureaucrat (no trial by jury, no judge, no right to confront accusers in open court, etc.) for politely declining to violate their own Christian conscience in the conduct of their business.
To add constitutional insult to constitutional injury, this bureaucrat slapped a gag order on the Kleins so they are not allowed even to talk to anybody about this travesty. Their right to the free exercise of religion, gone. Their right to free speech, gone. Their right to free association, gone.
In other words, this bureaucrat just issued a binding decree that the First Amendment applies to everybody in America except Christians. Christians, according to this man, have no First Amendment rights of any kind.
A baker in Colorado, Jack Phillips, is going to court today for similarly declining to use his expressive gifts to bake a cake which included a message of support for same-sex marriage. For his effrontery, having the nerve to actually believe the First Amendment applied to him, he too has been fined, ordered to bake cakes that violate his conscience, sent to re-education camp, and ordered to provide quarterly “compliance reports” to show that he is sufficiently servile to the lords of political correctness.
As we have pointed out before, it is Fischer who insists that "violating the First Amendment is something only Congress can do." Needless to say, neither of these cases has anything to do with Congress so, by Fischer's own logic, nobody's First Amendment rights are being violated since that "is something only Congress can do."
How Fischer repeatedly fails to understand the basic fact that he cannot claim that the First Amendment can only be violated by Congress and then turn around and also complain that the First Amendment is being violated by things that are not Congress is beyond comprehension.
Diversity vs. Scalia at Marriage Oral Arguments
Bringing her own experience to the bench, Justice Kagan helps Justice Scalia with a point that should have been obvious to him.
PFAW Foundation
You can listen to the full telebriefing here:
PFAW Foundation
Bryan Fischer's Incoherent Theory Of The First Amendment
For years now, the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer has doggedly argued that the First Amendment only applies to Congress, meaning that no entity other than Congress could ever exceed its limitations or violate the rights it protects:
First, the amendment applies only to Congress. "Congress shall make no law..." No other entity is restrained by the First Amendment. Since the amendment applies only to Congress, it is legally, historically and constitutionally impossible for a state, a county commission, a city council, a school board, a school principal, a school teacher or a student to violate the First Amendment. This is for one simple reason: none of them is Congress. Violating the First Amendment is something only Congress can do.
Despite the fact that Fischer has time and again insisted that "the First Amendment applies only to Congress," he is now inexplicably fuming that the firing of Atlanta fire chief Kelvin Cochran is somehow a violation of the First Amendment:
Cochran has been stripped of every right that is cherished and protected under the First Amendment. His freedom of religion, gone. His freedom of speech, gone. His freedom of the press, gone. His freedom of association, gone. When I say that homosexuality is the enemy of freedom, the First Amendment, and virtually the entire Constitution, this is what I’m talking about.
Cochran is considering legal action, as well he should. Either the First Amendment means what it says, in which case Cochran has an unassailable legal argument, or the Constitution doesn’t mean anything at all. It’s about time we found out the answer to that question.
As we have noted before, Fischer insists that "violating the First Amendment is something only Congress can do," and since local government is not Congress, he has no grounds to complain about any non-congressional entity supposedly violating the First Amendment.
According to Fischer's own well-established theory, his entire complaint that the city of Atlanda violated Cochran's First Amendment rights is utterly incoherent considering that the city of Atlanta is not Congress.
The AFA Suddenly Decides The First Amendment Applies To More Than Just Congress
It seems as if the entire Religious Right is in high dudgeon right now over a situation in which lawyers representing the city of Houston sought to subpoena sermons from local pastors as part of a lawsuit filed by anti-gay activists in response to the rejection of their petitions calling for a referendum on a newly enacted anti-discrimination ordinance.
The city has already backed down, but that is not stopping Religious Right groups from hammering away at city officials and using the issue to promote their persecution complex, even if doing so undermines their own previous stances, as it does with groups like the American Family Association.
Today the AFA climbed on board the outrage bandwagon, sending out an action alert slamming Houston Mayor Annise Parker and urging activists to contact her to voice their outrage over this purported violation of the First Amendment:
The mayor is demanding that sermon notes, emails, videos, and any negative comments about homosexuality or the mayor herself, be turned over to her. If the pastors refuse, the mayor has threatened to charge them with contempt of court and possible fines or jail time.
The mayor is using intimidation, threats and bully tactics in an attempt to silence anyone who will not embrace her lesbian lifestyle.
Does the First Amendment mean nothing to Mayor Parker? Does religious freedom and freedom of speech mean nothing to Mayor Parker? Does the people’s petition process mean nothing to Mayor Parker?
This is a rather odd position for the AFA to take since Bryan Fischer, the AFA's Director of Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy and the organization's primary spokesperson, has repeatedly gone on record stating that the First Amendment only applies to Congress.
In addition to asserting that the First Amendment only protects Christianity and not other religions like Mormonism or Islam, Fischer also insists that the First Amendment was designed only to constrain Congress, which means that state and local government are not bound by its language prohibiting the establishment of an official religion or interfering with its free exercise.
Fischer has made this case time and again while arguing that local government are free to discriminate against non-Christian religions or appear to explicitly endorse Christianity, asserting that both are perfectly constitutional since the First Amendment applies only to Congress:
If the First Amendment only applies to Congress when it comes to establishing or discriminating against religion, as Fischer contends, then logically it must also only apply to Congress when it comes to restricting the free exercise of religion. And if that is the case, then city officials in Houston could not have possibly violated the First Amendment rights of local pastors by subpoenaing their sermons due to the simple fact that they are not Congress.
Fischer has repeatedly said on his AFA radio program and written on the AFA's website that "violating the First Amendment is something only Congress can do." If that is true, then why is the AFA now fuming about city officials in Houston supposedly violating the First Amendment, since that is not even technically possible, according to the organization's primary spokesperson?
Roberts Court Strikes Down Clinic Buffer Zone Law
With the Chief Justice writing the majority opinion, the Roberts Court votes to strike down a Massachusetts clinic buffer law.
PFAW Foundation
Sarah Palin So Clueless About First Amendment Even Fox News Has to Set Her Straight
Palin has been pushing her flawed interpretation of the First Amendment in defense of Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson. Watch!
What Persecution Looks Like
Nothing like putting things in perspective.
PFAW Supports House Amendment Against NSA Spying
DC Circuit Strikes Another Blow Against Working People
The DC Circuit says a rule requiring businesses to inform workers of their legal rights unconstitutionally forces businesses into compelled speech.
PFAW Foundation
Shredding the Constitution in North Carolina
Richard Mourdock and the Supreme Court
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Living the high life: High-altitude adaptation
Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Genome biology (Impact Factor: 10.81). 09/2010; 11(9):133. DOI: 10.1186/gb-2010-11-9-133
Source: PubMed
Genome-wide scans demonstrate that genetic variants associated with high-altitude adaptation in Tibetans and Andeans arose independently as a result of convergent adaptation.
21 Reads
• Source
• "Intrestingly, three isoforms of PPARs (α,γand δ) were all documented direct downstream of miRs [22], [82], [83]. PPRAα were identified had specific functional variants between highland Tibetan populations and normal [85]. However, although PPRAα is in the Gene Ontology biological process ‘response to hypoxia’, but it is not even in the HIF pathway [84]. "
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ABSTRACT: The lungs undergo changes that are adaptive for high elevation in certain animal species. In chickens, animals bred at high elevations (e.g., Tibet chickens) are better able to hatch and survive under high-altitude conditions. In addition, lowland chicken breeds undergo physiological effects and suffer greater mortality when they are exposed to hypoxic conditions during embryonic development. Although these physiological effects have been noted, the mechanisms that are responsible for hypoxia-induced changes in lung development and function are not known. Here we have examined the role of a particular microRNA (miRNA) in the regulation of lung development under hypoxic conditions. When chicks were incubated in low oxygen (hypoxia), miR-15a was significantly increased in embryonic lung tissue. The expression level of miR-15a in hypoxic Tibet chicken embryos increased and remained relatively high at embryonic day (E)16-20, whereas in normal chickens, expression increased and peaked at E19-20, at which time the cross-current gas exchange system (CCGS) is developing. Bcl-2 was a translationally repressed target of miR-15a in these chickens. miR-16, a cluster and family member of miR-15a, was detected but did not participate in the posttranscriptional regulation of bcl-2. Around E19, the hypoxia-induced decrease in Bcl-2 protein resulted in apoptosis in the mesenchyme around the migrating tubes, which led to an expansion and migration of the tubes that would become the air capillary network and the CCGS. Thus, interfering with miR-15a expression in lung tissue may be a novel therapeutic strategy for hypoxia insults and altitude adaptation.
PLoS ONE 06/2014; 9(6):e98868. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0098868 · 3.23 Impact Factor
• Source
• "While various studies have focused on a few select candidate gene regions [1], [4], [5], many genetic loci have probably been targeted by selection in high-altitude populations (see review [6]). In order to evaluate whether our previously reported selection targets [7] are significant in a different Tibetan group [13], we carried out genome-wide SNP-based selection scans in a linguistically distinct population from a different region of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. "
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ABSTRACT: Recent studies have used a variety of analytical methods to identify genes targeted by selection in high-altitude populations located throughout the Tibetan Plateau. Despite differences in analytic strategies and sample location, hypoxia-related genes, including EPAS1 and EGLN1, were identified in multiple studies. By applying the same analytic methods to genome-wide SNP information used in our previous study of a Tibetan population (n = 31) from the township of Maduo, located in the northeastern corner of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (4200 m), we have identified common targets of natural selection in a second geographically and linguistically distinct Tibetan population (n = 46) in the Tuo Tuo River township (4500 m). Our analyses provide evidence for natural selection based on iHS and XP-EHH signals in both populations at the p<0.02 significance level for EPAS1, EGLN1, HMOX2, and CYP17A1 and for PKLR, HFE, and HBB and HBG2, which have also been reported in other studies. We highlight differences (i.e., stratification and admixture) in the two distinct Tibetan groups examined here and report selection candidate genes common to both groups. These findings should be considered in the prioritization of selection candidate genes in future genetic studies in Tibet.
PLoS ONE 03/2014; 9(3):e88252. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0088252 · 3.23 Impact Factor
• Source
• "The rationale was that any differences captured in the genetic structure between the two populations are likely to have arisen through natural selection in response to the hypoxic environment inhabited by the Tibetans. These studies have been extensively reviewed (5, 51, 76, 79). The studies are summarized in Table 1, and the key findings are discussed below. "
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ABSTRACT: The Tibetan Plateau is one of the highest regions on Earth. Tibetan highlanders are adapted to life and reproduction in a hypoxic environment and possess a suite of distinctive physiological traits. Recent studies have identified genomic loci that have undergone natural selection in Tibetans. Two of these loci - EGLN1 and EPAS1 - encode major components of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcriptional system, which has a central role in oxygen sensing and coordinating an organism's response to hypoxia, as evidenced by studies in humans and mice. An association between genetic variants within these genes and hemoglobin concentration in Tibetans at high altitude was demonstrated in some of the studies (8, 78, 94). Nevertheless, the functional variants within these genes and the underlying mechanisms of action are still not known. Furthermore, there are a number of other possible phenotypic traits, besides hemoglobin concentration, upon which natural selection may have acted. Integration of studies at the genomic level with functional molecular studies and studies in systems physiology has the potential to provide further understanding of human evolution in response to high-altitude hypoxia. The Tibetan paradigm provides further insight on the role of the HIF system in humans in relation to oxygen homeostasis.
Journal of Applied Physiology 11/2013; 116(7). DOI:10.1152/japplphysiol.00605.2013 · 3.06 Impact Factor
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Historian Presents Evidence Of Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies Performed In The Christian Church In 100 AD
Many LGBT rights advocates considered the Pope's recent message of tolerance towards gay priests and Christians to be quite revolutionary, despite what some have argued to the contrary. However, according to historian John Boswell and his seminal book Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, the Christian church has already performed same-sex unions. Granted, it was some centuries ago during the Dark Ages. Nevertheless, io9 reports that
The Catholic historian's book was published in 1994, shortly before his death from AIDS. As io9 noted, "given the Church's present-day views on gay marriage, these detractors argued, Boswell's history seemed like wishful thinking." Now, the book is being re-released as an e-book, and finding itself in the spotlight once again. It chronicles much of Boswell's research the he conducted throughout the 1970's and 80's, sifting through legal and church records from throughout the late Roman Empire and Early Christian church.
So why doesn't the Church recognize same-sex unions anymore? Any why are the documents chronicling these same-sex unions just now surfacing centuries later?
Achilles and PatroclusBefore you start celebrating, though, know that the unions described in these documents don't necessarily mirror the same-sex unions we recognize today. These unions took place in era during which Europe was still transitioning from its last years of the Roman Empire. Thus, these unions most likely reflected the kind of same-sex relationships that existed in Rome. Documents would often refer to the two men as "brothers" rather than "husbands". Annalee Newitz, author of the io9 piece, also noted that "marriages over a millennium ago were not based on procreation, but wealth-sharing." Unions like this were not always sexual in nature. That said, the documents still present evidence that the Early Christian church performed marriage ceremonies between two men.
One legal scholar even "wrote a law journal article explaining that Boswell's book could even be used as evidence for the legality of gay marriage, since it shows evidence that definitions of marriage have changed over time." Most of the individuals who cite religion as their chief objection to marriage equality cite the belief that the Church's current definition supports the same, "natural", divinely inspired definition that it has always had. Boswell's work certainly presents evidence that contradicts that.
Unfortunately, Boswell is no longer around to defend his work. If he was, though, there is no doubt that he would have one or two things to say about the current legal state of same-sex marriage. One can only hope that the release of his work in this much more accessible and cost-effective might allow more people to get their hands on it.
Posted July 31, 2013 at 5:45am ETC by RJ Aguiar
in gay marriage, News |
In his opening remarks, Zbigniew Brzezinski outlined three categories of democracy: functioning, malfunctioning, and fictitious. Functioning democracies are characterized by political and economic pluralism. Poland represents one of the most successful "functioning democracies" in the post-communist world. Malfunctioning democracies, such as many former Soviet states today, may aspire to democracy, but are crippled by legacies of the communist past. In fictitious democracies, the organs of the Communist Party remain but the regime pursues limited, reformist economic and social policies, such as in China. Brzezinski also pointed out that wide-scale, growing poverty impedes the movement toward democracy in many post-communist countries.
Former Foreign Minister Geremek and Czech Ambassador Vondra both reflected on the importance of Solidarity in the region's history. Geremek credited the Catholic church for its role in preparing the Polish citizens for the nation-wide resistance movement and identified the visit of Pope John Paul II, in particular, as a crucial moment in developing feelings of independence and national solidarity. He attributed the success of Solidarity primarily to the workers, who had been pivotal in fighting oppression throughout Polish history and, as the backbone of the communist system, were able to avert criticism from authorities. Geremek asserted that part of the success of Solidarity was that it gradually added political demands to economic ones, such as demanding that the Communist Party limit rather than abolish censorship to avoid provoking Soviet intervention.
"Solidarity brought to Poland the experience of democracy," the former Foreign Minister said. Geremek brought his own experience with democracy and reform to Poland in 1980, after spending the previous year as a scholar at the Wilson Center. Geremek also acknowledged the role played by external factors in defeating communism, such as large Western credits and the Helsinki Commission's emphasis on human rights. To ensure the success of reform and democratization elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe, Geremek expressed a need for the continuity of Western credits to the region and urged that the enlargement of NATO and the EU be made an international priority.
Ambassador Vondra identified Solidarity as a genuine catalyst for reform and Poland as a model of dissent for Czech youth unable to travel to the West. Solidarity's rise sparked the dissemination of hundreds of thousands of copies of samizdat (underground publications), while Western support further aided dissenters in attracting maximum attention. According to Ambassador Vondra, the Czech Republic continues to benefit from the Solidarity model, upon which the current, close Czech-Polish cooperation on economic and human rights issues is based. The same principle of reform and democracy which Solidarity sparked in Eastern Europe also played a primary role in the cooperation leading to NATO membership for Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
Former Congressman Solarz was struck by Solidarity's ability to "balance aspirations for freedom against communist repression and domination," by relying on incremental progress to achieve its goals. He closed the session with the statement that the movement can still serve as a model to help advance democracy worldwide.
Mr. Geremek spoke at a Wilson Center Director's Forum on September 25, 2000. The above is a summary of the event |
Bundler's Purpose and Rationale
We designed bundler to make it easy to share your code across a number of development, staging and production machines. Of course, you know how to share your own application or gem: stick it on GitHub and clone it where you need it. Bundler makes it easy to make sure that your application has the dependencies it needs to start up and run without errors.
source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'rails', '3.0.0.rc'
gem 'rack-cache'
gem 'nokogiri', '~> 1.4.2'
This Gemfile says a few things. First, it says that bundler should look for gems declared in the Gemfile at https://rubygems.org. You can declare multiple RubyGems sources, and bundler will look for gems in the order you declared the sources.
Next, you declare a few dependencies:
• on version 3.0.0.rc of rails
• on any version of rack-cache
• on a version of nokogiri that is >= 1.4.2 but < 1.5.0
$ bundle install # <code>bundle</code> is a shortcut for <code>bundle install</code>
$ bundle install
Fetching source index for http://gemcutter.org/
Using rake (0.8.7)
Using abstract (1.0.0)
Installing activesupport (3.0.0.rc)
Using builder (2.1.2)
Using i18n (0.4.1)
Installing activemodel (3.0.0.rc)
Using erubis (2.6.6)
Using rack (1.2.1)
Installing rack-mount (0.6.9)
Using rack-test (0.5.4)
Using tzinfo (0.3.22)
Installing actionpack (3.0.0.rc)
Using mime-types (1.16)
Using polyglot (0.3.1)
Using treetop (1.4.8)
Using mail (2.2.5)
Installing actionmailer (3.0.0.rc)
Using arel (0.4.0)
Installing activerecord (3.0.0.rc)
Installing activeresource (3.0.0.rc)
Using bundler (1.0.0.rc.3)
Installing nokogiri ( with native extensions
Installing rack-cache (0.5.2)
Installing thor (0.14.0)
Installing railties (3.0.0.rc)
Installing rails (3.0.0.rc)
Setting Up Your Application to Use Bundler
require 'rubygems'
require 'bundler/setup'
For our example Gemfile, this line is exactly equivalent to:
require 'rails'
require 'rack-cache'
require 'nokogiri'
source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'rails', '3.0.0.rc'
gem 'nokogiri', '~> 1.4.2'
Grouping Your Dependencies
You'll sometimes have groups of gems that only make sense in particular environments. For instance, you might develop your app (at an early stage) using SQLite, but deploy it using mysql2 or pg. In this example, you might not have MySQL or Postgres installed on your development machine, and want bundler to skip it.
To do this, you can group your dependencies:
source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'rails', '3.2.2'
gem 'nokogiri', '~> 1.4.2'
group :development do
gem 'sqlite3'
group :production do
gem 'pg'
Now, in development, you can instruct bundler to skip the production group:
$ bundle install --without production
Bundler will remember that you installed the gems using --without production. For curious readers, bundler stores the flag in APP_ROOT/.bundle/config. You can see all of the settings that bundler saved there by running bundle config, which will also print out global settings (stored in ~/.bundle/config), and settings set via environment variables. For more information on configuring bundler, please see bundle config.
If you run bundle install later, without any flag, bundler will remember that you last called bundle install --without production, and use that flag again. When you require 'bundler/setup', bundler will ignore gems in these groups.
You can also specify which groups to automatically require through the parameters to Bundler.require. The :default group includes all gems not listed under any group. If you call Bundler.require(:default, :development), bundler will require all the gems in the :default group, as well as the gems in the :development group.
By default, a Rails generated app calls Bundler.require(:default, Rails.env) in your application.rb, which links the groups in your Gemfile to the Rails environment. If you use other groups (not linked to a Rails environment), you can add them to the call to Bundler.require, if you want them to be automatically required.
Remember that you can always leave groups of gems out of Bundler.require, and then require them manually using Ruby's require at the appropriate place in your app. You might do this because requiring a certain gem takes some time, and you don't need it every time you boot your application.
Checking Your Code into Version Control
Sharing Your Application With Other Developers
In other words, you don't have to guess which versions of the dependencies you should install. In the example we've been using, even though rack-cache declares a dependency on rack >= 0.4, we know for sure it works with rack 1.2.1. Even if the Rack team releases rack 1.2.2, bundler will always install 1.2.1, the exact version of the gem that we know works. This relieves a large maintenance burden from application developers, because all machines always run the exact same third-party code.
Updating a Dependency
$ bundle install
Updating a Gem Without Modifying the Gemfile
$ bundle update rack-cache
$ bundle update
Deploying Your Application
When you run bundle install, bundler will (by default), install your gems to your system repository of gems. This means that they will show up in gem list. Additionally, if you are developing a number of applications, you will not need to download and install gems in common for each application. This is nice for development, but somewhat problematic for deployment.
In a deployment scenario, the Unix user you deploy with may not have access to install gems to a system location. Even if the user does (or you use sudo), the user that boots the application may not have access to them. For instance, Passenger runs its Ruby subprocesses with the user nobody, a somewhat restricted user. The tradeoffs in a deployment environment lean more heavily in favor of isolation (even at the cost of a somewhat slower deploy-time bundle install when some third-party dependencies have changed).
As a result, bundler comes with a --deployment flag that encapsulates the best practices for using bundler in a deployment environment. These practices are based on significant feedback we have received during the development of bundler, as well as a number of bug reports that mostly reflected a misunderstanding of how to best configure bundler for deployment. The --deployment flags adds the following defaults:
• Instead of installing gems to the system location, bundler will install gems to vendor/bundle inside your application. Bundler will transparently remember this location when you invoke it inside your application (with Bundler.setup and Bundler.require).
• Bundler will not use gems already installed to your system, even if they exist.
• If you have run bundle pack, checked in the vendor/cache directory, and do not have any git gems, Bundler will not contact the internet while installing your bundle.
• Bundler will require a Gemfile.lock snapshot, and fail if you did not provide one.
• Bundler will not transparently update your Gemfile.lock if it is out of date with your Gemfile
If you use Capistrano, you should symlink vendor/bundle to shared/vendor_bundle so that bundler will share your installed gems between deployments (making things zippy if you didn't make any changes), but still give you the benefits of isolation from other applications.
By defaulting the bundle directory to vendor/bundle, and installing your bundle as part of your deployment process, you can be sure that the same Unix user that checked out your application also installed the third-party code your application needs. This means that if Passenger (or Unicorn) can see your application, it can also see its dependencies.
The --deployment flag requires an up-to-date Gemfile.lock to ensure that the testing you have done (in development and staging) actually reflects the code you put into production. You can run bundle check before deploying your application to make sure that your Gemfile.lock is up-to-date. Note that it will always be up-to-date if you have run bundle install, successfully booted your application (or run your tests) since the last time you changed your Gemfile.
FAQ: Why Can't I Just Specify Only = Dependencies?
FAQ: Why Can't I Just Submodule Everything?
FAQ: Why Is Bundler Downloading Gems From --without Groups?
FAQ: I Have a C Extension That Requires Special Flags to Install
A Simple Bundler Workflow
$ bundle init
source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'sinatra', '~> 0.9.0'
gem 'rack-cache'
gem 'rack-bug'
$ bundle install
source 'https://rubygems.org'
gem 'sinatra', '~> 1.0.0'
gem 'rack-cache'
gem 'rack-bug'
and then run:
$ bundle install
$ bundle update sinatra
$ bundle update
$ bundle install --deployment
[1] For instance, if rails 3.0.0 depended on rack 2.0, that gem would still satisfy the requirement of rack-cache, which declares >= 1.0 as a dependency. Of course, you could argue that rack-cache is silly for depending on open-ended versions, but these situations exist (extensively) in the wild, and projects often find themselves between a rock and a hard place when deciding what version to depend on. Constrain the dependency too much (rack =1.2.1) and you make it hard to use your project in other compatible projects. Constrain it too little (rack >= 1.0) and a new release of Rack may break your code. Using dependencies like rack ~> 1.2.1 and versioning code in a SemVer compliant way mostly solves this problem, but it assumes universal compliance. Since RubyGems has over 100,000 packages, this assumption simply doesn't hold in practice.
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Biometric Technologies - INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND, Fingerprint, Facial Recognition, Iris Scan, Retinal Scan, Voice Recognition, Signature Verification
system time identification technology
Mayank Vatsa
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India
Richa Singh
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India
P. Gupta
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India
A. K. Kaushik
Electronic Niketan, India
Identity verification in computer systems is done based on measures like keys, cards, passwords, PIN and so forth. Unfortunately, these may often be forgotten, disclosed or changed. A reliable and accurate identification/verification technique may be designed using biometric technologies, which are further based on the special characteristics of the person such as face, iris, fingerprint, signature and so forth. This technique of identification is preferred over traditional passwords and PIN-based techniques for various reasons:
• The person to be identified is required to be physically present at the time of identification.
• Identification based on biometric techniques obviates the need to remember a password or carry a token.
A biometric system essentially is a pattern recognition system that makes a personal identification by determining the authenticity of a specific physiological or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user. Biometric technologies are thus defined as the “automated methods of identifying or authenticating the identity of a living person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic.” A biometric system can be either an identification system or a verification (authentication) system; both are defined below.
• Identification: One to Many —A comparison of an individual’s submitted biometric sample against the entire database of biometric reference templates to determine whether it matches any of the templates.
• Verification: One to One —A comparison of two sets of biometrics to determine if they are from the same individual.
Biometric authentication requires comparing a registered or enrolled biometric sample (biometric template or identifier) against a newly captured biometric sample (for example, the one captured during a login). This is a three-step process ( Capture, Process, Enroll ) followed by a Verification or Identification .
During Capture , raw biometric is captured by a sensing device, such as a fingerprint scanner or video camera; then, distinguishing characteristics are extracted from the raw biometric sample and converted into a processed biometric identifier record (biometric template). Next is enrollment, in which the processed sample (a mathematical representation of the template) is stored/registered in a storage medium for comparison during authentication. In many commercial applications, only the processed biometric sample is stored. The original biometric sample cannot be reconstructed from this identifier.
Many biometric characteristics may be captured in the first phase of processing. However, automated capturing and automated comparison with previously stored data requires the following properties of biometric characteristics:
• Universal: Everyone must have the attribute. The attribute must be one that is seldom lost to accident or disease.
• Invariance of properties: They should be constant over a long period of time. The attribute should not be subject to significant differences based on age or either episodic or chronic disease.
• Measurability: The properties should be suitable for capture without waiting time and it must be easy to gather the attribute data passively.
• Singularity: Each expression of the attribute must be unique to the individual. The characteristics should have sufficient unique properties to distinguish one person from any other. Height, weight, hair and eye color are unique attributes, assuming a particularly precise measure, but do not offer enough points of differentiation to be useful for more than categorizing.
• Acceptance: The capturing should be possible in a way acceptable to a large percentage of the population. Excluded are particularly invasive technologies; that is, technologies requiring a part of the human body to be taken or (apparently) impairing the human body.
• Reducibility: The captured data should be capable of being reduced to an easy-to-handle file.
• Reliability and tamper-resistance: The attribute should be impractical to mask or manipulate. The process should ensure high reliability and reproducibility.
• Privacy: The process should not violate the privacy of the person.
• Comparable: The attribute should be able to be reduced to a state that makes it digitally comparable to others. The less probabilistic the matching involved, the more authoritative the identification.
• Inimitable: The attribute must be irreproducible by other means. The less reproducible the attribute, the more likely it will be authoritative.
Among the various biometric technologies being considered are fingerprint, facial features, hand geometry, voice, iris, retina, vein patterns, palm print, DNA, keystroke dynamics, ear shape, odor, signature and so forth.
Fingerprint biometric is an automated digital version of the old ink-and-paper method used for more than a century for identification, primarily by law enforcement agencies (Maltoni, 2003). The biometric device requires each user to place a finger on a plate for the print to be read. Fingerprint biometrics currently has three main application areas: large-scale Automated Finger Imaging Systems (AFIS), generally used for law enforcement purposes; fraud prevention in entitlement programs; and physical and computer access. A major advantage of finger imaging is the long-time use of fingerprints and its wide acceptance by the public and law enforcement communities as a reliable means of human recognition. Others include the need for physical contact with the optical scanner, possibility of poor-quality images due to residue on the finger such as dirt and body oils (which can build up on the glass plate), as well as eroded fingerprints from scrapes, years of heavy labor or mutilation.
Facial Recognition
Face recognition is a noninvasive process where a portion of the subject’s face is photographed and the resulting image is reduced to a digital code (Zhao, 2000). Facial recognition records the spatial geometry of distinguishing features of the face. Facial recognition technologies can encounter performance problems stemming from such factors as non-cooperative behavior of the user, lighting and other environmental variables. The main disadvantages of face recognition are similar to problems of photographs. People who look alike can fool the scanners. There are many ways in which people can significantly alter their appearance, like slight change in facial hair and style.
Iris Scan
Iris scanning measures the iris pattern in the colored part of the eye, although iris color has nothing to do with the biometric 6 . Iris patterns are formed randomly. As a result, the iris patterns in the left and right eyes are different, and so are the iris patterns of identical twins. Iris templates are typically around 256 bytes. Iris scanning can be used quickly for both identification and verification applications because of its large number of degrees of freedom. Disadvantages of iris recognition include problems of user acceptance, relative expense of the system as compared to other biometric technologies and the relatively memory-intensive storage requirements.
Retinal Scan
Retinal scanning involves an electronic scan of the retina—the innermost layer of wall of the eyeball. By emitting a beam of incandescent light that bounces off the person’s retina and returns to the scanner, a retinal scanning system quickly maps the eye’s blood vessel pattern and records it into an easily retrievable digitized database 3 . The eye’s natural reflective and absorption properties are used to map a specific portion of the retinal vascular structure. The advantages of retinal scanning are its reliance on the unique characteristics of each person’s retina, as well as the fact that the retina generally remains fairly stable throughout life. Disadvantages of retinal scanning include the need for fairly close physical contact with the scanning device. Also, trauma to the eye and certain diseases can change the retinal vascular structure, and there also are concerns about public acceptance.
Voice Recognition
Voice or speaker recognition uses vocal characteristics to identify individuals using a pass-phrase (Campbell, 1997). It involves taking the acoustic signal of a person’s voice and converting it to a unique digital code that can be stored in a template. Voice recognition systems are extremely well-suited for verifying user access over a telephone. Disadvantages of this biometric are that not only is a fairly large byte code required, but also, people’s voices can change (for example, when they are sick or in extreme emotional states). Also, phrases can be misspoken and background noises can interfere with the system.
Signature Verification
It is an automated method of examining an individual’s signature. This technology examines dynamics such as speed, direction and pressure of writing; the time that the stylus is in and out of contact with the “paper”; the total time taken to make the signature; and where the stylus is raised from and lowered onto the “paper”. Signature verification templates are typically 50 to 300 bytes. The key is to differentiate between the parts of the signature that are habitual and those that vary with almost every signing. Disadvantages include problems with long-term reliability, lack of accuracy and cost.
Hand/Finger Geometry
Hand or finger geometry is an automated measurement of many dimensions of the hand and fingers. Neither of these methods takes actual prints of palm or fingers. Only the spatial geometry is examined as the user puts a hand on the sensor’s surface. Hand geometry templates are typically 9 bytes, and finger geometry templates are 20 to 25 bytes. Finger geometry usually measures two or three fingers, and thus requires a small amount of computational and storage resources. The problems with this approach are that it has low discriminative power, the size of the required hardware restricts its use in some applications and hand geometry-based systems can be easily circumvented 9 .
Palm Print
Palm print verification is a slightly modified form of fingerprint technology. Palm print scanning uses an optical reader very similar to that used for fingerprint scanning; however, its size is much bigger, which is a limiting factor for use in workstations or mobile devices.
Keystroke Dynamics
Keystroke dynamics is an automated method of examining an individual’s keystrokes on a keyboard (Monrose, 2000). This technology examines dynamics such as speed and pressure, the total time of typing a particular password and the time that a user takes between hitting keys—dwell time (the length of time one holds down each key) as well as flight time (the time it takes to move between keys). Taken over the course of several login sessions, these two metrics produce a measurement of rhythm unique to each user. Technology is still being developed to improve robustness and distinctiveness.
Vein Patterns
Vein geometry is based on the fact that the vein pattern is distinctive for various individuals. Vein measurement generally focuses on blood vessels on the back of the hand. The veins under the skin absorb infrared light and thus have a darker pattern on the image of the hand. An infrared light combined with a special camera captures an image of the blood vessels in the form of tree patterns. This image is then converted into data and stored in a template. Vein patterns have several advantages: First, they are large, robust internal patterns. Second, the procedure does not implicate the criminal connotations associated with the taking of fingerprints. Third, the patterns are not easily damaged due to gardening or bricklaying. However, the procedure has not yet won full mainstream acceptance. The major disadvantage of vein measurement is the lack of proven reliability 9 .
DNA sampling is rather intrusive at present and requires a form of tissue, blood or other bodily sample 9 . This method of capture still has to be refined. So far, DNA analysis has not been sufficiently automatic to rank it as a biometric technology. The analysis of human DNA is now possible within 10 minutes. If the DNA can be matched automatically in real time, it may become more significant. At present, DNA is very entrenched in crime detection and will remain in the law enforcement area for the time being.
Ear Shape
Identifying individuals by ear shape is used in law enforcement applications where ear markings are found at crime scenes (Burge, 2000). Problems are faced whenever the ear is covered by hair.
Body Odor
The body odor biometrics is based on the fact that virtually every human’s smell is unique. The smell is captured by sensors that are capable of obtaining the odor from non-intrusive parts of the body, such as the back of the hand. The scientific basis is that the chemical composition of odors can be identified using special sensors. Each human smell is made up of chemicals known as volatiles. They are extracted by the system and converted into a template. The use of body odor sensors broaches on the privacy issue, as the body odor carries a significant amount of sensitive personal information. It is possible to diagnose some disease or activities in last hours by analyzing body odor.
Performance Measurements
The overall performance of a system can be evaluated in terms of its storag e, speed and accurac y. The size of a template, especially when using smart cards for storage, can be a decisive issue during the selection of a biometric system. Iris scan is often preferred over fingerprinting for this reason. Also, the time required by the system to make an identification decision is important, especially in real-time applications such as ATM transactions.
Accuracy is critical for determining whether the system meets requirements and, in practice, the way the system responds. It is traditionally characterized by two error statistics: False Accept Rate ( FAR) (sometimes called False Match Rate), the percentage of impostors accepted; and False Reject Rate ( FRR ), the percentage of authorized users rejected. These error rates come in pairs: For each false-reject rate there is a corresponding false alarm. In a perfect biometric system, both rates should be zero. Unfortunately, no biometric system today is flawless, so there must be a trade-off between the two rates. Usually, civilian applications try to keep both rates low. The error rate of the system when FAR equals FRR is called the Equal Error Rate , and is used to describe performance of the overall system. Good biometric systems have error rates of less than 1%. This should be compared to error rates in current methods of authentication, such as passwords, photo IDs, handwritten signatures and so forth. Although this is feasible in theory, practical comparison between different biometric systems when based on different technologies is very hard to achieve. The problem with the system is that people’s physical traits change over time, especially with alterations due to accident or aging. Problems can occur because of accident or aging, humidity in the air, dirt and sweat (especially with finger or hand systems) and inconsistent ways of interfacing with the system.
According to the Biometric Working Group (founded by the Biometric Consortium), the three basic types of evaluation of biometric systems are: technology, scenario and operational evaluation 9 .
The goal of a technology evaluation is to compare competing algorithms from a single technology. The use of test sets allows the same test to be given to all participants. The goal of scenario testing is to determine the overall system performance in a single prototype or simulated application to determine whether a biometric technology is sufficiently mature to meet performance requirements for a class of applications. The goal of operational testing is to determine the performance of a complete biometric system in a specific application environment with a specific target population, to determine if the system meets the requirements of a specific application.
Problems of Using Biometric Identification
Different technologies may be appropriate for different applications, depending on perceived user profiles, the need to interface with other systems or databases, environmental conditions and a host of other application-specific parameters.Biometrics has some drawbacks and loopholes. Some of the problems associated with biometrics systems are as follows:
• Most of the technologies work well only for a “small” target population: Only two biometric technologies, fingerprinting and iris scanning, have been shown in independent testing to be capable of identifying a person from a group exceeding 1,000 people. Three technologies—face, voice and signature—have been shown in independent testing to be incapable of singling out a person from a group exceeding 1,000. This can be a big problem for large-scale use 2.
• The level of public concern about privacy and security is still high: Privacy issues are defined as freedom from unauthorized intrusion. It can be divided into three distinct forms:
• Physical privacy, or the freedom of individual from contact with others.
• Informational privacy, or the freedom of individuals to limit access to certain personal information about oneself.
• Decision privacy, or the freedom of individuals to make private choices about personal and intimate matters.
Public resistances to these issues can be a big deterrent to widespread use of biometric-based identification.
• Biometric technologies do not fit well in remote systems. If verification takes place across a network (the measurement point and the access control decision point are not colocated), the system might be insecure. In this case, attackers can either steal the person’s scanned characteristic and use it during other transactions or inject their characteristic into the communication channel. This problem can be overcome by the use of a secure channel between the two points.
• Biometric systems do not handle failure well. If someone steals one’s template, it remains stolen for life. Since it is not a digital certificate or a password, you cannot ask the bank or some trusted third party to issue a new one. Once the template is stolen, it is not possible to go back to a secure situation.
The world would be a fantastic place if everything were secure and trusted. But unfortunately, in the real world there is fraud, crime, computer hackers and theft. So there is need of something to ensure users’ safety. Biometrics is one method that can give optimal security to users in the available resource limitations. Some of its ongoing and future applications are:
• Physical access
• Virtual access
• E-commerce applications
• Corporate IT
• Aviation
• Banking and financial
• Healthcare
• Government
This article presents an overview of various biometrics technologies’ performance, application and problems. Research is going on to provide a secure, user-friendly and cost-effective biometrics technology.
Biometrics, A Critical Consideration in Information Security Management - INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND, BIOMETRICS TECHNOLOGIES, Retina and Iris Scanning, Fingerprint Scanning, Facial Recognition, Voice Recognition, PRACTITIONER IMPLICATIONS [next] [back] Biological Photography - Introduction and History, Subject Handling, Aquatic Subjects, Backgrounds, Photography in the Field
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about 4 years ago
thanks this thigy really halped!!!!!!!!!!!
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a nice one but how can we create it at home and link to our website
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over 4 years ago
Do you happen to have any technology in which you can scan your finger or heart rate to find a persons mood..<3
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after going through this article, i found it to be very useful t; my research work
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over 5 years ago
A good overview.
As an update, Vein recognition has been successfully tried in rural areas with the user base over 100,000 users. In fact, Vein Recognition is gaining popularity more than IRIS for the Rural Market.
Moreover, different environments and situations decide which technology has a discreet advantage over the other
It would help if a comparision is made on the applicability factor for each technology. |
Volume V- 2000
TESOL: Art and Craft
by Henry Widdowson
Dr. Henry Widdowson previously held chairs at the University of London and the University of Essex, and is now Professor at the University of Vienna. He began his career with the British Council, working in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, before talking up an academic career in Edinburgh where he obtained his doctorate in 1973. He has published many books and articles, the most recent of which are Aspects of Language Teaching, Practical Stylistics and Linguistics, the first in a new series of which he is editor, Oxford Introductions to Language Study. All are published by Oxford University Press.
Science is seductive because it seems to tell us the way things really are, in spite of what they seem to be. It gets rid of what is incidental and reveals the essential, sees through the symptoms and gets at the real cause of things, the general laws underlying the variety of actual appearances. It is an impressive performance. And you can indeed see it as a performance: like that of a stage magician performing tricks that show the admiring audience how wrong they are to trust the evidence of their own eyes. You saw the gentleman's watch smashed to pieces with my hammer, but you were wrong. Hey presto! Here it is intact. Round of applause. The hundred dollar bill was burned to ash, but abracadabra! Wrong again. Appearances are deceptive.
But there is more to science than conjuring tricks, you will say. It does not deliberately set out to create illusions but to dispel them: it does not conceal causes, but reveals them. It explains reality. The earth really does go round the sun. The illusion is to suppose otherwise. That may be so but whose reality are we talking about. Science necessarily undermines our trust in experience. The world of the senses and common sense turns out to be insecure, a kind of fiction of appearances. But it is real for us. Science may prove that the earth goes round the sun, but not in my experience. The sun rises and sets: sunup, sundown. Why should I be so persistent in the error of my ways? Now that I know what really happens, why do I not alter my attitudes accordingly so that they are consistent with the way things really are'?
Elusive Variables
The answer is because what science reveals is not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so that everything else is illusion, and needs to be corrected. It reveals a version of reality. It is an impressive version. For one thing, it is objective, supported by empirical proof, and predictable. If you do this, whoever you are, this will happen in consequence. And if you do it again, the same thing will happen again. Always. But only under certain conditions, and here's the rub. You have to control the circumstances, ignore a whole host of factors, eliminate them from consideration. The scientific version of reality is an abstraction. So in our own field, research in Second Language Acquisition can claim to be scientific. As such, its findings are conditional on controls, on eliminating unwanted variables, so that they are a version of learning, valid only under these conditions. But this abstracted analysis does not match up with actual experience, where variables cannot be so conveniently eliminated. This is not to say that this scientific version may not reveal things which have potential relevance, but the relevance has to be established by reference to the reality of actual experience. It is never self-evident. So researchers in SLA can never reveal the truth about language learning, and never tell teachers how to teach. The problem is that some of them seem to claim that they can, and some TESOL practitioners are deluded into believing them.
The point is then that science is an abstract enquiry that sees through things as we know them to investigate the hidden and undercurrent laws and rules and regularities that we are not aware of. But things as we know them are what we have to live with. We cannot live with abstractions. So somehow we have to relate them back to the reality we know and make them concrete again. How do we do this? TESOL cannot be a science because it a domain of practical activity not of abstract enquiry. But it can be informed by science. Practice has to make reference to theory. But then theory has to have relevance to practice. This, in our field, is what applied linguistics means. How then is science applied?
A Model for the Application of Science to TESOL
We know how it is applied in other practical domains. It is done by a process called technology. Once science has discovered the essential forces and causes that underlie familiar phenomena, technology can manipulate them to produce new phenomena and so change the world in which we actually live. Science explains. Technology exploits. So science explains reality in terms of relativity, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism. And technology exploits the explanation by turning the findings into products: the television, the computer, the compact disc, the nuclear bomb. And so we arrive at civilization as we know it. Here, then, we have a model for the application of science. So what similar applications can we find in our field? What is the equivalent in TESOL of the TV or the Teflon fry-pan? If physical laws can be manipulated to produce the microwave oven for speeding up the cooking process, why can the laws of learning that SLA reveal not be used to produce devices for speeding up the language learning process? Why does the science of linguistic enquiry not have a technology of TESOL to go with it?
There have been attempts to make TESOL into a technology. There was a time when teachers were told that it was scientifically established that language was reducible to formal structures and that learning it was a matter of habit formation induced by repetition, and the result was a technology of pattern practice and structural drill. More recently, they have been told that scientific enquiry has revealed that elements of language are naturally learned in a certain order, and there have been serious proposals that there should be a corresponding technology of syllabus design which applies that order. But the problem is that technology is necessarily manipulation: it makes findings into products and gets its results by intervention, by molding things into shape, imposing a pattern on them. What technology does is to cast reality in a new image: its products are reproductions of scientific findings in a different form.
Now you have to be pretty sure that the findings are valid before you start applying them. In TESOL, we cannot always be. Much research is conceptually flawed in its own terms and its findings questionable. And you also have to be pretty sure that the product is what you want. TESOL is concerned with human beings. In certain respects they are all alike: bodies come in all shapes and sizes, but they all consist of the same internal organs, so medical technology can be effectively and predictably applied. Human brains are basically the same whatever head they are in. Human minds are not, and this in many ways is inconvenient. So you can try to make them the same by making them conform to findings, and in effect operating on them as if pedagogy were a kind of brain surgery or genetic engineering. This is a chilling prospect. But luckily there is an alternative.
The Process We Call Art
One way of making science relevant is by technology. Another is to consider the general principles that arise from theoretical enquiry and treat them as parameters which can be variously set to suit different sets of circumstances. In this case it is not the findings that are relevant but the ideas which they are supposed to prove. You do not assume relevance and validity in advance: you establish them by referring them to your own circumstances. The validity of these ideas is their relevance. If they are not relevant, they are not valid. The everyday world of immediate experience is not discounted in this case but given equal weight. This enables you to design reality is a variety of forms. You are informed by ideas but you do not conform to them. This process is not technology, it is " craft and the successful individual application of this process is what we call art.
So TESOL practitioners, I suggest, are, as individuals in the particular circumstances of their own classrooms, acting as artists in the exercise of their craft. They are not scientists seeking to eliminate variety in the interests of establishing generalities. They are not technologists seeking to exploit the findings of science by manipulation. As artists, they react to variety and give shape and meaning to it, and they do so by reference to the principles of their craft. But notice that to talk of TESOL as art does not mean that it is simply a matter of untrammelled individual creativity, that teachers are born not made and that's that. Artists are made by knowing about their craft, and so are teachers. Leonardo da Vinci did not become an artist at birth and neither did David Nunan. Of course some artists are better than others. But even those with instinctive gifts need to have them informed by a conscious awareness of the principles, the theoretical principles, of their craft.
To modify lines of Alexander Pope:
True ease in teaching comes from art not chance.
As those move easiest who have learned to dance.
We cannot all dance as artistically as Fred Astaire, but even he had to learn how. We can all learn the craft of dancing and teaching, and become artists in our own right. We might even try doing the two at the same time. Now that really would be an art.
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Thermoregulation in free-ranging African-endemic small mammals : the rock elephant shrew, Elephantulus myurus and the lesser bushbaby, Galago moholi.
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dc.contributor.advisor Lovegrove, Barry Gordon.
dc.contributor.advisor Masters, Judith C.
dc.creator Mzilikazi, Nomakwezi. 2012-01-04T12:17:10Z 2012-01-04T12:17:10Z 2005 2005
dc.description.abstract Endothermy in birds and mammals is invariably associated with homeothermy. However, homeothermy can only be maintained if sufficient energy is obtained to meet the animals' maintenance budget. In mammals, daily torpor and hibernation have evolved to conserve energy when energy inputs from the environment are insufficient to meet maintenance requirements. Several studies have suggested that daily torpor and hibernation do not represent distinct physiological responses but are components of a continuum of heterothermy. Under laboratory conditions, even within phylogenetically ancient eutherian mammals, such as elephant shrews, it is unclear whether daily torpor or hibernation is used. Furthermore, an interpretation of the torpor patterns observed under laboratory conditions is complicated by the fact that torpor patterns often differ between laboratory and free-ranging conditions. Within the more recent mammal lineages, torpor has been observed in strepsirrhine primates. The occurrence of torpor in strepsirrhines is interesting as it pertains to arguments relating to the colonization of Madagascar by strepsirrhine primates as well as implications for human physiology. The first aim of this study was to investigate and quantify parameters that characterize torpor in a phylogenetically ancient eutherian mammal (Macroscelidae: Elephantulus myurus) under free-ranging conditions. This was done mainly to resolve whether daily torpor and hibernation were physiologically discrete responses. The second aim was to investigate torpor occurrence in a more recently evolved eutherian mammal (Primates: Galago moholi). The objective was to gain insights into the phylogenetic distribution of torpor and to provide a physiological verification of torpor occurrence in a mainland strepsirrhine relative to arguments about the colonization of Madagascar. I measured body temperatures in three monthly cycles between May 2001 - May 2002 in 22 free-ranging E. myurus. I recorded a total of 467 torpor bouts throughout the study period. The elephant shrews were capable of daily torpor throughout the year, with torpor most prevalent during winter and correlated with ambient temperature, photoperiod and invertebrate abundance. Only two torpor bouts were observed during summer. I suggest that although torpor use was most prevalent during winter, summer torpor might also be important for energy conservation in this species during drought years. This highlights the need for long-term physiological data in free-ranging animals. The mean torpor Tbmin and the mean bout length for the whole year were in the range expected for daily heterotherms. However, there was some marginal overlap with hibernation characteristics; a few torpor bouts were longer than 24 hrs in duration indicating that the animals were capable of opportunistically extending torpor bouts longer than 24 hours in response to unpredictable energetic shortfalls. Tbmin also decreased below 10°C. However, a consideration of behavioural and ecological factors argues against hibernation in E. myurus. Instead, these results support the idea of a physiological continuum for heterothermy. A return to normothermic body temperatures requires considerable energy expenditure, and this is perceived to be one of the major disadvantages of torpor. E. myurus offset the high cost of arousal from low body temperatures by using exogenous passive heating. This is achieved by coupling of the timing of arousal with ambient temperature cycles. Laboratory studies that quantify torpor energetics are usually conducted under constant temperature conditions and are likely to underestimate the energetic benefits accrued through the use of ambient temperature cycles during arousal. Torpor is often displayed during the animal's rest phase. However, nocturnal small mammals that utilize passive heating to assist arousal from torpor may enter torpor during the nighttime, thus effectively advancing the onset of the rest phase. I investigated the functional significance of daily and seasonal rhythms of body temperature in normothermic and torpid free-ranging E. myurus. Daily patterns of Tb, in normothermic E. myurus suggested polyphasic Tb patterns that nevertheless indicated a rest phase coincident with the daytime. I suggested that the principal benefit of a flexible daily rhythm of Tb, is that it facilitated torpor use during the nighttime and arousal by passive exogenous heating using ambient temperature cycles. It has been suggested that the evolution of endothermy precluded the need for homeothermic mammals to be sensitive to Ta cycles because they could maintain physiological function despite fluctuations in the ambient temperature. Elephant shrews utilize passive heating and provide excellent models with which to investigate whether mammals can entrain their body temperature rhythms to ambient temperature cycles. I experimentally tested whether food restricted E. myurus can entrain torpor cycles to shifts in the Ta cycle while holding the light-dark cycle constant. Food restriction and short photoperiod were only sufficient to induce torpor in E. myurus if photoperiod and Ta, cycles are in phase with each other. Shifting the cold T, into the photophase prevented the expression of torpor. I concluded that the body temperature rhythm is most probably tightly coupled with the photoperiod cycle and that although Ta and photoperiod usually act synergistically in nature, photoperiod is probably the stronger zeitgeber. The evolution of endothermy is thought to have been facilitated by the advent of endothermic energy sources such as brown adipose tissue (BAT), the principal site of nonshivering thermogenesis (NST). Rock elephant shrews are amongst the smallest members of the Afrotheria, the most basal of the eutherian lineage. I determined whether the phylogenetic placement of E. myurus and reliance on passive heating might result in a decreased capacity for NST relative to other eutherians. I investigated the capacity for NST in winter acclimated E. myurus by measuring the thermogenic response to noradrenalin (NA) injection. I used phylogenetically independent analyses to compare E. myurus NST capacity with other eutherians. E. myurus had an NST capacity that was no different from other eutherian mammals. Although they displayed a NST capacity that was 74% of that expected on the basis of body mass, this value was not significantly different from phylogenetically independent allometric predictions. Although heterothermy is almost always considered in the context of how the environment affects function , its use may offer insights into topics such as island biogeography and species dispersal. For example, there have been suggestions that heterothermy might have played an important role in the successful colonization of Madagascar by strepsirrhine primates. To my knowledge no studies exist as yet that provide a physiological verification of this suggestion. Currently no data exist on thermoregulation and heterothermy in any free-ranging African strepsirrhines. The lesser bushbaby, Galago moholi, is a small nocturnal strepsirrhine primate that experiences severe winters and drastic food reduction during winter and is a candidate employer of torpor. I measured body temperatures of 11 free-ranging lesser bushbabies, Galago moholi, captured at different times between February 2002 - September 2003. I did not record any incidents of heterothermy throughout the study period. Why does G. moholi not employ heterothermy? I consider several alternatives; phylogenetic placement, physiological and ecological factors that might preclude the use of torpor in this species. I suggest that the breeding pattern observed in G. moholi obviates torpor use whilst increasing fecundity, which would be adaptive if the animals are confronted with high predation risks. Much is currently known about the advantages of torpor use. This study highlights the need to consider and investigate those physiological, ecological and phylogenetic factors that might constrain species from utilizinq heterothermy. Furthermore, this study highlights the potential for thermoregulatory studies to offer insights into topics as widely separated as evolution of endothermy to species dispersal and island biogeography. en
dc.language.iso en_ZA en
dc.subject Thermobiology. en
dc.subject Mammals--Africa. en
dc.subject Northern Lesser Bushbaby. en
dc.subject Elephant shrews--Africa. en
dc.subject Theses--Zoology. en
dc.subject Body temperature--Regulation. en
dc.type Thesis en
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The Case Against Fluoride
The Case Against Fluoride: How Hazardous Waste Ended Up in Our Drinking Water and the Bad Science and Powerful Politics That Keep It There, by Paul Connett, James Beck, and H. Spedding Micklem. When the U.S. Public Health Service endorsed water fluoridation in 1950, there was little evidence of its safety. Now, six decades later and after most countries have rejected the practice, many cities and towns across the United States continue to fluoridate their water supply and the Center for Disease Control and the American Dental Association continue to endorse it, despite increasing evidence that it is not only unnecessary, but potentially hazardous to human health.
In this timely and important book, Dr. Paul Connett, Dr. James Beck, and Dr. H. Spedding Micklem take a new look at the science behind water fluoridation and argue that just because the medical establishment endorses a public health measure, that doesn't mean it's safe. In the case of water fluoridation, the chemicals used to fluoridate the water that more than 180 million people drink each day are not pharmaceutical grade, but rather hazardous waste products of the phosphate fertilizer industry; it is illegal to dump them into rivers and lakes or release them into the atmosphere. And water fluoridation is a prime example of one of the worst medical practices possible-forced medication with no control over the dose or who gets it. Perhaps most shocking of all, it is not subject to any federal regulation.
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David Stokes
In September of 1775, five months after the battles of Lexington and Concord, and while the shot heard ‘round the world later immortalized by Ralph Waldo Emerson still echoed, some Continental Army volunteers gathered at a church in the small coastal Massachusetts town of Newburyport, located almost 30 miles northeast of Boston. They were about to go to battle—an initiative led by, of all people, Benedict Arnold. The men decided that a little prayer accompanied by an extemporaneous sermon might be a good idea.
The town’s Old South Church had found a bit of recent fame as people proudly pointed out that the bell in its clock tower had been cast by a fellow named Paul Revere, who had just months before made a name for himself on horseback. Revere, of course, is better known for his connection to a certain Old North Church. But some of the citizen-soldiers listening to Chaplain Samuel Spring’s challenge that day knew that they were also in the presence of another important bit of history—something they saw as very relevant to the emerging War of Independence.
As they listened to the sermon that day, many of them couldn’t help but be preoccupied with the pulpit itself. On the Sunday immediately following the battles of Lexington and Concord, the local minister, Dr. Jonathan Parsons, spoke fervently about liberty. His passion prompted a man named Ezra Hunt to step into the church’s aisle to form a company of 60 fighting men on the spot—said to be the first such group to attach itself to the fledgling Continental Army.
But as if those two connections to the greater cause weren’t enough, there was a third even more compelling reason many of the men found the venue so fascinating.
It was what was under the pulpit that inspired them.
Five years earlier, during another Bay State September, someone who had actually founded the Old South Church back in yet another September—in 1740—had been scheduled to preach a sermon. He was America’s most famous clergyman, although his preferred appellation was—“revivalist.”
George Whitefield was back in town and a great crowd was anticipated at church in Newburyport that day. But it was a sermon, one of his more than 18,000, he would never preach. Reverend Whitefield died that morning in the church parsonage. The great voice that had cried out in the wilderness of colonial America fell silent. A few days later, with much grief and ceremony, the revivalist was buried in a crypt directly beneath that pulpit at Old South Church—where his grave remains to this day.
David Stokes
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How Alaska Mining Could Impact the Wild Salmon Population
By Paul Greenberg, "Minerals vs. Salmon," March/April 2012
In Alaska's Bristol Bay, the wild salmon fishery may be threatened by possible mining for copper and other minerals.
Each year 40 million salmon migrate into Alaska's Bristol Bay, providing more than half our wild sockeye catch. But as I flew over the area last spring I realized how quickly we could lose this.
My pilot, Rick Halford, a former Republican Alaska state senator, banked his Cessna and pointed off to the proposed site of Pebble Mine and the dams it would entail. "That's where they would attach the anchors for the dam," he said over the airplane headset. "To contain the slag they're anticipating, it would have to go from here all the way over to that mountain over there. And way ahead you can see where they would put the other dam. You have to see it from up here to grasp the arrogance of it all."
Pebble Mine is the brainchild of the Canadian prospector Northern Dynasty and Anglo American, a large corporation with operations including South Africa's De Beers diamond mines. The two companies hold the mineral rights to 186 square miles in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, a vast deposit that may contain more than $300 billion of copper, gold and molybdenum.
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Southwestern Deserts
May, 2003
Regional Report
Care for Tomato Plants
Tomato pollen isnt viable much over 90 degrees F so fruit wont set. Continue to water plants so existing tomatoes will mature and ripen. If you want to keep tomato plants alive through the summer to bloom and fruit again in the fall, provide shade cloth to protect them from the hot afternoon sun and cover the root area with 3-4 inches of organic mulch.
Treat Pearl Scale
If Bermuda lawns have areas that are either dead or yellowish-brown, it may be Pearl Scale. Dig up a chunk and examine the roots for these tiny white insects that resemble pearls. If found, remove all affected grass and dispose of it in the trash. Disinfect toolswith a 10 percent bleach solution so the scale doesnt spread other areas. Unfortunately, there is no chemical control for this pest that works effectively with one application. An appropriate insecticide can be applied from May through July when the young insects are active. At other times of year, the scale adults have a protective coat so insecticide is of no use.
Protect Citrus
Paint citrus trunks with white latex paint that is designed for tree trunks. If you dont like the appearance of the paint, loosely rap exposed areas with layers of cardboard. Remove it at the end of summer. Citrus bark is sensitive to sunburn and requires protection. If the tissue is severely burned, it allows easy entry for pests and diseases. Its also a good idea to allow branches to hang down and protect the trunk, rather than pruning them up.
Plant Bermuda Lawns
Bermuda is a warm-season grass. It can be planted after soil temperatures warm in mid-May to mid-June, depending on elevation. Hybrid bermuda, which has no pollen and is therefore non allergenic, is being recommended as a way to reduce allergy problems. It is available as sod. Common or improved Bermuda does produce pollen. It is seeded. Whether seeding or sodding, first loosen the soil to a depth of 6-8 inches and incorporate 2-3 inches of organic matter.
Hand-Pollinate Vegetables
If squash, cucumbers, melons or other vining plants arent setting fruit, try hand-pollinating. Unfortunately, bee populations are in decline because of a mite as well as fears about Africanized bees. Bee swarms are being removed rather than tolerated so the number of pollinators is in rapid decline. Use a small paintbrush or cotton swab to rub pollen from male flowers to female flowers. Female flowers have a small swollen area at the base. This is the future fruit.
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Medical Dictionary
verb de·com·pose \ˌdē-kəm-ˈpōz\
Medical Definition of DECOMPOSE
transitive verb
: to separate into constituent parts or elements or into simpler compounds <decompose water by electrolysis>
intransitive verb
: to undergo chemical breakdown : decay, rot <fruit decomposes>
de·com·pos·abil·i·ty \-ˌpō-zə-ˈbil-ət-ē\ noun, plural de·com·pos·abil·i·ties
de·com·pos·able \-ˈpō-zə-bəl\ adjective
Test your vocab with our fun, fast game
Ailurophobia, and 9 other unusual fears |
February 28, 2011
Immune Molecule Regulates Brain Connections
Schizophrenia, autism and other disorders are associated with changes in connectivity in the brain, said Kimberley McAllister, associate professor in the Center for Neuroscience and Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at UC Davis. Those changes affect the ability of the brain to process information correctly.
The study does not show a direct link between immune responses and autism, but rather reveals a molecular pathway through which a peripheral immune response or particular genetic profile could alter early brain development, McAllister said.
The researchers looked at a protein called Major Histocompatibility Complex type 1 (MHC type I). In both rodents and humans, these proteins vary between individuals, and allow the immune system to distinguish between 'self' and 'non-self.' They play a role, for example, in rejecting transplanted organs and in defending against cancer and virus infections.
In this and another recently published study, McAllister's group found that MHC type I molecules are present on young brain cells during early postnatal development. To test their function, they studied mice lacking MHC type I on the surface of neurons, as well as isolated neurons from mice and rats with altered levels of MHC type I. They found that when the density of these molecules on the surface of a brain cell goes up, the number of connections, or synapses, it has with neighboring brain cells goes down. The reverse was also true: decreased MHC expression increased synaptic connections.
Expression of MHCI on neurons was itself regulated by neural activity, the team found, and MHCI mediated the ability of neural activity to alter synaptic connections.
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